During a morning in Radiant Garden, Ken was out as early as the sun's tip rose over the mountain. He promised his mother as he held a bag of keepsakes. "I'll tell Miss that you want to talk to her, don't count on her coming soon." His mother wished him luck with a wide smile. "You're in good hands and this is just my instincts wanting to let her know what's going on. Keep doing good out there."

Ken gave a knights salute and left home to the front gate, finding Wanda ordering her men. "I'll be back in an hour, but let Stalwing know she can't come and give her the usual. If things go well, we could finally have a place to call our own again." A rank and file sighed. "Thank Sigmar, we haven't gotten anything to do, even fighting those Orruks would have been better than doing nothing." He ordered the rest. "You know the routine, march!"

The rank and file marched into the town as Ken approached and asked Wanda. "You're early too?" The general nodded and smiled sweetly. "The first to rise and the last to fall, that's a motto." Ken felt a grim undertone and explained. "Because of that world being awakened... literally yesterday, it may take a while before you and the others can get there conveniently. What's the Freeguild anyways?"

Wanda coughed and started from the beginning. "A Freeguild is but a part of an army that defend Sigmar's cities, along side close allies that live closely under his protection. Races of all types are welcomed; Aelves, Duradin and of course, humanity. I could go on about each part, but they are different from each city and it could take hours if ya want to know about them all."

Ken was interested in knowing and noticed Merlin coming with a bag. "Morning, Hildetand is waiting for us once we are ready." Merlin nearly forgotten and asked. "Before we go for our rounds, where exactly are we going?" Ken looked around to make sure no one was listening and whispered. "It was a home for Miss Aqua until things happened that caused her to seal it away and turn it into an odd grassland with an odd castle. I made the biggest mistake of wandering there, thinking it was new, I did nothing but cause a colossal mess that needed to be fixed when I brought Firekeeper's Wish in there and caused the castle to act weird with memories of-"

At the Land of Departure, by the front of the castle.

Aqua had her hands at her hips and advised against something Ventus wanted to do with the odd gummi ship. "Ven, you been awake all night and it's way too early for you to go out by yourself."

Ven, pouted. "Come on, I want to make sure those three don't oversleep." He yawned as Ana practiced against some dummies in the background, thunder woke him back up, Aqua sighed and allowed it. "The islands are close by... fine, but don't stay there too long."

The ship opened its door and gave off a stalwart air, something Ven found inviting as he promised. "I'll be back in less than an hour.

" He and Aqua nodded, the boy went in for his trip and the ship closed its door and slowly ascended, certainly a gummi ship built by someone who had battles in mind. She heard a faint, familiar voice and turned around to find mists. "It became dangerous at nearly every turn and then Miss caught me red handed after fighting a big-" The mist cleared, Ken tried to finish up as Wanda looked around and realized what Merlin did. "Kendry," The boy realized that and turned. "...Wow." He finished up. "Anyways, we had to climb the castle that was here and put up with that while we kicked Garland out. That plan didn't quite work, but he is out and all this happened."

Merlin found it informative. "To remember what was, is a sign that the keyblade's heart endured and found them dear, even in spite of the hardships. I need to discuss our discovery with your tutor and think of a way to ultilize it."

Ken felt Aqua was right behind him and calmly turned as Wanda looked to the vast, mountainous world, mixing in wonder with realism. "Good morning Miss Aqua. We thought of how we can stop Garland and power him down so we can actually fight him, it's a thread we got to pull."

He gave a bow of respect and stood out of the way as he noticed Ana on a ledge bellow, fighting through dummies, Aqua asked the wizard. "What did you find that can help us defeat Garland?"

Merlin answered as Ken found a road down and left Wanda to survey more. "Garland bounded his magics in crystals and has bounded himself to a crystal to contain that power, if we can weaken the power of the crystal... we can weaken Garland."

Wanda broke out of her observation and explained. "Lady Aqua, the problem with the crystal is how much of it was used, it would take the mightiest wizards known to achieve that... or a stone you talked about. The voidstone orb, that Kharadon have, might be our chance, but the way from here to there is left behind over there."

Merlin feared the worst part. "No one has ever considered a magic to take away magic, but this makes it more possible." Aqua agreed and focused to conjure a crystal containing a glow. "They are a font towards amplified power, but would it be enough?" Flap!

Ana flew to the top of the mountain with Ken holding on to her right hand, the Stormcast landed and apologized. "Sorry for that, I had to keep my skills sharp."

Ken let go and landed as he asked. "Miss, you, Ven and Ana were talking about going over and asking for help, but we are going up against a wall."

Aqua agreed with that. "We're in quite a pickle, knowing the dangers from the realms, we could... try opening a way if we have a few things, but this is like... throwing many things at that wall."

Ana folded her arms and tapped a finger. "We got two ways and both aren't something that can be figured out in three days. They are something that would take months, if we are lucky. Lady Aqua, I know how potent the void stone is, no matter how strong the spell is, the stone would stop it and it is a maligned spells worst nightmare. But only a Kharadon can use it. You know of one?"

Aqua nodded. "Halvek, the navigator of the United Airlords, do... you know of them?" Ana gasped. "That company from Barak Zilfin, oh I know of them. They make trade posts all over Chamon and Aqshy and would transport goods and people all across those places for what you expect. They can be trusted, but that leads to another problem... making a way that can get to there specifically. If we aren't careful, it would lead us into a ghoul nest or worse."

Aqua cringed. "None of us want that, but now we can focus on not making any mistakes."

Merlin thought it over. "Hmm, its more doable to have a sure way of solving this predicament and minimize the risks then it is to have a possible solution with no risks. It would require some work with the materials, but we can open a way close enough to Halvek that the only danger is with in the city."

Aqua and Ana looked to each other with a plan, the keyblade master and Stormcast gave a respectful bow to Merlin. Ana spoke. "Thank you for your wisdom, once the others come back, we will get to putting all this together."

Aqua agreed. "If you would wait for another hour, we will begin. You are welcome here at any time."

Merlin appreciated that and looked at the architecture as Ana focused on Wanda. "General Wanda, what do you think of this place?"

The General smiled wide like it was everything she could want. "If you are offering me and my Freeguild a chance to prove ourselves and help protect this world, then there is no greater honor." She gave a bow to Aqua as a sign of obedience, the keyblade master gave respectful gesture of appreciation as Wanda asked. "But making a way here would take a while and we would just overwhelm this castle with all of us, the demigryphs and Stalwing. We are going to have to build from the valley bellow and find a way to make use of the mountains as flight posts without making it just me. If this Garland launches a siege across the worlds, Radiant Garden is going to need us there compared to this place needing us."

Aqua, Ana and Ken groaned in disappointment, the boy spoke. "It would be a third one in a row and Garland definitely has the power to do that. But thank you for considering it."

Anatesis agreed and saluted Wanda with respect. "Thinking about others before yourself is how you lasted long as a General." The General blushed and kept surveying. "It's how we survive the war against Chaos. But once Garland isn't a constant problem, we'll be coming here lickity split." She was back in her fantasy vision. "Lady Aqua, what is down in the valley?"

Aqua answered with fond memories. "Forest and water, are you and your men use to those kinds of places?"

Wanda nodded. "Mostly jungles, but it's almost the same thing. Lady Ana, have you told Aqua about terms... might have heard before?"

Ana knew a few as Aqua blinked in ignorance. "The Freeguild has high ranking officials be it nobility or other wise, Counts, Earls, Barons or in another word, Thanes. Or outside of the city and in realms like Ghur, we have chieftain. Those out of nobility would try to prove themselves worthy of that title through deeds, those self made would know more about what goes in out in the realms and how to lead to victory."

The keyblade master felt she understood and asked. "That's what Wanda was wanting this whole time? To have a town of her own that she can defend?"

The General answered calmly. "I was that close to that, but you know what happened. The military is my life and I wouldn't trade it for anything, as long as it is a city in the unknown lands and enough for the capitals to depend on, it be a good long life for me and my men for generations."

Aqua, Ken and Merlin were a little surprised as Anatesis patted Wanda on the shoulder. "That it be, this wouldn't be that city, but it's a start when the Forces of Chaos are gone and we can get back home."

Wanda blushed, smiled and shifted her eyes to Ana. "Me and my men will serve till the end."

Aqua felt the vigor in the generals heart. "It's a lot of responsibility you're putting on yourself, but every bit helps." She asked Ken. "Once we have a plan in motion, I'll start today's lesson, go practice what you learned, it's going to be another one about using magic. Ven is getting Kairi and the others right now."

The student nodded and went down the path. "It's always when someone gets to my face that I have problems, I'll go work on solving that." He took out Cadia's Light and gave off a spark of fire as Merlin felt the power. "Goodness gracious, he's determined."

At Destiny Islands.

Sora and Riku looked with in tree houses as Kairi checked every tree and bush, something was missing. "Where did it go?"

Sora went to look under a dock and answered. "Kairi, you never lose that charm, who took it?"

Riku gasped and answered. "It's what ever made those claw marks on the tree yesterday. Little thief."

Bonk!

Riku had a coconut tossed at his head, looked up a large tree and heard mischievous giggling. "So that's where he is."

Sora noticed something in the water under the dock, buried in wet sand, a sheathed, long, thin sword, he pulled it out and felt it covered in mud, Kairi looked at it and scratched her head. "What's that doing here?"

Sora pulled the blade out of the sheath and found a bewitching shine of metal. He felt an odd pride and sense of honor, calling him to battle, he put the blade back in the sheath and turned to his friends. "Come on, let's go search that tree, he won't get down from that easily."

They heard foot steps pressing against the sand looked to find Ven nearly lost, realizing the island hasn't changed, Sora cheered. "Morning Ven, something important to us got stolen and we were busy looking for it."

Kairi blushed nervously and asked. "Master Aqua didn't sent you here because we were late, did she?"

Ven flinched. "N..No, a lot of us oversleep. That's why." Riku had a small glance to Sora and explained as he was ready to run up the tree. "That wasn't our problem and our thief is up there."

