Fire Emblem Hearts
Chapter 11
Themis Invasion
xxx(Themis)xxx
Having arrived in Themis, Kazuki realized the gravity of the situation. The city was under attack. He could see soldiers running in all directions, swinging swords, axes and a wide array of weaponry. He saw one man ride up on a horse and literally slice a man's head off. He tried to hold his urge to vomit in. He knew he had to fight. He pressed himself against a wall, trying to tune out the sounds of battle and the screams of the townspeople. Another explosion filled the area, he had quickly found out they had brought mages proficient in fire magic. He could hear their cynical laughter as the conjured fireballs and shot them at the innocent civilians. Among them were heartless, pillaging the wounded and stealing the hearts of those that were too weak to fight back.
"So, do you plan on hiding here with your tail between your legs, or do you actually plan to fight back?" Veronica asked, causing the boy to look down. The princess had been patiently waiting, having flipped through her spell book for something.
"Sorry, I'm just...not used to this." he mumbled. He quickly covered his mouth, having seen a man get stabbed through the eye with a sword. Veronica frowned, shaking her head.
"Allow me to be the kick in the ass you need then. These people are being invaded by a rival country correct? They are killing the innocent. Along with those creatures. You wish to protect them no? Then unleash your fury on them. They aren't human, they are dead meat...make their heads pop off their shoulders." she replied, emotionless as always. Kazuki looked into her eyes, frowning a bit.
"Veronica, have you killed people before?"
"I have. I am an Empress, and an empress needs to be firm. She needs to show her enemies that she will not waver. Even if that means having to kill people. Now, will you fight? If not I shall be taking my leave." she said. He shook his head, steeling his nerves.
"Damn...if only I had a bow...I may not be good with one, but shit, that would definitely help me." he thought.
"Kill them all! Make sure you steal their valuables too. Plegia will be swimming in the gemstones of these stupid rich idiots!" a man shouted, holding his axe above his head. Kazuki grit his teeth in anger. He could feel his rage flowing through him.
"No please! I have children...if you spare me I'll give you everything I own. Money, gold, jewels, properties. Please!" a woman cried out. The man only laughed.
"You don't have to offer me anything love...after all, I'll just steal it from you after your dead. You are a looker though, I might have some fun before I cleave your head off!" he cried, grabbing a hold of the woman's dress. She let out another scream as he slammed her into a nearby wall.
"Kazuki, you can't save everyone. However, you must never waver...there are untold horrors in our world. However, it is up to you to prevent those horrors from taking place. With your keyblade in hand, you'll be able to save lives. Even if you don't save everyone, remember, for every heart you save, that's one heart not lost to darkness. Don't be afraid of doing what's right."
Kazuki burst forward, holding his keyblade tightly in his hand. He pulled it back, letting out a cry as he slammed it against the man's back. He let out a scream, dropping the woman who quickly scurried away. The axeslinger hastily turned around, meeting eyes with the pissed off kitsune. He could only grin as he grabbed a hold of his axe.
"So, you have the audacity to attack me? Do you know the gravity of the situation boy?"
"Yeah, I do. Now get out of Themis you Plegian scum!"
The man let out a growl as he swung his axe. Kazuki easily avoided the weapon, using the man's momentum against him. He swung his keyblade as hard as he could, delivering three solid hits to his chest, denting a bit of his armor. He dodged another swing of his axe, using the edge of his weapon to redirect it. He jumped back, holding his keyblade straight up. Ice swirled around it, a small mist surrounding the weapon.
"I'm going to kill you. When I do, I'll cut your ears off and sell them to you highest bidder. I'll make myself a nice rug from your pelt!" the man exclaimed. Kazuki growled angrily, racing forward. The man swung his axe, aiming to cleave the boy in half. Kazuki easily dodged the attack, slashing the man's side. He let out a cry of pain as his side instantly froze. He tried to move his axe, but his arm was frozen solid. With a swing his blade, Kazuki shattered the man's arm making him scream in agony.
"My arm! My fucking arm!"
"Veronica!" the kitsune simply called out. He started running forward, keyblade bursting into green flames. The princess formed an orb of fire before her, focusing on increasing its size. Kazuki delivered three more slashes, twisting his body.
"ArcFire!"
"Fire Raid!"
Kazuki threw his keyblade at the man, which formed a disc of glittering green flames. The weapon absorbed Veronica's ArcFire, causing it to turn into a giant flaming ball. The axeslinger howled in pain as the attack connected, his entire body being enveloped in searing flames. Kazuki held his hand out, summoning his keyblade back. He turned around, just in time to see a few Plegian Soldiers, being accompanied by Heartless.
"Tch...Veronica, are you ready?" he cried, holding his left hand out. The princess nodded, clasping her hand with his. A brilliant white glow erupted from their joint hands, as they combined their strength.
"Great Empress Thrasir, lend me your strength." the princess muttered, as she faced forward, sending a wave of lightning at her opponents. She followed up by conjuring a ball of dark energy, which she threw at an archer, willing it to explode.
