Chapter Thirty Eight: Descent

Bit by bit, byte by byte, Ventus felt himself get put back together from the bottom up. He couldn't tell if it was too fast or too slow, but either way the process of returning from the computer world was disorienting. But finally, the neon light faded, and he found himself back in the control room that Yuffie had found. He shook his head and turned to everyone else, "Is everyone okay after—?"

And then he saw the black cloaks of the Organization standing behind everyone, and realized they were far from okay. The process to bring them back to the real world had left them sitting ducks for anyone to grab them.

Ventus tried to jump into action, but two arms from behind grabbed him and threw him to the ground. An iron grip pinning his hands together so he couldn't summon his keyblade. Ven could only watch as his friends were ambushed. A mountain of a man grabbed Leon as he materialized, wrenching the gunblade from his hand as he forced him to the ground as well. Yuffie reached for her kunai, only for multiple Larxenes to grab her and hold her up against the wall.

And as Naminé reached for her sword, a pink haired man placed his hand on her head as he held a scythe to her throat. As Ventus watched her freeze with widened eyes, he began to have the sickening suspicion that this man was another of Naminé's former tormentors. The man simply smiled as he watched his allies work with brutal efficiency, and glanced at the figure no doubt behind Ventus. "Nicely done Erxart."

The name caused Ventus to desperately try and look up to see if it was truly his friend. The strength holding him down now certainly matched, as Ventus desperately tried to wheeze out a plea to the one behind him, "Erx…Terra, please stop!"

But if he heard his words he gave no heed, as he heard Terra's voice from behind address the pink haired man. "Save the compliments Marluxia, we need to be quick." Ventus could only feel his heart sink as Vanitas' earliest taunt only seemed to ring more true. One of his first friends, wiped away while someone else had jumped in their body. Ventus could only feel a sinking sense of defeat set in as Terra continued to slip away.

Leon was a bit more defiant, as he tried to get some kind of grip against the huge man holding him down to turn the tables. Yet his captor seemed unperturbed as he called a colossal tomahawk to his hand and asked, "Should we dispatch them?"

"No need for undue violence Lexaeus," Marluxia shook his head with a smile as he glanced over to the three Larxenes holding a thrashing Yuffie and nodded, "All we need is information."

Though one of the duplicates let go of Yuffie, the other two were quick to re-adjust their grip to stop her from escaping. The clone walked towards the computer, pulling a disk from her cloak before inserting it into the disc drive. As she began to type away at the keyboard the word 'ANOTHER' appeared on-screen and then vanished. For the moment, Larxene was pleased only to groan a few seconds later as six more prompts flashed onto the monitor. "Ugh. Looks like our fearless leader is properly paranoid. It needs six more passwords, and if they're anything like the other Organization confidential files, I only know five of them."

Lexaeus narrowed his eyes before asking aloud, "Would those five passwords happen to be Ienzo, Aeleus, Even, Dilan, and Braig?" With a hum of confirmation from Larxene, he nodded even as Leon tried to escape. "Then the last one belongs to the man shown in the picture…"

"Xehanort."

Once again, Ventus felt the bottom of his gut fall out at Lexaeus' answer. But now it just seemed to keep going. Why?! Why Xehanort?! He was gone! He had to be! But then why?! Why would Ansem say he was Xehanort!? Why did he look like Terra?!

"How on earth do you spell Xehanort?"

Uncaring of Ventus' mental turmoil, Lexaeus answered Larxene's question with a sigh before muttering, "It starts with an X." Yet even through that, Ventus thought he heard something else. A gasp from Erxart as he heard Xehanort's name, shortly followed by his grip tightening. For a brief moment, Ventus could hold onto a scrap of hope. There was something in Erxart that was still Terra. But what?

Naminé furrowed her brow and began to ask, "But isn't—!"

Yet as soon as she began her sentence, Marluxia's scythe came dangerously close to her throat. "Do you have a question, Naminé?" He asked with a smile as he leaned down next to her head. Pinned down as he was, Ventus couldn't help but try to thrash a bit harder to break free, futile as it was. Marluxia shrugged nonchalantly before giving her a pat on the head. "I suppose I can allow you one."

