TUH: I guess we just whipped a character into shape.
TN: I'm done.
TUH: I hope readers don't lash out.
TN: . . .
TUH: I'm going to go whip myself some ice cream.
TN: Okay, and now for seriousness.
TUH: Some may see I'ltorien's importance today.
TN: Yeah, the second they see that. . . they're gonna lose their minds.
TN: We also had a heart-warming moment this chapter. I have nothing else to say.
TUH: Same here.
TN: We have a new schedule. One chapter every two weeks. Earlier if possible.
*DISCLAIMER*
Chapter XII
Sacrifice and Reunion
I'ltorien
July 17, 2010
"Like yours? What are you on about? And what did you just DO?!" King blared, fear taking a hold of his body after the wave of amazement and awe. The woman may have looked like the first goddess to grace the world ever since. . . that time, but still she had ended the lives of so many in mere moments and showed no signs to be the bearer of peace yet.
"I see. . . you do not know," the woman said, her outstretched hand leaning now on her chest while she slowly shook her head. "Fear not, I am on this land to rain down destruction. . . as of now," well then, THAT was a mixed bag.
"As of now?! What do you mean by this? Are you the enemy?!" King demanded to know, sword hand returning to the sheath. That did nothing at all to the woman's composure, who continued to stare at him with her crystalline eyes, her expression indecipherable. It was almost divine, as if King could not even comprehend what the woman was discussing internally, as if her intentions were above mere mortals. Her melodious voice returned, but as a warning, not a calming notion:
"That would depend on what you are referring too and what you do from now on," she said, her eyes glimmering for a mere moment, King swearing they had slit for a brief second, much like a reptile's.
"What. . . are you?" King questioned, hand removed from the sheath as a precaution. This woman was not kidding around when she said she could easily consider him the enemy. He could see it in her eyes.
"May I ask you the same?" the woman questioned, deflecting the question, but King was at her mercy here, and so, he decided to comply for now.
"I was born human. I don't know if anyone can call himself that after what happened at the Magitek Research Facility but I cannot put into words what I am right now. Everyone calls us something different," he explained, for once letting his face fall at the memories of all the looks and comments behind his back. Like the facility wasn't bad enough, he had to be punished for being there?!
"Has anyone called you an Esperkin?" the woman questioned, much less threateningly and even caring. King had no idea what that meant, so he simply shook his head, leading the woman to simply nod:
"I see. Tell me, if the situation arose where you could, by yourself, decide if the regime fell or stood, what would you do?" she asked, her face far too serene for what she had just asked.
King almost fell on his back at her question. In his mind, she couldn't possibly think he was going to give her an answer. It was far too dangerous, he was in the middle of the friggin' capital! That and there were just too many variables. He ju-
"I see. . . just as I imagined. When the Harbinger of Light comes, maybe you will be the one guiding him," she simply said, moving towards the now speechless King and taking his hand in her soft hold.
"Stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Remember the Ashbringer. . . remember Tirion. Remember the Argent Crusade," she whispered softly in his ear before turning her back to him. "We shall meet again once it is time to pick a side. I dearly hope your choice and mine coincide. You are. . . an interesting little boy,"
"Little boy? But you're. . . no way, you aren't a… Laguz are you?!" the woman stopped dead in her tracks and looked back at him, smiling mischievously.
"Close, but I cannot say I am a Laguz," she said, smiling with a childish joviality, only further confusing the man towards what this woman was all about. She wasn't being childish, she just seemed extremely relieved. "Let us meet again, little drake," and with that, she exploded in light, blinding King for a moment, a gust of wind taking him back.
As he looked around to see no one, thinking of what had just happened, he heard the sound of wings flapping in the distance and looked up.
His jaw nearly fell.
Flying outside of the capital, apparently invisible to any onlookers was not a hawk, not a raven. . . but a dragon!
"A dragon Laguz? They still exist?!" he asked to himself before taking a better look at it. It was not of a pale white, it was not of a bright red, nor a darkening black. No, the dragon's skin seemed to shine like crystals, its body sleek and long, unlike the usual dragons, it seemed like a quadruped, not like one to stand on two legs. Its wings were of a light green and their curved, flowing shapes vaguely resembled seaweed. Much like the two eye-brow antenna hybrids coming from the top of its eyes.
"N-no. . . I have to tell sis about this. They exist. They really exist!" he exclaimed, the legends of when he was a kid rushing through his mind, even more so reminding him of reading The Tale of Tirion, the Ashbringer.
The young man took less than five minutes to arrive at the outer wall as he was more akin to a blur than a man at that point. He was determined to find Eighteen and tell her all about what he had just seen. . . if he survived the raging beast she would be by now after his likely hour long delay.
And he would meet it, but he realized just how screwed he was when he reached the command room. In there was, in fact, Eighteen, but the blonde was more worried than angry, because by her side was:
"G-G-General Orlandeu?!" he blared, staring in shock and fear at the grizzled veteran clad in a brown cloak, it's hood hiding his white hairline, showing only his knowledgeable, imposing and secure expression. King's former teacher, now fellow general, stood before him. However, General Cidolfus Orlandeu, better known as Thunder God Cid, was more than one step above the ladder. He was the general that never left the palace, serving as personal ward to the Emperor along with his bodyguard. Instead, his captain did most of his duties for him. For Orlandeu to be outside the castle. . .
"The Emperor has a need of both you."
HoL:TS
Aboard the Black Pearl
August 16, 2010
Night had descended upon the world as Sora sat closely to Kairi. His heart was riveting in his chest, his nerves on end. In the last weeks of traveling, he had not really focused on Kairi except training her for her survival. He had not had the time to sit down with her, but over the last day and the night before, they had traveled non-stop, working in shifts. He had taken hers for her to alleviate the stress she was feeling. It was the gentlemanly thing to do. Especially for the girl he loved.
