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?

58. A Disrupted Harmony

At Barak Zilfin, Ventus felt he read enough and put the phone away. He took out his star like charm and felt there was a vague presence. "If...we get lost, I could try to call her." He and Stitch stood up ready to go as Scrooge was talking with a duradin in a steam punk, brass suit. "So you're the one who lets Halvek know of ol' alliances?" The duradin nodded. "He came from a long line of navigators and I swear he runs the United Airlords better than I do. I heard he gotten into a scuffle over a week ago and now he's about to get into another again."

Ven looked confused and approached the duck. "We... gotten help?" Scrooge hesitated to give a yes or no and went to introductions. "Not yet, this is Admiral Olgrik, think of him as an official that hires the United Airlords on crucial missions outside of the comfort of the realm." Olgrik stared at the boy unamused. "And there's something you want from Halvek, who else is in this party?"

He looked at Stitch and a primitive warrior that was lost in a daze. "Uh huh." Baldred snapped out of his daze and approached Olgrik. "Umm... sorry, what's going on?" The Admiral rolled his eyes and answered. "Business and you're hired muscle." He lead the way. "Come on, this can't wait all day." The four followed the admiral to a door way leading under the flying giant boat, guarding Duradin stood aside at sight of the admiral and let him and the group in.

Finding a rather advanced office and a duradin matching the description of Halvek writing something down. "This is what the recruits can do? Bah," Olgrik tossed a scroll with a symbol of a hammer. "Halvek Aethergruff! Get off the paper work! We got work to do."

The Navigator saw the scroll land in his presence and looked up to find the Admiral, he laughed loudly at him. "Ha, it's about damn time. Ever since last week business had been getting low." Olgrik agreed and laughed back. "Then this ought to motivate ya. A representative from the Hollowed Knights came by with a summons to the realm of Ghur." Halvek undid the scroll and read it thoroughly. "Jungle of Teeth? Seraphon? Orruks, Skaven and the graves west being riled up." He took a stamp and marked the message, he stood up and shouted. "It's good to be back in business with Ol' Bountiful and The Aerial Ultilizer again." He noticed a boy with a familiar air, a richly dressed duck, a blue furry dog and a knight having a flash back. "And who is this?" He guessed by looking at Ven. "You... don't happen to know a Lass I worked with? She looked a little blue?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah, Aqua sent me because our worlds are in trouble and we need your help to beat this guy who turned into a demon." Olgrik nearly backed away and asked. "A...Is this another one from the forces of Chaos?" Ven wished. "No, but he through everything out of order with a time loop and the only way we could power him down is to dispel the crystal power binding it all together." He asked Halvek. "We need you and you're that voidstone orb you have."

The Navigator was taken aback by the demand as Scrooge took over to explain. "It's a long story of how we got here, but this villain, Garland, is going to try something more insane and if he knows of these Realms, he might take his foul deeds ere."

Halvek sighed. "And that's bad business." He looked at Olgrik. "Permission to consider this?" The Admiral nodded. "Permission granted." Halvek gave a shrewd smile. "It just so happens that new recruits with some competence is stretching thin and I need some crewmen for the Gunhaulers. That's spent and the personal crew on board the Aerial Uniter need some body guards in the case of pirates coming on board. You help us in this war and if we survive-" He gave a small if arrogant laugh. "not that survival is a problem and I'll see what we need to do to get back." Scrooge answered that with a just as shrewd smile. "Mwa, ha, ha. We got a Heartstone all the way in Azyr that we can use to get back and we know a Stormcast that is apart of the Hallowed Knights."

Olgrik knew what the strangers personal plan was. "And if they knew Aqua, they'll pop the magic word or something to let ya all back across when ya say you know of her. Hmm." Halvek got off his chair and grumbled annoyed. "Obligations aren't needed Admiral, do we have to make them sign the contract?"

Olgrik answered with his arms folded. "It's required, once you bring it here, I'll oversee the signing while you gather the fleet." Halvek felt it was ridiculous and left, Olgrik explained what the contract was. "It's the law when we hire any outsiders into our business. They need to sign a waver, vowing to not leave until the job is done. It's dumber than a troggoth's stool in this particular case."

Scrooge agreed that it was nonsense. "Hogwash," he turned to the three fighters. "But this means you've agreed to help us?" Olgrik corrected him. "Halvek decided to aid ya, for he knows how the voidstone works and he is my best navigator around. You lend aid and we will lend it back to you with what we can allow." The Admiral extended his hand to Scrooge. "It will be a pleasure to have y'all aboard. You all done much to even make it to this realm."

The duck shook hands in a deal. "I promise, Halvek will be home when this is over." He began introductions to the crew and started with Ventus. "How about you introduce yourself?"

The boy realized that and started. "R...Right." He pointed to himself. "Names Ven, I'm a keyblade wielder that woken up from a long sleep, three days ago. So I'm a little behind Aqua," Olgrik thought that might be an excuse. "As long as you can handle life or death battles with that Keyblade, it's more than enough experience. You'll see me Skalfhammer soon enough." He laughed about that as Stitch raised his hand. "Hiiii. Stitch." Ven nodded to that and explained. "Stitch is a lot stronger than he looks."

Olgrik believed that. "We'll address that when we find a landing point in Ghur." He directed his attention to a stalwart Baldred. "And who are you?" The warrior answered boldly. "Baldred, a warrior, cleric, sorcerer, pyromancer and even a hexer. I was warned about the Undead in these realms." Olgrik tilted his head and asked. "And they ought to be put back into the ground, how does that concern you?" Baldred didn't hesitate as Ven and Scrooge realized why that is an ill decision. "I'm Undead myself and there is one entity that I need to avoid."

Olgrik thought that was a kind of joke as Ven found it hard to pass it off as one, the Duradin thought to himself and asked Baldred slowly. "If you see anyone riding anything of bones or see anyone of bones, stay away from them or put them down. No good will come if Nagash gets his claws on you. You have to be a special breed to believe in all that mumbo jumbo."

Baldred guessed he would. "My friends are not exactly comfortable when I bring up the hexes and where they came from. But these undead sound like they need to be freed from Nagash... when I can do so." Scrooge forbade it. "If you can, don't go picking fights you can't win."

Baldred sighed and took the thought out of his mind as Olgrik summed up the group. "Mr. Duck, two of your workers are qualified as the muscles while Stitch sounds like a smarter attack dog." He laughed heartily. "That's exactly what we need. What of you?"

Scrooge wasn't going to brag. "I can get me self out of a jam and give any crook what for." Ven agreed with that. "You should see what he can do with his cane. We were fighting a dragon a while ago." He laughed. "Not a small one either."

Olgrik took that in stride as Halvek returned with a rather short strip of paper, the Navigator asked his superior. "Did you finish hearing of their skills Olgrik?"

The Admiral nodded and let the Navigator give Scrooge the paper, the duck asked. "This must be a short list of demands from ya." Halvek answered bored. "It's as you expect, but read it all the way first." He turned to leave. "I'll get Durod and the others ready while I fetch that orb. Expect us to be ready at the end of the hour."

