Everything was different now. Gone were the comforts of home. The safety and security that came with it. But they were the outcasts now. Strangers in a strange land. And everywhere they went they had been fighting these monsters. Fighting but nothing seemed to change no matter how many times they won.
"That was so rad, ya know!" Rai cheered from behind him." Nobody's better then Seifer, ya know."
"Undefeated." Fuu agreed stoically. Seifer scowled at her statement.
"So what's the plan now, boss?" Rai asked cheerfully. It was just a game to these two. To travel the worlds on a great adventure, fight after fight. Seifer however had other motives.
"Let's move." He told with a tone reflecting that he had already made up his mind. He didn't waste anytime and already headed off. He could hear Fuu and Rai fumbling behind him, trying to keep up.
Seifer always led the way and it would always be Seifer who decided where they would go. His march came to a sudden halt as he stood before a dark, looming forest over them.
Nothing could be seen inside it beyond the first few feet. Seifer would walk in at arm's length and not be able to see his hand. There was nothing but darkness.
"We, We aren't going in there are we boss?" Rai asked pointing to the forest.
A darker more foreboding place has never been seen before. Tall dark trees that vast long, grim shadows. Although the sun was in the sky, no light reached inside.
But from what Seifer knew. The Heartless grew & sheltered in dark places. Like the one before them. What better place to look for then their next fight.
"We are." Seifer told.
"Why, Why not stick to the road." Rai suggested." We'll get to our destination faster that way."
"I'm not afraid." Seifer told.
"Fearless." Fuu stated. Rai gulped down a breath. Empowered by his leader's fearlessness he found some courage of his own.
"Afraid? Who's afraid, I'm not." He cheered." Let's do it, ya know!" At the conclusion of his statement he clapped his hands.
Seifer's head turned as he seemed to follow the sound of the echo as it faded off into the forest. At the same time a horde of black birds cawed and squawked overhead. Fleeing from the branches of the trees and into the sky.
If nobody knew about the trio before they would now. Seifer turned his glare onto Rai. The big man shrank away, fearing his leader's wrath more then any ghost or goblin.
"Keep quiet." Seifer demanded. He said no more. Despite the change in their situation he was still determined to pass through the dark forest. He turned and led the way for the two too follow.
Ducking under one of the low hanging branches only to rise to his full height on the other side. Seifer glanced from left to right, looking all around him for shapes and shadows to move in the darkness. He instead however heard nothing, and that was a more troublesome matter in his opinion.
Hearing his teammates behind him Seifer pressed forward. However their pace was slow. Not because of Rai's bumbling or Fuu's constant need to observe everything. They went slow because that's what Seifer wanted.
This was still unknown territory and there was no telling what they might run into here. Although Seifer wished for the confrontation he wouldn't walk into it unawares.
Feeling they had gone as far as they needed to Seifer came to a sudden halt. Fuu silently followed his example. Rai perhaps too busy sight seeing noticed at the last minute and bumped into Fuu.
"We'll camp here tonight." Seifer told. In a tone that brokered no argument." I'll take the first watch." Seifer told.
"Nah, it's cool ya know." Rai told." I can take the first one. So you can catch up on some Zs big man." Seifer turned his attention on his underling.
"Go to sleep, Rai." Seifer told him." I've got the first Watch." At that the big man did not argue. Whether because he was actually tired or simply because Seifer told him to Rai was fast asleep. The booming sound of his snoring was heard within minutes of him putting his head down.
Fuu drifted off to sleep silent as the grave.
The sudden silence gave Seifer some time to himself. Staring into the fire to think.
With one hand he reached into his bag to retrieve an item.
A golden hilt with a blue blade, rounded into the shape of a club. A Struggle bat. And Seifer's weapon of choice back in Twilight Town. Of course they weren't in Twilight Town anymore.
Much past through Seifer's king as he looked at the bat.
"A memento ?" A quiet voice asked him. Seifer's head jerked up and in the direction of the voice. It was Fuu.
"I didn't know you were awake." Seifer said." How long have you been sitting there?"
"Not long." She answered. But even as she spoke her eye was focused on the struggle bat. Seifer knew what she was asking although she said nothing.
"A momento." He said as he held the bat higher in the air." Yea I guess you could call it that. But I have a greater one you know." He said looking at her." This." He pointed to his face, more specifically his scar. He paused trying to read her silence.
After all this time, the trio had shared little of their backstory with one another. Even though they grew up in the same town, they all hadn't met until after Seifer's world was lost to the Darkness. Other then that, their pasts remained somewhat unknown.
Seifer had told them enough. That he got the scar in a fight against his greatest rival. But that was all they knew. Until now.
"I owned another sword you know." Seifer told." And not this kid's toy either." He motioned to the struggle bat." I mean a sword. A real sword, a real weapon. A man's weapon."
"Dominant."
"Oh I was. It was a Gunblade, Hyperion I named it. A one of a kind weapon. And I believed no weapon was better then it. Until we met that kid back home."
