The Familiar of Twilight

by Hakuorofan7

(A tribute to A Heart in the Void by DrWriter21) Roxas had been forced to merge back with Sora by the machinations of DiZ. After clinging to what was left of his existence for the longest time, a miracle happens and Roxas finds another chance at existence. Now he will make the most of this new chance, while dealing with the tsundere mage that made it all happen. Roxas x harem.

10. Resolve

The screen flickered for a bit before the author appeared.

*Hey guys Hakuorofan7 here and welcome back to another chapter of The Familiar of Twilight, after a year and 2 months!*

*Once again, this story is not dead!*

*Apologies to everyone but this chapter should have been out months ago. Between a backlog of stories and issues in life I've had to rewrite this chapter so many times. Until I believed that I had gotten everything perfect. Anyway let's move on, as I am sure you all have waiting for this chapter beyond long enough.*

*This chapter will be the major splitting point from DrWriter21's story, will still follow the same points for a while still but after this chapter everything changes. I'm not going to spoil any details, so I hope you all enjoy this chapter.*

*Before we move there is a few things to go through first.*

*First is the disclaimer, I do not own Kingdom Hearts or The Familiar of Zero.*

*Secondly I just have to thank you all for the support, you all have been very patient with me and I couldn't thank you enough for it.*

*Finally just sit back, relax, maybe put some music on, and enjoy. I'll see you all at the end of the chapter.*

The author snaped his fingers and the screen turned to static as the chapter began.

---

Resolve

---

It had been two days since Fouquet, two days since then that everyone had been waiting for news regarding what had happened. During those days classes seemed to grind to a halt as most of the teachers were busy helping the efforts to locate Fouquet or picking up the slack they left behind back at the Academy.

Not that Roxas cared all that much about it. What he was waiting for was news regarding Henrietta and Fouquet. Then again so was just about everyone else, especially Louise.

So when in the morning of the second day when he, Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha were called to the Headmaster's office he believed that it was probably something related to Fouquet. Well it was, but just not what he or Louise had expected or hoped to hear.

"You have got to be kidding me." Roxas said with a frown, getting Osmond and Colbert to sigh.

"While I agree with your sentiment Roxas, it is the way things are at times. People will always find a way to pin the blame on something." Colbert said while shaking his head.

Louise was doing her best not to be distraught with what she had just heard.

She and the others had been called into the headmaster's office where he, Professor Colbert, and Osmond's secretary Longueville had been waiting for them in order to confirm a few things about her.

The first bit of news was that Henrietta was being pushed to be responsible for Fouquet's theft on the Staff of Destruction and Staff of Storms. Despite she had no way of knowing that Fouquet was going to rob the Academy, enough members of the nobility were pushing to have her punished and held responsible for the incident.

For what reasons Louise couldn't think of other than making Henrietta to look bad. An incident like what happened with Fouquet and Henrietta about to inherit the throne soon could be used to cast doubt on how well she could rule Tristian.

But the worst part of this for Louise was the reason they were using to hold Henrietta accountable.

She had been advised not to attend the Familiar Exhibit, as Fouquet was reported to have robbed the manor of the former Count Mott days after his arrest. Henrietta was warned about Fouquet possibly being in the area, yet still came to the Familiar Exhibit anyway. With the priorities of guarding the vault shifting to protecting her.

So the trouble Henrietta would be getting in was because all she wanted to do was see her friend again…

Unknown to Louise, Roxas was having a similar line of thought.

Although he still did not understand why people were trying to blame Henrietta for being at the exhibit. She was there just to see her friend and they used it to blame the whole mess on her.

The thought of which just made his blood boil a little.

Osmond sighed as he saw Roxas's and Louise's reactions, the latter of which was barely concealed before coughing into his hand to regain their attention.

"Now the reason the four of you have been called forth is that we need confirmation of a few things." Osmond said before turning to his secretary. "Miss Longueville if you will."

"Of course." She said with a nod before pulling out a piece of parchment. "Earlier this morning we got a number of reports from commoners that in a forest not that far from the Academy that someone in a cloak had been spotted around an abandoned log cabin. I was able to make a drawing based on their testaments."

Unveiling the parchment revealed a perfectly detailed sketch of a cloaked woman. One they were able to recognize as Fouquet right away.

"It's her alright, there is no mistake!" Louise growled out while Tabitha and Roxas nodded in agreement.

"If this is true we need to inform the palace. They can mobilize the knights to apprehend her." Colbert suggested while Osmond just shook his head.

"Unfortunately by the time the knight could reach her location it would be too late. According to Miss Longueville Fouquet's current location is half a day's track by foot, four hours by horseback away from the Academy. Giving her plenty of time to slip away before the knights could even arrive." The headmaster sighed out before turning to Longueville. "Speaking of which, Miss Longueville, can you please inform the staff to gather whatever teachers aren't out looking for Fouquet and bring them here. Going to have to see if anyone of them are willing to go after her."

"There is no need for that, I'll go!" Louise declared as she stepped forward, raising her wand. "The longer she goes free, the more trouble Her Highness will get into trouble. The sooner we get the Staffs of Destruction and Storms, the better."

Kirche smirked at Louise's declaration before stepping up and raising her own wand.

"Well now, I can't lose to Zero can I?" She said, getting Louise to grin.

"You already did, I volunteered first." Louise shot back, getting Roxas to shake his head.

They were at it again, although he noticed that their bantering has become a lot less heated since yesterday. Almost sounding like something he and Axel did sometimes back on the clocktower.

He had no idea what caused it, but didn't really much cared as he stepped up with them. Besides, he would have gone after Fouquet either way.

Tabitha seemed to have similar thoughts as she silently stepped forward and raised her staff as well, surprising Kirche.

"You as well Tabitha?" She asked.

Tabitha look over the three of them before nodding a little.

"I'm worried." Was all Tabitha said, getting Kirche to lower her wand and draw her friend into a hug.

"Thank you Tabitha, thank you." Kirche said happily while Tabitha, who just looked at her blankly.

Louise looked between the two of them and her familiar before looking down.

"Thank you…" She muttered out, trying to make sure that no one heard her.

Osmond smiled as he looked over all of them.

"Well then I will leave this matter in your hands then." He said with a nod.

However Colbert wasn't thrilled with the headmaster's decision.

"Headmaster you can not be serious, they are just students and Fouquet is a triangle class mage. When she robbed the treasury they could hardly do anything to stop her, even Roxas could barely slow her down. What about this situation will make anything different from before?" Colbert inquired, to which Osmond thought about it for a few moments before gesturing to Longueville.

"You made a valid point Colbert, but I was going to assign Miss Longueville to go with them as they will need her assistance to locate Fouquet in the first place. Along with being a talented mage herself." Osmond said while shaking his head. "Besides, they are more than capable enough. Miss Zerbst has shown to be gifted in fire magic, Roxas has shown to be skilled enough to hold his own if him defeating both Mr. Gramont and Mott have shown, and Miss Vallière has the potential to be a promising mage once she learns to tap into it. Finally you know as well as I that Miss Tabitha is a knight that had been conferred the title of chevalier. I have more than enough confidence to believe that Fouquet will stand no chance."

Colbert wanted to further protest as they were still his students, but sighed as he realized that Osmond had made several points he had no choice but to agree with.

Miss Longueville was an experienced mage that Osmond himself had checked before hiring, he knew of Tabitha's accomplishments to have earned her title and who she was, and that Roxas was a mage on top of being Gandálfr.

So while Colbert was still apprehensive to the thought of his students and Louise's familiar being caught up with Fouquet, especially if anything happened to Tabitha. But had to agree with Osmond's assessment of the group.

Louise smiled at the praise from the headmaster and the faith he held in her potential, but that had quickly morphed into shock along with Kirche as they stared at Tabitha. The bluenette still trapped in Kirche's embrace, pulling out her book from her cloak.

"You were a chevalier already, why didn't you tell me?" Kirche asked, still hugging her friend.

"Didn't ask." Tabitha said simply as she reached behind her to get her book, opening it to where she had it earlier.

Roxas just looked over her for a second before nodding, supposing that would make sense.

He had heard of what a chevalier was from Siesta and Marteau, the lowest title of nobility that could be rewarded to anyone including commoners. The condition being that they have to be recognized for having performed a great service by a member of royalty.

Considering that Osmond said that Tabitha was a knight holding that rank, the Nobody just considered it a mark of how skilled she was.

And he agreed with the headmaster's assessment of the group. So when he saw Fouquet again soon, Roxas was sure things would not turn how they did last time.

---

"So you are heading out to track down Fouquet, are you sure this is a good idea Roxas?" Siesta inquired as she and Roxas walked down one of the Academy's hallways. The former of which carrying a load of folded clothes in her arms.

After the meeting in the headmaster's office they were given a few minutes to prepare before departing for where Fouquet was spotted. So Roxas decided to at least fill in Siesta on what was going on, quickly locating and Corridoring to her location.

Accidentally startling her in the process before filling her in on everything.

"I do, at least there should be enough of us to make sure things won't happen like last time." Roxas said. "Besides if we don't go after her now, Fouquet will only get away once again. We have to get her while we still have the chance."

"Than please be careful Roxas, I know you won't be alone but I hope this won't be a repeat of what happened last time." Siesta said worriedly.

When she had seen him knocked out and pretty banged up after confronting Fouquet Siesta was quite shocked.

Roxas had quite handedly defeated both Guiche and Mott. So to see him in quite a state worried her, especially when he wanted some time alone. Although Roxas had turned out to be alright in the end, Siesta was still worried that even with help he would end up the same way as last time.

Of course she was still confident that he and everyone else would be alright, but she couldn't help but worry…

"I will and this time we will get here." Roxas said determinedly before sighing. "Speaking of which I should probably head back right now, it might be time for us to depart soon."

"It will be unwise for you to be late than." Siesta said with a smile, getting Roxas to nod as he began to summon a Corridor of Darkness. "Just please make sure to come back alright Roxas."

"That I intend to, I intend for everyone to do so." Roxas said as the Corridor sprung to life, before turning to Siesta and smiling at her. "I'll see you soon Siesta."

"And I'll see you later Roxas." Siesta smiled before the Nobody vanished into the Corridor, closing up behind him. "At least he didn't startle me this time."

Siesta began to continue her treck down the hallway to continue her duties, silently praying that everyone would be alright.

---

Hours later Roxas found himself in the back of a wooden wagon with Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha. With Longueville at the reins driving it. The wagon wasn't all that much, a wooden box on wheels with seating in the front and sides. But it was an interesting experience.

For the first hour at least.

He was just looking out in the distance, keeping his senses open incase Fouquet or anyone else were nearby. Yet there had been no one besides them for a while.

Tabitha had been reading her book while Louise and Kirche had been bickering most of the time here…although at this point the Nobody could consider it friendly banter.

Exactly like he used to do on the clock tower in Twilight Town with Axel and whoever he was trying to remember since he got to this world.

Honestly he didn't know what happened between the two of them, and he certainly couldn't careless. Roxas had been mainly avoiding her when he could for the past two days. Still upset at what she did, but mainly staying away in order to not rile himself up.

Which the Nobody realized what he was doing to himself now, just by thinking about it.

"So what is the Staff of Destruction anyways?" Roxas asked Longueville, hoping to distract himself and gather more information on their task. "I can assume that the Staff of Storms can manipulate the weather from its name, but what does the Staff of Destruction do?"

His question caught the attention of Kirche and Louise as they ended their argument. Tabitha merely raised her gaze from her book a little.

"The Staff of Destruction is, as it says, a staff with incredible destructive powers. A spell from it has been known to kill a dragon in one blast. But from what I can tell it is difficult to use, exactly like the Staff of Storms is cursed to see apparitions and teleport to a different location without the bindings covering it." Longueville explained as she turned to look at them.

"Then why would Fouquet want them if these items are cursed? She has already been stealing from nobles for a while from what I hear. So why the need for cursed items?" Roxas asked, to which Longueville just shrugged.

"I honestly don't know what Fouquet would want with them. It could be anything. Money, power, leverage over someone, the thrill of it, or to raise her status as a noble even further. Most mages seek more power than they already have. Be it knowledge, strength, prestige, or higher status are all forms of power they seek. The more power you have, the more influence you have on others around you." Longueville said while shaking her head. "Given her skill Fouquet is probably a mage who lost her noble status. Most likely resorting to thievery or mercenary work."

"So she is a commoner that is also a mage than." Roxas said, getting Longueville to nod.

"Exactly." She said.

"Well than besides the thievery, Fouquet is quite lucky in a way." Roxas said with a shrug.

After he said those words, everyone turned to look at him in various states of surprise.

"What do you mean by that, losing your title of nobility is a fate worse than death for a noble!" Louise said, trying to keep herself calm.

It was truly a death sentence for most nobles that she had met and heard of. Along with one of her worst fears as well.

"Sure I don't know why it happens or what happened to Fouquet. And that it seems that commoners are usually mistreated by most nobles. Some are worse than others." Roxas said, the Nobody's face hardened while remembering the former count before sighing. Noticing Louise wince at his words. "They can go whoever they want to, do whatever they wish to do, and be whoever they want to be. It might not be the best kind of life from what I know so far, but I would rather be a commoner than a noble. Rather than having to be somebody to keep up appearances from what I have seen so far."

Roxas's words surprised Louise and Kirche. Tabitha didn't really show it as she moved her book in front of her face. Longueville just focused her attention back on the road.

Louise was the most outwardly rattled by his words.

For years she has been afraid of losing her title as a noble. It was one of the few things she could be proud of at all with lacking the ability to properly use magic. If she hadn't summoned her familiar she would have been considered practically a noble in title only.

Being taught that most commoners would die to become nobles. With the power and prestige that came with it.

