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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2018 13:49:38 GMT -5
The Keyblade Graveyard. A makeshift monument to a war almost impossible in scale. Keybladers fighting for Light and for Darkness and the only evidence of their existence in their discarded keyblades. And what was their reward? A fractured world and Kingdom Hearts sealed away in the Realm of Darkness. The Keyblade War's impact could still be felt with a universe seemingly always in a state of constant war between Light and Darkness. It was an eternal imbalance that brought about the Heartless. Beings born of the darkness in people's Hearts and sated their hunger on the Hearts of others. Left unchecked, all would sink into darkness and forever out of the grasp of the Light. But would the Light winning be any better? They sought to eliminate the Darkness entirely, even though Hearts were born in the Darkness and ended in that same Darkness. Two sides, constantly trying to consume each other. Peace was impossible as long as they continued their fight. The only way to end the war and bring peace is to eliminate the cause of the Heartless and eliminate those who would continue to bring this imbalance. What was needed was a perfect world. A world containing every Heart that was, is and would ever be. A world in perfect balance forever.
That was Mordred's mission. He stood one of the keyblade handles, eyes closed, deep in meditation. He was taking in the silence... the desolation. The reason he needed to see his mission through to the end and finish Eden. Only then would there be True Peace. However, he was still suffering the effects of the cryostasis he was put in. He felt great potential within himself, but his powers were not up to snuff. Both Light and Dark had powerful warriors on their side and even those who chose neither were strong in their own way. If intended on assimilating them into Eden, he would need more power, enough to equal even the greatest Keybladers of Old. Mordred deeply inhaled and deeply exhaled as his cloak billowed in the winds. There was also another thing he needed aside from power, something possibly even more invaluable. He needed information on his enemies, on the events that occurred while in stasis, everything. His exploration had not turned up much, but that doesn't mean there was no repositories of knowledge. After all, he couldn't be the only one researching the Heartless or even Hearts in general.
Mordred took another deep breath and then raised his arms, focusing his power on the Keyblades around him. Suddenly, the land around him started to quake slightly and the keyblades started to vibrate and move slightly out of the ground. Keyblades without owners were merely tools of war without the inherent power availed to them. However, even without their magic, Mordred couldn't lift all of the hundreds of Keyblades around him. This was merely an exercise to hone his powers. Mordred tried harder and keyblades continued to slowly rise, thrashing wildly. He then relaxed and let the keyblades go. Many went back into their original positions while some merely fell over. Mordred opened his eyes and turned to one of the few bits of open ground in the Graveyard. He walked along the handles of keyblade, balancing perfectly on old handles that had not had a wielder in ages. He then jumped down and moved to the center. There was so much to be done, but if it all went to plan, no humanoid would ever have to know the ravages of war.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2018 12:14:05 GMT -5
"These lifeless keys used to be full of power—united with the hearts of their masters. On this barren soil, Keyblades of light and darkness were locked in combat... as a great Keyblade War raged!" |
words: 392. tag: @mordred . notes: notes here |
The Keyblade Graveyard-- the place where it all began and the place where all would come to end. He couldn't have picked a better battlefield. The whole situation was almost poetic. Xehanort had taken to spending his off-hours here, on a stone pillar of his own design. From here, overlooked the entire battlefield and the ocean of Keyblades that littered it, each one representative of a wielder that had fallen in battle in the previous Keyblade War.
It was almost like a shrine to the fallen wielders and the conflict that cost them their lives... but what an enlightening event it must have been. Destruction on a universal scale... the entire realm of light swallowed by the darkness, only to be rebuilt by the tiny hearts of children that were full of light. If one could have lived to see after the conflict, they would have certainly learned much... and this time, there would be someone to survive; himself.
He would survive, and he would be the one to rebuild the world after the darkness consumes it. A world of perfect balance; where light and darkness coexisted... a utopia of eternal piece ruled over by him, a God-King of infinite wisdom and power. A smile crossed Xehanort's lips. 'And what a world it will be...' He thought to himself with a small chuckle. He was torn from his thoughts soon after by a soft rumbling in the ground.
Even from all the way up here, he could feel it. Looking down towards the battlefield below, a young man caught his eye. He was unfamiliar, but what he was attempting was interesting. It was almost as though he was trying to bend the lifeless keys to his will. Xehanort let out a dry laugh, amused at the boy's attempt. With a single motion of his hand, he bade a thirteen of the blades to rise up from their resting places, dancing around Mordred for a few moments.
