Fractured Twilight {KH Fanfic/Boy Of Choice}

Chapter XLIII

Ember didn't have time to mourn. She didn't have time to feel betrayed or hurt. Due to Luxord interrupting she was behind schedule and could only hope the others were still clinging on. She was determined to see this through until the end and she pushed the painful distress out of her head in order to focus on her true task.

Ember stepped out of the portal, giving her body a few shakes in an attempt to wiggle the stress away. Axel noticed her behavior and placed yet another comforting hand on her shoulder, shaking her a bit himself hoping he could take any sort of stress away. She shot him a grateful glance to him, but her attention quickly turned back to the sight in front of her.

Xemnas's artificial Kingdom Hearts; something that was supposed to be a heart shaped moon was no more. Now, it was almost like a gaping hole in space as it indeed had the shape of a heart, but an empty void filled its contents as if it was destroyed somehow. Ember stared at it with inquisitiveness, and Axel finally filled the silence with an explanation.

"Xemnas's failed Kingdom Hearts. It was doomed to fail from the beginning. His idea to create one true heart from this thing was stupid. His original, Ansem, already attempted studies of the heart and had nothing to show for it. I guess his obsession continued to his Nobody and yet again... Failed."

Ember continued to stare at the futile abomination. For one to create a true heart was impossible. No amount of tools or ingredients could create true emotion, true feelings, or a true heart.  With a deep sigh Ember faced Axel and allowed her determination to fester.

"We need to get this done."

As if defeated Axel raised his arms up at the elbow and bowed his head. "As you wish."

She smiled all the sudden, reaching out to him and wrapping her arms around him in an embrace. Her head rested on his chest, and Axel returned the embrace eagerly. "We'll unpack everything once it's over. For now, I'm okay."

She reassured him, knowing he would be worried for her mental health. However Ember did her best to disregard his concern for now, showing him she could handle what awaited them. When they released Ember immediately focused on her job and she approached the edge of the tower, peering down with tension.

She was higher up than she anticipated, the tower was quite literally towering over the rest of the castle. Her current position was the highest point of the castle, one that loomed over everything else. Ember could only assume it was not only a position closest to the sky, but to assert dominance over the others. A tower to signify leadership and power, Xemnas's true status within the Organization.

Ember took a deep breath in and held it, peeking over her shoulder briefly to inform Axel she was ready. With one last curt nod Ember stepped onto the edge of the platform and did her best to steady her pounding heart. She knew she would be safe, and Axel would teleport her to safety before she reached the ground. However even with that thought her nerves her overwhelming.

'If you can leap out of a window you can leap from this ledge.' She encouraged herself with one last deep breath.

She finally allowed herself to plummet off the edge.

Ember ensured not to let her anxiety stop her, and as she fell head first down the side of the tower she stretched out her arm for her fingertips to scrape the side. As gravity took its toll and she fell the cracks followed swiftly, expanding all throughout the tower like an egg. Ember smiled to herself as she noticed the portal just underneath her. Axel was watching out from afar, and in a blink she had teleported to another location of the castle; still falling.

Ember continued the plan and ran her hands down the sides of the castle. To her surprise the actual walls of the castle were replaced with windows, and she found herself able to peer inside. She was able to recognize Twilights View, the area Xigbar took her to so a giant Heartless could retrieve her heart. She grimaced at the memory, but her expression faltered quickly as she noticed multiple figures dashing about inside.