"We can't stay here forever, Nyzol. We may be safe for now, but I'm sure Hubrin knows where we are. Besides the longer we stay here, he has more time to get power. We've already seen what he can do. He doesn't need any more time to perfect his skills at destruction." This is the same argument that I have been using against Nyzol for the past three days, but maybe he will actually listen if it comes from Sora.
"I do not think that you quite understand the risks involved. No one wants to see Hubrin defeated more that I do, but not at the cost of your lives. Rushing in unprepared is not the wise course of action. You have no idea what you are up against."
"That's not changing. We aren't getting any new information just sitting here. He could have changed his entire plan of attack by now."
"I don't believe he has."
"But you can't say for sure."
Sora and Nyzol have been fighting like this ever since we got here. It's almost as if Sora has decided to trust him, but not make things easy. They are both so headstrong that neither wants to consider the other's plan. Not that there is much plan forming going on.
"We have fought unknown enemies before, Nyzol." I think if I just talk calmly, these two will settle down.
"The remnants of Xehanort that you faced before were nothing compared to this. Hubrin was Xehanort's leader. Who do you think taught him his level of cruelty? This is not a job for children."
That gets Sora worked up even more. "We haven't been children for a very long time. And besides, we're all you have."
Nyzol throws a stick on to the fire and the flames flare up a couple of inches. "You are so stubborn, just like…" His words stop dead in his mouth. Judging from the look in his eyes, he didn't not mean to say anything.
"Like who?" Sora rises to his feet. He is angry.
"Your mother." His voice is softer this time.
Riku, Namine, Kairi, Roxas, and I gasp. I don't think any of us could have predicted that.
"You knew my mother?"
"I knew all of your parents when they were about your age. We all helped the Creator. It was work we all took very seriously. After the war, we all escaped and went our separate ways. Riku and Sora, your parents went to Destiny Island, while Kairi's parents went to Radiant Garden. There they all created new lives and tried to forget about Hubrin and his evil."
"They fought in the war?" Riku jumps up and stands next to Sora.
"They were some of our best fighters." Nyzol looks down. "I'm not surprised that you know none of this. I have no doubt that they performed memory spells on themselves to forget their past lives."
"Is that why they can't remember us now and have gone off to live on other worlds?"
Neither Sora nor Riku has ever told me what happened to their parents and why they aren't around now. I had no idea that they couldn't remember their own children. In our shared memories, that is one of the few things that Riku has kept from me.
"I believe so. In the little research that I have been able to do the past couple years without Hubrin discovering me, I assume that Namine's form of magic reacted badly with the Sora's parent's memory spells and moved to affect those closest to them as well."
The look on Namine's face is complete horror. "I didn't know that it would have any side effects. Marluxia never told me that."
Riku walks back over to Namine and sits down. He takes her hand in his. "That's not your fault. The Organization kept a lot of things to themselves." She buries her face in Riku's chest and I can hear the soft sound of her sobs.
"Don't you see, Nyzol? This is why we have to go. If for nothing else, then to complete our parents' work."
I can see the gears turning in Nyzol's mind. "Okay. If you truly intend to do this, then you have to be smart about it. You cannot go rushing into the main temple and take him on. You have to break away his defenses. He may not be completely vulnerable, but it is enough to give us an opening."
Sora slowly sits back down. "What do you suggest?"
"One of the smaller temples in the outer regions of the church would be best. One of them is run by Hubrin's second in command, Lyx. I suggest attacking that one and defeating Lyx. That should rattle Hubrin some."
"Is Lyx the other one who was on the island?" This is what I wanted to see. Nyzol and Sora working on a plan together instead of constant arguing.
"Yes. And you must not underestimate him. Lyx is a coward for sure, but he is still very powerful and when he works up the courage to fight, he is not to be taken lightly."
Sora doesn't say anything else. He just nods.
"We leave tomorrow. Be sure to get some rest tonight because you may not get anymore for some time." Nyzol stands up and walks away from the fire.
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I've been walking for about an hour now, just thinking. Part of me really wants Roxas to be with me right now, but the other part is glad that I told him to stay behind. There are a lot of things going on in my head right now and it's best if I work on them alone. It all started with these thoughts about Destiny Island being gone, but it's much more than that now.
Something Sora and Nyzol were talking about earlier really got me thinking about their parents. Since I'm another part of Riku, does that make his parents mine as well? Is that how it even works? Or do I just not have parents?
These past couple years have been the greatest time that I can remember. Roxas and the others are my family, but I've always wondered. What would it be like to have a real family? Mother. Father. Brother. Sister. The works. Waking up in the morning to find my mom cooking breakfast instead of Sora burning toast. What would that be like?
I haven't really had these thoughts that much over the years, but every once in a while I start to think. And wonder. And dream.
The trees I'm walking through start to clear away, their droopy branches moving aside to reveal and open area. I haven't come this way before, so I'm really hoping that I can find my way back to the campsite.
A little farther into the clearing, I find a small pool of water in the middle of the dead ground. This is the only water I've seen on the entire world. Is this all that's left?
Breaking the surface of the water is Nyzol. He is soaking wet and completely naked. I look away as quickly as I can not wanting this situation to become more awkward than it already is.
Looking down, I see where he discarded his clothes. On top of it there is a gold locket lying open. Kneeling down on one knee next to the pile of clothing, I pick the locket up. There is one small picture inside of it. There is Nyzol, looking much younger holding a baby with a bunch of familiar brown hair. They both have the same exact eyes. Nyzol will never look at us directly, so I've never seen his eyes that well. They're familiar too. So blue.
"No. It couldn't be."
A shadow falls over the ground. Looking up, I see Nyzol standing over me. I look into his eyes and desperately try not to notice the rest of him.
"You're Sora's father."