The Resolve of All
Chapter 5: New Strategies
"So Roxas... you think you can take me on?" Mark inquired as he summoned his weapons which were a blizzard white sword in one hand and deathly jet black sword in the other.
"I know I can." Roxas gritted through his teeth.
Play Remastered Megaman Zero Tracks - Cannon Ball Mythos for Mark's Battle Theme.
He took his battle stance. "Very well then. Allons-y!"
And then they clashed...
Mark's swords collided with Roxas's Keyblades and the ground began to shake as a shockwave was created from their impact.
Mark then leaped back and landed on the dock while Roxas gave chase. But as Roxas was jumping in mid-air, Mark gave a smug smirk as he sent two waves of dark energy from his swords at his opponent.
Roxas dodged then first one by an inch but the second one made a direct hit! At the last second though, Roxas was able to throw Oblivion in a strike raid motion at Mark!
Mark sidestepped out of the way to dodge the Keyblade just in the nick of time. But Oblivion embedded itself in the wooden floor of the dock, and Roxas crashed back in the sand with a grin as his face as he snapped his fingers... a trick he picked up from Lea...
Oblivion exploded right next to Mark, destroying the entire dock! The shockwave sent him flying into the ocean, and Roxas got himself back up as he re-summoned his Keyblades.
"There's plenty more where that came from!" Roxas taunted.
Then as a response, Mark leaped out of the water high into the air and used some aero magic to dive-bomb Roxas! Mark made himself as missile as he crashed into beach, creating a sandy crater around them. Roxas staggered as his barrier barely held up from his attack, but he looked around for Mark and he was nowhere to be found...
"Above me...?" Roxas searched the skies. "No... below!"
And just as he thought a black sword projected from the sand beneath Roxas and he was clipped in his leg, tearing through his coat and his skin. Roxas jumped back near the destroyed shack and examined his injured leg...
"This could have been a lot worse..." Roxas thought.
As Roxas performed a cure spell on his leg, he watched as Mark emerged from the sand beneath and charged at him again!
Roxas barely had any time to react as Mark and him dueled each other on the beach of Destiny Islands. Over and over, they clashed and both held their ground, neither of them giving an inch to the other...
Then Roxas finally saw an opening in Mark's defense and went for it! Roxas struck Mark in the shoulder and he let out a yelp of pain. Although, Mark was able to return a dark firaga spell at Roxas' chest and they both flew back from each other from the impact!
Roxas and Mark both stood back up on their own two feet. Roxas was ready to charge again for another round, but Mark simply put up his hand, motioning for him to stop.
"Enough... Roxas, you are a very skilled fighter. Quick on your feet if I may say so." Mark complimented as he clutched his shoulder in pain.
"You're not so bad yourself." Roxas panted. "Are you going run back to your Organization pals now?"
"Call it a gentleman's retreat, for you see... I have very big plans for you and your friends... until then... adieu." He chuckled as he teleported into darkness...
"...What big plans?" Roxas wondered for a moment then decided to shrug it off. "Better get back to Xion before she starts to worry."
And with that, Roxas created a corridor of darkness and he left the island somewhat in ruin as he made his way back to the Mysterious Tower...
"Hmmm..." Yen Sid stated. "Your skills with the Keyblade have quickly improved."
"Thank you, Master Yen Sid." Drex bowed.
"As for you Lea... you have yet to even summon your own Keyblade..." Yen Sid condescended.
"Hey! Cut me some slack, it's not like we don't have enough Keyblade wielders here." Lea responded.
Drexbann and Lea had been honing their abilities in another dimension Yen Sid had placed them in. Time flowed differently there... one minute in the outside world equaled to twelve hours in the other dimension. ...And they've been in there for about two hours...
"Nevertheless, your training will be postponed until other matters are dealt with." Yen Sid stated.
Then Xion came over from the next room and noticed Drex and Lea were done with their training, at least for the moment.
"Kairi is resting in the other room, and I need to head back and help Roxas." She informed.
"Wait, where's Roxas at?" Lea inquired.
"He's fighting someone named Mark, someone you know Drex?" Xion replied.
"Roxas is fighting Mark? Huh... Then I would imagine Roxas is going to have his hands full." Drex stated.
"Is he that strong?" Xion asked worriedly.
Before any of them could get another word in, Roxas entered the study via corridor and surprised his friends with a sort of victorious grin.
"Hey guys." He waved.
Xion ran to her boyfriend and embraced him with a tighter hug than she used on Pluto, but she quickly realized her folly and released him after a sneaky kiss to avoid awkwardness with the others.
"I was worried..." She admitted.
"I knew you would be." He replied.
"Roxas... did you beat Mark?" Drex inquired.
