Foretellers

by Fear Ripper

Lan's Exam...The Heck?

(Lan’s P.O.V)

Lan.

Hmm? Who’s that voice?

Lan.

Did I fall asleep? Last thing I remember was…

“Lan!”

My eyes snap open, and the first thing I saw was the Master of Masters standing right above me.

“Well well, finally awake. You’re a heavier sleeper than the real sleeping beauty.” he said.

I stood up from the ground I was laying on, and saw that I was in a white void. Like when me and the others met god.

“Where are we?” I asked, “And why are you here Master?”

“This is where you will be taking your test Lan.” Master said. “As for why I’m here, well actually I’m not here in a sense. This me is just a projection of myself the original me sent here with you. I’m here to guide you through your Mark of Mastery Exam.”

“Alright, where do we start?”

“We’ll start here.” Master snapped his fingers, and the space around us. It shifted for a moment before settling into a black and white world. Wait, this place…

“This is the old orphanage.” I said.

“Yup, back in your world.” Master said. “Oh, and look over there. Guess who they are.” He pointed towards the building.

When I looked I was shocked, it was me.

There was a seven year old me, standing next to a four year old Kira.

“This is my memories?” I asked.

“Yup, more of a third person perspective though. You and Kira had been at the orphanage for a while. Since your parents had passed away due to a car accident, and you didn’t have any other living relatives you were sent here.” Master said.

My expression dropped, he was right. Our parents had been killed in a car accident and we were sent to the orphanage. Kira and I were really affected by it, but what kid wouldn’t be? The two of us mainly stuck with each other in the orphanage and didn’t really interact with the other kids.

The scene was just Kira and I taking walk around the orphanage to pass the time, until we heard other voices in the distance. Curiosity got the better of us as we try to find the source. We found three older boys pushing around a smaller boy.

The smaller boy was young Crow.

The older boys were the just some mean boys that also lived in the orphanage who liked picking on the new comers.

“Hey, cut it out!” Crow said.

“Why don’t you make us?” The older boys taunted as they pushed him to the ground.

Kira and I knew how it felt being picked on by those three, so we decided to help Crow out. We stood between and threatened to tell the Sister incharge.

That day forward the three of us became the best of friends. I would even go as far as to call Crow my brother, in all regards but blood.

“Why show me this?” I asked.

“It’s all part of the test. Now let’s move on to the next memory.” The Master snapped his fingers again, and the world started shifting.

The scene had changed to the roof of our old high school. The same one we were on the day we were taken by God. We were freshman at the time, and Kira was still in Middle School.

There I was with the others, and Crow was there as well. The atmosphere was tense though.

I remember this day, it’s the day that Crow left us.

“Why are you hanging around those thugs?” Past me asked Crow.

“They aren’t thugs!” He yelled. “They just guys who know how to not let society push them around! And I agree with them!”

“Stealing and getting into fights isn’t going against society, that’s just being plain stupid!” Jenny yelled.

“It’s also obvious that they’ve been influencing your behavior. You’re not acting like yourself Crow.” Dan said.

“I’m acting perfectly fine! Why aren’t you guys supporting me? Aren’t we supposed to be family?”

“We are family.” Kira said. “Which means we’re supposed to help each other when we’re about to make bad decisions. You joining this gang is a really bad decision.”

“Stay out of this squirt!” He said as he shoved Kira away from him.

“Hey!” I stood across from Crow. “You just crossed a line Crow. You said we were family, but we don’t hurt family like that.”

“Why are you guys ganging up on me? Why aren’t you joining me. We’ve all been screwed over by this corrupt society. Don’t you want to be with people like the Ventrals who can go up against it?”

The gang he got mixed up in was being run by one of the younger ventral members. Crow hand stumbled upon the group one day. He had actually admired how they would do whatever they wanted without care of what society would do to them. So he sought them out and wanted to join them.

“Crow. Are you really with them cause you care about going against society, or is it because your father-!”

*POW!*

He suddenly punched me across the face, sending me to the ground. The others rushed to my side to make sure I was fine.

