Chapter 13:

Separation

A/N: Hope everyone liked that last chapter. This one will probably be a bit tough for you guys. There's going to be some really messed up things.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any characters used therein. The character Will does belong to me however.

Warnings: Blood, Gore, Violence, Sexual Situations, Sex, Offensive Language, Nudity, Torture, Objectionable Political Views, Rape and Dark Humor.

Pairings: Zack Fair x Aerith Gainsborough. Roxas x Axel. Will x Riku x Sora (it's complicated).

Summary: The small band of survivors head for Portland to try and find answers. That isn't the only thing waiting for them.

Special Thanks: Jade for your review of the last chapter.

The low rumble of the engines was of little comfort to Riku as he let his eyes rest. Tired beyond reason he could hear Sephiroth's manic cackles in the background of his thoughts. There was no escaping his tormentor. Even now just a few feet from him Sephiroth invaded their peaceful cocoon. He would find a way to kill Sephiroth even if it was his dying deed.

The sky let loose a horrid crash and emptied a blackened torrent upon the convoy. The open hatches were swiftly closed. The gunk was stickier than tar and hot like melted sugar. Luckily no one was touched directly by it though they watched the paint and metal etch and hiss with plumes of purple smoke bellowing forth. The smoke had a sickly sweet smell to it and at the same time the groups began feeling lethargic and strangely jovial.

"Sarge I see the green faire!" A soldier spoke of the radio.

"Shit, you mean the Major?" Barrett replied his laughter hearty.

"Hey fuck you, right in the ass!' Vincent replied a smirk bordering on a drunken daze plastered on his face.

"Shit Sarge, I take that as a confession." Biggs howled with laughter.

"Well, damn, better start the ceremony." Will teased.

"What ceremony?" Vincent snickered.

"The marriage ceremony."

"Oh, Jesus Christ."

"A'right. Do you two dickheads take one another to cherish and hold dearly in the darkest hour when all hope is lost and your bodies are broken and frail?"

"I don't think I'm ready for that commitment." Vincent spoke up.

"Yea, I at least need dinner first." Barrett supplied.

"No time for bullshit. By the power vested in me by me and this big ass sword I now pronounce you man and man. You may kiss the duck."

"The fuck is going on with you guys?" Tidus finally commented on the radio. A garbled collection of everyone trying to answer at the same time came like a tidal wave to the small blond. His eyes widened.

"You're so pretty Tidus." Riku's slurred voice cut through and said male shifted uneasily. The front of the convoy suddenly halted and the first Stryker ran overtop of the HUMVEE and rolled onto its side, the second Stryker smashed into the two disabled vehicles and Tidus slammed on his brakes and stopped as fast as possible and watched with horror as his friends climbed out of the wreckage, some of the soldiers were missing limbs or had them broken.

They looked skyward and danced, the black ooze coating them in a thick layer. They laughed hysterically, unable to stop, painful nearly sobbing sounds to be honest. Tidus coughed on his own vomit when one of the soldiers took a bite of one of the others. The others joined in. Will, Sora and Riku stood of to one side, dancing. Vincent and Barrett crawled in the muck and wallowed like hogs. With a piercing scream the enigmatic major clawed deeply into the flesh of his face mixing the blood with the ooze.

Tidus and Tifa watched with bated breath faces pale at the unfolding madness. They didn't dare step out into the storm. It was as if the heavens had collected all the madness on Earth and dumped it on them in particular. Then the gunk and muck formed into humanoid creatures and lumbered forward. Tidus shouted from the truck hoping to snap his companions from their stupor.

"Goddamn it guy-"He was cut off by an impact on the window to his left. The glass cracked and a thick black limb worked its way through the spaces and came mere inches from his face, Tidus could feel the fumes having an effect on him and his head felt heavy. Yet, the creature left and let them alone. Tifa held Tidus while he sobbed. Powerless and unsure he would see his best friend again. They huddled in silence all night, never sleeping.

When dawn came there was an eerie silence amid the mist. The gray sky hung forebodingly above Tidus and Tifa. Slowly the fatigued pair made their way out of the truck and into the open air. The thin wisps of mist wound its way past them. They decided it best to check up on the people riding in the back of the truck. They walked slowly and with their weapons raised. Flipping open the cover to the back they were met with the hushed sobs of fearful survivors.

