Chapter one
The truth of despairThere were more people there than Blake had expected, of course the place it's self was still rather over sized. Though he appreciated Ethan hosting it in his own house.
They were in the living room now, the sofa was occupied by three people Blake did not know so he didn't pay them much mind, however he was interested in the coffee table of food, that a tall, brutish looking teen with a buzz cut had his feet rested on.
"Hey feet of the food." Ethan warned, something Blake wouldn't have done, he was mouthy with Ethan, mainly because Ethan would never really hurt him. The other boy was however complaint much to Blake's surprise. The rest of the living room was relatively empty; the only other people were a couple sitting on a love seat pushed up on the opposite wall.
"So did Kalie say when she'd be here?" Blake asked as he and Ethan left the living room, walking past another person neither of them knew in the hall.
"She should be in the back yard, that's were the cake and real food is at." Ethan pointed back over his shoulder saying, "those were just snack in the living room."
Blake followed Ethan through his stone tiled kitchen to the back door were the boy abruptly stopped blocking the door and facing Blake with a look of true concern.
"There's something I should warn you about before we go out side." The boy said his eyes falling to the floor sadly.
Blake looked at his friend with concern, "What is it?" he asked fully ready to forgive any mistakes, mishaps or other wise wrong doings.
Ethan looked deep into his eyes, "I think Kalie's in love with you."
Blake snickered, "Enophe with the stupid jokes." He said moving to turn the doorknob; he jumped a little when Ethan caught his wrist.
"I'm ceruse young man." He said switching his tone to deep and ridicules, "Tonight your sixteen, I don't want to find out about any hanky panky."
Blake smiled slightly shaking his wrist free from the other boys grasp.
"But on a note of true friendship happy birth day." Ethan said in a warm voice, he gave Blake a friendly hug and turned opening the door.
The night was still warm and the stand up heat pole were on to boot, the yard was fairly empty there was however a table set up with many choice of food, hot dogs, hamburgers and of course a big triple chocolate, fudge filled, tri layered, ice cream icing cake. With the number 16 written in strawberries on top.
There were people lounging in lawn chairs here and there, people Blake actually knew, his friends from school and family.
Though it was the person that sat up out there chair across the rectangle-gated yard that caught his attention and kept it.
Kalie wore a pink dress, her brown hair tied back in a ponytail that fell to her hourglass waist. Her blue eyes lit up brighter with every step nearer to him she took. Her lips were pink and glossy, she'd put make up on, something Blake had never seen her do.
"Hey there birth day boy." She whispered as her arms slid around him gently the top of her head resting perfectly in the crock of his shoulder.
"Hey you two." Ethan said pushing them apart, "We came to celebrate Blake's birth day not make a porno."
Kalie stuck her tong out at the older boy, "Maybe that's my idea of celebrating." She said defensively.
Blake shook his head, "lets just enjoy the party." He sighed.
Kalie took his hands in hers, "That's a great idea." Slowly she worked him over to the table of food. There was no argument Blake could make. She knew what he liked.
"I don't understand any of this crap." The cloaked man hissed tossing aside a moldy book into a pile of many others. The dust library he rummaged through was twisted in upon it's self many a times making it almost a labyrinth.
The man took another book, flipped through a few pages and raged over it as he'd done to the previous before throwing it away.
Again he grasped for one but the tap of footsteps on the cold gray floor halted him, from around one of the places many corners came a tall woman dress in the same clothes as the man, her hood drawn down to reveal a pretty face, her dark azure eyes shining brightly, her long black hair fell behind her fluidly. Her steps were slow and calculated, making each one as graceful as any living thing could be.
"You still at it?" She asked her words sounding without the moving of her mouth, however moments later it did move.
"Yes I'm still at it!" Arex snapped, "You try reading these things there all written in the ancient word."
"Wow." Exil said, "These most be from the great three's time."
Arex turned to face, yet not look at, Exil, "Don't even mention them, they were the one's that killed no heart are founder."
Exil shrugged and reached for a book flipping through a few pages, stopping halfway through staring at the page intently.
"Did you find something?" Arex asked leaning over her to scan the page uselessly, for this was the same as all the others. However he did recognize a picture. It was a silver and black heart, half and half. "Is it about the dawn and twilight?" He asked.
