Terra, Seeker of Darkness

Private, heavily canon-divergent Terra from Kingdom Hearts. Follows from @iwillreturntothisland

[vanities-redemption]

  Xigbar had wanted what he had always wanted. Nothing had changed really, except maybe in the matter that he was going to get it. The raven haired teenager gawked down at the sniper who was smirking up at him with a blank expression. The blade hummed away in his mind before whispering in his ear, the Will is nothing but a front. He is truly someone else…but we should not reveal that now. Vanitas gave a nod before looking to Terra.

  “What he has always wanted, his Keyblade. Nothing more and nothing less.” Vanitas responded with a hum. He then looked back to Xigbar, gesturing for him stand once more.

  Xigbar rose to his feet and then looked to the brown haired man. “That’s my secret, I can’t go around and announcing it to the rest of the World. I’ll keep that to myself, but the kid knows that I’ll be loyal. Sides, ya got other problems.”

  The man gestured over his shoulder to the outside. “Those two brats are in trouble out there. One of the other vessels are attacking ‘em. We should go help ‘em.”

  Vanitas’s eyes widened and he goes to get up, but he grows dizzy and then he falls back against the couch. Xigbar frowned and looked to Terra. “Ya wanna stay with Vanitas or shall I?”

[terraseekerofdarkness]

His... Keyblade? Terra turned to stare at Xigbar, turning the bewildered surprise into a somewhat disbelieving frown as he tried to make his peace with the new facts. He’d have to look into it, he guessed. 

“A secret for a secret, fair enough.” Terra sighed, before his eyes went to the window and he finally allowed Ends of the Earth to vanish, carefully considering the situation. Vanitas wasn’t in the best of states, even now, but Terra had seen what the X-blade could do if pressed. Still, not even the reveal of Xigbar’s intention was enough for Terra to trust the other man, not yet, not fully. 

“Are you going to be alright?” Terra asked Vanitas, before opening a corridor of darkness and letting it be his answer to Xigbar. As soon as Vanitas replied, if the answer was affirmative, Terra would rush into the battle. He wouldn’t lose Ventus, not again. 

[vanities-redemption]

  The dark haired man stared at the brown haired former apprentice as he watched him summon forth his Keyblade. His single eye gawked at the Keyblade before it shifted to look at the sleeping Vanitas. Vanitas was now shifting around when he heard Terra’s voice call out to him and he lifted his head. The raven sat up, rubbing at his eyes and trying to wake up. 

  “Hn…? Terra…what’s wrong…?” The teen responded in a groggy voice as he looked to Terra. He then looked toward Xigbar and Vanitas’s eyes widened in astonishment. Vanitas jumped back, panic filling him as he gazed upon the one eyed man. 

  Xigbar scowled and then sighed softly. “In the beginning, I had no way of knowing he would do that…of course, right now, it might seem like that I came on the old man’s behalf.”

  He smirked softly and then knelt down in front of Vanitas. “Guess I’m going off script too…”

  Vanitas blinked in astonishment as the one eyed man knelt down in front of him and the raven bit down on his lower lip. He glanced to Terra worriedly before looking back to Xigbar, eyes looking over the man carefully. This allowed him to read the other’s emotions. After a few moment, the raven looked to Terra. 

  “…He’s not lying. I can feel it, but he…he wants something…”

  “That’d be right. Ya know what I want kiddo.” 

  Vanitas shifted his gaze back to gold eyed man and he nodded as he stared into that single eye. “…I know what you want…you’ll get it.”     

[terraseekerofdarkness]

“It certainly seems like you came on his behalf, yes.” Terra agreed, only moving his keyblade away a few inches, though the curiosity made his way through the unease as Vanitas looked at him. What did Xigbar want, especially from Vanitas? Especially if the youth was willing to give it to him. 

Terra wasn’t at all sure he believed Xigbar thought Xehanort above torture, but it was also true that he hadn’t paid much attention to the other man. The only Organization members that Terra usually kept an eye on were Xehanort, his young self, his nobody and his heartless, and mostly that was it. 

“What does he want, Vanitas?” Terra asked, keeping his voice civil through sheer will. “And why, Xigbar? Why are you doing all this?”

Terra had known that there was quite some lack of loyalty in the Organization, but this was a whole new level. 

[terraseekerofdarkness]

The raven must have heard the whisper because he started to calm down, sleeping quietly. Vanitas held onto the blanket as he clutched onto the warmth of it. He was dreaming of nothing, which he so often did when the x-blade and Chi ate away at his dreams.

 Hours passed and Vanitas slept on peacefully. Ventus and Sora were walking toward the little home on the farmland when they were suddenly intercepted by a person in a hood. The two Keyblade Wielders summoned their blades to defend themselves.

 Another hooded figure stepped past the fight and snuck toward the farmhouse, being light on his feet. This hooded figure had orders from the old man, however, he had no intention on honoring them. The single honey gold eye flashed underneath the hood as he crept up to a window, slipping inside of the farmhouse.

