A/N: Thanks again to Greatkingrat88 for his beta work and Jameyofthemegacosmos for his contributions too.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed and favorited the story, and speaking of reviews, Captain Imaginat I'll respond to your review at the end of the chapter.
As for the rest of you, enjoy.
Chapter 11
Dream Walk
Lelouch looked at the young woman dumbfounded, Peony still sporting the same amused look.
"Peony… what are you exactly?" Lelouch wanted to be polite, but his curiosity demanded answers.
"Why, I am a ljósálfr from Ljósálfheimr, The Realm of Dreams. I give pleasant and happy dreams to mortals, especially children," Peony answered.
"I see. But why are you here exactly?"
"She has come on behalf of the King of Ljósálfheimr, Freyr," Lelouch's ally replied. "Long ago, he and I agreed: for a favor from me, he arranged this for you."
"How? We only met for the first time just now."
"A lot of things can be accomplished within a dream," Peony cheered. "Why, you could spend days or weeks in a dream with barely any time passing in the real world."
"I… see," Lelouch said. He wanted to ask more, but he suspected his unseen companion and benefactor wouldn't answer. It seemed a little extreme to go this far, which made Lelouch question her motives.
"You wouldn't by chance know how this was arranged, Miss Peony?" Lelouch asked.
"I am sorry, but I don't," she replied. "But please, just call me Peony."
That confirmed his suspicions. "Alright. So what exactly is the plan?"
"Well, before I explain that, someone is watching us over by that bush," The voice within Lelouch's mind said. Summoning his Keyblade, Lelouch turned to face it, cautiously approaching.
"I know you are there0. Come out and identify yourself!" He demanded.
"Huh!?" Peony spat out, confused.
In the shade of the trees, skulking in a bush, Lelouch spotted a strange creature. At first, it looked like something ethereal, a flutter of insectoid wings and flowing, colorful robes. But upon closer inspection, it- she, it seemed- looked human... almost. Upon closer inspection, the flowing cloth could scarcely be called robes; they did not do much to hide her curvy figure, showing a fair amount of pale skin. The contrast was striking; the outside of the clothing was black while the inside was different nuances of blue, complemented by shades of purple on the butterfly wings sprouting from her back. Thorn vines wrapped around her waist and right thigh, as well as around her head, where it culminated in a red flower, complementing her bright red hair.
"Your unseen companion is very perceptive," the red-haired girl said. "I am a dökkálfr from the realm of nightmares, the dreams you wish to forget on waking. I am Triandra."
"Be careful, Lelouch!" Peony cried, ready to defend him. "I'll keep you safe from her!"
"What is going on?" said Peony.
"Stay your hand," Triandra said, holding her hands up. "I didn't come here for conflict. I am here on orders from Lady Freyja to learn what is so special about that boy, who the Queen's brother conducted this deal with, and why."
"I would like to know that myself," Lelouch sighed. "I doubt either one of us will be getting anything out of my unseen companion. Who does not wish to be named, for the record."
Lelouch's benefactor was quiet for a few moments, then a sigh could be heard.
"Alright, I suppose for the sake of avoiding conflict, I could reveal a key detail of why the need for secrecy is paramount," The voice said. "The enemy Lelouch will have to face with other Keyblade Wielders and other allies has it within his power to gaze into alternative timelines to observe events taking place and then use that knowledge to his advantage. Even worse, despite it being established, you cannot change the course of major events meant to happen, he has found a way to do that. But to do this, he needs to carefully lay the groundwork, using his foreknowledge of these events over decades to create the ideal conditions to overthrow fate and alter the future."
"So basically if fated events cannot be changed, he could just alter the events that lead up to it. I assume that he found a way to pave the way for changes?" Lelouch mused.
"More or less, but that is generally it," the unseen ally confirmed.
"How can he do this?" Triandra asked, folding her arms over her chest.
"It is not easy, but he understood if he could greatly alter events that lead up to the fated outcome and major event, he could begin altering the future itself. He can't limit himself to altering one event. He must drastically alter the events of other events across the universe to create an opening to change the future."
"So, if he knew about you within me, he could look into other timelines to find out your plans and then be able to prevent them." Lelouch said.
"Exactly, and he must not find out."
"I see. So despite being able to look into other timelines to see events and learn from them, this person cannot see them all. Can he?" Triandra asked.
"Despite all of his power, he is still human. No matter how strong or intelligent, a human mind can only simultaneously observe so many alternate timelines. They all have millions upon millions of different possibilities and events, some similar, some different," Lelouch's benefactor said.
"Wait," Triandra said, realization dawning. "Did you know I would be there, instead of noticing my presence?"
"Unlike the enemy, I am far more experienced and capable of seeing many more timelines than him. In all of the timelines observed, Lelouch was key in those in which we won against him and other forces of dark intent," Lelouch's benefactor added, sounding rather prideful.
"So I am some kind of chosen one?" Lelouch inquired.
"No," the voice replied. "I said you were key to victory, but not the only one. As I've mentioned, other Wielders of the Keyblade and allies you'll need will join you. However, you are the one naturally gifted as a strategist and a charismatic leader of men. You will need an army to aid you."
"That's quite an expectation of me," Lelouch said, surprised. How did his benefactor expect him to create an army? Although…
"I suppose that is why we've been training while my body sleeps?"
