Hello again Wielders! I know it's been a while, but I haven't forgotten the story. I've just been writing most so I have enough to post periodically.
Anyway, we continue on in the Dwarf Woodlands, and like I mentioned last time, this section is kind of an original plot, since I couldn't find much supplementary videos and animations for Snow white.
But enough rambling, let's get on with the chapter!
Tenebrae wasn't sure how long he was asleep. But he did not have any dreams or visions. That fact made him both happy and sad. Though there was a bit of disappointment, as he had wanted to see Laci again. He guessed the dream had not come because he was close to a pure Light. But why had one not come now?
Tenebrae felt something poke him on his head. The poke then started to get a bit more forceful. After a bit more, he could feel the pokes become jabs and more painful.
Tenebrae grabbed what was jabbing him. He pushed himself up and growled. He was glaring at the Dwarf Grumpy, who had a pickaxe hilt pointed towards him.
"Oh good," Happy said with a laugh. "He's okay."
"We found you unconscious," Doc said. "We were sure the gonsters mot you."
"The what?" Tenebrae asked. He sat up and rubbed his head where Grumpy had jabbed him. "If you mean the monsters, it takes a lot of them to take me down. How long was I asleep?"
Sleepy yawned. "We found you napping not too long ago. You looked so peaceful."
Bashful nodded. "We went back to work. And maybe finished up an hour after you left."
'So maybe an hour to two, I was knocked out,' Tenebrae thought. 'Not enough to worry, but still not a good image regardless.'
Tenebrae stood up, wobbling a bit. His limbs felt heavy, which was weird. He guessed that he would need a proper rest later.
"Well, thank you for finding me," Tenebrae said, heading to the entrance.
Each step he took was difficult. After a few, he dropped to a knee. His breathing was getting difficult, but he didn't want to stop. He was surprised when he felt seven pairs of hand help him.
The Dwarves assisted Tenebrae out of the mine. It was close to sunset, the sun just at the horizon. Tenebrae followed the seven men through the woods, going over the log he had come across. They traveled for a bit longer, before Tenebrae realized where they were. The Dwarves brought him to the cottage he came across earlier that day.
'I guess that makes sense,' Tenebrae thought as they approached. 'It must have been built by these guys. They live here.'
Tenebrae and the Dwarves entered the cottage. Tenebrae sat on a wall by the door. The Dwarves went about doing some chores to set up dinner. It reminded Tenebrae of the Light Protectors when they all did chores around their apartment. There was a small smile on his face as he watched.
About 30 minutes later, the Dwarves had set the table and served the meal. It was a stew with baskets of bread and fruits on the table. Dopey came by the Seeker with a bowl of stew and a spoon. Tenebrae thanked him and took the food and utensil. Dopey went back and grabbed a piece of bread for him. Tenebrae, again, accepted the food and began to eat.
Tenebrae couldn't help but smile at the Dwarves. They were cheery and celebrating. It was a bright scene that, adding the Light of the World, made Tenebrae surprised there were Heartless around. At best, it should not have been as prominent.
Shortly after he finished eating, Tenebrae felt himself fall asleep. He knew he was tired, even if he had passed out earlier. Luckily, the Dwarves gave him a place to rest for the night. He needed what energy he could gather for tomorrow. -
Tenebrae woke up to the sound of the Dwarves singing. He saw them getting ready for the day. They were whistling and getting their pickaxes. Tenebrae sat up and yawned, which got the Dwarves' attention.
"Oh, you're awake," Doc said with a smile. "We were going to head back to the mine for work. You were sleeping, so we intended to go ahead."
"It's fine," Tenebrae said, standing and stretching. "I need to head to the castle. I had hoped to discuss matters with the Princess."
"The Princess!?" the Dwarves yelled, surprised.
Bashful spoke up. "I don't think you'll be able to. She and the Prince have been afraid."
"Afraid?" Tenebrae asked. "Afraid of what?"