Olgrik nodded and oversaw. "It's a pretty straight forward contract, now if it for exploration or for us doing mercenary work for you, that might be what you envisioned."

Scrooge knew why and read carefully. "It is as is because you wish to make the most profit and you are hiring us." He squinted his eyes at some carefully laid words. "Not accountable for injuries?"

At the Land of Departure.

Wanda asked worried. "Kendry is out in an unknown world somewhere?" Ana whistled and saw Bryn around the corner, looking like she was picking up something. "And it isn't a world he been to. Lady Aqua, do you mind?" Kairi asked. "You're going to go get him?"

Ana nodded. "Someone has to and soon. For he is in great danger with that Shard." Sora had his hands behind his head in thought as Aqua agreed with the Stormcasts words, yet argued about the idea of her going. "But you don't know anything about piloting a Gummi ship and Bryn has a mind of her own."

Riku understood that and protested against the Keyblade Master going. "If it's nowhere we been, then you could be gone for a long time and we can't afford that risk. How about-" Sora spoke. "How about I go get him? Where ever he is, he can't be that far."

Exrirsa felt that was a good point. "If his signal was in an impossible length, I doubt Bryn would have been able to pick him up this early." She asked Aqua. "Shall the rest of us survey the damage and begin mending?"

Ring Ring! Riku had a call and turned it on, showing Mickey, Goofy and Donald in a water damaged park. The silver haired teenager asked. "You're majesty, what's the problem?"

Mickey answered with a hopeful smile. "Besides the water damages, Minnie finished off the Kraken and brought things back to normal. We found this after the Fiend turned back into water." Donald presented the sparkling blue object, the keybearers found it quite mysterious as Sora asked. "This is his heart?" Aqua saw the texture and felt it was accurate. "Or something like that, I only seen something similar to this. But it isn't as detailed as them." She explained. "I'm talking about the things Baldred and Jambert called Souls. Mickey, Donald, Goofy, do you mind sending this to Yen Sid?" Goofy chuckled. "We were going to do that. I think the loop broke."

Aqua smiled back to them. "It did, but we still need to make sure no one got hurt and Sora is going to do a favor for me." Kairi readied to take off for her part. "I'll check Twilight town. Riku, do you mind going back to Radiant Garden?"

The silver haired teenager didn't as Exrirsa had a realization and snap her fingers, opening a grey rift. "The towns damages and casualties need to be accounted for. Kairi, this... null rift, should take us there."

Kairi wasn't too trusting of it. "But?" Exrirsa explained. "It might unsettle you with the nothing in between, but it's certainly more reliable than a corridor and you may need more than just my word about the aftermath." Kairi felt that was a good point and asked. "Are you going to keep helping us?"

Exrirsa answered stoically. "I'll see that those like those Heretics don't terrorize the unguarded worlds. We'll... also attempt to find where Garland is hiding. That demon needs to be thwarted." A group of slithering nobodies crawled from bellow and flew into the null rift, Exrirsa gasped and almost smiled. "They are eager to go back home." She approached the rift and Kairi followed, she wished the others. "Good luck guys, I'll be back soon."

The boys wished her luck as Ana nodded. "May the damage be low." Aqua hopped so as Kairi gave a respectful bow to her and followed in the grey rift. It slowly closed away and Sora was ready to leave as he asked. "Wanda, Ana, what were those?" Wanda smiled wide and held onto the box. "Munny Ken found off the Warmachine, he gave it to me to fund a little... construction. Thirty two thousand."

Aqua whistled. "That's a lot," she advised. "remember, it needs to blend with the mountain." Wanda asked. "So a tower? A outpost like town?" The Keyblade Master approved. "Something like that, with thirty two thousand, it can go a long way."

Wanda smiled to that and wished Sora luck. "May you and Bryn have the best of luck finding him. Lad has a good heart." Sora agreed with that as Ana showed Aqua the armor. "I'm storing this in the castle, nothing this pristine is without a price."

Aqua agreed with that and recognized the pattern. "Genji armor like that? From a death machine that for all we know, Garland made? Oh, I will check to see if it is tainted." Sora asked curiously. "If its not? Is it like what you and Ven wear?"

Aqua hesitated to give a yes or a no. "Kind of, but it's armor meant for samurais. Since acquiring keyblade armor is a little more complicated than that, this could make a good blue print. It doesn't do too much, but it protects you from darkness."

Ana explained to Sora and Riku. "I know some of you might been killing for armor, but if something is too good to be true." The spiky haired teenager finished and looked at the Genji armor suspiciously. "It probably is."

Riku agreed with that. "If you're the one thinking that, then we should be careful." He was ready to take his leave. "I'll check on the town and look around any worlds we been to. He hasn't been to nearly as many as us, so he will know not to get lost."

Sora nodded and went into Brynhildr for his take off, Ana asked the Keyblade Master. "Once the armor is tucked away, I'll keep the world under watch. Wanda's men ought to be back in the lower lands. I think that silver ship ought to be around if you need him." Aqua approved of that. "He might," The Stormcast went into the castle and left Aqua to sit on the ground, exhausted from the time loop, she closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind, knowing the crisis has only begun.

Simultaneously.

Pew! Thud! Ken found himself appearing above a walk way on a street. Tap! He landed and caught the falling Star Shard, he put it in his bag and had a look around to find a rather big city. He noticed a down to his legs, puppet like rat in clothes, that tried walking by and noticed the odd boy out. Ken took the chance and asked. "Don't ask, you know where I am?"

The rodent jumped back and answered with a cockney accent. "You're in Manhattan, buddy." He looked towards the right and advised. "Head down over there and turn left when you get to the street, you'll stop being lost." He looked at the attire and asked. "You know you wouldn't fool a rat, right?"

Ken blinked and asked. "I'm not suppose to talk about this," The rat continued. "You tried this before in places far away from here and they are not always alike?" Ken realized someone in Manhattan had tossed out the World Order and gave up on hiding it. "Yes, because some of my stuff are too high tech and the obvious giveaway that I'm not from here is obvious. So now I can tell you what happened. What's your name?"

The rat looked pleased to have been asked. "Rizzo, yours is?" Ken answered. "Kendry, or Ken." Rizzo hummed surprised. "That's easy to spell." He explained how he knew a little of the worlds beyond. "My boss kind of told us something was up after Fozzies show backfired more than usual when someone tossed in an... assistant for his jokes." Ken tilted his head. "And that assistant didn't like the jokes and showed to be a violent looney, so your boss had to give him the boot?" Rizzo scratched the side of his head. "It cut the show down to five minutes. Luckley, that looney was beaten down by beary bad jokes and the boss showed him the door. You know anyone wearing black and has a helmet?"

Ken gasped and tensed. "That's the looney, you're boss sounds pretty strong to beat someone like him. I had to get something far from home because that looney was trying to break it and cause havoc. He's scared of me." Rizzo was glad for that. "So the boss would only be mild to hear about this."

