So...I know it's been a while since I updated, but this more than makes up for it, I promise. This was originally going to be two chapters, but wow...the flow was too good to break. I couldn't figure out how to cut it off before hand.
I know this one's long, but believe me...there won't be a dull moment. In a simple way of putting it, 'the plot thickens'. More clues, more action, more feels.
And yes...when you finish reading this, take a breather before you ream me for what I've written. I mean, come on...I have to make you guys gasp with shock occasionally, right?
Have fun ;)
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Disney Castle sat somberly under gloomy skies, matching the moods of those who conversed within it.
The three who had narrowly escaped Castle Oblivion unscathed sat in a circle. Their voices were quiet, though no one was nearby to overhear them.
"What we discovered in Castle Oblivion has an importance attached to it that we can't even fathom. We're one step behind our foe this time. There may be nothing we can do at this point," King Mickey said softly, arms crossed. He eased back against his chair, sighing.
"It may not be too late. I mean…this 'Dreamwalker project' may be our answer," Riku pointed out, hesitating. King Mickey leaned forward again.
"And who is there to answer? We have only numbers and files beyond our reach. The Castle was reawakening. It would be near impossible to return to that room once again without facing grave danger far before it," King Mickey reminded. His expression grew even more defeated. "Only those who know of it are very evidently those who were hiding the files away. They will give us nothing more than swords at our throats, not answers."
"King Mickey, have you forgotten about Axel and Saix? Or rather, their restored forms? They remember everything, and yet they're not against us. If they exist, the others must, too," Sora added, supporting Riku. After what he had seen in Castle Oblivion, he knew they couldn't give up, as much as he wanted to turn a blind eye to it. King Mickey had received no reports of unusual activity in any of the worlds as of yet, but that meant nothing. Whatever was brewing in Castle Oblivion had very much to do with the girl, and it was very likely they would soon be encompassed.
"I haven't forgotten. I've already contemplated our situation if the others were to exist as well. They most likely do, but it would be to our benefit that they don't remember at all," King Mickey answered with a sigh. He seemed exasperated. He continued on before Riku or Sora could interrupt him. "Axel was taken down when he sacrificed himself for who he was supposed to hate. Saix only wanted to get his heart back, even though his methods weren't quite ethical. All those that remain were betrayed by their own, or had an extreme hatred for our cause. Perhaps a few really did only want their hearts back, but any that are neck deep in these secrets we know nothing of are most likely those who would rather stab us through the heart than speak kindly to us."
Riku and Sora fell silent for a long moment. King Mickey was barely calm on the surface. His demeanor was translucent, and they could see the frustration teeming beneath. King Mickey's words were logical, and he was most likely correct. But there was still that miniscule possibility that there would be one of the previous members who would forgive and shed light on this strange mystery.
Even so, finding any of them would be impossible. They had encountered Saix and Axel on chance, and King Mickey feared all of the others would remain in the shadows until it was too late. He stood and paced toward the wall where a window greeted him with a dull gray light from the darkened sky. He gazed out of the glass onto his world, peaceful under the churning skies. He loved his world and all of those connected to it. He had no intention of letting anything threaten it again, but their path ahead only faced a brick wall.
Mickey had been so insistent upon discovering who the girl was until he realized he had no way of keeping her contained against her will. An unusual remnant of the Organization with a mystery surrounding her that would never be unveiled. He knew someone out there had knowledge of her, but he had believed they were all dead. What they had discovered proved otherwise. Someone knew of her and were making extreme efforts to ensure no one else did.
"It is very possible that those who have hidden pieces of her existence are closely tied to the Organization…or even part of the Organization originally," King Mickey realized. Saix and Axel knew nothing of her because they were not involved in the many schemes for betrayal brewing in the Castle during their war. There were a number of others who could be the ones.
"What? You think it could be one of them…again?" Sora asked gloomily. He wasn't ready for another battle against nightmares. How could someone with their heart restored already be so full of evil?
"Do you think they intend to use her against us?" Riku suggested uneasily.
"No, I don't think so," King Mickey answered almost immediately. "They carefully gathered each piece of her existence and stored it away in a place that was never meant to be reached. If they intended to pit her against us, it wouldn't matter how much we knew because we wouldn't stand a chance against her. They're hiding her. Perhaps…her past would reveal something that was never meant to be known. They seek to end it all before she has a chance to remember anything."
"How sad," Riku said softly, without thinking. He looked up when Sora glanced at him curiously. "It's unfair to her to be stripped of everything, memories and heart, then be destroyed before she can find peace."
"But they didn't take her heart," Sora pointed out, before glancing across at Mickey. "In fact…none of us know how she lost it."
"We have little choice, then. We have to go back," King Mickey sighed, trying to steady his resolve. He knew it was dangerous, and would most likely sustain injuries. He had only seen one foe, but there was sure to be more than one. And they would be expecting the group to return.
"We're going back?" Riku asked, surprised at Mickey's sudden change in attitude. King Mickey hesitated for a long moment. The situation was shrouded in darkness, and they were stepping through a metaphorical minefield. Yet, they were the only ones who could navigate back to the chamber in Castle Oblivion, and were the only ones who had managed to gain even a little bit of knowledge about the girl. The responsibility, though very unwanted, was upon them. King Mickey had felt a moment of weakness, but it had passed.
"Yes, we're going back. But we are going to be smarter about it this time. There are a few others who will be coming as well. However, there is one more thing that's been on my mind since we discovered the girl's ailment. Where you two found the girl's information stored only reminded me of it again," King Mickey began, and Sora seemed to automatically know what was going to be said next. He looked away, but Riku paid rapt attention.
"Sora and Riku, we will return to Castle Oblivion once more in an attempt to recover the lost file, but it may not be enough. If her memories remain lost, there is only one more source that could be the reason," King Mickey pointed out, and Sora finally faced Mickey.
"She won't remember it either," Sora snapped, regretting it a second later. He knew what was brewing left no room for anonymity. As much as he and Riku had struggled to extract her and themselves from danger, he felt reluctant to set even one foot back into it.
"Sora," Riku began, seeing his agitation. "She wouldn't need to go back to the Castle. All we need to do is find that book."
"How do you know it's not in that room with the rest of what we saw? Or if it still exists at all?" Sora asked pointedly. When Namine had faded away, she had still been holding that damnable notebook that had screwed up a lot of things at one time. He didn't want to ever lay eyes on that thing again. Dredging it up from the shadows was only asking something worse than the Organization to come and use it.
"One reason why we're returning," King Mickey explained gently, knowing he was prodding a scar. "If there is evil in that Castle once again, we can't afford to leave any stone unturned. Sora, I need you on our side with this."
When Mickey said 'our', Sora glanced over at Riku, realizing his friend was looking at him from afar. Riku had seen more than Sora, and was utterly convinced they were needed in restoring the girl's memories.
"Just because we get the girl to remember doesn't automatically make her heart come back. What if she can't remember without her heart?" Sora argued, though weaker. He knew they were right, but he wasn't ready to accept it.
