He stirred and flinched in the darkness as the endless black void encapsulated him. He had nowhere to go and nowhere to hide. He seemed bound to this place. Not to leave, but to drift within it. He felt as if he was in a river and he was floating down it, yet he truly felt and saw nothing. Even the jungle at it's most darkest didn't compare to this suffocating blackness now. He could not even truly remember where he last was, feeling as if the memory faded or he was in a dream. Strangely, this feeling had been growing on him for some time now. Weird thoughts. Was any of this even real?

A glimmer of light above suddenly flashed; not the sun he knew for this was green in color. But it wasn't the leaves of the jungle appearing either. Opening his eyes more to gaze at it, it looked to be a gigantic crystal that dimmed before it flashed again. Mowgli's eyes reflected the light before it diminished again. He continued to drift away from it with no way of getting back.

The light burned brightly again only this time it did not burn out. Instead, it let loose a green flame. It sprouted from far beneath him and took over the crystal. The light moved about like a flame as if the crystal that lingered in the air had caught fire. Looking not like the red flower he knew, but a green imitation. As the fire overtook it, it grew as would any other yet this one began to take form of something. Something far different.

Forming from the flash of the flame came a creature larger than any elephant. The darkness parted for it as it overtook the dark sky overhead. It seemed as unfathomable as the jungle itself. Yet strangely enough, Mowgli thought he could see a face atop it; one of a man and beneath it were two arms sprouting from this massive frame. The only thing faintly familiar about it as the rest of its body seemed rigid and each sway of its body brought a distant yet loud ringing.

Then growing out of its body came long coils that rattled in place flung themselves forward and tried to grab at him. The chains began to grow and shine as they made their way towards him.

Mowgli tried to move, but couldn't when one of them wrapped around his right shoulder, feeling cold and metallic, unlike anything he'd ever felt. A brighter surge of light shot through the chain passing from the great beast before him until it reached its grip on Mowgli. He surged in its grip before it lashed out again and flung him forward. The light faded, the chain slithered off his body and he was released into the black void being swallowed by it.

Mowgli sprung up, his eyes wide open showing fear and shock. He did not see complete darkness or the retreating immense figure. But thankfully sights and sounds returned to him. The pitch darkness gave way to the bright green fauna of the leaves and vines. He did not hear the deafening drone of the monster that was once there, but instead the gruff snoring of Baloo around him. His gray heavy mass beside him instead of the endless black nothingness. The only thing he felt was the softness of his fur and his large protruding belly as it released a breath behind him. The largest thing around them were the trees, the cloesest of which they were lying against, within the small bare spot around it's base.

Mowgli took one as well. A heavy relieved breath as he fell back down his head plopping onto Baloo's stomach. All that fear in him soon subsided for the realization came upon him that all he had experienced was just a dream.

Shifting his shoulders, he nestled himself deeper into Baloo, getting more comfortable with an accompanied sleepy smack of his lips. But his relief turned to alarm when he saw something out of the corner of his eye on his right shoulder.

Plastered on it was a black blotch. One that was not there when he went to sleep initially. The only thing that came to his mind of what it could be was a muddy paw print. There were sharp thin lines on its outer most edges that brew bolder and more solid as it drew nearer to the center. Yet he knew it was not that, for it was unlike that of any animal he's seen. And the most frightening of it all was that this was the exact spot where the creature in his nightmare had grabbed ahold of him. Bringing his head down and his shoulder up, he studied it more. He moved to touch it to find it was not grime or dirt, but set into his skin. He rubbed it or scratched it like an itch, but it would not be removed.

He shifted further worringly. His rubbing and scratching became more frequent and more intense as he sat himself up to try to be rid of this.. thing. But nothing would do it. A shifting of the body behind him didn't catch his attention until a voice spoke up.

"Bad dream Little Britches?" a sleepy voice droned above him.

Stopping abruptly and looking up, he saw Baloo's burly neck raised up and his head staring at him. It seems Mowgli's jagged movements had woken Baloo up. His rubbing caused his elbow to jut into his stomach.

"yeah..." Mowgli replied as he stopped rubbing his shoulder and instead gripped it to cover it.

Baloo shifted behind him, sitting himself up. Mowgli now had nothing to brace his back against, so he shifted forward and turned up towards Baloo. But as he did, his hand shifted from his shoulder. Only a bit to not allow the mark to peak out.

Baloo let out a hefty yawn and stretched his arms high above his head before bringing them back down. He smacked his lips and scratched his side. His head then rolled down to Mowgli beside him and his eyes focused on the new addition of a black sharp black line poking out from his shoulder beneath his hand.

