Daughter Of The Revolution: Hey guys! Long time no chapter XP Anyways, just to let you know I finished this story! (finally) I just have to update the rest of the chapters whenever I see fit (Cough, cough, it means when I get enough hits and reviews, cough). So you know the drill and you guys have been AWESOME so far. Hmmm, can I get 400 reviews? You have no idea how much that'd make my day. But read on faithful fans and enjoy!
"Terra, please, you have to get up!" Sora pleaded, his eyes leaking out numerous tears as he cradled the Dominant's head in his arms. "Please, Terra, you have to be alright! You have to!"
"Sora, he's not moving," Demyx gulped, looking down at the unmoving and unresponsive Dominant. "He might be . . ."
"Shut up!" Sora cried, startling the other Submissive, but Demyx only shook his head and balled his hands into fists.
"Damn it, Sora, you're not the only one afraid!" Demyx cried. "He's my friend just as much as he is yours! I don't like the thought any more than you do, but . . . he's . . . Elder Xehanort . . ."
Sora rubbed his eyes and turned towards the form of the Elder that was currently being forced into the defensive by a greatly offensive Roxas, who was wielding two blades at once with such an ease Sora had to look twice to make sure it was indeed Roxas who was attacking the Dominant.
The two Submissives watched as Roxas pushed Xehanort up the stairs preceding the large throne and it was there he had trapped the Elder who could do nothing at the moment other than block Roxas' aggressive attacks. Demyx watched as Sora's grip tightened on Terra's body. He could see the brunette's eyes darkening and the growl emitting low in his throat was growing in volume before . . .
"ROXAS!" Sora cried out, bearing his fangs in a snarl.
The blond Submissive halted for a moment to give the Elder a chance to catch his breath—or was it to listen to Sora's words? It didn't matter, but Roxas stood tall as Sora cried out once more.
"KILL THAT BASTARD! !"
No one really saw Roxas tighten his grip on his Keyblade weapons. But they did see him charge the Elder Dominant once more, but this time, Xehanort had caught his breath plenty.
The Elder reached out and pushed at Roxas, taking to jumping onto the throne to push his form over and past Roxas, something amazing for his age. Roxas watched in amazement for a moment before turning around swiftly to stop the blow coming at his side, he did manage this, but he did not however manage to stop Xehanort's own claws ripping into his right arm.
"Ah!" Roxas gasped out, looking down at the deep gash in his arm, almost near bone, the slice itself nearly made him drop his blade, but he knew Xehanort wanted this and so he kept hold of his weapons—both of them.
The injury gave Xehanort enough time to distance himself from the boy and study him from afar, looking at the light and dark Keyblades in his hands.
"Since when have you come to learn how to wield Keyblades, Roxas?" Xehanort asked, finally being able to catch his breath and resume his air of Dominance as he straightened his back and stood tall with his own dark weapon by his side securely. "I assumed I was the only who knew how to master their mysteries."
"I had a dear friend who believed in these weapons being used to protect, not kill!" Roxas bit out with a growl, looking down at the blood dripping down his arm that was slowly paralyzing itself.
"I must say bravo in learning how to handle it so quickly, and duel I might add. What a special talent you have—much like your ancestor, Ventus."
Roxas let out a growl and narrowed his eyes before he heard Axel's voice. It was barely audible, but he did turn to see his mate still lying on the floor, his shirt stained red from the wound Xehanort had given him. The redhead was holding the palm of his hand firmly against the wound to staunch the bleeding, but his green eyes were on Roxas, wide, and his lips parted.
"Ventus?" He gasped out lightly, his teeth coated pink from the blood inside his mouth as he gritted his fangs to bite back a groan. "You saw him too?"
"I allowed the both of you to peer into your ancestors lives," Xehanort admitted, waving his dark Keyblade back and forth slightly before running his gloved hand up the sharp blade, his golden eyes dark and sinister. "The spell usually allows you to see into one at a time, but sometimes it fades into another ancestor of relative relations, for instance . . . Axel, you sometimes were faded into the life of young Royal Guard Ventus because he was forced into bearing a pup from your ruthless ancestor. Roxas, you sometimes faded into the life of Elder-to-be Commander Zackary, because the blood in your veins is his blood."
