The sky had been blotted out by the thick clouds of smoke and ash, blazing a crimson red. The ground was fractured and burning, littered with abandoned weapons, and bodies of fallen warriors. The only sounds that could be heard were the thunder booms from above, and the clashing of metals and magic, and the roars of many men. A battle was waging on, a chain reaction of events had been manipulated by the shadow who was watching the conflict unfold.

Vanitas stood atop a cliff top near the fields where the battle was taking place. He stopped there, almost motionless, his eyes were wide and glowing both figuratively with excitement and literally as their bright yellow gaze was fixated on the violent clash. His body was permeating with a thick dark aura that was gradually becoming more dense. He was wearing an oddly peaceful expression on his face, admiring his twisted handiwork, taking a deep breath and exhaling. His attention was pulled away when he caught the glow of his charm, the gem implanted in his trinket was glowing a shining red. Suddenly a gentle breeze picks, the sound of wind spinning and howling, followed by the sound of something landing on the ground from behind.

“Love. What a pleasant surprise? Took you long enough.” Vanitas didn’t even bother to look back, smirking as he already knew, he would recognize that presence anywhere.

The sound of footsteps slowly approaching him before they stop just a few feet behind him. Vanitas smirks, glancing back to see Ventus. On his wrist was an identical bracelet charm to Vanitas, except the gem was an emerald green, it was glowing like the other’s. It was a special charm that was a symbol of their bond, and it shined whenever they were close to each other, so they could use it to track the movements of the other.

“What have you done?” There were no pleasantries like normal between them, Ventus’s voice was stern but there was a subtle hint of exhaustion in his tone.

“Oh that…” Vanitas glances down to the battle for a moment. “One of my finer pieces, wouldn’t you agree?” He smirks while Ventus has a look of repulsion from that statement.

“I was bored… Nothing was happening, the progression of this world was taking too long, so I decided to move things along, one thing led to another and the next thing you know it’s all-out war.”

“We swore to NOT interfere! Only to observe and guide. You’ve caused this destruction and if it continues, this world will burn.” Ventus argues back, for Vanitas to cause this chaos just on a whim. “I can’t let you keep doing this, and I’m bringing you back-”

“Haha. You are not strong enough to stop me, or keep me contained.” Vanitas just smiles from ear to ear, as his grin slowly fades away, he takes a step closer to Ventus “Not anymore…”

“Can you feel it… Their rage, their fury. The darkness… Oh it’s so enriching.” Vanitas walks right to the edge of the clifftop, raising his arms out, taking a deep breath, taking it all in.

“Their conflict is feeding you, isn’t it?” Ventus knew this of course. The negativity and rage acted as an energy source to Vanitas, increasing his own power. “This has to stop Vanitas, please… Don’t make me-”

“What?! You’ll do what?” Vanitas snapped back at Ventus, who flinched when Vanitas got in his face.

“Ha. That’s what I thought.” He grins before turning his back to the other. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have a performance to watch…”

Ventus stood there for a moment before he balls his fists. A small current of wind begins to spin round his feet, his eyes change from a pale blue to a bright green as he starts to gather power. He can feel his heartbeat racing, his thoughts were focused, he knew that this was for the other’s own good, if he would not listen to reason, if he wouldn’t come back willingly. Then he would have to stop him.

Vanitas’s ears perk up to the sound of the winds gathering, and he feels Ventus channelling his powers. He slightly turns his head back to see the look of determination in Ventus’s eyes, it excites him, it was rare for his partner to show that side of him, and it was thrilling for him.

“So, this is how it’s going to be? Very well, then I guess we’ll have to play…” Vanitas gathers dark energy in both his palms.

Vanitas is thrown up against a large boulder by Ventus’s gust of wind. He chuckles, coughing up blood, both he and Ven were in tatters, their robes torn and damaged, each covered in injuries. Vanitas charges purple volts of energy from his hands and discharges them towards Ven who quickly counters the attack by generating spheres of air making a small shockwave that pushes him back a few feet, but he quickly shakes it off. Wasting no time, Vanitas retaliates with another energy bolt that hits Ventus square in the chest.

“Agh!” Ven hisses out in pain at the stinging sensation, that attack wasn’t lethal enough to seriously injure him as that wasn’t Vanitas’s intention.

“Stay down, sweetheart.” Vanitas chooses his words poorly as Ventus glares at him, suddenly his eyes fill with a blinding light, forcing Vanitas to look away from the intense glow, holding his arm up as a cover.