Ken went the directed path and waited by a stop light, finding the side of a parking lot and seeing cars being driven by various puppets. The city had several locations of interest for living conditions and Ken looked up to the sky. "Hmm. If I can reach to the top of a building, I can try to signal to the others that I'm alright."

Rizzo wasn't even pretending that made sense and asked. "You're going to try and call your buddies?" Ken nodded and saw the street light go to green, the two walked across to the other side as the boy explained. "I could use a phone, but there is someone close to me that always knows where I'm at. If she can come for me, I'll be out of you peoples hair soon."

Rizzo hummed. "Makes a little more sense. So you know about a little problem I been having all morning?" Ken guessed. "Things happening on repeat? That's solved."

The rat nodded. "I think my boss might have had to deal with his usual morning at least three times. Ha, luckily, I came up with a good skit." Ken knew what it was about. "Doing the same thing over and over again with something different in each one?"

He looked forward to that, reached to the end of the street and reached the parking lot next to a humble if grand theater, with a sign that Ken spoke out loud.

"The Muppets."

He had a feeling that he was about to step into a show as Rizzo walked ahead of him and opened the door for him. On entering, they saw the typical workings of a theater and the rustling of various puppets managing things. Among them was a blue creature with a downward curved nose, carrying a xylophone, Rizzo wondered that the instrument was for. "Let's see what the Great Gunzo's doing for this act. Come on, he's going back stage."

Ken followed Gunzo and entered a typical back stage that was being overwhelmed by a bunch of puppets asking for various things, one of them was a chef speaking Swedish gibberish. The boy almost lost Gunzo and listened to him calling to someone. "I'll be in my rehearsal room, Kermit," A particular voice in the crowd spoke a quick one to Gunzo. "Don't break a leg, you're going to need it tonight."

Ken pushed his way through the many puppets to get an audience with the stressed out tone. "Scuss me. Trying to-" He reached past the crowd and saw a slim, green frog like puppet directing the others to where they need to go and was asked a particular question that irritated him to the point where he flailed his arms wildly. "I know we been talking about this, over and over again Harry. It's just literal this time. Have the confetti ready by tonight's big show."

A puppet, looking like a crazed black haired man in a jacket, gave a wide smile and let Kermit know he was on the job.

Ken realized this was the boss Rizzo talked about, found it hard to believe and approached. "Excuse me, can I borrow you're roof? I need to call home."

Kermit heard it, turned towards him and asked. "Why would you want to borrow a roof to call home, we got a phone booth right over-" He noticed the odd boy out of the group and looked to have a larger headache. A female blonde pig in a dress called the frog's attention. "Kermi, I'm finally here, would you believe the traffic, it's like going across the same red light."

Kermit turned to the pig and was about to blow a mental fuse. "Uh huh. Go back stag Miss Piggy, we got a ton to do." Miss Piggy felt she was being ignored. "But don't you want to hear what I've been rehearsing?" Kermit's mouth looked stiff. "Ma'am the worlds coming down already and I don't need this," Ken knew that was directed at him and Miss Piggy's jaw dropped. "Oof. I don't believe you." She growled and turned sharply, making sure Kermit was slapped in the face by the hair, knocking him to the ground as she stormed off.

Kermit got up and pointed towards a set of stairs. "Take those and you'll be at the roof. Would you give me ten minutes to sort these people out?" The stressed tone caused Ken to stiffen and for him to say. "Yes Sir."

He went to the stairs and through a short trip above, he saw all kinds of puppets juggling around props, sometimes literally. He found a door leading to the top of the roof and found a clear blue sky. He formed Cadia's Light and raised it to the sky, he closed his eyes and felt his mind calling to someone. "Bryn, could you hear me? I'm right here and I need you to come to me." He felt something flicker in his heart, like something recognized his plea, he smiled to the sky. "Thank you. I'll keep myself safe until you get here."

He relaxed and found a block to sit on, he took his bag and looked at the Star Shard, content with the borrowed time, he formed his burning keyblade and placed it on the ground, causing the Firekeeper to appear. The blind maiden smiled nervously. "Wielder of the flame, thou are'th in another pickle." Ken agreed with that. "I think Bryn's coming, it's going to depend on how far it is going to take to get here. I over did it with the fire."

The Firekeeper disagreed with that. "Thou haven't exerted enough. That devil has crossed beyond the threshold of sanity." Ken nodded. "If he just stopped, people wouldn't have to resort to doing crazy things to fight him back. This is on him." He looked to the wacky world around him. "This place ought to give me something to do if they need me. Or not."

The Firekeeper advised. "The Lord of this theater was rumored to have bested that devil, how long ago and how?" Ken spun his cybernetic finger. "He was a volcano waiting to burst. These people took knowing about the worlds well. If Kermit told them after kicking Vanitas's butt, then he has to have a big secret into doing it. Mo... Miss Aqua ought to be happy to know I'm fine." He had the embarrassing memory close to heart. "I still can't believe I said that to her."

The Firekeeper giggled and burst laughing. "Ha, it's far too late to undo that mistake ,Kendry." She slowly stopped as Ken remembered something and took out the grey flicker. "And that's going to be held over me for the rest of my life. Hey, I found this after Khary ate Tiamat, it kind of looks like a heart and a soul."

He presented it to her. "You think Garland was taking ideas?"

The Firekeeper stopped the laughter and sensed the lingering power, she smelled a dormant storm and gasped. Ken let her pick up the flickering essence and she felt more coming alive. "Thou are correct to presume this, a heart made of the elements and brought to life... yet, could it be all there is?"

Ken guessed. "The heart was made and because of how it was made, there only way to do something about it is to keep it safe or blow it out. Could... they be the key we need to find Garland?"

The Firekeeper was deep in a focus and shook her head. "No, that Fiend was an enforcer of her lords will. Where she falls, another will take her place. This dormant core, holds the secret to something, a power... possibly a weapon." Ken hummed and asked. "Just like the souls Jambert and Baldred used. But I don't need a weapon and Khary upgraded."

The Firekeeper disagreed. "The weapon is one possibility, but the transposed soul is used as a source towards many things, pyromancy, a miracle... an unbound sorcery. This power could become a part of thee and in turn, thou can teach the art." Ken gasped. "Really?" He asked. "Do... you know how to transpose it?"

The Firekeeper sighed. "I know not of how the art is done and the kiln needed is lost in the Dark. Baldred is the only one who knows." Ken pouted. "And he isn't around right now."

The Firekeeper gave the boy the core back. "Is thou going to be patient? Thou had earned the right for the power." Ken put the core away and saw the door knob turning. "Not the first time I brought back something cool and not the last time I'll get the most out of it. For now, getting home is the priority."

Click! The Firekeeper disappeared and whispered. "That will be in due time. Be well."

Ken turned to the door and found Kermit walking out backwards, yelling at what sounds like a rampant beast "I know, we got a show to run, tell Dr. Teeth we'll be on by the evening." He closed the door and exhaled. "*Huff* What an Animal." He saw Ken sitting by patiently and approached. "Alright, now. Did you call home yet?"