"Then we will find it, and bring it back to her. Whatever it takes. Nothing is lost forever. You of all people should know that, Sora," King Mickey reminded, with a firmer tone in his voice. Sora looked up at him, then across at Riku. His friend's blue eyes were observing him calmly, seeming content with the decision Sora was about to agree to.
"Whatever it takes to ensure we don't have to face that nightmare again," Sora relented, standing and joining his comrades. A rendezvous was soon to commence, and it would be off to the white Castle of Oblivion.
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Isa and Lea kept as close as they could, but never could manage to catch up with Ienzo. Every time the man turned a corner, they would rush to it, and he would already be down at the end of the street. After they had traversed much of the city's length, Isa grabbed Lea as if to halt him.
"Something's not right," Isa realized, glaring with Lea tried to shake him off. "Listen, you buffoon. Don't walk straight into a trap!"
"Duly noted," Lea responded quickly, trying to keep Ienzo in sight. Isa watched him incredulously.
"Does that mean anything to you? Listen to your instincts! Something's awry," Isa repeated. Lea was like a bull who had seen its target. He was going to run headlong into danger as long as he got what he wanted.
"So it's a trap; do you want us to back away? What corner are we going to back into and wait in the shadows? I'm not afraid, Isa. Something is awry, but it's more than Ienzo's seeming obliviousness toward us," Lea answered at last, tearing his eyes away from his target to look at Isa. "You said to listen to my instincts? They're telling me to keep going. They're telling me Ienzo knows something, and this may be our only chance."
Isa saw the burning determination in Lea's eyes and sighed. No matter how many times Isa tried to use caution, Lea's inability to listen always forced Isa to throw it to the wind. Even so, Isa knew Lea was right, and he trusted his strong sense of purpose. If Lea wanted to go forward, they would be going forward, with only Isa to watch his back.
At the last moment before Ienzo vanished from sight, the pair followed, easing carefully up to the corner to look.
A door swung slowly and silently on its hinges, creaking to a stop. There was no wind. Ienzo had gone through. Isa pressed a finger to his lips before slipping carefully forward. He had always been the stealthier one, and wanted to be the first to scope out their situation. The building Ienzo had entered looked completely abandoned. It was only the wrecked remains of some expired factory. The windows were boarded and the building appeared ready to collapse in the middle. The building was constructed partially over the water to serve as a dock. What would Ienzo be doing in such a place?
Isa took a quick peek in, but only managed to see a pitch black room dotted with blades of light falling from the holes in the roof. Though the sun was still up, it was growing late, and the light was dimmer, offering only a tiny glow. A few pieces of machinery remained, glinting dully in the darkness. Isa took a step back and inhaled deeply, trying to rationalize how entering the factory could have a safe outcome. They could see nothing, which meant either no one was there, or they were there and were being especially quiet in anticipation of visitors.
Isa took one last glance in and was about to wave Lea back when he spotted another sliver of light, different from the rest. The shade was not natural; someone was in there.
When Lea joined Isa, he only gestured toward the source of light.
"Holy shit. Did you bring a flashlight?" Lea managed to whisper, though Isa still frowned. He shook his head gently and pulled Lea closer.
"We would give ourselves away. Let's go in carefully. If Ienzo's in there, we might be able to get a glimpse of what he's doing," Isa murmured, released Lea when he jerked back.
"A glimpse? I'm gonna talk to him until he tells us what he knows," Lea shot back, and Isa shook his head again.
"No, not yet. We don't know what he's up to. Caution is necessary," Isa growled back, voice growing louder as he became more commanding. He did not follow Ienzo for 3 hours just to throw all of their effort into the trash.
There was a momentary silent battle between the two friends. After a long moment, Lea looked away from Isa's harsh stare and growled softly. Isa knew this meant victory and started silently into the old factory.
They approached their target very slowly, careful to avoid machinery and rubble. After several steps into and over just that, they were forced to slow considerably. It took a painfully long time before they managed to make it to the source of light.
It was streaming from underneath a closed door. Isa reached out carefully and felt the room that the door led to. It was an old office of some sort, from the size. After Isa had determined what is was, he led Lea to the door and crouched down carefully, listening. He leaned down excruciatingly slow until he could see underneath the fractional sliver beneath the door. There were a pair of shoes nearby, facing away from him.
There were also a pair of shoes facing toward him.
"It's here," Ienzo said suddenly, so loud even Lea caught it. Isa straightened immediately and grabbed Lea's shoulders. After a moment of confusion, Isa managed to force Lea to back up several steps, until they were on one side of the office, away from the door.
"What's here?" the other voice asked, sounding frustrated. "You called me up here for this? I'm far too busy for charades. Spit it out, Ienzo."
"The aura," he answered simply, and there was a creaking sound as someone's weight shifted.
"The aura? She's here?" the other voice asked in surprise. Isa frowned as he listened, trying to understand the strange foreboding he was beginning to feel at the sound of that voice.
"Not anymore. But she was," Ienzo replied, quieter than before. There was a growl of exasperation.
"How can her aura be here if she's no here?" the voice demanded in irritation. There was a long moment of silence. Isa heard someone's weight shift again, and he heard footsteps moving along the wall where they were. Isa looked over at Lea, who was lost in the darkness.
"Ienzo, explain yourself. What's on the other side of this wall?" the voice asked, much calmer than previously. Isa and Lea both froze, breath caught in their throats. Ienzo had known, just as Isa had suspected. They had been led here to be brought to the mysterious person on the other side of this wall. But one thing made no sense to Isa; Ienzo had spoken of 'her' aura. That could only mean one person. But how could they be carrying it?
The realization his Isa before Ienzo said it.
"What…and who, you mean," Ienzo corrected, a smile in his voice. "They carry something of hers, and it's like a lighthouse in a stormy sea. One would have to be blind not to see it." His last statement was pointed at the mysterious companion, whose footsteps moved rapidly toward Ienzo's voice.
"You fool! You've led others here who know of her? Do you now understand how fragile this place is? It cannot be discovered! Eliminate them!" he commanded sternly, anger stitched in his voice.
"Aren't you curious about who was so foolish as to follow me here, knowing I could smell their presence all the way here?" Ienzo asked calmly, waiting only a second for his companion to think. "It's our dear friends, Saix and Axel, back from their much deserved grave."
There was a long moment of silence, to which both parties participated in. Isa swiveled his head around to Lea and grabbed his collar, snagging his attention.
"The pendant, Lea. Get rid of it! Throw it and let's get out of here! We can't face this alone!" Isa whispered frantically. They had only a few spare moments to act.
"Send them back to it. They will only serve to hinder us once again," the voice commanded darkly, no hint of hesitation within it. Lea began to pat his pockets, looking for the pendant he had forgotten he held.
"Agreed. It will be pleasure to be on this end of the blade for once," Ienzo consented easily, shifting immediately. Axel fished the pendant out of his pocket, unable to see it in the darkness that surrounded it. He hesitated; if he threw it now, there would be no use. They were already discovered. He knew the moment it slipped from his fingers, he would regret it.
