Chapter 46 When Life Gives You Lemons…
As soon as Braig walks out of the dark corridor and he smells the unmistakable smell of sulfur that fills the desolate world known as the Keyblade Graveyard. He is met by a scream of fury. "Woah!" He shouts jumping in surprise. In a split second he has his guns pulled out and his head swivels back and forth as he tries to find the source of the noise.
Another scream. It sounds like the same person, but this time there is pain mixed in with the rage. "The fuck is going on?" Braig mutters to himself. The screams seem to be coming from the other side of the mountain of red rock he's standing beside. Taking off at a jog, he hurries towards the source keeping his guns out just in case.
As he runs he glances up at the mountain. He has to take a double take when he realizes there are rusted steel spires hanging of the mountain nearly the same color of the rock. Now looking closer he can see windows and balconies all crafted out of a mix of steel and rock. What he had previously taken as a mountain is instead an enormous fortress.
A scream rings out again. It sounds like a different person than before and there is something about the voice that sounds familiar, but Braig can't put his finger on it. Now he can hear the sharp clanging of a sword fight and Braig quickens his pace. He rounds one more corner and his eyes widen at the scene before him.
Two boys stand facing each other each breathing hard from the fight they are currently engaged in. Surrounding them like a crowd of onlookers are the same creatures Braig had just fought for the first time. Unversed.
The monsters however merely watch as the boys run at each other with their swords raised and clash in the center of the circle. One of the boys is clad in a black and red body suit that covers everything from the neck down. On his head was a faceless black mask that is spotted in blood.
But it is not the masked boy's blood.
Braig looks to the second boy and lets out a low whistle of surprise. The other boy is nearly unrecognizable under all the blood, but Braig can tell it's Keric. His pale blond hair is matted with blood and his clothes will forever be stained. Keric is fighting what looks to be the fight of his life and he is losing, big time. The masked boy swings his sword, no his keyblade, at Keric and the young king has no chance at defending himself. The large black and red keyblade hits him in the side and Keric scream out as it rips through his shirt and cuts deep into him.
Now moaning in pain between harsh breaths, Kerci stumbles backwards away from the keyblade wielder gripping his side. Braig can see the blood seeping through his fingers and for a moment he considers going to help Keric. He quickly brushes away the thought as he doesn't want to end up a bloody mess like Keric. He likes his face to remain unscarred so he remains hidden in the shadows of the fortress walls watching the gory battle with a riveted expression.
Keric stumbles back to the line of Unversed. They make no move to attack him, but they train their beady red eyes on him. "This is your army?" Keric says trying to leer at the masked boy, but the intimidating gesture isn't possible in his condition. "Pfft. Pathetic." Keric stabs his sword through one of creatures. It disappears and the masked boy stumbles back with a groan of pain as if he had been punched.
"Oh? You don't like when I do this!" Keric shouts the last word as he stabs another Unversed and it disappears as well.
The masked boy's head snaps to the side and he groans again. Keric laughs and Braig cringes slightly at the disturbing of image of the laughing boy covered in blood. Another stab and another Unversed disappears. The masked keyblade wielder's head snaps back and he lets out a scream. That quickly stops though as the masked boy's head snaps back down to face Keric and with a roar of fury he charges at the blond boy.
Keric looks terrified as he raises his sword in a half hearted attempt at a block. The keyblade wielder launches himself into the air as he lunges at Keric and then he freezes. Just like that. He freezes in air, not a single muscle moves, not even to breathe.
"What?" Keric asks lowering his sword in surprise. Braig also takes half a step forward in shock and then without warning the masked boy appears in the air behind Keric and slashes down at him before the boy king can even turn around. Without even a cry of pain, Keric falls on his face, his sword slipping out of his fingers and clattering to the rock bed. Braig stares at Keric's unmoving form and sees the image of the frozen masked boy flicker and fade.
