Sora had been hoping for a bit of sunshine to be waiting when the group exited the cave, but unfortunately that's not to be. It's dark, not quite as cold as the labyrinth but far from comfortable. At least judging by Anna and Kristoff's reaction, huddling even closer together.

"Do we have to go all the way back down?" Anna asks, her teeth chattering. "Maybe we can just stay in your ice palace for the night?"

"I think you're right," Elsa agrees without much contemplation. She turns to Sora. "Would you like to stay as well? I can always make more room."

"Sorry," Sora apologizes, shrugging. "We really need to get going. But y'know, I would enjoy seeing your palace, I think."

As the group takes off, Sora reaches out to tug Telary's sleeve. When the wizard turns to look at him, he indicates with a nod to drop back a few steps. Azlyn notices as well, arching an eyebrow at the pair. Her husband gives the knight a nod and smile, complying with Sora's request.

Riku elbows Azlyn, subtly pushing her to move faster and give her friends their space. She goes along with him, though not without throwing one last look over her shoulder.

Sora hardly waits for the others to be out of earshot before starting. "Look, Tel," he says, hands in pockets, "I'm really, really sorry, man. Yelling at you like that was so wrong."

"Thank you for the apology," the older man replies, smiling just slightly. "I realize that you were just going through a hard time. And I understand completely. If I was ever separated like that from Azlyn…" He frowns. "But I'm not, am I? Wow, I never thought of that."

"I did," Sora says with a bitter smile. "And I blamed you for it, which wasn't cool at all. You were just trying to help. You always try to help me, Tel, and I should know by now how good you are at it."

"Well, it seems you've gotten all the bucking up you needed," Telary says, grinning wider. "Maybe this time I wasn't the person you needed for help."

"But you're always willing to try," Sora declares happily. "And you do it because you love me."

The redhead reaches out to catch his young friend in a one-armed side hug. "Of course I do, Sora!"

"Me too!" Azlyn declares, suddenly on Telary's other side. "Though I guess I'm really not the 'talk about your feelings' person."

"I told you to give them space!" Riku snaps, though without much real venom.

The knight rolls her eyes. "Oh, they were all done with the big lovefest."

"I like having everyone here anyway," Sora says, shrugging.

"Is this gonna be a group hug moment?" Olaf asks, still walking forward but with his head turned completely backwards. "Cause if it is, then I want in!"

"We're coming up on the palace," Elsa announces, smiling over her shoulder. "It's right up at the top of this plateau."

The path leads them over a ridge, where across a small area of snow sits a huge structure made entirely of blue-white ice. The highest point of its central tower stretches into the sky, stopping just feet away from the mountain's actual peak. Several smaller columns surround it, and a long staircase made of ice bridges the gap between the plateau and the castle's front door.

"This is really cool!" Sora comments, looking the abandoned fortress over.

"You didn't have to climb up to it the hard way," Kristoff declares with a shake of his head. "And then get tossed back down."

Azlyn grimaces. "That would be annoying."

"Speaking of," Anna chimes in, looking around warily, "do you think our old buddy Marshmallow is still hanging around?"

"He's most likely around here somewhere," Elsa replies. "But I don't think he'll do anything I don't want him too."

"Who's Marshmallow?" Telary can't help but ask. Riku perks up behind him, looking suddenly far too tense for the current conversation.

"That's my brother!" Olaf answers happily. "My big brother. Really big."

"Everyone stop a minute," Riku barks, holding up a hand. The others all turn to him with puzzled looks. "Something's wrong."

"Is it more Heartless?" Sora asks, looking around warily. "Shouldn't they have given up?"

"Hans?" Anna suggests, one hand drifting down to her sword.

Riku shakes his head at them both. "It's… Strange. Definitely darkness, but I've never…"

And that's when the hulking metal behemoth falls from the sky, bringing its massive Keyblade down at Riku's head. He barely manages to leap out of the way, summoning his own blade before his feet hit the ground again.

The attacker's weapon slams into the ground instead, a blow that seems to shake the entire mountain. Waves of sow fly up from the point of impact, one of them swamping Anna and Kristoff completely. The other approaches Telary and Azlyn, but a quick shield spell keeps the pair from being bowled over.

The snow hasn't even settled before the attacker is moving, long strides sending them hurtling towards Sora. The Keybearer summons his weapon, shifting into a defensive stance.