"Allow me to join in!" Kazuki called out. Veronica flipped out of the way, dodging a volley of sword swings from one of the soldiers. Kazuki clashed swords with the man, easily sending him back. He threw two solid hits, followed by a Slapshot. He spun the man around in time for an Armored Knight to pierce his chest with his sword. He let out a gasp, bursting into light as the Knight salvaged his heart, though it was destroyed by Kazuki's follow up.
Kazuki turned in time to block the axe of a knight, who gave him a smirk pushing him back with all his strength. Before the kitsune could lose his footing, Veronica threw an Elwind at him, the wind tearing through his armor and skin. Breaking their engagement, Kazuki dashed behind his back, thrusting his keyblade into his back, piercing a weak spot in his armor. He pulled the weapon free, ignoring the fact Divewing was now covered in blood.
"Let us finish this battle," Veronica said, earning a nod from Kazuki. He took a hold of her hand, standing back to back with her. He held his keyblade straight into the air, channeling his magic through it.
"Alright Veronica, go for it!"
"I call upon the great power of lightning! Come to me, Rexbolt!"
Kazuki felt her magic flowing through him as she called upon the mighty bolt of lightning. He felt his arm jerk slightly as the orb shot into the sky. It exploded outward, thick orange bolts of lightning rained down upon them, singing their remaining enemies. Their bodies fell lifelessly to the ground, while the heartless burst into mist, releasing their captive hearts.
"That's a few soldiers down. You handled yourself well, but I could see you holding back." Veronica said, surveying the burned bodies of the Plegian soldiers.
"We have to keep moving, my inhibitions aside, the people here are in danger. Themis Square is nearby, that's where the market place is. I have a few friends there that might need some help."
"Then stop yammering and let's move." the princess snapped, giving the boy a sense of urgency.
It didn't take long to arrive in the market district. Unlike the other areas, people here were actually fighting back. Plegian Soldiers could be seen running around, engaging with some of the owners. Some stores had been broken into and pillaged for their valuables. A few heartless could be seen assisting the soldiers, being commanded by a couple generals. Kazuki spotted a familiar redhead among the crowd, fighting back with her own weapon. An enemy archer took aim at her, and the boy was quick to defend her. He fired an Elblizzard at the back of his head, causing him to fall to the ground dead.
"Anna!"
"Hmm...oh well if it isn't my favorite customer!" the redhead cried out. She paused for a moment, running her sword through a soldier. She pulled it free, spraying the ground with the deceased man's blood. Kazuki grimaced a bit, but decided to ignore it.
"I'm surprised you were able to hold your own against this band of soldiers this long. How is everyone else?"
"I can't believe you doubt my skills Kazuki, I'm ashamed at you." the girl replied, giving him a glare. She looked around for a second, spotting a few of her friends dispatching some barbarians. "We're doing fine for now. I let some of the people borrow some weapons. But these guys are tough, the soldiers are backed up by the heartless too. A few people have fallen to them already,"
"Attack with magic, that seems to take them down permanently. We should hurry Kazuki, we haven't got much time." Veronica said, hastily defeating some heartless. He gave her a nod, calling for his keyblade.
"Right, let's take care of these fools."
Anna quickly moved forward, severing an axeslinger's arm clean off. She spun around, ending his life with a single swing, the top his head falling clean off. Kazuki rose a reflect barrier in time to block some incoming arrows, allowing Veronica to fire an ArcThunder at the archers. Kazuki finished them off with a Flamespark, sending their bodies flying back a few feet.
"Kazuki, we need some back up. These heartless are starting to swarm!" the voice of Rio cried, causing the boy to turn around. He spotted the ex-tennis player, sporting an Elwind tome in her hands. He rapidly moved toward her, launching his own Elwind at the group of heartless, stunning them enough for a follow up attack.
"Strike Raid!" the kitsune cried, throwing his keyblade forth. He threw it a second and then a third time, ending the attack with one final throw. The remaining heartless were quickly destroyed by Rio who conjured another Elwind spell right in the nick of time.
"Excellent work, you've gotten better!" the girl said cheerfully.
"I didn't know you were proficient in wind magic. You're not too bad yourself!" he said. Kazuki's ears twitched a bit as he heard a few people running toward him. He rose his keyblade defensively, only to realize it was a few store owners.
"Kitsune-kun! Thank you for defending us!"
"Our shops are our entire lives, if there's anything we can do to repay you, name it!" another man said.
"Take care of the injured. That's all I could ever ask for, tell me...where is the rest of the Plegian army, where are they headed?" he asked firmly. One of the two men rose a hand, pointing toward the nearby mansion.
"I saw a large group marching toward the mansion. I believe they're planning on killing the Duke and his family!"
"Thanks for the information. Anna, Rio I trust you can handle it from here?" Kazuki asked, glancing back at the two merchants. The redhead gave him a wink.
