The darkness had claimed him.  He wasn't lost though.  For being stuck in the belly of the beast that he was supposed to destroy, it wasn't all bad.  Then he got up, realizing that he'd been asleep?  He noticed Samanosuke in the distance, talking to some purple flames.  The conversation was rather one-sided, going like this: "In your current state, you cannot defeat the demons.  Use our powers.  We are the clan of the Ogres that has been subverted by the demons!  Samanosuke, destroy the demons and seal their souls to your right hand!" While the only flame with a face ranted, the others applied themselves to the arm of Samanosuke.  He emerged with a blue gauntlet attached to his right arm, with a sort of eye on the knuckles, and bug-like wings on the back, going to his elbow.  He faltered and fell to the ground, unconscious.  Acronos shrugged, but then the flame turned to him.  "Be careful keyblade master, the demons have sided with the heartless, well, some of them, and it will be difficult to win.  To aid you, we give you some of our power, so that you can absorb more souls and heartless.  Take note, if you absorb too many now, you will die.  Gain a bit more strength and you shall transform into a berserk devil form if you absorb too many." Acronos received the power, which simply added two purple fires to the tips of the blades of his symbol.  However, he now lost balance and fell into unconsciousness.  Upon waking up, he noticed that Samanosuke was as well.

Samanosuke: "So, fortune has smiled upon me today, with the power of this gauntlet."

Acronos: "You met up with the clan of the Ogres?"

Samanosuke: "Yes, you did as well?"

Acronos: "Yeah, let me heal my friends." This he did with rapidity, uncaring about his mp, but that wasn't exactly low.

Acane: "Oh, my head…"

Maioko: "Anyone catch the license plate of that bus?"

Tifa: "Yeesh, that was unexpected."

Tidus: "That guy dies!"

Auron: "Do you believe you can kill it?"

Tidus: "Not alone."

Samanosuke: "End your idle banter, the demon has princess Yuki, we must make haste."

Acronos: "We?  I thought you were a loner."

Samanosuke: "I am uncertain as to what you mean.  However, based on the context, I'll guess that you meant that I do not enjoy company, which is untrue, to an extent.  I travel with a female ninja named Kaede.  I would also enjoy any assistance you could provide."

Maioko: "Female ninja?  Where is she?"

Samanosuke: "She took a different route.  Let us be off."

Acronos: "I agree." They went on their way, going through the gate.  When they reached the other side, they noticed several bodies sprawled around, the crows feasting on their flesh.  There were several gasps, and a few seemed sick.  Acronos and Maioko's resolves hardened, both desiring to get revenge.  Samanosuke seemed unfazed by the bodies.  He mentioned that they should not ever go into a war if this is extremely disgusting to them, since he's seen far worse.  Selphie and Irvine look really sick, and Lulu cringed, her jaw set to try and limit her reaction.  They continued on their way.  They stopped and saw several soldiers on top of a wall stabbing at some demon things.  They looked a bit like farmers of the time, what with their green clothes and orange, cone-shaped hats, but they seemed to be skeletons.  Acronos took note of their swords, with sheathes at their backs, like his knife.  Finally, one grabbed a spear, and pulled the guy down.  He landed on his back, (it wasn't that big a distance), but the demons surrounded him and all stabbed their blades into his stomach.  A few seconds and he died, and then the other soldiers retreated.  Acronos got really pissed off, and his eyes flashed red.  Before Irvine could ask to leave, he jumped in roaring, and slashed the one who'd grabbed the spear in two with one mighty cut!  He turned around snarling, his eyes still red.  Nobody seemed to be reacting except Samanosuke, who charged in and hit a demon with a four-swing combo.  This hit it to the ground through its force, but didn't kill it, so he stabbed it through the stomach, then pulled his sword out with his foot and swung it to get off some of the blood.  Acronos took out another, but this time it took two cuts.  He was getting slightly frustrated because the paopu star wouldn't give him the power or range he needed.  It took two more kills for everybody to charge in, Irvine staying far behind to shoot, but Wakka went in there as well.  The demons weren't that difficult to destroy.

Samanosuke: "Pretty good for several children."

Acronos: "Children! (His rage hasn't worn off totally) I am fifteen!"

Samanosuke: "Calm down.  I am older than you, and thusly have the right to call you a child, but that does not imply any disrespect, for I have seen many adults who would quake in fear of you."

Acronos: "(Calming down) Whatever." They went on and went inside.  Irvine asked if he could take this one off, and Acronos said that as soon as they reached the next save point, it wouldn't be a problem.  Samanosuke mentioned that magic mirrors were reputed to save your life by giving you an idea of some of the options that might occur.  Acronos figured that magic mirrors were the save points of this world.  They reached the door, and someone was behind it.  They began to ask something, but saw several demons appear behind the group and closed the door, not without some reluctance. The demons were quickly slain, since thirteen against four or five are pretty good odds.  Samanosuke banged on the door, saying that he'd defeated the monsters.  The door opened a bit, and Samanosuke smashed it open the rest of the way.  He looked really pissed off.

Samanosuke: "You! (Grabs the guard who closed the door) Why did you close the door?"

Guard: "I am sorry, but we couldn't allow those monsters to pass through."

Guard 2: "We are sorry, but we need to defend Inabyama castle."

Samanosuke: "(Lets go of the guard's neck) Fine.  Which way?"

Guard 3: "That way through the forest is a shortcut, but be careful."

Acronos: "Thanks for the assistance." They headed on their way, but stopped by a wounded guard.

(W) Guard: "Please help me, I was attacked by monsters."

Maioko: "Sure.  (Casts Cure) Better?"

Guard: "Thank you so much.  I don't have much, but how about this?" He gave them some sort of key chain, (a four-colored crystal), and an herb.  Acronos grabs the chain and attaches it.  He is now in possession of an odd weapon.  It's a pretty big broad sword that looks like two smaller ones put together, one on top of the other, one being purple with a small purple fire on the end, and the other reddish, with a red blood groove, and a red fire on the end.  The handle is a katana, with a mass of blue matter with spikes on it and little blue lightning symbols for the hand guard.  For the symbol, a small double-bladed spear sticks out.  Acronos gives it a good swish, to see what it feels like.  It's kinda heavy, but actually quite nice, since it can be used one-handed, but with less control.  He allows it to disappear to wherever it goes when not with him, and looks at everyone else.  They all voice rather positive comments on his new weapon.  Samanosuke is questioning, but when the keyblade is given the title of a magic weapon, all is resolved.  They continue on the forest path.  The earth rumbles and they come across a rather large hole.  Acronos easily jumps it, but Samanosuke says that he'll have to go down since he can't jump too well due to his armor.  Acronos jumps in before him, so as to test the spot.  He mentions that it's not too large a fall, but that you should crouch on impact so as not to be in immense pain.  They do so and end up in some sort of passage.  They exit and a ninja demon pops in, literally.

Acronos: "After you, Samanosuke." The ninja is killed through a few attacks and a stab to the gut.  They go along, and find a treasure chest, but it only has a map.  They continue, and meet with a mummified monk.  Irvine looks really sick, along with nearly everybody.  Samanosuke takes the scroll in front of it with a bow.  He reads it as some journal, which shows a similar quest as his.  The monk's place moves, revealing a door.  They met up with a few of the weak farmer demons, and dispose of them.  Acronos, with his newly revealed tendency to search every nook and cranny, found something else, a glowing rock.  The computer reveals it as a fluorite.  They continue.  Next is a room with a blue light at the end and many jars.  Samanosuke slashes one into oblivion and is about to continue, when Irvine stops him.

Irvine: "Hey!  This stuff could be worth cash!"

Computer: "Monetary value discerned.  Here: Very little.  Earth: A couple hundred dollars.  Traverse Town: Several thousand munny."

Irvine: "HOO- HAH!"

Maioko: "(Rolls eyes) jeez Irvine, you're greedy!"

Irvine: "And?  Your point is what?"

Maioko: "And I expected any less?"

Irvine: "Hey Acronos, put this stuff in your pocket."

Acronos: "Irvine, I don't have a pocket large enough to fit ancient Japanese pottery… Never mind.  Whatever, I guess if the choice is between destruction and selling the stuff, I'll take selling it."

Samanosuke: "I don't care, just take it already!"

Acronos: "Fine, fine." So he placed it in the pocket and they moved on, but only a tiny bit, since they met up with a crystal orb shining with blue light.  Samanosuke picked it up, and it attached to his gauntlet.  He held out his hand purple flames spread out in a line.  They receded, leaving behind a blue katana.  It courses with lightning.  They keep going, and Samanosuke finds a trick treasure box.  After a bit of fiddling, they unlock it and get… A rope ladder?

Irvine: "Well that sucked.  All that work for nothing."

Maioko: "May I remind you that you did nothing?"

Irvine: "Well, uh, I meant 'work' in general, not just towards myself."

Maioko: "Right, sure you did…"

Irvine: "I'm serious!" This argument would have persisted for some time, but Acronos decided to stop it.

Acronos: "Hey guys?  Uhh, stairs, everyone left already?"

Both: "Whoa!" So they left, through a sliding exit to the outside.

Selphie: "Now where are we?"

Samanosuke: "I believe that we are near Inabyama castle."

Acronos: "Hey!  A chest!" This revealed, they acquired whatever was in it and gave it to Samanosuke, (It was decided that Acronos held anything that was to be sold, while Samanosuke held all the items specific to the world.).  They went on and discovered a magic mirror.

