Chapter Eleven

The Sacred Stakes

Leon rubbed the sore muscles of his neck as he shut off his computer for the night but not before printing out the information he managed to gather. He scanned over the pages of the web page he had found concerning the legend of the Sleeping Priest and the Curse of the Tattoo. From what he had found one particular story caught his eye more so than the others. He had found a story concerning a young monk who fell in love with another man from his village.

The two kept their relationship a secret for five years until a terrible disease ravaged the village and the monk's lover was one of the casualties. Unable to take the pain of losing the love of his life the monk climbed a steep mountain to see a Holy Woman who could brand a tattoo onto his skin.

The Holy Woman was able to give him a tattoo consisting of holly and a snake. The holly made him feel constant physical pain so that he could be distracted from his emotional agony. The snake then proceeded to eat the man's pain right out of his heart.

But the monk couldn't forget the love and need he felt for his dead lover so the snake continued to eat his pain until it consumed his heart. Because he no longer possessed a heart or the strength to continue living without his lover the monk wished to sleep for all time.

The Holy Woman granted his wish but in doing so he was forced to take on the agonies of the villagers and take them to the Land of the Dead. Unable to awaken from his eternal slumber the monk will spend eternity sleeping.

Leon figured that this was where the ritual for the Sleeping Priest had been born from. The tattoos and the mention of the sleeping monk were too similar to what Zexion had gone through in that house. There was also mention of the lullaby which helped to send the monk into his slumber.

Aside from the folklore on the priest and the lullaby Leon managed to locate something on Demyx Gemias. It had taken him all day but he eventually found the old Hollow Bastion records in the town hall and he couldn't believe his luck when he found Demyx.

He found more information from the hospital archives. It took a lot of persuading but Rinoa managed to get him the documents he wanted. Over a century ago a young man named Demyx Gemias came to the hospital complaining of bizarre dreams about the manor in which he used to live.

After extensive reading Leon discovered that Demyx had a strong attachment to a man called Zexion Talos and Demyx was convinced that his friend was calling out to him from the manor. Demyx vanished from the hospital a few weeks later.

The scarred man rubbed his eyes as he fell onto his bed, one arm thrown over his face as he let exhaustion consume him. He didn't want to dream tonight but if he could only see Cloud again, for just one moment then he would feel happy again, even for a moment. He wondered if he would encounter Sora in the dream world now that he had been cursed by the priest. Sighing he closed his eyes and, with an image of his beautiful blond, he drifted off to sleep.

Leon groaned against the pain that was spreading across his body like wildfire as the tattoo painted his flesh in black, blue and red ink. He was leaning heavily against the wall that led into the garden. His ragged breathing was the only thing that could be heard across the snowy garden. He couldn't feel the presence of the tattooed ghost anywhere nearby and he breathed out his relief. Glancing around the garden he hoped to catch a glimpse of Cloud or Sora. Bitter disappointment filled his heart when he realized that he was alone.

"You've come back." Leon turned around to face the door that had opened when he had his back turned.

"Cloud?" he whispered. Leon felt all the air leave his lungs as he took in the sight of the blond.

"Hey Lion." Cloud gave him a tiny smile.

The scarred man didn't reply. Instead he dropped the camera and flashlight so he could wrap his arms around Cloud. He was squeezing hard enough to make it difficult for Cloud to breathe but the blond didn't complain.

He missed this so much, just having his lion hold him like this, as if the world was ending. Cloud buried his face in Leon's neck while wrapping his own arms around the brunet. They stood like that, in the snow, just holding one another until Leon pulled back and pushed his lips against Cloud's.

"I missed you so much Sunshine." Leon moaned. Cloud smiled into the kiss when Leon used his nickname.

"I was lost without you." Cloud murmured as he kissed the brunet back with all the passion he possessed. "I love you so much."

"I love you too Cloud and I'm going to get you out of here Cloud." Leon placed his hands on the blond's face.

"Sora...is he ok?" Cloud asked after kissing his lover again.

"Yeah, he's a tough kid." Leon smiled. Cloud gripped Leon's hand and pulled him away from the garden.

