In a cataclysm known as the Nightfall, the worlds were almost completely destroyed by a harrowing surge of darkness.
In the shadows of the ensuing chaos a new group has taken shape. Led by an Aegyl named Kalos, the 11th Hour touts an esoteric knowledge of how to combat the darkness and restore the worlds. They might be the worlds’ best chance at survival; but nobody really knows enough about them to confirm or deny their claims.
On the brink of collapse, the universe holds its breath in anticipation. Of restoration? Of destruction? It is up to individuals like yourself to decide.
A special thank you to ChasingArtwork of Deviantart, who allowed us to use this stellar banner image.
There aren't enough praises in the world I'd like to give to wonderful coders for the Proboards community. The following have contributed to World Destiny in some way: W3 Schools for countless how-tos and countless of other souls who have helped get WD up to where it is.
The icons you see across the site are from FontAwesome, an amazing icon library.
All images on this site belong to their respective owners or creators. Kingdom Hearts: World Destiny does not claim ownership of anything except our unique story.
All Original characters are the intellectual property of their respective RPers. Do not steal any characters or other creative works.
All Canon Characters belong to the Kingdom Hearts franchise, Square Enix and Disney.
The tears stopped when the girl suddenly rushed out, only to be replaced with panic. He started after her, but hesitated when a soothing voice resounded through his head.
We will find her. Go outside and call us.
With a mental nod, he stepped back into the blizzard, ,once again slipping his jacket on. After taking a position in the middle of the street, he raised both hands, the sparks once again falling and forming Phoenix. She perched on his shoulder, but he wasn't done. He lowered his left arm, and his right was enveloped in a shining red light, one full of comfort and warmth. This light took a manifest of its own, and from it appeared a small creature, blue with a single ruby in its forehead and multiple tails.
Carbuncle let out a small giggle, and then disappeared, ,only to reappear next to Phoenix. Suddenly, the firebird extended its wings, and took off into the sky, and Carbuncle soon followed. Leo, knowing that he had to follow, started to run after them, but another voice was heard mentally.
There is no need to run.
His body became enveloped in a different kind of fire, and he jumped, ,as the flames that trailed below him merged, and from them appeared Felsteed. He landed on the steed's back, and they galloped after his other two summons.
Not long after, Phoenix spotted something in the snow, and upon closer inspection, found it to be the girl. She seemed to have crash landed, and the bird noticed one wing was at an odd angle. She landed next to the poor girl, while Carbuncle appeared in a flash of ruby light next to her. Both invoked the magic that they held, Phoenix her warmth and healing, Carbuncle her protection. As the magic embraced Zephyr,, Phoenix reached out with her mind to the girl's.
Rest, child. We will protect you until my son comes to us...though he is not who you think he is. Rest, and listen to my story.
We come from a world with no name, for we keep ourselves a secret. Leo is a Neko, the race chosen by whatever higher power there is to guard the elements. He is the prince of our race, as I used to be the queen. You see...we are not the kind of Guardians you are used to. When a Neko dies, if they have reached the spiritual level necessary, they can transform to a summon and protect the ones they love. I am Leo's mother,, and I perished in our world's final war. Myself, my husband, and our youngest daughter sacraficed our physical forms to save our Leo, and we brought him here.
Another voice chimed in her head, much younger then Phoenix's, and filled with sorrow.
For some time...we couldn't reach Leo at all. It was as if he had died, and had moved on without us...we feared the worst. But, finally, we felt his calling, and we were reunited. So, even though you may think you've lost something, it may just be waiting!
As Felsteed and Leo turned a corner, they saw the fiery glow of Phoenix and stopped. Leo dismounted his summon and looked, seeing that Phoenix appeared to be talking to the girl. So, instead of interjecting, he stood back, and let his mother console the young girl.
Half buried in snow, with growing ice crystals matting her hair and feathers into freezing clumps, there came a point where the winged girl no longer felt the chill, nor anything else, for that matter. The light of life within her had dimmed to a mere flicker, and she lacked the energy, courage, and desire to pick herself up and seek shelter. Jispo was gone, her whole world destroyed. She had not believed it, didn't want to believe it, but lying there prone in the snow she felt an incredible sensation of distance, a sinking feeling of hopelessness and solitude that made her feel tiny, an insignificant speck of dust floating through a vast sea. The one thing most precious to her not simply out of arm's reach, but anchored to the bottom of the ocean, and the most she could do was drift along at the surface. Her eyes glazed as her consciousness waned.