"What's that Little Britches?" Baloo asked, his eyes getting smaller as he peered in closely to Mowgli, specifically his shoulder. Mowgli did the same titling his head down to look at his right shoulder. And when got a glimpse of what was there his eyes opened in horror seeing that it was poking out from his hand.

"Huh!" he let out quick and hushed squeezing his arm further. Baloo's head crept forward curiously, his nose grazing Mowgli shoulder and nudging his hand away so he could see it further. He took a few whiffs of it before opening his mouth to run his tongue around it. Frightened Mowgli wretched his shoulder away from Baloo who smacked his lips.

"Ain't taste like nothing I've had before. In fact, it just tastes like you." he let out a hearty chuckle but Mowgli cowered in place and brought his left hand up to cover his right shoulder. "What's it supposed to be?"

"I'm.." Mowgli paused uncomfortably "I'm not sure" he said. Baloo now took notice of Mowgli's unusually distant demeanor. His face scrunched up in confusion as his snout lifted up a bit. His small eyes rolled over to see the traces of the dark mark peering from Mowgli's shoulder. As if it had grown and his hand was no longer large enough to contain it.

"Saaayyyy," he dragged the word as he leaned in "you alright Little Britches?" he asked, but Mowgli said little as he sat glumly on the jungle ground "Don't tell me you're worried about a little paw print like that. HA!" He let out a laugh "You'll get a bit more than that when you learn fighting from ol' Baloo!" he patted Mowgli on the back, but he said nothing, only rolling forward from the pat which may have been to heavy for him to withstand. He whimpered slightly, but not from the touch. "Besides" Baloo continued "I don't know nothing that hasn't been fixed by a little bit ah' Rest and Relaxation." Baloo told was he stretched his arms up and out before easing them back down going back into the position they started from. However, when he looked to Mowgli, he saw that he wasn't relieved by his words, but was still a nervous little man-cub. And that was no way for his little bear to be. His eyes shifted from Mowlgi shielding his shoulder and then to the boy himself. Baloo's eyes shifted between the two as his mind ran wild with solutions. Mulling it over for a few moments a gleeful expression came over him and then he slapped his paws together. "You know what Little Britches?" he asked excitedly for he already knew the answer "I know exactly what'll fix this up!" Mowgli's glum demeanor was lifted by Baloo's excited antics. "A good ol comb of honey."

"Really?" Mowgli perked up, allowing some teeth to poke out of his mouth to form a small eager smile.

"You better believe it." Baloo said as he rose to his feet "It soothes your throat for singing and makes your body a breezin'." he began to bob and slide his feet to a rhythm he made. Mowgli stuck his knees up and was prepared to push himself up. "How hold on there Little Britches." Baloo raised a paw stopping him. "You just sit right there and keep relaxing. That's part of the treatment." he said setting him back down and he happily obeyed "Now Ol' Baloo," he turned his paw back to point to himself "he'll set all this right."

Baloo turned heel and bounded off on two feet into the jungle. He rushed passed a large leaf and swatted away another. Both of which jostled at his passing and swayed long after Baloo disappeared into the jungle.

Mowgli listened as Baloo's footsteps became more and more distant until they were gone completely. He had initially been encouraged by Baloo's agency and answers. But now that he was gone, even if it was to get him help, in the silence that followed uneasiness grew on him again. The jungle was never still or silent. Mowgli eyes cautiously all around. His concern only growing the more he felt alone.

A vine above twisted, and he thought for a moment Kaa had come to slip him away. A tree limb rustled, and he thought the monkeys were back to take him. A stir in the grass made him think of the tiger stalking him. But once those thoughts passed the jungle stilled again. With nothing else to do he glanced down to his shoulder now and the black marking that was plastered on his skin.

Black lines that turned into a shape or design he did not understand or recognize. Strangely it seemed larger than before the outer most lines of it longer as it reached out to cover even more of him. In the center of it distinct to the black lines was something new; a small red circle as bright as the red flower, looking almost like a sleepy menacing eye that was opening up and glaring at him.

Whimpering in fear Mowgli put a hand over his arm to cover it. Yet, he still felt that red eye staring at him.

In that moment he heard a 'splash' off in the distance. He flinched in place and then froze. Listening as he did before, he thought he could faintly hear the distant running of the nearby river.

"B-Baloo?" he called out, but received no answer. "Papa Bear?" He peered his head forward, but it did little to alleviate the worry that came over him. Baloo would have called back to him and Bagheera would have made himself known. It had been too long since he had left after all.

Whatever this was that made that sound could be far worse. And he would not be caught sitting down like this.

