Salem
The God of Darkness was in foul mood when he returned to his dwelling. His mood was sensed by his creations who whimpered but he paid them no mind.
His only follower had been defeated in battle by the outsider known as Aqua.
The power she had displayed against Surtr, his only follower, had been astounding and troubling. It didn't help she was greatly attuned to light that only made his brother more interested in her. In fact, his brother had told him that she had fought alongside a demi-god against another God on one of those so-called worlds she had visited.
A god of death.
Whether it was true or not, that woman's power defeated a follower he had empowered himself and that was a stain on his pride.
If not for his brother protecting her he would have obliterated her but with his brother protecting her he needed to find a way to skirt around the issue.
"Surtr, you were my first follower." The God of Darkness said as he spread his arms, holding up his hands and conjured a bright flame. "I remade your body, bound your soul to the crown as a mortal cannot survive my pool of annihilation and that is where this comes in. Without the darkness of the pools to sustain you, your spirit is bound to your crown, utterly useless without something to restore your power."
The God of Darkness was not ready to give up on the only human who came to him, pleading for life and power. He had been defeated by an interloper of all things which humiliated him a great deal and he would not take this lying down. If he could not take action against her, he would summon back his follower who would become more powerful than ever.
"A sword of fire, a crown of soul and a torch of life. My brother may bask in the power of creation but he does not control it." The God of Darkness said, staring at the flame. "And the trials of this so-called Keyblade Wielder are not over."
He was not done by a long shot.
"You say she could expand the experiment in ways we have not considered before. Perhaps that is true, but not likely in the way you consider. Her power challenges ours and thus we should be made to create that which can challenge it." The God of Darkness stared at the flame that was held in a torch. "And I believe I understand the best way how."
If a weapon of magic made her so powerful then perhaps took weapons of a similar nature to challenge her.
He raised his hands and conjured three more weapons.
"A sword of fire…" Twilight blazed with fire as the handle became gold.
A golden scythe appeared next.
"A scythe of quakes…"
A golden fan was next.
"A fan of gusts…"
And lastly a spear with a pointed icy end.
"And a spear of blizzards."
The God of Darkness starred at the enchanted weapon and summoned forth his children that gathered around him. "Take the fire to Surtr's crown. And seek out those worthy of these gifts."
Beowolves took the Twilight Sword and the three new weapons into their mouths mouth while a Sea Serpent swallowed Flame. They then ran off to follow their creator's orders.
"Now we see how you handle this, Keyblade Master." The God of Darkness said as he walked into his dark pool and sank beneath the black surface. "I am eager to see what you will do."
Xxx
"I think the king will want to meet you."
That was what had been said in the wake of Surtr's defeat and Aqua could only agree, not wanting to appear rude even though she expected the God of Light to answer for his challenge being completed soon. Right now, everyone was working on repairing the damage that Surtr had inflicted upon the kingdom, using their magic to rebuild burnt houses and heal the wounded.
"Heal." Aqua decided to help in the efforts, using her magic to heal those who had been hurt badly and her magic was greatly appreciated.
Her Cura spell could not regrow limbs but it could heal those who were heavily injured by the sword or fire in the aftermath, including broken bones and her help was greatly appreciated by those she had healed.
"Aqua."
She turned around to see Ozma approaching. "Yes?"
"A many great thanks to you for your help." The Emerald Knight started with a smile. "As you know, the king wants to meet you for helping saving his kingdom. You've been offered a room up in the castle, meant for dignitaries visiting from other kingdoms."
"Oh, that's hardly necessary." Aqua said, surprised by such an offer.
"Possibly but well earned." Ozma replied with a smile. "Come; let me show you to your room."
"Ozma!"
Both turned around, watching as a blond haired young woman approached them with an anxious look on her face.
"Salem?" Ozma asked, looking surprised. "Why are you here? I asked you to remain home where it was safe."
