Long Live The King [Closed Narrative]
Who: Xemnas
What: When all is taken away and exposed, the only other option is to face the truth of the matter.
Where: The Northern Gate, The World That Never Was, and back.
When: From several hours to two-and-a-half weeks ago. Time is relative.
Warnings: Nothing too surprising. If you have a general idea of how the second KH game goes, then there you go. It also may be a trifle too long. Have fun with that.
Notes: The Thirteenth Side or Viva La Vida but I feel that's been done. Stick with the first song.
Lies. Slander. Truth.
All of it was seamlessly weaved into the words the Eighth spoke - free and careless of what consequences were brought upon those he was formerly allied with, yet careful enough to keep the other Wakened citizens on his side.
The replies came forth, but Xemnas held back his own response to sit in his silence, various voices prattling on with the redheaded Nobody. Everyone had an opinion; most were deemed negative. He was deserted. Insulted. Emotions were necessary to feel the effects of the city's event and the following aftermath, and he had nothing to spare.
Copper eyes grew dim with each passing minute, staring past the solidity of the Medbay's wall. With the way things were going, Axel had captured their attention - just as planned. For his benefit. A hand moved slowly to kill the incessant noise, slamming the device heavily upon the side table. This shook the box holding Miku's cake, the cover shifting to reveal a small portion missing from its side. Although forced, the motion still meant nothing to the Superior. His grip tightened around its contour, taking it away in one clean sweep as he got up from where he sat.
The black hood covered silver hair, shadowing his darkened features. He then wordlessly stepped out of the building and into the dark of night.
= = =
The fog parted and swirled, the thicker wisps trailing behind the former Superior as he strode forth. The Northern gate was there in the distance, its double doors great and white - a familiar sort of presence. Admiration for its craftsmanship, however, was not a priority. Arms reached out toward them gracelessly as his hands neared their polished surface. Pushing. Pulling? It was not clear; the doors appeared to open either way.
Hesitation did not keep him from what he was about to discover. The sooner it was done, the better.
Or perhaps it was for the worse.
This was not the time for rhetoric. He knew what he had to do. Xemnas perished the thought, closed his eyes, and passed through the gates.
= = =
Everything within The World That Never Was did not change. It was to be expected, considering all of the talk of states of Sleep and being Awoken, a parallel between existing in one reality and being absent from another. Nothing was left in between these choices. Nothing ever was. And although it was a return to Sleep, the Nobody was quite aware of his surroundings. It was real. The castle maintained its vastness, towering over the neon-lit streets and buildings shrouded in the world's darkness, its solitary white halls and passages kept in tact.
When revisiting 'home,' it was only normal to observe the grounds he once walked. Each corridor led to where it was suppose to - from the ascending platform to Twilight's View, stairwells rising and rigidly set to echo the Organization's ways. The Hall of Empty Melodies was wider still, casting the memory of the last time he set foot in there within the spiraling city aside; its large, paneled windows gave light from Kingdom Hearts overhead, giving the room the exact presence it needed. Again the scenery changed: inside, outside, sets of stairs, strong and unfaltering angles,
gray and white,
gray and white,
gray and white.
And then it darkened. A dimly lit chamber displayed the titles of all who had have fallen, red light piercing between broken pieces of the remaining headstones on either side of a narrowing passageway.
The Proof of Existence.
A graveyard.
All of them, gone - as they should have been.
But he had no place among them.
Resounding arrogance quietly reminded the Superior of his lasting pride, his formerly-acknowledged status. Flashes of past incidents took no more than a few seconds to settle and fade out of memory: what the Organization use to be, every instance that took place in between, and what had happened to the others in the end. Here was the only evidence they left behind. The non-existent existed temporarily. What came from nothing returned to nothing, and their failure to survive was not his burden to bear.
Xemnas passed over the area with indifference, giving the Thirteenth's marker another glance as it stood out among the rest on the lowest row, glowing blue instead of red. The Key of Destiny.
The Other.
The keyblade wielder and his friends were inside the castle walls. They were still on the move. Heartless and Nobody alike were restless.
Kingdom Hearts was near completion. Hearts flew skyward in the darkness, radiating what little light they held in their ascent. The confrontation between a former apprentice and his master was surreal as Xemnas took his place looking down at the man he once worked under - the very name that was stolen from the latter in order to pursue the matters of the heart, the one that started everything concerning the dark, the light, and what existed in between.
"Ansem the Wise...You look pathetic."
His voice had the clarity it usually had, but the sound resonated within his body. Was it from his perspective? Or was it an omnipresent one? Disorienting views took effort to pin down while he delivered the last of his proud words.
Ansem took his time to speak, recognizing all he had done.
