New chapter, New World, and one more Light protector to pair up with. And you'll know who if you paid attention.
So let's get on with the chapter.
Tenebrae was again woken up buy the sunrise. He didn't feel as sore as he normally did. He considered that progress, but he really needed to find a bed soon.
He also needed to find out when Shaylex would come back. Meeting with Axel did not help to ease his fear. Shaylex was strong, yes, but an organization had ways of weeding out weaker members. And the day Axel came to get her, nearly a week ago now, the red-haired Nobody was worried. Could Shaylex not be getting along with her group?
Tenebrae shook the thought away as he left the hill. He did walk by some townspeople. They were either chatting or hanging around. He did hear someone mention the name "Sunset Hill". That may have been where he came from.
Tenebrae took the train back to the main part of town. He went to the Shopping District to buy his breakfast. It was just a pastry and some juice, but it was enough. He just needed to sate his hunger enough to keep going.
'I wonder how Cetus is fairing?' Tenebrae thought as he walked to the flower shop. 'I never set a time to meet with Keval's group. I think I can waste a few minutes.'
Tenebrae made it to Cetus's shop quickly. He saw her watering some flowers in front of her shop. Tenebrae wasn't sure if he should even interact with her.
The last thing Tenebrae wanted was to involve a civilian. For all he knew, this girl just happened to share the name and appearance of the Wielder. She had no memory of Keval, which was weird. Tenebrae remembered Keval saying the two grew up together. So, that only made things more complicated.
"Good morning," he called as he walked up.
Cetus looked up to him and smiled. "Good morning… Tenebrae, was it?"
"It is." He nodded as he took a sip of his drink. "Wanted to see how business was going for you Cetus. And if Keval ever came back around?"
Cetus giggled and had a small smile. "Business is great. Everyone loves our flowers. And Keval comes by most days. He always talks about all these adventures he has. He even talks about his past."
"Sounds like him," Tenebrae said with a smile. Was Keval trying to jog her memory? He could just a normal customer, but to talk about the past and his missions… "What do you think of his stories? About the adventures he goes on."
Cetus held the watering can close to her chest. She looked conflicted. "They sound fun. But also, dangerous. And he talks to me as if we have been friends for a long time. A part of me wants to believe him."
'He's reaching her heart,' Tenebrae thought, 'Sometimes the Heart is stronger than any Keyblade. But can it cure this?'
"Like me, he is a mercenary," Tenebrae said, "He'll always have a story. But a lot of them are dangerous. Can you really imagine yourself doing anything like that?"
Cetus shook her head. "I guess not. What could a flower girl do?"
'More than you know.'
Tenebrae shrugged. "Not sure. You are the first I met. Just do this, take his stories for what they are…stories. It's not something you can imitate. So, do what you do best."
Cetus nodded with a smirk. "You're right. I love my flowers. And I love to see people smile."
"Good." Tenebrae turned to leave. "Next time I visit, I'll buy something. I have a prior engagement to attend. See you around."
Cetus waved as he left. He couldn't help but feel guilty. She was happy this way. There was no need to tell her of her past.
Tenebrae made it to the Light Protectors' apartment. Beyond the door, he heard laughter and joking. He rolled his eyes as he knocked on the door.
It was Solas who answered. "Hey bro, you just missed breakfast." He moved to the side to let Tenebrae in.
Tenebrae walked past and sat on one of the couches. "I'm fine. I ate before I came here. So, the only one I've yet to be paired with is Ray."
The mentioned Wielder came out of his room, in his gear. "Interested in being shown up?" he smirked at Tenebrae.
"It's not a competition," Tenebrae sighed. "I'm offering support as YOU go on a mission. So where are we going?"
"Just follow my lead." Ray walked up to the door and summoned his Keyblade.
The Keyblade seemed to be made of ice. The jagged blade was unusual, but the color made it beautiful. The snowflake teeth added to it.
