Wow. Another exciting chapter! :D I love writing this story and this chapter has everything I love about it. We have some action, some twists, some sadness, some suspense... I can't beleive I've come this far. Thanks to you all. The end is drawing closer as a plot begins to form, but it's still quite a ways off. xD I keep adding things to my outline everyday. I really am thinking about this fic way too much. lol.

Two somewhat unexpected characters pop up in this chapter. We've seen them before, but not like this. Also, I introduce some keyblades FTW! XD Not too much to babble about. Enjoy my lovely readers. Enjoy~

WARNING: Contains yaoi (manXman), main pairings being Zemyx, AkuRoku, slight AkuZeku, some SoRiku, perhaps some CloudXSephiroth...oh, just expect anything...

This story is centered around vampires. Huzzuh for cliché~ There is OOCness and AU.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, any of the characters, place names, etc. I am but a humble, obsessive fan. U_U

BROKEN

He had nothing left to say. I had no emotions I was hiding. Everything was finally out in the open and I wished, so desperately that I'd never known anything at all. I always believed that knowledge was power. I was someone whose curiosity was what killed them. Literally. I could not recall any time that I wished, no, longed to be ignorant, besides then. I could never forgive him. I would never. He was, in lack of a better phrase, dead to me. I knew from that moment, that I would never look at Axel the same way again.

He didn't make a sound. His head was hung in shame and I knew he would not try to persuade me to trust him anymore. He was no fool. Axel knew our bond was broken. That bond was still there, which was why I hadn't already ripped him apart. He wouldn't use it against me though, because he truly was sorry. I recognized that. Which is why I ignored it. He felt more pain because of it.

"Well, if that is everything, I will be taking my leave then," I said, coating my tongue in ice. His head shot up, his vibrant eyes popping open in shock.

"What!"

"You do not honestly believe I am going to allow myself to be used like a tool, do you?"

"But Zexion, you can't defy Xemnas!" I scoffed at him, looking so helpless, so needy.

"Maybe you cannot, but I am not a trained dog Axel. He is not my master. I answer to no one." Anymore...

"Just hear what I'm saying, okay! He'll kill you. I know he's waited this long, but there's something he never- I never said! The power can be transferred. It... It works best with the one it's originally fused with, but someone else can be possessed by it and they can train themselves to master it!"

"Listen to yourself. It's because of this power I will escape you fool. Strangely enough, after I became aware of it, I was able to discover that it's quite easy to control. It's almost as if the knowledge to master it is already in my mind."

"What?"

"While I was sitting here, all by myself, waiting for you to come running in, trying to explain yourself, I simply tried to use it. There is nothing difficult about it."

"That doesn't matter Zex. He's known about it for centuries; he'll know how to get around it. If you go against him, you might die, got it memorized?"

"Perhaps," I said calmly, walking around him, towards the open door. "At least it will be better than being used as a weapon." He did not protest further as I exited the room, turned to my left and proceeded down the hall towards the main area of the bar.

"Cloud!" The front door of Roxas' house was gone and the inside was completely destroyed.

"Shit," the scarred man who called himself Leon hissed. I stood nervously inside the doorway, watching Roxas rush into room after room, calling for his brother. I vaguely wondered how he could move so much when he was so tired and weak. I brushed the thought aside, knowing it wasn't important.

The couch was overturned and had more holes than a pincushion. The walls were slashed, the television had a gaping hole through the middle, from what I could see of the hallway upstairs, it was also trashed beyond recognition. Seeing the house that I'd practically lived in for the past three years so utterly annihilated...made my stomach almost fall in on its self.

Roxas came back down the stairs he'd just raced up, slowly and wearily. His eyes bore heavy shadows and his shoulders were slumped in exhaustion. He moved over to where we were standing and just stood there, looking broken. I didn't know what to do, but he'd been there for me when I had my meltdown earlier, so I wrapped my arms around his small body and he nearly collapsed into me.

"What am I gonna do Dem," his muffled voice whispered to me. "He's gone."

"Don't... worry about it Rox. I'm sure he must have chased the vampire out and they're... they're off fighting still. Hey, maybe he's even won by now and he'll be here in no t-

"Demyx." I looked over to Leon who was gazing at me sadly. "I know you're trying to lighten the mood, but what your saying isn't what Roxas wants to hear right now. I don't doubt they could have taken it far from here, the way they both fight, but saying hopeful things will get us nowhere. We'll have no proof that he's okay until we see him march back in here ourselves."

