Chapter 7: Ruptured MindbrbrFollowing the soldiers I ran tirelessly towards the dock. After stopping, they pointed toward a small ship. It had the Shin-Ra sign that I saw back at their headquarters. I thought the whole entire corporation was annihilated and destroyed. As Nightmare and I started to climb onto the boat, Shin-Ra soldiers knocked us back off. I fell with my back against the ground. I was paralyzed for a few seconds until Nightmare helped me onto my feet. The four soldiers took out some really small looking swords and attacked head on. Nightmare and I drew our weapons and took them out with no problem. Killing people was way different than killing Heartless. These guys actually tried to dodge my blows and deflect it with their own. After climbing onto the boat we looked around for any signs of Colleen or Tina. There was nothing on the deck. It was hard walking on a rocky and slippery boat. There was a lift leading down into the hull and we were just about to go to it until we were stopped. Six soldiers encompassed us out of nowhere and attacked. I fought back but it was way too hard on the boat. I almost slipped every time I tried to deliver a blow. There was too many for Nightmare and I. Four soldiers were all on Nightmare as they hit him in the head with their swords. Luckily the swords weren't good enough to pierce his helmet. He was brought to the ground though as he kneeled trying to throw them off. I was knocked onto the ground and the two others were about to make the deathblow. My chest made me rive in pain. The pain was coming back. I held my chest and looked at the soldiers as they laughed at me. All of the sudden one of the soldiers fell to the ground and started screaming. I stood up quickly and tried to see what was going on. The other soldier was confused also as he looked at the soldier get pulled by an unseen force. The entangled soldier kept on yelling and yelling as he was pulled overboard. I looked over the railing and saw nothing except the soldier floating in the water. The other soldiers looked at me in disbelief, as did Nightmare. All of the sudden the deck was turning black. We all stared as Heartless rose onto the deck and stared at us with their glowing green eyes. Damn now we had to take on Shin-Ra and the Heartless? The soldiers looked at Nightmare and I. I looked at them and held Synergy tightly. We all took our weapons and attacked. I guess I had to work with the soldiers for now. The Heartless were outnumbering us fast as always. Nightmare had to be careful about hitting the others and me. His sword was just way too enormous. After destroying most of them the ship started to rumble. I looked over the railing and saw an enormous hole on the side of the ship. I turned back to Nightmare and the soldiers. The ship was sinking! I ran onto the lift with the other soldiers with Nightmare and went down. When we got down into the watery hull I grabbed one of the soldiers.brbrWhere are they!? I yelled.brbrThey are in the last room down the hall! he choked.brbrI let him go and ran down the hall as Nightmare followed. The hull was filling up with water quickly and it was getting harder and harder to walk. I finally got to the last room and tried to knock the door down. It wouldn't even budge but Nightmare knocked it down in one blow with Soul Edge. Colleen and Tina were there unconscious and blindfolded. We untied them both quickly as the room flooded. Nightmare took Tina as I carried Colleen. When I got out the room the hall my chest was hurting again. It was getting harder to breathe. I could barely carry Colleen anymore. I saw Nightmare carry Tina onto the lift. He looked back at me.brbrCome on!brbrI fell to the ground and looked at him. I had no energy to go on. The hall was already flooded as I saw Nightmare take the lift up. I was floating and slowly becoming unconscious. I realized that it might be too late for Colleen and me. Everything was fading...brbr-----------------------------------------------------------brbr[Colleen's Point of View]brbrAfter awaking, I slowly got up. My body felt weak and numb. The last thing I remember was sitting in the boat blindfolded. I was on the shore of Luca. The beach was calm and the stars were as beautiful as ever. I realized I was just looking at the sky when I should be trying to find out what happened. Where was Tina? I looked around trying to find her. I saw someone lying near. I crawled over to the figure and took a look to see who it was. It was Khanh! He was still breathing and it seemed like he was still in good condition. I shook him many times in order to try to wake him up. He wasn't moving or flinching at all. He seemed to be really injured though. I saw a little trickle of blood on his chest. It looked like he had this wound for quite some time. His cloak was stained with a little blood underneath. I held his hand and started to cry. Something was wrong with him. I tried to wake him up again but nothing happened. Something shiny caught my attention. I found a necklace lying near him. It looked like the Heartless sign that was embodied on those fiends at Besaid. I held it and it started to glow a bright red. It must be Khanh's. I wore it and promised myself to give it to him when he came back to me. I heard a familiar voice behind me.brbrAre you okay?brbrI turned around and saw Nightmare standing near Tina. Nightmare came over to Khanh and knelt by him. After moments of examining what happened to him Nightmare picked Khanh up.brbrLet's take him back to Luca and get him treated quickly.brbrWe ran back to Luca as fast as we could. Almost near the city a few soldiers saw what happened and helped us get to the nearest medical facility. The crowd moved quickly out of the soldier's way. I felt relieved that we didn't have to walk through the crowd. After entering the hospital we let them take Khanh on a medical stretcher. Later we were lead into a room where Khanh was lying hooked up to a lot of machines. I sat near him and held his hand tightly. Nightmare and Tina waited outside for the doctor. I looked at the necklace and it was still glowing a bright red. I wonder where he got it. I actually kind of liked it. The glow seemed to catch my attention. I heard the door open and I put the necklace away. The doctor walked over to me. He looked pretty confused.brbrHe's in some kind of coma or something. His vital signs seem stable though. I'm sorry but we won't be able to help him here. You'll need to bring him to Kislev in order to have a chance of saving him.It's a temple north of here across the sea. There I'm sure you'll be able to find some help. We don't have the necessary medicine or equipment here. I'm sorry. I'll be able to provide you some transport at the docks though.Thank you.brbrHe nodded and walked out of the room. Nightmare and Tina came in and looked at me anxiously waiting to hear what was wrong with him. I told them what the doctor said and they agreed to help me. After leaving we went to the docks. At the docks there was a boat waiting for us. We loaded Khanh into one of the infirmary rooms in the hull below and we took off. The doctor said Kislev would be a short trip and I hope it was going to be. After moments of thinking outside on the railing I went inside to see how Khanh was doing. He looked fine but I missed him even though he was right here. I missed hearing his voice and his silent attitude. I hoped he would be able to be treated at Kislev. I sat down near him and waited...