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?

67. A Time and Place

At Radiant Garden, during a relaxing evening. Xion was having a good look at a sunset as she traveled to the residence area. Finding the sun leaving and a waning crescent moon in the sky. She was nearly distracted by the rather gorgeous night sky paying a visit, a random bystander walking past her, almost pushing her and sparking a hint of anger, broke the sight seeing. She growled and yelled at the random orange haired stranger. "Hey!" The stranger kept moving, Xion remembered her condition, bit her tongue and clenched her fists. "...Right." She turned to look at the moon one more time and continued her way home, where she smelled the scent of something roasting. She opened the door to find Ken's mother with a roasted chicken being put out of the oven and placed to cool. "Phew! When one of your kids leave for the day, you have two more take his-" She noticed Xion listening into that and gasped. "Xion, you're finally back!"

She closed the oven and kept it firmly closed with her hip as the girl apologized. "Sorry for being gone so late, I was making new friends and lost track of time." The woman didn't mind it. "I've heard Twilight Town kind of stays in a sun rise and sunset for most of the day. Next time, get a watch... or" She thought of it. "Or..." She asked. "Does your condition do anything if you use a device? I think some strings could be pulled."

Xion had no idea what the woman was talking about and remembered one moment when Ken texted something. "It might, but-" She licked her lips. "I think I can do a bit better, once Ken comes back with the guys." The woman listened. "If it worked twice, it will work any time. Now, where did your brother go?"

Xion wanted to sit down and tap her foot. "Making sure Baldred doesn't get hurt. He was wandering to a place that leads to somewhere incredibly dangerous." The woman thought it was safe to leave cooked meat by itself and lead Xion to a couch. "He caused a ruckas in the whole town, something about a going away fight with the Committee. He was doing pretty good until Mr. Leon had a go at him. Whew!" They sat down. "He did a lot to help yesterday, like he promised and what ever is in that heart of his, is leading him towards the unknown. A lot of us wish him well."

Xion was feeling worried about the things she's seen at the Castle That Never Was. "I hope so to, there are people out there who can and will, hurt him. He had a close call with someone from the Realms, but I never asked the details, I knew enough. Dupmic should be back once he is certain Baldred is going to be okay and that could take most of the night."

The woman snapped her fingers. "Darn it, that chicken doesn't get nearly as good on a reheat. Every bit of good that happens always ends with someone getting the short end of the stick." Xion felt bad over that. "Where did you learn that?"

The woman answered with some motherly wisdom. "Because that, tends to happen. People can be a bunch of ingrates, no matter what you do for them, you just end up setting yourself up for bad luck... like what's going to happen to Dupmic if his quest takes him that long or good people take the blunt when evil arises."

Xion was especially worried about the first part and opened her mouth, the mother answered without hesitation. "You and Dupmic are kids with special problems that an evil person has inflicted upon you. You don't have to repay me with anything, just do what you need to do and get by. You're brother is still scared to show his face in the house. I'm not going to get mad over how he looks."

Xion exhaled. "It still feels like we need to return the favor, Dupmic will eventually come around and tell you what his real problem is. He has to lie a lot and I've called him out on that." The mother approved and Xion asked. "Should we talk about what we're going to do? We want to help stop... whatever big issue is going on." The mother shrugged. "You should, but timing is everything. Probably one of the first things in the morning if Sora and the crew bring that crazy man to justice." Xion hoped to that. "I know they will."

At Pandemonium, in a cognition of Traverse Town.

Sora was sitting with his arms folded as Kairi sympathized with Riku, Roxas was looking bored and Namine hesitating to ask. "Riku, why didn't you tell us about that?" Riku answered against the radiance of the flame. "How am I suppose to move on from that if I keep bringing it up?" Sora answered that. "Riku, we're here for you. You got a point to be worried."

Kairi nodded as Ken had his eyes closed in expecting something. "A lot of that happened because someone took advantage of you and Lil Bro was kind of a time bomb." Ken agreed with that. "All I needed was a chance to blow up, especially when you guys are in danger like that. Benedict showed up to be someone you need to talk to?" He thought. "He looks rough, but he tries. You feel better now?"

Riku felt a lot was off his chest. "Yeah, that... thing you did back there kind of gives me something else to worry about." Ken guessed. "I'm a bigger target the instant the Dark Seekers realize I can do that and they will try to force the Black Flame out when it already has me. I kind of think one of them is doing it to spite Mo...Miss."

He gasped and focused on something as Riku agreed with him. "He is and unlike Abaddon, the Black Flame won't catch him off guard as easily. Anything else you guys seen before Chaos had a go at you?" Kairi relaxed to the warmth of the flame. "Just having to remember most of my year, waiting for you guys." Sora thought the flame was comfy. "You know that time, you took my keyblade from me and had Donald and Goofy follow you?" Riku closed his eyes. "And you proved to have the stronger heart." Sora nodded. "Well, that was something I got thrown in, I was locked up in an jail that had a big demon guarding it. It had a club and everything, what ever was making the crucible work, trapped my Keyblade in the hands of a Black Knight."

Ken woke up to that. "Like the one I dressed up as?" Roxas nodded. "The same. You know anything about that?" Ken thought of it. "Well, I did remember Jambert talking about an asylum. I think that was the place he did come from, before a bird carried him to Lordran. What happened at the castle was my memories of this place, merging with the beginning of that tale. I don't think a buddy of his made it out with him."

Riku and Kairi did find that little story grim, and change the subject to what Sora did, the girl asked. "That is kind of sad to think about. Sora, how did you beat that Black Knight if it had your keyblade?" The spiky haired boy answered. "I managed, he didn't take any of my skills."

The listeners were impressed as Ken remembered. "I think Jambert mentioned those guys being tough... like, really tough." Sora was flattered by that. "He went down once I took my keyblade back and used the weapon I found to distract him. What did you run into?"

Ken felt something crawling in his chest as he answered. "A narrow mine and you know how you can get jumped in those corners. I fought a giant spider that used one of the tunnels to try to roast me, I beat it... but then it acted strange."

The listeners waned to ask how strange, unaware of a yellow glow admiss the flame, then it became noticeable, a yellow wisp of eight legs fluttered out of the chest and crawled mid air. They were surprised by it and Ken used his hands to keep the wisp close. "Like turn into this." He had a closer look at the yellow stream, having a blue tether, connecting to something like looks like a pincer. It looked rather beautiful. Kairi asked. "That came with you?"

Sora raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "I thought the things back there were fakes?!" Namine was incredibly curious and wiggled away from Roxas, she crawled towards the flicker. "They are or... part of a dream like this place is." She wondered. "Did Garland take that from your experience with that world? Or that world's memories?"

The spider backed to Ken, Namine gestured rather gently, inviting it, the one armed boy found it likely. "There is a lot about that world that I don't know. I never seen a soul like this, ever."

The Spider Soul felt there wasn't much danger and crawled to the blonde girls hands, she sat down to observe it. "If it is a soul, then you have a way to get some incredible power. What you learn in the world of dreams, can become reality." Sora, Kairi and Riku agreed with that from experience, Ken pouted. "And I didn't bring the Kiln." Roxas crawled to have a look at the spider soul. "On a soul like this?"

Namine petted the Spider Soul and felt it a little harder than she expected. "It's how it is done, but by the time Ken gets the Kiln back... it might be beyond his reach to transpose." The spider wanted to crawl on the girls shoulder, Namine let it. Ken shrugged. "I'll worry about that later, there's a step by step progress before me or Sis gets the chance to learn how to dive into dreams."

Kairi realized. "Finding the Power of Wakening like how Sora and Riku did?! I did notice how you and me were moving for a bit. But that's a big one for us to do right now." Sora wondered if it was as Riku rested his arms on a bent knee. "Yen Sid was trying to call Sora and I to do that because of what we did and how far we came. You and Ken, have been through a lot, but I don't think he or Aqua will let you partake in that yet. You could get lost, wander somewhere your not suppose to OR get in a mess like what we did. And since Xehanort is buddies with people who know how to get in there and probably knows of this power."

Ken exhaled. "It will be the first thing he will try, the moment Garland isn't a distraction anymore and when he realizes Sis and I are getting a stronger. That's a lot of trouble to go through, just to nab this Souls power."

Namine observed enough of the Spider and relaxed with the thing on her shoulder. "And since this is just a powerful Soul, it might not be worth doing that." She hummed. "I... could... try something, but..." Kairi guessed what the something was. "Changing that into a power, could be out of your jurisdiction, without the Kiln, even if you study it a lot." Namine puffed her cheeks as Ken asked. "I seen Baldred do that to Nasshandra's Soul to make a new chime. It could work." Kairi had a counter point. "But how long did it take for him to learn that? If we turn that soul into a weapon, it's a waste, it could become a spell but." She looked at the spider soul as Namine finished her thought. "But something this pretty shouldn't be spent on something that small. We've seen what we could do with that potential."

Sora guessed. "Like what Ven got from mixing the Fiend and the Endless Spell together?" Namine nodded. "That! You've all been chosen by the Keyblade and with that responsibility, comes the potential to understand a power beyond imagination." She pressed her noggin. "With some imagination, we can reach beyond that and become more."

Riku felt that was a fair point and had a look at Mickey, Oswald, Goofy and Donald passing along jokes. "That is something we all need if we are to keep up. Knowing a simple spell can make the difference if you know how to use it." He looked back to the group. "So Ken, what are you going to do with that Soul?"

The one armed boy yawned and wanted to stare into space, he asked Namine. "She could keep it, this is something we need to look at when we have the time, but not anytime soon." The blonde girl appreciated the privilege and petted the Spider Soul again. "By then, you and Kairi could have the potential to finally catch up to these two."

Kairi laughed to that. "Ha! I don't think so, every time we learn something, Sora and Riku find something new and Master Aqua is going to get even stronger once she gets her hands on an Endless Spell. It's weird to think that when we all started our journey, that possibility would have been worth a laugh." Roxas laughed to that. "It's so weird to think of it like that." Riku agreed with the nobody boy. "And we learn as we push ourselves to the limit." With that bit of wisdom, Sora asked. "So where did you get that summon?" Riku flickered the summon charm into existence. "I beaten that Carnotaur, he's handy if I want to make a point across. After that, I met the King and the others on the Planet Killer. You and Kairi were busy dealing with... that in the mean time?"

The boy and girl answered yes, the Princess showed off the charm she got from the islands. "So we didn't get the chance to find anything new. But, I did get this thing earlier." Sora took interest in the pendent. "Wow, where did you get that?" Kairi giggled. "Me and a new friend of mine found it after beach combing. I'll try it out when I get the chance, it's a bizarre adventure that is easier if I showed you."

Ken was impressed by the charm. "Do you think the one who left that charm, was the same one who left you that... thing, you used to swim in the sea?" Kairi snapped her finger. "I do believe it is." she pointed to Ken. "You found someone that needs more of our help and a hat in the meanwhile. What did you find up here?" Ken remembered the attack of the Darklings and was confused thinking about it. "Something stupid, after I beat the Armored Spider and got out of the mines, I got attacked by a bunch.. and I mean a bunch of weird heartless that were calling me the-"

Elsewhere in Town.

Aqua signaled that Ana needed to slow down. "The X Blade?!" Halvek walked off to one of the make shift stalls, in hope to get a drink as Ven found Ana's story insane. "Those things thought Ken was that?! That makes no sense." The Stormcast agreed with that. "All those talking about a war, getting at each others throats and in nearly every moment Kendry defended himself, Light or Darkness came where fire and earth should have been." Aqua knew what Ana was talking about. "That's the Keyblade War!"

The Stormcast realized that was. "And at the end of it, when the Mastermind behind that had Ken in his clutches, he burst in the power of Grey to defy him. Then we were on a gummi ship, looking upon the Planet Killer." Aqua interoperate the climax. "That, would be when the X Blade scattered into the Fragments of Light and Darkness, shattering the world into the worlds we know now. How does Ken have anything to do with that?!" Ana folded her arms and groaned. "I don't know, I really don't know. If you ask me, since the Forces of Chaos were worming into that crucible, I'd say Tzeentch was getting privy on information just to mess with us." She turned to the group of kids by the bonfire, saw everyone but Ken being completely baffled and the one arm boy saying something in sync with Riku. "We need to find a better source of this knowledge before we come to conclusions."

Ven nodded. "Agreed. But where should we look?" He gasped as Aqua realized. "Radiant Garden ought to have the basics of that story, but-" Ven finished. "The computers ought to have most of the info." He turned. "I'll go get Mickey, he knows the guy who's study about this." He took off as Aqua had a look at the younger group, she noticed Kairi advising something and Ken being completely blank, she closed her eyes and shook her head, Ven quickly came back with both Mickey and Oswald.

The boy reported. "The King has some good guesses of where more info might be." Mickey nodded to that. "We've haven't uncovered everything Ansem has studied, but the Keyblade War ought to be something he's kept hidden." Oswald agreed with that. "A Wise guy like him, no pun intended, definitely has a couple things laying around. But, where?"

Mickey thought of two places. "Either at Radiant Garden, or at that mansion in Twilight Town. With a little bit of digging, we'll get the information we need about the Keyblade War's secrets." He turned to find the younger group finishing a talk and Riku bobbing his head to an idea, the King scowled to a thought and asked. "I want to know how this question came in the first place." He noticed Riku getting up and going to grown ups, he could tell a mutual plan from the eyes, Riku asked. "Guys, we need to find a way to do some quick research when we get back."

Ana asked. "Is it about the Keyblade War?" Riku nodded. "You were telling Aqua and Ven what you saw, as much as how Ken told us everything. If the real knowledge connects, then we are on the trail of more clues." He growled. "Why is it that, for every answer we get to our questions, more take their place?" Oswald wanted Riku to calm down. "It's all a bunch of crummy and confusing problems that get stacked up, like a bunch of bills. Y'all got to get today over with anyways, so you can actually get to solving it."

Riku took a deep breath, calmed himself down in a zen and let Mickey ask. "Then that means we need to keep going soon." Oswald pointed his finger at the Blotlings. "That's why I brought these guys. Stock up, rest up and we'll clean up the mess." Aqua promised the group. "We'll be ready to move in half an hour. What do the Blots got?"

Oswald answered with a rough count. "The usual items and somethings to ease up with." He looked at Halvek getting upset about something. "With limits." Ana looked on at the Kharadron in pity. "Some of us aren't happy about those limits." Oswald shrugged. "I wouldn't blame ya after the mess y'all gone through. But ya need to stay sober, one mistake here could cost ya." That was something they agreed with and they went to check the stalls out to have some rest and relaxation.

In the World That Never Was.

Baldred leaned against a wall and slowed his breathing as he peered his head to the sight of a Coachman bickering with the Skaven carrying certain devices. "Come on, get to building! We got a whole city to nosey on in by the weeks end." Crack! He cracked the whip and urge the skaven to work faster, Baldred saw it was the only path ahead and readied his staff, he aimed at an alley way he might have traveled from and cast an orb of light.

One of the Skaven turned to it. "Huh? Light, light?" Baldred waved his staff to mask his sound and turn himself into an unsuspecting box. The Coachman looked upon the strange light. "Now that isn't suppose to be here." He was giving one of the Skaven the order to look, Baldred took the chance to sneak past them and to another street that had a large skyscraper with t.v screens. Infront of one was a strange, minotaur like monster, with a shield and spear, marveling the technology, like he could use it. At the street, were tribal men and women, acting like they stumbled upon an alien world, a burly, pale muscular man in furs and decorative horns caught the scent of something. A horned beast by his side, caught that scent. Baldred slowly moved towards the street way to the castle and kept to the shadows, the duo approached where the undead had been and felt something was wrong. The man whispered. "Yes Rend Paw... something is here."

The minotaur above finished marveling the screen, turned around and was looking for one among his pack for something, he noticed the man and yelled. "Fangarrrrr!" LEAP!

