Chapter 4 - Rivals in Arms
Xion went from one darkness into the next as she and Saix entered Halloween Town. There was little activity, which was not surprising considering nighttime was giving way to an overcast dawn. Saix stopped near the summit of Curly Hill and faced Xion.
"According to recent reconnaissance, a swarm of Wight Knights and Chimera has been plaguing this area at dawn," he explained, not meeting her eyes. "Our informant had planned to extinguish this threat themself, but Xemnas thought it best to send in a keyblade wielder and use this opportunity to harvest hearts."
Xion didn't understand why Saix chose such vague terms to explain the situation. She knew everyone in the Organization, so why refer to any of them simply as an "informant"? Further, she knew who the unnamed Nobody was. Axel had told her about his mission last night while they were waiting for Roxas to arrive with their ice cream. He had a feeling Xemnas would send one of them in his stead and joked about needing to become a keyblade wielder himself.
Saix doesn't trust me, Xion decided. She fisted her gloved hands and released a pent-up breath. I can't fail to summon my keyblade today.
She extended her arm and closed her eyes to concentrate. Her elbow threatened to buckle from all the nervous energy that was coursing through her. Determination overcame doubt, and with the slightest faith that her keyblade would appear Xion summoned it. She opened her eyes in time to see light shimmering in her palm as the keyblade materialized. A confident smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Half the battle was won.
Saix stood aside, watching her with arms crossed, unimpressed by the amount of time it took Xion to summon her keyblade. "When you are ready…"
Xion refused to allow his cold demeanor to phase her this time. "I'm ready," she nodded.
Saix began down the hill, leaving the a battle area. "Then steel yourself. I will be around to heal you if absolutely necessary, but the rest is up to you."
'Absolutely necessary?' It doesn't sound like he's going to be generous...
Xion barely had time to react as a rush of Heartless suddenly came at her from over the crest of the hill. Approximately twenty Wight Nights and twenty Chimera moved in unison to form a pillar, as though the appendage of an invisible puppetmaster.
Xion was surprised that her body dashed out of harm's way; she was frozen in her thoughts. I've never seen so many Heartless together! Is this really a swarm, or is it a new kind of Heartless? Axel had remarked that this foe was "crazy," but he hadn't explained how.
Xion tightened her grip on the hilt of her weapon and pushed her free palm against the flat edge of her keyblade, ready to counter as she tried to read the pillar's spastic movements. It seemed to be studying her in return, swaying high in both directions before rushing towards her again.
She darted sideways to avoid being swept away, still holding her keyblade up defensively. It made contact with two Chimeras at the front, knocking them both out of the swarm.
This is my chance! Xion swung at one of the downed Chimera, hitting it at various weak points. She attacked with such vigor and insinstance that it did not have the chance to break free before she utterly destroyed it. A heart exited its disappearing body and floated up to the sky.
Yes! Now for the other one! Xion went for the remaining Chimera's head. It retaliated a few times but she managed to block its attacks and then weaken its health considerably. Right when she was about to finish it off, she felt the wind whip around her. She turned to her head left just in time to meet a wall of Heartless eyes before she felt her breath forcibly leave her body.
The world spun around her as the sensation of flying disoriented her. It was soon replaced by a crippling pain that shot up her spine as she met the ground. She yelped. Her pulse pounded in her ears, like a siren wailing over her failing health. She lay there dazed, afraid to move lest she cause pain to travel further across her body, but she knew she had to get up. She felt the wind again.
She attempted to prop herself onto her elbows, but they buckled beneath her as her nerves fired off in protest. She let out an agonizing yell. The wind howled as the swarm grew closer. She clenched the dirt beneath her fists to brace for impact. Only one thought ran through her mind: Survive.
Suddenly, a claymore planted itself between Xion and the swarm. With no time to change trajectory, the swarm barreled into the blade and was cleaved in two, splitting off around her on both sides. None of the Heartless appeared to be injured, but now they were two smaller pillars.
She finally heard a voice over the pounding noise in her head. "Take this potion!" A small jar was thrust into her hand. She managed to pop off the cork and down the contents.
"Thanks, Saix," Xion said, her strength and clarity returning to her. Her pulse calmed, and she regarded the man standing defensively in front of her.
"On your feet," Saix ordered without looking back. "And never let your guard down again."
Xion complied to the first order and stood next to him, keyblade ready. "I'm sorry."
"There is no room for failure," he said tersely. Then his tone softened slightly, replaced chiefly with a sense of urgency, "This enemy is relentless. I've never seen anything like them - individual Heartless acting with a unified mind. Not only that, but they have more than doubled in number since the last report. I would have sent both you and Roxas on this mission had I known the current magnitude of this enemy."
Xion was surprised by Saix's transparency. He almost sounded apologetic - maybe even willing to give her ability the benefit of the doubt, despite the fact that she had only succeeded to down one Chimera before almost getting herself killed.
"I'll do whatever you need me to," Xion offered, determined not to fail him this time.
Saix thought for a moment, regarding the wiggling pillars of Heartless on either side of them, the surviving Chimera from earlier rejoining with the group on the left. Then he decided, "You take the swarm to the right, I will take the one to the left; however, I will only weaken them. You must make the finishing blows; you need to release their hearts."
Xion nodded. "Understood." I can do this.
"One more thing-" Saix added as the pillars began to move toward them, "-if at all possible, try to keep them as one unified beast." He noticed Xion's surprised look and clarified, "Yes, they are stronger this way. However, they are impossible to lose track of. If they do split apart again, individual Heartless will only distract you from the larger, more dangerous enemy at hand."
"I'll give it my all," Xion promised.
Saix gave her a sideways glance which Xion took as disbelief, but then he nodded. "Very well. To arms!" With that, he rushed forward to meet the left-hand swarm.
Xion followed suit, giving out a determined battle cry as she raced to confront her enemy head-on.