Chapter 3: Coyote of the Dry Ocean /Jonahs POV/
I sighed as the female attendant looked me over again, having ordered me to strip down to my boxers and submit to physical evaluation. And I swear, Eva is going to murder me if she gets any more thorough than she is right now.
The attendant seemed to be serving one of the doctors called in by the Maynes Family, who showed a lot of concern for a family trying its darnedest to be a group of tyrants. It occurred to me that they cannot allow a son of one of Team KH to go out and possibly get himself killed, without a proper look over by a medic.
Well, grandson, really. It just seemed that nobody really remembered that. Helped that, technically, he had only been Sora's grandson for six years of his life.
They knew that I had suffered a crippling injury by the lingering bruise on that part of my back, and that somehow I had been healed from my injury. It was unlike any healing magic the doctors and mages had ever seen.
Of course, being we were on a World Barge heading home to Destiny Islands, the tech and magic they had at their disposal was rather limited.
Even so, the World Barge was a lot better than the World Train we had used to come here. Massive, covered in layers of black and grey armor, a well armed and armored vessel that was very capable of weathering an assault from a swarm of Heartless-Gummies. The inside was divided between six different levels, each for a different class of transit. From what I could see in the level I was in, the windows looking out displayed a grandiose view of deep space, numerous stalls and shops, even restaurants.
It was like being inside of a moving city. I do admit I wondered ever since I entered the Barge how they crafted these things. The Gummies were small ships, but even then my...my father told me that he hadn't seen many human-operated Gummies. So where does the Maynes Family get the funding to commission these things?
The World Barge was just one of the amazing things made now that the whole notion of closed in worlds was done away with. Each of these machines could hold up to 10000 people, and could travel from one world to the next, with enough armor and shielding to make any Gummy look dated.
Indeed, as far as...as father told him, you could barely find a Gummy these days with all the barges traipsing around between worlds, each one a similar testament to the heights of technology the Alliance had achieved.
Some of them belonged to a group called the DRA, but insofar, very few of these vessels were in service. And at least these Barges were large enough and well armed enough to make attacks by Heartless-operated Gummy's no longer an issue.
Safe travel and easy communication from one world to another. Nobody so long ago would think it ethical or even possible. My father had told me of the time when it was absolutely illegal to mention the existence of other worlds.
Such was a bygone age, now. For better or worse, so I'd heard. There were a few worlds that my family thought would be better off if they weren't inundated with all of this. Ancient China in particular. Something had...happened there, not too long ago.
The attendant tried to tilt her face downward, "The subject, in conclusion, is in superb physical health..." Yeah, lady, I felt like remarking, You've been checking out every way I'm in superb health. I'm sure my biceps are fine.
With that, I put back on my clothes, noting a slight glow in the areas that were cut and damaged. Yeah, I'll take it.
I looked back at the attendant and decided to make her day, winking at her...and then feeling a strong grip pulling me away from the tent, "...Easy going, Jonahs, don't want to sprain anything, do you?" Eva kept walking, pulling me away, looking profoundly unamused.
I was almost expecting a pervert's payback when we got alone, and braced myself for it, only for Eva to look back and forth, and say, "Okay, they didn't send anyone...so, did you notice it, too? That weird sensation in the dream? I...I think I gave you something."
Gave me something...oh, she means that dream, where I was given the gold and the black. Whatever the heck that meant.
"Don't worry about it, I'm fine." I smiled broadly, showing her as much. Internally, though, I worried – it seemed ever since I talked to Wolfang, my life had become complicated by all this stuff. I suppose this was excitement, and his way of fulfilling my wish.
I...I had really screwed up, big time, by telling a guy like that such a wish.
Looking down, I chided myself, no. No more. Make it right and stop the self-pity party.
However, it looked like Eva was taking it much, much worse. She seemed to still be thinking about the gold and black thing, and was clearly troubled by something she wasn't telling me.
"I can...I can see you've got something you need to figure out." I began, noting how she shifted awkwardly, "But you don't need to tell me anything. If you're not comfortable with something, we can wait."
She nodded, seeming to understand, "Yeah..." Looking out one of the windows of the World Barge at the vast dimensional space outside. "...I think you need to know something, going forward."
I gave her some space, and braced myself as she began, "My family...is a complicated one. My mother told me the family history through a book called the Prince and the Angel."
I immediately recalled that one – it had a very unhappy ending, despite framing everything like a wondrous childhood story adventure. It made me cry nonstop like an hour.
"Let me...refresh your memory," She paused, and then began, with a solemn tone, "A long, long time ago, there was a prince, curious, adventurous, and full of determination. One day, while he was looking for rampant dragons to vanquish and hearts to be won, he found a very old door."
A very old door? Like...like the one Dad told me about? The one that led to his own adventure?
"He opened the door, being a curious and adventurous young man, and found himself looking at an Angel, wings black due to its long, long imprisonment behind that door." As Eva recited the story, the images returned to my mind from the old picture books.
Crudely drawn, but getting the point across well enough.
"The Angel called out to him, "Prince oh fair prince, I am bound and chained, forsaken by my own people and left here, alone. Release me, and thy wishes shalt be fulfilled"." Eva looked down, she seemed to know something about this part beyond what she was telling.
"The Prince could not leave The Angel to rot within its prison behind the old door. So he cut The Angel free of its chains, and from then on, Prince and Angel became friends." I remembered what happened later in the story – there were some people you were better off not befriending.
I immediately remembered my meeting with Wolfang, and discussion of wishes and friends. Yeah, some people you're better off not knowing.