“My father was falsely accused! That’s how I ended up in the orphanage in the first place! Because of this corrupt society he was put away! I’m not going to let it push me around anymore, now that I’m with people who can do something about it!” He turn around and started walking away.

“Crow!” I yelled. “If you leave now you leave the group. You won’t be welcome back!”

Crow stopped, only for him to continue walking.

“It hurt, didn’t it?” The Master asked.

“Yeah, for all of us. We lost a member of our little family we made.” I said solemnly. “But what’s worse is what came after.”

The Master snapped his fingers again, and the space once again began to change. I already knew what the next memory was going to be.

It was me sitting in one of those rooms in a juvenile detention center where we could visit with the ones inside. I was sitting in a booth, and who walked in on the other side of the glass was Crow in an orange jumpsuit.

The gang Crow had been apart of were caught during a “heist” they had planned. Some of them got away, but most of them weren't so lucky. Crow wasn’t one of them, so they caught him and put him in juvie.

He had called the orphanage and asked for me and told me everything. I decided to go visit him.

The moment he sat down we both pick up the wall phones.

“Hey.” He said quietly.

“Hey.” I said.

“Look, Lan. I’m really sorry about everything. What I said. What I did. To you and the others. I regret everything I’ve done.”

“I’m glad to hear that. The others have been worried about you.”

“I hope you guys can forgive me, and accept me back into the group.”

“You made a lot of mistakes, but I’m sure with time you’ll regain our trust. You could be in the family again.”

“Thanks dude. Now I wanted to ask, if you could help me get out of here?”

The conversation took a turn for the worst.

“Hun? What do you mean?”

“If you could go find the boss, then he could get me and the others out of here.”

“I thought you said you regret being in that gang.” I raised my voice.

“I said I regret everything I’ve done to you and the others. I was hoping you could find it in your heart to help a brother out of this place.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, he didn’t call me to apologize, he just wanted me to help break him out.

“Don’t call me your brother!” I half yelled. “You think with what you’ve said and done that I would forgive you and break you out of juvie!? No! You are going to stay in here, and reflect on your actions. Alone.” I said as I hung up the phone and began to leave.

“Lan! Don’t leave he in here! Lan!” Crow yelled as he started banging on the glass. He was then help back and escorted away by the officers inside.

“A little harsh, don’t you think?” The Master asked.

“He deserved it. After everything he put us through, he deserved to serve his time in that place.”

“Is that really how you feel?” He questioned. “I think that there’s more to it than you’re leading on.”

*Sigh.* I knew it. The Master could read me like an open book.

“Yeah. I was so angry at him when I said all of that to him. Mostly because I lost hope of getting my brother back. I always blamed myself for him leaving us. Maybe I could have said or done something to keep him from leaving in the first place. But then, when he asked to break him out, I lost all hope of getting my brother back.”

Suddenly, the space shifted again, but I didn’t hear the Master do anything. Though, I turn around to realize I was alone. Where did the Master go?

The space settled, and I found myself inside what looked like a prison cell. Sitting on the bed was a disgruntled looking Crow.

This isn’t a memory, what is this?

Suddenly, a Door to Darkness appeared, scaring Crow. The same Mysterious, purple cloaked figure with the blank face mask exited the door.

“Who the hell are you?!” Crow yelled.

“Hello Crow. My name is Core. Don’t worry I haven’t come to harm you.” So his name is Core.

“Well what do you want?”

“Well I'm actually recruiting for a certain cause. And i was hoping to ask you to join.”

Crow scoffed, “Yeah, no thanks buddy. The last gang with a cause I joined they left me in the dirt to rot in this hell hole.”

Core was silent for a moment, before he got closer to Crow having his mask inches away from his face.

“I can tell that you are confused. Your heart is wavering between the light and darkness constantly. You want to be forgiven by the ones you believe you betrayed, but you also want to exact revenge on them cause you beloved they betrayed you. Such a complex heart. Almost like you have two, and they are both fighting for dominance.”

What? Crow… he wants our forgiveness?