Yet with everything that she had seen, what had been going on lately, and Henrietta's beliefs on commoners Louise wasn't sure if what she had known was entirely true…

After a few moments of processing his words, Kirche smirked.

"I suppose that is why you told me you consider yourself a nobody. Honestly I believe I can see the appeal of such an ideal. But as you said and Fouquet resorting to such measures, it is ill suited for most nobles. They would more often than not be terrified by such a prospect." Kirche said, getting Roxas to sigh.

With the two of them unaware of Louise looking between them nervously.

"That might be true and it will not always be easy, but I do know one thing. Ever since I was summoned here the commoners I have met were happier than the nobles I have seen. The only times I have seen them unhappy was when they were mistreated, threatened, or oppressed by nobles like Mott." Roxas said before looking at the sky.

Silence ruled the cart as the passengers were lost in thoughts over his words once again.

Unaware of Longueville tightening the grips on the horse's reins. Staring at the Nobody with a frown on her face.

That sounded like something that she would have said. Even after everything her friend was happy just living in a cottage.

Longueville sighed before focusing her attention on the road ahead.

Despite losing her status as a noble she had, it was true that while she had lost nearly everything she had gained so much freedom. But despite that, she saw that losing her title was the worst humiliation in her life.

No matter what Roxas had pointed out, or how much Tiffania had tried to convince her otherwise.

Longueville focused on the road ahead, beginning to think that as soon as she got the chance to find some way to slip back to Albion after figuring out how those two staffs worked. With how things were changing by the day, she needed to make sure her friend was alright.

---

A little while later the five of them had managed to arrive at a large clearing in the middle of the forest. In the middle was a wooden cabin next to a dilapidated warehouse.

This is where Fouquet had been hiding out. Yet from what Roxas could sense there was no trace she was here. Either she wasn't around right now or she had already moved on to another location.

To which Roxas hoped it wasn't the latter. The longer Fouquet is on the loose, the more trouble it would bring to Henrietta.

In fact he had volunteered to check out the cabin and warehouse while everyone else hid in the bushes. Although the Nobody was pretty sure they would have had him do so anyway.

Roxas had checked the warehouse first. Noticing that was practically empty he checked through the windows of the cabin. He spent a few minutes checking everything.

There were signs that someone had been here from what he could see and no places where Fouquet could hide. And he still couldn't sense her anywhere, but that didn't mean that she could have hidden anything here incase someone came after her.

He waved them over once he was sure no one was there.

Tabitha stepped up to the door, waving her staff as light blue sparks formed at the end. When the sparks faded she placed the staff down on the ground and nodded before facing the others.

"No traps." Tabitha said before pushing open the door and walking in.

"Tabitha wait." Kirche called out as she ran after her friend, her wand drawn.

"I'll stay and keep a look out here." Louise said while Longueville smiled and nodded as she began to walk into the forest.

"An excellent decision. I'll go scout ahead and see if I can find any trace of Foquet in the surrounding area than." She said.

"Be careful then." Roxas called out to her as he entered the cabin.

Longueville briefly paused in her steps, biting her lips briefly before bringing out her wand. She continued her track and extended her wand to its full length.

---

"So she is the one who stole your Keyblade. I'll be sure to make her pay." The figure said as he observed from a nearby treetop.

When the Keyblade hadn't returned to the grave after two days he tracked it down to this cabin, lying in wait and continuously checking up on this location until the thief would come back.

And she did, though he was curious as to why she brought a student. Perhaps the thief is or was posing as a teacher. But it didn't really matter to him.

Just a witness to the thief's demise.

From what he could gleam there were more people inside. Possibly more students or even accomplices lying inside. It wouldn't be too hard to make sure which was which.

He vanished from the treetop in an instant, reappearing at a window outside of Louise's view.

Looking through the window he saw two more students looking through the cabin. His eyes widened when he saw Roxas with them. Quickly vanishing away before the Nobody could glimpse him.

"Of all the places he had to appear it had to be this accursed world." The figure said evenly as he reappeared on another treetop.

After all the time he and Xigbar had looked for him, it had to be on Halkeginia. What were the odds?

No matter the reason this was good.

Getting the Keyblade, the thief, and the final vessel in one fell swoop. But he would need a slight adjustment first.

The figure briefly flickered for a bit, when the flickering stopped he seemed a little bit taller and his shoulders a little broader.

"Perfect." He said as he lied in wait, summoning a blue ethereal in his hand.

This shouldn't take too long.

---

"Roxas did you see something?" Kirche asked as she saw the Nobody looking out the window.

For several minutes the three of them had been searching the cabin for either of the staffs to no avail and all of the dust was starting to get to her.

"I did, I couldn't tell what it was." Roxas said while pulling Oblivion out of his bag.

"Then it probably would not be a good idea to wait here. Besides we can't find anything in here and there is too much dust." Kirche said before accidentally bumping into a table and began to cough up dust. "Tabitha, let's get out of here."

Roxas nodded as made to follow Kirche, keeping Oblivion trained towards the window.

"The staffs." Tabitha said, getting their attention. In her hands was the wrapped form of Staff of Storms and at her feet was the case that contained the Staff of Destruction.

"Where did you find them?" Roxas asked as he approached the bluenette as she held out the Staff of Storms. Figuring what she wanted, Nobody grabbed the staff and pulled it to himself while Tabitha nodded before pointing to the other side of the cabin.

"In the open." She said before picking up the case. "Not trapped."

Roxas wondered why the thief had left the staffs out in the open like this doing who knows what. Not even leaving a trap or enchantment on either of them incase someone found them. It just all seemed to be too easy.

On the furthest edge of his senses he could feel something wrong with Longueville's heart. when it began to blur just like…

"We need to get out of here." Rocas said through gritted teeth, grabbing the case for the Staff of Destruction.

As he rushed past the two mages Kirche tried to ask him what was wrong.

Only for that question to die in her throat at the sound of Louise screaming.

The three of them rushed out of the cabin just in time for Tabitha to look back through the doorway, seeing something starting to breach through the roof. Stepping back she saw it was a massive earthen golem that proceeded to lift the roof off the cabin.

Kirche drew her wand and Roxas summoned Oathkeeper as the golem chucked the roof at them. Roxas shot a fireball from the Keyblade's tip and Kirche unleashed a small torrent of flames from her wand, both fire spells collided with the roof midair and it was destroyed. Creating a brief smokescreen that dissipated as the golem's fist sped down towards them.

"Get back." Roxas said to Kirche and Tabitha as mist formed at the tips of his Keyblades. "Blizzaga!"

The three of them quickly backed up as two ice mines shot between them and the golem's fists. It made contact with the spell and after a brief explosion of mist and the golem's fist was covered with ice, frozen to the ground.

"Thundaga!" Roxas casted, a massive bolt of lightning striking the golems arm.

His spell was followed suite by Tabitha and Kirche releasing a burst of wind and flames respectively, each crashing into the golem's arm.

Shattering it's fist and most of the forearm. The golem clutched the remnants of its arm as Roxas, Kirche, and Tabitha ran back towards Louise. Quickly gathering around her.

All four of them kept their staff/wands/Keybaldes train as they kept their eyes on the golem and into the surrounding forests for any sign of Fouquet.

"Great Fouquet is here, she must have sneaked past Longueville." Kirche said.

"No she didn't, Longueville is Fouquet." Roxas said, shocking Louise and Kirche. Tabitha narrowed her eyes slightly in thought.

"What?!" Louise shouted as the golem slammed its stub into the ground. Slowly pulling a new forming arm out of the ground.

"Longueville knew exactly where Fouquet was, but the thief wasn't here and now her golem is. She wasn't with everyone else when at the Familiar Exhibition when Fouquet tried to started to break in. They're also around the same height and their voices sound the same. There are just too many coincidences otherwise." Roxas said while keeping his guard up.

The only real differences he could think of was Fouquet didn't have glasses he could see and her hair color was a few shades lighter through what he glimpsed, but Fouquet probably had her means to hide that. Perhaps something similar she did to disguise her heart's signature.

Something that Tabitha had concluded herself.

"It's plausible." Tabitha stated, and that was enough for Kirche and Louise.

"Then let's get her!" Louise growled out as the golem reared it's newly formed hand back.

Flexing its newly formed fingers before lumbering towards them.

"Later, we need to get the staffs out of here first." Kirche said, getting Tabitha to nod.

Whatever the reason Fouquet left both of the staffs behind besides the Staff of Storm's curse and to lure them into a trap couldn't be anything but good. Best to get them out of her reach first.

Before Tabitha could signal for her familiar, the golem suddenly stopped mid-step.

The group braced themselves for whatever could happen for a few moments. Waiting for any signs of movement from the golem of any sign of what Fouquet could be up to.

However there were no new signs, only confusion as the golem's arms began to break and fall apart while its body began to crack all over. Not taking any chances Tabitha whistled for Slyphid.

Only for a moment later, the sound was drowned out by the sound of a woman screaming in pain.

---

Fouquet frowned as she overheard what they were saying.

Seems she had underestimated them.

"Original plan it is than." She said quietly before brandishing her wand and controlling her golem to crush them.

With any luck they would probably get desperate enough to try to use either of the staffs. If not, Fouquet will just keep exhausting them with gloem's and traps before killing them and taking the Staff of Destruction.

They had seen too much and while Longueville was just another alias, her likeness as her would be known in Tristian if they escaped the forest. Faking all of their deaths including Longueville will only make it look like a tragedy, before skipping the continent for Albion until things cool down in a few months and start striking a different country.

The Staff of Storms was too risky, but selling the Staff of Destruction would set her up with a small fortune if she played her cards right in the next few days.

After that she was going to spend sometime keeping an eye on Tiffania until things started to calm down on the continent.

She was broken from her musings when she felt the connection to the golem was cut off, her creation stopping mid step. Fouquet flicked her wand, but there wasn't any change at all to the golem. In fact she could see that it was starting to crumble.

"You were clever for managing to bring those students here, thinking that I would go after them for messing with the wrappings." Someone said from behind Fouquet. With a flick of her wand an earthen spike shot out behind her.

Turning around Fouquet kept her shock in check as a figure wearing a black coat like Roxas with the hood up simply flickered through the spike. She raised her wand and an earthen pillar raised to slam into him.

Only for the figure to summon a blade made out of pure magic to slice through it cleanly!

Fouquet tried to jump back, only for the blade to extend and wrap around her.

"Let go of me!" Fouquet yelled as she thrashed about, trying to break free or use her wand. However this strange blade had her tightly bond.

"I believe not, the only reason you are still alive for taking that Keyblade is that you brought Roxas here. Something I'm going to rectify soon." The figure said, Fouquet could almost imagine him smirking underneath his hood.

Before screaming out in pain as she felt electricity flowing through her body.

The figure kept up the charge for a few more minutes before unfurling the blade and tossing the thief into the clearing, teleporting right behind her.

---

Roxas braced himself for whatever could come out of the forest. He was pretty sure they were not just dealing with Fouquet anymore, but he had no idea what.

A moment later the screaming subsided as a slightly burnt Fouquet was flung out of the forest. Quickly brandishing her wand and softening the patch of ground that she crashed into.

It was still a rough impact, but otherwise Fouquet wasn't sure she would have made it without breaking at least one of her limbs.

The group watched as the thief started to pick herself up with a groan, her hood down and her faux glasses lying twisted not that far from her. Any lingering doubts that she and Longueville were different died with that.

Before anyone could react, a black coated figure teleported in front of them. Stomping on the glasses and turning to face them. Although her view of his face was obscured by the hood, Tabitha could tell their gaze was firmly set on the Staff of Storms in her arms.

Meanwhile Roxas's blood had gone cold as he stared at the figure in front of them.

For a moment he had thought that Xemnas had found him, until he noticed the differences in height and the ethereal blade in his hand. But the most glaring difference was the figure in front of him had a heart.

A heart whose presence felt stronger than everyone else's in the clearing. Their heart had an incredible potent darkness like he had sensed from Riku and DiZ, as powerful as the former and feeling as refined as the later. Unlike them his heart was balanced out by an equally strong light.

Roxas had no idea who he was or if he was alone here. But the figure's presence and the familiar wisps of darkness starting to emerge from golem's body did not paint a good image in mind.

"I must apologize to you three for this lowly thief dragging you into this mess. And while I must thank you for keeping a hold of that item, I have to take it back now." The figure said, extending his free hand towards them.

Tabitha felt the Staff of Storms disappear from her arms, the wrapping falling uselessly to the ground as it reappeared in his hand like she had seen with Roxas's white swordwand.

Roxas grew apprehensive as a rusted looking object appeared in the figure's hand, before a burst of wind cleared the rust off of it.

The Staff of Storms was a Keyblade, one he hadn't seen before. It had a brown handle and was mainly a darkest blue in coloration except around the was a lighter shade. The pommel was rounded and the guard was similar in shape to a sword guard with a blue gem embedded in the middle. With the hand guard connecting them resembling wings. The keychain was large and segmented, ending in an arrow-like tip. It had a long double edged shaft, with the lower end having a hole in it and six small blade-like protrusions sticking out. The teeth and end resembled a dragon's head with an open maw and three small horns on the back.

With a practice swing of the Keyblade, the figure created a gust of wind that ruffled their clothes and Roxas could see why the Keyblade was nicknamed the Staff of Storms.

Yet he was more apprehensive there was another Keyblade wielder in front of him and the growing darkness from the breaking golem.

"Roxas, do you know who he is?" Kirche asked him, getting the Nobody to shake his head.

"I've never met him before." Roxas said honestly, while Tabitha spared him an inquisitive glance.

