Secrets of Memories Chapter 29: Fury of the Undead
Charon was furious. The spirits were taking way too long to fill up his ferry.
" Hurry up, you scoundrels!" the being yelled at them, shaking his fist at their faces. "I haven't got all day!"
The green ghosts seemed to ignore him as they shuffled into the ferry. Charon grew all the more furious.
" Hey you!" he yelled, pointing at a rather solid-looking soul that boarded the ferry. "Where's your money?"
He gestured to the change box, where the other ghosts were putting in the fare for the ferry ride as they entered the ferry. The solid-looking ghost looked behind him at the box, then shrugged.
" I've got no fare," the ghost said in a rather uncaring voice.
" What's that you say?" Charon railed. "No fare? Get off the boat then and go wait over there!"
He gestured to the River Styx.
" You're taking me across," the soul said, "just like the other ghosts here."
" Oh no you don't!" Charon marched up to him, raising his oar up in a threatening manner. "This can hit ghosts. Hard. I will use force if I have to."
The soul pulled out a huge steel-like blade from behind him and held it up to Charon's neck. "This can cut through anything alive or dead. You're taking me and my friends across, with no fare."
Charon gulped as he stared at his own reflection in the blade. He preferred to keep his head on but he knew he was not allowed to bring on any souls who didn't pay their fare. But he could get away with that, if
" Where's your friends?" Charon asked in a rather sneering voice.
The spirit whistled loudly and clearly and Charon nearly fainted as the ghost's friends approached the ferry.
It wasn't' the white duck, the dog-looking thing, and the satyr that got to him. It wasn't even the fact that they were alive.
" You!" Charon railed against Eucletes. "You again! And YOU!!!"
He pointed at Hercules, who had the "surprise, did ya miss me?" smile on his face. "Surprise, surprise."
Charon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the last person. This was interesting; the power flowing in this one was mysterious, stranger than the gold-like strength and soul in Hercules. Then it dawned on him.
" You're the Keyblade Master?!" Charon gaped. "But-but-but-"
Sora stared back at him, his blue eyes hard and stern. Charon quailed under the look.
Auron forced him to stand up straight and hissed at him, "Take all of us across or you're going to the River Styx. And I've heard so much about you from those penniless ghosts; they'd love to send you around for a spin in the green river."
Charon gulped, then he remembered Hades' rage. "No, I won't take you across the River Styx!"
Everyone was surprised but Eucletes knew better. "We won't let Hades touch you; we've got business with him."
" How can you not let a god rage against anyone he wants to rage against?" Charon started to chuckle, as the blade pressed harder against his neck. "Even if you do get past Cerberus, you won't be getting past Hades. Or the Heartless."
" I deal with Heartless," Sora interrupted. "Take us across. Worry not about yourself but of what you can do for the greater good. Either that or he-" he pointed at Auron "-puts you in the River Styx or whatever it is."
It was very rare for Sora to be so authorative but it seemed to be enough. Charon nodded meekly and slowly scuttled away from the blade.
" Every spirit get out of this ferry," Auron turned to the other ghosts. "We will go alone; the ones who paid need not worry."
The other souls grumbled but they shuffled out; Auron's description of his fat sword was enough to send them away.
Sora saw Charon reaching for a suspicious item from a discrete corner of the ferry and pointed his Keyblade at the ferryman. Charon froze.
" Steer the ferry; don't touch anything," Sora ordered and Charon timidly obeyed.
Slowly, the ferry pulled away from the dock and began its long journey across the River Styx, from where the world was to where 'hell' exists.
Auron surveyed the Heartless positions, while Eucletes searched through the bag he had given to Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Phil watched over Charon and his sharp eyes missed absolutely nothing.
" What are you doing?" Goofy asked of Eucletes.
" Finding that biscuit that I use to distract Cerberus," Eucletes answered. "But I don't see it here"
" I don't' think we need to worry that much about the biscuit," Sora replied.
