I'm back! No current announcements, so shout outs:

Legionary Prime: Thanks, I hope it doesn't disappoint!

Lucenthia: Thanks, I really wanted to show that, in order to avoid misconceptions. I'm glad!

soraroxas123: Haha, he is definitely not happy right now! Well, I can't tell you right now! All I will say is that he is NOT an OC.

T1M3: Hopefully, they can! That'll be her big obstacle to get through for the next little while, yeah. Thanks!

Alright! I own a great deal of things in this series, but if it was in the games, it's not mine! Enjoy.

Chapter 35: Temple of Decay

The smell of Corruption's Temple was even worse than they had assumed. Rayne wrinkled her nose in disgust as she walked through what evidently used to be a grand entrance chamber. "Look for sizeable traces like the one we found in the Vault." she reminded her companions. Lea, Ven, and Kairi nodded and began examining the floor and walls closely.

However, something else had caught her interest. She cocked her head curiously as she walked toward a fallen statue. The bottom half still stood, but the torso and above was lying on its side on the stone floor. She crouched down and touched her hand to the blade clutched in its hand. Of course the blade was stone like its owner, but she immediately recognized it as the X-blade.

With a slight start, she looked up to see a second identical statue flanking the other side of the door. "Why are there tributes to the X-blade in a Temple that's older than the weapon on these statues?" she wondered aloud. The other three heard her words and walked over to look for themselves.

"Well, do you know for sure that Corruption came before the X-blade?" Kairi asked hesitantly.

"Of course we…." Rayne began, but slowly cut off and looked at Ven. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Remember what your father found in Ansem's library. Light and Darkness were the originals. Corruption was never meant to exist, so maybe Zatorian did make the X-blade before the third Divine Being appeared." he theorized.

"I hate maybes. Let's just go see what we can find." Lea muttered as he walked forward and heaved greatly, slowly pushing the massive stone door inward.

The door opened the way to the rest of the Temple's interior, and an even fouler smell hit their nostrils immediately. "Ugh, what is that?" Kairi gasped in disgust.

"Take a look around, and you'll find out." Rayne murmured, having seen it right away.

They had stumbled into a massive room, but the light from outside only reached in a few yards. Lea quickly held his palm out and shot out a dozen fireballs. They homed through the air and found their places in old torch holders, lighting up the place. In every direction, countless altars were ornately placed upon the floor, and they seemed to spread throughout the entire Temple. "Altars? What were they used for?" Lea commented.

"The people of Kamirran were cannibals who worshipped the Anvil of Keys. What do you think these were for, Lea?" Kairi reminded him. Sure enough, Ven walked up to the nearest one and saw a human skeleton still tied atop it. The skeleton was lying face down, the place where its throat once was directly over a bowl that drained to the floor.

"Neck slicing. Yikes." The red head said as he stepped back and rubbed his own throat.

"Now we see the hold Corruption had on these guys. Demanding blood sacrifices that never ended and enthralling the entire populace under his control. What were his goals back then? To hide the Anvil from the world? Or was he just angry that he doesn't have power over human life and death?" Ven asked wonderingly. Only a quick glance told him that there were skeletons lying on every altar nearby them.

"Well, remember what Dawnomar said to my dad before all of this. Something like 'Corruption was the forgotten child who was exiled from the Realm of the Ancients." Rayne replied as she continued looking for a large but tangible piece of Corruption to add to their collection. But then, she realized something. "Wait. Maechil didn't want Corruption around, but he didn't want people finding the Anvil after Zatorian betrayed him. What if those were his real orders here? What if Corruption was sent here to protect the Anvil?" she theorized as she turned back to look at them.

"It's a good theory, but we don't have any proof. Maybe if we….." Lea began to agree, but stopped. For in that moment, each of the distant fireballs went out, extinguished simultaneously. The four slowly turned in that direction and summoned their Keyblades, until something closed the door behind them and left them in total darkness.

"Lea." Ven whispered. In another moment, Lea stabbed his blade into the ground and raised his arms up toward the ceiling. Pillars of flame erupted all around them, close enough to light their surroundings but far enough away so as not to entrap them. "We mean no harm." Kairi bravely declared. Rayne heard a faint clunk that sounded similar to when Dawnomar walked. Then, she heard it again, though it came from behind her. She then heard the noise from three different directions.

