Truth be told, I actually wasn't planning on continuing this story past San Fransokyo. It was just the community response that made me feel compelled to do so.
I am a dragon. Whereas mortals are lucky to approach their hundredth year, my kind can live past a millennia and have it all pass by in the blink of an eye. By that same token, in the time it takes for me to come to a decision about how I feel about a particular human, their life is at its end. So what do you suppose happens when an ageless being such as myself happens across a spell that allows for the travel through time?
The wings of despair and the herald of ruination; those are not mere monikers. When I took my first breaths of the world, I was all alone. Isolated beneath a dungeon deep underground and surrounded by my incomplete kin. I was born of the blood of humanity and the leader of a type of dragons referred to by the former as the Divine. When people discovered my existence, they treated me as a god. They sung praises to me, worshipped me, gave offerings; and when they acquired what they asked for, be it through my hand or otherwise? They forgot me. And when the next group came upon me, what did they do? They tried to destroy me, in the name of their god. Over and over the cycle repeated itself. A never ending war for the satisfaction of a people, uncaring of the suffering others experience in order to accomplish their desires.
In time I came to learn exactly who it was that tried to destroy me. Light Bearers; Spawn of Naga; Chosen of the Kingsfang. I swore to myself that I would destroy them all whene'er I rose; the 'true' children of Naga, the mother who wished nothing more than to ignore her abomination of a child directly born of her blood rather than chosen. And so I did. And when she gave the last survivors a chance to escape to a time where they might save another world, I followed after. Again and again I chased after and laid waste to world upon world, eventually learning how to cast the time travel ritual all on my own.
The iterations began blurring together. I could predict what would happen with increasing confidence based on preceding events that I had memorized. And then one day... I grew tired. Annihilating worlds becomes such a bore after the umpteenth time. For one iteration, I allowed myself to travel the lands and explore what it was that humanity had to offer. And when I grew tired of the world and all it had to offer? I laid waste to it, and began anew. This time, I limited myself to only a single region. I explored the history of the planet I called home, making the occasional detour to destroy visitors from another time that dared strike me down.
The last few timelines I lived in, I kept myself to Ylisse. My host, Robin, is a constant among the temporal streams. I could not exist in a world where they did not, and one of them managed to stay strong enough through the overtaking process for their personality to rise again through the iterations. I let them have their life. Live what I had never originally allowed them to. And they showed me humanity on a truly personal level.
Food, clothing, music, cuisine; everything that makes a people a people, experienced through a lens I could never access. Without my overt influence, the world continued as it was meant to. The Archanean war between Ylisse, Regna Ferox, and Plegia, led by hierophants that prayed to a silent god. The intercontinental war between Archanea and Valm, and the handful of skirmishes that arose in the wake of power said wars created. But as all mortals do, the people my host called family passed to the frailty of their bodies, and under my command, we slipped back through time and into another iteration.
I sealed away Robin's memories each and every time, granting him a new experience with each repeat of life. Only I, with my timeless essence recalled the blurry memories, but the repeated interactions left resonating imprints on the both of us. As a result, when we think 'Chrom', we think brother, pact kin, Exalt of Ylisse, and father of our goddaughter.
When we think 'goddaughter', we think of Lucina. A laughing girl that forever stole our coat when we weren't looking; a girl scared of stormy nights where thunder boomed and lightning flashed across the sky. We think of a scared woman proud of her heritage stepping into the shoes her father left behind.
We think of a teenager barely into adulthood, following the words of her god into another world, a face we associate with laughter and love screaming at us with a visage of embroiled hatred.
We think of a girl with blue hair that wields a weapon blessed with light.
/ - /
Grima stared at her, gaze focusing on first her right eye and then her left. "Seal the memories away, that the erosion of time cannot harm them. That is the rule I set in place for my host, yet repeated interactions take those memories and turn them into impressions that have us behave certain ways." He looked away, arms crossed as they had been early on. "Aqua. When we first saw you, we saw the child our brother asked us to care for should he ever perish. Though it does not always manifest, the chosen bloodline of Naga bear a certain mark. A pale blue hollow teardrop nestled within a stylize 'y'. For Chrom, it manifested upon his right shoulder. His nephew Owain, on his left hand. And for his daughter Lucina," Grima reached up and brought his hand near his left eye, an action she mirrored.
She knew her reflection. Knew how she looked. She knew that her eyes held no exotic features. Yet for Grima to mention it...
"We were wrong, of course," he continued, "but a reminder of what we once had after an eternity of solitude makes one see ghosts that no longer exist." Grima crossed his arms once again. "Aqua. Do not let the knowledge that Lucina bears a resemblance to you change anything. It does not change the fact that we spent near three years worth of waking periods within the Realm of Darkness; it does not change the time we spent together. It does not—" he reached for her shoulder, hesitating a moment before resting his hand on her, "it does not change the fact that I— we— care for you. You are important to us, Aqua. You are a friend, and in the trials ahead of you, we offer our assistance."