Zephyr was standing in a small glade, the forest trees towering over her as soft tendrils of light hovered like mist through the foliage. No breeze passed, but the air was alive with the sounds of the forest, animals chattering and scurrying underfoot, birds and insects singing tunes to each other, and unseen rivers burbling nearby. Something brushed her leg, and the girl turned in surprise. It was the bright auburn coat and the heat of its fur that told her it was a firefox, as her eyes were too unfocused to tell her themselves. Bending down, she offered her hand to the creature, and it rubbed its muzzle against her palm. A sense of joy and surprise filled her; usually firefoxes were wary of her. She had only seen two since she began hunting for guardians. The first had been a fleeting glance before it disappeared back to its origin, and the second tarried long enough to grace her with a snarl before doing the same. She rubbed its muzzle, moving her hand to scratch behind the ear. To be so close and intimate with such a distrustful creature warmed her heart and made her feel as though she were the most important person in the world.
Other creatures entered the glade. A jackalope, a jill, a squiggle, even a few pips fluttered down from the trees and took perch on the girl's wings. The all waited patiently as she moved her hands from one creature to the other. Falling back to the forest floor, Zephyr spread her arms wide, letting the animals swarm her, all coming up to rub their head against her. She giggled at the attention. Then she heard a familiar chirp. Her eyes looked up, searching for its source, and fell on a brown mass of fur that soared overhead. Lifting her hands skyward, her little hinko companion took perch. He had barely settled himself before she had him in a tight embrace. "Hi, boy," she cooed. Jispo chittered in excitement. For some reason, she felt sad, as though she had lost him, but how could she when he was right here with her?
She listened to his purr as she stroked his fur before realizing that another creature had approached. It burned bright, like fire, and looked like some sort of bird. It spoke to her.
The bird's words confused the winged girl, but still she listened, wondering what in the world it was talking about. Then another voice chimed in, coming from another animal she had not noticed. The girl was too far away to discern what it was, but seemed like some sort of cat.
Zephyr frowned. Lost something? She had him right here, in her arms. She gave Jispo a perplexed look, but he only chirped in response, which told her nothing, really. Then, one by one, the animals in the glade shied away, moving through the thicket and back into the forest. Zephyr watched them depart until all that were left were herself, Jispo, and the two creatures that had spoken to her. Then Jispo faded away in her arms, and the forest surrounding her dematerialized, leaving a white blanket and the two creatures before her.
Lying once more in the snow, the glaze in Zephyr's eyes dissipated. She blinked.
Nov 4, 2012 2:33:17 GMT -4
Last Edit: Nov 5, 2012 11:46:40 GMT -4 by Bluebird
After Phoenix and Carbuncle were done talking to the girl, they moved away from her, and disappeared in small bursts of their magic. This was Leo's cue to approach the girl, and he shook his head when he saw the state she was in. The lack of color in her face and the blue color on her lips suggested hypothermia, which didn't come as a surprise to the neko. She wasn't dressed for winter weather at all, and any more exposure could damage her permanently. He walked up to her, and then gingerly picked her up, bridal style. Then, he climbed onto Felsteed and balanced her on the steed in front of him, holding her balanced.
Within 5 minutes, they had arrived to Leo's room, and he opened the door while carrying her, being sure to close it behind him to keep the blizzard out. He laid her down, then looked her over. With a low blush, he realized that her clothes were soaked, and they would have to come off to ward off the hypothermia. He closed his eyes to let her keep her dignity, and got the wet clothes off, putting them aside as he grabbed a blanket, then wrapped it around her.
"Hey, you gonna be alright? I'm gonna go get you some soup, so sit tight."
He went into his kitchen, where a pot was simmering on the back burner. He grabbed a bowl and a spoon, then ladled out some of the soup into said bowl, the aroma of vegetables wafted up to his nose. He took the bowl to Zephyr, and sat next to her, holding a spoonful up.