I nodded reluctantly and held Roxas closer, for some sort of support. In a short, shameful second, I found myself wishing that there was a different, small body in my arms. How could I be so selfish when my best friend needed me the most? Still, I couldn't help but wonder... was Zexy okay?

"Roxas," Leon's smooth, calm voice sounded. Roxas lifted his head to look at the older man.

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember Cloud telling you anything to remember if something like this should happen to him?" I was slightly surprised at how easily he was able to say it, with such a void of emotion in his voice. Wasn't Cloud his friend? Wasn't he worried?

"Something... like numbers?"

"Huh," I unconsciously questioned.

"When you say numbers, do you mean a code?"

"Roxas seemed to think about this for a moment before nodding slowly. "Probably."

"What numbers?"

"He used to make me repeat it over and over again. They're 8-1-3-6-9 1-1-4 0-1-7."

"Five digits, three and three. Perfect." Wasting no words on explanation Leon preceded to pull out his gunblade and aim it at the wall near the stairs.

"What are you...?" Before I could finish there was a blast that caused me to cringe and cover my ears. Roxas only looked on with a blank expression. "What the heck did you do that for!" Leon ignored me and strode over to the wall, where he bent down and stuck his hand in, moving it around a bit.

"Mmmhhm," he said affirmatively to himself. Roxas and I exchanged a glance as he put his other arm in the gaping hole and began to tug at something on the inside. After a moment or two of pulling and grunting Leon was able to produce a long, wide, black case of some sort. He dropped it at his feet and waved at us to come over.

"What is it," Roxas asked before I was able.

"Punch in the code and see," Leon said, gesturing at the small key pad that was on the side of the case. With a slow, tentative nod, Roxas reached forward and began to hit the numbers in sequence. With a little click the top of the case popped up a bit. Roxas looked at Leon, who nodded before reaching out and slowly pulling the top up.

"Whoa...," I whispered in awe. Inside the case were two gleaming keyblades. One was as white as snow, the other black as the night. They were both decorated to resemble angelic and demonic design respectively. The white one faded into gold and blue near the tip and base, flaring out into protective angel's wings. The key chain on the end held a small star fruit. The black one seemed to have a chain designed onto it, running down to a blazing

blue diamond and curving bat wings. The black keychain bore a dark crown.

"They are Oathkeeper and Oblivion. They are very powerful keyblades."

"Oathkeeper...and Oblivion...," Roxas whispered touching the white, then black blade. Leon nodded.

"Roxas. They're yours."

"H-Huh?"

"Cloud had them made for you as soon as you started training as a hunter."

"H-How do you know! Wait. How was I supposed to know?"

"Cloud and I have known each other for a while. He gave you the code and no doubt, hid a note somewhere in your keyblade case so you would know what to do if something happened to him. He didn't want to give these to you until you were ready, but... there's not much choice now."

"Do you really think...No. Never mind." I felt a pang in my heart, knowing Roxas wanted to hear from someone who was accustomed to all of this stuff whether or not Cloud could still possibly be...

"Um, earlier..." I piped up, not really meaning to. Both of their heads swivelled to look at me and I saw a dark, guardedness about their eyes. I felt like an outsider to a world I'd known about, but never ventured into before. "Earlier you said..." I looked to Leon. "You said something about the way they fight... does that mean you've, uh, fought this guy before?"

"Yeah. We both have."

"So, who is this vampire anyway! What's his deal with Cloud," Roxas said, his voice strained.

"Your brother makes a lot of enemies Roxas. He's just a little stronger than some." Before Leon could explain further there was the small sound of a gasp and everyone whirled around to face the doorway.

"What happened!"

"S-Sora!," Roxas and I both cried as Sora came barrelling into the destroyed home, his eyes flickering in every direction.

"Holy crap," came a lower voice as Riku stepped in behind the brunette. Leon, Roxas and I all exchanged looks, trying to figure out just how we could possibly explain this when Sora suddenly glanced at us seriously.

"It was vampires, wasn't it?"

We all gaped open-mouthed.

"Taking a little stroll, are we," he asked me mockingly.

