Chapter 35 Part 2 Dark Discoveries
----Articas----
It was morning and Eiyuu had woken up, he went into the bathroom to quickly take a shower and brush his teeth doing as he did everyday. He put on a new pair of boxers that he bought yesterday and applied his other newly bought articles of clothing. New white under shirt, new pairof socks, he tucked his undershirt inside his new pair of blue and baggy jeans and added a red and white shirt over the under T. He got out of his room, walked up the stairs and looked upon the table which had cups and plates which were filed with soda and cake. Eiyuu cleaned the area and decided to cook some eggs, enough for everyone on the ship. Once he had finished eating his two sunnyside up eggs and drinking hid orange juice he walked back down the stairs and oppened a closet full of coats which looked heavey duty enough for a snow storm. Eiyuu put on a red coat which feet on hyim very snuggly and comfortable.
He walked to a wind only to wipe it and take a look outside, nothing but pure white snow could be seen.
"I have to go find Atlas, he knows how to cross over to The Road of Infinity."
Eiyuu put on is shoes which were white with blue and red strips to match his jeans and shirt.
"When are you coming back?" Asked Aurie who was in the hall way the lead to the entrance.
"God knows when." Answered Eiyuu.
"Pfft, No such thing."
"Hmm....then tell me this, remember when you were seconds away from death?"
"Yea."
"Where were you?"
"In a chruch."
"And that would be the house of God, now tell me what were you doing."
"Praying."
"To who?"
"Ammmmm...." Said Aurie with a dumbfounded look on her face.
"Exactly, go back to sleep." Said Eiyuu.
He opened the door and a giant wind pushed him back but Eiyuu stood his ground and walked out of the ship, he closed it so no one else would be woken by the cold snow.
Aurie ran back to sleep sheivering with cold.
He began walk only out of pure instinked feeling the presence of another keyblade. Eiyuu walked miles and miles until a pack of elemental heartless came out of the snow.
"Iced out, eh?"
Eiyuu summoned his keyblade and began attacking the heartless, they atacked with ice themed attacks which were colder then the ice that was falling from the sky. Each hit struck but if it wasen't for the coat then Eiyuu would have been in deeper trouble. Eiyuu finished each one of the heartless off with a Fire spell.
"I shouldn't be using these spells, they drain alot out of me."
Eiyuu walked for another mile or so till he came across a house, a tiny two story house that was lite from the inside. He continued walking toward the house then knocked on the door.
----Atlas' House----
"A guest?"
Eiyuu saw a Baknamus came walking down the stairs, he had a wrinked face but no facal hair, the hair on his head was white just as the last Baknamus Eiyuu met.
"Come in, come in."
Eiyuu walked in the door freezing and trembling from the cold.
"Here warm yourself with this, Fire!"
The Baknamus held his hands on Eiyuu's back which and he was instantly warmed up,
"Thanks." Said Eiyuu in gratitude.
He removed his coat.
"No problem, now tell me what you came out here for?"
Eiyuu looked around to his right and saw a fire place and lamps which lite up the house then saw bookselves and then to his left he saw a brown wodden table with stacks of open books on top of one another.
"I'm in search of a Baknamus that goes under the name of Atlas."
"I am he."
"Then tell me, are you Issaru's older brother."
"Yes."
"Are you a keyblade weilder?"
"Yes."
"Have you traveled The Road of Infinity?"
"Yes, many times."
"I need to know how can I reach it."
"I am not sure if you can....withstand that knowledge."
"I need to know how to get there."
"But for what reasons? Do you lust for power? To avenge somone or to exact revenge?"
"I need to become stronger, it's the only way I can fully live without any worries and fears."
"Let me into your mind."
Atlas got on top of the table which was next to Eiyuu and placed his hand on his forhead. Atlas closed his eys and could see what Eiyuu's journey had taken him from meeting Mateo in the islands of Halkis to the death of Tsumi, fighing against his heartless and nobody to fighting in the tournament. And everything most recent.
