The Lost Ones (Liana)

[Slash]

In the forests of Enchanted Dominion, two Heartless walked with their hands linked. They moved through the forests, familiar with the old trees- they had existed when the great trees of the forest had been mere saplings. They had seen the development of this world, as they had many others. Empires rose and fell, dynasties prospered and the rotted into decadence, civilizations were created and then destroyed. They had watched it all happen with an uncaring eye.

They were silent as they walked, speaking only through a sort of telepathy. It didn't consist of clear sentences, merely half-formed thoughts and feelings. Lethe was restless and hungry, looking for hearts. Kyza was curious about a strange presence nearby.

I sense a Nobody,[/color] Kyza told Lethe telepathically. A greater Nobody. They were the masters once, were they not?

Yes. There have been many masters. But the ones without hearts were our masters only once. Lethe replied. But what does it matter? We should seek hearts.

After the one who made us perished, we never hearkened the call of another master. I would like to meet one of the creatures who were our former masters.

But if we serve, then we will be seperated. Best to stay away. Hunt in secret. Can't be seperated. Never. Never.[/i]

They were each hit by a wave of despair from the very thought, and shuddered.

We must serve sometime. Besides, it is only a former master. Less dangerous. We have been in stasis so long, Lethe. It is time to fight. To become stronger. We can stay together if we are strong.

You are right. Let us find the Nobody.[/i] And, just like that, Lethe had agreed. The two never argues. They couldn't.

They moved together to where the Nobody was.

[Aerith]

Oh. Company.

In reality, she had been here for only a few days. But it felt like years. That wasn't even the correct word to use anymore. She could not feel anything, no matter how much she concentrated.

At least this world she now occupied was pleasing to her senses and personal aesthetic. The air smelled of slightly damp earth and tree sap, and she drew deeply of it as she sat at the edge of a small lake she had discovered soon after her arrival here. Her bare feet dangled over the edge, soothed in the aquatic embrace. And yet, she felt no true enjoyment, even though she knew such a pastoral scene should have delighted her to no end.

What has happened to me?

Processing her new circumstances was difficult, but that did not stop her from attempting to do so. Those creatures had taken the people's hearts. And she must have had hers taken, as well. So, then. Why was she still here? Shouldn't she have joined the ranks of those creatures, whatever they had been?

Muriel...

The memory of anger surfaced. That witch of a woman had taken everything from her. Revenge was distant, though. There was only coldness in her chest when the High Priestess ghosted across her thoughts.

Further contemplation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind her. She shifted a hand on the grass behind her so she could turn to look without removing her feet from the water. Two people were there watching her, one female and one male. Their sudden appearance should have surprised her. Instead, she simply examined them for a moment.

"Who are you?" It was neither demanding nor fearful a question. Mere curiosity from someone seeking answers to many other questions.

[Slash]

The two looked at the Nobody, tightening their grip on each other's hands instinctually. She was a greater Nobody, having retained her human shell. By extension, were they greater Heartless? They did not know.

They spoke together, alternating every now and then.

"I am Lethe."

"And I am Kyza. We are of the creatures that your kind controlled not too long ago."

"Have you existed long? Or are you still a young one?"

"You must be young."

"A young former master. The older ones have cloaks. We have seen them."

"We will help you," Kyza said. Lethe ceased to speak, and held onto Kyza's arm with both hands. She was scared, but Kyza was reassuring.

"Young one. We are much older. We have seen much. We would help you if you would allow us. You have many questions, yes? We can answer them easily."

Kyza was quite excited at the possibility of a new master and a new purpose- and Lethe was beginning to catch some of his ambition. Little by little, she became as interested as he was.

[Aerith]

So Much to Understand

The pair almost seemed to be one person rather than two, the way they clung to each other and spoke. She couldn't help but think of Owen. But that's all she could do. Think about him. And how he was gone.

Lethe and Kyza. They may have been a strange couple, but at least they wanted to help her. Most of what they were saying confused her, though. They were creatures but different from her? And whatever she had become had at one time controlled them?

