Knowledge Is Key
Present Day
Sora sits at the library, staring at the computer screen. He rubs his eyes, sighing, "There's nothing on any 'Sora Valdez.' The closest thing is 'Vanitas Valdez.' I know of him. Mom told me he went crazy, and no one knows why. He committed suicide in a halfway house."
Sora groans, leaning back, "Stupid internet, not being useful when I need you."
"You're looking up Sora Valdez?"
Sora jumps at Namine's voice. He coughs and looks at her, "Uh, yeah. I learned he's in my family, but no one will tell me about him, so I'd figure I'd Google him, but.." he gestures to the screen, "There's nothing on him, not even birth records of anything! There has to be something.."
"Sure there is," she sits beside him, moving the keyboard to her, "You're just not asking the right questions."
She begins typing and Sora leans forward, interested, "What are you doing?"
The search engine now reads: Valdez Brothers. Namine clicks the first link and an article pops up, showing a black and white picture of two boys who look just like Sora, only one's hair is black. Sora listens as Namine starts reading aloud:
"After a month passes, authority's give up on searching for Eraqus' youngest son Sora Valdez. Older brother Vanitas Valdez keeps insisting on a thorough search of the forest. That night the forest burns down, authority suspects Vanitas Valdez is the culprit. Upon cleaning up the remains of the dead forest, a small burned down shack with a body inside is discovered. The body has been identified as Sora Valdez. Sora Valdez's remains are cremated and given to Eraqus. Vanitas Valdez has a gravestone set in their family graveyard to commemorate Sora Valdez's death. The next day Eraqus is found dead at the Valdez Manner. His death is deemed suicide. After his father's funeral, Vanitas Valdez runs the manner. Two weeks later Vanitas Valdez is sent to a halfway house to get treatment. Doctors report Vanitas Valdez keeps speaking of seeing the ghost of his brother in the graveyard. Two months later Vanitas Valdez commits suicide by hanging in his room. His body is placed in the family graveyard."
Sora blinks, "Whoa.."
"They all died." Namine says sadly, "Such a sad history, the Valdezes."
"If they died, how did the family continue?" Sora asks.
Namine shakes her head, smiling, "You don't know your own heritage? Eraqus had another son, the eldest, Terra Valdez. I heard he moved far away when his brothers were still very little."
"Ah," Sora nods, "I know of Terra, duh."
He chuckles softly and Namine smiles. She clicks another link and a small paragraph, along with a blury image of a shadow in the graveyard behind Sora's house pops up. Sora reads aloud:
"Everyone deems the Valdez Manner haunted after many sight Vanitas Valdez standing at Sora Valdez's gravestone. No one ever gets close to the graveyard, and the apparition disappears before proof can be verified. One teacher (who remains nameless) reports going to the grave and standing right beside the apparition. The ghost turned to the teacher and said three words before disappearing: 'He still lives.' No one else has been able to get close to the ghost before it disappears."
Sora shakes his head, "That's so fake."
"You don't believe in ghost stories, Sora?" Namine asks.
Sora frowns, "They're just making fun of the tragedy that happened to my family. That's fake, and hurtful."
Namine sighs, "It probably is fake, but a lot of the people here actually believe Vanitas Valdez's ghost is still trapped to Sora's gravestone."
"That is just so stupid." Sora turns off the computer and frowns, Sora Valdez burned in a forest. The same place the new forest rests outside the manner. Riku said Sora's death was his fault. There's too many holes in this story. I have to find out more, but how? I tried asking Mom about Sora, she changed the subject every time I tried. She knows something, but won't say. My only hope to learn about him is the dreams, and.. Riku.
"Sora? Hello?" Namine waves her hand over Sora's face.
Sora blinks, "Uh, what? Sorry, did you say something?"
"Library's closing in a few minutes. I just came to return a book. Come on, I'll walk you home." she giggles and Sora laughs, rolling his eyes, "Yeah, okay."
The two friends walk together until Namine has to leave and Sora sighs, walking the long straight road home alone as the sun starts to set.
16th Century Rome
"Riku!" Sora chases the silver-haired boy into the forest. All too quick, he's lost. He looks around, but it's hopeless. Whatever path he had been following is gone now. The trees move too much, Sora's never made it out of the cursed forest without Riku. Though, he's never been inside since the day he met Riku. Sora looks around, tears running down his face, No, this can't be happening!
"Riku!" he cries, crumbling to the forest floor. He sits in the dirt in the dark of night, crying and screaming his lover's name. Unlike all the other times, Riku doesn't come to his aid. Sora's left alone in the dark as the trees move around, caging him. A chill fills his bones as the wind blows. Something's not right. Sora gasps as there's suddenly someone behind him. The voice that speaks is male, and a few years older than Sora or Riku. Sora sniffs as ice cold hands grip his shoulders hard.
"What is a little human like you doing out here at this time of night?"
Sora wants to scream for Riku to save him. This is, after all, what Riku had always warned him of. The others in the forest, members of Riku's coven. Now one of Riku's family member's is going to eat him. With the words Riku left him with, Sora hopes his death will be swift. He closes his eyes, shivering beneath the hard, icy grip of his attacker. The voice speaks again, colder, "What are your last words before you die, little human?"