Chapter Seven - True Intentions
Bracing against another blow, Riku struggled with the simple concept of fighting one of his best friends. He closed his eyes, taking a deep ragged breath as he swung his keyblade in anger.
"I can't..." he whispered as Sora leapt up, slicing downwards in his direction.
"Comeon Riku!" Gasped Roxas as he haphazardly charged Sora, swinging upwards, clanging metal against metal. "Concentrate!"
"You have to fight, Riku!"
Riku's eyes fluttered open, watching as Sora fell downwards in what seemed like slow motion, his eyes empty and cold.
"I can't go on like this forever!" He yelled, grimmancing as he met the blow with his blade.
"Please, Riku, for me."
"Kairi?" He groaned, as Sora thrusted his Keyblade at Roxas, who fell backwards, his own blades knocked away.
"You have to stop them..."
"Am I hearing voices or something?" Riku muttered, glaring. Slowly Sora appoached the nobody, bringing the edge of his keyblade to Roxas's chest. He pulled the blade back, preparing to deal the final blow.
"STOP!"
Charging forward, Riku slammed his keyblade into the ground, using it to propel him across the distance spanning between him and Sora. Swinging with great precision, he knocked one of the blades away from Sora, and vaulted, snatching it from the air.
"Think I'd go easy on ya?" Smirked Riku, as he spun around, twirling the blades at Sora.
"Go for it, Riku!" yelled Roxas, as he stood, dusting himself off.
Sora remained emotionless as he leapt upwards, out of Riku's swing, and pulled his hand back throwing his other keyblade directly at Riku.
Shuffling violently to the side, Riku felt the edge of the blade slice into his side, digging a deep gash. Feeling the warmth of his own blood soaking through his shirt, Riku winced.
As Sora vaulted towards him, Riku watched as time began to freeze. Eyes going wide, he turned towards Roxas, but the nobody was frozen in a sprint towards the duo.
"What the hell?" He cursed, as he heard someone shuffle behind him a fair distance. Turning slowly, he demanded, "Whose there?"
"Nice one." said the cloaked stranger, the faint amber glow illuminating under its hood as it gracefully clapped its hands together. "They were wrong to use Sora for this one."
Clenching his teeth, Riku's eyes narrowed as he glared angrily towards the creature. "What are you babbling about? Who are you, some leftover wannabe of Organization XIII?"
"Not quite." The stranger walked over towards Sora, who remained frozen in time. "I shouldn't of let that puppet, Pathagor, use Sora. He just wasn't suited for the objective. Maybe," Turning its glowing eyes towards Riku, it chuckled. "That's why he is desperately trying to get his hands on you, Riku - the true Keyblade Master."
"Shut up." growled the silver haired teen, "Now, answer my question. Who are you?"
"Allright, I'll answer your little question, though you shall recieve a answer beyond your current misconceptions." Its eyes staring intently at Sora's frozen body, the creature nodded. "As a member of the 'Black Death,' it is my duty, no, my obligation to inform the masses."
"You're speaking jibberish again. What the hell is this 'Black Death,' everyone keeps mentioning to me?"
"How should I say this?" Pondered the stranger for a moment before shaking his hooded head. "You know that in order to create a advanced nobody the heart needs to be strong?"
Riku merely nodded.
"What happens if the heart is so strong that as its consumed by the darkness, that the shell and soul remain intact?"
"You're something greater than the nobodies who retain their humanistic forms?" Demanded Riku, his eyes revealing nothing. "Are you telling me you're some sort of-"
"Advanced Heartless? That is correct. Like the failure of Organization XIII and the nobodies, we advanced Heartless will consume all existance with an eternal blanket of darkness. We are at war with the remaining nobodies, but their numbers are small and they have no leaders to seek advice and tactics compared to the Heartless."
"You gotta be kidding me!" Snapped Riku. "Why the hell- is this, is this what the King was refering to?"
"You're working with us, now, Riku. Both you and Sora - though Sora looks more willing than you."
"That girl..." Riku muttered to himself. "She must of been a advanced Heartless or something." Turning he watched as the stranger began to walk away. "Hey wait!"
"Class is over, children." The stranger said calmly. "Recess is about to begin."
"W-what's your name?"
Chuckling, the stranger spoke, "Zoien. By the way, Riku?" Zoien turned for the alley way. "You know that message you recieved in the bottle wasn't from that miserable freak of a mouse."
"Hmmm?"
"It was from us."
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