In the Eye of the Beholder:
Chapter One.
“Come on Sora, you can do better than that!” Riku taunted.
Motivated by those words the young boy pushed forward with strong intensity, swinging his durably lengthy stick from behind with utmost power. Riku laughed as the smack of their sticks echoed throughout the breezy island air. The bright, hot sun beaming down on his sleek, silver hair made him feel strong. He leapt back abruptly, breaking the heat from their stick to stick friction. Riku casually stepped up the trunk of the papou fruit tree and then turned to gaze into his friends blue eyed stare. Sora stood firm, gripping the end of his stick and holding it upright ready to attack. His eyes were squinted in determination and his teeth bared as sweat trickled down the side of his face.
“Hey Sora, quit gawking. What, are you afraid or something?” Riku mockingly spoke, motioning forward with his hand.
Sora breathed heavy in frustration, dropping his stance as a sign to his drooping energy.
“Not giving up yet, I hope.” Riku inquired.
“Not for a second!” Sora spoke out with a sly grin as his feet pounded up the base of their favorite landmark.
Riku reached out with his stick, striking the belly of the rushing boy, who immediately fell back onto the sandy earth, bottom first. Recovering surprisingly quickly, he stood up and ran fast towards Riku, who was just landing his feet back on the ground. Sora swiped his stick to the side of him quickly. His eyes were closed, focusing on his target with his mind. Riku had only seconds to react to this agile strike. *SMACK* His long straight hair blew upwards as he ducked fast, the stick missing him by inches. Sora opened his eyes just in time to see a coconut fall from the palm tree he had managed to hit. The vibrations from the contact made his body quiver. he was panting for air, sweaty and disheveled.
“Alright, let’s end this,” spoke Riku with authority, “I’m getting bored.”
At that thought he stood up, lifting his stick with both hands, positioning it behind him for power. He swung, hitting Sora directly in the shoulder and following through with a swipe across the chest. The blow sent sora spiraling down to the ground sending sand sweeping up into the atmosphere.
“Ahh..!” Riku cried as the sand blinded him and began to swirl about.
His surroundings became blurred and he could barely make out Sora laying in a lifeless heap. The air grew dark and the sand thick. Riku’s reflexive muscles clasped his eyelids shut in defense. His ears burned from the endless whooshing of the debris. His strands of hair were coming across his face like whips.
Every inch of his body felt weak as he screamed, “SORA!”
Suddenly, in a moments time, the sand was gone. The air felt cool, but there not even a fraction of a breeze present. There was a dry stale taste in the air. He could feel the emanating darkness even with his eyes still closed. His hair was hanging messily beside his pale face, however not as if 90 mile per hour winds had wrestled with him. He opened his eyes.
He didn’t feel the warmth of bark against his closed palm. Instead the chill of metal was immanent through his glove. He was holding a blood red handle belonging to a peculiar weapon. The blade of purest black color. Covering his body was a sculpted uniform that moved easily with his body. Shades of dark purple and red danced throughout the sleep black design. A ghostly white skirt buckled about his waist trailed behind him. He was no longer wearing his favorite, yellow, sleeveless vest nor his comfy, blue jeans that complimented the surf of the islands beach. But that didn’t matter because there was no water in sight.
Instead, surrounding him on the circular platform was large, thick, copper machinery. Although most of the room was dark, Riku could feel a powerful light source shimmer down upon his back. He slowly turned his muscular body and looked up into the colorful light. it was the heart of Hollow Bastion; the symbol of the city that had been taken over by Malificient and her heartless minions.
It wasn't until now that Riku finally understood the events prior to his awakening. There, collapsed on the cold, stone floor lay the body of his dearest friend, Sora. His chest was gapping open with a long purple wound displaying signs of Riku’s dark power. Next to him, the angelic figure of Kairi, the girl they both had sought to save, lay untouched however lifeless. Staring, moon-faced at the absurd scene, a tear fell from Riku’s forest green eye.
