DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts nor Fire Emblem: Shadows of Valentia characters, Square Enix, Nintendo, and Disney are the owners.
Keybladelight: Yes, Roxas will use his limit break and the KH2 Final Mix special attack on tough enemies.
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Oh yeah, they are gonna be surprised after seeing Roxas wiping off the Necrodragons and tougher monsters.
/
CHAPTER 4 – BEAST HUNT.
29th of Avistym, Year 401 Valentian Calendar. | Morning.
While riding the ship sail through the ocean, Boey was surprised by Celica's news of Roxas becoming her bodyguard.
"Whaaat?! Milady asked you to be her bodyguard?!" he said taken aback by the news.
"Yes, I was surprised by her statement too, but in the end, I accepted." Roxas spoke calmly, trying to suppress his blush towards the girl.
"Okay, just promise me this, Roxas." Boey said face-to-face. "Promise me that you won't do something it might disappoint her, otherwise, you'll get your ass kicked."
"Don't worry, it won't happen, I promise." Roxas promised him to not disappoint them.
"He's right, Boey." Celica assured him. "He's been aiding us to deal with many bad people we've been encountering throughout our journey."
"To think this boy is capable of such power… it will make this journey too easy, if that is, of course." Mae gazed at them with curiosity towards the keyblade wielder.
/
SEABOUND SHRINE ISLAND.
The first pit stop was the Seabound Shrine island, the said place Kamui never wanted to step in, he looked panicked when they set their feet on the island.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa—hey, Priestess! Kid!" Kamui protested. "Did you guys forget our little chat about staying clear of the Seabound Shrine?"
"Is it because of those who are said to be Necrodragons?" Roxas questioned him with curiosity towards his overreacting attitude.
"Because this is not staying clear! This is the exact OPPOSITE of staying clear!" Kamui gabbled in annoyance but still looking scared at the same time.
"I'm sorry, did we discuss that?" Celica asked seemingly confused. "I must've been preoccupied. What if there's something of use here? Surely you would want to—" But then she came to recognize his fears. "Oooh, I remember now. You're scared of necrodragons, aren't you, Kamui? How careless of me. It completely slipped my mind!"
"Slipped my mind…" Kamui said having his face bow down. "That's it. I'm waiting on the boat."
"Er… actually—" Celica when a loud roar resounded through the island and scared the hell out of Kamui. "AAAAAAhhh! It's HERE!" he screamed in fear as he ran away.
And then, two dragon-like creatures with a dreaded appearance emerged from nowhere frightening some members of the party, especially Kamui who was in shock of seeing them at first-person view.
"The Necrodragons are here! RUN!" Kamui trembled in horror trying to persuade everyone to run away.
"Goodness. What a horrifying creature." Celica gazed at the Necrodragons. "But I have the Seraphim spell in my quiver now. I'm sure that we can settle this quick with the power of your keyblades, Roxas. Are you ready to put them down?"
"No need to ask twice." Roxas summoned his keyblades preparing himself for battle. "We'll take them down in a second!"
"Very well." She spoke with the same determination as him. "May its light guide your lost souls on to slumber eternal!"
[KINGDOM HEARTS III BGM: The Deep End ~Rock Titan's Rage~]
[INFORMATION: Defeat the Necrodragons!]
Roxas and Celica charged at the Necrodragons while avoiding getting eaten or torched in fire that came out of the dragons' mouths.
Roxas leapt above getting closer to one of the creatures and gave one strong slash combo to stumble the dragon down, even though it survived the attack.
Celica also did her own thing casting the seraphim magic on the other dragon, dealing the same damage and leaving them vulnerable.
The Necrodragons got back up with a very loud and brutal roar that made the whole place shake, much to everyone's horror.
"What in the world…?" said Celica shocked as she saw them stand up.
"No fuckin' way! They are still alive! Girl! Kid! Get out of here!" Saber shouted trying to warm them about their survival. But the keyblade wielder had a plan on his own.
"We'll do it when we finish them! I know a way to end this!" Roxas stated as gazed at those horrible dragons.
It was at this moment when Roxas pointed his keyblades to the sky to do something that would leave everybody open mouthed in surprise. He floated few feet off the ground. "Give me strength!" Roxas said as he focused on his power gazing at the Necrodragons and then, he came to summon a certain quantity of pillars of light that rained down around him and managed to kill the creatures. This technique was the "Magic hour".
[Music Stops]
"The Necrodragons are…" Kamui stuttered in surprise upon seeing them lifeless.