"What the fuck is going on?" Squall asked softly his voice hollow. Roxas and Axel were huddled as far back against the truck as they could get, shaking and cold. Their breaths were visible in the air. They shivered intensely it was then that Tidus noticed the two soldiers next to his companions. They seemed to have clawed their faces off as there were only bits of flesh hanging from their exposed jaws. Tidus and Tifa ushered them out, leaving the soldiers to rot away.

"Let's find the others." Tidus breathed. Yuna clung to Tifa while Roxas and Axel wobbled on unsure feet. The land around them was gray though not from ash. It was as if the color and life had been drained. A bolt of lightning slammed down to the earth splitting a frail tree in two. The crash and ensuing fire didn't even faze anyone anymore. They had become accustomed to Hell, and even Lucifer would worry about what they would become for their humanity was abandoned along the broken roads and corpses.

Taking in the crash that was before them they saw no shortage of gore and remnants of violence. Barrett lay against the overturned HUMVEE his skin was paled and he griped his right arm tightly. Blood soaked through the jacket that was wrapped around it. In his gritted teeth Barrett tried to keep the belt tight enough to form a tourniquet. Aerith emerged from a Stryker with Zack. Both had vomit dried on their clothes. Still, despite being barely able to think straight Aerith set to work helping the soldier as best she could.

"Has anyone seen the others?" Zack asked his voice hollow and distant. A few mumbled answers and the shaking of heads was all that came. Zack sighed and ran his hands through his dirty, matted hair. Looking over his hands he gazed at the ooze that had brought all this about. Feeling tears drip down his face Zack dropped to his knees and let his body shake. It wasn't the first time that he had seen death and mutilation, but this time was different.

"Are you alright?" Tifa asked her voice rough and raspy. Zack looked up to her the hurt and fear plain in his blue eyes. He couldn't grasp the words then. They let him wail for a few minutes. There was nothing else to be done, no way to comfort, they were all on the verge of breaking, walking with a piano wire tightening around their necks. After a while Zack let out a shuddering sigh and pushed himself to his feet.

"They fucking…ate…each other." Zack pointed feebly to the remains of the soldiers. That's when Demyx came stumbling around the opposite side of the crash, toward the rising sun. He clutched his left hand. Tripping he curled up into himself as tight as he could. Quietly he mumbled prayers perhaps or curses, no one knows. An unconscious Rufus was hauled from a Stryker by Rude and Tseng who seemed to only have bruises and minor cuts.

"Where is everyone else?" Tseng gasped as he let Rufus down. A thunderclap sounded distantly. The slow rumbling was slightly comforting to the band. Looking around they finally made out a few figures about a hundred yards off the road. Gathering up the wounded and what little supplies they could the group directed itself toward the figures. A bitter taste hung in the air and Tidus felt his heart race.

"Can you take me higher to a place where blind men see?" Will's ragged voice sang out as the group neared. Shitless and coated in blood and ooze Will rounded on his companions Bak'frelm raised. Zack acted as a soldier would. The bullet passed through Will's right shoulder and the sword clattered on the rocky ground. However, Will froze in place and made no further move. After what seemed an hour as the sun glides Will brought his hand up to touch the wound. Blinking he peered at the fresh blood. A relieved smile crossed the blonde's face. Striding up he embraced Zack with his one good arm as a brother would.

"Thank you. I hardly knew where or who I was. I can't explain it. Where's Riku and Sora?" Will gasped and whipped around to search for his lovers. A cackle, manic and deep sounded and from what seemed like a mist Riku appeared and strode forward. Zack would have noticed that Will hadn't healed his wound were it not for the black wing that jutted from Riku's back. His pale skin held an unnatural tone and was splattered with a mixture of blood, ooze and a strange blue substance.

"Where have you gone my love?" Riku's voice was twisted and gnarled. Will stepped forward a smile on his face. He was so worried a moment ago and now he saw his love again, it was just a matter of finding Sora now. Were it not for the ooze; Will's intuition his instincts that had brought him this far would have surely alerted him to any danger. As it was though he couldn't have known anything was coming.

"Riku it'll be okay I'm-"Will was cut off by the sudden taste of blood in his mouth. It came out like a river. Gazing down he was shocked to see Ygglemir thrust into his chest, right were his heart was. Growing weak and eyes dimming Will pushed himself forward, not hearing the cries and gasps of his companions. The blade was now hilt deep and he gurgled his blood, breath labored and body failing Will leant forward to place a kiss on Riku's cheek.

