Okay, so... Been gone for a longer time than usual. Man, it has been crazy recently. But anyway the second of the three Flashback chapters is here. Next one should be out sooner. And also, guys we're coming up on the Year anniversary of this story. I actually dont know what I'm gonna do for it. I might release a special focusing more around Toni, and Kelsi possibly. Or I might just have a longer than average chapter. I certainly didn't expect to still be on the first major story arc.
I've still got a few character arcs until I get to the climax. Though not everyone will shine in this half, some have a better chance for the next big story arc honestly. Like... Xinek. His whole character arc I've been planning is much, much more suited for the next big arc, rather than this one. So that's probably whats going to happen with a few characters. That doesn't mean I've forgotten them, but the next arc has a different feel to it, and some characters are better suited for that.
But regardless, you guys enjoy this chapter, and guys it's almost here... Final Fantasy XV. I'm going to have to set up a few chapters for December early, or end this big Arc before then... That's probably not going to happen. Just keep tuning in, and I'll tell you what I'm doing accordingly. Enjoy this chapter though!
-Aftermath- Hexen Village, Winniplex- Zack's Senior Year-
"You sure it's okay?" Fiona asked, as Zack smiled at her, and leaned in, kissing her forehead.
"Yeah, it's fine babe. I talked to my dad about it and everything. So long as I do both our work you can stay here. I'm just sorry I cant be here to help you out…" Zack muttered, Fiona gave him a slight smile.
"I'll be fine. I've got Kelsi helping me. You just focus on getting us a good grade." Fiona told him with a small smile, she had woken up feeling extremely sick, so she was staying behind. Toni insisted she not be alone, so Kelsi was staying with her. While Zack, Toni, and Dethunter went out to do whatever Bondeshire wanted them to do.
"Okay… If it gets too bad, call me, and I'll make sure to get you back home." Zack told her, before he left the room, he saw Kelsi coming towards him, and Toni waiting with her arms crossed.
"I'll take care of her, don't worry Zack."
"Thanks Kelsi, I really appreciate it." Zack told her, before he walked towards Toni, and Kelsi waked into the room where Fiona was. Toni looked over at Zack with a generally unpleasant look, but that was only because she just left Kelsi just now. She had separation issues when first leaving Kelsi.
"Hey Keire. Let's get this done quick today." She told him, Zack nodded.
"You got it Toni. Now, where's Dethunter at?" Zack asked, Toni rolled her eyes.
"The Idiot's out in the village, presumably getting turned down by girls because of how much of a fucking loser he is." Toni answered him, the two walked down the hall, and exited the hotel.
"I always enjoy how truly vicious you are with him." Zack muttered, Toni shrugged.
"Moron deserves it."
"I guess." Zack replied half-heartedly, truthfully his mind was still on Fiona. Wondering if she would be okay, and if he should be out here, instead of in there with her.
"Keire. Stay with me. Your girl is gonna be fine, because she's with my girl. Just fucking relax okay?" Toni told him, in a softer sounding voice than usual, Zack smiled, and nodded. Dethunter walked up to them.
"Hey! We all set?" Dethunter asked, Zack nodded.
"Yeah, we are." Zack confirmed, before he pulled out a map his father had given him. He opened it up, and held it open, Toni, and Dethunter each came around to look over each side.
"What about there?" Toni asked, pointing to a cave, Zack hummed, it wasn't too far from the village, but still far enough out that most likely wouldn't go there.
"Sure. Most students wont go that far out, so we should be good." Zack concluded, before he rolled up the map, and shoved it in his back pocket.
"Let's get going then!" Dethunter exclaimed, Zack smirked, as Toni rolled her eyes. Zack led the two from the village. They arrived at the cave after several conversations about battle techniques, and other topics.
"I'm stronger, because I don't use a big weapon like a pussy. I could crush anything with just my hands." Toni told them, Dethunter shook his head.
"My hammer can do more damage though. So, I'm better in a fight."
"No, moron you aren't… Zack, who's more useful in a fight? Me? Or that useless idiot?" Toni asked, Zack hummed.