"Sora, you don't have to do this," she said, sleepy eyed as Gibbs had just woken her for her shift.
"I'm doing what I have to," he had replied simply. She protested, but he refused. His limbs protested, his mind, his muscles, his everything. He was tired and ready to just pass out. But, his heart would not give out. He was doing what he had to. After the shift he was doing for her ended, he fell asleep immediately on his itchy hammock. His hair was lank, greasy and falling, his face smeared with grime and dirt, and his clothes were disgusting, but whole due to the magic. He looked like a wreck, but his heart smiled on.
And here he was, sitting next to the very girl that he did all these things for. He loved her, and after everything they had been through, he was still away, far in mind, too afraid to do anything. He was too afraid to lose her again. And what if he lost her forever this time? What if everything went sour? What if everything just ended, and with their romance, their friendship crumbled as well? He would never be able to forgive himself. He was happy being her friend.
He was doing what he had to.
Rain battered the Pearl and the roaring ocean. Fallen crags of rock jutted out of the shallows, threatening to tear the Pearl asunder. Out in the distance, a ship was broken in two, and pieces of debris littered the ocean around it. Lightning flared in the far, far distance. Thunder wasn't even heard, just the pelting of the cold rain.
"That's the Flying Dutchman?" Sora asked, reluctantly leaving Kairi's side to stand in the rain. It was about as close to a shower as he was going to get in the near future.
"She doesn't look like much," Kairi said, walking up beside Sora. His nervousness cropped up a bit again.
"Neither do you. Do not underestimate her," Jack said. Gibbs coughed sharply, catching his breath for some odd reason.
"Must have run afoul of the reef," he said shakily. Sora looked to Will and Jack.
"So, what's your plan?" Jack asked Will. Sora already knew this as Will had come to him about it earlier when they had left Tia Dalma's.
"I row over there with Sora, in case of Heartless, and we search until we find your bloody key," Will stated firmly, crossing his wet arms over his chest. Jack pondered that.
"And what if there are crewman?" Jack asked.
"Well, we cut down anyone that stands in our way," Sora answered, knowing the plan Will wanted to go with. Jack smiled and nodded his head raptly.
"I like it. Simple. Easy to remember," he said. The row boat was hoisted in its pulleys and lowered into the ravaging waves, slapping against the Pearl with a dull thud and slapping the rocks with loud smacks. Sora climbed down after Will and looked up. Kairi smiled down at him. He felt his heart twang, when her face disappeared and was replaced with Ragetti.
"You're chariot awaits, sires," he said with a high cackle. Sora settled himself in the shaky boat. They looked up as Jack beckoned them.
"Oi! If you do happen to be captured, just say Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt. It might just save your lives!" he shouted over the roaring storm. Sora nodded as his hair now lay straight down. It was really long when wet, going just to his shoulders. They took up a pair of oars each and set off towards the wreck of the Flying Dutchman. Waves crashed into them, freezing them to the bone. The water splashed fiercely into Sora's eyes, the salt stinging them. At about twenty meters from the Pearl, the lamps were being doused, one by one.
After a short time, they reached the wreckage, just resting on the sea bed, and climbed aboard the sloped wood. Splinters of beams were everywhere; snapped cords laying limply over the entanglements of wood. Glass was shattered everywhere, rum and gunpowder spilled all over, and only a few things remained upright. Will lit a lamp and hung it on a broken piece of the mast. The worst part was the stench of dead bodies strewn about the scattered remains of the ship, beginning to decompose. Sora felt his stomach churn. Then his ears perked to the mechanic squeak of a pulley being pulled. They looked around and found a man pulling the ropes.
"Sailor?" Sora asked as he and Will approached the man. He was trembling violently, muttering unintelligibly. His face was gaunt and sickly. He was bleeding from multiple cuts along his body and he was pulling that rope, trying to raise the sail to a broken mast.
"Hoisting the jib, captain's orders," Sora heard.
"Sailor!" Will shouted. The man paid him no mind, but kept muttering, jabbering like a maniac.
"It's no use, you've run aground," Sora said. The man stopped pulling, and looked at them with fearful eyes, hysteria pooling from his every breath.
"No. . . b-beneath us. Foul breath!" he said, and continued pulling. SPLASH! Sora whipped around to see the splash of a man falling. He ran to the felled body and turned him over to see the man's face. It wasn't there. It was suctioned clean off, just like Gibbs' story about the Kraken.
Beneath us. Foul breath!
The sea churned. The rocks shook. The ship, or what was left of it, trembled unsoundly. Bubbles appeared at a distance. Sora and Will both jumped up on a beam and looked out at sea. And Sora couldn't believe his eyes as a ship, a massive ship emerged from the black depths of the raging waters.
The Flying Dutchman.
In a magnificent spray of water, the monstrosity of the ship appeared. The wind caught and hitched the sails, unfurling them and extending them out. They were green, once white, and covered in barnacles and grime. The front of the ship was designed to resemble the maw of some giant creature, wicked and jagged teeth protruding. Water seeped out of every crevice and the ship came to life, harrowed in the night, the moon beaming down on it in the storm.
And then the Heartless appeared.
"Sora, look out!" Will shouted. Sora whipped around and barely dodged a sword slash of a Pirate Heartless. How fitting was that. He rolled and then brought his Oblivion out, cutting it in half. It dissipated and more merged. There were Pirate and Air Pirate Heartless. The two new breeds, the Praetorians and Centurions, were there as well. Will and Sora began a fight with the Heartless and easily overtook the Pirate breeds. They had some trouble with the new breeds, but soon finished them off as well. They stood in the rain, sweating and out of breath when something else appeared.