He jumped off the sky scraper, landed and caused quite a quake. The man turned sharply and saluted. "Mymridon, Keenfist! I...we...we were had something in our scent! It was unwelcoming to our presence." The Mymridon growled and approached. "Well, of course it is unwelcoming, we trend a realm not unlike the Varanspire. Creatures of Darkness, stalk these grounds, waiting for one of us to fall prey at the first sign of weakness." Baldred used the distraction to get as far away from notice as possible as Fangar spoke. "The...The Heartless that seek our savage hearts?"

Keenfist nodded, put his spear away and placed his hand on his underlings shoulder. "Yes and the stray daemon. Survive here and claiming our hold against the ratmen and our neighboring Beastfolk, is but one of the Everchosen's tests." He looked back to the skyscraper with Fangar. "This spot, will do. But it is missing something, through that, I could project my gaze upon the whole city... what is it missing?" The primitive minion shrugged. "...An arena?" Keenfist growled at him. "Perhaps, but no!" He ordered him. "You are to go in there and find out!"

While the argument was happening, Baldred was down the path to the castle, broke from his disguise and made a run for it. Baring an occasional heartless, he didn't find much, save for the large castle, with no bridge. A complete dead end. The Undead scratched himself and thought to look around the high tech ditch, he heard the sound of hooves, turned around and was head butted by something horned. He was sent flying near the edge, rolled and tried to get up to see who did that, a rather imposing, goat man with long horns, crude, black armor and a lamp post for a mace. The Beastman growled and gave a cruel smile. "What are you, straying from the herd, man thing of meat?"

Baldred stood up with his staff glowing in power and he looked behind the edge, finding an endless void, one thing that gained his noticed, was a white circle of a clear abyss. The Undead answered to that. "What are you, doing in a city like this, dung smelling farm animal!"

The Beastman took offense to that, showed the whites of his blood shit red eyes, extended his nostrils and showed his teeth. "You dare pair me with the civilized?! I will rip out your throat!"

He charged in a feral roar, Baldred yelped and stepped back to keep his guard, he missed stepped slipped and tumbled over the ledge, the Beastman sprinted over that ledge in a slip of anger and flew past the white circle. Roaring as he falls to uncertain doom, Baldred closed his eyes as he fell past the ring and found himself, with in the Dark. Thud!

He felt himself land on something and opened his eyes, to find himself in a grey lobby with a great window, overlooking absolute Darkness. He heard something and cast a spell to disguise himself as a grey dust bin and waited, finding a strange blue, bird like shaman and a blue minotaur with a staff, they argued about something, the minotaur insist. "Ztardon, surely we could use this lobby for our rituals, it's not like your former wards are ever to return."

Ztardon hummed and squawked. "Ah, but this small place, speaks of a history. The history of the two with a destiny and of the Castle's past masters. I am fond of the pristine Zonir!"

Zonir growled. "We are never to have a moment to our thoughts with the inane prattle of the Everchosen's Slaves, the Dark Seeker's constant machinations and the restrictions from the Library and the thing they call" he snapped his fingers and Zonir finished. "Computer room."

Zonir nodded. "That! Lord Ahriman, keeps the more interesting relics well guarded, even from us." Ztardon agreed with that. "For we know not, what they do. The crown and blade are still mysteries." Zonir snarled. "And the Master will throw us around like rag dolls if we do not go out there and uncover more secrets of this realm!" Ztardon yelped to the snarl, quickly raised his chest and cawed. "I know! But where shall we go?" He stopped. "Hmmmmmmmmm. Perhaps..." Zonir's snarling stopped. "Perhaps... your herd has heard of something?"

Ztardon nodded as Baldred was already leaving the room. "One city, of tangible grandeur, technology beyond the scope of the Galaxy." Zonir liked the sound of that. "And perhaps, an excuse to leave this place, if for a while."

Baldred was was out of the room as the dust bin and kept the disguise as he searched the less guarden sections of the castle. Wandering for what felt like a stressful hour and finding, a familiar, multi-pathed room, with a particular Witch with a table, a Horned King, a battered sea witch and the Everchosen looking down upon the table. Archaon asked. "The Guardians have ascended that high and they still live?!"

The sea witch was cleaning her wounds with a sponge and answered. "They are a tenacious bunch." The dark witch observed the Keybearers and agreed. "Just, what have they stumbled upon, for them to halt their pursuit?" The image shifted like the viewer was making a quick turn, saw a rather malformed, blob like mouse creature blinking at it, waving like a dim wit and babbling something. The viewer, flew off and scouted to a path ahead, having a view of a strange lamp post in a town square, with four distinct paths at the corners, one marked by a warhammer symbol that triggered a reaction from Archaon, one marked by a skull with decorations the dark witch was familiar with, one marked with a crude tusked face and an evil looking crescent moon, and the last one, being a symbol of Chaos. Archaon was drawn to the image. "So Garland has prepared this for them? The symbol Ghal Maraz, of the Forces of Death, the Greenskins and of Chaos? What has he discovered in the realms?!"

The Horned King guessed. "His next means to annoy us?" The dark witch guessed. "Perhaps, or he has found a secret he would like to share? Much like the Guardian's last merry band of friends, their distant ally, is hiding something from them." Archaon looked upon the Dark Witch with discontent. "That fraud, Sigmar has hidden many things from his allies over the years. Maleficent, have your pet follow them and then, report to me." He turned to leave in a passage to Baldred's right. "I will prepare a small army to raid Pandemonium, seize this pathetic usurper for our plans and wring the last spec of hope from the Guardian's hides!"

Maleficent was impressed by the sheer ruthlessness. "Of course, Lord Archaon. Diablo has yet to fail me." The Horned King noticed something. "Perhaps, this would explain this mystery."

Maleficent and Archaon looked to the orb, found a strange, circle of a clock appearing out of nowhere and forming a flicker of blue, materializing a figure in a blue robe, covering most of his body, save for a pair of brown boots and hints to a pale face. The figure looked directly and the viewer, drew out a scythe and gave a shocking glow of darkness, he smirked and used the scythe to fling something, the viewer made a flight to escape. Maleficent recognized the magic at work. "Time magic!" She gave a scowl. "What an inconvenience."

The sea witch agreed with that. "Just as we were about to figure out the good part." Archaon groaned. "Then the Guardians of Light, will know something, we will not." The Horned King guessed. "All the reason, for you to wish their annihilation?"

The Everchosen answered back. "Find something the Guardians will use and either see to it's destruction or that it is beyond their reach. Should that fool return with a report, I'll suspect you all to be gone from this place." He left to muster his army and give the band of villains some breathing room.

Maleficent was the first. "Oh, what a nuisance." The sea witch sighed to that. "It isn't easy playing under his rules. But, we know the guppies are in for a treat." The dark witch agreed to that. "If one of the symbols is of Chaos and if that place is connected to the flow of time, then that would mean the Everchosen knows more than he lets on. But we will halt this thought for now."

She waved her hand and changed the vision to that of a strange, near alien wasteland and of Pete using a dark power on a rather large, fanged, grub like frog. Turning it darker than it already is and into a fanged, toxic looking salamander of a heartless. The goon phewed from a close encounter. "This worlds all messed up too!" He noticed something glowing, cringed in shock and reported. "You're Nastiness! I've just spotted a ripe one and just got a foot hold."

Maleficent saw that. "Anything else?" Pete scratched his chin. "Eh... I'm working on it. You see, this world's already fallen half way to Darkness and I was just about to head on back with this ere specimen." The mindless Heartless was excreting ooze and Maleficent raised an eyebrow. "And I suppose you didn't cause that on your own?"

The sea witch and Horned King tried not to laugh at Pete, the goon confessed. "That's the best part, I didn't! If we go meet the fellas that is responsible for this, I can make some beauties out of them." That got the two to stop their snickering, Maleficent was once again, impressed. "Halt your endeavour for now, I will be bringing Ahriman and the Horned King shortly, for this... investigation." Pete laughed to that. "I's already got a little spot to use see, I knew you'd be wanting to know what I found."

Maleficent approved. "Do not lose that." She signed off and asked her cohorts. "The Sorcerer, will wish to know of this, what world did Pete find?"

Baldred knew he wasn't going to find what he was looking for there and sneaked back the way he came from, finding the more guarded hall way and seeing the foes as a couple of strange, blue statues with odd guns. Standing side by side. Baldred felt something odd about them and leaned for a plan. The wall, loosened and the Undead fell across it, finding himself on the other end of a dark corridor and seeing red eyes of an eldritch thing. Baldred recognized Shadey and waved a thank you as he turned, found himself in a curved hall way with a library ahead and finding with in, three heavily armored, blue statues with strange guns, all of them had shoulder mounted missiles. One was in the center, one was on the right and one was on the left, they guarded a collection of books and a particular. Baldred used his staff to form an orb and shoot it at a map. It radiated in light and the statues came to life, look upon the orb and approached it, Baldred used his spell to produce less noise and disguise himself as a chair. He crept past the statues and into the next room, finding a collection of strange items. One, was of a horned voodoo mask. One was of a statue of a sinister, goat like creature with a large body and tentacles, a frozen short blue specimen with pointy ears and two particular, were of things he's recognized. A horned, grey crown that brought about nostalgia and a magnificent, greenish blue great sword.

Baldred was in a complete trance, broke from his disguise and approached the crown, feeling a warmth. He felt his heart beating rapidly and stared into space, seeing himself in a dark tomb, with a giant, grey beard king, whispering to him. "Seeker of fire, coveter of the throne. Seek strength, the rest will follow." The crown, radiated in hope and the undead, placed it upon his head, memories of a certainty, rang in his ears. "I found it. I found a way to free us."

The memories of the now, how that was not to be, caused his eyes to water. He switched his staff for his chime and approached the sword. "Vendrick... what can be done to undo that mistake?"

He moved his hand towards the sword and it's wondrous aura, upon touching it, he felt something seething. PEW! It burst a pulse of crystal and knocked him asunder, he yelled in shock and landed on his back in a thud. He heard the sound of heavy foot steps and flipped to get back up, finding someone in the library, wanting to know who is intruding, a horned Sorcerer in blue and with a strange horned staff that has an eye as a center piece. Baldred felt his heart skip a beat as Ahriman recognized him and looked him in the eyes. "What an unexpected turn of events. With all the infighting that goes on in these hollow halls, I suspected that demon to be at it again."

Baldred laughed to that. "You're disappointed?"

The Sorcerer shook his head. "Not quite. I suspect a simpler sorcery to have been involved, but you've managed to infiltrate this World and claimed, what I presume, is your crown. Under our very noses."

The Undead laughed to that. "What if I told you, it was? How long have you had Vendricks crown?" The Sorcerer answered honestly. "Not, very long. That sword that refused you, was here for much longer. You know you're not going to escape," He aimed his hand and caused it to ignite in warp fire. "After all you've caused to my allies, I will have to kill you and spare you their ideas of revenge."

Baldred wasn't scared of him and jingled his chime. "It be better if I escape homeward instead." He glowed in darkness and let loose a pulse, Ahriman readied to unleash a burning smite, the pulse, halted the attack and caused Ahriman to grow still, like he wasn't hearing something. The Sorcerer held his staff with both hands as the Undead chimed in light.

SMACK!

He smacked Baldred across the face and sent him flying to a table, it felt like being hit in the head with a sledge hammer. "You're game, ends here. Baldred, it's time you join your people, in the graves!" Baldred was ready to take his katana out for an attack and noticed a ripple of darkness from underneath him, arms in a black coat, emerged, grappled him and yanked him across, seeing the faint hint of a staff being smacked through the hole, being pulled back and the grey ceiling being closed up. Gravity was taking over and the undead felt he was standing upward as he was dragged across the darkness. He was disoriented from the concussion and the scenery and saw a faint light behind him, with in a moment, he was dragged out of the darkness and into the confines of a familiar building.

He was casually dropped and fell on his back once again, having a look upon his savior, a man in a black jacket, who talked down on him with a dull voice. "Idiot." He undid the hood to reveal a certain, scarred man with blue hair. "What were you thinking?"

Baldred felt his brain working and rolled on his stomach to get up. "Just that the Palace of Twilight had lead me to a place I know of and that fighting wasn't going to work. Thankfully, I knew the sorceries to do the trick." He stood up with chime in hand and a crown on his head, a nearby Lea on a backward guessed. "Stuff that can help you sneak around? Making distractions, keeping quiet?"

Baldred added one more. "And disguise myself as something mundane, like a potted plant." A sudden Medy on a poker table confessed. "Okay, that would actually work. What did you find?" Baldred exhaled and tried not to focus on his crown. "Some troubling news about what the Darkseekers and their Everchosen Master are up to and little that can be done right now. Me and Vendrick's crown is a different matter."

Isa asked. "Was the crown worth all that?" Baldred doesn't even know. "It was the Crown that halted, my Hollowing. The way to the break that curse, the last gift Vendrick gave to humanity. I couldn't find a way to break the curse upon everyone though, just myself. But, I thought if I linked the Fire, it would."

Isa pressed his fingers in between his eyes. "But that didn't work and Linking the Fire was a one way trip. So, the crown's useless now." Elrena was on a couch, heard that and snapped at him. "Hey, at least he has closure with that thing. That counts." She perked. "And, he went in THERE by himself, gotten deep enough to take that Crown back and came out alive."

Baldred chuckled and confessed. "I was about to go homeward when I stilled that Sorcerer's powers, didn't think he would use his staff though." Isa wanted to explain why a Chaos Space Marine would try something else to attack and stopped himself. "Did you find anything else? Xehanort would have still spotted you even with that disguise." The Undead shook his head. "Not a sight of him. It appeared the Darkseekers were busy, him included." He took a deep breath. "They still have my great sword, though, that thing repulsing me, was what caused Ahriman to notice me."

Isa wanted to know why that happened and guessed. "They could have enticed the entity with in it and if it was made from something particular, it doesn't like you. You should leave that to the ones who already raided that place and have the power to actually fight in there." He stepped aside. "Wait until they're done with Garland, they'll be here shortly after wards. In the mean time, there is someone who wants to see you out there. They were ones who told us you went into that mansion."

Baldred went huh and went out, Elrena promised him. "After that, you're not allowed to go back in there. You're staying here for the night." The undead felt that wasn't comforting and went out, finding Dupmic and Olette pacing worried, Olette noticed him gasped and yelled. "What did you think you were doing?! Do you know how worried we all got?!"

Dupmic noticed the crown and waved. "Was it worth, the adventure?" Baldred took of the crown and caused the boy perk. "Wow, that's a strong light."

The Undead agreed. "It's one of my most prized gifts. I say... it was worth it, to show the Darkseekers that they are not as invincible as they believed." Dupmic hoped so and saw a shadow returning to him. "I might have sent Shadey to help that guy find you, but he helped you along for a pretty small thing. Are you going to tell the Guardian's of Light about this?"

Baldred nodded. "They need to know what those villains are up to, apparently what I have accomplished, is no small feat." Olette gasped. "You still ran into trouble, but you got what you went there for? That is pretty cool." She asked. "Are you settled for the night? We can't have you wandering off alone now."

Dupmic agreed with her. "Those guys in that dark world, are going to learn of this and you're going to piss all of them off." Baldred had his thumb to the hideout. "Apparently, these souls are forbidding me from going anywhere else tonight."

Dupmic turned around with a condescending tone. "That, would be your problem. What's important is you're safe now, so I'm going home." He waved goodbye. "Later."

Olette grumbled and had a more hopeful promise. "You've done a great thing tonight, I got the feeling Sora and the others are going to be happy to hear about this." She turned to leave. "Good night Baldred, I hope that you have a shining day tomorrow."

Baldred appreciated the goodnight, was certain the girl was gone and went back into the hideout, with the crown in hand. He put the crown on in front of them and looked at the table of poker players with money, he cursed under his breath. "Ah dung pies."

Elrena invited him a spot on the couch, out of good will and out of respect. "You're going to need munny for that and we're too broke to give you any. So, you got more stories for us? Someone like you, doesn't show up everyday."