Acronos: "Okay, who needs to leave?" Irvine immediately raises his hand, with Selphie raising it at the same time.  Yuna sorta raises her hand, but thinks better of it.  Tidus says that he wants revenge.  Acronos then has the gummi ship send them all up, and he programs it to return on call, and then sends it on its way.  He then goes back down.  They look at the giant door next to them, which has some weird blue crystal with veins blocking the door on it.  Samanosuke sees that his gauntlet reacts and holds it up to the crystal, which dulls and retracts.  They go through and meet up with some spike-shelled, bipedal turtles in armor with swords that look like hatchets.  For a moment everyone stares and then attacks.  The things stand still for the attacks sometimes, but when they attack its only with easily dodged swipes, or turning into a ball and rolling into someone.  It doesn't matter, even though there are several waves, they all die and Samanosuke absorbs their souls.  Through the next gate they see the castle and a giant alter, block, thing in the middle of the way, so they go around, only to be met with demons.  Easily dispatched, until they meet up with a Minotaur.  This already huge thing is wielding a huge axe, with an enormous sword strapped to its back.  A few are rendered indecisive about attacking it, but not Samanosuke, who bravely charges it, attacking.  The thing swings a downward slash, which Samanosuke blocks, but continues with a stab.   

  However, Acronos has rushed in and guarded it, then Maioko gave it a powerful punch to the stomach, sending it back, and then Acane stabbed it with her spear, left it in there, drew her swords, and touched them to the spear, giving that thing one hell of a shock!  The thing still lives for whatever reason and rips her spear out of its chest.  However, before it can do anything, Samanosuke charges and hits it with a four-strike combo, which it blocks the last one of.  The two lock blades and each tries to push the other off. 

  Everyone steps in to help out Samanosuke, but he can take care of himself, sending the thing flying by martial arts and throwing it over his shoulder.  He then stabs it in the stomach.  The thing still lived however, and started to get up as he wiped his blade.  Acronos, mildly ticked, stabs the thing himself, finally ending its life.  They wipe the sweat off their brows, but see another one. 

  They get a bit ticked, but everyone else gets this one.  Lulu blasts it with fire; Wakka hits it with an ice Blitzball; Auron hits it with all his might, sending it into a wall, Tidus hits it with a few quick slashes; Kairi flings her staff out and sends electricity through it, Yuna blasts it with holy magic, and then Tifa delivers the final blow: Final Heaven.  It exploded all over the wall.  With a nod they set off again.  Since there was a red crystal-orb-vein-thing covering the door to the castle, they went to the door next to it.  They see a few monsters, nothing too hard and look down to see a hole in the wall.

Acronos: "I can jump it, I think?"

Maioko: "How'd you get back up?"

Acronos: "I think I can climb it."

Samanosuke: "Would it not be easier to make use of this rope ladder we acquired?"

Acronos: "You know that's just crazy enough to work!"

Samanosuke: "How is the idea crazy?  I do not understand what you mean, it is simple stratagem."

Acronos: "… It's an expression.  (Sees the blank look on his face) … Remind me to not use slang here."

Samanosuke: "Slang?"

Maioko: "(Pats him on the back) Just let it go."

Tifa: "Don't worry, not even people from our time period understand him sometimes."

Samanosuke: "Time period?  Do you mean that you came here from another time?"

Acronos: "World, to be precise.  Believe me, it'll take too long to explain, we need to find princess Yuki."

Samanosuke: "… I trust you, for now."

Acane: "Don't worry, we're only here to help.  Irvine, he was here for money, but that's beside the point."

Tidus: "Can we get going, I already put the ladder down."

Tifa: " (From down below) Hurry up!" Everyone jumped down and headed on their way.  They found another magic mirror, along with a weird box.

Samanosuke: "It appears that you must select the proper things from this ancient language.  Unfortunately, all we have is the book we found earlier."

Acronos: "Not a problem.  Computer, translate." It did so and he opened the box.  Inside was a strange jewel.  Samanosuke took it and it was absorbed into his hand, he said he felt stronger.  They went inside the rooms, but not before Acronos, feeling a bit slash-happy, cut down some nearby boxes to find yet another treasure chest.  Inside they found…

Giant demon: "Well, well, look what we have here, humans!"

Samanosuke: "Tell me where princess Yuki is!"

Demon: "Hmm, humans are better when angry, and I haven't eaten in a while…"

Acane: "Eww!" The demon swung his club down, but Samanosuke rolled away, and settled into a ready stance.  With Acronos behind him, Samanosuke in front, Tifa and Maioko to the sides, and everyone else coming in when there was an opening, he was quickly overwhelmed.

Demon: "Argh, damn!  Well, I guess those weird things might come in handy now.  Heartless!" First two shadows popped up, then dark power began to encircle him.  Soon he had black armor on, and looked twice as strong.  The demons they'd met up with earlier appeared, except that they had heartless symbols and were much stronger.  For a moment everyone hesitated, but Tidus charged in at the demon.  It swung its club much faster this time, but Tidus, being smaller and more agile, was able to jump over it and into Spiral Cut.  Yuna knew when she was out-classed in strength, so she began casting defense spells on Tidus, Acronos, Samanosuke, and Maioko, knowing full well that they'd probably attack more.  Tidus and Samanosuke attacked the demon, mainly because Acronos told them to be the ones to do so, and covered their backs.  A turtle-demon ran at him, but he noticed that it seemed more erect, its armor stronger, and it had two katanas on its back.  Upon seeing the darkness symbol on its chest, Acronos absorbed its power, and strangely enough the name Leonardo came to mind.  Everyone continued to fight, but were slowly being overwhelmed themselves.  This is when Samanosuke busted out a magic technique of his own, his blade shone with blue light, elongated a bit, and he started slashing a few times at the demon general, and then did a downward slash that summoned a large bolt of lightning in its wake.  Acronos' blade, the blue portion, began to course with electricity and he felt the technique becoming known.  While this was powerful, the demon general was not yet dead.  Tidus decided to do what Samanosuke did, and started Blitz Ace.  The demon general moved back and was about to summon a horde of demon-heartless, but found that it couldn't do that or move anymore.  Perhaps it was due to the dart that had imbedded itself into its skull, courtesy of Acronos?  Tidus finished the slashing portion of Blitz Ace, this time a bit longer, and jumped into the air.  He gestured to Samanosuke who charged his blade and threw a ball of electricity at Tidus' foot.  Tidus kicked it, really hard, and it smashed into the demon general's skull, blinding it and sending it reeling.

Demon General: "Ugh!  How could I have been defeated, by a human?!"

Samanosuke: "Silence demon!  Go back to where you came from."

Acronos: "Well that was pleasant.  Anyone else feel as though we might need to worry?"

Acane: "Chickening out, keyblade master?"

Acronos: "(Smirking) Now what might make you think that?  Caution is better than foolishness, though."

Samanosuke: "We should be on our way." They went through a door next to the carcass, which housed an herb in a treasure chest.  Upon entering, they heard weird noises.  They went forward until they reached another door.  They saw some sort of scientist there, a demon scientist that is.

Demon: "Ooo, look at this.  The dripping blood and, ooh, here's a liver!" He said this like a child in a toy store.  His voice was odd, one moment kinda nasally, the next, deep and mildly creepy.  Nobody moved, everyone's first reaction was disgust, as the scientist had red tentacles coming out of its head, orange skin, and who knew what those tentacles were doing, (Better yet, who wanted to?).

Samanosuke: "Who are you?" The thing's tentacles retracted.

Demon: "A puny human, what are you doing here?  No matter, you are not worth my time."

Samanosuke: "Where is princess Yuki!"

Demon: "That doesn't concern you.  Heh, but it won't matter soon, for she will be sacrificed and Nobunaga's contract with the demons will be completed once he drinks her blood."

Acronos: "That is disgusting."

Samanosuke: "I will not allow such a thing!"

Demon: "Oh, and who are you to try?  Just for that, come and face my latest creation.  Reynaldo, bite the belly of this maggot and feast upon his bloody flesh!" Cackling, it descended on a platform with the mutilated body.  The thing called Reynaldo turned out to be vaguely humanoid, pink skin, purple clothing, (apparently, it could have been the skin), long stretchy tentacles for arms, and spikes coming out of its back.  Actually it didn't seem that formidable.

Acronos: "And we're supposed to be afraid of chewing gum, why?" Reynaldo swung its tentacle at him, though he was quite far away.  The tentacle stretched to compensate for the distance, but Acronos caught it in one hand.  It then buried the other in the ground.  From out of nowhere it wrapped around Acronos' leg, attempting to pull him down.  Slightly ticked, he cut it off, and it let go.  Reynaldo regenerated the missing appendage.

Acronos: "Anyone else want to take this thing?  If so please say, 'cause I'm doing it myself if no one offers."  No one raised his or her hand.  He muttered something that sounded like: "Fine.  Be that way." And stabbed it in where the heart should be.  No reaction, the stupid thing had the consistency of gum, and about that IQ too.  This time, with a little more gusto, he cut it in two.  It fell to the ground.  He smirked and turned around.  He took one step, which landed a bit hard as he remembered never to leave a body down without checking to see if it wasn't going to attack.  He turned around to see two Reynaldo rising up.  His eye twitched and he cut them both in half.  They started to reform, so he stabbed two in the gut before the others got up.  The ones left, he jumped up and did a kick that sent them to the ground.  He stabbed them as well.

Acronos: "Well.  That was… Invigorating."  While this had been going on, Samanosuke had been looking around.   He found a red orb, which he attached to his gauntlet, turning it into a red broadsword and activating the section of Acronos' keyblade that was red.