These men, crewmen of the Dutchman no doubt, were almost not men at all. Sora could only surmise them as half fish. They had barnacles growing off of them like extremities. Men were in the shape of some fish, like a hammer head shark and one that had a head like that of a hermit crab. They had tentacles, shells and seaweed all over them and, as if this was part of their original anatomy, they seemed not to care. Dark water dripped off their muscled and scarred bodies and their faces snarled, exposing grimy and green teeth, if there were any left.
In their hands they gripped crude weapons. Most of them carried jagged and colored swords, some not even metal. Another carried a chain connecting metal balls, clacking together angrily. They surrounded Sora, Will and the wrecked ship's surviving crew-mates. Sora and Will tried to fight them off. Will sliced the bellies of some, spilling out live, subterranean creatures, slimy and covered in icky blood. Sora felt his stomach give as he vomited down his front. The pelting rain soon cleaned him. He was suddenly grabbed from behind and restrained along with Will. They were forced down, jarring their knees which caused their teeth to clack together. Sora hissed in pain. Everything went silent except the muttering of prayers. The rain thrashed the world. And then a hollow knock sped through the wood they knelt upon.
Knock. They looked over and saw an monstrosity of a man. Sora felt his jaw slightly drop in amazement, only to snap shut in sudden fear. He had a crustacean leg, almost mimicking a wooden peg leg. His trench coat draped around his form, tattered and an old grayish-green. His booted leg limped as he strutted forward, pausing to snap his right claw. Sora could hardly believe this. His other hand held a pipe, waiting to be lit. His eyes were beady and black, sharp enough to spot anything. His mouth puttered trickles of water that trailed down his beard of tentacles. This was no man. He was a modern day monster. He approached the six kneeling prisoners, Sora and Will included. The hammer-head approached the obvious captain.
"Six men still alive, the rest have moved on," he explained in a guttural and raspy voice. The captain looked about the men and bent forward to look one of them in the eyes. The man was whimpering and shaking with fear. He lit his pipe and tendrils of smoke emitted from it.
"Do you fear death?" he asked the whimpering and shaking sailor. It was hard for Sora to tell whether he was nodding or not. "Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare. All your sins punished. I can offer you an escape," he said, his voice alluring, the temptation in the air.
"Don't listen to him!" a man shouted from the front of the row. Sora chanced to look down and see he was shaking just as badly, a silver crucifix quivering from his trembling hands. The captain, by now Sora was sure to be Davy Jones himself, approached him and grabbed him by the throat with a claw.
"Do you fear death?" Jones asked in a far more menacing voice. The man looked up at him.
"I'll take my chances."
"To the depths," Jones responded with no emotion. One of Jones' sailors took a knife and slit the man's throat, spilling hot and thick blood onto the deck. He was tossed overboard. Jones' crew chuckled.
Sora would have vomited if he had had the contents to.
Roxas, I think we're in trouble.
We? I think it's you, buddy.
Seriously? Now of all times you have to be sarcastic?
It's one of the few things I have left.
You're in for one hell of a wake-up call if you ever get a body.
Well I don't see that happening.
"Cold blood!" one of the trembling soldiers shouted at Jones in disgust. Jones scoffed. His eyes narrowed.
"Life is cruel, why should the afterlife be any different? Join my crew and postpone the judgment. One hundred years before the mast. Will ye accept?" he asked icily. Watery.
No. Never. Who could live such a life?
Only the damned, Roxas muttered.
A few sailors accepted before Jones finally made his way to Sora and Will. He looked up at Jones and the rain battered his face.
"You two are neither dead nor dying," Jones said harshly. A new Heartless emerged. It was tall and muscular, like an Invisible. It walked instead of flew and carried the same greatsword. It wore rough light armor. Nothing else was special except the fact that its left hand brimmed with magic. Each one, five in all, was different. Each an element of some sort.
"What is your purpose here?" he asked, not noticing or caring that the new Heartless, dubbed Knights, appeared.
"What are the Heartless doing here?" Sora shouted, fear seeping into him. Jones' expression changed to sincere shock and amusement.
"Oh?! If it isn't Sora! Oh, I've heard plenty about you," Jones said, clawing Sora's throat. Sora choked and coughed. His hands rent at the claws, but to no avail. Jones brought him in close to his face.
"Oh, this shall be delightful," he said masochistically, his washy eyes peering into Sora's bright blue orbs. "She will be very pleased."
Maleficent!
Thanks, Captain Obvious.
"Jack Sparrow sent us to settle his debt," Will spluttered. Jones released a bit of his grip. Air flooded Sora's lungs, burning them.
"What is yer purpose here?" Jones asked, dropping Sora, who was roughly picked back up by two Knights. Sora could feel the darkness flow from them. It marred his heart, but he stood strong.
"Jack Sparrow sent us to settle his debt," Will said again. Jones became even more amused by this, like a child on Christmas.
"Oh did he? I'm sorely tempted to accept that offer. Send the boy to the brig. Same with this man. They are mine for now," Jones ordered. Trapdoors and latches were undone. Sora and Will were taken under into the dank and grimy depths of the Dutchman, and thrown into the brig, awaiting their fate.
HoL:TS
"Ah!" Kairi shrieked as a dozen or so ghastly, subterranean sailors emerged from no where. These monsters matched the descriptions that Gibbs had given her. And there was Jones, just like Jack had said he would be. Jones seemed menacing. But where was Sora?!
Naminé! What if something happened to him? Kairi asked in fear as she was handled by a sailor, his slimy fingers digging into her flesh. She squealed slightly.
