Totality

Authors Notes: (Please Read)!

Hello members of fan fiction, what…? (**face palms whilst sniggering**) Jeez, that sounded like me giving an opening at a concert…oh well, my seriousness has now just gone out of the window.

Anyway, before we begin, I just wanted to be open with a few things first. This is my first fan fiction entry, so please be patient with me if you do decide to begin reading and find my writing style to be a bit limp. I've always hoped that my writing was good, was one of the top in my year at school grade wise (**eyes glitter nostalgically**)…ah those were the days, and have always thought about trying my hand at writing and publishing. I thought, what better way than to give it a whorl on fan fiction.

Now, the reason I wanted to ask you to read this was to explain the beginning chapter. The story is not set in the 1600's, this beginning piece is just to 'set the scene' for the story. It is set in a modern day context, if you could call it modern day when pertaining to Kingdom Hearts, and is just to introduce three of our protagonists. If you read, it'll all come together! :D

At any rate, I won't bore you any longer with my incessant babble, if you do indeed like the Sora and Roxas pairing, and a good long read, then please stick with me on this, as I think it's gonna be good…or at least I hope it is! XD

-No M rated stuff here yet guys and gals…you'll have to be a loyal reader and wait. However, swearing is included!-

Disclaimer: Fair Use/Fair Dealing

I only claim fair use through using names and/or places and/or events for the enrichment of personal creativity, all ownership of characters, places and events belong to Square Enix, The Walt Disney Company and/or the creators of Kingdom Hearts.

Should this work of fiction increase others 'exposure' to the Kingdom Hearts games series, that is to say awareness is increased to a point that it creates a growth in business via profits/sales or anything similar, to Square Enix, The Walt Disney Company and/or the creators of Kingdom Hearts, then I claim no right to commercial gain from awareness created by this work of fiction.

This work of fiction is meant only for the personal enjoyment of others. This work of fiction is not a re-sale of the Kingdom Hearts series; it is a new plot/idea, with only use of characters and/or places and/or events from Kingdom Hearts being used, on a not for profit basis, to reflect another's artistic interpretation of the Kingdom Hearts series.

Thank you.

Totality

Chapter 1 – Moonlight…and Magic?

A Sora & Roxas fan fiction

oxOxo

Year, 1641

The moon shone brightly tonight. Its light crafting patterns where its soft glow cast through the treetops, making shadows dance about the forest road. The forest itself was quiet, empty, save for two teens travelling at a brisk pace, the wind ruffling through their hair. One had bright, fiery red hair and upturned tear shaped marks under each eye; the other had nothing other than vibrant, shocking blonde hair.

The blonde can't help but look up at the moon, the hint of a smile playing upon the edges of his lips. He could almost feel the glow upon his cheeks; almost see the pale, slightly golden sheen gleaming in his eyes. It was summer, the summer solstice to be exact, and the night was mild and breezy. Both wore long sleeve, linen shirts and trousers made of rough wool, with leather boots up to their shins. The blonde takes a long, slow breath in, the smell of a thousand different things hitting his nose all at once. The smell of trees; pine, ash and oak all with their own distinctive, woody scent...the smell of water, though far off, it's clear earthy fragrance refreshing as it fed the forest around them, bringing it abundant life. The smell of honey caught his attention; he could hear the slight buzzing of bees in a honey comb hive on a tree a few feet away…the perfume of many different species of flora was a pleasant one too. All of this in one inhalation of breathe, and it was perfect, as he gazed at the radiant lunar phenomenon above him, that golden sphere suspended high in the sky.

The forest itself was animated this time of year, its sights and smells reminding him that, for a moment – no matter how brief, he could get as close as possible to remembering the sense of being 'alive'. He hadn't often had this feeling, not in the five centuries that he was cursed to wander the boundaries of life and death. As a vampire, all of these sights, sounds, and smells were apparent to his heightened senses, but that didn't stop him despising the fact that to sustain his own purgatory, he had to steal from the life of others. His companion also was a vampire…but took to his immortality more than he did.

