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?

60. Down to Earth

In the Old Chasm of the Abyss, another sconce was lit up and showed particular islands that caused Xion to approach. Shadey held her by the back of her shirt as the Replica felt progress was being made. "That scent is taking us further away from bounds," He took out a digital watch and was impressed. "At around an hour, this place takes a while to navigate, but it's a lot more interesting compared to a corridor. Karla, how do you open this way?" The witch found it no harm as Shadey lead to a right slope going downward. "I suppose there is no harm in learning the technique. It requires a deep tie to the Dark to open it and an effigy of humanity to burn."

Xion turned to the witch. "In other words, stuff from your world?" Karla corrected her. "Or brambles that resemble the form of humanity. You need to know what you are doing before you can come here on your own and this is a special occasion after all." The Replica wasn't disappointed at that. "And maybe this one time is enough, this place is nothing like the Darkness we seen and maybe more people seeing a different use like how Baldred saw it would mean he can stop hiding it."

Karla wouldn't say it like that and hummed in disapproval. "That could be an excellent way to unleash the Abyss. The Dark is not a toy, a High Lord named Wolnir made the grave mistake of underestimating the Dark and was swallowed whole."

The Replica cringed and corrected himself. "O...Obviously, he was stupid for taunting it." Karla looked the Replica dead in the shades, like she knew exactly who he is and continued the story. "He was a wicked thing that conquered a desert kingdom, murdered countless and sought to set his rule in the Abyss's borders. When it came for him, he prayed for the first time in his pitiful existence. He murdered holy men and sacrificed countless souls to save his own. He got what he deserved when he tried the same to an Ashen Knight and his only light holding the Abyss at bay, was shattered."

The Replica was silent at the cautionary tale as Xion heeded the lesson. "It's a different shade, but Darkness is still Darkness. The only difference is that you and Baldred knew what you were doing." Karla nodded. "The Dark is to be respected, for you never know what monsters lurk in these parts."

The Replica felt himself able to speak. "Damn straight, but how did you know of this?" The witch answered. "The Ashen Knight sought to rescue a thing like me and I vowed a debt to him. I help him learn things men are not to know, so long as he provides tomes. One particular held the secrets that came from Wolnir's grave wardens, the Black Flame. It's like it is a life of its own."

The Replica whistled to the knowledge. "The Dark's attempt to be like the Flame? How much of Darkness have we actually known?" Karla wagged a finger. "Little, but just enough to know of it's dangers." The four found a flight of stairs, the witch thought to tell the children another mystery. "There is a secret to know what's truly there, without the light sheltering you. When you learn the secret, you won't need the torch, for you will know to not let the darkness be a bother."

Xion scratched her head and asked. "How did Baldred come to you in the first place? You kind of came out of nowhere and helped chase the Coachman away from us." The Replica found that an interesting detail and asked. "Care to spin another tale?"

Karla looked to them with a wider smile. "Gladly. The Lord of Cinder's affinity towards the Dark, would naturally draw the attention of another who delved in the Dark and roused the lurking monsters. I came to break apart that scuffle and guide the Lord of Cinder towards a purpose and the Dark Seeker did not appreciate my meddling."

The siblings had a small idea of who she was referring to, the Replica asked. "One of the guys that was locking him up? Guess he wanted to learn of Baldred's knowledge and didn't agree with what he was saying." He realized and asked Xion. "That Dark Seeker is the reason you got scared for Ken?" The girl nodded. "Trouble's going to find him, I just know it." They found a three forked path, the right most lead to another sconce that had the smell of a promising beginning, the other two, towards a seemingly endless dark. Karla and the Replica sensed a weighted feeling in the left path, the witch gasped. "And it will, do you feel that?" Shadey sprinted to the left as the Replica answered. "Something found him and he's marked himself with... Black Fire. Karla?"

The witch encouraged Xion to run and spoke fast in an urgent tone. "I have nothing to do with that, but something did. You're friend's in great danger." Xion ran as the Replica had a mortal realization. "There is no way Ken would be able to handle the Dark Seekers by himself. We got to get to him before they do." He ran behind his sister as the witch hurried herself, they saw a flicker fading and saw the path ahead, oddly, looking clearer.

In the skies of Ghur.

PEW! Boom! A zombie like bat with a ghoul riding on its back was shot in the head by two sky canon shells and was sent falling into the sea as a horde of ten hulking, bat like monsters tried to reach close and was pelted by Scrooge's bombs and Stitches laser guns. Baldred glowed his chime and caused lightning bolts to strike at them, weakening them for Ven to get in his armor and fly after the one spear heading the squad. He quickly engulfed the bat monster in lightning and flinging its limp body into the sea, the bat monsters screamed and tried to attack the boy as endrinriggers intercepted and shot drills and grappling hooks into the bats, making short work of four of them as Durod joined with his own weapon battery and slew two. He signaled the endrinriggers on command to charge the four. The mooks carved through two with their saws and butted a third until it fell to its death. Durod finished the last of the bats off with his saw and watched it's eviscerated carcass fall into the sea. More followed, if trailing behind, Ven changed his keyblade into a glide and had it turn back to the Frigate as the endrinriggers and their captain flew to the Ironclad. With the crew secure, Olgrik noticed a green zombie dragon with a ghoul on top, he recognized a golden pendent on the ghouls neck and saw a silver, steam punk helmet being crudely worn like a hat. He gasped, glared and ordered. "Gundbren, fly us to that animal. No one murders Aerund and gets away with it. Brin, turn that turret around and hit that lizard square in the jaw."

Halvek looked at the coming foe, recognized the gear and yelled in louder fury. "That's where he's been all this time?" He caused a storm to blow behind the fleet and slowed the ghoul and his dragon, halting its charge as Stitch asked. "You're charging?"

Olgrik nodded as the Ironclad slowed down and faced its broadside at the ghoul babbling gibberish, Ven realized the Duradin were doing something reckless and had the glider fly with him. BOOM! BANG! A barrage of canon shots took chunks of bone out of the dragon as the sky cannon shattered the dragons rib cage, Olgrik took the chance and jumped off the boat, jumping on the dragons back and confronting the ghoul that screamed in fear and clawed the Admiral that punched him in the stomach and took his wears. Olgrik lifted his hammer with both hands as the dragon tried to bite the Ironclad and failed.

SLAM!

He slammed the hammer on the ghoul and both, pulverized the fiend and caused the dragon to shatter into pieces, Durod saw and flew down after him, Olgrik free fall for five seconds and was swiped out of the fall by Ven, who was less than pleased. "Are you going to tell me why you did that?"

Olgrik hang on the glider and was dropped back on the A.U, he gave Ven a brief answer. "Aerund was a rival admiral from Barak-Nar. Of the Prospecting Traders, a decade ago they ventured into Ghur to do a contract job for some Fyre Slayers in helping them expand land and that's the last we heard of them. We thought it was a war going on... guess that Ghoul proved us wrong."

A Duradin emerged from a hatchet and Olgrik gave him the helmet and necklace. "Put this in the treasure hold. The council at Nar is going to want to know about this." The employee obeyed and left Olgrik to finish his answer. "The ghouls are a bunch of dangerous pests and if you been reading that log you're friend made for ya, you would know why."

Ven agreed with that. "And out here in the sky, we just have the boats to defend ourselves with. You weren't going to let them get away with that." Olgrik shook his head. "By the code, no. The P.T ought to have a bit of peace, knowing that mystery is solved and the companies ought to be even... for now." The Ironclad caught up with Ol' Bountiful and Ven picked up Stitch. "Until you both find something to fight over?"

Olgrik answered. "No, until we find something to race over. They can't fight if we have claim over it first." Halvek advised to Ven. "We got two more hours before we get to the rendezvous point, any sky pirate worth their salt would know not to mess with us now. Go get ready, we'll be dropping down in an hour to avoid some of the local rabble." The boy understood and had the glider take him to Ol' Bountiful.

He found Scrooge and Baldred rather astonished by the quick detour and explained. "That ghoul had something that belonged to a friend of Olgriks and you don't need to know anything else."

Baldred bluntly described it. "It was enough for Olgrik to personally see things get done, let's just leave it at that." Scrooge agreed to that. "If he had one of those packs to fly around, he would have been much more involved." Ven reformed his keyblade and watched Halvek looking at his devices, like he picked up on something. "So he had a reason to do it."

He let Stitch down to the floor and was looking anxious, like something was about to go ary. Halek acted frantic, like something was going out of control, he pressed his vox and caused Ol' Bountiful's to blare. "Everyone, fly to the direction of your gunhauler and stick with them. Don't argue." The gun hauler to the frigates right flew right and the ship followed as the ship to the left had the A.U follow, Ven noticed clouds bellow twisting in an odd yellow color as Baldred heard a woman's voice laughing. "Mwa, ha, ha, ha. I never suspected you're kind to be this observant."

The four readied for battle as a yellow tornado emerged from the clouds bellow, at the top looped like a reasonably attractive woman, blowing intense wind and sucking the fleet in. She looked maliciously determined to stop them. "But I cannot allow you to continue. This is where you'll fall."

