Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters – they belong to Square and Disney.
Stare Into The Abyss – Chapter Twenty-Three
Barely managing to step aside in time to avoid another swipe from one of the pulsing blades, Kaze realized that this probably wasn't going to end well. He could feel himself slowly draining already; keeping out of the way of Number Two's attacks was proving to be a difficult task and landing any of their own even more so. Hadn't Sora beaten him once before? Kaze could only hope that together they could pull off another win against him.
Separating, they edged away, putting some more distance between themselves and the NEO. He turned, fixing his attention on Kaze instead and began moving towards him. From his position on the opposite side of the roof, Sora gave a small nod. Understanding what he wanted him to do, Kaze launched his keyblade just as Sora did. Noticing their attack, Number Two paused; a bubble of white energy enveloped him. Their weapons bounced off it harmlessly.
Stepping forward, Kaze snatched his keyblade from the air, retrieving it in time to block another slash from one of the blades as Number Two launched himself at him. His eyes struggled to keep track of the flashing red as he tried to move his own weapon fast enough to meet them.
Number Two pulled away as Sora came running from behind, giving Kaze a chance to back up and take a moment to catch his breath back.
This isn't working!
Frustrated, Kaze glanced around, searching for something, anything, that they could use to slow him down, giving them an opportunity to go on the offensive instead of simply trying to defend themselves.
There was nothing but the rooftop stretching out beyond him. Apart from the section off to the side, where the door that led to the inside of the Tower was located, it was just a flat surface with a steep drop all around them. How was that supposed to help? They had nothing to work with…
Or maybe we do. A roof, huh?
Kaze waved to Sora, signalling. Catching sight of him, Sora backed away from his opponent before hurrying over. Number Two followed him, but he approached them more slowly, holding his weapons to the side. As Sora drew up alongside Kaze, he stopped, choosing to stand and watch them instead.
"He knows we're up to something," Kaze noted.
Sora frowned, puzzled. "We're up to something?"
"We are now. How do you think he'd like playing near the edge of the roof instead?"
"He'd probably enjoy knocking one of us off."
Shaking his head, Kaze grinned. "He's fast. Maybe a little too fast. Wouldn't it be a terrible shame if he couldn't stop himself in time from going over the side?"
"You think that will work?"
"It's better than what we're doing now."
Sora appeared sceptical, but he shrugged. Kaze didn't need to wait for him to say anything else, he rushed the still motionless Number Two, unleashing an onslaught of his own attacks. Satisfied that he had his full attention, Kaze retreated carefully back to the edge, where Sora was waiting, making sure that he was being followed.
As Kaze held his ground at the side of the roof, Number Two paused before turning to Sora instead and leaping at him, both blades flickering. Mentally cursing, Kaze tried to strike him from the side, aiming to distract him while Sora got clear.
As Sora dodged aside, Number Two spun around ready to go after him, ignoring Kaze's efforts.
He knew what I was going to try and do… Now what?
If he was aware of what Kaze had been planning on trying, there was no way that he was going to fall for it. The only way to get him over the side would be to force him over. Taking a few steps backwards to give him space, Kaze ran at him, intending to drive him off the side.
Number Two knocked him aside without even slowing his assault on Sora. Hitting the ground, Kaze skidded, his hand managing to catch the side as he went over it.
Great, that plan worked…
Calling his name, Sora ducked around the cloaked figure and hurried over.
…but not the way it was supposed to.
Dropping to his knees, Sora grabbed hold of Kaze's wrist, attempting to pull him back up.
"Sora…" Kaze froze, his gaze wandering past the other boy. Sora glanced over his shoulder.
Number Two stood behind them, his weapons poised ready to strike.
Blackness. There was so much of it.
He was drowning in it.
Drowning?
No, that wasn't right. It was something else.
What was?
Something had happened.
Something that wasn't supposed to…Why was it so hard to concentrate? What had happened?
Oh yeah… That was it.
Number Two. That's what had happened.
Or more accurately, a blade in the back had happened…That was right. So why was he drowning?
No, not drowning.
Been swallowed by the blackness.
But why? Because he was dead?
No, you're not dead either…… Not yet.
Now he knew what had happened, he could concentrate more easily. There was one thing that was easy for him to focus on.
Revenge.
You can't die until you get revenge.
The last surviving member of the Organization was a title he had wanted for himself. How could he, of all people, let Number Two get away with doing something like that?
