Breathing heavily, Am slowly inched herself into the front hallway of the Klåry Mansion. It was eerily quiet. She pushed farther in and softly closed the door. Nothing, not a sound echoed from the long halls or from the play room.
'Odd, she thought to herself. It seemed too quiet, seeing as it was the middle of the day. Where did everyone go? Mentally shrugging she plodded up the stair and quietly made her way down the hall to her bedroom. Moving the door open as slowly and as softly as she could, she slid her head in, peeking around the corner of the door. Nothing, no one was in. Sighing in relief she stepped inside and quickly closed the door behind her. The room was in crazy disarray, as if someone had torn the room apart in a search. Books, papers, glass and other things littered the floor. The bed covers had been ripped from the mattress, candles snapped and the walls were covered in markings. Vexen's handwriting? She thought, the words themselves made no sense together but on their own...
Am lost gone where how Am disappeared
They all had some sort of correlation to her, as to her going missing from the portal. Pity swelled in her heart, swarming the anger and dousing her rage. Vexen was hurting, and even though it was his fault he didn't deserve the amount of pain she had accidentally caused.
Determined more than ever she went to the middle of the room and tried to open the portal.
A seam split right in front of her eyes and she stepped through it. The room she had recently occupied was spotless compared to the mess she'd left behind. Striding over to the dresser she started ripping open the drawers. The first four held nothing but coats, the last however held a wooden box. Upon the lid was a warning in Kalian, apparently she was holding the box that held the souls of the dammed. Two profiles were etched onto the surface. One was a rather drawn out face with a high brow and graceful sloping jaw and nose. The other was a blunt and open face with heavy brows and a pouting mouth. Their mouths seemed to move and say the words that were engraved on the box.
Am shook herself out of the trance that had stolen over her. She slipped the box into her satchel and stood. Only to find herself staring into the visage of Mang.
" 'ello, poppet." Mangiana greeted gold eyes narrowed to slits as she observed Am holding onto her box.
"What do you think you've got there?" Am eyed the door behind Mangi, judging the distance she'd need to cover to make it out of that room. She ducked past Mangiana who laughed and let her through. Just as Amaranth reached the door a Neoshadow sprung up and blocked her path.
"Shit, Heartless!" she shrieked and stepped back as the heartless swiped at her with it's large claw like hands.
"Propinquus Ianua, meus pet." Mangi purred and the heartless, turning it's attention away from Amaranth, shut the door and sunk back down into a puddle of it's own darkness before moving to reappear again at Mangiana's side.
"Bonus puer." She cooed, and gently began petting the dark creature as it purred its content. Pleased to have done its job well for its master.
"You can talk to the Heartless? Better yet, why are Heartless even in Klåry! This is my home! They shouldn't even be able to be here!" Am's voice rising in pitch as she tried to reign in the confusion and anger she was feeling at Mangi.
"Of course I can talk with the Shadows." She laughed condescendingly. "Latin is the oldest language of the world, seeing as how heartless have been around since the dawn of man it's only natural that they understand it." She shrugged before snapping her fingers and the Neoshadow disappeared instantly.
"In regards as to why they are here in Klåry the answer should be easy enough for you to understand. The heartless can go wherever they wish so long as there are hearts and the world isn't sealed off. Your world has hearts, and it's no longer sealed off." Mangi casually strode over to the bed and plopped gracelessly down onto the mattress.
"What?! How, WHEN?!"
"That would have to be the day that your stupid husband brought me here. I had to enter Klåry somehow. Now, I'll ask you again. Why do you have the Vita Debitum?" She asked tilting her head to the side curiously.
"Mangiana listen-"
"Mangiana? Oh right, it escapes me that I go by that name Sven forced upon me to answer to while here."
"Wait, my brother knows about you!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Demyx pouted as he was left to watch the prisoners in the cell. He had no idea how suddenly there were prisoners when just a few moments ago, they only had Am here cooking them all a nice Italian dinner and a giant sleepover!
"Hey, Demyx! I've got something you might like. Why don't you come over here and check it out!"
"Sora, the minute I get close to the cell door you're going to punch me in the face, knock me out cold, and escape. I'm not stupid." He scowled at the now sulking brunette across from him, safely locked up behind bars.
"Well, I tried." Sora said to the others.
"Really, we should be out of here by now!" Sven complained. He was more concerned about the welfare of his sister and her children than what was going on at the moment. Ealair looked at them all as they all gave their own attempt to try and get the keys off Demyx. The blonde however was more that determined to not give in or listen to them.
"Damn it Demyx, you picked a good time to finally take your missions seriously!" Roxas cursed. Demyx stuck his tongue out at Roxas and grinned as the smaller boy had tried to lunge at him only to hit the bars and howl in pain.
"Roxas, you idiot, that was dumb of you!" Bug scolded helping along with Sora to pick him back up.