"You wouldn't know me either, but I know plenty about you Roxas." The figure said before turning to Tabitha, Kirche, and Louise. "You three are students of the Tristanain Academy of Magic by your uniforms if I am correct, I will give you all one warning. Leave, you three are free to go except Roxas. If not-"

The figure was cut off as he stepped out of the way of a rock spire that Fouquet had conjured up. Raising the Staff of Storms and blasting her to the ground and closer to the group.

"You'll end up like the thief." The figure said, charging at Fouquet. Extending his ethereal blade while closing the distance between them.

She hurriedly tried to raise an earthen wall between them, yet the figure cut through it easily. Before training the blade towards her heart, with it extending toward to impale her.

"Thundara!" Roxas casted, creating a curtain of lightning bolts that formed over Fouquet and struck the figure's blade. Retracting the ethereal blade and vanishing from sight. Reappearing right behind Fouquet and raised both blades to strike her.

Only to block Roxas blade for blade to Fouquet's surprise.

"What?" She questioned before the figure teleported out of the way of a fireball and gust from Kirche and Tabitha. "Why?"

"If I didn't think that it would be better to bring you in alive to Henrietta, then I would have left you to him." Roxas said coldly, getting the thief to flinch.

"That was the right thing to do!" Louise growled out as she clutched the Staff of Destruction's case, glaring at Fouquet. "And I'm not letting whoever he is taking away my familiar!"

If they brought the thief back alive they could have more credit to her being Longueville and infiltrated the Academy long before Henrietta's arrival for the Familiar Exhibition. Possibly silencing any other detractors against the Princess otherwise if they were to bring her corpse back and witness statements alone.

It might or might not make that much of a difference, but Louise was taking that risk.

Nor was she going to allow whoever this figure was to threaten and take away Roxas. And she knew that she wasn't alone in that sentiment either.

"I can agree with the sentiment Louise, just not for you." Kirche said as she trained her wand at the hooded figure, Louise sending her a brief glare. "Still I won't let him take him either, and I'm certain that Tabitha will be upset if that were to happen. That and him taking the Staff of Storms as well."

Tabitha just nodded and let out a loud whistle, to which Roxas let out a small smile. Before quickly frowning as he eyed the hooded figure.

"I warned all three of you about this, you can die with the thief." The figure said, training the Staff of Storms at them before the mages jumped back a little as the ruins of Fouquet's golem shattered. And something was launched from its body and landed not that far from Roxas and the figure.

As Roxas had suspected it was an Emblem Heartless, but one he didn't recognize the type before.

It was a large golem like Heartless composed of violet rocks, brass armors, and chains wrapped around its arms and main body. It was much smaller than the golem that it originally composed, but still was about half the size of a Darkside. Its main body and armored shoulders were disproportionately larger than the rest of its body, two large curved horns sticking out of its shoulders and on its head was the Heartless's emblem, two golden eyes peering through cracks, and a brass lower jaw. In its hand was a gigantic double bladed axe with the edges being four blocky ends and in the middle a purple snarling face like a mask.

While it was nowhere near as strong as the King of the Skies Heartless that Roxas had seen created in a similar method, it seemed like to be among the tougher Heartless he had encountered before.

Yet it might be more than the others could handle, and he suspected the figure knew this as well.

The figure sped forward as Roxas threw Oathkeeper at him, the figure batting the Keyblade away with the Staff of Storms.

"Deal with them." The figure said to the Heartless.

It began to lumber towards the mages as Roxas summoned Oathkeeper back to his hand, before finding himself and the figure surrounded by a dome of darkness.

Any worries for Roxas were quickly dismayed as the Heartless pulled the axe in front of its face and put it on before barreling towards them at high speeds.

Tabitha and Kirche quickly sidestepped the Heartless's path and Louise barely ducked under an arm swing. The Heartless turned back again and charged at Fouquet as she picked himself up. With a flick of her wand, she weakened the ground in front of it's path.

The golem like Heartless tripped into a small divot and fell down as Fouquet tried to make a break for it. Only for her to barely duck out of the way as it spun like a top, sending small rocks flying everywhere.

Tabitha created a gust of wind with a swipe of her staff to divert the stones away from her, Kirche, and Louise. Fouquet raised a hastily made earthen wall, but the barrage of stones quickly worn away at it.

One especially large stone sped towards her head, only for Slyphid to swoop down and pull her up from her hood.

She stared at the dragon in surprise as it caught a fallen stone in its claws before setting her down and flying back up.

As it removed its mask the Heartless used the axe to prop itself back up, pulling itself out of the divet. Only to stumble back as the rock collided with it's head. And before the Heartless could recover, Slyphid pounced on it.

Knocking it on its back before flying back up into the air.

"Okay just what kind of golem is that?" Louise questioned while panting a little. The Staff of Destruction was heavier than expected.

Despite her sickly constitution her sister Cattelya was a skilled mage in came to creating golems, usually creating a small one to play with her various pets sometimes. Yet this one, unlike those and the one Fouquet created, seemed to act more independently from its creator.

"I don't think that is as golem." Kirche said with a frown as Slyphid dived down and pounced on the Heartless as it picked itself back up, knocking it back down to the ground again.

"A Heartless." Tabitha said, noticing a confused look on Kirche's and Louise's face. "A Dragur."

"I thought those things were just a myth." Kirche said as she eyed the Heartless pick itself back up and Slyphid dodged an axe swing. As the dragon flew back up Kirche trained her wand at the Heartless, ready to fire off a spell. Only for a head of pink hair to get in her way. "Louise!"

"Fireball!" She casted, not hearing Kirche.

Her spell misfired once again and her wand was sent flying from her hand.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Louise shouted before the sound of an explosion ran out.

The right horn of the Heartless exploded, destroying half of it, tearing several chunks out of its arm, and getting it to stumble back.

Louise looked shocked at the damage she had done, but the Heartless quickly recovered. Slamming its axe down to the ground and shooting six large rocks at them.

Kirche got in front of her and shot a stream of fire at the rocks and Heartless, destroying a pair of them and setting the Heartless on fire. Tabitha swung her staff, creating a mass of wind that smashed half of the rocks together.

The final one still barreled before Louise and Kirche. Before the later could destroy the rock, an earthen wall was raised before them and both of them were destroyed.

Both were surprised to see Fouquet still with them, with a wave of her wand transmuting a large fist that slammed into the flaming Heartless knocking it back before Slyphid pounce on it's back. With a wave of her wand reduced the fist back into dirt. Before turning to see the three Academy students looking at her.

"I thought that you would have run by now." Louise said to her with a glare.

"And if I did, what is to stop that figure from hunting me down again and killing me." Fouquet said, not willing to take that risk and possibly bring someone that dangerous to her friend.

"With nothing to stop you from getting at the staffs again." Kirche said as Slyphid landed next to Tabitha.

"True, but wouldn't you rather all of us make out of this alive. Taking out that monster and dealing with whatever in the Founder's name created it. Not sure how you all may fare against them both otherwise." Fouquet said with a small smirk.

"Fine." Tabitha said. "A truce."

Louise looked like she wanted to protest, but a quick glance from Kirche silenced that thought.

"Until we make sure that both of them have been dealt with." Fouquet says as she notices the still flaming Heartless picking itself back up.

Tabitha nodded as she got onto Slyphid and took off into the air while Fouquet followed her on the ground. Louise glaring at the thief all the way.

"I don't like this." Louise stated, her anger showing through her tone.

"Neither do I, but I suggest that you find your wand and keep carrying the Staff of Destruction. There is no way Fouquet will resist try to get at it again." Kirche said as they observed the Heartless try to charge at Fouquet as it put the mask back on. With her creating a spiked wall that it crashed into as she rolled out of the way.

Louise just nodded as she looked between the damage she had caused to the Heartless and the dome of darkness that held the mysterious figure and her familiar inside.

"We'll get him out Louise, just for now focus on staying back and finding your wand. Your explosions did something good for once. Just make sure to not blow us up and stay safe, alright Louise?" Kirche asked, getting Louise to nod while looking away.

Kirche just accepted that and began to join Tabitha and Fouquet against the Heartless.

"You too Kirche." She heard Louise say quietly, so much so that she almost missed it.

Still Kirche smirked at that and walked forward, flinging a fireball at the Heartless's back with a flick of her wand.

While Louise hung back and began to look for her wand, inwardly cursing her current position and having to lug around the Staff of Destruction.

Granted it was better in her hands than allowing Fouquet to reclaim it, but she would prefer not to mess with it after that little display with the Staff of Storms. And without her wand she would truly be a Zero right now, especially with how effective the explosion was against the Heartless.

She briefly paused to look back at them fighting the Heartless and the dome of darkness before going back to looking for her wand.

Inwardly hoping that Tabitha, Kirche, and Roxas would be alright.

---

"The Rock Troll should be enough to deal with them. If not it shouldn't take too long." The figure said as both he and Roxas eyed each other, waiting for the other to make a move. "So you really meant what you said about that thief, wouldn't have expected that off of Sora's Nobody."

"I did and your with the Organization in some way." Roxas said with narrowed eyes as the figure chuckled.

"Oh I'm not affiliated with your Organization, but I am going to drag you off of this backwater world Roxas." The figure said as Roxas frowned.

While he wasn't sure if the figure was being honest or not with their connection, he was not going allow that to happen if he could.

The Nobody was the first to move, casting a pair of silent Fire spells from both of his Keyblades. The figure swung the Staff of Storms and dissipated the spells easily, only to see that Roxas wasn't there.

Sparks formed at the teeth on the Keyblade before five orbs of electricity that shot all over the dome, crashing into the ground. Except that one Roxas parried with Oathkeeper.

Tracking him, several blue orbs formed around the figure. Shooting lasers that Roxas tried to avoid, but at least two of them slammed into him. It not before the tip of Oathkeeper began to spark.

"Thunder!" Roxas casted, a bolt of lightning shot out and crashed into the figure. He quickly casted a silent Cure on himself before dodging some more lasers before the orbs dispersed.

Wind gathered around the Staff of Storms and to Roxas's surprise the shaft separated from the Keyblade before splitting into more parts, forming a whip like shape with the teeth and the end before a whirlwind formed around the whip.

Underneath his hood the figure smirked at the Nobody's reaction.

"There are many capabilities that a Keyblade can do when wielded properly that you or Sora haven't began to tap into." The figure said, swinging the Staff of Storms. The wind surrounding it cutting into the ground whenever it touched as the Nobody tried to dodge.

As the figure continued to swing around the Keyblade Roxas tried to find an opportunity to attack or try to access his Drive, but the figure wouldn't even allow him a moment to focus. Grunting in pain as he felt several glancing blows from the whip while trying to find an opening.

After a few more moments of trying to dodge Roxas saw an opening and tossed Oathkeeper towards the figure.

Only for the whip to pull back a bit and the teeth of the Staff of Storms caught the thrown Keyblade, clamping down on it and hrowing it back at Roxas.

The Nobody dodged and with a burst of wind from his feet propelled himself into the air, gliding past the whip before seeing another opening. Extending Oblivion forward and changing direction.

Propelling himself forward towards the figure and past the whips's reach. The figure tried to close it around him, but the Nobody was too fast and managed to avoid it coiling around him. Slamming the tip of Oblivion into the figures chest.

He grunted and dispelled the Staff of Storms and summoned another ethereal blade in it's place as Roxas slashed at him several times with Oblivion before retaliating. Doubling their length to push him back a bit, before the figure summoned a spherical barrier.

Roxas summoned Oathkeeper back to his hand and lit the both of the tips aflame.

"Fira!" He casted, launching a pair of fireballs into the figure's barrier. To his surprise bypassing it and pushing the figure back a little.

Before the figure could counter, Oblivion was thrown into his face as sparks generated around Oathkeeper.

"Thunder!" Roxas casted, launching a string of lightning bolts at the figure. Only for them to teleport away.

He caught Oblivion and quickly swung both of his Keyblades right of him, blocking the two ethereal blades.

"Not bad Roxas." The figure said before they began a clash of blades. One of which Roxas found himself on the receiving end on most of the blows as the figure kept adjusting the size of his blades to counter the Nobody.

About a minute later the figure pulled back and summoned three flaming tornados that rotated around him, forcing Roxas to pull back as the ethereal blade vanished into thin air. The flames extinguished as he brought out the Staff of Storms.

"Cutting Gale!" The figure casted, a whirlwind lined with green energy surrounded the figure. Forming into blades of wind that circled around the figure before firing them off in all directions.

"Curara!" Roxas casted as he dodged and waved through the blades as best he could. Feeling himself being healed as the wind blades continued to pass by him until they hit the dome's walls.

Only to be stoped in his tracks by a gust propelled ice shard colliding with his feet, freezing him to the ground.

Looking towards the figure Roxas saw more than double the amount of energy orbs as last time forming behind him and they all looked like they were going to fire. He quickly began to generate mist at his Keyblade's tips.

"Blizzara!" Roxas casted, creating two large ice crystals in front of him as the laser were fired.

They struck the ice crystals, creating a large cloud of mist that the figure kept firing into mist a few more times. Upon hearing no reaction dispelled the orbs and swung the Staff of Storms, creating a gust of wind to blow away the mist cloud.

Seeing that Roxas wasn't there, he created the flame pillars to look around for Roxas.

He didn't have to look far.

"Blizzard! Aero!" Roxas casted from the figure's left, using the second spell to propel the ice shards.

The figure switched the Keyblade for his ethereal blades and swing them both, creating an X shaped energy slash. Both attacks sail passed each other and towards their target.

Roxas grunted in pain as the slash collided with with his chest. One of the ice shards was engulfed by the tornado while the other one collided with the figure's head, freezing it solid as the fires began to die down.

Taking his chance Roxas rushed forward and slashed at the figure with Oathkeeper and Oblivion before the ice on his head shattered. The figure retaliated by extending the blades like whips, smacking Roxas away.