"Clever little sneak," Braig mutters rather impressed by the keyblade wielder's move. Said keyblade wielder slowly walks around Keric's still body before raising his keyblade to strike the fatal blow.
"Vanitas!"
The doors of the rock and steel fortress had opened without Braig noticing, but he looks over at the sound of Xehanort's voice and sees the dark keyblade master. Braig looks back at the masked boy whose name must be Vanitas. Vanitas lowers his sword arm and lets the keyblade in his hand disappear.
"What are you doing here, Braig?"
Xehanort is suddenly right beside Braig who jumps in surprise. "Oi! None of that teleporting shit! It freaks me out!" Braig shouts, glaring at Xehanort.
Xehanort returns the glare with even more intensity and Braig knows better than to annoy him further. "Just wanted to see your new home," Braig says gesturing at the fortress. "It's a big step up from that crummy old cave."
As he had talked, Vanitas had made his way over to them. He bore no marks of the battle he had just been in and it made Braig wonder if Keric had even been able to touch him. "So who's the new kid?" Braig asks raising his eyebrow.
"Vanitas. He is the result of my attempt to create the X-blade," Xehanort replies.
"Oh? So you didn't make it?" Braig asks then immediately wishes he had kept his mouth shut as Xehanort's eyes gleam in anger.
"No," Xehanort replies. "Ventus resisted more than expected. He refused to fight with Vanitas here to create the X-blade."
Braig's face darkens in anger. He had only joined forces with the old coot to get a taste of the power of Kingdom Hearts and now he is being told the plan had fallen apart.
"But all is not lost."
"Oh?" Braig says turning to look at Xehanort with a raised eyebrow.
"I had of course expected a different outcome, but it would have been foolish on my part to not have accounted for this possibility." A sneer forms on Xehanort's face as he explains. "I have planned this out for many years. Plans interwoven in plans. No matter how many set backs Eraqus and his accused apprentices leave me with, I will reach my goal. I will create the X-blade and attain the power of Kingdom Hearts!"
"Mmhmm," Briag hums, frowning slightly. It sounded like a whole lot of crazy talk to him. "You gonna clue me in to these oh so great plans?"
"All you need to know is this," Xehanort says fixing him with a cold stare. "Now that Vanitas and Ventus have been separated from one another, Ventus will have to engage in a physical fight with his darker half. There is no way to avoid the creation of the X-blade and when Ventus is defeated it will be in the hands of my own apprentice."
Braig glances at Vanitas who is turned to his master. Although Braig can't see through the mask, he could swear that there was something in Xehanort's words that didn't sit right with the boy from his tense body language.
"Your being here will allow me to rid myself of a small problem however," Xehanort says bringing Braig's attention back to the keyblade master. "That boy," Xehanort motions vaguely in the direction of Keric who is still lying in a small pool of his own blood. "Can stay here no longer."
"Why is he here in the first place?" Braig has to ask.
"With the locking of the keyhole in his world, most of the darkness was drained from the world," Xehanort replies. "People were able to see him for the monster he is and staged a rebellion. His hate is very strong and so are his powers over the darkness. Even though he has never been properly trained he was able to summon a dark corridor and find his way here. I considered for a moment letting him become an apprentice alongside Vanitas, but it has become apparent that will not be possible."
Xehanort glares disapprovingly at Vanitas who lets out a dark chuckle. "I just give the bitch what he deserves," Vanitas says speaking for the first time.
"Ventus' fear of Keric could be useful later and I cannot allow you to kill him," Xehanort says disapprovingly to him apprentice. Vanitas just shrugs and looks away as if bored with the conversation.
"If Keric was a more worthy opponent I would let him stay, but he is no match for Vanitas," Xehanort continues. He ignores Vanitas who laughs darkly again. "Therefore, he has no purpose here. Take him back to your world and let that Ansem take him in. He will be helpful to you later I assure you."
"Helpful how?" Braig asks, but Xehanort just smiles.
"Vanitas, continue the lessons I gave you today," Xehanort commands his apprentice.