"Mwy nose's bleed'n!" He whined, and Riku rolled his eyes. Really, what did he expect? Ealair scowled, erasing a stubborn line off of his latest doodle of Kairi impaling herself on one of Cloud's spikes. He wondered how the Sephiroth stalker was doing these days.
"Ealair, a little help in getting out would be nice! You know, doing something other than drawing all day!" Vhen snapped, irritated because her box of cookies had slid out of the cell earlier and now Demyx was eating them.
"You're lucky your cute, or I'd of killed you much sooner!" Vhen growled at Demyx, who smiled cheekily at her before eating another cookie.
"How about one of you so called Keyblade Masters uses your Keyblade to unlock the cell? Surely you don't need Demyx's key to get us out of here." Ealair suggested going back to his drawing. It was quiet at Ealair's words the meaning behind his statement hanging heavy on all of them.
Riku, Sora, and Roxas each slapped a hand to their faces and swore under their breath.
"Why didn't I think of that?" They thought, and Roxas summoned his Keyblade.
"Shall I have the honor?" He asked Riku and Sora sarcastically.
"Just OPEN THE DOOR!" Vhen yelled.
"OKAY!!" Everyone else yelled back and Roxas aimed his Keyblade where the lock was.
"Uh-oh!" Demyx squeaked and ran away.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Vexen collapsed to the ground, exhaustion gnawing at his bones. The darkness welled around him.
'Damn it, no matter how much I fight it, it just doesn't go away.' Sighing he lifted his Shield to ward off another vicious attack. He was not ten feet from his own house and the shit wasn't letting him be. It swarmed around him, taunting as it dug its sharp claws into him. He hissed as blood oozed from the shallow scrape. Eyes burning he blasted spells of ice into the swirling black. The thing roared in pain just as a strangled scream blasted from the house.
His face lost all color. Am….Not wasting time finishing the thought he sprinted towards the house.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Am huffed as Mangi landed another well placed kick to the side of her face. The force sent Am spiraling into the four poster bed. Struggling to keep her hold on the box she winced as she gently touched the side of her face. Blood was seeping from the many cuts on her arms, her split lip and the lacerations that decorated her face. The room they were in was a wreak, stained with Am's blood. So far Mangi had been kind enough to keep her blows from her stomach…but it was only a matter of time before she slipped up.
"Come now, it's not that difficult. All you'd have to do is give me the box and this'll all end." Mangi grinned winningly at her.
"I can't do that Mang, I have to take this with me. Please let me go." Am stared up in to the Demoness's eyes pleading with her. Glaring down at her, Mang considered.
Grinning cruelly, she said, "Sorry Am no can do. Now unless you want your friends to die, I suggest handing me that box."
Hugging the box to her chest, she shakily stood, waiting for her balance to improve. Mang watched her with a bored expression on her face. Watching the muscles ripple, she braced for the impact. 'Surely she's not so stupid.' Mangi thought. Am launched herself forward and ran at Mang. 'I've been wrong before.' Mang added as a second thought. Right before impact Am opened up the seam and launched herself through the white door that appeared. The last she saw was Vexen stumbling into the room and watching as she disappeared. Mang screaming with anger and disbelief.
Large hands caught her before she crashed to the floor. Looking up she saw Xigbar, who was looking down at her with an unreadable expression, it looked almost like..pity…. Shaking herself mentally she stood and brushed herself off. Blood seeped from under her tattered clothes.
"We should get you into clean clothes and clean those wounds." Xig said softly. Am shook her head, and started marching off.
"I have to fix this." She said before turning away and hurrying to find Ansem, mind swirling with the overload of new information that somehow seemed calibrated to crumble the walls of her world and send it crashing around her ears...
Xigbar watched her run off before sighing, "Sometimes I just don't know." He said before walking off, intent on finding Demyx. Something big was going to go down and he didn't want the younger Nobody getting hurt.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Vhen led the way, all the while complaining about how this was going to be the lamest battle she'd ever fought in.
"We don't even have the Gods fighting with us now. Remember how it was during the Tempest of Silence, Ealair?" She grumbled, "I bet they're all just napping down in Ramlin Falls. And where the hell is Septimus when you need him?"
"Who's Septimus?" Bug asked curious. "I don't think I've ever heard that name before."
Ealair laughed out loud as Vhen's mumblings grew louder, "Bug haven't you ever wondered why I showed up when I did?" He asked her.
Scratching her head Bug looked up at him, "Yeah, and?"
Ealair chuckled, "I'm Vhen's brother, course that's not really her name you know? It's Maigshi Darkwing. Back when we were fighting with Sven and Am in the battle called the Tempest of Silence, there was this boy. His name was Septimus, he's technically what you would call Vhen's husband. I came here looking for her when she ran out o him." Smirking he poked the back of Vhen's head, "Isn't that right sissie?"