But it's Elsa who reacts first, throwing out a wave of power that envelops the armored attacker. It freezes in place, locked within a huge chunk of ice. Sora takes this opportunity to observe, and confirm what he already suspects. It's yet another figure from his dreams, the burly male. The one who had been hunting the Keyblade wielder in the forest, who had been called a Chaser. If he's anything like the one who had attacked in the jungle, Sora and his friends are in for a fight.

Elsa starts to say something, but the cracking of ice stops her cold. Frozen chunks fall away from the Chaser, and the armored behemoth looks no worse the wear for his imprisonment. His cape even blows dramatically in the wind.

Before the sorceress can try another blast, the Chaser is moving again. He reaches Sora within a few steps, swinging his massive blade down. He's not quite as fast as the other, giving the Keybearer plenty of time (relatively) to raise Kingdom Key and intercept the blow.

He's never taken a harder hit in his entire life.

The chop's force shakes him from the inside out, and it's a minor miracle that he doesn't falter. But he manages to block it correctly, standing firm against the enormous pressure his attacker continues to exert.

Luckily, Sora doesn't have to hold off for long. Riku comes flying at the Chaser's back, Way to Dawn reared back above his head. He drives it right into the enemy's shoulder blades. It somehow manages to affect the brute through his thick armor, giving Sora a chance. He disengages the blade lock, swinging Kingdom Key into the Chaser's gut.

He staggers back, though only a half-step. By the time Riku has landed by Sora and they're both attacking, the predator is prepared, catching both Keyblades on his own. There's no lock this time, just a hard swing to disengage and give the Chaser room to step back and make room for better maneuvering.

He whirls instead, swinging his Keyblade to intercept a trio of fireballs coming from Telary. Keeping his momentum, the Chaser slams his weapon into the ground in front of him, setting off another tremor. Chunks of rock go flying up, headed for the wizard. Azlyn, already rushing the attacker, flips aside to avoid the rubble. But Elsa was preparing her own magical attack, a storm of icicles that slam into the knight from behind and send him to the ground. The Chaser pounds the mountain again, shaking the plateau and sending Arrendelle's queen staggering.

Riku and Sora are back on the offensive by now, moving in while their opponent's Keyblade is still against the ground. Sora gets to him first, Kingdom Key swinging down in a high arc. The Chaser just opens his hand, easily catching the weapon's shaft. He tugs, strong enough to lift Sora from the ground and swing him at Riku.

The silver-haired young man barely ducks out of the way, coming up with a stab at the Chaser's stomach. He infuses a burst of dark power into the strike, an explosion of violent energy coming out at the point of contact. It staggers the armored warrior, releasing Sora to drop down to the snowy ground. Riku barely avoids his younger friend falling into his leg, only to be taken completely off guard by a hard punch from the Chaser hitting him right in the gut. He goes flying, luckily landing in a soft snowdrift.

Sora rolls to his feet, taking a swing that the Chaser blocks. Given just how massive the armored behemoth's Keyblade is, he barely has to move it to intercept. The Keybearer pushes against him, noting how close to the cliff's edge his opponent is standing. But, as he halfway expected, the armored behemoth doesn't budge an inch.

But maybe if he had a bit more strength at his disposal, that could change. Sora disengages, searching his memory for Edna Mode's instructions regarding the special qualities of his clothing. He's been doing a fair amount of fighting since putting the outfit on, so he must have plenty of energy stored. The Chaser swings his Keyblade at him and the Keybearer barely blocks, the blow's force nearly driving him back. That attack alone must have provided a heaping helping of power.

But what was the activation code word again?

"Sora!"

The call comes from Telary, and the Keybearer knows enough that it means he should get out of the way. He disengages the blade lock, leaping to the right. A sensation of heat passes by him, a large fireball slamming into the Chaser. Right on its heels comes a chunk of ice at least as big as Sora. The combination of the two is enough to stagger the giant again.

There's no time to waste, Sora charging forward even as he's still searching for the activation word. He knows its an odd one, probably to keep him from accidentally triggering extra power during random conversation.

Before he can get it, he's already leaping off the ground, slamming Kingdom Key straight into the Chaser's midsection. Even without enhanced strength, it's enough to knock him off balance. Unfortunately, both combatants take the fall off of the cliff.

