Resolved
Goofy and Donald had freed the last of the faction soldiers, who were still alive, and had them bound and subdued, taking them prisoner. They placed them in the gummi one at a time.
"I can't believe this." Donald uttered. "I was hoping to go into action, but here we are doing prisoner duty."
"I hope that everyone's alright." Goofy implied.
But no sooner had he said that, the entire KH team was seen coming towards them.
"Goofy, Donald," Ophelia shouted.
"Hey, Donald, they're back!"-
"Start the gummies now! Get into the ships and hurry!"-
"What's the rush, what's going on?" Donald asked.
"We're leaving right now!"-
"The entire island is about to submerge!" Riku added.
"Oh boy…" Donald uttered.
"Hurry, get on board, ladies and gents." Cuchulain said.
"Okay, okay," Goofy said. He turned to the faction soldiers. "Hurry up you guys! The island's gonna sink." He rushed the faction soldiers in the gummi hastily placing them in the confinement area.
"And no trouble out of any of you," Ophelia added, "Or so help me, I'll make sure to throw you out of the ship."
They boarded in and fastened up as the engines of the three gummies ignited. The ships lifted off just as the water reached the old port. The team watched as the giant sea turtle dove beneath the waves, taking with it the ruins, Envy, and the Hand of Midas. Once again, the secrets were concealed.
"There is goes," Sora said, "Back into the sea."
"We have to get back to Agrabah before the faction destroys it." Winry said.
"That's where we're all headed."-
"I came so close." Ed uttered. "Damn it, I came so close to settling the score with Saber." He gripped his hand tightly around his leg. "I'll have revenge sooner or later."
"Take it easy, Edward." Sora said. "You'll get your revenge soon. Right now, we have to stop the faction."
"I guess you're right. It would be meaningless to charge in recklessly."-
The gummies made a dash to coordinate an attack on the faction's mother ship.
At the same time, Saber and Scimitar had arrived back at the mother ship. They immediately walked into his quarters.
"No more fooling around." Saber said. "We dispatch for Agrabah here and now."
"Yes sir." Scimitar replied. Saber contacted the main control.
"Main control, come in."-
"What is it, sir?" the commander asked.
"Set a course for the city of Agrabah. Make sure to deploy our shields. No doubt the KH team will arrive at the last minute to halt our assault with their gummi ships.
"Yes sir."-
"Oh yes, and one more thing, see to it to have the prisoners escorted to my quarters."-
"Yes sir." The transmission ended.
"What do you need with the prisoners?" Scimitar asked.
"I feel a little humorous today, Scimitar." Saber said. "Let us tickle our pallets by tormenting our foes."
"This is a little out of our conduct, don't you think?"-
"Scimitar, the stone and the hand were what we came here for. Yet we failed at achieving both. Despite them now having irrelevance, it's the principle of the matter that counts. Those fools dared to strip us of our achievements. Thus, it stands to reason that we must enact revenge." Saber put his arms behind him. "I understand that Edward Elric wants revenge on us, especially me. Well, then let him have me if he wishes."-
"Edward Elric?"-
"No doubt that boy, with his alchemic skills, might have found a good reason to harass the faction. He'll take up arms against His Excellency and further become a nuisance in order to get to me. And I am not about to burden His Excellency with yet another determined youth willing to oversee the downfall of our cause. So, I'll save him the trouble of trying to find me." Saber opened a passage way to darkness. "I leave you in charge of the mission. Make sure to confirm that the deed is done."
"The city will no longer exist. It will be consumed in fired and brimstone. That will more than confirm our retribution."-
"Very well…" It was then that the sultan and Jasmine were brought in, escorted by three guards. "Well, your majesties, I hope you're ready to play pawns in my little chess game."
"What are you planning now, Saber?" Jasmine asked.
"Such bold words, princess, you are to assure the death of the Fullmetal Alchemist and hopefully the key bearers thereafter."-
"You heartless wretch." The sultan uttered.
"Now, now, you underestimate my powers of persuasion." Saber drew out his blade. "Let us be on our way."
"You might as well kill us now." Jasmine said. "We're not going anywhere."
"Determined to be stubborn are we? Not even the edge of my blade scares you."-
"Why should we be scared of cowards?"-
"I believe you're bluffing, princess. Your life is more valuable than you perceive it to be, especially now."-
"And what makes you think I'm bluffing."-
"Because you don't want to be responsible for murdering your unborn pride and joy," Saber sheathed his blade. "I understand you're with child." Immediately, Jasmine's eyes grew large with fear and anxiety. "I stand correct then by your reaction."
"Jasmine," the sultan uttered, "Are you pregnant?"
"Yes father…" Jasmine uttered. "I wanted to keep it a secret from you and Aladdin until the time was right."
"Oh dear," Saber said, "Did I ruin a nice little surprise. Oh well, it's none of my concern is it. But won't your dear Aladdin be thrilled to find out that he will be blessed with a child. But then again, won't he be in utter anguish when he heard that his unborn whelp was murdered and by the order of the child's own mother."
"You monster…"-
"A monster I am indeed. It's my business, it's what I do." Saber lifted his index finger up and a bizarre glow began to accumulate at its tip. Suddenly, Jasmine and the sultan went limp and fell forward. Saber caught both of them and hoisted them up on his shoulders. "No more prattling now." He turned to Scimitar. "I leave you in charge of the operations here. I'm expecting success."
"Pardon me of a minor protest, sir, but wouldn't it be more beneficial if we keep one of the hostages here in case we need to negotiate."-
"What's there to negotiate?"-
"I'm simply making precautions, sir. The reason why is because I notice this ship is not equipped with mobile dolls, or mobile droids, or anything of that matter, which can support up from outside."-
"Such a precaution is void. Even if the key bearers caught up with you, they would have to find someway to neutralize the destroyer's shields. But even if they did bring down the shield, they would have to initiate a great deal of fire power in order break through the hull. This destroyer has been fixed with ten feet of Gombrian steel and can withstand heavy bombardment from an entire blockade without having is shields deployed. Not even a blast from a charged particle gun can hinder effectively against it. So I believe that such a precaution is unnecessary. To add, regarding your concern about not being equipped with mobile dolls, this ship was deprived of those dolls because we figured them to be more effective elsewhere and that the primitive inhabitants of this world wouldn't be much of a threat to us. Therefore, there was no need for the dolls to be present. If the three gummies are the only contraptions that are a threat to us in this world, then there is nothing to fret over. The gummies would have to sustain a weapon three times their weight capacity in order to effectively pierce through the outer hull of the ship."-
"Perhaps you are right, sir. Perhaps I was being a little paranoid."-
"It'll take more than just three measly gummi ships to bring down a powerful destroyer like this."-
"Understood, sir."
"Be sure that nothing deters the ship from its target. No matter what the KH team smites the ship with, continue to Agrabah"-
"I understand, sir."-
Saber picked up his scouter and placed it over his good eye. He then disappeared into the darkness of the door. The door sealed behind him, leaving Scimitar to take charge.
"Your orders, ma'am?" one of the soldiers asked.
"Maintain a course for the city of Agrabah." Scimitar ordered. "Keep all outer defenses on standby and raise the shields. Have all radar, heat sensors, and energy sensors operative. I don't want those key bearers and their friends getting the advantage over us."
"Will do, madam,"-
The massive ship began to levitate into the sky like black storm.
In the meantime, the KH team hastily pursued the enemy, their gummies moving fast over the vast desert sand. Using the Zero Shift, it did not take them long to reach the area where the large destroyer was lifting off.
"There it is." Riku shouted.
"Prepare to engage!" Cuchulain ordered. "Be sure to stand clear of the outer defenses."
"Roger that."-
"Roger that." Sora added.
"Deploy funnel emitting system and Zero System." Cuchulain said. "Anti-cloaking and optical stealth activated." The three gummies made ready with their combat systems. Anti-cloaking devices activated, they stealthily approached the destroyer.
"Approaching target," Ophelia said, "Twelve hundred yards and closing."
"Hold." Cuchulain said. "I'll make the first shot at the hull."
"Ten hundred yards,"-
"Maintain formation."-
"Nine hundred yards,"-
"Beam cannon fully charged."-
"Eight hundred yards,"-
"Here we go! Deploying neutralizing shells," Cuchulain unleashed three missiles that rushed head on towards the large destroyer's surface.
The minute the bogies were deployed, they were caught on the mother ship's radar.
