Of Keys and Hammers

by zcritic88

In a realm beyond, the Four Chaos has taken notice of a realm tied close to the heart. They squirmed into the darkness and sought to corrupt if to reach a prize beyond the light. Will the Light of Order, be able to repel this ancient evil?

49. The Building Blocks

In the Castle That Never Was, in a hall way going down into a dungeon, Ahriman gave his report to Xehanort and Archaon. "And Thokzaz and his flock caught eye of King Mickey bringing something out of that world. The Keyblade Master and the Stormcast are more hidden from the worlds than usual. Are... they up to something?"

Xehanort answered firmly. "Yes, but what?" The Everchosen was the first to find scorch marks and a crouching Vanitas who was realizing how much in deep water he was in. "What ever it is, it is occurring in the Land of Departure, there is no conceivable way they are doing this as a counter measure to our plans." He barked at Vanitas. "Even if our intruder didn't come for that, you realize the full scope of this failure!"

The boy in the helmet nearly yelped and felt a burning gaze from Archaon as Ahriman advised. "Even if Subject: Undead, wasn't much of a willing assistant, the knowledge he had was the true value. Who ever came here helped halt a looming catastrophe." Xehanort agreed with one disappointment and spoke of an opportunity. "It felt like it was a yawning abyss. Explain yourself Vanitas."

The masked boy cringed and gave a glare at Ahriman, giving up and feeling it was no use. "I'm going to assume the intruders were something else, but one of them thought he would fool me with that black coat and was dumb enough to keep holding that burning keyblade. I wonder who that was?" Archaon was still not amused. "And we will deal with him in due time. You are saying he did this much damage? How?" Vanitas answered certainly. "It's that damn keyblade, the maniac tried form changing both his keyblades into one and it took him over. Bringing out the memories that thing had hidden away, something about Everlasting Dragons."

Archaon corrected him. "Also known as, the power of a God Beast? No wonder you lost, that intruder managed to bring a near cataclysm to stop another, but are we going to bother getting the Undead back?" Vanitas wanted to laugh at that as Xehanort answered. "No, if he wields the Darkness, he won't last long when his power is discovered, their hatred of the dark will come at odds to that."

Ahriman agreed with his own arroant laughter. "Their blind ignorance would be the Undeads undoing and if I recall, one of them would smell him a mile away." Xehanort sighed at a lost opportunity. "He will find himself back in the Darkness from wench he came soon enough. We need to learn what Aqua and the others are planning before they have a chance to use it against us."

Archaon agreed and turned to the two. "And Maleficent should have the means to do so." He ordered Vanitas. "Clean this up and when we find out what they plan, you better be ready for my command. That child will suffer for this, but it will in a way most delicate." The masked boy sighed as Ahriman conjured a mop and a bucket for him to use, Archaon turned and felt Vanitas's annoyance was mutual. "Once I bring a larger army over, they will all suffer."

He walked off as Xehanort kept silent and Ahriman readied to blink away. "This could have gone much worse, this Castle will certainly stop being quiet soon." Xehanort agreed with that. "But what does he have in mind?" Ahriman shrugged and snapped his fingers, disappearing in a blink of an eye. Vanitas realized something and guessed. "Archaon wasn't talking about choking the life out of them, he has something much worse planned?"

Xehanort stared and answered. "He seeks their destruction and he seeks to make it absolute while keeping them a use. We know enough of what he does at Varanspire. You would consider keeping your head down until he speaks of more," He turned to leave a bored Vanitas behind. "And you would ignore your suspicions for now, if that boys friends are what you suspect, the Undead's little venture would do far more to get them back in line. Ahriman was nurturing rebellious hearts, was he really counting on them rebelling against him in the end?"

The masked boy answered. "That's just stupid, unless he wants them to be free ranged and to know about how things really work before they-" He gasped in a realization as Xehanort finished. "Confront him; only then, will he finally tell them his real plan, he wants them to make the choice. Free, unbound by order... he is indeed a piece in Tzeentch's game, whether he believes it or not." Vanitas felt a little enlightened by that. "And we know what ever Tzeentch plots, it's completely ridiculous and on a whim of change. Does that thing really have an end goal for the worlds?"

Xehanort wondered that as well. "He is a Chaos god, a dark entity beyond our understanding. It's little wonder those who follow him, descend into the depths of madness. Now, begin your task and wait for that chance, that Sorcerer has made a blunder in his endeavour." He left the fiend with the rather impossible, monotonous task, Vanitas noticed something and silently plotted. "Aren't we all stuck in this game."

In Radiant Garden.

Baldred was punched in the left cheek by Tifa, tried dodging and rolled out of the way of a swift upper cut. Tifa spun mid air like a dolphin in the water and kicked down after the knight mid air. Baldred rolled back and ignited his hand, he spun it and caused a flame to ignite to the woman's left. Tifa tried to run to the knight and was caught by the scorching fire, gritting her teeth and nearly tripping. Baldred raised his burning hand in the air and caused an orange, glowing fire to split from it, he and Tifa felt a healing warmth, the knight pulled his helmet up and rubbed a cheek that was pale and covered by a red beard. "That smarts," He pushed his helmet down as Tifa got up, relaxed and wanted to shake the knights hand in sportsman ship. "You're quick to learn, nice trick with the fire spell."

Baldred nodded and noticed Yuffie being half impressed. "Flame swathe will get you when you least expect it." The warm fire stopped its glow as the ninja looked at Leon, Aerith and Cloud. "Do you think he earned his place?" Leon nodded as Cloud leaned against a wall and voiced criticism. "He's shown enough and he'll last if something comes up." Aerith corrected him. "He'll last a long time when it does. But even we have trouble against large numbers."

Tifa asked the knight. "What do you remember fighting? Because once someone is caught off guard by how fast I can get, they'll end up meeting the wall." Baldred guessed and noticed something crouching by a crate near a road. "I probably fought things bigger and just as fast."

He took his chime and summoned an orb of light to shine by the box, revealing a mischievous, blue, dog like creature that giggled and smiled with rows of teeth.

"Hi!"

A blonde, spiky haired teenager rushed through and tried to catch the dog that jumped out of arms reach and landed by Baldred, Leon remembered the dog and had a head ache coming. "Not again. Stitch, where did you go? You could have been a help a week ago." Stitch wasn't apologizing and waved his arms like the ocean, as a brown haired teenage boy with spiky hair and a silver haired teenager followed. The blonde teenager looked at the town with disbelief as Yuffie greeted the other two. "Hey Sora. Hey Riku, you came at a good time. Who's your friend?"

Sora saw awkwardness and introduced each one. "Sorry. Ven, these are some of my friends. Yuffie, Aerith, Leon, Tifa and Cloud." Ven looked nervous and apologized. "S...Sorry about that, everything looks so... different now."

Baldred guessed and asked. "You seen this towns better days?"Ven answered the knight. "There use to be an ocean and it was brighter. Now look at it." Baldred kept still and looked regretful as Ven introduced himself. "You can call me Ven, who are you?"

The knight looked at a friendly face and introduced himself. "Baldred, it's a pleasure to meet you." He looked at the suspicious Stitch and to Sora and Riku, finding the silver haired teenager suspecting something. Sora was none the wiser and asked. "We heard about you from Ken. You're an undead knight that he and a couple of his friends rescued. Is that true?" Baldred nodded. "That's what I am, is there a reason he knows about me?"

