Yen Sid's study erupts with loud chatter, each member of the quartet expressing their disbelief at the sorcerer's words. The old man simply sits back in his chair quietly, waiting for things to calm down on their own.
Riku manages to get ahold of the conversation first, raising his voice above the other as he addresses Yen Sid directly. "We're talking about who I think we're talking about, right? The insane scientist who experimented on people, then split into two separate beings who somehow managed to find worse agendas? That Xehanort?"
"The very same," Yen Sid confirms, frowning as this somehow sets off yet another discussion amongst the young ones. This time, he's not content to let it go on. "Please, children! Did you or did you not come to me for knowledge? Perhaps you wish to let me impart some that to you."
"Of course, Master Sorcerer, of course," Telary babbles, bowing sharply with every word. "Forgive us, please, for being so rude. Your wisdom is so, so valuable to us, and…"
The wizard stops as his wife clamps her hand on his shoulder to halt the excessive toadying.
"It's just that we definitely weren't ready to hear something crazy like that," Azlyn says, frowning.
Yen Sid doesn't say anything right away, focusing on Sora. The Keybearer is quiet, staring thoughtfully at nothing. After a moment, he flinches and moves his focus to the wizard.
"Just tell us everything you know," he says sincerely.
Yen Sid nods. "Very well. To be quite honest, on the subject of Xehanort I may not be much help. I was but an apprentice then, and we met no more than three times. Sorcerer Dorga was the master of this tower then."
"And when was this?" Riku asks.
"Three hundred and fifty years ago."
That fact prompts a round of incredulous looks amongst the heroes. Telary nods. "That seems to fit with the facts so far," he says. "But it opens up a lot of new questions, too."
"Ain't that always the way," Azlyn grumbles.
"Just give us the details, please," Sora requests. "I need to know more, anything you can."
"Xehanort came from a world called Cornelia," Yen Sid begins, leaning back in his seat as he recalls. "A small world with low technology. Even before receiving the blade, he spent his youth training as a knight under a man called Garland."
Sora grunts. "Yeah, I've seen that guy. He ended up betraying Xehanort!"
Yen Sid nods. "Yes, indeed he did." The sorcerer sighs. "Xehanort, from what I know, was a much different man than you, Sora. He had no longtime friends or companions by his side, no one to turn to when Darkness encroached. Xehanort always seemed on edge, frustrated. I am afraid that my master did not help much in this regard."
"How do you mean?" Telary asks.
"Dorga had a… unique style of providing guidance, not to mention his sense of humor," Yen Sid explains, an unmistakable exasperation in every word. "He believed that people learned best by their own experience, and often couched his teachings in as much mystery and riddle as he could get away with. He believed that deciphering his instructions was part of the learning process.
"But Xehanort's frustration went beyond simple frustration in how he was receiving his orders and information. The idea of the world order never sat well with him, insisting that much of what he found available on other worlds would have greatly improved life on his own. He saw his heroic mission reaching beyond just fighting Heartless threats."
Sora nods. "I guess I could see that point of view. But even if he was frustrated, I don't see how that could have led to… Well, everything. What happened to him?"
Yen Sid pauses, sighing. His sinks a bit lower in his chair, his posture deflating. "It is to my great regret that I must admit that I do not know how Xehanort moved forward in time, how his memories were lost. The last I saw of him, he was confident that he could find the enemy's stronghold. He spoke of an ally, someone to point the way. After telling me that, he left."
"And obviously he did whatever it was he set out to do," Telary says. "After all, the Realm of Light survived to be put back in existential danger three hundred years later."
Riku snorts. "From the very same guy."
"Indeed," Yen Sid affirms, shaking his head. "Years ago, I felt an… event. A massive tremor of magical energy, such as had never been recorded. Naturally I investigated, tracing the energy to Radiant Garden. What I found in my investigation shocked me."
"Xehanort," Sora finishes for the old sorcerer.
"King Mickey once told me a few things I didn't know before," Telary says. "Apparently Xehanort just showed up one day in the city. Ansem the Wise took him in. You're saying that you knew about all of this?"
Yen Sid nods. "I observed him magically, wondering if any remnant of his old life remained. Any sign he could still wield the Keyblade. It soon became clear that whoever Xehanort had been before, he was no longer. He seemed so… content, to work beneath Ansem. In fact, I found myself rather happy for him. And so, I decided to simply let him be." The sorcerer sighs deeply. "I regretted my actions, in the end."