Ken nodded. "Bryn will be here to pick me up. It's a long story of how I got here, I had to get this," He showed the Star Shard to Kermit. "away from a psycho you might have met. If you kicked his butt alone, then the two of us will make short work of him if he shows up here. But I don't think he'll find out in time." The frog sighed, shook his head and guessed. "So you used that and thought the words, I had to get as far away from here as possible." He shrugged. "That actually makes sense."

Ken laughed nervously. "I didn't think that plan through, so I'm here by chance. I guess you figured out a while ago about other worlds?" Kermit nodded. "Just around half a decade ago when some friends of mine were getting attacked by dark creatures looking for hearts. I had to lock up the thing they were looking for and thought that be the end of that business."

The boy knew what Kermit was talking about. "During the Heartless attacks that were swallowing worlds like this in the darkness. How did you do it?" Kermit hummed, looked at the keyblades and put together a bigger picture, he swiped his right hand and caused a banjo like keyblade to form. "This came when I was leaving Mississipi a long time ago and I'd only had to use it two times. Guess I missed a call?"

Ken cringed and answered. "You might have, but at least you kept your world safe and you never had the chance to guess the bigger picture. It wasn't until Vanitas showed up and caused problems for your friends that you realized that fully?"

Kermit appreciated a good listener. "What can you do now?" Ken answered. "Keep the peace of this crazy world. Every little bit helps. I guess you had to deal with a very busy show day and were stuck in a constant loop?" Kermit nodded and was fully calmed. "It isn't easy managing these people and saying the same thing over and over again. I swear, I was going to croak."

Ken was tempted to ask. "A lot have stunts to pull and some I'm not going to get, until I see it. Do... you need help with the show?" Kermit sighed, looked down for a minute, caused the boy to predict a negative answer and looked back to him. "I'm looking for professional actors and you're not one of them. Hiring an amateur is the last thing I need right now." Ken hummed at the sting. "That isn't exactly what I meant, I mean help so the show doesn't have anymore interruptions? All kinds of crazy things are going on out there and believe me, you don't want that around here."

Kermit hummed. "Oh, in that case, you're still not hired since you needed to go home and I'm looking for those willing to commit to a career. But-" He gave Ken a yellow ticket. "you're welcome to see the show." The boy smiled and took the ticket. "If this place is that far away, then I'll be here for a whole evening. I'll still get to action if a Heartless or any freak with them shows up."

He put the Star Shard away and thanked the frog. "There is still a lot I kind of want to talk about, but I'm just traveling. I'm looking forward to the show." Kermit appreciated it. "I guess your folks are also going to try and look for you as well? If they knew how you got here?" Ken was about to answer and had an embarrassing thought. "They know and if my Teacher starts coming here with Bryn, I'm going to be regretting last night. I called her Mom by accident." Kermit listened and had a light smile. "That isn't an insult if she keeps proving that right."

Click!

The door opened and a puppet of an orange human in a green vest appeared, he had a schedule listed and told Kermit. "Fozzie's here, we're just about ready to start preparing everyone." The frog turned with a slight head ache. "I'm coming Scooter, I just finished learning something." He and the human dismissed their keyblades and went into the building, the boy looked forward to a rather entertaining evening.

At a library in Radiant Garden.

Ienzo and Even looked upon Karla in disapproval as she had a kiln of stone skin presented. The older of the two scientist asked. "If you do this, would the Lich's core cease to exist?"

Karla answered with a calm tone as the Replica kept his grudges hidden. "It would exist in another form, the irony that the Four Fiends, who sought to bring the worlds into chaos, could be used to bring tranquility." Ienzo agreed with that. "That could, but using something like a heart to achieve that?"

The Replica added his own input. "It's like how Baldred made a holy chime out of Nashandra's soul. It's the same thing except the Lich was a built figure all the way to this." He looked at the rather questionable kiln and the deed being done. "His essence could live on as what Karla makes it into and what ever it is, it's going to be convenient for me."

He noticed Xion looked behind him in jealousy and Even closing his eyes. "Very well. Karla, get it over with." The witch took the Lich's essence and placed it with in the Kiln, letting it be sucked in and twist into something of an earthen hand.

PEW!

The hand turned into a yellow glow and floated out in a spark of radiance, Karla turned to the Replica. "The grip of the earth is yours for the taking, Dupmic." The hooded boy approached, reached for the glowing orb and felt a vision in his mind, one of him gripping his left hand and causing the earth to reach out and grab nothing, it tighten its grip and sank back into the earth. He returned to reality and found a faint yellow glow fading away. "...Woah. This is a new spell." He looked at his hand and went back to the doorway, like a power was lying dormant. Ienzo looked intrigued. "And that happened so... quick. At least we know the power of the Four Fiends won't go to waist."

Karla agreed and took the odd kiln. "If the others seek to do something with them, they'll seek me." She heard someone enter the room and turned to find Riku, she gave an awkwardly, stoic, wide tooth smile. "Are you here to know of the Lich's fate?"

Riku nodded and looked at the disguised Replica, both impressed and astonished. "I was worried that was actually a heart being used. It's pretty close as an essence, but it isn't a true heart." He exhaled. "I heard from the Committee, that someone took down the Lich and the earthquakes stopped for good." He smiled wide to the Replica. "Nice work, Baldred knew what he was talking about."

The fake tried to hide his panic and asked. "Baldred leaving really did break the Loop? Where is he now?" Riku answered and noticed the slight change in behavior. "He is in the realm of Chamon with Ven, Stitch and Scrooge. They'll be back with a way to beat Garland, we had... someone try to stop that plan and it resulted in a friend of ours being lost in a world. Speaking of which, you seen a blonde kid with a cyber arm anywhere?"

Xion gasped as the Replica stopped his fear. "How did that happened to Ken?" Riku answered back with a little optimism. "He used a Star Shard to escape to another world with it. The source of the Realmgates power. I had a hunch he wasn't here, but it didn't hurt to ask. Are you okay?"

The Replica found that as his chance to leave. "Yeah, I just need a little time to think about what I just tapped into, what ever was the Lich isn't that anymore and now I'm stuck with it." Riku had a small look at the witch and warned him. "As long as it isn't Chaos, Darkness or some of the really dangerous things, I think you're fine. Thanks for the help."

The Replica faked a smile and left with Xion, Riku took his chance to ask the witch. "I'm going to assume you turned the last of the Lich's power into that spell. Since he is an elemental-"

Karla answered with an explanation. "He lives on as the power of the earths grip. The Fiends have expired, their souls... or cores no longer feel anything. I suppose it's a little better than transposing a more natural soul."

She noticed two people arriving, Ienzo recognized them and waved hello. "Isa, Lea, is Twilight Town safe now?" Lea caught his breath and signaled that it was. "Marilith wouldn't stop fighting. We found this." Isa showed the flickering core of fire, Karla smiled in spiteful envy. "So the Fiend of Flame has been reduced to this?"

