In an room. Sora looked sleepy on a bed as he listened to what Mickey had to say. "That thing tore a hole into my... heart?!"
The mouse nodded with confusion in himself. "I seen something like this happen before but in a worse state. What Kharn did was tear out a manifestation of your darkness... if that is what you say. That can lead to massive damage on your heart if something isn't done to mend it and especially after all the things we gone through, it won't be able to contain it." Goofy asked. "In other words if something isn't done, Sora's heart might collapse?"
The mouse nodded as Riku remembered words he knew of. "To mend a damaged heart. The Power of Waking, but... do we really have that power?" Mickey nodded. "You both traveled into the dreams to awaken the worlds. But... what might manifest in Sora's heart could fight back. Are you sure you want to go through this alone?"
Riku nodded as Kairi looked teary eyed and asked boldly. "But, would any of us be able to dive in there?" Riku figured. "I think so since Sora and I had to be sent in there first. But I might be the one who could do the work." Donald asked. "Or...She could be a help, she helped Sora when he was like this before." Sora looked dizzy and remembered. "R..right. URG" He felt more pain and laid down smiling sweetly to his friends, he whispered as he let his mind drift. "I'm... counting on you." Riku and Kairi took a distance and aimed their keyblades at the boy's chest. They glowed together as Mickey, Goofy and Donald wished them luck.
Pew!
Riku and Kairi found themselves with in a void that lead to a rather devastating sight, a stained glass image that was shattered. They found several images that connect, yet they over a tower that was clawed at. Memories of an islands destruction, of stinging betrayal, of a tender embrace, separation and bonds shined as they descended. Riku and Kairi felt some of those memories as something familiar, then came those of worry, feelings of being lost, longing to be home. Kairi sighed. "We thought when we returned home, that would be the end of it." Riku agreed and imagined what some of the bleeding with in Sora's heart was. "That's what we all thought... that's what we all thought." More memories came, those of various, out there and dangerous adventures most recent, they confrontation with a Defiler, meeting Tahm and his guardsmen, a show down against a tech priest and a confrontation with various space marines One in a Coliseum and one in a jungle, followed by a reunion in town with a certain Sister of Battle. Topping the bright images off with a battle against a particular fan of his that was giving it his all.
Then came several images that looked faded, one was a confrontation against Zagor, another against dark daemons and the most painful of memories, a sister of battle looking weak and in darkness, a tech priest ready to confront two mauler fiends, three space marines making a last stand against an eldritch horror, a valkyrie going against a giant mecha and the image most striking, a space marine with a keyblade confronting against a crazed berzerker. The two friends felt that pain and found themselves landing on a stained glass shard floating with in the void. Riku focused his keyblade on the fragments and felt himself peppered by laser beams. Kairi looked to three fragments and took flight to confront the closest one. Resembling a simple soldier that tried to charge at her, the girl struck at the soldier without much thinking, feeling the fragments reconnecting and dodging the peppered shots. The girl felt a shift in the void and rolled to dodge a man with a hat and sword. Kairi felt the figure meaning something, struck the soldier to where he faded and dodged the man with the hat, she flew to another and dealt with the soldier and a distant laser beam. Slowly realizing what the figure was as she parried the man with the hat and kicked him into the void, she took down the next soldier and jumped to the last one, finding the man in the hat appearing and aiming something at her. Kairi glowed in light and flung a golden star at the soldier, focusing her attention towards the man that jumped into the void. The fragments came together more, a stained glass image of a certain sleeping boy with various people close to him. The pieces clicked and something flew from the void, a ship with the man in the hat and a robed figure.
Riku felt it was all together and focused on the ship, putting things together himself. "It's like how we met some of them and like the last we met them." Kairi nodded and saw Riku feeling mournful, the boy confessed. "Magi was out of control, but once he learned his lesson, he did a lot of good for the town and for us. Tahm and his guard... they were there when it counted."
Kairi wiped her eyes and readied herself to take the ship down as it closed in and readied beams of energy. The duo fired fire balls at the ships jets and caused it to land on the platform, bringing the images of Tahm and Magitinus out. The man in the hat had his sword ready as the robed man readied a rifle, Riku dealt with Tahm as Kairi took down Magitinus. Causing the jet to dissolve and take shape of three a space marine with a missile launcher, a space marine with a heavy bolter, and a apothecary. They looked hesitate to do battle and Riku asked them. "Thinking it wouldn't be a fair fight with the four of you? Come on, we are much stronger than we look."