That was one of the reasons why he didn't mind an 'escape' from the world, to just get back to life's most basic form…nature. However, this was pushing it. The two had been wandering for hours. The blonde glances towards the red head, frustration clearly etched into his young, boyish features. "Axel, are you sure you know where you're going?"

The red headed teen, the one addressed as Axel, looks to his companion with a sigh. "Yeah silly, of course I know where I'm going". He turns his face away, seemingly to look out into the forest around them, but really only to disguise his embarrassment. Axel hadn't yet admitted to his younger companion that he was lost. The small farmhouse they'd been looking for was nowhere to be seen. They had been walking for hours now, the moon already at its zenith.

Abruptly, the blonde boy stops, looking at Axel with a look of barely suppressed anger now. "You don't know where we're going do you? My guess is you got lost at those crossroads a few miles back". He began to glare at Axel, "why did I let you lead me along on this". His voice then begins to drip with sarcasm before shifting back to anger, "I should've known you'd end up getting us lost in some god-forsaken forest in the middle of nowhere. How is it you always drag me into these situations? How"?

Axel too had stopped, though he was struggling not to laugh as he watched his friend stand there glaring at him, his arms folded across his chest, scolding him like he was a naughty child. "Jeez Roxas, you sounded almost serious for a sec there".

The blonde, now addressed as Roxas replies with a stunned tone to his voice, "Don't try and wriggle out of this Axel. It still doesn't change the fact that we're lost".

"I wasn't trying to wriggle out of anything Roxas…I was just trying to lighten the mood". Axel chuckled, "besides…I know exactly where we're going".

"Oh really…then tell me, how far is it to wherever it is we're going"? He smiled maliciously, knowing that he had caught Axel out on this one.

Axel turns, looking to their right further out into the forest, his eyes darting back in forth, lost in thought as his face drops to stare at the ground. "Hey, you know we need to – wait…what was that". Axel began a retort to his friends accusations, but was then cut off mid-sentence by something that caught his eye, further out into the forest.

Roxas has lost all patience and begins to walk over to his friend, "Don't change the subject…and what's wha- oh". He stops abruptly, his expression turning from one of anger to quiet interest. Following the direction of Axel's gaze both can see a flickering orange glow in the distance. "What do you think it is Axel"?

"Torchlight I'd say…or perhaps a fire", Axel replies flatly, turning his head to the left to look back at Roxas.

Roxas slowly turns his head to Axel's, his eyes narrowed and his brow creased. Rolling his eyes at him he retorts, "Well no shit! Figure that out yourself did you"!

"Hey, I'm only stating the facts".

"I'd guessed". Roxas turns back and looks toward the light, "Come on…let's go check it out, more interesting than wandering through this fucking forest all night". He leaves the road and begins to run toward the light, swatting twigs and branches out of his face as he ducks under and though the shrubbery.

"THERE'S NO NEED TO BE SO MEAN, ROXAS YOU BASTARD", Axel shouted, smiling all the while though. Roxas…he was always cool, calm and collected. Never one to rush into anything, always thinking it through…yet here he was rushing in, just to satisfy his curiosity. Axel snickered as these thoughts ran through his mind, his eyes unfocused as he silently conversed with himself. Wow…he must be bored…but then strange lights in the middle of nowhere is perhaps the most interesting thing we've come across in the last few months- His train of thought was interrupted when further in he heard Roxas shout.

"Hey…are you coming or what"?

Axel snickered again, before running through the bushes and trees to join his friend.

oxOxo

Roxas and Axel crept closer to the light, by this time they could hear voices, a lot of them. Keeping low they moved silently through long grass to a large bush stretching amongst a small collection of trees. From here, they silently peeped out into a small clearing to observe twenty or so people, some with torches, gathered in a ring around a large fire in their centre. A short distance from this fire though, there stood a large brute of a man with a young girl in a vice like grip. One hand crushing her arms in his, the other around her neck…she was crying. In front of them stood a priest, a scroll of paper clutched in his hand, silently exchanging words with the 'brute'.