Baldred took a seat and Isa leaned on the other side of the couch. "You'll get told, why your trip was the boldest one we've seen from you. Only a heart, that stubborn and patient, could pull it off with what they were given." Baldred recalled a particular story to share. "I still don't remember all of them, but I've remembered my travels to an ancient castle, in search of a King."

At Pandemonium.

The group were feeling anxious in their rest stop and gathered to the center, Halvek grumbled. "Unreal, they sell everything else in a festival, but the ale!" Ana, Mickey and Aqua gave the Kharadron an awkward stare as Sora whispered to the older boys of the group. "But the what?"

Roxas and Namine snuck into their other halves in awkwardness as Ven bit his lip. "Alcohol. He was trying to drink off that crazy story Ken probably told you."

Riku confessed. "I would try that too if I heard of it." Ken shrugged like it wasn't his fault and Kairi cheered. "We'll get to the real bottom of that mystery as soon as we get out of here," Ken nodded to that. "Tzeentch was trying to mess with me over something, but why do that?"

Kairi heard someone talking in her heart. "I'll tell them, Namine." She answered for her close friend. "If Khorne is the straight forward one, Tzeentch is the one who isn't. A lot of things he does is a bunch of complicated schemes that go nowhere, can do a lot to help his enemies as much as it would help him and most of the time, they only make sense to him and only him."

Riku nodded to that. "In other words, he's the wild card and he could have tried to toss out random information about the Keyblade War for the giggles." He warned the group. "Don't ever take that guy at face value, that can cost you."

The group came to that conclusion as Oswald gave an order to the Blotlings and finished talking with Mickey. "Once you all cross that door, we'll be finished packing up. Go show that smuck that he's crossed the wrong bunch." The mouse appreciated the good will and felt a little guilty of something. "It's a shame we can't really stick around to talk more." Oswald agreed with that. "This was mostly business, once I heard you guys were in danger, I had to come." He smirked. "But... maybe we can hang out again and use that time to really catch up, brother." Mickey shook his brother's hand. "That could be likely to happen, thank you for giving us the break we need, brother." Oswald shook back. "That was the bonus." The two let go, Oswald turned to the Blotlings. "Alright, it's time we get this packing." The party have one last look at the dreamed up town and turned forward to the door, finding themselves in a town square with a lamp post and four street ways.

Mickey was the first to realize something was strange and Riku had an odd scent in his nose. The King looked around and saw markings of four kinds, one he immediately recognized as that of Chaos, to the bottom right. Ken and Aqua recognized another at the top right, one of two strange markings. The one armed boy asked. "How the Orks get involved here?" Sora and Riku wanted to have a closer look as Aqua asked. "And what is the Bad Moon's insignia doing here?"

Ana and Halvek were drawn to the top left, the Stormcast spoke out loud. "Ghal Maraz amongst them? Now that doesn't make any sense." Ven and Kairi stared blankly at the bottom left marking, that of a skull in decorative markings, the Princess asked. "And apparently... Egypt is involved here?"

Goofy and Donald looked at the lamp post and the four paths, realizing something, the shield bearer asked. "Alright fellas, settle down." The group turned to the two, Mickey asked. "Is there something you've noticed Goofy?" The shield bearer nodded and started with the symbol of the fang and moon. "This ere is a four way path. That has something to do with the Greenskins, the Orruks and them der Grots." Donald recalled. "Since the Orks and Grots, weren't equals, according to Ken, that means we're dealing with their cousins." He looked to the Egyptian like sign. "That, is the Undead from the Realms." and to the symbol of the Warhammer. "Ana, do you know about Ghal Maraz that much?"

The Stormcast nodded with fanatical devotion. "I do," Aqua remembered more and gasped. "That hammer is a symbol of Sigmar?!" That revelation caught the group by surprise, Sora turned to the marking of Chaos. "But why is that symbol and this one here?"

Riku slowly approached the pathway to Chaos. "That is the mystery some of us, need to learn." He turned to the group. "We need to split up again, any of these could lead to a dead end and we don't have the time to fool around as a giant group. We got an odd number as well. Who's going with who?"

Ven and Aqua approached the Path of Death, the Keyblade Master guessed. "If this gives us an excuse to beat on Nagash, Ven and I will go through this." The oldest boy asked. "Is that the reason we're going with?" Aqua placed her left hand at her hip and relaxed her right arm. "Maybe, it's our best one." She asked. "Anyone want to come along?"

Ana shook her head to refuse and went to the Path of Sigmar. "Some one has to watch over Halvek and some of us really should not go down the Street Way of Chaos alone, not after what just happened." Goofy and Donald went to Sora's side, the duck smugly announced. "We'll keep the the worst from happening." Riku smirked. "Yeah, like or not Sora, you're coming with me." Ken approached the boys. "The more the merrier and we need to be merry."

Goofy agreed with that and found one awkward thing. "But that would leave his Majesty and Kairi with the last one." Kairi didn't mind it. "Come on guys, the two of us could take on those brutes and the grots." Aqua turned to her student. "You could, but one of the Orruks I met was able to punch me square in the jaw." She put a finger her mouth and stretched her right lip and showed a mouth with a missing lower fang, she slipped to try to say. "And did this."

Ven gasped. "Wow, some punch." Aqua let go and had a good look at Sora's collection of bandages. "The foes from the Realms, especially of Chaos, have left some physical scares on us as well as the mental. Don't underestimate them or you're going to loose more than an tooth and an arm. The Moonspit Gitz are also a bunch of lunatics and they can span in the thousands." Kairi had that notted and warned her close friends. "Don't go losing an eye, I don't know if our friends at Hollow Bastion can afford a replacement like that." Ken yelped. "What if they don't have that right now?"

Riku pointed at the arm. "That, was the first one after weeks of progress with the a high tech galaxy. Eyes are harder to replicate." He lead in. "Come on, these guys don't have the over powered, miniature death machines we saw. They'll be easy." Sora turned to the group and waved. "Good luck guys." He followed in with Goofy and Donald as Ken was processing what he was about to step into, gave a salute for good luck and marched down the Path of Chaos.

Aqua and Ven took a deep breath and went down the Path of Death as Halvek grumbled. "This isn't going to go well." He lead. "Alright, let's see what the gig is." Ana followed him in to the Path of Sigmar. "This ought to be an experience." Leaving Kairi and Mickey to look upon the Path of Da Green, the Princess asked. "We're going to find out if this is a dead end or not. If Master Aqua and the others are correct, these Greenskins come in large numbers and the ones that don't are the ones we really need to watch out for." Mickey nodded. "And they're not exactly like all the Heartless and Nobodies we've been fighting. We need to stay close and focus on who ever looks big an important." He marched on. "Let's do this!"

Deeper in Pandemonium.

The winged Demon that was Garland, placed his upper hands together in annoyance as his lower lands rested with the rest of his body, upon a throne. The Guardians of Light are still coming for him, despite his machinations and his most devious trap worked too well to where it spiraled out of his control. "If the tales of yor, don't do them in, I will just have to-" Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock! He sighed and conjured an orb of fire, enhancing it with his dark powers. Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock! "make the summit, a perilous rush." He looked upon the orb with boredom, in comparison to the constructs of the Four Fiends, the ones who were provided with actual hearts were more worthwhile to converse with. "With, what will do for my defense." Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock! The sound of the clock, was monotonous and with the orb having a fraction of the potential of Rubicante, the demon addressed the noise. "Who ever is making that noise, cease it at once."

A voice, spoke from the surroundings. "I'd thought it would eventually get your attention." A ripple of blue appeared and spoke the name. "Garland, Spirit of Discord." A man in a blue hooded robe appeared, with a scythe in hand. "What sort of fate are you instilling with this game? The Peacekeepers, from across all space, are coming to put you to judgement."

Garland found the man a complete mystery, yet felt a presence most dark. "What else? To bring about absolute dominion over the worlds as a Master of Fate, these worlds are my playthings and it's denizens are but pieces of a board." The hooded man asked. "A Master of their fate? Or a Master over yours? To gaze upon hells maw and cling for just one more moment, that is what this is all about."

Garland laughed, stood up with his claymore and asked. "And you are here to bring me back to the Realm of Brimstone and Blood? I am not, but sown for you to reap!" The hooded man smirked and relaxed his scythe. "No. I am here, to ensure that the vile, do not try to repeat history. Your fate, is not mine to decide." He insist. "You've seen the fate of the World That Was, why show the Peacekeepers... that?"

Garland answered clearly. "Is it obvious, tales from eons past, that would shatter their minds and leave their bodies broken." The hooded man revealed a brown gloved hand, raised a finger and asked. "Then why did you leave behind the tale of a man, the one that one of the Warriors, brings to worship? Why leave behind the tale of a man who has defied the gods? Why leave behind the tales of adversaries and of knowledge the Peacekeepers, could use?" He pointed to him. "Are you scared of the future? Of what the Peacekeepers are ignorant to? The gods of Chaos, who loom ever closer to this Realms ruin, looked upon your Crucible and laughed."

Garland asked back. "What future, awaits us before the gods? Only endless conflict. Why allow them? Why not claim the power and be the one who sees fit to cause strife?"

The man raised his voice. "Ignorant fool! That power was never yours, they've only allowed you to claim that, so they will seize it and you." Garland raised his voice in preparation for battle. "They will never claim me!" The hooded man hissed. "Will they?" He laughed to that. "And what will the Peacekeepers remember you by, but of another victim to their game? Another reminder of their future? Of an endless cycle between Light and Darkness? Of Order and Chaos?" He asked. "You are just as frightened as they."

Garland clenched one of his free fists, the man relaxed his hand and offered. "I will ask of this, once. Cease your game when the Peacekeepers come, or you're future will not change."

Garland growled, thought deeply into it, sighed exhausted and slumped to his throne. "...Not... when I've come so far, I've always finish what I start." The man sighed, put his hand away and whispered. "So be it, do not make the Peacekeepers regret this choice."

He turned to travel down the castle, Garland asked with his patience wearing thing. "And what else are you doing here?" The man blew his cloak like that of wind. "I am going to ensure, their fated battle. They, need to understand the key to truly, end this cycle."

Garland guessed. "The Power of Darkness? I've seen what that power has unleashed; a divine miracle, disguised as something they've feared for ages." The man laughed to that. "Ha! That is rich, coming from you." He exhaled. "But divine, it could become. I hope, if we meet again, it will be on more even terms." He sprinted out of the throne, like that the wind left. Garland put his sword away and pressed his hands together. "Interesting."

In the Path of Sigmar.

Ana and Halvek found themselves with in a cloudy marsh, Ana resembled a fierce armored warrior, in standard armor and a cloak of fur as Halvek resembled a less than armored short man with a rather full black and white beard. Halvek wasn't amused as he and Ana found themselves among a retinue, lead by what looked to be a chieftain of a tribe, who had brown hair and a shot but thick beard, by his hip, was an axe and behind him was a horse drawn cart, with in, was a heavily pregnant, blonde woman in a gown. They were going somewhere into the marsh, the leader stopped. "Leave the cart and Griselda, it's too dangerous to bring them further in."

The retinue obeyed, Griselda pleaded. "Bjorn, please find the seer soon!" Ana has no idea what is going on and followed along with it, Bjorn ordered. "Stay close, men. The Brakenwalsch is nothing but an Orc infested pit."

The retinue obeyed and kept close, Ana and Halvek followed the man to the deeper reaches of the swamp, where they found a hut, but no crone. Ana and Halvek followed Bjorn into the hut and found no crone, just empty space and a cauldron. Bjorn found something was wrong and Halvek saw something of blue floating in the cauldron, he had a peak and saw blue eyes and human bones. "Urk! Sir." Bjorn listened, had a look, being horrified. "By Ulfric, those Orcs..."

Halvek grumbled. "Those greenskin savaged, they cooked her alive! Now what are we going to do?"

Rustle! Rustle! "Oi! Plump hummie!"

Bjorn's eyes widened and his pupils dilated, he turned and ordered. "The Orcs are besetting the cart! Hurry!" The duo and the retinue followed the man back to the cart and found Griselda deep in labor and completely helpless before the band of Orcs, looking like wolves ready to pounce on prey. Without hesitation, Bjorn and his men charged after the greenskins, the warrior king, taking the fight to a particularly large Orc Chieftain. On instinct, Ana and Halvek flung into battle, it was quick, brutal and some of the retinue were butchered along with the Orcs in the fight. Bjorn took his mighty axe at the Orc Chieftain, who in turn raised a hack blade to try and gut him.

SLASH!

The axe slit the Orc's throat and sent the chieftain falling on his back, leaving behind a battle field and a cart, covered in blood, Ana noticed Griselda having her eyes rolled to the back of her head, she gasped. "Griselda..." Bjorn quickly turned to his wife and had a shot of fear in his eyes, he rushed to call her name, he tried to feel her arm and felt it cold. Shock, filled him. "Mmm...mmm." Then, the three heard the sound of something in the cart, Bjorn looked into the cart and was in disbelief. Ana and Halvek felt their hearts beating to the tension and watched Bjorn lift from the cart, something crying. The man cried in both loss and joy as he revealed a baby boy with drips of blood. He lifted the boy to the air with those tears in his face, thunder cracked in the sky and caused a split in the clouds, revealing a night sky and a comet of two tails.

In an instant, the scene flickered to the strange town street, Ana and Halvek were as they were and found a table with a scroll in place of Bjorn and the infant. Ana approached it and ready out. "Among the Unberongens, a child was born. A chief's son, destined for greatness. And the Gods decreed. That his name shall be-" She gasped "Sigmar." she became enraptured and continued. "The one who's coming was foretold. By the signs of the Gods. And this, while Sigmar was a youth. Withstood Goblin and Orc. While others fled, taking his father's axe. Defending his earth and home. Fear not mother, sister be not afraid. This house is not for burning. Nor this village, not while the hand of a man can hold the shaft of an axe."

She put the scroll down and wanted to sit down somewhere, Halvek was impressed and laughed. "While, I'll be, he was born during a fierce battle."

Ana swallowed. "Aye. Gulp, but this is nothing like the legends I've read about. Where did this come from?!" Halvek shrugged and saw to the upper left of the chamber, another street way with the symbol of the Warhammer. "We'll learn of that soon."

In the Path of Da Green.

Kairi and Mickey looked around the town and realize it is quite, other worldy, the King noticed a collection of crude, stone statues, all resembling the shapes of hulking, ape like humanoids with the matching fanged face of the marking. Along side them are a few, scrawnier monuments. Kairi read out loud the monument of a feathery goblinoid statue on a spider statue. "Snagla Grobspit: The Last of... da... Red Venom Tribe of Forest Goblins, single handily lead a pack of Deff Riders to push da ummie's" she stopped looked at Mickey. "Do you know what that even means?"

Mickey guessed. "ummie's... I think that might mean humans." The Princess pronounce the crude term. "Humans... uman... ummie." She bobbed her head, content with the word and went back to read. "da ummies, away from da Black Pit and reclaim Gnarlwood for da Gobbos." Mickey had his go and picked a warlord like goblin in what looked to be a pelt, wielding a boy and on the back of a giant wolf. "Gitilla da Hunter. Big Boss of... da Drippy Fang's Tribe has lead da Howlers towards a reputation among da gobbos" even he found the pronunciation to be ridiculous. "As the sharpest shooters among all of goblin kind."

Kairi exhaled. "How are they going to make anything in history, if they can't even spell this right?"

"They've earned a name amongst themselves and through that infamy, became a legend amongst their kind." The Princess and Mouse turned towards the end of the room, finding a strange man in a blue hood, standing by a glistening statue of an obesed, goblin on a mighty chariot that was driven by a trio of wolves. The two were ready to fight, Mickey asked. "Who are you?!"

Kairi asked. "Are you working for Garland, or someone else?" The man hummed and answered. "Let's just say, I work alone. But I still have a task to maintain." He looked to the Goblin statue. "You need to know what this place is connected to?"

Kairi and Mickey were not trusting the strange, they slowly approached the statue and in a safe distance, Mickey guessed. "It is connected to the Realms some of our friends came from and to the place the Forces of Chaos have came from. But this is the first time we heard the grots be called goblins, were they called that a long time ago?"

