Sora remembered only bits and pieces of the face-to-face combat held
with the air soldiers. He remembered slashing wildly about, mincing all
that lay before him. The sweat that came with the sudden exertion now grew
cold on his body. He had taken a blow to the ribs, a soldier's last attempt
at harming the enemy before it fell lifeless to the ground amongst the
bodies of its fallen comrades. He could still feel the creature's black
claws tearing his flesh, the burn of it searing his heart. Sora winced as
his bloody wound sounded in recollection. Looking toward the sky, Sora
watched as the bright stars burned in the dark void. Another battle won.
Sora looked back upon the lifeless corpses that lay mangled on the ground.
How had they become so strong? Normally, a posse of air soldiers was no
match for Destruction, yet somehow they had put up a brutal resistance.
Never had Sora felt such pure evil seep from such smaller enemies. And
never had they pulled surprise attacks on humans out in the open. Something
must have drawn them there. but what? Sora allowed such ponderings to
tumble about in his mind as he walked slowly and deliberately toward the
fountain that stood near the end of the square. The blood was beginning to
harden, and Sora's stomach - no matter how steeled by battle - was churning
at the sight of the soldiers' blood mingling with his own.
Sora cupped his hands, letting water from the fountain run into them. He splashed the water on his face, let it run down his cheeks. He breathed deeply as the water washed away the blood and grime. He ran a hand through his hair as he moved to a stand. The clock on top of the gizmo shop said 2:43 a.m. Time to collect and go home. Sora walked amongst the fallen creatures, picking through the mess for munny. A guy had to live, didn't he? He dropped the colorful orbs into a black velvet bag, and then turned to leave.
The trek back to the First District proved to be harder with the whole in his side. The wound continued to send wave after pulsing wave of pain through his body.
"I need sleep," he announced to the night. He pushed on the great doors that led to the First District. The soft glow of street lanterns bathed Sora's face in wispy rays of orange and gold. The Moogles' custom shop was before him, and from where he was standing he could see his home. A small, pale light fluttered in a window several stories up. Sora's room. He had chosen one overtop the pub for the view it rendered. Any Heartless activity could be seen from his balcony.
"Home," he mumbled as the clock in the square struck three.
Sora cupped his hands, letting water from the fountain run into them. He splashed the water on his face, let it run down his cheeks. He breathed deeply as the water washed away the blood and grime. He ran a hand through his hair as he moved to a stand. The clock on top of the gizmo shop said 2:43 a.m. Time to collect and go home. Sora walked amongst the fallen creatures, picking through the mess for munny. A guy had to live, didn't he? He dropped the colorful orbs into a black velvet bag, and then turned to leave.
The trek back to the First District proved to be harder with the whole in his side. The wound continued to send wave after pulsing wave of pain through his body.
"I need sleep," he announced to the night. He pushed on the great doors that led to the First District. The soft glow of street lanterns bathed Sora's face in wispy rays of orange and gold. The Moogles' custom shop was before him, and from where he was standing he could see his home. A small, pale light fluttered in a window several stories up. Sora's room. He had chosen one overtop the pub for the view it rendered. Any Heartless activity could be seen from his balcony.
"Home," he mumbled as the clock in the square struck three.