" What is Cerberus chewing on?" Hercules added. "That's one huge bone, I tell you."
Eucletes paled. "Cerberus is already eating something? Oh no, this is not good!"
" Why?" Goofy asked.
" Cerberus is somewhat stubborn in what he does," Eucletes explained as he dropped the sack to the bottom of the ferry. "For instance, when he eats something, he ignores whatever else he's given. If he's already eaten something, he ignored all other bits of food until his stomach says he's hungry. So if he's eating something right now, then the biscuit, wherever it is, won't do much for us."
" There are still ways to distract Cerberus, however," three grainy voices chimed at once behind Sora and he nearly went overboard, surprised out of his wits.
" The Fates," Hercules breathed, then bowed to the three hags who had mysteriously appeared on the ferry.
" The Fates?" Charon began to shake and his knees buckled. The ferryman fainted and Phil, cursing all the while, jumped in to take over. But he was too short to reach the wheel and steer it correctly, let alone steer and see where he's going. Phil resorted to yanking on a rope and letting an anchor drop into the murky green waters of the River Styx.
" That what?" Sora demanded, his heart still pounding from the shock.
" We are the Fates, who control lives and guide people through their lives," the tallest of the Fates answered calmly. "We see beyond others and so we can see the future. However, know this: the future can change, if you make the right choices."
" We've come to help you, Keyblade Master, and you, Hercules," the middle Fate said. "We sense that our presence may aid you two on your journey to face Hades who, I must inform you, is not in the greatest of moods right now.
Sora and Hercules groaned while Auron said a rather uncharacteristic word, "Oops."
" Whatever we will say," the plumpest and shortest of the three continued, "may change all you may know. Heed our words well but it is up to you to decide whether or not to follow our word or your own heart. Some things we say prove wrong but only when one makes a choice. Whether or not the choice comes from the heart I cannot say."
" Hades most certainly made choices out of his own mind," the middle Fate said. "That is how Hercules, and Auron, are here with you, Keyblade Master. With Hercules, we showed him what would happen if he let his life continue naturally. With Auron, we tweaked his lifeline and so came to his mind the idea to summon a dream to try and defeat you."
" Can you at least tell us about how to distract Cerberus?" Sora demanded. "We need to know."
" Patience is important," the tallest Fate advised, "especially for one of your age. We must disclose to you, Keyblade Master, of what may happen in the near future-and perhaps the far future-if you let all run its natural course."
" You know of the Guardian," the middle Fate brought up that topic.
Sora trembled, his face turning white. "What about him?"
" Yes, what about him?" Hercules agreed.
" Anger should not be your response," the short Fate snapped, suddenly the commanding one. "He is dire to your cause, Keyblade Master, yet you went your separate ways. We know why. He should not have let you gone and you should not have left him either-"
" He was the one who destroyed Hercules' world!" Sora yelled. "Hercules is my friend and whoever did that is not!"
" Anger over the smallest things is not the greatest of things," the middle Fate sighed. "Your anger is meaningless in the face of the anger of Darkness. But they are also happy. You have done what they have wanted you to do for the Guardian plays a greater role than you can ever imagine."
" Is that so?" Donald demanded.
" Disobeying the King's orders may change your future, court wizard," the tallest Fate replied and Donald retreated behind Goofy. "But we are here not only to tell the Keyblade Master some things but also to warn you of the past."
" The past?" Hercules asked. " Whatever do you mean?"
" The past is shocking," she answered. "It is the most shocking of all. Some may recall of a certain event, thirteen-some years ago. Most astonishing I might say. That alone changed the course of the present and the future."
" What happened thirteen years ago?" Sora asked curiously. A strange tingling sensation was starting to run up his spine.
" For us to know and for you to find out," the three Fates chimed.
Sora was and looked rather put off by this.
