A/N: Special Thanks to Greatkingrat88 for his work and beta-ing this chapter, and thanks to Jameyofthemegacosmos for his contributions on ideas for future plans for this story.

I apologize for the update on this story being late, although at this moment I have at least up to seven chapters fully written they were not checked over had beta work done by Greatkingrat88 hence why they were not posted. I refuse to put out nothing that isn't at my best.

In this chapter we check in on Sora and Lelouch, although both will be spending time on their starting worlds, Lelouch more than Sora in the latter's case. But it would be a necessary concession to fit within my plans and to set up for the story going forward.

Also I've begun posting this story and some others, which I am still in the middle of posting chapters on, on Archive of our Own under the same username.

Before the chapter itself there are some questions I must answer to the reviewers who I could not write a PM response to.

Captain Imaginat: I don't see why that would happen, beyond keeping with canon that Maleficent's hunt for the Princesses of Heart began with Xehanort in Birth by Sleep. However I think Organization XIII might be more worried about other parties so Maleficent should have more freedom to move around as long as she doesn't antagonize one of the other villain factions.

To answer your second question, just the worlds mentioned and those being polled on presently. Ultimately final decision would fall to me and Jamey on the worlds to be involved and weighing on how it will benefit the story as a whole.

Yes that is what Charles is planning, but he isn't ready to begin invading worlds since there is a lot he must do first giving Lelouch and others time to begin gathering their own allies in unknowing preparation for when Britannia does begin invading. I know nothing of Rising Of The Shield Hero, so I can't answer that and I am unlikely to involve it.

I wouldn't judge Organization XIII just yet until they appear, but I will say the two sides are wary of one another but they are avoiding needless conflict with one another since fighting a three way war never works out for anyone. Charles doesn't full trust them either, and he does have good reasons yet he just doesn't know they got something in the works to use against him when needed.

While I am more familiar with The Asterisk War than Edens Zero, having not read it, I had no ideas or inspirations of involving that series due to a lack of interest. I will once again refer to the poll for the series still being debated.

And lastly a reminder I will only accept ONE of your reviews, that second one got by me only because it was posted on a day when I was having problems receiving email notifications forcing me to switch it to a new email. Therefore I'll be answering any of the questions on it to discourage excessive reviewing of a single chapter by the same person.

Guest: Probably they could meet Ange, but that depends on where the story stands. I am being careful and mindful of other members of Lelouch's party to avoid any kind of crippling culture shock.

Guest: Thank you.

Now on with the chapter.

Chapter 4

Awakened Power

The following morning, Lelouch followed Jeralt's mercenaries heading into the foggy forests of Magdred Way. Instead of merely passing through it like they had the day before, they were now searching for bandits.

According to what Lelouch had been told, it seemed Lord Lonato had his hands full dealing with recent uprisings in his lands. Dealing with bandits would normally not have been a problem, but with his forces occupied with restoring order, the job had fallen on Jeralt.

If uprisings have been an issue, why haven't we seen any sign of them?

As they traveled toward Castle Gaspard, Lelouch noticed the villages they passed were at peace. There were no signs of any unrest, and people seemed to be carrying on business as usual. The other matter that raised Lelouch's suspicions was the number of crates and supplies arriving at the castle.

I did see a significant number of soldiers. He likely had them redeploy elsewhere to avoid the story he gave Jeralt being questioned.

Lelouch didn't know what Lord Lonato was planning, but he was confident that the man was gathering supplies and men for something else. Lonato probably hired Jeralt and his mercenaries to eliminate a threat to the supplies he was receiving, saving his men for whatever he had in mind.

If I knew more about Lord Lonato, I could deduce what he's planning, but…

Lelouch questioned why what Lord Lonato did should concern him. His main concern was mastering the Keyblade and becoming strong enough to save Nunnally. He had no business with this Lonato, and his immediate goal was gaining strength and allies, not getting caught up in feudal politics.

"Are you alright?"

Lelouch was brought out of his thoughts by Byleth, who walked up alongside him.

"I am fine. I was just thinking about something."

"Something wrong?"

"Not exactly, but don't you think it's odd how Lord Lonato claims he has been occupied with quelling unrest when there are no signs of it?"

"I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary either."

Lelouch felt relieved that he wasn't the only one to notice something was amiss.

"That's just it. If the situation with unrest was such an issue, we should've seen it."

"Maybe there is something else going on?"

"Maybe, but I don't know enough about Lord Lonato or the region he governs to draw up any conclusions."

"Maybe I could help," Solus said, approaching the pair on horseback. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear."

"What do you know?" Byleth inquired, one hand on her hip.

"Do you recall what I told you about the Tragedy of Duscur? About the members of the nobility from Faerghus, involved in the assassination of the Royal Family and others?" Solus asked Lelouch, who nodded.

"Yes, I recall."

"Lord Lonato's son Christophe was arrested as a conspirator to the plot, and then executed by the Church."

"I see," Lelouch said. So Lonato is possibly plotting an uprising to avenge his son?

"Anyhow, I'd like to know what we're up against. What information do we have about the local bandits?"

