Disclaimer: The following series and characters belong to their respective corporations: Nintendo, Disney, and Square-Enix, including their respectful developers. The following characters of this fic: Kyle Nasher, Dirk Lionheart, Alana (Lana) Blade, Drew Devin, and Nived Werd belong to author Mace the Manakete in agreement to his written consent.

Nintendo. Disney. Square-Enix
Kingdom Hearts Chronicles: Vol.1
KINGDOM BLESSINGS

—CHAPTER 13—
Source of Darkness

Hyrule Land was shrouded in deep darkness. Every home and villages, trees, mountains, and sceneries were under the foot of shadow. Everything was dark, plain dark.

A large swirly vortex hovered in the sky, replacing the gentle breeze of the Hyrulean warm summer weather with a cold frigid nightfall prior to a natural disaster. Right in the midst of the vortex was a blinding light of indigo color, the shape of a keyhole and passed through the keyhole was void.

Raven was seen standing at the peak of Death Mountain and watched the event serenely. A large owl suddenly flew to her direction and settled right next to her. The owl watched the vortex in the sky and shook its head, "The Gate of Darkness has opened." The owl suddenly spoke.

"Just like in my vision." Raven replied.

The owl turned to face Raven, "I see that you are a wise clairvoyant, Young One."

Raven faced the owl without saying a word. The owl went on, "I surely hope that our Four Heroes get together again and will succeed in the mission they are facing. Our worlds need them."

"Same here, Master Kaepora." Raven replied, "Same here."

-Elemental Sanctuary-

Most of the sanctuary's ceiling was ripped open, exposing everyone inside to the frigid dark night of Hyrule. Vaati laughed after recently merged into a ridiculously hideous cloud-shaped form. The heroes stood helpless by its hovering shadow. Dirk, Bowser, the Mario Brothers, Goofy, and Donald were still exhausted from their battle with the giant anaconda. Link and Kyle, despite the slight energy they had left, were still standing.

Jadis had her back still turned on them. Her attention was on the dark gate in the sky. "Soon…" she said, "very soon, the gates will open, and very soon, darkness will overflow, and very soon—"

"Can you get to the point?" Dirk sounded annoyed.

Jadis faced the heroes, "very soon, the holy door will open and we'll be gods! Powerful ones, gauged in blessings! Pure blessings! And thanks to Vaati here, Zelda is in our collection."

"Collection?" Goofy gasped.

"What does that supposed to mean?" Kyle shouted.

"I know what she means." Mario said, "You're the one who kidnapped Princess Peach and stole her blessings. And now you've taken on Zelda's too?"

"Wow, stocky but smart." Jadis replied.

"Let Zelda go!" Link yelled.

Jadis smiled and Vaati laughed horrifically, "yOu SiMpLe FoOlS! wHy WoUlD wE rElEaSe zElDa To YoU hUh? dIdN't yOu uNdErStAnD tHe MEaNiNg Of 'NeVeR gOiNg To SeE YoUr ZeLlIe AgAiN!' bUt LeT's MaKe ThIs InTeReStInG, iF YoU wAnT tO sEe HeR, yOu FiRsT mUsT jOiN hEr In DeAdLy MAtRiMoNy."

"Oh no, you don't!" Donald raised his staff and cast Thunder on Vaati. Instead of doing him harm, the thunder boosted his energy.

"It's not working!" Donald exclaimed.

"We need to come up with a new plan." Kyle proposed.

"MuAh! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!"

"Dude, what's wrong with your laugh?" Dirk asked.

Vaati twirled around, conjuring a tornado from underground. The tornado zoomed around the field, barely nailing the heroes at every second. The heroes stopped to land their attacks. Link delivered another Spinning Attack, Donald, Bowser, Mario, and Luigi cast their fire powers, and Goofy, Kyle and Dirk went into a direct assault, but to no avail, Vaati was invincible. The tornado caught the heroes in surprise and flung them into a wall.

"MuAh! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!" Vaati laughed again.

"What kind of monster are we facing?" Dirk grunted.

"I got it!" Link exclaimed.

"YoU dOn'T gEt NoThInG!" Vaati breathed, zoomed up in the air again and cast Tornado once more.

Link ordered, "Stand back!"

Everyone stood back. Link raised his blade and energies from the sanctuary gathered around his sword. His sword suddenly merged into a glorious golden one and the blade's tip twinkle, "Gather!" he yelled.

He then aimed the sword at Vaati, jumped in the air and strangely, three Links, dressed in red, blue, and violet appeared in spirits next to him.

"wHaT!" Vaati gasped.

Jadis turned around and witnessed Link, "This can't be!"

"FOUR SWORDS!" The Links yelled and formed a cross position in the air. They began to assault him in spinning attack, leapt over him across and back to deliver crescent slash from above continuously and for the finishing blow, their swords floated up while glowing and zoomed through the demon in graceful rainbow light of green, red, blue, and violet. Vaati screamed in pain, yet it was still floating.

Link landed on his feet, feeling drained up. The heroes ran up to him, "Link! Are you all right?" Donald asked.

"Now's your chance, you guys! Take him out!" Link said.