Grumpy crossed his arms and huffed. "Blasted if we know. She stopped visiting a month back, remember?"
Tenebrae did recall the conversation. But what could scare her? And it had to have happened a day or so before the Heartless reappeared. 'I guess I need to ask the Princess.'
"I do," Tenebrae said with a nod. "But that's all the more reason why I will go. There is something I wish to confirm."
"All we can do it warn ya," Doc said sadly, "But we don't think you should go still."
"I appreciate the concern," Tenebrae said, leaving the cottage. "I will just leave if things go south. You all stay safe in the mines."
Tenebrae headed north, going into the woods. He kept his eye and senses open as he progressed. None of the trees came to life and attacked. There was a sense of Darkness, which meant that ghost woman was still in the World. Tenebrae needed to be on guard.
He broke the tree line and was back in the flower glade. The bright colors and light filled Tenebrae with bliss. There was a different Light that Tenebrae noticed.
In the glade, was a young woman. He ebony hair was short and wavy, held back by a red ribbon. Her brown eyes were on the flowers as her pale fingers picked a few. Her red lips were humming a tune as she picked the flowers. She was dressed in a regal dress, a blue blouse and a long golden skirt flowed around her.
Tenebrae noticed she was the Light of this World. He was surprised to see her outside alone. He should not have been surprised there was no Darkness around her.
"Excuse me," Tenebrae called out from the edge. "Are you a resident of the castle?"
The woman looked his way. She was smiling, until she made eye contact with him. Though she didn't fully look at him, but over his shoulder. The woman screamed before running out of the glade, toward the castle.
Tenebrae tilted his head in confusion. He expected her to freak out, but to scream? The way she reacted was almost a knee jerk reaction. What had she seen?
Tenebrae walked calmly to the castle. Even though his mind was racing, he had to keep his features schooled. As he approached, he noticed the castle seemed to be on high alert. And if Tenebrae had to guess, it may have had to be the maiden that ran from him.
He approached the gate and stopped a bit away. He waited for the guards to notice him before he did anything. When the guards looked his way, he bowed respectfully.
"Good morning," Tenebrae said. "I hope I didn't come at a bad time. I noticed everyone seems to be on high alert."
"Yes, we do apologize," the guard responded. "Our Princess had a fright and currently is in her room. If you wish to meet anyone, it will have to be the Prince."
"That is understandable," Tenebrae said. "I shall do what is necessary."
The guard nodded and called into the courtyard. After a few minutes, another guard came by. They motioned toward Tenebrae, who followed. The Seeker was led through various halls. As they progressed, the halls became more ornate. Tenebrae noticed some paintings along one wall. His eyes widened when they walked past a painting of a woman that looked like the vengeful spirit in the mine.
'Now I see why she was dressed as she was,' Tenebrae thought as they approached a door. 'She was a member of the Royal Family. But why was she a spirit? What could have happened?'
"Traveler!" the guard announced as the door opened. "You stand before Prince Florian."
Tenebrae took a step into the room. It was a decent size and had two thrones on the center of the room. On one of them was a male.
The male was handsome. His dark brown hair was done up well. His blue eyes looked at Tenebrae with intrigue. He smiled at the Seeker, showing straight teeth. He was dressed regally. His gold trimmed blue tabard was over a long-sleeved white tunic. His pants and shoes were a nice brown color.
Tenebrae gave a respectful bow. He needed to make a good impression. If that girl was the Princess, Snow White, he was already at a disadvantage.
"Greetings, friend," the Prince said. "I apologize that my wife will be unable to join us. She has not been feeling well lately."
"I understand," Tenebrae said with a nod. "I simply wanted to make my presence known, so I can avoid any trouble. I was only passing through and sought shelter while I was here."
The Prince smiled and nodded. "Then I'm glad you came. Though I do apologize, as we will not be housing any individuals within the castle."