Still freezing to death, although at this point the phrase was more figurative than literal, Zephyr clutched at the blanket Leo had wrapped her in, bringing it tighter around her body. Her wings made it somewhat awkward, getting in the way and preventing her shoulders from being covered, and the warmth of the room had not had a chance to hit her just yet. Her body trembled in uncontrollable shivers and her left wing, the one that had dragged behind her as Leo took her back to this small sanctuary rattled awkwardly. Had the feathery appendage not been numb from the cold, Zephyr would have been screaming in pain. As such, she was only making it worse.
At least whatever place he had brought her to was darker, if not as warm as the café. It made her think of her blacksmith shop, the warmth from the forge, and the dim lighting to see how hot the metals had gotten before smelting. "Three strikes," Zephyr muttered, remembering a project she had done not too long ago, one that had not turned out as well as she had hoped. "Three strikes," she muttered again, then cursed. Her teeth chattered like a clamoring of fallen tools, and amid a tremendous shuddering, she looked about herself, searching for where they had fallen. Her left hand flexed beneath the blanket. "M-m-m-my hamm-mm-mm-mmer," she stuttered, realizing the blanket fold she was grasping was not at all like the sturdy wooden shaft. "Wh-wh-where's m-m-m-my hamm-mm-mmer?" She mumbled. She couldn't forge without her hammer.
Her body wracked in shivering shudders, and she had not even noticed Leo until he had the spoon up to her lips. It was instinct that had her opening her mouth, her lips trembling as the Kitteh boy inserted the spoon. Her teeth clacked against the metal until he suddenly withdrew it. Zephyr pouted and whined until he returned with something more wooden, to save her teeth from chipping. Once the spoon was in her mouth Zephyr closed it, trapping the spoon and allowing the warm liquid and mushy vegetable fill her mouth. The warmth and delicious taste calmed her, and for a moment her shivers stopped, her eyes closed, and she sighed. Leo had to yank the spoon free before he could offer her another bite.
Halfway through the meal, feeling was beginning to return to her as well as the pain in her broken wing, and Zephyr cried out in short whimpering barks with every shudder. It was too cold in here. Her eyes settled on the fire, the dying embers providing meager light to the room. "Th-the f-f-forge-ge n-needs-s-s t-t-tending," she muttered, and tried to pick herself up with the intent on stoking the flames. Caught in the blanket, she pitched forward.
Leo jumped up and caught the girl as she tripped on the blanket, sitting her back down. For the first time he realized the damage to her wing, and he walked into the kitchen, emerging with some bandages. With a murmured "sorry if this hurts..., he began to gingerly feel the wound, trying to see where it had broke. Once he had figured it out, he gently moved it into alignment as best he could, then wrapped the wing. This wasn't the first break he had taken care of, but he hoped he had gotten it right.
"I'll go stoke the fire, and then go get your stuff, alright? Just try to keep warm, and keep that wing folded in. It'll only be around 30 minutes, I promise. And when I get back, you can have more soup."
He gave her a warm smile, and went and rekindled the fire, as it now radiated heat into the room. Then, he tucked Zephyr's blanket in a bit, and grabbed his jacket and re-entered the blizzard. It took him 15 minutes for him to run back to the cafe (due to the blizzard), and he got the winged girl's items back from the waitress, who had kindly gathered them up, then ran back to the house, entering quietly. He walked over to Zephyr, and set her items on the floor next to her, then sat next to her.
Soft cries of pain came from Zephyr as Leo worked to fix her wing. She did not like they way the bandages constricted the movement, and despite common sense, she struggled against the binding, hissing at the pain until she figured it might be better off to let it rest like he suggested. Her eyes followed him as he went to the fire and rebuilt it, allowing a shiver to pass through her body as she pulled her lips into a pout. She was still hungry and cold and the idea that she had to wait for his return for more soup upset her.
Once he had departed, the first thing Zephyr did was stand, her knees buckling as she fought to keep her balance. Tea, that's what she wanted. She wanted tea. Keeping the blanket wrapped around her, she wandered over to the stove where the soup was located and searched for a pot to boil water. Her nose lingered over the soup, and it took more effort than she cared to admit to pry herself away. Fortunately, a smaller pot was within easy reach, and grabbing it by the handle she searched for a source of water.
