Vexen stumbled through the woods, fuming and lashing out at anything in his path.

He thinks he can insult me so easily? The man laughed bitterly. I'll make him wish he hadn't. He'll writhe for this.

The trees began to part before him, and he moved faster to reach the end of the forest. It was almost morning, and he needed to return to the castle before his absence was felt.

He just needed to use a little magic to locate his horse, and then he would be gone, quicker than a shadow at noon.

As he broke through more of the jagged brush, he collided with something harsh and unyielding.

With a curse, he went to push himself back to his feet, only to be grabbed by the arm.

"Unhand me this instant!" he shouted, struggling blindly for a moment in the dark. "Do you know who I am?!"

"Yes, we do, but your petty threats won't frighten us anymore."

Vexen's head snapped up, and his glaring expression morphed quickly into one of horror. Zack, the captain of the guard, stood just beyond the hard, towering man, with a large group of people. The former prince's servant, Demyx, stood close beside him, sticking out his tongue at Vexen with a smile, as a small host of men bearing torches weaved through the trees and up to them from behind.

Vexen snarled as he was dragged forward, right up to them.

"What s the meaning of this, Captain? I am here on mine own business! You can not-"

"Save your breath, old man." Zack looked down at him without even a inch of respect in his eyes. Another man appeared beside Vexen and his captor, and the captain nodded grimly. "Take him away."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Demyx smiled widely and waved, and Zack watched the guards go silently. He hoped that the magic restraints fused inside the regent's manacles would keep him from trying any nasty tricks. They would not drain his power, but his magic was heavily suppressed with them on.

"You can't do this to me!" Vexen shrieked. "You have no right!"

"It's my word against yours, Vexen!" Demyx called back mockingly. "Who do you think the people will believe, hm?"

"When I get out, I swear I'll...!" The old man's words faded in the distance as he was hauled away.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and the captain of the guard looked to his people, noticeably less tense than before.

"We will deal with him later. Right now, we need to set up camp for the rest of the night. I'm sure everyone is tired, and we need to be well rested to travel tomorrow."

"Aw, come off it, Zack!" A gruff voice sounded behind him as an older man swaggered up from behind them and put his arms around their shoulders. "The geezer's done for now! He ain't never comin back! It's time tuh celebrate, and I want tuh drink my troubles away!"

"Is that all you ever think about, Cid? By the sounds of it, you've gotten into the stock anyway." The captain raised an eyebrow at him, the slightest quirk of a smile twitching at the corners of his lips. "Maybe you've had enough."

"Don't test me, boy! I said let me drink, and I mean it!...Demyx, go grab your sitar, boy, and lets have us a good song!"

Zack shook his head. "Please remember that we have an important mission." The older man was one of his most trusted soldiers, though he had a tendency to be more laid back and open than was good for him.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Search and rescue. But come on, man! Just one song wouldn hurt, would it?" Zack sighed again, knowing he couldn't win.

Demyx laughed at the old man, running off to grab his sitar. He had the perfect song he'd been composing all week for a night as good as tonight. A song of hope and glorious triumph.

It was one that he thought the kingdom desperately needed to hear.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Though he decided not to send out the search parties just yet, Zack had an unsettling feeling in his gut that simply refused to go away. He tried to enjoy the music and the smiles, but for some reason, they made him feel sick inside.

So he stood outside the camp they had set up, listening to the wind and its rustling of the leaves. The night was cold and dark, but beautiful in a way. He could see a serene sort of charm in this forest, but also why it was so feared by many.

Shapes of monsters appeared in the shadows frequently.

"Why are you over here all by yourself?"

The captain looked up from his thoughts, blinking as Demyx joined him.

"Enjoying the quiet," he replied, then winced a little inwardly at the hurt look on the boy's face. "It isn't you, kid. I'm just on edge."

"Oh..." They fell into silence for a few moments, as Demyx fidgeted with his fingers. They were well-worn and covered in little scratches; almost too little to notice, but present nonetheless.

"You're nervous as well?"

The blonde sighed. "I hope Roxas is okay. I mean, I'm sure he is, but I...I just hope he forgave me for...you know, that time."

"Knowing Roxas, he was never angry with you to begin with." The prince was so much like his father; stubborn at times, but kind, caring, and undyingly loyal to his friends.

Many said that that was the true reason that the Strife family was meant to rule. The magic of the key blade chose a strong and noble bloodline; no king or queen of that lineage had ruled without honor, or so far as anyone could recall.

Cloud had been thus, before Vexen came. And with his wicked sorcery confirmed, there was no doubt that Vexen had corrupted the king. Perhaps even killed him.

If but they had only known then...

Zack himself had confidence that, should Roxas not be up to the task, for whatever reason, prince or not, the key blade would not grant him its power. If that happened, well...

They would just have to see.

Demyx waited silently as the captain thought, smiling at the man who had befriended him when he first moved to the castle. He had made him feel warm and welcome instantly, and introduced him to Pence, Olette, and finally, Roxas. He felt less like a servant or an idiot, as Vexen called him, and more like a treasured friend or brother to them.

Whether he became a great musician one day, or not, he was content to stay there. And with Roxas coming back and taking over, Demyx was sure that the castle would feel more like home than ever.

