I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL KINGDOM HEARTS CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(

Lucia, Kieran, Rayna, Claire, Renee, Zeke, Sienna, Jeanne, Melanie, and Charel are my OC characters from my Final Fantasy stories!

Chapter Ten

Worse to Come

"What are we doing back here?"

Sora stared up at the gates of the Coliseum. Geoffrey had led the ships here without another word. Something seemed...off about the Coliseum right now. It was more...lively and there were so many people walking around in excitement; nothing like it had been the first time they were here.

"The Games, of course," Alana smiled at the young boy. "The Phil Cup is today."

"Really?" Sora raised a brow. He had been excited for the games since their last trip to the Coliseum.

"Yes, and you and Kiera are teaming up." Geoffrey told them.

Kiera raised a brow. "What? Why do I have to?"

"Because this is the lowest Cup. If the two of you can get past this then you can do the others. I refuse to let you try to enter the Hades Cup without doing the others first." Alana answered.

"The Hades Cup?" Goofy asked.

"There are Several Cups," Kiera began to explain. "First there are the Phil, Pegasus, and Hercules Cups. Then the Hades Cup, and then the ones that follow varies. Last year we had the Silver and Golden Cups with Geoffrey, Leon, and Kieran as the opponents in the Golden and then the silver cup was against Some freak under Hades' rule. Phil changes it every now and then."

"Leon, Kieran, and Geoffrey?" Sora felt the color leave his face. "Did...did anyone win?"

The look on Geoffrey's face was the only answer he needed; he swallowed. "So, why are only Kiera and I entering?"

"Think of it as a kind of training. Donald and Goofy can enter too, if they want. Training for them would be a good idea as well."

"That's a great idea," Alana smiled. "And just think, if you win then you'll get a reward!"

Kiera gave her a suspicious look. "What kind of reward?"

"We can work out the details later," Alana placed an arm around both kids and led them off towards the arena. "Let's get you checked in."

"Is something wrong, Geoffrey?"

The older teenager gave a smile. Goofy had noticed him being quiet, it seemed.

"No, nothing wrong." He shook his head. "You and Donald should go and sign in, too. The further into all of this we go, the stronger the enemies will be. I understood that the two of you are warriors under the King but that doesn't mean that we won't find ourselves against those that are stronger."

"Ooh, shucks, we know that," Goofy gave one of his laughs. "But as long as we;re together we can overcome anything!"

Geoffrey gave a smirk. Isn't that what Selia always said? He knew he shouldn't be thinking negatively but he couldn't help it. Look where Selia and the others were now.

"Go have some fun, Goofy," He told the knight as he turned and moved down the street. "I'll be back in a bit."

"All right, just be careful!"

Most people were heading for the Coliseum to watch the games. Geoffrey moved through the streets for almost an hour, searching, before he realized that who he was looking for would most likely be at the matches as well. He had been hoping that he would have caught Melanie in the streets on her way to the tournament but he wasn't lucky, it seemed. He would even take to seeing Cloud or Jeanne and Zack, hopefully, but it just wasn't happening.

Deciding to take a break, he took a seat near a fountain and stared up at the sky. It was a bright blue today, not a cloud to be seen. He remembered the sky in Radiant Garden always looking like this, too. He hated thinking about the past but it haunted him no matter what he did. He had promised Lucient that he would protect both Kiera and Kairi until they returned. He had lost Kairi but now...if there was a chance...

No, there was no 'if'. Sora told him that Kairi looked just like Kiera and that she had arrived on Destiny Island all those years ago. It was too close to be merely coincidence. And now, if what Kiera had said was true, Maleficent had her hands on Kairi. That made him more angry than anything else. He wanted to be the one to pierce that witch's heart;if she even had one.

"One day you will realize

The stars you are chasing shine bright deep inside you

But will you ever let it shine from within,"

Geoffrey lifted his head. The voice singing was soft, feminine; and familiar. He stood and began to glance around. There was no one in the street with him but he pinpointed the voice. It was coming from an alley, leading to the other side of the city. He took quick steps, following it.