"Yes, master," Vanitas replies in a mocking voice. He turns away from them and disappears through the doors of the fortress, taking the remaining Unversed with him.
"Come," Xehanort says to Braig before walking towards the spot where Keric lay. Braig follows, watching the keyblade master carefully. They come to a stop beside the bloodied boy. "Curaga," Xehanort says with a casual wave of his hand. As the green light touches him, Keric groans and stirs slightly. "Take him away," Xehanort says dismissively and begins to walk away.
As Braig struggles to pull the semi conscious teenager to his feet, Xehanort pauses and turns back. "I expect I can count on you in the coming war, Braig." It isn't a question.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Braig says without really caring.
"Good," Xehanort says. "Things will be different when we meet again. Remember, looks can be deceiving."
"What does that mean?" Braig asks confused, but Xehanort has already teleported away. "Crazy old coot," Braig mutters.
Keric's only response is to let out another pitiful moan.
Braig sighs in annoyance. "Now I'm stuck looking after your creepy ass. As if!" He summons a dark corridor and drags Keric through it.
…
"Who are you?"
Keric's slurred words make Braig pause and look down at him. The boy has only one eye open as the other is swollen shut. "Let's just say we gotta a mutual 'friend'," Braig says and continues to pull a stumbling Keric through the garden.
"Van- Vanitas…" Keric is able to force out.
"He's still with the old coot. You won't see him again anytime soon," Braig says.
Keric looks up at him confusion obvious in his eyes.
"Welcome to Radiant Garden," Braig says gesturing around. "True to its name it's got enough light to make you sick. You're living here from now on. You'll be an apprentice or something to Ansem. I guess you could call him the king of this place."
"I'm king…"
"Not anymore kiddo," Braig says earning himself a glare from Keric. "Sorry, but that's all over now. And if you don't want me sending you back to be Vanitas' favorite punching bag I suggest you keep your mouth shut about Carinol. You read me?"
Still glaring, Keric nods sullenly. "Good," Braig says. He looks up to see that they are at the steps that lead up to the castle's front doors. "Just pretend you have amnesia or something. Oh! And go along with whatever I say."
Keric nods his head again, accepting the situation, and they finally reach the flat area before the doors. Dilan catches sight of them and hurries over in concern. "What the hell did you do to him Braig?" The large man demands.
"I didn't do shit to him!" Braig says pushing Keric towards the other guard. Dilan catches him just in time to keep Keric from collapsing to the ground. "I found him like that. All I got out of him is that his name's Keric. Now take him to Ansem before he bleeds out."
Dilan nods quickly and helps Keric walk towards the doors of the castle. Just before they go through, Keric throws one last glare over his shoulder. Now alone outside the castle, Braig puts his hands to his hips and sighs.
"Things are definitely going to start changing," he says with a shake of his head.
I think I enjoyed Vanitas beating up Keric a little more than I should. And I like that I knocked him down a peg by making him no longer the King of Carinol. Hah! Take that Keric!
The title of this chapter was "When Life Gives You Lemons…" You get it? 'Cause Xehanort got Vanitas (and he's sour like lemons) instead of the X-blade like he wanted, but he's gonna make it work out. See? Lemonade!
...Anyway, on to plan B! Plans interwoven in plans. Xehanort's always got a plan to get his precious X-blade.
School starts for me tomorrow :( Updates are going to be slower from now on. My goal will be once a week, but I don't know if I'll be able to do that.
Mexi: Vani! He still hates Keric for what he did to Ven way back when.
MLSoT: I'll try to have a few little fluffy moments between Sora and Kairi. I can definitely see Sora all flustered too. I HAVE to have AkuRoku in the sequel. I can't ever picture them with anyone else! That's too bad about the Remnants of Twilight. I deleted half a story I wrote once (not a fanfiction). Worst thing ever!
ShinyGlaceon: :P Not fair! I don't wanna go back to school!