Text Hollow Gardens

[replika13 455]

Hi. This is my Kingdom Hearts fanfiction/ attempted horror story. Im not an expert of horror, so i hope you dont get dissapointed and enjoy story itself. Story contains speaking and happenings of detailed murders, references to blood, alcohol, violence and contains mild swearing.

 

Story contains kingdom hearts characters. In case y wanna keep them as suprise for yrself, i hid them in the list.

 

Terra, Sora, Aqua, Larxene, Axel, Vanitas, Xion, Braig, Namine, Shabon (from KH ancient series), Ventus, Roxas, Aeleus, Even, Ienzo and Ansem.

 

 

So here gos.

 

FIRST CHAPTER

 

 

TRIP TO OBLIVION

 

 

"If you really do remember me...

 

If you truly care about me as far as i care about you...

 

meet me at Hollow Gardens.

 

I hope to see you soon. You haf to look for me and see

 

if your heart loves me strongly enough to find me.

 

Ill be waiting...

 

 

-Aqua"

 

Deads dont give messages. Especially when they have been dead during past two years. Terra told that to himself all over again and again. His wife died in their first anniversary morning two years ago. Aqua was more than just wife to Terra. She was his life. Terra has been really upsetted during these past two years. They were such a hell to live in. But then this boy, Sora arrived behind his door and gave Aquas message to him. Terra though first that teenager was fooling him, but Sora told him many times that Aqua was there, at Hollow Gardens. An place where Terra and Aqua were married. Either Sora spoke true or he and his friends have been stalking on him really masterously.

"Your sure you dont want me to drive you back? Your parents are gonna worry." Terra said to Sora. Sora wanted to travel with him to see Hollow Gardens, but now he seemed a little unsure after seeing how threatning forest behind gates looked. It was rumored that forest would have bears or wolfs and in misty weather like this, Sora didnt wanna get attacked by any of them. However boy didnt wanna make Terra think that boy waisted his time and gas.

"No thanks. And besides im 15 years old! My parents dont tell me what to do. I rather wait you here in the car though. My friend Riku told me that its dangerous to cross gates to other side." Sora said and tried to smile. Terra then opened door and took keys from cars lock.

"I take these in case you wanna steal this." Terra said and putted keys to his pocket. Sora nodded. He didnt wanna Terra to toss him out from warm car. walking back to home would be painful too. Sora looked how Terra took map of Hollow Gardens and an belt bag with him. He then also took back bag and putted map on it.

"I will try to come back soon as possible, but that area is huge, so dont hold your breath. I might return tomorrow or next weekend." Terra said. Sora nodded again.

"Umm... do you know if there is any food here?" Boy asked.

"There is ten bottles of water in back seat and french fries in locker. There is also money if your interested to go into restaurant that is at motorway, kilometer to east from here." Terra said and pointed toward way they came from.

"Take that bike over there if you dont feel like walking." Terra said and closed the door. Sora waved farewells to him, though man didnt see it as he headed to gates and walked inside from them. Sora sighed. He really hoped that Terra would return soon. Even though his parents didnt command him all the time since he was growing teenager, they would still get worried, even though Terra told them to return with him soon. Riku was more worried. Everyone always spoke that Hollow Gardens were dangerous and they didnt talk about bears... Sora sighed and looked to mist. He missed his parents and friends already.

He closed his eyes for a moment and listened silence surrounding him. Then he heard steps. He looked at mirror and saw that someone was walking toward car from mist. Sora was just about to lock doors, when door was opened.

"Umm... C-can i- help y-y-you?" He asked and rised his head. He gasped as man was wearing an black mask, which was filled with bloody traces. Person crabbed him from car and Sora wouldnt even realise it, when he would be already dead in three seconds from that as person cracks his head against asfault.

 

Terra walked down path below trees. He wasnt scared at all of bears and wolfs as he knew that place wasnt good place for them to live in. He wasnt afraid of misty weather or warnings of teenagers. He just wanted to see if Aqua was somewhere in Hollow Gardens. If this was a joke, Soras parents would punish him from doing that. Still usually his friends still talked about Hollow Gardens two years ago as it was popular place for tourists. Though it lost its popularity a bit after those murders that were commited after Terra and Aqua got married there. After Aqua died, no one of his friends or anyone random person didnt mention place. Terra thought that it was just coincidence as whole town was special to him. It was place where Aqua became his wife and it was place where they enjoyed themselves.

Terras father, Eraqus also took pictures from him and Aqua. Terra had one pocket of belt-bag, filled with photos of Aqua that he wished to show her when he gets to Hollow Gardens. He then realised that he was in cemetery. Graves looked darker and greepier in the mist. He then saw someone in the mist.

"Excuse me? Do you know where is fastest way to Hollow Gardens?" Terra asked and woman gasped. Woman had cyan eyes and blond hair. She stared at him but looked relieved when seeing Terras face.

"Im sorry." Terra apologized.

"I-its okay." Woman said and stood up.

"Y-your going to Hollow Gardens?" She asked.

"Yeah. Im looking for someone." He answered and looked away. Woman turned around and looked sad.

"Im looking for someone too... i think my brothers are here..." Woman said. Terra looked back to her.

"I hope you find them." Terra said.

"You too. The fastest road is that way toward river. But i must warn you. You should just turn around immediatly..." Woman said.

"Why?"

"I believe that... there is something really concerning about that place."

"Even so, im going to search Hollow Gardens. I think person im looking for is there." Terra said and walked toward road woman pointed at him.

"By the way! My name is Larxene!" She introduced.

"Terra." Terra answered and walked away from her. He didnt have time for speaking with strangers. And if Larxene was searching for someone, he was sure that he will meet her again sooner or later. Terra kept walking through road, crossing bridge above river and finally opening gate that leaded to town. He stopped at tunnel, which was filled with junks. Terra had good sense of locations, so he should just look map and he would know where he was. But while looking at map, something moved at behind the dumbsters. Terra didnt hear it but he sensed the move. He gasped and walked few steps back as weird looking human like creature walked toward him. Terra looked to its dead eyes and bloody hands. Its rotten body and burned head smelled worse than corpse. He quickly took an iron pipe from ground and hitted creature just before it was attacking him. Creature started to bleed a lot of blood to street. Terra stepped back, so his cloths wouldnt get dirty. After monster was down and didnt move, Terra was sure it was dead whatever it was. He poked it with his iron pipe and it didnt move.

"Nice going." Someone said and Terra gasped and turned around. He saw red haired man, looking right at him and "dead" monster right below his feet.

"Who are you?" Terra asked angrily because of being scared.

"Im Axel. Got it memorized?"

Edited May 4, 2012 by replika13

[replika13 455]

CHAPTER TWO

 

 

MEMOS

 

Axel lived in trailer with strong doors and windows. He didnt want any of monsters to get to him, especially when he was sleeping. Terra followed him inside and sat down while Axel made cup of warm juice for them both. Terra then noticed an notebook,filled with memos and bloody letters.

"Whats that?" Terra asked. Axel turned his head out from kitchen.

"That is my memorizer-book. Its filled with notes and information about those monsters." Axel said.

"So, why did monsters appear anyways? And how? And When?" Terra asked. Axel gave him an cup and sat to other side of table.