"Lea! Why aren't you moving?! Throw it and go the other way!" Isa hissed, his hand lighting down on Lea's chest as he searched blindly for his friend.
"I…I-" Lea began, trying to decide what to do. Was there any chance if he tossed it away, or was there a chance to keep it?
Before he could move or speak, the door was opened wide, pouring in a golden light that barely illuminated the building.
But it wasn't the room where Ienzo and his partner congregated.
A figure stood in the door to the outside, their figure pitch black as the factory. In the moment they stood there, the light began to dim outside, as if its essence were being blacked out by its aura.
Ienzo had frozen inside the room and there was nothing but silence. Isa, the more sensitive of the two, shuddered. An evil was before them, practically radiating with it.
"How you have run…and here is where you die? How fitting," the voice called softly, a hint of glee within it. It was a voice that cut through their minds and prodded at something long forgotten. It was a haze, but the darkness emanating from this figure was strangely familiar.
The figure took a step forward and the door creaked close behind them. A bolt slid into place with a crash, and shadows prevailed once more. But this was different from before. The light that had been streaming in from above ceased completely, and there was nothing but darkness.
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Get up. You can't stop here.
A voice was speaking to her from somewhere nearby. She opened her eyes to the lab and found she was no longer there.
There was a field before her, dead and silent. Only skeletons of the once beautiful land remained. Ashes flitted softly through the air like tainted snow.
He was here, but she couldn't see him.
"Who are you?" she asked, surprised by the dull sound of her voice. She blinked twice, but the field was still. Where did the voice come from?
They need you. You can't let yourself be held back any longer. Go.
From behind her.
She whirled and froze. It wasn't the speaker, but the ruins that lay behind her. Black, charred objects and lifeless trees greeted her.
"Who needs my help…?" she asked absently, amazed by the amount of death that lay before her. Something about it made her chest constrict with anxiety.
They need you. Darkness that hunts you now sees them. You cannot let them die. But go with caution. Danger lines your path.
"The one who follows me?" she realized, remembering what Hatter had warned her of. He feared for her safety, though she could not be killed. She knew this already, and was not afraid.
"Show yourself! I must know who you are!" she cried to the fields, turning in place. Her feet crunched in the brittle grass. Ashes continued to fall from the invisible sky.
You already know.
The voice was in her ear, behind her once more. She blinked, and in an instant, the burned fields vanished. All that remained in her vision was a white ceiling.
She was lying on her back. Somehow, she had lost herself somewhere during her struggle. She had been fighting the tightening bindings across her body when she had blinked and found herself in the fields. Then she had only blinked again, and had returned. She didn't understand it at all, but she knew it had happened. She lifted herself and realized the ghostly restraints had vanished. Whatever she had been fighting had retreated back into the darkness where her forgotten times lay.
What she had seen just then was different than anything else. Was that a memory? Most eluded her and grazed the edge of her vision. They offered her nothing. She had stood in those ashes and finally seen something that was once part of her. And the voice that had spoken to her…it had been him.
At last, out of the darkness of her faded memories, she had seen a pathway. She knew where she needed to go to find another shred of him. She didn't know what the place meant to her, but she had to go. It was connected to her somehow, and it held something of him there.
She would find the fields, and search for anything that was left. There had to be something that would tell her where to go next. Or, perhaps another memory would arise, as one had when she had come to this lab.
Before she could even begin to contemplate where the fields would be, something returned to her that she had forgotten so quickly in her preoccupation. Something that made her wonder if it was even remembrance at all.
The voice had warned her that someone needed her help, pursued by the same darkness that currently sought her out. Had the same message been given to her long ago? Was the darkness that hunted her still the same?
She turned in a circle around the room, blinking. The vision of the fields and the voice did not return to her.
Her confidence faded as she realized nothing was making sense. If it had been a memory, the warning was long over and no longer held significance for her. Whoever had needed her help would be gone. It was possible it was all part of an old memory.
But something deep down told her it wasn't.
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Isa had long stopped begging Lea to toss the pendant away. Regardless of what he did now, they were backed into a corner—quite literally.
Whoever had come into the abandoned factory with them was a force to be reckoned with. The very air had thickened, and the light had faded to mere twinkles in the decrepit ceiling. They were in the dark with their backs against the wall. Lea and Isa had somehow become poised between two enemies, and they remained frozen, unable to decide what their next step was.
They couldn't speak for fear of being found. But minutes had passed since the stranger sealed off the only door and entered. There had been no other sounds but the frantic pounding of their hearts in their chests. Isa took in a deep breath as the darkness became more intense, and he suddenly couldn't see the lights anymore. It took him longer than he had to realize it was because someone was standing in front of them.
A powerful hand wrapped around Lea's wrist and pulled him forward. He yelped in shock, grappling for some kind of foothold to resist. He was no match for whoever had taken hold of him. He felt another hand close tight around his throat, and his growls were silenced instantly.
"L-Lea!" Isa called out, reaching out to find his friend. He could do nothing in this heavy darkness. He was useless.
"How strange. This thing shines as bright as her. All I've managed to corner is the aura on this charm she once bore. What a pity," the voice said calmly, seeming unperturbed by Lea's struggling. Lea felt a hand close around his own, and the pendant grew startlingly cold. Then the man released his hand a second later. "Here I was, gloves off and ready for blood, and all I have is you. What a pity for you." The voice was suddenly directed at Lea, with an exorbitant measure of menace in it.
The fingers around Lea's throat tightened and he found it impossible to breathe anymore. He tried to force the hands to release him, but to no avail. He was a fly in a spider's web.
Isa stood and stumbled forward, hearing Lea somewhere in front of him. He could do little, but he would not sit and do nothing.
Lea felt his conscious slipping, and to his shock, the fingers loosened.
"Too easy," the voice said suddenly. Lea felt himself being lifted again and thrown backwards. He collided with Isa and crashed to the wooden deck. He rolled over onto his side, sides heaving as he struggled to breathe again. Isa sat up, dazed, and reached out until he made contact with Lea. He only had a moment of relief.
The man approached silently, and the only warning that he had come for them was the moment his hands snagged Lea's ankle. Isa felt Lea slip away, and scrambled to follow. Lea kicked fiercely at his assailant, clutching the pendant tight. He had promised he'd give it back to Fey, and he wouldn't let it go. They had been found out because of it, but he still couldn't let it go.
"Tell me how you came across such a treasure, and perhaps I'll let you live," the man bargained, taking a step back to drag Lea off balance when he tried to get footing to pull away. The voice was full of amusement at his victim's predicament. Despite his situation, Lea managed to laugh.
"Go fuck yourself, psycho," Lea replied venomously. Isa took in a sharp breath of disbelief. Did Lea have any sense of danger in that thick skull of his?
There was a long stretch of silence before the assailant broke into a terrifying bout of laughter.
"I may not have found who I wanted, but my, this makes up for it. I almost didn't recognize you. Too bad that unhinged mouth of yours gave you away," the man said with glee. The confusion had only begun to sink in when the grip on Lea's ankle tightened and he felt himself being dragged across the wooden planks. With a growl from his attacker, Lea felt himself being lifted from the floor and thrown into a stack of pallets. He gasped as he crashed into the stack, and it collapsed behind him.
