Darkness Falls Chapter 6
By Gemini83
Kaede walked back to his room, waiting for his ship to arrive. The Cetra had seen into his mind. Given, it had not been very long, and he had protected himself from such mind-scans, she still would have seen some outlying images. Now that he had told them of his task, Aeris would probably be able to piece together what she had seen.
Kaede sighed.
‘Let her tell them about it,’ he thought, ‘it saves me the trouble.’
Kaede went to sleep, wondering how Avalanche would react to what Aeris would undoubtedly tell them.
Cloud glanced into Aeris’s eyes, “What evil? Is he going to double cross us?”
“I...don’t know. It’s just that...his memories.”
“Perhaps,” said Cloud, “if you would tell us, we could offer our opinion.”
“I...” Aeris trailed off.
“Don’t worry Aeris,” said Tifa, “if it gets to hard to remember, you can go slowly. Remember, we are here.” She gave Aeris a reassuring squeeze of the hand.
Aeris smiled at her, thankful for her friend’s understanding.
“Sharing his dreams was like no other experience I’ve ever felt. We saw into each other’s pasts. In an instant, we shared each other’s lives, knew each other as if for a lifetime. However, he seemed to be able to block me out somehow. Even still, I still saw some of the memories.”
“Block you out,” asked Red, “How?”
“He must be adept at telekinesis,” said Vincent.
“Exactly,” said Aeris, “kind of like me, when I could talk to you in your dreams, but he’s learned to control it a little better.”
Cloud shivered, remembering the portent of that dream, so long ago, when she had gone into his mind. The last time she had used those powers...it happened before Aeris had died. The others became silent.
“I suppose I should start from where he finished. We all heard the history he told us. We also heard of how his parents died.”
“Right,” said Red.
“What he didn’t tell us,” continued Aeris, “is what happened to him afterwards. Yes, he was raised by his sensei, a kind man. However, there were three others who trained with him, two boys and a girl. Kaede quickly became the foremost of the students. This caused one of them to be jealous. In secret, the jealous child stole some of the secrets of the master, and began to train himself. One day, Kaede and this child fought in training, but no matter how hard the two tried, neither seemed to gain advantage. So, the jealous child used the knowledge he had stolen. He used dangerous techniques against Kaede, and unleashed a move that could have killed him. Kaede managed to block it, for the other child was still undisciplined in the technique. However, the sensei knew what had happened, and asked the jealous student for an explanation. When the child attacked the sensei, the sensei defeated him, and cast him out.
The two remaining students continued to train alongside Keade, and became his best friends. Kaede had feelings for the girl, but could not understand them. Then, the other two left one day, to complete their training under Cetra guidance. They wanted to join the Planeswalkers, so they went off with the sensei’s best wishes. Kaede decided to stay, to complete his training with the sensei. In those days, Kaede forgot about his confusing feelings for the girl. The sensei became his true family, for they had only each other. Kaede eventually became a master in his own right, and the two lived in peace, perhaps the only peace Kaede ever enjoyed.
Years later, the rebellious student came back. He had learned the dark arts of fighting from the Drahk, and with his new allies, they killed the sensei, and abducted Kaede.”
The others were amazed.
“Didn’t they fight back?” asked Yuffie.
“Yes,” said Aeris, “they killed many Drahk, but the rebellious student and his minions were too many.”
“His minions?” asked Cloud.
“Yes, apparently, the student made a deal with the Drahk. He and Kaede were disciples of a powerful fighting style. Among all the years of teaching, they had been the two best warriors the sensei had taught. The jealous student made a deal with the Drahk. In exchange for power, he would give to the Drahk the lives of the sensei and Kaede.
So they took Kaede away. The Drahk destroyed the dojo, they left nothing standing. Kaede’s only two friends deemed him dead. The Drahk left the two friends alone, for although they were powerful as well, they had become leaders among the Planeswalkers. Besides, the already had the sensei’s two brightest students, there was no need for the other two.”
“So,” asked Vincent, “what happened to Kaede?”
“This...” continued Aeris, “is where the memories became disturbing...evil. It was almost too much for me to bear. The pain...“
The young Cetra buried her face in her hands from the raw emotions, her body shaking.
“It’s okay,” said Tifa, patting Aeris’ shoulder, “we’re here.”
“What happened?” asked Reeve.
Aeris looked up again.
“The Drahk were ruled by an evil emperor. However, the emperor wanted warriors to lead his armies, powerful warriors. Somehow, he came to know of the two brightest students of the sensei. He taught the rebellious student the ways of the black arts. But Kaede...Kaede was raw, untapped power. He was a powerful force, and the emperor wanted him. So, when they finally caught him, they ran tests and experiments on him...”
Cloud gripped his hand into a fist, “What kind of experiments?”
“They wanted to make him the perfect soldier. First, they toyed with his body. They tested him with poisons, drugs, and energy, trying to build up his power unnaturally. They did other things to him as well, but I could not see, it was too painful
When they were done with his body, they tried to break his mind. This is where I see images of a new man, it must have been his jailor. The jailor was a powerful general in the army, and it was his job to turn Kaede’s mind.”
[begin flashback]
Kaede was hanging from a hook, his hands fastened around it with rope.
A voice came to him, ‘If you do not answer my questions satisfactorily, you will be reprimanded.’
‘You mean tortured.’
‘Yes, you could call it that. Kaede, who is your leader?’