Picking himself up, his gangly legs hobbled beneath him as he stood up tall. Walking on his feet, he peered ahead to try and look over the leaves as large as he was. He saw nothing ahead, but he heard a softer splash of water, not as strong as before, but loud enough for him to hear.

Mowgli took another wary look at his surroundings. He could nestle himself comfortably against the tree and wait for this to pass. Or he could go see what the source of it was. Being idle seemed like it was the more way a bear would be, but Mowgli felt drawn towards this somehow. His curiosity growing in him.

Putting a bare foot forward, he entered into the dense jungle foliage. He was small and crept under the wide leaves and between the tall trees. As he moved closer, he could hear the nearby running river more clearly. Ducking under a large leaf and a hanging vine, he picked himself up to peak through a small opening in the brush. Peering ahead, he saw the edge of the river that turned to take its winding path deeper into the jungle. Yet at the bend of the turn, Mowgli saw something kneeling down beside it. Crouched down low with its head towards the river, it looked at first as if it was taking a drink from it.

Sitting itself back up by the river, it reared its head up revealing long black hair that flung up and fell to its back with a heavy wet splat. Mowgli paused as if he sensed some great predator. But getting a better look at it now, curiosity prevented him from leaving and he poked his head upwards to see it better.

He saw a figure not like any animal he's seen. A black mane hung around its head yet the arms that raised behind the back to run hands through it where bare, and identical to his. The hands wrung the wet out, twisting the black mat of hair draining it of water. There seemed to be no other hair on this creatures body aside from it's head. Draped around the body was a dark blue cloth, darker than the rivers. Yet it did not conceal either arms and only one shoulder before wrapping around the rest of the body. Mowgli's eyes trailed over to see more, wondering what to make of it. Nestled beside it against the tree overlooking the river was a long sharp stick.

Forgetting the fear of the mark or this potential danger, entranced by it now Mowgli took another step closer, but felt a crack from beneath his foot that echoed cutting through the silence of the jungle. Even the river seemed to stop flowing from the sound.

The figure ahead went completely still as soon as the sound was heard. The hands that gripped its hair stopped suddenly from doing so, freezing in place. Uneasiness grew in Mowgli as he looked down to see the ruffled grass beneath his foot and the twig now broken in two on each side.

Turning his head up he looked to the riverbank. And to his surprise saw nothing there. Also, of note, the long stick was no longer leaning by the tree. His head dashed around for any sign of it, but he saw nothing and dread grew in him again.

Suddenly coming down over him came a flash of blue. Mowgli let out a shriek and fell into his back. He tried to scurry away on his back by got nowhere. He felt the tip of a sharp claw press against his chest and he stopped suddenly. Looking up, he saw it was no claw, but the sharpened stick from before pointing down at him. His eyes followed upwards to see who and indeed what was looking over him.

It was no animal. But a man-cub! Just like him. Though she was far different.

Older than him, she was clearly no cub. A wild, untamed beauty to her. Her hair was as black as Bagheeras falling past her shoulders. Her green eyes as hypnotic as Kaas, her features soft like Baloos yet fierce like Shere Kahn's.

She gazed down at him down the sights of the staff, the intertwining red blades at the end pointing down at him. Her head shifted at the top, but he only stiffened at the bottom. Her eyes looked curiously at him on the other end of her staff.

"Not your lucky day is it?" she stated down to him. There was a sound to her voice that was unlike any others in the jungle.

"I-" Mowgli stammered "didn't. I wasn't-"

"But you were doing something." she cut him off. She paused cocking her head to the other side to peer down at him. "Then the question is what were you doing?" she asked "You hunting me eh?"

"No!" Mowgli refuted "I was only-"

"Because," she cut him off speaking slowly "I'm hunting you."

"Me?" Mowgli let out surprised. Looking at her, he quickly came to a conclusion "You're from the man village?"

"No." she shook her head, er hair moving about as she did. "I'm from a 'village' alright," she admitted, but her voice changed when she said that. As if she meant something else "called Gran pulse. But it's far far away from this jungle and any village you know."

Mowgli wasn't sure what jungle that was, but needless to say it didn't concern him now. Not with two sharp prongs at his neck. And he thought the nightmare was the worst part of his day. He hoped Baloo would be back soon.

"Then why are you here? What do you want with me?"

"You're the only man-cub in this jungle. So you must be Mowgli." she concluded.

"I'm not a man-cub. I'm a bear!" Mowgli said defiantly adding a growl at her, but it only caused her to chuckle.

"Hm." she let out "Coulda fooled me then." she said wryly. That knocked Mowgli down and he instead just continued to look up at her.