"I'd say that you and Kelsi are generally tied in usefulness during a fight. So between the two of you, yeah, you Toni." Zack answered, Toni smiled triumphantly.
"Why those two?" Dethunter asked him, Zack shrugged.
"It's actually quite simple. I'm more of a jack of all trades fighter. Toni is more of a speed, and strength fighter. Kelsi specializes in magic, and incantations. Naturally having two different people who are specialists in fields of my own helps me work with them more naturally. You and Toni fill the same role in battle, but Toni works better with Kelsi."
"That makes sense." Dethunter said agreeably, Zack nodded, as they reached a fork in the cave, Zack hummed, and brought up his hand, it was getting rather dark inside, so they needed some light. Zack's palm lit up with Light, as he hummed, and looked down each path.
"Any suggestions? I'm prone to going left because… Lefty here." Zack told them, Toni shrugged.
"Sure. And the idiots opinion is irrelevant, so lets go." Toni said, before she moved next to Zack, and began walking down the left path. Zack followed her, and Dethunter after him.
"So, how exactly do we get a grade?" Dethunter asked, Zack shrugged.
"We have to do something, discover something, fight, anything. My dad really only brought us here for the experience." Zack told him, Dethunter nodded.
"He's actually pretty laid back in terms of assignments, even though he's actually quite the hard ass in every other way." Dethunter said, Zack nodded.
"That's true." Zack said agreeably, as they reached a dead end. A single ruby embedded in the wall. Toni hummed, and was about to touch it, before Zack yanked her hand away. "Don't do that. It's filled with Darkness." He told her, she huffed, and nodded.
"Well, what now?" Toni asked, Dethunter shrugged.
"We could always take it?" He offered, Zack shook his head.
"No, something with this much Darkness isn't safe to be around, let alone touch… We should head back." Zack said, before several Neo-Shadows, and Invisibles came out of the walls, and floors. "Ah, shit…" Zack muttered, as he summoned a sword in his left hand.
"At least we get to fight." Dethunter remarked, summoning a large hammer, in a flash of Light, and Darkness. Toni smirked, and cracked her knuckles. She ran and jumped at one Invisible, grabbing onto it's shoulder, her feet planting against it's chest. She leaned back, and punched a hole through it's head, it faded into Darkness, and Toni jumped off, crushing a Neo-Shadow's head with her foot.
Be careful, close quarters aren't great to fight in." Zack told them, Dethunter nodded, as he smashed a Invisible's chest against a stone wall, using his Hammer. Zack was about to move, when he heard a whisper in the back of his head.
"You're trapped… They're too many, I could help you." Zack looked back to the ruby in the wall.
"What do you mean?" Zack asked, Toni glared at him, as she killed another Neo-Shadow by crushing it's head against a wall.
"Keire! Quit talking to that fucking rock and help!"
"Your friends wont survive, unless I give you the power to stop the Heartless." Zack grit his teeth, as the voice echoed in his mind. All of a sudden, a powerful pain erupted in his head, he saw Toni get decapitated by the blade of an Invisible, and Dethunter get his throat ripped out by a Neo-Shadow.
"No!" Zack exclaimed, Toni glared at him.
"The fuck do you mean no?" Toni asked him, Zack looked back to see an Invisible's blade coming straight at her head.
"Toni! Get down!" Zack yelled, Toni did so, and the blade passed over her, Zack then looked to see Dethunter fighting, and a Neo-Shadow getting ready to attack him. "Dethunter!" Zack exclaimed, as he gripped Dethunter's collar, and pulled him back, avoiding the Neo-Shadow's claw.
"Let me help, you aren't strong enough on your own." Zack shut his eyes tightly, and reached out, touching the ruby in the wall. He felt a surge of Dark power, matching the power of Light inside him. Zack glared at the Heartless, and moved forwards, grabbing Toni, and throwing her back, as he unleashed a torrent of powerful Dark Fire ahead of him, devouring all the Heartless, and destroying them.