Sora wanted to find the words as Riku asked in an attempt to mask instinctual hostility. "Because he went somewhere he shouldn't have and he found some clues, is... there something you're not telling us?"

Baldred thought of it and realized there was a detail. "Why I am Undead and what is a hollow?" Riku tapped his forehead and answered. "Sure, let's start with that. The Curse of Undeath that came from your world, you... know that Curse isn't going to hurt anyone here and I don't think it can get to you anymore." Baldred doubted that. "That wasn't what was happening when I woke up. I... felt my mind tipping away to the Dark... I couldn't even remember how to talk. If that wasn't the Curse... what is?"

Riku folded his arms and felt he heard enough. "It might be something else, but... you know this isn't the world you came from. Do... you know how you might have ended up... there, in the first place?" Baldred looked to be staring into space, Riku took a deep breath and asked. "You don't?" The knight shook his head and turned to the committee. "Should I go with them and talk? I'm getting confused." Aerith sighed in pity and nodded. "If they know about your problem, then they could help."

Baldred agreed and asked the teenagers. "Where should we go?" Riku answered with more pity. "At the cavern we heard about. Please." The knight didn't hesitate and looked a little desperate for an answer as Leon asked the group. "If you can help him remember and solve this mystery before the guys at the castle hears of this, that would spare us a lot of grief."

Riku agreed with that as Sora offered to give Baldred a guiding hand. "We'll be quick... it's... hard to explain it." The knight took the guide as Stitch promised the committee. "Good as new." The group felt a little anxious as Baldred followed the boys to the hole in the castle, Sora asked Riku. "...What was that about?" The silver haired teenager looked at the amnesic knight and asked the following guest. "It is more than the curse's affect on your heart I smelled. What are you hiding?"

Baldred looked nervous under his helmet and knew he was found out. "If you saw my craft, then there is little secret that I delved in sorcery, pyromancy and miracles. I have yet to use the art of the Hex." Riku was nearly astonished by how bluntly the knight answered as Ven asked. "Hex?"

Baldred nearly said something and realized what the problem was. "Dark sorcery that is best kept away unless it's needed. Did Ken speak of that?!" Sora and Ven were astonished as Riku shook his head. "No, I smelled a dusty darkness with in you... and that's it. Why? How?"

Baldred's tone became deeper and self loathing. "I... remembered needing it for something and I remembered not taking it lightly. Only a fool would use it blindly and without care," Riku felt a sting and agreed. "Only an idiot would think the Darkness wouldn't just make things worse. That was your first time?"

Baldred nodded and saw he and the group reached the cavern, Sora asked with frustration in his voice. "That was your first time? What more did you do with it?" The knight remembered even less and answered. "That's what I don't remember, besides using it on those that deserved it. There is a Child of the Dark out there that needs to be banished back to where he came, no one that cruel should see the light of day again." Ven knew exactly who Baldred was talking about and asked. "Child... of the Dark?" Baldred approached the cave and climbed down. "Reborn fragments from an old one of the Abyss. Those that seek to bring the world to Dark, one is kept by me for all time."

Ven picked up Stitch and jumped down, Sora and Riku followed and waited for the knight to finish climbing down. Disturbed by the knowledge, Ven continued. "I... see why you mistook Vanitas for one, but who is the fragment your talking about?"

Baldred reached the bottom and showed the four a chime that looked like a robed woman. "Nashandra... I don't remember why I sealed her away into this. But she is a danger to all, a creature that wants power. This chime taps deeply into the Dark, but it reminds me of why I fight it. That's why... it becomes, this!"

He raised the chime up and caused a golden light to shine, giving the boys a feeling of vigor and of protection, Sora and Ven were impressed as Riku asked. "It becomes the spells you call miracles, the power of light. I think I'm getting it now." Sora agreed and told Baldred. "What ever you saw in your world probably darkened your heart. But you kept on to that light, to make better of yourself and others. But... why do you keep holding onto the Dark?"

The knight wondered and guessed. "Maybe...maybe because... it feels needed. You can have someone hold onto the light... and they would still be absolute scum, take the illusion away and they would be little better than the madmen that pervert the Dark." Ven cringed and asked. "And that's when you use it? To swallow them in their own muck?"

Baldred figured so. "It's a cursed power. The foes out there and possibly in this cave would love to see me make the mistake of unleashing it. That is why the covenant of this town is better off not knowing of this, it's not needed and they don't need to see it. Now... what... did you know of the Curse of Undeath? What changed?" Riku sat down by a wall and offered the others to do the same. "It's as awful as we heard, but the reason we think it won't be a problem anymore is because of what we know happened to your world."

Sora, Ven and Baldred sat by the walls, the knight asked. "What happened to it?" Riku's lips pressed together and he looked at his twiddling fingers. "It... along with that Curse, died. Ken carries that worlds heart and it is reigniting itself. Something happened to your heart and it was cast into the Dark along with that world. That was why it was nearly hollow." Baldred took the information deeply and looked at his hands. "And a little kindness brought stopped it from being lost." He looked deeper into the mine and asked. "And... with that light, my heart is... back?"

The teenagers didn't know what to answer and Ventus asked. "It's why you remember that life you had before... but never the whole? I think it's still missing something, but it's enough so you don't have to worry about it. You're free from that Curse and you don't have to worry about it coming back." He smiled sweetly. "Not with us or the others around, they seem like nice people." Sora agreed with that as Riku felt there was a rather significant detail, he looked at Baldred, who asked. "But... the others like me, they weren't as lucky?" He corrected himself. "Or they had another freedom when the Curse died. Something I was having before the Abyss bringers tried to make me their slave?"

The silver haired teenager shrugged. "You were the only one here to have seen that world and how bad it gotten. If you had friends there... they're still resting as they should. What are you going to do now?"

Baldred looked disappointed in himself and answered. "Do what I love doing and something about this town gives me hope. If you wish to know some of my techniques, I'll either be here or in town."

Sora promised him with a wide, innocent smile. "Oh, I think we know someone who would love to see those tricks." Ven realized something, imagined an encounter going horribly wrong and warned Baldred. "Just don't let her find out that you use Darkness." The knight guessed why. "Because someone misused it and ruined your lives?" Stitch nodded and spoke something in an alien tongue as Ventus answered. "Yes and a lot of us are still dealing with that."

Baldred sighed and promised. "I'll tell her myself, what do I need to see?" Ven described the person in question. "She has blue hair, is in blue and she has one of these." He raised his right hand up and caused a keyblade to appear in light, Sora and Riku had a similar idea and did the same, Baldred nearly jumped, saw the swords were real and looked to his staff. "That's going to catch me by surprise. Looks a little like a trick I can pull in a pinch."

He drew his staff and stood up as Sora asked. "You can make a keyblade appear?" Riku, Ven and Stitch cringed at the dim witted question as Baldred answered. "No, but it's easier if I show this off." He faced away, focused his staff and readied to swing, a large great sword of glowing blue light appeared and he swiped. The blade disappeared and left Sora with his eyes glistening. "So cool," Baldred agreed with that. "I don't lift those big swords, but that is a passion of mine. Every ounce of my soul goes into this kind of magic and that is something those in town only have a taste of seeing." He vowed to Ven. "Aqua won't be disappointed in me. Now, is there anything about this town I need to know of now?"

