[b]“I think they’re gone now.” [/b]Cerden said as he peaked behind a wall, and being careful not to reveal too much of his head. He was making sure that the heartless had all disappeared. The fact that there was a massive hoard of them following both him and Flora was a massive hint that they were going after them to lure both of them away from something. At least, that’s what Cerden thought. [b]“Okay, then let’s hurry. This might be our only chance.” [/b]Flora said, trying to rush Cerden. [b] “Right.” [/b]Cerden simply said, nodding. As they both saw that the heartless were at least gone from the general area, both Cerden and Flora took the time to rush their asses to where Cerden sensed that there was a lot of activity. The way he was able to determine that was that his earth manipulation also comes with a nifty tool that allows him to sense the ground that essentially reveals certain signatures of people to him, which ultimately would tell him where Nomis would be. As he would implement that sub-ability, Cerden realized that, much like the blueprints that Flora showed him before they entered the factory that there were several floors below the one they were at. [b] “Okay, this could be a problem.” “What?” “There are more than twenty floors between us and a huge signature.” “Is that all? “What do you mean is that all? Last I checked, we don’t exactly have a fucking elevator at our disposal.” “We don’t need it.” “Explain!” “No need to. “ [/b]Flora said, [b]“You might want to take notes.”[/b] Flora said smirking cockily. As if on cue, Flora’s hands started to flash a white and black color with tints of gold. The swirls of magic soon became quite noticeable as they soon were surrounding her as well as Cerden. The flashes would then soon stop as their bodies were surrounded in elegant gold, black, and white. It got to the point where the last thing that either of them would see was a quick and rather nauseating blur(for Cerden) that was so fast that by the time they were at the floor that they needed to be at, Cerden was on his knees puking a bit. [b] “And that, my weakling of an ex-husband, is how magic is really done.” [/b]Flora boasted at her magical feats. [b]“A little warning would be nice.” [/b]Cerden said still coughing up his guts. [b]“You’re such a baby.”[/b] Flora laughed. [b]“In any case, we need to get going. I’m assuming that Nomis won’t wait for us all night.”[/b] Wiping away his puke leftover on his mouth, Cerden collected himself and he and Flora would run down a hallway which, the deeper they got into it, the more it resembled the workings of Nomis. It resembled the insides of his machines, which were full of black cogs and gears. Cerden gritted his teeth as he and Flora kept on running. They would take a left, run down that hallway, pass two other halls and take a right. They repeated the same process, but in reverse. Eventually, they came to a door, which by the looks of it, also had a cog-and-gear-like design on it. [b]“Okay, we’re here!”[/b] Cerden said as he looked to Flora. [b]“Ready?”[/b] [b]“Wait.”[/b] Flora said as she extended her arms to the side and thin, yet sturdy several thorns of a rose attached to poison-dipped vines surrounded her arms. [b]“Okay, let’s do this.”[/b] On Flora’s cue, Cerden had surrounded his arms in thick, sharp glass, and he kicked the door open. [b]“ALRIGHT NOMIS--”[/b] As the view of the room came to their sights, both Flora and Cerden saw someone they weren’t expecting. No, it wasn’t Nomis that they saw, but rather someone that Cerden hadn’t seen in over ten years. [b]“C-Caleb…”[/b] At the mention of his name, Flora’s eyes widened and head turned to Cerden’s body. “What did you say?” Flora asked. Not only did he hear a loud bang coming from the exit, but Caleb would see someone he too hasn’t seen in a very long time. [b]“Father..”[/b] Caleb too was empty on words. It was as if time had frozen for all three of them. Caleb was standing on a raised floor in the room and his parents were staring at him at the exit/entrance. None of them could even find the words to say that would be appropriate, especially Cerden. Such a long time passed since he saw his son and all that time with Nomis was something that had Cerden worried. He knew that the twisted man that his brother became must have twisted his son’s mind into thinking that Cerden was the one to blame for him running out on him and not Nomis. It’s not like Cerden would blame Caleb for hating him. He did, after all, leave The Empire without taking him. That was an action the white-haired man deeply regrets to this very day. “Why are you here, father?” Caleb asked, trying to remain as calm as he possibly could. [b]“Caleb…”[/b] Flora said, stepping forward, vines being sucked back into her body. [b]“My sweet boy…all grown up.” [/b]Flora said, stepping even more closer to her son. Caleb raised an eyebrow at Flora. [b]“Your sweet boy? What are you talking about?”[/b] Caleb asked genuinely confused. Flora’s heart sank. [b]“How could you not remember me? I’m your mother..”