The apartment was small, but still she had difficulty in her quest. She didn't think to check cabinets or the refrigerator, the former would have been ridiculous to hide water from plain view, and she had no concept of the latter to even know what one was or why water would be stored in it. Amid her stumbled wandering she came upon the sink. The steel basin was intriguing to her, and bending down with a squint in her eyes, she saw the light reflecting off tiny water droplets. She sniffed to confirm this, then drew a finger along the basin, which seemed like a better idea. She popped the finger in her mouth. Definitely water. Dropping the pot in the basin, she looked for the pump connected to the tap but couldn't locate it. Was it a part of the tap? She thought it weird to have such a contraption, but nevertheless she tried pushing down on the tap to bring water up. It would not budge. It had to be stuck. She pushed harder, and harder still, until her entire weight was resting on the tap. Then it snapped.
Zephyr fell to the floor in alarm, panic enveloping her as water sprayed like a miniature geyser from the broken faucet. Gripping her blanket now damp with water, she rushed back to the stove and grabbed the heaviest thing she could find, a cast iron skillet, and promptly threw it on the broken faucet. Water still sprayed everywhere, but at least now it was mostly going into the basin and not erupting skyward. Pulling her lower lip into her teeth, she fretted for a minute or two before deciding there was nothing she could do, and that Leo would take care of it when he returned.
With the sounds of rushing water filling the small apartment, Zephyr grabbed the pot of half-filled water and moved it to the stove where she began her search for tea. She was getting cold again. Her blanket was wet and she was having trouble keeping it wrapped around herself as she stumbled through the kitchen area. WIthout any idea of where to look, she opened cabinets at random and let her nose guide her to a small box that smelled like something reminiscent of tea. Feeling had not fully returned to her hands, but somehow she managed to tear the box open, revealing little packets of dried leaves, but she couldn't figure out how to open the packets.
Too groggy to think clearly, she pulled the pot of water from the stove then collapsed to the floor, trying hard but failing to stifle cries of frustration. Whose idea was it to store tea in these stupid packets instead of in a jar like any normal Terran would? Grabbing the packet by her teeth, she pulled, satisfied to hear the sound of cloth tearing, and dumped the leaves in the water. She did this for four more packets, at least, before pulling herself from the floor and stumbled over to the fire, leaving the mess she made behind her. Plopping down in front of the flames, she shoved the pot on the burning wood so that it wouldn't tip over and waited for it to boil.
She was drifting off by the time Leo returned, his presence rousing her awake. "Feeling any better?" he asked her. "I hope the soup helped."
Her face flushed as she averted her eyes to the floor. "I broke your pump," she mumbled in response. The sound of spraying water resounded in the room. There was probably a flood, too, she didn't know. Hopefully he didn't hate her.
The neko ran into the kitchen, having just noticed the sound of water hitting something metallic, and saw that the spout of the sink had been broken off. There was a little water on the floor, but not too much. In a panic, he opened the cupboard under the sink and turned the water off, stopping the flow. He then grabbed some towels and covered the wet spots on the floor with a sigh.
After all the water had soaked up, he put the towels hanging from the clothesline in his back room, and went back out to the living room with the girl, two cups in hand. He had smelled the tea brewing, and one look at the fireplace told him what the source was. He poured two cups, careful to keep the tea leaves out of them, and then placed one on the table before Zephyr.
"Don't worry about breaking the sink, it's an easy fix. Here, can you pick up the cup?
He sat back and took a sip of his own tea before continuing. He had so many questions to ask the girl, but one had to be asked before any other.
"What is your name?"
You're lost and so afraid
Nov 8, 2012 12:41:58 GMT -4
Last Edit: Dec 14, 2012 17:35:10 GMT -4 by Deleted
She accepted the cup graciously, clutching it in both hands to let the porcelain warm her chilled fingers. She didn't answer him immediately, still feeling rotten about breaking his pump and making a mess in his kitchen. Sense was beginning to return to her as her body warmed to the fire, despite the dampness of the blanket. She shivered, and she had quite a time keeping her hands steady to avoid spilling the tea.
