Amentes [Nadia]

[Slash]

Welcome to the End of the World, Nadia.
[August 1, 2010]

[/center]

The Corridor he had created opened up to a dark world, one that he actually wanted to go to this time. He knew of this place's existence, of course, but he hadn't ever set foot on it. Until now.

It was beautiful. He thought he had known what darkness felt like, but the darkness on other worlds was nothing compared to this. It flowed through him as if he were a part of it, giving him strength.

However, the darkness here was nothing compared to what he knew waited behind the Door. He smiled.

"Look at this, Nadia. These are the remnants of destroyed worlds, lost to darkness. This is the world of the Heartless- rather, the End of the World. Perhaps soon there will be more worlds to join these floating husks."

[Aerith]

A side-trip? Now?
--------

How many more bizarre places like this were there? Granted, the dark seashore was considerably more normal than here. This was a three-dimensional collage of broken worlds. And while the seashore was close to darkness, this seemed the very heart of it. Or, if not, something very close to it.

Jericho confirmed that thought. "The Heartless have a world?"

Nadia had never considered the possibility that the Heartless needed somewhere to live. They struck her as far more parasitic, latching onto whichever worlds they chose and remaining there until they were destroyed or until they destroyed those worlds.

"It's... breathtaking." She turned to him, a hint of confusion in her eyes. "But why are we here? I thought we had a lot do."

[Slash]

Well, I was thinking...

[/center]

"We do. This is part of it."

Jericho had been considering a problem for a while, the problem of how to get Nadia in a similar state to his. He had seen the flash of envy in her eyes, something which could turn into jealousy and then, perhaps, something approaching hatred.

But no matter how he went about it, he could only figure out one method of doing it. One unsafe, completely unstable method. He hated it, but the had to.

If she couldn't handle it, though...

"I think I may have found a way to get you power, or at least bring you into a state where you can develop your own. I think. But it's risky, and it requires a place as full of darkness as this one."

[Aerith]

I can handle it. Maybe.
--------

Naturally, powers associated with the darkness could only come with great risk. People using the powers of light never had to worry about turning into Heartless.

Would she take the risk? Yes. Yes, she would. The echoes of that ecstasy were going to cling to her forever now. If she did nothing to get it back permanently, she would only spiral deeper and deeper into misery.

"I expected it would be risky. What do I have to do?"

[Slash]

If you're sure.

[/center]

Jericho looked at her. No matter what the risks were, she was going to try. He knew this. Yet he still had to let her know, just in case.

"You'll have to become a sort of conduit. I can force the darkness to flow through you, as it does through me, and if you can keep from losing yourself...well, it won't give you everything, but you will be in a position where you'll start developing abilities on your own."

He wondered what form the darkness would take in her, what it would give her. Either way, she'd begin growing stronger.

"But it will be relentless. If your defenses slip even a little, then it will consume you. You'll become a Heartless, and then I can't help you."

[Aerith]

I am sure.
--------

Mentally, Nadia recoiled from that prospect. Becoming a Heartless was out of the question. Maybe that's how she could avoid it, holding onto that determination and weathering the inner storm through sheer force of will. Is that what Jericho had done to get to this point?

His tone this time was different from when he had cured her. Then, he had been so certain nothing would happen to her, even if he had to tell her the risks involved. Now...

"I know. But I need to try."

[Slash]

Okay.

[/center]

He hesitated, almost changing his mind, then nodded. "All right. Get ready."

Jericho took a deep breath. The darkness inside of him gathered around him, building and building.

It was similar to the cure, with the same process and the same requirement of consent. However, this time the darkness would not stop.

The darkness reared up almost like a great beast, then spread to Nadia. Both Jericho and Nadia were enshrouded in it as it froced its way through Nadia's heart.

[Jericho used Devil's Cure.][/size]

[Aerith]

What have you done?
--------

Her whole body tensed the moment that black, writhing mass appeared. For a split second, she wanted to change her mind. She wanted to yell at him to stop.

It was too late.

There had been color, as weird and twisted as it had been, and now her vision was filled with nothing but darkness. Nothing but darkness and Jericho.

She had thought she could withstand it. She had been so very wrong.

The darkness tore through her with ease, ripping away layers upon layers of feeble defenses, hungrily seeking to take her heart. She was a mere sheet of paper in the grip of a hurricane. She could not fight it and yet she tried. Oh, did she try.

It was hopeless. Somehow, she knew that. She couldn't win, and she would become a Heartless just like all those people had.

Jericho. Jericho had done that to them. He was doing it to her now. All the hesitation and worry had been an act. He didn't really care about her. Why did he need her, anyway? He had the very thing that was tearing her apart right now.

This was his fault. All of it was. She had wanted to know what he felt but not if he took it away from her seconds later. He had driven her to this. And now she was going to lose herself.

No. No, that was wrong. He had told her he cared. He had kept her from dying, hadn't he?

Why was he doing this to her now? He should have refused, should have told her it was too dangerous.

But he knew she would have insisted. He knew she couldn't resist the possibility of having that feeling back.

I hate him.

The darkness latched onto that hate and grew, if that was even possible. And the more intense the darkness became, the more she hated Jericho. It was a vicious cycle that was going to destroy her if it didn't stop.

"I hate you, Jericho. I hate you!"

