On a planetoid, a magically crafted, castle like structure drifted in view of a looming world that was a moment from exposing itself. With in, Ahriman was looking upon it and a glass window that revealed a mighty, dark fleet. "You all performed marvelously, this will be our center piece towards the invasion." He turned to Maleficent and the Horned King, who were looking upon a table that showed an image of the Guardians of Light, finishing an event and parting ways with a trio of local children and a band of super heroes. Maleficent turned to her cohort in agreement. "These heroes won't hesitate to finish Xehanort off as threat. With a pull upon a string however, the Guardians will pay a price to win this war."

Ahriman nodded to the plan. "The moment we see the first move, we will decide on when to simply bombard them from the sky. That will be something even the Everchosen will not withstand." He looked at the image fading in more amazement. "and then we plan anew."

Maleficent is intrigued by the knowledge of the Shade Lords. "Which may take time, but it will lead us to more worlds. More to make into my domain." The Horned King groaned. "That boy is just the beginning. He will continue to defy us unless we wither away his sense of adventure." Ahriman imagined the rebels who defied him, to be a hindrance to that plot. "Or if we take advantage over his tendency to herald discoveries. That doesn't matter at the moment." He asked his cabal. "Now, I'm aware that Ursula's injuries were severe and unless we flood the wasteland, she wouldn't provide much. Where had Pete gone after his report?"

Maleficent shook her head. "He questioned our endeavors, so I sent him on a errand. Even if we fall, we won't truly stay dead." Ahriman was impressed by the back up plan. "He's become too ambitious for his own safety, but he's grown far useful than many us have predicted." He imagined, if an imbecilic bully was able to become a competent agent, than the Galaxy would be ripe to be made into an wide expanding syndicate. Maleficent noticed the Graveyard's shroud is seconds from becoming undone and watched the Tzaangor Tribe and the Rubricae arrive. She waved her staff and called upon green fire that took the shape of strange, armored soldiers, with green malevolent faces, tusks and a variety of weapons.

The Horned King looked upon the ancient war site and rubbed his hands. "No matter what transpires, Death will have a bounty this evening."

On Oχιά

WOOSH! The ship light traveled to the station like gate and sailed in, having nothing in the way beyond silence. Ken was piloting the ship and gave a log. "Unless we have someone jumping us, again. We'll be at the place in five minutes."

Ven was looking anxious at the window and was the first to notice Sora, Donald and Goofy spacing out at the chamber they've been launched from. "Guys?" Sora snapped out of it and turned to Ven. "Right, five minutes." The older boy didn't buy it and thought to have a look. "Every time we all go in this ship, we end up heading into a mission where nothing goes well." Goofy recalled and kept a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Every time, someone doesn't come back with us." Donald remembered. "Magi and the Space Marines. Baldred." Sora asked. "Is this going to be different?"

Rustle.

"Hey fellas, someone left a note here." The trio were out of their trance and found Mickey and Jiminy with a note. The King unfolded it and saw the insignias of chipmunks. "A ha, so our friend was also preparing." He read out loud, remembering the voice of Dale. "Howdy guys, sorry we couldn't come to you in person. But Oχιά had an idea that will help you a ton."

Mickey read the next part, hearing Chip's. "Inside that chamber is something that will drop you deeper into the world and give you a head start to prepare. Check it out." Jiminy scratched the side of his head and jumped off as Kairi and Aqua lead into the boarding chamber. Finding three distinct pods, designed to drop down bellow.

The Princess gasped. "What are these?" She stood before the middle one and watched a hatch door drop down, revealing a chamber with two aligned harnessed seats facing each other. Inside are three sets of aligned seats, meant for the passengers to hold on as the pod falls from orbit. Aqua counted. "Looks like we can fit eight of us in here." Ven spotted something at the roof of the pod, a missile launcher. "Woah."

Sora was shaking as Riku checked the left pod, finding it drop its hatch and revealing eight seats, at the roof was a descending weapon of a gun. He checked the structure and spoke the intention of the pods. "This is going to make sure we actually get to the Graveyard before those punks can trap us in the canyon again."

Ken wished he would see and asked. "We have something cool in the ship?" Kairi called to him. "Very cool. This will drop us where we need to go and it will keep us protected until we can step out onto the world."

She turned to Sora and held his hand, she rested her head to her shoulders to let him know as familiar as the drop pods feel, they would be a great help. Ken phewed. "Oh what a relief. Thank you Oχιά, tell Chip and Dale that they out did themselves."

A screen lit up to show a message being sent. Mickey kept reading the note. "Once you get into orbit, hop on in. Jiminy will press the button and the ship will do the rest. One of these drop pods will have something that will keep the bad guys away from you for a while."

Xion huhed and checked the inner pod, it dropped and revealed a large gun. She kept silent over the pleasant surprise and turned to the King. "I guess all we got to do right now is go in and take a seat on this ride?" Mickey nodded. "This isn't a ride, but we should get ready to be launched as soon as possible."

On the advise, the gun pod closed its hatch and the other two lowered their four hatches. Those that could, activated their armor. Riku tugged on Sora and escorted him to a chamber. Goofy and Donald picked a side, Kairi decided to pick a chamber with Aqua and Ven picked a chamber with the king. The pod closed its chamber, lights shined and beeped. Sora noticed a vox and Ken's voice spoke out. "We're almost out of the station. There's another really good thing to come from this."

Aqua noticed a vox to talk to. "Anyone on that world, will see the Drop Pods fall. It won't take long for the Dark Seekers to know what these have, but this will also show Terra that we're back." Ken agreed. "They know we're coming anyways. So this will give Terra the clue to where we are, we're going to cause a lot of damage."

Riku tapped to the vox. "This is a rescue mission, everything we've learned and everything we've done has lead to this." He smiled in confidence to let Sora know things will be fine. On the other end of the vox, Ken guided the ship out of the station and had the Graveyard in sight. It wasn't long before Oχιά began moving on it's own. Ken turned, activated his armor and marched on, finding Jiminy scampering to his position and wishing the Guardians well. "I guess this is where it all begins. Tell them I said good luck."

The two saluted each other and the boy entered the chamber, finding Xion, Dupmic and Ana before the remaining pod. The Stormcast and the Replica thought about it and decided to go into separate chambers, letting Xion and Ken enter a chamber alone. On having full entry, the chamber closed, encasing the Guardians in darkness and electrical lights. Dupmic spoke in the vox. "We're in our seats. Now I want to know, where did Oχιά get this idea in the first place? It's a little too convenient."

Sora answered. "Magi made this ship for one thing and this must have been built in. This has to be something Hofneil and his friends use." Ana picked up on the vox. "To deploy troops behind the wave of bodies at behind something like the cannons or any commander that isn't leading from the front?"

Ven admitted. "Cool idea. Kind of like what we're doing now?" Goofy admitted. "It will bring us as close as we can get." They heard machinery outside and their hearts beat at one. Dupmic noticed Shadey keeping anchor into his shadow, expecting things to become more haunting.

A mono tone spoke over the vox.

"Keyblade Graveyard: Targeted. Scanning for a suitable drop site."

"Drop site: Spotted. Aligning."

"Suffer not the heretic, for they rely only on themselves."

"Even in the far reaches of the Unknown, the Emperors Light will shine upon the faithful."

"Through Faith and Duty: Victory is possible."

The Monotone was becoming something akin to a hymn.

"He will send his angels upon the enemies of Man."

"Though his guiding hand, the enemies of Man will fall."

"No obstacles detected. Deploying: May the Light Protect."

WOOSH!

In sync, the Guardians felt like their pods were shot out of the ship. After the push over their heads, they felt nothing. The nothing gave Donald and Goofy a chill and Kairi, dread. "Mother... are you scared too?"

Aqua looked her in the eyes from the lens of her helmet. "Yeah. We should be free falling any moment now." They felt a soft shake that slowly build, they were in orbit. The mono tone returned. "Impact in T minus thirty seconds." Aqua held to her shock absorbers on instinct. Kairi held on and promised. "This should be the last time we have to go through this. I'm ready to finish this fight." They heard a faint whistle of a thunder. They felt a blunt force shake them. They've landed.

The hatch dropped and the restraints risen. Automatically, the missile launcher and guns fired upon a pack of beastmen that were leading a scout. The Guardians step out and Ana saw a recently appointed beastlord to bull rush and smash into the ground. The third drop pod kept firing against the bestigores and ungors that tried to line up arrows. It wasn't long until the pack was reduced to bodies. Mickey, Goofy and Donald were shaking from the shock and quickly got over it, Ken let Xion lean on him and saw Ven panting. Kairi and Aqua kept side by side and looked around, figuring out that the drop pods had landed them at the border of the Graveyard. Dupmic approached Riku and silently vowed he is not going to go into that kind of ride ever again. Sora was grateful for the convenience and found, in the horizon of the graveyard, in front of the mountain, five figures awaiting.

Ana noticed and took the lead with the boy. Donald and Goofy drew out a stone staff that had resemblance to a cog piece of a machine and a shield that look like a Stegodon's crest, horns and all. Xion and Dupmic drew their keyblades and kept to each others backs as Shadey crouched for a pounce. Sora, Riku and Kairi drew theirs like musketeers, Ana had her Hammer Blade rested over her shoulder, Ven was in a battle pose with his blade, Aqua had an aura of elegance with hers, Mickey tensed like a determined King and Ken positioned Cadias Light like one would a rifle. The Guardians approached the fingers, on the left was a sniffling Thanqoul and a smug Coachman, on the right was a maskless Vanitas that was glaring at Ven. At the center was Archaon, keeping his sword in his hand and leading the formation, was Xehanort, who was smiling at a long over due moment.

The forces faced each other, locking eyes for a battle worthy of the Long War. Xehanort put his arms behind his back and crossed his hands, readying an announcement. "Welcome, Guardians of the Light." He raised his left hand towards the horizon of the setting sun. "On this evening, we join in a great battle that will leave our mark upon fate." He rested his arm. "I've been waiting patiently for this day, you know. Together-" He raised his hands high. "we shall unlock the Keyblade War's ultimate secret."

Ana shook her head at a delusional sociopath. "You're still short on a couple things, Xehanort. Only four others remaining with you in this ship wreck of a scheme." Ken felt something was behind him and turned with his gun ready, finding Braig in his coat. Cadias Light aligned at the speed of the crossbows, uncaring lens met with a half burnt face of a grudge. Braig passed a taunt to the Stormcast as he kept his eyes on the boy. "Don't take this too seriously, Stormy. You Lighters have been doing most of the dirty work for us."

Xehanort agreed and used his left hand to tap at the side of his face in recollection. "Despite your vow to protect the light, the six of you and your assistants, brought along a sentient embodiment of the Dark Id. A rebellious Replica with nowhere to call his own, a former subordinate of mine who couldn't even function in her intended role." Dupmic and Xion gritted their teeth as their shadow formed claws. Xehanort aimed his hand at Kairi and the boy who wasn't making eye contact. "A Princess of Heart, who is far from the safety of home and a Heart of Pure Darkness that has kept hidden from me for all these years."

Ken shifted his eyes to the side as Kairi whispered. "Don't listen to him."

Sora braced for a fight. "We're not handing them over to you. We're done with your game and we're turning it off."

Archaon nearly laughed at him, his orange eyes shined into Sora's blue. "Are you able to do it boy? Warriors twice your age, have groveled before the thing you stand against. They begged before me and have only heard the laughter of the gods before there hope is snuffed." He aimed his blade at the Guardians. "But it shouldn't be a surprise that you'd come, knowing that. For such a short moment in eternity, you face horrors that even the immortals would flee from. And many more shall when this night is over."

Xehanort called upon the blade with No Name and promised. "While all of you are torn heart from body." He was about to impale the ground, the Destiny Trio readied to strike as the Dark Seeker continued. "Then we will take those dark hearts and seize the light you hold dear."

Tap! RUPTURE!

At the moment, a large pillar erupted to scatter the Guardians. The Destiny Trio were flung forward, the Wayfinders to the left, the Disney Trio stumbled right. At the back right, Ana was knocked backwards and knocked Ken over. Leaving the two rebels and Shadey to the back. Mighty walls of stone erected, bringing the Dark Seekers to the highest peak and looking down upon the separated Guardians. They walked away as the walls begun to shift.

From the Destiny Trio's point of view.

The walls began to rumble, Riku cringed. "This is going to crush us!" He barked. "Move, move!" Sora and Kairi followed him and looked back, finding the walls closing fast and smashing together. The maze ahead, with a path leading to many directions, shifted to a simple two. It dawned on the trio, that until they can find the others, the instinct for survival would take a higher priority.

Rumble! Rumble!

At the sound of rumbling, came a rupture, letting loose a strange purple mechanical, centipede like monster. Having a body and face resembling a familiar creature, six scything talons, yellow eyes, a pincer for a coiled tail and a maw with rotating blades. Sora realize on a closer inspection. "A Cy-bug?!" Riku and Kairi had different memories of the heartless monster, the leader of the team corrected him. "Close, very close."

The fear trembled as Kairi had a flash back of a Tyranid bursting from the ground and consuming a retinue of soldiers in one gulp. The Mawloc in the vision glared down at her and salivated before making its charge. Kairi let loose a scream and flung a mighty star at the Tyranid, Sora rolled left and was sprung upon by a burrowing trio of raveners with insect like wings. Sora screamed and smacked one in the head as Kairi's protective instincts took hold, she flew at the other and slashed it it in a combo. Riku was at the right and was seeing the Robipede slithering a turn towards him.

He sensed the tremors around him and jumped to avoid an ambush by clawed, winged mechanical tunnelers. They flew up and shot projectiles at the boy, Riku flew at them and slashed at fast speeds, shattering their structure and releasing hearts. The Robipede opened it's mouth and glowed a green bolt of plasma, blasting the boy across to the ground. Sora caved in a Tunnel Lion's head in as Kairi impaled the second one and flung it to a wall. The third slashed his claws to knock them back and opened a chamber on it's chest, firing green bullets at Sora. The boy formed a barrier and rushed at the chest at the end of the shot as Kairi rushed behind the Tunnel Lion and sliced it's lower half off.

Sora smashed the upper torso off and watched a heart fly out. They turned to Riku's fight and saw the Robipede charged at the rolling Riku, maw fist. The silver haired boy, caught his footing and rushed to a wall to run up on. Shake! The wall shook and Riku back flipped, Sora and Kairi dashed at the beasts tail and flowed across the exhausts. They struck the back of the beasts head in sync to Riku diving. The Robipede crouched to tilt the teenagers to its head and coiled back, it's exhaust spewed green smog and sprouted a set of insect wings.

It flew backwards and opened it's chest, revealing a green glowing gatling gun. SHREEEEEE! Out of the smog came something that to Kairi, resembled a winged Lictor with tentacles on it's chest. To the boys, it looked like a some kind of mantis with fly wings, a set of clawed humanoid hands and coil rope retracting to its chest. Sora and Riku gave off a glow of morning light and rushed at the Ambusher, the creature side stepped and raised its hands before shooting the coil rope. They snared the boys at the waist and it rushed its talons at their chests. Sora and Riku parried the talons, pushed them away and sliced their blades at the Ambusher's neck. Kairi watched the decapitation and looked up to see the Mawloc firing at the boys, sending them rolling to the floor before rushing at Kairi again.

The Princess took a deep breath, focused and hovered with a strange glow of the sun. She aimed Destiny's Embrace and fired a ray of sunlight, blasting the Mawloc in the face and causing it's head to push down. It raise it's talons as Kairi fired again, blasting a hole into head. She flipped to avoid the charge and fired down once more, scorching the back and not caring for the smog choking her. The Robipede reared itself in a turn, Riku rushed at the things abdomen and slashed, drawing it's attention. He kept dancing around the talons as Sora flew at the monsters neck and slashed into it's throat. It crackled in darkness and released a heart before falling over as wreckage.

The boys phewed and high fived each other, Kairi whimpered at the body and noticed the sunset sky being blocked out by a mixture of green smog and tendrils. "He's crazy, those things are going to eat everyone!"

Riku realize what Kairi is undergoing as Sora went to her and held her by the shoulders. "Kairi, it's over, we beaten that thing." The Princess whispered to Sora. "Those are Tyranids! He knows what those things can do!"

Riku shook Kairi on the arm. "Those aren't Tyranids, Nort made these heartless after those monsters, but they're not Tyranids." Kairi heard the words and felt the sky returning to normal. She was feeling like a complete fool, tighten her grip and wanted to smack herself. Sora hugged her. "It's okay, those things are pretty dangerous around here. We wouldn't have gotten through that if you didn't act."

Kairi blushed, hugged Sora back and sighed in relief before nudging that he let go. Rumble! They heard the maze moving and kept going, taking the path on the left. They had an encounter with a Mecha Commander, looking like a mantis with lower limbs attached to a riffle and smaller wingless cybugs with sharp talons and tongues that fire spikes. Kairi had a better time recognizing the heartless, though the commander greatly resembles a Tyranid Warrior. The girl enveloped herself in ice and dived at the Mites. Sora rushed at the Commander for a fight and avoided the talons, with a few smacks to the chest, he sent the thing falling. In a sudden, three floating bloated bugs fluttered at the distracted couple that thought they over came the wave. Riku turned Way to Dawn into a cross bow and fired at the bugs, causing them to pop in fire. At the sudden, the maze shifted, blocking their way back and leading to the right of a wide room.

A figure of darkness and fire was seen in the distance, Archaon. The Destiny Trio realize he was without Dorghar and approached in caution. Archaon noticed them, growled and slashed the earth in a foul temper. A shadow of chaotic darkness, splattered in front of him, like an open wound. On entering the arena, the passage closed upward, Archaon looked at them and dropped his facade. "You knew this was coming. Dividing you is a simple matter and each corridor holds nothing but perils and horrors. And then you wander to the likes of me."

Riku was skeptical on the last part. "The likes of you? You're a different level of crazy compared to all these punks." Archaon stepped back and raised his free hand upward. "Many would be... punks have dared to stand before me, thinking they can take my place as the Grand Marshall of the gods. Their arrogance heralds that look on their face. It contorts into terror when they realize they are no more annoying to me than a flea. That new gaze upon their new master is only the beginning of their suffering."

Sora barked. "Yeah, then what about the rest of the guys your working with? How long are you going to keep this a secret from them?" Archaon shook his head like he no longer cares if the rest of the Dark Seekers know of his real goal. "Their acknowledgement is pointless now. Had it not be for one fool-" The wound rippled. "you would have had the blessing of ignorance before you die this day. See before you, that fools fate." A fiery claw clawed from the darkness. "The knight who thought he would make himself a god!"

Thud! More claws reached out, pulling a large, charred black demon, having yellow scares all over his body, large tattered wings and a left horn that was chipped. He was four hands and two feet, snarling mad with yellow eyes. Kairi gasped. "Garland?! What did they do to you?!"Garland heard the girl, growled and blew smoke in his mouth, in a manner comparable to a beast at the end stage of rabies.

Swoop!

Dorghar flew down behind his master, who laughed at the girls concerned. "You speak like he remembers his own name anymore?" Sora and Riku stood for a battle and glared at the Everchosen, Archaon mocked their sympathy even more. "He gazed upon the domain of the god that spectated your battles and he trembled in fear. Upon returning to the gates and witnessing the attention of the four, his feeble mind has shattered. That terror is all that remains in his heart and his body is nothing more than fire and claws." He floated high and went to his steeds back. "He has terrorized the worlds and you still pity him as this form of Feral Chaos?" He laughed at them hysterically. "Then go on ahead, show him that mercy you were going to hand over to him."

Dorghar flew off with his master and the Feral Chaos gave off a disoriented roar before charging at the three in blinding speeds. Riku cringed and lead a maneuver, the Feral Chaos rammed the wall, made it crack and swiped his tail to unleash a fiery twister. Blowing the trio away, Feral Chaos rushed again, swatting Kairi away and reaching his head to the sky to roar. Engulfing himself in an eruption that sent the boys high in the air. The Princess rolled on the ground, got herself up and watched the Feral Chaos fly at the boys. She jumped with a sprout of wings and smacked the Feral Beast in the chest, Sora and Riku flipped to dive down into the attack.

Feral Chaos fell back to a hole and caused cracks in the earth. Geysers of scalding water erupted, the Keybearers flew away and the Feral one glowed like a fiery meteor and flew after them. Sora aimed his blade and fired beams of ragnarok, disrupting the attack and seeing the fiend ready a flap. He grabbed his companions by the shoulders and had them duck from an inferno. Feral Chaos flipped to form boulders and dived down as a land slide. As the Keybearers ready to avoid the brutal attack, a faint glimmer of light shined in the upper corner of their eye.

POW!

Something charged Feral Chaos with the force of a meteor, a warrior in bronze armor and a majestic cape. The Lingering Will of the Land, collided with the Feral Chaos and hurled it away. The warrior flipped his landing and lowered his blade for a battle pose, Feral Chaos flipped his landing and crawled before smashing a fist on the ground and shaking the earth. He roared at the challenger and Riku called to the warrior. "Terra?!"

The Lingering Will noticed a passage to his right and yelled out. "Go find the others! I'll take this beast down." Feral Chaos howled and rushed at the Lingering Will like a trial of gun powder. The Destiny Trio decided not to argue and took off, they heard explosions and reached the gate. They made one more turn to find the Lingering Will and the Feral Chaos, engaging in an up close brawl that was stirring a cataclysm, the Feral Chaos drew upon a large sword and split it into two, still massive, short swords as the Lingering Will turned the Ends of the Earth into a giant axe. Sora yelped like it was the first time he's encountered the warrior and turned. "This is going to shake the whole world." Riku and Kairi realize if Sora of all people was suggesting they flee, then they should, rather than wait for a winner.

From the Disney Trio's point of view.

Donald and Goofy were running for their lives as a large mechanical, beetle like monster chased them across the passage, it opened it's maw of rotating blades and reached out grasping tongues. Fling! Mickey flung an orb of light into it's mouth and caused an explosion that ruptured it's abdomen. It halted and let loose a dozen smaller, clawed beetles that shrieked in a drone. Donald spun his staff and enveloped Goofy in flames. "Goofy!" The shield bearer was on it. "I got this fellahs!"

He rushed at the Mites like a stampeding rocket and rushed his shields horns into the leading mite, obliterating it and scattering many until he reached an end. An insect remained, struggling as it was impaled by the horns. The large beetle recuperate and closed up it's wounds as Mickey jumped over it, it shot out grenades to no avail and was impaled in the back by the King. It's insides vaporized in light and it collapsed, releasing a heart as it's eyes loose life. Donald was seeing the four remaining insects pounce at Goofy and focused a spell, envisioning a gigantic orb of burning plasma. Light shined around Goofy and let loose blinding light that caused their lens like eyes to sizzle. Goofy jumped forward and watched the insects bash each other in the head, they turned to where he is, unaware that the shield bearer side jumped and rushed.