Xehanort grinned that sadistic grin of his before he brought his Keyblade back to his side, his grip tightening.
"The years in their lives you both experienced were only mere minutes in reality," Xehanort informed with a chuckle. "Of course the one who casts such a spell is granted your sight as well and it was fun watching the both of you react in humorous ways to their lives. I admit both visions were meant to discourage the both of you—how it worked in reverse I shall never know."
Xehanort looked on indifferently at Roxas and then at Axel who was struggling to stand back up, but his injury was grave and it was causing all that blood to run out of his pretty little mouth like a stream of flowing water.
"Roxas," Axel gasped, closing his eyes and then shaking his head from the dizziness that enveloped his body in paralysis. "You have to ignore his ranting . . . he . . . he's after Lea. Please . . . go find him . . . protect him."
"Axel!" Roxas gasped, his eyes widening in horror as the tall Dominant stumbled over, crashing into a stand of armor and weaponry before he caught himself on a table aligning the room with crystal vases and gold and silver bowls and plates.
"Yes, by all means, go to your pup, Roxas," Xehanort said, looking at the conflicted blond Submissive with a menacing gaze. "I'm sure you're dying for a reunion for the one you left to die."
Roxas growled at the Elder in offense. How had he known about that? It must have been from Terra, but Roxas hated how the bastard worded things. He had no care for anything or anyone other than himself, so he might as well seal those lips of his!
"Roxas, go!" Axel's cry was louder this time, but his condition was only worsening, but Roxas couldn't bring himself to run over to him. He had to stand his ground against this crazed Elder. Deep down he wanted to run over to help his mate, but his other side was telling him to listen to his Dominant and go to the aide of their pup, wherever he was in this city.
This was why Roxas was conflicted.
"Listen to your Dominant, Roxas," Xehanort continued in his mock tone of concern. "Heed his last words, it'll be so much easier to put an end to him once you're out of my way."
"Roxas!"
Roxas turned his head to see Demyx standing next to Sora who was crouching down, holding tightly onto Terra's unmoving form. The dirty blond Submissive had his fangs bared and he looked obviously pissed.
"Roxas!" Demyx called out once more. "Look what he did to Terra . . . to Terra!" The Submissive motioned toward Terra who had somehow changed back to his normal coloring of skin and hair, but the pool of blood around him was enough to let Roxas know what had happened. "He means to kill everyone—everyone!—don't let him get Kingdom Hearts, don't! Families will only kill one another if he gets it, I know it! I don't want my boys growing up like this, I don't. I know you can stop him, but if he kills Axel then he'll kill your pups as well!"
"Oh, how observant you are, Submissive," Xehanort chuckled at the Submissive's poor show of bravery; the bitch was outwardly trembling as he stood there across the throne room.
Roxas let out a low hiss as he raised his right arm and stood his ground, lowering his form into a fighting stance, looking at no one else other than the Elder before him.
"Poor pathetic Submissive," Xehanort motioned with a sigh and shake of his head. "You're in no shape to fight me."
"I did it before and I'll do it again," Roxas swore. "I won't let you hurt my family."
"That is the line of a Dominant mate," Xehanort spoke, a hint of a growl in his tone—he was obviously annoyed by Roxas' show of Dominance even though he was a Submissive; those meant to be forever below the stronger Dominants, like himself.
"No, it's both's," Roxas answered before he lunged forward only to find the Elder running to the side instead of meeting him head on. Roxas' eyes widened, thinking the Elder meant to strike from the side, so he brought up his blades to block any hits aimed there, but he only caught that smirk and shine of the Elder's eyes as he ran right past him.
Roxas turned quickly on his heels, watching in horror as the Elder ran with an inhuman speed right towards his downed mate who was holding onto the long table for dear life.
"Axel!" Roxas cried out, running after the Elder only to find himself already two steps behind Xehanort—one too many.
Just as Axel turned his emerald eyes up at the dark Keyblade raised to strike him down, he let go of the table, letting gravity help his wounded body dodge the blow for him. Xehanort did indeed take off a few strands of ruby hair, but that was all. Roxas was upon the Elder in seconds.