[/b] Flora said, voice full of slight despair. Caleb remained confused. [b]“My mother died giving birth to me.”[/b] Caleb told Flora and Cerden. [b] “And let me guess, that’s what your uncle told you, right? “Does it matter? The fact remains is that whoever that woman is, she is not my mother.”[/b] Caleb said, but his attention was now on Cerden. He hopped the rail that he was leaning on and landed five or six feet away from Flora and Cerden. [b]“Now, I’ll ask again.”[/b] He said, [b]“What are you doing here, Cerden?”[/b] Caleb asked with sternness in his voice.” Cerden’s teeth were gritting again. [b]“I was here to get my brother and talk some sense into you, but now that I know you’re here, my priorities have changed.” “As they always do.” “What is that supposed to mean?” “Really? You want to do this now? Fine, Cerden, let me tell you.”[/b] Caleb said, [b]“you left me when I was just a little boy. Do you know how awful I felt when I was told you left me!? Do you even understand how hard it was for a little boy knowing full well that his father was never coming back, knowing that the only family he had was an uncle who was so beyond repair that you would grasp onto any kind of affection he would give you? No, I bet you don’t,. You left me with him you SON OF A BITCH!” [/b] And there it was. Caleb lost it. He could remain calm no longer. The anger started to build up and in the instant he lost it, he was gone and in front of Cerden. Instantly, a knee to the gut was delivered to his father. The force applied to it made Cerden cough loudly and out came blood. Caleb would dig his knee even deeper into his father’s stomach, causing blood to come gushing out like lava. Flora watched in horror and would try to get her son off by tugging on his arm, but he wouldn’t budge. Instead, he would remove his knee from his father’s gut and quickly appear behind Flora and spin kick her in the back sending her flying into the wall just to the left of Cerden, who was on his knees still coughing up the thick, crimson liquid. [b]“I…didn’t leave…”[/b] Cerden struggled to speak. The pain from the gut-wrenching knee was making it so. [b]“I’m tired of your excuses, old man!”[/b] Caleb said turning around to Cerden. He proceeded to kick him hard in the gut, which made him roll a few times horizontally and finally he stopped on his back. Caleb was emotionless as he walked and pressed his right foot on Cerden’s already-injured gut. He pressed his foot harder and harder on it, causing more blood to gush out of Cerden’s mouth. Caleb seemed to be enjoying torturing his father. It was really all the pent-up rage from both Cerden leaving him when he was just a little kid and all the ‘tough love’ that Nomis gave him. It was everything all leading up to this moment. [b]“I hope you’re ready to die, old man.”[/b] Caleb said as he raised his foot up and as he coated it in earth, he would start to bring it down, but then he heard something within the factory. [b]“Hmm, that‘s not good.”[/b] Caleb said somewhat disappointed. [b]“You’re lucky — the both of you. I have to leave. Wish I could say it was nice seeing you, but I would be a dishonest man if I were.”[/b] Caleb said as he a darkness portal appeared behind him and he stepped through it, and thus gone from the factory. Flora got up and she felt the pain in her back. It definitely was a hard kick, but the impact to her face dealt her a good deal of damage. She would lean down to Cerden and saw that he was on death’s door. At least, he almost was. He couldn’t believe how close their own sun hated him and even nearly killed him. [b]“Cerden, just hold on. I’ll heal you.” [/b]Flora said as she placed her hands on his gut and a green glow emitted from her hands, and a surge of healing magic went through his body, healing it gradually. [b]“Caleb…he needs to know the truth.” [/b]Cerden said as he started to move, but the aches in his stomach were too great for him to even move a single inch. [b]“Hold still. You’re severely wounded.”[/b] Flora said, demanding him to hold still. [b] “But Caleb..” “He can wait. We need to get you fixed up.” “But..” “That’s enough!”[/b] Right when Flora yelled, she accidentally added in offensive magic with her healing magic, which caused Cerden to cry out in pain. Flora realized what she was doing and turned the off-switch on the offensive magic and focused on healing. Though, she did chuckle, but she looked at Cerden and he was now unconscious. [b]“Well shit.”[/b] She simply said. Rubbing her head, Flora noticed that his wounds were fully-healed. [b]“At least that’s done.”[/b] She said laughing, but suddenly she felt something very wrong within the area. It was like the darkness took over and it was in mega overdrive. [b]“Shit, we got to get out of here.”