"Who are you?" he eventually asked.

"Oerba Yun Fang." she introduced herself "As for why I'm hunting you..." she paused "You had a run in with the King didn't you?" she asked, though they both knew the answer. Mowgli could only think back to King Louie. The self styled 'Ruler of this world'. "He got me to go find a man-cub."

Mowgli snarled up at her "If he wants one so bad why doesn't he stick with you?" he said spitefully like a child.

"Seems I don't have what he wants. But he promised me something in return for finding you. Besides, would'nt be my first time doing it anyway." she shrugged and her staff shifted slightly when she did.

'Turning on her own kind.' Mowgli thought.

"Question is what to do now that I've found you." she said "You ain't a big one, but I think for your sake you'll come in quiet."

"Why are you doing this?" Mowgli grumbled, having no intention of doing so.

"If I were you I'd worry about myself," she flicked her wrist rising the staff slightly "so get up." Mowgli turned rotating his body closer to her, though as he did he showed his right shoulder more and the mark that showed on it. He quickly moved to cover it. But she saw more than enough. "And what have we here?" she asked, and he was filled with dread as if he knew what she was talking about. Mowgli said nothing, but did look on silently in both confusion and astonishment when she pulled the spear away. "Let's have a look." she said. Her voice changed now. More inquisitive than hard. Lighter and possibly with more understanding.

She took the spear away and rested it against the crook of her neck and lowered herself to his level. She knelt down, one knee edging out from the sash as the other hid behind it. She zeroed in on his shoulder. He fidgeted uncomfortably under her gaze, but she moved a hand to steady it. Putting up a struggle he shifted from her grip as he did to the beast in his dream. But she didn't want that.

"Hey." She snapped though sounding less harsh them before "None of that." she warned as she brought a lone finger to push up his chin "Got it." she said, and her finger felt sharper than the spear. He nodded to her and gaining his compliance, she looked down at his shoulder.

Silence followed. The longer it went the more unnerved he was. He tried to read her face though she seemed to just tare blankly at it. Unable to understand what she was getting at, eventually he had to speak up.

"It's nothing." he said trying to reassure himself as much as he convinced her.

"I've seen plenty of nothing." she told "And that is not nothing." It seems her interest was peaked now.

"Well.." Mowgli sniffled with a pause "what is it?"

"You have a Focus little one." Fang said.

"A-" he gulped "focus?" he shivered "What's that?"

"Exactly as it sounds." she explained though not very well. She could see his confusion remained and continued "A focus is a mission you must complete. You're not told outright what it is you have to do. All you have is one little clue." she told and raised her fist with only one finger displayed for extra emphasis. She wiggled it before his face though he clearly understood now.

He dropped his eyes and curled back a bit. Before he woke up yet after receiving his mark he recalled seeing one thing. The faintest of clues yet it told him all he needed to know.

The Man Village.

Where Bagheera wanted him to go to- to return to. But he wasn't ready to go back. Not now. Not ever. There must be another way.

"And…" Mowgli peeped up, but paused long after it "what if you don't complete it?" he asked eventually daring to bring his eyes back up to her.

Fang said nothing now, but reached down to grab ahold of a bead on her necklace placing it between her finger and her thumb raising it up off of her chest to show it to him. Then in a flash she brought her other fingers up and closed it around the head she held completely.

"You become like the very crystal that formed it." she warned darkly. "A Cie'th. A mindless beast with no will or memory. Only regret." She told dangerously and then let out a 'Hm.' as if amused "Not too dissimilar from the Heartless, I suppose."

Mowgli shuddered at her description. It seems whatever this was would take more than honey songs and the bare necessities. But then again, what made her so certain over Baloo?

"How do you know so much?" Mowgli asked. She did nothing to him now, but instead turned her body so that her right shoulder faced him more. And his eyes bugged wide open on shock when he saw what was there. "You have it too!" He exclaimed though perhaps too loudly.

"That's right." Fang admitted as she shifted back into place. Though her was different. Lighter and paler all around. The way it meshed with her skin made it seem like it had been singed off. Noticeably there was no red eye in the middle. Or at least not yet. Looking over to her opposite shoulder he saw another black mark.

"Two!" he exclaimed.

"No." she shook her head, her voice light "That's something else." Taking his eyes off her left shoulder and back to her right Mowgli looked from it to her.

"So.." Mowgli paused, more comfortable speaking now, but unsure of what to say "What was your focus?"

Fang was quiet for only a reflective moment before she answered "You know.." she said before pausing again, as if to make sure herself "I can't remember."

"Was finding me your focus?"