Axel stirred beside Roxas. He gazed at the young girl…she seems so helpless, Axel thought, and she's beautiful. The girl in question wore a sleeveless, snowy white dress, which came down halfway between her thighs and knees. But what Axel noticed most, and he was thinking about this all the while, were the little details. Her eyes, he thought, a vibrant blue, even behind tears, and are rather like Roxas's, just without the spark that Roxas…well, that he once had. Her hair…it's such a deep golden blonde, rather like Roxas's…jeez, these two could be siblings. All the while that Axel was musing upon these thoughts, he was unaware that Roxas seemed to have noticed everything and, glancing toward his friend with a smirk, he whispers, "I hope you're not getting any ideas about playing the gallant hero, are you", the last words actually addressed as a question when he saw his friends brow wrinkled in thought.

Axel was brought back from his thoughts, "What? You're questioning my motives when it was you who dragged me out here to look at…this. What do you suppose they're doing anyway"? Axel retorted back at his friend in a hushed tone, surprise written all over his face. Roxas glanced back at the circle, he opens his mouth to speak, but the priest gets there first.

oxOxo

"People of Salem, this woman has been accused of sorcery and witchcraft", he begins, moving toward the fire in the centre and turning to point toward the young girl, who was still being held by the brute. "In accordance with the laws of these lands", he began to read from the scroll in his hands, "the accused shall no longer be sentenced to exile". The girl looked up, hope in her eyes, this was almost immediately dashed when she heard the next words. "The new laws shall now empower the clergy to bring swifter judgement upon those found to be accused of witchcraft. They shall instead be sentenced to death, there to be judged by a higher authority, to be cast down to meet their own heinous gods".

The girl screamed incredulously, "VEXEN, NO DON'T DO THIS! YOU KNOW I'M NOT A WITCH, I ONLY USE MY POWERS TO HELP PEOPLE, TO HEAL THE SICK AND INNOCENT".

"You are no Wiccan Namine, you are a heathen, and you were seen performing darker magic's here in these very forests. The young boy you terrified with your use of fire and ice, was Lexaeus's own son", indicating the man who held Namine, as she was now known.

"No", Namine cried, "I only used my powers to protect him, I was showing him how to pick healing plants when we were attacked by a wolf…I-I didn't mean to frighten him, I only wanted to protect him".

Vexen only smiled maliciously, "Lies…you are a Witch, you placed a spell upon these good people to have them accept you…you plan to kill these people using your unholy magic's. You plan to subvert the good name of the Wicca by killing in their name". Namine attempted to say something more, but was stopped when Vexen raised a hand, "Enough, you shall die, and repent for your sinful life".

Axel and Roxas were still lying hidden within the bushes to the side of all this, listening intently. Roxas turned to Axel, "Well, I'd say it's a Witch burning…anyway, it's no concern of ours". He moved as if to leave but Axel grabbed his arm, pulling him back into a kneeling position.

"We can't just leave her…look at her, she doesn't look as if she's evil to me" Axel whispered, barely able to keep his voice hushed.

"Since when can we say who or what looks good or evil", Roxas countered, "We're vampires Axel, we don't have friends and we don't go around helping every lost soul we meet…the world isn't as kind to us as perhaps we might like to be to it".

"Oh, so that's the way it is…to you I wasn't lost when you found me, rabid and incoherent with bloodlust, and you don't see me as a friend now either…is that it"?! Axel was becoming angry now and glared at Roxas.

"No I-I didn't mean it like that…it's just that it's been so long since we've been shown even a modicum of kindness that…that I'm not sure anymore how to express it". Roxas looked so crestfallen at his friends remarks, that Axel immediately calmed down, placing a hand gently on his friends shoulder, Roxas looked up at him.

"Don't be silly, you showed me kindness remember…I just want to show the same kindness to someone else now. To be honest, Roxas, I-I envy you. You've been a vampire so long, longer than me anyway, and you still show kindness and compassion when you can". Axel smiled at his friend, "Now, how's about we do the same thing here"?

Roxas looked at his friend…and smiled. To Axel, that was all the answer he needed before they leapt out of the bush together, approaching the group around the fire.

oxOxo

"Cast her into the fire Lexaeus", Vexen commands, Lexaeus moves to obey, but is stopped when everyone turns to see two young men walk into the circle. Vexen turns, a note of surprise in his voice, "And just who are you"?