Sora does and answered. "Let's start with where we are."

In the Land of Departure.

Wanda and Ana finished helping Chip and Dale put together a Realm Gate made of Gummi blocks as Aqua, Mickey, Goofy, Donald and Stalwing kept watch. The gate was matching of the Star Piece in color and in the center of the rock, awaiting its final piece. The General and Stormcast looked at the dormant structure with aw as Mickey approached with the final piece, Wanda marveled it the image. "To think, very soon, we will make contact with the Realms once more. This is everything I thought it would be."

Ana agreed as Mickey placed the piece deep in the socket and spoke. "It took all of us to make this become real, let's see how this could-" The stone came alive in a glowing green glow and fed power into the gate, it stopped at the gate and caused Donald to shiver at the power he sensed. "It's building up, but it now needs a direction." Aqua agreed with that. "We need to call an expert before we continue."

The silver gummi ship beeped to alert the group, Aqua turned to find Kairi and Ken had arrived. The girl looked a little hesitate to say something as Aqua greeted them. "You're back. You like what you see?"

Kairi and Ken looked at the unconnected realm gate with sparkles in their eyes, the princess spoke her admiration. "Wow."

Ken agreed with that and walked closer. "It's... ready," Wanda took a deep breath and explained. "We need Merlin back here for us to finish up, but I say this is honest work going to a good cause and we don't need him ere asap. So how did the Burn Off go? What news do we have from Twilight Town?"

Kairi answered that. "Both were giving each other a run for their money, but Ken managed to out scorch Lea and got him to listen to his buddies. We're never allowing a contest like that to happen again."

Ken hummed and looked to Aqua. "That's the reason why I'm more glad you said no about the lava magic. It would have gone out of control if we weren't on a beach." The teacher gasped. "Wow, save that for a battle next time. What else happened?"

Kairi allowed her rival to answer, Ken took a deep breath and spoke. "After that, me and some friends of mine went somewhere and rescued a knight that was deep in trouble. That knight is at Radiant Garden recovering and I think the rest of the guys are going to see how he is doing. Miss Aqua, we found the mystery knight from one of the cards. The knight that took the throne."

Aqua's mouth dropped open as Ana listened and asked. "Knight that... is he the same one from that world Benedict and Jambert came from?" The boy nodded. "His name is Baldred and he came from an Era past Jamberts. He knows a lot of spells and he might help us learn more about that worlds secrets, even if he doesn't remember much."

The Stormcast was impressed and advised. "If Baldred is Undead, then we need to warn him about those that might try to force him into evil. Lad, you and your friends did a good thing to help Baldred when he is in need. Anything particular about the mission?"

Ken tried to think of what to say as Kairi answered for him. "The guys will tell you when they can." She patted the boy on the back. "He stood up for someone who couldn't." The boy puffed his cheeks at the Princess like she was a sister and relaxed remembering. "It... was pretty satisfying, even if I'm never form changing my keyblades together again." He continued. "Baldred agreed to pass some info along when he gets the chance, I'll do that after tomorrow's lesson and see what he has to show. The guys will tell us if it is worth it or not."

Kairi had a text with an image, one of a knight with a red cloth with a chime aimed for the air in a cave, calling down lightning, she giggled and sighed. "They just did. If Baldred is making friends with the town, I won't complain about it." She showed Aqua the knight, the teacher saw the similarities and nearly said something, she shook her head and asked. "Let them know the gate is built and they should take their time. We'll go see Baldred first thing in the morning, I have a surprise for you." She looked to Ana. "All three of you."

The students assumed it was another lesson, Kairi looked to the lower grounds as the teacher asked. "For now, each of you need to learn what you are practicing. Ana, you should learn the lesson Ken is about to learn if you really want to make an... impact on your skills." She giggled at her own pun as the Stormcast gave a small laugh. "Ha, I get it." Aqua turned to Mickey and asked. "Do you mind if we take a break from this? It isn't going anywhere." Mickey didn't mind. "We'll keep giving watch."

Aqua appreciated it and had her trio of students follow her to the usual training ground, she asked Ken. "This combo idea opens up a lot of possibilities, have you found something that will do in place of lava?"

The boy nodded. "Using fire with wind to make storms, this idea came from the Burn Off and I'm not using it down there." Aqua imagined it and asked. "We are nowhere near the forest, so you can do what you want up here. I want to see if it is possible."

Ken grunted and the group reached the arena, he kept his distance, drew Cadia's Light out and spun in a twister of fire, he jumped high in fire and repeated it two more times, he aimed his blade to the air and caused the sky to turn into a bright, infernal orange cloud, twisters of fire flew down and scorched the earth without mercy. The fire show was there and gone in a flash, the boy landed upon the ashen arena and was given applause, Aqua nodded and confirmed. "So it is. Hmm."

She had Ken go to the audience crowd and was in thought as Kairi realized. "Master, you're not thinking about using the crystal energy with a spell, are you?"

Aqua frowned to that. "I am, but this is never tried before and it could be even riskier than the... Armageddon Storm." Kairi shook her head and approached. "Master, please. We should try going for something more known before trying that. Would you let me have a turn?"

The teacher gasped at the bold student and stepped down. "You're going to try something similar?" Kairi nodded. "I'll try water first and then... something something." She turned to ask. "Any objections?"

Ken shook his head as Ana yelled out. "Let's see if you can outshine us, Princess!"

Kairi took a deep breath, calmed her self and drew her keyblade, she raised her blade in the air and caused water to form, dance and pelt the burning grass, followed by one stronger and one even stronger, the girl had a spark of imagination and pulsed again, flinging a current of water and causing an explosion of water that cooled down the heated sky and replaced the fire cloud with a typical rain cloud. They dripped all over and Ken wanted to clap, Kairi followed by tossing a star shaped flower of light, then another that was even brighter. Ken stepped back as Ana felt her heart racing and Aqua's mouth dried in anticipation. Kairi flung a flower of light that radiated brighter than the flames and finished her combo by throwing a star to the sky, it burst into a royal purple flower that shined gloriously, it pelted the ground with a barrage of light in all its splendor. The princess panted and heard louder clapping.

She turned to find Ken looking speechless and trying to clap enough to let her know how he felt. Ana gave her own clap as Aqua tried to say something and stopped, feeling like she nearly said something that might have came out as insulting. Kairi smiled sweetly and asked. "Before I try mixing life with light, I should try something a little less complicated. What do you guys think?"

The Stormcast imagined it and answered loud and proud. "Absolutely, even the darkest depths of the sea won't hide from that power." Aqua agreed and struggled to find the words. "That...that...is going to be beautiful."

Ken agreed with that. "The glistening rain that cools down the sinister fire." The teacher found a more fitting comparison. "The calming water to the wild flames." Kairi had her hands at her hips and felt the praise commendable. "It's just an idea."

She gave Ken a warning as her eyes squinted. "Ken, if this keeps up, we are going to have another fight. Do we actually want that?" The boy put it in thought as Aqua called a time out. "That would put the mountains in danger, save it for another time."

Kairi and Ken gave each other a rivals stare and let the debate calm for another day, the boy pouted. "And if we try it at Radiant Garden's outskirts, we might trigger a false alarm." Kairi agreed and went to rest by a wall, leaning against it and speaking. "We don't want that, the town took enough damage already."