Just as the tips of his Keyblades lit aflame.

"Firaga!" He casted, launching two arching fireballs at the figure before crashing into the ground.

Colliding with and exploding before he could create a barrier. The figure was pushed back a bit as Roxas picked himself up with a groan. Pulling out an elixir from his bag and quickly downing it.

Once he drank half of it, the Nobody brandished his Keyblades, pausing in shock in what he saw.

The figure's hood had been blown back, revealing his face and covered with soot that was quickly fading away.

The figure looked a lot like a much younger Xemnas, just a few years older than he was and some features were different. Yet the resemblance was uncanny.

What was going on?

---

"Come on where is it!" Louise growled out as she looked in the tall grass for her wand, really hoping that it wasn't broken. She was exhausted, frustrated, and trying to hide how worried that she really was.

The Rock Troll had been taking whatever damage Kirche, Fouquet, and Tabitha and her dragon could dish out to it. That accursed thing had been exploded, continuously lit on fire, smashed, tripped, knocked over, and cut into yet it still kept charging at them.

Louise thanked the Founder that the Heartless was slow when using the axe, the only real real issues were it charging in like an angry ogre with it's mask or the occasional rock shards it sent flying.

Which was hard enough to dodge with her still lugging around the Staff of Destruction!

She didn't want to risk below herself and the rest of them up, alongside seeing Fouquet giving the case several glances throughout the conflict. There was no way Louise was going to risk the thief running away with in the middle of the chaos.

And the black dome still stood without any sign of what was going on inside. Nor any sign of breaching through it. Fires from Kirche passed over it and any story rocks from Fouquet of the Heartless shattered against it. Leaving them currently without a means to break in to find out Roxas's condition against the figure, or if he had been trying to break out from the inside as well.

While Louise was concerned for her familiar, it was as Kirche said they will get him out. Now they need to focus on other matters.

Speaking of which compared to earlier Louise noticed Kirche seemed more and more excited as the battle kept going on. Non stop pelting the Rock Troll with precise fireballs or engulfing it in streams of flames when the situation call for it.

Added in Fouquet manipulating the earth around it and Tabitha striking from above with her dragon they were doing quite a lot of damage against the Heartless, yet it kept powering through.

Hopefully they could be able to put it down soon...

"Found it!" Louise called out as she inspected her wand for damages. Seeing that aside from being covered in smudges and a little charred, but was still in working condition.

She quickly set aside the Staff of Destruction's case on the ground and trained her wand at the Heartless. Gripping it as tightly as she can while the Rock Troll donned it's mask and charged at Kirche.

As much as wished to blast the Heartless, Louise would rather not risk anyone else getting caught up in the explosions.

Kirche smirked as the Rock Troll continued to charge at her, with a flick of her wand a torrent of flames obscured the Heartless's vision and once again set it on fire. Unaware that it had shot passed Kirche as the spell ended.

Taking a moment to realize this before bolting towards her again, plowing into a spiked ice wall that Fouquet raised. Stumbling briefly before regaining it's footing and spat several large stones towards the red haired mage. She quickly incinerated the closest stones, the rest where destroyed by Tabitha sending a rain of ice arrows from above.

Several striking the Heartless and getting it's attention as Slyphid flew down towards it. The Rock Troll took a wild swing at the dragon, only for her to roll out of the way mid flight. A large mass of air created by Tabitha crashed into it, knocking it back.

With a wave of her wand Fouquet made the terrain underneath the Heartless, further unbalancing it into a small hole opening up beneath it. The Rock Troll removed it's mask to try and right itself up.

But a fireball smacking into it's face proved to be the tipping point and knocked it into the hole.

Seeing this and that no one was close by Louise saw her chance.

"Fireball!" She casted, an explosions occurring on the Heartless and not her hand thankfully.

The Rock Troll was knocked back into the hole and over a quarter of the axe was blown up.

Louise smiled for a moment, but the was quickly wiped away as the Rock Troll used the leverage from it's axe to pick itself back up.

"What is it going to take to put this monster down!" She growled out while grabbing the Staff of Destruction's case and began to move in closer to it.

"Something we all have been asking ourselves Louise." Kirche said as she approached Louise, flinging a few fireballs the Rock Troll blocked with it's axe. A few pelting the weapon, some glancing off of it's arms and legs, and one struck it directly in the face through the gap in it's axe. "Been waiting to burn it to cinders, yet still nothing."

Louise nodded as Fouquet levitated a pair of rock spires into the Heartless, pushing in back before Slyphid flew back down and pushed off before a massive earthen hand slammed it.

Causing the Rock Troll to back up a bit, with it's back towards the black dome. With Kirche smirking at seeing it's position.

She send a torrent of fire towards Heartless, with Tabitha creating a gust of wind towards it. The two spells both striking the Rock Troll and causing it to back up even more before it's back hit the dome.

"Louise would you mind?" Kirche asked as she kept the flames on for a few more moments as the pinkette trained her wand towards the dome.

"Gladly, Fireball!" Louise casted, silently praying to the Founder for no misfire.

The explosions covered the Heartless and the dome and Kirche and Tabitha canceled their spells. The smoke soon cleared up to reveal the Rock Troll slumped against the dome, it's axe split in half.

However it soon picked itself back up and placed the remnants of the mask back onto it's face.

Before anyone of the mages could fire another spell, a burst of light emerged from the dome.

---

Roxas stared at the now unhooded figure who only sighed in annoyance.

"No use hiding it anymore." The figure sighed out in annoyance as he stared down Roxas, the Nobody still trying to figure out what it was going on.

Before remembering something that had been discussed during one of the last meetings he attended during his time in the Organization. And of Sora's time in Castle Oblivion. That could explain the resemblance between Xemnas and the figure having a heart.

"You're a Replica of Xemnas's Somebody, aren't you?" Roxas inquired, feeling Oblivion vibrating in his hand a little, while trying to activate his Drive.

Instead the figure looked more amused than anything, shifting one of his blades for the Staff of Storms and quickly closed the distance. The both of them locking blades.

"A good guess, but not quite correct. I am not quite a Replica but I am connected to Xemnas. Yet as I said earlier I'm not connected to your Organization." The figure said before the both of them broke their lock.

The ethereal blade and Oathkeeper slamming into their opposite wielder's side and forcing them both back a step.

"Yet I will still retrieve you off of this lowly world." He said, dispelling the ethereal blade and shifting the Staff of Storms into its whip form.

Swinging it at Roxas who barely had any time to roll away from the whirlwind covered Keyblade dug into the earth, with mist forming off of the tips of Oathkeeper and Oblivion.

"Blizzaga!" Roxas casted, putting quite a bit of magic into the ice mines as they were launched from his Keyblades and made contact with whip. Freezing two sections of it and the whirlwinds blowing mist in the figure's vision.

He retracted the whip back into it's Keyblade form and formed several blue orbs behind him, sending out a volley of lasers into the mist. Finding nothing he dispelled them before swinging the Staff of Storms, generating a wind to dispel the mist.

Only for a pillar of light to slam into him.

The figure was sent flying back before correcting himself and teleported out of the way for another. Before a third one slammed into his back.

Creating a barrier he saw Roxas unleashing light pillars at random directions. Having taped into his Limit Break to keep the figure at a distance while trying to tap into his Drive.

The figure frowned as he summoned flaming pillars to surround himself before dropping the barrier and charging towards Roxas. The Nobody's light pillars continuing to fire all over the place of crashing tip to the flame pillars as sparks were gathering at the tip of the Staff of Storms.

Unleashing a large bolt of lightning, splitting into ten smaller bolts of lightning that raced towards Roxas. A few crashed into pillars of lights but at least half of them reached Roxas.

Only for a barrier formed and he let out a sigh of relief as the second part of his Limit Break activated as he started to glow silver and the light around him began to flicker.

The figure continued to dodge the light pillars before the blade of his Keyblade glowed green.

"Cutting Gale!" He casted, creating multiple wind blades that began to cut through the light pillars before they began to drop down as Roxas dropped his Limit Break.

With the figure clicking his tongue at seeing the silver glow around Roxas to die down, seeing he had inherited more from Sora than he thought.

Besides the silver glow, part of Roxas's clothing and coat had turned silver. The hood, shoulders to a little past the elbow, and ankles to a little above the knees turned completely silver. Behind his fingers on his gloves and all along the edges of his coat was covered in a jagged silver line. Two more formed going across the back of his coat and the his sigil appeared on his chest.

Yet the most surprising change was the light around Roxas.

It was a glistening light similar to a Reflect's barrier that would fade in and around his body. In a shape reminiscent of armor seemed to surround him. Seeming familiar to the figure...

"The puppet." He said in annoyance before forming an ice shard at the end of the Staff of Storms and blasted that to Roxas.

Only for the Nobody charge towards him at him at speeds the figure hadn't seen before the spell collided with him.

Roxas grunted a little, but where the ice shard impacted collided the light armor showed up and the shard broke apart without freezing him and the wind dispelled. He just crossed his Keyblades together and slammed through the flame pillars and into him.

Sparks released from the light armor blasted him further bother Roxas slammed Oblivion into his gut. Knocking him to the ground, although Oblivion seemed to hum happily at that.

However the figure quickly picked himself back up, dispelling the Staff of Storms and summoning his ethereal blades and shifting them into whips, teleporting around and flailing them about.

Roxas tried to dodge the, or rush past them, but the figure stopped and shifted one of his blades to several orbs. Launching lasers that Roxas powered through and charged forward in a burst of light. The figure dodged the strikes from his Keyblades and dodged the sparks coming off the light armor.

Teleporting away, but getting nailed in the head by Roxas tossing both Keyblades at him. As he caught them the figure sent out several flame pillars towards him.

Dodging them before seeing the figure grin.

"Quake!" He casted, causing a series of earthen spikes and pillars to rise from the ground.

Roxas grunted as even with the barrier from this Drive he got battered from the pillars before they subsided. Seeing the figure smirking before snapping his fingers.

Summoning a pair of Shadows that leapt at Roxas.

He quickly cut them down, only for a third one to emerge from the ground and clawed at his leg. Being destroyed by sparks of light from the armor.

"So it really is a full body Reflect, yet not as strong." The figure mussed before summoning the Staff of Storms and swinging it, creating several wind blades that spread out towards Roxas.

The Nobody weaved through them before the figure teleported in-front of him, dispelling his other ethereal blade into energy orbs that impacted the Nobody's chest. Before both Keyblade wielders trained fireballs at their opponent's chest.

"Fira!" The both of them casted, blasting each other and sending the other flying back.

Although Roxas was sent flying back further than the figure and landed with the crash. Something he noted after even getting two fireballs to the chest.

He smirked at that and seeing Roxas pulling out an ether from his bag swung the Staff of Storms, creating a small whirlwind approaching

Roxas panted a little as he put away the empty ether bottle before speeding past the whirlwind. Only for a few wind propelled ice shards to collide with the ground and froze the ground. He tried to halt his approach, only to be pushed back the Staff of Storm's whip form before the teeth of Keyblade bit down on his armor to his surprise.

Before tossing him into the barrier's wall and into the ground before being released. The whip slammed down on him one more time before retracting into it's Keyblade form. With the figure creating wind blades to strike at the downed Roxas.

"An impress ability Roxas, albeit it flawed. With time you could improve upon it. Which sadly you won't be able to." The figure said with a smirk, which quickly vanished when Roxas shot up with both of his Keyblade coated in light as he activated his Limit Break.

The figure turned the Staff of Storms into it's whip form and used it it's longer reach to try and defend himself.

"I won't let that happen." Roxas said as he spun his Keyblades while the figure swung his whip to counter the strikes from Oathkeeper and Oblivion. The struggle continuing for a few moments before a sudden explosion rocked the dome.

Causing them to break apart to see a hole was torn through the barrier to the figure's surprise.

"What?" He said, wondering just how was that possible.

No mage on Halkeginia should have been able to tear through the darkness like that.

Roxas seeing his chance and the Heartless outside released a gleam of light from himself, blinding the figure as he rushed out of the dome in a flash.

---

Roxas speed out of the dome and rammed into the Rock Troll, getting it to collapse back first onto the ground.

For it too exploded in a burst of darkness and released a large large heart with the remains faded, Roxas letting out a sigh of relief as his Drive ended.

One more hit and he was sure they would have destroyed the Heartless, but without a Keyblade it would have just reformed and terrorized this world creating more.

Looking over he sighed as he felt his Drive had emptied out, still nowhere close enough to manage like Sora could before he was summoned. Not sure if he could manage it again against the figure again…

"Glad you're alright Roxas, but what kind of spell was that?" Kirche said rushed over while Slyphid landed nearby with Tabitha staring at the remnants of the dome fading away. Louise was closing in, huffing while carrying the Staff of Destruction's case.

Fouquet was trying to slowly backpedal while keeping her wand trained on where the barrier used to be.

"Something I'm still working, but you all need to back up." Roxas said before turning back to where the figure was.

Slyphid growled was the only warning they got before a few blue orbs of energy rose up behind the Nobody and fired upon them. Forcing Kirche back and Slyphid into the air.

Before Roxas could do anything he doubled over as the Staff of Storms slammed into his gut, two lasers knocking his Keyblades out of his hand. The teeth of the Keyblade biting down on his right arm before dragging him back as it retracted to the figure.

"So which of the four are you?" The figure said, pulling back the left sleeve first to see the familiar runes on his hand. Smirking at what he saw before the Keybade retracted and shot an ice shard that bound Roxas'e arms together. "That would explain it."

It would seem that time was drawing near…

"Explain what?" Roxas questioned as he tried and summon Oathkeeper as another ice shard covered more of his body in ice.

