Of Keys and Hammers

by zcritic88

In a realm beyond, the Four Chaos has taken notice of a realm tied close to the heart. They squirmed into the darkness and sought to corrupt if to reach a prize beyond the light. Will the Light of Order, be able to repel this ancient evil?

25. Judgement

Tahm, Perkins and Pheobus were in a cage before Notre Dame. Countless other people were locked away in separate cages and all were guarded by the town guard, completely consumed by the darkness. Towns people gathered to try and push against the corrupted guard as a heartless in an executioners hood and holding a torch. Pheobus noticed the cathedrals door opening up, the Arch Deacon tried to get out and intervene, only to be blocked by the guards. The ex captain asked a rather patient Commissar. "You're quiet for an captain."

Tahm looked up to the cathedral to find chains and closed his eyes in a prayer. "I hope the angels heard my plea and are watching this! They are our last hope."

Pheobus wasn't exactly buying it. "Look, I know you were never from any continent I know of. Were you calling for help?"

Tahm nodded as Perkins was permitted to tell a truth Pheobus would understand. "What was... stopped, was something that would have called those angels sooner. They only know we need their help and one strike... is what is needed," The sound of drums were heard as Tahm spoke of the grim situation. "That strike... is the signal Elric and Thompson need for their efforts to work. I never waist good men and they take upon that guidance."

Pheobus sighed and waited for his chance. "This was all part of your plan and why you four never... really followed orders?"

Tahm nodded and looked upon the heartless. "These men, chose their path or never had the chance to hear Resira's message. The ones that heeded are those who may once again bask in the light for when it prevails."

They watched Frollo with a certain woman tied to a stake, she was in a white dress. The man took out a scroll and accused. "The prisoner Esmerelda has been found guilty of witchcraft! The sentence death!"

The many screams of the towns people pushed against the guards. "Release her!" "She is innocent!"

To Perkins surprise, more towns people came to try and push against the guards. With two particular men leading from behind. "...We... were never good leaders sir."

Tahm looked to where the flood came from, those two men were more trying to order the towns people to fall back. "...No... but they set the pieces in place."

At the pyre, Frollo was given a torch and spoke to Esmerelda. "The time has come gypsy. You stand upon the brink of the abyss. Yet even now it is not too late; I can save you from the flames of this world and the next. Choose me or the fire." Esmerelda spit at the mans face, defying him still and glaring at him. Frollo announced to the crowd trying to rebel. "This evil witch has put the soul of every citizen in Paris in-"

Up at the bell tower.

Quasimodo was chained to many stone pillars, mentally broken. He felt four specs of light from behind, something heavy appeared. He looked to his left and right to find four figures in grey robes. One wielding a tube of some kind, took aim. "Brothers, is this the disaster we were called for?"

A robed figure wielding a sword and maul looked upon it, a man in black was near a woman in white, tied to a stake. Surrounding him was an army of darkness and many who were imprisoned. The man listened and nodded. "It is Dabriel, we eliminate this heretic and this will be over!"

A robed figure with a blue glow in his left hand object. "But he is so close that we might hit the civilian. If she perishes... would that truly beak the tide of darkness? Hofneil, Nathanel, what should we do?"

A robed figure with a heavy, strange looking weapon noticed Quasimodo and some rope. "Someone needs to rescue that woman and this one could be her only hope. Pyriel, Hofneil, shall we test him?"

Hofneil and Pyriel nodded, the sword glowed as the other figure drew out a large knife. They attacked the chains and were repulsed by the darkness. Pyriel noticed the chains power coming from the hunchback, he ordered. "You, these chains are drawing something out of you! What ever it is, fight it!"

Quasimodo muttered. "It's all my fault this happened."

Pyriel gasped and asked. "Was it?!"

Hofneil refused to believe it. "By the way we see it, you are as much of a victim as the innocents bellow. You must fight this darkness, only you can break these chains."

Quasimodo responded with more doubt. "I can't, I tried. What difference would it make?"

Nathanel answered loudly. "You could save this civilian before the evil bellow claims another soul! You can't let this evil win."

Quasimodo grumbled in despair. "He already has."

The robed figures listened and looked to each other, Pyriel tried to strike the chains again and concluded. "It... isn't just the chains. You have something else binding you to this prison."

Quasimodo gave up on listening. "Leave me alone!"

The robed figures took the request as Hofneil sighed. "*Huff* Very well, we will have to rescue her through another means. Dabriel, may she find rest from this madness if she does not survive."

Dabriel obeyed and took something from his robe. "So long as we bring the heretic to justice, her soul can still be saved."

Pyriel agreed and looked down in silence. "But try to see that no more innocent blood is spilled." Nathanel was the most disappointed and aimed his weapon to help. "We are not the angels the innocent pray for. But if we can save the souls of the righteous, it will be done."

Quasimodo felt the words echoing in his mind, he pulled against it and saw the fire bellow, Frollo was finishing his speech. "It is my sacred duty, to send this unholy demon back where she belongs!"

He lit the stake on fire and the robed figures had their hands in the trigger. His heart resonated with the fact, if he doesn't try something, the very woman that gave him kindness would burn along with the others who shared that kindness. More innocents would die if he doesn't try, he roared with all his might. "NOOOOO!"

CLANK!

