Chapter CCLXVI: The Palace of Alexandra Part VIII
"Urgh...!" Aching, it was finally at that moment when Timbre awoke from his unconscious state. His clawed hand over his abdomen he uttered, "Man that smarts!" Then as he tried to get his thoughts in order!
"Timbre!"
It was then he heard a familiar voice call out to him, looking surprised he saw that there bending over him. That it was none other than, "Nozomi?"
In seconds her a smile lit her face and as it did, she uttered, "This is great! I'm so glad my Curaga spell worked!"
"Curaga?" He asked still confused.
"You're telling me!" Added, another voice.
Turning to look at this person, Timbre then saw that it was none other than, "Zidane?"
To which his monkey tailed pal smiled and said, "Hey welcome back to the waking world man!"
As he said this to him, Timbre was still getting his thoughts back together and as he did he asked, "What happened to me? What's going on since I've been out? Have-?"
"A lot of big changes."
Now really startled, Timbre turned and saw that there looking in his direction from a small distance, was his sister! She looked at him with an uneasy smile and added, "Some real big ones..."
His eyes widening, Timbre then uttered, "Sis...?" With that in seconds...! He gasped as it finally all came back to him, he quickly went to grab his spear crying out, "You! You went and-!"
"Timbre wait no! Calm down!" With that Nozomi stopped his hand in seconds from fully settling onto his spear!
As she did this, the pink haired male Sphynx was shocked! Looking at her he demanded, "What're you doing?! Don't you remember what she put us through! She teamed up with-!"
"She hasn't anymore! Nozomi cried out!
To which hearing this, Timbre at first couldn't believe his ears! Staring at her he uttered, "What?" Then looking to his big sister then back to Nozomi's desperate expression as she continued to halt his hand he asked, "Are you serious!? She's no longer-?"
Shaking her head, Nozomi told him, "No! She changed sides and together with King Mickey with us, we defeated Maleficent... she's been beaten."
Now really surprised, Timbre had to ask, "What really?!"
Nozomi nodded, then Zidane added and confirmed saying, "Yeah! I know it's really hard to believe here, but it's true! She's nowhere in sight and..." With that the monkey tailed hero turned to look in another direction and continued to say, "Even her old lackey turned against her too."
To which Timbre then saw that there in the distance was Pete, who was standing to one side. He was quietly continuing to hold Hari in his enormous hands, while Mickey and Cait sith together were explaining the exact same things Timbre was learning about to Shirma and Reeve who'd turned up just a little while ago.
Seeing Pete looking down sadly to the unmoving Hari in his arms, he then asked, "What? Even Hari's been put out of commission?"
Nodding, Nozomi then replied, "Yeah," With that looking to Pete and Hari herself, she explained, "Pete told us, that Hari would fall asleep without a Master there to command her... something Rosso set into that lock thing she put into her a long time ago, she can't wake up when she wants to."
"Damn..." Timbre uttered sadly. However he said thinking of one positive thing that would come out of this, "Well, at least Kagi should be happy knowing she won't be hurting any more though, huh?"
Quickly though instead of receiving words of agreement, Nozomi though instead turned her head down. Becoming terribly saddened.
Seeing this reaction, Timbre at first didn't understand her reaction. But in another moment realisation hit him and he asked, "No...it didn't happen again did it?"
Nozomi simply nodded in reply with that sad same look.
Hearing this, Timbre couldn't believe it! Then feeling frustrated he clenched his fist and uttered pounding the floor beside him, "...Not again! Not another of us!"
Zidane seeing the way they were behaving was quiet. He didn't know who this Kagi who they were talking about was... but just like Mickey and Shirma. He felt a terrible pain in his heart, as though something was missing.
Still feeling terrible bitter pain and frustration, it was then that Timbre heard Jona come over. As she did, she said, "Yeah, we lost Kagi...but hey, at least you have me on board again, so no need to be too sad, huh?"
Hearing her say this, trying to cheer him up. Timbre though instantly remembering who had caused the ache left in his abdomen. Became instantly mad, angrily he told his sister mad, "If you hadn't had punched my lights out! I could've been there to help!" Then pointing his clawed hand and finger at her, he yelled, "You're a part of the reason this happened!"
No-one there tried to refute him, for it was true... all his words were.