Ray summoned a portal and jumped through. Tenebrae was right behind the other Wielder. Tenebrae was a bit surprised at their location.
The pair exited onto a beach of sorts. There was along stone bridge that lead to a town. Many buildings could be seen, with a larger structure in the distance. Behind the pair, a thick forest could be seen.
"Yes! I timed it right!" Ray cheered with a smile.
"Time what right?" Tenebrae asked with a raised eyebrow. "Where are we?"
"We are in a World called the Kingdom of Corona," Ray said with a smirk. "And every year, they hold a festival. Check it." Ray pointed off into the distance.
Tenebrae looked closely and saw decorations. He saw balloons, streamers and banners. It did look festive, even from this distance.
"So, what exactly was the mission?" Tenebrae asked.
He noticed Ray flinch. It looked like he was nervous about something. "Oh… uh… We were going to do some recon in town. And after that, we'll head into the forest to hunt Heartless. Once nightfall hits, we'll return to town to make sure the Heartless don't invade." Ray regained his composure as he explained his plan.
'He wants to stay until nightfall? Then why leave the town at all, or why enter at all? Something doesn't add up.'
"Fine," Tenebrae said. "Lead the way."
Ray nodded before walking along the bridge. Tenebrae followed the younger Wielder. Even with the mask, Tenebrae could see the boy's joy and excitement. It looked like a child ready for a festival.
When the pair got closer to the town, Tenebrae was amazed. The town was filled with music and dancing. The purple decorations seemed even more beautiful up close. The golden sun on the banners stood out against the purple. Everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves.
There was Light everywhere. And it was suffocating Tenebrae. This entire festival, all these people, all of it was aggravating. He did sense Darkness, but everyone was in too good a mood for it to stick.
To make matters worse, Ray was going from stall to stall. He looked like a child, with how excited he was. You would think he didn't have a Keyblade. Tenebrae groaned as Ray enjoyed himself.
'This is not reconnaissance,' Tenebrae thought, with a snarl on his face, 'This is a day trip! He wanted to come to a festival.'
Tenebrae watched the young Wielder dance with some of the townsfolk. It wasn't bad, but it looked more like Ray was goofing off. Tenebrae wasn't blind, he could see there was another reason Ray wanted to come.
But what was the attraction to this world? Why would Ray like it? There was a lot of Light, and a source he couldn't place. Of course, there was Darkness, but it was being kept at bay.
Tenebrae followed Ray. Watching the young Wielder enjoy himself, Tenebrae was reminded of his time in the Unions. It was refreshing to see the innocence, even though he was a bit conceited. Tenebrae remembered the times when he just relaxed and did nothing. But that was a long time ago.
Tenebrae walked up to a random stall and grabbed a snack. He conceded to Ray and tried to wait for the other Wielder to have his fun. Ray came to this World with a purpose. Tenebrae felt it was wrong to criticize the other Wielder. He was only meant to act as support anyway.
Tenebrae walked to a secluded area to watch. Ray was enjoying himself. And the boy's smile seemed genuine. Even with the mask hiding his features, Tenebrae could still tell his expressions. Just like he could tell the boy was uneasy around him.
'I have no information on him,' Tenebrae thought as he ate his snack. 'Besides a name and Union, I have nothing. His Keyblade though, it's a more advanced and powerful one. Guess I can't underestimate him. Just like with Mojie.'
He saw Ray pull off a trick on a barrel and jumped off it. The young Wielder landed near Tenebrae. Ray had a smirk on his face.
"Enjoying yourself?" Ray asked. "We'll be done with recon soon. Then we can head to the next area."
Tenebrae narrowed his eyes in annoyance. He didn't fail to notice Ray flinch. Ignoring it, he said, "You said we were doing recon, but all I see is a festival. Did you think I would get angry if you told me that?"
"N…no!" Ray waved his arms defensively. "The festival just happened to be today. I come by every so often, and we just happened to come today. We are still going to fight Heartless."
