BANG!
He spun around as if on some darkened formulated queue. His pinkish brown hair floating loftily around him. He was tending to his garden…again. Due to some little bastards idea of a joke. He huffed, wiping sweat from his brow as he turned back to the rose bed that lay at his feet. He dusted his coat off, dirt and soil wafted through his nostrils. He loved this smell, flowers. It always calmed him for some reason, he never really understood why.
The garden was to say in the least magnificent. No one if the living world would believe that such a creature, such a being as a nobody could create, sculpt and comprise this garden of so many colors and combination at once. And yet he…he had done it, so well that in fact he almost never left. His garden, the one and only tangible thing in this despicable world he had left. He wondered…what he was like before this. Did he still love flowers? No matter where he was his memories consumed him, wrapping him in their dreamy misty embrace. He didn't know why, but…he wanted to know know more about himself then about these…these flower. And yet he never would. Maybe his flowers were like his memories, gentle perhaps? Or rotten and cold. Nothing could really be for certain, but he felt a throbbing deepening sadness come over him every time he thought about it. So eventually…he stopped thinking, never once letting his mind wander. And soon, soon he became enamored with these flowers of his, consuming most of his time and dedication. He didn't care what they said, they all said it from the moment he was brought to this nonexistent hellhole, that he was different. His flowers had become a part of him, a shield to block out the pain of the unknown…
Solitary…that's all he ever was in this organization. No one really ever took him seriously, Marluxia, no one understood the beauty of his massive garden, that at one point was just a small tiny minuscule flower, handed to him by none other then the superior himself.
"Here…Marluxia. I believe our information states that you're abilities with nature is, well, unique." The orange-eyed man whispered, his hands folded neatly up his chin. His piercing gaze never left Marluxia, and it made him physically shiver.
"Wh-Why are you…"
"I believe this castle to be rather drab, besides…a few different colors might change the attitude of some of the younger members. Not that they can feel anyway." The man said dourly, waving him off, a lone rose lightly gripped in his hand.
He blinked.
"What the hell…why did I?" Something wasn't right, his eyes widened a little, as a snap of a twig, rustle of bushes, flurry of wind made him spin around.
"Alright Axel! Roxas! Demyx! Stop fooling around god damn it! You've messed up my garden once today, don't expect me to go easy on you, you little BASTARDS!" He yelled summoning his scythe, but his hand lay bare. He gasped, looking at his open palm.
Why is my…hand…shaking?
"NO!!! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HIM FROM ME!"
He gasped, falling on one knee, clutching his chest as he did so. "Ugh! T-This pain…it hurts…" he bit his lip, gripping onto the ledge of the garden stairs, pulling himself up weakly.
"My, my, what a magnificent garden you have here, Marluxia. Did you do this all by yourself?" he spun around, feeling wind brush against the back of his next. He growled eyes darting to and fro to try and find the source of the icy, tuneless, bodiless voice.
"Who the hell is it?" he barked, panting still from the pain in his chest…no it was a pain in his heart. He winced getting up and running a hand through his glossy hair.
"I-It was just my imagination, perhaps…" he murmured eyeing either side of himself, a feeling of unease creeping about him.
The lone waterfall that stood at the far back left of his garden echoed monotonously in his ears; nothing seemed different except the overly oppressive darkness, which he now felt, winding down around him.
"Shit…" he narrowed his eyes spinning around to go up the stairs. He had to tell superior about this immediately. An intruder was definitely not something needed especially after that meeting before, was this the same person who had killed Demyx?
"Why bother in telling him, hm? Not like he'll listen to a lonely number XI. You've been around your flowers for too long, Marluxia, you should try talking to others." He was paused, his breathing quickened he couldn't…couldn't believe it. That was, that was no imitation of his superior's voice. It sounded exactly like him!
"WHO ARE YOU?!" He spun around fist clenched and whizzing through the air. A cloaked figure caught it, back stepping a little. He was adorned with the standard coat, leather and metallic chains and all. The man's own hand was an inch from his face due to Marluxia's punch, but it never hit its mark. Marluxia gasped, trying to break the man's grip on him. The man shrugged, his pearly white teeth showing in a malicious grin. He let the boy go. He'd toy with him a bit before ending his pathetic life.