The silver haired teenager jumped on a bark and ran up, Sora followed behind and left Kairi to jump from branch to branch, leaving Ven to have to follow. At the top, surrounded by tree branches, was an unusual creature, a blue fur koala like animal, squinting his black eyes at Riku and keeping guard of a pinkish white, flower like charm that had a small smile like face. Growling at him. "Nada!"

Sora caught up and recognized the creature. "You again?" He saw the charm and lowered himself. "Come on, that's not yours and you know it, give it back."

Riku turned and asked. "You know him?" Sora nodded. "That's Stitch, we were told he disappeared from Hollow Bastion, remember?" He saw Stitch giving a wide, mischievous smile, like Sora coming was planned, the boy asked. "Did you steal that knowing we would come up here?"

Stitch babbled an alien language and nodded. Leap! Kairi reached the top and saw her charm, she yelled and wanted to chase after the alien. "Hey, that's mine, give it back." Stitch waved the charm and tossed it at her, Kairi caught it and had her cheeks puffed at the alien that giggled to her, Sora asked Stitch. "People were worried about you after the town got attacked pretty badly, how did you get here?"

The alien scurried to a branch and crawled underneath, showing how he sneaked around, Riku asked. "You sneaked under someones ship, left when you had the chance then used that raft to sail here? I'll buy that."

Flip! Ventus was the last to reach the top, flipping on his legs and catching the alien off guard. Ven saw a blue furry alien, that he recognized, scurry to him and jumped on him. "Ven!"

Bop!

Ven was knocked on his back, laughing at the reunion and was being licked on the face. "Ha. Hey, hey, stop that." He gently pushed Stitch off, the alien cackled. "Ven! Fren!" Ventus sat up and nodded to an old friend that hasn't aged a day. "Yeah, me and Aqua are back. Why did you come here?"

Stitch blinked, looked over the edge to see the shore and tilted his head side back and forth to the rhythm of the shore. He asked. "Terra?"

Ven cringed, shook his head and answered. "Terra is in trouble and we are trying to save him next."

Stitch's ears lowered and he whimpered Ven understood that and asked. "I came to do a wake up call, but... do you want to come with us? Aqua is waiting for us to get started with today."

Stitch hummed and crawled on to Ven's shoulder, answering a yes as the native trio were ready to jump down, Sora thanked Ven for the help. "How did you two know each other?"

Ven answered. "It's a bit complicated, I'll answer that when we get back." He noticed the odd katana. "Where did you get that?"

Sora wondered about the blade. "I found it on the shore... but where did it come from?"

Riku wanted to know that himself as his legs bent. "We should bring that with us, can't leave this around." He jumped off, Sora followed and Kairi put her charm away to accept the weird. "Thanks for the help, this was a long morning." Ven yawned as Kairi jumped off, he made sure Stitch was ready and jumped off.

In a grey room.

The Replica asked, worried for his adopted sister's sake. "You didn't sleep at all last night and you think it is a good idea to go out there and try to give Ahriman that thing back?" Xion put on her black coat and held the chime firmly. "The.. woman in the dream was creepy and we don't want Ahriman to be angry at us for stealing his things."

The Replica agreed with that and got his own coat. "Shadey, follow her. I don't want her getting into trouble." The canine shifted into shadows and hid in Xion's, the Replica had the door opened. "That doesn't happen. Put it back and we can laugh this off at the arcade."

Xion hummed and went out with Shadey, the girl went the path she went to before, found three Tzaangor with odd shards of treasures running past her, she felt she was in luck that the riskier guards might be busy, she went to the library to find a Rubric standing guard and turning its head towards her. The girl hid behind the door and away from guard armed with a gun and Shadey looked at the closed door, he slithered and tapped Xion on the shoulder, resembling her own shadow and extending a hand to help her with something. The girl found it creepy, yet took the offer, she was gently tugged into her own shadow and realized she is invisible and used it to her advantage to sneak into the familiar room. She and Shadey emerged, mission nearing accomplishment, she had her chime in hand and was ready to put it back along with the others. Shadey shifted to a humanoid form and tabbed Xion on the shoulder, she found a data log laying in convenience.

She shook her head and didn't want to snoop around, she had the chime in place and turned ready to go, she looked at the log in curiosity and decided to look, asking Shadey to keep quiet. She pressed a button that showed events that transpired, that of research, the most current was the one she pressed at. Seeing the words come up. "Day Seven: Each and every time I see that masked demon, my temptation to remove him from existence becomes even stronger. He couldn't find a willing target for his cruelty, so he took it out on the Specimen, I would have called, Hollow. Despite how Hollow proved himself against the Unversed with his katana, that demon still keeps him locked away in a prison cell like one would an animal. Hollow's trinkets and sword seem to contain an unknown trace of power and I presumed the demon stole the chime I confiscated in my attempt to learn from Hollow. This is not the case, if I could find the chime and deliver it and the misshapen staff of bones back to Hollow, perhaps it will trigger a reaction that would stir him from his state and show them that he is worth something."

Xion's eye lids dropped and she pressed the data log of three items. The first was of the sword. "Specimen: Moonlight Greatsword: A work of art that uses the power of moonlight to carve at foes from afar. It has to have an oddity with in to make it do that and it is not from a daemon, but what?"

The second was of the chime. "Specimen: Praying Chime: A trinket that has a constant, dark aura with in. Further tests are required to unlock its true nature and see if it contains something sinister." The third was of the staff. "Specimen: Bone Staff: I don't know how Hollow acquired this, but it this fetish is just cobbled together bones and string, yet despite the simplicity, it seems to be a catalyst for spells of some kind. What kind of place did Hollow come from and how he ended up in the Realm of Darkness is a mystery to unravel."

Xion slowly put the log down and turned it off, she approached the dark chime and took it along with the bone staff. "This isn't right, these belong to Hollow." She looked teary eyed and felt her vision shifting to a keyhole, showing her shifts and turns across the vast castle, leading to a still knight, barely keeping a grip on his katana, she snapped out of it and Shadey offered to help her, the girl thought. "Maybe Ahriman won't get mad if I do this for him." She let the creature bring her into the shadows, they sneaked away unseen and to the visioned path, ready to set things right.

At the Land of Departure.

Ana watched Ken wrap a dummy around a whip of fire and slam it to his back side, he jumped forward, spun, fired down upon the dummy with his gun and for further insult to injury, he inhaled and breathed out toxic mist. He casually walked away from the dummy, pretending it was a dead foe and moving on to the second one as he asked. "I learned that one from watching Jambert use a spell called fire whip, where it is blowing out fire from your hand and using it to whip it all over the poor target. I focused something more physical and used it literally like a whip."

Ana hummed. "I see, going near you would be a mistake." The boy smiled summoned Firekeeper's Wish and calmly struck the dummy in a pattern like an infernal twister, finishing the combo with a jump back and an idea burning in his head. "...No, timing is everything. Ana, you seen me use firestorm... how fast could you escape if... say... I rushed after you right there to use it."

Ana signaled Ken to try. "Pretend that you're using it on me. If you can use it fast enough, it will stop me from trying to stop that." The boy nodded, charged after Ana and mimic the pose, the Stormcast side stepped to the right with her hammer like keyblade and lightly tapped him as Aqua arrived to watch students practicing with each other. Ken felt the tap and he guessed. "That will be the moment I get sent flying off the mountain with enough voltage flowing through me that it would kill a Rancor in seconds, let alone me in half a millisecond. Firestorm is slower, but it's an opening if I can use it right, fire tempest... that's a finisher."

Ana nodded and answered indifferently. "I don't know what a Rancor is, but if it is a big ol monster that's tough to take down, that would be you if you try using it on someone who sees it coming and can stop it."

Aqua agreed with that. "And if they know that is what you are doing, they won't let you cast it unless they don't mind the fire." Ken sighed. "And if they know my default of shooting them, I'll be back to problem number one since they'll know what I use air magic for. I probably need to know how stop works one of these days. Hey Miss, Ana said that psycho was using an Endless Spell on you to get an edge over you. What are those?"

Aqua wasn't too sure as the Stormcast answered. "I know a little about endless spells, even if our plan for going into the realms would work, those things are rare and they are magic with a will of their own. It takes a skilled wizard to bind and control them."

The teacher had an idea and asked. "But the magic you're allies use, what do have to say about them?"

Ana shrugged as she noticed someone arrived. "They are more doable, ya already know of fire and that isn't what you're asking for. Ulgu and Shyish are out of the question, Hysh is good in a blind, Ghyran is good for protecting your self, Azyr is good ol lightin, Ghur is handy if you need to go wild and Chamon is handy against anyone in heavy armor or weapons." Ken had interest in one particular as he and the older duo heard an alien like blabber and a name shout. "Aqua!"

She turned around and was knocked on her back by a blue koala like alien, Ken and Ana were surprised and looked ahead to find Sora, Kairi, Riku and a drowsy Ven watching. The alien tried to lick at Aqua's face as Ven tried to pull him off. "C'mon Stitch, knock it off."

Stitch pouted like a toddler and let go as Kairi apologized. "Sorry for being late... again, Stitch took something important to me and we spent the morning trying to look for him." Aqua gasped and gave Stitch a half crossed scowl, the alien felt judged and looked to Kairi with his fingers pressing together. "Sorry." Kairi forgave the alien. "That's better." She asked her teacher. "Were you starting the lesson before we came?"

Aqua shook her head and realized she might have sounded like she was. "We weren't, but someone is trying to think of using foreign magic in case he is ever in a place where neither range or fire will help him. The magic from the Realms Ana is from. I had a talk with Merlin about what we need to do to stop Garland and we may need to go there to ask for help from someone I know that has an anti magic orb, if to dispel the crystal keeping all that power together. We might be able to put together a way to get over there, but we need to be precise to where the gate way will take us."