"That's right. Why don't we get started?"
"So what did you have in mind then?" Lelouch asked.
"You must clear out the nightmares invading Ljósálfheimr," Peony said.
"I did not recall Lady Freyja plotting to invade Ljósálfheimr," Triandra said.
"No, not Nightmares from Dökkálfheimr, but Nightmares, creatures from the Realm of Sleep," Peony quickly corrected herself. Triandra raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Where did such creatures come from, then?" The Dökkálfr asked.
"They are Dream Eaters," Lelouch's benefactor began to elaborate. "They are similar to the Heartless, born from worlds trapped in sleep."
"Trapped in sleep?" Lelouch asked.
"When a world loses its Heart to the Heartless, it is consumed by the darkness. Some pieces of the world will end up in the Realm of Darkness, but the rest of it and its inhabitants, provided they didn't lose their Heart, will be trapped in slumber within the Realm of Sleep until the Keyblade slays the Heartless responsible for consuming their world's Heart," the benefactor answered. "The Heartless cannot enter these Sleeping Worlds, but in their place are Dream Eaters born. However, unlike the Heartless, they come in two varieties; the helpful and friendly Spirits who consume Nightmares, and the Nightmare variant who plant Nightmares in their wake."
"So they are creatures of darkness?" Lelouch asked, placing one hand on his chin.
"Yes, they are expressions of darkness in a sense, but the Spirits are friendly. Keep in mind that darkness in itself isn't necessarily evil. Monsters born from it and those wholly corrupted by it are, but darkness as an element has the aspects of creation, growth, and active energies. Light as an element has the aspects of stasis, tranquility, and passive energies. It is something to remember going forward, when I teach you how to use darkness in battle, which will be useful against those who use light-based powers."
"I see. But that's for another day, I suppose," Lelouch said, his curiosity piqued.
"Yes," the benefactor replied. "I almost forgot, Peony. Wasn't your friend supposed to bring Lelouch's new instructor? I can only train him so much without showing myself."
"Instructor?"
Suddenly a roar interrupted them. All heads turned toward the noise, and approaching them in the distance was a giant creature akin to a dinosaur, a Tyranto Rex. Its body was black with light green and red highlights, with curved fins on its back and tail. Its lower body had light blue lines, and its eyes were bloodred with curved horns. The Nightmare roared and charged toward the group.
Lelouch summoned his Keyblade, quickly casting Blizzard, flash-freezing for the ground ahead of the charging Nightmare. The monster slipped on the ice sheet, falling face first and tumbling forward. Lelouch, Peony, and Triandra dodged out of the way as the creature came to a stop, slamming into a tree and knocking it over. The Nightmare was stunned, but within moments it began getting back up, roaring in rage. Lelouch swung his keyblade and channeled his magic, unleashing Thunder, quickly following it up with a Fire spell, hoping to incinerate the creature. But although Lelouch's magic was strong, the monster was made of stern stuff and shrugged it off, shaking its head and snarling.
The creature swept the ground with its tail, forcing Lelouch back, but Lelouch had channeled more magic for a stronger strike. Releasing the accumulated power, Lelouch struck the Tyranto Rex with a stronger bolt of lightning to the face. The creature rose, staggering back. The Nightmare lunged, snapping at Lelouch with its fearsome jaws, Lelouch barely managing to stay out of its strike. To his relief, Peony and Triandra stepped in, stunning the Nightmare with magic, allowing Lelouch to get clear of the monster. In response the Nightmare breathed a stream of fire, bathing the clearing in flame. Lelouch narrowly evaded it and slashed its face, following up his counterstrike with a point-blank Blizzard spell to freeze part of its head.
It didn't stop the monster, but it checked its momentum long enough for Lelouch to pull back to a safe distance. The Tyranto was busy unfreezing its head with flames from its mouth, and as soon as Lelouch was clear he used the opening to unleash a Thunder spell, aiming for the melting ice. The lightning did crippling damage, the icy water enhancing the blast tremendously. The creature staggered, swaying on its feet, and as its head fell low Lelouch rushed in, swinging down hard with his keyblade. It bit deep into the creature's neck, and the monster's head came clean off.
But more Nightmares approached, drawn by the Tyranto Rex's roar. The battle wasn't over. Charging through the undergrowth was six Sir Kyroo, black and white humanoid-like frogs with red eyes armed with a shield and sword made out of leaves.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Lelouch exclaimed stunned and annoyed all at once.
The sword-wielding frogs came in fast, and Lelouch soon crossed swords with the lead Sir Kyroo. Before the rest could surround them, Peony and Triandra attacked using their respective magics. Despite having small wings on their backs the Sir Kyroos could not fly, but they possessed their own magic, trying in vain to strike the two girls with water elemental magic. Peony and Trianda flew out of range, supporting Lelouch from a distance.
The Kyroo facing Lelouch was ferocious, but thanks to Byleth's tutelage Lelouch's skills were nothing to scoff at. Thinking quickly, he channeled Thunder magic through his Keyblade for a point-blank strike, electrocuting his opponent as they locked blades.
