Cruel Temptations
I do not own kingdom hearts or final fantasy.
Chapter 4: A Schemer's Demise?
Zexion walked down the hallway leading to Xemnas's main chambers. Zexion walked in through the door to see Xemnes sitting on his throne. Zexion walked up to Xemnes and got down on one knee.
"I'm am here at your request my lord." Xemnes motioned for him to rise. Zexion stood up and waited for further instruction.
"What is your report on memory?"
"Memory recalls are extremely dangerous, you could lose your mind if it is not done precisely." Xemnes smiled.
"Tell me, what of Marluxia? Is there anything of concern I need to know about?" Zexion had found the information on the plans to overthrow the Organization but Zexion kept a straight face.
"No, there is nothing in his memory of deceit, you know as well as I that nothing can be hidden from me when it's in the memory." Xemnes smiled in contempt to Zexion's arrogance and waved him off. Zexion opened a portal and left back to castle oblivion. Zexion walked into his room and sat down on the bed.
"Is everything ok Zexion . . . Did Xemnes hurt you?" Zexion looked over at Marluxia lovingly and shook his head.
"No, I am fine . . . I imagine you looked in my computer without my permission." Marluxia smiled sheepishly and sat next to Zexion kissing him tenderly. Zexion leaned into the kiss and allowed Marluxia to enter his mouth. The two lovers had to part for air after a few minutes.
"I love you Zexion."
"I love you too . . . What's wrong?" Marluxia looked away.
"Sora is going to be here, so we won't have a lot of time for the next couple of days." Zexion chuckled.
"No problem, be careful . . . " Marluxia kissed Zexion and opened a portal leaving the area.
(Marluxia)
I put my hood up and went to the first floor of the castle. Sora had already walked into the castle by the time I got there. Sora was looking around with his idiotic friends.
"Hello Sora and welcome to Castle Oblivion." Sora looked at me with questioning eyes.
"Who are you?" I chuckled.
"By entering this castle know this . . . Here, to lose is to find and to find is to lose." Sora looked confused. I ran at him and went through him collecting a small memory. The memory was imprinted onto a card that unlocks doors, even that idiot should be able to understand the simple complex of opening a door. I flicked the card at him and he caught it.
"Here, with this card you can unlock the door on each level, in each new place you will gain a bigger understanding of what you have possible forgotten . . . Those memories would be deep in you heart . . . For you see, all memories are imprinted and embedded in the heart of a person . . . Never will they leave you even if you forget." Sora tried to stop me before I left but I opened a portal and left.
( Normal POV)
Marluxia opened the portal to the top floor where he normally resided. Larxene was already waiting for him as he entered.
"So everything has begun then Marluxia?" Marluxia nodded and walked to the main orb in the room so he could watch Sora and his moronic friends.
"This boy is more dense than anyone could possibly understand." Axel entered the room and walked up to Marluxia and Larxene.
"I have given him more cards from his memory but, we need to push him over the edge if you really want to make him your pawn Marluxia." Marluxia smirked and on cue Vexen appeared into the room.
"I have the thing you're looking for Marluxia, I have made a Riku clone and he will counter Sora." Larxene shook her head.
"Please like he will work . . . You just like to toy with your experiments."
"Shut your mouth!" Larxene smirked.
"Typical response . . . Men without hearts are so predictable." Vexen growled.
"As if you have room to talk . . . Where is the heart you claim?" Marluxia grew tired of the argument.
"Vexen just do your experiment so we can watch it fail." Vexen lowered his eyes and mumbled a low insult as he left to his clone. Marluxia watched Vexen in his lab as he told it what he needed to do. Riku walked in meeting Sora, Sora was shocked and ran to Riku until he pulled out a sword.
"Why are you doing Riku?" Riku tilted his head.
"Why are you here?" Sora looked confused.
"I said why are you here!?" Riku slashed his blade at Sora making him block it.
"What are YOU doing here?"
"Don't sound so happy to see me, Sora. Let me know if I'm getting in the way of something more important."
"No, of course not! I only meant... "
"Spare me. I bet you'd all but forgotten about me."
"Are you crazy? I came all this way because I was LOOKING for YOU!"
"But not anymore, right? Now it's Naminé this, Naminé that. You don't care about me any more than you care about how Naminé feels."
"What's that supposed to mean? "
" Never even gave it a thought, did you? Just 'cause you want to see Naminé doesn't mean it goes both ways." Sora looked away and could muster any words to say.