The man laughed to the King. "In a way, they were. Even as eons passed and history has forgotten, the Heart of those Realms will remember these names until the End of Time."

Kairi guessed and looked around the town. "So this place is connected to different points in the Realms history? This place was made to stop us, so what's the catch?"

The man stepped aside and asked. "Approach the names that seem to have more meaning. A long time ago, an Empire of Men has endured the onslaught of those who which dominion upon the world. From those of Chaos, to the Undead and especially, the Greenkins you might call the Orruks and the Grots." He corrected the term. "Or as they were called them, the Orcs and Goblins."

Kairi guessed what would happen if she interact with the glistening statue. "That will be when the trap is sprung, then me and Mickey will have to fight the person the statue is based on. The more special statues are of the more infamous of the Greenskins." The man felt he didn't need to explain more. "You will need to best them if you wish to reach the end of this temporal labyrinth." A blue rift opened to a wall and the man readied to leave. "Try not to get yourself killed, these things are beyond vicious."

Mickey called to him. "Hey, sto-" the man sprinted to the rift and jumped in, disappearing with it. Mickey clenched his hand at a missed opportunity, Kairi advised. "Well, Sora and the others are going to be in for some history lessons. Let's see how this will work." She approached the statue and gasped. "Grom the Paunch of the Misty Mountain! A goblin: having swelled to immense size, from a gastral battle between the troll meat and his stomach, Grom became a mighty Warboss who've lead both the goblins and the orcs who use to boss him around, into a raid against the elven lands of Ulthuan. For unlike most goblins, he feared no elf. Infact-" She did not laugh at the violent boast. "he eats elves for breakfast."

"And we'ze just warmin up!"

Kairi gasped and Mickey tried to look around to hear where the deep voice came from, they found themselves behind the walls of a glistening city and in the view of a high window. Kairi leaped to the ledges going up the window in a flow motion, grabbed onto the window, peaking up and seeing smoke and towers on the horizon. Legion, upon legions of moving green and dreadful spiders marched on to lay siege. Enough that Kairi was frightened, she let go and flipped a landing, Mickey guessed. "We got trouble coming?"

The Princess nodded and heard the sound of a war horn. "By the thousands, I think... if we find the guy on the statue, we'll shut this off. Anyone who sounds like they get their way by bullying those smaller than them is kind of the biggest target to find." Mickey figured since Kairi recently traversed a realm of endless bloodshed. "And if we do that," he looked up to find gryphons flying to battle alongside what looks to be fiery pheonixes. "That would mean these fellas will win this battle."

Kairi knew what Mickey was trying to do and looked ready to fight. "This isn't like the Crucible, once we take down Grom, this whole scenario is going to turn off. We don't have to do anymore than that." She readied to leap again. "We jump past that window and run, ready?" Mickey readied to leap. "Ready!"

Spring!

They jumped through the window and free fall to the grass plane, they landed rather gracefully and dashed into battle, alongside the unaware army of what they assumed to be elves. Fire balls were launched at the coming Green Tide and the fiery pheonix circle to a particular catapult being set up. The two watched the catapult shoot out something at the pheonix, something with bat wings, a catapultflung to the city wall, particularly, where the duo ran from. The bat wing projectile was screaming. "Take this, ya stinking elves!" Mickey was the first to realize, the ammunition, was of a goblin dress in a glider and wearing a spiked helmet, the doom diver kicked mid air and saw he was dropping down. "Wa, no, no! I want'z ta" he noticed the mouse and girl, changing from peril to a more deranged laughter. "oi! Dooms commin!"

Kairi thought of a plan, sprout golden wings and flowed to the goblin, she smacked the goblin aside and sent him completely off course, he was broken in velocity and landed nearby Mickey in an undignified thud, the goblin tried to get up, realizing he isn't dead was laughing to that fortune and saw the King giving him a firm battle glare. The goblin was scared for his life and ran away. Kairi had a higher view and saw rocky trolls marching on against the elves, Orcs charging through arrows and more important, a collection of chariots, among them is a particularly large one, ridden by a large greenskin with a fur cloak and a giant axe, flanking a cavalry of horsemen. The cavalry is to the west. The Princess called out to Mickey. "I found Grom! The defenders are going to get hit hard!"

The Mouse saw a cavalry of boars bring ridden by orcs, charging towards him. "You go after him, I'll catch up." Kairi glowed, shrouded herself in air magic and glided towards the battle, she looked back and found Mickey nimbly jumping over the boar boyz and sprinting in lightning fast speeds. She caught up with Grom, pushing through the cavalry like they were nothing and was ready to flank the a more guarded retinue of elite knights, Grom ordered his chariots. "You'z get em in the back while I'z fork em from ere!"

Flip!

Bash! Kairi landed on the Chariot and smacked Grom in the back of the head, the goblin scratched the back of his helmet head, like it was a bad scratch and turned around, Kairi circled around him and gave him a quick combo, earning his attention and yelling. "Stabbas!" Smack! He slapped Kairi like she was an insect and turned to see what he sent off, finding a strange girl in pink, a set of purple gloves and boots. "Wha?" Kairi had a closer look at Grom, a repulsively fat goblin with many ring piercings on his bloated belly, she stuck her tongue out. "Come and get me, fatty!"

Grom gasped and laughed like it was a compliment. "Ha! I'z had a meatier ting, this morning. But me boyz could use an appetizer!" Grrr! "Get er!" Flick! Kairi looked left and saw a cavalry of wolves and goblin archers, then looked in front of her to find Grom taking off. Kairi grumbled and flowed after Grom, forming a pillar of ice to use as a jumping ledge and diving after him, she jumped in front of him and demanded. "Hey! I was calling you out."

Grom grumbled and barked. "Get out of me way glittah girl!" He took his axe and swung it at her, she jumped over it and smacked Grom in the head. He head butted her to get her off and saw the girl hanging on, she enveloped herself in lightning and went after him again, trading a blow for a dodge and occasionally healing.

"Woof!"

The wolves barked to something and completely shook the chariot, nearly causing the two to tip over, Kairi hung on as Grom broke from the fight and had a look at his wolves driving him from his intended target, all the way to the rank and file elves that were preoccupied with the fight. "Those izn't da burny elf." He grabbed her by the neck and hurled her off. "Get off me chariot!"

He directed his wolves back towards an elite guard that were better prepared to confront a smashing stone giant. Kairi landed on her feet and saw the chariot was getting away, she glided after him in pursuit as Grom rushed into the elite cavalry and punched through them, bodies flew and heads rolled to the giant axe. Kairi grabbed onto the chariot's rear and smacked Grom again, who twitched his eye while his back was turned, went to her and barked. "Dats it, you die now!"

He tried attacking her, while shouting waaagh, causing the horde to shout in unison and fight with a stronger frenzy. The Princess nearly felt bad for ruining his strategy as much as she has and enveloped herself in light, attacking even faster, side stepping a vertical axe swing and flung her blade to unleash a star orb at him.

She sense a familiar presence and leaped to the side, letting Mickey have a go at the Paunch. Grom was dazed from the confusing attacks and the duo back flipped, they hovered mid air and conjured a keyhole of light that unleashed holy ray upon him. Grom yelled. "Wraaaaaaaaaargh!" And the keyhole fired an orb that disappeared upon contact. The three realize nothing was happening, until a circle of light appeared, Grom leaned over the chariot to see the light and looked above to see a holy pillar coming down. He looked to the two with both hateful annoyance and complete dismay. "Dis isn't what I ad pla-"

PEW! CRASH!

The chariot shattered and the two were enveloped in light, they found themselves, back in the gallery. Kairi exhaled. "Phew! He was in a hurry to get to what he wanted to kill." Mickey noticed a door way with the marking of a crooked moon. "I saw that, hmm" he asked. "I wonder what really happened to him?"

Kairi wondered as well. "My guess is he was allowed to cause a lot of mayhem before he eventually lost. When you just throw yourself at the enemy, you're going to eventually get into a fight with someone who was planning that and while he had a plan, his followers probably didn't. Still, a gro...goblin, was able to command all those orcs and his chicken blood kin like... an orc would."

Mickey hummed to that. "Size really does matter to them. Now let's see what's further ahead." The two continued on their venture into Greenskin history.

In a desert

Ven and Aqua marched upon the ever shifting sands and gazed upon a grand, if abandoned city, broken down statues, with a skull face, erect high upon the mighty sand blown walls Further ahead was a grand Pyramid, fitting for a divine king and in the center was a sinister black pyramid, behind them was an ominous shadow. The two turned and found an encroaching army of the undead, leading from the front was a sinister rider, a particular man riding on top of a skeletal, bat like construct of dark bone and orange soul stuff. The Forces of Nagash are upon them, Aqua cringed. "There is no way we would beat all that by ourselves!" The gates to the city open and to their horror, an army of mummified soldiers charged out to defend the city, from across the land, came shifting sands, giant sphinx monsters and slithering cobras with skeletal knights, the Kings of ages past, rise from their Tomb to push back the Darkness. With the gate open, Ven whispered. "This is out chance to get out of the cross fire! These guys are going to go up against Nagash!" Aqua agreed with that and whispered. "How badly do you want to get across, to where you need to hope across this?"

Ven blinked and realize what she was suggesting. "Badly." He focused on the many warriors, priests and constructs, a path was revealed. He and Aqua flowed to the first of the soldiers, hopped over it, then to a right ward magician and then to a golden casket, being open by a ritual.

HOP!

They hoped over that and left the priest to be confused by the sudden light. They were at the gate and a noble man was upon a skeletal horse, the Tomb Prince screamed in a rasp. "For Nehekhara! Cha-" Hop! The keybearers hoped over the Princes crown and flew straight to the closings gates. WOOSH!

They made it across and entered an ancient if grand city, monuments to Kings long past stood in the radiant sun. Yet, Aqua felt an odd darkness ahead, towards the east of the city specifically, they heard marching from across the city, a second wave in an attempt to repel the coming invasion. The undead, marched into position and saw the two, the duo felt an odd hymn of a whistle and the thought that they should not have trespassed. One of the skeletons, raised a curved sword at them and rasped. They charged without a hint of fear, the duo made quick work of the ambush and heard a chilling hiss, they've angered someone. They followed their instinct to keep going, avoiding archers and fighting their way through a trio of cobra statues, that were ridden by armored, skeletal spear men. Upon besting the swift striking knights of the Necropolis, they heard a horn, sounding an alarm. They felt the darkness close and ran to the source, with in an ancient temple, something slithered out in defense of the ancient tomb, a large scorpion of black stone and gold, it's face was of a skull and it's stinger matched, it's pincers looked ancient and sharp, with in it's body however, was something of a sarcophagus, protecting an ancient mummy.

Ven nearly whimpered. "Why do I get the feeling we came into the wrong neighborhood?" Aqua watched the scorpion come at them alarmingly fast and even she felt death was looming. "Because these Tomb Kings don't want the living in their crypt. Just get past the tail and we'll try cutting it off."

Ven approved of the idea, flipped his blade for battle and readied to sprint, the Tomb Scorpion leaped forward at them pincers first, forcing the duo to dodge left and right, they watched the Scorpion bury itself in the sands and realize the thing is out of their sights. Ven heard a ripple of sand behind him and rolled to the right, avoiding a mighty stinger, the Scorpion rolled after him and smacked him in the sands, leaving Aqua alone for the moment to fling ice spells upon it. The Scorpion sprinted after her and burrowed once more, leaving Ven to try and get up, use a potion on himself and to watch Aqua leap to the far left to avoid a pounce of pincers. She fired more ice spells as Ven thought of something, quickly charged the scorpion from behind and notice the construct slamming it's tail at him, he back flipped to avoid the blow and glided over the scorpions body, over the sarcophagus with the resting mummy, he shined his blade in golden lightning, yelled and dived down upon the mummy. PEW!

The scorpion got up, aware that the boy was on top of it, but unaware of the attack and the mummy being obliterated. The scorpion a strange glow of blue lines, they flickered away and the scorpion collapsed. Ven phewed and jumped off, he turned to Aqua with a worry. "It's no wonder you lost a tooth in this kind of place, that thing was fast and mean."

Aqua smiled wide with that hole in her mouth and approached, agreeing with him with a sudden frown. "These things can easily take your life, but that thing was built to take on those like us." She lead into the temple. "Let's see what this history lesson has in store for us and get out of here." Ven followed into the temple and found three mummy priests working tirelessly to keep a familiar, skeletal wizard from reanimating, Ven recognized the markings. "What's Arkhan doing here?!"

The question blew in the temple, a man overlooking the ritual, turned to them, a skeleton with regal blue wears, a crown fit for a pharaoh and a giant scimitar, had his eyes glow in blue. "Have more agents of Nagash arrived, to pilfer my kingdom?! To seize my pyramid for their Master?!"

The two heard crawling upon the wall, two Tomb Scorpions, ready to pounce, Aqua answered in protest. "Heck no! We've came here on our own because a war's breaking out there and we were going to crushed." The Tomb King groaned. "So you are more thieves? Here to pilfer from I, Settra the Imperishable, the Protector of the Two Worlds, the Great Hawk of the Heavens, the Bringer of Light, the Majestic Emperor of the Shifting sands, the-"

Ven interrupted Settra. "No! How many titles do you have?!" The scorpions were ready to impale the two for their disrespect. BOOM!

They heard something shot from the ritual, Settra turned to see a mummy priest vaporizing one of the others with a bolt of souls, he howled and charged at him. "What are you doing?! This is betrayal!" The priest laughed. "There is a message for you, my liege!"

SLASH!

Settra cut him down and heard more laughter, Arkhan, reanimated. "You waste your time, you're majesty, Nagash comes." Aqua spoke out of line. "How?! We didn't see him out there!" Settra was annoyed by the comments as Arkhan asked. "Did you think my capture was as simple without a reason? Through me, Nagash has escaped into the Underworld. Even now, he feasts upon the god of death! He will be reborn as the Supreme Lord of the Dead!"

Settra screamed in defiance and went to cut Arkhan down, the mage vanished and a deeper laughter rang from outside, Ven and Aqua turned to see a sickly green stream of soul power, something evil was coming. Settra grumbled and climbed aboard a magnificent Chariot, being held by four skeletal horses. He ordered the scorpions. "Keep them from escaping! I will deal with them, personally as soon as I deal with that Usurper!" With a sharp order, the horse sprinted and pulled, carrying Settra out of the temple and to a battle for his kingdom.

The Tomb Scorpions, had their stingers ready, should the keybearers follow after the Tomb King. Aqua and Ven were not going to let Nagash have his way with another piece of civilization, in an instant, they flowed away from the Scorpion's stingers and out of the temple, finding the sky, darken with the power of death and flowing from the front of the Black Pyramid. The energies of Nagash, washed upon the tomb guard and obliterated their bones, the duo followed to the Black Pyramid and found Settra upon his Chariot, amidst a cities worth of broken bodies of his own men, consumed by the power of Death. The Tomb King stood before the Grand Necromancer himself, Nagash towered over him, with a shroud of souls. The horses charged at Nagash, but the will of Settra, the Tomb King used the speed to cut into the Grand Necromancer and zip past him to unleash another strifing blow. Nagash hissed in annoyance, floated out of the way and pursued Settra, flinging a stream of spirits that quickly tore the Chariot appart, devoured the horses and brought the King before their master.

Nagash laughed in triumph and boasted to Settra's face. "You're kingdom is mine, as is my Pyramid." The keybearers looked to each other, thought of who was the lesser evil and readied to strike, Nagash sneered. "But, to show what a generous god, I am. I offer you a choice, Imperishable one, become one of my Mortarchs and be my enforcer for a world of Death. Or watch as I break your spirit!" Settra heard that and looked Nagash in the eyes. "Settra does not serve" he trembled in rage and readied to strike Nagash. "Settra rules!"

The Grand Necromancer glared back at him and glowed his green eyes. PEW! BONK! Two youths with keys smacked Nagash upside the head and threw his attack off, in a pulse of light, the spirits disintegrated and let Settra go. The Great Necromancer hissed to the burning light and looked to who did that, he gazed upon them like they were sudden heroes that arrived. "What?! Where did you come from?"