Isa saw the foreboding Kiln and barked. "And you're not going to touch this." He presented it to Even. "Can we figure out what it is?"

The scientist took the core and wondered. "From what we saw with the other one, it's not quite a heart. It's part of an elemental and it's the most useful." Karla took her kiln and agreed. "And I suppose there is more useful knowledge to be had from these wonders. Whether you change your mind or not, will bring you no scorn from me." She smiled content and as Lea found the easy acceptance to be odd. "Are you up to something?"

The Witch nodded. "I am, but it shouldn't concern you that much any time soon." She left and Riku felt there was one more thing to ask from her, he explained to the four. "If you heard about what she did to help, then you'll know it's true. What info she passed onto Baldred, he passed on to me and it shouldn't be your problem."

Lea cringed and asked. "That thing Lauriam and Elrena was talking about? How something like a... Black Legion might happen again if nothing's done? It really sucked for the guys lost to that war."

Riku almost dropped his mouth as Ienzo asked his guest. "Lea, we're not suppose to talk about that." The young scientist explained. "It's the reason these two and their gang at town are working for us. What Karla told Baldred, has everything to do with stopping the Forces of Chaos for good?"

Riku nodded. "And what was suggested is pretty asinine, but it makes some sense. I'm not telling any of you, but we need two things." Isa tried not to guess and felt himself drained. "Something you never wanted to touch again and this... Baldred is not having any real answers to get?"

Riku answered a former enemy. "It's the one reason why I trust him about the topic, he admits its dangerous." Ienzo realized what it is. "We need the power of Light and Darkness?"

The adults found that reveal insane as the boy sighed. "The ultimate order, two opposites in balance. But name one wielder of pure Darkness that would actually care to help us." The four couldn't and proven Riku's point. "We're going to learn more about the Thirteen fragments of Darkness. That's all I'm giving you." He was ready to take off. "Oh, Lea, Isa, thanks for saving Twilight Town. Tell the others that when you go back."

He left and Ienzo tried to return back to the subject. "It's going to get dire if that is what they have to do. Now, this would mean the Fiend of Fire is no longer our issue, this could mean Water and Wind are in the same position now." Even agreed with that. "But something like this repeating soon is a certainty, Garland has access to more powers beyond that."

Out of the Castle.

The Replica sat down on a bench and crouched to calm his nerves. "That was way too close," Xion agreed with that and asked. "But now Ken's lost. We got to do something." The Replica asked. "But what?! We don't know squat about where he is and we don't have a Gummi Ship to use."

Xion puffed her cheeks and noticed Karla leaving with her Kiln. "...Maybe she knows a way we can find him. After last night, I really want to find him." She followed without the Replica's permission, the boy gasped, looked to his shadow to find a mutual feeling and followed Xion. "Hey, wait."

Xion ignored her brother and followed Karla into a passage down in the towns underbelly. She followed the foot steps all the way to a dead end, where she found Karla greeting two goblins and a spider, feasting on scraps of meat that were cooked over a fire while the spider sucked away at a thick hunk of a beef rump. "You stole from the butcher shop again, Stingy Bites?" The savage chief tore a piece and snickered. "The dummy left the back door wide open and we took what we'z wants."

Venom Dancah laughed maniacally as Karla looked tempted. "The loop has left me drained." She stepped to a wall and turned sharply, looking directly at Xion and a caught up Replica. "So drained that I would go for a couple little morsels that came skittering."

Xion knew that was a bluff and approached, earning the attention of the savage trio. "Not funny, Karla, a friend of mine is lost and we have no way of finding him. Do... you know a way?"

The witch smiled widely to her. "Perhaps, you're heart's wants would be the perfect guide, but such a short cut would leave you prey to the monsters of the Abyss. Those with far less restraint than I." She spun her finger out the passage way. "I'm certain you're friend would return safely, he has the strength of heart to wield the Flame and feed it well the Darkness that surrounded it. He has many that would search the ends of the lanes for him if needed."

Xion knew she was being shoo'd away and put her foot down. "So? We fought dark things before and we got out of a dark place when we could. I owe Ken that much for bothering as he did." The Replica whispered. "Xion." The girl turned to her brother. "I'm tired of having to lie to him and I'm tired of seeing you having to lie for me. If we don't take these steps to show him the truth, how are we going to face everyone?"

The Replica realized. "This is why you're doing it even knowing help is on his way?" He felt that was a good opportunity and placed his hand under his chin, ignoring the grots that saw something in the boys shadows and chose to ignore him and his sister. "This could be a good chance to meet them, little by little." He turned to Karla and gave a smug smile. "You're trick didn't work, Karla. Do you have a minute, we need to get something."

Karla knew what that something was and waved her hand. "Oh, those coats aren't needed." She took a small, bristle like effigy and twiddle it between her fingers. "For there are many dark path's beyond one, all with their own little dangers."

The Replica asked. "You're about to open a way into the Abyss? Not just ordinary corridor? It isn't the energies from this one we need to fear. But actual monsters?"

Karla nodded. "Fortunately, most of the dwellers of the Abyss are long dead. But the strongest among them could still linger, looking for youths like you." She used her free hand and caused a swarm of insects to fly around. "Boy, you'd already proven yourself capable of the Dark, but you're sister has yet to learn how to truly use it."

PEW!

A barrier formed to block the Replica away from his sister and block the audience away from interfering, Xion felt herself trapped as Karla's cheerful attitude turned to an unforgiving, cold stare. "If you cannot reach what's with in, you will have no hope of fighting what surrounds you."

She spun her insect riddled hand and caused the insects to fly at Xion in a spin, the girl jumped out of the way and dashed to Karla. The Witch stepped aside and dodged the girls swings, she countered with a point blank swarm of insects, Xion flipped backwards to dodge and flipped, she formed her keyblade in lightning and flung it at Karla. The Witch side jumped and cast the same spell of insects, she caused a odd shade to appear and hold onto the keyblade, Xion tried to focus and felt something keeping her weapon from returning. She glared at Karla. "So this is your lesson?"

The witch nodded. "As much as you adore the light, it would aid you naught here and the Darkness around you will stain your heart. You are alone." She formed a dark sword and smugly asked. "What can a child do against one of the Dark? What can you do to stop me from doing this?"

She dashed to the girl and slashed the dark blade, Xion jumped back and felt a gnawing urge to fight back. She dodged another slash of darkness and felt insects buzzing around her, she jumped back away from the witch and posed with her hands reaching sideways, the insects circled around her hands and she yelled as she threw forward, flinging a cloud of insects at the witch that formed a twisted barricade to block the insects. Xion puffed her cheeks and focused her hand on her wedged keyblade, something yanked the blade away from the shade and caused it to return to her hand.

Karla made a dash to Xion and was parried by the blade, the dark dissipated and scattered to the barrier, causing it to vanish in an instant. The witch regained her balance and clapped to the girl. "Ha, ha, what a fierce heart."

