The Uprising
Is it Chapter 21 already? Wowza, this is shaping up to be a long story… Especially with everything I have in mind… (Evil grin!) Anyway, so this is what was originally going to be Dusk: Part Three… And even before that change, this segment was actually a part of Chapter 20, until I realized it could easily be a chapter on its own due to the length and content. Imagine it… A 6,000 word chapter! Personally, I don't like reading super long chapters, so I try to keep mine in check, although they do seem to be getting longer and longer. Oh well. If you can recall, Axel is busy fighting Saix, believing he is going to destroy Aros and, in turn, Sora, Xion, and, most importantly to the Rogue, Roxas. Delta, after splitting up with DiZ, arrived at the Memory's Skyscraper and discovered that the tower was sentient after acquiring years of memories, and had concocted a memory-based version of Xaldin as its guardian. Memory Xaldin then almost killed Delta for trespassing when Maleficent awakened inside of the Replica, who gave him über-Dark powers (more so than before), allowing him to defeat the sentry and commanding him to come to Hollow Bastion. He then traveled to the top floor and pushed a mysterious button that was labeled "For Namine." You know, maybe you should just go read chapter 20. Enjoy!
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Axel landed hard on his back atop the first platform of Ruin and Creation's Passage, sliding to the edge of the dais with a small flow of blood trickling down the side of his mouth. He and Saix had been battling throughout the castle since their initial meeting, their brawl eventually leading to the strangely frosted-over Proof of Existence, where the lieutenant had finally entered into his Berserk form. He achieved this after slipping away into the Addled Impasse which, as it was his chamber, naturally had a full view of the empowering Moon. With this might backing him, Saix gained the upper hand, slowly ebbing away Axel's resolve as he was beaten throughout Naught's Approach.
Saix, silhouetted by the energy pouring from the doorway, laughed powerfully at his fallen foe, his voice amplified and reverberated by the Berserk stage he had retained. The Nobody stepped into the vast chamber, revealing the true beast he was within. His eyes were now a pure luminous yellow and he glowed with a celestial power that he alone could wield. The X-shaped scar the man had bore for so long was now even more jagged, matching his muddled hair. Savagely, Saix grazed his claws across the floor, picking up sparks that shot at his adversary, who was trying to regain his bearings to escape. Even the scrape marks flashed dangerously as the Luna Diviner leapt into the air, his giant Claymore following suit.
With a growl of raw, uninhibited rage, Saix landed atop Axel, his strong arms pushing down dangerously on the man's rib cage. The Claymore hovered expectantly above the Rogue's vulnerable throat, forcing him to crane his neck beyond the edge. Blood dripped from his mouth into the nothingness below. If the Flurry of Dancing Flames could turn to look, he might notice millions of Heartless writhing below, only their yellow eyes standing out among the seemingly empty darkness. A few shadows tore at each other to get a taste of the precious crimson liquid.
Instead, Axel redirected his gaze at what was occurring in the air above him. "Look brother," Saix said madly, bearing his now razor sharp teeth into a crude grin at the fallen enemy. "They fight for us." It was true, as Axel witnessed upside down small brigades of Nobodies attacking one another in the air or on each platform. Berserkers seemed to be allied with the Sorcerers, Dragoons, and Snipers against Axel's own Assassins, who had joined forces with the Samurai, Dusks, and, amazingly, a small division of Dancers. Each side fought unceasingly, neither appearing to be close to victory. The carnage was escalating, more and more lesser Nobodies teleporting in to fight for their brethren.
"I shall tear your boy to shreds, Axel. There will be no trace of the child left to mourn!"
Axel watched as a brave Samurai, a warrior of Roxas, faced Xemnas's own Sorcerer, only to be struck down by a mass of the creature's unworldly red cubes.
A surge of adrenaline hit the Rogue, prompting the man to send a jet a flame into Saix, blasting him from his perch. The Loyalist screamed in fury, brutally beating out the embers coating his robe. Before he could rise to his feet however, Axel was upon him again, striking out with his chakrams. The Luna Diviner spun in his tracks, trying to regain control over the situation. The Rogue outstretched his arms before the rush faded, summoning balls of fire that slowly elongated into burning whips. In one fluid motion, he struck the ground before his enemy, sending out a devastating crack as the whips exploded into ashes and smoke.