"Prince told Angel, I wish to become more than King. And Angel told Prince, then I will make you the Emperor, lord of a vast realm of adoring subjects - wealth and prosperity be yours, eternal." I could not help but remember a certain part of history while listening to this.
"But Angel had his own ways of making wishes come true. He hardened the hearts of the local lords, making them cold, malicious and mean. They did show their evil natures, and The Prince was made to conquer them, with his faithful knights at his side, oh Excellent Knights..."
Excellent...what a weird choice of words. Not brave or loyal or true, but "excellent". I'd need to do some more reading up on this story.
"The Prince did reign over the world, and peace reigned. For the Prince ruled with the Angel at his side, both were best of friends." As I pictured this, I wondered if this Prince could somehow be related to Kingdom Hearts, and wherever this Angel came from.
"But Prince was starting to become listless, so he called upon Angel. Angel, he said, I wish to see other worlds!" Eva looked outside at this part, and then continued, "And Angel replied, oh Prince then I must cast open the doors, the ancient doors of dark, fully open! Where scythe does swing and things do crawl, brave these things and conquer them all, and your worlds await."
I had to admit, there was a really unsettling vibe in all of this. The Prince seemed to get conquest happy after collecting his knights and his initial winnings. Ever since the Angel showed up, things had accelerated.
Eva continued her story, and I remembered the next part as being really sad, "The partnership was golden, or so it seemed. But as the Prince braved the darkest realms, he drew himself inward, becoming aloof. The Prince's sister, oh beautiful princess, became enamored with the wish-granting Angel."
Yeah, falling for the ancient mystical type really never ended well.
"Prince was furious when he saw Princess and Angel's bountiful harvest and happiness." I snorted, drawing a glare from Eva, least subtle intimate reference ever.
"Ahem...so, Prince..." She seemed to have difficulty telling the next part, choking up a little when she remembered what was to be said, but apparently she focused herself on something else, "The Prince did send her to the old islands, for she had forsaken her vows and her loyalties..."
Why did I get the feeling the Princess was somehow involved in all of this?
"Prince was slowly becoming darker, he had marched through the realm of scythes and crawling things, and now was Emperor in the making. But he saw that Angel was still enigmatic. Angel was told to forge the Prince his new crown."
Eva once again looked down, gulping a little, "And Angel did forge the Prince's crown...using...using the people of a town. All together they did forge the crown made by the Angel, and not a one was left without a place in the working of the crown."
I never quite realized what that was trying to say, but only in my teenage years did I now realize that "using the people of a town" did not mean he made them work on the crown. I realized it meant that the Angel figure literally turned every single person in the town into the crown.
"Angel was asked by Prince, Oh Angel, what a beauteous crown! Whereupon did you obtain it? And Angel – unable to lie in his present condition – did say "a man who rules is defined by those he rules, he deriveth his blessings from their lives. Hence, I forged thy blessed crown – of your people's making."
I noticed that Eva became more angry toward the Angel in the next part, "The Prince, confused, did tour his Empire, and discovered the truth, despite nine attempts by the Angel to lead him astray. Even aloof, blackened Prince did look upon his Angel and see only the fair folk and their lies in truths."
Eva managed to calm herself, but I still had to wonder why she got so mad – sure the Angel was a creepy bastard, but as far as I remembered, he got his, "So when Prince found out about Angel's actions, he was outraged. It was only after he realized Angel had a son, by the Princess, who now walked among paupers, that the Prince decided Enough is Enough, this Angel begone!"
Eva gathered herself, it was custom in this story to shout that last part. "Prince trapped Angel in a swirling pool, a vortex that would keep the treacherous Angel, the corrupting Angel, there, and never allow him to interfere in the worlds again."
"But Prince, I did all of what I did for you, and now you do betray me? Said Angel. But Prince did say "you kill my people Angel, you deceive me, you rob my sister of her virtue", and so he did cast away Angel into a vortex, a hell of his making, a prison eternal. But Angel reached out, one last time, and grazed Prince's face...and lo, Prince become wroth and beastly, thrashing in pain and lashing out, unable to quell Angel's last touch."
That part really always got me as a kid.
"And so did Prince leave, an iron mask upon his once fair countenance. His manner steely, his mind cold. He was utterly alone, in mind and in fact."
I still, though, did not understand how any of this related to Eva's family, and asked, "So, uh, this is a nice if sad story and all, but how does this relate to your famil-" I realized it, just before I finished the sentence.
She sighed, and looked down at the floor, kicking some small pebbles around, "It is recorded by my family...that we descend from the Prince's sister, who bore the Angel's child. Jonahs...I think "the Angel" in the story...was that Wolfang you encountered."
The pieces slid readily into place. The thought of Eva as some form of discarded royalty was cast aside instantly as I thought of what this also meant. Eva was the descendant, if this was right, of a Princess and the Angel.
Eva...was a descendant of the very creature that I had encountered, and which...which we needed to fight against. If this legend was true, then she was still of a magical blood lineage...and whatever she was, she'd passed some "element" of it over to me.
I looked out the window at the stars in the distance, remembering the time father had told me of when they went out. Of when darkness claimed world after world. If that was the case when Darkness was led by a mad fanatic who sought it to claim greater and greater power, what would happen now, when Darkness was commanded by a being whose command of it was instinctual? Who seemed utterly composed of it?
"Eva..." I did not really know what to say at this point.