" Hades thinks to destroy the both of you," the shortest said. "It will not be easy stopping him for he can command not only the Heartless but certain soldier souls. But the Heart and Soul who is coming may help you stop him."
" She knows where the source of the Heartless is," the middle Fate said. "Not only here but the true source. You could have locked the true source back at Hollow Bastion-" Sora, Donald, and Goofy cringed at this "-but you were overwhelmed. A pity, I might say, for the role of the Heartless may make you regret your decision for the ages to come."
" Kingdom Hearts in Hollow Bastion?" Sora whispered.
" Maybe, maybe not," the short Fate answered vaguely. "The door moves constantly and only the Heart and Soul of Ancient Greece knows. That is, her, a certain whistleblower we know of, and Sally-"
" Sally? From Halloweentown?" Goofy demanded.
" Yes," the middle Fate answered and began to speak more when the tallest whispered into her ear.
" Time is running short," the shortest said. "In order to distract Cerberus, one who knows him well may approach him for Cerberus is not the darkest of creatures. The Heartless-we will see to that. Now it is time we take our leave."
" Wait!" Sora yelled. "What do you mean by regretting our decision for ages to come?"
" Just because you have an astounding heritage does not mean you're immortal," the tallest Fate said.
" Your friends are helping you, even as we speak, but only you will open the door of light," the middle Fate added. "Even those you do not see as friends are aiding you every step of the way.
" But only if you survive the ordeal you are about to face," the shortest Fate finished. "And the ordeal you will soon go through may change your heart. Good day, Keyblade Master. Perhaps, if we are all lucky, we may see you again."
The Fates faded away, leaving everyone to stare at where they were standing moments before.
" I do not like what the Fates were saying," Phil finally broke the silence. "Period. Now come on and help me steer this thing, since Charon here's fainted."
Aozora moped and prowled all over the apartment, threatening to drive Paine insane. Yuna and Rikku were wise enough to keep quiet and avoid him as much as possible; Aozora felt that if someone even dared to mention 'Sora' in his face, he'd go mad and slaughter everyone.
He still didn't understand why Sora hated him. He would understand why Sora would resent his need to protect Sora but he just couldn't grasp the concept of Sora hating him. What did he do wrong, after all?
Maybe I just don't understand him, Aozora mused. Maybe that's itâwait
His mind flashed back to several weeks ago, while they were headed for China"You wereâderâmuttering something in yer sleepâ Somethingâfrom back then."
Aozora realized he didn't know what had happened. He had nodded, understanding that perhaps it was something personal but then he remembered the look in Sora's eyes.
Something was haunting him, pursuing himâhe's turn hard within, angrier, because of that somethingâcould it be something from the past? Was that why he got mad over me trying to keep him from going after Robin Hood? Has he begun to learn to hate the universe because of his past? Or could it be his destiny that he hates?
Aozora was no stranger to that sort of feeling. He had hated his life from the very beginning, hated the fact that he was born. He had learned to ignore that feeling, to push it aside and concentrate on whatever was before him but that searing feeling was still within his heart, within his soul, slowly consuming him.
I never knew my parents or my brotherâI don't remember the world where I was bornâand I barely remember my life on Celt Circle, with Kobi and LorienâEldest says the effects from the blast that destroyed Deep Tranquility hampered with my mind, my memoryâso I can't remember, I forget more often than other people. If only Deep Tranquility wasn't destroyed, then I wouldn't have to make a new life on Celt Circle, only to see it all fade in that explosion! I wouldn't be forced to go through all that stupid training at that castle for two years! I mean, the king was real nice and so was the captain of the royal knights but the court wizard, I could just kill himâbut I didn't mind staying with Eldest for about two years, that's for sure. But I most definitely did not enjoy being with the Society, especially that one last month before I left
Aozora shut his eyes and grimaced as he brooded on the couch in the living room. Images flashed in his head, images of fire, wind, water, and earth, of destruction he took part in, annihilations of realms he performed, and of the horrifying scandal deep within the Society that soon affected nearly every member of the Society. And then came to his mind the image of the branding, of the scar above his heart
They didn't even use painkillers, for crying out loud! They seem to love making others feel pain, he growled deep in his mind. A beautiful mark for sure, but used for a tragic purpose. I'm so glad Eldest was there; I never would've made it out of there with all my limbs intact if it weren't for him. He risked revealing himself in the processâwhat did he see in me?
