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 16—
Approaching Salvation

Prince Reyson, the alleged last member of the Heron tribe, glided above the dead forest of Serenes. Appalled at the scenery, his face tightened with anger and hatred. Reyson has always hated human. In fact, he called them that as a way of bigotry. The Serenes Massacre was a dreadful time. The forest had been burned and every single heron, including his family, were killed in the process by the human race. No one knows of the cause of this disastrous event, but only Reyson knows the truth behind this.

The herons were accused of an attempted crime in opening the Gate of Darkness in Tellius by performing various rituals. One of these rituals was to assassinate a ruling official—an apostle of the ruling house of Begnion. However, the herons were known for being pacifist and harmonious and unable to do such crimes. Yet these accusations have gone too far to spring out war on both the heron and the human race.

To make matter worse, a greedy duke from Begnion—Oliver of Tanas—believe of capturing the heron and bring him to justice. Of course, whatever the duke will find out could change the way he sees the heron.

Duke Tanas's imperial soldiers looked through the lifeless branches and the brunt plants, impatiently searching for Reyson. They found nothing. They turned to face Tanas and shook their heads, "Nothing here, milord." One of them reported.

"Keep searching!" Tanas bellowed, "We don't have all night! This heron must be brought down!"

"We have searched everywhere, milord." The second soldier sounded exhausted, "We don't think we'll have another single chance at finding him."

"Only because you're not looking well enough," Tanas said, "Or perhaps you're all being lazy! Do you know what I do to people who are being lazy?"

A soldier shook his head and slowly approached Tanas to his social space. He looked up to the duke's eyes and said, "Milord. I understand your concern on this matter, however I believe that our troop deserve a quick break from all of the search, what says you?"

Duke Tanas sighed, admitting defeat, "From the sound of your voice, that petition is rather credible." He fixed a sneering glare on the soldier, "but not to my taste."

Oliver stretched his hand toward the soldier and it glow a blinding bright color. A great ball of holy fire gushed off the duke's hands and enveloped the powerless soldiers, smoldering them and their agonizing pains in smidgen to nothingness.

The duke turned to face the unexhausted bunch. They looked amazed, yet frightened. The thing that duke could do to his own people was cruel and pure abhorrence. Listening to his orders at all cost became their only option.

"Are you here to work or are you here to dream?" Oliver snapped, "Hurry up! I have an appointment! I don't have all day!"

Reyson watched the Duke and his remained soldiers from above the forest. What he had to deal with, he couldn't believe it.

"Prince Egret is watching the story of his life unfolding. How peculiar." Sephiroth spoke behind Reyson. Reyson turned around to watch the swordsman floating as well. His one dark wing could support his entire weight.

"Why are you calling me that?" Reyson addressed Sephiroth.

"Aren't you one of 'that'?" Sephiroth asked.

"What is it you want, Branded?" Reyson said, taking notice of the swordsman's wing.

"First of all: just because I have one wing, doesn't mean I am Branded. Second of all: Why are you wasting your time?"

"What are you talking about?" Reyson asked.

Sephiroth turned to look at his right. Reyson followed Sephiroth's glance. Before them was a large stone. Inscribed on the stone was the herons' ancient language. Reyson turned to look at Sephiroth with surprise. "You want me to…" he paused, a bit uncomfortably, "Are you serious? The forbidden magic? You want me to use it?"

Sephiroth smiled, "What's holding you? We are all aware of how much you hate human."

"So there are more of you huh?" Reyson sounded convinced. He was aware of what was going on in Tellius besides the pursuit Duke Tanas launched at him. He was only unsure of how many evil was watching him.

"More than you expect." Sephiroth said.

Reyson turned to face the altar again. He looked unsure but one part of him felt unsure about this. Sephiroth added, "Go on, Prince Egret. Unleash the forbidden magic. Fulfill this perished forest's only wish."

Where… is… Reyson…? The eerie heartless and Wire Frames' voice emerged from another Living Bone and Laguz Wire Frames herd. They completely had two beautiful maidens surrounded. One of them was a teenage girl and she had her orange-colored hair short-lengthened with a green pin attached to it and she wore a yellow gold outfit with a turquoise scarf attached like a cape and brown boots. The other maiden was no teenage girl. She was a woman of elegance, like she was a princess. She was fashioned in a large silk dress of pure ginger and goldenrod color and her long jade hair remained by her shoulders in a graceful manner.

"Stop following us!" the teenage girl cried, "My brother Ike is going to get you!"

"I don't know what they want Mist, but I believe that they want me." The princess watched the heartless' eyes staring.