"I heard the danger was over but grew anxious when you did not return." Salem answered, stopping to look at Aqua and moved a little closer to Ozma. "…Who is she?"
Aqua raised an eyebrow, seeing the woman named Salem was looking her with a somewhat nervous but critical glance.
"This is Aqua, a friend." Ozma said, seemingly not paying attention as he made the introduction with a smile. "She helped defeat Lord Sidorak and just now defeated the monster that attacked this kingdom."
"Hello." Aqua slightly bowed her head in greeting and smiled. "Nice to meet you."
"…Likewise." Salem answered back with a soft smile. "You are one of Ozma's friends."
"A new one but yeah, I do consider him a friend." Aqua answered honestly.
"Aqua has been given an invitation to the castle by the king in light of her services today. I was just about to escort her there." Ozma continued.
"Oh…I see." Salem said, looking slightly deflated.
Ozma looked confused but smiled all the same. "You are welcome to join us."
Salem instantly brightened up. "Yes, thank you!"
Aqua remained silent, seeing a looking from Salem at the corner of her eyes. She wasn't sure what to make of it, only that she could sense how apprehensive this woman seemed to be around her. She wasn't sure if it was something she said or did but remained silent, allowing Ozma to lead them through the castle gates. A grassy field with a stony path lied on the other side of the gate, leading straight up to the castle.
"The Emerald Castle is the capital of the kingdom of Midgard. The surrounding castles are named Diamond, Amethyst, Amber, Ruby, Opal and Sapphire and each has a knight to protect them bestowed with title representing the color." Ozma explained as they approached the green colored castle that seemed to glow. "Only the strongest of knights, the ones that completed their apprenticeships in the magical arts are granted these titles."
"And you completed yours while you are so young." Salem said with a smile.
"Well, I had good teachers." Ozma said bashfully as the bridge was lowered, allowing them to enter the castle.
Inside was a grand hall, people moving about but stopping to give them a glance or two for a second.
"So where is the king?" Aqua asked.
"Probably addressing the fallout from Surtr's attack in the throne room. We probably shouldn't disturb him yet." Ozma answered. "Here, let me show you the room they've offered."
Aqua followed Ozma up a flight of stairs and down a stone hallway, stopping at a door and opening it. It was a rather luxurious room and not what Aqua was expecting.
For one thing, it was quite spacious with a blue carpet leading up to a canopy style queen sized bed with matching colored sheets and a headboard. There was a bookshelf and a dresser with a large mirror and in one corner of the room was a full kitchen. On both sides of the bed were night stands and room was excellently furnished with a bowel of fresh fruit on a table.
Thought she had been taught not be one for material wealth, Aqua was impressed.
"This is a guest room?" She looked at Ozma.
"Well like I said, this is for emissaries visiting from other kingdoms." Ozma answered with a smile. "I hope it is to your liking."
"It's more than I expected." Aqua admitted as she took a few steps while looking around the room. "When does the king want to meet me?"
"Preferably when he is not busy. Tonight perhaps, likely during dinner." Ozma answered. "A servant should be along to tell you but if you don't want to sit around waiting, I'd be happy to show you around."
Aqua shrugged. "Might as well. Thank you."
Salem remained silent the whole time, observing Aqua as she followed Ozma out of the room and quickly followed them out. "So Aqua, would you mind telling me where you are from?"
Aqua supposed she should have been expecting that. "I come from…overseas."
"Overseas? As in you are not from the mainland." Salem inquired.
"Yes, that's it." Aqua nodded. "I met Ozma on the island Sidorak was controlling and came here."
Salem seemed to accept that answer. "And you came all the way here."
Aqua wasn't sure where this line of questioning was going. "I came here…looking for some friends of mine. They journeyed out and far and I need to find them."
As they talked, Ozma led them out into a courtyard with a beautiful garden and with several servants tending to the flowers.
"I came here, looking for them." Aqua finished.