"dead…" Leon finished his sentence in the same voice, almost speechless.
"Roxas… You did it." Celica congratulated him for his actions. "You defeated those monsters that were tormenting us!"
"Thank you, I just wanted to help." Roxas replied acknowledging her thanks.
"Looks like you're quite a very smart guy, Roxas." Mae teased him in a flirting voice, which Roxas responded leaving out a light chuckle.
/
INSIDE SEABOUND SHRINE (CAVE)
The whole party stepped inside the shrine to rest from the ocean journey while dealing with bunch of pirates with Celica and Roxas leading the group.
As the cave was seemingly dark inside, Celica casted out a sort of light that came out of her hand to illuminate the place for the others.
"The damp, chilly air of the cave bears the scent of the ocean. There's no sign of anyone coming through here; scared off by the Necrodragon, I imagine." Celica said as she scanned the whole cave.
"Looks like it." Roxas replied coinciding with her. "It's a lonely place for this very reason."
Or that's what they thought… Suddenly, a certain quantity of dark creatures with yellow eyes appeared from nowhere at front of the party to everyone's shock.
"Holy shit! Where did they come from!?" Boey freaked out upon looking at those guys.
"The Heartless... What the hell are they doing here?" Roxas said figuring out these creatures.
"Heartless?" Saber said out of intrigue. "Do you mean those freaky-creepy dark creatures that showed up from nowhere?"
"That's right, those definitively are the heartless." Roxas assured him and the others.
"So, these are the monsters you talked about some time ago." Celica spoke as she pulled out her sword understanding the situation. "In that case, we have to take them down at once."
"Yeah, no kidding." Kamui stated preparing himself to fight the heartless.
"I don't know what is worse, the terrors, or those dark creatures." Boey put himself at a battle stance while fighting his "fright-or-fight" mindset.
"Either of them are freaky, Boey. Get yourself together and fight!" Mae barked telling him to get ready.
[KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX BGM: Scherzo Di Notte]
Roxas and the party surged against the heartless with everything they got. However, something strange happened and took Celica and the others aback.
"How in the world…?" Celica said after realizing of what she had just done. "Did I just kill a heartless?"
That is right, Celica just eliminated a heartless with her own weapon. Is it because of Roxas's influence? Or it was Mila's will? It didn't matter for the moment as she began going after the other heartless. If she did kill such a dark creature like this, then she could toss a Nobody aside of the terrors.
Boey was also taken aback after wiping a couple of heartless on his own just like the other members of the gang.
"Easy win." Leon said after finishing the heartless off.
"Those dark creatures are nothing but a piece of cake." Saber grinned after doing his thing. "Nothing can kill me."
Roxas eliminated the rest of the heartless with a quick-paced Sonic Blade to finally clear the area.
"That's the last of them, at least for now."
[Music Stops]
"Seems so… I think we need to rest so we can leave here tomorrow in the morning." Celica yawned feeling tired.
"Good idea, because I'm tired." Roxas agreed with her along the others as he lied down closing his eyes.
"Good night, everyone."
And that's how everybody felt asleep inside the cave and spent the whole night to recover their energy to resume their journey to Mila's Temple.
/
31st of Avistym, Year 401. Valentian Calendar – Sofia Harbor.
After enduring few more grueling pirate raids and managing to come out alive, the whole party finally reached to the most longed place for Celica, Sofia.
"Phew. We've finally arrived." Celica sighed stepping their feet among the others.
"So, this is Sofia, isn't it?" Roxas asked gazing at the place.
"Yes, this is the place I have longed for being able to return, Roxas." Celica assured him. "Sofia Harbor, at last. That was quite a journey!"
And then a middle man came out to greet the party. "Ah! You've come! You've truly come!"
"Hmm?" Celica gaze the man with surprise.
"Welcome, m'lady priestess! I heart it was you and this friend of yours what rid us of Barth and his band of pirates. A real blessing, that was! Can't thank you guys enough." The man praised Celica and Roxas for his actions against the pirates back in the aquatic journey.
"O-oh, it was nothing so grand." Celica expressed modesty, showing the man that she did what she had to do to survive, not to gain such praise. "In fact, it was the least a person could do; to be honest, it was as much for my own sake as it was yours."
"That's right, we had to put those guys in their place." Roxas justified their actions, making the man gaze at them in surprise.
"Crivens, but that's thing to say! Your strength and generosities are matched only by your modesties, you two. We were at our wits' end dealing with those seaborne thugs, and no mistake. So whatever your reasons, you've done us a fine service. Do let me thank you."
