Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and everything else belongs to Walt Disney and Square-Enix.
The OCs and their alter-ego that appear in this story belong to their respective authors. More information about them are found in the "Original Characters' Intro" chapter.
::KINGDOM HEARTS III Online HD::
-Keyblade Riders-
Part 4
"Blackheart Aros of the Twilight! You are hereby under arrest by order of The Security for your criminal actions against the city, its people, and those involved in Kingdom Hearts III Online HD! Including the Player Murder of Tenshu Tsubasa! There is no way to run!"
Noah shouted through the PA system of a helicopter that was gliding above Aros, the heroes, and almost the entire city watching. The city fell in shock once they heard Noah's statement about KHIII the game and started talking. More helicopters showed up, surrounding the area along with police forces and news crew.
"Father…" Kami whispered, recognizing Noah's voice. All the teens turned to her attention once she said that.
"Father?" Axel said.
"Your dad works for the Security?" Denzel asked.
Kami faced the gang, "Would I call him father if he didn't?"
"Oh, so we got more of them huh? Fine." Aros took up position, cracked his knuckles and smiled, "We're gonna have fun with these dimwits." Aros raised his dark aura around him again before shooting out from his hands multiple dark balls at surrounding helicopters. The helicopters retaliated by shooting out multiple missiles.
"He shot at us!" one of the pilots panicked upon getting hit, "May-Day! May-Day!"
The dark balls got the advantages and started destroying the helicopters to pieces. Everyone watched in shock. The passengers inside the copters managed to escape their destroyed air fleet by parachute. Some didn't use parachutes. They were Lightning, Zidane, and Tidus. They landed on the ground, surprising Aros from behind. Aros turned around to get greeted by Lightning's spin hook kick, knocking him down.
"You three!" The teens were stunned to see the three Final Fantasy characters together.
"Hiya!" Tidus greeted the teens with a smile.
"What are you all doing here?" Taylor asked.
"Reinforcements." Donald responded, "Before we escaped the tower, Agent Eagle made contact with the Security to help us out. They work for the Government too, y'know?"
"Looks like you guys aren't the only ones with secrets." Zidane winked.
"Wait a minute…" Axel said, looking surprised; and so was everyone else, "the Secret Service called reinforcements to help us?"
Aros slowly woke up from being knocked out hard by Lightning's strong kick, "Ow… you little punks! You're gonna pay dearly for this…"
"Freeze, criminal! And stay where you are!"
Aros heard the police force behind him, pointing their weapons at him. It wasn't just the police force who restrained Aros, but the US Secret Service SWAT Team was there also, along with the rest of the Security PKK Secret Service. All of them had Aros surrounded; finally realizing who the real bad guy was. Trish, Skyler, Milene, Halee, and Selena all came to the scene as well to watch.
"We have you surrounded, criminal!" says one of the police officers.
Aros chuckled, "So, it's me against the whole world now huh?" he looked around at the surrounding city once more, "this is pathetic. There's more mortals than there is even strong warriors. I'll let you all go for now." He then faced the policemen, "But let me warn you, don't think that you'll be seeing the last of me, worms. Because soon, your city will get what's coming to it. You hear me? Get it!"
Suddenly Aros surrounded himself in a globe-shaped dark ball of energy, "ALMAGEST!" he screamed out the spell as the dark energy began to expand, engulfing everyone in it. The energy, ready to explode turned bright as the blinding light, blinding everyone in the city and everyone screamed in pain as the blast happened.
The light finally vanished and so was Aros. Everyone slowly recovered from the blast and looked around for him. He was nowhere in sight. Ambulances came to tend to those who got severely wounded.
"He's… gone." Zidane said, looking around for Aros.
"Completely gone." Donald pointed out.
"But… where?" Goofy asked.
"I don't know." Lightning muttered, "And I do not want to know."
"Uh, guys?" Tidus said, "You wanna know something else? The Keybearers are gone too."
Everyone looked around and couldn't see the Keybearers also.
"Where are they?" Donald asked, then gasped, "Oh no… they didn't get taken out by the darkness!"
"They did." Terra replied, "And Aros took them with him!"
xXx
"Oh, I'm sorry! Did I fail to mention that I'll let you all go, except for you twelve Keyblade failures?"