Salem said nothing else after that but Aqua could feel the woman's eyes glancing at her every few seconds.
What was this woman's problem?
Xxx
As Aqua was getting herself situated in the Emerald Castle, the God of Light was at work.
He had agreed to help her upon defeating Surtr and he would honor his word.
She was from another world and thus he would create a way to open and travel to other worlds.
Before him appeared the horn he had presented to Aqua before she left to fulfil his request.
"The Horn of Passage." The God of Light held up the horn. "Capable of creating a bridge across worlds."
Now onto the next gift to bestow.
He turned to his tree and though it pained him to do so he would keep his word. He took out a piece of the tree's roots but thankfully the root grew back instantly. The God of Light then placed the single root into his pool of life. He then held out his arms and imbued the single root with his magic, watching as it from a single tree root and into an elegant wooden sail boat that floated up from the water and into the air. Golden ornamental markings appeared along the hull of the boat and a golden sale appeared in the center.
"The Horn of Passage with the Sail of the Heavens." The God of Light said grandly. "With these, one could travel to all worlds and beyond."
It was a masterpiece to behold, one that he had not considered making until now.
Until he had met that one woman.
The woman who came from outside the experiment.
The one who wielded a great power and supposedly faced down other gods like himself and his brother.
Other gods…
He and his brother, before they came two had searched for other beings like themselves but found no one in a vast and empty universe. To end the loneliness they split their power and became two, both convinced they were the original but only felt complete when they were together.
Aqua said that the Hearts of all living beings was made of light and darkness and she protected the balance between the two.
Perhaps that is why they only feel complete around each other.
His light and his brother's darkness come from the same heart and thus it would be natural for them to feel a pull towards each other, even though they have their differences.
Aqua seemed respectful and said she was not to interfere in the development of this world. The God of Light was able to hear her sincerity in her words and sensed the light around her as she faced his brother's follower Surtr. No doubt his brother was on guard, wary of this newcomer and felt she was dangerous to them and their world.
His brother had always saw humanity as playthings and continued to create Grimm even though he had agreed not to. Seeing their ability to rise above in the face of adversity had always interested him and that was why he liked to send his creations out to attack them and their kingdoms. That was why when some came to the God of Light, begging for help he gave them a secret weapon to use against his brother's creation.
He gave them his eyes.
He heard the saying: 'the eyes are the window into the soul' that had been said and found it interesting to say the least. His eyes brought forth light that eradicated the darkness of his brother's creations and it gave him the idea to give those that had come to him for help those same eyes.
"Come before my fountain." The God of Light said grandly to the band of humans who come to him in their time of need. "Take the waters of life in yours hands and taste the salvation it offers."
The humans knelt down and scooped up the water of his pool into their hands and drank it. There was gasps in the air as their eyes glowed, their colors changing to become…
The color of pure light.
Their eyes, silver now in appearance as they looked at each other and noticing the difference.
"These eyes you now have are my eyes." The God of Light stated. "With them, you will become not only protectors of your people and homes but protectors of life itself. Life is precious and therefore must be protected. Your desire to protect life will fuel the light inside you for preservation is the extension of creation and is also the enemy of destruction."
The God of Light remembers those who carry his light fondly and now he has met someone who carries a light in them that is not from him but similar in nature.
A kin of sorts.
So much so he wanted to see what would come of Aqua's stay here.
Xxx
Salem could not help but keep an eye on Aqua the entire time Ozma was giving them a tour of the Emerald Castle.
Call it jealousy or paranoia but there was something about Aqua she couldn't quite put her finger on.
Was it because she was beautiful, perhaps even more beautiful than her and happened to be a new friend of Ozma's…like her?
Was it because she was not only as skilled in magic as Ozma was but even younger?
Salem was no slouch in magic herself. Her father had her nanny school her quite thoroughly in the arts of magic and due to being locked in that tower all the time, she had nothing better to do than practice. She had even made use of it by helping Ozma against her father's knights and her father himself when they tried to stop them from escaping.
