~Shadow Tunnel~
He'd found the source of the scream very soon after exiting the tavern. A man lay on the ground, a dark, swirling void on his chest where his heart should have been. Obviously that was how his heart had been taken.
The culprit was floating over the body, screeching in a way that would chill a mortal's blood. And then the heart-robbed man began to twitch, his form distort, limbs shrink, skin blacken...
The man had become one of the shadows, hovering in the air beside the other. The Buster Sword was held forward in defense as he awaited the attack.
It never came.
The shadows took one look at the warrior and his sword, then fled, disappearing in a dark fog. Cloud frowned, but pressed onward, glancing about for more of the things.
Indeed, he found them.But every time they saw him, they ran. Why?
*Because they are afraid of you.* the Demon said with a snort. *Lesser Shadowss such as they are not about to challenge a Hunter, even one so inexperienced as yourself.*
Cloud's frown only deepened, Making a mental note to interrogate the Demon later, he expanded his senses across the city, searching for Those Without Hearts relentlessly. But he could not find any more. They had all fled.
"So it is true. The Shadow Hunter has awakened."
The voice, he discovered upon turning towards it, belonged to a strangely regal looking man with silver hair and orange eyes. He heard the Demon hissing again.
*That mortal...there is something _wrong_ about him...*
'We don't know anything for sure. Stop being so paranoid.'
The man raised an eyebrow.
"So, I take it the Demon does not like me?"
Cloud's eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?"
In response, he gave a slight bow.
"My name is Ansem," he said. "And I believe you are Cloud Strife, the Shadow Hunter."
The name Strife caused the blonde to cringe ever so slightly. There were memories that went with that name, not fully clear, but painful. Definitely painful.
"Cloud Strife doesn't exist anymore," he said, glaring at the silver haired man.
Ansem just nodded and, to Cloud's relief, did not press the matter.
"What is it that you want from me?" Cloud asked, ignoring the Demon's urges to "kill the mortal and be done with it."
"Do you know your purpose in this world?"
A blink of confusion.
"I'm not sure I know what you mean."
"Well then," Ansem said, "there is a great deal that I must tell you."
So this man knew what was going on? Then he was all ears.
"Okay then, talk."
Ansem shook his head.
"No, not here. A more suitable place would be my home, Hollow Bastion."
Hollow what? "And we're going to get there how?"
"The Shadow Tunnel."
Another blink of confusion.
"Huh?"
"A method of transportation used by the Shadow Hunter."
Cloud gave him a look. Was he expected to know what the hell this guy was talking about?
"Don't worry. I will explain it to you."
The Shadow Hunter nodded. Perhaps this man didn't seem exactly trustworthy, but if he knew anything about what was going on, Cloud was most certainly willing to take a risk.
After all, what did he have to lose? His life? No one he knew was around to care anyway.
"I expect you've felt the powerful force inside your heart?"
"Yes." he certainly had.
"Good. Take that force as though you were going to use magic, and think of a location you want to go to."
Okay, Hollow...Bastion right? Yeah, that was it. Not that he knew where Hollow Bastion _was_, but that was okay. He'd try anyway.
Doing as he had been instructed, Cloud pulled mentally at the force in his heart, closing his eyes for good measure.
(Shadow Tunnel to Hollow Bastion...)
Snapping back into reality, he opened his eyes only to look upon a...a...wait, what the hell was that thing?
"Is that the...Shadow Tunnel?" he asked staring at the dark _nothing_ haning in mid-air before him.
"Correct," Ansem replied.
Cloud stared at it for a moment, feeling repulsed, yet drawn to it at the same time. The Demon seemed to be enjoying the energy it gave off. He looked over at Ansem, who nodded. So they approached the Tunnel and "entered"...
The inside was definately not what Cloud had expected.
It was like no place he had ever seen. Every inch of it gave off a dark, yet somehow bright glow. Though in this place, so it seemed, darkness was all that existed, despite how things looked. But still...it was beautiful, in a...twisted sort of way...
And then it was gone, giving way once more to the outside world. Sunlight struck his eyes, causing him to wince. He would probably have to get used to that, and it wasn't exactly something he looked forward to doing again. Looking up, his eyes fell upon the large building that must have been their destination.
Hollow Bastion.
(Hmmm...Ansem being helpful....suspicious...)
