Chapter Thirteen

The Broken Chain

Sora jerked upright in his sweat soaked bed, his breathing ragged as he clutched at the bed sheets until his knuckles turned white. He could still smell the horrid rotting flesh of that creature with the numerous tentacles. He could still hear that lullaby as the cage was lowered to the floor.

Sora gasped out as white hot pain snaked across his flesh, down his back, across his arms and over his legs. He gritted his teeth to prevent the scream that was lingering within his throat just waiting to be released. He felt his blood go cold when he saw the tattoo spreading over his bare legs and down to his feet. He was running out of time.

After a few minutes of willing the pain away Sora staggered out of his bed but he fell to his knees because of the flaring pain. Soon the pain vanished completely and Sora was able to retrieve some clothing from his closet. He stank of sweat and he wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Turning around he glanced at the Camera Obscura lying on his desk and his thoughts drifted to Riku. Would he finally see him in that dream world? He heard footsteps coming from across the hall just as a telephone went off downstairs. Roxas knocked on the door and entered when Sora called his name.

"Are you ok Sora?" Roxas approached his cousin.

"I'm fine Roxas. Could you get the phone and I'll make us breakfast." the brunet replied.

"Ok. I hope Leon is ok." Roxas murmured as he left the room.

"Cloud..." Sora felt saddened that the blond was still unable to wake up. Zexion had to be holding him inside the manor.

"Sora, it was Leon!" Roxas' voice called up to him a few minutes later. "He wants to meet up with us at eleven at the Radiant Cafe."

"Tell him we'll be there." Sora called back.

It was a Saturday leaving the day free to do some digging into the manor's sordid past as well as Hollow Bastion itself. The town had been built on blood because of those rituals. Sora couldn't begin to understand the beliefs of that time but it still seemed a horrific fate to befall any man or woman.

Zexion had been a victim who fought back and instead infected the manor with his sadness and rage. Sora quickly ran down the stairs and made his way to the shower that was situated in the main hallway. Once inside he locked the door and stepped into the shower.

The hot water pelted his skin and the heat turned the creamy flesh bright red. In some way Sora hoped that the hot water would wash away the tattoo on his body. After Riku died Sora spent a lot of time in the shower, staying there until the water was freezing cold and he started sneezing. The rain had been cold that night when the car went off the road. Riku's body had been so cold to Sora's shaking touch when he tried to wake the silver haired man up.

Sora pressed his hands against the white tiles and lowered his head so that the water washed against the back of his neck. He was so close to finding Riku now. All he had to do was go through that door and he would see him again.

He would look into those aqua eyes and feel the silky silver tresses again. He just wanted to see Riku one more time, so badly. Was this how Zexion felt when he was locked in that cage? From what Leon had told them Zexion had loved Demyx so much he risked the ritual itself just to be with him.

"Riku..." Sora gasped out the name as the tattoo flared up again. "Oh god...Riku." the brunet started crying.

He hadn't cried this hard since the funeral two months ago and now that he started it seemed he would never stop. Even if he found Riku he could never be with him again. The dead could never come back and the living couldn't follow them either. It wasn't fair.

Sora sobbed until his throat ached and his head pounded. He wanted his life back...he wanted Riku back. Sora felt his skin become icy cold but the water was still hot. He shivered violently as the tattoo across his body exploded and he fell to the floor in agony.

He tried to scream but the breath had been stolen from his body and his eyes were drawn to the glass slide of the shower that was now frosting over with ice. Sora backed away so that his back pressed into the tiles. Through the ice he could see a tall dark figure moving towards the glass. One hand was placed on the glass and Sora finally let out a scream when a hand with six inch nails appeared on the glass pane. Sora closed his eyes and willed the horrid apparition away.

"Sora!" Roxas screamed when he reached the door and tried to pull it open. "Sora, are you ok?"

"Roxas?" the brunet whispered when he opened his eyes to see the ice gone along with the dark figure. "I'm fine Roxas."

"I heard you scream." The blond replied as he continued to try and pry open the door. "Open the door Sora."

"I'm fine Roxas, really. I just slipped." Sora replied as best he could.

"Are you hurt?" the blond demanded.

"I'll be out in a few minutes Rox. I'm fine." Sora answered. He was thankful when the blond eventually went away.

Sora climbed out of the shower and turned the water off when it started to finally go cold. He dried his shaking body hastily then pulled on a pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt. After placing his crown necklace around his neck Sora exited the shower and made his way back towards the kitchen were Roxas was making breakfast. They had a few hours to burn before meeting up with Leon. Sora figured that he could go online and look up anything about Hollow Bastion. Before Roxas could question his cousin the phone rang again.

