Disclaimer: The following series and characters belong to their respective corporations: Nintendo, Disney, and Square-Enix, including their respectful developers. The following characters of this fic: Kyle Nasher, Dirk Lionheart, Alana (Lana) Blade, Drew Devin, and Nived Werd belong to author Mace the Manakete in agreement to his written consent.

Nintendo. Disney. Square-Enix
Kingdom Hearts Chronicles: Vol.1
KINGDOM BLESSINGS

—CHAPTER 7—
The Dark League

-?-

At the midst of the largest platform--the length of a park--of the far galaxy, sat a dark throne of parchment and Romanic structure. Sitting at that throne is the dark figure shrouded in his ivory garb, seen earlier with Dirk. Approaching the figure is a female swordsman. Her long dark-teal hair, tied in a long stranded ponytail, rested behind her back. She is stunningly beautiful in her handmade samurai gown, with brown boots and a sword sheathed at her ride side. Her brown boots echoed through the galaxy as she approached the figure.

"You've called?" she asked meticulously.

"Yes." The figure spoke his usual grave voice, "Are things progressing as planned?"

"Yes." She responded, "The city has been captured, and rumors are spreading about a possible war of the worlds as we speak."

"Really?" the figure laughed, "You've done well."

"Now that I have accomplished what you've asked" She began, "it's your turn."

"Ah yes." The figure stood up from his throne, "Thanks for this lovely reminder; however, I need one more task out of you."

"What?" she immediately drew her blade and pointed, its tip gleaming radiantly at the starlights, "You promised! You gave me so many tasks already and all I am asking is for that one thing! Just…one. Isn't that too much to ask?"

"Raise your voice once more and you'll find yourself in a situation you'll not enjoy to be in."

The female swordsman put down her blade and the figure continued, "Now, about your assignment. I need you to find this person."

The figure waved its finger and a blue light shone from above it. The light quickly faded, forming a picture of a young blue-haired man, wearing a green bandana on his forehead and a red cape wrapped around his neck and upper chest. His deep blue eyes looked serious.

The female swordsman stared at the picture, "So you want me to find this guy and contact you, is that it?"

The figure chuckled, "sometime, you never get it at the fullest. No lady, I need you to kill that person."

The girl stared at the figure in horror, "WH-What?"

"His name is Ike. Ike of Crimea." The figure disclosed, "He comes from the world of Tellius and he is a threat to the League."

"I've been through enough violence already, and you want me to perform a murder?"

"Do you question my authority?" the figure countered, "Do this or you'll never see your brother again."

The female swordsman hesitated at the figure's threat, "you have a choice." The figure chuckled.

It took her a minute to run her thoughts, then answered confidently, "All right. I'll do it."

"Excellent."

The figure chuckled as the girl left the platform without any further expressions or arguments

"Do not disappoint me, Princess Lyndis of Caelin." He said.

The girl—Lyndis—picked up from her sack a spoonful of pixie dust and spread it around herself. She instantly disappeared. As soon as she was gone, a waterfall of light shot out of the ground in front of the figure, materializing eleven other figures wearing cloaks of the color ivory. One by one, they remove their hoods, revealing their faces:

Ganondorf

Twin Black Mages Jareth and Ishbod (random name from FFTA)

Sephiroth

Garland

Palamecia

Maleficent

Hades

Jafar

Black Knight

...and the unknown figure with the big round ears seen earlier. The figure still had his face shaded.

"We came… Nergal." the unknown figure called the thirteenth figure at the throne, who lastly removed his hood revealing himself. His wounded right eye, the size of a golf ball fixed directly at the mouse, while the intact left eye stared at the rest of the group. "What do you want?" Nergal huffed under his breath.

"The mission you gave Lady Eirika," the unknown figure said, "don't you think it's a bit harsh?"

"You're a big softie, you know that?" Nergal said.

"I for once, agree with His Majesty." Sephiroth approached Nergal, "although his opinions are mostly to one's likings and disagreeable to us evil-doers. I think we should give that Ike guy a chance. We want to test him."

"Test him?" Nergal argued, "This is a test!"