Step. "That's exactly what is happening." Kairi and Riku turned to their right to find Roxas, looking injured from something, yet is drawing his two keyblades against the space marines. A blonde girl stepped out of Kairi and went to check on him. "Roxas, he hurt you too?"
The boy looked and Namine and was given a hug tackle, he gave one back, winked at her and answered. "When he got hurt, I got hurt... but I can manage. These imperial guys, all of them, gave everything so we can have a peaceful life." He looked upon the three marines proudly. "The guys who were made to fight the kinds of nightmares we just fought. The regular soldiers who fight with them and those who fight the darkness... even if it came at a price."
Namine let go and turned to them. "That is the worst part of these memories." Roxas agreed and looked ready to put some ghosts to rests. "Even if they knew it was coming.. one way or another." He drew his weapons and looked at the apothecary. "I'll get Pyriel, the other two shouldn't be that tough." Kairi looked upon the marine with the heavy bolter and smiled to an idea that came. "This isn't why this is hard." She flew high above to Nathanel's specter, the marine aimed his bolter and the princess rolled out of the way as Riku vanished behind Dabriel's specter and went to attack, the marine tossed aside his missile launcher and readied a sword, attempting to do close combat with him.
Roxas went for Pyriel's specter, dodged a burning ball of light and made quick work of the specter as Kairi dived down on Nathanel's specter like a star and quickly dispatched the ghost. Riku dodged the blade and quickly took the ghost down. The platformed shined one more figure emerged from the darkness, a space marine with a keyblade and a jet pack, the jet pack looked something like wings of fire. Hofneil's specter landed in the center and awaited for the trio to ready themselves, the three charged and the marine shot himself to the sky to crash down upon them, the trio jumped out of the way, felt the vibration and the marine charged at Roxas. The boy parried with his blades and was knocked off from the sheer force, the boy air jumped back to the platform as the marine jumped towards Kairi and swung. The girl rolled out of the way and launched herself into the specter, the specter was lightly pushed as Riku dashed for a quick combo, he and Kairi raised their blades in the air and vanished into rifts of light and darkness. Striking the specter across and sending it to a pillar of twilight as Roxas closed in to kick the space marine to the edge. Hofneil's specter refused to give up and noticed a figure approaching from the void, a warrior in silver and golden armor, wielding a wing like keyblade with its hilt by the wrist and the blade facing outward of the warriors right hand.
The two approached each other for a duel the others stepped away to let a barrier form. Riku, Kairi and Roxas had no idea who the warrior is, yet they watched the two prominent figures approach each other. Hofneil took off his jet pack and waited for the warrior to approach, the warrior flew at him like wind and struck fast, the space marine rolled out of the way and struck him back with a flurry of his own, ending the combo with an electrical blue light. The warrior back flipped and combo'd the marine in quick succession and raised his keyblade in the air, trapping the marine in a whirl wind, Hofneil forced his way through the wind that carried him and slammed himself down to the warrior, the warrior flipped to the right as the space marine swiped to the right in a spin. Parry! The warrior parried and knocked the keyblade out of the marines hands, Hofneil focused and took the blade back, facing the keyblade to his face and giving a respectful bow. The warrior placed his left hand on the marines right pauldron and nodded to him in mutually, Hofneil's specter faded away in peace.
The warrior looked upon the three and to something shining in the middle of the cracks, a keyhole. Riku and Kairi watched the barrier drop and approached to aim their keyblades, the keyhole shined and the cracks faded. The duo felt warm in the heart as the light shined to take them to a familiar island, Roxas and Namine looked to find the warrior gone, they sat together on the beach as Riku kept trying to hold it in. "This should fix Sora's heart, it's like him to keep making new friends every time someone new comes along."
Kairi agreed and smiled widely. "It is... once we wake up, we should see the new day together."
The two teenagers sitting together looked ready to accept a truth as the sun shine bright, the two woke up together to find Sora waking up and holding to his chest, feeling more cheerful than usual. Donald and Goofy were the first to embrace him with a welcome hug as Riku and Kairi disregarded decency and joined in the pile, Mickey closed his eyes to a task done, the turned around to leave and attend to unfinished business.
In another medical ward.