Aqua put a finger on her right eye, stretched her lid down and stuck out her tongue as Ven answered. "None of your business! We got something to settle with you, monster!"

Nagash was astonished, shook his head in annoyance and readied a spell. "I know not, what you are. But all who oppose the God of Death must" he unleashed a dark orb that tried to draw them in. "die!"

The orb was let loose, the keybearers nimbly pulled away from the spell as Settra dashed to the right with zealot fury as the keybearers rushed to the left, Nagash turned to Settra and asked. "You've reduced yourself to relying on these mortals?"

He laughed in mockery as Aqua answered that. "How about you worry about-" she leaped. "what we're going to do to you!" SLASH!

A strike of crystal cut into Nagash's neck as a spear of divine light stabbed into the Necromancer's throat, Settra was annoyed by his unrequested aid and charged. "I shall deal with them after, I annihilate you!"

Nagash screamed in pain and used his sword to shake them away, Settra slashed his sword upon the Necromancer's calve and leaped at him for battle. Ven screamed out the Gnashing Winds to have Nagash mauled, Nagash blocked it with the stream of souls and fired his laser beams at Settra, knocking him to the ground as Aqua enveloped herself in fire, flowed to one end to strike him and glided to another. Nagash hurled a ball of ghastly fire at her and was pounced upon once more, by a determined Settra. Aqua landed by a pillar, hovered and fired a prism rain at the Necromancer as Ven enveloped himself in lightning and went for Nagash's neck again. Doing rather critical damage as Setra climbed to Nagash's head and slashed, stabbing Nagash in the skull and causing a reaction. A swirl of souls erupted from the Necromancer, the energies of death evacuated from his body.

He screamed. "WRRRRAAAAAGH!"

As Settra sank his sword deeper, the keybearers stepped away from the coming explosion and braced themselves. BOOM! They watched a pillar of death erupt where Nagash was and pierce the heavens, engulfing the dessert as a scream. In a simple heart beat, they watched Nagash and Settra be enveloped in the purple light of death, the light faded and they adjusted their eyes to see Settra, standing over the body of the Great Necromancer, the dark sky began to trickle with light and the Tomb King, pulled his sword away, glowing with the energy of death. He looked upon his aid with his eyes glowing bright blue. "Settra did not demand your aid, trespassers. Why did you come?"

Ven found it hard to answer as Aqua answered. "So we could settle something with Nagash, even if it meant disturbing this crypt. You've actually had the nerve to stand up to him on your own?!" She wasn't sure if she should be horrified by the arrogance or marveling at the determination. Settra found one thing he could agree with. "The Ursurper would have unmade my Kingdom and cast it all into an age of Darkness. But" he looked upon the ruins. "At what cost? Usirian is no more, my armies are wiped clean, how... how will I regain my dynasty and claim my rightful place as the ruler of all?"

Aqua was completely stunned by the arrogance as Ven blinked. "Usirian? He's the guy in charge of the underworld? If Nagash... ate him, then that would mean." The Keyblade Master saw a connection between the death magic and Settra's glow. "Hey, try... focusing on something or someone Nagash has killed. I think... I know what happened to Usirian's power."

The Tomb King gasped, looked upon the destroyed horses and focused his will upon them, they rose, awaiting his command, Settra began to laugh in triumph. "Ha, ha, ha, ha! So through me, Usirian lives on? With a final gift, he has granted me the ultimate glory."

The God of Death, raised his sword in the air and yelled. "Soldiers of Nehekhara, heed my command!" Like that, the duo felt a life spring upon the thousands, awaiting the word of their Eternal King. "Today, the Usurper, who've cursed us all into Undeath, has finally met his end! I, Settra the Imperishable, degrees this as a sign! The age of a dynasty has begun! We will march to the north and soon, all will know of my radiance! All will know of paradise! All will know of Settra, the Eternal King! May none oppose my will!" and like that, a combined cheer of praise graced the desert, Aqua and Ven kept their mouths shut, in concern for annoying Settra again, the Eternal King ordered them. "You, shall warn the northern nations of my coming, leave these lands and never return! This, I offer."

The keybearers heard that, were eager to get going and did their best to hide their frustration at the ego, Aqua smiled to him. "Oh, we will tell them about you. King Settra." Ven slowly walked away. "I... think they'll get it."

The chilling wind came and a shroud of darkness blinded them. A voice asked. "Vengeance, what a simple reason." The duo tried to figure out where they are and found a blue robed man standing in place of Settra. "Nagash's evil has long plagued the Realms and when he heard about the Heart of All Worlds, he sought to claim it for his own. For how dare, there be an after life that did not belong to him."

Aqua and Ven relaxed to the strange man, the Keyblade Master wasn't surprised. "I can imagine Nagash being that petty." She laughed. "Well too bad, he's been kicked out, kept out and is in so many pieces that he'll have to wait... a couple decades, before he gets the message to stay out of our worlds." The man laughed with her, Ven felt more confused. "But how did Settra had anything to do with that?"

The man exhaled and answered. "Simple, he doesn't. For that tale, came from a World that Was the Realms. A world where many things began, the rise of a tyrant was one of them." Ven gasped as Aqua's celebration was severed. "Wait, the World that Was?! Nagash was really around for that long?" She had more questions. "What happened to that world anyways?! How did Garland pick this up?!"

The man smirked under his hood. "The fate of that world, will be revealed soon if you travel along, that pitiful victim of fate sought the power of the Realms and used the power of the Temporal, to peer into things, best left unknown." He pressed his free hand under his chin. "Would any of this really help you? It's all buried deeply into the past, that the denizens of the Realms know nothing of this, only the gods know a glimmer of what has happened."

Ven's mouth was gaping. "Wow." He asked. "So, what we just saw was what might have happened if Settra had a chance to do more besides tell Nagash off? That didn't really happen." The man shook his head and let his robe blow to the wind, revealing what was a mighty kingdom, reduced to ruin and a black Pyramid flying to the horizon. "No, for any who opposed Nagash, would have their spirits broken before they wish for death."

Aqua felt no surprise from the ruins and found a single skull in the sands, the remains of Settra, forced the watch his kingdom be wiped from the map. "Of course, and Nagash took off to do... what ever evil plan he had in mind for the World That Was." Ven felt a heart, wishing he could die already. "And since Settra is undead, he has nothing but thing now, forever?"

Then came four jackals, one looking muscular and mighty, one constantly cackling in mischief, one sickly and to bones and one most majestic, they put together the scattered bones and cloth, assembling the Tomb King. As one they whispered. "This does not have to be the end." "Nagash can still be slain." "Travel north and find the Three Eyed King." "Through him, you can become King once more."

Settra, looked upon the north and found a burning star, the duo looked upon the star and found eight points, the Tomb King, marched. With that, the dessert became the strange town and a stair way, leading to higher appeared behind the man. Aqua guessed. "So they came at his lowest and gave him an offer he couldn't refuse. Even the Chaos gods didn't want Nagash in power."

Ven figured that out. "And that is still got good for anyone." The man stepped aside and agreed. "That is how they can worm into the most strong will of minds, for when you are deep with in the abyss and see nothing but Darkness, you would do anything, to escape. Even follow along to the most outrageous of ventures."

Aqua felt that was a little too accurate. "No one is going to believe that a bunch of dinosaurs, made from stars have helped me get out of the Realm of Darkness before the Forces of Chaos made it theirs. That was how the whispers came to me, like a maggot. How did you know that?"

The Man was ready to leave them be. "For I, am a Keeper of the Past. I know, the things that have been, through out the passage of Time. From this Realm and as of recent, of the World that Was and the fate that befell it." He tilted his head to them. "The fate that will befall your worlds if you do not break it's cycle."

Aqua took a deep breath and exhaled. "The End of that World? When it met it's destruction?" The man spoke of the event. "The End Times, as they called it. A dark destiny loomed over the World that Was and it's people, desperately sought to protect it, by pushing back the Chaos. Yet, they found no way of truly defeating it."

Aqua guessed. "Only delay it? Like what we saw earlier, the man who came after our friends put an end to Abaddon, was someone who came before him. The Champions of Chaos are replaceable to the Dark gods." The man let Aqua know that she was correct. "And unless you find the ultimate secret with in this cycle, you will be looking upon the future that awaits. I suppose you also wish to know, where this labyrinth came from?"

Ven guessed. "Since this is a place Garland made, he's been here before and since it is connected to time." He felt a ding. "This is where his future self took him to so he would recover from falling into the Warp, once he left this place to get the crystals-" Aqua helped him finish. "This became his hideout as a paradox, at least until his past self took the power of the crystals to turn himself into a demon and travel through time. And since he was acting upon the present at the time, you couldn't do anything to stop him."

Ven was completely confused. "Yeah... I... was going to say that." The man let Aqua know that she was correct. "I watch over the past and look to the future, the present is not my concern and that was how he slipped past me." He walked away. "Your friends are learning of the history of the World that Was, don't get surprised if it becomes too much for them to stomach."

As sudden as he arrived, he dashed into a blue rift, Aqua bit her lip and realized. "Ehhhh. He's talking about the ones who went down the Path to Chaos. Ven, be ready for more therapy." Ven cringed. "I knew letting Sora and Ken go back into that was a bad idea."

Aqua lead to the stair way. "As if we had a choice. Sora's the strongest among us, Goofy and Donald have been nearly everywhere with him, Riku has had experience with the Darkness and Ken has the power to obliterate the minions of Chaos, without a second thought. They are the best choice as far as splitting up is concerned. Now let's see what happened in the End Times, if we learn from history we will stop it from repeating." Ven agreed with that and went with her.

In the Path to Chaos.

Sora and the crew found themselves in a strange forest, with a darkness looming in the air and the feeling they were being watched, they were on constant guard. Riku crouched to examine a battered shield with the smeared symbol of a horned head, trying to make something of it. "Hmm." He stood up with a suspicious feeling in his nose. "Looks like someone stole this shield, debased it and left it here as a warning to anyone who comes snooping around that they are in for some major trouble if anyone comes to these lands." Jiminy was writing down the details and asked. "They marked these woods as their territory?"

Riku turned to the cricket and nodded. "Yep, but how does this have anything with the Forces of Chaos?" Sora guessed, based on how the shield was the first noticeable thing they stumbled across. "Because who ever left this, is working with them or are them." Riku and Donald felt the strange chill, if Sora of all people was able to make any sense of it, then it raises concern.

Rustle!

Ken appeared with a spear like keyblade in a runic stone hand and a look of peril, coming from the upper left of the forest clearing with a sharp whistle. "Guys, we got trouble!" Jiminy finished his drawing and hoped onto Sora's shoulder to ask. "Does it have anything to do with this marking? This is no coincidence."

Ken agreed. "It isn't! You all need to see this for yourself." The crew readied to followed the blonde boy, to the distant sight of smoke, the coming screams of people and barbaric braying. They reach a clearing and found a large city being under siege by something, they saw a massive hole in the city walls and a herd of goat like savages rushing in. Matching the head found on the shield.

In an instant; Sora, Donald and Goofy rushed to the city, throwing any attempt in making a plan out the window, not that Riku minded. "Here we come, you freaks." He speared straight across the city walls, Ken puffed his cheeks, used his air magic to fly high into the sky. With in the city; Sora, Donald and Goofy bore witness to Beastmen launching a massacre upon the panicking bystanders and to the soldiers trying to fight back, one of them turned to the three and revealed black fur, something of a crude belt and more horrific, a helm of an odd leathery, hide. It growled and shouted in a sinister tongue, the others of the heard turned to them, roared and sprinted after the three, Goofy wasted no time shield bashing them as Donald unleashed the power of lighting, making rather short work of them.

PEW!

Sora heard the string of arrows and rolled to dodge them, getting sight of less than formed, goat legged humanoids with bows, balking at him. Sora ignored them and charged at the heard of goat man, the bow beasts heard a faint wind and were speared from behind by a flying Riku, he made quick work of them and let Sora unleash retribution upon the Beasts. As they bested that heard and left them laid battered and broken, the tavern was ravaged by a trio of mutated boars, their eyes bulged upon prey, gave a hellish squeal and sprinted, unaware of a fire in the sky. Ken speared down upon one and let loose an inferno, instantly killing one of the boars and burning the other two badly, they rolled from the impact, notice the boy and charged at him in hunger bound fury. Ken wasn't even phased, flung his spear like blade into the left boar's skull for a finishing kill, rolled out of the way of the remaining boar, held his burning blade with both hands and let loose a slash. The boar burst in flames and collapsed in a smoulder.

Riku whistled to that. "What a entrance." Ken called his spear blade back and saw the destruction of the beastmen, he had a rather calm expression to match the determined scowl Sora has. "People are going to die to these things if we don't hurry fast."

Riku stopped the jokes and agreed. "Yeah, let's find who ever is leading these things, find who ever smashed their way through and take them out. These chumps won't last then." Rumble! "RRRRRRRWAAAAAAAAR!"

"AAAAAAH!"

They heard the sound of a mighty beast to the east of the town, Sora cringed to the sound of death screams. "What the heck are these things doing here?!" Donald cringed like he didn't want to know as Goofy lead on with his shield. "What ever it is, we got to rush through this as fast as possible! Are ya fellas ready?" The group let the shield bearer know they were and charged to the town, dealing with less full herds of creatures the guards screamed as gors and ungors, with a particular band of gors chanting at a helpless pack of towns guards. Sora and Goofy disrupted the chant and Riku finished off the gors, Ken waved to the humans. "The way is clear, go, go, g-" Smash!

A boulder was hurled at the helpless guards, smashing four of them to a pulp and causing the remaining twelve to run in a panic. "By the gods, no!" Rumble! Rumble! SLASH!

Six of them got hacked to ribbons by a hulking, four armed minotaur with blades for two of the hands and fist weapons on the other two, Sora was the first to gag at what was in the minotaurs mouth, pulped up human remains. The minotaur swallowed, grabbed the more stalwart of the guard and shoved him in its mouth, that is a grizzly end. Sora tried to speak a taunt, dripped vomit from his mouth and coughed as Riku glowed in fire and balked. "Hey, monster, pick on something with more spice!"

He shot a fire ball at the Gorging Beast, hit it in the eye and drew it's attention, it glowed in unnatural darkness and barreled at them. Donald cringed. "Riku, now it's after us!"

Ken heard chanting and flung a lingering flame. "I think that the plan." Sora flowed back to a post with a rally. "Come on, we can take this!" Goofy and Donald made a run for safer ground as Riku back flipped and taunted the Gorging Beast, seeing hints of a goat shaman chanting in a similar, dark glow. He put a couple things together and watched the lingering flame rupture and engulf the Gorging Beast, leaving behind scorch marks that closed. The beast lunged for him and a back jumping Ken that was ready to go to war. Donald thought of something and asked. "Sora, Ken, we got to bring the fire power!"

Sora knew what that meant and focused his keyblade. "Got it, let's give it all the fire we got." Riku snickered, sprinted at the Gorging Beast and quickly cut into him, giving Ken the que to meet up with the group. The one armed boy saw Sora and Donald hovering together, from the tip of the kingdom key was a forming fire ball, Ken focused his own and caused the fire ball to dance, as if it was excited, left to Sora's power, it's dancing became enraptured.

As one, the trio shouted. "Firaza plus!" Sora aimed his blade like it was a mighty canon and fired, the Gorging Beast kept failing to grab Riku and noticed the mighty flame.

BOOM!

The Gorging Beast howled as the flame made contact, engulfed him in holy fire and caused the ground to melt, burning the hooves. Goofy squinted his eyes to see if the Gorging Beast has been dealt a fatal blow, a fatal blow it was, the burned flesh however, closed with the power of chaotic darkness. "Why didn't that work?"

Riku connected the dots and yelled. "There's a shaman nearby, keeping this thing alive! I'll bet the shaman is calling more of his buddies as well." He readied to go after the Bray Herd Shaman as Ken yelled. "How long did it take for you to figure that out?" Sora agreed with that. "Before or after we did that?"