"I...I understand if this makes you wary...if you, are no longer interested in me...as a friend, o-of course...but just know-"
I interrupted her in a completely impulsive manner. I knew she'd probably slap me or kick my ass, but it'd be better than hearing her go on, droning about how horrible her ancestry was. She seemed to relax as our lips touched, my movement closer to her sudden and our right hands interlocked, clutching one another.
It took a moment, but she blushed and backpedaled, looking a mix between embarrassed and grateful. "J-Just to be clear...t-that was only okay that time, its not like I liked it, I just needed some...some help with-"
"Its okay. I understand. And its all good. You're not your ancestor, you're you – someone who's honestly really dear to me. People are not made who they are by their genes or who their parents or grandparents were. Just because you have that monster in your family tree doesn't make you any less of a person." I smiled broadly at her.
I would accept her, as a friend...as someone I was honestly really into...even if the rest of the worlds said she was a monster.
No matter what. Even if it turned out she was the same sort of being he was, I was going to accept her for who she was. And nothing is going to stop me, I thought to myself, from protecting her, be it from Wolfang's forces, or from people from the Maynes Family.
When we went back to the others, I pretended to be nursing a wound on my cranium, as if she had hit me there to punish my perverted behavior. As a result, the Maynes Family's doctors and such stopped chattering and seemed to be relieved.
They didn't really suspect anything. And if I had to guess, they were probably talking about us, and the earful they thought I got.
We both shared a knowing look – and to make sure they were sure of it, she sighed in an exasperated manner, "And don't forget, that'll happen again if you goof off again, Jonahs."
However, as we got back over, I could see someone who looked like an attendant running over. He pulled himself into a stop just before he missed us, and breathed in and out, "J-J-Jonahs...the Captain wants you...to know..."
"Know? Know what?"
"That we have to stop on the Deep Jungle World to fix up our ship...someone messed with the inner workings of the Barge."
I simply sighed, looking around for Setanta – yeah, it looked like there might be trouble on the ship.
Back on Destiny Islands, in a certain silver haired Keyblade Master's home estate, the grand-daughter of Sora looked over the evidence collected so far. Right now she was in what was called the computer room, with her friends Samika and Yuurin, from high school. Samika was very good at this computer stuff, and so she'd managed to collect quite a lot of info on one Perseus Sarasho.
Some of it being material he'd probably rather stay hidden, and not exactly be public knowledge. Though that hadn't really stopped her, or her cousin Jonahs when he was around.
Samika reported aloud, "Hey, call Marcus in! I think we got something really juicy!"
It looked like security footage...oh boy, Elva thought, she hoped that Samika was covering her tracks, otherwise, they could really get in trouble with Vaughn, and the authorities besides. But really, Elva was more worried about her grandfather finding out.
The lapdogs of Sarasho or that Maynes Puppet really did not worry her very much. She was Sora's grand-daughter, so peace or no peace, she intended to live her life the way she saw fit, and if that included battle, all the better.
She just didn't quite have the same enthusiasm about being confronted by Grandpa Sora.
It looked like a very bad quality video, grainy and without much focus. It showed Sarasho meeting with some guy with black hair, the camera seemed especially poor visual wise when depicting the visitor. He either seemed human, or like a human shaped shadow-figure.
Something told the young grand-daughter of Sora that this was the first clue to something murky going on here. And this meant that she was right to be suspicious of that guy that was harassing Daj. "Samika, can you enhance the audio? I'm barely hearing anything."
Samika was already fast at work on the problem, and stated, "I put the audio at maximum...but we're still not hearing anything. Maybe the sound was cut..."
"Figures," Elva ruminated, of course he'd cut the sound – Sarasho was no idiot, "Is there anything we can do with this? I mean, Sarasho's..."
Yuurin spoke up, sighing to herself in exasperation, "Girls, Sarasho met with someone. That's not illegal, and I don't think we can go after him for a grainy video."
Elva knew Yuurin was right – she was always the realist of the trio, "Ah, alright...I'm just disappointed we can't do anything about him. I mean, he sends that guy Shalor after 'Daj, and we're supposed to just sit here?"
Yuurin looked away, she knew that when Elva got like this, she would do something spontaneous. And that had a terrible record of getting them all in really big trouble. "Elva, we cannot just go running after the Deputy Mayor or harass that Shalor guy. Shalor has a sword, girl..."
Elva knew that Yuurin knew what she was planning, and simply smirked, "That's why I brought mine. He gets any wise ideas, I show him what grand-dad taught me."
Samika teased Elva with a knowing smirk on her face, "Aww, Elva's violently protective of her boyfriend."
Elva's face turned a very bright red, "He is not my boyfriend, Samika! He's...he's a friend...a dear friend...and I don't want that black armored loon harassing him any more!"
Marcus chuckled, and prompted a glare from her that barely stopped him from chuckling further, "Jeez, he's my brother, y'know.
Marcus felt like groaning – he'd had to bail her out of the last nineteen occasions when she charged right into trouble, and this would be the biggest trouble she'd ever gotten herself into. Shalor was supposedly a very mighty swordsman where he came from, and Marcus had the displeasure of facing him when Daj left the Heartless Hunters.
The dirty blond haired girl looked over at her childhood friend, "And you're just fine with Sarasho harassing Daj and being all mysterious and sinister and stuff?"
Marcus groaned in acknowledged defeat – she knew how overprotective he was of Daj. "...Fine, I am a little bit enervated by the way that bastard's so brazen, but its far from illegal activity, as Yuurin said, to ask for an audience and to talk to someone."
Samika blurted out very loudly, "Breaking news!"
