Author's Notes: Well, I'm going at it again. I was formerly working on a Fan Fiction called the Crossroads of Existence. However, with all the rubbish I'd been dealing with lately, I've seen the story fall into a very massive slump. So, this story, is more or less and revamp/wrap up/continuation on that story. This story is intended to rectify my former writing faults, patch many of the plot holes of the original story, and finally bring you back into the life of Xekim. In this "second part" of the series, i plan to try and get more in depth with characters, give you crisper details in my post, and most of all, I will try my very hardest to post a chapter on a consistent deadline of one per week at the least. So, please enjoy, this revamp, 'cause it's been fun for me to write. Please post and critique and please point of mistakes in grammar and spelling just in case I missed them! Oh and you don't have to a read the original to read this one. I will cover all important points. In fact i ask you not to readt the old one since some of the things in there had actually become non-canon now. lol
Link to the original story: forums.khinsider.com/fanfiction/86849-crossroads-existence.html
Anywho, in relation to how this is connected to sora's story, you'll find out. All i will say is that this takes place at the same time, far off from sora's ordeal with the false ansem. ((Prologue: The End of Some Old Life))
The City of Faathim was emptied and Xekim knew why. They knew what was about to happen here. He'd been dreading this moment ever since he and his companions had left the Montresor Space Port. He'd followed the bread crumbs here and he was going to have retribution. He remembered the words that were whispered to him years ago by the deities of light.
Don't get too close to her. For if you do, she will crush you.Xekim didn't understand their worries until now, when it was too late. His foolishness and naivety had gotten his brother kidnapped. Back on a planet called Yeulven, Tiera lured Xekim, his brother and Xekim's good friend Draco into a massive ambush. There were an uncountable number of heartless and other dark creatures of the kind. Xekim and Draco were able to hold their own in that fight, but Zachery wasn't a close range fighter. In all the chaos, Tiera swooped in and took Zachery away, telling Xekim that if he wanted his brother back alive, he'd have to find her. Then Tiera opened up a portal of darkness and passed through, holding an injured Zachery in her arms. As for Draco; he managed to follow her through the portal itself and Xekim didn't know what happened to him after that. All he knew that Draco was still alive after he'd received a brief but reassuring message from him a few day back. That didn't change the fact however, that Tiera was holding his brother captive. Xekim wasn't going to let his feelings get in the way. She wasn't the girl he loved anymore.
Xekim walked along the the cobblestone streets of Faathim, simply trying to feel for the dark energy that now accompanied this new and dark Tiera. However, all he sensed was the normal darkness that was associated with every living being, and the unique sense that came from himself. Those who tried to sense him would feel an odd convergence of pure light an darkness. That was the thing that threw those with the sense off. Xekim closed his eyes and let the sense become all that he was. He let his mind run through each and every street. Into the windows of empty buildings and even down the sewer systems beneath his feet. Finally, after about three minutes, he felt it. The darkness. Tiera was near. Xekim extended his arms to his sides, and two keyblades appeared. One fell into his left hand and the other into his right.
The Birth of the Heart, the key to the birth of all light in peoples hearts and by extension, the force of light itself condensed into a weapon of magicks. Then, there was the Death of the Heart, the key to the consumption and manipulation of all hearts, and by extension pure darkness in the shape of a weapon of destruction. They were his burdens, and his friends. In fact, they were an extension of himself. Xekim let them hang loosely in his hands as he began to run towards the darkness that he felt. The sound of his footsteps bounced and echoed off of the gray concrete walls of the buildings that seemed to endlessly line the streets of this city. Xekim had to wonder why Tiera chose this place as their battle ground. There weren't really any advantages for either of them in choosing this place. There had to be some meaning behind it.
Xekim kept running until he felt a sharp jolt of power. He stopped in his tracks and saw a wall of pure darkness rising up behind him. It was almost as dark as the void itself and when Xekim touched it, it felt hard, like glass. Xekim took his Birth of the Heart keyblade and swung at the wall of darkness. Despite this, the wall remained unscratched and ominous. Xekim took a few steps back from the wall, beginning to feel a strong unsettling sensation in his heart.