One fight was over and the hall way shifted. Mickey felt a spike of danger and kept guard, at his left was an opening that radiated green. "Skaven." At the mention, a doomwheel rushed at him, blasting bolts of warp lightning at Goofy and Donald, shoving them far across. The engineer driving the chariot pressed his trigger. "More, more bolts! Kill, kill!"

Extra shots fired, not exactly hitting the guard. Mickey flipped over the chariot and noticed a twenty pack of thickly clothed Skaven with rusty back packs and glowing green globes. Most of them charged, ready to toss the orbs at the trio. Mickey doesn't wish for him or his companions to find out what is in those orbs and focused, he too had a vision of burning plasma, with in the void of space. In the center was a tribal mask that resembled a rising sun, crossed under it were two staffs.

The King saw the horde again and he aimed. "Sun burst!" A trio of minature suns appeared before the skyre acolytes and burst into a super nova, vaporizing eight of the skaven from the face of the earth. Mickey focused again and cast. "Sun burst!"

The triple suns appeared, one at the untouched pack of five ratmen. Burst! Six of the rats disappeared. Leaving three groups of Skaven that were in a meager number of six. Two for one and three for the other two. The acolytes had a moment to realize they were getting massacred as Mickey cast once more. "Sun burst!"

BURST!

The pack was vaporized once more, two remained to tossed their orbs at Donald and Goofy. They made contact and let loose gas that choked the two on breath, Donald and Goofy stopped their breath and rushed out, light headed and in a lot of pain. Mickey let loose a pulse of sunlight that made the twos lungs expel, they breathed out the smog and started breathing normal. Donald stomped his foot and aimed his staff. "Flare!" PEW!

A quick moving fire ball flew at the doomwheel, Mickey jumped off and watched the ball make contact, letting loose a massive explosion that splintered the doomwheel to where it was coming apart. Goofy rushed at the back engine and bashed it, a chain reaction occurred. The engine burst into steam and ruptured, the doomwheel rolled out of control and crashed to a wall, spilling out the driver, the engineer and a horde of small rats.

PEW!

Mickey noticed two glimmers of green and was shot across the shoulder by a shard of warp stone. He cringed and looked into the mist, finding a trio of lined up sniper rifles. Rushing by the snipers were more skaven, that were carrying flamethrowers and a pack of Rat Ogres. Donald cast a heal back to his King as the shield bearer was seeing less bodies. "I think we're almost through this, Thanqoul ought to be nearby." Mickey landed and smiled to his comrades. "They're getting desperate, wait until enough of them are distracted and stop the Skaven in the back."

He conjured a magical shell and flew at one of the warpthrowers that were completely off guard by how fast Mickey really is. Goofy clumsily sneaked around the battle and heard the screaming of rats. Something was fighting the snipers from the back. "Something else is here, Mickey! Watch out!"

Mickey wondered what it was and saw five hooded, spectral revenants. All of them having clothing that were slightly familiar, yet overlooked by the black hood. They wore metal masks that resembled the helms of keyblade armor. In the revenants hands were rusted keyblades. They wasted little time slaying the snipers and a particular specter rushed at Goofy in fast speeds. The specter had fragments of armor, shaped into a cage, it's head stuck out with a blank face and it held a deformed keyblade that was weighed down by a dragging weight of a key chain. Goofy yelped in a panic and stumbled backwards as the revenants flew at the warpfire throwers, engulfing them in a slaughter. Mickey rushed at the Chain Dragger and locked it in a combo. "Donald, Goofy, stay together. I got this!"

The Chain Dragger flung his weight at the King, saw him roll left and flew at him. It parried it's blade and caused the weight to fly at the king, Goofy rushed to block the weight as Donald ignored the engineers and conjured the barrier of sunlight. Mickey and Goofy shined brightly to blind the Chain Dragger, the King slashed at the specters abdomen and caused it to disappear in a howl. The chains burst and the keyblade fell on the ground, shattering on impact.

The Key Revenants flew at the rat ogres that were trying to find a chance to attack and sliced them to pieces, three more flew at the Disney Trio. The glimmer of sunlight shined on the foes and gave Mickey time to step back, Goofy blocked the blades with his shield. The blades missed most of their marks, though two blows had Goofy lean back and two blades sent Mickey in the air. Mickey slashed through the two and dived at the single revenant. He raise his blade high at the remaining revenants and unleashed a rain of light upon them, vaporizing the ghosts back to their rest. In a sudden, the slain Skaven glowed in spectral green and rose, quickly decaying into bones and filling with darkness. The Skaven Engineer screamed. "Death-death?! Here?!"

Mickey chose to ignore him and realize who's around. He shouted. "Stop!" PEW! The Shackled Shadows froze in time. He signaled to his companions. "Run!" Donald and Goofy cringed, looked at the surviving Skaven that realize what was happening and decided to follow their King. The trio ran far from the undead and found a turn of the right, leading to a large chamber with an ensuing battle. Between the Skaven forces and of the Shackled Shadows that were being reinforced by more revenants.

Thanqoul stood on top of Boneripper and commanded it to fight against a spectral, skeletal dragon, ridden by a foe Donald and Goofy recognize, the Horned King. Thanqoul hissed at the Horned One. "You Traitors burrowed into this Maze, just as Xehanort predicted. Yes yes."

The Necromancer laughed at him. "And he has picked a poor battle ground." He smelled the air through his boney nose. "Haaaa. Do you not feel the essence of warriors that have longed past? It anchors the hearts in the here after to these ancient blades." The revenants cut through more skaven and caused them to become components for more undead horrors, Boneripper punched at the steed to make a dent and blasted warp fire. Forcing the drake to fly around and blast back with a breath of necrotic darkness. Thanqoul conjured vortexes of warp lightning that washed through the necromancer, who unleashed binding shackles and blasted the Rat Ogre in purple light. The three musketeers knew they can't allow either force to win and stood together to unleash a trinity limit of a bond.

Blasting the revenants in light and sending the surviving Skaven running. The Horned King turned his head, noticing the trio. "And this maze has brought about a larger bounty." He pressed his hands together at a plan. "What will I make of you?" Donald and Goofy braced for a fight as Mickey pleaded. "Stop this! Now's not the time to deal with you."

The Horned King's eyes glowed red and he had his steed claw at Boneripper's chest, the Rat Ogre fumbled and Thanqoul thought of something. He aimed his hand at a corner and conjured a gnaw hole. "Flee, we ambush another in this maze!"

He had Boneripper escort him to the hole first as the scurrying vermin followed. The Horned King ignored them and had his steed fly to the other end of the arena, the Necromancer sighed. "Cowardly rat-" and gave a faux apology. "Now, you have my full attention. You're majesty. I never had the luxury of meeting you and most of your friends. My work on the Necromatic arts had taken a greater priority." He called upon a green mist that drew upon more Shackled Shadows. "Aren't my children wonderful?"

The Key Revenants descended from the cloud and Donald cringed. "No, no they are not." Goofy was feeling more confident and vowed. "Don't worry fellas, they look scary, but they'll be sent away with a little bit of light." Mickey smiled at his partner and looked the Necromancer in the eyes. "Thanks fellas. We'll chase these things back to the other side. All for one!" His companions cheered. "And one for all!"

The Horned King aimed his hand and had the Key Revenants fly at the foolish trio. Goofy raised his shield and had his friends use it as a spring, he jumped high to avoid the dive. Donald flipped off and unleashed a building triple fire spell upon the horned one, Mickey formed orbs of light to toss at the Revenants, removing a wave. He flipped at the Horned King and slashed fast, the light burned into the foe and caused him to gasp in pain.

The Horned King aimed his hand at the fast king and let loose purple energy. Mickey cringed and felt like something from him was being yanked out as a stream of a purple spirit. Goofy flung his shield like a boomerang and struck the Horned King to break his concentration, Mickey struck the Horned King one more time and dived at a wall of Shackled Shadows that encroached Goofy. He smacked them down like a shooting star and went into melee, avoiding the swings and reckless pounced.

Donald raise his staff and called upon concentrated thunder bolts to electrocute the Shackled and gave Mickey time to flip back and dash. He shattered a wall and the went to his friends, the undead closed in at a sprint and the king tapped the earth and ordered. "Move!" The trio ran for it as the Shackles tried to pounce on them, diving head first into a concentrated sphere of light magic.

Boom!

The Horned King growled and conjured more revenants, twenty that had not helmets, revealing skeletal faces. The revenants glared at Donald and Goofy in particular and with a force of will, caused their blades to turn into axes. The revenants shrieked and flew after them. Donald growled, tapped his foot and waved his staff, glowing in a floral green. Mickey remembered the spell and stood by Donald to have that glow, they raised their weapons as one and chanted. "Circle-" Pulse. "of" whistle. "life!"

Roots erupted to punch the Key Revenants and the barren grounds became a fertile meadow, emitting floral power that bombarded the ghosts. A healthy twelve, Key Revenants flew through the attack, due to their ethereal bodies and flew at the trio in a frenzy, swiping their blades in a swift, if deadly manner. Overwhelming Donald and Goofy, then laughing in mockery, Mickey thought of something and pointed to Goofy's shield. The knight felt an invigoration and looked upon his weapons glow, he saw six revenants go after Donald and himself. Goofy jumped to Donald's side and braced for the blows.

Tink! Woosh!

On impact, the shield burst in holy light and washed over the specters, disintegrating them. Six of the specters flew back in sync and rushed at Mickey, readying a unified swing, Donald aimed his staff. "Comet!" At the command, a barrage of light orbs, those emitting frost. They bombarded the revenants and caused them to shatter into pretty snow.

The Horned King growled and finished charging his spell, he conjured chains that snared Donald and Goofy. A cluster of them reach out for Mickey, the King flung his blade at the drakes chest, like it was a spear and flew to it to make a spring. The drake quickly countered the king with his claws, Mickey let himself fly to a wall and kicked to the right, he called his blade and tried again tot he side. Making an annoying splinter and flying at the blade. Mickey jumped on the seat and smacked the Horned King, the lich conjured a sword to do battle.

Pulse!

Mickey let loose a quick pulse to vaporize the chains, Donald and Goofy were free and they thought to run under the fiend, if to get themselves in springing distance.

The drake looked down upon them and flew back to breath out necrotic energy, the duo ran to the side to avoid one strafe and watched the undead monster turn to them. They side stepped once more and the drake turned his head again. Holding his breath in an attempt to bait them into a false move. Donald learned enough from these kinds of tricks to dash forward, encouraging Goofy to do the same. The Shield Bearer raised his shield for Donald to jump on and jumped high. Donald enveloped Goofy in magical power and had him flying around like a missile.

Fling! Bonk!

The Horned King was smacked by Goofy and leaned back. Mickey used that as his chance to glow his blade and stab the drake. "That's enough!" Pulse!

The stab caused the drake's spectral mass to glow in light and in a moment, it collapsed. Sending both combatants falling to the ground. Mickey landed with control over the battle as the Horned King landed in a thud, he glowed in purple energy and hovered. "It is far from enough!" He summoned a tide of ghosts to drag the three to the earth, Mickey jumped where Donald and Goofy were running. Together, they conjured a barrier to absorb the gravetide. The Horned King formed a purple skull in his hand. Donald spotted the magical tether and called. "Stop that!" PEW! Flick!

The dreadful spell vanished and the Horned King roared before rushing at the three, two revenants joined his side and clashed. Mickey parried the blow and circled around to strike, Goofy and Donald were knocked away and the revenants pounced at the king. Mickey spun to slash the ghosts away and collided his blades. The Horned King acted more determined, if deranged, in his attempt at a foot hold. "Fools, even if you strike me down, you won't ever be rid of my kind." Slash! "You all are mere mortals, but Death is eternal!"

Goofy bashed a sneaky Shackling Shadow as Donald conjured a lightning cloud to keep the forming waves of undead at bay. CLASH! The Horned King laughed. "One day, I will become Death's Master! My power won't ever die!" He blasted Mickey with amethyst crystals and nimbly avoided a counter blast of light. "Death is all around you!" He enveloped himself in purple power and called upon the shattered, rusted blades. "And this world will have an endless supply of more!"

Mickey panted and called to his companions. "Come on, lets send this guy back to the crypt." Donald approved. "He's a bonehead." Goofy chuckled. "Long as we stay as one, we'll stick around longer than he will." They readied a unified attack as the Horned King begun to transform. PEW!

Suddenly, a dark cross bolt shot through the Horned Kings chest. The shock gave the Lich a moment of disbelief, wondering what has happened. He fell over with his eyes ceasing a glow, collapsing as a simple skeleton with dry skin and a robe.

The trio huhed and looked to a corner in the far left, finding a familiar, black coated man with a cross bolts. Braig waved to the three in spite as a dark heart floated from the corpse of the Horned King and hovered in confusion. Burst! A Mite leaped from the ground and chomped on the heart before scurrying into the darkness. Braig phewed. "Thought that wouldn't shut him up. I tell ya, for a chump that came from a world of nowhere's vile, he's got a determined heart to back up that power."

Donald growled and squawked with his temper at a limit. "Rwararawk! Come down here and face us, coward!" Braig scoffed at the idea. "As if. I got orders to follow and I'm going to make sure this maze turns into your crypts!" He aimed at the trio. "Dance!"

PEW! PEW! PEW! Mickey, Donald and Goofy made a run for the exit, avoiding the bolts along the way, in hopes they find their comrades.

From the point of view of Ken and Ana.

Ana smashed a Giant Beetle in the face and caused an explosion as Ken avoided an Assassin's coils with a stoic, war like attitude. The Assassin retracted the coils, raised up its talons and shot the spike ends of the coils like they were hooks. Ken spun Firekeepers Wish into a boulder and hurled it at the Assassin, it shoved through the coils, smashed into the heartless and left it in a stagger. Ken rushed at the Assassin and used Cadias Light to spear it in the heart. Freeing it and leaving behind junk. Ken looked around to find a split path, one forward to an unknown right and a left to what sounded like an intense fight with an unholy sounding beast. Ana grumbled and was ready to fly over the walls, she turned her head to suggest if the boy needed a ride and Ken noticed a complication to the plan.

Dorghar flying over with the Everchosen on the back. Ken gritted his teeth in sync to the steeds three heads noticing the two morsels. Archaon looked down as Ana realize there was a shadow looming over her. Dorghar roared and dived down, Ken enveloped himself in ashes and rushed at Ana, holding onto her and shadow stepping ahead. Dorghar pounced on nothing, his khornate and nurglite heads looked around. Archaon realized his prey alluded him and balked. "You won't be able to that forever, boy."

Dorghar flew to the sky. From the shadows of the right split path, Ken and Ana appeared. The boy flipped off and admitted. "I am sick of these kinds of places. What are we going to do, Ana?"

The Stormcast heard skittering and readied to fight. "Definitely not fly over, Archaon will spot us in an instant. Ken, can you still hear me?" Ken heard more skittering and turned Cadias Light into a hand cannon, he had a look at a corridor of three paths. All three had commanders crawling from the shadows and directing Mites. Ken aimed. "I can. Watch this!"

He fired bursts of light that tore the mites apart. Ana rushed ahead to take in the commanders rifles and unleashed a storm cloud to wipe out the horde and leave the commanders. Ken jumped high with a missile launcher and bombard the three to oblivion, he flipped on the Stormcast's back and jumped to the intersection in a spin. He saw the right corridor going to a dead end and the left that was having a fight of arcane power. He landed and looked ahead to find the far end not having anything important. "The left has something." Ana marched towards Ken's direction and offered to lead, she sat the ripples of power. "It ain't kin, let's look before blasting in."

She and Ken stomped in and found a small, if wide square. On entering, the maze shifted to block out the way they came. They found a skirmish under way, between the Tribal Tzaangor and the Treacherous Skaven. The Nefarious forces were locked in savage warfare. Ana looked ahead to find an injured Boneripper fighting against a nimble Ztardon and locking brutal blows with Zonir. Thanqoul cast something to make Zonir more reckless and head butt a mechanical leg, bleeding in the head. Thanqoul cackled and glowed in warp lightning as Ken noticed a passage forward, he whispered. "Should we ignore them? They're do nothing but fight each other these days."

Ana whispered and readied her Hammer Blade. "Aye, but without Thanqoul, the Skaven will forever more be hindered as a formidable force in these parts." Ken agreed and glowed in fire. "Then we can take it to Ahriman's crooks!" BOOM! Ana and Ken flew at the back of Boneripper as a combined force of lightning and fire.

On impact, a fel green ward absorbed the charge and caused the two to bounce back. Thanqoul turned sharply and screech. "More man things already?!"

Ztardon saw the arrivals and had his disk fly back, he whispered something to his battered enlightened and focus a spell on the skaven horde. Three of the Ratmen warped gruesomely into more Tzaangor that turned on their kin. Zonir growled and stepped back. "You've drawn too many hunters, Rat."

Boneripper swung his fists wildly as Thanqoul crackled. "Huhuhu. Guardians, more important! Boy thing and Stormcast, die die for hearts." Ken raised an eyebrow and glowed a dark aura, he pulsed out a still that halted the lightning. "Nah, but I'm really tired to dealing with people like you."

Thanqoul cringed as Ken dashed his attack, pressed his tried and true blades and turned them into a combo of curved swords. The boy quickly sliced into Thanqoul without a hint of mercy and Ztardon flew behind the rat and blasted out an arcane bolt. Ana tried her charge again, in sync to Zonir's. The Rat Ogre jumped to the side and Ken held onto the smoke stack, he spun and flew back as Boneripper flung his weight at the heavy fighters.

Ana smashed her blade at the Ogre's chest as Zonir rammed into Bonerippers shin with his horns. Ana crackled lightning and struck harder as Zonir raise his hand and let loose tendrils to choke the Rat Ogre. It fell over as Ana flew up, turned her blade into a spear and dived at the beasts neck, killing it in an instant.

Thanqoul was sent rolling off and stumbled. He looked at the passage out and focused, crackling his hands in warp lightning, zapping the boy and the shaman with a vortex. He laughed maniacally. Ztardon was pushed back and screeched as Ken kept a stand and marched forward. He dashed and slashed his swords in an x pattern. Backing Thanqoul to a darken path and keeping to his face. "You're-" He sparked in fire and slashed through the Grey Seer, appearing behind him. "finished."

Thanqoul felt something burning through his chest and collapsed, he struggled to hold himself up and hissed. "No, no. Not finished. Not to a Black Heart. No no." Ken's blades reverted back to what they were, ignoring the title. "I'm the Night Angel that watches over the Light. You're just a rat that met the cat in the end."

Thanqoul cringed and felt a dark aura around him, he twitched limp as Ana looked up to see a winged Tunnel Lion dive after Ken. She flipped her blade into a whip of light and lassoed it around the boy. "Watch out!" Ken gave a huh and was yanked towards Ana, the band caught the surprising ambusher flying down and redirecting towards a dark heart that floated out of Thanqoul. It swallowed it whole and took off into the unknown.

The four realize what that meant and Ana was guessing. "He's expecting us to get rid of the dead weight? Every fallen foe is just going assure those two are in control." Zonir growled in agreement. "So this is their ploy?" Ztardon had his disk hover backward and hummed. "Yes, it seems so."

The Tzaangor herd approached with malicious intent as the Guardians faced their next adversary. Ken asked the Shaman. "I heard of you, does Dupmic and Xion ring any bells?" Zonir crouched to rush at Ken for speaking out, Ztardon suggested he stops. "Wait." He pointed at Ken. "We heard of you, the one who became friends of the one who sought to change fate and of the girl. You done much for them."

Ana braced for a fight as Ken laughed. "You heard right. Before we fight, I know you helped those two get out of that mess. How much of that was you wanting to do that and how much of it was because Ahriman told you to do it?"

Ztardon leaned on his staff at the insightful question. "Hmm. All that was, has been to see the Master's plan come to fruition." He waved his hand to conjure a dark flame that changed to something bright. "The three became kin and the hope they held as they sought to change fate, brought chortles." He laughed and some of his fellow beastmen laughed with him. He sighed. "It is no lie, that you've done them a greater kindness than what we would have thought. For your part, we thank you. Noble Night Angel." Ken felt refreshed that a foe called him by the ideal title. "And thank you for letting them get the help they need."

He braced for battle and swayed his hips. "It's nothing personal, but you and your friend are dangerous enemies." He aimed Cadias Light and vowed. "For the good of the worlds and those who live there, we will bring you down before you can cause more harm."

Ztardon chuckled in amusement. "I like to see you try. Zonir, you may." Zonir laughed and charged at Ken as Ztardon flew high to prepare a spell. Ken rushed to a wall and ran up as Ana looked upon the frail Shaman and flew at him. Thump! Thump! Ken felt his heart beating hard, time slowed down for a moment, he thought deep with in. "I have the big guy. Be careful with the scrawny one," Ana felt the beat and had one more look at Ken's fight before steeling herself. "You slain bigger than him lad. They'll be quick."

BOLT!

She rushed at Ztardon and swung her blade, the shaman ducked bellow and fired a doom bolt to send her flying. "Justice will not claim me this day! For I ride upon Fate!" He shot to Ana like a comet and clashed his staff with hers, the Stormcast flew over to avoid the disk and shot a bolt on top of his head.

Zonir stopped his charge, glowed his hand in fire and empowered himself. Ken flipped to land behind him and shot. PEW! The laser burned into the hide and Zonir turned to rush with his horns. Ken used his blades to tap on the horns and flip over. Zonir swung his staff to smack the boy far. Ken was engulfed in flames and felt his vision red. He concluded a close range fight is a horrible idea. Zonir charged again and flipped. Ken pressed Firekeepers wish to his face and breathed toxic flames before spinning towards the left. Ztardon fired another doom bolt and forced Ana to flash a heal, she focused and called upon repeated lightning bolts, striking at the Shaman and causing him to fumble.

Ztardon flew his disk at Ana and let it sink it's teeth into her. Zonir breathed in the toxic fumes and felt the burning upon his skin. He hacked and vomited as air wasn't going into his lunges. He turned to see Ken heal himself and let loose tendrils to choke the boy. Ken was running out of breath and he flung a fire ball at the Ogroid. Boom! Zonir took the blow and felt lava burning his hooves, he rushed his horns in a full tackle at where Ken was stepping to.

Puff!

Zonir rushed into nothing and looked to the glow. Slice! Fire snakes slithered to the Ogroid's feet and scorched him. He was at the peak of annoyance and even more so at the sound of the maze changing. A skyfire trooper that finished off a strangling Skaven stopped at something and squawked.

Ztardon heard the squawk and froze at something before he dived down. "No, no! Flock!"

Zonir growled at his patience running out and turned. "What is so-" He stopped and immediately ran to his underlings, if to make a stand against something. Ana huhed and turned, finding a swarm of heartless flowing like a river. They rushed at her and swiped her loose. Ken huhed and turned, seeing the tide coming for him as well. He didn't have the chance to say anything as the tide seized him and flew to a corridor in the upper left corner that turned left in the unknown. The Herd stood before a vast, dark swarm and stood their ground in animalistic fury. Ztardon readied a mighty spell as Zonir charged into the darkness.

At the point of view of the Rebels.

Xion, Dupmic and a Shadey that transformed into a Kroxigor were in a tight battle against a trio of mechanical worms with a glowing purple stomach. Lead from the back by a giant Cybug with lens across it's armored carapace and giant crab claws. Xion forced a swarm of butterflies through one of the worms as Dupmic summoned the Grip of Death to hold the Generator Bug in place. The butterflies pushed through a worms barrier and tore it apart as Shadey bull rushed another worm, collided a mace against a barrier and bit at the second worm. He locked jaws and rolled. The remaining worm glowed and fired a fast electrical laser at Shadey and Xion, sending the both of them smashing into a wall. The Generator Bug raise it's claws and glowed his lens before letting loose a massive storm of raw energy. Shattering the grip and the earth around him.

Dupmic cringed and ran back, the Generator rapid fired beams the size of cars. Xion came through as the worm hovered and slithered to her, charging up for a blast. Xion focused and drew the Vector of the Heavens high, the sky shined a circle of orbs and rained down beams of ragnarok, bombarding the worm and rushing through the barrier. Shadey slithered from the worms shadow and bit into the heartless for a finishing blow. Xion sparked her blade and hurled it at one of the Generator lens.

Crack!

The blade smashed into the lens, let loose a jolt of electricity and caused a crack. The Generator roared, focused on the girl and sparked his lens, the cracked one began to overload and it had to turn it off before firing a triple lightning bolt.

Xion rushed left and flew to the back left lens, smashing into it. Dupmic gasped to the idea and rushed right, he unleashed shadow bolts in sync. The bolts ignored the barrier and smashed into a lens.

Crack!

One lens remained and the heartless machine fired its remaining laser at the girl as it smashed it's claws at the boy. Shadey broke his form down into the form of a feral Sora and viciously struck at the last lens. With the last one gone, the machine's barrier fizzled out and it was reduced to simple attacks. Dupmic flipped his polearm like blade, glowed in soul power and used wind magic to spear into the beasts forehead. The energy blasted the darkness out, freed a heart and sent the machine falling over. Dupmic phewed and crawled over. "How many of these did they make?"

Xion rested her keyblade over her shoulder and slowed her pace. "We stopped Vanitas from running off with a Cy-bug back at the arcade, there's no way they would have gotten the design." Shadey nodded in agreement and turned to shadows as Dupmic felt a spark of a storm in his mind. His already grim mood dropped to pure terror. "Are you sure he didn't pull a fast one and sneaked something else out?!" Xion gasped. "He sneaked out with a blue print?" Dupmic nodded. "And they were preparing this under our noses."

The trio heard rumbling from the maze around them and hurried through the corridors, hastily wandering to a wide room. They spotted Vanitas, sitting on top of a raised stone, crossing his legs, folding his left arm and resting his head on his right hand. His golden eyes locked on to the Rebels in boredom. By him was a Coachman that was looking at a hand watch. The villains noticed them, Vanitas jumped off and asked with rising interest. "Well, well, well. Look where the mice wandered off to." The Coachman closed his watch and asked. "You three lost?" He smirked. "That's too bad." He drew out his whip and cracked it, commanding the shadows to encroach as his face turned to something quite wicked. "It's about time someone teaches you jackasses your place in the order of things."

Xion and Dupmic gotten over the detail that Vanitas has an indirect hand in the escalation of the guardians situation. The two planned it out quick, Dupmic asked. "Should we let Shadey deal with this psycho while we handle the other creep?"

Xion wasn't so sure. "I would rather, he doesn't tire himself out when he needs to jump in." A winged, red eyed pterrosaur emerged from the shadows, Dupmic understood Shadey's input as Xion insist. "You get on Shadey and knock Vanitas down. I'll handle the Coachman."

Dupmic got on the pterrosaur and let the steed fly over, Xion slowly approached the criminal that realize she wasn't scared of him. The Coachman cracked the whip again and caused the shadows to erupt into a demon tide that flew into a cloud, Vanitas jumped onto a river of darkness and readied for a dog fight with Dupmic.

The Coachman pointed at Xion and had the Demon Tide dive after her, the girl focused deep with in, sprouted wings of grey and flew over the stream of Heartless. She took her blade and smacked the Coachman across the face, the trafficker swatted her with the whip and caused the tide to fling projectile shadows at her, keeping the girl on a constant move. She closed in for a few attacks and flew away before unleashing bolts of lightning upon the crook. Above, Vanitas sailed on his flying mass of darkness and chucked fire balls at Dupmic. Shadey kept maneuvering as Dupmic unleashed fire balls back, Vanitas screamed out pulses that pierced Dupmic's ear drums and caused Shadey to nearly break apart. Dupmic thought of something and whispered. "Wait just a minute."

He lift his blade up as Vanitas readied another scream. Woosh! A pillar of earth rose to block the blast, Dupmic thrust his hand forward and had the pillar fling stones. Pelting into the tide and smacking some of the stones at the fiend. Dupmic thought of something and had the stones collide with a wall. He grabbed Shadey by the neck and flipped under. "Give me a second." He shadow stepped and appeared in forming cluster, hiding behind the rocks as Vanitas blasted the wall and notice Dupmic was missing. "What?!"

The Replica marveled at a plan coming together and pressed his hand again, aiming the stones to where Vanitas was sailing and pelting him. The fiend had a moment to realize what happened and spin the tide around to rush over the cluster. Dupmic counted from three to zero and shadow stepped to the new formation. He knew he had to finish his momentum and clustered the rocks together. Shadey dived on Vanitas and clawed in an attempt to keep him distracted. The third swipe went through the fiend and Shadey realize that Vanitas teleported. The fiend warped to Dupmic's location and was ready to smash a clustered orb of rocks apart.

Shadey erupted a dark chain at Vanitas, jabbed him in the back and yanked. Shadey puffed into shadows as Dupmic gave a silent thank you and fired the stone. Vanitas was smacked in his torso and was sent falling to the arena bellow. Dupmic looked down to find Xion dancing around the Coachman and kicked off. He dived at the crook and shoved him far across the ground. Xion gasped at the convenience and noticed Vanitas flipped mid air to land.

The girl took a deep breath and caused the Vector of the Heavens to reassemble itself, the gate teeth turned into a round sphere with spikes and the orange colored blade curved to fit the teeth in. Vanitas noticed she was glaring at him and warped to a wall to unleash chains, Xion rolled side ways and used her wings to fly at the fiend. She roared as much as a human girl could and clashed her mace with the gear blade. Vanitas was shoved back, kicked the girl and warped away, he hurled dark fire balls and rain bolts of heartless. Dupmic dodged a wave, parried a whip crack and fired a shadow bolt at the Coachman, sending him rolling. The crook caught his fumble and the boy stomped the ground to summon a pillar, like from the air, he unleashed rocks in a pattern and shadow stepped behind each formation. The Coachman was sent into a complete spin. Xion high jumped from the fire balls, raised her mace and smashed it over the fiends head.

Vanitas side stepped and countered, Xion let herself role back, turned her wings off and rushed again. Bashing the gear blade repeatedly. Vanitas swiped side ways, Xion ducked and smacked the gear blade, knocking it off in a fling and gritting her teeth. Vanitas had a moment of shock and called his blade back.

BONK!

He was smacked in the chest by the mace. SWIPE! He was smacked again and tried backing away. SMACK! A blow to the face sent him rolling, Xion focused on the her blade and in a sudden, the mace head burst across her hand. It turned into an armored, clawed gauntlet, she flipped the stick and caused it to shine in heavenly sunlight, turning into a spear.

Vanitas teleported and channeled the demon tide into an orb. "Freaking turn coats." Xion aimed her gauntlet and smirked in pride. "Should have done that sooner."

PEW!

A quartet of burning, white bolts fired from the gauntlet. One flew past Vanitas, the other three made contact. The third pierced him in the shoulder and sizzled into his flesh. Vanitas gritted his snarled and fired the orb. "Eat it!"

Xion charged the orb, spear first. She stabbed through it and scattered the heartless as burning embers. Vanitas watched the girl leap high and readied to warp, his body was still and he tried to figure out why. Smokey shadows surrounded him to keep him in place, exposing him to a spear into his chest.

SHOVE!

He was knocked on his back in a brutal weight, feeling dizzy in the head and looking up to see Xion pulling out. She flipped her weapons back to a keyblade and turned, finding Dupmic using his strike as a way to bait a lasso across his blade.

Dupmic called his blade as the Coachman pulled and blasted him across with a shadow bolt. Xion returned to his side and braced for a fight that was going in their favor a little too well. The Coachman landed on his rear and growled. "You brats have been nothing but a bunch of fire works, but we're just getting started!" Vanitas laughed and warped to his feet, his stab wound closed as he asked. "What's the matter, was that really all you got?"

Dupmic balked. "Ha! Far from it!" BOOM! In a sudden, the wall behind the Dark Seeker minions collapsed through the force of missiles. The sound of heavy boots turned the Coachman's normally calm attitude into irritated fear. "Oh blimey."

Dupmic spotted blue and gold armor, smiled wide and whistled a tune. "He's heeeeere!" The villains turned to find a squad of Rubric Marines, both the soldiers and the terminators, escorting a smug Ahriman who was on a disk. The Coachman gritted his teeth. "You've got a lot of nerve to come here. But don't think that none of us were expecting it."

Vanitas was ready to call a loss and conjured a dark rift. "We got to report this to Xehanort. Asap!" As the rift formed, the villains felt themselves in a psychic hold, Ahriman aimed his free hand and opened the rift. "He will learn that I'm here, soon enough and he will tremble." Dupmic's joy turned into a horror on realizing that Ahriman is enjoying every moment. Xion hid behind her brother, expecting things to become unsightly. Ahriman gave off a cruel chuckle. "He and the Everchosen are cunning foes. Raising this maze and expecting these parties to fight amongst each other. While the hearts of the losers are reaped. Yours included!"

That piece of knowledge startled the siblings. Vanitas kicked and cursed. "That rat is nothing but an annoying pest! What did you think was going to happen?" Ahriman raised a finger. "I figured it out when I sensed one of my own meeting his end, a little before Ztardon shared a vision of the rats demise."

He laughed louder as Xion thought out loud. "But... there's a catch Xehanort didn't tell?" The Coachman flinched and his face contorted to an angry fiend. "You mean he's been meaning to double cross us too?"

Vanitas felt his heart leap as Ahriman answered. "Precisely. For a schemer, everyone is a means to an end. Whether they are aware of it or not." Vanitas snarled. "You got to be making that up? Not after how much we've pulled!"

Dupmic shook his head as Ahriman admitted. "Fabricating this is what I would do. But are you going to discover this truth by yourself?" He turned Vanitas towards the dark rift and heard something descending at the siblings An Assassin. Ahriman phewed and the duo had the chance to turn, finding the mehanized heartless that was coming down at them. Xion yelped. "Eek!"

Ahriman thought not to waste time and spun his hand. "I'm giving you the privilege to think about this. If you can crawl your way out of that, then you will finally master your own destiny." Vanitas kicked. "Come on, you're bluffing!" Ahriman pointed at the hole. "Knowledge is power, use that well Vanitas."

Fling!

Vanitas was tossed in, kicking and screaming. The corridor closed as the Sorcerer gave his attention to the Coachman that realize something worse was plan. "I haven't been running this gig long enough to be double crossed now! Let me go and I'll teach that bloak not to mess with-"

Choke!

He was choked by a psychic force. The Sorcerer raised his hand up. "Oh I will and you will lead me to the Dark Seeker. Even if I have to make you put your heart into this task. You have you fun, being the one in control. But there is a price for everything." The crook kicked and gagged as he hovered high. "And it is time you pay for it all!"

Ahriman lowered his hand and slammed the Coachman down, crushing him into the pavement and leaving him to bleed darkness. A dark heart fluttered out and the Sorcerer looked upon the heartless and twiddled his fingers. Opening a hatch before putting the heart in. He sighed and looked at the terrified siblings. "You've all done well to stand up to these monsters. But your trial in this labyrinth is not over." The maze begun to shift as the Assassin's eyes glowed in blue, enthralled to Ahriman's control. The siblings felt rather charmed by the compliment as the Sorcerer advised. "You should continue on, if you want to find your friends before I do."

The a wall slammed the way shut and rotated with force, the siblings maneuvered around until they found themselves lost in a three path corridor. Ahead looked to be a long hall way leading to somewhere grand. To the right is a corridor that could lead them back to Ahriman, if they wish to stop him and screaming from the left is a demon tide carrying something that is fighting for their lives. Two stars shined amidst the dark shadow and let loose light, one was of a morning star, the other was of a comet.

Thud! Flip! The siblings recognized Ana, landing with wear from an hardy battle. By her was Ken, who didn't quite notice the friends. "Yikes that was so... fast." He turned around to find the corridors. "Now, where did we get dropped?" Ana looked around and spotted the siblings. "Hoo! Towards actual company for once!" She waved. "You look like you thrashed someone good, are you well?"

Dupmic waved back and let her approach. "Yeah and Ahriman is here, trying to spring a counter trap. He just tossed Vanitas out into the Darkness and he rid the worlds of the Coachman."

Ken heard and realized who he's with, he turned to find Xion tackling him for an embrace, fumbling him over to the hall way in a laugh. Ken laughed back, embraced her back and spun her before letting her stand. Ana was charmed by that and laughed. "Ha, good riddance. I don't know how well Ahriman's plan is, but if it can flush Xehanort out, we might have a chance to succeed. This maze always turns when you don't expect it and it's made to keep us all separated."

Ken and Xion let go as Dupmic planned. "But, here we are." He gasped and looked to Ken, he wanted to point at something that could be useful and wondered if someone else is listening. "Ken, how are we going to get everyone together, it's not like we can magically talk to someone from far away?"

Xion blinked as Ken realized Dupmic is referring to something that should be in the pocket. Before he could say anything, the walls rumbled. The chamber had a wall shove in. The two parties cringed and split apart. Ana and Dupmic went to a wall that was opening as Ken and Xion ran to the hall way. The formed wall rush at them, forcing them to enter. The wall stopped and the duo looked around, finding they were in a dead end, save for a single passage going into a room with a balcony.

Xion groaned. "We got to stop talking while we're in here." Ken agreed. "Yeah, but I got something in my pocket, that we can use once we're sure we're going to have time. Thanqoul's gone and with him, the Skaven aren't going to be our problem anymore." He felt anxious in carrying out a crucial plan and Xion noticed someone lining up a cross bow to the boys head. Xion yelped and grabbed Ken by the collar. "Watch out!"

Pull! PEW!

Ken was astonished by the pull and listened to a wall raising up. He realize there was reason he was yanked and looked up at the balcony seeing a familiar Sharpshooter trying to keep the element of surprise. Ken groaned, caused his burning blade to glow in ashes and offered Xion a hand. "Well, time to dance."

The girl snickered, took the hand and spun with Ken, letting him unleash a cloud of ashes that cloaked the floor. The sniper realized he can't get a good aim and saw a bolt of light come his way. Braig jumped off and watched the bolt blow the balcony apart. "Shoot!"

He landed and felt wind blowing, the ashes scattered and brought him in view of the duo. Ken sighed in annoyance, dismissed Cadias Light and held his burning blade with both hands. Braig readied to fight and asked. "So the cat's out of the bag now, you've finally stopped pretending to be some hero?"

Xion readied to charge as Ken's blade shined as a star. "Why would I pretend?" He pulled the cluster of starlight and brought about the night in his hands. Nightsky formed, Braig jumped at the dark glow. "Woah, woah, woah! What did you do to that?!"

Xion growled. "That's none of your business!" Ken admitted. "Why would anyone care about a rusted piece of junk that I found laying around in a guys closet? It fell upon a world, like a shooting star around thirty years ago. Time hasn't been kind to it, yet it still found a way to connect with my heart. Unlike all these dead keys around here."

Braig grumbled and tapped the ground, causing a crack. Rupture! A giant Robipede pounced burst from under the duo, opening a wide mouth. Xion yelped and jumped back with a nimble Ken that looked up at the towering serpent. Ken focused, thought of something and began to drain the light. The Robipede turned to coil around the two as Xion spotted the Sharp Shooter warping on the things head. Braig fired. "Dance you little freaks!"

Xion rolled back from a shot and parried the bolts back at Braig as the Robipede closed it's wide maw and blasted plasma at Ken. The boy side stepped as the arena darken. Braig warped, appeared by the boy and pressed his cross bows for a point blank, super charged shot. Ken cartwheeled right and rushed his blades like a comet. Xion rushed into the Robipede's torso and stabbed it, she let loose a burst of electricity and drew the beast to claw it's talons at her. The girl back flipped as the sky turned to night, Ken kept a dance around the bolt shots and raised Nightsky, like it was a wand. Light scattered to the sky and quickly made stars. "When it connected to my heart, that rusted blade became something worthy of the relic it was. Me and the Night Sky are going to make history."

Braig cringed and directed the Robipede to charge at the boy. Ken high jumped over the machine and aimed the blade down. The stars enlarged in a spark and flew at the Robipede as a meteor shower, blasting chunks out of it. The heartless stood up and fired it's chest cannon at Ken. A star blasted into the chest and vaporized the gun. In a few moments, the stars blasted the monster to where it collapsed into scrap metal. Braig stepped back and readied to whistle a calling, the falling stars went after him. The sky was running out of stars and Ken spun, the black sky disappeared into a sun setting sky as the last star fell.

Xion flew at Braig and smashed him to a wall, locking him in a combo as Ken dashed in a glow of fire. The eye patch man warped away and whistled, calling upon Tunnel Lions to ambush the duo as he lined up a sniper shot. Xion rolled from a pounce as Ken smashed his foe and chucked a fire ball. Braig fired at the busy girl. Ken tossed Nightsky in the way and caused it to spin into a dark cloud of stars. The shot was blocked and Ken called the dark cloud to him.

Disappearing like a phantom, Braig felt a spike of danger and noticed something crawling from the rubble. Ken appeared and gave a menacing smile, one speaking of destructive intent. He flew at the sniper and forced him to warp to the center of the arena, if to spray shots. Xion made quick work of her target and sighed in exhaustion. "Just give it a rest, this isn't worth it."

Braig scoffed. "Not when we're so close to finding that blade the Old Coot's been obsessed with! I'm finally getting that break." Xion dodged a shot and asked. "Not if you managed to take us down. We heard a rumor that your boss plans to take all the dark hearts he can get, even from the ones who are working for him. He got that rat's heart and he would have gotten Vanitas if Ahriman didn't toss him out of the world. Nort is going to improvise his way out of this."

Braig laughed. "As if." Ken gave Xion a scowl. "Are you sure that's right? That was stuff Ahriman was saying so that bully would struggle more." The girl gasped. "Ken, what-" She realize Ken was up to something. "you saw one of those monsters snatch that heart up!" Ken shrugged in defeat. "I would not have signed up for this if I knew one of our friends was going to do that. No matter what was promised."

Braig called a pack of mites from the holes. "Would you shut up already!" The beast surrounded the two. Ken stabbed the ground with his burning blade and unleashed a firestorm. The mites were incinerated and the boy stepped through the fire, cloaking himself with a barrier of fire, his gaze was upon the man who has earned his spite. "Are you this desperate for a Keyblade, that you'd gamble like that?" He scoffed and raised Night Sky for a strike. "Why would you really care about what I do with my blade?! Nothing you done for one was any better and what more did you do?"

Braig stepped back and contemplated calling upon the Cybugs. "Kids like you, shouldn't ask those kinds of questions." Xion demanded an answer. "And we're not ordinary kids." Ken agreed with her. "We came here, ready to kill if we gotta." He warned the sharp shooter. "And you act like someone who would kill a person if you'd get something. Why would you care that a Keyblade would show up on a random world? It shared a vision with a man. Of a few cool secrets, including the lady this belonged to. A Star Sage."

Braig heard the phrased, warped to Ken's personal space and had a cross bolt pressed to his skull. "Would you-" Ken pressed Night Sky at his chest. "You know about the Star Sage, don't you?"

Braig pulled the trigger as Ken demanded. "Stop!" Pew! A stop spell was cast. " It-" Ken stepped aside in the split second he had and watched the man fire the bolt to nowhere. The grown up realize Ken warped and faced the duo that kept side by side. The man scoffed. "So what if I know of a ditz that was meddling with the outside world. Who else is going to leave this place to tell?"

Xion's mouth turned to an o as Ken readied to say something. Bzz! Bzz! The boy heard a buzz and something fall off his pantaloons. A gummi phone, in shadows. A recording was finished and an icon of a envelope appeared. Sending. Xion smiled. "Shadey, you done it!"

Braig's chest turned cold as Ken read out who it's being sent to. "Mr. Ienzo." The boy lost focus of the potential danger and was more concerned that the entity might have been reaching close to something else. "Oh my, that was in my back pocket."

Braig snarled. "What was that?!" Ken almost forgot about him and his tone turned chipper. "Some of Mr. Ienzo's buddies..." He admitted. "Some of my buddies, knew of the Star Sage. You remember Lauriam and Elrena? They seemed like nice enough people when you get to know them. But there was some monkeys on their backs that showed up once they saw Night Sky." His tone sounded childish. "Lauriam got really mad." He broke his tone in a more serious blow. "He and his friend got some scary stories."

Xion gasped. "You were talking about the dead and were showing off her stuff. Of course they'll get mad." Braig froze and wanted to attack. "You little-" Xion raised a finger. "Ah, ah, ah. They should be hearing your confession soon. They're going to be coming here once our mission is complete, knowing what you've done."

Ken gave off a glare that was resembled the white haze of death. "One way or another. If you stay here, you're going to get killed. By a guy who isn't ever going to give you that Keyblade you wanted so badly, or by some guys who took what you did personally." He dismissed his blades and sparked his hands in fire. "So what's it going to be? Are you even worth the Keyblades time?"

Braig tighten his grip as Xion dismissed her blade. Thinking it wasn't worth staining her blade. The man gritted his teeth and opened a corridor. "Forget this!" He waved without a care. "You brats aren't worth them. Later!"

He took off and Ken powered his fire down, the corridor closed. Xion called her blade back as Ken had his gun blade come to him. He went to pick his phone up as Shadey emerged from his shadow, in the form of a chipper Sora. Ken yelped in a blush and embraced the shadow, giving it a kiss on the cheek. Xion hugged the shadow with glee. "You were brilliant!"

Shadey wiggled away and shifted to the form of a dinosaur with a curved crest, wanting the duo to get on. He turned his head and looked like it wanted to smile. Ken and Xion took the offer, the one armed boy sat in front as Xion held from behind. The teenagers rubbed their cheeks together in affection as the entity bucked and dashed to an exit.

At the point of view of the Wayfinders.

Ven ducked under ruins to gain cover from the sight of a cybug with a giant cannon on it's back. Aqua dashed at it to gain it's attention. She dashed in light as the bug prioritize a target and fired it's cannon. It opened it's mouth to spit out mites that rushed at Ven's hiding place. The boy noticed, enveloped himself in wind and dived at the mites, swiftly slicing them up. Aqua enveloped her blade with crystal and rushed at the Carrier, slicing it's face and rolling over the crab like claws. Ven finished his pack and dashed at the distracted Carrier.

SLASH!

He made a crack at the carapace and gained it's attention, the beast spun at Ven and slashed. It knocked Aqua aside with it's mace like tail as the boy back flipped. It roared and leaped with it's rotating maw. Ven enveloped himself in wind and high jumped, reaching as high as possible before slashing a crack in the sky. Aqua dashed to the beasts side and aimed her blade. "Fire!"

She fired a stream of explosive fire balls at the hull as pillars of light descended, impaling the beast in multiple areas. Aqua flipped over the claws and stabbed the beast in the head. The wound combusted and she flipped off in sync to a pillar falling upon the skull. On impact, the head burst into flames, the Carrier collapsed, spilling out a heart and darkness. Ven landed and flipped. He panted. "Phew, that's the last of them."

Rumble!

The maze began rumbling. Aqua puffed her cheeks, conjured star like prisms and flung them across the closing corridor. She placed one at her feet and offered Ven a hand. "Come on, this maze isn't going to outsmart us!"

Ven took it without much thought. Blink! In a blink, the two were at the prism over the corridor. They had the fortune of seeing it close up and a path revealing itself, one marked by familiar soldiers of green fire, holding their own against a Commander and the Mites.

Aqua recognized the pattern of the warrior like foes. "Unversed?!" Ven could tell by the green. "Wait, is that fire-" They realize who's doing this is and rushed in at the victors, the foes jumped back from the dash and an Pig Brute rushed at Aqua to halt her cast. A Sniper Buzzard flew high, pressed it's talons to make a cross bow and fired it at Ven.

The boy jumped and slashed at aerial force as Aqua conjured her secondary blade and gave a few precise blows on the brute. A Trapper with legs of a spider scurried to a passage of dark fire. Ven dived after it and had his foot caught in a snare of web, three brutes rushed at him. Aqua sighed, enveloped herself in magic and floated over the boy. She twirled into a gale of arcane power, blasting the Unversed away. The Trapper turned and shot web globs at Aqua as she was nearing the end of her spin, Ven called down lightning to finish it off. Aqua landed to pull the web away and followed the fighting ahead. The Wayfinder Duo traversed the darkness and found what they feared, Maleficent was commanding minions she was clearly working on, to do battle against the Swarm.

A giant Cy-bug was reeling with a closed mouth full of smoke and Maleficent zapped a dashing Assassin into smoulders. The large bug roared and revealed a mouth of grasping tongues. Maleficent laughed maliciously and blasted the Consumer with lightning. Turning it into a smouldering wreck. The swarm died down and the Wicked Fairy turned to face the keybearers, giving a faux, venomous smile. "Well, well. I supposed you've discovered your way across this elaborate trap?"

Aqua didn't wish to agree. "And adapted to the dangers. You didn't get the que of how dangerous this maze is until you stepped in after us. You're cohorts are around too?"

Ven felt an instinct in his bones. "They are, our friends might be running into them as we're talking. Where did this swarm come from?" He loudly asked the witch. "How were you able to make these things?!"

Maleficent thought to humor the duo. "These Heartless, I know not. But I've learned the secret of the Unversed and the emotions that make their being." She tapped her staff. "With my Spite, I can make my own." The fiends turned to the Wayfinders, Aqua readied to fight. "You've picked now, to pick a fight with us?"

The Witch answered gleefully. "Why miss on this opportunity? If the Guardians are left crippled by the time Xehanort falls back into the Abyss, then nothing will oppose me in my dream to obtain the Kingdom of All." She gave a spiteful thanks. "You awaken a force beyond reckoning. A force that has opened a path towards discovery."

Aqua admitted. "So you've heard as well? Once Kairi awakened her truest power, my other pupil followed for his own." Maleficent nodded and used that as a point to just what of threat the Wayfinders will be to her plans. "The Purest of Hearts, one of Light and one of Darkness. They must not be allowed to grow wild, for they are the key to the Universe itself."

Rumble!

A piece of the earth hovered to lift Maleficent up and make a hole that spewed green fire. The Wayfinders jumped high and flew at the witch, they slashed fast. Maleficent tapped her staff and caused two of her Spite Borne to turn into green fire orbs that rushed at the Wayfinders, burning through them and causing a lot of pain. The fire rushed to the earth and returned to the boarish warriors. Maleficent laughed to that and enveloped herself in arcane power. "This is the end!"

Ven remembered a que and jumped away, Aqua did the same and watched the Witch transform into a swirl of energy. Maleficent gave chase to her as the aerial Spite Borne dived after Ven to shoot cross bolts. The boy found a wall to run up to and flipped at the buzzard.

Slash!

He slew the Universed and watched it turn into a bolt of green lightning that returned to the witch. Maleficent stopped at a corridor between halls and materialized, she saw her bolt returning to her and she waved her staff to catch it. She aimed her staff at the boy and shot a lightning bolt at him, Ven dived down to avoid the strike and enveloped himself in wind. He flipped for a hover as Aqua cast a heal him. She glowed in green light and flipped to the platform to do battle, Maleficent took the blow and raise her hands in the air. "You stand against the Mistress of All Evil!"

BURST!

She let loose a spectral image of herself, cloaked in fire. Aqua jumped off the plat form and faced the boar knights, she unleashed projectiles of light to vaporize them into green fire that flew under the platform. Maleficent finished her spell and readied to draw the remains of the Spite Born to her staff. She noticed a prism star before her.

Warp!

It flickered, Aqua appeared and slashed. Ven enveloped himself in lightning and bolted at the witch, getting his own damage. Maleficent tapped her staff. "Feel my spite!"

Poof!

Boar Warriors rushed out of her as green fire and an electrical buzzard took to the air. The Wayfinders got knocked off and Maleficent transformed into a cosmic hurricane to give chase. Stopping at the long hall as aerial minions fired lightning and the grounded minions, raise their shields. They sparked in fire and charged, the Wayfinders jumped over and watched Maleficent materialize. She raise her staff and chanted. "Meteors of heaven, unleash thy fury!"

In a sudden, blue fired meteors rushed down in a bombardment. Ven cringed at the size as Aqua grabbed him by the hand, flung a prism star and warped out of the way of danger. The boar warriors flew after them as fire balls and Ven formed an aero shield to blow them away. The meteors halted, the duo felt it was safe to take the fight to Maleficent. Ven bestowed flight and carried Aqua mid air, letting her fire point blank fire balls at the witch that was glowing in green, hypnotic light.

PEW!

Aqua fired a prism rain, knocking Maleficent off of her spell. She readied another one as Ven noticed the right wall glowing a line of blue fire. The boy knew what that meant and cringed. "Not now!" Maleficent raised an eyebrow, noticed the burning line and added green, aiding who ever was opening a passage way. The wall split in two and were slammed aside.

Revealing a Zonir that was panting from something he never thought he do. Ztardon followed behind, in a frantic panic against a Generator Bug that was blasting the herd to kingdom come. The Shaman chanted and unleashed twin streams of bird heads to keep the bug busy, guiding his surviving flock away from certain danger. He and Zonir worked together to slam the wall closed. The Ogroid smelled something and turned to the Wayfinders, particularly at Aqua. He and some Tzaangor lined up, the brute chanted. "How quaint for us to find more Guardians. Trapped here with us."

Ztardon growled and pointed at him. "Not yet!" He turned to Maleficent. "We found one of the Magi again. Our plan will mean nothing if we don't find the other!"

Zonir growled back and stopped his spell as Maleficent rolled her eyes in annoyance, the fairy asked. "What is it that you want?" The Ogroid explained fast. "We have an escalation and the Dark Seekers swarm is growing stronger."

Ztardon chirped. "The Horned One has fallen, yet his heart is muffled! We need to regroup with the Master and soon." Maleficent gasped at the first part of the news, greatly concerned for where the Horned King's heart has gone. Aqua considered the fight over. "We'll deal with this later. Maleficent, we tried to warn you." She requested. "Ven and I will be the ones to take care of Xehanort. You and Ahriman need to regroup and try to rescue the Horned King, for your own sake."

Zonir looked around to find something flying into the southern corridor. A large Cy-bug, with mighty wings, a more visible thorax, a set of scythe talons and a chest cannon of a straight rifle. It roared and pulsed in power that made everyone but Ven cover their ears. Flutter! A pack of large mites scurried from bellow the Alpha. Ven and Aqua heard buzzing from the northern corridor and turned to see half a dozen, winged commanders descend.

They brought about a screen of mites that were pushed to battle by a Commander with sharper looking shoulders, an upper set of humanoid claws, a coil whip and a glowing red blade. Ven growled at the end of his patience, there has been too many delays towards this mission. He roared out the biting winds to disrupt the formation and dash at the Commanding Prime, Aqua conjured an rotating crystal orb and flew it at the other flank. "Good luck with this!"

She took off with Ven and forced their way into the corridor, drawing the swarm's attention. Zonir smiled at Maleficent in spite. "It looks like we might owe ourselves to Pete, should our plan falter."

The Witch sparked in fire. "I will not allow this chance to slip my fingers! We will deal with the Guardians soon enough." She formed a circle of flame and spun a twister to wash over the Alpha that formed a barrier of force, the barrier absorbed most of the gale and forced the Alpha to fly to higher ground. It fired upon the magi, Maleficent formed a counter barrier as the more nimble duo danced from the shots.

From the Point of View of the Destiny Trio.

Boom! Boom! Sora rolled from the impact of a super heated fire ball as Riku hid behind melting stone. Kairi gazed upon a dozen a dozen cy-bugs that have cannons on their backs, their back armor emitted a scalding hot, bright yellow glow. An idea came to mind and she called upon an orb, Riku and Sora gasped to the idea, jumped back and readied to conjure a tidal wave of water. The bugs roared and glowed their cannons, ready to bombard the trio yet again.

Woosh!

Sora and Riku unleashed the Wave of Fate, it served as a fine barrier for the super heated fire. Steam began to cloud up the sky and Kairi tossed the orb, letting out a Clawitzer that snipped. He saw the army of insects and bubbled in terror as Kairi focused on her blade and caused it to foam bubbles. "It's a war zone Shooter. But we got this!" She split her blade into pistols that resemble Shooters claws, he had more confidence as Sora conjured a torrent of water. Giving the pokemon something to maneuver with, Kairi jumped to the steam and caused it to flow under her control.

Almost akin to a surfer. She and Shooter fired at the Pyro Bombers with fast sonar pulses, causing steam to spew from the heartless and for the heat to dim down. PEW! They fired again and ruptured two of the bombers into wreckage. Sora dashed to a current stream, jumped on and used his keyblade as a surf board. The boy surfed to the left and fired bolts of water at the Bombers, Riku took it as a chance to dash at the busy bombers and smash the machines. Kairi shot a particular bomber and called. "Riku, a whirlpool's coming!"

She turned her pistols into fans and jumped high in an elegant spin. The Clawitzer jumped to get bellow the girl, the bombers fired at the two, doing rather damp damage to the pokemon that fired a large pulse. Kairi spun a whirl pool and dived down as a sapphire beacon. The Bombers were shaking loose from the noise and Kairi made impact, unleashing a sapphire splash of light that washed the heartless to the walls. SMASH! They were complete wrecks and the sky rained. Shooter landed and cheered a snip. "Litzer!" (That was cool.)

Kairi felt the cooling haze and agreed. "Those Mecha Nids are tough, but it's going to take more than a bunch of bugs to bring us down." Sora jumped off the current as Riku looked around, finding a left corridor at the end of a hall. "We might have more to deal with, keep close, too much of a cloud might get us some attention."

Rumble!

Riku listened to the sound of an intense fight, getting ever closer. He lead the way. "They're still going at it?" Sora believed it. "Terra's the toughest guy on this world. We got to find our friends and fast."

Kairi focused and waved to Shooter. "This is why, I'm glad you and the others aren't here. Tell the Seafarers that more calls are coming." The pokemon nodded and let himself fade away.

Blip! The Destiny Trio heard the sound of their gummi phones going off. Riku yelped in shock, took the phone out of his armor and checked, it was Ken. "Destiny Squad, we got some problems over here. Are you still okay?"

Riku had a blood vessel pulse and he texted. "Does this look like a good time to text?" Ken answered. "This was a bad idea?" Riku answered. "We can't afford to be distracted. But we got a moment."

Rumble!

The rumbling grew more intense, the trio were at the corridor saw a narrow chamber that connected to the north eastern path of the maze, to the western. Ken reported. "Who ever loses, is going to have their hearts snatched up by those Bugs. Even the lower rank Dark Seekers are on the menu. Me and Ana found The Rebel Squad, but there was a problem. She and Dupmic were separated from us, while me, Xion and Shadey are managing our own. I'll tell you the good news soon."

Riku imagined members of the Dark Seekers having been eliminated and the unofficial member being a past issue. He put the phone away and the rumbling became the noise of a clash.

SMASH!

The wall on the right shattered by the Lingering Will, who was shoved through by Feral Chaos. The demon roared in strange joy over a worthy opponent, the Lingering Will flipped to a wall and rushed at the demon.

Rocks and dirt scattered. The Destiny Trio had the nerve to approached the cracks of a crater and watched the two foes continue to trade blow for blow. The Lingering Will bashed Feral Chaos on the head, turned his blade into a chain whip, wrapped it around the demon and hurled him to right corner of wall. The force shattered the structure and made a wide room with a hall way leading to a mountain. The Lingering Will charged, finding Feral Chaos dropping from the wall and landing on all fours. It roared and let loose a pillar of fire as the Lingering Will reached striking distance, blasting him several feet. The Destiny Trio jumped in front of the Lingering Will, ready for a rematch on the demon. Sora cast a heal on the Lingering Will and admitted. "This guy isn't wanting to do down."

The armor agreed with that and tried standing up. "We don't see this kind of guy often. They always slip past our view, unless we look for them." Sora remembered a few foes he's met that are like that and Kairi envisioned the vast sky. "And we better be prepared for what we fly to." Riku noticed that the Feral Chaos is bruised, having bleeding wounds and was staggering. "Or have someone who can match this." He smiled to the Lingering Will. "Looks like you did a number on him!"

Kairi appreciated the advantage looked upon Garland with sorrow. "We got to finish this. This is inhuman." The Feral Chaos groveled, held his head like something was commanding him and brought him into a savage howl. Sora had a flash back to Archaon dragging Garland into the Darkness. The boy glared with a contemptible memory, his eyes had a silent vow for justice.

The Feral Chaos noticed, drew his sword and split it into four. He charged in the speed of wind and slashed his blades forward. Riku and Kairi locked blades with the upper limbs as Sora and the Lingering Will locked with the lower, the upper team were flung to the walls as the lower team pushed the demon back. Sora smacked the demon across the face as the Lingering Will hurled it. The duo dashed at the chance. Blink! Feral Chaos disappeared, yet Sora felt a hot breath at his back. He and the Lingering Will turned to see the demon was readying a forward stab, Sora cringed as he and his partner parried.

Fling!

They were shoved to the far end of the room, they flipped their landing and heard rumbling. The Feral Chaos didn't notice and flew. A wall slid in the way, blocking the strongest of warriors from the fight. The Feral Chaos slammed to a wall and his swords scattered into ashes, Riku and Kairi came through, realize what happened and felt their hearts becoming still. The Feral Chaos smashed his fists at the wall, in an attempt to get to his opponents. Kairi pressed her lips together as Riku called. "Garland, we're still here!"

Feral Chaos heard, turned and snarled, the boy posed for battle as Kairi vowed. "Focus on us, we'll get you out of this mess." Feral Chaos sprinted on all fours and leaped high, Riku waited until he saw the yellow in the eyes and flew at the demon, moving between the limbs and knocking the head up.

Kairi glowed her blade in water and flew at the demons torso. Slash! Slash! The two of them sent the demon rolling, Feral Chaos sprinted to the hall way, spun and smashed the ground. Tremors came the duos way, the children side stepped, watched the ground erupt like volcanos and used the rubble to flow at the demons personal. The Feral Chaos flapped his wings together and clapped an infernal wind. Riku and Kairi flew together in a spin, the Princess spun a barrier to deflect the heat as the boy watched the demon dash. The boy stabbed the ground and conjured a jungle, summoning a wooden Carnotaur with armored, stone plates.

BASH!

The dinosaur smashed his horned head into Garland and sent him fumbling backwards, Riku used the dinosaur as a ramp to get a higher ground and turned his blade into draconic fists. Kairi split her blade into a banner and a katana. The boy jumped off and readied a punch as the girl flickered in the speed of light. Garland flipped back and sliced his tail in the ground, causing a stone pillar to erupt. Riku punched through stone with little problems as his summon turned around the stone and rushed, Kairi flickered behind Garland and sliced multiple times.

Garland turned to smash his claw at the girl, finding her flip over and make way for the Carnotaurs bash. The demon caught the ground with his claws and kicked the dinosaur in the face, sending it fumbling back and landing on it's side. Riku roared, leaped over the falling dinosaur and enveloped himself in fire. PUNCH! He punched Garland in the chest flipped a kick as the Princess used the chance to give off a queenly battle cry, the banner glowed in light and she sprouted six, draconic wings. The Feral Chaos was surprised that the two brought about the Might and Memory that matches a Dragon.

The teenagers struck as one, the Feral Chaos howled in pain and flipped. He raised his upper hands and conjured a tsunami as his wings created a hurricane. Riku dived down in a kick and raised a pillar to provide shelter from the storm blast. Kairi felt her heart roaring, she closed her eyes to see a draconic specter. Riku placed a hand on her shoulder, the girl turned to see him looking backwards at the dragon. The two prayed as one. "Give us your strength!"

They opened their eyes on the sense of light, looking ahead to find a mighty wisp of light before them. It flew over them and gave the teenagers a chance to turn, watching a gigantic light forged dragon crash through the waves and swatting the Feral Chaos away. The dragon stood on its hind legs and followed his attack with a fire breath. Garland formed a reflective barrier to push the flame away and kept a stand, the Dragon stopped his breath, inhaled and fired a laser beam of destructive power. The force shattered the remains of the wall and kept going for minutes, the Dragon was out of breath and stopped to breathe in. The teenagers had a look at the destruction, seeing Garland standing their, battered and burnt, but keeping a stand thanks to his barrier.

Kairi cursed. "Darn it!" Riku felt his Carnotaur returning to the aether and had his eyes on the wreckage. "But that did something." He looked up at the dragon. "Thanks, Midir."

The drake raise his head and stretched his wings, shining like that of a sun rise before fading away. Kairi noticed the wreckage and flowed leftward to Riku's right. They caught up with the Feral Chaos and rushed to his sides, spearing him and getting smacked a couple feet. He roared and cloaked the arena in darkness, he punched the ground and let loose a pillar of fire to scorch Kairi, giving himself time to sprint at Riku in desperate speeds. Riku noticed Garland was at his personal and cringed, he used a fire ball to shoot himself out of melee range. He focused as Garland kept a pursuit, gathering enough to unleash a morning divide. Garland clawed through each projectile and kept getting closer, Kairi flapped her wings to sprout feathers and focused.

She turned her blade into a staff and conjured a plethora of crystals, she shined a ray of light into one and reflected it across many. Bombarding the Feral Chaos and bringing his attention to her, he charged like a meteor. Kairi returned her staff to a sword, flew to his side and countered with a slash of light that sent him flying. The girl flew at the demon, like a star and stabbed him in the chest. Light glowed from with in.

STAB!

A keyblade, resembling a tower, jabbed the demon at the side. Then an ice crystal, then a wooden branch belonging to a swamp, then a floral rose teeth blade, then a golden key looking like it is a piece of an Arabian palace. Garland struggled from the impaling and watched Riku fly to his face, the boy took Way to Dawn and thrust the blade in between the ribs.

The Darkness fizzled out in static and light burst from the demons chest. Garland was sent falling down on his back. Thud! The mist of a hearty battle blew over, Garland forced his head up, feeling the light has torn something loose. He looked a panting Riku and Kairi in the eyes, opened his mouth and breathed out. "T...T...Thank...y...you."

He slump his head back and passed, the light slowly broke his body to dust. Kairi took a deep breath, noticed winged mites scurrying at the foe and glared. Riku knew what they want and formed an orb of setting light. It bombarded the heartless and he yelled. "Now! Get his heart!" Kairi dashed to the breaking body, saw a dark, multi colored heart float from the chest and caught it with her wings. She let the heart know it's safe with her, turned to Riku and waved. "We did it! Phew!"

Flap! She noticed something flying over the maze, Riku had a moment to freeze in terror as Kairi watched Dorghar pounce upon her. The girl side stepped and spun in sync to the beast. She looked upon the rider, the Everchosen and locked eyes in anger. Archaon opened his hand and placed it forward. "That fools heart is condemned to the Darkness, child. Release it now."

Kairi closed her eyes and shook her head. "No." She faced the Everchosen with a light of righteous anger. "You and your gods have taken enough from us! By tomorrow, you're just going to be another dark cloud that's going away." Archaon smiled wickedly. "That cloud has devour the horizon, Princess! It will remain longer than you will."

Dorghar sprinted in a pounce, Kairi stepped back, caused her blade to break apart and leap at the steeds chest. BASH! She smashed a activating rocket into Dorghar and caused it to step back, Archaon was caught by surprise and saw Kairi at his face. She had a giant warhammer and swung it with the light of a star. She gritted her teeth and yelled as the hammer collided with the Everchosen. A second missile was pushing against the rider, Kairi flapped back and let the missiles fly. Shoving Archaon and his steed across the wall and to the mountain ahead. It shook and the maze shifted to close off the damages and prevent a frontal assault.

Kairi reverted Namine's craft back to a keyblade and landed. She felt her wings shining and she looked to Riku, who was speechless.

March! March! "Kai... you... did you..." Riku looked right to find Dupmic and Ana arriving, the replica was losing his breath in admiration and disbelief. The original spoke it out. "She stood up to Archaon and sent him flying over there."

Ana huhed. "I'll be an Orruk that's learned manners." She laughed heartily. "Amazing!" She looked at the closed off passage and approached. "We got to strike while the crack is made. Kairi, may I have a word with Garland?"

The girl imagined question marks over her head, Ana sensed the confusion and explained. "Maybe he'll help us bring this maze down so we can reunite with our friends and finish this war? Archaon is awfully skimpy on his own forces, so that means-" The Princess flinched. "They're not in the maze, they're likely around it?"

Riku advised against the plan. "Are you sure that's the best idea we got?" Ana admitted. "It's a horrible one but if we don't demolish this place, this maze will find a way to cut us off at the gust of a flap."

The children found that a valid point, Kairi presented Ana with the heart. The Stormcast aimed her blade at the heart and closed her eyes, she found herself in a void on a blank platform. Before her was a battered, shell of a knight, on his hands and knees in complete exhaustion. Ana felt the draining pain and lowered herself. "This whole time, you were scared of what we were really up against. So you used that power lust you had to try and defy the gods?"

Garland looked up at the warrior, defeated by the constant bombardments upon his mind. He gave a faint laugh. "I've always been a simple man, who has taken what he can. I brought myself into something grander, but was I ever the one in control?"

Ana shook her head. "The moment you started to work for evil ends, you'd sell your your soul before you had the chance to figure out that you did. Once you broke yourself from that loop and brought about chaos, you earned the attention of the Dark gods. Their Everchosen in particular sought to make you into their pet, something those young ones had to put down if I can guess right." She offered him a hand. "When you see one soul go down that path, you see them all. So, even if it is for one time, will you help us end this war? This maze needs to come down and your strength might do the trick?"

Garland gasped, started laughing bitterly at his choices and took the hand. "This cycle must end." PEW! In a sudden, Ana was back to reality, Garland's heart melded with her blade and gave it a glow of earth. Ana flipped her blade, went to the center point and aimed it to the earth. "Stand back y'all. This is going to be a shaker."

At the moment Sora was closed off from the fight.

He and the Lingering Will were recovering from their blow and noticed the wall closing them off. Sora paniced and tried to punch the wall. "Kairi! Riku!" He kept doing it until his common sense kicked in, hearing the roars of Feral Chaos wasn't making it feel better. If he didn't have a helmet on, he would have pulled his hair. "Wrrraaaaargh!" He screamed out in dismay. "What are we going to do?! Our friends are going to get killed out here!"

The Lingering Will agreed with him and found a passage out. "They're not going to last if we don't find them again." Sora saw the path and followed. There wasn't a whole lot of Mecha Nids in the way, the ones that were ended up on the receiving end of the Lingering Will's blade. They found a giant winged mite with crab claws, get gunned down by something in the right of a room. They turned to find the Rubricae and a mind controlled Assassin with a determined Ahriman that was ready to demolish the maze. Sora braced for a fight. "Ahriman!"

The Sorcerer heard the voice and looked upon the two that stood in the way of a left path, Ahriman raised his staff up. "We finally meet again Sora." He looked upon the armor. "Terra."

The Lingering Will was ready to attack the Sorcerer. "You caused this to happen, what tricks are you up to this time?" Ahriman wondered as well and kept his pet on a hold. "I'm in the process of figuring that out myself. Me and my cohorts have arrived to dispose of an asset that has ceased to be a use, some time ago. For some reason, he's discovered knowledge about the Great Devourer and has made these amusing horrors in their stead." He shivered, glad he isn't dealing with actual Tyranids. "But since these are simple heartless, made in the liking of the Tyranids, I thought to adapt and turn this little plan of Xehanort's against him." He pointed at the Lingering Will. "And since one of the keys I need, to reveal his doom, has just arrived before me. It is time this all ends."

Sora stood in front of the Lingering Will and barked. "He's counting on us fighting each other! We don't got the time to deal with you." Ahriman stared at Sora and let his Assassin scurry to the alternate path. "I don't need to right now." The Lingering Will paid attention to the Heartless as the Sorcerer vowed. "Once me and my allies get together, we will break this Maze down and show you all the full might of our army."

Sora approached slightly and scoffed. "What are you going to do? Blow this wasteland from the sky? We know what you want and we're just going to fight each other again anyways. So will you cut it out." Ahriman applauded and pointed a finger up. "That's the plan once I have Xehanort in my clutches, the means to track him down has just caught him in its senses."

Sora realize the Assassin was on his way to the Dark Seeker, the Lingering Will stopped and turned to the path as Ahriman asked. "Who is the bigger threat at the moment?" The Lingering Will lowered his weapon and sprinted. "Xehanort!"

Sora tried to say something, knowing this was part of Ahriman's scheme. In a sudden, a wall slid in the way, annoying the boy and the Sorcerer that quickly brought something out. "And now, things will go exactly as planned. Sora." The boy turned his head, seeing that Ahriman had a canister with a trigger being used as a handle. "Ensure that Terra gets his body back. You and I both know that Xehanort will pull a quick scheme to try and prevent that coming to fruition."

He hovered the canister to Sora, who looked at it and saw it was an ordinary explosive. He grabbed it by the handle and had more questions. Ahriman ordered his Rubrics and went the path the boy took. "Rubrics, let's find Maleficent and the flock. This war is at it's climax."

They took off and Sora yelled out. "Hey, wait!" Ahriman aimed his hand up and caused a wall of earth to cover his escape. Leaving the boy alone with the canister and a wall, Sora looked to the explosive and asked. "How am I suppose to use this?" He recalled the moment an old friend used such a canister, to bring down two giant mechanical monsters. A pull on the trigger and a little heat could amplify the explosive reaction to bring down the thick earthen wall. Sora put the canister on center base, ran far away and aimed his blade to conjure a fire spell.

"Fire in the hole!"

Prior to the separation.

Ven and Aqua were in a frantic battle against a giant Mite with large crab like claws and a pair of giant, scythe like talons and a scythe like tail. It kept rushing through the projectiles fired upon it and for obvious reasons, the Keybearers kept far away from the melee of the beast. Aqua fired a missile like fire ball at it's face and heard the beast howl. She phewed as she watched the beast cover its face in a fumble. "Yes, finally." She saw a passage that the beast was in and signaled. "Come on, let's ditch it!"

Ven approved and followed, he turned back to see the beast turn. It glared at the escaping prey, the right of it's face was regenerating in nano bites. Yet its lens like eye wasn't growing back. Ven cringed. "How are suppose to bring this down?!" The One Eyed Mite sprinted as Aqua turned, saw her spell did meaningless damage and sprouted the wings of a frost pheonix. She cawed into the majestic form and rushed at One Eye. The One Eyed Mite opened his mouth to lunge. Aqua made impact with the face and flapped cold feathers all over the beast. She back flipped from her avian form and watched the beast freeze stiff. It wasn't moving, Ven wasn't so sure if that would stop it for good and cheered. "Woot! Finally!"

Aqua turned with a mutual smile. "Let's leave before it thaws," Ven took the lead. "It's gotten through a lot worse." They hurried through the passage, made a left turn into a corridor and took a right.

They found a step going down into a chamber and made their jump. Their hearts beaten more than they expected, something is near. Their breaths left, they looked around to find someone jumping down and slowing his fall. A certain Dark Seeker that has occupied the body of a close friend of theirs. Xehanort landed and drew out a blade with No Name. He gave the Wayfinders a fierce glare, greatly annoyed that the two managed to survive his death trap for longer than he desired. "So we've finally came to this? You never seem to move on."

Aqua growled. "We're coming home with Terra, whether you like it or not. Ten years is long enough." The Dark Seeker readied to strike and smirked in ill intent. "That it has." Ven shook and whispered a promise. "Just hold on a little more, Terra. We're finally here."

Xehanort let loose a battle cry. "Darkness awaits you all!"

Warp!

He dashed at the two like a shadow and swung at Aqua, the Wayfinders parried as one and noticed something coming to their right. Aqua stepped back as Ven was sucker punched by the Guardian. The boy flew to a wall, caught his landing and dashed as the Guardian gave chase. Ven gave a spark of wind and flung himself back to the fight as the demon bolted with a shoulder bash. Aqua was given an upper cut from a fist, flipped and unleashed a barrage of crystal spears. Xehanort sank into shadows and disappeared. Aqua halted and clapped to make a gust of wind. Xehanort high jumped from the shadows to get to the Keyblade Master's personal. He aimed his blade and launched a purple fire ball.

BLAST!

Aqua felt that, glowed in blue and fired the spear again. The first one made contact, the second one was deflected. Xehanort rushed through the third as a dark comet. "Return to the Darkness!"

SLASH!

Ven flew at him and struck him in the shoulder, disrupting the attack and trapping him in a stun lock. Aqua glowed her blade in ice and sparked it in lightning, she blew a wave and shouted. "Aurora!"

At her command, a cold wave of green lights flowed from her blade and wrapped around the Dark Seeker, bringing about a chill that was quickly freezing him. Aqua caught sight of the Guardian rushing to Ven and jumped mid air. "Ven, up!"

The boy flipped over a recovering Dark Seeker and smacked him in the back of the head. The Wayfinders spotted the Guardian missing it's bull rush, Xehanort called it to him and commanded it. "Repel them!"

The Guardian flexed and glowed in an aura of dark blue. The Wayfinder duo flew back to find the shadow growing. Pillars of dark blue energy erupted into waves of three, each one reaching out far.

Xehanort focused on the duo, swung his blade and unleashed a dark volley upon them. Aqua and Ven conjured reflective barriers to endure the initial volley and flew left and right to dodge the next five. Xehanort swung again to make the volley scatter in a zig zag pattern. Aqua got shot down, the Guardian gave chase to her as she tried to land. Leaving Ven by himself, the boy had a moment to realize that as Xehanort rushed at him. Ven parried and was smacked to the far distance, the boy's heart beat and he focused on his blade.

It shattered into splinters and enveloped into wind, the splinters became something of tiny swords and hovered behind him like wings. Ven grabbed two blades as the Dark Seeker was at his personal space.

CLASH!

Ven had something of a push and grabbed two more, he slashed the Dark Seeker away and grabbed the last two. The blade resembled two curved swords. Xehanort had a moment to recover and saw the boy cross his arms to fly at him.

SLASH!

Xehanort flipped to the ground and smashed the earth. Aqua watched the Guardian bolt after her and frantically flickered specs of light that didn't do anything. The Keyblade Master was seeing the yellow in the demons eyes and smirked.

Flicker!

She disappeared as the Guardian rushed into a floor of nothing. It looked around and sensed a flicker. Aqua was by a crystal and taunted. "What's the matter? Seeing stars?" The Guardian sank into the ground, Aqua activated levitation and hovered. She flew in fast speeds and watched the Guardian shoot itself from the shadows. She made a fast turn left, predicting the Guardian would leap from where she was going. She looked up to find Ven had sent Xehanort in a flip. The Dark Seeker smashed into the ground and caused a pillar of earth to erupt.

Ven aimed his arms back, like he was flapping with wings and dived after the Dark Seeker. He pressed the sky blades together and somersaulted forward. Slamming the blades like an avian would a deep peck. Xehanort parried the blades and noticed the wind condensing at the tip of the pressed blades, a dagger of wind.

PECK!

Xehanort was knocked to the ground and he flipped on his feet, Ven split his blades apart and jumped again. The Dark Seeker warped, appeared out of sight of the boy and rushed at him. Ven was broken out of his combo. Xehanort warped again and rushed to his side, repeating in a brutal pattern.

Aqua cringed, sprouted a set of blue glowing wings and conjured a prism high up on a wall. PEW! Ven noticed a blink a blue prism to grab on to. Xehanort warped above the boy and was ready to smash him in the skull. Ven touched the prism and felt a shine of blue. He was at the far end, far away from the Dark Seeker that realized he missed. Aqua flickered to a far end prism to avoid the Guardian and conjured a black prism. She fired multiple crystals of various colors at Xehanort.

The Dark Seeker turned to deflect the shot back at her. Blip! Aqua warped to a prism close to the ground and fired, catching the Dark Seeker in the blast. Ven used the wind to fly fast, press his blades together and turned it into handles, he caused an orb of light to form and condense it to a meteor. Aqua caught the sight, flapped to get under Ven and toss the prism his way. It made contact with the meteor and caused it to become a rainbow of colors. Aqua turned her blade into a rope handle and jumped after the Dark Seeker that recovered to see deadly blow coming. "You're not getting away this time!"

Wrap!

She tied Xehanort in place and gave the lasso a glow to stop him from teleporting. Ven gritted his teeth and felt his body glowing, he hovered to a higher position, raise his hands up and threw the meteor down. It collided with the Dark Seeker and sent him falling to the earth. Xehanort pushed it back as Aqua let go. The Meteor split into seven, one for each color. They collided and shoved the Dark Seeker into the ground.

Ven reverted his tool back to a keyblade as Aqua called the lasso back turned it to Stormfall. They charged as one, the Guardian appeared in a puff of dark mist and tried to block them. Ven and Aqua gave a glow of sun light and sea sparkles.

SLASH!

They struck the Guardian and caused it to disappear, Xehanort shook from the blow and watched his defense vanish. He parried Ven and glowed his fist in darkness. Aqua became still, like a phantom, and went to his back angle.

Strike!

Ven spun and struck the Dark Seeker in the face, sending him spinning back. The Wayfinders shined like a combined star, blitzed their nemesis and gave a combined yell. SLASH! Xehanort fumbled and fell on his knees, he was lost in a complete daze.

Ven breathed in at a turn, touched the tip of his blade and pulled out a string of light rope. Not wanting to take any chances, he tossed an end to Aqua with an idea in mind. "You're thinking what I'm thinking?"

Aqua nodded. "Let's tie him up and go into his heart!" Ven smiled to that. "Terra will hear us better that way."

They approached and saw the Dark Seeker trying to come through, he was holding back something. He placed a hand on his head, closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "R...Ru" The voice's tone struck differently, if familiar. Ven's mouth became an o in hope someone heard. The Wayfinders wanted to hurry, regardless of the R and the u from. The possessed man kept whispering. "Ru...ru-" He glowed in darkness, convulsing in pain. PULSE. "RUUUUAAAAAAR!"

The body let loose dark chains that reached out to nowhere, before the Wayfinders could respond, they felt metal wrap around their waist.

Yank!

The Wayfinders yelped to the jerk move and found themselves hanging high. They called at once. "Terra, don't do this!" The possessed body held to his face in a short clash between identities, he gave off a malicious smile at the duo's imminent demise. The chains thrashed like a couple of tentacles, the Dark Seeker boast as he moved his arms with the chains. "You'll never break these chains."

THRASH!

The Wayfinders were thrashed around like rag dolls, bones were being jerked and the inside of their head was feeling like fish bowls. The Dark Seeker kept it going and laughed maniacally. "These are bonds that you should have let go, ages ago." Aqua tried to say something and was shaken once more, the contents of her stomach were ready to over ride her voice box. Ven swallowed and breathed out. "Please, fight... this."

THRASH!

The thrashing is making it hard to get a breath and the Dark Seeker demanded. "Your words mean nothing to me!" Stomp! Stomp! "Let them go!" Rush!

Xehanort was off guard by the voice and noticed something in armor rushing at him in the speeds of a freight train. He took the Blade with No Name and used it to parry the sudden arrival, the Lingering Will. The collision let loose a shock wave that broke the chains. The Wayfinders dropped limp and were on the verge of passing out, for some reason they floated. Aqua was too phased in the eyes to notice, yet Ven had enough of a cling to turn his eyes. A very familiar, neon colored, clown like alien was floating down with them. He helped the two land gently and turned his head to give Ven something of a smile, Ven was too shaken to give one back and heard something landing with the flap of a bird. He turned to find something that froze him still, a white angelic, owl like dove with a strap on bag.

The dove gasped to the two in worry and performed an odd dance, it glistened in the dance and flung drops of dew that splashed in between the Wayfinders. Ven felt his nerves coming to life and his haze lightening, the images were still there. He wasn't hallucinating. The dove tilt it's head as it noticed Aqua coming through, it chirped. "Toge?"

Ven breathed out, grew teary eyed and smiled out a yes. Bursty and the dove began flickering. The dove waved and took flight in a veil of feathers, vanishing in astral mystery. Bursty spun backwards and let loose a similar veil, it had a rather invigorating dance, as if it was wishing the boy good luck. Ven closed his eyes in a vow and tried standing up.

Aqua's vision returned and she was watching the Lingering Will clash blows with Xehanort. Her heart skipped a beat and she got on her hands and knees before making a stand. She noticed Ven getting up and had quick questions that were ill timed to ask. The two warriors locked blades, Xehanort scoffed at the suit of armor. "So even you were able to traverse this maze?"

The Lingering Will pushed back in a mantra. "I will set this right! You won't lay another hand on them!" Push! The two shoved each other, the Lingering Will flipped to smash the Ends of the Earth to the ground and unleash a pillar of stone. Xehanort back flipped and watched the Lingering Will rush at him, using the keyblade like it is a giant claymore. Aqua felt the fighting style to be quite refreshing and Ven felt a vigor in his heart. They looked to each other and prepared for the chance to strike.

Xehanort kept a trade of blows and balked at the Lingering Will. "Fool, you're just an empty suit of armor. You can't do anything to stop what is set in motion." Aqua found the chance. "Maybe not alone" PEW! CLASH! She joined with the Lingering Will in a clash of blades and gave off a glow of blue light, Ven enveloped himself in wind and flew into the fray. "but together the impossible is possible!"

Clash!

Xehanort was pushed back by the combined blows, he jumped back and sank into the ground. "A foolish, nostalgic dream!" The Trio looked around and saw the center of the room growing in shadow, the Dark Seeker commanded. "Swallow their hopes!" The shadow quickly expanded, smothering the ways out, the sky and the trickling light. Many yellow eyes, gazed upon the Wayfinders. Xehanort emerged from the center, behind him was a giant Guardian with demonic wings. The eyes glowed an apocalyptic red and fired a mass of projectiles. The Guardian rushed at the trio, Ven and Aqua jumped high as the Lingering Will rushed through the Guardian. The entity's torso ruptured and it staggered to regenerate. Aqua stopped close of Xehanort and flew her blade to use as a close ranged projectile, emitting arcane power. Ven rushed from behind and slashed, the Dark Seeker parried the magical blade, took Ven's blow and countered with a firm kick.

BASH!

The Lingering Will struck the Dark Seeker and sent him flying into the darkness. PEW! PEW! PEW! The projectiles scattered, the Wayfinders focused on avoiding those and watched the glow of red fire at them. The Lingering Will stood by his friends and turned his blade into a giant club and smacked the explosives away. The Guardian flew to the sky and glowed his chest in a dark red. Aqua realize what that is. "It's gonna fire!" She grabbed Ven by the hand and sprinted, the Lingering Will turned his blade into a glider and used it to zip to the other end.

Blarg!

The Guardian fired the red beam at the empty space and moved it to one of the eyes. The eyes glowed red, the Wayfinders found themselves in the direct gaze of one of them and leaped.

PEW!

The eyes fired the red beam, the duo rolled from the other one and were in a corner of devastation. The Lingering Will returned his glider to a blade and high jumped at the Guardian, smacking it hard and sending it dropping to the darkness. Aqua and Ven felt something was right behind them and rolled forward. Dodging a back attack from a Dark Seeker that hovered past them, flipped and unleashed a barrage of a dark volley.

Aqua spun her blade to make a crystal barrier and shot it to shield Ven and herself, the boy circled around the barrier and struck Xehanort by surprise. The Lingering Will turned to see the fighting bellow, leaped mid air and gave the shine of a meteor making a collision. Aqua back flipped to a wall as Ven used the wind to blow himself back.

SMASH!

Xehanort parried it and was scorched by the flames of collision, he warped to the center of the arena, clenched his free hand and punched the air. In a sudden, a giant dark fist punched from the corner of the arena, smashing the Wayfinders to a wall. The fist pulled and the fleshy duo were feeling pain. Aqua glowed in morning light that soothed the wounds and called. "Come on, we got to get closer!"

Ven followed the order as the battered armor looked right to find a fist coming for him. He flew forward to avoid the punch. Ven focused upon the Dark Seeker that pulled a fist back and raise his hands up. The Guardian leaped from the back and readied to dive as a dark meteor.

Ven called upon eight solar blades and burst like that of blinding sun. Flash! He was at the Dark Seeker's personal and slashed with a giant curved sword. He slashed all around and caused a large dust devil to blow, mixing sand with the gaze of the sun to make an atmosphere of a desert. Aqua and the Lingering Will back flipped to avoid the Guardian's Impact. Aqua conjured an orb and had it spin around the Guardian, turning into rope with a heavy ball. The Guardian was bound in place, it struggled to break the rope. The Keyblade Master only had the borrowed seconds as a concern, cloaked her blade into a sword of blue crystal and jumped into the fight. Xehanort was cornered by the sun lit blade and Aqua's sharp magical sword. Slash! He cringed from the blow and warped to get a flanking blow.

The Lingering Will clashed blows in an upper cut and sent the Dark Seeker flipping. The Guardian burned his bindings away and the Dark Seeker commanded. "Don't let them escape!"

The Guardian sank into the ground, popped up behind his master to help him regain balance and cause the ground to pull to the center. The ground became something like a black hole, sucking the Wayfinders to the ground. The Guardian warped to the trio and swiped a wave of energy. Flip! Aqua and Ven rolled right as the Lingering Will went left. Xehanort warped to the duo and blitzed, Aqua stabbed the ground and flipped upward to make a barrier of crystal. The Dark Seeker collided and caused it to crack, prisms scattered and a particular one reflected Aqua's image. The lady of blue moved side ways to disappear and warp through the reflection.

Slash!

The Lingering Will was on a constant harassment from the Guardian that let loose shock wave after shock wave. It flung at the Lingering Will to smash it to the ground, the armor rolled, turned his blade into a drill and rushed it through the Guardian. It took the blow, flew around the Lingering Will and sucker punched it. The Lingering Will went with the flow and called upon a trio of strange orbs to fire laser beams and harass the Guardian. Ven kept an eye on the armors fight and focused on a distracted Xehanort, the boy turned his blade into an exotic curved sword and gave a battle cry of pure will.

CLASH!

One swipe was parried, the boy stepped back and let the sword glow like a rising sun. Aqua saw the shine and closed her eyes, Xehanort rushed at Ven and readied a dark glowing fist. Ven was surrounded by sand and sprinted at the Dark Seeker, like a striking viper. Light flickered with in the curved sword, vaporized the moisture in the air and burst out as a white hot blast of the sun. Xehanort screamed in the pain and backed away. He covered his eyes and was bull rushed out of the horizon by the Lingering Will, the Dark Seeker skid across the battle field and flipped. He rubbed his eyes and commanded. "Guardian, take that armor away from them!"

The Guardian stretched it's hand and dissolved into mists, the Wayfinder duo stood in between it and the unaware Lingering Will. The arena became darker and darker, turning into a pitch black abyss. With it, the mists vanished from their sights. They noticed the darkness moving towards somewhere and heard the clacking of armor. They realize the mist slipped past them and turned sharply. The Lingering Will stopped in its tracks and tried to force something out, more and more darkness poured into the armor as the Dark Seeker smirked at a gamble paying off.

The Lingering Will turned at the Wayfinders and readied a battle pose. Aqua cringed at what just happened, Ven screamed out. "You got to be kidding me!"

RUSH!

Xehanort flew at Ven, punched him in the stomach and sent him flying. The Lingering Will lunged at Aqua and swiped fast, the lady parried one blow and was hurled by the second one. She flipped mid air to get between the duo and a Ven that was regaining his breath. Xehanort laughed manically at the Wayfinders peril. "Face the facts, your friend is gone. You will never free him from the Darkness he has fallen to." He and the Lingering Will readied in sync for a seismic wave. "You've only doom yourselves by coming here."

Tink!

In a sudden, the Darkseeker saw someone arriving with a set of angelic wings. A winged boy in a mystical set of armor rushed at the two and let loose a fast, windy combo comparable to a hurricane. SWIPE! The Lingering Will fumbled backwards as Xehanort back flipped, recognizing who the armored boy is. Sora called out. "Come on Terra, this is crazy! You're friends are trying to get you out of this mad house. Please, fight it!"

The Lingering Will froze in place for a moment as Xehanort charged the chosen of the keyblade. CLASH! Sora locked blades, determined to close the book of a long tale. Xehanort jumped back and glowed No Name in a dark red. "Submit, boy."

Warp!

He warped to Sora's personal space and gave the boy a reason to roll back. The Lingering Will pulsed in darkness, gave off a feral scream and rushed after Sora. Aqua and Ven flew at the armor as one and pushed it away, forcing it to direct dark, explosive projectiles at them.

The Wayfinders split apart, watched the Lingering Will turn his blade into a whip with a blade at the end and rolled back to avoid the swipe. The slashed again, Aqua giving off a pulse of frost to try and freeze the foe in place and Ven letting loose a spear of light. The Lingering Will jumped back, turned the blade into a cross bow and fired, Aqua and Ven kept close and danced around the shots. The Lingering Will turned the bow into a dark glowing great axe and gave the duo a reason to jump over.

Something shined in Aqua's instincts, she pulled out her charm and caused it to glow into something of crystal star. It looked very familiar, Ven was drawn to it and pulled out his, tapping into another star. They placed charms together and saw it shine as pure crystal. Xehanort noticed the shine and looked ready to bull rush the two. Sora wondered what was going on, turned to see a brilliant crystal. A memory sparked in his mind.

"What was sundered and undone, shall be whole. The two made one."

A hope shined in the boys heart and he brought about Oathkeeper. "You've ruined enough dreams already!" PEW! He teleported in light and stood in the Dark Seekers way. Giving the Wayfinders time to focus the crystal into the Lingering Will. A yellow shine.

The Lingering Will convulsed, yelled and let loose black tendrils that flailed wildly. Aqua and Ven back flipped and watched the armor leap at them, the duo flew far to avoid a slam that erupted pillars of dark earth. Xehanort scoffed at the pointless effort, stepped back and cause No Name to split into two twin blades. Each with half of a horn for a handle. Sora swallowed and called upon Oblivion, tapping into his double form.

A voice in his heart, whispered. "We got this, Sora. Let's show him what these bonds mean." Sora dashed at the same time as Xehanort. "You and me Roxas." Clash!

Don't give up.

Dive deeper

Somewhere in the dark, a man screamed and broke from a binding of dark chains. The voices of familiar kin called to him with the melody of a heart beat. "We're here, Terra." "Just keep fighting him!" A voice echoed in the stillness. "Keep fighting. Keep Fighting."

The man fell into the endless abyss and found a hard bottom a few seconds in. He was confused by the why, looked ahead and found a floating feather in front of a key hole shaped door. The glimmer of light drew him to the object, disregarding that it was sudden. He touched the feather and heard a noise, bringing about an floating infant like statue. It had a set of angelic wings, two sets of horns and a blank expression. It gave a haunting praise. "Salvation has come, but you must make it so."

The man understood, focused on his right hand and drew upon the Ends of the Earth. "What's going on?! Where am I?" The statue pressed his hands together. "The melding of your heart with your will. Do you here the angels calling for you?" Terra readied to answer and heard a strangers voice echoed, one of a boy. "He won't keep you trapped anymore. Keep following your friends!"

The statue took the astonishment as a yes. "Follow the Light, cast the Devil's hold into the Abyss he seeks." The right of its face cracked in a dark red glow, sucking the pieces of stone into it's body. Terra became stunned by the transformation, half of the statues face glowed into a red spiral. Out of it, came a red locust. The statue floated to Terra's side as a familiar, in its still pose. The man thought little of it and went across the keyhole, entering a room that resembles something of dark blue flesh for the flooring. The walls lined with pink, hellish faces. Terra sensed something lunging from behind him and rolled left, avoiding a collection of black tentacles.

PEW! A light shot out from the center and vaporized the tentacles. Terra had a chance to look at the source. A pure white crystal, surrounded by petals of blue and green. Something descended to get in Terra's way, a demonic, black figure with white bandages covering its mouth and a heart shaped hole on it's chest.

Ripple!

The nightmarish scape convulsed, whispers wormed their way in.

"Use the forbidden power."

"Crush all who stand before you."

"Fester with in the Darkness, child."

"Turn their laughter into a chorus."

Terra held the side of his head and the nightmarish scape sprouted to life, in reaction to the whispers. The statue kept by Terra and allowed it's locust to fly at the Darkness, the locust bit at the things shoulder, but it certainly did not do a whole lot of damage. The Darkness flew at Terra and expanded it's abdomen, the warrior flew around the attack, fearing what will happen if it consumed him again. He charged at the rear of the Darkness to slash fast and true. The blade cut through the Darkness like it was but a cloud. It erupted into dark tendrils, snared him by the hand and yanked him in.

PEW!

In a sudden, light rushed through him and burned into the darkness, the voice of a sage beckoned him. "This is a demon you must overcome. But you're not facing this alone. Follow the Light."

Terra turned to the crystal and found a strange, alien sage floating above. He dashed to the Crystal and felt a stronger pull. The Darkness erupted, faced the Warrior and fired a volley. Terra deflected the volley back and the statue floated to catch a bolt with its hole. It spun with its spiral twirling and sprouted a second locust. The voices of familiar friends kept calling.

"You got to keep going!"

"Break free."

The Darkness flew at Terra with the force of an endless abyss. Terra rushed back and slashed with a flash of light, the Darkness howled and broke apart. The room opened tendrils of dark flesh and fired upon the man. Terra focused on one side, hovered and fired beams of ragnarok, vaporizing the artillery. The statue floated by the man's back and sparked in light. Terra heard the spark of something and turned, seeing a giant golden shield with a cross that absorbed the projectiles and fired back.

He thought of something, grabbed the statue, enveloped it in wind and spun before hurling it. Making the statue absorb three more projectiles. He swatted four remaining right back at a large piece of artillery as the statue stopped, shook dizzy and floated by the side of the wall, spawning three more locust. It let loose the five on the lesser artillery and had them devoured in record speeds. Terra felt a little more confident and went back to the crystal, he thought about what was needed to be done, not noticing the looming darkness above.

SMASH!

A fist crashed down to shatter the crystal, engulfing the arena in complete Darkness. Terra was knocked on his rear and looked above to find yellow eyes glaring down at him. A stream of tentacles rained down after him, Terra flipped and kept a move. "This evil has left your heart mangled. But what is wounded, can be healed."

Terra looked at the upper left corner of the arena and a spark of light, sprouting like a plant. Petals of blue and green crystals formed and blossomed, revealing the pure crystal. Terra made his dash and asked the statue. "Come on, we can beat this thing together!" The statue turned, surprised that he was addressed. It followed at his command. The Darkness didn't take too kindly to it's host scurrying towards the light and extended a shadow.

Hands sprouted out and grabbed Terra down, a buzzing voice whispered. "The hearts you've wounded, won't ever heal. It's foolish to keep fighting." A burning voice giggled. "You'll just be judged like the rest of them."

Bzz!

A flock of locust swarmed the hands and nibbled upon them, Terra pulled as the statue hymned with humor. "They speak like the angels, who are reaching for thee, aren't without sin either." The Darkness fired a sharp beam at Terra, to halt his escape. The statue, once again, soaked the blow and spawned another locust. Terra gritted his teeth and pushed enough to deal a blow at the hands, freeing himself. He wind dashed to the crystal and using it as his beacon for the strange age.

He turned to find a brutish warrior rushing at the crystal and barking in a familiar voice. "Submit!" Terra upper cut the warrior and smashed it down with the force of a meteor, the Darkness flipped and let loose the Shadow Demon that charged yet again. Terra focused and have his blade take the form of a giant cannon.

BLAM!

The Shadow Demon was blasted into the Darkness. Terra reached for the crystal, in an attempt to figure out how it can help deal with the Darkness. His vision turned to the light of a maze in the wasteland. He was crouching from something and felt the host looking around sharply, finding two armored warriors that were battered and keeping guard. One in slick silver, the other is shorter, in golden highlighted armor. The vision darken quickly and Terra called out with muffled words. "Aqua?! Ven?! What am I-" The Darkness clamped in the back of his mind and made Terra's words come off as savagery. He leaped at the two and smashed the Ends of the Earth to the ground, creating a tremor that split side ways in a dark quake. Aqua and Ven jumped side by side in a frantic struggle.

He turned the blade into a great axe and rushed at Ven, shoulder first. Ven back flipped and balked. "Come on, you can do better than that!" He shined his blade in pure light and lunged for a counter attack.

In a sudden, Terra felt himself yanked from sight and back in the hellish chamber. Away from the light and to the Darkness that sprouted a cage with a strange, red and black emblem. The thought of his friends being in more danger, least of all Ven, made him rush at the cage on an instinct.

ZAP!

The cage let loose an electrical pulse, Terra gritted his teeth and gave a glow of light before slashing at the cage. It shattered in one blow, Terra made his flight to the crystal as the statue pleaded. "Lend me some of that wonder." Terra was ready to ask how that can work and saw the Darkness over the crystal.

SMASH!

Another was shattered and the two were alone, Terra didn't question it and tossed a projectile at the statue. The statue consumed it in the abyss and it spawned a strange locust of cyan light. The Darkness engulfed the southern portion of the room and rushed as a wall of multiple hungry faces. The statue stared at one of the faces and unleashed it's locusts, the cyan one flew to it's forehead and caused it to disintegrated in light. Terra used that as his opening and wind dashed past the danger.

PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW!

In a sudden, laser beams circled around the man, he flipped over one circle, met another. "Why do you continue to fight? Why haven't you fought sooner?" A haunting voice echoed from the nothing.

Terra had a concern for what is going on beyond the vision and tried ignoring the voice. In a sudden, a phantom with twin laser blades, rushed at him.

Terra parried the blow and felt the Darkness encroaching. He didn't have an answer for the later. "I'm being used to hurt my friends, I got to stop that."

He shook his head in doubts as the crystal petals returned and grew the pure crystal, in the back end of the room, shining something of a path. The distorted faces in the room wiggled and closed in. The statue shook and beckon his locust swarm to the phantom, it swatted at them as Terra grabbed the statue by the hand and dashed to the crystal. The darkness pushed against the light that took the form of eight sages that raised their hands up in a hymn and kept the force at a stand still. Terra touched the crystal, the vision became that of a dark cloud. A gruffled voice balked. "Their efforts are pointless, Terra. By now, you are aware of how close we are to opening destiny! Let the Darkness take the Light."

The voice gave Terra a jolt of pain and pushed him from the crystal. One of the Sages turned and put a hand on Terra's shoulder. "Only you can stop this, if you let the Darkness take your friends. Evil will consume all!" The Statue floated high and let loose his cyan locust upon the approaching fist. "Only by a union of your hearts, will this Evil fall into the Great Abyss. Do not fear the pain, for more are with you to guide your way."

Terra nodded to the spirit guides and tried again. "I let them down once, but I won't let them down now." The vision pulsed in pain, Terra gritted his teeth and pushed through with a yell.

Don't give up.

Dive deeper

Sora clashed his blades upon Xehanort's with righteous vigor. He kept up with the Dark Seekers speeds, with the full intention on keeping him distracted. Ven and Aqua avoided a tremor smash from the Lingering Will that followed with a shoulder charge axe swing. Ven back flipped to avoid the axe swing and taunted. "Come on, you can do better than that!"

He glowed his blade in light and lunged for the Lingering Will, using his speeds to keep circling over the rampaging warrior. Aqua hovered, glowed in magical power and tossed bolts of the arcane. The Lingering Will jumped back, twitched it's free hand and threw a punch that enlarged into a dark fist. Ven used that as his chance to jump over the Lingering Will, he slashed at the sky with the intention to show growth in might. "I'm sorry about this!"

He hovered as pillars of divine light rained down, the feral armor was impaled from above. Aqua dashed close and gave quick short range slashes. Ven back flipped and watched the Lingering Will draw upon it's cross bow, it fired fast. Aqua slid left as Ven used a burst of wind to ascend to the air, the Lingering Will fired at the boy a second time. Ven let himself dive down, sparked his blade in the light and tossed it at the armor, like it was a spear. Tink! The Lingering Will convulsed in light and fired miniature, guardian like specters at the two.

At the other end of the arena, Xehanort tapped into a berzerker frenzy, glowed dark red and rushed at Sora. The boy back flipped from the initial swipes made a quick parry and spun a twilight slash. Sora caught the Dark Seeker in a stagger and slammed his blades to the ground, unleashing pillars of light and pillars of dark chains. Sora rushed at the Dark Seeker for more, earning a combo before the Dark Seeker warped. "Over here!"

Sora turned to the voice, found the foe was gone and spun to catch Xehanort attacking from behind. Sora was pushed far and saw dark chains forming around him. The boy flipped over the binding, focused and with a force of will caused a orb of light to appear in the sky. It burst to spread into a sky of night, with stars aligning. Sora waved Oathkeeper down and caused the stars to fly down at the Dark Seeker for a quick disruption. The boy rose Oblivion up and called upon more stars. Xehanort had a moment to turn, find the fast quantity of stars raining down and warped away. Sora caught the foe standing far and readying something, he aimed Oblivion at his location, drawing the star wave towards him.

Sora aimed both blades up. "Reach beyond the sky!" He swiped the blades down and caused the sky to rain a downpour. Bombarding Xehanort one more time.

Rush!

Xehanort felt the end of the attack and dashed at Sora, like a shadow. The boy was in a defensive position, side stepped in a spin and kept a close eye, avoiding the dashes like he was in a waltz.

PEW!

Sora felt the end of one attack, looked up and found his foe unleashing a barrage of dark fire balls, Sora kept a roll and watched the Dark Seeker warp to a corner of the eye. PEW! PEW! PEW! Sora crossed his blades and formed a magic barrier to deflect the fire balls back. Xehanort warped again, Sora turned to find the Dark Seeker forming a giant dark fire ball in a fast order. Xehanort cursed at the boy. "Smoulder in the depths of failure!"

Fling!

Sora stepped back and high jumped, he glided far away from the explosion. The Dark Seeker humpth, directed his attention to the brawl of the Lingering Will and focused. "Crush him!"

The Lingering Will stopped in it's tracks and flew to Xehanort, leaving the Wayfinders to accidentally clash with each other. The vessels spun directions, the Lingering Will formed a giant drill and dived at Sora as Xehanort speared to the confused Wayfinders. Aqua caught a hint of the Dark Seeker's approach, shoved Ven out of the way and braced her crystal shield.

CRASH!

The Dark Seeker smashed through the barrier and sent Aqua flying to a wall. The Keyblade Master yelled out at the blunt and collided with the pillar of solid stone. It cracked and Aqua was feeling like her bones were near to jelly. She panted and pulled herself up in a waddle. Ven was left by himself, he clashed gazes with the Dark Seeker and watched the foe warp to his personal space. Ven flipped with the speed of wind and kept close to the ground, dodging the super natural swipes.

Sora was in a case of deja vu with the Lingering Will, dashed to avoid the drill and watched a piece of wall come down. The Lingering Will rushed a dark fist mega punch that Sora jumped spun over. The boy crossed his blades and rushed through the mighty foe, he spun like a twister and flew at the Lingering will, to keep it in the air. The armor took the blow, flipped and smashed the Ends of the Earth upon the boy. Sora parried the blow, felt it come down at his head. He pushed to flip the blade over and attacked again.

Ven was realizing he needs to deal a meaningful blow, flipped his blade backwards and waited until the moment Xehanort had his blades in an x cross. Ven flipped rightwards and slashed the Dark Seeker in the back in a spin. The boy grabbed his blade with both hands and caused it to refine itself into a katana, he pulled and split it into two. Both resembled katanas of black steel, the wing like detail flew to his wrists. The Dark Seeker realized what the form change resembles and laughed at the idea that the boy would look up to a delusional fool. Ven flipped the katanas backwards and used the mockery as his chance to rush like the slicing wind of a storm.

ZZZLASH!

Xehanort took the blow, side stepped and clashed with the Unburden Twister. Aqua flew after the Dark Seeker and sprouted the fiery wings of a pheonix, colliding like a meteor. The Dark Seeker took the blow, spun and pressed his hands together, condensing the shadows and causing it to rise as an eyeless giant. It punched after the Wayfinders and had them jump back, from the giants fists, came a swarm of dark insects that flowed like a stream. Aqua inhaled the excess of heat, felt an intense burning in her lungs and screamed out an inferno, scorching the swarm into cinders. She had a thought in mind and unleashed streams of water to engulf the giant. The Dark Seeker side stepped and unleashed a blast of dark power at the Keyblade Master. Aqua wasn't in the mood to deal with another heavy blow and flew side ways before boiling the stream.

Ven saw the flow and tossed an electrically charged katana into the water, shocking the dark giant. The combined elements forced the darkness to dissolve and blow out a stormy cloud. Aqua landed with a zen, rolled to avoid Xehanort's bull rush and enveloped her blade in blue crystal. She pushed him into a quick parry that Ven took advantage off and bolted into the fray like lightning.

The duo felt their hearts beating hard for some reason. Ven tried ignoring it and struck the Dark Seeker at the shoulder, Xehanort locked the crystal blade with one sword and the two katanas with another. Aqua smirked to an idea and caused the crystals to sparkle bright, it shattered into a quick flash that blinded the Dark Seeker. Giving Ven the chance to slash at the hilt of the swords and knock them away. Xehanort felt that, stepped back from another blow and shot out tethers of the void at the Wayfinders, holding them in place and causing them to fall over in a draining pain.

The Dark Seeker panted, called his twin swords back and looked over to find Sora getting an upper hand over the Lingering Will. He flowed like a shadow as the boy was ready to smack the Lingering Will down with a crystalizing light. Sora didn't have a chance to notice and was blind sided at the chest by a singular blade. Sora was sent flying to a wall as the Lingering Will collapsed. The boy smacked to the wall, slid to his hands and knees and tried getting up.

STOMP!

He was stomped on the back of his torso, yelling out at the blunt pain and was shaking. The Lingering Will pushed itself upwards and stood in a stagger. Sora was coughing out a lung looked to find Xehanort at the end of his patience and ready to slash No Name at the boys neck. "This farce is OVER!"

The Lingering Will acted more clearly in it's haze, gave out a fierce battle cry and rushed at the Dark Seeker, he grappled him from behind and pulled. "ENOUGH!"

Xehanort was completely off guard and struggled. He thrashed and demanded the vessel. "Not yet, unhand me!" The Lingering Will struggled to breath out and kept pulling, keeping him away from Sora. "I'm setting... this... right! I will set this right."

The Dark Seeker kicked and screamed, Sora was on the verge of passing out and heard Roxas wheeze in him. "Hey, not here. It isn't time yet." Sora breathed in pain and crawled his way up, he closed his left eye. "I'm not... doing that. I just need a minute." Roxas panted in him. "That hurts, but it looks like our mission is about to be a success."

Ven and Aqua saw what was happening and pushed through the null pain. They were dizzy in the head and they watched the Lingering Will get struck by a flat end of a fist. It turned with the Dark Seeker in it's struggle. The Wayfinders readied their blades and circled around, to face the grappled Dark Seeker. Something shined through the back of his chest, a yellow star. Ven quivered as Aqua gave a determined aimed at the star. "This is it, this is our chance!" Ven nodded, knowing the battle isn't won yet. He aimed at the star with his Big Sis. "We're getting you home!"

PEW! They fired beams at the star that made contact with the Dark Seekers chest, he convulsed and shined with the Lingering Will. Nothing more was happening, the Wayfinders were feeling something fighting. Their hearts pleaded in sync. "Come on, come on."

Sora felt a ding of an idea and focused on the Lingering Will. He reverted out of double form and aimed the Kingdom Key. Channeling a beam directly at the Lingering Will and causing it's shine to spark like a star. The Guardians of Light felt a reaction nearing a critical point and at the skip of a beat a star burst, blowing air against the three. Their eyes adjusted and saw two shadows keeping hold. The Lingering Will collapsed as simple armor as a dark aura faded from the body. The body fell over on it's stomach.

As the darkness faded, so too does the white hair, the skin tone lightened to a man with a tan, event he scientist attire faded away, showing a simple short sleeve black shirt with a red x strap and a light brown kilt. No Name disappeared along with the darkness. Aqua and Ven felt their hearts leap at the sight. They regained some vigor, deactivated their armor and rushed to the knocked over man. "Terra!"

They reached the long lost friend and shook him. Shake! Shake! Shake! The body started moving. "U...uggh!" The Wayfinders recognized the voice and let go, letting their Lingering Buddy wake up. The man got up on his knees, completely dazed, he opened his eyes more clearly, showing blue eyes. He needed a moment after having so much light blasted into his being, he looked at the Wayfinders and was in complete disbelief. "A...Aqua? Ven?"

Ven helped the man sit up, he burst into sobbing tears and embraced his Big Bro. Aqua became teary eyed and started going into a shell shocked trance, wondering if she is dreaming. "Is it really you?! Please tell me-" She almost broke her voice. "this is happening?"

Terra readied to say something, had a split head ache and breathed out. "Yeah. You never stopped trying to light my way back." Aqua's face became something like a child as she sobbed and embraced him. Ven breathed and cried out. "You're here, you're finally here!" Terra was getting teary eyed himself and embraced his kin. "You found me, just like you promised." He tried to keep the decades worth of horrors contained and he broke in a cry. "Thank you, thank you."

Sora felt a bright light in his heart, flipped the tip of his blade on the ground and watched with pride. His inner Roxas noticed something and whispered. "Oh boy. We're not through with this."

Sora huhed and noticed, nearby, a coalescence of shadow. Taking the form of a tan, bald man in a dark long jacket, he had white gloves, black boots and a gruffle of an elderly person. He forced himself up and was in a complete stagger, figuring out that he was evicted from his vessel. He had a grey goatee, golden eyes, a white under shirt and signs of age.

Terra froze stiff and his fellow Wayfinders turned to see the old man, the siblings stood up to take a guard, as battered as they are. Sora readied for a fight as the old man tried to process his defeat, he looked upon of the Wayfinders in speculation. "How were they able to force me out of his heart?" He looked at Sora with signs of frustration. "How were you able to do it? Our combined Darkness, should have made my hold absolute."

The boy in the knightly armor gave up on wondering. "A part of him was still calling out for his friends and they finally had the chance to answer. I guess that was the key to finally free him." He glared. "We're ending this game right-"

RUMBLE! CRUMBLE!

A shock wave was let loose upon the maze, bringing the structure down. A war horn, blew to the sky and beckon the sound of marching. Xehanort smirked and chuckled at the turn of events. "Not with your cover blown away, you won't. Archaons retinue of madmen are able to see you now." Terra remembered the name and the noise, he struggled to get up, terrified of what's to come. Xehanort walked away, ready to take his leave. He waved a hand in amusement. "Now, I believe it is time to put and end to that Sorcerer's rebellion. The endless possibilities of this place, never ceases to surprise me."

Terra called upon the Ends of the Earth and called. "Hey, wa-" Phew! Xehanort disappeared in a flash. The four had a growing frustration at the thought that a dangerous mad man is still on the loose.

Hooves clopped across the wasteland, Terra mustered the will to call his armor. Causing a right shoulder pad and a gauntlet to glitter on his body. Shadows loomed from the mists, surrounding the four as a marching band. An armored, red scaled lizard beast, stepped out of the shadows, carrying an armored dark skin warrior with spikey growths out of his body and a long, axe like polearm. He looked upon the meek prey and laughed. "Oh look! The Guardians of Light have reclaimed another of their own, a hollowed husk past his glory." He beckon his followers. "It's as the Everchosen promised us!"

More came from the mists, twenty armored horses trotting towards the four, carrying armored horned knights with lances. Sora was the first to process that the situation have escalated from a long earned victory rewarding a new beginning, to the likely chance that he and the Wayfinders aren't going to get one. The lizard salivated as his master asked. "Was it worth all the trouble? Will any of you live to tell this tale?" Sora backed away to the Wayfinders, shaking in his boots, a knight that is on top of a horse with a skull mask had ill news to deliver. "As touching as this reunion is, last thing you will feel after that will be the trampling of our horses hooves while our lances pierce your hearts!"

Aqua gritted her teeth and signaled Ven to keep guard of a stiffen Terra. "You and your masters have nothing to hold us back anymore. We're ending this nightmare and we're going to see home again."

The Chaos Lord shook his head. "Even with the end before you, you're heart still defies us." He turned his head to his knights and ordered. "They don't even have a prayer to save them."

The Knights yelled out as their horses charged, the lizard sprinted fast, eager to run the four over. As the four were ready to make a last stand, a glimmer of light shined in the fog, a familiar mouse that raised his blade with a familiar duck wizard. "Stop!"

PEW!

A spectral clock shined upon the warriors and froze them in time. Mickey, Goofy and Donald stepped out of the fog, standing towards the large mountain. Goofy called to the four Guardians in a plea. "Hurry, we don't know how long that'll hold em!"

Sora nodded and helped the Wayfinders get Terra on the move, he noticed he was frozen at the sight of Chaos. "Come on, we got to meet up with our friends. Stat!" Aqua tugged Terra. "You don't have to tell me twice." The man snap from his trance and hurried to the Disney Trio, they made a run for the mountain, hoping the confusion will distract the Chaos Warriors.

Elsewhere in the maze, seconds before it went down.

Shadey kicked a Commander down as Xion and Ken fired arrows a plethora of projectiles at the mites. Ken patted the dinosaurs neck and had him back away from the wounded heartless before aiming his bow at the things chest. Xion aimed hers, letting Ken know he isn't alone. Fling! Thud! They let their weapons return to blades and looked ahead to find a dead end. Shadey grunted and stomped the ground lightly.

RUMBLE! CRUMBLE!

The three felt a shock wave blow over them, the maze crumbled apart. Xion and Ken looked at the one who stomped, Shadey looked back, as if to say. "That wasn't me."

"WRAAARH!" "NEEEEEIGH!"

Xion looked back to see an encroaching horde of horses, ridden upon by lightly armored vikings that wielded a collection of javelins. One of them, who showed off a mighty, orange beard, ordered. "Skewer them! Don't let these pretenders make it out alive!" The horded hurled their spears. Ken cringed, aimed his burning blade and called to it. "Firekeeper protect us for a little while longer!" At the hasty command, the blade let loose a super heated breath that scorched the spears away. Xion swiped steam and charged it up to make an escape cloud.

Shadey got the scent of someone and bolted from the screams of electrocuted marauders. Quickly finding four figures in the mist, three teenagers and a Stormcast that finished smashing her hammer to the earth. The girl of the bunch heard foot steps and sensed who was coming. "There you are!"

Ken and Xion jumped off with a bit of style and Shadey broke down into shadows before noticing something. He wiggled off to the wasteland as Dupmic and Riku noticed one gate way under the mountain, a gate way in the form of an five points. The sound of marching was looming from the wasteland and the one armed boy felt there was no time to wait. "What did you guys just do?"

Ana pulled her hammer blade up and kept it ready with a stormy glow, she focused on the Door to Chaos. "We just wrecked most of this maze and I knew Archaon was camping his horde around us." Kairi's heart skipped a beat in fear for who's still separated. "And half of us are still in danger out there!"

Dupmic wasn't particularly worried. "So Shadey is off to make sure our friends get here? He always finds a way to bail us out in a pinch."

Ken blew out air. "Thank goodness. I would have called Mom and Ven if I wasn't told that was a bad idea." Riku turned to give Ken an eye squint. "Like that would have helped. So, what was the good news?" The one armed boy recalled. "Xion and I found out that the Sharpshooter IS the guy who tried to get Starlight before. Shadey set up a recording and sent it to the guys on stand by. So he's gone out of here." Xion added her report in. "Ahriman got rid of Vanitas and that Coachman too." Ana nodded. "And we finished off that Rat. In the meanwhile-" Kairi joined in the group report. "Me and the guys had a run in with Archaon. He let Garland loose on us." She glared at the gateway, having justice in mind. "What ever inhuman thing the Forces of Chaos did to that time looping jerk, drove him completely insane. That was when Sora that Lingering Will got separated from us." She shook her head. "Riku and I had to finish putting Garland down."

Xion shivered. "How do those Darkseekers sleep at night?" Ana didn't wish to think about it either. "It's best not to think of this depravity, for your own sake." Ken agreed with that and point his thumb to the gate. "Archaon knew that was going to happen and the others allowed it to happen. So why is the Everchosen all the way over there?"

Kairi smirked to her Lil' Bro. "I shoved Archaon and his giant... monster over there when they tried to jump me for both Garlands heart and my own. We only got a little bit of time before he recovers. Can the Power of Banishment work on him?" Ken imagined it would. "We got a really strong Light and a strong Darkness. But we got to make sure he is yanked out of here for ours to be enough."

Riku recalled the incident with Ahriman and the Lord Discordant he forgotten about. "Or he'll just escape being expelled." Ana turned to face the gate. "If the Power of Banishment is as permanent as we hope it would. Then we'll be able to finish this war and clean up the rest of this mess." She asked the teenagers. "Kairi, Kendry, I pulled out the dagger and the wound is still bleeding. Will you help me control the spillage?"

The siblings nodded as Riku cringed. "Just the three of you?!" At the question, Dupmic noticed a horde of Chaos Warriors marching out of the mists. He drew his blade. "Do we got a choice?" Xion stood by the boys. "We got to keep these guys from coming through." She gave the three a thumbs up. "Kick Archaon out and the ice cream's going to be on me!"

Ken blushed as Riku looked to find the sun leaving the horizon. Darkness began to follow. The older boy relaxed and thought of something. "These warriors are going to go down like a bunch of chumps. Go!" Ana flapped her wings and gave the sibling like duo the que to activate their own. Resembling a strange aura, of the night, the stars and the comets that fly with in the void. Flap! The three flew to the Gate.

Riku took a deep breath and had a skittering idea in mind. "Alright, were you two saving something big?" Xion had one idea in mind and had a jaded view. "Oh yeah," Dupmic snapped his fingers and gave off a glow of soulful blue. "Now's a time to experiment!"

From the horde of Chaos, came a flock of chaotic, chicken like beasts, squawking like mad and giving a suicidal charge. Dupmic raised his hand up in a glow and called upon geysers of blue energy and pillars of earth. Shadows spewed and the boy was realizing that wasn't part of the intention.

PUSH! Thud!

Seven familiar faces, flew out of the shadows. A battered Sora and a duo of Wayfinders, first and foremost. With them was a familiar, brown haired man that looked like he nearly had a heart attack. Mickey, Goofy and Donald were the last to step across and let the shadows condense into Shadey. Riku had a moment to realize who the mysterious party member is and cheered. "HA! HA! HA! Mission accomplished!"

Sora tried getting up, sore as he is, he realize three people were missing from the gathering. "Y..Yeah, but where's Kairi?! Where did Ana and Ken run off to?" Riku put his thumb to the gate. "Kairi hit Archaon with the hammer and now she and the other two are going to finish him off! Get back in the line, looks like someone did a number on you."

Sora groaned as Donald lectured him. "You done a lot, we got this!" He looked around, expecting an onslaught. Aqua and Ven moved their mysterious friend to the back row, the Keyblade Master readied to take out an advanced potion. "We need to catch a breath."

Pulse! A star flew out of the potion and gave the men and herself a perk. She glared at Riku. "Even with Ana staying by them, my kids are NOT ready to face the Everchosen! Xehanort is still out here," The group leader cringed. "He's still not calling it quits after losing his body?!"

Terra cringed and looked at the dying eruption. "He lost his body when he forced his heart into mine. Yet he crawled out of the shadows, whole?" Ven found that new. "How does that work?" Goofy scratched under his chin and readied his shield. "I'm guessing it's how the Darkness works. Especially if Maleficent was able to come back like she did."

Sora cringed and gained some breath. "I knew there was going to be some kind of catch." Mickey faced the approaching horde with a glimmer of light. "We'll worry about that later. We got to find a good timing to get past that gate."

The Keybearers agreed as Xion noticed the horde of Chaos Warriors spanning to the hundreds. Banners raised high, showing a circle with eight arrows. She was intimidated by the numbers. "We..." She kept a brave face and glowed in emerald green. "we got this!"

Ven and Aqua turned to face the numbers, thinking of a way to manage. Sora swallowed his pride, ready for the chance to get into the fray. "We're so close to ending this, we got to hold for a little longer." Riku gave Sora a thumbs up. "Get a breath, you just came to watch us pull this!" He stomped the ground and caused a shine of moonlight to burst from the earth, calling upon the Arachnarok. Xion yelled out to unleash a cloud of a gnawing life swarm.

The team leader looked to a stiffening Terra and explained. "We heard a lot about you, Terra. As soon as we get out of this mess, we can talk!"

Donald sighed. "There isn't a good time for anything right now." Terra gazed upon the symbols, activated his armor and let loose a battle cry before diving into the horde with the hungry spider. The Arachnarok impaled a handful of warriors and bit into more, it was spooked by the armored warrior smashing a dozen across. Terra was seeing dark fire that needed to be stamp out, he kept attacking and was shield bashed by a lucky warrior, the horde smacked their maces, axes and swords upon the Wayward Guardian and were trying to pin him down. Blink! Wind blew across the horde and Terra felt a hand on his shoulder. "Terra, get back in formation!"

Blink!

He found himself teleported to the bottle neck. He was let go and he looked back, finding Ven terrified and Aqua giving a stern scowl. The Keyblade Master wagged her finger to lecture him. "If we break apart like that here, we're all going to die one by one. Stay with us." Clop! Clop! Clop!

Ven and Sora looked to the left and right to find horsemen encircling them. Terra tried calming down. "These people are all crazy, how many are there?!"

Sora didn't bother counting. "More than enough to be rough." He noticed a beam over the horsemen and shared a glance with his travel companions, who noticed a laser over the horde. BOOM! Meteors, shaped like cannon balls, fell upon the warriors and caused a disruption. Sending the horde into a sprinting panic. The Guardians readied their defense for a last stand.

At the Gate.

The Three Keys of Heaven landed by the gate way and found a dark shroud blocking the way. Kairi groaned, looked to her team and gave the que to jump in. Ken and Ana followed her with matching courage and followed her in. Finding the darkness quickly give a flash to a dark red. They entered what looked like the smouldering ruins of a world, embers danced before a circular symbol of Chaos that burned with the mountain. Under the symbol was something that gave the trios hearts freeze in horror. The demonic Dorghar, regenerating a blast wound in his chest, skulls melded with the flesh, screamed out for release.

Archaon was quickly recuperating from the missile blast, he noticed the three and had his gaze upon the ladies. "Arrogant fools!" He swiped his blade to blow away the illusion. "Do you think that weaklings like you two, would matter? The Construct of Sigmar and the girl of frail light that, without knowing, brought this boys heart as an offering."

Ken knew he wasn't being recognized as an insect's worth. Archaon let loose a chaotic aura that caused the boy to see him as the eight pointed center, surrounding the Everchosen are the symbols of the Chaos factions. Archaon whispered a demand into his mind. "You are marked by the Darkness, the devourer of all! Cast aside this facade, you only delay this pointless war for those that will only accept the Light above all."

The one armed boy felt his heart shaking. The whispers continued. "The gods of this cosmos are weak. Masking themselves with the thing you call lux. It's so called protectors, only use the Light as an excuse to smother anyone who dares speak out! Had something like you, rose to power at the time the Wayfinding pretenders begun to learn the truth, you would have slain on the spot!" Ken prepared Cadias Light and aimed. Archaon's whisper became a roar. "These weaklings only came to you, because they know that the Darkness they long feared, held any bit of hope they have to stave off the end." Kairi looked to Ken, with her lips pressed. Ana realized what was happening and glowed her blade like lightning. Ken saw a hand before him, offering something. "Come with me, put an end to this charade, bring out the truth of this Realms destiny!"

Ken aimed Cadias Light and fired at the Everchosen's head, not caring if Archaon blocked it. The hand disappeared as the boy barked. "Like I'd do that to these worlds, my family and the people who let me be their friend." He shook tears from his eyes. "You're insane!"

Archaon scoffed like the refusal was just as asinine. Kairi readied to attack. "We're done letting you have your way. You're going back where you came from and you're going to stay out of our lives." Dorghar finished regenerating and crouched like a lizard, approaching slowly as the Everchosen raise his sword high. "So long as you seek to expunge Chaos itself, you will continue to call my kind back! I'll rip your hearts out and present it for all the see, then this Realm will finally bow before it's Master! The Realms that were one, will know the end has come!"

Ana shook her head. "Ya done yammering? By the rise of the sun, you're business to just be between the Eight Realms." She let loose a battle cry. "For Sigmar! For the Heart of the Worlds!" Ken and Kairi raised their blades and rallied, the brother rallied. "We make our future, now!" Kairi sparked in light. "For us, our friends-" pew! CLASH! She collided blades with the Everchosen. "and everyone who we'll meet and those who won't even get to know us!"

Archaon felt the force of the Light push against him, he swpped his sword to send Kairi flying into the cover of night. Becoming something of a star that split into many. Ken gave a laugh that could be heard from everywhere. "That love isn't ever going to die, not to you or your gods or anyone else who thinks only of themselves."

The stars shined and fired beams, one by one. Dorghar flapped out of the way of Ana as the Everchosen glared to the horizon and make the earth rupture in spikes. Ana was stabbed in the stomach and was pounced upon by Dorghar. The Stormcast, turned her blade into a shield to absorb the savage claws and bashed her hammer on the two heads coming for her.

Shine! Slash! Slash!

The stars shined and Archaon was caught from the side by a nimble Kairi, Ken had Cadias Light and Nightsky in his hands as he flew from the emitted darkness. His gauntlets had a glow of fire to go with his blow. Archaon took the blows, slashed Kairi away and bashed Ken with his shield. Dorghar whipped his tails at the two and was blasted in the face by a shooting star and a fire ball. Ana broke free and flew at the Everchosen to give him an upper cut. Archaon tilted backwards and slashed the Slayer of Kings at the Stormcast as Dorghar's rotten head hacked out projectile vomit upon the siblings.

Ken floated infront of Kairi and used his wings to cast a dark repel. The sister flew above him, glowed in sun light and fired a homing beam. Dorghar flew above as the beam made it's contact, it didn't phase it. Kairi fired again, it made contact and made a burn mark that the demon ignored. Dorghar crashed down in a spin and sprinted to give the siblings a triple head butt. They yelped at the blunt and flew to the left corner as Archaon titled to avoid Ana's bull rush. He used his shield to block the hammer blade and slash the Slayer of Kings again. Ana flew back and called upon the storm. "Moonfang, this is it!"

PEW!

The Dracoth appeared to give Ana a ride, she flew around the Chaos Warrior and rushed Dorghar in the side. Moonfangs electrical breath and claws blasted through the thick hide and the claws tore pieces of it's flesh. BASH! The Hammer Blade struck into the hide and gave the siblings time to maneuver around. Archaon glowed his shield in darkness and aimed it at Ken. "Pathetic!"

PEW! PEW! PEW!

A barrage of dark bolts flew at the boy in high speeds. Ken burst into flames and flew out of the way of the blast, circling around the Everchosen and pressing his blades together. Making a starbolt to toss. Kairi flipped over a tail swipe and bolted at Archaon's personal space. SLASH! SLASH! She struck Archaon at the shoulder like she had a hot knife and saw runes glow. They let loose a strong burst of fire that scorched through her armor.

On feeling the burn, she felt a glowing warm. She noticed that she and Ana were brightening in flame. Ken giggled, flew to the sky and focused. He glowed both blades into ragnarok like circle of stars and fired. Archaon glowed an arcane barrier and had Dorghar fly at the boy. It kicked Kairi down with it's hoof and smacked a flying Ana with it's tails. The Everchosen got to the boys personal and slashed fast, drawing blood on the two blows. Ken parried the third and countered the fourth before flipping over the foe and leaving something behind in his escape. A delayed for orb.

Burst!

Kairi saw the cut wound on Ken's torso and cast a quick heal spell before helping him get on the ground. Dorghar turned and kept flight to push the Everchosen up. "Enough of this annoyance!"

ShlllllICK!

He sliced a dark rift in mid air and caused it to bleed. "You lot wish to save the Darkness from us?! Then do so!" WOOSH! Two giant tentacles rushed out from the rift, punching Ana away and going at the siblings. Kairi cringed and flipped leftwards, she shot out ice crystals to counter the tentacles. Ken side stepped rightwards and had a closer inspection, the tentacles were pitch black, had multiple yellow eyes and void blue maws that readied to blast something. "What the-" Kairi had the moment to notice and side stepped to avoid the dark blast. Ken danced around his and tossed Nightsky like it was a boomerang, it sliced deeply into the Dark Grasp.

Ken wiggled his fingers, caused Nightsky to flicker like a star and call it to his chest. The flames moved to his hand and formed the Firekeepers Wish. Kairi held her blade in both hands and caused it to turn into a katana of light. She rushed to the grasp and slashed.

Ana enveloped herself into a lightning storm and flew at the source of the Graspers. Archaon flew in the way and focused to dispel the storm, he aimed the Slayer of Kings and shot out a torrent of hellfire. Moonfang gave off a glow of the moon and rushed through.

CLASH!

The Hammerblade made sparks with the Slayer of Kings. The two forces pushed each other back and forth, Archaon had a sniff from the hammer blade and growled. "Even with all of your god kings blessings, you've resorted to drawing power from another heart?" Dorghar clawed at Moonfang to force the duo away from it's face as the Everchosen demanded. "Can no one here, challenge me on their own?"

Ana flipped her blade and caused it to break into a hammer on a chain, she cracked it at the Everchosen. "How's about you get off that hell beast and talk to us then?" She smacked Archaon again and watched the Everchosen stand up from his steed. She realized he was going to take up on that offer. Archaon flew at Ana to knock her off Moonfang and send her falling to the ground. Leaving the steeds to duke it out, Ana landed on the ground and kicked upward before flipping Archaon over. The Everchosen caught himself in a flip and swiped the Slayer of Kings to blow off a gust of cold wind. He whispered chants to the blade and caused it to crackle in chaotic lightning.

Ken slashed at his grasper with electrical light and sacred fire as Kairi enveloped herself in sparkling water and sliced into hers. They avoided another blast and dashed through, appearing at the other side, back facing back. The graspers come loose and slithered into the dark rift. Ripple! Ripple!

As two were vanished, four ripped through the shadows, planted themselves into the earth and screamed doom. The siblings jumped to the center and were seeing the arena turning into complete chaos. Kairi thought of something and pointed to the shadowy rifts. "We got to cut this off from the Darkness or more of them are going to grow. You're thinking what I'm thinking?" Ken had a sparkle in his vision and aimed his hands upward, the earth circled celestial stars. "Get the night going, Sis!"

Kairi felt a gust of wind beneath her and used it to high jump, she raised her blade upward and channeled her inner light. Forming a bright star at the tip, the smaller stars floated to the air with her and begun an alignment. Kairi focused and had the stars line up to what looked to be two stick figures that reached for the bright star.

The girl twirled and had the Gemini dance together into a cosmic twister. It expanded, blew apart the roots and blew away the shadows, leaving behind a dark sky without the stars. Kairi let herself land and found herself being caught on the back by Ken. The two saw Archaon activate something with his sword and the clash of flying steeds. The Lil' Bro let his Sis take a step before pretending to toss her at the fray. WOOSH!

He pressed his blades into one and turned them into the curved swords before glowing his wings into fire. He gave off a hellish shriek that the khornate head noticed. Ken flapped and dived at the three headed beast, the tzeentchian head lunged and opened it's beak to snap at the boy. Puff! It bit into a cloud of ashes, Moonfang became wide eyed as a spec of fire appeared at the demons back.

