Chapter 147: Where the Sea Meets...and Parts...with the Sky.
Part 1: Judgement's Dealt.
…At the Dark Maw...are seen both Howlite and Xazko. Still continuing their clash, ever since it begin following the former sending Kairi and the others to the Memory-scape, back at the Cavern of Remembrance. They are equally matched...with the whole of the Dark Maw's landscape covered completely in battle scars just about everywhere, as far as the eye could see. They momentarily take a break...wishing to enjoy themselves with a more or less simple chat.
"...Ha...ha. HA! ha...want to...call it...quits yet? ready...whenever you are. Ha..." says Howlite, catching his breath. Xazko replies by saying the words "Ha...ha. Ha...fool. I ain't...gonna give...out just yet. I can still...fight, so come on! already! stop faking. Show me...your full...ha. POWER!" shouts out Xazko, being more high-strung then Howlite. "Yeesh...can't underestimate a fighting warrior, huh? alright then. Let's do this...one-more-TIME!" shouts out Howlite himself, raising his gauntlet whilst also revealing that he wields another weapon in the form of what looks like a glove on his opposite hand.
Xazko in turn decides to answer Howlite's challenge again by tightly holding his two handed giant sword, modelled after the Nobody Emblem. Charging at his opponent, Xazko and Howlite once more clash...unleashing a shockwave of immense proportions. The shockwave traverses underneath the ground and sends electric bolts coursing throughout nearby Crystals that destroy them from the inside out. Howlite and Xazko, each wearing their respective masks are shown to smile underneath them, being true fighters that love a battle every now and then...
/mbsWgCeScMo
"...Just tell me one thing." says Xazko, raising an eyebrow from Howlite whilst locked in a standstill. "Why did you send her to the Memory-scape? surely...that will affect the Mzza Luna in the long-run too..." says Xazko, speaking of the group that directly opposes the Solaeris Apostoli. "...Let's just say...that I'm a guy who loves to leave Hearts to chance. Hearts can't and will not grow...if they don't experience things by either chance or fate alone. The "Chance Fate" must present itself...if it wants it's chosen folk of Destiny to move forwards." says Howlite, appearing to hint at something...some kind of mystery.
"...I see. So then...are you really acting out against your group's wishes?" says Xazko, curious about the type of person that Howlite is. "That remains to be seen...and for YOU to find out. Now then...it's time to...REMIND you current Solaeris and Trionfi members...what it's like when both the Sun and the Moon share space together, heh." says Howlite, as suddenly...a massive influx of energy emerges from him and Xazko clashing. A veil of Darkness surrounds the shoulders of Howlite whilst a veil of Light surrounds Xazko's.
"Time to begin...the Passing of the 13th Hour!" says Howlite, taking great enjoy in what was happening...though Xazko appeared bothered by it, especially from Howlite's words. The huge influx envelops the Skies of Radiant Garden above...causing a great torrential downpour of rain to fall. Back at the city, because of the rain do the rioters at the castle entrance decide to cease their actions for the time being. Fully intending to resume once the rain lets up...
Even sees this and says "...Phew. Thank goodness. The rain has halted the rioting...but. I cannot help but feel...a foreboding ill from this downpour of heavenly like proportions. It's almost as if...these are the rains...to signify the end of the World." says Even, appearing rather grim about the ongoing Chain of events. The riots and the rain itself...seem to be something both together that not only Even but also Ienzo and the other apprentices of Ansem the Wise take notice of. Namely...they felt, as though they could sense trouble brewing. Despite no longer having their gifts from being Nobodies of Organization XIII previously...Even, Ienzo, Aeleus and Dilan. Watching over an unconscious and sleeping Ansem…had sensed and believed that something terrible was about to transpire.
Part 1-Complete.
Part 2: Secrets of the Mysterious.
Leon is seen rushing from Radiant Garden's castle to the direction of Merlin the Wizard's house. "This is bad...this can't be good. If what that guy said earlier is true..." says Leon, appearing to know something. He opens the entrance door of Merlin's house with force, here finding the rest of the Radiant Garden council that are still stationed in the World. Namely Yuffie and Y-R-P (Yuna, Rikku and Paine) with the former becoming surprised if not shocked by Leon's sudden arrival-"L-Leon! you're here!" says Yuffie.
