Chapter Five
A Fragile World
He watched the red haired God walk back to the castle, back to the hell hole his life had become since Port Royal was taken by the Emperor. He looked the same, tall and lanky with vibrant crimson hair and green eyes you could fall into for eternity.
Roxas noticed how Axel shied away from any form of human contact, his eyes always wide and fearful as he walked through the Marketplace to buy supplies. Roxas wanted to go to him, to let him know that his best friend was still alive.
They were more than just best friends though. They had been together since childhood, shared their first kiss together and when Roxas was sixteen and Axel twenty they become one. Some people called their relationship unhealthy but Roxas wouldn't trade it for anything.
Then that bastard Demyx came and everything was ruined. He had been separated from Axel during a raid on the town but Leon had found him before Demyx could. He was the Keyblade Master after all and a wanted prize for the Emperor.
"I'll get you back Axel." Roxas muttered with conviction.
"You shouldn't watch him like that." A deep voice broke through his thoughts.
"He's wasting away in that place Leon." Roxas snarled through gritted teeth.
"It can't be helped. You're part of the Rebellion. If Axel goes missing and you're spotted near him then Demyx will come down on us." Leon pointed out stonily.
"It's been two years Leon. I want him back." Roxas snapped irritably.
"You'll get him Roxas, but for now we need to continue with the plan." The scarred brunet grabbed Roxas by the arm.
"Fine." Roxas replied angrily.
"You're the Keyblade Master. We need you Roxas." Leon said stiffly.
"But you want to kill Demyx yourself." Roxas finished for him.
"It's the only thing I live for now...since Cloud." Leon choked slightly. Roxas sighed sadly as he watched the sadness wash over the stoic man.
"It wasn't your fault Leon." Roxas sighed heavily. "Demyx will pay for Cloud's death."
"Yeah...come on, the others are waiting for us." Leon led the way back to Headquarters, his mind consumed with thoughts of vengeance and a beautiful smile that belonged to his blond lover.
Demyx slowly opened his as orange light spilled across his face. His headache was long gone by now and all he felt was a sense of fear and apprehension. His body felt heavy and he sat up slowly to get his bearings.
He was lying on a bed with blue and black silk and the window had been opened to allow a cool breeze to sweep across the room. The Melodious Nocturne soon remembered the events leading up to this moment and he swallowed thickly. He had been hoping that it had all been a really wacky dream. Was he the whipping boy of some higher power? Sighing he got off the comfy bed and stretched.
The heat was getting a little too much so Demyx quickly stripped off his cloak until he was standing in only his leather pants, boots and a skin tight aqua blue belly top. He had to get back to that god damn mirror and go home.
He really didn't care if Xemnas was going to punish him again, he would gladly welcome it if it meant leaving this bizarre place behind. But there was the problem of finding Zexion alive in this world. Demyx didn't want to leave the lilac haired man so soon after finding him again.
As he pondered on getting back to the mirror an idea came to him. Surely Zexion couldn't be happy being a slave to such a vicious and cruel ruler right? Demyx would ask the man to come back with him through the mirror.
It would be tough explaining everything to the Superior but he would cross that bridge once he came to it. Right now he needed to get out of this castle and retrieve the mirror from the treasure room. He made a move to approach the door but stopped when it opened and Zexion entered the chamber.
"Are you feeling any better sir?" he questioned when he shut the door.
"Not too good actually." Demyx moaned.
"Has the spell worn off yet my lord?" Zexion prayed o the Gods his master was back to normal.
"What spell?" Demyx questioned then his eyes went wide. "But I'm not under any spell! I told you I came through a mirror."
"This is worse than I thought." Zexion muttered but Demyx didn't hear him.
"Zexion...I have to go and get the mirror back." Demyx got to the point quickly. The visible lilac coloured eye stared at the blond.
"You cannot leave now master. The banquet will begin within the hour." Zexion replied.
"I can't stay here Zexion." Demyx wrung his hands together.
"Please," Zexion grasped Demyx's hands in his own. "You must come to the banquet tonight."
"I can't!" Demyx was near tears now.
"If you come tonight then I'll go with you to find your mirror." It was desperate but Zexion had no other choice right now.
"You promise?" Demyx pouted. Zexion blinked at the action, his master never pouted before. It made him look...cute.
"I promise master but for now change into your clothing and follow me." The dark haired man moved towards a large dressing cabinet.
"But now do i act?" Demyx panicked as Zexion placed clothes on the bed.
"Follow my instructions my lord." Zexion said soothingly.
"This is insane!" the blond gasped. "I can't do this."
"You can pull this off my lord...I shall make it all worth it later on." A sexy grin spread across Zexion's face and Demyx came so close to creaming his pants.
"Hey Zexion," Demyx called when the lilac haired man turned back to the cabinet. "Call me Demyx, please."
"As you wish Demyx." When Zexion flashed another saucy grin Demyx whimpered and used freezing cold water to cool down his growing problem.
The Throne Room was abuzz with activity and talking. Representatives from the Known Worlds were gathered around the tables waiting for their Emperor to emerge and begin the feast. The Royal Assassin stood calmly next to the black throne, his hands resting on his blade hilts.