"Oh, I couldn't possibly—" Celica tried to explain the reasons to not be able to pay them back, but then Saber stepped in the amidst. "Maybe she couldn't, but I sure could. Where's the pub around here, friend?"
"Just this way, sir, just this way!" the man invited him to head to the said pub. "First round's on me, it is!"
Saber and the man headed to the pub to chill and why not? Get drunk up, much to Celica's dismay. "Now hold on just a— Saber, get back here!" she tried to call him out but the men had left.
"Let him be, Celica. He will be back." Roxas gave her a suggestion.
"Er, miss priestess? Young man? I also wanted to thank you." A young humble woman also came out to express her thanks to the two. "I can send my husband to sea now without sleepless nights to worry."
"Oh, well, We…" Roxas tried to tell her something but Celica kindly intervened. "I see. That's… I'm very glad to hear it."
"Yes, well, thank you again, you two. May the Mother's bleesings guide you!" the woman thanked them again before leaving the place.
"You're welcome." Said a stunned Roxas for the praise he was receiving as Celica.
"You surely have become quite famous, Roxas." Boey smirked on the keyblade wielder letting out a chuckle.
"Have I?" Roxas also laughed between teeth shyly. "I rather remain unknown to the others."
Nobody could blame Roxas for saying that, he wasn't like Sora as to become quite a famous in Sofia or everywhere, instead, he would resort to remain unknown within a world whether be Twilight Town, Destiny Island, Fódlan, or even Valentia.
"Remain unknown to everyone, you say. You want to keep your things private, right?" Mae winked at him playfully. "I would call you mister black coat when we're around other people if you want, Roxas."
"I like that." Roxas loved the idea of being called that when they were around other people than he and the party.
"Then it's decided, you'll be called by your name when no one else is around but us." Mae made the deal with the group. "We all have been thanked left and right. This makes kinda makes the fighting worth it."
"Pfft, your tune changes more easily than traveling minstrel's!" Boey said in a mocking tone, much to her annoyance. "Back on the ship, it was all bellyaching… mostly about your aching belly."
"Hey, I was seasick! It was a medical thing!" Mae spatted defending herself from his taunts. "…And you're hardly one to talk, Boey! You were drooling all over yourself after that buxon maid offered her 'thanks.'"
"I did no such thing!" Boey talked back trying to deny her allegations while their meaningless quarrels made Celica and Roxas chuckle, to Mae's embarrassment.
"Look what you've done, you boob! You've got Roxas and Celica laughing at us again!" she said thinking the two were laughing out of mock, but the priestess spoke denying her affirmation. "Not at all. I'm proud of you both for all your hard work."
"It's not like we're making fun of you two." Roxas seconded backing up her statement.
"I never truly realized how rewarding it was to help others like this." Celica continued. "It's a wonderful feeling, and we're blessed to be able to experience it."
"We glad to have each other's back." Roxas agreed. "How about we search for a tavern?"
"Good idea!" Mae said with enthusiasm.
/
SOFIA TAVERN
Roxas and the party headed inside the tavern to drink a few non-alcoholic beverages like water or even milk to chill and relax from their journey for a while and resume later.
And then, a woman dressed in maid clothes came to talk to them. "Didja hear some pirate dogs made for Grieth's Citadel with a girl in tow? S'truth! A brave sellsword staying at the pub even took after the poor dear. But Grieth ain't the sort you cross and live to speak of. Nasty fellow, he is…"
"Grieth? Who is this man?" Boey asked out of intrigue.
"From cutpurse to corsair, every thief in Sofia answers to a man called Grieth." A young man came to reveal them further information about him. "Even the pirate king Barth was but one of his henchmen."
"Barth as one if his henchmen?" Roxas began to sense the reason of still being attacked by many pirates before getting to Sofia. "So this guy sent those pirates to attack us if I'm right."
"Grieth's citadel stands tall in the desert. Colossal thing, it is!" the young man continued explaining. "That's where they hold all the captives his men bring as tribute."
"I see, thanks for telling us." Celica thanked the people for being told the required info on that man to defeat sometime later.
The whole party drank few more beverages and everyone payed before leaving the tavern to go outside. They were preparing to head to Mila Temple when a guy appeared in front to tell them a surprising news. "It's… it's like a dream. The pirates scuttled? Sofia Castle free? I keep asking people to pinch—"
"The castle is freed? How do you mean?" Celica cut him off asking that question out of surprise and intrigue.
