Tales of Illumination, Book 2: Distortions
Chapter 8: Lumos to Lux
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Ugh, where am I? … While I’m at it, who am I? I thought when I woke to a plain white room. What is that symbol over the bed? My eyes were fixated on a symbol that was carved into the headboard of the bed frame. I looked down to see I was wearing a suit of black robes. “Why am I getting so much deja-vu from this?” I said out loud.
“Ah, you’re finally awake, we were beginning to worry you wouldn’t get up.” I heard from my right, I turned to see a man in a similar cloak, he had longish silver hair. “Welcome, I am Xemnas, of Organization 13.”
“Organization 13?”
“We are the group that controls all nobodies, though for some reason, we cannot control you. Those of us who actually know about the biology of nobodies are trying to figure out why that is, as well as why you kept your old form.”
“My... Old form?” I asked confused. A sudden sharp pain in my head caused me to collapse, gripping it, and images flashed before me, none of them made sense, but I remembered three things.
1) I have control of light and dark
2) My name is Lumos
3) My ‘Incident’ and splitting.
I stood up slowly, making sure to use the bed for balance, “What just happened?” I asked, only to see Xemnas standing a few feet away, a look of confusion on his face. The look quickly disappeared and was replaced with a stoic look.
“I don’t entirely know myself, some of the organization regained memories in a similar way to what just happened, so... do you remember anything?”
I thought for a moment, before saying “My name, and my... power.” I said, searching for the right words.
“And you are...?” Xemnas asked.
“Lumos, god of Neutrality. I can control light and darkness, solidifying them.”
“That’s... interesting. Could you show me this?”
I focused for a moment, and a blade of light appeared in my right hand, accompanied by one of darkness in the other.
“Can you do anything else with this ‘ability’ of yours?” Xemnas asked curiously.
I thought for a moment, and slammed both together, forming a dull grey blade of solid metal, “Twilight matter. Created from light and darkness in perfect balance... Wow, how do I even know that?”
“It doesn’t really matter, anyway, just in case, we will call you ‘Lux’ for now, so that no one knows who you were. Now, lets go show you around.” Xemnas said as he led me out of the small room.
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Journal of a Nobody: Entry 1:
I won’t write the details of the first four days, which were just getting used to the organization. I’ve remembered how my metal works, and how to infuse powers in them, but thats about it. I’ve managed to convince Xemnas to lend a small amount of his power to creating a new weapon with me, I call it the Nihl, since Xemnas’ power is Void control, which is basically antimatter. Anything Nihl cuts will disintegrate within a matter of seconds. I have also noticed something rather odd, all the members of this organization sound and look exactly the same. Something... just seems off.
~Lux
(These ‘Journal entries’ will be at the end of chapters starting with entry 2 in chapter 9.)
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Umbra’s POV
“You forgot the firing pin, again.” Akumu said, rolling he eyes.
“Umbra, calm the fuck down.” Akumu said, drawing the sword I made him. “If it’s that difficult, just stop for now. It’s not like I’m gonna need it right now. Is Noctis here? Is Die here? Are Lumos or any of his other parts besides you here?”
I took a few deep breaths before responding,
“Then I don’t need it right now. I want it, but I can wait until you can focus. Maybe trying to create all these weapons in a row was a bad idea?” he said with a calm demeanor.
“And besides, Lumos is probably nothing more than a dusk right now. He’ll be easy to kill, and once he’s gone, we can take all the time in the world to finish off Malum and Mirum.”
“Well even if he did, and even if they do, we’re the most powerful Heartless that ever existed, except for maybe Ansem, but since he’s not around anymore, we’re top darkness dogs.”
“Oh, do tell.” Akumu said with a grin of his own.
“You didn’t need to. I guessed that was the one you used on Noctis to separate us, good job by the way, you couldn’t even kill him.”
“What, we need seven or something?” He asked sarcastically.
“Oh, don’t keep me in suspense, where are we going? Also, why do you use that mind thing, why don’t you just create a mouth for yourself or something?”
“Fine, then allow me.” He said, drawing his sword and advancing toward me, I rolled my eyes.
he stopped, and put away his blade at this.
“Yeah, well what about when you’re thinking about those magazines. I couldn’t get to sleep for hours cause you kept getting those damn images popping into your head and broadcasting them in your sleep!”