The angels were astonished and watched the pillars crack, a bell rung, Hofneil felt it and ordered. "Hold your fire!" He begged and sensed a light with in the misshapen. "We are not the angels that would save her life, you are. Fight this evil!"

The rumbling continued and the chains caused the pillars to crumble, freeing the hunchback from the chains. The angels stood aside proudly. Quasimodo grabbed rope, lassoed it to a gargoyle and dropped down to a wall, determined for a rescue. He rushed against the wall and swung to the platform with the pyre. Right in front of Frollo. Quasi undid Esmerelda's bindings, the woman fell limp, the hunch back caught her and carried her unconscious body over his shoulder as a trio of heartless crawled upon the platform. Quasi took the stake, tore it out from the stand and swatted the heartless away. He swung off of the platform with Esmerelda in tow as Frollo glared at him with murderous intent. "Quasimodo!"

With the opening given, Nathanel and Dabriel fired their weapons at Frollo. BOOM! BOOM!

A dark barrier formed to block the bullets and missile. The Hofneil squinted his eyes and found a dark barrier glowing in fire. "...What in the Emperor's name has this man dabbled in?"

Pyriel had no idea and watched civilians bellow pushing against the army of darkness, the platform ignited into an inferno. "It's the reason Sora and the others are missing brother! Without a keyblade... can we break the tide?"

Hofneil wondered and ordered the devastators. "We can try, Nathanel, Dabriel, support fire! Pyriel, with me."

The angel understood and followed his captain into a reckless charge down bellow. The imprisoned masses looked in astonishment to the figures coming down and at an orb of light forming.

PEW!

Thud! Much to Frollo's annoyance, the light dropped out eight figures he thought were banished to the pits of Hell. Mickey, Goofy and Donald landed off first, followed by Sora and Kairi. Something shot to the most prominent cage like a bullet as Riku appeared with an angelic figure that caused Frollo to back away in terror, that same angel that judged him. Riku glared at him as Resira landed gracefully. The minister was cornered as the arrivals heard something from above. They turned around to find Quasimodo holding the unconscious body of Esmerelda, looking rather horrified for the worse as the hunchback stood in

front of a stained glass window of the Cathedral. The hunchback lifted Esmerelda with both arms and laying on her back, yelling to the group. "Sanctuary! Sanctuary!"

Not that Frollo cared, he ordered twenty of his heartless. "Seize the Cathedral! I'll deal with these heathens myself!"

He took out a sword with a darkened hilt and was ready for battle, the heartless charged at the cathedral and were crushed by two grey angels. The shadows twisted and horned figures emerged, with fiery swords, gibbering maws, flicking tongues, a buzzing of humanoid flies and black rays. The fire twisted into many distorted faces and the sky became blackened with a cloud resembling an eight pointed star, the keyblade wielders had a sense of horror as Frollo yelled at them. "What have you done?!"

Sora barked at him. "What you have done?! Look around you."

Riku agreed and readied to charge after the daemons. "This happened because of you!"

Frollo refused to believe that and lunged at Sora. Parry! The minister snarled at them. "You opened the gates of Hell upon us all! You are not simple peasants, you are all demons!"

Kairi had it with the mad man as she and the others not preoccupied charged, the forming fire shot at them to break the fight apart. Resira ordered Kairi, Mickey, Donald and Goofy. "Deal with the heartless! We'll handle this heretic!"

That quote sent Frollo into a frenzy and caused him to focus his attacks on her, Hofneil parried and felt him pushing back as Pyriel focused on shooting the many daemons trying to reach the Cathedral. Kairi flung stars and flowers of light as Mickey through himself into the horde, Donald and Goofy readied a combination, the shield bearer used his shield as a platform and mage jumped on. He was pushed high in the air, raised his staff and shot a barrage of magical bolts upon the near infinite horde.

Sora and the imperial duo noticed a wooden beam coming down upon them. They jumped out of the way, Frollo felt the shock wave and nearly tripped, he ordered the waiting heartless. "You men, bring down the door!" The heartless done so without question as Frollo lunged at the three, swinging more like a complete mad man and facing a series of strikes that were mitigated by the darkness around him, Resira jumped back and aimed her flamer, Hofneil and Sora skid out of the way and watched Frollo become consumed by fire.

At the caged area.

Kendry apologized and broke the door open with Cadia's Light. "I'll get the others broken out, can you and Pheobus handle this?"

Tahm appreciated it and ordered him. "Go! We will lead this army to its glory!"

Kendry nodded and saluted the two, flying off to another cage as Pheobus found a spear, picked it up, climbed up the cage rallied to the pushing back towns folk. "Citizens of Paris! Frollo has persecuted our people, ransacked our city and now he has declared war on Notre Dame herself!" He raised the spear in the air as Tahm and Perkins walked out with tranquil fury, Pheobus asked as he gave a shine of radiant light. "Will we allow it?!"

The citizens gave a unified shine of light, pushing back against the heartless. Tahm and Perkins felt the vigor and charged against the chaos, weapons and all. Uniting with Thompson and Elric, the scarred guardsmen saluted and jabbed. "Sir, the town guard that we lead charged straight in before we said so!"

The burned guardsmen pushed with a yell as Tahm cared little. "You rallied those seeking redemption! Now we all fight against the darkness! The angels have come to purge the wicked and we fight by their side!" He himself gave off a glow of light as his guardsmen radiated with him, he yelled proudly. "For the Good of Mankind! FOR THE EMPEROR!"