"Hello?" Roxas asked when he picked up the receiver. "Dad?" Sora glanced towards his cousin. "What's wrong? Dad, slow down, what is it?"

Sora watched as Roxas listened intently to his father. After a few moments the colour had fled from Roxas' face and he was shaking violently. His eyes were as wide as dinner plates and his mouth was open in a silent scream. He looked ready to pass out any second and Sora quickly grabbed hold of the blond before he fell to the floor.

"Uncle?" Sora grabbed the phone from Roxas. "What is it?"

"Thank god you're there Sora." His uncle breathed out. "I can't believe this is happening."

"What's wrong? Roxas is having a fit!" Sora cried urgently.

"I got a call from the Radiant Garden Psychiatric Hospital. I don't know if Roxas told you this but he had a good friend called Axel Sinclair. The hospital called to tell me Axel's been comatose for the past few months but he's been screaming for Roxas for the past two days." Sora gulped down his shock.

"Roxas mention him to me." Sora whispered.

"Axel gave them my number. Roxas never told me what happened to that boy or his twin." The man cried.

"It's a long story uncle but I promise you I'll explain everything later. I'll take care of Roxas ok." With that Sora hung up and went back to his cousin.

"Rox?" Sora shook his blond cousin roughly. "Come back to me Rox!"

"He's alive Sora." Roxas choked out. "All this time...I had no idea."

"Calm down." Sora rubbed the blond's back. "What do you wanna do Rox?"

"I have to see him." Scared blue eyes met twin blue eyes. "I have to know."

"Ok. I'll take you." Sora helped Roxas out of the house, all the while keeping a tight grip on his hand.

When they arrived at the hospital Leon was already there. Sora had called him as he left the house with a silent Roxas in tow. The scarred man glanced sadly at Roxas but he said nothing. Instead he followed the boys inside and stopped when they came to the reception desk so that Roxas could ask for the doctor looking after Axel. While Roxas sat silently in the Waiting Room Leon pulled Sora aside to talk privately about the door where Riku had gone through.

"So that door could lead us to the Chamber of Thorns." Leon rubbed his face.

"I can't think of anything else." Sora amended.

"Do you think this'll end if we stop Zexion?" Leon questioned.

"It has to." Sora rubbed his red eyes.

"Are you alright?" Leon placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Yeah it's just been a rough morning." The brunet replied.

"Roxas Kurosawa?" a female asked.

"That's me." Roxas got up and approached a kind looking woman with long brown hair tied back with a pink ribbon.

"I'm Doctor Aeris Gainsborough. I've been Axel's doctor since he was found in the woods." She said sadly. "I want to cut to the chase Roxas and ask for your help."

"What can I do?" the blond asked.

"I have to tell you about Axel's condition first." Aeris frowned. "He was found in the woods just outside Twilight Town. He was barely alive and comatose. He didn't speak a word to anyone but two nights ago he started screaming for you. He was lucid enough to give us your home number though but now he's gone back to his original state."

"I didn't know Axel was here...I never knew." Roxas whimpered.

"No one is blaming you Roxas." Aeris said soothingly. "But can you shed some light of how Axel ended up in those woods?"

"I don't know..." Roxas muttered. "His twin brother Reno died a few months ago."

"I see..." Aeris murmured. Her green eyes glittered as she smiled at the blond. "Would you like to see him?" she inquired kindly.

"Sora?" Roxas turned to his cousin.

"Go on Roxas." Sora encouraged him.

The blond nodded thickly then he followed Aeris through the polished corridors. He passed various locked rooms and he winced when he heard screaming coming from some of them. He noted the pained look on Aeris' face but he remained silent for now. He needed to see Axel for himself. He had to know for sure. Gulping down his fear Roxas followed Aeris into the room at the end of a long hallway.

"He's not talking now Roxas. Be prepared ok." She warned.

"I'm fine." The blond replied just as Aeris opened the door. Roxas took a deep breath before stepping into the room to see the only man he'd ever loved.

"Axel?" Aeris asked softly. There was a lump lying under the blankets on the bed. "Roxas is here."

"Axel?" the blond murmured.

As soon as the name escaped his lips Roxas watched as a tall lanky red head emerged from the blankets. His once vibrant green eyes were like dull glass and his skin was sickly white. Aeris watched in astonishment as Axel did the one thing, next to talking, he hadn't done since he was found.

He smiled.