" I see you've under went great hardship to become the man you are today." Said Atlas
"I couldn't have gotten anywhere without my friends."
"I shall let you know how to reach The Road of Infinity but you cannot tell another soul of it's whereabouts.
"I won't, you have my word."
"The Road of Infinity cannot be found anywhere."
"What?"
"The Road isn't a location but a state of mind."
"Wait..."
"The only way to arrive at the road is too under go death and become held back by emotions of regret or under go a near death expirence."
"So that's how I got there, I nearly died but was seperated into a heartless and a nobody."
"Yes, you did not fully die since parts of you lived on in the realm of the living; your soul advanced that far but only to a checkpoint were every other person passes through."
"But my friend, I meet up with him there but I don't know how he arrived."
"There are many ways to arrive at The Road of Infinity but some methods I have not known as of yet."
"Do you have any information about the keyblade?" Asked Eiyuu.
"The keyblade.....is a powerful weapon only given to those of strong will and hearts, weither they lie to the side of darkness or light. Some aquire mere replicas but they are just that, replicas. They are not as strong as the original."
"But how did Kurai get a keyblade?"
"As I said, Darkness or light can recieve a keyblade as long as they have a strong heart and will that side to their chosing. But in this case you are both on in the same. You are to Kurai as Kurai is to you. Forever are your souls tied to the threads of destiny. You have great conflicts ahead of you, Eiyuu. Do not look past my words and know this: When you were born, a preist claimed that you are to be destroyed by the darkness in your heart."
"Yes, I remember this." Said Eiyuu.
"Do you believe it?"
"I don't know.....but I won't become fate's puppet and be completely be put done by it."
"So you beileve that man has the ability to decide their own destinies?
"Yes."
"Well then, what were you to do if that priest were to appear?"
"I'd ask him where did he see these perdictions."
"Indeed, I have something to confess to you, Eiyuu."
"What is it?"
"I am the "preist" who fortold your demise."
"But....but why?"
"I can see what dangers you face, you will not live through this ordeal."
"But I have to try."
"You will try and fail."
"What do you know?!"
"Why passages through The Road of Infinity have lead me to discover many powers and abilites in my 1,500 years of living."
Eiyuu grunted and clinched his fists.
"You see, I was traveling worlds and suddenly I cought wind of a sense of power. You were just outside your mothers womb once I've arrived in your planet. I used my powers to forsee your future and it was one of a man and his fight againt himself. Nothing can stop your destiny, not even you."
"But what am I to do, just stand here and wait for death?!"
"Yes, the blueprints of your life hae already been created. You are following everysingle design of it and cannot stop."
"I'll show you and your blueprints."
"As I said before you shall try and fail."
Eiyuu put on his coat and opened the door, his anger made him invulnerable to the gust of wind and snow so he countinued out the door.
----Outside----
Eiyuu began walking back toward the ship and keep reminiscing about his current discoveries.
"Near death exprience, eh? I'll find another way."
He kept walking without incountering any foes.
But then a sudden gust of wind behind him pushed Eiyuu forward and he fell on the snow.
"I feel it, He's here!"
"So it's been too long, Eiyuu." Said a voice which was over the hill which Eiyuu fell from.
"Kurai!"
"Don't be too intimidated, Eiyuu. I'm here to try a theory of mine."
Kurai was fully visiable and he wore a suit of black armor that had golden symbols and markings on it which also contained a black cape which was attached to the black armor and was down to his calfs, he also wore baggy blue jeans and a black shirt under his armor, his shoes where black which the same markings and symbols as his armor.
"Oh yea, well I won't stay still and be your expirement."
Eiyuu summoned Absolute Light and Absolute Darkness fusing them to become Eternal Dawn then summoned Oathkeeper and Oblivion and did the same to make Eternal Nightfall.
"Now, Let's begin." Kurai summoned two new addtional keyblades that weren't seen before.