"Hey, there was no way you could have known," Azlyn points out. "Ya gotta wonder, though, what it was that made him so evil in the end. I mean, do you have any idea what could have caused a guy who was apparently good enough for the ultimate good guy weapon to go so rotten?"
"That question has haunted me for some years, young Azlyn," Yen Sid admits. "What happened to Xehanort in that final battle? What was the cost of his victory, and why did he end up on a seemingly random world hundreds of years later?" He looks at Sora. "As I said before, I assume that you will soon know much more than I do on the subject. Perhaps you will be able to learn the reasons for his fall."
The room is silent for a few moments, everyone staring at the contemplative Sora. Except Riku, that is, who steps past his friend to the sorcerer's desk with a blatant frown. "Not that that isn't fascinating, but we've got much worse, more pressing things to worry about than the sob story of some dead megalomaniac!" He straightens up, crossing his arms over his chest. "Hey, here's a fun topic for more discussion: what's up with the metal murder machines that keep trying to kill us? You have anything but old memories and vague speculation on that, Mr. Wizard?"
"R-r-riku!" Telary stammers, nearly apoplectic. He reaches out and grabs the silver-haired young man by his arm, only to be immediately shaken off. "You can't just…"
"Do not fret, Telary," Yen Sid instructs the distraught redhead, raising a hand. "Young Riku's frustration is justified. Though his manners leave much to be desired…"
The silver-haired young man's only response to that is a shrug. "Any information you have on the Chasers." Telary nudges him. "Please." The red-haired wizard coughs loudly into his hand. Riku rolls his eyes, but adds a fairly respectful, "Master."
"I fear that I must disappoint you again, young Riku," Yen Sid admits, sheepish. It's a rather strange tone for the old sorcerer. "I know less of the Chasers than even Xehanort. It is a name that I recognize, a faction within the ancient Keyblade War. But the few records that still exist of that conflict are… incomplete at best."
Riku says nothing, but the look he throws Telary tells the wizard exactly what he's thinking. Telary winces, looking back to Yen Sid with manically wide eyes.
He tugs his beard before continuing. "All the records say of the Chasers is that they fought to end the war without any side gaining victory. To that end, they endeavored to kill any Keyblade wielder they came across."
"That sounds about right," Azlyn says, nodding. "Though by now you'd think they would know the Keyblade War is over."
"They fought Xehanort at some point," Sora informs everyone. "And in all the dreams I've had so far, there were three of them. I think Xehanort might have killed one of them."
"Could ya try and have the dream about how he pulled that off sooner, rather than later?" the knight asks with a snort.
Sora sighs, shaking his head. "Believe me, Az, if I could I would. But what I meant was, that could be the reason they hate the Keyblade so much."
"Especially coupled with what had to be many terrible experiences during the Keyblade War," Yen Sid agrees. "Such powerful beings, driven by a powerful hatred… They represent a great threat."
"But clearly not the only one," Telary says. "Even if your information on Xehanort and the Chasers isn't much, you still sent us that letter. So there's something you do know about, isn't there?"
"Indeed." Yen Sid sits up a little straighter, looking more composed now that he's on firmer ground. "As I said, the four of you must know more of the events occurring in the Realm of Light, and the reasons behind them. Of Maleficent, and the cause she serves."
Riku lets out a theatrical sigh. "Ugh, thank you! I've been waiting for over a year to hear what brought that hag back."
"It was a primary concern of mine too," Telary agrees.
"To understand that, you must know the nature of the Heartless's ultimate threat," Yen Sid says. "The true power behind them and their foothold into the Realm of Light."
"You talked about this last year," Sora points out. "About how Heartless manifest because of the Darkness in people's hearts. The only way to get rid of them is to fill the hearts of everyone in the universe with light." The Keybearer sighs, drooping visibly. "You said it would be pretty much impossible."
Yen Sid nods. "Yes, I did tell you that. And, honestly, it was what I had believed at the time."
None of the quartet says anything, but they all give the old man looks that beg him to go on.
"Those who have occupied my position have always adopted what we believe to be a healthy pessimism," the sorcerer explains. "We saw the Heartless, and the Darkness that they represent, as natural consequences of the destructive conflict that ended the previous world. To think that there could be a simple way to defeat them was always considered naivete. However, there has been evidence that this was not the case.
