The Keyblade War Chapter III: Beauty Of Apocalypse

Chapter Twenty Three: The Burdens We Bear

Nothing but silence was communicated between Kyle and the phantom that had appeared before him. They had been standing there, watching each other in silence for a while. Kyle was trying to figure this phantom out, and he figured that said phantom was a lingering sentiment of one of the many Keyblade Wielders who died in the first Keyblade War. There was this odd sensation running through his body that made him feel like this was the case! Slowly, he started to walk over to the phantom, and it remained still as he kept approaching it! When he was within a few feet, he stopped, noticing that the phantom had done absolutely nothing....just standing there. This began to unsettle him quite a bit, for by now, he'd have expected the phantom to move. Just as he was about to say something, the phantom raised its hand. Kyle remained deathly still, and then the phantom shifted and looked at the horizon of the grasslands, and then it hovered over to Kyle, until it was inches away from him!

"You are one of them..." the phantom said, revealing itself to be a woman! At least, that's what Kyle could judge by hearing her voice! He looked at her and was a bit confused.

"Um, excsuse me? One of...who, exactly?" he asked. She then turned around and looked at the horizon again.

"You are one of the many souls that have been touched by the power of the Dark Light..." she said, and at that, Kyle's eyes opened wide! He unsummoned his Keyblade and spread his arms wide in shock!

"Wait, you mean to say that you know of my power? Then do you know what this Deity inside me is!?" he asked, desperately hoping the phantom would provide him with answers. She slowly turned around and nodded.

"Indeed. I know of your power...and as for the Deity...he is an ancient being, whose origins trace back to that of the first Keyblade War...your Deity was a man of dark intentions...his name...Ulrich. A great warrior reknown by all other Keyblade Wielders who ever fought beside him or against him. He was a man of great ambition...always wanting more and more power..." she answered. At that, Kyle was speechless! The Deity housed inside him was a warrior from the first Keyblade War? That simple fact was enough to leave him shaking!

"B-but how did he end up inside my heart...?" Kyle asked. The phantom remained silent for a moment, and then she passed through Kyle, and he turned around, so as to keep his eye on her.

"Like all people with strong hearts...he persevered, even after death. When he perished in the Keyblade War, he was consumed by the darkness, but he refused to turn into a Heartless. With that much willpower, he was able to will himself out of the darkness's hold, and instead of being swallowed by the darkness, his heart and soul transplanted themselves onto his Keyblade, which became one of the many Keyblades that would come to adorn the Keyblade Graveyard..." she said, and then she remained silent momentarily. These sudden pauses kept Kyle on the edge of his seat!

"And so...he waited. Many centuries passed, and he waited until he could be able to sense a person with a strong heart, a person with undeniable willpower, so that he could be able to house himself within that person's heart, and slowly take over...like what he is doing to you now..." she finished. At that, Kyle could feel his heart pounding, and he started to groan in pain, and he fell to his knees, clenching his fist to his chest, gasping for breath! That's when the Deity himself, UIrich, sprang out from Kyle's body, and though he was still just a shadowy mist, he seemed to hold a bit more of a physical form now. Granted, all that could be seen was covered in shadow, and the only thing Kyle could see was his yellow eyes! Ulrich walked towards the phantom.

"Ah..Shia dear, it's been quite some time, hasn't it? You seem to be holding well, after all these years..." he remarked with a smirk. Shia remained silent, and Kyle clenched his fists.