When the noise ceased, Isa heard only Lea's recovering gasps for air. Isa stood again and began forward, listening only to the sound of his friend.
"If this is the fire wielder…you can only be one person," the mysterious man realized, his voice only inches from Isa. He instinctively threw his arms up to defend himself. It was a good judgment call, for he was struck an instant later. Regardless, Isa was knocked to the floor with the impact, arms shaking with pain.
"Who…in the fuck are you?" Lea asked, voice strained. His voice was oddly familiar, but neither of them could place a face upon it. There was no answer for a moment. Lea felt the pallets beneath him shift slightly, and he knew the man was about to attack again.
"It doesn't matter. When I'm done with you, you'll be dead. Just like that. How fragile you are now, with those hearts you strove for so fiercely," the man replied with disdain. Lea rolled to the side and threw himself away from the wreckage, unable to see anything he was doing. His foot caught an upraised plank, and he fell awkwardly to the floor. As he did, he felt the powerful rush of wind above him as his assailant narrowly missed.
"What quarrel do you have with us?" Isa demanded, forcing himself to stand. The man was right; they weren't as powerful as they had been once. Though, they were a good match against anyone, except for what they used to be. The way they were being tossed around like leaves in the wind meant he wasn't like them; he wasn't a normal human. He was something much more powerful…and much less empathetic.
"Absolutely none. You were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time," the voice answered, far too amused. The plank Lea had tripped over suddenly groaned and splintered into shards as it was pried from its place. Lea felt the planks shift beneath him and scrambled back as he heard water lapping below. He wasn't sure how large the hole was that had been ripped into the floor. "What shall I do with you? I have nothing to do but chase shadows. This is much more interesting, for now."
Isa heard a sharp crack shortly before a crash. Lea groaned and shifted on the floor, unable to stand. His head was spinning, and his side felt like it had been hit by a train. The man's strength was terrifying, and he wasn't even being serious. Lea stopped fighting for the time being and slumped to the floor while he struggled to recover. He wouldn't be able to run now, and there was only darkness to go forth into. He was trapped, and soon Isa would face the same fate. The mysterious man laughed softly.
"Your weakness almost ruins this for me. It doesn't seem worth my time to play with you when all you're going to do is shatter. Perhaps I should put you out of your misery," the voice said, mockingly sympathetic. Isa felt his foot hit the pallet stack Lea had crashed into and reached down, looking for anything to use.
Lea opened his eyes despite being unable to see, and tried to seek out his attacker. He shook as he lifted himself, but he eventually stood, unsure if he was facing his foe or not. He realized after a second that he was still holding the icy cool pendant in his hand. Whoever this was had stumbled across them in his search for her. Though he faced likely injury, and possibly death, he didn't find himself blaming her. He only felt sorry that she was going to have to face such evil.
"You can take your shitty sympathy…and shove it up your ass. I'm not afraid of you and your twisted reason for trying to make me beg for mercy. Go ahead and put me out of my misery. I'm sick of listening to you, you fucking bastard," Lea hissed, barely able to get the words through his gritted teeth. He knew his ribcage was bruised from the previous attack, and it was hurting like a bitch. But he meant every word he said. He'd faced nastier foes than this, and had still smirked at them across the battlefield.
Isa wanted nothing more at that moment than to punch Lea in the face for his lack of personal concern. The mysterious foe shifted slowly, sidestepping into a shard of light not previously noticed by the pair. The tiny pinprick of light spilled across a black hood, and inside of it.
The light died the moment it touched the inside of the hood. The darkness inside of it was so great that the light suffocated. Lea's eyes widened at the sight. A moment later, the light faded even from the break in the roof above. All visibility ceased to exist, and they were suddenly trapped within the shadows this man seemed to have seeping from him. Lea's confidence wavered for a second as he stood still facing his foe.
Before the man could move, there was a sudden crunch. Debris flew across Lea, and he flinched. Lea blinked, unable to understand what had happened. He was completely unharmed.
The man snarled suddenly, and Isa knew he had been successful. At the last instant when the light was fading, Isa had found a brick and lifted it. He knew he was taking a risk with Lea so close by, but he couldn't stand by and do nothing. Now, he was the focus of the man's fury.
"Lea, run! Warn her," Isa cried, silenced before he could say more. He was thrown to the floor as the man struck him across the face. Lea clenched his fists.
"You dumb bastard. I don't need you to come to my rescue every fucking time!" Lea snapped, though there was no anger in it. They'd had only a second to see who they were facing, but it had done no good. They couldn't defeat him alone; they were more helpless than they had ever been.
Isa felt a hand seize his shoulder and was pulled roughly upright. Isa lashed out and managed to land a blow against what appeared to be a shoulder. It wasn't even noticed as a hand wrapped around his throat and lifted him off his feet.
"You, always prying your way between those who wished harm on your little friend. If it is your wish, I shall fulfill it. You will die first, and then he will. Your efforts are for nothing. You are but a breath against my might," he growled menacingly. Isa hadn't harmed the man at all; he had only managed to piss him off. Isa had made a terrible choice, but he didn't regret it. He only would if his uneven-tempered friend didn't take the opportunity to run.
Isa blinked as he began to see a light slowly fill his vision. He blinked again as it flickered before him. Had he died already?
He felt the planks collide with him as he was dropped to the floor. As sound and time began to make sense to him again, he realized there was a crater in the roof above him, and something was descending down to meet them.
Lea ducked to the floor as it happened, stunned. The man was flooded in light, and he had immediately dropped Isa. Lea saw debris falling alongside another cloaked figure. Instead of being frightened, Lea smiled. This one had glowing eyes.
Fey fell straight down, eyes locked on the stranger who had previously been strangling Isa. She redirected herself and came down hard, leg extended. The man met her as she attacked, grasping her ankle as it struck his shoulder. She felt the hands and kicked out her other foot. The force from her second blow allowed her to leap back, putting several feet between the two. Now only Isa remained in the pool of light.
Her glowing eyes were all that could be seen in the darkness as she faced off against the one who had been ready to kill the pair. Now that he saw his true quarry, the others had been forgotten.
"At last," he breathed, voice soft in the sudden silence. The debris had all settled, and no one but he spoke. Isa tilted his head back to see her behind him, relieved she had appeared at the opportune moment to stop his demise. Lea was equally grateful, but he knew it her appearance was ill-fated. This man had a cruel demeanor; one which Lea knew would be many folds fiercer toward her.
She tilted her head as her eyes pierced the darkness, studying the broad figure that stood before her. There was a shadow wrapped around his body, emanating a sickening aura. However, not even that evil could blind her. Her eyes saw through the fog of darkness and into his eyes.