  The figure strolled over to the couch where Vanitas was sleeping, standing over him and lifted his hood up to reveal himself. Xigbar gawked at the boy with interest before looking to Terra, a blank expression on his face.  

 “…Ya went off script…kidnapping him. Yet, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by that, the both of ya were always wild cards in the grand scheme of things.”

Terra’s eyes remained on the book far after his attention had wandered to the newcomer, only leaving the page as Xigbar got close to Vanitas. 

Terra extended his arm then, summoning Ends of the Earth between Xigbar and the asleep Vanitas, cursing inwardly at the failure of his defenses. 

“Back off.” Were his only words towards Xigbar, before even considering what he’d said. “Vanitas, wake up, we may have to fight.” He added, keeping his voice even. He didn’t leave the chair, but the tension in his shoulders was clear: if Xigbar moved, Terra would move. 

“The grand scheme of things is only a fancy name for Xehanort’s plans, and I will not stand aside as he tortures a child.” He replied. “Not again. And if you want to live, Xigbar, I suggest you vanish.”

He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to honor the threat, but they wouldn’t take the child again. Terra hadn’t escaped Xehanort to fall to his goons. 

[terraseekerofdarkness]

“We did. We sang him our song. It makes him calm when he is emotions are out of control. All things have a song; Worlds, people, animals, flowers. We are…attuned to everything. His senses are enhanced; smelling and hearing especially.” Kye explained, gawking at the Earth. Onyx orbs blink and then grow heavy with sleep.

“It is time to rest. We shall sing him to sleep. Watch over us, the Earth. The Sky and the Wind will come soon, do not worry.” With that, the blade laid down on the couch with the cloak wrapped around Vanitas. The blade’s eyes fluttered shut.

Vanitas was asleep on the couch now, having taken control of his body once more. He shifted around a little, mumbling in his sleep until he found the perfect position to be in. He slept facing Terra, even calling out for him quietly in his sleep. “…Terra…”

The blade’s confirmation brought forth Terra’s curiosity, and a number of memories as well, most of them from his time as Eraqus’ apprentice. He’d been taught that everything was connected, and that the Light in all things was to be protected. It would have been his duty, had he been made a Master back then. 

It was also curious to know that Vanitas’ senses were sharper than a common human’s. Either Xehanort already knew it and it was expected that Terra would too, or the blade trusted him enough to speak with such ease. If that was the case, then the former apprentice was grateful. 

“I will ensure your safety.” He replied, a promise, as the blade and its host fell asleep. 

It wasn’t long until Terra took a book from a pocket of his Organization coat and relaxed on his chair, letting time go by. He had the hunch it wouldn’t take him very long to have company, hopefully of the welcome kind. 

When he heard Vanitas mutter his name he turned immediately,  suddenly worried something was wrong. It seemed that the youth was asleep, however, and slowly the tension on Terra’s shoulder vanished again. 

“I am here.” He replied, barely a whisper. “You are safe.” 

And he’d be even safer when Ventus and Sora arrived. For now, however, it was Terra there, and the Seeker of Darkness was slowly realizing how much he’d missed something as simple as being trusted. 

[vanities-redemption]

  It did sense that the brunette haired man was relieved to be away from the Oppressor. Anyone would be relieved to be away from him. However, the blade would not rest until the Oppressor was dead, especially for what he had done to their Dawn. Ebony orbs gaze into the blue orbs with interest as he continued to speak.

  “He is safe. We healed his head and he is in need of rest. Being near the Oppressor…has drained him not only in strength, but emotionally as well. The Oppressor has hurt out Dawn so much…it makes our heart ache severely.” It reached down and held onto Vanitas’s chest. Ebony orbs glimmered sadly. “We love our Dawn…and we want to give him a happy and safe life…”

  “Let him rest…we and his Dream Eater will devour his nightmares.” The blade hummed softly. It wasn’t certain if the brunette knew about Vanitas’s and Ventus’s Dream Eater by the name of Chi, but it decided to mention it. “But there are even times we cannot contain the nightmares…singing to him calms him down.”

[terraseekerofdarkness]

The relief that washed over Terra’s spirit as the blade confirmed Vanitas’ safety was genuine, and his posture became slightly less tense. 

He didn’t want to imagine what it must have been for Vanitas to be Xehanort’s prisoner again after so many days avoiding his minions. If Ventus hadn’t told Terra, who could know when he’d have learned about it. Maybe when Xehanort would have forced them to fight, and not before. His now former Master had hurt far too many people, but Vanitas had had it worse than most others. 

“I will let him rest, then.” Terra told the blade. “And I do wish there comes a day he can live happily. The day Xehanort is gone, most likely.” He added. 

He hadn’t known about Vanitas having a Dream Eater, and he filed the information next to all the things he wanted to ask, but he imagined it was not the moment. 

“You sung to him when he and I met in that Tavern, didn’t you?” He wondered instead. 

[vanities-redemption]

  He held in his breath as he listens to Terra’s reasons why he can’t fall asleep. Vanitas understands, but he just wants to rest. His exhaustion is there and he knows that Terra is right. The raven haired teen nodded slowly and laid his head against the couch before he was addressed by Terra once more. He blinked in surprise.