Shuddering, Naminé tried to compose herself lest her throat nick the scythe blade and asked, "I…Isn't that picture A…Ansem's?"

Lexaeus shrugged at the hesitant question, "I suppose I can explain, for a time, we needed to keep our activities secret from the real Ansem, so Xehanort decided to use a pseudonym to hide some of our research in existing papers."

"So what," Yuffie struggled as she tried to wiggle out of the clones' hold and asked, "he just stuck with the name when he turned into a Heartless and Nobody?"

Leon narrowed his eyes as he stopped fighting against Lexaeus' iron grip. "Either that or he wanted to hide from other keyblade wielders."

Of course, most people wouldn't even know about keyblades and their place in the universe. Even so, Ventus didn't like the implication. That the person in the picture had an agenda and a name worth hiding from anyone with the power of a keyblade.

"Don't know, don't care," the Larxene at the keyboard waved her hand before she hit the enter key with a slight flourish, and watched the prompts disappear. But her grin faltered as she saw the window that opened with only one command. "Stair control!?" She slammed her fists on the keyboard as her duplicates around Yuffie scowled and tightened their grip. "We went to all this trouble for a set of stairs?!"

However, as he heard Larxene's findings, Lexaeus' eyes widened and he spoke up. "Not just any stairs. Given our location, they should be the ones leading to our most guarded research cells at the bottom of this room."

Marluxia narrowed his eyes and asked with a strained voice, "And potentially some information on what Xemnas as Xehanort was researching years ago?"

"It is our best option for now." Lexaeus took a deep breath, and soon a dark portal appeared in the room. "If you open the hatch, this portal should take us down."

"Now, there is the matter of being followed." Marluxia smirked before removing his hand from Naminé's head and placing it on her shoulder. "Fortunately, hostages work particularly well in this case, and I can think of none better than keyblade wielders."

This got Leon to try once again at breaking free from Lexaeus as he growled out, "You think we'd just let you walk away with them?!"

"If you want your defense against the heartless to live, then yes." Marluxia answered with a smirk as he moved Naminé towards the portal.

As they passed by Larxene, she took the sword from Naminé's side and pointed it towards Leon as she sneered, "Or are you so willing to throw away your friends?"

Either way, they all could tell the answer by how Leon screwed his eyes shut while Yuffie hung her head and clenched her teeth. Helpless as they watched two friends just get snatched away as leverage. As Ventus was pulled to his feet, he felt Erxart hit his pauldon. And in a flash, he was covered head to toe in his keyblade armor. "It will protect him against the darkness."

Larxene rolled her eyes before snapping her fingers. In a flash, her two clones exploded in electricity, dropping Yuffie to the floor. In that same moment, Lexaeus flung Leon to the wall, causing the built in circuitry to spark and short out. As he was quickly ushered into darkness, Ventus could hear Yuffie try and shout, "Ven! Naminé! Hold on, we'll—!"

And then there was nothing but the shadow and Erxart's hand guiding him deeper into the shadow.

Yet even now, Ventus felt a dread set in that this was only going to get worse.

From the moment he set foot on this world, Erxart felt a sense of dread creep in. Each step deeper into the fort building it up, each small mystery fueling his unease. Stepping into the corridor of darkness only made it worse, the black cloak almost seemed feeble against the darkness clawing away at him. Even so, he had to hold on. To try and keep his terror at bay long enough to get some answers.

Of course, another reason was to ensure he didn't give away anything to the traitors. As he exited the portal with Ventus, Marluxia looked down the spiral staircase before asking, "This is as far as we can go?"

Nodding, Lexaeus began to walk down the staircase as he explained. "Xemnas warded this area in particular against magical entry and exit."

"Again, properly paranoid." Larxene groaned as she began to follow.

