Chapter 8: Sorrow

"Any idea as to how they managed to find her even with all our protections in place?" questioned a man as he walked up to his counterpart.

"The heart is a special thing that we vaguely know. However, even if we control the life cycle doesn't mean we know the ins and outs of it." said the other as he looked down at the scene below him.

"Can we speed up the timetable?" questioned the guest as the man broke his observation and looked to his counterpart.

"I already did," said the man before averting his eyes back to the scene.

"How…" was all that he managed to get out before he felt the choking presence of his counterpart smother him.

"That is for me to know and for you to find out, so leave!" and with that, his counterpart was banished from his realm. Taking a deep breath, Death looks onto his charge, sleeping from what occurred moment prior.

"Hopefully you are ready Xion," as his eyes furrowed in worry. "The avatars are coming, and by that time it may be already too late.

Waking up in an unknown place sucked as I looked around the area. The place that I found myself in is a plaza, with a huge tower that I found to the left of me. The sun was already started to dip down below the horizon making the town bathe in the beautiful twilight.

"Why do I have the feeling that I know this place?" I thought to myself as I looked up to the top of the tower. A sense of nostalgia hit me as I looked up the tower only to be surprised as to what I saw.

There, sitting on top was a familiar mop of red hair as well as a hooded boy. Quickly getting up to my feet, I ran there seeing as somehow and someway, Alex would be there to tell me all I needed to know.

Running up to the tower was easy as if I had done this multiple times in the past. Rocketing past all the steps, I quickly ascended to find that they were still there. A sigh of relief escaped me making Alex and the mysterious bot turn to me.

"Hey, Xion you're kind of late today aren't you?" Said, Alex, as he looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry," was my only reply as I sat down with them. I gaze at the twilight from this height when something dawned on me.

"Hey, Alex... what's this place?" I questioned him only to see him looking bewildered at me.

"Xion, what are you talking about? It's Axel, got it memorized?" He said with his classic pose.

For some apparent reason, that name stuck to me. It wasn't the fact that Alex changed his name to Axel, no it was as if that name matched the face. It was as if, whatever knowledge that I have of reality is changing.

We sat there for a bit until the mysterious hooded figure gave me a blue bar of ice cream. Accepting it with a thank you, I looked at it before taking a bite from it.

"It's salty and sweet…" I said unconsciously before the figure to the middle of me and Axel laughed.

Looking at him, his blue eyes were filled with humor as he looked at me. I don't know why, but it suddenly clicked as to the person. He bright blue eyes shining with mischief, and a blue that makes even most sapphires dim in comparison. All of this coalesces into one name as I looked at the person in shock.

"Roxas?" I questioned hesitantly.

The person proceeded to remove his hood, confirming my revelation with his blonde spiky hair and blue eyes. He smiled at me, but it wasn't a joyful smile that I sometimes saw when I was with him at school. Instead, it was one that he attempts to hide, his sad smile.

"So you are remembering?" He said completely throwing me out of the loop.

"Remembering what?" I questioned as a sinking feeling grew in me as Axel turned to us, with a sad smile as well.

"All will be remembered when you go to the beach Xion. If you can please don't forget us like when we forgot about you." Said Axel sadly, which seemed off to his relaxed state he's always in.

"Wait, what are you guys talking about?" I said as I noted that they seemed to be flickering as if they were candles. In horror, I realize what's going on. I was waking up.

"Wait!" I said but Roxas did something unexpected. He hugged me.

As I basked in his warmth, I realize that I was steadily growing colder and colder. I looked down at my feet and I see that they are being encased in ice. Looking back at the two of them, the look of terror was etched into my face as I see the ice creeping up my body.

"Roxas, I'm scared," I admitted as he looked into my blue eyes. He smiled sadly and I felt the ice reaching my stomach.

"Xion, it's all right. We all have our time to go and sadly for us, we don't have enough time." He said the ice reached my chest.

"But, I don't want to go, I want to stay here with you and Axel." I didn't know why I said this but it felt right too. For some reason, I felt safer and more relaxed than I ever been before this memory. I knew that I want to be here with Axel and Roxas eating sea salt ice cream and watching the sunset from the clocktower.

A small tear drifted from Roxas's face as he looked at me, probably for the last time in a long time. I wanted to wipe it off, to show that I still will be here in the end. But I couldn't, my arms have already been encased by the ice that's consuming me.

"Wake up, Xion." He whispered as the ice started to reach my face.

I bolted awake looking around to find myself in the nurse's office at the school.

"What were Axel and Roxas talking about? What am I remembering?" I thought as I desperately tried to piece together all the clues that they may have left behind.

"Ahh, you're awake. Come here dear, I need to see if the nasty fall did anything to you." the nurse said as I smiled and I calmly walked over to her.

Taking a few moments for the daily check-up, we were finally done with everything regarding my health. After she logged in the files, I asked her what current period is it.

"We were going to call your parents and arrange for you to get checked up at the hospital. However, you are fortunate enough to wake. It's up to your parents to see if need professional medical help." she said as I looked down. "Also to answer your question, the day has already ended."

I sighed as I packed up my school stuff supplies, ready to head on home. However, I didn't notice it until I got home that I was crying silently the whole way back.