"On worlds all throughout the Realm of Light, there exist in the shadows many secret societies. Cults, created by evil men and women that dedicate their lives to the Darkness. To many of these societies, the Darkness is merely a force, some wellspring of power they can draw on. Others, however, operate on a different principle. They believe that the Darkness is not a random evil, a force with no will of its own. They instead worship Darkness as an entity, a being with plans and goals. Each world gives this creature its own name: Necron, Culex, the Dark Cloud, Chernabog, Chaos…
"No matter the name, these cults evince the same belief. Though mortal beings may lay temporary claim to the allegiance of Heartless, it is this dark creature that allows them to manifest within the Realm of Light. It is this dark god that truly rules the Heartless."
"You're talking about things like that cult on Basil's world," Azlyn says, thoughtful. "And probably that freaky temple where the Bandar-Log lived. You're saying that all of these secret societies, on a bunch of different worlds, all thought the same basic thing about Heartless, and you didn't ever think that could be because they knew the truth?"
"Remember that the worlds were once as one," Yen Sid reminds the knight. "Any commonalities could easily be prescribed to that common origin, in the same way that language has stayed consistent across the Realm of Light, and munny the primary currency." He sides, shaking his head slightly. "And perhaps there was more to the denial. Perhaps wishful thinking won out over logic."
"That's nice," Riku mutters under his breath.
"The information collected across the centuries has always only been scarce," Yen Sid continues. "Though now I believe that this creature of Darkness exists, there is much still to be determined. This was my mission for King Mickey, to explore the Realm of Darkness for information."
"That's where he went?" Azlyn blurts out. "And he took Donald and Goofy with him?"
"Oh, dear," is all Telary has to say, shaking his head worriedly. Sora places a comforting hand on his older friend's shoulder.
Riku is silent for a moment, visibly shaken by news of his friend as well. But the silver-haired young man pushes past his concern, focusing again on Yen Sid. "Okay, so that's where Mickey is. But what about Maleficent? What exactly does this have to do with her?"
"The creature we speak of has one great weakness," Yen Sid explains. "Though it makes Heartless able to manifest in our realm, it cannot leave on its own. Therefore, it requires a representative in the Realm of Light, one who can work its will."
"I saw a man named Kefka in my last dream," Sora interrupts. "This weird, pale clown-looking guy. He had something to do with corrupting Xehanort's master Garland."
Telary nods. "That fits with a reference I found in Kuzco's world. It talked about a 'pale man' who brought Darkness with him."
"The man you speak of is known to me," Yen Sid says. "Xehanort spoke of him to me once."
"So it needs a figurehead in the Realm of Light, great," Riku says. "But why does that necessitate Maleficent's revival?"
"She was pretty dead," Telary adds. "Like, just a smear on the floor."
"But recall the circumstances of her defeat," Yen Sid says, holding up a finger. "Xehanort's Heartless, in possession of Riku's body, stabbed Maleficent with the Keyblade made from the Princesses of Heart. That attack unlocked the deepest Darkness within the witch's heart, corrupting her body and soul in a way seldom if ever seen before. This gave it power over her."
Riku frowns. And he'd thought he was over everything that happened while his body was possesses. Apparently, the only good thing he'd felt that he'd done while walking on the dark side wasn't as good as he had thought.
"She must have been preserved somehow, wrapped in Darkness as she was," the sorcerer continues. "To return her to the Realm of Light, they would need a place of immense magical power, such as this tower, an item of hers to be used as a focus, and people whose memories of Maleficent could draw her forth. A very specific set of circumstances, thank goodness. And now, the Darkness has a figurehead that can channel its powers and affect its plans in the Realm of Light."
"It's nice to have an explanation," Telary says, looking no more relaxed than he had before. "As disturbing as its implications are. Thank you very much, Master."
"It's only a small comfort, though," Riku adds. "But now that she's back, what exactly is this Darkness thing's endgame? Why try and destroy the worlds again? Are they trying to make Kingdom Hearts, like Xehanort's Heartless?"
Yen Sid sighs, hands clasped in front of him on his desk. "I do not think that will be their ultimate goal. Unlike Xehanort's Heartless, they will not be blind to the true nature of Kingdom Hearts. As a being of ultimate Darkness, that source of great Light could only serve to harm it."
"Then we need to construct a theory from the evidence we have so far." Telary steps forward, standing to the side of Yen Sid's desk. He misses the amused look the sorcerer throws his way. "So, let's review the schemes we've run up against."
Riku grunts. "Well, there's the obvious fact that Pete and Gilgamesh are going after worlds with open Keyholes."
"Yeah," Sora agrees with a nod. Keeping his manner preppy, he adds, "But we've been shutting them down." Thinking of the sealing of Enchanted Dominion, some of his enthusiasm fades. "Even if we haven't been perfect."
