Fractured Twilight {KH Fanfic/Boy Of Choice}

Chapter XXXIII

Ember woke up with a jolt, her body feeling cold to the point she couldn't feel her hands or feet. With a rigid strain she lifted her head to realize she was bound standing up, metal restraints holding her by her hands. Ember got a good look at her situation. She was constrained by a metal platform, one with metal locks to bound the user by hands, feet, and even a belt across the waist. She was pinned with arms over her head and spread apart as well as her legs, ensuring the prisoner had no means to grab anything. Ember bit her bottom lip and her eyes darted to the front of her.

There she noticed Ventus and Vanitas in the same predicament. Ventus was diagonal from her, and Vanitas was just across. The darkness seemed to have simmered down as he was in plain view with his head hanging low. Ember could only frown when she realized he was unconscious, probably exhausted from his outburst.

"Lynn!" Ventus hissed, tugging on the restraints eagerly.

Ember sighed with relief as her attention was to him now. "I hope you're overall okay."

"Overall yeah, I was barely hurt. But you! You were blasted!"

Ember chuckled with light amusement. "I kinda earned that honestly. I was biting off more than I could chew." Her amusement soon ceased as her expression turned grave. "So... Where are we?"

Ventus bit his bottom lip, giving Ember a sign that the situation they were in wasn't pleasant. "We're still in the Keyblade Graveyard but in a castle pretty far from where we were."

Ember fumed. "Did you... Train here?"

"Yeah... If I didn't have to pick up Vanitas's slack I would be more scared. This place brings back nightmares."

"Is there a way to escape?"

"No. Just like the magic in the Organizations prison cells these restraints are similar. You'll get really hurt if you try to use your power."

Ember scowled. They had to wait for rescue unless she could somehow trick Xehanort into letting them go. Her thoughts slipped her mind and simply wouldn't stick as she shivered from the cold, any possible ideas not available to her. She was grateful Ventus was actively talking as last time they encountered Xehanort he froze and caused quite the disturbance.

"So there's nothing we can do but... Talk." She let out a sigh.

Ember noticed Ventus shiver as he twitched momentarily. "I-I'm sure you have questions..."

"Yup. What was the purpose of sending the Unversed to Barren Light?"

Ventus didn't hesitate to answer, his reply so eager Ember could only assume he wanted to defend his other half. "I don't know all the details, but I do know Vanitas was forced into it. Xemnas already had his eyes on you and sent a few Heartless and Nobodies there... Which I can only assume was to create you, a strong heart to use to his advantage. You probably didn't know the difference between Heartless, Nobodies, and Unversed at the time but I know all three were there at one point or another. Anyway... Xehanort noticed the Organizations plans to create that strong heart and he snuck in and hoped to obtain you."

Ember blinked with surprise. "And you knew this?"

Ventus did what he could of a shrug. "I knew that during training Xehanort would force Vanitas to create the Unversed and then send them through different portals almost every night for... For a while."

Ember was in disbelief. "Do you know how many monsters we had to fight every night?!"

Ventus was unfazed by her aggressive tone and kept a neutral face. "I know. Do you know how much pain Vanitas was in making them night after night?" He looked away shamefully. "And all I could do was sit there and watch..."