BOOM!

Lightning crashed down and caught the gunners off guard, a maelstrom twisted and turned as Ven saw the obvious strategy to deal with her, he looked like he was ready to jump.

FLING! BOOM!

A bolt of lightning flew from bellow the Ironclad's left, a feathery blue dragon with a wild looking rider appeared and was making an assault on the ship with the most objectives. Olgrik took the vox and ordered. "Shoot that dragon down!"

The fleet did so and the dragon dived down to dodge the shots, it maneuvered and flew upward at the Ironclad, its burning beak like a spear to compliment the rider. Halvek ordered. "Ease up and on my command, we take this business elsewhere."

Ven blinked confused as the Ironclad slowed down and dodged the dragon, the rest of the fleet took the example as a maelstrom formed to try and consume them. Halvek barked. "Dive, dive, dive!"

The fleet adjusted downward and dodged the dragons fire. The twister descended down after them and the Admiral yelled in his vox. "Each boat has permission to use another ingot of Aether Gold, if we get to ground, we'll be out of this mess." A pilot in the side boats readied an ingot in sync as the wind blew against them. Halvek turned around and pressed a button, he aimed his staff and caused intense wind to push back. "Eat Aether dust you twisted amalgamation."

The dragon breathed fire balls upon the Ironclad, the Gunhauler boats maneuvered to take the blow and Ven gasped, he shined his keyblade, spun it and flung it in the way, blocking the fire. The Ironclad's engines shined, followed by the Frigate and Gunhauler boats. WOOSH! The engines forced themselves out of the windy hold and flew far away from the tornado and the dragon.

Ven had his keyblade return as Scrooge noticed a shore of a beach that has an odd mist and gargantuan crabs with club like pincers scuttling. He held to his hand and grabbed onto something. "Hold on tight, we're heading to a bumpy landing."

The three did so as Halvek had the wind blow back against them, slowing the drop and letting the fleet maneuver to stay air born and slowing to a stop, the crabs saw the guns and scurried away in the mists as Olgrik jumped off and had a look at the damage, parts of the boat were smoking and he screamed. "Of all the! Men, get out of there, now!"

The crew did so as Durod and his crew flew off the boats and saw the damage, they began repairs as Jararr climbed down from the Frigate with his grundstok thunderers and the thirteen Arkanaut company got out of the Ironclad. Halvek got off and saw the horrifying damage as the hired hand climbed down. The navigator yelled out. "Damn it Olgrik, what did I say about these ships?"

The Admiral knew. "They are important to ya, this could have been a lot worse." He stood by his footmen and looked at the encroaching mists. "I got a bad feeling about this place." Halvek agreed with that. "We went a little off course, once repairs are made, we can leave as soon as we are all boarded."

Scrooge hoped so and heard unusual horns from the inner land. "This is why we've came along, what ever is nearby won't lay a finger on the fleet while we're here." Halvek and Olgrik appreciated the vigor, the admiral asked. "Without our long range guns, we are at a severe disadvantage. Now, what were those things in the sky?"

Scrooge and Stitch wondered as Ven answered. "What ever they were, they knew we were coming. You think there is any town or something that would bring that lady the power over wind?"

Halvek shook his head. "If there was, that would have been our detour, so I can study the properties for the fleet. That dragon was a mean customer as well." Baldred agreed. "It takes quite a skill for someone to guide such a beast, this was planned." Halvek looked up to the sky to find nothing coming from there. "And we need to figure this out." The mist encroached upon the group as the sound of inland marching became more apparent.

Halvek was the first to see the inland intruders, thirty, odd, exotic purple, aardvark like creatures with lightly tan men that show signs of having spikes, light armor, harnesses that expose skin and right hands that mutated into a spear like claw. They looked upon the Kharadron and their allies like prey as twenty daemonettes on similar steeds appeared next to them, they looked to be ecstatic over something as three figures approached from behind them, a large winged, feline like beast that has purple skin and grey hair carried a cloaked man with a masked face and a scythe like staff. The cowl looked blue as the man gave a glow, next to him was a daemonette on a grand chariot, laughing in a hysteria that reached the stranded group. Ven almost dropped his keyblade in the sheer terror as Baldred had his staff ready, the Undead almost froze at the sight of one other, a large, pink scaled, quadruped reptile in black armor, being ridden by a horned woman in purple armor that was complimented by a black feathered tuft, she held a long mighty violet axe with her right hand and on her left was a silver blade. Behind her were three chariots that were being driven by pink, scarred, reptilian, gorilla like beasts and a warshrine, carried by giant mutated thralls. The woman looked to the sorcerer with an oddly affectionate smile, like she requested something. The sorcerer looked away stubbornly, like he was entitled to give her the privilege.

An oddly elegant voice, filled the companies minds. "Slaves of Order, hear my omen. You trespass upon the spectacle of the Dark gods glory and upon a war the Grand Marshall himself has deemed... important."

The woman gazed upon the crippled Kharadron forces with a barely contained excitement. "We will make an example of you, for Sigmar's pets to quake in fear. You're suffering shall be long, knowing that it will be one step closer to victory." Ven felt something in the mist, giving a similarly dark feeling, the voice in the groups minds stopped and she raised her blade. "Flay them, make them scream."

The sorcerer raised his staff in the air and echoed a deep voice. "Sing mortals, you're end has co-" Woooooooooh! An echo was heard from the sea, the mist enveloped the shore, Halvek found his technology jamming and shook it as Ven saw an eerrie green, crawl upon the shore, slithering out of the sea, came twenty four blue eels with armored spear men, twelve blue eels with armored curved sword wielding riders, twenty pale, elven archers and leading with the calvery was a, armored warrior with a polearm and shield, riding on a black, sea horse like beast, all of the beast flew out of the water like they were swimming.

The elf king gave a glare in hatred towards the Slaaneshi warband and had his men begin an assault, following behind was a large, armored elf with a trident on his left hand, a scepter on his right and a cloak of a tide, the source of the fog. Rising next to him was a gargantuan, black scaled turtle with an orange shell. Ridden by a spea rmen that commanded a fearsome crew on a platform build upon the turtle, a harpoon man in the left and right and behind was a drummer, playing a beat much like the sea itself. Concealing the archers in a fog. The water cloaked elf yelled a tone fitting of a crashing tide. "You trespass upon these grounds, Invaders of Slaanesh?" He swayed his trident and promised them. "You will be consumed in the tides, take solace in that we will grant you a swift end."

The sound of a stormy sea caused Stitch to hide behind Ven, who summed up the arrivals. "They're both bad news."

The Chaos lord on the reptilian steed was in a panic, she wasn't expecting such an arrival. The Daemonette next to her whispered a promise, cracked a whip and summoned a mirror being controlled by two daemonettes and a swarm of thirty daemonettes. She flickered in and out of existence, leading a a frightening charge at the Kharadron. Baldred flinched, glowed his staff and flung a massive spear of energy. Olgrik cringed and took his hammer to lead his gunmen from the front, with Jararr following with the thunderers with his weapon. The spear rushed through the daemonette, caused the chariot to shake from a heavy blow and be pelted by soul arrows. Ven focused on the rider as Stitch crawled on his back. WOOSH! He flung himself on the chariot and confronted a daemon with two whips and crab like claws, it was greatly amused and flung its whips at him, scratching through his armor and getting into his personal space to claw at him. The boy had to nearly dance to avoid the lethal damage, countered with a slash and threw Stitch at its face, the alien clawed and bit at the daemon that heard the sound of a pogo stick. Scrooge jumped on, landed and readied to wack his cane at the fiend. "Go back to the Chaos you spawned from, we got a job to do."

WACK!

The daemon was struck in the abdomen and backed away as Ven gave it a quick combo, unaware of the sound of sorcery flinging a crystal soul arrow at the chariot, piercing the hull and causing it to go unstable and fall apart. Leaving behind three that fell to the sand.

The daemonette horde were being gunned down and the sight of golden mists turned the thirty into a fifteen. FLING! A mass of soul energy was tossed at the horde and an orb of blue energy was shot to the sky, raining down the power and turning the fifteen into six. Ven vanished in light, caused a spark to shine and appear next to the six, turning them into a measly one, it screamed and pounced on Ven, cutting into his shoulder and causing a cringe of pain. BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! A volley shot from Olgriks pistol slew the last of the daemonettes, leaving the cursed mirror that flung itself to Scrooge and Stitch, the duck took the alien and used his cane to pogo jump out of the flaying limbs, giving the ranged Kharadron the chance to shoot it into oblivion.

Baldred switched to his chime and caused soothing sunlight to shine, mending the injured wounds and giving Ven the chance to stand up, his armor glowed to regenerate and he watched the sea bound raiders and the land bound raiders collide. A tide washed over the slaanesh warband and caused them to reel in terror as electricity electrocuted many to death. Something appeared from behind the chariots, an elven scryer surrounded by two large brown sharks, each having a front rider with a curved sword and a saddle with a harpoon wielder, shooting in the back of the chariots and charging at them for vicious bites. The sorcerer on the winged beast blew down chaotic wind at the eels as the chaos lord circled around and found the elven raid leader ready to charge with his army.