Sora hears the air rushing through his ears, his sight blurring at the dramatically increased windspeed. But there's still a battle to fight, and the Chaser swings his Keyblade in a wide arc. Sora rolls aside, just barely avoiding it. The Keybearer continues his roll, swinging his own weapon into the back of the predator's neck. He lashes out, an armored elbow hitting Sora in the stomach.

It's a strong enough blow to increase Sora's fall speed, and he lands in a high heap of snow with a few seconds to spare before his opponent arrives. Groaning, the Keybearer rolls to his feet. He barely has time to look up before the Chaser lands, somehow touching down on both feet without the slightest quiver of excess movement. The ground itself quakes at the impact's force.

"Wait!" Sora cries, ready for battle but hoping to postpone it. "Please. Aren't you even going to tell me why you're trying to kill me?"

The Chaser's posture moves just slightly, his Keyblade lowering an inch. If that's a prelude to an explanation, Sora doesn't get to find out. The snow beneath his opponent's feet begins to shift, rising off the ground in one lump.

Two legs of clumped together snow and blue ice lift it up, similarly structured arms with clawed fingers extending from the main lump as well. Finally, a doughy face forms in front, two small eyes and an enormous mouth, its jaw thickly defined.

The creature roars, loud and powerful enough to send Sora stumbling back several steps. As he settles, the Keybearer realizes that this must be Marshmallow. Olaf certainly wasn't kidding around about his big brother.

The frozen golem reaches up to its back, icy fingers grasping for the Chaser. He skips back, giant Keyblade knocking the hand away. Marshmallow doesn't like that at all, already reaching up with his other hand.

The Chaser knocks the second attack away as well, moving forward with long strides. He leaps off of Marshmallow's back, his Keyblade striking out mid-flip. The golem roars, arms flailing as its head falls right off of its body. The Chaser lands just a moment before it hits the ground with a solid thunk.

Luckily, the big snowman seems just as resilient as his little brother. He roars, headless body stumbling forward and reach blindly for anything it can get its hands on. One erratic kick even almost knocks the Chaser aside, but he manages to spin away.

And right into the path of another kick. The impact doesn't seem to have much effect, but just seeing his armored attacker put even just a little off balance gives Sora a rush of hope. He hears something from above, and looking up gives the Keybearer yet more to be excited about.

Riku, Azlyn, and Telary float down from above, their descent quite a bit gentler than Sora's. Of course, they're also traveling much slower, but Marshmallow should be a workable distraction until they arrive. He's really going at the Chaser with admirable gusto.

It's just too bad he can't actually see his opponent. The Chaser's blade knocks away all attacks from the arms, his free hand occasionally thrusting out and keeping Marshmallow's legs from hitting him with kicks.

After a few seconds, the armored attacker sees an opportune moment. Dodging one strike, he cuts the arm off right at the elbow. Keeping his momentum, the Chaser spins into another strike, the second arm falling. Marshmallow roars again, obviously sensitive to the damage being inflicted on his body.

Finally, the armored predator thrusts forward with his arm held perpendicular to the ground and slamming it into the golem's leg. Already unbalanced from all the accumulated damage, the body falls backward, slumping against the cliff face.

The others are more than halfway down by now, but that's not helpful to Sora at this moment. The Chaser leaps over Marshmallow's fallen head, landing heavily in the snow and making a straightforward charge right for the young Keybearer.

Not seeing any real benefit to standing his ground, Sora whirls away from his attacker. But instead of blazing right past him, the Chaser simply pivots, adding more power to his swing. Sora ducks, barely, and scampers to the side again. A vertical strike comes down at him, but he sidesteps. Skipping back, the Keybearer just barely avoids a sweeping kick.

Azlyn jumps over his head, bringing her boot down on the Chaser's helmet. His head snaps to the left, and Sora quickly leaps up to slam the Keyblade into his face as well. The Chaser stumbles back, nearly colliding with a fir tree behind him that's covered in a layer of purple energy.

The tree falls, smashing into the predator's back. His knees buckle, and Sora swears he hears a grunt of pain coming from his helmet. But even weakened, the Chaser holds his ground, the tree not moving an inch further.

But he's still being held down. Sora steps forward to attack, only for his downward swing to be caught once again. The Chaser tugs him forward, stepping aside and placing the Keybearer right where he once was. With no more resistance, the gravity spell pulls the tree down hard. Right on top of Sora.