That's right. Doesn't matter why he did it, just make him sorry for doing it!With an effort, Axel struggled to open his eyes. He was surprised to see the blackness replaced by sky, a clear sky, but it took him a moment longer to realize why that was surprising. The darkness had gone from this world, faded.
… That's not important!
It had nothing to do with Number Two, nor revenge, so he dismissed it as he titled his head do the side. The cloaked figure that was his target was there – standing over someone at the edge of the roof.
Sora?Where was the other one?
He tried to stand, but his attempts failed. If he couldn't get up, how was he supposed to get to him?
You can't kill him, but you can make sure Sora does.
Wasn't that the next best thing? If he couldn't do it himself, he could let Sora do it for him.
The same Sora that's about to be impaled?As his fragmented thoughts fixed onto that, he focused on the one thing he could do to help. As Number Two brought his blade down, it connected with blazing flames that grew in front of him. He stumbled backwards away from them, allowing Sora and the other one to get to their feet and move.
"Axel!"
He wasn't sure which of them was shouting to him, his mind was wandering again. Wasn't he going to die anyway? He couldn't even stand anymore, and whatever Number Two had done, he couldn't feel it. While that was nice, it didn't really seem like a good thing…
…But he didn't have to die, did he?
"You would continue to exist but not as you are now."
Wasn't that better than dying without a fight?
"I suppose you could say that your soul would be stuck in a permanent state of nothingness."
Still, even if he wanted to take that chance, he didn't know how.
"Isn't that obvious?"Or did he?
They'd told him all along that Sora was the key. Maybe that wasn't quite true – what if Sora was only the one that had it?
Yes. It was obvious.
Axel closed his eyes again as he waited for Sora to hurry up.
He had one last favour to ask him.
Cringing, Sora waited for the final blow. He could have made an attempt to get out of the way, but there was no way he was going to let go of Kaze or leave him there. As the seconds passed, he wondered what was taking so long. The only thing he could feel was a growing warmth alongside him.
Wait…
Blinking up in bewilderment, Sora gaped at the wall of crimson flames between them and Number Two. There was only one person who could of done that.
Reacting quickly he yanked Kaze back up. As both scrambled to their feet they ran along the length of the fire as it flickered and faded away. The fact that it hadn't held up for long didn't seem like a good sign.
"Axel!" Sora yelled as he faced the direction he lay in.
Kaze grabbed his arm and pulled him along as Number Two began to move towards them once more. "C'mon Sora."
"Please tell me you have a better idea than your last one."
Keyblade in hand, Kaze forced a small grin. "I'll leave that to you this time."
Sora called upon his own weapon, preparing for another round of attacks. Why was this proving so much trouble? Just how much had Number Two been holding back when he'd fought him back at Hollow Bastion?
You beat him before, you can do it again.
Keyblades connected with red energy as another assault was launched.
Easier said than done…As Kaze absorbed the attacks from the front, Sora circled around to the back. Even with them on each side, he was able to keep them at bay using both of his own weapons.
We need a distraction…
"Kaze! Back off!"
… Some kind of an opening.
Kaze appeared confused for a moment, but he retreated further away while Sora kept Number Two's focus on him.
"Throw it!"
They'd tried it before and he'd simply shielded himself from it, Sora knew he'd do the same. It wouldn't do much good…
Number Two halted once more, arms spreading slightly to the side as the air around him began to ripple.
… But it gave them an opening.
Sora struck before the bubble could form, driving the black and white of the keyblade into him. The area surrounding them seemed to go wild with crackling black and deep purple waves stretching out. As Kaze's own weapon was also plunged in, Sora pulled back.
And then it was gone. The writhing mass of electric air and Number Two with it.
"That was some nice timing, Sora!"
He knew that he should be relived, but seeing that there was no body left behind only made Sora more uncomfortable. "Did I get him? He's gone…"
"There was no body when Axel killed their superior either. He's dead, Sora." Kaze smiled, reassuringly. "You got him."
Speaking of Axel… Sora walked over to where he was and stood over him. "Axel?"
His eyes opened slowly and locked on Sora. "Took long enough."
"I know." He didn't sound like he was in pain, but Sora noted that it seemed to take him some effort to speak. "Sorry."
Axel didn't reply immediately, instead his eyes wandered to the keyblade in Sora's hand. "Use it."
"What?" Sora held the weapon in his hand up. "This?"
There was a nod, and a faint smirk appeared. "Use it."