Xion looked at her free hand and scoffed. "You wanted me to use that. What was it?" Karla answered as she approached the center of the room with the effigy in hand. "A miracle of the Deep. A resting place for such abhorrent, ever starving, monsters. The insects are drawn to such a hunger and they seek to Gnaw."

Xion listened and felt a horror in her heart. "They are drawn when I had it with something? A bunch of hungry insects that will-" She cringed. "Karla... that's brutal."

The Witch nodded. "Such are the ways of the Dark Sorcereries and the Dark Miracles. You proven to be strong enough to wrestle my grip away from you're blade with your own want."

Xion barked at her. "Because I wasn't going to let no darkness keep my keyblade away from-" She stopped "..." her eyes widened in shock. "This is what you meant by reaching with in."

The Replica watched and approached. "She wasn't trying to have you use Darkness to get that keyblade back. She was trying to have you push that Dark away and take it back. Something... you wanted anyways. That's... how Baldred was able to use Darkness."

Xion felt that quite disturbing. "That gives a whole new meaning to the Darkness in our hearts. It's the catalyst... and how it can still affect our hearts if we depend on it."

Karla agreed with that. "It would draw envy to the devils that lurk around you, you are dependent on yourself, not them and they would try to make you dependent." The siblings found that made sense, the Replica scratched the back of his head. "It's scary how it is used. So Xion, I guess you know a new Miracle... congrats... I guess."

Xion heard the less than enthusiastic tone and felt it a lesson to learn. "This wouldn't help against something like the Heartless. But people will know what Gnaw would do to them if the insects touch them. Once they do, they'll think twice before trying to kidnap us again. This can kill them and anyone would fear for their lives."

Karla dropped the effigy and let it be swallowed in darkness, a white circle glowed around her and darkness enveloped her. "And is this what Baldred been trying to warn you about?" The Replica felt like a part of him quit cold turkey. "We stop thinking about protecting someone or ourselves and we starting thinking about how someone can get hurt by this. I think that's a difference not to ignore."

Xion agreed with that. "That's the true terror, would there be anything left in the Dark to fight? Or will someone else be going in there to stop us?" The cowardly grot leaders backed away from the children, Stingy Bites laughed nervously. "Eh... we'ze shouldn't think about that." Venom Dancah hid behind Skits and pleaded. "T...take that gnaw gnaw and throw it at some Ratmen... n...not at us. We'ze friends for now." The two grots nodded to each other as the spider kept a guard of the two and flicked its mandibles.

Karla let the dark drag her in and extended her hand. "Come, you're friend awaits." The siblings watched the witch disappear and went to the rift, Shadey emerged from the shadow and looked at the two like they were doing something reckless. They noticed themselves sinking into the ground and felt their instincts telling them to try and jump out, they bit their tongue and let themselves go in, total darkness filled their vision and they felt themselves on solid ground, a cave appeared before their eyes. A simple, ordinary looking cave, Shadey noticed Karla awaiting them and looked to be asking something, the witch answered. "Oh this is certainly the Abyss, a Dark Chasm that is connected to the one my Father created. Did you suspect anymore than this?"

The Replica looked around and slowly took the lead, finding a pond of clear water to his left and a path to the right, he looked to the right and felt an aura of determination call to something. "I... guess not. If we follow that feeling, we'll find where our friend is."

Shadey took the form of a lean dog and followed, keeping a close guard and sniffing, catching a whiff of fresh air and guiding, the three followed the canine down a ledge and into a forked path that looked like pillars connecting to civilization. Shadey went to the left and lead to a scone that glittered with light. The arid heat of a desert radiated from the scone and the creature shook his head, going past it and finding a hall way of stone, with a platform on the end he entered and a long chasm ahead. Karla, Xion and the Replica entered, the children felt they understood what the scone is and Xion asked. "If we light the scone... that would open the way into another world?"

The Replica saw a switch to step on and caused the platform to move forward as Karla answered cheerfully. "So long as we are to travel far. We have to follow the Id spawn's nose." Shadey looked at Karla upon being called that and the witch wasn't apologizing. "You are, what you are and you are as loyal of a companion as the boy you were born from."

The platform stopped at a door way to the right, it gave no smell, the Replica put his foot on the switch again. "We were called worse, Shadey. It's strange how this place doesn't feel... dangerous."

Xion felt there was a reason for that. "Because there isn't a heartless in sight and this was something Karla made. But there is a problem here." Karla answered that. "Those are not the monsters you would find here, but what else would lurk in the Dark. Although the corrupted would make a home here if they were able to."

The Replica agreed with that. "Because it's still Darkness. Just not the kind that the Heartless are." The still darkness gave the children an odd feeling of uncertainty, the Replica confessed. "It's knowing that there is something in here a long with us and not knowing what it might be that gives me the creeps. At least we can see where we are going though."

Xion counted that blessing as the platform stopped by a door way to the left, Shadey smelled something and walked past it, finding an underground lake with a stretch of rocky road. The girl whistled. "Until we find it, it's just us. Is this what Baldred see's in the Dark?"

Karla followed them and marveled at the sights as the Replica answered his sister. "This is the truth he talks about. We're the ones in here and were here for a purpose." Shadey kept leading into the vast unknown, what would they find?

In a Bistro in Twilight Town.

Kairi took out a pan of a grape filled, flan like dish from an oven, an eager rodent on her head didn't even need to pull a single thread of hair. She waited for the dish to cool and sighed. "Luckly the fire damage wasn't too bad. Until Scrooge gets back though, some of the broken things are going to take a while to replace. This clafoutis sounded pretty good."

The rodent agreed and gave Kairi a thumbs up for her hard work, he jumped off as the Princess felt content with what to say. "I'm just glad the worst that happened was a few people got lightly singed, but a couple of my friends are on that crazy trip and another student teaching under master is missing." The clafoutis cooled, Kairi and Little Chef worked together to divide it up and get them on a tray. The princess went outside to where her trio of friends were talking something of unimportance at a table. She placed it down and sat with them. "This is certainly new. Thanks for helping beat Marilith, sorry that I had to leave this to you."

Olette didn't mind that. "It worked in breaking the loop, did it?" Kairi felt that was a good point as Pence asked. "At least we can have a break from that, what else happened?"

Kairi answered as she scooped a piece of the clafoutis with a spoon. "Master Aqua had Ken escape with an important item. Ken had to use it to do so and disappeared into another world. Sora and Bryn are following a trail while Riku searches in familiar worlds, I'll be doing that myself."

Olette gasped in worry. "Is there anything more you know about where he is?"

Kairi nodded. "He sent a signal that Bryn picked up, but we're just trying to be sure so we don't get worried for nothing." Olette went to take a bite of the treat and relaxed. "How soon was that?"

Kairi smiled and gave good news. "Only a couple minutes after the thing ended. He's more than fine." Olette calmed down fully as Hayner spoke the last of the news. "Some of those guys went off with something that came from Marilith. They went to Radiant Garden if we heard it right."