The leader of the crew answered. "Before, but I wanted to confirm that they were connected." The Gorging Beast sprinted to the source, Ken growled, stabbed the ground with Firekeeper's Wish and vowed. "I'll burn that beast out." The Gorging Beast had him in arms length and grabbed into a fire storm, Ken jumped on the arm and used the destructive power as a distraction, he jumped to where he heard chanting, leaving behind a trial of flame.

The Gorging Beast was scorched and kept approaching Sora and Donald, the spiky haired boy gave a pretty intense glare at the evil thing and leaped to it's chest, his blade gave off a rather dark light that enveloped his clothes and he posed for a slash.

PEW!

The Beast cringed for a moment and saw the boy with a black keyblade, with a hilt having demonic wings and a blade that looked like an actual sword if with a chain inside it, it's teeth resemble an axe, the boys clothes became that of pure black, with markings being of white. The Gorging Beast chomped at him, Sora disappeared in dark light and appeared to the side of it's blood stained head. "Miss me, punk." In an instant, he lunged at the Gorging Beast like a vicious tricky of dark light and of lashing chains. Goofy recognized the keyblade as Riku was confused by the power. "Tink!"

Wrrrrraaarrrr.

At the sound of a death rattle, Riku felt a dark air leaving the Gorging Beast and the beasts flesh is not repairing itself. He jumped in with a glitter of morning light and joined Sora in beating the tar out of this unholy beast. Then they heard the deep sound of bulls mooing, comparable to a roar, someone came to them. "Bad! Bad! Bad!"

Ken aimed his weapons to the ground and let loose a trail of lava, being chased by a trio of blood thirsty minotaurs. Dimwittingly barreling through the flame. Sora noticed the escalating situation and aimed his blade behind the Gorging Beast, he whispered. "It's over." He fired a trio of chains into the air and caused a dark rift to open, with the chains reaching out for the intended victims, Ken returned to Donald and Goofy, looked back for a quick attack and watched the minotaurs loose their footing and be dragged to the rift. The Gorging Beast didn't notice this and tried to upper cut Sora, it lost balance, turned to the rift and realize it was dragging him to it. Sora back flipped away from it as Riku took the chance to rush the Gorging Beast like a lance of light, pushing the Beast into the rift and letting one of the chains catch it by the wrist, it pulled even harder and the other two chains snared it in the neck and waist. The Beast lost balance and was pulled into the rift in a roar, he and the minotaurs, stretched like spaghetti and were engulfed into the rift. Sora stretched his arms and caused the black hole to disappear in a flicker of purple light. Ken, Donald and Goofy were both impressed and intimidated, Sora kept the dark attire and exhaled. "Thank goodness that worked."

Goofy stuttered. "S...Sora." The boy wondered what that was for and checked himself out, Ken tried to find what words to say as Riku recognized the keyblade of Oblivion and asked. "You feel any different from before?"

Sora kept hearing screaming and braying, he answered with a half smile. "Same old, same old as soon as we stop these monsters." Riku guessed. "So nothing else has changed. I think I know what this is," he smirked. "It's an odd light," He enveloped way to dawn in a purple light. "justice." He notice the group snapping out of it and ordered. "Come on, we got more beastmen to deal with."

On the order, they followed him to another square of the town, finding six minotaurs overwhelming the towns guard and going for the bystanders, one of them, a random elderly man, was being bitten by the shoulder and was screaming for death. Tear! His arm was ripped off and it was being eaten. Sora exhaled focused on the minotaurs, leaped in the air and shot spinning blades of dark light upon the wicked, obliterating most of the minotaurs in the power and leaving the remaining towards something most fatal, Riku and Ken standing side by side with a Cadia's Light glowing in a sun set, the orange light drained and a beam of light blue fired at the Minotaurs skull. Sending it falling down.

The surviving bystanders looked upon them and gasped, like angels arrived to save them from a grizzly fate. Then came a ten man heard of armored gors from the left street, one of them ordered the rest in a strange, dark tongue, a duo of boar drawn Chariots rushed from the right. Sora rushed back at the Chariots to stop their charge and left Riku to dive into the better gors, who were surprisingly only slightly more doable than the regular gors. Together, the older boys wrecked the beastmen and any would be stragglers were picked off by Ken. Goofy and Donald spotted the castle to the left, being held siege by the giant minotaurs and being sacked by the armored gors, something was ramming into the castles gates, Donald alerted the group. "We got the beastlord in our sights!"

Sora and Riku felt a little relief that the nightmare was going to be over, Ken sprinted ahead of them with deathly silence and Goofy followed him. "Hey, wait up."

Sora felt a little disturbed by the behavior and flowed to the shield bearer, Riku flickered to his childhood friend and asked. "So, who's going to take the Beastlord down first?"

Sora noticed the better gors noticing Ken and charged after him, the one armed boy leaped to the air, summoned a ring of fire and unleashed the beam of the sun upon them, while heating up the air and making the heavens rain in fire upon the noticing beastmen. Ken tilted his head to the group with a confident smile, letting them know he has the rank and file. Then came a giant minotaur, with a cyclopean eye, barreling after Donald of all people with a giant rock, Sora flickered in light and gave a battle cry, cleaving the rock in two before it had a chance to be thrown and summoning a secondary keyblade, one of familiar silver, the keychain of a particular star and a hilt with angelic wings. His dark clothes became balanced by patches of grey and white, with one leg of his pants having a white symbol much like the spiky teeth of the light looking keyblade. He unleashed a holy power upon the Mage Gorger, leaving Goofy to try to get Donald to safety and for Riku to confront the Beastlord responsible for the dreadful siege, a brute on a large, boar driven cart. The cart had a collection of skulls and on top of it, was a large beastman with a deadly looking spear and a wild, six horned skull for a helm, the more noticeable is a cloak with the fur resembling that of beastmen.

The beastlord turned to face Riku and jumped off, revealing a tatoo on the right of his chest, one of Chaos Undivided, the beastlord growled. "Do you think you will make a difference, manling?"

He glowed in dark power as Riku taunted and glowed in the light of the dark sun. "I've beaten worse than you!" He gestured to him. "Bring it!"

The Beastlord pulsed in darkness and summoned a dreadful, horned spirit to ram it's horns at him, the boy formed a barrier and was rammed rather hard, pushing him back, the Beastlord followed with a spearhead like that of a ram. Riku flicked in dark light, the Beastlord realized his prey was gone, stopped and readied for an attack, Riku appeared behind him, the Beastlord spun with his spear. Riku ducked and upper cut him with his blade, he followed with a slew of attacks, the Beastlord jumped back with dark vigor and tried to impale Riku again, the boy jumped on the spear and slashed his blade at the Beastlord's throat.

SLASH!

The Beastlord felt that, coughed and felt blood trickling to his mane, he gurgled and tried to swing again, Riku jumped back, split Way to Dawn in a winged sword of light and darkness, and countered with another slash to the Beastlord's neck, ensuring the monster would have his throat slashed. In an instant, the Beastlord fell backwards, dead. A darkness pulsed and caused a backlash on the beastman, causing them to feel a strong fear in the Guardian's of Light, they began to run for it as they saw the Mage Gorger get obliterate in the event horizon of light and darkness. The Gorger was stabbed in the head and disintegrated, then the crew saw a flash of light and found themselves in the strange, eldritch town.

Sora landed and his clothes reverted back to it's normal colors, the keyblade of a Kept Oath, disappeared in light, as Oblivion remained. Riku's form change reverted back as Goofy and Donald were relieved that fight was over, Ken landed with elegance slowed his breathing and blinked, like he was back into reality. He was the first to notice, a strange rune stone of strange symbols, the forehead being of Chaos. A scroll was before it. "...What's going on around here anyways?"

Riku had no idea and saw a few monuments to the foes fought, each with a scroll. The one in particular that stood out, was a statue of the Beastlord. "Let's find out first, because that... couldn't have been the Realms." He ordered. "Go calm down with Sora, while I check the big scroll out. You've zoned out for a while."

Ken gasped and raised his voice. "Those monsters were going to eat us all if we let our guard down! They needed to be wiped out or they would have tried that again!" He realized what he done and covered his mouth. Riku relaxed his left arm and had his right hand at his hip. "Yeah, they would have and nothing short of annihilation is needed to get the job done on something that... evil. That one trip alone, on the Planet Killer, taught you one lesson, any false move in the nest of evil, will cost you."

Ken nodded. "Or if danger is everywhere." Riku finished. "These guys wanted a war, they got one and they lost. It is still, scary to watch you fight like that."

Ken sighed. "I get that a lot," He went to Sora, who was a little zoned out and answered something Donald asked. "That thing was coming after you and it just... happened. I know where those keyblades came from though."

The duck was relieved that was over. "Thank goodness you showed him. Where did they come from?" Ken approached and guessed. "From the depths of what they call Darkness?"

The trio thought that was a good guess, the one armed boy noticed his cybernetic arm is back to normal and spoke. "I can't believe I yelled at Riku..." Sora tried not to say anything as Goofy assured Ken. "We heard you from ere and you had a point."

The spiky haired boy agreed with that and saw Riku become horrified, the oldest boy dropped the scroll, contemplated reading another and went to the group, Sora asked. "So, what did you find out?" Riku started with the least horrific thing. "Okay, those guys were called the Beasts of Chaos, the Children of Chaos or the Beastmen. Pick which one sounds the least dangerous and you'll still get an idea of what they are. Apparently, when the Forces of Chaos first manifested upon a World that Was, their energies engulfed the north and south pole, twisting anything there into monsters that spread to the forests of the world. They HATE civilization and to appease the Chaos gods, seek not just to destroy it, but to debase it and anything good or beautiful with the world."

He clenched his fists as Sora guessed. "So that explains the shield and why they are like that?" Riku wheezed and wanted to correct him. "Yes, but it gets worse. Sometimes, a Beastman is born because the powers of chaos, goes for an infant before they have a chance to be born, which will make them outcasts to society and... bring them among the Beastmen tribes, who show no empathy towards anything not as vicious as they. Others... well" he hesitated to speak the explicit details. "well, let's just say there is another reason they might take people alive. If you're lucky, they'll eat you, if not you'll take your keyblade and stab yourself in the heart, just so you won't deal with the worse." Riku's eyes widened. "I'll be leaving it like that, by saying they are a bunch of monsters that our parents warned us about."

Sora felt unnerved and asked. "So we didn't go overkill?" Riku shook his head. "No, we didn't. Unfortunately for the Beastmen, because they are born into that life, rather than by choice, everything they do barely gains the notice of the Chaos gods, compared to the followers that sided with them by choice. Born of Darkness, doomed to live in it and they will eventually return to it."

Ken still didn't feel a lick of empathy towards the man eating beasts. "And that's why the people of civilization go to extreme ways to wipe them out. For all that is good. Is there anything else we need to know?"

Riku shook his head. "There might be a few details, but I skipped over that for your own good. I'll go read up on that Beastlord before we decide what to do. Jiminy, write down the details, if Archaon has brought over an army, then there might be a chance he has invited the Beastmen to be the fodder. If they turn up or if some powerful heartless show up that look like them, then we'll know."

The Cricket jumped off and began to write down the Beastmen in a way even a child would understand. "That's why we shouldn't go exploring by ourselves anymore." Donald agreed with that. "Unless we got the fire power." Riku nodded. "Or unless we can find the Bray Shaman and the chieftain pulling the strings and get rid of them. They'll be directionless without them."

He went to learn about the Beastlord, leaving the crew to sit down for a moment, Sora noticed a street way leading to more horrific tales and Ken took the chance to ask. "So, that keyblades new." The spiky haired boy took his mind off of the street and looked upon Oblivion. "Not really, this is the first time you seen this?"

Ken remembered an early beat down he was on the receiving end on and shook his head. "No, I think I saw Roxas holding that and the other one before forcing me to land on my back. He noticed Firekeepers Wish when I got it not long before than." He felt a ding as Sora continued. "Yeah, I there was a technique I use to use, where I drew power from my friends and drive myself to fight better. It knocks them out and I stopped using it when I noticed that someone will catch onto that. I found the Final Drive Form after I had a fight with Roxas and he hid into my heart."

Ken gasped. "So, through that fight, you and Roxas work in sync? Cool." Sora nodded. "Yep and I guess since I picked up Formchanges, I use that a lot more often in comparison. My friends don't get knocked out and they fight with me while I get to business."

Goofy realized. "So when you drew power from both this keyblade and the other, to bring Darkness and Light, you and Roxas get back into sync again?"

Sora felt someone agreeing with that and gave a thumbs up. "Yep. Do you think I should have this keyblade out while were here?" Ken shrugged. "Riku calls that power Justice and you used it like the light, despite it... not being gentle at all. I think with that keyblade, you can bring the other one and really go places."

Donald approved of that. "We're going to need it." Riku was less amused by the story he's read about and reunited with the group, wanting to sit down with them, he exhaled in a typical, brooding manner and tempted Sora to ask chipper. "So... what did you learn?"

The brooding boy didn't hesitate to answer. "That the followers of Chaos are more sick in the head the more we learn of them. Gorthor the Beastlord was one of the most infamous Beastmen around, he thought the Dark gods picked him to lead the armies of Beasts to ravage the lands and would do anything to get them together. Including making a cloak that was made from the hide of the shamans, the one of two members of a tribe that the Beastmen respect." Sora gasped. "So hurting the shamans is the one thing they won't do?"

Riku nodded. "And Gorthor done that. He made it his goal to kill everyone if it would appease the chaos gods and was so ruthless about it, that even after he was finally killed, his name was remembered in fear. That's not the worst part." Ken guessed. "Any Beastmen or follower of Chaos that heard of him, wanted to be like him?"

Riku kept silent in his answer, showing that it was a yes. He spoke clearly. "There is nothing worse than someone who is willing to throw away that spec of goodness in their hearts, to become monsters. How many more times do we got to see that?"

The group didn't want the answer to that, Sora sighed and decided to lay down, looking upon the void ceiling in thought. "Besides that, why were the Realms called the World that Was?" He blinked. "Were the Realms... one world before something happened to it?"

Riku was impressed by the smart question. "Probably and that was one of the tales from that World. To think, while Ana and Halvek are learning about the so called heroes, the rest of us are learning about it's villains." Ken waved it off and decided on searching the room for an interesting read. "The Greenkins are definitely that, but I don't think they are as bad as these guys. They just care about winning the fight, although the Kruelboyz sound pretty bad. Ven and Miss Aqua, however, aren't going to be happy to see Nagash again."

He looked to the statue of the cyplopean minotaur and read the scroll, Riku watched Ken notice something in the reading, he asked. "They aren't, but one thing I think we all want to know, why did Garland pick this as our next obstacle?" Jiminy did find it puzzle. "A lot of this history can help us." The one armed boy finished reading, swallowed and put it away, returning to the party and thinking out loud. "That doesn't make a whole lot of sense unless he is trying to help us learn something." Sora felt he was in a near meditative state. "Who knows, we won't find out until we get to him." Riku raise his hand. "We got five minutes, we're in for something big."

At the Path of Sigmar.

Halvek was thrilled to be in the guise of a Duardin, but not as one lacking his steam punk gear. Ana on the other hand, was the same warrior she had been. They found themselves enroute to an Orc camp, where a band of warriors were readying an assault, leading them was a wild looking, brown haired young man, with a growing brown beard and a sword of bronze. Ana recognized who the man is and approached, signalling Halvek to keep hidden. The young Sigmar looked on to the strong hold. "There it is, that's where that Greenskined brute is hiding." He whispered to his companions. "Vagraz has terrorized these lands long enough."

Ana guessed what the plan was. "We go in there and smash as many as we can? Prince Sigmar?" The teenager grunted to the warrior. "Pretty much, leave Vagraz to me, the Greenskins will run off when they see their boss slain." Ana approved of it. "They always do," In a few moments, they marched on to the war camp, where a band of Orcs were laughing at the captives they held, the Duardin, one particular was kicking and screaming as the Orc's used a rusty hatchet to shave his beard and was drawing blood. In an instant, Sigmar ordered the charge and lead his men charging in a battle cry, one of the Orc's smirked in excitement. "Oi! Da ummie's are ere!" "Let's krump em!"