It wasn't long before another of the Nightmares took its place, and a second Sir Kyroo tried to strike Lelouch with a spell while he was occupied. Lelouch shoved away the Kyroo assaulting him, deflecting the incoming spell before retaliating with a Fire blast. The spell struck down the Nightmare, and Lelouch noticed the flames frightened the frog-like creatures. That gave Lelouch an idea, and he channeled flames through his Keyblade, swinging it around in wide arcs. The Sir Kyroo panicked, turning around to flee, but this made them easy targets for Peony and Triandra.
"That should be the last of them," Peony sighed, as the last of the monsters were picked off. "As I was going to say, Ljósálfheimr has an infestation of those Nightmares."
"I see, but," Lelouch was interrupted when the cry of a large creature caught their attention. "Now what!?"
Lelouch located the source of the creature's roar. In the distance, another Nightmare appeared. It was a colorful hybrid of scorpion and lobster with a bright yellow and orange body, purple claws, and red eyes. The Char Clawbster charged toward them with malicious intent, Lelouch readying his weapon once more.
Suddenly, the creature's charge was cut short. Something struck from above, hard and fast. None of them could tell what happened, but a loud boom echoed, as if a bomb had been dropped. The shockwave knocked the trio back, Lelouch nearly losing his footing, the dust cloud momentarily blinding them. Peony quickly recovered, however, and managed to catch Lelouch before he could hit the ground or worse, a tree. The two of them landed in a heap together, bruised but otherwise unharmed.
They heard the death cries of the monster as it collapsed, but through the dust they could not make anything out. Lelouch waved his arms, trying to shoo it away. Realizing he was on top of Peony, he quickly got off her before offering his hand.
"Are you alright?" Lelouch said, kneeling by the dazed ljósálfr. He quickly used Cure, just in case.
"Ow… I am fine. But what happened?"
"I see someone," Triandra said. Through the slowly settling dust, a figure could be seen.
"Sorry about that, but are you three alright?" The voice was distinctly female.
With a wave of her hand, the dust cloud was blown away, revealing the one who had struck down the Nightmare with one blow. Standing just over six feet tall, she was a woman with long silvery white hair, blue eyes, and a slight glow. She wore white robes, gray boots, and held a blue and white crystal sword in her left hand.
"We're fine, but who are you?" asked Peony.
"Call me…" the woman paused, as if to think, "Azem."
"Azem," Lelouch said before turning to Peony. The ljósálfr shrugged.
"I only know King Freyr helped her reach our realm and has supported her ability to appear here," Peony explained. "Your unseen friend played a role, but I don't know much else."
"There is a good reason, I promise you. I am sure your unseen benefactor has explained an important reason for all of this secrecy," Azem stated.
"To keep the Keyblade Wielder who can observe different timelines from finding out?" Lelouch said. "That is quite a lot of effort."
"Yes. We cannot understate the danger he represents, but he is not the only dangerous individual out there you'll have to worry about," Azem confirmed.
"Maleficent is one of them, isn't she?" Lelouch remembered what Nunnally's kidnapper had mentioned. "I know she is the one who holds my sister captive."
"That is right," Azem confirmed with a nod. "Your sister will be fine until Maleficent has all seven princesses. Beyond that, I don't know what will happen to her."
"Meaning what?"
"The Seven Princesses of Heart are keys.
"Keys?"
"To open the Doors to Darkness and uncover the Final Keyhole," Azem explained. "How much did your unseen benefactor tell you?"
"I didn't ask much about why Nunnally was captured. I wasn't sure if she would know anything. It seems you do, though."
"Right. Come, I'll explain as we walk someplace more suitable for training." Azem gestured for Lelouch to follow. "The gloomy young lady can come along. We have nothing to hide, and I would like to avoid any unneeded conflict with your Queen."
"I would prefer it if you used my name," Triandra said, dead-panned.
"Your preference has been noted," Azem said, smiling amusedly.
Alisaie slowly opened her eyes. Although her vision was blurred, she was recovering quickly. Her memories of what happened slowly came back to her. Alisaie recalled pursuing Pete through the Corridor of Darkness. Pete had escaped to the other side, closing the Corridor's exit before Alisaie could make her way through. She had fallen, and soon found herself alone in some kind of dark dimension, filled with strange stone terrain with glowing blue marks along the ground in the shape of cracks, unusual column-like structures, and cliffs.
Within moments, she found herself surrounded by Heartless.
Alisaie fought, blade in hand, but they kept coming. Their numbers seemed without end; they kept coming no matter how many she slew. She lost track of how long she kept fighting, her body reaching its limit, but Alisaie stubbornly refused to stop. Despite her drive and determination, the Heartless were about to overwhelm her. But as she was about to collapse, her knees weak and her sword arm weighed down, a bright light suddenly banished them all. Alisaie collapsed, too weak to even stand.
"Are you okay?" A kindly voice asked.
Alisaie felt her strength return, the familiar feeling of healing magic washing over her. Restored, Alisaie sat up and turned to see an anthropomorphic mouse with black fur, round ears and a thin, long, black tail. He was short compared to her, no more than four feet tall. He wore all black, something looking rather like formal attire; a black vest lined with white, and pants of the same style.
"Ugh, I am fine… but where am I?"
"You're in the Realm of Darkness. I don't know how you got here, but it seemed the Heartless were about to overwhelm you. So I stepped in," the mouse explained, offering his hand. "By the way, the name's Mickey!"
