Eraqus opened slowly his eyes, he was lying in his bed, bandages around his arm's burn. His mind was tired, he remembered what happened, that Xehanort attacked him.
He took time to see clearly, only to find Ilya, his precious little sister, by his side, holding his hand. Poor kid has teary-eyes, that broke Eraqus' heart even more.
"You're alright..?
-Y-yeah...I'm fine, don't worry ! Smiled Eraqus, trying to hide his pain.
-..."
Ilya was silent, sniffing. Eraqus pat her head gently, trying to comfort her.
"Don't worry, sis. I'm alright, it's alright, okay ?
-Okay..."
Eraqus smiled again, he didn't want to see her sad.
Ilya sniffed again and wiped some tears away.
"What happened...
-It's an accident, nothing bad. Said Eraqus, trying to believe in his words."
The door of the room opened, the Master showed up.
"Do you feel better, Eraqus ?
-I do, Master. Smiled Eraqus.
-I'm sorry, if I'd been here...
-Don't apologize, it was just an accident.
-Eraqus, you...
-It was an accident, it's my fault..I made an error to not fight properly."
The Master changed Eraqus' bandages, his arm was partially burned, it should had been incredibly painful.
The boy was calm, he was trying to hide his suffering as he could. Showing it would make Ilya panic for nothing, this wasn't a good thing to do as a brother, a friend and a future Keybearer.
"What happened, Eraqus ?
-We trained...
-And ?
-Xehanort and I we agreed to use magic, and...I failed to dodge one of his attack.
-...
-He isn't in fault here, I am.
-Using magic in training with him is not allowed, Eraqus. I thought you knew that.
-I do but...
-Rest. I will be indulgent for this time...
-Thanks you, Master...
-But. I need to talk to your big brother."
On these words, the Master left the room, and Eraqus was sweating, uneasy.
"What did I done...
-Big brother..."
Eraqus was feeling guilty as hell. If only he dodged...if only he had been good enough to avoid that burn, Xehanort wouldn't be in troubles.
The boy wiped a huge tear falling down and hid his face with his hand. Ilya put her head on his chest, calmly listening to his heartbeats, fast and anxious, while trying to appease him
On the other hand, after having help to defeat the Heartless outside, Xehanort was in the library. He wasn't reading though, he was looking to the ground, lost in his thoughts. His Master had forbid him to see Eraqus and Ilya, and he had to wait now.
He was feeling not very good.
The Master finally came, and sat down in front of him. The boy looked to him, his eyes were betraying his regrets.
"Master...Is...he alright ? Dared to ask the boy.
-He is. He just needs a lot of rest. No more training for him until I decide to. Answered the man, with a shaking voice.
-...I'm sorry."
The Master was silent for a few moments.
"Are you really ?
-What ?
-The day I welcomed you here, you promised me to never do any harm to Eraqus. To my son.
-...Yes, I did.
-When both of you became inseparables, and when Ilya joined the party, I was quite relieved."
The man stood up and walked away slowly.
"Relieved to see you being calm, happy and in good hands.
-...
-And now...it all came to this. You broke your promise."
Xehanort took these words as a sharp blade, he couldn't answer to this.
"I knew it. Sighed the Master. I knew that you would betray us.
-I..I didn't ! I didn't betray you ! Screamed the boy with an enraged voice."
The Master laughed slightly.
"Look at you. Every time, every day, darkness is in you. You're nothing but a pawn of darkness, Xehanort.
-I'm not !
-You see, your brother tried to convince me this was an accident. But using darkness magic against someone else would never be an accident. Never."
Xehanort clenched his fists and looked down.
"You can't reject who you are. Or should I say, what you are."
Xehanort bit his lower lip, he managed to keep his cool.
"Master, please come to the conclusion.
-...I can't ban you, my children would be broken...but, as for now, I can't allow you to wear a Keyblade. Not if you are...what you are now."
Xehanort looked down, he expected to hear such a thing but he wasn't well prepared.
"As for now, I want you to read books about light, the more you can. I don't expect you to change completely, but at least, change your view about darkness."
Xehanort sighed and stood up, ready to take a book when his Master murmured into his ear.
"Don't approach Ilya anymore. You hurt enough innocent people.
-...
-Understood ?
-...Yes, Master."
The man left the library, Xehanort was broken. He couldn't talk nor cry, nor scream. It was like something was dead inside him, like he just lose everything he cared about.
That was almost true.
He took a book about light and started to read in silence. But what he was reading...angered him.