"We have incoming projectiles." One of the operatives said.
"What type are they?" the commander asked.
"They're neutralizers."-
"Shoot them down! We can't have them nullifying our shields!"-
"Yes sir."-
The outer defenses of the mother ship began to fire away at the incoming missiles.
"Come on, come on," Cuchulain uttered, "Just a litter further."
"One hundred yards," Ophelia shouted.
One of the bogies was shot down, but the other two hit their marker. They struck the shield protecting the hull and the electromagnetic particles nullified the barrier, exposing the metal surface.
"The shield has been neutralized." Ophelia said.
"All beam cannons open fire!" Cuchulain shouted. The three ships aimed their weapons and unleashed a barrage of energy. The hull was struck by the incoming energy and massive explosions caused the entire destroyer to shake violently.
"Damn it." The commander said. "They nullified our shields and have hit the hull."
"Heavy damage on the starboard beam," one of the operatives said.
"Any penetration?"-
"No penetration, sir, but the outer hull has been severely damaged. That attack managed to delve at least three feet into the protective surface."-
General Scimitar walked into the main control room, wishing to assess the damage inflicted.
"What's the story behind this breech, commander?" she asked.
"They used neutralizing projectiles to bring down our shields, general." The commander replied.
"I would certainly be more at ease if we actually had mobile dolls, or mobile droids to deploy."-
"Unfortunately we were ordered by His Excellency to make room for the transports and the Gatler tanks for this particular mission. He believed there wouldn't be anything threatening in this world and thought the dolls could be of better use somewhere else."-
"Well, the hull's thick enough to keep those gummies from breaking through. That's all that matters."-
"We'll do all in our power to hold them off. I'll contact our reinforcements from other realms and see if they can aid us."-
"Do what you will, but keep them off of our tail. I am not about to let all of our efforts here go to waste! General Saber and His Excellency are counting on us."-
"Yes madam."-
The battle in the sky continued as the three lone gummies harassed the bulk of the destroyer's outer defenses.
Saber had emerged in the cave of wonders with Princess Jasmine and the sultan still out cold over his shoulder. He emerged back into the chamber where the oracle scepter once resided. He placed them down over the table where the scepter once lay. Using his dark energy, he created a blue barrier that encircled their bodies. They thus started to levitate above the table's surface.
"You must pardon me, your majesties." The general snickered. "But I must away to lure a certain blonde haired upstart to his doom." Saber vanished again through another dark passage, leaving Jasmine and her father to slumber in the darkness of the cave.
The shields of the mother ship slowly regenerated, making the task of inflicting damage on her hull more difficult for the KH team.
"Stay focused to the matter at hand, ladies and gentlemen." Scimitar ordered. "It'll take more than three gummies to defeat a destroyer of this capacity."
"General," one of the operatives announced, "We're detecting a large power level on the ground."
"What was that?"-
"Monitoring the source of the power," the operative transmitted the image of the powers source. There upon the dunes, the image of General Saber appeared.
"It's General Saber."-
"What is the commander doing there?" the ship commander wondered. "I thought he departed not too long ago."
"He must've used the darkness doorway to come here. Knowing the general, he has other plans in mind, which explains his presence."-
The radars o the three gummies detected the power source as well.
"There's a large power level below us." Riku said. "Cuchulain, are you reading this?"-
"I'm picking the power level up too." Cuchulain added. "Is that who I think it is?"
"It's Saber," Sora added. "It has to be."
"Saber," Ed uttered, "Where is he! Get me a visual on that bastard."
"I'm relaying a visual." Sora locked onto the power source. On the screen, the raven hair stood with his arms folded in front of him. Edward, being stubborn and determined to fulfill his vendetta against Saber for his crimes, stood from his seat and ran to the hatch.
"Edward," Winry cried, "What are you doing?"
"I'm gonna settle things once and for all with that cocky bastard." Ed replied. "After all the hell he's put us through, I'm gonna take my time with him."
"Wait Ed," Sora protested. But Edward had already opened up the hatch. He looked down upon the general.
"I'm coming after you, Saber!" Ed jumped from the gummi.
"That's right, boy," Saber chuckled, "Come to me, come to death."
Edward landed upon the sand dunes with very little impact. He stood before the general.
"What the heck just happened?" Riku asked. "I could have sworn I saw Fullmetal jump from the gummi."
"He did." Sora replied. "He's intending to battle Saber."
The battle in the sky ceased for a moment as they two combatants stood face to face.
"I'm gonna enjoy kicking the crap out of you." Edward said.
"Oh, am I supposed to tremble at your declaration?" Saber asked. "Your threats are idle to me. I know that you have no chance against the likes of the leading Blade General."
"We'll just see about that!" Edward clapped his hand and unleashed his grappling blade. "I'll kill you!"
"Then let us see your abilities, Fullmetal." Saber created a dark portal and vanished in its shadows. Edward, not at all scared of what awaited him, pursued the general through the door.
"Edward!" Winry cried.
"Damn it," Sora said, "he went after him." Sora contacted Riku. "Riku, Fullmetal's gone after Saber through the portal."
"Great…" Riku replied. "Now what are we supposed to do. We have no idea where he's gone."
"We'll go after Fullmetal later." Cuchulain said. "The thing that matters right now is taking down this destroyer."
The main control of the destroyer watched as the two disappeared into the dark passage.
"What is the general doing?" the commander asked. "Why not battle Fullmetal here?"
"I see," Scimitar said, "General Saber is hoping to finish off Fullmetal once and for all. That boy's alchemic skills may prove a threat to the faction if he's allowed to run free. Saber must've lured Fullmetal to some isolated area where the KH team cannot offer aid to him. Most impressive…"
"But will the general be successful?"-
"It seems you lack faith in the general's abilities. He's more than a match for Fullmetal. He'll put that boy in an early grave." Scimitar looked at the commander. "Now enough of this babbling regarding the general, we have our own matters to attend to. Keep course for Agrabah and make sure the KH team doesn't fire anymore of those neutralizing missiles at our shields. I don't want this ship to suffer anymore damage than it already has."-
"Yes madam. Stay on course!"-
Once again, Edward found himself back in the cave of wonders. He gazed about, observing the familiarity of the chasms. He had returned to the frontal chamber.
"I'm back in the cave of wonders?" he uttered. "How did I get here?"
"I brought you here." Saber replied, "A nice secluded area where we can have our battle with no interruptions. How does that sound?"
"Fine," Edward said, "Get ready, Saber. You're going down!"
"Such a bold declaration you give, Fullmetal, but can you really back it up?"-
"Just watch me!" Edward was not about to sit around and be mocked by the general. Instead, he lunged forward, his grappling blade deployed. He thrust and slashed with his makeshift weapon, but Saber was too fast and agile to be hindered by the youth. Saber flipped over his head and landed softly to the alchemist's rear.
"So far, your skills are not impressive to me." He said. "I might as well withdraw from our duel. It's just not worth my time."
"Shut up!" Edward shouted. He lunged again from behind, but again Saber jumped over his head.
"The faith you bereft in your skills has failed you."-
"I'm not finished yet!" Edward quickly spun around and used an alchemic surge. Saber could feel the energy coming towards him. He jumped into the air and evaded a spike that appeared from the ground attempting to impale him. He landed and jumped again as another transmuted spike popped out of the ground. Repeatedly the process was done and with every attempt on the general's life, there came and evasion.
"This exhibition is pathetic." Saber said. "How much more of my time do you plan on wasting?"
"How can he move so fast?" Ed thought to himself.
The battle did not go unnoticed by the KH team who picked up the energy surges from the battle.
"Are you guys feeling that?" Sora asked.
"I feel it too." Riku replied. "It has to be Edward. I'd recognize that aura signature."
"That energy is coming from where the cave of wonders is." Sora quickly withdrew form the battle against the mother ship and headed towards the origin of power.
"Sora, where are you going?"-
"Edward's there alone with General Saber. We have to help him."
"But what about stopping the mother ship?"-
"We'll be back."-
"Damn it, Sora." Riku wasn't about to let Sora engage in another confrontation with General Saber alone.
"But what about the mother ship," Donald asked, "What about Agrabah?"
"That'll have to wait. I can't allow Sora to die. I can't seal the keyholes without him."-
"Riku," Cuchulain said, contacting the key bearer's gummi through the transmitter. "Where are you going?"
