Act 1
Chapter 7- Armageddon
Lucian awoke to an enormous explosion outside.
Still groggy, he stumbled out of his bed towards the window of his quarters. He removed the virtual blind that shaded his room from the light when he slept. "What on…" he murmured. Apparently, the explosion that woke him up was not the first one of the evening.
Surrounding buildings were engulfed in flames, and unarmed citizens were running around in pure panic. One thing that was definitely out of place was the fact that multiple people were clothed in black gi, with masks covering their faces. Even more disturbing was the fact that all of these masked figures were wielding keyblades! As he took in the scene around him, one major detail caught Lucian's attention.
In the middle of this vast world was the glorious light, which was housed in a domed building of elegantly carved crystal. This structure was built years ago to keep it safe from intruders while permitting it's radiance to shine throughout the land. However, the apparent goal of these masked traitors was to either damage or take control of the light. The Dome of Light was a ghastly sight of shattered glass and fiery blaze.
"Brother….what have you done?" At first, Lucian didn't understand why he said that. It was just a feeling he had. Somehow, he knew that his brother either had a hand in this, or was conducting the massacre himself.
Quickly, he donned his robes and his keyblade. He had to keep it close. Any interference with the light's power would mean interference with a keyblade master's connection to his weapon. If he lost it or if it got separated from himself, he would need to retrieve it personally, instead of summoning it with his heart's connection to the light. I know I'm forgetting something. He looked around his room. There he saw it, a fairly small and dense circular metal disc. This disc had several buttons on the sides, and the most of the surface of the disc was blank. He had made this with Harva so, in case anything should happen, his apprentice would have it. He hoped it wouldn't have to come to that.
He rushed outside of his room to see other masters flooding the halls. He joined the crowd, and ran into a friend "Braeden!" he called out. The green haired warrior turned around to let the other catch up. "Braeden, what's the damage report?"
"It's utter chaos. It's been like this for the past hour. I'm surprised you didn't wake up until just now! Not only are these traitors heading for the light to do who knows what to it, but they are also slaughtering all of these unarmed citizens," Braeden was panting out as both were charging down the stairways.
"I hate to say it," the other replied "but I think my brother may be involved in this somehow."
"Well that doesn't come as to much of a shock. Several masters, including myself have been a bit wary of Donovan's ideals of survival of the fittest. We didn't know how far he would go, but were hoping that he wouldn't attempt something like this. This is madness. It's suicide."
"Yeah….it'll be suicide for one side, that's for sure." Lucian muttered to himself with deep concern.
As the group of keyblade masters reached the entrance, Braeden and Lucian got an even closer view of the turmoil. The dead bodies of innocent victims, guardians of the world, and traitors to the keyblade order lied in the field, their spilled blood flooding the terrain.
"I've never seen anything like this." Lucian said in almost awe as he gazed upon the sight. The keybladers that were storming out of the citadel were charging off to battle in whatever style they preferred. Some ran, some glided, and others merely disappeared from either a result of invisibility or teleportation.
"Oh well," Braeden said as he drew his angel wing keyblade with a slight smile on his face, "you only live once!" Finishing his statement, he charged off to battle with the others.
"Heh, that's Braeden for you," Lucian said with smile that began to creep across his face "Always smiling as he heads off to battle. He always calm in the face of combat…. No time like the present!" With those words, silver blade in hand, he leaped high into the air in the middle of the battle.
Meanwhile, some time before Lucian had had a rather rude awakening….
"Come my son, I will show you. You have embraced the light's true power, and you will be one of the Worthy to receive such power." Donovan said as he ushered Xehanort towards the Dome of Light. At this point, a large group of masked warriors had gathered by the dome. There must have been at least a couple hundred; Xehanort couldn't really tell. The numbers were staggering.
"Master Palpatine!" Donovan called out. "Are we ready to begin?" A hooded figure standing towards the front of the crowd turned around and removed his hood. He was fairly middle aged with graying hair, and a grim, demented smile on his face. But there was one detail the Xehanort never forgot. His eyes. Those fire colored eyes were eyes that you could not look away from, the kind of eyes that pierced you to your very core. Like his father's…..
"Everything has been prepared, Master Donovan. All of the others are at their positions, ready to set off chain reactions. The purge will be ready to begin shortly." Palpatine said with his wicked grin.