"Alisaie is my name. Thanks for the help," Alisaie said, pausing. "Mickey, as in King Mickey Mouse?"
"Yes, that's my name," Mickey chuckled.
"I met two of your friends, Donald and Goofy, along with a new Keyblade Wielder they found. He was called Sora," Alisaie said, getting up.
"Really?" Mickey said, sounding relieved. "I am glad they found one."
"Yes, but why?"
"Well…" Mickey began, but before he continued more Heartless began to appear, a lot of them. "We better get out of here. This place isn't safe to hold a conversation for long."
"Right," Alisaie agreed. Fighting the Heartless on their home turf would be dangerous.
"Come on," Mickey led the way. "I know a place where we can find some refuge."
Back in the Realm of Dreams, Lelouch, Peony, and Triandra, led by Azem, were led to what appeared to be a small village. It appeared deserted, save for Dream Eaters. However, there was something notably different about them compared to what they had seen before. The Dream Eaters here were more colorful and didn't seem hostile.
"Don't worry," Azem assured. "These are Spirits, the friendlier variant of Dream Eaters. Quite an adorable bunch."
Lelouch observed these spirits and saw different types, such as dozens of Meow Wows, which had a white belly and muzzle. Its top half was blue, with black tips on its ears. It looked like a cross between a pig and a dog with a rather chubby body. Another type of Dream Eater Spirit that seemed plentiful and roamed around the village was the Tama Sheep. As the name implied, it was similar to a sheep, but it lacked a head, its face placed in the middle of its body. There were also several Zolephant, a colorful Spirit based on an elephant, and dozens of Komory Bats, color Spirit variants based on bats with black eyes and mouths always smiling.
They were not the only type, and Lelouch was quite surprised by how many different types there were.
Triandra, on the other hand, was on guard. Understandable, after hearing such Spirits would consume Nightmares. Given what she offered to mortals, she was concerned they might see her as a tempting meal. Thankfully for the dökkálfr, the Dream Eaters were just curious about her, and seemed to want her attention rather than her flesh.
Peony on the other hand happily indulged the Dream Eaters, showing them affection. She offered them toys to play with, to their collective delight. She drew the attention of the Dream Eaters away from Lelouch, Azem, and Triandra, much to the latter's relief.
"So, how long will I be here?" Lelouch asked,
"As long as it takes. You could spend days or even weeks in this place, with little to no time passing in the waking world," Azem explained.
"What kind of training are we talking about?"
"I'll be teaching you more advanced spell casting and other forms of combat, since your Keyblade can transform into different weapons and even a glider for transportation," Azem explained, gesturing for Lelouch to join her at a round table with empty chairs. Lelouch took a seat, Azem doing the same.
"The glider might be beyond your skill for the time being, but you will be able to convert the Keyblade itself into different weapons by the time I am done," Azem said. "Then I'll train you how to use your inner light to gain specialized spells tied to it and your inner darkness, so you can use it as a weapon while strengthening her heart to have a resistance to darkness."
"Resistance?" Lelouch asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Besides the benefits of mastering the powers of light and darkness, strengthening your Heart's resistance to darkness will benefit you," Azem explained, as she started preparing a pot of tea. "Some can manipulate the darkness in people's hearts, and some can even outright hijack control of your body if you are careless. Furthermore, should you be able to tap into your inner darkness to harness it without any ill effects, you'll have a weapon against those who would use the light against you to counter them."
"That does have some appeal," Lelouch admitted. "Knowing what I am up against, such a power could be useful."
"Yet you are troubled," Azem noted sagely.
"While I do appreciate the chances for greater power and ability, I dislike the fact of how little control I have," Lelouch replied. "It feels like everything has been decided for me, and I am just trapped in currents I cannot escape from."
"You 're right, more so than you think."
"What do you mean?"
"As you've suspected, those who abducted Nunnally sent you to Fódlan to become stronger and to master the Keyblade. But you've been wondering why, haven't you?"
"Yes. I've tried to guess, but I lack the information to draw any reasonable conclusions."
"I thought as much, so let me enlighten you on why," Azem poured a cup of tea for herself and Lelouch. "You can sit with us, Miss Triandra, instead of standing there."
Triandra hesitated, before joining Lelouch and Azem by the table.
"Are you certain you wish for me to listen to this conversation?" Triandra asked. "I am sure you know about my Queen's wishes."
"I do. King Freyr doesn't mind me sharing these details. After all, they are part of why he lent his help, since these events and their possible results concern him," Azem replied. "He would've passed this information to her if she had asked."
"I see," Triandra said. Lelouch couldn't get a read on her thoughts; her expression never seemed to change.
"To begin, I should give you a little history about the Keyblade, most of which has been forgotten except for a small collection of bits and pieces," Azem said, taking a sip of tea. "Eons ago, when the universe and beyond were young, there was one world where life blossomed and gave rise to humans and other creatures. What made them different was their discovery of Kingdom Hearts and its counterpart, the X-Blade."
"Kingdom Hearts and the X-Blade?" Lelouch narrowed his eyes.