Tidus: "Okay, that was one of the most disgusting things I've seen, and I think it'll get worse.  Can I leave?"

Yuna: "I have to agree with Tidus on this one."

Lulu: "Don't take this the wrong way, but I have to go too, I have to, uhh…"

Wakka: "She has to accompany me since I might do something stupid and Tidus might encourage it."

Lulu: "(Silent thanks) Right."

Acronos: "(Knowing full well what they meant) Okay, lets go back."

Samanosuke: "Anyone else?  Just so you know, things will get worse."

Tifa: "Me, fear death?  No, I only respect it.  Plus, I've gotten over the disgust that comes with war."

Auron: "… Whatever you have, I can take."

Kairi: "On second thought, maybe I'll take this one off."

Acane: "I've seen worse, I'll be alright."

Maioko: "Huh?  You mean you even have to ask?"

Acronos: "I've got no choice in the matter."

Samanosuke: "Good, then lets go." They walked back from where they came.  Upon reaching the room where their battle had occurred, weird things composed of skulls stuck together around an eye, which emitted blue energy, absorbed the souls of the demon general.  They then wandered around, a bit out of sword reach, from the ground.  Samanosuke headed to the door, but stopped and turned around, waiting for them to descend.  It took a bit until everyone realized what he was doing, and then killed the things themselves.  Wakka took most of them out, while Acronos got one or two.  Samanosuke absorbed their souls.  There was another door out, but it was covered in the red crystal thing.  Samanosuke's fire orb reacted, allowing them access to the door.  Once out they headed for the magic mirror.  With a wave, everyone who needed to do so left.  Samanosuke then closed his eyes.  His blade changed to the thunder variety and began absorbing souls.  Soon it transformed into a stronger version.  Samanosuke then channeled souls into his thunder crystal, then his fire sword, but ran out of souls.  They continued on their way.

Acane: "Where to?"

Acronos: "There was a red crystal on the door to Inabyama castle, or whatever it was called.  Samanosuke, you'll need to open that one."  Following that statement, they did so, but not before killing a few demons, in fact, so many were killed as to be recognized as training.  Samanosuke managed to enhance his fire sword.  They then entered the castle, only to find dead bodies piled everywhere, the stairs busted, in short it looked like a massacre.  They entered a nearby door, which contained a blue liquid that allowed you to refill your magic power.  Acronos wandered around, and he reached an oddly blank wall nearby.  A freaky man in a cocoon with a long mustache hung upside down from the ceiling, and then raised himself back up.

Acronos: "Jesus Christ that was freaky!"

Acane: "Who?"

Acronos: "… Something religious I think.  You either use God, or Jesus, though I can't quite remember why."

Maioko: "Ah, you were Christian."

Acronos: "I think."

Maioko: "Well, that's interesting, because-."

Acane: "Later, we've got demons to slaughter." They left and searched a bit, finding a treasure chest, and then entering a room to find a short slightly bald man holding onto a kid.

Kid: "Let go of me!"

Weirdo: "No, you come with me!" Samanosuke threw him off.

Samanosuke: "Why are you harassing him?"

Weirdo: "No matter.  Say, you're Samanosuke Akechi, aren't you?  Yes you are!  How'd you like to work for the Oda clan?  We have an excellent dental plan."

Samanosuke: "I work for nobody!  My life is my own to command, and besides, I have pretty good teeth, see?" He shows rather white teeth.

Acronos: "How's that possible, I didn't think toothpaste was invented yet.  Or that anyone cleaned their teeth at all yet."

Weirdo: "We have our ways, though the demons do use this toothpaste you speak of.  Are you a demon?"

Acronos: "I'm one third Devil."

Weirdo: "Is there a difference?"

Ifrit: "(Popping up, rather pissed) Hell yeah!  We Devils are far superior to the demons, not only in rank, but in power as well.  We tend to be smarter, more agile, and definitely stronger.  We use technology, but rely on our own power to win fights mainly, which is far more than enough.  (Has set many things on fire due to rage, including the weirdo)"

Weirdo: "Cough.  I see your point.  How does one make a contract with you Devils?"

Ifrit: "We work for nobody!  Except Satan of course."

Weirdo: "Ah.  (Smothers the fire on him)"

Ifrit: "Who are you?  Why are you making a contract with the demons?"

Weirdo: "I am Tokichiro.  I am not the one making the contract with the demons, but my lord Nobunaga."

Ifrit: "I've heard of him."

Acronos: "But Ifrit… Wait, Hell extends everywhere, never mind."

Tokichiro: "Well, if you will not serve the Oda clan, I guess it's your own fault." He left laughing.  Ifrit disappeared in flames.  They enter the door to the right, which contains several scrolls on the journey and some translator books.  Upon entering the other door from where they met Tokichiro, they met up with a few ninja demons, easily dispatched.  They entered a small passageway that only held one person at a time.  It had a door midway with a weird pit on it.  Upon moving further, the kid they'd first met came running down the hallway, followed closely by a woman in ninja garb, namely an orange dress that had no sleeves and ended before her knees.  She had a black band around her stomach, and arm guards with black cloth underneath.  She also had black leggings.  Her only colors were black and orange.  The boy stopped upon seeing Samanosuke.

Ninja: "Samanosuke… Is there something you'd like to ask this young man?"

Samanosuke: "Might I ask who you are?"

Boy: "Why should I tell you?  The other samurai tried to hurt me."

Acronos: "Kid, I'm no samurai, and Samanosuke isn't bad at all."

Boy: "Who are you all then?"

Acronos: "I'm the keyblade master, Acronos.  This is my team, but we're short several members due to the dead bodies making everybody sick."

Boy: "Keyblade?  I'm Yumemaru."

Acronos: "I suppose not every world has a legend for it.  This is my keyblade, (Draws said weapon) and it can unlock, lock, and seal anything, including worlds and their barriers.  This one was left unsealed, so I need to seal it."

Yumemaru: "Seal worlds?  I don't understand."

Acronos: "Don't worry, this world is large, it'll take most your life to see it all, so you don't need to worry about going to other worlds.  Just know that if you meet up with any heartless, I'm here to watch your back."

Yumemaru: "Heartless?  You mean these?  (Summons a few shadows) Some guy who looked a bit like you, but in a cloak taught me to summon them through this, (Holds up a heartless emblem).  I can only summon these weaker ones."

Acronos: "Yumemaru, be very careful with that.  While the heartless look weak, and are that way, if you let your guard down, or use their power too much, they'll devour your heart, your soul."

Yumemaru: "Yeesh, you take it then."

Acronos: "Thanks.  Now, why are you here?  While you may be able to summon shadows, they can't possibly compete with the stuff in here and you knew that."

Yumemaru: "I don't have to tell you."

Acronos: "(Donning the mask of a whiny kid) Awwwwwwww, but why not?"

Yumemaru: "Heh.  You're funny.  Okay, I'm here to search for my sister, princess Yuki."

Acronos: "She's your sister?  Funny, you don't look similar, oh well."

Yumemaru: "She's my sister through adoption or whatever it is she called it."

Acronos: "Ah.  Well, I'm sorry, but I can't let you wander around here, I don't want to see you impaled like everything else around here.  Someone will have to look after you."

Yumemaru: "I'm not so weak, I can take care of myself!"

Acronos: "Are you in possession of a magical blade that can cut through steel?"

Yumemaru: "Uhh, not really…"

Acronos: "Then you'd be another snack for the demons wandering around here, they're powerful."

Yumemaru: "I guess, but I've survived up until now."

Acronos: "Might I remind you that it is difficult even for us, experienced warriors, to take on the demon-heartless?  Also, Tokichiro is looking for you, and he's crafty and quick, more so than any demon."

Yumemaru: "That guy?  With my heartless… oh wait, I gave the emblem to you."

Acronos: "Tell you what, how about you stick with Kaede or Samanosuke?  Our group will divide to go with either, so you get to explore, and not get eaten, how's that sound?"

Yumemaru: "Pretty good, I suppose." In one ear and out the other, a ninja demon pokes him, and he grabs the emblem, summons invisibles and charges.  Everyone just stands around blinking.

Acronos: "A tad absent-minded, eh?  Since when could he summon invisibles?"

Samanosuke: "Umm, I don't know?  Lets go?" They headed on their way.  This was quite a distance, and involved the slaughter of many demons, heartless, and their combos, (Yeah, I just skipped a good portion of the walking part of the game, I think I'll just rush to the conversations, boss battles and such.) At one point they reached a large, rather innocent hallway, but it had levers in various places.  Kaede caught up to them there, and said a few things she'd found out about Yumemaru, Tokichiro, and Yuki.  With a nod, they headed off, but were stopped by gates crashing in front and behind them, but the gates were made of wooden spears, and not iron or something.  Kaede and Samanosuke looked around, while Acronos was hacking away merrily at the gate along with Auron and Acane.  Maioko, being less inclined to hurting her hands for no good reason, pointed out the levers.  Samanosuke pulled the one next to them, and the front gate lifted.  He let go and it dropped, so he held on to it.  Kaede grabbed the next one, and it continued in this manner until they reached the end.  After that was a very dark room, but the blue magic spirits coming from a fountain gave a tiny bit of light.  Everyone refilled their magic, and Acronos noticed unlit candles.  Samanosuke took his fire sword out and performed its magic attack, which was an overhand strike that sent a line of flame forward, which lit the candles.  Maioko opened a nearby door that hadn't been observable previously.  They entered a room with many squares with X's in different colored squares.  There was one O at the end.  Samanosuke stepped on the nearest one, which dropped several other squares, exposing a spike pit, and spikes surrounded him.

