Chapter 43
"How far are we from the base?" said Sora.
The duo were clearly tired from holding the captain. Axel looked as tired, but he kept pushing forward.
"Close." Axel looked ahead in the forest. "Too bad we cannot use our stealth."
"Why is that again?"
"Well, for starters, you and I have to regain energy for our forms. Second..." Axel looked at the captain, who was breathing slowly. "We cannot run with this guy unless he regains consciousness. So, walking is much better for us."
"Okay. So, anyways...what were you about to tell me?"
Axel took a deep breath. Sora noticed that he was wincing from whatever happened to him. "I am about to tell you something that can explain the purpose of this book...along with the dark secrets of the people we are messing with."
Several years ago...
Axel was bored, and he was not afraid to show it. He was busy holding cards, playing a game of war against Luxord.
"So, when are we going to do something?" asked Axel. He set a card with the King on it, taking Luxord's Jack.
"It will take a while. I thought that you would be getting more assignments than the rest of us."
"Yeah, Saix is managing this organization so that everyone does everything. He just wants to expand the organization right now."
"Indeed, he does..."
The voice startled the two, who looked over to see Xemnas walking by.
"Axel, all we can do is expand. Until our opportunity comes, we can only set the preparations."
"So, we have to wait for the heartless to wreck havoc, and then-"
"That is not what I meant. My heartless is already on the move. It is up to all of us to use that as a cover to build Kingdom Hearts."
"Same thing!" Axel laid back on his chair, frustrated.
"Is there a task that we have to do, sir?" asked Luxord.
"As a matter of fact, yes. You and Axel are to go to the planet where one of the princesses of heart are, in the Beast's Castle."
"That place?" asked Axel, confused.
"There is a certain artifact that can help us gain the hearts we need. I am asking you two to find it at the castle."
"So, it is somewhere there, right?" Axel was skeptical of this information.
"Do not worry. I have confirmed that the weapon is there."
"Do we just take the artifact, Xemnas sir?" asked Luxord.
"Yes. I need this done immediately, so..." Xemnas looked over the cards on the table. "I am afraid that you will have to continue this game afterwards."
"Alright then." Axel opened the portal to the darkness. Luxord and Axel went through the dark void, reaching the castle in mere moments.
"So, we have to explore the castle?" asked Axel.
"We have to go to the basement." Luxord looked at the castle, scanning for possible threats. "We better hurry, and fast."
Luxord and Axel sneaked around, reaching the hall of the castle. Immediately, they heard several other things talking. The clock and the candle were arguing about something.
"That book has a green aura around it...it's scary." The clock was ticking in fear.
"I can say that Belle is disturbed by it. She says that a hand materialized around it and tried to grab her!"
"It's a good thing that we locked it in the basement."
The two moved along. Axel and Luxord looked at each other with confusion.
"A haunted book is suppose to help us?" asked Axel.
"Let's see what it is first before we come up with any assumptions." The two reached the main hallway to the basement, making sure that no one else is there. Then, they dashed to the basement door, entering inside of the dungeon.
"We could have just teleported through the darkness," muttered Luxord.
"You know, this is somewhat fun, doing missions without relying on the void." Axel was chuckling at the thought of having fun, which Luxord grinned at.
"You silly kid...anyways, let's go get the book."
Luxord opened the door to the deepest part of the dungeon, which glowed intensely. The book they were looking for was on a pedestal. The cover on it was the letter X, with the X being white on the black background.
"A book of death?" said Axel.
"The symbol we are seeing is not just that..." Luxord looked concerned. "That is the symbol for the keyblade."
"So, what does it do?" asked Axel.
"I do not know," said Luxord. "Anyways, let's teleport outside with this thing."
Axel and Luxord teleported outside via the void. There, several beings were waiting for them.
"Well, someone else is looking for this thing," said Axel. "Is that right?"
"You are correct, nobody." It registered to the two that the one who spoke already knew that they would be there. "We are looking for the same item as Xemnas is. Give it to us, or be erased forever."
"Please, give us a break," said Luxord. "Why not just find another book like the one we have?"
"I guess we have no choice but to take it from you." The one who spoke raised his hand, and two of the group members charged at Axel and Luxord. Luxord grabbed the book and threw it in the portal which leads back to the Organization hideout while Axel slashed at the beings, pushing them back to the leader.
"Sorry, pal. Did we hurt your feelings or something?"
"I would not be messing around with an artifact like that." The man smiled. He had black hair, blue eyes, and a sword of some kind. "It is too bad that you know so little of us."
He pulled out the book, to the surprise of Luxord and Axel. "We can use the darkness to our advantage as well. We are not the nobodies that you know of."
"Nobodies?!" gasped Luxord. "What is the meaning of this?"
"I guess I can give you a name. I am Xeno, a nobody in search of some objects of value. I am working for a leader who will promise something much greater than what you are aiming for."
"So this book has value to it?" asked Axel. "Why were you after it?"
"Do you want to see the power that this book gives to its users?" The man raised the book up in the sky. "Watch, as this tome shall give me...the powers of a keyblade beyond the keyblade master!"
"What?!" Axel and Luxord were bewildered.
"Awake and absorb, Kyūshū-tai!" The sword changed into a black and blue thin sword. Xeno raised his sword, fusing the book with the sword. He began to glow, transforming into something beyond a nobody. He gained armor, and his sword now looks like a mix between a keyblade and the sword he used to have. The rest of his group just backed up, seemingly happy that the transformation was complete. Axel and Luxord watched as the transformation was done.
"Finally...the keybook has given me something beyond my normal form." He turned to Axel and Luxord, who were still awe-struck at the power they felt from Xeno. "Are you ready for your demises?"