Axel yearned to yell out Roxas' name but stayed quiet underneath the canopy of trees that loomed over him with menace emanating from them as they threatened to reveal an enemy after every turn. A hated feeling was bubbling up as he walked carefully to keep his steps light on the grass to suppress any noise that could be made to alert and enemy. The feeling was one he didn't feel often but when he did it was something he loathed.
The feeling of utter uselessness.
How on earth did he think he think he could find Roxas out in the wilderness was anyone's guess but he also knew there had been no way for him to wait around at the encampment doing nothing. But out here all he could do was walk around and try to hear something, anything that might lead him to where this battle might be going on.
If it was still going on…
Furrowing his eyebrows, he started walking faster to deny this simple thought that maybe he would be too late and something had already had happened to him. Another thought he couldn't stop thinking as he walked through the cool alleyways of trees was the fact that maybe this was a trap. He didn't trust Xion as far as he could throw her and maybe it was her that did something to Roxas and that's why Roxas hadn't come back with her.
But he wouldn't, couldn't, stop now until he found Roxas. He didn't know how long he had been looking so far but luckily for him he didn't have to look much longer.
As he meandered along, he stopped suddenly when he felt his foot fall into something that wasn't grass or dirt. Picking up his foot his eyes widened slightly upon seeing the black dot of wispy darkness that dripped down the underside of his boot. In curiosity his hand reached out and scraped some of it off with a single finger and as his foot returned back to the earth he could only gaze at it as the thoughts of heartless flowed forth.
But something wasn't quite right with it. It looked and had the same acrid smell but the texture wasn't quite right. Letting his hand return to his side his line sight floated up and saw the stain on the earth was not just a single occurrence but one that formed a path of sorts through the forest undergrowth. His feet began to move without his knowing as he continued to gaze upon the stains that littered the ground.
The trail wove around without any sort of pattern and different spots arose on tree trunks and bushes. It was only after a while did he start to see that the ground had been dug up and trees had been bashed to the ground with deep long claw marks dug into them.
Axel moved faster with each new discovery as the thoughts of whatever had happened to Roxas and Xion burrowed deeper into his mind. The forest was all but silent as well with no birds or other animals making a sound creating an atmosphere ripe with tension. The spots of blackness became bigger and more sporadic as if the thing leaving them behind had become agitated as well as moving with little thought or pattern.
It was when he entered a small clearing did his heart really start to thump in his loudly in his ears.
Grass was ripped and dyed black as well as a few marks that were rusty with what could only be blood. The trees that bordered the edges were either uprooted to some degree or splashed with a smatter of liquids. It was as if he was looking at some worn torn battle field that you only read about, never saw.
He walked out into the middle and just turned around and around trying to comprehend that this had all happened sometime soon from the looks of the stains that still shone in the sunlight. His eyes twitched in frustration that this had happened only a few miles away from where he had been standing guard unaware of the fight that had no doubt taken place.
Not wanting to waste another second he scanned the ground with racing eyes trying to pick up where the trail would lead next. The agonizing thought that Rikku could have found where Roxas was in seconds tore at his brain but in his haste there was no way to get in contact with her now I he wanted to follow the trail while it was still fresh upon the ground.
It was the sight of two trees that looked as if something phenomenally large had tried to squeeze through them that caught his attention and held it in the end. Walking briskly over he smiled at the sight of more tracks of darkness but what took that smile away was the splashes of blood that were splattered around as well like stains on white carpet.
He didn't hesitate anymore and plunged once more into the forest in search of his someone.
"One more step and then you can take a break." Roxas muttered quietly to no one but himself as he walked through what felt like an endless course of trees. What could have been a lovely stroll through the forest in the spring was hampered by the fear that a giant heartless bear could attack and the fact that he was on his last dregs of strength which meant the aforementioned problem would be especially difficult to deal with if presented with.
"Just one more step…"
His words held little conviction as he practically dragged his feet with each said step he took creating a trail of bent grass in his wake. He bent over like some sort of bedraggled hunchback as he walked with his wings spilling out of his ripped sweatshirt to lie there uselessly, the energy required to use them just simply not there. His arm was now free of darkness having sunk away little by little as the fight ebbed from his system but the barest of trembling still remained as the shadows roiled underneath the skin deep inside of him.