  “…Kye likes you now. I think it knew all along that you weren’t loyal to Xehanort. It seems like the blade knows a lot of things.” Vanitas shrugged his shoulders and then nodded slowly. 

  The boy slumped over and his eyes fluttered shut briefly. Then, his eyes snap open and the whites of his eyes and amber are consumed by ebony. His position shifts as his body sits up as those eyes stare at the Earth with an unflinching look. 

  “Hello the Earth…how does it feel to be free of the shackles of the Oppressor? To have betrayed him and leave him in the dust. We would have loved to see his expression once you destroyed one of his vessels if we were honest.” The blade hummed in amusement. 

[terraseekerofdarkness]

Terra frowned, as curious as he was wary when Vanitas told him about the blade’s knowledge. Was he that easy to read? He could only hope it was due to Vanitas’ connection with Ventus, although he imagined that if he’d been that obvious then Xehanort would have killed him long ago. 

Then Vanitas’ posture changed and Terra was rushing towards him, suddenly worried that the youth had collapsed, though he stopped in his tracks as Vanitas’ eyes changed color. 

Slowly, Terra exhaled and went back to the chair. He was too tired for these scares. 

“You worried me.” He admitted, before addressing the blade’s words. 

He couldn’t forget that this was the same being that had come quite close to killing him, even if they were now on the same side. It felt weird to admit it to himself. 

“I’d say it’s kinda nice, for now. We’ll see how many of them come after me when he notices.” He shrugged. “I wish I’d seen his expression too, but I thought it wiser to leave. And thank you for agreeing to talk to me.” He added, after a moment, his expression growing even more serious. “Are you able to tell me if Vanitas is safe? Do I need to keep him awake or can I let him rest?” He asked. “Everything else can wait. He’s been through enough.” 

Because Terra hadn’t been faster, because he hadn’t found him earlier. 

[vanities-redemption]

   The moment that Terra spoke up in a harsh tone, Vanitas was instantly awakened and he flinched. He clutched onto the cloak that Terra had provided for him. Vanitas bit down on his lower lip and he wrapped his arms around his legs as he pulled his legs to his chests. All he wanted to do is rest, but perhaps the man was right. 

   “Bu-But I-I want to sle-sleep…” Vanitas whined. His head has started to ache and he curled up into a ball. The raven starts to rock himself as the pain hit him, at least if anything, the Unversed wouldn’t pop out.

  Then, the x-blade sent waves of comfort to the raven and then it cast a healing spell upon him. It was a powerful green spell washed over the teenager and the pain began to subside. Vanitas raised his head and gazed upon the brown haired man sadly. “Kye’s hel-helping me…” 

  Vanitas looked up at him, utterly exhausted. He pleaded with the man. “Plea-Please Terra…I-I want to sleep…” 

[terraseekerofdarkness]

Terra looked away as Vanitas flinched, the flash of guilt far too fast for him to hide it. He hadn’t meant to scare the boy, but after everything that had happened he guessed it was to be expected. And he was partly to blame for that. 

“I know you want to rest, but I cannot let you sleep if I fear you won’t wake up.” He explained, his voice softer, as he sat on a lonely chair next to the only table in the room. 

But then, as the light of a healing spell appeared, Terra took a moment to think about it. 

“I’m sorry, Vanitas, but... may I talk to Kye?”

If the blade was that powerful and they agreed, maybe Terra could let the youth rest. The stars knew he deserved that at least.

[vanities-redemption]

  He’s scooped up into the man’s arms before he knows it, clinging to the cloak that he wrapped around himself. It was true, he was feeling rather exhausted, from both the blood loss and drained strength. The raven sighed softly as he rests against the other as he called upon a Corridor to take them out of this wretched place. 

  Upon exiting the Corridor, Vanitas noticed they were in an unfamiliar World, breaking into a small farmhouse. Where were the inhabitants of this house? The raven didn’t know and his brain stopped caring the moment they entered the house, thanks to the use of Terra’s Darkness. Vanitas stared up at him until he was set down on the couch. Terra had betrayed Xehanort, but then again, hadn’t he betrayed the old man the moment he had asked about getting Ventus back into his body? 

  The Blade didn’t even seem to disapprove of this, humming softly along in his head, sending waves of comfort and healing to him as he laid down on the furniture. The raven stares up at the other as he quietly responds. “…Thank you…”

  The raven blinks and then nods slowly. He closes his eyes and uses his bond to call out to Ventus. He informed him that he was alright, for the most part. Vanitas wanted to sleep for a bit. Ventus confirmed with him and said that he and Sora would join him soon. Vanitas opened his eyes and looked to Terra. “Sora and Ven are coming…they said they’ll be here soon.”

  His eyes grow heavy. “I’m…sleepy…”

[terraseekerofdarkness]

Terra could feel Vanitas’ gaze, and for a moment he couldn’t help remembering those same eyes turned on him as he left beside Xehanort, lying to the room about his intentions. There was much that Terra would have to apologize for, in time, but for now there were other priorities in his mind. 