"Of course. I can handle a few pesky soldiers. Here, this one is on the house, I'm sure you'll need it." she said, tossing him an Elixir. The boy easily caught it, giving her a smile.
"I can't thank you enough Anna, I owe ya one!" he said, racing past her. The girl giggled, shaking her head.
"Oh Kazuki, you'll rue the day you decided to use those words," she said cheerfully. Rio swallowed hard, worrying for the young man.
xxx
"Lady Maribelle, the Plegians are advancing. We don't know how long we'll be able to hold the line!"
"Damn those Plegians. Have our archers take sniping positions on the second floor. Once the line is breached, have them move back. Our cavaliers and spearmen need to prepare for a frontal assault. I shall support you as best as I can!" the blonde woman cried. The men cried in agreement and hurried to follow her orders. She flicked her reins, causing Vera to surge forward.
"Gah!" a man cried, as his arm was sliced open by a swordsmen. Maribelle moved between them, bashing the man with the blunt side of her staff. The soldier moved in, stabbing him in the head with his sword.
"Many thanks milady." the swordsman said. Maribelle rose her staff, sealing the man's cut.
"Of course, be careful next time. I may not be able to save you, the line is about to get breached, prepare yourself for the onslaught."
"Yes ma'am!" he cried, running off to meet the others. Maribelle sighed as she looked around. Her prestigious front lawn was now ablaze. There were parts of the garden that had been set on fire by archers and mages.
Areas of her home had been attacked and damaged. The Plegians had lead a coup behind the manner, which had been instantly taken care of by Marcus and his Militia. That didn't stop the mages from doing some serious damage. Her father had been leading the frontal assault, keeping the frontlines at the gates, but the Plegians were strong. All around, Maribelle could see the pink lights slowly rising to the skies. Hearts being stolen by the heartless. There was nothing she could do against them, nothing but watch as they took her men down.
"Maribelle, there you are!" a voice called out, causing her to almost fall from her saddle.
A beautiful woman strode up to her, sitting atop a black stallion. She had long flowing locks, falling down her back, adorned with pink bows. Her body was covered by glimmering gold and pink armor, the chest plate bearing the crest of Ylisse. She wore layered leg armor on her legs, a pair of heeled leather boots on her feet. Strapped to her saddle was a beautiful staff, and in her hand she held a brilliant yellow tome.
"Mother."
"How are things going on? Have you heard from your father?" she asked firmly. Maribelle shook her head, glancing back toward the gates.
"I haven't, however I have been informed that the Plegians are moving towards us. Father is holding the line, however I doubt he'll be able to hold it for long. I hate to say it, but we may have to abandon the mansion and regroup." she said.
"That will only happen as a last resort. We cannot abandon everything we have striven to create here. We must remain and make sure the people of Themis are safe and sound."
"Hyah!" a man shouted, brandishing his sword. The woman quickly jerked her reins, causing her stallion to move. The blade struck the armor plate the steed had been wearing. With a flick of her wrist, she send a powerful ArcThunder at the man, killing him instantly.
"Tch...the fools. That king certainly is mad, sending mere children to do his dirty work."
"Mother, perhaps you shouldn't fight. It has been awhile since your last bout."
"Do not underestimate me, Maribelle. I am a duchess first and foremost, but on the battlefield I am a valkyrie. I must do my best to protect the crown. Now let us continue driving these feeble minded louts off our property!" she cried.
"I'm afraid I can't let that happen." a firm voice said, causing the two women to stiffen. A dark portal opened before them, a dark hooded woman making her way out. Following her was another woman, bearing a smirk upon her face.
"Are you the ones responsible for this attack?" the duchess of Themis asked, glaring at the two women.
"Me? Nah...I'm just assisting her if you will. That attack was cooked up by this lovely witch right here. I'm just along for the ride! For now anyway." the hooded woman said, grinning underneath her hood.
"I see...one of the Mad King's dark mages? I assure you, you will fall on the battlefield today."
"Oh Maria, save your breath. You may have been a powerful woman in your youth, but you know the previous campaign wore you out. You've grown rusty in the last 15 years. I suppose playing doting mother was one of the major causes of that." the woman said.
"You dare speak to my mother that way? How dare you, you disgusting hag!" Maribelle spat angrily. Vera neighed loudly, pawing the ground in anger.
"Maribelle, escort yourself off the battlefield this instant. These people aren't playing around. They wish to cause us harm, and I will not watch my daughter lose her life on this night. Meet up with your father, I shall take care of these strumpets." Maria said firmly.
"But mother, I can't..."
"Go now, that is an order!" the woman cried. Maribelle glared into the woman's eyes, seeing the seriousness held within. She gave her a nod.
"As you wish mother, I wish you luck...I love you,"
"I love you too my dear." the woman said. Maribelle took off, allowing the valkyrie to face her opponents.
"So, should I go after the girl or would you?" the hooded woman asked. Aversa shook her head, holding her tome out.
"Do you not have business elsewhere? That key wielder you spoke of, he's certain to make his way here. I believe that is your mission for now, is it not?"
