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?

59. Blowing in the Cold Dark

In a dock in Barak Zilfin, Ven and Stitch were on top of a large, yellow and blue boat that had a strange metal blimp, it has maintained by a thirteen dwarven crew. Olgrik gave orders to three "Gundbren, take the wheel, Brin, you get the privilege of manning the great sky canon. Halvek, I don't need to tell you what to do." The rank and file Duradin saluted, Gundbren went to the back of the boat and manned the wheel. "Aye, aye captain."

Brin eagerly sat in the turret and pressed a few buttons. "Them Orruks and Ogors will be pummeled to bits if they even set their greedy eyes upon us." Halvek climbed up to the crows nest and looked upon the smaller Frigate that has an Endrinmaster with a metal blimp like backpack. He gave orders to him. "Durod, stay behind Ol' Bountiful and see that our fleet gets repairs when they can. You're in charge of where the engrineers repair, got it?"

Durod understood as six similarly suited Duradin hitched a ride underneath the Frigate. "We got us far before, we'll be back in time for some hazkal brew for the crew." Ven wondered what that meant as Olgrik had a look at the obvious teenager. "Eh... you're younger than the lass I heard of?"

Ven answered that. "Technically, yes. You were talking about booze?" Olgrik appreciated the intelligent boy. "Then you ought to ignore that."

A Duradin with a nozzle like weapon helped a seven man squad of duradin with rifles and one with an odd, nozzle weapon on board, Baldred and Scrooge climbed on board as the boats crew had the Aerial Ultilizer prepared for flight. Two smaller boats were docked by two of the gun hauling Duradin and Stitch sprouted four arms and an antenna, he took out four laser guns and asked. "Pew pew?" Halvek looked down and nodded. "If it isn't the crew, anyone that the crew isn't shooting or your friends, light em up." The Duradin, with the nozzles, gave Scrooge and Baldred a face mask for something and Ven and Stitch were tossed something, gas masks, Olgrik explained. "You're going to be in the air and you don't want some of this stuff in your lungs. This is going to be a long flight, so listen carefully. We are setting sail to a Realmgate called the Transmutating Maw, it will lead us close enough to the jungle, if the local Skaven aren't fighting over it, it will be a quick sail into the Realm of Ghur. That will be when new problems will arise, there are flying beasts high in the sky in the realms and big ones."

Ven got the rest. "That's when you want us to give it everything we got, if we don't run into the Skaven going in?" Olgrik nodded. "And if there is any Skaven, we're blasting those ratmen out of the way. I assume you're friends warned you about them?" Ven nodded. "They have, Aqua said they get taken over by the Darkness way too easily than I'm okay with, while Riku and Mickey said they are just... evil. If they only ever hate each other, then they will attack us..." His face looked disturbed. "Because."

Halvek agreed with that. "We might need ya help if there is something they got that Ol' Bountiful or the A.U wouldn't like, that's when we need you to jump straight into the back lines and blow their machines up. We've heard that its normally Clan Skyre's and Clan Verminus infesting that gate. One clan has the most hazardous technological junk you'll burn your eyes on and the other is just rats. It's the radiation shining junk that can blow up an Ironclad. Jararr ought to be giving Mr. Duck something to help handle the rats and all that mumbo jumbo Baldred speaks of means he can throw things at them as well."

Ven looked to find Jararr giving Scrooge a bunch of bronze bombs, Baldred jingled his chime and showed his bone staff off. Olgrik was proud of his prediction as Halvek saw a beep, pressed something and nodded. "Alright." He yelled down. "Admiral, the crews all set. We're on your order." Olgrik nodded and stood firmly. "Set the sails, let's get to work." The boats unbound from the air docks and dropped out of the Skyport, they adjusted to the south and flew towards that. The guests finished putting on their gas masks on and felt the wind of an adventure blow. Ven and the group looked bellow to find a world of iron, glistening rivers and even sights of a copper forest caught them by surprise, Scrooge almost lost his hat in shock at a particular mountain of gold. "Hoo, they weren't kidding when they spoke tales of this Realm having all sorts of metals."Baldred agreed with that. "The stuff to make the finest weapons and armor is like fruit here." Jararr corrected him. "Nah, that would be the Grove of Steel to the east of ere if your looking for blades. The Titanium Sea is a whole different story." Scrooge knew how that was harvest. "And there is a big fishing dock instead of a mine over there?" Jararr cringed. "Eh... there was an Umgi... or human port until a Tzeentch warband caught wind and turned the sea into a nest of monsters. If you want Titanium from there, you ought to being canons, lot's of canons." Scrooge and Baldred stared awkwardly, the warrior coughed. "R...right, well it's a blessing we don't have to go there today." The duck agreed. "That would have been a distraction." Jararr thought about it. "Although, it is a good place for aether gold, but so is the area near the Transmuting Maw." He noticed the fleet reaching past the horizon of the floating continent and across the void, the visitors realized fully that they were in an alien world.

In a Tower of Glistening Platinum.

Ztardon pleaded to observant, lightly pink spear wielding Tzaangor. "I beseach, you're tribe and you're master would greatly enjoy the change of conquest. Beyond a tower and instead, find many realms to hold dominion." A Tzaangor with a torch stared at the Shaman and answered. "You come from a universe parrallel from ours and begun you're existence under the gaze of Sorcerers, longing to be a part of Tzeentch's grand schemes. To lead many into his machinations... into you're machinations." The enlightened Tzaangor to the left warned Ztardon. "Zonir, won't surrender his lordship and he is the prize you desire." The right most opened the door. "Who would be our lord, second only to you're master, depends on your words. You could very well perish, trying to earn your keep."

Ztardon agreed with that. "*Squawk* I need no foresight to hold sway," He dismissed his disc and stepped to the door. "My fate is sealed when I cross, I hope we meet again. Enlightened ones."

The Shaman stepped through and found a pristine, mystical throne room, adorn with an odd collection of right hands mounted on walls, those of various species, mutated or not. In the back was a throne glowing in blue fire, a massive, red human like minotaur, with glowing magenta runes, sat upon the throne, his right hand held a staff of with the skull of a Tzaangor Shaman, eyes burning in matching magenta, like it was pleading to the intruder to run. THUD! The door behind Ztardon closed on his own and the Ogroid looked upon his staff with a mocking tsk. "No Tarthux, I know what this competitor seeks."

He stood up and made it a clear point to Ztardon of how large he is, revealing a grey mane going down his back. He asked. "Such a persuasive tongue, to convince the tribe to let him pass, deserves a chance." His eyes glowed in magenta as he asked Ztardon. "We shall play a game, one you have already agreed to play when you entered." The Shaman felt his legs shaking and he pressed his staff down. "V...very well, it seems simple, yet it is more of the mind?" Zonir laughed to the Tzaangor. "precisely and you need not to even look into the future to know." He took a first step. "Convince me, why you are to be my lord, before I reach over there and sever your mind from your body." He made a second step. "And I need no sorcery for that."

Ztardon cawed back. "I offer a chance for you to reach beyond this small kingdom; that would one day trade its form and its owners, for another. A realm of many worlds and to peer into the hearts of others. What truly lurks in all, devoted to the Raven Lord or not? Those tied to Chaos or Order... what makes them alike?" Zonir made more steps and asked. "By simply slaying you, add a hand of such a paradoxical being to my collection and impressing your master?"

He gave a wide, fanged smile as Ztardon shook his head. "No, by proving to him and to those that defy us, what unites us towards the goal of standing above the Forces of Order. What unites a fantasy and a reality into one?"

Zonir gasped and hurried his approach, not wishing to lose his game. "You speak of my feats as a fantasy?! What of yours?" Ztardon answered that smugly. "Yours are a fantasy to me as mine is to you. A realm of science and war." Zonir was impressed by the enlightened mindset and kept approaching. "As is a realm of magic and Kingdoms that change on a whim. What of the fantasy you wish to guide my heard towards?"

Ztardon knew he had the game at it's end. "One of worlds much like the Realms, bound to what is with in us all along. Where magic and science intermingle, would you be able to understand the complexity of such a realm? Would I be able to understand it?" Zonir thought of it and gave a twitch from his left eye, Ztardon found his chance and asked. "Could there be a way for my heard and yours to... have a connection? To achieve a greater enlightenment that the Lord of Ravens wishes for us to find?"

Zonir stopped, a couple steps away from reaching Ztardon's neck. "There is and for that, you have a greater enlightenment towards the cosmos than I." He knelt in defeat. "Show us the way."

Ztardon wagged his finger and encouraged him to rise. "We will show the herds. The strength of the body and the strength of the mind would lead to the power of the hearts." The exit door opened, Zonir walked past the Shaman and to the door. "And that will lead to a change in theirs." The walked past the door to find the enlightened with their beaks open, Ztardon followed and saw the beastmen looking to him impressed. They took out a bag and went to the throne room as the Ogroid and Shaman went further down a hall and took a spiral stairway leading up, to a crown like roof. Zonir took out an odd copper, goat like horn and stood over the ledge. He blew the horn and caused a village that rested under the towers shadow to stir, many lightly pink, Tzaangor emerged from the metal huts and looked up to the Orgoid that announced. "Herd of the Magent Flame, hear my words."

The herd listened to the inspiring presence. "For too long we have bound ourselves to the confines of these tribal lands. Usurping the Herds of the uncultured and depraved, uniting the enlightened under our banner and casting the dim witted into the wilderness as forms befitting their disgusting nature. For too long we roam during the seasons and stumble upon a cycle. Today, that changes."

He allowed Ztardon to have a speaking role and stood far away, the Shaman approached the edge with glee, summoned his disc and stood on it, rising further from the tower and squawking loudly. "You're reach is far, but the Realms are ours for the taking. We will ascend beyond the stars and find a greater land to hold dominion. We will rise above the Seekers of Darkness and be a force the Guardians of Light and Order will fear. Even the Warriors of Chaos would learn to see us as equals, if greater."

Zonir asked. "Greater than they? Second only to the Varanguard possibly?" Ztardon looked down at the Ogroid and nodded. "They are beyond our reach, but where would we go if we fight amongst each other?" Zonir felt that was a good point. "That's not why we are going. We are forming a path to greater glory."