"Xehanort. Foolish apprentice of a foolish man. You have surpassed nothing, only proved how little we both know. We may profess to know the heart, but its essence is beyond our reach. We're both ignorant, as oblivious as when we began. I'm afraid that any world you try to create...any world of yours...would be an empire of ignorance. That is why you and your creation are destined to fall!"
At the same time, he overloaded the machine he brought forth, ruining Kingdom Hearts. The Nobody went back to the Altar of Naught, standing beneath the moon to watch as countless numbers of hearts rained down into the depths of the shadows, vanishing from sight. A vague sense of despair shifted into one of dull anger. The heroes of light did not take long to catch up with him. It was only fair to welcome them once more to get what he needed, but it was too simple. Of course they would resist.
They fought. Each strike, whirling slashes from his ethereal blades, precise and full of intent. Empty rage poured out over the keyblade wielder in that parallel space against the dark city's neon signs and falling rain. This boy could not have defeated every last one of the Nobodies by his power alone. The Nobody flew back toward the steps as perspectives altered drastically, now waiting at the top of the skyscraper - a scene repeated. He leaped from his perch, brandishing those red blades as he fell to meet the boy halfway, the glow of the immense plasma screen brightening as they crossed paths...
The end was not expected. So what if Sora was better than what was assumed of him. Let the boy have the win and give the heroes a benefit of the doubt. There was no time to waste. Xemnas raised his arms, claiming Kingdom Hearts and its remaining strength. The creation of new world could never be attempted? He would prove them wrong. Another set of doors served as the entrance of the second (third?) reality, separating the parties as soon as they arrived. Blockades, generators, buildings - anything and everything was pulled to stop them from going any further.
Again the darkness was defeated by the light. The First was now on his knees as Sora's voice called out.
"Xemnas. There's more to a heart than just anger or hate. It's full of all kinds of feelings. Don't you remember?"
"This was a delayed consequence. Do you think I will regret the action taken?"
"Honestly? I don't think you'd even remember how."
The memory emphasized his weighted reply.
"Unfortunately...I don't."
Numerous wisps of black, silver, and white surrounded him, trailing up as he faded from view. Another voice became prominent.
Take them into the darkness. Take them beyond it, between the realms of dark and light - into nothingness. They deserve this fate. If you cannot have what you desired, then they will suffer as much as you did.
Do not let them escape.
Two against one, it did not matter. Sora and Riku (the one who became darkness) were trapped in the false world. The manipulation the power (Bending), the rise of a great dragon ship sent soaring over the city. The two managed to destroy every section of the mechanical beast with blasts of energy, bringing it down into the darkness. A vortex soon broke the existing reality down, tearing skyscrapers apart as he, fully armored, stayed within the confines of the dragon's head. Weapons, elements, whatever was left of the Organization maintained its usefulness under his control while both of keyblade wielders were questioned all throughout the battle.
They kept on fighting.
Another flash of light engulfed them completely. Gray nothingness overwhelmed the light and dark realms, leaving them in the middle of nowhere. Sharp patterns formed upon the coat the Superior wore, white contrasting against black. He would last for eternity. This was what he wanted. Thorn-like strains contorted, writhing spirals, all blades clashing, physics defied. When one was rendered useless, his friend saved him from his fate. A second wind revived both as they struggled against Xemnas. This was nothing compared to what he had heard or observed of the two. They were strong. Too strong.
Was it their hearts...?
Desperation (was it desperate?) set in as the Nobody made this attack a last resort. Arms outstretched before him as darkness fell over his enemies, their survival depending on their skills alone against thousands of deadly light beams. And yet the barrage did not stop them. An impossible act became possible once they broke free.
He had them. He struck Riku twice without a second thought, bringing him down easily. What he had not anticipated was Sora's next move. The boy now had two keyblades (the Thirteenth), brandishing them expertly as he charged forward. It happened all too quickly. Xemnas tried in vain to recover, gloved hands flinching to summon his weapons. He could still fight. He knew he could.
But the keyblade...
That cursed keyblade.
The light shot through his body, ending all attempts to finish them. A sense of disbelief, imitated anger, all of it was forced as the Superior reached out toward the boys. He watched himself fade from existence, dispersing into oblivion.
= = =
He lost.
Realization slowly took over, Awake again within the city of Nautilus. Failure. The research for the project failed, all of it leading to more questions than answers. Organization XIII failed to work as a group, as a whole, dwindling down to the individual. Kingdom Hearts failed to give him power. It failed to reach his goal in creating a new world order. Everything had failed.
He failed.
This was the truth. There was no feeling of remorse. Nothing of lament, nor regret. What was false and what was real did not matter to the former leader of the Organization. Everything he strove for had been proven obsolete. It would be pointless to try gaining it all back.
A mirthless smirk countered deadened fury as Xemnas left the gates he first entered, the black coat still bearing white barbed patterns - a reminder of what once was and would never be again.