"Well, we're lucky in that they seem to have concentrated themselves in one single, larger gang," Solus explained, "according to Lord Lonato's reports on it, they have about forty men. A pretty big gang, and it's taken its toll on the local merchants and villages."

"We outnumber them, then. We have a demi-company of professional soldiers," Byleth said flatly.

"It would be foolish to underestimate home field advantage," Lelouch countered. "If they set up a good ambush, catch us off guard, split us up somehow…"

"Trust me, our company has handled far worse," Solus boasted. "You're not wrong, but bandits aren't something a force like ours need to fear."

"Look alive, everyone, and get those torches out!" Jeralt called out, signaling that they had reached Magdred Way.

Unlike yesterday the fog blanketing Magdred Way had become much thicker. Visibility was horrible; you couldn't see three feet ahead of you. The torches could help, but only slightly.

Worse still for a company of soldiers, the fog made for ideal ambush conditions. An enemy who knew the territory could set up the perfect attack, without them ever being able to see it coming.

"Worry not," Solus said reassuringly, putting a hand on Lelouch's shoulder. "The best mercenaries in the land surround you, not to mention I have my bodyguards with me."

Solus gestured to the black and red uniformed men, six total, who had been accompanying the Imperial Noble whenever he went. They were armed with swords and shields, two of them carrying steel bows and arrows.

"What about the risk of being ambushed?"

"If fortune is on our side, we might catch the enemy unprepared," Solus said, flashing a knowing smile.

Byleth and Lelouch didn't know what to make of it, but Byleth turned to Lelouch as she was handed a torch by one of Jeralt's men.

"Stay close to me, and you'll be fine."

Unbeknownst to the mercenaries a group of bandits watched the group from afar, atop a hill lookout. Using an item banned by the Church of Serios, a spyglass, they spied on the mercenaries. Upon seeing Jeralt's group light their torches and enter the fog, they quickly rejoined their fellow bandits.

"Hey Dan, we got some fresh meat entering the fog." Said one of the scouts.

"Really, what is it this time?" said Dan, the leader of their little troupe.

"Mercenaries, by the look of them."

"So that old fool Lonato doesn't want to dirty his own hands." Dan scoffed.

"Should we send a warning to the boss?"

Dan nodded, "Aye, get a runner to the boss. Then we'll move out, so we can hit them from behind with the boss' men."

"I am afraid I can't let you do that."

Dan and his underlings turned to see a young teenage girl, judging by her voice, step into view within the fog surrounding them. She wore a black leather coat with silver drawstrings, complete with black boots and gloves.

"And what's a young lass like you going to do about it?"

"I'll kill you all," the girl replied coldly.

Dan and his men laughed as some began drawing their weapons.

"I have a better idea. I think we'll teach you a lesson. Then, we'll have some fun with you." Said Dan coldly.

"You should learn not to talk so much," the girl replied before opening her right hand to summon a Keyblade.

Unlike the Keyblade held by Lelouch, the one wielded by the girl was more ornate in design. It was black, with a handle fashioned after eagle wings. Its blade, erupting from two eagle heads, was a skeleton key-like blade.

Hurling the weapon faster than the eye could follow, the girl's attack impaled Dan through his heart. The impact of her blow sent his corpse flying ten feet. His subordinates were stunned, but as they regained their bearings, some began to rush the girl to avenge their leader. She summoned the bloodied weapon back into her hand.

After dodging a sweeping axe blow from one of the bandits, intent on beheading her, the girl retaliated with a powerful kick that sent her attacker reeling, using a free hand to conjure a magical barrier. Two bandits were repelled when their weapons hit the wall, and the arrows their archers fired bounced off it.

"You can't win against us all, girl!" cried one of them.

"I could, but I rather not waste my time dealing with you fools on my own," the girl replied as she snapped her fingers.

Attacking the bandits from the mists the Heartless appeared, answering her summons. Unlike the weaker Shadows, these Neo-Shadows were taller and more muscular in appearance, and more agile. The Heartless converged upon the bandits, terrified at the arrival of the monsters. One Neo-Shadow dodged a sword swing before shoving its clawed hand into the chest of a bandit, to claim his heart.

The Heartless outnumbered the bandits as more appeared under the hooded girl's command, but while the bandits were left contending with the new threat, she rejoined the fight. She used a hand gesture to telekinetically pull a sword from a bandit's hand and impale another through the neck. Conjuring fire at the tip of her weapon, she unleashed a stream of fire as she directed it at one of the bandits who swung at her.

Between the magic and the swarm of monsters, the bandits broke and fled. The Heartless, able to track their prey through the fog, quickly went after them. It was the last anyone would see of them.

Unaware of what became of the detachment of bandits, Jeralt and his group navigated the fog cautiously, using the torches to find their way. Not knowing what lay ahead for them was nerve-wracking for Lelouch, but he noticed no one else seemed the least bit worried. The trek continued for what left like an hour, but Lelouch time felt blurry in the gloom of the mist.

"Relax yourself. In the case of an enemy attack, you need to be alert, but calm." Byleth offered sagely.