It's not a particularly hard hit, the evergreen's thick foliage providing a buffer between him and the hard wood. In the split second before slamming into the ground, Sora thinks idly that at least the snow will cushion his impact. It doesn't really.

If anything, the sudden rush of cold increases his discomfort. Not only is a weight pressing down on him from above, but all the frozen water underneath him is even more uncomfortable. He sputters, getting what he can out of his mouth before he chokes. Luckily, the snow begins to melt upon contact with his hot breath, clearing the Keybearer space to breathe.

Barely a heartbeat later, all the pressure on him ceases. Groaning, Sora starts pushing himself up. He looks up, following the sounds of steel clashing against steel. A few yards away, Riku and Azlyn face off against the Chaser. Both of Sora's friends use their superior speed to their advantage. The attacker just can't keep up, though from the way hits bounce off his armor that isn't as much of a hindrance as it should be.

Sora feels a hand on his shoulder, helping him to his feet. Looking up, he sees Telary's wincing face. "Sorry about that. I just thought…"

"No problem," the Keybearer replies quickly, weapon already in hand. Across the way, the Chaser punches Azlyn into the ground, simultaneously blocking an attack from Riku. He turns, all his focus on the silver-haired young man.

Riku's free hand comes up to Way to Dawn's hilt, pushing against the Chaser with all his strength. Sora's eye go wide as he realizes that the armored attacker isn't just negating the opposing force, actually putting in visible effort to hold the lock.

Which means there might be a chance. Gripping the Keyblade even tighter in his hands, Sora rushes forward. He jumps the last few feet, raising his blade up and bringing it down hard into the Chaser's chest.

It's the first truly effective attack Sora has landed. The Chaser careens backward, wild and fumbling for a heartbeat, before gathering his wits. He bends at the waist, digging the sharp claws of his left hand into the ground.

"Okay!" Sora yells, staring the armored man down. "Answers, now! Why are you and your friend after me?"

"Your blade," the Chaser replies, rising to his full height. "It is a curse, one that has destroyed more lives than you could possibly know."

"No," Sora throws back. "I've only ever used the Keyblade for good things, to help people! I need it to save lives, not destroy anything."

"And besides," Riku says, quite miffed that he's apparently missed something, "aren't you being a little hypocritical? You're waving around a shiny Keyblade of your own, I see."

The Chaser shrugs. "A necessary evil. One I would gladly be rid of. But as long as you continue to spread…"

Loud roars rip into the night air, coming from behind the party. Telary throws a look over his shoulder, surprised to see three Marshmallows stepping towards the fray. Elsa rides an ice slide above them, Anna and Kristoff following behind her.

"You have the advantage of numbers, I see," the Chaser says, pulling the whole group's attention back to him. "And I'm still weary from dealing with your little friend with the ears. Next time we meet, expect a fairer fight."

Sora charges forward, his blade held tightly in a two-handed grip. The Chaser slams his Keyblade into the ground, shaking the mountain and sending a wave of snow flying high. The Keybearer is too committed to his attack to stop in time, the wave hitting his chest and knocking him to the ground.

His distraction working perfectly, the Chaser turns and rushes to the overhang's edge. Without hesitating a moment, he dives into the open air. Riku and Azlyn follow him, but when they arrive at the ledge and look down, he's gone.

"What was that?" Riku demands, whirling on Sora with a piercing glare.

The Keybearer, rising to his feet with the help of Telary, throws a sheepish grin back at his friend. "Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to fill you in on the new guys who are trying to kill me."

"Is everything all right now?" Elsa asks, sliding down to the snowy ground. "Was that man affiliated with the Heartless?"

"We're not really sure right now," Telary replies. "But probably not."

"So you four just have enemies all over," Kristoff comments.

"It must make life… interesting," Anna chimes in. "If not incredibly terrifying!"

Azlyn shrugs. "It's a living."

"And we really should get back to it," Sora says. "Thanks again for everything, you guys. Couldn't have done it without you."

"The same to you," Elsa replies with a small smile. "If you ever come to Arrendelle again, we'll be ready and willing to help you."

"Unless it has to do with that guy," Kristoff remarks. Anna nudges him gently.

"Just one more thing though," Olaf declares, drawing all eyes to him. Grinning, the snowman opens his stick arms wide. "Howsabout a big hug for your little buddy?"

