Desert
The Pot Centipede was defeated, but it came at the cost of losing Jasmine and the magic lamp to Jafar. Faced with this minor setback, Wendy and her friends sprinted out of the desert kingdom and raced through the sandy vastness on their way to the Cave of Wonders, but not before settling once again who would fit in the magic carpet and who would catch up. As usual, Lisanna and Elfman were using their Take-Over Magic to follow the carpet, and the ones riding it this time around were Wendy, Aladdin, Romeo, Carla, Sherria, and Levy. As for Donald and Goofy, since the carpet was fully occupied, their only alternative was to ride Elfman's back. Donald seemed to be sour about the idea of doing horseback with a self-professed advocate of manliness, considered to be the most unlikely transportation.
"I can't believe we have to play horsey with this macho man!" Donald complained, crossing his arms. "I like it better when we're on the magic carpet. Why not have Wendy and Romeo ride him? They did the same thing with Genie."
"I don't think it's the same thing, Donald," Goofy implied, grasping Elfman's back to secure himself. "Genie's been ridin' Wendy and Romeo by his shoulders the whole trip back to Agrabah. We didn't see him give 'em a horseback ride; it was all heavy-liftin' and magic stuff." He then smiled, "But what's wrong with doin' a little bit of horseback with your pals? It makes ya feel like a cowboy on a rodeo just doin' that!"
"It's not that I don't like it, Goofy," Donald admitted. "I always prefer a mode of transportation that's comfortable and doesn't involve accidents."
"We're in the middle of a desert," Goofy pointed out. "How can there be a few bumps along the road?"
"He's right, you know," Elfman turned his head between prancing the sand. "Just because it's a whole land of sand doesn't mean it's a rough ride. And I guarantee you it won't be. I'm keeping a steady pace while you boys sit back and enjoy the manly view of the desert."
"Well, can't argue with that," Donald shrugged. "Since the carpet's already full, we have to rely on you as our only mode of transportation. All that matters is getting to the place where the Keyhole's at, save Jasmine and Genie, and teach that mean ol' Jafar a thing or two."
"I like your style, duck," Elfman grinned. "Keep up a manly attitude like that, and we'll get somewhere. It's been a wild ride for all of us. On the plus side, it can't get any worse."
Meanwhile, Aladdin scanned the horizon from his spot in the magic carpet, squinting to look through the windswept sands. He then pointed his finger at the sight of a familiar sandpit surrounded by a circle of rock formations. "There it is! Exactly where we left off. We'll just have to—"
The street urchin was about to finish his sentence when a huge sandstorm came up from behind them. It swept the group in its embrace, almost blowing them off course. Romeo flinched at the sudden change of weather, "Whoa! The wind's getting pretty strong here."
Aladdin advised, "Watch out for sandstorms, guys. They usually make the road a bit harder to travel."
Sherria narrowed her gaze, trying to get a better look beyond the horizon obscured by the dome of sand that caught everyone between the road and the destination. "We can't see anything! How are we supposed to move on?"
Elfman stopped a few feet from the carpet above, all the while shielding his eyes from the dust rushing over his face. "Hey, what's going on?"
Donald looked up at the scene of the incident, his hand held over his face. "Have we reached a dead end?"
Goofy couldn't find the right words for an assumption, as the sand obscured his vision. "I can't see a thing!"
The storm continued to run its course, albeit more louder and excessive than before. The entourage's confusion turned to annoyance as they braced themselves from the blazing dust.
Levy tensed, "It's getting stronger! We can't get through!"
Romeo asked Wendy, "Won't you use your Sky Magic to blow the sand away? Sherria, too?"
Wendy responded, "I can't see with all this sand. I don't know where I'll hit!"
Sherria winced, "And if we try to breathe air, the sand will get into our lungs!"
Aladdin pondered, "There's gotta be a way past it..."
The sand kept on roaring.
Goofy shuddered, "It's a blustery wind 'round here!"
Donald worried, "We're gonna get swept under!"
Elfman implored, "You two, get behind me if you wanna live like real men."
Donald rolled his eyes, "Oh, give it a rest!" He and Goofy did as they were told and crept behind Elfman's muscular beast form.
Abruptly, the roaring ceased. The clouds of sand dispersed and fluttered in separate directions, and every trace of the storm was swept away by the currents. Once again, the desert was within the group's sight, and they all sighed with relief.
Romeo noticed, "It's gone!"
Levy breathed, "Thank goodness..."
Wendy beamed, "We're all okay!"
Donald sighed, "That was close..."
Goofy grinned, "We're in the clear."
Elfman boasted, "A manly save!"
Aladdin confirmed, "We're back on track. Let's—" He paused when he noticed something was off. "Guys, look at this!" Wendy, Levy, Carla, Sherria traced the direction of his finger, and Lisanna flew up to their side. Where the sandpit was, it was replaced by another set of dunes stretching out into the distance. The only location where Aladdin and Levy found the Cave of Wonders was gone. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath. "The sandpit, it's gone! It's supposed to be right here! What happened?"
Levy assumed, "Hmm... That sandstorm must've blown us off course. Or maybe it wiped the sandpit off the map."
Carla argued, "That's impossible! How could a sandstorm erase one location from the spot? It didn't just disappear by ordinary means."
Lisanna guessed, "I think it's some kind of magical sandstorm. Something or someone must've caused it."
Sherria blinked, "We came all this way just to get stuck at the wrong end of the desert?"
Romeo asked, "What happened to the sandpit? It's not like it could've just rolled off by itself. Then again—"
The Rainbow Fire wizard's assumption was cut short when something struck him and the others like lightning. The sands shuddered with a massive pop, and out came a large entity spinning violently like a disc.
"What the devil?!" Carla demanded.
"What is that?!" Romeo exclaimed.
The monster landed two giant feet on the ground, the deadly ends of the disc divided into two crescent swords held by two out of six arms, each ending in three sharp segmented talons. It boasted a brown and black segmented body, and a golden head that bore a strong resemblance to the snake on Jafar's staff. It wore a white sleeve trimmed in gold on each arm, a white tunic with puffy gold sleeves over its oddly-shaped upper torso, and white gold-and-turquoise trimmed pants on its lower body. Around its waist was a brightly colored sash decorated with bright orange tassels and a gold apron bearing the Heartless emblem. Its feet appeared to be clad in gold and brown shoes at first glance, but the toes were curled into fierce hooks that pointed down towards the ground.
"It's a Heartless!" Wendy was quick to identify the creature by the sash it was wearing, not to mention the foul stench of darkness surrounding it. "I think this one's behind the sandstorm!"
"That's Jafar for ya," Romeo remarked. "He's smart enough to leave something behind to keep us busy."
"No doubt about it. You see the snake head?" Sherria pointed out. "It looks an awful lot like the staff he's carrying around."
"How do we know Jafar sent it after us?" Carla questioned. "It may have been acting on its own!"
"Look out!" Lisanna screamed.
The Heartless classified as King Cobra clawed its silver khopeshes viciously, prompting Lisanna and the magic carpet to dodge frantically as the others held on for dear life. "WHOOOOOOOAAA!" Wendy, Romeo, Sherria, Carla, Aladdin, and Levy toppled out of the carpet and collapsed on the sand as Lisanna flew down to regroup with them, before Donald, Goofy, and Elfman followed suit. On cue with the King Cobra's emergence, multiple pillars popped from the sand and formed a circle around a wide area of the desert. The pillars chained together to form a barrier of impenetrable magic, designed to prevent any chance of escape until certain conditions were met. The King Cobra turned its six-armed body in the group's direction, its snake head focused on the Keyblade master and her allies.
"Is everyone alright?" Aladdin asked. "That ridiculously oversized snake almost got us."
"Yeah, we're fine," Romeo nodded. "But I don't think we'll be for long. Not as long as it's around."
"We're gonna have to beat this Heartless," Wendy summoned her Keyblade. "It's the only way to move on."
"A ridiculously oversized snake, huh?" Elfman cracked his knuckles. "Somebody's asking for a challenge!"
"We'll give it everything we got," Lisanna changed into Animal Soul: Cat. "Here goes nothing!"
The King Cobra summoned two orbs of energy in the bottom pair of its arms, and the group was suddenly enveloped in a veil of white-lighted prisms. "Leave it to me, I'll bring it down! Sky God's Boreas!" Sherria was about to make the first strike by conjuring a horizontal black whirlwind to hurl at the large Heartless. But just as she thrust her hand, she was shocked to see no whirlwind coming out. "Huh? What's... Sky God's Boreas!" She tried again, and was met with the same result. "Sky God's Boreas! Sky God's Boreas!" She repeated the process a few times. Nothing happened. "Sky God's Bellow! Sky God's Dance!" Sherria resorted to cast other Sky God Slayer spells; every attempt ended in failure. "What's going on? Why isn't my magic working?"
"I never thought I'd see the day you lost your touch," Donald snickered.
"No, I wasn't! I was just getting started!" Sherria protested.
"It's my turn now!" Donald aimed his staff at the King Cobra. "Fire!" Nothing came out. "Huh? Fire! FIRE!" Nothing. "Blizzard! Thunder! Gravity!" Still nothing. "What happened to my magic?!" He stared at his staff in surprise.
"Now who's losing his touch?" Sherria smiled slyly.
"I didn't lose my touch!" Donald quacked.
"Blizzard!" Wendy attempted at shooting a ice crystal from the Jungle King. "Sky Dragon's Roar!" She even tried to cast her signature tornado breath. It didn't take long for her to realize she was struck with the strange occurrence as Sherria and Donald. "I can't use my magic, too!"
"Same here," Romeo raised his open palm, expecting a colored flame to burst. "My Rainbow Fire's out of juice!"
"What's going on?" Elfman's Beast Soul was instantly reverted back to human form. "I can't use Take-Over anymore..."
"Me, too!" Lisanna Animal Soul was affected by the same changes. "What's happening to us?"
"Uh-oh!" Goofy gulped. "That Heartless must've sealed our magic with whatever trick it pulled off!"
"A spell that cancels out magic... Could it be?" Levy thought out loud, before she turned her attention to the energy orbs clutched under the King Cobra's bottom hands. A gasp escaped her mouth as the truth dawned on her. "Just as I figured! It's using Silence Magic!"
"Silence Magic?" Wendy echoed.
"What's that?" Romeo asked.
"It's a form of magic with the ability to strip a wizard's Magic Energy of its 'sound' and render it immobile," Levy explained. "Anyone caught in it will be unable to use magic until its 'sound' is restored."
"You're kidding me!" Donald protested.
"Are you serious?" Romeo blinked.
"How did you know this?" Carla asked.