Aqua took her turn and calmed herself. "We should talk about that one day, you get along unless you talk about competing." She stepped into the arena and drew out her silver keyblade, she aimed at the dummy and shot a wisp of ice, followed by a larger one and causing it to condense into a star like crystal of ice. She aimed her blade and shot a spear of frozen power, it made contact and erupted into a jagged glacier, causing her students to feel the freezing power, with a rhythm, Aqua gave off a blue glow and fling a crystalized spear of energy from the tip of her blade. She flung another that was even larger and jumped high to flung three large crystal spears that made contact and scattered smaller spears of soul power, she finished her combo with a simply aim and fired a beam. A bright blue light erupted, turned into a crystal tree and broke apart in a storm of soul spears, the teacher had a dark imagination of destructive potential and felt hesitate to continue. "...That could cause the opposite problem."

Ana guessed what. "If you used that for ice, you would be causing one weird and deadly blizzard. Should we even be practicing this?" Aqua took a deep breath and answered. "We need to learn these dangerous skills, we will be happy for it in the end when we are better equipped. But for now, we're at stopping point. Kendry, about earth magic." She crouched to sit and placed the palm of her free hand on the ground. "If you want to learn how to control the earth, you need to understand it. Touch it and tell us what you feel."

The boy raised an eyebrow confused and mimicked his teacher, using his fleshy hand and feel the cold ground. "...I feel hard rock." He wiggled his fingers and stuck his tongue out to his right eye. "Hmm... and the rocks on the ground." Aqua nodded and asked. "Those rocks are apart of the world, if the worlds have a heart, that would mean the earth is." Ken answered. "Like a body..." He gasped. "Ooooooh!"

Kairi asked. "The earth is a body?" Aqua answered. "It is, when you reach for the earth's power, you are asking the world for its physical aid." Ken felt an itch and asked. "And if you misuse it, you can get crushed... like," Kairi found a comparison. "like a mosquito when it keeps biting you and you swat at it."

She and Ken looked to each other in agreement as Aqua asked for the inspiring geomancers attention. "Precisely, at right now, you only know the surface of its power. Ha, ha. To truly feel it, you need to reach deeper. Do you have the patience to do it?"

Ken nodded and sat on his rear, looking to where his hand is and closing his eyes, trying to focus his mind, Ana approached and sat next to him, placing her hand on the surface and going in a meditative state. Leaving Kairi to do the same, even if she had no interest in earth magic. "Reaching deeper." She closed her eyes and felt the outward noise drown out, hearing but only the circulation of her veins.

At Radiant Garden's Cavern.

Baldred dodged swipes from Sora's keyblade and saw the fast flurry of blows causing a sweat. The knight thought to himself. "If this kid is able to get me in that lock, I'm finished."

He glowed his hand and breathed out a yellow mist that forced Sora to jump back, giving the knight time to step back and take out his bone staff. Sora yelled out annoyed. "Oh come on, is that why you're doing this?" The knight chuckled as his staff glowed. "The forbidden art of acid surge is to be feared by any who ever wields a weapon or relies on armor, as bound to the soul as that keyblade is, even they won't appreciate the corrosive power."

He flung a barrage of small soul spears, forced Sora to be on the move and flung a vortex of blue energy, catching the boy with the force of a gale and exposing him to another spell.

PEW!

An arrow of energy shot out of the staff, Sora was nearly blown and beaten up as he rolled to the right and focused on the knight, tired of the game, his mechanical like keyblade turned into two yo yos and shot them through rifts of light. Baldred saw rifts open up from around him and rolled to dodge, being caught in them and was sent flying, the knight saw Sora revert his yo yos back into a keyblade and jump after him. Baldred focused his staff into a great sword of power.

SWIPE!

Sora jumped mid air in a flip, dodged the blade and dived down at the knight, sending him to the ground and unleashing a flurry of attacks of which the knight was near defenseless against. The knight took out his chime and pulsed in power to knock the boy back, Sora back flipped and watched the knight take out a glowing orange flask to drink from, he knew a healing flask when he saw one and fired fire balls at the knight. Baldred was forced to forgo healing himself and moved, Baldred formed a great spear of lightning and tossed it at Sora in a last ditch effort to deal that last blow. Sora rolled to dodge and rushed at him with a swift swing. Baldred swung first with his katana, Sora rolled to the knights left and with a quick swing, knocked the knight to the ground. Riku sweated at the quick, yet intense fight as Ventus shivered and Stitch cheered to the fighting, the silver haired teenager confessed. "It's no wonder you and those guys got along, it takes some quick thinking to last this long."

Baldred tried to get himself up with a warriors spirit and was offered a hand up by Sora, he took it and admitted it. "I was in over my head from the very beginning and didn't realize it until someone stopped my usual estus drink." He took his estus flask and drank from it. Revitalizing himself as Sora asked. "That was when I figured out that you wanted to keep far away from me. You fight like that often?"

Baldred nodded proudly. "Damn right I do, if you battle a foe that is as big as a house and is faster than it looks, would you do anything to win?"

Sora found it a good point as Ventus verbally agreed. "Touche."

The knight relaxed and vowed. "If the lot of you are that strong, then there is only one place to go if you really want to make a difference." He pointed up the stair way. "Even higher until you are past the heavens. With that kind of the strength, the rest will follow."

Ventus hummed. "That's what you are going to do with yourself?" The knight nodded and made no attempt to hide his real agenda. "I know that keyblade is special and figuring out how to acquire it might be beyond my reach. But if I can understand it more, I will be able to overcome it and find some peace. You seen some of the miracles and sorceries I shown off, you might be able to add that power to your arsenal unless you got something better."

The boys agreed with the enlightenment and Riku smiled in gratitude. "There is that kid who could know about that acid cloud and the miracles seem easy enough to understand. We'll give a full report to Aqua and she'll be coming here when she can, just... remember our deal."

The knight remembered. "If I reveal even the most minor of hexes, my unlife is forfeit. I don't have a good reason to use them anyways, so its a secret I'll reveal if it's needed. Ha, ha." He gave a respectful bow to Sora. "Thank you, that's the most fun I had in half an hour." The spiky haired boy gave a bow back. "If you want to fight again, come and ask." The teenagers turned to leave, with Stitch crawling behind, leaving Baldred by himself and wondering.

He noticed a shadow shifting and revealing a big cat with red eyes, he greeted him like he was a friend and let him approach. "If your master Dupmic isn't taking the hint, I'll make sure he understands what it means to be ready for the Dark. You saw how I can confine a soul into a weapon, do you think acquiring a weapon like a keyblade would be similar?"

Shadey looked to the ladder as Baldred corrected himself. "Not them, those youths are too good hearted for that fate. But you know who else holds one of those that deserves to be pillaged of his soul. Ha, ha, ha!" The creature gave a ripple of agreement as the knight wished to wander in the cavern. "But not now, if that Child of the Dark wishes to enact cruelty, he will spell his own doom. When Aqua arrives, I want you to be far away from here, you are a lost fragment of Dark yourself... but something about your tale makes me... nostalgic. I hate to see it end in tragedy." The creature looked lonely and wished to come with the knight in the odd cavern, for an adventure of discovery.

Out of the cavern.