Ken felt a sting with in the void and woke up, feeling something filling a void in his right arm and looking to find torn pieces of his shirt and a mechanical arm. He wailed. "Waah!"
OOF!
He was given a hug from his mother, who was babbling a mother's worry, he hugged back and felt the warmth as he noticed Aerith smiling to him. "Good afternoon sleepy head."
Ken blushed embarrassed as his mother let go and lectured. "Next time, tell me before you go off fighting evil like that." He saw his mom bursting into tears and promised. "I will, that was complete chaos up there." He raised his right arm forward and watched Cadia's Light shine, feeling like it was an even greater match as Aerith advised him. "Already?! You were that close that we thought we would have lost you if your wound wasn't cauterized."
Ken agreed and was allowed to step up, feeling himself in balanced as his cybernetic arm felt like his old. "It might have if the Firekeeper didn't cause that keyblade to burn like it did and-" He looked around in memory. "I probably wouldn't have pulled it off if an angel didn't come at the last moment to shake A..A... that bad guy off of me. So... its over now?"
Ken's mother shrugged it might be. "You were not the only one who was hurt from all that, Sora had a heart injury and that is the last I heard of before his friends came rushing to him."
Ken gasped and worried. "A heart... oh no!" He heard celebrations from the room over as Aerith guessed. "I think his friends just fixed that." Ken's mother listened and smiled. "They are good people." She asked her son with earnest. "If you want to go out and have a look around, that's fine... they might want a word with you." Ken imagined what was to happen and blushed nervously. "I...I will mom, then I'll be home for dinner." He bowed to Aerith with gratitude. "Thank you for the new arm." The woman giggled. "Don't thank me thank-" She stopped herself as Ken realized another factor. "I...I'll try to thank Magi and Pyriel."
He rushed out of room and out of the inn to try and ready himself. Hearing a feminine voice gasping in shock. "Well, well, what kind of trouble have you been getting yourself into lad? Going about saving the world instead of going home."
The voice was familiar and Ken turned around to find a warrior in silver armor and angelic wings. "A...Ana?!" He rushed to her and had a hundred things to say, babbling to where the Stormcast asked him. "Kendry, stop. You... know what you did for the people of this realm, right?" Ken didn't care much for that and showed her the gun like keyblade. "Guess what that lasgun turned into when you left?"
Anatesis was impressed and gave a smirk of respect, she raised her right hand and formed a similar weapon, except much like a warhammer, Ken's eyes shined as the Stormcast showed her teeth in a smile. "I knew that courage wasn't misplaced. Ya just needed to get stronger in body and mind."
Ken agreed and asked. "There was so many cool people I met because of how you saved me, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did. But... but-" He shook his head. "How did you get back?" Anatesis looked at a blue haired woman basking in nostalgia and a black dragon without wings, she whistled. "Hey, Aqua, how did all that happen again?"
Aqua turned with the dragon, the woman was astonished to find a keyblade wielder. Ken turned around and remembered perfectly. "I...Uh-" The dragon approached Kendry, smelled him and licked his face in affection, giving him the sight of bright white fangs, Ana asked. "Moonfang, leave him alone." Ken didn't mind and felt the words connecting. "Aqua-" He remembered hearing the name and blurted. "I heard of you! A lot of my friends were talking about you."
Aqua looked ready to confront those people with her own anxiety. "You... why do you look fa-" She remembered a faint dream and contemplated something as a voice from behind spoke. "Welcome back home, Aqua." She turned to find Mickey looking upon her like an old friend. Both took a deep breath, Aqua embraced him proudly. "It's been so long since I heard that." They let go and looked up to the sky as Ken felt there was something he wished to ask, he paced to a smashed open lamp post in thought, unaware of people leaving the Inn and a trio shouting his name. "Ken!"
The boy yelped and turned to find an eager Sora along with Riku and Kairi, wanting answers as Donald and Goofy were looking at something else. Ken looked more embarrassed and at the wreckage of the town. "I... heard you kicked the Black Legion's butts a new one." He yelled out. "You guys are amazing to protect the town like you did."
His eyes glittered as the trio were nearly knocked back, Riku had it with the flattery. "If you didn't kick those guys out, none of us would have been here." Ken felt the piercing words as Sora agreed with his friend. "Seriously, no matter what ever was in there, you didn't give up." He smiled impressed. "Thanks for saving us." Ken breathed deeply in pride as Kairi gave it where it was due and noticed the cybernetic arm. "You had no idea how close things were."