-Diamond Weapon
He'd found the source of the scream very soon after exiting the tavern. A man lay on the ground, a dark, swirling void on his chest where his heart should have been. Obviously that was how his heart had been taken.
The culprit was floating over the body, screeching in a way that would chill a mortal's blood. And then the heart-robbed man began to twitch, his form distort, limbs shrink, skin blacken...
The man had become one of the shadows, hovering in the air beside the other. The Buster Sword was held forward in defense as he awaited the attack.
It never came.
The shadows took one look at the warrior and his sword, then fled, disappearing in a dark fog. Cloud frowned, but pressed onward, glancing about for more of the things.
Indeed, he found them.But every time they saw him, they ran. Why?
*Because they are afraid of you.* the Demon said with a snort. *Lesser Shadowss such as they are not about to challenge a Hunter, even one so inexperienced as yourself.*
Cloud's frown only deepened, Making a mental note to interrogate the Demon later, he expanded his senses across the city, searching for Those Without Hearts relentlessly. But he could not find any more. They had all fled.
"So it is true. The Shadow Hunter has awakened."
The voice, he discovered upon turning towards it, belonged to a strangely regal looking man with silver hair and orange eyes. He heard the Demon hissing again.
*That mortal...there is something _wrong_ about him...*
'We don't know anything for sure. Stop being so paranoid.'
The man raised an eyebrow.
"So, I take it the Demon does not like me?"
Cloud's eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?"
In response, he gave a slight bow.
"My name is Ansem," he said. "And I believe you are Cloud Strife, the Shadow Hunter."
The name Strife caused the blonde to cringe ever so slightly. There were memories that went with that name, not fully clear, but painful. Definitely painful.
"Cloud Strife doesn't exist anymore," he said, glaring at the silver haired man.
Ansem just nodded and, to Cloud's relief, did not press the matter.
"What is it that you want from me?" Cloud asked, ignoring the Demon's urges to "kill the mortal and be done with it."
"Do you know your purpose in this world?"
A blink of confusion.
"I'm not sure I know what you mean."
"Well then," Ansem said, "there is a great deal that I must tell you."
So this man knew what was going on? Then he was all ears.
"Okay then, talk."
Ansem shook his head.
"No, not here. A more suitable place would be my home, Hollow Bastion."
Hollow what? "And we're going to get there how?"
"The Shadow Tunnel."
Another blink of confusion.
"Huh?"
"A method of transportation used by the Shadow Hunter."
Cloud gave him a look. Was he expected to know what the hell this guy was talking about?
"Don't worry. I will explain it to you."
The Shadow Hunter nodded. Perhaps this man didn't seem exactly trustworthy, but if he knew anything about what was going on, Cloud was most certainly willing to take a risk.
After all, what did he have to lose? His life? No one he knew was around to care anyway.
"I expect you've felt the powerful force inside your heart?"
"Yes." he certainly had.
"Good. Take that force as though you were going to use magic, and think of a location you want to go to."
Okay, Hollow...Bastion right? Yeah, that was it. Not that he knew where Hollow Bastion _was_, but that was okay. He'd try anyway.
Doing as he had been instructed, Cloud pulled mentally at the force in his heart, closing his eyes for good measure.
(Shadow Tunnel to Hollow Bastion...)
Snapping back into reality, he opened his eyes only to look upon a...a...wait, what the hell was that thing?
"Is that the...Shadow Tunnel?" he asked staring at the dark _nothing_ haning in mid-air before him.
"Correct," Ansem replied.
Cloud stared at it for a moment, feeling repulsed, yet drawn to it at the same time. The Demon seemed to be enjoying the energy it gave off. He looked over at Ansem, who nodded. So they approached the Tunnel and "entered"...
The inside was definately not what Cloud had expected.
It was like no place he had ever seen. Every inch of it gave off a dark, yet somehow bright glow. Though in this place, so it seemed, darkness was all that existed, despite how things looked. But still...it was beautiful, in a...twisted sort of way...
And then it was gone, giving way once more to the outside world. Sunlight struck his eyes, causing him to wince. He would probably have to get used to that, and it wasn't exactly something he looked forward to doing again. Looking up, his eyes fell upon the large building that must have been their destination.
Hollow Bastion.
(Hmmm...Ansem being helpful....suspicious...)
-Diamond Weapon