"By what? Killing him?" Jafar pointed, "Because I really wanted to get him involve in the experience of what it is like to be a genie trapped in a lamp."

"This Ike boy is a threat." Black Knight proclaimed, "He'll ruin us all! He'll ruin our chance at enjoying everlasting happiness."

Nergal smiled at the Black Knight, "Thank you! For once somebody agrees with me."

"Just a question: what are we to do with some of the worlds around here?" Palamecia asked, "Should we let the Wire Frames continue their rage upon them?"

"Ah, yes…" Ganondorf's prolonged whispering sounds like a silent hissing, "Speaking of that, great news to all of you: we've captured a Noble of Pure and thus, that soul possesses great blessings beyond imagining."

The thirteen individuals boomed with exclamation. "You mean to tell me that you actually have a Noble of Pure?" Nergal said, "The one according to our researches?"

"Yes." Ganondorf continued, "And I have that one's blessing, right here as proof." He held on his hand a radiant crystal clear light in round shape. They all lean to examine the treasure closer.

"So let me get this straight," Maleficent interrupted, "Our latest research showed that we could find the purest of blessings in the soul of magnificent nobles of all kinds around the Gathered Worlds. But we thought that their blessings could be found in princesses and maidens only."

"Looks like we were dead wrong." Hades pointed, "It seems that it can be found in almost anyone."

"So what do you suggest?" Jareth, a black mage asked.

"Should we go ahead and go for our next plan of action?" his twin brother Ishbod asked.

"I'm afraid so." Hades faced the twins, "Not for us, but for them. If you know what I mean."

"Of course we know what you mean." Ganondorf proclaimed, "It'll be happiness to us all!"

Following this decree was a series of laughter from the group.

"Wait a minute!" Garland stopped the laughter, "What about that Mushroom princess's gang? the 'Blessed League' they called themselves."

Nergal snapped his fingers and out of nowhere, a huge crystal ball floated from above and landed gently on the floor. The figures approached the ball and examined the Magic Ship still flying.

"Ah, Princess Toadstool's gang…" Jafar asked, and then faced Nergal, "How about this? We should finish them while we can."

"How about we don't…" the unknown figure said. The figures faced him.

"Are you suggesting, we test them first?" Hades added with a smirk.

The figure scratched his head, "…you've read my mind haven't you?"

"There're not the only people we should all be testing." Nergal said with a frown look on his face, "There's one more."

The eleven figures looked at Nergal interestingly, "Who?" Palamecia exclaimed.

"I've met him." Nergal said, "And we have to be careful as he is also traveling the Gathered Worlds as we speak."

"Him?" Maleficent cried, "Tell us who 'him?' is"

"The prince of Ivalice." Nergal said, "He has returned."

"The prince?" the unknown figure exclaimed, "The prince is alive?"

"Quite surprising and suspicious isn't it?"

"That…can't be." The Black Knight muttered.

"You better be telling me the truth druid!" the unknown figure angrily pointed his finger at Nergal.

"Am I laughing?"

Seeing Nergal's seriousness, the cloaked figures roared in panic and fury. The unknown figure simply stood there, strangely silent, like he was expecting this to happen.

"This can't be!" Ganondorf exclaimed, "I thought the Wire Frames had taken care of him when he was only an infant!"

"Apparently, they succeeded in taking care of the royal family itself, including the king, but not the prince." Maleficent said.

"Unbelievable!" Palamecia growled, "we invade Ivalice and for what?"

"All of you!" Nergal silenced the figures, "You should know that no matter what happens, the kingdom's throne shall not be taken."

"Then I guess we can't let this king run loose." The Dark knight exclaimed, "We must keep him away from the throne and keep him away for good… permanently and in the name of the League of thirteen: the Dark League."

Coming up: The party of eleven (including Sora's Essence), dubbed the Blessed League, travels to the start of their adventure, while the party of thirteen (currently twelve), dubbed the Dark League are up to something. Could the Dark League be truly responsible for the disappearance of Princess Toadstool, King Alexander, Lana, Drew and the Emperor. What will happens next? The epic continues.

NeXt ChApTeR