"Hm," she huffed "hardly." she paused "But there is someone out there I have to find." Mowgli stiffened nervously. As if sensing it she looked back to him "Not you," she went back to looking around "but she's out there somewhere. Waiting for me." she paused looking out to the distance as if she knew she was out there right now.

"And…" Mowgli squeaked bringing her attention back to him "what about me?" his question only caused her to smirk at him.

"Suppose you got bigger problems than me now."

He wasn't sure how to respond to that. She dropped her head to one side, continuing to look at him introspectively. Her wild black matt of hair fell down from her head. The longest and thinnest strands looking like black rivers or trend risk on a vine against her skin.

"I guess so." he said sheepishly.

"Cheers." she said seemingly in agreement "So what were you doing in there? Watching me?"

"I was waiting for my papa bear." he told. Her smirk widened a bit when he said that "He was getting me food for this."

"Food won't do you any good." Fang refuted "As for me, I could do with a bite myself." she said twirling and putting the spear on her hand she swung around into the bushes behind them.

"No don't-" he warned her but before he could deter her she with an effortless jab of her staff plunge it into the nearby patch. Impressive still she did it without even looking. She jabbed and retracting it to her. Plucking the spiky fruit off the tip didn't deter her nor did it when she bit into it. The juices fell from her mouth as he chewed. He was more impressed by how she held it in her hand without being harmed.

"That hit the spot." she said before discarding what was left and then she got back up. Mowgli was still beneath her as he had been the entire time. But he wasn't sure what he would do next. It all depended on what she would do.

"So what will you do now?" she asked looking up at her.

"Suppose while I'm up here there's no reason to keep you down." she said before she lowered an open hand down to him. Mowgli eyed it nervously. Kaa and Louie promised him as much, but turned against him. He was hesitant to say she'd do the same. But looking at his shoulder and then to hers along with the warmth in her voice aside from the commands from before, he took the leap and gripped hers. She easily pulled him to his feet, and he felt his bare feet on the dirt again. Gazing up at her, she still seemed towering for he hardly reached her shoulder. "Now," she said with a hand on her hip "where to find your focus?" she tapped his forehead.

Mowgli managed a little smile at that. Whatever jungle or village Fang came from, he could tell already thay she had been through a lot. And that she was not onlyy knowledgeable, but strong. It made him feel like whatever this was, she would be able to help him solve it. But even then he had more than her to rely on.

"Little Britches!" a gleeful voice called. It delighted Mowgli, but alarmed Fang. She quickly reached for her staff, putting herself in front of Mowgli protectively and readied herself for what was charging through the bushes at them. Shooting out from it came a large gray bear. "I got it Little Britches!" Baloo announced with a hand full of honey combs and fruit, so much that some of it fell from his arms "Only the best for my little bear cub!" he declared once he landed back into the clearing where he left Mowgli. But his face dropped when he saw it was not how he left it and someone standing between him and Mowgli. Mowgli was cowering behind her bare leg as she grilled him with a spear.

He was not intimidated but excited.

"Another man-cub?!" Baloo let out as he set the food down.

"I'm no cub." Fang corrected defiantly.

"Oh, man I've seen everything in these woods." he laughed heartily and clapped along with it. He lumbered close to them, but Fang only braced herself. Baloo had been walking calm and casually as he often does. But when he saw her ready herself between two of his closer steps and Mowgli hidden away behind her, even his demenor hardened a little.

"Say now," he let out coming to a stop "you don't come between a bear and his cub."

Her head turned back down to Mowgli, but her gaze was still on Baloo "This the papa bear filling your head with this stuff?"

"Yeah Fang" Mowgli nodded.

"Fang?" Baloo repeated "How're you called that when you got none?" he asked as he looked her up and down peering to find hardly a sharp tooth or claw on her. He then leaned his head forward. His snout out before her face as he sniffed in swathes of air around her. Her hair being sucked towards him with each sniff. As he continued to smell her, Fang calmly raised a hand and flicked his nose with her finger.

Snorting Baloo's nose recoiled and he let out a violent snuff.

"Got enough?" she asked.

"Oh you can flick a fly alright." Baloo said as he rolled his nose "And that's a pretty big backscratcher." he said looking at her staff, finding another use for the two prongs than her.

"Cheeky boy aren't ya" she commented before arched back to Mowgli "Now, I see where you get it from." her bobbed down to Mowgli as she looked to Baloo.

"Baloo she's gonna help me." he said talking around Fang.

"With what? Gettin back to the Man village?" Baloo asked disapprovingly.

"No." Mowgli said quickly easing his fears. turning to show his shoulder to Baloo more confident now "With this." he showed his l'cie brand.

