Mmkay, people. I've been spoiling you all with fast updates because you're all totally made of win and stuff :3 But don't get too used to it! I'm getting ready to head off to school so updates will be coming slower soon, plus I have a week long trip at the end of the month, so...anyway. On to the chapter!
In which it's not quite playtime for Zarxilt yet.
Chasing The Truth
By FlikFreak
Chapter Thirteen: Awakening
The Traitor stood quietly on a rooftop, his gaze locked onto the Restoration Committee's headquarters. Through one of the windows he could see Aerith wiping another damp cloth over Rhyme's head. "Probably had another fever," he thought aloud. "But wasn't she getting better?"
"Her heart has nearly entirely recovered. It's only a matter of whether or not Aerith will succeed in making the remedy."
Startled, the Traitor turned to face a ghostly figure of a girl, hovering next to him and watching the house intently. He sighed. "None of the Zoners have gotten to her yet?"
"Thankfully not," the girl replied. "My magic isn't as powerful as it was, but it still repels them. I think the boy may be repelling them as well."
"But Neku isn't here," The traitor said.
The girl nodded. "He isn't. It's the other boy, Daisukenojo."
The Traitor didn't do a very good job stifling his laugh. "That's his name?"
"He insists that everyone call him Beat," The girl replied, smiling. "His heart alone is protecting his sister from any intruders, although somehow he allows me in."
"I still want to know how Rhyme survived the resonance," the Traitor said. "She's no Princess, so who is she?"
"Something just as great I'd imagine," the girl stated, smiling, "Though I'm afraid I'm just as knowledgeable about that as you are."
Neku jumped out of the way just as a Dragoon would have impaled him, its lance instead thrusting downward into Monstro's flesh. He didn't wait to see if it would take long to recover and sliced the beast's torso in two, obliterating it in a burst of white fragments. Sora hurled the keyblade across the room, causing it to slam into another one, and with a flash of light the nobody not only vanished, but the keyblade was summoned back into his hand, only to be hurled like a boomerang toward another Dragoon.
Keyblade…
Scowling, Neku parried a sweeping blow with his sword, barely keeping his footing. That voice again…just like the one that he heard in that desert town, Agrabah. What did it want from him?
Keyblade…
"Shut up!" Neku screamed as he cut through another dragoon. Sora sent a stream of thunder bolts slamming into the last one.
Gasping for breath, Neku pushed himself to his feet. "That voice," He muttered. "Who was that…?"
"Bravo, bravo. Spectacular show."
Neku, Sora and Kite spun on the spot to see Jaxuk applauding them, a shorter Nobody next to him. The silver-haired Nobody grinned. "How mildly entertaining. Perhaps I should have invited more performers for an encore."
"I don't know," the shorter one said. "It could have used a bit more excitement."
"Quite right, Zarxilt. Perhaps next time we will have a more entertaining performance to enjoy."
"What do you want?" Sora demanded, Remembered Dream pointing threateningly at them.
"What, you don't know?" The short nobody said. "Isn't it obvious? We need Neku over there to come with us."
"You're not getting me," Neku said through his teeth. "I'm not a tool."
"Of course not," Zarxilt replied, giggling. "You're not a tool. You're a toy."
Angered beyond belief, Neku gave an enraged cry and hurled his sword through the air. He had better aim than he thought, and the sword pierced the air and headed directly for Zarxilt…where it stopped in midair. Neku's eyes widened. Wha-?!
Zarxilt had his hand in front of him, his palm forward. The sword had frozen in midair, inches from the young Nobody's hand. Zarxilt grinned, amused, and began clenching his fingers into a fist. The sword trembled in the air, numerous cracks traveling up and down the blade and the hilt. After exactly two seconds the weapon shattered like fine glass and fell to the bottom of the chamber, no longer even resembling a blade.
Kite winced. "See, Neku? I told you that thing was useless."
"Oh, shut up, Kite."
"Do you have to be so easy?" Zarxilt complained, pulling back his hood. His face looked as young as the rest of him probably did, with one of his eyes covered by a thick eyepatch. Blonde hair fell just above his shoulders, completing the innocent boyish look. Neku scowled even further.