Aqua certainly did not have the upbringing of a fair maiden like herself but she walked with the confidence and grace of one, even if she didn't mean it.
Just what is it about her that had Salem so on edge?
They ended the tour by stopping at the kitchen and Ozma was kind enough to order lunch for the three of them.
"Sorry the tour was so long. I'm afraid when you are royalty you are expected to have a very big castle." Ozma said with a smile as he sat down.
"It's all right. I've been in several castles by now and they're all the same. Big and either very intimidating or very grand." Aqua said, taking a seat while Salem sat next to Ozma.
"Really? Can you tell us about some of them?" Salem could not help but ask.
Aqua thought it over before nodding carefully. "Well, the first castle I found was called the Castle of Dreams. It was home to a prince whose father was throwing a ball to attract all the women in the kingdom to see if he could find someone to fall in love with."
"Ah, that old routine." Ozma chuckled. "That's been done around here too. Did he find anyone?"
"He did…A rather poor woman who had a string of bad luck. She had an awful stepmother and two step-sisters who treated her like a servant. One of the reasons they treated her so bad was because they were jealous she was more beautiful than them and because her father was a rich man which she was the proper heiress to. They did all they could to keep her as a servant, mistreating her and taking her family's home for themselves." Aqua started, recalling her time spent with Cinderella. "Luckily she had help and some friends, me included who helped her not only get into the ball but she quickly attracted the prince's eye. Her stepmother and sisters didn't take too kindly to that and tried to get rid of her by summoning a monster…However the monster couldn't be controlled because it was formed by the darkness in their hearts which overtook them."
"A sad fate." Ozma shook his head. "Some people never think of the consequences of their actions or think outside of their own selfishness."
"Indeed." Salem nodded, feeling a sudden kinship to this woman Aqua spoke of. "And she married the prince?"
"That's what it looked like when I was leaving." Aqua said with a smile. "My next stop was to the Enchanted Dominion, where both of my friends had stopped at. As it turned out, the entire kingdom had been put to sleep because of their princess who had been placed under a curse."
"A curse?" Ozma frowned. "It is frowned upon here to place curses on a person. What was it?"
"The curse was made on the day she was born. She would prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a death like sleep." Aqua recounted. "The name of the person who cursed her was Maleficent."
"Maleficent…" Ozma slowly repeated. "Sounds like someone was going for a rather intimidating name."
"Trust me, she was." Aqua nodded. "Maleficent was already known and feared throughout the Enchanted Dominion when I got there and she even tried taking me and my friends prisoner. The only way to break the curse on the princess was for someone to give her a kiss of true love."
"A kiss of true love?" Salem perked up. "Sounds like one of many fairy tales I have read."
"Well, in a world filled with magic you can think this might be an age of fairy tales." Aqua said with a nervous smile that made Ozma chuckle. "Anyways, the princess was taken and hidden away from the castle where Maleficent wouldn't find her and raised in secret with the hopes the fate of what been cursed on her would be avoided. In that time, she met a young man who turned out to be a prince from a neighboring kingdom and was on his way to meet the princess on her sixteenth birthday, even though they didn't know who they were at the time. Talk about meeting of destiny, huh?"
"I have been told destiny works in mysterious ways." Ozma said, enjoying this story.
"Well, on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, Maleficent struck. She got the princess to stick her finger on a spindle and even captured the prince, planning to hold him captive for the next one hundred years before releasing him and allowing him to go to the castle and deliver true love's kiss to the sleeping princess." Aqua said, frowning as she remembered Maleficent's cruelty. "You could probably imagine what the reaction would have been."
"How awful." Salem covered her mouth, absolutely stunned by what Aqua was implying. "Keep a man trapped for one hundred years, just so she could force the princess to awake to see what her love had become."
Ozma himself looked disgusted. "Only a truly evil being would stoop to such depravity."