Namine stepped out of Kairi, startled nearly everyone and asked. "Like the places you been to? I can help with that if you can make the gate way." Riku asked Namine. "By using Aqua's memories so that way, we will end up where we want to go?" The blonde girl nodded as Aqua thanked her. "That's precisely what we need, but could we do it in three days?" That was what Namine worried about and frowned with her hands behind her back. "We... could, but we don't know how to mix all this incredible power together. Something... or someone, tried this before and it made a distortion into reality, if this goes wrong, we would be the ones causing a warp rift to open up."

Riku agreed with that as Sora mentally blocked out the disaster. "And we don't need more Chaos Daemons going loose. Ana, do you know how to contain that power so we can control it?"

The Stormcast nodded. "I asked Arreia that question a long time ago, if we can make a Realmgate out of special stones, we could open it and cross over. But what kind of stones do we have that could work?"

Ven and Aqua remembered something, the keyblade master answered. "The Star Shards. But a jump this big would need more like it to work, there is one person that knows of them." Riku answered that. "King Mickey."

Sora folded his arms and asked. "So... you just need us to wait for more instructions?"

Aqua answered with a chuckle. "I wouldn't say you just need to wait, but let me get this lesson done before I pass along a few things me and Ken found." She ordered Ventus. "Ven, you been up all night, thank you for helping them... but go get some sleep. Stitch is our friend, he can stay here with us if he wants," she asked Stitch strictly. "But Stitch, no destruction, you're our guest."

Stitch acted innocently with his hands placed together like an angel. "Stitch promise!"

Most of the group weren't so sure about that as Ven picked Stitch up and looked drowsy. "*Yawn* I'll make sure he doesn't cause trouble, I'll see you in the afternoon."

He took his leave to the castle and Namine had a long look at him. "We were right about him." She turned and went to sit by a corner as Sora showed an odd katana to Aqua. "We're going to have Merlin check this odd thing out and wait for his majesty to get here. Thank you for the help." He and Riku looked to each other and left.

Kairi asked her teacher as the lesson was nearing its beginning. "So what was really happening here? Ken and Ana were talking about something when you came to them."

Ken yelped and apologized. "I'm sorry for causing that big misunderstanding. I came here earlier than expected because Merlin poofed me and Wanda here, I was practicing my new bag of tricks while waiting for you and want to learn how to use-" He took a deep breath and walked far away as Aqua helped with the answer. "Kairi, this is what he was talking about, when should you strike if someone ever tries to do-" Ken ignited his hands and leaned in a pose, causing pillars of flame to burst, Aqua finished. "That?"

Kairi answered surely. "When I see him glow his hands and before it goes off. Any later, and I'm barbeque." Ken turned and agreed like a respectful rival. "Exactly, anyone else who sees something like that coming will stop me in an instant. I need to figure out when to time that perfectly so I won't be stopped and then finish them off with fire tempest. This is my biggest learning curve yet and Miss had a good point, it will be completely moot once I run into someone who would only be tickled by the flame."

Ana nodded. "And since most of us have wide options for magic with our attacks, we started talking about beyond what the worlds could teach us."

Kairi relaxed from the pressure she brought on herself. "There isn't a lot that goes together with his style. I got to practice a little with my lightning last night while treasure hunting, I might have over done it." Aqua doubted that and had her students step aside. "That magic could help you win your fights if know how far the limit is." She shot ice spells at the dummy and charged at it to perform a quick combo, she fired again and was building up to a finisher, Kairi felt it was familiar and watched her teacher fire again. Aqua back flipped, aimed her blue keyblade and fired a ball of ice that made contact and erupt as a glacier like spike, Kairi gasped and realized what she learned the previous night. "Master, may I show what I did?"

Aqua was surprised by her and went to the group. "You done a Grand Magic finisher?" Kairi wondered that and shot down lightning at the dummy, building up for combo for another and quickly built up, she aimed her blade to the sky and caused massive bolts of lightning to strike down, Ken fell on his feet from feeling the rumble and Ana watched light close into a circle. The Stormcast clapped to her. "That's one of the mightiest bolts I seen in the worlds, well done!"

The boy clapped with envy as Aqua spoke her pride at her student. "I guess you did." Kairi gave a graceful bow and asked. "I learned this while dealing with some...Flan heartless. Now, what did I hear about Endless Spells?"

Ana answered that as Ken got up. "Powerful spells that take form into its own life and are some of the most dangerous spells you will find. While not all of them are likely to kill you, the predatory spells will turn on you in a heart beat and the worst part is the only way to get rid of them is for a wizard to unbind that form. They came up ever since the Necroquake caused the undead to stir in an outbreak."

Aqua heard the words necro and undead, her cheerful mood turned slightly sour and her tone matched. "Meaning a certain lich ruined everything? How many times has Nagash done things like this?"

Ana had no idea. "It's been a tale I read about, Lady Aqua... he does nothing but boil your blood."

Aqua agreed with that and dropped it. "He is one of the biggest causes of the Realms problems and we haven't heard from his only agent in a while. When we have a way to go into the Realms, I think Nagash would still be in pieces and we don't a reason to go to Shyish to taunt him."

Ken was relieved about that. "He hates us after we stopped his plans and would try to kill us the first chance he gets. Changing back to the subject, those endless spells sound a lot like the summons we use, if they are more dangerous. But some of the magic sound pretty cool, I think I know what I can do with the spell of Metal."

Kairi guessed. "Bend another persons weapon so that would be useless while you take advantage of that." Ana had an even better idea. "Or transmute it and a persons armor into something heavier and useless. But the winds of Chamon are nowhere near here, we are going to have to bind some of it before we can try."

Ken pouted at that. "So the next best thing to keep something away from me while I shoot them to kingdom come is to learn about stop."

Kairi whistled. "That's a rare spell." Aqua agreed to that and warned Ken. "And one that is easy to abuse. If you can freeze time, you can control the outcome of most battles, but it doesn't always work for long, especially against those with a strong will. Are you ready to learn that?"

Ken joked about abusing the temporal power. "It's their fault for bringing a sword to a gun fight and if they think they can beat a gun, that will remind them." Aqua snapped her fingers for his attention. "And it is a way for you to use in conjunction with that other spell you want to master. It's a boring way, but anything helps these days."

Ken understood, he and Kairi gave a bow and were ready to learn as Ana asked the teacher. "How do you even use a spell like that? I get using lightning, fire, ice and water... but time?"

Aqua agreed with how complicated it is. "It takes a lot of power because it isn't like the others, that's why the most we get from it is stopping time and how long it will last. You see-"

At the Castle That Never Was.

Xion nearly whimpered at the fearsome sight of the patrolling Varanguard, their burning red eyes and their unsightly steeds search not for intruders to slay, but for playthings to torture and devour. Their dreadful aura gave her an instinct to avoid them at all cost, even when in the shadows. She sneaked past them and found a stair way leading down into a white void, into a dungeon. They reached the bottom and void a black sphere with bars, floating in mid space, keeping guard was a chained, horned, dark creature. Xion and Shadey crawled out of the shadow and readied to confront the creature, it looked upon them and shot dark beams. Xion rolled out of the way to dodge as Shadey leaped high and pounded it into the ground with many, tendril like claws, the girl realized there wasn't much of a point fighting the creature of darkness when she has her own doing the work for her, she looked in the cage as Shadey pounced on the chained creature and tore into it, the creatures arms broke free and it summoned a hammer to swing at the eldritch creature that vanished and reappeared above it as a mighty red eyed gryphon. Xion saw a battered knight clinging to a blacksteel katana with his right hand and banging his left hand against his helmet, like there was something of his he barely remembers. Shadey tore at the chained, hammered creature, took a hammer to its face and stabbed it in the chest with its beak, the lower half of the chained creature broke free and its hammer took a fuller shape.

Shadey flew back, landed and took the form of a fierce tiger, it gave a thunderous roar and clawed as Xion saw a keyhole form at the cell door, aimed her blade and fired a beam, causing the cell door to click and slide open, Hollow heard it and looked at her, he stood up and held his blacksteel katana with both hands. Xion gestured that she didn't want to fight and took out the dark chime and scepter of bone. "Are these yours?" Hollow gasped, almost dropped his katana and stared at them, particularly to the chime. "Nas...Nas..." In the back ground, Shadey dealt another mighty blow to the chained creature, removing all its bindings and watching the creatures hammer ignite, the dark creature back flipped and charged shape into a floating shark. He shot like a torpedo at the guard, it opened its maw to show rows of razor sharp teeth and bit into it. Xion introduced herself. "I'm Xion and the one... eating the guard, is Shadey."

She gave the two items to Hollow, the knight sheathed his katana and took them like they were close treasures. He looked to her and asked. "X...X...Xion? Xion."

The girl nodded and extended her hand. "Come on, Hollow, we need to get out of here. They shouldn't be treating you like this." That name caused Hollow to step back, the knight wanted to yell something at her and violently shook his head, Xion cringed and apologized. "Okay, that's not really your name and you hate that. It was the only name I found, I'm sorry for calling you that." The knight almost fell on his rear and gave a cough, becoming something like, crying, Xion's eyes watered and she gave the knight a hug. "I'm sorry." Shadey finished with the guard and sensed something, it dissolved its body into dark tendrils and flowed into the cage, taking on a humanoid form, it tapped Xion on the shoulder to warn her something.

Hollow realized who was coming and spoke. "Xion...run. Get... away."

Xion let go and didn't wish to leave him behind. Hollow looked at her and took his chime, he gave off a holy glow and rubbed it on his blade, giving it a holy glow that made Xion's hair stand. The girl was surprised and asked. "That's... light? Are you showing me this?" Hollow knelt and glowed, disappearing and reappearing to the corner of the cell, Shadey disappeared in Xion's shadow and felt it convenient. She promised him. "I'll be back to get you out of here. Just wait until I get the chance again." She knelt and glowed, disappearing in a flash of light, Hollow made a rush to close the cell and banged his head against it to make himself look like a mindless creature.

