If Our Hearts Unite
Chapter 32: Eraqa
The city of Scala ad Caelum had to be one of the most beautiful places Sora had ever seen. She wished she had time to truly marvel at the landscape and architecture, but she couldn't waste any more time. She found a single shard of Kairi's heart, and wasn't sure just how many left she had to find. Where were they hiding?
She paused at an odd mechanism at the edge of the square. After playing with it she managed to realign the spots on the map, making the gears turn and activate. A bright light spilled out much like before and she found herself back in time, watching Young Xehanort and the girl Eraqa stand shoulder to shoulder admiring the mechanism and much as she had.
"I talked with Baldr today…" She told him and rubbed a fingertip over the brass mechanism. "He's worried that his sister and the other upperclassmen won't return from their Mark of Mastery Exam."
"Oh? Why's that?" He reached out, capturing a lock of Eraqa's black hair and gently coiling it around his finger. He was half listening to her, more focused on the sound of her voice, and the sweet scent of her shampoo.
"His sister told him that those that return from the journey will be made keyblade masters. It's as if it's expected that not everyone will return home safely."
Xehanort's finger stilled and his hand shifted to lay a comforting palm over her shoulder. Normally Eraqa was so cheerful and optimistic… but he knew there were days when even she needed a shoulder to cry on.
"If the tasks laid out were easy, then anyone could become a keyblade master." he gently turned her to him. "I wouldn't worry, all the upperclassmen are strong and capable. I'm sure they'll all return home safely."
"I hope you're right…" she pulled back and turned away from the mechanism. She took a few steps towards the school, but stopped when Xehanort caught her hand and pulled her into his arms.
"Xeha?" Eraqa lifted her head up, surprised at first, but then let a slow sly smile spread across her lips. "What's this?"
"Indulgence." He told her and nuzzled her temple. "I don't like to see you sad. It makes me anxious when you're not smiling."
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to make you anxious." She nuzzled into his hold and lay her hands on his back. "All this talk of danger and darkness just brings back memories I'd rather forget. My grandfather disappeared when he went off to face the darkness, as did both of my parents. I don't want the same thing to happen to anyone else I care for."
"You won't…" he pulled back and then grabbed both her cheeks and pulled. Eraqa squirmed and wriggled as he tugged the lips up. "So long as you keep that goofy smile on your face that is… it's bright enough to beat back any darkness."
"Owowowowow! Meanie!" She slapped at his hands and rubbed both her cheeks, pouting. Xehanort started to laugh, and despite her irritation Eraqa had to smile too. Just the sound of his laughter was enough to put a smile on her face.
"Come on," He took her hand in his and led her away. "I'll buy you lunch."
"Well now I have a reason to smile." She grinned at him and hugged his arm to her in obvious flirtation. "Can I get extra meat?"
"Sure."
"...and a fruit cup."
"Alright…"
"... ooh and ice cream for dessert."
"Hey, I'm not made of munny you know!" Xehanort scolded, but the smile remained on his lips as the two of them walked companionably towards the market. Sora's presence watched them, completely separated from the moment, but also completely invested in what was transpiring.
Eraqa, she thought with a deep sigh, something heavy weighed on that young woman's heart. Despite the laughter, and joy in her face, there was a lingering fear… a darkness that was slowly starting to form.
Light shimmered and the vision halted. Sora found herself back in front of the mechanism, holding the next shard of Kairi's heart. Emotional she cradled the heart shard to her chest and took a deep breath.
"I'm so confused… Is Master Eraqa trying to show me something? Why though? Hers and Xehanort's fates are already written, I can't alter that outcome, can I?" She placed the shard with the other in her pocket and took a deep breath.
There was no time for questions or theories now. If she wanted to learn more, know more, she needed to find more shards.
She journeyed to the next section, a beautiful fountain with ornate pieces. She circled around it, frowning that there was no water flowing from it.
"A fountain that's all dried up…" She reached up, touching the brass decor piece. It spun slowly, and Sora heard the gurgle of water flowing beneath her. "Oh… so that's how it works."
Summoning her keyblade, Sora spun the decor piece around again. With more force, the mechanism inside activated and water sputtered forth and then flowed out. Sora then repeated the steps with the other decor pieces, and soon the fountain sprang to life.