"Sora."
"Yea." Seifer hissed." I'll give credit where Credit is due, he's strong. Stronger then I am." Was by the time Seifer finished his quest if he had his way.
"Impossible." Fuu argued. She knew Seifer and Sora had never fought.
Therefore the conclusion could not be made who was stronger.
"It's not." Seifer disagreed. As blindly loyal as Fuu and Rai could be, Seifer could never let it distract him from the truth. There are those out there stronger then him. Perhaps more then he'd care to admit. And that truth had become more then evident in recent times. "He's only the second person I've ever met who's been stronger then me." Seifer told.
"Number One?" Fuu asked.
"The one who gave me this." Seifer said pointing to the scar on his face." I gave him a matching one to remember me by."
"Draw." Fuu argued.
"No." Seifer shook his head." In any other fight maybe. But in this case, there is only victory or defeat. And he beat me." His fists tightened on his knees. And his voice had taken on a darker tone with the mention of this other man." That's why I've come on this quest. It's not just the two of them, it's all of them. All of them out there who call themselves the strongest." Hayner, Sora, and one above all the others.
"Vengeance." Fuu said.
"Yes, Vengeance." Seifer told." He's out there somewhere with my sword.
Taking my glory. I won't forgive that. I can't forget that." That's why I don't carry another sword. Because no other sword. No other weapon is worthy of me. Except for this." He swung the struggle bat, cutting through the air. Imaging a familiar figure was standing on the receiving end of his blows.
"We'll find him."She assured him. Seifer kept his answer to himself. "Name?" Fuu asked. Seifer turned and raised an eyebrow at her." Name?" she said again. As she spoke she ran her finger across her face, between her eyes. Indicating the scar between Seifer's own.
"Take over Fuu. I'm going to sleep."
"My turn." Fuu stated. Seifer turned away from the fire and closed his eyes. And that night while he slept. He dreamed old dreams.
In the morning Seifer was awoken by the sound of shuffling feet. There were big and clumsy which immediately made Seifer conclude it was Rai.
Sitting himself up he saw the big man pacing back and forth on the opposite side of the now burned out fire.
"What's the matter, Rai." Seifer asked. Rai turned to him with an overjoyed smile.
"Seifer! Your up!" He said cheerfully. Clearly he had been debating with himself this whole time about whether to wake his leader up or not.
"Now I am." He said standing up." What's wrong." He could hear the dread in Rai's voice.
"It's Fuu!" Rai exclaimed pointing to the vacant spot where Seifer had last seen her." When I woke up she was gone."
"Gone?!" Seifer questioned." For how long?" He dropped to one knee and began inspecting the area.
"I-I-I-I don't know." Rai admitted." She wasn't here when I woke up. And that was twenty, thirty, maybe forty minutes ago!" Seifer growled under his breath.
"Maybe she just went to the bathroom ya know." He added with a sheepish chuckle." You know how girls are about that kinda stuff, hehe."
"Then why did she leave this?" As he spoke Seifer held up her signature
weapon. Rai gasped. And Seifer turned his head in the direction Fuu's footprint led." C'mon!" He said jumping to his feet.
Fuu's footprints led away from camp. Moving around bushes and low hanging trees. Seifer and Rai considered themselves hot on the trail until it suddenly stopped.
"What?!" Seifer let out as he came to a sudden halt. Fuu's two feet were planted on the ground before them. But then it was nowhere else.
"Maybe over here?" Rai said running off to the left. When he found nothing he turned and ran the other way." Or over here?" When that failed he did it again." Or here?"
Seifer bent down to one knee to try and inspect the scene closer. Fuu's feet were sitting right before him. Shoulder length apart. The ground wasn't disturbed anywhere other then where she stood. Then where could she have gone.
Angrily Seifer just so happened to turn his head up. That's when he saw it.
In most other parts of the forest the dark branches hung overhead and closed together. Like sharp teeth on a closed mouth. All except this one place.
The branches above him had been moved. More then that they'd been broken. A few limo branches loosely hung from their place above him. On the ground were where some of them fell.
"That's the way she went." Seifer pointed.
"Huh?" Rai let out confused." But Fuu can't fly ya know." He scratched his head.
"She can't." Seifer said." But whatever took her can." Rai gulped down a breath of fear.
"I knew this place was haunted, ya know." He muttered to himself.
"Come on!" Seifer commanded as he moved past Rai, shoulder checking him in the process." Back to Camp."
"Camp?" Rai questioned." But Fuu went this way."
"We've got to get our stuff first." Seifer told. Rai snapped up as if he suddenly remembered. He quickly followed after Seifer.
Soon after the duo, formerly the trio set out from camp. Seifer leading the way and Rai behind him, who was now carrying Fuu's baggage.
Once again they followed Fuu's footprints until they stopped. Then it fell to Seifer to choose their path.
