Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Kingdom Hearts: Spirit of the Guardian ❯ Heartless Rising ( Prologue )

“Uh oh!” Sora exclaimed, coming up behind Riku. “Somebody is looking mopey again!”

 

Riku turned his head and glared at Sora over his shoulder before looking back across the sea. In his hand he held an opened envelope and a folded piece of paper that had writing on one side that had been done in a neat and delicate hand. Riku had been happy, like he usually was, when the mail delivery Moogle had handed him the letter that morning. Riku was always happy to receive letters from Keirii, even though it was only two a week. He and Keirii had been, what Sora called it, an “official couple” since the day Keirii showed up at the Destiny Islands to see him, when he thought that she had died. Riku closed his eyes at that, thinking back several months ago when he had been standing on this very spot, staring out at the vast ocean. Keirii had come up behind him and the sound of her voice as she said his name had brought tears to his eyes. He couldn't believe it when he had turned around and saw the woman he loved standing there, alive and whole. He only believed it when she had kissed him. That reunion had been the last time he had seen her.

 

Riku opened his eyes and looked back at the letter. He and Keirii had been keeping touch through letters and the occasional hologram communication, which was when he was able to see her face, and sometimes Yuffie's before Keirii shoved the young ninja away. But this letter was what seemed like the worst that he had ever received from her. He started to read the letter again, hoping that he imagined everything that he had read before, but, of course, he hadn't imagined any of it:

 

Riku, I'm sorry, but I have some bad news. I, along with Cloud and Tifa, have to do something for the king. I wish that I could tell you, but we can't even tell Leon and the others what we have to do. All I can say is that it's going to tie us down quite a bit, meaning that I'll won't be able to write for a couple, if not several, weeks. I feel really bad about dropping this onto you though a letter, but I had no time. But don't worry about me. I'll be perfectly fine, as long as I have Cloud and Tifa with me. I also promise to come and see you as soon as I can. I know that I said Leon probably won't let me go `cause all the crap I have to do here and not counting the fact that my father is beginning to get testy with the fact that you are the one I chose as a mate and so on… but anyway, I will come and see you as soon as I'm done. I promise. And again, I'm going to tell you not to worry about me, although you probably will. Give my love to Sora and Kairi and I love you Riku. I'll see you sooner than you think.

 

Riku sighed as he folded the letter again. Keirii was right; he was worried. He had no idea what was going on and why King Mickey didn't want him or anyone else to know what Keirii, Cloud and Tifa were doing. Riku couldn't help but worry about her, and he knew that he would until he knew that she was safe.

 

Sora came up beside him and for a moment, Riku had forgotten that his best friend had been behind him. “What's going on, Riku?” Sora asked him, the goofiness gone. Riku handed him the letter to read and Sora took it, a questioning look on his face. Sora read it and as he did, his blue eyes got wider. When he finished, he looked back up at Riku and said, “Man, this… sucks! No wonder you look depressed.”

 

Riku took the letter back, folded it and stuck it in his pants pocket. He nodded to Sora and said, “I can't help but worry. Keirii died once, but was given a second chance to live again. I don't think that she'll get another chance if she dies again.”

 

Sora nodded and he looked out across the ocean. The setting sun sat on the horizon, making the water seem a golden color. “She'll be fine,” he told Riku. “She's pretty tough and she's smart too. I'm sure nothing will happen to her. And besides, she made you a promise and from what Cloud's told me, she's pretty serious when it comes to promises.”

 

Riku nodded again, but the worry didn't go away. He made himself push it back into the back of his mind. He knew that he couldn't dwell on it, not while he had things to do here. He had almost half a year of school left and the work was piled high because of the few weeks he, Sora and Kairi had missed when they had to go help Leon and the others take out Sather. That had been several months ago, but the work pile just seemed to get bigger. And it didn't help that it was their last year either. Riku knew that if he didn't have to bother with school, he would be living at the castle at Radiant Garden, the world where Leon, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Cid, Yuffie and occasionally Keirii lived. Keirii stayed at the castle for most of the time, but she usually returned to her home world for a week or so. Keirii was a Wolfkin; a human who had the ability to transform into a wolf. She was also the daughter of the leader of her tribe, but her father hardly noticed her and her brother wanted nothing to do with her, so that was why she spent most of her time in Radiant Garden. Keirii had her own duties there, so that was why she couldn't come to the Destiny Islands to stay with Riku. The two of them had their own duties and matters to deal with, so they had to deal with not being able to see one another during long periods of time. It sucked and Riku didn't have to like it, but he was willing to put up with it as long as Keirii was.

 

Riku sighed and turned to look at Sora. “So, any news from Leon or Cid?” he asked.

 

Sora shook his head. “None right now. Last time I heard from them, things were fine back at Radiant Garden. Cid's got the security system up and running and the heartless are a minimum and little to none nobodies have been seen. But,” Sora turned and looked at Riku, a serious look on his face. “Sephiroth's been making some appearances throughout the town. Cid's caught sight of him a few times on the town's defense grid, but every time Cloud heads over to where he was spotted, he's gone and Cid can't find him anywhere. That's the only thing that has everyone there worried.”

 

“Do you think that where ever Keirii, Cloud and Tifa went has something to do with Sephiroth?” Riku asked him.

 

Sora shrugged slightly and said, “Dunno… maybe… only why would King Mickey want to keep it a secret between the four of them?”

 

“Yeah,” Riku said, “you're right… damn! I hate not knowing anything!”