A corridor opened, Vanitas walked out to see the damage and growled. "What..." He glared to the knight banging his head against the cell and caused dark chains to form behind the knight. "Would have fooled me if you didn't... somehow, killed that guard. You worn down husk."

The knight held to his chime as the chains rushed to him and pulsed in holy power, blowing the cell door away and send it flying at Vanitas, the psycho dodged that and watched the knight switch to a bone staff and give off a dark glow. Flinging a barrage of dark orbs at him and hurting him, Vanitas was in disbelief and waved his hand in a counter, forming a yellow and black cage and dropping it down on the knight, he formed a barrier and felt that was enough, he looked at the trinkets and asked. "Now who gave you that?" He shrugged and summoned two chained creatures. "Like that will help you now, how about you stay put like a good little Curse Bearer while I go... interrogate some birds."

He disappeared and left the Undead+ to sit in its cage and look at its chime. "Nas...Nas...Nas..." He gasped like something in his mind came to life. "Nash...an...dra." His grip tighten on the chime, like it was an old foe, he looked out of the case and hissed. "Child...of...Dark."

In the grey room.

The Replica tapped his foot and was ready to go search when a spark of light shined, Xion appeared with tears dripping and kneeling. The Replica helped her up and calmed her down. "Xion, what happened, did you give the chime back?" The girl nodded. "I... read a log Ahriman was making, saying of its owner. That chimed belonged to a knight... that... someone is keeping locked away and treating him like he's garbage. I... couldn't let that happen."

The Replica nearly screamed. "Xion, you know it's a suicidal idea to take from Ahriman and go that deep in this castle."

Xion stomped her foot and shouted at him. "They weren't his to begin with!" The Replica stepped back and Xion repeated herself. "They weren't his to begin with and Ahriman was going to try to give the chime and a bone staff back to him anyways. So... I did it for him."

The Replica went stoic and asked. "Is this really true?" Xion nodded. "He compared the person holding the knight prisoner to a demon and nowhere in the log did Ahriman say anything about wanting to give the knights sword back. So I kept away from that." The Replica folded his arms and knew who Xion was talking about. "Demon?" He ordered the creature in the shadows. "Shadey, find the Tzaangor and protect them. If Vanitas so helps as threaten them, you are to teach him a lesson... but don't do anything lethal. I don't want Ahriman getting into more trouble than he is."

Shadey revealed its red eyes and slithered past the door, leaving the Replica and a tired Xion alone, the adopted brother asked. "I wouldn't have bought that if you didn't tell me about the sword, I guess that thing is the most interesting thing Ahriman... confiscated and if he was the one who took the knight, he might have treated him like a discovery project. But that wouldn't have upset the both of us as much." He turned and opened a corridor. "Come on, this place isn't helping you. Once Ahriman knows where we stand, he won't be mad."

At the lower side of the Castle.

Ztardon cawed, snarled and glowed with psychic power as he stood in between a battered Tzaangor and Vanitas, the shaman cawed. "Master has done no such thing! He observes the horned ones ritual, as he has all day."

Vanitas blew in the air and was ready to beat the shaman up yet again. "As if, do you think anyone trusts him? How about you step aside like the minion you are, you're all just a dime a dozen." Ztardon refused and radiated in blue glamour, blinding Vanitas and sucker punching him with his staff, the helmet fiend disappeared and appeared above the shaman, ready to strike. POUNCE! A creature of tendrils and shadows pounced on Vanitas and knocked him away, it sank into Ztardon's shadow and caught the Tzaangor by surprise, Vanitas landed with a burning fury and flung a fire ball at the shaman. PEW!

A Rubric terminator appeared in front of Ztardon and took the fire ball, standing still and looking like nothing happened, a door opened to let Ahriman and Pete out. The Sorcerer finished advising to him. "What ever the guardians are up to, it's clear she and the Horned King are too busy to be out there. They are planning something and they need to be stopped in every turn now that there is another in their ranks."

Pete saw a vicious sprawl and opened a corridor. "Y...Yeah, I'll go see if I can't rough em up and take care of another problem, latters." He left as Ahriman gave a slow stare at Vanitas. "What is your excuse for doing this again?" Vanitas laughed at him. "You're still playing dumb after all that?"

The Sorcerer asked him. "Could... you elaborate? I was busy sharing my knowledge of the chime with the Mistress of All Evil when I sensed you attacking my minions... again." Vanitas readied to attack as flickers manifested, Xehanort appeared with his keyblade ready, he asked. "Or you both will tell me what is going on. What is the meaning of this insubordination?"

Vanitas answered with a louder laugh. "Ha! Dusty over there is once again, trying to get in the way of my fun, he gave Cursy down at the cell some of his stuff, that chime and staff." Ahriman gasped and snarled. "I did no such thing," Vanitas snarled back. "Oh, then how was he able to learn how to use them and fight back with light and darkness?"

The Sorcerer stood his ground and had something mocking to say as Xehanort asked Vanitas. "He... uses the powers of light and darkness?"

He turned to Ahriman with bewilderment, the sorcerer agreed with the feeling. "Subject: Hollow, isn't as worthless as the lot of you thought. But I still had no hand in this, this isn't the first time an anomaly appeared, caused a disruption in this band and someone had to investigate."

Xehanort hummed. "You are saying that a chaos daemon of Tzeentch is at fault?" Ahriman hummed back. "With how close to the Warp invested Darkness we are, it's possible for a daemon to appear and reappear in this castle and it would be like one of Tzeentch to undermine us all. Especially me."

Xehanort agreed with that as Vanitas yelled. "Oh, come on! He's lying through his teeth." Xehanort turned to Vanitas with an order. "That's enough. If he went anywhere close to the Varanguard, unannounced, they would have tore him to pieces. A daemon has little reason to care for its life, as it goes back to the twisting Chaos when it is slain." He placed his right hand under his chin. "Even with the knights heart as hollow as it is, it still holds a spark of light and darkness. With in a vast... nothing."

Ahriman was impressed by the knowledge. "There is more to his things, the chime and sword hold a presence with in and I'll have you know, the chime was missing by this morning." Xehanort hummed about that. "So the daemon found that more enticing for the game and because it is Tzeentch, it sensed a strong, magical property in the staff of bones."

He ordered Vanitas. "Test Hollow's power, the chime and staff hide his secrets." The masked fiend grumbled and walked away. "Fine, I'll do that once he calms down." With him gone, Ahriman gave a nod and asked. "Would that be all?" Xehanort nodded. "For now, this gave more benefits than... hindrances. You can return to your studies. Archaon is attempting to focus a contact with his summoners for our reinforcements. Be prepared if you seek more for yourself."

Ahriman took the recommendation to heart, healed the battered Tzaangor and guided them out with him. He had the rank and file go about his chores and talked to Ztardon through a telepathic glow. "There was more to the truth than meets the eye and it is just as believable as the lie I formed."

The Tzaangor nodded and followed his master to the warded bed room of the young ones. With none in sight, Ztardon closed the door and Ahriman asked the shadow. "Come on out, I'll pretend that what was discussed was truth. For it did help elevate Subject: Hollow's status like I was going to personally see to."

The shadow opened red eyes and slithered out, Ahriman hummed and had it step out of Ztardon's shadow. "I don't know how the chime ended up in those two's hands, but they came back to seize the staff and deliver it back to the knight, with all the dangers that were. Impressive. You have done well for them, me and I'll even give extra credit for sending you to defend Ztardon and his herd. I will, have a word with those two when they come back. They are not going to be punished."

Shadey believed that as Ztardon scratched himself and kept his distance. "But Master, do they believe that?"

Ahriman laughed lightly. "They know this Castle became a dark and cruel place, much like a Warband I predicted that this organization would become. With many striving for their own ideal of power and ready to trample the weak, they had heard and seen it. Thus, they seek solace and plan far from my eyes for the fate of Hollow. They are strong in heart and yearn for more than survival, they will seek to confront me on the manner once they stop being afraid... I can imagine the look on their faces when they see that their gambit paid of."

He went to the door to open it, leaving the room unchanged safe for the beast of shadows. "Come, let us see what Archaon has to offer us from the realms." Ztardon nodded and followed. "Yes master, what awaits us from that side of the coin?"

At the Land of Departure.

Kairi confronted Ana over a training session and focused her will into a spell as the Stormcast was in mid flight for a false swipe, the princess raised her keyblade in the air and shouted. "Stop!" PEW!

Ana stilled in her flight and Kairi walked close to her, in a few seconds Ana moved and was astonished by where Kairi was at. Ken clapped and approached. "It's all about really wanting something to stay still."

Aqua nodded. "And converting it into a power. Now you try." Kairi walked away as Ken raised his gun like keyblade and yelled. "Stop!"

PEW!

Ana was frozen in time once more and Ken side jumped to his left, skiding to Ana's side as the Stormcast quickly forced herself out of the temporal still and looked around, finding Ken smiling proudly with his pose for firestorm performed. "Boom!"

The Stormcast's heart skipped a beat and she sweated. "It's not a lot of time, but those seconds sure can count." She raised her blade in the air and yell. "HALT!" Pew!

Ken was astonished and froze in place, the Stormcast quickly circled around him, the boy started to move, he looked around and flipped on his rear to find the Stormcast behind him. Screaming in shock and back flipping, Ana dismissed her keyblade and folded her arms. "Relax lad, this is all just testing out a spell that's harmless on its own."

Ken dismissed his blades and yelled. "When you appear and reappear right behind me, I get jumpy." He and Ana approached a proud teacher, Aqua relaxed her arms and spoke. "There are ways to make that spell stronger and freeze more opponents in place for longer. You all done well." She heard footsteps coming and four people greeting someone loudly, calling it a break. "That's Mickey and the others, we'll talk about Grand Magic and how to use that once we are done discussing things."

Kairi sweated and wanted to follow as Ana nodded. "Let's see what we have in store." She asked the boy of the trio. "Ya want to hear this?"

