Light From the Past

Searching

Axel sat at their usual spot. Roxas walked up to him.

"Hey... It's been a while," Roxas said. He seemed tired.

"You think so?" Axel responded as Roxas sat down.

"So... I went to the beach today," Roxas started. "Lelie was there, but she disappeared. And there was this girl who looked kind of like Xion... but I couldn't get close enough to tell for sure. I probably imagined it." He paused. "To be honest, I'm not ever sure today's mission really happened. Feels like I just woke up from a dream or something." He turned to Axel. "Do you remember our promise? When we said that the four of us would go to the beach on our next break? Maybe that's why. Maybe I saw Xion and Lelie there because I wanted them to be there."

Axel stood up and sighed. He looked at Roxas. "Wanna go look for them?"

"Huh?"

"Beginning tomorrow, let's use our spare time to find Xion and Lelie," Axel explained.

Roxas smiled and nodded. He stood up too. "Sounds good, let's do that."

====Time Skip====

18 Days Later

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Roxas and Axel walked to their usual spot. 

"It's no use," Roxas groaned.

"You sure you're not forgetting some place?" Axel asked.

"I've been everywhere I know how to get to," Roxas replied. Axel sat down. "The only place I haven't been to is Castle Oblivion." Axel flinched. "It was just the other day Xion was asking you what the place was like. And the day before she disappeared, you said she and Lelie were put on an important mission. Remember?"

"Yeah... But there's nothing there anymore," Axel muttered.

"Well, Xion and Lelie might be there," Roxas guessed.

Axel sighed, like something was paining him. "Apparently... Xion comes from Castle Oblivion."

Roxas's eyes widened. "What?"

"That's probably why she was asking about the place."

"I had no idea..." Roxas muttered.

Axel looked at him. "Me neither. I only found out a little while ago."

"Castle Oblivion..." Roxas whispered. "Lelie came from there too..."

====Time Skip====

The Next Day

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Axel and Roxas walked into Castle Oblivion.

"So, this is Castle Oblivion..." Roxas muttered. Roxas suddenly put a hand to his head and swayed on his feet.

"Roxas?" Axel exclaimed.

Roxas groaned. "My...my head!"

"Easy, man!" Axel urged. "Let's retreat for now and-"

"I'm fine!" Roxas insisted, though his voice was strained. "We have to... find Xion...and Lelie..." The castle seemed to spin. Roxas fell to his knees. "Wh...what's happening?"

Axel ran up to him. "Roxas!" 

Roxas was panting. "So much... rushing into...my head..." Axel helped Roxas stand up.

"Let's get out of her for now!" Axel said. A Dark Corridor opened up in front of them.

"No...wait..." Roxas protested weakly. "There's...something... I can...almost..." But Axel was already walking them into the Dark Corridor.

====Time Skip====

"Giving up already? I thought you were stronger than that."

Roxas shot up. "Riku!" 

Axel stood in front of him, a worried look on his face. "Are you alright?"

Roxas looked at his friend. "What...happened to me?"

"You collapsed just as you entered the castle doors. Don't you remember?"

Roxas shook his head. "I only remember going inside." He stood up.

"Just take it easy for now," Axel advised.

"I'm fine. Let's go back to Castle Oblivion," Roxas said.

Axel frowned. "Don't push yourself, man." His head shot up. "Who's there?" They looked up to see Xion, hooded. With another man standing behind her.

Roxas gasped. "Xion?" A figure ran past him. 

"Hey! You!" Lelie shouted. 

Her hood was also up. She summoned her Keyblade. She attacked the man behind Xion. He almost effortlessly flung her away, she hit a wall, stunned. Xion turned and walked through a Dark Corridor. 

"Xion! Wait!" Roxas shouted. But Xion was gone. The man stepped forward. "Out of the way!" Roxas growled. The man turned and walked away. 

"Hey!" Lelie shouted, standing up. She and Roxas ran after the man.

"Roxas, Lelie, wait!" Axel yelled after them.

====Time Skip====

After a while of chasing, the man opened up a Dark Corridor and walked through. Lelie just weaseled her way through before it closed. Roxas and Axel didn't make it. They were panting.

"I though the imposter was sighted in Castle Oblivion!" Axel gasped.

"Xion..." Roxas whispered.

"No way that was Xion!"

"The one who ran away first was Xion," Roxas explained. "But...why run?"

"Lelie didn't seem that happy..." Axel muttered. Roxas didn't answer.

=======

Xion

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Xion glanced over at her friends that she had just abandoned. She looked at the silver-haired man standing beside her. Lelie, now unconscious, laid on the ground, hood still up.

"You want to go back?" the man asked.

Xion sighed and looked back at Axel and Roxas. Lelie groaned and sat up.

"Xion...?" she whispered. Xion knelt down by her.

"Are you okay?" Xion asked.

"Yeah, yeah. But my leg hurts..." Lelie whimpered. Lelie had fallen in the Dark Corridor, and a large cut winded up her leg. The man quickly put up his hood. Lelie looked at him.

"Who are you?" she growled.

The man frowned. "You can call me...Riku."

Lelie gasped, her eyes widened. "Riku?!"