"Zephyr," she said, answering him. Her voice was soft and meek, and the way she held herself hunched and avoiding his gaze told him how embarrassed she was over the whole situation. She offered nothing more than her name. Keeping her eyes on the fire, she blew at the rising steam and took a sip from the cup. The tea was still too hot, and though she didn't drink much, there were enough tiny tea leaves to cause an annoyance. Her mouth drew back in irritation. If she had better sense, she would have found a tea ball to put the leaves in. As such, she would just have to deal with it.
It was bitter, but Zephyr liked it because it was akin to how she was feeling. She took another sip, coping with the leaves that filled her mouth. She swallowed and coughed, cleared her throat, and took another sip.
Dec 9, 2012 19:53:52 GMT -4
Last Edit: Dec 10, 2012 15:51:44 GMT -4 by Bluebird
A light chuckle sounded out from between the neko's lips, and he grinned at Zephyr, seeing her embarrassment at the whole situation. He gave her a light pat on the shoulder and smiled at her.
"Don't get too worked up about it, Zephyr. Like I said, it's an easy fix. I've got the munny to pay for a repair. It helps that the Heartless drop it."
He took another small sip of his tea, and smiled at her again. He had so many questions for her, and he decided now was the time to start asking. "You're something I've never seen before. I knew that other animal-people existed, but I have never seen a bird-person. You are certianly unique in my eyes, Zephyr. What are your people like? What world are you from? And what did you think I was before?"
He took another small sip, then looked up at her with curious eyes, cradling the cup in his hands to warm them up. He had so many questions, but it would be best to let her answer a few at a time.
In a world so cold
Dec 10, 2012 13:18:21 GMT -4
Last Edit: Dec 13, 2012 22:06:01 GMT -4 by Deleted
Her lips pursed in a line, upset at his jest. She knew she was being melodramatic to think he was mocking her, but it was still made on her behalf, and she wasn't in the mood to have her spirits lifted in such a way. Nevertheless, she allowed him the pat, though she avoided display of a reaction by sipping at her cup. It was still hard to repress a sigh.
Though his attempts at conversation were innocent at heart, it only managed to further her distress, solidifying the fact that her world had been taken from her, destroyed, and every one and thing she knew with it. Her heart ached for Jispo and Thera, and all the other creatures she had formed kinship with. Still, Leo was trying very hard, and Zephyr understood how rude it would be for her to crumple in a ball and start crying again.
"Tamerra," she said, and sipped at her tea. "I come from Tamerra. Not all of us are like me, with wings, though we're all … 'animal-people' … I suppose." She stumbled in saying it. She had never considered herself an "animal-person" like Leo suggested. They were just … Tamerrans. She paused to muse at this, and despite her mood, she was beginning to find her strength in speaking. She carried on. "There are four races, each with a specific trait inherited from the element that carries us. I was borne of Wind, and so have wings. " She looked up as she flexed her good wing, the feathers rustling in an unbidden shiver. She took pause to pull the blanket closer around herself, and took another sip of tea. "Those borne of Water were given fins instead of legs, and those borne of Fire possess scales. Those borne of Earth have fur, paws, and the tail and ears of a feline. I thought," she glanced his way, "that you might be one such. Kittehs, we call them, or more formally, Terrans. We descended from a race lacking any of these, without wings, fins, scales, or fur. True Tamerrans, the Ancients of our world, in which four clans divided to shepherd each element and hold balance." She sipped her tea as she pondered over this. "I suppose we are 'animal-people', in a way."
She continued on, spurred by her newfound strength and energy. "We each have a gift that our element bestowed upon us," she continued. "As an Aeristocrat, I can manipulate wind, though I'm not very good at it." She frowned at her ineptitude, though she knew she would grow stronger with time. Without teachers, though, it would be hard. "Fishehs … Aquarians, er, Water Folk, can shapeshift, grow legs and such, when they want to walk on land. Fire Folk have the ability to bend light, and Kittehs…" She cleared her throat. "…Terrans can communicate with plants and animals." It was tribute to her race as scholars of the world that she knew so much. Many of the races were beginning to lose touch with their gift, and those that possessed mastery were few and far between. It was essential for Aeristocratic survival, taking their homes in the cloud beds and sky cities constructed ages ago. The others though, they did not have to worry about falling to their death if one didn't learn their respective art.