"I understand. Though I would like to ask, would it be possible to investigate the castle. I travel because of special creatures, and I encountered some the other day. I would like to see if they reached here."
The Prince seemed to be thinking. He seemed conflicted about letting Tenebrae roam. "I don't see the harm. But I will say to be careful. The underground has been closed off since the previous Queen passed. There has been a lot of odd occurrences lately as well."
"Is it possible to ask about that?" Tenebrae asked. "I heard that something had happened to the Princess. And it correlated to the creatures I hunt. May I ask what happened?"
The Prince shook his head. "I don't know much myself. My wife was the one it happened to. She refuses to talk about it and tries to keep herself positive. Everyone can tell she is trying, and we are worried."
'So not just the Dwarves are in the dark,' Tenebrae thought, 'But why wouldn't she seek assistance? What caused her trauma?'
"I understand. Then I will take my leave," Tenebrae said with a bow. "I will keep my search short, and if I don't find anything, I'll depart."
"I hope your search yields some reward, traveler," The Prince said.
Tenebrae nodded respectfully. He turned and walked out. The guard that brought him, led him back out to the courtyard. He was pointed towards an archway near a well.
"That leads to the area the Prince mentioned," the guard explained. "It is unlocked now. When you are back, knock as loud as you can."
"Thank you," Tenebrae said. "I'll be sure to do just that."
Tenebrae walked to the door and entered the underground. He was surprised how dirty the area was, compared to the rest of the castle. He did hear water, which meant there should be a waterway close by. Tenebrae traveled through the water way. The turns and drops confused Tenebrae a bit, but after some time, Tenebrae found another door.
Going through it, Tenebrae was surprised how large the area was. The ceiling was so high, he was surprised he was still underground. The Seeker walked to a ledge and noticed how far the drop was. He looked over and saw another path, but no way down.
Tenebrae walked along the path to his left. He went until he hit a wall.
"So, in order to progress I need to jump?" Tenebrae said aloud. "I doubt there is much more. But there isn't much here, why would it be closed off?"
"Because those fools fear my power!"
Tenebrae flinched. That voice! That was the same voice as the woman spirit from the mine. The now confirmed deceased Queen. But why was she here?
Tenebrae summoned Kingdom Key D. He turned around quickly and saw her. The Queen was floating behind him. She was smiling victoriously at him.
"I should thank you," the Queen said, "I was concerned when that wench saw me. But you remained none the wiser. And you brought me exactly where I needed to be."
Purple smoke surrounded Tenebrae. The Seeker started coughing and waving the smoke away. He didn't realize until now, but his body had been heavier than he thought. His body felt light now that the smoke was leaving his body.
'She used me!?' Tenebrae thought, in surprise, 'When I encountered her, I thought I warded her off. But she must have attached herself when I passed out.'
"Even if you get what you need," Tenebrae yelled, "You won't succeed! I'll stop you and so will this World's Light."
"FOOL!" The Queen's voice boomed around him. "Everything here will belong to me again! Even if I must plunge this World in Darkness!"
The same purple smoke that left Tenebrae started filling the chamber below. Tenebrae saw it leaving a room in the back. He didn't have much time to get more information, because the Heartless started to appear. One lunged at him but he was able to counter and slash it.
Tenebrae made a break for the door he came from. He took out any Heartless that he encountered. He also kept an eye on the smoke behind him. It had quickly filled the chamber and was rising near the ledge as he exited the room. Tenebrae dashed through the waterway. To his surprise, Heartless spawned here and attacked him. He was able to dodge and strike down any that approached. He used the ledge and boosted his jumps to get through the waterway quickly.
Tenebrae was about halfway through the waterway before he looked back. The smoke had entered the waterway and seemed to be getting thicker. Seeing it, Tenebrae knew it would cause trouble if it got out.
Tenebrae made it back to the entrance and knocked loudly. He could have used his Keyblade, but he needed to be prepared. As he waited, Tenebrae channeled his mana. As soon as the door opened behind him, he released his mana and created a barrier farther in the hall. The guard looked surprised as Tenebrae's hand pulsed with magic.