"The keyblade in my left hand is named Absolute Power while the one in my right hand is named Absolute Destrucion."
"Not very original, eh?"
"Originality has lost it's meaning."
With that said Kurai ran down toward his other half while Eiyuu stood still lifting up his keyblades, Kurai was mere inches away from Eiyuu but he jumped and began attacking in mid-air but his opponent met each strike with one of his own. Then they locked and locked into each others eyes. They saw hatred within their other half. Eiyuu broke off the lock throwing Kurai's blades to the snow Eiyuu attacked with one while the other pinned Kurai's blade to the ground. Kurai fell further down the hill and then raised his hands to retrive his keyblades. They looked on from their standing points then voices could be heard from the direction Eiyuu was facing.
"Eiyuu!" could be heard from the distance but the crys got louder as each second passed by.
Eiyuu tried to make out who it was until he saw Renai.
"Renai, Get out of here!" Yelled Eiyuu then the running Renai slowed down but continued walking.
"My oppertunity has shown itself." Kurai began running toward Renai who had her coat on.
"No!" Eiyuu ran at incredible speeds to catch Kurai.
Renai looked at the figures and saw Kurai she couldn't move and in a quickm swift move Kurai had struck Renai through the side of her stomatch.
"No!" Yelled out Eiyuu who was still running after Kurai.
"Ei...yu.......u" Renai fell to the white snow which had now been turned red with Renai's blood. Kurai removed his keyblade with was covered with the blood of the innocent.
Aruie, Anara, Vecks, Sean, Fera, Arcadios, and Septero who were waring there coats all ran to see the same sight as Eiyuu.
"Now Eiyuu, fall to your deep and dark depressions. My your sould be filled with Malice towards me and may you forever be plagues by it."
Kurai left in an instant but in his place Heartless and Nobodies appeared.
Eiyuu reached Renai and turned her over to look upon her face with has pale and bitterly cold. He cluchted her hand and began to cry.
"Aurie use a cure spell!" Yelled out Sean as be brung out his axe to prepare himself for the fight ahead.
"A simple cure spell won't do, the wound is too deep." Said Aurie.
"Then what will we do?!" Asked Anara who had brung her dagger out.
"We have to finish these enemies off but Eiyuu can't move." Said Fera who had brung out her silver swords.
"Then let's get this over with!" Yelled Septero who summoned Tide.
"Master?!" Yelled out Arcadios.
----Septero's fight----
Septero began attacking one heartless after another then began gathering up balls of dark energy and firing them at his foes.
"I don't have time for this!"
"Death's doorway!"
Septero made a small circle with Tide on the snow then it tunred into a dark void which consummed all of the heartless. The gate closed by itself then more Heartless appeared.
"Damn it!"
----Aurie's, Sean's and Anara's fight----
Aurie summoned a barrier arounf this friends and then applied Regan spells.
Aurie was already attacking nobodies and Sean was doing the same then a Samurai nobody appeared attacking Aurie but why could only defend herself until Sean showed up and cut the nobody in a half with his gaint axe.
"Thanks." Said Aurie.
"Funny." Responded Sean.
He returned to Anara's side and continued destroying the endless waves of nobodies.
----Vecks' and Fera's fight----
"Flare!" The attack destroyed what as left of the smallish heartless but also created a hole. Fera had her share of enemies and continued attacking until her blades where smacked out of her hands which was cought by Vecks.
With a staff in one hand and a blade in the other he helped out his new friend but just as more heartless were destroyed others took there place. Vecks returned Fera's blade and then prepared himself for an on slaught.
----Just A Moment----
Arcadios was trying to confort his Master who was on the cold, hard, snowy floor holding his dearly beloved in his hands.
"Master, take her to the ship!" Yelled out Arcadios.
"No, no, no, this isn't suppose to be this way. We were suppose the live together, the three of us!" Eiyuu had tears falling from the sides of his cheeks but then he rose up placing Renai on the floor.