The knowledge of what this meant lay in his head but at the moment he focused on the fact he was incredibly vulnerable and in just an overall sucky position. The urge to lash out at anything that came near could not be suppressed even as his legs quivered violently after each step expressing the exact opposite. A bunny could have taken him on at this point.
"I can do this, I survived hell, I can walk a freaking mile!" With nothing as an outlet for his frustration he ended up taking it out on himself. The pain itself was just the ache in his abdomen from when he was thrown but the pure fatigue was causing his muscles to slip and slide without control or precision. It was as if his body was rebelling against his brain.
He was a Nobody and an enhanced Nobody at that but the battle had taken a lot away from him. Not only had he released countless attacks with his power but after trying to keep the taint inside him for so long and failing in some regard had reduced his supply of energy to little more than nothing. The experience of such situations wasn't new to him, not in the least bit so in some ways he knew how go about it but he knew he could only do so much in the end.
Energy was not unlimited. Sooner or later he would pass out or just fall to the ground unable to move but he would deal with that when the time came. And that time was coming soon.
A leg gave out from under him dropping him down onto one knee.
"Nope, not today." He muttered stubbornly as he pushed himself back up despite his bodies protests and began to walk along even slower than before. If a snail had started the journey with him at the beginning it would be back at the base by now he thought sarcastically berating himself.
He only made a few more steps before his other leg crumpled underneath him like wet papier-mâché. His arms caught his weight as he landed on the ground to stare at the grass. His bangs fell forward and pointed at the earth as he panted heavily trying to get oxygen into his lungs as his heart beat rapidly. He would have cursed vulgarly and loudly but he didn't want to waste his breath in the effort.
A sudden crack of a twig caused his head to snap up instantly. Sweat dripped down the side of his face leaving trails in the grime that coated parts of his face as his eyes opened wide to try and locate what had impeached into his area.
It didn't take too long to locate the intruder.
Standing before him was the nightmare he thought had finally abandoned him. Swathed in a black cloak with a hood obstructing their face they stood before him with the same red piercing eyes he had come to know and fear. It was as if cold radiated from it as the balmy spring day soon turned cold with goose bumps rising up on his flesh.
Neither of them moved as Roxas' brain tried futilely to process the unexpected position he was now in. The only sound that could be heard in the now silent forest was his breathing that seemed to increase with each second that passed. It was getting harder and harder not to hyperventilate as his body was subjected to yet another stressor that day as his wings bristled up.
Trying to stay strong in the situation that was growing stranger with each second he said, "What do you want?" His voice cracked in the middle and seemed to pierce the cocoon of silence as his heart thundered in his ears.
The thing didn't say anything and only tilted its head to the side as a small part of their face came into the light to show grinning teeth as it lifted up a single hand to place a finger against their mouth as if it was a silent shush. It dipped its head forward and obscured its features once more as its hand fell once more down to its side.
A breeze blew by in the cold standoff but nothing moved on the things person, no ruffle of the cloak, no movement of the hood, nothing. It was as if it wasn't really there. As the brisk wind blew by the area behind the thing of nightmares was growing darker and darker. It was as if the darkness inside his mind was creeping out into reality as tendrils of shadows slid through the stalks of grass.
Roxas looked back up and met with the red eyes once more and saw a silent beckoning in them as a hand reached out towards him with the palm facing upwards and the fingers outstretched. The blackness roared behind them consuming the trees and blotting out the sun as it reached overhead like a gruesome tidal wave.
The ground began to shake as a large roaring rang through his ears as what looked like the world coming to the end occurred. Roxas eyes dilated to try and collect what little light there was left ass he tried in vain to remain coherent in the face of what he couldn't accept as reality.
"Roxas!"
He felt more than heard his name called out as it reverberated through the darkening forest to strike him like a physical blow. His eyes slid to the side as his head turned to see far away, as if down a tunnel, Axel running through the trees towards him making the darkness recede with each step he took like a fiery beacon of hope. He felt his mouth open just a tad as this sudden appearance that seemed to defy conventional rational as the world slid far out behind him.