"Forget about that. Tell me, where's Merlin!?" says Leon, as he moves towards the terminal that Cid once used to monitor the old Hollow Bastion still under restoration, as well as take control of the Claymore defence system against invading Heartless. "H-He said he was going somewhere to discuss something with someone. To take care of unfinished business." says Yuffie, answering Leon's question. "Hey! hey! something up!? anything we can do to help!?" says Rikku, speaking out.
She is comically shushed by Paine whilst Yuna sighs and shrugs her shoulders. "Actually, there is. You three. Go around town and find anyone wielding a sword as massive as his Body." says Leon, shocking Yuffie with his answer. "Leon!? are you mad!? are you serious!? you're...you're not going to call on THAT guy for help, are you!?" says Yuffie, knowing just whom Leon is referring. "Is it Cloud!?" says Rikku before again being stopped by Paine in a comic manner.
"No...but just as brooding." says Leon. He confuses Y-R-P with this statement...about a swordsman similar to Cloud...yet is not Cloud. Leon thinks to himself in his mind the following "Tch…just when everyone is divided and scattered, this happens. The riots, the rain, even "that guy"...it's all Connected, somehow. Kairi, Donald and Goofy...make sure you guys are safe. I don't think...RG is going to know peace again, for a good while..." says Leon, making an ominous proclamation from inside his head, fearing what will happen to Radiant Garden within the future...
Elsewhere, roaming the streets of Radiant Garden and bumping into rioters, earning nasty glares from them...is Caius. As soon, as he returns their glares, they begrudgingly walk away immediately in fear from the man that carries a demon looking sword upon his back. Humongous in size, almost like himself. "...Hmph. No one has any backbone around here...well. Except for those three from earlier...they looked like they could have put up quite a fight. Hmm?" says Caius, suddenly hearing a voice whisper to him through the rain that was falling upon him.
The voice was carried upon shrieking winds that accompanied the rains and from them did Caius appear to have an epiphany of some kind. "...Oh? … I see. So...the former Light...that was her, was it? intriguing. No doubt a trail of chaos will follow both in front and behind her wherever she goes. So long as her Heart serves as a Guiding Key...heh." says Caius. The eyeball in his sword then all of a sudden transforms...into the Gazing Eye! before returning back to it's original form a second later...
Meanwhile...at the Mysterious Tower is shown Yen Sid. Looking outside the window with his hands behind his back...
He is shown to be clutching in one of them...a Star Shard. However, this Star Shard is completely different to the rest shown beforehand. Unlike all of the others that were "Light" based...this one...was "Darkness" based. Entering through the door is shown to be Merlin, the three good fairies and the fairy godmother. "...I take it that you are all prepared?" says Yen Sid, as he seems to apparently be plotting some scheme in mind. "Why yes Yen Sid, the preparations have been made. Though tell me...are you quite sure...about this? we don't know what will happen if we go through with this. The World order-" says Merlin before he is then interrupted by Yen Sid.
"Will mean absolutely nothing if we are not prepared to defend it. Even if that means...breaking certain rules and regulations. The laws of the World are changing, Merlin. I should have foreseen it...as soon as Master Xehanort had struck so very long ago." says Yen Sid, causing the three fairies to greatly worry for him, upon seeing him tightly the "Dark" Star Shard. However, the fairy godmother on the other hand appears to wait for Yen Sid to finish what he is saying, knowing that there are words that must be spoken, no matter what.
"...After...we had lost our friend, Kokoro. I...lost the will to continue wielding a Keyblade. I had decided to devote my studies elsewhere. But before that...I had proposed the creation of Keyblade Armours and Gliders. With them...the Corridors of Light could be safely navigated. But...I couldn't have been all the more wrong. I should...have NEVER gone through with those accursed ideas, finding them from the lost documents at the grand library of Scala ad Caelum..." says Yen Sid...a grave expression appearing on his face.
