Chapter Twenty Six: To Exist

It had been a few days since battling Larxene. I sent in a call to Aerith every day, but no word on Sora and Kairi... and Roy hadn't been improving much.

He did have some pretty horrible wounds...

I hadn't found much about Xehanort, so I decided to try his old base, even if Roy said that he wouldn't be there. Maybe it would give me some clues, or at least help me get stronger.

I landed in Twilight Town, hoping to make my way through the once-bustling city to the World that Never Was. I figured there'd be a huge amount of Heartless or Nobodies here, so it would be a good way to train.

It was deserted. Not even Heartless or Nobodies roamed the streets.

"So much for training," I sighed. I made a beeline for the Mansion so that I could get to the World that Never Was... no sense in going to my ship only to go a short distance when I could go through the Mansion in the same amount of time.

After I'd entered the Mansion, a dark corridor opened up. I summoned Way to the Dawn.

"Hey, we're on the same side here," someone familiar said. "After all, it's not like I ever tried to kill YOU."

Axel, the Flurry of Dancing Flames... the Organization's number VIII, walked through.

"So... what's new?" I asked him.

"Nothing, really," he answered. "Well, there's been some problems since Xehanort resurrected the entire Organization, but it's not..."

"Problems? Like what?" I asked. "Don't tell me: internal strife. How pathetic."

"That's just it... since Xehanort isn't a Nobody, a lot of the 'new' members say he isn't fit to lead the Organization," Axel said. "His buddies... numbers II through VI, follow him. Everyone else is following Number XI... Marluxia."

"Isn't he the one Sora killed at the top of Castle Oblivion?" I asked.

"Yeah... and he's pretty strong, too. You'll want to steer clear of Xehanort and Marluxia. Got it memorized?" he asked.

I scoffed.

"I have a question..." I muttered. "We killed Larxene not too long ago... she mentioned a Number XIV. Who is that?"

"XIV... the Black Knight," Axel muttered to himself. "He's... a Black Knight. Nobody has ever seen his face or fought him. He just stands atop the Altar of Naught, never moving or speaking. He's too heavy to shove around, and his armor is impregnable."

"I thought Maleficent had the Castle," I muttered. "When did you guys retake it?"

"Xehanort was waiting until Maleficent was killed," he said. "We took it back not long ago, but I left soon after that. I'm still searching... for my heart."

Roxas... Sora, I wish you were here...

"So... the Black Knight, the Organization's Number XIV. Is he better than Roxas?" I asked sarcastically.

"Who knows?" Axel asked. "He's invincible at any rate."

"So... why's he in the Organization, if nobody's ever seen him do anything or heard him say anything?" I asked.

"Xehanort somehow managed to inscribe 'XIV' on his armor with his Aerial Blades," Axel said. "That's about all."

"How do you guys know he's a Nobody?" I asked.

"Xehanort says he is, so we gotta believe him... I decided to leave them and find my own answers, though," Axel said.

"To exist," I completed.

"Yeah... so, where are you headed?" he asked me.

"To take down Xehanort... because he's an obstacle to the existence of the world and... it's personal," I said.

"Xehanort, eh? Try tackling Marluxia first," he said, disappearing into the dark corridor.

"Where are all these Organization members, though...?" I asked myself. "Marluxia... I never knew his name, but if memory serves me right, his moniker was the 'Graceful Assassin.' Now... where would a Nobody go to think he's important?"

A throne room somewhere? The Land of Dragons, maybe?