Kingdom Hearts: Army Of The Roses

A Fragment

The walls, the floor, everything before me and behind me were all lost to the ivory void of Aether. Though not everything was lost in this empty space: I found myself atop an old chair, to my right sat another, before me was a patch of wood and after that a lone window did hover.

I situated myself and found it a hassle to be comfortable but I did find ease in the familiarity of its discomfort. Slipping from its glove, my bare hand felt down its smoother wood, its varnish was a lighter oak soaked with a red hue yet was still smooth to the touch despite its age — of my right, the chair was similar if not a little smaller. The patch — spaced a meter forth of my feet — was of a worn wood, yet ultimately nothing special. The window beyond it held more interest: despite the air holding nothing, the patter of rain could be seen battering it.

I... had remembered this much for a reason. Though I couldn't remember why but I was here and remembered I had to do... something. Then with a spin of mental brilliance I remembered I had to remember more.

My eyes fell shut. I only felt this uncomfortable comforting chair in the darkness.

To my surprise something came: lighter footsteps than my own had wandered over before sitting in the chair beside me. I dare not open my eyes. I fear if I were to I wouldn't see what I came for, I could only listen when another child — a young girl — stood a few feet before me. A few seconds passed before the thunderous crack of lightning was muffled far in the distance, then there was rain; a pattering upon glass. Suddenly a pair of small hands leapt to the arm of my right, it felt as though whoever this child was had taken a liking to my limb, so much it embraced it when the thunder roared. The girl before me laughed, mocking, I'd imagine, whoever it was that was afraid.

The air became thick, dust and the smell of candle wax had dulled a faint scent of fare, either soon to be or already eaten I could not tell.

A sound of pleasantry graced my ears; cutting the air at its breath, horse hair scraped across the body of bronze string. These pieces flexed as one to shape a breathtaking chord that belonged to only one. Such a note began light before sinking deeper, this pattern came once then twice then a third then it bellowed; its voice — deep — took the air in a darker grip of sorrow and a melancholic feel. Then came the crescendo. Loud and swift, the star dribbled between notes as if something was coming. My heart grew quick as my breath sank to my gut.

Something was coming.

Quickened my pace was, sore and callused my feet began to bleed. I was running so fast I had not the time to even see where I was going but I had to keep on.

The child of my right, the one that bound by my arm, grew cold. Their skin turned to an ice so pale it burned my own by touch.

Faster.

The girl before me began to rip apart the poised strings, plucking one and smashing another before a shivering shriek came where the violin had faded. A scream so bloodied, so terrified, so close yet so fucking far. I wasn't fast enough, I couldn't be.

I had to be.

No.

The trickling of blood found my palms by handfuls; warm and bright it ran through my fingers.

It couldn't be so...

I couldn't...

I...

I opened my eyes.

I sat in the ivory void of the Aether with no more than a chair under me. It was old, chipped and pale with a sleek varnish of a redder hue. There was no more around me other than a small chair to my side, a patch of wooden floor, and window beyond-

I dabbed my cheek and looked across my fingers: they were wet. The other rose and I wiped away tears. Looking upon the smears on my flesh brought from my throat a chuckle. I couldn't help but do so because for the life of me I could not remember what it was I was crying about, or what would even make me be so weak.