Light rushed around her and the transition to the past was smooth and barely noticeable but for the changing gradient. Bursts of color faded to a dull grayscale… all sights, scents, and sounds didn't have any life or feeling in them.
Eraqa walked alone from the entryway and into the fountain courtyard. She was older now, perhaps late teens or early twenties. She seemed so lonely to Sora's eyes. Her head drooped, her eyes were distant and somber, and her mouth seemed incapable of smiling. Her long elegant arms hugged her body as if she were cold and trying to warm herself back up.
"Geez, I can literally see the rain clouds forming over your head."
At the sound of Xehanort's voice Eraqa's eyes brightened. Her head lifted up and color slowly spread from her body and encompassed the entire courtyard until everything sprang to life. Xehanort stood amongst the color, hands in his pockets, his smile warm and teasing.
"Xeha?" She took a few steps towards him; cautious, wary. "Am I dreaming?"
"I hope not, it took forever to find my way back here." He gave a careless shrug. "Miss me?"
"Xeha!" Eraqa's eyes sprang tears of joy. Bounding the remaining distance she leapt into his arms… and the two of them went sprawling into the fountain.
"Hey! Yikes!" Xehanort fell back, his head dunked under one of the spitting fountains causing water to go up his nose and into his mouth. He immediately sat up and sputtered, spitting water out of his mouth and shaking it out of his ears. "Geez, nice to see you too."
Eraqa, drenched herself, just laughed.
"You're here! You're really here! I'm so happy!"
"Yeah, I can see that. Any chance we can be happy AND dry?" He started to shift, but soon found himself being kissed. His eyes went wide as saucers, and his limbs went limp. Eraqa slowly pulled back, all kinds of emotions on her face. Happiness, embarrassment… but most of all love. Those big golden brown eyes were so full of love that it was impossible for him to look away.
"Sorry… I just… had to be sure you really are here." She started to stand but he acted immediately. He pulled her back down, kissing her once more.
"I'm here… sorry I was gone for so long." He placed his forehead against Eraqa's. "I've missed you."
"I missed you… please tell me you're sticking around awhile." She held his face in her hands, refusing to move until she got an answer.
"Oh I'm not going anywhere for awhile." He smirked and the two stood up together, dripping wet. "We have a score to settle, after all."
"Here I thought you'd forgotten." Eraqa laughed and laced her fingers with his. "Now let's see, how many losses are you at again?"
"Not as many as you, and you're about to lose again once I'm dry and settled in." He squeezed her hand, and she leaned into him. The light just seemed to burst free from them, spreading across the courtyard like a beacon of love. It touched Sora's heart, even as the image of them faded.
Sora pocketed the heart shard as she returned to the present, and had to let out a slow shaky breath. These images, memories, or whatever they were… were affecting her more than they should. None of these images would prevent what was to come. It didn't matter if the two loved each other. It didn't matter if once upon a time Master Xehanort was a good man. She would not feel sympathy for someone who'd done such unspeakable things.
Putting that in mind, Sora continued her search. The next shard was hard to find, trapped under a steal cage. She had to use extreme force to get it open. The memory that followed, was of a battle between Xehanort and Eraqa. The two sparred in the catacombs, water spurting and spinning with their movements as if in a wild and complicated dance. Their skills were evenly matched, and their determination just so. Nearby an old man, shadowed in gray, judged them cautiously and meticulously.
With one final swing, Eraqa knocked the blade from Xehanort's hands and snagged it in her own, scissoring the two over his chest with a smug smile, and labored breathing.
"This time, it's my win." She grinned at him and handed him back his blade.
"You both performed well…" Odin congratulated and nodded. "There's nothing more I can teach you. I hereby dub you both, True Keyblade Masters."
"Yes! We did it, Xeha!" She hugged him, but felt him pull away. "Xeha?"
"Thank you, Master Odin… if you'll both excuse me, I need some air." He looked down at Eraqa briefly. "I'm sorry."
As he leaves, the image halted. Sora felt as if she was spat out this time, her emotions rocked hard. Just how many more of these images would she have to see?