"I love you." The choked words echoed in Riku's head. Everything felt surreal. He was not in control. He watched as Will fell to the ground lifeless and his hand ripped his sward from his deceased lover. Heart swelling with fear, rage and woe Riku screamed as loud as he could he felt the coolness of Ygglemir. Then he felt as if he was being ripped apart. And then there he was hovering just overhead, Sephiroth.

"I knew you would be too weak to resist the Gau'mk. Now I am free. I thank you." That was all the ancient warrior said before soaring off into the sky. Still, Will was dead. Riku felt his anger swell and he lashed out his power. Ice formed along the ground and tempests came forth from his despairing cries. With an insane look of determination Riku went to drive Ygglemir into his own heart. He would rescue his love.

"Stop!" Sora shouted blocking the blade with his forearm. Riku let the blade go and wrapped his arms around the brunette and wailed. Sora petted his hair letting the tears fall down his own cheeks. He couldn't feel his power at all and he didn't see the light of Will's spirit. Sora knew there was nothing he could do. He just hoped that something could be done. Riku crawled over to Will and folded his hands over his chest. He looked at peace.

"What the fuck just happened?!" Tidus shouted.

"Riku what the fuck?" Zack felt his body shake and his stomach gurgle. The bile rose up and came sputtering out of his mouth. Zack could feel his arms go numb. His head swirled. Aerith caressed his head. A solemn silence hung over the group. A bubbling laughter broke the silence like a dinner plate. Everyone snapped their attention to a small robbed figure. Walking with a staff carved to look like a great winding dragon that is popular in Asiatic mythology the figure face obscured by a veil stopped next to Will and looked down into Riku's eyes. They were purple and held serenity in them. Riku felt his heart uplifted though he cried in agony. Sora did his best to keep his cries quiet and buried his face in Riku's chest.

"I am Fu Xi. I couldn't disperse this storm in time I'm afraid. I'm deeply sorry." Riku turned to look at the figure, incredulously. This was one of the Guardians and he had apologized for failing. Riku considered the irony for a fleeting moment. He didn't know what to do anymore. The certainty was gone from his life, so brief it had been. Will had been such a strong guiding force it was hard to imagine life without him.

"Why didn't you save us?!" Tidus shouted. He went to plant a right hook on the small man's face. A quick redirection of his arm with Fu Xi's staff ended with Tidus flat on his back. Tidus felt the sting of tears in his eyes. This was all wrong. So much pain and loss, was there nothing he could protect, no one he could save? Was he just a useless shell?

"There are many things at play in these dark times. We cannot watch you like newborns. You will have to become stronger of your own accord. We can guide and teach, not do the work for you. Now to be rid of this storm." With a chant Fu Xi raised his staff high in the air and slammed it into the Earth. There was a booming groan in the heavens as the sky turned blue once again. The color was restored to the little plant life that remained. And the group found they were standing in a sea of corpses, mostly strange serpentine humanoids, their eyes were golden and their scales bright blue. They had wielded vicious double pronged pole arms and had massive talons.

"Where were all these last night?" Sora breathed his voice a whisper on the morning mist that had befallen the contingent. Fu Xi sat on his knees as is the traditional fashion in the East and he sighed lightly. The group waited for an answer, not really sure what to think any longer. There was no logic that remained only the sick, twisted whims of powers they had not known of just days prior.

"These creatures are known as Nwel'thv. They attack during the storms. They can blend with their surroundings quite well. I was surprised that you all faired so well. William held the longest. Though I'm not sure he knew he was fighting real opponents not simply those in his mind. I grieve for all of the Earth. I never thought to see him felled by such lowly cowards." Fu Xi spat his final sentence. Riku gritted his teeth in pain and guilt.

"We should leave soon." Tifa spoke up. The grumbling confirmations of the companions whether wounded or not was enough to send Riku into a tirade. He was unintelligible and Sora did his best to restrain his love. Wounded himself and with Ygglemir lodged in his arm Sora found this to be a difficult task.

"I won't leave him here to rot!" Riku said with finality and slammed his foot down. He carried himself like a rabid grizzly bear. Teeth bared and eyes narrowed to slits he couldn't' keep the tears from blurring his vision. Sora's soothing touch on Riku's neck made him ease. The was a hushed reverence among the group as they began to take in all that was Will, his quirks, his talents, his whole being.