With the figure swinging the Staff of Storms created a gust of wind that blew away a stream of flames from Kirche.

"Fireball!" Louise casted, catching the figures attention as an explosion rang out. And knocked her wand out of her hand. "Again!"

"You have got to be joking." The figure said before training the Staff of Storms at her as she hurriedly went for the wand.

She could control it yet it seems, best to eliminate the girl now along with the thief before the other students. He could careless who gets it next.

Retrieving the Keyblade and Roxas was all mattered, what happened next to this accursed world didn't bother him in the slightest.

He generated sparks at the end of the Keyblade, before the figure grunted in pain as several icicles slammed into his back. Turning around to see Tabitha pointing her staff at him while Slyphid flew in close.

"Enough." The figure said, discharging a bolt of electricity into the air before creating a wind blade after it.

The dragon veered out of the way for both attacks before slamming it's tail into the figure, pushing him back. And into an earthen spire that struck him in the back.

While another one rose from the ground and broke the ice surrounding Roxas's arm, allowing him to summon Oathkeeper and break the rest of it.

The Staff of Storm unleash another bolt of lightning at Fouquet, with a wave of her wand created an earthen wall that was shattered as she dove for cover. He prepared another one, but got a fireball to the face.

Roxas rushed at him with light extending off his blade, using the last of his Limit Break to hack away at the figure and strike him with two light pillars before he teleported away.

"Windcutter!" He heard the figure cast behind him, but reacted too late as the figure spun around.

Creating a whilwind while summoning an ethereal blade and extending it into a whip, both it and the Staff of Storms striking Roxas as he tried to defend himself with Oathkeeper. This last a few moments until a depression formed in the ground, breaking the spell.

Roxas righted himself in the air and glided away while the figure dispelled the ethereal blade, creating a stream of white energy to catch an icicle from the top of his Keyblade. Pulling back and launching it back at Tabitha.

She had her familiar fly out of the way before with a wave of her staff creating a gust of wind that blew apart an incoming air blade.

"Impressive, but not good enough." The figure said as the Staff of Storms shifted into it's whip form, blocking some flames from a wide eyed Kirche. Swinging the whip which crashed into an earth wall raised between them.

Noticing a shadow descending upon him, he expected it to be the dragon again. Only to notice a giant fist slam into him.

Fouquet smirked at that and raised her wand, the fist copying her actions before grinding the figure into the ground. Frowning when the Staff of Storms began to cut through the earth construct.

Hurriedly raising a wall and trying to slip by before the figure noticed her.

Roxas picked up Oblivion, the Keyblade seeming to him happily in his hand before noticing Slyphid flying down towards the figure. He began to race towards them, the tips of his Keyblades sparking.

As the figure destroyed the earthen construct, he grunted as Slyphid tale struck him in the back followed by a gale pushing him further into the ground. Quickly pushing himself up and swung the Staff of Storms at the dragon.

Slyphid tried to fly away, but roared out in pain as the Keyblade's teeth sunk into it's tail and began to retract.

Tabitha frowned and created an icicle in air followed by a gust of wind that propelled itself at him at blinding speeds.

The figure barely had anytime to summon and ethereal to slice it apart, breaking the blade into energy orbs.

"Thunder! Thungaga!" Roxas casted, two strings of lighting bolts launched from his Keyblade and striking the figure.

He grunted in pain before the orbs dissipated and let go of the dragon before two massive bolts of lightning crashed into him.

"Cure!" Roxas casted, Slyphid glowing green before letting out a slight growl as she flew past the Nobody. Tabitha giving a nod as they flew past.

He panted while pulling out an ether while seeing the figure recovering as the Staff of Storms retracted into it's Keyblade form. Throwing Oathkeeper at him.

Nailing the figure in the head before he downed the ether and rushed forward, slamming Oathkeeper into the figure's gut while the did the same with the Staff of Storms. Both stumbling back before the both struck again with Roxas using both Keyblades.

Both stepped back again, but the figure summoned the flame pillars and forced him back.

Pulling back Roxas saw an ice shard racing towards him.

"Fira!" Roxas casted lighting both Keyblade tips aflame, the spell colliding with one of the fireballs. While the other harmlessly into one of the pillars.

Only for a third smaller fireball to sail through them, colliding with the figure in an explosions that engulfed him in flames.

Kirche smirked as she waved off the smoke from her wand at seeing her spell land, before turning into a frown as the figure waved his Keyblade and extinguished the flames as she regrouped with Roxas and Fouquet.

"What will it take to keep him down?" She asked.

"I don't know, he keeps coming back no matter what we throw at him." Roxas said with a frown.

He and Sora had faced similar opponents, yet whoever this figure truly was seemed to recover quickly. There were signs of damage burn no matter what damage didn't seem to stick for long. Nothing too different from what his or his Somebody's had fought before, but the only other Keyblade wielder he fought was Riku and he was nothing like this.

And Roxas wasn't sure the others could hold out for a prolonged battle against him...

Slyphid growled out as the figure swung the Staff of Storms, a gust of wind blocking a whirlwind from Tabitha as her familiar landed behind them.

"Get on." Tabitha said.

"Roxas we need to fall back." Kirche said with a frown as she faced Fouquet and trained her wand at her. "You as well."

As the thief weighed her options, Roxas just nodded while training Oathkeeper at the figure.

It was their best option and if they got the Staff of Destruction and Fouquet to the Academy it would clear things up for Henrietta. But it wouldn't be enough than to by sometime from the figure, he'd come after them. It would only be a matter of time, plenty for both of them to recover.

He could worry about that later, but for now they need to retreat...

Where was Louise?

Roxas got his answer when he sensed the pinkette behind the figure.

"Fireball!" Louise casted, having recovered her wand and standing not that far from him.

A small explosion erupted from the figure's left shoulder, getting him to grunt in pain before turning to face Louise. She smirked at the result, but faded when the figure grinned and wind extended off of the Keyblade, extending the length.

Now that he could get a look at the foolish mage, he could see a resemblance...

"Fireball! Fireball!" Louise casted, another pair of small explosions rang off of him.

He grunted in pain from them both, but he slowly approached her with that same grin. Her bravado was quickly fading yet stood firm.

"Fireball!" She casted again, desperation starting to cut through her tone as another explosion rang out.

But it did nothing except barely inconvenience him.

"Louise, run!" Roxas called out, before speeding off.

"Get away from him!" Kirche called out, but Louise just shook her head at their words.

"No I am a noble, I am a mage! I will not spoil my honor, I will not allow him to succeed!" Louise declared, although the tears forming in her eyes betrayed her true feelings.

Yet she will not move.

This man had made it known that he was going to take the Staff of Storms, her familiar, and to kill all of them. If he succeeded she would never see her family, Henrietta, or her familiar again and her friend would still be in trouble and knew that they all would be dead.

She could not allow that, not when her familiar held the man back in that barrier or while the others held off the Dragur/Heartless. While she helped, she would show them that she wasn't a Zero.

She would not allow this man to succeed!

"Fireball!" Louise casted, a larger explosion than what she had before that engulfed the figure.

Only for her courage to fade as he walked through it, a little scuffed and brushing off his shoulder with the same grin as before. The damage she did seemed to be mitigated in a matter of moments.

"No..." Louise said as tears streamed down her cheeks as the figure raised the Staff of Storms.

"That actually hurt quite a bit, a valiant effort daughter of the 'Heavy Wind'." The figure said, getting her eyes to widen and fear to well up inside her. "However such an effort is wasted on the deceased, I'll make this quick."

Louise could only close her eyes as the blade descended on her.

Only to open them at hearing the clang of metal, looking to see Roxas in front of her. Grunting as he held back the Staff of Storms with Oathkeeper and Oblivion, the wind blade coming dangerously close to cutting into his cheek.

"What are you waiting for?" Roxas said as he struggled, feeling his left forearm burn and Oblivion vibrating in his hand.

Louise nodded before pointing her wand at the figure, silently praying to the founder that this would work.

"Fireball!" She casted, creating a small explosion on the figure's shoulder again.

He grunted in pain and took a step back before Roxas broke the blade lock, mist forming at the ends of his Keyblades.

"Blizzara! Blizzard!" The Nobody casted, creating two ice large crystals slamming into the figure and freezing him solid. Followed by two smaller ice shards.

Roxas casted the latter spell an additional two times before letting out a sigh of relief. That should hold him for a bit.

"I had meant run away, but that worked too." Roxas sighed out before turning to face Louise. "Still, what were you thinking! You were going to get yourself killed!"

"What do you expect me to do, I am a noble it is my duty not to run!" Louise yelled to her familiar.

"What I expect you to do is for you to think about what Henrietta would feel if you died." Roxas said, getting Louise to flinch at his words. "Do you know what would accomplish, nothing. Your life, your existence would come to an end. You have no idea how lucky you are to exist or to have a best friend like her. Or how it would mean to her if you died here for the sake of some 'noble's duty'."

Louise lowered her head as tears streamed down her cheeks.

He was right, her familiar was right.

But…

"But…" She said, chocking back a sob and getting Roxas's expression to soften. "But I know, but I can't run away. Not while my familiar and everyone else is doing all the fighting alone, not while that man will kill us all." Louise shook her head at that before shaking her head. "It's so hard to being a noble without using magic, so humiliating. I can't stand for being a Zero or dying being nothing. Or let everyone else die here as well."

Roxas stared at her for a moment, raising Oathkeeper and firing another ice shard at the cracking frozen figure. Before smiling at her a little as he saw Slyphid flying towards them with everyone else on the dragon's back.

"Honestly you are not nothing and as I said before, I could careless that you are a Zero or not." Roxas said before bending down to look her in the eye. "Besides Zero also means more than nothing, it can also mean a starting point or a beginning."

Louise's eyes widen as she saw him smiling at her, dispelling Oathkeeper and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"But you won't get to experience it if you stay here. I know you want to fight, but you get your chance soon enough." Roxas said as he faced away from her as the ice around the figure broke.

He raised his Keyblade to swing, but was forced back by a stream of flame Kirche released from her wand as Slyphid landed behind Roxas and Louise.

"Get Louise out of here." Roxas said as Kirche got off and helped the pinkette onto Slyphid's back, Tabitha alternating on training her staff on Fouquet or the figure.

"What about you?" Kirche asked as Roxas steeled his gaze at the figure.

"Either I finish this or I hold him off until you all get far enough away, I'll catch up." Roxas said, getting Louise to growl at him.

"What about your own words Roxas, what would you accomplish? What would the maid think if you disappeared!" Louise called out, getting Roxas to shake his head and smile as he felt the runes on his left hand burning before the sensation started to spread.

She had a point, still…

"I intend to come back, I'm not letting anyone separate me from those closest to me again." Roxas said, feeling Oblivion vibrate more in his hands.

"He won't be alone either." Fouquet said to everyone's surprise as she slid off of Slyphid's back and trained her wand at the figure.

"You too?" Tabitha asked.

"Either you arrest me or he kills me. Pretty sure he would track me down either way, better chances of survival this way." Fouquet said with a frown while Tabitha just nodded in response.

That made sense.

"You are correct on either occasion." The figure said.

Slyphid let out a small grow before looking at Roxas.

"We'll be fine, just go." Roxas said, the dragon let out a soft growl and Tabitha nodded as they took off into the air.

---

The figure watched as the dragon took of into the air before shaking his head as he eyed the thief and Roxas. They were his main objectives, he supposed that sparing the girl who summoned the Nobody as her familiar wouldn't be an issue to the plan. She and the other students were secondary,

Better to leave this accursed world behind for good.

He let out a sigh before swinging the Keyblade, creating a pair of wind blades at Fouquet.

She raised an earthen wall that was cut to pieces before creating a divot in the ground that he jumped back from before was nailed in the back by a thrown Oathkeeper.

Roxas was about to do the same with Oblivion when he felt the Keyblade vibrate in his left hand as he felt his entire body flare up and his body going on autopilot like during his duel with Guiche.

"What?" Roxas said before feeling Oblivion shift in his hand in a burst of light as the figure charged towards him, shifting the Staff of Storms into it's whip form.

Feeling a familiar twin pulses from inside him before his head seemed to split apart as instinct and knowledge began to pour in.

The whip nearly struck the Nobody, but to the figure's surprise Roxas blocked it with Oblivion. Instead of a Keyblade, it was a spear now.

---

"His swordwand is like the Staff of Storms, but I didn't know that it could change shape too." Kirche said as she, Louise, and Tabitha stared as the light faded around Oblivion to reveal it's new form.

"Neither did I." Louise added.

"He didn't." Tabitha said a Slyphid turned in the air.

Kirche squinted her eyes to get a better look at Roxas's faced, before nodding as his expression had confirmed her friend's words.

"So it will seem, this should be interesting." Kirche said.

Louise just nodded at her words, hoping her familiar would be alright.

---

Roxas looked in surprise at Oblivion's new form.

The guard, handle, and keychain of the Keyblade had fused into the shaft of the spear. With the crown of the keychain growing round to form the heel of the spear, half of shaft itself being the chain. The blue gem of the guard rested below formed shafted of the Keyblade, now it and the teeth forming the blade of the spear.

The Nobody had no idea how he knew the parts of a spear before figuring it held something to do with the presences and the runes on his left hand glowing. In fact he noticed himself feeling a bit lighter, a bit stronger than he usually did.

What was going on…

He felt the pulses fade away while Oblivion seemed to vibrate in his hand.

The Nobody took a quick look to the runes and than to himself before shaking his head and steeling himself.

He wasn't sure what caused it exactly, but he would worry about it later. As long as he could still fight.

"Don't think that a Formchange alone will change things." The figure said as he pulled back the whip.

