Fear

The Palace of Memories on Aquivale was one of the most beautiful places that one could imagine. It took up three whole sections of the city of Mortain, west of Camelot. It was made of white marble, veined with red and blue stone. Its delicate archways and bridges looked so fragile, that it seemed a bird might break them, yet they were extremely sturdy. It had four towers, all pointing straight up toward the sky. In the sunset the sun's last rays caught the gold spires of the towers with blood red brilliance. Colossal statues of gargoyles and other creatures that Xemnas couldn't even name fenced in huge hanging gardens filled with fertile plants from a thousand worlds. In all, the sight of the place was enough to make even someone with no emotions weep. But Xemnas was not here to admire the scenery. His Dark Corridor appeared at the Walk of Reverence, a silver path that began at the gates of the Palace. The enchantment that lay on this place blocked off all access to the inner chambers of the structure. One had to teleport to the gates and be let in. The Superior of Organization XIII was here to make a request. A guard, dressed in red armor walked up him. The armor was designed to make a fearsome figure. Its crimson points and spikes made the guard appear taller than he actually was. The figure's face was hidden behind a mask that was in the shape of a leering metal demon, all horns and ragged mouth.

"Your business here, sir?" the guard asked, pointing his spear at Xemnas' chest.

"I have come to speak with your master" the Nobody said softly. "I have an appointment with her. I believe that it will take but a few hours." Xemnas hoped that the guard wouldn't notice the bulge on the stomach area of his robe, where something…very precious was contained.

The guard sighed. "You are Superior Xemnas of Organization XIII?"

"I am" said Xemnas. He cleared his throat. "You are interfering with my appointment with these questions. I have to meet with your master soon."

"Very well" said a group of about nineteen guards emerged from the marble wall.

"I see" said Xemnas. "You nineteen were camouflaged so that if I was someone who wasn't supposed to be here, then I would be killed instantly." The Superior nodded his head in respect. "If only the lesser Nobodies could be taught such sophisticated security measures."

The guard at the gate merely nodded for the Superior to get in the Palace. "We can't leave the gates open all day…sir" he said gruffly.

"Of course" said Xemnas and walked through. He shuddered as he passed through an almost solid wall of magical enchantments that had been laid over the Palace of Memories and its grounds. This place was a prison. A beautiful and exotic prison, but a prison all the same. And Xemnas had come to ask the inhabitant of this prison for help. Help achieving his goal of creating his heartless empire.

As he approached the main doors, they were opened for him. A boy wearing a strange assortment of clothes stood there. Xemnas blinked; afraid his eyes were playing tricks on him. Was that a tail poking out of the boy's pants?

"Hi there Sir" he said. "Just on time." He introduced himself. "Zidane Tribal at your service. I'm Head butler of the house. If you want anything, just ask now"

"Yes, that is wonderful" said Xemnas. He fingered the parcel he was carrying in his robe. "Now, I need to hurry to the place where your master chooses to have our meeting."

"Oh, okay" said Zidane. "That would be the King's Conference room." He whispered, "Well…that is it was…before Lady Morgan was imprisoned in here."

Xemnas followed Zidane up the stairs and through long hallways decorated with exquisite paintings and statues. The floor was carpeted by a fabulous (and most likely outrageously expensive) red carpeting that went everywhere. They soon arrived in the King's Conference Room. "Here you are sir" said Zidane as he let Xemnas into the Conference Room.

The room was very large, almost the size of the Castle Chapel inside the former Hollow Bastion. A large rectangular oak table sat in the center of the room. Sitting at the head of that table was a girl. She was dressed in a black dress that reminded him of Namine, that memory messing bitch he'd kept around for some reason. She resembled Namine in other ways too. She had the same delicate look, yet while Namine's sapphire eyes had shown her to be weak all the way through, these blood red eyes showed her to be cruel and cold. Half of her blond and silver hair was held up by a blue object like a clip, causing the other half to slightly obscure her face though he could clearly see through it. Her thin arms were decorated with bracelets and other accessories that accented her porcelain complexion. Her pink lips curved up into a slightly mocking smile when she saw Xemnas' concealed object, revealing white, pointed teeth. "What are you carrying, Xemnas?" she asked. "And is it so dire that you must hide it from the Gate Wardens?"