"Darkness is...evilness. This is the cause of death, disease, sadness, despair. It's because of them that our worlds is suffering. Light...should prevail."
He took another one and read it loud.
"The battle of light and darkness exists since the Keyblade War. Keyblade Wielders are warriors who fight to protect the light."
He closed the book and made a long sigh.
"...Why this world is in such a mind now ? Can I find the answers ? Can I know how all this started ?"
Eraqus woke up again. Ilya was still here, she was worried.
"Brother...I'm worried about Xehanort..."
Eraqus didn't answer and slowly sat down on the bed, his arm was painful but it was better.
With Ilya's help, he stood up.
"Thanks...I'm going to...find Xehanort."
Ilya nodded.
"I'm going with you."
Both left Eraqus' room and started to search for Xehanort.
But the Master found them first.
"Master... Murmured Eraqus with worried eyes.
-Eraqus...
-What...what's new ?
-...Xehanort isn't allowed to do the test anymore."
Ilya and Eraqus were looking devastated by the news.
"Why...Father... Asked Ilya.
-Your friend is not like you, he isn't full of light. His mind is between light and darkness. Today, we saw which path he choose."
Eraqus started to shake violently, tears forming in his eyes.
"It was an accident..
-It wasn't. Stop trying to cover it.
-...Please, don't...don't make his dream...our dream...our efforts...goes to nothing..."
The Master approached Eraqus and put his hand on his shoulder.
"Eraqus. You need to keep following the light, always. You are my last hope now."
Eraqus sighed, this only made him sadder. Ilya was confused but she understood.
"Now get some rest. Ilya, please accompany him to his room."
The girl nodded, saluted her father and both went to Eraqus room without saying a word.
The boy lied on his bed, crying in silence.
Ilya said nothing. She had been by their side for the last years and she knew how much the test meant for Eraqus. More than that, this maybe would be the first and last time him and his best friend would be together, in a friendly rivalry, but this precious memory had been stolen from them.
Ilya could only imagine how broken he was.
"Do you want anything...? She tried to ask.
-Please...I need..to be alone. Just a moment."
His voice was tired, silent and full of sadness. She silently left the room and closed the door, she was very sad as well.
She sniffed and decided to walk a little.
After a few minutes, she made a decision.
She quickly went to the Master's office.
She entered and saluted the man.
"Ilya ? What is it ?
-Can I...ask you something ?
-Sure. Don't be shy."
The man knew how his adoptive kid was a sweet girl. She rarely asked for anything, she was very content with her daily life. So...he was quite wary.
"Er...I don't know...how to ask but...
-Let me guess. It's about Xehanort, right ?
-Huh ?! Blushed Ilya.
-Come on. I know he means the world to you. You're asking me to stop my...punishment. Am I right ?
-Xehanort made nothing bad... It was an accident... Explained the girl with a shy and anxious tone.
-I appreciate your kindness, Ilya. But he is responsible, accident or not. He wasn't allowed to use magic. He disobeyed to me.
-...B-but..."
Ilya tried to defend the boy in black again but the Master suddenly stood up, looking at an old book on his desk.
He made a long sight, the atmosphere was heavy and gave Ilya an uneasy feeling.
"I don't believe in Eraqus' words. He is a virtuous boy of light, he would never disobey to me. I'm sure of it : Xehanort attacked your big brother on purpose.
-...
-Besides..to be honest, Xehanort disobeying me isn't the reason of why he isn't allowed to be a wielder anymore.
-What...do you mean ?
-Tell me, my dear...you like Xehanort, right ?
-Er...of course, he is my best friend...along with Eraqus...
-Well...I guess Eraqus won't forgive me for this but I need to tell you something very important."
Xehanort left the library, he was still tired. He wanted to see Eraqus but stopped himself to. It wasn't probably the best moment. Besides, he decided to go outside to take some fresh air...when an hooded figure approached him.
"You love them too much.
-You again. What do you want now ? Asked Xehanort with an angry voice.
-I told you : your destiny is not in this world. Leave this small world and explore them all. Fulfill your future."
Xehanort sighed.
"Enough...By your fault, I can't leave this place anymore ! Because you...brought me here, I hurt my brother !"
"Xehanort is not like you, Ilya. Explained the Master. He is different from us.
-D-different ?
-Compared to you both, Xehanort's heart doesn't belong to light. It belongs to darkness.
-...Wh...
-The boy you called Brother...isn't human."
Xehanort was angry, because the figure was now laughing.
"You still don't understand. How ironic from you.
-Enough ! Why did you bring me here ?! Why did you choose a place like this ?! A place where I would befriend humans ?!"