"And cast all of your fears aside

You'll see the light but until that day comes...

My Dearly Beloved

Be strong I shall be there."

He burst out of the alley, his eyes searching still. The singer didn't try and hide; and neither did her companions. She stood there in the small area, her black cloak covering all parts of her just like it had the last time Geoffrey had been to the Coliseum. This time there were four others with her, all wearing the same cloaks with the hoods raised. They all stood around the area, just waiting as they listened to her sing.

"Always here beside you

So keep your head held high

The shadow of this world will try to steal you into their arms

But you belong in mine."

"Aww, who invited this loser to the party?"

The singing had halted and everyone but the singer turned to face Geoffrey. He let his eyes play over all of them, ready to summon his weapon if they were looking for trouble.

One of the figures closest to Geoffrey laughed; it was a woman too. "Aww, it's a public area, Lyxar. You can't get mad at him for following Xebliya's voice; it's impossible not to."

"Shut up; don't say our names, dammit!" The growl came from the one furthest from Geoffrey; another female.

"Kinda too late for that," This voice came from a man to the left; next to the first one to talk.

The one called Lyxar crossed her arms, undoubtedly glaring at the ones around her.

"Can we help you with something?" The fourth cloak wearer was another man, his voice low and clearly full of impatience and dislike.

Geoffrey glanced at them all again before placing his eyes on the one in the middle; the singer had yet to turn to face him. "You told me to be careful of the answers I seek and then you gave me that book, knowing it would just create more questions. What are you after? What do you want from me?"

The singer, that voice was the same as the woman he had met last time. She stood still, un-moving. "I want many things. Some I can get, others I'll never even reach. Some I want to help you achieve and others I will refuse to. It's all left to the hands of fate."

"Do you want to not talk in riddles?" Geoffrey growled. "How did you get your hands on that book? I can recognize Bailey's handwriting anywhere! What have you done with her?!"

"She's lost in darkness. She fights in earnest but it is futile. I was merely...completing a wish her heart had made." The woman tilted her head back to stare at the sky. "She waits in vain. I fear that the battle will never end and she will be lost forever."

"Lost in darkness?" Geoffrey repeated. "What about the others? Where are Lucient and Selia?"

"I wonder..."

He stomped his foot on the ground. "I want answers, dammit!"

"Calm down, princess," One of the men told him. "You'll get your answers when we feel like giving them. Until then, keep your head cool," He tapped the side of his head. "Got it memorized?"

Geoffrey froze. Those words...they sounded familiar.

"God, you and your stupid saying, Axel," Lyxar huffed. "Keep your boyfriend under control, Raymx."

"Shut it!"

"Geoffrey," Xebliya turned and faced him. "Two halves make a whole. If they acquire one, there is still hope. Don't allow the second half to fall into their hands."

"Two halves?" He stared at her. "Start making sense!"

'Use that brain of yours," the one called Axel replied. "She's trying to tell you that there's worse to come."

"And to protect that little princess of yours, too." Raymx giggled.

They knew about Kiera being a princess, did they? That just made him angrier. "Just who are you?"

It was the nameless one that spoke this time. "We are...nobody."

There was a couple of laughs from the other three but that was all.

"We're leaving," Xebliya announced. "We have stayed too long already."

"You're not going anywhere until I'm don with you."

"You can't stop us," Axel decided to reply. "So don't do anything stupid, kid."

"And try not to die, hmm?" Raymx teased him.

"Just have faith," Xebliya old him. "Always have faith. That's what you say, right?"

Geoffrey stared, frozen to the ground as some kind of dark portal opened up behind the cloaked figures and they disappeared into it, one by one. He was even more confused now than when the conversation started.

One thing was confirmed, though. He had been right about Bailey. She was still out there and if that woman had seen her, then she was still alive. Her being lost, though...he didn't understand. Just what had happened? Where were the others? He had been hoping to find some clues and change tactics but now he was just stuck all over again. He did have a good feeling that he would see Xebliya and her friends again. No, it was more than just a good feeling.

Of that, he was sure.

The song I used was Dearly Beloved by AmaLee.

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