But all was not ended here.
What: When all is taken away and exposed, the only other option is to face the truth of the matter.
Where: The Northern Gate, The World That Never Was, and back.
When: From several hours to two-and-a-half weeks ago. Time is relative.
Warnings: Nothing too surprising. If you have a general idea of how the second KH game goes, then there you go. It also may be a trifle too long. Have fun with that.
Notes: The Thirteenth Side or Viva La Vida but I feel that's been done. Stick with the first song.
Lies. Slander. Truth.
All of it was seamlessly weaved into the words the Eighth spoke - free and careless of what consequences were brought upon those he was formerly allied with, yet careful enough to keep the other Wakened citizens on his side.
The replies came forth, but Xemnas held back his own response to sit in his silence, various voices prattling on with the redheaded Nobody. Everyone had an opinion; most were deemed negative. He was deserted. Insulted. Emotions were necessary to feel the effects of the city's event and the following aftermath, and he had nothing to spare.
Copper eyes grew dim with each passing minute, staring past the solidity of the Medbay's wall. With the way things were going, Axel had captured their attention - just as planned. For his benefit. A hand moved slowly to kill the incessant noise, slamming the device heavily upon the side table. This shook the box holding Miku's cake, the cover shifting to reveal a small portion missing from its side. Although forced, the motion still meant nothing to the Superior. His grip tightened around its contour, taking it away in one clean sweep as he got up from where he sat.
The black hood covered silver hair, shadowing his darkened features. He then wordlessly stepped out of the building and into the dark of night.
= = =
The fog parted and swirled, the thicker wisps trailing behind the former Superior as he strode forth. The Northern gate was there in the distance, its double doors great and white - a familiar sort of presence. Admiration for its craftsmanship, however, was not a priority. Arms reached out toward them gracelessly as his hands neared their polished surface. Pushing. Pulling? It was not clear; the doors appeared to open either way.
Hesitation did not keep him from what he was about to discover. The sooner it was done, the better.
Or perhaps it was for the worse.
This was not the time for rhetoric. He knew what he had to do. Xemnas perished the thought, closed his eyes, and passed through the gates.
= = =
Everything within The World That Never Was did not change. It was to be expected, considering all of the talk of states of Sleep and being Awoken, a parallel between existing in one reality and being absent from another. Nothing was left in between these choices. Nothing ever was. And although it was a return to Sleep, the Nobody was quite aware of his surroundings. It was real. The castle maintained its vastness, towering over the neon-lit streets and buildings shrouded in the world's darkness, its solitary white halls and passages kept in tact.
When revisiting 'home,' it was only normal to observe the grounds he once walked. Each corridor led to where it was suppose to - from the ascending platform to Twilight's View, stairwells rising and rigidly set to echo the Organization's ways. The Hall of Empty Melodies was wider still, casting the memory of the last time he set foot in there within the spiraling city aside; its large, paneled windows gave light from Kingdom Hearts overhead, giving the room the exact presence it needed. Again the scenery changed: inside, outside, sets of stairs, strong and unfaltering angles,
gray and white,
gray and white,
gray and white.
And then it darkened. A dimly lit chamber displayed the titles of all who had have fallen, red light piercing between broken pieces of the remaining headstones on either side of a narrowing passageway.
The Proof of Existence.
A graveyard.
All of them, gone - as they should have been.
But he had no place among them.
Resounding arrogance quietly reminded the Superior of his lasting pride, his formerly-acknowledged status. Flashes of past incidents took no more than a few seconds to settle and fade out of memory: what the Organization use to be, every instance that took place in between, and what had happened to the others in the end. Here was the only evidence they left behind. The non-existent existed temporarily. What came from nothing returned to nothing, and their failure to survive was not his burden to bear.
Xemnas passed over the area with indifference, giving the Thirteenth's marker another glance as it stood out among the rest on the lowest row, glowing blue instead of red. The Key of Destiny.
The Other.
The keyblade wielder and his friends were inside the castle walls. They were still on the move. Heartless and Nobody alike were restless.
Kingdom Hearts was near completion. Hearts flew skyward in the darkness, radiating what little light they held in their ascent. The confrontation between a former apprentice and his master was surreal as Xemnas took his place looking down at the man he once worked under - the very name that was stolen from the latter in order to pursue the matters of the heart, the one that started everything concerning the dark, the light, and what existed in between.
"Ansem the Wise...You look pathetic."
His voice had the clarity it usually had, but the sound resonated within his body. Was it from his perspective? Or was it an omnipresent one? Disorienting views took effort to pin down while he delivered the last of his proud words.
Ansem took his time to speak, recognizing all he had done.
