Chapter 17 Kurt Zisa
I've been in worse dungeons before.Ven thinks to himself as he turns on the spot taking in his new surroundings. The stupid guards had dumped him in this large pit like room without even bothering to chain him up. Their mistake.
Ven has complete confidence in Terra and Aqua getting him out of the current situation, but he wants to prove to them that he can look after himself. Determined to find his own way out of the dungeon, Ven walks around the entire room trying to take in every detail. There is a grate at the top of the cell letting some sunlight through, but it's too high for him to reach. The walls of the cell are covered in slime putting climbing out of the question. Of course he could just summon his glider and fly out, but Master Eraqus had given him, Terra, and Aqua strict orders not to let anyone but the Sultan and his Royal Vizier see their keyblades.
Pushing the idea of escape through the grate out of his head, Ven turns back to the dungeon peering into the corners for a way out. It takes him a moment to notice the shadows in the corner are staring back.
"Woah!" Ven cries jumping back in shock.
A rasping cackle echoes around the dungeon as an old, decrepit man steps out of the shadows leaning heavily on a walking stick. "Scared of a little old man are you now boy?" He wheezes and shots a large toothy grin at Ven. His teeth are revolting, yellow and black, and in some cases just plain missing.
"Of course not!" Ven snaps angry at the amused expression on the old man's face. "Who are you?"
"A lowly prisoner, like yourself. But together, perhaps we can be something greater," replies the old man hobbling closer. Ven takes half a step back trying not to gag in disgust at the stench coming off the old man. He must have been in this dungeon for weeks to smell as bad as he does. The old man ignores his revulsion leaning close to Ven while still gripping his walking stick. "There is a cave, boy. A cave of wonders. Filled with treasures beyond your wildest dreams."
"Really?" Ven says deep in thought. He spaces out for a moment thinking about mountains of glittering gold. Rubies, diamonds, emeralds, every kind of jewel at his feet. With that much money he would have power. The power to make sure no one took advantage of him ever again. With enough money he could buy Prince Keric's kingdom out from under him and make his tormenter kiss his boots as he sat on a throne with a satisfied smile.
"But there's a catch."
The old man's voice jerks Ven out of his daydream. As the image he had created dissolves, Ven wonders at the place his thoughts had taken him to. I don't want to be like that...do I?Ven shakes his head to dispel the dark thoughts.
"What's the catch?" Ven asks now suspicious.
"Alas I only have half the key to open the cave," the old man says pulling out of his tattered clothes half of a golden beetle. "Without the second half of the medallion, the cave will never unlock. I need a young man with strong legs to go after it for me. If you were to find for me the second half, the reward would be tremendous."
Ven considers for a moment. Hunting for treasure sounds like a lot of fun, but he can see a large glaring hole in the crazy old man's plan. "Ah, one problem. It's out there and we're in here."
The old man cackles slightly. He walks away from Ven to the wall of the dungeon. "Things aren't always what they seem," the old man says tapping the wall with his walking stick. To Ven's surprise, a secret door swings open and light from the outside shines through. "So, do we have a deal?" The old man asks leering at Ven. He holds his hand out.
Ven hesitates not really knowing what he is agreeing to, but the lure of treasure is too great. With a shrug, he reaches out his hand to grasp the old man's.
BANG!
The sound of the door of the dungeon slamming open makes them jump. Ven turns in surprise towards the sound then turns back to find himself alone beside a solid wall with no hint that a door had ever existed. "Uh?" Ven says confused to the empty air. "Where did he go?"
Two guards enter the dungeon, different ones than the ones who had captured Ven, and beckon him over. Wary of what they want from him Ven moves across the dungeon cautiously.
"Hurry up boy," one of the guards calls impatiently. "The Sultan doesn't like being kept waiting."
The Sultan!Ven relaxes. He can tell the Sultan who he really is and hopefully get the charges against him dropped. Without a word, Ven walks over to the guards by the door. He allows himself to be led out of the dungeon flanked by the two guards, and follows them into the palace upstairs.
...
"I can't even tell you how sorry I am for this misunderstanding," the short Sultan says talking quickly. "I feel just awful that my guards arrested your friend."