Axel grins, "Well, I would've said 'your worst nightmare'…but it sounds a little too clichéd don't ya think".

For the second time that night, Roxas turns to his friend and rolls his eyes, "Release the girl", he begins, turning to look back at Vexen, "I don't want to hurt any of you…you're all innocent in your ignorance".

"Our ignorance…boy I think you're the one in ignorance…this girl is a Witch, and she will die like one, now get out of our way…we have no quarrel with you". Vexen turns back to Namine.

Roxas simply stood there, his eyes fixed on Vexen, unmoving, "Yes, but my friend here most certainly will have a quarrel with you should you dare touch a hair upon her head...he can be a little too valiant for his own good sometimes".

Axel glances at Roxas, frowning, but lets him continue.

"And I don't care whether she's a Witch or a Wiccan, she clearly doesn't mean any of you harm…and should you not heed this warning now, I can promise you that you'll find there are things worse than witchcraft in these forests". Roxas answers, a blank expression upon his face.

Vexen only laughs, "You're wasting my time…I have more pressing matters to attend to than stand here listening to hollow threats from a boy barely past his change into adulthood. Lexaeus, throw her in", his final comment directed to the man behind him before turning back. "Now, I suggest you ack -"

Vexen stopped speaking abruptly; the boy had him against one of the trees at the edge of the firelight, his legs flailing uselessly about beneath him, his hands attempting to remove the one around his neck. The other villagers had retreated, they had never seen a human move so fast, and to Axel, it seemed they weren't willing to find out what happened next. Only Lexaeus, still clutching Namine, Axel and Roxas, with Vexen at the neck, remained. Staring down the young blond in shock, Vexen noticed two things. One, his once vibrant blue eyes had darkened into a deep lurid red and two, his canines were now protruding as fangs, half an inch in length.

"I told you it was not a request. Now tell your friend Lexaeus over there, to release Namine…if you don't…well…" Roxas's left his threat hanging, dangerously. Vexen uttered a gasp, as Roxas released him, and he dropped to the ground gasping for air. On his knees, he looked toward Lexaeus and nodded. Namine felt the grip on her loosen, and she darted to Axel, sobbing silently. Axel took her in his arms, offering silent comfort.

Roxas turned to leave, "Well, that was simple wasn't it – argh -"

Namine screamed, and made to dart toward the strange blonde boy, to whom she now owed so much. But Axel tightened his embrace, "No wait". Namine looked up at Axel, but nodded when she saw the serious look in his eyes. They both looked back toward Roxas.

oxOxo

Roxas had just turned away from Vexen, about to leave, when he immediately felt a sharp pain in his back. Falling to the ground, ne noticed a silver dagger, its hilt fashioned into a Holy Sigel, fixed into his side. Vexen stood up, laughing and exclaimed, "You fool I answer to a higher authority. I am the hand of justice and order to the light". Walking past Roxas, he stood between the two boys, Lexaeus now at his side. He Looked at Axel, who just held Namine tighter to stop her rushing to Roxas's aid, "I would guess you are a vampire also…how fortuitous that I can kill two birds with one stone…two vampires and a witch." Vexen smiled wickedly, "Now I will finish the both of you" –

"Argh".

"WHAT"? Vexen turned to see Lexaeus on the ground, twitching in his final death throes and the dagger in his back, with a pool of blood steadily spreading around him. He turned to gasp at Roxas.

Roxas stood there, his hand to his side, anger burning within his red eyes. He grabbed Vexen by the scruff of his neck and pulled him close. "I warned you. Axel was right, I am your worst nightmare, and now I'm going to show you why". With that, his fangs sink deeply into Vexens neck, the man's screams faltering as he slipped out of consciousness.

oxOxo

After about a minute, Roxas finally threw the man to the ground.

"Is-is he dead"? Namine asked.

