Dark Calling

Chap. 2

Sora fell forward from the gun blast. The noise echoed throughout the town, breaking the eerie silence. The man smiled, but that smile faded away as quickly as it came. The boy was bleeding profusely, surely he'd die. The man put on a straight face and walked pass him out of the empty alley.

Why? Why so soon? I haven't found Kairi.. It doesn't look like I will. I failed.. But why would he want to kill me? NO! It won't end like this! Sora thought inside his head. He tried getting up, but the pain was far too excruciating. He winced and looked at the man who killed him. He bore a red cloak, red hate, and shoulder length black hair. He was quite tall also, which added to his eerie effect.

Suddenly a man ran into the alley, blocking the person who shot him. Sora clutched right below his heart, trying to stop the bleeding before he bled to his death. He looked at the young person, much more presentable than the tall man.

"Alcurad! How could you! This isn't your potential killer! It's a young boy!" the young man yelled. He wore a blue cloak, with his golden blonde hair in small spikes. He had penetrating golden eyes, much like a hawk's. The young person ran over to Sora, carrying some sort of gem.

"Elric... don't worry about the human.. He bears a Key of power.. He could easily kill us. Or.. Rather me. Leave him to die. Those Heartless wolves will lick either his blood or tear him limb from limb." Alcurad spoke. He wasn't a very caring person.. Because he wasn't even a person...

"Nonsense! He must be the Keyblade Master. The one we were hearing about all over town! He could save us." Elric protested. He walked closer over to Sora, gem in hand. "Don't worry young boy. This should help you. It's a Healing Gem" Elric said, trying to reassure Sora. Sora nodded, he'd do anything to get rid of the pain. Elric smiled and spoke in a abnormal language, Sora suspected it might have been a spell so he dismissed it. Elric then pointed the gem at where Sora was hit. It gleamed a dark color, which Sora thought was normal, but Elric looked a little confused, unsure why it glowed black and misty. It was supposed to be yellow and shining, much like the sun.

But this wasn't a healing gem. It was a Dark Gem. Elric, obviously unaware of his mistake, still used it on Sora. It worked, helping the wound close.. But at a horrible price. A deadly price for every human around. Even an animal should beware of what would become of young Sora. He stood up, feeling as normal as he did before he took the bullet from Alcurad.

"Thanks Elric. My name's Sora. I do bear the Keyblade, which might save this world. These Heartless.. What do you call them?" he inquired. He wanted to know more about these new enemies. He examined Alcurad more closely, something wasn't right about him, he could sense it.

"Oh those things? We call them Howlers. I know they are a type of monkey, but what the hey right?" Elric asked. He seemed a lot more friendly than Alcurad, and a lot more humane. Elric waved a goodbye to Sora, seeing as he needed to be somewhere else that mattered. Alcurad didn't say much, he seemed to be an enigma. Very quiet and mysterious... Sora looked around and saw the puddle of blood he was standing in.

"Ugh. That's just gross.." he remarked as he stepped out. He thought he heard something behind him, but he kept on walking, a little frightened to be alone. Suddenly, one of the Howler Heartless jumped in front of him, snarling. Sora grabbed his Keyblade, but he was weak. I should be able to take him on.. It's only one... he thought.. But the Howler was much more stronger, and faster than Sora. It swiped out at him, hitting the Keyblade to the floor. He growled menacingly at Sora. He stepped closer and slowly, stalking his prey. Sora stepped back slowly, until he was back against the wall.

"Elric! ELRIC!" he yelled out, just as the Howler leaped at him. It's paws had outstretched claws, tearing his clothes. It swiped again and cut where he was shot, reopening the wound. It reached in and started taking his heart, slowly. Sora let out a cry for help once more, but quickly was forgetting who he was calling for, what he was doing, where he was. He was in pain of course, but he started forgetting what that was.

Elric came running in to see a helpless Sora again. The scene was familiar, Elric recalling how the Howler killed even the best of Vampires. He grabbed Sora's Keyblade but remembered how Alcurad killed them. He yelled for his friend to come to the alley way, and he bounded as fast as any vampire could. He shot the Howler in the back, making it fall limp and bursting into a mist. Sora fell against the wall as he was let go by the Heartless.