He still remembered the instructions, to go and find the 'sky-child' and protect him to the very last. He hated to break his word with Eldest and yet that was what he had done.
I'm sorry, Eldest, for letting you down, he thought as he stood up and went straight for the door out of the apartment. But I will atone for my wrongdoing. I will not go back on my word again, after I fix what I've done wrong. I promiseâmentor.
He was so deep into his mind, into his thoughts that he forgot to say 'goodbye and thank you' to Yuna, Rikku, and Paine. But they didn't notice. Or acted like they didn't.
Aozora headed for the shipyard by foot, no longer trusting the train station in Twilight Town. He knew there was a train station in Ancient Greece but Heartless activities were stalling trains and Heartless were attacking the trains themselves. Aozora wouldn't mind riding a train alone and fighting off attacking Heartless but he wasn't so sure if he could hold them off while defending other passengers on the train in the process.
Obviously Cid's cousin, also named Cid and his only cousin, knew of this. After all, both Cids knew of Heartless and Nobody activities and patterns of attack and defense.
"And I hope the gummi ship Cid sends isn't a dud," Aozora muttered under his breath, while his mind conjured up the image of the strange clerk at a certain store in Traverse Town.
He didn't realize that Riku had said the same thing about Cid's gummi ships.
As they inched towards the heart of Underworld, they saw that the Heartless had vanished. Literally.
The Fates had kept to their word.
"One obstacle down," Goofy commented.
"Three more to go," Sora added darkly as he glared at Cerberus, who was still gnawing away at a huge bone nearly stripped of what seemed to be rotten flesh.
"That's disgusting," Phil exclaimed. "Gods, and I thought battlefields after battles were the worst!"
"Quiet, Phil!" Eucletes hissed but too late; they were in close proximity to the demon guardian of the Underworld and the three-headed dog heard everything.
The bone went clattering into the River Styx as Cerberus rose up on all four legs and turned to stare at the ferry. Its fiery eyes narrowed in confusion for its many noses told it all: there was only one ghost on that ferry. Everybody else was alive. Alive.
Cerberus began to growl.
"This does not look good," Hercules said while Auron steered the ferry down the river than ran right under Cerberus' noses.
"Why is he bringing us closer to death?" Eucletes was muttering. "I thought we were supposed to stay alive."
Sora shrugged. "But who around here knows Cerberus really well?"
Everyone looked at each other.
"Not me," Hercules said immediately. "I fought him; I most certainly did not to get to know him."
"Obviously," Phil agreed, rolling his eyes a bit in the process. "Same goes for me though; after all, this was the guy who rampaged through my coliseum."
Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked at each other.
"I'm a key witness! I saw the whole thing!" Goofy yelped.
"Duh," Donald answered while Sora added, "We fought him, Goofy; of course you saw the whole thing; you nearly got eaten by him!"
"That leaves only two," Phil said, "and for all I know, Auron's been dead for quite a while until Hades resurrected him-"
"Oh I might have been dead for quite a while but it's only been a year since I've gone back to the Far Plane," Auron answered pleasantly and then refused to explain was the Far Plane was, saying, "It's too long and complicated to describe and besides, we've got more important things to worry about."
That left only one other personâEucletes.
"You do know Cerberus really well," Goofy said. "Knows his eating habits and stuff."
"âandâthis is the guyâwho petted Cerberus" Charon said faintly as he came back into the waking world. "Are the Fatesâgone?"