"One question at time please. First, i dont know why. They just started appearing. Second, i dont know that either. And third, they appeared almost two years ago. When they did... no one was spared from them. Everyone was killed. Ripped bodies, burnt childs, worsipped heads." Axel said and drinked his juice. Terra tried to think about those things.

"So why are you here?"

"Looking for my brother. And collecting information about these events that happened here. Hollow Gardens was such a nice place before, but now its such a hell to even walk in street during midday. When monsters appeared towns scientist, Ansem tried to investigate them, but he dissappeared. I found one of his apprentices, Even dead from couple of blocks away from here. According to his own notebook, he had an mission to deliver Ansems memos to mayor. Here." Axel said and pushed notebook closer to Terra. Terra took it and started reading.

 

"So far peoples do not know about these creatures. I forbidded it

from mayor as i believe we can prevent them from spreading and

even destroy it. However, these creatures have found us. They access

to our world through our worst forms of nightmares.

As long ago they say that Hollow Gardens were an sacred place that

connected worlds together. But according to old manuscript, darkness

will fall to us if sacred place is harmed. Eventually it was always harmed...

by civilisation and constructing of town."

 

"Worlds?" Terra repeated, but Axel pointed to another memo and Terra started reading it.

 

"These realms. Realms between dreams and nightmares...

An Realm of Reality (also known as Realm of Light by

manuscripts) is where we live and die.

Realm in Between connects reality to darkness.

Realm of Darkness is something more mystical. Monsters

live inside it and this world appeared to me when i lost

Ienzo to them. It was an place where not a single person

would wanna live. An place created from my despairs..."

 

Terra then tried to read next memos, but all they said was "Their coming..." with bloody mark right next from text. Axel looked bored. He stood up and took something from his bag and throwed it to table. Terra opened this piece of paper. It was map, similiar to his own, except it was filled with notes, circles and crosses.

"Is this yours?" Terra asked. Axel nodded.

"When collecting information i had to make notes so i would know where i was going and where i have visited. So far i have two places to go in this section of town. Twilight Terrace and Enchanted Park." Axel said and pointed them to Terra. Terra started to realise where Axel was going with telling him this.

"You want me to help you?" Terra suggested.

"Exactly. I can help you to search what you are looking for if you help me to get answers..." Axel said.

"Huh? How did you-?"

"Everyone who are dumb enough to come here are searching for something. I know for the best. I am dumb enough myself. Im lucky that i havent been killed yet." Axel laughed and Terra felt little nervous by that. Terra then stood up.

"So, what you want me to search for?" He asked.

"Go to Twilight Terrace, search every accessable apartment for informations and meet me at Enchanted Park. Good luck." Axel said and they both went out from trailer. Terra saw an bike on other side on street and walked toward it.

"If i were you, i would walk. Monsters can suddenly jump in front of you and scare hell out of you while riding that. I once tried and i falled to street and almost got ripped into pieces by one of monsters. Luckily i had my pistol." Axel said and walked away from Terra. Man soon dissappeared into mist. Terra then looked at map. Twilight Terrace was just four blocks away in north, up with the Train station. He started walking, also keeping iron pipe if anything attempts to attack him.

[Hunter Hawk 392]

Wow this is so awsome bro!!! Kinda scary, but epic.

 

But I still don't get it what happened to Sora. Was he killed?

[Kirie 3,489]

This is making me feel exciting. x3

[replika13 455]

CHAPTER THREE

 

 

MURDER STORY

 

Terra entered dark hallway of apartment. He could hardly see stairways since windows were covered by blanks and wooden hatchs. Terra suggested that it was hard to keep monsters at outside. He walked to bulleting board and readed single letter there was.

"If thats you Xaldin, meet me at my apartment no 276. I think i figured something new out. Even."

Even was man that Axel mentioned earlier... Terra took letter and walked to electricity locker. He turned all switches to on, but nothing happened. Electricity was completely gone from this building. Terra felt dumb because he didnt remember to pack an flashlight along with other items. He sighed and climbed up stairs all the way to the second floor. Doors lock was rusty, but Terra opened door easily. He gasped as monster jumped from behind it. Terra dodged it and it felled into stairs. Terra quickly closed the door and pushed an box in front of it. In corridors there was almost perfect darkness. Terra could hardly see where he was going to. He looked at map of departments and turned into left. He then noticed something glowing at end of corridors. It looked like an statue. Terra walked closer (mostly because apartment no 276 was in that direction) and saw something or someone, standing at other side of broken floor. He looked to man, who was wearing an mask and his muscles of his upper body were completely exposed. Terra realised that man wasnt an human, he was one of monsters. Monster stared at him but didnt react with any movements, propably because of hole in the floor between them. Terra quickly opened door to apartment no 276 and locked the door.

He then searched the closet in hall and found all sorts of weird things. Even must have been some sorta chemistrian, cause closet was filled with bottles with weird smelling liquids inside them. Then he noticed an flashlight and immediatly took it. He turned it on and looked closer the apartment. He then heard how something was whirring. He saw an television being open, however nothing came to the screen. He then noticed red traffics on floor and moved flashlight upper to chair. He gasped and went closer as he discovered body. Body was completely covered by blood as its stomach was cutted open and eyes were ripped from head. Terra felt little sick, but tried to pull himself together.

"Who would have done this...?" He though and then saw newspaper on hand of corpse. He carefully took it from hand and hided into closet in case monsters would appear. He putted newspaper down and readed it in light of flashlight.

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKN9N_fTKLo

MURDERER FINALLY DEAD

Murderer Aeleus Morgan died during last night in Hollow Gardens prison. He commited

suicide by hanging himself to prisons courtyard. All though he was most well guarded

prisoners, guards were distracted for a second and Morgan managed to kill himself. Aeleus

Morgan is well known from his brutal 11 murders, all commited in different sides of Hollow

Gardens. However, even though he confessed having murdered 11 peoples, he only named

two of them, Roxas and Ventus Lightcalls.

Roxas and Ventus were six year old twin brothers with very close brotherhood relationship.

No one ever saw them separatedly and everyone always loved to see those happy little boys

playing around towns west side. Mr Morgan told very detailedly how he killed them. Roxas

and Ventus were playing at the beach in place where bay covered north side of beach, not

giving change for boys to escape from killer. First he threated boys. When Roxas tried to

protect his brother and himself he almost got stabbed, but Ventus eventually got dagger to

his heart as he pushed Roxas away. Laughing maniacally, Morgan took another dagger and

stabbed it into Ventus head and throwed boy to sand, leaving him dying. Roxas was freezed

by fear and sadness, so Morgan easily took grasp from behind his neck and pushed him into

underwater. Boy struggled against him, but Morgan was too powerful for poor boy who got

drowned in minute and eight seconds as Morgan himself told. Morgan also revealed that he

cutted Roxas toe and feeded it to dog.Morgan never carried any remorse from those

murders, even telling that he enjoyed killing them. Half of town were at their funerals as

boys were quite loved. Ventus always carried an Flood plushie with him, but murderer

eventually took it. Plushie is still today in his cell, so Aeleus could stare at it and live that

moment again and again.

 

Terra stopped reading and felt bad. He remebered that this was one of those murders that were commited after he and Aqua leaved town. He quickly came out from closet and leaved newspaper lying to there. He didnt see it being useful to either him or Axel.