"Excellent." Donovan responded, "Hopefully this cleansing will go over swiftly and smoothly. What about the dome?"
"Unfortunately, the ancients who constructed this dome made sure that all intruders were to be kept out. However, with your permission, I would like to take more unorthodox measures."
Donovan promptly answered his ally. "Do it! Once we have control of the light, absolutely no one will be able to stand in our way." Despite the fact that Palpatine was older than Donovan, Donovan was still his superior. Palpatine, like the many others in the army of the Worthy, had been secretly serving Donovan for quite some time. Donovan had always pushed off the plan to siege the Dome of Light time after time, as if he was waiting for something to happen. They could really never figure out what it was.
Various groups of Worthymen took their positions and prepared to attack. Remaining soldiers formed a complete circle around the enormous dome. All the soldiers drew their keyblades and waited for Donovan's cue.
"Tonight is a night that shall be remembered for centuries to come," Donovan began. "Tonight is the night when the Worthy shall be graced by the Light's unyielding power, and the unworthy meet their judgment. Tonight is the beginning of a new era of strength and prosperity for all the Worthy! Tonight is our greatest triumph!"
The Worthy began to cheer then commenced their unyielding attack. Flames burst from their hands and began to incinerate buildings. Others began to call lightning down from the sky to demolish all in its path.
Soon, many unfortunate citizens began running out of their homes to see the cause of this calamity. A cry came out from Donovan, "Gentlemen, time to cleanse this world of the weak!" Worthymen began charging towards the innocents and slaughtered all they could find, be it by blade or magic. Many were set on fire or frozen in their tracks. Others had their bones crushed by an enormous invisible weight. Some were suspended in air, and hacked to bits by multiple keyblades. Screams pierced the night air. Blood covered the fields and tainted almost every body, the carnage unending.
"Now do you see it my son?" Donovan said to Xehanort as they stood near the Dome of Light. "The weak must be exterminated so only the Worthy can embrace the full potential of the Light." Xehanort did not say a word. Donovan went silent afterwards, believing that his son was contemplating on the matter. However, Xehanort only saw this horrific massacre a disgusting form of humanity. How sickening. They must kill each other in order to gain something so weak. No one like this deserves to live. No one...
Next to Donovan and his son stood Palpatine, who was giving orders to other soldiers. When he was finished, all the soldiers pointed their blades towards the ground, and the blades began to glow. This glow became brighter and brighter, until the soldiers were glowing too, growing in power. Suddenly, their combined power released in an enormous wave, which dug into the crystal dome. Soon, the dome began to crack and at last, most of it shattered into pieces, creating an enormous blast. The soldiers' bodies had disappeared along with the blast, leaving no trace behind.
Most of the dome was gone now, leaving only certain fragments behind. Donovan turned around and outstretched his arms, hoping to feel the caressing power he had so yearned for. However, his temporary ecstasy was broken by an unnerving sound. He turned around to see that some of his followers had fallen. He immediately knew what it was. "So, they've finally decided to step in, have they?" Donovan said with a deranged grin on his face. They are too late.
Donovan drew his keyblade. Suddenly, a short red headed male appeared beside him. The foe tried to attack, but Donovan slashed him in two at the torso. A blonde female was right behind him, but met a similar fate. No one can stop me now. He thought. All is going according to plan.
However, a disturbing thought came into his head. He realized there was one detail he had left out. The armory. Dispatching with another keyblader, he approached Palpatine. He said in a calm demeanor, "I would hate to see our moment of glory ruined by interlopers. Take some soldiers and secure the armory."
Palpatine responded "Very well, Master Donovan, but what about you?" Before he could answer, Donovan felt a strong presence nearby. He turned his head upwards, only to see that a familiar face had leapt into the air.
A slight grin came across his face. "I have other matters to attend too. I'm leaving securing the armory solely to you." Finishing that sentence, Donovan began to walk away.
"Yes. Right away." Palpatine said as he prepared to gather his force. But, before he knew it, a keyblade master appeared directly in front of him, his keyblade pointed directly at Palpatine's throat. Palpatine recognized this keyblade master, particularly from his strange green hair.
