Fire and Ashes Black
When you make a choice, you also choose a consequence.
There was a storm coming.
It was there, building in the sky and swirling in the air. The trees rustled and shivered with the soft breeze, growing less gentle with the march of the day. There was a chill on the wind, carrying with it the warning of the coming tempest, the distant rumble of crackling energy.
There was something else coming with the thunder.
To keep the things you want, sacrifices need to be made. There are certain things that need to be given in order to gain; time, money, effort.
Is the sacrifice worth it?
Do the scales balance?
Or does one side collapse under the weight of what was stolen?
Spinning his Chakrams around in his hands, Axel let out a slow measured breath. The storm was coming; it would start with the rising wind, then rain would pour out from the heavens and lightning would pierce the sky.
This had to be done before then.
But looking across the small, grassy area, there was something deep inside the Nobody that told him it wouldn't be that easy, it wouldn't be that quick. Already he could hear the hiss of steam of small droplets of rain being evaporated into the air around him.
“I'm not sorry!”
His words were met with a laugh.
A wicked thing that wasn't swallowed by the mounting winds; rather it was carried by it and sent whirling around Axel, surrounding him with its horrible mocking tone. Eyes narrowing, the Chakrams in his hands stopped moving and his fingers grew tight on the weapons.
The sacrifice had already been made and he had no regrets.
With a yell, flames exploded over the field and the Nobody lunged forward, swinging his arms and throwing the sharp, spinning discs at the monster across the field. It was a Heartless, made of shadows, malice and hatred.
It was Sora.
Anti easily dodged the whirling Chakrams and darted forward, its claws tearing chunks out of the earth. Axel saw the monster coming and feinted to the right, only to have it come with him. Green eyes flew open wide as nails tore through the thick, black leather of his coat like knives.
Yelling, his flames flared up around him and Axel seized the Heartless by its shoulders, shoving it off of him. Anti, landed on its feet and with a grin, was jumping right back at him, teeth bared and a shrieking laugh spilling from its gaping maw.
Chakrams back in his hands, Axel whirled, striking outward with the sharp weapons and was this time rewarded by the heavy feel of hitting a body and by the splash of black acid that hit the ground. He wasn't given time to celebrate though; the injury did nothing to slow the Heartless down, it kept on coming forward.
Razor like teeth sunk into the exposed skin where his neck and shoulder met and claws bit deep into his chest and side. Another yell and Axel swung a Chakram upward and brought it down onto the monster, tearing into him.
Anti fell off of him again and this time, Axel was pleased to note the Heartless backed away, black blood killing the grass below it. The Nobody swallowed and took several of his own steps back. He could feel the warm spread of his blood beneath his coat; could feel it running down his chest, and side. His left arm ached, the wound at his shoulder pulsing with pain.
Axel wasn't entirely sure if he could lift that arm again.
The monster didn't give him time to figure that out. With a wild scream, the Heartless had darted to the left! To the right! Left again! Eyes wide, Axel backed up a step and tried to keep it in sight, fire crawling along his body, trying to brace for the next attack! Was it coming now? No! Anti was over on the manor gates! No! It was on a rock! Now it was back on the gates!
“Stop running!” Axel threw a Chakram at the monster and Anti jumped over it, diving from the top of the gates down at him! Meeting him half way with fire, smoke and his other weapon, Axel attacked the Heartless with fury!
They both hit the hot grass and roared at one another over the crash of thunder! In a whirling mass of black and red; of flames and ash, they clawed and swiped at each other. Round and round the ring of fire, great chunks of earth torn from the ground as they moved. Red blood splashed upon the burning green grass and black acid killed what was left alive.
Lightning crackled above, throwing the wounded Nobody into stark relief as Axel staggered back away from his dark enemy. His coat was all but shredded, the sleeve missing entirely on his left arm. The limb itself hung uselessly, glistening ribbons of red dripping dripping down the pale skin, Chakram lying in the dead grass.
Panting, he kept his eyes on the monster that slowly circled around him, low to the ground. He couldn't tell how badly hurt the Heartless was – he knew he'd damaged it. He could smell the foul stench of the black blood, had seen it on the ground. His right hand tightened on the Chakram and he followed Anti's dimly glowing yellow eyes.
There it is!
Axel sucked in a sharp breath as Anti let out a crazed giggle just before it lunged again. He swung upwards with his right arm, throwing his strength into the blow. He felt the sharp sting on his face as a nail raked along his skin and the hot breath of darkness, teeth flashing before his eyes and then there was nothing---! Nothing.
Black blood dripped from the Chakram stilled raised in the air. The flames in the grassy field died down and the cold rain began to fall on the Nobody.
“Sora?”
Swallowing, Axel stepped back and looked around, lowering his arm. He looked around the field, he looked up at the manor gate and along the walls. He looked back into the woods and sent a fireball down the path.
The wind blew smoke, ash and deadened grass around him and the rain stung his fresh and open wounds.
Sora's Heartless was gone.
Just as it was never meant to be in the first place.
// TA DAA~! There you go Anon! Whomever it was that asked me for a fight with Anti and Axel! I hope it’s everything you’d hoped and dreamed it would be! @quiescentgale - thanks for unknowingly picking Axel as the winner! His lucky number was 7 today! @sharpteethsharpclaws - Thank you for the how to channel my inner I AM FIRE AND DEATH advice! Idk how I did, but I appreciated the words! @akuserru @memoriesxofxflames @flamingkeyblade - I had all three of your guys awesomely amazing blogs open to feed myself inspiration. Thank you for being fantastic yous!