"Easier said than done."

"No matter what, you must stay calm and focus so that you can be aware of your surroundings."

"Right," Lelouch said as he tried to calm his internal unease.

Suddenly Lelouch noticed the mercenaries begin drawing their swords, before he heard the sound of feet rushing towards them.

"Stay close to me," Byleth said, drawing her sword.

Ahead of them, a group of bandits, whose numbers Lelouch could only guess, were attacking. Jeralt was at the front, crossing blades with the nearest bandit before the rest of his men joined the fray. In his orange tunic, he stood out even in the mist. The sound of weapons clashing echoed as the mercenaries and bandits crashed into each other. Lelouch was safe from the fighting, but the battle got closer as more bandits joined the fray.

Instinctively summoning his Keyblade into his hand, Lelouch gripped the weapon tightly.

One of Solus' bodyguards released an arrow that caught Lelouch by surprise, striking a bandit attempting to flank them, but Solus and Byleth were unconcerned.

"Time to get your hands dirty!" Solus announced, gathering dark power into his hands.

"But-" Lelouch tried to protest.

"Remember, stay close to me," Byleth urged.

Never in his life had Lelouch ever expected to be caught up in the middle of a medieval style battle, one involving magic no less; it was like something out of a fantasy book. Yet here he was, afraid and barely holding himself together. He wasn't ready.

Still, he refused to die, for Nunnally's sake.

Is this how battles went on Earth, back in the day?

Thankfully Byleth stayed near Lelouch, defending him from the bandits. Even with Solus' bodyguards close by, Byleth dispatched any bandit that came close to them. He was impressed with her fighting style and how quickly she eliminated any bandit who dared get too close to her.

Unfortunately, Lelouch began to feel too confident in the protection he was receiving from Solus' bodyguards and Byleth as the battle became increasingly chaotic. The ever-present fog made it worse, as only a small handful of Jeralt's men were trying to keep the light present. However even they had to put their torches down to focus on the enemies attacking them. Byleth was pushed back by a fierce giant of a man, and Lelouch stumbled back a few steps to get out of the way. Within moments, Lelouch had been separated from Byleth, Solus and his bodyguards.

Damn it!

Before he could attempt to find them again, a bandit rushed him, likely believing a young man with an odd weapon would be easy prey. Lelouch turned and crossed blades with the bandit. A feeling of fear crept up Lelouch's spine as he pushed the bandit back, although he hesitated…until the bandit charged him again. Acting on survival instinct, Lelouch unleashed a fireball, setting the bandit on man stumbled back, screaming. A moment later another bandit, angry over what Lelouch had done to his comrade, attacked. No- not one, but two, a second bandit trying to flank him.

Raising his Keyblade; Lelouch unleashed an ice spell striking the still burning remains of the bandit he had struck first, making the fog around them thicker. Remembering where they were, Lelouch took the initiative and swung his Keyblade wide. Although he had expected to hopefully land a blow on one of the bandits, Lelouch had unknowingly channeled more magic than he realized into it. Magic surrounded the blade, and it unexpectedly extended. When Lelouch swung his weapon, he cut both bandits in half. Blood splashed onto his hands, his weapon stained red.

Suddenly Lelouch felt uneasy.

That's right…those men, I killed them, even if they were bandits trying to kill me, they…

He fought back the urge to vomit. This was not the place or time.

Lelouch heard another battle cry from an enemy bandit, but he raised his weapon, reminding himself that he fought for a reason. Despite the feeling of sickness in his stomach from having taken lives for the first time ever, Lelouch crossed blades with the bandit.

No matter how unpleasant the killing was, I can't let it stop me.

The former prince was having a difficult time trying to overpower the bandit, but Lelouch had an idea. Channelling magic into his weapon, Lelouch conjured a stream of fire that erupted in the face of the bandit.

When he staggered backwards, Lelouch raised his weapon and struck the bandit down. As his enemy staggered back, Lelouch unleashed a stream of lightning, finishing his enemy off.

He was soon facing another bandit, but before he could do anything, a blade ran through the man's chest from behind. It was Byleth.

"Are you alright, Lelouch?"

"I am…fine," Lelouch said glancing down at the blood on his hands and weapon.

"Well done, but you really should be more mindful of your surroundings," Solus said, scolding Lelouch as he and his bodyguards showed up.

"Lelouch, this was your first time taking a life, wasn't it?" Byleth said noticing Lelouch looking down at the blood on his hands.

"Yes," Lelouch admitted. "I thought I had it in me, but…"

"You did what you had to do to survive. There should be no reason for you to regret it," Solus cut Lelouch off.

"I suppose," Lelouch said. Just then, a soldier called out.

"We've won! All that is left is to find their encampment."

"I guess this means it's over, Solus said hearing some cheers as the last bandit was taken down.

"That seemed to have ended rather quickly," Lelouch said. He was impressed, glad to push away the unpleasant thoughts about having taken his first life.

"I told you Jeralt and his men are the best of the best," Solus added. "They stood no chance against such seasoned warriors."