"My such hostility! And here I thought I'd meet the kinder side of you, dear Marluxia!" the man phased out, and he felt a hand placed upon his shoulder, icy breath like that of a corpse brushed along his neck. Marluxia slashed downward with his hand, jumping backwards a few feet. His shower of rose petals came forth without even thinking dousing the man in them, but the figure just slashed downward with his hand knocking the petals to the floor, where they lay lifeless and still. The rest of his petals floated about him, dousing the area with a beautiful scent. His eyes narrowed again and before long he felt the familiar metallic, smooth surface of his scythe.
"I didn't know we got any new cocky bastard members today. So, are you the new recruit Xemnas was murmuring about?" Even though Marluxia couldn't see them, he knew that the man's hidden eyes and eyebrow rose in mild humor and if not with some intrigue.
"Answer me! Who are you?!" his eyes had been going over the man, his coat, his gloves, they were all coated in blood. He saw a small pool of it beneath the man's feet, and then he realized that that bang…
"I. I AM THE GRIM REAPER!" The man dashed forward, disappearing without a sound. Marluxia who went to counter fumbled back into a defensive position.
SHIT! This guy's fast! His eyes darted back and forth, trying to find the whereabouts of his attacker.
"TOO SLOW DEAR MARLUXIA!"
"Wha-?!" he looked up eyes wide as a cloaked figure fell from the sky, two small swords in his hands. Marluxia jumped backwards one sword colliding with scythe making his whole arm shake as he fell onto one knee and skidded across the floor, as the man's impact with the ground sent a shower of debris and dirt and dust over the room adjacent to the garden. He held up his scythe to deflect the debris, knowing fully well this was no normal fight he was about to get himself into.
"If you're not from the organization…THEN WHY DO YOU HAVE A COAT!" he yelled, eyes burning with fury at the man, who stood up from the smoke and dust, both swords gleaming malevolently. He turned face half exposed, half covered. He heard the boy gasp. They all gasped, it amused him, so very very much.
"N-No way…you! WHAT ARE YOU!"
"I AM THE SWORD OF RETRIBUTION! NOW! Number XI feel the pain of your past as it washes you away; consumes you till you are finally freed from this meaningless, arrogant existence! DIE!" The man dashed forward sword behind him gripped tightly in, if bare handed, would be white knuckles. Marluxia stood he spun his scythe in a circle before holding it out behind him, his torso turned, legs planted firmly on the ground, as he readied to strike down his enemy, his eyes narrowed and then…
"Sooo why are we going to Marluxia's garden?" Roxas asked annoyed. Axel had barged into his room while he was sleeping, if you could even call it sleep…more like awake just not fully there. Nobodies rarely needed sleep, but for some reason he, and possibly all the other members, felt strangely tired, for the castle had an unusual air of empty desolateness to it. Axel turned to his blonde companion, winking his black triangle tattooed eye.
"Because…we're bored, remember? Not like Marluxia is good for anything but annoying anyway." Roxas sighed and he looked at the empty rooms.
"Say, Axel. You ever wonder why there are so many rooms?" Roxas looked over to the red head, who shrugged hands behind his head, as they both continued to walk down the seeming less endless hallway.
"Maybe the superior is hiding something?" Axel spun around abruptly causing Roxas to collide with him.
"What the hell is up with you, Roxas? Since when did you ever care about the superior?!" Roxas shrugged, not really knowing how to answer that.
"I don't…know. Something's been bothering me. Where is everyone, Axel? And where's Demyx?"
"He wasn't in his room now that you mention it…"
"Wasn't there a meeting before?" Axel shrugged.
"Who cares? I hate the old man's meetings, blah blah blah, hearts this hearts that." Axel mumbled he eyed his friend with concern, as his usually vibrant blue of eyes, were merely a shadowing clouded azure.
"ACK!" He felt the knife being in shoved up between his rib cage and straight through to his lungs. He gasped falling somewhat on top of his attacker he heard the clang of his scythe as it fell from his limp hands to the cold white floor. Blood droplets hit the tiles starting the beginning of a crimson rain shower. The man whose shirt was cut in various places stepped away pushing Marluxia so that he fell backwards. He hit the floor with a thud. He panted, blood dripping from his mouth, his hair no longer glossy and lively. He looked up at the man, him...he looked so…much. He gasped at the man stomped on his chest, causing more blood to splash to the tiled floor; he panted sweat now on his brow.
Am I…really going to die like this?
He looked up at the man, eyes narrowing, yet he couldn't move. His chest ached; every breath caused him to want to cough as more and more blood filled his lungs by the minute, it got to a point where he coughed anyway. It was so silent…besides his labored breathing.