"I don't understand." She pulled her feet out of the water to let them dry on the grass and then turned completely toward Lethe and Kyza. "Am I not human anymore?" It made some sense, she supposed. But she still seemed to be the same as she had always been, except for this inexplicable hole somewhere inside her. "I should be dead."

She paused, absorbing the rest of their words. "And I'm not sure what you mean by 'young'. I have been unable to feel any emotion only for the past few days, if that helps." The knowledge that the older ones wore cloaks wasn't helpful to her. But it did let her know that there were others out there who were apparently like her.

[Slash]

Ah, a very young one. Ignorant of everything...Poor creature. The two took pity on living things that did not know their purpose, since they had known for centuries what they were and had been content with this knowledge.

They sat down, as they would probably be here for a while. Lethe took it upon herself to explain this one, and spoke in her soft, almost musical voice.

"When a person falls to darkness, they become a Heartless. However, the bodies of said beings are left behind, and those which belonged to a being with a strong enough will take a life of their own. These are Nobodies. The most powerful of them retain their human shape and memories. However, all Nobodies, no matter how powerful, can not feel emotion.

The greater Nobodies, the ones who retain human form, banded together in a group who walk around in black cloaks. You will undoubtebly be called into their service, given time."

"They were the masters once," Kyza added. "Masters of our kind. Then they fell, and the previous master was taken up again. But they are rising once more."

[Aerith]

Holes in the Fog

They sat, which meant Liana was in for a long conversation. But at least she might get some much-needed answers. Lethe spoke, her voice soothing.

"Heartless?" She thought for a moment. Those must have been the creatures that stole hearts. The name, while a bit uninspired, fit them. "What are they, exactly? Where do they come from? I'd never seen them on my homeworld until just a few months ago."

The rest of the explanation was considerably more complicated. Since she was still herself, minus emotions, and since she could still remember everything from her past, she must be one of these special Nobodies Lethe was talking about. She had never thought of herself as having such a strong will, but these new circumstances were proof of that.

If I have survived in this way, perhaps Owen...

No. She couldn't go there. She would have seen him when she awoke as her new self. They would have escaped together.

"No emotion... Hm." She had lost her heart, then. She could get it back, couldn't she? The remainder of Lethe's words and the ones that Kyza added piqued her interest. If there were many who had come together, perhaps they knew how to regain their hearts. "These Nobodies in black cloaks... If you think they might seek me out, I have to know some things about them. What is their purpose?"

[Slash]

Lethe and Kyza looked at each other. What were Heartless? Such an odd question! She might as well have asked what air was, or what planets were. Where had she come from, exactly?

Both took on a very serious, strangely reverent tone.

"Heartless are hearts enshrouded in darkness. We come from the sins of men," they said together.

"And as for the cloaked ones, they do seek their hearts. That was when they were the masters. They drove our mindless brothers to the slaughter. Fed them to the Keybearer. The corridors shook with the losses of those days."

"But they fell. We do not know if they will attempt the same plan twice. They will try to get their hearts back one way or another, though."

They both looked up at the Nobody with sudden fear crossed with suspicion.

"You wouldn't try to kill us, would you?"

"We are not world-eaters. We had no part in the fall of your world."

"There is much more you need to learn."

"If you choose to listen."

[Aerith]

Time to Learn

Through the poetic tinge of the pair's explanation of Heartless, Liana caught one important detail. We. They had said "we". So, they were Heartless? They looked nothing like the creatures that had attacked her world. Except, now that she looked more closely, Kyza's eyes were the same shade of yellow.

It sounded as though she needed to find these cloaked Nobodies. Though, more unfamiliar terms threatened to plunge her deeper into confusion. Keybearer? And whatever it was, it ate Heartless? Suddenly, she was picturing a creature so colossal that it dwarfed even the Palodinas. The term corridors was also new to her, though her mind wandered back to the gaping hole that had brought her here. Perhaps that was what Kyza meant.

The look the two of them gave her would have elicited pity and maybe a hint of recoil in her past life. "Kill you? No. No, I don't think so." The realization sunk in that had she chosen to kill them right now, she wouldn't have cared. Choosing not to kill them had nothing to do with any moral center. How could she have a moral center without a heart?