Jona too didn't try to argue, instead she replied, "Yeah you're right... I was dumb, again..." Then putting her hand into her hair, she continued to say, "I can't help it when loves gets in the way."
Puffing at this, Timbre then replied mad, "That's always your excuse..." With that getting up, not bothering to look at her. He then told her, "I'm not going to forgive you for this one..."
"I don't expect you to," Jona replied.
Timbre then walked away from her, with Zidane following after him to talk.
While Nozomi looking at Jona had to ask, "...Do you want to talk Jona?"
The orange mane Sphynx shook her head. She then replied, "That wouldn't improve anything... don't worry about me," With that she said, "You should worry about Riku, go on, see if they've found a way to wake him up yet."
With a nod Nozomi replied, "Yeah okay, I will," For she had been terribly worried about her beloved person, having wrung her hands together tightly in deep worry ever since Reeve had brought him to them unconscious.
Jona seeing her hands then told her, "Well go on then, get moving!"
Nozomi simply smiled and with that she left, but before going she told her, "Jona, if do wanna talk at some point then-!"
"Yeah I get it, you care! You don't need to keep repeating yourself," however seeing Nozomi looking to her still worried. Jona though then told her, "I'll be alright Nozomi, Timbre and I will work things out in our own time..."
"Okay," Nozomi then knew it was pointless to say anything more and so left Jona be as she went to go and check over with the others.
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"Hmm..." His white gloved hands over Riku, Mickey was concentrating his healing abilities over the young man. However as he used it for the fourth time and as the most powerful Curaga spell... he finally released it and said, "No... it's no use! Even I can't wake him up!"
Feeling worry hearing this, knowing he had greater healing abilities than even she did, Shirma said worriedly, "Oh no!" Then as she thought to the training she had been given she had to ask, "Is there truly nothing that we can do? Nothing at all!"
Reeve hearing her question had to answer, "I'm afraid not," Then looking at the slumbering young man he said, "The only one I believe who I could help now would be Aerith or maybe Merlin himself."
"Most extreme level would be Yen Sid!" Cait sith said speaking up, having been sat upon Reeve's shoulder all this time.
"I don't believe that would be necessary Cait sith," Reeve told his small associate.
"That's what you think mate!" Cait sith replied, however clearly relaxed he said, "But I'm sure it won't be any big deal! After all, we just need to pop in and get the info we need, then we'll straight on out of here! So we won't be too long!"
Mickey then simply replied, "Yeah, hopefully."
"Guys!" It was then at that moment, that Nozomi made it over. Doing so, she asked worried, "Riku! Has Riku woken up at all, is he-!"
Shaking his head, Mickey then told her, "I'm afraid not Nozomi, he hasn't stirred at all."
Feeling horribly anxious, Nozomi uttered, "No..." Then taking his free hand in hers, she pleaded quietly holding his hand to her cheek feeling tears come to her eyes, "Riku, please... please be okay."
However even to her heartfelt words there was no response from the white haired young man.
This pained Nozomi terribly inside, not knowing what was wrong was far worse than anything else she could feel at that moment in time. As she began to shiver though, suddenly-!
"Alright c'mon!"
She felt a familiar warmth come to sit upon top of her head. Looking up she then saw that it was none other than Cait sith who came to rest upon his favourite sitting post again. Before she could ask what he was doing, "Lads let's just get our info we're looking for here and then get out ASAP!"
"You're certainly eager aren't ya, Cait sith?" Mickey asked him.
"Obviously! That's what we came here for!" Then looking down to Nozomi who was looking up to him. He patted her head gently and added, "Plus the sooner we do that, the sooner Riku gets the help he needs, right?"
Hearing this, Nozomi revealed a small grateful smile and replied, "Yeah," then wiping her tears away she told him, "Thanks Cait sith..."
Reeve then simply smiled and said, "Too true, let's make haste then," With that he began to head towards where the door would be, carrying Riku with him. Nozomi and Shirma followed him.
Mickey seeing them go though, looked back to Pete. His poor former captain still continued to look on over Hari in his hands, with a terribly sad look on his face. As he did, he proceeded over to him and asked him gently, "How are you holdin' up Captain Pete?"
There was a moment of silence before Pete turned to look to his former ship mate, he then asked, "Did ya really just ask me that dumb question?"