"Sora's heading back to the cave of wonders." Riku replied. "I'm not about to let him face Saber alone."-
"We have to take down this ship before it reaches Agrabah!"-
"I'm sorry…" Riku continued his pursuit for Sora.
"Riku, Sora, come back here!"-
"Now what are we supposed to do?" Ophelia said.
"I don't know." Cuchulain replied. "Should we go after them or stay the present course?"
"We can't possibly fight the mother ship on our own."-
"But even if there were three gummi ships working as one, there aren't enough armaments to effectively bring down that destroyer. It'll take a miracle."-
But no sooner had those words escaped his lips, a transmitted message came through to the gummi ship.
"Attention, attention, Riku, Sora," the voice said. "Come in, come in, this is Leon, over, over?"
"Leon…?" Ophelia uttered.
"Maybe we found our miracle after all." Cuchulain said. He picked up the transmission. "This is Cuchulain. We read you loud and clear, Leon."
Sora in the meantime, charged full speed towards the location of the cave of wonders.
"Ed," he uttered to himself, "Stay in there. We're on our way."
As the battles in the desert raged on, Aladdin rode upon carpet towards the cave of wonders, his mind focused on one thing, the oracle scepter. He remembered thoroughly the conversation that he had with Cunla no more than a half an hour before.
"So how is it you knew the faction would attack Agrabah for certain?" he asked.
"Not only was it from what Winry and Miss Billiard told us," Cunla explained, "But also we used the oracle scepter to determine where and when the action would take place and who would initiate the strategy."
"The oracle scepter, what's that?"-
"It's an item in which the inner spirit that dwells in the scepter's jewel is able to tell you anything that you wish to know. But it will only answer one question you ask. So you have to make sure you ask the right question."-
"I see…" Aladdin jumped onto carpet turned and that had been fully repaired. "I want you to make sure no one reenters the city until this matter is resolved with the faction."
"Wait Aladdin," Cunla asked, "Where are you going?"
"I'm gonna get that scepter and ask its spirit where I can find Jasmine and the Sultan. I'm expecting you to take care of things while I'm gone."-
"But…" However, before Cunla could finish his statement, Aladdin had already taken off.
"If I can get my hands on that scepter, I'll know then where the faction is holding Jasmine and the Sultan." But as he came over one of the dunes, he saw before him, the great faction mother ship, heading in his direction. Its dark form in the sky caused both Aladdin and carpet to react violently. They nearly crashed had it not been for Aladdin quickly regaining his posture. He watched the giant ship fly over his head "What the heck is that thing?" Rather than finding out, Aladdin kept on his course. "Whatever that thing is, I better stay out of sight. There's no time for me to get into any trouble right now. Jasmine and the sultan are relying on me to find them. And time might be running out for them as I speak."
The young prince continued on his way, little knowing that Riku, Sora, and the bulk of the KH team were already reaching the cave of wonders and not knowing at all that the massive object he passed was the faction's destroyer and that it was on its way to destroy Agrabah for good.
Edward still continued to battle his heart out against General Saber who had not drawn out his weapon yet.
"Is this the best you have, Fullmetal?" he said. "And to think that you're considered a threat to us. But it is not within my jurisdiction to pass judgment that easily."
"Why don't you stop playing around and take me seriously!" Ed replied. "Not unless you're afraid of me."
"Perhaps you're right. An alchemist like you doesn't need any leeway." Saber drew out his saber, which still accumulated that bizarre glow. "I have His Excellency to consider and I can't allow a whelp to deter his plans more than he already has!" Saber rushed in and engaged in his own offensive, which was more than what Edward was expecting. Slashing away at the youth, Saber entered a phase of extreme aggressiveness. He did not allow any time for the young alchemist to react and properly coordinate himself. Edward had to back down, blocking an evading.
"Where the heck did all this strength come from?" he thought to himself. "How could saber have become this powerful so soon?"
"What's wrong, Elric?" Saber said. "You said you didn't want me to play with you anymore, now you want me to go easy on you? Is that it?" Saber slashed from the side, but Ed was able to block the attack with his grappling blade. He pushed Saber away and rolled to a safe enough distance to unleash an alchemic surge. This time, he found Saber vulnerable to an all out attack. He clapped his hands and placed them securely on the ground. An alchemic surge erupted and large spikes sprang from the floor, trying to impale the general. But Saber only held his sword before him. It thus began to glow even brighter than before. As the spikes drew nearer, they suddenly diminished as if a force field or some other kind of barrier was preventing the alchemic surge from continuing its path.
"How did he do that?" Edward uttered to himself. "How could have halted the alchemic reaction?"
"I see that you are baffled by the strange phenomenon that has taken place." Saber said. "You wonder why the alchemic reaction came to an abrupt halt within a few feet of me. The solution is quite simple. It is due to the make up of this sword, which prevents alchemic reaction."
"But how…? What kind of sword is that?"-
"I'm surprised that you don't know of it. It originated from your world after all, but then again the knowledge of its existence has been lost since the days of alchemy's founding. It's called the alchemist sword."-
"The alchemist sword…?"-
"That's correct. The alchemist sword is used as a counter weapon against all alchemic reaction, but its soul purpose is to kill the one thing of alchemy that does not die so easily."-
"What do you mean?" Ed asked.
"It's specifically designed to kill homunculi." Saber replied
"Designed to kill homunculi?"
"I'm sure you are aware of the two main ways to kill a homunculus."-
"Two ways…?"-
"I see. You only know of one way to kill a homunculus and that must be by forcing a homunculus to confront a piece of what was once their original body. A homunculus is a mere reflection of their former self. Therefore if confronted by the real thing, they are paralyzed and become vulnerable."-
"I know that much already, what about the second technique?"-
"The second technique of killing a homunculus," Saber continued, "Is by slashing out the red stones that it consumed. The red stones are the things that allow a homunculus to maintain their youth and keep from perishing. One stone equals one death and one youth, as well as the physical strength needed. Deprive them of that nourishment and they become limp as pasta and can meet a sudden and rather permanent demise. However, there are some flaws to both of these scenarios. For the former, you may not be able to track down any pieces of a homunculus' original body. Perhaps there are none. And for the latter, you can't guarantee how many red stones they might have consumed." Saber held up the sword. "This sword, however, eliminates all the guess work and gives an ultimate power in one neat little package. The sword's power may not have any effect on you because you're human, but a homunculus is highly sensitive to its bizarre glow. The mere revealing of the blade is enough to cause a homunculus to enter a complete Cano tonic state. They will become paralyzed, their mental capacity will decrease, and at times they will have convulsions. Perhaps if you noticed, I never once unsheathed it when you were fighting Envy. If I had, the light from this sword would have caused his bodily functions to cease and he would be of no threat and of no use to anyone than a paperweight."
"But that sword," Edward uttered. "How could such a sword, a weapon that could kill all homunculi without the use of a transmutation circle or any original body parts, be forged?"
"It took a little sacrifice, but it was worth it." Saber replied.
"What kind of a sacrifice?"-
"If I told you, the answer you'll get will shock you."-
"Tell me!"-
"Do you know why the stones are red? Do you realize why the philosopher stone is red? The reason for this is because each soul has been somehow exposed to sin and evil. Even the slightest ounce of sin, like a little white lie, whether for good or evil, can taint a person's soul. If their thoughts are impure, no matter how minuscule, fast, or faint it might be, that's enough to pink a person's aura. This sword was created with the souls of those who had not been tainted red, or were never tainted red. Their souls were as white as snow. And it took at least a hundred sacrifices to complete the sword's forging."
"A hundred sacrifices? How the heck could you even think of creating a sword that involved a hundred sacrifices! That's barbaric!"-
"Well, as you can see by the sword's presence, I made it possible."-
"But that can't be. Even if you did fulfill that action, there can't be that many people who have never once thought of a single impure thought at least once in their lives. And even so, they would not be willing to throw their lives away just for the sake of forging a weapon. That cannot happen, would not happen."-
"Oh it was very easy for me to find a hundred such willing individuals to sacrifice. You just have to know where to look."-
"But the only kind of pure hearted people who could be sacrificed like that would be infants. They have no way of knowing how the…" But one Edward saw the face of Saber, grinning like a jack-o-lantern; he realized that he blurted out the source of sacrifices for the sword's forging. "You didn't…"
"And to think that you didn't have to second guess about the idea. It came to your lips almost instantly."-
"You monster, you used new born babies to be the conducting source for the sword! What kind of sick and twisted individual are you!"-
"One of a kind… You see infants when born are naturally pure of heart. They have no understanding of the world around them and how it works. They are not subject to sin or evil because they are not mentally developed enough to figure out such things. Thus, their souls remain untainted. Only when they reach that age, where they can think on their own and figure things out, that's when they are susceptive to the effects of sin and evil." Saber looked at the glimmering sword. "It is because of their sacrifice that this sword was able to be forged. Thus, I was able to slay six of the Homunculi, not including Envy, and their leader, the one pulling the strings. Even they were unaware of the swords power till the moment I revealed its blade. In my line of work, you can't afford to leave anything unturned."
