Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Kingdom Hearts: Castle of Darkness, Heart of Light ❯ Sephiroth's Return ( Chapter 2 )

Keirii sat on the railing of the balcony of the castle's entrance hall. The night air was cool against her skin, but she didn't bother to go to her chambers to get her jacket. She held her pact totem in her hand, the white of the stone glowing in the moon's light. She sighed softly as she slowly closed her hand over the stone and tightened her fist. She had thought that she wouldn't have to worry about Cloud's darkness getting in the way, that all she had to do was help him find the rest of his light. But now this; Sather was after them for sure and she had a feeling that Cloud was in more danger than any of them. She put the chain back on her neck, clasping the lock into place. The wolf's head rested right above her heart and she gripped it tightly. She held it for a moment and then she released it. She boosted herself off the railing and jumped down, landing on her feet a story below. She walked towards the castle's gardens, going at a slow pace. Finally she got there. In the light of the nearly full moon, Keirii could see all the flowers Aerith had brought back to the once overgrown, dead garden. She walked along the path, all the flowers she past closed up for sleep. Keirii walked along the path until she got to the center. Standing at the center of the garden, towering over every plant there, was the Life Tree. The old tree had been the only living thing there when the rest of the garden had died. Aerith said that the life stream of the plant seemed to flow from this very tree and she said that it was connected to all of the worlds. It was here that Keirii and Cloud had made their first promise as siblings.

 

Keirii sat on a high branch of the tree, her legs hanging down, one hand resting against the trunk. She watched as Cloud walked over and sat at the tree's base, his back resting against the trunk. He closed his eyes and then said, “I know you're there, Keirii, so don't try anything.”

 

Keirii laughed and looked down at Cloud. “Hey, Cloud,” she said, “Let's make a promise.”

 

Cloud opened his eyes and looked up at her. “And what is that?”

 

“That our hearts will always be connected, no matter what.”

 

Cloud frowned and looked at the ground in front of him. “I-I don't think... that I can make that promise.”

 

Keirii frowned and she jumped down, landing at a crouch in front of Cloud. She looked at him and lifted his chin up, forcing him to look at her. “Promise me, Nii-sama,” Keirii said softly, “Promise me that our hearts will always be connected. I promise that mine will be to yours. How about you?”

 

Cloud looked at Keirii and, slowly, he nodded. “I promise,” he said, “that my heart will always be connected to yours. And I'll always be there to protect you.”

 

Keirii smiled and said, “And I'll always be there to protect you.”

 

Cloud smirked and said, “Yeah, sure.”

 

“I will!” Keirii exclaimed as Cloud pushed her playfully. Keirii tackled him and the two wrestled under the protecting branches of the Life Tree…

 

That had been almost two years ago, before Keirii gained her full power. During the time that she needed Cloud to guard her back. Now Keirii could defend herself, but no matter how strong either of them got, they both will always need each other to cover the other's back. Keirii had been sixteen when she made that promise, and Cloud had been twenty-one. The two of them were five years apart and from totally different worlds, but it didn't matter; she was Cloud's little sister and he was her big brother.

 

Keirii walked up to the tree, under its large and shading branches. Flowers bloomed among the deep green leaves; they were the only flowers that stayed open under the light of the moon. Keirii rested a hand against the tree's smooth, warm trunk. The bark was white as snow and seemed to glow in the moon's light. Slowly, she ran her hand down along the trunk and sighed softly. “Three years,” she said softly, “It's only been three years, but it feels like a hundred.” It had been three years since she first found Cloud, mortally injured in a cave near her village. She had been fifteen, always running around because she would be herded away from her blood brother as he trained to become a warrior and her father who had other matters to attain to. She always had to entertain herself. She had found that cave and as she was walking in, there was a brilliant flash of light. When the light faded and Keirii gained her sight back, she had found Cloud at the back of the cave, a horrible wound in his chest. Keirii's first instinct was to find her father, but then she realized that her father would only leave him to die, because Cloud was an outsider. So Keirii cared for Cloud herself. Using the training that the priestess of her village had taught her, she nursed Cloud back to health.

