Chapter Seven

"Would someone care to explain what the hell is going on here?" Sephiroth crossed his arms, looking at Riku, Noctis, and Ventus in turn. Silence greeted him as everyone grappled with the situation.

Noctis stared at his father. His entire world crumbled before him. He was wrong. He had been wrong this entire time. "You.. You're alive?" He whispered, amethyst eyes wide. He saw his vision swimming, swirling with tears he couldn't shed. His father was alive. He was here... He blinked them away quickly and knelt to the rightful King, head down to hide his wet gaze. "I-I assumed.." He ground his back teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. Ventus had been telling the truth.

"What did you assume, Noctis? You think I haven't heard about your tantrum when Ventus returned?" The raven winced at his father's scolding tone. It was as though he was a child again.

"I am sorry, Father." He seemed to grow smaller before him at his disappointment. "I have failed you." Sephiroth grunted in reply, turning his gem gaze to Riku next.

"What? Father, why is he kneeling to you? What the hell is going on?" Riku was the only one who didn't grow up under Sephiroth's usual rule which explained his outright defiance of the demon. Riku was completely different from Noctis and Ventus. He stood opposite Sephiroth, head high and eyes locking with his, matching him in anger. Axel had never seen anyone stand tall in front of the King without being struck down and put to death. Sephiroth's anger and controlling nature, Riku just experienced it in a different way.

"Come now, Riku. You're smart. I'm sure you can put the pieces together. Thanks to Axel's big mouth." He turned his glare at the vampire, who shrank back and looked away, unable to meet his eyes.

Riku stared at him, at the way the others followed his every unspoken command, at the way the raven was still down in front of Sephiroth like some peasant begging for forgiveness. His head rang. What had he said to Axel? About the demon King disappearing so long ago? "No, no, you," He stared at his father and felt the anger subside as pure shock flooded his veins, "You can't be.. You.." he stuttered. This couldn't be happening. This was a horrid dream.. But it was all too real. "You destroyed humanity." His hands balled into fists.

"I also built it back up." He said, a hint of pride in his voice as his lips curled into a self-satisfied smirk.

Riku shook his head. "Unbelievable. You," He pointed to Noctis who had risen from his spot. "You're apparently my brother. Tell me what the fuck is going on here." He demanded, making the raven bristle. Riku and Noctis were honestly very much alike.. Both very blunt and to the point.

Noctis struggled to calm his sparking nerves at being talked to like a servant. "I am very sorry. I have Demons who pinpoint those humans who's hearts and souls are destined for darkness. I then twist them, force them to do what I want so that I may have strong, loyal demons at my side at all times." Sephiroth lifted a brow as though vaguely impressed that his son could do such a thing.

"I.. I found the best way to twist someone's soul was to do it from the inside out.. Using love as a weapon." He winced, feeling pure guilt rush through him. he'd done this to his family for no reason. He had ruined his relationship with Ventus and attempted to utterly destroy Riku's soul. It was unforgivable.

"Why Ventus?" Riku crossed his arms, glancing over at the blonde who hid behind a tall brunette. Jealousy flooded Riku's body at how he was standing. Riku could have been that way with him...

"Because, Ventus is my little brother. I.. I thought he killed Father and attempted my life.. So I was using him and Vanitas against each other... Kill two birds with one stone and such." He lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug.

Riku's mind was reeling. He looked close to tears, but he refused to cry right now. No one said a word as Riku attempted poorly to wrap his head around this new information. He had two brothers, a father that was a demon king. Ventus was his brother..."So. So I'm.. I'm a demon prince?" He looked at Sephiroth incredulously, who shook his head.

"No. You're much stronger. You're one of the few remaining Demons who's souls are still their own inside their vessels. Everyone in this room, except for Ventus, is a true Demon. You, my son, have great potential. A product of humanity and demons, one of a kind..." The look he gave Riku, full of pride and hope, made Noctis deflate, shoulders sagging.

