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pred1059 · 1 year

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Runaway Wind Chapter Forty

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Ventus recognized the power that Terra called. The Dimensional Link, the bond that surpassed space and time. He called on it before when facing Leviathan to use some of Aerith’s magic. However, he had forgotten just how potent some of Aqua’s spells could be with that power. He stood back with Naminé lest the conflagration of magic spread their way, yet despite the danger he couldn’t stop smiling. If Terra as Erxart could still call on Aqua’s power, then he might still be there.

And if that was true, then surely there was something they could do to help him remember?

True or not, he didn’t have much time to think about it as Xemnas, Saïx, and Xigbar ran away with their captives in the organization. Axel and Terra sprinted ahead to catch up before Ventus could barely get out, “Hey, wait!” He took a step forward, and the pain from Xemnas’ earlier attack finally caught up with him. He stumbled over to the side of the corridor as he felt his back burn from being slammed into the wall. Naminé ran over as she held her glowing keyblade to his back and pleaded, “Ven, hold on!”

If the moment where Naminé’s swing actually got Xemnas to flinch wasn’t enough proof, the potent healing that quickly mended his wounds was. Naminé had a real keyblade. Aqua’s old abandoned Stormfall having reverted back into the shape of Rainfell, but with colors that matched Naminé’s sword from Flora. “Thanks,” he murmured as he steadied himself with a growing smile. Not just from gratitude, but also for what Naminé had managed to do herself.

It was proof that she was more than what the Organization thought she could be. Something that showed how far she was coming.

And maybe it was a sign of what the bond between them had brought about.

Sadly, those thoughts had to wait, as they had bigger problems right now. They couldn’t let Xemnas and Terra get away. His strength returned, Ventus ran to the end of the hall with Naminé, “Let’s hurry, we can’t let them get too—!”

*CRASH*

The two of them yelped as they saw some of the ramp from above crash down in front of the doorway out. Ventus held up his keyblade as he muttered, “Well, we have one sure way up.” With a toss and a flash, he called on the keyblade glider and hopped on. Turning around he held out his hand to Naminé, though she hesitated and raised an eyebrow. Though in that moment, Ven recalled one particular promise that slipped his mind and stammered, “J-Just for the record. This isn’t our date.”

Naminé gave a small chuckle as she took his hand and stepped aboard. “It’d be an awful way to start one.”

As they began to ascend, sounds of fighting were heard from above. Bullets, magic, and who knows what else being thrown around. But soon the chamber was silent, before angry screams could be heard from above. Angry screams that caused Naminé to clutch tighter to Ventus as they continued upward. It had to be Larxene. Though Ventus wasn’t sure which would be worse, her escaping Xemnas or getting taken along. But as they saw the light break through from above, the tirade ended. The only ones waiting for them at the top were Erxart and Axel, the former holding the orange charm to his chest. Hopping off with Naminé, Ventus called his glider back into a keyblade and asked, “Where’s everyone else?”

Erxart sighed as he placed his charm back in his pocket. “Xemnas, Saix and Xigbar escaped with Marluxia. We were able to free Larxene and Lexaeus, but they’ve gone their own way.”

Hearing the news, Naminé looked away and wrung her hands. “I want to say good riddance. But I’m not sure anyone deserves to be held captive by Xehanort.” She furrowed her brow before correcting herself, “Xemnas. Whichever we want to call him.” Thoughts of Vanitas’ years under his cruel master ran through Ventus’ mind as he gave a nod in return.

“Woah, woah, woah, back up,” Axel spoke up as he stepped in. “Are we talking about apprentice Xehanort? Or whoever this Master Xehanort guy is? And what does he have to do with Xemnas?”

Ventus grimaced as the question brought into perspective how complicated Xehanort’s mere existence had gotten. But even so, he had to try and get the word out as best he could. So taking a deep breath to steady himself, he explained. “They’re all the same person. I don’t know how, but Master Xehanort used Terra’s body to stay alive and become the apprentice.”

Looking up, Naminé’s eyes widened as she began to understand. “Then he separated himself into Heartless and Nobody, Ansem and Xemnas. That’s why his picture looked so much like Terra!”