In the top of the cathedral.

Dabriel took out a roaring sword and swiped against the many heartless climbing above as Nathanel gunned down as many as he can, the holy rally bellow gave him and his brother a glow of light, causing the heartless to dissolve as Quasimodo placed Esmerelda in the bell tower, let her laid unconscious on a bench. "Don't worry you will be safe up here."

He jumped down and tried preparing a cauldron as a figure appeared from the corner, one in dusty robes. The robed figure took out a small packet of something and a match. "He of flesh, do you think this would halt the siege alone?"

Quasimodo thought he was going a little crazy as Dabriel noticed and ordered. "Magitinus, help us push back this incursion!"

The robbed figure sighed and placed the packet underneath the wood of the cauldron. "Very well Angels of Death," He shot out flame, the packet combust, burst and revealed a mechanical body that vaguely resembles a human, freaking Quasimodo out as a liquid pooled, Magitinus looked upon the hunchback and asked with a static. "What is this? It is meant to be heated?"

Quasimodo nodded with a hint of fear. "Y..Yes, it melts...c...copper."

Magitinus was impressed by the molten metal and observed his own work. "The substance I poured will heat the cauldron in time! When it bubbles-" Quasimodo understood. "I pour it into the canal, they won't get in then."

Down bellow

Kairi and Mickey were carving a vast hole in the dark army as Goofy and Donald's combos kept most from attacking the towns people. WOOSH!

BOOM!

A pile of heartless were incinerated by a bullet of fire and more were blown apart left and right from laser beams. The girl jumped back from dark rays trying to fly down and bite at her. One particular was shot into oblivion and another met an inferno bullet. Ken landed and looked to be scorching in fire, he cooled down and noticed Firekeeper's Wish was sparkling. "You noticed the towns people fighting back?"

Kairi nodded and used her ease of breath to stab another ray and sent it dissolving from a glowing light. "You noticed the light in them?"

Ken nodded and shot a fourth ray away, he watched Riku charge at the heartless trying to ram the door down and doing his best to try and stop the chaos. "What do you think caused that?"

Kairi guessed and was sweating from a fifth ray being giving a full blast of a star. "They are fighting for justice and to defend this city! It took enough people to bring out the light." She gasped and looked up to the cathedral as Ken snipped a daemonic fly. "To defend the heart of this world."

She felt more certain with a glow of her own and watched her friends give off that glow. A swarm of seven flies flew to the cathedral and Ken burst in flames again, realizing the fire wasn't hurting anymore and laughed. "Ha. Watch this!"

BOOM!

He shot himself into the sky and carved against the flies that tried to claw back at him, Kairi was blown by the force and saw beast like heartless with flickering tongues and an aardvark like body charging at Riku. She charged and was striking them back, giving the silver haired boy time to focus on them, he smiled to her fiercely, looking at the heartless causing a dent to the door and at another fire ball of fire being shot at them. He asked Kairi. "You want to try something?" The princess was willing, he raised his keyblade in the air and gave a glow looking of dark. Kairi aimed her own blade and glowed in light, tapping it at Riku's blade. Both floated in the air and shot into a rift of light and darkness.

In the main battle.

The ramming of the door and Frollo swiping balls of dark fire caused Sora to roll out of the way and focus his blade at him, Resira took the fire and charged with a glow of faith as Hofneil came at Frollo with both a power maul and power sword.

PEW!

Homing beams shot out of the keyblade and fired at Frollo, knocking him to nearing a loss in balance as he glowed black, dodged Resira's sword and trusted her in the chest with his blade. Bringing her into more anger as Hofneil missed with his power sword and hit him with a power maul. Leaving him open to two rifts from left and right, one of light and one of darkness. Kairi shot out from the rift of light, Riku shot out from the dark. Resira was on her knees and growled, Sora cast a healing spell and noticed the Sister of Battle was giving off a dark glow. "Resira, something is-"

The Adeptas Sororitas watched Frollo get struck left and right, being tossed to a corner towards the cathedral and being shot further to the doorway that had a hole busted through. She felt like she was enjoying that a bit too much and looked up to find something pouring down from above. "...Damn it, not now!"

She ordered. "Go, if he gets in now, we won't have another chance!" Sora was concern of the darkness growing and saw a molten metal poured from every pipe. He took a deep breath, knowing what was ordered, focused on Frollo trying to get up and flew at him.

The boys blade was ready and he dodged the molten liquid raining from above. The heartless trying to barricade the door were scorched by the heat and Frollo climbed up and shot another bolt of dark fire, giving a rather cold glare as Sora had to jump above and out of the way. The boy watched Frollo crawl in as he landed on the wooden ram, he rolled in after him and chased to a spiral stair, where the Arch Deacon was attempting to make a last stand against Frollo. Yelling is justified anger. "Frollo, have you gone mad?!" He pushed the man firm. "I will not tolerate this assault on the House of God!"

Frollo knew Sora was after him, grabbed the Arch Deacon by the collar and hissed. "Silence you old fool," He hurled the Arch Deacon at Sora and knocked him off his feet, going up the stairs to a door. "The hunchback and I have unfinished business to settle and this time, you will not interfere!"