Acronos: "I suppose this is the trap segment?" He then simply jumped over all of them until he stepped onto the "O", which put everything back to normal, in fact, it flipped all the squares over so as not to need to do that again.  In the next room, the walls were gray stone.  Acronos noticed mold and figured that it probably became very wet around here for whatever reason… Wet room, trap session?  It clicked and he, with a massive shove, pushed everyone outside the door, which sealed shut behind them.  Maioko and Kaede pounded on the door and asked what was going on.  Samanosuke replied that he appeared to be trapped.  Acronos thanked him for stating the obvious, and then said the room would probably fill with water, and then water began to pour from spouts on the ceiling, rather quickly too.  Acronos reached into the never-ending pocket and started to root around for some sort of underwater breathing apparatus.  He found none.  He told Samanosuke to take a big breath before they were totally submerged and hold his breath.  Acronos knew that due to whatever reason, he could hold his breath longer than most humans, probably the Devil qualities.  Kaede found a puzzle outside, which had some blocks with two being halves of a seal.  She, Maioko, and Acane all worked on it for a long time.  Auron noticed that the place was a second from being totally filled, so he shoved them aside, worked for a moment and set the pieces of the seal in the middle.  The water inside the cell lowered and Acronos and Samanosuke stepped out calmly.

Acronos: "I'd ask where to find a room to change in, but I suppose there's no place in a blood soaked castle to change, eh?"

Samanosuke: "Lets keep going."

Acronos: "I get the feeling we don't have much left." He was right, because the next room had no traps, and just a cord at one end of the room.  Acronos walked up to it, while everyone stood near the door, so as not to be impaled, just in case.  He pulled the cord and a set of stairs fell down, and all the traps stopped.

Kaede: "Phew, glad that's over."

Maioko: "You guys seem to attract death to yourselves, eh?"

Acronos: "Death seems to like me.  Oh well, I still have no trouble escaping it."

Tifa: "Okay, I think we should be on our way."

Acane: "Hey Kaede, do you need any help?  You have no magical weapon, and you're alone."

Kaede: "Well, I think I'll be okay."

Acronos: "Might not be a bad idea for someone to go with you, but do as you feel."

Kaede: "Well, they'd have to know something of ninjitsu."

Maioko: "I know a thing or two."

Kaede: "Like?"

Maioko: "I can pick locks, I know most pressure points, I can keep totally silent, I can jump really high, and all that other fun stuff."

Kaede: "Hmm, well I guess you wouldn't slow me down any."

Acane: "I don't know what ninjitsu is, but I can do everything Maioko said she could." You could see the sparks flying even if you were blind, so obviously Acronos noticed.

Acronos: "Hey, uh, what's with the sparks?"

Maioko & Acane: "Girl thing."

Acronos: "Right… Well, that's Kaede, Maioko, and Acane, anyone else?"

Auron: "I… am not very good those arts."

Acronos: "But you disappear frequently, and can blend with shadows easily!"

Auron: "I am not as nimble.  I will go with you and Samanosuke."

Samanosuke: "That leaves you, um, Tifa?"

Tifa: "I don't care, I'm okay at both sides."

Acronos: "I don't know, I think that we have ample power."

Kaede: "We're fine too."

Tifa: "I've got a coin, wanna flip?"

Acronos: "Cool!"

Acronos & Maioko: "Heads!  (Stare angrily) Heads!  Tails!  Heads!  Grr!"

Acane: "Tails."

Auron: "Heads."

Tifa: "Flipping… Heads.  Best two out of three?"

Acane: "Nah, that's fine."

Auron: "Hey, lovers!" Both whip their heads to face him and begin shouting.

Auron: "Whatever… Tifa's going with us, Acronos.  Now stop flirting and lets get a move on!"

Acronos: "Flirting?  Is flirting when you attack someone?  I still don't understand that whole concept."

Maioko: "(Hits him upside the head) No, it's when you use your charms to try and gain someone's attention or something… The meaning differs with everybody."

Acronos: "Oh, cool, thanks.  By the way, I was not doing that."

Maioko: "Yeah, I know.  However, Auron has a point, see you!"

Acronos: "Later, Maioko!"

Samanosuke: "We'll meet up soon, Kaede."

Kaede: "Right."

Auron: "Our paths will cross, now lets go before this countryside is infested completely."

Acronos: "Okay.  Hey Samanosuke, I noticed a chest back there, I think we'd better get it. "  They did, getting holy armor for Samanosuke, (By the way, he'd been wearing regular red samurai armor up to this point, the holy armor is golden)

  To make things shorter, Samanosuke's group headed up the stairs and progressed upwards until they reached the top of the castle.  There they found that princess Yuki's room had been ransacked earlier.  Samanosuke noticed a desk and mentioned it, but said that there was no time to write a love letter.  That stopped Acronos dead in his tracks.  Slowly, he turned around and asked him to repeat that. 

  Samanosuke did so, Acronos said that he thought so, and burst out laughing.  When asked what was so funny, Acronos replied that Samanosuke seemed to be such a big macho guy who kept his emotions to himself that the idea of him writing a love letter simply struck him as very funny.  A minute later they all were on the balcony where there was a room sealed with a green crystal-vein-thing, so Acronos figured that they'd be getting a wind crystal soon.  Yumemaru was head inside yelling to let him out.  Acronos and Samanosuke comforted him a bit and told him they'd bust him out in a second. 

  They told him to wait for a few minutes, and headed up to the roof.  There they found a gray skinned warrior.  He was a bit taller than most, but not Acronos.  He had pants, a metal shield, a hefty scimitar, and a horned helmet.  He also had a green orb where Samanosuke usually kept his orbs. 

  This was taken as a sign that they'd have Yumemaru out very soon.  Not so, since this guy was a great warrior, easily defending against most attacks.  When a pincer of Acronos and Samanosuke was used, he blocked with his sword and shield.  When everyone attacked, he did a spin that sent everybody back a few feet.  Nevertheless, he still took a hit here and there, and Acronos kept attacking his shield, hoping to break it. 

  Finally, Acronos noticed the one imperfection in the forge of the shield and used his version of the flaming sword to cleave the shield in two.  The warrior acquired a heartless symbol and a massive blade, but didn't summon anything.  Now everyone was having problems, especially when he flung Acronos off the roof entirely.  Acronos managed to grab the balcony and throw himself back up, and then executed his downward slash to cleave through the warrior's helmet.  The fight lasted quite a while, but finally they won. 

  Samanosuke took the orb and went downstairs, opening the closet where Yumemaru was being held.  They all went downstairs to the one room that had a bed and no monsters.  Kaede and company was there, waiting.  They put Yumemaru down, and Samanosuke talked to him for a bit, mentioning that he should see the world to understand life better. A lady ran in.  She looked rather plain, not out of the ordinary, and said that she was a maid for princess Yuki.  When asked, Yumemaru said that he didn't know all the maids too well, so she might be or might not be who she said she was. 

  The groups stayed as they were and Acronos mentioned that there was a door they hadn't explored yet nearby.  To that door they went, and it was bound by a crystal-vein-thing, but with two crystals.  Behind this were three orbs that Samanosuke activated with his orbs.  This opened a chute down to who knew where.  Actually, it didn't lead too far.

  Basically, it leads to a place where it seemed that the demons had made a greater stronghold, since the place had blood everywhere.  Blood, stray organs, that kind of thing, but everyone trudged onwards.  After cleaving through plenty of Reynaldo, the group reached a slaughterhouse of sorts.  There were some weights at the end, and being the slash happy people they were, Acronos and Samanosuke hacked through the rope, which dredged up the rosary of communication.  This allowed one to talk with the dead.  Luckily there was one right next to them, and conversation was so freaky that it stopped after any information was given.

  Passing from that room to another set of doors led to a room lit by blue torches.  Sensing a trap, Acronos, Samanosuke, Auron and Tifa moved slowly to the chest at the end of the room.  Nothing happened, so they opened the chest to find the purifier bell.  This caused scythes to start swinging.

Acronos: "Great, now they start swinging, not before we go forward, oh no, it can't be that simple."

Auron: "The whining…"

Acronos: "I was hoping to either rust the blades or make the things commit suicide."

Tifa: "…?"

Acronos: "I think that was a memory of sorts… Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe?"

Auron: "I guess we'll ask Maioko when we return."

Samanosuke: "In case you haven't noticed, we are going to become sliced pork if we are not careful."

Acronos: "Okay, just let me try one more stupid idea…" He then swings his keyblade at the oncoming scythe full force, which shatters the scythe quite easily.

Auron: "That was indeed a stupid idea, but oddly enough, it worked."

Acronos: "Luck and I have a long standing relationship."

Samanosuke: "Ahem, may we continue?"

Acronos: "Sure." He cuts down the remaining blades and they exit.  Remembering a door near the entrance that was covered in impure souls, they backtracked until they reached it.  Upon hearing the ringing of the bell, the souls retreated to wherever they could.  The door opened easily.  The next room was a long hallway that had many demon samurai things encased in glass.  Everyone took out their weapons, though most had them out to begin with.  Three of the demons crashed through their prisons and attacked slowly.  They had long katanas, long arms, and were generally long and slow.  However, when Samanosuke was cutting through one and lost focus for a moment, it grabbed him by the neck and began to choke him.  After a moment of wriggling, he kicked it and landed back on the floor, then finished it off.  They continued onwards to a torture room where they found another dead guy who could talk and he mentioned the insane man Acronos had met earlier in the room with the magic mirror, the one that hung down.  After picking up a fluorite in the iron maiden, they opened a trick treasure box, which gave the blue key.  Acronos half expected to have to explain its importance, but there was no one who was there to argue.  He found that he missed his new friends a bit.  Oh well, they continued to the door that needed the blue key.  Inside was half normal, and half blue-green stone of sorts.  Tokichiro came out from behind it.

