Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep: Return (Completed)

Chapter 8 The old Man

"Darkness is rising like a tide."

"Light is fading faster with each rising sunrise."

"But, shall shine brightly when casted in shadows."

'Voices? But whoms?'

With a sharp jolt Azura's eyes flashed open. Az groaned as she sat up with sharp hiss she rubbed her head. The forest was quiet no sounds came.

Standing up her left hand rested her arm. Which didn't ache. 'Strange?' Removing her hand then cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted.

"Ven... Mickey?!"

"I'm afraid lass... I am neither a Ven or a Mickey." She jumped to see a old man standing behind her. Curved cane in his left hand it had purple gem. The man has graying red hair and gray eyes.

"Who.... who are.. you?" She stared as he laughed. "Just a friend passing through." He chuckled. "Lass.. call me Lumen." He walked up to her until he stood next to her.

Lumen looked old but yet young still, which she found strange. His gray eyes gazed ahead of him blank far off look.

"So... do you know where we are?" She asked hesitant of what he would say. He didn't say well... anything for awhile he just gaze ahead of them.

"Azura. What do you think this place is?" He asked her but didn't move. She blinked unsure of the question. "Well.. it a.. forest of some kind. Plus no animals around." He hummed as she replied.

"You are not wrong. This place is a forest. This place has been called has many things over the years."

He closed his eyes and name the names. "Forest of Silence."

"The Forest of Memory."

"Lost Forest."

"Forest of Dreams but most of us know it as The Forest of Fate."

Azura looked around before fixing her eyes Lumen. "Why all those names?" She asked gazing around the woods.

Lumen chuckled. "The Lost Forest use to be part of a world long ago. Back then it was known as The Fated Forest."

He sat down on a stump. Az follow suit not taking her eyes off the trees. "They day the forest holds magic. It would show you what you desire or it would show you the future."

Azura could picture this places not dark and with more sunlight. "Something happened didn't it?" He nodded. "The legend went a person walked into the forest when they asked it to show them their fate. It did. Outrage they cast it and who ever was living in the forest to oblivion."

Azura gulped. " Before the forest was gone there kids escaped. The story goes each one given a gift from the forest."

Azura fiddled with her hands. "So this place doesn't exist?" He laughed. "No it doesn't not in your world. This place is limbo. Where parts sleep others don't."

Lumen fixed his eyes on the young girl. "Others who claim to have been here come because they lost something or they seek out their dreams." Raising his arms up. "Lost things and people come here until they find what they seek."

Looking at her. "You should go it's not time for you to come." She blinked at him opening then closing her mouth, "wh-what?... how do you know all of this?"

He laughed stand up. "Takes these back with you. They are Gemstones that will come in handy. They will transport you to worlds and protect you. Keep them safe they are valuable."

Reaching out his hand touched her necklace. "The let our paths cross again." He removed his hand.

Turning to leave. He stopped she bit her lip then. "Don't worry I'm real and looks like part of that your seeking has found you." He walk off waving as things blurred voices echoed once more and she padded out.

"A storm of trails lay ahead."

"Yet only when one light fades away victory shall shine brightly in the end."

"Now.. Awaken... Awaken.... AWAKEN!"

Azura hook her head and found herself in the lanes between. 'Was it a dream?' She looked at two gems in her hand. 'This.. was weird.'