Only for Roxas to swing Oblivion with both hands, catching the end of the Staff of Storms in the blade of the spear and used all of his strength to try and wrench the Keyblade free from the figure's hand.

He grunted as he dispelled the Staff of Storms, summoning his ethereal blades and teleported out of the way of a rock spire that would have struck him in the back. Reappearing and slashing Roxas, who twirled the spear to repeal them.

Before thrusting the spear in a gap in between the blades, getting the figure to gasp as he as pushed back. Surprised by the impact behind it before Roxas vanished behind in a burst of speed.

Shifting the blades into whips, the figure barely blocked Oblivion before bringing down the whips onto the Nobody.

Roxas pulled the spear back, creating a dark square barrier that surprise the both of them. With Roxas surprised to before suddenly feeling energized as the whips clattered against

"How?" The figure growled out before teleporting behind Roxas and releasing an X shaped balst of energy.

He grunted as the barrier vanished before thrusting the transformed Keyblade into the figure's chest, pushing him back until he removed one hand off the spear.

And summoned Oathkeeper in the other hand Oblivion's size was halved, becoming more manageable for one hand. Stunning the figure before Roxas took the opportunity to thrust Oblivion into his chest, Oathkeeper's tip lighting aflame.

"Fira!" He casted, the fireball striking the figure and sending him flying back.

Into a spike rock wall, Fouquet smirking as she flicked her wand and another one rose up and slammed the two together.

Only for the figure to teleport behind Roxas again.

"Quake!" The figure casted, creating rock spires to erupt from the ground with one striking Roxas and sending him in the air.

Before throwing Oathkeeper and using wind magic to propel himself downward.

The figure battered away Oathkeeper and swung at Roxas who propelled himself up in the air before Onlivion expanded as he brought it down on a figure with a downward slash.

With a wave of her wand Fouquet broke the spell, settling the ground minus one spike the figure crashed into before pulling himself back up. Blocking a strike from Oblivion before the spear was reduced in size as Roxas summoned Oathkeeper and the two engaged in a clash.

The figure frowned as he noticed the Nobody held a more refined control of Oathkeeper's blade work in their clash, struggling to counter in tandem with Oblivion's Formchange. There should be no reason he was skilled with both Keyblade and spear.

But the figure inwardly seethed when he glimpsed the runs, Gandálfr. That would explain it, yet he noticed that Roxas's movements were starting to slow down as the clash continued.

He smirked before pulling back and teleporting out of the way of a slash, dispersing into orbs before firing lasers.

Roxas hastily raised the dark barrier, blocking most of the attacks but one struck his shoulder, getting him to grunt in pain. Before yelling as the figure blasted him in the back with a large fireball from the Staff of Storms.

The figure whipped him in the back with the ethereal blade, intend on repeating it again. Only for a rock spire to slam into the side of his head.

Disorienting him before nearly doubling over as Oathkeeper was slammed into his gut, Roxas raising Oblivion, the blade of the spear glowing orange.

"Tame Slash!" Roxas shouted, delivering a devastating downward slash that sent the figure flying back into an earthen wall that Fouquet raised. Hardening it compariable to steel the moment his back collided.

Roxas thrusted Oblivion forward, but jumped back as flame pillars erupted and demolished the wall. Before the figure swung the Staff of Storms, creating a whirlwind that nearly blew Roxas halfway across the clearing before planting Oblivion's blade into ground and rushing back.

He smirked as Staff of Storms glowed green, before frowning at noticing and incoming earthen fist.

"Dragon Sever!" He casted, swinging the Keyblade upward creating a large, green energy laced blade of wind in the shape of a dragon's fang that split the construct in half and crumpled into dirt. "You."

"Thanks for the new spell, Quake!" Fouquet casted with a smirk, waving her wand as rock spires rose up and down around the figure.

He frowned as he began to cut through them with his blades before Roxas lept in between them, slashing at him with Oblivion before the figure created a fireball that blew him back into a spire.

Roxas grunted at the impact before swiping Oblivion to block the blades before rock spires rose up to strick them both. The figure cut the ones surround him while Roxas raised the dark barrier to block them

Before noticing the figure lunged at him, the blade of Oblivilon glowing orange.

"Sonic Blade!" Roxas casted, an orange energy projectile released from the blade and sent the figure flying into the air.

Before he could regain his composure Roxas jumped up and rammed spear first into the figure, coming back and doing that twice more before the figure crashed into the ground. Roxas landing a bit away as another rock spire slammed into the figure.

Looking down to see in his hands that Oblivion shifted back into it's Keyblade form.

Seems like it was only temporary...

"Enough of this, Cutting Gale!" The figure casted, the green wind blades forming around him before unleashing them all around.

Cutting through the rock spires and Roxas summoned Oathkeeper, using both Keyblades to deflect an air blade. Fouquet had to roll out of the way of one to avoid being bisected, canceling the spell.

The figure cancel the spell and raised the Staff of Storms into it's whip form to repel Roxas. Waving not around to try and deflect the Nobody who kept slashing at him, before finding an opening and the teeth of the Keyblade bit around his ankle.

He grunted in pain as he was flung back, but not before nailing the figure in the head by throwing Oathkeeper.

Who retaliated is by breaking the ethereal blade into orbs and launching lasers at Roxas.

Rolling out of the way of them and went to retrieve Oathkeeper as the figure swung the Staff of Storms, sending an air blade at Fouquet.

She barely dodged out of the way as sparks formed at the end of the Keyblade as the figure hefted it into the air.

"Bolting!" He casted.

Fouquet and Roxas barely had anytime to react before a pillar of lightning crashed into them both. They both heeled out in pain before the spell ended, electricity arcing off both of them

Roxas panted as he planted his Keyblades into the ground. Fouquet didn't have the same luxury as she writhed into the ground.

The figure spared a quick glance at Roxas, sparks forming at the end of the Staff of Storms.

Before turning and blasting a small ball of electricity at Fouquet as he shocked her. Getting her to yell out in pain as he drew closer.

"Cura!" Roxas casted as he stood back up, tightly gripping both Keyblades as he felt the spell glowing before running forward.

The figure blasted Fouquet twice more with electricity, getting her to yell before wind began to generate around the Staff of Storm's edge.

Than he swung it at Roxas who rolled out of the way of a wind blade and jumped forward, propelled by wind magic. Roxas slashed and spun his Keyblades with the figure struggling to counter before finding the tips trained at his chest. Both of them aflame.

"Fire!" Roxas casted, blasting the figure back with the two fireballs. "Curaga!"

Fouquet stared in surprise as a glow pattern formed on the ground around them before both had a greenish glow that Roxas had been having, feeling better than she had moments earlier.

"You doing better now?" Roxas inquired as she stood back up.

"Not quite, but better than I was moments before." Fouquet said, getting him to nod as the tip of Oathkeeper sparked.

"Thunder!" Roxas casted, a string of lightning bolts going towards the figure.

He teleported out of the way, reappearing infront of Roxas and blasting him point blank with a large whirlwind out of Curaga's range.

Fouquet tried to raise her wand, but with a swing of his Keyblade the figure knocked her to the ground,

"I'll deal with you in a moment thief." The figure said with a sneer before focusing his gaze on Roxas. "Now let's finish this."

Roxas didn't say anything as he and the figure charged at each other, the later shifting the Staff of Storms as their Keyblades clashed.

Using the whip the figure kept weathering Roxas's attacks, using it as a shield from Roxas who kept moving around and finding openings to attack with Oathkeeper and Oblivion. Admitting his speed and resilience were admirable even if only boosted by the runes, but wasted on the Nobody as he was now.

He just need an opening...

Their clash lasted a little longer before the figure relaxed the Staff of Storms and Roxas managed to land a direct hit with Oathkeeper.

Getting the figure to smirk as he blasted an ice shard into Roxas's chest from his free hand, surprising him. Summoning his ethereal blade and extending it into a whip before wrapping it around Roxas's left forearm.

"Impressive Roxas, you have shown that your skills alone are worthy enough. You have shown yourself capable enough." The figure said as the Staff of Storms shifted back into it's Keyblade form and placed the tip on the runes. "Yet you still have much to learn."

Light emanated from the Keyblade before Roxas could do anything, before the light from the runes died out.

The figure let go and Roxas panted and tried his best to stand up as he felt nearly empty, his stamina nearly run out and pain flashing through his body. Before it suddenly felt hollow. Barley past his Limit, barely any magic, barely strength.

"What did you do…" Roxas said as he stood back up, Oblivion vibrating worriedly in his hands.

"Nothing, using runes and seals are just a double edged sword against an experienced Keyblade wielder. Bound to be consequences." The figure said with a smile. "Although runes of that quality are tricky for most of our kind, you just don't know how special they are even for this accursed world."

"Like I can care about that!" Roxas said as he swung both Oathkeeper and Oblivion.

The figure smirked as a simple slash from the Staff of Storms knocked the latter out of his hands. Roxas swung Oathkeeper again, only for it to be knocked aside as well.

He stumbled back and tried to summon Oathkeeper, but the figure teleported away.

Roxas sensed him and he launched a silent Fire spell from his hand the figure battered away before he teleported again. His hand clasping the back of the Nobody's head.

Light started to flicker off of him before Roxas was engulfed in mist, frozen completely in a layer of frost and unable to move.

"You never give up do you, all of you?" The figure said with a smile as he ran his hand over the Staff of Storms. The Keyblade glowing in darkness as he stepped infront of Roxas. "Even with how weak willed the witch is in comparison, once any of you have a wish in sight nothing short of death or the will of Kingdom Hearts will stop you."

An orb of darkness formed from the end of the Staff of Storms as the figure grinned. The Nobody's senses going haywire at the darkness coming from the orb and how it began to shift.

Whatever it was, Roxas didn't want to know.

"Would prefer to us a different Keyblade, yet it is better to not leave it to chance." The figure said with a grin.

All Roxas could do was stare in his icy prison as he tried to break out before that orb hits him. The way it was driving his senses crazy, the last thing he wanted was for that to hit him.

---

"No!" Louise yelled out as Roxas was frozen solid while she and the others watch up from above on Slyphid's back. "We have to do something!"

Tabitha was about to say something when Slyphid looked back with a growl. She stared back at her familiar for a few moments before nodding and facing Louise.

"We will." Tabitha said as Slyphid backed around in air.

Louise began to look around for anything to help as it looked like the figure down below was preparing some kind of spell. Before looking into her hands to see the case of the Staff of Destruction that she had been lugging around.

Taking in a breath she opened the case to reveal a green metallic tube with a strap along one of the sides. It was oddly shaped for a staff, but she had seen what the Staff of Storms could do and change shape.

If the Staff of Destruction even held a shred of truth to the rumors it would be more than enough. She couldn't get her own magic to work, so she would rely on the staff's own.

"Tabitha cast levitation on me!" Louise called out as she held the staff and jumped off the dragon to both Kirche's and Tabitha's surprise.

"Oh no you don't." Kirche said as she jumped off two as Tabitha hastily staff on the both of them as her friend grabbed onto Louise.

"Zerbst what are you doing?" Louise exclaimed as their descent was slowed down.

"I could ask you the same thing. Impressive but foolhardy, you'll be killed if you go down alone." Kirche said with a smirk. "I'll provide cover for you, now let's finish this."

Hearing that Louise could only nod while trying to hide a small smile.

She would never admit it, but she was glad for the assistance. That she wouldn't be alone against the man who was foolish enough to mess and try to kill her, her familiar,…and those she was coming to trust.

It was time to end this.

---

The figure frowned as he sensed someone coming close, seeing Louise and Kirche descending down towards them. He would have left them to live had they just fled, and he couldn't allow for any distractions before he was completed.

Raising a hand a Corridor of Darkness opened up and he closed it as a Neoshadow speed through to their shock.

"Deal with them." The figure ordered the Neoshadow as it sunk into the ground. It would deal with them, but even if the girl could get rid of that Heartless it would by time.

Time it would seem he needed as light began to flicker beneath the ice of Roxas's frozen form, cracks appearing.

"No time to waste." He said as the orb turned orange and he launched it toward Roxas.

Only for a large ice shard to collide with the orb, freezing it and breaking it apart to the figure's rage.

"No!" He shouted, launching a torrent of fire from his Keyblade at a passing Slyphid and Tabitha. The two of them flying out of reach before a rock spire slammed into his face.

Stumbling back to see Fouquet smirking at him while panting as the Curaga field vanished underneath her.

"Never take your eyes off a target." She said as he swung the Staff of Storms, creating a wind blade. Fouquet merely raised her wand and sidestepped as an earthen wall was cut in half.

Frowning as she saw the Neoshadow turned it's attention to her, raising as platform from the ground as it lunged forward and clawed into the dirt. Providing enough of a distraction for Louise and Kirche to land safely.

The latter of which released a few fireballs from her wand as they rushed towards Roxas. The figure merely extinguished them with a wave of the Staff of Storms before he heard the sound of something breaking behind him.

He barely had time to turn around when a sphere of light slammed into his face, getting him to stumble back before teleporting out of the way of another one that slammed into the Neoshadow as it tried to claw at Fouquet.

Roxas had managed to free up one of his hands, but it was a struggle to even move it. Trying to summon Oathkeeper, only to found himself immersed in flames.

Warming him up as he felt the ice starting to break away, soon freeing his head and most of his upper body.

"Easy there handsome, try not to move to much. Just a little bit longer." Kirche said as she turned to look at Louise. "Still not working yet."

"No, does it need special requirements to activate it or something!" Louise shouted as she was waving around what the Nobody could guess was probably the Staff of Destruction.

But it wasn't quite a staff…

Looking at the figure he saw him repelling a rock spire and trying to strike at Slyphid as the dragon dove at him. The Neoshadow that he summoned sunk into the ground and began to rush towards them.