The heroes appeared in the Awakening, where Aros's voice was echoing throughout the darkness like a god. The heroes noticed the Station they were standing on. The picture showed a sleeping Sora at the Land of Heroes, and opposite of him was Thunder (similar to Ven and Vanitas Station in KHBBS). But surrounding them were pictures of the Twelve Keyblade Riders, all looking like the main OCs, but with different features. The Twelve heroes were sleeping as well, but facing up-front with their hands slightly raised up like in praise.
The heroes got creeped out at this station they were seeing. "What's this?" Jean-Michel gulped.
"Is this… our Awakening?" Trayne asked, looking around.
"No. It's the Chamber of Your Final Rest!"
On cue, the Station started dissolving into the darkness slowly. The heroes huddled up, feeling trapped.
"The place where you will ALL perish to nothingness!"
Aros reemerged from behind Thunder, "Even for you, Thunder."
Thunder turned to face Aros again, when a wave of shock suddenly took over him, "You!" he gasped.
Aros raised a punch and struck Thunder far.
"Rian!" the teens called out to him. Thunder quickly recovered when he almost fell off the dissolving station.
"Put this in mind, worms." Aros said, "That we all have unfinished business to tend to. And I want no interruption."
Aros angelically looked up and started floating as more shadows began to extract from him. The teens transformed to their Keybearers Forms and summoned their Keyblades, ready to fight. But there wasn't any time. The dissolving Station was closing in on them. The shadows engulfed Aros and suddenly gave him a new look. A look no one saw coming or thought they were dealing with.
"NYEEEH! HA! HA! HA! HA!"
"Vanitas!" they screamed.
"GRaaAaaaAwwwWlllL!" Aros—or Vanitas—was back in his masked form and unleashed more darkness from his body, more than ever before, alarming everyone.
"Summon your Keyblade Ride guys!" Thunder ordered upon noticing the Station was halfway down its end. He turned around, aimed his palm at the end of the Station and a path magically appeared.
"Keyblade Rides? We don't have a Keyblade Ride!" Ciel exclaimed.
"Just summon your Keyblades and tossed them in the air!" Thunder exclaimed, and everyone obeyed, turning their weapons to their respective vehicles.
A flood of darkness hovered behind Vanitas like a tidal wave and dark Keyblades and the large-claws heartless suddenly surrounded it. The Keybearers jumped on their vehicles. Thunder led the way with his Skid ability instead of his Keyblade Motorbike. Vanitas jumped on the dark tidal wave and as he was surfing on it and laughing maniacally, he gave chase. The Station finally dissolved completely to the darkness. Some who weren't on different vehicles were on standard Keyblade Motorbike.
The Keybearers were riding on their ride on the long pathway which kept creating more paths on the way, but then at the same time it got dissolved by Vanitas' Dark Tidal Wave.
"NYEEEH! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! You can't escape me now!"
"He's ganging up on us!" Ciel exclaimed.
"Yo, Rian! What about your ride?!" Sharx asked Thunder.
"I can't use it!" Thunder replied.
"Why not?!"
"Uh… it's kinda your fault!?"
"My fault?!"
"You got Aros to seal away my Keyblade, remember? Now all I can do is skid!"
"Oh, sorry man! My bad!"
"GRAWWWWL!" Aros screamed as twelve Keyblades shot up from the dark tidal wave, and started raining down on the group, slowing them down. Everyone barely dodged the attacks.
"We're not gonna make it!" screamed Ciel, losing speed.
"Hang on Sierra!" Stone exclaimed, reaching out for his girlfriend.
"Don't give up!" Soledad exclaimed.
The Dark Tidal Wave got to Ciel and she dissolved, screaming.
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Stone and Soledad screamed.
"This bastard has gone TOO FAR!" Arctic, who was riding on his Keyblade Ride—a sports car—exclaimed, before swerving it to face Aros. Everyone stopped and screamed at Jean-Michel, "No, no, NO! DON'T!"
"Arcwind!" Arctic quickly pulled out a Keyblade from his sports car, raised it up, and unleashed an icy glow, then descended it to unleash a crescent-shaped projectile. The projectile dissolved right through the dark tidal wave.
"Didn't work!" everyone shouted.
