I don't own anything associated with Kingdom Hearts or Silent Hill. They belong to Square Enix/Disney and Konami respectively.

Chapter 7

"I'd be completely lost if it wasn't for you," Ven said, arms crossed behind his head.

Xion bit her lip and looked away. Ven had noticed that she tended to become flustered whenever he thanked her, as if she wasn't used to it. That was why he had decided to thank and compliment her as many times as possible.

"I mean how do you even know where we are? If the Land of Departure had this much fog, I'd be lost in an instant - according to Terra, at least."

"Is the Land of Departure a big world?" Xion asked.

Ven nodded eagerly. "Yeah, sure is! Hey, you know about other . . . ?"

"Ven, look!" She pointed over his shoulder. He turned immediately.

Terra and Aqua probably would have said that the clinic wasn't very big, but to Ven, who only knew the castle and some small huts from his brief experiences with other worlds, anything with more than one room was big; anything that took him more than a minute to run through was huge. Ridgeview Clinic looked like it could keep him occupied for that amount of time.

Ven took off. "Race you!"

The building's doors shoved against him, so that by the time Ven had forced them open, Xion was able to stroll past him.

"Not fair." He pouted.

The inside was dimly lit. From the center of the reception area, Ven could barely make out the ends of the branching halls. Dust motes floated by the windows, hovering near shredded curtains. He didn't think the clinic was that dirty, but when he removed his hand from the wall, it left a visible print.

"I haven't been here for a long time," Xion murmured.

"Good thing," Ven said, "it's kind of a mess."

Xion frowned. She stared sadly through the doorway at the outside world. "Most places are."

"Well, you could give this place a fresh coat of paint, and I bet it would look great. I could help! This one time, me and Terra were sparring in the castle, and he missed and made a huge hole in the wall." Ven spread his arms out for emphasis, grinning. "The Master made us fix and paint it – without magic!"

Xion said, "You and Terra sound really close."

Ven nodded. "Terra's awesome! And Aqua is, too!"

A silence ensured. Xion kept looking at him oddly. Ven squirmed. It felt like those times where Aqua would stare accusingly at him after he secretly ate some of her cookies when she set them out to cool (however, he had perfected his "innocent" face, so Terra always ended up blamed instead).

Finally, Xion said, "It must be nice to have friends."

Something in his chest twisted. "You don't have friends?"

Xion didn't say anything, but that was enough of an answer. Even before he registered what he was doing, Ven stepped forwards, taking her hands within his own. Xion gasped, staring at that, and then raised her chin so that they looked each other in the face.

"You have a friend: me," Ven said softly.

Xion's hands tensed inside his own. Slowly, they relaxed again and as they did, the tension on her face faded. "Friends," she agreed.

The moment was shattered by a door slamming open. Xion leapt away from him, staring down one of the dark halls. "Let's go," she said curtly, heading that way.

"Xion, what's wrong? You keep acting funny."

"Nothing."

But this time, Ven wasn't going to be swayed. "That's not true," he insisted. "Something's wrong. Xion, it's okay; you can tell me. I'll help you, and I'll get Terra and Aqua to help, too!"

"Ven, please, stop worrying."

"But you're my friend, right?"

She smiled. "I am, but that doesn't mean you can help me."

We'll see about that, he thought, vowing to keep an eye on her. As a final resort, he put on his cutest face and whimpered, "Please."

Xion's conviction visibly wavered. He bet that if she were older like Aqua, she would have caved. As it was, she performed the impossible and resisted him.

"No," she said, and Ven couldn't help but smile as she laughed. Over her shoulder, in the darkness beyond, a figure stirred . . .

"Watch out!" Ven pushed her behind him, his arms outstretched to block the hallway. He wasn't even sure what he was defending her from, only that something in the person's movements had triggered a violent reaction.

It was a person right? Whatever it was, it was naked, but that awkward realization was minimized by the lack of any features. Sure, it had a head and legs, but no face or hair, and its arms looked to be welded to the torso; they were folded upward, like someone hugging themselves, so that the shoulders appeared extraordinarily large compared to the thin waist. The thing moved clumsily, like there was only one bone for each leg. Liquid dropped from a hole in the chest where the heart would be, hissing as it dripped upon the ground.