 

During those days when Cloud stayed hidden in the cave, he had told her of the other worlds and the people there. Soon, the trust the two of them had for each other turned into a friendship. Cloud told her of his past then and of Sephiroth and how he had obtained his injures that Keirii had first found him with. Keirii told him of her own people and how she felt of her family always being too busy for her. During those times, she had felt intimidated by her brother because he had gained not only the abilities of a warrior, but also magical abilities. Keirii had shown no signs of such a gift, so her father just looked over her. Before Cloud entered her life, Keirii had no one to consult to, no one to look to for comfort and no one who would see her as she was. Then when Keirii's world had been attacked by the heartless, she had discovered the door in the cave. Cloud said that it was a door that leads to another world. While Cloud defended her from the heartless, Keirii tried to find a way to open the door and get them out of there. But before she could get it open, something came through, what she had learned later was the heartless called a Darkside. Cloud tried to fight it, but he was still recovering from his injuries. The Darkside knocked him unconscious and Keirii found herself defending him. As she cradled Cloud's head on her lap, one arm draped over his chest as she tried to protect him, the Darkside loomed over them, slowly pulling himself out through the door. Keirii had let out a cry and threw up an arm to protect herself. There was a flash of bright blue light and she had heard a terrible roar before she had fell unconscious. When she woke up, she was in Radiant Garden, in the castle infirmary with Cloud lying on a bed next to her. It was then that she met Leon, Aerith and the others. It was also then that she learned that she had a very rare ability among her people; something they called sacred spiritual, or purification, power. And it was with that power that she had killed the Darkside with. With Merlin helping her train with her ability and with Leon and, when he had fully healed, Cloud teaching her how to wield a sword, Keirii slowly became what she was today.

 

Unlike other worlds that had been attacked by heartless, Keirii's world had been spared by being destroyed. The door that she and Cloud had passed through was in a cave near the gates of the castle. That door lead back to her own world. When Keirii returned, her father and blood brother were overjoyed. But when she told them everything that had happened and of her newly found abilities, they had been slightly shocked. Her brother was angry that Keirii had allowed herself to be trained by outsiders and her father said nothing, accepting it although she knew that he didn't want to. Keirii returned to Radiant Garden and she helped Cloud, Leon and the others fight off the heartless and lesser dark lords. Keirii returned to her own world often, but it wasn't the same anymore. Her brother wasn't as warm to her as he use to be and although her father treated her like his daughter, she knew that he greatly disapproved of her comings and goings. And the village seemed to look at her like a traitor, even though they gave her respect because she was the pack leader's daughter. After all, they were Wolfkin, and wanted nothing to do with other worlds.

 

Keirii shook her head sadly. Yes, she was Wolfkin, but she wasn't going to allow their customs tie her down. She was who she was and this destiny was placed before her for her along. As she pulled herself from the memories of the past, she looked up at the tree and said, “A lot has happened, in three years.”

 

“And do you regret any of it?”

 

Keirii turned around slightly and saw Cloud walking over to her. He wore only the sleeveless, high necked, black zip-up sweater, black baggy pants and combat boots; the shoulder guard that usually was on his left shoulder was put up until needed, and the one of a kind sheath he had for his sword wasn't at its usual place on his back. Without the armor and weapon, he looked to be a normal person, not the powerful warrior that he was. She had been so deep in thought and past memories that she didn't even sense him coming. Keirii didn't say anything, only watched as Cloud came up and stood beside her. Looking up at the tree, he said, “I saw you walking over here and decided to see if you were alright.”

 

Keirii nodded and said, “I'm alright.”

 

Cloud looked at her and said, “You're lying.”