Ken cracked his knuckles and nodded. "This is pretty important and could involve us." He snapped his fingers and asked his teacher. "Miss, there is a message I been meaning to give once we were on class break. It's from my mom."

Aqua gasped and asked. "Is there something she wants to talk to me about?"

Ken nodded. "Totally, but it isn't even close to the most important thing. It's kind of a thank you. Me and her had a talk last night." Aqua took interest and had that on her to do list, she and her students went to the front of the castle to find Sora, Riku, Wanda and Merlin talking away with Mickey, Goofy, Donald and Jiminy.

The King was astonished by what Merlin said. "We might have a way to get to the Realms?" Merlin adjusted his glasses and answered. "It's only a theory, but we were informed that you hold a special piece of gummi block that would allow you to travel between worlds?"

Mickey gasped, smiled and nodded. "The Star Shard? You're correct about that, I had it put away after I started having the gummi ship built. A block that large could do the trick."

The three young listeners smiled wide, Riku asked. "But would it be able to help us by itself? The Realms sound pretty big and we need it to get to one particular spot."

Mickey answered eager. "It won't, but that is what we are going to do. Making a jump that big would require a lot of gummi blocks." Wanda laughed to that. "That's what me and some of my engineers could help with if we get the material, to think that we are going to make a Realmgate."

Sora knew where to find the mentioned blocks and looked up to the sky. "We should get started soon, those are found in between worlds, right?" Donald tapped his foot and asked. "Did you forget that they were?" Sora puffed his cheeks. "It's been a while since we had to do that, give me a break guys." Goofy chuckled. "Hi-yuck, this ought to be fun." Riku hummed to that. "We don't got anything else better to do, how much do we need to get?"

Ana stepped forward and answered. "A Realmgate normally has a round door, so we ought to get enough to make it fit more than one of us at a time."

Wanda stepped back to the castle and placed her fingers together to make a vertical rectangle. "It depends on how big the blocks are and-" She caught Mickey, Goofy and Donald in the rectangle. "Who is going over there." She caught Ana and Aqua in it next, the size comparison was a minor complication. "Since the Kharadron would know how urgent this is, it should be big enough to fit a Stormcast through."

Jiminy sighed. "We're going to have to go back to town and show it to Chip and Dale."

Wanda undid her rectangle and asked. "Do you mind if me and Ana come along for this venture? They would need to know what I'm envisioning for the gate."

Jiminy and Mickey didn't as Aqua approved. "You can start that right after I finish the lessons for the day, we were about finished." Riku guessed who is doing who. "Me, Sora, Goofy and Donald would be fetching the blocks. Wanda, Chip and Dale would be on the assembly team while Kairi and the others get to learning?"

Aqua took authority and answered. "Hey, were not just going to let you all do the work. We can find ways to help." Kairi agreed with that. "I'll stay here so Namine can help us open the way."

Ken had his own duty. "And I'll make sure no one tries anything funny that would mess this all up."

Wanda whistled to that. "You know that means you have to follow us to the town once the lesson's done? It isn't just staying in this world ya know."

Ken realized what he said, smiled with Ana and gave a knights salute. "I do now, anything to help." Merlin laughed with a hint of pride. "Ha! I say, my boy, you should pay heed to what you agree with. For it might lead to that calling once more." Ken promised him. "Everyone else in the know is here, so an extra set of eyes and muscle with Ana is needed if someone sees his Majesty going in and out of town and thinks that something is up."

Sora smiled to him. "You're going to love seeing the town... if they are going to let you explore." Riku saw the blonde boy was expecting a lecture as Kairi spoke in her rivals defense. "If it is important, he doesn't wander off without a good reason."

Ken recalled the two incidents. "And if I didn't wander, something bad really would have happened. I'll listen to orders." Riku nodded to that. "It's a pretty big responsibility," He tapped him on his left shoulder. "Don't sweat it."

Ana grunted to Ken for his choice of duty as Aqua asked her students. "Ken, Ana, we need to see if you know how to use the combo finisher before I wrap this up and let you go. Kairi, you need to hear it as well."

The trio understood and followed her as Sora finished his own recount of events. "We found a strange katana in the water and Ven helped put it away for now, it's... strange."

Merlin agreed with that. "It has a bewitching shine to it, it would be advised not to toy around with that sword. Who knows what ill it would do."

Down at the target dummies.

Ana asked Aqua. "We need to combo our magic and finish it as one massive spell?" The teacher nodded. "Precisely, I don't know where Kairi practiced that, but it's a sure way to get an edge in battle. Ken, you try first." The boy saluted, summoned his gun like blade and raised it in the air to form a twister, he used it to jump high and fired at a dummy, he nearly landed and formed another tornado to fly past the dummy, flung an explosive orb of energy and used another tornado to fling himself back to the group, he cheered a taunt. "And ya all go woosh!" The wind turned and formed into a massive tornado that had four smaller, if still large, twisters accompanying it. He was caught by surprise and watched the destruction he caused. "Okay, a little too much woosh."

The twisters faded and Ana flew after the intact dummy, bashing it upward and flinging it to the sky at the mercy of thunderbolts. At the third one, she slammed her hammer to the ground as the dummy landed, causing a lightning bolt, much like Kairi's, to strike down at the dummy and shower the training ground.

The mortals had their hair standing and they gave a round of applause. Aqua had her hands at her hips. "Very good, all of you. You need to repeat the spell three times and once you do, let them have it."

Kairi understood as Ana approached. "Imagine what we can do with the elements at that power." She had the idea of combos in her mind and giggled with a wide smile as Aqua theorized. "Similar results, but it helps to have options. It goes without saying, but the longer you can keep the combo, the stronger the finisher can become." She concluded the lessons for the day. "Class is dismissed. Ken, Kairi. Me, Ven and Ana have a surprise waiting for you by the end of the day, I hope you're excited for it."

Kairi had a guess what it was, gasped and tried to keep it to herself as Ken and Ana left for their duty, the boy realized it and kept quiet as he asked Ana. "Bryn should know where I went off to and will be waiting for us. You and Wanda will like her."

The Stormcast looked forward to it and marched. "We got a mystery to ask about one gummi ship that helped Aqua and Ven get ere, do you know a silver ship floating around?"

Ken gasped and hummed. "I wondered what happened to that ship. It isn't really a good time to talk about it, but it belonged to a certain hero that is kind of like you. You know who."

Ana realized and understood. "Ah, Hofneil's ship. It needs a place to call home before something bad happens to it."

Kairi agreed with that and asked as her tone dimmed. "Could you give Sora and Riku the word and try to look for it while you are out there?"

Ana promised she would as Ken dismissed his keyblade and followed her, Kairi felt depressed as Aqua noticed and asked. "You still missed them?"

The girl nodded. "They are some of the bravest hearts I seen and we still wish they were here." She sniffled and was given a comforting hug, calming her down and seeing her teacher regretting never getting to meet the heroes that came and pass. "It's okay to still cry." Kairi wiped her eyes and looked down to the vast valley bellow. "I'll be fine, thank you. Master, is there anything down there?

" Aqua tried to remember and looked down the valley with her student. "There isn't much besides forest and streams. Terra, Ven and I use to explore down there in off times.." She felt an odd melancholy and asked Kairi. "Do you want to talk about the hearts that came before? They showed up when the whole mess with Chaos started." The girl nodded. "They haven't came from the most pleasant places in the worlds." She remembered strongly. "A whole life of war can darken anyone. It all started when-"

In a colorful town.

The Replica was kept a watchful guard of Xion as she tried to rest under a tree with in a park. She looked distraught in her sleep and turned. "Wha...zzz...why are you...still." She shivered as the Replica tried to meditate, finding his predicament annoying and the girl's troubling. "Xion, what were you thinking?" He looked at the sun and planned. "It's near noon and those two are busy with themselves. If we just act calm, they won't notice anything odd and she'll be well enough... hopefully."

He rubbed the girls shoulders gently, calming her anxiety, her facing looking half determined, like she was confronting her dark nightmare. "You're pretty brave, keep getting some rest."

He focused on his free hand and placed it on the ground, causing the plants to bend to his will, he twiddled his fingers and caused flowers to curl into a vine. "Hmm... if we are going to be doing this more often, I need to think what he won't think of using."

At the Castle with in the town.

Ken, Ana and Wanda were astound by the garden as Mickey welcomed them. "Well, here we are." Jiminy climbed out of the mouses pocket. "The Star Piece should be in the library." Wanda was captivated by the simple, yet effective architecture. "Wholesome."

Chip and Dale scurried to the castle like hedge, Chip greeted the arrival. "Heya, you're highness. Heya everyone." Dale waved to the guests. "Hiya." Ana kept a watchful stance as Wanda greeted them. "Hello Chip, hello Dale. Sorry for coming unannounced, but I need your help to make a schematic for a Realmgate. With that, Sora and the others will know what pieces they should collect."

Dale nodded to that as Chip lead the way. "This sounds like a big project. Never thought to build something like that out of the blocks before."

Ana answered why. "Because a Realmgate is incredibly dangerous if we rush construction and the trip into the eight realms is a simple retrieval mission. I wouldn't dare speak of the dangers over there."

Mickey agreed with that and instructed the chipmunks. "That's why we gotta make sure everything goes right and we know that the best way across the worlds is a good gummi ship. This is a similar idea." He asked Ana and Ken. "Once I get the Star Piece, someone needs to keep watch from in the castle while we figure out how we are going to build the gate, the other should have a look around the town in case something odd happens again."

Ken gasped as Ana smiled and obeyed. "Me and Kendry will talk about that when we can." She and the boy followed the group into the castle proper, through a hall way and into the library, finding a familiar looking queen with a blue, star shape stone that had a missing edge on its right.

The star had a green glow of energy circling around a central green star, the Queen offered it to her husband. "Mickey, I went looking as soon as we got the call, we must make every second count."

