A/N: Hello all. Welcome to my new story, Never Lost, A Kingdom Hearts FanFic. This is my first Kingdom Hearts fic, though honestly this fic has lived in my heart for years. I have finally taken the leap and decided to share it. This will be a long story, and I apologize as updates won't be on any set schedule. But I will be updating and finishing this story, however irregular. There will be adult themes, that may trigger some, so I will be posting warnings for those chapters. I apologize in advance if I upset anyone. Otherwise, please enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not know own Kingdom Hearts in any form or fashion. I am not profiting from this story in any way. Thank you.
Prologue
The sky screamed as the storm threatened to split it in half. Rain poured hard, attempting to wash the land clean of the dried blood that was now its constant cover. The winds howled, and took the stench of the corpses for a ride. There were no trees. There was no grass. Flowers would not grow on this land that was now an ever-present red. And even a storm this strong could not wipe out the signs of war.
Radiant Garden was once a beautiful country ruled by a solitary king. He shared his power with appointed governors, and together they ensured that the citizens of Radiant Garden lived in peace and happiness. The kingdom thrived with the light in the hearts of all who lived there. But one day, an evil man who called himself Ansem Seeker of Darkness ended the peace and beauty Radiant Garden was known for. He came with a force of a great army. His men were called The Heartless. He took over the country, divided it among his men. He imprisoned the king, and the governors and began his onslaught of terror. He mercilessly destroyed innocent people and threw their bodies across the land as a reminder to anyone that tried to cross him. He was a monster. And one that seemed unable to die. The daughters of nobility were taken to be his personal playthings which he would later dispose of when they broke. No one seemed able to stop him. And then people stopped trying. He christened the land with blood. Radiant Garden drowned in death, and was redubbed Hollow Bastion.
As the legends say, that in a small province called Twilight Town, two babies were found abandoned in an old abandoned mansion. One was a beautiful baby girl. She was fair skinned, like porcelain. Her hair as bright as the day, her eyes as blue as the ocean. The other, an enchanting baby boy. His skin was the color of sand. His eyes as blue as the sky; his hair like the sun. The baby girl was named Namine and the baby boy was named Roxas. As they grew, they seemed to know things that shouldn't have known. Namine drew accurate portraits of Ansem and the former rulers though she'd never seen them. Roxas was skilled with swords though he'd never been taught. Namine had divine sight, and she had seen that she and Roxas would somehow slay The Seeker of Darkness. These children were to be the saviors of Radiant Garden.
And it was several years later on that wild stormy night that Namine and Roxas had come to the fortress of Warlord Ansem Seeker of Darkness. They traveled through the death covered land that was once the beautiful Radiant Garden. Unfortunately, they were not strong enough, and found themselves in the evil ruler's clutches. The boy seemed badly beaten. His young body covered with bruises and colored with his own blood. The girl was not as severely hurt physically but their sadistic captor made her watch as Roxas was tortured.
"Please! No more! His body can't take anymore! Can't you see he's unconscious?" Namine pleaded with the blighted warlord as he struck another blow to Roxas's limp form. Ansem looked over to Namine. He was not an ugly man, but his twisted and warped mind brought an ugliness to his features. His skin seemed much too pale for a living man, yet it shone with his evil. His veins were quite visible in his neck and his eyes were always happily angry. His too long white hair only added to his fearsome appearance, but his smile was entrancing. He set his angry eyes on Namine. She was being restrained by his large Guardian who was instructed to hold her as tightly as his strength would allow. Had he held her any tighter, Namine's slender body would have been snapped in half. Other Heartless had gathered to watch the show.
"Is he now?" He said, his voice dripping with rehearsed refinement with a slight mocking edge. He threw the young boy's unmoving body in her direction.