"Isn't this…nostalgic, Marluxia?" he pressed harder onto the boy's chest, causing another ripple of coughing fits to echo and rebound through the otherwise silent garden. The man smirked, looking down at the nobody beneath his booted foot. Marluxia had to get it. His scythe lay not even five feet away, if his could only…reach it.
Come on…STUPID! M-Move damn it…move…
His breathing sounded like it was getting worse, as more pressure was applied, he coughed feeling the warm sensation as blood spurted from his mouth, hitting to the floor due to his head being turned to the side. His pink scythe, he brushed it with black-gloved fingertips.
"Oh?"
"AH!" the man slammed his right foot onto Marluxia's arm, causing his hand to shake and a spasm to ripple through his body. He looked up blue eyes dulling as he panted more, trying to breath but was unsuccessful.
"W-why…why are you…" he coughed, wincing with the pain that shot through his body.
"Shut up, disgusting nobody. Isn't this ironic? The Graceful Assassin reduced to such…measures." The man spoke icily, the heel of his boot digging into Marluxia's chest, causing another fit of coughing. He panted looking up, his vision blurring as he tried to summon his scythe.
"Why…why are you doing this? You're one of us…aren't you?" The man bent down grabbing Marluxia by the collar.
"Eck!"
"LIKE YOU! You dare compare me with you…your stupid organization!" he tossed the pink haired nobody to the floor, causing various cracks to be heard. He didn't know if it was his bones, or the ground underneath him, he couldn't tell anything anymore. His mind was flooded with pain, a pain that felt so familiar.
"NO! Leave him alone!!" a…woman? Who is she?
"You said you wanted to see your memories, didn't you?" he brushed away Marluxa's dampened bangs, sweat on the boys brow. His breathing wasn't getting any better, and he looked longingly at his scythe, so close and yet so far from his grasp. He looked up at the man, he mouth agape, gasping for what little air his fluid filled lungs could hold. The man smiled his wicked smile, his shoulders shaking as he began to laugh.
"Haha…hahaha then I will SHOW YOU!" Marluxia's eyes widened a bright flash of light erupting his vision.
"Why are you crying?" Rain. It was always raining. He sniffed, the cold making his nose run. He huddled closer as the presence of a person and a shadow formed above him. He turned his long pink hair to about the middle of his back it glistened in the rain. Like a flower petal after a light rain shower.
"You'll catch a cold if you stay out here…" He turned away, whimpering.
"L-LEAVE ME ALONE! Who put you up to it, huh? Are you going to make fun of like the rest of them!"
"Silly! You and I are alike!" his eyes widened as he looked up at the blonde haired girl, who smiled sheepishly, holding out her hand. Her two yellow bangs hung damply over her face, plastered to her cheeks on either side.
He turned, a light wind brushing up against him as flower petals from his magnificent garden fluttered about the two of them. She stood there, in that same white dress, with the pink frills, and he in normal everyday attire, jeans, shoes, and a tee shirt.
"You came…you felt it too?" he looked up towards the sky, eyes burning as the sun doused them with its rays.
"DEMON! I…I will not have you as a child!" He cried out in pain as his mother's hand wrapped around his hair, gripping a tuft of it firmly yanking him backwards.
"M-Mother…please, please stop it!" He cried out, huddling into the corner. Something was wrong…this wasn't, this wasn't like her.
"Oh? Your mother. Sorry she's not here right now…" the thing before him finally showed it's true form, his mothers skin melted dripping to the floor in a pool, seeping through the floor boards. And now standing before him was a yellowed, toothy, clawed figure. He gasped, panting as he backed up against the wall, fear paralyzing him.
COME ON!!! MOVE! MOVE DAMN IT!
Tears stung his eyes as the creature lashed out.
"AH!!" He went skidding across the floor, a deep bloody gash going across his chest. He panted, coughing up blood as he covered his mouth. He got up and ran, ran as fast as he could. Desperation, fear, hopelessness, everything was falling apart. What were they?! Where did they come from?! He ran past the burning town, passing her house along the way. His eyes widened as he saw a pale hand lying limply in the doorway, a toy ring on one finger.
"Here! I-I made this for you…I know it's not much but…" he held out the tiny silver ring a fake blue sapphire in its center. She took it lightly in one hand, examining it as she did so. She spun around concealing her face from him. He blinked, gulping, hoping that she liked it.