KH-KH-KH

"And that's basically the deal," Sora says, reaching out to grab a sip of water. He's been talking for a few minutes now, everyone else just letting him go.

"So there's still one more of these guys out there?" Riku asks.

The Keybearer shrugs. "I guess so."

"And all you really know is that both of them you've fought were super powerful, and they have a major mad-on for killing Keyblade wielders. Despite the fact that both of them were wielding Keyblades of their own."

"The one we just fought seemed to think that Sora's Keyblade was different," Telary points out. "And he went especially hard after him."

"Well, I have had mine the longest," Sora says. He summons the blade in question, setting it down on the table and fixing it with an intense stare. "He talked about it 'corrupting' me. Which is crazy! I mean, it's not like the thing talks to me."

"It does seem to have some limited sentience, though," the wizard reminds him.

"And the whole reason it liked you better than Riku was because he was being an asshole," Azlyn says. "So these guys must just be crazy."

"And powerful," Riku adds, wincing. "Just what we need." He sits forward, idly scratching his nose. "What I'm stuck on here, though, are these other Keyblade wielders they were hunting. And apparently killed. What's the deal with that."

"It isn't unreasonable to think other people had Keyblades before us," Sora says thoughtfully. "All those legends people knew had to start somewhere. Do you think…?"

"Okay, guys," Azlyn interrupts, holding up a hand. "Shouldn't we be getting a move on, saving some worlds from blowing up? I doubt we're gonna figure all this crap out just from sitting here and talking."

"She has a point," Riku says. "I'm sure eventually one of these guys'll start spouting off all the answers in a big, dumb speech."

"One thing I want to do first," Telary says, standing up, "is contact the castle. See if Leon's woken up yet."

Agreeing to that course of action, everyone follows him up to the cockpit. It takes about thirty seconds to establish a connection, but soon enough Aerith is on the screen. She looks a little less serene than usual.

"You don't look like someone about to give good news," Sora says, frowning. "Is Leon…?"

The Radiant Garden refugee sighs. "No, I'm afraid he hasn't woken up yet."

"There's a problem?" Telary asks.

"It's nothing physical, as far as the doctors can tell," Aerith explains. "He just won't wake up. They've tried everything they can do, safely that is, but nothing is working."

"He's not in any danger?" Azlyn asks, surprisingly sensitive.

"No, no. For now, all we can really do is just wait until he's ready."

"I wish there was something we could do to help out here," Sora says. Shaking his head, he turns and walks to the cockpit's far end.

"How, uh, how's everybody else holding up over there?" Riku asks, not able to look at the screen for more than a few seconds at a time.

"We're doing alright," Aerith replies, offering a slight smile. "No one is exactly in a great mood, of course, but we're all doing the best we can. Holding out hope."

"Well, keep it up," Telary says, forcing his own smile. "We, uh… Well, we're all thinking about you."

"The same here. Goodbye."

The screen flickers back to black, leaving a heavy silence in the ship. Looking over his shoulder, Riku sees Sora leaning his head against the glass canopy. "Hey…"

"Yeah, yeah," the Keybearer replies without moving. "Keep my head up, stay positive, don't be a jerk." He whirls around, fists clenched. "But that's way easier said than done, and you of all people should know that."

"Yeah, I…"

"And, sorry if this isn't super sympathetic," he continues, "but every day Leon's chilling out in a coma is another day Kairi's stuck in Radiant Garden, surrounded by bad guys. If we wait too long before getting back to her…"

"And if we don't have a solid plan, then we all probably get killed anyway," Telary interjects. He glares at Sora, the look as harsh as any the Keybearer ever seen him wear. "Besides, having Leon with us is important. Not just for him, but for all the people. He's their leader, and they have to know he's okay if they're every going to have the morale they need to fight back against PSICOM. I wish things were different too, I hate the idea of Kairi being in so much danger. But that's reality, and that's what we've got to deal with."

"I was wrong earlier," Riku says, giving the wizard an approving look. "You're plenty good at the tough love."

"I know worrying is like, a natural response and everything," Azlyn chimes in. "But I think you've gotta give Kairi the credit she deserves. For the last year, you, me, Riku, and Telary have been teaching her everything we know. Plus, he's got Quistis, and Rinoa, and a whole bunch of powerful people with her too. The princess can take it for as long as she needs to, I guarantee it."