Jaxuk held a hand in front of Zarxilt. "That's enough. I would like to test him before we take him back with us."
"Aww, but I wanted to play with him!"
"You'll have your chance, Zarxilt. Inform the superior."
Zarxilt sighed. "Oh, fine. I'll play with him later. Don't break him, Jaxuk! We need him alive, remember?" With one final childish wave, the short nobody vanished in a whirl of darkness.
"Are you guys ever going to tell me why you want me?" Neku demanded. "You're only grating my nerves by leaving me in the dark."
"There is no need to inform you of our schemes," Jaxuk replied, stiffly walking forward a few steps. "All we need is your help."
"You mean you want to use me," Neku scowled, standing his ground in spite of being without a weapon.
Jaxuk laughed. "He said the same thing."
Neku paused. "Wha…who did?"
"The traitor, of course," Jaxuk replied. "We could have had him help us, but, well…heart or no heart, he's so much like you I'm sure he has the same reasons for avoiding us."
"Who is the traitor?" Sora demanded, slashing the air angrily with Remembered Dream.
Jaxuk's eyes narrowed. "He is the traitor and no one more. His name is of no importance to us. Now, come with me, Neku."
"Make me!"
In response to Neku's brash words, a sudden explosion of heat sent him flying backward and slamming into the chamber wall behind him, and he collapsed in a heap to the floor. He coughed and spat, tasting blood in his mouth as he began to stand. Jaxuk grinned. "That wasn't quite as difficult as I anticipated," he said, "But I suppose I should expect as much from someone whom doesn't even know how to use his own power."
"Shove it," Neku grumbled.
As Jaxuk neared Neku, Sora rushed forward and stood between then, keyblade brandished. "You'll have to go through me," he cried, "And I'm not letting you get near him!"
Kite, meanwhile, hovered downward. "Nice going, Neku. You nearly got yourself killed."
"Can't you help at all, Kite?"
"Kite?" Jaxuk echoed. "Well, that's certainly an interesting alias. Couldn't you come up with something better to suit you, key bearer?"
Kite spun on the spot. "Shut your face," he growled, his temper flaring. "I'm here to help Neku, not whine over names."
Neku stared in shock, ignoring the trickle of blood down his chin. Kite had been a keyblade master?
"You can't do a thing without possessing someone," Jaxuk shot back. "I'd hate to be around when you confess your deeds to Sora, here. I'm sure he didn't enjoy being used as your vessel."
Sora shrank back, eyes softening. "What…?"
"Not like I had a choice," Kite replied, unfazed by Jaxuk's remark. "Besides, I didn't hurt anyone. I never would. I know you're more than happy to, though. You destroyed your own world, Kuja."
Jaxuk roared angrily, sending a stream of pale, impure light straight for Sora. Kite's eyes widened and he vanished just as Sora's eyes lit up a pale blue color and the boy dove to the side, the beam missing by inches and slamming into the wall just above Neku. Jaxuk laughed. "Just as I suspected. You're going to protect Roxas as well?"
"Sora," Kite corrected him. Neku flinched at the echoing dual voice. "His name is Sora."
"Right, my mistake. And now look, you've gone off and possessed him again."
'Sora' sighed and there was a brief glow as Kite reappeared next to him, leaving the brunette dazed. "There. Happy now?"
Neku's eyes widened. "Kite, you were the one leading me on the whole time?"
Kite looked away. "When I heard that Shibuya was in danger and that the Zoners were coming for you, I didn't have any other choice, so I tried to awaken you…but I could only do so much and…I'm sorry, Neku."
Sora, meanwhile, was catching his breath and gave Kite a look that was some mixture of anger, awe, amazement and sorrow. Kite only returned an apologetic look and spread his arms in front of them. "You're not touching Neku, and you're not touching Sora. Not on my watch."
Jaxuk, looking thoroughly amused, summoned another pale light in his hand. "I wonder if you can hold to your word." With that, he fired the beam at Neku.