"I've read a book about it back at the guildhall," Levy stated. "I didn't recall anyone in Fairy Tail who experienced Silence Magic before, myself included, but seeing it come into play for the first time..." She shuddered as the weight of reality sunk in, "...it actually scares me." She did a few hand signals, expecting a random Solid Script spell to activate, but nothing happened. "I can't even use my Solid Script, either..."
"Is there any way to break the spell?" Wendy asked.
"Actually, there is," Levy smiled. "Every time Silence Magic is put in effect, it condenses the energy into a power source. You see those orbs?" She motioned to the King Cobra's energy orbs. "If we destroy them, that should do the trick."
"You mean we gotta take out those orbs?" Sherria questioned. "I don't think it's gonna be easy. That Heartless is obviously no walk in the park."
"That's not a problem," Wendy said bravely, as she seized her Jungle King. "I can do just fine without magic. Magic's not the only thing I'm good at. It doesn't matter how great the odds are. I'll take them head on."
"You're speakin' my language, kid," Elfman smirked. "If all else fails, let our fists do the talkin'. Count me in!"
"Me too," Goofy elected. "You can always count on my trusty shield."
"Don't forget me!" Donald joined in. "I'm not running away just because my magic's sealed away!"
"I'm in, too," Aladdin followed. "We'll have to work together to stop this thing."
"Right! Let's do this!" Wendy nodded, before she turned to the group members who hadn't volunteered to lead the charge. "Leave it to us. We'll knock the orbs with our weapons and take our magic back."
"Two punches!" Elfman declared. "Just two punches in two globes, and we're bursting with manly magic!"
"Are you gonna be okay?" Romeo asked worriedly. "Without our magic, we're powerless. You okay with that?"
"We'll be fine, Romeo. Don't worry," Wendy assured with a smile. "We've got each other backs, and we'll make it out okay."
"I believe you, Wendy," Romeo smiled back. "Good luck out there!"
"Do your best, Wendy!" Carla encouraged. "And be careful!"
"Big Brother Elf..." Lisanna whispered. "Please, be careful..."
At the start of the battle, Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, and Elfman moved in to attack the King Cobra's orbs from its feet. As it walked closer to the young heroes, a series of mechanical crunches echoing throughout the desert, it stared at them with its snake-like head. The Heartless stood in place and twirled its khopeshes around in a frenzy, slicing at the party and deflecting attacks at the same capacity. Wendy and her teammates barely avoided getting ripped to shreds by the King Cobra's sword-spinning technique; while Donald and Goofy were the less fortunate, they managed to endure the deadly steel. Whenever Wendy and her teammates got too far away, the King Cobra would often perform a dashing attack with both khopeshes. It had small range, but the blades remained torturous to the bone. Since the party was affected by Silence Magic, they were unable to use their magic and abilities. However, half of the party didn't need the use of magic to appease the situation in front of them. Wendy was able to strike at the Silence Orbs with her Keyblade, Donald with his staff, Goofy with his shield, Aladdin with his scimitar, and Elfman with his bare fists. The King Cobra was naturally a skilled warrior, proficient in swordplay and capable of performing swift attacks, but with great timing and concentration, they were able to analyze and predict its sword swings before aim for the orbs, if given the chance. Less than three minutes later, Wendy and Aladdin made the final attack onto one of the Silence Orbs with various combinations, destroying it. Next, a single punch from Elfman eliminated the other Silence Orb. Just as the King Cobra collapsed onto the ground, everyone felt their Magic Energy swelling back again.
"Hooray!" Donald beamed upon seeing a tiny flame lighting the tip of his staff. "We can use magic again!"
"I felt it, too," Wendy could see the small currents of wind swirling around her body. "The wind's coming back to me. And the Keyblade's power!"
"Alright!" Elfman morphed into Beast Soul again. "The beast is out!"
"Our magic's restored!" Romeo's hand blazed with Blue Fire. "Way to go, guys!"
"The snake's down for the count," Sherria pointed out. "Now's our chance to get the jump on it."
"I think we've waited long enough," Lisanna decided. "Let's give 'em a hand!"
As Romeo, Carla, Sherria, Lisanna, and Levy regrouped with Wendy's team, they faced the stunned King Cobra, which had fallen into a sitting position. Its snake head coiled out of its body on a long elastic neck, attempting to bite the party with its poisonous fangs. The attack was easily deflected and doing so was more than enough to make the snake flinch, although its wild movements made it harder to hit. It was like whacking a mole that pops out of a hole at random, but it was nothing Wendy and company couldn't handle. Wendy struck the snake with a 9-hit Keyblade combo and Sky Dragon's Claw, Donald with Thunder, Goofy with Goofy Rocket, Lisanna with Animal Soul: Harpy, Elfman with Beast Soul: Weretiger, and Levy with Solid Script: Bullet.
Despite the amount of damage it took, the King Cobra managed to snap out of its stunned state and jump back up. This time around, it was floating airborne in a meditative-like state. Lisanna wondered, "What's it doing now?"
Carla responded, "I believe it's entering the second phase."
Immediately, the King Cobra formed a protective golden barrier around its entire body. Elfman declared, "I got this!" He raced at the Heartless with a clenched fist.
Lisanna shouted, "No, wait!" But her brother had already struck the barrier, and his attack was instantly bounced back.
Sherria indicated, "It didn't do any damage!"
Levy analyzed, "That's an anti-physical barrier! Physical attacks have no effect against it!"
Elfman asked, "Let me guess. Another book?"
Levy shook her head, "No, I figured it out by myself, though it took me some time. Considering I've read a lot that there is about magic, it's a gift."
Wendy asked, "How are we gonna take down that barrier?"
Levy answered, "It requires huge amounts of magic. With enough power, the barrier can be destroyed."
Wendy affirmed, "Then we'll just have to hit it with any magic we've got!"
Donald, Romeo, and Sherria agreed in unison, "Yeah!"
The group pursued the King Cobra hovering around the arena, the latter patiently contemplating its next move during its meditative position. Wendy struck the anti-physical barrier with Sky Dragon's Roar, Sherria with Sky God's Bellow, Donald with Blizzard, Romeo with a Rainbow Fireball, and Levy with Solid Script: Thunder. Eventually, the King Cobra saw through its adversaries' persistence and twirled its arms around, its hands glowing crimson red. With a flick, a barrage of fireballs appeared around the arena and hovered slowly near the group, acting as mines. Donald, Elfman, and Sherria took damage from the mines, while Wendy and Goofy knocked them back at the barrier, damaging it. The King Cobra was getting tired of the group's attempts to resist and raised its arms. In response, three tornadoes surrounded Levy, startling her as they fused into one larger tornado, tossing her high into the air. "Levy!" Lisanna cried, using her Animal Soul: Harpy to fly and catch the Solid Script wizard in the air.
The King Cobra targeted the two girls, summoning a torrent of mines after them. "Levy! Lisanna! Watch out!" Elfman shouted, as they noticed the attack coming their way.
"Solid Script: Iron!" Levy chanted, and the word 'IRON' that was made from the substance it was based on was conjured in the air. She shifted in front of Lisanna, the mines exploding when they made contact with her iron barrier, allowing them to land on the ground safely.
Lisanna muttered, "It doesn't know when to give up, does it?"
Levy remarked, "I gotta give that snake some credit. It's pretty tough."
Elfman huffed, "A whole lotta trouble, if you ask me."
Wendy declared, "Maybe so, but I'm not ready to give up just yet!"
Romeo nodded, "Me too!"
Wendy and company continued their assault on the King Cobra's anti-physical barrier, authorizing full use of long-ranged magical techniques to exhaust its defenses. But even in its meditative state, its strategies were tricky as they were dangerous. The Heartless attacked with tornadoes and fiery mines, turning the arena into a lethal obstacle course. Regardless of the chaos, the group eluded the obstacles, never to lose their focus on the barrier. Two minutes later, Wendy, Levy, and Goofy deflected three mines, Sherria cast Sky God's Boreas, and Donald dished out a Gravity spell to completely shatter the barrier. Once again, the Heartless was paralyzed, and the snake head was its only means of defense. Wendy attacked the snake with a 6-hit Keyblade combo and a Sky Dragon's Wing Attack, Romeo with Blue Fire, Donald with Blizzard, Goofy with Goofy Tornado, Aladdin with a 6-hit scimitar attack, and Levy with Solid Script: Storm.
The King Cobra sustained moderate damage, but it refused to surrender. It stood back up to its feet and unleashed its Silence Magic onto the group, cancelling their magic once more. With the two Silence Orbs that sustained the spell in the King Cobra's bottom hands, Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, and Elfman made a mad dash for the Heartless with their weapons (and Elfman's fists) in tow, while the rest of the team sat back and watched. When spinning and swinging its khopeshes wasn't plausible enough, the King Cobra turned to other means of crushing its enemies. It jumped up and spun vertically like a wheel with its crescent blades. It dove at the crew, and all ten were unable to dodge it in time. They all scattered about as it whizzed right through the group, damaging every one of them. They all fell to the ground as it came around, this time in a horizontal spin, targeting Wendy. Fortunately, Sherria pulled the Sky Dragon Slayer away before it closed in on her. "That was close..." Wendy thought to herself.
But the chaos didn't stop there. The King Cobra switched between horizontal and vertical spins, decimating the group and sending them flying across the arena. They survived using their supplies of Potions and Ethers to revitalize their health and energy, though it didn't last long. As the King Cobra stopped spinning and landed on the sand, it assailed the worn-out heroes with its khopeshes. It took a few minutes to withstand the beast's flawless swordplay, but Wendy and her teammates succeeded on destroying the Silence Orbs. The Heartless crashed into the sand, and the heroes were free to use magic again. Wendy attacked the snake head with a 9-hit combo and a Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang, Elfman with his fists, Lisanna with Animal Soul: Penguin, and Romeo with Yellow Fire.
The King Cobra reentered its meditative state and formed another anti-physical barrier, prompting Wendy and company to chase it down with their respective magical attacks, all the while avoiding the occasional tornadoes and mines. As time passed, the King Cobra resorted to executing a third kind of attack; its arms radiated with a purple glow before the Heartless thrust them against the sand, and in a flash, orbs of dark energy flew out and bounced around. The King Cobra would also summon and throw larger orbs during that phase. Despite the state they were in, Wendy and her companions carried on. The Sky Maiden hit the barrier with Sky Dragon's Wave Wind, Sherria with Sky God's Bellow, Donald with Fire, Romeo with Purple Fire, and Levy with Solid Script: Water. That combination of spells did the trick, and the King Cobra was stunned a fourth time. Elfman bashed the snake head with Beast Soul: Lizardman, Lisanna with Animal Soul: Cat, and Levy with Solid Script: Thunder.