She shook with a rage that was not entirely her own.

The darkness didn't stop.

[Slash]

There's no going back.

[/center]

What was natural to him was tearing her apart. It hurt to watch as her heart was ripped open piece by piece.

Her hatred wasn't her own, and neither were her words. All the same, he didn't want her to fade hating him.

"Stay. Please." He could talk to her, but this was completely her battle. He could only do so much.

[Aerith]

Azrael.
--------

"I hate, hate, hate..."

This was wrong. She would not hate him. She would hate everything else before she would hate him. No, she... she...

The strain of trying not to succumb was physically painful. While the focal point was her heart, agony shot down all her limbs, searing every nerve. She swayed and finally sat down hard. Her head was liable to explode at any minute. She buried her fingers in her hair.

"Nadia."

The swirling darkness was suddenly dominated by Asherah's ethereal presence. Her tarot card was still whole and spinning in front of Nadia. Somehow, having her visible made Nadia's pain recede somewhat.

"...Asherah?"

There was something else present to corrupt now, and some of the darkness moved to surround the card and Asherah herself. The Persona, ever the picture of calm, looked at nothing else besides Nadia.

"We--you--are fractured." Asherah had never spoken to Nadia, but her voice held the soothing sounds of ocean waves. Nadia remembered the beaches of Destiny Islands.

"You have a strong will. Otherwise, you would not have produced me. That will has set you on this path, and now there is only one way left to retain yourself."

Before Nadia could ask what that was, the darkness was no longer content to tentatively probe this new feast set before it. It attacked both the card and Asherah with a vengeance.

"No!"

Pain more intense than any she had ever known crashed into her head. Asherah was a part of her--no, she was her. So while the assault on her heart might have been lessened a degree or two, the darkness was still viciously seeking to consume her. What good would this do in the end, except make her death far more agonizing?

She couldn't hold it in anymore. Her screams rent the air.

But then something happened. Something horrible and something wonderful happened.

The darkness did not take Asherah from her, as Nadia had feared. No, Asherah was ripped apart from the inside, torn to pieces as a massive creature emerged to take her place. The thing looked just as fractured as she herself felt. A mirror to her pysche.

A chimera.

Nadia had read of them, but she had never thought one would be living inside her. It was massive, and it was strangely beautiful. Its three very different heads all were looking at her. The darkness danced around it, less intent on destroying it, almost as if it was accepting this new thing.

Pain still fluttered through her head in small bursts, but those were rapidly fading. "Asherah?"

"No. I am Azrael. And I am you."

The darkness drew back, or at least Nadia imagined it did. There was suddenly no more pressure on her heart. The chimera moved closer and bent its feline head to nuzzle her shoulder.

"If you have need of me, I am always with you."

It faded then, leaving Nadia in a daze for a moment or two. Exhaustion began to set in.

[Slash]

Are you still...you?

[/center]

The darkness tore her apart, and her screams were unbearable.

So, this was it. This was how he would lose her. It was his fault, all of it. How was he supposed to help her? He couldn't even avenge her loss, as it was entirely due to his own idiocy.

Then something significant happened. He didn't see or hear anything, but all at once the darkness stopped attacking her. He dismissed it.

She looked so exhausted. Was this just a lull before she lost her heart? He put her arm around his shoulders, supporting her weight.

"Nadia, please say something."

[Aerith]

I think so.
--------

It was over. Really over. The darkness dissipated, and she could see color again. The pain was gone, and she didn't have to fight anymore.

Jericho was holding her. She gladly leaned against him, and didn't respond for a little while.

It almost felt like a really big nightmare. She had just been asleep and had woken up now. None of it had happened. She was still the same, and Asherah was still nestled somewhere in her mind.

She knew that wasn't true.

Finally, she said the first thing that came to her. "I didn't mean... I don't hate you."

[Slash]

Don't worry.

[/center]

"I know, Nadia. It's fine. I'm just glad that you didn't..." He trailed off.

She seemed to be fine, but he was still walking on thin ice. Was she really going to be okay? And if so, had the change been complete?

He had to find out.

"Nadia...how do you feel? What do you feel?"

[Aerith]

Sometimes, words can't explain everything.
--------

What did she feel? Nadia thought about it for a moment. Outside of the obvious exhaustion, there was something else. While not quite the same level of ecstasy she had felt before, there was certainly a heightened sense of elation that flowed through her.

She wasn't a Heartless. She had been accepted. And Jericho was with her.

Nadia turned her head, suddenly very aware of him and how close he was. If she had died or faded, she would have never known... She could still die or fade before knowing.

"I feel..."

Rational thinking went out the window. There was no place for it here.

She leaned up and kissed him. It was awkward, tired, and a little clumsy.

It was the best thing she had ever tasted.

[Slash]

That's good.

[/center]

Well, that was certainly an answer. An unexpected one.

So this is what was hidden inside your heart.[/color]

Control. That was what he felt from her touch, tasted from her kiss. His control over her, her emotional dependence on him. More importantly, he knew that, now and forever, she would be on the lowest level of existence- or the highest- with him. Human only in appearance, monsters in every other sense. If she was forced into the light now, she would die. She was destructive and cruel and very, very beautiful.

And most importantly, she was his.

"Is that so?" he said into her ear, leaning down a bit to lessen the height difference.