"Waaaaaaagh!"

Ana and the soldiers dived in to partake in good old fashion Orc slaying, on the corner of her eye, Ana saw a large, heavily armored Orc with dark green skin and less than jolly demeanor, enter the battle. He looked more like he was furious about the fight going on and was looking for the person responsible for the raid, there, he saw Sigmar, hacking into an Orc with a brass sword, Vagraz took out an axe of fire and yelled. "I'm gonna hack ya knees off, make ya eat dirt and then I'll stomp ya head!"

He roared and charged after Sigmar, the young prince looked at the Orc with a little bit of intimidation and charged back at him. Slashing into the Orc, tink! His sword didn't do much to penetrate the armor, Vagraz swung his axe at the Princes knees, Sigmar stepped away to dodge and swung again, doing no damage.

Halvek, sneaked into the camp to try and rescue his kin, the Duardin with the bloodied beard grumbled. "You came here by yourself?!" Halvek growled back. "Ya can say that. Attempting to shave the beard is an offense punishable by death, preferable through a hammer to the skull!" The prisoner laughed to that. "Ha! Ya a true Dwarf, my friend!" Halvek looked upon the humans fighting and asked. "I think I can break ya'all out of this, just give me a little," Tink!

He heard a chain break, and turned to see a near naked, light blonde dwarf pulling free. "Go get a rock and free me brothas, I got a grudge to settle!" The authority made Halvek stiffen in respect, he searched for the densest rock he could find as Ana slain four orcs in one swing and saw Sigmar in an uphill battle. Her fanatical instincts, told her to help, yet something in heart was telling her not to, she noticed a dwarf sneaking into a battle tent and in a moment, the dwarf came out with a simple, golden war hammer with a skull insignia, one most familiar. The Dwarf barked. "Ya honerless, Greenskin Barbarians can't even throw a hammer, least of all fight a war."

He flung the hammer and began cursing the Orcs with every known insult he could think of. Sigmar avoided a narrow axe swing, saw the hammer land by his side and rushed to get it. Vagraz yelled. "Get back ere' ya puny ummie!"

Sigmar grabbed it and charged back into Vagraz, smashing him repeatedly and forcing the Orc on his knee, the prince leaped at him and smashed the Orc's skull in, breaking the moral of the losing boys and forcing them to run. With the battle won, the exhausted men gave a faint cheer, Halvek approached Ana with a band of Dwarves and watched Sigmar turn to the Dwarf who gave him the hammer, he looked at the hammer, took a deep breath and offered to return it.

In the blink of an eye, Ana and Halvek found themselves alone in the strange town, finding a statue of the young Sigmar and what looked to be a Dwarven King, the king was giving the hammer to him. A scroll appeared and Halvek went to get it, he laughed hauntingly. "Oh, ho, ho! This is intriguing."

Ana is realizing what happened at that moment and folded her arms to ask. "This was the beginning of the Grand Alliance of Order? Where humans, Duardin and even the Alves began to work together to reclaim the Realms?" Halvek's laugh became more condescending. "No... mostly no." He coughed. "Ahem! It is said on this day, something unthinkable happened, an unbreakable bond between Men and Dwarf was forged. As a repayment for saving his people, King Kurgan Ironbeard, of Karaz Ankor, gifted the young Sigmar with the ancient hammer, Ghal-Maraz."

Ana gasped. "The Warhammer of Sigmar! The one entrusted to the Celestant Prime?! This was how the tale of the Warhammer came to be?"

Halvek smugly nodded. "Ai! Looks like you Unaks owe a lot to us than ya thought?" Ana laughed back, broke the laughter and shined her eyes in a faint glow of lightning to assert herself. "If it wasn't for Sigmar, that Dwarven King wouldn't have gotten out of that one. So don't go holding this one over us."

Halvek shrugged and noticed a particular man standing in the way of the gates to an arena. One in blue robes and brown boots, the man asked. "Is this what that alliance became? A bunch of children, bickering over ancient history?"

Halvek was ready to shoot the man as Ana approached him. "Nay, just something we've learned. Sigmar was a simple, chieftain prince who had a score to settle with some greenskins. By chance, he proven his worth to the Dwarves, who lend some of the fantastic things we know of now."

Halvek grumbled to Ana's teasing, the Stormcast asked with consideration to the larger task. "This... makes me want to learn more. For ages, the God King has only told us the things we need to hear, but never like this. How much of this does he remember still?"

The man actually thought about that. "If he has a strong heart, then he remembers much of this." He turned and guided the two to an arena with the image of Ghal-Maraz. "One simple, hammer has made more history than any other. Even the ancient weapon, of which the keys were forged from, pale in comparison."

Ana believed that. "The X blade's very existence has proven more trouble than it's worth when greedy hearts come for it, time and time again."

With those words, the image of Ghal-Maraz became that of Sigmar's battle with menacing norse men of Chaos, opposing kings of many lands, a centaur like monster that is part Ogor and part dragon and many, many Orcs and Goblins. Ana was entranced once more, even the man guiding her was impressed and stopped at one particular image, one of Sigmar and Kurgan fighting side by side against the Orcs. "He was a simple man, with a strong faith in, his fellow kin, those who would set aside minor griefs for a greater cause and to his god."

Ana guessed. "Ulric was to Sigmar as he became to all of us? But, the path to that, was not an easy one." She exhaled. "Tell me; Prophet. What happened?"

The Prophet looked like he didn't expect to be called that and put his hand close to his chest. "Although, Sigmar did unite the kingdoms of Men into a glorious Empire and stood mighty alongside the Dwarves, there was one thing that ate away at his heart." A black orb appeared to his chest, Ana and Halvek felt the bitter void, the Kharadron asked. "A powerful Darkness, unlike any for a good heart to bare?"

The Prophet nodded and shot the dark power at the image of the Warhammer, Halvek was sent flying from a shock wave as Ana braced herself and found herself as a norseman. She saw the image become that of an adult, and furious Sigmar, the arena became of snow and she gave a glance to the prophet who's robe blown against the wind, revealing a man with pail skin, white hair and red eyes. She had but a shield and an axe with a familiar insignia that was blasphemous for her to wield, the symbol of Khorne. She felt a mortal terror in her soul and Sigmar rushed after her, she did what she could to defend herself, yet felt hesitate to draw the axe. The shield was shattered and incapacitated, was left exposed to a killing blow. In a dark pulse, the arena returned to normal and Ana found herself back to normal. The Prophet knew the Stormcast wouldn't have had the heart to strike back at her own god and spoke. "To many, Sigmar was their King, their Emperor, but to his enemies, whether those of Chaos or of opposing nations who dared to harm who he considered kin, he was far from beloved."

Halvek knew what the Prophet was talking about. "He was a Barbarian King and thus, if you threaten his people in any way, you're as good as a filled grave. He had a burning rage in his heart, someone... did snap him out of it, right?"

The image of one close friend of Sigmar, telling him something that made him break down in tears, showed it all. Then, did the arena's exit revealed itself, Ana took a deep breath and asked the Prophet. "There are people out there in the world that should be punished for their crimes, but sometimes you might cross a line and become no worse than your nemesis. That is something we all need to remember. Sigmar has always been... a flawed man and that struggled with the responsibilities he chose to bare when he became the God King."

That the Prophet agreed with as he stood aside. "Yet, he still takes the burden over returning to his simpler life. For all his faults, you still follow his ideals?"

Ana nodded. "If anything, this makes me more determined than ever to carry out his work for this Realm, to ensure that our problems do not because this realm's problem. There is more to that Darkness than you let on, for something that powerful, there is ALWAYS someone who would take advantage of that. Sigmar has accomplished a few more milestones before he would earn the right of godhood."

A rift open behind the Prophet and he turned to leave. "You'll know of that when you see it." Ana took the warning to heart as Halvek asked. "Before you go, we appreciate the help you lend so we could stomach all this. But we know nothing of who you are, could you pass a name around?"

The man ignored the request and dashed into the rift, Ana blew up her helmet. "Strange man," She asked Halvek for advise. "Should we report about him to the others, once we meet them? That dark power is alarming."

The Kharadron doesn't know what to really say. "He looks like he would fit in with the Alves of Ulgu, maybe Lady Aqua n the others would help us put the puzzle together." Ana figured that would be the safest answer and lead on.

In Da Path of Da Green.

Kairi and Mickey looked around the otherworldly labyrinth and found a weird pedestal with nothing on it. There was no way around it and the Princess felt anxious. "Is this suppose to happen? I... kind of wanted to know more."

Mickey stepped closer to the pedestal, suspicious of a trap. "Aqua said that the grots got some cunning to back up their... silliness, do you think that is connected to this." Kairi nodded. "The grot way feels like it is taking an opportunity, staying alive and knowing when you should act. Looks like our only way is to see what makes this plaque special and spring the trap."

She thought more into it. "Apparently, Ken thought the Ork's collective will power is incredible, even with the rules of the Underworld I've heard so much about, they did not give up and they're never going to give up. I wonder if that is something they, their similar counterparts and the grots that are along side the Orruks, have that in common."

Mickey thought more to it. "They might, but that is the reason they aren't really welcome around here. They don't understand peace, for to them, peace is constantly fighting." Kairi agreed with that and approached. "Hence, why they are pretty dangerous and it is kind of a good thing Dragon Hackha and his Waagh are put in a place where they could fight to their hearts contents. But those spider fangs haven't been seen in a while, even they didn't deserve to have their kind wiped out by Nagash's goons." She took a closer look and read out loud. "Skarsnik: The Warlord of the Eight Pea-"

Drop! Click!

In an instant, a wide, but firm, wooden cage dropped upon her and the king. The two tried to shake themselves free and found a crude, but workable keyhole in front of them, they readied their keyblades and heard a high pitched, snicker. "Ohh, lookz, Gobbla! We'z got ourselves visitors!" They heard the sniffling of a beast and found themselves in a mushroom lit cave, stepping out of the darkness, is a Goblin in a black robe with moon yellow highlights, a pointed hood with spikes, a red scarf and a necklace that looks like it use to be a magnificent beard, by his side was a large red squig with spikes across his back and a mouth full of teeth. The squig looked large enough to swallow a man whole.

Mickey was more ready to use the keyblade as the goblin insisted. "I wouldn't do that yet, if I'z was you. You'z unlock that and Gobbla would get all nasty." He laughed and stepped on the pedestal, looking down upon his name. "Yeah, that a nice honor."

Kairi growled and asked. "What do you want with us, Skarsnik?" The Goblin wondered that. "Yeahz, what do I want with ya. I'd sayz I don't take kindly to trespassahs, but dis place izn't really dat, is it?"

Mickey gasped. "You know?" Skarsnik petted Gobbla. "Dat some time ting want to tell ya a story. So dat's what I'm gonna do." He pointed his curved dagger at them for a threat. "I'm gonna tell you a good story an' I want you to take it wiv ya. I want you to tell da ovver 'ummies out dere, of who is the biggest, meanest and bestest goblin out dere, you got dat?"

Kairi decided to sit down and listen. "Well, what a coincidence, we've been looking for stories as well." She felt a particular someone by her side, writing down something as Mickey sat with his legs crossed. "What's the story about?" Skarsnik laughed to that as he and the room became dark, like that of a deep mushroom filled cave. "It all started when I crawled outta da dirt." Kairi and Mickey looked to each other and found themselves as dirt covered goblins, to their astonishment, a goblin, shorter then they are, pulled himself from the dirt. "While da ovver gobbos wandered lost, I'z different."

The goblin squawked. "Oi! Where iz we?" They found themselves following the tiny goblin, who lead them past dangerous fungus and yellow squigs. Skarsnit narrated. "I'z got me self and all the newbies out from the dirt and to da tribe!"

In a blink the two found themselves back in the cage, Kairi asked. "So you've managed to lead yourself and the others towards somewhere safer when you just been born? I guess it works differently for the greenskins." Skarsnit laughed to that. "You tink dey notice, but I was different," The two saw the small goblin, bullied and chained by the larger goblins, he remained small while the others grew, the tone turned bitter. "Dey, called me da Runt and dey beat me and hurt me." The tone became more optimistic. "But I was always quicker than them. You know what I mean?"

Mickey did and answered. "You found a way to work around that, to sneak past them?" Skarsnit appreciated a good listener. "Da chains we had, 'dey was so easy to get out ov. When the runtboss told me us to work, I'd set me gang up and sneak away." In the dark, the tiny goblin wiggled out of his chains and used a gooey fungus to help his kin sneak away. They explored the vast cave. "We'd be down dere days, sometimes, as long as I came back wive da goods, it didn't matter." The sight of unknown places in the cave, with gold, shinies and strange mushrooms, appeared before the goblin. "I'd see fings... incredible fings."

Kairi put together certain points of the story. "So, you got by under those bullies noses, but something had to have happened between then and you giving them what was coming to them before taking over?" The imagery of the Runt, lording over the new slaves and teaching them the ways of being cunning. "Ovvah time, I made lot's of friends."

Various goblins of stature appeared and even the sight of a chained up, abused squig was among the many things that Skarsnit met with his new power, the goblin let the squig go free. One particular image, that was an omen to worse times, was of a yellowed tooth Skaven, Kairi already knew where that went as Mickey guessed. "But, your tribe didn't like who you were making friends with and got angry at you?"

The next sight, confirmed that question, the Runt was tied to a rope and was hanging over a pit with a giant cave squig, hungry for a tasty little snack. "Dey did get mad," The sound of sudden stunted men starting a fight, caused a ruckas in the background, the squig heard the sound, sprinted after the dwarves and broke what ever was holding the rope, causing the Runt to fling over the pit and into a nearby, underground river. The image returned back to Skarsnit and Gobbla, the Squig sniffed the pedestal. Kairi sighed. "Well, you got out of there, then what happened?"

Skarsnit groaned. "I was founded by a wolfie ridn' tribe of gobos. It wuz da same ol' same ol'." They saw the image of an obesed goblin boss on a wolf, ordering the Runt into a cage in a caravan. "I was in there for a long old while. The Griff's boys went from place to place on the plain. Sometimes, a whole load of 'em would rush off into the hills, mostly they stuck together. They were traders, see, going from da Howlers to da Broken Teef, to Crooked Fang and da Stinkin' Geezers, wheelin' and dealin' sellin' and buyin' and stealin'. The Griff was good at dat, real good. But what did he want wiv me? And why was I in dat cage?"

Mickey tried to answer and Skarsnit interrupted him. "No! Don't answer, it's a right-orical question, innit? I'll tell ya why..." The image of the Runt, being forced to watch a fight between the wolf riders and merchant caravans of humans and dwarves showed what he experienced. "I watched, I learned." Then the image changed to the Runt insulting a Dwarf in a way most offensive, starting a brawl. "Then, I showed Griff my cunnin'."

Kairi and Mickey were impressed by the story of the Runt rising from the ranks as a lowly slave towards nearing a second in command. "Then, one night, when we had a party." The image became that of a giant constellation, resembling an orc. "I seen him, you know? I seen him. The second time, he talked to me, I was out dere on the plains. I was all drunk one night, and da stars swam and went all green. And this big orc made of stars, he said." The orc constellation spoke in a deep, orcish tone."You! Little greeny! Go home! Go home and be da biggest and bestest gobbo since Grom da Paunch flattened da pansies! Go on! Go on home now!"

The name, Grom, peaked the captives interest and the image faded away, Kairi wondered if that constellation was of Gork or Mork as she asked. "So through that, you've taken upon yourself to go back to the place you were born and take what was yours? With the goblins at your back, that was possible."

The image turned to the Runt talking with the Big boss. "Dat's something I told Griff." Griff laughed crudely at him, Runt got annoyed SLASH! And cut his bosses throat. "He didn't listen."