He took over the speaking role. "A glory that is far greater than what even this tower will ever see. What countless would only dream of witnessing, would be for this tribe to witness and this tribe alone." He burst in a blue flame and roared, the Tzaangor bellow squawked and howled. Ztardon noticed something far in the sky, going to the right, a fleet of ships. The shaman took out a telescope for a view and gasped, a fleet of Duradin and two noticeable passengers in the two largest boats, a blonde boy with spiky hair and a warrior in armor. He stuttered. "Zonir, we must hurry and find Master Ahriman, he... is further in the Wasteland of Rust."

The Ogroid growled and gave a smile. "That would take a days of travel. But-" The Tzaangor tried snapping his fingers. "But there is a way I learned in the Realm Beyond that could lead us to Master. The herd must be prepared." Zonir felt that was expected. "Show us and we will follow."

In the Castle at the Land of Departure.

Donald and Goofy looked at the displayed Genji armor with a mutual suspicion as Mickey answered Ana's question. "And the core is with Yen Sid. Now we need to figure out Garland's next move so something like the time loop doesn't happen again."

The Stormcast agreed as Aqua had her blue and grey keyblade aimed at the armor. "The others ought to be back by the end of the day and once we're all back together, we'll think of-" She stopped and snapped her fingers. "He's hiding somewhere we don't expect."

Mickey gasped. "And in plain sight?" Ana nodded. "We need to find Garland's lair and it's in a place that we would dare to go. If we delve into a place of dangers, we would find nothing." Aqua listened and agreed, she felt nothing sinister lurking in the armor and looked under the helmet, she smelled nothing off. "If we did, we would play right into his hands. He is expecting us to be paranoid," She put the helmet aside and had a more inward inspection of the armor, Donald asked. "He's tricking us... by having us be smarter about this?"

Aqua felt nothing out of the ordinary and went for the leggings. "Like this armor, if this thing was cursed with Darkness, we would have disposed of this to avoid the dangers. If this thing wasn't, some of us might have wasted everyone's time being worried for nothing. If we go towards a dark place to look for Garland's lair, we might risk ourselves for nothing. He's playing into our common sense, for kicks." She was down to the gauntlets and confirmed her theory. "This is just Genji armor." She rolled her eyes and had the suit put back together and back on display.

Goofy asked. "If Garland is hiding somewhere that we would go to, where would it be? Somewhere under our noses?" Donald folded his arms. "The...Islands?" Mickey shook his head. "No, that world has a connection to the others and someone would have figured that out."

The trio felt it more confusing as Ana had another guess. "What if... its a place we have no reason to go to? A place that has nothing for us to venture for?"

Mickey thought of it and asked. "That... doesn't narrow it down that much. If there is nothing for us, that would cross out the worlds... but it would leave us with the lane in between and all the places there." Ana sighed and smiled. "It's a lot of places that we would have to search that are not the issue. It's the places we would pass by that are the issue now. At least this is an idea."

Mickey agreed that it was and Aqua finished putting the armor back together, the Keyblade Master puffed her cheeks and imagined someones frustration. "We're closer to figuring it out, now how am I going to explain to Ken that he... still isn't getting this. At least not yet." Mickey wasn't too worried. "If he knows why, he wouldn't mind."

Ana wanted to know what, her eyes widened and she had her right hand at her hip. "You're going to use this as a way to figure out how to make that armor and have it not just for him, but for all the lads and the lass. Oh he isn't going to complain about that, but he's still going to be as ambitious as ever and it isn't going to stop with just him."

Aqua agreed with that and imagined two hyper active teenagers acting like children about to get a new toy. "They seen me and Ven, they all know what's coming. But that ambitious part is kind of something I want to address, both of my students will keep pushing themselves and once one of them tries sneaking that armor on, just to learn more about what it is like," She tilted her head and imagined herself giving a stern lecture. "that's when we need to talk about patience." Ana's looked a little astonished. "Oh, they trust you to know that the armor isn't going to be used yet and that the bigger reward would make it worth it. But in these times, they would try to see themselves now and see themselves when it is time. That's..." She realized what she was talking about and gritted her teeth. "That's the kind of thing I was afraid of. That I'd rushed myself."

Mickey, Goofy and Donald wanted to know what she was talking about as Aqua realized what it was. "And how you were a retributor prime for years. How you had to actually take that chance beyond what you're good at. We all have to push ourselves, if the pace is uneven, that can end badly, very quickly."

Donald asked why. "Because they would be a bigger target?" Aqua nodded. "Exactly," She felt like she wanted to beat herself up. "And I shouldn't have to hold them back." She closed her eyes in self disgust as Mickey tapped his foot, finding it hard to give an answer. "...Maybe... you should talk to them about what they want and how they feel about this? An honest answer from the heart ought to clear the doubts."

Goofy approved of that. "Yeah, Kairi and Ken seem to be doing fine." Aqua hummed and opened her eyes with worry. "They do, but-" she took a deep breath and looked at the armor again. "I need to think about this. They're good students and I don't want anything bad happening to them."

At the Muppet Theater.

Ken bought a second ticket from a slim, humanoid puppet that had orange hair. "Meep?" Ken had no idea what the puppet said. "Uh... it's for a friend I look up to as a thank you." He found it hard to describe and put the ticket away. "Tell Kermit or any of the others I'm looking around for any trouble that's sneaking around. If you hear fighting, ignore it unless I'm screaming."

The receptionists looked to the theater and found it less of a possibility. "Meep?" Ken pretended that he listened. "Since few of you can fight, I'd say just run." He got out of the way and smiled wide, leaving the baffled receptionists to the rather rambling crowd. In the Theater, there was no enemies, just the typical, if chaotic machinations of a theater, Ken noticed a bear in a brown hat, trying to flee from something from the curved hall and escaping in a prop room. Ken braced himself for battle and found nothing coming, He went to have a closer look and found the path leading him to a waiting room, two particular puppets sitting together at a table in the corner, an elderly man in a brown suit, and an elderly man in a blue suit, were having a conversation. The elderly man in the brown suit asked his friend. "Say what you think about this morning?"

The elderly man in the blue suit pretended that he didn't hear that. "Huh? You mean this morning or the other two I had today?" The man in the brown suit answered. "That doesn't make any sense." The man in the blue suit responded. "Nothing from this week does." The two men laughed with each other and Ken walked backwards to avoid them.

He went to the prop room to find a wide selection of props meant for comedy. He heard a sigh. "*Phew* That was close." Ken followed the voice to find that brown bear reading from a note and asked. "You don't like those two guys?" The bear jumped and turned. "Woa...oh," He put his note away and introduced himself. "I wouldn't say I don't, but I been writing this joke for the last three days and those guys weren't going to help." Ken asked. "Critics?" The bear nodded. "Harsh critics." he introduced himself. "Names Fozzie and you're our key guest for tonight's show." Fozzie almost laughed and Ken realized what the joke was. "Ha, Kermit told you about me. Ha, good one." He looked around and asked. "I guess this is the best place to prop up some ideas." That caused Fozzie to laugh, Ken found the unicycles, cannons and backdrops. "Eh... that's all I got." He asked the bear. "I'd say, save the joke until it is show time if you can't find a buddy to tell the joke to. I'll be the only one spoiled if I hear it now." He cringed. "That was a bad one."

Fozzie didn't get the joke. "Oooh, there has to be something I can work with." He searched to find anything that can resemble someone that would listen, a clown's nose, a slinky toy, a statue of a man thinking about something, the last one in particular wasn't going to help Fozzie. "Oh you'll just think about how bad it's going to be." He found something dangling from the shelf, a limp, purple object, Fozzie gasped. "Ah, a sock puppet." He grabbed onto it, felt the sock to be more firm and saw it wiggling away, all while a laughter was heard.

"Nyah, heh, heh, heh."

The sinister laughter caught Ken's attention and he dashed around to intercept, he found three tentacles slithering into a basement. "Hey, get out of here, this is back stage." He charged after the tentacles and went down the stair way into a basement of more spooky props, bed sheets with holes, jack-o-lanturns, scare crows and tomb stones. Ken saw nothing out of the ordinary as Fozzie caught up. "*Huff* Huff It's like something caught fire here."

Ken looked in the shadows and up the ceiling. "...Nah, not here. Did you see what that sock was?" He saw an large vent in the ceiling and lowered his guard. Fozzie looked up at it and gasped. "Uh oh. I think we got a problem wiggling in." Ken agreed with that. "I heard of pest control, but I think an octopus might be out of you guy's insurance." He gritted. "That one stunk as well."

Fozzie looked at the props and saw a goblet with a skull for a cup, the skull had an upside crown with light brown baubles. Ken felt a foreboding presence in the skull and shivered. "I got to be losing my head." Fozzie listened and saw the skull. "Nah, I don't think you are. But someone from Denmark certainly did."

Ken almost choked at the joke. "Fwahahaha. That, our friend has." Fozzie felt his comedy returning. "I think his name was Yorick." Ken joined in a laugh and pretended to be dramatic. "Alas." He snapped his fingers to an idea. "Hey, do you mind if I borrow that? No reason, what so ever." Fozzie shrugged and asked. "You're wanting to recite Shakespear?"

Ken approached the skull cup. "Nah, but it's something." He went to pick it up by the cup and heard a hiss, he put his hand away and saw a dark mist forming out of the crevices of the skull. Fozzie took a step back as the dark mist grew. "Whu oh." The boy asked nervously. "Is the cup... suppose to do that?"

Fozzie answered a little disturbed. "I don't know, I thought this prop was just laying around. You... think that squid put it here?" Ken doubted that. "He was in too much of a hurry to leave. Oh no." He turned to help get Fozzie out of the room as the cup became a cloud of consuming darkness. They heard a deathly howl and found themselves in a pitch black basement, except they were heading down a downward incline. Fozzie looked around at the nothing as Ken turned back to find something white glowing. The bear felt an odd feeling of wrongness and shouted to the way he came from. "Guys, I don't know how this is suppose to be funny. Waka waka."