"Wow Keire… I thought you didn't use Darkness." Toni muttered, Zack shrugged, and smiled at her.
"Nothing like a little bit of Balance right?" Zack asked, Toni smirked at him.
-Aftermath- The Complex, Zack's Office- Present Day-
"Did you really say that dad?" Rose asked, Zack nodded, as Fiona walked into the room, smiling, and hugging her daughter once she saw her.
"Hey baby, how are you?" Fiona asked, Rose smiled at her.
"I'm fine mom… Does the S. in my name really stand for something?" Rose asked, as Fiona broke the hug off, and looked at Zack, with a roll of her eyes.
"Yes, at first. I was thinking about Stella recently though." Fiona suggested, as she made her way over to her husband.
"What about Santiago?" Zack asked, Fiona shook her head, and Rose just stared at them.
"Sorey?"
"Socrates."
"Solana."
"Sunday."
"Summer."
"Serana." Zack said, Rose just shook her head.
"Do you guys do this often?" She asked them, Zack and Fiona broke from their little game, and looked at her, both chuckling childishly.
"Yeah. Been doing it for twenty one years now." Fiona told her, Zack nodded.
"Like I said, we like to have a bit of childish innocence." Zack told her, Rose just shook her head.
"Anyway, what happened next? Was that voice ZaZick?" Rose asked, Zack, and Fiona both looked downcast for a moment, before Zack nodded.
"Yes. That was my first encounter with him. I had thought he could help, I like balance, my Light, and his Darkness happened to make me perfectly Balanced. But it didn't stay that way for long. One year later, he separated himself from me… And he was… Unlike any other enemy I had ever fought." Zack told her, Rose got a worried look on her face.
-Aftermath- Field of Dreams, Winniplex- Rose is One year old.-
"Zack…" Toni muttered, watching the boy pant on the ground, and hold his heart, his face contorting in pain. She, Dethunter, and Zack were training currently, until Zack had fallen to the ground, clutching at his heart.
"I… don't know what's happening…" He breathed out, Toni grit her teeth, and glared at Dethunter.
"Help him you fucking moron!" Toni yelled, tears beginning to form in her eyes, Dethunter just shook his head.
"I don't know any cure spells!"
"You're fucking useless then!" Toni screamed, as she got down on the ground, and placed a hand on Zack's back, rubbing it. "You're gonna be okay Keire." She told him.
"No. He really wont be." A voice reverberated through the air, before a darkness swept itself out of Zack's body, all swirling around a spot in front of him, as the sky's bright blue color became dark, as heavy clouds rolled in, thunder sounded, and bright orange embers began circling around the Dark Being forming in front of Zack.
"What is that?" Dethunter questioned, and moments later, the Darkness stopped, and a large gust of wind burst from the Dark Being, now fully formed. When the Trio looked up they saw what looked like a very angry person their age standing before them.
He had long hair, similar to Zacks but in white instead of black, and messy looking. He had pale skin, and a more muscular build than Zack's. Dark red bloodshot eyes, glaring at Zack with hate, and a cocky smile on his face. He was dressed in a black hoodie, and dark jeans, and shoes. Overall he looked like an evil version of Zack.
"Man, it feels so good to be out of there…" He said, Zack looked up at him, still very weak. "You look confused Zack… Well, allow me to introduce myself, I am ZaZick." He told him, Zack merely shook his head.
"How… What are you?" Zack asked, ZaZick smirked at him.
"I am that Darkness you took into your Heart to become balanced a year ago… More specifically, my appearance is based on your own, I'm what you would call… A parasitic organism, of pure Darkness. I adopted this form because I took every ounce of Darkness from your heart. Congratulations, you're just like a pure little Princess of Heart now. Not an ounce of Darkness in you."
"I'm gonna fucking kill you." Toni told him, enraged at this Dark Being hurting her best friend, she got up and ran at him, ZaZick's eyes flashed sadistically, Zack shook his head.