RUSH!

She charged into the raider, her steed biting and clawing into the sea horse as she swung in vicious elegance. Her axe missed, yet her sword caused the king to yell out in pain. The sea horse bit and clawed back as the rider made a firm swing from his polearm. SLASH! The Chaos Lord was flung off her mount that was being bitten deep in the neck, she had a deep cut in her abdomen and was bleeding, the raider looked down at her and thrust his polearm into her chest, making sure the killing blow was dealt.

The sorcerer on the winged beast saw the kill and yelled in a murderous frenzy, he flew down after the raider and was intercepted by the tide cloaked elf that washed over a mist upon the eel bound raiders to heal them. It flowed another tide of terror upon the opposing army as the turtle flew above the battle and made its way to the warshrine, the harpoon launchers shot at the cultists on the cursed shrine as the archers shot at the daemonettes that were busy dealing with the sharks. The avatar like elf shot a blast of eldritch energy at the winged beast and shot itself at the foe, like a geyser. Ven took his chance with the back row demons and dashed to them like a storm of wind, he sparked in lightning and carved at them, the wounded sharks and their riders noticed and let the boy reduce the ten daemons to a simple trio of riders.

In the sky, the aspect of the tide stabbed the beast in the chest with its trident and jumped on its head to confront an angry sorcerer, it hit him in the head with its scepter and spectral sea creatures pounced on him, biting down and reducing him to pitifully slashing the avatar. The daemon riders tried attacking different targets, didn't deal nearly enough damage and were finished off, Ven had a front row seat of watching the near leaderless warband being taken down by blades, bites from venomous eels and electrical shocks, they were forced to flee and two broke off. BOOM!

A shell of a canon fired at the cowards and the sharks joined in to finish off the warband as the avatar engulfed the beast in mists and caused it to fall, it let loose one more eldritch blast and sent the sorcerer falling to his death. Leaving a warshrine that was quickly wrecked by the turtle.

Ven had an odd, dreadful feeling and watched ghosts of the losing enemies be drawn to the sea. The elves on their eels jumped off to collect their own wounded and the raider king got off his steed to approach the boy, seeing a familiar pattern he recognize and choosing to ignore it. "You made things a little easier for us," He looked at the Kharadron nearly finishing repairs and asked. "You must be the allies the Hollowed Knights spoke of?"

He broke out of a battle stoic frown and had something of a smile. "What an opportunity you gave us." Ven looked at the spirits and chose not to ask about that as the king answered. "We've had an agreement, we keep certain warbands from interfering with the Stormcasts and in exchange, we claim them. Would that Slaaneshi warband have been drawn as they were if you didn't came crashing?" Ven protested about that. "Hey, we're not bait, do you know anything funny going on with the skies?" The king shrugged. "We've only known that dead crypt flayers were falling into the sea, were those pests the reason you came here?"

Ven shook his head and found the king more suspicious. "Are you going to give me a straight answer, those guys were toast." The king blinked in astonishment as a robed scryer approached him and advised. "My lord, must we commune with the surface dweller?" The king slowly looked at his adviser with confusion. "Tethaethon, souls like that don't go falling out of the sky without a reason. If the ghouls haven't caused such catastrophic damage to where the Kharadron of that one barak, had to rest upon these shores, we have a right to know."

The avatar heard that and advised with Tethaethon in a unified voice. "Dyrnannon of the Abyss, must we pursue that force and spend more of our kin?" Dyrnannon realized he was in a corner with the argument and asked. "But... isn't this what we agreed to?" The scyer nodded. "If they come upon these lands uninvited, the Kharadron must finish their... work and be on their way while we replenish our numbers and go undisturbed. They would only remember a dream anyways."

The avatar nodded in agreement and gave a subtle aura of a warning to Ven. "For the tide recedes with the lost and those that draw breath are best to never know." The boy slowly backed away and asked. "So you want us to get lost and pretend we never saw you?"

The scyer gave off a smug smile. "A crude term, most typical of someone your age, but that's precisely what you should do, for we both would benefit from that. What ever fiend you've encountered prior to coming here, is most useful information for us, don't be troubled by the Akhelian King. He is quite hot blooded."

Dyrnannon folded his arms and asked his scryer. "Tethaethon..." He calmed himself and asked. "Perhaps we should focus on uncovering the fiend ourselves, anything... foreign to these lands are of our concern. This is a war and we are to make the most of it." He saw the boy backing away and wished him well. "If you travel directly north, you will find the clues you seek. Try to have safer travels, the Stormcasts would be quite furious if you don't arrive."

Ven took it as a gesture of good will and tried to say something as a laughter sang from the depths. "Ho, ho, ho, ho. We cannot allow that, can we?" Ven and the water bound army turned to the sea and caught the sight of a blue turtle in the water, the avatar casually approached as the turtle taunted. "All Barbaricca has done is alerted us that the Gaurdian's of Harmony and the mercenaries have arrived. You will all be swallowed by the tides of doom."

The tide receded more than usual and Tethaethon quickly turned to Ven, loosing his calm tone with a bark. "Get on the boat and leave this place. NOW!" The boy knew something was happening and he didn't waste time arguing, he ran back to the boats that were no longer smoking, the Kharadron foot soldiers and the Aether Khemist crawled in the Frigate as Stitch and Baldred climbed to the upper side of the boat, Olgrik was losing a confident attitude and helped his crew get in the Ironclad, with Halvek bring carried to the crows nest, he counted the thunderers that were on their boats and flying along with Durod and his squad clinging bellow the Ironclad. He noticed Ven and pointed to the Frigate. "You did us a favor yet again, yadda, yadda, yadda. Get on the A.U and if you can help make it go faster, DO IT." Scrooge was climbing up and offered to help the boy climb. "We don't want to be here, a tsunami is coming."

Ven gave a small squeal of panic and took the offer, climbing on the top of the A.U as Olgrik rapidly climbed on Ol' Bountiful. Baldred asked. "What of the sea warriors?" Olgrik didn't care. "They can deal with it, we can't. Let's-" A wave risen from the sea, one even bigger than the turtle beast. Halvek pointed to his right. "There's north. GO!" The fleet turned and flew with the wind, leaving the Deepkin to confront the impending disaster.

The avatar was the foremost and aimed its scepter at the tsunami, causing the wave to split in two and avoid its people. It looked to the King and Scryer and advised. "Leave this fiend to me." The avatar effortlessly had the tides draw in the fiend responsible for the disaster, a blue turtle that was in his shell, it's limbs pulled out to reveal clawed talons and out from the front was a human like head that looked at the avatar bored. "I underestimated that, you are an Eidolon, an aspect of the Sea? I've heard of you're kind from the surrounding waters."

The aspect nodded and aimed its trident. "Then you'll know why you should have never crossed us, why this... Barbaricca should have never lured the outsiders and the skybound towards what they were never meant to know." The weapon glowed with eldritch force. "We are the Cythai, the Deepkin and you have earned our wrath!"

PEW! The Aspect shot a force of power at the Archfiend of Water that simply flickered away, the Aspect looked around and yelled. "Show yourself," A calm voice from above answered. "He has done more than enough, now you will contend with a force beyond the Realms."

Dyrnannon saw a glittering rift open from above the Aspect and ordered his army. "Shoot it!" The harpooners and rangers readied to aim as the King got on his steed, the Aspect of the Sea looked up and was ready to confront what ever entity was emerging.

Tink!

A crystal barrier surrounded the Aspect and a demonic figure appeared from the shine, drawing the crystal towards him. The aspect let loose its power to try and break out as the harpoons and arrows were fired, Dyrnannon had his steed fly behind the arrows as he readied his polearm. The demon extended his lower right arm and haved it wave down, the arrows fell off course, into the sand as the King and his steed went crashing into the sand, the demon was content with the humiliation inflicted as the crystal reached to him, both it and he vanished without a trace. The force of gravity lightened back to normal and Dyrnannon pulled himself up, with his horse looking embarrassed, the king tilted his head and asked. "What... happened?"

At the park near the Muppet Theater.

Ken was wide awake and finished explaining to a grey eagle. "And that's probably how I was able to do this." He formed a fire ball in his fleshy hand and flung it, it burst into fire balls that lit up in the afternoon sky that burst into a swath, the boy clenched his hand and caused the flame to compress for one more burst. The eagle looked at the fire sturned and bluntly said it. "It's a firework of its own."

Ken agreed. "Hence the name, fire works. So many arts of pyromancy in one combo, thanks for hearing me out Sam." The eagle appreciated it and heard an unusual beep from the boys pocket, Ken gasped astonished and took out his phone to see a familiar facial expression. "Bryn, what are you doing in my phone?"