"No," Exil, "Answered softly, "but it is interesting, it talks about how the heart is both light and darkness, and as such there are many keyblade wielders that have been dark. It even goes so far as to say there may be an order or society of keyblade masters that no one knows about."
Arex sniffed as he drew away from the woman and her book. He looked around, something in the air had changed, there was a scent. Something that should not have existed, then from down the aisle of books appeared a swirling portal of darkness. Exil turned to face it as well, shelving the book as she did such.
"Guess we have somewhere to be." Arex muttered as he dragged his feet forward, vanishing into the portal, with XII just behind him.
It was nighttime the street lights not quite as illuminating as those that were in the library. Arex scanned the street, as Exil stepped out of the shadow pool to join him.
The street had a row of near identical houses on both sides each with closed and darkened windows. Well there was one exception, the house on the very end of the right side, just on the cross street had full lit windows and soft, music playing somewhere in the back.
Arex stopped listening more intently he realized it was people singing.
"Happy birth day to you." The melody went, "Happy birth day Blake! Happy birth day to you!" there was a chorus of applause and cheering followed by a startled cry.
"Hey!" an older sounding boy's voice rang out, "Don't throw that at-" he was cut off and Arex thought he herd a sound like food splattering, followed by, "You ass!" and a second splat.
"Is that the target?" Exil asked as she came to stand by her hooded companion.
He nodded. "I believe it is this boy Blake we are here for."
As he spoke the houses front door swung open, three people running from the house on swift feet. One was a boy with spiky blonde hair, the one following with a clump of cake in his hand was an older looking young man with crimson hair that covered his left eye, behind both of them was a girl her pink dress stained with chocolate icing. Chasing one another the teenagers ran down the street, the oldest with red hair finally letting lose the food in his hand, missing the younger boy by only an inch.
They kept running though until they turned down the cross street to the left, leaving the night again silent, except for the rustling of the trees planted in patches of grass that grew along the left side of the sidewalk.
"What now?" Exil asked as the teenagers vanished.
"What do you think?" Arex muttered snapping his black-gloved finger.
Shadows formed on the ground cast by no one, sliding through the ground like it was water, then slowly the darkness lifted sky word take shape, first a round head, then sharp claws, antenna and lasts glowing yellow eyes.
There were seven each moving with unsteady steps, the long instruments on top of their black head feeling out hungrily. They only came up to Arex's nee though and there short stumpy legs, were not be made for speed.
The man pointed in the direction the boy's and girl had ran of in. "Go," he hissed, "kill them."
The shadows melted down into the ground and shot forward, swimming through the ground faster than any human could run. Arex and Exil watched the shadows round the corner then slowly began to follow, expecting to find nothing upon their arrival.
Blake slumped onto the spring held, horse. It rocked back and forth lightly under his weight; Ethan sat on the seagull just across from him while Kalie flopped onto the soft sand bellow.
Blake stared up into the night sky, watching stared awed by the majesty.
"Well that was tiring." Ethan mumbled resting his head on his seagull's blue head.
Blake only nodded, then after a moment when all they did was catch there breath Blake realized something important. "I never made a wish on my cake."
Ethan snickered along with Kalie. "Then make one now silly."
She said resting her head up against the side of Blake's leg.
He thought for a moment, then said, under his breath so that no one but him would hear, "I want to go on an adventure, one with sword swinging action, and an epic romance, with betrayals and fun and new places. Places that I never dreamed of, with magic dark enemies and light. There's gotta be light, and most of all, I wanna be the star of it all."
With a wistful sigh Blake brought his gaze back to his world, and as he did a shadow moved across the sand though there was no one to cast it. This was followed by several more. Confused Blake looked up, but there was nothing but the sky its self with the moon and stars unblocked. When he looked back the shadows were rising towards the sky, taking shape. A shape with razor claws and glowing yellow eye that was blacker than the night itself.
They surrounded the teenagers, Ethan saw them and leapt of his seagull with such force that he cleared two of the creatures to land next to a no longer sitting Kalie. Blake joined his friends, his head moved from left to right, counting the creatures' numbers.