He's a strong, young man. He'll be fine with Will, Naminé assured. Kairi knew that Naminé didn't believe that. She could hear the fright laced through her voice in her mind. Naminé was just as worried for Roxas, if not more. Kairi's eyes were then drawn to Jones as all went quiet but the rain.
"Oh bugger," Jack said, staring fearfully at Jones.
"You have a debt to pay. You've been captain of the Pearl for thirteen years, that was our agreement," Jones said angrily, strutting forward violently.
"Technically I was captain for only two years. Then, I was viciously mutinied upon—"
"Then you were a poor captain, but a captain nonetheless!" Jones shouted, interrupting Jack. Jack quailed a bit. Then he found his voice again.
"Yeah, I gave you payment. One soul to serve on your ship is already over there," he said. Did he mean Will or Sora?
"One soul is not equal to another," Jones said diplomatically.
"Aha! So we've establish my proposal is sound in principle, now we're just haggling over price," Jack said quickly and slyly.
"Price?" Jones asked, intrigued.
"Just how many souls do you think my soul is worth?" Jack asked, his alluring eyes narrowing. Jones thought about for a couple minutes.
"One hundred souls. Three days," Jones said sickeningly and greedily.
"You're a darling, mate. Send me back the boys and I'll—" Jack was stopped as he was walking away. A sailor that resembled a hammerhead shark-man obstructed Jack.
"I keep the boys. A good, faith payment. That leaves you only ninety-eight to go. Haha, haha," Jones said. Jack looked at him hard and long. Kairi and Naminé's fears went up and they waited anxiously. Jack strolled forward in the cold rain, circling Jones.
"Have you not met Will Turner? He's noble, heroic, a terrific soprano. Worth at least four, maybe three-and-a-half souls. And did I happen to mention he's in love? With a girl. Due to be married. Betrothed. Dividing him from her and her from him would only be half as cruel as actually allowing them to be joined in holy matrimony. Aye?" Jack asked slowly. Jones looked remorseful for a minute, his eyes watery from tears and his face drawn in sorrow. Then, suddenly, he snapped out of his reverie. His menacing scowl had returned.
"I keep the boys. Ninety-eight souls to go," Jones reiterated.
"NO!" Kairi screamed, feeling the fear in her heart jump to her throat. Jones' eyebrow raised in amusement. He looked happy now.
"Oh, you cannot tell me that this is the young Kairi!?" he asked, walking towards her. How did he know her name? "It's like I found a chest full of jewels, today!" he exclaimed.
"How do you know me?" she asked.
"Well, I've been on the lookout for you and Sora ever since Maleficent warned me of ye. I'll be sure to take great care of you," he assured.
Everything went black.
HoL:TS
Tortuga
August 18, 2010
"Elizabeth! This way!" Merideth shouted. They were making their way through docks, twilight descending on Tortuga. The ruckus of guns, yelling, laughter, and plain old fighting came in waves from the center. The wind was brisk and fresh off the salty sea, and they were eager to stretch their legs. Elizabeth had had the amazing idea to get them to Tortuga by using old superstitions and fears to their suit. Along with that and a bit of brainpower, the girls were able to scare the sailors to the port of Tortuga. It was here that Merideth and Elizabeth hoped to find a trace of where to find Sora, Kairi, Jack and Will. Elizabeth ran to Merideth as they walked onto the cobblestone paths of the town.
"It smells, here," Merideth said, scrunching her nose and narrowing her eyes. Elizabeth nodded in agreement.
"It's something you get used to when you're around pirates," she replied. Merideth shrugged as they continued into the town, looking for any whereabouts of Jack. They heard a particularly loud gunshot come from one of the many greasy and rundown taverns. But this was the biggest one, so they may have some luck if they asked around.
They made their way in, and the smell of smoke and alcohol hit them first. It was petulant and thick, almost enough for Merideth to gag on. The smell of body odor was next and then her eyes brought everything into full perception. It was dark and dank. The rumbling noise of laughter and shouting was laced with background music and glasses tinkling and thudding (depending on their size). Merideth looked around. It took her a moment to notice that EVERYONE WAS FIGHTING! Brawling had ensued, and she had mistaken it for jovial fun. Soon, a woman had attacked Merideth. Merideth evaded the drunkard easily and tripped the woman, not wanting to fight her.
This raucous continued while Elizabeth ran off to talk to a man that had been thrown into a pigsty. Merideth did not want to think about that experience. Things began to calm down as Merideth was offered some thick ale. She turned it down and walked away from the seemingly nice pirates, awaiting Elizabeth's return. Oddly enough, the pig-remains-covered man walked alongside her. He smelled as well.
"Merideth, this is the former Commodore James Norrington. James, this is Merideth, one of Sora's friends," Elizabeth explained, introducing the two. They silently agreed not to shake hands, but simply nodded to the other. They made their way down the docks, the Black Pearl easily spotted among the other ships.
And there was Jack.
"Captain Sparrow!" Elizabeth shouted. He glanced over his shoulder at the two women dressed as men and Norrington.
"Ah. Come to join me crew lads? Hop aboard," he said, taking a swig of rum.
"No," Elizabeth stated. "I've come to find the man I love."
"I'm deeply flattered, son. But my first and only love is the sea," he said awkwardly. Merideth giggled.
"I mean Will Turner," she continued. He stood and turned on the spot.
"Elizabeth?" he asked. He muttered something to Gibbs, who then turned and ran on deck, shouting orders.
"Yes. I know Will and Sora came to find you. Where are they?" she asked curtly.
"And who are you?" Jack asked Merideth, seeming not to hear Elizabeth at all.
"I'm Merideth, teammate and friend of Sora and Kairi," she replied.