"You killed a hundred new born babies for the sake of success?"-
"The sacrifice itself seems gruesome, but the ends justify the means in the conclusion."-
"And how do you justify this!" Edward demanded, angrily.
"Instead of scorning me," Saber uttered, "Why don't you thank me instead. I just saved you the trouble of having to deal with those homunculi. I just eliminated two to three years of evading and meddling for you. But it's typical of the world isn't it. You try to do a good deed for someone, but they interpret it as being brash and don't want anything to do with it."
"Those babies were sacrificed for an inanimate object! How could you even think about justifying the means like that! Those infants weren't even aware that they were being used as ingredients!"-
"If you think about it, humans, or for that matter any living thing is no different from the components of a bomb or a well refined machine. They can easily be replaced if they break down and they can be sacrificed for the greater good. One life is of no more worth than the other. Otherwise there would be no need for conflict."-
"You're wrong, every life is precious!"-
"That's where you're wrong, Fullmetal." Saber chuckled. "People are only precious when you want them to be. But if you say they have no value, especially someone you hate, then they have no value. Just as I. I am only acting as a tool to enact His Excellency's law and fulfill his dreams. The reason why is because I am of a great asset to him, but my life's value matters very little. The only reason why I find myself valuable is because I find myself useful. You can only guarantee your own value, but you can't determine the value of others."
"You're wrong! If you couldn't determine the value of others, then there would be no sense in making friends!"-
"That's all mere speculation. There's no real proof to it. Say, if I were to kill you here, do you really think anyone outside of your circle will mourn for you? Of course not because people don't care whether you live or die. They don't care about people they don't know. Those outside their circle are of little importance."-
"Well, at least I'll have people shed tears of sadness for me. You won't have that luxury though since you're nothing, but a tool."-
"Then let us see whose death has a bigger impact." Saber drew up his sword and a large funnel of sand began to bellow in the frontal chamber. Edward shielded his eyes. As the wind died and the sand descended to the ground in clouds, Fullmetal and General Saber stood at the ready to decipher which philosophy was the most potent. "You better be ready to kill me when the time comes, Fullmetal."
"Don't worry. After all that you've done, I won't have any trouble disposing with your worthless life."-
"Come at me then and prove your philosophy!"-
Cunla awaited the return of his comrades at Agrabah. Always, his concern focused on his father. Though the power in the atmosphere lingered, the boy prayed that it would not die out. But as he looked over the burning sands, he noticed something starting to rise in the horizon. It was excessively huge and dark, as if a large shadow was suddenly attempting to win back the land for nights past shade.
"What the heck is that?" he thought to himself. But as the big object rose higher and higher, he came to realize what it was that drew towards them. It was the destroyer of the Midnight Faction. "The faction is actually flying that large destroyer here?" Pretty soon, others present began to lay eyes upon the massive ship and a panic ensued.
"What is that thing?" one of the guards would shout.
"What demon is that?" another would cry.
"It's coming towards Agrabah." Another said.
Genie and the others, who were near Cunla, saw the massive ship heading over the desert sands.
"Hey kid," Genie said, "What's that?"
"It's that giant ship!" Iago squawked. "They're after us!"
"Get every soldier out of Agrabah now! The faction is on their way here!"-
"I'm on it!" Genie said. He quickly dispersed to tell the entire army.
"How the heck are we supposed to contend with that?" Cunla thought to himself. "It's virtually impossible to face off against a massive destroyer like that."
Suddenly, far before the large destroyer, one of the little gummies went flying towards the city. It landed hastily and Cuchulain jumped out.
"Cunla!" he cried.
"Dad!" Cunla shouted. "What's going on? Why's the faction coming here?"
"They plan on destroying the city. Listen can you give us an edge here? Can you give us at least twenty minutes at the most?"-
"What do you mean?"-
"We need a little more time before help arrives, at least twenty minutes."-
"But what do you expect me to do against that destroyer?" Cuchulain threw his son a portable transmitter that could be latched onto his collar.
"Negotiate with them! Just give us the signal on when you're ready to give your terms."-
"But exactly what am I supposed to negotiate?"-
Suddenly, Cunla watched as Colonel Billiard tossed out the faction prisoners they captured from the ship.
"Now move!" she shouted.
"Faction soldiers?" Cunla uttered.
"Perhaps the faction might be able to negotiate for their lives." Cuchulain said.
"Dad, the faction's not going to make any negotiations for the sake of a hand full of new recruits. Their lives aren't worth that much to the top brass."-
"It's the only thing open to us right now."-
"Well, I'll see what I can do."-
"Thanks…" Cuchulain turned back to the gummi.
"Wait, Dad, now where are you going?"-
"We're gonna see if we can physically hold them at bay."-
"What do you hope to accomplish with only one gummi?"-
"Whatever we can."-
"And suppose you get shot down in the process."-
"Don't worry, it's highly unlikely." Cuchulain smiled and jumped back into the ship and it sped off against the massive destroyer. Cunla only sighed.
"Just like my dad." He thought to himself. "Always has to charge in head on against an opponent large or more numerous than he. Not that it hasn't succeeded multiple times in the past though." He then looked at the prisoners who were still bound. They were new recruits alright, many of them not much older than he was. Cunla walked up the young soldiers.
"It's the Son of the Hound." The officer in charge said.
"Please, don't kill us." One soldier replied.
"I'm too young to die." Another added.
"Yep, they're new recruits alright." Cunla said. "It you want to live, you better cooperate to the letter and do everything I say. It may be the only way for you to survive."
"And why should we obey a traitor?" the officer said.
"Because I might be the only thing that stands between you and certain death right now." Cunla looked at each of the soldiers. "You're ones who'll do their duty, but I can see in each and every one of your eyes that you're not willing to die yet and in such a miserable way." Cunla unsheathed his sword. "Follow my orders and you'll survive. But I warn you, don't try any last minute heroics, or dare underestimate me because I'm a kid. You're dealing with the Son of the Hound and I've killed elite veterans within less than a few seconds." Cunla pointed his blade. "Now get up and start moving towards the city." The soldiers, not willing to take a chance, stood on their feet and walked towards Agrabah.
In the meantime, Cuchulain made his stance, hovering before the advancing ship.
"Here they come." Ophelia said.
"It's up to act as the first line of defense." Cuchulain replied.
"Then let's go for it!" Ophelia advanced the ship towards the destroyer.
In the destroyer, General Scimitar watched as the lone gummi began its run against them.
"Such futile effort." She thought to herself. "What do you intend to accomplish with only one gummi, Hound of Ulster? Do you really intend to do battle with this practically invincible battle station? I believe you've lost your head as well as your heart."
Once again, like a lone fly to a giant, the little gummi began to pester the large destroyer, though its efforts had no effect on the faction's mother ship.
The battle in the cave of wonders continued as Edward and Saber crossed blades, clashing, slicing, and thrusting. But despite their efforts, neither was able to hinder the other. However, this battle had a slight advantage against Edward Elric, whose long range alchemic surge was virtually useless against General Saber who was armed with the alchemist sword, preventing any type of transmutation or reaction to occur within his reach.
"What's wrong, Elric?" Saber chuckled. "You seem to be slowing down."
"I don't think so." Edward lunged forward with his blade, but again the general evaded.
"By the way you're conducting your strength; you're starting to battle only on emotion now. Perhaps it's the injustice that I inflicted upon you, your brother, and your friend. Is that not it?" Saber suddenly lunged at Edward, unleashing a sudden devastating counter attack, slashing and thrusting with his sword. Edward barely managed a defense. It was then that he felt a sudden pain on his left shoulder. Saber had cut him across the shoulder. Fullmetal quickly evaded and landed not too far from the general.
