All eyes were watching intently the glass that separated them from the world. Greatly anticipating as the layers faded, slipping back, and liquid seeping from the bottom like a gentle stream. Leaping up, Paine anticipated the first person's fall from their scientific prison, catching Marluxia before he could hit the ground. As soon as he was freed, his wounds open, blood pouring from a gash across his shoulder and back and a stab wound on his thigh.
"Aisu, Yuffie!" Leon called, standing to catch the next. Luxord fell out with few wounds, but for a broken leg, and Yuffie pulled him gently from the glass to set him on the ground.
As Aisu pulled Vexen from his prison, she wondered aloud. "What did he want with them?"
"Revenge" Victoria muttered. "Vexen, better known as Even at the time, received everything Crive wanted, and… I am not sure, but somehow, there was a fall out between them. I know Crive wanted to take away all that Vexen held dear… just as Even had done to him before."
"He almost succeeded" Paine spat, holding Xigbar tightly yet gently. His arm was twisted, and a large gash fell over his forehead into his matted, blood soaked hair. Setting him down gently, Paine immediately began to help him, realizing he was most likely the worst injured.
"How do you fall into these situations, Xigbar?" She muttered, chuckling a little as she applied a salve, pulling the hair from his wound.
"Don't worry, Larxene, you're safe now!" Yuffie smiled; glad to see her friends would be all right. She set the woman next to Marluxia, and began to help Xaldin down. She was much too small; it took Paine, Leon, and Yuffie together to help him out.
Cloud ran in at about that time, having broken through the computer codes to free the nobodies. Immediately, he pulled Xemnas from his chamber, setting the last patient on the ground.
"That's everyone" Aisu whispered, summoning her keyblade. With a flick of her wrist, it was beneath her chin, and her melodic, healing lullaby began to resonate through the air once more. It was strained, weak – Aisu would not be able to hold it for long.
"We need to get them battle ready – we need all the help we can get" Leon turned to Cloud. "How many do you think can manage to fight?"
"Xigbar's down for the count" Cloud muttered, looking over Paine's shoulder as she worked diligently. "Most likely he has a concussion, not to mention a great loss of blood, maybe brain damage"
"You mean, more brain damage" Paine joked, lightening the mood if only a little bit.
"It looks like Larxene and Marluxia can fight" Yuffie cheered beside them as she bandage Larxene's wrists. There where lacerations on them, and burns on her lower legs, but she'd be all right.
"Xaldin might" Yuffie looked him over. "Just a bunch of cuts and bruises, but he's a big boy, he'll be fine"
"Xemnas too" Cloud walked over to him. "So that's four"
"Vexen won't be, healed or no" Leon muttered. Ariel gave a small whimper as she tried to reach to her husband. "As soon as he wakes, have him help Ariel. Aisu, you think you have a melody to awaken?"
Ceasing her song, Aisu nodded, playing something deeper, a little more charged. She directed it to Vexen, standing over him. She felt him stir, saw his eyes twitch slightly.
"Welcome to the world of the living" Paine muttered.
"Or is that the dying?" Cloud asked her. The two looked at each other, unsure of the answer.
"Vexen" Leon asked, placing his hand on the man's shoulder as he bent down. "Vexen wake up, Ariel's in labor"
"A – Ariel?"
Slowly sitting up, the man rubbed his head, trying to make sense of everything. "Where – what's happened?"
"Ariel" Aisu whispered. "She's in labor"
"Ariel!?" Leaping up, Vexen looked frantically around the room, his eyes falling on his beloved, the woman who sat in the corner, biting her lip, every vein in her body pulsating and black.
"No" He whispered.
"It's all right" Leon whispered. "Aisu went and got Tidu. He's in the lab, pulling out a blood sample now"
"Here he comes" Cloud called, looking down the hall. Holding a vial of his precious life blood, Tidu jogged towards them, flapping his wings to slow to a stop. Floating down to where Vexen stood, he handed the man the vial.
"I don't know what it'll do" Tidu whispered. "But if my blood helps, take it."
