"All right...there are a number of places where a dungeon could have appeared. And the most likely place is...here." Hope said pointing.
"Radiant Garden?" Aqua asked.
"It's been a key figure for a number of conflicts so why not." Hope said.
"Oh yeah, I read about some of it in the archives, there was so much history in this place, especially for you and the others, Sora." Ace said.
"History is probably not the most operative word." Cheetah said.
"Aren't you an archeologist? Isn't your whole profession based on history?" Spade asked.
"Was, and yes. However, you can't deny that the events that led to the events at the Keyblade Graveyard you all took part in were...a little muddy." Cheetah said.
"Yeah, I mean… Hyrule has a more straightforward flow of events, and even it has a timeliness that would make Doctor Who cry." David said.
"Don't be ridiculous, Ishihara." Cheetah said.
"I have to agree with David on that, Minerva." Lana said. "Hyrule branched into three different timelines after the Hero of Time Era."
"Classic or not, you do understand where we're going with this, right?" David asked.
"Yes, yes. You've made your point." Cheetah said. "Still, I'm rather curious as to what was left behind after that whole event."
"Either way...we're about to find out." Theo said as they arrived in Radiant Garden and departed as they headed towards the castle.
"Ansem's lab was a big point for the organization...maybe there will be some clue to where...huh…" Hope said, seeing an opening under the castle. "Don't remember that opening there before."
They headed down the passage, traversing a number of chasms before entering a place covered in tech from wall to wall.
"This place…" Xion said.
"Yeah…" Roxas said as they entered a large space with 13 different gates. "13 gates...then…"
"Yeah...I was thinking the same thing. This place has a connection to the original Organization." Lea said.
"The original? Ah, you mean the 13 Nobodies led by Xemnas, right?" Sachiko asked.
"Yeah...that's right. The one me, Roxas and Xion were apart of." Lea said.
"There's only 13 gates...so it was built sometime before I joined as the 14th member." Xion said.
"Which means we'll be fighting copies of the both of you. Will you two be able to handle it?" Rhatla asked Roxas and Lea.
"It's fine. What's past is past." Roxas said.
"Hmm...there's writing here." Robin said. "Those who enter the Garden of Assemblage. Ye have been given a grand task. Behind each gate is the final fight for each of these great warriors. In order to claim your treasure. One warrior and two compatriots must face the threat behind each gate. Only once all 13 have been cleared can one claim their prize."
"One warrior and two compatriots… That's three people for each gate. We're going to have to split up in this one." David said.
"So they're using an RPG party system." Theo said.
"Seems that way." Mari said, seeing the gates light up as various symbols appeared.
"All of them are lighting up… does this mean we can take on the gates in any order?" Pearl wondered.
"Guess so." Eddy said. "In that case, how do we play this? Thirteen to one? Weakest to strongest?"
"I have an idea." Yaoyorozu said. "I've created a 13 sided die. Whatever number it lands on will be which gate we go through."
"Sounds fair." Meowth said.
"Okay." Yaoyorozu said as she dropped the die as it rolled for a bit before landing on 5.
"Five...Lexaeus." Gray said. "Probably one of the most physically strongest members."
"Strongest huh? Guess I'll lead the charge then." Yang said.
"I shall accompany you." Cocytus said.
"I guess I'll come along too." Rayleigh said.
"Okay...in we go." Yang said as the three of them entered.
Crossing through the gate, they saw it was a single stadium with Lexaeus appearing from streams of data.
"So is this him?" Cocytus asked.
"Based on what Blake told me, yeah. Number 5: Lexaeus. The Silent Hero." Yang said.
"Rumble, Skysplitter." the data copy muttered as an axe sword rose from the ground as he drew it.
"Now that is a huge sword. Guess he let's that do the talking, huh?" Rayleigh asked. "I can dig it."
"Hrrraaa!" Lexaeus called out as power surged within him. He jumped into the air as he brought the sword down to the ground, causing the earth to erupt in a spire.
"I see...so he controls the earth element." Cocytus said. "This man...he is definitely a strong warrior."
"Raaa!" Lexaeus called out as he continued to attack the three as his power continued to rise.
"He's still just a guy." Yang said. She pulled back a fist as Lexaeus created another spire before she shattered it, sending the fragments flying and hitting the large man.
"Raaah!" Lexaeus said as he grabbed Yang and tossed her into a pillar as he hit the ground, sending an earth wave right into her. She took some damage but was still standing.