Elfman growled, "Man, the snake's got a lot of guts!"
Levy stated, "It's completely well-balanced in both physical and magical attacks!"
Sherria wondered, "Could that be the reason why it's invincible?"
The group turned to see the King Cobra standing up with the remaining health it had left.
Lisanna stated, "It's gonna try to cancel our magic again!"
Romeo suggested, "We gotta stop it!"
Donald complained, "But how? It'll overpower us! We can't keep up!"
Goofy worried, "How are we gonna keep it down for good?"
Wendy confirmed, "Well, I guess it's time the gloves are off." She stared at the Jungle King and the hidden power resting within the decorated steel. "Jungle King's my current Keychain, and each Keychain gives the Keyblade a different form with their own Command Style." She added with determination, "I made my decision! I'm gonna use Jungle King's Command Style!"
Romeo perked up at hearing Wendy's announcement. He asked excitedly, "Really?! You're gonna do it?!" He simply couldn't wait to see the Sky Maiden's moment to shine by activating her trump card.
Wendy nodded, "Yeah. We're in a pinch right now, so I'm using a Command Style for this one. I gotta make it count. For everyone! Oh, and Romeo..." She turned to the Rainbow Fire wizard, and spoke with much consideration she could muster, "...I hope you'll like this."
Romeo said eagerly, "Oh, I will. This is gonna be fun!"
Mere seconds before the King Cobra regained its balance, Wendy quickly assumed an elegant pose with the Jungle King, her heart resonating with the light purple magic glowing around the blade. "Jungle King Command Style..." The aura expanded around her, and everyone present was watching the spectacle in awe. "...Wild Brawler!" In a massive burst of light, Wendy's body was empowered by a light purple aura, and two iron spiked gauntlets composed of astral energy were paired behind her, bound together by magical chains which connected to the Keyblade's teeth. As Wendy spun the Jungle King into a battle position, she noticed that her weapon served as the control handle for the chained gauntlets. It not only guided them in any direction, but it also granted them the ability to enlarge and shrink in both size and strength.
Romeo's jaw dropped at his first time of seeing Wendy unleashing a Command Style. His patience finally paid off, and his request of seeing it come into play was granted. "THIS IS AWESOME!"
Finally back to its feet, the King Cobra cast its Silence Magic and stripped everyone of their magic, with the exception of Wendy, whose Command Style was still active. They couldn't believe what they saw. The King Cobra's Silence Magic had no effect on a Command Style! Levy blinked, "No way! Wendy's made herself immune to the spell!"
Carla smiled, "Her Command Style somehow helped her resist the effects! What a stroke of genius! She is very wise to exploit a enemy's flaws to the utmost."
Donald grinned, "Now that she's powered up, she'll even things up a bit."
Goofy cheered, "Go, Wendy! You can do it! Knock 'em dead!"
Wendy turned to the King Cobra, her new Command Style primed for action. "Hey, monster! You want me? Come and get me!" Shouting these bold words, she stanced with the Jungle King, her astral gauntlets clenched into fists. The King Cobra leaped at its enemy, flashing its khopeshes menacingly. "Wild Gloves!" In response, Wendy reared back one of the gauntlets and clashed with the crescent blades, a huge shockwave sweeping the arena. The purple ambiance covering the Sky Maiden's body raged brighter and more intense as her eyes flashed with vigor. "Jungle Jam!" Effortlessly, she directed the Wild Gloves to parry the King Cobra's blades and punch its body at incredible speed. The blows were so powerful that it left several cracks in the Cobra's armor. Wendy delivered an uppercut that sent the dazed Heartless up in the air, and from her spot on the ground, she hurled her Wild Gloves for another barrage. "Double Glove Attack!" At the end, she rocketed both Wild Gloves as a double-fist strike that crashed the Heartless against the arena's invisible walls. The rest of the group hollered for Wendy and her new Command Style, with Romeo cheering the loudest of all.
Outraged of being humiliated by the Sky Dragon Slayer, the King Cobra jumped and spun rapidly with its khopeshes, before doing a horizontal dive-bomb. Wendy slammed a Wild Glove onto the shoulder of the Heartless before it could reach her, driving it into the sand and halting its spinning. "You shouldn't be playing with those," she warned, indicating the khopeshes in the beast's hands. "I'll make sure to beat some manners into you!" On cue, the Wild Gloves spun rapidly and charged with golden magical power, turning into an enhanced attack. "Banana Bomb!" The first Wild Glove launched and made a beeline for one of the khopeshes held in the King Cobra's left hand. The Banana Bomb exploded upon impact, breaking the crescent-shaped blade into pieces! It wasn't long before Wendy fired a second Banana Bomb at the remaining khopesh and destroyed it!
Levy remarked, "Such incredible power..."
Goofy grinned, "She's really good!"
Donald agreed, "You said it!"
Romeo whooped, "Alright! Yeah! Keep it up!"
The weaponless King Cobra frantically shifted to its meditative phase, producing another barrier in a futile attempt to protect itself. "Banana Bombs! Go!" Wendy fired a salvo of explosive Wild Gloves, greatly damaging the barrier. She then released a volley of Banana Bombs above for them to rain down on the Heartless like a meteor shower. With its barrier destroyed, the King Cobra collapsed on the ground, broken and exhausted beyond belief. "Time to finish this! Command Style Critical Art: Meteor Impact!" Wendy positioned her Wild Gloves, which were spinning much faster and emitting more golden energy. She launched the two blazing gauntlets into the sky, and they fused together into a giant magic seal above the King Cobra. A meteorite was pulled down from the seal, and it collided with the Heartless in a massive eruption! BOOOOOOOM! With a rattled hiss, the King Cobra's mechanical body was torn apart, its snake head lying motionless amidst the smoke and scattered metal. A large glowing heart was seen rising from the fire, before the remains vanished. It was all over.
"YOU DID IT!" Romeo yelled happily, and he rushed over to hug Wendy, who had just deactivated her Command Style. "That was incredible! You were awesome back there, with the explosive gauntlets and that meteor falling out of the sky... You got that Heartless good!"
"Wow, I never knew how strong Jungle King's Command Style was," Wendy remarked, as she hugged Romeo back. "It really does pack a punch! There are other Keychains out there with their own Command Styles. When I collect more, I wanna see what they'd do."
"Yeah, me too!" Romeo smiled, pulling back from the hug. "Thanks for taking care of that snake for us, by the way."
"You're welcome," Wendy smiled back. "Thanks for believing in me."
As the two released the hug, Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, Carla, Sherria, Elfman, Lisanna, and Levy joined them to congratulate the Sky Dragon Slayer for her remarkable performance in the battle's climax. Levy admired, "Amazing work, Wendy! You've beaten that mechanical snake down to size."
Elfman gave the thumbs up, "That's what I'd call going out with a bang! You did good, kid."
Lisanna smiled brightly, "Wendy, that was very brave of what you did."
Wendy blushed at each of her friends' compliments. "Thanks..."
Aladdin grinned, "Now that the snake's out of the picture, we should be getting a move on. We have to get to the Cave of..." He stopped mid-sentence when he looked around the arena, which was still active even after the King Cobra's defeat. "Wait a second. We're still trapped? It can't be! We already beat that thing! Is there something we missed? Something we still have to do?"
There was a faint hiss in the wind, and it carried a loud, dominant voice that startled Wendy and company. "That is correct! Your battle with the King Cobra was merely a test, a show of displaying the extent of your abilities. You have broken the sound of silence, braved the wrath of steel without fear, and even crushed the head of the snake! The tenacity and resolve you have shown was the entertainment I needed. Now that you have passed the test, Wendy Marvell..." She gasped at the mention of her name. "...the true challenge awaits you. You are deemed worthy to face the storm of absolute justice. Whether you will overcome the storm or be consumed by it remains to be seen... I will be content to fighting you either way."
Wendy was surprised that whoever spoke to her was demanding a challenge from her. "Show yourself!"
The voice let out a laugh so proud that the desert rang with it in every direction. "Patience, child. I am right here..." Sure enough, when Wendy looked up to the sky, what was more troubling than the voice that shook the desert was a silver comet piercing the clouds, leaving a trail of discarded mass in its wake. It struck the ground like a bolt of lightning, scattering the sand in a massive emission that smothered the entire arena, blowing the group away with no way to defend. Dust flew everywhere as a winged silhouette alighted on one of the arena's pillars, standing tall with arms crossed. A light hum of amused laughter escaped the entity's mouth as Wendy and her friends fell onto the ground, lying amongst the fog of sand. The force of collision was so powerful that Wendy hardly had the resolve to push her torso up. When the dust cleared, the silhouette was revealed to be a man dressed in a falcon-themed superhero uniform. "...and I am not going anywhere." To rub salt in the wound, a horde of Sleepy Hollow wizards emerged from the fading sand, standing alongside the one on top of the pillar.
Wendy stared hard at the newcomer and his underlings, getting on her knees. Seeing her stand in the face of this new threat was enough for Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, Romeo, Carla, Sherria, Elfman, Lisanna, and Levy to pull themselves together and get up as well. Wendy could easily recognize the hooded attire any low-ranking wizard in the Sleepy Hollow guild occasionally wore, and ascertain who the man in charge was. "You're... Sleepy Hollow!" She then eyed the pillar, "And you're one of the Headless Horsemen!"
The Headless Horseman remarked, "You are even more insightful than I thought. Indeed, I am Silver Ornithurae of the Headless Horsemen of Sleepy Hollow! The prince of the elements, the bird of prey, the unparalleled and unequaled lord of the skies!" He pointed a finger at the group, "You, the band of fools who defied our Master Viriniam... I never expected a minor rebellion to succeed where others could not. I would punish you for your insolence, but that is not my purpose here." His eyes shifted to the Sky Maiden, "My interests lie with the child who bested Wrecker and sealed the Keyholes. I will see to it she is given a proper reception."
Levy recognized, "I know you... You're with Sleepy Hollow! You were there in the attack!"
Elfman growled, "You decided to show your face around here, you bastard? We've got a bone to pick with you and your boss!"
Lisanna glared, "I didn't think for a second we'd see you again. What are you doing here?"
Carla thought out loud, "Elfman, Lisanna, and Levy were involved in Sleepy Hollow's invasion as well..."
Silver asked, "I assume you are the few Fairy Tail wizards who slipped from our grasp and took refuge in other worlds before the Keyblade master found you?" He laughed lightly, "By escaping the long arm of justice, you relish the empty notion of freedom." He gestured to Levy, "Even the Solid Script wizard, who whisked away into the wilderness with a common pauper."