Ken didn't want to know and looked upon the blue haired woman that was astonished by familiar kids grown into teenagers. "A...well... someone saved me right at the last moment when I got into a pickle. It's how I lost my arm, the one you should be thanking is right over there... not me." The trio turned to find the blue haired woman looking upon them like she barely recognized them, yet at the same time.
The trio cheered and approached the Keyblade Master. "Aqua!" The reunion felt overwhelming and Aqua insisted. "Please, I just got back from places that-" She whistled and asked the six. "If you can give me until tomorrow, I will be ready for what else is to come." That they promised, they showed of their keyblades to Aqua and took her by surprise as Mickey explained. "These are the three I told you about. Sora and Riku are self taught and they done much together." The boys smiled in pride as Aqua took it as a dare, Kairi sparked an idea, looked at Ken and asked her. "Aqua, would you give me a minute? There is something... I want to ask." Aqua didn't mind as Mickey was the first to know what was happening.
Kairi approached the blonde boy and whispered to him. "Did you ask her?" Ken blinked, knew what and shook his head. "Nope, we got pretty far because of what we learned on the spot. But you saw how far those two gotten after their trip." Kairi nodded. "In one lesson. I... met Aqua when I was small, it must have made her day for her to know what the some of us of us grew up to be." She blushed as Ken watched Anatesis whisper something to Aqua, he gasped. "Oh no, someone is talking about us... Eh... did you meet Ana yet?"
Kairi turned to the Stormcast, squeaked, she whispered back. "Yes and I... tried to rescue her from a battle she landed in. She is powerful, even with the bare knowledge of a keyblade." Ken agreed with a smug statement. "That's because she is a powerful warrior who experienced a lot of battles... and got some upgrades. So... what are going to do?" Kairi answered firmly. "I'll tell you what we are going to do, we are to show Master Aqua respect and asked her a question both of our hearts wish for. One." Ken countered with her. "Two." Aqua heard the rabbling end with a loud. "Three!"
The two approached the keyblade master, knelt before her and placed their blades in the ground. The many looked like they didn't see it coming, Kairi spoke first. "Master Aqua, Kendry and I have only recently acquired a keyblade and we have a long way to go before we can learn everything we need to know about them." Ken nodded. "We had to learn on the way and it was a pretty rough road." Kairi agreed with that. "We, would like to request." The two asked on sync. "Would you take us as students?"
Aqua was taken aback from the request, took it to heart and closed her eyes. "Kairi, Kendry, stand up." The duo obeyed without hesitation, Aqua smiled to them and opened. "I will." She exhaled as the two promised her, with Kairi breaking in a cheer. "Thank you Master." Ken promised her proudly. "We won't let you down Miss Aqua." Those two titles warmed her heart as Anatesis folded her arms and promised the two. "I... might need to know myself. Lady Aqua, do you mind if I join for lessons?" Aqua answered more amused. "Certainly, starting tomorrow."
The formed trio cheered together as Sora wished them luck and asked Mickey. "So now what do we have to do?" The mouse had a few that were of a concern. "Now that we don't have to worry about the Word Bearers or Black Legion anymore, we can try to get ready for... that other thing that could be a problem again." Riku whistled to one of his own. "Along with one of the Chaos warlords that escaped that, Ahriman. It's going to take a while before we can all go back home." Aqua over heard and approached to explain a task she had to do with a hint of stress. "I need to go help two friends of mine that have been waiting for me. When I know where to start, I'll ask." She had one more detail to warn Mickey about. "And... your majesty, he isn't alone. He is working with someone that could be as much of a threat as what you fought or event he same type. Archaeon, the Grand Marshall of Chaos." Sora gasped and asked. "More Chaos?!"
He stopped embarrassed as Riku answered. "A force of Chaos that came from Ana's... world instead of Hofneil's." He thought. "But we been through a lot in one day, can't we just... celebrate?" A masculine voice answered him. "Not just yet." The group turned to find Leon looking half depressed and half relieved. "Someone... is finishing up something for the guys who helped us survive that. Once it is done, then we can move on." Sora understood what was due. "We owe them for everything they... did." He breathed in and wanted to take his mind off of the death as he asked. "Aqua... what kind of places did you go to... to get back here?" Anatesis wanted to know. "That is a tale we ought to know." Aqua looked upon the Inn and knew where to tell a story. "The eight realms might be beyond what we all thought we would see here, come on, we got to start somewhere." Leon wanted to know himself. "Eight Realms?" Ana chuckled and had Moonfang stay outside. "Ya might fit in any of them." Leon took that as a promise. "I'll go ask the others before you start. Could lighten the mood."