Marluxia and Erxart were close behind, hostages in tow as they descended. Granted, Marluxia had a far easier time keeping Naminé under control. His mere presence seemed to be enough to keep her compliant while Ventus continued to struggle in his grip. Of course, the methods Marluxia had pursued to ensure such compliance were anything but admirable. And the sooner Erxart could drop this charade to bring him down the better.

Thus, the descent into the depths of Hollow Bastion was made even more intolerable. The massive spiral ramp only illuminated by faint red light was already ominous. Keeping up the charade of treachery was excruciating. And yet both of those feelings were overshadowed by how his memory seemed to burn as he saw this place. As if trying to piece together a puzzle with a chunk of pieces missing. Pieces he desperately hoped were at the bottom.

Beyond the sound of footsteps and Ventus' weakening sounds of struggle, it was otherwise quiet. Nobody seemed ready to speak, lest it ruin this chance for answers. Yet soon enough, they saw the end of their path. A balcony to a set of double doors.

"It could only be here."

The door opened to now silent cells.

"Let us now surpass the flesh."

Something in Erxart's chest hurt.

With a beep the doors slid open, and Larxene looked over the black and white hallway. "So which of these doors has prizes?"

"Let us leave the past behind, to seize the future."

He walked onward with purpose towards the end.

"To lay the foundation for Thirteen and Seven. Dark and Light."

"Hey Erxart, you there?"

Larxene's words briefly shook Erxart from his rumination. Just long enough for the realization to sink in as he murmured, "I know this place."

"Erxart. Mind the hostage."

Marluxia's words refocused Erxart's attention, preventing him from dropping Ventus to the ground in his shock. "Sorry, it's just that," he muttered as he made his way down the hall. "I remember this! I was here!" He had seen the chained cells, heard the cries of those imprisoned. But most of all were the doors at the end, the ache in his mind and heart screaming that the answers lie deeper inside.

Laxene peered through each of the bars along the way with a deeping scowl. "Nothing but empty cells." Soon, all that was left were a set of double doors, a nobody insignia engraved on each of them with a chain leading to the bottom. As the six of them approached, the doors slid open in a second.

And in the second he saw that room, his heart was ensnared in pain.

A gray round room, chains running from the throne in the center to nobody symbols along the walls. Yet those details meant nothing to what lay on the other side of the room.

"Is that a keyblade?"

He paid no heed to Naminé's murmured question, even if the assumption was correct. In the corner was beaten, charred, black and blue armor. Sitting next to a keyblade that had long since lost its shine. The connection to its original wielder was cut, either through force or separation. Even if he lacked certainty, he knew who it belonged to, and so did Ventus. "Aqua," the boy muttered as he hung his head. The only other word he could muster was a quiet little, "No."

"Lexaeus, please hold onto him." Erxart hurriedly asked as his eyes were on the armor. Ventus offered little resistance as he was handed off, though Erxart wasn't too much better. Slowly he made his way to the scattered collection of plates and a helmet. With a shaking hand, he touched the aged steel, carefully trying to re-organize it.

But as he moved the cuirass, he froze.

"This was…"

It was five leaves of steel and orange cracked glass. Though a string had still connected it, they were loose. The center pin had come out, a small piece of metal that had Eraqus' symbol.

"This was mine."

Carefully gathering the pieces, Erxart held the charm in his hands. The memory of it breaking scarred his mind, a final moment of pain before splitting agony. But there was one problem. Wincing, Erxart cried out as he held the pieces to his chest, "I know this was mine! I know this was important! So why can't I remember what it is!?"

Larxene scoffed and crossed her arms. "Well, what do you remember?"

"Anything about the room, or the owner of the armor?" Marluxia tightened his grip on Naminé as he waited for an answer.

An answer that Erxart was desperately trying to piece together himself as he closed his eyes. "I remember coming here, but someone else was talking. Saying something about laying the foundation for thirteen and seven. Dark and light." He held out the leftover pieces of the cham to the group. "He came here, took this out and," Erxart shuddered as the memory burned his mind once again, "broke it. Then stabbed himself with a keyblade after saying something about making two from one."