Tokichiro: "Well hello.  I will ask you again, are you sure you don't want to work for the Oda clan?  Not only will we offer you great pay and a good dental plan, but this time, I'm willing to offer you demonic powers and opponents created to your specifications, worthy of even you!"

Samanosuke: "Damn, that is a good offer.  However, I'm afraid I must refuse, I worked for somebody once, but after going out into the world, I've found that these silly clan battles mean next to nothing.  I am not willing to participate in senseless bloodshed."

Acronos: "But what about what we're doing here?"

Samanosuke: "These are demons, and also we have the purpose of finding princess Yuki.  As well as, as you'd say: 'slaughtering anything that dares to come in our way!'  I think that's similar to your usual eloquence?"

Acronos: "Indeed it is.  Oh, and Tokichiro, I can't accept because I'm already tied to my keyblade and its duty, so, no dice from me."

Auron: "No thank you, I don't work well with demons, too much experience."

Tifa: "Bleh, working with people like you?  No way!"

Tokichiro: "If that's how you feel, then I can't let you leave here alive!" A ring of energy of the same color surrounded them.  From the tip of the structure behind Tokichiro, a beam of electricity blasted everyone, making them unable to get up from their crouches.

Tokichiro: "I think Kaede will be getting an unexpected visitor soon!   Ah Hahahahaha!"

Acronos turns his wrist and the computer shows a hologram of Kaede.  She's saying something to Yumemaru, but Samanosuke comes in.  Acronos looks at him, then back at the hologram.  Kaede asks the fake Samanosuke if he's found out anything.  Another Acronos comes in as well, saying that the search had been a bust, but there was no humor to his voice, even though there was supposed to be.  Maioko looked a bit speculative, since she knew him pretty well and felt the absence of humor.  Acane was looking at Samanosuke, noticing that he had no gauntlet.  They started to unsheathe their weapons, but the nurse grabbed Yumemaru, distracting them.  Samanosuke punched Kaede in the solar plexus, knocking her out slowly.  Acronos bashed Maioko over the head with a copy of his original keyblade.  Acane jumped back, unsheathing her weapons.  Samanosuke smirked, raised his blade, and fired a purple fireball at her.  She blocked it, but Acronos kneed her in the skull, hard.  Everyone good in the room had passed out momentarily.  The nurse started to take Yumemaru, but he summoned shadows.  They clawed at her until she let go, bleeding.  The Samanosuke swung his blade, but a defender appeared.  The two saw a problem, Yumemaru was actually a bit strong with his ability to summon heartless.  Acronos swaggered forward, smirking heavily, and summoned his shadow, Umbra.  Then Subzero, then Sardukar, and then Leonardo.  Yumemaru had his shadows gang up on Acronos' with his defender to take on Leonardo and Sardukar, while a newly summoned fire shadow attacked Subzero.  Yumemaru was very concentrated on this, so he didn't see the nurse whack him upside the head with two fists, knocking him out.

Tokichiro: "See?  Muahahahaha!  Hack, hack!"

Acronos: "(struggling) Your evil laugh… SUCKS!!"

Tokichiro: "That's for my lord, I suppose.  I bet you can't do better."

Acronos: "(Starts laughing maniacally, so much so, and so loudly that he scares Tokichiro into a fetal ball.)  There, now that is an evil laugh."

Samanosuke: "Are you sure you're good?"

Acronos: "Actually, I chose an element that is light and darkness combined equally, giving me both powers.  The actual name is a mystery, but its nickname is justice."

Auron: "Smart choice."

Acronos: "I'm a good strategist."

Tokichiro: "Damn you, die!"

Acronos: "Old!"

Tokichiro: "(Yells out profanities in Japanese, Samanosuke's eyes widen, so do Acronos' once his computer translates)"

Samanosuke: "I… Didn't … even… know…. half of those…"

Acronos: "Be glad you didn't.  Here's one for you, Tokichiro!  'May the fleas and ticks of a thousand camels nestle in your nose-hairs!'  How's that?"

Tokichiro: "Not bad, a little odd, but how about this?!  (More profanities)"

Acronos: "(Reads translation, slides into profanities in every language he knows, which, if you remember his time within the door of justice, is quite a lot.)"

Tokichiro: "I don't even want to know what you just said.  Be gone!" The floor opens around them, sending them down.  Tifa and Auron are sent a bit ahead of Acronos and Samanosuke.  Lets have the scene switch to the girls, shall we?

Upon awakening, Maioko and Acane have a few profanities of their own to let fly.  Kaede silences them, and they leave.  Upon exiting the room, they find a dying soldier.  He mentions the West prison and monsters there.  Maioko heals him and tells him to run the hell away from here unless he wants to die a very painful death.  He does so, giving them the red key.  Kaede has to slice a few demons away to get him to a door though.  She isn't the strongest person, but her agility makes up for it, along with her ability to instantly kill several types of demons with a knife to the throat.  They try to leave from where they came in the beginning, but the crystal-vein-thing re-stretches, so they head to another door.  This one leads to the door for the red key, so they go in.  It's a distance, with several enemies, some on the roof, firing from there.  Acane kills them, with her ability to run on walls, spearing her opponents.  At one point, there are just too many.  Kaede starts to wonder if retreat isn't such a bad idea.  Acane scolds her playfully, and then floods the floor with her water spear.  Maioko grabs Kaede and jumps to the roof.  Acane then zaps all the demons by stabbing her electric swords into the water.  She then jumps up after Kaede and Maioko.

Acane: "Why didn't we think to go on the roof before?"

Kaede: "The thought didn't cross my mind."

Maioko: "Anyone else feels like Charlie's Angels?"

Kaede & Acane: "(In unison) Who're Charlie's Angels?"

Maioko: "Never mind, they're weird anyway."

Kaede: "Who are these people you speak of?"

Maioko: "Forget it." They continue.  Upon reaching a garden area, some ninjas attack.  Not for very long, they're killed really quickly.  Kaede uses her Shinobi kit on the door to open it.  They enter a room with a Magic Mirror.  Continuing onwards, they find a door that is barred pretty tightly.  Maioko and Acane wonder how to bust in or through, but Kaede says that it's best to take the door in this case, just to save time.  Maioko responds that it'll probably take longer, Acane just motions for them to follow her.  Grabbing a gear from a fallen soldier, they go back to a place where they'd previously killed some archers.  They scale the ladder there, and then go down another, then another, followed by a door requiring the Shinobi kit.  Through another straight path until they reach a room with several furnaces.  Maioko starts to walk forward, only to jump back, narrowly avoiding the flame that shot out of it.  The flames shot out at intervals, but Acane saved some time, ran along the wall, reached the door, and yelled to Kaede to pull the chain nearby.  A few minutes inside and she returns with a gold plate that would've fit into the door, and an herb.  Returning to another room, this one has a journal, and a compartment with some gears and a pull-tab.  Maioko puts the gear that they'd found in, and Kaede pulls the tab.  It opens to a small room with a silver plate, and a fluorite.  Kaede sees some studying utensils, and says that no matter what you do, it won't change your pre-existing destiny.  Maioko says that's not true.  They begin a philosophical argument, and continue it, even while going back to the door and slicing through demons.  Acane puts the two plates in the door while the two still argue.  They enter a house on fire.  However, the fire isn't too severe, concentrated in only certain points.  A farmer demon runs at them.  Acane draws her spear, waiting to skewer it, but Maioko tells her to put her weapon down.  The stupid demon runs into the fire and nearly dies!  It pulls back, and then tries again, only to die instantly.  Continuing onwards through a door, they find a fluorite and a trick treasure box that takes a few minutes for them to solve.  It holds the sacred knife for Kaede.  Maioko mentions that Acronos could use a knife like that, and so could she.  Kaede says that she'll give Acronos her old knife.  Maioko says his is probably magic-forged and better anyway.  Kaede offers her the knife, but Maioko says that it's okay, that she's fine with crushing skulls for now.  Onwards, they go until they reach some tentacles, which nobody can cut, except for Kaede and her sacred knife.  Finally they reach the end, which is a holding cell.  Princess Yuki is inside.  Kaede works on picking the lock, while talking with her.  It turns out that Yuki is envious of her lifestyle, but is sympathetic.  Yuki is a very nice person.  Maioko steals one of Kaede's kunai and tells Yuki to use it on demons if she really has to.  The mad scientist who they'd met while he was experimenting on someone came from the shadows.  He laughed and said something about death or stuff like it.  Maioko nodded to Yuki.  She looked reluctant, but she stabbed him in the throat pretty hard.  He staggered back, coughing.  Maioko told everyone to stand back, and performed Final Heaven, smashing through the bars, sending them onto the mad scientist.  He yelled for his new demon.  It appeared, or rather, didn't.  Acane laughed, but was hit from behind by the invisible demon.  Everyone focused, trying to hit it when it un-cloaked.  Finally, Acane closed her eyes and trusted her other senses.  She turned and jumped; stabbing through the thing while it was crawling on the ground.  Kaede stabbed it through the throat, while Maioko simply walked up slowly, and stomped her foot down, crushing its skull.  The scientist laughed from the shadows and disappeared with princess Yuki.