Saix was blown backwards by the blast, flying through the battlefield before landing upon the final platform of the Passage. Axel willed the chakrams to hover before him, spitting out crackles of flame. Nimbly, he mounted the discs, shooting upward towards his former friend. The weapons released a column of blazing energy that sent its rider into the air above his opponent before landing solidly atop his writhing body. Sending out an inferno of dancing flame, Axel brought his fist into the aura surrounding Saix, breaking his Berserk stage like the shattering of glass. Instantly, the Nobody's appearance returned to its calmer, more orderly form. The scar receded and the man's glowing yellow eyes lost their radiance. Even his sharp claws were rounded as the Claymore lost its extra length.
Axel glanced remorsefully at the fallen form before him, hesitantly leaving him alive.
Before Saix could rise from the blow, Axel had already left, walking cautiously up the staircase that would bring him to Roxas. The blue-haired savage turned groggily, watching through blurry eyes as the target made his escape. The ginger wild card walked cautiously up the steps, masking the sound of his footfalls by spreading a thick layer of ash on each step to avoid detection. His breath raced as he tried to adjust from the high-speed battle with Saix to the stealthy infiltration of the Altar.
As quietly as he could, Saix brought himself to his feet, not wanting Axel to notice how his foe was no longer disoriented. It was unnecessary, however, as the double agent had already entered into the tower's peak. Brushing off the dust gathered due to the battle with as much dignity he could muster, he stood, regarding the still battling lesser Nobodies with devastating indifference. "Pitiful." The Luna Diviner then strode quickly up the incline to catch up with his nemesis.
The area quickly came into Saix's line of vision, a technological junkyard: the product of the Rebels' inept scientific knowledge. Namine, bloodied, was being cradled by a hysterical Kairi, Aros glowering down at them with his expressionless, belted face. Meanwhile, Xigbar was speaking charismatically to Larxene and Marluxia. The third rebel, Demyx, was beholding the scene distastefully, dark circles formed under his sea-green eyes. Saix smiled knowingly, creeping steadily behind Axel, still avoiding detection.
Suddenly, everyone atop the Altar halted, spinning on their heel to face the Dark City. Brashly, Saix slid behind a particularly large generator. He watched in frustration as the Memory's Skyscraper's giant screens radiated pure white energy. Each window began to follow suit before the entire building was eclipsed in raw power. It pulsed suddenly, sending out a shockwave that traveled over the city, spilling around the structures and Heartless before arriving at the castle. The aura rushed over the scene, Xemnas's case filling with the sensation before it continued on until finally reaching Namine's unconscious form. Into which, it receded, absorbed by the girl's broken body like a sponge.
The witch took in a sharp breath of air, the power of the skyscraper bringing her into a state of clarity, her now glowing white eyes popping wide open. Even her cuts and bruises emitted the silvery radiance before healing and closing up, her entire system invigorated by the strange burst of the skyscraper. The world had stopped around her, the Nobodies, Kairi, and Aros all frozen in time, their awestruck expressions still directed at the skyscraper. Even the airborne Nobodies were stationary, like mosquitoes trapped in amber. Namine slowly surveyed the Altar, stopping first at Aros, her curiosity getting the best of her common sense. She warily approached him, eying the belt covering his upper face. With trembling hands, she unfastened the buckle, sliding the black leather out of the loop and pulling away the covering.
Namine jumped back, startled at what she saw. Aros's eyes, blue, crystal-like eyes, were darting back and forth between Axel, who was trying to remain inconspicuous while looking at the skyscraper, and Kairi, who was still kneeling before the spot the witch had occupied. His pupils adjusted to the lighting before continuing to rapidly switch between targets until they stopped suddenly. His fixation was aimed directly at Namine. She quickly fastened the strap over his eyes once more, making sure that only the creature's eyes were still active and not the rest of his body. Where her quivering fingers brushed against his pale skin, silvery blotches appeared before fading from view. Namine bit her lip, thinking before lightly touching her index finger to his chest.