The three teenagers and alien went into the town to find Merlin, Sora exhaled and folded his arms behind his head. "Baldred was pretty eager to open his heart to us. What do you guys think?"

Riku nearly laughed. "He is definitely dark in the heart, but he tries to be a good person. What he said about a wielder of light that could be a foul person... that makes some sense."

Ven let Stitch jump off and guessed why. "If that person was that terrible to where it is easy for the light to be taken away from them, then they were not as bright to begin with. Especially if they act... like how Baldred described it, are we sure he doesn't remember anything?"

Sora looked on confused as Riku gasped. "He is either doing a good job faking it... or his heart doesn't want him to remember. It's like that gap those guys in the castle gone through, but how did that happened?"

Ven wondered and guessed. "If he never turned into a Heartless and made a Nobody, then it has to be when he was in the Realm of Darkness. He uses light pretty easily despite that..., but how does the miracles involve lightning?" Sora answered that with a clear memory. "We should take you to Olympus and let you meet someone, what Baldred used is exactly like what Zeus uses." He turned his head back with hope. "I think Baldred is going to like it here."

Riku agreed with that. "Now he knows that Curse is gone, he won't worry that he is going to hurt someone. What happens is by his own choice, now we need to worry about getting ready and stopping Garland from making the worlds his playthings." They reached the other side of town and found Merlin having his luggage of supplies needed, a convenience that the wizard was long prepared. He looked like he nearly forgotten something as he noticed and greeted them. "Ah, good day lads. What brings you here today?"

Ven answered cheerfully. "We came here to talk with the new guy in town and to pick you up. It's finally built and ready, you look like you were getting ready for that."

Merlin tapped his head and gasped. "Ah, of course. That's what I was expecting, let's get started, shall we." Puff!

The four saw a puff of smoke and looked around to find themselves back in the Land of Departure. They heard a familiar friend cheer. "Welcome back fellas!" Followed by a surprised squawk, Stitch turned to find Goofy waving hello and Donald being astonished, giggling in joy as Sora turned to his group of friends and waved. "It's good to be back guys, is there anything we missed?"

Ven looked at the Realmgate in aw as Mickey approached and answered. "It's exactly what you were texted about." Riku saw the gate and whistled as Wanda approached Merlin and shook his hand, thanking the boys. "And it was a splendor to build it. Now to make it come to life and connect to the Realms at long last."

Stalwing looked at a training ground bellow as Sora asked. "Aqua took Kairi and the others for more lessons?"

Wanda nodded. "They have a left a couple minutes ago and besides some big ol spells, they haven't came back." Mickey asked the boys. "Could you go see what's going on?"

Sora and Riku nodded as Ven felt a confusing feeling. "I think a lesson is going a little too right for them. We should snap them out of it before they go too deep. Don't start this without us."

He gave a childish smile as Stitch looked at the Realm Gate and felt an aura of importance, the teenagers left and Merlin went to have a closer inspection. "Hmm, this certainly is in working order and I think I know what might be missing."

Mickey guessed what. "The door is built and it needs to be opened?" He drew out his keyblade in preparation as Merlin agreed. "Indeed, but we are not working with any ordinary door. To have this door open exactly where we need to go, we need a little more than a keyblade... but what?"

At the training ground.

Kairi, Ana, Ken and Aqua were in a zen like state, feeling their senses faded to null.

Thump!

Thump!

Thump!

Kairi gasped and felt her sense of self returning. "Master, guys..." Ken was next to feel it and was struggling to breath in excitement. "We...did we hear that? Did we felt that?" Kairi asked. "Did you feel the ground... pulse?"

Ana was next and was the most amazed. "I... believe we did. The world really is as alive as the rest of us." Aqua was the last to come through and was shaking, looking at her hand in the ground and asking. "This was a long time-" She stopped as Kairi stood up and went to help her teacher get up. "Master, was this how you were taught?"

Aqua nodded and took the offer. "Y.." she stood up. "Yes, but I never gotten much more interested than that. But Master Eraqus insisted I learn this from start to end," Ken and Ana looked to each other with an odd feeling, the boy asked. "We need to know how the earth feels before we tear her a new one for her power?"

Aqua answered that. "More we need to know how the earth feels before we borrow her power. I don't think she would mind if you did draw out lava, but I do." Ken nodded as Kairi heard someone coming. "Respect it and it will respect you."

Kairi and Aqua were the first to find a trio of boys arriving, the girl rushed to Sora and Riku and embraced the two in joy as Ven saw Ken and Ana sitting on the ground. The eldest boy asked. "What were you doing?"

Ken answered, unaware of the awkwardness. "We were taking lessons about some sweet combos with magic and about how to use the rare earth magic. It's so weird, yet so cool." Ven noticed Aqua having feelings of nostalgia and confessed. "Terra was the one who learned more about it, it's pretty cool that more are learning it."

Ken stood up and kept quiet as Ana took her stand to ask. "We were told you came to check the garden for the Undead heart. Does he check out?"

Sora and Riku were busy with their reunion and Ven answered for them. "He does, he's pretty cool and calmed down once he knew the Curse isn't around anymore. He knows some of those tricks you learned from that worlds memories and it might help if you know more of them."

Aqua figured and worried. "If he was a part of that Knight of Cinders... then I don't want to imagine what his ordeals might have been." She took a deep breath. "But if he is your friend, I think I can handle seeing him in person."

Kairi let Sora and Riku go as she asked. "Did you see the Realmgate?" The boys nodded as Riku answered. "It's almost there, but its not finished yet." Aqua wondered and asked. "Should we go see what else we have to do? We are about to make history."

At Radiant Garden.

The hooded Replica kept an eye around as Xion had a peaked interest and asked. "What was so bad about the prequels that she doesn't like talking about them?" The Replica answered. "Probably bad writing or awkward characters, but the knowledge is good. This is the plan, we go visit Baldred and see how his mood changed... and since he takes the you know what seriously, we're not going to ask about that. If I can't handle the kind of power he has, you know what is beyond me. Then we find Shadey and see if he is going to be okay."

Xion nodded and lead the way. "Brother, I wish you just leave it alone. Baldred is the only one with that power that isn't trying to tempt us with it." The Replica refused to give up his ambition, yet he agreed. "Ken's story about the Four Kings didn't help. How he found it is the bigger mystery, but that makes it easier for his teacher to have a point made."

The two reached the entrance into the Cavern of Remembrance and jumped down, finding signs of a battle that came and pass, as well as finding Shadey trying to help Baldred up to a ledge, using his arms like a ladder. The creature looked on to find the two and stopped, Baldred looked behind, found the two children and climbed down. "I'd thought I scared you off." He let go, landed and turned to face them. "Do you two really think you can handle the sorcery I wield? There are somethings man is not meant to know."

Dupmic answered with his right hand on his chest and his left hand facing up. "I'm going to start with the... safer stuff. The hexes can wait, if you are going to bother with it. It's probably why Dad never taught me his own sorceries, the very stuff of Chaos isn't a toy."

Baldred agreed with that. "And the flames of Chaos will engulf the world if it runs rampant. Xion, most of the miracles require you to have a faith in a great cause to make it manifest in ways that can aid you and those around you. While I show your brother my sorceries, you should think about that and what would be a divine power." Baldred took out his bone staff as Shadey watched in silence, the knight asked the Replica. "I don't know if these people say it like this with the powers you know, but you must understand how your soul can manifest itself in power. Without that, you'll never hope as to flicker a speck of an an arrow."