Levy gasped, "Huh?! How did you—"
Silver cut her off, "My sources whispered rumors of a minor delinquent squabbling in the marketplace, accompanied by a female with a capacity for magic. Solid Script, from the looks of these goofy words popping out of the sky." Levy and Aladdin tensed at the Headless Horseman's report. "The last I saw of them before they left the city was the Fairy Tail symbol marked on the girl's shoulder." She grabbed her left scapula at that, "Her whereabouts were in question by the time she disappeared. But for once, the snake proved to be of some use. Thanks to him..." He placed one hand around his hip, "...I no longer have to track her down."
Levy questioned, "You knew that we were leaving Agrabah? You figured it out on your own?"
Silver replied, "As I told you once, I have my sources. But these concerns are not of importance, for there are other matters at hand. We must commence the rest of the festivities without further delay."
Wendy narrowed her eyes at the Headless Horseman. "You sent that Heartless to trap us, didn't you?"
Silver answered, "That was only half the plan. You see, it was all planned by Master Viriniam."
Wendy's eyes went wide at who Silver was referring to. "Kaze?!"
Silver continued, "She sensed your presence in this world. She knew you would come. Everything was orchestrated shortly after you arrived. We have prepared for this!"
Lisanna gasped, "Kaze Viriniam set up the whole thing?"
Elfman barked, "What the hell is going on here?!"
Silver ignored the Strauss siblings' demands and explained his motives to Wendy, "The creation of the King Cobra, your battle in this desolate ocean of sand... This was all done according to Master Viriniam's design. She devised the blueprint, and I set up the device. Why else do you think I led you into this coliseum? The Master has secretly selected you for a special purpose. An evaluation to determine if you truly are worthy of her attention. The King Cobra was only the first trial!"
Wendy gritted her teeth as she seized the Jungle King's handle, trying to keep her emotions in check. "What do you want?"
Silver chuckled, "I thought it would be obvious. Your second and final trial has begun. You will have to face me." He flexed his index finger at Wendy, and it lit up with a spark of silver energy. "If you win, I will let you pass. But if you lose, you must surrender and come with me. The Master will be expecting you. She will be most pleased when I turn you over to her."
Donald whined, "It's not fair! We'll have to fight again! Why can't we take a break?"
Goofy gulped, "I don't think so, Donald. There's no getting outta this one!"
Wendy staggered back a few steps, trembling with a mixture of anger and anxiety. If Kaze was expecting her, she may be here somewhere in Agrabah. Her eyes never wavered from Silver, but the thought of being brought over to the girl she fought at the boat sent a shiver down her spine. She was feeling threatened, intimidated... Seconds later, she masked her fear, and boldly asked, "Where is she?"
Silver responded, "She is at the Cave of Wonders with Jafar. As we speak, they are unveiling the Keyhole hidden somewhere in the depths."
Wendy's eyes dilated as she gasped in shock. "She's here...!" If Sleepy Hollow's guild master had indeed set foot in Agrabah, there was no doubt she was coming after her, which would put her friends in grave danger. "She knew I was here... I shouldn't have come..."
Carla saw the aching fear in the Sky Maiden's expression, and took it upon herself to speak on her behalf. She looked up and asked Silver, "You sprung the trap just so you could fight Wendy and bring her to your Master?"
Silver nodded, "That's right. My objective is to test the Keyblade master's abilities. Master Viriniam's orders are absolute! It is essential for the Sleepy Hollow guild to satisfy her every need."
Carla retorted, "That's absurd! Wendy has nothing to do with you! We won't hand her over to the likes of you for your sake."
Elfman agreed, "You heard the cat. She's staying put. Let's settle this like real men!"
Lisanna asserted, "We'll show you what happens when you mess with Fairy Tail."
Silver smirked, "I certainly invite you all to try. Unfortunately, only Wendy Marvell will be permitted to face me. In the meantime, you will have to deal with my men." He gestured down towards the battalion of Sleepy Hollow wizards readying their weapons and magic. "I have no interest in wasting my power on those not worthy of my interest. What I desire most is someone who could rival the infinite light of justice I hold in my hand. This duel between me and the child was set up for that very reason." The spark of silver energy grew between his index and middle finger, and he pointed it at the group. "You have no right to interfere!" With a swing of his arm, the spark flew from his hand and grew into a massive tornado that zipped across the arena. It engulfed and blasted Donald, Goofy, Romeo, Aladdin, Carla, Sherria, Elfman, Lisanna, and Levy away to a separate corner of the coliseum.
That snapped Wendy out of her trance, and she witnessed her friends driven from her by Silver's tornado attack. "Guys!" As soon as the wind dissipated and left the group in a different area, she glared up at the Headless Horseman, whose hand teemed with electricity. "What did you do?!"
Silver stated, "This is between you and me. I cannot allow anyone to meddle in our fight, even your comrades."
Out of worry and concern, Wendy looked to her right to see her dazed friends, who were slowly approached by the Sleepy Hollow thugs. "Romeo, Donald, Goofy, Aladdin..."
Silver commented, "With qualities and resolve equal to yours, they will undoubtedly survive this skirmish. That is, if they are able to hold out for long. But I have no time for them... My soldiers will keep them occupied. I'll deal with them after everything has been settled."
Wendy declared, "If you want a fight with me, I'll give you one. And my friends will never lose. We will pull through together! We won't leave each other behind!"
Silver chortled, "Such unwavering conviction, a fiery spit of bravery... You are just the kind of opponent I wanted to face! I wish to fight warriors when they fight at their best, when they use their true power... I crave for the ultimate challenge. You see, we are very much alike. We each followed our own paths, and adapted from our experiences in battle. You live to fight. Just like me."
Wendy countered, "You think fighting's the only thing I can do? There's more to it than that! The reason why I'm fighting is because I wanted to help people. That's what a Fairy Tail Wizard does."
Silver grinned, "Hmph, you have limitless potential, and all of a sudden you think you're a hero. Warriors are only measured by the will to survive. They fight each other until the strongest of those who evolved as a product of battle remain. Sleepy Hollow is built upon the foundation of newly evolved wizards like myself. The will to live is the strength to fight. The strong prey upon the weak, and those without strength do not evolve. It is the natural state of life."
Wendy frowned, "So you hurt innocent people and bring suffering to other worlds just to make yourself strong? That's barbaric, if you ask me!"
Silver snapped, "Silence! Fighting is about who is left standing. There is nothing else! We shall settle this debate in the fight to end all fights. If your Keyblade can rival these beautiful wings of white silver..." He pointed a thumb at his falcon wings, as it glowed with a white twinkle. "...then come battle with me!" With that, he launched himself into the air, before gently descending at ground level by flapping his wings.
Meanwhile, Romeo and the others recovered just in time to see Wendy going face to face with Silver. Before they could come to her aid, they found themselves surrounded by dozens of Sleepy Hollow grunts. Seeing that the Headless Horseman had no intention of allowing them to disrupt the impending duel, they were forced to take on the security. At the same time, they were confident (and hoping) that Wendy could defeat Silver on her own. Romeo peered through the Sleepy Hollow crowd and called out to her, "Wendy!" That caught her attention. "Don't worry about us! We've got this!"
"You focus on Silver," Carla advised. "We'll handle the soldiers!"
"We're right behind ya!" Elfman shouted. "Go for it, kid! Waste him!"
"Okay! You be careful, guys!" Wendy acknowledged her friends' requests. "I'll be there soon, I promise!" She then turned to face Silver again, "Before we get started, let me ask you something. What are you really after besides fighting? Haven't you ever had a dream when you first joined Sleepy Hollow?"
"A curious question," Silver took time to ponder Wendy's question. "You are right, there are other ideals I pursue other than fighting. My dream..."
"Hm?" Wendy titled her head curiously.
"...is to enforce law and order as a knight of justice," Silver finished. "With that goal in mind, I joined the Sleepy Hollow guild. To defy Sleepy Hollow is to defy the law itself! Let me show you... Those who commit mutiny against my guild will see no mercy..." He brought his arms up into a fighting stance, then slowly waved them in an illusion-like gesture. "...and do not defy us again!"
"I'd have to disagree with you on that one," Wendy responded. "Why do you speak of justice when all you do it pillage and steal? Justice is about standing up for what's right and helping those that others wouldn't." She swung the Jungle King in a defensive manner, "That's more than enough reason to take you down a notch!"
"Enough talk. Let's fight!" Silver completed his illusion-based fighting stance, then charged at Wendy, unleashing a long combo of punches and kicks, prompting her to avail them with her Keyblade. Near the end of the clash, he punched her three times when she missed a strike, knocked her in the air, then slammed her down. "Falcon Comet!" He jettisoned himself towards the Sky Maiden at lightning speed, shrouding himself in a crystal-shaped barrier of blue energy while flying in a drilling motion. The Falcon Comet bounced all over the arena like a pinball, prompting Wendy to dodge by jumping over or performing a series of cartwheels.
"Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" Wendy flexed her wind-induced arms to knock the Falcon Comet a few inches away. She thought that it would disable Silver's technique, but the Falcon Comet kept on ricocheting along the arena's walls; the energy barrier was impervious to attacks. "Sonic Blade!" Her only alternative was to deflect the Falcon Comet with utmost accuracy; she even used her supersonic thrusts to keep up with its speed. The clash lasted for less than a minute, until Wendy and Silver stopped at the last collision. Silver dished out another string of blows which Wendy managed to parry, and when he missed a roundhouse kick, she seized her chance. "Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!" She pummeled the Headless Horseman with a fierce Keyblade and Crushing Fang combination. "Sky Dragon's Claw!" Her wind-fueled legs kicked him skyward as she came alongside and performed another Keyblade and Crushing Fang combo, the last blow crashing him into the ground. Picking himself up, Silver saw Wendy charging her trademark tornado breath. "Sky Dragon's Roar!" As it zipped towards him, he held out his hands as it collided with his open palms, and the breath attack was dispersed in one swift motion.
"Twister of Supreme Judgment!" Silver flung his hands forward, and an enormous silver tornado larger in size than Wendy's Sky Dragon's Roar fired forth from the palms. Wendy met the attack with another Dragon's Roar, but the Twister cut through her tornado breath like sandpaper. She ducked at the last moment, the Twister splitting a huge portion of the sand in half. The Headless Horseman launched himself forward with his wings, gathering white energy in his open hands. "Silver Ray!" He released numerous homing beams of light, aiming for the Sky Dragon Slayer.