"I…I LOVE IT!" She cried wrapping her arms around him in a friendly embrace. They were the best of friends…in this town where nobody accepted them…children born of mistake, and they were all each other had.
He panted coughing more and more, and each time more and more spilled. He fell onto both knees, gasping for air, his chest in excruciating pain. He hadn't realized it, but he was in his garden at the top of the hill overlooking the now burning town. Screeches and cries of people he neither knew nor cared for could be heard even from this distant. He sighed, hitting against the trunk of a broken tree, its bark singed and scorched from fire. Its leaves had turned to dust and soot. He sighed, his chest not really hurting anymore, just a dull pain. His breathing was haggard and he stared dully at the ground, which blurred and refocused constantly. He heard rustling, and looked up. Their pairs of solid yellow glowing eyes met his own bright blue ones, dulled now by the lack of blood and exhaustion.
"So…this is how-h-how it en-ends…" he coughed putting a hand across his mouth out of sheer politeness, a politeness he tried to use to fit in, to be like the others, but he wasn't he never would be and now…he would die alone, forgotten in the seams of time. He looked at them, these things with pupil-less eyes and pure black bodies. Their movements erratic, twitching as if waiting for his death.
"I'm…sorry, m-mother." He looked at his side, a lone scythe; he must've forgotten to put it away…he turned back to them, these demons. And with much effort and a loud sighed, he stood, leaning against the tree, puffing and gasping for air.
"I…" another breath "won't…LOSE!" He dashed forward as the black cloud of heartless jumped and slithered forward, he gripped the scythe tightly in his blood-encrusted hands, facing a fate, which would only end in doom.
Marluxia gasped as his vision reverted back to normal, he was shaking, more then before, and he was…no. Were these tears?
"Now you see?" the man stood straight then he cocked his head to one side, so that the metallic charms on the coat hung lazily in midair. He smiled, grinning at the figure below his foot. Marluxia's breathing got even worse still, to a point where he coughed now ever time he tried.
W-Was that real? It felt so real…I never felt anything like it before. Why? Why could he give us this? Why after all this time serving under him was he just now able to see his memories, memories he best left forgotten. It wasn't, wasn't right. That this man…had this power. He couldn't die like this, HE COULDN'T!
"Oh, looks like your lungs are almost filled with blood! Here I'll help you with that!" His blue eyes widened as the man raised his booted foot.
"Now you understand…I'm freeing you from this pathetic life you've taken up…Marluxia." His foot came down, and Marluxia screamed out in pain, the walls, the floor, they all turned red, like his roses.
"Augh! S-Stop…st-stop it…" he gasped, hearing the crack which was indeed now his ribs.
"So sorry, Marluxia, darling. I can't very well do that…if you had only turned out differently, I could have…spared you. But no, you ended up following him…it disgusts me." His mouth contorted into a smile once more, and Marluxia felt relieved pressure as the man lifted his foot off his chest, his eyes widened as he realized that this guy…whatever the hell he was was going to crush him, until he could no longer breathe.
"ACK!" More blood…how much was he losing? He felt the booted foot snap bone and tear his insides. He looked over to his scythe, and with a desperate shaking hand he reached out, his hand shaking profusely. Another snap, more blood…his vision blurred and then refocused always on that glinting pink edge of his blade.
WHY! WHY WON'T YOU REACH! DAMN IT DAMN IT! Please…anyone… His eyes watered at his failed attempts to reach his only source of survival, he felt them, tears, rolling down his blood stained cheeks, as he strained to reach it. The cracks sent waves of pain through his whole body.
"I think that's about…what, five ribs? Hm?" he looked at the nobody's hand, snarling he kicked the scythe away, it clanged against the wall, another unending silence followed, with gasping in between.
"Axel…something…something isn't right." Roxas muttered, they stood outside the doors to the garden, Axel was holding two drinks, and Roxas another. The red haired nobody looked at his friend in consternation.
"C'mon Roxas! There's nothing…" they both heard it, cries of pain, anger, and frustration. They rushed into the lightly air conditioned room, the smell of honey suckle, and roses filled both of their noses.
"You smell that…"
"Copper…" Roxas breathed.
"Blood." Axel paused, Roxas in tow.
"Axel…we should go get someone…" Roxas responded the silence surrounding them was deafening, and yet someone in here was being…tortured, perhaps they were dead.
"Do you think its Marluxia?" Roxas asked, quickening his pace to catch up with the red head. The lights in the garden flickered, the electricity going on then off. Both of them paused. They heard it, labored breathing. Axel gripped the cans so that they indented.