"Yeah, you're right...I guess if you've got things covered here, I get to mess with the keyboy. Good luck, make sure you save some hearts for the rest of us." the hooded woman said, disappearing in a swirl of darkness. Aversa chuckled, turning back to face her opponent.
"My name is Aversa, dark mage in the service of King Gangrel. I've come to take your daughter from you. Tonight, you shall die by my hand."
"Then be prepared to fight, I shall not allow you to place a hand on my child. Not if I can help it!" Maria spat back, opening her ArcThunder Tome.
xxx
"Windblade!" Kazuki cried, swinging his keyblade outward. Several blades of wind struck the mage, causing him to fly back. Hundreds of cuts littered his body as he breathed his last. He turned around in time to guard against an axeslinger, who pushed him back with all his strength.
"What's the matter boy, can't hold your own in a fight?"
"I can hold my own just fine, thank you very much." the kitsune replied, giving him a smirk. He pulled his axe back, about to bring it down on the boy. He let out a cry, not of battle but of pain as he was run through by a sword.
"In the brief moments I've known you, I've come to wonder two things. Do you truly see yourself as weak? And are you truly this stupid?" Veronica asked, as she pulled the sword from the man's body. He crumpled to the ground, clutching his wound. The princess brought the sword down on his head, ending his life.
"I can't really answer that first one, you've bailed me out this entire time. As for the second one, no I'm not stupid. I was just buying you time." he replied. The girl rolled her eyes, glancing around the field. Most of the soldiers were still fighting, but at lot of the Plegian forces had been dealt with.
"Let us keep going. The line thins out up ahead. I must admit, you are an interesting person, I'm sure with training you'll make an excellent hero."
"Sorry Veronica, but I'm not a hero. I'm just a kid that's lost in another world. We have to meet up with Maribelle as soon as we can."
"Sure, I'll make sure you meet your girlfriend safe and sound." the princess deadpanned, causing the boy to flush.
"Hey, listen here you..." Kazuki began. Several heartless appeared before them, causing the two to stop in their tracks.
"Finally, something I can attack."
Kazuki raced forward, engaging the shadowy creatures. He took them out with ease, with a single swing of his blade. He had noticed, the more he clashed with heartless, the stronger he was growing. The Darkdeer went down a lot easier than before, and he barely had trouble with the Aerial Pirates. However, the new Bolt Towers had been a pest he didn't think he'd have to deal with. They were large, tower like heartless that fired lasers out of their heads. He had deflected one of their beams, inadvertently destroying a building.
Thankfully, this wasn't one of those moments. He had been easily able to break through the line. He pulled Veronica along, taking out some heartless along the way. He felt the ground start trembling, the sound of hooves filling his ears.
"The cavaliers! Seems like they got their second wind!" the kitsune said, watching as the men rode past them, fighting the oncoming tide of Plegians. Veronica pulled her hand free from Kazuki's grasp, firing off some Elthunders at some nearby heartless.
"Then let us use their distraction to break through these ranks." she said, urging the boy on. They made it to the gates, reaching another stalemate. He saw a few spearmen battling against the heartless, being assisted by some mages that had been studying in Maribelle's mansion. He quickly moved toward them, taking care of them with a few swings of his blade.
"Thank you, I was afraid we'd lose our advantage over them." one of the spearmen said. Kazuki turned to face him, noticing it was one of the trainees that had made fun of him before.
"No worries, keep to Plegians. I'll handle the heartless, they die permanently with magic, so keep it in mind. Have any of you seen Lady Maribelle?"
"I saw her helping some soldiers further in. Duke Archibald was fighting against a Plegian General. Lady Maria was assisting Marcus not to long ago. Keep going, we'll handle things here," the man said. Kazuki nodded, and started moving forward, followed by Veronica.
"Gods, there's no end to them. These guys are tough!" he thought, as he ran.
"Well well, if it isn't my foxy friend Kazuki!" a familiar voice cried, causing the boy to stop. He looked around for a moment, only for a dark portal to open up before him.
"Tch...you again? I take it you are the one who orchestrated this?" the boy snapped, glaring at the hooded woman.
"Me? Plan all of this?" she asked, gesturing to the battle currently going on. "Hate to break it to ya Kaz, but the one who planned this wasn't me."
"Then what exactly are you here for?" the kitsune returned, earning a giggle from the girl.
"I told you this before, I'm here for your heart. Rather, I'm here for what will be left behind after it is lost. You are being a bit of a tough nut to crack. Slots are filling up quick in our organization. We need a strong key like you in our ranks." she said. Kazuki aimed his keyblade at the woman, giving her a piercing glare.
"I would never join the likes of you! Whatever it is you are planning ends here!"
"Ugh...I really hate the ones that wanna fight. Sadly, I don't have time to deal with you. I got another stubborn key that I need to keep an eye on. However, I am going to distract you. See, a couple of friends of mine need a bit of help with this coup. With you here, our plans could go down the crapper." she said, snapping her fingers. Twp portals opened up beside her, causing two creatures to come forward.