Erxart furrowed his brow, glancing over to the pit they had escaped from before crossing his arms and asking, “How do you know that he did this? And if I really am Terra, then why doesn’t I remember any of it?”

Ventus grimaced at the one major roadblock between him and Terra reared its head again. But maybe the explanation might jog a memory. “Xemnas told us what he did in the chamber. He also said that some part of Terra that held his greatest love and hate was left behind in the Keyblade Graveyard.”

Tapping her cheek, Naminé pondered aloud, “It almost sounds like he left important memories there. Though I’m not sure how or why.”

Axel shrugged and sighed as he admitted, “Well, if anyone can figure it out it might just be you.” Coming to a stop, he looked back to Ventus and Naminé. “Anything else you want to chat about?”

Well, there was certainly one glaring question that hung over the conversation. “Why were you fighting with the rest of the Organization?” Granted, there he had an inkling of an idea, based on the way Axel stood at Terra’s side and the rest had taken arms against them.

“They wanted to kill me, but Axel stopped them at the last second.” And with Erxart’s words it was certain. They had brought Terra back for a moment only to put him down when they were done. After explaining, Erxart sighed and clenched his fist. “Probably because I trained Roxas…enough…for…”

The words trailed off as Erxart’s eyes widened, and he turned to Axel who was equally struck with horror. The latter turned and conjured a dark portal as he barked out, “We need to get to Twilight Town, NOW!”

Ventus could definitely understand the panic. Roxas was one of the last people he’d want to see in Xehanort’s clutches. As Axel and Erxart dashed into the portal, he reached out and cried, “Wait! We can—!”

But with a snap of shadow, the two disappeared into darkness.

“Hold it right there!”

And with a shout, Yuffie landed behind them and clicked her tongue. “Ugh. They got away.” But her frustration was short-lived as she stood up and saw them. She began to grin as she ran over. “Ven! Naminé! You’re okay!”

“Looks like you managed to survive.” Leon called from the stairwell, slowly making his way down to the three of them. “What happened down there?”

Ventus slowly shook his head as he ran a hand through his hair. “So much, I don’t know where to begin.” The Organization, Xehanort’s return, Erxart’s past, and Roxas. All of it was a massive jumble.

Leon closed his eyes before turning back towards the stairwell leading up. “Well let’s head on back to camp to talk about it.” And as he did, they got a better view of his walk, and why exactly he was much slower at the moment.

Naminé jogged forward as she pointed out to Leon, “You’re limping.” No doubt a side effect of being slammed into a wall full of live wires. Hardy as Leon was, it would leave a mark. “Let me help,” Naminé asked as she called her keyblade to her hand and raised it to Leon’s side. With a familiar green flash, Leon’s wounds were mended and he could stand a bit steadier.

Though now Leon and Yuffie’s eyes were squarely on her as the latter stepped forward and asked, “Naminé? Where did you get a keyblade?”

Ven chuckled and scratched the back of his head. “I guess we have somewhere to start when we get back.”

“Man! Why did the school year have to start so rough this year?"

“Hayner, if you just looked over the summer reading…”

Roxas heard the voices from the three children passing him by. He’d seen them before around Twilight Town, but never said a word. The Organization didn’t interact with anyone unless it was strictly necessary for their work. Those orders were clear. Just as clear as the organizations’ curfew order.

Orders that Roxas was sorely tempted to break. Because all following orders seemed to get him was more work. It certainly wasn’t getting him any answers. Luxord shrugged off his question about Sora with a, “I can’t say I’m familiar with him personally.”

When they got back to The World That Never Was, Vexen was there since Saïx had to go take care of something, all he had to offer was, “You don’t need to concern yourself with him, Roxas. All will be revealed in time. Just focus on your missions.” He didn’t even bother to look at Roxas when he answered his question. He just looked out the window as if the night’s sky were more interesting. Well if that was all they were going to give him, then maybe there was no need to concern them about Vanitas..