Mickey blushed, folded his arms behind him and twiddled his right foot. "A...a...th...thank you Minnie." The Queen giggled and gave him the stone, complimented with a kiss on the cheek. "All you have to do is ask."

She looked at the new arrivals giving a bow of respect, Wanda was among the most grateful. "Thank you for thinking ahead, your highness. That made things easier for us."

Chip went to get a piece of paper as Dale went to find a pen, Minnie looked like she was honored to meet the General, approached and wanted to shake hands. "I've heard so much about you, you have done much for Radiant Garden and the neighboring worlds."

Wanda slowly stood up and folded her arms with a smile. "Thank you, but I can't take all the credit. If it wasn't for your husband, me and my men would have been knee deep in Skaven and Grots." She looked at Ken and Ana for another. "If it wasn't for so many, we wouldn't have made it as far. Now I...we, ask you all for help yet again."

Jiminy jumped onto a table and asked. "Do you have an idea of what the Realmgate needs to be?"

Wanda looked at the two sided door and used her hands to capture Ana and Ken in a makeshift picture, feeling like she saw enough. "If we include Ana, just the height and width of that door should be an estimate. We're not going to a full scale war, so just a couple of us would be needed to cross over. Can we build it?"

The chipmunks answered as one. "Yes we can!" Mickey and Minnie over saw the beginning of a conversation as Ana let them know. "One of us will be guarding the library door, there is two of you in here that can give any villain a whopping if they come snooping around."

Ken agreed with that. "If the Cornerstone doesn't keep them out. I heard Minnie could hold her own, if they get past one of us... they will be in for a rude surprise."

Ana agreed and went out with the boy, she summoned her hammer like keyblade, placed its tip on the ground and posed like a statue. "I'll keep guard while they organize the ideal gate, you go on out of the castle and be you," Ken gave a bow to Ana. "Thank you, I won't forget that this is a job and I'll be back if I find something." He relaxed and took off. "I'll be back in an hour, every hour, until they make our schematic." He turned to his patrol, with him and the Stormcast giving each other a gesture of respect.

Ken went back to the garden and to a gate going out, making his step out into a world unknown to him, a rather vibrant town of odd animal like people going about their day. He spent ten minutes patrolling and whistled. "Wow, this place is pretty full." He found no sign of heartless, unversed, chaos daemon or any dastardly villains, save for five, shady, dog like people simply having a family reunion. He squinted his eyes and deemed it just an ordeal with in the world, he went west of the town to find a wide amusement part opening in a couple days. Smiling wider and completing his circle to a park, finding two people under a tree with an orange, Dupmic played around with plants using a force of will and Xion relaxing in her sleep with the orange dog curled up. He approached and waved, Dupmic looked up and stopped his practice to wave back, the blonde boy gave a warm smile. "Hey, I haven't seen you since yesterday. How did things go with your Dad?" The hooded teenager answered with a light voice. "Fine, but we had to get out of there while he was busy with work today. Xion had a bad night."

Ken gasped and looked at the sleeping girl, looking tranquil. "What happened?" Dupmic answered. "She had a very bad nightmare and refused to go back to sleep. It took her a while to become this calm." Ken sighed, summoned Firekeeper's Wish and planted it near, far enough to not set the tree on fire and close enough to give warmth and light, he asked Dupmic. "I came here for business and I needed to check on something. Would you mind telling me about the theme park?"

The teenager did so gladly. "It's that time of year for the reopening of Disney Land and people are lining up to go. I just about gotten enough munny for me and my sister to get going and I want to make this a surprise for her. You're going?"

Ken gasped, looked back, was in thought and snickered to a plan. "Oh... I am and someone ought to know about this. Ha, ha." He explained. "There's these two friends of mine that really like each other, like... really like each other. If they know about this, they would make this a date in a heart beat."

He pretended to toot a boat horn and caused Dupmic to laugh. "Bwahahaha! What's their problem? They can't spit it out?"

Ken whistled pervertedly and pointed his thumb to himself. "Cupid isn't making his mark, so that's why I'm doing his job." He felt peckish and asked. "I'm going to finish my patrol and text the info to my friend. When is Xion going to wake up? I want to treat you two to something and the fire might ruin it if I bring it now."

Dupmic shrugged as Xion looked more at peace from the light of the fire. "I'll let you know when you come back here, thanks for the help."

Ken gave a small salute and went to his patrol, Xion mumbled something in her sleep and Dupmic kept a close watch. "Just keep sleeping, you're finally having some rest."

During the beginning of an afternoon.

Ven was having a bizarre dream of being in a flowery jungle and before a mummified masked toad on a stone throne, meditating with an armored samurai. The toad asked with a croak. "They disturbed something that should never have been disturbed. Child from an endless sleep, you held the fate of a King of Ashes. Will you help him remember?"

The boy looked upon the two even more confused, the samurai looked asked him with a humble request. "He was a noble warrior who went down the path of a king, he should have his rest. When you learn of him, will you give him that?"

Ven felt that was understandable and nodded. "I have to try, who are you two?" The samurai was humored and stood up. "Alonne." He gave a respectful nod to the toad and boy and walked away in a cloud of white petals.

The toad answered. "I am among those you call the Slann. You and your kin seek to come over to the Realms for aid against another anarchic force, an opportune timing." Ven felt something crawling on him and waking up as he asked. "But why the wraps? Are you the one who helped Aqua and Ana escape?" The toad responded near stoically. "I am one as ancient as the world that became the realms. I am not him, I am Kroak. Now awaken Ventus, find the mysteries you long seek." The boy felt something licking his face and awoke to see a maw with many sharp teeth and a wet tongue, Ven nearly yelped and tried to push away the culprit, Stitch.

The furry alien giggled as Ven got up in a well decorated bed room he remembered, one untouched by time. He felt weirded out by the dream and got up, seeing it was the afternoon. "*Yawn!* Stitch, don't do that again." He lead out. "Come on, let's get up and see what's going on."

Stitch followed him to a secured lounge, with what is expected from a lounge save for a weapon rack with the strange katana, Ven asked. "Where do you think this sword came from?" Stitch had no idea, crawled near it and smelled it, growling and backing away from it, the boy agreed with the instinct. "I think there is something strange about this sword myself, it doesn't just... show up out of nowhere." He asked Stitch. "But we can't leave it laying around, someone else might have took it and caused trouble..." He snapped his fingers. "its... Alonne's sword. But... who is that guy?"

The alien was confused as Ven smiled to him. "That's what we need to figure out. Let's get out of here, I'll show you around." Stitch smiled to that, the two went out of the castle and found Sora and Riku getting into a sword fight. Sora shooting out emitted force as Riku dodged with a right jump and charged at him with his keyblade glowing in glistening, purple light. Sora parried and was pushed back by the magic glow, he jumped high and shot a trio of fire balls in a combo, Riku dodged the first two and was struck by the third as the spikey haired boy aimed and fired a large fire ball. Riku jumped to the left and watched an inferno rise from the balls impact, flames scattered and singed the silver haired boy, he and Sora stopped fighting and shook hands to call it a lesson learned. Kairi finished reading a text out loud. "I finished my first round of patrol. The King's world has an amusement park opening up in a couple days."

Aqua hummed about that. "That's interesting, they let him keep an eye on the town?" Kairi guessed so. "He is allowed to because he knows how a town can go from peaceful to...that, in a second." She went to the boys and cheered. "Good work guys." Sora and Riku were a bit interested in the news, the silver haired boy asked. "A theme park? With all this going on? Is it really a good idea to care about that?"

Sora smiled silly. "Come on, it'll be fun." Kairi agreed with that. "Come on Riku, don't be a party pooper." Riku grumbled. "I'm just saying, with all that is going on, the last thing we need to do is goof off."

Aqua agreed with that and suggested. "But if we can't stop that, we might as well make sure no one tries to endanger people." She winked. "Besides, we could use a breather." The silver haired teenager found it reasonable. "Fair enough." Sora noticed Ven and Stitch and waved hello. "Hey!" The other three noticed as Ven felt he was awake enough. "Hey, it sounds like things are working out faster than we expected." Aqua sat on a ledge and explained. "We're waiting until Mickey and the others come back with the idea of the Realmgate, did you sleep well?" Ven nodded. "I'm going to try and stay up until the end of the day. Aqua, we talked about the Slann before... what else do you know of them?"

The other teenagers wished to know as Aqua folded her arms. "Not much, but they and the Seraphon are pretty special. The Seraphon are made from constellations and memories, while the Slann are the ones powerful enough to make them among other things, it's pretty impressive how they can make the stars move. Two of them showed up to help me and the Stormcasts when we tried to stop... you know. The same one that helped me and another that was more powerful than he is. There are three kinds of Seraphon you need to know, the smarter of them... the Skinks that are also known for being the smallest. The Saurus that are what you think about when I... call them dinosaurs in armor... and their calvary that are... dinosaurs. Why did you ask about the Slann?"

Ven found it hard to explain and answered. "Just... because of all the weird things going on. Stitch and I want to check the valley," Aqua pointed over to the road going down. "None of us are stopping you," Ven smiled like an eager little brother and asked the others. "Sora, Riku, Kairi, do you want me to show you around?" The Destiny Trio looked at Aqua, who was comfortable with letting them look, they nodded to Ven and followed him down the mountain, leaving the keyblade master to wonder where Ven got the question from. "...Are they that powerful as mages?"

At Disney Castle.

Ken finished up his report to Ana. "Besides two teenagers taking a summer day, there isn't a whole lot besides these five odd people I found one moment and disappeared in another. They kind of looked like dogs."

The Stormcast cringed. "A guard warned me about them, the Beagle Boys are trouble, but they are not our trouble. They are burglars at heart." Ken summarized them. "And they are smart enough to not cause the kind of stuff we are watching for. Anything else I need to know?"

The Stormcast had one and heard a debate. "Me and Wanda have gotten so use to seeing a Realmgate that figuring out where the center piece of this project will go hadn't crossed our minds. They are probably figuring out where the Star Piece should go and what kind of blocks would work with that. I'll give it another half an hour before they come to conclusions and decide. Go back to your patrol and make sure those lads are doing well."