"Stun Impact!" Wendy released a spherical burst of energy that deflected several homing beams, and leaped back to dodge the rest as they pierced the ground. However, Silver did not end off there as he fired more Silver Rays. "Gravity!" She brought forth a miniature gravitational field that crushed the beams under the sand, before she rushed up to meet the Headless Horseman. "Sky Dragon's Claw!" She swung her wind-fueled legs to try and kick Silver in the face, only for him to fluently block the attack with his right hand. "Blizzard!" She targeted his chest and fired a ice crystal from the tip of the Keyblade, forcing him to reel back. "Fire!" A fireball exploded in front of Silver, allowing Wendy to assault her distracted opponent with a string of Keyblade attacks. "Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" Finally, she knocked him back by hammering her gust-powered arms.
"Falcon Tempest!" By the time Silver snapped out of his daze, he spun around like a top with so much speed, using his falcon wings as bludgeoning weapons, until his body was immersed in a colossal spiral of silver electricity. He spun towards Wendy in a velocity equal to that of the Falcon Comet.
"Vernier!" Wendy encased herself in a magical orb and flew away from the Falcon Tempest before its electrified edge could suck her in, and proceeded to avoid its movements in midair. As Silver stopped spinning, he transformed into a Falcon Comet once more, flying towards the airborne Sky Maiden at breakneck speed. But considering that the Vernier boosted her in both speed and flight, she managed to evade the drilling attack in every direction. When Silver stopped performing Falcon Comet and left himself temporarily open to attacks, Wendy dashed for him and slashed him a couple of times, followed by a Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang. "Sky Dragon's Roar!" She breathed another tornado at the Headless Horseman, who used his falcon wings to block the attack. He backed off as Silver fired another volley of Silver Rays, which she dodged or deflected with ease.
"Twister of Supreme Judgment!" Silver flung his hands together and summoned another tornado fixated horizontally on the Sky Maiden.
"Sky Dragon's Wave Wind!" Wendy summoned her own tornado the same size as Silver's, except it was moving vertically. The two tornadoes collided and cancelled each other out, the explosion temporarily blinding Wendy. When she opened her eyes, Silver was soaring for her. A flurry of strikes was expertly blocked by both fighters.
In the midst of the escalating chaotic duel, Wendy's friends were engaging the countless Sleepy Hollow wizards, under orders from Silver to impede their progress. Between punching baddies with his Purple Fire Fists, Romeo's eyes fell on Wendy, who was currently engaging Silver. "Hold on, Wendy. We're coming..." he thought to himself, before knocking a Sleepy Hollow minion's face with a back fist.
Back with the duel, the blows were flying thick and fast; some managed to land a direct hit while others were expertly blocked. "Silver Flash!" Trying to gain the advantage, Silver gathered a significant amount of energy into his palms and released a stationary silver sphere with a wind-tunnel effect, pushing Wendy a few feet away. "Twister Blade!" His fingers emitted the same silver spark as before, and elongated into a spiraling whip. Wendy was able to evade several thrusts with her jumps and cartwheels. Later, she struck him with a Thunder spell, but he resisted the effects like it was nothing. Silver glided for the Sky Dragon Slayer, a silver aura covering his fists; she was able to block the attack, the pressure creating a small crevice on the sand. Wendy rushed out of the smoke and looked up to see Silver plunging his glowing palms. "Silver Ray!" He fired a volley of homing beams at Wendy, who dispelled most of them with Stun Impact. She dashed past the rest of the beams and struck the Headless Horseman with a 12-hit combo, Fire, and Sky Dragon's Claw. Silver recovered just in time to deliver a straight kick that shoved the Sky Maiden back.
"You're going down!" Wendy shouted, charging up with an aura of Sky Dragon Slayer Magic.
"Show me what you've got!" Silver yelled, boosting himself with his own magical aura.
The two wizards crashed into each other, forces of energy struggling to overcome one another, which cultivated into another furious clash considerably faster and more intense than the previous ones. An ill-timed swing from Wendy was blocked by Silver, who returned the favor with a Silver Ray to the chest and a vicious 20-hit combo. He knocked the Sky Maiden into the air, flew upward, and attempted at an aerial combo, but was blocked by her Sky Dragon's Claw, leaving him wide open to her Sky Dragon's Wing Attack. Wendy then performed her Sonic Blade ability, repeatedly slashing Silver back and forth, before he caught the Keyblade in his bare fist. He proceeded to execute another 20-hit combo and a Silver Flash. Wendy healed herself with Cure, moved away from a Falcon Tempest, and eluded a couple of Silver Rays. She made a slash at the Headless Horseman, who launched himself into the air. He fired more Silver Rays in addition to casting Falcon Comet and Falcon Tempest, but with great agility and precision, Wendy evaded them all. She jumped and raised her Keyblade, while Silver shot a Twister of Supreme Judgment. It connected with the Sky Dragon Slayer, piles of sand being blown in all directions. The triumphant smirk on Silver's face vanished when the smoke cleared. In a flash of light, Wendy, having used Vernier to save herself at the last second, slashed the Headless Horseman multiple times, mixed with a few Keyblade Magic spells. At the end of the combo, she did a downward slash that cut Silver's left wing. The now one-winged Headless Horseman landed on the ground, barely looking to see the Sky Maiden casting Sky Dragon's Roar as the finishing touch. He was struck from behind and knocked into the dirt. His severed falcon wing was stuck in the sand as a reminder of the minor casualty.
Wendy approached Silver, slightly exhausted from putting much effort into wearing him down. Beads of sweat trailed down her face, both from the sun's heat and the extremity of the fight, yet the burning resolve in her eyes still remained. She registered her demand between pants, "That's enough, Silver... Just give up."
Silver got back to his feet and dusted his uniform, seemingly unaffected by the damage he took, as evidenced by the cocky smile on his face. He commented, "Not bad for a beginner. But wings alone do not measure the falcon. The greatest attribute of all is the natural instinct to win!" With a single pulse of magic, a new falcon wing sprouted from his back in place of the old one, much to the Sky Dragon Slayer's dismay. "I appreciate the exercise, Wendy Marvell, but this is were it ends." His eyes boiled with tranquil fury, "Now, behold!" Roaring a loud scream, he stretched his arm aloft. As storm clouds formed in the skies, radical lightning belted the vicinity, startling everyone present in the arena. The storm clouds swirled and hovered over Silver's position, before the lightning struck his body, meshing him in a pillar of silver light. Tiny jolts formed around his open hand and mixed together to assume the form of a weapon. When the jolts vanished, the weapon was revealed to be a falcon-themed double-bladed lance. Wendy, her friends, and the Sleepy Hollow battalion watched in awe.
"Talk about big!" Elfman exclaimed.
"What kind of magic is that?" Lisanna wondered.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Levy worried.
"C'mon! We gotta help Wendy!" Donald suggested.
"She's gonna need some backup!" Goofy cried.
"No need to tell me twice!" Romeo agreed.
The group was on their way to support Wendy in defeating Silver's new surge of power, but their path was blocked by the Headless Horseman's army. One of them shouted, "Not so fast, you scum! You still have us to deal with!"
A second Sleepy Hollow wizard declared, "Commander Ornithurae is unbeatable! He'll defeat your Keyblade friend, and he plus us will make mincemeat out of all of you!"
A third wizard added, "I promise ya, Silver's gonna pulverize her with the power of the Ten Birds of Prey! You'll never leave this desert alive!"
Sherria raised an eyebrow, "Ten Birds of Prey?"
Carla questioned, "Could this be the source of his magic?"
Romeo responded to the Sleepy Hollow squadron, "You don't know what Wendy's capable of, Sleepy Hollow dogs! She's gonna beat Silver, and we're gonna help her!" He added with strong hope, "She won't let us down."
A fourth Sleepy Hollow wizard snapped, "Shut the hell up, kid! If you wanna get to Commander Ornithurae, you'll have to get past us!"
Romeo sighed, "Don't say I didn't warn ya. We're gonna get to Wendy, one way or another."
Aladdin shrugged, "Looks like we're gonna be busy for a while. Let's hope Wendy lasts this long..."
As the skirmish between both opposing groups carried on, the storm passed and the shining radiance faded to reveal Silver armed with his double-bladed lance. A taunting laugh erupted from his mouth as he walked towards Wendy, tiny sparks emitting from the edges of his weapon. "I am amused to see how graceful your swordplay is. But can you fare against mine?" He twirled his lance in circles before taking a fighting stance, "I hold in my hand the blade of unwavering justice that pierces the Heavens. Such is the supremacy of my Wind Falcon Armor, one of ten of the elemental Birds of Prey!"
Wendy uttered, "Wind Falcon Armor? Birds of Prey? If this is your armor, then..." Her eyes widened in shock, as the truth behind the Headless Horseman's magic began to sink in. "No... Don't tell me...!"
"Fall now!" No sooner had Silver hollered his demand than he assaulted Wendy with his Falcon Lance, the latter barely having time to defend herself. The lance's individual blades collided with the Jungle King, each clang sending waves of vibration that rolled with the wind. The dynamic clash between both combatants looked more like a choreographed dance, as they flipped over or jumped to avoid one swipe after another, but it was clearly obvious that one had the advantage. Wendy fought hard, but Silver was the far more experienced one in terms of swordplay, as he used both ends of his lance to strike in a perfect blend of ferocity and elegance. Less than two minutes later, he parried an untimely Keyblade strike and executed a string of Falcon Lance attacks on the Sky Maiden. Unable to block the rapid fire swings, Wendy found herself being used like a punching bag, the last blow launching her away. She recovered in midair using Vernier, but the Headless Horseman flew up to her at breakneck speed and engaged her in another clash. She was easily overwhelmed by Silver's superior skill, no matter how valiant her effort was; she was eventually turned into a punching bag once again, before he slammed her down. Silver landed and twirled the Falcon Lance, taking a straight jab at Wendy, but she recovered just in time to duck.
"Sky Dragon's Claw!" Wendy flexed her wind-induced legs to kick Silver three times in a row. "Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" Just as she hammered the dragon wing-shaped winds shrouding her arms, he blocked the attack with the Falcon Lance. She jumped back a few meters as her cheeks puffed up wide. "Sky Dragon's Roar!" A powerful gust of wind flashed from her mouth and surged towards him. With a smirk, he dispelled the attack in one swipe.
"It appears you have much to learn. One wind cannot be chased away by another!" Silver lunged forward at Wendy and missed a slash across the abdomen when she jumped to her left. He positioned the Falcon Lance and threw it as a spinning disc, only to stick on the sand when it missed the Sky Dragon Slayer doing a cartwheel. He flew behind her after retrieving the lance in merely five seconds, and missed another hit when she flipped over.
