Where am I?
Who am I?
Am I alive, or dead?
Archai? Is that who I am?
No, that’s who I used to be.
Char . . . xai?
Am I Charxai?
Charxai stood up, looking up and down his body. He had the same white cloak he had on when. . . when. . . When I died. He thought to himself. Pushing these thoughts aside, Charxai looked up, seeing tall, dark, vacant buildings all around him. Picking up his sword,
Wait, is this my sword? Yes, it has to be. His sword was more curved now. I looked more like a dancing piece of black fire than the old, bulky sword he remembered. Recalling the transformation it had recently taken, Charxai pushed his sword into it’s holster on his back. Surprisingly, it still fit.
Charxai walked down the alleys for hours, days, maybe even weeks. In this bleak world, it was hard to tell the passage of time. Charxai felt no urge to eat or sleep, no hunger or weariness. He just pressed on, trudging through this bleak world. Charxai looked up for the first time in what must have been days, and was surprised to see a large, white castle looming over him.
It’s still a fairly far distance away, but maybe I can find somebody who can tell me what’s going on.
“Hey, you in the white cloak.” A voice commanded behind him. Spinning around, Charxai quickly pulled his sword out of its sheath. He had been careless, letting this voice sneak up on him, something he never would have done back then.
He was startled to see three men in black cloaks behind him. The man in front had blonde hair and seemed to be the leader, and Charxai assumed it was him who had spoken. The other two had hoods covering their faces.
“What do you want with me?” Charxai replied in a tense tone.
“Everyone is so hostile these days.” The man in front replied with a smile. “I’m Vexen, and I represent a certain organization of Nobodies. Zexion over there,” Vexen pointed to his left, “Has sensed power in you. We think you’d be a fine addition to our organization. Do you see that white castle? That is where we have based our organization, and We can offer you all the comforts you could want, and even something much greater than that.”
“Wait, slow down. What are nobodies, and what is so great that you could give me?” Charxai asked, confused.
“I’ve done a lot of research on what nobodies, what we are. And as far as I know, nobodies are a shell of the former being. You got here either because your heart was consumed by darkness or you were killed by a heartless, usually a small, black creature?” Vexen asked. Thinking for a second, Charxai remembered how he had “died,” and nodded. “Well, nobodies are, we are, beings without emotion, without hearts. As for what we are offering you that is so great, is a heart.”
Charxai stared forward in disbelief. He had no heart? No feelings? No, it couldn’t be true. There was still a bump inside him, something was apart of him but that felt different.
“No! I’m nothing like you! And even if I did join your organization, I doubt you would have the power to give me a heart!” Charxai yelled. Vexen’s friendly smile became a frown, and he motioned forward with his right arm.
“I am sad to hear that. But, if your not with us, then your against us. Laxeaus! Take care of him.” The figures behind him took of their hoods. One was slim, and had long, grey bangs that covered one side of his face, and the other was tall and muscular, and had short, auburn colored hair. “Zexion,” Vexen said to the man on his left, “Let’s go.” The two disappeared into darkness, and the Laxeaus stepped forward, a large tomahawk appearing in his right hand.
------
“Looks like it’s just you and me, come, let us fight!” Laxeaus then yelled, and a dark aura surrounded him. He dashed Charxai, and slammed his tomahawk into the ground. Charxai was able to avoid the attack, but a large pillar of rocks appeared where the tomahawk hit, and caught Charxai off guard. Flung backward by the attack, Charxai was thrown onto the ground. Slow to get up, Charxai spat out blood.
This guy’s tough. I’m gonna have to go on the offensive if I’m going to survive this fight. He realized. Dashing Laxeaus, Charxai slashed at him with his sword. Laxeaus blocked with his tomahawk, and the two stood, weapons locked, trying to gain advantage. Charxai then realized that his sword was covered in black flames. Cautious of another strange attack, Charxai leapt back out of the way. However, taking time to look at his sword, the fire seemed to be covering it, not burning it. Closing his eyes, he pictured his arm covered in the fire. When he opened them, he saw that his vision had become reality.
What is this? He wondered.
“Hahahaha!” Laxeaus jubilantly laughed from across the street. “It seems you have found your new power. Show me this new power of yours, Charxai! He shouted. Forming a ball of fire in his had, Charxai threw it at Laxeaus, and pleased with the result, shot a barrage following it. Laxeaus was able to block most of them, but a few hit his cloak, freezing where they hit. Looking up in pain and disbelief, Laxeaus was shocked at this new power.
Suddenly, a pillar of ice burst out of the ground beneath Charxai, knocking him back. Vexen jumped off of the top of a nearby building, holding a large, blue shield.
“This has gone on long enough! It seems you have some sort of cold fire withing you, Charxai, and I cannot allow that to take one of our few members. Laxeaus, let’s finish this.” Laxeaus charged Charxai, tomahawk raised. Charxai blocked it, and kicked Laxeaus in the stomach. Two ice blocks then hit Charxai, knocking him into a wall behind him. This barrage continued, and Charxai was unable to stop it. Laxeaus then came with a full force swing and knocked Charxai straight to the building he was up against. Nearly unconscious and unable to stand, Charxai heard Vexen’s cool laughter was over him, and saw a large shadow over him.