"Gladly" Kyle said.

"Oh no you won't." Jadis raised her staff in the air and the crystal on the staff flashed bright blue, "White Wind!" she said. Vaati glowed blue and before everyone's eyes, Vaati was as good as new. Vaati laughed.

"What?" Mario exclaimed, "What happened? He was…he was…"

"I wAs WhAt? HuH?" Vaati said.

"It's that witch!" Dirk turned his attention to Jadis, "She cheated! Have you no shame?"

"I am aware that I have no shame." Jadis said, "Now, Vaati, keep stalling them while I fully end my ceremony to open up the gate."

"I dOn'T nEeD yOuR hElP, WiTcH!" Vaati turned to face the gang again and twirled around once more while laughing evilly. But instead of producing another tornado, it turned the clouds even darker than ever and made them growled. "tHuNdArA!"

Thunders roared and scythed the heroes apart. The heroes once again fell on the ground, severely wounded. They attempted to rose up but the pain caused them to kneel.

"ThAt'S rIgHt! BoW dOwN tO yOuR gReAtNeSs! BoW!"

"No…" Kyle grunted, "he must begone."

"NoW fOr ThE fInIsH! DaRk BaLl!" Dark orbs formed around Vaati. Vaati lifted his bat wings up the air and the dark balls went aiming at the heroes. Kyle suddenly jumped in front and formed an invisible glass around himself and the heroes with the Keyblade. The dark balls bounced back from the glass and nailed Vaati twice. Vaati screamed in agony. Everyone turned to see Vaati struggling to see in the air.

"What…happened?" Donald muttered.

"The Keyblade happened!" Goofy replied.

"Now's our chance, Kyle." Dirk said.

"I was about to say that." Kyle smiled.

"Let's finish this thing!" Mario shouted.

Jadis watched the event enrolling and in frustration, she sighed. She turned around, raised her staff once more and disappeared in a waterfall of light. The dark gate's vortex began to shrink, but the keyhole shaped void remained intact.

The heroes ran towards Vaati and began chaining him in attacks. Kyle, Bowser, Link, Goofy, and the Mario Bros. did most of the direct attacks while Donald and Dirk did most of the indirect ones. As Kyle was about to deliver the final blow when Vaati leapt from the sky again, knocking them backward.

"gAh! Ah! Ah! Ah!" Vaati cast Tornado again, swinging the heroes to the ground.

"It's no use…" Luigi said, "we were this close…"

"AnD tO tHiNk YoU cAn DeFeAt Me? WiNd ExEcUtIoNiZeD!" Vaati cast his deadly power again, summoning the tornado and the beams.

"Get out of the way!" Link shouted. Everyone took refuge, but some of the heroes failed to dodge Vaati's ability and were blasted to a wall. Dirk, Donald, Link, and Luigi were out cold. Bowser was also a victim to the Wind Executionized but was still breathing. Goofy, Mario, and Kyle stood still but they were severely hurt and exhausted.

"Gwarsh… Donald…" Goofy called for his friend, but Donald wasn't responsive.

"Luigi!" Mario called for his brother, but Luigi wasn't responsive.

"This thing is too powerful…even for a Koopa…" Bowser groaned.

Mario went to Bowser "Hang on, Bowser. You're going to be okay."

Bowser turned to face Mario, "Since when do you care for me?"

"Since you helped us with the anaconda, now don't speak. You'll stress yourself." Mario told him.

"Dirk! Link! Come on, guys, wake up!" Kyle called for both Dirk and Link but only Link slowly opened his eyes, "…please…save… …Zelda…"

Kyle turned to face Vaati in anger. Vaati laughed.

"MuAh! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! hOw DoEs ThAt FlOoR tAsTe?" Vaati gloated.

Kyle aimed the Keyblade toward Vaati, "You'd be the judge, you devil!" Kyle swung his Keyblade several times, jumped and placed the Keyblade behind him. Goofy, Mario, and Bowser watched the blade glowed red in fury. Kyle swung the Keyblade from behind him, aiming at Vaati and with this shout, "FIRE!" Fireball cannon balled from the weapon, nailing Vaati at great damage. The burning Vaati fell on the ground, screaming in agony.

"Kyle…" Goofy breathed.

"Leave this to me, guys! This demon is mine!" Kyle raised his Keyblade in the air once again and the tip of the blade twinkle a heart-shaped light.

"It's Sora again!" Mario recognized that move.

"Sora! I summon you!" Kyle shouted, aimed the Keyblade at Vaati and along with Sora, went 'Rising Sun' through Vaati. Vaati cried in pain as he began to float and moved about edgily. Beams suddenly ripped out of Vaati's body and exploded. The dark gate subdued and Hyrule Land quickly returned to its normal state of sunshine and light, but the keyhole in the sky remained apparent.

Donald: Finally! Vaati is defeated! But Princess Zelda is gone and that dark gate has subdued to a dormant state. It won't be a matter of time until the dark gate returns to feast on Hyrule Land. Something must be done to close that gate before Hyrule Land loses its blessing. But what?

The epic continues.

NeXt ChApTeR