Dum-dee-dum…
Oh yes! For those of you who like this fan fiction, in all its sw33t l33t glory, go to .com (that's my profile page on dA) and if you browse my gallery you'll find some artwork I've done! Yeah! Art! And if there is any fan art done, I'll be sure to post a link to that as well! (happy dance)
Warning: This chapter contains violence and blood.
20: The Eye of Obliteration
"Yeah, but sometimes savin' yourself's a whole heck of a lot harder than savin' the whole darn world, Morry…" –Ford Cruller from my Psychonauts fan fiction 'Shadows Are Supposed to Stay Sleeping'
There was nothing but a wall of black.
Xilvin's whip was in his hands in a matter of seconds and the Heartless before him were vanishing just a quickly.
"Xhostam!" He shouted, "Demyx! Roxas! Axel! Hey, where are you guys!?"
"Xil!" The Winged Slayer was suddenly beside him, spinning around with a downward slash to destroy a couple of converging Neo Shadows, "Are you okay!?"
"Yeah! I'm sorry!" The pale blue whip lashed out and cracked against several Heartless, making them dissipate in a poof of black, "I didn't mean to yell at you! But we have to get our hearts back! Understand!?"
"Duh!" Xhostam grabbed a nearby Surveillance Robot and tearing it apart with his clawed gauntlets.
Something thudded behind them and the two Nobodies turned around to see an Assault Rider towering over them. It was the same kind of Heartless that had caused Kaz to lose his heart. A hot wave of anger washed through Xilvin and before he knew what he was doing, he'd leapt at the much larger foe.
His weapon flashed out and wrapped around the centaur Heartless' neck. Using his momentum, the Howling Storm made a running jump and vaulted himself over the Assault Rider's head, landing squarely in the middle of its equine back. Then he yanked backwards with all his might, sending the Assault Rider crashing to the floor. Axel's chakrams whizzed out of the crowd of Heartless, leaving a blazing trail of flames behind them, and buried themselves in the centaur-like Heartless.
"Watch this!" Axel leapt out of nowhere, raised his arms in front of him, palms aimed at the Heartless, and shouted a hoarse war cry. Fire burst and swirled to life around the Assault Rider and it evaporated away. Axel's chakrams soared back into his hands as though willed there and he grinned at the two other Nobodies, "Stick around and you might see some other cool stuff."
A surge of lightning erupted from the ceiling into the middle of the throng of Heartless with a crackle of energy. Axel grinned, "Like that." And he vanished back into the mass of black. Xilvin was about to leap after him when a cold, echoing laugh rang in his ears.
"Aha…ahahahahaha…pathetic Nobodies…look at them struggle…"
Xilvin grabbed Xhostam's hood and yanked him backwards. The Winged Slayer shot Number XIV an indignant look.
"Listen," The Howling Storm hissed, "Do hear them?"
"Heeheeheehee! I bet we could get those doors open…I bet we could force them open…and get all those lovely hearts waiting on the inside…like a present…like a feast…ahaaaaaahahahahaha!"
Xhostam's eyes got huge, "They're after the people in the Cafeterias! We gotta stop 'em!"
"Xhostam! Wait! Stop!" But it was too late. Number XV was already running down the hall and away from the fight as fast as he could. He stumbled, nearly tripped, caught himself, and carried on. Xilvin had no choice but to follow.
Roxas spun Oblivion in his gloved fingers while he swung Oathkeeper around his left side. Heartless vanished. But he was still surrounded on all sides. Where Demyx, Axel, Xhostam, and Xilvin (who he'd been informed earlier had also joined the fight) were and nor did he care. He was too focused on not Fading.
"Fire!" Roxas jerked his arms outwards and a brief tornado of flames blasted the converging ring of Heartless away from him.
"Hey, isn't that my move?" Axel dodged a couple of grasping Neo Shadows and put himself back to back with the Key of Destiny.
"Tch," Number XIII didn't answer, he simply jammed Oathkeeper into the ground and swung himself around in a circle while balancing himself on the Keyblade, slashing down foes with Oblivion's jagged edge.
"Show off." Number VIII muttered, lashing out with his chakrams.
"Like you're to talk." Roxas replied, landing gracefully on his feet, "Don't think I didn't see what you did to that Assault Rider Xilvin brought down!"
Axel mocked him, making "nyah-nyah-nyah" noises, and then started as Demyx dropped between the two of him, whirling his sitar into a nervous 360 spin as he struck a cord.