"Now . . . Good bye forever Sora." Riku ran at Sora and Sora blocked the attack fighting back. Marluxia, Larxene and Axel watched the fight. None of them were surprised when Sora won the fight but the distress of his friend hating him caused pain to Sora's heart. Vexen opened a portal into the main chamber and looked at them all with hatred.
"You failed Vexen . . . Who would have thought . . ." Larxene and Axel looked at each other jokingly and then Larxene tapped her chin. " . . . but that's right . . . The real Riku lost in a fight against him so of course the fake would." Vexen growled.
"Enough! I did not fail with this experiment, it was a minor miscalculation." Axel laughed.
"You lost you pathetic excuse for a scientist." Vexen steamed with anger. Marluxia walked over at Vexen.
"The fact remains that your experiment was a failure."
"How dare you! In this organization I am number IV and you are only number XI . . ." Marluxia made his scythe appear and he appointed it at Vexen.
"I was given lordship over this castle by our superior . . . Any defying me will be seen as treason." Vexen gulped and Axel chuckled.
"The rule is traitors are destroyed I believe." Axel said mockingly. Marluxia smiled.
"If you want to prove your loyalty why don't you fight Sora yourself . . . After all none of us wish to suspect a comrade." Vexen smiled.
"Your sarcasm is flattering." Vexen opened a portal and left. Axel looked worried.
"You give him a challenge like that and he will really want to kill Sora." Marluxia smirked.
"That would be an unfortunate denouement."
(Zexion)
I waited in my lab as Lexaeus came into the room being as silent as always.
I looked over at him with an annoyed look.
"Do I not warrant a hello Lexaeus?" Lexaeus looked over with little interest. Vexen appeared not to long after.
"What is the meaning of this Zexion . . . I have things to do with Sora?"
"The scent earlier is that of Riku's . . . this is troubling . . . How he found his way here bothers me." Vexen tapped his chin.
"Yes . . . Monitor it . . . That fool Marluxia is becoming bothersome." I cringed at the insult.
"The organization use to be the rope that binds all together . . ." Vexen growled. His inferiority was becoming bothersome to me.
"You are only number VI and I am number IV and I . . ."
"Enough Vexen . . . Just do your experiment." Vexen cringed at Lexaeus's outburst and left the room through a portal.
"I know you care for Marluxia . . . be careful, I will monitor from afar on Riku." I nodded and went to my computer. I watched on the monitor as Vexen fought Riku and collected Data on his memories. These memories while helpful to my research can be dangerous.
(Normal POV)
Vexen appeared before Sora and chuckled.
"I am here to collect your debt Sora." Sora and Goofy looked at each other.
"You owe him something Sora?"
"No way . . ."
"Wrong after all I am the one that allowed you to see Riku." Sora looked angry.
"Then you're the one that messed him up!" Sora pulled out his key blade.
"Oh . . . You want to fight . . . . Then bring it on!" Vexen showed his shield. Sora came at him hitting the shield not being able to actually land a hit. As the fight went on Sora was able to hit Vexen a few times, Vexen jumped back and threw a card to Sora.
"Here is where you will find out about your true past Sora . . . There you will come to the truth." Vexen faded and Sora went through the door to the next memory.
(Marluxia)
I was pissed, Vexen is messing things up royally, I will not allow this.
"Axel . . . you know that must be done?"
"No . . . maybe you should spell it out?"
"Kill the traitor." Axel smiled and left through a portal.
(Normal POV)
Sora walked to a mansion in this new world and saw Vexen waiting.
"You where is Riku . . . I want my Riku!"
"Your Riku . . . Your love . . . . How pathetic . . . Show me how much you love him." Sora went in and clashed his key blade with Vexen's shield. After many strikes the shield was broken and Sora slashed through him.
"This place looks familiar does it not?"
"No . . . I know this isn't a real memory . . . I only know that Naminé is the only real memory I have found here that you people have made me remember . . . This place may be familiar but I know it's not my memory."
"Which is more real to you: your memories of Naminé, or the familiarity you feel here?"
"Naminé, of course! Whatever I feel here is just some trick of yours!"
" Ha ha ha... The memory's wiles are cruel. In its silence, we forget. And in its perversion, it binds our hearts firmly."
"I don't have time for your riddles!"
"Then recall that this place was made from another side of your memory."
Yes, the other side of your heart knows this place. The other side remembers."
"You're wrong! I don't know this place!"
"If you remain bound by the chains of memory, and refuse to believe your heart... then you may as well throw your heart away. You're no Key blade master, no master of anything - just a slave to twisted memories. Just like my Riku. You're not fit to exist."