[/b] Flora said as she would lift up Cerden over her shoulder, and she would use the same spell that she used to get them to this floor, but something was wrong. She wasn’t able to access that same spell. She wasn’t able to access any spell. Something was wrong with her magic. It wasn’t responding to her commands. She started to panic and it was just rotten timing. The darkness was coming upwards and just as it was about to consume them, a flash of crimson was seen and that was the last thing that Flora would see. ----- [center]Agrabah[/center] The Empire has been on the world of Agrabah for a majority of the day and Caleb was in the palace with his Uncle Nomis. The fact that the factory was destroyed was one thing, but to think that the Unbound Hearts actually succeeded in doing that was something of a bother. However, what really got Caleb in a less than content mood was his father and supposed mother. He almost got his revenge on his father and for his uncle. The second thing that had him worried was his uncle. Caleb knew of his uncle’s condition with his Taint and the influence from the darkness couldn’t have helped it. If anything else, it sped up the process of it taking over his body completely. [b]“Uncle, I know this might not be the best time, but there’s something I need to ask you.”[/b] Caleb said, not sure how to bring the question up. [b]“What can you tell me about my mother?”[/b] Caleb asked. ------ [I] Floating in the air surrounded by a white void, Cerden looked around. He didn’t know where he was. Everything around him was like an infinite whiteness. He couldn’t even tell which way was up, down, left, or right. Even when he would call out for help, all he heard was a multi-layered echo. Every kind of movement he would make would actually make his head feel dizzy. It wasn’t until he spoke out again that a passageway led from one direction from where he was. It was like it had a gravitational pull. He was able to walk on it and he did. When Cerden was at the end of the passageway, which was black and gold in color, he was no longer in white void. He found himself in a room that looked oddly familiar. The more he walked and looked around it, he saw what had to be a dream. It just had to because it was the night of the accident that scarred both him and Nomis for life. It was the night that had permanently implemented their own respective powers into their bloodstream, which caused both of them a portion of mobility. It affected Nomis more than him, but it still was the night that their father died. Looking on, Cerden saw their father doing what would lead to the accident. Their father was a scientist with a now defunct group known as Trident, which before The Empire was conquering worlds at the rate that it has been doing, it was one of the leading groups of evil. What their father specialized in was the expansion of the New Age Experimentations division. Always their father would bring plans to advance Trident’s place in the scientific and bio-warfare universe and some of the things that he invented would soon be innovated by most major corporations around the world. However, what he was working on at the moment — at least what Cerden was seeing — was the very thing that caused his death. [b]“Sir, are you sure the calculations are correct?”[/b] Asked a scientist with black hair, pale, white skin, and was dressed in a white lab coat, brown shirt, and dark blue dress pants. Taking his head out of his work, [url=http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130525013457/betterbleachfanfiction/images/2/2a/20120719211423!Asumu_full.jpg]Razor[/url] looked at the scientist who spoke. [b]“Of course I am. This is the best project of mine yet.”[/b] Razor said. [b] “But sir, these readings. At this rate, they’ll…” “That’s enough! It’ll work…it has to.”[/b] Silencing his assistant, Razor went back to his experiment. Cerden looked on and he saw that a table a few feet away were two teenagers on it — one with black hair and white skin and one with mocha-brown skin and white hair. Cerden knew it was him and Nomis. [b]“So, this is that night.”[/b] Cerden confirmed it in his mind. But if this was just a dream, there was no way he could stop it. All he could do was watch as he would relive the most horrific moment in his life. [b]“Okay, steady now. This is the defining moment.”[/b] Razor said as he would approach the table with his two sons on it. In his hand was a weird parasitic creature. It definitely was moving like one, but this thing seemed to be way different than anything of the parasite family. It was oozing with pure darkness, and it made sounds that would make the mortal man cower in fear. When Razor was at the table, the creature reacted. Instantly it attached itself to Cerden’s younger self. It latched onto Cerden’s heart and its skinny tentacles soon were dug deeply into Cerden’s chest plate. While it was doing that, Cerden himself could also feel the pain going through it. It was brief, but the pain was so real that Cerden(older self) was breathing heavily. It wasn’t until he saw what the creature was doing that he realized what was happening. The creature somehow inserted itself into Cerden’s body for a brief moment and whatever kind of toxins or whatever was inside him, would take an outer appearance in