Still, when Vanitas thanked him, the Seeker let out the smallest of smiles and nodded, relaxing somewhat as the other said that Ventus and Sora were on their way. 

Then of course he tensed again, because the last time he’d seen them had been a bit of a disaster, but that couldn’t be helped. 

When the youth started closing his eyes, however, Terra’s reaction was immediate. 

“You can’t.” He said, harsher than he’d expected. “You may have a concussion, or who knows what.” He added, his voice softer. “I need you to stay awake until Yen Sid has a chance to check you’re alright.” 

[vanities-redemption]

 Vanitas seemed to stay in that position for awhile, the tears that had rolled down his cheeks had left dry trails. The raven haired teen didn’t even bother looking up and acknowledging the pink haired man as he stood at guard. Inside of his mind, the blade was raging, but the pain he was experiencing from both that and his head wound was numbing and he didn’t even cry out. He sat there, thinking for a while. How could he escape this place? Was it even possible?

 At the very least, he was fairly sure his head wound had stopped bleeding, maybe Kye had managed to heal it somehow when they still had some strength? Either way, it was a blessing. Vanitas shifted around and looked up, noticing that the pink haired man was staring at the nearby wall. It seemed that he was even bored with having been stuck with guard duty. Chewing on his lower lip, Vanitas shifted around and tries to move, but he finds the simple movement of his legs difficult.

 He chewed on his lower lip in frustration as he struggled to move and suddenly, he heard footsteps. There, Terra appeared and was walking toward Marluxia, he glanced in his direction, blue orbs meeting amber orbs. Then, Terra impaled his Keyblade through the pink haired vessel and Vanitas let out a gasp.

 Vanitas watched in shock as Terra began to move quickly, quick enough to that he almost blinked and the cell unlocked and the shackles dropping from his wrists. The blade seemed to hum in approval, whispering in his mind. ‘His loyalty…is for the Wind and the Ocean, it always has been and always will be.’ Vanitas stared at the brunette, puzzled, but still weak. He tries to move, but his legs are weak, giving out underneath him.  

 “N-No.” The teenager responds as he looked up at the other. The shackles had done their work well.

[terraseekerofdarkness]

Terra nodded, dismissing Ends of the Earth as he rushed to hold Vanitas and cover him with Marluxia’s coat. Terra had noticed the youth’s stare, but so far there had been no threat and no move and given how weak he looked, Terra started feeling slightly more confident that at least that part of the plan would work as expected. 

So Terra picked Vanitas up, as carefully as he could because only the stars knew what kind of wounds the boy could have, and rushed through the corridor of darkness, leaving Xehanort’s lair behind. 

Only when they’d crossed the brief stretch of darkness did Terra finally take a deep breath, closing the corridor and checking that the small farmhouse in the middle of nowhere was empty of any possible visitors. As soon as he did he opened the door with an effort of will over the darkness he commanded, and moved Vanitas to the couch. There was not much more in the room that doubled as dining room, living room and kitchen, but the couch was big enough for Vanitas not to fall. 

“Alright.” Terra said, sighing as he resisted the urge to start pacing. “Vanitas, I’m really sorry about what’s happened but I really need you to be awake for a few moments more.Is there any way you could contact Sora or Ven or anyone?” He asked. “I want to take you to Yen Sid’s, but I’d rather not appear unannounced.”

He’d do it if Vanitas fell unconscious, because Terra was definitely not a healer, but he’d rather not risk their lives in such a way. 

[terraseekerofdarkness]

It could feel the emotions and the Darkness in the air. The residents of this World reeked of it while the Light was practically nonexistent with the exception of what Light lived inside of it’s wielder. This World and it’s residence lacked balance, which made the Blade want to grumble in displeasure. Could they not see that the balance was the only way? Then again, it wasn’t like the Wielders of Light understood this notion either. Without Light, there was no Darkness and without Darkness, there was no Light.

Kye paused at the Oppressor’s words as he declared that they would fight members of his Organization. This alone caused the two voices, a female and male, to chuckle darkly through it’s wielder’s lips. “Despite our lack of power…you will still send your vessels to their deaths…”

Vanitas took over his body once more and he hugged himself as his body began to quake. Hearing Terra’s voice, he looks up, feeling utterly dazed and puzzled. Why did this happen? Had Terra just used him to get to Ventus and allowed him to be captured as his punishment? He hung his head as his body shook violently. Vanitas wanted to see his brother, awake and inside of his body, but he wouldn’t at this rate. With Xehanort turned away from him, he felt the tears cascade down his cheeks as he stared at the floor. He clenched his fists in frustration, he was their prisoner now. Vanitas needed to think of something, some way to escape…but how?

Ignoring the Blade’s threat, Xehanort nods and stares into this distance with a thoughtful expression. “Perhaps…Xemnas alone would make a worthy opponent to the Blade. You should relay to him any information you know about the Blade, my apprentice.”