"Who dares enter the Temple of Decay, greatest of the Elder Lords and ruler of Old Kamirran?" a dangerous voice sounded from the dark. Ven cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Agents of the Light's Enforcers and Warriors of the Keyblade Order. Stand down." he calmly demanded. The voice laughed coldly as its owner stepped into the light. He was standing directly in front of Rayne, but she noticed three more men step out, each standing in front of one of the Keybladers. They wore identical clothes, skin from some sort of feline animal covering their waists and below, but wearing nothing on their torsos.

"We are the last remnants of the Kamirran priesthood. For centuries, we have guarded this place, and its secrets. The essence of our master has kept us alive all this time, for our human parts died long ago. Now only shadows remain, shadows bound to the will of Decay. We suffer no intruders to pass, nor to return and spread word of the existence of this holy place. For you to break in, the old defenses must be wearing thin. But with the blood from your sacrifices, we shall have enough power to hold this place for a few more short years." the first man declared.

"Don't try it." Lea challenged, smirking confidently. In response, the four priests moved as one and raised identical staffs. Blue beams of energy surged forth from the staff heads, each focusing in on a Keyblader. The beam hit Rayne with such force that she felt herself slide back several feet, but managed to keep Equilibrium up and stop the attack itself from actually hitting her. From the presences around her, she could sense the other three holding their own, as well.

Ven twisted his Keyblade, angling the beam down into the ground as he dashed through the air toward his respective target. He let out a war cry as he reared back and swung fiercely. He hit the priest, but the man took the strike like a cloud, watching the Keyblade phase through him harmlessly. He then altered his form into gray vapor and disappeared into the surrounding darkness. "Ven!" Rayne yelled from behind him. He glanced around to her as he kept an eye out for his target. "Help keep them busy! I'm gonna look for a piece we can use to track Corruption!" she told him. He nodded and turned just as his opponent reappeared.

MEANWHILE, LAND OF DEPARTURE….

With a tired sigh, Jack and Sora pushed open the castle's front doors and walked inside. Jason, Mist, and Riku were waiting for them by the computer station. Sora casually tossed the Keychain of the Eternity Fang over to Jason and sank onto the couch, closing his eyes tiredly. "Maynaimar took a lot out of you?" Riku asked with a slight smile. Sora kept his shut as he replied.

"You have no idea. I don't even know how I beat him, to be honest. At the end, he just kinda gave up and waited for the end." he admitted.

Mist walked up and hugged her husband, who returned the embrace. "I'm fine. There was nothing out there I hadn't faced before." he assured her. Jason grunted curiously.

"And what of Light? I heard your report, but it surprises me that the Divine Being who usually proves himself strongest among the three ran away after a short battle with you." he asked.

"I agree. Throughout that whole fight, I could feel him holding back. WAY back. I believe that he was toying with me, in an attempt to see how strong I've become since I cast him off. I guess he was impressed with what he saw, because afterward, he left Maynaimar to die." Jack said with a shrug of his shoulders. All he wanted to do at the moment was lie down and rest. With a start, he realized that he hadn't slept in three days. "I guess it's easy to ignore once you've done it so many times." he thought as Jason addressed Sora.

"You said that Maynaimar gave up at the end of the battle?" he asked. Sora tiredly grunted in response. At that moment, Little Pierce ran in and hugged his father's knees with such speed that he nearly bounced back from them. Jack chuckled lovingly as he reached down and wrapped his arms around his son.

"How've you been, huh? Are you having fun here?" he asked little Pierce as he ruffled his hair. The six year old nodded vigorously.

"Yeah, loads, Daddy! But….I miss Master Eraqus. And I miss seeing Rayne, too!" he replied with a comical mixture of sadness and happiness. Jack laughed as he stood back up.

"I know, buddy." he said empathetically. He then looked up to see Dawnomar staring at them all. He locked eyes with the Ancient as he spoke to his son. "Hey, Pierce? Why don't you go outside and play? Just stay where we can see you from the windows." he stated politely. Mist heard the gravity in his voice, but the six year old didn't, instead whooping gleefully and running outside without a backward glance.