Only it had grown larger now.

London

The sounds of metal armor clanging rang out like thunder echoing in the courtyard. The running of horses charged like a stampede all their own before crashing into each other like waves against a rocky shore. Their riders flung from their saddles to do battle on foot. The unsheathing of swords that flashed brightly once revealed were like bolts of lightning brightening the otherwise overcast sky. The storm of metal against metal was shown as knight faced knight in the tournament. The pageantry and all the colors made it seem like a colorful spring day, fooling anyone if there wasn't snow all over the ground and they all bundled because of it.

The black knight Sir Bart looked fearsome, his deep voice made deeper by the rumbling echo of his helmet. Yet even more so was his weapon. A mighty black sword to cut down his opponent.

But seeing that sword made Arthur realize, he had forgotten to give Kay his own. As soon as he raised his voice to tell him that, he was cast out of the bright tents and into the snow trodden streets to try to find one for him, or not come back at all.

But he was a squire now and if he ever wanted to be a knight he would not only find a sword, but a great one. One better than the one he left behind. He scurried down the once dusty plain roads now turned white with snow. His thin legs and baggy coat weighing him down as he trudged his way through hit. Flying over him, following him every snowy step of the way and trying to help in any way he could was Archimedes the educated owl.

Arthur stopped at every door or window he could, calling for someone to come out and help him. Whether it was an Inn or a blacksmith, it didn't matter because he needed help. But no matter where he went no one was there to help him.

"There's no one here!" Arthur exclaimed, his voice cracking and the misery rising in his voice as he slumped against a locked door once he got no answer from his knocking.

"Look boy, look!" Arthur heard a wise hurried voice call out. Looking up he saw Archimedes as loyal as ever, call as he hobbled on a snowy windowsill. One of the feathers in his wings pointing like a finger to the end of the road.

Arthur turned his head to see the a small courtyard. Specifically cornered off behind a worn metal fence was just what he was looking for.

A sword. But this was not any sword. For this one was lodged halfway into a stone.

But that didn't matter to him, for he found exactly what he was looking for. Arthur's face brightened considerably.

"A sword! Oh Archimedes a sword!" Arthur chanted as he ran for it. And there it was before him; a sword bright and glimmering standing atop an anvil. There was no tip for half the sword was wedged in it yet it's golden hilt and shining blade was more alive than anything that surrounded it.

Arthur raced to it, bounding over the winding fence to get in. He came up to it as Archimedes flew over him.

"You'll have a time pulling it out!" Archimedes commented from above as he perched himself on the dead tree overlooking it. Undeterred Arthur readied himself by pushing his wide sleeves but before they fell right back down back to his wrists and even passed them.

He reached a hand out, his fingers running out beyond the brim of his fallen sleeve. As he reached for it, and the overcast sky ahead cracked opened ever so slightly to allow light shined down Arthur with his fingers upon the sword illuminating it even more. Arthur paused a moment startled by his sudden blinding reflection, but reached furrowed none the less. His fingers curved around the hilt to close into a fist around it.

"AT LAST!" a loud maniacal voice cried out from above echoing like thunder all around. Startled by it just as he had been burned by the light, Arthur stumbled back and the bright light that shined down on the sword in the stone dimmed and vanished once again. But something else was coming.

Above the sword came a circular yet misshapen void. Not from the clouds allowing light in, but something else entirely, like a whirlpool spiraling in the sky over the sword. The voice he heard echoed out of it in heaps of laughter. Whatever formation this was, it lingered there spiraling looking both empty and boundless. That was until a large grey, skinned red armored arm reached out to grab the edge of the whirlpool.

Whatever it was that hung there, it seemed to come from somewhere else entirely.

"A portal!" Archimedes exclaimed as he came down by Arthur.

"Portal?" Arthur repeated not recalling that from any of Merlins teachings.

"A portal." Archimedes said again "Like a door; one that can transport from one world of that world to another."

"Oh!" Arthur said. He had heard Merlin talk about those, but he never thought he would meet someone from it. So who was using this one now?

Suddenly more arms sprouted around from the center of the edges like a flower except its pedals were arms. They were massive, as long as Arthur was tall and each one was red. Each one of them gripped the edges of the portal. Then the arms pushed down and springing from the portal a body came with it.

Popping out from the portal came a massive red body, larger than any Arthur had ever seen before. But as daunting as its size was, so was the manner in which it came here. Though it pulled itself from the portal, it did so head first so that when it came shooting out, followed by the many arms beneath it. And it landed right on its head.