The face gave a wide smile and Ken guessed. "Sora gave you the idea? You two are closer to my trial and found out exactly where this world is?" The face changed into a two, two colons, two zeroes another colon and two more zeroes. The number went down and the two became a one, Ken gasped and cheered. "You'll be here in two hours? That's amazing. In fact."

He followed a trail back to the Theater. "Tell Sora that I'll be waiting on this spot." Click! He took a picture and had it sent, a small face to the side was a little astonished and gave an obedient frown. Disappearing and leaving behind the time. Ken turned back to Sam, who dully voiced. "Kids these days and their gizmos."

The boy didn't mind and showed off his cybernetic arm. "If technology can create sweet prosthetics like this, then it's worth it when certain machines start coming to life. Anyways, I needed that nap and I needed to get the worries out. If Sora hasn't heard of the book, he will when he gets here and he'll hear me out."

Sam corrected him. "After how you made the blunder of being exposed to that evil? You're not getting off scot free for that." Ken agreed with that. "And Miss has less tolerance of that, I'm in for it. I wonder if these people found that octopus yet?" He looked both ways and crossed the street, ready to try and uncover another mystery.

At the low grounds of Ghur.

The United Airlords and the quartet of mercenaries forgotten about what they were running from and were spacing out as they found pieces of jungle and of temples. Ven spoke out loud. "Why am I getting the chills here?"

Baldred and Stitch shrugged like they didn't know as Jararr answered. "Probably because we spent so much time in the sky that it's taking time for your bodies to adjust to the wet lands." He noticed a pack of water dwelling raptors that have a curved sail on their back, running away from a horned, thrilled dinosaur. "We are getting close to Seraphon territory, so the traveling ought to be over."

Scrooge wanted to debate. "Don't change the subject, we were fixing the boats before everything became a blur. That's where the chills are coming from. But we're right to move on from that." Jararr felt that was another valid point. "Something is making you forget, but the memory is still in there somewhere."

Bang! Pop! Stitch hopped at the nose of the A.U and saw a distant battle occurring, a dwindling horde of nearly naked, savage green skin people were running for their lives as missiles flew in the air, gun powder blown, cross bows and bows. Helicopters chased after a trio of greenskins on boars and fired steam, making the boars run even faster. Stitch saw a dwarf cladded in steam punk armor as a pilot and pointed to ask Jararr. "Cousins!"

A horn blown from Ol' Bountiful, Halvek shouted. "The camp is dead ahead and it looks like some Ironwield from Ghyran are joining in on the fun. Let's see what these ground dwellers are doing." Olgrik gave an order in his vox as the boats reached a warcamp that was made by a temple, a silver Stormcast with a mighty hammer ordered a squad of bow wielding Stormcast, a squad of Stormcasts with cross bows and birds, a group of smaller humans managing two carts of rockets, a Duradin mechanic in thick steel armor, overseeing the guns, a two person squad of Stormcast with a mounted ballista and a twenty man squad of dwarfs with cannons. "Let them pass, they're arrival is impeccable."

The army made way and let the fleet land. The crew got off and felt it was more safe for Durod and his crew to make thorough repairs, Olgrik approached the Stormcast and shook his hand, seeing a man with a thick, black mustache and green eyes. "We arrived right after a battle against some bonesplittah Orruks, Lord Thostren." Thostren nodded and cringed. "It's a struggle ever since we got here, one moment we are attacked by the locals and the next, it's one Chaos Warband after another. They are the ones we are worried about and we don't need any of the Forces of Destruction breaking the temple on us."

The ground bound engineer gave a stare to the Kharadron official and especially at Halvek, who recognized him. "This has to have been dire to get Dormeag here."

The engineer agreed. "Lady Arreia said that this temple might lead to somewhere important and that we shouldn't let the Forces of Chaos or Nagash's boys get their hands on it. That was enough to get me on bored," Thostren agreed with that. "There is some details that were not shared, but Arreia and her Evokers are investigating something in the jungle themselves." He noticed Baldred as the only similar looking individual among the four mercenary band. "And you four must be some hired hand."

He noticed a weapon in Ventus's hands and was taken aback. "Is that... a Keyblade?!"

The boy looked at his weapon and nodded. "Yeah, how did you know?" Thostren answered. "Arreia told a select few about something that transpired in the Realm of Azyr around a week ago. A warrior from another Realm that has that exact weapon." Ven smiled under his helmet and had it disappear in light. "That was Aqua, sorry that you missed her."

Dormeag gave a hearty laughter. "Yeah, I reckoned you knew her when they notice that thing. What's brought you here?" Halvek showed a box with a particular object and answered. "He came to get me for help involving trouble in his realm, right when we were about to have that job. Ven," he addressed the rich duck. "Scrooge," the alien. "Stitch," and the Undead. "and Baldred are part of the hired hand."

Scrooge saw another entrepreneur and shook Dormeag's hand. "And we journeyed from Chamon all the way out here for this. What is on the horizon now?" Thostren looked at a distant jungle. "This isn't the full army, but a scouting party went to secure a foot hold and report if there is anything encroaching the jungle." BOOM!

The sound of thunder was enough of a warning as Baldred stated the obvious. "I think they just did." More flashes, that of solar light, speaks of another tale. Smoke risen and Dormeag had the chance to observe. "I think someone dug up something the Seraphon have in there." Thostren guessed. "Perhaps it is a solar crystal embedded upon a pedestal, with a spell used to activate it should an intruder trespass upon their grounds. Hopefully the uninvited ones."

ROAR! SCREEEEEH!

Hints of green mists finished showing a story as Ven asked. "Should... we help?" Thostren shook his head as the green mists was blown away. "While it might not be a terrible idea, it's not needed when Arreia and Loru are the leaders of a scouting party that has some concussors, evocators, sequitors and castigators." Bling! A flash of golden light washed over the camp, Baldred looked around and saw a barrier of golden light blend with the surrounding, something about it gave him some comfort. "We're about to figure out what is going on shortly if they activated... what ever this is.."

In a few minutes, they saw something flying out of the forest, a large, black scale dragon in silver armor, holding the head of a demonic skull rat in its mouth. On the back is a warrior with a hammer, Ven saw bits of white scales among the black and confessed as the leaders made way. "Wow that's a cool dragon." FLAP! PHEW! The dragon spit the head before Thostren's feet, the dragon looked repulsed as the rider petted him on the back of his neck. "I know Nightscale, those ratmen had nothing but ill will."

He reported to Thostren. "My lord, Lady Arreia has made a discovery that would require some time to decipher, we had a close call of Clan Pestilens, but once our lady Arcanum found our report, she activated it to exterminate that horde. She'll explain the rest when she comes."

A trio of grassy green dracoths with red paint marks on their cheeks, going down their neck arrived, with a trio of stormcasts with shields and hammers. One particular, with a bored, feminine, yet sharp tone. "Loru, she figured it out right after you left. She's coming."

Nightscale lowered himself and let his rider jump off, Loru asked. "Really?! What did Arreia say?" The concussor was blunt as the other two of her squad stood aside. "That she bought us time to breath and hope to Sigmar that those cloud sucking prospectors, or anyone, gets here."

Olgrik heard that and raised his hammer. "Why I oughta, this trip better be worth it." What's your name?" The stormcast introduced herself as she identified a Kharadron. "Haukwen and you all came here for work? You're going to get that and more."

She looked at the fleet rather impressed. "This is exactly what Arreia needs to see, I hope you got the attitude to back it up the fleet." Olgrik promised her. "Oh we'll show more than that." Squawk, a Stormcast on a brown skin hound like gryphon that had crimson feathers, arrived, the stormcast had a massive staff and had the steed calm itself. "Easy Flo," A six man band of wingless, tiger like dragons arrived in guard of a band of stormcasts with hammers and strange shields a ten man group of archers and wizard like stormcast with a staff that had a door.

Loru saluted the Lord Arcanum. "I just got the message, Arreia, what did you discover?"

Arreia took a deep breath and smiled under her helmet. "A wonder of the Seraphon. That crystal, in addition to frying those vile rats, made a short term barrier to keep the forces of Chaos away from the jungle... for a time. If there is more of those machines in the jungle, we could activate them at once and reform the barrier so Archaon's goons would be banished from this place for a long time. It's how that we need to plan for and makeg sure our rumored... third party is kept out of here. Despondis-" The quiet sounding mage took out a piece of paper. "We require a ritual that would use this Hysh crystal-" he showed a white glowing crystal. "to repel Nagash's Legions, could there be more pyramids?" Baldred approached in curiosity. "A miracle to force out such an evil power?"

Despondis was astonished and looked at the stranger in armor, suspecting nothing different. "If you'd call it that. Who are you?" Baldred introduced himself. "Just Baldred... and I known from a Stormcast looking like you that Nagash is something of pure evil, but why would he concern himself with this place?"

Arreia looked at the Undead and sensed an odd air. "Perhaps because the Slann might have left something that would aid him in reconstructing his body." She rolled her eyes under her helmet and took it off, revealing long, near glowing, blonde hair, Baldred stood firmly as the Lord Arcanum noticed two odd animal like characters and a boy with blonde spiky hair and to further astonishment, a keyblade. "You're with them?"