Just as suddenly as it had started, the battle was over, the remaining bandits fleeing. There were some screams and cries from the wounded, until they too were silenced. Lelouch said nothing, but something about this seemed unusual.

I thought the bandits had more men than this? Counting the bodies, this was not even close to forty.

Elsewhere, among the worlds besieged by the Heartless, Sora slowly regained consciousness. As his eyes slowly opened, he could hear voices talking over him, a light shining in his face.

"And you found this boy in the alley?" The first voice sounded cold, restrained.

"Yes, Entrapta and I happened upon the boy while we were searching the town outskirts for parts." The voice sounded old.

"We didn't find much, but this key-weapon-thing he was holding is interesting. Boy, does he have a tight grip on it," a third voice spoke. It was female, and quite excitable.

"What do you suppose happened to him?" The first voice inquired.

"Hard to say, but he could be another refugee. The number of those displaced from worlds consumed by the Heartless has been steadily increasing," the second voice said. "Some of his injuries suggests he was in combat, if I had to guess."

"He might've tried to stop the Heartless. That could explain it."

Sora opened his eyes, his vision blurry. A young woman appeared over him. She had a brown skin tone, red eyes, and long purple hair styled into a pair of heavy thick pigtails. She blinked at Sora before she readied a knife while smiling.

"Oh, the kid is awake. I guess this means we can't do a more in-depth examination!"

She held up a knife, and Sora cried out in terror.

"Entrapta, please put away the knife. You are scaring the poor boy."

Sora's eyes went to the second voice. It was a man, but while he was humanoid, he wasn't human. He had red eyes, pale skin and blue hair, wearing a blue robe with black pants and a matching top under it. Sora held up his Keyblade, ready to fight back. Was he in danger? Was this hostile territory? But the first voice, an old man wearing blue robes and a pointy hat, intervened.

"Alright, let's all settle down before someone gets hurt."

"Where I am!"

"Calm down," the old man said with a hand gesture. "You are safe here."

The red-eyed man gestured for Entrapta to put away the knife. After doing so, she smiled nervously.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Merlin," the old man introduced himself. "This gentleman is Hordak, and the energetic young lady is Princess Entrapta."

"I apologize for the scare," Hordak said politely. "My appearance can be intimidating."

"Hello, can I touch the Keyblade? Is it First One's tech?" Entrapta said excitably. She was suddenly suspended a feet or two off the ground by her hair, which moved according to her will.

"Uh," Sora said, quite confusedly, "This is a dream, right?"

"Sadly boy, it's not," Hordak said. "You are a refugee from a world devoured by the Heartless, like many who have ended up here,"

"The Heartless," Sora said before realization dawned on him. "Wait, you mean those black creatures with yellow eyes?"

"Yes, like this one?"

Hordak used a small hand-held device to display a holographic projection of the Heartless.

"Those are the creatures?"

"Then that confirms your world is the latest victim among an unknown count consumed by the Heartless," Hordak turned off the display before pocketing the computer.

"Victim…" Sora said, as the memories of the island he was on returned to him.

"No, what happened to Kairi, Riku, and…my family?"

Hordak and Merlin were silent, at a loss for a good answer. The implications were grim.

"They could be refugees on this planet, or have ended up somewhere else," Entrapta said, saving the two men from offering a darker answer. "When a world is consumed by the Heartless, the people, provided the Heartless hasn't gotten to them, will end up on a random world. This phenomenon is likely resulting from the dark realm consuming what remains of the world, connected to pathways the Heartless use to move between the worlds."

"So Kairi, Riku, and my family might be here or somewhere else?"

"Probably, but I don't know for sure. Maybe not," Entrapta replied.

"Anyway," Hordak said, eager to change the subject, "We can answer any questions you have to the best of our abilities, but you should try to rest. We found you injured in that alleyway."

"Aye, yes, and I can help too," Merlin offered. "Your weapon is magical in nature, and I possess a good deal of knowledge about that sort of thing."

"Really?" Sora held up the Keyblade to examine it. "This thing?"

"Oh yes, but is it magical or advanced tech?" Entrapta said, trying to take the weapon to examine it more closely. However, upon taking hold of the weapon, the Keyblade vanished, returning to Sora's hands, much to Entrapta's disappointment.

"That's not nice."

"Hey, I didn't do it on purpose," Sora said defensively.

"Only its chosen wielder can hold the Keyblade," Merlin said. "Should anyone else who does not wield a Keyblade try to take it, the weapon will return to the hand of its owner."

"I think we're going to have a lot to talk about," said Hordak. This would turn into a long conversation…

The following evening Lelouch was in the local inn near Castle Gaspard, following the completion of the mission given to them. The plan would be to return to Remire Village to focus on Lelouch's training at Lord Galvus' request, while agreeing to carry out jobs for those who would hire them. For now, they would rest at the inn before returning to the village.

Unlike the last time they were in the inn, Solus joined Lelouch, before noticing Byleth approaching the table.

"May I join you two?"

"Of course. I was about to give Lelouch a more in-depth history lesson about the Adrestian Empire," Solus said, gesturing for Byleth to grab a chair.