"OOff!" he let out sharply and aggressively once he landed hard on the ground. The clanging of metal was heard falling to the ground followed as many metal objects fell with him. Arthur winced at the sights, but was too unsure of what this was to do any more. Archimedus, however ,was more knowedgeable and stared with a keen eye on what was transpiring before them.

The portal that swerved above him closed, but not without one final parting gift. A small green blob popped out before it closed. Falling from the closing epicenter it landed on the top of the red body. Looking around cluelessly it surveyed it's now cold surroundings and let out a distinct cackle as it did. The man beneath it groaned.

"Huh?" Arthur let out "A chicken?" he asked looking over it's distinct green feathers. Though like Merlin it merely could have taken on the green shade due to some transformation. It seemed just as he went with Archimedes, so did this man with his own fowl.

The arms rose above the limp body and ached themselves at the elbows to place each hand on the ground and press against it. The body then began to rise off the ground. The chicken swerved off of the body as it rose. Swinging the body, the propped up the arms righted the fallen man, though one did move off from the ground to catch the chicken and set it affectionally on the ground. It then went about pecking on the ground and walking aimlessly.

Two large feet appeared dangling below the torso and landed with a hard 'this' shaking the ground as it did. It's red back arched over like a mountain, it's arms spread out racing it. Then it curved upwards to stand upright, and Arthur saw his face for the first time.

Even Madam Mim in her most grotesque form didn't terrify him as much as this man had. His face was ashy gray save for the red streaks that went down it. A red hood covered his head along with two grotesque horns. And he was larger than any man or beast he'd ever seen. The arms all around his body lowered themselves to pick up the scattered remnants that came with him off the ground.

"The Rift has brought me here! At last!" He bellowed as he raised himself standing high above Arthur. His many outstretched arms shot out when he said that, his voice and stance triumphant. Now on each hand Arthur saw seven of his eight hands gripping a powerful weapon. Six gripped the hands of sharp bladed weapons; a Buster sword, a gunblade, naginata, and numerous other sharp weapons of great shapes and sizes.

Save for the 7th one with noticeably held a pistol.

His eyes, however, did not settle on Arthur, but the sword in the stone before him.

"At last!" He cheered "Here it is before me!" he said eyeing the sword and not daring to look away from it "Gilgamesh!" he announced his name.

Indeed, he was. He brought one of his many arms down towards the sword. In fact this was the only arm to be bare, wielding nothing as each of his seven other hands held an extra giant weapon. Looking at him, Arthur wasn't sure what to make of him. He thought perhaps like Kay his squire had forgotten his sword regardless of the fact that he had so many so he was looking for one now.

Gilgamesh wrapped his fingers around the golden hilt of the sword, snuffing out the sword's light as he touched it. Noticeably there was no angelic shine cast upon him from above, but that did not deter him. He tugged on it, ready to release the sword from it's resting place and into his grip, but the sword did not budge from the stone. Instead, Gilgamesh was jerked as the item in his hand remained motionless.

"Eh?" he let out startled. He grunted as he pulled on it again, but only he moved and the sword had yet to budge. His body strained as he grabbed it tighter and pulled harder.

A clang was heard as another one of his arms dropped it's own sword to aid his other hand. The metal rang out as his hand took hold with the other. They tugged on it together. But nothing happened. He tried twice as hard with twice as many hands dropping their weapons on the ground to grab onto this sword, but it changed nothing.

"No!" He shouted frantically as the rest of his arms scurried to aid. More of his arms discarded the weapons he already held and pulled on top of the sword, grabbing the hilt or piling on top of each other. One even grabbed the pommel so there was no trace of the golden sword handle. Yet not matter how many hands joined in or how much strength he put into his pull the sword would not move from its resting place. The weapons he once held proudly littered the ground like when he first arrived here. "No!" he cried out in distress "It can't be!" he roared aloud as some hands pulled away in defeat "Not after coming all this way! How can this be?" He reared his head back in pitiful defeat. As he lamented his loss the green chicken, Enkidu pecked away beneath him.

Arthur crept forward cautiously bringing his hand forward. Peering at the gap through Gilgamesh' fingers, he saw golden letters written along the blade.

'Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil-'

"Bah!" Gilgamesh lashed out as he released his arms and Wart flinched from reading further from the many flailing arms "Its a fluke! A Ruse! A trick!" He reached his hand, the one that had been empty this whole time to raise one of his blades. "There is, but one Excalibur!" he held the sword up for all to see yet despite his boasts it did not have the glamor of the one embedded before them.

"That's not Excalibur!" Archimedes shouted out. Gilgamesh darted his head towards the two and now he saw them for the first time.