Yuurin covered her ears, leaning forward and berating Samika for her behaviour, "Samika, do you want to wake the dead? Don't we have enough to deal with here without-"
Samika eagerly continued her "news", "Shalor has been sighted on his way to Destined Ways College, where Daj is going to school! He's armed, dangerous and dangerously armed!"
And off went Elva. She first went right for the door, locking it once...and then unlocking it, cursing loudly and colorfully, running up to her room, retrieving her sword, and then heading right back downstairs and out of the house to run off to Destined Ways College.
It was a good thing this was a small island after all, she decided, even if it was kinda cramped some of the time. Not even thinking to try to hitch a ride, she ran full blast toward that college, hell bent on giving Shalor the fight of his life.
Elva ignored the aching feelings in her legs, running full tilt toward that college. It helped she had been there several times with her dad to pick up Daj.
Dodging out of the way of several cars as she made her way on to the new, more modernized area of the Island, she cursed to herself as she saw that it wasn't much further to her goal. Crossing the street and leaping over any cars that didn't immediately stop, and shouting out apologies to several loud horns honked in protest to her wild course through the road.
And finally she arrived just on the outskirts of the college.
The place was large, with six main buildings all built on the side of a large hill. The central building had three main floors and was marked as Building 1, while the left side comprised buildings 2 and 3, the right side having 4 and 5. 5 was almost as tall as 1, and yet was in shabby condition.
Mostly due to the fact Destined Ways college was as old as the war with the Imperial Axis.
And she saw the black armored Shalor standing right in front of the building, as if he'd been waiting for her. "I take it you are here to stop me from retrieving Kadaj, am I correct?"
Elva took out her sword, holding it in a very familiar posture, two hands holding the pommel, the blade pointed forward, "After I'm done with you, you won't harass him ever again! Got it?"
Shalor simply chuckled, "You remind me of a boy I knew. He had the same eyes you do...and he suffered for his arrogance. As shall you, if you do not learn the virtues of temperance."
–-====================================
Wolfang Richler now stood, in the midst of his "Dark Alliance"'s lair, more and more people showing up over time. The Dark Alliance was well and truly taking shape, and as far as he had seen, some interesting people chose to attend.
Finally Claiom D'Orlia, Mordryd, the Linoak Siblings, and the new joiners Lirh Sarkhan and Praxius as well. And what a place they had come to see, and what people they would meet.
Praxius was a tall, menacing looking man, a massive suit of armor covering every inch of his form from head to heel, all of it red in coloration. The shoulders decorated with numerous spikes with rotating pieces at the middle, the helmet resembling the head of some sort of menacing, horned beetle. The chest piece had a wolf's head decoration which was made that way, going by the crown on the wolf's head, to venerate the Wolf King. While he gave off a powerful air, there was also some element of a religious conviction to him.
Praxius was followed by his "Order" of minions, the Levia Legion, composed of what looked like swordsmen and spearmen wearing most peculiar armor themed after sea serpents. None of them showed their face, and it was said on Praxius' home world that the Levia were bound by oath to never remove their helmets.
Above, six small airships started toward an open hangar area on the castle. Gargoyles adorning the outer walls shifted uneasily, as if they were unsure for a moment whether or not to attack the new visitors.
Inside of the walls, massive black statues were positioned one per corner of the hallways, shifting slightly and watching the attendees for any sign of improper behavior or treachery. It never hurt to be careful among uncertain company, especially with this sort showing up.
The White Castle Tsare Viole was now bustling as various people who would've been dubbed "villains" by the people of the Alliance, either due to deeds, ancestry as of the policies of the Maynes Family, or their "circumstance" in some cases.
The White Castle was a massive, twisting and twisted place, more grey than white, really, and filled with empty portraits on the walls. Almost like there was simply nothing painted there. There were hints there once was something in those portraits, but now there was nothing. The empty portraits were hardly the most mysterious part of the castle.
The ways from place to place within the castle seemed to vary, almost based on the time of day, and lent much to a belief by some of the gathered "villains" that the castle was sentient. Granted, it always sent them where they needed to go, but the detail was mildly unnerving.
Each hallway was barely decorated, except for a number of crystalline sculptures of plants such as roses and other breeds of flower, some not even so readily identified by species name. They swayed in the breeze created by the many figures walking in, and seemed to react as if they were alive.
The inner hallway decoration was all at once like that of some sort of gray, old age Gothic or Baroque castle, complete with a very tall tower at the middle. Outside the castle, there was nothing but a large collection of floating circular stones and bricks composed of green energy that flew about, bringing people from place to place outside. Beyond the "Bizarre Fountain", as Wolfang had called it, there was an ever squirming garden, many large, hungry flowers present in it.
There was also a forested area, which seemed to be composed of a winding path that led to several internal areas in the Castle, though apparently Wolfang sent word to many of the gathered members of the Dark Alliance not to venture into that area.
As for Wolfang himself, he was busy watching the daily adventures of his favorite teenager. He smirked, looking at Jonahs' figure. Ah, it had been but two years since the grand opening of that museum, and Jonahs had grown up. Well, to sixteen, really.
Looked like he just got done discussing something with Eva, and discovered his little saboteur. Whether they'd find the saboteur before he or she killed some of the crew, well, that was entirely up to Jonahs. Though given his record, it was pretty 50/50.
The ironclad dictator Doctor Doom walked into Wolfang's sanctuary and stated, "Doom's end of the partnership thus far has been completed, and the plans have been prepared..." He looked over, seeming curious as to what Wolfang was watching, "...Does that wretch's life intrigue you so much? Based on what has been shown, you have no need for him."