Three ethereal hearts appeared side-by-side upon his torso before separating from each other. Aros's form shimmered for a moment before splitting into three, each moving to meet their emotional counterparts. Transparent forms of Roxas, Xion, and Sora appeared before the even dimmer image of the Rebel puppet. The blonde's vision was unsurprisingly directed at his best friend, while the brunette looked sadly at his island companion. The girl's eerie gaze was centered on Namine herself; the identical blue eyes following her every move.
Trying to put the stare out of her mind, the witch moved to Xigbar, his one good eye focused not on the skyscraper as his body language suggested, but at Xemnas, whose cage was still filled with the energy of the memory tower. She approached the enclosure, pressing her primary digit against the cold glass. The fog inside of it cleared, revealing not one but six men crammed into tthe space. Xemnas himself stood to the side, his hands pressed against the glass. Next to him was an elder, his face contorted into a twisted grin above a scraggly goatee. In the other section of the area was a humanoid Heartless, smirking with arrogance and reeking of pure darkness. In the back was another young adult in a white lab coat, eying the silver-haired fellow beside him whose hand was placed upon the gentleman in front. This one bore resemblance to the old man in the center, and he wore strange black clothes with a sleeveless white button up shirt underneath. Finally, behind Xemnas, was a boy crying out in anguish. His face stuck in a disturbed shriek, with fists caught pounding upon the surface. His hair was as brown as the earth itself, although it momentarily flickered to the platinum color of the others. Each figure stood as motionless as stone, although there seemed to be a hint of awareness in each set of their amber eyes.
Hesitantly, Namine pressed both of her hands against the case and was struck by an onslaught of memories for the split second she made contact. She struggled through the images, the jumbled pictures filing themselves away in her mind. Making a mental note to address them at a less dire time, she stepped away, only to pause mid crunch. The special Nobody was surrounded by sketches, each showing a particular moment in the life of a face of Xehanort. "What is this power...?" The witch picked up the nearest one, a representation of Terra, the brunette from the cage, alongside his friends: a blue-haired woman and a boy that looked exactly like Roxas. She glanced back at the case, contemplating a rehash of the experience for intelligence on the Superior. "We may need this information…" She reasoned, trying to convince herself. "In the coming battle... It would be irresponsible of me to pass by this chance." Even with the benefits well known, Namine feared the mind held in stasis. She knew of his twisted plots, and had no wish to enter the world of Xehanort once more, but the image of Roxas's double told her that the memories would be vital. Bravely, she returned to the case, pressing her hands against the glass once more. She fought against the pain; against the horrific images she was absorbing. Terrible deeds and appalling acts of injustice that were too atrocious to describe. The only way to power through the imagery was to focus on the one flickering bright spot among the darkness, that single pinprick of happiness that stemmed from Terra and his memories. Aqua… Ventus… The reminiscences became too much, forcing Namine to rip her hands from the glass, dark burns covering her palms. Her hands steaming, she hastened from the area, until she skidded to a halt at the side, retching over the edge.
"I don't want this…"
She heaved again, recalling her brief trip into the remembrances of a madman. Namine sat, sobbing over the side. The witch longed to rid herself of the images burned into her memory, but knew that such was impossible. At last, she wiped her mouth on one of Marluxia's tapestries before tearing the fabric into strips to bind her blistered hands. After her appendages were securely bandaged, she turned and, after spying Saix, was thrust into a memory once again.
"As if!"
Namine found herself warped to Castle Oblivion, Saix and Xigbar speaking before her, the apparitions unable to see or hear the intruder. The claymore-wielder spoke first. "Surely you realize Zexion has no intention of liberating Xemnas, he only desires the Organization's power for himself. You see how he convenes with Riku and that earthy leviathan. Even the forty-forth Replica knows more than we true Loyalists. He's plotting something, and once his scheme is completed, there will be no more use for us or the guise of Xemnas's release." The sharpshooter ran a gloved hand through his ponytail, absentmindedly reloading his weapons. "So what do you propose we do, scar face? Just march into the World That Never Was to free our valiant leader? As if!" Xigbar turned to leave.