"Damn it…" he uttered to himself.
"I have finally hindered you, Fullmetal." Saber chuckled.
"Don't be too overconfident, it's just one cut."-
"That may be so, but it's through that cut that your body's life fluid will flow from your body. Tell me, Fullmetal, how much longer can you last against me at this rate?" Saber attacked again, using the same strike as before. Edward did his best to dodge the glowing blade of Saber's alchemist sword. He evaded again and managed to escape certain death. But once he stopped, he could feel the sudden effects that Saber was talking about. The cut, on his shoulder was more serious than he thought. His blood dripped from the wound, down his arm, stained his white glove and trickled in droplets to the floor.
"Is the cut that bad?" he thought. "No, it's this physical contact. Saber's trying to slow me down and he's using the cut to drain more blood out of me. It's like when I fought Cunla."
"Is your body getting heavier?" Saber again attacked head on lunging and slicing. Edward could only do so much. He was on the defensive now and only did what was needed for his survival. But he could feel the effects of his body. His reaction and timing seemed more sluggish.
"I'm getting dizzy," he uttered, "I'm losing too much blood."
"It's over for you, Fullmetal! Retribution is at hand!" Saber lunged again, but Edward quickly evaded. He needed more than just his grappling blade. He needed a weapon with longer range. He thus clapped his hands and summoned forth a spear. But before his makeshift spear could be completed, General Saber rushed in and sliced its staff in half. He rushed at Edward, backing the boy up against a pillar. The blade was nearly touching the boy's throat. "Your time has finally come, Fullmetal."
"You bastard…"-
"And to the victor goes the spoils."-
"Not just yet." Ed smirked for some reason. "While we've been fighting all this time, a few of my friends managed to reach the cave of wonders and are right behind you."
"Foolish boy, such a childish prank will not work on me."-
"Who said anything about it being a childish prank?"-
"But how could your comrades have come in, explain that?" Saber pulled the scarab pieces from his pockets. "The only entryway to his cave can be accessed only by the scarab pieces. And as you can see, I have the scarab pieces in my hand."
"You forget though. We didn't escape by means of the main entry way the last time. Or haven't you noticed the sunlight beaming into this chamber. The last time I recall, there was no opening above us."-
Saber at that moment, did take notice of the sunlight on the ground.
"It can't be." He uttered. "How could I have overlooked that?"
"That means that my friends can enter the cave through that outcrop in the ceiling." Ed chuckled. "And the first one you have to contend with is my enraged, younger brother!" Saber turned to find a large suit of armor appear from the shadows. "Now Al, take him out!"
"Sorry Alphonse," Saber said, "But you should know better than to sneak up on people! It's ill mannered!" Saber slashed backwards and cut the large body in half. "That ought to teach you!" However, no sooner did Saber severe the large body in half, he realized that what confronted him was not Alphonse, but a makeshift replication created from alchemy.
"Gotcha!" Edward shouted. Saber turned to find himself confronted by Edward's blade.
"This was all deception." The general thought to himself. "He used his alchemy not to create a spear, but a replication of his brother. And I fell for it. How could I have fallen for it? How could I have been fooled so easily?"-
"It's over!"-
"Why must I perish like this!"-
Edward slashed the general across the throat. Edward landed opposite the general. There was a dead silence before the general dropped his weapon and the two scarab pieces that he still clutched in his hand. Saber fell to his knees.
"This cannot be…" Saber uttered.
"It's over…" Edward said. "Revenge is mine."
"Most impressive, Edward Elric…" Saber collapsed to the ground. Edward turned in time to see the general take his final plunge, slamming onto the ground, stone dead. For a moment or two, there was a lingering silence. Suddenly, there was a whisper behind Edward. "But not impressive enough."
Edward quickly turned to find Saber behind him. The boy was bewildered. He had seen the general fall to his death, yet here he was still alive. Before Edward could recover from the shock, Saber thrust his blade deep into the boy's gut. Like a victim of the Impaler, Edward had been skewered through the lower abdomen. The blade exited through his back. The boy was struck with sudden death as he felt the sharpened steel enter his being.
"But…how…" he uttered, blood now dripped from his mouth. "How could you still be…alive…?"
"I told you that I'm not that easy to defeat." Saber chuckled. "I too can create replications. What you slew was a mere reflection of myself, a clone you might say. It thinks like me, speaks like me and acts like me, but it is not me. It is merely a conjure to deceive you. And as a result, you have been impaled upon my sword."
"I was so close…" Edward slouched over. Saber pulled his sword out from the boy's body. There Edward lay on the ground, his blood turning the stone to a crimson red. His vision began to blur as death reared its head before the youth. Saber stood over Edward.
"Be lucky boy that I'm in a humorous mood, despite what happened earlier today." Saber declared. "Since you are a worthy opponent, I find it best to honor you with a mercy killing!" Saber drew his sword over the youth, but steadied his hand. He smirked at the boy. "No, I don't think so. You're a mere nuisance who deserves to suffer. I'll let you linger a slow death instead." Saber turned his back upon the dying boy. "Now, I must ready myself for some other guests. They may be arriving sometime soon." Saber vanished into the cave of wonders, leaving Edward to suffer and die slowly from his ghastly wound.
Edward lay dying; the atmosphere around him accumulated a bizarre mist around him. He grasped at his wound, feeling the warmed of his blood drench his finger tips. His breathing became more labored at time passed. He could feel his body growing heavier, sinking into the ground.
"Winry…" he uttered. "Alphonse…Forgive me…I failed…" The young alchemist lay on the ground, growing wearier by the second. Suddenly, from the bright light protruding through the opening, two figures appeared. Edward gazed at the two figures approaching him.
"Edward...!" a
voice cried. The voice was so familiar to him and yet so
soothing.
"Winry…?" the dying alchemist uttered. He tried
to lift his hand, but his body had grown too heavy, he could no
longer raise it.
Winry and Sora had arrived just in time, flying upon the nimbus cloud. Winry quickly rushed to Ed's side. She picked the young man up and tightly embraced him in her arms.
"Edward," she said, "Edward, don't die on me!"
"You came…" Ed uttered. His voice barely above a whisper, "You came, Winry…"
"Don't talk, Edward. Save your strength…"-
"Who did this to you?" Sora asked.
"Saber…" Ed replied.
"Where did he go?"-
"He went that way…" Ed pointed towards the darkness of the cave, to the paths leading to the inner labyrinth. Sora stood up, determined to face Saber.
"Winry," Sora said, "You stay here and keep Edward some company. Do your best to keep him alive until the others get here."
"Right…" Winry replied. Sora ran off through the treasure room still packed with gold and into the deep caverns of the cave. Winry held Fullmetal tightly in her arms.
"Winry…Winry…?" Ed uttered.
"I'm right here, Ed." The young girl replied. "I'm right here. I won't leave your side."
"I don't want to die…"-
"You won't die. Just hold on a little while longer."-
"I don't want to die…"-
"It's okay, Edward." Winry rocked back and forth, cradling her childhood friend like a slumbering infant. "It's gonna be alright."
But no sooner had Sora vanished from sight, three more figures appeared from the opening in the cave's ceiling.
"Miss Winry!" a voice shouted.
"Are you alright!" another voice added.
She looked up to find, Riku, Donald, and Goofy quickly descending upon them. They landed before the two. They looked upon the ghastly sight as the Fullmetal Alchemist lay dying in Winry's arms.
"What happened?" Riku asked.
"You have to help Edward." Winry replied. "He's dying."
"Goofy, give the kid a senzu."-
"I gotcha." Goofy replied.
"Where'd Sora go?" Riku asked.
"He went after Saber." Winry replied, "Down that way."
"I better go after him. Donald, Goofy, stay here with Winry and Edward."-
"Roger that." Donald replied.
"Here," Goofy said, tossing out a senzu to Riku. "You might need this."
"Thanks Goofy." The young key bearer replied. Riku drew out his keyblade and rushed into the cave after Sora and Saber.
Sora had only snuck a couple hundred feet passed the entrance when Riku caught up to him.
"Riku." He said. "You made it."
"Everything's alright." Riku replied. "Goofy's nourishing Ed back the health with a senzu bean as we speak."
"That's good to know. Now all we have to do is take care of Saber. He's in here somewhere." The key bearers made their way into the darkness of the chasms, their guard raised in case an elusive officer dared to ambush them from the shadows.
