Chapter 42

The Predator Arrives

"Nooooo!"

Sayaka heard the scream of Thor echo through the halls, followed by the flash of lightning and the boom of thunder. She picked up the pace, sprinting towards Nagisa's room, expecting the worst. She was not let down.

Malekith was being carried by some sort of hulking monster. But more importantly, an unconscious Madoka and Nagisa were held in the creatures other arm. Before she could reach them, the Dark Elves leaped off of the balcony, a blow from Thor's hammer doing little to stop them.

"Madoka!" Sayaka shouted as she rushed over to the edge, where she saw one of the Dark Elf ships had caught them. "Fire!"

Sayaka hurled streaks of flame at ship, but it was already out of range. She watched helplessly as it returned to the mothership, and both faded from sight. Desperately, she scanned the skies, but they were gone. All traces of the Dark Elves had vanished from Asgard, save for the damage left behind by the battle.

She turned back to the room, to see that the others had arrived. Though they weren't paying attention to where the Dark Elves had been. When Kyoko entered the room, she froze, and then dropped her spear, the weapon clattering to the ground before disappearing. She collapsed to her knees, eyes wide in shock. Her costume vanished as she simply stared blankly ahead.

When Mami arrived, she froze as well, hands over her mouth in horror. Thor was simply standing there as well, barely even reacting as Mjolnir flew back into his hand. What was going on? Madoka and Nagisa had just been kidnapped! Why wasn't anyone doing anything?!

Then she followed Kyoko's gaze to see something she had looked over previously, and a chill ran through her body. Frigga, Queen of Asgard, was dead.

She heard more footsteps from outside, and then saw Odin enter the room. He said nothing, as he saw the body of his wife, merely dropping his spear and slowly walking over to her. He knelt down, cradling her in his arms, silently.

When Madoka awoke, the first thing she realized was how dark it was. Then, the shock at realizing that she couldn't move her arms and legs. When her vision came into focus, she saw that she was in some sort of prison cell, trapped in some sort of energy device, floating in the air, unable to move.

"W-wha?"

"Ha ha ha. Not so tough now, are ya'?" That voice, it sounded familiar. "You Key-brats got it comin' I tell ya'!"

She looked down to see someone she hadn't expected to see so soon. The obese cat-like creature who she had last seen in Mitakihara. Pete.

"You!"

"Long time no see, brat!" The fat cat chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Madoka asked.

"We never knew how useful you were back in that backwater dump of a world of yours. I coulda nabbed ya' back then. Ah well, live and learn."

"What about all those people you destroyed, all those lives you've ruined. Don't they mean anything to you?!" Madoka asked.

Pete merely laughed, is fat gut shaking as he did so. "Your World didn't have what were were looking for. Asgard didn't either. And they called me a rabbit! The nerve! At least we got a bunch of Heartless out of the deal however!"

"They're just…" Even now, Madoka struggled to comprehend how somebody could just do that. Even though she understood it was necessary, she didn't like having to hurt people, even to help others. But then there were people like Pete or Maleficent or Xehanort, were not just willing to hurt others, but reveled in it, laughed at their pain. They didn't care who got hurt as long as they got whatever they wanted. Just realizing that there were people like that in the world hurt.

"You won't get away with this."

"Really. That's tha' best ya' could come up with?" Pete laughed harder. "You ain't goin' nowhere, brat. An' once Malekith gets the Aether out of your friend, he'll shroud this World in darkness, giving Maleficent a ton o' new Heartless. And you'll becoming with us."

Pete laughed as he stepped out of the cell, leaving Madoka alone in the dark.

The time was nigh. Malekith ran his fingers over the side of his face, burnt black by the prince's lightning bolt. But though his perfect visage had been marred, it would mean nothing in the end, for the Aether was finally back where it belonged.

That a child might think herself worthy of such power was an insult most dire. But now, all could be set right. The Aether was his birthright. He alone was worthy of it. And with it his divine mission could be completed. There was no doubt in his mind. This was destiny.

Malekith held out his hand, and the Aether answered. The child floated into the air, as her mouth and eyes darkened. From them, the Aether poured out of her body, the red liquid transforming into a writhing mass in the air. At it's presence, the Harudheeniksel in the room bowed in reverence.

As the final drops exited the child, she collapsed to the ground, motionless. Malekith stopped for a brief moment to admire it. It was a thing of beauty, infinite might that could reshape the universe to one's choosing. And with it, the universe would be changed to it's natural state. The pure state it had once lost. Then, his-

All of a sudden, the lights and displays darkened. The power in the room had been cut off. Malekith looked around in confusion, as did the other Elves, confused and disoriented.

Then the screaming began.

Without warning, the energy device that was holding Madoka deactivated, unceremoniously dropping her on her already bruised face. She groaned but quickly righted herself, and then cast a cure spell, healing her bruises and smashed nose. She then turned to the cell door, and with a quick tap from her Keyblade, it was unlocked.