"There's seven of them." He muttered realizing with true horror that neither he nor Ethan had their struggle clubs. What was worse was that the creatures were slinking forward on stumpy unsteady legs. Growing nearer every second.
"We half to break through them and make a run for it." Ethan decided stepping towards on of the creatures only to step back, just in time to avoid a fierce claw strike that would have surely torn his shin open.
It was a crazy idea but Blake knew it was that or die like a coward.
Well, he though bitterly, you wanted adventure.
"Lets go Ethan." He said firmly, taking Kalie's hand in his own.
But before ether of them could move the shadow sprung into the air, the tips of their claws glinting dangerously as they fell. Instinctively Blake released Kalie's hand and rolled away from the falling creatures. One still landed on him digging it sharp nails into his back, he struggled to his feet trying to shake the monster, he saw Ethan kick one the black creatures square in the face with no effect. The small beast was unhindered as it jumped and clung to Ethan's chest. Another soon followed and then a third covering him completely in darkness.
Blake twisted his body fiercely but his own attachment would not let go. He looked over to Kalie and saw that she was laying as if asleep, a deep gash rent from her collar bone down to her stomach, three of the creatures were moving away from here slowly toward him. Blake struggled forward but the wait on his back brought him down. He screamed as more claws pierced his flesh, one racking across his face, leaving a deep gash across his forehead. Blood spilt into the boy's eyes dieing the whole world red. He herd Ethan cry out in horror, then waited as his face met the ground, though it seemed to part like water for him. Bellow the surface there was a deep endless darkness that he met head on. He felt the creatures release him as he fell, he felt nothing, herd nothing, slowly his eye's closed as he accepted that he was becoming nothing.
As he slid further down into the darkness he heard his own voice, "And light, there has to be light."
A bright flash forced Blake's eyes open. There was light coming from beneath him and he was no longer falling rather he was laying face down on a smooth surface, a solid surface that let off a slight glow.
With a more than appropriate groan Blake rose to his feet, his eyes still stinging from the blood, even though it was gone, tenderly he stroked his forehead finding that the wound was sealed shut, leaving only a wiry scar were it had been only a few moments before.
With slow movement the boy looked around he was indeed standing on a platform, one that was perfectly round, sounded by the same darkness he had been falling into. Beneath him the platform was glass, stained actually with a strange mural painted onto it. A dark figure dressed in a black cloak with the hood up to hide its face. Around him were pictures of other such people dressed in the same manor, there were actually twelve others forming a circle around the one in the center, who held a strange key shaped sword. The shaft was black and the face was like a black star that was meant to shine darkness on all the plains of existence.
Blake stared at it for a lost amount of time.
Well hello there.
The boy looked all around him for the source of the voice.
Don't be afraid. It said sternly, you most not fear anything, other wise you risk loosing more friends.
The image of Kalie lying on her side seemingly sleep with blood running from a deep gash along all her front flashed into Blake's mind, driving him to his knees. Tears pooled at the corners of his eyes, dripping onto the mural beneath.
A sword, a shield and a staff appeared in the air before him floating in a dim light, each appearing to call to him.
You most choose. The voice said, would you pick the sword, a weapon of grace and terrible ruin, with the power to destroy and save.
"No." Blake muttered through the tears that dripped into the corners of his mouth.
Will you pick the shield the object of a protector, strong and firm with the power to save many lives?
"No" he answered again.
Will you pick the staff a mighty thing with the power to create and make paths that otherwise would not have been seen?
"I don't want any of these." Blake answered, "I want the power of light and my memories, so that I can cut down any darkness no matter how strong it is."
Really? The voice asked almost in disbelief.
"Yes." Blake muttered his tears stopping to be replaced by arched orbs of blue furry.
Then rise and receive your weapon.
Blake did as the voice commanded, a sword flashed into his hand in a radiant flare of golden light. It was strange though, like that in the mural it was part key, with a pentagon guard of silver steel around the black leather handle. The blade was flat with sharp edges that met at a dark point, black and silver mixing together along the blade's length, the face of the key was a silver heart broken in two with a three lines of darkness sprouting out of the hearts cracked center.
This shall be you weapon. The voice decreed, the keyblade: soul raiser.