The efforts of Ophelia and Cuchulain, in the little gummi, proved ineffective against the bulk of the destroyer. The mighty ship deployed artillery fire at the gummi, fending it off as if it were a pesky mosquito.
"It's no use." Ophelia implied. "We've bombarded at the destroyer's hull as best we could. A gummi ship alone is not enough to battle against something that big. We would have to wield armaments at least five times more powerful to be able to deter the ship from its course. But to wield such weapons requires us to obtain a larger ship. The gummi can only act as a fighter. It's not designed to tackle an enemy this big."
"It's up to Cunla to make the next move."-
However, as the Hound finished his statement, an incoming message reached the cockpit.
"This is Cunla." The voice said. "Dad, Miss Billiard, please pick up."
"What's up, kid?" Ophelia asked.
"I'm ready to make a negotiation with the faction. Link me to the destroyer's communication line."-
"Roger that."-
General Scimitar observed the gummi's efforts. She chuckled at the KH team their futile actions to pierce through the destroyer's massive hull.
"It's no use trying to derail us from our present course, you fools," she said, "A solitary gummi is not enough to halt the advance of a faction destroyer this immense. Soon our beam cannon will descend upon Agrabah and ash and cinder will take place of the marble halls of the sultan's palace. Every dwelling will be incinerated to its foundations and the city of Agrabah will no longer be an inhabitable area. The livelihood of its people shall diminish, making the kingdom into a barren waste land of charred soil. Onward to Agrabah!"
"General," on of the operatives cried, "We're picking up an incoming transmitted signal."
"Where's it coming from?"-
"It's been linked from the KH gummi, directed from Agrabah."-
"What do they want? Have they come to declare surrender? Put the message through."-
"Yes ma'am." The operative put the message through on the loud speaker.
"This is Cunla of the KH team."-
"It's that traitor." The commander growled.
"We here you, boy," Scimitar replied. "What is it that you want?"
"I must ask you to deter your ship away from the city of Agrabah."-
"Do you now."-
"I know that you have come to this city to destroy it completely with the use of your main cannon." Cunla continued. "I ask that we come to terms and that you must spare this city from such an apocalyptic fate."
"Is that so? And what good excuse do you have that should persuade us to spare such an eyesore?"-
"If you destroy Agrabah, then you put the lives of the ten or more faction soldiers that we managed to capture from your last expedition in jeopardy."-
"What's that?"-
"That's right. They have been placed here at the center of the city. Two of them happen to be officers, one major and one lieutenant."-
"Your orders, ma'am?" an operative asked. There was a silence lingering now as Scimitar poised to think on the situation.
"Continue on course." Scimitar said.
"Ma'am?"-
"Continue on course. The faction has no concern for the lives of ten or so soldiers when thousands are dying in every campaign."-
"But Madam General," the ship commander uttered. "We can't just abandon their fates without reconsidering the consequences."
"The deaths of ten soldiers are insignificant. Press on."-
"Scimitar," Cunla shouted, "Will you not take heed?"
"You only have ten soldiers at your mercy." Scimitar replied. "That is not enough to deter us from fulfilling what is best for the greatest number."
"So you plan on abandoning these soldiers?"-
"They are not being abandoned, but rather they fought valiantly against such a ruthless foe in order for us to emerge victorious in the end."-
"Do you see them fighting valiantly? These are not soldiers. "They're boys and they're no older than I am! But unlike me who was taught the art of war from childhood and being raised in a warrior society, these young men aren't ready to lay down their lives like this."-
"You forget, Cunla. People tend to be quieter when they're dead. The outcome shall justify our actions."-
"Listen to me, they might be soldiers, but they still have lives! And their lives are being devalued with every foot closer you come!" Cunla cried.
"I don't care." Scimitar replied.
"Well, you should care! This act will not lead to your victory, but defeat. If you keep deceiving the soldiers as well as their loved ones, sooner or later they will abandon you and the number of soldiers you take in will decrease. And even if you did force them into service, their loyalties will never turn in your favor."-
"And what proof do you have as an outcome?"-
"When three of your most effective officers defected from the Midnight Faction, Colonel Ophelia Billiard, myself, and most recently Prince Kirin of the Flaming Blades."-
"What, Prince Kirin defected against us?"-
"Why do you think that Monsters Inc. is now under alliance control?" Once again there was a lull within the mother ships control room.
"Shall we press on?" the commander asked. "Or shall we make a negotiation?"
"I am not about to give in to a traitor." Scimitar said. "The orders of General Saber and His Excellency are absolute! I will not be deterred by the Son of the Hound! I will wipe Cuchulain's legacy from existence as well! Onward!"
Again the massive ship began to advance.
"General Scimitar, don't do this!" Cunla declared. "This act will only lead you closer to the faction's downfall!"
"You could care less about the fate of the faction, boy! You would much rather see it collapse and burn to ashes! The only thing you're concerned with right now is the fate of Agrabah and its people!"-
"It's not only them! You're endangering these soldiers!"-
"Negotiations are over."-
"Scimitar!" But the general disconnected the transmission.
"Carry on!"-
It seemed over for Agrabah and the KH team. The faction refused to make negotiations for the lives of the soldiers captured. Now the large mother ship began to hover over the city, eclipsing the sun from view. The sultan's army fled for their lives, hoping to escape the city.
"Well," Cunla said through the transmitter, "We tried, dad, but the faction won't listen to reason. The lives of ten soldiers are just not enough to make a compromise."
"It was worth a shot though." Cuchulain responded from the gummi.
"Now what do we do?"-
"We'll have to get the people as far away from the city as we can."-
"I understand. This is Cunla over and out." The boy ended the transmission. He then looked at the soldiers still bound together. "It's over. The faction doesn't wish to compromise for your lives. You've been cast aside."
"No…" one of the young soldiers uttered. "I don't want to die like this."
"There's no one to tell my mother that I died." Another said, tears flowing from his eyes.
"We must be strong." The major said. "It is for the good of the faction."
"Is that what you really believe?" Cunla asked. "Is that what your sacrifice was good for? What has the faction gained besides fulfilling a symbolized goal? Other than this act of butchery, they've accomplished nothing else." Cunla looked about at the city. "I just hope that everyone got out alright."
But as Cunla looked about, he still noticed the black sands that configured the large transmutation circle created by Mozenrath. It suddenly hit the boy. There was still a chance to save the city of Agrabah and at the same time fend off the faction's destroyer.
"I have it," he uttered to himself. He turned to the bound soldiers. "If you still want to live, you better follow me! Hurry, get on your feet!" The faction soldiers did as they were told and quickly stood up. They followed Cunla towards the outskirts of the city. Cunla contacted his father. "Dad, dad, come in!"
"What's up, Cunla?" Cuchulain replied.
"I have an idea. Can you see from your point of view if the transmutation circle is still in tact?"-
"Let me see?" Cuchulain looked out from the cockpit's wind shield. There below, encircling the entire city, the odd configuration of the transmutation circle lay untouched and ready for activation. "It's still in tact, Cunla."
"That's great."-
"What's up?"-
"I think I found a sure way to get back at that destroyer. Just keep them occupied for a little bit so that they don't realize what we're doing."-
"I have your back, son." Cuchulain looked to Ophelia. "You heard my son, Miss Billiard, let's make some noise."
"Roger that!" Ophelia replied. She flew the gummi towards the large battleship as if a sparrow fending off a hawk. "Look out, boys and girls, the Tiger of Goth and the Hound of Ulster are back in action!"
Riku and Sora in the meantime, quietly entered the dark chambers of the cave of wonders, looking for the evasive General Saber whose whereabouts were still unknown and whose energy was yet concealed.
"Make sure to keep your energy suppressed." Riku whispered. "We don't want to act as a beacon for Saber."
"I gotcha…" Sora replied. They reached a corner of the corridor and Sora poked his head around the bend. There was nothing, but darkness intermingling with the dim blue glow of the caves fungus. "No one there…"
However, no sooner had looked about, a couple of shadows accumulated from out of the darkness. Two pairs of yellow eyes protruded through the blackness. Riku was the first to see them.
"Sora, look out!" Riku cried. He pulled Sora away just as the newly emerged heartless attempted to strike the boy down.
"What the…" Sora uttered. He found himself being confronted by a Super Anti-Sora and a Super Anti-Riku. Their blades blended into the cave's inner night.
