Darkness in Zero
Summary: Following the life of Ansem the Wise from the day he finds Xehanort wandering, practically dead, through the castle gardens of Radiant Garden. Telling the tale behind the Secret Ansem Reports he leaves behind, the story behind the six apprentices who eventually forge the beginning of the mysterious Organization XIII, how Ansem the Wise became Diz, Darkness in Zero, and why he became so intent on destroying Organization XIII.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters named herein, they belong to Tetsuya Nomura.
Prologue The new apprentice
The aging Master of Radiant Garden found himself wandering the fabled gardens alone. The evening light was beginning to fade, leaving the crisp gold and pink glow of the setting sun. The Lord had found himself sitting atop the roof of the castle on many occasions, enjoying the breathtaking beauty of a Radiant Garden sunset. The sight was almost unmatched.
However, this evening he found himself strolling along the ground, favouring the golden leaves of the trees and the fading glory of the garden's flowers.
Autumn had always been Master Ansem's favourite season. Not only the golden glory of the season but also the message that everything comes to a close. No longer being a young man, Ansem had come to accept that nothing is eternal, all things must end, some way or another.
But enough of the ramblings of an old man's mind.
Ansem released a low sigh, encapsulated by the beauty of the fabled gardens. His apprentices were all inside, doing whatever it was the young men occupied their free time with doing. He couldn't comprehend how the young men couldn't appreciate the beauty of the world around them.
'Perhaps when one is young, their mind is preoccupied with other matters. Perhaps only when one comes close to leaving the world they know can they appreciate its true beauty?'
His mind on his apprentices, Ansem once again found himself wondering whether he had made the right decision in taking them in.
They were but boys, including Even, who had been an apprentice within the castle for over twenty years.
True, he had taken some of them away from the horrors of poverty and crime but also from the lives they could now never lead.
Never could they lead a quiet life, free of speculation and admiration.
Well, not on this world anyway. But what if…
His musing were cut short by a rustling in a bush to his left. Bracing himself for any attack that might present itself, Ansem called out.
A young man staggered out of the hedge, his clothing ragged and mud covering almost every inch. Deep lacerations covered his chest.
His figure was thin, presumably from malnutrition and his long, unkempt hair was plastered to his skin.
It was difficult to guess the hair colour beneath the layers of dirt and grime but his skin was clearly dark, a rich brown, though the dirt and blood did rather diminish the effect.
Stepping forward to ask for the man's name, Ansem heard a sharp crack. Glancing to the ground, the Lord saw a small silver locket. The image inside was blackened, presumably from exposure to a fire.
Ansem glanced back to the man, his arm was outstretched. He choked, blood running from the corner of his mouth, before falling to the ground and shaking violently.
Master Ansem crouched beside him as the man's spluttering and erratic chest movements ceased.
He checked for a pulse. It was faint.
Clambering quickly to his feet, he reached down and pulled the younger man across his shoulders. For being so thin and malnourished, the young man was rather heavy.
Ansem stumbled across the grounds, heading for the east entrance to the castle.
Upon reaching the crystal doors, Master Ansem found two of his apprentices, Braig and Dilan.
Thirty-two year old Dilan was physically the second largest apprentice, after Aeleus and particularly gifted with wind spells.
His deep brown hair would probably reach down to his shoulders were it not tied into loose braids. A strong beard rested on a strong chin and deep indigo eyes glared out from beneath thick eyebrows.
Braig, in comparison, was considerably more weedy, yet older, at age thirty-six, than his muscular friend, though with a strong chest. His chocolate-brown hair fell almost to his waist.
He had recently lost one of his hawk-like yellow eyes at the local shooting range. A new member had been waving around a musket with a bayonet and the results had not been pretty. The boy hadn't gotten off lightly either. Braig had proved to be no less of a marksman despite his decrease in depth perception.
Dilan noticed the struggling man first and rushed out to relieve him of the unconscious male, Braig following close behind.
"Master Ansem, what's going on?" Braig took only a brief glance at the scene before him.
Ansem shook his head at the question. "I am sorry Braig, there is no time to explain at the moment. I require Aeleus and Ienzo immediately. We will be in the guest room beside my own."
Braig nodded and took off, vanishing from sight within seconds.
"Dilan, there is little time."
The large male nodded and rushed through the doors after his master. They reached the designated room quickly, Dilan being considerably less constricted by the unconscious male than Master Ansem had been.
Aeleus and Ienzo arrived only moments later, the height difference between them almost comical.
Ienzo, the youngest apprentice at age twenty-four was also the shortest, standing at only 5'2", with ebony hair, cropped into an almost elfin style. His features were small and sharp, accentuating the elf-like appearance of the young man. His dusky blue eyes quickly analysed the scene.
Aeleus however, stood tall and sturdy. His copper hair curled softly and his cobalt eyes were warm, yet at this moment, lined with concern.
As they entered the room, followed closely by Braig, Aeleus drew out a small bag and set it on the bed beside the unconscious young man, scrutinising the damage.
"His right arm is broken but aside from that the damage is merely cuts and bruising."
Ienzo drew out a small bottle, filled with the emerald liquid of a cure potion and gently poured it down the throat of the unconscious male, lifting his head to ease the passage of liquid.
The lacerations and bruises vanished with a faint green glow yet his right arm remained at it's obscure angle.
Ienzo frowned gently. "The arm was broken by magic and therefore cannot be healed with magic. It will have to heal naturally."
Aeleus stepped forward and lifted the arm gently while Ienzo brought a splint and several bandages out from the depths of the bag.
A sharp crack resonated around the room as Ienzo set the bones back into place before placing the splint and wrapping it securely into position with the bandages.
They stepped back and Aeleus turned to Master Ansem. "He should be fine. He needs to rest but he'll be able to walk around within a couple of days. Though the arm will take several weeks to fully heal."
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Apologies if you believe any of the facts are skewed. It is a fan fiction of course so I may have changed a few things to allow the story to work. Though the majority should be reasonably accurate seeing as the fanfic is supposed to be out the canon XD
And if I happen to be wrong about the facts pertaining to the arm breakage I apologise, I've never broken my arm so I don't really know all the details on healing it and whatnot XD