"Good that you're awake," Phil snapped back. "Now steer this thing all the way down to the end of the river."
Charon did as told, knowing full well he did not want to join the wandering spirits that rambled about in the River Styx and the other side of the river. Phil watched him with a hard eye, while the others looked to Eucletes.
"But what can I do?" Eucletes whispered.
"Isn't there something you could do to keep us from becoming his chew toys?" Hercules asked. "The Fates seem to say you're the one who can keep him from attacking"
Eucletes sighed, trembling a bit. Sora wondered if it was from fear.
"I'll do whatever comes up to my mind as I try and, umâdistract him, I guess," Eucletes said and the young merchant looked up at the three-headed dog.
Everybody suddenly realized that they were passing right underneath the dog's heads and Cerberus had done nothing yet.
The eyes though, looked down on Hercules, not on Eucletes and his tail was actually thumping against the ground in the manner of a friendly dog. The three heads were looking at Hercules with a most cheerful expression.
Everyone looked at Hercules, who shrugged hopelessly and in confusion in return. "I don't have anything to do with this!"
"You know Cerberus?" Sora was confused. "But, you fought him!"
"Whatever's going on, I don't care as long as someone distracts Cerberus long enough to let the rest of us pass," Auron growled as he glared at the left head, which was glaring at the others and growling in return. The middle head was starting to growl as well, though the right head grinned at Hercules.
"I don't get it!" Phil repeated fervently. "He's the enemy and we fought him; why does he like Hercules?"
"I really don't know, Phil," Hercules answered, "but I'm going to have to distract him. Charon, bring us closer to shore."
Charon stared at Cerberus, hesitated, saw Auron coming over with his huge sword, and hastily obeyed. The ferry drifted slowly to the right, until it brushed up against the shore. Cerberus moved threateningly towards it and Hercules quickly jumped out to stop him.
"I'm coming with you, Hercules!" Phil yelled out and the satyr leaped out after him.
"Easy, boy, easy!" Hercules was saying to the three-headed dog, his arms spread apart in an attempt to keep him from chasing after the ferry. "You guys go!"
"You heard him," Auron snapped and Charon obeyed, grumbling under his breath all the while.
The ferry drifted further down the green river, entering the home of Hades himself. Underworld.
Auron stood on the deck, his right arm gripping the sword even harder. His eyes were turning grim and only Eucletes noticed that. Sora was sitting on one of the benches on the ferry, staring at the bottom of the ferry. Donald and Goofy had their weapons out, looking around each other, keeping a good look out. A Heartless could have slipped through the Fates' grasp, though Goofy doubted this more than Donald.
"Stop the ferry," Auron said, his voice suddenly grim and dark.
Sora looked up in surprise as Charon dropped the anchor deep into the River Styx. Donald and Goofy whirled on Auron and yelled out, " Times up! Now or never, Auron!"
Sora and Eucletes were startled. What?!
"You two knew," Auron said with a grim laughter. "Charon, get out of here!"
Charon trembled but stood fast. "This is my ferry and I'm not leaving it!"
Auron strode forward quickly, his right arm moving, the huge sword flashing. The look on his face spoke of his intentions. Charon cowered in fear.
There was a spray of sparks and Charon, who bent over, covering his head with his clammy hands, looked up, finding himself staring at Sora's back.
"What is going on?" Sora demanded. "What are Donald and Goofy saying? Why are you doing this?"
"The one dangerous thing about dreams is that their summoner can give them one order they have to follow through with, whether or not they want to," Donald said.
Charon's eyes widened. With a strange sound like an "Eep!" Charon leaped out of the ferry and fled, leaving everyone staring after him.
" The fury of the undead is the most fearsome of all," Auron said and his blade dropped to his side, in a threatening manner. "I have not the heart to do this but the unspoken law states I must do what I had been told to do. I was summoned here for one purpose."
Sora noticed that Auron was staring at his right hand. The hand holding the Keyblade.