Above ground she felt a shuddering. The shards she'd collected already were glowing in response, and Sora quickly made her way back up and out of the catacombs. In the center of the stone look out, a massive heartless formed, Kairi's shard placed right at the core of its empty center.
"You will return that to me!" Sora demanded, unleashing her keyblade. The massive Darkside reared back, hoping to crush her under the weight of its fist. Sora ducked out of the way just in time. She'd taken on these creatures more than once, and knew their weaknesses. She aimed for the limbs first, crippling it, then went straight for the head.
In a matter of minutes the heartless was defeated, and almost immediately afterward Sora was shoved into another memory. This one was far more violent, with stormy clouds threatening to rain, and feelings of emotional turmoil surrounding her. In the graveyard Xehanort lay flowers on four sequential gravestones.
Sora noticed immediately that something was wrong. His grey eyes spoke volumes… so sober and full of sadness and frustration.
"I would have thought you'd be happy…" Eraqa's voice spoke from behind them, and both Sora and Xehanort turned to face her. "You passed the tests with flying colors. You're a keyblade master."
"As are you…" He told her and stepped to her, raising a finger to catch a tear slipping down her cheek. "Yet you're still crying."
"I'm crying because I know you're gonna leave again." She said it with such grief and sorrow. "I'm crying because I know I can't stop you from leaving." Eraqa turned her head away and Xehanort's hand fell to his side. He started to walk away but he heard her inhale deep and sigh. "A year ago…" she spoke again, her voice shaky. "We stood at these stones and grieved together. These four were our comrades, our friends, and we failed to protect them."
"I failed-"
"WE!" she snapped at him. "I survived the same as you. I'm standing here the same as you. If it's your fault then its my fault too!"
Xehanort sighed, knowing she was too stubborn to see otherwise.
"After we grieved, you left… wandered out searching for who knows what, and then you came back as if nothing ever happened." She turned to him. "Everytime I ask you what happened, you change the subject. I let it go because for the past two months I was just happy to have you back. I was more than content to pick up where we left off, to regain our trust and affection for each other… to share parts of ourselves that no one else will ever see."
"Do you regret it?" The muted way he asked broke her heart and she shoved at him.
"You're the one who's regretting it, you jerk." She shoved him again, causing him to stumble. "Why else would you be leaving again?"
"Eraqa…" he took her hands before she could shove again. "I told you before that you're the one meant to take Odin's place. You're smart, brave, kind, patient… everything a teacher and mentor should be. I haven't found my place yet."
"You belong here, with me! Weren't you the one who told me that you would be here for me?" She scowled at him. "If you're leaving then I'm going with you. I can't stay here by myself, this place is so depressing and lonely without you!"
"It's too dangerous." He tried to argue but was met with a scoff.
"Oh and Keyblade Masters should play it safe? Whether you let me come with you or not is irrelevant. I'm leaving this place… I'm going to another world, using the powers and secrets Master Odin passed onto me I shall claim it as my own."
"What? Why would you do that?"
"Because I have to in order to get what I want." She lifted her chin up. "You're right, I should become a mentor and teacher, but I don't like the way things are done here. I'm going to make up my own rules, my own tests, and have my own standards for what a keyblade master should possess."
"Geez…" Xehanort let out a short pithy laugh. "Okay, and just what standards are those?"
"For starters they need to be reliable…" She scowled at him and circled around him to go to the gravestones. "wise, observant, and shown an innate sense of self preservation."
"Well, I already failed that test." He teased and wrapped an arm around her. "What else?"
"They… need to be kind, and compassionate to those around them. Life is precious… and should be treasured." Her voice cracked a little as she stared at their fallen comrades. "Above all else, they should treasure the light inside themselves and each other. The light is to be protected at all costs."
"Eraqa?" He glanced down, Eraqa's stormy eyes, full of tears, met his.
"There's a light inside me, Xeha… do you see it?" She lay her hands over her belly. "A light that's so precious that I'd do anything to keep it safe?"
Xehanort pulled back and away, staring at her dumbstruck.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes…" her voice cracked and she sniffed back more tears. "Despite my fatigue, and queasiness I still managed to beat you." She choked out a laugh. "Master Odin wants me to give the child away so that I can resume my duties, and be uninhibited… but I can't do it. I won't do it." She cradled her stomach protectively. "If you are going away… I might never see you again… and this is all I have left of you."