A couple of birds erupted from a nearby tree, cawing loudly, and as he watched them, Demyx was startled by a sudden movement on his right.

"Zack, look!"

The captain turned his head, and he saw it too. A man with fire red, spiky hair emerging from the trees ahead, running with something in his arms. Behind him, an even stranger sight; a flying, contorting silver-white...thing.

Whatever it was, it wasn't living and breathing.

"I-Is that a monster?" Demyx cried, shrinking back. "Dear gods, this place really is haunted!"

"Ring the alarm bell!" Zack said quickly, drawing his blade.

The blonde nodded, then ran back towards camp, raising holy hell as he went.

"MONSTER! WAKE UP, EVERYONE! MONSTER!"

The captain didn't hesitate. Disregarding the running man for the moment, Zack sprang forward, jumping between him and the monster and cutting the latter off in its tracks. It stopped and reared up slightly, hissing and waving its "arms" in fury.

Without a word, Zack cut and stabbed, slicing the thing up almost as if it were thin as paper. And the sounds it made, below the hissing shrieks, were like that of ripping cloth.

What the hell was it?

Soon, the monster was nothing but ragged, torn strips on the ground. They writhed and rustled, whether by magic or simply wind, Zack didn't know, but he called for a torch just as Demyx returned with the crowd. Some of them looked rumpled and weary, as if from sleep or heavy drink, but all quickly went wide-eyed.

"What was that?" Demyx asked, loudest of the wonderers. It looked like no creature he'd ever sang of before; so alien and unnatural.

Zack silenced the questions with a wave of his hand, looking now to the man from before, huddled in the bushes.

"Burn the remnants. I don't know where this abomination came from, or what it is, but it might be evil magic at work." One of the men nodded, setting to it as Zack addressed the stranger. "The creature is no more. Come out peacefully, and no harm will come to you."

The redhead slowly stood. Zack couldn't see him quite well enough yet, but he was sure that the man was unarmored. Possibly unarmed, but it was difficult to tell. Tall and lean, with wild hair and an angular face, but his back was bent, as if cowed and defeated. And there was something in his eyes that Zack couldn't quite see just then, but feared he knew what it meant.

Despair.

As the redhead drew closer, the thing he carried in his arms became clearer.

A body, and not just anyone's.

"Roxas!"

Demyx's voice was the first of many to rise in that moment, calling his name and begging questions. But the boy didn't raise his head or open his eyes. He laid deathly still in the stranger's arms, and only jostled slightly as the man walked.

Zack's hand was quick as lightning, as he brought his sword up again. "Release the prince this instant!"

The man stopped in his tracks and stiffened, holding Roxas closer to him. His eyes were worse now, red and weary, but they quickly hardened as he took a step back.

"No."

"I have no wish to fight you," Zack called again, "But if you do not let him go-"

"No!" the redhead cried, taking another step back. As the crowd advanced on him, his expression grew more desperate. Heartbroken.

He hugged Roxas tightly and let out strangled sob. "I won't let you take him from me!"

"Who are you?" Zack demanded. While he was wary of the hysterical man, he saw that he didn't appear to be hurting Roxas. In fact, as he looked closer, Zack was surprised to see how gently he held the prince, almost as if cradling him. There was an unspoken reverence there, even if the rest of his body language was tense and fearful.

What was he thinking?

Suddenly, something came to Zack, and he wished he could find where Luxord had disappeared to. He had mentioned something about Roxas's whereabouts at the meeting...

"As if you don't know!" the man sneered weakly. "Tell that son of a bitch that if he wants Roxas's body, he's going to have to pry it from my cold, dead hands!"

Demyx paled. "His...No! What did you do to him?!" he screamed, as angry tears spread to his eyes.

Other shouts came from the crowd, as they once again prepared for attack. The redhead backed up even further, but he seemed to be trembling now.

Zack looked to the others and waved them back. They persisted at first, loudly murmuring and muttering to one another, but the captain was insistent.

"Stay where you are!" he ordered. He then turned back to the man and approached him on his own, slowly, cautiously.

"I assume that you know Roxas. Do you also know of Vexen?" His voice was softer, no longer accusatory. Whatever had transpired here, he had to tread lightly, or the situation could turn into a blood bath.

The redhead tensed and looked around for a second, and Zack sensed that he was preparing to bolt.

"We mean you no harm. I swear it. I am Zack Fair, Captain of the King's Royal Guard, and I came here to find Prince Roxas."

"So you could take him back to that snake in the grass?" the man spat back.

Zack shook his head. "Vexen is a usurper. We discovered his plans, only to realize that he had snuck out of the castle. But now he is in our custody, and we wish to retrieve our rightful heir."

The stranger stiffened even more for a moment, then seemed to relax. Or rather, all of the pent up energy left him.

"I... I knew this day would come, I guess...but the circumstances are even worse than I imagined." He looked down at the boy in his arms, and Zack saw the tender, broken expression on his face.

"Roxas..."

Then, to everyone's surprise, he began to weep.

The man slid to his knees and cried over the prince, not even seeming to care as he was eventually surrounded by people.

"Roxas!"