Authors Side Note: In case you all were wondering how did AXEL come out of BLAZE, if u rearrange BLAZE and add an X it turns to bAXELz, since Axel has a distinct personality, he likes AXEL more. Thats why people couldnt figure out his name, lol.
Chapter 8.
The Importance Of Existence.
Axel and Blaze looked at each other from the opposite ends of the faithful rope, like staring into a strange mirror, and seeing a different version of each other. Axel had a cocky grin, and so did Blaze. “So, you are supposed to be my creator?” – Axel remarked with laziness in his voice. “Something like that, although you were never meant to be born…” – Blaze answered wit drowsiness in his own voice. “We never are meant to exist, we are mistakes of destiny, something like a pet project gone wrong, just an accident…” – Axel’s voice was gradually adding emotion and grief to itself, “But I must say, this mistake came out better than the original!” – he exclaimed, regaining his sarcastic tone. “Uhhh… Psyche! I guess you are too thickheaded to notice; I am the one who gave you birth…” – Blaze was slightly caught off guard. “Maybe you are too stupid to notice that I am the strongest!” – Axel had no trouble making a comeback, interrupting Blaze. “Maybe you are just too dumb to notice that our power levels are exactly the same!” – Blaze had no trouble making a comeback either. “That is only for now…” – Axel said in a lowly voice, lowering himself down and stretching his arms out to summon his chakrams in his traditional way.
The flames below the two opposing fighters rose up high, licking their feet and adding to the heat that was already in the air. Blaze looked at Axels chakrams, “Even your weapon is similar to mine, do you have anything original, except for the chili peppered hair?” – Blaze made the first move after those words and threw the right ring aimed at Axel’s face. Axel calmly took two steps backward, perfectly balancing himself on the rope. “At least my chakrams are not limited by your chains, unlike those rings,” – the ring went an inch off of Axels face, when the chain tightened up and stopped it. “And there is something different, unlike you, I can control all the fire that surrounds us!” – the flames behind Axel rose up much higher in a furious stance, the left chakrams became covered in flames and Axel launched it at Blaze. Blaze realized at what disadvantage he was, and parried the chakrams with his ring, making it bounce off. Second chakrams was coming right after, and Blaze had to duck down to keep his head on his shoulders. He looked forward and Axel was gone. Barely managing to jump around and keep a steady balance at the same time, Blaze saw Axel right in front of him, willing to strike.
Axel began landing hits furiously, with each one sending red sparks everywhere. The hits were so strong, that Blaze had a hard time keeping a balance and blocking at the same time. Finally, Axel managed to tear through Blaze’s parries and landed a flaming slash on Blaze’s chest. Blaze staggered back, barely able to stay on the rope. Axel just watched and grinned his predator-like grin, “This guy is a punk, trying to overcome things that are far beyond him. He should just give up, because he isn’t going any further!” – Axel spoke to the mysterious figure through their minds. “Yes, he is quite useless, finish him Axel.” – he heard an answer back. Axel sent two big fireballs in Blaze’s direction while charging at him with his chakrams ready. Blaze cut the first one, with noticeable amount of struggle, while the second one buried deeply into his right shoulder, leaving another nasty burn mark. Axel did not even let Blaze take a breath, as he came charging and slashing his chakrams with furious force. Blaze staggered to parry, but kept on trying to block. Axel increased the speed of the slashes, landing every second one onto Blaze. Axel’s speed combined with the fire left ugly scars that were burned deeply into Blaze’s purplish skin. Axel stopped his attacks all of a sudden and watched as Blaze was waving his hands and struggling to stay on the rope. “You’re pathetic, how could we even compare?” – said Axel out loud, as he took a step forward and landed a powerful kick onto Blaze’s stomach, which send Blaze flying off the rope into nothing less, than the soul burning fires of twilight.