Roxas swung his dark Keyblade at the Elder set on killing the King's heir. The crown of the blade hit the Elder on the shoulder; in fact, Roxas had swung so hard that he watched the Elder drop his own blade from the sheer force of the hit.
The Elder let out a growl, clutching onto his wounded arm that bled blood, just like any other mortal would. He turned his angry eyes towards Roxas and bore his sharp, threatening fangs. Roxas blinked for a moment before he noticed dark tendrils rising from his body and in that instant he began a steady move backwards.
"Dark magic," Roxas gasped, moving his blades out of the way of their ascending path. They moved throughout the room, all originating from Xehanort's very body.
"You're too much of a nuisance to let live any longer," Xehanort spoke with a growl, his eyes glowing a bright gold. "You should have stayed in the afterlife, Roxas, because I'm about to send you to Hell!"
Xehanort's body was no longer seen. The black mist rising from his body cloaking him and then began to devour the entire room. Roxas gasped, watching as various objects in the room suddenly fell into the darkness, never to be seen of again. He turned his head to see that his mate was close to be devoured just like everything else.
"Axel!" Roxas called out as he ran to him, coming to his mate and taking hold of his arms as his legs were gripped by the darkness.
"I told you to leave!" Axel groaned out, pushing at his mate who only tried pulling his body out of the darkness.
"I can't!" Roxas cried out, shaking his head. "I will not see Lea for the first time if his father isn't there with me."
Axel looked up into Roxas' watering eyes. He parted his lips to speak, but no words came out. Instead, he smiled and patted the boy's cheek affectionately. Gently guiding Roxas' head toward where Axel lay. The redheaded Dominant pressed his lips firmly against Roxas' and his heart flew with the feeling of being alive—and wanting to stay alive.
No more words were spoken between them. Roxas pulled once again and, this time, Axel didn't resist. Instead, he pulled his legs out of the consuming darkness and let Roxas help him onto his feet; his body now half slumped over his Submissive. Roxas was stronger than he looked and managed to move the both of them back towards the entrance of the room where Sora and Demyx were, the two were currently trying to pull Terra's body out of the darkness that latched onto his bloody chest.
"Wait, let me try something," Roxas said, letting Axel lean against Demyx as he took up his lighter Keyblade and raised it high. "This darkness won't get Terra again." Then swung it down at the dark tendrils—interestingly enough, it worked! The tendrils had been cut from Terra's body and were now twisting and curling on the floor like tentacles from a monster.
"Sora, help!" Roxas called and the brunette Submissive was quick to lift up Terra's body with his help, though the dead weight made it difficult to get anywhere.
"Come on, Terra!" Sora groaned out as he and Roxas tried with all their might to carry Terra's body out of the room being rapidly consumed by darkness—the both of them could feel the tendrils latching onto their pants and coats, pulling at their forms. "I know you're not dead, because if you were you'd upset Ven . . . and I know you'd never do that!"
"Hurry!" Demyx called out, whom was a few paces ahead, turned and waiting for the others to catch up.
"Ah!" Roxas gasped out once his left leg was pulled out from under him and he fell, causing Terra's weight to pull Sora down as well. Roxas looked at his pant leg only to find the darkness eating away at it, slowly climbing up his shin. He was about reach for his Keyblade and cut at it like he had before when he noticed the darkness once again dragging Terra's body down into the abyss. "Sora!" Roxas cried out, getting the brunette's attention who was quick to grab his own golden Keyblade and slice at the darkness.
"Roxas, it's too close!" Sora cried out, trying his best not to step onto it because once he did he would begin sinking, just like Terra's body was. "It's all over!"
Roxas looked back towards Demyx and Axel and he looked at their horrified faces. He then looked down at the ground he had fallen on and noticed the ground was no longer marble, but darkness and he was sinking, just like Sora and Terra.
"Roxas!" Axel cried out, his body curling in on itself as Axel cried out and offended his wound. "Roxas!"
Roxas was suddenly pulled backwards with a hard tug. He turned back only to gasp, his eyes wide as the darkness climbing up his thigh now resembled that of a horrid monster with glowing eyes. The claws of its hands wrapped securely around Roxas' leg, pulling at him roughly.