The vessels would go their deaths, and Terra was grateful that he’d made his choice, because he wouldn’t underestimate the X-blade again. If all went well, if his plan didn’t crash on his head, they wouldn’t necessarily be enemies anymore. Still, Terra knew better than to be careless. 

But the threat didn’t seem to faze Xehanort. Few things did, that was something  Terra had found out after years of servitude. He couldn’t help feeling his pride be wounded at the idea that Xemnas could handle Vanitas on his own, without Terra’s assistance, and he had to repeat to himself that there would be no battle. 

Still, he bowed his head. “Very well, Master.” He said. “I shall do so at once.” 

And a corridor of darkness opened around Terra, black shadows hissing as it vanished and took the Seeker of Darkness away. To the World that Never Was, then, Terra thought, and then he’d be back at Xehanort’s current lair. 

It took him an hour to meet Xemnas and relay to him what he’d seen in battle against Vanitas. His power, the way the blade seemed to react, how his eyes changed. Xehanort had seen it, there was no way to hide it. 

Terra then vanished again, appearing this time outside of Vanitas’ cell, and steeled himself. No matter how much he’d hated it, he’d grown comfortable with his lifestyle as the apprentice to an evil man. Then he remembered Ven’s expression, Vanitas’ pain, the blood on his hair, and his conviction returned. 

It was only Marluxia in there, and the vessel glanced at Terra with undisguised curiosity. Terra arched an eyebrow, glanced at Vanitas and then dashed towards Marluxia, a gloved hand holding the vessels mouth shut as Ends of the Earth was summoned just in the space where the rose-haired man’s chest had been. 

Terra’s heart beat wildly in his chest, but he knew time was of the essence, so he pointed the keyblade to Vanitas’ cell door, felt the clack of the lock opening and then rushed inside. He could only hope that Vanitas, or the X-blade, wouldn’t try to murder him on sight. 

“I’m here, I’m sorry.” He whispered, stopping just out of Vanitas’ reach as he grabbed Marluxia’s cloak and pointed the keyblade to Vanitas’ shackles. “I’m taking you to safety.” He added, before steeling himself once more and taking another step forward, unlocking the shackles and offering the boy the cloak. 

“You’re hurt.” He said, opening a corridor of darkness next to him. “Yes or no question, can you walk?”

Terra made no effort to disguise the tension in his voice, the shadow of fear that was creeping in. This was the right thing, but this ended his hopes of betraying Xehanort at a critical moment. He was now, officially, a traitor to both sides. 

[rpmusings-galore]

                                   Do you think I care for you so little that                                    betraying me would make a difference?

[vanities-redemption]

  It seems as though the raven haired teen has lost his mind as he slammed his fists up against the cell door once again. Vanitas glowers at Xehanort with the onyx orbs that have consumed his entire eyeball, making it look like someone had carved out his eyes and left nothing behind in the sockets. Xehanort felt a chill run through his body as he stared into those eyes, but he kept himself composed enough that no one would notice. His former apprentice truly had changed.

  Xehanort stares into those orbs and Vanitas stares back, baring his teeth in response. The elder then turns away and looks to Terra. “Come along my apprentice. We have much to do for tomorrow. I suspect that the blade will make for an interesting, yet powerful opponent, you will require some rest.”

  He paused and then reached up to stroke his beard. “Perhaps we should have others fight alongside you…perhaps Xemnas or Ansem. Come along, we shall prepare for tomorrow.”

  Vanitas and the blade snarled at the Master and Apprentice. “We shall…we shall crush your still-beating heart Oppressor…you cannot and will not have our power!”

  Xehanort chuckled darkly and responds before he leaves the room. “Such a stubborn blade…Vanitas is mine. Therefore, you are mine as well…”

[terraseekerofdarkness]

It wouldn’t be soon that Terra forgot the power behind the gaze Vanitas now wore, the scars still recent. If he wasn’t restrained, Terra doubted his Master would have it particularly easy to subdue the Blade, and it wasn’t an uncomfortable thought. Terra lived to see the day he fell, after all, maintaining meanwhile the guise of ever-dutiful apprentice. Until that night, because there would be no way to hide his betrayal once he freed Vanitas. 

Xehanort wishing for Terra to accompany him did put a dent in his plans, but Terra knew patience, even if they weren’t the best of friends. So he kept his expression calm as he nodded, embracing the darkness to quench any fear that could appear, and took his place at his Master’s side, barely half a step behind him. 

“Given what I saw of his powers, Xemnas’ skill set may be the best suited” Terra replied, after a moment of thought. Terra could wield darkness with ease, but his control of Nothingness wasn’t as good as the Nobody’s. It was the tactical choice, the one that was expected of Terra if he wanted to keep the ruse that he would fight. 

He glanced back once more at Vanitas, at the rage and pain he could see. It wouldn’t be long, but he couldn’t tell him. He could only arch an eyebrow, ignoring the way he knew those eyes would haunt his nightmares for a while, and shake his head. 