The questioning voice made Baldred more nervous as he saw ruby red eyes, Ven stood by his side and let him know he wasn't alone. "He's with me and Mr. Scrooge." Stitch waved as Ven included him. "And Stitch. A Stormcast named Ana told us about you, Arreia?" The Lord Arcanum looked more surprised as the armored Drakesworn noticed him and found it an odd occurrence and was lost in silence. The woman asked. "By the...what has happened in the realm beyond?!"

Scrooge answered that. "A Villain named Garland used a great power to throw the worlds into discord and caught us in a time loop until we broke it by coming over." He looked at Halvek. "We had to do business with the one man we know of that could help us weaken Garland's power and now we came ere looking for you."

Arreia raised an eyebrow and had her free hand at her hip. "Really? How convenient for us." Her daunting smile was a warning that the band had stepped into a full war, she looked at Ven with her smile turning to a still expression of authority. "I might have high expectations of you because of another keybearer I've met, but I also know that she is of a different power than you. I ask of two things." She raised a finger. "We would request specific orders for you and you're friends, follow them, it could be instrumental in reducing casualties." Ven understood as Arreia had another request. "They are also intended so you won't get killed out there, you might have known how easy it is to die in the realms or against those from the realms."

Ven agreed with that. "A Skaven and some Daemonettes were kind of that lesson. We just need to not die?" Arreia nodded. "Precisely, we owe this much to Anatesis and you could also be crucial for escorting Halvek out of the Realms." She lowered herself to his level and had a gentler tone. "Welcome to the army, I expect you and you're friends to perform adequately. Ven, correct?"

The boy nodded and introduced his friends once more, Loru broke from his pause on hearing the names and asked. "What do we need to know about you four?"

Ven answered bluntly. "I been out of a coma for three days, so I'm a little rusty. Stitch is a friend of mine who is much stronger than he looks." Stitch was lifting Nightscale's left talon and was impressing the Stardrake. Scrooge explained his specialty. "I'm more of a business man and a treasure hunter than a fighter, but I know how to get by a couple scraps." He turned to Baldred, worried about him. "Baldred, do you wish to tell them?" The warrior nodded and expected the worse as he took off his helmet to reveal a red beard and blue eyes. "I'm a little different from them for one reason, a reason why Ana warned me of who we might be fighting." Despondis sensed the hint of dark and asked with worry in his voice. "You are Undead?" Arreia and Loru looked at the Exorcist, the Lord Arcanum asked bluntly. "Is this true?" Baldred nodded. "For as long as I can remember, I bore the Curse of Undeath until my world met death."

He clinged in expecting the worse. "Is... that an ordeal you can't abide?" Arreia shook her head. "No, you're not the Undead from these realms and the fact you went with this boy proves you done something to earn that right. That is not the problem, the problem is something Ana spoke of and if you ever seen Aqua act differently on the mention of Nagash... you would know why we are scared for you."

Baldred tilted his head and guessed. "It's a lot different than usual? I was never told of that, only that Nagash is a cruel, tyrannical, lich." Arreia let Baldred know he was correct. "Nagash is in pieces and will take maybe a decade to reform, whole, but he always finds a way to bring ruin to where ever he sets his sights on."

Ven didn't wish to know anymore. "And Aqua kind of acts like a different person when we talk about him. What did Nagash do to her?!" Arreia took a deep breath and spoke like a witness. "He hurt her, both physically and emotionally. That's all Nagash does, whether you are in his way or not." The boy listened and stopped asking questions, Olgrik approached the Lord Arcanum to change the subject. "But enough about that lich, what are we going to do?"

Arreia looked worried for Ven and went to her duty. "I will need something to make a map." Boreld took out a rolled up piece of paper. "I'd got that covered." He asked Loru. "Loru, maybe you could show the lad around."

The Drakesworn Templar knew what the real order is for and asked the boy. "There isn't much in the temple beyond shelter. You want to get ready for later? Once the barrier fades, it's back to battling." Ven nodded. "Yeah, it's okay now. Aqua is a strong person, it takes a lot for things to bother her that deeply." Baldred realized he was part of the reason as the Lord Exorcist placed a free hand on his shoulder and asked. "You did not chose the path of Undeath, would you tell me you're story?" The Undead let a regret go and nodded. "Yeah, it's a long one."

Ven went with the Drakesworn that asked his Drake. "I have this Nightscale, I'll be back soon." The two went to the far end of the camp, overlooking a small pond. Loru told Ventus all he knew of the incident. "I was not there for that battle, but I saw Ana's condition afterwards. Aqua made Nagash pay, yet that evil left a scar in her heart." Ven felt the anger in Loru and asked. "You and Ana were friends?"

The Drakesworn nodded. "I was more of a... motivational guide for those with potential. But I've lost that edge since Ana left in that... glorious form." The boy listened and sat over a ledge. "You missed Ana, she's doing fine. Aqua took her and two other keybearers as students, Ana kind of has an edge over them." Loru found that obvious and smiled under his helmet. "As a Retributor Prime who became a Champion Templar and a winged... I'm not sure anymore. We were all reforged to protect the realms and Ana went far beyond where me and Nightscale had reached to, so long as she is defending the realms, that's what matters."

Ven asked with a hint of mischief. "You and Ana wanted to settle something before she left?"

Loru nodded. "Yep, it's no small achievement to make it to the Realms and make it far enough to reach someone that could... help you and your friends get back to that Realm and solve that problem you're having." He gave a hearty laugh and gave Ven a pat on the back that caused him to fall off, Ven screamed and landed on his knees, Loru cringed. "Eeeh... Sorry about that."

Ven stood up and smiled nervously. "It's...it's fine. Ana kind of told me you act like a show off to get others to try harder and tell you off. Is this what you're doing?"

Loru shook his head and his tone became defensive. "No, I'm a Stormcast and you are a lad who is somewhere in his adolescent years. Our battle carriers are too different for me to even be close of a help." He looked towards Ven in the eyes. "And I was serious about the Skaven's forces, I can't afford to be careless. My brothers and sisters in arms need to give it everything and once again, we're helping save a whole realm from someone who wishes to bring endless Chaos."

Ven felt a growing pride and lightly laughed as he scratched the back of his head. "And it's up to me to make sure Halvek and the Voidstone Orb is where it needs to be." Loru nodded and stood up proudly. "It's a calling of heroism. So long as the realm gets to be at peace for another day, it's easy to rest knowing it's cause of you and those that came along." He asked with a more concerned tone. "I'll believe that Baldred is your friend and that his intentions are as pure as he claim. How did you cross paths?" Ven answered more confidently. "It's what I heard, but it happened when-"

At the Temple.

Despondis was greatly impressed by Baldred's devotion. "And in spite of you're origins, you kept a faith in yourself and towards the name of good." The Undead was astonished as Despondis warned him. "Yet for every light, there is the shadows it casts, that shadow may have to be called again to end the coming battle."

Baldred adjusted his chime and agreed. "That is something I been meaning to tell the lad when I get the chance, if we are to vanquish Chaos. In order for us to make it through the battle, I'll know what to do, I'll have to take some lives. Why are you this quick to talk of the Dark when the others dread it?" Despondis laughed and took off his helmet to reveal a pale, pointy eared man with short black hair, complimented by purple eyes, he had a welcoming tone. "Ulgu is not a place of shining examples, but we all have a call to answer. To be that miracle in the darkest of times."

Baldred gasped and had a hearty smile that trusted the face. "And a miracle we can be for someone. The Undead that serve Nagash, what do you know of them?"

Despondis sat next to him and felt a long, annoying task at hand. "Most do not serve willingly and some were created from souls. If we are to free them, it would take great work and even more on the soul, for them to find redemption or not."

Baldred sighed. "Or to have a bit of rest from the endless cycle. Whether to be in the comfort of the Light, or to rest in the stillness of Dark, that ought to be a enough for those forsaken souls." The Exorcist asked him. "Do you actually have that power?"

The Undead shook his head. "I just kill, but I grow stronger with each passing of life. Their strength is my own, while they rest in death." He closed his eyes and focus on his bone staff. "..If we end up battling those Undead, their existence will be at a climax. They won't feel anymore pain and no one will be harmed by them again." He smiled and looked back. "Maybe I can use this as a chance to teach the boy the Miracles I learned. He can put the Light to a better use."

Despondis felt the words and aimed his staff to the other side. "Then show him, that Light could be what the Dead will need to pass on."

Baldred got up and went to where Ven and Loru were. Finding the boy finishing a tale. "I kind of wish he stops using Darkness, but he knows something the others don't." The chime jingled lightly and Ven turned around, Loru looked at the Undead respectfully. "You've done what few have, you have a strong heart."