"Xehanort. Foolish apprentice of a foolish man. You have surpassed nothing, only proved how little we both know. We may profess to know the heart, but its essence is beyond our reach. We're both ignorant, as oblivious as when we began. I'm afraid that any world you try to create...any world of yours...would be an empire of ignorance. That is why you and your creation are destined to fall!"
At the same time, he overloaded the machine he brought forth, ruining Kingdom Hearts. The Nobody went back to the Altar of Naught, standing beneath the moon to watch as countless numbers of hearts rained down into the depths of the shadows, vanishing from sight. A vague sense of despair shifted into one of dull anger. The heroes of light did not take long to catch up with him. It was only fair to welcome them once more to get what he needed, but it was too simple. Of course they would resist.
They fought. Each strike, whirling slashes from his ethereal blades, precise and full of intent. Empty rage poured out over the keyblade wielder in that parallel space against the dark city's neon signs and falling rain. This boy could not have defeated every last one of the Nobodies by his power alone. The Nobody flew back toward the steps as perspectives altered drastically, now waiting at the top of the skyscraper - a scene repeated. He leaped from his perch, brandishing those red blades as he fell to meet the boy halfway, the glow of the immense plasma screen brightening as they crossed paths...
The end was not expected. So what if Sora was better than what was assumed of him. Let the boy have the win and give the heroes a benefit of the doubt. There was no time to waste. Xemnas raised his arms, claiming Kingdom Hearts and its remaining strength. The creation of new world could never be attempted? He would prove them wrong. Another set of doors served as the entrance of the second (third?) reality, separating the parties as soon as they arrived. Blockades, generators, buildings - anything and everything was pulled to stop them from going any further.
Again the darkness was defeated by the light. The First was now on his knees as Sora's voice called out.
"Xemnas. There's more to a heart than just anger or hate. It's full of all kinds of feelings. Don't you remember?"
"This was a delayed consequence. Do you think I will regret the action taken?"
"Honestly? I don't think you'd even remember how."
The memory emphasized his weighted reply.
"Unfortunately...I don't."
Numerous wisps of black, silver, and white surrounded him, trailing up as he faded from view. Another voice became prominent.
Take them into the darkness. Take them beyond it, between the realms of dark and light - into nothingness. They deserve this fate. If you cannot have what you desired, then they will suffer as much as you did.
Do not let them escape.
Two against one, it did not matter. Sora and Riku (the one who became darkness) were trapped in the false world. The manipulation the power (Bending), the rise of a great dragon ship sent soaring over the city. The two managed to destroy every section of the mechanical beast with blasts of energy, bringing it down into the darkness. A vortex soon broke the existing reality down, tearing skyscrapers apart as he, fully armored, stayed within the confines of the dragon's head. Weapons, elements, whatever was left of the Organization maintained its usefulness under his control while both of keyblade wielders were questioned all throughout the battle.
They kept on fighting.
Another flash of light engulfed them completely. Gray nothingness overwhelmed the light and dark realms, leaving them in the middle of nowhere. Sharp patterns formed upon the coat the Superior wore, white contrasting against black. He would last for eternity. This was what he wanted. Thorn-like strains contorted, writhing spirals, all blades clashing, physics defied. When one was rendered useless, his friend saved him from his fate. A second wind revived both as they struggled against Xemnas. This was nothing compared to what he had heard or observed of the two. They were strong. Too strong.
Was it their hearts...?
Desperation (was it desperate?) set in as the Nobody made this attack a last resort. Arms outstretched before him as darkness fell over his enemies, their survival depending on their skills alone against thousands of deadly light beams. And yet the barrage did not stop them. An impossible act became possible once they broke free.
He had them. He struck Riku twice without a second thought, bringing him down easily. What he had not anticipated was Sora's next move. The boy now had two keyblades (the Thirteenth), brandishing them expertly as he charged forward. It happened all too quickly. Xemnas tried in vain to recover, gloved hands flinching to summon his weapons. He could still fight. He knew he could.
But the keyblade...
That cursed keyblade.
The light shot through his body, ending all attempts to finish them. A sense of disbelief, imitated anger, all of it was forced as the Superior reached out toward the boys. He watched himself fade from existence, dispersing into oblivion.
= = =
He lost.
Realization slowly took over, Awake again within the city of Nautilus. Failure. The research for the project failed, all of it leading to more questions than answers. Organization XIII failed to work as a group, as a whole, dwindling down to the individual. Kingdom Hearts failed to give him power. It failed to reach his goal in creating a new world order. Everything had failed.
He failed.
This was the truth. There was no feeling of remorse. Nothing of lament, nor regret. What was false and what was real did not matter to the former leader of the Organization. Everything he strove for had been proven obsolete. It would be pointless to try gaining it all back.
A mirthless smirk countered deadened fury as Xemnas left the gates he first entered, the black coat still bearing white barbed patterns - a reminder of what once was and would never be again.
But all was not ended here.