It was as if he was receding into the darkness never to be seen again or touched by his sun that he so desperately needed.
But just as quickly as it had turned, the world snapped back as the light reappeared and ground ceased its trembling. Birds started to sing once more and cold chill that had before gripped the air was now replaced with the warm sun that shined through the leaves of the trees.
Axel soon appeared by his side and dropped down next to him quicker than he thought was possible. The red head reached out and grasped his shoulders looking at him with avid green eyes as Roxas strived to comprehend with what had just occurred and what was happening now.
"Axel, where did you-?" Roxas stopped short and snapped his head back forward away from Axels gaze and looked to where the thing had been standing moments prior as well as the distortions of the world. "Where did it…" His voice trailed off as the feeling of exasperation hit him full on.
"What happened? Are you ok?" Axel asked suddenly pulling him back into reality with a jolt even as his mind started to sway. Roxas looked back to him and could only wonder what the man was thinking after seeing him sitting in the forest staring at apparently nothing and on the verge of freaking out. He couldn't even comprehend what he would think if the situation was reversed. "Roxas?" Axel asked again with more worry hinging in his tone mixed with desperation.
Before he could respond, he watched as Axels face twisted in puzzlement as he reached out with a hand to brush at his forehead. He had to resist pulling away from the touch and had to hold back a shiver at the contact that was made. It was only a second later he realized why Axel had done what he had done and felt the deep pit of uncertainty bubble up.
Axel pulled back his hand to show the crumbling remains of blackness that were the remnants from his frantic picking earlier. Glancing at the ground for just a second, Roxas looked back up slowly and pushed Axels hand away from his face sending the charcoal like bits to the ground to mingle with the grass. He didn't want to think about them let alone see them in his face like that.
"What is going on Roxas?" The tone of Axel's voice tore into him in a way that he didn't think possible. More than anything he wanted to let out all his fears and worries in one big shout but that wouldn't be fair. It wasn't fair for him to have to live with it, what kind of person would he be if he put it on the shoulders of the person he cared about the most?
He didn't have to answer that to know.
Meeting Axel's eyes once more he mumbled hoarsely, "It's not safe out here; we have to get back to the base." He tried to justify what he said with the thoughts that the mangled beast was still out there prowling in the forest which it probably was but the explanation rang hollow in his head. Maybe when they got back and he was able to get his head wrapped around what had happened he would be able to talk to Axel…maybe.
Peaking up through his bangs, Roxas saw that Axel looked like he would very much like to argue with his statement but stopped short and turned away to his face for a moment. He heard him let out a frustrated growl but saw him plant his hands on his knees and push up to tower over him casting a shadow that stretched out over him as well.
"Whatever you say Roxas, let's go then." A briefest tone of hurt tore into Roxas' heart as he watched his person walk away from him. Roxas could have almost hit himself at his stupidity. Here was a guy who had come out in the forest despite the danger and somehow had found him and yet here he was overlooking those facts like one would look over the lone cookie left on the dessert tray.
Closing his eyes for the briefest of moments, he pushed all the unpleasant emotions inside of his hardened heart and went to start to stand. It was only when his legs had weight put on them to reach the standing position did the problem he had been facing in the beginning of his journey hit him full tilt. The sudden change of elevation sent his head swimming as the colors frothed together in front of his eyes. As his legs wobbled dangerous underneath him he watched as Axel continued to walk away into the forest.
His pupils constricted into pinpoints when he watched the same red eyed demon seemingly materialize right in front of the man's path. His mouth and vocal chords reacted before common sense could kick in.
"Axel stop!" He yelled fiercely with his voice as rough as sandpaper. He reached out with a hand at the same time as he spoke trying to summon his keyblade back to his hand and to his surprise it did. It was only when the familiar weight settled into his hands did his legs muscles seemed to have enough and give out.