"Heartless…" The key bearers made ready to battle.
"You two little fools." A voice chuckled from the darkness. "Did you really think that you could attempt to ambush me?"
"Saber…" Sora grumbled.
"That bastard is mocking us." Riku added.
"You forget, key bearers," Saber continued. "You are dealing with a professional soldier. You cannot hope to avoid my awareness." The voice turned to the antis. "Now kill them."
The two antis charged forward, striking at the key bearer. Riku and Sora took on each heartless. Battle ensued as the sound of steel shafts clashed against one another. Back and forth in mortal combat, the four engaged, filling the chasms with the echoing sound of battle.
"I hate anti Rikus and Soras." Sora mumbled. "They always manage to get under my skin."
"I hate them too, Sora." Riku replied. "But we have no choice in the matter. These shadows are only after on thing, our hearts."
Within a thirty minute interval, both key bearers were able to bane the heartless, diminishing the pair back to the shadows. There was a sudden clapping in the darkness.
"Very well done, key bearers," Saber chuckled. "I commend you"
"Why don't you stop screwing around with us!" Sora demanded. "Come out here and fight fair."
"Not a chance, boy." Saber chuckled. "I'm having too much fun indulging my own pleasure seeing the two of you sweat."
"You coward," Riku shouted, "Are you that afraid of us!"
"Who said anything about fearing you? Since you two are in such an energetic and amenable mood, let's increase the challenge a bit and see if you can hold your own against this lot!" Suddenly from out of the shadows, several pairs of Super Anti-Rikus and Soras emerged, their eyes glowing in the dark and their shadowy weapons drawn.
"Man," Sora uttered, "You have got o be kidding me!"
"Finish them off." The antis rushed into the fray.
"Stay on your guard!" Riku shouted as he and Sora stood back to back. "Here they come!"
By this time, it seemed as if Agrabah would meet an abrupt and fiery end as the massive destroyer hovered above every street, turning night into day once again.
"The destroyer is above the city." One of the operatives reported.
"Excellent work," Scimitar replied. "Prepare to open fire on the city."
"We're initiating activation of the destroyer's main cannon. Preparations will meet maximum output in three hundred seconds."-
"Prepare to open fire when I give the order."-
"Yes ma'am."-
At the same time, scurrying along the ground, Cunla and the ten faction prisoners ran for their lives to the outskirts of the city. Iago, Genie, and Abu joined the young boy in their withdrawal from the city.
"What are they going to do?" Iago said.
"They plan on destroying the city with their main cannon."-
"That's impossible!"-
"Not in my line of work."-
"I won't be able to handle this on my own." Genie replied.
"You won't have to, Genie." Cunla said. "Just keep an eye on those ten and make sure that they don't try to ruin my plan."
"I gotcha…!" Genie picked up the prisoners and flew quickly from the city. Cunla in the meantime, made it to the outskirts.
"It's gonna take a lot of energy for me to activate this transmutation circle and use its power in a reverse attack to deflect that energy beam." Cunla thought to himself. He concentrated his energy to the center of his body.
"What is Cunla doing?" Ophelia wondered.
"I see." Cuchulain said. "Cunla's gonna use the transmutation circle to conduct a reversal effect, using the Grand Arcanum's power to counter the energy beam from the destroyer."
"Well, I hope he knows what he's doing."-
By this time, the battle within the cave of wonders was escalating. Heartless were now popping out left and right. Many of them were grunt heartless, while some of them large and foreboding foes. But the most powerful of the heartless were the Super antis whose strengths were at equal to those of the faction soldiers. Riku and Sora, despite their strength, were slowly being pushed back.
"This is just great." Riku uttered as he continued to slash about. "Why don't these stupid Heartless just quit it. I'm starting to get really ticked off."
"I don't know." Sora replied. "Maybe it's the pressure."
"I guess I'm just flustered and tired." Riku struck down several more foes. The two conducted themselves as a tight duo and fended off the bulk of the Heartless forces, but still the shadows continued to advance.
"Damn it, how much longer are they gonna keep coming at us?" Sora said.
"Be lucky that it's just heartless and not faction soldiers coming at us." Riku replied.
"Good point." Sora and Riku once again found themselves back to back. "What do you say we give the heartless really something to fear?"
"That sounds great." Riku and Sora combined with each other and formed a fusion warrior.
"To the death!" the warrior chuckled. He charged against the heartless and minced many where they stood. Like a thundering cannon, the key bearers eliminated the majority of the heartless in one fatal swoop. The heartless, however, having no emotions of their own, continued their onslaught despite being slaughtered themselves. It wasn't long before only a few remained. The key bearers diverted from their fusion.
"So," Riku said. "Do you guys still think that we're pushovers?"
Once again there was the sound of laughter coming from the darkness. It was the maniacal voice of Saber.
"Most impressive, key bearers," he uttered, "You certainly do well for youngsters."
"Saber," Riku shouted. "I'm starting to get a little fed up with this! Show yourself or so help me, I'll tear this place apart."
"Tsk, tsk, Noctin Tilandir, that would not be a wise choice to make on you part. You would be putting certain individuals' lives in danger. I'm sure that you don't want that."
"What do you mean?"-
"You'll soon find out. Why don't you keep going? You're no too far from where I am."-
"You just wait!" Sora declared. "You'll regret ever causing this ruckus!"
The KH team proceeded further into the darkness. The sound of Saber's cackling was ever present, encircling them. Until finally, had they not gone more than a hundred feet, the dark shape of Saber appeared.
"Saber is that you?" Sora asked.
"Show yourself, general!" Riku demanded.
"Quite impressive," Saber chuckled. "Even in the dark, you are able to escape death."
"Stop running, general, what are you afraid of?"
"I don't fear you boys. I just have the urge to play with you a little more. Much like one would torment their adversary in a game of chess."-
"Well, if you haven't noticed, none of this is a game." Sora implied.
"Not if you're not accustomed to seeing blood and death."-
It was at that minute that the sound of feet rushing from the cave entrance began to echo. The key bearers looked behind to find the other members of the KH team rushing to their aid. Goofy, Donald, Winry, and Edward finally arrived.
"Riku, Sora," Edward shouted.
"Glad to see that you guys made it." Sora said. "And good to see that you're back on your feet, Ed."
"It takes more than a near death experience to get rid of me." Edward looked at the dark figure of Saber. "Now that I'm back in action, I believe revenge is in order, don't you think, Saber?"
"You're more difficult to extinguish than a cockroach." Saber said. It was then that he heard the sound of something swooping towards them. "And yet we have another visitor coming to see us."
"What's that?" Goofy asked. The team looked to find Aladdin appear from out of the darkness. He jumped from off of carpet and landed amongst the KH team members.
"Aladdin…?" Sora uttered.
"Sorry to jump in on you like this." Aladdin replied.
"What are you doing here?"-
"I came to find that oracle scepter Cunla was talking about. He said that it would be able to tell me the whereabouts of Jasmine and the sultan."-
"You may not have to look for the oracle." Ed said. "If there's anyone who might know, it's him." He pointed to General Saber.
"So the great prince of Agrabah comes to seek vengeance as well, eh?" Saber chuckled. "Such a pity that I am plagued by so many nuisances that I have to eliminate. I'll have to start keeping records in order to keep track of them all."
"It's over, Saber." Riku said. "There's no way out!"
"On the contrary, I should be telling you those words." Saber held out his hand. "From this point on, it will not be only the lowly heartless or the fresh recruited faction conscript that you have to worry about." Suddenly, from out of nowhere, three lank and wavy creatures appeared. Unlike the heartless, these beings were dressed in white and flapped about like leaves in the wind. Upon their heads they bore a symbol identical to an upside down heart and a cross designed almost like a Christian crucifix. "I'm sure you recognize these foes."
"Oh my God…" Sora uttered. "The Nobodies…!"-
"But how did the faction deploy them?" Riku added.
"You thought that the legacy of the organization was crushed?" Saber said. "Well you were sadly mistaken my misguided friends. As long as there is darkness in every heart, there will always be a heartless. And as long as there is a heartless, there is bound to be its opposite, the Nobody." Saber drew his hand forward. "Eliminate those fools once and for all." The Nobodies drew up their ranks and prepared to battle the key bearers once again. "I would love to stand and chat, but I have some other guests to entertain. Drop by the resting chamber of the oracle scepter, if you survive that is. I'll be waiting there for you with a little surprise in store." Saber vanished into the darkness no sooner.