 

As he entered corridors carefully, he noticed that glowing figure from other side was gone. But for how long? What if it knew short-cut to him and is now getting closer and closer. Terra tried to be brave and continue. He nextly saw that apartment no 298s door was open. For a sake of curiosity, he sneaked through door to apartment and smelled rotten stentch of corpse once again. Air was filled from all sorts of bugs. Terra didnt see corpse or any monsters anywhere, but was sure that at least corpse was there somewhere. He opened door to bedroom and there he saw nothing more than bed filled from flies, butterflies, spiders and dead bees. But then he saw an hole in the wall. He went closer and putted his flashlight closer, to see if there was anything inside it. He saw something glowing, but didnt see it good enough. Terra then decided to put his hand on hole and take small item from there. As he carefully pushed his hand closer to item, he gasped, when feeling spider running above his pawn, but he didnt care it any more than he should. He then reached item and quickly pulled his hand out from hole and noticed it was some sorta key. Key was crossed into shape of heart. Terra turned around with key in his pawn and he saw an small painting of an heart shaped moon above city. He went closer and searched it and found an keyhole from middle of heart. As he pushed key inside keyhole and turned it around painting just simply falled down to floor, revealing ripped wallpaper with three carved lines, vertically from each others. Terra readed them.

"Guardian of night, Sacred in the morning, Last one stands in middle of day"

He didnt get it. He could easily note that it was an riddle, but what for? After minutes of thinking, Terra decided to move farther, rather than play with stupid games of dead people. He walked back to corridors and turned to left, continueing walking toward end of corridors. He saw nothing unusual. No monsters nor items to use. However, he noticed that floor was under the water at this part of corridor. He didnt much mind about getting his shoes wet, so he didnt turn around at all. He then noticed that apartment no 255 door was a bit open.

He opened it, went inside and closed it, then he heard noices from apartment and turned around and saw an horrible sight: Creature with black mask and bloody, skinless muscular body was attacking other creatures with weird looking sword. Sword was black, builded up from flat gears and chains and it was covered by blood and small disgustingly white pieces of organs. Terra stared to monster, but then he quickly stepped two steps back to closet and closed the door. Masked man throwed monsters pieces aggressively against wall and turned around. It slowly started walking toward door, but then it suddenly stopped and turned its face toward closet. Terra could not do anything than stare. Monster rised its hands horizontally and took deep breath and slowly turned its face covered by mask closer the closet. Terra felt that he was in danger, so he quickly searched the shelfs with his hand, finding some bullets. He then noticed an gun at corner. Monster pushed its hand closer the closets door and Terra, who was in hurry with loading gun, dropped bullets and quickly grabbed them from floor. Masked man then putted his pawn around closets doorknob and suddenly an voice of gunshot filled the silent and dark air, breaking threatning atmosphere and making it feel even more dangerous.

Terra breathed fastly and felt how sweat dropped down his face. He heard monster running away, but he didnt leave closet. He went against wall and sighed from relief. This place was dangerous... Axel was an maniac for even staying in here...

Edited May 7, 2012 by replika13

[Kirie 3,489]

Terra is so brave.

*stares the girl in the video* 8D

[Hunter Hawk 392]

Grrr if Aelous didn't kill himslef I would personally kill him! How could he kill Venny and Roxy when they were just six years old!!!!

 

Terra you better move ahead with your story!!!

[replika13 455]

CHAPTER FOUR

 

 

THREE COINS

 

Terra walked back to downstairs in order to leave the building, before he runs again into that monster. However, when trying to open the door, he noticed it was locked. How was that possible? He heard weird noice behind him and pulled out his pistol again only to see that door to the courtyard was open. As he walked down to courtyard he could see how many windows of surrounding houses were covered by staves.

 

He walked to another door which propably leaded to first floor. As he entered he heard weird noices coming from one of the apartments. He entered and smelled rotten stentch of corpse. As someone has left candle to the room, he could see feet of corpse at behind of fridges door, which was opened. He then focused to the noices that came from the other room. He carefully looked at room and saw an man inside the room. He was having an bucket and he vomited into it and looked sick. Terra looked at his black hair where was ponytail and then he saw his scarry face when man noticed him.

"Who are you? Are you all right?" Terra asked carefully. He saw how hardly man could answer to him.

"I didnt do it! He was already dead when i arrived!" Man said and vomited into bucket again.

"Still, can you tell me who you are? Im Terra" Terra asked again.

"Braig. And no, im not all right..." Braig introduced before vomiting again.

"So, whos that guy in the kitchen? Does that have anything to do with that masked guy?"

"I didnt do it! I dont know what you are talking about... I dont even live in this mad place!" Braig said and took deep breaths. Terra looked away as Braig stood up and throwed his vomit out of window in order to make bucket empty. When he heard Braig sitting back to ground he looked back to him again.

"You should really leave this place. You can easily end up being killed in here. Good luck anyways." Terra said and turned around.

"Umm Terra? Good luck too." Braig said and Terra nodded to him and left room while Braig vomited again. As Terra left apartment he kicked something small like an coin. He putted his flashlight down and searched what he kicked. Coin was at other side of pipes, which were builded in middle of corridor. Terra though that he would reach the coin with his hand, so he crawled and putted his hand to other side of pipes. He needed to put it closer as possible, but as coin was almost in his fingers, quick steps appeared and someone jumped to Terras hand.

"Oww!" He shouted. He saw a little girl kicking coin farther. Girl had black hair and blue eyes.

"Haahaa! You look pathetic!" She laughed and runned farther from Terra and pipes until man couldnt see her anymore. Terra rubbed his arm as girl nearly broke his fingers. He then chose that he needed something to reach coin again. He saw an laundry room and quickly crabbed an crowbar from corner. He then putted his hand with crowbar in it and tried to reach the coin again. Luckily crowbar was big enough and he simply made coin to slide back to him. He let go of crowbar for a second and took coin to his hand. There was a picture of shield in it.

Suddenly an monster jumped from darkness, suprising Terra. It landed on Terra and took grasp from his neck. Terra felt its dead, slimy fingers and bony ends of fingers slitherin down his neck and taking stronger grip as it attempted to strangle him. Terra tried to push hands away, but it wasnt possible as they were too strong for him, he then remembered crowbar and quickly took it closer with his fingers and then took it to his hand and hitted monster to head. Blood splattered around room as monster backed off in pain. Terra stood up and hitted it again and when monster was fidgeting in floor, Terra kicked it to back, crushing its spine and killing it in process. He quickly runned farther from monster back into staircase.

 

There he noticed another coin, which was tied with rope like an medaljong. It seemed like an trap to Terra. But as he looked to coin he saw an picture of sun in it, so it might be another special one. But as he didnt wanna pull from rope he rather pushed coin from rope to his pawn and the putted it to his pocket. Then key felled to his head and then falled down couple of stairs. He pulled key up and looked at it and then he heard weird voices from downstairs. At least eight monsters were walking up to stairs toward him. Terra didnt see their faces, but was sure about them looking directly to him. As he tried to run upper, more monsters came to stairs from third floor, forcing Terra to run into second floor. There he runned corridors to east. He could hear monsters roaring with their slimy voices as they walked closer. Terra almost runned againsty door as corridor ended up. He tried quickly to open it, but door was locked. He heard monsters coming closer. He quickly searched his pockets in panic and took key he found from staircase and tried to put it into lock and then turn it around with sweaty hands. He turned around and he saw monsters were really close as their faces appeared to flashlight. Terra pushed door open and almost felled down to street as someone has braked emergency exits stairs. However, window at other side was open. Without hesitating (And rather killing himself than making contact with monsters) he jumped and grabbed edge of window and climbed in, leaving horde of creatures standing into edge without no resbonding or attempt to follow him.