 

Keirii looked away, removing her hand slowly from the tree. “So what if I am?”

 

Cloud took her hand and forced her to look up at him. His cobalt blue eyes, with the same glow in them that Keirii had in her own eyes, stared down at her. His eyes glowed because of the Mako that had been pumped into him years ago when he had been used as an experiment and their exchange of blood had put some of that Mako, and his strength, into herself. “Because you know as well as I do that holding stuff in isn't good to you and anyone around you,” he told her.

 

Keirii glared at Cloud and said, “You do, all the time.”

 

“I know, and look at me.”

 

Keirii sighed and pulled away. She looked up at the Life Tree and then hung her head. “I'm scared, for you. I'm scared that Sather will take control of you and drag you fully into darkness.” She spun around and faced him, tears welling in her eyes. “I'm afraid that you'll never find your light.”

 

Cloud stepped forward, but Keirii shook her head. Balling her hands into fists at her sides, she continued. “Sure, you found your light in Tifa, but what about your own light, the light inside of you? Tifa won't always be there, meaning that that light won't always be there. If you don't find the light inside of you sooner than later, you'll be back to where you started.”

 

“I will find it,” Cloud told her.

 

“You said that three years ago.”

 

Cloud opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. Keirii knew that she got him, that she had hit a point. Cloud hung his head and whispered, “I'm trying.”

 

“Well try harder!” Keirii cried. “Why don't you try asking for help, instead of always trying alone?”

 

“No one can help me.”

 

“I can.”

 

Cloud looked up at her, his eyes sad. Keirii nodded and walked over to him. She looked up at him, taking both of his hands in her own. He wasn't wearing the gloves that he usually wore and his hands were rough with callous from wielding a sword for years. Gripping them tightly, she said, “I can try to help you, but I need you to ask me. Remember, I'm your sister, so I will always be there for you. I will always have your back. So ask me and I will help you.”

 

Cloud looked at her and asked softly, “Can you help me, find my light, and make the darkness go away?”

 

Keirii smiled and nodded. “Uh huh,” she said. She wrapped her arms around Cloud tightly and hugged him close.

 

Hugging her back, Cloud asked, “But what if- what if I get pulled back into the darkness?”

 

Keirii, resting her head on his shoulder, said, “Then I'll just pull you out.”

 

Cloud nodded and after a moment, they pulled away. Cloud looked at Keirii and said, “You never answered my question. Do you regret anything that has happened?”

 

Keirii laughed and punched Cloud in the shoulder. “Only making a pact with you,” she said, her violet eyes dancing jokingly. She was relieved to see Cloud smile slightly, glad that he was cheering up a little bit. She hated seeing him sad or depressed. She grinned up at Cloud and said, “You know that I regret nothing.” She reached up and pulled Cloud's pact totem from under his sweater. It was like Keirii's, only that the stone coloring was different; it was black with white swirls. “And why do you hide this? You should be proud to wear it.”

 

“But,” Cloud said with an evil grin, “I don't want people to know that you're my sister. It would be an embarrassment.”

 

Keirii swiped at his head playfully. “You bully.”

 

Cloud laughed and dodged her attack. He pulled her into an embrace again and held her tightly to him. “I am proud to wear it,” he said softly.

 

Keirii smiled and hugged him back just as tightly, the two wolf heads hanging from their necks pressing together. Cloud had changed a little since she had first met him. He seemed happier and less distant from everyone. Only when I can rid the darkness from his heart, will he be truly happy. That's what I want, for him to be happy. Keirii thought of Sather and pressed her face into Cloud's chest. And I will keep my promise.

 

~*~

 

Sora walked through the city with Donald and Goofy. They were talking about things that had happened over the past three years. It was nice to be able to talk to his old friends again, but Sora knew that this wouldn't last long. There was a new evil out there and as soon as they found out where it was, they all had to go out and stop it. Sora sighed after a while and said, “This guy, Sather, seems like he's going to be tough. And the fact that he can control people is going to make it harder.”