They were odd, humanoid creatures with long yellow spikes for hands and feet. They had dark gray body suits, with glittering zippers at the front. They also had white hoods draped over their heads, and were hunched down slightly. Kazuki spotted an odd crest emblazoned on their heads. He shook his head, tightening his hold on his weapon.
"More heartless?"
"Fraid not, my buddies here aren't like those heartless creatures. If you ever hope to see your friend again, you'll have to defeat these guys. I hope to see you around again soon Kazuki. Perhaps we'll work together in the future," the woman said, disappearing a second later. The two creatures shot forward, causing the boy to tense up. The two launched an attack, only for it to strike a wall of flames that sprung up before him.
"I'm beginning to question if you truly are a hero."
"Again with this hero business? We really gotta discuss this in the future, Veronica. Let's hurry up and defeat these bastards." he said, earning a firm nod from then princess.
One of the creatures sprung forward with lightning fast reflexes. He let out a gasp in surprise, unable to react in time. The creature slammed its leg into him. He cried in pain, landing in a heap on the ground. He rapidly stood up as the second one aimed for him as well. He rolled out of the way in time, throwing his keyblade at the thing with a Strike Raid. They managed to dodge every single throw, zooming around so quick they left after images behind.
"Veronica, we have too combine our strength if we wanna defeat these things," he said, earning a nod from the girl.
She flipped through her book, launching several spells at the creatures who managed to dodge them all. One of the creatures threw a kick at her chest, despite the hit, the princess was able to recover. She knelt down, panting a bit as she clutched her stomach. Kazuki ran in, guarding against a follow up attack. He threw a few slashes at them, managing to strike their bodies, only for them to contort and dodge his attacks.
"Well, if you aren't going to take my physical attacks, then have some magic! Elthunder!" he snapped, willing the spell into the air. Several bolts struck the white husks, but it only seemed to empower them. He swung his keyblade to parry a strike, being knocked back slightly. The second swooped him, slamming its knee into his stomach. He let out another wheeze, backing away from the duo.
"They're fast...we'll be defeated if we don't do something." he said, forcing himself to stand up. He tossed Veronica a vulnerary, which she instantly downed. He drank one of his own, healing a few of his injuries.
"Elvagar, lend me your strength!" the princess said softly as she opened her tome. It floated before her as she focused on gathering her power. The two creatures started running forward, hoping to land a solid hit on the princess. Kazuki held his arms up as he cast a reflect spell around them. They backed away,
The duo nodded to themselves as they shot forward, pulling out what looked like knives. They started swinging their arms around, making the boy deflect the hit. He moved as fast as he could, trying to counter each of their attacks. Whenever he wasn't fast enough, he would feel a sharp blade slice his arm open. He tried casting another reflect spell, but they were so quick they didn't even left him finish casting it. One of them moved forward, driving their fist into his chest, he let out a cry as he was sent flying back, slamming hard into the ground.
"Heh...you were a nice distraction for them Kazuki. I will end your lives on this day. Rexflame!" she chanted. Golden runes flashed around her, the searing flames turned into a giant orb which she threw at the creatures.
Kazuki forced himself to stand up in time to see Veronica's spell decimate her enemies. The two creatures roared in pain, shortly before bursting into a white mist. The kitsune noticed a slight disconnect between him and the princess, seeing her body starting to glow. He noticed his summoning orb was glowing brilliantly, but was slowly beginning to fade.
"It seems my time here is up, I've used the last of my magic power, what ties me to this realm. I shall return whenever you need me, as per our contract. Remember, you will help me bring Askr down." she said firmly, as she finally disappeared.
"Thanks for your assistance Veronica. I'll take it from here," he said softly, as he started moving toward the mansion. A few more white creatures appeared before him, making him hiss in annoyance.
"You again? Guess that hood called reinforcements...I don't have time for these fucks." he thought, as he prepared to fight.
Kazuki stared his enemies down, trying to find a weak spot. His ears were trying to hone in on their movements. He could hear their muscle movements, and every single breath that they took. There was however one thing that he didn't hear, and that was a heartbeat.
These creatures, whatever they were...they didn't have a heart.
It was the conclusion he had arrived at. The heart was usually beating rather fast, especially with adrenaline coursing through the body. These beings though, they didn't seem to possess anything of the sort. There was no beat, yet their blood was still flowing. It was the oddest, yet most interesting thing about them. He waited for one of them to make a move, his eyes darting back and forth between them.
"Come on mother fuckers...make a move! Fucking move!" he shouted in his head. He hoped one of them would spring forward, just so that this stare down could end.
One of the enemies moved forward, aiming a strike at his side. He angled his blade, easily deflecting it. He moved back slightly, throwing a swing of his own, only for the second enemy to clash with him.