 

There Terra took deep breaths again and calmed down and walked into other room, where was weird vault with three round shaped locks and one more coin with picture of cross in it. Terra then remembered riddle that he stumbled across with in one of apartment.

"Guardian of night..." He putted shield pictured coin into last hole.

"Sacred at morning..." He putted cross pictured coin into first hole.

"Last one stands in middle of day." He putted sun pictured coin to middlest hole. Lock snapped open and Terra opened the vault and found an commercial magazine, bullets and hair pin. He also found an picture of woman from under them.

Magazine stated "Rest in Hollow Gardens"

"Hollow Gardens is place where you can relax, forget worries of outside world and town and its surroundings will fill your day as you can simply do anything between walking in piece of our beautyful forests and going for a wild ride to the Destiny Resort park."

"We have anything for your needs if you haf to do works. Our three schools will help your children in their studies, our university will give you all knowledge you need, not to mention our fabulous hotels. Hollow Gardens have always been nice place. So bring yourself here and leave troubles behind."

Interestingly the date of magazine showed that it was produced yesterday. Terra didnt know if he should laugh or be greeped about that. Maybe it was a mere coincidence of an production error. He then heard an voice coming out from one of rooms and went closer the door.

"Oh? Its just you..." Larxene said. She was lying down in the floor and looked up to roof and looked deeply upsetted. Terra looked around the room as there was numerous drawings of small children and an huge mirrors covered walls. Larxene was holding an teddy bear in her hands.

"Have you found your brothers yet?" Terra asked.

"No. How about you? Did you find your wife?" Larxene asked andlooked sneakier.

"Wait. How did you know that? I didnt mention that to you at graveyard." Terra stuttered. Larxene simply took an picture out from her pocket. It was picture of Aqua.

"You drop this. Your welcome." Larxene said as she gave picture to Terra. She still didnt stood up.

"Is this your mother?" Terra asked and gave her the picture of an woman. Larxene looked at picture and looked horryfied.

"YOU! HOW DID YOU FIND THIS???" She screamed and stood up with three knifes in middle of her fingers. Terra backed off and held his pistol closer in case he would need to protect himself.

"It was in the vault. Those coins were something you and your brothers made right?" Terra asked and Larxene calmed down and tears filled her eyes.

"I-im sorry... yes. We made those, but boys rather hide their coins, but i kept mine. I was one who putted it on the vault.

"Was vault your treasure chest?" Terra asked.

"Yeah. We hid there many things, but now most of them are gone... now there is nothing more than those things i dont care about... I hope my father... i hope he didnt destroy those stuffs..."

"Why?"

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!!" Larxene shouted again and quickly calmed down.

"Would you take these? I dont know if i should carry them... i might end up..."

"Its okay. I can hold on them." Terra said as Larxene offered knifes to him. But when he offered his hand, Larxene looked horryfied again. She looked deeply different person.

"I know ive been bad! Dont hurt me!" She said and backed off to door, dropping her knifes to the floor at same time. Terra heard her running out from apartment and he then took knifes and putted them to his pocket. What was wrong with her?

[Hunter Hawk 392]

Scary bro.... :blink: ..... epicly scary....

[Xer 670]

Nice

[replika13 455]

CHAPTER FIVE

 

 

AN WOMAN LIKE HER

 

Terra opened another door and entered room with floor being under the water. He closed the door and then heard weird noices coming from behind another door. An masked man came out from the door, with holding his sword in other hand and pulling an bloody skinless corpse in other hand. It saw Terra and dropped the corpse as it started slowly walking closer to Terra. Man quickly tried to open the door, but it was now locked. Masked man throwed his sword across the room. Terra crawled down to floor and sword rammed into door. Terra quickly stood up and went farther from sword as masked man took it off from door like it would been easiest thing in the world and walked slowly closer to Terra, who took his pistol and started shooting masked man, except his mask protected him from bullets and his strong muscles were immune for pistols power. Terra quickly runned away into another side of room when man started to swing his sword. But when Terra had no other way to escape, man walked into other direction and into underwater like there would have been stairs. As monster dissappeared, so did the water as well, revealing that there was indeed an staircase.

 

Finally being outside from buildings, Terra saw no acctual sign of masked man anymore in the streets. He looked his maps and was sure he was closer the Enchanted Park. He walked down the street stairs to beach. There he could see small stone wall. Then he saw two girls sitting on the edge of wall. One of them was small 6-9 years old and other one with blond hair was propably 12-14 years old. Blond haired said something to black haired and jumped to other side. Terra then walked closer and girl started shake her head slowly and whistle, but then she noticed Terra.

"You? Your the one who crushed my hand!" He said and pointed to girl. Girl looked at him and was very amused.

"So what if i did?" Girl answered.

"Who was that other girl?" Terra asked.

"She was my sister, Naminé."

"What a child like you two is even doing at here? Its dangerous around here."

"Oh really. Do you say that cause your serious or because you didnt love Aqua at all?" Girl answered, stunning Terra. She then stood up and jumped to other side of wall, before Terra could have said anything. How did girl know about Aqua? Terra quickly went looking stairs to park, so he could catch up with girl and ask. But weirdly, she wasnt anywhere to reach and fog coming from lake nearby made things even worse. Then Terra saw someone sitting on chair.

"Aqua?" Terra asked from familiar looking figure. Was she Aqua? Woman turned her face to him and Terra saw that she wasnt Aqua. Woman had purple hair instead of blue and her cloths were much more red than Aqua would ever dress.

"Im sorry..." Terra said.

"What? Your clearly mistaking me to your girlfriend. Im Shabon not Aqua." Shabon introduced. Woman looked very attractive to Terra who felt a little embarrassed. Shabon then stood up and stepped closer to him.

"Say, you arent from around here arent you?" She asked. Terra walked closer to bench and putted his hands on it, looking to water below it.

"Im so sorry. Its just... you look very much like Aqua. Your hair is longer and purple though and Aqua would never dress anything red to be honest." Terra said. Woman came closer and putted her hands too to bench.

"So, is Aqua hiding from you somewhere? Young love is so sweet isnt it?" Shabon said sarcastically.

"She is my late wife, not a girlfriend... and yes, i think she is hiding somewhere where i should find her. She knows that there should be a place that was really beloved to both of us... Im Terra by the way."

"Hmm... did Aqua ever do anything around here? Study, work? Relax perhaps?" Shabon suggested.

"Yeah. She studied pretty much in university of town. But that isnt the place. Its suppose to be something that made our love toward each others stronger... maybe it was Towns 13th church... we got married there two years ago."

"I see. So lets head to there then." Shabon said and walked toward parks stairs.

"What? We?" Terra stuttered.

"HELL YEAH! Do you really think that when i find other people i just leave myself hanging to town filled with murdereous monsters, alone?" She shouted and laughed after that, making Terra a bit nervous. Terra nodded to her and together they walked stairs up. There was area filled with memorial statues. Most notably there was statue of man with long hair.