 

“Yeah,” Goofy said, “and with Cloud still having darkness in his heart…”

 

“We'll just have to make sure that nothing happens to him,” Donald finished for Goofy.

 

Sora nodded and said, “We're his friends, whether he likes it or… AHH!” Sora let out a yell as something large and furry came out of no where and jumped on him. They rolled back a bit and Sora found himself pinned down by a large dog… no, not a dog, a wolf. It had metallic-like silver fur that was streaked with crystal-like light blue streaks. Its eyes, instead of gold, were a deep violet. And around its neck was a silver chain with a marble wolf's head hanging from it. Sora had a feeling of who this wolf was. “Keirii?” he asked in amazement.

 

The wolf laughed and said, “Pretty good, Sora.” Then she licked him with her large, wet tongue.

 

“Arg!” Sora exclaimed, trying to push the wolf off. “Hey, cut it out!”

 

“Keirii, how many times do I have to tell you? Stop attacking people.”

 

Sora looked up as Keirii the wolf got off of him and walked over to where Cloud stood a few feet away, her brush of a tail wagging. “Aw, come on,” Keirii whined, crouching low in front of the black clad man. “Sora didn't mind, right Sora?”

 

“Yeah,” Sora said, standing up. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, glaring at Keirii. “After I got over my shock.” He walked over to Cloud, where Donald and Goofy were waiting. His two buddies looked at each other before bursting into laughter. Keirii, with her tongue lolling out in a wolfish grin, stood beside Cloud, her shoulders a bit past his elbows. Sora looked at Keirii and said, “I didn't know that you could turn into a wolf.”

 

“Yeah,” Keirii said, sitting down and scratching behind a large ear with her hind foot. “All Wolfkin can. That's what makes us who we are.”

 

“So, why are you a wolf now?”

 

Keirii lowered her foot and pointed up with her nose. “It's the day of the full moon. I get stuck as a wolf for the whole day and night.”

 

“That must stink,” Sora said.

 

“Not really,” Keirii said, with a shrug, “My powers are still strong as a wolf, only I just can't summon my sword. The night of a full moon is the best time of the month for a Wolfkin. We get all pumped, playful and excited and we sing all night long. Plus, I can get stuff from Cloud with my puppy look.”

 

Sora laughed as Cloud glared at Keirii. With the look Cloud was giving Keirii, Sora guessed that the wolf was right. He couldn't help but think that it seemed unbelievable that Cloud still had darkness in his heart. Maybe not as much as before, Sora thought to himself, but it's still there, just waiting for the opportune moment to take Cloud over.

 

Keirii looked up at Cloud, her tail thumping the ground and then she froze. Cloud looked as Keirii, his glare turning into a frown of worry as the wolf sat ridged, every hair on her body standing. Sora looked at Cloud, beginning to worry as well, and was about to ask what was wrong with her when Keirii sprang to her feet, snarling. “Donald, Goofy,” Keirii growled, “go get Leon and King Mickey and tell them to meet us at the castle postern as quickly as they can.”

 

Donald and Goofy didn't ask questions and they ran off to find Leon and the king. Sora looked at Keirii and asked, “What is it?”

 

“Come with me,” was all Keirii said before tearing off. Cloud ran after her and Sora went after him. They caught up with Keirii as they raced through the city. “You're both too slow,” Keirii said, skidding to a stop. “Get on.”

 

Sora wondered what she meant until Cloud jumped onto the wolf's back. Sora got on behind him and Keirii took off again. They raced though the city, faster than Sora ever imagined. Keirii jumped railings and didn't even bother with the steps down to the borough from the market place. She jumped over the railing and Sora watched with horror as they neared the ground twenty feet below. Keirii landed with ease and didn't stop. She made it out of the city and into the gorge. She jumped ledges and large boulders, never slowing down the speed she was doing. They got to the castle postern and Keirii stopped. Sora looked ahead of them and he saw a lone, black and metal clad man standing at the railing of the postern, his back to them, looking out over the gray cliffs that surrounded the castle. He had long silver hair and one black wing on his back. He recognized the man instantly, having met this man three years ago in this very spot.