"I think I know something that can stop the tattooed man." Cloud said and he pushed open the child's door that led into the red paper doll room.

"What is this place?" Leon asked when Cloud led him to a small altar.

"The Child Priestess used to stay in these rooms. There are four in total." Cloud explained as he reached out to touch a small black box resting on the altar.

"How do you know that?" Leon murmured.

"When you're stuck in this place you might as well try to find a way out yourself." Cloud replied.

"What's that?" the brunet pointed to the object lying inside the now open box.

"It's a Sacred Stake, one of four." The blond answered.

"What can they do?" Leon examined the beautiful silver stake. Runes dotted the stake as well as writing.

"Amala told me how to stop the priest." Cloud said.

"Amala?" Leon cocked an eyebrow.

"The girl in the kimono, the one who helps you." Cloud exited the room with Leon in tow.

"Demyx's little sister has been helping us?" Leon whispered.

"She blames herself for what happened." Cloud shook his head sadly. "She told me that Demyx and Zexion were lovers before Zexion was taken to become the Sleeping Priest. The Ceremony Master sent Demyx away to Hollow Bastion."

"I found records on Demyx. He disappeared from the hospital he as being treated at." Leon frowned. "But how can these stakes help us?"

"I had no use for them before. The Chamber of Thrones lies beyond that door." Cloud pointed to the double doors. "It was always sealed but something ahs removed the magical barriers."

"Sora most likely." Leon nodded.

"Amala said that if we use the stakes to bind Zexion's body then the curse will be lifted." Cloud explained.

"So we collect the other stakes. Hopefully we'll meet up with Sora." Leon handed Cloud the flashlight.

"We'll get out of this Leon." Cloud touched his face tenderly. "I've got so much to live for."

"We both have." The brunet smiled at his blond lover.

Cloud led Leon to the next room so that they could collect the second Sacred Stake. On their way out one of the girls appeared and tried to put a stake through Cloud's legs. It took a few shots and a lot of carefully dodging but eventually Leon managed to vanquish her and they left the room. Leon followed his lover back through the mansion but the number of attacks was beginning to increase. Cloud knew the mansion inside out and it didn't take him long to get Leon to the third stake.

Another one of the Priestesses emerged and attacked Leon with her hammer and stake. He ended up taking the blow to his left leg and the girl laughed as blood coated his leg and the floor. While Cloud distracted her Leon managed to hit her with a Fatal Frame shot. After defeating the girl both men quickly made their way to the fourth room where the last stake resided. Leon winced when he entered a large chamber with a Buddha statue and six mummified men hanging from the ceiling.

"Where do you think Sora could be?" Cloud asked once they had retrieved the final stake.

"Follow me." A girl's voice called out. Turning around both men saw the young girl in the kimono.

"Amala..." Cloud smiled at her.

"Sora and Roxas are heading towards the Hanging Prison." Amala informed them. "They can reach the Holly Mirror now."

"Can you take us to them?" Cloud asked.

"We have to hurry. Zexion is approaching." Amala whimpered as she said the name.

Leon and Cloud glanced at one another fearfully before following the girl out of the room and across the Buddha chamber. She took them back through the house as fast as she could until they reached the garden again. Cloud felt his body aching with the telltale pain that always signalled Zexion's arrival. Cloud whimpered as the pain shot across his body and he fell against Leon.

"Go through that door!" Amala pointed towards the door at the end of the hallway she had taken them to.

"Thank you." Leon said as he pulled the door open and pulled Cloud through.

"Leon!" the burnet glanced up to see Sora along with Roxas.

"What the fuck is that?" Cloud muttered when a large man with tentacles and multiple hands appeared out of the wall.

"Fight now! Talk later!" Roxas yelled as he brought up his camera.

"Stay back Cloud!" Leon warned as he handed the stakes to the blond.

"The Chamber of Thorns must never be opened!" the creature roared angrily. "The Sleeping Priest cannot be released!"

"Whatever." Leon snarled as he charged into the fight.

Note-Not the longest chapter in the story but I just wanted Cloud and Leon back together before the group goes after the Holly Mirror and that will be coming up next along with the fight against big, ugly and tentacled. Till next time my lovelies!!!