He raised his staff in the air and shot a simple beam of soul energy, the Replica felt it made sense. "You won't get far and learn something new if you don't know the basics. What is a rule to break if you don't know what the rule is?" He raised his sword high and shot a more intense beam, it homed in at a pillar, Baldred followed and flung an orb of blue energy that hovered and rained the power down, the Replica inhaled, closed his eyes and shot out a similar orb, he opened his eyes and watched it rain.

The boy stepped back and realized the power he was wielding. "Wow, how did you learn this?"

Baldred adjusted his helmet with his free hand and answered. "Like you, I sought to make something new with some of these sorceries... or I found the works of those who tried. The rest... I must have taken an interest and sought someone. Speaking of which, it's your turn to show me what you learned, this came from somewhere."

The Replica agreed and pointed to his shadow. "Watch that." He readied his free hand, the shadows free hand glowed a fiery orb of energy, he and the shadow fired a barrage of shadow bolts that seemed to seek Baldred's shadow. The knight rolled to his shadow and moved out of the way, seeing the cliff ledge break apart from an unseen force, Baldred look at it dumbfounded. "So its a sorcery from the shadows. Ha." He looked at the boy stubbornly. "You still won't get a single hex from me this day."

The Replica didn't mind and wanted to continue. "I wish to do more with that, you did say what is done in the shadows should stay in the shadows. This is as close to twisting it as I can and I don't want this to spiral out of control." The knight laughed and had another spell ready. "But will you let it? You got a will to experiment, I'll tell you that."

He shot the spell at the Replica and knocked him on his back, the boy felt no pain, yet he was disoriented. The Replica copied the spell and tossed it at Baldred, knocking him off. "One day I'll take all this and make it my own. I will be my own person. What more do you have?" Baldred stood up and readied for another. "Not much that you won't figure out on your own now." He rubbed the staff on his katana and caused it to glow and grow crystals, Xion was drawn in and asked as she watched her brother copy the spell for similar results. "To think, this was lost to history. Baldred, do you think more people are going to notice the four of us in this town?"

The undead guessed so. "That is the risk of going out there, but I'm not afraid. I'll get to teaching you next very soon, Xion... what do you know of the keyblade?" The girl wondered and focused on drawing it out, seeing the weapon look a little worn down than she expected and asked. "It... just came to me. I think I'm in a same place your in, those memories were taken from me and while I was told they been reset... I think there is a reason why."

The Replica agreed with that. "If you did, you would have been more rebellious against... THEM than how Dad would have liked. He wanted us to eventually do something like this, we're free... but we need to learn the grander picture."

Baldred tilted his head and remembered a Sorcerer in blue, his eager tone lessen to uncertain worry. "That one, he is up to something... to work with those bearers of Darkness and seek his own. He kept something of mine and I want it back soon." Xion guessed which. "That glowing sword? I'm sorry Baldred, but he wouldn't let us. It's confusing, but one day when we are ready, we will face him together," Baldred fired a barrage of lesser soul spears and agreed. "If not, you will never find that answer."

The Replica focused the spell, gasped and caused the glow to vanish, he warned Baldred. "Watch out, this might sting." He seemingly flung nothing and caused tiny spears to fly in the darkness, Baldred moved and felt the some of the spears make contact with his shadow, stinging and earning a friendly growl. "Ha, I think I toyed with this long enough." He glowed for his finishing spell and fired a bolt of soul energy, waiting for the Replica to react to such an imposing power.

At the Land of Departure.

Aqua listened to what Merlin had to say and looked dry in the mouth in anticipation. "It just needs someone to unlock the door way. We can do that."

Kairi felt a presence walking out of her, the group noticed and turned to see Namine appearing and taking a closer look, Merlin noticed her and asked. "Young lady, is there something you wish to share with us?" Namine felt the power needing something to allow them to coalesce and answered. "I... I think I know what's wrong with it. It's a small one, because if we just use the keyblade, it will open a way through... but we would end up anywhere in the Realms if we try that. That small piece becomes a major one due to all the dangers and obstacles we would find in the Realms."

Aqua asked. "And we don't have an easy way to make the destination certain?" Namine shook her head and smiled shyly. "Someone has to make a link to a particular place and that someone knows how to do it. But it can take a while."

Riku knew what Namine was suggesting. "So you are going to use Aqua's memories to make that link?" Namine nodded. "I need an assistant from the Realms to use their keyblade so I can form the path, while the host connects to that very spot, like Barak Zilfin."

Ana stepped forward and volunteered. "I know the realms in the back of me head."

Flicker!

The star like hole glowed a keyhole on hearing the Stormcast's words, Namine felt the radiance of the hole and took out a sheet of paper to draw something, Aqua sat in a meditative pose and faced the Realmgate as Ana aimed. Kairi asked. "How long would this take? It needs so much to put together that something is going to go wrong."

Namine guessed, "It would take a couple hours to make the path and I think Ana would know about the Realmgates better than any of us." The Stormcast cringed and had her warning. "We are making a Realmgate from scratch and it can give all kinds of problems since it is a lot of warping magic. The Chaos gods will notice this and do their damnest to make it worse."

Mickey guessed how. "By sending daemons in between to wait for us?" Ana nodded. "A baleful realmgate needs a powerful wizard just to keep those from getting lost on the way and that is IF this gate has another on the other side, which it won't. I seen less daemons coming out of those compared to those that just show up the old fashion way, so I'd reckon that it is a perilous journey even for them. We got to keep the Forces of Chaos and those helping them from tampering with this or sending any of us through would be a suicidal risk."

Ven listened and asked. "So we need another of us giving the gate our power to lock the daemons away?" Mickey nodded and volunteered. "I'll make sure this becomes as safe as it's going to get."

Riku had his own guess. "Meanwhile, the rest of us on this side need to make sure no one shows up to wreck the gate." He turned to Sora and asked as he pointed his thumb to Donald and Goofy. "Are you ready to feel what's like to have these guys job?"

Goofy chuckled as Donald grumbled. "Not funny."

Sora smiled goofily. "It's just watching and being ready, how bad could that be?"

Ken answered. "This is when we got to be serious and take it seriously, it's life or death now and the worst part is there isn't much for us to really do until we are given the word. Eh-" Goofy asked. "We got to watch every nook and crany, last time you got to walk around, but here."

Ken agreed and looked down to the forest. "Some of us at least got a choice between keeping an eye up here or going down there to make sure no hidden army is sneaking around," Kairi knew exactly what Ken was thinking about. "The Galactic Empire learned that lesson the hard way and the Rebels were able to outsmart them and blow up their shield generator. Eek, going down there alone is a good way to get attacked."

The one armed boy was surprised and asked. "Since when did you watch that?" Kairi showed her gummi phone and answered. "When I was flying in between a couple days ago." She stuck her tongue out to Ken as Sora peeked and interest. "Riku and I have been busy with stuff, is it really that good?"

Kairi nodded and summarized their situation. "The original trilogy's gotten my hopes up for the prequels, we're in a reverse of the last film's plot with a moonbase. We're building something that would mean a lot for the worlds and if someone comes here, we are to stop them. It's just that here-" Stitch understood and asked. "We... the good guys?"