She grew still as their eyes locked, and there was no sound except for the quiet lap of water against the building's support beams. As she gazed at him expectantly, she listened as a strange feeling began to creep through her. Her eyes glided across his features, then back to his eyes, unable to look away. She didn't know what to make of him. There was a definitive oddness about him that was strangely familiar, but at the same time it was foreign. When he had made contact with her, no voices of her past had drowned her out. She had only gained a powerful sense of unease. She waited for him to make a move.
"Of all the worlds you could hide in, you come straight to me...Don't tell me you came to protect these creatures?" he asked, gesturing to Isa. The blue-haired man realized he was very vulnerable sitting between the two, and began to prepare for the worst.
In truth, she had initially come because she was following the guidance of a detached voice that had surfaced from her memories. Now that she was here and had indeed found someone needing her aid, she became even more confused. If it hadn't been a memory, what had it been?
Lea clenched the pendant in his hand, listening intently. All he could see was Isa bathed in light, and Fey's glowing eyes. She had only stared at their adversary silently, as if she was studying him. Could she see his face? If so, what was she doing waiting?
The man came forward out of the shadows and reached for Isa, who looked up with a sharp intake of breath. She knew that he intended harm to Isa, for she'd seen it in her abrupt entrance. She'd only heard the struggling sounds of panic and had ascended the roof to the exact point above where it was emanating. The man's eyes looked to hers the instant before he reached Isa, and she saw only darkness.
She dashed forward suddenly, maneuvering carefully over Isa. She swirled her cloak forward, over her arm, and rammed the assailant. He expected this and grasped her arm as she forced him backwards. With a jerk, she stopped the assault and backpedaled. His hands only held her tighter, and she began to drag him backwards with her. His fingers dug into her skin through the cloak, and she hissed as the anxiety grew. She had grown less defiant to touch with the others, but this man was different. Even being near him was sickening.
Before she could renew her attempt at escape, he lifted a hand from her shoulder and reached forward suddenly. She writhed in his grasp, about to slip out. At the last instant, he lunged forward, and placed a single finger on her neck, at a barely exposed place under her hood.
She cried out in pain so suddenly that even the assailant's grip faltered. She pulled away and leapt back, pawing at the place his skin had made contact with hers. She could not see it, but she could feel it burning like an inextinguishable match.
"Not even your light can survive my darkness," he promised, an odd amusement filling his voice.
"Fey!" Lea exclaimed, uneasy that she had been driven back so quickly. Now they were both lost in the darkness again, and he could only wait apprehensively. She groaned softly in discomfort, rubbing at the place furiously. The pain would not abate.
The man looked at her curiously, eyes glinting.
"Is that what you're called now? How…nostalgic," he asked, chuckling softly. Isa's heart skip a beat.
"You know her?" Lea cried, just as shocked as Isa. This man knew both the Organization and Fey. Was it possible he knew everything about her…and was here to destroy her as King Mickey had theorized?
"Speak your name," she said suddenly, voice not its usual flat tone. It was strained, and the pair of comrades didn't like the sound of it.
"As I said to your pitiful pets before…my identity doesn't matter. You're to die anyway," the man promised, starting forward. The light that was pouring in from where she had crashed through the roof began to wane. A few moments after he began to stalk forward, the shadows crept in around her vision. She caught one last smirk before the darkness prevailed over everything.
She blinked several times in disbelief. She couldn't see anything. She froze, listening carefully. She wasn't asleep; she could still hear the heartbeats of the two who had insistently followed her. No, she was wide awake and staring into an abyss far deeper than she had known existed. Even the glow from her eyes was swallowed by it. This man, this being, that was silently coming toward her was just as the Hatter had said. He would be her end.
The dull ache of the place where the man had touched her was forgotten. All that was left was a terrifying instinct to survive. She hissed in a breath and called upon a portal.
A foot hooked beneath her own and swept her off the ground. She caught herself before she landed and rolled, trying to regain her position. As she was standing, she felt something snag her cloak. She whirled and lashed out blindly. The man kept out of her reach, twisting the cloak in his hands as he avoided her attacks. A few moments later, she felt her arms become restricted within the fabric. She strained at it, feeling the seams about to give way. Then she hesitated.
"As I thought. Though you cannot remember, you are a slave to your memories. This thing you wear is important to you in a way you don't understand. How sad a ghost of something long dead would haunt you so," the man said, seeming to see right through her before she herself could even realize it.
Fey spun herself swiftly, pulling the cloak even tighter. She managed to turn herself part way toward where she knew he stood. He was right; something was begging her to keep the cloak intact. But something else more powerful was holding tightly onto the voice that spoke softly at the edges of her memory. This cloak was meaningless if she were not alive to find the source. Something rose from deep inside of her, and her eyes blazed to life once more. She blinked, and she met his eyes.
The arms of her cloak exploded out as she lunged, hands free once more. She slammed them against him, knocking the breath from him. He lashed out in response, though it was delayed, and she easily ducked under the blows. She came around with her foot next and knocked him to the floor with a crash. She followed after, one hand raised as she summoned her blade from the place where it slumbered. She forcefully shoved her knee against his chest, pinning him to the floor. The building grew silent as she waited for her weapon to obey her.
The man beneath her managed a murderous laugh.
"You truly believe that your weapon would come to you, when it sleeps within something I control?" he asked tauntingly, and she gazed at him in disbelief. When he shifted, she moved her weight forward, pushing her knee hard against him to keep in at bay. He grinned suddenly. "In the end, even the things you rely on most will betray you."
Her weapon appeared above her in a wisp of darkness as it always did, and she looked up as it fell into her waiting grasp. The moment it touched her palm, she would end him. But her triumph was short lived.
The blade she had used numerous times was colder than the iciest world she had trodden within. The instant it touched her, a searing pain engulfed her. She cried out in shock as it clattered to the floor beside them, and the man took advantage of her distraction.
The hand that wrapped around her throat was no different. His touch was cold and unwelcoming, striking a deep-seated unease in her. She despised being touched in such a way, but this one was the worst of all of them. It was as if a toxin lived within him, and everything he touched became sick with it. Where his fingers pressed against her, agony arose, searing her like a blazing fire. She shook with it, and for the first time she felt truly endangered.
With what little strength she had remaining, she tore herself free and fled across the empty building, barely able to see through his suffocating aura. She reached a broken machine and leapt onto it, barely making it to the top. She straightened and stumbled, nearly falling off. She had never been this unsteady before. The burns from his touch were still consuming her, and she could barely keep herself focused. She knew he was following her; she could feel it in the darkness that was beginning to blind her again.
Fey leapt from machine to machine, wind whistling past. The darkness moved like a roiling sea, concentrating most right in front of her. She lost all of her senses as it engulfed her, and she forced herself to halt—though a moment too late.
She plummeted off the machinery and towards the floor before she emerged from the densest of the shadows. She reached out her hands frantically and barely managed to keep herself from slamming against the planks. She used the tail end of the momentum to throw herself to the side, predicting an attack was following behind. She was correct; the man crashed down a second later into the place where she'd landed, and she could hear wood splintering. Their eyes locked for a mere second before a wave of darkness blinded her sight.