 

“Sephiroth!” Cloud exclaimed, jumping off Keirii's back. He ran at the man, drawing out his sword. “You died! I killed you!”

 

Sephiroth turned and faced Cloud, who stopped half way across the postern. He sneered and said coolly, “Hardly. You still have a long way to go yet, Cloud. Besides, I haven't killed you yet.”

 

“But I didn't feel your presence anymore,” Cloud said, holding his sword out in front of him.

 

“Because I didn't allow you to,” Sephiroth told him.

 

Sora got off of Keirii and the wolf sprang ahead. Calling his Keyblade to him, Sora stood at Cloud's right, Keirii at his left. “We're here for you Cloud,” Sora told him.

 

Keirii crouched slightly, her fangs bared and she was snarling deep in her throat. “You're the one who put the darkness in my brother's heart, who had nearly killed him,” she whispered fiercely. Then she lunged at Sephiroth. “You will die!”

 

Sephiroth chuckled and with a sweep of his hand, he stopped Keirii in mid-air. “Please,” Sephiroth said, “don't make me laugh. A Wolfkin, defeat me?” Then he sent Keirii flying back to the entrance of the postern. Keirii crashed to the ground with a loud cry.

 

Sora raised his Keyblade, but before he could attack, Sephiroth swept his hand at Sora. Sora, too, found himself thrown back, hitting the ground hard. With a groan, he stood up and Keirii struggled to her feet.

 

“Damn you!” Cloud yelled and he lunged at Sephiroth. Sephiroth blocked Cloud's attack with his impossibly long sword and the fight began. Sora tried to run out to help, but he slammed into an invisible barrier. Beside him, Keirii slammed into it as well. With a snarl, the wolf jumped back and then rammed into the barrier with her shoulder. She continued to ram into the barrier, snarling angrily, the blacks of her eyes glowing red. The sight of the raging wolf made the hair on the back of Sora's neck stand on end.

 

Hearing footsteps behind him, Sora turned to see Donald and Goofy running towards them, followed by Mickey, Leon and Riku. They stopped and stared at the battle that was going on in the barrier. Mickey glared at the silver haired man fighting Cloud. “That's Sephiroth!” he exclaimed.

 

“But I thought Cloud said that he killed him?” Goofy asked in bewilderment.

 

“Sephiroth said that he didn't,” Sora said, turning back to look at the battle. He watched as Cloud kept dealing blows at Sephiroth, his eyes glowing with anger. Although Sephiroth was doing everything he could to block Cloud's attacks, the man was smiling wickedly. Sora saw him glace over at them… no, at the raging wolf beside Sora.

 

Riku must have notice Sephiroth's glace because he looked at Keirii, who was still throwing herself at the barrier, getting angrier and angrier by the moment. He looked at Leon and exclaimed, “We have to stop her and try to calm her down. Her anger is making Cloud lose concentration.”

 

“No,” Mickey said, worriedly, “They are feeding each others anger. The pact they have allows them to sometimes share feelings. Right now, Keirii's wolf rage is sending Cloud into a rage as well, causing him not to be able to fully concentrate. If Keirii was in her human form, it would be different. She would be giving him strength and she also wouldn't allow herself to become this enraged.”

 

“So that's why Sephiroth showed up now,” Sora said, clicking everything together in his mind. “He knew that this would happen and if he could get Keirii angry enough, it would affect Cloud.”

 

Leon went over to Keirii and when the wolf stepped back for another attack at the barrier, he wrapped his arms tightly around her neck. “Keirii, stop,” he said as she struggled to break away, “You'll only hurt yourself and you're not helping Cloud.”