"If you EVER say that again, I will happily murder you in your bed so help me Gaia." Vhen growled.
"HA!" Bug cried, causing everyone to look at her with expression that said they worried about her sanity. "That's why Vhen doesn't like dealing with guys….she's MARRIED…." Bug lapsed into a giggle fit and had to be forcibly steered down the hallway by Roxas.
They gained access to the elevator and Roxas started the machine for the upwards climb, when he was struck by an unbelievably genius thought. He grabbed Bug's arm and dragged her into the corner and started to whisper to her. Seeing the sudden movement the others in the group started cat calling and wolf whistling. Roxas flicked them off as he filled Bug in on his plans. She nodded once, completely white with fear and anticipation.
Sven watched their antics before becoming frustrated, "The hell are you guys discussing over there?" He growled.
The two shrugged and said, "Nothing much."
About to press further Sven advanced on them, but was stalled by the elevator reaching the floor they needed. Sparing a glare back, he watched as Bug and Roxas shared a fearful look.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ansem was setting the last touches on the machine he had concocted to hold the Demon Mang, when Am rushed in face stained with blood and about to pass out. He caught her as her legs gave out. Shushing her weak protests he placed her on the gurney next to his new machine. She shakily fished in her baggy top and produced an old oaken box. He eagerly reached for it, taking it in both hands and plucked the vial of liquid from its resting place. He handed the box back to Am and placed the vial on the delicate locket-catch in the machine.
"Thank you my dear, you've been most useful." He cackled wickedly. Am's hopeful expression faltered as she began to realize her grievous error. He lifted his hand and sent a powerful blast of air at her, she had no time to react and hit the opposite wall with a sickening crack just as the doors to the lab from the north and south ripped open.
From the North side came Sven, Vhen, Ealair, Riku, and Sora, from the South Vexen.
All screamed as Am hit, Xemnas grinned wickedly once at both Am's brother and her husband before teleporting him, his machine, and the unconscious Am out of the lab.
"SHIT!" Sven roared.
Amidst the confusion that was reining in the lab a loud voice cut through the babble of voices.
"All Organization members are to report to the Grand Common Room, IMEDIATELY! Dusks and lesser Nobodies are to be on the look out for intruders!"
Vexen glared dourly at the intercom, "Well at least we know where they are, the damn fools.
Sven rushed up and pinned the man to the wall, "This is all your damn fault, youngling. YOU DON'T FUCK WITH DARKNESS! Now my sister and her children are paying the PRICE!" He yelled. Vexen hung his head; Sven raised his fist preparing to beat the hell out of him when a soft hand landed on his arm.
Ealair shook his head, "This isn't helping, Sven. I know you're angry. But right now we need to find Am."
Vhen wheeled around preparing to launch into her prepped war speech only to pull up short, "Hey, where the hell did Roxas and Bug go?" she griped, angered that her audience had been reduced.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Soft mist had greeted the two when they had jumped through the portal, Bug landing somewhat precariously on her feet while Roxas had landed gracefully.
"Where exactly are we Bug?" Roxas asked, searching for her hand.
"Ramlin Falls, remember what Vhen said about the Gods napping. Well, what if we wake them up and tell them that Am's in trouble. They might want to help. She is a God after all; you'd think they'd want to take care of their own." She said huffily.
Smiling Roxas pressed his lips to her cheek. Giggling she softly slapped him away, tugging on his arm she pulled him into the mist. It was so dense they couldn't see their feet and had to step carefully. As she tugged she was able to discern a lightening in the mist and headed towards it. On the other side of the clouded precipitation she and Roxas were granted an awe inspiring view of the Falls of Ramlin.
Huge waterfalls spanned out as far as the eye could see, slivers of cliffs jutting out of the chasm below, creating a ring around the end of the world. Bug slowly inched to the side of the cliff and looked down. She grinned at Roxas and pointed to a particularly large boulder that had the following message engraved into it:
Trod lightly mortal,
For far below a God sleeps,
Climb the rope to reach the portal,
But beware for this is also where the demons creep
Grinning Bug slung herself over the edge and began to slide down, Roxas gripped her arm scowling slightly.
"What exactly do you think you're doing? How do you know that that rope won't fray, or if it even reaches the bottom?" He demanded.
Rolling her eyes Bug snapped, "If you had used your eyes you've have realized that that is Am's handwriting, and this rope…it's one of Sven's. There's no way it'll fray, and it always reaches the bottom. Come on!" She began her quick descent once again, disappearing into the foggy gorge below.
Sighing Roxas gingerly lowered himself down to grip the rope as well. The rope was smooth and was able to lower him down without giving him rope burn. He didn't know how long it took for him to get from the top of the cliff to the bottom but it seemed to take ages. He strained his eyes for any glimpse of Bug. The damn girl had run off yet again.
