Axel looked around, obviously pleased with the flames that were covering every available space. If a need to fight were to arise, he probably wouldn’t even have to summon his chakrams. This place, it was perfe-
“Forgive me for my sins, Lord! Please, end my suffering!”
“I'll do anything! Please, save me!”
“Deliver me from this place, oh God!”
Okay, so this place wasn’t exactly perfect, but it was a much appreciated change of scenery from the World That Never Was, even if this world was absolutely packed.
Axel briskly walked past yet another man that was covered in flames. People in a similar situation were everywhere, all crying out for a reprieve from the pain. No one had noticed him, even though he was the only one not alight with the scorching fires. They were too preoccupied with their own suffering to do so.
“Damn Saïx,” he grumbled, his jade eyes flickering around. “He could’ve at least described what she looked like…”
Axel figured his target would be the calmest out of everyone here, seeing as how she wouldn't have fear to worsen the pain, but searching through a sea of people with their cries ringing loudly in his ears didn’t make the job easy. He walked around some more, narrowly dodging a pair of flailing arms. It was a surprise that there was even room for him to walk around freely, seeing as how millions upon millions of people were there. The red-haired Nobody turned around, only to bump into a girl several inches shorter than him. He would have pushed her away to continue his search if he didn’t notice two things.
One was that she was groaning, not screaming, in pain despite the fires that enveloped her. The second was that her eyes were closed. No, not just closed.
They were sewn shut with wire.
The malicious flames licked at your skin, continuing the slow process of the destruction of your sanity. Every movement sent waves of pain crashing through your body, forcing out whimpers and moans of agony. The pain was much worse than what everyone expected, causing even the strongest of men to fall to the ground and cry out for salvation.
What would happen once this whole ordeal was over? Where would you go? Or was there nothing awaiting you afterwards? W-
You were jolted out of your thoughts when you felt someone collide with you. You fell to the floor despite the collision being rather light, as the flames instantly intensified upon contact and sapped whatever strength you had left.
“I understand you are in pain,” you grumbled, wincing and failing to hold back a groan as you struggled to pick yourself up, “But please, try to keep yourself from bumping into me.”
You didn’t even know why you kept on saying that. Your words were always unheard by the men and women you spoke them to, half because they were too concentrated on their agony, and half because what you said were drowned out by the cries of the other people suffering as much as they.
“Guess I found you,” a man spoke, causing your head to snap up. Was that a coherent reply you had just heard? He said something else, but you could no longer hear him, seeing as a group of men passed by, screaming and crying for redemption. Because of this, him grabbing your arm and dragging you somewhere, followed by the feeling of complete emptiness, was completely unexpected.
And then, everything — the heat, the screams, and the emptiness — was gone, replaced by a chilly atmosphere and absolute silence. A slight shiver ran through you, sending millions of questions through your mind.
“Have my sins been burned off already?” you wondered aloud. “Am I in front of the Gates of Heaven?”
“Sorry to burst your bubble,” the same man said, “But you’re in the World That Never Was.”
“Excuse me?”
“The name’s Axel, got it memorized?”
You frowned, more out of habit than anything. “And I am Name. Now, if you could explain…?”
“Well, can you feel?” he asked, then quickly added, “Emotions, I mean.”
“I have lost the ability to do so ever since the day of my death. Doesn’t this happen to all that are deceased?” you responded, and then began to fire questions at him. “How did you get me out of there? What are you? What’s-”
“You’re a Nobody,” Axel interrupted. “You were probably killed by the Heartless, but because of your strong heart, your soul and body were left behind, which is why you can’t feel any emotion.”
“I can't feel any emotions because my soul and body were left behind? What are you talking about?”
“Only those with hearts can feel. You're lacking that right now.”
“But-”
“That’s all the answers I can give you, at least for now.”
“Then I suppose you won’t answer me if I ask what these Heartless you speak of are?”
“They’re hearts corrupted by darkness that don’t have a body or soul. Now, before I take you to the superior, let me ask you one thing.”
You nodded, deciding that it was only fair. He had answered a few of your questions, and so, you would entertain him with some of yours. Besides, if this man, Axel, wouldn’t answer your questions, then perhaps his superior would. Nothing made sense to you as of yet; the World That Never Was, Heartless… nothing.
“What happened to your eyes?”
Of course he would ask that. If you saw someone in the same predicament as you, you would probably inquire the same thing.
“It was my punishment,” you replied after a small pause. “For being envious of others when I was alive. My eyes were sewn shut as soon as I was sent into Purgatory to have my sins burned away.”
Preview of Chapter One
"It smells... nice. Are you sure this is my room, and not a garden?"
"Yeah, it's your room. I put some roses in here for you. It's a nice change from all those chemicals in Vexen's lab, right?"
"Yes, it is. Thank you, um..."
"Marluxia."
"Thank you, Marluxia."
---
"It's an ingenious plan, but I didn't expect you to use Marluxia."
"Do you want to replace him, Saïx?"
"No. However, I do believe that there are others in the organization that are more competent for this job."