Byleth grabbed an unoccupied chair, sitting down next to Lelouch as Solus continued.

"Now, the Adrestian Empire was founded over a thousand years ago by Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg, blessed by Saint Serios herself. He and Saint Serios began the War of Heroes to end the tyranny of Nemesis, the King of Liberation."

"Pardon me, who was Nemesis?" Lelouch inquired.

"An excellent question. Nemesis was named the king of liberation for unifying the warrior clans of Northern Fódlan into a kingdom after driving out the evil gods. He was proclaimed a divine champion of the Goddess, having been granted the first Crest known as the Crest of Flames. He was even given a divine weapon, the Sword of the Creator. Or so the legend goes."

"I take it all of that power went to his head," Lelouch said, to which Solus nodded.

"That's right. And so, Saint Serios was charged with ending Nemesis. She knew she would need help, so she recruited the aid of Wilhelm and his fledgling nation, which would become the Adrestian Empire. Some years after they met, the two began the War of Heroes, which lasted sixty-six years after the formation of the Empire. The Church of Seiros was founded after the Saint in question gained enough followers in the wake of performing miracles to the people. It made it easier for the two to raise an army to combat Nemesis and his forces."

"It wasn't just to take down Nemesis, was it?" Byleth asked.

"I am glad to see you noticed that," Solus said approvingly. "Yes, the newly crowned Emperor aimed to unify all of Fódlan under the Adrestian Empire. Of course, the biggest problem wasn't just Nemesis. It was his Ten Elites, each of them armed with a divine weapon."

"I see. So the war probably saw a lot of casualties?" Byleth asked.

"Yes, but not as many as you think, thanks to the allies Saint Serios and the Emperor had. One was the legendary White Paladin, who served as a General for the Emperor's armies. He possessed the Keyblade, hailed as one of the strongest warriors of his time, and a brilliant tactician who could fight the Ten Elites on equal footing. He's famous for killing most of them in one battle during the closing days of the war," Solus said, looking at Lelouch. "Of course, not to leave them out, there were the Four Saints known as Macuil, Indech, Cichol, and Cethleann, each of them having their unique crests and divine weapons."

"The war ended with Nemesis being slain, I presume?" Lelouch asked.

"Not quite, although Nemesis was slain by Saint Serios herself during the Battle of Tailtean, the war continued for some time as many of Nemesis's followers continued the fight. But eventually, the war did end, and the land unified under the Empire, with the Church of Serios becoming the dominant religion. Saint Serios herself would create the Crest Social System which would determine Fódlan's hierarchy for the upcoming centuries."

"But recalling what you've said about the formations of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus and the Leicester Alliance, something went wrong," Lelouch said.

"Yes, and much of this was due to two factors. A series of weak Emperors and corruption among the nobility were factors. All of which led up to a recent event in history called the Insurrection of the Seven."

"There was a revolt against the Emperor?" Byleth said.

Solus nodded before elaborating.

"It happened about thirteen years ago when the current Emperor, Ionius IX, attempted a policy of power centralization. One of the imperial houses, House Hrym, revolted against the Empire, defecting to the Leicester Alliance with House Ordelia. The incident became known as the Hrym Rebellion, which led to their bloodline being wiped out after the emperor successfully crushed the rebellion. After the whole family minus the child was brutally murdered, they adopted someone from House Bartels to prevent the collapse of their house." Solus said, waving his hand dismissively at the last part.

Lelouch raised an eyebrow at this, wondering if Solus knew more than he was letting on. Or could it be the subject of a noble household being wiped out to a lone child was hardly worth a mention?

"Moving on," Solus said, eager to move the conversation to its more exciting bits, "Then, four years later, the other nobles worried the Emperor would wipe them out to secure and gain more centralized power. The six greatest houses within the Empire, Bergliez, Hevring, Varley, Vestra, Gerth, Aegir, and House Hrym, launched a soft coup known as the Insurrection of the Seven and reduced Ionius IX to a figurehead."

"Somehow, I doubt this soft coup was bloodless?" Lelouch pointed out.

"I doubt it as well, given some of the rumors surrounding the Emperor's children."

"Rumors?" Byleth asked.

"The Emperor had a total of eleven children by his wife and consorts, but as of this time, only one remains," Solus said. "The next in line to the throne, Princess Edelgard von Hresvelg."

"So you're saying her other siblings were assassinated?" Lelouch said.

"Quite possible, since they vanished all without a trace. Very odd, don't you think?"

"I agree it's odd, but has no one else has spoken of it?" Byleth asked.

"Nay, they haven't, and the Church has seemed indifferent to the matter," Solus said. "Of course, it might be due to how relations between the Empire and Church have been deteriorating for the past decade,"

"I see. Is it indifference to the Empire's inability to keep its territories and its corrupt nobility in line? Or something else?" Lelouch said, folding both arms over his chest.

"Who can say for sure? But I would say both."

"How has your family retained its status, with everything that happened in the Empire?" Byleth inquired, surprising Solus a little.