He fully broke out of the ice and summoned Oathkeeper as Kirche trained her wand at Louise.

"Louise you might want to take a step back." Kirche said.

She did and Louise's eyes widened as the Neoshadow jumped out of the ground to lunge at her.

Getting two fireballs to the face and pushing the Heartless back, it's body lit aflame. Kirche I leased a stream of fire to push it back as Roxas grabbed Oblivion and rushed forward.

The Neoshadow turned it's attention towards him, but it was too late. A few swings from both Keyblades and it was destroyed.

Leaning against Oblivion he took out an elixir from his bag while panting a little before quickly downing it. Pocketing the bottle as he didn't feel as drained before.

Though he wasn't sure if he could last much longer, but it seemed like the figure wasn't doing any better

"Thank you." Roxas said as Kirche unleashed a small burst of fire at the figure as he teleported out of the way. "You all came back."

"Like I was going to lose my familiar to him!" Louise growled out as she kept swinging the Staff of Destruction.

"Or for you to up vanish, besides myself I would hate to explain to your friend what happened. Or think how Tabitha would react as well." Kirche said with a smirk before they all dodged a wind blade sent towards them.

"Fira!" Roxas casted in retaliation, the figure teleporting out of the way of the fireball. Only for to barely dodge a rock spire.

"We are not going to leave you behind no matter what! Nor am I going to let that man get away for what he tried to do to you and my friend." Louise said, before her face turned red as Kirche smirked at her. "Don't-"

"Too late Louise." Kirche said with a smirk while launching a burst of fire at the figure. Louise just growled as she continued to wave the Staff of Destruction about.

The Nobody shook his head with a smile, before feeling his left hand burn. Seeing the runes on his left hand glowing again he looked between it and the Staff of Destruction in Louise's hand.

However unlike last time, he didn't feel it spreading around his body. Dispelling Oathkeeper he approached Louise, an inkling of what it was going on.

"Why won't it work!" Louise shouted as she waved it around before it was ripped from her hands. "Roxas-"

"It's to be used like this." He said, planting the tip of Oblivion into the ground.

It was more like during his duel with Guiche with the spear, he automatically knew how the Staff of Destruction was supposed to do and how to handle it. Taking out the arming handle, opening the rear cover, extending the inner tube, and raising the telescopic sight.

The Staff of Destruction was some kind of canon similar to the ones in The Land of Dragons, only more high tech and possibly just as powerful. This was something that shouldn't been in this world, that much he could tell as the runes stopped glowing.

He didn't care about the how at the moment, just they probably had a way to finish this.

Louise looked gobsmacked at the ease Roxas was handling the Staff of Destruction before he handed it off to her.

"What?" Louise asked as she felt part of it placed on her shoulder before Roxas grabbed her wrist. "W-What are you thinking?!"

"Hold it like this and release this before using the staff, hold your other hand underneath to support to fire." Roxas said, ignoring her protests as he ran her hand over the trigger and safety latch. "Might be best to bet to a knee before you fire, you only have one shot."

"M-Me!" Louise said incredulously.

"You wanted to help, this will be your best chance. You can do this." Roxas said, taking a deep breath, light flickering as his Drive activated once again. The light armor flickering around him as he brought Oathkeeper and Oblivion in hand before speeding off towards the figure.

There wasn't much to use, but it should be enough.

Louise looked between Roxas and to the figure launching a bolt of lightning at Fouquet who raised an earthen wall that broke against the impact. While Tabitha provided support from the air

Her hands around the Staff of Destruction like Roxas had shown her, before looking at Kirche who waved her over as she launched several fireballs at the figure.

"Come one, let's go Louise." Kirche said, getting Louise to nod.

She took in a deep breath before nodding with a determined look.

If they held so much faith in her and to get payback on that man, than she would take it. She just needed to take the chance once she got the right shot. Her chance to finish this, her chance to to start showing everyone that she wasn't a Zero.

---

The figure frowned as he quickly lost control of the situation, slicing through a rock wall only to be battered by icicles to his back. Summoning the flame pillars to spend the dragon away and to protect himself from the fireballs.

He shifted the Staff of Storms into it's whip form as he tried to reach for Slyphid, only for his eyes to catch a glimmer of light.

Looking to see Roxas charging forward with his Drive activated, noticing Louise in the back with a...he frowned as he sent a bolt of electricity at her. The pinkette quickly rushing away as Kirche let lose a burst of fire at the spells path.

Before he could follow through Roxas got in the way, the lighting breaking apart as the armor sparked. The figure retracted the whip before teleporting away as Roxas swung at him.

Reappearing behind him, but Roxas spun his Keyblades to deflect the Staff of Storms. Beginning another clash of blades, but the figure found himself getting more and more frustrated as he found himself quickly losing ground.

Unleashing a whirlwind to push him back before the end of his Keyblade began to spark, creating a bolt of lighting the split into 10. Creating a wind blade to follow up

The bolts of lighting pelted the Nobody as he powered through them, but the wind blade was blocked by a earthen wall. Cut in half as Roxas moved around it, the figure teleporting away as an icicle impacted the spot where he once was.

Roxas turn around and used his Keyblades to deflect another wind blade as the figure cut apart a rock spire, the Staff of Storm's edge glowing green.

"Enough of this foolishness, Dragon Sever!" He casted, swinging the Keyblade sideways in a large wind blade as Roxas charged forward.

Feeling Oblivion vibrate in his hand and memories playing through his head, of when Sora using his Valor Form during the time together inside his Somebody. Smiling as an idea came to mind and coating his Keyblades in light.

Their length extending and the light armor glistening as he ran headlong into the spell, raising Oathkeeper and Oblivion to intercept the spell.

Both Keyblades cutting through and parting the central section of the spell to the figures shock.

"How?" He said before realizing too late that Roxas was closing in Keyblades first.

"Adamant Burst!" Roxas casted, slashing at the figure before his light armor detonated in a shower of sparks that impacted him. Speeding passed as him as the lights detonated for a few more moments before the Drive ended.

Roxas panted as the figure crashed to the ground, turning to see him jump back up and swung the Staff of Storms to create a wind blade while Roxas threw Oathkeeper.

The figure dodged the Keyblade as it flew through the spell with Roxas doing the same. As the figure swung again Oblivion glowed with light, Roxas slashing the transformed Keyblade.

Hooking the blade of the spear onto the teeth of the Keyblade, disarming the figure.

Enraging him as he created several energy orbs that blasted Roxas back as Oblivion returned to normal, mist generating from the tip.

"Blizzara!" Roxas casted, a large ice crystal launched and struke the figure's legs. Freezing him to the spot and Roxas dispelled Oathkeeper and rushed forward to pick up the Staff of Storms.

Before the figure could react Kirche flung a fireball at his face while Louise took a deep breath and silently prayed to the Founder this plan would work. Releasing the safety latch and pressing the trigger.

Louise yelped as the force of the projectile released from the Staff of Destruction nearly knocked her forewards, feeling the heat of the back blast as she adjusted herself.

The figure's eyes widened as the flames cleared out and the rocket struck him in the chest dead on, creating an explosion that obstructed his form.

"Did it get him?" Louise asked as she dropped the Staff of Destruction and trained her wand where the figure was.

"I would think so." Kirche said as she wasn't too sure herself.

After everything they've seen him take, the Staff of Destruction should have finished him off...

Right?

Roxas frowned as the smoke began to clear up, before feeling a tug from the Staff of Storms before it faded. Taking a breath as he began to channel wind magic through it, wind began to surround it.

"So it was chosen you than." The figure's voice rang out, surprising everyone but Roxas as the smoke lifted to see him pick himself off the ground. "Yet it doesn't matter in the end."

Burnt and covered with soot and grim, panting heavily and both ethereal blades in hand.

Fouquet stared in fear as the figure as he glared at her before shifting his gaze back to Roxas.

Colbert had said that the Staff of Destruction could kill a dragon with a single spell, and she was sure that's if her golem had been hit with that. Yet he was still alive, battered but alive. Looking more damaged than what everyone here had done with him.

Was he even human?

"One way or another, it will be in back in my hands soon enough." The figure said as he swung both of his blades. Creating an x shaped projectile that sailed past Roxas and sailed towards Louise who quickly had to jump out of the way.

The figure than created energy orbs above him and began to fire lasers all around, scattering the mages to avoid being hit. Slyphid flying away while Fouquet raised an rock wall to block herself from being attacked as it was pulverized to rubble.

Roxas dodging the same as the figure charged forward towards him, but the Nobody gained a determined look as wind continued gather around the Staff of Storms.

This Keyblade, the spell he was using was taking less time to charge and he could feel the power behind it increased greatly, the cost needed to preform greatly decreased. Both him and Sora had held Keyblades that could enhance magic before, but this was much stronger than what any of them could do except Ultima Weapon.

But he could focus on that later, shaking his head clear as he continued to gather and compress air around it.

He just needed to finish this.

Fouquet saw what was going on, looking a little surprised before smirking as she dodged another laser.

The figure swung both of his ethereal blades, Roxas parrying one with Oblivion but got slashed by the other one. Before the figure could try again Roxas jumped back and threw Oblivion.

Teleporting out of the way the figure teleported behind Roxas and released another x shaped projectile that he barely had time to roll away from. Pulling back the Keyblade with both hands, Roxas swung as the figure tried to strike again.

"Air Hammer!" Roxas casted, the figure's eyes widened as a mass of compressed air struck them, sending him flying backwards instantly.

Into a spiked earthen wall Fouquet made with a smirk, the figure severally denting the construct as they crashed into it at a high velocity.

Roxas panted as he planted the Staff of Storms into the ground and raised a hand to catch Oblivion as it returned to him. Seeing the figure crumple to the ground, frowning at seeing some movement from him

"Wait, when did he learn that spell?" Louise asked as she trained her own wand at the figure, her eyes widened in surprise.

It was one of the first spells she had tried to learn when she had gotten her first wand, it had been a disaster. It was a basic yet effective wind spell, but considering the strength and ease her familiar had using spells including light magic she thought he at least knew how use some variation.

"Believe I know who taught him." Kirche said with a smirk, Louise following her gaze to see on Slyphid's back a small smile on Tabitha's face. Yet that quickly faded as her familiar began to descend close to Roxas.

"Don't take your eyes off that man, not until he is done for." Fouquet said tensely, getting both of them to nod.

With Louise gulping as figure picked himself up from the rubble, groaning and pretty battered while glaring at Roxas as dark whisps began to roll off of him.

---

The figure pulled himself up with a frown, whips of darkness forming off his body as he stretched out his hand.

He will not allow himself to lose to a Nobody and some Halekeginian mages!

He felt the ground beneath him give out and several icicles flew towards him before he teleported out of the way. Reappearing with a Keyblade in hand that Roxas had never seen before.

The Keyblade in question was predominantly gray and blue. It's handguard was a darker coloration spikes connected to gears attached on both sides by a small clock face, above it was a blue eye in the hilt similar to the one from Riku'e Soul Eater and three pairs of wings. One near the handle, one above the gears, and a larger demonic pair at the beginning of the shaft which resembled the figure's ethereal blade. The tip of the Keyblade was a clock face with one hand pointing to the back and the other making part of the teeth, blue and black spikes emerging from each hand and a horned lion's head at the very tip. The keychain an hourglass with blue sand at the end.

It was a design neither he or Sora had ever seen before...yet it seemed familiar somehow. Along with a sense of unease about it as well.

The figure unleashed a dark fireball that Slyphid barely dove out of the way of before training his Keyblade at Roxas, intense flames generating at the tip as light began to extend from Roxas's Keyblades as he tapped into his Limit Break.

Tabitha frowned as she prepared another spell, before she and the others began to feel the very temperature of the area grow colder.

Before Slyphid to her surprise flew down to the ground, cowering standing behind Roxas and started to shiver.

"Slyphid?" She questioned, noticing the dragon looked fearful at the flames. Something she frowned at, wondering what kind of spell could make her react like this.

Both Roxas and the figure stared at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. The figure surveying the situation to see all their attention was on him, extending his senses to figure out how to proceed next.

Eyes widening a little at what he sensed from Roxas, briefly seeing two other figures in his place. Two that he knew quite well, one he had called a fellow student and the other who had possessed the Keyblade the thief stole.

He smirked as he cut off the flames and the area became warmer again, a new plan in mind.

This, this could be promising.

"I yield, Roxas keep the Keyblade and the thief you will not die by my hand. I'll be taking my leave, for now." The figure said, shocking everyone especially Roxas and Fouquet.

He was surrendering, after everything he did and wearing him down he was just giving up. No one was buying it.

"After trying to kill us, take my familiar and the Staff of Storms do you think we are going to let you get away!" Louise yelled out, only to wither under the gaze of the figure.

"No prison and very few mages in Halkeginia could hold me, the only one here who could stand a chance is looking like a strong breeze could knock him over any minute now." The figure said, getting Roxas to frown as he canceled the Limit Break. Replacing it with flames and wind on the tips of Oblivion and the Staff of Storms.

As much as Roxas hated to admit it, he was right.

Practically running on fumes at this point, still feeling somewhat drained from whatever the runes had done earlier. Not even an elixir had fully helped. Oh he was sure he could continue to fight and was ready to call up on his Limit Break.

But the Nobody wasn't sure how much longer he could last, especially since the figure could both summon and create Heartless out of his own darkness.

Then there was everyone else here, without them Roxas was not that he would have been able to hold on for as long as he did. But which Fouquet and Louise looking both battered and exhausted themselves while Slyphid look at the figure wearily he wasn't sure what would happen if they continued...