She drew her strength to herself and leapt to her feet. No matter how hard she concentrated, she couldn't see through the pitch black fog before her. She had no weapon to fight him with, either. She had only her strength to battle him with, but she would do no good if she could see nothing. She tensed as the darkness became more suffocating, and she knew he was approaching. Her desire to run grew fierce, and she struggled to remain still.
She felt the air ripple suddenly near her when he attacked, and that was her only warning. She turned to face him, bringing her arms up in defense. He grabbed her forearms and tugged her forwards, but she dug in her heels. His darkness was weakening her, but she was still far more powerful. She jerked her arms apart without effort, shaking him off. She heard a small laugh and the clink of something metallic. She was distracted by his presence and she almost missed the sound. But she recognized it. He was drawing a weapon out of the place where her own weapon rested when she wasn't using it. Without hesitation, she ran.
She reached the edge of the abyssal shadows and dodged across the factory. She looked back and saw the darkness swelling toward her. She could overpower him in strength alone, but she couldn't fight him this way. Her own weapon still sat, abandoned on the floor. He had poisoned it, and she wouldn't be able to touch it again.
She reached a wall and lunged at it without hesitation. It groaned, then burst underneath her force. She flew into a halo of light that could not penetrate the shadows she was escaping from. She twisted in mid-air and caught the extreme edge of the dock, her lower half dunking down into the water below. She pulled herself upright and climbed back onto the dock, peering up at the hole she had punched through the wall. She could see nothing inside of it, and couldn't tell if the man was following. After a long moment, her mind cleared, and she remembered why she had come in the first place.
Fey turned and ran along the dock, studying the wall. She spotted a boarded up window and sped up. She leapt and caught the bottom of the sill. She pulled her strength together and clambered up the wall and back onto the roof. She had no weapon left to aid her, but she would make do. She had a more powerful ally at her back.
Lea and Isa still hadn't moved from their places, blinded completely by the darkness the mysterious man had brought with him. And from the looks of it, he had driven Fey off. Without her, they were doomed completely.
Their despair dissolved into confusion when the ceiling began to shriek. Board after board crashed to the floor, clattering loudly. In a few seconds, there were massive holes in the roof, and Fey was still tearing into it. There was a menacing growl, and the shadows moved upwards, blocking the light from entering below. However it appeared to the pair on the floor, that wasn't the intention.
Fey pried another shred of the roof free, tossing the metal behind her. As she did, she froze. The darkness was rising from the depths of the factory and onto the roof like a tainted cloud. It crept across the slope toward her, unhindered by the setting sun. Her last hope of defeating the darkness with light was destroyed. Not even the sun could penetrate this evil. As it approached, she backed away, unsure of her next move. She had drawn him away from Lea and Isa, but her own safety was now at risk. She couldn't fight him this way. She had to find something else to level the playing field.
The black cloud sped forward as he charged, and she was caught up in its sickening tendrils. She kicked into gear and dropped low. She used the slope of the roof to slide out of reach. As she reached the edge, she caught it and swung on the corner, toward the streets where the pair had initially entered. She used her motion to fling herself atop a power pole. She turned in place, balancing easily as she waited for his counter move. There was no room for him to stand atop with her. He would either have to tackle her, or take the pole down to get her to move. She had her back against a wall, but it was one that kept her from being surprise attacked.
With only a spare moment's pause, he chose the latter option. She watched the darkness follow him down to the street, and it crept up the pole beneath her. She felt it shudder and began to look for her next vantage point. The pole shuddered again as she heard a crack, and it began to fall—straight toward the building.
She braced herself and leapt at the last instant. She caught the edge of the roof and watched as the pole collided with the wall. The transformer clinging to it was crushed under the weight, and she heard a powerful explosion sound. Sparks showered like fireworks, and she flinched at the sight. The wood underneath the pole's weight groaned and gave way, shaking the entire factory. The roofing beam she had been holding suddenly dipped down, crumpling with the front wall. She gritted her teeth as she held on, left dangling over the half-collapsed front wall. She tensed her muscles and reached up, trying to pull herself to safety.
The darkness moved forward again, then paused as the transformer threw more sparks upon itself. There was an odd hissing noise, and something began to smoke. Fey looked down as a plank ignited, its tiny flame quickly growing larger. The sight of it was like an arrow through her heart, and she found it hard to breathe. Without warning, her hand slipped from where she was holding on, and she fell, disoriented, to the dock.
She didn't catch herself this time. Both Isa and Lea flinched as she crashed into the debris, finally able to see with the light streaming through. The darkness had followed the man, and they began to move through the dimly lit building. There was nothing they could do for her except get out of harm's way. She had shown her intentions twice in her attempt to protect them, and staying there was only prolonging her struggle. Lea reached Isa first, who was watching apprehensively for Fey to rise.
"We need to get out of here. She can't protect herself and us. Why are you just standing there?!" Lea cried, realizing Isa wasn't even looking at him.
"How do you know she can even protect herself?" Isa asked Lea, voice stern. Lea grew silent, unsure where Isa's agitation was stemming from. He looked over his shoulder to where Isa was looking and realized Fey still hadn't gotten up from where she'd landed. The darkness was coming slowly closer, moving like a poisonous fog. "Remember why we came here in the first place. Ienzo knew something about her. Then he shows up. This is the trap we walked into. Fey came to pull us out of it and got caught up in it, too."
Lea realized he was right. The two had grown silent when the intruder had arrived. They were going to let this man kill all three of them and eliminate the 'threat' that they were causing. Lea's temper flared, and he forgot the danger they were immersed in.
"Son of a bitch," he growled, eyes locking on the office they had followed Ienzo to. He may not be a match for the shadow-wielding psycho, but he was still more than able to beat the shit out of a fry like Ienzo. Isa snagged his arm.
"That being said, we're blocked in, Lea. Look at the front of the building," Isa reasoned, managing to catch his friend's attention. A quick glance to assess the damage showed what Isa had warned him of. The wall had busted in the front and was trying to collapse inward. The light pole was buried under planks and sheet metal, nearly covering the hole it had created. They were cracks in the wall where light streamed through and they could seeThe debris had fallen down against the door they had come in through. To their knowledge, there was no other way out.
"Fuck," Lea said with surprise, and Isa nodded in agreement. Isa watched Lea's eyes turn away from their imminent problem and return to the door where they both knew Ienzo was. There was no way out, and there might be a chance if they starting looking now before the man and the darkness came for them. However, the connection between Ienzo and the killer might be their means of survival if they uncovered it. Then again, they might just be wasting precious time.
Lea looked at Isa, thinking the same thing. Then his eyes turned toward the hole in the wall and the pile of debris, where Fey was slowly pulling herself to her feet. They could barely see her through the sliver in the wall, but they knew it was her. The darkness was coming for her, but she didn't move. She hadn't straightened all the way when she stood. She was slouched as if she were exhausted, and she was staring fixedly at something to her right. After a long moment of inspection, Isa gasped.
