Child Of Promises

Chapter twelve

The trio run out of the bar just as a massive wall of water flows after them, screams and gargling noises following soon after. After the water stops, Roxas, Axel and Xion jerk around and take in the site of the water logged building, Axel and Xion with scowls, Roxas with astonishment before he groans.

'Really?! I couldn't get a break from this for more than two days?!' He screams internally.

Axel grabs Roxas' arm and books it around the corner, "come on! We need to get away from the water!" He exclaims through gritted teeth, eyes narrowed as he focuses on running.

"Wait! What about-?!"

"She can handle it! We need to get you out of here!" Axel snaps.

Large wooden walls come up and surround them, blocking their escape. A man with short blue hair and a black cloak appears from a dark purple and black portal with a large tome in his arm, a stoic expression on his face.

"Hand him over, Axel." The man says firmly, as if Axel had stolen a toy and was refusing to put it back.

"Like hell Zexion! He's only a human!" Axel replies with venom. The now named Zexion sighs forlornly.

"According to other witness' this is not so. The superior is getting tired of your procrastination, Axel."

"Axel? What is he talking about?" Roxas says, beginning to panic.

"Nothing, he's just being a stuck up prick," the red head growls.

"You accuse me with such vulgarity number eight? ...very well, if you won't cooperate..." Zexion mutters something under his breath and the air becomes heavier, causing Axel and Roxas to tense. Roxas gets pushed behind the taller man and the blond looks up at him, his jaw dropping when Axel's eyes literally begin smoldering and his teeth grow into sharp fangs.

"Stay behind me," Axel tells him, or more like he growls at him. Roxas' heart starts pounding in his chest as he instinctively turns, standing back to back with his best friend.

Those same grey demons from before surface out of the ground, writhing and hissing and making Roxas get a severe case of deja vu. He twists his head wildly, trying to find a point of escape but they are completely surrounded.

He sees Zexion wave his hand out of the corner of his eye and the dusks lunge. Roxas automatically drops to the ground and a ring of fire explodes above his head, hitting all of the dusks and causing them to jerk back with a hiss of anger. A ball of flames appear under each of Axel's hands and red spiked disks flash into existance, the lean man dropping into a deceptively lazy stance with a smirk.

Zexion chants again and the flames diminish. The dusks go to attack again and Axel snarls, emerald eyes blazing like hot coals as he throws one of the disks at one of them, hitting the grey monster and causing it to evaporate in a puff of smoke. He does a rapid succession of  throwing the disks, each time the weapons returning to his hands as if he has a string of some sort attached them; though Roxas knows there isn't.

A dusk slips by Axel's defenses and grabs Roxas from behind, causing Roxas to yelp in fright as he gets pulled out of reach, "Axel!"

Axel whips around, visibly grinding his teeth as he tries to look for an opening to get Roxas away. The rest of the dusks take the opportunity and swarm him, drawing his attention back to them as the blond gets whisked towards Zexion and a waiting portal. A wave of water disrupts this plan however and washes the dusk away with a hiss from Roxas' back.

Zexion glares behind Roxas as Axel whoops in relief, "Xi! Great timing!"

Roxas looks over and sees Demyx standing there, but there appears to be something off with him. Roxas realizes what it might be when Demyx begins playing his Sitar with a blank face, almost like he is in some kind of trance.

Another wave of water and the rest of the dusks get washed away, Zexion's spell breaking along with them. Xion strolls up behind Demyx, her eyes an ethereal white and a triumphant smirk on her face.

"Number thirteen, what are you doing? Release Demyx now!"

Xion's smirk gets wider, "What's the matter Zexy? Pissed that I took your little fishy away?"

Zexion scowls, clutching his book tighter to his chest, "a very low move Xion..." he suddenly grins, "but two can play that game..."

Roxas feels his limbs lock up, causing him to stand stiff similar to a soldier standing at attention. His facial muscles relax against his will and he stands completely motionless.

'What the holy hell?!' He thinks, but his lips are unable to voice it.

"Roxas, I command you to reveal your true nature and attack her," Zexion says.

The headache that Roxas has had all night begins to intensify, along with a burning sensation in his chest that he has only felt in his dreams. His head begins a steady throb, making Roxas wonder absently if this is like what a door feels like when it gets hammered on incessantly. Zexion frowns, looking at Roxas in confusion, "What is-"

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"

Roxas drops to the ground on his knees, fingers weaving through his spikes and pulling so hard that some of the follicles get ripped out. He thinks he might hear Axel and Xion yelling his name in alarm, but he can't be sure. All he hears is his own screaming and pain and don't let it out no...!

Black smog leeches out of his skin, surrounding his body like a shell. Feathery wings made of black shadow form on his back and sharp black claws grow on his fingers, cutting into his skin and making inky rivulets run down his face. The darkness around him solidifies and breaks like a cocoon and Roxas rises to his feet, standing tall, the darkness disappearing to show pale white skin, pitch black hair and cold gold irises.

Roxas' mind fuzzes, and everything goes black as the new form takes over.