The boy signaled the bear that he stayed put. "I don't think they can hear us, I think I'm seeing something." He took out his keyblades and flickered a flame as Fozzie turned and looked at the white light. "This reminds me of the time I met that angler fish in a deep sea dive, it was suppose to be a treasure hunt." Ken slowly walked to the light and took the hint of a warning. "This is a trap. But it's the only way out of here."

He went to the light and felt like something was watching him. "If you can't fight, then just stay over there. I been training to fight things like this for a while and this is my... fifth time." He noticed the glowing flame giving light to strange rock formations, formations that looked like hand, he shined it upon his left and found two golden bracelets on what looked like a skeletons wrists, to the right was a hand that was supporting something, wearing a single bracelet. Ken immediately felt the urge of danger and shined both keyblades, dispelling the darkness and revealing something that was inhaling, a giant skeleton that was reduced to a torso, it wore a cloak that had a tuft of skulls, a royal crown resembling the goblet's crown and in the center of its rib cage, blocked by the giant skull, was a glowing pendent of an eight pointed star. Ken jumped high and out of the way of the skeletal lord's breath, it looked like a deathly fog, Ken pushed himself mid air and felt a guiding light with in the bracers, something anchoring the skeleton lord. He aimed Cadia's Light on the single bracelet and quickly shattered it into flickers of golden light.

Part of the skeleton dimmed as it slid a little down the incline. It crawled at a faster pace as Ken looked back to find Fozzie shaking uncontrollably, the boy pouted. "He's got a bone to pick with us."

The skeletal lord heard the joke, glowed his right hand in darkness and placed it on the ground, Ken turned around to find four heartless, bound in spiked cartwheels, emerging. They rolled up and drove fast towards the boy, Ken side jumped to the right, barely dodging one and back jumped to dodge three. He aimed both keyblades and caused a short range burst of fire that incinerated three and left one remaining. He fired at the last one's head and turned to the skeletal lord that was climbing towards him, he shot at the skeletal lords face and found it doing little.

SLAM!

The Skeletal Lord slammed his dim hand at the boy, Ken side jumped, realized he has to destroy the bracers and shot the bracer closest to the hand. One shot sent the lord in the defensive, blocking the bracers with his dim hand. Ken flowed to behind and flickered a small fire ball, he slid back up the incline and gave a taunting smile at the skeletal lord, speaking in sync as the fire ball burst. "Boom!"

CRACK!

The upper bracer shattered and sent the skeletal lord sliding, the giant gripped the ground in desperation and Ken charged a shot. BANG! The third bracer was shot by intense light, the skeletal lord frantically cling in place upon seeing the last of his light gone and was being dragged by something.

His pendent glowed a distorting black and stopped the dragging, the boy and puppet felt an aura of maliciousness from the Skeletal Lord. He extended his right hand and caused light to glow, facing himself upward, Fozzie noticed something. "I think if that thing goes, something's going to happen to him." Ken agreed and aimed at the pendent. "Yeah, it's something keeping him here and stopping... what ever is on the other side from taking him back."

PEW! Tink! The pendent took some of the damage and was scratched, more than enough to give the boy a sense of confidence, the skeletal lord finished forming a strange sword that looked like a smaller blade with in a sword shaped cage. Ken fired again to cause a bigger scratch and saw the skeletal lord slamming the blade down at him. He jumped to the left, saw it turn horizontally and swipe to his direction, Ken jumped and fired a heated charged shot, causing a dent on the pendant, the skeletal lord swiped to the upper right to try and hit the boy, Ken blew air magic and made himself flip out of the way. The boy absorbed the air and ignited himself in fire, he placed his keyblades together and spun to form a body sized fire ball and fling it once more at the pendant, causing it to have a heat induced crack. The skeletal lord faced his sword downward and caused it to glow in holy light. STAB! BURST!

The sword burst in a burning light and sent Ken flying to Fozzie. The skeletal lord lifted the sword back up and was ready to inhale the deadly gas to them, the boy landed on his back, saw the readying attack and back flipped on his feet, he form changed Cadia's Light into an arm canon. PEW! BURST! A bright light shot out of the canon and obliterated the pendant, causing it to burst in darkness, the skeletal lord fell in shock, his sword vanished in light.

He kept clinging to the ground as the darkness faded from his body, something dragged him down in the incline, Ken and Fozzie watched the skull open it's lower jaw, the two felt that if there was a face, it would have been one of terror and if there was a voice box, there would have been a scream. The Skeletal Lord was dragged away from the light and into the darkness. The darkness was sucked into something, the two looked to find the skull goblet absorbing the dark. They felt a distortion of light and found themselves back in the Halloween basement, the goblet was gone and in place was a tomb that was stitched together in black leather. Fozzie looked wide awake. "Well at least the crowd won't have to worry about me falling asleep. Ha, ha." He laughed to that as Ken turned to the bear with a still expression. "Sleep, ran from us like a jerk and he isn't coming back."

He went to pick the tomb up. "I'm taking this and I'm bringing it to someone who would know how to properly burn this book." He opened it up and saw a black flame lit from the pages, he quickly closed it. "Yep, this shouldn't see the light of day." He had the mental image of a black inferno in his hands, a black fire ball and his hands on the ground, to let loose a black trial of fire. He fought off the image. "This shouldn't be something anyone should read."

He put it in his bag as Fozzie agreed with that. "This reminds me of that time Kermit and I walked down an odd door in the back of the theater. We saw a floating crystal heart and knew we had to get out of there." Ken guessed the rest. "That's when the Heartless showed up and it became a race to get them away from that heart, clear the keyhole and close it on this side. You witnessed something you were better off not knowing about and the worst part-" Fozzie nodded and felt ashamed. "There wasn't much I could do. We got to go tell Kermit about this."

Ken approved of that and took out his phone. "I really hope I have a good signal with a friend of mine. Because she needs to pass this info to Miss ASAP. I don't want her thinking the wrong ideas." He bit his lip and prayed. "Come on Kairi, pick up."

By a world with a not so gloomy castle.

Kairi felt disappointed, yet happy for someone. She sat on her gummi ship and thought about it. "So Bryn was right all along, this ought to be fun for both of them to see that world together. Tee, hee."

Ring! Ring!

She had a call and saw the number, she pressed immediately and saw Ken with a face hiding a terror, the boy looked relieved if going a little static. "Thank goodness." Kairi agreed back. "We got worried, so me and some of the guys split up to come looking for you. Sora told me everything."

Ken smiled to that. "I know and it's pretty cool. That's why I'm calling. Me and a friend I made by the theater found something that really shouldn't be here and we got attacked by a giant skeleton that was trying to kill us while getting out of the darkness. Skeleton is back where he came from, but I found this."

He took out the black pyromancy tomb and Kairi felt the obvious was wrong. "That thing has dark magic?" Ken nodded. "Black pyromancy and it lit a flame when I opened the book, now I got the image of three spells in my head and all of them are something I'll never use. If you are heading back to Miss Aqua, tell her I'm handing this thing over to her."

Kairi understood why. "Something like that shouldn't even exist. What else did this skeleton try to do?" Ken answered back. "He was using three bands of light as an anchor while he was trying to kill me and Fozzie and when that didn't work, he was using a pendant of Chaos as his last stand, while using a sword of light." The Princess almost reeled in horror. "He was using the light to save himself and he must have been trying to bring you and this Fozzie into the darkness in his place. He might have been desperate, but what kind of person would do that?" Someone in the background answered. "Someone pretty selfish."

Ken showed Fozzie, who adjusted his pok-a-dot bow tie to continue his answer. "I think he was waiting for someone to pick this skull cup up so he could do just that and what he didn't think about was if that someone would have had a big complaint about it. That's no joke."

Ken agreed to that. "And if you or any one not Kermit had picked it up... he might have claimed a lot of victims until someone found out something was wrong. So the Skeleton Lord got what he deserved." He was shaking at the cold heart fact and Kairi agreed with him. "You had to stop that and now he's back in the darkness with no way out. It must have been a terror to watch." Ken and Fozzy nodded, the boy had a flash back and asked. "And I don't want to be reminded, he deserved it but it's still a horrible thing I don't want to see happen to someone and I don't want to see happen again."

He looked more terrified, Kairi wished she could shake him out of it. "Ken, snap out of it. It's over with and you got something dangerous in your hands, just wait for Sora and do what you can to stay out of more danger. I got told that Baldred learned some new miracles from a tome, do you think that thing's connected?"

Ken's lips pressed together in remembering certain dark sorcery. "Yes and someone was crazy enough to make dark pyromancy like-" He stopped and Kairi continued. "The Darkness of that world is different from the Darkness we are use to fighting. I'll have your back if Master gets worried about you again."

Ken asked. "I shouldn't have opened the book, Miss and Riku are going to tell the problem a mile away." Kairi didn't wish to admit that her rival was right. "You... didn't know, though books like that are obvious. I'll see you later." Ken faced his eyes down in guilt. "Same, oh... and sorry if I take a bit of Sora's time for something. He's going to be here, so might as well do more than just pass through."

Kairi wasn't jealous in the slightest. "I know what you're doing, thanks for trying to take him to a show. I hope it's good." Ken had a small smile and looked towards a nervous Fozzie. "It feels like it will. Thanks for the help." He pressed the button and disconnected.

Kairi slumped into her seat and had her ship fly towards a particular direction. She noticed Namine sitting besides her and asked. "Someone was setting him up. There was no way something that was in the Realm of Darkness would just... show up in a comedy theater. But who or what?"

Namine cringed. "It was using things of Light and Chaos, that... leaves out nearly everyone. This was so Ken would get exposed to more darkness... but who would go to something like that Skeleton to do it?"

Kairi answered as she looked up to the starry void. "I don't-" She remembered the disguised angel and had the ship accelerate. "Oh no." Namine crouched and realized what Kairi thought. "It's that Daemon Prince? How far is that things plans gone?" Kairi didn't want to think about it. "As long as we can slow it down, we'll talk with Master and Yen Sid about this. They need to know."

In the Castle that Never Was.

Xehanort stood in a room of many thrones and was opening a corridor, a raspy voice intruded. "Something on your mind?"

The Seeker of Darkness turned to the Horned King and answered him. "Yes, I've felt... a disturbance. Vanitas hasn't returned and the time loop is shattered. I felt a level of Darkness spike beyond expectations. It was not him... but who?"