Kazuki grit his teeth, pushing the creature back. The first moved swiftly, driving its leg into his stomach, sending him flying back into the wall. This time, he was able to recover mid air, using the wall as a spring board. He pulled his keyblade back, swirling wind magic bursting around the mythical weapon. With a cry, he swung it down hard on the enemy, finally landing a solid hit. It screeched loudly as the wind magic tore its skin.
"They feel pain? So they're like the heartless, but...they don't follow instincts...can these things actually think?" he thought, narrowing his eyes a bit.
The white creature hissed angrily, flinging several knives in his direction. Kazuki moved out of the way, using a timed dodge roll to avoid the barrage. They teamed up, throwing several more knives which he struggled to avoid. He brought his blade up in time to deflect three more, which burst into sparks, shocking him. He groaned a bit, feeling his muscles seizing from the lightning magic. His ears twitched slightly and he jerked his head back, just in time to avoid the slash that would have cut his throat open. He felt the tip of the blade graze his skin. His hand flew to his throat as he jumped back, his heart beating wildly in his chest.
"I'm not sure if I weakened them before...I wish I knew what these things were! Maybe I'd be able to take them down a little easier." he thought. One of them moved forward, running right around Nia, who had moved in for an attack. Kazuki swung his keyblade, sparks raining from their clash.
"Kazuki...these creatures that you see here are called Nobodies."
"Nobodies? Why do you call them that?" the boy asked curiously.
"Well...it ties into the Heartless. When someone of a strong will loses their heart, the body left behind gains a mind of its own. Through sheer will power, the body continues to move. Those that are strong, become Nobodies. They are unfeeling, they possess no hearts, so they cannot feel emotion. However, they have a keen intellect. They can plan, they can calculate...and they are truly dangerous." the girl replied firmly.
"I see...so they're the body left behind...they aren't supposed to exist and yet...they do."
"Exactly...be careful, you never know what may happen when you run into these pesky foes."
"Nobodies...that's what you are!" Kazuki snapped, pushing the Nobody back. He raced forward, flames coating his keyblade as he sliced it clean in half. He quickly turned around, guarding the attack from the remaining Nobody.
"Out of my way!" he cried, swirling green flames erupting from his keyblade. He let out a cry, bashing the nobody over the head with his blade. He threw a second and third slash, finishing off with a flaming Zantetsuken. The Nobody burst into a black and white mist, allowing the boy to continue onward.
The kitsune moved forward, taking down a few Plegian soldiers and heartless along the way. He was growing closer to the center of the mansion, hearing the loud crackles of Lightning magic being flung back and forth. He happened upon two women, currently fighting against one another. He noticed one of them was mounted on a horse, and was holding what looked like an ArcThunder tome. The other woman was flinging darkness magic back and forth, a smirk upon her face as she seemed to have the upperhand on the battle. Kazuki made up his mind, deciding to intervene in the battle. He held his keyblade outward, firing an Elblizzard at the dark mage, taking her by surprise.
"A kitsune? What a surprise...you must be the young man that woman was talking about. Come to lay down your life for these high society snobs?" the dark mage asked, brow quirked as she looked at the boy. Her eyes landed on his weapon. "Ah, the mighty weapon of legend, the keyblade. It doesn't look like much, now that I'm seeing it in person,"
"So, that means you must be friends with that other lady then. Excellent, that means if I take you down these Plegians will retreat." he said firmly. The woman simply laughed.
"As if you have the power to take me down, not even the Duchess here was able to hold her own against me. What makes you think you stand a chance?" she replied, earning a growl from the boy.
"Excuse me, who exactly are you?" the blonde woman asked, causing Kazuki to glance over his shoulder.
"My name is Kazuki. I happen to be friends with Maribelle. I took down some Plegians in town and started making my way here. I heard from some guys in town that they want to kidnap her. So I came here to put an end to everything," he said, turning back to face the witch.
"You are friends with my daughter? You're the boy she's been teaching to write, aren't you?"
"That's me alright. You should go find your daughter, I'll take care of things from here. Once this lady is taken care of, they're forces will lose all forward momentum." Kazuki said firmly.
"I cannot, this woman is a formidable foe. I will admit, my skills aren't what they used to. I do not believe you have wait to defeat her." she said firmly. A loud explosion rocked the area, causing everyone to look back toward the mansion, seeing one of the watch towers coming down on the courtyard.
"They're planning to take your daughter from her home. They attacked Themis and left in shambles. Go now and meet up with your loved ones, I'll handle things here. Maribelle wouldn't forgive me if I let some bitch kill her mom." he said firmly. The woman sighed, taking a hold of her staff. She held it up, a swirling green light overtaking its orb.
"Curaga!"
Kazuki felt the magic slowly healing his injuries. His stamina and magic power seemed to be returning as well. No longer was he slouching behind or felt like he was about to drop from fatigue. He stood up straight, taking his battle stance.
"I wish you luck boy. Do not underestimate her abilities, let us go Veratos!" the woman said, snapping her reins. She took off towards the other side of the courtyard at blazing speeds.