She was glad she was sitting. How was she even supposed to react to this? She had always suspected that there was more to the story than Grima or Robin let on, but to know that they personally had a hand in the destruction of their world? She paused at that. "Grima, how did you end up causing the destruction of your world?"
He grimaced and retracted his hand. "The Heartless. Dark Spawn, we called them. I knew not how they appeared, but appear they did. They started slow, like an infestation. It was not until well into Lucina's, the first Lucina I had properly watched grow up as my goddaughter, time as exalt that they truly became a problem, to the point that the world was as empty as my attempts at extermination. Neither Lucina or I could handle that result, so we beseeched Naga to aid in our attempts at saving the world. Naga opened up the time travel portal as she had so many times before. I volunteered to stay back while the others made their way through, at which point Naga revealed that it was my many leaps through time that allowed the Heartless through. Our world was one that was closed off from the rest of reality, but the repeated stress of my actions created a crack, one that the Heartless took full advantage of."
He sat down beside her, laying down on the stairs as if they were as comfortable as a bed instead of being pointed stone. "I am a creature of Darkness," he said quietly. "A nexus, even. In the Realm of Light, Heartless are drawn to me like moths to a flame. When Lucina and the other survivors stepped through, my mother sent them to a timeline without my distinct presence. It was a timeline where their survival was guaranteed, and though they would not have a place among the world as they once did, it would be a world where they would be safe from the horror of the Heartless. As for me..." he chuckled grimly. "Naga had hoped that she could leave me trapped among the creatures of Darkness. She wasn't aware that I knew how to cast the very spell she had cast. The components for it were all before me, and so I stepped through a portal of my own design. Unfortunately, the Heartless followed me through into that new world."
Grima let out a deep sigh. "Heartless and Risen; two foes dangerous on their own, nightmarish together. That doomed world is the one that Chrom and potentially any other survivors hail from. A world destroyed by my actions, and one in which the impressions of repeated lifetimes have us weeping at the loss of companions near and dear." After a time, he let out another sigh before sitting up, this one of affirment. "But enough of the past for now. We must speak of the future." Grima stared at her, brows furrowed in thought. "How much have you learned of the powers my gift grants you?"
Aqua stared back at him in disbelief. "Just like that? You're just going to step past all of that just like that?"
He raised a brow. "Considering how long ago said events likely were, yes. If you truly wish to dwell on them, do so after the upcoming battle." He continued staring at her expectantly, not stopping until she relented.
"Using the keyblade form you gave me puts a palpable drain on my essence." For a moment, Aqua held out her hand, barely stopping herself from summoning Fell Legacy. "It drains either my physical will or my mana reserves, and in exchange, the other gets increased significantly." She cast a light cure in the middle of her hand, the quartet of flowers blossoming out and expelling a handful of petals downward. "Keyblades strike at a foe's essence rather than their physical body, though there's still a tangible component to any strikes I make. As a blade will leave wounds, so too do keyblades. For Fell Legacy, this manifests as pink flower petals."
"Ignis," he immediately stated. "My keychain has gifted you the power of Ignis." Grima let out an amused chuckle. "Rather interesting how it merely costs you a portion of your energy as you wield it rather than outright immolating you entirely. You are not of my blood, nor my chosen. The essence that Ignis burns away should be far too costly without either."
"Is it because it stems from my keyblade and not yourself?"
"Perhaps." He cupped his chin. "Though of all things, why Ignis?"
This time she properly summoned Fell Legacy, the drain becoming nothing more than a minute thing after her keyblade realized she wasn't in combat. "I had a dream the night you gave me the keychain. It felt like something that all keybearers go through before they truly receive their first keyblade. The proper place is something that's been termed 'The Station of Awakening'. It's a place where you confront things about yourself, and your very essence starts to become directed subconsciously based on the answer you give. In my dream, I was at The Land of Departure. I was walking up the many steps and at a few places, I was stopped in order to answer a question. First was Master Xehanort. He asked me what I was scared of. Next, Master Eraqus. He asked about my dreams. Third was..."
Aqua paused, a part of her hesitant to vocalize what had happened. Whenever she paused to think about her relationship with the ones that had saved her life, she had always ended up in a state of confusion. And so to openly state that he had appeared in her dreams... "Third was you. You asked me what was most important to me."
"'To keep moving forward'," he recited, "yet do you do so pausing to reflect?"
She stilled.
"You forget that I am an unholy being on par with divinity, Aqua." He shook his head. "I thought that merely to be some dream borne from my host's thoughts, but for us to have connected as such?" Grima gave her a critical look. "Perhaps you are more chosen than I first thought," he grumbled.
/ - /
As soon as Grima gave the word, Aqua immediately sat down, resting her arms on her knees as she panted. With the clash for the fate of the worlds looming over them, Grima had decided to give her a crash course in the usage of Ignis, mimicry or otherwise. To that end, they'd spent all of yesterday evening and much of the following morning doing nothing more than having her strike at him in various ways, pink petals floating in the wake of all her movements.
