Act 1
Chapter 6- Haunted
Gideon sat alone in his room alone, thinking of a past he barely could remember.
Most of what he thought was true was told to him by his master. He stared out the nearby window from his bed, remembering the day he had learned it all…..
"Master?" Gideon said, walking up the man whom he called his mentor. "Gideon, how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Lucian. Master is way too formal, for me anyway." Lucian replied. "Sorry, I was just wondering, why do I exist?"
"Well, that's a strange question my young friend, why do you ask?" Lucian wondered. "I don't know. It just feels like the others don't see me as much. I mean, I don't even know my own past that much. All I can remember is being raised in the temple."
"Well, first of all, you shouldn't worry how others see you Gideon. Unless they are either psychic or have spent a lot of time with you, they are probably making judgments that are completely unfounded. Also, I can understand why you feel uncertain about your past. Believe it or not, you remind me a lot of myself at your age."
"Really?" Gideon asked as Lucian raised him to a seat next to him. "Yes." His master replied. "You see, when you were just a baby, your parents gave you up because they knew you would have a better life as a keyblade master. It was exactly the same for me. Maybe that's why I decided to take you as my apprentice. Trust me Gideon. You do have a great power inside of you. Others may not be able to see it, but trust me, it's there."
Gideon was still staring out the window, but a smile was now coming over his face. He may not have known his real father, but Master Lucian was as good as anything.
He continued to stare out the window as a powerful tremor shook the temple.
Around the same time that Gideon began staring out the window, deep in his thoughts; Xehanort was walking around the town, undecided of what to do next.
He couldn't believe what he had heard. It may have happened a few weeks ago, but the scene and Donovan's words were still bored fresh in his mind. The man who treats me so cruelly is my own father. He is the one who abandoned me? What kind of father abandons his own son?
His thoughts were cut short when heard a noise from nearby. Like the faint sound of a twig snapping. He thought he was hearing things, but he still had one hand on his chainless keyblade.
Suddenly, he saw it, a blur, and then it appeared before him. A hooded figure in a black cloak.
No! Xehanort thought to himself. Not now, not again! Next thing he knew, a blade was flying towards his torso. He dodged, it barely. He could barely move, his fear rooting him to the ground. Another swing at him knocked him to the ground.
The blade swung for him again. In a panicked state, he raised his keyblade to guard his body. It hit, sending a shockwave through his body. Another strike from the foe sent his keyblade flying from his hand.
Thinking quickly, Xehanort got on his feet and dashed for his keyblade. He heard a whoosh from behind him, and the blade struck him to the ground again. His mysterious opponent would not give up until he was dead. He dodged the blade two more times by rolling around on the ground. His opponent lunged for him again, but Xehanort tried to kick him back with all his might.
His foe stunned from the kick, he got up again and made it to his keyblade. He turned around, just as his opponent struck again, carving a slash through Xehanort's chest. Xehanort fell to the ground, bleeding and panting, his vision getting blurry.
He was having trouble breathing. God no. Not now, please. I don't want to die. So many faces began flashing past.
Know you are powerful.
Fight if you want to live!
Without power you are weak.
The world can be cruel.
You are not meant to live unless you are strong.
Don't be afraid Xehanort.
Don't be afraid...
It's over. The light can't save me now.
A strange power suddenly spread through Xehanort's body, sending a tremor through the ground. What is this power? It isn't light. It's...different. His body began lifted itself up off the ground, emitting this strange aura. The enormous gash in his chest closed, completely healing itself. His reddish brown eyes began to give off an orange glow. This...is power.
Thus, the power of darkness began to flow through Xehanort's entire being. The figure began charging again. No, no more, Xehanort thought. He merely raised his hands and searing dark blast shot from them. The figure was thrown onto the ground, his hood cast off.
"You?!" Xehanort screamed. The man who had been attempting to kill him……was his own father. Donovan stood up. "You have to understand Xehanort, this had to be done."
"WHY?!" the boy cried to the heavens, his feet returning to the ground. His eyes filled with tears.
"You don't understand." His father began. "What I said about only the strong surviving is much more true than you think. Something is about to happen. I wanted to you to be strong to continue living." "Why father?! What's about to happen?!" Xehanort continued in tears.
"Come my son, I will show you. You have embraced the light's true power, and you will be one of the worthy to receive such power." Donovan put his hand on the boy's back and lead him away.
But Donovan was mistaken. Xehanort did harness a powerful force that day, but it was not the power of light. Xehanort thought, This can't be light...it feels too strong to be light.