Finding Dawn: Absent from the Void

The corridors stretched on and through the innards of Hollow Bastion, seemingly infinitely. A maze of sharp angled corners and multiple routes hid the possibility of danger, ambush and death.

But the most unnerving feature of the castle these days was the total absence of danger or fright; As Xetrep paced slowly through the hallways, the only sound to be heard was the hollow echo of his own footsteps, reverberating throughout the intestines of the great beast that was Hollow Bastion. Occasionally, the pipes that clung high to the corners of the walls would hiss, and jet steam in protest at the visitor. But their rebuttals were in vain, as the hooded man continued, unabated, through the corridors.

As he walked, Xetrep reminisced on what had happened not long ago with Axel; ‘The Flurry of Dancing Flames’, as he was known, had let him go. Curious, Xetrep thought, perhaps the gears were actually in motion. Maybe he would succeed… Or maybe Axel had simply backed down because of guilt.

He allowed himself an audible laugh, which rang through the network of halls, bouncing aimlessly through the corridors. No, Axel never did things by half, and certainly not on a whim. If he had let Xetrep go, then the fiery-haired man had something planned. He allowed himself a smile at what seemed a fortuitous turn of events.

Turning another corner, he found himself pacing toward a door. Memories of the place whispered through Xetrep’s mind, and shadowy images of what this place had once been dominated his thoughts. Pushing the door aside, he took shallow breaths as he faced an iconic and vital part of his past, just as ruined now as they had left it, many moons ago.

Master Ansem’s study.

---

“They’re planning on doing what?!” A wrong note cried out from the sitar, mimicking Demyx’s astonishment.

“I don’t know” Zexion replied quietly. “That’s all they said before they left”.

“Man, that’s rough” the mohawked man mused, setting his instrument down; his session thoroughly interrupted, “…so they didn’t say anything about their aim?”

“No” the other replied, a note of aggravation in his voice.

Demyx staggered back a few paces, putting his hands up in defense “…so, what did you tell me for?” he inquired gingerly, stepping back towards the smaller member.

The blue haired boy sighed and flicked his hair back, “Because…” he began slowly, “…I need to know what we’re going to do about it”.

“We?!” Demyx started, with unnecessarily animated expressions, “What do I have to do with this?!”

“You’re the newest member, excluding Roxas” Zexion began, methodically, “You don’t have the … fanatic devotion of the others, but you’re not ignorant either”. His expression never changed, he just stared at Demyx, the silence following his speech demanding an answer.

The blonde turned away from his colleague and paced a few frantic paces, “Well, the rules say we should--”

“I don’t care about the rules!” Zexion nearly cried, his exasperation breaking through. Quickly regaining himself, he spoke again, but with a tone of inquiry, almost desperation, “I need to know what we should do…”

Demyx turned slowly to face the other, curious concern crossing his features, “Honestly?”

Zexion nodded slowly, remaining silent.

“Well…”

---

The rain beat down onto the World That Never Was, bolts of liquid hurtling from the skies to the city below. Violent cracks of water attacking the empty metropolis and the sound of thunderous downpour marked the world as the territory of the rain.

Amidst the soaring and enigmatic buildings, the two usurpers trudged, their hoods up and heads lowered as the rain sliced down, ricocheting from their trench coats. Behind them, the great Citadel of Organisation XIII watched, immune to the weather, as the two would-be traitors walked away from their old home, and towards their fate.

The Silent Hero, Lexaeus, watched as the pair were swallowed up by the cascade of water. His hood raised, he turned and began his return to the citadel. There was no use, he believed, in fighting them; he was no match for the two of them, and he would only be sacrificing himself, meaninglessly, trying to defeat them.

The rain relented its assault on Lexaeus, frustratingly defeated by the shelter above him. No, fighting them would be pointless. They would not get far; it would be much wiser to tell Xemnas than fight them. Then the entire Organisation would bear down upon them, and they would be finished.

Finished.