"YOU VILE MONSTER!" She screamed, and strained against the vice grip around her. Ansem and his guards laughed at her. The Guardian loosened his grip on her and she took the momentary relief to attempt to break his grasp. Ansem noticed and struck her across the face with the sheath of his sword. Her head jerked hard to the side. Blood began to trickle from her mouth, but she made no sound; there were no tears in her already water filled eyes. She turned back to look at him. If looks could kill, she'd watch him die.
"A monster… Thank you. I try my best. But at least my efforts are met with results. Prophets claimed you and this boy would be my downfall. But you hardly even presented a challenge," he lifted his hand in attempt to lightly caress her face. He decided against it and struck her once more on the opposite side. Namine was strong despite what she appeared and received every single hit with silence, "I have already won, you see. The country is mine and its people do as I say. But you and this boy have given them hope. They believe I can be defeated. Tsk tsk tsk. I can't have that," he pondered for a moment. He lifted Namine's chin to force her to look at him, "You are a lovely girl. It would be such a waste to kill you. I will spare your life, if you…" He trailed off suggestively. His hand began to move downward to touch her body. But he was cut short. Ansem yelled as a dagger was plunged into his left calf.
"Don't… don't you dare… touch her…" Roxas had awakened; his breathing was labored because of his numerous injuries. Ansem merely kicked him away. Roxas yelped with pain.
"NO!" Namine cried, "I'd rather die than be your whore!" She spat at him. As smiled wickedly.
"That can be arranged," he then spoke to the room, "Release her. Then leave. I have matters to attend to. I will have my way with you, while the boy watches." With that, the guards thrust Namine toward the warlord and left. Ansem threw Namine to the ground and kicked her. She accepted in silence, "Do you not feel pain girl? Or do you always endure in silence? Grant me one small favor and let me hear your pain. Scream for me." He smiled as he went to kick her once more. However, he never made impact. He had forgotten that Roxas was conscious. Roxas had somehow found the strength to attack Ansem. Nevertheless, Roxas's body was weak from blood loss and the fight couldn't last very long. Roxas slashed at the warlord's arm with his dagger and then proceeded to plunge it into his shoulder. Roxas did not stop at that. He used anything in the chamber he could find as a weapon. Ansem was growling furiously. But when Roxas ran out of options, the warlord grabbed him by the throat.
"You're not dead yet? I WILL make sure to kill you this time!"
"LEAVE HIM!" Namine sprang from the ground and grabbed at his hair. She pulled him down to the ground and began to kick him as hard as her body would permit and as fast as her power would allow. Roxas struggled to get up, and with the warlord's own sword, struck him through the chest. He did not bleed. Roxas turned to Namine. She looked at him, and though no words were exchanged, they knew what the other wanted. They fled. They needed to hide… to be somewhere safe. But nowhere was safe anymore. They knew they were doomed. Roxas had very little strength left, but it seemed as if some unforeseen force was guiding his very languid body. They found an abandoned part of the fortress and hid in some kind of storage space.
Namine laid Roxas down and attempted to stop some of his bleeding.
"Leave it," he whispered, "It's too late now." Namine shook her head as she held back tears. They were quiet for a while. She began to quietly sob, "What? Crying? You? The world really is ending." He chuckled lightly.
"How can you laugh now? It's over, Roxas. Ansem Seeker of Darkness cannot die. He will be all the more furious when he finds us. We will die. You're…" she choked on her sobs as she could not finish her sentence.
"Sorry. I'm sorry is what I am. He wasn't supposed to hurt you. I wasn't able to protect you. It seems pitiful that you had to fight for me."
"You didn't fight for me. You fought with me." She smiled.
"There it is…" he was whispering lower now as his body was running out of energy, "Smiling suits you better than sobbing." He winced.
"Please stop speaking. Save your energy. I can't bear to…" she took his hand in both of hers and then up to her face, "You can't… not now. Not like this." He sat up and took Namine into his arms.