The Horned King wondered himself. "Perhaps it's a denizen of the Warped Realm? That demon prince we heard of might be a competitor." Xehanort felt that was an accurate guess. "And we are to rid ourselves of that when Archaon returns, while the Guardians of Light deal with the mastermind behind the chaos with in the worlds." He gasped and gave a sinister smile. "And what ever force it was, lead someone astray. I'll see how much of his bravado is strength of the heart, or delusion."

The Horned King knew who Xehanort was talking about and dismissed the target. "That boy stumbles upon things he should keep away from. It's about time someone puts him in his place." Xehanort agreed with that. "And this will silence that Curse Bearer about the Dark, once and for all."

Simultaneously.

Pete stepped out of the corridor of Darkness and dusted himself. "Phew, that was a disaster." He felt an extreme cold and looked around to find something buried in snow, shrouded by nothing but darkness. He looked up to find clouds blocking out the sun and a bleak feeling. "Brr. Now where did this take me to?"

He found nothing but snow and something resembling civilization, the odd feeling of loneliness was warning him of something. "Whelp, one way to find out." He felt a darkness looming somewhere and followed the scent towards an opportunity.

In the Realm of Chamon.

On top of the A.U, Halvek saw something on his scope and pressed a vox. "The Transmutating Maw is right ahead, we'll be there in ten minutes to-" Blip! Blip! "get ready for a hefty battle."

He observed his round device and found blips of something colliding with each other, Olgrik looked up to his navigator as Ven had a closer look at the distance and was feeling something heart breaking awaiting. "We got Skaven awaiting us?"

Ven saw green light shine in the distance and shook his head. "Their... fighting each other." Scrooge looked in a telescope and cringed. "It's much worse than that lad." Baldred woke and had his mage gear ready. "How worse?"

Scrooge gave the Undead the scope and had a frown of shame, the Undead almost dropped the scope and saw Stitch looking through a telescope in silence, the alien put the scope away and saw the Undead signal him not to give it to Ven. The boy closed his eyes and promised. "It's okay, I can take it." Stitch hesitated and gave it to Ven, who looked on to the sight of what is less of a battle and more of an enslavement.

Rat like men in pieced together armor had a group of less armored and equipped ratmen in chains. Save for the ones that were not laying dead or blown to green glowing pieces by two green glowing canons or run over by a giant wheel like death machine, nine giant, armored, gun wielding rat hulks stood over cowering armored rats. A heavily black armored Skaven engineer with a halberd on his right hand, held a lighter armored, bronze furred rodent in silver armor by the back of his neck with a piston, clawed gauntlet for a left hand and was forcing him to watch his army being cut down and enslaved. The engineer gave a hate filled smile to his foe, whispered something and threw him to the ground, the losing rat tried to run as the engineer aimed his clawed gauntlet and laughed maniacally, green fire shot out and consumed the rat man. Ventus watched the agony and the psychotic engineer be interrupted by an underling of a lesser engineer pointing at something. The Arch engineer looked at the pointed direction, directly at the fleet, screamed and made a sprint to one of the canons, barking orders to his underline to do something, who in turn took a whip and had the chains undone, sending the clan rats into a hate frenzy towards the intruders. Ven put the telescope away. "And they see us, the big rat leading them is hiding behind one of those canons."

He drew out his keyblade and felt an aura of wrong. "There's only one way for things to end, they're not going to let us through and this... can't keep going on." Olgrik agreed with that and gave an order to the fleet. "Don't stop until every last Skaven is dead."

The Kharadron listened and had the guns ready, Ven tapped his pauldron and had himself surrounded in armor, Scrooge felt uncomfortable and admitted. "So his Majesty was right about them," He took a deep breath and advised to Ven. "Just think of the Skaven like... the Heartless and Unversed." Ven had a small look to Scrooge and appreciated the intention. "That doesn't make it better."

Halvek heard the tone and advised the boy. "Just focus on the warp lightning canons and anything getting in your way. Leave the rats to us." Olgrik nodded. "This will be quick, especially if you keep the warp lightning canons from firing. Those could wreck us." He ordered the side boats. "Focus on any hidden rats and let Ol' Bountiful focus on the doom wheel. Ol' Bountiful can take the rest."

Ventus had his keyblade turn into a glider and he jumped on, Stitch joined with him, Admiral raised a finger. "Wait, go in too soon and you'll be dealing with the worst of the rats." Ventus and Stitch felt their hearts beating hard as Baldred and Scrooge measured jumping distance and saw they were far away for that. The armored boy looked to the two and asked. "Don't worry, once those guns are done, this will be over."

Scrooge took a deep breath and wished him the best of luck. "Okay, just be careful." Baldred jingled his chime and gave off a glow of a sacred oath. "And we will be close behind to see you get back on. May you achieve victory." The oath gave the two a sense of vigor as Halvek pointed yonder and caused wind to blow. "Go, strike with the wind's might."

Ven had the glider fly at the speed of sound, straight into the left where the warp lightning canons were. Positioned to strike the fleet. He jumped off as he reached the rat invested territory and caused the glider to revert back to a keyblade. He landed through five skaven snipers that were in position and with a slash of wind, caused them to fly far to a rock of the gate. The arch engineer noticed them and blew into a horn. He approached from behind the left canon and hissed. "Foolish, fast-fast man thing, you dare intrude upon the realm of Khiasqet? Arch Warlock of the Rust Fangs?"

Ven had a stoic look under his helmet and answered. "Actually, I do. How about I do the Realms a favor and send you back to the Darkness you crawled from."

The Arch Warlock had the crew on the left canon direct its aim towards the boy as an angry Stitch looked at the right canon. The Skaven laughed and caused the canon crew to join in. "Bwahahahaha! So says the Skymen and all who come to these lands." His gauntlet glowed in fire. "You will suffer worse than that nincompoop Zhiakch. Vaporize him!" The warp fire canon glowed bright and fired, Ven dashed, took some shocking blows in his maneuverability and was right behind Khiasqet, he let loose a quick combo and swiped his blade to blow the Skaven in wind as the canon finished its shot. Stitch rolled underneath the canon, lifted it with his four arms and tossed it at the charging canon in a yell, throwing both off balance.

Stomp! Stomp!

Three giant armored rat hulks, two glowing green, electrical gauntlets and one with drill like fists charged through the Warlock and at Ven, the boy jumped to the right to avoid the brutal pounding and saw the Warlock circling around his minions to stay out of line of sight, Khiasqet found it a convenience. "Yes-yes my Stormfiends, kill the man thing while I deal with this pest."

Ven aimed his keyblade in the air and electrocuted the trio, getting their attention as the Skaven tried and failed to reach Stitch, who grabbed the canon by the nozzle and used it as a club on the other. The Arch Warlock screamed in panic and joined in the rabble. The Stormfiends turned to Ven to try and attack again, the boy jumped above them and slashed upside down, he focused and flung explosive orbs of energy, he landed on his back and flipped on his front as the Stormfiends were knocked to their knees. Ven got up to see three, fetus like rats with bulging brains and swiped a whirl pool of water, he jumped on his keyblade and used it like a surf board to guide the water around the recovering Stormfiends. He had the water enclose on the trio and back flipped, crackling in electricity, taking his brightly glowing keyblade and in a lightning reflect, flung it at the wet rats, it struck the drill wielding rat in the heart and burst in lightning. Causing the bumbling vermin to yell in shock.

PEW!

The Stormfiends fell over dead, Ven had his keyblade return to his side and he turned to find the Warlock tossing his crew and grabbing Stitch, smiling maliciously in what ever evil he had plan. Stitch aimed his laser guns and fired in point black rang, the Arch Warlock was shot in the eyes and he dropped Stitch in a yelp. Ven saw the nearly wrecked Warpfire Canons and flung fire balls at them, causing explosions that caused the crewmen to scatter, towards an arrived fleet that fired upon the Skaven army.

Stitch back rolled and Ven rushed at Khiasqet, the Arch Warlock tried to parry with his halberd and was being overwhelmed, backed into a corner. The Arch Warlock raised his gauntlet in the air and caused a green storm of lightning to form. He jumped out of the way as Ven and Stitch felt something was amiss and were struck down by the green lightning. Hurting like it was something they didn't feel before. Khiasqet laughed and took it as his chance to sucker punch the boy. Ven rolled a distance and panted as the Warlock pressed his thumb on a generator in his halberd. "Die, die man thing! Hahahahahahhahaha!" He sprinted and aimed for Ven's chest, parry.

FLING!

Ven parried the halberd and sent it flying off the Skaven's hands, he wasn't impressed. "How about you learn to actually fight, if you ever get the chance." He spun his hand to the opposite direction and irritated the vermin man more. "No, no, no! Not while I still have the warp storm under my control." He gave off a crackling green glow and caused a darker storm to form, he laughed unhinged as a storm of golden clouds blew over to the dark storm, quickly consuming it and causing a spark of green lightning to shoot back into the Arch Warlock.

BOOM!

Khiasqet disintegrated into dust, Stitch turned around to find Halvek waving to him. Ven turned to see and was impressed by the quick save. He saw a mechanical rat wheel rushing at the Ironclad, Stitch jumped on Ven's shoulder and smiled to a destructive idea. One the boy agreed with. "Let's see how well they can use that without a pilot. Ready?"

Stitch nodded. "Ready!" Ven focused and saw an opening, a crazed skaven in goggles flung its machine around the Stormvermin that were being bombarded with gun fire. FLING! Stitch was tossed to an opening and landed on top of the skavens head, he cheered. Surprise!" He went to biting on the controllers and causing the Doomwheel to miss its direction, towards a group of masked, orb wielding Skaven. CRUNCH! It ran them over, left behind a mess and angered the pilot, he reached for Stitch and growled. "Get off, blue vermin!" Stitch saw a frigate flying by and jumped off as he saw the guns aimed. "Okay!" The skaven pilot saw what was in front of him, yelled and slammed his paw on a button, Scrooge smacked his cane and sent an aether bomb flying to the upper warp stone.

BOOM!

