Chapter Two: The Mark Of Mastery
The next morning, every resident of the Land of Departure's castle had gathered in the throne room. Today was an important day. Today was the Mark of Mastery examination.
Mituna and Aranea stood ready before three thones. Latula stood off to the side, standing next to one of the thrones. Sitting in the throne was a boy beside her had his black and red hair pushed back, allowing his bull-like horns to stand proud. His eyes were a muddy brown. He wore a red shirt with a brown Taurus symbol on it. Over his shirt was a black vest, fake bones going horizontally down it. He wore shredded black pants that allowed red fabric to peek through. The strange thing was that wings protruded from his back, a mutation among trolls. Rufioh Nitram was the son of the Master the Keyblade apprentices served under, and a Keyblade Master himself.
Latula looked over at a man sitting in the rightmost throne. The man looked back at her. His skin was paler than most trolls, and his messy hair was snow white, as well as covering his face. His horns squiggled up from his hair. He wore red and black clothing that she couldn't see well from her gleaming red eyes glared over at her. Latula looks down at the floor, away from his gaze and straightened up.
The Summoner, who was sitting in the middle throne, stood and walked over in front Mituna and Aranea. He was almost exact in appearance to his son, wings and all. The only exception was his shirt. His shirt was open-collared and sleeveless with a brown Taurus symbol on it.
"Today you will be examined for the Mark of Mastery. Not one but two of the Keyblade's chosen stand here as candidates…" The Summoner began, addressing his students. "But this is neither a competition nor a battle for supremacy- not a test of wills, but a test of heart. Both of you may prevail, or neither. But I am sure our guest did not travel all this way to see our youngest prospects in years fall short of the Mark. I trust you are ready."
"Yes," Aranea and Mituna said in unison.
"Then let the examination begin." The Summoner raised his hands, summoning forth five orbs of light. Mituna and Aranea readied themselves for a fight. They summoned their Keyblades by their sides.
Mituna's blade was rather unique in it's own purposes. It held two yellow handles instead of one, with it modelled after Gemini. The center of the blade was a dark mustard color. One either side was a different colored blade, on black and one white. They melded together into one. The teeth on both the black and white blades allowed the teeth of the blade to take the shape of a skull.
Aranea's blade resembled more of a sword than anything. The handle was black, with the guard being a blue, pointed M. The blue and black blade curved into a cutlass-like tool. On the edge where the teeth would have been, was a sun, engraved with seven dots around a large one on the center. They matched what was the pupil on Aranea's left eye.
Latula looked over from her friend's keyblades as something quickly moved out of the corner of her eye. She turned her attention back to the exam as the orbs of light were suddenly surrounded with darkness and began acting erratically. Mituna and Aranea ran at the orbs, with their keyblades cutting through them like butter. Latula grinned a bit. They were acing this exam. Her smile faded when one of the orbs came after her.
"Latula!" Mituna and Aranea shouted when they saw this. In a flash, Latula summoned her keyblade and cut through the orb.
"Don't worry about me," Latula called out. "You two focus on the exam!"
"But Latula, you're in danger here!"said Aranea. "Go wait in your room." Latula shook her head.
"No way! I've been looking forward to this-seeing you two become Masters. I'm not gonna miss it now!"
"Trutht me, thhe can take care of herthelf," Mituna said as he and Aranea stood back to back, "Thhe's been out there training just ath hard ath uth."
"Yeah!" Aranea groaned.
"Stay sharp, Latula," she said to her fellow apprentice. Latula ran into battle with her friends.
Latula stood defiantly against the spheres, as they hovered around her. The dark glow around them gave off a menacing feeling. She began to attack all the orbs that came at her in her own defense. Then, without warning, rays of light began spewing out from the orbs. One of the beams grazed Latula's arm. She winced, looking down at the teal-colored scrape. Latula ran forward, cutting the orb in half with her Keyblade. She sighed, covering up the scarpe with her hand as Mituna and Aranea finished off the other orbs. Her eyes wandered over to the Summoner, who stood from his place. Latula rushed back over to where she had stood before, as Mituna and Aranea stood before their master.
"We all agree that this act was rather… unexpected… but one must keep a still heart even in the most trying of circumstances," said the Summoner, looking down at his pupils. "It was an excellent test, one I chose to let unfold. Which brings us to your next trial." Mituna and Aranea nodded before proceeding to the center of the room, facing each other with their Keyblades drawn. "Now, Young Captor and Young Serket, the two of you will face each other in combat. Remember, there are no winners- only truths, for when equal powers clash, their nature is revealed. Begin!"
Mituna and Aranea began to spar with one another. Mituna went after Aranea with heavy hits, but she dodged her way around every one. Aranea attacked and nearly hit Mituna, but it missed. Mituna held his hand out at his side, allowing red and blue energy to gather at it. However, instead his psionic power began to emit a dark aura, the blue and red electricity crackling around it. Mituna dissipated the energy, only with a second to block Aranea's attack.
After the exam the man and Rufioh stood next to the Summoner in front of Mituna and Aranea.