 

Keirii stopped struggling and she stood there, shuddering, breathing heavily. Leon slowly let go of her, backing away slowly in case she tried again, but the wolf stood there. Riku took Leon's place beside Keirii and crouched down, resting a hand on her neck. Keirii didn't give any sign that she noticed Riku. She stood there, snarling softly at Sephiroth, her eyes still glowing. They all watched, helplessly, as Cloud slashed at Sephiroth, who still continued to block every one of Cloud's attacks. Cloud seemed more focused now, but he was exhausted from the rage he had gone though. Sephiroth found an opening and took it. He slashed at Cloud, cutting into his side. Blood hit the ground and Cloud dropped to his knees, holding his side to stop the blood. Keirii let out a snarl that sent a cold wave of fear down Sora's spine and he noticed that Riku's hand on her neck gripped tightly at her ruff.

 

“I could finish you right here,” Sephiroth said softly, pointing his sword at Cloud's heart. “But, unfortunately, now is not the time. You and your friends want answers? Then go to the Dark Castle in the Dark Lands. I believe that you will find what you are seeking there.” Then Sephiroth stepped back, was swallowed into a black portal and he was gone.

 

The barrier fell and Keirii rushed forward. She went in front of Cloud and whined. Cloud looked up at her and lifted his hand to her neck, the other still holding his side. Sora rushed to Cloud's wounded side and moved his hand. Sora rested his hand over the wound and muttered, “Cura.” There was a soft glow of green light from his hand and Cloud's wound healed. Keirii caressed Cloud's face with her tongue gently, still whimpering deep in her throat. Gripping the wolf's ruff around her neck, Cloud pulled himself up. Supporting himself with one hand on Keirii's shoulder, he bent down and lifted up his sword. He sheathed it, and then leaned against Keirii for support. “He's alive,” Cloud muttered in disbelief, “I can't believe that he's still alive.

 

Keirii growled in her throat, and then let out a soft whine when Cloud rested a hand on her head, gently rubbing her between her ears.

 

“So now what do we do?” Donald asked.

 

Sephiroth just told us where we will find Sather,” Leon said, “As to where that place is, well, we'll have to find that out on our own.”

 

“Let's get into the castle,” Mickey said, “and try to find the answers there.”

 

Sora nodded and looked at Cloud. “You'll be alright?” he asked.

 

Cloud nodded and said, “I'll be alright.”

 

Keirii looked at Sora, her eyes normal again. “You all go on ahead. We'll catch up.”

 

Sora nodded and then he and the others headed into the castle. Seeing the look on everyone's faces, Sora knew that they were all thinking the same thing he was.

 

Sephiroth being alive changed everything.

 

~*~

 

“So, you told them where to go?”

 

Sephiroth stood behind the black cloaked man who called himself Sather. He really disliked this man, but if he was willing to be rid of the Keyblade wielder, then Sephiroth will deal with him, for now. “Yes,” he told Sather, “They will be heading this way any time now.”

 

“And what about Strife? You have unsettled him?”

 

“Yes, he shouldn't be a problem when the time comes. Gaining control over him should be easy.”

 

Sather chuckled under his hood. “Wonderful. Once I have control of his heart, I will have him kill his friends, one by one, and have him kill his sister and the Keyblade wielder last. And when I release my control over him, his heart will be in such agony at the sight of his slaughtered friends, especially of his sister, that you shouldn't have a problem in destroying him.”

 

Sephiroth smiled, thinking that this man might not be as bad as he thought. “That would be a pleasure, seeing his heart and soul twisted with pain, before I end his life.”

 

Sather turned and faced Sephiroth, who couldn't see any part of his face except glowing yellow eyes. Sephiroth felt his body shudder slightly at the sight of those eyes. “Yes,” Sather said softly, “that would be a pleasure. I will enjoy his death, as well as the death of Sora.”