Duality of the Heart.

Chapter 7

  Ava slipped into the shadows of the rocks and down towards a control center. She continued to reach for a skirt that she didn't wear. Ava silently cursed her lack of memories as she slid down the rocks, instead of walking down. Would a normal person slide down, or would they walk? She wondered.
      Xion had explained the plan. "You need to get into the control room," she'd said. "Find a button to turn off the lava flow. Once it's gone, I'll climb onto the chains and free everyone."
      Ava noticed a figure cloaked in black walk into the control room and grinned. "Perfect." She said, getting closer. The door was slid open and Ava fallowed the figure in. Suddenly a Keyblade was at her throat. "I wouldn't move, Ava." A dark voice said.

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   Xion had just finished freeing Naminé from her chains when Xulu appeared, turning the remaining chains into a steel walk-way, putting the prisoners into hanging cells. Xion frowned. "Xulu. Why is everyone here?" She asked, raising her Keyblade.
    Xulu walked closer. "Why? Why, Xion, you've missed the big picture. Why wouldn't everyone be here for my Mark Of Mastery?"
    Xion gasped as Ava was revealed to be inside a hanging cell. "What! Xulu! Stop this!" Xion yelled, her Keyblade growing white.
    Xulu's Keyblade sprouted more teeth, and it's black colour grew shinny. "Stop her." Xulu commanded as the Keyblade shot off towards Xion, who gasped and defended herself as the Keyblade slammed into her, throwing her back a few meters.  "Ugh......Your Keyblade can be wielded by no one?" She gasped out.
     The Keyblade returned to Xulu's hand. "For very short amounts of time, yes."
     Xion lunged forward and raised her Keyblade. "Let Ava go!" She yelled, slashing as Xulu's coat. "What did she ever do to you?"
    Xulu defended himself, easily. "Do to me? No. It's what I did to her," he pushed Xion back and waved a hand. The walk-way cracked and wrapped around Xion and Naminé.
    "There," Xulu said. "Now, to reveal myself." A dark corridor wrapped around Xulu and he became cloaked in an Organization X III coat that covered his face. "That's much better," he said. "Now, for Ava." With a wave of his hand, Ava's cage floated over. Xulu flicked his wrist and a fox mask appeared in his hand. Ava whimpered and moved backward as Xulu unlocked the cage and handed her the mask. "Just try it." Xulu said, gently.
    Xion watched as Ava picked up the mask and shakily put it on. She gasped and collapsed. Xion cried out, muffled by the metal wrapped across her mouth. Xulu put a finger to his hood and shushed her. "Don't worry Xion," he said, pulling second mask out. This one was white with a black rose engrave into it. "It's quite painless."
   Xion flinched and tried to move away.
    Xulu reached around Xion and put the mask on Naminé, who was still out-cold. It was then that Xion noticed everyone else was wearing a mask. Xion's mouth became free and she winced at the pain now throbbing through her jaw.
    "Who are you really?" She asked. Xulu straitened. "It really was too easy to fool you," He stepped closer and Xion's chains lifted her up. "Didn't anyone ever tell you about the Keyblade War? About the Foretellers? The Master of Masters? I'm Luxu."

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   Axel's wrists hurt from the hanging.  But at least the mask wasn't possessing him. Axel could feel the power behind the plaster trying to tempt him, but years of holding back his ability to summon a Keyblade had been good practice. Cracking open his eyes, Axel saw Xion and Luxu standing very close, Xion tied up in black chains. Axel carefully turned his head. The chains had vanished and formed a cage around everyone except Ven and Roxas, who looked weaker by the minute.
    Axel winced and rubbed his sore wrists. Small, but thick manacles sat across his arms, locking him to the cage. Axel looked back at Luxu and Xion. Luxu had another stupid mask in his hands. Axel's eyes narrowed behind his mask. 'No,' he thought. 'I have to save her and Naminé. This is a really bad idea.'
    Carefully,  Axel tapped into the power of the mask. If this failed, Axel would be trapped under its spell for years.
    The manacles started to glow white and dropped off Axel's wrists. Axel stood up and touched the bars of the cage. They crumbled into nothing and Axel stepped onto the walk-way. Luxu looked over, pausing the lowering mask. "Axel. I didn't expect you to wake so soon."
    "Well maybe I'm more in control of myself then your stupid mask expected." Axel said, his face burning and cracking the mask to reveal his grinning face. Luxu stepped back, dropping Xion's mask. "How is this possible?!"  He asked, as the rest of Axel's mask fell off and he summoned Eternal Flame. "I'll tell you," Axel said, stepping towards Naminé. His Keyblade sliced though the chains and the mask easily. "I hid my Keyblade from Organization X III for the whole time I was in there. I just tapped into your mask for extra power." Axel said.
    Xion, now freed, summoned her Keyblade and struck Ava's cage. "Get Ven and Roxas," Axel said, handing her a vile. "This is the antidote for Roxas. Remember what I said about Ven."
     Xion nodded and jumped up, gripping the chains that were now centered over the lava.