Wolfang simply smirked and stirred the pool a little, showing a picture of a burning house, and a figure wearing a familiar (at least to Wolfang) sigil picking up a younger Jonahs and taking him in. "He interests me for a variety of reasons. If he hadn't been in contact with Setanta and Eva, I wouldn't have really cared – probably would've popped his head."
Doom glanced over the images he had seen thus far, and surmised thus, "So then, it can be inferred by this that there was some event in the boy's childhood. Perhaps one related to the Darkness...?"
Wolfang nodded a little, but then shook his head, "Its too early to tell. Though all signs are pointing toward an innate factor within him that will result in both of our plans becoming able to be completed."
Doom contemplated this – his suspicion was confirmed, that Wolfang had another plan beyond simply fulfilling people's wishes, and for some reason he was showing all this information as well. It was transparently clear to the cunning doctor that this was not a man with meager ambitions. "If you would excuse me."
With that, Doom left Wolfang looking at the scrying pool. The black haired sorcerer, meanwhile, simply looked back at even earlier events, seeing Sora traipsing around Castle Oblivion. In this age, it has a different meaning and a different origin than what I remember. But Cavendish...
He saw Sora madly slashing away where Larxene once stood, demanding she return from the shadows. Oh how he wished he could've been out in time to see that. The raw, hateful emotion in that action looked ripe and delicious.
You should know by now you can't stop me. I'll return things to how they should be. I am utterly dissatisfied with your Age, my Prince.
He stirred the pool again, seeing a place deep within Oceansburg. Regardless what happens, I am going to see things turned to the way they should be.
Back in the main portion of Tsare Viole, near the grand entrance, Perseus Sarasho looked around at the various towers, statues, and structures that decorated the castle. He admitted this was a very nice castle, and he did remember seeing it a few times in his world-traveling days. However, it was never quite this bustling.
He moved out of the way to allow a trio of black and red bipedal robots to move through, carrying what looked some pretty heavy machinery. Just going by the various decorations, the machinery was pretty important. Sarasho simply nodded and thought to himself about this.
They had power players here that were experts in the martial arts, in swordsmanship, in technology and in magic. Wolfang was not willing to simply become another would-be tyrant-sorcerer. Rather than focus all his effort on the mastery of sorcery, he was bringing in people of various talents. Stupid, that man was definitely not.
As Claiom D'Orlia walked by Sarasho, flanked by a pair of black-clad lesser vampires, the two traded a glance, and the thirty year old Key-Master decided just based on that that Wolfang was also admitting the dwellers of the dark. Creatures men hated for their natural bloodthirst, both figuratively and literally. Whether or not Wolfang was that sort of creature still needed to be seen.
For now, though, Sarasho moved forward and decided to introduce himself to his fellow member in this dark alliance. "I see that Wolfang's beacon is bright enough to draw even the lords of the shadows into its prominence."
Claiom chuckled in an amiable fashion, "Oh, am I so obvious, Key-Master Sarasho? Pity, pity. I'd think to use a better glamor."
Sarasho gave a cheeky grin, "But you didn't use one in the first place."
"I see you're a bright one, Lord Sarasho, as the stories the bandits shared did state," Claiom admitted, Sarasho was an impressive man, son of an impressive father. "Then, may I ask why you decided to attend this gathering of evil?"
"Carrying all your cards openly, hm...well, I suppose you could say I'm not too fond of existing definitions of good or evil." Sarasho kept walking, Claiom keeping up with him almost instantly. They were given a wide berth, even as they limited their discussion to semantics and questions.
"I admit I am quite glad to see..." Claiom stated, looking down a little for a second or two before perking back up, "...that you don't adhere to such childish morality. I admit I was testing you a little. You seem to enjoy tests, Sarasho-"
The keyblade wielder smiled and offered a hand to the vampire, "Call me Perseus...friend."
Claiom seemed to withdraw a little at that word, but decided it was a welcome shift in reaction to him, "...Friend. I haven't had one of those in, oh, five centuries. Well, thank you, Perseus, my friend." Giving a firm hand shake to Sarasho, the two separated and kept walking, deciding not to block anyone's way.
Perseus knew this person, this Claiom D'Orlia, supposedly, he was a son of a greater lord of shadows, but in his death the greater vampire willed his physics-bending castle to Claiom, as well as, so the legends said, his sword Bleed-Drinker.
And Claiom knew who Perseus was very well – the son of Perdus Sarasho, who Claiom had seen and fought along side during the battle with the Axis. The son greatly resembled the father, and while Perseus had yet to fully climb that mountain, he was coming into his own power nicely.
As the two continued to walk, it appeared there were yet more people that had plausible reason for their loathing – the Linoak Twins and Mordryd appeared to be standing about near one of the stone sentinels.
Mordryd's shabby clothes had been replaced with white and black silks and leathers, a pair of black feathered shoulder pads on the white and dark gray vest he wore over a button up shirt. His slacks were clean, well made and nicely tucked into boots studded with diamonds. It was clear someone had moved up in the food chain.
Moving out of the crowd, Perseus approached them with a smile and stated, "Aino, Linda, welcome, I haven't seen the two of you in ages."
Aino shook his head when Perseus approached and nodded, "P-Perseus! It's been a while since our last match...b-but you look even more powerful now. Even with the gifts Wolfang has granted, I fear you're still the better man!"
Linda looked Sarasho over and smirked a little, "I see age hasn't dulled you any. You were an obnoxious flirt the last time we met. Surely you haven't been bothering pretty boy over there with your activities."