"Ah! So, you two have tracked me down to track down those that were tracking me down so they could track down what was already tracked to track back to Beckett and track down you two. . . so you wouldn't have to track anyone on this trek of tracking? Savvy?" he asked in one breath, making odd gestures as he did so. Merideth's brain hurt slightly.
"Yeah," she answered, hoping to shut him up.
"Okay, hop aboard," he said.
"And aren't you forgetting about where they are?" Norrington asked. Jack then proceeded to tell them what happened.
"All I want is to find Will," Elizabeth said.
"Are you sure that is what you truly want?" Jack asked, highly intrigued.
"Yes," she breathed.
"I think you would want a way of saving Will and Sora the most," Jack said.
"And you have one?" Merideth asked.
"Well, there is a chest of unknown origin and size," he started.
"Which contains the still-beating heart of Davy Jones," a pirate which she later knew as Ragetti said, passing them by with his friend, Pintel.
"And how do we find it?" Merideth asked, intrigued. Jack ruffled with his belt.
"With this," he said, showing them his. . . compass. "My compass is unique." Vomit splashed on the dock and into the shore. Norrington groaned in his sickness.
"Meaning broken," he said and then vomited more.
"True, it does not point north," Jack said.
"Where does it point?" Merideth asked.
"To the thing you want most in this world," he said with a smile.
Hold on Sora, Kairi. We're coming.
HoL:TS
Port Royal
Sometime that Night
Maleficent smiled wickedly, watching as the former Governor Swann exited the room, wig gone and wrists sore from the shackles that had bore away the post. She looked over at Beckett and the new Knights, highly pleased with their turnout. Moonlight streaked into the office. The ocean roared.
"Where is his heart?" Maleficent asked Beckett. She had to admire how well he kept his disposition around her and the Heartless.
"It has not been found yet, for they have not returned the compass," Beckett replied.
"That is because they have other plans, you fool!" she chastised. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment.
"What do you mean?" Beckett replied.
"They are after Davy Jones' heart as well," she answered, as if it were obvious. Which it was. "And I want his heart before them," she said.
"Well there isn't much I can do," he replied curtly.
"I do not care. If you want to rule all of this world, and any other world that I allow, you had better get me that heart!" she shrilly yelled, almost screamed. She summoned a portal of darkness.
"I'll do what I can, my Queen," he replied.
"Good. Do not fail me," she said as she disappeared. Her voice came once more.
"Davy Jones is too good a pirate to stay in just this world. . ." her voice echoed, and was gone.
Beckett shivered in the night.
HoL:TS
The Flying Dutchman
August 19, 2010
Sora, Will, and now Kairi had spent the last days and nights upon the Flying Dutchman, primarily in the brig. They had been fed horrible food, and at small portions. They were forced out every evening to late night to work on the deck. Their personal hygiene had reached lows. Sora's hair was unkempt and hung down in clumps, much like Kairi's. His clothes had bloodstains, were dirty from grime and who-knew-what-else. At least they were whole.
The hammer-head sailor came and released them from the brig. Up above the deck, they could hear more rain battering the ship.
"Get outta 'ere! Ye gots work to do!" he snarled, roughly dragging Will by his clothing.
"Sora, do you think we'll ever get out of this world?" Kairi asked from behind him as they climbed the stairs onto the deck.
The rain was cold and the night was dark.
"Get to work! And start hoisting the cannon!" the Bo'sun screamed, ordering everyone at once. Kairi went and grabbed a bucket and deck brush, per her usual. Sora ran to work the sails. They never knew where Will worked. The cannon that was in the center of the deck rose high into the sky, slowly but surely. Sora had barely begun work when he heard the master's organ begin to play. It was hauntingly beautiful. Then he heard the Bo'sun scream again.
"Secure the mast Mr. Turner and ye Keyblade filth!" Well, that meant him and Kairi, didn't it? Sora had seen the Bo'sun when angry and decided to run straight there. He met up with Kairi and Will, and some other man. They all grabbed the rope.
"Step aside," the man said. He had a starfish attached to his face.
"No," will argued back. Sora and Kairi struggled behind them with the rope.
"Boy, I—" And sora saw as the two of them met eyes.
The same eyes.
"No. . ." the man muttered. They both let go of the rope. The canon fell, crashing into the deck, pulling Sora and Kairi like they were nothing. Sora grunted in pain when they came to stop, but he immediately rolled over to make sure Kairi was okay. She was. He sighed in relief.
"Haul them weasels to their feet! Five lashes are in my due. Each," he said mercilessly.
What? Lashes for that?!
They can't be serious.
They were, as Sora found out. Kairi almost started crying. Will was dragged to a post, his clothes ripped from his back. Kairi wrapped her arms into Sora. He subconsciously held her as she started crying into his chest.
"I hate this world," she muttered through the tears. After arguing with the Bo'sun, the man offered to take Will's punishment. Jones made his appearance.
The rain cascaded.
"And what would spark such a charitable act, Bootstrap Bill?" Jones asked. In the silence, Bootstrap answered.
"He's my son."
"Oh, what fortuitous circumstances be this! Five lashes still be owed!" he said, ripping the whip from the Bo'sun's hand and giving it to Bill.
"No," he said.
"Bo'sun!"
"NO!" Bill shouted, fear flooding his face. Why? Bill took the whip and sadly looked at his son. His arm hauled back. Blood sprayed from Will's back as the first lash was administered. Kairi squealed and she wept harder. Sora tightened his embrace on her. She looked away, but Sora stood still, his face grim as the whipped cracked and Will's body writhed in pain. Number three went down. Then four and five. It seemed like hours. It only took a minute. Blood was all over the deck and the cuts in Will's back couldn't be healed by Sora. They had learned magic didn't work on the Dutchman.