“You took me by surprise once.” Terra told him. “It won’t happen again.”

It was a cliché, and the words felt hollow in his heart. But his voice, he knew, hadn’t wavered. He’d practiced the lines far too much. 

He just hoped, as he followed his master, that Vanitas wouldn’t have to wait much longer. 

[terraseekerofdarkness]

“That he is. Ansem and Vexen managed to capture him when he step foot in Radiant Garden. The blade even tried to fight back, but it could not use it’s full power. Needless to say, Vexen used a drug to immobilize him. I want to see the blade’s power at this stage…we shall test him in the morning.” Xehanort responded as he stepped away from Vanitas. He snapped his fingers, letting Vanitas’ hands free from the bindings, but his wrists still shackled. He then closed and locked the cell. Vanitas stared after them and moved his arms around to get feeling in them again.

The elder turned to Terra. “You fought with Vanitas as his power was increased with the blade, my apprentice. I wish to see you fight him in our little test tomorrow. I know you can handle it.”

Xehanort looked back to Vanitas. There’s almost fond look in eye as he stares down at him. “Here I thought you a failure for so long…but now I see and now I know, you were a success, Vanitas.”

The raven grit his teeth at that and a burst of energy surged through his being. His eyes shifted to pitch black and a snarl passed through his lips. Vanitas, or possibly the blade, slammed his fists against the cell door, but it was both the blade and Vanitas who spoke. Their voices intertwined as they spoke to Xehanort. “I FUCKING HATE YOU! I WILL RIP YOUR STILL-BEATING HEART FROM YOUR CHEST!”

Xehanort felt the intense wave of power smack against the cell door and he smirked. So that was the power of the blade. Marluxia’s reaction was a flinch, the intense power and the screams were unexpected.

Terra listened, then nodded. It explained how Ventus had known, and maybe even how furious he’d been. Had he thought it had been Terra who had captured Vanitas once he had all that he needed from him? It would have been a practical plan, indeed, even if heartless and dishonorable. That was no way to repay a debt. A debt that had to be kept a secret, though. 

Hearing that whatever Xehanort wanted to do to the boy would happen in the morning had Terra glad that he’d not been too late, even if given the blood on Vanitas he’d indeed been a little late. Still, that only meant that Terra would have to act in the following hours. It wasn’t infeasible.

It still took all of Terra’s experience and the darkness he’d admitted into his heart to keep his voice steady and his expression serene as he nodded once more. 

“Very well, Master.” Terra replied, agreeing to a fight he was most certainly not going to fight. Even if he hadn’t been planning on freeing the boy, Terra couldn’t trust the blade to be easy on him and he’d already felt their power. If the blade was careful, Terra was in trouble. If the blade wasn’t, Terra was dead. He didn’t trust Xehanort to protect him, not at all. 

So betrayal it was. Sooner than he’d have wanted, maybe later than he’d should.

Terra took a look at the cell as his Master kept his eyes on Vanitas. Nothing that the Keyblade couldn’t open from outside, he guessed. He couldn’t help turning towards Vanitas a moment later as the youth, and the blade too, lost their temper at Xehanort. It was not undeserved, and Terra needed most of his restraint not to look away nor take a step back. He couldn’t say anything. 

He could only hope, as he rested his back against the outer wall of the room, that he’d never again be forced to see so much pain and suffering and have to sit on his hands. 

Terra wouldn’t wait until midnight. As soon as Xehanort left, as soon as enough minutes had passed, he was breaking Vanitas out. That whole madness had to end. 

[vanities-redemption]

 His head was throbbing by the time he had awoken. He could feel something rolling down the side of his head and the smell of copper was in the air. Vanitas was bleeding, likely from the blow to his head from before he was injected with something that made him pass out. Vanitas found that his body was sprawled out on the ground, feeling extremely sluggish as he began to shift around.

  His hands were shackled and bound behind his back, his legs were shackled as well. Vanitas groaned as he started to move, attempting to push himself up to sit up, but it was a struggle to do so. Why did he feel so weak…? Was it from the blood loss that he suffered from the blow to his head? His amber orbs stare down at a small pool of blood. 

  Vanitas bit down on his lower lip, finding it cracked and his throat called for water. How long had he been asleep for? A day? A couple of hours? The raven didn’t know. He tried to move, but found his body aching, specifically his ribs. It felt like someone had been slamming their foot into him. Vanitas looked around, noticing that he indeed was in a cell. 

  “Kye…Kye…” Vanitas called out to the blade. All he heard in return was a garbled mess. He groaned softly and then shook his head. “Fucking hell…”

  A dark chuckle brought him out of his own thoughts and Vanitas looked up to see that Xehanort was in the room, observing him. “I have not seen you in such a position in some time Vanitas. Do not bother moving or fighting, the shackles are draining whatever strength and power you have. I don’t need the blade to be breaking you out of here, but you will fulfill your destiny.”

 The raven’s lower lip is trembling as he hung his head as he heard the cell open and Xehanort’s hand reached out, snatching hold of his chin, causing him to look up at the elder. “Now now Vanitas…what have I said about crying? Do not worry, you won’t be alone down here…there will be a vessel to watch you.”