"YOUR Riku? You're so full of it! YOU'RE the one who changed Riku, aren't you? Every word you've said is a lie! I'd never throw away my heart! I'm gonna take you down and save Riku and Naminé. THAT's what's in my heart!"
"Put him back? Fool of a boy! Even now you understand nothing. The Riku you speak of has but one fate — to sink into the emptiness of darkness. And you will share that fate, Sora! If you continue to seek the girl Naminé, the shackles will tighten... You'll lose your heart and become Marluxia's pawn!"
Marluxia? Who's that, and what do they have to do with Nami—" Vexen gets hit by a blast of fire that sends him flying backwards. Sora looked back.
"Axel!?"
"Yo Sora." Vexen stood up.
"Axel what are you doing?"
"Silencing you before you say too much." Vexen coughed.
"What are you saying Axel?"
"Removing you forever before you say too much."
"No... Don't do it...!"
"We're nobodies, Vexen. We've got no one to be — but we still "are." So look on the bright side. You're off the hook. Now you can be nothing instead of just being nobody."
"M-Mercy, Axel! I don't want to...go yet...NO!" Axel smiled.
"Good Bye." Axel snapped his fingers and Vexen erupted into flames fading into darkness. Sora felt scared at the amazing power Axel possessed.
"Who are you people?" Axel smiled waving his finger.
"Be patient Sora . . . Can't ruin the fun just yet." Axel left through a portal and Sora left through another door.
(Zexion)
I noticed Vexen's scent was gone from the world. Lexaeus appeared into the room with anger on his face.
"Vexen has been eliminated by Axel." I shook my head.
"Agents of the organization striking one another down . . . This line of action will lead to our end." Lexaeus nodded in agreement to my words.
"We will have to get the real Riku to eliminate Axel and Larxene so the organization can be salvaged . . . I will try to get him to open to darkness, it's good that Roxas is not with us anymore or he would try and stop us." I nodded and allowed Lexaeus to leave while I went to speak with Marluxia.
(Normal POV)
Lexaeus appeared in the room that Riku walked into and welcomed him.
"That scent... You're another "nobody."
"You've done well to make it this far, Riku. Your reputation is well deserved. But to be scared of the darkness... What a waste."
"I'm...I'm not scared.
"I can see that you are. You have the potential to control it. Cast away the fear that weakens you. Unbind your heart, and take hold of the darkness within."
"And if I say no?"
"Then you end here — light, darkness, and all!" Lexaeus uses a dark energy blast, knocking Riku backwards.
"Urgh!"
"See the power of darkness! I, Lexaeus, will not yield to a frail-hearted craven! Now, end your resistance, and let the darkness in!"
"Never! You're not strong enough to win . . . I beat you!" Riku jumped at Lexaeus.
"Stop mocking me!" Lexaeus hit Riku making him hit the ceiling and fall to the ground. Darkness surrounded Riku and he got up picking his sword up. Lexaeus turned to look and Riku slashed through him. Lexaeus dropped his weapon and began to fade.
"You are the superior's . . . it seems I was wrong . . . This is not a battle I should have started . . . It's up to you . . . Zexion . . . Forgive me." Lexaeus faded away and Riku walked on through the castle.
(Normal POV, Larxene being beaten at the same time as Lexaeus)
"All right, have it your way. It'll kill you to hear this — but I can live with that. That thing lying there is a puppet Vexen made. Nothing more than a toy. It's laughable, really. It called you a fake, but IT was the fabrication all along." :Larxene chuckled at the pain on his face.
"A fake? A fake Riku?!"
"Fake in every way. It was only finished recently. And without any past, how could it remember anything? Its memories with Naminé were planted, not real. All this time it's been picking fights with you over bogus memories. Isn't that right Naminé? Behind that cute little face you do some awful things."
"No...not Naminé."
"You are so STUPID. Don't you get it? Messing with people's memories is about all she's good at. She steps into people's hearts and rearranges their memory. If she wants, she can even draw new memories of things that never happened. The girl you've been dying to protect...is a manipulative witch who shackles people's hearts with phony memories!" Larxene smirked.
"Then my memory... Everything I remember...it's…"
"Lies, lies. All lies! An illusion Naminé made. Binding you in the chains of your own memory was central to our trap. It makes me tingle to think how easily you were duped. This was our chance to make the Key blade master our puppet! We nearly had you... But that jerk Axel used Naminé to wreck everything! He betrayed us!"