Baldred appreciated the compliment and used his chime to shine upon his katana. "Thank you, Sir Loru. Ventus, should we be fighting the forces of Darkness yet again, you need to learn some new tricks, the tricks I have learned. Are you ready?" The katana glowed white light, Ven drew his blade out and flipped it to where it faced the opposite direction. "Ready." He had a confident smile and caused his keyblade to give off a heavenly shine, Baldred approached for battle and encouraged the boy to make the first attack, initiating a small training.

At the Dark Chasm.

Xion and the Replica had a clear view of a wide cavern with a ledge ahead going into oblivion. They sensed a distant aura of comedy coming from a passage in the right. Shadey looked at the dark void and slowly approach the passage to the right, like there something coming that he wanted to avoid. The siblings looked at the void and saw a shine of light with in the darkness, a white robed, four armed angel with glowing white wings. The siblings drew their keyblades in a reflex as the angel raised its upper left arm and aimed it at them, flinging an arrow of dark light. Karla jumped in front of the siblings and cast a distorting spell that deflected the arrow, she smiled at the angel like it was an old acquaintance. "Ah, Darklurker, we have naught of time for this. Be on your way."

The angel fluttered to the caves floor and snapped the fingers of its upper right arm to form two dark, ring like rifts. It pressed its two arms together to form an orb of darkness. The Replica knew what was coming and asked Shadey. "Get Xion down the passage, we'll catch up."

The creature increased in size and let Xion get on its back, the girl wished the two the best of luck. "Don't get killed." The Replica promised he wouldn't as Shadey sprinted, the Darklurker tossed the orb into the lower ring and caused the orb to shoot out of the other. The Replica jumped to the left as Karla ran to the right, the Darklurker formed a fiery ring directed at Karla and quickly had a barrage of large fire balls fly after her, the witch kept running and made a jump as the Darklurker turned to the Replica and caused its two upper arms to glow into blades of light.

It flew at him and attacked quickly, the boy slide on his back to dodge the blades and was at the other side of the angel. The Darklurker turned and swipped both blades at once, the boy flipped to jump high and landed behind the angel lurking in the dark. He swung his keyblade like one a polearm and hacked at the things back. The blades vanished and the angel vanished, appearing at the left of the room and snapping his fingers to form double of the dark rings, he formed an orb of darkness in the lower ring and caused three projectiles to fly. The boy jumped to his right and flung something in the shadows, the Darklurker flew to the left and avoided the four laser beams that shot out.

Flip!

Karla flipped close to the angel and glowed her hand in fire, she waved it like a whip and engulfed the angel in a fire whip. The Darklurker folded his wings in response, Karla jumped far back.

PULSE!

The angel burst into two, one was continuing an aggressive approach at Karla, the other flying away. The Replica looked annoyed, gave a blue glow and dived into the ground, polearm first, he disappeared in the light and appeared beneath the more aggressive Darklurker. BURST! Blue light consumed the angel and the boy upper cut him with a stab, the Darklurker flew away as the other hovered high and aimed all four hands together. Karla and the Replica ran to the right and saw a laser beam shot at where they were, the beam followed as the other darklurker formed a fire ring.

Karla dashed to the fire using Darklurkers right as the Replica focused on the air borne Darklurker and jumped after it. Karla dodged the heat and placed her hands together, she knelt to unleash something as the Replica speared the other Darklurker and sent it flying to a wall in a blue glow. Towards a forming hand of earth that was ready to crush the flying angel. A firestorm engulfed the ground bound Darklurker and caused it to break down in ashes as the other was in the grip of earth and was near bursting in a blue power. Thud!

Pop!

One of the Darklurkers collasped in ashes as the other popped, ending the quick, if terrifying battle. The Replica back flipped and landed near the witch that noticed a glowing flicker and picked it up to taunt. "What a contradiction. But it's over... for now." The Replica agreed and yelled out. "This looks an angel, but it's far from one." He shivered. "This was the monster you were talking about. What else you know about this?" Karla took her kiln and was ready to toss the soul in. "It is a creature born of Dark and is a deceptive reflection of what humanity pretends to be."

The Replica listened. "Pretty much the frauds Baldred spoke about and those who are hypocrites. What are you trying to do?"

Karla asked back. "Making a use of this soul, you spoke of interest for the hexes, did you not?" The boy nodded. "That's what I wanted to learn before all this happened. Is it really worth the trouble?"

Karla shook her head. "There is a good reason why they are forbidden, this one is no different. But it may help you against those who think to control the Dark, those who perverted it. The art of lifedrain." The Replica guessed why it is a horrifying power. "That's what Ken told me about with a story of the Four Kings, it takes your soul?"

Karla nodded as she fed the Darklurker's soul into the kiln "In a way," the flicker floated in the void and became unstable. "But harvesting souls in the worlds is too much of a hassle, so it will require another catalyst in the formula. Life itself."

The Replica felt something lethal forming in the kiln. "So it sucks out your life force using the one darkness no one can escape from. Death?"

An unstable wisp floated out of the kiln and the witch held onto it. "This is a rare dark miracle and not for the faint of heart, are you going to miss use it?"

The Replica knew that was a subtle hint that she was going to take the power for herself if he wasn't going to. "...Nah, that's a lesson I got to learn. When this is needed, it's like why you taught Xion that miracle." He laughed with bitterness. "Some talk about Darkness as a force, others talk about the things that are in it... and here is another take. The element."

Karla asked him. "You and the boy you resemble have gone down that path. He turned the Dark into something that coexists with Light. The Dawn, the Dusk... and the Moonlight. What are you going to do with this?"

The Replica answered without hesitation. "There isn't much in the Dark besides what's in it, if the assholes, messing with the worlds, want to bring about Darkness... someone is going to make sure they are kicked into the hole and make sure they stay down there. That's why I'm taking that miracle, someone has to be the one to do it."

The witch presented the wisp to him. "For that is the curse you chose to bear with?" The Replica approached and answered. "Not so much of a curse... but a choice I'm making. All I want to see Xion and her friends to be happy, if it means my world becomes a little darker," he shrugged. "Ah well."

He took the wisp and felt a coldness flowing through his hands. He let the wisp sink into his hands and he felt a stillness sink into his heart. The feeling faded and he felt none of the unusual, he followed the path Xion and Shadey took, seeing the path no less clearer. "Karla, you noticed how this Chasm is getting easier to see through?"

The witch picked up her kiln and asked. "And there wasn't much of a light to be asked for. With this Darklurker dead, we are truly with in the depths of this chasm, without the light to aid us." The Replica found that enlightening. "So I guess we are seeing this place for what it is. Come on, let's go catch up with Xion before she gets into trouble."

At the Muppet Theater.

Ken tapped the vent pipes with his gun like keyblade and saw a goblin in tribal wear climb out of another. The goblin was covered in dirt and grime as he reported. "He isn't in there boss, but I found a fan dropping down into a pipe room."

Ken asked. "A boiler room? If I go in there, he'll try something funny in a place that dangerous. Stingy Bites... I should let Kermit know about this. Thank you for the help." The goblin flicked the gunk off. "Yeah, yeah, don't get yerself crumped. All kinds of spooky things iz going on today."

Flicker! The goblin disappeared in light and Ken went to the back stage, finding Kermit flying from the blunt force of an angry blonde pig in a dress. "Wooah!" Thud! Miss Piggy scoffed and walked off with her snout in the air as Kermit landed by the curtains. Ken looked at his gummi phone to find a 1 and a 0 with a column counting down and approached to help the frog up. "Miss Piggy sure is moody. I got good news and bad news about the octopus."

Kermit moaned and sarcastically asked. "Sure, let's start with the bad news, I can go for more of those." Ken smiled back in mutual sarcasm. "Okay, I'd rather finish this patrol off swell." He cut the sarcasm out. "The bad news, is the octopus might have sneaked into the boiler room under the theater. He is in one of the worst places for me to start a fight and he knows it."

Kermit sighed. "And if you don't go after him, he'll come up during the show."

Ding!

The frog had an idea and went to the theater to find two elderly men at a balcony. "Hey fellas, do you got a minute?" The elderly man with a mustache looked down to him and answered. "Sure, we got thirty of them to spare." The other man suggested against that. "We were going to waste more of them anyways." They both laughed to the joke as Kermit lost his temper and flailed his arms. "Statler, Waldorf, would you stop heckling and listen, it's a matter of stopping the show from getting ruined."

Staler looked down at the frog. "You fired someone?" Ken knew what the frog was suggesting and approached. "Actually, we got a stowaway hiding in the theater and I think he is planning to crash the stage. If he does... we need to get him to leave."

Kermit quickly looked at the boy and back at the heckling critics who looked to each other with a devious plan. Waldorf asked the frog. "You want us to see if the octopus can actually act?"

Kermit nodded. "And I want you gentlemen to be as honest as possible," Statler answered with a chipper tune. "Sure, I could go for some roasted calamari tonight."

Ken almost laughed as the elderly laughed to each other, Kermit approved of that. "Thank you gentlemen, that'll be all." Ken wanted to walk off the stage, he broke into laughter. "Roast... oh," He knew he shouldn't laugh and saw Kermit returning to the back stage, the frog explained. "That ought to stop them from heckling the actors again. Now, what's the good news?"

