Chapter 3

He wakes the following morning to her stomping out the fire. "Morning Adam."

Adam yawns and sits up rubbing his face. "Hi."

"Slept well huh?" she laughs,

"It wasn't bad. How did you sleep?"

"Pretty decent actually, now come on we need to buy you some new clothes."

"In New Haven?"

"Not yet."

They get on the horses and gallop away, they ride through a treeline and finally it comes into view. A large town in the middle of a green and growing plain.

"How does that make sense?"

"What?"

"It's so green and growing there but in the forest the ground was frosted."

She shrugs, "I guess our climate is pretty weird? It changes a lot, it's not that weird though."

"I don't know you're pretty weird."

She shrugs, "You make a valid point. But that also means I'm not boring, come along normal Adam."

Adam makes a confused face, she grins and snaps the reins. He quickly follows her to the stables, we dismount and walk through the city gates.

"Okay, may I have my coat back?" she asks as she and Adam walk up to a clothing store, it's relatively modern too.

Adam hands it back to her and they walk in. The man at the counter looks at them with surprise.

Adam chuckle as he walks over. "I'm sorry but we only sell to those who have money."

"That's okay I got money."

"But."

"His shirt is thrashed and his pants are almost to that point. So, I would like to buy him clothes. In the publics eye I'm sure you'd be seen as a caring man by doing so?"

"...Alright, follow me please."

She smiles back at him and they follow the well dressed man into a room with aisles of clothing.

"Do you know what size you are sir?"

"For what?"

"Shirts for starters."

"Sixteen."

They go through the countless aisles by Lydia's wish, finding the perfect outfit.

A white jacket, black pants, dark red undershirt and some name brand of boots he's never heard of.

He looks at himself in the mirror, "I look like Roxas."

"Roxas? Is he a friend?"

"You could....say that. He was definitely part of my childhood."

"See?! You're remembering!" she says lightly slapping my arm,

Yeah not of this world though. It's weird how much this has been tieing into Kingdom Hearts. Next thing you know Goofy is going to pop around the corner.

Adam might as well go all out, he spikes hia hair and styles it like Roxas's. She smiles and mutters an acceptance of it, but he's not sure if it's because it looks funny to her or if she actually likes it.

They walk out of the store and to an armory. "I can't even remember the last time I held a weapon."

"That's okay what you don't know I'll teach you okay? Everyone has some kind of weapon."

After thinking it over and discussing with Lydia, they decide to get a sword and a tomahawk axe for Adam.

"Why both?"

"The sword is for close combat obviously and the axe is for when you have to move faster than your enemy. You can figure out which you like better this way."

"But I also have magic right?"

"True but it's not unlocked yet, you don't know what you'll like best and it'll take a while before it can last more than a few minutes."

"That's fair, I owe you, a lot."

She rolls her eyes, "Stop it, you don't owe me crap. Now come on, I want you to see New Haven."

"Where is it?"

She grins and takes his hand and pulls hi. away, "Whoa hey wait!"

Adam tries his best to keep up as they run through crowds and down dirt road after road finally into a big square, blue building.

She pulls Adam into one of eight lines and they wait. "How do we get there?"

"I don't want to ruin the surprise of everything."

She pulls him around a corner and up to a counter and places down three gold coins onto the counter.

"Two please."

The middle aged man smiles, "One way?"

"Yes."

He takes the coins and replaces them with two tiny grey balls. Lydia takes them and leads Adam to a large poster of a courtyard in New Haven.

"Alright, you first. Picture this place and crush the ball okay?"

He frowns and hesitantly takes the ball, maybe a hardened hollow clay? Adam looks at the poster and concentrates on the tiniest details.

Adam crushes the ball and is immediately engulfed in black smoke, the ground under his feet suddenly disappears and he falls through the smoke.

Then all at once it's replaced with freezing water. Adam jumps up, grabs the nearby rock wall and pulls himself up onto the walkway. Adam looks over at Lydia on her back laughing hard.

"Y-y-you landed....in the p-penny fountain?! Oh I'm dying!"

She rolls to her side, her body shaking violently with laughter. He gets to his feet and flicks his hands at her, spraying her with water.

"Ah....stop, stop!" she laughs,

Adam looks around a few others smile and chuckle but he doesn't care, he is busy staring at the beautiful courtyard.

She finally gets to her feet and catches her breath. "Oh geez." she giggles,

"You're mean."

She smiles and looks around, "What do you think?"

"It's beautiful."

In every direction stands a statue of some person with words carved into the rock pedastel they stand on.

"Who are they?"

"The Demigods of our world, there have only been a few. Liara, Tirana, Luke, Caroline and Tetanus. They all are known for the impossible levels of magic they used."

"Like what?"

"Well take Tetanus, he was focused on strength, he didn't become evil from it, rather he used his strength to protect people. He for instance used magic to enchant his weapons, make them have flame after effects. But that's just an example."

"Whoa."

"Crazy huh?"

Adam nods, she takes his hand and pulls him gently down the sidewalk. "This is nothing." she says,

She tells him to close his eyes and pulls him around a corner and continues straight for fifty feet give or take.

"Okay, open up."

He does as asked, the smile Adam had disappears, replaced with his jaw dropped, staring in wonder and astonishment at the countless islands floating in the air covered with buildings and people.

"What do you think?" she giggles,

"This is...."

"Words can't describe right?"

He smiles and nods, "This is incredible."