Blake twirled the weapon in a circle at his side, in the air it left a trace of silver and black that vanished after a few seconds.
Now that you are ready I ask that you tread your path wisely, while some keyblades have there own unique powers yours is quite special. Your keyblade has the power to raise and wield souls. It is a power both born of light and darkness as such it is your choice, to ether walk in light like the great Ven, Sora and Seth. Or to fall into darkness, like igneous, Blake and cross. Now go on, your awakening is not finished, there is much to learn and so little time.
As the voice finished a path of glass stairs appeared at the platforms edge spiraling up in darkness. Gripping soul raiser Blake advanced. He stepped lightly onto the fist step, testing it cautiously; he had already fallen quite enophe and was not looking to do so again. To hi surprise despite the lack of support the step held firm under his full wait. With renude confidence he sprinted up the steps, they went on and on, it seemed, but they did have an end.
Blake stepped onto another platform much like that bellow, the picture was different, shocking actually. A young boy who must have been fifteen at best stood among a pile of fallen shadows, a red hood pulled up over his head, strands of his blonde hair still swaying down in front of his red eyes. Aside from the hood the rest of the jacket he wore was blue, fitting tightly to his body, his shorts were blue, tattered on the bottom and he was bare foot. Besides the dark creatures there was a village burning behind him, despite that he was smiling, his perfect white teeth strange on such a twisted thing full of such malice. In his right hand he held a blood red keyblade, the shaft was thin and round, ending at a sharp spike, shaped as an upside down heart, with a black x through it. The face was a larger version of this and as he stared at the boy Blake herd his name whispered on a cold wind. Then he remembered his had been on the list of dark keyblade wielders that the voice had given.
How unfortunate to have such a namesake. Blake thought as he walked to the center, he stopped as five shadows slithered across his path, the grip on his sword handle tightened as the shadows rose to intercept him. The same monsters that had taken Kalie's life.
Blake slid forward, his feet centimeters from the ground an invisible force pushing him forward with greater speed than he could ever have gone on foot. Soul raiser was an effective weapon, it slid through the dark essence of the first creature with ease, Blake slid past the other four, swiftly he turned, rebounding on them before they knew what was happening, he cut through another shadow with a swift horizontal strike, then twisted slightly and cut down into a second enemies skull. Both beings dissolved into a murky mist that hung in the air for a moment before vanishing into nothingness. The last two jumped into the air, hurtling down towards there target, however they came down on air as Blake slid back, wisps of silver following in his stead and rapping around him as he shot forward. Holding soul raiser in both hands Blake gave a single stroke and cut down both shadow in the one blow.
He turned sliding back for a few feet before coming to a slow stop, his feet touching back onto the ground. The mist dissolved with a light his and he was left alone on the platform, staring down at the boy with the same name.
"Its easy to see how one could turn to darkness," he muttered, "With this kind of power who would stop you."
Let me show you. Came the voice, the platform cracked at the center and spread to all its edges before Blake could so much as move. Then with a load snap it shattered, shards of glass fell around Blake as he descended slowly. Looking down he saw another platform; the glass fell through it as if it were nonexistent, however his feet touched down firmly.
The picture on this was quite a bit different; it showed another teenager the same age as the last. However his appearance was very different. His brown hair hung down along his tan face, his green eyes glowing with the small smile on his face. He wore a dark blue shirt with black shorts, which had big red pockets on the sides of each leg, with zippers criss-crossing through their centers. He like the two before him held a keyblade, though it was a bit different, its handle was guarded by two wings, one that was of a bat the other an angel wing, the blade was a curving bat wing and the face was a small white wing. Behind the boy was a tall clock tower that touched the clouds and nearly reached the silver surface of a heart shaped moon. Around his head were golden windows with the face of a young girl with long brown hair with the same green eyes as the boy. Next to her was the face of the Blake from the previous platform, however his eyes were bright yellow and his hood was down, his blonde hair was short except for at the front were it fell in front of his forehead, and the smile he bore was friendly and real, with no trace of the malice Blake had seen.
There were three other windows but Blake didn't get the chance to look to well for the voice spoke clearer than ever.
This is Seth, he still roams the worlds, a while ago he was involved in a terrible conspiracy to kill the keybladers of light, he was the only survivor. In the final battle he killed Blake and sealed crosses' other half away.