"Then how? I know this isn't how you Saw it... But at least we tried. Your Sight's never been wrong before, but... I just don't know how we're going to get out of this." Namine listened to Roxas's breathing, expecting it to slow down soon. Roxas was right. Though she'd never Seen incorrectly before, something was off this time. The time it mattered the most, she'd led them down the wrong path. And because of that, she thought, Roxas is dying. The Sight that mattered most was the time she'd Seen wrong. She couldn't bear to watch him lie down and die. Roxas always tried to challenge her, mostly to annoy her. This time, he followed her blindly. And look where it's gotten us, she thought.
Roxas knew that Namine was very hurt, but she was always stubborn. She was always to the one to See... but never wanted to be seen. She never voiced her feelings and always put seemed to take care of anyone else's emotions but her own. But he watched her now. All her careful walls torn down. Her face badly bruised on both sides… still bleeding. And she never flinched once. She had almost carried him to their hiding spot. He was much more than she could carry but she always found the strength when it came to him. Most men would cringe at the thought of having a woman protect them. Roxas didn't mind. They were quite the trouble-makers. Even though she'd Seen what trouble lay ahead, he never listened. She'd tell him not to go, he would go. She would follow. She'd tell him to go, he would stay. If anything, just to get a rise out of her. She would stay or go with him either way though. To make sure he made it out in one piece.
But they knew it would soon be over. They were both in trouble, each one as deep as the other.
"How long has it been?" Namine asked, breaking the long silence. Roxas didn't answer. She looked at him. His eyes were closed, but his breathing was still normal. She began to shake him as if he were sleeping.
"No…" he whispered, taking hold of her hands.
"Oh… I'm sorry. I panicked… you didn't answer and…"
"Shhh… I hear something." They listened. There were footsteps very near to their hiding place. It was coming soon. Death was coming soon. Namine looked to Roxas and there was uncharacteristic fear in her eyes. She began to whisper frantically.
"I can't See. Roxas, I can't See anything. I don't See anything... It must be because I'm scared. If I just calm down and..." Roxas was shaking his head.
"It won't work. You can't See because there's nothing to See for us anymore."
"I will not just sit here and wait for death, Roxas. We have to fight them."
"With what? I don't have the strength to wield my blades. And even if I did, I can't get them now."
"You can't just give up. Please, Roxas. I'm not ready to go..." she buried her had into his chest. He kissed the top of her head, and thought for a bit.
"I have an idea. You may not like it… but it's our only chance. We won't win… but we may be able to get away and heal. So maybe you try and listen to me for once?" he teased.
She smiled and slightly pushed him with mock anger. He told her his scheme and he was right; she didn't like it at all. But if anything, it would buy them time to think of something better. She would have to act as a distraction.
"Roxas, I… I… this plan… will I have to let him…"
"Absolutely not! But distract him enough that it lulls him into a false sense of security. By then, I'll have…disposed of most of the guards, so when you knock him out again… we'll be able to escape."
She moved away from him and stood up. "Are you sure?"
"Not at all," he smiled, "But it's all I've got."
"Then I'll take it." They moved out of there hiding place and quietly made it through the castle halls. Namine would have to find Ansem Seeker of Darkness and make him believe that she has accepted his offer. Roxas shuddered. The thought of the vile man's hands on his Namine's body was sickening. Namine was too pure to be touched by Ansem. By anyone. Except for maybe himself. He knew he had been in love with her for a long time. But he never said anything. He liked the way things were between them. Everything was effortless… like breathing. He loved her more than words could say… He figured if he never said anything aloud, she'd never See it. He wasn't quite sure how her Sight worked, so he made up the rules as he went. She'll never know now, he thought.
"Remember the plan. I'll be in there before anything happens."
"Promise?" she whispered.
"Yes. I promise." Namine nodded and went ahead. Roxas stayed a bit behind, so as not to give them away. After a minute or two, he crept to the door and heard them talking.
"You are a formidable fighter. No one has ever harmed me before. I applaud you." He recognized Ansem's voice.