He closed the door and locked it, Sora was dazed and saw the image of that angel he saw at the court, raising his sword and trying to stab the boy the ground. The boy grabbed the Arch Deacon and rolled backwards with him, accidentally throwing him to a wall and leaving the man dizzy. The angel gave a dark glow and caused the cathedral to distort, the many holy statues resembled fiends of twisted flesh and maws, the candles went black, the saints in the glass windows resembled things Sora and the Arch Deacon certainly viewed as blasphemous.

In place of the saints, was an image of a black warrior on top of a throne littered with skulls. A green bloated, diseased fiend stirring from a cauldron, a tentacled blue creature and a feminine pink daemon. In the most center top was an eight pointed star. The Arch Deacon took out his cross and faced it against the angel, seeing more of what it is. "Be...begone from this sanctuary, you demon!"

The angelic figure faded and its place was a black demon Sora knew of. "You! Is there a low you won't sink to?"

The demon gave a twisted smile and glowed in the dark. "This pitiful thing they call God will not protect you child! That zealot mortal, lead the way in!"

That much the Arch Deacon feared and looked heart broken as the demon approached him, ready to tear into him. PEW! The demon looked to his right and was struck in the back by a bolt of plasma. Sizzling his skin as a robbed figure shrugged drippings of copper and was more furious at the demon. The demon turned to the angel and taunted. "So the actual angels have arrived? You are far too late to stop me."

Stomp! Stomp! BURST! Another angel burst through the door, one with a sword and maul, the angel was more horrified and glared. The demon charged at the two angels, ready to do battle as he hissed.

Outside of the cathedral.

The townsfolk fighting saw the molten copper pouring and bolted out of there as the heartless soldiers were washed away in the fire. Leaving Riku and Kairi to worry for a struggling Adeptas Sororitas. She was on her knees, gritting and trying to hold on as the darkness was surrounding her. Thud! Mickey, Donald and Goofy pushed back against the deamonic heartless and rushed to her, Mickey knew what was going on. "Resira, what did Frollo hurt you with?"

Resira checked her chest and found a dark power pooling from that, she wanted to yell out and felt she was lacking the energy to do that. "Ha...ha, so... this is it." She looked more weaker and looked up to Kairi and Riku with a smirk of respect. "That sword... struck at my heart with a dark power. Ha!" Kairi tried to reach to Resira and felt a pulse of power pushing her back, the Adeptas Sororitas was pushing the group back with a dark power beyond her control. The sister of battle's smirk was breaking down to trickling tears, she was smiling at the irony and stood up. "This darkness... that is leaking out? My faith... punctured. Ha! Ha!" She looked up to the many demons attempting to assault the cathedral and seeing the world devolving into chaos. She tried to counter the darkness consuming her with a golden light, not even being distracted by Ken landing and asking out loud. "This is starting to get out of control, what is happening?"

Resira was in a haze as Mickey noticed the towns people being overwhelmed by the Heartless corrupted daemons, he had a feeling of what needed to be done. "Resira's heart was struck by a dark power and I think it is consuming it. But... what is she trying to do?"

The group had no idea, yet the keyblade wielders were being drawn to the light being given off, Resira chanted in prayer. "Emperor, shield the souls of the people of this world. Let your servant give these guardians the power they need."

Riku thought she was talking insanity. "Use your... light?! Do you even know what that will do to you?"

Donald and Goofy had an idea, the shield bearer answered. "If she uses her light, there won't be anything holding the darkness in her back." Donald remembered more. "Like what... happened...to-" Kairi gasped and remembered, fearing for the Sister of Battles heart. "Resira don't... you will just turn into a...a-" Ken was easily drawn to the Adeptas Sororitas and tried to force away, the distorted fire was taking form of something, Resira noticed and chanted. "Emperor, let me test the will of the guardians. For they are descending into the dark depths of the Great Enemy's domain. It is better for one to suffer, than for many to suffer! Let my light cleanse the world of Chaos, let my light set things right."

Riku swallowed and pushed through, holding the sister by the shoulder and aiming his keyblade into the sky that was distorting an eight pointed star. "...If we do this, we will... have to fight Resira."

Mickey understood and joined in, frowning to the thought. "But... do we have a choice?"

Kairi looked like tears were dripping from her own eyes. joining into sacrifice "We... don't. She is...trying to hold on this long."

Ken saw the flame taking shape into something blasting sanity and joined in. "The dark is getting to her anyways, we need to give this... everything."

Kairi agreed and the dreadful thought. "If we don't-" Riku nodded to her and let his keyblade glow. "We will fight both that and her."

Kairi, Mickey and Ken aimed with a keyblade in their main hand. They glowed and drew from Resira, she looked relaxed as the entity noticed them.

PEW!

A combined beam of radiant light fired into the sky. The entity howled and rushed at them to consume, the light of the group pushed it back and left it realizing what was happening. The beam struck the eight pointed star and caused a pulse across the world. The deamons trying to attack were vaporized and the distorted reality stabilized. The entity of dark fire collapsed into a fire ball and returned to a regular fire ball.

PULSE!

In a pulse of darkness, the group were pushed away, Tahm, his guard and Pheobus pushed through the odd twisting of sanity and noticed the woman in armor covered in a complete shroud, Pheobus cringed and looked at the church clouded in darkness. "What...did this do?"

