Snippet #770326

When Master Linx went into the forest, Juno and Trista followed with only a moment’s hesitation. Renatus lingered for two moments, but in the end curiosity won him over as well. And for this, the group discovered a huge lion had cornered Keoki. However, Keoki didn’t seem afraid; he just seemed awed. Ren watching with great admiration as Master Linx leapt at the lion and pinned it. He wished that he might have the courage to do the same some day.

“Go back to the dojo.” Master Linx looked at Keoki when he said this, but the teens knew he meant everyone. Renatus was glad to oblige his teacher, but after walking out of the clearing he found that Trista and Juno weren’t following. Against his better judgment, he turned around and found a tree from behind which to eavesdrop, too.

Keoki lingered just beyond the clearing, eyes locked on the lion that was now holding conversation with Master Linx. Linx spoke to the thing like it was a normal human being! Wasn’t the least bit unnerved by its size and strange abilities? It was then Renatus fully realized just how little they really knew about their teacher.

“Stop! Something’s wrong here.” Keoki reentered the clearing. He lifted his gaze to look Master Linx in the eye, “I think he just wants to help,” Help? A talking lion help? Ren’s fear told him the thing was more like a harbinger of doom.

“What’s Kingdom Hearts?” Keoki directed this question at the lion. Kingdom Hearts? The name resonated with his heart like he should know something about it, but there was no memory in his mind related to it. So strange! All of this was beginning to make him nervous. Had he looked up, he would have seen the sky darken.

"Run! Go! Now! Leave! It’s not safe for you anymore." The lion shouted, worry obvious in his tone. Suddenly black creature burst forth from pools of darkness in the ground and Renatus’s heart froze. ‘The creatures from my dream!’ he realized with widened eyes. He took a step backwards from the tree. The creatures leapt towards Keoki, and though somewhere inside he wanted to help, Ren’s body was rigid with fear. The Lion crushed Keoki’s attackers and shouted for him to go.

Ren’s white haired companion fled. Renatus wanted to flee in the other direction, but he knew his friends would go after Keoki. What should he do? He thought it might be smart to stay with Master Linx. After all, he was the experienced fighter here- “Oof!” He fell face forward due to an attack from behind. Shaking, he pushed himself up and ran forward into the clearing, but only succeeded in tripping and falling once more. Never did it occur to him to use the shield still strapped to his arm, and he’d dropped the sword back at the dojo. All he wanted right now was for Master Linx to get rid of them. It was one thing to have fought them in a dream, but in real life you could die. And if you died you wouldn’t wake up.

"Keyblade Wielders...Show yourself." A deep voice could be heard coming from the beach. The word keyblade resonated in his heart as well, but his fear grossly overpowered that. He was just about ready to curl up in the fetal position and cover his head with his shield.

“Help!” He cried, his voice and body shaking like a leaf in the wind.