Kairi wondered what that was. "I think the Four Fiends were elementals, that thing could be of the raw stuff they were made from." Pence theorized. "Maybe who ever picked that elemental core up could do something cool with them. I also don't think Garland is done."

Kairi agreed with that. "He has more power where that came from, that's why Ven and the others need to hurry, Garland might be preparing worse." She finished the topic and went to something more pleasant. "Any of you had odd dreams last night? That park did a number on us." Hayner tapped his fingers. "Kind of, but they were hard to remember. I think it was about a night sky and-"

At the Mysterious Tower.

Yen Sid was taken aback by the elemental core and Aqua's story. "And now that the loop is broken, work's finally getting done." Goofy and Donald felt nervous at the looming crisis as the wizard placed his hands together. "Such an escape was wise, it seems you're students have reached quite a feat."

Aqua appreciated the compliment. "Ana is starting to go from a powerful warrior into someone I think might break the barrier of the worlds, but Kairi and Ken reached another threshold. I think one of my students found something I should study for a... surprise. It looks like Genji Armor."

Mickey knew what the idea was. "I heard of that kind of armor and you're going to use it to learn about something?" Aqua nodded. "I think all four of those kids might like this. I can't thank Sora enough and Riku's done a lot as well to help. The problem now is we don't know of the Genji Armor is cursed or not, it came from a Warmachine guarding Tiamat."

Mickey agreed that it was suspicious. "And that's what you're going to figure out before you start." He turned to the wizard and asked. "Master, what does this elemental core mean?" Yen Sid answered with a concern. "It is an attempt to recreate a heart, reflecting the behaviors of the heart and using the power of the elements to take form. This is how the Four Fiends acted beyond the likes you haven't seen from their kind and how they commanded something such as a Heartless." Aqua gasped and asked as she looked at the core. "He is doing that? Then how is the core now?" Yen Sid answered. "It is reduced to a primal element, for now, it will in safe keeping until we find something to do with it." He asked about a particular subject. "What will you do when Sora retrieves your lost student? For Garland will try this again." Aqua folded her arms and tapped at her right arm. "I... don't know, it's up to Ven and the other's to-" She blinked. "You don't think Garland would try... stopping them? The Realm's are out of our jurisdiction." Goofy shook his legs at the thought. "Gwarsh, I think when Garland traveled back in time, we might have came close to meeting him on Olympus. He stopped time and caused Archaon and the Varanguard to vanish." Donald felt a chill. "If he could do that, he could find a way over there. But-" Aqua finished. "But there are entities in the Realms far more powerful than he is and he would go down like a chump if he shows up there. He's going to send something else over there to do it." She gritted her teeth with worry and shook her head to dismiss it. "It's nothing Ven and the other's can't handle. I just hope Baldred doesn't get reckless," Mickey hoped not. "That spell of his completely cut Vanitas off from his powers besides using his keyblade. For a dark hex, that's... powerful." Aqua shivered to that. "Baldred really was backing up his claims. A hex that blocks all energy, including darkness, there's a catch to that."

Donald agreed. "Something that powerful takes time to prepare and if he isn't careful, it won't be there when he needs it. We're not talking about how it is dark anymore." Aqua knew the reasons why the hex was dark. "It comes from wanting to take power away from others, for any reason. That's why he used it on that swindler back in his world and probably murdered her after that." Yen Sid wanted silence on the matter. "A different breed of Dark, is still Dark. I pray for Ven's safety, for aid is going to be few and far between."

In a crystal castle

A rift of Darkness opened up and let out a four armed, winged demon that lost a normally calm demeanor. The Spirit of Discord closed the rift and held in two hands, dim hearts that gave a glow in the realm of light, on the left was a heart that had a slight flicker of darkness and cold, on the right were two hearts that were bound in a lightning teether. The demon approached his throne, turned around and placed the hearts down, he flapped backwards on his seat and planned. "So, they broke my cycle and bested my Four Fiends? I was certain I perfected creating life."

The three hearts fluttered to life and looked to be longing something, the Spirit of Discord formed two mirrors that seemed lively, one glowing in ice, the other in lightning and called them to the reflection. "Yet, a heart is naught something that comes from nothing. Naught something one can mimic. Hearts of a dark world, long passed, come to the mirrors, what were thou?"

Pew!

A swarm of twenty, predestined, knife talon heartless soldiers materialized and made a sprint to the hearts. The Spirit of Discord found it a convenience and clapped his hands together to roar. "Begone, these hearts are mine." A cloud of electromagnetic energy engulfed and obliterated the heartless swarm, leaving behind hearts that floated away, save for four. They floated to the Spirit of Discords hands, the one in the upper left was surrounded by earthy fumes, the one in the upper right was enveloped in water, the one in the lower left blew in wind and the one in the lower right sparked in fire. "These could be the vessels I seek." He had the hearts float to the corners of the room, the earth infused heart reached to the upper left and was engulfed in poisonous gas, the water infused heart went to the upper right and was engulfed in a tide of water pushing back and forth, the wind infused heart went to the lower left and was engulfed in a tornado and the fire infused heart went to the lower right and was engulfed in an inferno.

The mirrors the other two hearts were presented to took shape, before the frosted heart looked like a woman in a nuns attire, the woman had light black hair, purple eyes and a scythe. Before the two hearts was a blue feathered, bird like dragon and a large armored warrior in cloaked armor and what looked to be a crown, the warrior had long, wild white hair, a near deathly face with hollowed eyes hidden in cloak and a massive spear on his right hand. The demon felt the power of ice and lightning towards the hearts most representative and watched bodies form in a glow of life. Matching what reflected, the demon was most amused. "A holy Sister that gave in to the cold dark and a King that formed an everlasting bond with a dragon? So the hearts of that husk of a world use to belong to those of greatness? No wonder the Castle chose to reflect upon that world's youth in its last hours."

The Spirit of Discord raised his hands in the air and focused powers of lightning, decay, fire, life, savagery, metal, light and shadow, causing a rift of energy to open in the exit way. The heart's bodies gave off a shine and solidified into corporeal forms, the woman fell on her knees as the dragon went limp and the king waddled in a daze. The Spirit of Discord saw a case of resurrection sickness and took it as his chance to snap his fingers and caused a crystal to flicker on their chests "Champions of the Dead World, you will serve me as I see fit. Before I send you to a Realm beyond, what are you're names?"

The dazed King gave a chilling glare at the demon and crackled in lightning. "Thou are a fool to assume command over me and the King of Storms. Thou are brazen to ask of my name." He took his spear and enveloped himself in wind, ready to charge the demon.

PEW!

The King rushed at the Demon, the Spirit of Discord grabbed the spear with his four hands and calmly asked. "Refrain from doing that again, for as of now, you're hearts are mine." Flip!

He flew the King back, the dragon caught its companion with its back and shrieked, the King tapped on the back of its head and whispered. "No old friend." He looked to the demon and asked. "And you allow us to speak freely for you're own amusement? Knowing it doesn't matter much?"