Feeling awkward then Mickey after a moment replied, "Um... yeah," Then realising how insensitive he was being at that moment, "Sorry..."
"Ya should be!" Pete told him, then as he looked over Hari again he said, "It wouldn't take much more for me to be in a worse mood... but as long as she's alive here, that means I can help her somehow... so I'm grateful for that at least."
"That's true," then looking away from Hari and back to Pete, he told him, "Don't you worry! We'll find a way to wake her up, that I promise ya!" With that Mickey gave him a thumbs up.
Seeing this, Pete couldn't believe the positive act that Mickey was putting on for him then. But with a sigh, he simply uttered, "Well you better" with that he revealed a small smile and said, "Now c'mon! Let's hurry up and get that info you chumps need so we can get out of here and help Hari out!"
"Right!" With that Mickey ran after them both as they went to where their next destination would be, with Jona, Timbre and Zidane following closely behind...
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"And we're here!"
Finally all the heroes were before the golden plated doors, it was now their turn to be amazed at the beauty of it!
"Whoa!" Zidane explained and as he did, he couldn't help but grin and say, "Now if these doors spell anything, it's jackpot! There must be so much treasure in there!"
"You're telling me!" Timbre added. Then as he looked at the doors and ascertained the gold and jewels on it, he continued on to say, "If Captain Balthier was here he'd be telling us right now to peel off all that gold and get every gem we could off this thing!"
"Well pirates like you lads would get a one time chance like this with the festivities going on tonight! There's no way otherwise you'd ever get to touch a treasure like this, you did and I guarantee Beatrix would slash you all to ribbons!"
"Beatrix? Who's that?" Timbre asked curious.
"The Captain of the guard, top of her class and was a close Guardian to me highness..." Beginning to feel sentimental when imaging the proud strong and yet gentle woman, he shook his head though and said, "But this ain't the time to be discussin' the past! We gotta hurry!" With that he held his gloved hands up and-!
SHINE!
Everyone was immediately as a bright light came and shone! As it did, it resonated with the jewels upon the golden door, making them light up and as each did one by one-!
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
The golden vines that wrapped around the door all began to move like they were truly living plants and in moments as everyone looked on in amazement-!
GLOW...
The light slowly died away and as it did so, Cait sith moved forwards and said, "Let's behold lads!" With that he pushed one of the doors, showing that they could be easily opened now.
Jona seeing this spectacle couldn't deny she marvelled at it, but then she realised something, "Hey!"
"What?" Cait sith asked as he turned back to look behind hi.
"You could have opened that door yourself all this time couldn't you?" Jona asked.
"Not without me present," Reeve went onto explain, "If I'm not near enough to Cait sith he can only operate at half strength."
"Same to you old man!" Cait sith added. Then as he did this, he turned to the doors again and said, "Now c'mon let's get inside of here!"
CREAK...
With that the doors were fully opened and the band of heroes all entered to see what secrets would be revealed to them all...
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"Wow...!"
Nozomi never thought she would see so many books in all her life! They were all stacked so high upon rich red wooden shelves that reached so high, she was sure she couldn't even see the tops of them! It was a rainbow of literature all around them and the tiled floor they were upon resembled that of a chessboard though more golden in colour. It made it seemed as though reading itself could become a game of great fun in this place!
"I don't think I could read all these books in one lifetime!" She couldn't help but exclaim.
"You wouldn't," Cait sith said and he added, "No one could..." With that as the small crowned cat walked forwards he explained, "These books all come from countless centuries of research and history, trying to read all of these would be like trying to study eternity itself."
Jona hearing this was feeling less than enthralled by the idea and muttered, "Well we don't have time for that! So where's the info we need about the Fragments?"
"It'll be further in," Came Reeve's words and as he stepped forwards, he told them, "Follow me."
With that everyone began to do so and together they ventured deeper into the realms of the Library.
…
As they ventured deeper and deeper inside, it almost felt like they were entering a confusing labyrinth. As they turned corner after corner, Nozomi felt uneasy, if Reeve wasn't with them all as their guide she wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to get out of that place! Though thinking, she realised as she put her hand to her heart, as long as she had the Seventh Fragment inside of herself, she could go where ever she wanted at anytime... so she didn't have to be frightened.