‘The High Order of Planeswalkers.’
Kaede felt something connected to his chest. The jailor pressed a button, and Kaede was immediately struck with pain. It felt like electricity flowing through his body, he was freezing and burning at the same time. The agonizing sting of a thousand knifes engulfed him in agony. It felt as if they were ripping him to pieces. Despite the pain, Kaede managed to remain silent.
He remembered his training, trying to block out the pain.
‘That is a pain device,’ said the voice, ‘I will activate it each time you give a wrong answer.’
‘Go to hell...’ said Kaede.
Immediately, the pain returned, and still Kaede did not make a sound.
‘That’s right, you’re a strong one, aren’t you? Drugs have little effect on your body. You heal rapidly from puncture wounds. But let us see how strong your mind is.’
The jailor turned on the lights in the room.
‘How many lights do you see?’ asked the jailor.
Kaede saw there were four lights in the room, and said so.
‘You are wrong, there are five lights.’
Kaede insisted he saw only four lights.
‘How could you be so wrong?’
‘Are you blind? There are-’
The pain returned again, then went away. Sweat poured down Kaede’s body in rivulets. He was breathing raggedly.
‘Will you answer my questions now?’ asked the jailor.
Months later, Kaede still only saw four lights. He knew what the Drahk were trying to do, but it wouldn’t work. His whole life had been one test after another. He could endure a lifetime of pain if need be.
One day, a different figure came to him, ‘Your mind is strong,’ said the stranger.
Even half conscious, hanging from the ceiling, Kaede immediately recognized the speaker. It was a voice from the past, the voice of Sensei’s rebellious student...
‘Methos,’ he cursed, ‘I see you have come to admire your handiwork.’
‘You are powerful Kaede,’ said he, ‘why not just give in? Together, we can be the most powerful generals in this army. Our rule could be unrivaled.’
‘You think you have power? You are weak Methos.’ said Kaede, ‘You use hate as a crutch, no matter how powerful you become, those who fight with true honor in their hearts will always be stronger.’
‘You dare mock me? I am the emperor’s right hand!’ yelled Methos.
Kaede laughed, ‘Why do you think I am still alive? That cur of an emperor knew I was more disciplined than you. We were always rivals in sensei’s dojo. Why do you think he taught me all his secrets, it was because I knew how to use it with restraint. All you could ever do was steal and hate.’
Methos became enraged, and shot Kaede with energy bolts from his hands. Pain wracked Kaede’s body as his body shuddered.
‘Who is powerful now, Kaede?’ he sneered.
Kaede raised his head, and coldly stared into Methos’s eyes.
‘You will never be a true warrior Methos, you have no heart. You may as well kill me now...because if I ever escape, I will hunt you down.’
Methos grinned, ‘My dear Kaede, we have better plans for you than that.’
‘What do you want?’ said Kaede, ‘that I should lead your armies? You know better than I the answer to that.’
‘There are ways to turn even the greatest of minds.’
‘Not for those who are willing to suffer the pain. You’ll never really have me Methos, nor will the emperor.’
‘We shall see.’
[end of flashback]
Aeris became silent, trying hard to get the words out.
Outside, the sun had gone higher into the sky. It was nearly midday.
“My God,” said Barret, “What the hell did they do to him?”
Aeris looked down, trying hard not to lose her resolve, “That is not the worst of it. The Drahk had made Kaede’s body into the ultimate fighting machine, but they needed to control his mind. Through the years, all their tortures still could not turn him. So, they tried something else, they sent him into a coma.”
“A coma?” asked Vincent.
“I can’t really explain it,” said Aeris, “but they did something to him. His true self was drowned. He was brain-dead. They planted some sort of device on him, a special kind of machine, powered by a strange magical energy I can only assume to be mako. It controlled his body. It became an entirely new consciousness, drawing on his dark side to control him. Everyone has some measure of good and bad in them, it is only a matter of control. The device broke down his control over his mind and body, it became the new Kaede, one that would be open to the wishes and wills of the Drahk emperor.”
“What happened to him?” asked Reeve.
“He...began to train with Methos, under the supervision of the emperor and his minions. Over the years, he became one of the most powerful of Drahk generals. In his wake followed chaos and destruction. Together under the emperor, the dread generals were known as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The emperor was the Apocalypse. Kaede was his first general, the Horseman of Chaos. Methos was the Horseman of Death. Kaede’s jailor, Morbius, was the Horseman of Pestilence. The final Horseman, a woman named Veletta, was the Mistress of Evil. They killed and murdered many Planeswalkers and Cetra...that is where the memories became too much for me to bear. Something must have happened to change what was done to him.”
“Yes,” came a voice from behind, “Something did happen.”
A familiar figure stood in the darkness. Cloud drew his sword, wary of any tricks from the one known as Kaede. The others followed suit.
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Author’s Note: Okay, okay...yes I did get the torture scene ideas from “1984.” I just wanted someone to actually be able to withstand that kind of test (kind of like Picard in one of the Star Trek episodes). I also took the name ‘Planeswalker’ from ‘Magic: the Gathering.’ Anyhoo, Kaede has some problems, which I am currently working on explaining. If anyone wants me to work something in, or if this is getting confusing, tell me the problem and I’ll revise the chapters. Gomen to Digintegrated Hunter Bill for getting his name wrong! x_x Thanks for reading people!
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