Perseus chuckled outloud, finally getting Mordryd's attention away from the stone sentinel, "Well, the two of you definitely haven't changed, and for the better – you are some of the better individuals who believe in Empyreal motives..."
Mordryd spoke up, walking forward, "I heard of you, my mother said she held off of attacking Destiny Islands until she figured out where you stood."
Claiom nodded, remembering some of what Wolfang mentioned, "And this is the sorceress' son, Mordryd...my you grew up well. You look like your circumstances have improved..."
Mordryd took a long staff off of his back, twirling it around easily, though keeping it in mind to not almost hit his new friends. "I can say this gift from Wolfang helped – the Werewolf Staff. Lets just say it lets me motivate people to do things in my interests, in some ways."
Linda asked him, "So, you were gifted with a new weapon and power by the Wolf King as well?"
Mordryd replied in the affirmative, "Yes, and I overheard that you and your brother received gifts as well...Perseus, did you or Claiom receive anything?"
Perseus crossed his arms a little, "I don't believe I need any additional power at this time...however, he did promise me something in return for my assistance. Claiom?"
The vampire shook his head, "Aside from being freed from that accursed rune, nothing, aside from the guarantee to be the one to kill Edric Maynes." Mordryd seemed to shiver a little with how cheerfully Claiom talked about killing Edric. Granted, as far as he had heard, Edric was a damn cruel lunatic all on his own – the chief reason he was not invited here was presumably because even Wolfang had limits of pragmatism.
Aino leaned back against one of the walls, and stated, "It is quite odd we all meet here peaceably under one roof...my family fought against both of you during the war. Yet...I cannot help but feel there is a higher need than keeping up with family grudges."
Linda looked at her brother, and seemed to reconsider something she did at one point, and then shook her head, glaring upwards, her brother could be such an idiot some times. Saying that now...
Perseus looked at the slowing tide of people coming through the hallway, "I believe if we don't keep moving, Wolfang might count us late to the get-together."
And so the vampire, the twins, the swordsman and the sorcerer kept moving, near the back of a group of technology-derived creatures, and just in front of Lirh's pirates, coming in with an offering of booty for the new Alliance.
Speaking of Lirh, the young pirate looked at his offering of good will – the Cache of the Iron-Willed, no small pillaging. He had to run through a whole World full of nasty creatures to get this nice little bounty. He hoped this little legion of doom was worth it – if this went the way of all other such organizations, he would be gone before dawn.
And so as the now quite large group assembled in a surprisingly large room resembling an amphitheater, numerous stained glass windows decorating the higher portions of the walls. All of them depicting different villains, the roaring dragonic form of Maleficent, the frightful Oogie-Boogie, Captain Hook lifting treasure aloft, and numerous others.
The central feature was a very large podium, inscribed with a number of runes and designs that indicated it might have an effect of its own. A black portal opened behind it, followed by two more at each side of the podium.
Wolfang emerged from the first portal, a calm smile on his face, followed by Doom and a single figure clad in what looked like a large black cloak, glowing yellow eyes evident underneath the hood. Its arms were apparently covered in numerous spell tags and bandages. The center of the being's chest held what looked like an hourglass held in place by a number of rusted iron chains.
Sarasho watched the appearance of Wolfang and his two compatriots, admitting to himself he was curious about the rather dead-looking creature that had followed Wolfang out. No matter how he looked at it, the being defied attempts to define it.
Wolfang started, drawing in breath first and then speaking deeply, "Welcome, ladies, gentlemen, and creatures of all kinds! As many of you may know, I am Wolfang Richler, once upon a time King of the Sky, and now, your benefactor and organizer of this event. Now, many of you have voiced concerns on the way here – what if this turns into a morass of backstabbing, what if we cannot work together, what if he cheats us?"
A few astonished gasps from the audience, and others looked away for the time being. The assembled individuals whispered back and forth momentarily;
"Can he hear and see all within this castle?"
"...that, or he has predicted arguments before they occur. Speaks of gall, but..."
Wolfang continued his speech, gesturing around the auditorium and then clenching his fist, "As many of you have experienced, the Alliance has become old, weak, and yet so entirely full of itself, its every member smirking triumphantly at the thought that soon, the Maynes Family and any successors of theirs will have no challenges to their rule. That nobody remembers or is willing to come forward to object."
Lirh nodded a little, looking over at Aino and Linda, watching the show apparently starting to become interested now.
"And let me tell each of you now that there is a challenger, a worthy group now gathered to stand in opposition. We here today became the shadow archetype to this aged institution, which now sits defiling Oceansburg with their pathetic play politics and lies. I promise each and every one of you, march with us today, and I will fulfill your dreams, your aspirations...I will honor your oaths of revenge, I will give you what you need to fulfill your individual ambitions, which the Maynes Family would rather see subordinated to their own!"
Cheers all around, from the various gathered powers. It was time to seize the day, to bring the Maynes Family and this entire rotting imperium burning down.
Aino thought of his new empire, and honoring the sacrifices of his parents, his grandparents, and so on.
Perseus Sarasho thought about a grand war that would forever shatter the societal ideal of a working individual beholden to routine and the ideals foisted upon the worlds by the end of the last war.
Lirh thought of a great adventure of battle, plunder and attainment, of actually achieving something worth note in this new order.
Claiom simply thought of watching the ambitions of others become fulfilled, and whether he would be capable of assuming the mantle of his father.