Sora was the best assassin in Hollow Bastion, maybe in the worlds and he was fiercely loyal to his Emperor. Sora scowled at anyone who attempted to make conversation with him but then silence filled the chamber when Zexion made an appearance.
The favourite slave made his way to the black throne and whispered something in Sora's ear that caused the assassin to smile coldly. With a nod he waved Zexion off and the lilac haired slave made his way back to the private chambers.
Everyone in the Throne Room held their breath as they waited for their Emperor to make his entrance. Soon the door to the private chambers opened and Zexion emerged along with Demyx. The crowd held their breath when they saw their Lord.
People were wise not to comment on his bizarre new hairstyle but his clothing left little to anyone's imagination. He was wearing skin tight leather along with silver chains around his hips. He was wearing a fishnet shirt with an aqua coloured hater top.
In one hand he was holding a golden leash that was attached to the collar around Zexion's throat. Demyx's obvious discomfort didn't go unnoticed by the people present in the Throne Room but no one said anything about it.
"I am glad you are well my Lord." Sora spoke loud enough for everyone in the room to hear him.
"Thank you." Demyx muttered as he unconsciously tightened his grip on the leash.
"I believe my master wishes to see this new merchandise he was offered last month." Zexion spoke up quickly.
"Yes!" Demyx yelled then he quickly calmed down when everyone stared at him. "Yes I would like to see the merchandise."
"Very well my Lord." Sora bowed then approached one of the guards.
"How can you allow this to happen to yourself?" Demyx whispered to Zexion who was curled up around his feet like a dog.
"You love this my Lord." Zexion replied. "I never fail to please."
"But it's demeaning!" Demyx hissed. He wanted nothing more than to take the damn collar from Zexion throat but the lilac haired slave warned Demyx to keep it on and use the leash.
"The merchandise will be brought up immediately." Sora interrupted.
Demyx didn't say anything but he waved his hand indicating to the people gathered in the hall to continue eating. They looked confused and worried but said nothing and went back to their meals. Zexion had told Demyx that he would be expected to make a speech concerning the Empire but the blond didn't have the slightest idea how he should talk to this crowd. He wasn't a leader! He just wanted to go home.
"Here he is my Lord." A male voice yelled. Demyx had to stop his jaw from dropping when he recognized Hades, God of the Underworld.
"What have you got?" Demyx couldn't believe he managed to keep his voice even.
"I've only brought you the next best slave you could wish for!" Hades grinned as he waved his hands dramatically.
"That would be the gift you ordered for Sora wouldn't it master?" Zexion spoke up. "You wanted to get him something for his service."
"And I've brought the perfect thing!" Hades waved to a cloth covered box. "Allow me."
He grabbed the cloth and tore it off the box to reveal a steel cage and the person lying within it. Long silver hair covered the face but the figure was male. He was wearing a torn pair of silver pants but his torso was exposed. Sora felt on the verge of drooling at the sight of this silver haired Adonis.
He wanted to see the face. As if Hades had read his mind the black clad God kicked the cage savagely until the slave woke up. He could only sit up and when he raised his head Sora grinned. Stunningly beautiful...that was how Sora would describe this vision.
"What is his name?" Sora asked Hades who was looking quite pleased with himself.
"He calls himself Riku." Hades replied. "Quite a catch isn't he?"
"What do you think master?" Zexion purred as he looked up at a stunned Demyx.
"He's..." Demyx didn't know what to say so he stuck to what Zexion told him. "Sora can have him."
"Excellent choice my Lord!" Hades called his hands and the cage vanished.
"I'm going to enjoy this." Sora purred as he approached the silent slave. "You've got such pretty eyes."
"Take him to your chamber." Zexion interrupted. "I'm sure my Lord would agree."
"Yeah...do that Sora." Demyx said steadily.
Sora grinned as he grabbed Riku by the arm and pulled him away from the Throne Room. While Zexion told Demyx to pay Hades for the slave all Demyx could think about was getting the hell out of this hellish world. The banquet continued while Demyx got lost in his thoughts, all the while welcoming the warmth of Zexion's body against his own.
During this feast and Riku's purchasing the mirror in the treasure room was activated and a blond swordsman stumbled out and into the world that was a mirror of his own. Revenge filled his heart and anger spurred him onwards through the door and out into the street. The place was deserted but Cloud didn't care about being seen or not.
The street wasn't how Cloud remembered it and he felt something akin to fear claw at his heart. He saw a statue of a man holding up a severed head for display and he felt sickened at the sight. This place was Hollow Bastion, he could see the castle in the distance and he recognized the Marketplace but everything here held a dark aura about it. Cloud felt as if the place was choking him, snuffing out all the light he had.
It didn't matter anyway. Leon was dead, lying back at Merlin's House with, just a corpse now. Cloud fought back the tears that were coming out, he had a job to do first and that was to find out where Leon's killer had come from. As he walked towards the place where Merlin's House should be he stopped when a tall figure emerged from the darkness and Cloud Strife came face to face with Squall Leonhart.
Note-I suffered serious writer's block with this story but after finishing 'The Sorcerer Myde' I was struck with inspiration. Next up we have Leon and Cloud's confrontation, more on Roxas and Axel and Riku settling into life as a slave. Also see what Dark Demyx gets up to when he encounters someone else from the Organization.