While flying upside down, Blaze looked at Axel, and they stared into each other’s eyes, for that one long second. Blaze was slowly flying down, and the flames, like a gnarling beast, were ready to consume him. “This guy could not be my creator…” – Axel was thinking as they both stared into each others green eyes, drowning in each others pools of green for a brief moment that was faster than life. “Axel… You really are my Nobody. Your strength is almost like mine. We only met now but it feels like I’ve known you all my life… like you are my little brother.” – Blaze was amazed by the pure strength, which Axel possessed. “I am sorry for having destroy you like this, I wish I wouldn’t have to… maybe in some other life… we could have been friends…” – Axel’s mind raced unconsciously. Blaze was slowly falling, like a tiny grain of sand, limited by only a moment, with the flames below roaring for his flesh. Blaze saw Axel’s energy for the first time, and realized that there were no heartbeat, not even a knock. “Axel… I wish I wouldn’t have to fight you… but if there is no other way… I cannot lose, Axel…” Everything froze, to hear Blaze’s whisper - “I must win…”
Blaze launched his ring at the last second, and watched as it wrapped around the rope, stopping the fall to his demise. One strong pull later and Blaze was standing in front of Axel again, with the scars that Axel left giving off a slow smoke. “I am your creator, no matter if you want to believe it or not,” – said Blaze. “But you’re still nothing compared to me!” – Axel exclaimed. “At least, this “nothing” has a heart, and something to fight for, while you cannot even feel anything, not even a heartbeat,” – Blaze answered with no grins, no laughs, and no jokes. Blaze could tell this touched Axel deeply, far deeper than he had aimed for. “He got you there, Axel.” – Axel heard the voice of the cloaked man, creeping in his mind again. “That’s not true! I do have something to exist for! I have a purpose!”” – Axel was breaking off, while remembering that the existence of Roxas was relying on his performance in this fight. “Then show me, show me if you truly have it…” “Shut up and die!” – Axel dashed across the rope as fast as he could, aiming the pointy side of his chakram into Blaze’s heart, wishing nothing less than a fatal blow to finish Blaze off.
“Aaarrrgghhhh!!!!” – Axel could not bare his anger anymore, “I am not just a Nobody, I do exist for a purpose!” – Axel yelled out as the chakrams blazed with flames. “Krchg!” - a flesh piercing noise was heard. The gray rope got colored in dark red where Blaze stood. Blaze and Axel froze. Axel looked down as the blood was dripping, and was too scared to look up, all of a sudden feeling regret for what he had done. He was seeing himself in Blaze, for a second feeling like he attacked his own reflection. Then he felt a movement, and the chakram that pierced through the flesh got jerked out of his hand. A strong kick to Axel’s gut driven him back a good few feet. Axel saw the still flaming chakram going through Blaze hand, burning it. No expression of any pain was on Blaze’s face whatsoever. Blaze’s whole palm got caught on fire as he gripped it and launched it back at Axel. Axel caught it, but could not believe what he was seeing. “Doesn’t it… hurt?” – he asked in disbelief. “Physical pain, is the least I have to endure,” – Blaze answered as darkness poured out of the open wound, healing back the palm, and then the rest of Blaze’s body.
“Even with your darkness powers, you cannot defeat me!” – Axel yelled out, ready for Blaze to attack. He kept the image of Roxas lying on the floor unconsciously, in the back of head as a motivation. He knew that Laxeaus would not hesitate to carry out the orders, and as much as Axel hated to be the dirty hands for Number One, he had no other choice. “That’s because I have not used them yet,” – Blaze said, in all seriousness. “Darkness come forth!” – as soon as those words left Blaze’s lips, his power started to rise. His muscles started to grow and expand enormously in size, making him almost triple in weight. The rope below Blaze’s feet lowered itself under the pressure. His skin was turning completely purple, the energy around him was being covered in purple thunders, raging everywhere and proving a huge rise in power. Blaze’s strength grew tenfold in only two seconds, and he stopped it there. Axel was stricken with fear as he attacked the, now monstrously sized Blaze. But not with the fear for himself, but with the fear for Roxas. Blaze put his rings up in a defensive stance, and let Axel attack while striking back. Every hit that Axel landed left nothing but unnoticeable scratches on Blaze’s skin. Blaze threw three punches back at Axel; all of them slow enough to block. Despite Blaze’s added strength, it all came at a price of slower speed, and quick energy consumption. The higher his strength went, the quicker his energy ran out.