  Xehanort gestured to outside the cell, where one of said vessels stood, hood over their face to hide their identity, it smelt like it was Marluxia. Vanitas gulped and suddenly, Terra’s scent of Darkness filled the air. Terra was here… 

[terraseekerofdarkness]

Terra felt cold and it had nothing to do with the outside world. His breath was even, his heartbeat serene, and Terra felt the darkness seep into his bones and chill his soul to the point where close to nothing mattered. It was oddly comfortable, unexpectedly safe. Terra knew that if he laughed it would be mirthless. 

He found the place where Vanitas had been taken prisoner after a few attempts, and he had the common sense to create a corridor that lead to the outside of the room. It would have been impolite to do otherwise and Terra wanted to be careful. It paid off, for as soon as he found Vanitas, chained and defeated, he noticed that his Master was there too. And a vessel, of course. These days the older of the Xehanorts seemed to be unable to walk without one of them tailing his every step. Marluxia, if Terra’s memory served him well. 

So Terra glanced at Vanitas, then entered the room and bowed his head towards his Master for a second or so. He ignored Marluxia, however: the vessel didn’t have the rank nor the power to deserve a greeting. 

“So Vanitas is yours at last.” Was all Terra commented, his voice serene. Any emotion that could have danced through his words had been eaten away by the darkness, but he couldn’t help the certainty that watching Vanitas like that was a tad heartbreaking. Still, he wouldn’t be there for much longer. “Given his power,” he continued, “he will be an asset.”

Now all that remained was to wait until his master left the room, and then Marluxia would be taking the blame. Not that he’d be around to suffer it.

[vanities-redemption]

  Now that sign of gratitude actually sounded genuine, there was even a hint of happiness coming off of the man. Honestly, it was a relief that that Terra was finally going to have some happiness in his life once more. Having Ventus back…it was going to make things better. Vanitas had wanted to officially apologize to the brown haired man, but their current small alliance…it didn’t feel like it would last.

  “He knows who you are. He’s not particularly excited to see you, but he’s the type of person to give people the benefit of the doubt. My advice, don’t fuck it up.” Though, considering the situation, it was unlikely that Terra would do such a thing. 

  “…You’re welcome.” 

  Vanitas smells the Darkness of a Corridor being summoned and feels Terra leave the World. A soft sigh passes through his lips as he sits back down on the sofa he had been sleeping on before he was awoken. He laid there, staring up at the ceiling of the library for awhile, listening to the voice of the blade singing away in his head. 

  After lying there for what seemed like an hour or two, Vanitas pushed himself off of the sofa, he called his own Corridor to go and visit Radiant Garden. He’s have to tell Sora that Terra would be at Castle Oblivion tonight. 

  Once he arrived in Radiant Garden, he found himself arriving in a deserted part of town. Vanitas frowned slightly. “This isn’t where I wanted to…”

  Then, a blunt object slammed into the back of his head, causing the raven to cry out in pain. He fell to his knees and in his mind, the blade screeched. He feels himself being shoved back into his heart and mind as Kye takes over. It lets out a super sonic to send the man in a black cloak flying and Kye smells another man. It turns it’s head to look toward the other man when it feels something puncture it’s wielder’s neck.

  There was a needle and the man was already injecting a liquid straight into Vanitas’s body. The Kye screeched, but it felt itself drifting growing weak and body stiff. “No…we…we shall kill you…for this…Oppressor…”

   Vanitas took control of his body once more and he is panicking as cold, shackles are snapped onto his wrists. His vision goes black as he drifts into unconsciousness.

[terraseekerofdarkness]

Not particularly excited to see him... well, that could mean so many people, so Terra didn’t even consider getting offended. But if he’d receive the benefit of the doubt, then maybe awaking Ven could be a relatively nice mission. 

It hadn’t been. Sora, because it had been Sora of all people, hadn’t been a problem. His companions had been a little snarky, but that wasn’t anything Terra couldn’t handle. Much less when he had hope driving him for the first time in an eternity. They’d found Ventus after a while, they’d returned his heart to his body, and then Ven had asked Terra a question. 

“Where is Vanitas?”

Terra hadn’t known. Of course he hadn’t known, the last he’d seen him he’d been reading on Beast’s Castle, but there was fire in Ventus’ eyes and a very quiet “I trusted you”. Terra had felt the darkness rise in his heart and he’d taken a step back, letting the darkness engulf him as he opened a corridor and vanished. He’d regret it, of course he would, but he’d waited so long to see Ven live again and right then he couldn’t deal with the heartbreak in his eyes. 

So he’d left, and he’d started the search. There were only so many places Xehanort’s vessels would take a prisoner, and he wasn’t an unexpected sight in most of them. He let the darkness feast on his pain until there was nothing but embers, and then seriously considered what he was trying to do. 

This would undo years of planning. Years of work. Fair, just, right, they hadn’t meant anything to him in ages. But he couldn’t not act. Ventus deserved better. Vanitas deserved better. 