"Roxas!" Sora cried out, seeing the monster as well that did nothing but try and drag Roxas into the abyss with it.
Roxas turned onto his back and brought up the light Keyblade in his grasp, the claws of the monster fell upon him but the blade kept his body safe—for now. Again the creature struck at him until it wore Roxas out.
The blade fell from his hand and now the creature fell upon Roxas' abdomen and pulled him under.
"NO!"
Roxas let out a tried huff as he felt both his hands be pulled at, away from the darkness now climbing up his shoulders and touching the backs of his ears. His vision cleared and he noticed Axel holding onto him.
"Axel!" Roxas gasped out, shaking his head. "N-No! You'll only be dragged down with me! Hurry, you have to find Lea and protect him!"
"I'm not going to see Lea and if his mother is there with me!" Axel swore, his eyes a blazing green fire that threatened to burn Roxas alive.
The blond blinked for a moment before he gave out a cry, feeling the creature below twist his left ankle to where it snapped. Roxas choked out his pain while Axel tried his best to pull harder on him to get the both of them out.
"S-Stop!" Roxas pleaded. The more Axel pulled, the more the darkness pulled on his broken ankle. "It hurts!"
Axel bit his lip, watching as his arms sunk into the dark floor and then his legs. He looked over to see Sora trying his best to keep Terra's body above the darkness, but in doing so dragged Sora down quicker. Demyx was away from the darkness that seemed to stop just a few inches away from him. The poor Submissive was pulling at his hair, watching in horror as his friends fell to this black magic.
"I'm sorry."
Axel blinked before he turned back toward Roxas who was nearly drug completely under that darkness—lost from Axel forever, again. The boy held an apologetic smile laced with the pain of his wounded ankle.
"I'm sorry," Roxas repeated again. "By a miracle I came back . . . only to drag us both into death."
"This is not the end, Roxas, it's not!" Axel swore, taking both his hands and cupping Roxas' face. Axel smiled at the boy the same way Roxas was smiling at him. The smile of those doomed, but . . . happy.
"I love you," Roxas whispered, closing his eyes as Axel leaned forward and touched his forehead to his. "I didn't get a chance to say that before Xehanort killed me for the first time."
"He won't," Axel spoke, swallowing hard once he felt something beneath the darkness pull at him roughly, twisting and yanking. "He won't do it again."
Roxas looked on in amazement at the fire in Axel's eyes. That fire was so strong and resilient that Roxas swore nothing could get them—like this black magic sucking everyone into an unknown grave wasn't going to be the end of them.
"I too saw into my ancestor's life," Axel said, looking at Roxas and giving him a smile before letting go of his arms to push his hands down into the darkness willingly, letting it suck him in further than even Roxas. "A lot farther than you, I believe . . . and from him I learned a few things I'm going to try. Since I'm his descendant, this might work."
"Axel, don't—!" Roxas cried out, reaching out to his mate with a force that ripped his arms from the sucking darkness, but the Dominant was already below. "AXEL!"
Suddenly, the sucking stopped, but a force pushed all of them out of the consuming darkness and Roxas, Sora, and Terra rose in the air before hitting marble floor, and rolling past Demyx. The Submissive's eyes were wider than the ones shot out of the darkness.
"Look!" Demyx cried with a gasp. His cry was enough for Roxas to shake off the force of his impact and stand on his feet before remembering about his broken ankle and so to his knees he fell in horrible pain before he glanced back to the throne room only to see the darkness falling back to its origin and out of it fell Axel, his body rolling until it stopped, the appearance of flames covered his body before nothing but smoke rose into the sky. In fact, the place where the darkness consumed were all aflame, burning bright.
"Axel!" Roxas cried out, cursing his handicap of his ankle. Axel had been sucked back into the throne room, too close to the origin for Roxas' liking. He could see the form of Xehanort now and he grit his teeth at the pain as he tried getting up to his feet only to fall back down in gasping pain.
From where he lay he watched as the darkness vanished, leaving a charred form of the crazed Elder. He rubbed at his scarred face and then at his clothing that turned black from the flame. In all the confusion, Roxas had figured out what Axel had tried.