Outside, she saw Pete before he saw her. He turned, but it was to late. He only managed to let out a shocked "Huh?" before Madoka clobbered him in the face with Eternal Struggle, knocking him out.

Once she confirmed that he was out cold, she turned to examine where she was. Obviously a brig, most likely on the Dark Elf mothership. Which meant that it was likely where they were keeping Nagisa as well. However, apparently the power had gone out on the ship, leaving the entire area dark.

Madoka switched to Crystal Clarity and held it up. "Fire!"

Flames ran along the length of the blade, illuminating the area like a torch. Unfortunately, she couldn't see anyone else in any of the cells.

"Nagisa?" She called out. No answer. She'd have to keep searching.

Madoka left the brig, easily using her Keyblade to open the door, and then proceeded through the rest of the ship. As she walked, she felt more and more uncomfortable. This was the mothership of the Dark Elves. And yet, aside from Pete, she hadn't encountered any opposition. No Dark Elves, no Heartless. Nothing.

The ship was eerily silent, with none of the sounds that one would expect from a spaceship. No beeping of instruments, no humming of the engine, no noise from the crew. The only noise was the echo of Madoka's own footsteps, and the crackle of flame on her Keyblade.

Then, she saw something, a flicker of motion in the corner of her eye. "Hello?"

She turned, holding up the Keyblade, but nothing was revealed.

Madoka wasn't about to sigh, in relief or disappointment. It could be Heartless. Malekith had been fielding Heartless with his army, and Pete brought them to Mitakihara. They were definitely still about.

She continued on her way, passing by several empty rooms, before coming to a large door. When it didn't budge the first time, she touched it with her Keyblade, and it was immediately unlocked. She then nearly dropped Crystal Clarity at the sight of what she saw.

The Dark Elves were dead. All of them, lying scattered about the room, covered in vicious wounds. Madoka averted her eyes as she stepped back, before steeling herself.

"Nagisa?" Her voice was growing more panicked. She quickly scanned the room, seeing no immediate threats, and then finally locating the pink dress and silver hair that indicated her dear friend.

"Nagisa!" Madoka rushed over to her, finding her laying motionless on the ground. She knelt down, quickly examining her. She remembered the basics of first aid from when she was the nurses assistant. Thankfully, there weren't any visible wounds on her body. Madoka then noted the rise and fall of her chest. She was alive and breathing, thankfully. She prepared to lift her up and move her to a safer location.

Then, she heard a voice.

"Hmm… a new one has arrived. The Accursed's stench drew my attention, though how I could have missed you is a mystery. You absolutely reek of it." The stranger said, in a deep, raspy, voice.

"W-who's there?" Madoka asked. She gently set down Nagisa and stood up, raising Crystal Clarity defensively.

"But one more, or many more, it makes no difference. Prey is still prey." The voice came from behind her, a hot breath on the back of her neck. Madoka turned, but it was too late, she felt pain, as something cut into her side. She cried out in pain as she saw a shadow streak out of her line of sight.

Madoka stumbled away, dropping the flames to instead cast a Cure spell. She breathed a sigh of relief as the magic took effect and her wound closed. Then, in the light of the spell, she saw the shadow moving again, and barely managed to turn and block a swing from some sort of weapon. Each clash struck sparks that revealed some sort of cloaked figure. They struck with a changing weapon each time. A sword, a spear, an axe, a pike, a mace.

The two exchanged blows, though the stranger had caught her by surprise again, when he kicked Madoka in the chest. She went flying, smashing into a pile of crates and tumbling over.

"They look up to you, but you cannot fulfill their hopes, their prayers. All that faith misplaced, by liars like yourself."

"What are you talking about?" Madoka asked as she pushed herself to her feet. She the cried out in pain again, feeling the a sharp pain as something buried itself in her thigh. She stumbled back and fell again as she tripped over one of the crates.

She heard a sound from above, and held up Crystal Clarity, shouting "Fire!"

A jet of flame arced from the tip of the Keyblade, streaking towards the cloaked figure who had leaped up into the rafters above. However, the figure dashed out of the way, retreating into the shadows before emerging again to kick the downed Madoka.

She went flying, slamming painfully into a control console, barely managing to scramble to her feet in time for the next attack to come, illuminated in the light from her fire spell. The cloaked figure brought down an axe, forcing Madoka to roll to the side.

She rose with another Fire spell, though her assailant again dodged out of the way of the flames, dashing towards Madoka who narrowly managed to catch the axe blow on her Keyblade. Then the axe suddenly transformed into a spear, extending towards Madoka and forcing her to duck, only for her assailant to kick her in the face, sending her tumbling head over heels across the room.