But this didn't give her great comfort. For looking beside her at Riku who continued to remain unmoving, her heart ached awfully for him. She wanted him to wake up, to be alright, that-!
"This should be it!"
"Huh?" Stopping suddenly, she and the others came across something else, there in the heart of the library underneath a glittering warm veil of light was an enormous statue. It was tall and sculpted from pure white marble! As she looked at it, she saw that it was carved into the shape of four figures.
The figures were all knights, all of them clad in the most intricate of amazing armours. All of them incredible and powerful, unbreakable like the white marble they were all carved from.
However as Nozomi gazed upon them, she saw that the weapons they all held were made from gold. As she looked though, she realised, "Keyblades!"
"Correct," Reeve responded. Then as she looked to him and everyone else did too, he continued to say, "These statues are those of the legendary Keybladers who ended Keyblade war and the King who led them."
Looking at these statues, Nozomi was quiet... but after a few moments, she realised, "Wait! I know them... these are Terra, Ventus and-!"
"Aqua," Reeve finished for her.
"Wait! Nozomi you know them!?" Timbre asked with disbelief.
"Kind of..." She replied, then feeling uncertain she explained, "Whenever I faced a Knight in the Lachesis Report cubes, I had these memories play in my mind...they didn't have names at first but then I learnt them gradually and well..."
"Well what? Don't keep us in suspense here!" Zidane demanded.
"Well I had some dreams sometimes too about them, I never knew what to make of them, I didn't understand them at all..." With that she looked back up to the statue and said, "I mean why would I have dreams about these people..."
"I guess if you do it must be because of the Fragments," Jona said casually.
"The Fragments?" Nozomi asked.
Shrugging her shoulders the exotic Sphynx said, "Sure why not, they're the things that have brought all of us here together haven't they? Must be a side effect of you having one?"
Nozomi quiet though then had to ask her, "Well you do too, wouldn't you Timbre and Reeve have dreams like that?"
As this was asked, the pink haired Sphynx replied, "No I've never had dreams like that!"
His sister then said, "Ditto, nothing on my end either."
"Huh?" Nozomi was confused, how could that be?
"Y'know this might not be the right time to discuss this, I think for now we'll just assume that it was something that happened to you because of your interactions with the Lacesis Reports, we can think about this more in depth later, alright?" The Mouse King assured her.
"Oh... okay then," She replied. However as she looked up to the stature again. She wondered aloud, "But how does this statue have answers for us?"
"It's not the Statue itself," Reeve explained to her.
"It isn't?" She asked.
"No, it's what's hidden beneath it... that's the legend at least," Reeve revealed.
"The legend..." Quickly Timbre realised, "Wait so you don't know what's down there!? You've just heard about it!?"
"It was told to me by a greater authority, one that instructed me on duties before I took on my role with Cait sith as our Highness's Guardian." Reeve told them.
"An Authority, huh?" Mickey asked, he then began to have a guess at who this entity was when-!
"Oh forget all this mystery trash!" It was Pete who was fed up of waiting around and so he demanded, "I need to wake up Hari! Now spill it! How do we get beneath this statue!?"
Everyone was annoyed with Pete for this outburst, but no-one critiqued him for it. After all, he valid reasons as they all did for being impatient.
Reeve sighed and then explained, "This Authority told me that if somehow the Eight Fragments were found, I should bring them here and then... a great miracle would occur."
"A miracle...?" Nozomi asked. With that she looked back up to the statue and looked up to it, as she did and gazed into the light that shone down on the statue from above... she studied it quietly.
As she did so for a little bit, she then looked away from the light and looked to the floor. Doing so, she then noticed that beneath the statue were points extending out and looking behind her, she saw that each point had a circular star pattern on the end of each point. Noticing this, she considered things quietly and after a little bit she uttered, "Is it maybe...?"
Seeing her thinking, Mickey wondered what she was thinking about. As he did, he asked her, "Nozomi?" But quickly-!
Leap!
Suddenly Nozomi had jumped into the air! The wings upon her feet glowing white, she looked to see what the terrain looked like from a higher angle.
Seeing her go up, Cait sith on Reeve's shoulder called up, "What do ya see up there lass!?"