"I'm curious, why did you lie to that woman?"
"What are you talking about?" Kazuki asked, eyes narrowed as he glared at the woman.
"We captured her daughter a long time ago. We were just finishing the job, taking some payment for our people back home. The previous Exalt's war left us in need of funds. So why not fund our next war with money graciously donated to us by the enemy?"
"I'm gonna wipe that smirk off your face, I swear to god." the kitsune spat angrily.
"Before we begin, I'd like to share my name with you. I am Aversa, remember it well, for it is the last name you shall ever hear." she said, holding back a laugh as she opened her tome.
Kazuki sprung forward before she could react, delivering several strikes on her body. He spun his blade around, jabbing it into her side. Using the last bit of momentum, he delivered a strong kick to her abdomen, making her gasp in pain. She quickly recovered, placing her hand over her tome, pulling an orb of shadows from within.
"Nosferatu!" she chanted. The kitsune dodged the attack in the nick of time, knowing if it hit he would have been sapped of his energy. He used a Sliding Dash to close the distance, chaining another combo. Aversa lifted her leg, kneeing the boy in the chest, breaking his momentum. She struck him with the spine of her book, quickly blasting him back with some darkness magic.
"Tch...I must admit you are better than I expected, that blade actually stings."
"Good, that means I'm doing my job and taking care of you." he returned, running at her once more. He threw a Sparkstrike at her, which she easily blocked. He followed with a Flamespark, missing her entirely. She blasted him back with another ball of darkness, causing him to jump back in time to avoid it.
"Dark lightning, heed my call." the woman chanted, gathering magic in her palm. Kazuki braced for impact, angling his blade in time to cast a reflect. Aversa threw the spell forward, the dark lightning crashing against this barrier. It pierced it with ease, causing him to scream in pain.
"The Goetia spell is one of my favorites. Its a dark perverted bolt of lightning that paralyzes anything on contact. No matter what you try, you won't be able to attack. You'll be a smoldering pile of ash by morning," the woman said, as she approached the boy. Kazuki grit his teeth as he forced himself to stand, slamming his keyblade into the woman's chest. He spun on his heel, using a Slapshot to send her flying back.
"Tch...darkness magic doesn't affect me much lady. Your bolt hurt, but it's nothing compared to what I've felt before," he spat. His ears twitched slightly. "What the hell...why did I say that?"
"Well then, it seems I'll have to use something far stronger than Goetia. I'll sap all of your energy and leave you behind for the buzzards!" Aversa cried as she snapped her fingers. She spread her arms as her dark tome floated before her, the swirling darkness erupted from it, dancing around the woman as she charged her attack.
"Aversa's Night," she said softly with a snap of her fingers. The streams of dark magic flew forward, striking Kazuki dead in the chest. He let out a cry of pain as he felt his energy being zapped from him. His keyblade disappeared from his grasp, as he fell down to his knees. He coughed loudly, a glob of blood flying from his mouth.
"What...what is this feeling? I feel like all of my nerves are on fire!" he thought. He felt an explosion of pain under his chin as he flew back. It took him a moment to register the fact that Aversa had kicked him. He landed on top of a deceased Plegian mage, making him want to scream. The sheer pain from the spell rendered him unable to speak.
"You are lucky, those Hoods have plans for you. If not I would kill you right here. I would use my darkness magic to sear your flesh, make you scream in agony. But I suppose your friend will do just fine." she said, holding back a grin. Kazuki glared angrily, trying to move. His hand brushed up against something, something that felt like a book.
"By the time you awaken next, we will be gone, and this town will be left in shambles. And you? You will be left here to witness it...unable to keep your promise to Lady Maria." the woman said. Kazuki grabbed a hold of the tome, forcing himself to his feet. Aversa quirked a brow, placing a hand on her hip.
"You think you'll be able to do anything with that? Then try your best." she boasted. Kazuki said nothing, flipping through the book. It felt almost like it had a life of its own. He could feel the tome absorbing his mana, charging all of the runes with power. He pressed his palm against one of the runes.
"Flux!" he cried in anger, throwing the spell forward. Aversa batted it away with her hand, not at all impressed. She opened her own tome rapidly, throwing a Flux spell at the boy sending him flying back, this time knocking him out. She sighed, snapping her book closed.
"What a chore. I must admit, the boy has potential...this darkness I sense in him...it's quite powerful."
"Isn't it?" a voice said, causing her to look over her shoulder. A dark portal opened, and out walked her hooded friend, dragging a familiar looking blonde with her.
"You sensed it didn't you Aversa? How much darkness he has within him?"
"Hmm...I do. But his light outshines his darkness, it's like there is something within him holding it back. I'm assuming this is what you are after?" she asked firmly.
"That's right...it seems one of the Foretellers left this young man with something special. Something that our Master wishes to gain. However it seems this one is more trouble than he's worth. In my opinion anyway. Come, we have the duchess, let's head back to Plegia." the hooded woman said.