Maioko: "Dammit!  All that work for nothing!"

Kaede: "I've got to find Samanosuke, this is getting out of hand."

Acane: "Lets get everyone."  Now I shall have the scene switch again.

Acronos: "Oh, my head…"

Samanosuke: "Blast that Tokichiro!"

Acronos: "Oh how I'd love to."

Samanosuke: "Yes, lets go." They continued until they found a Magic Mirror.

Acronos: "Hold on, usually these have been found before something major, maybe we should recuperate."

Samanosuke: "True, let us do so." They enhanced Samanosuke's weapons and some herbs, so they were healed.  They entered the next room.  Tifa and Auron were behind a wall of red energy that blocked the exit.  In front of it was Samanosuke's clone.  Acronos backed off.

Acronos: "If you need help, ask, but this is your fight."

Samanosuke: "Indeed." Both of them charged.  After a few beatings, the real Samanosuke simply blocked and dodged every attack thrown by his clone, but when it reared its magic attack, he unleashed his magic.  In this manner, he defeated it.  Taking a deep breath, he walked to Acronos.

Samanosuke: "I believe it is your turn."

Acronos: "Hold the fort."  He walked to the center, and his clone dropped from the ceiling.  Lets call him Akron.

Akron: "Hey."

Acronos: "Hey."

Akron: "What's up?"

Acronos: "Gotta kill you."

Akron: "Really?  That's okay.  Oh yeah, I'm not just demon fodder."

Acronos: "Oh really?  Then what are you?"

Akron: "I'm just a dark copy of you."

Acronos: "So you don't have any of my light strengths?"

Akron: "Nope, but I have enhanced dark powers."

Acronos: "Neat.  Die."

Akron: "Yep.  Ladies first."

Acronos: "This will take a while."

Akron: "Not really.  (Devil triggers) Not at all."

Acronos: "Ahem… Oh, shimatta."

Samanosuke: "(Raised eyebrow)"

Acronos: "Sorry man.  Here goes nothing!" He charged, only to meet air.  The Devil triggered form of him was far superior.  He charged and slashed, used magic, skills, everything, but couldn't even hit the damned thing.  His wind magic from Samanosuke hit, but not for much.

Akron: "Give up, I am totally superior."

Acronos: "Hold on a sec…"

Akron: "I know that you're strategizing, but I won't let you." He swooped down, but Acronos managed to dodge.  An idea struck him, and he filled the room with light energy.  To be honest, it was actually healing.

Akron: "And what was the point of that?"

Acronos: "You're no longer in your Devil form, are you?"

Akron: "Hot damn!"

Acronos: "Just try to Devil trigger." Akron did, only to find that Acronos drained the energy.

Akron: "Damn you."

Acronos: "(Big smile) ^_^"

Akron: "Not a problem, I'll just kick your ass the old fashioned way, I do know all the strategies and techniques that you do, and…" As Akron continued to babble on about his superiority, Acronos edged forward slowly.  Upon being within hitting range, Acronos struck to the right with his blade, while doing a very light and quick punch to Akron's face.

Acronos: "That's your weakness, you're too confident.  Actually, that's the flaw of both light and darkness.  Justice however, does not have this."

Akron: "So, you only punched me, and lightly too."

Acronos: "Go on with that thought."

Akron: "What could you possibly… Too lightly?  What'd you do?"

Acronos: "Three… Two… One… Bang!" A symbol for purification by light erupted on Akron's face.  Since he was a dark copy, he slowly dissolved away.

Akron: "My death shall not be in vain!  We will figure out the perfect clones of you, and destroy you with yourself!"

Acronos: "Aw, shut up!"  With that, he charged an energy blast that sent Akron to oblivion.  The walls of energy dissolved, making Tifa and Auron fall to the ground since they'd been leaning on it.

Tifa: "Oww.  Right, let's go, we found a ladder outside this room, but it's kind of a dead end."

Acronos: "How bad can it be?"  They reach the end, which is a hole that seems bottomless.  "Oh.  That bad."

Samanosuke: "Did you say you found a ladder?"

Auron: "Yes."

Samanosuke: "Then give it to me, I see a light above us." He set up the ladder on where the land ended, and they climbed out, into Inabyama castle where the well was.

Acronos: "And it has to lead here, doesn't it?  Well, lets go, I took a look in another chest and found this evil plate, I could've sworn I saw something similar to it around here somewhere."

Samanosuke: "Why is it evil?"

Acronos: "You hold it." Samanosuke took it and felt a chill go through his body; the thing reeked of hatred and pain.

Samanosuke: "You are correct, this plate is most definitely evil, however I shall hold on to it."

Acronos: "Okay, lets search for a while, and gets some training in while we're at it." They did so, with enough gusto to give Samanosuke enhancements in nearly every weapon, to the point where his gauntlet increased in level itself.  Finally, all he had to enhance was his wind saber and orb.  They then headed back to where they exited the well, and found the door Acronos mentioned.

Acronos: "Well, this is it, lets see what's behind door number one." They entered to find the nurse they'd seen earlier with Yumemaru.  With a little laughing, she turned into a giant wasp-thing.  Behind her a giant blue-green door arose, breaking apart most of the castle in the process.  She grabbed Yumemaru and took off.  The only reason she did was because the force of her wings had forced everybody back a few feet.  Kaede and her group arrived a few seconds afterwards.

Maioko: "Hey, Acronos!  You bastard, why the hell did you knock me out!?  (Chases him)"

Acronos: "Ahh!  It wasn't me, it was a dark copy!  I swear!"

Maioko: "Oh yeah, and who'll back you up, Samanosuke?"

Acronos: "Auron, Tifa, you guys, HELP!"

Auron: "Your fight.  I'll see you after you've been tended to by a medic.

Tifa: "Auron, that's not exactly comforting, but I kind of agree."

Samanosuke: "As it has been said: 'Hell hath no fury like that of a woman.'"

Kaede: "Oh Samanosuke, could you please tell me why you KNOCKED ME OUT AS WELL!!!??"

Samanosuke: "Gulp, I have the same excuse as Acronos?"

Kaede: "And you expect me to believe you?"

Samanosuke: "umm, (Sweating)."

Kaede: "That's what I thought.  RARGH, come back here and take your punishment!"

Samanosuke: "I would prefer living, if you don't mind!"

Auron: "Sigh.  So Acane, did you find anything?"

Acane: "Huh?  Oh yeah, we found princess Yuki, but that demon scientist got her.  She did manage to stab him pretty good, though."

Tifa: "Should we stop them?"

Acane: "Who?"

Tifa: "Acronos and Maioko, as well as Kaede and Samanosuke?"

Auron: "No, it's a lover's quarrel, and to stop it would be folly."

Acane: "Hey tough guy, how can you tell all this stuff about love and such?"

Auron: "I am able to view these emotions from an external point, and since I've heard of all the details, I know what they are doing."

Acane: "Ah, good.  Any hoot, lets go inside this door, the granddaddy of all demons must be in there."

Auron: "Did you say: 'granddaddy of all demons'?"

Acane: "Yeah, got a problem?"

Auron: "No, not at all, but I haven't heard slang from Spira in quite some time."

Acane: "Actually, I've heard Acronos use that term, but I am from Spira."

Auron: "Interesting.  By any chance, did you have to guard a summoner?"

Acane: "How'd you know?  Well, it started out…" Tifa, being the only one there not preoccupied, headed to the door.  A strange insect thing flew up and created a barrier between her and the door.  She attacked it for a while and deemed it impossible to pass.  Then she sat down, using the barrier as a comfy support for her, and watched the antics unfold.  About ten minutes later, she got tired of it and left.  Fifty minutes later she came back with a decorated sword, a matchlock, some fluorite, and enough souls to enhance all of Samanosuke's weapons.  She sat back down.  Finally everyone got tired and decided to leave.  Acronos beckoned Tifa to stand and join them.  Tifa just held out what she'd acquired.  Everyone looked at each other, and Acronos and Samanosuke rushed back to where she'd been.  They'd moved so fast that nobody even saw them move.  Everyone got back into groups and headed out.  Tifa wondered where the sword she had could be used.  Upon reaching the only door she hadn't gone through, an extremely battered Acronos and Samanosuke walked from the west area.  They sat down in front of the door, and didn't even flinch when the barring was annihilated by some vaguely scorpion-like demons.  Both merely impaled the monster in the head, killing it instantly.  They then sat up.  Tifa noticed the mark on a wall right in front of them, where the demon had burst through had the same shape as the decorated sword.  Either Acronos didn't hear when she said so, or didn't care, but he punched through the wall as easily as if it had been made of foam.  Another kick destroyed it totally.

Tifa: "Whoa, what the hell happened to you guys?"

Acronos & Samanosuke: "Dark Realm."

Auron: "Do you mean the place that crazy man spoke of?"

Acronos: "Yes, instead of the paradise he promised, it was actually a hell-hole.  Demons, heartless, and combinations swarmed us continually until we finally reached the bottom floor.  I think the place had two hundred floors of immensely powerful enemies, (don't worry, those of you who want this game, it's not actually this difficult).  We seem to have become ten times as strong."

Auron: "How could you gain that much strength and fight that much in so short a time period?"

Samanosuke: "It appears that time is skewed in the Dark Realm."

Tifa: "Well, if you're ten times stronger, prove it."

Acronos: "Find me a demon."