The Spirit of Discord nodded. "And because you're hearts allow you greater free will. You will aid me in plunging the Worlds in an endless cycle of Disharmony and it will begin with in the realms beyond."

The woman stood upward and looked even less amused than the King. "And why does thou wish this from us? Ye has better business than flinging nameless wretches into places we do not belong." The Spirit of Discord laughed to the more passive rebel. "Perhaps, but you were the next step towards something far more powerful than the four creations of mine."

The mirrors merged into one and showed a temple with in a thorny jungle, the Spirit of Discord was astonished. "This is where a great war is to come?" The Mirror shot the image into the rift as the four hearts enveloped in odd bodies. The mirror switched to the image a spiky haired blonde boy having a rather friendly conversation with a furry blue dog, a duck person in wealthy clothes, an undead warrior leaning against a wall and a dwarven man in steam punk armor. The demon ordered. "These seek the means to disrupt me and return harmony to the worlds. If they are allowed to return to these worlds, that will be my undoing." He extended his claw. "You are to see that they never return home. Perhaps that jungle holds the clue."

The King stilled at the sight of the knight and asked. "Any mortal could achieve the rank of a god. Do thou care not for how it is done?"

The Demon answered. "It will be as you decide. Now, what is your name?"

The King laughed bitterly. "Name? I forgotten that a long time ago. Perhaps it was when I found the Storm King, during my Father's war against the Dragons." He looked at the woman who was giving him a hostile glare. "I refused to aid him in that genocide and a scaleless traitor undid nearly them all. My Father never sought to confront me, did he abandoned me?"

The woman answered with a cold breath. "You're name was never engraved among the gods of Londo." She gave the Nameless King a bow of respect. "You're Father has robbed us both. I am Elfriede, or Friede." She informed the demon. "I am only doing this to give company to the Nameless One. Thou are creating more willing servants for thy cause?"

The demon nodded and looked upon the bodies, one was a brown, green haired, malformed, zombie like corpse, one was blue turtle with a human like face, one was a barely covered woman with long blonde hair and the last was a pale humanoid in a red cloak with blue spots. "They will have another task. To bring me four mighty warriors from the Realms, if you returned to your rest sooner than I desire and the Warriors of Harmony return to find a way into Pandemonium, they will be undone."

The red cloaked creature came to life on listening and approached the two to ask. "Have they accomplished this before?"

The Spirit of Discord was impressed by the more free willed elemental and answered. "Many times they repelled the Chaos with in the worlds. That will be why you and the other three Archfiends will hand pick the greatest Warriors you could find. With that, the Cycle will begin a new."

The red cloaked Archfiend disapproved of such a plan. "To force them to serve against there will? Why not have us assault the worlds instead?"

The demon answered. "For their presence upon worlds they do not belong, would be enough to disrupt the harmony and should the protectors free them, they will never fully mend the chaos. I will see to their service being well spent, are we to argue more?"

The Archfiend shook his head and knelt. "No master," The turtle like monster laughed and crawled at his new life. "Mwahahahaha! This will be fun master." The corpse hissed and noticed a yellow cloak next to him, he covered himself and approached. "But why?"

The blonde woman came to life and looked at the cloaked Archfiend with a sinister smirk, she laughed like the wind. "Ha, ha, ha, ha. Is a reason needed?"

The Nameless King shook his head as Friede drew out a second scythe, one that looked to be made of ice. The red cloaked Archfiend felt it was mutual and risen up. "I suppose not, for once the fires of war are unleashed, the reasons are cast into the icy depths of Hell. I, Rubicante, will ensure that is done."

The blonde woman calmed herself and thought of her name. "I, Barbaricca, will sweep these fools in an endless storm of discord."

The turtle smiled maliciously. "These foolish men will bow before Cagnazzo or be as drowned as I."

The cloaked undead growled in spite. "Their blighted hearts will be ferried out of this life by me, Scarmiglone."

Friede sighed and turned to the demon. "Such is the will of darkened hearts." The King of Storms whimpered at what was happening as the Nameless King saw the gate way calling. "The nature of men never changes, what have these hearts become?" The Demon introduced himself properly. "You may refer to me as Discord, so they would not be so confused. May you sow wondrous strife upon the world."

By the Muppet Theater.

Ken finished a hearty breakfast at a diner and enjoyed the goofy antics of the puppets. Ring! Ring! Ken looked at the number on his gummi phone, found it belonging to Bryn and had his thumb on an answer button. "Bryn must want me to be surprised that someone is coming to get me."

Blip.

He gave a sweet smile and saw who was on the other end of the call, he dropped his phone in disbelief and pick it up to find a cheerfully smiling Sora. The spiky haired boy looked glad to see him and spoke. "Bryn got you're signal and I'm on the way, how are you holding?"

Ken swallowed and answered. "W...well, I end up in a pretty weird world of puppets and I found a good signal spot as soon as I can." He flipped the phone over to an orange skin, red haired monster eating toast in a sloppy manner, a blue eagle looked at the disgusting manners appalled and shook his head. "Animal!"

The puppet turned to the eagle and asked like that was his name. "Huh?"

Ken moved the screen back to him and saw Sora bewildered. "It's a long story, but this world's pretty low maintenance and doesn't really need us. Thanks for coming for me, it means a lot."

Sora rubbed his nose and focused on the subject. "Ha, no problem. I bet it's good to take a break from all the fighting, I heard what you did." Ken didn't regret it. "I was in a rush and that psycho asked for it." He sparked an idea. "Hey, how far away are you?"

Sora nervously answered. "Uh... I have no idea." Ken hummed. "Well, don't rush it, you like surprises? There is something around here that I think you might like and I gotten a ticket for free." Sora saw something blink and agreed with the ship. "What... is it?" Ken answered. "It's a surprise for a reason, it starts at the evening and it could be worth a couple laughs."

Sora realized what it is. "It's a show?" The one armed boy nodded and was trying to forget who he was talking to. "That's the surprise, it's a theater. If I go get another ticket and you come late, would you mind watching it with me?"

Sora didn't hesitated. "Sure, its already pretty far from where I'm use to going." Ken didn't believe that worked. "Really?!" He blushed. "I over did it when I took the shard far away from home. Anything else happened?"

Sora answered with some uncertainty. "Not much besides some of the towns going back to normal. It's all up to Ven and the others now."

Ken looked uncertain himself. "I hope things go well for them, they out of our contact reach." Sora asked. "Hey, I heard you were the one who found the Genji armor, anything else you found?"

Ken reached for his bag and showed off the elemental core. "All that's left of the Fiend of Wind. Me and the Firekeeper talked about this and I'm keeping this with me until we can turn it into something we can use." He saw the time. "I'll make sure nothing... odd happens, this call is kind of going on for a while."

The spiky haired boy agreed with that. "I'll be there as soon as I can, keep yourself safe." Ken spun an imaginary pistol. "I will, thank you both."

He pressed his thumb and saw a puppet with a bill for him, the boy cheered. "Yes!"