"You'll pay…" Naminé ran in front of the infuriated Larxene. "Don't!"
"Excuse me? It's a little late to grow a conscience, witch. Last I checked, YOU'RE the one who got him into this mess."
"I know, but —"
"I should tell you that I am in an EXTREMELY foul mood. Thanks to you, all our plans are toast!" Larxene back hands Naminé making her fly against the wall in pain.
"Naminé!"
"What what what? Do I detect DISTRESS? You don't even know her!"
"Maybe not. But I still made a promise. I promised Naminé I'd keep her safe. Maybe my memories are fake. But they're still mine, and I'm gonna be true to them." Larxene looked confused by his desire to fulfill a promise that was never made.
"What an idiot! There is no promise, there never was! YOU ARE DELUSIONAL. Must you insist on playing the hero? Oh, whatever. It's your funeral. Nighty-night, you MORON!" Larxene prepares to strike at Sora then suddenly Goofy pops up pushing Larxene away and Donald heals Sora as he rushes in.
"You have to go through us!"
"Donald! Goofy! You came back?"
"Of course we came back. We were worried about you!"
"We weren't about to let you have all the fun yourself!"
"Right! It's always been the three of us…"
"And it always will be! Got it, Larxene?"
"Have it your way. Thrice the pain for you means thrice the fun for me!" Larxene jumps at the and the battle breaks out. Larxene cuts Sora a few times but Sora is able to get around her speed and deliver the final blow to her.
"No... Nooooo!! I refuse to lose to a bunch of losers! I... I'm fading?! NO...this isn't...the way I... I won't...ALLOW…" Larxene faded into the darkness. Sora helped Naminé and the replica Riku. Sora left to continue on to the final part of the castle.
(Zexion)
"This is getting bad . . . First Vexen, and now Lexaeus is gone as well... What's to become of the Organization?" Axel entered the room through a portal.
"Larxene's out of the picture, too. Naminé turned on her. Gee, I wonder who's next?"
"Maybe you."
"Me? Naah. I already took my pounding from Sora. He thinks I'm done for good. I don't plan on doing a repeat performance anytime soon. No, I think Marluxia's next in line to go." I cringed at the thought of Marluxia dying.
"You think Sora will win. Because anyone who beats you is unbeatable — is that it?"
"That's the idea. Marluxia plotted to use Sora against the Organization... so it's fitting Sora should be his downfall." I was getting furious.
"Then...we won't be needing Riku anymore."
"Good luck disposing of him. You want to take on someone who wasted Lexaeus?"
"That's not how I do things. Tell me, did you get the data on Riku's home?" Axel smiled at handed over the card to me.
"Good this will really help me." Axel left through a portal and as was I to see Marluxia. I entered into Marluxia's room only to have his scythe pointed at me.
"So distrusting my love." Marluxia lowered it and nodded.
"I'm sorry but with Larxene gone . . . Sora will be here to kill me next but I promise not to fail." I lowered my head.
"Axel . . . He did this." Marluxia nodded. I leaned up and kissed Marluxia.
"Fight and win . . . We can take the organization later . . . I can manipulate Sora as long as his heart is shattered and he is lost to nothingness." Marluxia kissed me one more time before leaving. I also needed to leave to fins Riku and remove him forever.
(Marluxia)
Sora is now entering into my real room, I am nervous, he was able to kill my clone. Sora looks angry . . . The urge to kill is on his face.
"This has gone on too long Sora."
"The memories I have gained . . . Fake or not give me strength to kill you once and for all!" This kid is way to optimistic, he is an idiot not worthy of the key blade.
"Imbeciles... You would knowingly shackle your heart with a chain of memories born of lies? You would be one who has a heart' yet cast aside your hearts freedom? You turn from the truth because your heart is weak! You will never defeat me! . . . Soon the emptiness will shatter your heart here in this world of nothingness! As lightless oblivion devours you drown in the ever-blooming darkness!" I charged him with my scythe and slashed at him. Sora was determined and as hard as I tried to defeat him so I could survive for Zexion, in the end he struck me. I fell back and dropped my scythe, I held my chest as I began to fade.
"I'm . . . sorry Zexion . . . I couldn't live for you . . . I . . . Love you . . ."
(Zexion)
I felt Marluxia's presence leave the castle, my chest tightened in pain to his death. Riku walked into the room as the castle shook.
"Huh? The air has changed... One of the scents has died — a really strong one." I appear in front of the one who loves the boy who killed my love.