"The Staff of Storms, so that is what they call it here. Fitting but nowhere close to its true name." The figure said, breaking Roxas out of his thoughts. "Make no mistake one way or another that Keyblade will return to me, but not now. Yet if you lose it Roxas before then, I will end this meager existence you cling to."

While the others except Fouquet looked appalled by the last threat, Roxas frowned as the light flicked off him and Oblivion vibrated angrily in his hands. The figure adopting a cocky smirk after his threat only increased his desire to blast it off his face.

Only Tabitha beat him to it with an icicle, which the figure summoned his Keyblade to batter away.

"You have spirit." The figure said as wisps of darkness began to form at his feet. "I will take my leave now, but know you all should hear of me again soon enough." The figure said with a smirk as whips of darkness formed at his feet.

"Who are you anyway?" Roxas asked with a frown.

Much like it seems his desire for the Staff of Storms and taking him off world has changed, it sounded like his focus now included this world itself.

Aside from the resemblance to Xemnas if he was somekind of Replica and ifhe truly was separated from the Organization, then he was possibly dealing with someone like Ansem...

The figure just smirked, his Somebody was in the dark and it wouldn't matter anyway.

"Xehanort, a name you all will be more than familiar soon enough. You and all of Tristania." Xehanort said before a Corridor of Darkness erupted around his form.

Roxas fired the spells into it as the Corridor closed behind him, dispersing the Staff of Storms when all traces of Xehanort faded away.

Slumping back with Oblivion in hand, before feeling the top of Slyphid's head press against his back before he could collapse onto the ground. The dragon let out a soft growl as he smiled.

"I'm alright, just need to take a breather." Roxas said with a small smile, before frowning as he looked at where Xehanort had just been.

Whoever or whatever he truly was, he certainly knew a lot about the Keyblade and the Organization, more than he and Sora knew about the former. He wasn't sure what he was planning and was dreading what that spell he intended to strike him was.

Perhaps it was best if he never knew

But whatever Xehanort is now planning it seemed he intends to go beyond just getting him and the Staff of Storms off this world now. And Roxas believed he might know what the first sign of it might be if this battle was anything to go on.

Sooner or later the Heartless would make it to this world one way or another.

He needed to inform the Samurai Nobodies about this later, to keep an eye out for this Xehanort on other worlds or just to increase their watch of the Organization's movements.

Just in case they decide to head to this world.

For now he just wants to rest...but it isn't over just yet.

"Roxas!" Kirche said, breaking him from his thoughts as she tackled him. Nearly knocking him down as Slyphid helped him before pulling back as she hugged his arm tightly. "You fought quite valiantly out there, wasn't sure we weren't going make it away from this a few times."

"Everyone here helped." Roxas sighed out, getting her to nod.

"True, but you did most of the hard work against him and the Dragur." Kirche said, getting Roxas to look confused on the last one.

"What's a Dragur?" He asked.

"Heartless." Tabitha said, getting his attention as she got off Slyphid. "You've improved."

"Still need some work on it, thanks anyway." Roxas said as he gently pried Kirche off before beginning to look around. "Where is Fouquet?"

The mages snapped at attention to that as they began to look around as well, with Louise noticing something else as well.

"She has the Staff of Destruction as well." Louise said, noticing that it was gone from where she had left it last.

"Quite correct, now drop your wands and swordwand." Fouquet said, they all turned to see her holding the Staff of Destruction like Louise had and aimed at them. Her back to the treeline. "You can keep the Staff of Storms, it was way more trouble than it's worth. Just let me leave and you'll never see me again.

Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha looked worried while Slyphid growled, while Roxas just sighed and shook his head.

"So that's how it is going to be." Roxas said, training Oblivion at her while Fouquet smirked as she armed the Staff of Destruction like she had seen him do.

"One more step and I'll use it. I have to thank you for showing how even someone like Louise could use it. The only reason I'm blasting anyone is for helping me out. But right now all I want to do is sell this thing and get the hell out of Tristania before that Xehanort changes his mind!" Fouquet said, looking fearful at the end before shaking her head and grinning. "Now comply or I won't have to silence any witnesses."

"You won't go through with it." Roxas said as he took a step closer.

Louise had thought for a moment that her familiar had gone crazy considering the power of that thing. Before smirking and taking a step forward as well.

"He's right, you wouldn't dare!" Louise said with a smirk, getting Kirche and Tabitha to look at her incredulously.

Fouquet just shrugged in response as she took aim.

"Truly I am thankful for the help, but don't say I didn't warn you." Fouquet as her hands went to the trigger.

Kirche and Tabitha closed their eyes to brace for what was to come.

Only for a clicking noise to come from the Staff of Destruction as she pressed on it multiple times, but nothing happened.

"What's going on!" Fouquet demanded as she continued to press down on the trigger to no effect.

"You foolish thief, while you might have learned how to operate it, you missed the most important point. My familiar made it clear it had one shot, one use only." Louise said, smirking as the realization dawned on Fouquet's face.

Roxas smiled too as he opened a Corridor of Darkness and stepped back into it.

"What no!" Fouquet said, throwing down the Staff of Destruction. Looking to see Kirche and Tabitha had their wand and staff trained on her. And that Roxas had disappeared through a Corridor closing.

She hastily raised an earth wall and turned to make a desperate break for it.

Only for Oblivion to slam into her face.

Fouquet clutched a bloody nose as Roxas stepped out of the Corridor, closing it behind him. Before she could retaliate he swung the Keyblade into her gut.

She felt the air leave her lungs before crumbling to the ground unconscious, the Nobody sighed before raising Oblivion and destroying the wall with a fireball before planting that into the ground.

"It's over." Tabitha said, getting Louise to nod as her shoulders slumped.

Finally,

"Pretty gutsy there Louise, I'll give you that." Kirche said with a smirk.

"Not really, Roxas admitted for it having as much. Was worried there for a second too." Louise admitted while looking away, only wishing to admit as much.

"He fell." Tabitha said, getting both of their attention.

True to word, Roxas fell backwards from exhaustion after he destroyed the wall. Letting out a sigh as he looked up at the sky, taking a breather as he placed Oblivion in his bag.

Resting a few moments before the Nobody saw Kirche standing above him with a seductive smirk on her face.

"Enjoying the view down there?" She asked, leaning forward a little more.

"I was." Roxas said, getting her smirk to widen.

"Well aren't you looking comfortable down there Roxas." Kirche said, getting him to sigh.

"I'm exhausted, give me a break." He said, getting Kirche to shrug.

"Guess it can't be helped." Kirche said as she leaned down and grabbed his arm. Slinging it over her shoulder and helping him up. "Now come on, we need to make sure our ride wasn't scared off in the commotion."

"Hopefully." Roxas said with a small smile.

Before feeling his other arm being picked up, looking to see Louise had set it over her shoulder as well. Refusing to face either of them.

"Don't expect me to do this again Roxas." Louise said, getting Roxas to shake his head with a smile.

He'd expected as much from her.

"I know, nice shot though." Roxas said, getting her pause before nodding.

Roxas heard her grumbling something, but couldn't make out what it was. Before she began to look around.

"Where is the Staff of Destruction?" Louise asked, before they heard a muffled growl.

"Slyphid..." Tabitha said, looking at the dragon who let out a muffled growl with the staff in its mouth. The bluenette levitating the unconscious body of Fouquet with her staff, Slyphid looking quite pleased with herself.

The sight of which Roxas let out a chuckle at that while Kirche had a mirthful grin on her face.

"Let her have it, we'll just put it in the case once we get back to the wagon. Let's just head back to the Academy." Kirche said, getting both Roxas and Louise to nod as they continued to walk out of the clearing. Slyphid following behind.

The Nobody's mind briefly flickered back to Xehanort and the Staff of Storms, store shaking his head clear of those thoughts for now.

While he was uncertain about what would be ahead and he will be sure to start preparing for when the rogue Keyblade wielder might strike again. The Nobody for now just wanted to rest and get back to the Academy and Siesta…

---

In a forest far away the younger incarnation of Xehanort emerged from a Corridor of Darkness, wiping away the soot from his face.

"He managed to get one more shot on me, impressive." Xehanort said before his form flickered into a slightly younger appearance, most of his injuries were gone yet he still felt the exhaustion and pain.

One does not recover from being hit by a M-72 LAW directly easily, his older self would know.

He cracked his back with a wince.

He didn't know how, but he didn't expect to find someone else like that again in his lifetime. The potential was there for Roxas and he wasn't sure what the cause was.

Was it the nature of how he came into existence, merging with the puppet and his Somebody, how exactly he ended up on Halkeginia, or just from being Sora's Nobody? Perhaps just a mixture of all of them and other factors.

Yet considering the nature of Sora's heart from what he could glean from the other incarnations and vessels the last one might be possible. To think an ordinary boy from the Destiny Isles could hold such potential...

Xehanort shook his head at that, best to think about that later.

"Been away from Xigbar long enough, need to make sure to divert him elsewhere in the search for Roxas soon." Xehanort said as he began to rapidly speed up the natural healing process of his body while downing a mega elixir.

The man was the vessel he trusted the most and the closest to a true incarnation, yet possibly the unpredictable of them all. His desire for No Name had been an excellent incentive for loyalty and the man had been essential to his plans.

But if left idle for too long, even he didn't know what Xigbar would do.

Discarding the bottle, Xehanort stretched himself out before sighing.

"It's been years since I've last been to this accursed world, better to see what is going on afterwards." He sighed out, making a note to stop at her grave.

The summoning of Roxas as Gandáflr and the appearance of a void mage was perhaps the thing he needed. His mere existence was to make sure his other vessels and incarnations gather before the new Keyblade War would reach its zenith in time.

Perhaps this was what he needed, to add kindling to the fire of conflicts of this world before returning to his time. This world more than deserved it.

Making it so it would be perfect to forge Roxas into the perfect vessel. If he really held the potential like he did, it would be all the better to forge the Nobody into a perfectly balanced vessel.

With how stubborn Ventus's incarnations and vessel are than the risk to fall into darkness would be minimum, unlike what happened to Baldr and H-

Xehanort paused as he felt a pang in his heart, before sighing and opening another Corridor of Darkness.

"One more stop before departing this world." Young Xehanort sighed out before walking through, one thought in his head.

That the Keyblade the Halkeginian's refer to as the 'Staff of Storms' will be reclaimed by him one way or another.

---

The screen flickered as the chapter ended as the author reappeared.

*Hey guys Hakuorofan7 here and I hoped that you all enjoyed this chapter.*

*Quite a lot to discuss about, let's get to it than.*

*First off, Xehanort. more specifically Young Xehanort.*

*DrWriter21 had him around the very end of the story playing a hand in Albion inhabiting Terra's body behind the scenes. Yet since things changed greatly since he last update the story in terms of Kingdom Hearts…like a lot. So having Young Xehanort playing the role albeit differently.*

*And what I have planned and shown so far helps fit in with what we know of the old goat post Dark Road and between Birth By Sleep. Traveling the worlds for decades while setting in motion his plan eventually, dissatisfied with the conditions he saw. Halkeginia is one such world, especially from the conditions and history of conflict what I could gather he has more than enough reasons for him to despise such a world.*

*Even more so with the history behind the Keyblade, something I've actually hinted at in another story of mine.*

*Still besides that Young Xehanort's main goals now are on the side of his main task for gathering all 13 vessels. Considering his nature he is in no real rush but would like to see this world to fall into chaos one way or another. Something to preoccupy his time while reclaiming the Keyblade and forging Roxas into the perfect candidate are his main ones.*

*With his nature compared to his older incarnation he is fine letting some details slip on things he knows won't be picked up instantly, and taking his own time considering his own paradoxical nature.*

*Next on the list is Roxas himself.*

*His Drive is a form of his own and alongside the Formchange he unlocked for Oblivion are influenced by Xion. The Drive which for now I am calling Adamant Form is specialised in defense, creating a light armor around Roxas that lessens damage and increases his speed a bit. Downside is that the power of his magic is considerably lessened until it runs out. Cost of essentially having a lesser Reflect around him.*

*He's still working on it and can only use it briefly for now.*

*For the runes Roxas is catching on their is more to them than just making him Louise's familiar and granting him a physical body again. I'll go a bit more into it next chapter.*

*Although he has more concerns with him on Young Xehanort's radar, the Nobody wishing nothing more to return to the Academy for now before beginning to prepare. As seen in this chapter Roxas knows that he stands little chance against him directly and alone.*

*Finally about the Keyblade in the story, the 'Staff of Storms' for now.*

*Design wise I have to thank warrior of six blades for that. Unlike DrWriter21's story the Keyblade focuses on wind magic instead of lightning. Fitting for both Xehanort's and Sora's theme of sky and wind and often associated with some of their incarnations. Along with fitting Halkeginia as a whole, outside of Albion there is a strong association with wind including the use of airships.*

*Besides a connection with Xehanort it holds a connection with Halkeginia, and already somewhat hinted at it with Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha knowing the Heartless as a Dragur for the former two. A Dragur is a monster from Norse mythology that would rather fit the description of a Heartless and their various abilities while having a necrotic black appearance. With those of the Eastern portion of the world and Albion knowing them as Heartless for their real life counterparts having influence from the Norse.*

*With Roxas will learn about it's true name and the previous wielder and their connection to Xehanort over time.*

*Anyway I think that should be all for now.*

*Next chapter will be the end of the Fouquet arc, returning to the Academy and reporting in alongside some revelations. With Roxas contemplating the future and preparing a bit for what may come. Ending with the Ball of Frigg and an event that I hope that all will enjoy.*

*And this time I swear it will not take as long to get this next chapter out this time, so I hope that you all enjoy the chapter when it comes out.*

*If you have any questions leave a review or PM me and I will get back to you when I can. So until next time, ciao!*

The author waves goodbye as the screen fades to black.