Vexen nodded, taking it as if it were delicate, perfect, he held it gently with both hands, rushing over to his wife. As he did, he removed from his jacket a shot, and kneeling beside her, he poured a bit of blood into it, and positioned the needle over the vein in her elbow.
"Oh, darling" She whispered to him, weak. "I knew you'd be okay"
"Shush, sweet heart, don't hurt yourself" Vexen pleaded with her, holding tight to her hand as he injected the blood. "This may hurt – but I'm here. Please, do it for us, and the baby."
"Of course" She whispered, looking deep into her husbands eyes. "He'll be a beautiful boy"
Vexen's eyes shot up. "A – A boy?" He whispered, filling the shot with another dose. His hands were shaky, so he paused. "How do you know?"
Chuckling, she weakly squeezed his hand. "I'm a mother, I know"
"A boy" Vexen muttered. He began the second dose. Ariel frowned, groaning as it entered her bloodstream, beginning to feel the unique blood fighting against the dark particles that were strangling her heart literally.
"Vexen!" His head shot up as Leon looked to him. "Cloud and I are taking those who can fight. Rikku's in the lab with Paine. Take care of the injured. When the others wake up, send them on!"
Nodding, Vexen watched Leon and Cloud race down the front stairs, followed by those who had awoken during Vexen and Ariel's conversation; Larxene, Marluxia, Xaldin, and Luxord, leaping out the doors and towards the battle field outside.
Holding tight to his beloved hands, Vexen sighed, preparing the final dose.
Suddenly, Ariel's hand shot out, snapping his hand back, and the vial fell to the floor, shattering, the blood splattered against the floor. Startled, Vexen looked up into his beloved's eyes; they had turned grey, gold in the pupils, angry and vicious.
"Ariel?" Vexen muttered, taking hold of her shoulders. The woman was screaming, her hands clawing at her protruding belly. "Ariel!"
"Vexen?" Aisu looked over in shock at the change in the woman, unsure of what to do. "What's going on?" She whispered.
Able to hear the shrieks even in the computer room Rikku spoke into the mike, calling over the distance. "What's happening down there?"
Vexen stared in shook as the black veins spread upwards towards Ariel's brain, and she became more of a monster.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"All right!"
"Hell ya!"
Cid and Tifa cheered together as they watched reinforcements race down the field.
"It may only be six, but that's six more ass kickers to our side!" Cid yelled, leaping into the fray with a spin of his lance. Tifa punched an oncoming heartless in the face, wiping blood from her brow.
Everyone was blood covered, sweat soaked, tired, and still on going. Donald cast an earth spell on the mountainside, burying a large group of heartless. As they rose from the earth, Goofy's shield chopped them in half.
"Where's Crive?" Leon asked as he leapt into the battle. Yuna pointed toward the cliff side. Looking up, Leon's eyes grew wide at the sight.
A hand was protruding from Orpheus' back as it sparked, broken and beaten; the warrior glared into the face of Crive, covered in blood blue as the night sky. Grimacing, Orpheus lifted his weak fist, punching Crive's nose, but even as he flew back, he caught himself, rushing back towards his opponent.
Leon leapt up into the fray, ready to defend the weak half – human. "No, he's mine!" Orpheus leapt over him, blood raining down, taking out his arm extension that looked like a shield and a sword morphed together. It plunged into the earth, sending out an electrical charge that shattered the ground.
"That will not be enough, little boy!" Crive leapt away, sending after Orpheus a stream of lightning spells. Leon leapt in the way, defending each one with a swing of his gunblade.
The battle raged on, on the outside.
The inside was dead silent.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
They had walked for what seemed like hours, covering miles across a terrain of metal and water. Not a drop fell from the sky, nor was there any on the ground, but the air was thick with it. Wiping his brow, Riku looked to the tiny king beside him, who knew more than neither he nor Kairi.
"What is this place…? Zanarkand?" Riku muttered, looking at the immense buildings.
"On Yuna's home world, Spira, there was a city called Zanarkand. It was destroyed in the Great War, a thousand years ago. It is now honored as a religious cite and a place of great death and spiritual power. I suppose the universe wished to honor it as well."