Xehanort yelled, his voice was different, deeper than before, striking as thunder. Too intimidating to belong to a young adult.
"The one who masters the darkness...should be able to give up everything he cares about to succeed. Friends are just tools, only darkness is necessary.
-...I won't give up Eraqus and Ilya, they put their trust on me.
-If that's your decision..."
The hooded figure vanished, leaving Xehanort alone. He was enraged but quickly calmed down.
"Friends...are not tools."
"He isn't a human ? Asked Ilya. What do you mean ?
-It's a long story. Eraqus was around your age when he met Xehanort for the first time. Both became friends quickly. But I didn't want to train Xehanort at first. I was scared.
-Why ? Asked the girl with a swallow.
-Xehanort was not as gentle looking as he is know. He took on this form to be able to live here. Either way, I wouldn't allow him to be here.
-..."
Ilya was confused now. She was way too young and too pure to understand.
"So...Brother Xehanort, it isn't his real appearance ?
-Unfortunately...no. Xehanort isn't his real name as well. He changed everything about him to be able to stay here.
-What...What is his real name ?"
The man made a long sigh, he was expecting such a question but now he didn't know how to answer.
"Satan. Simply answered the man with a murmur.
-Sa...tan ?"
Of course, Ilya was totally clueless about this name.
She noticed her father was not feeling well.
"That's his real name...?
-Yeah...
-Oh...why are you scared, Father ? Is something wrong ?
-Nothing, nothing..."
The man paused a few seconds.
"Well, well. Now you know the truth.
-...I...I still don't understand...
-Xehanort...I mean, Satan's power is from the dark. It is too powerful. I was naive. I forced him to promise me to never use this kind of power again but today, he did.
-...
-He is lucky I don't ban him for this.. I don't even know why he came back in our world."
The man turned of.
"Maybe Eraqus knows...You should ask him about all this story."
Ilya slowly nodded, she wanted to understand...
She left the Master's office, made a long tired sigh and headed to Eraqus' room.
"Brother ?"
The room was empty. She searched for him for a while before finding him : in the library. He was sat down near a window, looking outside, he was looking less tired but some tears were falling on his cheeks.
"It's my fault...It's my fault..."
Eraqus put his hand on his forehead, he was looking extremely sad and worried. Ilya approached slowly.
"Big brother...?"
The boy in white awkwardly jumped on surprise, he wiped quickly his tears, and smiled.
"Hi !
-Brother...I just talked with Father.
-...Huh..."
Eraqus tried to smile but his smile was sad and broken, Ilya knew this was just a mask.
"I asked him about Xehanort, he told me that this wasn't his name and his real form...
-..."
Eraqus' smile vanished, he looked down awkwardly, saying nothing.
"He said to come ask you if I want to understand. I don't know...why Father was so scared..."
Eraqus left his spot and walked around a long time, obviously as anxious as the Master, if not even more.
"He told the truth, why ? Why ? He shouldn't have done this...
-Brother, what is happening ? I don't get anything !"
Eraqus blinked of surprise. He paused, feeling quite relieving.
He approached Ilya and pat her head.
"I guess it's time to told you a long, long story. Do you wanna hear it ?"
Ilya nodded, smiling.
"Yes, yes I want to !
-Alright, let's-"
Eraqus stopped when he saw a familiar figure entering the library : Xehanort. He has his eyes set on the boy in white, who bit his lower lip and took Ilya's hand before she jumped on him. She could feel it with his shaking hand, he was scared...
She never saw Eraqus being scared of Xehanort, both were always laughing, playing together, and they totally trusted each other. So seeing such a tension was quite new to her. After everything the Master said and Eraqus' pale face..well, she was not reassured now.
Something was truly off.
"Hey, Xehanort... Murmured Eraqus, waving with anxiety.
-Hey."
Xehanort was looking wary, he looked at Ilya and sighed.
Eraqus was sweating. He quickly walked forwards the exit, crossing next to Xehanort but didn't look at him. Only Ilya did, and she was looking confused, worried and quite sad.
Both left the library.
"...Eraqus, don't tell me...you broke our promise."
Eraqus and Ilya entered Eraqus' room, he immediately closed the door, sat down and made a long sigh, trying to relax a little.
"Sorry...I..I just...I was just a little scared."
A little ? Ilya didn't believe that. She gently put her hands on Eraqus' ones.
"Tell me, Brother...I want to understand what's going on...
-Fine...listen to me and focus...This is a story I didn't want to tell anyone but...I can't keep it a secret anymore. It all started when I was 8..."
