Chapter 10: Xsirch: Sighs

I peered around the corner of the rock which I was hiding behind. I was the only one of the team from the Castle That Never Was remaining in the area of Castle Oblivion. I hadn't had a chance as of yet to speak to Axel, and I didn't intend to leave until I did.

I overheard Marluxia and Zexion talking.

"Three captives and a keyblade master." Marluxia mused. "We cannot afford to allow the intruder to interfere. I myself will hunt him down." Marluxia strode off into the night, while Zexion opened a dark portal into Castle Oblivion.

Now's my chance. I thought. I was about to dash into Zexion's portal, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. Axel pulled me behind a rock.

"You idiot!" he said. "You should be back at the castle now! It doesn't pay to disobey Xemnas's orders!"

"But I wanted to talk to you!" I pleaded.

"Listen, it isn't safe." His eyes darted around the area. "Some of the members of the Organization are traitors. That's why I was sent to C.O. I was ordered to kill anyone who was a traitor." He took a deep breath. "Things here are going to get way too violent for you to stay here. I need you to stay back at the Castle." He opened a dark portal. "You should go. I don't want Marluxia seeing you here."

"But-" I stopped. "… Okay." I walked silently to the portal.

I slashed at the heartless that were popping up in front of me. A huge bunch of shadows had appeared, and for some reason they were trying to get into the castle. I had been ordered to guard the entrance as punishment for returning late after Xemnas clearly ordered us to RTC.

It was the day after the heartless attack on Castle Oblivion. I had been here all through the night. Now, as I watched, I saw the blackness of the sky of the World That Never Was shift to a slightly lighter shade of black. I had never seen the sky in the World That Never Was. It was always obscured by dark, foreboding rainclouds.

I was startled from my reverie by the sound of footsteps. As I watched, Xigbar, ever an early riser, walked out of the entrance of the Castle, and into the World That Never Was.

"Time dragging, kiddo?" he asked. I always wondered which world Xigbar had grown up in, because his accent seemed weirdly familiar. Now that I thought of it, ALL of the Organization's voices were pretty familiar.

"Yeah." I sighed. "Any news on the Castle Oblivion team?" I asked. Saix emerged from behind the entrance to the castle.

"Unfortunately, one of our members at Castle Oblivion was terminated." Saix intoned.

"What?" I asked, shocked. "You don't mean… Axel…"

"I believe that the one terminated may have been Axel." Saix nodded.

No… I felt dizzy. I heard Xigbar yell "Xsirch!" I had a falling sensation. Suddenly, I was on the ground. Gee, it didn't even hurt…

I saw Xigbar's concerned face, and a glimpse of Saix's impassive expression, before I everything went dark-