Remnants of The Wielders

OOC: I'm back!

IC: Sharumix waited a few moments for Hogsan to speak, and then she sighed. "Hogsan, you don't have to decide right away. I understand that this is a hard decision." She turned away from him and held up her hand. Take me to Orias and Xenree. She thought, and a dark portal opened in front of her. Looking sideways at Hogsan, she said "If you want to come join me, feel free. If you decide to stay away, I understand." Then she went through the portal, and a sudden wave of heat made her stop for breath. Looking around, she saw that she was in a desert, a large city straight ahead. Were they here? taking a deep breath, she began to walk toward the city.

 

Xenree closed her eyes and the souls sifted into her body slowly. She felt stronger once they were all inside her. "You don't have to do this Orias. I know you think what I have to do is wrong and I know you hate Crowley." Just the mention of Crowley made her stiffen and test the boundaries of her powers.

 

"But it's worth it If I can help you pay your debt." he told her with a smile

 

Sharumix finally made it into the city. She looked around at the high walls, probably built that way to keep sandstorms at bay. It would take a very powerful sandstorm to get over those walls. She sighed and looked around in frustration. It would be fairly hard to find them in this place. It was hot and dry, and she was getting thirsty. She wanted to just leave Xenree and Orias to get themselves out of this situation. They had gotten themselves into it, hadn't they? She wasn't their babysitter. She almost turned around to leave but then remembered that she needed to ask Xenree about Sora. Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and started randomly walking through the city, looking for them.

 

Xenree sighed and frowned, "This isn't how I expected us to start our adventure..." She turned on her heel, toward him and brushed her gloved fingers across his cheek.

 

Things were a little too quiet around here, Sharumix thought as she walked through the city. A place like this should be bustling with life at this time of day. What was going on? She turned a corner and saw a deserted bazaar. Well, almost deserted. "Xenree, Orias!" she ran over to them. "Why'd you leave Hogsan alone with Crowley? He might've been hurt!" Funny. Out of all the things she wanted to say, she needed to say, why was that the first thing she asked about?

 

Orias looked at her. "Hey Marushi. It was kinda an accident." He looked at Xenree. "What up with brushing my cheek?"

 

Well, that was awkward. Sharumix looked from Orias to Xenree, not sure what was going on. "Um, well, uh..." she stuttered. "So... what's going on here?" She turned around and looked up at the wall. "Why's it so quiet around here?"

 

Xenree jerked away from Orias, ignoring his question and glared at Sharumix. Her eyes and posture went cold and rigid the second she saw her. She pulled her hood back up and summoned her Keyblade. "Matters about Crowley should remain with Crowley. I'm sure Hogsan can take care of himself...if not...he should be eliminated immediately." she snarled briefly, her silver eyes full of a strange hate, "Every human soul has been stolen and absorbed....soon Crowley's debt will be paid and we will both serve a greater purpose."

 

Sharumix jumped. "Wha...!?!" She looked at Xenree, startled to see the hate in her friend's now unfamiliar eyes. "Xenree," she said. "What are you talking about?" She was backing away, hands held up in defense. "I... What..." Then Xenree's words registered in her mind. "Wait, did you say every soul's been stolen? To pay off Crowley's debt? Xenree, you didn't do it, did you?" She stopped backing up and dropped her hands to her sides, clenching her fists. "Xenree, I can't believe this! What's happened to you? I thought you were a descendent of Riku, not Xehanort! You should know better than this! And Orias," she turned to him, glaring at him angrily. "You knew about this? And you didn't try to stop her?!? Come on, Orias! I thought you were stronger than that!" Falling, falling away. The enemy was above him, but he couldn't get to him. Alone, there was no hope for the worlds... "Come on, Sora! I thought you were stronger than that!" Riku's voice filled him with hope and strength and suddenly, he found that he was able to rise to the occasion. For everyone. Keyblade drawn, he flew up to the top, ready to fight.

 

Xenree growled, "You don't know anything!" A wave of pain washed through Xenree's head. She stumbled backwards.

"Only the true Keyblade Master can save the worlds."

"Riku...." she groaned and clutched at her head.

 

Orias looked at Shamurix. "Well, um... you see..." he thought for a moment." Crowley's made her his slave or something and as far as I'm concerned, I don't want her to be that. ok?"

 

Sharumix looked at Xenree, all her fury ebbing away to concern. She was still angry, but her anger was now directed more at Crowley than Xenree. How many more lives would he ruin if she couldn't stop him? She sighed and turned to Orias. "I don't want her to be Crowley's slave any more than you do, but can't you see that wether she's a slave or no, it's wrong? Each and every soul she stole was a real person, with lives to live. They weren't just nameless faces in a crowd. It's wrong, and I won't stand for it. There has to be a better way to save her."

 

Xenree panted, "There is no other way....unless you'd like me to die!" She straightened and turned on her heel, opening a dark corridor, "I have a plan....you don't think I'd willingly be Crowley's little pet without my own retalliation. I am still, after all, Riku's descendent. I will not be used."

 

Sharumix smiled. Now that sounded a bit more like the Xenree she knew. Suddenly, a swell of pride in Xenree welled up from deep inside her. Crowley had messed with the wrong girl. "Yeah," she said. "A descendant of Riku." She was sorry she had ever said otherwise. "Oh, yeah, by the way," she said as she remembered why she had come in the first place. "Xenree, do you know... why I was created?" She looked at her friend, not sure if she was ready for what she might hear, but determined to hear it anyway. Then again, perhaps Xenree really didn't know and Crowley had just told her that so she would go and confront her. Well, if that was what had happened, she had sure played the fool.

OOC: Hey, I'm gonna be out of town this weekend with little to no internet access. Just thought I'd let you all know so if I don't get on, it's because of that reason.

 

Xenree twitched. she remained silent for a moment and her voice cracked as she spoke, "N-no...I don't. Your purpose....is for you to figure out and no one else to disturb."

 

Orias looked at both of them and stepped back. He said nothing, but he thought it would get ugly in a sec.

 

Sharumix sighed. "All right," she said. "I can understand that." She looked around awkwardly. Now that she had said all she came to say, she wasn't sure what to do. If Xenree was stealing souls, she didn't want to see it, and if Xenree was going to confront Crowley, she didn't want to get into it. But everything good in her was screaming to never abandon her friends, and she didn't know where to go if she did leave.

 

Xenree motioned for Orias to step into the corridor and glanced back at Sharumix. "Are you coming or are you going to stand there like an idiot? I've got a job to do and you two keeping Heartless and possibly any resistance away from me while I do it would be appreciated."

 

Sharumix took a deep breath, then stepped toward the portal. "I won't help you with your mission," she said. "But I want to get to Crowley, so I might as well come with. I won't get in your way."