"We have deliberated and reached a decision," the Summoner announced. "Captor, Serket, you both performed commendably. However, only Aranea has shown the Mark of Mastery." There was a small gasp from Aranea. "Mituna Captor, you failed to keep the darkness within you sufficiently in check. But, there is always next time. That is all. Aranea Serket, as our newest Keyblade Master, you are entitled to certain knowledge. Please wait here for further instruction." The man and the Summoner walked away without another word. Rufioh and Latula ran down to meet Aranea and Mituna.
"Hey," said Rufioh, putting a hand on Mituna's shoulder. He seemed out of it. "Better luck, next time."
"Tuna, I'm sorry," Latula added.
"Mituna…" Aranea muttered, trying to get the boy's attention. Mituna stared down at his hand.
"The darknethth… Where did it come from?" he muttered before walking away.
Somewhere else in the castle, the man from before stopped near a girl leaning against a wall. The girl's curved, pointed out horns stood out of the mask she wore, as well as her long braids. The mask hid her features, and she wore a black and pink body suit, with a fuchsia sash around her waist. Standing out on her chest was an H that wrapped around her chest.
"What do you make of Pyrope?" the man asked her. She shrugged.
"She ain't gonna cut it," said the girl before cracking her fingers. "Somebody's gotta break that loser in." The man narrowed his eyes, looking over at her.
"Not here, you won't. I have to keep up appearances." The man walked off, with the girl following him in suit.
"I know that, Lord Caliborn. She just needs a little incentive to leave home."
Latula laid on her bed in her room, swinging a small, wooden version of a Keyblade back and forth on a string. She stopped and held it above her. The word carved into it gleamed back at her. "M1TUN4." Latula sighed as bells started ringing in the distance. Her eyes widened. Someone was leaving. She sat up, swinging her legs over the bed. SHe got up, ready to leave her room. Only one thing stopped her.
"Better hurry, Latula Pyrope…" said a voice from the side of her room. Latula stopped, looking over her shoulder. A masked female troll stood behind her.
"Huh? Who are you?" Latula asked.
"Or you'll never see Mituna Captor again," the girl continued, ignoring Latula's question.
"What? Get real. I can see Mituna anytime I want."
"Like right now?" The girl laughed. "He's leaving you behind. And by the time you catch up… he'll be a different person." Latula narrowed her eyes from behind her glasses.
"Look-whoever you are-you don't know the first thing about Mituna. Me and him will always be together. He tells me everything. You trying to pick a fight or what?" The girl walked up to Latula.
"Oh, grow up. Is that what you call a matespritship?" the girl said. "You'll never know the truth unless you go out and look for it yourself. Come on, what could you possibly know when you're stuck here, looking at nothing but what's in your tiny world?" A portal appeared behind Latula. She whipped around, staring wide-eyed at it. The entire portal was made of darkness. The girl stepped into it, disappearing as it sealed and vanished.
Latula looked down at the model in her hands. A tear slipped from her eye as she dropped it around her neck. A memory flash in her mind as she ran out of her room.
Latula stood her ground as she trained with Mituna Captor. Mituna started to win against her. Latula was knocked backwards and onto the ground. A few tears began to slip from her eyes as she sat up. Mituna bent down and patted her on the head. Latula looked up at Mituna as he smiled down at her. He pulled her to her feet. Latula released a small laugh, wiping away her tears. This was Latula's first day training as a Keyblade Wielder.
"Mituna!" Latula cried out as she ran out the doors of the castle. "Mituna!" She ran down the stairs. Standing the middle of the courtyard was mituna. He turned to look at the girl as she ran in front of him. Her breathing was heavy from running.
"I… I…" Latula tried to say through her breathes. Mituna simply smiled, patted Latula on the head.
"It'th okay," he told her before kissing her forehead. Mituna took a few steps away from her. He rammed a hand upon a guard that rested on his shoulder. In a flashof bright white light, Mituna had donned yellow, black, red and blue armor. He held out his hand, summoning his Keyblade. He held his Keyblade up and fired a beam of light into the sky where it opens a portal. He then tossed his Keyblade into the air. It spun around, where it transformed into a vehicle, based off of his Keyblade.
"'Tuna! Please!" Latula pleaded, holding out her hand. Mituna didn't even look at her. He simply jumped onto his glider as it came back down. The glider circled around and shot up toward the portal. Mituna disappeared beyond it.
Disappointment and heartbreak filled Latula. She slammed her fist against the guard that rested on her own shoulder. Her own teal, red and black armor. She stood there for a moment before summoning her keyblade and throwing it up into the air. Her own Keyblade glider swooped down to meet her. She jumped on the board-like object. Latula circled around in the air, rocketing upwards. OUt of the corner of her eye, Latula could see Rufioh and Aranea running out onto the courtyard.
"Wait, Latula!" Aranea shouted. Latula shook her head and ignored her. Latula rocketed upward and into the portal. It sealed shut behind her.
Author: Okay, the plot is officially underway. In the next chapter, Latula will begin her journey across the worlds in search of Mituna, and will discover chilling things along the way. And if you have any questions about the story or anything about the AU in general, feel free to ask me anything. I will answer all questions at the end of a chapter or I will PM you about it.
Latula: I have a question!
Author: Hmm?
Latula: Where am I going?
Author: I am not telling you. That's for the next chapter.
Latula: You can tell me. I'll keep a secret.
Author: Okay. I'll tell you later. Remember to follow, favorite and review! Peace out!