"Well actually... he just kind of... quit." Roxas informed.
"Really? That's strange..." He pondered to himself.
"Is Kairi okay?" Roxas asked.
"She's in the next room over." She answered. "Ready to head back out there?"
"Yeah." He nodded.
"Ahem... if I may speak, I would like to inform on new events that have come into development." Yen Sid addressed the four. "I fear that Sora and Riku's test has been hijacked by the Organization, and they are leading the two of them to terrible fates."
Everyone gasped. "What can we do?"
"As I expected, the Organization is taking advantage of the fact that they have strength in numbers which is why we have no choice but to change our own plans." Yen Sid explained. "Mickey, Donald, and Goofy have already left for the Realm of Sleep to aid their friends. Lea, I wish for you to join with them and stem the tides in our favor."
"Now that I can do, you can count on me. Got it memorized?" Lea smirked.
"What about us?" Xion inquired.
"Roxas, Drexbann, and Xion. We have saved Kairi and therefore secured one princess. Unfortunately, I am sad to say that the Organization has utilized all of their dark forces and already kidnapped three other princesses..."
"No way... what about the other three?" Roxas questioned.
"Split up and we can save them while we still can." Yen Sid said.
"Which three are left?" Drex asked.
"Jasmine, Aurora, and Belle; they reside in Agrabah, Castle Dominion, and Beast's Castle respectively." Yen Sid informed.
"I'll take care of Jasmine." Xion volunteered.
"I'll go to Castle Dominion." Roxas piped up.
"I guess that leaves me with Belle. And did you say Beast's Castle?" Drex stated.
"Yeah, the first world we went on a mission together." Xion reminded.
"Right... the one with a Beast for a master... fun." Drex sarcastically said.
"Go now you three, save who you can." Yen Sid dismissed them as they left via their own corridors of darkness for their respective worlds...
"...Now how do I get to the Realm of Sleep?" Lea inquired.
Yen Sid opened a portal which would take Lea to the problem at hand, and the pyro dived forth...
A large white room was all it was. The same room which Mona was recovering in, but she had finally gotten her strength back. She was stretching out her arms when Fate had walked in to check on her.
"Mona, you're looking a lot better." Fate said.
"Yeah, I feel a lot better, but Saix said I still can't be discharged for my mission with Skyler until a little while longer." She informed her friend.
"Well that's too bad. By the way, Sora finally fell right into laps. He's asleep in the The Room Where Nothing Gathers right now." Fate stated.
"What? Wait, we already have thirteen members. If Sora's added to our ranks, what'll happen to me?" Mona inquired.
"I'm sure having more than thirteen members won't change anything." Fate comforted. "Anyway, all of us are going to show up there with the Master."
"Wish I could be there..." Mona pouted.
"You'll be able to come to the next meeting. Don't worry about it." She consoled. "...Okay? I gotta go now. Bye."
She waved off her close ally as she teleported to The Room Where Nothing Gathers, leaving Mona to wait for her discharge then her escort by Skyler.
"It isn't fair..." She mumbled.
In another part of the Castle, Alliana and Xylersk were conversing with each other for their imminent meeting when suddenly Mark arrived through a dark corridor.
"You're late..." Xylersk suspiciously commented. "You're never late..."
"Yeah Mark, the meeting is about to start." Alliana reminded him.
"I apologize for my tardiness, but I had to make a quick pit stop at Castle Oblivion." Mark stated.
"Why?" Xylersk inquired. "There's nothing left in that hollow fortress."
"Quite the contrary..." Mark smirked. "As I saw it, I found out all that I need for us to jump the next hurdle."
"Really? Do tell." Alliana skeptically remarked.
"With the right technology, which would be easily obtainable, we'll reveal such a dark secret..." Mark grinned. "Alliana... I'll need your help."
"Only if you tag along with me on my next job after our meeting is finished." She bargained."
"Deal." Mark agreed.
"Hopefully you'll do better with her than what you did at Destiny Islands." Xylersk joked.
"I hope so too." Mark nodded.
"Then let's get to The Room Where Nothing Gathers and welcome Sora into our ranks." Alliana stated.
Then Alliana, Skyler, and Mark teleported away to attend the meeting where the desired thirteen darkness will be complete. And hopefully, all will go well for them and Sora will become another vessel for Xehanort.
...But we all know what happens next.
A/N- Now what does Mark have planned...? Will our heroes be able to save the remaining damsels in distress or will there're efforts be futile? Well you're just going to have to wait and find out next time!
****Important *** By the way, what happens between this chapter and the next chapter is what transpires at the end of Dream Drop Distance, everything that happened in the game is the same, with the obvious exception that Roxas and Xion do not need to be saved. Reviews=Updates :)