"Toni no!" Zack protested, in vain as she ran at ZaZick, who caught her, he gripped her head quickly, planting his thumb on her forehead, and pumping her full of Darkness, she screamed in pure agony. In her head she saw Kelsi dying in various ways, sometimes it would be Toni crushing her skull, or Zack running her through with his sword, other times it was Zack getting killed, or Dethunter, and Janice. It all passed in the flash of a second, but it felt like hours for Toni.
"I'm going to kill every single one of you. Because you're all weak. Then I'm going to ascend as the God these worlds need." ZaZick said, with a smirk, releasing Toni from his grip, and throwing her to the ground. She just curled into a ball. Dethunter ran at him, swinging his hammer at his head.
"I'm gonna kill you, you evil fuck!" Dethunter yelled, before ZaZick grabbed the hammer and crushed it in his hand. ZaZick then summoned a sword, in a similar way to Zack, and swung at Dethunter's head, Dethunter ducked, dodging the blade, before receiving a kick to the chest, knocking him back on his ass.
"Why did you help me?" Zack asked him, ZaZick nodded, as he dismissed the weapon.
"It benefited me. Saving your friends made you trust me, and I needed a new host to rip the power from. You were perfect for that. No matter how pathetic you are now." ZaZick told him. "Anyway, I wont kill you all yet. That wouldn't be fun, but I will kill you all eventually. Have a good remaining days." ZaZick said, before he vanished in a flash of Darkness.
"Toni…" Zack muttered, making his way over to the girl, who was shaking her head, curled in a ball. Zack extended his hand, and gripped her shoulder, causing her to scream, and punch wildly, knocking Zack away from her. "Toni…" Zack said firmly, wiping the blood from his lip.
"Oh shit… Man, I'm sorry Keire, I'm just… That really sucked…" Toni muttered in a lifeless tone. Zack gave her a look, and walked up to her, pulling her up, and carrying her bridal style, she tried to protest, but what ZaZick did to her had drained her. "Put me down." She told him, Zack smiled a bit at her and shook his head.
"Just relax Toni. Let me take care of you for once. Kelsi would kill me if I didn't." Zack told her, Toni just sighed, and relaxed a bit, as Dethunter came up to them.
"We need to do something about him…" Dethunter said, Zack nodded simply.
"I know. I'll talk to my dad about it." Zack said, before he began walking. Their house wasn't too far from here. "You coming with us, or going home?" Zack asked, Dethunter shrugged.
"Well, figure I'll go with you guys. Just in case." He told them, Zack nodded, and began walking back to his house, with Toni in his arms, and Dethunter next to him. Needless to say, it raised a fair bit of questions when they got home.
-Aftermath- Two Months Later-
"I will show you all the God you deserve! There is nothing beyond me!" ZaZick sounded, Zack, Fiona, Toni, Kelsi, Dethunter, and Bondeshire approached him. He was in the center of the Field of Dreams, a large crowd of people gathered around him, as he was floating high in the sky.
"Those who claim such power are destined to fall based upon their own fallacy!" Bondeshire retorted, ZaZick glared at him, as the group pushed past the crowd, and made their way to the front.
"Remember everyone. Teams of two. Me and Fiona, Toni and Kelsi, Dethunter, and Bondeshire." Zack said, as the group separated, Fiona looking worriedly at Zack.
"We'll make it out of this Zack, we all will." Fiona told him, seeing through his façade of confidence, he nodded.
"I sure hope so… We still have to give Rose a middle name." Zack said, with a smile, Fiona smiled at him, and nodded.
"You've all come to stop me… Well let's see how you stop this!" ZaZick exclaimed, summoning forth a legion of both Heartless, and Nobodies. Zack summoned a sword in a brilliant flash of Light, Fiona summoned her Keyblade, Treasure Trove. Zack ran forwards, slicing Nobodies, and Heartless down with ease, Fiona following behind him quickly.
"I'm gonna kill you, you son of a bitch!" Toni yelled, as she punched, and kicked Heartless out of her way, Kelsi was close behind her, blasting Heartless and Nobodies with powerful magic, in all elements, while also keeping an eye on Toni, and the others, ready to cast a barrier just in case.