Then, once they had caught the boy's attention, Xehanort brought them close to him. The keys whirled around the elderly Master for a brief second before he held his arm behind his back once more, the thirteen blades sticking deep into the rock the instant he did so. He would continue to gaze at Mordred, a small smile on his face as he scrutinized the boy.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2018 22:17:07 GMT -5
Mordred stopped and looked around himself as the Keyblades danced around himself. It was definitely not him this time. Once they returned to their positions, embedded deep in the ground, Mordred looked around and spied a pillar that seemed to jut out of the earth. For some reason, Mordred thought it was rather unnatural. Perhaps it was quite possibly one of the few elevated places around in this flat, desolated plain. Mordred then saw a man atop the pillar and pressed the side of his glasses. They zoomed onto the man, as if they were scopes or binoculars. This man was quite old, one could even say ancient. Mordred scanned the man and found himself suddenly very interested. For one thing, the man was a Keyblade Master, which would explain how he was able to manipulate the Keyblades so easily. Mordred's theory that his power of kinetic energy was simply not enough seemed to be right on the money. The other thing that Mordred was curious about was the depth of darkness in the man's Heart. It felt like a black hole, one that only desired more darkness and power. This man, this "Master Xehanort", also seemed to take a keen interest in Mordred. Or perhaps he was merely allowing himself a little smugness in his confident display of power. Either way, Mordred would have to be careful. This man could be the Catalyst he most sorely needed but it was obvious he wouldn't go down without a fight, even if he was of an advanced age. Mordred tapped the side of his glasses to undo its zoom and scan functions, put his hands in his pockets and walked toward the pillar.
Sure that he was being watched the entire time, it would seem that Mordred would just simply walk headfirst into the pillar, since he wasn't slowing down as he got closer. However, he put a foot on the wall of the pillar and all of a sudden, he was walking up it, as if gravity was a mere inconvenience for him. Mordred continued walking up the pillar, breaking the silence by speaking first. "I would never have really expected a Keyblade Master in such a desolated wasteland, Master Xehanort." Mordred wasn't sure why he bothered with the title, but it seemed prudent. Mordred didn't survive this long by being rude to people. Even to that man, Snow Villiers, he preferred discussing things and telling him to leave than attacking him. Unfortunately, sometimes mere words were insufficient in convincing people. Not that Mordred had any inclination of trying to convince someone so bull-headed. As he stepped on to the edge, he put one foot forward onto thin air and his body adjusted itself one more. Now he was standing on the pillar, face-to-face with Xehanort. "It would seem my theory was correct. My power alone is insufficient in wielding these keyblades, even as mere powerless clubs. Perhaps they wait their old owners... or for new ones." Mordred walked towards the center of the pillar. It'd be too easy for him to be pushed off the edge and he didn't want any advantages being used against him if possible. The Keyblade was still something to fear for a Nobody, even one with as grandiose goals as Mordred. He turned back to Xehanort when he reached the center and looked him into the eye. "So, if I may ask, why are you here? You don't seem like someone who would pay due respects to those who came before."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2018 20:43:57 GMT -5
"These lifeless keys used to be full of power—united with the hearts of their masters. On this barren soil, Keyblades of light and darkness were locked in combat... as a great Keyblade War raged!" |
words: 271. tag: @mordred . notes: notes here |
Xehanort's little period of showing off did what it was supposed to; it caught the boy's attention. He approached the rock formation the Master found himself on, walking up the side as if gravity held no sway over him. Xehanort would have been impressed if he had not already seen feats like that. As the boy finally found his way to him, he spoke to the elderly Master with familiarity, even stating his name. Either he once knew this boy and couldn't place him now or Xehanort's reputation preceded him.
The elderly man had a strong suspicion that it was the latter. He didn't try to make a name for himself, necessarily. Fame usually brought with it more problems than it solved. Especially for someone with goals such as his. In that case, fame complicated things. At that point, it was better to be some obscure figure that few people knew about. He would have to ask the child how he came by his name and title. "Hm. It is not every day that I come across someone who is familiar with me like you seem to be."
A smile found its way back to Xehanort's lips. "But you are correct, lad... and also not. I am here to pay my respects, actually. But it isn't in a way that you would expect, nor for the same reason one would do so." He remained purposefully vague when stating his reason for being in the Keyblade Graveyard. "What about you, hm? Simply seeing the sights? Are you a tourist?" He joked with a small chuckle, knowing full well this wasn't the case.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2018 17:10:09 GMT -5
Mordred merely listened to the old man and then just stared at him after his little joke. Humor was lost on Mordred, a Nobody who didn't even pretend to have emotions. Instead, Mordred scrutinized the old man. His vague response to the Nobody's question did not sit well with Mordred. This Keyblade Master was planning something but what it was, Mordred hadn't a clue, nor did it much matter to him. Mordred had his own plan and, in the own, his would be the one to succeed. He would just have to plan around this old man. For now, however, Mordred decided to entertain Xehanort's questions. "I am no tourist. I have been... musing, I suppose. I have researched much about the Keyblade War, but the motives behind it still elude me. However, its impact can be seen even now, if one can be bothered to look. Coming here has been... enlightening, to say the least. It makes one wonder why anyone has Hearts if they so easily squander their lives. No wonder the Heartless are in such numbers." Mordred took a deep breath and looked around at the Graveyard below.