"Speaking of," Azlyn chimes in. "We can add taking Princesses of Heart to the list. I know you've got your magic/science or whatever, Master Yen Sid, but this sounds awfully familiar to what happened on our first adventure."
The sorcerer nods, his already wrinkled brow furrowing. "You speak the truth, young Azlyn. More than you even now."
Yen Sid reaches out, light swirling into a shining orb hovering over his open hand. With a twitch of his fingers the light expands, filling the room with hundreds of tiny points of blue light. The quartet look around in awe, though no one is more impressed than Telary.
"This is the Realm of Light," Yen Sid declares. "As it should be, free and clear from the taint of evil. Unfortunately, this representation is no longer accurate."
The image changes suddenly, red light replacing blue in waves across it. Sora feels like he could get whiplash trying to see as much as he can. As the final changes occur, he notices that Telary is simply nodding along, apparently not surprised at all.
The wizard must notice the look. "Uh, yeah," he says with a sheepish shrug. "This is pretty much the same representation we get technologically on the Gummi radar." He quickly turns to Yen Sid. "Not to suggest that any machinery could…"
"Peace, Telary," Yen Sid interrupts with another fond smile. He turns back to the others, grave again. "As you can see, whether the intention is to gather Kingdom Hearts or not, a great Darkness has been spread throughout our Realm. When taken with the ritual you claim to have witnessed, I have been able to form a preliminary theory. I believe that Maleficent's intention is to spread enough Darkness to make the Realm of Light a more suitable habitat for her master."
Riku nods, though he's frowning. "So, wait a minute. This Chaos thing is the reason why Heartless break free into the Realm of Light, but it can't come through itself? Heh, I can't help but like that irony."
"So what's the counter here?" Sora asks, not nearly as sanguine as his silver-haired friend. "How are we supposed to stop this summoning from happening? Do we need to try and build another one of those Keyhole machines like the one Maleficent had in Hollow Bastion? Should we be looking for the Door to Darkness to try and find Kingdom Hearts?"
"We should just find where Maleficent's holed up," Azlyn points out, much more calmly. "The last place we saw her was in the Organization's place. So we just gotta get back there!"
"Can we?" Telary asks. "I mean, we only managed to find that world because of Axel's dark portal. We left through the Dark Realm as well. Master…"
Yen Sid shakes his head. "I am afraid not. The Organization's world has always had a puzzling nature. Even I could not determine its location magically. I believe that the most prudent course of action is to try and save as many worlds as you can from Darkness. Most likely defeating Maleficent's new compatriots will give you more information to form a more coherent strategy."
Sora's arms are crossed, his foot tapping impatiently. "Okay, so that's a bust, whatever. C'mon, just tell us how to stop Maleficent!"
"Calm down, Sora," Telary gently urges his young friend. "As great and powerful and wise as Yen Sid is, you didn't really think he could just give us all the answers?"
The Keybearer says nothing, though his dejected expression conveys his thoughts. Riku steps around Sora, still examining the magical star chart. Reaching a cluster of red worlds, he holds one hand up through the middle of the group. A brief flash of purple energy surrounds his hand, before spreading out across the room. It fills in the gaps between worlds, in several shades from pale pastel to so dark purple it may as well be black. There are many more dark tones than light, all of them centered around clusters of red worlds.
Except in one single spot, where a world represented by bright blue is surrounded like a black glove closing in on a firefly. Everyone immediately heads toward it, the curiosity even stronger than Sora's despondence. Yen Sid remains seated, enlarging the single world until it is the size of his head and hovering over the center of his desk.
"What's going on here?" Azlyn asks, twisting her neck as if examination from a different angle will get her more information.
"It's a world we've been to…" Telary replies, scratching his chin and squinting. As if summoned by his thoughts, a set of bright white coordinates scribble themselves into thin air. The wizard perks up. "Ah, Jack's world."
"Skellington or Sparrow?" Azlyn doesn't sound particularly thrilled at the prospect of either.
He sighs. "Sparrow."
"He's a pirate," Sora whispers to Riku, nudging his older friend in the side. The prospect of seeing an old friend seems to have cleared up some of the Keybearer's gloom. "But why would the Darkness concentrate itself on a world I've sealed the Keyhole of?"
"Maybe they're looking to get drunk," Azlyn mutters, with a quick look at her husband. Reminded of his past experience in the Caribbean, Telary can only look away with a pink blush tingeing his cheeks.