Ken nodded. "Yes Ma'am!" He turned and went to his usual round, finding nothing besides a short line of people and an ice cream cart that is managed by a horse person.

Ken took out his munny pouch and waited, he felt his left hand glowing in fire and focused, summoning his burning keyblade back and dismissing it, knowing he is near something that melts easily. "Sorry about that." He heard a whisper in his heart. "She is awakening, Wielder of the Flame. Is this thy idea of a peace offering?" Ken blushed. "Enough so she knows I'm here for a chat. You want something?" The Firekeeper with in answered. "No, but I thank thee for the thought."

The line became shorter and the boy noticed some ice cream pops, two sparkling blue and a one with caramel and nuts, looking like cracked earth. He was next and the horse asked in a southern voice. "What can I get you, sonny?" Ken looked at the sparkling blues and nutty caramel. "I'll have two fizz's and a rockin crunch please." He had the munny presented and the vendor agreed, giving the boy the three wrapped ice cream bars. "Thank you." With that purchased, he thanked the vendor back and hurried to the park, finding Dupmic nearly relaxed and Xion slowly waking up. The blonde boy approached the hooded boy first, giving him the blue pop. "I'm back and I got enough time for a chat."

Dupmic took the pop and unwrapped to feel the cold. "Cool, I think she is waking up." Ken noticed Xion yawning and opening her eyes, she saw him and gasped as he offered the pop. "Rested well enough?"

Xion snickered and answered as she took the pop. "I am, thank you. What's up today?" Ken took his pop and unwrapped it as Xion unwrapped hers. "Nothing too interesting besides the amusement park opening up. What made you come out here for a nap?"

The girl licked and tasted soda as she answered. "I got scared and I didn't want to upset Dad while he is busy." She felt calm and confident as she continued. "I had another nightmare that was like the nightmare that scared me here. It was about a dark... thing, with a scythe, I fought back against her and fell into the darkness. Then I saw fire and a strange person saying hello, we talked, he said I should face the trials ahead of me. Before I asked more, the dream ended and I found myself being warmed by something and hearing a strange song."

Ken cringed and tasted his pop. "You met the same thing in your nightmares twice in a row? That can't be good." Dupmic agreed with that. "After the things that go around here and others, those kind of nightmares don't sound like a coincidence. I think we need to know where this is coming from."

Ken chuckled and noticed the orange dog looking worried for Xion. "I think I know where the warmth and song came from. My bad, I used one of my keyblades as a bonfire for you." The girl blushed and blabbered. "Ken, stop doing things like that. It's weird." The blonde boy blinked and blushed. "It... kind of is. I... thought I try to help."

Dupmic enjoyed the ice cream and assured him. "You were, but people would get mixed messages. Face the trials ahead, that... would be an idea."

Ken felt the two talking odd and asked. "Is... there something going on at home? You can talk to me about it?" Xion answered calmly. "We have an apartment and we have to share the building with some scary people and Dad has to deal with that while we stay protected in the apartment. He lets us go in and out, when ever we want, doing what ever we want but he isn't the kind of person you would want to anger. That's why we were scared to go face him."

Ken believed that as Dupmic explained. "He tried to help Xion with her condition and make things bearable for her, then took her in along with me. That's the other reason why we are a bit... jumpy on dealing with him." The blonde boy scratched his head. "So he is trying, but the world you two live in sounds pretty awful. I seen a world go down the river and when I saw things get pretty bad... I wanted to go home."

Dupmic had a feeling of terror as Xion asked. "Why didn't you?" Ken answered with memories of the Abyss. "Because a town gotten so bad that it was teeming with Darkness, me, my teacher and a local knight had to undo the seal of water and jump down into the Abyss. That and this other time was when I saw just how bad things can get when someone messes around with Darkness and the place becomes nothing but. You need to talk to your Dad about moving," Dupmic hid his doubts and pretended to agree. "We should before hell breaks loose. Did you learn any new tricks?"

Ken nodded. "I'm not showing it off since we are eating ice cream and it's all about fire... and two flavors of poison breath." The teenagers agreed that it would be careless and went to enjoy the ice cream with the boy, enjoying a short, afternoon get together as Pluto realized he isn't getting anything and pouted.

Half an hour later.

Chip pointed to a base bellow the drawing of a door way and asked. "Then why don't we put it there?"

Wanda felt it made some sense and placed her hands on the table. "If we put it at the top like some of you suggested, it would have been a good way for artillery to shoot it off the face of the earth and the other points are too awkward. All we need to do is fit this with stairs."

Mickey agreed with that. "That could mean we have to redraw this again." Wanda apologized for her argument. "The doors perfect, but that's the biggest problem."

Another piece of paper was laid out, Dale copied the door and thought about it, gasping and drawing a spiral stair way as a platform as Chip took the previous schematic and put it in the reject pile along with the others. The stair way was like a wide rock with a star shaped hole in the middle, Mickey hummed as Minnie felt about where the idea is going. "I'm not sure if the stair way is needed, but that would be wide enough so no one would try to shoot it so easily." Wanda agreed with that. "From ere, I think most of them would jump, but what about someone that is a poor jumper?"

Minnie found that agreeable as Jiminy criticized. "The star is going to have to be deep or someone is going to steal it." Chip had that part written down. "That's part of the idea." Wanda nodded and envisioned a gate of flowing, radiant, green power as Mickey had a similar vision. "We know just the blocks to make it work. This is a lot to gather up, but we can do it we others spend a day doing it. We will have it being built by the next."

Wanda chuckled to that. "And we got half of one left over." She looked upon Chip and Dale with appreciation. "You're engineers know their craft."

The chipmunks finished putting in the details and looked upon the drawing, seeing a potential master piece, Dale was drawn in as Chip turned to the General. "Thanks." Mickey was ready to take the schematic and asked. "Now we need to clean this up." Minnie looked at the pile of rejected schematics as the door opened, Ana let Kendry walk in. The boy was astonished by the amount. "Wow, you guys had to be precise."

Wanda thought of a plan and asked the royalty. "We can't have anyone finding these in the trash, can we?" Minnie shook her head. "Only a cruel heart and someone who knows what this is would use the knowledge to stop it."

Ken guessed and helped clean up the mess. "Nothing fire won't fix, these will be back at base and considered gone." Minnie appreciated that. "Thank you, we can't risk this getting worse." The boy made sure the paper was gathered and placed in his baggage as Ana asked. "You're majesty, we have an idea for this project?"

Mickey nodded and answered. "I'll catch up with Chip and Dale with what we need to put the pieces together and we can talk about this together. Thanks for the help."

Wanda, Ana and Ken nodded in respect, the General advised. "You're welcome, don't be with that schematic for too long. We'll let the others know to be ready." She turned to the Stormcast guiding out and Ken who was secure with the evidence, the keyblade duo gave appreciation and left with the General.

Ana exhaled. "Phew! How was it in there? That was a big pile." Wanda had a perfectionist's mind and answered. "Oh they have a lot of good ideas, but we are having an imminent war and one mistake will cost us everything. We both had disagreements."

Ken asked the General. "And after this, we can't afford to goof off anymore? Do you need some help with your men? It looks like you might be coming over for a while."

Wanda thought of it. "We need to oversee this until the end." She asked the boy. "What you do depends on your tutors wishes, but I need Stalwing in order to keep a strict patrol in those lands. My men can do without for a couple days." Ken asked. "Should we go get her first and fly back? I'll keep the... secret hidden while you go do it." Wanda smiled and answered with her duty in mind. "We'll need this done and over with, I won't be gone for a few minutes."

In an alley way in town.

The Replica and Xion were in their black coats, mentally prepared to face what they consider shelter. The Replica opened a corridor and guided his sister through, with in, Xion felt guilty about something. "That was an awful lot of truth stretching we had to do."

The Replica agreed with that. "And that last bit was a flat out lie. If he knows the truth... it would be the end of that friendship, let me do the talking and Ahriman won't go nuts on you."

Xion took a deep breath and saw the light at the end of the tunnel, the two jumped out and into their room, going in a routine of getting out of their uniform. A door opened and let Ztardon in, having an inspection and a rather confused look on his face, like he was questioning their decisions, he opened his beak and let out a squawk. "You returned?! The Master needs to know of this." He raised a finger and advised. "Don't move, I will ask him to come."

He closed the door and left the teenagers trembling, with Shadey keeping himself hidden in the shadows, in a few moments, Ztardon returned with Ahriman behind him, the two psychics sensed the emotion, Ahriman closed the door behind him and coughed deeply. "Let me start with what you did wrong. You conspired to take my research material, unannounced and gave them to Specimen: Hollow." Xion yelled. "They were his in the first and he isn't a research subject!"

She gasped and covered her mouth as Ahriman continued. "How the Chime was stolen by you two first and then why you came back later to steal the Bone Staff? That was a bold, if reckless move due to you unnecessarily doubling the risk of being caught by my... less than merciful Rubrics."

The Replica growled and stood up. "I didn't, but how did I wake up with that Chime is... just.. crazy. So yeah, I went back to try and put it back, until I read up about what you were up to." Ahriman kept his tone unchanging, not hiding his disapproval. "And how did an outside force come in here through the ward is questionable... unless the force came through a place the ward wouldn't work. Since neither of you have been exposed to the Warp or conduct with it nearly as much, that removes one suspect. The mind is a place that far reaches these walls."

He raised a finger. "But, the two of you orchestrated this near flawlessly, by having Shadey assist you in some way, to bypass my defenses as well as the guards another that rules over most of this castle has set up. Fought your way through a certain demon's forces and gave... the Undead Knight, two of his possessions, allowing him to truly unlock his potential and regain some of his humanity. He fought back against that demon and most certainly will try that again. Then you foresaw the consequences and sent Shadey to deal with the matter of who would be the target of that demon's sadism. That was clever thinking and someone reaps the benefits."