"Why thank you. And that is why I returned. I would love to fight for you. I would love to be your ultimate weapon. No one would suspect it. Think of the possibilities." Namine said. She was clearly a good actress. Apparently, some of Roxas's influence had done her well. Roxas clenched his fists as her heard the warlord's iron- clad footsteps, he was sure, move towards Namine.
"Yes. The possibilities are endless," Ansem said venomously smooth. Roxas was nearly apoplectic. "But as I said before, you are lovely. Fighting for me would not be your only use."
"I'm sure. I will do always as you please. Whatever you want."
"That's what I like to hear." The warlord's back was to the entrance of the chamber. Roxas could not contain himself. He made his way inside and cleared his throat. The warlord turned around and his face went purple with fury, "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!" Roxas shrugged. Ansem turned back to Namine who was ready with a shield.
"Oops… I lied." She struck him hard in the head with the shield. Ansem Seeker of Darkness fell over, out cold. She knocked him over a few times for good measure. Namine leapt over his body, ran over to Roxas, grabbed his hand and kept running. They ran as hard as they could. But it wasn't before long that they heard someone running behind them.
"I WILL HAVE YOUR HEARTS! SUBMIT!" Ansem roared. They made it out of the fortress and into the raging storm. The rain pelted hard on their already aching bodies, but they did not slow down.
"Where will we go?" Namine shouted over the thunder and wind.
"No idea. Just keep running. We have to keep running." He shouted back.
"I thought you said it was over…"
"So did you. But I don't want to die now. Not now. Not like this." She smiled as he mirrored her words. They kept running. But the warlord was no longer behind them.
"Roxas, where…" She wasn't able to finish her sentence. She was suddenly impaled through the abdomen with a sword. Roxas stopped. His eyes filled with dread, fear, anger and pain. Namine fell to the ground, and her blood began to slowly spread out from underneath her.
"Namine," Roxas fell to knees beside her, "No… no no no… Please no! Say something to me!" He turned her around and held her in his arms, now drenched with the rain and her blood which the rain did not wash away, "Namine! Please speak to me! Namine!" his tears began to splash on her face, but were indistinguishable in the deluge.
"Your turn," said a menacingly familiar voice. Roxas looked up to see Ansem Seeker of Darkness standing right over them. Before Roxas could speak, the warlord removed the sword from Namine's body and ran it through Roxas. He removed his weapon and left them there. Roxas fell, with his arms still wrapped around her. Roxas had not been as thoroughly impaled as Namine. He was still breathing and in very much agony. But he could not feel the pain.
"Namine," he whispered weakly, "Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead." He continued his chant. The torrential rain did not wash their blood away and the pool beneath them was steadily growing. Roxas was becoming weaker and weaker, and Namine had not spoken to him, "Please Namine, don't be dead. You can't be dead. Not yet." He held as close as his weakened body would allow. He felt her hands tighten slightly against him. He looked at her. Her eyes were glazed over, but she was looking at him and she was smiling.
"Roxas," her voice was barely a whisper and the storm made it almost impossible to hear her. There were streams of tears flooding her dead looking eyes.
"Oh God, Namine. Please forgive me. This was all my fault, I…"
"I love you, Roxas." She breathed. He stared at her, his eyes wide, "I love you. I always have."
"I love you too, Namine. More than my words could ever tell you…" he could feel his body becoming weaker. He wanted to say so much to her. But he was dying too. Namine was still looking at him. Her dying eyes were becoming darker.
"I always will love you," she sighed, "I... can See something..."
"What do you See?" He sobbed.
"I See you. Your heart, Roxas... I can See it. It's so strong... Will you... will you come find me?" her voice trailed. He tried to speak back to her, but the effort was great. It wouldn't be long now.
"My heart will always find you."
Roxas... We will meet again... I may not know it's you, and you may not know it's me. But we will meet again. Someday soon. I promise... Her final promise was carried by the wind.