"Sora! Alcurad, do something!" he yelled. He didn't want their only savior to die. That would leave them with the other Howler's that would surely come. Alcurad grabbed the Keyblade from Elric and did something even he was surprised of. He aimed it at his heart and thought of it locking like a door. It was a key after all. That would mean it could lock anything and everything. There was a faint click, locking his heart safely in tack, along with the Dark Gem.

Alcurad and Elric found his companions, Donald and Goofy hiding in a small shop, away from the commotion. Sora was unconscious from what he went through, which worried Goofy and even the short tempered Donald. Alcurad led them to a home hidden away and disguised so the Howler's and any other Heartless couldn't reach them. It contained all the necessities that any house needed.

They all settled in, while Sora rested in a safe room, away from any windows so Howler's couldn't get to him. A week passed, Sora still being in his coma like state. Elric checked on him every now and then to make sure if he was either alive or if he was awake yet. The following night he did his last check to see if he came too.

"Hey Elric... what happened? How long was I out?" Sora asked right as Elric walked in. He sat up slowly, a little light headed, trying to recall what happened what he thought was yesterday.

"Sora! You're awake! Well.. You were attacked by a Howler, but Alcurad saved you. Hmm.. Well.. Let's see... about.. Say a week?" Elric answered with a smile. He called in Donald and Goofy, along with Alcurad.

"A WEEK!" Sora shouted. He thought it was only a day. It must have been one heck of a injury to have knocked him unconscious for so long. He smiled as he saw Donald and Goofy, and thanked Alcurad for saving his life. He started remembering what happened, but he wasn't in any pain whatsoever.

"Sora.. You're a little pale... maybe it's from being in.. But you look ghostly white! Isn't that right Alcurad? Alcurad?" Elric asked, scanning the room. Alcurad wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Maybe he went to go find himself dinner. Oh, I forgot to ever mention! Sora, Alcurad.. Is.. Well.. .not human. He's a vampire. But he did nothing to you. He doesn't like to kill his victims.. He usually drink's animal's blood instead. He says it's richer. But how would I know? I'm not a vampire." Elric reassured. Sora felt abnormal he had to admit. His sight and hearing were far more better than it was.

"Oh. Vampires? What are they?" he questioned. Elric laughed, thinking it was a joke. Sora laughed too, a bit uneasy. He looked at himself, scanning at how pale he was. He smiled, but was even more worried than ever. What happened to him? How come he's so pale? Elric, Donald, and Goofy all left to leave him some peace and quiet. But even from his room he could hear them talking, even though they were 5 doors down from him. What's happening to me? Was it that Gem? Or is it from the Heartless? A dozen questions entered his mind. He shook them off and tried to get some peace.

But what he heard frightened him more. He could hear his own heart, an abnormal rhythm beating loudly like a jackhammer. He rubbed his head trying to get rid of the noise. He shook it off and focused on what they were talking about.

"Alcurad... I don't think that Gem was a Healing one. It was black and misty. Have any idea on what it could be?" Elric questioned. Sora could tell from his voice that he was worried and also from the sound of his footsteps he was pacing.

"It could be a Dark Gem... that could explain his paleness." Alcurad suggested. "And why he can hear us." he added. Sora gasped out loud. How could he know? Then he remembered how Elric told him he was a vampire. But.. Does that make me one too? He questioned in thought.

"Then that would make him.. No! He couldn't be! And he probably isn't listening. No human can hear that far." Elric reminded Alcurad. He just shook his head and walked out of the room. Elric followed, heading off to Sora's room instead. "Are you alright? You don't look so good. Are you sick?" Elric asked, looking over at Sora. "Look at me! I sound like a woman or a nurse!" he joked, shaking his head.

"I'm fine. I just.. I'm just trying to get over what happened." Sora responded, lying. He didn't feel right at all. He was wearing the outfit he had on when he first came. It had small rips in places. He put on his shoes and walked past Elric in silence. His eyes hurt a bit, but dismissed it. He could see crystal clear, even though it was as dark as night in the hallway.

"Sora.. What's wrong?" Donald demanded as Sora walked past.

"Nothing. I just.. Need to think." he whispered. He walked out side and saw Alcurad. Donald and Goofy followed. Donald wasn't so convinced that "nothing" was wrong. Sora would be more cheerful than this.

"Sora... your eyes..." Donald quacked, alarmed at the discoloration.

"What? What's wrong with them!" he asked taken aback. He picked up a shard of glass. He looked at his eyes... what he saw... startled him...