"This isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be." Dethunter said, from behind Bondeshire, who was an unstoppable killing machine, with his large double sided blade in his hands, twirling around, and using Darkness, and Light blasts to hit the enemies that weren't close to him.
"That's because I'm doing most the work." Bondeshire growled at him, as he sliced down several Heartless and Nobodies in one movement. Dethunter smashed a few Nobodies with his Hammer.
"We're gonna stop you! Then, I'm gonna take my Darkness back!" Zack yelled at him, ZaZick glared at him.
"I shall give you Darkness. Your Heart will be lost in despair!" ZaZick yelled, as he summoned a sword from Darkness, and vanished.
"Stay alert everyone!" Zack yelled, before he gripped Fiona's hand, and looked around some more. Before a scream was heard, they all turned to see ZaZick behind Dethunter, and ZaZicks sword through his chest.
"Dethunter!" Toni yelled, as she rushed at ZaZick, who smirked, and pushed the boy off his blade, before he prepared to kill Toni as well. However his blade was met with a powerful Barrier made of Light, as Kelsi glared at him. Toni jumped up, and charged forwards with her foot, kicking him in the head and knocking ZaZick to the ground.
A chain extended from Fiona's hand and wrapped around Toni's middle, she yanked her back before ZaZick could retaliate. Zack, and Bondeshire ran up to ZaZick, Zack jumped in the air, and charged a ball of Fire in his hands, before he threw the ball of orange flame at ZaZick.
ZaZick jumped back, only to be met with a sharp elbow to the back of the neck, throwing him off his balance, and causing him to get hit by the fireball. ZaZick glared at them all, and vanished once again. He reappeared high in the sky, holding a ball of Darkness in his hand.
"I will kill all of you!" ZaZick yelled, as he fired the ball of Darkness at the ground beneath him. It embedded itself in the ground, and large cracks formed, the earth splitting apart beneath them. "Your world is finished!" ZaZick yelled, as he made a Dark portal and disappeared into it. Everyone met up with Bondeshire who had Dethunter on his back, Bondeshire opened a large corridor of Light, and Darkness.
"Get in everyone! This world is lost to us." Bondeshire said grimly, as he looked back at the world he grew up in, being ripped apart, from the inside out. Zack, and Fiona stopped.
"What about Rose and Janice?" Zack asked, Bondeshire formed a second smaller portal, and Zack ran into it, he came out dragging Janice by one hand, and holding Rose with the other. After that the group made their way through the much larger portal escaping the world, that was being ripped apart.
-Aftermath- Zack's Office, The Complex- Present Day-
"That's how we lost our world, and one of our closest friends…" Zack said, with a grim frown, Fiona shook her head, and placed a hand on his back, rubbing it in a comforting way.
"Where'd you go after that?" Rose asked, Zack smirked a bit.
"We went to get help to stop ZaZick. You see the Children of Darkness had been around for awhile now. They had started in order to worship Xehanort, like a cult. They weren't anything powerful, that is until ZaZick took control of them. He claimed he could lead them to Xehanort's goal, so they followed him. That's when they went from a small cult to a dangerously organized threat. That's when Sora started up the New Guardians of Light to stop them."
"But how did you start the Protectors of Balance?" Rose asked, Zack smiled a bit.
"It was after we arrived in Radiant Garden… After I met Sora, and Riku." Zack said, Fiona smiled proudly, alongside Zack as the reminisced as well.
-Aftermath- The Castle, Radiant Garden- One week after Winniplex's Destruction-
"So… why are we here again?" Rhyme asked, Zack looked over at her, and smiled. She was thankfully off world at the time ZaZick destroyed it, so she had been safe. Zack was at the head of a table, Tanner was reading a book in the corner, Toni stood next to Zack.
"We're going to be meeting with Sora, and Riku to discuss our next moves against ZaZick." Zack told her, Rhyme nodded.