"Hey! Don't fight each other!" The Melodious Nocturne jumped about amongst his water clones, "We've got a swarm of Heartless to deal with! We need all the help we can get!"
"Speaking of," Axel's bright green gaze swept through the Heartless, "Where did Xilvin and Xhostam get to?"
"Little lost Nobodies…all alone…no one to love you…"
"Heehee…come find us! Come find us! Ahahahahaha!"
Xilvin called Lord Nameless and Odium a number of foul names as he raced down the halls alongside Xhostam. It was too late to turn around now, especially with the threats the two Heartless were jeering at them.
"Rock-a-bye Nobodies, in the tree top…!" Odium was sniggering out a song, twisting a lullaby. The hairs on the back of the Howling Storm's neck stood on end, "When the wind blows, the cradle will rock…! When the bough breaks, the Nobodies will fall…! And down will come Nobodies…cradle and aaaaalllll!"
The two of them rounded into an empty room that had probably once held file cabinets and all sorts of important documents. That was all ruined now; the cabinets were bent out of shape and smashed into walls, tables lay over turned and broken, and the floor was cracked in several places as though a great weight had slammed into it. And standing in the midst of it all were the giggling Odium and the impassive-faced Lord Nameless.
"You came." Kaz's Heartless gave the barest hint of a smile but it was still cold and calculating enough to give the two Nobodies shivers, "I was hoping to lure the Keyblade Master here but I think if you two are in danger he'll come just as quickly."
"Oh, that was smart!" Xilvin snapped, cracking his whip on the floor, "Tell us what else you're planning! Come on, don't be shy! Share with the rest of the class!"
"Was that a joke?" Odium cracked his fingers in a sickening sort of way, his neon eye lighting up as he caught sight of the disgusted look on Xhostam's face, "'Cause it wasn't very good."
"Enough," Nameless tossed his hand through the air carelessly, "Talking is boring." His crimson eyes narrowed dangerously, "I want to fight!"
"Bring it on!" Xhostam shouted and jumped on Odium before anyone could get another word in.
Nameless' expression became one of pure ecstasy as he charged the Howling Storm; he had been created to fight. Xilvin flipped backwards, spun on his heel as he regained his balance, and used the momentum to snap his weapon at Kaz's Heartless. Nameless ducked under the blow and shot his arm out, firing one of the super heated blast of darkness that had burned Xhostam when they'd first met. Number XIV say the attack coming and dodge rolled out of the way, ending in a crouch where he snapped his whip out again. His aim was true but the distance proved his downfall; the tip of the weapon flicked across Nameless' cheek, drawing a thin black line that swelled with bubbling darkness before healing itself, and knocking his glasses askew.
Nameless growled in annoyance as he readjusted his dark, violet tinted spectacles and turned his flaming red orbs on Xilvin, "That," He growled, "Was a stupid thing to do."
Xhostam, meanwhile, was faring far worse. Odium was a mad teen with all the mental disorders ever created by a Psychologist on his side. He dodged Xhostam's wave of sweeping clawed blows and intricate slashes and as the Winged Slayer moved back to prepare another wave of attacks, Tom's Heartless stepped in quick as lightning. He flicked his wrists and silver knives appeared in between his fingers as though summoned there. With yet another deft movement, the knives imbedded themselves in Xhostam's stomach before the Nobody knew what had hit him. All he registered was a sudden flash of pain. And then he screamed.
Xhostam's scream made Xilvin turn his head for a fraction of a second. That amount of time was all that Nameless needed. The cruel Heartless snarled a wordless cry and grabbed the front of the Howling Storm's cloak. Then he ran, Xilvin held out in front of him, and slammed the unfortunate Nobody into the wall. Dust showered them from above. Nameless punched Xilvin in the face but before he could get another blow in, Number XIV swung his boot up and nailed the Heartless right between the legs. Nameless made an odd noise—something like the cross between a muffled scream and a whimper of pain—and stumbled back, crossing his arms over the injured area. Xilvin dropped to the floor and spit up a glob of blood from a cut on the inside of his mouth. Wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his cloak, Xilvin stumbled upright and ran over to the injured Xhostam who was on his knees, blood dripping from between his fingers as he held his hands over his stomach. The Howling Storm glanced at Odium as he knelt beside Xhostam; Tom's Heartless seemed to be too preoccupied with laughing manically and Nameless was still doubled over and moaning.