Looking beneath the light and over the statue, Nozomi counted the points... "One, three, five... eight!" She then realised something, "Guys, I think I've got it! The statue is over a giant eight pointed star!"
"A star?" Mickey asked, with that he looked behind himself and then saw the shape that Nozomi saw.
The female Keyblader then said, "I think if all of us stand upon each of the points of the star, something might happen!"
"Stand on them?" Shirma asked, however as she looked at the others who looked as baffled as her, she called out to Nozomi, "But not all of us are the Fragment Bearers! It wouldn't-!"
"I don't think that should matter! All of the Fragments are here already!" With that putting her hand over her abdomen where Keyhole was, she continued on to say, "The circular patterns might act like pressure buttons, so if those have someone on them and with the Fragments are all here, I think something should happen!"
"Sounds too easy..." Jona replied. However looking to a point that was near to her, she knew there was nothing to lose and so said, "Well better to try than not!" With that she walked on over to the point.
Taking only a few moments, she stood upon the circular point and looked towards the statue. Staying completely still...
…
However nothing occurred. Seeing this, Nozomi quickly became saddened realising her idea had come to nothing.
Sighing, Jona then commented, "There I knew it was too good to be true!" With that she went to step off it, when-!
TING!
Something moved underneath the Sphynx! Startled, she uttered, "What's-!"
GLOW!
Suddenly underneath Jona, the point she was standing on glowed with bright Tiger Orange light and in another second it connected immediately to the statue!
Everyone stood with amazement at the spectacle! Nozomi just as startled then uttered with surprised delight, "It worked!"
"It did!" Mickey cried out! Then quickly he said, "Everyone stand over a point! Let's open that secret doorway!" With that immediately everyone went to do just that and as they did-!
GLOW! GLOW! GLOW! GLOW!
Turquoise Blue, Cobalt Blue, Crimson Red, Fuscia Pink, Lime Green, Amethyst Purple and Bumblebee Yellow coloured light all came together and united around the statue and in another moment-!
SHINE!
The statue lit up with incredible bright white light! It was near to blinding them all! "What's going on here!?" Timbre cried out.
"I don't know it must be-!"
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Suddenly at the statue itself began to move and in seconds! There it was! A huge dark entry way was revealed beneath it, with descending dark stone stairs leading deeper down!
"Wow!" Everyone was awestruck! No-one could think of anything to say at all! But immediately-!
"C'mon!"
It was Pete again who spoke up, as he did running straight over to the revealed opening he cried out, "Hurry up! Let's get our answers already!"
Seeing the most weighty of them lead the way, no-one knew what to say! But Mickey smiling told his comrades, "Right fella's you heard him! Let's get a move on!"
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Zidane cried out and with that everyone went and entered the opened way.
However before Nozomi entered, Mickey told her, "Well done for figuring out the way in Nozomi, that was a good show of observation!"
"Thanks your majesty! I thought I'd be able to get a better view from high up!" She told him, feeling pleased.
Mickey nodded, "It was a good idea!" Then running down the steps too, he told her, "Okay! We better catch up!"
"Yeah!" Nozomi agreed and with that, the two of them entered the darkness, to see the hidden truths that lay deep below...
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STEP...STEP...STEP...STEP...STEP...
The stairs seemed to lead down for almost forever, it had only been realistically been five minutes or so that they'd been walking for. However it felt much longer than that and it made Shirma uneasy as she asked, "How much longer do we need to travel down?"
"Hopefully not too much longer..." Reeve replied, then as they turned another corner he continued to say, "But with close guarded secrets like this, it'll be hard to know."
"I was hoping you weren't going to say that..." Shirma uttered.
No-body liked this... it wasn't enjoyable at all.
STEP...STEP...STEP...STEP...STEP...
More steps and still nothing but darkness. Irritated by this still holding Hari who was unmoving in his arms, Pete angrily muttered, "You call this place a miracle!?"
Reeve said nothing to him.
"Hey! C'mon don't give me the silent treatment here! I want-!"
"We know what ya want! Ya fat lummox!" Cait sith cried out mad, then shutting Pete up he went on to say, "But no matter how much ya moan about it, it's not gonna come any faster so-!"
GLOW!
Suddenly something came into sight, finally Cait sith saw as he turned back around with everyone else what it was they were looking for.