By a manor in a world basked in a sunset.
A corridor opened up to let out Ahriman, who looked upon the world in new freedom and sensed no one with in the manor as he dismissed his disk. "Abaddon has failed in his schemes yet again. But the knowledge Zagor's cult gathered could be of use." He walked into the manor without any obstacles and found a wide room, he took out a small glowing green cube and tossed it, revealing twenty Tzaangor on foot, three Tzaangor with bows and arrows on floating disks, ten still space marines in blue armor that had yellow highlights and gold trimmings, ten terminators of similar color and design, two wielding autocannons and shoulder mounted missiles. A Tzaangor with a mystical staff and disk, appeared and gave a bow to his master. "Lord Ahriman, the Warmaster's plan faltered and now we can carry on your plan?"
Ahriman nodded and appreciated his luck. "I am sensing a rift that someone left open in this very manor. Perhaps it will lead us to a more suitable hideout for me to at least-" He took a deep breath. "Have a better understanding of this galaxy before we can act." He smirked and ordered the still marines. "Rubrics, come. Ztardon, you watch from behind and follow, I don't want anyone meddling in this old place."
The Tzaangor wizard obeyed and had his minions follow him as he followed his master, going past an odd room with pods and into a computer room. Ahriman wondered the kind of ordeals that happened in the manor and typed away. "With one simple chat I know enough from that boy to know the secrets of this computer." Bleep. "Sea Salt Ice-cream." Bleep! Bleep! In a corner, a beam shot down and the Sorcerer instructed to his lacky. "We will send our small army down through this beam to a place of data and simulations. That way I won't leave any of the rubrics behind."
He and Ztardon watched the vast forces step into the beam, three at a time and reducing the army to another prison like plan. He and his lacky went in next and explored to find a rift, Ahriman was in thought and the Tzaangor asked. "Master, is something troubling you?" Ahriman shook his head and watched the army keep their march and guiding the only friend he considered talking with. "With the little knowledge Abaddon passed along, has Zagor... neglected some of his research?" The shaman thought of it and stepped into a strange rift like hall that lead to a green rift on the otherwise. "He, squawk, is from the Word Bearers." Ahriman agreed with that. "And he had been obsessed with daemons, thinking they have the answers. They are a means to an end Ztardon, nothing more." The army had an uneventful journey across the rift and found themselves in a world more suited to their liking, Ahriman and his underling exit the rift to a dark, foreboding city.
He sensed something watching him from the shadows and ordered his minions. "March and attack anything that moves." The rubrics and tzaangor obeyed and kept a sharp eye as Ztardon smelled and knew. "Heartless?" Ahriman had his underling keep quiet. "More than that... this world... is empty save for two. Don't let yourself be deceived by the darkness, for we are not in sanctuary yet." BAM! BAM!
The rubrics shot a few squirming shadows as the tzaangor charged ahead, through many corridors and pathways, the army reached a skyscraper and had a view of a black and white castle. POP! Clank! Ahriman turned around to find a swarm of various heartless behind him, readying to attack him, the Sorcerer glowed and fired a barrage of eldritch bolts at the horde, he and his shaman glowed together and brought down a fire storm to reduce the horde to a small amount, the terminators turned around and gunned the remaining heartless away, the rain poured down and the army of magic continued towards a blue lighted bridge. A booming voice echoed in front of the bridge. "Halt minions of Chaos!" Green fire burst and took form, into a black robed witch with horns and green on the skin. The Tzaangor and rubrics readied to attack, Ahriman had his right hand aimed side ways, the army stood aside and made way for the Sorcerer as a fat cat like creature, followed with many valid reasons to not trust him. "After all the trouble you caused, you got some nerve coming here."