He showed Kermit eight minutes. "When the time goes to zero, that will be when I'm expecting Sora to get here and you're idea was the best bit. If we can't bounce the octopus out and if he tries to crash things, we'll let him season himself up with some stinky garlic." He almost laughed again. "Maybe I'll be around to give some of my own salt, I'll be outside. I got to get this out of my system."

Kermit felt the humor on point. "There's more to comedy than just a roast, but in this particular case, that octopus is going to have it coming if he doesn't get out. Thanks for the help Ken." The boy nodded and went out of the theater and to the parking lot, he laughed to where it wouldn't stop for a whole minute.

He calmed down and looked up to a sky being engulfed in a sunset, he realized from the chaos. "That octopus is going to have a nightmare."

He felt an odd feeling of something watching him and looked around, finding only a dimly lit alley way and a city street that isn't so busy. Danger filled his heart as he side jumped to the left and spun in the opposite direction, he formed both keyblades and seeing for a brief moment, a familiar, muscular heartless that missed a charge. He swiped his keyblades to his right and parried a force that was quickly pushing him back. One of a particular, grey keyblade, the boy landed with an elegant spin and saw a familiar man that was a little surprised. Xehanort looked ready for battle and gave credit where it was do. "I didn't expect you to dodge like that, you know how I found you?"

Ken gasped and glared at him. "You were the one who put that cup there?!" He cringed at a deathly fear as Xehanort was more bewildered. "A...cup?" Ken laughed in sarcasm. "Do you think I'm that stupid? You'd had that cup put in a storage room of halloween props, knowing someone would pick it up and meet the Skeleton Lord, you counted on me sending the Skeleton Lord back into the Darkness, so I can find another thing that would go pushing Darkness on me."

Xehanort stoically stared at Ken and was thinking the boy was a complete imbecile. "And what was that?"

Ken was on guard as he heard someone squeaking and running into the theater. "Uh uh, that thing's gone, get lost." PEW!

He fired Cadia's Light at the man, SWIPE! Xehanort deflected the beam to building and blinked in and out, Ken sparked in fire and jumped to a lamp pole as the man appeared in front of him and swung. BOOM! Xehanort was knocked back by an orb of fire that exploded. Ken was surrounded by dark rifts, slide down the pole and saw the shadow demon rush from one of the rifts and into another, he flung himself to a wall as the man appeared to his right and rushed at him, Ken flowed to the left and landed to find the shadow demon appearing from the ground and ready to slam his fists down on him. Ken jumped back and spun right as Xehanort teleported to attack him again, the boy shot a stream of scorching shots and form changed his keyblade into a hand cannon.

BANG!

He fired a lascannon like shot, the shadow demon appeared in front of Xehanort and took the blow. The man looked even more serious and asked. "So this truly is what Aqua was investing her time into and somehow you were still influenced by Darkness?"

Ken changed his hand canon into two pistols and caused his burning keyblade to disappear, he duel wielded and barked. "Ha, I'm just doing what I do best when in spots like this." He fired fast moving missiles above the man's direction and jumped to another lamp post to keep firing, it was more than enough fire power to force Xehanort on the move. Bright fire scorched the street and shrapnel smouldered. He flung a barrage a dark projectiles as the shadow demon appeared behind Ken and was ready to clap with lightning.

BURST!

The boy combusted in flames and disappeared, reappearing behind the man that felt a bright heat.

PEW!

A missile shot, exploded and sent Xehanort flying. Ken flipped his pistols in the air and caused it to form into jet like wings that had lascanons underneath. He jumped and felt the wings clamp into his back, he called his burning keyblade out, he held it with both hands, like it was a spear. Xehanort shrugged off the missiles and gave a hmph. He snapped his fingers and caused Ken's glowing fire to take a different shade, black fire. The boy focused and flickered back to orange. "Seriously, stop that."

PEW! PEW! He fired las cannons and barrel rolled, cheering to himself in triumph. Tink! He thrust his burning keyblade forward and was parried, he was pushed back and felt the bright fire turn into the black fire, Xehanort asked. "Has you're curiosity finally gotten the better of you? To have the knowledge of this... phenomenon in your heart and mind.

" Ken felt the black flame not going away and his eye lids half dropped in annoyance. "And I don't need it, this is the exact stuff I saw and fought back at the castle. The Abyss."

He felt a dark red glowing around him as he dodged the shadow demon and dived down to avoid an upper cut from the Dark Seeker. PUNCH! BURST.

The dark fire became a brighter, more chaotic color, the Seeker of Darkness was seeing a pattern and found it quite annoying. "The Darkness is calling to you and you still hold on to the Fire." The chaotic fire switched to the black flame, causing Ken to feel a burning deep in his heart and his body going still, he felt his body burning and tried not to scream, the man saw the boy faltering and asked. "One day, the Flame will fade and nothing will protect you from the Darkness, not even from what lurks in your heart."

A collection of dark chains slithered from the shadows, Ken looked more irritated and looked to be shivering from something, like something was trying to let loose.

Something was trying to leave his mouth, a dimming light flickered in a spark, the black fire recede and the boy found the nerve to give of a more feral howl. BURST! The chaotic fire returned, he was in control of his body and stabbed the ground with his burning keyblade, slithers of flame reached for the chains. BOOM! Pillars of fire erupted, leaving behind molten gravel as Ken yelled. "If the fire dims, just start another. I have the power over that, then I got the power to stem the Dark."

Xehanort cringed and saw one plan literally blow up in his face, Ken glowed a great chaotic fire ball in his cybernetic arm and pulled his burning keyblade out of the ground. "But I got a surprise for you, I know a trick I am going to use to make you scram." The shadow demon tried to rush the boy that flew high in the air, Xehanort saw the pyromancy spell coming and charged once more. Ken dodged, saw a barrage of dark projectiles and used his wings to deflect them. PEW! The wings vanished and Cadia's Light appeared in his burning hand, the boy flung his keyblade forward at the man.

BURST!

It shot smaller fire balls at Xehanort in point blank range and burst in an inferno, the man jumped back with scorch marks and saw the ruptured flame reform into fire balls. Ken grabbed his keyblade and aimed it down, pelting Xehanort once more, the boy flipped Cadia's Light and exhaled as he thought to himself as smoke consumed the battle field. "That didn't take him down."

PEW! "SURPRISE!"

Ken heard a voice from above, was in shock and jumped back, finding Vanitas entering the battle and giving an aura of being unhinged. The one armed boy was nearly out of breath and stepped back. PEW! Parry!

As expected, Xehanort appeared and attacked, Ken parried back with greater strength and kept a distance, Vanitas laughed at the pitiful attempt of a last stand. "Ha, that's a lot of hot air for someone that's all alone. What did you say about making us scram?"

BZZZZ! Ken smiled wide and maliciously. "Did I say that was my trick?"

Xehanort realized what that buzzer was for and shifted his eyes behind him. "You've got to be kidding me!" Vanitas didn't care and gave off a glow of darkness. "Like that will matter, his friend is going to love watching this." WOOSH! BZZZ! SLAM!

Vanitas charged at Ken and was sent flying to a wall by a swarm of insects that came from the left and tried burrowing into his suit. The one armed boy was surprised and watched Vanitas glow in dark fire to burn the bugs away, Ken looked to his right and a black haired girl with a rusted keyblade. "Xion?!"

Xehanort looked at the sudden girl with contempt, Xion went to Ken's side and glowed her blade with lightning. "Finally found you, Ken. Do you have any idea how worried I got when I heard you disappeared?"

The boy guessed. "With the Black Flame and these guys showing up because of that, things are going to get worse." He blushed as the girl caused her blade to become consumed in lightning and change shape into an electrical blue bow with sea shells at the edges. The Dark Seeker asked. "This explains how you rebelled as much as you did, Ahriman wasn't encouraging that?"

Ken and Xion picked up what the hint was and had a sharp glare for him, the boy asked. "You're the one behind Xion's condition?!" The girl shook her head with anger. "Of course, what more was he hiding?"

Vanitas burst in rage. "It took you until NOW to figure that out, doll?" He cringed. "How dense are you?"

Xion focused on Xehanort and strung her bow to form an arrow of lightning as Ken felt his breath regaining and felt his throat burning. FLING! BONK! Xehanort was hit in the head by musical note shaped like a cannon ball, he turned around to see where it came from and saw a green puppet like frog approached from the theater and held the odd keyblade like one an instrument, he lost the last of his patience and yelled. "Listen here we've gotten a show in half an hour and you two are going to scare away all our guest."

He directed a more abrasive, pented up frustration at both Vanitas and the Dark Seeker. "Would you two please leave before I have to tell you again." Xehanort tried to speak as the frog interrupted him. "I'll tell you what else I'm going to do, I'm going to tell you again. Would you two kindly leave!" Vanitas remembered the frog and was backing away as he advised. "We... might need to consider that." Xehanort looked at Vanitas dully. "He's a puppet, this was the keybearer that bested you before?"