Mickey turned around to find bystanders in great danger and tried to tell them to get back. A dark energy engulfed him and the other five, time stilled. He felt himself dropping into a void, into a darkened church. The five were getting up to gaze upon a forming figure, resembling a woman in armor, the mouse readied himself. "With that light used up, Resira's heart couldn't take the darkness anymore."

Riku felt his heart heavy and knew the foe before them. "And now... she is turning into a heartless?!"

Kairi tried to control her sorrow and nodded. "She... saved us, we need to save her."

Goofy had his shield ready and was frowning. "We gotta!"

Donald nodded with his staff ready. "Let's get it!" Ken nodded and watched the womanly figure enlarge and sprout black wings, she glowed a golden halo around her head and she drew out a sword. The Dark Saint's eyes shined yellow and the armor became a dark grey, the heartless that was, readied for battle.

In the Church, during Resira's Collapse.

The demon sensed something and snarled the bold angels. "So the purest of the Corpse Emperor's sows have finally fallen to darkness!"

The two angels kept doing battle with even more fury, Hofneil yelled to him. "She would not succumb to that, demon!" SLASH! BASH!

Pyriel fired his gun at the demon as Sora joined in the attack, slashing at the demons face. With the only non combatant sensing something occurring, he placed his arms together in a prayer, one still dedicated to his God. Sora remembered the wound and felt his grip becoming tighter. "What... did that sword do? What... did you do to Frollo?!"

The demon backed up and took flight to answer. "Nothing he wouldn't have done. The old man's heart was seeping with evil." He flew down to the trio and knocked them back, he caused the twisted statues to crawl at the trio, clawing and biting at them. He kept boasting about his work. "He was so blind to the smallest bit of power I gave him! To affect those that follow him into the wondrous forms you fought all across the city."

Sora kicked a statue back and slide to a column, he rolled around and launched himself to hit the demon in the chest, Hofneil and Pyriel broke a statue away and went back into combat. The more battle oriented angel asked stoically. "The heartless we saw?! What more has he done?!"

The demon laughed as the stained glass images moved on their own, laughing with him. "He has struck your precious angel in the heart! The darkness with in her has spiraled out of control! He claims to do the work of God, yet he is chose to be blind to his own evil that he care not for the darkness he commands! Someone truly damned has brought this whole city into hell itself."

Sora kept attacking wildly and was swatted by the demon, the boy gritted his teeth and he had vengeance in his mind. "So that's your deal? Get lost and go back to where you came from."

The demon tilted his head and growled. "Oh, like what you sought to do with the Angels of Death?" He pointed to Hofneil and Pyriel, who tied to attack and were struck back by a blade of the shadows. "Do you even understand the kind of world they live? How could the purest of souls, fall to darkness?!"

Sora shook his head as Hofneil looked at him and answered. "They understand enough! That is why me, my brethren and those who keep to the light continue to fight you!"

The demon scoffed at that, he sensed something outside and watched something pulse across the church, the corrupted imagery was burned away into normalcy. The demon's overconfidence became that of fear. "Wha...what happened out there?! The warp was suppose to have been-" Sora smiled aggressively. "My friends stopped that! Now this city is kicking you out."

The corruption siphon away and the demon was cornered, being surrounded by holy imagery was causing him to burn, the images of creatures most dark fade away with the saints. The demon screamed and was desperate to attack the angel taking the assault to him.

SLASH! POW!

The demon was being pushed toward a holy cross, he barked at Hofneil. "Do you even care for the world you seek to return to! The endless war and the Great Game of my masters will never end for you!"

He pushed the marine back and rushed out of the light of a stained glass, no longer tainted by chaos. Hofneil looked up to him with a glare. "And that galaxy fate will not be this ones!"

POW!

The demon waddled back and was bleeding, he laughed at him bitterly. "Yet you allow the light of this reality to affect you and all the others! If you return, those you sworn to protect will look upon you all as heretics!"

SLASH!

Hofneil struck him in the chest with his power sword as Pyriel watched, the angel duel wielding responded proudly. "Yet the Imperium, time and time again shines as one against the darkness with or without us! You speak lies once more!"

The demon tried once more to spit vile at him. "If you go back, they will never see you again. You will just die in another pointless war in an existence bound to the dark! You will die, alone and forgotten."

The angel scoffed at that and swung his power sword, it radiated in light and took the shape of something that caught Sora's attention, a key that glowed in blue light, its hilt had the image of a metal serpent and dangling down was a key chain with sword wedged in a winged skull, the sword was of brass and the skull was white, yet the wings were black. The angel spoke content. "So be it!"

SLASH!

The demon's head came off, it disappeared in the shadows along with the rest of the body. Pyriel was amazed by the weapon. "Did that power sword become a-" Hofneil looked down upon it and raised it to the air. "...I believe it did."

He kept it in grip as the Arch Deacon finished his prayer, he looked upon the two angels and the restored sanctum with gratitude. He nodded to the three. "Thank you."

Hofneil wanted to know what happened and looked upon the flowing molten copper bubbling outside. "...We are still trapped with in these walls."

He asked of the spiky haired boy that was taking the words and the sight in. "Sora, we still have an evil man that must be brought to justice. If his heart is that dark, then he must be stopped before he claims another."

Sora felt a heart shining in acceptance and agreed. "You... you're right."