"And if one of those Chasers comes after her?" Sora throws back, arms crossed tightly. "Maybe they'll take a page from Organization XIII, get her to get to me."

"Fine, so I don't have all the answers," the knight admits, throwing up her hands. "But don't expect me to hold your hand while you bitch and moan about what ifs. That's crap, man."

"Not that we aren't willing to listen," Telary clarifies. "This isn't easy, none of it is. But we can face it together."

For a long moment, Sora just stares back at his friends, still holding his body tense and tight. Then, with a loud and weary sigh, the Keybearer unclenches. "Okay, okay. You're all right. I'll… I'll do my best."

"That's all we can really ask," Riku replies. "Now, let's get moving to the next danger zone. Az, you take the turret. Think you can handle any trouble on your own?"

"Oh, I would never so no to an opportunity for shooting," the knight replies with a big grin. "But what exactly are the rest of you gonna be doing?"

"We got lucky against the Chaser this time," Riku says. "But next time we might not. Sora especially is going to have to be at his peak. That means training whenever we can."

"Right," Sora says, nodding resolutely. "And if it happens to get my mind off of worrying about Kairi?"

"Then it's all the better. Now c'mon."

KH-KH-KH

Aerith turns away from the video console Chip and Dale had set up in the guest quarters, her upbeat facade crumbling immediately. She'd done her best to keep it up with the adventuring party, but hope is at a low point all around the displaced Restoration Committee.

"So you told them?" Yuffie asks from the room's entrance.

"Yes, they know now," she replies, wiping away an escaping tear. Turning, Aerith sees her ninja friend move to the closest bed and fall flat on her stomach. "They'll call for updates when they can, and of course we'll do our best to contact them if… when things change."

Yuffie rolls over, her upside down face cocked curiously to the left. "And when exactly do you think that'll be? What's wrong with him anyway?"

"Something psychological, most likely," she explains, though it's more of a guess. "The trauma of getting shot, plus having the garden fall again…"

"Well, we're all going through stuff," Yuffie points out, sitting herself up. "He'll, uh, wake up eventually though, right? Sooner rather than later?"

"No way of knowing. I think this battle, whatever it is, is one that Squall is going to have to face alone."

"So there's nothing I can do."

Aerith moves quickly to the ninja's side, standing over her and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You wanted to go with Sora and the others, didn't you?"

"Riku asked me to," Yuffie answers. "But the thought of leaving Leon, not being here for him when he wakes up… I couldn't just leave."

"Alright," Aerith says agreeably. "But was leaving with them really about Squall… Or was it about you?"

"Huh?"

"I know how you feel about Squall," the brunette replies with her usual serenity. "But I also think something is happening between you and Riku. When you chose to stay, just think about what that might have really meant. You're one of the most daring people I've ever met, Yuffie. But maybe you're playing it safe when it comes to matters of your heart."

The ninja looks away. She can't really think of anything to say to that.

"Well, I'll let you think on that on your own." Aerith turns and starts walking to the door. "There's someone else I'd like to have do a little contemplation."

She moves quickly down the hall, soon reaching the only locked door. She pulls the key from he pocket, inserting it into the knob and gently pushing the door open. From his position, sitting alone on the room's only bed, Steiner looks up in confusion.

"What…?"

"Come with me," Aerith says, leaving no room for argument. The sergeant rises, moving cautiously but without hesitation.

It's not a long walk, then elevator ride, then walk again to their destination, but Steiner spends every moment it does take wondering where exactly he's being led. Once the journey has reached the castle's medical wing, a sinking feeling enters his stomach. It only gets worse when they arrive at Leon's room.

The Restoration Committee leader lays asleep under thin covers, apparently peaceful. The instruments at his bedside beep steadily, monitoring his vital signs. They look good, all things considered.

"Why am I here?" the sergeant demands. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Not at all, Sergeant," Aerith replies, a coldness in her voice. "You're a bodyguard, aren't you?"

"I, uh, I served in that capacity for President Laguna on his trip to Radiant Garden," he replies shakily.

"And you failed, did you not?"