"...I was just a visiting apprentice wizard learning the ways of magic when I first met you, Yen. It was thanks to you that I was able to become the wizard that I am today...so do not say that. All of us here...we are all part of that same generation, more or less. We are...the "Brightest Generation", so we were called. Am I right ladies?" says Merlin, the three fairies nodding their heads. Flora speaks up as the fairies' representative by saying "Oh indeed. We four were once known as the "Beautiful Fairy Quartet" back then. We are still beautiful now...but enough about that. Like you two, we studied at Scala ad Caelum...but we were not aiming to be Keyblade Wielders. Instead, just like you Merlin, we wanted to learn simply magic alone. That's why we were careful to act as though we didn't knowing anything at all about the weapon when we first saw Eraqus' disciple-Ventus arrive at Aurora's World." says Flora, shockingly revealing knowledge and especially Connections of the Keyblade, more so then previously shown...
"I was the same too. When that dear woman Aqua first appeared at Cinderella's World. I was fearful that Eraqus' teachings would have blindsided her judgement. So I merely...gave her a nudge in the right direction. I was right to help her when I did...Eraqus…his teachings were not wrong. But...after losing Koko...one would think." says the fairy godmother, tightly taking hold of her wand. "Correct...all of this...had started with Kokoro's loss. Eraqus vied for her affections too...but Kokoro's eyes were only upon Xehanort. Xehanort responded in kind...you had never known two lovebirds more perfect for each other. Unfortunately...the Stars were crossed with...the mark of the Recusant's Sigil. That mark only appears...when two lovers that wholeheartedly love each other...are Destined to be torn away from one another. I had tried to help Xehanort…but I too was misguided. It was my follies...that led to Corridors of Light to become Corridors of Darkness for our enemies to use..." says Yen Sid, revealing what he knows.
"You are talking about Ansem the Wise's research, aren't you? the man whom could be considered "missing" from the Brightest Generation's original roster. You Yen Sid, Eraqus, Xehanort, Kokoro, myself, the three good fairies and the fairy godmother here were the starting line-up of the Brightest Generation. We were...Guardians of Light in training. No...looking back now with hindsight, that is too arrogant and presumptuous of me to say. We could have never been like whom the youths are nowadays..." says Merlin in a very rare moment of being "humble". As he speaks about the latest Guardians of Light that appeared in KINGDOM HEARTS III: Sora, Riku, Kairi, King Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Namine, Roxas, Axel, Xion, Ventus, Terra and Aqua.
"...My friends...the time...has come." says Yen Sid all of a sudden, as he takes his seat upon his tall chair. "...As the "missing" would say: we MUST make amends by the young peoples of today. For far, far too long...we have not been held accountable for our actions that have affected them, better or worse. No longer...I will not standby to allow our mistakes to cause any further grief. I...intend to follow my Heart. Following the inspiration of the boy that has taught so much to so very many Hearts. I will not tell you how to follow your paths...but only that I ask you all remain true to them. What shall you all do...my friends?" says Yen Sid, asking his friends for their unified response whilst crossing his fingers...looking grave.
Part 2-Complete.
Part 3: An Ancient Past...and the Present Heart.
Whilst everything was occurring in the current timeline...suddenly. A flashback occurs...going way back when towards over millenniums ago!
We see a both strange and mysterious young looking individual...wearing a scarf with patterns of autumn leaves. He is seen writing in a notebook and his thoughts are projected onscreen:
"My journal. Page Chapter 1300...the day of the master's passing. It is with a saddened Heart...that my master. Master Daedalus...had passed from a weary, sickening Heart of old age. I have great fear...I worry about how the future will become, without the master's guidance. All of the apprentices are considering going their separate ways, across other Worlds. The master had forewarned us of our bond becoming less over the passage of time, should we not remained Connected as one Body, one Heart..." says this individual, momentarily stopping writing in his journal before shedding a single tear upon it.
"Even though the eldest of us, Regalia believed otherwise...I cannot help but greatly worry about the master's dying proclamation. It leaves me with severe unease...I...owe the master everything. He helped me, after I was lost traversing the Worlds..." says the individual in question before recalling a flashback within a flashback...in "his" flashback itself, he appears as a teenage ruffian of around 16 years compared to his young adult self later in his life. "I'm setting out to sea everyone! do not try to stop me!" says the younger aged individual.
Despite the warnings of the people around him, he tried multiple times to build a raft and use it to set out across the oceans. "I shall name this raft Excalibur-no wait Highwind! … Excaliwind? or Highbur maybe?" says the individual, having trouble deciding upon a name for his sea vessel. Unfortunately, it would matter little. His raft would break countless times. Time after time, he tries to accomplish the feat that no one else of his World had dared to complete but alas, it seemed...that Destiny was against him.