"Saber…!" Sora shouted.
"Now's not the time to be screaming at him." Riku said. "We have these guys to worry about."
"But I don't understand it, Riku. Now the Nobodies are involved?"-
"Whatever the reason, they're here and they want to do us harm. We better be ready!"-
"Whatever these freaks are," Edward declared, "They'll be no match for my alchemic skills." Edward clasped his hands together and deployed an alchemic surge. Thus another battle, this time with the Nobodies, commenced within the cave's lonely shadows.
The destroyer was not over Agrabah's center and its great underside doors opened up. The generating eye of the beam cannon began to glow a bright green. The energy began to accumulate to greater heights.
"Commencing firing in thirty-eight seconds and counting." The cannon operator announced.
"Take a good look ladies and gentlemen." Scimitar declared in a humorous tone. "Within the next thirty seconds, Agrabah will be transformed into ashes and its remains shall scatter to all the winds. Thus, the legendary emerald of the desert will only exist in myth. Let this day bear the mark of destruction and the annihilation of many a peasant's livelihood."
Little did they realize that Cunla was initiating his own counter attack. He and the others managed to escape the city and he now concentrated his own strength to unleash the Grand Arcanum.
"The energy is ready." Cunla thought to himself. "All that matters now is timing it right. I have to concentrate, wait for the moment that the cannon will fire." Time seemed to slow down and speed up at the same time. The light illuminating the cannon eye grew brighter than before.
"Preparing to commence firing in T minus ten seconds." One of the operatives announced. "T minus 8…7…6…5…"
"The death of Agrabah is now." Scimitar chuckled.
"3…2…1…"-
"FIRE!" The cannon's beam descended fast, unleashing a powerful pulsating effect.
"Now," Cunla shouted. He threw his hands upon the ground and immediately, the massive transmutation circle was activated. The energy of the Grand Arcanum acted almost as a neutralizing barrier that prevented the beam from harming the city.
"What's going on?" Scimitar said.
""There's a large energy source detected on the ground." An operative said. "It's a large power."
"On screen!" An image was transmitted to what was occurring on the ground. There, the Blade General, and all present in the destroyer's control room looked on to find a red dome countering the energy beam.
"What is that bizarre light?" The commander asked.
"It's the Grand Arcanum." Scimitar growled. "The KH team has somehow activated the Grand Arcanum. That fool Mozenrath kept the transmutation circle in tact."
"It's countering out beam!"-
"Sir," another operative cried. "The energy is pushing back the blast."
"Damn it! Deactivate the main cannon before the energy starts pulsating back into the ship!"-
"Deactivating the cannon, all functions cease!"-
"Too late!" another operative cried. They watched as the beam was being reflected back into the ship. The beam struck the opening on the underside just as the main cannon was deactivated. There was a massive explosion and the ship shook violently. Cunla and the others watched as the ship faltered and ruptured at its underside.
"He did it!" Cuchulain cried. "Cunla did it!"
"Alright, kid," Ophelia replied.
"Right on target." Cunla said to himself.
The outcome was an obvious shock to the Midnight Faction whose main weapon had been completely destroyed.
"What is the ship's status?" the commander asked.
"The destroyer has suffered over forty percent damage." The operative replied. "The main cannon has malfunctioned. It's no longer operable. There is severe damage on level twenty to level nine."
"Damn the KH team," Scimitar bellowed, "They'll pay dearly for this."
"Lower the ship closer to the city so the KH gummi can't attack our interior." The commander ordered.
"Yes sir."-
"You might have prevented us from destroying Agrabah with the main cannon, but you still haven't beaten us yet." The general turned to the commander. "If we can't destroy the city with one blast from the main cannon, then we'll destroy it with a devastating barrage. Prepare to fire the outer barge cannons!"
"Yes ma'am." The operative replied.
It didn't take long for the KH team to realize the situation at hand.
"Oh my God," Cunla uttered, "They're going to use their barge cannons to destroy Agrabah."
"We have to do something." Iago cried.
"Leave this to me." Genie said. "I am a genie with phenomenal cosmic powers after all."
"Then have at it, Genie!"-
"Alright…!" Genie rushed into the fray.
"Cunla," Cuchulain said through the intercom. "Are you alright?"
"Dad, the faction's about to use their barge cannons." Cunla replied.
"We'll take care of it." The gummi went off to battle against the weakened yet still aggressive destroyer.
In the meantime, Riku, Sora, and the others managed to defeat the Nobodies.
"Man," Sora said. "I forgot how tough it was to fight these guys."
"Those things," Ed uttered, "How the heck could they move like that?"
"Those Nobodies have that potential." Riku said. "They were the main soldiers used by the old Organization. Even the heartless fear them because they were virtually outclassed against the Nobodies."
"Riku," Sora said, "We have to hurry. Saber's waiting in the oracle chamber."
"Yeah, let's go."-
"You'll be mine here soon, Saber." Ed uttered.
"Let's keep going!" Aladdin said. The KH team continued on their way.
Saber awaited the arrival of the KH team. He looked over the slumbering forms of Jasmine and the Sultan.
"It will not be long." He said. "Soon the second stage to factional domination will commence." His scouter suddenly began to bleep. The reading he received was not one that pleased him. A large power was detected coming from the outside. "This power, where did it come from?" His thoughts went to the destroyer. "Something must've happened. Scimitar better not mess this up." His scouter then bleeped again. "What's this? So the key bearers and all their comrades managed to outmatch the Nobodies as well. What incompetence."
Sure enough, the team reached the chamber.
"Saber," Edward shouted, "You're mine!"
"There's no way out, Saber!" Riku added.
"You really think so?" Saber chuckled. "For your information, I am not bound to the interior of this world. I can leave at my own leisure."
"Is that so?"-
"Care to test me?"-
"You're not going anywhere!" Edward shouted. "You and I still have a score to settle!" It wasn't long before the team noticed the two floating bodies atop the resting place of the oracle scepter.
"Look, you guys!" Donald shouted.
"It's Jasmine and the sultan." Goofy added.
"Jasmine, Sultan?" Aladdin uttered.
"Well, I see you've laid eyes upon my slumbering prisoners." Saber chuckled.
"Let them go, Saber!"-
"No, I don't want to. I'm having so much fun tormenting you."-
"Give the princess and the sultan back, you scum!" Sora demanded.
"I highly doubt that you're in any position to be shouting out orders to me, you're inferior in status."-
"That's not gonna stop us!" Ed shouted as he stepped forward to confront Saber. He unleashed his grappling blade and rushed towards Saber.
"Heed my warning, Fullmetal." Saber implied. "Come any closer and you leave me no choice, but to bane the slumbering monarchs."
"You wouldn't." Winry uttered.
"On the contrary, Miss Rockbell, I am wont to executing people when they are not aware of it." Saber then drew up his hand. "But then again, I am not the one you should fear, but rather the power of an Anti."
"No use trying to bluff us." Sora said. "Your Super Anti-Rikus and Super Anti-Sora's are no match."
"Then again, I wasn't referring to those antis was I? No, rather I was referring to a new type of anti. Behold!" Saber snapped his fingers and from out of the shadows, an anti appeared. Not in the form of Riku, or Sora, but of Edward Elric. "I present to you, the newly forged Anti-Edward, or Anti-Fullmetal if you prefer to call it."
"It can't be…" Ed uttered.
"You forget." Riku said. "That's a heartless you summoned. And my keyblade, wielding the manipulation stone, can force that shadow to turn against you."
"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, Noctin Tilandir." Saber chuckled. "The manipulation stone may be able to turn heartless against their summoners, but it's not going to work on me because you see I can nullify the power of the stone. The reason why is because I was the one who presented General Dagger with that power. You think that I would give him such a powerful weapon without knowing its weaknesses. Now you'll have to contend with the shadow of the Fullmetal Alchemist."
"It's me…" Edward uttered.
"Don't be afraid." Riku said. "It's just one heartless."
"Let's get him!" Sora shouted. He took on the task of heading the charge. The rest of the team followed. However, no sooner had they reached their target, the Anti-Edward clapped his hands and unleashed an alchemic surge, catching the team completely by surprise. The key bearers were struck by the transmuted stone and were sent reeling rearward. The others scattered after that attack
"What in the…" Aladdin uttered.
"This might be a little tougher than I thought." Riku said.