"Thunder!" Between avoiding the lance's sharp ends, Wendy zapped Silver with a lightning bolt from the sky, and followed with a fast 15-hit combo. "Blizzard!" She shot an ice crystal into his chest, sending him careening behind a pillar. "Fire!" She added a fireball to the face, making him reel back a bit more. "Sonic Blade!" She assailed him with five supersonic attacks, only for the Headless Horseman to deflect them with timing and precision. However, four more Sonic Blades struck him by the time he let his guard down, before he was sent crashing against the pillar. Stunned for a short while, Silver opened his eyes, a smug-looking grin on his face.
"I wasn't even trying..." Silver leapt back into the fight and rained more lance attacks on Wendy, landing direct hits at best or getting deflected at worst, before knocking her back a few feet. "Try and withstand this!" Holding the Falcon Lance in one hand, he launched hundreds of Silver Rays from his other. The Sky Maiden somehow avoided them all, before plunging back into him.
In the meantime, the Sleepy Hollow battalion was dwindling in number, and Wendy's friends were gaining the upper hand. While blocking the sword of an incoming Sleepy Hollow grunt, Aladdin looked to see Wendy and Silver fending off and countering each other's blows in a deadly dance. "If I was there, I'd even it up," he thought out loud.
During the clash that lasted one minute and a half, Wendy managed to avoid a kick from the Headless Horseman that would have knocked her feet off the sand, and successfully landed a 9-hit combo. "Stun Impact!" She released a huge energy sphere, pushing Silver away with great force, even though he somehow resisted the paralyzing effects. He regained his balance, using his wings as leverage while scratching the surface with his free hand, before he stanced again.
"You still attempt to resist?" Silver said coolly, expecting his opponent to make her next move.
"Sonic Blade!" Wendy hurled the Jungle King for more supersonic thrusts. The Headless Horseman took it patiently, and expertly deflected every attack, but never expected her to retaliate when he shooed away the last blow. "Sky Dragon's Claw!" She flung her wind-fueled legs onto Silver's back, which sent him flying near a pillar. "Fire! Blizzard! Thunder!" She shot three consecutive Keyblade Magic spells, but Silver swatted the fireball and the crystal out of his sight, and used the Falcon Lance as a conductor to cancel out the bolt. "Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" Wendy swung her wind-powered arms, smashing her adversary beneath the sand. "Stun Impact!" She released another energy sphere, but as soon as it reached him, he plunged the Falcon Lance through the sphere, shattering it into particles. That caught Wendy off guard for a moment. "...?!"
"My turn!" Seizing the opportunity, Silver pummeled the Sky Dragon Slayer with a 100-hit Falcon Lance combination, knocked her up in the air, added a 30-hit aerial combo, then sent her plummeting into the ground. Flying on wings, he let out a ferocious growl as he aimed the Falcon Lance on the downed Keyblade wielder, its bladed ends glowing with white light. "You are a slow learner, aren't you? I was beginning to think you haven't learned your lesson." Lightning flashed as a tremendous amount of magic was gathered into his weapon. "THIS will educate you! Storm Breaker!" Silver unleashed a barrage of blinding white wind-composed energy spheres at Wendy. Every blast hit home, forming a huge bubble of wind pinning her to the ground. Silver swung his arm back, the Falcon Lance supercharging into a very large spear with white energy forming around it. "I call upon the all-consuming storm to bring forth righteous justice... Hurricane of Zephyrus!" The weapon flew deadly and swift, striking the pulsating wind bubble at its base. The point of impact blew up in a massive white hurricane, the concussion wave nearly knocking the two opposing forces off their feet.
"WENDY!" Romeo yelled out, hoping that somewhere in the midst of all the chaos, Wendy could hear his voice. Most of all, he prayed that she was alright. A punch from a Sleepy Hollow wizard diverted his attention from the blast, and he returned to the brawl with an irritated groan. He and the others would rather be on Wendy's side to fight a greater threat instead of getting distracted by a minor annoyance.
When the hurricane died down, all that was left were large currents of wind scouring nearly one half of the arena. Silver retracted his Falcon Lance in a flick of magic and observed the wreckage. At any moment, he would celebrate his victory when he found Wendy's battered body lying among the sand, but he hadn't the time to do so yet. Without warning, the currents were pulled away and drawn to exactly where Wendy was struck down, which caught his eye. "Hm?" As he looked down, he found to his surprise that the Keyblade wielder was still alive and seemed to have gathered the remnants of the Hurricane of of Zephyrus to her... No, she was sucking them into her mouth!
After inhaling all the wind, Wendy burped. She looked up with a confident grin, her strength and stamina fully restored. "Just what I needed... Thanks for the snack, Silver."
Donald, Goofy, Romeo, Aladdin, Carla, Sherria, Levy, Elfman, and Lisanna were relieved to see their Sky Dragon Slayer friend still standing. Some of the Sleepy Hollow wizards lucky enough to oversee the progress of the battle were in utter disbelief that their superior's main target had survived.
Silver raised an eyebrow, "What sort of trick is this?"
Wendy boldly countered, "This is no trick at all. Just a little something I have a knack for! By the grace of the heavens, grant me the power to strike fiercely and move swiftly... Arms x Vernier!" Boosting herself in strength and flight, she flew up to Silver, who barely had time to act. She decimated him with a furious 12-hit combo, a Thunder spell, and a Sky Dragon's Wing Attack that knocked him to the ground. She then soared down to perform another 12-hit combo, Fire, Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang, and ended with Sky Dragon's Claw, simultaneously hitting the Headless Horseman's chin and splitting the Falcon Lance into two individual blades. As two sides gained their footing, they stared each other in the face; one with strong resolve, and the other with slight annoyance.
A moderately fazed Silver spit a trail of blood from his mouth, gripping the Falcon Lance's halves in both hands. He remarked, "How persistent you are... In my life of fighting, I have never seen an opponent with the gall to outsmart me in my own game. Perhaps there is more to you than what we believed... Oh, well." He shrugged and pointed one of the halves at Wendy, "I never liked an easy victory. Make it entertaining for me. Impress me."
Wendy nodded, "I understand... If you wanna get serious, I'll let it slide. But I'll fight you only because I want to help my friends. Now, let's do it! Jungle King Command Style: Wild Brawler!" The Wild Gloves materialized behind her, linked by chains connecting to the teeth of the Keyblade. "Thanks to you, I've got the energy I needed to use my trump card again. I won't go easy on you this time!"
Silver smirked, "So this is the Keyblade's true power?" He then laughed loudly, "This will be enjoyable!" He swung his swords a few times, spun in midair, and struck a pose. "Come at me with everything you have. Prove your worth!"
Wendy shot back, "Fine by me!" She motioned the spiked gauntlets to punch the air and whirl around, as she did the same sequence. "I won't hold anything back!"
Having burned five Sleepy Hollow wizards to a crisp with a Rainbow Fireball, Romeo took what little free time he had to see Wendy utilizing her Wild Brawler Command Style again. He was filled with more hope than ever that she would win the fight. "Go get 'em..." He turned his attention to more approaching Sleepy Hollow wizards and attacked with Yellow Fire.
At the start of the battle's next round, both wizards ran up to each other and slashed simultaneously. Silver turned and swiped with both Falcon Blades at Wendy, creating a wind current. She flew back unharmed, then shot at the Headless Horseman, her Wild Gloves clenched. She hit him a couple of times, the latter defending himself with his swords crossed. On the last hit, he knocked her back, and both performed a midair somersault attack. Wendy kicked Silver with a Sky Dragon's Claw prior to landing, and proceeded to attack him up close doing a string of Wild Glove punches, each one he defended himself until they held their own. After a brief moment of exchanging sneers while up close, Silver found a flaw in Wendy's defense, knocked her back, and followed. "Wild Glove Barricade: Tree Trunks!" No sooner had the Sky Maiden chanted these words than the Wild Gloves grew in size and threw themselves in front of her to form a defensive barricade. The Headless Horseman formed a slashing barrage on the Tree Trunks, but it had no effect. In response, she motioned the barricade to push him back.
Silver tried to slash at Wendy again, but got out of the way and flipped around him. Halfway, she charged for an energized Wild Glove double hammer fist and was successful, before blasting him with two Banana Bombs. While he was trying to recover, she swooped in and dealt a vicious hook to the stomach. She then delivered a ferocious 20-hit Wild Glove combo, shattering the metal enforcing the Wind Falcon Armor bit by bit. The combo ended with an uppercut that sent him up in the air, and a Double Glove Attack that rocketed him across the arena. Silver recovered with his wings and stopped his inertia. Wendy tried to run and attack again, but he produced a shockwave with both Falcon Blades that sent her flying back. She then started throwing a seemingly infinite number of Banana Bombs, with him dodging and slashing at all of them.
As Wendy and Silver engaged in another engagement of swords and gauntlets, they were spinning in the air like tops until they landed, where another clash ensued. Two and a half minutes later, she threw a 15-hit combo, followed by two Banana Bombs that blew him off. Just as the Headless Horseman raised one of his Falcon Blades, Wendy shot a Banana Bomb and destroyed it in a huge detonation, implementing the same strategy she used on the King Cobra. She deflected the other Falcon Blade in less than fifteen seconds, then blew it up with a second Banana Bomb. The weaponless Silver charged at Wendy with a Falcon Comet, only for her to fling a Wild Glove and send him flying. "Banana Bombs!" She then threw three explosive gauntlets, two to dissolve the Falcon Comet, and one to blast him out of the air. By the time he collapsed, she was ready to unleash her final attack. "Command Style Critical Art: Meteor Impact!" Wendy merged the Wild Gloves into a magic circle, in which a meteorite was summoned and was heading horizontally for the injured Silver. When he stood back up to his feet, however, he was facing it with no fear, the image of fiery destruction reflected in his eyes. It hurtled closer and closer... and in a cry of anger, he struck it with so much force, that the entire meteorite broke! BOOOOOOOOOM! He then clenched his hand as the rubble buried itself in the sand, and took a deep breath. He stared at the Sky Dragon Slayer, who deactivated her Command Style after performing her Critical Art.
"Impressive..." Silver wheezed. "A few people I know were capable of rivaling my strength. You are indeed a worthy opponent, just as Erza Scarlet was to me."
"Hang on, are you saying you fought Erza before?" Wendy blinked.
"I'm surprised you never knew the aftermath of the invasion. Are you not aware that a second battle took place after we whisked away the Fairy Tail wizards? I should've expected as much," Silver crossed his arms. "That is correct. I challenged Titania to a duel which ended at a stalemate. She was the third strongest opponent I have ever faced, after Master Viriniam and Wrecker, who were my sparring partners back then." He paused for effect, "But in the end, she fell like the rest. The Master subdued her, and she was brought along with the cargo."
