Kingdom Hearts: SfE Part 2 - The Final Keyhole and the Mark of Mastery

"Hmm...i think it would be easier if you had a name. What would you like to be called? Once you've got a name, feel free to have all the hearts you want" he stated.

 

"I have no opinion as to name. Maybe Master could provide me one?" The NeoShadow clicked, unable to think of names. Names weren't common, and even rarer if a Heartless knew any other name besides their Master's.

 

"Hmmm..". Gexln then began speaking in the language of the heartless once more. "How about Valdis? A suitable name for a heartless, i should think" he said.

 

"As my Master wishes. I am now Valdis." Valdis bowed deeply, clicking with almost glee. "Tis a female name, sire. Would you like me to be identified as a female?"

 

Gexln waved a hand carelessly. "Whichever you prefer, it doesn't matter so long as the goal in the end is achieved" he stated coldly.

 

"Of course my Master." Valdis nodded, wondering their next point of action. She was jumpy, ready to do whatever her master chose for her to do.

 

"Where should we hunt for hearts first?" he asked, fingers resting on Darkness' Sorrow.

 

"Somewhere with lots of people..." Valdis purred with hunger. "Does Master know of such a place?"

 

"Plenty of places like that. You've got Twilight Town, but that's generally got people that'll fight back, you've got Traverse Town, again with people that'd fight, and then there's...ah that could work" he said, laughing. "Destiny Islands, a peaceful place with plenty of people. That'd be the best choice" he said, laughing once more.

 

"Excellent choice, Master. Let us go then." And sinking them both into the corridors of Darkness, Valdis eagerly guided her Master to Destiny Islands. They walked into the large play island of the Keybearers. The sand was hot, but she didn't feel it, or care. Her sights were set on the large residential island farther out the sea.

 

Gexln, too, saw the resident. He looked down at Valdis. "Look, there's one of the many hearts you'll need" he said, pointing at the resident.

 

Valdis gladly went off to attack the small little human, greedily ripping out the heart within and eating it with great vigor. Watching the human's body turn into dark smoke, which she gladly took in as a trophy, she went on searching for more.

 

Gexln followed Valdis, keeping an eye out for any trouble.

 

Within minutes, Valdis was licking her claws from her tenth heart consumed. She barely cared to notice the slight beak forming on her mouth, or how her feet were becoming sharp with talons while her claws were becoming as feathery as her arms and body. She had already gone through pedestrians, going on to residents homes, ruining all in sight, consuming more.

 

Gexln was enjoying watching the slaughter, hearing the screams of people as their hearts were devoured. He raised his arms up into the air enthusiastically. "BE FREE! FREE OF THIS WEAKNESS CALLED HUMANITY!" he yelled, laughing maniacally.

 

Valdis enjoyed that her master was happy, mimicking his empty emotion. She continued to slaughter, growing more bird-like with each passing heart. A helm, similar to that of a Valkyrie's of the norse mythology, was forming on the head, protecting the little beak. Now a sound escaped her, it was like a falcon, the loud scree chilling.

 

Developing bird-like features...a flying heartless could be very useful indeed Gexln thought to himself. He ran into one of the houses on Destiny Islands, only to see a man cowering in the corner in fear. "Ah, scared are you?" Gexln questioned. The man slowly nodded his head, and let out a small whimper as Gexln raised his blade. Gexln's blade fell as quickly as it had risen, and the man's body fell onto the ground with a dull thump. He cleaned his blade on the cloak he was wearing as he said "can't let Valdis have all the fun".

 

Valdis glided onto another human, ripping their heart out with her talons. She was now on the 78th heart. Growing taller, leaner, lighter, the bird qualities more present. Her once black-blue color scheme was replaced with reds, oranges, and yellow hues. Soon enough this heartless would finish it's evolution, becoming like the pheonix the heart set out to be. With another scree, another freshly scoured heart exited it's human cage.
Over the course of this massacre, changes were effecting the core of Valdis too. When a heartless evolves, the heart within them slowly grow "shells", like how we humans have skulls protecting our brains. It grew in three pieces, slowly, joining together to make a rock-hard armor that only truly blunt force could crack. Precision could pierce the heart, and possibly bring back it's true owner, but it would take a lot of work.

 

"Valdis, you alright? You look a little...different" Gexln said, unsure of what word he should use to describe the change of appearance.

 

"It is just my growing form. All Heartless grow by consuming hearts. This is just my growth." Spreading out her wingspan, Valdis was still growing slowly. Soon enough, after heaps of more hearts, she could be able to completely take off and even carry Gexln to destinations as he pleased. For now, she could glide.