the form of Cerden’s markings all along his face. That also explained the way his glass abilities sometimes act — or rather don’t act. The parasitic creature then went to Nomis and as it was on his body, it dug its thin tentacles into Nomis’ chest plate, and did the same thing to Nomis as it did to Cerden. However, as Cerden would look on, he saw the effects that it would have on Nomis differed than those on Cerden. He saw that Nomis’ skin and bone structure became less than what it was. His skin less fair and more pale and his skull bone was starting to become visible. There were also slight hints of blackness, most likely coming from his taint. [b]“No, it’s happening…”[/b] Cerden said backing away. He saw it. The creature suddenly becoming bigger and bigger until the point that it grew to a more [url=http://www.wallpaperhi.com/thumbnails/detail/20120721/fantasy%20art%20artwork%203100x1744%20wallpaper_www.wallpaperhi.com_20.jpg]humanoid form[/url]. The reason it transformed to such a form was due to the essence that it absorbed from both Nomis and Cerden [b]“Uh sir…” [/b]Razor’s assistant said, but before he could even get out anymore words, the newly transformed creature appeared before him and drove its hand through his heart, pulling it out and it was still beating. The scientist fell to the ground in a puddle of his own blood. The creature then ate the heart, licking its lips as it had blood on it. [b] “What are you doing!? I created you!”[/b] Razor shouted out to the creature. The creature just laughed. [b]“Puny little human…”[/b] The creature said, laughing and approached Razor in a sinister way. [b]“You did not create me. I merely allowed you to think that. It is he who birthed my life and he is the one who will take it away.” “Who are you talking about?” “You needn’t his name. You will die soon enough.”[/b] As the creature and Razor exchanged words, the younger self of Cerden woke up and saw what was happening. His father’s assistant was dead, and a weird black creature was facing his father. Teenager Cerden shook his head as if he thought he was dreaming, but he saw that he wasn’t. [b]“Father…” [/b]Teen Cerden said and the creature turned his head as it stretched from its neck. It smiled and Cerden had an expression of total fear on his face. The creature just laughed and brought its head back to its neck. [b]“Leave boy.”[/b] The creature said. [b] “Who are--” “Leave or you’ll be next.”[/b] Cerden took the creature’s advice and he woke up his brother, Nomis. [b]"Nomis, we have to go!”[/b] Cerden shook him and would see that his brother was waking up. Cerden didn’t have time to tell Nomis, but the pale-skinned teen would see his father facing a creature. Suddenly, something was happening with Nomis. His body convulsing and soon darkness took over and as it did, a flash was seen and an explosion happened, not only wiping out the remains of the dead scientist, but Razor and the black creature all in one fell swoop, only Cerden and Nomis survived the blast, but not with consequences of the most of drastic kind.[/i] [B]NOOOO!!!!”[/b] Cerden shouted as he propped up off a bed, alarming those around him. [b]“Sheesh bro, loud much?”[/b] Said an [url=http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/027/7/8/Commission___Q_by_bayanghitam.jpg]annoyed, almost middle-aged man with sandy blonde hair[/url]. [b]“Where am I? Where’s my father!?” [/b]Cerden demanded. The man just looked at him. [b]“Flora, Mr. Crazy is awake.”[/b] Said the man. Flora walked in from a door to the left of where Cerden was. [b]“Gee, thanks, I hadn’t noticed, Shinto.”[/b] Flora retorted. [b]“What’s going on?”[/b] Cerden asked Flora, who was now in front of him. [b]“Chill out. You’re safe.”[/b] Flora said, trying to reassure him. Cerden was even more confused. [b]“What do you mean?” [/b]He asked. [/b] “What’s the last thing you remember aside from your dream?” “I, uh, remember Caleb beating me up, you almost killing me and some sinister darkness.” “Yeah, you almost died. I guess it’s good that we were saved.” “Saved by who?”[/b] As if on cue, [url=http://i.imgur.com/pyPBlsf.jpg]a bulky man[/url] entered the room. He had long crimson hair, tribal tattoos all over his arms and wore black sunglasses. Cerden instantly raised an eyebrow and was officially freaked the fuck out. [b]“Yo, Grandmaster D in DA house!”[/b] The bulky red-head said, arms up as if making gang signs. Flora’s irritation was out of the room. It was so high, her fists were balled up. [b]“WOULD YOU CUT THAT RAP SHIT!!!”[/b] Flora shouted as she punched Grandmaster D and he went flying through the door he just came through. Or at least, that’s what she thought. [b]“Sis, why you gonna play a brotha like dat!?”[/b] He said as he was behind her. [b]“I hate it when you do that.” [/b]Flora said angrily. [b]“Wait a damn minute!?”[/b] Cerden said as he got up. [b]“What do you mean by ‘sis’? And who exactly are you1?” “Oh you see…” “I’m Dominic my mocha-skinned brother. Flora’s Half-Brother.”[/b] Cerden had officially seen it all.