How Far Are We Willing To Go For Peace [Dieter]

Mordred was about to leave when suddenly something landed on the Arch beside him. He looked and found a... astonishingly feminine boy on the arch. He seemed to have been in a fight very recently as he was covered in wounds. Mordred stood up slowly and looked up into the sky as the Corridor of Darkness that brought him closing. The Nobody looked down at the boy again. His Heart... it was flooded with Darkness. Normally, this wouldn't intrigue Mordred too much, but the Heart wasn't a human one. This boy was very clearly something else. If that was the case, then it was possible this one could be a good Catalyst. As it was, the boy couldn't be useful for anything. Mordred tapped the side of his glasses and scanned him. "Dieter Wolfram, huh... I see the war between Light and Dark has reached you. How annoying." Mordred then heard something behind him. He looked to find Heartless climbing up to the Arch. Looks like they weren't alone. The Nobody shook his head and knelt down, picking up Dieter before standing up. Mordred then leapt off the Arch, falling gracefully through the air before landing on a roof.

Mordred kept moving with Dieter in his arms before finding a grove of trees across from a large mansion. The Nobody set the inhuman boy down and looked at him. He was in no shape to fight off the Heartless and if the Heartless grabbed his Heart, Mordred would lose out on a potential Catalyst. More and More, it seemed Mordred spent more time saving people than taking their Hearts. Regardless, he'd need to get a potion for the boy. Mordred shook his head and looked towards the mansion. People were walking along the street, too busy to take notice of them as cars drove by. Mordred then turned on his heel and walked back toward the main street that cut through the city. Perhaps there would be a shop on that street.

Mordred stopped in his tracks. He had sensed the motion of the blade before he heard the air being displaced from it. He turned his head to the boy he had sat down. He seemed to be trying to strike an imaginary foe with his sword. Mordred sighed. Well, he was awake and able to swing a sword at least. Mordred walked over calmly until he was right in front of Dieter, the boy's sword pointing at his side. The boy's eyes... this one was definitely not human. Then again, neither was Mordred, at least not a complete one, anyways. Still, the question of what he was still hung in the air and would have to wait until the boy was healed at least. Mordred put a couple fingers on the blade and passed over it, inspecting its edge. It was practically bathed in dark magics. This thing immersed itself in darkness and yet its fiery light was enough to hold it at bay. Truly something worth keeping around. The boy's potential could be far more than even Mordred could imagine. Mordred then placed one finger on the tip of the sword and pushed it down and away from his body, his cold, scarlet stare fixed on Dieter, fearless and unflinching.

"Don't bother. It is by mere luck that you managed to escape being taken by the Heartless. You are in no condition to be fighting anyone or anything. Stay here and wait while I find some healing poultices for you." Mordred spoke these words with the soulless air of an accountant reading off of a tax form. He then heard Dieter's question. "... Deling City, on a world called Archipelago. If I had to guess, Mr. Wolfram... you are far away from home." Mordred then moved towards the town to acquire poultices. On the way, he contemplated what to do with Dieter. On one hand, this was an ample opportunity to add a powerful Heart to Eden. On the other hand, his research into Hearts could be improved with studying Dieter, a creature that was clearly very powerful. Besides, allowing him to live would allow the Heart to acquire more power and become stronger. Mordred mentally added Dieter to the long list of potential Catalysts for Eden.

Some time later...

Mordred came back holding a bag of potions. He acquired them through... semi-legitimate means. When they wouldn't take munny, Mordred informed them that it was an emergency. That seemed to work, though Mordred admitted to using a little intimidation to get what he wanted. When Mordred reached the spot where Dieter was, he made sure to stay out of the swinging range of the boy's sword. He did not want any surprise cuts. Mordred tossed the potion to Dieter, aiming for his lap. "Drink. You won't be able to hide from the Heartless forever, especially with a Heart as powerful as yours." Mordred then walked over and seemed to watch traffic lazily go by. He waited for Dieter to drink the potion before he interrogated him. Can't have him keel over before he gave any answers.

Mordred made an audible "tch" sound and looked behind him. "How amazing. Arrogance seems to truly transcend race." Mordred then turned around and glared directly at Dieter. "The Heartless will overwhelm you eventually. They always do. You speak of their persistence as if they choose to attack you. As if they were truly sapient creatures. No, Mr. Wolfram, they're more akin to locusts... or a disease. You see, the Heartless travel the worlds, seeking out Hearts. Once they do, they steal them and send them into Darkness. They can do this from humanoids and from worlds. They just take and take and take until there's nothing left. Then they move on. Moreover, there is nothing you can do about it. Only those chosen to wield the Keyblade can defeat the Heartless permanently. Otherwise, they merely come back from the Darkness they are born from. So when I say you were lucky, Mr. Wolfram." Mordred bowed down so that they were eye to eye. "You were very lucky." Mordred then stood back and looked back out to the road again, as if to ponder events.