Kneeling down to wipe his face upon the man's coat, Roxas stands back up to look at Namine. His eyes returning to their usual, crystal blue and his fangs, sinking back into small canines. He smiles slightly, in order to offer her reassurance, "No, I detest killing someone…even should they deserve it oof -"

Roxas didn't finish his sentence; Namine had surged forward and locked Roxas into a bone crushing hug. Roxas winced in pain.

"Oh shit…I'm sorry", Namine blurted looking at Roxas's wound. Both Roxas and Axel laughed.

"Since when does someone so sweet and innocent learn language like that", Axel teased.

Namine smiled at him, "What makes you think I'm sweet and innocent"? A playful glint flashed in her eye causing Axel to blush slightly, but smiling right back.

"I-it's ok", Roxas managed before falling forward slightly. Axel rushed forward and caught his friend, looking slightly concerned. Roxas looked unfazed, "Natural vampire healing should kick in a few hours".

"No, let me help", Namine said before removing Roxas's top and placing both hands over the wound. Roxas gasped at the sudden contact on his wound, but sighed with relief as he and Axel watched little white sparks dance around Namine's hands, before falling and knitting Roxas's skin before their eyes. As this was happening, Namine noticed an odd symbol on Roxas's chest no bigger than the palm of her hand. A four pronged silver star, pointed at the tips. It was unusual, and she'd never seen it's like before; however she simply ignored it and returned to finishing her task. When she removed her hands, the wound in Roxas's side had disappeared, and Roxas stood up jiggling slightly to check.

"Wow, thanks…guess you really are a Wiccan", Roxas said smiling in appreciation and pulling his shirt back on.

Namine just stood there, her hands behind her back, "Well yes and no...t-the villagers were right. I'm a Witch as well as a Wiccan…I'm half and half". Axel and Roxas simply nodded, accepting this reasoning.

"Makes sense", Axel began, thinking it high time official introductions were in order, anything to lighten the mood. "As I'm sure you've probably worked out by now…my name is Axel. A-X-E-L, Axel…got it memorised", he beamed at Namine arching his eyebrows. Namine giggled, Roxas rolled his eyes for a third time and muttered, "Oh please".

Axel spun round to look at Roxas, "And that bundle of joy over there is Roxas", he finished. Roxas simply raised one hand, giving Axel the finger.

Namine, still smiling, ran and pulled Roxas and Axel together into a hug. Giggling she said, "And I'm Namine, pleased to meet you".

Roxas, who was beginning to get a little restless whilst standing in a pool of blood, broke the moment, "Not that I wish to spoil our wonderful introductions but…ah…there's one man dead at my feet, another unconscious and twenty others scattered into the forest, who all thought they just saw evil incarnate".

"Yeah…and they did. Didn't they Roxas"-

"Don't Axel…just don't. To be honest I hadn't expected to drain from one and kill the other...I-I didn't want to harm anyone"… Roxas began to look very forlorn, until both Namine and Axel pulled him into yet another hug. Roxas's face, though the two couldn't see, had gone from one of sadness, to one of silent joy. He had known Axel cared, and he'd thought that this Namine character was kind hearted also…but he was always glad when he was shown real affection. Though his heart was lifeless and had long since calcified, he could almost swear he felt warmth in his chest, both for an old friendship…and a new one.

"Your fearless determination to protect those you hold dear is what makes you who you are Roxy, and I'd never change that". Axel smiled down at his friend, using his nickname for him, which he only used to cheer his friend up.

Roxas face lit up brighter than the moon above them, and he immediately smiled over at Namine, "Well, you can't stay here…you're likely to be lynched once this bastard wakes up", he began, walking over to Vexens crumpled form and giving him a light kick in the side. "And when the rest of those villagers are brazen enough they'll come looking for all of us, since one of their own is dead". Roxas took a deep breath in, wondering whether or not he might regret this later on. "I guess you'll be coming with us…can't leave you to wander off on your own…so we can all be misfits together. Besides, you're 'knight in shining armour' over there would kill me if I just left you here after he convinced me to put myself in harm's way".

Axel and Namine simply laughed. Namine smiling brightly, "You mean it…I can come with you"?