"I've played the game of politics longer than anyone can imagine," Solus admitted with a smirk. "Being immensely rich does help, as well as knowing who to bribe. Most important is being more cunning and devious than everyone around, since politics, especially in the Empire, can be quite cutthroat."

It sounds fairly similar to Britannian politics, Lelouch thought.

A social hierarchy built around Crests deeply troubled Lelouch, though. If you weren't born with a crest, then what? Did those without a Crest get cast aside?

"Are there marriages usually involving taking on more than one wife because of Crests?" Lelouch inquired, almost regretting his question.

"Only the Emperor of the Adrestian Empire has one wife who is queen, and usually several consorts that do that openly," Solus reassured him. "However, sometimes a Lord or Baron whose wife fails to produce a child with a crest will divorce her to remarry, or at least have a mistress or two."

"I see," Lelouch said.

"Well, I think that will do for tonight's history lesson," Solus said.

"So, we head back to the village tomorrow?' Lelouch asked.

"Yes. I can help better support Jeralt and his mercenaries while they work on you," Solus replied.

"I see," Lelouch said.

Nearby, Byleth felt something stir within her as she sat close to Lelouch. Unseen by anyone, including Byleth, a pulse was released within Lelouch's heart, connected with hers.

At that moment, elsewhere, a young girl with long green hair and a crown, sleeping on a stone throne, began to stir.

A shuttle was landing in a clearing in the middle of a heavily forested region. The black-plated craft's boarding ramp was lowered from the underbelly of the vessel.

Walking down the ramp alongside Ieyasu was a man in his late forties, dressed in a white and black military uniform with a red cape and a katana at his hip. His gaunt expression belied a crafty cunning, reflected off of his green eyes. In one hand, he held a flag pole with a spike on the bottom.

Near Ieyasu was a young woman, wearing a black cloak with silver drawstrings. Her hood was down, revealing her face. Her skin was pale, and her red eyes and short, light blue hair hanging above her shoulders made her stand out.

Also present were a few of Ieyasu's soldiers. Two were men, and two were female, all dressed in black powered armor with segmented plates on their arms and legs. Their helmets matched the armor, with red screens that hid their faces and a highly advanced HUD under it. Beside them, other soldiers dressed in white with tiger-themed helmets and armor stood at attention.

"I, Imperial Marshal Cid Aulstyne, on this day claim this land for the Milites Empire. Upon this soil, we shall build a new home, where a new future will be born!"

The soldiers wearing the tiger-themed armor cheered for their leader as Cid planted the banner of the Milites Empire into the ground.

"This shall do for the construction of New Ingram," Cid said, as he saw large transports overhead begin deploying machines to clear away much of the forest. Construction would begin once the forest was cleared away, handled by autonomous machines with Ieyasu's soldiers protecting the engines and the Milites Empire personnel intending to stay behind as the new city is built.

"Congratulations are in order Grand Marshal," Ieyasu said, approaching Cid.

"I should be thanking you. To settle upon this land, far away from the influence of the crystals, is more than I could imagine," Cid replied, shaking Ieyasu's hand. "I confess, I have been suspicious of your intentions, but you've made good on every promise."

"That is understandable, all things considered," Ieyasu said. "Still, do you intend to go ahead with a campaign to invade the Dominion of Rubrum?"

"Yes, although I am keeping your warnings in mind, should the invasion be sufficient to convince the population of your nightmarish revelations about the crystals."

The world of Orience was unique in that it consisted of four nations, each possessing a crystal gifted to them long ago, and each crystal granted them a particular benefit. For instance, the crystal known as the Vermillion Bird Crystal, belonging to the Dominion of Rubrum, granted its people the ability to use magic. Still, it would diminish after the users reach adulthood, losing their magical power usually by their mid-twenties. The people of the Milites Empire used their crystal, the White Tiger Crystal, to fuel their cities and technology, becoming the most technologically advanced of the four nations on Orience.

The Azure Dragon Crystal of the Kingdom of Concordia granted its people the ability to communicate with dragons and other such monstrous creatures to fight for them. The cost was that its people never grew taller than five feet, yet they possessed considerable speed. The last crystal, held by the Lorican Alliance was the Black Tortoise Crystal, and it gave its people the power of sword and shield. Their people were naturally gifted fighters possessing tall statures, including great strength and physical ability.

However, for all their benefits, the crystals all commonly shared the ability to erase the memories of the dead. While it was claimed this was a benefit for the people of Orience, it was to remove any guilt they would've felt at the loss of life during their wars, ensuring they would be more willing to wage them without being weighed down by any regret at the loss of life.

It was just the tip of the iceberg, and didn't compare to the horrifying truth of that world and its unique nature. That was a secret Ieyasu had shared with Cid, who had not believed him at first. He had had to convince him by telling him in detail about Orience's history that would happen in the ten years following Cid's overthrowing the Emperor in a bloodless coup.

"Then I shall accompany Brigadier General Qator Bashtar as both an observer and to provide assistance in your forces retreating."

"You?" Cid said, surprised by Ieyasu's offer, given his position.

"Don't worry; I'll only intervene if things go sour. If not for Class Zero, you would have had a resounding victory. The Dominion should have fallen to your impressive three-part invasion plan."