"That was . . .Marluxia, keeper of this castle. Ex-keeper, I should say. The Key blade master just finished him off."
Key blade master... You mean Sora! Sora is here?!"
"Would you like to see him? Or should I say, can you face him?"
"What does THAT mean?"
"Darkness and Ansem's shadow nest within your heart. Aren't you ashamed to face Sora in that state?"
"What — "
"Sora's fate is to battle the darkness. As the hero of light, he must oppose hosts of the dark — in other words, you. If you don't believe me…" I throw a card to him. "...then you had better see the truth for yourself."
"This card! This is our —"
"Yes, your home." I disappeared and Riku went through the door finding the island in ruins, when he reached the spot where the last of the island stood he looked around in shock at the horror.
"Everyone is gone . . ." I reappeared behind him.
"You've been to a number of worlds in your memory before this one. And in those worlds, you met only dark beings. That's all that's left in your heart: dark memories. Your memories of home are gone — each and every one."
"That's a lie! I remember everyone from the islands! Tidus and Selphie and Wakka...Kairi and Sora, too! They're my...my... They're my friends…"
"And who threw away those friends? Maybe it's your own actions that you forgot. You destroyed your home!" I waved my hand and the light turn to dark night. Riku looked on with fear.
"This is...that night! Zexion: The islands you grew up on were sundered, scattered... Many hearts were lost to the darkness. Because of what YOU did!" Riku shook his head in disbelief. I was happy at the pain he was feeling.
"N-No…"
"You hated being an islander, cut off from other worlds. So you opened the door to darkness and destroyed the islands. YOU did that! And now you belong to the darkness. Look at what you are!" I waved my hand and a dark side appeared in front of Riku.
"That is me . . ." I watched as Riku fought the creature and destroyed it. This is annoying . . . His resolve is strong. I changed my appearance to look like Sora.
"Sora?!" I swipe at him with the key blade and he dodges it. I swipe at him again and he holds his sword up to block it.
"Stop it, Sora! Don't you recognize me?" I pushed harder on his sword with the key blade.
"Yeah, I recognize you. I can see exactly what you've become!" I released light from the blade making him fall back.
"Look at you, shrinking away from the light... You're not Riku anymore... You're just a pawn of the darkness. So be it. It's time for you to face the light!" I blind him in light and he arches in pain but something I did not expect happened. Naminé intervened and helped him face the darkness and accept both light and dark. Riku jumped and slashed me making me fall.
"Im...Impossible!" I turned back into my self and turned to Riku.
"How did you find me in the light!"
"You reek of the dark. Even the light can't block out the smell. I followed the darkness right to you."
"This is absurd... After all your protests you're still just another darkling."
"I know who I am."
"Since when? You were terrified of the dark before."
"I'm not now!" I felt my anger rise in my body, this kid was going to die now.
"I shall make you see, that your hopes are nothing... Nothing but a mere ILLUSION !" I made a weapon and struck at him. Me and Riku clashed swords but in the end he won being the better fighter. I fell back, I couldn't die . . . This is not how I will end things. I opened a portal and left. I reappeared in the castle and leaned against the wall.
"What, what IS he?! No one's ever worn the darkness the way he does. It's NOT POSSIBLE!" Axel appeared with Riku in my chambers.
"Riku!" That's when I realized it was that clone.
"Oh - oh I get . . . It's that clone . . . Good we can counter the real one with the clone . . . Axel . . .?" Axel leaned down to the clone's ear.
"Say, Riku. It must be hard now that you know you're not real. I bet you'd LIKE to be real."
"Yeah."
"Well, you can. All you need is strength that the real Riku doesn't have. Get that, and you can be a new person, your OWN person. Not Riku, not anybody else. You won't be someone else's copy. You'll be you." No, what is he doing!? That fucking idiot.
"Axel! What are you telling him?!"
"You know, I bet he's as good a place to start as any." This is impossible, how could I be out smarted.
"Have you lost your mind!" The clone ran at me and grabbed me by the throat and lifted me into the air. I felt darkness surround my body. I was dying . . . I could feel my life leaving me. This is not how it is suppose to end. That bastard Axel only chuckled as I slowly faded.
"Sorry, Zexy. Saving you doesn't seem half as entertaining as observing Sora and Riku." I slowly faded into nothingness but I knew this clone would die soon anyway. The real Riku will be sure of that.
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So who thinks this is the end? Well it isn't I have a surprise for you and no it's not an epilogue, the story still continues on with Zexion and Marluxia but how you ask . . . Well just check the next chapter when it's updated.