"It was I who spoke to Maynaimar in his final moments. I could feel his emotions as the battle with Sora raged on. He once was blindly loyal to Maechil, and still was when he began the invasion upon Disney Kingdom. But, as he battled Sora, for the first time he saw humanity up close. It was then that he could finally realize that humans had emotion, intelligence, and lives of their own. This obvious truth is missed on many of my people who have never left the Sacred Realm. Of course, they hear about all that goes on in these Realms, but they have been raised to believe that our race comes first and all other concerns are optional. Maechil has, in recent months, led them to believe that his 'investment' with humanity is no longer worth the toil it requires to keep your realm alive. At the end, Maynaimar understood, just as I have come to realize, that humanity IS worth fighting for." he explained sadly, no doubt due to the loss of a man he regarded as a friend.

"You know, I never really thought about what you gave up to stand with us. It must be hard." Mist replied thoughtfully. He smiled kindly at her and stepped forward.

"I only gave up trivial things, such as rank and wealth. What are those when compared to millions of lives I may possibly help to save?" he told her, as if it had been an easy choice. He then looked to Jack. "I need to speak with you, privately." he said. The Wanderer raised an eyebrow in interest, but followed him out of the room. He ignored the looks Riku, Mist, and Jason gave him as he headed for the basement and walked down to the Anvil chamber.

"What is it?" he asked once he shut the door behind them. Dawnomar sat down in one of the few chairs in the room and sighed. (Keeping the Peace, Dissidia)

"There is much on my mind, Jack. You felt it, I trust? The change in the very air once Maynaimar was struck down?" he began. Jack nodded immediately.

"Yeah, I felt it. What does it mean?" he asked urgently. He didn't like the look on the Ancient's face, and he had been uneasy since he had felt the worlds shift in balance. Dawnomar sighed, trying to find the words.

"From the beginning of recorded history, Maechil created six in his image. Myself, Tsunetar, Saenatar, Kunomar, Anetar, and Maynaimar were his first creations. Together, we brought shape to the emptiness around us, in time building the vast and beautiful land that we call our home. We six were born from Maechil's direct life force. As such, he gave up a piece of himself to give us life. The seven of us later rose lesser beings built in our likeness, and thus began the production of our proud race. But even so, these Ancients held deep power within themselves that thrived off of our own thoughts and emotions. In hindsight, Maechil holds unimaginable sway over his subjects. Though they retain their free will, it is easy for him to manipulate the vast majority. The Council wished to see if life could exist beyond the scope of our own power. From there, we built a vessel that held none of our power, only the simple necessities of life."

"And so you created humanity." Jack surmised. Dawnomar nodded.

"But to my point. From that beginning, the seven of us, or eight once Adenar joined us, not only ruled the realms from afar, but also held that fragile balance of life throughout the entire universe. It came from our very life essences, and with eight, we held it with ease. But once we lost Anetar and Adenar, we began to see the signs. Now that Maynaimar is gone, it is truly beginning to affect the worlds, Jack." he explained. This information caused the Wanderer to step backward, not knowing what to say.

"So then….what are you saying? This isn't something we can fight, Dawnomar! What are we supposed to do about this?! If we kill the Organization, then there won't be any balance left in the worlds, but if we let them live, then the Realm of Light and everyone in it will be wiped out!" he burst out in shock. Dawnomar stared at him understandingly.

"For my part, I took the opportunity of being in close proximity to Maynaimar at the time of his demise. Consequently, I took all of his power as my own, just as Maechil took both Anetar and Adenar's. I am still playing my part to uphold the balance, as are my former colleagues. In truth, the reconstruction of the human realms is beyond their power now. At best, they hope to reduce it to its lowest foundation. If that foundation was gone, then Maechil would be able to rebuild nothing save his own realm. Nevertheless, the further we go in this war, the more prevalent this issue shall become, Jack. Do not doubt that." he warned with calm urgency. Jack pressed his back against the wall and slowly slid to the floor, where he stayed in a crouched position.

"You'll forgive me if I say we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Dawnomar, do you think that Sora killing Maynaimar will affect Maechil's plans, maybe even slow him down?" he decided before asking. The Ancient looked at the ground thoughtfully.

"As much as I wish that would be the case, I sense it is the opposite. With Adenar's death, it was something he had foreseen, and even arranged. But with Maynaimar, that was not supposed to happen. He now understands that we ARE strong enough to challenge him, and that we are capable of defeating his allies. He will take no more chances, Jack. He will unleash Saenatar and the Divine Beings upon the worlds in blind fury. He shall take every precaution to prevent any more surprises from our end. In fact, I have another suspicion, but I do not yet have enough evidence to voice it." he explained. At hearing that name, Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Saenatar. He's the one who killed Eraqus." he stated. Dawnomar nodded in response. "Well, then it's a good thing he'll be out where we can find him. I know a couple of people who've been waiting to stick him full of stab wounds." he finished.