As he fell forward, he watched as Axel turned around with what was a look of aggravation which quickly turned into concern. Roxas though didn't focus on Axel and instead watched the thing that put a single finger to its lips in a silent shush like it had done before. With that simple act done it walked behind a tree and was no more.
A second later his face collided into the ground and his keyblade was pushed out of his hands to disappear once more so fast he wasn't sure if it had been there at all.
Before he could mutter a single ouch, he was rolled over and was faced with Axel's concerned face leering over him as the red hair framed his face in a fiery silhouette. He could almost laugh in relief but he held it back and instead let out a series of odd strained breaths as he reached up and pulled Axel into a desperate hug.
The red head was so surprised with the sudden act he didn't have time to resist and soon found himself leaning awkwardly down with his butt high in the air.
It was as if a damn had been broken and soon Roxas felt all the fear and anxiety that had roiled deep inside him that day during the attack. The smell of burning leaves was the only thing keeping him sane at the moment.
"Roxas, what the fuck happened?" Axels muffled voice questioned as Roxas continued to keep his arms around him locking him in the embrace. The pure confusion that lined Axel's voice only made his grip tighten despite the weariness that engulfed his muscles.
He heard Axel grunt in frustration at his lack of answers but remained where he was at allowing Roxas this moment of peace. Roxas didn't know how long they stayed like that but after some time passed he let his grip lessen to the point his hands slipped off and fell limply to the ground. He watched Axel carefully as he sat up still looking back at him.
"I'm sorry Axel." He mumbled quietly glancing up to the sky that was thankfully clear and sunny. It tore him apart not to say anything but it was for the best, it had to be or all this sheer torture would be for nothing. Breathing in deep he said, "We have to get moving before it comes back." Without waiting any long, he rolled over and pushed off of the ground to stand on his wobbly legs bracing for the head rush that uncomfortably followed undoubtedly after.
He blinked quickly to stave off the feeling of dizziness as he reached out and grabbed Axels arm to steady his stance feeling quite pathetic but for the moment he didn't really care all that much. He half expected to feel Axel shake him off but no such action happened, instead a hand grabbed his arm and pulled it over the man's shoulder.
"Let's go then." Axels' voice was gruff and Roxas couldn't even blame him for it though he kept his mouth shut. He didn't even understand why he didn't say anything. It was as if he admitted what had just happened he would certify that it had actually occurred instead of being able to deny it. As for the bear thing he was waiting till they were closer to the base to say anything, no need to freak him out just yet.
The walk through the heavily laidened forest went as smoothly as Roxas could have hoped for with his downtrodden legs refusing to work every once in a while resulting in Axel having to pull him up to get them restarted. And with each time he would shoot Roxas and almost accusing glare that didn't quite reach his face but stayed in his eyes. It was after the fifth or so time did he finally give in and explain what had attacked him and Xion leaving out the part about the darkness that had sprouted forth inside him.
When he finished Axel remained quiet not saying a word. Roxas didn't like lying, well the lying that was omitting the truth, especially since he had said he would tell Axel if it happened again but he couldn't do that to him. If it got worse he would tell but not now. It was his to worry about, Axel didn't need to be concerned about it as well when there wasn't anything neither of them could do.
At least…that's what he told himself.
"A bear attacked you?" Axel finally remarked after pulling Roxas over a particularly long tree root. "A freaking bear with the heartless virus attacked you?" His voice sounded incredulous as he helped Roxas along.
"And it's not dead so that's why we need to get back." He kept his voice low and even determined not to show anymore weakness. The habit of doing so had become more commonplace than he would have liked recently whenever he was around Axel and this did not sit well with him at all.
"Why can't you just tell me the whole truth the first time around?" Axel looked down at him from the sides eyes with his eyebrows down low. Roxas didn't look away though and stared right on back feeling his heart go cold.
It was only due to the fact that they had to navigate through the terrain did their gazes leave one another. It was as if in that small period of time a wall had been forged between then despite the fact that they were hanging onto one another currently.
The rest of the walk back was filled with stony silence.
Blame the shortness on my research paper that is sucking all the writing spirit out of me.
Also thanks for all the amazing reviews so far, really makes me happy. So whoot for all of you!