Aros summoned twelve more Keyblade from the Tidal Wave and all of them nailed Arctic, taking him down in mass combo. He eventually fell on the Dark Tidal Wave, his screaming fading.
"ARCTIC!" the rest of the heroes all yelled. The Tidal Wave was closing in on them.
"COME ON!" Thunder shouted, taking off from the tidal wave, and all followed.
"NYEEEH! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!" Aros was laughing again. "Two down, ELEVEN MORE TO FINISH! NYEEEH! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!"
Vanitas summoned more Keyblade from the Tidal Wave. The Keyblades this time fused to become a mechanical hand. The hand shot out from the tidal wave and grabbed onto Sharx's Copter by surprise.
"Axel!" the gang screamed as Sharx struggled with the force.
"You're not taking me down that easily!" Sharx screamed, still trying to break free, but the hand kept constricting him at every struggle. The hand started pulling Sharx down to his doom.
"NOOO!" everyone screamed, just as Sharx was about to get dissolved by the darkness. Cross jumped in at the last second with his Motorbike, and with his Keyblade swing, cut down the hand and freed Sharx's Copter. Cross got dissolved in the process.
"NOOO!" Soledad screamed, watching her boyfriend vanishing to the darkness. Sharx looked back, shocked by what just happened.
"We gotta go, hurry!" Thunder pressured the gang and they kept on riding further to nowhere. The Tidal Wave was still closing in on them.
More Keyblades shot up from the dark tidal wave, and started raining down on the group, slowing them down further. Everyone barely dodged the attacks and Stone, Flora, Aegis, and Tandem soon fall victims.
"Only four more to finish!" Vanitas declared, counting Thunder, Sharx, Soledad and Death-Scythe as the remaining survivors.
"Dude, when are we gonna stop running away and start fighting this crap?!" Sharx exclaimed.
"You think it's that easy?!" Soledad shouted at Sharx, "I just lost my boyfriend! He took the sacrifice to save you! Fighting this thing will be hopeless!"
"I didn't ask for him to save me!" Sharx exclaimed, "Much like he didn't ask himself to be part of the ENEMY LEAGUE!"
"You're still gonna get hung up on that?!" Soledad shouted back, "He didn't have a choice!"
"Will you two stop arguing?! We got bigger fishes to fry here!" Death-Scythe exclaimed, "And we gotta work as a team to finish Vanitas before it's too late!"
"Work as a team…?" Thunder said just as a lightbulb came to his mind, "That's it!"
Thunder finally summoned his Keyblade, "Yes!" He shouted out loud, happy to have his Keyblade Magic back. He then pointed his Keyblade, opening up a Keyhole Portal, and the four heroes went through it. The Tidal Wave followed.
The gang ended up back in their Station, with a sunset-like background.
"What the—?" Sharx looked stunned.
"Why are we stopping?" Soledad asked.
"We need more help we can get." Thunder said before facing Soledad, "Sole, open another Keyblade Portal." He then faced Sharx and Death-Scythe, "Guys, say this spell with me! Roar of the Sky!"
Thunder raised his Keyblade in the air and a ferocious roar took over. Sharx and Death-Scythe joined in.
"Roar of the Sky…"
"…came the Deadly Earth…"
"…as the Beast of the Deep Blue…"
"ULTIMA! SHOWER THY MIGHT!"
The three screamed together and connected their Keyblades together, pointing toward the dark sky, and emitting a powerful ball of light. Vanitas who was coming in with his Tidal Wave watched the trio, "What's this?"
The Station the gang was standing on reacted to the Keyblades, emitting a bright shining light as the ball of light grew in size.
"This is… IMPOSSIBLE!" Vanitas screamed.
"EXTERMINATE!"
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The trio swung their Keyblades toward Vanitas, sending the massive ball of light down his way. The ball took out the Dark tidal wave and engulfed Vanitas, sending him flying into the Keyblade Portal Soledad had opened. The light and the portal connected and the entire place got engulfed by light, blinding everyone in the process.
xXx
-Midlight City Square-
There was commotion at the city's square as news crew, police officers, paparazzi… pretty much the entire city, was cornering the Secret Service, the Security, and Terra, Donald, and Goofy. They were bombarding them with questions on the latest happening.
"Quiet people, people, please." Tidus said before grinning from ear to ear, "I can assure you that everything's gonna be all right."