Baldred fired an arrow of lightning at the other. BOOM! Aether carbines filled the wheel with holes and left it exposed to a cannon. PEW! BANG! A shell of aether fired at the wheel and caused the doomwheel to explode. Stitch rolled a landing, saw the chaos and laughed, Ven ran to him, picked him up and jumped to the Frigate.

The armor disappeared and Ven fell on his knees, looking like he was hurting. He watched the rest of the battle quickly go in the Kharadron's favor, with clan rats and infantry simply being shot out of existence by the fleet. He took a deep breath as Baldred gave compliments to the allies. "They don't waste time dispensing the fire power." He knelt and shook his chime to glow a healing light, Scrooge agreed with that. "That they don't."

He patted Ven on the back. "Getting rid of those cannons was exactly what the fleet needed to dive down and knock those Skaven out of the park. Well done lad." The boy figured that as the frigate intercepted the fleeing skaven and shot them along side with the endrineers a drill made short work on finishing the last of the stormfiends burning the ironclad with green fire as Durod was behind a lesser warlock and cut him down with a saw. With a battle ending in complete annihilation, the engrineers flew across the damaged ships for repair work, Durod landed on the A.U and a crewman gave him a wet sponge, the endrinmaster took the sponge and used it to clean his weapon. "They didn't see you coming Ven, now the Realmgate is save for travel... for now."

Baldred guessed why the "for now" with a speculation. "There are more of them in a tunnel somewhere, but these were the more prominent clans?"

Durod nodded. "But once we get over to the Jungle of Teeth, we'll be able to stock up and clear out the Skaven all over again. Then we'll do a little pro bono work in making sure those burrows are closed out for good." The A.U flew close to Ol' Bountiful and Ven felt his legs working again, he picked Stitch up and hummed. "The clans will take a while to regroup, any chance we can get rid of these guys is better for everyone."

He smiled to the three and jumped to the Ironclad, finding Olgrik snorting bored, the admiral noticed the two and explained. "Expect the repairs to be done in a few minutes. Halvek had to rely on his aether sight and undo some of that warp storm, but you did more that adequate." Halvek listened and explained. "That Arch Warlock concentrated so much lightning that it would have shot ya into next week. If he wasn't able to cast that, the backlash would have been enormous. If someone stopped the spell... it would have caused the backlash you saw."

Ven appreciated that. "There wasn't anything left of him, they don't think much before they act, only that they get something out of the now." Stitch nodded. "Good riddance, Skaven." The Duradin commanders agreed with that and Halvek chuckled. "And they were so busy fighting each other that when we came, they were reduced as an army." He turned to the realm gate and squinted his eyes. "This will get us to the other side and to the closest route in Ghur, once we get to the sky on the other side, it's just the beasts to worry about. Something that won't take us too long to do, if there is something waiting on the other side, they are too dim to know its us." Olgrik nodded and smiled under his suit. "And luckily for them, we don't got the time to deal with their nonsense."

Ven took his gummi phone to check what was going to await in the Realm of Ghur, spending a few minutes realizing. "We could just fly over some of the locals." Olgrik added in. "And the forces of Destruction will forget all about us. I'll bet the Realm of Ghur has them to thank for the Skaven never getting far past the gate. Ha."

BZZT!

An endrineer climbed up and reported. "There we go, this will hold us even after we get to the rendezvous." Olgrik ordered quickly. "Excellent, now hang on in the boat, we're going in." The repairmen flew onto the Ironclad as the ship lead the front, the Frigate following behind and the gun hauler ships behind it. They went into the realm gate and found various shapes, resembling teeth, taking form of molars, fangs, mandibles and anything that would do for a mouth. Pew! The ship reached the other side, into a craged jungle. Halvek saw a distant bonfire with a large boiling pot, being prepared by an ogor with a butcher's axe for a right hand and a mallet in a left. Right behind was a group of thirty ogors, an ogor holding a butcher axe, six ogors with a cannons of sharp weapons and a large, nearly naked giant. Far behind the tribe was a vast quantity of pale goblins with seasoning plants, bones and liquids for cooking. The A.U emerged from the gate and flew by the side of Ol' Bountiful and the gunhaulers by the ships side. The ogor butcher looked dumbfounded. "Hey, you're not the ratmen that come out this time of month."

Olgrik thought of an idea and took a mega phone, he used it to shout to the ogors. "This is the United Airlords of Barak Zilfin and you mawtribes better step aside and let us through, it isn't worth the trouble." A larger Ogor, with a ceratops upper skull for a hat, an armor of bones, a spear with a large carnivors tooth and a mace of a large molar, broke from the crowd and yelled. "Really? And what's to stop us from trying?"

Olgrik was glad the tyrant asked. "Because you're thinking too small with waiting for the ratmen to come, there is two whole burrows of them over there and we just happened to dealt a number to the more annoying rats. If you can go over there, you can catch as many of the Skaven as possible while they lick their wounds."

The Ogor in charge of the pot found that agreeable and looked to the tyrant. "Thundermace Tokor, that would be the big feast to end feasts." Tokor agreed with that, smiled maliciously and stood aside of the Kharadron Overlords, encouraging his tribe to do the same. "You betters get out of our way, it's about time we set a record." He ordered the large butcher. "Nezur, get a bigger pot." The butcher nodded, picked a couple of his goblin assistants and went to a cave nearby, Olgrik finished his negotiation. "We'll be out of your way. It's good doing business with you lot." He put the mega phone away and ordered fast. "Fly us out of here, now!"

The boats ignited its thrusters and flew to the sky with a golden trail. Ven turned to find the Mawtribe marching to the Realmgate and blurt out. "Wow, that's a dark deal." Halvek, Scrooge, Baldred and Stitch agreed with that as Olgrik insist. "But it takes care any future Skaven problems and if the Mawtribe figure out there isn't any other food, they'll leave this realm gate alone and migrate to eat something else that isn't our clients. Everyone wins except the Skaven."

Ven shook the feeling out. "Yeah and those guys would sell each other out." Baldred advised to the more conscious driven group. "Let's forget all about those rats. Some of us have too gentle hearts to take the ruthlessness lightly, but it's needed against an absolute evil."

Scrooge agreed with that as the boats slowed. "And we knew these realms call for extremes for anything to get done. The Skaven are much like the forces of darkness from our realms." Ven nodded. "They are too dangerous to keep around and they refuse to see anything else. It's kind of sad we have to be okay with this." Baldred nodded back. "Pity what we have to do, not those ratmen."

Olgrik felt that was enough of an argument and talked to his crew on vox. "Now that it's settled; Halvek, figure out which direction we ought to go, the rest of you, be ready if something comes from the sky, but consider this our break." He turned his vox off and ordered to the four. "The same goes for you four. We've made it to the Realm of Beasts in one piece."

Ven rested his head against the companion way and asked. "How long is that going to take?" Olgrik answered. "When Halvek is done, but he's normally done by an hour. Don't doze off, everyone needs to be wide awake, just in case." Ven understood and settled for looking at the clouds, he took out his pendent and whispered into it. "Hang in there Aqua, we're half way there."

In a rusted wasteland.

Ahriman saw a raging bull of scarlet fire rampaging across the lands, destroying a weedy tribe of hooded goblins with its bulk, horns and fire. "Amazing, it's born from that tribes magic... yet it acts on it's." He sensed a dark presence, turned around and saw Ztardon skip toeing out, he saw a creature unaware and whispered. "Master, I found our recruits. The Herd of the Magenta Flame are yours." He gave a gracious bow as the magenta skin Ogroid mage emerged with a tribe of pinkish colored Tzaangor. The Ogroid stood tall above Ahriman as the Sorcerer looked up to the horned beast man. "So the visions were true, you've just taken a great calling, thaumaturge."

The Ogroid agreed and looked at the bestial form of magic. "And you know my name? Only one attuned to the magic of the beasts, could hope to tame this wild magic. The Wildfire Taurus would consume us if we stay here for long." Ahriman wasn't concerned. "Zonir, containing and eventually controlling these specimens is exactly why we came here. Ztardon inviting you was his own mission."

He took three crystals and presented three to Ztardon. "So begins your next task. I sense three endless spells, this one having a sense of sentience and I suspect the other two to be like this. Bind them all and they will be yours." He stepped aside and let Ztardon give his thanks. "It shall be done Master." He made a sprint and flickered in illusionary light, leaving the Sorcerer alone with Zonir. The Ogroid folded his arms and gave a toothy grin. "There is more, Sorcerer. The forces of Order traverse near the territory of the Skaven, to a Realm Gate. Among them is a knight and a human boy. What should we do?"

Ahriman hummed. "Hmm?" He put his free hand on the side of his head and made contact with someone. "I'll start with the warrior, he is an Undead from a peculiar world beyond this realm. One that was bound to death's grip. He is a powerful sorcerer in the ways of the soul arts and could pose a problem to our plans. The other is a boy of insignificance in the grand scheme, but is a vital friend to an enemy of mine and he wields a special weapon known as a Keyblade. One bound to heart and soul depending on how the blade desires. If one wields it, they could become a force powerful enough to best an army of Chaos itself. Ztardon informed you of what a Chaos Space Marine is?"

Zonir nodded. "Yes, mighty warriors of technology out of the realms reach. Are we to pursue them?"

Ahriman listened to something on the other side and focused. "One moment..." He focused back to Zonir. "The Everchosen considers this fleet and even the army they are to unite with, to be his concern, along with an escalation in the Realm of Beasts. We are to focus on the spells, for this would provide us with an edge."

He and the Ogroid watched Ztardon appear infront of the burning bull and flickered to its side, squawking and confusing it as it flickered into an illusion of four, the bull moo'd and turned behind to charge, missing as the one on its right flung a crystal to its side and focused his will. The bull was sucked into the crystal and tried to force itself out. A pink fire danced around it and formed into chains, it flew into the crystal and made a click. Ztardon took the crystal and raised it in the air, cheering in triumph. He noticed a circle of spectral ravens and used another crystal, glowing it in power and throwing it towards them. Binding them into the crystal, Ahriman looked at the enlightened Tzaangor with the bag of holdings and asked. "You have unusual trophies, somehow I predict that you would unnerve some of our allies."

