Chapter Fourteen

The Burning Reminder

It was look he was watching a movie being played out. Roxas didn't feel as if he were really standing in front of Axel, the red head with a small smile on his chapped lips and his dull glass green eyes glowing lightly. His red hair was limp around his beautiful face and he had terrible dark bags under his eyes.

Roxas wanted to reach out and touch him, just to be reassured that he was truly with the red head who had stolen his heart. Aeris was standing at the door to the room, her eyes observant and waiting. Roxas made up his mind to approach the silent red head.

"Hey Axel..." he said tentatively.

"You're not a dream are you?" Axel's voice was raspy from misuse.

"I'm right here Axel." Roxas whispered gently with tears stinging his eyes. "I missed you so much."

"I want you to be real." Axel murmured.

"I am real." Roxas walked towards Axel who took a step back.

"I saw you in that mansion with Reno." Axel choked out the name of his twin.

"Yeah, I saw him too. He's looking for you." Roxas murmured.

"Do you go into the Manor of Sleep? Do you hear the lullaby?" dull green eyes stared at him.

"Listen to me Axel..." Roxas approached the red head. "I'm trapped in that manor too. I'm gonna help you ok."

"It's so dark in there...and that song..." Axel sank to the floor, his knees drawn up to his chest.

Roxas sank down in front of the red head, his trembling hands paced on Axel's knees. Aeris remained silent as she observed the conversation between Roxas and Axel while her heart ached for them both. It was obvious how much Roxas cared for his friend and Axel's reactions were very promising.

Maybe there was hope for him after all. Roxas gently squeezed Axel's knee to let the man who that he wasn't another figment of his imagination. The blond student bit back his tears when Axel began to mutter nonsense in his dementia.

Roxas heard his friend calling out for Reno and then the tears fell as Axel begged to be forgiven for what he had done. Roxas choked as he remembered back to that terrible night in All God's Village. In the end the Camera Obscura didn't save them and the ghost who died trying to complete the ritual possessed Axel to finish what he started. Reno had already been possessed and he knew that there was only one way to stop the Malice from escaping the village and reaching the outside world.

The blond boy could still see the whole thing play out. Axel wrapping his hands around Reno's neck and squeezing until all the life had fled from the twin's eyes. That had been the basis of the ritual. The Crimson Sacrifice required that the elder twin killed the younger for the Malice to be appeased. The twin so committed the act became the Remaining. Often the Remaining would go insane with grief and guilt and they were worshipped and feared.

"I'm sorry Roxas but Axel needs his medication now." Aeris said gently.

"Of course." the blond muttered as he rose to his feet. "I'll come back soon Axel, I promise you."

"You always did keep your promises Roxy..." a soft whisper caught the blond's attention but Axel resumed staring at the wall.

"Thank you for coming Roxas." Aeris said when they left the room.

"Will he ever get better?" Roxas murmured quietly.

"I honestly don't know." Aeris sighed heavily. "But your presence has done wonders for him."

"I wanna help him." Roxas affirmed.

"Thank you Roxas." Aeris smiled warmly.

By the time Roxas got back to the Waiting Room Sora and Leon were still there deep in conversation. The smaller brunet was telling Leon about Riku, a faint smile visible on his lips and his eyes were alight for once. Roxas smiled faintly for his cousin but the images of Axel trapped in that room tore at the blond relentlessly. He sat down opposite Sora and Leon so that he could put his head in his hands.

"How is he?" Sora asked.

"He knows about the manor. He hears the lullaby." Roxas replied tiredly.

"We've got to get into the Chamber of Thorns." Leon stated.

"You're right. Tonight we'll get through the door somehow." Sora said.

"What about you Roxas?" Leon stared at the blond. "Do you wanna stay here tonight?"

"I'll go back with Sora to the apartment." Roxas sighed. "The sooner we get this over with the better."

"Ok, I have to go but I'll call you guys later." Leon got up and left the hospital.

"Come on, I'll drive." Roxas motioned for Sora to follow him.

The cousins arrived back at their apartment just as the sun was setting along the jagged mountains surrounding Radiant Garden. Both boys were exhausted and they quickly retired to their bedrooms. Sora tried to take his mind off things by working through his assignment due in on Monday while Roxas remained in his room staring at the picture of Axel and Reno. He had to save the red head from his self imposed hell. He had to get Axel back. Sighing Roxas placed the picture back on his desk then got into bed.