In just a moment he was consumed by the darkness which sprouted from his heart and it full ungulfed Eiyuu, a barrier was created around him which dispatched to reveal Eiyuu with a dark feathered wing on one of his shoulder and the other was white and oute as the snow itself. His face had dark lines coming down from the sides of his face. Everone, even the enemies stopped their fighting and looked upon the newly developed Eiyuu. Eiyuu picked Arcadios up and through his to the gang of heartless but Arcadios quickly destroyed them.
"Master!" Yelled out Arcadios.
"What's wrong with Eiyuu?!" Questioned Septero.
The gang of heartless and nobodies felt threatened being infront of Eiyuu and so they decided to group and attack Eiyuu at once but then Eiyuu picked up his keyblades from the floor.
"All's End!"
Eiyuu struck the ground with his keyblades and cracks began to spread toward the gang of foes. The cracks were then filled with darkness that was being emited from the keyblades which destroyed the heartless and nobodies on contact with the tainted light. Eiyuu picked his keyblades up once again and began walking toward his friends."
"What are we going to do?" Asked Aurie.
"Listen, if he attacks we have to fight back." Said Vecks.
"But..." Said Eiyuu.
"Listen it's either let this go on or attack and get some sense back into him." Said Sean.
"Then well go take care of Renai while you guys fight." Said Anara
"Come on, Fera!" Said Aurie.
“No, I have to stay here and help Eiyuu." She responded.
“Then let’s go, Anara!”
“Right.”
----Friends and foes----
Eiyuu through his keyblade at Veck who stopped them and flung them toward the sky but the recoil set him back. Septero began running toward Eiyuu but once he reached him he created a portal which he jumped in and then appeaered behind Eiyuu then Septero through his weapon forward but Eiyuu just left his keyblade behind him to stop the attack without even turning around.
“What?!”
Eiyuu elbowed Septero who lost his breath and coughed then was struck by Eiyuu once more but with his keyblade which made him fly towards Vecks stopping on the ground, battered and brushed. Sean then began his assualt but couldn’t land a hit, Eiyuu blocked his axe then created a small sphere of energy which he then directed toward Sean who was drawn back from the explosion which caught Sean’s clothing on fire but was quickly out out once he landed by Vecks’ side. Vecks then saw the keyblade reverting back then Vecks’ caught the blade and flung it at Eiyuu which knocked him back, losing his balance. Each keyblade was next to Eiyuu who was trying to get up off the ground.
He rose but then in a blinding furry picked up his keyblades and began to emit a dark aura around himself. Septero and Sean got up from the ground as fell and began quivering.
“What....what is this? I have never felt a dark aura as strong as this.” Said Septero.
“We can’t let his go on for any longer.” Said Vecks.
“What are we going to do?” Asked Sean.
But as soon as he was finished they felt another aura just as stronger but behind them.
“Who’s that?” Yelled Aurie who was running toward Renai.
“That’s Fera!” Answered Anara.
Fera had used her mimic attack on Eiyuu, she toom sprouted a black and white wing and her blades then were transform to copy that of the keyblades.
“Stay back!” Said Fera.
She flew toward Eiyuu who was standing there lifting up his keyblades.
He blocked her attack but then flew up as well. He overpowered her and pushed her back only to find himself rasing his keyblades once again as Fera begane her assault. Each strike created heat and sparks from the grinding steel that was meeting on cantact from every blow.
“Zetsu!”
Now Fera was on the defensive as Eiyuu retaliated since he found his second wind.
“Look out!” Yelled Vecks as he saw a shadow of Eiyuu come toward Fera’s back.
The shadow struck Fera from behind which stoped her defense giveing Eiyuu the oppertunity to attack her aswell.
“Ultima!”
Vecks’ staff started to glow so bright that it stopped Eiyuu and his dark clone.
Fera was falling to the cold floor making it safe for Vecks to attack.