"I know I need to learn more. Tell me everything you can. You mentioned a Keybearer. What is that?"

[Slash]

They relaxed when the Nobody said that she would not kill them. She was still quite curious, but they were getting closer to her gaining all the knowledge she would need.

"The Keybearer is a sentient creature that wields the Keyblade."

"They are mainly men, although there have been inhuman ones who have wielded the Keyblade."

"The Keyblade is a powerful weapon, one that can unlock hearts. It can be wielded by either those under the light or those under darkness. There was even a Nobody with this strange power."

"When Heartless are killed by anything other than the Keyblade, they merely reform and appear elsewhere. However, those destroyed by the Keyblade are destroyed forever, their hearts being seperated from their Heartless shells."

"It was with this that the cloaked ones sought to bring forth Kingdom Hearts, which is the heart of all worlds. They most likely believed they could get their hearts back. So they gathered the freed hearts and brought them together. But the Keybearer destroyed them, if only temporarily."

"The Keybearer is a plague. He destroys all he touches," Lethe said with bitter hatred. "He felt nothing as he ripped apart our kind and yours. Like a child picking off the wings of flies."

"The cloaked men returned recently. If they hadn't, then there would be little help for you. As it stands, you will find them eventually. But first, you must be strong."

"The stronger ones of your kind can summon weapons to their sides at will. Can you do this? You need only to focus."

They watched her expectantly.

[Aerith]

Hallowed Ruin

Liana absorbed all of this information in silence. It had been overwhelming at first, but slowly, things were beginning to sort themselves out in her head. This Keybearer had proved to be an obstacle to the Nobodies. And from what Lethe had said, he sounded merciless. They were only trying to get their hearts back, after all. Why slaughter them?

This talk of strength and weapons concerned her a little. In her former life, she had never engaged in combat. Though, on many of their escapades outside the temple, Owen had taught her a few battle skills. But first things first. Summoning a weapon into existence from out of nothing was quite the daunting task. She hadn't the slightest clue how or if she could do that.

Taking Lethe's suggestion, Liana folded her legs beneath her and sat up a little straighter. As awkward as it might have looked, she tentatively extended a hand out to her side, palm toward the ground. Her brow furrowed in concentration. She wasn't even sure what sort of weapon to try summoning. But anything appearing in her hand would have been a welcome sight. If she wasn't able to do this, that might mean she could not be accepted by the other Nobodies.

Grey fog danced beneath her palm, curling outward in lazy patterns. Pale light, like that of stars, glowed inside the fog and grew to form the silhouette of a large weapon that made Liana's eyes widen. With a soft flash, the weapon took on its complete form, and she sat there, as surprised as she could be, staring at the elegant destruction she now held. Accompanying the weapon was the knowledge that, somehow, she knew exactly how to use it.

The weapon left in the same manner it was summoned, gently yet with an undertone of fierceness. She looked down at her hand for a moment and then back up at Lethe and Kyza. "It looks as though I can do it."

Something occurred to her. "But I am stuck here for the time being, so I cannot go looking for these men."

[Slash]

Kyza nodded. "A fast learner. That is very good. You will do well." He meant two things by this- she would succeed often, and she was acceptable as a master while they kept away from the current wielder of darkness. It was not likely that they would encounter a Keybearer, and it would be best to keep themselves from being killed. Their fears were appeased while Kyza's need to escape stasis was fulfilled.

They listened closely. Trapped here? Not in the least. Lethe smiled. "You are not trapped here, or anywhere. Let us teach you something more."

They stood up and each raised a hand towards the horizon. Darkness swirled around a small area near their hands and became a large hole. A corridor of darkness.

"This is a corridor of darkness. Heartless and Nobodies travel on these. They can bridge gaps between worlds without a problem."

"They corrupt the hearts of those who use them, but we are already corrupted and you do not have one to corrupt." They closed the corridor.

"You can make one, as well. Hold out your hand and envision a passage."