Seizing his moment, Ventus crosses his arms together as orbs of light appear around him, gritting his teeth, he sways–his arms flying outward to fire a barrage at Vanitas, inflicting great damage on Vanitas who shrieks in pain. He falls to the ground, smoke rising off his body from the heat of Ven’s strike. The light always had a rather nasty effect on him, he balls his fits as he was becoming agitated. Ventus manages to get back to his feet, he carefully walks towards him.

“This ends now… We’re going home.” Ventus huffs out, they had been fighting for a while now and he was getting tired, this whole ordeal was exhausting.

Vanitas shows Ven a scowl, before slowly getting back up.

“Please, you don’t have to do this.”

“Then get out of my way.”

“I can’t.”

Vanitas sighs in annoyance, holding his knees with back arched a little, this was becoming more taxing than he’d like to admit, but he was far too stubborn to back down. A trait that he and Ventus shared, which is why they probably got on so well. “Fine…”

Jet black energy begins to gather around Vanitas, almost smoke-like in its appearance. His eyes turn from yellow to a piercing red. Ventus forms his own aura, a brilliant white that shines freely around him, from a distance it would appear like a star.

A massive amount of magic power was being gathered by both of them, Vanitas fires a massive beam of energy towards Ven, while the other manifests a massive shield from his aura to counter it! Ventus holds his ground, with the force of Vanitas’s attack beginning to push, he feels the heat from the attack against his shield.

The pressure made his entire body feel heavy, he started to move forward, every step was a strain. Vanitas grits his teeth, increasing the intensity of the beam, he too begins to take steps forward in an attempt to overpower the other.

The collision of their energies was causing a disruption, the ground was beginning to shake and crack, strong gusts of wind ripple and torn in the air around them. A high pitch ringing fills the area, the closer the two get each other. The two were so focused on each other, that everything around them faded away, so neither of them noticed the portal a short distance away beginning to open.

“Stop this!” A voice screams out, both of them turn their heads to see a bright light that envelops them as in an instant they are transported to another far-off location. Now standing in a field, and before they can react, they are both met with a powerful swift strike that sends them both flying across the ground. Sora landed in between them, carrying a sword in one hand, his eyes shining a brilliant golden hue, both had a surprised look on their faces.

“What are you two doing?! You’re partners, you’re not supposed to hurt each other!” Sora quickly takes a position standing between them to keep them apart. Both glare at him, unable to properly get to their feet again.

“This doesn’t concern you!” Vanitas growls out, but he immediately lets out a pained groan, holding his chest.

“It does when my friends are trying to hurt each other.” He argues back to Vanitas. “You could’ve seriously hurt Ventus; you’re supposed to love him not hurt him!”

Vanitas’s eyes flashed with rage at Sora’s
words, it was insulting. But then he looks
over at Ventus, scanning the tears in the robes, the cuts and bruises, the damage he had done. Instead of arguing back or giving the usual snark he stays quiet, looking at the grass beneath him, slowly gripping strands of the narrow leaves. It was embarrassing to be lectured by Sora of all people, his junior, a much younger guardian.

“Shut up…” He mumbles under his breath.

Both Ven and Sora look at him with a sympathetic gaze, and Ventus without saying a word, manages to get back up once again, but this time there was no channeling of power, or sign of hostility, not that he had the energy to fight anymore. Holding his right arm in pain, Ventus walks towards his partner, right past Sora who gently holds his shoulder, Ventus looks at him, and shows a faint smile before continuing.

He then stops right in front of Vanitas, who still doesn’t look up, he was defeated for now and didn’t feel like fighting. Ven exhales a long breath before he slowly drops to his knees in front of Vanitas, he doesn’t speak either but instead holds out his hand to Vanitas, the other looks up at Ventus, wearing a blank expression on his face. Vanitas pauses for a moment glancing between Ven’s face, and his hand, a short sigh slips out from his lips, and reaches for it. Ventus’s grip on his hand gets a little tighter, however Vanitas doesn’t mind it all, his hand always feels warm.

His seething rage subsided even more; his gaze fixed on their hands intertwined together. Hesitantly his eyes meet with Ven’s, who offers him a gentle smile.

Vanitas returns a small smile. They both rise off the ground together, even if he would never admit it, Vanitas cherished his other half. Despite their views and personalities constantly conflicting, these two were made for each other, Ventus was the most important thing to him, the only person he loved.

“Sorry.” Vanitas says quietly, which catches Ven off guard a little, an apology from Vanitas was always a rarity.

Ventus smiles, before he plants a small kiss over his forehead, a green aura fills his hands and in a moment both of their injuries are healed. “Me too.”

“Come on, let’s go home.”