"Jack, there is one other thing." Dawnomar spoke up.

"What is it?" Jack asked him as he halted what would have been an angry rant to listen.

"A word of caution: you must not be reckless. Maechil expects that from you, and is waiting for it. He is sending Saenatar out into the open in an attempt to draw you out." the Ancient began, but Jack cut him off.

"Why me? Why am I Maechil's most wanted? Sora's just as strong as I am, and Marek's the one who started this war!" he demanded angrily. Dawnomar smiled slightly.

"You underestimate yourself yet again, Jack. Whether you and Sora possess the same amount of power is irrelevant. You showed yourself capable of something that Sora has not. You are the first man in a thousand years to defeat Light AND Darkness simultaneously. You not only conquered Light, but you held it at your fingertips and turned him against himself, and used that power to save your own brother. That is why Maechil fears you, Jack. Because of that victory, you have become an icon, even in the eyes of my people. It is my belief that Maechil intends to draw you out, where he can kill you. Without you, Light shall run unchecked, with only Sora and Pierce possibly being able to stop him." he reminded the other man, who shook his head but stood up resolutely.

"What must I do?" he asked. Dawnomar sighed and looked away.

"We both know the Prophecy, Dawnomar. Will you truly let Jack's fate be on your conscience?" Kunomar's words echoed in his thoughts. Did Jack need to know what information he had gained from his old lover?

He mulled this over in thought for several more moments. "Dawnomar?" Jack asked when he said nothing. The Ancient looked up at him. No, it was not the time.

"You must keep your friends close, and rely only on those you trust. Counter Saenatar's moves before they are made. Given the chance, he will wipe out entire worlds. Track the Divine Beings, and do not let them out of your sight. Keep an eye on the X-blade, for Maechil is still seeking Rayne for it. She must learn to control it before she is forced to seek its full power. These things are what you must do." he told him somewhat firmly. He then stood to his feet and strode to the door, his staff making the familiar clunk it always did. Jack stood there staring into the Anvil's light for several moments after the Ancient left the room.

He could tell the old man was hiding something. But, he knew he had to trust him. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what Dawnomar was investigating, and what urgency it held if he would not reveal it until he had more evidence. (end Keeping the Peace)

MEANWHILE, TEMPLE OF CORRUPTION…

(Dismiss, Birth by Sleep)

Rayne gritted her teeth as she rolled to the side in order to dodge a bolt of energy from one of the priests. She swiftly cast out a fireball toward him as she ran and ducked behind a nearby altar. The priest twirled his staff and deflected it before he morphed into a cloud of vapor and teleported over behind her. He materialized right where she had been looking, but she immediately kicked him in the face, sending him stumbling for a split second. It was enough time for Ven, who leapt up behind him with a war cry and plunged his Keyblade into the man's back.

The man let out a scream and vanished like a wisp of cloud. Ven held out his hand to her, and she took it gratefully.

On the other side of the room, Kairi dashed in close to strike her opponent, but the priest side-stepped it and struck her in the face with his staff. She groaned as she fell back through the air and landed nimbly on the wall. She sprinted along the wall and jumped out, spinning around on a nearby pillar and propelling herself back at him.

She reared back and swung, but the man transported himself behind her and caused her to land striking the ground with her attack. She whirled around in time to block a bolt of energy sent her way. She glared at the priest as she moved her free hand down low and aimed at him. She sent a blast of ice his way and caused him to stop his attack in order to block it. Immediately, she dashed through the air at him. He looked up and redirected his energy bolt at her, but she had expected it. She covered herself in a barrier of Reflect magic, causing the attack to bounce off and hit the walls and ceiling until she got in close.

At that moment, she let down the barrier and swung as she dashed past him. Without turning around, she heard a gasp of pain and heard him dissolve with the sound of hissing steam. She smirked as she turned and ran toward Lea, who was pinned behind the altars and being forced to run back and forth between cover by the third priest.

Rayne and Ven moved in on the head priest, who seemed more powerful than his brethren. He thumped his staff on the ground a single time, and the two groaned as the skeletons rose from the altars and ran toward them. Rayne started forward, but Ven pulled her behind him and held out his hand. A powerful gust of wind surged forth and knocked several dozen of them into the wall, where they shattered into piles of bones.