"Kingdom Hearts is the Heart of the universe and beyond, connected to every world and every living thing," Azem explained. "When we die, our soul returns to the world to nurture it through how our souls had grown in life, sharing it with the world so it can grow before being reborn. Our hearts also experience a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. But instead of returning to the world, our hearts go to Kingdom Hearts upon death. In turn, the experiences accumulated by those hearts aid in the birth of new hearts, which enrich the worlds to which they go, and create new worlds with their hearts."
"And what of the X-blade?"
"The X-blade was the counterpart to Kingdom Hearts and the weapon from which all Keyblades originated. Only the X-blade can open the way to Kingdom Hearts and allow its wielder to use its power, which was part of the reason a Keyblade War was waged. It ended with Kingdom Hearts lost in the Realm of Darkness, and the X-blade shattered into twenty pieces. Many Keyblade Wielders attempted to forge the weapon anew, but it failed. Even attempts to use the most potent hearts from beings above humanity didn't produce the desired results."
"So what does this have to do with me?"
"Three groups are seeking to gain Kingdom Hearts, each with their own selfish aims. Maleficent, who has your sister, seeks to gather the Princesses of Heart, seven young maidens with pure hearts free of any dark intent, to reveal the Final Keyhole. This will open a path to Kingdom Hearts, to obtain its power and conquer all worlds. The second group, called the Harbingers of New Genesis, are operating behind the scenes, keeping to cloak and dagger tactics, intending to recreate the Keyblade War, for which they need more Keyblade Wielders to come into existence."
"More Keyblade Wielders?" Lelouch asked, sipping his tea.
"To recreate the X-Blade, he needs to trigger a war among Keyblade Wielders, plotting to use the Holy Britannian Empire to wage a proxy war to set the stage."
"Which would also weaken other worlds that could oppose them," Lelouch deduced. "Wait, how would Britannia get involved?"
"Partly it's because one of the two co-leaders of the Harbingers created the Holy Britannian Empire," Azem said. Lelouch's eyes widened.
Back in the Realm of Darkness, Alisaie cut down another Heartless, Mickey using Holy to wipe out a dozen more behind them. Alisaie used Jolt II to eliminate the last one, before the pair fled into the ruins of an old castle, hoping to find some refuge. They hurried into the castle's great hall, where they closed the double doors behind them. Mickey used his magic, weaving a barrier around the doors before letting out a sigh of relief.
"This should give us a chance to catch our breaths. How did you end up here?" Mickey inquired.
"I was chasing down an old acquaintance of yours. You know a fellow named Pete?"
"Pete!? He should've been locked up!"
"That's what Donald and Goofy said," Alisaie said, leaning against a stone pillar. "Pete told us that someone named Maleficent freed him. Planning to help him conquer all worlds."
"So it is Maleficent."
"What do you know about her?"
"Calls herself the Mistress of all evil, an evil fairy who has existed for a long time. She's a powerful sorceress who has been building an alliance of other like-minded villains to aid her," Mickey answered before finding a broken stone slab to sit on. "During my travels, I found out she has been seeking the Seven Princesses of Heart to reach the Kingdom Hearts."
"Kingdom Hearts?"
Mickey considered whether to tell her or not. After a quick think, he decided she seemed trustworthy enough.
"I guess there are a few things I'll need to get you up to speed on…" Mickey said.
Meanwhile, back in Ljósálfheimr, Lelouch collapsed onto the ground. He didn't know how long he had been in the Realm of Dreams, but it felt like days had gone by. But without a day or night cycle in Ljósálfheimr, he had no idea, although he was certain he had been here longer than a few days.
Does time pass differently in a dream? he thought.
Peony stood over him, a worried look on her face.
"Are you alright?"
"I am fine, although I would've preferred sparring with Byleth or Ingrid right now," Lelouch mused with a mocking smile, directed at himself.
"Who?"
"Never mind," Lelouch said, rising to his feet. "I just don't know how long I've been here, with there being no diurnal cycles."
"Oh yes," Peony nodded. "It's bright and colorful here all the time, so losing track of time is easy. It makes it easier for the children to enjoy themselves when they come here."
"However," Triandra said, approaching the pair. "Unlike this realm, Dökkálfheimr is in a state of perpetual night."
Lelouch turned to face her, and saw someone else accompanying her, another young woman around their age. She had the same ethereal appearance as Triandra, sporting light red butterfly wings with smatterings of blue, purple, and yellow, the edges lined with black. They were complemented by her hair, a multicolored length of grayish red and blue. Her figure was similarly voluptuous, the leotard's black and pinkish red fabric running from neck to groin clinging to her curvaceous form. She wore tall, black boots, stopping just where her thighs became, and a short purplish cape hung from her back.
"I've returned from speaking with Lady Freyja," Triandra explained, "and you'll be pleased to know discussions between her and her brother were productive." She turned toward her companion. "This is Plumeria, a Dökkálfr."
"Charmed, I am sure," Lelouch greeted the new arrival. "I assume those discussions involved certain conditions being made?"
Triandra nodded, "You are correct. Lady Freyja insisted on having a second observer present to keep an eye on Azem."
"So Lady Freyja doesn't trust Azem?" Peony jumped by the implication.
Triandra seemed uncertain, taking a moment to answer.
"Lady Freyja is very… protective of her brother," Triandra explained, clearly choosing her words carefully. "She was worried Azem might be trying to manipulate him, wanting a second observer despite King Freyr's assurances that nothing of the sort was happening."