"I see. Then your assistance will be useful," It would be foolish to turn down help from a warrior of Ieyasu's caliber.

Cid was called away when one of his soldiers asked him a question, leaving Ieyasu with his thoughts.

This arrival may be an opportunity for me to settle an old score with the Dominion before I feed their world to the Heartless. Besides, if there is no world, then the cycles of Orience that have repeated over sixty million times will end.

"Sensei?" the girl in the black cloak asked, interrupting Ieyasu's thoughts.

"Ah, Sigma. You have a question?"

"Yes. Is there anything you need me to accomplish?"

"No need to beat around the bush," Ieyasu smiled, knowing what his student wanted. "You wish to be the one to end the world you came from. I know you want to demolish NERV before allowing the Heartless to consume their world."

Sigma's expression hardened.

"That is my wish."

Ieyasu contemplated Sigma's request for a moment before an idea came to mind.

"Actually, before that world is offered up to the Heartless, there is a weapon test we need to conduct."

"A test?"

"Yes," Ieyasu nodded. "Ardyn has supplied us with a Diamond Weapon and asked for a combat test to be carried out. As I speak, my wife and her sisters are working to adapt Garlean Empire technology along with some of their own to enhance its combat capabilities. She has created several test models for combat performance equvalution, so we only need a suitable location for testing."

"To be able to handle enemies like the Evangelion Units," Sigma said, a look of realization on her face. "How long before these test models are ready?"

"They only received it yesterday. A few weeks at most after they do some fine-tuning following an initial trial run. Once it's combat-worthy, you'll unleash them one at a time upon Toyko-3. If it wins, they'll study it to make any needed refinements and deem it successful, but if it loses, they'll review the combat data before making improvements on the other test models before the next test model is sent out into battle again."

"Rinse and repeat until we have a success," Sigma said understanding. "Very well, and if I find a Keyblade Wielder?"

"Let them live. If you find a Princess of Heart, capture them. I'll try to see if I can have Monica accompany you, but she might be busy for a while, working with the Architect."

"I appreciate it, Sensei, but I feel I can handle it on my own."

"Very well," Ieyasu said with a grin. "Just be patient with the weapon testing, because after each test model is defeated, it will take some time before the next one is ready. Then there is your own unit."

Sigma's eyes widened for a moment in realization, "I understand, I'll be sure to have it handy should I need it."

"Don't forget we did agree I would allow you to do to that world as you want. So if you wish you could unleash the Heartless upon it, which I hope will help our recuritment efforts there too."

"Do not worry, I'll do my part and once the testing is complete. I'll happily feed that world's heart to the Heartless."

Now that Sigma mentioned it, perhaps after I take care of things on Orience, maybe I should take some time to settle some old scores.

A few days later, at Remire Village, Lelouch resumed training under Byleth's watchful eye. In the morning, he would run with weights to improve his strength and endurance. Then during the middle of the day, after lunch, the prince would study tactics. Then in the afternoon, Lelouch would face Byleth to learn how to fight with a sword. Lelouch was a gifted strategist, but he lacked experience leading soldiers.

Sometimes in-between those sessions, Solus would offer his contributions, besides using his Crest to create spaces where time is slowed to a crawl to squeeze in even more training.

"No slouching," Solus said, using a wooden cane to slap Lelouch's side.

Lelouch winched in pain, forced to straighten out his back. He was doing push-ups over three rows of lit candles, using stools to keep him above the candles. Solus used him as a footstool while reading a book, resting his feet upon Lelouch's back. It didn't help that Solus was wearing armored boots, putting a lot of weight on him. Lelouch's arms strained under the pressure, but they held firm. Once slim and lanky, his muscles were growing now, and although he had a ways to go, he was starting to get into shape.

I preferred it when he talked about this world's history and not involving himself like this.

"Now, keep that back straight," Solus demanded with a devious grin.

Lelouch kept doing push-ups. If he stopped or slouched, Solus would whip him again. If he lost balance and fell, then the candles would burn him. Every time he felt his body wanting to give in, Lelouch reminded himself of Nunnally, of what was at stake. He couldn't fail.

Thirty minutes later, Byleth approached the pair.

"It's time for him to spar with me."

Thank you for the save, Byleth, Lelouch thought, feeling relieved.

"Already?" Solus sounded disappointed. "Okay, I was getting a little tired."

That's a blatant lie, Lelouch thought.

After Lelouch removed himself and was given a few moments to rest his limbs, Byleth handed Lelouch a training sword.

"Let us begin by going over the patterns from yesterday," Byleth instructed, holding her wooden sword in front of her.

"Very well," Lelouch readied his sword.

It was slow, but progress was being made.

Around the same time at Traverse Town, Sora was sitting at a table with Merlin, the aged wizard explaining the Heartless to the young man. With the young boy sufficient chance to recover both physically and emotionally, it was time to bring him up to speed.

"Now, the Heartless, as far as we know, are creatures of living darkness," Merlin said, using magic to conjure an image of the dark creatures Sora had encountered. "They come in all shapes and sizes, determined by how much darkness is within the heart that spawned them. The Heartless you see before you are the most common variant encountered, but all Heartless are born the same way."