Rayne moved in and engaged some of the other advancing skeletons. After hitting a couple of them, she gradually realized that they were resilient to physical attacks. If she whacked an arm off, they would just keep coming. She shook her head as she felt her back press against the wall, with the rest of the skeletons closing in on her. She looked over and could see Ven dueling with the priest. She was on her own.

She stuck the tip of Equilibrium into the ground and then swung toward her opponents. A wave of earth and wind magic erupted in its wake and snaked along the floor until it crashed into them and shattered every single skeleton. She sighed as she ran over to where Ven and the head priest were fighting.

Kairi swung widely at the priest she was battling, but he blocked with his staff and cast out a burst of gray energy. She blocked it, but the force still sent her sliding back several yards. It was then that Lea leapt out from behind him and raised his blade back over his head. The priest turned and struck him in the stomach with his staff, causing Lea to groan as he was sent flying up into the ceiling. He crashed into the stone, before falling down and hitting the floor with an echoing clank from his armor. Satisfied, the priest turned back to Kairi, who ran up and rained blows furiously upon him. He blocked each of them, but every time he was pushed farther and farther back. The woman he was battling fought with a rage she had not held a moment before, but she pressed the offensive. With each strike she stepped forward, causing him to retreat slightly.

She swung one final time and caught him in a weapon lock. He glared into her eyes, but she smirked as a Keyblade suddenly erupted through his stomach, before being swiftly pulled out. The man screamed as he dissolved into vapor, and Lea nodded to her as they turned their attention toward the last remaining priest.

They joined Ven and Rayne against their final opponent. The priest roared angrily as he struck the ground with his staff. The altar closest to him sprang up into the air, and he smacked it with his weapon. This caused it to fly at the group, but they scattered in time to dodge it. Consequently, it soared past them and struck one of the walls. This caused the entire place to shake momentarily. "You shall not leave here alive!" the priest declared as he furiously stabbed his staff into the floor.

The entire Temple began rumbling, and the four looked in surprise as a huge crack began to appear in the floor. "He's trying to bring this place down on top of us!" Kairi yelled urgently. Rayne nodded and looked back at the closed door leading back outside.

"Lea, get the door open!" she told him. He looked at her questioningly.

"What about the fragment of Corruption we came here for?!" he asked over the noise of the shaking Temple. She shook her head.

"We'll take care of it, but I'd rather leave empty handed than not at all!" she replied. He nodded and made for the door. The dark haired girl then turned her attention back to the priest, Ven and Kairi ready to attack at a moment's notice. She nodded, and the three simultaneously charged him.

The priest saw them coming and drove his staff even deeper into the Temple floor. A deafening explosion came from unseen rooms near them, and stone began to fall from the walls and ceiling. Even the support pillars had begun to collapse. "Together!" Ven yelled. They moved in from each side and dashed in at the same time, striking him three times in one moment.

The priest let out a pathetic scream of pain as he lurched backward and fell onto his back, only to dissolve a moment later. His staff flew through the air until it hit the ground and skidded to a halt at Rayne's feet. She glanced down at it, and watched as it changed from a staff into a gray stone that pulsed with energy. "The fragment of Corruption!" she whispered excitedly. She quickly picked it up as Ven and Kairi waved her to the door.

She ran up as the ceiling started caving in behind her and dove out through the door just as it fell in. "Come on! The whole mountain's coming down!" she heard Lea yell through the smoke ahead of her. She ran through the outer doorway and saw the other three run out ahead of her and leap off the cliff. She quickly followed suit and jumped into the open air, quickly summoning her rider and following them up into the sky.

Once they were at a safe altitude, the four stopped and looked back at the mountain where the Temple was. Apparently, the priest had activated a failsafe mechanism. Not just the room was gone, but the entire mountain was collapsing like a deck of cards. "Question." Lea announced. The other three turned to him, and he pointed at the falling mountain. "If that Temple is gone, where are we gonna seal Corruption in?" he asked. (end Dismiss)

It was a good question, and one that probably only Dawnomar had an answer for.

And that's the Temple of Corruption. We're soon to be reaching the climax of Part 2, so I hope you're ready for that! Other than that thought, I don't have much to say. As always, thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next chapter!