Riku shook his head, anger replacing the pure confusion inside him. "No. No, absolutely not. I will not continue to be a pawn to everyone else." He glared at Noctis, so mad he was shaking. "You.. Mark my words, you will get what's coming to you. How dare you rob someone of their happiness? Just because you get a second chance doesn't mean everyone else will. You're a grade-A douchedick, and I really, really hope that your love disappoints you in every way possible. And you," He whirled on Sephiroth. "All this time, you treated me like I was normal. Why?" He knew he was being a little petulant with this whole situation but he needed answers and being patient wasn't getting him anywhere. Sephiroth didn't answer, not having to as the gears worked in his mind.

Riku realized something just then, a thought that made him laugh out loud. Axel had been the one single person to not lie to him about the big things. Axel honestly answered all his questions. The one who he suspected was lying from the very start. How ironic.

"I hope every single one of you realizes that all of your efforts with me have been for nothing. All of you can go fuck yourselves." He snarled and shoved past his Father, who just let him go.

Axel gnawed on his bottom lip for a moment before following, hot on his heels.

XoXoX

Noctis looked at his little brother, then his father, and back down in shame. Sephiroth shook his head. "Noctis, I will give you one last piece of advice as your Father and former King." His deep voice echoed with finality, like it always did, making Noctis remember the days when Sephiroth was still around.. "Family is the most important thing. Always. Never forget that. What you've done to your brother is near unforgivable. It will be up to him to forgive you, and I believe you should devote yourself to righting this wrong you've caused for all of us. Find a way to keep everyone alive." He scolded his eldest son. "If these had been just regular demons you'd been meddling with, I would say congratulations, this was a beautiful plan. But you've gone and broken what might never be replaced nor mended."

Noctis nodded, peeking up at him to see his face again. "I missed you, Father. Why didn't you come back? You must have known I wasn't ready to take the throne?" Noctis looked just like he did a century ago, scared and young, all this responsibility thrust on him that he wasn't ready for. He'd lived a certain way for so long, so much hate.. It would be hard to change now. Just trying to grasp that his father was stood before him made his mind reel. How had he not seen this? How had he thought Ventus, who could never hurt anything, would murder their father?

"Because you would have never been ready. You needed a push hard enough to make you see I wouldn't always be there to guide you. Leave Riku alone for now, he will come around when he's ready. As for you three, I command you to go back to Hell and make this right. Gather Vani and set the record straight. Unfortunately, his is one life you will never get to fix. He cannot live for much longer without Ventus." Sephiroth turned and left the room, leaving on that note. A heavy silence followed in his wake, already in slight mourning for Vanitas who would never live to grow older.

Noctis stood and looked at the two with unreadable eyes, "Come." He murmured as his hand waved, a portal ripping into existence. They had to listen, he was still their King, after all. The two slowly got up from the bed, walking through the portal before Noctis, the King taking one last look around the room before he too, disappeared into the portal.

XoXoX

"Riku, wait!" Axel caught up to him as he was unlocking his car, holding onto his arm. "Can I help explain?" He looked worried for Riku, worried he would go off and do something stupid like his family was known for.

"Get in the car, I am not staying here." He snapped over his shoulder. Axel looked relieved as he slid into the passenger seat. No sooner than Axel's ass touched the seat was Riku speeding off, too furious to even think at this moment.

"Look, I get that you're mad, and I'm sorry to have had a part in it.." He looked away from the furious silverette, who glanced at him in rage at that little known fact. "You just have to realize that we come from completely different worlds. Noctis grew up so fast, Sephiroth was a different father to you than them. He expected a lot from both of you it seems, but more from Ventus and Noctis. He allowed you to treat him as if he was human, which completely goes over my head as to why."

"None of what I just found out was okay." He snarled, knuckles white as he clenched the steering wheel, "Noctis was acting like a petulant child, used to getting everything he wants, and I refuse to give it to him. I won't go there, I won't do it. He won't control me. He isn't my King. I couldn't care less. I just.. Need something to get my mind off of all this." He screeched into the parking lot of the local bar, haphazardly putting it in park. Axel quirked an eyebrow.

"Uh.. Riku?" He looked at the other. "You know you would have to literally drink the bar to get even close to drunk, right?"

Riku growled at him and slammed the car door. Axel was good to go with him, Riku was obviously not thinking straight right now.