Before Isa could point it out, it became apparent what Fey was mesmerized by. A line of flames came hungrily through the cracks in the plank, spreading faster than what seemed possible. Before the flames blocked out their vision, they caught a terrifying image of Fey being swallowed by the darkness as she threw her arms over her face in defense.
"These bastards are gonna pay," Lea growled, less confident than before. He was growing angrier with each realization, but the danger was growing. Though there was water beneath them, it was no use if they couldn't reach it. The flames with engulf them before they could escape to it.
Lea turned and sprinted across the factory, and Isa quickly took up the chase, unable to speak. He was looking around frantically for any way to escape. He fell behind, and only turned to check on Lea when he reached the door in question. Lea turned his body and rammed it at full force. To his own surprise, he felt it splinter underneath his attack.
The old door crashed forward off its hinges, and Lea fell with it. Bright yellow light flooded his vision, and he squinted an instant before a shadow fell over him. He saw a hand reaching for him and growled in warning. He took an unusual direction and snatched the wrist coming down. He pulled hard, using the force to drag himself upright. The culprit stumbled forward and he twisted around him. He found himself at a vantage point and lunged, wrapping his arm quickly around his assailant's throat. There was a strangled gasp and Lea pulled him in closer, holding on tight.
"Tell me what you know about this, you fucker. Who's your little attack dog you called on us and Fey?!" Lea cried, knowing he couldn't be answered this way. Still, his grip didn't relent. He was far too furious to show mercy just yet.
"I'll tell you just how backwards you have it—right after you release Ienzo," a voice answered smoothly. Lea turned around, dragging the suffocating Ienzo with him. The voice had been familiar from beyond the wall, but it was still unidentifiable. He finished rounding about and found himself at the end of an odd looking gun. And on the other end, someone he hadn't expected.
Ienzo dropped to the floor at their feet, gasping for air. Lea didn't look down or say a word. He knew if he did, the trigger would be pulled without a second thought.
"You don't understand how satisfying it is to see you so defenseless. We never were friends, but I never considered you an enemy either. However, I recall very clearly how you chose to force me out of existence. Any mercy I show you now is from my kind grace. You would do well to keep your notoriously loud mouth shut," Vexen hissed threateningly. Lea could see it in his eyes; Lea wouldn't live if he tried anything.
Ienzo recovered and moved away from Lea before he stood. He gave the fiery man a murderous glare.
"Don't bother with all the formalities, Even. Just exterminate him already," Ienzo snarled. Vexen's somebody didn't respond. He was studying Lea with an odd amount of scrutiny.
"How strange we should all feel compelled to seek her out," Even said suddenly, his hand not wavering. The barrel of the gun Lea was facing was rather large, and the gun itself had a handle much like a fencing blade. It appeared to be designed to avoid dropping the gun from the force of the kick-back. Lea swallowed hard. How much firepower did he have pointing at him?
"He'd encountered her before. He had something of hers that was emanating her scent. It's gone now, though. He seems to have lost it," Ienzo said grudgingly. He seemed to be having a difficult time handling the fact that Lea was still alive. Lea glared at Ienzo.
"I didn't lose it. Your psycho friend touched it, and it's been like a fucking ice cube ever since," Lea corrected, receiving another furious look from Ienzo.
"How curious. Give it to me," Even said simply, blinking his bright green eyes. Lea's attention returned to Even with hesitation. The silence stretched between them, and Even's eyes narrowed.
"No," Lea responded, well aware he was facing death. "It belongs to her. I'm keeping it until she reaches out to me and accepts it. When that day comes, I'll still have it, and not you." Ienzo shook his head in disbelief, and Even smirked suddenly.
"We are all drawn to her for different reasons, it appears. How devout of you, Axel. Would you die to hold onto that little trinket of hers?" Even asked, tone lethal. Lea stared him down, hand refusing to unclench from the searing cold of the half-heart pendant.
"Yea, I would," Lea answered softly.
Fey covered her face as the man approached, though not in anticipation of his attack. No, she was trying to hide the sight of the fire. The feel of its heat upon her skin was making it crawl with an odd sensation. Something was trying to come back to her, but it was still lost with the rest of her memories. Instead, it only served to distract and stun her. She looked upon the flames and felt an oppression like she'd never known. She could smell the bitter smoke and the light flickering in her eyes brought a desire to drop to her knees and cover her face in terror.
When the darkness came over her, she opened her eyes once more. With the flames gone, her senses returned to her. She moved her stance and braced herself for the impact to come. She waited for a long moment, tensed. Then a laugh erupted startlingly close by.
"Slave to memories twice buried inside of you. Had I known it was this easy to cripple you, I would have burned every world you touched," he said with realization. A moment later, the darkness faded, retreating back inside the man who was standing only a few paces away from her. When his veil lifted from her eyes, she found the flames arcing into the walls, surrounding her. She took in a sharp breath and froze, unable to move. She struggled to clear her mind, but it was paralyzed with an emotion she'd never felt before. Her eyes filled with what she realized were tears. She blinked and one tricked down her face, through the ashes that were beginning to cling to her skin.
Her blurred vision gave her only a second of release, and she whirled about. She lunged back into the depths of the factory, away from the flames and murderous man. She could only be thankful to the smoke for bringing tears to her eyes and waking her from her tenure. A second of reconsideration brought her the inkling that the smoke had not been to blame.
The man, now free of his darkness, climbed through the wreckage and leapt down to the floor along with her, giving chase. She weaved about the machinery, looking back for her adversary. He was close behind, watching her intently. She caught a pillar and used the momentum to careen up to a machine, then the rafters. She glanced about as the man looked for an opportunity to follow.
Fey's moving gaze swept across the factory before pausing on the scene unfolding in the office below. There were more people than before, and she crouched down for a better look. There was a creak overhead, and the new pair she hadn't seen before suddenly looked up at her.
The pillar she was standing on shattered. With a grunt, she instinctively lashed out and caught hold of a neighboring beam, barely holding on. She glanced down to see a tendril of darkness retracting to shield the man amongst the destruction he was wreaking upon the factory. He grinned and the tendril reformed, facing her.
Fey pushed off the rafter and landed on the next one, not hesitating to continue. The beam she had been on groaned as the tendril devoured it. She dodged through the planks overhead, looking down on her foe. She wasn't sure how long she would be able to avoid him. She couldn't challenge him head on, and she couldn't flee either. She had two below she had to protect. In fact, a second glance showed her they still hadn't reached safety. The newcomers appeared to be holding Lea hostage.
She corrected her course and lunged as she reached the place above Lea's enemies. She grabbed a support beam and swung once before letting go, throwing herself like an arrow down upon the tiny office.
When the ceiling exploded, all three were knocked to the floor from the force. Fey fell through the ceiling, landing rougher than intended. She quickly regained her footing and peered out the barely standing doorway to where the strange foe was turning to face where she'd gone. She didn't have much time. Ignoring the pair she had efficiently taken out of commission, she grabbed Lea up from the rubble and dragged him away. She paused when she spotted Isa a few paces away, holding onto what appeared to be a crowbar. His expression suggested he was near panic.