"Xil…!" Xhostam's voice cracked with pain, "I can't…can't do it! I can't pull the…the knives out! I-it hurts!" Tears formed in his pale blue-violet eyes.
"Shut up before you bite your tongue of." Xilvin reached down and yanked one out one of the glittering blades. Ruby liquid splattered the floor, Xhostam screamed, and Odium laughed even harder. In quick succession, Xilvin pulled out all the knives and tossed them aside.
"I don't know how to heal," Number XIV murmured, "Get out of here! Find Roxas!"
"No!" The Winged Slayer snapped, struggling to his feet, one hand on his still bleeding midriff, "I can…still fight!"
"NOBODY!" Xilvin looked around and shuddered. Nameless was on his feet again, dark energy crackling over his body, his crimson eyes glowing with rage, "NOBODY! YOU HURT ME! I DON'T LIKE GETTING HURT!"
"Ooohoohoohoo!" Odium giggled, hopping from one foot to the other, "You made him mad!"
"Odium," Kaz's Heartless growled, never taking his gaze off of Xilvin, "You take out that whiney little "Winged Slayer" and I…I get him!" He jabbed a finger at the Howling Storm.
Odium giggled and put a hand over the right half of his face, the portion covered by his silky black hair, "Can I use it? Can I use it, Lord Nameless, can I!?"
I don't care!" Nameless snarled, "Just get rid of him!"
"Aheeheeheehee!" Tom's Heartless wove his fingers into his locks, "You're doomed, stupid Nobody!"
"A-and why's that!?" Xhostam clenched his gauntlet covered fists.
"Because I'm better than you!" Odium pushed his hair behind his ear and the Winged Slayer froze, horror etched across his features. Xilvin, preoccupied with Nameless (the two were circling each other), did not see what was hidden under Odium's hair.
It was an eye.
A wide open, staring eye.
Where the whites should have been was a dark crimson color, the iris was pitch black, and the pupil was pure white.
Xhostam couldn't tear his gaze away. He stared until the only thing he could see was that eye, staring at him unblinkingly.
And he fell…
…He stumbled forward, catching himself before he kissed pavement. He shook his head and looked around. He was standing on a street in a rather friendly looking neighborhood. Something jogged his memory.
He knew this street.
This was in Tom's home town! He knew it from the memories!
Xhostam reached up to automatically brush his hair out of his face and found that his usually shaggy bangs weren't there. In fact, his hair was considerably shorter. Xhostam turned around to look at his reflection in a nearby window…and saw the astonished face of Thomas Majors staring back.
That couldn't be right.
How was he Tom?
What was going on?
"Tom!" A voice hailed him (was it really him though?) and he turned around to see Kaz on the sidewalk across the street, waving his arm through the air, "Hey, Tom!"
"Xil…vin?" It was even Tom's voice that came past his lips. What was happening?
"Hey!" Kaz started across the street, grinning his head off.
A screech at the end of the street made Xhostam look around.
Careening around a corner was a speeding car.
And it was heading right for Tom's best friend.
"KAZ! LOOK OUT!"
Kaz's smile faded as his chocolate eyes flitted away from Xhostam and found the car that was shooting towards him.
And he froze.
"KAZ!"
The car slammed into him, tires squealing as it tried to hit its brakes.
It suddenly seemed like things slowed down, if only to torment Xhostam.
Globs of blood splattered across the pavement and gleamed through the air.
The car spun out and slammed into a light pole.
A hand lay stretched out on the pavement, blood pooling slowly beneath it…
"This…this…this isn't real!" Xhostam moaned, falling to his knees, digging his fingers into Tom's short black hair, "This can't be happening! How!? AHHHHHGGGG!"
Tears and darkness blurred his vision and he felt himself falling again…
I actually kept writing this until I realized that I was pushing my usual page limit so I stopped.
Ah, cruel, cruel fate…not to mention bashing characters. What good is a fan fiction if you can't bash your faves? Yes, and here I was saying I would never kill my favorites, only fill them with trauma and teen angst. And now I just proved myself wrong even if it is all—opps, can't say that. That'd be spoilers for the next chapter.
Anyway, I did warn you at the beginning that it was going to get bloody. I'd apologize but I wouldn't mean it; I have quite the violent streak sometimes. Oh yes, and it's only going to get worse from here on out.
Well, thank you so much for waiting for this chapter, and for reading! Please stay tuned for more of The Other side, please keep reviewing, and have a great day! Byes!