"Erza lost... to Kaze...?" Wendy gasped in shock, before she shook her head in refusal. "No! It can't be! You expect me to believe that she would lose?!"
"As formidable as the wizard in armor was, she cannot hold a candle to our Master!" Silver boasted. "She is vital to our ultimate goal, one of a select few that will open the final door. That is the sole reason for abducting the Fairy Tail guild."
"Sleepy Hollow took her, too?" Wendy asked anxiously. "What are you gonna do with her?"
"I have no reason to tell you, child," Silver sneered. "Sleepy Hollow and the Alliance of Evil will fight anyone who dares to deny us our dream. A dream of limitless power and untold wisdom at our fingertips. Victory often comes at a high price, but we have no regrets. What we do is just. By possessing ultimate power, we have the potential to fulfill our every wish and evolve by our own will! Are we mere mercenaries and thieves?" His voice rose with passion, "No! We possess will. We have a right to live!" He pumped a fist in the air, "We must take destiny into our hands!"
"But you're playing with fire!" Wendy protested. "How many people have to get hurt to fulfill your crazed aims? What you're doing is no different than any monster!"
"Who are you to judge?!" Silver growled. "Only future generations will have the right to say whether our actions are virtuous or immoral. But words are useless at this point. The fight is still on." He raised his arms and swirled them around, "I must admit, your skill in the art of the Keyblade was highly commendable. However..." His hands glowed red, "...you're not the only one playing with fire. Therefore, I will settle this with the second of ten armors in the Birds of Prey! REQUIP!"
"Requip?!" Wendy exclaimed.
Streaks of fire erupted around Silver and formed an aura in response to his call. Before the Sky Dragon Slayer's eyes, the splintered Wind Falcon Armor shone brightly and began assuming an entirely different form. The shape of his wings glowed with the armor and shifted in shape and length. As quickly as the spiral of fire had built up, it died down again. Standing on the arena was Silver in a different suit of armor, which was colored red and based on the image of a phoenix. In his hand was a glaive with the phoenix's wings and head comprising the sharp blade. "Fire Phoenix Armor!"
"He can Requip, just like Erza..." Wendy muttered, knowing that her suspicions proved right. Of course, the Sky Maiden wasn't the only one who witnessed it; from one corner of the arena, Wendy's friends and the last of the Sleepy Hollow wizards watched the scene in amazement.
"There's no way!" Romeo complained.
"How can he..." Levy uttered.
"Is he supposed to do that?" Donald questioned.
"I think so," Goofy nodded.
"Nice change of outfit," Elfman commented.
"But not a good sign," Lisanna added.
"He's using the Fire Phoenix Armor! Now she's really getting it!" a Sleepy Hollow wizard beamed.
"Nobody can stop the Birds of Prey! Nobody, ya hear?!" a second wizard encouraged.
"Go get her, Commander! Give her a sunburn!" a third wizard cheered.
"Oh, shut up!" Romeo threw a Rainbow Fireball at the three Sleepy Hollow minions rooting for Silver, blowing them to pieces. Thus did he and the rest of the gang engage the few remaining obstacles standing between Wendy and certain doom.
In the meantime, Silver pointed his Phoenix Glaive at Wendy, as if he was beckoning her to start the battle anew. "Let's take this to the next level, shall we? You will know why I am called the unparalleled lord of the elements..." He flew towards the Sky Maiden at breakneck speed, a small flame burning at the tip of his weapon. Wendy deflected several swipes with the Jungle King, each contact producing multiple puffs of fire. Between clashes, the tiny explosions made her lost her focus. Eventually, Silver found a flaw on the Sky Dragon Slayer's defensive maneuvers and scorched her with a 11-hit Phoenix Glave combination. "I am not just one bird. I am ten combined!" He followed with an aerial 11-hit combo. "Ten birds with the power to bend the elements at their whim!" He slammed her to the ground, before he pointed his index and middle finger. "I mastered these forces so I could smite my enemies with swift and aggressive fortitude!" Before Wendy could stand up, Silver released a volley of Silver Rays empowered by the element his armor represented, blasting her repeatedly beneath the sand. "I am the judge, jury, and executioner! You are merely a worm!" The tiny flame on the tip of the Phoenix Glaive blazed into a larger one, and in response, a huge magic circle appeared beneath the downed Sky Maiden. "I will not let you get away with your defiance ANYMORE!" Silver readied the Phoenix Glaive, "I summon the inferno to cast the wicked down to eternal torment..." With a sweep, the glaive's tip shone with an orb of light. "Flames of Gehenna!" And with that, a scarlet torrent of flames rose from the earth, engulfing Wendy and nearly half the entire arena.
"WENDY!" Romeo screamed.
"NO!" Carla shrieked.
"STOP IT!" Sherria yelled.
"Did he get him?!" a Sleepy Hollow wizard squealed.
"Is she dead?!" another wizard added.
Silver flew over the fiery stream that disintegrated every trace of sand within its path, assuming that Wendy was caught in it. If the Flames of Gehenna had truly vaporized her, this was not going to look good in his report; Kaze would be very upset that her personal entertainment had met its end. His eyes darted down to the flames as a disappointed sigh escaped his mouth. "You fought valiantly, but you brought this on yourself," Silver mused.
Suddenly... WHOOSH! A hole at the center of the inferno was formed, and out came a white streak of magic that flew in front of Silver. When the light disappeared, it revealed Wendy on Crystal Wings, armed with a large white blade. She swapped the Jungle King Keychain for the Blue Mistral's and activated her Skyward Wing Command Style moments before the Flames of Gehenna swept her! "Here I am!" Wendy cried bravely, as she went face to face with Silver in midair. She remembered the advice given to her by the mysterious voice on using different Command Styles to exploit an enemy's weakness, and decided now was the perfect time to pull it off so she could turn the tide.
"She's okay!" Sherria beamed.
"Check it out!" Aladdin smiled.
"Another Command Style?" Romeo gasped.
"Be careful, Wendy!" Levy shouted.
"YOU'RE KIDDING ME!" a Sleepy Hollow wizard screeched.
"HOW IS SHE STILL ALIVE?!" another Sleepy Hollow wizard yelled.
Silver chortled, both surprised and amused that his opponent had survived. "Nicely done, Wendy Marvell. I was beginning to think you were disintegrated by the fire." He gripped the Phoenix Glaive, "Now hold still as I put an end to your foolish attempts to resist! En garde!"
Wendy yelled, "Here I go!"
The final round had begun! The Sky Maiden and the Headless Horseman traded weapons in a lightspeed offensive that went on for two minutes, the clashing of metal resonating throughout the air and exploding like fireworks. When the clash was over, Silver stretched his wings wide. "Feather Shower!" He rained countless fiery feathers on Wendy, who destroyed them all by using her Crystal Wings as projectiles. She Wind Stepped in front of him and attacked with a 18-hit combo before he broke away. "Silver Ray!" He released a barrage of fire-imbued beams from his fingers, but to no avail as she performed a consecutive amount of Wind Steps to evade them. She knocked the Phoenix Glave off his hand, then devastated him with a lightning fast 25-hit Keyblade combination, slashing him in all directions.
"Command Style Critical Art: Great Dragon Wind!" Wendy transformed the Blue Mistral into a dragon-shaped tornado that caught Silver in its jaws and slammed him against the rising flames. The attack was so devastating that it completely extinguished the inferno! As Wendy disabled Skyward Wing upon landing, she observed the damage, in which the sand was melted into glass amidst the smoke.
Having finally defeated the whole Sleepy Hollow battalion after a vicious scuffle, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, Carla, Aladdin, Sherria, Levy, Elfman, and Lisanna all cheered the same words: "SHE DID IT! SHE WON!" They rushed over to an exhausted Wendy, who was caught by the two Disney Kingdom explorers before she fell. She smiled in relief as she laid in their arms.
Donald cheered, "Way to go, Wendy!"
Goofy beamed, "You saved the day again!"
Carla sighed, "That was a close one..."
Sherria cried, "You did it, Wendy!"
Elfman boomed, "What a manly finale!"
Lisanna agreed, "It sure is."
Romeo asked, "You used a different Command Style, didn't you? You switched Keychains?"
Wendy replied tiredly, "Y-Yeah, I used Blue Mistral's Command Style, Skyward Wing." She gestured the Keyblade's current form to Romeo; it was adorned with the features of a white dragon, and the chain's token represented the Fairy Tail symbol. "Looks nice, doesn't it?"
Romeo chuckled, "You said it. It even matches your clothes. But do you know what's the big kicker?" He held the Keychain's token in his hand, "Our guild's symbol is the token. You couldn't have asked for a better Keychain like this one."
Wendy giggled, "Well, I've been a member of the guild for as long as I can remember, so that's a first."
The celebration was cut short when a loud cough emanated from the ashes. The group watched a shadow step into the light. Silver was panting heavily, the events of the battle leaving him drained. Despite the morsels of flames rising from his wings, the Fire Phoenix Armor was cracked, and his magic was getting a bit exhausted. He stared wearily at a young girl who, only less than an hour ago, was his enemy. "Another clever tactic...! You uncovered the weakness of the respective element my armor possesses... To think that two of my ten Birds of Prey would be bested by a girl!"
Wendy stated, "Just so you know, I'm full of surprises."
Carla glared, "It's over, Silver. Your soldiers are defeated, and you're completely outnumbered."
Romeo declared, "Now you'll have to deal with us!" The rest of the group shouted in agreement.
Silver chuckled weakly, "How unsightly... Very well, I concede. You may pass. Be thankful that I held back my full power..."
Elfman raised an eyebrow, "You didn't give it your all? What kind of man are you?"
Silver continued, "Furthermore, it is not in my interest to continue a duel when someone else interferes. I wanted it to be between myself and the girl. Such a minor annoyance would be disrespectful." He stood firmly, "My first act is to release you all from this coliseum. I'm sure the rest of your endeavors will be quite satisfying... for the time being."
Levy asked, "You were testing us, weren't you?"
Silver nodded, "Correct. And now, the final trial has ended." He turned to Wendy, "Wendy Marvell, if you wish to fight Master Viriniam in the Cave of Wonders, then you may. I won't stop you... I have a feeling that you and she are destined for battle..."
Wendy cringed at the mention of the one who masterminded the trap. "Kaze..."