Lelouch didn't say anything; although there was nothing wrong with a sibling being worried for their fellow sibling, Triandra's phrasing made him suspicious. Just then, someone who had overheard the conversation approached them.
"I am not trying to seduce him," Azem sounded offended, her hands on her hips. "I am well aware of Lady Freyja's feelings for her brother, and I assure you, nothing is going on between us."
"I have no reason to distrust your word, but our Lady is very sensitive about who her brother interacts with, especially other women," Triandra replied.
"Is Lady Freyja in love with her brother?" Lelouch asked, turning to Peony.
"Uh, it's… a little more than that, I am afraid."
"She's obsessed with him?" Lelouch asked. Peony nodded.
"It started when they were children. Lady Freyja was mocked for having a hideous mark under her nose. Only her brother, King Freyr, treated her kindly."
"I see," Lelouch's brows furrowed. "Let me guess. When Lady Freyja grew up, she blossomed into a beautiful woman. But she rejected all of their advances, reserving her love for her brother?"
"Wow, you're pretty clever," Peony became impressed.
"I had enough information to work out the details," Lelouch said. It had been something of a lucky guess, though.
That sounds similar to two sibling deities in Norse Mythology. Lelouch thought. Even their names are similar.
"I'll make a note to be mindful of their… relationship."
"I think that's enough rest," Azem said. As she approached, a feeling of dread came over Lelouch.
"He couldn't rest for a few more minutes?" Peony pleaded. In response, Azem cast a healing spell on Lelouch, removing all fatigue.
Damn it, Lelouch thought.
"Come on, and bring a Dream Eater with you. We are going Nightmare Hunting as part of your training," Azem said joyfully.
"Come on," Lelouch complied reluctantly as a Zolephant began following him.
It did not take long before they discovered a pack of Woeflowers, Nightmares with plant-like bodies. They had thorn-like horns, leaf-like arms, and seed-like lower torso with no legs. As the monsters saw them approach, they attacked, attempting to strike the trio with thorny vine-like whips.
"Be careful," Azem said, deflecting them. "Those are poisonous. Best to fight them at a distance, too."
Before Lelouch could ask why, one of them released a cloud of exiled prince quickly backed up.
So that's why! Unfortunately for them, I have plenty of options tforo fight a ranged battle, he thought.
Lelouch countered with a stream of fire from his Keyblade, wondering if the poison cloud was flammable. It wasn't, but the flames harmed the Woeflowers just fine, torching one and forcing the others to scatter. Azem seized the chance, conjuring blades of divine light which rained down upon the Nightmares, cutting down many in her path.
Hearing a sound behind him, Lelouch retreated just in time to avoid being hit by a boulder thrown at him by another Nightmare, a Kooma Panda.
The bear had dark colors and red eyes. It was strong and durable but did not move quickly. Seeing that, Lelouch hurled a fireball at range, but the flames washed off the beast's hide; it was too tough. As Lelouch plotted to use a stronger spell, another Nightmare tried to flank him. It was an Electricorn, a Nightmare Dream Eater akin to a unicorn. A second later, it tried to zap Lelouch with a bolt of lightning from its horn.
Lelouch narrowly dodged the blast, but before he could recover, the Kooma Panda hurled an uprooted tree at him. Lelouch's Zolephant intervened, firing a high-pressure burst of water from its trunk, sending the tree back at the Nightmare, knocking it onto its back. With one threat temporarily down, Lelouch turned and focused on the Electricorn, which was channeling power into its horn for another attack. Before it could finish, Lelouch struck with a blast of freezing ice magic, encasing the head of the Nightmare in ice. Rushing towards the Nightmare before it could free its head, Lelouch raised his weapon, wondering if this would work.
Let's try it.
In a flash of light, Lelouch's attire and weapon transformed. In an instant, he was wearing a full set of elaborate, gleaming plate armor with a pure white tabard, complete with a black cape. His Keyblade transformed into a long sword-like design, manifesting a kite shield with an embedded Keyhole.
Hurling the shield, Lelouch beheaded the Nightmare. The shield, being part of his Keyblade, reappeared in his hand. He turned around to deflect another attack from the recovered Kooma Panda, which threw a large rock at him. Lelouch channeled power into the shield, and the rock shattered on impact. The Nightmare rushed at Lelouch, who braced for impact. Its slow speed allowed Lelouch's companions, the Zolephant and Peony, to step in and knock it off its feet. The Zolephant fired a pressured blast of water, Peony channeling her magic into a sphere of power knocking it back when they two collided. Seizing his chance, Lelouch beheaded the Nightmare before it could recover again for the second time, which he followed it up by summoning blades of holy light to strike down the few remaining enemies. The last of the Nightmares were finished off quickly, the team working together efficiently.
"Thanks for the assistance, you two," Lelouch said, turning to the Zolephant and Peony.
"Excellent, you seemed to have tapped into the Paladin Soul Crystal," Azem said, pleased with Lelouch's development. "It seems a little unstable, but it's a start. Once you have a handle on it, we can move on to the Dark Knight crystal."
The soul crystal was a catalyst for unlocking new potential, meant to accelerate his learning process. So far, it seemed to pay off.