Wolfang now gestured up at the ceiling as a large banner descended, depicting a purple background, a black dragon devouring its own tail at the center, and four ornate silver swords surrounding it. "I bring you, thus, to the Dark Alliance. You each have ambition, drive, power, an unfettered ideal that drives every one of us to see the truth underneath the world. That the Darkness is not something to be feared. To be cast out as if some plague...rather, through this ancient power, we may scythe through our enemies, to become all we are capable of being, unfettered by morality and notions of purity. Gather here, and let me bring our dreams to life!"
Hands reached up, holding weapons aloft in cheer, and a show of solidarity. The Old Alliance had stagnated, and it was now time for this "Dark Alliance" to become the new power. It was time for people who weren't bound by notions about Keys, stability or perpetuating the Great Peace to take over. Ambitions had been silenced by the Maynes Family...now it was high time, the crowd dictated in conversations loud and numerous, to cast them down, to trample the old order under the new.
Lirh brought up a fist and shouted loud above the crowd, standing on top of the shoulders of one of his larger mooks, "Wolfang speaks the truth – our ambitions are to be sublimated by boredom, and yet the Maynes Family advances further and further, and the Keymasters, our enemies, are glorified more and more daily? What do you say, Gents!?"
A unified shout of opposition to this notion, with some chanting about destroying the power of the old heroes, while others shouted their wishes of death to certain figures or others. It was clear that Lirh would be a figure of influence here.
Perseus Sarasho spoke up too, shouting loudly enough to silence the chattering of those around him, "My father once fought alongside these so called heroes, but he fought and fought, and never did he participate in the power structure of the worlds, nor did he tame himself and become a useful idiot for the reigning Presidents of the Oceansburg Alliance...he now lies forgotten, in a simple grave. I will not surrender my individuality or fighting spirit to this Alliance, and neither should any of you! Why should we be expected to become pieces, mere cogs in a huge, worlds wide machine, when we are capable of so much more!?"
Yet more shouts of agreement – even the assembled individuals, many of them typically held to be villainous, held the treatment that Sarasho's father had received in contempt. While some were nervous about the idea of a rogue Keymaster, others applauded him for moving outside of the acceptable role of such an individual.
Wolfang finished his speech stating, "So, while the Alliance pats themselves on the back and says "May the Light Rule Ever More", I say Let There Be Darkness! Who is with me?"
"Let there be Darkness!" Said one wing of the assembly.
"Let there be Darkness!" Said another wing of the assembly, dark queens, kings and exiled lords all clapped at once.
It was understood by many of them that the Darkness they professed was a direct ideological opposition to everything the Old Alliance stood for. It was progress without controls. Unfettered morality and ambition fulfilled at every step. Their plans and ideas let loose to reign.
It was almost funny to Wolfang, that is, that people who were once so righteous and ready to lead the world ahead could stray so far. Had a few of them became distorted after fighting so many factors of distortion in the world around them?
He was the kind of being who appreciated irony, and as with Cavendish existing in a hell of his own making, the heroes of the latter day had made the world that currently existed on their sweat and tears. And they made this.
The White Castle almost shook with the volume of the celebrations that came after the speech – for then it was decided in what order, in what ways, and in what fashion they intended to absolutely destroy the Alliance.
Wolfang nodded to himself as the planning and speaking began. Yes, it was about time to check in on his other plan. He left instructions with Sarasho and his right hand man and vanished covertly.
Within Destiny Island, the hero of the old world felt himself fall again. It was ignominious, but the doctor had stated that this disease would likely be with him the rest of his life. Ever since the opening of the museum two years ago, he had become sick with this bizarre disease.
Sora coughed and coughed, resting in his bed. He regretted going into that place to confront Wolfang. The confrontation and encounter with something of that nature had exacerbated his condition, and now he was barely able to leave the bed.
He was unsure what had caused this, but it was clear that it had started shortly after the opening of the museum. The doctor was unsure if it was poison or some sort of malign spell, but whatever it was, it was clear that it was eventually going to claim him if it was allowed to proceed.
While it abated at times, and then suddenly resurged at other times, this bout with it seemed worse than others. Sora coughed and hacked suddenly, his body feeling weak, as if he could sink into the bed. Kairi rushed over with a pan, collecting the black blood, and then desperately holding to her husband.
This was not how she, or he, envisioned this. They had triumphed over Ansem, the Organization, the Empire twice over, and now...to be wasted away by a wasting illness...it just didn't seem fair. Kairi looked down, remembering the horrifying incident wherein Sora had been sent by the Imperials to the Vanitarium Prison.
They took so much from him there, and she had feared at the time that the nightmare would haunt him forever. Now...now, Vanitarium looked even harsher with the present events in mind. To escape from so much...
No, no, she would not let this happen, and she would not become some grieving, weeping housewife.
Sora tried to get up after his coughing fit passed, only for Kairi to put a hand on his shoulder. "Sora, this disease will pass...but please, we're not the same as we once were. If you run about now, there's a chance it will..."
Kill you.
She didn't say it, but the words were now on both of their tongues.
The old man in the bed looked at the phone and then down at a photograph of the whole family, taken about a year ago. "...Jonahs..."
Another coughing fit began, and Sora felt himself start to become drowsy. He knew this was not the end, but dammit, he needed this rest. He only hoped that Jonahs was not Chosen for the same sort of life Sora had led.
Underneath all his wisecracks and confidence, Sora knew that deep down, what had happened still haunted young Jonahs. And if such was known to Wolfang, then the black-winged devil would be free to use that painful past against Jonahs with impunity.