"That is Saint Xemnas. He was the one who founded St Xemnas hospital and 13th church in end side of 1800. He was attempted to murder many times, but murderers always mysteriously died before committing murders. They say that sacred power protected Xemnas until the very end of his life." Shabon said.

"I see... You surely know a lot of history." Terra smiled and Shabon smiled back. Suddenly they heard voice that resembled shovel being stuck into ground. As Terra pulled out his pistol, Shabon went behind him as he had no weapons to fight monsters. But when looking behind one of statues, they found Axel, who was digging something out of ground.

"Hey Terra! Here already?" He asked.

"Umm, yeah. What are you doing?" Terra asked.

"What does it look like? I found this riddle, that tellsto come behind this statue and dig from there and take a box. But in order to open that box, i need to sacrifice some flesh to other side of statue. Luckily you are here, so you can dig small hole." Axel said and gave another shovel to Terra and then took an bag and pulled an monster head out of there.

"Eww... so cross!" Shabon said and backed off.

"Whats the matter princess? Its Hollow Gardens of modern days so get used to it. I have been doing more disgusting things than cutting head from killed monster." Axel said and throwed head to Terra, who really didnt like slimy, rottenly bumbed head in his hands more than Shabon, who looked to other way.

"Im sorry. I think i go get a lemonade from down there while you bury that... thing." She said and walked away and vanished into fog. Axel and Terra continued digging.

"Do you know many monsters around here?"

"Yeah. Those normal looking things are Liars. There is also monsters whos hands are iron. They are called obviously Ironhands. Then there is this weird lonely monster with mask, Vanitas."

"Vanitas? I met him twice and both times he almost killed me." Terra said.

"He is most dangerous of them all. He is only one to have builded an weapon to himself and only one that attacks other monsters. I have never seen such a fearsome guy like that. I bet almost half of peoples of this area were slaughtered by him."

"Sounds intelligent."

"He is. I heard that he may lurk peoples in alleys during the night and then kidnap them. I bet he has his own headquarter to deal with his prisoners later. He however doesnt torture anyone. I dont know why he kidnape peoples or monsters, because he usually kills them immediatly." Axel then putted shovel away and touched the box.

"When i say now, you haf to put that head down to that hole okay?"

"Okay..."

"Now!" Axel shouted and opened box. But he was too quickly and an dark fog surrounded his body and man started to yell from pain. Terra quickly dropped monsters head to hole and buried it. Fog stopped teasing Axel, but Terra now saw blood coming out from Axels wrist.

"What happened?" Terra asked quickly.

"I...i think we made mistake... and i paid the prize for not following the rules of riddles." Axel said and showed his hand. Everything above wrist toward pawn was gone. Terra quickly took first-aid kit out of his bag and tied Axels hand in it.

"This is my fault..." He said.

"No. I didnt warn you. I just said it. Its my fault. Either way it would have punished you." Axel said.

"Eeeeeek!" Shabons scream came down from park. Terra quickly stood up.

"Go! Meet me at Saixs shop." Axel said and runned toward parks gates. Terra runned down the stairs only to see how Ironhand was carrying Shabon on its shoulder. Shabon screamed and kicked monster, but it didnt let go of her. Terra pulled out his pistol again and aimed toward monster.

"Dont! You will kill me!" Shabon screamed.

"And if i dont?" Terra asked.

"Very funny! TERRRAAAA!"

Terra aimed again and shot one bullet, which changed direction when hitting iron arm of Ironhand. Terra then throwed his pistol to monsters head. When hitting it, monster immediatly forgot of Shabon, dropping her down and runned toward Terra, who took crowbar and tried to punch monster, but it eventually potected itself and rusted crowbar got snapped into two. Terra quickly throwed small half of crowbar to monster desperatedly, but again he missed.

"Terra! Here!" Shabon shouted and throwed an object that looked like small hammer being stucked into big pipe. Terra quickly took hammer-pipe from the ground and hitted monster, braking its hand in process. As monster squirmed in its pain, Terra striked agains and pushed it down to water. As he and Shabon looked down, they saw its corpse sinking down to underwater.

"That was close..." Terra said.

"Yeah." Shabon said and putted her hair better.

 

Terra and Shabon came to Saixs shop, where lights were on. They heard Axels noice from staff room, but they also heard someone elses voice and some weird voices, much like tools.

"You are foolish Axel. I always say that you should leave this town and what are you doing? Playing around with meaningless research of others." Other man said.

"Im not leaving without you. Your my broth-AAAAAAGH!" Axel screamed and loud voice came upon his voice.

"Do you think we should look?" Shabon asked but Terra shook his head. After couple of minutes, Axel came out of room with man who had blue hair and X-shaped scar in his face.

"Are these the strangers?" Man asked.

"Yes. Terra and Shabon this is Saix, Saix these are Terra and Shabon. i met Terra at trailer and Shabon yesterday at Enchanted park." Axel said. He was hiding his other hand from Terra and Shabon.

"What happened to you there?" Shabon asked. Saix then took Axels hand and rised it to air.

"This happened. I fixed his hand." Saix said. Axels wrist was now metal. All five fingers were at their places and Axel could easily close his pawn.

"Oh..."

"And not only that..." Saix said, putted his hand on Axels shirt and ripped it off from Axel, revealing that almost his entire left hand and small half of his neck was metal too.

"What happened to you Axel?" Terra asked.

"This town happened. All tricks and riddles there is were ripping his flesh away from doing small mistakes. Everytime he somehow survived to meet me, so i could fix him and he could continue his search of madness. I told him many times to leave me and this town behind. Im willing to tell him that again and to you as well, before you haf to face same fate..." Saix said and left the room.

"I hope you do as i said... brother..." He said before closing door to staff room. Axel quickly searched for another shirt and putted it on.

"So now you know. I lied to you both. I always knew where my brother was and i always was searching for one thing... answers. As you might know, there was series of murders here two years ago. I had really close cousins who were so young... they died because of those murders. Murderer always stated at jail that "they" are after him and "it" is closer... I wanted to know why he did all those murders. So here i am."

"You mean... Roxas and Ventus, were your cousins?" Terra asked, but Axel didnt answer.

"They were good and innocent Terra... I never forgive myself that i didnt go with them to beach that day... they would still be alive..." Axel said. Shabon saw how hardly man tried not to cry. She sat with him to chair and she hugged him.

"If you wanna me to help you, lets go. I know where we should head next." Terra said, but not thinking Axels suffering. He was thinking Aqua.

[replika13 455]

CHAPTER SIX

 

 

CORPSES OF UNIVERSITY

 

Hollow Gardens University. An huge building builded to top of the hill. It had four floors plus bell tower. All windows were sealed and small amount of left half of building has been collapsed down to the cliff. Terra remembered no cliff being there, but all the things he has seen so far prooved that this town was nothing more than an shattered memory from the past. Axel had keys to the university in his pocket.

"Lets be careful. I can say that this building is already under the Realm of Darkness." He said after turning key into the lock.

"How do we know if darkness has taken the building?" Shabon asked.

"Easy. First of all, you may see some rooms as something from your deepest fears. Second, it is full of monsters and third you will hear things out there." Axel explained and went inside. Terra and Shabon followed him to the hall and shadows immediatly covered door from sight.

"Great... now what?" Shabon asked.

"We keep looking." Terra said.