“Come Laxeaus,” Vexen commanded, “He’s almost gone anyways, just leave him to fade into nothingness.” More laughter echoed the alleyways of the bleak world as the two figures walked away and Charxai was swept into darkness.
------
Where, where am I? Charxai wondered as he felt a soft bed underneath him. Opening his eyes, he saw the ceiling of a comfortably lit room. Sitting up, he spied a young girl with red hair, before being overcome by a wave of weakness and laying back down.
“Glad to see your up, you’ve been asleep almost 2 whole days.” The young girl said.
“How did you... how did you save me? I thought I was dead, I even heard that Vexen guy say I might have well as been.” Charxai groaned.
“Take it easy.” The girl replied. “Let’s just say, that with my healing, I can turn back the clock. She said the last part with a chuckle, as if it were some sort of inside joke.
“Well, whatever you did, thanks.” Charxai said as he slipped back into sleep.
When he awoke, Charxai was able to sit up, and noticed there was a bandage on his head, as well as on his chest. The girl had made him some soup, and he took it without a word. The young girl just sat there the whole time, watching him eat.
“Thanks for saving my life.” Charxai said with as much sincerity as he could muster. “My name’s Charxai. How did you find me?”
“Nice to meet you, Charxai.” The red-haired girl said with a smile. “My name’s Xana. And it was just dumb luck that I found you. I heard a crash, I’m assuming you were thrown through that building over there.” Charxai nodded silently at that. “Well, I found you right as you were about to go, and, well, healed you!” The Xana said with a smile. “By the way, who did this to you?”
“Well thanks again. I’m in your debt.” Charxai said. “I don’t really know who did this to me. There were three of them, all in black cloaks, claiming to be part of some organization. One was called Vexen, the other Laxeaus, and the other Zexion. Have you heard of them?” Xana nodded her head, apparently she had never even seen them. “Do you. . .” Charxai paused sheepishly. “Do you think I could say with you for a few extra days, until I’m recovered?” He looked down, intent on his empty soup bowl, embarrassed that he had to ask a stranger for help.
“Sure! Stay as long as you like. You should lie low for awhile, so whoever did that to you won’t see you.” Xana replied.
“Thanks. Again, I’m in your debt.” Charxai replied.
His next few days were blissful. He enjoyed the company of another person, and enjoyed having someone to talk to. Charxai took every chance he could to tell Xana about his previous life, but learned little of hers. He was as close to happy as a nobody could be, but he knew that he would have to leave to get stronger.
So that the next time I see those guys, I’ll be able to win. He concluded.
Finally, the day came, and Charxai took a pack Xana gave him and opened her door. The outside seemed so foreboding compared to the warmth he was in, and he turned and said a sad goodbye.
“Sorry I have to leave, Xana. But I lived a lot of my life as an avenger, and it seems I’m going to continue that. Thank you for all your hospitality, and remember, if you need me, just look. I’ll probably find you before you find me.”
“Bye Charxai. I hope you have good luck, but next time you get hurt, I might not be there to heal you.” Xana said with a sad smile.
Charxai chuckled. “I’ll make sure to remember that.” And with that, he left.
------
Charxai wandered around for many years, destroying all heartless and nobodies who got in his way. Charxai grew stronger, although he stayed away from the large white castle. He soon learned he could control more than just the black fire, but part of the air itself. He could pull nitrogen out of the air, and even change its state, and was soon able to see it with his own eyes. The tips of Charxai’s hair slowly grew white, and Charxai could only attribute this to the extreme cold around him.
After many years of wandering, Charxai finally felt strong enough to confront his enemies at the white castle. Striding up to the walkway leading into the castle, he took a deep breath, and started forward. Then, a dark group of figures appeared over the walkway, and hurriedly walked away from it.
Hiding in the shadows, Charxai watched the group go past, when suddenly, he spotted a patch of bright, red hair among the group.
“Xana?” He called, much of the group looked back, but one of the members said, “Hurry! We have to keep moving!” Breaking into a sprint, the group started to run away, but Charxai called after the fleeted figure of Xana.
“Xana? It’s me, Charxai!”
“Do you know him?” He heard the same voice ask?
“Yes.” Xana replied.
“Can we trust him?”
After a pause, Xana replied, “Yes.”
“Then he can come. But hurry, we’ve already wasted enough time as it is.” The voice replied, and the group started to walk away.
“Come on, Charxai! Lets go!” Xana yelled as she walked away with the group. Charxai sprinted and caught up, and asked in a hushed tone,
“What’s going on?”
“Well, you know those guys that attacked you all those years ago?” Charxai nodded. “Well, we joined up with them, though I didn’t realize who it was until later. By then, all of the members had decided to sneak off and form another group, opposing them. And here we are, trying to get away.” Xana replied.
“Well, Xana, I’ll join your group. I want to kill those guys as much as anyone here, and I hope that I can help out in some way.”
Xana smiled at this, and they hurried off into the night.