Axel jumped in, excited and began speaking in a fast paced tone, "Absolutely, Roxas was once the son of a very rich noble man a couple-a hundred years ago and inherited his father's estate. It's a big place, and Roxas is still very rich. So, we work together to keep the place habitable…I mean even vampires have standards you know, right Roxas. Roxas"?

Axel turned to see Roxas deep in thought, his brow creased in concentration before he said, "We can't stay there anymore".

"Huh, how'd you mean"?

"I mean exactly what I said…we can't stay there. Now that all three of us have given the people around here a rather rude awakening as to our existence…I'm not sure I wanna wait around for the angry mob". Roxas closed his eyes, again deep in thought.

"Oh, you're right"… Axel trailed off, his face too, falling deep into thought.

Namine too began to think, but almost immediately an idea formed in her head. "Hey, since it's really my fault that you're both in this situation", she held one of her hands up as both Roxas and Axel looked as if they were about to argue, "but I think I know where we can go. Destiny Islands, it's where I grew up. They're a large group of islands far away from here, fairly well inhabited…but we'll easily be able to blend in, the islanders mostly keep to themselves".

Axel's face registered a look of confusion, "Ah, Namine, not that the offer isn't tempting but…I'm assuming you left your home because people there discovered you were a" -

"- sorceress", Namine quipped as Axel was talking.

"- sorceress right…but…aren't you afraid you'll be recognised", Axel finished. Namine didn't look worried in the slightest; in fact she looked rather amused.

"What"? Axel asked, his eyes narrowing in curiosity. Roxas too, now drawn out from his thoughts again, also looked curious, arms folded to his chest.

Namine smiled, "How old do you think I am"? Before waiting for an answer she continued, "Anyone from those islands I once knew is long dead…I'm over eighty years old…most mortals don't live that long these days. I guess it must be 'the Witch in me' that gives me immortality, and I chose to stay at this age and complexion".

Once more, Roxas and Axel took this reasoning without question. Both had seen stranger things in their time. Roxas walked back over to Namine and Axel and smiling said, "Well, we have a plan". Looking up to the solstice moon he breathed in the cool night air once more. "A new start…well that'll make things interesting for a while longer". He continued to gaze up to the moon, and closed his eyes.

oxOxo

Present Day, 372 years later

Roxas sat on the balcony of his mansion overlooking the sea, the summer solstice moon beaming down on him as he sat back in a deck chair, his eyes closed and his face looking up to it. This time, he wore a white and black, short sleeved chequered shirt with black, boot cut jeans. He was barefoot, a chequered wrist band around his left wrist, with a plain black ring on his left index finger and a plain white ring on his left middle finger.

He opened his eyes, bright moonlight filtering into his vibrant blue irises, remembering that this moon was almost identical to the one he and Axel had first met Namine under. He smiled, breathing in once again, a feeling of total relaxation…one which he thought he might not feel again given what he was thinking of doing.

A noise behind him warns of another's presence, and Axel wanders out onto the balcony through the open, glass double doors, and sits in the vacant deck chair next to Roxas. Likewise, he too was barefoot but had on a simple red t-shirt with blue jeans and a set of headphones around his neck, connected to his mp3 player. He noticed Roxas's odd expression, as he still continued to look up at the moon above, a mixture of happiness, sadness and worry. "So…watcha thinkin about"?

Roxas turned his head, his expression now unreadable, "The time we first met Namine, remember? Under a summer solstice moon, the night we became friends, a night…of moonlight and magic".

Authors Notes:

Well…that was fun to write, I do so enjoy letting my imagination run free. The next chapter should be up soon, perhaps a week or so. I'm addressing this to anyone, in the vain hope that someone might be reading…someone…anyone…please! XD

Anyway, if I have managed to attract some readers, then please review…I would appreciate it, really I would! May I just say that yes this is a Sora and Roxas story, he'll come in on the next chapter I think, and this is an M rated story for Yaoi later on, as well as swearing and other such things?

I hope anyone reading found this OK…my first fan fic and I'm really not sure if it's any good but, I'll persevere! See you soon, if there's any readers! XD