Here's the next chapter.
Disclaimer: All standard disclaimers apply.
Temple of Old Wounds
Kain wasn't feeling too well. All this chaos, all this darkness. All these monsters that were nearby as well as Heartless and Manikins. To him, he thought it best to either avoid them, or use healing items to attempt to keep his strength up. That is.. Until he witnessed the Seeress of Time herself, she had a unexpected look of surprise on her face as darkness was coming out of her body.
"You aren't the one I have anticipated. You are an unforeseen anomaly... But you are not unwelcomed as many of our kind have witnessed through the sands of time" she spoke.
Kain glanced at her, puzzled"Hm? Yuel? How are you here, and who were you anticipating?"
"I am both alive and dead. A mass of temporal contradictions. Lightning is God's Savior. For she is destined to lead the souls to the new universe. I have ordained her to be lead to the fountainhead whence all chaos flows. I have told her to meet the servant of fate, adorned with feathers of white... The Angel of Valhalla... But you are here in her stead" Yuel replied.
Kain nodded"I see. Who or what is this angel of light you speak of?"
"The former lord you came to know as Baron's king. The master of the Zantetsukan" The Seeress said.
Kain was shocked to hear this"I see."
"Through the chaos, my message was born. I spoke so that she might know of the future... And so that she'd learn of my wish, and make it come true" Yuel said, creating platforms made of chaos"Only the savior can... But since you are here in her stead... I beg of you to seek it. For I have no other alternative." She had a slightly saddened look.
"I shall do what I can" Kain assured her.
Yuel glanced at him with a look of longing"Save the soul that cannot rest. Save Caius. He no longer desires to live. He yearns to die... But he cannot. The darkness of chaos binds and forces life upon him. A Life that he never truly asked for from the beginning."
"Very well" Kain nodded.
As he wondered through the corridors of the place that was familiar yet foreign to him, many thoughts went through his mind. Why is she herself here in this place at all? She said herself that she was both dead and alive at the same time. What could cause such darkness to bind such a man like Caius? Saxito he could understand, for it was Vanitas influencing his heart and some of his actions at the time. But that former guardian? No, something else was at work besides Exoduxia's influence, and King Aaron's machinations. But before he could think further, a familiar Seeress stood in his way.
"Hm?" He stopped
The second Yuel spoke"You are not of this world... I am uncertain as what to think of you. Master Dragoon."
"Yuel? Wait, something's different. Might you be another Yuel from a different time?" Kain asked.
The Second Yuel nodded"Yes. One of the countless Yuels. With all the memories of our predessors, we were reborn over and over... And we pointlessly die- Over and over. I am but one of those tragedies. I did have a wish though... I wished that I could live forever with Caius. I bestowed him with the power of chaos and darkness. All for that wish. But I was mistaken. When I gave him eternal life, he turned his back on it- seeking only such a pointless end to all things..." She looked regretful.
"I see..." Kain frowned"But you were the reason why he killed Etro, was that not so?"
"To a point, yes" The Second Yuel nodded"We were the catalyst that drove Caius to his doom." She created more platforms made of chaos.
"I almost pity him in that case..." Kain remarked"Still, I must put him out of his misery." He then started ascending the platforms. He wondered throughout the temple, avoiding the monsters and heartless, until he witnessed a familiar nobody, sitting down on the floor
Raixihk was in deep depression until she noticed Kain"I made Saxito suffer, you know... Made him hate Xehanort because I was unknowingly consuming his memories... Consuming his past... He loved me dearly that he couldn't bare to lose something he cared about... And now look at the worlds... They're in ruin because of me... And now you're here... Caught in the middle of all this." The Dragoon noted that she was speaking in a saddened tone.
"Xehanort has caused much suffering, indeed. Saxito had every right to despise him, regardless. Even so, Saxito took things too far, no thanks to Vanitas. I only can offer my sympathies for you and Saxito having been caught up in Xehanort's schemes" The Dragoon said.
Raixihk smiled sadly"It wasn't always like this, though. The adventures we had... The lives we've saved... The friendships we forged during our time in and out of the organization... We never forgotten Roxas... Axel... And Xion. We coveted their lives as if they truly had hearts. My life-... My original Somebody's life... Was a Yuel herself. The original Yuel. When the curse began... Each of the generations started to change to the Yuels you see... And the origin of the curse... Was not The Goddess Etro."
Kain was surprised"What was the curse's origin, then?"
"The truth... Lies ahead" Raixihk got up and opened a dark corridor to the other side"Find the remaining Yuel... She will tell you the source... And Kain? I have a favor to ask... If you see Saxito again... Please... Tell him that I will always love him" she said with a look of longing.
"Very well" Kain said"I shall pass on the message." He entered the dark corridor and wandered on ahead, the corridors and hallways started to look more familiar. He was reaching Etro's throne. But the way was blocked once more, as the stairs were eroded and collapsed, followed by a Raixihk look-alike. having fancy black clothes, 2 straps making an X with a star shaped emblem in the center, and greyish black eyes, black-ish purple lipstick with shoes Aqua would wear.
The Original Yeul noticed Kain"So, life continues on, even in a dying world such as this..." She said with a sad smile"I hope it was all worth it in the end, Mr. Highwind."
"I can't say for certain that it is, not the way things are, presently" The Dragoon nodded.
The Original Yuel nodded"True enough." She continued with a forlorn look as darkness surrounded her body while flashing with light at the same time"My curse that created all this insanity... The cause of Caius being trapped with eternal life... It was all due to the machinations of my father...The Master of Masters... As well and my friend Aaron... And lastly, the nobody from the future, Saxito. Their actions have broken the dam that Etro had built."
"What was the Master of Master's part in all this?" Kain inquired.