Yen Sid murmurs something too soft to hear, focusing the quartet's attention back on him. He regards them over steepled fingers. "You have said that you visited this world, Sora. That makes it unique, for this was a world that Xehanort visited as well."
"Really?" Sora replies, cocking his head and frowning. "But, that doesn't make sense. I had to seal the Keyhole there last year, so how could Xehanort…?"
"Because, Sora, Xehanort failed to seal it during his visit to the world," the sorcerer explains. "According to him, his efforts were foiled by the goddess Calypso, who resided in this world. She allied herself with the dark forces, allowing the Heartless to find the Keyhole before Xehanort could."
"I didn't hear anything about any Calypso when I was there," Sora says. "But maybe that wasn't something pirates really cared about. So, you think Maleficent is looking to team up again?"
Yen Sid nods. "That is what is suspect. If Chaos is able to manifest within the Realm of Light, then there are powerful entities with which it will be forced to contend. I suspect it desires allies of equal power in order to counter those forces."
"What do you mean by powerful entities?" Telary asks.
Azlyn perks up, raising her hand. "Oh, Hercules! Well, his dad and stuff. They're supposed to be gods, y'know. So maybe we should make a point to swing around there later. Of course, we always manage to fit in a trip to the Coliseum."
"But whatever is happening here is more immediate," Riku declares. "One big bad dark god is trouble enough, we do not need to have another one to deal with."
"I'm sure Jack will be able to tell us something if we ask directly," Telary says. "Though I'd advise against having a drink with him, if he offers."
Sora doesn't add anything to the conversation, standing silent with his arms crossed over his chest. This trip to the tower has answered a few questions, but not the most important one. All the Keybearer wants to know is the most direct route to the end of this, a new period of peace. Especially if what Yen Sid said about Chaos allowing the Heartless to leave the Dark Realm. A life without having to worry about dark creatures and danger has only been sounding better and better to Sora all the time.
"Let's get going then," Sora declares, unconsciously summoning Kingdom Key to his hand.
"Not quite so fast, young man," Yen Sid says. "Before you all go, I have something for each of you. Gifts that may smooth the road of your journey. First, step forth Azlyn."
The knight does so, standing straight-backed with a more respectful expression than she's worn since arriving in the tower. The promise of a gift does that to her.
Light gathers in Yen Sid's hand, an array of light pink lines bouncing inside a blue and green circle. "For you Azlyn, a very special piece of magic. It will enhance your movements within the flow of combat, make you more nimble and assist you in any number of acrobatic maneuvers."
"Nice!" The orb flies from Yen Sid's hand to Azlyn's chest, surrounding the knight in a brief pink glow. A stern look from her husband has her adding a quick, "And, y'know, thanks!"
Reaching under his desk, Yen Sid pulls out a hardback book, only white stars and moons on its green cover in lieu of a title. It isn't terribly thick, perhaps as wide as two hands pressed together. Telary doesn't even need to hear a word from the sorcerer before he gasps at the sight, his mouth going dry.
"I see you have an idea as to what your gift is, Telary." Yen Sid holds the tome out, the redheaded wizard grasping it with both hands.
He pulls it to his chest, beaming. "Th-th-thank you so, so much, Master Yen Sid! I can't believe I.. I mean, that you would grace me with such… Wow!"
"I know you will use the spells within to the best of your ability," the sorcerer says with a small smile. "And, most importantly, responsibly."
Telary holds the book in front of him, bowing his head.
Riku, sensing that he's next in line, shifts uncomfortably. "Look, Master Yen Sid, we don't really know each other, so…"
The sorcerer chuckles. "As it so happens, the gift I have to present to you is indeed not from me. Rather, it is something Mickey asked for me to give you." He reaches into the sleeve of his robe, retrieving a charm attached to a short keychain. As it spins in the air, Riku notes that the charm is a gunmetal gray replica of his royal friend's head.
He opens his hands, catching the chain when Yen Sid tosses it. "It's nice, I guess. But I have to be honest, I'm kinda confused why Az and Tel get power upgrades and I just get a nice trinket."
"According to Mickey," Yen Sid explains, "you are to attach it to your Keyblade, as a replacement for the keychain currently connected."
Riku summons Way to Dawn in hand, noting the keychain dangling from the weapon's hilt: the Heartless symbol, sans the thorny red lines crossing each other in the middle. After only a moment of hesitation, he tugs it off. The Keyblade remains the same, though its wielder swears it loses a bit of color. Without hesitation, he clamps the new keychain to the ring in the hilt.