Braeden said with a calm face and a smile "Going somewhere old man?"
Gideon could not sleep. He had been awake ever since the small tremor. Suddenly, the explosion of the Dome of Light rocked everything in his room. He felt something odd was going on and headed out of his room, unsure of what to do. He saw other Potentials running around, apparently as lost and confused as he was. Everything was in an uproar and panic.
Gideon was starting to become disoriented as he headed toward the entrance hall of the temple, partially from the screaming of other Potentials around, and due to the lack of sleep. What am I supposed to do? I have no idea what's going on? Why do I feel so weird?
"MOVE IT WEIRDO!" Alena screeched as she ran into him. Alena collided with Gideon, sending the both of them spiraling to the floor. "What's wrong with you?! Why do you have that stupid look on your face…well, stupider than usual!" The brown haired boy just stared back, not saying a word. "Ah forget it," she said, breaking the silence. "Well, what's going on? Why…is there such a panic? I can't even thing in this noise."
Losing her temper, she turned around to the crowd, and yelled at the top of her lungs. "Would everybody just SHUT UP!" At that moment, all the other Potentials in the entrance area stopped and gazed at Alena standing atop the stairs. The pink haired girl went on "Thank you, now…," but before she could finish, everyone began screaming again. A disgruntled Alena, with her mouth still agape, said "Ugh. Why do I even bother? What exactly is everyone crying about anyway?"
"Can't you tell?" Alena jumped at this question from Aaron, who had managed to sneak up behind her.
Alena turned around and curtly replied "It's obvious I can't tell you IDIOT! If I knew what it was, I wouldn't be asking!"
Aaron looked at her for a moment, then sighed and went into another one of his speeches. "An explosion happened awhile ago that's creating quite an upheaval in the balance of this world. Something is up, and from the other sounds out there, I'd say it's a war…a big one at that."
It was Gideon's turn to react "A war?! We gotta get everyone to a safe place before it gets here! I don't know about you, but I don't want to get mixed up in unless I have to."
Aaron smiled at Gideon and said "Don't worry! This temple is one of the safest places in the world. It's virtually impenetrable. The only ones who could get in here are keyblade masters!"
At that precise moment, a loud bang came from the entrance. A second bang sounded, and the doors to the temple opened wide, with a dark figure standing in void with a keyblade and bloody and maniacal smile. The figure cackled at the top of his lungs "Knock knock! ANYBODY HOME?! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAA!"
Lucian landed on his feet in front of his brother, splitting the earth in his land. Right before his eyes, Donovan disappeared. Lucian muttered "Where…where did he…" but was cut short when he felt a blade close around his neck. Donovan, who had teleported behind his sibling stood ready for the kill.
"Aha! Now you see my son?" Donovan shouted "This is how true masters fight!" Xehanort did not say a word. He just continued to gaze at his father and uncle in their wretched struggle. Lucian found Xehanort's stare incredibly unnerving, piercing, as if Xehanort was judging his very soul with the utmost contempt. My God. What has Donovan done to you? Lucian thought.
However, he abandoned these thoughts and turned towards his sibling, now his adversary. "True masters?" he began "True masters don't use sneaky and dirty attacks to engage their opponents. Those are the actions of a coward. But, since it's you, I shouldn't have expected anything better!"
Donovan said under his breath "Why you…" At that instant, Lucian jabbed his brother in the stomach. His opponent was thrown back, he grabbed Donovan's arm, and tossed him over his shoulder. Good, now if I can just get him angry enough, he may lose focus!
Lucian now stood over his sibling, his keyblade pointed at Donovan's face. "It's over brother. Give up your insane quest for power!" Donovan only smiled and said in his usual calm and calculating demeanor "Heh heh heh. Never." Donovan spun around and landed a kick on Lucian's ankle. Seizing the moment, he leaped up and raised his blade. He cackled "You understand so little." Lucian regained his balance and did the same. The brothers' blades collided with a shattering clang, both standing face to face against each other.
After a long pause locking blades with one another, Lucian finally spoke. "I just have one question. How could you have planned this without other masters knowing of what you were doing? How could raise an army and train them like this?"
Donovan promptly began laughing at his brother. "You never understood the big picture did you? I trained these men in the temple where no one would notice under Form XIII rules! That way we didn't have to rely on those pathetic cards."