Tenebrae huffed and walked away. There was a pier and Tenebrae could look out over the water. There was something calming about the water. It reminded him of that black beach in the Realm of Darkness. He wasn't sure why that was the one he thought about.
Nothing was wrong. Tenebrae's mood was fine. But he felt that Ray had lied to him for a reason. A reason the other Wielder didn't want to explain. Sure, there was a part of his mission Tenebrae would like, but it didn't change the misdirection.
'He should have just been straightforward,' Tenebrae thought. 'He needs to make his intent clear. Guess there is a big difference between him and Keval.'
Tenebrae got up and walked back to the bridge. He crossed it and headed towards the woods. He may have been a Supporter, but it didn't mean he had to stay close by.
Tenebrae entered the woods and looked around. It was becoming midday, so the sun was high. It gave him plenty of light to work with. Because with enough light, there would always be shadow.
Tenebrae was surprised to come across a field of wildflowers. It was a serene view, especially with the wind blowing. The petals scattered along the breeze, making a beautiful sight. Tenebrae wished he had someone to share the moment with. But he decided against it and pressed on.
As he progressed, he ended up having to jump over small over hangs. Using his magic, he was able to boost himself between trees and get across easier. When the trees turned into rocky cliffs, a simple alteration made it, so he was running along walls.
Tenebrae was a little surprised. After about an hour of travel and investigation, he found himself in some kind of marsh. Within that time, he found no traces of the Heartless. There was Darkness in the World. So, where were they?
'Only Ray and I are in this World,' Tenebrae thought as he leaned on a tree. 'I haven't felt any other portals open. Nor have I felt any high levels of mana. The townspeople don't give off much mana either.'
But there wasn't much of an explanation. How else could the Heartless population be low? Even with a powerful Light, there should be equally powerful Darkness. Yet he hardly saw a Heartless.
Tenebrae traveled deeper into the marsh. He had made it to what, he hoped, the heart of it would be. When he was Heartless, he was confused why he was relieved. They were surrounding something and that spurred him to action.
Summoning his Keyblade, Tenebrae sent a few dark fireballs at some of the hat-looking Heartless. When those backed off, he rushed in and attacked the ones that seemed to impersonate fancy women. He was able to push them away to see what they surrounded.
Ray was lying in the marsh. He looked bruised and hurt, but alive. At best, the younger Wielder was tired. Tenebrae didn't realize Ray left town.
Tenebrae picked up Ray and put the boy on his back. Tenebrae focused his mana and made short work of the Heartless. The impersonators were difficult to deal with, since they used their umbrellas to shoot at him. But Tenebrae was able to over-power them and any other Heartless he encountered. He let the flames consume all that stood in his way.
Tenebrae took Ray back to the campsite he spotted earlier. There was still some wood left from the campfire. Tenebrae set Ray down on a log and went to light a fire. When the fire burned bright, Tenebrae went to check on Ray. Ray still had his Heart, which allowed Tenebrae to breath a sigh of relief.
'I know I was harsh, but why run off without saying anything?' Tenebrae thought as he tended to Ray's wounds. The green light from the Cure spell removed a lot of the bruising. 'If it was because of trust, then that makes sense. If it was anger, why wouldn't he try and show off?'
Tenebrae pulled out an Ether and consumed it. When he felt his mana recharge, he made sure to heal any other wounds Ray had. Tenebrae made sure to check Ray's head as well, luckily there was nothing major.
As he was stroking Ray's hair back into place, Tenebrae noticed something. From behind the mask, a single tear had fallen. But there were remnants of a smile on the young Wielder's lips. Absentmindedly, Tenebrae kept petting Ray, almost like he was trying to soothe the boy.
At that point, Ray chose to wake up. Both Wielders locked eyes, red eyes met dark ones. Neither moved for a moment.