"His power just keeps rising. We need to stop it or he may end up destroying all three of us." Cocytus said.
"I can tell. We have to take him down now! Got any ideas?" Rayleigh asked.
"I have one." Cocytus said as Lexaeus jumped into the air as he came at them like a meteor. "Raaa!" he called out as the two collided. When the dust cleared, it was shown that Cocytus had the weapon clasped between two of his arms, trying to keep it from striking him. "Now!"
"Lexaeus may be strong but he's nothing without a weapon." Yang said as she and Rayleigh moved at him.
Rayleigh growled as he charged and swiped at Lexaeus.
Yang joined in with several punches to Lexaeus' body and knocked him into the sky.
Cocytus managed to hang onto Lexaeus's weapon as he jumped as Lexaeus fell as he tossed the weapon down, nailing Lexeaus with an eruption of earth caused by the weapon.
"He's reeling! Let's finish this!" Yang said.
All three of them rushed at the Silent Hero before he faded away into nothing but data.
The trio then returned to the original room with the others.
"So, how did it go?" Belladonna asked.
"Whoa...you three look like heck." Bow said.
"Yeah...he was a lot stronger than you let on, Blake. But...we still pulled through." Yang said.
"Hey, there's something I've been wondering." Ethox said. "Some of these guys returned for the new organization, right? Isn't it strange that we're fighting the original XIII and not the version you guys fought in the Keyblade War?"
"Like I said...this place was built before I was accepted as a member. Meaning this has nothing to do with that final Keyblade war." Xion said.
"She's right. After all, everyone that has heard of the event knows how that turned out." Cheetah said.
"She's got a point. You really want Theo to go through that again?" Leopardmon asked.
"N-No, of course I don't!" Ethox said.
"Either way, this setup is much more interesting." Nesma said.
"Yeah, half of the new Organization is basically Xehanort in different bodies in separate points in time." David said.
"Either way...we still have 12 members left to defeat." Riku said.
"Right. Let's roll the dice again to see which is our opponent next." Hope said.
The dice dropped as it landed on the number 9.
"Demyx." Rainbow said.
"Well, this isn't gonna be much of a fight. Guy's a coward at heart." Hope said.
"We'll just have to fight music with music, then I guess." Kaede said.
"Don't worry, Kaede. I doubt it's going to be something that cliche." Craniamon said.
"Craniamon is right. Only three people are allowed to fight him, after all." Scott said.
"Pretty much any team we come up with can beat him." Jexi said.
"Yeah, like Hope said, he's the weakest of the bunch." Rainbow said.
"In that case, let me take a crack at this guy!" Ibuki said. "I'll show him how I handle a guitar!"
"We'd also like to offer someone's help." Riolu said as Bellossom appeared.
"I would like to help as well." Zahra said.
"Didn't you hear what that inscription said? Only three people are allowed per battle." Nesma said.
"Besides...this isn't gonna take long." Ibuki said as she, Bellossom and Kaede entered the gate.
They appeared in a ruined part of Radiant Garden, somewhere in a chasm as Demyx stood before them.
"Make a splash, Arpeggio!" Demyx said, summoning his sitar.
"Let's rock, mullet head!" Ibuki said, brandishing her Law of Heavy Metal.
"Show him what your Law can do, Ibuki!" Kaede said.
Demyx strummed on the sitar as he fired off large balls of water at the three girls.
"Petal Blizzard!" Bellossom called out as several petals were seen flying around to defend the three of them from the attack.
"Like it?!" Demyx called, dashing forward and making several walls of water erupt, causing the group to dodge. He fired more water balls as they surrounded the group.
"Sound travels through water much faster than on land. I'm about to end this guy's whole music career!" Ibuki said. "Reverb Hell!"
Ibuki struck a power chord on her law that let out a mighty blast of sound, Kaede and Belossom covering their ears. It bounced through every ball of water around them as the sound got stronger and stronger before it hit Demyx all at once in a barrage of sound blasts. It was after the barrage that he disappeared into fragments of data.
"It...only took one strike…" Bellossom said in disbelief.
"Now that is what we call Heavy Metal." Kaede said. "But we were warned that he was all talk."
"I told you I was gonna end his career." Ibuki said. "Guy really should be more resilient to stuff."
"Well he was just data. Can't exactly learn from his mistakes." Kaede said as they exited the gate. "Still...now we have only 11 more members to defeat."
"Yeah...can't imagine how much more powerful the others are." Ibuki said.