Axel dodged the incoming punches but he could not dodge them forever. He got caught with a shattering blow to the ribs, which paralyzed him. Another blow came, stronger then the first, making Axel collapse. He could not stand on his feet, and only the power of Blaze’s fists kept him on the rope. Blaze shoed no mercy, as he kept punishing Axel’s body, regardless of the fact that his energy reserves was steadily coming to empty. One last punch that was executed at the peak of Blaze’s power sent Axel flying back about twenty feet. Axel was hanging onto his conscience, barely able to focus onto anything, and only the sheer strength of will made him hang onto the rope with his hands. Blaze started to walk towards the other side, thinking that it was all over. Axel got back up blocking Blaze’s path, with bruises on his face and broken bones inside his body. “I hoped not to do this, but I see no other way to save you… Roxas…” – Axel whispered the last word. A great wall of fire hot enough to burn through anything rose up in front of Axel. “Nobody can break through this wall, not even you or your darkness.” – Axel did not want to say a lot of things, as he wished he could let Blaze stay alive. But that would cost him Roxas, and he did not want that even more.
The wall flew towards Blaze, ready to burn him and his hopes to ashes. Blaze was ready, ready for anything. Getting back Roxanne was the only thing in his mind, the last of her images that were framed in his head were his motivation. “Nothing is going to stop me now… not even you Axel… not even you and Roxas…” – Blaze stretched his hands out, and let the darkness do its part. It sucked up the last remains of his energy, in exchange creating a portal of darkness to suck up the whole wall of fire. Blaze was completely drained, and only through sheer force of will managed to stay on his feet. He reverted back to his normal form; the chains of darkness were gone in exchange for his old ones. Axel wished he could summon up another wall but his limits did not let him do such thing. He gripped his chakrams, ready to finish the job. He felt a slight joy of coming out on top. He could feel that Blaze had no energy left to move at all, not to mention fight.
Blaze’s body was strained from using up so much darkness. He took a step and pain rushed in place of the darkness. It was like darkness left, leaving in exchange the entire pain and strain twofold the amount that Blaze received during the fight. Blaze gritted his teeth and took another step, clenched his fists and took two more. “Don’t come any closer, turn back and walk away if you want to live, Blaze. I will not let you get to the other side.” – Axel wanted to warn Blaze before taking any action. “You are doing very well, Axel. Now finish him! If you want to see Roxas again.” – the cloaked man’s words scared Axel, for he knew what would happen if he did not obey. “Please, whatever you do, do not hurt him!” Blaze took two more steps and watched as Axel gripped his rings and raised them up higher. “You have no energy left, and your body is in a huge strain, do not rush to your death so soon.” – Axel’s warning got louder and more threatening. “My father once told me: You have to rush until your heart stops, and then rush one more time. My heart has almost stopped beating, so all I have left is one more time. That one more time is enough to do it all.”
Blaze started running towards Axel while putting his hands together to shoot an energy blast. Axel stood his ground and formed a block with his chakrams. “He is a fool, even if he shoots a blast, he would not be able to gather enough power to kill me, or even harm me. Roxas, you are safe.” – Axel thought with slight relief as he watched Blaze. Blaze jumped off the rope, Axel raised his chakrams up higher, “Haaa!!!” – Blaze yelled. No blast came from his hand whatsoever. Axel saw that a blast of energy came from his feet, blowing up Blaze’s shoes and boosting him like a rocket. Axel could only watch in shock and binding fear, as Blaze flew over him and covered over a hundred feet in one second. Energy was not coming from Blaze’s feet anymore, but he was still flying straight with his hands stretched forward. Blaze’s blast was barely able to propel him far enough to grab the ledge where the mysterious figure was. Using the last pieces of strength, he climbed up and stood on firm ground with both feet. The clocked figure looked at him, “Just like in Hollow Bastion, you have passed. Congratulations.” – he said clapping his hands. “May I at least know what to call you?” The figure finally took off his hood, revealing a face full of wisdom and power. His white, perfectly flowing hair were laying calmly on his shoulders. “I have had many names in the past, but for now my name is Xemnas.”