Xion cried out. The thing bent at the waist, thrashing like an animal in its death throes. Then the chest was thrown out, and the skin around the hole gleamed. Ven didn't know exactly what kind of acid sprayed from the hole, but he jumped back regardless, yanking Xion back too.

The hissing grew in intensity. Part of the wall had been caught in the stream and as Ven watched, the surface shrivelled up and died, leaving great scars behind. The floor didn't fare any better. The wood cracked and popped as pathways drilled through it to the earth. Ven summoned his keyblade, holding it protectively in front of him.

"Aero!" he shouted.

The spell sent the thing rolling across the ground like a tumbleweed. Ven pumped his fist in victory, but his joy was cut short when the thing stumbled to its feet. He held Wayward Wind at the ready, but he didn't want to get too close. The thing's entire body seemed to be dripping, as if it had dove in a pool.

"Ven, go, I'll -"

He cut her off. "Not a chance." He planted his feet, twisting at the waist so all the strength of his shoulders and hips went into the throw. Wayward Wind shot towards his foe, spinning. The blade sliced through the thing's midsection, and the severed torso flew up into the as its lower half crashed to the ground. Acid poured from both ends, settling in a bubbling pool.

Ven shivered. His insides twisted. "I didn't mean to do that. . ."

He stepped back into Xion, who placed her hand on his shoulder.

The bubbling ceased. The thing's body broke apart, like a shattered glass figurine, and the acid swallowed up the bits and pieces. Soon, that too soaked into the ground; strangely, it didn't eat away at the wood like it had before.

"What was that?" he asked.

Ven didn't expect an answer, but Xion surprised him. "A lying figure," she said. "It was sent. . ." she gulped, and Ven coaxed her into continuing. ". . . I'm sure it was sent to punish me."

"You?" he exclaimed. "Someone sent this after you?"

Xion backed up. Her left hand rubbed her other arm so intensely that it looked more like she was trying to make herself bleed. He reached for her, but she shied away. "Probably. Ven, I'm not a good person."

"That's not true!" He lowered his arm in a swipe. "I don't believe that."

"Ven-"

He went on. "I don't care who you are; no one should be sending monsters after people." Ven moved forwards and Xion shifted back, clearly intending to keep some distance between them. But Ven quickened his pace until he stood in front of her. "See this?" He called his keyblade back to him. Although it had been in the thick of the acidic mist, there wasn't a single scratch on it. "I'm a keyblade warrior; Master says it's my job to help people. Just give me a chance, please."

Ven waited patiently for Xion to speak. But instead of doing that, she lunged at him. Ven almost yelped as her arms wrapped around his shoulders. Her head was buried in his chest, black hair hiding her face. His own arms slid around her back.

"I'm sorry," she murmured over and over.

He closed his eyes. There had to be something he could do to help her. She was so sad; he couldn't leave her like this. He wished Aqua were here. She had always been great at comforting him when he was upset.

"You don't have to apologize. I want to help."

"It's not that, Ven." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "It's because I know why we're here."

"You do? Cool."

She shook her head.

He supposed that Xion knew where they were going when she took the lead. There was no light in the clinic except for that which passed through the windows, so they walked from one beam of light to the next. They gave one side of Xion's face an ethereal glow, and Ven found himself twisting to get a better look. At last, she stopped in front of the door, leaning down to pick up a black feather.

She whispered, "This is why."

Ven stood on his tiptoes, trying to glance through the murky window. The doorknob was warm to the touch. The door swung open with a bang, vibrating as it hit the wall. While the side by the door was dark and forbidding, the other half of the room, that by the window looking outside, was bright. It was almost like an invisible line had been drawn, splitting the room into day and night. Directly underneath the window was a white bed, the sheets fresh-looking and neat as if someone had just replaced them.

"Ven, wait . . ." Xion trailed off. Her hand found his, pressing something hard into his palm. He looked down; she had passed him a small black box, which he ran his thumb over as she pulled away. "It's a radio," she said, "keep it with you."

"I can keep it?" He shook the box. "What does it do?"

"When it makes noise, run."

He blinked. "Huh?"

"Are you going inside?" she said pointedly.

Ven did just that, although with a bit of flair. He'd bounded over the room's invisible line when the door clicked shut. He paused, surprised, wondering why Xion hadn't come in with him and what was so private that she felt the need to shut the door. There was nothing in here except for the bed.