[Aerith]

First Attempt

She arched an inquisitive eyebrow. Not being trapped here was wonderful news, indeed. She watched attentively as Lethe and Kyza demonstrated the creation of a corridor. Liana had been right. That had been what she had come through to get here. But she had not known she could create these at will.

Nodding, she took a deep breath. "I'll try." Raising a hand, she pictured the swirling darkness in her head, just as Kyza had instructed her to do. Darkness did indeed blossom into existence in front of her, and it even formed into a proper corridor. But only for about a second or two. The darkness faded quickly, as she was unable to hold the passage open long enough for anyone short of the fastest person alive to dash through.

She lowered her hand slowly, staring blankly at the empty space. She knew frustration would be appropriate to feel right now. The most she could muster up was a soft sigh. "I'll have to run everywhere at this rate." Maybe she wasn't strong enough yet.

[Slash]

It was not bad, for a first try. To Lethe and Kyza, it came as naturally as breathing, but they were born to that element and had been given centuries to practice. She would learn. They would help her learn many things. How to make corridors, how to harness her abilities and her weapon, as well as many other things.

" It was a skilled first attempt. We can help you."

"Yes. Help."

"If you would permit us to do so." They raised their hands and made a passage effortlessly.

"We will take you where you need to go. But first-"

"-would you permit us to know your name?"

They watched her intently. Unknown to her, they had decided that the revelation of her name would be the seal that would bind them to her service, albeit weakly. They'd serve, but given the choice of her life or each other's they'd choose each other. It was an almost cowardly notion, but sensible. Cowardly notions had allowed them to survive countless years as their brothers and sisters perished around them.

They didn't have any sort of connection to the Nobody, but it was worth it if only to feel as alive as they currently did. Finally, they were taking some action instead of floating through the years in a sleeplike daze. They were becoming more aware of everything, and for the first time in decades they were beginning to feel the strength of the Heartless instincts, fighting and collecting hearts. Sure, they collected hearts occasionally, but in situations where there was as little risk as possible. Now, they began to want to fight for them.

It was quite satisfying, to say the least. Did their brothers feel like this when they served?

[Aerith]

Unexpected Help

Liana had honestly not expected help to this extent from the pair. Did this mean they were going to travel with her? She looked at the corridor and weighed her options. She could accept the help and leave this sparsely populated world for some place where she was more likely to run into these cloaked Nobodies. Or she could choose not to trust them and stay here, idling while the rest of the universe passed her by.

Naturally, she was going to pick the former option.

Stepping closer to the corridor, she paused before entering and turned to look at Lethe and Kyza. They had given her their names long before. It was the polite thing to do to give them hers. "My name is Liana. Forgive me for not offering it sooner." Perhaps it was odd for a supposed master to ask the pardon of her supposed servants. But since Liana was still new to everything, she acted the way her Other would have. At least, in this regard.

She glanced at the corridor, then back to the pair again. "Where does this lead? I am unfamiliar with any world besides my own, and I cannot go back there. Do you know where I should go?"

[Slash]

The bond was sealed, at least to them. Lethe and Kyza were quite pleased. Actually, they were rather ecstatic, and smiled in unison. Lethe's smile was more faint and delicate while Kyza's was stronger, but the emotion behind them was exactly the same. So Liana was the name of their new master- or rather, mistress. Mistress Liana. It had a nice ring to it.

"They do have their own world. But it would not be safe to go there just yet."

"Once you are strong enough, they will seek you out themselves. We will take you to the more populated areas, where there are many things to learn and places to train."

"You have strength locked within you. All you need to do is learn how to use it."

"We would go to a world know to its inhabitants as Radiant Garden. But all is up to you. If you have a preference, describe an ideal world and we will go somewhere as close as possible."

It was interesting how quickly Lethe and Kyza adjusted to servitude, considering that they had served no one since their creator. Perhaps it was the basic instinct of Heartless to serve. What an interesting yet pitiful thought.

Their objectives, the first objectives they had gotten in recent memory, were simple.

Protect the mistress. Help her grow stronger. Kill those who would harm her, and destroy when she orders.

Ah, the feeling of excitement. They had almost forgotten it.