Lucian remembered now, back a few weeks before when all four of the masters had begun training with their apprentices. He could even remember Braeden's voice telling them that there was barely any room. "Hmmmm. That's a shame. It appears that most of the floors are occupied for battle simulations." The words "battle simulations" echoed endlessly in Lucian's head. Of course! It's so obvious now. I should have realized such an irregularity then! Why didn't I?
Donovan, seizing the moment, removed his left hand from his blade and grabbed Lucian's left arm. Locking the arm into place, Donovan swung his blade towards his brother's back. Almost instinctively, Lucian, with his free arm, swung towards his back to block the assault. Then, he precisely latched on to Donovan's keyblade, parrying it out of his hands. Lucian wrestled his right arm free and elbowed his brother in the stomach, sending him hurdling towards the ground. Lucian caught Donovan's keyblade in his right hand and twirled it in his hand before pointing both at his enemy. "It ends here and now."
Donovan glanced around before giving another angry glare at his brother. In an instant he vanished, and reappeared closer to the shattered dome. He extended his hand towards the light. Suddenly, light particles began drawing closer and were absorbed by his hand. He outstretched his right hand towards his brother.
Instantly, Donovan's keyblade reappeared in his right and began to glow. As his eyes grew bright red and evil grin came across his face, he yelled in triumph "This is only the beginning!"
A gigantic beam of light blasted forth from the keyblade and hit Lucian with a gigantic explosion
Potentials continued to run around the temple away from their pursuer. After entering the temple, he pushed a button on his keyblade, causing the rusty and triangular miniature blades to begin to move around the keyblade like a chainsaw. His clothes and robes were worn and tattered, his blonde hair mattered and messy. His smile was demented with teeth missing, probably from a previous fight. "Come here my little kiddies!" The disheveled man cackled "I'LL MAKE IT ALL STOP!"
Deeper in the temple, Gideon, Alena, and Aaron were traveling in group and maneuvering the halls, trying to avoid their unwanted guest. It was Alena who finally broke the panicked silence. "Okay, so tell me…..how did a PSYCHO like him get a keyblade?!"
Gideon, though probably more panicked than the others, managed to stream out a sentence. "I don't think he's himself. I felt a strange presence near him, like someone else is controlling him."
Alena retorted, "Oh great….that still doesn't help us! Well, how about you braniac? Got any ideas?"
Aaron was thinking as a fast as he could, observing the situation around him. "If we can make it out through the south entrance, we could manage to escape." At that moment another large explosion rang, this one closer to them.
Alena shouted, grasping her ears in pain "What was THAT?!"
Aaron replied in a slightly nervous tone "That…was the southern entrance. Blown up by our visitor no doubt." He could see out a nearby window the entrance they were heading to had collapsed, the doorway blocked.
As if summoned by those very words, the deranged man appeared before them in the hall. "Peek a boo!" he screeched. With a simple "Eep" muttered by one of them, they turned and ran back to the entrance hall. Barely had they reached there when the rogue master managed to gain on them and appeared before them. He raised his blade in malignant glee and brought it crashing down. The three children closed their eyes, awaiting the inevitable.
All three were surprised to hear a large clang and find themselves still alive. They opened their eyes and saw a short gold blade with a white hilt. "Master Harva!" Alena cried, happy to see her own master.
Harva had a kind smile on her face "Good! It seems that I'm just in time!" And with that, Harva parried the blade and with a whack to the man's right hand, the blade fell to the floor. She then elbowed him in the stomach; swipe kicked him to his knees and knocked him on the head with the hilt of her blade. He fell unconscious to the floor.
After a brief silence, Gideon said in a brief state of relief and shock "…Wow."
Harva kneeled over the incapacitated foe and casted an incantation. Within seconds, the mind of the troubled warrior was once again at peace. Harva said, "He's finally back to normal, probably under the control of one of those traitors."
Gideon replied, "Traitors?" A sad look came over Harva's face. "I'm sorry to say, but hundreds of masters have rebelled against the keyblade order to take control of the light. They are being led by Donovan, who is orchestrating the coup de' tat."
"Yeah," Alena butted in "now that you mention it, I haven't seen Xehanort this evening….that must be where he is."