“What the he'll are you talking about? My heart? What kind of shit are you spouting.”

“If you can't decide weather you belong to the light or the darkness, then how about a compromise?” Core thruster his hand into Crow's chest, making his scream in agony. Core yanked his hand out, and in his possession was Crow's heart. It was just like he said, one half was covered in darkness while the other was of light.

Core summoned an ominous looking keyblade, not one I've ever seen before, and slashed Crow's heart in half. Crow's body began to glow until it separated into two Crow's. Except one had his normal silver hair and the other had blonde hair. They both radiated different energies. Silver Crow was darkness and blonde Crow was light.

“Finally! I'm separated from this punk! Now I can show Lan and his “family” what it's like to feel weak!” Silver Crow said.

“How could you even think about that after all that they've done for us? They gave us a place to belong and we threw it all away for that gang who didn't give two shits about us!”

“Enough!” Core yelled silencing the two. He looked at Silver Crow, “If you serve under me, then I will insure your revenge against those who have wronged you.”

Silver Crow smiled, “Yes, Master Core.”

“And you,” his focus shifted to Blonde Crow, “I can't kill you without risk of killing your darker half, but I know a place where no one will find you.” Core grabbed his throat and threw him in the Door to Darkness.

“So that's how Crow got his power. Core was the one who separated his light and dark half.” I said to myself.

“Enjoy the show brother?” Silver Crow said directly at me.

“You can see me?”

“Yup, wish I couldn’t so I wouldn’t have to look at the face of a traitor!” Crow growled. “But let’s stop all this small talk and get down to business.” He summoned his Soul Eater in his right hand.

I tried to summon Unicornis, only for a default Starlight appear in my hands. Why?

“Looking for this?” In Crow’s left hand Unicornis appeared. “Look at that, betrayed by your own Keyblade. Must hurt, huh?”

I didn’t answer, I just charged straight for him and attacked. He blocked with his Soul Eater, and tried to swing at my legs. I rolled out of the way just in time, only to have kick me a good ways away.

I recovered quick enough to block a blow from both of his blades.

“You’ve gotten pretty strong brother. I’m so proud of you.” Crow said sarcastically. I didn’t say anything, only forced him away as I raised my Keyblade.

“Thunder!”

A bolt of lightning struck Crow, but not enough for him to look damaged.

“Ooh! That hurt. You did get stronger. You want to know where my strength comes from?” He said as he charged at me and clashed his keyblades with mine. Making us lock blades once again. “It comes from the darkness inside my heart. The darkness you made me feel!” This time he forced me back.

“Freeze Raid!” Unicornis was coated in ice as he threw it my way. It was too fast for me to dodge so I blocked. In turn, it froze me on the spot.

“You are the cause of this! The darkness in my heart is all your fault! Spark Raid!” This time Unicornis was coated in electricity. When it struck it broke me out of the ice, but it also stunned me. I fell to the ground unable to move.

“You’ve made me what I am today. Be killed by the demon you created!” Crow stood over me, thrusting both of the blades down upon me.

*Clash!*

But I blocked it with the Starlight.

“You don’t think I know that?” I said. “Everyday since then, I regretted my words I said to the real you back in juvie. I let my anger get the best of me, and it influenced the darkness that was already in his heart.” The Starlight began to glow. “But from what I’ve seen, there was a part of his heart that wanted to be with us again. To be a family again!”

Unicornis took the place of The Starlight as I knocked Crow away. I stood tall, Unicornis in my hands, and my Foreteller robes settling upon my shoulders.

“I have found a new hope. I will save Crow from his Darkness and bring him back to the light! He will be our Brother again!”

Unicornis was surrounded by a radiant, golden energy as I took my battle stance.

“Heaven's Judgment!”

In an instant I disappeared from sight. Only to reappear in front of Crow, slashing upwards launching him towards the sky. I disappeared and reappeared again next to the still airborne Crow and attacked. This continued, me appearing at different angles, until I appeared for a final attack right above him. The golden energy around Unicornis shaped itself into a blade shape, and I slashed downwards one last time. Which launched Crow towards the ground like a shooting star.