He went up the stairs and tried to open the door, it was locked, he used his keyblade to undo the door. Deeply troubled by what he heard, Hofneil felt it and called to the boy. "Sora," The boy tried to keep a brave face and asked. "Is something wrong?"

The angel nodded to him. "It is the nature of demons like that to lie and mislead, as he tried to you and as he done to that man. Do not let his words trouble you, for he is sent back to the shadows... for now. You and your heart are stronger than that demon. Now go, me and my brother will keep the Arch Deacon safe." Sora nodded and felt better, he climbed up the stairs towards the final battle to restore the light of the world.

In the darkened arena.

Donald and Goofy's attempts at doing damage to the Dark Saint were minuscule as they were knocked across the room by a mighty blade. Ken fired Cadia's light in a distance and dodged missiles of fire as Kairi struck the Saint in the wings, Riku at her torso and Mickey at the saints face, the saint slammed her blade to the ground and spun around, knocking the three back. The saint felt piercing fire power and flew to Ken, the boy yelped and jumped back to a northern wall, he used his air magic to push himself forward and struck the saint with his melee oriented weapon. The saint dodged and kicked him towards a wall, Riku wall jumped while the saint was distracted and pounced on her, dealing rather significant damage as Kairi took her chance, spun into a missile and glowed with golden light. The saint turned around and faced a drilling princess right in the stomach, she was flung to a north east corner. Ken slide down the wall and landed dazed as Mickey dashed to the saint and upper cut her, leaving the sniper to focus a charged shot with his gun oriented blade, Firekeeper's Wish sparkled and ignited into a glow, feeding a heat into the hotshot lasgun. PEW!

A beam burning in fire shot the saint in the head and caused it to simply fall forward limp. Kairi cast a heal on Goofy and Donald to get them back up as Riku felt something was off. "...This heartless isn't dead yet."

Mickey knew that was true. "They disappear when they are... but... what is she."

The wings of the saint sparked in fire, the body burst into a pillar as bright as the sun, rising again as a figure engulfed in flames, the sword was on fire, her face was on fire and the surroundings were burning up. Kairi whined. "It's on fire now?!"

She sighed and stepped back. "Just.. don't be close to her for long!"

The Dark Saint aimed her blade and shot out a torrent of flames, Riku and Mickey formed a barrier to keep the grouped up three shielded. Goofy tossed his shield at the Dark Saint like it was a boomerang and knocked her over the head, Donald caused an icicle to erupt from under the Saint and nearly impaled her. The Saint took the spell and shrugged it off, she flew after them with a leap, knocking both asunder, Riku tried once more to charge in after her and simply dodge the sword, yet in getting close, he felt an intense heat and felt himself burning. He was able to get a couple of good hits in and had to jump back in a retreat, laughing sarcastically. "Hey, is it a good idea to throw fire on top of this?"

Kendry tried to aim, the saint turned to him and aimed her sword, shooting out an intense, focused beam of fire, he flew towards the ceiling and watched the beam follow, the walls of metal were melted away and smoldered, he flew downward to the right and jumped forward to the left. He shot into the Dark Saint like a fiery bullet and knocked the Saint towards Riku, the heartless kicked Ken back and spun a slash to parry the silver haired teenagers blow. Riku flowed to the ceiling and dropped down upon her, knocking the saint on her knees if for a moment. The burning became much and he ran away from her, Kairi flung a star flower and caused the Saint to to be knocked to her right, the saint aimed her sword at her and Mickey, readying another beam. Both rushed left and right to circle around her and struck in unison, feeling the burn as she was exposed to another quick shot from behind and a mighty swung combo, Ken pushed away and rapid fired, the Saint became a pillar of fire, flew above and slammed to the ground, sending the group flying back.

She was kneeling for a moment and Riku spear headed at her, right into the chest. JAB!

The Saint fell backwards to the ground as a smoldering angel. The room itself ignited in fire and in a flash of light, the group found themselves at the base of Notre Dame, to reality. A trio of guardsmen yelling out in horror as they watched the Dark Saint burn away, ready to rush the boy that was standing on top of the saint as Tahm had his bolter at them and barked. "Men, hold!"

The trio stopped, wanted to argue and were forced to listen as Riku stepped off and looked sorrowful. "Guys, I didn't want to do this, especially not after what I saw in... that place."

Tahm was clenching to both his chain sword and bolter. "But how did she turn into that?! Was this Frollo's doing?!"

Mickey answered more guilty. "He was part of the reason, with what was happening in Resira's heart...this was going to happen. She... held on for us to use her light and push back the Chaos."

Tahm was believing it and asked. "So now there is one more thing remaining. Sora and the angels are in that Cathedral, hunting down that bastard? Yet... none of us can make it across." Pheobus approached and looked upon the heartless breaking down in fire. "But some of us have to, our friends in there could use some help... so any ideas?"

Riku held Pheobus by the hand and smiled sarcastically. "Hold on and hope for the best!" Pheobus tried to ask what and was yanked across to a balcony. Kairi sighed focused on a jump, sprouting something from her back that caught most of the group off guard, a set of golden feathery wings, the entrance to the cathedral was no longer blocked by molten copper and she flew towards it and landed on the other side of the moat.

Ken and Mickey readied to jump and felt something compelling them not to, the mouse openly questioned. "Why... are we not going in with them?"

Ken wished he knew. "Because... we kind of went into a full scale war already?"