"Trust me; Maleficent was that and much more." Aqua said as food was being brought out. "As it turns out, the whole reason she had even cursed the princess in the first place was because she wasn't invited to the celebration of the princess' birth."
"That's it?" Both Ozma and Salem gasped with Ozma continuing. "She did it because she wasn't invited?"
"Yeah." Aqua nodded as a plate full crabs and salad was placed in front of her along with a cup filled with water.
She had always enjoyed sea food, must be because of her name, and was particularly happy to hear from Ozma they served such food here in this castle.
"How despicable." Salem muttered as her own lunch placed in front of her which was mere salad.
"I think 'malevolent' was what she was going for. Hence the name." Aqua tried making a small joke.
"A befitting one then." Ozma said as a plate of chicken was placed in front of him. "What has become of her?"
"We defeated her in battle but she survived. Knowing her, she is probably skulking off and licking her wounds." Aqua said, taking a piece of celery with a fork before taking a bite out of it. "Let's see…the third castle was in a place called the Dwarf Woodlands."
"The Dwarf Woodlands?" Salem asked.
"Yep. Here there was a queen who was vain and shallow, wanting to be the most beautiful woman in the entire kingdom. She even consulted a magical mirror she had that was capable of answering any question asked of it." Aqua continued. "The mirror told her that her beauty was overshadowed by her step daughter and she did not take it well. Actually, one of my friends met her while they were on the quest to find…someone and she told them she would help if they came back with her step daughter's heart."
"Her heart?!" Ozma and Salem were again stunned.
"Yep." Aqua nodded, though she wasn't sure if the Queen wanted Snow White's real heart or the Heart that was her emotional core.
Truth be told, she didn't care to find out which one the Queen wanted.
"Just because her stepdaughter was considered more pretty than her." Salem shook her head. "Such vanity and arrogance."
"Well she was that. The stepdaughter fled to a cottage that was home to seven men, all of them small and considered dwarves because of that. They all agreed to protect her from the Queen but she used dark magic to try and kill her when neither my friend nor the Queen's servants would kill her. She may have been the Queen but she wasn't exactly…liked." Aqua tried recalling as best as she could even though she hadn't exactly been there and only showed up in the aftermath.
"I can see why." Ozma frowned. "To have such a petty reason to kill family…"
"I doubt the Queen ever saw her step-daughter as family. She likely only married into the family to become queen in the first place." Aqua shook her head.
"I can relate on such a subject." Salem stated with a saddened face. "My own father married my mother after saving her life, becoming a king with a castle and all the wealth he could ever want. But my mother died giving birth to me and he wasn't exactly pleased that I was born a girl and not a boy. He locked me up in the tallest tower in his castle, treating me as more of a possession than a daughter."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that." Aqua said with a sympathetic face. "The day a person stops treating family as the most precious gift is only when their hearts are truly poisoned."
"Yes." Salem agreed but then looked to Ozma with a smile. "Luckily Ozma came and rescued me. He defeated my father and his guards and set me free."
"It was the right thing to do." Ozma said simply, smiling back at Salem.
Aqua looked back and forth between the two and had a serious sense of deja-vu. "So, you two are…"
"Oh!" Both blushed and chuckled nervously.
"Well," Ozma rubbed the back of his head and would have answered…If not for descending into a sudden coughing fit.
"Ozma!" Both Salem and Aqua got to their feet as Ozma fell to the ground, coughing and seemingly choking on something.
He let out another cough and spat out something red onto the floor.
It was blood.
"Ozma!" Salem screamed as she fell to his side, cradling his head.
Aqua summoned her Keyblade and pointed it at Ozma. "Heal!"
A green light was cast over Ozma and his coughing fit slowly subsided. He let out a deep sigh of relief as he tried sitting up.
"Thank you…." He gasped, looking gratefully at Aqua.
"Don't thank me yet." Aqua stood up and looked around. "We need a healer in here!"