"The boy next," Bo'sun said. Sora was thrown to the men. Being younger, they gave him a piece of leather to bite on. He took it without word. His heart ached as he heard Kairi plead and scream. His jacket and shirt was ripped off. There was no warning.
HoL:TS
"NO!" Kairi screamed, damaging her vocal chords as the first strike connected with Sora. She now knew why Bill had been so scared to have the Bo'sun whip his son. The Bo'sun seemed to have pride in torture. Sora screamed through the leather. It was audible, but very muffled with his mouth closed on the leather. Pieces of flesh were ripped from him, landing on the deck where Will's blood was, now washing away with Sora's in the rain. Crack. Muffled scream. She cried. She cried her soul out. She could feel the pain Naminé felt. They both watched as Sora took the pain. And she would be next.
Crack. She could see a piece of skeleton, white and rigid. This was too cruel. Crack. His back didn't even look the same anymore. Long and curved gashes were seen, ragged around where the flesh was torn. Blood ran in rivulets. The final crack was administered. She ran to him and caught his form. He felt like dead weight.
"Oh, god, Sora. Please, say something," she pleaded. Her tears fell heavily like the rain. They dragged him away. He sat down, the blood pouring slightly less. Coagulation. Cold fingers dug into her skin. She was next.
HoL:TS
Kairi. . .
Kairi.
"Kairi!" he tried to scream. It came out in a dull and bloody cough. She looked at him, fear and worry in her eyes. She mouthed his name.
Her top was ripped from her as well, save her black bra. No. He couldn't have her go through the same pain. It was unlike anything he had ever felt.
(Except for maybe something.)
He crawled his way to her. "No!" he shouted as the Bo'sun pulled his arm back.
"Impeding me of my duties?" he asked, a sick grin tearing his face.
"I'll take her punishment," he stated weakly.
"NO!" Kairi screamed.
"Kairi. You do not want to feel that pain," he said, wincing as the rain pelted him.
"But Sora, I—"
"No, Kairi. I will not see you hurt like this!" he shouted at her, louder than what he meant to. Sora managed to stand on his own, and he stood in front of Kairi. He fell to his knees, blocking her from the whip. He accepted the leather.
And as he knelt there on the deck, the rain pelting his bare and exposed back, all sound in the world vanished.
And then he heard the high, whining whistle of the whip.
He heard the crack of flesh parting.
And he heard his screams rip from his vocal chords as the leather fell from his mouth.
Righteous white fire filled his vision. . .
I love you, Kairi. . .
HoL:TS
The Flying Dutchman
August 21, 2010
Sora woke up. Pain assailed his back. He was lying down on his stomach in a cot. Vague memories of the flogging returned to him. He shifted a bit and—
"Sora! You're awake!" Kairi yelled, rushing to him. She knelt down to get closer to eye level with him.
"Oh, hey Kai. Where am I?" he asked dazedly.
"Still in the Dutchman, I'm afraid." Sora's eyes shot open. That voice. He looked up, and there was a man standing behind Kairi. Dark brown hair and indigo eyes looked back. No one else had those eyes. Sora felt the tears coming before he could even ask it:
"D- d- dad?" he asked, his voice shaky. Sora sat up, becoming dizzy. The man hugged him.
"Yes, Sora. But by god, how did you get here?" Max asked his son. Sora didn't answer. He wept openly into his father's shoulder. All the emotion he had and the emotion he didn't know he had all poured out. His father. This is what had happened to him.
And so, Sora and Kairi told him the entire story.
"I never knew I would be so proud as someone than how I am now," Max said. "But you don't have much time. You're leaving."
"Wh- what? I just found you and I have to leave!? Why?" Sora demanded.
"Because," Will said as he and his father entered the room, "I have they key." Will held up the key and showed him. "And we need to go. And don't worry Sora. If things go right, our fathers will be free."
"Sora. You go and protect the worlds and this young lady. Don't worry about me. Everything will be okay," Max said. Sora got up and dressed, wincing at the sharp pain in his back.
"I convinced Jones to use some potions on your back, son," Max said as he and Bill accompanied the three out to a boat. "They are healed, but the scars are brutal and will never leave," he finished.
Will was already in a boat. Kairi joined him.
"I love you dad," Sora said, his eyes hurting from the crying.
"I love you, too, my son. Be safe. We'll meet again someday. I know it," Max said.
Sora watched the Dutchman float away into the distance as they followed a ship named the Edinburgh Trader. His heart was too pained right now. He just wanted to go home and forget about everything.
The night was crisp.
The rain had stopped.
HoL:TS
Edinburgh Trader
August 21, 2010
Sora sat quietly with Kairi and Will aboard the Edinburgh Trader, waiting until they made next port. The pain in his back had lessened since the previous night, but he had seen the scars with Kairi. They were large and rigid. The Captain of ship burst out of his cabin.
"We're being followed! No colors!" he shouted to the men. "If you brought someone with you, the let you be damned!" he said to the trio. Will went to the crow's nest to observe.
"Sora. About a couple nights ago. I'm really sorry and I'll never be able to tell you how grateful I am," she said to him.
"Sora, you don't have to do this," she said, sleepy eyed as Gibbs had just woken her for her shift.
"I'm doing what I have to," he had replied simply.
He didn't look at her as he stood up.
"I did what I had to," he muttered before walking away to see what hell Jones was about to bring them. THUD. He fell over as the ship stopped suddenly.
"What was that?" Will shouted down to Sora. He looked up and shrugged his shoulders.
"Must have been a reef. Let me check it—" A smell struck him. It was horrible.