Aversa nodded, sparing a glance back at the teenager. She turned back toward the swirling portal, finally leaving Themis for the night.
xxx(The Dark Realm)xxx
"Did you feel that?" Sabishii said, causing Akira and Noire to stop. Ann looked up from the ground, facing her friend.
"Feel what?" the blonde girl asked. The ravenette frowned, holding a hand to her heart. It was beating wildly and she didn't know why. She looked around, seeing nothing but large thorny vines. The path had lead to a forest of sorts, which was dark and gloomy. Akira had mentioned the name "Enchanted Domain" a few times. But she wasn't sure if it meant anything to her. She shook her head, turning to face the others.
"I don't know what it is...but I feel like something bad is about to happen. I can feel Kazuki's presence too, it's odd." she mumbled. Akira glanced at Noire who gave him a shrug. The boy walked up to his friend, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Perhaps he's calling you for help. He doesn't remember me, and is possibly struggling with the influx of memories returning to him. If his heart is calling out to yours, then you have to help him. He might be in danger, a danger that he may not be able to get out of alone."
"In danger huh? He was always running head first into things. Even back in Daybreak Town, he'd be on his lonesome. That dumb kitsune."
"Kitsune? What are you talking about?" Ann said in confusion.
"Aren't kitsune like, legendary deities in your world?" Noire asked. Akira nodded, tapping his chin with a finger.
"It seems our memories are starting to come back to us...I still don't know what happened to all of us. All I know is that we all have a past together, in a place called Daybreak Town. But from then on, it's all a blank. That dream I had a while ago was odd too. The reason I called Sabishii wolf ears earlier, is because in my dream she had wolf ears. She's a wolfskin."
"Wolfskin? I don't even know what that is...you're probably imagining things. Anyway...if Kazuki is calling me, then I suppose I should get going huh?" Sabishii asked, earning a nod from the boy.
"Yep...summon your keyblade for me." he said. She looked at him oddly, but did as he asked. Divine Rose appeared in her right hand, in a flash of green light and thorns.
"What are you doing Akira? Why'd you have her summon her keyblade?" Ann asked curiously. The boy said nothing as he walked toward his friend, taking a hold of the weapon. He rose her hand up with it, pointing the blade outward.
"What you wanna do is try to make a connection with Kazuki. The moment you do, a portal will open to where ever he is."
"What about you? Are you gonna come with me?" she asked. Akira ruffled her hair, giving her a smile.
"You got this Shii, I believe in you. Our relationship may be a bit rocky, but I genuinely believe you need this to become stronger. I'm not sure what is going on between the three of us, but I'll be the one doing the research. If you ever need a hand though, feel free to call me." he said. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small charm in the shape of Lastation's crest, the famous LS that his Drive forms adopted.
"I suppose if you are in a bind, I can let you use some of my power. Try not to waste it though, I work hard for my share energy," Noire added, clasping the charm. It glowed brightly as she imbued it with her strength. Sabishii smiled, hugging the two tightly.
"I don't know what it is...but I feel like we won't see each other again for a long time. Noire...I may have just met you, but you are a good woman. I can tell...take good care of him would you? Akira can be very hard headed when he wants to be,"
"Hey! I'm right here you know!" the boy cried.
"Tell me about it, I know exactly how hard headed can be. I'm sure Ann knows that very well too," Noire said with a smile.
"Mhmmm...I've known that my whole life in fact!"
"Come on you guys...don't shit on me like that!" Akira said dejectedly. Sabishii sighed and turned around, clasping her blade with both hands. She closed her eyes, focusing on Kazuki's heart. The tip of her keyblade started glowing brightly, a keyhole forming before her. A thin blade of light struck it, swirling around it and opening a portal.
"Looks like your path is set...I don't know when we'll next meet but...good luck out there," Akira said, holding his hand out.
"Thank you Akira...I'm sorry for what I did to you...truly I am."
"It's fine...no worries. Oh, and one more thing...May your heart be your guiding key," he said. Sabishii looked at him confused for a moment, a small smile appearing on her face.
"May your heart be your guiding key, Akira."
A/N: Hey everyone. I just wanted to post these two chapters back to back, I've had them finished for awhile now, but I didn't really feel like posting them. The problem is, I don't really like how this story is turning out. I don't know what it is, but something needs to be fixed. I know this is the idea that I want to work on, but I might have jumped the gun a bit without planning the idea out fully. I'll be putting this on hiatus indefinitely, in order to try and fix it and if not then I'll probably cancel it all together. In the mean tme, while I prepare for my Danganronpa story, Isle of the Damned, I'll be working on a Fire Emblem Fates story that centers mostly around Flora. I feel like she's a bit underappreciated in the series, but to me she stands out more than her quirky twin Felicia. Don't get me wrong, I love Felicia and how awkward she is, but I think Flora deserves a chance to shine as well. So for now, this is farewell. I truly do hope you've liked this story so far and if not then I apologize. Maybe in the future whatever I turn this into will be way better than it is now.