“Oh, you sonova...No, not gonna let you win. I’m gonna calm down, and think about ripping Noctis’ throat open.”
I let out one of the few sounds my mouth could make: a deep, bark of a laugh,
“So, a new dark keyblade. And since we’re using the elements, how about we give it the name ‘False Harmony’.” Akumu suggested.
“Wait, what if the princesses of that world come after us for going after all of them? We’re strong, but I don’t feel like going up against the two who control the sun and moon just yet.”
“Not necessarily. Remember, the rules are always slightly different at the very least in each Equestria. They may be weakened by it here, but what if it has the opposite effect there?”
<... A fair point, but then again, what if we go to a world where both are already dead?>
“I would say you’re crazy, then I would say I’m in.” He replied, smiling like a madman.
“Ha. Then we’ll arrive incognito, as they say. Let ‘em think we’re there to help or some shit like that, then when their backs are turned, slice, out with their hearts.”
“Well, Noctis only met those ponies briefly, but I’d say that Applejack bitch represents pride. I could feel it radiating from her. If she’s got as much pride in the world you speak of as she does here, then we’ve got our ‘Pride’.”
“Oh, and how would a lazy bitch be a problem?” Akumu asked in a confused tone.
I remembered the ‘Sonic Rain-nuke’
“Ha. You said she’s sloth, she’d probably be too lazy to use it.”
“Ugh, fine. So, calmed down yet?”
“Yeah, and I can mod it later. Ah, the joys of knowing almost everything there is to know about weapons.”
“We shall...”
“Ok, you have to teach me that.”
I grinned,
After nearly a minute in that frozen hell, we walked out of the passageway in the branches of a large tree. Thankfully, Umbra hand made a platform out of darkness right before I could fall.
“So, where to, since I have no fucking idea where I am right now.” Akumu whispered.
“Ponyville? What kind of retarded name is that!? And who builds a library in a tree? What are they, elves or something!?”
“Oh. Ok then. It’s still a retarded name, though.”
“Oh? What’s the city called, and can we blow it up or something when we’re done here?”
“I wasn’t gonna bi...well, maybe a little.” He admitted.
“Seriously? I’ll just pop my head out and check.” Akumu said, beggining to put up his head before I could pull him back down.
“Then do it before I go stir-crazy!”
“Alright then. Let’s get to...wait, where are we going again?”
“Oh. Sounds more like the name of a brothel to me.”
“Eh, when we’re done here, let's find a world where it really is one.” He said, before jumping out of the tree and hitting the ground running. I just followed on the platform I made, shaking my head.
“I heard that!” He said, appearing behind him as I switched from my smoky form to my solid one.
He ‘said,’ as small amounts of darkness wrapped around our feet, and the platform sped up at an astonishing rate.
“So, where do you think little Knocky and his friends are?”
“I doubt that C is true”
“Ow. Dammit, I am so outta practice. Stupid Die with her stupid seal, I should’ve been in charge of this body for six years, but instead, I get locked in the weakling’s mind, then you get me out, and I’m too new to using the body to be effective outside of combat.” Akumu complained.
“Nice glove. Is a blade gonna pop out? Can it make stuff burst into flames if you touch them with it?”
“It traps the soul of whoever you hit with it within the glove, correct?”
“So, we’ve got a week to do it? Easy munny!”
“We won’t need the extra time. Even if they find us, they won’t be able to do a damn thing.”
“Well, I’m wondering why we ran from Noctis. I mean, I know he had a keyblade, but he’s a weakling, and he can’t even use that body, he has no practice with it.”
“Yeah, but he didn’t know that.”
“Even so, he’s still a weakling. But enough about him. Let’s get to soul stealin’!”
“Oh, well I’m starving. So I’m gonna grab an apple now.” Akumu said, reaching towards the branches and plucking a juicy apple from it.
I heard an angry roar come from behind Akumu, and I turned to see a bright orange pony with a yellow mane running right at him. I warped next to her, and stuck my gloved hand into her gut. Her eyes faded a bit, and she collapsed.
<’Pride’ captured. Creating sinblade of pride.> I thought-spoke, as a ball of metal appeared in my left hand. The metal shaped itself into a misshapenblack keyblade with a golden handguard upon touching the gloved hand.
Cool. Hey, since she doesn’t have a soul anymore, does that mean she’s technically a zombie? Can we order her around and stuff?” Akumu asked, eying Applejack.