Auron: "We shall, but for now, lets go." They headed forward, right where there was a ninja demon and a scorpion-thing.  Acronos killed the ninja by grabbing its head and crushing its skull with ease.  Samanosuke took care of the scorpion with one good kick.  They continued onwards, climbing up another tower, and then going into a garden that led to a waterfall, you could almost hear meditation music.  Behind the waterfall was a trick treasure box containing the Great armor for Samanosuke.  Forward they pressed until they reached a boat that led them to a room.  Inside the room several of the scorpion-things – now identified as Sharks – surrounded our group of intrepid adventurers after they'd acquired a weapon known as the great bow.  Weapons were drawn.  Now, for the cliffhanger!

Kaede's group had followed Samanosuke's, and is now killing Sharks.

Maioko: "Why don't these things die!?"

Acane: "They do, just slowly."

Kaede: "Hurry up."

Maioko: "Why are we even following Samanosuke, weren't you and he just at each other's throats?"

Acane: "Well, technically he was running, and the same goes for you and Acronos."

Maioko: "Are you implying something?"

Acane: "No, are you?"

Maioko: "Uhh, umm, (angry blush)"

Kaede: "We resolved our differences, namely me burning off my rage, so we're back to being friends, and that means that we need to help him.  Doubtless they're all in trouble, but we've still got to find the things mentioned in that scroll."

Maioko: "I think we need to find the arrow."

Acane: "Hey, I just found a door that you can use your Shinobi kit on, Kaede!" Proceeding onwards, they passed through many halls and buildings until they found a weapons room with a trick treasure box.  It yielded an arrow.

Acane: "Is this it?"

Kaede: "No, it has no magic in it."

Maioko: "Damn, all that trouble and no reward, just this stinking stick!"

Acane: "Lets hold on to it, you never know."

Maioko: "Sigh." A bit more into the building led to a room with a dragon statue holding the arrow they'd been searching for.  Upon taking it, a trap sprung into action, simply that the dragon design on the two doors moved its hand onto the doorknob.  No matter how much they bashed the door or the design, nothing budged.

Maioko: "Damn, I guess we have to put the arrow back."

Kaede: "Well, I could still try my Shinobi kit?" The design let go of the door.

Maioko: "Hey cool, the trap broke!"

Acane: "Actually, I just put the decorated arrow we found on the statue instead of the Great arrow we found.  It also seems to have opened this black box." The box revealed a green key.  They ran around until they reached a boat.  This led to the building where we last left Samanosuke's group.  Looking inside they found that Acronos had just impaled a Shark in the face because it tried to jump on him, while Samanosuke cut another in half with ease.

Kaede: "See, they're in trouble."

Maioko: "Hold on, Acronos is carrying himself differently."

Acane: "What do you mean, are you studying him so carefully… Hey, you're right and I'm not even looking that hard."

Kaede: "Samanosuke seems to have the same change."

Maioko: "Is it just me or do they seem very battered and tired, but a lot stronger?"

Acane: "Yeah, but nobody else seems like that."

Kaede: "Huh, what's that?  Oh no, it's that thing that kidnapped Yumemaru!  We've got to do something!"

Maioko: "But what to do…" They then notice several barrels of gunpowder.  Maioko smirks and rubs her hands together.

Maioko: "Kaede and I'll place them, you summon Ifrit."

Ifrit: "Someone say my name?  Hey guys, what's up? … Sweet darkness!  All those explosives… (Drools a flood)"

Acane: "You're going to negate the gunpowder, now hold on, we've got to set the explosives so they make a bigger boom before you can ignite them."

Ifrit: "You mean you want me to blow up stuff?  Hallelujah!"

Acane: "This coming from a Devil?"

Ifrit: "What, we're probably more religious than you humans, we meet God every so often."

Acane: "Really?  That's fascinating…"

Kaede: "Help us with the barrels!"

Maioko: "Ifrit, stay where you are, you'll blow them up too early."  And now, switch the scenes!

Acronos: "Stupid bugs."

Giant wasp nurse thing (nurse): "Really now?  I think it's time that you felt what it's like to be squashed."

Samanosuke: "Just come down and die." The battle was short and sweet, mainly because Samanosuke took out his gun and began shooting while everyone else took care of the Sharks.  Actually, he shot the wasp, while Acronos hit it with magic.

Nurse: "(screams and falls into water)"

Acronos: "Job well done my friends."  The place began to explode.

Auron: "Shit!  What's going on?"

Kaede: "Everybody, hurry, we've set the gunpowder on fire!"

Maioko: "That means that this place will blow up really well, really quickly!"

Ifrit: "YAY!"

Acane: "Not Yay, we might die!" Everyone starts running towards the ladder they threw down, but the wasp-thing rose out of the water and chased them, only to get crushed under a flaming wooden pillar.

Acronos: "Ironic." They all got out, but the place exploded anyway.  When they woke up, Samanosuke, Acronos, Auron and Tifa were all a bit bruised.

Acronos: "Oww."

Samanosuke: "Agreed."

Auron: "Remind me not to remain in an exploding building."

Tifa: "Hey, everyone else has been knocked out."

Acronos: "Really, I thought that if we got up quickly, then so would they."

Tifa: "Who carries who?"

Auron: "I get Acane, she was at least sane."

Acronos: "Umm."

Tifa: "Just pick up Maioko.  Lets get out of here."

Acronos: "Okay, I just hope she doesn't whack my skull in for this."  They begin the long trek back to Inabyama castle.  Tifa takes care of the demons for them all.  Finally they all reached the one room with a bed.  Samanosuke put Kaede down upon it.

Samanosuke: "This has gone on long enough, it's time to end this nightmare!" Maioko awoke in Acronos' arms.  For a moment she was disoriented, so she just shifted a bit.  He looked down and she regained her senses.  Her eyes flashed, and Acronos tensed up, ready for a verbal - and quite possibly physical - assault.  Upon noticing that he so expected this, she softened a bit.

Maioko: "Okay, where am I and what happened?"

Acronos: "You were knocked out in the blast, so we carried you here."

Acane: "(She's been awake for some time) here being Inabyama castle.  I'm surprised you were knocked out for so long."

Maioko: "Didn't get enough sleep on the ship."

Acronos: "Do you want to rest here, or go with us?"

Maioko: "Nah, I'm fine, I'll go with you guys.  Uhh, Acronos, you can put me down now."

Acronos: "(Blinks, then decides to be funny) No princess, I must carry you so that your feet may not be soiled by the unworthy ground."

Maioko: "(Smiling) Thanks, but I've got shoes, I'll walk."

Acronos: "As you wish, princess."

Maioko: "(Standing) What's with the princess stuff?"

Acronos: "Dunno, sounded good to me for whatever reason."

Maioko: "Don't, okay?"

Acronos: "As you wish." Leaving the room, they headed for the giant doors.  Upon reaching them, Samanosuke placed the arrow on the bow and took aim.

Acronos: "I hope you don't miss."

Samanosuke: "Have I ever?"

Acronos: "You've never missed an open target."

Samanosuke: "I am glad we agree." He aimed again and shot the arrow directly into the insect barrier.  The thing died, dispelling the barrier.  Samanosuke pushed open the gates and they went in.  The room was open, with just one circular floor made of the same strange blue-green stone, nothing else.

Acronos: "Anyone else get the feeling this is a battle ground?"

Scientist: "Indeed it is.  To be precise, this is usually the entrance hall, but for you, it's the executioner's stand."

Acane: "Now why would that be, we outnumber you, and any creations you might have."

Scientist: "Ah, but I've made precautions for that, (snaps his fingers and a red energy wall traps everybody.) Select the first to face my greatest creation.  This shall be a one on one fight."

Acronos: "I didn't know demons had honor.  I'll go first, I have a feeling that you'll need all your energy for this next one, Samanosuke." He stepped forward, out of the wall.  Samanosuke tried to step out of the wall as well, but couldn't.

Scientist: "You cannot return either."

Acronos: "Do I have to die for someone to replace me?"

Scientist: "No, just be incapacitated."

Acronos: "More and more honor.  Lets do this, what am I up against?"

Scientist: "Come Marcellus!  Destroy this foolish intruder!" Another gray skinned demon warrior appeared.  This one had a red orb, but it seemed to be energy instead of crystal.  He had a scimitar and a shield.

Scientist: "Since you managed to defeat my last creation of similar design, I think Marcellus shall use his heartless powers to begin with."  The warrior gained black samurai styled armor, a darkness symbol on his chest, (note that I said darkness, not heartless), an enormous katana, and a rather large shield.