Chapter One.
“Come on Sora, you can do better than that!” Riku taunted.
Motivated by those words the young boy pushed forward with strong intensity, swinging his durably lengthy stick from behind with utmost power. Riku laughed as the smack of their sticks echoed throughout the breezy island air. The bright, hot sun beaming down on his sleek, silver hair made him feel strong. He leapt back abruptly, breaking the heat from their stick to stick friction. Riku casually stepped up the trunk of the papou fruit tree and then turned to gaze into his friends blue eyed stare. Sora stood firm, gripping the end of his stick and holding it upright ready to attack. His eyes were squinted in determination and his teeth bared as sweat trickled down the side of his face.
“Hey Sora, quit gawking. What, are you afraid or something?” Riku mockingly spoke, motioning forward with his hand.
Sora breathed heavy in frustration, dropping his stance as a sign to his drooping energy.
“Not giving up yet, I hope.” Riku inquired.
“Not for a second!” Sora spoke out with a sly grin as his feet pounded up the base of their favorite landmark.
Riku reached out with his stick, striking the belly of the rushing boy, who immediately fell back onto the sandy earth, bottom first. Recovering surprisingly quickly, he stood up and ran fast towards Riku, who was just landing his feet back on the ground. Sora swiped his stick to the side of him quickly. His eyes were closed, focusing on his target with his mind. Riku had only seconds to react to this agile strike. *SMACK* His long straight hair blew upwards as he ducked fast, the stick missing him by inches. Sora opened his eyes just in time to see a coconut fall from the palm tree he had managed to hit. The vibrations from the contact made his body quiver. he was panting for air, sweaty and disheveled.
“Alright, let’s end this,” spoke Riku with authority, “I’m getting bored.”
At that thought he stood up, lifting his stick with both hands, positioning it behind him for power. He swung, hitting Sora directly in the shoulder and following through with a swipe across the chest. The blow sent sora spiraling down to the ground sending sand sweeping up into the atmosphere.
“Ahh..!” Riku cried as the sand blinded him and began to swirl about.
His surroundings became blurred and he could barely make out Sora laying in a lifeless heap. The air grew dark and the sand thick. Riku’s reflexive muscles clasped his eyelids shut in defense. His ears burned from the endless whooshing of the debris. His strands of hair were coming across his face like whips.
Every inch of his body felt weak as he screamed, “SORA!”
Suddenly, in a moments time, the sand was gone. The air felt cool, but there not even a fraction of a breeze present. There was a dry stale taste in the air. He could feel the emanating darkness even with his eyes still closed. His hair was hanging messily beside his pale face, however not as if 90 mile per hour winds had wrestled with him. He opened his eyes.
He didn’t feel the warmth of bark against his closed palm. Instead the chill of metal was immanent through his glove. He was holding a blood red handle belonging to a peculiar weapon. The blade of purest black color. Covering his body was a sculpted uniform that moved easily with his body. Shades of dark purple and red danced throughout the sleep black design. A ghostly white skirt buckled about his waist trailed behind him. He was no longer wearing his favorite, yellow, sleeveless vest nor his comfy, blue jeans that complimented the surf of the islands beach. But that didn’t matter because there was no water in sight.
Instead, surrounding him on the circular platform was large, thick, copper machinery. Although most of the room was dark, Riku could feel a powerful light source shimmer down upon his back. He slowly turned his muscular body and looked up into the colorful light. it was the heart of Hollow Bastion; the symbol of the city that had been taken over by Malificient and her heartless minions.
It wasn't until now that Riku finally understood the events prior to his awakening. There, collapsed on the cold, stone floor lay the body of his dearest friend, Sora. His chest was gapping open with a long purple wound displaying signs of Riku’s dark power. Next to him, the angelic figure of Kairi, the girl they both had sought to save, lay untouched however lifeless. Staring, moon-faced at the absurd scene, a tear fell from Riku’s forest green eye.