"I suppose, if you wish to call it that," I replied smoothly, never taking my gaze off of the door before me. The savage one called Saix growled from the corner of the room.

"I believe you would be more comfortable here for the time being Zexion."

"I think otherwise," I spat. I saw his face tighten for a moment before he regained control over his growing anger.

"Zexion, wait!" It seemed that Axel had followed me after all. No matter. He was just another obstacle now. "Just listen to me God dammit!"

"Axel," came Xemnas' low, menacing voice. "Would you be kind enough to return to the back hallway. I have no need of you." I could not see him, but I heard him struggling to disobey. He failed and I listened to him drag his feet away pathetically.

"Whoa now! Why don't you stay here and play for a while?" The scarred kidnapper leapt out in front of me, blocking the front exit. "Then again," his voice became more gravely, as if in anticipation. ", it might be more fun if you didn't listen to me..." I stopped and stood unmoving in the center of the bar.

"You have guarded me and kept me safe for quite some time," I spoke to the air around me. My words were directed at the smirking leader though. "You have given me insight to a power that may have taken me centuries more to discover on my own." Xemnas stood watching me, his arms held ready at his sides. "You have given me a position among powerful allies and guaranteed my status..."

"Yes. All of that and much more," he hummed.

"However. You wish to use me as you please. As a tool more so than an ally. You believe that by right you own me, that I am yours to command." His eyes narrowed slightly. "You are wrong."

"Am I?"

"Yes. I will not allow you to use me as your servant. I'm leaving here. Now." A slow grin crept across his features. He opened his arms wide as if to embrace the world.

"Then you really are no more than a foolish child." Saix and Xigbar flew at me at once, from the left and right. Before I knew it I was being flung across the room by a set of lethal claws, the entire front of me sliced and ripped. Xigbar fired a round at me, the lasers cutting deeper then my flesh, putting holes through my torso, my arms and legs... It wasn't enough to kill me, but my body lay limp as a doll against the far wall. There was a long silence before Xigbar came over and kicked my nearly unconscious form.

"Well that was easy. Tch. No fun at all."

"You idiot," Saix snarled. Xemnas' eyes narrowed to slits before he slowly began surveying the room. I couldn't help it any longer. I let out a small bout of snickers, sounding almost childishly giddy. The bleeding form against the wall slowly faded into mist and Xigbar gaped at the spot it used to be. He was the only one who was surprised.

"Oh. Oho! I see now. So you are playing, huh?" All of them cautiously eyed every angle of the room, trying to discern my true whereabouts.

"Zexion. Why don't you show yourself. You won't win by cowering in your make believe shadows." But they weren't make believe. My illusions were as real as I imagined them and I'd always had a strong imagination...

Several bottles of liquor floated up from behind the bar and flung themselves at Xigbar and Saix, the latter snarling and slashing at the glass, releasing the liquids everywhere.

"What the hell! I thought he made illusions, not controlled things with his mind!"

"He cannot!" Saix snapped at the one eyed man. "He's physically throwing them while masking his presence. Did you not see how weakly they flew," he grinned manically and rushed towards the bar, smashing everything he could touch. Xemnas watched patiently from where he stood near the door.

"Okay, so he's just invisible? Good enough." Xigbar began to volley off shots in every direction, shooting with both of his strange guns and causing mini explosions everywhere he hit.

"Stop you fool! You may hit The Superior!"

"My bad," he replied, barely letting up at all. By this time I had made my way under a table and was crouched, waiting for the lasers to stop flying. Although I now knew how to use my powers, I was still unsure of how well I could use them and to what effects.

"Reload," the freelancer quipped and in that moment I flew out of hiding and grabbed a glass off of a table, envisioning a pistol in my hand. "The hell!" He leapt back as Saix rushed towards me. With shaking, invisible hands I pulled the imaginary gun's trigger and a shot rang out, just nicking the scarred man in the shoulder. I twirled out of the way to avoid Saix's onslaught of claws.

"Fuck that HURT!"

"That is because you are careless! Don't underestimate him!" The constant ducking and hiding and the occasional offensive move from me continued until I felt my resolve growing weaker and weaker. My body was stumbling along, just barely holding up my cloak of shadows.