"Let's work with that Soul Crystal a little more then. We'll try our luck with the Dark Knight Soul Crystal. Of course, we could always try another Soul Crystal with a different skill if you are interested," Azem offered. She was aware of the risks using the Dark Knight soul crystal could bring, especially given this would mix the powers of the Keyblade with the powers of a Dark Knight. Being a keyblade wielder in a dream world opened the door for even more accelerated learning, but it was not without dangerous risks or side effects. Because of this, she had wanted to test it with a Paladin Soul Crystal, deeming it the safer of the Soul Crystals. Its defensive, light-elemental, and divine-based powers would prove useful to Lelouch when he needed them. If Lelouch succeeded, the benefits he would gain would be well worth it.
"We're just barely scratching the surface, aren't we?" Lelouch said.
"Worry not, for, in this dream, we have all the time in the world," Azem grinned. "Maybe you can learn to command some more Dream Eaters to follow you into battle."
In response, the Zolephant made a triumphant noise with its trunk.
"Don't worry, Lelouch," Peony offered, giving Lelouch a sympathetic pat on the back. "When this is over, I'll give you a good and relaxing dream."
"I appreciate the thought," Lelouch said. He was exhausted, but he still had a long way to go.
Within the Realm of Darkness, Alisaie and Mickey had managed to make their way through the dark realm, evading the Heartless as they went. Aside from a couple run-ins with a couple smaller squads, it had worked out well so far. The pair had reached what appeared to be a dark shoreline with black sand stretching as far as the eye could see, with strange rock formations in the water reaching out into an endless sea.
"We're getting close to the Door of Light," Mickey said, using some unseen magic to locate the way out. "Once we find it, you can escape."
"And you are staying here, alone?"
"I am the only one who can, and only a Keyblade Wielder can pick up the Keyblade of the Realm of Darkness," Mickey replied.
"Why is there only one of you?" Alisaie questioned. "Shouldn't there be more?"
"You're right; there should be, but…."
Mickey's eyes looked down at the ground, recalling an unpleasant memory.
"One of the Keyblade Masters betrayed his fellow master and battled his own three students. One ended up in a deep sleep due to damage to his Heart, and the other two were lost. We haven't seen them since," Mickey explained. "He was trying to get his hands on Kingdom Hearts too, but despite what happened to them, they managed to stop him."
"Did the other two sacrifice themselves?"
The mouse shook his head.
"I was still learning to master the Keyblade at that time. I tried to help, but a student of Xehanort and his accomplice overpowered me and my friend Ven- the boy who had his Heart damaged- fell into a coma."
"And what happened to Xehanort? Is he the Keyblade Master who betrayed everyone?"
"He was defeated and failed to gain Kingdom Hearts, but he vanished. There has been no sign of him for more than ten years, so I assumed he was dead or died, since he was quite old. But…"
"You think he is still alive out there?"
"I suspect he might be. How else could Maleficent know about the Seven Princesses and Kingdom Hearts? That information isn't exactly common knowledge. It was known mostly to Keyblade Wielders such as me and my master Yen Sid."
"You think Xehanort told Maleficent about Kingdom Hearts and the Seven Princess?"
"I do, and I have heard Maleficent and Xehanort had contact long ago, but it was a rumor at best. However, seeing all that has happened because of her, I am certain he must have told her. There is nothing else I can think of to explain her knowledge of the Princesses and Kingdom Hearts. Just why and what he expects to get out of it, I don't know."
"Obviously, he planned ahead in case his plan failed," Alisaie said, sounding contemplative.
"Yen Sid said something similar," Mickey said with a sigh. "Xehanort was always interested in the lore and history behind the Keyblade. Between my master Yen Sid and Xehanort's former friend Master Eraqus, no one was as gifted a researcher and historian as Xehanort. I can't say I know when his curiosity about Kingdom Hearts and the Keyblade War turned into a dangerous obsession."
"Keyblade War…"
Before Mickey could answer, a tremor rippled across the ground. They both nearly fell over, losing their balance; only by stabbing their weapons into the ground did they manage to keep standing. But it wasn't over; ahead of them the earth erupted, a massive shower of rocks, dust and debris rocketing through the air. Quickly, Mickey wove a Magic Barrier to shield them from the surging winds, hurling rocks and stone slabs at them with the intensity of a hurricane. For several minutes the barrage kept up, and it took many more before the dust began to settle. As it did, something new came into view. What had been a clear path along a shoreline was now blocked by a towering structure, risen from the ground ahead of them.
"Was that… another world consumed by the Heartless?" Alisaie asked, knowing and dreading the answer.
"Yes," Mickey said solemnly, shaking his head. "There is nothing we can do about it. Come, we'll need to go through this fort to reach our destination," He pointed at the structure ahead of them. "I think it's some kind of fortress?"
"I can't tell what it is, but going through it might be faster than going around," Alisaie suggested.
"Right." Using his Keyblade, the mouse conjured an orb of light to help them navigate through the dark hallways, as they entered the large stone fortress.
Its architecture seemed medieval, but as they ventured further in, they found signs of clockwork machinery and a crystal power source. It seemed somebody built in Magitek to run the fortress. But it did not appear to be part of the fortress's original construction, a more recent addition to this aged building.
"I don't see any signs of a battle," Alisaie said as they continued up a flight of stairs.