Another, longer, silence past between the four before Harva spoke again. "Now hurry, come on everybody. We must get you to your respected masters at once! Now is not a time for you all to be left alone. We need to get you somewhere safer. Now, get your most precious belongings and chainless keyblades. You never know when you're going to need them."
And with that, all 3 gathered what little valuables they had and their chainless keyblades, and quietly exited the temple.
The beam was still surging forth from Donovan's blade. He shouted to the air, "You see? This is the true power I have so yearned for! Not even you can stand up to it brother! You see what I have been telling you all along Xehanort? Xehanort?" As Donovan briefly turned around to stare at his son, he realized that Xehanort was no longer standing behind him. He had disappeared. But, Donovan realized the current battle was more important at the moment. He turned his face back to where his brother once stood, gazing at the destruction of his demise.
However, as the dust from the blast began to settle from the explosion, he could see his foe still standing, his blade blocking the blast. Donovan gasped, "You! How is it possible?" As Lucian held his ground, he couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "You never did understand, did you brother? The keyblade and the Light aren't the true source of our strength…ITS OUR HEARTS!" With all his might, he deflected the blade away from his body and sent it hurdling into the ground nearby, causing a large and explosive impact. Donovan only stood, befuddled by his brother's survival.
Lucian continued in his speech. "Our hearts are the most powerful weapon one can have. They are our very core. They give us life and help sustain it. Hearts are what make up everyone in this world, even you. The Light is merely connected to our Heart, as well as the keyblade. They are a part of our hearts, just as our hearts are part of the Light. Light and the keyblade alone do not give you power, it is only your heart."
After a long and tense hush between the two, Donovan burst out into malevolent laughter. His laugh was booming, rushing throughout the area. "A heart? A HEART?! You think that alone can defend you in battle? The heart is merely a tool to achieve one's goals. Nothing more, nothing less." Lucian laughed once under his breath, "Even after all this time, you still won't take advice from me?" He sighed "I guess it can't be helped."
And with that, both disappeared in a fast teleportation. Blade clashes flashed across the field, silver and black contacting with enormous power. Lucian reappeared on the field again, his brother raising the blade high above his head. Lucian dashed to the side and Donovan crashed in to the ground sending out a gigantic shockwave.
As Lucian regained his footing, he was startled to see this brother appear right behind him. Donovan's blade came between Lucian's head and his keyblade. With a mighty swing, Lucian's silver blade went flying across the field. Lucian was knocked to his knees by another blow.
Donovan pointed his keyblade towards his brother's chest and raised it high. In a mighty voice, he proclaimed "What can your heart do for you now?
Lucian closed his eyes as he prepared for the impact of the black blade.
Braeden had his hands full with Palpatine. Despite the geezer's old age, he was quite powerful. Palpatine's keyblade was blood red, thin, and slender. And apparently, his talent with a blade was second only to Donovan and Braeden himself.
The two had been exchanging blows back and forth between each other for the past hour. The battle seemed unending, though Braeden had yet to break a sweat.
"Come on!" he shouted, "Just give it up! On my honor as a keyblade master, I promise not to injure or kill if you surrender."
Palpatine's strength was slowly beginning to fade. He said while panting, "Never! I will never surrender to the likes of YOU! I am destined to become all-powerful from the light with Master Donovan, while filth like you perish in divine judgment."
Braeden couldn't help but laugh to himself. Doesn't know when to give up, does he? But at that moment, something caught his eye. A silver blade had just hit his feet. He turned to see the scene of horror in his profile vision. Donovan was about to kill Lucian. Braeden cried at the top of his lungs "NOOO!"
The three children were approaching the battlefield, accompanied by Harva. They were walking from the temple in hopes of finding Lucian and Braeden. They needed to get to a safer place. However, all four were sharing the exact same thought. I hope Lucian and Braeden are all right.
It was then that they arrived in the area at the center of the world where the Light was located. It was there that they saw a horrible sight. As Donovan brought his blade crashing down, a horrible sound emerged from the blade's connection with the body.
Lucian closed his eyes as the blade came crashing down, and, with a horrible splat, it connected with the body. But when Lucian opened his eyes, he realized that he was unharmed. However, the green haired warrior who had dashed in front of him to stop the blade was not as lucky.