“Only if we ordered her to follow us. We could just order her t-”
“Oh. Ok then.”
“Why is it shaped like a darkness damned merry-go-round?”
“Fuck the children if this is what they want!”
“And you say you can’t do precise.” Akumu said with a smirk.
“Meh, whatever floats your boat. So, where’s this Envy girl anyway? I wanna do it this time. Gimme the glove!”
“Oh yeah, bitch is gonna get punched!” Akumu said loudly as he started towards the stairs.
“I don’t need to be quiet, I’ve got a soul stealing glove!” he retorted.
“Maybe so, but if anyone else comes in, I’ll just kick their asses.”
“That was fun.”
“Yeah. I get the feeling someone’s letting us do all this. Like they’re pulling strings or something to make sure we succeed. I don’t like it.”
“So, Sloth next, since you’re so scared of being nuked?”
“Again? When did you get nuked a first time?”
“What does it feel like?”
“Well alright then. We’ll just avoid ‘inspiring’ her.”
“Hmm, I’m gonna go with attack at night. But we’ve gotta find her first.”
“Alright then, lead the way. I wanna get this over with so we can get out of this shithole.”
“I just want to kill those idiots.” Akumu said as we arrived neared the house of one Cyan pegasus. “DAFUQ! How can a house be made of clouds!?”
“Yeah?” Akumu asked.
“I would hope so, otherwise it wouldn’t be much of a challenge. Also, who would they get to help?”
“Well, I already know who I like the most among them.” Akumu said, grinning.
“Well, the poison user of course. Think we could use their own poison against them if they come along with the little ragtag group?”
“How come?”
“Ok, I officially hate Lumos.” Akumu said as we finally reached the house.
“Hey, will we be able to stand on these?” Akumu asked as he put a foot onto one of the clouds. I made sure to grab him before he could fall through though.
“Dammit. I hate clouds.” He said, and made a huff of disappointment.
“You don’t have wings. That sucks.”
“Oh. Wish I could’ve seen that. It would have been awesome.”
“Awww, I wanted to see you rip her soul out!” I heard Akumu whine.
It took three minutes to search the place, and guess what? It was all wasted. Thats right, she wasn’t. Fucking. There.
“Well, I got something to show you first.” He said, holding up... wait...
“Yup. Idiot had to give it up, as well as his human form and his ability to control the Lunar Orb’s powers, in order to keep his heart. Turns out I got the blade.”
“Dunno. Lemme check.” Hw said, reaching into his arm and pulling out several glowing orbs. “Oh FUCK YEAH, WE HAVE MATERIA BITCHES!”
“From what I can tell, every single one he brought with him when he went to kill you. That means we’ve got Firaga, Firaga Burst, Blizzaga, Thundaga, Shadow Flames, Curaga, and-SWEET, WE GOT YOJIMBO!”
“Only if we can’t find his weak spots. We find those, all we need to do is kick ‘em and he’ll either do exactly what we want, or...” He rubbed the back of his head. “He’ll try to kill us.
“Noctis doesn’t know about it. Besides, he’s too goody-goody to ever use it even if he did know.”
“No need.” He said, pulling out a small leather object. “I got his wallet!”
“Are you kidding? Noctis has several million gil saved up from missions and such.”
“Yeah. I really don’t like this feeling of invisible helpers, despite how lucky it makes us.”
“Talk to the hand, cause the face ain’t listenin’.”
“Sure thing bossless.”
“Yeah, cool. So, to the tree again?”
<Eeyup.> My ‘voice’ did a southern accent.
“What’s with the sudden accent?”
“I see. So he’s retarded?”
“Sure.” He said as I warped us back to the library.
“So you have a second glove?”
I said as I tossed him my spare glove, which was left handed.
“Nice.” I said, putting on the glove. “So, Wrath or Greed for you?” I asked.
“I want to steal the soul of the one who shocked Die. Despite the fact that I hate her guts, I still desire revenge against the one who hurt her. Stupid remnants of Noctis’ emotions.”
<... We could use those emotions, you know.>
“Oh, how so?”
“1.”
<2...>
“The fuck?” Akumu said, before rushing the now awake unicorn and jamming his gloved hand into her, and pulling out the soul.
“The fuck was that? Five?”
“Well fuck Monty, and his Pythons.”