Kairi cringed at the ruthless action and Mickey swallowed, Skarsnik smiled to what he considers the best part of the story. "It was a long trip. But we'z got back to Da World's Edge Mountains, where the Eight Peaks were." The image changed to the Runt sneaking into an ancient ventilation shaft. "I got told by da local orcs that dem ratties took over da upper half. So I thought ta check under."

The image changed to the Runt being before a rather angry goblin boss. "Ya'z got some nerve to come back ere, RuntGit!" The image changed to the Runt being tossed into a pit full of angry squigs, the onlooking goblins laughed like lunatics. One particular Squig, larger than the rest, charged after him, stopped for a moment and sniffed him. Kairi kind of found the story sweet. "The same squig you helped ages ago, remembered you." The squig in the story licked him in affection, then the sound of goblins charging in, turned the tide of battle. Gobbla licked Skarsnik in affection and the goblin petted him back. "It's how me and Gobbla became partners."

Then the imagery became something completely barbaric, but expected, the Runt sic Gobbla upon the Goblin boss, the squig rushed at it with a hungry maw and pounced. The two closed their eyes, not wanting to see the aftermath and opened to the image of Skaven rushing through the tunnels, Mickey guessed. "And then, when your... old friend heard of the fighting, he took it as his chance to conquer the Eight Peaks."

Skarsnik nodded and Kairi helped him finish. "So you fought back with some wit." The goblin's smile widened. "We was careful, though. I never told them runners much at all, so if they got caught by the ratties, then they couldn't squeal. Any fights wiv da ratties were done by da different clans, here and there, tit and tat, so dey wouldn't figure we were linkin' up like. And anyways, we was still fighting each uvver. Da ratties fought dey had won, dat dey could take a whole load of greenie land away and we'd just go back ta normal, bashing each uvvers brains out in da teeny bits dey let us keep. At da same time, dey fought we was beat, or maybe dey were fightin' each uvver again, cause dey do that a lot. Anyways, when dere wasn't dat many of dem, and dey was getting all, com-play-sunt, yeah, when dey was dat, dat was when I made me move. Dem ratties never knew what 'it 'em."

Mickey finished the tale. "So, through a lot of dirty tricks, you wore the Skaven down d...drove the out of the Eight Peaks and became the Warlord of it all." He looked his eyes away, feeling his own morality getting in the way of a genuine compliment. "I... don't know if we'll ever see eye to eye about this. But it's incredible how much will and wit you have." Kairi agreed. "You started off, with less than nothing, but you didn't give up, you're heart wouldn't allow it. Through that, your brain" she pointed to her head. "and maybe a little luck, you became someone incredible."

Skarsnik laughed to that, took out something resembling a key and used it to unlock the cage. "I knew'z ya like it. Now ya better do tell it in pretty words or I'll find a way to come and eat ya livers while you watch, got that?"

Like that, the duo were free, they stepped out and realize the pathway has yet to reveled itself. Skarsnik and Gobbla went to one end of the room, as the keybearers realize what was coming and stepped into another. Kairi formed a battle ready frown. "This isn't personal, we need to beat you and Gobbla if we need to keep going higher. You, know why?"

The goblin took out his staff. "I never said you would be free ta go on ahead if ya listened. Princess, ya Majesty." the bit of sarcasm was very much of a goblins attitude, Mickey drew his blade and promised. "We will tell the others about your story, to think these are the kind of people that lived in the World That Was. Do you know what happened afterwards, or has the labyrinth kept you from saying it?"

Gobbla grunt as Skarsnik tried to think of something. "Eh...maybe I wuz made before dat happin. But I'm still da greatest Gobbo in da world!" The sharp smile gave a que to something, Kairi and Mickey felt something dropping on top of them and flipped out of the way, jars of a mushroom mixture dropped and exploded in spores. Skarsnik ordered his squig. "Get em Gobbla!"

The Squig sprinted after Mickey with hungry jaws, the mouse flipped out of the way as Skarsnik used his staff to zap Kairi, the princess used a reflect spell and was pushed back, she dashed at Skarsnik for a quick combo, earning the attention of the angry squig, who rushed to her like a loyal pet would to defend his best friend.

She jumped high with wings and focused, unleashing the Power of the Princess to bombard the duo. With that Skarsnik growled and tapped his staff, a door opened and a herd of wild squigs charged. It was more teeth than the duo would want to handle, Kairi and Mickey jumped side by side, raised their blades and spun together to unleash a fountain of light, pelting the many squigs to a more reasonable number and left exposed to Skarsnik shooting from his staff and Gobbla body slamming the two. Kairi countered with a rather swift form change of icy claws, she cut into Gobbla like an icicle as Mickey took his fight to Skarsnik, who nimbly dodged the mouse, countered with his sickle sword and sent him rolling. He dashed to Kairi with a malicious strike intended, the Princess sensed him and back flipped, spinning elegantly and turning the claws into ice skates, Skarsnik paid more attention to Gobbla and applied a salve to the cut wounds, Kairi hesitated to continue and Mickey used a healing spell of his own.

The Princess flipped after Gobbla, forced him to mistime a bite and stomped behind him, her skates disappeared and formed an giant snowflake, Mickey took the chance to keep Skarsnik and Gobbla from escaping as the Princess jumped across the ice particles and formed an ice sculpture that hanged from the ceiling. She swiped the support string and caused it to fall. Mickey back flipped away and the duo of the Eight Peaks looked up battered, seeing the attack coming down for them, both cringed in a realization that they been out played.

PEW!

The ice made contact and icy light shined, returning the dark room to that of an ordinary town, something of a card flickered mid air. Kairi caught it and saw the image of the Dreaded Warlord of the Eight Peaks and his Squig pet, a memento for such a tale. She put it in a pouch and scratched the back of her head to nervously ask. "For what they were, they were an inseparable pair. But what happened to them?"

Mickey wanted to know as well. "Maybe we'll learn more, but not here. Something happened to the World that Was and that is connected to what happened to the legacy of these people." They saw the passage, with a stair way leading upward, they heard chanting and proceeded.

At a house in Hollow Bastion.

Xion became stirred from her slumber by a green light from the window, she got up, saw her adopted brother sleeping away in relative peace and heard fighting. Her urge to get up spiked and she sneak past both her brother and of the mother sleeping on a couch, getting out of the house, she drew her keyblade and found fighting towards the castle and green light. She dashed to the castle and found Yuffie and Aerith getting into a brawl against strange, short hooded creatures of green light and glowing red eyes, attacking in large numbers and screaming.

"Waaaaaaagh!"

The ladies were holding their own, Xion went past them and found Cloud and Lightning carving his sword into a swarm of biting balls of light, Tifa punching through a spider of light and Leon fighting a trio of what look like Moon rock trolls, yet the most disturbing was the sight of fungus and webbing in the castle doors, she followed and fought her way through a couple boingy balls of light that had the hooded creatures hanging on for dear life.

She heard familiar, high pitch squeaking and found herself in the library, the two guards were tied up by a giant blue spider, as the chieftain grot was off the spider and having Even at spear point. A grot shaman in tribal wears looked both crestfallen and a lot more urgent as he cornered Ienzo was holding his ground against the insane. "What is the meaning of this?" Xion felt a presence of many behind her, turned and almost yelped to the large amount of spiders with feathery goblins, Venom Dancah spoke rather sanely to the point it became disturbing. "We'z see it, the Bad Moon came and spoke to us! Da Realm, cries like a puny snotling and it needz da waaagh!"

Stingy Bites prodded Even to get going. "Dragon Hackah must be freed from dat sparkley prison, he must make da waagh or wee'z all doomed!" Venom Dancah nodded in agreement as Skits noticed something, turned to the hall way and gave a bow, the shaman and Xion turned to find an orb of green light, two sets of horns, boingy legs and teeth walking past the spiders, on it's back was a grot in a black cloak, he readied to undo his hood. Venom Dancah broke into a desperate laugh. "We'z did good Moon Travlah Sliznak? We'z all sneaky?"

The cloaked grot, undid his hood, revealing green skin and beady red eyes that gave off a hint of insanity, he spoke in a high pitch, if intimidating tone. "Yessss. Da ummies would be too late to find out what we'z doing." Xion hid in the corner as Sliznak spun on the back of the Moon Beast and ordered the spiders and their riders. "Listen up, they iz you bosses now. I don't want to ere any gripping, or Moon Bouncah will be snacky snack!"

The swarm gazed upon the two grots and disappeared as Even wanted to curse them all for their insane behavior. "And how are you going to free that buffoon? Once they are stored with in the digital world, only an administrator would allow that program to let them loose!" Stingy Bites growled. "Exactly! You'z gonna go dere, put the tiny words in and get da Orruk boss n his waagh outta dere. Den you might just wake up damorrow like tis a bad dream."

Skits approached his rider, who climbed on him while keeping the scientist at knife point, the spider pushed Even down to the lab with his legs and kept him at biting point, Stingy Bites turned, qued Venom Dancah to come along and threaten the guards. "If ya breaks out of dat and follow, he dies!"

That was a threat that Ienzo was forced to swallow, Aeleus growled in his binding as Dilain was coming to terms that they may have made a grave mistake. Moon Bouncah followed the spider as Sliznak tapped him on the back with his feet and caused spore like flickers of light to drop. Upon contact with the ground, green orbs of light grew like mushrooms and stood with legs, forming fanged mouths of white and sniffing around. Xion took it as her que to approach and do battle with the Moon Squigs that smelled her just fine, she drew her keyblade and did battle with the fast, bitey but kind of frail entities. They vanished in the strange light, the tied up guards saw squigs being juggled and disappearing as Ienzo noticed the sudden girl, he realize his companions were looking at something else, turned back to her and wanted to say something, Xion pressed a finger to her lips and silently told him to keep quiet.

She sprinted to the lab and was at a computer room, Venom Dancah was on Skits abdomen, spinning in excitement and Stingy Bites joined his steed in keeping Even at what was basically knife point as he typed away at a computer, he asked Sliznak. "This is absurd, how did you even come here in the first place?"

The Moon Travlah asked back. "Isn't it absurd? I'z jumped down the throat of the Dark Squigly and gave it a good belleh ache." He cringed to memories of despair. "I thought I'z finished." then perked in delusional hope. "But da Moon came and took me in itz clutches, it smacked me back into the realm of Ghur and tasked me to make me way'z into dis Realm with all the Grots who made it to da moon. Dat Toad thought he wuz clever and used his magic to send me elsewhere, tinking the Stormcast would nik me on the spot. But, he lead me where I'z needed to be."

Even nearly finished something and asked. "The Heartstone to send you to this Realm?" He questioned what the Toad was thinking as Sliznak whistled in insanity. "Dat good for you. Da Bad Moon, said if the spiky boys kills ya Realm good, they'll loot something and come for us next. Ta wash the Realms in a tide of Darkness." He whispered to his newly acquired underlings. "And not da kind any of us like." He ordered. "If ya know what's good for ya, ya keep typy typing and stop asking questions."

Xion approached from the shadows, had her free hand at her hip and was ready to sabotage the Grots insane plan, Sliznak and his steed turned to the girl, seeing her clearly. The Moon Grot's face slowly turned into a demented smile. "And what's ya doing out in da night, girly? Dis whole ting is like a bad dream."

Xion kept approaching and asked with an attitude. "Uh-huh. What are you going to do with Dragon Hackah? Are you trying to wreck our worlds too?" Sliznak's smile turned to something of an annoyed cringed. "Zog ya orlds! Der is notin' for us but the big eart the spikeys want, Dragon Hackah will know why dat bad for us all." He promised with as much of a good willed smile as he can make, one completely demented and untrustworthy. "We'z be far away from any world you'd care about in the morning." Xion readied to fight. "With a face like that, I'm not going to take that chance."

Even finished typing something and pressed a button, exhaling and causing the lens like machine to glow, Sliznak simply aimed a hand at the lens and fired a beam of green light, "Nice try ummie, but I need'z Dragon Hackah out ere, I cant do squat in der." the light took form of something that made Xion surprised, a crooked silver, keyblade with an edge of a crescent moon and a key chain of a fanged mouth.

The machine pulsed in the power and caused the larger room in window view to spark it's devices. Stingy Bites was ready to attack Even for his treachery and Sliznak ordered the grot. "Forgets em! Go say hello to our partners while I deal with dis."

The spiderfang crew obeyed, let Even go and scurried, the man felt one danger was gone and wondered who the Grot was addressing, Moon Bouncah readied to pounce as Sliznak ordered. "Knock her into da bad dream! I'z want to rough her up a bit." Xion was ready to move as Moon Bouncah leaped, pulsed in blightening light and caused the girl to be dazed and in a guard, getting a good look at the shadow of the giant squig coming for her.

BOUNCE!

She was knocked across and found herself in a place of a cragged, eight peak mountain. Sliznak and Moon Bouncah challenged her, with the gaze of something most foul behind them. A glowing crescent moon that resembles the side of a goblins face, it's frowning at her as an orbiting planetoid of green and teeth circled around it, like it wanted to attack her itself.

The girl was frightened by the otherworldly power, squinting it's visible eye at her, like it was disappointed. Sliznak laughed to her. "You'z gonna do better than dat?" He ordered. "Moon Bouncha, munch er!" The Squig leaped with the shine of light, Xion used her free hand to shield her eyes and rolled out of the way of the bounce, she flung at the duo and smashed her blade at him, Sliznak parried some of the blows and was knocked off to the tail of the squig, the squig bull rushed Xion and spring to the far end of the arena, unleashing spores. Sliznak hang on and used the Crooked Moon to envelop the spores in moon light, causing them to turn into mushrooms that burst into projectiles, Xion was forced to deflect that, Sliznak flung himself to the Squigs back and conjured a large, springy mushroom.

FLING!

The squig hopped onto the mushroom, enveloped himself spores and spring himself at Xion like a fungal meteor, Xion ran out of that and summoned lightning bolts, followed by an envelopment of her keyblade, using it as a catalyst for lightning arrows. The burst of spores unleashed a circle of collared mushrooms and the goblin was pelted by the lightning, Xion flung the blade like a spear, the squig and goblin gasped as one and quickly stepped aside to dodge that, the girl called her blade back and flung herself after them.

Landing on the squig and smashed her blade with the grot, who's attempt to parry was paltry. The sound of a waaagh, echo'd the arena, the goblin thought of something and snickered. "Ya gots fight, I give ya that. But don't ya know that you nevah stand on the Squig?"

Moon Bouncha took it as a que and leaped, throwing Xion off balance and forcing her to hang onto the the flab of skin and use her feet to hold onto the horns. She saw a light zip from behind her and the goblin glowed his blade, he and the Squig stopped mid bounce and were in the lower section of the lab. Xion felt the force motion push her off the squig and force her to free fall. She saw at the floor, the Spiderfang grots stepping back as a horde of bonesplittahs and ironjaws stepped aside with a tipsy shaman, making way for an angry Megaboss on a blue Mawcrusha. Dragon Hackah yelled at the grots. "Dat crazy! Were the zog am I suppose to start dat?"

Xion tried to regain her balance, found herself completely helpless and looked up to find Sliznak aiming his blade to the destructive force. "Follah da light! Eh, heh, heh, heh."

PEW!

The Orruk horde were quickly spirited away in light and infuriated Dragon Hackah to where he wanted to murder the floating goblin. "I izn't gonna get da jump again!" The Mawcrusha, on sync, flew at the Goblin on the Squig, Darksmasha had his fist like wing ready and was enveloped in light with his rider. The Orruk and Mawcrusha was spirited away and Xion flipped to try and catch her fall, realizing it was a long drop, a dark void appeared where she was going to land and she watched the Spiderfangs get spirited away with the mysterious Moon Travlah.

Xion fell to the void and felt her fall slowing down, she felt a rather soft landing and her eyes adjusting. Finding herself back in the bed room of her friends house, her keyblade vanished and she was stiff from what felt like a bad dream, wondered if it was a dream, relaxed and closed her eyes. Slowly dreaming of a rather beautiful oak tree and the song of a forest.