"Br….Braeden." Lucian stammered out. He couldn't believe it. At the last second, without even thinking, Braeden had teleported in front of Lucian to take the blow. He knew he wouldn't live. Why did he do it?
Braeden chuckled lightly as he coughed up blood. "Sorry friend," he was addressing Lucian "I really am. But I had to do it, whether you realize it or not. Gideon, Harva, Alena, and even Aaron need you alive."
"Braeden, why?" Lucian questioned.
Braeden merely laughed again. "I…had a dream years ago. In this dream, I was given a vision of the future. I saw it, and realized that none of it could happen if you weren't alive. That's why, from then on, I vowed to keep you alive. To keep this order alive."
By this point, Braeden had dropped his angel wing keyblade, and his blood was slowly pouring onto it. This time, Braeden addressed Donovan. "By…doing this act, by my death….your downfall has been set into motion. The keyblade order will return, and you WILL be defeated."
Braeden turned to see Harva and the children, their eyes all in tears. But most importantly, he focused on Aaron. "Aaron, I'm sorry you had to see this. I didn't mean for you to watch me die."
Aaron could barely find any words to say. "Ma…ster."
Braeden spoke with a firm tone "Aaron, listen to what I am about to say. No matter how bad this looks, I will always be with you, in your heart. And trust me, though I may be gone for now, I will see you again in the afterlife. I will see you again, I promise."
And with that, Braeden's body faded away into light particles, leaving only his armor behind. Donovan grasped his blade again, wiping the blood from it. A smile came across his face as he said in a particularly cold tone. "Heh, what a fool."
It was then that Aaron lost it. His eyes began to glow a deep green, and he shouted at the stop of his lungs "YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" Outstretching his hand, Braeden's keyblade lifted off the ground; the blade covered in blood, and flew into Aaron's hand. The heat and fury of Aaron's energy seared the blood to the blade, forming a new weapon. The key portion was still an angel wing, but the blade and half the hilt had transformed into a new blade, a more demonic blade. Aaron shouted again "I will kill you!"
He dashed at Donovan, and their blades collided. Donovan scoffed. "You stupid, foolish boy. Know your place." The blades clashed in the air multiple times before Donovan knocked Aaron to his knees. With a cruel slash, Donovan cut a gash on Aaron's left cheek, the wound bleeding profusely.
"Aaron!" Lucian cried, now having retrieved his blade. He grabbed him and teleported back to Harva. "We need to get them out of here now, before it's too late."
"Where do you think you are going? I'm not finished with you yet!" Donovan taunted his opponents.
Lucian turned away from the wounded to boy to face his brother again. He drew his blade. "This has got to stop Donovan!"
"And it will." A voice cried out. Suddenly, a blade burst through Donovan's chest. With a shocked expression on his face, he stared down at the blade. It was thin, black and covered with thorns. I know this blade….
"Xehanort! No!" Harva cried! Xehanort stood behind his father, driving the chainless keyblade deeper into his chest. Donovan fell to his knees. He merely stared at Xehanort with a shocked and almost hurt expression.
Xehanort only whispered "Pathetic being."
With that, Donovan's shocked expression faded away, and he returned to his normal state. With a final breath, he uttered the words "Don't be afraid…Xehanort."
Donovan's lifeless body collapsed to the ground, and in the process dropping his keyblade. Xehanort picked up his father's keyblade, grasping it firmly now that it was his own. A strange energy began flowing from Xehanort's body, warping the structure of the keyblade. He started glowing and slowly floating off the ground. In a booming voice he turned to the others and said "Leave now, or suffer the same fate."
On that note, Lucian and Harva began running away, making sure the three children stayed with him. "Where are we going?" Alena asked.
"We're going to the armory, and we are getting you out of here. We'll get one of the Gliders. It's going to be alright," Harva replied.
But somehow, all three of the children knew that everything was not going to be alright.
Soon they had reached the armory, but the rising smoke and gaping holes in the walls made them realize that company was already here. They burst through the lower entrance, only to see that the thousands of keyblades had fallen from their respected shelves to the ground.