 

Sora laughed and placed a hand on Riku's shoulder. “I do too, but listen to Keirii and don't worry about it. I know that she would have said something otherwise, even if the King didn't want her to.”

 

Riku nodded and then he turned towards the dock. “Let's head back to the main island. If you're the same as me, you have a ton of homework to do.”

 

Sora groaned as he followed Riku. “You're right about that. Man, if my mom wasn't so persistent, I would have just quit school already.”

 

Riku laughed and got Sora into a headlock, his mood lifting. “I know what you mean. I would have quit school too if I didn't know that my dad would kill me when I did.”

 

Sora tugged his head free and grinned. “We're heroes of the entire universe and we are still being tied down by our parents.”

 

“That's life,” Riku said with a shrug. “Looks like we have to deal with it.

 

~*~

 

Tsumetai, leader of the Artic Wolf Tribe, stood at the cliff's edge, the snow crusted around his booted feet. He was young for a leader, twenty-five years old, and had been leader since he was fifteen when his father, the pervious leader, died. Many other older wolves had faced Tsumetai to try to take the leadership, but he beat them all down. He had become the most famed and well known leader of the Artic Tribe. He stood about five foot, ten inches tall, had wildly spiked hair and deep blue-green eyes. Like his race of Wolfkin, his hair was as white as snow and his skin slightly dark. He wore white rabbit fur over his normal clothing to keep out the cold and he had a long bladed sword at his back in an ice-blue sheath, the hilt wrapped in the same colored leather.

 

He tilted his head back and looked up at the sky. The moon was half full and glowing brightly. He breathed in the cold air and then allowed his body to change. In moments, he was a white wolf with uniquely blue-green eyes. He lifted him head, pointing his nose to the sky, and howled, long and deep. Nearby, another wolf howled and then another. Soon the cold artic sky was filled with wolf song.

 

Suddenly, a howl or two were cut off by yelping cries. They grew louder and Tsumetai lowered his head, ears moving as he tried to find where the cries were coming from. He lunged forward, soring from the cliff to land on the ground below. He ran as fast as he could towards the source of the cries. He ran into a ravine and skidded to a stop. He stared in horror at the sight before him.

 

One of his own was lying on snow soaked with blood. Standing over the fallen wolf was a black wolf with pupil-less, glowing yellow eyes. As Tsumetai watched, the shadow wolf thrust its fangs into the other wolf's chest and ripped out its heart. The heart glowed and then it dissolved into the shadow wolf's body. Then the wolf turned its head and faced Tsumetai, its glowing eyes emotionless. Surprise went through him as Tsumetai recognized the wolf, although he wasn't what he use to be. The black wolf that stood before him was Tulane, who had vanished during a hunt a few days ago. Tsumetai stepped forward, hoping that Tulane would recognize him, but the wolf let out a growl and lunged at the Artic Tribe leader. Tsumetai dodged the attack, returning to his human form as he did so. He reached over his shoulder to the sword that reappeared at his back, gripping the hilt with his hand. He unsheathed the sword and spun around to face the shadow wolf that was lunging at him again. He swung his sword up, slashing the creature in half. The wolf let out an odd squeal as it exploded into black vapor and vanished. Tsumetai turned and walked over to his fallen comrade, sword held at his side. He noticed that the once white wolf was beginning to turn black and the golden, lifeless eyes were beginning to lose the pupil. With sorrow in his heart, Tsumetai raised his blade again and took off the dead wolf's head. Only then did the change stop.

 

Tsumetai looked up at the sound of approaching wolves. Three white wolves entered the ravine and stared in horror at the dead wolf and then at Tsumetai with the blade of his sword having blood of the dead wolf on it.

 

“I had to,” Tsumetai said softly, “He was about to turn into whatever it was that attacked him.”

 

One wolf stepped forward and sniffed the dead wolf. She let out a soft snarl, peeling her lips back to reveal her fangs. “There's hardly a scent to him now,” she said, “just like that shadow wolf that attacked Justi. That thing had no scent.”

 

Tsumetai crouched down and wiped off his blade in the snow. Sheathing it afterwards, he looked at the female, Kida, and asked, “Is he alright?”

 

Kida nodded and looked at the two other wolves behind her. “Justi was fine, but sadly, Cole was not. The thing killed him before we got there. It had…” She shuddered slightly and Tsumetai noticed that the two other wolves shifted uneasily. “It had… ripped out his heart and absorbed it. We killed the thing, but when we turned around, Cole's body was gone. Maybe he turned into whatever that thing was and disappeared.”

 

Tsumetai nodded and then he sighed deeply. “This is serious,” he said sternly. “We must inform the council that there is a danger that walks among us again.” He stood and nodded to the two males behind Kida. “The two of you spread the word, starting with Lord Zion. We will meet in the territory of the Mountain Tribe. That is the most central place so the other tribes can get there quickly. “Now go!”

 

The two wolves nodded and ran off. Tsumetai then turned and headed back towards the village, Kida behind him. The female changed back to her human form and trotted forward to walk beside him. She was close to his age, and only a few inches shorter than he was. “May I speak freely?” she asked, shaking her short white hair from her eyes.

 

Tsumetai looked at her and smiled. “Of course you can,” he told her. “I'm not stiff with custom like the other tribe leaders.”

 

Kida smiled slightly and nodded. She then got serious again and asked, “Do you have any idea what is happening?”

 

Tsumetai shook his head and looked ahead. “Not exactly, but I do have an idea.”

 

“What is it?”

 

Tsumetai stopped and turned to face her. “The heartless,” he said. “I believe that the heartless have returned and this time, they are going to be stronger.”