Arcane or physical, Aqua forced herself to become intimately familiar with the way Ignis interacted with her body, becoming attuned enough to its draw that by the time Robin called for a break, she was able to moderately adjust how strong the conversation was, as well as even able to cut off the draw entirely. But for all the results she garnered, it still didn't change one thing.
Grima sighed as he crouched down before her, an idle calculative look on his face. "Are you even capable of feeling your limbs?" he asked after a moment.
"I can feel my limbs and my limbs feel pain," she answered. She felt as if she'd had a full day of training, with several matches against Terra to boot. Now that she finally had a chance to breathe, her everything felt heavy. "And you used to do this regularly?" she panted out.
"When you need to break through someone's defenses, augmenting your strikes at variable levels can be rather effective," he said drolly. After several seconds of her laboured breathing passed, Grima sighed once more and pulled out an elixir. "Are you able to drink it on your own?"
She could have said no. Part of her wanted to say no. But she knew she could manage at least that much. Whereas Mogrii's brews tasted energizing, with a bubbly kick to the concoctions that instantly revitalized one's energy, this one was sweeter, tasting of a cozy fireplace during summer rain. It still did nothing for the soreness infusing her body, though. She winced as Grima helped her to her feet, stumbling forward and into Grima's arms when her legs almost gave out.
"Aqua? Master Yen Sid— oh!"
The door shut as quickly as it opened. Aqua chuckled as she pushed off from Grima, waving him away before casting a Cura on herself, the added effects of the spell making her feel more ready for a twelve hour rest rather than a step away from passing out. She hid another wince as her muscles protested her movement, plastering a small smile onto her face in place of the pain as she opened the door. "Everything okay, Riku?"
Riku cleared his throat and composed himself. "Master Yen Sid wants us all in his study. The others are finally back and he wants to give a few words."
Aqua nodded. "Alright. We'll be there."
Grima watched with a raised brow as she measuredly walked back towards the center of the room. "Do you desire my assistance?"
She sniffed in vague offense. "I can handle it."
He chuckled. "If you say so."
/ - /
Come tomorrow afternoon, this town might not exist anymore. Such were the thoughts floating through her mind as she spooned away tiny bites of her banana soufflé. Not a few hours prior, Master Yen Sid given a pre-battle speech to the ten of them (seven keyblade wielders plus Goofy, Donald, and 'Robin'), stating to enjoy the remainder of the day. Sora, Riku, and Kairi had gone off to the Destiny Islands; Mickey, Donald, and Goofy had gone to what had become Disney Castle; Lea, a passing friend of Ven's who now bore a keyblade, had disappeared through a Dark Corridor (an utterly casual act that had 'Robin' staring deep in thought) while herself, Ven, and an incognito Grima (whose only noticeable trait were his eyes) had taken a trip to Twilight Town via a gummi ship under guidance from Chip and Dale.
Tomorrow, the ten of them would be deeply embroiled in battle, a repeat for the exact same reason that transpired over a decade ago.
Kingdom Hearts.
Aqua batted Grima's hand away in annoyance, the dragon-in-human-form retracting his finger with a chuckle.
"Munny for your thoughts?"
"Just thinking about tomorrow," she answered. "The weight of it all is... heavy."
He shrugged nonchalantly. "You save the world once, you save it a dozen times. The stakes just happen to be bigger this time."
Ven looked between the two of them in confusion. "Have you saved a world more than once?"
Grima nodded, taking another spoonful of his crêpes suzette. "Happened more than I care to admit. Nearly failed several time, but I suppose that only shows how persistent some foes can be."
Aqua chucked. "Oh, wise elder, far beyond our years, please grace us with your wisdom."
Grima raised an amused brow, setting his spoon down and adopting a solemn look. "Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."
She nodded just as seriously, the two of them returning to their meal as if what had occurred was completely normal.
"Aqua?" Ven's almost pained voice had her looking up immediately, his eyes tearing up with sorrow. "I'm sorry."
Aqua reached over and placed a hand on Ven's forearm. "What for, Ven?"
"You were in there for so long," he choked out, "with nobody to be there for you. You—" Ven pressed his lips together tightly, composing himself slightly before meeting her eyes. "You've changed, Aqua."
"Time does that to people, Ven. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse." Grima spent a few moments savoring his last bite before continuing. "The changes you might notice in Aqua are no different than what might happen to anyone who exclusively spends near three years with someone, let alone what our environment might have influenced in us. The good news is: Aqua has rather commendable models as her guides. Individually they might have their failings, but I trust in Aqua to discern what is best for herself." He gave a small comforting smile to the two of them. "Now, once you two finish your meals, how do you feel about climbing a tower? It's no holy tree, but our local liaisons say the view of the town is quite spectacular.
Next chapter should be out August 8th.