She pressed on, becoming more excited as she reached her favorite topic. "And there are creatures called Guardians that reside in the Spiritual Realm. Sometimes they cross over by forming a Gateway, and leave these symbols behind." She grasped at the amulet around her neck to show Leo. "If you take the symbol and carve it on something, anything, you can call the creature back. I had a few…" She trailed off, the weight of losing her Guardians crashing down around her. Jispo's presence was an empty hole in her heart, and she found herself fighting back tears. All her Gateway jewelry felt heavy on her person, Jispo's amulet the heaviest of all. Clutching his useless symbol tight in her hand, she averted her eyes to the floor. Suddenly she did not want to talk anymore.
"What about you?" she said, her voice breaking as she tried to regain her composure. "Tell me about your world."
Dec 13, 2012 23:45:13 GMT -4
Last Edit: Dec 14, 2012 4:06:18 GMT -4 by Bluebird
Leo set his cup down, ready to tell the tale of his world. He remembered telling this to the small neko children he taught back in his castle, potential nobles of their race in the future. But, at that time, they were so innocent and naive, not understanding the troubles of the world around them. He sighed, and continued.
"Some call it the Eternal Forest, some the Waypoint of Elements. I knew it as the Everlasting Empire, a secret civilization of nekos, my people. We guarded the crystals that powered all the magic in our world, and used them to build an empire. However, we remained hidden from the humans and other races, in fear that they would exploit us. For generations, we've mined the essence of the world, and have kept the magic sustained."
"As for me... I am the lost prince of my world. My parents were the 7th king and queen of the Everlasting Empire, and I was raised as a prince. I hated it. I desired adventure and surprise, and was very rebellious. But, instead of punishing me, my civilization embraced my curious nature. We began to look for other crystal mines, further and further away from our city. Eventually, we began to move into human territory, and that when...it happened."
"Creatures of darkness were attacking the human cities, and had been for some time. In fact, their race was nearly wiped out, but the creatures knew not of us, due to our crystals masking us. However, we were discovered, and they overran our city. My sister, mother, and father we're only able to save me by sacrificing themselves to ascend into spiritual forms. They protected me from the monsters, but I had to watch my people be killed. And then, I just...blacked out, and appeared here."
Leo looked down and took in a shaky sigh, rubbing his forehead. His ears pinned back, and his tail gave a couple nervous flicks. It was obvious this distressed him, and he tried to change the subject.
"So what happened to your world? Did the Heartless attack you, too?"
Someone who can save a life
Dec 14, 2012 17:52:59 GMT -4
Last Edit: Dec 14, 2012 17:55:00 GMT -4 by Deleted
"If that's what those black insect-like things were, then yes." Her voice was bitter, her face grim as she held the cup close to her face. The tea was getting cooler, and so she took a lengthy sip, ignoring the stray leaves and letting Leo's words settle around her. It brought some comfort to her to understand that Leo had lost something great as well, though she had to admit, being a prince he lost far more than she could ever imagine. Zephyr was just a simple blacksmith, and even then she did not have much. Only her master's forge and her Guardians. Leo had lost an entire kingdom. Her woes seemed insignificant in comparison.
"I was in the forest," she said, "visiting the woodland creatures and trying to draw Guardians out from their realm." Absently, she began fingering Jispo's amulet. "I remember the sky turned dark, with storm clouds that brought lightning and ominous thunder but no rain. I did not want to return home, afraid I'd be caught in the storm, so we searched for shelter. That's when … they appeared. I thought they were Guardians at first, but there were so many of them and they appeared all at once. They were vicious, more vicious than I'd ever seen before. They attacked without warning, without provocation … I didn't even know what was happening. Half my Guardians were forced to flee, and those that stayed…" Zephyr was shuddering now, not brought by chill. She set her cup on the floor, leaning forward to support herself. "They were bloodthirsty. I watched as they stole a bright light from my Guardians, as though it were their life-essence." She gritted her teeth. "They did not return to the Spiritual Realm." She toyed with an arm-band, spinning it around and tracing the etched symbols with her finger. Apollo and Diana were dead now, that much she understood, but she could not bring herself to discard their Gateways. Sitting back up, she offered her cup to Leo, a silent plea for more tea.