The mouse felt that made a bit of sense. "And Notre Dame doesn't want that in her walls?"

Tahm sighed and answered. "Or because we need more of an explanation for Resira's fate... a creature of darkness... that... can't be the fate we just saw."

Mickey relaxed to his answer. "Actually... it isn't, we just did the first major part in saving her from that."

Ken blinked and asked. "What... do you mean?"

Mickey realized the boy was never told about the phenomenon. "...This happens when a strong willed person, like Resira, turns into a heartless. The body she left behind might act on its own and become... a nobody."

Tahm didn't find that anymore appeasing. "So what remains is an empty vessel?" He cringed. "A hollowed existence? That's... not assuring."

Mickey agreed with that. "This could depend on what that nobody does, but if that nobody is dealt with, Resira can become whole again," Mickey remembered the things he saw in those visions and felt nervous thinking about the future. "She was a lot more complicated than we thought and... that can be said about you."

Tahm notice his guard calming down and lowered his pistol. "Without a heart... a consciousness, those without a filter... could... be either be a great threat or not." Ken felt a connection. "She... is mostly alright as long as you don't break rules, no one in their right mind, not even strangers, would try someone armed with a flamethrower."

Mickey agreed with that. "And you don't want to be the poor fella that pushes her. I just don't think the nobody will have a real way of stopping if she does get pushed."

That was Tahm's reason to ask. "If there is one place you know that creature will appear, then you are to monitor that before it goes up into flames. Now... if you'll excuse me," He turned to a vast group of towns people. "There is a small task we are to request from these people... a do over if you will. Thompson, Elric did you lose track of who was among the crowd?"

The scarred guardsmen counted in the group, Elric squinted his eyes to count and report. "They... took off their uniforms to try and blend in, otherwise they would have been spotted like a Salamander in an Ultramarine meeting."

Tahm grunted with his order and left the keyblade wielders to watch from bellow, Goofy worried and up. "I hope everything is alight in there."

In the bell tower.

Sora followed up to the bell tower and found three robed figures being bound in dark, burning chains. Two with mighty weapons, struggling against the bindings as another was still in calculating trance. Sora quickly undid the chains and asked with a still, near stoic tone. "Where's Frollo?!"

Magitinus looked up and heard a shove and clanking. "Up above in persuit of the misshapen one and the girl. Requesting that we come along?"

Sora shook his head and looked at the weapons. "No, I don't want this place to be wrecked anymore than it already has."

Nathanel and Dabriel respected the decision, the bolter wielding angel wished him luck. "May the light guide you to justice!"

Dabriel grunted to that. "May nothing stop you!"

Magitinus sighed and stepped aside. "Expel this city of this corruption once and for all!"

Sora agreed and wanted to say something, he decided against it and smiled. "...Thanks guys."

He followed down the path and heard Quasimodo's voice, like he was furious to someone. "No you listen! All my life you have told me that the world is a dark and cruel place!" He heard something being tossed. "But now I see that the only thing dark and cruel about it is people like you!" Sora nearly paused and smiled proudly. "Quasi finally did it! Now there is no holding back." He heard the sound of something running and reached to the top of bell tower, where he found Frollo with a sword. He was looking for something, or someone.

Five faint shadows creep in to attack, Heartless still crawled on Notre Dame. It was nothing that couldn't have easily been dispatched, yet is a still indicator that darkness lurked. The boy looked down to find Quasimodo holding onto a ledge and Esmerelda holding onto him, trying to escape, Frollo looked down at the two and gave a demented smile. "Leaving so soon?"

Quasimodo jumped from ledge to ledge to dodge to avoid the swinging of a blade, leading Frollo to confront an angry Sora. The man growled and slashed at Sora, who parried with ease. The man used his cloak to disorient the boy and nearly send him falling, Sora grabbed to a hanging gargoyle head that was firmly in place, like it was only carrying a feather. With the boy out of the way, Frollo kept going after Quasimodo, who reached to a ledge with a perching gargoyle. The hunchback helped Esmerelda to more solid ground that would have led her to a tower down, Frollo tried to slash at her and Quasimodo pushed her out of the way into the solid ground. The hunchback dodged the blade that slammed into the back of the gargoyle and jumped on to try and get away as Sora pulled a jump on his. Frollo glared at the hunchback and woman with his blade ready. "I should have known you'd risk your life to save this gypsy witch! Just as your own mother died trying to save you."

Quasimodo muttered. "What?"

As Sora was putting together more that happened, he was ready to strike Frollo and stop him, the minister gave a sinister vow. "Now, I am going to do what I should have done," He swiped his cloak at Quasimodo's face to try and sent him falling into the burning grounds bellow. "Twenty years ago!"

Quasimodo fought back and fell bellow the edge, clinging on to the cloak and reaching his fingers with climbable stone. Frollo was yanked off balance and was left dangling on the cloth. Esmerelda rushed to the ledge and grabbed Quasimodo's hand, trying to lift him up, Sora jump to the solid ground, grabbed her from behind and tried to help her, it was a struggle to try and lift two heavy people. Frollo used the cloth to swing to the gargoyle headed ledge on his right. Frollo climbed up with a dark laughter, taking his sword and held with both hands, ready to swing down, quoting a boast. "And he shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!"

Crack!