"On what?" Axel sighed as he fixed his gaze back on Sora. An understanding of what he was saying finally dawning, Sora shook his head firmly. "No. Are you crazy? What do you want me to do that for?"
Taking hold of his arm, Kaze dragged him away. "Go ahead Sora. He's asking you to do it, you might as well."
"No. I'm not going to kill him like that."
"He's already dead. Do you think it'd be better to leave him to bleed to death?"
He has a point.
"… I guess not." Sora approached Axel once more, holding the keyblade at his side. Wasn't it the nice thing to do? If it was what he wanted…"Alright, fine." He paused, hesitating a moment. "I know you were only doing everything to help yourself, but, thanks. Sorry that I couldn't help you."
As Kaze looked away, Sora squeezed his eyes shut, bringing the keyblade down…
"Wait!"
Too late. He was too late to stop. The weapon was already buried deep. Sora pulled it back out, spinning around. He recognized the voice clearly.
Riku.
Kaze readied his own keyblade, but the silver-haired boy quickly held up his hands. "Relax."
"Riku?"
He nodded, and Sora felt a wave of relief. It was him. Even if Ansem was still there, for the moment at least, it was still Riku.
Stepping past them, Riku looked at Axel, before glancing back to Sora. "I don't think Axel quite realized what he was asking you to do…"
Sora tilted his head, giving his friend a quizzical look. "What do you mean?"
"Look at what you've got in your hand, Sora. A keyblade made from light and dark. An in-between keyblade… What do you think that would do to one who was also in-between? An in-between existence, such as Axel?"
Sora stared at him blankly. "What are you saying?"
"He's still alive Sora. Just not like we are anymore."
"What Ansem was telling him before? About splitting the soul from the body, so that he could get his memories back… Is that what Sora just did?" Kaze asked.
Recalling the conversation from before, Sora tried to ignore the growing sinking feeling. "You think he knew that? When he just asked me to do that… Did he know?"
"We have another problem, Sora." Kaze pointed to the weapon in his hand. "You used that keyblade on Number Two…"
"They're gone though, aren't they?" Sora shot Riku a desperate glance. "There's no way that he could come back? Either of them."
"I don't know. What if what they were told was true? What if there was still a way for them to become complete?"
"Forget it, Sora!" Kaze shrugged. "Axel's got what he wanted and Number Two isn't going to be able to do anything about it even if there was." He turned back to face Riku. "Right?"
Riku didn't respond, but Sora quickly agreed. "Right." He didn't want to think about the possibilities of what it could mean if they were wrong. He wanted to leave. Telling himself that Axel knew what he was asking and that it would be impossible for the likes of Number Two to return was easier.
He began to walk way, to the door opposite them, before stopping. "You're coming too, aren't you Riku? Back to Hollow Bastion with us?"
As Riku wordlessly joined him, Kaze followed. "Let's pick up Namine and go find your other friends."
That sounded good to Sora. They could finally leave this world. There was still the other side, that world filled with the skyscrapers that was totally covered by the darkness, but they could always come back, couldn't they? They could leave that to worry about another time.
But what Ansem had told Axel was still bothering him. He couldn't shake those words out of his head.
"I suppose you could say that your soul would be stuck in a permanent state of nothingness."
Had Axel really wanted that?
It didn't matter now. Axel had made his choice, and Sora had helped him do it, just liked he'd agreed he would.
He still wasn't sure he could totally trust Riku, and not knowing just what it was Number Two had been planning was going to worry him, but for now at least, he could allow himself to forget about it.
Author's Note: Phew, that was another hard one to do. Next chapter might take a little longer than this did, however it will be an entirely Axel devoted chapter. ;) That's going to be fun…
Oh, and looks like we're due for lots of KHII news in the next few weeks! Keep your eyes on KHU for some upcoming scans!
sorastalker08: Ouch! Poor PSP. But I'm glad that last chapter could temporarily ease the pain of its death! Ooh, the re-writes weren't too different, just me shuffling stuff around and adding/taking out bits. Aww, thank you, I like my words been described as pretty. XD
Ginger Ninja: When is poor Sora ever out of trouble? Hehe, I can foresee a sequel giving them both plenty of opportunities for even more trouble!
Saddened Soul: Oh, I'm not quite that evil! At least, I hope not!
AloneInDespair: Yay, I didn't miss you out this time! I have to get this one ended first, but hopefully it shouldn't take too long after to get the continuation started.