"I hope Tatsuma is okay…" Rhyme said, Tatsuma was her boyfriend, who had taken her on a trip through the worlds once they finished school. He was out gathering intelligence for them right now, with Yuffie, and Miranda.
"I'm sure he's fine Rhyme. Ha, fine, Rhyme." Toni said, Zack rolled his eyes at her, before Kelsi, Kairi, and Fiona walked into the room.
"Sora and Riku should be here in a minute or so." Kairi told them, Zack nodded.
"That's good. How did everything go?" Zack asked, as Fiona made her way next to him, and Kelsi next to Toni.
"Pretty good. We managed to get rid of a few of the more frustrating Heartless around the castle grounds." Kairi told him, Zack nodded, with a sigh. He relaxed a bit, and leaned forward, bracing his hands against a table.
"Hey, we're here, hope we didn't keep ya waiting too long!" Yuffie announced when she walked into the room, followed by Tatsuma, and Miranda.
"Not at all Yuf." Kairi said, as the ninja walked next to her, giving her a small kiss on the cheek, before she placed a map in front of Zack.
"As requested one updated map, that should help us take this guy down!" Yuffie exclaimed, Zack nodded, as he looked over the map, Fiona next to him.
"So, I hear you all need some help." They heard a squeaky voice from the door. Zack looked up to see King Mickey, with Sora and Riku behind him.
"King Mickey! I'm sorry to drag you into this…" Zack muttered, Mickey shook his head.
"Aw, no more of that. I wanted to help ya. So, have you got a plan for this ZaZick?" Mickey asked, as he walked up to the table. Sora and Riku flanking him.
"Well… Not really. He took my Darkness from me, and I want it back. I want to be balanced again." Zack told him, Mickey hummed.
"If ya think you can handle it. I worry about my friends using Darkness, but there's nothing wrong with it inherently."
"That's right. ZaZick must be stopped, but where will the Children of Darkness go after we stop him, we need to make sure they don't get out of hand." Riku said, Sora nodded.
"I do have a fear that after I leave the New Guardians of Light, people will try and eradicate the Darkness from our world entirely. Maybe we need something to prevent that." Sora said, Zack nodded.
"Well… We have the Children of Darkness, and the New Guardians of Light… What about the Protectors of Balance. We could stand in the middle, to make sure Darkness can stay in the world, while also controlling it. We could try and keep both groups in check." Zack said, Sora nodded.
"Sounds good to me. But first, we need to stop ZaZick. Then, I'll step down from being the leader of the New Guardians of Light." Sora said, Zack nodded.
"With no extremes on either side Balance should be achieved." Riku said. "If you stick around, and make sure neither group gets the advantage over the other, things should be fine." Riku finished.
"Why are you going to leave the New Guardians of Light Sora?" Mickey asked him, Sora hummed.
"Well… I just don't think I want to settle down yet. There are so many worlds I still want to see and explore, and it might seem selfish, but there might be so much more out there for me. More people I can help." Sora said, Kairi smiled.
"That sounds perfect for you. The three of us could go and explore worlds together. That okay with you Yuf?" Kairi said, Zack smiled, and Yuffie pulled Kairi into a hug.
"So… We'll stop ZaZick, then I'll stand in-between Light and Darkness, and keep both from destroying each other… Let's hope this doesn't backfire on us." Zack said, Sora, and Riku nodded, as Toni and Kelsi look proudly to Zack. Tanner, and Miranda shared a smirk.
-Aftermath-
So, The Protectors of Balance are formed. I wanted to make it clear that whatever the groups are doing now, it may not be how they started. The New Guardians of Light in Violet's time, are completely different than the New Guardians that Sora started. Same organization, but different goals. Sora's goal was to simply train New Guardians of Light to protect the worlds. The new leaders goal is to destroy all Darkness in the world.
So yeah, I've talked about that before with Kya, and Seilo, but now that you guys have actually seen it, I hope we all understand each other better. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed, and I promise next chapter will be faster, and possibly shorted, because it's just a raid on ZaZick, and the Children of Darkness, gonna be a lot of fighting. So, until then guys, ciao!