Ken laughed and nodded to the alien. "Totally, we know this place more than the trespassers and anyone who knows exactly where we are, are coming here for less than friendly reasons. We even have you with us while they're down there alone." Ven had a spark of interest as Wanda asked him. "You want to know what he's talking about?"

Ven asked. "What are you going to do?" Wanda looked at the silver gummi ship and approached it. "I'm getting my men and we are making the forest into our garrison. They'll be told the rest once they get ere." She ordered Stalwing. "Find a place we can set camp and when you see this ship again, lead us."

The gryphon raised her wings and flew off as Aqua allowed Wanda to do her deed. "Be quick and no one will suspect anything. Do this and we'll let you do what you want to the forest as long as it is in reason." Wanda saluted and gave a bow in respect. "This will be as discreet as possible and we won't change much besides a few camping grounds. Good luck."

She walked into the gummi ship that waited, Sora wished the two of them. "Good luck and stay safe."

The gummi ship closed its door and took off as Ana aimed her keyblade and asked Namine. "So when do you want us to begin?" The girl answered and looked at Aqua. "Once Master Aqua relaxes her mind, I can focus on using her memories to make a blueprint, with that blueprint you will guide a chain across the Realmgate and to the path of Barak Zilfin. Once that is done, Merlin should know how to do the rest with your help."

Aqua closed her eyes and gave one last set of instructions. "Kairi, Sora, Riku, Ken and Stitch should find a good place for them to make camp."

Ventus asked. "And I guess I'll stay here with the King and the others to make sure nothing tries to pop up from nowhere?"

Aqua nodded, inhaled and calmed her mind. "That would help us the most." Mickey agreed and advised. "Once we start, we are going to get noticed. I got a bad feeling that it's going to escalate like it did when we came to wake Ven," Merlin nodded to that. "If the trick didn't work once, it won't work again."

In a few moments, Aqua's mind went into a zen, Namine focused on drawing something and let Ana know. "Now, open the path." The Stormcast aimed her keyblade and fired a beam, it made contact with the keyhole and caused the realm gate to open in a cloud of storms, blowing out power and taking shape of what Namine was drawing.

At the Cavern of Remembrance.

The Replica back flipped, focused with his sword and caused four beams of bright energy to shoot from the shadows and erupt in geysers of energy that would have stopped those trying to push through. Feeling satisfied, he landed as Baldred was impressed. "And the focus flash is born. You're still not ready for what you really came for, but do you think you need it anymore?"

The Replica shook his head. "It be cool, but this is the real kind of power I been looking for." He went to a curious Xion who was ready for her lesson. "With a little work, it and the others would come together more than well enough. You're up."

The girl agreed and approached the knight who switched his staff to his chime. "You remember the sun light blade, but it's pretty clear what that light could become." Xion nodded and gave a kneel, glowing in a soothing light that pulsed. "It's like cura and that ought to help in a pinch. The light is meant to guide you home and that is why they are called miracles."

The knight nodded. "Focus on that faith and the light will show the way to survive another day. It can allow you to repel those around you and make them realize they underestimated you." He pulsed in a praise of holy power and caused his hands to glow in white light.

PEW!

He emit a strange force and shot it to a wall, Xion thought of something better, flexed out the power of light and flipped in the air, clapping her hands together and shooting a larger beam of power at the wall. Boom!

Baldred was surprised and watched Xion land. "And with that faith, you will understand the power of gods."

He aimed his chime high and caused lightning to crash down, Xion felt the spell identical and focused her inner faith, giving off a bright glow and caused an even greater barrage of lightning to shoot down in a condensed area. Her hair stood and she focused her keyblade in a bright lightning, she flung it like a spear of lightning and caused the knight to keep himself quiet, she turned to ask. "Is this what you were going to show me with this power?"

Baldred nodded. "And you are a natural. Focus that faith unto protecting others and see where that will get you." He chimed and glowed in a sacred oath, sharing a feeling of courage and protection, Xion glowed in the light and caused herself, the Replica and Shadey to have a barrier form around them. The knight was satisfied and explained. "If you followed the instruction I was taught, that would have just affected yourself and you didn't just used the lightning spear, you used it in a way so that keyblade won't get lonely. I'm a tad jealous, heh, heh, heh."

The joking laughter resonated as Xion boldly responded. "Hah! I heard that might have ended up happening if I followed what my heart wants."

Baldred imagined that and laughed louder. "Keyblade or not, you have the makings of a Sentinel yourself. That brave soul who would stand against the cruelty of others and hold firm."

Xion agreed with that as Shadey sensed the knight realizing something and disappeared in the shadow. Baldred asked himself. "Sentinel... where did that."

Xion gasped and approached Baldred to encourage him. "Were you a Sentinel in that past life? Before you lost your memories?"

Baldred wanted to sit down and think about it, pondering in thought as he noticed a friendly presence coming. "I was and that I remembered, but there... was a name to them." He asked the Replica. "Let me borrow that sword, I... I think I'm seeing something."

The boy did so as Xion turned around to find a brown haired woman in a pink dress being surprised by the sight. Baldred drew a new moon and placed the sword in the center. "...Sentinel...Moon. No... that name is... wait." He felt his tongue at the tip of the name. "Blue... Sentinel... Blue Sentinel... that's... that's..." He stood up and felt feelings of self pride. "...That's its name. Ha, ha." A woman asked confused. "Did you remember something?"

Baldred turned to find the woman and nodded. "I have Aerith, those Sentinels I talked about, they are exactly what you imagined them to be. The Blue Sentinels that guide the weak and misguided towards a better path and punishes the cruel that hunt them down."

Aerith felt the pride on Baldred's voice and was glad for him. "That would explain why you want to help us." She looked at the boy and girl looking at the symbol and asked. "Were you teaching them what you know?"

Baldred nodded. "Some of them, but they'll be able to fend for themselves and others when the time comes. Dupmic and Xion have noble souls." Xion turned around sharply as Aerith believed the knight. "Thank you, we need to show you around the castle and let the scientist hear from you about your story. It took you reliving similar experiences to remember something, do you think this is what your heart wants?"

The knight shrugged as Aerith approached the two to ask. "This Cavern isn't the safest place to be in for any of you. Are you done down here?" Xion pointed at herself and nearly stuttered as the Replica answered. "I think we are, but Baldred shouldn't be down here either. Not if he use to go around protecting people."

The knight looked nervous as Aerith insisted. "Come on Baldred, you don't have to squander. You don't want to be living down here." The knight looked back to the cavern and back to Aerith, he put his gear away and sighed. "I don't and a band of good willed youths told me about my Curse being gone. Just, be quick to act if I start acting odd, it's why I came down here."

He looked to the teenagers, the Replica picked up his sword and nudged to Xion to get her to approach. The girl asked. "What... about us?" Aerith hummed. "If you don't have anything else to do, stay in the town where it is safe. Thank you for helping Baldred remember more of who he was, we appreciate it."

Xion was nearly overwhelmed as the Replica appreciated back. "We don't and we are borrowing a house from a friend of ours. We'll go talk to his Mom about this, Baldred, we're out of here if we are done."

The knight nodded and let the children lead the way out, the adults followed and climbed up the ladder, heading to the town to find a woman in armor leading what seemed to be a small army out of the town. Aerith hummed. "I wonder what Wanda is doing."