" We fight," Sora said, in a carefully controlled voice. "Hades wants you to kill me."
" And Hercules but he seems rather bent on killing you," Auron said. "I don't want to do this but orders are orders."
Sora quickly pulled up his Keyblade but nearly didn't make it. The force from the sword pushed him onto the ground and Sora Dodge Rolled to the side, just as Auron's sword bit the ground and followed in some sort of an arc after him. Sora didn't' Dodge Roll far enough; the blade nicked him on the shoulder.
" We don't worry about death," Auron said in a calm, unhurried voice as Sora hoisted himself up, favoring his right shoulder. "Therefore, we can fight harder, longer, and take more risks."
Auron charged him and Sora chose to meet him head on. It was a bad move; the Keyblade went flying one way, Sora went flying another way.
" Sora!" Goofy yelped and charged at Auron with the shield. "I don't wanna do this either but you leave me no choice!"
Metal clashed against metal and sparks flew but both managed to still stand. Goofy kept charging at Auron, leaving Sora enough time to go and grab the Keyblade. He then jumped Auron from behind.
Auron raised his foot up, kicked at Goofy's shield and twisted his body, meeting Sora's Ars Arcanum head on. The impact was horrendous, with lights brightening up Underworld. Specters began to gather, being content with watching the battle play itself out. Heartless crowded on the outside but could not see or sense anything; the specters were too numerous and though they were opaque, there were too many of them and hampered all senses of sight. They also radiated some odd power, preventing the Heartless from sensing or smelling out anything unusual.
Sora was staggering; Auron was a very powerful foe. Hades did well in summoning a dream to fight him. Was Auron invincible or what?
" You call yourself a Keyblade Master," Auron grumbled. "I knew of a stronger Keyblade Master, a better one. Can you fight like him and match me foot for foot?"
" Who are you talking about?" Sora demanded as he High Jumped from a rather frightening overhead swing. "If it's King Mickey-"
" He is not a Keyblade Master," Auron replied calmly. "Not in my time, at least."
" Your time?" Sora was finding it harder to breathe, talk, and fight at the same time. "Where are you from?"
" Spira," Auron said as he swiftly stepped away from a rapid jab from Sora. "What I was witness to, what I went through, it's not so different from your journey. But Ansem is not Sin, nor will the two ever be compared. What you will go through is more than Yuna would ever go through. Even more than Tidus."
" Tidus?!" Sora yelled.
" He is a mere dream from your home," Auron said. There was sadness in his voice. "A dream, but perhaps one of the greatest dreams in the lives of people on Spira."
This was something Sora wished he could mull over. But he had no time; he was Dodge Rolling again within seconds and jumped up fast enough to meet Auron's charge.
King Mickey not a Keyblade Master? Sora managed to still think. That's not possible! He has the Golden Keyblade; what does Auron mean-
Sora yelled as he jumped back, the pain on his right shoulder magnified at least ten times. Blood was starting to leak from his shoulder and the specters surrounding them looked on hungrily, for they had a hunger for blood.
The Keyblade clattered to the floor, his right arm rendered useless. Sora grimaced; if Auron was a boss last year on one of the worlds, Sora would've died and that would be the end of the universe. Hades had chosen well; though it seemed Hades couldn't order Auron about, Auron was still following Hades' one order: kill the Keyblade Master and Hercules. Perhaps, if not both, then one or the other.
Auron strode slowly towards him. The look on his face was one of sadness and regret. "The Fatesâthey saw it coming. Choice is choice but orders are orders."
Sora looked up, his left hand gripping his shoulder. "Don't do this Auron."
" I have no choice," Auron answered simply as he pulled back his sword.
The choice is yoursâSora looked up at the dream who knew Tidus, who knew Yuna back at Twilight Town. His life did not flash before his eyes but he knew that Auron now held his fate in his hands.
What would Auron's choice be?