"I see that a dragon's wrath could not move you, young one. Very well. Wrap his body in this veil. It will be kept from decaying. I hope you find the peace that you need. I must go now. Drink of the king's blood to heal your wounds." And with that the small man was gone. The thin black veil was nearly translucent but Riku looked upon it with utter reverence. With a determined glare Riku gathered as much of Will's blood as he could. He nearly held each one of his friends down and forced them to drink his fallen lover's blood. They found that their wounds did indeed seal up and heal. Barrett was still absent his right arm but he was filled with his old vitality. Riku seized up Bak'frelm and wrapped will and his death veil.

"Where do we go now?" Vincent asked as he walked up to the group. His ashen flesh was not unlike Riku's though his frame was thinner and held a strange animalistic grace. Collectively the group vocalized that he looked like a vampire. The major grunted in disapproval and waited for an answer to his immensely legitimate question.

"We head northwest from where we are… Three days walk. The lab will be under the port at pier 5…I guess Will's memories are still with us." Sora breathed at length. There wasn't much else to say. The group readied itself quickly and dispersed the sparse supplies as they saw fit. There was an air of mistrust toward a particular silverette. Most refused to talk to him at all save Sora, Barrett, Zack and Vincent. The others would have just as soon left Riku there with Will's corpse to go mad in his misery.

"I'll carry 'im. We need you fo' fightin'" Barrett grunted out as he hefted Will's limp body over his left shoulder. It looked to be a minimal burden to the ogre of a man. Riku held Bak'frelm with fury building in his heart. He wanted blood to rain from the heavens, to bathe in the screams of fear. He would kill everyone that brought this chaos about. No one was safe.

'Kill them all.' The familiar taunting voice sounded in his head and Riku knew that despite his rage and efforts before he had not rid himself of Sephiroth's influence. He aimed to change that no matter the requirement. He would crush mountains, move seas and raise the forgotten ruins of old. He owed it to Will to live a life worth remembering, worth his love.

Riku may have been obtusely aware of the fact that Sora felt just as guilty over Will's death as he did. He had been right next to Riku, unable to move and unable to speak. It was like playing a video game and having everything freeze. No matter what he told his body to do it wouldn't react. If only he could have grabbed the sword from Riku's hand, if only he could have pushed Will away. Too many if's to think about.

Hands entwined the pair walked shaken in the direction of the now setting sun. Had it been all morning they were in that desolate field? They couldn't' tell anymore. One by one the others joined preferring each other's company to the solitude that would have come from remaining. One would think the violence had become so ingrained in the companions so as to be second nature and above reproach. The contrary was the truth, they didn't want a life of this constant insanity, they wanted the normalcy and mundane existence of only a few months prior.

Riku could feel the blisters on his feet rupture as he took one final step before collapsing under the hot sun. It was likely a hundred and humid as a sauna. The day and night had passed with Riku refusing to rest one moment. His desire to kill and to become strong as his love now drove him to be careless with his own health. Sora had kept up too, putting himself into a similar situation. They knew they couldn't go any farther though they didn't want to give in.

"Riku…we need…to rest…" Sora's voice was ragged and sweat pooled readily on the parched dirt. Riku simply grunted in frustration. Spitting he gave a silent curse for any who listened. The cackle of Sephiroth was a distant echo in his mind. Riku wanted to kill that man so desperately. Gripping the dirt in his hand Riku felt a surge of power and looked down with a slight start as he saw a diamond in the shape of the dirt he had grasped. It seemed their powers were not only returning but were becoming more and more complex. The last of his physical strength depleted Riku lay down on the ground.

"Get 'em up you fuckin' queerbaits!" Barrett shouted with gale force. Riku and Sora were rushed to the forgiving shade of an overpass. One of the few reminders of human existence in the area. They quickly gave the pair water but were careful not to be careless with it, letting them drink slowly. Aerith removed Riku's boots while Tifa took Sora's, the sock came off too along with the soles of their feet. The flesh simply peeled off leaving the raw muscle exposed to the air. Neither gave so much as a whimper of pain, too lost in their delirium. Demyx however found his stomach voiding itself rather violently. Coughing he walked off breathing loudly.

"We make camp here for now. We don't move until we can get more supplies." Vincent's word was final. No one argued, there was no point in wasting the energy. They collectively hoped that things would brighten soon. For the time being the hunkered down for a long night fraught with fear and alarm. Everyone breaks eventually, no one had considered that Will would though.

A/N: I can't believe I just did all that. Please Read and Review.