"How are you so sure? Terra asked Tidus, "We're missing the ones these people are really after."
"How am I supposed to know?" Tidus said, shrugging, "I'm trying to calm down the city and focus their attention on me."
The Keyblade Portal opened up in front of everyone, catching everyone's attention. The portal shot out the eleven Keyblade heroes in midair, and they fell on the ground. They had returned to their regular forms and those who got swallowed by darkness had returned, untouched.
"…oy… what a ride." Pierre groaned.
"…Pierre! You're back!" Sierra happily hugged her boyfriend she thought she'd lost.
"Uh… yeah I guess…"
"…I am aching all over…" Violet sighed, rotating her neck and shoulder.
"Welcome back guys." Taylor smiled at her returning friends.
"…sheesh… next thing we gonna be getting is a mob." Axel muttered.
On cue the whole crowd rushed over to them and started bombarding them with questions, not giving them enough space.
"You HAD to speak Axel. You HAD to speak!" Jean-Michel barked through the mob.
"Hey! Don't blame me for sharing a thought!" Axel screamed through the mob.
xXx
Moments have passed since the battle with Aros/Vanitas, and the entire city of Midlight knew what has been going on all this time.
"Reporting live here at Midlight City Square, we are now seeing the light of what has been happening for these past hours. It seems that our rebellious teens have just played an act of heroism! It's been reported that they have been involved in a game called Kingdom Hearts III Online HD, which according to the teens themselves, is not just a game, but a real deal that could jeopardize our world. You've seen it live here, of numerous proofs such as the criminal known as Aros, a Blackheart they call it, who battled the teens and destroyed a famous skyscraper with a dark bomb, and recently taken over our government, in an attempt to steal the worlds' heart. Comrades of these teens, who have been arrested by the Secret Service earlier today and perceived as aliens, happened to be from that game and have been helping these teens battle this evil entity to save our world instead of what was reported earlier. Some witnesses refuse to believe everything that has been happening, or the teens' confession and act of heroism, but they've seen it first at Midlight City and cannot deny it, that evil is threatening our very land once again. Could more threat be on its way? The Secret Service and the secret spy organization known as the Security have decided to be instrumental assets to the teens' attempt to save our world, as it now rests on their shoulders."
The Keyblade heroes were talking to their classmates from Midlight City High at the square.
"Wow, man. And I thought you guys were a bunch of nobodies, especially Matt here." Skyler said, facing Matt.
"Matt didn't do anything…" Axel muttered, still unable to forgive Matt of his crimes and trying to ignore the fact that he saved him earlier.
"Are you kidding?" Trishelle exclaimed. "He saved Rian from that creepy freak heart! He was about to kill him, y'know?"
"Yeah, man. Imagine if he did that for you?" Skyler said to Axel, reminding him. Axel sulked. Matt, trying not to take too much credits tried to speak, "Guys, really. I don't think it's—!"
"Oh my gosh," Trish interrupted, "you guys, saving the world, is SO gonna be on the front page of the school's Facebook Newsletter!" she squealed, "This is gonna be so exciting!"
Taylor was staring back at Matt awkwardly. She tried to say something to him, but didn't know what. Unable to do so, she looked away and walked away. Matt sighed, "…Taylor."
Thunder placed a hand on Matt's shoulder. A saddened Matt faced him.
"Don't worry about it. She'll come around." Thunder smiled, before watching Taylor walking away, "…it's not your fault. You were tricked."
"But will she understand that?" Matt sighed.
"Oh heck yeah. Sole is a good-hearted person. …and thanks for saving me back there when I needed it."
Thunder then faced Axel and nodded, giving him the chance to say something to Matt. But Axel was hesitant.
Sierra looked saddened as she watched Taylor, "Poor Taylor. To find out that your boyfriend was working for an evil organization must be worst than catching your boyfriend cheating on your best friend."
"Augh!" Jean-Michel angrily fist-pounded on his palm, "If I ever find that friggin' dawg who exposed our secret, I swear I would pin their face right thru a wall!"
"You said it, bud!" Denzel agreed.
"Yeah, about that…" Lightning said, joining the conversation. She glanced over at Milene who was shaking her head, telling her not to say a thing. But Lightning pushed her in front center, "Someone got a say about this."