"He was the one who invented the chaos for one purpose... To utilize all of it, and use it to power the X-blade for my distant descendant to use it... But the chaos couldn't be stopped. It warped the darkness into something terrifying, after the keyblade war... And the end result was not what any one of us expected" Yuel said with a look of sorrow.
Kain nodded"I see. And one more thing" he added, feeling he had to know"What was the exact cause of the curse that killed Lightning's sister?"
"It was an outside influence, from a different world line dimensional universe" Yuel said"I don't know who originally caused it. I'm sorry." She summoned the Starlight Keyblade and creates a starway made of light"One more thing... Please save Caius. He didn't deserve this torment."
"I will" Kain nodded.
The Original Yuel took off the Starlight keychain and gave it to Kain"Give this to Aaron's son as well. I don't need this keyblade anymore." He nodded and took the chain before heading up the stairs, at last arriving towards the throne of Etro itself. Of whom Caius himself was sitting upon.
Caius grunted"In this dying world, nothing is more precious than time... Hmph, Invi was right about one thing, I WAS destined to arrive here in this place, waiting for the savior. But why do you waste such efforts on me, Dragoon, when you yourself isn't one such being?"
"I intend to put an end to your suffering" The Dragoon replied"I do not agree with what Bhunivelze is trying to do, but I still intend to save everyone."
Caius stood up"I refuse to allow you to save me, Kain."
Kain shrugged"Perhaps not, but this has gone on long enough." He got out his lance.
Caius jumped down from the throne"You forget that this will never end so long as the Master of Masters still lives. Even if one Yuel demands my salvation, another demands the opposite. So go ahead, Dragoon. Cleave the evil from me and save me, if you can." He slashed Kain, only for him to parry the attack. The purple haired man snarled"If you wish to have my soul... Then you will have to take it by force!"
Kain jumped into the air and brought his lance downward, only for his opponent to dodge.
"Embrace the terror!" Caius unleashed Chaos Bahamut and attacked with Megaflare before returning to normal. Kain narrowly avoided Megaflare and darted forward with a jab before darting to the side with a horizontal swing. Caius retaliated with frost strikes and dark waves, but it proved futile as Kain switched outfit crystals turning him to a Paladin with a large shield, blocking his dark attacks before reverting back to his Dragoon outfit and knocking Caius down with a jump attack.
"You claim that you are a hunter of souls, but unfortunately for you, you cannot claim mine" Caius grunted, getting back up.
Kain frowned, perplexed"Why not?"
"Behold" Caius threw his sword in the air as it stabbed his heart, only for darkness to come out and consume his body, resulting him being unharmed.
Kain was surprised" I see. So I was wasting my time."
"As you can see..." Caius continued"Yuel's power is too great." He looked at the throne"Even if she desires no harm. Tell me, Dragoon. In the new universe that Bhunivelze creates, would the people welcome her with open arms, even with all the chaos inside her? Even with all the horrible and terrible power she could possibly unleash upon the world...?"
Kain shook his head"No, I suppose not."
Caius nodded"She is but a child... And children need to be looked after. As Yuel is... The chaos itself, there is no future for her in it, as I will be left behind with her and be destroyed along with the old universe."
"Is this what you hope to atone for in your crimes?" Kain asked"To be pointlessly devoured by nothingness and be left to rot in the dark?"
"Hmph, my heart and soul have already been rotted away..." Caius said, uncaring"And this body will be consumed by the chaos before long. And when That elder god parishes... Materia and Spiritus will unknowingly create a temporal duplicate version of myself. And he will be unaware of what has already transpired."
Kain raised an eyebrow"Materia and Spiritus? Who do you speak of?"
Caius was about to reply, but then looked up as he caught sight of Raixihk.
"They're the new gods of harmony and disorder" the Nobody said"The unwritten future of many possibilities..." She then faded with darkness.
"Ah!" Kain gasped"That is surprising. And yet I cannot fathem how they are known to exist, with this universe as unstable as it is, it seems impossible that they do."
Caius shrugged"It seems that you are mistaken. Now leave, Dragoon. Do not confuse yuel, any longer" chaos consumed the former guardian and he vanished.
Just then, Droul dark corridored on Etro's throne"Kain, bravo. You've completed the game."
"As promised on my part" grunted the Dragoon"Now, will you let the girl go?"
"You did earn your prize" Droul threw him the card Haru was trapped in"But I would have to say, using you to get here was a most valuable profit I've seen yet."
Kain nodded, then asked"What business did you have here?"
"Time is a very fickled thing" The former Gambler of Fate murmured"One moment, you're on the run of your own life, the next you learn that your entire life is based around a game that is enjoyed by millions of souls."
"So everything really is just a gamble with you" Kain said"Or were you looking for a place to hide?"
Droul shrugged"Let's just say that I have been given a purpose in this dying world. My memories are coming back to me, and I've been a member of the Dandelions from the very beginning."
"The Dandelions?" Kain asked, perplexed"I haven't heard of them."
"We are survivors that chose to ignore the keyblade war, as well as King Aaron and Exoduxia" Droul elaborated"All thanks to Master Ava."
"Master Ava? Of the Foretellers!?" Kain frowned"Come to think of it, I met Aced earlier. What are the Dandelions and the Foretellers trying to accomplish in this dying point of time?"
Droul just smiled, amused"That is all I am going to tell you I'm afraid. Do you think you can live, not knowing what's to come? Part of the fun is in not knowing, and coming up with your own conclusions." With that, he vanished into the dark corridor.
'I suppose I cannot. But I must do what I can' Kain thought as he took the card that contained Haru.
Another chapter done. Might be many more to do before this fic is finished, but oh well. I hope this chapter was enjoyable.