Sora and Esmerelda heard something crack beneath Frollo, the gargoyle head edge was falling its support, Frollo lost balance and tried to hold on. Grabbing beneath the gargoyle and clinging on, the gargoyles face twisted before Frollo, giving from a still stone image to that of a snarling beast with a red glow in his maw and glowing red eyes. Frollo freaked out and screamed, the gargoyle ledge snapped from the edge and fell with the man. Sending Frollo screaming into the fiery pit bellow. Sora and Esmerelda saw a burst of fire and darkness, the woman felt Quasimodo slipping through her fingers and hoped. "Come on Quasimodo, hold on."

Slip!

Quasi slipped from her fingers and the two screamed in unison.

Mid fall, a set of arms reached out to catch the hunchback, a faint image of Pheobus and another set of arms keeping him from falling through the force. He was pulled back into safety and the duo felt a bit of relief, Sora noticed from the cloud of fire and darkness, that wasn't fading. Sora readied his weapon as Esmerelda couldn't believe it. "He is still..." A pillar of fire and darkness erupted to the length of the bell tower, Sora asked the woman. "Go find Quasi, I'll handle this!"

Esmerelda nodded and fled, leaving Sora to confront the figure in the dark fire. Twisting into the shape of a red robed figure with a black cloth underneath, glowing embers, a sword in hand its right hand, fiery bat like wings, a long black horse like tail and horse hooves.

The figure's sword glowed in fire and rushed at Sora, the boy jumped high and glided to mid air. He focused a series of beams and made Hell's Judge turn around to cloak itself in fire and try again to swing at him. Sora flew to the side with no effort, the judge raised its left hand and caused pillars of fire to burst from bellow. Sora was sweating and dodged the streams, he flew at the judge and blitz a combo, ending in a short range burst of ice magic as he smirked. "See ya!" PEW!

The judge kicked Sora back with its hooves and spun downward into the fire. Letting loose a trial of fire pillars that Sora had to dodge, one with a wider radius let loose the judge that struck the boy with his blade. Sora cast a healing spell and readied to fight as a shining light from the top of a bell tower and flew high. Sora was in the middle of the battle and didn't get a good look.

BOOM!

A figure with angelic wings crashed down to kick the judge away from him, that figure was Kairi, the girl dished out a few hits, jumped back and looked like she was slow falling as Sora flew to catch her. The duo thought of a finisher and held hands together, Sora's left for Kairi's right. One wing for each took form and the two flew at the judge together, spun the judge upward, a barrage of feathers that gave the two fond memories glittered the sky. The judge immolated and fell backwards, back down into the inferno, dissolving into black mist. The duo flew to where Quasimodo was taken, hand in hand. Landing to find Pheobus being given a welcoming hug from Quasimodo, they duo found Riku leaning on a wall and folding his arms, smiling to the aftermath of a big battle. The teenage duo blushed and went to him to watch, they noticed Esmerelda arriving to confirm what happened, she rushed to give the hunchback a warm hug of her own.

Riku felt heart warmed and let the two know. "I saw the whole thing once that heartless came. Kairi, who knew you were able to fly like that."

Kairi smiled proudly. "Oh... just someone I had a little play fight with. So now what are we-" Pew!

Light flashed, the trio found themselves standing before a stained glass window, the very one of Notre Dame. An image of a particular woman with a infant shined a keyhole and in an instinct, the trio aimed their blades in the air and glowed in unison. Firing a beam at the path and feeling a way clearing. The vision dissipated and they found themselves seeing Quasimodo giving Pheobus and Esmerelda his blessing for something, that something became clear as the ex captain and the woman embraced each other.

Down at the cathedral.

Hofneil and his team of four stepped through the shadows and back upon the gummi ship. Out of their angelic forms and back to the futuristic forms they knew. Magitinus tapped his fingers together and noticed a pathway leading somewhere, towards a distant space station that resembled a castle within an asteroid a rock. The tech priest stilled and beeped. "Analyzing new pathway: World- unknown. Structure: Unknown. Possibilities. Base of the Word Bearers."

Nathanel agreed to that. "It isn't a possibility, its a certainty! That is where those heretics are hiding."

Hofneil agreed and looked closer to find a faint glow of darkness. "And... they are conducting something."

Dabriel nodded and guessed. "Trying to bring in reinforcements?" Pyriel corrected him. "A light statement compared to what we know. Captain Hofneil, that demons words trouble the child greatly."

Hofneil saw it coming and looked upon his keyblade, putting away his power maul and marveling the structure. "It's the nature of ones heart. Through the bonds shared, brotherhood is formed, even beyond written words. The inevitable departure can pain ones heart, for that departure to be forever more... one can only imagine."

Pyriel understood that. "And that is something medicine cannot remedy. Brother, you know the Word Bearers are expecting us and will seek our deaths. The chances of all of us surviving are slim."

Hofneil was more than prepared to face it as he placed the tip of his blade to the floor and watch on. "If it means this galaxy survives and stays in peace, then our lives are well spent. Seydon will welcome us back with open arms and Guilliman will look upon us with pride! We will find ourselves at the Emperors side forever more when this is all over."

Pyriel nodded to that. "Well said captain. Whether we go down in this galaxy's history or not, doesn't matter. They will understand that one day."

Hofneil looked down at the world being left behind and smiled. "They will, they are strong in body, mind and spirit."