"Ill check west and north sides. You two check east and north sides." Axel said, taking map from bulletin board and ripping it into two halves. Shabon took other half and Terra gave pencil to her.

"You can mark doors. Put cross to the ones that doesnt open and arrows to the ones that open." Terra said and woman nodded. Axel soon vanished into corridors and Terra and Shabon walked down toward cafeteria. All classrooms were locked.

"Seems like noone has studied chemistry here for a long time..." Shabon joked. Terra snorted and tried to open cafeterias lock, but door was shut from inside.

"Hand me something hard." Terra said. Shabon took flashlight and searched floors and found an biology skeleton. She took its arm and gave it and flashlight back to Terra, who used arm to break the window. He then putted his hand toward lock on other side of door and unlocked the door. They stepped inside the cafeteria. Whole place was stormed up. Chairs were throwen into pieces to floor and walls, floor was filthy from spices and food and mostly for Shabons disgustment, all sorts of rotten food and dead rats smelled in the air.

"Can i stay outside?" Shabon asked.

"If you can be sure that there is no monsters around. I cant give my flashlight to you." Terra answered while searching for something useful from under the table. Shabon was a bit angry and kicked the floor only to kick soft corpse of rat farther. Terra saw something under another corpse of rat. Rat looked like an lion would have attacked it. Half of its stomach was away, showing its dry organs and dark red blood coloured flesh. Also some of its bones were visible, but something shined under the rat, so Terra quickly pushed it away and found an key. There was "kitchen" written to it. Terra crawled back from under the table and walked to Shabon.

"Where is kitchen?" He asked. Shabon looked to map and pointed to north side of room. Terra walked to there and unlocked the door only to find staircase behind it.

"Do you think we should go down there?" Shabon asked. Terra wasnt sure either. It sounded like kitchen would have been flooded by water. Suddenly an chain came up from the darkness and bound Terras legs together, making him fall to Shabons toes. Someone then started to pull the chain and Terra felled down the stairs.

"Terra!" Shabon shouted and tried to run after him, but it was hard to run down stairs so fast. Terra sawed in light of flashlight that stairs ended up to the cliff as floor or rest of the stairs have been collapsed. He quickly turned around, hitting his nose to the stone stairs and took grasp from railing and his body slowed down and chain got tighter. He then pulled up his other hand and grabbed railing by it and started to struggle against chain and the one who was pulling it.

"Terra! Hold on tight!" Shabon shouted and Terra saw she was carrying an axe. She runned to him and pulled him up, but Terra didnt let go of railing. Shabon then cut the chain and pulled Terra farther. Terra took chain from his legs and putted it to his bag and stood up.

"Thanks." He said to Shabon, who smiled. Then they heard an small explosion and stairs started slowly to collapse into darkness.

"Run for it!" Shabon shouted and runned up stairs with Terra following him. Stairs started to collapse faster and faster and when Shabon stopped and tried to open the door it was locked again. Terra then tried to help her but too late. Platform they were standing shattered and falled through darkness. This was the end Terr though but then he felt how he bumbed against something soft... and slimy.

"Shabon?" He shouted and rised to his knees and tried to reach for his flashlight.

"Im okay. But do you smell this?" Shabon asked.

"Yeah..." Terra said and took his flashlight. It appeared that they were in some sorta room, but he was standing in something more... flesh like... he turned around and saw propably ugliest monster ever. Monster growed from its fleshy plinth. It was fat and had woman shaped body and red small lips. Its eyes were blind and it was wearing an apron and hairnet similiar to ones that lunch ladies and cooks use. In one of its hands it had huge fork and in another it had blender. Lunch Lady poured closer like an fast and giant snail.

"Shabon! Hide!" Terra shouted and pointed an small utility room which door was broken down. Woman immediatly runned to there and hided behind the wall. Terra took his pistol and aimed to Lunch Ladys head, but it moved fast and rised up its fork and striked it down. Terra was hard to see it as room was completely dark if his flashlight wasnt counted. He dodged fork by jumping down from fleshy plinth of Lunch Lady. He then chose that pistol wasnt good enough weapon to kill this thing fast enough. Lunch Lady didnt leave its place from its plinth, but it had plenty of room to use, even when Terra was against wall. Terra then remembered that light called these creatures closer, so he quickly turned off his flashlight. But now room was completely dark. He could hardly see anything. Knowing that he had to use flashlight really soon, Terra moved silently forward the round room and prepared for any attacks. He heard Lunch Ladys breathing. He then stumbled across with table similiar to ones that are used in by bartenders in pubs. He jumped to other side and searched the table in high hopes and then came across with chainsaw. He turned it on and was sure that monster heard him. He turned on the flashlight and jumped back to fleshy floor. Lunch Lady charged to attack with its blender, but Terr dodged it and stabbed Lunch Lady to back with chainsaw. Monster screamed from pain and it burbed blood all over. Terra jumped back to floor and runned to utility room, where Shabon was and heard how Lunch Lady exploded with slimy voice as blood spread all over. Shabon stood up and tried to look to the round room, but Terra didnt wanna look in and didnt wanna her to look either. They heard an weird voice as metalic ladders came down from hatch.

"Do you think this leads back to building?" Shabon asked.

"Lets find out." Terra said and climbed up with Shabon following him closely behind. Finally being up, Terra noticed that he was back at cafeteria. As he putted his hand to edge of floor in order to climb up, he noticed how his hand touched another key.

"This wasnt here before..." He though and stood up, in order to pull Shabon up as well. When Shabon was out, hatch mysteriously closed, preventing them climbing back. Not that they would even dream of doing so. Terra turned his attention to key. It said "principal".

"Where is principals office?" He asked from Shabon. Woman took map and looked it.

"Its in second floor... now this is odd..." Shabon said and came closer to Terra.

"Most of the map of second floor has vanished." She pointed. Map was almost empty. There was principals office, math classes and staircase drawed in it, but nothing more.

"Do you think darkness did something to university while we were down there?" Shabon asked.

"Its possible... i hope we dont vanish along with second floor. Lets head back to hallway. There is stairs, leading to this staircase." Terra said and headed back to the door, but he stopped as many monsters were blocking the corridor.

"What are these things? I havent seen them outside at town..." Shabon said. Monsters were quite similiar Liars, except they were wearing ripped uniforms and their bloody face was filled with ripped pieces of books pages. Terra would name them Student Ghouls, just because Axel wasnt there to name them himself. Once again Terra turned of his flashlight and took grasp from Shabons hand and together they slowly walked pass them all. However they reacted each time they made too loud step or breath. Terra escoreted Shabon to the stairs. As they looked around it looked like second floor would just be an platform with a single floor. No walls were surrounding it from other ways. Stairs didnt fit to the dark world second floor was in. It was like an hole of unreality. Shabon looked a bit scared and Terra wasnt that sure either, but there must be something on principals office.

"Listen Terra. I wait you at here in the elevator, okay?" She asked and went inside the elevator. Terra nodded.

"Ill be right back." He said and walked to waiting room and then went right toward principals room. Room looked quite normal. It wasnt messy or broken like other rooms so far. He immediatly searched the desk, only to find an riddle written into five pencils that were taped together.

"A,B,C,D,E,F,G... Come down here to get me...

H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P... too afraid to solve pi...?

Q,R,S,T,U,V... Waiting for something or is it just me...?

W,X,Y and Z... Death is all that you will see...

