Across the stars, far from the streets of Traverse Town a shady group of individuals were observing the progress of Sora alongside the servants of the King.
The image's of the adventurers were projected upon the stone that stood in the center of the dark proceeding, while the figures stood hidden in the shadows about it, watching and
plotting.
"That little squirt took down the down that large Heartless! Who would have thought it?" a voice spoke in unbelievment, breaking the silence.
"Such is the power of that Keyblade. The boy's strength is not his own" a thin reedy voice assured the first speaker.
"I don't undertstand, why don't we turn the child into a Heartless? Wouldn't that settle things quick enough" a deep, but oddly feminine voice suggested with a throaty laugh.
"Nevermind the little scallywag, its his friends I am most concerned about. They are lackey's of the King, no doubt about it," another voice added, the snick of metal accompying this figures
words "Just look at them, they all are bilge rats!" the voice cried in outrage, a deadly metal hook striking from the shadows and stabbing into the image of the trio.
"You are no prize yourself my friend" another voice replied with a laugh of pure amuesement.
The fourth voice, that belonging to the hooked individual did not find this comment amusing and in the darkness he drew a blade and held it to the throat of the fifth speaker.
"Shut up you insolent bag of grubs before I --" the fourth figure began to threaten, before a high cold voice cut through the darkness.
"Enough" the voice said, and a dark robed figure then emerged, their skin a sickly greenish color, their head adorned with a headress of demonic horns. The robed woman surveyed the
assembled group through yellow heavy lidded eyes, oen hand wrapped about a staff that the woman held stiffly at her side.
"The Keyblade has chosen the child. Now the only question is whether he will conquer over the consuming darkness? Or shall the darkness swallow him like the others? Either way the
boy could be useful to the plans of our order" the woman said with a wicked smile, her gaze falling onto the image of Sora once more.
Riku gazed about the spartan furnished dwelling his host had prepared for him. In one corner was a small desk with a few books piled upon it, next to that was a simple bed that lay
beside a window overlooking the rest of the castle.
"Comfortable enough I hope" a cool voice spoke behind the boy, who whirled around to face his host who stood in the doorway with a smile upon her green hued face.
"Its ok, I guess" Riku answered honestly, his eyes dropping.
"You are curious about the fate of your friends, correct?" the woman asked, stepping fully into the room.
"You said, you could help me --" Riku began to remind the woman, who silenced him with a cold stare.
"I know what I said, and I can indeed help you. However it shall be difficult, for the truth is that your friends have both been lost to the darkness that took your world" the woman
explained after a long theatrical sigh.
"You mean they are --?" the boy began in horror, but the woman let out a small chuckle.
"Oh no of course not, if tey were dead then they would be beyond even my help. No they are simply lost in the shadows, there but not there, if you understand me?" the woman said
looking deep into the eyes of the boy, whose gaze dropped quickly.
"So what do we do then, I don't want to just sit here in this tower" Riku snapped, suddenly feeling terror from the look of fury the woman gave him. However the woman's face
soon relaxed again and a smile came upon her ruby lips.
"Whoever said you would have to, I actually thought that you could help me out, and at the same time bring us closer to rescuing those dear friends of yours" the woman continued,
earning the boy's full attention.
"What do I have to do?" the boy asked, meanwhile the woman tried to supress the wicked look of triumph that came over her features.
To Be Continued In Kingdom Hearts:Volume Two......