He needed to make whatever time he had left useful. And whether that meant rallying Destiny Islands, or using THAT, then Sora would need to make the sacrifice.
And again Wolfang's voice came back to him, ripping into him and others for not using the Dragon Balls when they had the shot. They had their wishes right in front of them, and they squandered the chance. Would things really have turned out differently if they had wished differently?
The chuckling voice left him, as before, fading away slowly and leaving him with his illness.
The World Barge started to descend toward what was once a pristine and unchanging jungle, now so much had changed. And the man currently walking out of the engine hub was sure that the Keyblade Wielders would be the instrument for yet more change to come.
Wolfang and he had a very special understanding of one another based on his parentage. And if he successfully ended Jonahs' journey here, then Wolfang would make it alright for this nameless man to fulfill his own wishes.
Wolfang had more than shown himself capable of spells that could fulfill this lowly Mole's desires, and he hoped that this proved enough. He wanted to be free of obligations to this frightening man and his eternal hatreds. Wolfang was a curse just as much as a blessing for him, and the longer he remained in thrall to Wolfang, the worse it could be.
This infiltrating agent knew that Wolfang more than likely couldn't be trusted for anything more than his word and the exact letters in their agreement, which was why he had additional measures prepared. While he personally saw Jonahs as someone to look up to, he had his own reasons for siding with Richler.
And unless he got this all done now, he would never have such an opportunity available to him ever again. This was his only chance to complete such a mission.
"Remember the penalties for failure – if Jonahs leaves that world, you don't."
The implicit threat carried several levels of contextual horror based upon Old Black-Wings' abilities. Even though the infiltrator and Wolfang were related, the creature had made it more than clear that such things did not mean very much in the long run.
Eva mattered more to Wolfang than the infiltrator did, and he knew full well that even if the mission was successful, then Wolfang would probably send someone to kill him anyway. But still, it would be better than just living as he was, miserable and without hope.
Wolfang offered him this way out, and he'd be a fool to refuse this.
Even though SHE told him that Wolfang was not someone that could be trusted, of course she would say that. She had been part of the group who led the family away from worship of Old Blackwings.
And even though he was unable to be fully trusted, Wolfang had done more for him than the entirety of the family. They saw him as a freak, someone to be cast out. At least he was someone now.
"Ah, so you must be the one I was told about. The Man of One Million Faces, Wolfang Richler."
"Aye, that's one of my names." Wolfang stood before someone in the "Greater City 04", as it was designated. Much had changed in the Deep Jungle. Traffic with the rest of the Multiverse had resulted in a number of advancements and "developments", even deeper into the jungle territory.
Great Britain had modernized remarkably fast, using the technology brought in by the travelers, and apparently became the Greater Empire of Ave Britannia, but that was neither here nor there.
Not every advancement resulted in good progress, after all. He'd need to look into this Greater Empire some time, it sounded like quite a place to visit.
There were rumors of descendants of that wildman, Tarzan, but Wolfang paid little attention to the urban legends of a backwater place like this. It had been backwater when he fell into this multiverse, and it would continue being so now.
Though, as he thought of the person he currently spoke to, there were useful people here.
The Magistrate of the Greater City Network was an old man, one of the first to travel to this place. He came from a far away world, from a land called Icatia. Apparently he left on a nearby World Barge when Icatia was just about to collapse due to religious fervor consuming public reason.
The Magistrate looked at the handsome black haired man, grinning a little. Even though his features were variable, there was no denying the sheer, harsh beauty of this young man's face. "So, Lord Wolfang, you want me to, what, kill this Jonahs boy?"
Wolfang pirouetted on his feet, catching himself on the table with one hand, "Try to. Bring Jonahs as much misery and hardship as you possibly can. Do that, and I'll fulfill your wish. I must say, it is quite a pure wish."
The Magistrate looked down on his city from his perch of possibly life long privilege, enjoying the sight of everything he could see...but then frowning when he saw the walls. The jungle was not yet under his control, but that would change.
"Yes...I will make that boy truly understand what the worlds are like in the modern day. That people like him, who represent change, are no longer wanted. Keyblades...are not wanted in the worlds any more. Why else would they disappear?"
Wolfang admitted that was a disappointing, rather boring perspective for the old man to have, but it was not his business what his pawns believed. No, it was his business to make sure they moved as he commanded, and did not get any wise ideas about trying to go outside of their direction.
As Wolfang vanished from the Magistrate's office, he thought about how easy it was to corrupt a man who served the Alliance President. Standards for dictators, Wolfang thought to himself, have fallen pretty sharply over the years.
Jonahs looked out from the base camp as they set up, trying to get everything together before sending people out for supplies. This was a deep, dangerous jungle that, even after things changed so much, remained very much full of the same forms of life.
If anything, the changes forced what was here to adapt and modernize themselves, evolution and introduced species most likely making a dangerous place even more so. It could've been some sort of magical effect brought in by some less scrupulous travelers, but he hoped that they could reach the Mega City and get the supplies they needed.
However, it looked like a trek through the jungle was becoming more and more likely.
Jonahs looked over at a concerned looking Eva, "Don't worry, I am sure that we won't be stuck here too long. Whatever's going on at home, I know mom and dad won't give in that easily. We will make it through this."
Eva looked down, and then over at a brooding Setanta, "That's not what I'm worried about."
I lost something back in Oceansburg, Eva thought to herself, I lost something I never knew I had until it was gone. And now I have to find out what exactly it was.
A/N: Apologies for the long wait for the new chapter. More events in this one, and things are just about to hit a certain point.