It happened too quickly for Neku to comprehend. One moment the beam was racing at him, and he felt a strange sensation of warmth and weightlessness wrap around him. His body wheeled out of the way just in time to dodge the beam of impure radiance, and the warmth evaporated as Kite reappeared.
Neku blinked. Did…did he just possess me?
"Sorry about that," Kite muttered. "I said I wouldn't let him hurt you." Neku didn't bother responding; things were happening so fast he could barely comprehend left from right.
"Insolence," Jaxuk growled, his face contorting with anger. "You leave me no choice!" He lifted his hand and a dark force spread, pinning Sora and Kite against the wall. Neku gasped; he didn't even know a ghost was capable of being confined like this.
The darkness slammed into him as well. A metallic taste arose in his mouth, causing him to gag and choke. His body prickled with pain, and Jaxuk approached, eyes narrow in malevolence.
You musn't give up.
Neku thought the world had just frozen around him. Things suddenly began to move so slowly, and he somehow had time to think. That voice…you're from my dream! Who are you? Are you Kite?
Your heart is the mightiest weapon of all.
But I'm defenseless! How can my heart help me? This isn't dreamland, this is for real!
Call upon your heart…let the power that sleeps within you fully awaken…
Wait!
Step forth, Neku…do not be afraid…
The voice left him, and Jaxuk was nearing. Neku knew that his sword was of no use – Zarxilt had seen to that – and he held his hands in front of him, vainly protecting himself from the oncoming assault. He squinted his eyes shut, searching his mind for whatever the voice had mentioned.
He involuntarily drew upon his memories of the Game and of his friends. Rhyme's desperate attempt to save her brother, even though she hadn't known of that fact. How he and Beat battled Konishi, and how even as Noise, Rhyme had aided them. How Shiki and Beat had raced to his aid in the battle against Kitaniji. How Shiki had begged him to come back safely from the Room of Reckoning when the heartless threatened Shibuya. How Sora had used the last of his energy to save Neku and Neku's world, even though Shibuya wasn't Sora's own home. How Joshua had decided that Shibuya wasn't beyond hope after all and spared it – and him – after all.
And how he would never, ever let them down.
Something happened. A light encircled Neku, and a warmth much like his dream enveloped him. His heart tugged violently as his hand began to sting with power. Something flashed even brighter than the light, and he saw Jaxuk lunge at him, only to be blocked by…something. There was a distinct sizzling sound and the Nobody gave a feral screech, stumbling back and clutching his arm. When the light faded he saw that there was something akin to steam rising off of Jaxuk's hand, and he could have sworn that the man's glove had melted a little.
Jaxuk swore under his breath and backed away. "You haven't seen the last of me," he warned as he vanished into darkness, his voice echoing one last time. "Our Lord Meyxours will hear about this!"
Neku barely heard him. He was staring at the object that had appeared in his hand, so awed by its appearance that he barely noticed the power that now coursed through his veins. The handle seemed perfectly fitted to him, with a rounded guard protecting his hands, the guard itself strongly reminding Neku of the noise in Shibuya somehow, the way it looked like graffiti that had come alive. The shaft was suspiciously similar, twisting around until the very end, where it squared off with a symbol suspiciously similar to the skull-and-crossbones on the player pin he had used so often. Dangling off the end was a small chain, at the end of which was a small token strongly resembling his player pin. Overall, the weapon was incredibly lightweight, and something about it made it feel so natural to hold, like he had done it all his life. The question was, what was it?
Then, Sora's words from that time echoed in his mind: "You've got the heart for it, after all."
It took Neku roughly a split second to realize that the object in his hand was a keyblade.
Isn't this a fascinating development! n.n But I'm pretty sure you all saw it coming.
Zoners:
The Deceptive Evoker, Meyxours (Chasing The Truth/???)
The Elegant Reaper, Jaxuk (Chasing The Truth/???)
The Fallen Prince, Zarxilt (Chasing The Truth/???)
The Ruthless Emperor, Naxeyv (Chasing The Truth/???)