Xehanort stepped to her again, and lay his hand over hers. He could sense it now… the little light forming inside the woman he loved.
"Where?" He closed his hand around hers. "What world are you going to?"
"There's a place I was told of called "The Land of Departure." It serves as a gateway to all the realms… the light, the darkness, and the in between. Many keyblade wielders over the centuries have gone there to train, and gain wisdom."
"Are you sure you want to go someplace that's on the cusp of darkness?"
"Yes, Master Odin has told me of that worlds secrets and mysteries and it's the perfect place for myself and my future pupils. It also sits on the edge of all worlds, and you can see so many glittering stars just spread out across the night sky."
There was a long pause, Xehanort clearly trying to figure out what to say next.
"Have you… decided what you're going to name the child?" Stupid, he thought, but it was the only subject he could find to talk about.
"I have some ideas… For a girl I'll name her Gaia… if it's a boy I'm thinking Fenrir."
"Fenrir, after your grandfather?" Xehanort smiled a bit when she nodded. "I would have thought you'd choose the name Terra after your father."
"Hmmm… maybe for our second son." She teased and slipped into his arms laying her head on his chest. "Now that I've told you… will you still leave us behind?"
"Now that you've told me, I have no choice but to go…" he kissed her forehead, refusing to let her pull away. "The darkness is spreading fast, and I have no idea why or how. I have to find a way to stop it before it destroys anything else we cherish. I want to keep you and our light safe."
"Then I guess I really can't stop you from leaving… but can I at least ask you to come visit us?" She lifted her head up. "Can I ask you to be by my side when our child is born?"
"I will…" He stroked her cheek. "... and I promise you, Eraqa, that I will find a way to destroy the darkness for good. I don't care how long it takes, or what sacrifices I have to make. I will do this for you..." He touched her belly again and lowered his head down to kiss her. "... and for our child."
"I know you will." She kissed him back, a small tear spilling down her cheek. "I love you, Xeha."
The memory vanished, but the backlash of emotions continued to linger inside Sora. Her body stood still as a statue, her hands cupped over the single heart shard. Tears were flowing down her cheeks and she let one hard sob escape her.
"Did you enjoy the show?" Xehanort's raspy voice broke Sora out of her emotional daze and she whirled around to face him.
"You? You were the one who showed me these memories? Do you think I'll sympathize with your reasons? Why did you show me this!?"
"What you saw were byproducts of this world." He turned a slow circle, admiring the bright yet empty world. "I created the portal to this place, using the fondest and most sacred memories I have of the woman I love. This is where we first met, where we trained to be Keyblade Masters, and where our love bloomed so innocently."
"None of your actions make any sense to me…" Sora accused, anger in her teary eyes now. "I know you promised Eraqa you would bring light back to the worlds, and would do anything, sacrifice anything to make it happen. What I don't understand… is if you wanted to protect her, then why did you kill her? Why did you fall to darkness and encourage the darkness inside your own son?"
"Terra is not our biological son. Our true son, Fenrir, was lost to us at a young age. His light and life were stolen from us by an unknown dark entity. Eraqa was devastated, and I didn't know what I could do to console her. The darkness stole away nearly everything that was precious to her; her grandfather, her father, our closest friends and comrades, and now her son."
Sora remained silent, this was the most emotional she'd heard Xehanort speak. She knew his words truly came from the heart this time. So she listened.
"I left soon after, searching for a way to restore our son somehow, but to no avail. The more I traveled, the more I began to see just how tainted the worlds had become. The promise I made to her seemed so far out of reach, and a moot point now that our light had been stolen. By the time I returned to Eraqa, she'd taken on a new pupil. A boy who had no memory of who he was or where he'd come from. Thus Eraqa raised him as her own, and named him Terra."
"You…" Sora could see his heart clear as day. "...hate him."
"Eraqa…" he clenched his teeth. "She latched onto that boy as if he were a replacement for the son we'd lost." His hands fisted tighter behind his back, the memories and emotions of his youth plaguing him. "I humored it for a time because it brought her peace of mind, but it was all a lie."