He relaxed and patted the Replica on the shoulder. "Well done, you learn well." The boy was left speechless and stared awkwardly, Ztardon realized. "You... fabricated some of the truth?" The Replica took his sunglasses off and his light green eyes looked away embarrassed. "I... had Shadey helped the person that... really did most of that and I gave that person the order to put the Chime back."

Xion nodded sheepishly. "I... went to help the Knight once I snooped around." Ahriman blinked and his gaze went to the girl. "...Well, this was a group effort." He told the Replica with a proud tone. "Bold of you to try and take the fall." He rubbed Xion's hair in affection and caused the nervous girl to feel embarrassed. "And bold of you to rebel like that for the sake of someone you don't even know. Now could either of you explain how either of you stole the chime in your sleep?"

He let go waiting as Xion recalled the events of her dream, causing both Ahriman and Ztardon to worry, the Replica insisted. "I just need to refresh the ward so that doesn't happen again and make it stronger. This thing doesn't sound like a daemon that we know of."

Ahriman agreed with that. "Because the entity was tied with the Chime and wanted Xion to take it. Presume it is like a daemon and see that it doesn't happen again by focusing stronger on the spell."

He turned to Shadey and asked. "Is this satisfactory?" The creature looked content and Ahriman guessed. "It is." He and Ztardon readied to leave, the Sorcerer advised the two. "The demon is certainly onto the fact that someone gave the Knight the will and power, he has very likely prepared the prison for when someone tries that again. Plan before you go do something like that again... and keep away from the Moonlight Sword, that will be something I will give to the Undead Knight when I decide. Do I make myself clear?"

The astonished teenagers nodded obediently, the Sorcerer opened the door and looked back to them. "Good, now think about the scope of what you done and be well for the rest of the day. Ztardon, come, we have something to theory craft."

The Tzaangor nodded and giggled. "Yes, sorcery without limit at your reach." The two left and the Replica had the mental memories of people he would allow in the room, causing a bright golden glow to flicker and blend. The teenage boy took a comic book and sat on his chair with a relief. "Wooooah. I almost lost my pants."

Xion agreed and leaned her back against the wall. "But what are we going to do for the Knight? If Ahriman is telling us the truth, we won't be able to help the Knight. I promised him that I would do that." The Replica flipped open a comic book about Spiderman and agreed. "Leave the planning to me and we'll get him out tomorrow. How were you able to do it?"

Xion answered and looked at Shadey. "He ate the guard while I unlocked the cage. That demon probably has a lot more than what Shadey can handle, so we have to learn to fight." She gasped as the Replica guessed. "Our friend is just a student of someone, but he can pass along a few tips. If he offers to help, refuse, because this isn't worth him getting killed."

Xion agreed with that. "The knights guarding my friend, look like they would eat us if they find us snopping there." She found a book she was familiar with seeing and picked it up to ease her mind as the Replica was becoming amused by the comic and escaped into a fantasy world.

At the Land of Departure.

Sora, Riku and Kairi finished imagining the various pass times as Ventus showed them a lake being fed by a waterfall next to a grove of trees. "And this is one of the lakes we used during the summer." SPLASH!

A fish jumped out of the water and splashed water at Ven's face, Stitch growled at the fish, snarled and yelled, causing the fish to swim to the water fall and jump upstream, Stitch felt he was taunted and dared not go in the water. Sora hummed and asked. "What's the matter? Afraid of water?"

Stitch muttered in disappointment. "Can't swim." The fish jumping up the water fall was more of a taunt, Donald folded his arms and tapped his foot, in a bad mood as Goofy noticed something flying from the Castle on the mountain to the north west, something large and with feathers. "Is that Stalwing?" The group looked up to find a gryphon diving after the fish and giving a mighty caw, using her talons to seize the fish mid jump. It spun and turned back to the castle as Riku looked to find smoke. "Their back, what's going on up there?"

Kairi looked up, squinted her eyes and found they couldn't see anything from bellow. "They... found what they were looking for, but there is a catch?" The party of seven looked at each other confused, Ven lead back to the mountain and up the road to the castle, finding Aqua, Ana and Merlin watching Wanda lecture a gryphon that looked down at the fish. "Stalwing, you know we can't just go around doing what ever we want. We got rules to follow." The gryphon lowered her head like a child being lectured as the group noticed Ken observing a fire pit with papers.

Many things that made absolutely no sense, Donald asked Aqua. "They came back? But what are they doing?"

Ana turned around and answered. "The construction of the Realmgate needs to be taken seriously, so for the next couple days, we all need to be at our peak. Wanda had to pick up Stalwing and that girl wasn't happy with being in a narrow ship. She flew off to calm down while the lad over there had all the schematics that didn't make the cut."

Ken heard and turned around. "We had to get rid of these before some dumpster diver figures out what we are doing." The group realized how that could have lead to more disaster and Kairi whistled. "*Phew!* Good point."

Aqua agreed and let the group know. "Mickey should be here soon and we can get started on the construction."

Stitch noticed the gryphon taking a lecture and Wanda asking. "Now you can have the fish."

Stalwing pecked the fish, flung it high in the air and swallowed it whole, the alien crawled to the gryphon that noticed him and looked just as confused, knowing they weren't native to the world, Ana had an idea to help Stitch become informed as Mickey, Chip, Dale and Jiminy appeared from behind. The mouse pushing construction equipment as the chipmunks had the schematic carried. Aqua advised. "Wait until the fire's done with the others. We don't want that burning up as well."

Jiminy saw the fire slowly dying down, Stitch and Stalwing chatting and counted down. "It should be done right around," Ken saw faint traces of cinders and used air magic to blow them off the mountain. "Now."

He went near the castle and stood guard, the group that had no knowledge of the details of constructing such an eldritch gate stood aside and left Aqua, Merlin, Mickey, the Chipmunks, Wanda and Ana to discuss, leaving Jiminy to explain to the others what was going on. As he went to the details, the chipmunks unrolled and showed the gate with the spiraled stone. "After some consideration, we needed to make sure the Star Shard is in an inconspicuous place while it is used as the source to open a way."

Merlin looked at the socket and notes on depth. "If it blends with the rest of the rock, no one will notice a thing from afar, someone would have to get a closer look. You have my vow of silence over this matter."

Wanda sighed and approved of the insightful wisdom. "That is the plan and I heard the blocks we need are not far or hard to get, we just need a lot and they need to be in a precise shape."

Mickey agreed with that. "They need to act like a circuit, the ones that have a line with in are what we need. We then need to help the Shard open the way, Aqua, Ana, our keyblades will do just the trick while Merlin makes sure what we are doing is working."

Ana felt someone tugging behind her and helped someone on her right shoulder, Namine meekly asking. "And then someone has to use the memory of where Aqua had been to make the destination a certainty."

Chip and Dale gave Sora and Riku a list of parts needed, Goofy and Donald were taken aback by large number as Sora asked. "This sounds easy, this might take a while." Riku agreed with that and asked the construction team. "Do you need us to get going right now?"

Ana looked to him and answered. "We got two and a half days before Garland makes his move. I'd say you ought to get as much of the bulk as you can and save the shapes for tomorrow."

Sora, Donald and Goofy looked to each other and to Riku, the silver haired teenager felt three with experience and turned to ask. "You done this before?"

Donald and Goofy nodded, the shield bearer answered. "We done this many times when the paths started to get dangerous." Donald had his own. "There are a lot of heartless in between, that's where we find the blocks." The details made sense and Riku stretched. "And where we are going to get most of the fun out of this."

Wanda heard and had an order for Kairi, Ven, Ken and Stitch. "That leaves the rest of us, you know what to do?"

Kairi nodded and looked to Sora and Riku in a wish for luck. "We're here in case someone finds out and tries to ruin this."

Ken didn't mind it that much. "We need to be here anyways," Ven puffed his cheeks. "Ah man," Aqua heard that and turned to her friend. "Ven, I know you only seen Yen Sid after you woken up, but it's a little important you catch up before going into another world."

Ven agreed with that and tried not to pout. "I know," Aqua chimed to make him feel better. "I didn't learn anything new while I was in the Realm of Darkness, so you're only behind by a couple weeks."

Ana counted a few things Ven needed to catch up on. "She learned two spells while traveling the realms and bunch of spells from a memory, then Sora picked up a few skills to pass around. Some ya already know and probably use, others... we'll see that once you recovered enough."

Ven folded his arms and agreed with that. "Aqua had only been back for a week. I'll catch up soon." He asked the Keyblade Master. "What did you teach so far?"

Aqua listed a few. "Learning what battle styles we use, Formchange, Shot Locks, the elements and the recent one of Grand Magic. I think there is one they should learn tomorrow that you need to know as well."

Ven wondered what and felt it was at the tip of his tongue as Sora asked. "Me and the others got to get going and fetch the blocks, there... is something I kind of wanted to do for a while." He gave a nervous smile like a little brother would. "Would you think about it until we get back?"

Riku and Kairi knew what the question was and let Ven answer. "Sure, after everything, we can't pay you back enough." Sora perked up to that. "Great!"

He, Donald and Goofy waved goodbye in unison. "We'll be back." They walked off as Riku smiled to something he looked forward to. "You might want to think about that." He laughed it off and left. "We're out of here, we'll see you in a couple hours."

With him gone, Kairi stood by the castle's door as Namine walked back into her other half. Ken made a risky, air boosted jump to the roof of the castle, landing with stable footing and perched with a watchful eye, leaving Ven with the lower grounds and for him to ask Stitch. "I guess we know where to be, do you want to help?"

The alien finished his conversation and waved goodbye to the Gryphon. "Aloha." He followed Ven and left Aqua and Mickey to pick a spot suitable for the Realm Gate, the right most corner of the main platform. Chip and Dale marked the spot with dirt as Jiminy readied to write a log. "I'll see we covered all the steps, this could take a while."