When the dust settled, the downed Crow was still on the ground struggling to stand up as I land near him. I walked towards him, kneeled, and held out my hand.

“I will save you. I promise on my life.”

Crow reached out to grab my hand, but he disappeared before he could.

A door appeared nearby.

“I guess my time here has ended.” I said as I walk through the door.

(Real world)

(Third Person P.O.V)

Back in the real world, the five Foretellers found themselves waking up in their living room. All lying in random places.

“Ah! Welcome back to the land of the living kids.” They saw the Master of Masters laying on their couch. He was laying on his side with his head propped up with his arm and he was eating a bag of chips while watching T.V. “Oh, and by they way, you’re out of milk.”

“Hey! Are those my chips?” Jenny yelled.

“Probably.” The Master sat up from his position. “So, how does it feel to be Keyblade Masters?”

“Oh! So all of that did happen.” Kira said.

“Well I hope so, or else you guys would have been asleep for a week for nothing.”

“A week?!” Alex yelled. “It only felt like a few hours!”

“That’s how it works. When you entered the testing zone, time moved faster for you guys. Don’t worry, I put a stasis spell on your bodies so you wouldn’t rot away or stink when you woke up.”

“But what about school?” Dan asked. “I had a calculus test that I was supposed to take on Tuesday.”

“I called the school for you. I told them that I was your guardian and that you all had to leave for a family emergency.”

This made the Foretellers relax.

“So, we’re Masters now?” Kira asked.

“That’s right, Master Kira. But don’t let it get to your head. Even though you are all Masters, there is still much for you to learn.”

They all nodded.

“We understand.” Lan said. They all bowed in respect, “Thank you for your teachings, Master.”

“Don’t mention it! Oh, and I got a reward for passing your test for all of you.” He reached into his coat sleeve, and pulled out five Wayfinders.

He tossed Lan the red one, Jenny’s was green, Dan’s was blue, Alex’s was bronze, and Kira’s was pink.

“Way finders?” Kira asked.

“Yeah, they belonged to the original Foretellers. I recovered them after the war, just for this certain occasion. They hold great power within them, but I’ll leave that for you all to figure out. Can’t spoil too much. Now, it’s about time I get going.” The Master said as he got up and opened a portal.

“Wait! Master!” Alex yelled stopping the Master. “I just wanted to ask one more thing. What was in the box that you gave Luxu?” This gained everyone's attention as the gathered around the Master.

“Oh, you really want to know?” they all nodded. “Okay, come closer.” They leaned in closer. “What’s in the box.”

“Yes?” they all said.

“Is.”

“Yes!?”

“... A secret!”

“Ah!” They all fell down in exasperation.

“Well, later kids! We’ll meet again!” With that, the Master left.

.
..
…

“He just trolled us.” They all sighed.

(A Few days Later)

(Lan’s P.O.V)

It’s been a few days since we woke from out Mark of Mastery Exam. It had been quiet for the time being, but the Fall formal is in two days. I would imagine that this place would get hectic pretty soon. I just hope that there won’t be too many distractions to the natural order of this world.

I suddenly heard the fast clicking of someone running behind me. I turned around to see Sunset Shimmer running my direction.

“Move it!” She shoved past me. How rude.

“AAAHHHHH!”

A sudden scream caught my attention. When I looked, I saw one piece of a Trinity Armor Unversed fly down the halls.

“What’s an Unversed like that doing here now?” I ask myself. “That doesn’t matter. Gotta catch up to it before it meets with the rest of it.”

I put on my mask on, adorning my robes and summoned my keyblade. I quickly ran the direction of the Trinity Armor.

I followed it to the front of the school… where I saw two people wearing Keyblade Armor and a Blonde girl… all wielding Keyblades. The one in the dark armor and I stared at eachother.

“The..” He started.

“...Heck?” I finished.

Comments

[the one guy on the left]

And here I thought we'd be waist deep in unversed for the rest of our lives.