"I found exactly what I was hoping wasn't here!" Tenebrae shouted. "Warn the Prince and Princess and make sure no one comes towards this area!"
The guard stiffened but nodded, running off. The guard shouted directions and instructions to other guards. Tenebrae jumped through the doorframe and closed the door. Using his Keyblade, the Seeker made sure to magically lock the door.
He felt the barrier he made collide with something. It was a strong force, but the barrier held. It was straining against the pressure, but he used enough mana to keep it strong.
"You… she left you…"
Tenebrae turned and saw the Princess, Snow White. She seemed relieved, but still afraid. She looked over his shoulder at the door. "Is she?"
"Princess, we need to hide," Tenebrae said. "The past Queen used me. I was not aware she had attached to me. But you must have seen her?"
Snow White nodded. "She appeared in my dreams. And then the dreams got worse, and I saw things when I was awake. When I saw her with you, I thought it was a dream. But it was worse."
"Much worse," Tenebrae said. He felt his barrier break. He grabbed Snow White and pulled her to the other side of the well. "Get down Princess!"
The door to the waterway burst open. The smoke from inside collected around the courtyard. Tenebrae looked over the well and saw the Queen floating out.
"Now all who betrayed me shall bow!" The Queen called out. "Now return that which is mine and bring me Snow White!"
Snow White shook next to Tenebrae. He put a hand on her shoulder, hoping to calm the Princess. Of course, the spirit would want to get rid of Snow White. He needed to get the Princess away.
"You'll have to catch you prey, bitch!" Tenebrae yelled, standing up. "You have no claim here anymore. Now leave or things will get worse."
Eldritch apples came flying towards the two. Tenebrae coated his free hand in purple flames. He swiped his hands in front of him, making a wall of flames. The apples impacted the flames and exploded on contact.
Tenebrae used the opportunity from the cover. He took Snow Whites arm. He tugged the Princess to get her attention.
"Princess, I'm not asking for trust," Tenebrae said. "But I'm asking you to come with me. I'm the only one that can fight her, but I need to help me."
Snow White nodded and stood up. She waited for Tenebrae to move.
Tenebrae smiled at took her to the gate. They ran through the glade and into the woods. Tenebrae looked back to see the Queen following them. She was furious.
Tenebrae focused his element, summoning a fireball in his hand. The flame was a bit different. Tenebrae realized there was a lot of Light mixed with his Darkness. He let loose the flame and watched the explosion, it was a mix of Light and Darkness.
'Snow White's Light mixed with my power!?' Tenebrae thought as he and Snow White continued running. 'I did not think they could share that Light with others. But that may be useful.'
The pair ran through the woods. Tenebrae felt the same Darkness as when he arrived in the World. Sure enough, some of the trees came to life and stalked towards the pair. When they got surrounded, Tenebrae stopped with Snow White.
As the trees closed in, Snow White got closer to the Seeker. Her Light surged and Tenebrae felt it. Tenebrae focused on it and channeled it. He summoned Kingdom Key D and raised it.
Tenebrae swung down his Keyblade and Light surrounded them. "Shine!"
The Light struck the trees, and they lost their Darkness. Many had gone back to where they came from.
Tenebrae noticed the smoke from the Queen approach. He took Snow White away, picking a random direction. The last thing he wanted was to involve the Dwarves, even if they knew the Princess.
They broke the tree line and came to a rocky path. Tenebrae looked ahead, trying to find a safe path. He felt the Queen's Darkness, knowing there was little time.
"Sorry Princess," Tenebrae said. He picked up Snow White with a bridal carry. "I'll be bale to move easier like this. Just hold on tight."
"Hold on to wHAAAAA!"
Snow White held onto his shoulders as Tenebrae jumped. He needed to put distance between them and the Queen. The foot of the cliff was a bit too treacherous for the Princess. Tenebrae was able to time his jumps and make it to a more stable part of the cliff.