Baldred looked curious and restrained himself from approaching. "...Probably none of my business."

The Replica agreed with that. "It isn't," He smiled to Aerith and was ready to take Xion home. "Thank you for checking up on us. It's cool to know there are a lot of fine people here."

Aerith nodded to that. "I'm here to help out. Take care."

The teenagers gave their goodbyes and parted ways with the grown ups, the Replica had a bright smile to give to Xion and whispered. "And she makes another one." The girl agreed and looked back at the knight being guided further in town. "Yeah, are you finally going to give up on the you know what?"

The boy nodded. "For now, he is showing me how I don't need that and with a little creativity, I won't have to. But if I don't know of it, how are we going to know how to fight it? How did someone like him learn of it and why didn't he give in?"

Xion found it was a fair point. "Maybe later when he is in a better mood. We do need to check up on Shadey if he gets lonely." The Replica agreed with that. "And he knows something we don't while keeping himself away. Now let's see what's the big idea with the prequels, shall we?"

At the Land of Departure, down in the forest.

Kairi was the most nervous of the island trio as she asked. "Namine's plan might actually work. The kind of world Master had to travel through gives me goosebumps."

Riku kept watch and heard rustling from the trees above as he agreed. "But could she do it in a day and how long is she able to stay out like that?" Sora had no idea and noticed something appearing in the sky, the silver gummi ship. "I don't know, but we need to be ready to help Wanda's guys learn of this place."

Stalwing rushed to the three and cawed as Ken looked down from a tree and asked. "You found something they can use?" The Gryphon flapped her wings and cawed, turning around and wanting to lead, Ken jumped from one tree to another as the rest of the teenagers followed, to the base of a mountain that looked inconspicuous, save for Stitch breaking down some rouge bushes and laughing maniacally, Riku aimed his keyblade to the sky and asked the Gryphon. "You think this would be good enough for them?"

Stalwing saw a small path up the mountain and walked to an upper ledge, then finding more, Kairi guessed so. "No one is going to surround them unless they go out carelessly and they can hide using the mountain."

Stalwing climbed as high as possible and flew back down, giving Riku permission. The boy glowed his keyblade in a flare and shot a spark of fire high in the air, Sora asked with excitement in his voice. "Is Wanda finally going to have that break she been needing?"

Riku nodded. "Those guys look like they would do even better out here than in a town. They'll prove they are willing to give everything they got," Ken noticed something and yelled down. "They are coming down the mountain and are looking as big as they were before." He looked to be guessing. "I say... it's going to be harder for them to get here than it would for them to set shop. This is no city's worth, so they won't cause too much trouble here."

Kairi looked up and agreed. "Once they find a place, this forest is theirs." Riku asked the girl as he heard the blowing of an imperial horn. "I don't think we would have the kind of time to ask for anymore help. We would be lucky if Halvak and his Kharadon buddies stick around to help us if what Aqua said about them is true. These worlds are all so separated that these kinds of politics are not common, but in the realms... I don't know."

Kairi had her hands at her hips as Sora wondered about potential friends. "They have to at least work together when something like Chaos, Garland and anything that might mess up the Realms come around." Riku agreed with that and debated. "Maybe with some I keep hearing about, but others are too steep in their own evil, willing or not, to be of any real help and sound like they only stick around with Sigmar out of convenience. If we can find those that aren't like that, I can picture them lending a hand."

Ken asked. "Like the Seraphon?" Riku nodded to the scout. "They want Chaos gone, we want Chaos gone and they want nothing else."

Rustle! March!

Stalwing tried to keep herself regal and compose as Stitch mimicked a dinosaur and roared, Kairi agreed with him. "And they sound powerful with the dinosaurs they have. When we take care of Garland, we need to think about having more friends in case Archaon steps it up." Sora was the first to see the trees rustle and one ten man unit of medieval soldiers with low tech rifles, one twenty man unit of spear men, three demigryphs with knights on top and leading the group was Wanda and a rugged, black beard engineer with a collection of tools and parts. The soldiers looked at the mountain like it was home and had delusions of a grand settlement as Wanda took out a horn and blew, letting out a sound that demanded attention. "I know what you are all thinking, but we are not given a permit to build any forts, we are to set up camp around this mountain and garrison it from the base to the tip. Filibert has enough to make us tools for cooking, storage and weapon repair, but its all we got out here. I want this to look as hidden as possible by sun down and I want you all to be stationed for ambush should we see anything not the mentioned."

Filibert saw a spot right in a clearing and went to work as he asked. "Will we defend this for Sigmar?" One of the demigryph knights cheered. "Yes we shall! For Lady Ana, for our homeland!"

The demigryphs cawed as Stalwing gave one that was even more mighty, the riflemen saw the top of the mountain and its brushes, seeing potential and marched in unison, leaving the spear men to take out lumberjack axes and shovels. Wanda nodded and took out her own as she requested from the Keyblade wielders. "This is a fine place for me and my men, we need the wood to make something resembling a fort for the time being at the base of the mountain while my riflemen can fend the perimeter with what they are good for. Once that is established and we have both protection and a few luxuries we can provide for ourselves, it will be like we are not here until that moment, you should go tell the others that we are going to settle down shortly."

Ken jumped down as Stitch rolled to the teenagers, Riku nodded and insisted. "Don't treat yourselves like that. If you need help, ask." Wanda found a tree nearing its age and grunted. "That would be the idea if it is beyond us, we are only going to take what we need and provide back. You will hear from the horn if it is that urgent, tell Aqua she has our gratitude for allowing us to all to come."

Riku promised he would as Sora wished them luck. "This looks cool, is there anything we can do to help build the-" Wanda shook her head. "There is, but it isn't anything we couldn't do ourselves. I'll have Stalwing come to take you back ere if you wish to see the result." Sora understood and saw what the general was going to do, he smiled to her. "Good luck, we'll see you soon." He picked Stitch up and followed the group of teenagers out of the woods, alone, Riku hummed. "Who knew she was willing to do that with her men. I hope they don't sacrifice too much."

Ken looked back and doubted. "I think that engineer was going to cover things they would lose by being out here." Riku agreed with that. "She wants to prove to us and to herself what she can do. We're letting her do what her heart commands and if that gummi ship agrees to help us out with the simpler things, then this will be mutual for all of us."

Kairi knew how. "We give them supplies from off world and they will be that support we need. I guess this will be a regular thing until further notice."

Sora and Ken wondered why as Riku looked ahead to the mountain with the castle. "There isn't a whole lot of them and they are our friends, I think they could use the help in case of any heartless."

Sora slowly understood. "But they are here for war, so it shouldn't be too much." Ken felt a spark of inspiration and asked. "But they are making a camp by the mountain, that little could come a long way." Kairi had her own idea. "And if Wanda worked with those like the Seraphon, we need to know how to talk to them."

Sora knew what Kairi was thinking and asked. "We are going to ask Ana for any ideas before we ask? If we can ask?" The Princess nodded. "If she doesn't need to be constantly focusing."

Riku realized in shock. "And we know those like Archaon could go back to the Realms and get a larger army the first chance they get. We have a chance to make the Realmgate our shot at beating him." The group were in agreement and Sora felt more vigor. "Then lets take it when we can, we can't let him win." The four cheered as one and made their way to the mountain, in hope to see the progress of a gate between the Realms.