Magic, Axel had tried the magic of his ancestor and it had worked! But Axel wasn't moving; it looked as if he, too, had been affected by the heat of the flame. Looking at Sora and Terra, Roxas noticed that Sora had hit his head hard against the wall he was thrown against, Demyx was at his side now, lapping at the wound to stop the bleeding, and Terra—well he still wasn't moving and all of their clothing showed signs of the fire charring their ends.
Once again, Roxas tried standing only to cry out in pain, not even leaving pressure off of his ankle helped; the bone had been snapped. He couldn't do anything and his body shook as he took hold of both his Keyblades. He watched Xehanort's every move and it looked as if time moved so slowly in his weakened state.
"Axel!" Roxas cried out once again, but his mate did not so much as twitch a joint.
A chilling fear shot up into Roxas' body and he couldn't stop shaking. What if something wrong had happened? What if Axel was . . .
"XEHANORT!" Roxas cried out with all his might to get the Elder's attention on him, and suddenly, bright golden angry eyes locked onto his form. "I am here! Come after me!"
The demand worked as well. The Dominant gave out a growl, the dark tendrils snapping in and out of his body like a demon trying to escape a host. He completely stepped over Axel's fallen form and came towards Roxas. The closer the old Dominant got to him, the more Roxas could see his form shift into that of the likes of that monster that pulled him into the black darkness.
He was no longer Elder Xehanort, Terra's sire—no, he was . . . something else entirely.
Roxas swallowed hard as the Dominant's claws seemed to grow longer and darker, his body once again giving way to that black magic, but this time it wasn't as potent, the ash over him seemed to block most of it out, but it still didn't stop the Dominant from nearly shifting into a creature of evil origin.
"Leave this world for good!" Xehanort cried out, his voice deeper and menacing as he lifted a clawed hand and suddenly, Roxas saw a larger hand behind his own and it was monstrous.
Roxas brought both blades up in defense, though he knew in his heart that it wasn't enough to save him from the strike. So, he braced for the worst. But, nothing came.
Blinking in confusion, Roxas' eyes widened at the side of the black tendrils wiggling out of Xehanort's body. They were now shaking back in forth faster than before, and their forms went wild as if they felt something. This seemed to stop Xehanort's attack and Roxas wondered just how many strange occurrences would save his life.
Following Xehanort's gaze, Roxas turned to see the place where Terra's body had landed. The Dominant, his eyes, they were open, an orange hue mixed into his sapphire eyes as he reached out with a weak hand, his own arm releasing dark tendrils.
"Terra!" Roxas gasped, seeing the Dominant conscious again was good news in itself, but he looked too pale, and his body too weak. His arm was barely lifted off of the ground, only the palm of his hand and fingers rose from the ground. Even his eyes looked weary and Roxas felt his heart hurt for him.
"You've taught me . . . well . . . father," Terra gasped out almost mumbles past dry lips caked with his own blood.
Xehanort let out a growl and when he went to raise his arm and stop his own pup, Roxas leaned forward and tossed his light Keyblade at the Dominant. Aiming it just so that the blade of the weapon struck Xehanort's newly raised hand and the limb fell off at the wrist.
The Elder looked down at the body part fallen useless on the floor. His eyes glowing a bright yellow before they shined a red and, once again, Roxas was the Elder's target. An angry dominating growl escaped deep in his throat before he lunged at Roxas. The Submissive had tried backing away, but his ankle halted all movement and so Roxas had no choice but to take up the darker of his Keyblades and let the Elder fall upon him.
Roxas let out a cry as the Elder ripped himself away from him and stood over his form, hunched like a crippled old man—suiting for the likes of him. Roxas gasped, feeling warm liquid coat his face and then he looked down to see his tight grip on his blade had not faded. But, now, the black blade was a crimson red.
He looked up to see Xehanort. The blood had reached up to his neck from where the blade had entered through his abdomen. Xehanort looked as if he wanted to pay no attention to it. He could feel it; Roxas knew he could feel it by the dying look in his eyes.
Suddenly, the Elder became less aggressive and the black tendrils altogether vanished and there, Xehanort stood. Looking off into a distance. Roxas opened his lips to say something, but the words died on his tongue. What exactly was he supposed to say?