"If I hadn't already known the truth of the matter, this is more than enough evidence. True Peace is impossible while Light and Darkness still conflict with each other, caring not for those caught in the whirlwind of war. And yet, Balance must be preserved for the worlds to live on in any form. If not, the Heartless consume all and all is laid waste to Darkness." Mordred then turned to Xehanort, once more staring at him with his scarlet eyes, seemingly glowing from within his hood. Whoever this was, Mordred would have to tread carefully. The Nobody had seen the old man's Heart and if that was any indication, this was a powerful man despite his looks. Despite this, Mordred sensed Xehanort could be useful. Manipulating him was probably out of the question, Keybladers seemed to be stubborn, as a rule. But a push in the right direction? Perhaps that would work. Mordred decided to keep cautious until the right time. "I'm sure you know all of this and more, however, Master Xehanort.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2018 19:00:38 GMT -5
"These lifeless keys used to be full of power—united with the hearts of their masters. On this barren soil, Keyblades of light and darkness were locked in combat... as a great Keyblade War raged!"
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words: 222. tag: @mordred . notes: notes here |
The elderly Keyblade Master listened with interest as Mordred explained why he was here in this desiccated corpse of a world, where few dared to tread. He seemed to have taken an interest in the Keyblade War as well, much like Xehanort himself. He even appeared to have a very similar goal in mind; remaking the world into one which the forces of light and darkness were in equal balance. It was a noble goal and one he shared, so the Master figured he would continue his conversation with the boy for awhile. So far, he had proved an amusing distraction. There was that at least. Beyond that, however, he wanted to get a sense of the path Mordred was on.
If all went well, maybe he could be nudged to serve his own agenda without even realizing it. He would wait to find a place Mordred could fit into his plans, however. He needed to be sure this boy was worth his time. When Mordred mentioned that Xehanort likely knew all he was saying and more, the old man let out a chuckle of amusement. "I know a bit about the Keyblade War, yes... as well as the struggle between light and darkness and how it serves only to divide our realm even further, and even threatens to destroy it completely."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2018 23:28:24 GMT -5
Mordred cocked his head at the old master. Despite his face never changing from that emotionless mask, the gears were turning in Mordred's brain. "That's... interesting. I never would have thought someone so steeped in darkness could be capable of seeing the bigger picture. Seeing the universe in more ways than the childish Light versus Darkness conflict and how that very conflict affects the worlds. Those who would call themselves "heroes" can barely grasp their actions' consequences beyond the immediate and that is why they will ultimately fail. Those who would declare themselves protectors of the Heart are merely shackled by them, just as those who dig too deeply into Darkness without caution are ultimately consumed by it. Were I a being with emotions, I would smile at the irony." Mordred then did a little bow. If Nobodies could properly express respect, this would be it. However, this also meant that Xehanort was on the same path as he. This would... complicate things. While they could help each other, Mordred had a feeling that he would be seen as a loose end. Mainly because that is precisely how he would feel about Xehanort. He also knew who'd win that fight and it wouldn't be the Nobody who'd just got out of cryostasis. First Snow, then Xemnas and now this man. It would seem that Mordred would need quite a lot of power before the end of his path was in sight.
"It would seem you are a worthy inheritor of the title 'Master', Xehanort. I have not yet met someone who was my equal in such knowledge. However, I do not have much time to exchange notes. Time is ever apace and my path demands I must continue my work. I have learned enough here, regardless." Mordred then walked to the opposite edge and stood there for a moment, his cloak billowing in the wind. He then turned his head, so he was looking over his shoulder at Master Xehanort. "On your travels, it is possible you will meet a man named Snow Villiers. He will oppose you and your plans, as he is one of those heroes who must oppose Darkness. He is not a Keyblader, but he is quite strong and capable of remarkable ice magic. I would suggest a light touch with that one, unless he proves to be too stubborn for his own good." Mordred wasn't sure why he was helping Xehanort out. Perhaps it was something from his past? Or perhaps it was refreshing to find he wasn't the only one who could see things how they truly were and with the burden of having a Heart, no less. It would be a shame if he was destroyed by someone too thick-headed to realize his actions had darker consequences.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2018 18:46:31 GMT -5
"These lifeless keys used to be full of power—united with the hearts of their masters. On this barren soil, Keyblades of light and darkness were locked in combat... as a great Keyblade War raged!" |
words: 360. tag: @mordred . notes: notes here |
Xehanort chuckled as it became apparent that Mordred began to understand the way the old Master viewed the world. It was true what the Nobody said; the battle between light and darkness— and indeed the battle between good and evil— was ultimately meaningless childish drivel. All that truly mattered was wisdom. Knowledge... and that could only be attained by his goal. Mordred also let slip a useful piece of information; he was a being without emotions. A Nobody, then? Lesser creatures, but generally useful. He learned that much from his time as a Nobody himself. They were lost beings looking for purpose.