"Cu-" Madoka's spell was cut off as the cloaked figure grabbed her by her arm, yanking her up.

"No more of that." He said as he hurled her across the room. Madoka was slammed hard into a wall. She rose, and stumbled forwards, only to trip over a body, that when she looked up, realized was Malekith, dead like all of the other Dark Elves, his eyes wide in shock. Someone like him, just killed with seeming ease. Madoka skittered away, and then narrowly managed to react as a barrage of projectiles came streaking towards her.

She ducked, as the shadowy spikes embedded themselves just above her and then rolled to her feet, desperately scanning the room for her opponent.

Unfortunately, they were nowhere to be seen. Madoka didn't drop her guard, however, gripping Crystal Clarity harder, as she moved about the room. Then she heard the voice, echoing everywhere.

"Hmm… I expected better of one who bested Malikith. But perhaps you are the child you look like. Or perhaps that is merely another deception..."

"Who are you?" Madoka asked, as she turned, trying to find where her opponent was.

"I'm a hunter. A liberator. One who casts down false idols like yourself. Who frees the world from the tyranny of your kind."

"My… kind?"

"Do not try to play innocent. You're essence is stained with sin, you're scriptures written in blood. And you will be brought to heel for your crimes!"

"What crimes?" Madoka protested, still trying and failing to find her opponent. His voice appeared to be emanating from everywhere.

Then, she heard the sound of something scraping against the metal floor behind her. She turned to see a streak of movement and leaped aside feeling a gust of wind indicating she had just barely dodged an attack.

She turned, expecting to confront her attacker only to instead, in the darkness, see the glowing yellow eyes of a Heartless.

"Fire!" Madoka unleashed a fireball from her Keyblade, though the Heartless ducked out of the way of the attack. The flames streaked past it, and struck a pile of what must have been fuel canisters, creating a massive explosion that illuminated the entire room.

It was then that Madoka realized that she was surrounded by the Heartless, strange reptillian creatures, with razor sharp claws.

"Little godling surrounded. The pack closes in. The Beserkers will have their prey." A raspy laugh emerged from somewhere yet out of sight.

Fear ran through her, though she grit her teeth and gripped Crystal Clarity, concentrating on the memories from home that formed it.

As several of the Berserkers rushed towards her, Madoka slammed her Keyblade into the ground. "Blizzard!"

A wall of ice rose up, intercepting the charge, blocking access from that side. With those Berserkers removed from the fight (temporarily), she turned to the other side, where more were yet charging. She swung her Keyblade, shouting "Aero!"

A fierce gust of wind blew the creatures back into a wall, where Madoka then unleashed a Thunder spell, blasting them apart with bolts of lightning.

She then heard the ice behind her cracking, and leaped away as Heartless broke through. The closest attempted to swipe at her with it's claw only for Madoka to deflect the blow, and then strike it across the chest, the monster staggered back, while Madoka shifted Crystal Clarity into it's bow form, and opened fire, an arrow of pink flame piercing it's chest.

The Heartless staggered and fell, dispersing into wisps of darkness. As it faded, Madoka began opening fire on the rest of the Berserkers. The Heartless responded by forming shields out of their arms, blocking the shots.

Madoka responded quickly. As they blocked, Madoka aimed at the ground between them and formed an arrow out of compressed air.

"Aero!" The arrow was unleashed, striking the ground beneath their feet and catapulting them into the air. Caught off guard, they were easy targets, and all were destroyed before they hit the ground.

"Hmm… You're different than the others."

"What do you want with me?"

She then turned, blocking another strike from a Berserker. The creature attempted to lean over her bow and bite at her face, though she managed to kick it away. She transformed her Crystal Clarity back into it's base form, and slashed at the creature at the same time as it attempted to retaliate. The arm of the monster was severed, and it stumbled, allowing Madoka to spin and bring down her blade on the monsters head.

As the Heartless dispersed, she turned to the next target, only to see it slowly backing away. The others were as well, fading away into the shadows as they entered Dark Corridors.

"You intrigue me. You have that stench, like the others, though it's different, Strange. I've not sensed it before. As for who I am..."

Before Madoka could react, suddenly, she felt a weight come down on her shoulders, and she was slammed down onto her back, the attackers foot on her chest. She attempted to swing at them, only for her assailants other foot to come down on her arm, the pain forcing her to release her grip on Crystal Clarity. She was about to summon it to her free hand when her attacker held his blade to her throat. She froze as he leaned down, revealing his pale, rubbery face, with shark like teeth and deep, sunken eyes that briefly glowed red-black.

"I am the last thing you will ever see in this world. I am Gorr."

Enjoy this gift! The sudden twist in the story! We are fast approaching the conclusion. Only a couple chapters left! Will Madoka survive Gorr, or will the Butcher have his meat? Tune in next week. Same Key time. Same Key site!

~Dragonexx