"How are they born?" Sora asked, sipping the tea Merlin had given him.

"As the name implies, they are creatures composed of living darkness, born from the darkness in the hearts of others. Generally, a Heartless is created when the heart of a human being loses it to darkness. Simply put, a Heartless takes their heart, hence the name."

Merlin conquered a new image of a person being attacked by a Heartless before their heart is taken. The body vanished, and a Shadow type manifested where the person last stood.

"The more victims, the quicker they multiply, until they can overrun a world," Merlin said grimly, drinking some of his tea. "More worrying is that even our worlds have hearts. They are usually protected and difficult to find. But should a Heartless find the keyhole that leads to a world's heart, they can consume it, causing the entire world to be consumed by darkness."

"Is that what happened to my world?"

"Quite right, I am afraid," Merlin nodded. "The only sure way to protect a planet from being devoured by the darkness is to locate these Keyholes and use the Keyblade to seal them, preventing the Heartless from further gaining access."

"Is that why the Heartless kept chasing me?"

"Not quite. The Heartless are creatures of instinct- driven by the desire to reclaim what was taken. However, no matter how many Hearts they consume, the Heartless will never regain their lost heart. Only the Keyblade can truly destroy them, although potent weapons and powerful magics can destroy them or at least banish them for a time. All Heartless instinctively fear the Keyblade, at least according to my research on the subject."

"I see," Sora summoned the Kingdom Key to his hand. "So this can destroy them?"

"Exactly, which is why I think you must take time to make the most of your new weapon."

"But I need to find Kairi and Riku."

"My boy, you barely survived the collapse of your islands, and there are Heartless out there much stronger than the ones you faced. I strongly suggest you learn how to use your new weapon. Including learning how to use magic since Keyblades provide their users with the means to use magic."

"I know, but I can't just sit here while they are somewhere out there."

"Speaking of which, do you even know where to look? There are thousands, if not millions of worlds out there. You could waste even more time aimlessly looking for them," Merlin warned. "Given the fear the Heartless have towards the Keyblade, you'll be hounded by them every step of the way."

"I…"

"How about this? Hordak and I will see if we can find any leads on your friends while I train you in magic, and maybe Entrapta can even help you polish your fighting skills."

"You can do that?" Sora asked with a hopeful glimmer in his eyes.

"Of course, I can. I am Merlin, one of the greatest wizards who has ever lived," Merlin declared proudly. "Give me some time, and I'll try to find a lead on your friends you can follow."

Suddenly, Entrapta burst into the room.

"Did I hear you need help polishing your fighting skills?" Entrapta said with excitement in her eyes. "I can make a training robot, with four arms, a sword in each one, laser guns and…."

"Dear, the child isn't Adora," Hordak said, entering behind her. "That might be too much for him."

"Okay," Entrapta said disappointedly, before her cheerfulness returned. "I'll make something that will get the job done, and make it big!"

Sora started to feel nervous about the princess. Sensing his wariness, Hordak added,

"I'll make sure it's something someone of your skill level can handle."

"Okay…"

"Give us a month or two," Merlin said with confidence. "Then, you'll be ready for whatever is out there."

Thus, Sora's training to master magic and gain an understanding of the Keyblade began.

A/N: I admit originally, I didn't plan to do a two-month time skip like this, but because of Lelouch would need the extra time given his lack of endurance and physical ability and being convinced otherwise I changed plans a bit. But I decide to make it benefit Sora as well and touch upon something in KH one where he just went on an adventure after barely arriving in town and beyond having sparred with Riku and other kids using wooden swords was lacking in magical training so I thought two months would be plenty of time to cover that and extra allowing Sora to be better prepared.

However, there is one notable difference in the training Lelouch and Sora are receiving which will come into play much later in the story.

Chapter Five, beginning after the timeskip, will take place during the opening levels of Final Fantasy Type-0, and that chapter is going to be an experiment where such chapters will be soft introduction chapters for any worlds with a number of characters and stuff to cover so I can hopefully avoid excessive walls of text explaining the world, etc. Also this is further set up for other events in the story too such as the implication that Sigma, one of Ieyasu's students who can wield the Keyblade is likely going to cause trouble for the world of Neon Genesis Evagellion, which I had to push back events on that one too a bit due to aforementioned reasons which I admit makes it look odd. Merely a question if it will be world Sora will find or Lelouch, although the former has a higher chance at present.

Also, on my profile I do have round two of my series poll still ongoing. Aside from gauging what series readers would be interested in seeing used in the story I do admit there was a second purpose and I wanted to be sure no one would take any issue using certain series with certain characters.

As for pairings, beyond Lelouch whose love interest which I will decide later and begin narrowing down candidates depending on how the story plays out I am also looking at others beyond Sora/Kairi and Hordak/Entrapta and canon She-Ra pairings since these events happen post-series. I have some ideas for other crossover pairings in mind, but like Lelouch I'll hold off on any final decisions until later in the story at a appropriate time.

Thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter.