Chapter Two: Rise of the Seven

The darkness was all around. And when the blinding light pierced through, it seemed even darker. The light shot at Diablo, striking him, and the darkness was gone. He was back in the Club, surrounded by the strange monsters.
"Ice!" he yelled, and wheeled around, forgetting why he had entered the club again.
She was standing there, surrounded by the dark monsters. They were readying to pounce, and Diablo rushed in without thinking.
"Get away from her you monsters!" he bellowed. "Back off!"
The Shadows turned to him, glaring with their large yellow eyes. Diablo lifted his hand high in an arc, and brought it back down. As he did, a jet black blade cut through one of the Shadows, causing it to vanish.
"What the...?"
He picked up the blade he held in his hand. It was a strange black and purple color that meshed with the night around him. The blade was curved and had a strange design, and the handle was tipped with a stone snake's head.
Without even starting to ask why he had it, he slashed through the Shadows, feeling stronger and faster than normal. The blade flickered through the still night air, clouds of smoke exploding around the sword.
"Ice, let's go!"
"Where's Cy?" she asked, her usual cool fading slightly.
"I don't know! He's gone! But we have to go!" Diablo barked.
He fumbled with the key, but managed to unlock the bike. He and Ice tore out of the parking lot towards Diablo's house.
"WAIT!" yelled a voice.
Diablo flicked his gray eyes back, and saw the three 'Heroes' running behind him.
"No time! Sorry!" Diablo called.
He revved the engine, speeding up through the streets. Ice was squeezing his middle, her nails beginning to dig into his skin. She was shaking.
Hold on, babe, he thought. I'll get you home safe. I swear it.
Diablo was so frightened, so angry, so freaked out that he nearly wrecked the bike coming around a corner. The side tipped far too low for the simple turn, but he didn't care.
He pulled to a stop outside his house, grabbing Ice and pulling her off the bike. After briefly fumbling for his keys, he flung open the door and pushed Ice inside. Following suit, he jumped inside, slamming the door behind him and locking it.
"What the hell is going on!?" Ice screamed. She was deathly pale, eyes wide and frightened.
"I don't know...shit this is bad..."
Ice collapsed into a chair while Diablo paced through the room.
"You think somebody slipped us something? Maybe all the drinks were poisoned...a mass hallucination...that'd explain it...but we didn't drink...well, one little thing...but is that enough? Shit!"
Frustrated, the teen marched over to a tall cabinet. He opened the wood doors and pulled out a bottle filled with dark liquid.
"What are you drinking?" Ice asked.
"Bourbon. Why, you want some?"
Ice shook her head wildly.
"I don't think either of us should be having alcohol," she said sternly.
"Yeah, well, my nerves desperately need calming," Diablo shot back, scowling. "So if you don't mind, I'm going to treat myself to some coffee with a bourbon back."
Ice sat in the chair, staring at her feet as Diablo made coffee. He returned minutes later holding two steaming mugs.
"You drink coffee, right?"
Ice nodded weakly, taking the mug. The two drank deep, the caffeine reenergizing their bodies and clearing their minds. Diablo's bourbon succeeded in calming his nerves.
Just then, a loud knocking rang out against the door.
"Who's there!?" Diablo snapped.
"Sora...the guy from the club..." replied the voice.
"What, you here to finish the job you started? Killing everything in Night City? Don't want witnesses, eh?"
"That's not it!" replied Sora. "I want to help you! You wield a legendary weapon!"
The sword!
"Let us in...let us talk..."
Diablo grabbed the sword (he had left it next to the door) and held it ready as he swung open the door. As soon as the three walked in, he stabbed forward with the tip, aiming directly at Sora's throat.
"Whoa!"
"Stopga!"
Diablo felt himself freeze. No part of him could move as much as a millimeter.
"Now, are you going to calm down, or do I have to explain to you like this?" asked Sora, calm and cheerful.