"This is New Haven, the city of floating Islands, the bigger ones are connected at certain points but the smaller ones, well as you can see just hover around the bigger ones."

"Those are smaller?"

She grins and nods, "Yeah, astounding isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"I'll let it sink in." she laughs,

He walks over to a railing, they stare at them for a time that doesn't seem long enough. She calls after him and they walk further into town.

So many sweet smells fill Adam's nose, laughing and smiles in every direction. "New Haven is where people come to live in peace, enjoy a happy life, away from war and fear."

"Even though the unspoken one still exists?"

Her smile fades, "Yes. This place seems so happy, and don't get me wrong the people here truly are, but they also bury their fear and bury the war with their money, food, and so on."

"Makes this place seem sad."

"Mm....that's why it is both the place I love and the place I regret coming to."

"Then why bother coming at all?"

"The people here try so hard to be happy, but many are successful. So I enjoy seeing their bright faces."

"Are you hungry at all?"

"Starving."

"Then I'll grab some food for us." she turns and walks over to a nearby booth set up on the street."

"She's perfect isn't she?"

Adam jumps and turns to see a woman leaning against the alleyway wall. "Geez you scared the crap out of me."

"S-sorry." she laughs softly,

"You know her?" he asks,

"Oh yeah, she and I go way back."

Adam looks over at Lydia, standing in line laughing with the girl in front of her.

"She doesn't talk much to me anymore though. Partially because I can sense Eclipse users, I'm almost drawn to them, and they to me."

"Sounds like a crazy way to live, you a shadow walker too?"

The woman looks at Adam surprised, "She's a Shadow Walker? No way..."

"Oh frick....uh..."

"Don't try and deny it now, an actual Shadow Walker, no wonder I could never beat her."

"She's pretty amazing. I've never seen anything like it."

"That's a Shadow Walker for you." she laughs,

"All of them?"

She gives me a confused look, "I recently lost memory."

"Of what?"

"Everything, more or less."

Her eyebrows shoot up like fireworks. "Man, that sucks." she giggles,

He shrugs, "Shadow Walkers style is so staggered it's impossible to predict, it's still a style though, almost identical to people who fight with no style, just....fighting. I'm an idiot for not seeing it sooner. This will make it a lot easier."

"To beat her?" he grins,

She smirks and shakes her head, "To hurt her, and kill her." she says softly,

Adam clenches his fist and takes a step back, he grabs the handle of his axe, just as he pulls it out, she grabs the collar of his shirt and throws him into the brick wall.

She kicks his hand and his axe flies back. "Sylvia stop!"

Adam elbows the attacker in the stomach pushing her back into the opposite wall. She smiles and wrestles him, in a blury motion they move until Adam is thrown onto the brick ground.

Lydia is on her by now and they both hit the ground. "Adam run."

He gets to his feet and pulls his sword. "I'm not g-"

"Adam now!" Lydia yells, both swords in her hands shaking,

"Awe, scared little kitty, I should thank your boyfriend, he finally let me know what you really are."

The tips of her swords sink slightly but her grip tightens. "Adam, I'll stall her, run, as fast as you can."

"Like hell."

"Adam. Move. Your. Ass." she whispers,

"He won't get far, besides I want to see the look on your face just before I take him."

"Get on the ground both of you!" two officers yell as the run up to Sylvia,

"No-no stay back!"

She jumps off the wall and with her blade slits their throats and has the blade pointed at Lydia.

"Who's first? I can't wait to unlock his magic. I might even have him kill you!" she laughs,

"I don't care if you hate me for this." Lydia whispers,

She slams the tips of her swords into the ground and he flies back, down the street. Adam hits the ground and rolls back into a cart.

It feels like Adam's entire backside is broken....how would it not be? Naturally. He pushes himself up to his feet and falls to his hands and knees. Adam looks over at them, moving faster then he's ever seen anyone move.

Dancing with rhythm, dodging and swinging. Throwing each other into walls and carts and they bounce off back into the fight. Adam gets to his feet and Sylvia knees Lydia in the stomach and face. With her knee and elbow coming together she breaks Lydia's forearm and flips her onto her back.

Lydia screams and moans as she grabs her arm. He hates it, he hates it! Adam turns and runs, knowing at least Sylvia will come after him.

Adam turns the corner and Lydia flies into him, they both roll onto their backs. He pushes himself up and look at Sylvia as she lets the grey dust of a clay ball fall to the earth.

"You were actually going to leave her?"

"If it dragged you away."

She smirks, "Don't worry, I'm not all evil, I'll let you die together."

Lydia jumps to her feet and charges her, Adam quickly follows. Sylvia pushes Lydia's unbroken arm away and grabs both of Adam's and kicks him back. She grabs Lydia by the throat and throws her to the ground. Adam painfully gets to his feet and stumbles over to her.

The sharp sound of clothes tearing and fleshing ripping fills my ears. Lydia and Adam stare at each other.

Shock, fear and unbelievable pain. He looks down, the metal spike has shot through both of their stomachs, almost perfectly aligned.

"What drives you people? When you know you won't win?"

Lydia squeaks as she breathes in, he can't even force himself to breath, the pain is too intense.

Adam looks past Lydia, why do they just stand there? At least fourteen officers staring at Lydia, him and this chick. Adam grabs the spike and pushs himself back as hard as he can.

Lydia whines and reaches out but falls onto the spike. "Time to go sweetheart, I'll take care of him Lydia."

She grabs his throat and crushes another ball in her free hand and they are engulfed in the smoke.