"I suppose it was not so different than what happened to you." She glanced his way, narrowing her eyes to read his features. "I thought I was going to die. I can still feel their claws…" She shivered, then looked at her shoulders, exposed where the blanket wouldn't cover them. Blood still stained her body, dry and itchy, but beneath it her skin was smooth without any cuts or scratches to mar it. Zephyr still didn't understand what had transpired, but she accepted it. She had to accept it. Her flesh was still sore, though.
"The last thing I remember was being caught in a pool of … darkness … I guess." She did not know how else to describe it. "They were still attacking, drawing me in, and Jispo…" She drew a shuddering breath. "He was the last thing I saw before I blacked out. I don't know if they got him or not, but I guess it doesn't matter anymore."
She slumped on her side to the floor, her shoulder and head resting on the hard, cold wood as tears glistened in her eyes. How pretentious of her to feel this way. All she lost were a few creatures when Leo had lost an entire people. He must think her a pompous fool. Still, they were her friends. She laid there in silence for a time, letting her emotions wash over her before she changed the subject.
"Were you the one that healed me?" she asked, the only movement from the floor being her eyes glancing up to look at him.
He listened to her tale of hardship, and felt her pain along with her, letting her have her moment of grief. Then, he stood, took both their cups, and refilled them with fresh tea, sure to prevent the stray tea leaves from getting in either cup. She returned her cup to her, and then took his seat.
"It wasn't I that healed you, though you can say I caused it. You see, I too have Guardians, summons born of the spirits of my mother, father and sister. The one that healed you was Phoenix, my mother. She and Carbuncle, my sister, found you in the snow, and kept you safe. We couldn't bare to see you die..."
He took another sip of his tea, cautious of the heat from the freshly poured cup. He then stood and put another piece of wood in the fire, and then sat back down.
"So, do you have any questions for me? I'm more then willing to answer."
Silent tears slid down her face, itchy and annoying, but she lacked the energy to wipe them away. Though she gave no notice of it, she understood, remembering the great fire bird and cat creature that had visited her and the words they spoke in her dream. So they were his family, his mother and sister, and his father, had he been the beast that carried them to his dwelling?
Though he called them Guardians, they were different from the Guardians she knew. While her creatures were borne of the elements as she was herself, she had never known one that was so powerful as to mend flesh like Phoenix had done. She wondered for a spell if either of them had caused the dream she had lying near death in the snow. She hoped they hadn't. It was nice to think that what had transpired was real and not simply a trick of the mind.
Her heart ached, and she watched with half lidded eyes as Leo poured more tea. He placed the cup before her, but she made no move to drink. It would be too hot, and some time was needed for the tea to cool, anyway.
Leo prompted her for a question, and there was one burning in her mind that had her deeply unsettled. The insect-like creatures with the bright yellow eyes. He had called them Heartless, an ominous title, and well deserved from what she remembered. She could not shake her fear thinking of them.
Fresh tears slid from her eyes as she blinked, then she opened them wider to watch the fire as it crackled on the hearth. She gave a slight shiver. "Why are they called Heartless?"
"Heh... their names are misleading. The Heartless are improperly named, because that's all they are. They are manifests of a heart's darkness, creatures made from the worst of humanity. They go around and steal people's hearts, for what reason I don't know. I just know that they can't be killed permanently, at least by means I know. Their ulterior goal seems to be attacking worlds, since we seem to have had the same problem with our worlds."
He pondered what he was going to say next, but then had to stifle a yawn. He glanced at the clock on his wall, and saw that it was getting late. He finished his tea, then set the cup down.
"We should probably get some sleep. Tomorrow, breakfast will be on me, but sleep as long as you want. I'll wake up early and get things in order for you. You can sleep in my bed, I'll crash here on the couch. Also, in my closet is some clothes that may fit you. Find something you like."
He smiled at her, hoping to reassure her that everything would be okay.