Acronos: "Oh… shit…. This might be harder than I expected."  He charged in, bringing his sword up for a powerful downward cut.  Marcellus stood still, and then dodged at the last possible second, making Acronos miss pretty badly.  He turned around to find a shield heading for his head.  Acronos dodged, then countered with a low kick, which Marcellus dodged and turned into a kick at Acronos' head.  He used the momentum from his kick to turn so his head wasn't in the path of the kick.  They stood facing each other, then bowed formally and took up stances.  The demon scientist looked for a moment, then took out a note pad and began scribbling furiously.  Acronos began the fight again, but this time he didn't miss, but it didn't quite matter since Marcellus' armor was too thick for him to do any damage.  He continued with a kick, but that did even less than before.  He started a slashing frenzy, but had to duck a slash from Marcellus.  The two continued along this path for some time.  Acronos became slightly tired, and then Marcellus struck, putting more and more of his skill into the battle.  Acronos started to give his all as well.  Acronos and Marcellus were almost evenly matched in power and skill, but Acronos had a slight advantage in speed, while Marcellus had the advantage in defense.  The two continued for some time even further.  Finally, Acronos was wearing thinner on his energy because he hadn't stopped to rest even once after entering the Dark Realm, and he hadn't recuperated at all.  This is the point from where the battle went down hill.  Marcellus struck Acronos hard, followed by a slash.  Acronos flew into a wall from the force, but got right back up and continued.  Marcellus kneed him in the stomach as he charged, then hit him up and kicked him into the wall again.  Acronos blasted him with a small fire spell, which got his attention, and then he managed to hit Marcellus a few times, but still did nothing to the armor.  Marcellus regained his footing and did a slash downwards.  Acronos moved to the side, and then with a bit of intelligence, he swung around and knocked Marcellus off his feet.  This was followed by a stab to the gut, but not a standing stab, no; he jumped into the air for this one.  The stab managed to crack Marcellus' armor quite badly.  Acronos jumped away as Marcellus got up swinging.  Acronos charged, aiming for the stomach, but Marcellus just knocked him upside the head with his shield, and then smacked him around a bit until he slashed him into the wall.

Acronos: "Oww… Hello again wall, we seem to be meeting very often nowadays." Following this he charged, seemingly aiming for the stomach again, but he dodged away from Marcellus' counter, and then knocked his helmet off his head.  Marcellus just looked at him, raised an eyebrow and reached down for it, only to be met with a pile of ash.

Acronos: "The helmet is weak crystal if not near its power source."  Marcellus looked at him and nodded, followed by charging.  Acronos tried to counter, but Marcellus was too strong and knocked him back a few feet.  Marcellus charged again, but Acronos jumped and spun with his keyblade out, which knocked both back a few feet, with a nice deep cut in Marcellus' shoulder guard.  Marcellus got ticked and smashed his blade on the ground sending a shockwave Acronos' way.  He dodged, but was met full force with Marcellus' slash.  He landed on the wall, but was lifted up.  He looked behind him to see his friends.  Maioko cast cure on him as well.  He smirked and charged, the two clashed blades really quickly this time, but Acronos had the advantage there since the armor slightly restricted Marcellus' movements.  A deep gash formed on Marcellus' chest plate.  Acronos started to wonder how long this battle would take, at this rate Yuki would be dead before they even got there.  He wondered what he could possibly use that wasn't already possible by a swordsman as elite as Marcellus.  Then it hit him; he hadn't used Sonic Blade once during this entire quest.  He hit his head and proceeded to use it.  The extremely quick slashes and attacks make relatively short work of the damaged portions of Marcellus' armor, and then his keyblade called to him.  He did what he felt it telling him, he did one charge to land him behind Marcellus, ignited his blade, charged with a stab, and followed by Samanosuke's lightning attack, but it finished with the wind spin, which sent him into the air with its force, and the he finished the move with the lightning downward slash, which hit the ground and came up with a blast of energy.  Marcellus no longer had any armor, nor a shield.  He created two blades that were light but incredibly powerful and began to attack using speed.  Now Acronos was slightly lacking in speed, while having the better defense.  Finally, Acronos was thrown to the ground and Marcellus put the blade to his throat.

Scientist: "HAH!  I win!"

Acronos: "You?"

Scientist: "Yes me, I created Marcellus."

Acronos: "Okay, but don't count your chickens before they hatch."

Scientist: "Huh?  You have a blade to your throat and you jest?  This must be recorded, I didn't know you humans had anything interesting to you besides being tasty!"

Acronos: "Eww." He grabbed the blade, moving aside in one motion and laid flat on the ground.  Marcellus started to stab him, but he jumped into his stomach.  Marcellus reeled, and then Acronos delivered the final blow.  Marcellus looked up at him and nodded, knowing that he wasn't dead yet, but there was nothing he could do.  Acronos looked down at him.

Acronos: "What, kill one of the most honorable and strongest baddies I've faced up until now?  No way!  My friend, would you consent to being a summon in combat?" Marcellus looks at Acronos, then nods.  Acronos absorbs the warrior, gaining one of his most powerful heartless summons in the process.  The scientist looks at him and simply states that he's got a lot of studying to do.  The wall disappears and Acronos falls to the floor, now completely exhausted.  Maioko runs up and hugs him, then whacks him upside the head for almost dying.  Acronos chuckles and apologizes.

Acane: "Wow, how sweet.  I'm sorry to break it up, but we gotta know if you're fit to carry on."

Acronos: "(Getting up slowly) Yeah, I'm fine.  Cure!  There, all better."

Tifa: "You may have no external wounds, but you need rest, your energy is running very low."

Acronos: "I'll be fine." They enter a room with a fountain made of the stone, where everyone regains their mp.  Acronos notices that there's a panel of a different color and texture.  He tells Samanosuke to try the strange ocarina they'd found in the Dark Realm.  He uses it and the panel curves up, as if it were fingers.  They enter to find a sword embedded in a skeleton.  The sword floats down to Samanosuke.  He holds on to it for a while and they go into the next room, which is filled with a few Reynaldo.  The room is shaped like a spiral going down for at least three floors; it's also the same strange stone.  Samanosuke tests his new sword, which kills them in one stroke.

Samanosuke: "I am going to enjoy this blade. (Smirks evilly)"

Acronos: "Now you're starting to sound like me."

Samanosuke: "You're tired so someone has to do that."

Acronos: "I suppose."

Samanosuke: "What is a group without the partially insane leader?"

Acronos: "Partially insane I am, but leader?"

Samanosuke: "In case you haven't noticed, we have followed you through just about everything here."

Acronos: "But…"

Maioko: "Just give up, you're the leader, so get used to it."

Acronos: "Umm, okay, just don't give me any titles."  They go forward to find one of those annoying invisible demons.  Samanosuke slashes it with his blade a few times when it's visible and kills it quickly.  Next to it were some medicines.  Samanosuke picks them up and then wonders what the Talisman he picked up in the Dark Realm will do.  Acronos' computer scans it and says that if he dies it will revive him.  They run into the next room.  Inside, princess Yuki and Yumemaru are chained to a living wall by flesh.  From underneath them comes the king of all demons, Fontibras.  He is a giant serpent with disgusting pale flesh, ending in a humanoid body with really long red nails, bat wings, an elongated head that looks like a subway sandwich with two eyes facing forward, and one pointing upwards, along with two fleshy horns pointing back like ears, and a mouth with very many teeth.  After some taunting and such, the fight begins.  Samanosuke slashes like crazy with his new sword, while everyone else adds in his or her two cents.  For the king of demons, he goes down rather easily with Samanosuke's new sword, (hint, hint).  Finally he gets pissed and grabs Samanosuke, drains some of his energy, and then breathes fire on him, killing him.  Everyone yells, but Samanosuke is bathed in a golden aura and he comes back, now extremely pissed off.  A few more minutes of crazed slashing and he goes down.  They run up and free Yuki and Yumemaru, right after Kaede enters.  Running away seems easy enough until they reach the door.  Right as everyone is about to exit, the king of demons gets up and grabs Samanosuke again.  Acronos and Samanosuke tell everyone to run while they try to defeat the king of demons again.  Acronos casts cure on Samanosuke, but not before he spits out blood.  The blood lands on his gauntlet, it blazes to life, and Fontibras' hand explodes.  Samanosuke gets up with a glowing blue sword, two gauntlets, white hair hanging down instead of its usual small ponytail, dark green skin, and glowing red eyes.  Acronos figures he can take care of himself, but decides to watch anyway.  Fontibras looks at his hand, and then stabs with the other hand.  Samanosuke plants his blade, and then lets Fontibras carve his hand in half.  Upon reaching the head, Samanosuke rips his blade up, and then stabs it through Fontibras' head, and it gets stuck a few times on the way down, but that doesn't stop him.  Fontibras rears up, his eyes explode outwards, and he falls to the ground, now completely dead.  Samanosuke is left on the ground, now normal.  He looks at one of Fontibras' eyes, and sees a figure highlighted in what little light there is.  He gets up instantly.

Acronos: "Rest, I'll get this guy."

Samanosuke: "No, this is my fight, you escape."

Acronos: "But-."

Samanosuke: "Don't worry, I killed him once, I'll do it again."

Acronos: "Not even gonna ask." He runs out.  Upon exiting, he notices that the entire place is about to crash, so he figures that he needs to get to the gummi ship from the magic mirror in the next room.  However, that's quite a distance.  Acronos wished he could fly, and then it hit him that he could in Devil form, but there was no way to fully transform.  Since there was so much abundant energy, he just absorbed it, turned Devil for a second and jumped to the room, and teleported out of there.

Hot damn, this was long!  No wonder it took me so long.

Riku: "Yeesh, I can't believe that you were so lacking in creativity as to not create a second storyline instead of the game plot.

Onimusha 3 is coming out soon, so I didn't feel like taking any chances.

Riku: "Yeah, yeah."

Sigh.

Narrator: "Need… Water… (Passes out)"

Sora: "…?"

He talked too long in the story without stopping.

Sora: "Oh.  You do know that this storyline doesn't conform to what you know of Kingdom Hearts II, right?"

Yep, that's why I'm gonna have to put you through a bit of hell to get you to follow the story.  Once I've played the game, I'll force you to go to some random world, loose your teleport spell, introduce why you've returned to where you begin the game, introduce the enemies and the new character that they've added to Kingdom Hearts II, and leave you until I alter the storyline a bit so that you meet with Acronos and work towards the door of Light.

Sora: "Oh boy."

See you all in the next chapter!