This presence. I-It's not just Tiera. There's something else behind it. Something just as familiar.Xekim began to walk away from the wall and further down the street, when he noticed something odd. The buildings on either side of him were beginning to spread apart, and lessen. The streets were getting newer as he went along and that presence was growing ever stronger. After a few more moments, he stood in the middle of a large circular field. Xekim gaped at the sight he beheld. The roads around the massive circle of grass was black, and bubbling like some kind of tar. Only one part of the streets were clear, which was what seemed to be the entrance to Tiera's battle field. Xekim wasn't sure about this situation at all. He'd known that Tiera was smart, and she'd already trapped him here. Was it really wise to walk even deeper into it?
Xekim nodded. Yes it was. For his brother's sake he had no choice. He gripped his two keyblades tightly and then walked through the small patch of regular road. As he did, the tar like darkness grew what looked like hands. They reached towards him with a strange kind of mindless hunger as he walked pass them, but his powers repelled them.
"Disgusting..." Xekim said under his breath as he passed the last of the hands. When he was finally inside the circular grass covered field, the hands of darkness reached for each other and closed up the gap. Xekim shook his head, and began to make his way towards the center of the field. Underneath his feet, the grass blackened and shriveled. He looked down to observe it's progress, and when he looked up, he saw her. Tiera, with her golden curly hair, her curvaceous body and her charming face. She looked so beautiful, as she always did. However, the Tiera he knew, the cheerful person behind the eyes of the gorgeous girl, was gone. Replaced by a warped being of darkness. She stood, with a sense of hatred in her, and her left arm was out stretched. Xekim gasped in shock as he saw what was in her hand. Xekim's facial features were now etched with fury.
Tiera was holding his brother, Zachery, by the head. Zachery was unconscious, and his body was beaten very badly. Xekim wasn't sure whether or not he was still alive. Tiera looked at him and give him a smile. In that smile, her formerly flat and even teeth were now all razor sharp and blackened.
"Welcome my love..."
~***~
Xekim awoke from his dream, sweat standing out on his brow. He was breathing heavily, and his heart was beating at what felt like a mile a minute. He looked around. He was calmed down by the familiar white walls and the crystalline floor of the Station of Destitution. The place was properly named since it was normally uninhabited and devoid of color or emotion. Xekim was no longer in the City of Faathim, but in his room as he should be. His white room, with his white bed and bed frame, and his white dresser. The white and black marvel floors were glossy, and the light in the room was dim. Xekim pulled himself up to a sitting position and leaned back against the stone bed frame behind him. The stone was gray, and on it was carved a large XIII. It was his number, his rank among his friends seeing as he was the newest.
Xekim let out a long sigh, and put his face in his hands.
"That old dream again. Who is...Tiera, and I don't have a brother...do I?" with that thought, there was a light tapping on the large stone doors leading into the main hallway from his room. "Come in." Xekim said, looking up at the door. The door opened and in came a man wearing a long black coat with a hood. There was a chain necklace hanging off of his neck and two other chains hanging off of the belt he wore. The man's face was pale. His eyes were a beautiful shade of violet that Xekim admired in contrast to his own dull gray, and the man's hair was long, black and glossy. The man came up to him and place a hand on his head in a kindly way.
"Bad dreams again Xekim?" The man asked, his voice serene and soothing.
"Yeah. The same one as last night, but...it's more elaborate now. What do you think about it Xev?" The man known as Xev smiled serenely and kissed Xekim on the cheek. Xekim blushed and frowned.
"Stop doing that!" Xekim said. Xev laughed and folded his arms.
"What are you so embarrassed about. You're just a kid after all and I'm only two years older than you."
"Well we're friends, you shouldn't do stuff like that!" Xekim said, folding his arms. Xev laughed quietly to himself and patted Xekim on the head. Xekim looked away from him. Xev smiled and said
"It's probably best to simply put that dream out of your mind as always."
~***~
Xevenst walked into the audience chambers smiling serenely to himself as he always did. He had to report to his colleagues the news he'd received. It was his job after all. Xevenst was ranked X in the great scheme of things and his nickname was He Whose Heart Burns. In the audience chambers, there was a ring of chairs placed at equal height around the room, each engraved with a numeral from I to XIII. in those chairs said eleven cloaked in hooded figures.
"Xevenst, what news have you for us today." said a female voice from the chair inscribed IX.
"I regret to report something that we have feared for a very long time." said Xevenst.
"And that would be...?" said an old man's voice from the chair inscribed XII.
"It is Xekim my lords. He is beginning to...remember."