Exiting the long stairs they came into a bright white chamber, looking around them as they entered. The environment reminded Mickey of the rooms he'd seen within the Castle of Oblivion. It was surrounded by tall pillars and it was serene, yet somehow sad to him.
He wasn't sure why, but then-!
"Hey! What's that!?"
Surprised out of his thoughts, he turned around and there he saw what had caused the outcry from Timbre. There rising from within the floors of the castle floor, were four shapes.
Looking on everyone was quiet, for when the three shapes finally came into view. It was clear for all too see, that they were three long rectangular glass boxes upon marble pedestals. As the image settled into their minds, Nozomi looking on saw that inside of the boxes were-!
"Ah!"
Gasping she put her hands to her mouth, for everyone else saw with her that those boxes... were really caskets! Inside three of them, were suits of armour.
One was coloured in an mostly blue and purple colours it was feminine in its frame, another was silver and yellow mainly and was constructed clearly for a younger person.
Then the third one, it was the most grand of them. It was coated in white with a red cape adorning, with a crown atop its head.
Nozomi couldn't see the fourth very well which was in the centre of the chamber, circled by the other three. Curious, she cautiously she stepped forwards, while Pete shivering uttered, "Just what... what is this here? Are we in a-?"
"A tomb it looks like," Reeve revealed, feeling haunted as well.
"A tomb?" Timbre asked.
"Yeah, it must be one dedicated to those who fought in the the Keyblade Wars, " Mickey answered. Then as he looked at the caskets, getting closer himself he continued to say, "And if I'm guessing right then these four are the same individuals who's statue we're now under, The King, Aqua Ventus and-!"
"What is this!?"
Rushing over quickly, Shirma cried out, "Nozomi what is it!? What've you-!"
Quickly the pink haired white mage stopped. She saw what had caused Nozomi to cry out, there she saw in the centre glass casket was another armour gold and red in it's colours however this one wore no helmet and she saw, "Wait! That's a person! A person's in there!"
"A person!?" Running over then to examine the coffin, Reeve along with Mickey quickly went to make some checks.
However Timbre looking on, though spooked himself commented, "Well what's the big deal? Maybe it's just a mannequin? They do that sometimes you know in certain places so-?
"No that's not it!" Mickey cried out.
"What!?" Timbre uttered baffled.
"This is no mannequin, it's a person alright... and they're alive!" Mickey revealed.
"Alive! Are you kidding!?" Zidane cried.
With that everyone gathered around the centre casket and gazed upon the brown haired man who was within its glass chamber. Looking on, they saw with shock that indeed, they were alive! Their chest was raising and shrinking as they took a relaxed breath in it's slumber.
"How can someone be alive in this thing! I mean... this is crazy!" Zidane said looking on.
"It must be some kind of magic!" Shirma commented, looking on she said, "It might be something similar to what Maleficent has done in the past... otherwise, I can't think of anything else... if Merlin was here, he might know something."
Nozomi hearing this then said, "Yeah maybe... but I already know who this is."
"You do lass?" Cait sith asked, coming on up and sitting upon her shoulder.
"Yeah... this person is Terra, he was friends with Ventus and Aqua," Nozomi answered.
"That's correct..."
Spooked by this new voice that had spoken, everyone turned and there, standing beside the blue armoured coffin. Was a new figure, they were a female with short blue hair and blue eyes, she was dressed in an attire that consisted of a black and blue high-collared halter top, with two pink interlinking velts over chest and black shorts that was draped over with a blue cloth like skirt that exposed the shorts.
Her arms which were before her, were draped in white bell sleeves and her black fingerless gloves that adorned hands were clasped together in a very formal pose. She looked at them all calmly with a simply smile on her face.
Everyone looking at her though knew immediately that she wasn't a normal person, for she was transparent like a ghost. No one understood what this meant at all!
But Nozomi looking on at this person who's memory she had experienced time and time again, she was shivering as she uttered, "Are you...Aqua?"
The apparition, smiled more and said, "I am the remnants of the memory of her... it's good to meet you, all of you who are the Vessels of Fragments."
Hearing her say this and seeing she knew of their existence without saying they then knew, that finally...finally they would get the truth they had so sought and maybe, the hope to restore their lost friends would be realised.