However, it was more like he was pondering the person who still sat against a tree. Whatever he was, his fiery light was able to keep the overwhelming level of Darkness from completely swallowing him. Who was this being, who could do something that few others could? It was an enigma that Mordred could scarcely tolerate. It was his life's work to understand the Heart and yet, time and again, its mysteries continued to elude him. "Perhaps you could answer some questions of mine, Mr. Wolfram. Your Heart... I have seen it. A burning torch in the darkest abyss. How is it you are able to keep such powerful Darkness in check?" There had to be something to it. Powerful though it was, his Heart seemed liable to be consumed by the Darkness if there was even a tiny bit more. Perhaps it was serendipitous that Mordred happened to save Dieter from the Heartless, or else a particularly powerful Heartless would take his place. However, there was another thing that bothered him. "How did you come here so injured?" It was clear the question was not asked out of concern for the other person but out of a cold need for facts. Besides, if the threat that nearly ended this warrior came here, Mordred would have to prepare himself.

Mordred sighed. Was he not listening to him? "As I said, they are like locusts. And what do locusts but consume everything until nothing remains? The Heartless do nothing but consume Hearts, feeding them to an ever growing Darkness. Their hunger will not be satisfied until all is lost in Darkness. It is a threat that looms ever closer, yet no one seems to know or care about the danger." This last bit seemed to be a bit of thinking aloud as Mordred turned away from Dieter to look upon the people who were still going by on the streets. Despite this, he listened closely to Dieter's explanation. At least this creature was able to ascertain the danger of giving one's self totally to Darkness and able to fight it, no less. Apparently, however, the price was steep. Even more so, this creature refused to elaborate on his injuries. Mordred shook his head and looked over his shoulder at Dieter. "That pride... will be the death of you, you know." Mordred turned his head back around and seemed to be thinking. "Though with your power, I suppose there is reason for your pride."

Mordred turned around to Dieter. "The wounds you received were magical in nature. Cuts with ice around the edges, electrical burns, wounds of an unfamiliar but dark nature. You ran afoul of a mage of some sort or perhaps more than one. While Heartless are capable of magic, I don't believe there would be capable of such damage. Not to something of your nature." Mordred closed his eyes. "This is, of course, speculation based on observation. No one came through the portal you used to finish you off." Mordred neglected to mention that whoever assaulted probably left him alive for a good reason. "Regardless, drink the rest of the potions and leave when you are able." Mordred then turned back around to observe the people, standing as still as a statue.

Mordred looked back at Dieter. The creature asked what he was based on his Heart. It was true that Mordred could see Hearts, a trait that he considered himself blessed to possess. However, to accurate deduce what Dieter was, Mordred would've had to visited his world and he doubted that had been the case. Though, another thought occurred to the Nobody. Perhaps the creature wished to know what Mordred though of his inner self. His soul, if you will. Mordred looked back out to the street and took a deep breath. "Had I not already seen your true physical self underneath that mask, I would already know you are not human. Within you, keeping the darkness at bay is a raging fire, one that seeks to not merely light but also burn away the darkness. You are an entity that could easily a force to be reckoned with if you so wished. If you had decided to unfetter yourself from the bonds of trying to walk amongst humanoids. You are a power that would be a beacon to those who would wish to use your Heart for their own purposes. Such power... and yet no Keyblade. If that is not evidence that there is more to becoming a Keyblade Wielder than merely power, I know not of what it is."

Mordred's cloak caught a passing breeze as a silence drifted over the two, with only the sounds of the city around them echoing through the air. Then Mordred closed his eyes and continued. "I would be wary in the future, Mr. Wolfram. The Heartless seek out Hearts like yours. Those trying to hold back their darkness. And when they consume them, there is no saving you. Beware, Mr. Wolfram, that your Darkness does not swallow your Heart, lest you become one of them. It would be... tragic, if one with such a powerful Heart turned into an equally powerful Heartless. Tragic for the worlds... and tragic for your friends. If you heed nothing else I have said tonight, heed that." Mordred then turned and walked past Dieter and further into the trees, intending to leave the area.