Tenebrae put down the Princess. However, the purple smoke and the Darkness rushed past both of them. Tenebrae summoned his Keyblade to protect Snow White, as the smoke coalesced in front of them. The Queen stood at the cliffs edge, glaring at the two.
"Must you get in my way fool!" the Queen demanded. "This matter does not concern you. Now give me the girl."
"Sorry. But I can't do that," Tenebrae said. He put an arm in front of Snow White. "She is a precious Light of this World. Whereas you are nothing more than a vengeful bitch!"
"Insolent fool!" the Queen yelled.
Shadows collected and changed into apples. They flew towards the Seeker. He swatted them away, but it took a lot of effort. The apples were definitely heavier than they appeared. Most of the apples flew towards Snow White, which made Tenebrae cover the Princess and take a few hits.
Tenebrae huffed after blocking the barrage. His arms felt heavy and he could feel bruises forming around his body. He knew Snow White would be safe so long as he stood. But he felt his vision grow dim.
'Dammit! Not again!' Tenebrae thought angrily. 'Why is the Darkness of these women so strong!? All they care for is themselves. It's self-destructive! It's…'
"Please… no more…" Snow White said softly. She sounded so scared. "Please… if it will spare everyone else… I'll go."
Tenebrae looked back in surprise. Even though she sounded scared, she was willing. She was willing to give up herself, even if she was innocent. She was so much stronger, even if she wasn't a fighter. She was proof, the Light didn't always need to be a weapon.
"Princess," Tenebrae said, "Please don't do this. You are much more important than you know. You have a strength in you that will always protect you."
Snow White walked in front of Tenebrae. She looked back at him and smiled. "If I have that strength, then you won't have to get hurt for me. Please stay safe."
"Finally!" The Queen had a vicious smile. "Your heart is mine! And so is your title!"
The Queen reached forward. Snow White closed her eyes and stood still. All Tenebrae could do was watch in terror. What happened next, surprised them all.
When the Queen grabbed Snow White, the Princess shined brightly. The light blinded each of them. The Queen recoiled in pain and shrieked. Tenebrae had to close his eyes and look away. The light washed over him, healing his fatigue and wounds. The light dimmed, revealing another interesting scene.
The Queen was staggering back from Snow White. Slowly, the form of the Queen started to change. Her skin turned dark blue, with her nose becoming bulbous and deformed. Her body became larger and hunched. Her hair became white. Her fingers became longer and crooked. Her smile became jagged and split across her face. Any clothes she was wearing became a dark robe and a larger red witches' hat with a gold band. A large wicker basket full of apple-shaped bombs appeared in her hand. A Heartless symbol was on the front of the basket.
The now heartless shrieked at Snow White and Tenebrae. It took an apple from its basket. It had a thick liquid on top with a lit fuse. It chucked the apple at the two.
Tenebrae jumped in front of Snow White. He prepped his Keyblade to swing and coated it in a wind spell. He swung Kingdom Key D like a bat, striking the apple bomb and sending it flying. It flew over the Heartless Queen, exploding in the air.
'Good thing I didn't use my flames,' Tenebrae thought in fear.
"Get back Princess!" Tenebrae warned, "I'll take care of her."
Snow White nodded and ran away. She left Tenebrae and the Heartless glaring at each other.
Tenebrae rushed the Heartless, who threw more apple bombs at him. He dodged through the bombs, closing the distance. He coated his Keyblade in fire and struck the Heartless.
The former Queen swung a deformed hand at Tenebrae. The Seeker blocked the hand and was sent flying back. He impacted the stone wall, but not hard enough to get imbedded. An apple bomb came flying at him. He was able to push off the cliff wall before the bomb detonated.
"If that's how you want to play," Tenebrae growled, summoning a purple fireball. "Dark Firaga Burst!"