Like a thousand corpses.
The ship rocked again. Then Sora saw a giant tentacle come from the ocean and grab a man, pulling him to the depths in the flash of a second. A sailor screamed in the silence.
"THE KRAKEN!"
More tentacles, tens of them, burst from the water and start waylaying the ship. It started killing men, now jabbing it with spears and shooting it with rifles. Sora summoned his Keyblade, as did Kairi, when Heartless showed up. It was pandemonium as they attacked the Heartless, ruthlessly killing them as the tentacles barraged the ship. Splinters of wood flew in all directions and so did men. The Kraken was tearing the ship to pieces. Sora ran and ducked into a roll, dodging a sweeping tentacle. He stood up and thrust his Keyblade through a Heartless. He heard Kairi casting spells, mainly Fire types, to protect herself. Cannons fired at tentacles, and one even was torn apart, the severed piece crashing into the water. A screech came from the water and all tentacles were sucked back into the ocean.
Then, two more rose from the depths, water spilling off of them. They were massive compared to the others. They reached high into the sky. Then, without warning, they plummeted down and into the ship, breaking it in half like when Sora, Kairi and Will had been captured. Other tentacles started to bring the ship down. Sora watched as Will leapt out into the water, swimming in the direction of the Dutchman. Sora grabbed Kairi and jumped too, much to her displeasure. They swam for the Dutchman as the agonizing screams of dying men reached their ears. They climbed the front of the ship with Will and hid in it's "mouth". They watched the monster take the ship to the abyss.
All was quiet.
HoL:TS
I'ltorien
July 17, 2010
King knelt down in the throne room, eyes glued to the ground, periodically looking at Eighteen and towards the upper entrance of the throne room. Yes, there were two entrances towards the giant, luxurious throne room they knelt at that point. The normal entrance for the "mortals" and the Emperor's entrance, which consisted of a stairway that descended from a stained diamond window painted at his image, behind which his quarters lay. The sun shot into the room and made the window blind anyone who tried to look at it directly, making it look like seeing the Emperor descends akin to seeing a God descend. It fit his ego.
Speaking of the devil, suddenly, one of the servants, female of course, came from the inside of the window and rushed down the ladder, stopping to catch her breath before nodding and grabbing a scroll, announcing as loud as she could:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, his Lordliness, God-Emperor Mateus Palamecia the First and Last!"
"Subtle. . ." King said, cringing at the new title Mateus had garnered for himself. Even if he did not know him personally, this was already raising a pretty massive flag.
Moments later, three men emerged from the same place where the servant came. One fully clad in armor, the cold steel of his helmet hiding any of the humanity he should have.
The other was even more so dignified. He was a high ranking general and supreme tactician of Mateus. He was garbed in the whitest of armor, that which mimicked the clouds in the sky. Blood red trimming wove around the edges of the armor. He carried his pristine, feathered helm under his arm. A billowing and thick red cape flapped behind him, trimmed in white. His personal crest was stamped on its back. A black sheath masked a magnificently crafted sword. Its golden hilt and ruby embossed pommel glittered.
And finally, the emperor, in a golden and violet robe walked down the steps, slowly and smugly. His golden hair spiked down and his scepter predated each of his steps. He looked down on King and smiled, putting himself far above the "scum" he was going to grace with his presence. After he finally reached his throne, he sat there and crossed his legs, leaning his head on his hand, finally speaking after more than a minute of silence.
"Am I to remove your heads right here and now?" King had hoped he didn't remember. . . or that he had grown tired of it, but it was not to be. He looked at Eighteen, who returned the disgusted look, but they both nodded and stood up, right fist clinching over their heart as they both shouted:
"We are grateful for your presence milord! How can we be of assistance?!" they both blared with all their heart, the non-armored companion to the emperor simply chuckling. King wondered why the Emperor had made him General, if only to make him nothing when compared to the other three.
"Good, good. Know your place and I shall treat you as you deserve. Much higher than the trash outside these walls," no, the Emperor wasn't always this cartoonishly villainous, but he knew what set King off, and he seemed to revel in the abuse of his power to keep the snarl of the general in check. He treated him and Eighteen differently as we have seen by now, he did it with all that left the facility. It was with a mix of a twisted sense of pride, but ownership, like they were his favorite pets.
"Quiet, I see. . . good, you are beginning to control yourself. Now, On to business. Your report arrived this morning," he began, King looking to the side to see Eighteen nodding at him. She had him covered. "And it would seem you have found. . . no survivors, am I correct?" he questioned, King freezing in his place. Had the Black Knight ratted him out?
"You are correct milord," he replied as he lowered his head.
"About our most prized experiment. Was there nothing even slightly recoverable?" Mateus questioned, the wording he chose making King's heart skip a beat. Biting his lip, he shook his head, removing the earring from his pocket a showing it to him.
"We found this near a destroyed corpse. It was her earring so we assume the worst. . ." he said, breaking eye-contact with the Emperor, snapping back into reality once he heard him scuff.
"And so, we lost it. After so many years and so many resources. . . damned jester. Very well, you may go, leave me to my workings," King saw Eighteen become tense at the comment and quickly acted, driving his own emotions away and clutching her wrist, forcefully pulling towards the door and throwing her out, closing it behind them.
"Just calm down C-"
SLAP!
"What the hell were you thinking?! Not only did you not ASK for a search party but you let them treat Christina like a thing! How could you ever call yourself her friend?!" she exploded in a rare display of rage, her voice still as icy as ever. Their surroundings were slowly freezing as the woman breathed in heavily room her outburst. King shook his head and replied:
"Even if she were to be alive, the last thing I'd want is for a search party to find her," he said calmly, leaving Eighteen to realize just why he had pulled her out so quickly.