"Well, um…"

"You failed," Aerith interrupts flatly. "But now, well, you just might get a chance to redeem your poor performance." She steps closer, getting right in the sergeant's face. "This man is my best friend, and it's because of you that he's in this condition. You have your ideals, and you took action according to them, but that does not get you off the hook. So, you are going to sit down there in that chair, and you are going to look at this man you may well have murdered." She takes a few steps back, some of the coldness leaving her expression. "You'll of course be allowed to use the restroom when necessary, and meals will be brought to you. But until Squall is awake again, you do not get to have a reprieve from your actions. Am I being clear?"

For a long moment, Steiner can't find the words to say. He's known Aerith only a short while, and never once would he though her capable of this. Finally, he manages a little grunt and nod. Aerith moves around him, gesturing to the room's sole chair. It's just metal, plastic armrests, and a blue cushion maybe three inches thick. Honestly, it doesn't appear to be that comfortable, especially for an extended period of time.

Still, he really has no choice but to sit down. He does so, his gaze finding Leon's sleeping form. Steiner quickly looks upward, focusing on the ceiling instead.

"Careful not to strain your neck," Aerith comments, already on her way out the door.

KH-KH-KH

For the first few moments, Hans is just happy that the cold is gone. But soon the all-encompassing darkness starts to unnerve him, and even without a coating of ice the prince's body is frozen into stillness. He wants to look around, get a sense of his surroundings, but there's just no way he can.

Pain suddenly flares to life in his chest. It's a strangely familiar sensation, like the feeling his powers over fire had given him. But this sensation is far more intense, a ferociously burning pain concentrated in one single spot. It wants to spread, bring the feeling to the rest of his body and lessen the congregate heat, but instead it just sticks in the one spot.

Lights go up, dozens of tiny green candle flames flickering to life. Hans does his best to take in the room, his eyes the only part of his body capable of motion. It's a small space, perhaps fifty square feet if he had to guess. In the middle of the chamber, an unlit fire pit stacked with a dozen logs sits waiting for ignition. Arranged around it are, from what Hans can make out, five tall canisters of glass. Two of them contain human beings.

One is a rough, rugged looking man in baggy pants and a black vest. His head is shaved, nothing but stubble covering his crown. Clutched in one of his fists are three golden claws. The other canister's resident is a dark-skinned woman with snow white hair, dressed in furs of deep gold with brown spots. Both of them look back at Hans, their eyes free to move like his are. Suddenly, he is struck by the revelation that he too must be imprisoned as they.

A door opens, white light spilling into the room from the hall. Maleficent strides inside, a small smile on her face as she regards the canisters. When her eyes find Hans', the grin widens.

"Ah, I see you've come around," the witch says, her voice sickeningly sweet. She approaches the frozen prince, resting one jade hand on the glass in front of him. "I imagine you'd rather have not, given the circumstances. But unfortunately, you'll need to be awake for the ceremony."

His eyes must convey a question all on their own, or maybe Maleficent is just in an expository mood. "You've exposed your heart to darkness, you see. Fully given yourself over to it. Were it not for my spells keeping you in this stasis, you'd become a Heartless on the spot. But I have need of you now, you see, in this in-between state. The other guests are in similar states, though I had to induce their processes myself." She chuckles darkly.

The witch removes her hand, turning away and moving back to the door. It opens again, white light spilling in once more. She stops just in front of it, turning to address her immobile captives. "I suppose thanks are in order. You all were amusing enough as pawns to pit against the Keybearer, but now you can fulfill a yet higher purpose for me. When the time comes, I hope you find some comfort in the fact that your sacrifice will bring forth something much greater. It is my hope that I shall return soon, with more guests. Until then, do not be afraid to feel anger, fear, sorrow. Perhaps those emotions can sustain you against the inevitable madness."

Maleficent throws her head back, unleashing a full-throated, cackling laugh. She strides out of the chamber, her sick amusement echoing off the walls even as the door slides shut. Hans turns his gaze away, once again locking eyes with his fellow prisoners. They both look as pained as he, the desire to scream written plainly on their frozen faces.

Somehow, that isn't exactly a comfort to him.

This took way longer than I thought it would, and I'm really sorry. That Chaser fight scene especially was hard to pull off. But, it's out now, and I promise to go extra hard at these next chapters, hopefully getting this next Disney world finished by year's end. Considering how much I love the movie it's inspired by, that shouldn't be too difficult.

Shoutout to Bezerker21 for his review. He had a good note in it, which I'll try to be mindful of. Until next time, everybody!