While Sora and Roxas drifted into the oblivion that was sleep they both pictured the room with the Hanging Prison. Hopefully Leon would be there along with Cloud but Sora already knew where the door was.

Roxas had the Holly Mirror in his possession so they could open the door and find the Chamber of Thorns. Sora felt a genuine smile touch his lips as an image of silver hair and aquamarine eyes filled his vision. Once he got through that door he would see Riku again.

The lullaby forced Sora to open his eyes when his feet touched flat wood and the smell of damp wood and rot touched his nostrils. His hands were once again gripping the Camera Obscura and the flashlight and Roxas was standing beside him. The blond was holding onto the Holly Mirror while his camera remained strapped around his neck. Turning around when he heard a grunt Sora spotted Leon leaning heavily against the wall. There was no sign of Cloud anywhere in the room.

"Are you guys ok?" Sora asked once they were settled.

"I'm fine." Roxas nodded as his tightened his grip on the mirror.

"Cloud's not here." Leon sounded scared and Sora didn't blame him for that.

"You can go look for him Leon." The brunet stated gently.

"But if we find the chamber then the curse ends right?" Leon looked towards the door that would lead them out. "I'll go with you."

"Are you sure?" Roxas slipped the mirror into his pocket.

"I'm sure. Besides Cloud might already be there." Leon replied firmly.

"Let's end this." Sora grabbed the door handle and pulled it open.

They walked into the silent hallway and back up the steps into the large square chamber with the curtained area. Sora led the way towards the door that would take them into the corridor connecting into the garden. They encountered no resistance of any kind and there was no sign of Zexion. The manor for once seemed almost peaceful and for that Sora felt wary. He led Roxas and Leon back into the snowy garden and towards the door.

When they reached the door Sora stopped and stared at it. The presence holding it firmly shut was now gone. The paper dolls had vanished and the looks were open. They could finally see what was beyond the door.

Taking a deep breath and praying for Riku to be on the other side Sora opened the double doors. Cold air washed over their flesh and the feeling of being crushed consumed the trio. Sora staggered through the doorway and onto a wooden patio. Roxas and Leon were behind him, they too suffering from the strange crushing sensation.

In front of them was a large courtyard and a pathway was lined with human sized lanterns. At the end of the pathway was a red archway and beyond the archway was a building unlike anything within the manor.

Swallowing his fear Sora stepped down from the patio and walked along the cobbled pathway towards what had to be the shrine. Most ancient cultures possessed a place for worship and in Hollow Bastion these places were the shrines.

"There's someone over there." Leon pointed towards the shrine. A figure was standing by the door, his long silver hair cascading past his shoulders.

"Riku!" Sora cried as he started to run down the pathway.

"Sora don't go!" Roxas yelled.

"Riku! Don't leave again!" the brunet cried. The crushing sensation was lessening the closer he got to the shrine doors.

"Sora!" Leon called but the smaller brunet ignored him and Roxas.

Sora ran towards Riku, his heart hammering in his chest and tears leaking from his burning eyes. He was so close now, so close to just reaching out and touching Riku again. His silver haired lover reached out and opened the doors leading into the shrine then he turned and smiled sadly at Sora. The brunet ran towards the shrine but when he reached the door Riku had vanished again.

"Please come back..." he wailed as he stumbled into the room. "I don't wanna be alone anymore..." Sora whispered pitifully.

"Are you ok?" Roxas fell beside his cousin while Leon inspected the room.

"This has to be the main Shrine Room. This must be where the inhabitants of the manor came to worship the Tattooed Priest." Leon approached the singer altar at the other end of the room.

"Can you stand up Sora?" Roxas asked the smaller brunet.

"He was right here Roxas!" Sora cried helplessly. "Every time I get close to him he leaves again!"

"What the hell is this place?" Roxas gasped when he looked up and caught sight of another altar. There was a human woman lying on the surface with hundreds of large pins stuck in her body.

"I found something for the mirror." Leon called to the boys. He shone his light on a pedestal on the altar. "Look at that."

"The mirror could fit inside." Roxas said as he examined the circular indentation with a holly pattern around it. Holding up the mirror he looked at the other two then swallowed. "Pray that this works."

He inserted the mirror and all hell broke loose.