Fera quickly turned over a coughed up red stones along with blood and then fell uncouncious but the stone were quickly covered by the falling snow.
A single beam was fired out of Vecks’ staff which went through the shadow destroying it want went into Eiyuu which then exploded and engufed Eiyuu in a sphere of flames which became bigger once another explosion took place. Then Eiyuu broke free and Vecks fell to his knees.
“What’s wrong?” Asked Sean.
“I hardly use that attack.” Said Vecks
Eiyuu fell on his feet still clutching his blades but he was burned on his left arm covered in blood, sweat, and cuts.
“Renai, Are you okay?” Asked Aurie who was by Renai.
“She won’t respond.” Said Anara
“Come on, Renai.”
“Why won’t he go down?” Said Septero.
“I have a way but we need to think fast.” Said Arcadios.
“Fine but what do you have.” Said Vecks.
Eiyuu began walking towards his friends slowly.
“Sean, go get Fera and run to Aurie then once we attack Eiyuu tell Aurie to make a barrier around Eiyuu.”
“Right.” Sean quickly ran around Eiyuu who didn’t give him a second thought and picked up Fera.
“Septero, Vecks, do you remember an attack that you guys performed when on a planet which name was long forgotten?” Asked Arcadios.
“Yes but how do you know about that?” Asked Septero.
“Master Eiyuu.”
“Then let’s do this.” Said Vecks.
Sean ran toward Aurie who were tending to Renai’s wounds.
Arcadios, Vecks, and Septero all ran toward Eiyuu then began circling him, Eiyuu was looking back and forth then thrusted his keyblade forward which struck Arcadios and he flew a distance close to Aurie’s location.
“Continue the formation!” Yelled Arcadios who picked himself up with the keyblade and ran toward the group. He got back into the circle and continued trying to confuse Eiyuu.
“Now!” Yelled Arcadios.
They eached stopped and then struck Eiyuu with their weapons diggin deep into his body. Arcadios had struck his master’s abs while Vecks’ and Septero each struck a side of his back.
“Aurie, make a barrier around Eiyuu!” Yelled Sean.
“Yea, sure!” Aurie responded while creating a barrier around her friend.
“Trinity Limit!”
The barrier turned bright with light that took over Eiyuu who couldn’t be seen inside it.
The barrier began to crack but Arcadios, Septero and Veck couldn’t remove their weapons, they struggled but had no luck.
“They’re having trouble, Anara let’s go!” Said Sean.
Anara followed Sean as they ran to where everyone was.
“Attack there weapons to release them!” Yelled Sean.
Anara got out her dagger and drove it into the barrier which created a whole big enough for Vecks to get his staff out.
Sean weilded his gaint axe and atacked the barrier then cracked it enough to release Tide and then Septero quickly struck the barrier where Arcadios’ keyblade was lodged in. The barrier had shadered which created an explosion which made everyone scatter around on the floor.
Eiyuu’s wings dispatched and he fell to his feet, unconcious.
Then fell ompletely on the snowy, hard floor.
“Curaga!” Yelled out Aurie to hell everyone.
Septero, Arcadios, Vecks, Anara and Sean all rose from the floor but very slowly since rest would be the best ailment. They all walked toward Eiyuu and Renai who were still on the floor.
The all walked to Ragnorok and lyed them down to rest on seperate beds.
“How is everyone?” Asked Adalline
Everybody looked depressed as if they were helpless to help there fallen friends.
“Renai will be fine but Eiyuu is another story,” Said Aurie.
“What’s wrong with Master Eiyuu?” Asked Arcadios.
“He isn’t completly cleansed of the darkness which over took him.”
“So when will he wake up?” Asked Vecks’
“It could take more then a month for all I know.” Responded Aurie.
----Meanwhile----
“So this is is?” Asked Eiyuu.
He looked around to find a light path which lead to many other roads.
“The Road to Infinity.”