"So what? I can still try, can't I?" He walked in, the barkeep welcoming him like they were old friends; Riku practically owned the bar anyway, he'd put a lot of money into keeping it running. Hell, he half-worked there during his spare time from college and his parents. The bartender slid his usual drink in front of him as Axel sat down.

"Look, I know you're upset, but attempting to be normal won't help you." He huffed as Riku pointedly ignored him. "Why do you refuse to listen?" He scowled, raising his voice and catching the attention of the few regular customers in the bar. Riku waved them off and looked at Axel.

"Really? Why won't I listen? Why won't you realize what I just had to try and wrap my head around? A Prince? A demon one at that? My soul mate is fucking dead. I don't get one. Because my brother is an asshole as well as a control freak, and when things don't go his way, he fucking kills the people he feels responsible for him not getting what he wants. So you'll have to excuse me while I relive every moment I ever spent with my dad and every time I yelled at him, every time he hit me, he could have killed me for not listening. And then I have to remember that I was bred to be powerful. Am I even human? How does that work?"

Axel gave a small chuckle. "Well, you're spot on about Noctis. But you," He shook his head as though amazed, "I don't know anything. I have no idea, really. We haven't ever had anyone like you, at least not one that's lived. I don't know what you could do, what you can't do.. But if you really want to get drunk, I know the place." He stood and brought Riku into the bathroom.

"Axel?"

"Yeah?" The redhead looked like he was concentrating.

"You uh.. You know this is the bathroom, right?"

Axel scoffed at him. "Of course I know that, dumbass." An ink black portal appeared from thin air, Axel stood by it looking proud. "Sorry, I had to remember exactly where this place was, I can never remember. That's what happens when you get blackout drunk." He grinned and walked through, leaving an intrigued Riku behind. What the hell did he have to lose? He stepped through tentatively, blackness swallowing him whole.

XoXoX

"Where did you last see Vanitas?" Noctis frowned as they stood in the control room, Vanitas nowhere to be found.

ujh

"He was here earlier, I told him when I needed to leave, and you got me before then." The brunette shrugged. Ven walked past them into the room adjacent to the monitor room, one Vani often slept in.

"I have a really bad feeling about this.." Ven mumbled as he stood outside the door.

Noctis walked past him and pushed it open. Vanitas stood there, not facing them. "Did you guys think I wouldn't hear a word you all said?" He whispered. The whole room smelled like copper... Vani was bleeding. "It's so obvious that I'm not meant to be here.. I won't fight Ventus. I want to live, I want love.. And it seems the only way I'll get that is by becoming part of him again. I know I have to die to do that.."

"Vani, no, we will come up with a way.." Ven pushed past Noctis, walking up to Vanitas slowly. He approached as though any movement would send Vani into madness.

The raven turned around, revealing long jagged cuts running up his arms. The veins had been slit into, spilling their crimson blood forth. He looked at Ven's face and then Terra's. A gentle warm smile crossed his face as he gazed upon his face, shocking Noctis. Vanitas had never smiled like that before, "I always loved you, Terra. Even if it was because of him.. I know you couldn't ever have me, watching him and knowing he was just within your reach, and.. And I'm okay with that." Tears pricked his gaze. Already, Vanitas was fading, making Ventus start to cry. "This isn't fair," he whispered, turning his eyes to Ventus. "I'm sorry, Ventus."

"I forgive you, Vanitas." The raven smiled again. Vani started to fade, the blood dripping faster now as his face contorted with pain. Ven whimpered a bit, watching Vanitas fall to his knees as the pain took over. A blood curdling scream erupted from Ventus as Vani faded completely. The blonde wasn't bleeding, but two long, jagged scars tore up his otherwise perfect arms. A permanent reminder of Vanitas.. The blonde whispered Terra's name as he collapsed from the union, his memories flooding back again, completely now, the lingering pain and sorrow from Vanitas wracking his body before everything went black.

XoXoX

AN: I know, this chapter is considerably shorter than all the others, but things are happening! I know I promised a Vani/Ven fight to the death, but a lot has changed from my original concept, and this is what happened. I'm excited for the chapters that are coming, Noctis' love will be introduced! Who do you think it will be?