Ahriman agreed with him. "If you witnessed the Black Crusade upon this galaxy, then no one and I repeat, no one would want to see my kind around here. But I assure you Pete, my intentions are nowhere near as destructive unless they are necessary." Pete gasped as the witch asked with an elegant smirk. "Yet you are another Sorcerer of Chaos, with ambitions beyond what you speak of?" Ahriman sensed the witch's venomous thoughts. "And I refuse to, for that is my own business as much as your have yours. But, Maleficent, the castle over yonder is a suitable place for me and my minions, for shelter and for study about the mysteries of this galaxy. Mysteries that Zagor neglected in his obsessions."
Maleficent raised an eyebrow to ask. "You counted on the Black Crusade failing, for the worlds could provide better use to you whole?" Ahriman nodded. "For the will of the worlds wished to repel the darkness of a galaxy bombarded by war. I ask because you are of use to me in understanding them, guide us through the castle and we will fortify while better understanding things that we both could use." Pete snickered and asked. "And what if we say no?"
The Rubrics aimed their guns at both him and Maleficent, the two were wide eyed at the very open threat as Ahriman kept his manners. "If you do, we would be wandering this galaxy endlessly without a guide and you would be in a position that will make your efforts of crawling back into power, all for nothing. I won't ask again." Maleficent laughed with the sorcerer. "Ambitious or desperate?" She turned around and lead the way. "Come, for this castle holds many secrets."
Ahriman followed and had his minions follow. Ztardon looked at Pete with his head tilted and urged him to follow. "Secrets?!" Pete was weirded out and answered with a scowl. "We took it from some weirdos in black coats see." Ztardon chirped. "Hmmmm. Secrets of the castles old masters? Could they assist master?" Pete shrugged. "Maybe, we don't know nothing about the nobodies. Hmm... maybe your not as psychotic as the last batch." Ztardon understood the term and advised Pete. "Never assume on fates first blowing. For the fires of change will claim you." The minion would settle for this and followed their masters.
At an Inn in Radiant Garden.
The group listened to a summary of a tale of hoping between the realms, Ana bobbed her head as the rest of them were speechless. "I can get how the realms would be that strange. We haven't even gotten to what happened in each." Sora felt his head spinning. "Metal, Fire, Beasts, they are like a bunch of worlds in one." Donald and Goofy had a memory of a large heartless with in a vast Pridelands, the shield bearer agreed. "And each is just as stranger. The Realm of Beasts sound like a place we wouldn't want to be stuck in."
Riku agreed and imagined it. "The realms are tied to the laws of their element, it's no wonder it took you a while to gather the eight fragments of the Heartstone." Aqua exhaled with some memories. "Some of them went out of control and compared to what you were putting up with, they were not as high tech." Yuffie was interested in the details of the tale. "But Chamon sounds cool with those sky ports. What actually happened?"
Aqua tried to pick which one and gave up on it for the moment. "It's one of the things I needed to warn you about. Nearly all the realms had their own dangers that we may have to deal with in the future." She asked the keyblade wielders. "Like the dangers you fought and that horde of destruction near the town. They are not safe to keep around." Kairi agreed back and asked. "Master, are we sure we should worry about Dragon Hackah? He and his boys sounded like they were pretty beaten up fighting Chaos."
Aqua had caution as Anatesis counted. "Twenty savage Orruks, their shaman...a handful of Ironjaws to organize things and the Megaboss. As long as we keep the numbers under control, they wouldn't want to mess with us. Speaking of unfinished business," Kairi understood and relaxed. "I know, there is a shift in between the Princess's of Heart and I want to finish my count when I can. I'm not in a hurry anymore, but it still needs to be done. There is also a dangerous man out there causing trouble, Garland. We need to stop him before he becomes something we can't ignore."
Sora agreed with her and had another worry. "Riku and I woke up some worlds with the Power of Waking." Aqua gasped. "The Power of Waking?!" Riku answered that with throbbing memories. "Don't ask why we had to use it. If we didn't, we would have had a worse war on our hands." Aqua gave a scowl to the boys. "That power isn't meant to be used for that kind of thing."
Ken wanted to break the subject and smiled to a few stories of his own. "But we didn't have much of a choice Miss. We dealt with some crazy people and some of us needed to go to extremes." Aqua squinted her eyes at her student. "Like how you charged into that ship and... I assume gone to complete war. Once I crashed in, there wasn't a point in stopping or catching a breath." Ken nodded and smiled to his teacher, forming a burning keyblade along side his gun blade. "I... might need to tell you about this particular keyblade, I figured out how to fuse it with Cadia's Light and it was one of the reasons the Chaos Space Marines went down as easily as they did."