"Roxas…lets go." The blonde nodded as they both rushed through the exotic flora of the garden.
The man's laughter reverberated as he looked down at a broken and defeated pinkish haired man, blood trailing down the sides of his open mouth, barely gasping now, his chest barely rising up in broken rhythm.
"Well this has been fun, hasn't it?" the man asked his fingertips brushing lightly against Marluxia's cooling cheek; he licked the blood off his finger, his unseen eyes flashing with malice. He finally took his bloodied foot off Marluxia's chest, stepping through the pool of blood surrounding the nobody. He picked a vibrant rose, sniffing it.
"You were planning it, weren't you? To go against him? Oh. How much potential you had, and yet you still laid bound by his rule…to think, we could've been partners…you never were accepted here, were you?" Marluxia couldn't speak, all his energy was used up just trying to keep himself barely awake, and breathing. He stared back at the man, eyes narrowing in distaste and burning hatred.
"Heh. You hate me now, is that it?" No response. Even though he lay dying, he felt…at peace, for some reason the silence that had once been overly powerful was now actually comforting. Surely it had been comforting even back then, although it never lasted long, due to Roxas or Axel being jerks and messing up his garden, usually lighting something on fire. He wished…why? Why did he wish that they would come? Was he that afraid of dying?
No…he didn't feel anything not anymore. What was the point, living this life? Was it really worth everything, the persecution? He was never accepted here…the looks he got when first brought to this damned castle. Hatred, distrust, and all for what? He didn't even know any of them. And then there was him. Xemnas. From the moment he'd met him he wanted nothing to do with organization, but to overthrow it, take matters into his own hands, finally be able to regain his memories like he was so cordial promised. He never remembered nothing ever spurred his mind, lied to that's what they were, they were all lied to, only so Xemnas could gain hearts for himself.
A loud crack erupted through the silence, as a bottle shattered against the white tiled floor of the patio leading down to the garden. The man turned away from Marluxia he had his sword poised right over his chest, Marluxia looked at the blade with dulled eyes, he couldn't do much now anyway he was in too much pain…those same blue eyes followed in the man's stead, widening at the two figures who were now before both he and his attacker.
"Ah-Axel R-Rox-as…r-run! GO!" He whispered his eyes pleading as he began to cough again unable to keep from it this time.
"M-Marluxia…what-what the hell did you do to him?!" Axel yelled his hand going out to his side as black tendrils began to wrap themselves around his arm, like thorns. The man smirked, dashing forward at a blinding speed.
"AUGH!" Axel felt ice-cold corpse like hands grab him by the collar and lift him off the ground, he saw his attackers eyes, not believing what he saw.
"What the hell is that?"
"Your…DEATH!" The man whispered as he tossed Axel down the stairs, as if he were a doll, into the garden below. He landed with a crash knocking pots and gardening tools over as he landed clumsily. Turning he lashed out with his left hand, knocking a disbelieving wide-eyed Roxas backwards. He crashed into the wall with a crack, and he slumped to the floor a lone keyblade in his hand unable to summon the other one due to the figures speed.
"Hmm. A keyblade? This is a rather interesting development." He turned to Marluxia who hadn't moved at all since Axel and Roxas appeared.
"You never told me about a keyblade wielder, Marluxia." He tried lifting his head, disgusted at the feel of his own blood sticking, hardening, into his hair.
"Tsk tsk." The figure waggled a finger in a mock gesture.
"Sh-Shut up…" he managed to gasp out, as he coughed again, blood flowing up from his lungs. The man laughed, sauntering back over to him, he kicked him in the side, and Marluxia gasped, unable to control his flinching and pained expression.
"Heh." He heard the clinking of chain links and spun around eyes narrowing beneath his hood. He growled a little. Seeing a flurry of black and blonde as the boy jumped off the balcony and into the garden.
"Now look at what you've done! Now I have to go find them…oh well, killing three birds with one stone is far more fun then I anticipated!" he laughed, turning an eye to Marluxia's crumpled figure.
"Don't go anywhere…I'll be back to kill you soon." He replied smirking as he sauntered casually down the steps into the garden.
"Who the hell is this guy…" Axel muttered rubbing his neck due to the chafing he took from his collar. He looked at a concerned Roxas, the boy's blue eyes staring at the floor. He was panting still, duel keyblades in his hands. They were both positioned behind a boulder one of the many decorations of Marluxia's lavish garden.