Ken directed his spite at the terrified Vanitas as Kermit shook his head. The Dark Seeker asked the frog. "Do you even have an idea of how I was drawn here? Someone let the Darkness in and is in complete denial." The one armed boy knew he was being called out. "And someone is playing dumb."

Xehanort had a better correction. "I was not aware that something was luring these hearts to the Darkness until you blurted it out. You brought this upon yourself." Ken started to cringe at that as Kermit looked at the Dark Seeker. "You know, it's amazing. This whole thing wouldn't have happened if you didn't come here to pick a fight. Nothing you said has been right."

That was a statement Xion agreed with and saw the annoyed look on Xehanort's face with satisfaction. PEW! The man sensed something coming at him, the shadow demon tried to intercept as the keybearers saw someone jump over it, a rather angry Sora with his keyblade aimed like a club. Xehanort jumped out of the way, Sora missed and barked. "Hey, get away from them!"

Xehanort and Vanitas were in a corner and realized this was a suicidal fight, the masked boy formed two corridors, one for himself and one for the Dark Seeker. Vanitas disappeared as Xehanort asked Sora. "Perhaps you should ask them how this transpired. For this will cost you."

He disappeared as Sora was dumbfounded. He looked at Ken and Kermit to ask. "What was he talking about?"

Ken wanted to answer as Kermit answered for him. "*Huff* Someone left a cursed cup as a trap for someone and Ken took that bait, he fought some monster of Darkness and got caught in a bigger trap trying to figure out what it left behind. Then that guy tracked him down like a bloodhound."

Sora cringed. "Eek." He apologized to Ken. "Sorry I didn't get here sooner. He was spouting about Darkness and trying to use... what ever you found that is lurking with in you?"

The one armed boy nodded. "Yep, Black Fire... Dark Pyromancy from Baldred's world. That guy was trying to bring that stuff out before I gave him the Fireworks. I found that awful fire and it's mine to keep locked away. That power isn't his or ANYONE else's." Xion whistled as Sora felt that to be fierce words. "And it takes a strong heart to keep your ground and say no to those like him." Ken nodded. "And then that bully showed up and would have cornered me if help didn't show up."

He noticed Xion looking ignored as Kermit was noticing something wrong with her, the girl undid her bow as the frog asked. "Now there is something that needs to be set right?"

Ken nodded and had Xion follow him. "Yeah, because this has gone long enough." He had his hand towards a center and had Xion placed her hand on his, he asked Sora. "I been wanting to do this since yesterday, Sora... Roxas, there is someone I want you to meet."

The spiky haired boy was a little astonished in how both halves were called, he put his hand at the center and knew what to do. "So... I just need to close my eyes." The one armed boy nodded, calmed down and closed his eyes to go in a zen. "Yes," Sora did the same as Xion did as well. She saw in a black void, two particular boys that were looking down at the sudden hand, she saw them looking at her, one particular was a blonde boy with spiky hair, looking speechless and having tears drop down. Something deep in her subconscious was trying to tell her something, she looked rather teary eyed and opened her eyes to find just Sora, who looks to be having odd tears he had no idea why they are there. Ken opened his and exhaled, seeing Sora looking directly at Xion, the one armed boy winked and talked to the other presence. "A promise is a promise Roxas. Sorry that all kinds of hell had to be let loose before it could be done." He stepped back as Xion, on instinct, pounced at Sora and embraced him, Sora hugged back with an understanding of who was behind the invading feelings.

Ken wanted to lay his back against a wall as Kermit slowly put it together. "That was pretty nice of you to do this for them."

Ken nodded with happy tears. "It took me so long to be told of these connections... and Xion is my friend." Kermit hummed with an idea. "And you acted as fast as you can. So now what?"

Ken answered the frog. "Besides finishing things up here, get back home and be ready to sort out that other problem. Some of the stuff you might have heard is a big one I want to talk to Miss about. That guy was bringing out the Black Fire I had remembered and it was getting out of control."

Sora heard that and let go, scared for the one armed boy. "That could be why Aqua might say something crazy. Would you tell me what was that thing you found?" Ken took the pyromancy tome out, Sora felt it was obvious enough. "And you read from that?"

Ken shook his head. "No, I opened it." He wanted to drop the subject. "This days going to get worse, so I'm going to ask-" He put the book away and searched for something as Kermit slipped a yellow piece of paper for Xion, the boy found it and presented Sora with a ticket. "The Theater has some pretty funny actors, before we head back into the drama, do you still want to get a good laugh?"

Sora didn't hesitate to take the offer as Xion looked at the yellow paper and watched Kermit go into the theater. "It's okay, you did the right thing by standing up to this and making sure no one else has that book." He had a dorky smile that caused his fan to blush. "Is there anything we need to know?"

Ken nodded. "There is a purple octopus that is trying to mooch a show or crash it, that's the only thing we need to watch out for. The rest, I'm keeping a surprise." He took a deep breath. "Sora, Xion, thank you for helping me. I was pretty scared." He asked the girl. "What I don't understand is how did you get here?"

Xion sighed. "It's a long story, but I had help, my brother would be heading here any minute and Shadey is in the shadows after I told him I got it. A lady named Karla helped us get here."

Sora and Ken looked to each other in confusion as Xion asked Ken. "We found something off the Lich that Karla helped make a good use of, do you have something similar?"

The one armed boy nodded and took out the core of wind. "This thing, what is Karla able to do?" Xion tried pronouncing the name. "She trans...transposed the core of Earth into a spell for my brother to use. Maybe this one is similar?"

Ken felt that a valid guess. "Like what happened to Khary after eating most of Tiamat." He looked at the wind core with some tempting ideas, began doubting something and shook his head. "...I don't think there is going to be anything I would want from this."

He asked Sora. "Do you want this?" The spiky haired boy pouted. "Hey, just because you don't want it doesn't mean you should just... hand it over."

Ken agreed. "But wind's only a part of my style, maybe someone can do better with it than I can and maybe that someone can be you. I don't want this, do you?" Sora thought of it and answered comfortably. "Maybe, but I'd say keep it until we are sure."

Ken put the core away. "Alright. So Xion, you're happy that this is done? It's going to take a while for things to seem... normal for you."

Xion nodded. "I'm glad this is finally done." She gave him a warm embrace. "Thank you." Ken flashed red and hugged back as Sora felt a familiar boy whispering to him. "I'll tell you how some of this happened in the first place. She has a lot to talk to us about."

Sora tried to answer as Xion looked to him like she heard the voice and found Roxas standing right next to the similar, she answered. "It's a lot and I learned some tricks from Baldred." Ken let go, turned to find Roxas and explained. "Like turning her keyblade into a lightning bow, it's been sparking in lightning a couple times I see it and we know the kind of powers he has."

Sora and Roxas found that to be a good observation, the nobody asked. "What isn't that guy doing?"

The other boys wanted to know and saw a crowd of puppet people entering the theater, Xion saw, snapped her fingers and found it to be her chance to talk to Roxas. "Roxas, before we go in... I want to explain something." The nobody was willing to listen. "What's wrong?" Xion gritted her teeth. "That's... the point, something about you is familiar, but... I don't remember most of why. I know you missed me, I know why. But... everything else is kind of blank." She saw Roxas having a little case of a heart break and thought of an innocent plan. "So, how about we start over and you use the memories I can understand. I'm Xion, you're Roxas?"

The nobody took a deep breath, closed his eyes and smiled content. "...Yeah, it's nice to see you again and well. You're dressed a little differently."

Xion giggled and spun. "Do you like it? This was the first thing I did, I picked out some new clothes. You think they look good on me?"

Roxas nodded as Ken agreed with the feeling. "It looks cool on her." The four teenagers looked to the theater and the line filling up, Roxas thought to speed up the topic. "She does look cool in that, but I been wondering since she was hanging out with Baldred." He asked her. "What kind of tricks did he show you? And who's Karla?"

Xion thought to take the lead in the line. "Mostly miracles and sorceries. I thought I see how far the lightning can go and now he's learned how to use pure light. Karla is a witch that gave him a tome that taught him those miracles and she is something called a Child of the Dark."

Sora advised against that. "You trust her?!"

Xion thought back on it. "I started to after she helped me and my brother get back to town, we needed a way to get here and she had a way into a pretty special place that goes to a place between the lanes. It's not quite the corridors, but it's a lot safer if you know where to go and if you know to run from anything looking like an angel."

Ken shivered. "The Darklurker?!" Xion nodded. "The Darklurker. If you don't know where you are going in the Chasm... it's easy to get lost and it's easy to stay lost."

Roxas considered a small blessing. "At least Karla's on our side. If she's coming here, we may want to wait for her." Sora agreed with that. "She's from Baldred's world?" Xion answered yes and Ken asked. "And if she wasn't resurrected like Baldred, she could help us figure out what's going on."

Roxas nodded and faded back into Sora. "She might be our best chance. Now let's see if this shows any good." The trio of teenagers hoped so and went into the theater to see some antics.