Don’t worry, just focus on work. Focus on fighting heartless day in and day out. And hardly a word about how this was going to give him a heart. It was starting to drive him nuts. Right now, Ventus’ offer to leave the Organization behind to help didn’t sound too bad. It certainly had to be better than this.

He sighed as he reached the door leading into the clock tower and opened it. The only downside was that it would mean leaving his friends behind. The few people he knew cared about him. Axel and Erxart had taught him so much, and stood by him throughout his missions. Step by step he climbed the stairs up the tower as his concern ate away at him. Today they sent Erxart somewhere else, convinced his training with Roxas was finished. But with everything that he realized the Organization was keeping from him the idea persisted that they were sending him away for good.

Reaching the top, he saw the view of the town. The one they always watched together. The one thing he hoped wouldn’t change. He sat on the ledge for a minute, eyes falling on the sun reflected in the bay’s water. Seconds continued to tick away with the gentle sound of gears turning in the clock tower. Ticking away the remaining time of his curfew, time he wanted to spend with his friends.

Tick.

*SLAM!*

Roxas relaxed as he heard the door. Nobody else came up here, so it had to be Axel and Erxart. They probably slammed the door because they were running late. He glanced to the side of the clock tower and began to smile. “Hey! Was worried you weren’t going to show…”

Only to trail off as he saw Erxart panting with wide eyes, as if he had fought through a horde of heartless to get here and still had an army to fight through. Roxas hopped off the ledge and walked over and murmured, “What’s wrong?” Because right now, some part of him was screaming that things had gone horribly wrong.

As Axel followed behind Erxart, the latter grabbed Roxas’ shoulders and pleaded, “We need to leave the Organization now!”

The outburst left Roxas baffled as he began to sputter, “Leave?! But where? Why?”

Erxart tightened his grip as he answered, “They tried to kill me, and I’m certain they need you now that I’ve trained you.”

Yep. Things had gone horribly wrong. “K-Kill you?!” Roxas glanced from Erxart to Axel as he stammered out, “B-but why?!”

Axel waved his arm as he replied, “I don’t know! All I know is that Xemnas ordered it and Xigbar’s got a personal vendetta.” Shaking his head to stop the tangent, Axel walked next to Erxart as his hands balled up into fists. “Either way, we can’t stay with the Organization! Roxas, I know this is hard to—.”

“Where are we headed?”

Axel took a step back at Roxas’ curt response before muttering, “That was shockingly easy.”

Roxas looked to both Erxart and Axel as he answered, “You two are the only reason I’d want to stay in the Organization. If they want to kill you, I’m not sticking around.”

At the answer, Erxart smiled in relief and relaxed his grip. “Then let’s go.”

The three of them made a mad dash down the stairs of the clocktower to where they could open a door to darkness a bit easier. Erxart flung open the door and yelled, “Hurry and open a dark corridor before—!”

“Ah, so kind of you to bring us Roxas.” Vexen’s voice brought the three of them to a halt. Before them stood Vexen with his hood up accompanied by two other organization members, similarly hooded. One was taller than Vexen, while another was about Roxas’ height. “Unfortunately, this does not absolve either of you of your prior treachery. How fortunate the Superior arrived in time to update me on Erxart and Axel’s change in allegiance.”

The taller organization member stepped forward, and Saïx was the one who spoke from under the hood as he offered his hand. “Roxas, come with us. Erxart and Axel are both traitors and—.”

“Did Xemnas really try to kill Erxart?” Roxas spat out the question as he stood his ground and glared at Saïx. Silence hung in the air until Roxas could hardly contain the question he screamed out, “DID HE REALLY TRY TO KILL MY FRIEND!?”

At the outburst, the young organization member shook his head. “It seems you are beyond our influence then. So we shall bring you in by force.”

Axel raised an eyebrow at the stranger’s voice. “And you are?”

“I am one sent forward to observe and make ready the path when the time is right.” The boy raised a hand before him as he continued, “Or to intervene when circumstances are dire.”

And in a flash, he called a black keyblade, pieces of it broken and filled with blue light as he answered…

“My name is Xehanort.”

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