"Please don't do this, Master. I'm not strong enough."

What? Who said that? Ven spun around, only to find that he was alone.

"You must! If you do not let the storm within you run its course, it will wipe you from the face of the world, make no mistake!"

He twitched, violently. His keyblade flashed into existence without his command. The voice had been familiar, though certainly too deep to belong to Xion. Its owner's name was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't quite remember.

"Do it. Embrace the darkness."

Ven screamed. It was like some vicious animal had gained access to his mind, roaring and clawing where it could. Blurry images passed in front of him, of empty lands and shadowy figures, and an old man with yellow eyes staring down at him. His entire world narrowed down to that man, whose eyes captured him in a hold he couldn't resist. The shadowy figures passed in and out of his field of vision, but he was only aware of the old man who was slowly walking towards him.

"Forge the X-blade."

Ven couldn't move. His feet were rooted to the spot, although it mattered little; he didn't have the mind to command them. He was floundering in a sea of fear, as wild and vicious as a tempest. The old man approached, and Ven felt the vibrations of every step. His body was on alert, tense, begging to run, but his eyes couldn't break away from that face.

Xehanort, the wind whispered to him. Ven knew without thinking that was the old man's name, that was the man his Master had asked him to find, and that contrary to his previous beliefs, they had met before.

Xehanort reached for him.

"NO!"

Pain shot up his back as he crashed against the wall. The old man's eyes seemed to glow, so that the rest of the world became shades of gold. Ven shut his eyes, keyblade slipping from his fingers.

Leave me alone, he pleaded, go away. He cried out for Terra and Aqua, huddling his head up against his knees so that he appeared to shrink in size.

"Pathetic." A chuckle followed that word.

That was a new voice. Ven hesitantly took a peek. Xehanort was gone, and in his place, a masked boy leaned against the wall. He wore a strange black and red bodysuit that bent and moved with his body like a second skin.

"Who are you?" Ven asked.

In the mask, Ven could only see the reflection of his own frightened face, but he certainly heard the other boy's smirk. "Vanitas," he answered.

Ven pulled himself up, rubbing his arm as a sudden chill swept over him. Vanitas watched his every movement. Unnerved, Ven stared in the opposite direction, but Vanitas' hidden stare continued to bore holes in his back. It was a very unpleasant feeling.

As Vanitas idly examined his gloved hand, Ven asked, "Did you see that man?"

"Who?" It was an innocent question, yet Vanitas still managed to lace it with scorn.

"Xe-Xehanort."

Vanitas laughed again, and this time there was no mistaking the malice it held. "Not for a long time. But let me guess: he was talking about the X-Blade."

Goosebumps rose on his arms.

"Scared?" Vanitas pushed away from the wall. "How predictable, although it doesn't matter since you won't be around for much longer."

Ven scooped up Wayward Wind and jumped as he realized he already was against the wall.

"Once you enter Silent Hill, there's no turning back. Sooner or later, the darkness will swallow your soul." Vanitas bowed his head, his arms stretched out to the side so that he looked like a prophet listening to some divine messenger. Dark flames flickered on his arms. "And I will finally be whole."

The darkness licked at Ven's heart, leaving burning ice-cold trails. He clutched at his chest, stumbling past Vanitas towards the door. Vanitas did nothing, didn't even turn to watch his progress, until Ven's hand touched the knob.

"So, you're going to run," Vanitas said. "Good choice. Who cares about friends when you can save your own skin?"

Ven whipped around. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The mask tilted to one side, his fingers tapped his chin as Vanitas pretended to think over the answer. "Haven't you heard? Terra and Aqua are looking for you. By now, I think they've realized that something's wrong with this town, but you know how heroes of light are: they always want to get to the bottom of things."

His voice dropped suddenly, so that it sounded to Ven like a demon was speaking. "And curiosity kills the cat."

"You're wrong!" Ven shouted. "Nothing's strong enough to beat them."

"Are you sure?" Ven gasped as Xehanort's image flickered behind Vanitas.

"You're wrong," Ven repeated, but already he sounded uncertain.

Vanitas clicked his tongue. "Oh, Ventus." Ven cringed at his name. "You're just a lost dog, aren't you?" He leaned forwards. "What's that in your pocket?"

