Takeo: A Fractured Heart (Wattys 2019)

Chapter 16: Answers

Takeo walked up the stairs of the castle, admiring it's design and architecture. It was too bad it was destroyed and ready to crumble, by the looks of it.

It seemed like there were endless, quiet whispers talking to Takeo, but he couldn't understand what any of them were saying. They were all talking at the same time, constantly talking over each other. He could have sworn some of the voices sounded familiar to him. As if he had known these voices his whole life.

"Takeo..." A voice whispered. His eyes widened. He couldn't mistake that voice. It was Emileigh. But it couldn't be, Takeo left Emileigh back in Traverse Town. It had to all be in Takeo's head, a trick being played by Otekax. He shook his head, and looked over to the wall on his right. There was something there, a portal of sorts.

He looked through it in awe, wondering how it got there, and where it went. The energy coming from it made the hairs on Takeo's neck stand up. Something wasn't right. He stuck his right hand up to it, and the portal pulled him through.

Takeo slammed on the ground, a cloud of dust kicking up. Takeo groaned as he stood up and dusted himself off. He looked around, but there was nothing but Darkness surrounding him.

Suddenly, off to the left, a light came on, and Takeo snapped his attention to it. It looked as if there were people walking in it, but remaining in the same spot. Takeo walked closer, and he soon realized that one of the people that were walking, was Takeo himself.

Takeo gasped in surprise, but then noticed something. This seems as if it had happened before. Bits and pieces came back from watching them walk. He couldn't remember who the other person was, but he knew that they were going to go and confront... someone. He couldn't exactly remember who, but he knew that it was serious. The memory faded away, and Takeo found himself back in the stairway.

"Takeo..." another voice whispered. He turned his head and ran up the stairs to try and see what was saying his name. But there was no one, just another portal. Takeo stepped through this one as well, except now, they were in some sort of throne room. The person that Takeo was withwas laying on the ground, motionless.

A man walked over to Takeo. He was bald, wore a black and white coat, and had a rather sinister look on his face, completed with a goatee. The man walked over to Takeo, and spoke. Takeo remembered, this was the man they were here to capture. But who was he? Why is he important to Takeo?

The memory faded out once again, and Takeo found himself in the stairway. Before another voice could speak, Takeo headed straight up the seemingly endless staircase yet again. As he figured, he found yet another portal. Something felt evil about this one, however. Takeo felt fear, but not the same kind he felt whenever Otekax was aroumd. This was much different.

Takeo stepped through the portal, and saw him and the bald man fighting. Takeo had out his Keyblade, and the bald man had his. It looked as though Takeo was winning, until the bald man shot Darkness at Takeo, sending him back. The old man grabbed Takeo's Keyblade, which was dropped on the ground when Takeo was sent through the air.

The man walked over to Takeo, and placed the two Keyblades over Takeo's chest. The man muttered some words, then sliced at Takeo's chest. The memory exploded into light just as it happened, and it sent Takeo flying out towards the stairway wall.

However, instead of hitting the wall, Takeo was caught midair, and set down. He looked up, and saw Otekax standing there, looking at where the portal had been. Takeo quickly summoned his Keyblade, and pointed it at Otekax.

Otekax let out a chuckle, and pushed Takeo's Keyblade down towards the floor withba burst of energy. "Please, Takeo. If I wanted to fight you, you would already be dead."

Takeo eyed Otekax, "Then what are you doing here? Why did you lure me here?"

"Simple. To find answers. I know very little more than you do right now. However, I do somehow know the name of the man in that memory fragment." Otekax said, rubbing the back of his head.

Takeo looked up with a confused look on his face, "Memory fragments? That's what these are?"

Otekax nodded his head, "Indeed. Every time you step into one of these, the memories re-insert themselves into your mind, making it as if they never left."

"Then how do you know what that man's name is, and I don't?!" Takeo yelled, growing frustrated with his situation.

"I imagine it has something to do with us being each others counterpart. Whether or not that affects who gets what memory, is up for debate." Otekax explained. Takeo shook his head and looked at the ground.

"This is all so confusing. I don't know what to make of anything anymore. I don't even want to be here anymore. I don't think I want to remember anymore of my past. I had a good life going with my friends." Takeo said.

Otekax let out a laugh, "Friends? You mean those lackeys from Traverse Town? Come now, Takeo, you know they are not really your friends. The yellow haired shopkeeper and the one that wields a weapon that is both sword and gun serve a higher power. As for Emileigh..."

Takeo's eyes widened, "What about her?! You leave her out of all of this!"

"Please, I hardly wish to drag ANOTHER Keyblade wielder into this mess. She would only complicate things. Besides, she would only slow you down, should you defeat me." said Otekax, brushing some dust off of his shoulder.

"Why do you say that?" Takeo asked.

"You see, Takeo, in the highly unlikely scenario that you somehow manage to defeat me, there is still another, much larger threat than i out there. It's that man you saw in the memory fragment." Otekax said, pointing to the spot on the wall where the memory fragment had been.

"What is his name?" Takeo asked reluctantly.

There was a brief pause, but it felt like forever for Takeo.

Otekax looked down to Takeo, "Xehanort. His name, is Xehanort."