“So, we’ve got four sins now. All we need is Lust, Sloth, and Gluttony, and we’re done. And it hasn’t even been one day yet? Seriously, this is definitely too easy.”
“Fun. Hey, on the off chance that we lose, what happens to the sinblades?”
I thought about it for a few moments, before eventually saying,
“So we’ve still doomed a world by eliminating its heroes. I like it. Even if we lose, we win.”
“Sure, so where’s she hiding?”
“HI! I’M PINKIE PIE!”
Akumu jumped back as a pink blur jumped out from between us, I instantly recognized this as Pinkie Pie.
“Um, what are you talking about?” Pinkie asked, tilting her head to the side, and raising an eyebrow.
<... You can hear me? Even though I’m using private though-speech?>
“OOOH, is that telepathy, are you psychic? Can you tell what I’m thinking-oOOH can you control my mind? Are you controlling it right now or are you making me think you’re controlling my mind or-OOOOH nice gloves!” She said at a mile a minute.
I put on a showman’s smile,
“Maybe later, right now I have to-*GASP*-, I totally have to throw you a party!” She said, bounding off, leaving an after-image.
“Umbra.”
“Actually, we could turn this to our advantage.” … It could? Oh yeah...
<... I see what you’re getting at, if we get ‘Lust’ before hand, we could get both ‘Sloth’ and ‘Gluttony’ at the party, right?>
“Yeah. So, to Lust’s house?”
“How so? Is she gonna try and seduce us or something?”
“Woah, that’s a lot of animals.” Akumu said, probably just creeped out by all the eyes staring at us.
“Oh, come on, what harm could they possi-AGH, GETITOFFGETITOFFGETIFOFF!” He yelled as a white furball attached itself to his leg and immediately started chomping on it.
Umbra pulled Angel bunny off his leg,
“Rabbit? RABBIT!? IT’S MORE LIKE A FUCKING SAHAGIN WITH THE WAY IT TRIED TO CHOMP ON ME!”
“Good riddance, now where’s th-”
“ANGEL! YOU MONSTER!” I heard Fluttershy’s voice exclaim.
“So Lust is ours. Now we’ve got two to go.” I said as Umbra created yet anothersinblade.
“Something tells me I don’t wanna know.” Akumu said with a raised eyebrow.
“Dude, I want to kill every living thing and even I think that’s fucked up.” Akumu shivered.
“Good point.”
“Wait, if this is that universe, wouldn’t Gluttony have already turned Sloth into cupcakes?”
“No, you said we’d leave and get them from another world, I pointed out that if this is that universe, then sloth is dead. Though I doubt that she is.”
“Well, I think Sloth is alive here. Trust me, I know psychotic, and while Gluttony is crazy, she’s definitely not psychotic.”
“Why did you say pullen? It’s pulled.”
“Ah. Let’s get to wherever this party is before we die of old age.”
“Oooookaaaaaaay?” Akumu said in a ‘The fuck does that mean?’ kind of tone.
I sighed,
“Wow, that’s...weird. The moment he gives up, lady luck smiles on him? Does that happen to him a lot?”
“Ok then. So where to next?”
“Well, I’ll go back to town, maybe see if the library has some useful information, as unlikely as that is.” He said, walking towards the town. “If you need me, yell ‘I NEED AN ADULT!’ with that mind thing.”
I chuckled,
“Wait, what? What do you mean flaming unicorns?”
“Um, how would she do that without her soul? She’s essentially an empty husk.”
“Ok then. Well, see ya Umbra. Don’t kill too many of the forest’s inhabitants.”
The forest creatures were more than happy to attack me, making it all the easier to slaughter them one by one. After the first few manticores, they eventually stopped attacking, and began to run from me on sight.
That’s right, run away. Know fear!
I summoned Pride, and stabbed a manticore with it. Somehow this quickly turned it into a Living Bone heartless.
Interesting, so just one sinblade has the power of the six heart version of the keyblade of hearts. I thought to myself. My look of thought was replaced with a wicked grin. Might as well start making my army!
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Not much to say, so the answer to the last riddle was 'a towel.' Here is todays riddle:
It's more powerful than God.
It's more evil than the devil.
The poor have it.
The rich need it.
If you eat it, you'll die.
What am I?
Sorry to anyone who's religious if this offends you.
~Cloud Nova/Madman12435 Signing out.