Have fun... and remember to read..."

"What a-?" Terra said.

"Terra..." Someone said and an hand landed to Terras shoulder. In shock Terra drop pencils to floor and riddle vanished into dust as pencils were too old and weak.

"Aqua?" Terra asked and turned around. Vanitas was holding his shoulder and prepared to strike its junked sword to him. Terra easily freed himself and runned out of room. Darkness surrounded wall behind Vanitas and Vanitas pointed to Terra like commanding darkness to get him. Darkness then runned over principals office and Vanitas, washing the room from existence. Terra opened door and was sure to see elevator behind it, but there was weirdly an corridor. He then saw that darkness was following him, so he runned without hesitating forward. He turned to left as corridor sealed itself from in front of him. He then turned right but darkness came closer almost touching his shoes. Terra throwed his crowbar toward darkness and it clanked against it and darkness stopped for a second. Terra still kept on running and darkness just easily washed away crowbar as well. Terra finally saw door and quickly jumped through it to staircase corridor. Shabon closed the door and pulled Terra to elevator and pushed the button just moment before darkness was free to annihilate whole second floor. Terra took deep breath.

"What happened?" Shabon asked.

"I only found a weird riddle nothing more... then darkness started to chase me..." Terra explained. Shabon took maps and showed him an blank paper. Whole second floor was gone.

[replika13 455]

CHAPTER SEVEN

 

 

THOUSAND BOOK PUZZLE

 

"...And remember to read..." Terra reminded himself about riddle again. What did it mean? Shabon was drinking some water from the well, inside of boiler room. Terra was keeping an eye on corridors in case any of monsters would appear. He already searched the boiler room and well. He tried to remember what Aqua was studying when she was in this university for small time of their vacation two years ago. Was it math? No, Aqua hated math. Was it art? Nope... Terra sighed and Shabon opened the door.

"Im done. I bottled some for you too." She said and gave small bottle of water to Terra, who put it into his bag.

"So, we know that this Vanitas guy is somewhere here and that second floor doesnt exist anymore?" She suggested and Terra nodded. Shabon looked nervous.

"What about Axel?" Shabon asked.

"He can take care of himself. You should know that." Terra said and started walking.

"So, where do we head now?" Shabon asked.

"To the library. I think riddle was a hint to search from there." Terra answered. They walked to the language class wing, but way to the library was collapsed down to the giant hole of darkness.

"Wanna jump down and meet another Lunch Lady?" Shabon joked.

"Very funny. We just need to find another way thats all." Terra said and Shabon searched the map.

"It appears that library is accessable through greenhouses. They are in west side of building. I hope they havent collapsed along with other parts of west side." Shabon said. They started walking back to the hall corridor and then turned left to the north. However, door to the northern corridors were broken.

"I guess we need to try the gym. Its in here." Shabon said and opened door on their right side. They came inside an huge and dark room, only being lighten by a candle. For Terras suprise, there was tent in there. He showed Shabon to be quiet and stay put while he himself slowly and quietly walked toward tent. As he opened the curtain, an shotgun was pointed to his face. In shock Terra falled to the floor and two young men came out of tent. Blond one with beard holded shotgun while brown haired one took pistol from his quitar.

"Well well well... you dont look like a monster dont you?" Blond one said.

"I told this was a bad idea, Luxord!" Brown haired one said.

"Quiet Demyx, you foolish kid!" Luxord said and turned his face back to Terra.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Im Terra. Could you...?"

"Oh yeah..." Luxord muttered and pulled shotgun away from Terra, who sighed in relief and stood up. Demyx also putted his pistol back inside the quitar. Terra showed Shabon to come to them and hesitating woman came to them. She immediatly looked disgusted.

"You smell awful!" She said to Demyx.

"Hey! Its my gel okay!" Demyx protested.

"Whatever it is, you should wash it off!" Shabon said and walked to Terra while Demyx was holding his anger.

"So, what brings you to Hollow Gardens stranger?" Luxord asked.

"Im looking for my dead wife, Aqua. Have you seen her?" Terra asked and offered picture to Luxord. He shook his head and gave picture back.

"And you miss?" Demyx asked.

"Im FROM this town you scumback!" Shabon answered.

"Oh really now...hmmm..." Luxord muttered.

"What are you doing here?" Terra asked.

"We are here to steal...OWW!" Demyx shouted when Luxord stepped to his foot really harsh.

"He means that were here to study these monsters." Luxord corrected.

"Okay. Good luck with that." Terra said and walked to other side of gym, with Shabon following him. There was something strange on those men, but Terra didnt know what.

"This way right?" Terra asked and Shabon nodded. He opened the door to something that was suppose to be an greenhouse. Half of it was missing and almost all of the floor has been collapsed down to cliff. An smoky darkness spreaded around, but Terra was still able to see. Most of plants were golden brown from their death and holes in wooden wall were covered by something flesh. Terra carefully crawled to other side of greenhouses and walked up stairs to door.

"Your not coming?" Terra asked from Shabon.

"No. I better be here in case something comes to this direction." She said. Terra nodded and opened door to library.

It was darker there. Small bits of dusty light came in from broken windows. Terra walked down stairs and heard something weird. He quickly hided behind bookcase and took his pistol and loaded. As he looked for the voice, he saw Vanitas, walking away toward door that would lead to collapsed corridor. When door closed, Terra crawled out and realised he was sitting on blood. He gasped and quickly stood up. Blood was coming from other side of the bookcase. As he walked it around, he saw Axels bloody corpse. His robot arm was trashed and half of his face was ripped away. In middle of his body was huge vound, showing that he was stabbed. But vound was also somehow weird. Like he would have been stabbed and item would have been turned around inside his body. Terra didnt haf to be a genius to know that it was done by Vanitas sword. He then saw an piece of paper in Axels hand.

 

Locker 158

 

Terra wasnt sure what that meant. Most of lockers he has seen so far were either trashed or empty. He then moved flashlight to wall where was picture of many peoples. Aqua was one of them. She was holding an sign, where was four numbers 4,38,7.

"Aqua... i wish you could be here..." Terra muttered to picture. He then took better look of library. Its floor was covered by books and papers. Also many broken wooden blanks were on east side of it. There was nothing useful to him. But then he saw an globe. Globe was filled with books. Many of them were odd named such as Vanishing Hope, Murder and Pride, Blood on Elementary School. Terra was sure those books wouldnt been published even if they would have been from last authors of whole world. But then he noticed that all books were alphabetically ordered. A,B,C,D,E,F and G were below and other lines were below. Was this the riddle on principals office? He then saw one W book on J section and moved it off. As he did so something was revealed from behind whole J section. Terra started to take books away and it was an symbol. There was X on middle and many medical symbols around and Saint Xemnas was written below it with golden letters.

 

"Well did you find anything?" Shabon asked.

"Yeah. An symbol of Saint Xemnas and locker number." Terra answered and Shabon smiled a bit.

"Well Saint Xemnas is famous hospital around here, remember? I told you about it on Enchanted Park." Shabon said. Terra did remember that.

"Do you know where locker 158 is?" Terra asked.

"Well, all the lockers are ordered so, that first one is at very south of schools main corridor while last one is on north side. There is 70 lockers on each floor. Number 158 means that locker is at 1st floor."

"Okay, lets go then." Terra said and wondered if he should tell her about Axels death.