"What if we infiltrated Marluxia's keep under the guise of a peace offering?"
The Freeshooter stopped, but did not turn around. "I'm listening." Saix smirked triumphantly. "Perhaps if you brought them a childhood friend of Sora, the fools will trust you enough not to kill you on sight. Then, while you distract them, I shall free our Superior and the three of us will put down this rebellion once and for all." Xigbar faced his cohort and laughed callously. "I'll see you at the Altar, X-face."
The memory faded at once and Namine found herself back in the world of Nobodies. "A trick… It has all just been a hoax. Kairi…" She did not have any more time to contemplate this though, as the aura surrounding Memory's Skyscraper faded and time began to march forward once more. Before anyone could react, the generators rattled dangerously, apparently overcome by the power of the skyscraper. Each ruptured, exploding in place until the centerpiece that spawned Aros shook, about to detonate. The glow of her eyes now subsided, Namine sprinted toward Kairi, their combined power producing a shield of light bound by chains that protected them from the blast.
Saix groaned in pain, clutching his bleeding forehead as he scrambled away from the wreckage. Xigbar noticed him first, soon followed by the rebels. "Idiot! You blew my cover!" Marluxia's eyes widened as the Trojan horse operative improvised, taking aim at Xemnas's prison and blasting apart the tubes that kept him in stasis. The hoses spewed out thick white gases and convulsed wildly, animated by the fumes pouring through them. The lead revolutionist summoned his scythe, gesturing angrily with his free hand. "A ploy! You shall pay for this deception, Xigbar! Your blood shall stain these halls for eternity!" Before the Graceful Assassin could follow through on his threat, however, Xemnas awoke, sending out a burst of Nothingness that annihilated to case he had been kept in. He flexed his powers, summoning a brigade of Sorcerers that hovered around the Altar.
"Free of captivity at last… All of my precious memories restored to me and my powers multiplied tenfold!" He levitated above the battlefield, arms held at eighty degree angles to either side, complimented by the devious leer on his face. "A parting gift to your pitiful revolt!" A dark globe of vanity formed behind him, encased within flashing barbs of Nothingness. A stem of energy struck the tower, eating away at one of Marluxia's tapestries like acid. Xigbar and Saix joined the Guide to Interstice; glowing stairs appearing that led them into their Superior's typhoon. Both men disappeared into the emptiness, teleported into the unknown. Xemnas followed suit, evaporating into Nothingness whose wisps were absorbed by the storm.
The calamity only increased in intensity, striking out at the bits of rubble and destroying them upon contact. The tempest raged before the moon of Kingdom Hearts, giving it a sinister glow. Marluxia grimaced as he took out Sorcerers, trying to take control of the deteriorating situation while muttering curses at Xigbar. "Fools!" He shouted to his three comrades. "Rid us of these pests!" Aros approached the energy storm, followed by a reluctant Demyx. The puppet raised his Ultima Keyblades, shooting out beams of light and darkness to combat the gale. Namine pulled the astonished Kairi to her feet, the girl still trying to figure out what had just transpired. Axel herded the girls down the steps, looking back sadly at the monster Roxas had been transformed into, only to see Larxene giving him a devilish grin. The Savage Nymph shot after them, electricity pouring behind her as she made a path with her wicked knives.
"Run!"
Axel summoned walls of fire behind the trio as they fled, slowing Larxene down for but a moment as she tore through the flames. The Rogue lamented the lost opportunity to free the Key of Destiny, silently vowing to return for both of his friends.
"I'm sorry… Roxas."
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To be continued! Please review!
As you can see, Axel and Xion aren't exactly the closest of friends yet…
Stay tuned and REVIEW! It'll seriously only take a second. I challenge you, dear reader, to leave some sort of comment, criticism, or suggestion! Even if you don't have an account. It'll seriously only take a few seconds of your time. Be watching for Chapter 22!