Suddenly, Xehanort's hand came to his wound and pulled away so that his eyes may see his own blood. He stared at the substance for a while before he chuckled, shaking his head.
"Now," Xehanort spoke, his voice more rasped than normal with the blood welling in his throat. "How did this happen?"
Xehanort looked back towards Roxas and then towards Terra whose eyes were open, but barely. Staring at him, watching his movement.
"We were going to rule Kingdom Hearts, Terra," Xehanort spoke again, his words unusually soft. "You, Xemnas, Vanitas, and your mother."
The pausing in Xehanort's words grew longer as his limbs began to hang lifeless and soon, the Dominant was stumbling around before he leaned against the hall's wall for support, his legs losing all energy to hold up his being any longer.
"It's what I wanted . . . it's what I wanted," Xehanort sighed with a nod of his head before he looked back towards Roxas with hatred in his eyes. "What a damn Submissive you are . . . you had to ruin . . . everything."
A chuckle escaped Xehanort again.
"You would betray the family . . . wouldn't you, Terra?" Xehanort turned his dull eyes back towards his son who only closed his eyes, refusing to look at his dying sire any longer.
Xehanort's body gave out all strength and yet it remained leaning against the wall, still standing on stiff legs. Xehanort closed his eyes, a smile still on his lips.
"It will only repeat . . . Submissive . . . it will."
Roxas knew what Xehanort was speaking about, but Roxas only shook his head in defiance.
"Not this time," Roxas swore.
Xehanort opened his eyes and looked at Roxas, a chuckle left his lips and then . . . nothing. The color in his eyes faded, and yet that smirk of his remained. A look as if complimenting Roxas on a job well done. The Dominant had always been strange and dark and how dark of an end he met.
A few moments passed before Roxas felt someone touch his shoulder. He looked up to see Demyx holding Sora up who still looked quite dazed, trying to shake off his dizziness.
"Is . . . is it all over?" Demyx asked, staring right into the dead form of Elder Xehanort.
"Yeah," Roxas answered. "Yeah, it is."
Roxas turned once again towards Xehanort. It was so unreal. Had they really—won? Was it that easy? It seemed as though Xehanort had merely slipped and landed on Roxas' blade, but, no, the Elder was in a rage and meant to fall upon him and tear him limb-from-limb. Roxas had only held his blade against him, which the Elder had paid no attention to.
It was to be his demise and now, here they were. The air suddenly lifted and their spirits lightened. But, Roxas turned back to where Axel's form still lay, his mate ever motionless.
"Please," Roxas pleaded. "Help move me to his side. I need to know that he's still alive."
Demyx looked at Sora and the two shared worried looks before Sora shook his head and waved his hand.
"You do it, Dem, I need to help Terra," Sora answered as he spun around, doing his best to make his way towards Terra on swaying feet.
Demyx then nodded and looked down at Roxas with apologetic eyes.
"I'm sorry, this will only hurt you mo—"
"I know, just do it," Roxas demanded, biting his bottom lip.
Demyx bent down and, despite Roxas' red watering face and bit back cries of pain, he got the younger Submissive back into the throne room where he sat him back down next to Axel.
Roxas let his breath even out, trying to will out the pain that shook his entire body before he brought his arms up, the gash on his one arm was still bleeding and falling down his arm to drip onto Axel's coat, but he didn't care as he took him in his arms and held him close.
"Axel," Roxas whispered. "You'd better be okay, you hear me? We're supposed to see Lea together . . . together."
Demyx knelt down near them and placed his hands on Axel, wiping the ash off the Dominant before feeling his pulse. Demyx nodded with a smile, signaling Axel was still alive, but he did frown.
"He must have over-exerted himself with whatever he did to help you guys escape that magic," Demyx informed.
"He's too heavy to carry on our own, and I can't walk without one of you assisting me, so we have to wake him up," Roxas said, looking down softly at Axel's unconscious features. "Terra's not doing so good and Sora took a hard blow to the head."
"And your ankle," Demyx informed. "Don't forget about your injuries too quickly, Roxas. Zexion wouldn't like that at all."
"No, he wouldn't," Roxas whispered with a smile before leaning down and rubbing his face into Axel's neck. "Axel."
