"Ab Origine" and the general, basic concept/story of "Ab Origine" are copyright Orin Drake 2006. Kingdom Hearts, all characters and generally all cool places are copyright Square-Enix and Disney, forever and ever and ever. Or so I'm assuming.

Background: My first tentative steps into... exploration. I've had the fortune of good philosophical conversation regarding the games and ideas/theories/rumors surrounding them (and I can't thank you guys enough for that). Of course, I can't seem to delve into anything that deeply and not emerge with some "interesting ideas", so... I truly hope this eventually manages to reflect the weird crap going on in my head. Right now there are only bits and pieces... which is probably pretty clear here.

"We turn away to face the cold, enduring chill
As the day begs the night for mercy love..." - "One Tree Hill", U2

Ab Origine
by Orin Drake

Rancia. The word in his head caught like the heat and dust in his throat. Rancia... crossroads. The beginning, middle, and end of everything.

Intellectually, he knew there had been a time before. A time that did not involve this non-world, this empty space populated by too many things. Nightmares. Monsters. People. Impossible to tell the difference, anymore. He'd long since abandoned his moral fears and had begun to slaughter all that rushed toward him.

There had to have been a time before Rancia. Before the color of sand and blood and the specific, consuming black of death and decay were the only tones he could remember. He wished he could grasp those memories. Wished he understood why he tried.

Rancia took souls. Lives and hearts and bodies and souls--he knew he should remember the ones he'd left behind. And why.

The frustration drove him, though. Provided his battery, his energy behind every slash and hit and guard and block and kill kill kill because if you don't you will be consumed by the abyss. Something deep inside told him that he'd stared into those depths before... and what had looked back at him was the reason he didn't sleep.

"Peace." He had answered, once. "I want peace. Stillness. An ending."

The man had shaken his head, mild and surprised laughter drawn from his lips. The boy had never answered his question before. His inquiry as to what was desired had always been met with a glare or a grunt at best. Then the boy would simply walk away, go to heal and lick the wounds below the surface and prepare for the next time.

Surprised though the man was, he did not miss his opportunity to reward the boy's new spoken thought. "That would be the breaking of a promise sworn on many lives. I cannot do this. Neither can you."

There was silence. A very long, static silence. The boy turned on his heel and walked away.

Casually left behind as usual, the man merely watched him walk away. There was an ache inside, somewhere... but he crushed the wistful moment of wondering what it could be. Other things to do, other thoughts to linger on. Spent for the moment, he vanished.

Lost to all worlds. Once-youth turned empty. And still it would not let him go, would not let him die...

Sleep. The voice suggested more than ordered.

"Then I'll dream." The silver-haired not-quite-man responded, voice raw. He'd been screaming again. Crying out all of his anguish to the emptiness in hopes that perhaps someone would hear him. Someone... real.

I can stop you from dream--

"No." He hissed at the very thought. "Just... no."

A sigh from within. I would not steal your memories from you. I would only allow you rest.

"No." He repeated, though softer. More civil.

A long silence stretched on. No winds stirred, and no sounds besides a single pattern of breath. At the very least, the voice finally interrupted, You could be kind enough to entertain me for a moment's time.

A deep breath replaced the curse that he barely kept inside. "Fine. What story do you want me to tell you?"

There was a chuckle at being treated like a child. How about... that night, again. When you left the island.

Their anchor. Their all-important proof that at least one thing was safe, was sacred. She... might have disagreed.

A very, very vague first chapter. No, you're not meant to know anything at this point. Mostly because I don't know anything yet, either. Just mental images and music...

If you'd like to be e-mailed when I update, drop me a line with whatever story/stories/website you'd like me to inform you of.