"It is" said Xemnas, sitting in a chair. This girl was the key to his victory over the Keyblade Master and his allies. She may have looked like a mere child…but Morgan le Fay had enough dark magic power in her pinkie to squash all of Organization XIII. "I have come to ask a favor of you, Lady Morgan" said Xemnas. He pulled a square object, wrapped in brown paper from his robe and placed it on the table. "This is more than enough to guarantee your service, I think" he said. "After all---"

"Xemnas" said Morgan quietly. She had a soft, whispering voice. "If what is in there money, then you are wasting your time. Why should I bother with money when I can summon it out of the air? Or for that matter, what use would I have for it when I am imprisoned here, day in and day out?"

Xemnas smiled. "Ah…but it is not money. It is a Sealing Gem" he said. "I had a sorceress…friend work on it." In truth, he had forced Maleficent at light-saber point to make the object for him. She did not know what he was going to use it for. If she had known, then she would have refused, and died willingly. But that was another subject.

"A Sealing Gem!" Morgan gasped, her red eyes widening. "Give it to me!" she went to grasp for the parcel, but Xemnas grabbed it away from her pale hand could descend upon the magical object.

"Ah, ah, ah…not until we have an understanding" the Superior said. "I need your help in accomplishing something for me."

"Transforming the population of every world you can lay your greedy hands on into Nobodies like your own, miserable self."

"Not quite the way I would have said it, but that's about it" said Xemnas.

"Give me the Gem" Morgan repeated. "If you knew what it was like, to be imprisoned in this place for years, centuries..."

"I have no emotions, remember" said Xemnas coldly. "Therefore, I cannot feel pity for your pitiable situation. I want only to gain for myself. You, Morgan le Fay are going to be very useful to me. That is, if you agree. What does that tasteless god of the Underworld say? Ah, yes: it's a deal…no strings attached. Get out of jail free! And you are in jail my dear Morgan."

Morgan glared at him. "Fine. I accept your terms…Nobody. For only a Nobody could be capable of such cruelty."

Xemnas shook his head. "You hurt me Morgan…I have heard tales of your own cruelty to people. I would say that we are in the same category."

Morgan shook her head. "We are not in the same category. Because I have a heart and you don't."

Xemnas gave her the Sealing Gem. It was a pulsating crystal ball, filled with all colors…and yet none at the same time. To look at it for too long would drive one insane, and that was why Xemnas had covered it. However, Morgan stared into its swirling depths without blinking. "I accept" she said again. The ball flashed with rosy pink light. For a minute all the lights in the room seemed to go dark.

The sun sank behind the horizon.

Then the lights in the Palace came back on. "I am free" Morgan said.

"Yes" said Xemnas, opening a Dark Corridor. "Now that you are…you are in my debt."

"Superior Xemnas" said Morgan. That was a good sign, Xemnas thought. Calling him Superior. "What are you the most afraid of?"

"What kind of question is that?" Xemnas asked. Suddenly he looked at his hand which was outstretched to the Dark Corridor. It was a skeleton, bits of rotted flesh clinging to it. "AHHHHHHHHHH!" Xemnas cried.

"You fear dying before you can reach your goal" said Morgan, and Xemnas' hand was once again whole in its black glove.

"I'll…I'll give you a day to pack your things" Xemnas breathed sweat dripping down his face. "Then you will move to the Castle That Never Was. I will send Saix to escort you." As he walked into the darkness, he thought to himself that he would have to lay down some rules for their new ally. She was a bit uppity for his tastes.