Ray was the first to react. He jumped over the log behind him and hid. Tenebrae stared at the spot Ray was, his hand still in the air. Tenebrae looked over to Ray was hiding, and noticed the younger Wielder was blushing.
"Wh…Wh…What are you doing!?" Ray sputtered out.
Tenebrae turned his palm toward his face and looked at it. He looked up to Ray with a neutral face and said, "Just now, no idea. But I did find you surrounded by Heartless, passed out. So, I took you to a safe area to heal you up."
Ray huffed and crossed his arms. "I was fine on my own. These Heartless were a cakewalk."
"Really?" Tenebrae got up and walked to the other side of the fire. He sat down before continuing, "That wasn't what I saw. But I'll take your word for it. Why didn't you come find me?"
Ray blinked at him confused. "Because you didn't want to come. You said so yourself."
"No, I asked why you lied," Tenebrae sighed, "We are still partners on this mission. I agreed to help you."
"You didn't seem keen on helping," Ray said with a scowl. "You made fun of me for enjoying the festival."
"Again, you are wrong," Tenebrae said calmly, "I admit, I acted rash. But I only reacted because you didn't tell me the whole truth."
"You made it clear you wouldn't join missions that didn't involve destroying Heartless." Ray looked away. "And the festival is one of the few times I feel loved. I wanted to show you that."
'Acknowledgement?' Tenebrae thought. He understood. There were many times where he wanted Master Ira to notice him. When he wanted people to see how strong he was. But Tenebrae chose to isolate himself, ignoring what anyone said.
"If you had just told me that was your plan, I would have accepted it," Tenebrae said, "I came to help. And if helping means enjoying a party, then where is the harm."
Ray looked at him a little lost. It looked like the other Wielder didn't know what to say. He just nodded and walked around the log. Ray sat in front of it, staring at the fire.
"Your hand was very warm," Ray muttered.
Tenebrae didn't say anything. He just smiled as the two of them sat in silence. It was comfortable, all the tension from before muted for now. Tenebrae could tell he hadn't gained all of Ray's trust, but it was a start.
After some time, the pair got up and left. They made their way deeper into the marsh and came across some hills. They encountered a lot of Heartless and took care of them with ease. Tenebrae observed Ray as they fought the Heartless. It looked like the young Wielder had control over two affinities, using ice and earth magic to help him in battle.
The pair was back at the beach as the sun fell. It was dusk and the two were able to take out scores of Heartless. Tenebrae would admit, to no one, that he enjoyed Ray's company. There was something about the young Wielder that piqued his curiosty.
"We made it back in time!" Ray said with the excitement of a child. He pointed over the water. "This is what I wanted to show you."
Tenebrae followed Ray's finger. In the distance, there was a light shining in a boat. Many others followed, shining in the ocean like stars in the sky. It was a sight to behold.
"Every year, the people of this World have a tradition," Ray said. "To honor the loss of the Princess, lanterns are lit and sent to the heavens. I guess the King and Queen hope they will reach the Princess, and she will return home. Must be nice, having someone who wants you, and is waiting for you."
Tenebrae could sense the sadness in Ray's words. There was a memory that hurt him, but he tried to hide it. Tenebrae both did and did not understand his pain.
"Yeah, it must be nice," Tenebrae said. He saw Ray look at him. "Unlike me, you have a place to return. You have Keval and the Light Protectors. They are waiting back in Twilight Town. And from what I've seen, they want you with them. You guys are one dysfunctional family."
Tenebrae looked over at Ray and saw another tear. But there was no mistaking the smile he saw as well. His words seemed to reach Ray's heart. Tenebrae had a small smile too, as he looked back to the floating lights.
'A place to return to. I wonder if I have somewhere like that.'
And there is the chapter! I literally was staring at a map of the World so I was getting the locations right.
And thanks to my friend Aya (Aya_43517 on TikTok) for letting me use Ray. I will admit his character was the hardest to write because of how she had him portrayed, but it was still fun.
And let's see how this affects Tenebrae, next time!