Yet he would not wane, he would not give and yield. "Bah! try as you might, you will not stop me! o mighty seas! I WILL become a sailor! just you WATCH!" says the individual. Because of the "primitive" background of his World's technology more or less, he struggled trying to make a strong raft with good materials. He had lasted building rafts over a whole year until at last, the homeland villagers would no longer provide him anymore materials and tools to work with. Even at one critical juncture being forced to place the individual into hospital for the entirety of three months...
"This has gone on long enough! ENOUGH already, you brazen fool! forget life on the oceanside. Live by working back at the mainland, try as you might, no one has ever been able to set out from this island. Give it a rest already..." says a fellow villager and caring somewhat acquaintance of the individual's, trying to warn him the dangers of trying to traverse the waters beyond the sights...of a "normal" person. Yet the individual in his own way was not normal...still wanting to pursue his dream-what he had decided to deem his lifelong goal. "Fool...huh. So what? if I am a fool then they are fools too. Don't they know what a Dream is? what ambition is? I...want to experience that. I want to experience those things...and feel proud of myself." says the individual, stating his reason for continuing, even if his supply route had been cut off, out of concern from the natives.
By now the age of 17 a year later, the youthful individual...STILL did not give up. Remaining true to his Heart, even at the loss of his Connections with the residents of his home, tired from his attempts and no longer to care for his fate. The individual thought that such bonds were worthless...only his dream mattered to him in the end. But one can only do so much, alone. "...How long has the day been? hmm? … ! !? oh-NO! the wood is falling apart! has it caught rot already at this time of year!?" says the individual, as he looks to see dark clouds forming and the weather changing.
Wanting to protect his latest raft, he does all he can...yet to no avail whatsoever. Afterwards, he laments the loss of his 70th sea-craft. Tears start forming down from his face and he finally says the words. "...Do...do you hate me? Destiny? I do not believe in a god...I have actually...no one to believe in. I guess...this is Karma...of the Heart. Heh...heh heh! my Heart had become so stained with black coloured desire...that I have lost everything as a result. No family and now no one at all...this is the price I must pay...for my Dream." says the individual, starring up towards the Darkened Sky...before sensing approaching footsteps.
"A Dream is not bad, not bad at all. Especially...when you can share it with someone. We live in Worlds full of peoples, not just sole individuals alone, youth." says revealing himself to be a seemingly wise man of old age, bestowing information to the individual...though he did not ask for it. "...Hmph. Leave, old loon. Before the tides gnaw you away and feed the sharks nearby..." says the individual, as he places his hands in his pockets and tries to take his leave. However...
"Ha! such conceit from a whelp. Indeed, I am old...but I know the vast of the Worlds far more. You care to test my knowledge? show me how you can put up a fight, youth." says the old man, daring the individual towards a fight. Angered, he decides to immediately retaliate and answer the old man's challenge. "Don't pester me! you crazy old freak!" says the individual, trying to make a full swing with his fist. But without warning at all, the old man uses a walking staff to hit the individual directly in the face and then overpower him by targeting his blind-spots.
"I told you...you refused to listen. The vastness of the Worlds is far more then the limit boundaries of this island...yet even so, home...is where the Heart is. This place...is like a treasure to me. Why don't you take what you can from my words? see what you can learn from this experience. Here, a parting consolation prize." the old man passes the injured individual a uniquely shaped item of some kind-a sea conch? …
Afterwards, he had vanished, just as he had appeared to begin with. A broken nose is knocked back into place whilst examining the sea conch. "H-Huh? a shell? why that old geezer! I'll...sigh. No, forget it. Ain't right to beat on a senior citizen...still, why did he give THIS thing to me? what the heck..." says the individual, contemplating what to do with the conch, further examining it. Returning to outside the flashback to the individual's past, as he proudly wears his scarf of autumn leaves...he lastly says to himself the words:
"It was then that my journey had truly begun. With a new "raft" at my disposal...I-Orichalcum started a new adventure!" says the individual, revealing that in truth, he is actually the figure from Aqua's story. "The Sailor"...Orichalcum!
Part 3-Complete.
To be Continued.