HoL:TS
"Will you just stay still!" Tor shouted at her, his short brown hair ruffled and messy. The cold breeze of a Saturday night swept into King's room within the castle's tower. And he was babysitting. He had told his sister, Eighteen, numerous times that he was bad at babysitting. Cuore was flocking about the room, but she wasn't the only thing flocking.
"And for the last time, get rid of these CHOCOBOS!" Tor shouted, his nerves shot and on end. He was always calm and collected. But not right now. This little girl was driving him insane.
"Intriguing, such a well-crafted Masamune-type blade, not ridiculously long to boot as they have been wrongly copied before. . . whoever crafted this must have held on his hands the plans of Master Masamune himself!" Cuore said, marveling at his sword.
"Don't touch that!" he snapped, taking the masamune from her small hands as another couple chocobos appeared. He placed his sword in the corner of the room, taking in the beauty of the magically enhanced mahogany sheath.
"Why do you treat me as if I were a child?" she asked, her voice full of seriousness. Tor stood rooted to the ground. Did she really just ask that?
"Because you are one!" he shouted. She smiled a little.
"Perceptive, aren't you?" she asked with a giggle. He chuckled too, but became even more irritated when three more chocobos appeared from nowhere.
"Cu, this room is going to explode if you add more," he said, trying to free them out the window.
"But they entice me with their amazingly soft plumage and warming looks. . . or as you would put it, they are so CUTE AND FLUFFY!" she squealed.
"But that doesn't mean th—"
"What in the—?!" King's voice rang through the room and out the window. Tor snapped his head to King at the same time Cuore did. All of birds seemed to as well.
"Cu, why is my room full of chocobos?" King asked quietly.
"Because I love them!" she replied. Tor laughed heartily at King's confused face. Cuore started humming and playing with a baby chocobo as King started pleading with her to rid them. Tor dashed over and retrieved his blade and left.
He had patrol duty soon. He and his sister had been arguing again lately. Ever since the laboratory's destruction, Eighteen had become more frigid with him than usual, strange as it were. She had never forgiven Tor for his place in the Empire and how he was treated higher than she had been originally. . . even if she had already surpassed him in rank after only a year. He knew that Eighteen and One were friends, and he had never cared. But now, after One being announced as dead, Eighteen had renewed her near hate for her brother. He loved Eighteen, and would do anything for her, but his job and career mattered more than her friendships. He whistled a soft and low tune as he walked into that ever brisk night air.
And his mind became calm once more. Until his sister passed by him.
"Get your ass back to your station, you're done here!" she exclaimed, pushing through him and entering the room rampant.
"I'll. . . just ask tomorrow," Tor said to himself, shaking his head and doing just that.
Inside the room, Eighteen found King sighing on the balcony, as the number of chocobos had rose up once again. She decided to question it later. Walking up to the man, he noticed her arriving and turned to her, gaining Cuore's attention in the process.
"Look, I- I thought you didn't care enough to do what you did. . . I'm sorry for telling you all those things," she said while she looked away from any area where eye-contact could arise, scratching the side of her arm in the process.
"Well, gee thanks. . . good to know you have such high regard of me," King replied with a smile, bopping her on the head. "You can also be pretty cute when you're flustered. If you dropped the act maybe someone would notice you," he added out of sheer tease, anything further would register as incest in his mind, even though they weren't blood related. Still, Eighteen, after coughing and blushing to the side realized King was in way too good of a mood for what had just happened. Wondering why, she took a look at him again and saw him observing a crystalline stone.
"Hey, you aren't usually this cheerful. . . much less after a meeting with Mateus. What happened today?" she questioned, King's face lighting up like a kid that read a fantasy tale.
"Divine Dragons. Manaketes exist!"
HoL:TS
The Castle That Never Was
August 21, 2010
"Am I seriously going to have to separate you two?" Maleficent asked Kefka and his brother. Kefka cackled while the brother just smiled.
"Come on, sweet cheeks. It's nothing," he said. Kefka laughed harder.
"I swear if you don't stop your childishness. . ." Sephiroth said to Kefka.
"What? Are you still sore that I whooped you?!" Kefka said delightfully. Sephiroth's brow creased in frustration.
"Where is—"
"In the lab, working," Maleficent answered Hades before he could ask. A scientist's work is never done.
"How are things on your worlds?" she asked the red-haired man and other woman.
"My world is just fine. If only my own brat would leave me be," the red-haired man answered.
"And mine is great. I only have to contend with a god. He is weak under my power," the blond answered.
Maleficent's greatest ally chuckled.
"You think you have power? I am the DEFINITION OF ALMIGHTY FEAR AND AUTHORITY!" he exclaimed. Maleficent smiled wickedly.
"I have brought you all here for a mere status update. I have not acquired any of the Princesses other than Alice, Snow White, and Aurora. The reason is simple. I don't need them, yet. I am more preoccupied with acquiring more power and an ally to act as my vessel between worlds. He will kidnap them for me. I have informed Alexia of this. She will be informed of all that will be said tonight. Now. . . are there any matters any of you wish to discuss?" Maleficent asked from her throne.
Kingdom Hearts glistened in the sky.
It was growing.
TN: And so we get to see plot on the villains' side of things.
TUH: Someone in there is too confident for the role he is going to play.
TN: Oh well. At least we whipped Sora.
TUH: That's a thought.
TN: Herald, do you have anything else to say?
TUH: No.
TN: Well okay folks. If I can convince him to write I'ltorien faster, I'll have an update soon. Til next time.
TUH: Make me look like the villain. . .
May the Love of Anuwëy guide you when all Hope is lost
TorNathan
The Unknowing Herald