The Ogroid gave a laughter of sadism. "How did they part with their dominate hand? Are they still alive? If they are... are they wishing for death. The hand holds so many questions... heh, heh, heh." Ahriman found the odd humor. "As opposed to the more Khornate that would go with the more simple. I believe you would be an aid in teaching this one brat in the castle, a lesson about where respect can get you."

The Ogroid watched the crystal suck the ravens in and asked. "Providing Ztardon does not betray my trust. This could be amusing." Ahriman appreciated that. If the brat hasn't abused the Undead, we might have learned more about him. If he learns a more... simpler way to command obedience, we can possibly cooperate more."

He and the Ogroid heard a noise that Ztardon was eager to follow, Zonir felt he heard enough. "One of us, shall have to be an example." Ahriman agreed. "One of you shall, even the slightest influence can lead to betterment."

The strange noise faded away and Zonir was impressed. "So you seek the endless spells of Tzeentch and of Undivided?" Ahriman nodded. "Do you know how to summon the spells of Tzeentch? For those of Undivided require us to venture back into Varanspire."

The Ogroid nodded and saw Ztardon return. "For all three? We need to pay tribute in order for Tzeentch to bring them to us... and we would need to prepare."

The Tzaangor Shaman held the three crystals, one with the image of a horn, one with the image of birds and one with the image of a bull, Ztardon suggested. "Tribute? A sacrifice of souls?"

He looked to the right. "Hmm. Somewhere underground, would have that tribute. Few would miss a tribe of grots." Zonir added in. "And the Troggoth boss that lurks. Their flesh and souls would do nicely." Ahriman laughed at the thought. "And I will see they do not devise any traps, one of you will hold the crystals of the Herd, one will hold the crystals of Change and I will have the crystals of Chaos Undivided. A simple knight devised such a genius way of keeping the magic indefinitely." Ztardon agreed and asked. "Master, allow us to see to the tribute. We will show our worth."

Ahriman sensed the pride and refrained himself. "Very well, but I will still overlook the ritual. Go!" The Shaman squawked loudly to the herd as the Ogroid marched. "Come, a feast awaits." Ahriman watched the army leave and followed slowly. "Marvelous."

At the Land of Departure's Castle, at the hall way.

Aqua and Kairi gave each other an embrace of good news, the Keyblade Master let go and cheered. "He and that ship are close to each other that there is no distance too great." Kairi agreed with that. "That's Bryn. Since Ken was a little staticky when he called, I say it will take a while for Sora to get him and come back."

Ana arrived with a report. "His Majesty and his guards are looking around the lanes for any clues of Garland's hide out." She sensed the enlightenment and guessed. "The lad got himself out of that mess and he is going to get to spend time with his idol for his trouble when it is over? That's not the whole reason you came so frantically Kairi?"

The Princess shook her head. "No, but I wanted to get the good news out of the way. Because what he found is an alarm." She looked at the curious adults and explained. "He stopped an evil spirit from attacking the people of that world, a skeleton that was holding onto light to try and stop himself from being consumed by darkness-" Ana continued. "And for good measure, he was going to throw innocent hearts into the darkness to satiate its hunger and save his own bones? What a coward."

Aqua agreed with that. "So Ken had to defend himself and watch the skeleton get dragged back into the Darkness? That's disturbing." Kairi continued to the meat of the news. "And Ken found a cursed book that he is bringing here for safe keeping. The worlds stay safe while the book stays away from people. He made the mistake of opening it and having the knowledge of three dark pyromancy spells, black fire. This sounds like stuff that came from Baldred's world, so we have an idea of how deep this can go."

Aqua frowned and was disgusted. "And that skeleton didn't show up by chance?" Kairi shook her head. "Someone put a cup that held this spirit into a prop room... where any of the actors would have picked it up and wouldn't be as lucky. Just so Ken can get exposed to more Darkness."

Aqua had an idea of that someone as Kairi asked. "I know who you are thinking about, but would he use something like that? That is using the light for a reason... that selfish?" The teacher was forced to cross Xehanort off the list. "He would try to make the Light look bad and do some subtle ways to corrupt a heart. But you are right, someone needed to know about the Skeleton Lord to use him like that and Xehanort didn't have the time to know that the people in Baldred's world are just as likely to use the Light for their own ends rather than helping others."

Kairi voiced her guess. "That someone had to be using the Realm of Darkness as a lair and had to have known pieces of that world. That Black Daemon Prince that tried attacking the worlds yesterday, sounds like our guy."

Ana felt unnerved and asked. "Are you sure this isn't a just Daemon Prince of Tzeentch? This sounds like something a Daemon of Tzeentch would do."

Kairi asked. "The Black Legion were Chaos Undivided and they took a bit from all four of the Chaos. I think their leader has something special that reflected that." Aqua gasped. "A special Mark of Chaos Undivided that gives him something of all four?"

Ana thought more of it. "The Varanguard and Archaon lord over the specific armies of Chaos... so this Daemon Prince is one who was given a portion of the Four Chaos gods power?"

The Stormcast looked deathly pale at the thought. "And while we are busy dealing with Garland, Archaon and Xehanort, that Daemon keeps retreating into the darkness to strike at us again."

Aqua cringed. "If this Daemon isn't working with Archaon already." Ana shook her head. "Uh-uh. If a Daemon Prince is working with HIM, they often attempt to overplay themselves out of an inflated ego. If one is working with him, they are doing it only for themselves. Kairi, is this the same Daemon Prince that bothered Sora before me and Aqua came here?"

The Princess was certain of it. "And he knew what a Space Marine is, so his evil can go far. He's behind the changes of the Chaos Daemons that are in the Realm of Darkness..."

Aqua's mouth dropped and she asked Ana. "You don't think he is the reason Archaon knew about Xehanort?" The Stormcast cringed. "The powers of reality are a plaything to Chaos. If they got a wind of a great power, then there is someone enforcing that great game."

The Keyblade Master found the karma rather cruel. "Xehanort is a devious man... but has he ended up becoming a piece for that Daemons game? He is so caught in the Darkness that he became blind to anything else lurking in it." Kairi's eyes lowered. "He's behind everything horrible thing that has happened in the worlds... and he's being used by someone that's responsible for more misery? What goes around, comes around."

Ana agreed. "And Ken is wrapped up in that scheme even when he is doing the right thing? Ironic." Aqua worried. "But its how it involves him and who is becoming a part of that, I'm worried about."

Kairi sighed. "All of us were mouthing off Xehanort, but Ken is the one who's susceptible to Darkness and why you were putting a little special care into keeping him from falling to that. If he knows about Darkness and how it can be used," Aqua felt the chill return. "Then of course Xehanort would have an interest in him. This is what happened to Terra."

Kairi added. "And Riku. But Ken will be alright as long as he stays out of trouble a little while longer." Ana relaxed and formed a smile. "That's something the lad would try to do. Lady Aqua, should we show Kairi the new project?" The Teacher nodded and lead the students to a rather simple room with a display of Genji armor and supplies needed for measurements.

She explained to Kairi. "By all means, Ken was the one that earned it and we kind of took this without asking." Ana corrected her. "But he gave his consent to part with it in thinking its cursed, he might be expecting to have it since Wanda and I don't need it." Kairi had the immediate image of Aqua in her armor and asked. "You're using this to make keyblade armor for us?"

She smiled wide. "Cool, Ken isn't going to be upset about this. Not at all," Kairi approached the armor and felt it as her teacher explained. "Sora and Riku know about what would happen if there is nothing wrong with this, but once they know. Their going to be pleased as well." The student found the envisioned thought impressive. "That could take a while if it's from scratch, but it's going to be worth it." She promised. "I'll tell Ken in case he gets jumpy over this. But how is this going to be done?"

Aqua wondered and took out a note book. "While I know not all of you would be wearing the same looking armor, this is the foundation in how they would be made. A long time ago, people picked a task to do while traveling in groups. For example... a warrior, a thief, a black belt, a mage... or black mage, a white mage-" Kairi knew what the last one is. "Those that heal, support or use the power of Light?"

Aqua nodded. "Or the red mage that specializes in the offensive spells of the black mage and the supportive spells of the white mage. The list goes on and our friends from Radiant Garden are good examples of this. This could be something we need to ask Sora, Goofy and Donald about."

Kairi felt there was an infinite list of possibilities and had a good example of a specialist. "They are the people we should be asking. Ana, you use the element of lightning and ice, you also prefer hitting hard and fast, from above while being the biggest threat for the others to focus on. You're kind of a Rune Knight. Or Baldred, who makes himself look like a Paladin most of the time and he kind of is, but he makes it no secret that he is also a Dark Knight, with hints of pyromancy. We all specialize in something in something more than what one job will cover and this isn't even about the keyblade." Aqua agreed with that. "Like Ven, who would fight like a..." she remembered. "Dragoon and then fight like a samurai. Terra is more of a warrior who would be using large weapons and it would feel like he is using it, but he also uses the elements and earth." She had more examples. "Then there is Sora, the way he fights is more like a mix between a fighter and a Paladin if either used magic and Riku who is... like a Dragoon and jobs like thieves where he hits at the right spot. This leads down to Ken, who is a gunner, a sniper and a rune knight and you, who is a perfect example of a Red Mage if they were a fighter."

She admitted. "I kind of need help knowing more about those jobs, the armor is going to be bound to you like the keyblade is and I don't want to screw this up." Kairi understood. "So the Genji armor is something of a template for making armor based on those jobs? That really will take a while, I won't go putting this on without permission and Ken certainly won't when he knows the whole story. I think it's going to be the opposite problem." Ana looked at Kairi and asked. "The two of you will be trying your hardest to help finish this project? You know having no experience with a craft just as disastrous as interrupting it."

The Princess agreed and asked. "But if we all put in the effort, that heart-" Aqua felt the idea and sensed someone coming into the castle, she finished writing about various types of job names and got up. "It'll be worth the time that's going to be spent. I'll go get that."

She left the two students be and found Wanda and Riku entering, the general looked pleased. "So now we're searching, we are ending this nonsense before it becomes a war." The silver haired teenager agreed and asked. "Where in the lanes would he pick? Maybe it is somewhere we would have gone to if we could?"

