Kingdom Hearts: Army Of The Roses

An Inquisition

    Boot to stone, my echo shadowed my decent. Through dim light I shuffled, step by step I lowered to the Blacksmith's Dungeon.

    It was I who saw them, not did their pale eyes grace my own; they hid beneath a veil as their head stayed the forge. Not grazing their nature was a thorn I found in my side: not seeing their soul and thereby intention was what I found more begrudging. Nonetheless did I creep at the depths of their vision, yet they clearly knew I came.

"I don't believe we've truly met." A lilt had brushed my ear; such one I'd felt caress my mind, bringing tranquility to worried clutter it cleared the weight I once heaved through my days. This was the voice of the angel. However, it harbored within itself this calmant — nought but a sedative to ease the vigilant. I tarnished this temptation and kept my worries to myself, 'twas a heavy choice.

"Aye, I thought it time we spoke." I held still.

"I know what you are going to say." Shepherd did not raise their eye, despite how close I stepped.

"Then I've no need to waste my breath." Their hammer fell silent and their back straightened, they were tall however I'd expect no less from divinity.

"I came," Shepherd spoke quickly. "In search of a demon; a harbinger of Darkness and blood."

    I took their words with no more than a grain of salt: I came for a confession and would leave with no more effort than words, an uttering of what they once hid with no pain is one I could not trust.

"Tell me more."

"Its name is Odūn, it conjures Heartless, to an extent Nobodies, where it travels." A sudden chill crept across my back. As I grew anxious a sorrowful dread suffocated me, I asked more.

"You describe to me a demon, why here?"

"I believe it's no more a powerful Heartless itself. As for here: I last felt it come here. That is how I knew where to find this domain." Their words were now nails. I felt it painful to continue this inquisition when they could simply tell me it all — at once. However social cues were not their speciality.

"Why did you bluntly strike us without warning?" My voice grew plain.

"I myself have never seen Odūn. I'd sensed it was once you, but when you fell so easily," his words drilled into my pride, "I moved on. To 'Caelum' I went, yet he also fell too, though to not lie he's still within my suspicion. After, I kept searching, eventually I saw it fitting to meet you all." They held their tongue for that is when they fell, and subsequently lost their divine status.

I nodded slightly.

"I think I got all I've came for." I stepped away from the forge's glow. Before I left though, I couldn't stand not asking.

"Hm, why is it you squealed so easily?"

    They raised their hammer once.

"Why would I need to lie?" They asked.

    I sighed, that answer did not sate my hunger. With narrowed eyes, I turned and left as an anvil boomed.