 

"This is it." Terra said when they finally arrived to locker 158.

"Now what was the code then?" Terra wondered and remembered numbers Aqua was holding in picture.

"You should try to turn lock into left first. Most of lockers have that.

"Okay." 4 left, 38 right and 7 left. Snap! Locker was open. Inside it was pack of red roses, which looked like new ones. They reminded Terra about roses he gave to Aqua when she was in the hospital. They were beautiful, red roses. He didnt remember what Aqua was saying on them though.

"Is there something else than just mere flowers?" Shabon asked. Terra searched and found an kitchen axe. He offered it to Shabon, who backed off.

"Hey! I am not going to use that!" She shouted.

"You rather risk your life than protect yourself?" Terra asked. Shabon smiled at him devilishly and came closer.

"I dunno. I have heard that big boys like you like damsels in distress right?"

"Get serious." Terra said and took another object. An book named Fallen Angel.

"You know thats one of my favorite books. Too bad i never managed to finish it though." Shabon said and took book to her hands.

"We haf to go outside. Theres nothing more here." Terra said.

 

Terra opened door to outside and it was bit darker there, meaning night was coming.

"Ive been waiting for you." Someone said. Terra gasped when seeing Axel, sitting on chair.

"Axel! I though that thing killed you!" He shouted for suprise.

"What are you talking about Terra? We separated and i gathered enough infromation. And besides my name is not Axel, its Lea." Man said.

[replika13 455]

CHAPTER EIGHT

 

 

ECHO IN THE LIGHTHOUSE

 

After returning to the north-east motorway, Terra was thinking about the church number 13. He wasnt sure where it was locating though. According to Shabon it was somewhere at Southern town, but then again according to Lea, it was located at other side of the lake. According to Saix, there was no such place and that town had only 7 church left since 5 others were destroyed by monsters swarming attacks.

"Your sure there isnt 13th church?" Terra asked.

"Im positive. Hollow Gardens had only 12 church. It is told through town history and in all records there is around the country." Saix said.

"Oh come on! There is 13th one on other side of the lake." Lea said.

"I think that church is here. But its in southern corner of town." Shabon said. All three started arguing about it. Saix was the one to care less of the fight, but both Shabon and Lea were certain of their information. Terra hold his head which was hurting a little.

"Its on north!" Lea shouted.

"We will go to south! Its there and i wanna out of this town soon as possible!" Shabon shouted back.

"Your waisting your time already..." Saix muttered.

Terra saw weird image in his head. It was Aqua, dressing up into her jacket inside an room, where was great wiev to the lake. Then he realised.

"I think theres this ship on north side of the lake..." Terra said. All three stopped arguing.

"You mean, Bay-Gardens hotel ship?" Shabon asked.

"Yeah. Thats the one. It was always anchored to the bay, never setting sail. I wonder if its still there though..."

"Yes. Its still there." Saix said and took shotgun to the table and started cleaning it up.

"But like everything else in this town, its abandoned and its only matter of time before it starts sinking. Also, those bloodthirsty but blind creatures have wandered inside the ship and inhabited it for their own. They will be lurking inside the darkness, waiting for those rare human beings in area to come for their meal."

"Yeah i heard that ship is there too. But i didnt know its filled with monsters yet. Usually those creatures try to stay away from lake and rivers once they have rised to the land from there." Lea said.

"But! Its impossible to find it. Without proper care from human beings, lakes flow has moved it away from its original spot." Saix said, putting shotgun back to the corner.

"Acctually, i heard that theres an controller on Southern lighthouse that will light the ships fog-lights. Lighthouses also has back-up generator, so it will work without towns electricity systems, meaning that it still works." Shabon explained. Terra stood up.

"Lets head to that light house then." He said.

"Good. Acctually i wanna make a little errand for you too. There should be pack of pain killers inside the lighthouses sixth floor. I trust you can bring them to me. For an price i might give you something that makes it worth." Saix said.

"What do you need pain killers for?" Lea asked.

"In case you return with more broken bodies thats why..."

 

Lighthouse was down from the motorway toward the lake. However, there was just one thing between Terra and the building...

"Damn gate!" Terra shouted and kicked the gate. Behind this iron gate was staircase, leading down to the lighthouses yard.

"Hey guys..." Shabon started.

"Not now!" Both men said. Lea tried to open gates lock with his lockpick.

"But..."

"Shhh!"

"Damn you two!" Shabon shouted and pushed both men away just before huge truck drived against the gate, pushing it down the stairs. Terra rised his head and saw no one on the trucks funnel. Then he saw an movement on trucks roof and saw Vanitas. He rised up his sword and truck reversed. Vanitas made echoing metalic breath like sound and pointed his sword to them and truck started driving toward them again.

"Whats this supposed to be? A ghost truck?" Lea shouted and jumped away from the footpath to the motorway. Shabon jumped to the fence while Terra dodged trucks wheels just in time.

"Guys! Gate is open! Lets run down to the lighthouse!" Shabon shouted and runned already. Lea and Terra didnt wait for truck and Vanitas to turn around, so they runned after her. But Masked monster told the truck to turn around and so it did, destroying wall of Yens Gas station.

Trio runned down the stairs, but Terra already saw light of the truck coming back and turning to the stairway.

"Its coming down!" He shouted.

"Dont worry! Were almost there!" Shabon shouted and kept his hands ready to push the door open, if it wasnt locked that is. Truck was just couple of meters away from Lea, who was most behind one. Shabon pushed door open and flied in from suprise and Terra and Lea followed her and truck crushed against the lighthouses wall, blocking the entry.

"That was a close one..." Terra sighed.

"You said it. It almost killed us." Lea said and sat down to chair in order to catch his breath. Shabon was still shocked. So shocked that she almost cried.

"What if door would have been locked too?" She whispred with hand on her mouth.

"Lets not worry about that. Thanks Shabon, for being so fast runner." Lea grinned. Shabon smiled a little and stood up. She looked to the door, which was covered by trucks front side.

"How do we get out of here now?" She asked.

"Lets worry that after we find those controllers and pain killers..." Terra said. He wasnt worrying about getting out. He was worrying about Vanitas getting in. It could climb up from the window of next floor since truck was big enough. Or maybe Vanitas was killed by the crash?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT7KSbt8Knk

An voice of steps came from upstairs and Vanitas echoing breathing was clearly heard through roof.

"Is it... upstairs?" Shabon stuttered.

"I think so. It will be dangerous if he finds away out of the-" big crash came from the upstairs and wooden pieces of door falled down to stairways. Terra saw Vanitas shadow from the light of oil lamp in upstairs.

"Hide..." Terra said and took pistol out of his pocket. It helped last time he was about to be discovered by Vanitas. Shabon crawled under the table, which was covered by cloth. Lea crawled after her and Terra hided behind an pilar with pistol. It was risky move. If he wasnt careful enough, Vanitas could slice his head off. However, monster first was just standing at the stairways, then Terra noticed it was going upstairs instead of downstair. Terra went quietly after him.

 

"He is at toppest floor." Terra whispered when finally coming down. Lea and Shabon crawled from under the table.

"Really? What he is doing there?" Lea asked.

"It seems he is shouting toward the lake. Not sure why though."

"Well we haf to get him down from there. All controls are in that floor." Shabon said.

Edited September 14, 2012 by replika13