"A-Axel…we have to go help Marluxia. I know he's a jerk to us at times…all the time, and I know he's not the best of company to be around ever, and I know we don't have feelings, but he's our…he's one of us…we have to go help him! He's going to die otherwise!" Axel looked up at his friend, never once hearing this tone of voice in him. His green eyes stared into his blue ones, and he nodded slowly.
"There has to be a way to kill this guy…if only we could go alert the others…"
"There's no time for that, Marluxia's going to die if we don't get him some help." Roxas responded solemnly. Axel gripped his chakrams tightly in his hands, sweat forming inside his gloves.
"My how touching! Members trying to save beloved members!" both of them half jumped have fell away from the boulder. Axel growled his chakrams at the ready they spun in constant circuit at his side, and Roxas poised his keyblades in a defensive position.
"How long where you there?!" Axel yelled out, eyes burning with anger. The figure was perched atop the boulder like a bird; he cocked his head to one side a sadistic grin spreading across his face.
"Long enough. How long are you going to keep running?" he asked, Axel snarled and Roxas grabbed his shoulder.
"Don't let him get to you…"
"Oh I'll get to you eventually dear sweet Number XIII." The man responded.
"Why are you doing this?!" the man shrugged, both arms going up into the air.
"My, my, what a pity. I was going to kill you both alone and separately but…seeing as how badly things have gone, I guess I can kill you both together. You are best friends, no? Oh dying in death is ever so dramatic! I wish I could've shared the same..." the man hand placed one thin fingertip on his forehead in a dramatic pose, his head turned to the skylight of the garden.
"YOU GOD DAMN BACKSTABBING BASTARD!" Axel yelled out a pop erupted nearby as fire crackled to life, his green eyes were blaring with anger.
"You killed them then! You killed Demyx, didn't you?!" Roxas hissed back.
"Why are you trying help save your disgusting members? I thought nobodies didn't have feelings" he spat back an icy tone on the word feelings.
"Answer me!" Roxas yelled pointing with his Oblivion keyblade. The man chuckled his laughter filling the void and silent space between him Roxas and Axel.
"I don't very well feel like it. How bout this? We'll play a little game. And if you lose, you die, and if I lose I'll tell just exactly why I killed your precious members." The figure replied, eyes flashing beneath his hood. Axel narrowed his eyes. There was no way he and Roxas could take this guy on…but if he gave Roxas enough time…then he could possibly get Marluxia the hell out of here, if Marluxia was even alive anymore.
"Number XI should be alive, just barely. I did crush his lungs…rather a lot." The man said lifting up his bloodied booted foot, it left red stains on the gray boulder darkening it in one spot.
"Oh dear. Looks like I'll have to get a new pair of-" he side stepped the chakram as it almost grazed his pristine face. His smile was no longer present, and he stood tittering on the edge of the boulder. The chakram came whizzing back and Axel caught it with ease in his black-gloved hand, both of his hands dropped to his side, his chakrams went back to their constant spinning motion.
"Sorry…but we don't really give a damn." The figure sighed, placing a hand on his forehead, he shrugged again lifting his arms up in that same condescending gesture as before.
"Oh very well. If you wished to die so quickly…" he paused, head shooting up as he smiled sadistically at the two of them. Roxas stepped backwards gravel clinking underneath his feet.
"You needed only to ask…" he whispered. Two bright orbs formed in-between his palms, and from them two silver swords took form. His green eyes widened a bit, that movement…that gesture. It was, so much like. He flipped down from the rock landing gracefully as he did so, his hood never falling off. Both Axel and Roxas jumped to either side of their opponent, expressions of seriousness plastered onto their faces.
"Hah! Don't be so serious all the time…" the man stated cordial as he took one stride and in mid-step he phased out, a small pop following as he did so.
"Behind you!" a singsong voice exclaimed, Axel spun around green eyes wide with surprise. He saw a flash of silver and cried out in pain as the twin swords of his attacker slashed into the flesh of his back, leaving an "X" shape cut in his jacket.
"Augh! S-Shit!" he rolled away, panting a blood trail following him as he did so. Roxas stood in front of his injured friend, his keyblades glimmering in the light of the lone solitary heart shaped moon.
"Heh." The man smiled as he licked the blood off the blades, "this is going to be fun." He said rather enjoying himself it seemed. Roxas and Axel eyed one another, both of them feeling the same desperation and fear of what was about to come.