He didn't waste any time. And Rai didn't argue.
The forest in the daytime frightened him as much as it did at nighttime. With Fuu's apparent capture by a flying for Rai had taken to looking up, down and all around for any sign of trouble.
Seifer pressed on calmly. The forest held no horrors for him. Nothing fazes him more then his Ken darkness.
As they continued on the darkness of the woods opened up. Opened up into a clearing. The shadows faded and sunlight was allowed to shine on them.
"Look!" Rai let out." A house!" Looking into the distance, Seifer saw just that. A cottage with a big straw roof sitting on the opposite side of the clearing. Sitting comfortably on the edge of the forest.
While Rai blabbered on Seifer observed their surroundings. Until Rai asked the questions on both their minds.
"You think Fuu's in there?"
"I'm not sure." Seifer admitted. He stood up, pulling himself out from behind the safety of cover." But I'm going to find out." He jumped out and into the open,
leaving the darkness of the forest behind him.
"Hey wait up!" He heard Rai call behind him. He had to run to catch up with him.
By that time Seifer had already crossed the field and was about to cross the small stream infront if the house. Suddenly they heard a low squeaking sound.
"Bah!" Rai let out." What was that?!" He shivered. Seifer looked to the source of the noise. Around the corner came a fat, pink pig. Running and oinking as she came around the corner.
Seifer managed to stop it in its tracks. Putting his foot down on the pig as it ran to him.
"It's just a pig." Seifer told calmly. Rai quickly regained his composure. A moment later a lanky young boy stepped out into view.
"Hen-Wen" he called." Hen-"he suddenly stopped talking when he saw the two strangers standing less then ten feet from him."who are you? And what are you doing to my pig?"
"We'll ask the questions around here, ya know." Rai said." So ya better answer our questions ya know!"
"Give me back my pig." The boy demanded. It was Seifer who spoke next
"Listen kid, we don't have time to waste. So you'd better answer my question. If you do, I'll give you your pig back."
"You don't frighten me." The boy said. As he spoke he reached down and grabbed a nearby stick. Holding it forward like a sword." I'll fight you if I have too."
Seifer was never one to back down from a fight, no matter the foe. The challenge had been offered. So it would be met.
"Very well." Seifer mused. As he spoke he reached into his bag and pulled out his struggle bat.
"Whoa!" Rai let out. He knew what was coming next.
"Hold the pig." Seifer told. As he spoke he took his foot off Hen-Wen. And Rai had to jumped to grab her before she ran off.
Seifer held his arm out straight, waving his wrist left go right and the struggle bat with it.
"Take your best shot, kid." He offered
"You got it!" The boy replied. He charged forward. With both hands over his head, the stick held tightly in both.
Seifer waited until the kid got good and close. When the swing came down he casually lived to the side and avoided it. Now standing right next to his foe Seifer used an upward swing and hit the boy in the chin.
At once the stick left his hand and he fell flat on his back. When he looked up he saw Seifer standing above him, pointing the struggle bat In his face
"Is that all you got?" He asked.
"Taran!" Yelled a lled a voice. Seifer looked up to see a portly, bald headed old man running towards them from inside the cottage." Stop, Stop!" Seifer turned his bat to the old man.
"Stop right there old man. Now I'm losing my patience."
"Please let him go." The old man pleaded.
"Answer my question." Seifer demanded instead." Is there anything around here that flies? Something could lift a person off the ground?" The old man turned milk white. The fearful look on his face and his silence answered more then his voice could.
"Th-There... is" he answered slowly.
"Where." Seifer demanded.
"Only one man in all of Prydain commands a creature like that. The Horned King."
"You've asked enough questions. Release the boy." He pointed. At first Seifer did nothing and instead kept his foot on his hostage. But a moment later removed it.
The boy scrambled beneath his feet to get to his feet.
"Rai!" Seifer commanded." The Pig!" Rai knelt down and put the pig on the ground before releasing it. Hen-Wen ran away and towards her master.
But this did not end Seifer's questioning.
"Now then" he said." Where can I find this Horned King?"
"Why should we tell you?" Taran let out.
"I can always make you." Seifer threatened. The old man put a hand in Taran's shoulder then put himself between the two youths.
"Enough." He said. He turned to Seifer." The Horned King's Castle is that way." He pointed." Just beyond the Forbidden Forest and past the mountains." Seifer turned and looked in the direction he had pointed." But you'd best be careful. The Horned King is the greatest evil known to Prydain. And has powerful new beasts at his disposal."
"The Heartless." Seifer told." We know em."
"Know them?" Taran asked
"Know em, fought em, beat em."
"So your a warrior?!" Taran said in awe.
"Ain't nobody better then Seifer ya know." Rai stated passionately." He's the best swordsman across the worlds."
"Worlds?" Taran asked.
"Enough wasting time." Seifer told." Come on Rai. Let's get moving." He turned and walked back the way he came. Rai following right after him.