Ven pulled out the radio, holding it on his outstretched palm for Vanitas to see.

"I didn't tell her to give that to you."

Ven's chin snapped up. "You know Xion?" Was this boy the reason she was so unhappy?

"I think you should worry about your other friends, Ventus, unless they really don't mean that much to you." Ven didn't think he had changed expressions, but Vanitas suddenly laughed at him. "That's what I thought. Go on, call to them, maybe they'll hear you."

It didn't make any sense that they would, but Vanitas was staring at him so expectantly that Ven knew that something was different. "Terra?" he said, confused. He was about to ask for Aqua, when the radio came to life. Like a spitting cat, it hissed and crackled, until a single syllable cut through the chaos.

"Ven!"

Terra? "Where are you?" he asked.

"Right here. Don't move! I'll come find you!"

It sounded like Terra, but the radio warped his voice so that he couldn't be certain. "Terra? Terra, is that you? I'm really freaked out, right now!" Ven blushed, regretting that last statement as he glanced at Vanitas.

"Don't move; I'm coming to you! Ven, what do you see?"

"A building, a big one. It's a clinic: Ridge-something." Ridge Medical Center? No, no that. There was a 'clinic' in there, but he was sure there was something else as well. "You and Aqua are coming to get me?"

Terra answered in the affirmative, and Ven had just begun to relax when Vanitas snickered. "Yes, he will," the masked boy sneered.

"Aqua," he whispered. In a louder voice, he said into the radio, "What about Aqua?"

Terra mumbled something too low for Ven to understand, but he did understand the sudden glee radiating from the masked boy. "What did you say?" Ven demanded. "Aqua's there, right? Terra, where is she; I want to talk to her!"

Ven thought his heart would stop as Terra admitted, "We got separated, but after I come get you, we'll go find her. Understand, Ven?"

And Vanitas was suddenly much, much too close. "There's no need, really," Vanitas hissed into his ear. "She'll be well taken care of; they both will be. I'll personally make sure of it."

It was too much. With a wild cry, the radio fell from his fingers and he flung himself at Vanitas. Vanitas slipped out of the way, laughing. Ven swung, but his keyblade was stopped in a burst of darkness; Vanitas had summoned a dark keyblade and locked it against his. They pushed against each other as the radio shouted in the background.

That's when the first of the sirens howled.

Vanitas flicked his wrist, and Ven's keyblade went flying, impaling itself in the wall. Ven gulped, calling what magic he had to the surface, but Vanitas opted not to press his advantage. Instead, he wandered away with the words, "And so it begins."

The ceiling nearly fell on top of him. Ven leapt back from the mass of burning metal, looking up before he even registered that the other boy was still wielding his weapon. The ceiling was burning, the flames spreading to the wall. It ate away at the metal, turning it black and twisted as chunks dropped away. They collided with wispy strips of the floor as they peeled away, uncovering a new one made of steel mesh through which Ven could see a violent inferno far below.

"What's happening?" he squeaked, barely audible over the sirens. From the radio, Terra asked a similar question.

Vanitas said nothing. He glided over the dying floor, through the falling flames and plaster as if he were a ghost. With a flick of his dark keyblade, he tossed the radio up off the ground and into his hand, where he held it tight in his fist.

"Give that back, please," Ven begged.

Vanitas didn't even acknowledge his plead. He glowered at the radio instead as Terra shouted Ven's name. "You're an apprentice, aren't you, Ventus? Someday, you might even be a keyblade master. And masters shouldn't need a safety blanket."

Ven was halfway through Terra's name before Vanitas smashed the radio against the floor.

As Ven stood mute with horror, Vanitas smirked, "As fun as that was, I think I'll go see what your friends are doing. Don't worry, I'll say hi for you."

Behind the masked boy, a dark portal opened. Ven lunged, but even his speed wasn't enough to prevent Vanitas from disappearing into the darkness. But that was the least of his worries, as all around him, shadowy figures were beginning to rise.

"Neoshadows," he whispered, his mind blanking out as once again, blurry memories assaulted him.

One stood, flexing its fingers like they were wrapped around his throat. Its burning yellow eyes were fixed on his chest, filled with a wild hunger. He could feel others gathering around, their presence tightening against him.

And they leapt.

Next chapter will get back to Aqua, and after that, things will really start going downhill.