Taking the answer in, Riku looked down to the metal in which he could clearly see his reflection. Kairi listened intently as well, though her eyes were faraway.
"Other than the Door, what… do you think anything is here?"
Mickey shrugged. "Gosh, I just don't know" He sighed, looking about. "Anything could be here really we have to be on our toes"
Nodding, Riku looked out to the sky, determined. "Yeah"
The three shared a strong, grim look. "Let's go" Kairi whispered.
Running towards an unknown direction, heading towards a bright, blinding light, the three summoned their weapons, ready for anything.
Almost as soon as they began running, they found the path began to twist and change. Looking to each other, they nodded, and each took a different path; the king, the left, Riku the right, and Kairi took the center path that dove down into the lower areas of the city, and curved up into a castle like room.
Gasping for breath, Kairi heard a shout. Looking back, she saw heartless racing after her, gnawing on the darkness between their lips, their yellow eyes shining down on her pure heart.
"Heartless, this close to the door of Light" Kairi muttered, very scared. "That's not good"
Gasping and heaving, she raced forward towards the beautiful, intricate door, pulling it open as she heard snarling come up behind her. In a flash, she raced in, and slammed the door shut behind her.
Slowly backing away from the door, Kairi heaved eyes wide. Her blade was limp in her hands, but she sent it away, for the moment, and closed her eyes. Control, she told herself, letting her heart calm. The aura was much calmer, more beautiful. Turning, Kairi took in her surroundings.
It was a circular room, like a meeting chamber, with stairs all around, higher than the center floor. But they were not tall, and on each level were candles. On the floor around the circle were large statues, and smaller ones, all old, and wet. Little monkey like creatures leapt about squeaking; gazing down on Kairi with curiosity, she looked at them and walked towards the center.
Chanting was coming from somewhere far below, and at the front of the circle, it branched out into three paths; the left and right paths led to small chambers were beds were set and ready. The middle path led up a stairway, between two tall statues.
"What is this place?" Kairi whispered, walking over and sitting on the bottom step. She was not sure where to go.
Go to the Fayth.
What, Kairi thought, hearing a voice that did not exist.
Travel into the temple, into the Fayth.
"What is the Fayth?" She asked aloud, standing again as she examined the ceiling. Suddenly, Kairi jumped when a small boy appeared before her, barely to her chest level. A blue hood covered his eyes, and a strange symbol was on the front of his blue cloak. His skin was dark, and his voice mysterious.
The Fayth, he spoke, and everything around them seemed to blur, and fade, as if the boy was the only thing to concentrate on. The place the heroes go to die. The dreams all end there. Don't you have a dream? Go to the Fayth.
"Dreams…?" Kairi whispered.
Follow me to the Fayth. The boy looked around, as if to see if anyone else was there. The end begins. The stars will dance as they fall from the sky. Or will you catch them? He's gone. Will you do it on your own?
Kairi bit her lip, feeling her keyblade materialize in her hand.
The only way out is up. The Fayth will tell you everything. Don't you feel the ground shaking? The end begins.
Kairi looked up to the circular hole in the ceiling.
Dreams… the Fayth… the end begins… will you catch them? He's gone… The place the heroes go to die…
Gasping, Kairi looked at the boy again. "The place the heroes go to die?" The boy's blurred form nodded.
It only took her a moment to realize. "Sora!"
And I'd give up forever to touch you
Dashing around, Kairi glanced up the stairs, before nodding and dashing up them.
Hurry! The boy urged. He's waiting!
And I don't want the world to see me
'cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
Flinging the door open, Kairi slid to a halt inside the room, and the door shut tight behind her. Not even caring, the girl glanced about, trying to decide what to do. There was only one blue lit path, light by the strange figures glowing on the wall. She was drawn to touch them. When she did, one wall disappeared and another appeared at the end of the hall, changing her direction. Even so, more figures showed up, on a different part of the wall. It was confusing.
This way!
Suddenly, the boy faded into the hall, touching the figures that changed the hall again. Running down the path, he looked back to make sure Kairi was following. She was rushing after.