"Milene?" Sierra said.
"Uhh…" Milene hesitated, "Well… I don't know what to say actually…"
"Should I for you?" Lightning asked Milene, almost sounded threatening.
"What's going on?" Taylor asked, joining the conversation.
"It's about Milene… and her Secret Service relationship." Lightning said.
Denzel gasped, "…are you from the Secret Service too?"
"Hey, wait a minute; I know what's going on here." Trayne said.
Milene was sweating.
"Maybe you should tell us Trayne." Lightning said to Trayne.
"OKAY, OKAY! I'LL TELL YOU!" Milene barked, "I DID IT, OKAY! I exposed your secret! THERE!"
Everyone gasped.
"No, you di-n't." Jean-Michel said quietly.
Milene waved the picture to the teens, to Sierra's face. "I had to do that to punish you for insulting my IMAGE back at Homecoming! You had it coming!"
Sierra's eyes went wide, "You…exposed our secret… to the public…?"
There was an awkward silence.
"WHY YOU—?!" Sierra grabbed Milene by her shirt with her claws, ready to rip her clothes off and give her a bashing. The teens all grabbed onto the girls, trying to pull them apart.
"Ooh, a girl fight in PUBLIC." Denzel grinned, "Something I get to see."
"Denzel!"
Denzel heard a familiar shout. Denzel turned to face Selena running toward him, and before he could even react, she hugged him tight.
"Hey, whoa, Sel! What's with—! What's with the hug?" he choked.
"I'm never gonna leave you again! Never, ever, EVER!"
"Okay… but you can let go now. Still choking…" Denzel gasped.
"Why don't I let you two lovebirds alone while I go watch the fight?" Trayne chuckled, patting Denzel's shoulder and left them alone to go watch the commotion.
"Lovebirds?!" Denzel's eyes went wide, and before he knew it, Selena plugged her lips onto his, sharing a passionate kiss.
Meanwhile, Kami was looking around the still busy square, searching for her father. She could have sworn she heard his voice on that helicopter earlier. She saw Tidus and Zidane nearby and approached them to confront them when she heard her parents calling out from behind.
"Kami!"
She turned to see Noah and his wife, Rika Tsubasa, rushing toward her.
"We've heard what happened." Noah said.
"What were you thinking, getting involved in such thing?" Rika exclaimed, "I had to postpone my monthly marketing meeting because of you."
"Oh, cut the crap you two. Especially you, Dad." Kami said, facing her father.
Noah hesitated, "What are you talking about?"
"I know it was you in that Security helicopter." Kami revealed, "I could tell from the sound of your voice."
"Me, part of the Security?" Noah said, before letting out a heartily laugh. Rika joined in the laugh as well, "Honey, seriously." Noah went on, "I don't even know who the Security is. Let alone know who the boss of that Security is."
"Yeah you do." Tidus said, coming to the conversation. Zidane, Rika and Noah tried to get him to shut up, but he wouldn't listen and kept talking, "You're like, the boss of the Security, and you also call it the PKK Secret Service. Your codename is Orchestra!"
Zidane finally smacked Tidus by the head, "What is wrong with you pal! Gosh!"
Tidus finally saw Kami and realized his mistake, "Ooops."
Kami faced her parents again with a leering expression that demanded an explanation. Noah and Rika gulped. "Okay, fine." Noah said, "I know the Security. Heck I founded it. But…"
Kami walked away without saying anything. Noah sighed. Rika wrapped her arm on his shoulder in affection, "Hey, honey. It's okay. She'll come around. But next time you wanna keep a secret from your daughter… don't tell Tidus."
Meanwhile, Thunder briefly left his busy group to join Terra, Donald, and Goofy.
"Johnny Thunder." Terra greeted Thunder with a smile and a hug, "It is good to see my friend again."
"Same here Terra dude!" Thunder returned the hug. He then faced Goofy and Donald, "And Donald Duck and Goofy! My boyz!" He hugged Goofy and Donald tightly.
"Ow, you're hurting me…" Donald complained, though he managed to smile.
"We thought you were a goner." Goofy told Thunder.
"Well, I'm not. See." Thunder gloated, "And if you wanna know about my Earthy Twin Rian, you'll be happy to know that he is completely safe. He is with Mickey right now."