"Maybe the Heartless never attacked this place before the world was consumed. If there is anyone here, they are at least safe in a state of sleep," Mickey said. It was at least better than being consumed by the Heartless.
"Maybe I spoke too soon," Mickey said, as he and Alisaie came upon a collapsed hallway. The light revealed a collapsed ceiling, offering a way out to the upper floor of the stronghold.
"I think a battle caused this," Alisaie remarked, kneeling down and running her fingers over broken slabs of stone with black scorch marks.
"It could've been fighting against the Heartless, but I don't see any other signs of them," Mickey said, as they followed the collapsed ceiling to another hallway. They found themselves through the rest of the base, coming out in the northern corner of the damaged stronghold. They walked down the steps, headed for what they hoped was the exit at the northern gate. As they entered the northernmost section of the stronghold, they entered what appeared to be an arena. There were archways forming a ring around a circular stone floor, a distance from the walls.
"Well, I'll be…" Mickey said, blinking. He pointed and rushed forward, Alisaie following after. There was a group of people ahead, lying unconscious on the floor. "I think they are still alive."
As they kneeled down to look closer, they saw them. On the floor were Cinque, Ace, Machina, Rem, and Sice of Class Zero.
"How did they survive here?"
"Their world must've been consumed not long ago. They are lucky we got to them first."
"Yes, but-" Alisaie said, hearing the sound of chains moving in the darkness nearby. Suddenly a mass of hook-ended chains lashed out from the shadows, but Alisaie had already taken a stance, batting them away. Mickey deflected chains of his own, but they aimed to claim the unconscious Class Zero cadets instead of him.
"I guess we weren't the only ones who found them," Alisaie said, holding her blade up. Mickey channeled magic into the orb of light he had conjured earlier, increasing its intensity to illuminate the whole area. The sound of dozens of creatures screeching in agony could be heard. Something akin to a Heartless slithered away, seeking shelter behind the stone archways surrounding the area the pair were in. The duo got a quick look at them: tall humanoids in shape with tall, lanky limbs and hunched back. They lacked the typical yellow eyes found in most common Heartless, green acid dripping from their mouths, melting the stone floor they crawled over. Their backs and arms had fin-like appendages akin to that of a lizard or fish.
"Feed us," the Heartless hissed, to Mickey's shock.
"We need to get these people up and out of here," Alisaie cried. She could see more of them gathering in the darkness beyond the safety of the light. "I don't think the light will keep them back for long."
A/N: Well that is it, and Mickey has appeared early to help Alisaie out before finding some members of Class Zero who have ended up in the Realm of Darkness, facing a new kind of Heartless created from a certain cursed race found on the world of Final Fantasy Type-0, which would mean the Heartless born from them would be something horrifying.
Meanwhile Lelouch has met more denizens of the Realm of Dreams, and for those wondering if they might be contenders for Lelouch's love interest, well possibility they could be especially Triandra, and those who know her can likely guess why. Furthermore its not my fault most of the Realm of Dreams residents are women as are a majority of characters from that world in general.
I'll be honest picking a pairing match for Lelouch will be a pain, because while I am interested in him and Byleth becoming an item, there are other characters I am interested in pairing him with like Edelgard, Ingrid, Hilda, Lysithea, Triandra, Robin, Annette, Mercedes, Alisaie or the other candidates not introduced. Even if I had decided to do a harem that would complicate the issue, because I have a really hard time seeing some of these characters willing to share. A threesome would be easier, but that would also raise the question of the characters involved would be open to it. Thankfully I am a long way off from having to decide on a pairing now since Lelouch is all about wanting to save Nunnally, but come the timeframe of KH2…
Since time in the Realm of Darkness and the Realm of Dreams seem to exist differently or not at all, can allow me to get a full arc in for Lelouch on another world before Sora's arc to follow, giving him more focus.
Next chapter they will begin exploring another world via the realm of dreams, but can Mickey and Alisaie help Class Zero survive and escape the Realm of Darkness.
Thank you all for reading the chapter, and I thank you for whatever feedback you leave. This fic will be updated once I've updated my Fate/Grand Order and Sunrider crossovers in that order.
Also be sure to check out a new poll I have up, not for this story, but for a future crossover project.
Now for you Captain Imaginat.
Thank you I appreciate that and I hope when the conditions are right it will lead to some clashes between the villain groups, there won't be any time soon, but sooner or later something is bond to happen. To answer that question about the worlds from all of those games to be used, yes, baring some exceptions for story purposes and the new anime and video game ones I've picked.
Well I saw no reason to limit myself on enemies by when the games take place, as seen with the Dream Eaters/Nightmares. Yes, but the appearance of the Akame ga Kill cast is a ways off, especially since I am trying to be mindful to avoid character bloat. Those events would be amusing through depending on which way I go.
Thank you and yeah Entrapta will be helpful to the group, and as for RWBY villains joining Maleficent that remains debatable given the motivations and drive of some of said villains.
The Finale Days will become an issue for everyone once certain events take place, I am avoiding saying too much to avoid spoilers. And someone already set up a tv tropes page for the story, but I've been working on a character page and trying to update it without any spoilers to the characters or the story. Master Matoya will be fine, since they did eliminate the immediate danger for her, which is a very small spoiler.
Thank you again, and yeah Peony will help him, but she won't be alone as you saw in the chapter.