"Enough," came the low, serious and dangerously calm voice. Xemnas was now leaning against the wall beside the door with his eyes closed and his brow knit into a tight knot. Xigbar, Saix and incidentally myself as well, froze, watching him cautiously. "This has gone on far too long." He unfolded his crossed arms and held the right one to the side where a glowing, red blade unsheathed its self from within his black coat.

"Superior..." Saix prodded gently.

"It is time to face it Zexion." Within the span of a second I saw him before me, his yellow eyes bearing into me with an evil gleam. "You are nothing but my puppet." I cried out as that crimson blade slashed across my chest, blood spraying out and staining his dark skin. My eyes went wide as my cloak dissolved and I dropped onto my knees, my vision blurring. "There. You see." He brought the blade down to my throat. "You are exactly where you belong."

And everything faded.

"You're horrible."

"I know." Roxas hung his head disbelievingly as Sora smiled somewhat proudly. Riku and I were leaned casually against the wall as the two cousins sat across from each other at the remaining half of the kitchen table.

"I've always known," Riku said, his eyes closed and a passive expression in place. "Never had any real proof, but there wouldn't be so many legends and superstitions if they didn't exist." I looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"So you believe in the Loch Ness Monster? Big Foot? The Headless Horseman?"

"Why not?"

"Tell me again," Roxas began, his hands jerking in front of him. ", why exactly you went through Cloud's journals and just so happened to find out about the vampires?"

"Like I said," Sora said, raising a finger, as if making a point. "We were playing hide and go seek, I ended up in Cuz's closet. I smacked into a stack of dusty stuff and it all came tumbling down on my head. By the time you found me a half hour later, I'd gotten through a bit."

"And he never noticed?"

"I'm good at cleaning up," Sora smirked.

"And this was..."

"Six years ago." Roxas hung his head in exasperation again. Sora had known for as long as he had. Leon poked his head in, eying us all for a moment before jerking his head.

"I called a friend to give us a lift. He'll be here soon. Let's go." We all nodded and began moving towards the doorway.

"So uh... Where to," I asked nervously. Besides taking a cab or bus, I'd never been in a strange person's vehicle before. I didn't have a clue where we were going, which made things worse, but Leon said if we stayed anywhere nearby those vampires would come back. I'd do anything not to encounter them again...

"Not too far out f town. Don't worry. If you need to pick up some stuff we can stop by your place first. Sora, Riku, your guys' scent is all over here now. You'll need to come to."

"Sure thing Leon! I'll just call mum."

"No prob. My parent's won't mind."

"Demyx?" It took me a moment to realise what he was asking me. When I did I felt my heart start to flutter painfully.

"Um, my..."

"It's all good Leon. Demyx spends most of the time here anyway," Roxas cut in, his gaze steady and unreadable. I felt warmth at my friend's intervention. It saved me having to explain that.

"Alright." We all stood outside on the curb, waiting for this friend of Leon's. I vaguely wondered if he'd have enough room for all of us. I looked back at the house, shocked to see how normal it looked from the outside. What was that book cover thing Zexion had said once...?

Zexion. Zexion... Would I even be able to hear from Axel now? Would I be able to see him again...?

Demyx! If there was anyone who should know it was him. He was in danger. Him and all the others. Xemnas said that Sephiroth would go after Cloud first. What would happen to Roxas? If I was feeling half the worry that Demyx must have been at that moment... Zexion...

Whatever it took, I would help him. No matter how much I'd screwed him over, how much he hated my guts. He was my only friend. I committed that thought to memory.

Yaaay~ The last part is kind of jumpy, but it's Axel's thoughts and well, he's a bit upset. It does give us some relieving insight though right? No? Look again.

Kay, not saying for sure that this will be anything but if you can guess who Leon's friend is by the next chapter, depending on the response, I may reward you. . Like I said, not for sure, but if I get a whole bunch of people guessing, then maybe I'll do another oneshot. Maybe. DON'T GET YOUR HOPES UP WHIPPERSNAPPERS. I only have a handful of reg reviewers anywayz. THANK U SO MUCH. U KNOW WHO U ARE :'D *gives cookies*

So anyway, reviews are always loved, welcomed and hung up on my wall for inspiration. *COUGHCOUGH* Kay, not really. You never know...

Thank you all once again for being wonderful! *tear*