STAB!

Dorghar felt a prick that caused it's heads to burst out an exhaust. Ken flew around and carved the demon before releasing his blade. Ken watched the flames burn across the scar and earned the anger of the fiend. Moonfang rushed in a head butt and barked at Ken. (Use that against the Everchosen! This mongrel is mine.) Ken felt he understood, flapped and flew at the ensuing battle.

Archaon noticed a flash of light coming his way and stepped aside to avoid Kairi's spear head. The girl spun like planets orbit and had her blade aimed for Archaon's head.

Parry!

The Slayer of Kings burned into the Everchosen's skin, the wielder clashed blades with the girl and swatted her a couple feet. He focused back on the Stormcast and caused her to roll with bleed wounds. SMACK! A blazing, winged Ken rushed at Archaon and struck him by the shoulders. He flipped and blasted the armored foe in a volcanic roar. Kairi focused on her blade and had it turn into blades of light before going in for a counter.

SLASH! SLASH!

Archaon took the blow and cleaved the Slayer of Kings into the two before blasting them away in a dark storm. He lunged at Ana and attacked like a ferocious beast. The Stormcast glowed her hit like a shield and blocked the swords blow before countering him with a hammer to the face. The Siblings were running out of breath and watched storms colliding. Kairi looked up to the sky and asked her Lil' Bro. "Give me a boost! We need to knock Archaon down!" Ken focused onto the sky and raised his swords, calling upon twinkling stars. "It's all yours, Sis!"

Kairi jumped high and channeled the Power of the Princess to the Cosmic Shroud. She spun and caused the stars to fall fast, they gave off an aura shaped like hearts. Archaon shifted his eyes to the mystical comets and gave off an aura of chaotic hatred. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The hearts collided with the Everchosen and gave off a flash of light. Kairi back flipped to her Lil' Bro and kept side by side, they and Ana didn't wait for the light to clear and flew in as a unified comet.

CLASH!

Their blades collided with a chaotic glowing shield that expelled the light, Archaon shoved them back and rushed them with the shield, it bashed them in the face, shattered the lens and sent the two rolling. Ken landed on his feet and nearly fell as Kairi landed face first. Blood dripped from her face, the girl got up to show a face with a bleeding nose. The Everchosen focused on Ana, who was locked to the Slayer of Kings. The Stormcast smacked him in the head. "We'll keep fighting, until we see the night won!"

SMACK!

Archaon took the blow to the head and glared at the soldier in the eyes. SLASH! HACK! He kept striking at a determined Ana, finding the warriors light knitting as fast as he was dealing them. He pushed Ana back, the Sword howled for blood, Archaon tossed his shield and held the hilt close to his head. Ana expected the Everchosen to give a full charge and braced herself with a holy shield. "Come on, is that really all you-" "DIE ALREADY!"

RUSH!

Archaon charged at the shield and thrust the Slayer of Kings against it, it punctured through it and clashed with the Hammer Blade. Tink! Causing it's blade to shatter. SHLICK! The Slayer of Kings pierced Ana in the chest and enveloped her in the fire of rage.

Ana had a moment to realize the blade was in her and the siblings watched something they never thought to see, the Hammer Blade breaking off from the lower end. Leaving only a hilt and a metal stick, the teeth end slipped loose. Ana gritted her teeth and tried to sink the shattered hit into the Everchosen's neck, only for the Slayer of Kings to burst into a storm and obliterate her body. Moonfang felt something was wrong and noticed Dorghar laughing vilely. The Dracoth felt her body breaking down into stormclouds and turned to see her friend's demise. She tried to roar a warning to the siblings and came off as a blow of wind. Kairi and Ken felt their hearts nearing a stop.

Archaon reached out for the stormy core and clenched it with his gauntlet, as if he was strangling the Stormcast's spirit. The Hammer Blade gave one last flicker, spilling out a dark heart that was grappled by the energy of the King Slayer. Ken's mind became something like a whirlpool, Kairi began to emit a spark of light and charged with a high pitched battle cry. Ken looked drained and joined his sister in a unified attack. Archaon simply jumped to the side and had the joyous sight of Dorghar pouncing on the two, grabbing them with his claws and pinning them down. Kairi struggled as Ken felt his mind adjusting. He barked. "Sis, you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Kairi gritted her teeth and tried to give off a glow of light to work alongside Ken's fire. "We're not done here Archaon, you hear me!" Archaon watched his sword calm with the taste of fresh blood as Dorghar applied pressure to hold the siblings in place. "And you believed that you were anywhere close to toppling me?"

"Enough, Archaon. We have one more thing to do before our business with these Guardians can come to a conclusion." The sound of an elderly man caught the siblings by surprise, Kairi noticed someone appearing in the blink. An old man with similar attires and an identical aura.

She gasped in disbelief and struggled more. Archaon noticed the old man with a particular, dark heart in his hand along with two others. The Everchosen laughed at the Dark Seeker. "Did these worms, really expel you from that vessel? How are you suppose to turn this war around as a frail, old man?"

Xehanort wasn't amused and pointed to his cranium. "This old form of min, might be past it's prime. But I still have a few tricks to spare." He looked upon the siblings with amazement. "Regardless of these set backs, everything is back as it was planned. I still wonder, how these two are able to compliment the balance? Is it Light proving to be wrathful or is it Darkness wanting to be like the Light?"

BOOM! BOOM!

The Dark Seeker heard explosions in the wasteland, along with gunfire. Xehanort anticipate more resistance and called upon the Blade with No Name. "It is time, we retrieve what we need and put an end to this long game."

At the Gate.

The Guardians of Light were in a constant push against the seemingly endless, Warriors of Chaos. Riku and Mickey having to back away from the onslaught did nothing to ease the tension, nor the orbital bombardment that seem to be getting dangerously close to the fighters. The Arachnarok and the Butterflies were boons, with the giant monster slaying everything in it's path and the jade insects having long finished revitalizing Sora and the Wayfinders to where they could have a go at the flankers. Aqua and Ven kept a close eye on Terra, to make sure the strong muscle doesn't recklessly charge again.

Xion and Dupmic pelted ranged spells on the armored foes and began to see gun fire gaining the attention of the Warriors. The replica realized something and called out his thought. "I think we can make a break for the gate. I think who ever is causing-" Boom! Another bombardment hit the Warrior Horde in the center. "that is coming here to clean them out."

Mickey had a guess who it might be and was ready to say something as a flash of fire was seen from the gate. The explosion caused the Guardians to feel cold in the heart, Aqua almost lost her grip as Riku realize. "That's not a good sign. Everyone, as soon as the Spider blinks, we run." He readied to snap his fingers and was caught by surprise over a Chaos Warrior suddenly bursting into fleshy tentacles and attacking his kin.

Riku decided against snapping his fingers and focus on the spider. "That's enough good work!" Pew! Xion dismissed the butterflies as Shadey clawed a warrior into the horde and disappear into the girls shadow. Donald let loose a cold gale and signaled. "Alright, it's clear."

The Guardians turned to rush at the Gate, their instinct of disaster is proven right. The younger group saw the Princess of Heart and the Shade Lord pinned down by Dorghar and the more horrific. Archaon standing over a shattered Hammer Blade, in his clutches was a dark heart and a stormy heart. The Everchosen kept it clenched and he turned his head. Aqua's mouth dropped, realize what happened, called upon both her blades, turned them into shining crystal and lunged at Archaon, giving off the most unlady like roar that had ever came out of her.

Archaon brought about the Slayer of Kings and charged at her, more than eager to bring about the same fate he instilled on Ana. Ven and Terra realized how much trouble Aqua's in and rushed to try and make the odds even. Mickey noticed the odd one amongst the scene, an old man that the mouse recognize. "Oh no!"

Sora huhed and noticed the old man that was smirking in triumphant. He braced for a fight. "You!"

Xehanort hmpthed and gestured to the Guardians. "So you finally entered the end game!" Sora, Riku, Mickey and the guard sprinted at the Dark Seeker, the man aimed his blade and unleashed dark chains that snared them in surprise. Dupmic and Xion tried plotting of a way to knock Dorghar off and were gappled from bellow by a dark hand. Archaon caused Garlands heart to let out a scream and trapped the Wayfinders in earthen chains. The Everchosen tilted his head in boredom. "That Stormcast's downfall is only the beginning of yours. We finally have you all in the palm of our hands."

The Dark Seeker looked to his battle worn cohort and admitted. "As delayed as this was. It all means that you all will witness a new beginning for the Worlds." Sora and Kairi barked as one. "You're crazy! Do you even know what you're doing?!" That spark of vigor gave the boy a reason to keep struggling as Kairi kept trying to find a way to break loose. Xehanort laughed at the question. "More than enough to know this will work. I've taken many short cuts to forge that key, but the discovery of Light and Darkness cooperating like this-" He gazed upon the siblings. "is intriguing."

Terra had a tug against a chain and barked. "This is nuts! You're all insane!" Archaon glared at the Lingering Warrior. "And are you not? Your remolded heart has listened to the whispers of Chaos for months, while that spec of your will has endured the void for even longer." Terra had flashes of the symbols and tried to bolt at the Everchosen, only to barely budge with in striking range. The symbols became that of demons and of the world burning. Driving Terra's instincts through his threshold as the demons swirled into one. The Everchosen stood in the midst of the madness. "Except it, your friends came far too late for your freedom to mean anything. You've caused them to halt a killing blow when their time was borrowed." The instinct turned into shock, Terra panted as he begun to feel cold.

Ven shook him out of the trance. "Don't listen to him, this isn't your fault!" Aqua heard the words and cringed with Terra. Archaon laughed at the boy's foolish intentions as Xehanort focused on his former student. "Is it now?" He raised a finger to lecture him. "I have laid out Terra's path, yes. But he still took it on his own volition."

The Everchosen wheezed out. "Like that mattered. Only when he realized that he traversed Destiny's Maw, did it snare shut!" Burst!

As the villainous duo were distracted, Riku nudged to Sora and Mickey. Sora realize what's left to do and looked to Goofy and Donald. The Bearers of the three paths planted their blades in the ground as the guard stood proud. A circle of light formed and let loose heavenly flash of light. Dorghar turned off his guard and was blasted off the pinned siblings, Xehanort and Archaon were blinded at the moment and gave the Guardians time to gather together.

Kairi and Ken crawled to the band and turned to draw their weapons. Ven and Aqua took their chance to pull Terra away from the melee range of the Everchosen that shook off the blind. Xehanort blinked his vision back and smirked at the cunning band that have directly thwarted his earlier plans.

Riku aimed his blade at the Dark Seeker and at the encroaching darkness. "Nice speeches, but there's still time to set this right!" He gestured a taunt. As Archaon was ready to call upon more horrors, marching was heard. Goofy and Donald turned around to see who was coming. A squad of Rubric Marines, a Tzaangor Herd, Ahriman and his lieutenants stormed the gate. Spreading around the horde was a fel green army of dark creatures, lead by an anxious, if overconfident, Maleficent. The Rubircs and the Terminators aimed their guns at the Everchosen and the Dark Seeker that wasn't remotely worried. In fact, Xehanort was smiling at the opportune time. Ahriman and Maleficent halted their advance as the Rubrics gotten close. Xehanort extended his hands in a greeting. "Ah, the Exiled Arch Sorcerer. I've been expecting this moment for some time."

The experts of the occult, tapped the base of their staves to the ground in a halt. Ahriman raised his head at what he expected to have been hiding with in the more capable body. "That prediction, came long before you realized I've only played along with your ideas until they stopped suiting me. It was only a matter of time until one of us struck first." That much, Xehanort agreed with. "The way I envisioned that alliance, was doomed from the start. But it was necessary for us to gather the hearts, closest to pure Darkness." He laughed at the turn of events. "In fact, this delay came with the boon of more worlds to discover and more secrets to uncover. Secrets that made you're machinations, insightful."

Ahriman laughed deeply as Maleficent waved her hand over her staff and gave the Rubrics an enchanted, green glow. "We are not your tools any longer, Master Xehanort. What we've lost, we can gain again." The Arch Sorcerer gently waved his hand and pushed the Guardians aside. "And with the knowledge we've learned. We can rebuild our grand scheme again, whether it takes a decade more or the life time of these mortals. We will reach out to Fate itself and become it's true masters." He conjured smoke and had a vision of a precise aim to share with his Rubrics. "While you and the Everchosen become little more than a foot note." He barked his ten thousand years of military commands.

"FIRE!"

The Rubric Marines fired their bolters in unified sync as the Terminators fired their missiles. Half of the bullets were aimed at the Dark Seeker as the rest of the ammunition were aimed at the Everchosen. Xehanort waved his hand and twiddled his fingers, causing the rounds to freeze in place, he flicked a bullet and caused them to fall. Maleficent stood in disbelief as Ahriman blinked, Dupmic and Xion looked to each other like the side they bet on had an epic blunder. The Sorcerer looked to Maleficent, the lieutenants and aimed his hand. "What the blazes was that?!"

Archaon was less than thrilled at the failed attempt at his life. "A spell bound assault that was foreseen days ago. You fueled every ounce of your dark desires into that and used it against those who have made that kind of art." Xehanort laughed loudly. "Surely, you all planned further ahead than this?"

Maleficent had a wicked glare, raised her staff and beckoned her cabal. "Of course we have, if that failed, then we are to do this my way!" Ztardon and Zonir joined in a chant that beckoned fire that had green, magenta and blue mixed in. Ahriman waved his staff and caused the fire to animate into a twister. Dupmic whispered to the closest ears. "Back up plan."

Maleficent chanted. "Flames of wrath, hear our command. Unite into the Infernal Heart" The twister condensed into a giant multicolored serpent with green glowing eyes. "and breath out the abyssal doom of these fools!"

Xehanort and Archaon watched the serpent sprout wings and inhale, they realize it's magnitude would be much than they could handle. Archaon channeled an arcane shield as Xehanort called upon a dark barrier, the Infernal Heart breathed out a torrent of flames that pushed against the duo. The force and heat burned the barrier and shoved Xehanort to a wall with some effort, while Archaon pushed against it and screamed to the wind blowing him away.

The Infernal Heart smiled maliciously and dived at the two for a finishing explosion, sending the two falling over on their knees. Riku and Aqua whistled at the effort. "Wow!" "Didn't think you had it in ya." Maleficent panted and glared at the two. "Do not think we are here to aid you. We'll discuss these matters soon enough!"

Xehanort knew he had seconds to spare and snapped a dark wind from his fingers. "There won't be a soon." Snap!

The snap echoed, the Dark Seeker was out of breath and used No Name to stand up. "I know a secret you've been hiding, Ahzek. You...you're seeking the Knowledge of the Heart, to undo a curse upon these dormant, soldiers you carry with you."

Ahriman inputted a mental command and had his Rubrics aim. "And how did you discover that? When I ventured here before and uncovered the Lingering Will's hollowed being? I don't partake in things like that unless I am sure there is something valuable to gain." Xehanort went along with that. "Something like that would explain how oddly you behave, even amongst Sorcerers of your kind."

Riku caught a scent of vengeance and sniffed, picking it up from one of the Rubrics, he looked on and found the soldiers giving a faint, dark glow. He gave a sweat at a prediction as the Dark Seeker continued. "Even through the entropy of Ten Thousand years, you still hold on to that hope, that you can free your brethren from the clutches of Tzeentch." He closed his eyes in an attempt to understand where the Sorcerer's decisions came from. "No matter how warped that hope became, they've always been someone you've held dear to your heart."

Ahriman huhed. "And how would you have guessed that?" Xehanort hand waved as the bystanders noticed the darkness growing in the Rubrics. "That's not important now." Xion and Dupmic in particular, grew fearful for the trap Ahriman walked into. The Rubrics lowered their guns as the Dark Seeker asked. "What is important, is that while you hold that love for your brothers. What could they say about you? The man who condemned these hearts, to be mere dust for the rest of Eternity?"

Ahriman and Maleficent flinched in shock, the witch turned to her partner like it was new knowledge. The Arch Sorcerer realized the Rubrics were turning towards him to aim their guns. Ahriman signaled that his Cabal step aside and laughed at the Dark Seeker's tricks. "Anyone who has ever worked with me, would wish the worst of Fates once I prove... a liability."

One of the Rubrics glared at the Sorcerer and yelled. "Liability?! For millennium, we've fought your battles and watch you sacrifice everyone around you for your asinine ends!" The Guardians jumped at the sudden shouting, Maleficent gasped at the noise and the Tzaangor stepped back. Ztardon and Zonir looked to each other go give off a gasp of. "Progress."

Ahriman glared at a smugly smiling Xehanort and focused on his brothers that were reaching a break through. "Amun, you know that everything I have done has been to change your fate. The Flesh Change that plagued our legion would have unmade you all into chaos spawn had I not done something. The Rubic made you all free from that curse, yet it cost you you're will. But, I am so close to granting you all that will again. To make you all immortal and free from Tzeentch." He warned his soldiers like an brother would. "Don't listen to the whispers that man is promising. He will unmake you all."

The Rubrics pulled their triggers. BANG! BANG! BANG! Ahriman's heart leaped and he conjured a barrier to absorb the bolts. Ztardon cringed and waved his hands to conjure an extra layer, Zonir glared at Xehanort and flickered in fire. He appeared in front of the Dark Seeker and was ready to blast him to smithereenes. At the burst of the flame, Xehanort disappeared.

Amun's eyes glowed yellow, his kind began to show signs of dark awakening. Maleficent gasped and warned the Sorcerer. "Their hatred for you is becoming too much for them to bare, this needs to stop before they are lost." Ahriman agreed and closed his eyes for a chant. "Then there is only one way to contain this." He calmed and gave off a light blue glow, causing the rubrics to glow in the chest.

Fwe!

Maleficent sensed a dark presence right behind the Sorcerer, realizing who that was as the Guardians caught a glimpse. STAB! "RWARGH!" Ahriman felt a sharp stab in his back, a dark blue heart floated from his chest. Xehanort lifted the Sorcerer up and kicked him to the bullet fire, he took delight as he watched the body get blown to bits. Dupmic readied his blade and was about to charge. "You're gonna pay for that!"

Dash! Grab!

Shadey reached out to hold his friend in place of a foolish charge. The Dark Seeker claimed the heart, drew upon a field of shadows and looked upon the Replica like he was being a fool. "That Sorcerer wasn't ruthless enough, why has he put all this effort towards correcting a wrong towards those who won't return that favor, is a mystery in itself."

Maleficent was at the end of her patience and shot lightning at the Dark Seeker that deflected the spell. The Guardians looked at the shadows and found more mechanical monsters approaching, Archaon laughed in triumph and was about to say. "There's no escape now."

Sora readied for a fight and heard a whisper in his ear, one of a flirty witch. "Cast the Pendent into the shadows, child."

Sora gasped and reached for his pocket, he raised it high to cast a shine of dim flame and tossed it to his shadow. Woosh! The pendent made contact, his shadow expanded to cover the whole arena. Xehanort was caught off guard by the spike of darkness and raised an eyebrow at the boy, he was jumped from behind by a vengeful Ztardon that shrieked. "You die!" Xehanort hummed in boredom and slashed his blade at the Shaman sending him rolling over to the ground. "What have you done, boy?"

Riku felt a breath and noticed the arena was turning into a dark circle, Aqua was the next to feel the breath. "We're heading towards..." She felt the air, familiar. "a world trapped with in the Darkness?"

Archaon glared, lowered his sword and approached a confused, if determined Sora. "You worms aren't going any-" BASH! Zonir rushed him, laughing at the inevitable. "Ha! It be a shame if that was allowed!"

He unleashed eldritch tendrils upon the Everchosen that didn't take the affront well, Archaon charged at the Ogroid and slashed across his body. The corrupted Rubrics began to shake and the Wayfinders were the first to find a burning circling around them. Dropping them into the Dark. Riku and Mickey were the next to find a circle around them. The King turned to his guards and ordered. "Donald, Goofy, stay with Sora! We'll find each other in the next world!" Riku ordered Sora and Kairi. "And find our way back to this Graveyard." Sora, Donald and Goofy saluted like a pair of knights.

SLASH!

Archaon sliced Zonir's torso and hit somewhere vital, causing the Ogroid to fall over. The Everchosen focused a glare at the Rebels that were seeing their circle appear. Dorghar sprinted at the two and opened it's mouths.

POW!

Kairi and Ken gave one more ounce of their strength and rushed at the demon, knocking it back and landing in sync. Circles appeared under each sibling. Riku realize he and some of his closest friends might be separated again. He sighed, accepting the fate of an unchanging cycle. He and Mickey dropped in. Ken turned to his fellow Rebels and wished them luck. "If you get lost, follow the flame."

Xion nodded and shook Dupmic out of his trance. "Come on, we're not finished yet!" Dupmic snapped out of it and felt him and Xion falling. Kairi was the next to drop in and promised Sora. "We'll find a way." Ken saluted the remaining trio and jumped into the hole.

Archaon growled and aimed his sword at the trio. "Don't think you'll escape us! We will FIND YOU!"

Sora folded his arms with one last smug smile. "You haven't won yet." He felt his feet upon nothing and called to the witch. "Maleficent, we're even now!"

He, Donald and Goofy fell into the circle as the confused, if surrounded witch. The leaderless flock felt their feet loose and fell into the dark, giving a combined squawk, Maleficent had as scowl and let herself fall. The shadows condensed into an orb with a white circle and puffed in smoke. Leaving the astonished villains with a handful of hearts and missing components. The Rubrics realize they were dripping, Amun was feeling his urge of vengeance drowning. "Wha...what's happening?!"

Xehanort chose to ignore the pleas and readied the heart of Ahriman for a spell. "So they chose to take their chances in the Dark Realm? It seems we'll need the borrowed time after all."

Archaon guessed. "If they figured out a way to make that whelp flee in fear, they'll figure out a way to warn their allies of this! What's to stop me from ripping the Darkness open and spilling the Chaos upon them all?"

The Rubrics collapsed, pooling darkness as the Dark Seeker answered. "We still need the hearts of Pure Light, first and foremost and we have ways to call upon armies." He focused on Ahriman's heart, felt a great resistance and used No Name to force his way into the power, the Graveyard and a gust of dust, greyed and froze to time. "Give me a moment to ready their retrieval. Then we will pursue the Guardians, time flows a little differently in the Realm of Darkness, so they won't be a simple harvest."

Archaon balked at the paltry resemblance to a challenge. "Nothing in the Dark Realm can help them now, the only thing that awaits them is things of Chaos, waiting to rip them to pieces."

Xehanort raised a finger and caused the rubrics dark goop to take form. "Ah, but why would they escape into there? What was that trinket they had? There was more to that than a desperate measure and we have time to find out." He gave off a tired, if determined laugh as he went to focusing on his next dark craft.