That being the case, they could usually be made to serve another's ends. Though there was the one-off chance that a Nobody would attain their own goals and desires and would rebel against the goals imposed on them. He had experience with that as well. He pushed those meaningless thoughts out of his mind, however. This Nobody bowed to him, appearing to show some form of respect. A smirk tugged at the corner of Xehanort's lips as he did so. He then showered him with praise, stating that he was wise and a worthy inheritor of his title. Things he already knew, but it was still interesting to hear it from someone else.
This creature in general was interesting. Their goals appeared to align, but any alliance between them couldn't last forever. Before the end, one of them would have to fall... and Xehanort knew that it would be this Nobody before him. He would wait to even attempt to make an alliance, however. If this Nobody was as clever as he appeared, he was likely thinking the same thing about the old Master himself right at this moment. As he turned to leave, however, Mordred offered one piece of advice; about a man named Snow. An odd name, but he had certainly heard stranger. With a small bow of gratitude, he acknowledged the advice.
"I will remain aware, lad. I promise you that. But before you go, might I know your name? It doesn't at all appropriate for you to know my name without me knowing yours."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2018 21:39:28 GMT -5
Mordred looked over his shoulder as the wind howled over the desolation. That this man whose heart was a black hole of darkness was capable of gratitude was yet another surprise. Mordred had to admit, this trip had proved more informative than he could ever have imagined. An outside observer could've even mistaken this exchange as the beginning of an alliance had they known nothing of the two men involved. But Mordred knew there would be no such alliance. The truth of the matter was that even had he not closed his fragmented Heart off to any emotion, any alliance he could make with this elderly gentleman would only be born of deceit and lies. Still even those such alliances had its advantages. He could at least trust that Xehanort wouldn't stab him in the back immediately, especially if Mordred continued playing his cards close to his chest. Still, there was an inkling that Mordred couldn't shake off. He could've sworn he had just met this man before. That was impossible but... he had met a similar person with those same eyes... and that same skin tone. Sure, one was younger than the other, but Xemnas shared some traits with Xehanort. Mordred brushed it off and filed the information away. It was probably nothing but it was best not to dismiss it entirely. Who knows, it could provide him with an advantage. Then the old man asked for his name. While it was true that there was a proper decorum to such things, Mordred wasn't exactly the best at being polite. He just could fake it very well at times. However, he decided to acquiesce to Xehanort's request. If they ended up fighting along the same side, Xehanort would figure it out anyways. "Mordred. Now then, I shall take my leave. Enjoy paying your respects, Master Xehanort." Mordred then allowed himself to fall off the edge. He fell towards the ground, picking up speed with each passing second. However, a Corridor of Darkness appeared below him and Mordred fell into its depths. The Corridor, having swallowed the Nobody up, dispersed as quickly as it had appeared. As he traveled the Darkness, this meeting still weighed on Mordred's mind. If Xehanort turned out to be a Catalyst... their next meeting may have to be their last. Mordred resolved to gather more research about the Keyblade Master, hopefully he saw him again. ~~Mordred exits the thread~~
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2018 15:27:21 GMT -5
"These lifeless keys used to be full of power—united with the hearts of their masters. On this barren soil, Keyblades of light and darkness were locked in combat... as a great Keyblade War raged!" |
words: 000. tag: tag is here . notes: notes here |
The elderly Master smirked as Mordred introduced himself, taking his leave soon after. "Mordred, then." Xehanort spent a moment imprinting the name in his memory. For some reason, he had a feeling that he and this man would meet again one day soon. Their world views and their goals as a result were all too similar. For this reason, it was all but certain that they had not seen the last of each other.
Turning back towards the ledge, the Master looked out again at the ocean of Keyblades on the ancient battlefield below. He wondered precisely how many more blades would be added to this shrine of death and destruction before all was said and done.
-Xehanort Exits- |
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