Mist faced the princess, "Don't say that, Princess Elincia." She said, "I do not want you to think that we'll fall to these creatures. I can tell you that help is on its way."

A living bone leapt toward Mist and Elincia and at that moment, a green crescent zoomed out of nowhere bashing the living bone at its side, and knocking it out of the way. The two ladies turned to watch Soren and Titania coming toward them at full force with the rest of the gang.

"Mist! Princess Elincia! Are you all right?" Titania shouted.

The heartless and wire frames scattered away at the gang's arrival. Elincia slowly closed her eyes and started to fall. Mist caught her in time before she hit the ground, "Princess?" she exclaimed.

The gang reached the two girls and went to Elincia who had just fainted.

Moments later, Elincia woke up at the Mercenaries' campfire site. Titania, Soren, and Mist were relieved to see Elincia still breathing.

"Princess Elincia. Are you all right?" Titania asked.

"I'm… I'm fine." Elincia feignedly smiled, "It's just…I don't know what's going on."

"We do." Donald interrupted, "It's the Dark League."

"The Dark League?" Mist exclaimed.

"It's Duke Tanas, isn't it?" Soren guessed.

"Duke Tanas?" Luigi asked.

"Duke Oliver Tanas. He's the one responsible for bringing these creatures here, no doubt. He also has an army of soldiers searching for Prince Reyson." Titania explained.

"You were going to tell us about this prince earlier, weren't you?" Dirk asked anxiously, "Who is he?"

"We've told you. He's the last survivor of the Laguz Heron Clan in Tellius." Soren sounded frustrated.

"If he is the last survivor of this world, then why—?" Donald cut himself short. All attention went on him. Apparently, the duck had said something that shouldn't have been revealed yet.

"World? What do you mean world?" Soren raised an eyebrow.

The heroes looked at each other, hoping to get some sort of confirmation about explaining their mission to the mercenaries. Kyle nodded and everyone did the same.

"I think it's best that you'd be informed in what is happening." Kyle began, "We're from another world. Well, actually, Dirk and I are. Donald, Goofy, Mario and Luigi are also from another world, separate from us. We were chosen to find four elemental crystals. We're trying to save each and every world from being exposed by a dark gate."

"A group called the Dark League is currently sending out armies of heartless and wire frames to seize control of every blessing in the world, resulting in the opening of these gates." Dirk continued, "If we find these crystals, and our friends who were separated during this ordeal, we'll have an advantage at beating them to their game."

"Wait a minute…four crystals?" Elincia asked the heroes. They nodded. She then muttered a word in a fainting, warning tone, Eclypsia

She then faced Kyle, "Do you wield… Eclypsia?"

"Eclypsia?" Kyle looked confused, but then something rang on his mind. She must be talking about the Sacred Keyblade. He summoned the Keyblade and to many surprises, Elincia let out a shrill pitch, "By Ashera's blessings! Eclypsia! And it's translucent." Her eyes met Kyle's, "You are Noble Nasher. You truly are one of the Chosen Four, Warriors of Light…"

She then faced Dirk, "Then that means you are…" she paused uncomfortably, her expression showed amazement like a miracle had just occurred, "oh dear!"

"What?" Dirk raised an eyebrow.

"Truly, you are… I can't believe this… I thought… we thought you were gone!" Elincia said.

"Me gone?" Dirk was even more confused than ever. Dirk felt that there was something special about him, but how can he put the pieces as one? First his meeting with Empress Minnie was awkward, now Elincia speaks like she knows him very well?

"Princess Elincia. Are you all right?" Titania asked the princess.

"Is something amiss?" Mist asked with concern.

Elincia stood up, faced Titania, Soren and Mist, and altered the subject, "We must find Ike. We must find him so that he could lead us to Prince Reyson."

"Wait a sec…what's going on?" Dirk tried to stay on course to the previous subject, but Elincia continued, "He's truly in great danger and Duke Tanas is the least of our problem."

"Are you serious, Princess?" Soren asked.

Elincia took off and the mercenaries, curiously than ever, followed after her. The heroes trailed behind.

"Wait…what's going on here?" Donald quacked.

"We have to follow them if we're to find out." Kyle proposed.

Bowser: Hroom. This adventure gets confusing and confusing by the minute. What in blazes is Eclypsia? You should have figured it out by now. (Weird name for a Keyblade) And there something about Dirk that meets the eye. Could he not be what we thought he is? I believe it's the same thing with Kyle and… say! Elincia might know something more about the dark league's intention, the four elemental crystals, and why is the Dark League after Reyson. Next chapter maybe?

The epic continues.

NeXt ChApTeR