And you can't fight the tears that incoming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive.
They raced down spiral staircases, passed statues and treasure chests and monsters. Trying not to look at anything, Kairi concentrated on the boy who wasn't really there.
As they came closer to their destination, the hall became darker, the blue light brighter, and Kairi could see the boy perfectly, as if he gave off his own light.
And I don't want the world to see me
'cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
They came to it. It was just down the hall from them, just ahead, a bright blue double door that shown brightly in a small chamber with candles and statues once again.
Be careful, this place is treacherous.
The boy stopped running, and watched her run by, standing like a lost child as she sped away, his eyes hidden. And slowly, almost as if he never was, he faded away into the distant darkness.
Kairi turned to look at the bright beacon ahead, the door that was growing larger, coming closer. Her lungs burned her heart raced, but she pushed on, urging her aching feet to run.
Sora!
And I don't want the world to see me
'cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
Where there voices in this room? As Kairi slid to a stop, glancing around, she caught her breath, and listened to the whispers that sounded like they were drifting through the wind.
"Anyone here?" Whispering too, Kairi stumbled in; she was shy, and confused. Was Sora… really here?
The door was at the top of a small stair case. Looking it over, Kairi stepped up, placing a tentative foot on the first step.
And I don't want the world to see me
'cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
Were the whispers louder? Or closer? Was the light getting brighter, lighting up her skin, brushing against her cheek? A warm feeling was growing in her heart as Kairi was blinded, fading into a bright whiteness that seemed to swallow everything.
When she opened her eyes, Kairi looked out towards a horizon that was white endlessly. Was there anything out there, with her? Was she alone? Or was someone else out there, wandering the same thing?
And I don't want the world to see me
'cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
Stepping shyly out, scared and unsure, Kairi whispered. "Sora?"
Was anything out there?
"Is… is the door to Light here?" Kairi yelled, looking out.
Something was appearing through the fog. Glancing out, trying to see it, Kairi looked out to it.
There were four thrones. Four thrones, floating through the fog, two side by side, two more right behind them, and the first two were gold. The two sitting behind them were darker than midnight, encrusted in crystals just like the gold chairs.
In one of the golden thrones was a boy, dressed like a king, even with a small crystal crown on his head. Clothes of beautiful gold covered him, and he was regal, yet unconscious on the throne, his hand drooped over the armrest.
"Sora?" Kairi gasped, rushing up. Her hand touched the arm of the second chair, which was a bit smaller, yet still gold.
Suddenly, her clothes changed; she was wearing a regal gold gown, fit for a queen, with ruffles around the neck and pale white make up on her cheeks. Her red hair was beautiful, wavy, and a small crystal crown sat on her head.
Raising a gloved hand to her mouth in surprise, Kairi looked down at her unconscious Prince. "Sora?"
He did not awaken, and when she attempted to move him, he was stuck to the throne. Sighing, Kairi collapsed into the smaller chair, her eyes red, sobbing quietly. Her make up was still perfect.
"Oh, Sora" She whispered, clutching the arms tight. "What do I do?"
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
On the sidelines of the battles, Zexion watched them all fight, rubbing some blood off his gloved hands, his eyes searching. He found his target; and with a frown, he leapt across the battlefield, rushing towards his companion.
Orpheus was fighting Crive still, with Leon attempting to help. Zexion stood next to the brown haired man.
"Help the others" he whispered to Leon, and understanding, he left Orpheus in Zexion's hands.
As the man stumbled back, attempting to lift his gun even as his arm shook terribly, Zexion strode up and caught him as he fell.
"Leave us!" Zexion commanded. "Your fight is within your family! Vexen awaits you at Castle Oblivion!" Crive's eyes seemed to become saucers at the mention of his cousin.
"Even…?" He muttered, suddenly looking over to Victoria, who was in the middle of the fray. She felt his eyes on her.
"I'm not afraid" She whispered, knowing her fate. She turned to the man, her eyes shining regally, a thousand different shades of green.
"I know the way" She whispered. "I'll end it all."
And she died.