Kairi agreed with that as Aqua felt distrustful of the burning keyblade. "Cadia's Light use to be a very simple weapon our friends from the Imperial Guard use until it became stronger and became... a stronger version of a lasgun. A hot shot that would go through the armor of a space marine." Aqua had a closer look at the burning blade and remembered. "Magic is a good substitute for dealing with something like them, but I see you're point. Kendry, what is this?" The blonde boy felt the judgemental tone and told Aqua the brief description. "Firekeeper's Wish, it's a pretty special keyblade I got from a world that was about to die. It is what is left of its heart and it saved my life way too many times."
Riku let the keyblade master know. "It's origins are dark, the keyblade itself isn't although it draws upon that and it's been through dark places to burn." Aqua sighed and felt the heat. "It might have helped you... but I saw what else it did to you." Ken shivered and remembered. "Miss, it isn't an evil keyblade. After everything we been through together, Benedict would have liked to know that this keyblade saved a lot of worlds." He sniffled. "I was still in control of myself, I was just low on blood." Aqua relaxed and felt it was a good point. "I would still like to see what more it can do."
She felt she rested enough and spoke of a few things she needed to have done. "Sora, Riku, since you know of the power to fix a heart, you could help me with what I'm trying to find out with a friend of mine who's heart was nearly destroyed a long time ago. You heard of Ventus?" The boys nodded with a suspicion feeling as Riku asked. "Kairi and I just went through fixing a nasty wound Sora had using this power." Sora scratched his head in confusion. "Ventus's was hurt like that?" Aqua looked more uncertain of what to do. "He was, Ven suffered from a battle with an evil creature called Vanitas. I need to retrace any clues of where Ven's heart has gone." Sora felt the chill. "Van...itas?" Aqua felt she should warn the group. "If you see a boy in red and black armor and wearing a helmet, stay away from him. Through some... unholy power, Xehanort and Archaon were able to bring him back from the void and he brought a lot of problems to the realms."
Ana blew wind and agreed to that with a boom of thunder. "He freed Slaanesh! Wars are breaking out all over the realms because of that demon." The group felt intimidated as Mickey asked. "Then we need to figure out how to start getting ready before that brings more chaos." Anatesis tried to calm herself and kept a feeling of static around her. "He would be in for another rude wake up call if he shows himself here. Now, before I blow another storm. Ken, you fused your keyblades together and they changed form? Is that new?"
Aqua shook her head. "That is a form change... or a demi. A key blade wielder can sometimes change their keyblade to different forms at will. Cadia's Light sounds like a case where a keyblade... evolves based on the heart of the wielder, while the other form is more the other blade giving it its power." Sora had that idea memorized. "But the one you are talking about? Sounds like it can get pretty strong if used right." Aqua frowned in doubt. "It can, but... that isn't something I practiced often. You're not going to get much help from me." Sora and Riku snapped their fingers as Aerith had a message and announced. "Everyone, its ready."
She lead the way out of the Inn and to pleasant park, where a set of six stone pillars were placed firmly, all carved into plaques and decorated with roses. Wanda and her men were among the many present to give a moment of silence. The plaque to the most left was marked with four names, burnt green helmets, an angelic image and words bellow that felt warming. "Elric, Thompson, Perkins, Hank: Humorous, eager, courageous men from another world." Another plaque with a damaged chain sword rested by and similar markings read. "Tahm: General, intelligent, friend." Then another with a dormant servo skull that made Ken, a duo of chipmunks and Cid emotional. "Magitinus: Engineer of the future." Next towards three more plaques, was a stone marked with an over abundance of various flowers, causing Aerith to tear up. "Pyriel: Angel of Miracles." Kairi read the next one, marked with a yellow and blue flower, she was barely containing herself as she knelt. "Nathanel, Dabriel: Angels ever watching." Finally, a plaque marked with a helmet and a keyblade: Sora, Donald and Goofy, knelt before the words. "Hofneil: Angel of the light. The bane of Chaos. Commander." Ken remembered something, took out a burnt helmet and placed it by the plaque with the guardsmens names. "I never got to meet you, but... you can rest with your friends now. You earned it." Kairi burst into sobbing tears as Sora's eyes dripped over the ground. Riku rubbed his back and listened to his friend sob. A sun began to set upon the memorial and the mourning gathering, closing a chapter marked by war.