"I don't believe that." Sora frowned. "Terra wasn't a replacement… Eraqa cared for him, loved him like a son because to her that's who he was. It doesn't mean that she forgot about Fenrir, or that the pain wasn't still there. It just means that her heart was big enough, kind enough to care for him that way." She lifted her chin. "You can't understand that, because you've closed off your heart… and you killed the only person who truly mattered to you."
"I did what I had to, to preserve her memory." Xehanort's voice, for the first time, was full of tears and sorrow. "The first time I left, I went on a journey of discovery. Eraqa and I had already seen a great deal, but I wanted to learn more. I'd hope it would give me clarity on what my purpose in life was. In the end all I found was darkness in the hearts of everyone I met… I saw the greed, the anger, and selfishness in all whom I came across."
Xehanort held his gloved hand out, staring at it with much malice.
"I returned here to complete my training, and take the Mark of Mastery Exam. I was happy to have Eraqa back in my life. Her light made me hopeful that there was goodness and purity in the worlds and I clung onto that hope with every fiber of my being." He sighed heavily and lowered his hand again. "But the exam brought out a hidden truth that I'd failed to see… and that was I had already become tainted."
Sora recalled the transition between the fourth and fifth memories, and knew there was truth in that statement.
"You tried to leave, in order to protect Eraqa from your darkness." She shook her head. "You thought she'd be safer staying away from you."
"Unfortunately it was too late. Our hearts were already deeply intertwined, and the proof was in the son we'd created together." Xehanort turned his back to Sora, slowly walking away. Sora followed him, wanting to hear the rest of his story. "Since I could no longer hide from the darkness, I did what I had to and learned to control it. I kept my distance, but returned often to make sure Eraqa and our son were safe. When I failed to protect Fenrir from the dark entity, I denounced my title and chose the life of a scholar instead."
"That's when you learned about Kingdom Hearts and the legends behind the Keyblade war."
"Yes, it took many years to reach that conclusion. In my excitement, I rushed to Eraqa and told her of what I'd learned… but she shunned me away. I'd forgotten just how much she feared the darkness, and I could hardly blame her for it. Still, I wanted to show her that it was nothing to fear. That darkness was the answer to finding the true light… to finding purity and peace."
"Do you honestly think that purity and peace is what she wanted?" Sora stopped walking, and lifted her chin. "They're your memories… but you don't really understand them or her, do you?"
"Hmm?" Xehanort slowly turned to face her. "What do you mean?"
"Eraqa didn't want to be protected, or shielded from darkness. What she wanted was to be with you, the man she loved."
Xehanort's eyes widened slightly at this sudden epiphany. Sora, smug with her discovery, walked closer to him.
"You think that Eraqa was pure, and her heart full of light, but that's not true. She was a regular person just like you and me. Her heart had both light and darkness inside of it, but you couldn't see that because you were her light, Xehanort. When the two of you were together, your hearts beating as one, everything was brighter, full of color and life. When the two of you were apart, or at odds, things were lifeless and gray. If Eraqa fell to darkness, it was because you closed your heart off to her. You've no one and nothing to blame but yourself for that!"
Xehanort remained silent a moment… Sora could see his heart in his eyes. There was so much turmoil and self doubt in them, that Sora wondered if maybe she truly could alter the past. Could she make this man surrender here and now? Could she stop all the events from happening?
"There are seven…"
"What?" Sora blinked when he spoke suddenly.
"You've collected five shard pieces. There are seven in total. You're running out of time to find the rest." He pointed behind her, and Sora whirled around to see herself along with Donald and Goofy.
"You've come all this way, ready to pay the ultimate price to bring back your friend." Xehanort spoke again and raised his hand up to call forth his other selves. "I suggest you get busy and find the other two."
"Whoa… wait a minute! KYA!" Sora screamed, her mystical form shooting back towards her body as the events merged together into present time. The final battle was already commencing, and Sora knew that Xehanort was right.
She was running out of time.
~Ask briry~
Briry: Jimney Cricket that took longer than I thought it would. I am SOOOOO sorry for the long delay. I kept going back and forth, trying to figure out what ideas I wanted to include, what were too far stretched or cheesy. Hopefully you guys enjoyed it and are looking forward to more.
Next Chapter: The Connection