"So me and him are the only ones with keyblades now?" Blake asked.
No. The voice said simply, there is another now and there is still Kairi and Riku.
The name Riku sent a shiver down Blake's back, it carried unspeakable power with it, so much so that it brought the boy to his knees, "Who is Riku?" he gasped.
Riku wields the kingdom key now that Sora is gone; Seth now wields way to the dawn, Riku's previous weapon. As for Kairi she uses the twilighter. But again there is much to do so let us finish it.
Darkness filled the air casting out the light, two giants stepped onto the platform, one being a long armed being that was died complete and utter white, the exact opposite of the creature beside it, who's body was utterly black like the shadows. Around its face grew tendrils covering everything but two glowing eyes, while the other being had no eyes, only a strange upside down silver heart.
The platform was only just big enophe for the beings and it shook with every step they took, and every step they took brought them closer to Blake.
Darkside and twilight thorn, the voice said, you must beat them both to show your worth in the war.
Blake's eyes arched and his feet lifted off the ground, strands of silver rapping around them and filling the air.
"Beat them, " the boy spat, "no I'll obliterate them!"
The silver strands shot in every direction around him as he slid forward. The Darkside struck with a giant closed fist, Blake slid aside and jumped onto the instrument, sliding up the creatures arm towards its eyes. Soul raiser cut through its flesh and sent it sprawling back off its feet, tendrils of silver wire rapped around it as Blake jumped from its bulk back to the platform turning in time to jump over the twilight thorn as it slid along the ground with spread hands, sweeping over the entire mass. Turning mid air Blake landed facing his next advisory; behind him a strong wind blew carrying with it black smoke that fill the air. Blake flourished soul raiser at his side in a large circle, a strong wind shot out from the blade path blowing the wind away in no more than a second.
Blake took in more of the twilight thorn, around its neck was rapped a long blue scarf that bellowed behind it, its face was indeed blank with no eyes nor moth and it limbs jerked now and then as if its body were malfunctioning.
For a moment the creature was still, then in no time at all it slid to the ground and swam through the air, as if it were water, it reached out with one of its long arms, Blake slid forward cutting the appendage away, twilight thorn made a strange screech and moved with sudden speed, swinging its second arm.
Blake flew threw the air and landed in a hard role on the platforms opposite side. Staggering to his feet he found his enemy again, only it was to late. Thorny wires of energy cut through him, tangling around his arms and leg before vanishing immediately after contact. With a gasp of pain Blake hit his knees to the floor shaking his body upon impact, the twilight thorn was standing up right again it's left arm cut down it length to the shoulder. Blood swelled up from the cuts along Blake's arms and legs. His pants were warm with the liquid and his sweater was stained with red spots all along it. With a painful grunt Blake lifted himself to his feet allowing is body to lift with the silver strands.
Reality rippled around the twilight thorns face, it looked like a pool of water that had just pin touched by genital hands, the ripples mesmerized Blake but he was snapped back to the battle as another stream of pearl thorns shout out at him. The boy slid forward and jumped up to meet the thorns, the silver that swam around him caught the side of the thorns and pulled Blake to them, sliding his feet along the attack like a rail, he reached the attacker's face and countered with his own strike, soul raiser had little problem cutting a gash down twilight thorns face, the monster screeched and flailed its arms wildly, knocking Blake back and pelting him with more thorns. He twisted in midair away from the stream and caught a second one with the silver stream. It pulled back to the twilight thorn that was falling forward already, with a load cry Blake jumped forward, soul raiser raised for a powerful final strike, the length of the weapon glue bright silver and as it was brought down let loose a powerful light that solidified into twirling blades that cut through every part to the monster and the platform it was on.
Blake slid back as he landed softly on the ground, he watched as the twilight thorn fell into thousands of pieces that dissolved into black smoke before ever touching the ground.
"One thousand blades of light." Blake muttered, looking around calmly ignoring his cut as best he could, he found that many of the blades had hit the platform and cracked it.
"What now voice?" he asked quietly.
Now you join the battle.
The platform broke and Blake fell head forward into a pool of bright white light. "Well he muttered, looks like I got my wish."