Silver finished, "...and I welcome your challenge anytime you desire another match with me! Remember this, child. The next time we meet, I will give it my all... The Falcon will rise again!" He spread his wings and flew up into the sea of clouds, his image reflected by the rays of the sun until he was but a mere shade. In response to Silver's departure, the barrier surrounding the arena was dispelled, and the pillars sunk back into the earth. Where Wendy and company stood, it was shrouded in another sandstorm less rough and windy than the one they encountered on their way to the Cave of Wonders, and when the sand cleared, every trace of the battle from the fire to the smoke to the beaten Sleepy Hollow army was gone. To everyone's surprise and relief, the sandpit where they found Aladdin earlier flashed back in front of their eyes, and stood a few miles away.
"Finally!" Aladdin sighed. "We're back on track!"
"Looks like Silver was true to his word," Levy remarked. "Wendy won fair and square."
"Now that that's out of the way..." Elfman smirked. "Let's go after Jafar and the Sleepy Hollow head honcho!"
"First, we need to restore our health," Carla suggested. "We must be well prepared for what comes next."
"Leave it to me!" Donald grinned. "I'll use Cure to get each of you back into shape. You with me, Wendy?"
She didn't respond. Her thoughts of Kaze Viriniam and her purported location at the Cave of Wonders continued to swirl in her mind, making her wonder what kind of situation she was facing, and even worse, what it would do to herself. She knew the guild master of Sleepy Hollow was waiting for her, calling her to fight, to go for another round.
"Uh, Wendy?" Donald asked again.
"Huh?" Wendy snapped out of her thoughts and turned to him. "What is it, Donald?"
"Aren't you gonna lend a hand with your healing magic?" Donald raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, sure. I'll help," Wendy smiled. For the time being, her friend's suggestion eased her conscience. As she and Donald cast Cure to heal the party and each other's stamina, their final challenge lay ahead.
Cave Entrance
Night had fallen over the desert, washing the entire landscape with shades of blue and gray. It would have been pitch black if it weren't for the many stars that dotted the sky and the bright full moon. The sand changed colors from golden-brown to snow white, reminiscent of the winter season. As Wendy and her friends arrived at the sandpit, they knew instinctively that Aladdin's hunch was right; this was the residual spot of the Cave of Wonders, the place where Aladdin and Levy found the magic lamp, as well as the Keyhole's potential resting place.
When the group took a step forward, the sand in front of them suddenly lurched upward in a massive quake, and out came the Cave's entrance in the form of an enormous tiger head made entirely of the same substance. The guardian tiger's mouth was wide open, baring its huge fangs. A warm light of heat and flame emanated from somewhere deep within its throat, casting an orange glow over the small area before it.
"Whoa!" Romeo exclaimed. "That's the entrance to the Cave of Wonders?"
"The one and only," Aladdin nodded. "But why do I get the feeling that something's wrong? I mean..." He gestured to the tiger head, which was moving and taking in deep breaths through its mouth. Two large eyes stared down at Wendy and company, emitting a purple glow which bellied a hidden dark purpose. Aladdin was the first to notice the strange foreboding beyond the dark color. "...the tiger head's eyes are usually yellow instead of purple.
"How CAN a cave even get a change in eye color?" Sherria wondered. "You think someone put a spell on the tiger head and made it come to life?" As if to answer her question, the guardian tiger inhaled and spewed a hot torrent of sand from its mouth, sending deep tremors through the ground and blasting everyone away. A horde of Heartless comprised of Bandits and Fat Bandits sprung forth in addition, ready for battle. "It can cough out Heartless, too?!" Sherria cried in shock.
"Well, you couldn't be more wrong," Carla shrugged. "And they obviously don't want to let us through."
"I bet the tiger head's being controlled by the Heartless," Aladdin indicated. "You see those purple eyes? Maybe if we crush the power of darkness, the tiger head will be set free."
"Like the snake we fought at the desert?" Donald asked. "There's no Silence Magic involved, is there?"
"Nope, just take out the eyes," Aladdin shook his head. "It's as simple as that."
"Okay, so what's the plan?" Wendy asked.
"Let's split up," Carla proposed. "Some of us will keep the Heartless at bay while the rest attack the eyes. We'll buy as much time as we can."
"Leave it to me," Wendy offered. "I'll clear out the darkness with my Keyblade."
"I'm with you," Romeo elected. "A little fire can help rub the dust off those eyes."
"You got room for one more?" Aladdin grinned. "I can get your way around the tiger head."
"Alright, then," Wendy confirmed. "Let's get to it!"
While Donald, Goofy, Carla, Sherria, Elfman, Lisanna, and Levy were busy holding off the wave of Heartless, Wendy, Romeo, and Aladdin confronted the tiger head, which began to charge energy beams from its eyes and shot at them. Between fighting Bandits and waiting for the guardian tiger to reveal an opening, most members of the group expertly dodged the attack while others were hit, prompting them to heal themselves with their Potion reserves or have Donald use Cure. Half a minute later, the tiger head buried its mouth in the sand, and Wendy's team jumped onto its nose, before it released a spray of sand from its mouth. Wendy attacked the eyes with her Blue Mistral, Aladdin with his scimitar, and Romeo with his Purple Fire-fueled fists. It didn't take long for the tiger head to notice the three tiny bugs crawling on its face, and in irritation, it shook its head to try knocking them off, but to no avail. Wendy and Aladdin stuck their weapons on the tiger's sandy exterior while Romeo hung on to its ear, and the three resumed their assault on the eyes. The tiger head deigned shooting eye beams to shoo its enemies away, but they were ever resilient.
On the ground, Levy implemented a random usage of Solid Script spells to destroy three Bandits, Donald cast Thunder to vaporize two, Goofy bashed four with his shield, Elfman and Lisanna used their Take-Over Magic to topple two Fat Bandits, Sherria destroyed one Fat Bandit with Sky God's Boreas, and Carla slew three Bandits with her kicks. Although the seven managed to defeat this wave of Heartless, another wave showed up as a result of another sandy torrent spewed from the tiger head.
"It's like Silver's arena, except they're not as rough as his Sleepy Hollow flunkies," Sherria commented.
"They still come in numbers. Keep your guard up!" Carla alerted.
"Bring 'em on! A real man smashes anything that comes his way!" Elfman shouted.
Back on the tiger head, one of its eyes was freed from the darkness, its glow changed from purple to yellow, thanks in no small part to Wendy's 15-hit Keyblade combination. She and her teammates started attacking the other eye; Wendy cast Thunder in the air, Romeo used Yellow Fire, and Aladdin performed a 12-hit slash. Soon, the tiger head shook itself once again. This time, Romeo and Aladdin fell off and landed on the ground.
"Guys!" Wendy called from above. "Are you okay?"
"Don't worry about us!" Romeo called back. "Me and Aladdin will help the others. You keep attacking the eye!"
"Yeah!" Wendy nodded, as the tiger head stopped shaking. The Keyblade master continued her attack on the eye, as it fired beams randomly at her or the rest of the group. The guardian tiger vibrated a third time in an attempt to get Wendy to join the others on the ground, but she hung on with the Blue Mistral as her support, and she kept on striking the eye. After a while, the Sky Dragon Slayer delivered another 15-hit combo to dispel the darkness. Soon, the Cave of Wonders stopped moving and fell silent once more, liberated from control of the Heartless. Even the ones who assailed the group were chased away. "That should do it..." Wendy smiled to herself.
"Nice work, Wendy!" Donald cheered.
"You did it!" Goofy praised.
"Get down here!" Carla beckoned. The Sky Maiden did as she was told and jumped back down on the sand.
"Now we just need to find Jafar and Sleepy Hollow's guild master. Aladdin, do you have any idea where they might be?" Levy asked.
"I'm guessing they're at the lamp chamber. That's where we found the lamp," Aladdin answered. "And I've got a pretty good hunch that's where we'll find Jasmine and the Keyhole."
"Well, what are we standing around for?" Donald affirmed. "Let's get going!"
"Yeah!" Everyone else cheered in agreement. Approaching the mouth of the cave, they stepped up onto the lower lip and peered into the tiger's throat. A warm glow engulfed their vision, coming from somewhere in the depths. Their eyes went wide as they watched the tiger's tongue manifest into a long flight of stairs. Discerning that it was the Cave's way of granting its visitors passage, the group carefully walked down the steps.
However, Wendy was barely able to keep up with the entourage. It was then that Carla noticed her beloved Dragon Slayer's troubled expression. "Wendy? What's the matter, child?"
Wendy responded only after a pause, looking thoughtfully into the sandy steps leading to the Cave's interior. "Kaze knew I was here. If she's in the Cave of Wonders, she'll be coming after me. The others might end up in harm's way if she's around."
Carla wondered, "Are you saying we'll be endangered because of her obsession with you?"
Wendy muttered, "I don't know. For some reason, I can't stop thinking about her... What does she want with me? I just..." She trembled slightly, struggling to make her words come out, "It makes me feel a bit nervous about what she's gonna do to me. She'd do anything to get to me, even hurt my friends." She bit her lip, trying not to cry. "I never should've dragged you guys into this. I'm sorry..."
Carla stated, "You didn't drag us in. We wanted to come."
Wendy could barely keep herself from letting out tears. "But Kaze—"
Carla sighed, "Yes, I know. You and Kaze may be fated to fight each other. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Whether it was destiny or a mere coincidence, we're not sure, but some things can't be changed. The only thing we have to do at this point is to face them, even if it means fighting Kaze again." She placed a comforting paw on Wendy's cheek. "And we are still here, despite all the hardships we endured, because we have the courage to see it through. So don't lose hope." She caressed it, "We have to keep moving forward. I'll be right by your side, as always. You have nothing to worry about."
Wendy sniffled, "Carla..." She wrapped the white Exceed in her arms and gently rubbed each other's faces, soothed by the warmth of a new strength she felt in herself. After a brief moment, she moved her face from Carla's and wiped a single tear from her eye. "You're right. There's no use being down in the dumps about it. If I have to face Kaze again, I'll do it. There are a few questions I wanna ask her. I wanna know why she's interested in me. And maybe..."
Carla asked, "Shall we get a move on?"
Wendy nodded, "Yeah."
The two followed their friends into the golden abyss, where the final battle for the fate of Agrabah was about to unfold.
Author's Note:
Surprise! That's right, the battle with the King Cobra (Kurt Zisa) and Silver is, without a doubt, one of the definitive highlights of the story. And yes, Silver can Requip, just like Erza. That would explain why he's on par with her on Chapter 17. The next chapter will be the final part of the Agrabah arc, where Wendy and company will face Jafar and Kaze for the Keyhole and Jasmine: winner takes all. And expect a few surprises during the battle. Wait and see...
Be sure to fave and review for more great content. This is TheSavageMan100, signing out. Later!