Silence hung over the chamber at Erxart's recollection. But Ventus eventually broke the silence, "Was it a black keyblade with a blue eye?"

Starting at the spot on description, Erxart quickly approached Ventus in Lexaeus' arms, "Do you know this keyblade? Who has it?!"

"Master Xehanort."

Larxene pinched her nose at Ventus' answer. "Master Xehanort? Why on earth would two people have the same ridiculous name?"

Though there was one important caveat to all this that Erxart knew all too well. "If they have the same keyblade and the same name, I'm not sure they're different people." Keyblade inheritance was not unheard of, but over time each wielder changed their blade. Their own experiences marking their legacy. For Xehanort's blade to not only go unchanged, but for its new wielder to carry on the name?

"Well look at this! The gang's all here!"

And with a cheerful voice coming from the end of the hall, those concerns came to a halt. The group looked out the door to see a certain red-headed organization member coming their way. Still holding on, Marluxia began to smile as he called out, "Axel. It has been some time. I'm impressed you found your way here."

Axel chuckled as he moved closer. "Well, I did grow up on this world." Erxart simply tensed, waiting for the right moment to turn the tables. Even if he wasn't sure that Xemnas was worth assisting, Axel certainly was.

"That, and he had help."

A calm voice echoed through the hallway as two other members of the Organization walked through the door behind Axel. Neither one seemed to be nobodies Marluxia wanted to see as he tensely greeted, "Saïx. Xigbar. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"You can dispense with the pleasantries." Saïx flatly answered as he summoned a claymore to his hand. "We are ending your rebellion."

Punctuating the point, a pack of sniper nobodies materialized at the end of the hall near Xigbar, aiming their lasers at the four of them. Larxene was the first to move, splitting into electric clones to evade and close the distance.

Xigbar only seemed to smirk as he slammed his foot to the floor. And immediately, Erxart could feel and see the hallway begin to bend and twist. Xigbar's power of space was put to excellent use as Larxene and her copies struggled to keep up with the twisting architecture. Walls became floors, floors became ceilings, and even her nimble footing had a hard time keeping up.

As the clones stumbled to approach the target, Xigbar cackled as he took aim with his guns. "Boy, I don't get tiny corridors like this to play around with often, but it's a blast when I do!" He soon began to shoot down the approaching Larxenes.

With a scowl, Larxene began to split again and again in flashes of lightning. Desperately trying to overcome the barrage through all the bodies she could muster. As some of the copies arrived at the opposite end of the hall, they dived towards the snipers in a burst of electricity to thin their numbers. However, one copy seemed preoccupied with a clash against Axel, who had summoned his chakrams. She pouted as she pushed against the flaming wheel with electric knives, "So this was your angle, Axel? I thought we had something."

Axel simply chuckled as flames began to gather around him. "Yeah, no. We both know that's not true." With a spin of his wrist, he knocked Larxene back to a waiting Saïx about to bring his claymore down on her head. Only a quick dodge kept her in one piece.

Marluxia grimaced as he began to call out, "Everyone focus, we need to—!"

And that was the moment Erxart decided it was time to act, a chance to keep them from regrouping. Slipping behind Marluxia, Erxart grabbed his arms, pulling the scythe away from Naminé. The commands died in his throat as his hostage was slowly freed. "Erxart? Are you—?!

"Putting an end to your coup? Yes!" Erxart shouted as Naminé slipped out of Marluxia's grasp.

Spinning around to face Lexaeus she called cards to her hands and grabbed a handful. She threw them forward with her eyes on Ventus and gave one simple command.

"Save him!"

A flurry of figments burst forth from the cards, barraging Lexaeus with strike upon strike. Even he would have trouble enduring such an onslaught for long, or at least maintaining his hold on Ventus. Sure enough, after one last blow from the figments, Ventus finally was able to get a hand free. In a flash he called on his keyblade and drove it into his captor's side.