Tenebrae thrusted the ball of fire forward. It released a barrage of smaller fireballs toward the Heartless. It shrieked in pain as the attack impacted.
Tenebrae took the chance. He rushed the Heartless again. He was able to score a few hits before it swung at him, and he had to put some distance between them. He dodged out of the way as more apple bombs came his way.
The Heartless had multiple apple bombs floating around it. Tenebrae watched them closely. He couldn't find an opening as the apples floated. The apples started to spin around the Heartless fast and launched toward the Seeker. Tenebrae summoned a fireball and threw it at the flying bombs.
The resulting explosions did as Tenebrae expected. What he didn't expect was the chain reaction. When the fireball hit the bombs, they exploded. The explosion connected to the bombs circling the Heartless Queen. The resulting explosion shook the cliff.
Tenebrae waited for the smoke to clear. When it did, he growled as he saw the Heartless still standing. It was injured and the ground around it was cracked.
Tenebrae was about to take another step, when he felt the ground shift. His eye widened as the Heartless started shrieking. The cliff side it was on had broken off and was falling. The cliff started to crack and break underneath the Seeker. Tenebrae reacted too late, jumping up after the cliff had started to fall.
Tenebrae grabbed the cliff and hung off it. He spared a glance down. He saw the Heartless Queen fall into the river below. It impacted many rocks, causing the heart within to be released.
Tenebrae huffed in triumph. He turned back to the cliff. He used both hands to try and pull himself up. As he gripped the cliff, he felt it shift, meaning it wasn't going to hold.
'Damn! I won't make it up,' Tenebrae thought, 'And I doubt I can survive that fall. Sorry, everyone.'
Tenebrae was about to let go, when he felt a pair of smaller hands grab his. The Seeker looked up and saw Snow White. She was smiling nervously as she tried to lift him up. Even if she wasn't physically stronger, she was still trying.
Tenebrae noticed the cliff start to break. "Princess! You need to leave me! You'll only hurt yourself trying to help me."
"But I can't leave you," Snow White said, "You fought for me, protected me when I feared you. I want to make up for that."
Tenebrae couldn't help the smile on his face. Snow White had a self-sacrificing Light. She wanted to help him; despite the harm it may cause her.
Tenebrae nodded. He tried to use his free hand and get some leverage on the cliff rock. He couldn't let Snow White strain herself.
Tenebrae noticed Snow White was losing her footing. "Princess! Let go! You'll fall!"
"Almost…have you…" Snow White said, straining to get him up. She slid forward and her foot went over the edge. "Oh no!"
"Princess!"
Multiple small hands wrapped around Snow White. They yanked her back, which pulled Tenebrae up enough. Another set of hands grabbed his wrists. Tenebrae was surprised to see a few of the Dwarves holding and pulling him up. The seven men were able to get him and Snow White to a safe part of the cliff.
"How?" Tenebrae asked, after they were safe.
"We saw some weird smoke near the castle," Doc said.
"Then we noticed it coming from the mountain," Happy said.
"So, we followed it and saw that there monster," Grumpy said.
'So, they saw the end of the fight,' Tenebrae thought, 'That was probably for the best. It was bad enough Snow White was close by.'
"We would have come help," Bashful said, "But you two were already about to fall when we got here."
"And we *ACHOO* were glad to make it in time," Sneezy said.
Dopey nodded and started to cheer.
"Thank you so much, everyone," Snow White said. She clapped her hands together and smiled, "And I know just the way to show my appreciation. Who would like a home cooked meal?"
Tenebrae couldn't help the smile on his face. All the Dwarves cheered. Snow White giggled as she left with the Dwarves. Tenebrae followed the procession as they all headed back to the castle. -
And there we go! It's been kinda fun adding the enemies from Union X, and describing them is always a blast.
Anyway, that makes Princess number 2 that the Seeker has met. And hopefully Tenebrae will learn from the encounter. So, I hope you guys enjoyed and I'll see you all in the next chapter.