The general took off her helmet and scratched her head. "Somewhere... we use to go to?" The boy thought of it. "Where would we-" he felt something convoluted. "If he has the power to mess with time and space... he would pick a place like that." Aqua entered the conversation and asked. "What place?" Riku answered. "Where Traverse Town use to be. It's the place we use to travel to a lot before you came back and now its gone and going near it gives bad memories. What was comfort, is now a scar upon the universe. Is that the center of Garland's madness? The place where darkness gathers? Where we have to gather to stop it?"

Aqua felt that made sense. "It's a paradox, like what Garland is now. That's our best guess, but why have none of us seen it when we fly near it?" Wanda answered that. "He made it invisible and the lair isn't normal. If we go on that journey, we may not return." Riku agreed with that. "Then we are stepping into his world and we aren't coming out until he is finished. This isn't the first time this happened and I don't think it's going to be as much of a nightmare."

Aqua asked. "You're not going to talk about the last time, but I think it'll be its own share of problems." Riku was blunt. "Zagor and his cult don't believe in sanity or decency. Just madness. As looney as Garland is, I think I would prefer what ever out of this world trap he has for us over going into the Warps borders again." He changed the subject. "We just need to be prepared, speaking of which, what did you find about the Genji armor?"

Aqua answered with an opportunistic smile. "A perfectly good set of armor that's going to be a template. It's going to take a while, but you and Sora are going to be pleased about that. Do you boys mind helping do some field study when you get the chance, I want you to look at people who do unusual jobs or specialize in things that go beyond a warrior, mage and thief."

Riku knew just the guys. "That gang from Twilight Town would fit that. That job me and the others fit is going to be what the armor is going to be made to resemble? Cool idea. Did Kairi get here and told you of the news?"

Aqua nodded. "That and more, as long as Sora gets to Ken as soon as possible, we'll be fine." Riku guessed the danger that happened. "Ken wandered into something he wasn't suppose to and picked something up that he shouldn't?" Aqua answered. "He was helping some people and found something that wasn't suppose to be there, he dealt with it and is taking one of the somethings out of the world. It's when he opened the book that I'm worried about, it's black pyromancy."

Riku sighed. "And no one is going to care when it's locked away in this castle. He's doing the right thing by trying to get rid of it in a way so no unlucky idiot has it." He found it a convenient time and asked. "Aqua... you know that the Forces of Chaos can reach even in the Light? Right?"

The keyblade master nodded. "Apparently and sometimes, someone who holds power over the Light can be as awful as those of Darkness. What did you figure out?"

Riku took a deep breath and asked. "This came from someone who is trying to help us. Light alone, can't push back the Chaos gods out of the Realm of Darkness and back to the hell they came from... and they can corrupt the Darkness. Something more is needed to push it back, does the words... two sides of the same coin sound familiar?"

Aqua asked with less surprise. "So Light and Darkness really do need each other." She shook her head and pointed her thumb out the door as she lead the two to the hall way. "Those guys messing with Darkness aren't going to help us, most have already thrown their fate with the Chaos gods." She relaxed her hand and asked. "None of us want to study it and none of us know much about it besides what it can do."

Riku corrected her. "Except Baldred. Did the book, Ken found, came from Baldred's world?" Aqua nodded. "That's what Kairi told me. Who is telling you that Light and Darkness need to work together?"

Riku answered more boldly. "A witch from Baldred's world, a Child of the Dark. Karla, who is the same lot as Nashandra, the Squalid Queen, Nadalia and is like Alsanna. Please tell me this is a trick of some kind." Aqua asked him. "Was Karla making excuses for how she revealed herself?"

Riku shook his head. "She is what she is and those like her that talk about the Dark, do NOT deny that it can ruin us." Aqua almost threw up at a nauseating truth. "Then it isn't a trick. To think that the people of that world actually hold darkness that close to them."

Wanda agreed with how that could be disturbing. "Yet... they are our best chance of knowing what's really down there. Lady Aqua, you went into a memory of that world, what do you know of it?"

Aqua almost laughed to that and turned to Wanda with a faux smile. "Let's start with a little story. In the beginning of the world, came the First Flame. The Heart of that World. The Lords who built the foundation of the world, found three pieces of a Lord Soul. Gwyn, the Witch of Izalith and Nito. Together, they shaped the world as it was... but there was a fourth soul that came to what became humanity. The Dark Soul. The Furtive Pygmy took the Dark Soul and gave its fragments to humanity, that became their hearts."

Riku felt that was an interesting story. "The Lord Souls are the Light of that World's Heart... while the Dark Soul is the Darkness. I suppose that would mean this is why those like Baldred and even Jambert are as they are, yet they're seem like good people and a figment of memory... of Jambert, became a good friend. What happened?"

Aqua answered. "Gwyn became scared of the Dark as the First Flame died down. Split his Lord Soul among two... shadey people and went to Link the Fire, while having his close friends and family guide humanity into following that path. People naturally feared the Darkness and the Curse of Undeath that came. Then came some people that held to that knowledge, passed it along... and brought disaster. The Four Kings and their servants started to hunt for souls, Oolacile... caused Manus to come to be. Those that followed Gwyn's lead, kept delaying the problems of the world until it couldn't be delayed anymore, those that tried to find out the truth, only brought Darkness. Yet Baldred and Karla seem to be exceptions to this and are so close to that truth, the Undead is only a few memories away."

Riku put his right hand under his chin. "Something doesn't connect." Aqua agreed. "As a... serpent said it, Gwyn altered the course of nature. The world was going to go dark... but were the people of the world doomed to become monsters? If so... Gwyn didn't solve anything."

Riku hummed and shook his head. "Now there is that worlds heart and I think I know what isn't complete yet." Wanda guessed. "It needs the Lord Souls to really light up alive." Riku agreed. "Maybe they are connected to those who linked the fire... and for the Heart to be complete, it needs the Dark Soul. Where could those parts be?"

Aqua grimly concluded. "The Realm of Darkness, where the world is buried. It might be a good thing that Ken is bringing that tome here after all." Riku advised. "Looking into that is a bad idea. But it can help us understand how these people deal with it."

The three reached the room and found Kairi with a list. "Bard, ninja, scholar?" Ana whistled. "It's like a Lord Arcanum and a Lord Exorsist, their both wizards, but their skills are different." Kairi guessed. "An Arcanum, like Arreia, is about the arcane, while the Exorsist is about banishing things like Chaos Daemons." Ana added. "And Nagash's Nighthaunt. You and the lads got a lot of work to do."

Kairi noticed arrivals and approached. "Master, I just finished up a list of people that match up some of the specialties. When I get the time, I'll go visit some of these people." Ana knew the three over heard. "They go deep, but it'll be worth it in the end." Kairi approached and asked Riku. "Did you find any clues?"

The boy shook his head. "No, but we got a very good guess. I'll tell you when Sora and Ken get here and we sort out stuff about a book." Kairi cringed and kept to the subject. "In a way, it's four suits of armor for the cost of using one for research."

At the Muppet Theater.

Ken and Fozzie were at the back room and were surprised that Kermit wasn't yelling at them. The frog listened to the story of the Skeletal Lord and looked at the two. "You know, it's funny how someone always tries to ruin your day. I was going to let Dr. Bunsen Honeydew look into the Halloween Basement to find something for his act." He thanked Ken. "You just saved us a lot of trouble."

The boy was a little proud of himself as the frog asked Fozzie. "But that octopus is going to be something else. I'm not sure if I need to call pest control or a chef for this one." A chef blabbering swedish gibberish over heard and asked. "Octopus?"

Kermit refused the offer. "No sir, I don't think we're having that." Ken promised. "I don't think that octopus would be able to cause too much trouble if I hit him a couple times." The chef took out a baseball bat, Ken nodded and drew out Cadia's Light. "Yep, but you should leave this to a professional."

The chef hummed, tossed the bat aside and went back to his business as Ken turned to the puppets. "At least in beating the ink out of an octopus if he runs, the vent isn't leading anywhere, so he'll turn up." Fozzie agreed with that. "Maybe he wants to see the show from the moles view." Kermit felt that was ridiculous and asked. "Go find a place to sit, I'll find a fisherman."

He walked off and the two felt the ordeal was troubling enough. Ken whistled. "I'll be outside, I'm looking forward to the jokes." Fozzie nodded. "Thanks for earlier, I hope your sister is giving the news well," Ken gasped and responded defensively. "She isn't my sister, just another student that studies under the same teacher. It's just better that Miss Aqua knew about the book now and is prepared for it, than to find I have it by surprise and give an earful. She doesn't tolerate this stuff and for good reason."

Fozzie listened and relaxed. "You should try bringing an apple," Ken understood part of it. "Kissing up to her over this isn't going to work." Fozzie nodded. "But it'll keep a doctor from nosing in. Ha, ha." Ken got the joke and showed some astonishment. "Oh." He lightly chuckled. "That it will."

He left with a better mood and went out of the theater, exploring for a brief while and finding a park with a bench. He put his burning keyblade in the ground, took a pillow out of his back pack and used it as head support, he closed his eyes for a nap. In a few moments, he found himself in a park, under a familiar castle, it had a twilight sky and was giving an odd welcoming warmth. He saw the Firekeeper sitting by a bonfire, not too far from him and spoke. "Heh, that was a scare."

The Firekeeper agreed. "Thou stumbled into the maw of the Abyss and sent that wicked High Lord back to his well deserved rest. But now the Grave Warden's tomb and it's curse is embedded upon thine heart."

Ken agreed and stared at the sky, he reached and saw it combust in black fire. "Yeah, a dark power I don't even want." He focused and caused the darkness to be replaced with bright fire. "I'm a target again. The instant someone goes near me, they'll have a scent of this darkness and hound me. Here we go again"

The Firekeeper nodded. "Quite likely, so is the endless cycle." She stood up and advised to Ken, "Sit up, thine heart is much more powerful than what those of the Dark see."

The boy did and the Firekeeper sat to his right, she had her hands at her lap and asked. "Hold my hand." Ken obeyed and noticed the world growing dark, yet feeling nothing else different. He thought and asked. "I need to look deeper in case they think this is what's in here."

He pointed to his chest and used his other hand to reach out to something, the Firekeeper directed to the boy. "Thy heart, reaches deep with in. Kendry, wielder of the Flame. What does thou see?"