With a cry, Lexaeus finally released the boy from his grasp. Capitalizing on the chance, Erxart flung Marluxia into him as Ventus scrambled away to join Naminé. As the two began to run, Marluxia growled as he picked himself up from the ground, "It seems Larxene's faith in you was misplaced." In an instant, a gale of petals began to gather and grow. And as the wind blew over Erxart, he could feel the petals cut at him like razors.

Erxart called Chaos Ripper to his side, trying to mitigate the mounting damage. But as he tried to block, Marluxia vanished in a blur. Frantically, Erxart glanced around to find him only to hear his whisper right…behind…

"As the flower withers and dies, you shall face your Do—."

"Hey, Marluxia! Miss me?" And with Axel's voice, the spell was broken as Erxart felt a burning chakram pass behind him to collide against Marluxia's scythe. Gasping for breath, Erxart refocused his attention on the rising Lexaeus. Wounded from Naminé and Vetnus' sneak attack, but still dangerous. With a swing his keyblade collided with the summoned tomahawk as their powers collided.

Glancing back Erxart saw Marluxia's scythe ring against the burning Chakrams as he seethed, "Axel! I will deal with you later!"

"I'm not sure you're going to get the chance."

At Axel's confident answer, Erxart and Lexaeus couldn't help but look at each other in confusion. Their contest of strength slowly stopped as they both took stock of the situation. Axel was busy with Marluxia of course. Ventus and Naminé were trying to run to the exit, dodging shots from Xigbar. Saïx was handling Larxene, batting away her electric duplicates just as soon as she made them.

And a figure in a black cloak was standing in the doorway.

"Enough."

With one word, streaks of nothing raced through the room to ensnare the weakened traitors. Pale thorns that were commanded by only one member of the Organization. Xemnas began to walk forward, his voice echoing as he approached, "You thought you could out-maneuver me, Marluxia? Scheme behind my back to seize control?" Saïx and Xigbar gave a slight nod as he approached, dismissing their weapons. Larxene growled as she tried to break out of the ethereal bounds, while Ventus and Naminé had no choice but to back away wide eyed. "I have had lifetimes to prepare many paths for my victory. Physical bait, digital commands," Xemnas looked to Axel who crossed his arms with a smirk, "And accomplices." Backing the children to the end of the hallway where Erxart and Axel stood with Lexaeus and Marluxia, Xemnas slowly began to smile. "Though I confess this timing is fortuitous for them to snare so many at once."

"Xemnas! I can explain! We—."

Whatever plea Marluxia had was cut off as Xemnas ignited an ethereal blade and pointed it at the traitor's throat. "You have nothing more to bargain with. All that is left is for you to face the consequences of failure." Glancing at the children, he pointed the burning light towards them, "As for you two, we must speak in private."

With that command Xemnas ushered the two into the rear chamber at bladepoint, the doors closing behind him.

Erxart released a breath of relief, the battle over and done with and dismissed his weapon. Axel clapped and began to laugh, "Man, Erxart. You had me worried hanging out with Marluxia's gang. But you pulled through where it counts." He turned to Xigbar and Saïx, the latter carrying Larxene on his shoulder. Axel began to stretch and asked, "So once our boss wraps up his business with the keyblade wielders, we'll get the ol' RTC back home?"

Xigbar hoisted his gun on his shoulder as he walked past Axel and Erxart. "Well uh, one last detail we forgot to mention."

Erxart raised his eyebrow, before he felt a heavy blow to his back. As he fell to his knees from the strike he could feel Saïx slam him to the ground saying, "Erxart is not leaving here alive."

As his vision began to swim, Erxart's mind ran with a million questions. Was it because of the appearance of treachery? Was this their plan the whole time? Did this have to do with Xehanort? He struggled to try and get something out there with the weight on his back.

He shouldn't have bothered.

Axel did it for him with a very loud, "Wait, WHAT?!"

Ventus heard a slam and a shout but it didn't matter.

Naminé held tightly to his hand, but it didn't matter.

Not when the man before him looked down at him, smiling all the while. "It has been far too long,"

Because even if he called himself Xemnas, Ventus knew exactly who he was.

"My apprentice."