"Didn't you hear? The Deliverance have run Desaix out of the castle!" the man assured her leading her to understand that he wasn't lying. "Word is, they have a new leader who led the attack himself. He's a young lad—claims to be the grandson of General Mycen. Whoever he is, the boy brought the entire army back from the brink."
This statement got Celica's attention, she knew very well what this guy was talking about and whom he were meaning to.
"General Mycen… Grandpapa?!" she said in surprise upon hearing the news. "Are you certain of this?"
"'Course I am! Wouldn't do a man to repeat baseless rumor, now would it?" the guy affirmed her expressing certainty. "the boy's the talk of the kingdom. A hero's grandson turned hero himself!"
"Oh, gods…" Celica knew damn well who was the person in charge of the army and her face was written in concern as well. "Then the person leading the Deliverance is…"
"What is the Deliverance about?" Roxas spoke inside his mind gazing at a concerned Celica. "Why does Celica look… so worried and disturbed?"
"It's like the dawn of a new day for us. To think, we've got a hero on our side!" the young villager stated expressing happiness without showing concern about the consequences of the ongoing war. "The Deliverance are holding in Sofia Castle for now. But there's talk of them taking up the march again a'fore long. They won't stop till there's nary a Rigelian dog left on Sofian soil!"
"Then they mean to march on the Rigelian Army?" Celica asked expressing a worrying gaze. Why was Celica so clearly worried? What is happening through her mind? "Oh, Alm… How can you be so reckless?!"
"Celica, is everything okay?" Roxas asked out of concern, he was noticing her worrying attitude after hearing the news. "You look… very disturbed or something like that."
"No, I'm… I'm fine, thank you, Roxas." Celica tried to convince him but Roxas wasn't a fool, he knew well something was up with her, but nonetheless, he let it slip for now.
"Are you sure?" Roxas wanted her to confirm her wellbeing.
"Yes, anyway. Might we travel to Sofia Castle before setting out for the temple?" Celica assured him before requesting her friends to head to the castle. "There's something I need to see for myself there."
"At the castle?" Boey asked her out of surprise to hear her request. "You know we would follow you anywhere, milady, but… is that wise? Besides, I don't think they would let Roxas in."
"It's been years, Boey." Celica said stating her reasons to return to the castle. "And don't worry, I'll make sure he comes with us."
"You left here long time ago?" Roxas expressed his curiosity about her story of life.
"Yes, I did leave here years ago when I was a child." Celica replied affirming his question. "No one would recognize me as I am now."
"Hm? What's this, now?" Saber appeared joining the team trying to figure out the conversation...
"Uh… n-nothing! Nothing at all." Boey stuttered nervously trying to hide the whole conversation between them. "Just talking about… about… that maid! You know? The lovely one who was asking after you over the pub? Said something about wanting to give whoever sank those pirates her 'thanks.'"
"Did she now?" Saber said out of joke. "Well, a hero mustn't spurn a lady's wishes."
After having a word, Saber and Boey went to meet with the pub's woman to do god he knows leaving Roxas, Celica and Mae behind.
"Alm…" she said in a melancholic voice. "I've dreamt of him for so long. Dreamt I might see him again. But please… not like this. The leader of the Deliverance? I pray this is some horrible mistake."
"Why do you look very concerned… about Alm?" Roxas asked her.
"Alm is making a huge mistake, Roxas, I can feel it. He's put himself in a grave danger while being at the forefront of war. It terrifies me that he might be caught in crossfire and be killed! Still, I'll only know for sure once I see for myself inside the castle."
Roxas began to sympathize with Celica, sure, Roxas had become involved in the keyblade war where he helped Sora defeat Xehanort but in Valentia this just wasn't the same. War was hell and he knew very well and there were no good nor bad people, just people who were run by mad rulers, whether be the Rigelian or Sofian ones.
Roxas and the whole party set out for Sofia Castle to go meet and greet Mycen and the others.
END OF CHAPTER 4
Author's Notes:
With that we are almost done with Sofia's Call Arc and we begin the War of Deliverance, but here we will rather dub it as "The Valentian Cold war" Arc which will cover this and upcoming Acts.
Oh man, Celica is gonna have a harsh reunion with Alm and this will end with obviously disastrous results between them.
Besides, I would like that Berkut and Fernand become not only Alm's but Roxas's antagonists as well. That would be interesting on how would interact each other. I bet Berkut would go after Roxas and let Alm go. Because after all he's a powerthirsty man. *Sora's grin intensifies*
Some cool ideas and feedbacks are welcome so I could make a good use of them.
Anyway, see you next time.