The teen collapsed to the ground when he unfroze, having been in a leaping position when frozen.
"I'll be good," he grunted.
"Good. My name's Sora, and this is Donald and Goofy," Sora said, gesturing to his two companions.
"Diablo," the teen grunted. "That's Ice, and this is my good friend bourbon," he said pointing to the glass. "So, you gonna clue me in, or what?"
And so, the Trio explained all the stuff you, as Kingdom Hearts fans know. They talked about the Heartless, the worlds, Gummi Travel, their past adventures, the Keyblade, and magic...among other things.
"Wow," said Diablo, as Sora paused. "That's...quite a bit of data to process. But wait," he said suddenly. "You said it's bad to muddle, so why'd you tell me all this?"
Donald quacked something that Diablo failed to understand.
"Huh?"
"He said that you wield a legendary weapon too," Goofy said.
"Ah, you mean the sword."
"According to our sources," Sora explained. "Something big is going to happen here in Night City. A powerful force is planning to destroy the world via the Keyhole, using the power of the Heartless, which we thought we sealed.
"Seven humans on Night City, led by the powerful force, are gathering immense power. They can command the Heartless, and have powers of their own as well. There's only one thing that can bring down their unique brand of power."
"My sword, I assume," Diablo said, raising an eyebrow. "So you're saying that I'm some mystical guardian of Night City, blessed with a magic sword designed to destroy Seven evil humans and their mysterious leader?"
"That about sums it up," Sora answered, nodding.
"This is crazy," Diablo sighed, shaking his head.
"Well, you wield the sword, so you're the destined protector of mankind."
Diablo was about to make a snide remark, when a loud rumbling split the calm air.
"What the hell was that!?" Diablo shouted, jumping to his feet.
"That," yelled a high, muffled voice, "was the Seven's barrier coming up. You've got to work fast, young man."
"Who's there?"
"Cricket's the name. Jiminy Cricket, at your service."
With that, a small bug-like man wearing a suit and a top hat jumped out of the fire place. He hopped over and jumped onto Diablo's shoulder.
"My God, I am hallucinating."
"No, that's the guide we told you about," Donald quacked. Diablo was sure he heard the bird mutter, "idiot."
"I managed to learn some information from X, the one presiding over the Seven," Jiminy said. He knows quite a bit about Night City's predicament.
"First of all, I learned that they have divided Night City into eight sections, seven surrounding a central point."
"Dusk Tower!" Diablo yelled out. "It's the highest building in the City. Any megalomaniac would put up shop there."
"Yes, well, I don't know much about the Seven themselves, but what I've gathered is that each has different powers, and draws their strengths from the Seven Deadly Sins.
"Also, I know a bit about that sword you wield. It's called the Z-Blade, and has twelve forms based on the Zodiac. The current form is the Snake Fang, and commands the elemental force of Chaos. It awoke because of your Black Opal, there are eleven other gems that contain the power necessary."
"Great. This is sounding more and more like a video game," the Z-Blade wielder groaned.
"What I hope is that if you defeat one of the Seven, their barrier will fall, allowing access to another."
"That sounds cliché enough," Diablo snorted.
"So, ready to head off to face your first opponent?" Sora asked.
"Why not," Diablo said, shrugging. "The club's destroyed, my parents are off in Sun Village on their second honeymoon, so I guess I got time to spare. Besides, they mess with me, they mess with my girl, they mess with my town, and they mess with my club. They have to pay." A/N: It's Jiminy Cricket, alias Captain Exposition! So, Diablo is the Z-Blade wielder, there are Seven powerful humans, and twelve mystical gems. What could happen next? Well, let's just find out. Heck, why don't you vote for the first sin...
SINS: Wrath, Lust, Sloth, Gluttony, Greed, Envy, and Pride. Please e-mail your votes or contain them in a review, not just "Greed!" or "Do Pride!" This is Yasha, signing out.