Ken saw a red flicker and called to it. "Nothing but a spec of fire. A light that shines here, my fire." The glow took form of a schimitar that glowed brightly, yet it's flames danced like they were it's own life, he remembered the sword with nostalgia and sorrow. "No matter what happens, no matter what people call me, I'm still me." Thud! Thud!

A earthy orange, Crichtonsaurus with spikes approached from the dark, with the schimitar in its mouth, Ken found that weird as the dinosaur went close to the boy and dropped the burning weapon into his hand. Ken found naught a burn and thanked him. "Thanks... Crinthus. I guess that dream made you." Crinthus looked Ken with doe like eyes and went to the fire to rest, Ken wondered. "So this is the kind of Flame I had buried deep in here. What happened at Izalith was a horrible mistake, the demons that came... if they weren't out of their minds, were hurting because of that." He looked to the Firekeeper. "But the Fire they gave is like a life of its own. The power it gives off, is something that consumes everything, it's something to be scared of."

The Firekeeper agreed. "The ancient pyromancy, came from the primordial Flame of Izalith. Is thou willing to venture into the ancient heart?"

Ken nodded. "It shouldn't have happened like it did, but something good needs to come out of this." He gave a silent, heartfelt prayer and felt the dancing flames directing its dance to him, he opened his eyes and found flames inviting, he slowly smiled to the wonder. "But no matter what it takes, it's still better than staying in the Dark or messing with the things in there."

BOOM! BOOM!

Ken looked up to odd fire works lightning up the dark, he thought of an idea and used his fleshy hand to form a fire ball, he flung it and watched it burst into smaller fire balls. He formed the fire ball once more, flung it to burst it into more and at the end of their destination, caused them to burst. He clenched his hand and caused the scattered flame to retract back into fire balls, he had them fly towards a particular direction and caused them to combust once more. He stood up and kept a fiery glow, he formed Cadia's Light and swung it deep in the ground, causing flame to slither through the ground and leave behind a trail of lava, Ken was in the middle of a jump and positioned at the imaginary target, the trail burst, sank into the ground and caused the surroundings to erupt in a chaotic fire storm. He aimed his keyblade to create a burst of fire and performed a front ward kick, the Firekeeper sensed it and advised. "What could that combustion become, the more thou feeds the flame, the more wondrous it becomes."

Ken imagined someone at his face, caused a combusting frontward burst and swiped his burning gun like it was his hand. He inhaled and finished off his combo with a breath of toxic looking smog. He looked at the Firekeeper and the dinosaur that watched with a vow. "If some creep tries to lay a hand on me, that's what they are going to get." He sat back on the bench and asked the Firekeeper. "After Jambert defeated the Bed of Chaos, what happened to the rest of the demons?"

The Firekeeper frowned a stoic frown and was obligated to answer. "Without a mother, the demons cling unto their existence with the lingering flame. In time, the host of the Flame of Chaos dwindled until ashen husks remained and the demons, became no more. Scattered like the others."

Ken asked. "Benedict had something to do with the demons going? That's how he learned of the fires of Chaos." The Firekeeper nodded. "He found a King that wished to see his people rest and united him. Then he found the host of the misbegotten Flame, from far below along with one in pain. A Prince revealed himself and Benedict snuffed out another host of fire, on the way to a Ringed City at the end of the world."

Ken put his keyblade away and placed his hands together. "A demon King that watched over his kind and the last of them were at the world's last day? They couldn't co-exist and kept to themselves at the end... that's a sad way to go. What was the Ringed City?"

The Firekeeper answered. "The prison of the Pygmy Lords, the descendants of he who found the Dark Soul. They who served the gods faithfully..." Ken wasn't pleased by the story. "Let me guess, Gwyn did that? How ungrateful can a guy get? Why was Benedict even going there?"

The Firekeeper tried not to cry in a vow. "He was looking for a friend that ventured for his Lady. An Undead from the dregs, much like him, together... they found the Dark Soul."

Ken knew the story wasn't going to have a happy ending. "That friend did something stupid and Benedict had to defend himself? That's when Benedict really decided to go put an end to things?"

He gasped. "And Benedict caused things to get worse? No wonder that figment was so bitter." The Firekeeper nodded. "That knights name, was Gael."

Ken looked more depressed, gasped and looked to the bonfire. "So that's what that world's heart is missing. The parts that came from it, the three Lord Souls... and the Dark Soul. With them, this thing could actually do something to heal that world. Finding them isn't going to be easy, for all we know, they are still on that world... all worn out." He swallowed. "The others need to know of this, Firekeeper... if we find the parts and the heart becomes whole... what's going to happen to you?"

The Firekeeper wasn't ashamed to answer. "Then my task as the Firekeeper would be done, the ember would dance and bring back life anew. Nature can finally take it's course." The boy asked. "In other words, that will be when we say goodbye?" He forced out the unwillingness to let go. "...But if it would give the world a restart. Then it will be worth these times." He held the Firekeeper's hand. "You been a good friend to all of us and it will be a while before then."

The Firekeeper gave a teary cheeked smile. "It would be like an age before our paths cross. Thou have grown a flame of thine own." Ken appreciated it. "Thanks, I just needed a little guide."

He wanted to change the subject of inevitability towards something a little lighter. "Are you excited for that Muppet show? All the work they are putting into this is making this fun to listen to and watch." The Firekeeper nodded. "Their humor is quite refreshing in these times, He who found the Light would be most pleased."

Ken hoped so. "He is getting himself this far and this isn't even a quarter of paying him back" Sunrise came and the dark moved into the shadows, the chaotic glowing weapon vanished in a flicker and circled around the boys hand, going to his chest. Ken felt lively and blushed, looking at the light in wonder, feeling his mind at peace.

In a snow blown world.

Pete was shivering from the cold and felt he was on a track of uncovering the mystery of the world. Finding a bump in the frozen wasteland and a lingering feeling of darkness. The smell of sulfur became recognizable and he concluded. "Someone done up and brought the whole world to an end." Trip! He tripped over a fallen tree and smacked his head upon something hard, he complained like a child and forced himself up. "Ow, ho, ho. This place has nothin'"

He noticed what he smacked his head onto, a sign with a logo, he almost laughed at the blatant name and the possible culprits for the Apocalypse. "We Say So? Heh, yeah right. Sound's like you all went in over your heads." He felt a spike of dark coming from somewhere near and followed the scent, finding a trailer. Pete stepped in and saw a grizzly, if intimidating sight, a frozen triceratops like person in a jacket, holding onto bundles of money, the fat minion put together the rest of the story. "All the money in the world and you couldn't stick around to enjoy it as you caused it to blow down?"

He formed a malicious, opportunistic laughter. "And there is so much left over darkness holding on that I can work with." He snapped his fingers and caused the triceratops to glow in darkness, becoming enveloped, so much that the trailer was being consumed. Pete realized that, whimpered and ran out in fear for his life, he watched from afar and realized he found material to make a powerful heartless. Something was forcing itself out of the trailer, making dents, Pete laughed to himself. "Maybe now Ol' Maleficent won't have my hide. He, ha, ha, ha. Come on out Coorperate Disaster, we got some catching up to-"

BASH!

The trailer burst and let loose a dreadful form, a mechanical, light blue triceratops with a back exhaust resembling a volcano, hands looking like they were parts of digging cranes, a tail that looked like a drill and a horned crest looking like a bulldozer's plate. He had full yellow eyes and a beak like maw with teeth, he towered over Pete and looked down upon prey. The evil doer regained something of a spine and opened a corridor. "You'll be listening to me now, Coorperate Disaster. Those pipsqueaks won't know what hit em. Heh, ha, ha, ha." The Heartless felt the corridor calling to him and gave a semi obedient grunt, he marched into the dark hole and Pete had the feeling that this particular Heartless was only playing along. "Wasn't there something she said about these kinds of Heartless?" He shrugged and went into the corridor, knowing he has something of an accomplishment.

In the skies of Ghur.

Ven woke up to the sound of Halvek shouting. "Found it, it's not to far in the continent north west from ere." The boy saw Olgrik looking up and asked. "And how far in the continent are we talking?"

Halvek answered. "At the south east, we'll know by the thick jungle and pieces of outposts the Coalesced left behind. If the Stormcast's don't let us know. At the rate of the wind speed, we'll be there in four hours."

The group of Kharadron moaned in frustration and Stitch yelled. "Four?!" Halvek listened and barked. "We're saving the aether gold for the battle, I don't see any of you having to navigate this."

Olgrik added in and stomped the ground to let the crew bellow know. "Or pilot the boats and man the guns, keep your grievances to yer self, a long boat ride won't kill any of us." He looked to Scrooge and found the duck was tapping his foot, Olgrik ordered the crew. "Now let's get going again."

The fleet turned and took flight, the duck smiled in approval as Ven yawned and checked on the time from the other side. "...We'll still have a lot of time to spare, what else do we know about the Jungle of Teeth?" Olgrik answered. "Never been there before, but it's a jungle filled with Razor Briars and Butcher Trees. Carnivorous plants that wait for prey to fall on them and get themselves chopped up. While we could fly over it, our clients aren't so lucky and will have to traverse in there. Some of the crew may have to travel on foot while trying not to piss off the Seraphon. That might be where you four will have to do while Jararr and the Thunderers get your back."

He sighed. "If there is something going on at the deep end of the jungle, that's where the rest of us will be sending it up in smoke. If there isn't, then expect us to be making the way easier for ya."

Ven felt that made sense. "You're men won't get paid if their dead." Olgrik nodded. "And it costs much more to train new recruits when it's more affordable to send the veterans out there. But after evaluating you four's performance with the Skaven, I think this investment would be worth the usual cost and little in expense besides Halvek's time."

The Navigator heard that as Ven looked ahead of the vast world and felt it was a compliment. "T...thanks and what ever the Stormcasts have for us would mean getting through that jungle would be even easier."

Olgrik appreciated an observant mind. "That doesn't mean you should slack off, but working smarter pays off. At worst, you'll be heading back home with what you need by tomorrow and with no shame of unfinished business." He laughed off a vision of a productive day as Halvek caught notice of something. "There is a cloud of Aether Gold dead ahead, Admiral, we're taking that."