"What do you mean? Of course it is!" He shouted down to them.

The owl laughed as he fluttered before him "That's Exalipoor" he said with emphasis on the last part of the name "you big oaf."

"Exalipoor!" He repeated as he glanced at the blade in his hand. He then looked back to the sword in the stone. "Then this is it!"

He dove back to grab at the sword and tried again it to fruitlessly pull it out. But he made no more gains than last time. Grunting with the sword in his many grips, he made no headway. Arthur looked on the sight strangely, while Archimedes was more amused. It seems they both came here looking for a sword. Arthur looked up to the owl before looking back to Gilgamesh fruitless struggle.

"Here," Arthur said politely reaching his hand forward again "I'll help."

"Eh?" he let out as he released the swords, only to hunch over and catch his breath. Gilgamesh hands parted for Arthur's and he finally took ahold of the hilt.

The clouds parted again and light shined down upon him. He gave it a mighty tug with all his strength and unlike Gilgamesh, he was not stiffened in place, but instead was thrown back falling off of the step leading to the sword and fell back with the sword in hand!

Arthur fumbled back on his feet until he was abruptly stopped. He felt a mighty grip take ahold of him, and he saw one of Gilgamesh's many arms stetching out to hold him by the arm.

"You've done it!" He shouted "Who are you great warrior to have accomplished such a thing!?"

Arthur gulped as Gilgamesh's vigor returned.

"I'm Arthur, but everyone calls me Wart." he stammered "I'm a squire to Kay."

"A squire?!" Gilgamesh exclaimed in disbelief "A squire pulled the sword when I the great Gilgamesh could not?!" he vented, but when he was done his eyes set themselves dangerously on Arthur as attempted to calm himself "You've done your part boy.." he paused gripping him even tighter "now give it to me!" he declared as another hand reached forward.

Arthur shook himself free and backed away gripping the sword as he did.

"No," he pulled away but stopped when he bumped into the dead tree. But still he stood his ground "I need this sword did Sir Kay."

"That's right!" Archimedes agreed as he flew in between the two; the tiny Arthur and the mountainous Gilgamesh "You can keep that one," he nodded off to Exalipoor. "and all the rest." he nodded.

The hand that once held him balked into a fist "I did not come this far for all this to be denied!" He fumed "I will have it!" He took a mighty step forward, but was stopped. A voice cried out behind them carding out and ringing through the small courtyard.

"Hold on!" a deep baritone voice bellowed. Arthur turned to see what could have been an entire army if knights. No, it was just those participating in the tournament.

The black knight with a beard as black as his armor stepped forward. Sir Ector and Kay beside him with Pellinore and all the other participants too. The black knight Sir Bart eyed Gilgamesh with a hard cold stare before he turned to look at young Wart.

"Was it you that pulled the sword from the stone boy?" he asked pointing a black metal finger to him. Shakily, but silently Arthur nodded his head. They all turned silent after that, stunned expressions of wide eyes and gaped mouths.

"Then it's a miracle. This boy is our king!" Pellinore declared. The crowd was elated by his declaration breaking out into a joyous cry. But one voice amongst all the others lashed out at them.

"But the sword is mine!" Gilgamesh roared showing his many fists and stomping his foot. Everyone looked to him, but renounced his words.

"It belongs to him now." Sir Ector stepped forward to stand with Arthur and Kay came beside him.

"Then come on!" Gilgamesh roared as he hunched down and each of his arms reached across the ground for each of his smattered weapons, picking them up and returning them to his hands. "We'll fight for it!" he declared "Winner gets the sword!"

"No!" Sir Ector yelled "Whoever pulls this sword shall be king." he declared.

"Keep the crown!" Gilgamesh retorted "It's the sword I want!"

"You'll have neither, but if it's sword you want." Sir Bart paused as his hand moved to his waist "It's these you'll get!" Sir Bart declared, being the first to do so, but every one else followed suite. Every knight unsheathed their swords surrounding Gilgamesh. Sir Kay put himself before Arthur being the closest to Gilgamesh now.

"Y-you don't have to fight for me." Aruthr squeaked behind Kay.

"Of course we do." Sir Ector said affectionetly, holding him up by his shoulders "You're our king now."

"Very well!" Gilgamesh cried as his arms bolted up each one bearing a sword. Save for the one that held the gun which cocked it.

Character Appearances: Mowgli, Baloo(The Jungle Book) Oerba Yun Fang(FF13)

Arthur, Archimedes, Sir Bart, Sir Ector, Sir Kay, Pellinore(Sword in the Stone), Gilgamesh (FFV) and Enkidu(FF XIV)