Slender hands caught his upper arms and yanked him into a cavern; startled Roxas struggled and struck out at the person. A soft gasp shamed him as he realized it was Bug, she glared at him.
"I'm sorry; I didn't know it was you..." He trailed off. A sharp pain shot up in his arm, screeching he looked down to see a livid purple popping up on the skin. He looked at Bug and smirked, "Am I forgiven then?"
"NO! You woke me from my nap time you dolt!" A voice yelled from behind them, they turned and saw a huge shadow moving from the depths of the cave. A light was suddenly sparked and they saw the owner of the voice. She had to be at least six foot seven, with a slender willowy build, fiery black eyes and waist length coal black hair. A strange mark rested between her brows, it looked like a lit match.
Bug whispered to Roxas, "She's got a mark just like Am!" He nodded but kept his eyes on the broadsword that was attached to the girl's hip.
"What was that?" The girl growled, "Okay what do you two want, I was enjoying my sleep!" Whining now, she glared at them. Daring them to make a move.
Bug cowered behind Roxas, she gave him a little nudge and he sighed, "Goddess we need your help, our friends are fighting an ancient evil and we were hoping that you'd be gracious and bestow your blessings upon us." Roxas said winging it, cheeks blushing crimson.
The Goddess laughed, "Pretty words, but I'm not the one you need to talk to about such a topic, come we are to converse with Gaia."
Roxas sent a glare back at Bug, "Happy now, we are soooo dead!"
Bug glared right back, "Miss uhhh Goddess? Are we going to see The Gaia as in, Mother Nature?"
The girl laughed, "Yes, which other would you prefer to see? And you can call me Aedan… I don't much like formalities." Grinning she took Bug's hand and pulled her deeper into the cavern.
The walk wasn't particularly strenuous but both Roxas and Bug gasped for air as they descended further and further down into the earth. Despite her reasonable fear of tunnel, Bug wasn't scared of these tunnels.
The walk leveled out and Aedan put her fingers to her lips in a signal to be quite, they rounded a corner and stood in front of a gossamer cloth. She looked them over once, shrugging and then lifted the covering. Beyond it lay vast gardens, in different hues bursting with color and life. In the middle of the garden on a raised dais was a throne. Its occupant seemed to be fast asleep, head rested on the palm of her hand. All around the garden was bodies of people. Beautiful beyond imagining, but all seemed to be in a deep slumber. As they drew nearer to the figure on the throne they saw that the person was not asleep. Only dozing, lazily stroking the hair of yet another male whose head rested on her lap.
The figure lifter her eyes to Bug and Roxas, smiling as they did so. One green eye and one white with blue flecks caught and held their attention. It's companion also becoming more alert. All around the bodies of the seemingly sleeping people lifted to stand and stare at Bug and Roxas. In all there were fifteen. All save the figure in the throne bore marks between their eyebrows. Ranging from waves to swirls and dabs. The figure watched them take in it in smiling as they gaped, this then was Gaia.
"What is it that I can do for you, my children?" Softly lilting and honeyed the figure lifted up and came to its full height. Roxas noticed uneasily that everyone in the cave had to be about six foot two and seemed to tower over them. He shifted slightly and tried to coral Bug behind him. But she would stay put.
"There is to be a war!" Bug cried, at this the group began murmuring in disinterest.
"There is always war, you mortals are so bloodthirsty!" A girl cried from the group, a music note emblazoned on her forehead.
"Not only mortals this time, but a demon as well," Bug said, the remark rippling scowls throughout the group.
"Child, these things happen. It's called balance. Surely one demon has not caused so much damage." Gaia said.
"But people are dying, friends of mine." Roxas said with his tongue firmly in his cheek. He was sure he'd call some of the Organization friends but a means to an ends.
"Am's going to get HURT!" Bug shouted. The group froze; Roxas slapped his hand over Bug's mouth. They had reacted to something and he wasn't sure just what that something was.
"Who is going to get hurt?" Aedan barked.
"Amaranth she's a girl I live with, well her and her brother Sven, but really she's just living with Vexen. I just live there because I like it…" Bug rambled on and on, Roxas watched as anger welled up over many of the faces. Itching to summon his Keyblade he started to back away, keeping Bug behind him.
"Does this Am have a black mark like ours?" A boy called out, a half filled moon mark between his brows.
"Y-y-eah, it's this weird arrow mark, and she's got tear drop decorations under her eyes too." Roxas said.
The group of people welled in on itself until they were a regimented unit before Gaia. She smiled and nodded, the unit turned on its heel and faced Roxas and Bug. Ten fists swung out and landed in a loud thump over each owner's heart.
"Kids, you've just earned yourself an army." Aedan said grinning.
'Maybe we might just win this…" Roxas thought.