The armory was slowly beginning to collapse, probably from the strain of battle. The group of five slowly began marching up towards the top, towards the Glider hangar when they were ambushed by several Worthymen. Harva and Lucian fended them off one by one, separating them from their blades and knocking them unconscious.
Meanwhile, back at the shattered dome, Xehanort continued to glow. He began to rise higher and higher off the ground; the sheer energy of his presence was lifting not only himself but other corpses around him. He raised his chainless keyblade, still bloody from his father's murder, and his new keyblade. He thought to himself, If this light is so powerful to kill over, it must be strong enough to withstand an attack. His keyblade began to glow with a dark and powerful energy, and the ground began to shatter around him.
Within a deafening screech, a blast of energy burst fort from the keyblade directly in to the Light. At first, there was nothing but an eerie silence, but then, a crackling sound began erupting. The Light soon blasted forth several waves of energy. A grim smile came across a still floating Xehanort's face. I knew it…weak, like all of these wretched excuses for life.
At the armory, the group had reached the upper levels; they only had to pass one crossing before reaching the Chaser work floor. The crossing was a small pathway about the giant chainless keyblade vault. They were rushing along, praying that they wouldn't fall. At that moment, a giant tremor shook the armory, causing Lucian, Harva, and Aaron to drop their keyblades into the vault below. They extended their hands to reclaim them, but nothing happened.
"It must be the Light!...Xehanort!" Gideon cried out.
"There's no time! We have to hurry!" Lucian responded. They made to the end of the walkway and traversed the stairs. They had made it to the Chaser floor, but what they saw filled them with horror. The Chasers, all of them, had been slaughtered. There were no survivors, or at least, that is how it appeared. In the corner, they found a distraught and panicked Ienzo, shivering in the cold loneliness. He was in such a state of shock that he couldn't even speak, though he tried to mouth something.
"Sssh." Harva said, comforting the boy, "Don't worry, we'll help you out. Come, we need to get to the hangar." After traveling up a final flight of stairs, they had reached the hangar. Two Gliders were always kept in the armory, should an emergency need to use them ever arise. However, apparently, they were not the first ones there. Palpatine, obviously realizing the dangers of the growing battle, was deciding to use one of the Gliders for his own purposes. He opened a door in the glass cockpit to bide a sarcastic and grim goodbye to his former comrades. He waved his bony fingers towards the group of now six, unaware that his keyblade was sliding out from underneath him. Before he knew it, the Glider was lifting off, with his keyblade crashing to the ground below. He struggled in vain to reclaim it, but was forced to take off.
With only one Glider left, Lucian and Harva ushered the three apprentices into the vehicle. Unfortunately, there was no room left. Lucian turned to look at Ienzo and said "Don't worry, we'll find another way for you to get out." Lucian entered in a sequence of controls into the panel, and the Glider buzzed to life. "Here," Lucian said to Gideon, "take this with you. It will provide guidance for you when you need it. You will restore the keyblade order and balance to the universe. All of you. I know you can." Lucian gave Gideon the dense metal disc he had been carrying around all evening.
He placed it in a circular groove that perfectly fit its size on the top middle portion of the control panel. The disc whirred to life and began working with the ship's computer, as if almost guiding it. The Glider began to lift off the ground. Harva said a final goodbye to the children "I'll miss you Gideon, Alena, and Aaron. Be sure that you are nice to each other and take care of one another. Understand?!"
And with that, the Glider climbed higher and higher, as Lucian and Harva were waving goodbye to their apprentices. Inside the Glider, a special gas was spreading through the cockpit, sending the passengers into hibernation mode. And the three keyblade Potentials fell asleep close together amongst their chainless keyblades and possessions.
Just as the three had fallen into deep sleep in the Glider, the Light let out its final blast, before shattering into pieces. Lucian and Harva had just reached the Citadel of Radiance with Ienzo, before the final cataclysm. The world itself soon followed, breaking up into fragments upon fragments, forming worlds of their own.
As the World of Light was born hundreds of years ago into the universe, so it now fell apart because of the aspirations of a madman and the plans for his now dark son.
The die has been cast. The stage is set. So begins this tale of tragedy and undying hope. The worlds that were born in Light fade into Darkness, only to see that very radiant Light at the end of the journey. A journey of warriors. A journey of friends. A journey of three.
END OF ACT I