[vanities-redemption]

  It seemed that Terra had truly become very good at hiding his emotions, but even then, Vanitas could feel those emotions slipping out. The pain and melancholy that Terra was experiencing was likely strong enough that it could bring out the Unversed, if the x-blade wasn’t holding it back. Terra’s emotions were trying to escape, but Vanitas knew that Xehanort likely thought those emotions were for the weak. 

  “Crying is for the weak! You are a pathetic boy, you will never be able to summon the x-blade!” Xehanort’s voice vibrated through his mind and yet, Vanitas held in a bitter chuckle. It was ironic, he had the blade again, using only his own Light and Darkness and he wasn’t the pathetic one. Xehanort was the pathetic one here.

  “…Of course I’ll be there for him.” Barring anything happening to Vanitas, such as one of the other vessels capturing him and taking him to Xehanort. That thought caused the blade to growl in his mind and Vanitas shuddered in response. “You know, you don’t even need to ask. I would protect him no matter what.”

  Vanitas picked up his book and opened it, noticing that he had lost his page before he sets it down. He gets up and then goes over to the bookshelf. “The person who has Ventus’ heart knows what you’re doing…he’ll be waiting for you. Good luck, Terra.”

[terraseekerofdarkness]

Terra let the smallest of smiles slip through his mask, then nodded. It felt good to know that Ventus would have people there for him, even if Terra would love nothing more than to be by his brother’s side after so many years. Still, sacrifices had to be made.

He glanced at Vanitas, humming slightly as he wondered, once more, who was the person protecting Ventus’ heart. He’d have to thank them. At least he’d get the answer soon, so there was that.

“I hope you’ve told them who I am.” Terra mused, as he let the darkness surround him and opened a corridor to his next destination. “I take my leave, Vanitas. Thank you for everything.”

And he meant it. Shaky as it had been, there had been a certain need for trust for this meeting to have place, and no matter how many memories were trying to overwhelm him, Terra couldn’t help a little bit of hope at the thought that maybe Ven would wake up soon. It was much more than he’d had in ages.

Terra glanced back once more, then vanished as the corridor closed. He had a mission to finish, then he’d head to Oblivion.

[vanities-redemption]

  The only part of Vanitas that had actually sensed Terra’s presence approaching him was the x-blade itself. The blade was curious, wondering how the brown haired man was going to react to it’s wielder’s nightmares. For the most part, the blade couldn’t keep the nightmares away, finding them too powerful, at least for the moment. Kye would be able to curb them, banish them from the boy’s mind once Vanitas awoke to it’s power, but for now, it had to wait. 

  The Earth was definitely an easy being to read. He cared for two people in all the Worlds and he wanted nothing more than to have them back by his side. In order to do that, the Earth gave himself to the Oppressor and likely was planning to betray the man in the end. 

  It hummed in the middle of it’s wielder before the boy began to awaken from his nightmare. Vanitas groaned quietly as his eyes fluttered open, noticing that the other was there, waiting for him. He reached up and rubbed his eyes, before glancing down to see his book lying on the ground. How long had he been sleeping for?

  Vanitas is quick to look away from black cloaked man and he wraps his arms around his knees. He’s quick to get to the point. “Ventus says he’s fairly certain that his body is in Castle Oblivion…that’s what the Land of Departure turned into.” 

  The raven sighed softly as he picked up his book. “Ven told me to tell you, “he still remembers that last night, underneath the stars”. Not only that, but “if you hurt my little brother, I’ll kick my ass”.”

[terraseekerofdarkness]

There was no sudden attack, no signs of fear, and for that Terra was grateful. Vanitas was probably a guest of this world and while Terra didn’t care about most worlds’ perceptions of him, given who he served, making enemies just because was always a foolish move. And if something got broken while Terra tried to deflect Vanitas’ attacks, he’d probably earn enemies. 

Moreover, the other didn’t try to make idle conversation. Terra wanted to say something, anything, to try and comfort the boy, but it was not his place and chances were it wouldn’t be welcome. So the Seeker simply listened, unable to keep a grin from appearing as he got the name of a place. He’d been at Castle Oblivion, and thinking about his homeworld hurt enough for the smile to fade, but at least it was a location he could enter without many questions asked, if he was discreet. 

Then Vanitas spoke again and Terra had to look away, because he too remembered. That night before the Mark of Mastery exam, when they’d been full of dreams and hopes. And then everything had fallen apart. 

“I will head to Oblivion tonight, then.” Terra replied, voice cool again. He refused to show weakness. “If I can find Ven’s body, and if it’s safe to move it, we’ll meet again.” Terra added. “Thank you.” 

He turned away to leave, then reconsidered. 

“Vanitas, I’ve seen your power.” He started. He’d seen it and felt it. “When Ven wakes up I’m not sure I’ll be able to be there for him.” And that was painful knowledge. “He’s strong, he can protect himself, but... will you be there for him?” 

As foolish as the question was, Terra had needed to ask.