"I…was going to try and save him," Isa stammered, hands shaking. He looked at Lea, who was shaking off his shock and dust from the attack. Fey released his shirt and whirled, her back to the pair. The man was approaching again.
"You've become quite sprightly again. But, tell me, 'Fey'…can you keep up such a display when the fire starts? Will your lost memories leave you be? I think not," the man asked slyly. In the remaining shadows of the factory, his darkness had crept to the barely burning rubble pile at the front of the building. The tendrils had spread from machine to machine, sliding across the floor, leaving dark stains. Isa saw a final tendril reaching for the flames, and he gasped, knowing what was about to happen.
"Shit. Get down!" Isa cried, dragging Lea to the floor. Fey's eyes caught what Isa had seen, just as the flames touched the darkness.
The oil he had interconnected across the factory ignited all at once, and flames erupted everywhere in the blink of an eye, in a spider-web-like pattern around her. One machine in particular had far more oil than any other, and when the hungry fire reached it, it exploded.
Fey landed on her back, blinking in shock. There were flames everywhere, even in the rafters far above. Their glowing dance was mesmerizing, and she remained on the ground where she had come to a stop. Her hearing was almost non-existent, and the pain from the blast was beginning to fade. It wasn't the explosion that had paralyzed her; she could manage the quickly disappearing pain. It was there flames that held her at bay, though she didn't know why. The sight of them was her bane, and she was helpless in their sight.
Lea and Isa pulled themselves upright, unharmed but dazed by the blast. The machine that had exploded was leaning sideways, the planks it was resting on nearly giving way. Debris and shrapnel was scattered around the floor, smoldering. A choking haze covered the floor and stung their eyes. The flames had spread everywhere, and the smoke was starting to get too heavy. Isa looked around sharpy for an exit, but all he could see was the fire.
"Do you remember, or are you still just as empty as you were the moment you opened your eyes again?" he asked softly, voice almost lost among the crackling and snapping of the fire eating its way through the salty old wood. Fey didn't speak. She was looking up at the ceiling, watching the dull glow of the eaten wood as the flames moved on. She remembered nothing, just as he assumed. But she was not empty. There was a feeling within her that was slicing through her slowly, dragging out a sound that she'd never made before.
The man paused, and even Lea and Isa snapped to attention. She hadn't moved still, and the pair began to fear she was injured. She had whimpered as if she were in terrible pain.
"How can you feel such things when you cannot even recall why you're feeling them? How can you even understand without a heart in that hollow chest of yours?" the man asked, suddenly angry. He reached out and grabbed the collar of her jacket. He hauled her upright, and she remained limp in his grasp, eyes unseeing. The hood fell from her head, and his fingers grasped her hair, tugging until her eyes were on him. "Where in that devoid body of yours does this stem? Memories are nothing but empty pictures. You cannot feel anything unless your heart exists."
His voice was dark and menacing, though she still did not react. The man was still for a long moment, still gripping her tight. Lea and Isa stood once more, tense. Fey wasn't fighting anymore, and they couldn't understand it. The moment the fire had started, she'd gone lifeless, as if she were no longer seeing this world around her. Death was holding her in his arms, and she still didn't move. Lea glanced over as movement caught his eye. Even and Ienzo rose from the rubble, shaken, though seemingly uninjured. The two gauged the already escalated situation.
"Your heart cannot exist. It was ripped away from you and died with you," the man hissed, as though she had denied his words. She blinked slowly, coming out of her daze. She couldn't see the flames. All she could see were his intense eyes glaring into hers. She realized suddenly she was being held hostage and tensed. "I will hunt down every trace of you left in these worlds and eliminate them. My darkness will devour them. If your heart still exists, it will not for long."
Isa's brow furrowed. What the man was suggesting was that Fey's heart was still in existence somewhere. It was impossible, though, unless this was her alter form. If her body rested elsewhere, sleeping with her heart inside of it, then that would be possible. King Mickey had seemed unconvinced even when she had shattered the heart-detection chains in her frantic attempt to escape. That proved that nothing about her was the usual. Even so, it was painfully apparent that she truly existed without a heart within her body. The chance of her true body lying elsewhere, undisturbed was daunting. They had considered the possibility, but nothing could be determined until she remembered her death. If she died elsewhere from where she woke, her body lay elsewhere. If she died and awoke in the same spot, her heart was truly gone. Regardless, even if it did exist, it wouldn't be for long with this crazed man on its trail.
Even lifted his gun suddenly, aiming at the two powerful entities crouched in the center of the burning factory. Ienzo stood by, expression unreadable. He held something in his hand that Lea couldn't see. The man suddenly raised his hand, and something appeared in it that was covered in swirling darkness. Fey's eyes could not see through it, but she knew by instinct that it was a weapon, and she was in danger. She knew her weapon could not be wielded by her without grave consequences, but she had no choice. She narrowed her eyes at the adversary about to pierce her with his weapon. He would not win, no matter how he tried to blind her with his darkness and these flames. She refused to let her body fall lifeless when there was still a will deep inside of it. She may not have her heart, but it didn't matter. Her yearning to reunite with the disembodied voice was more powerful than his anger.
She opened her palm and called her weapon. It clattered against the floor as it came to life and lifted obediently. At the moment it lifted from the floor, the rafters above Lea and Isa groaned and shrieked. Fey's eyes swiveled overhead as she saw the ceiling buckling, preparing to crush the two she had come to protect. Her eyes returned to the one who held her hostage, ready to end her life. She was faced with a choice that would take more time to consider than she had. She blinked once in the moment before the cataclysm, unable to follow the guidance a heart would have offered. Instead, she remembered the voice.
You cannot let them die.
Lea and Isa realized the danger they were in when a single plank fell to the floor beside them. The pair looked up and saw they had no time to escape its lethal reach. They had only a few seconds to think their last thoughts.
Then, out of the smoky haze, something spun furiously toward them. They flinched in shock, and it angled down sharply, splintering wood as it went. The blade whirred before their faces, and in the split second before it flew beneath them, Lea realized it was Fey's.
In the confusion, across the factory there was a horrendous sound like a cannon, and a cry of agony.
The beam supporting them collapsed, and the two fell beneath the factory into the water. A second later, the roof collapsed. Through the hole Fey's weapon had reamed through the wood floor, embers and dust came through, but nothing else. Lea and Isa came to the surface, gasping as they tread water. The hole above them was completely covered with the remains of the roof, but they had escaped without injury.
Lea reached up and touched it, mouth trembling. She'd had no way to defend herself against the man without her weapon, and it had come to them instead. She'd been looking right up at him, knowing he wouldn't stop. Why had she done this?
Isa wasn't looking at their escape route. He was looking across the water rippling beneath the factory, at something that had rendered him speechless. His arms barely moved, and he nearly dunked under the water. When Lea turning to pull him up, he saw Isa's listless expression. He followed his friend's gaze, and his hope collapsed.
Through the thick planks of the factory floor, a blade was sprouting forth, pointing at the depths of the water below. And from the blade dripped red, its sound lost in the peaceful lapping of the waves.