Light envelops the Keyblade, white like Sora's instead of the usual violet energy. When it fades, the blade is completely different in design. Its hilt is the same gunmetal gray as the charm, surrounded by black handguards. The blade is silver, and oddly resembles…
"Are you supposed to use that Keyblade to start your brand new jeep?" Azlyn asks, smirking at the pin tumbler blade.
"I think it's cool," Telary counters, giving the silver-haired young man a thumbs up. "Right, Sora?"
The Keybearer nods. "Yeah, I like it too. Kinda brings it closer to a group aesthetic."
Riku regards the new blade for a moment more, the name Braveheart floating through his mind, before dismissing it. "Maybe it's time I stopped having a Keyblade that reminded me too much of my past. Plus, now every time I summon it, I'll think of Mickey."
"I am sure that is what the king intended," Yen Sid agrees, his smile a little wider than usual. He turns to Sora next, the Keybearer stepping up and gazing back evenly. "My gift to you is a trifle more unusual, a magic that is quite uniquely attuned to you." The sorcerer reaches under his desk again, pulling out yet another charm, with a leather cord attached rather than a keychain.
Sora steps forward to take the charm, examining it closely once it is in his hands. On the pendant is a large splash of water set against a black background. For a moment the Keybearer is unsure of its meaning, and then…
He floats in an underground grotto. It's bathed in light from a small hole at the top, shifting and shimmering off of hundreds of objects that line the chamber's walls, stacked in shelves that extend one over the other to near the very top.
Up above, a mermaid with a green tail and red hair floats slowly to the opening, reaching for the light with her free hand.
"I'll see another world someday. I just know it!"
Sora blinks, returning mentally to the small room in Yen Sid's tower. He's smiling, the young mermaid's name coming to his grinning lips. "Ariel."
Yen Sid nods. "Indeed. This pendant represents a connection formed between you and a friend from another world. You need only call upon the power of that connection, and I believe that you will find a way to use it."
"Cool," the Keybearer declares, stowing the pendant in a side pocket.
The sound of wood scraping against carpeting fills the room, Yen Sid rising from his seat. The sorcerer rounds his desk, stopping next to Sora. Telary quickly, and unconsciously, presses as close as he can to his idol.
"You four represent the best hope for the Realm of Light," he declares, reaching out and placing a hand on Sora's shoulder. The Keybearer feels a squeeze, and suddenly his heart feels flooded with a sudden feeling of warmth. It feels completely opposite of the dark coldness Maleficent's attack had inflicted. "By working together, I truly believe that you will be our salvation. Stand firm against the Darkness, and always be mindful of the light your bonds create."
"We will, Master," Sora assures the old man, nodding.
"Anything for you, Sir," Telary adds, lowering his head in deference."
Releasing Sora's shoulder, Yen Sid strides to his window. With a wave of his hand, he summons the Radiant. "Go forth now, Sora, Azlyn, Telary, and Riku. Everyone is waiting."
There it is, the ever-present infodump chapter. I do kinda like how I was able to show here that while Yen Sid is wise and wizardly and all, even he doesn't have all the answers to this one. BTW, all of the Darkness entity names across the worlds are based on the same kind of "dark god" archetype bosses in Final Fantasy games. Except Chernabog, of course, and Culex is actually the FF parody superboss in Super Mario RPG, which I just thought was a funny thing to give a nod to. The characters will probably refer to it mostly as Chaos, as that's the final boss of the first Final Fantasy and I just think it most easily conveys the idea.
How summon charms work is one of the few actual KHIII things that I felt inspired to include in this story, though I won't be ignoring my own explanation to get the movie tie-in character a slot. To inspire speculation, I'll say that there will be four summons, each a Disney character representing one of the classic elements (Water, Fire, Earth, Air), and none of the rest are the ones from KHIII, none of them are from worlds that will appear in this story, and each of them has been a party member in one of the first two games.
As a sidenote, I don't love this chapter's name. It fits the first part about Xehanort, but most of the chapter is taken up by other info. If anyone has a better title suggestion, I'll be really grateful.
Speaking of grateful, shoutouts to the ever-loyal DJ Scales and first time reviewer jackieredfield for their reviews. Really appreciate that.
Okay, so as a final thing to say, I'll tell/warn you all that this next world visit will take more chapters than any previous in any story, and I'm approaching the source material from a... different angle, I guess you could say. My two hopes are the 1) It all comes together on the page as interesting and cool as it is in my mind, and 2) that I don't spend the next year simply on this one arc.
Well, after that massive note, I'll just say that I'll see you all next time!