Donald, Goofy and Terra looked at each other, delighted to this news, "Really?!" Donald and Goofy exclaimed.
Thunder placed a hand on his heart and two shining lights circled around him. The two lights materialized to form D-Link versions of Rian and King Mickey.
"Your Majesty!" Donald, Goofy and Terra bowed to the tiny King, before facing Rian, "Rian! You're safe as well." Terra smiled.
"Terra? Donald? Goofy?" D-Link Rian looked around, "Okay, for some reason I feel like I'm back home, but I'm not."
"Dude, you're in D-Link Form." Thunder reminded him, "I summoned you."
"My friends Donald and Goofy." D-Link Mickey greeted, "Oh, how terrible do I feel for abandoning you without a written consent. I had some pressing matters to attend, and I still do."
"We understand your Majesty." Donald said, "Terra told us everything."
"We still can't believe Sora's gone." Goofy said, shaking his head.
"I know. That must be hard on you guys." D-Link Rian said, before facing the rest of the heroes nearby at the square, "Hey, it's my friends!" he opened his mouth to call them but Thunder put his hand on his mouth to keep him quiet, "Shh. Keep it quiet man! You're gonna get us busted!"
"Gosh, I'm sorry Rian, but we can't let the Keybearers know about Thunder." D-Link Mickey informed him, "This secret must be kept between us, or else the Dominion will know Thunder's still alive."
"So, we switch back." D-Link Rian proposed.
"Dude, we can't do that." Thunder explained, "We gotta keep our distance. Switching back will be too risky. And if the Dominion finds out about us… well, let just say that we cannot relive what happened to the Keyblade Riders back at Radiant Gardens."
"Ah, yes." Terra remembered that fateful day back at Radiant Garden's Bastion, "These Blackhearts can be quite aggressive when it comes to killing. Especially when they do so in teams."
"It's Thunder job to keep the Blackhearts' actions at bay, until we've reunited all the Riders." D-Link Mickey said, "Which is why we should head to the Mysterious Tower like we planned."
D-Link Rian looked back at his friends who were still interacting with each other. If only he could join them again… he sighed. "All right. We'll keep it a secret." he said, "…for our safety. But Donald and Goofy is coming with us too. For extra safety."
Donald and Goofy looked surprised, "Whaaa?!"
"But what about the others?" Goofy asked.
"Don't worry about the others." D-Link Rian said, "Terra and Thunder will lead them, right?"
"No sweat buddy." Thunder smiled, "I'll make sure the whole group will behave like sweet little children."
Terra gave Thunder a questionable look, "Do you even know how little children behave?"
Thunder hesitated, "…sweet?"
Everyone stared at Thunder puzzlingly.
"Anyway," D-Link Rian returned to the conversation, "Just make sure that you keep your true identity under low profile, a'ight? Don't act cocky. Act more like me!"
"A doofus?"
"No, a bad boy! Oh, and you should probably know their names too, to avoid suspicion: Taylor, Sierra, Pierre, Matt, Violet, Axel, Denzel, Trayne, Kami is the crazy one, and Jean-Michel Elincio is the celebrity. Got it?"
"Ser, Tami, Kate, Michelle Licia… wait, WHAT?" Thunder exclaimed.
"Gotta GOOOO!" D-Link Mickey said before he and D-Link Rian vanished in light, taking off into the air.
"W-wait!" Goofy called out to the sky for King Mickey, "Where are we suppose to meet you?!"
The teens rejoined the gang, "Meet who?" Axel asked curiously.
Goofy hesitated, "Uhh… meet with the uhh…"
"…the Mayor of Midlight City?" Donald covered for him, "I mean he heard about us, so we should be getting some special treatment or something, right?"
The teens looked at each other. Meeting with the Mayor actually does sound like a good idea, since they got the city's attention now.
~End of KHIII Online HD:: Keyblade Riders~
Hey everyone! It's Rian! KHIII Online HD is all-new, new ways, as we are now traveling our separate ways!
So all's well that ends well… sorta. We still have to find Talen, and the Keyblade Riders… and yeah, we gotta find Kami's brother Tenshu too… heck this battle is far from over.
Next Chapter: Journey Back to the Realm of Light