"There is no harm done sir," Aqua says respectfully. She and Terra are walking behind the Sultan who is leading them through the palace as fast as his short legs can take him.
"Ven was at fault as well," Terra adds. "He shouldn't have interfered with matters of this world. I am sorry sir, he forgets the rules sometimes."
"It is quite alright," the Sultan says waving his hands to shake off Terra's apology. "He is young. I am the one that should be apologizing. Imagine! Arresting a keyblade wielder! Those guards will be held responsible I assure you."
They have reached the grand throne room and the Sultan quickly climbs up the small steps and settles himself on his throne brushing the feather on his crown like turban back to it's proper position. "Now then," he says clapping his hands once he is settled. "Your friend Ven should be here shortly, but let us begin. I would like to introduce you to my Royal Vizier, Jafar. Jafar!" The Sultan calls out for Jafar, but the other man does not appear. "Hmm. I wonder where he could have gone? Jafar? Jafar!"
Terra glances over at Aqua who glances at him as well. Master Eraqus always told them not to judge people before they got to know them, but Terra can't help but think that the Sultan is a weak leader. It has been Terra's experience that those who rule only because of their royal bloodline don't make the most competent leaders.
"Jafar! Where could he be?" The Sultan asks to no one in particular now frowning in annoyance. The door across the room opens and they all look up expecting to see the Royal Vizier, but instead Ven walks in with two guards watching him closely.
"Ven!" Aqua says relieved that he is alright. Ven sees her and Terra and immediately starts to walk to them. The larger of the two guards stops him quickly with a tight hand on his shoulder. Ven turns to glare daggers at the guard and opens his mouth probably ready to start cursing when the Sultan calls out in a commanding voice.
"Razoul! Release him at once. I told you he was to be released. All charges are dropped."
"Yes sire," the guard says releasing Ven and bowing to his Sultan.
With one last dirty look over his shoulder, Ven walks with his head high to Terra and Aqua who smile happy to have him back. The Sultan waves away the guards and jumps down from his throne to greet Ven. "I am terribly sorry for the mistake of my guards," the Sultan says shaking Ven's hand with both of his. "I feel awful that you were put in that horrible dungeon."
Terra holds his breath wondering if Ven was going to yell or swear at the Sultan. To his surprise, Ven smiles apologetically at the Sultan. "It is I who should be sorry sir. Your guards were merely doing their job and I interfered without thinking. It was my own fault I got arrested."
"Well, I'm glad there are no hard feelings," the Sultan says good naturedly climbing back onto his throne. The door opens once more and this time a tall and thin man with a golden staff enters with his sweeping robes giving him an air of authority. "Oh Jafar!" The Sultan exclaims. "Where have you been? I was calling for you."
"My apologies sire," Jafar says with a stiff bow. "I was otherwise occupied."
"Come over here Jafar!" The Sultan says eagerly not really listening to Jafar. "These are the keyblade wielders I was telling you about."
Jafar walks over with a sneer on his face. "Oh yes, the heroes of the worlds." His voice is dripping with contempt and Terra frowns. "It is a pleasure to meet you all," Jafar says leering over them. For a moment, the eyes of the snake head on top of his staff seemed to glow and Terra feels himself compelled to look at them. The feeling vanishes as soon as Jafar turns to the Sultan and says, "Sire, are you sure they are who they say they are?"
"Why Jafar! How could you even suggest that?" The Sultan exclaims chastising his Royal Vizier.
Jafar does not react and continues. "Things are not always what they seem, sire. For all we know they could be imposters deceiving you in order to break the boy out of jail."
Ven does a double take at Jafar's words. His eyes narrow suspiciously as he looks at Jafar more closely. Does he know the man in the dungeon or is it just a coincidence that he had used the same phrase?
The Sultan looks from Jafar to the keyblade wielders with a confused expression. "I guess you have a point there Jafar..." The Sultan says quietly. He looks to Terra, Aqua, and Ven with a sheepish expression. "I'm sorry to have to ask, but would you mind?"
"Not at all sir," Aqua says smoothing the situation out quickly. "We understand it is necessary to be cautious." She raises her arm, and Terra and Ven mimic her raising their arms as well. In simultaneous flashes, their respective keyblades appear.
"Splendid!" The Sultan says clapping his hands together as he takes in the three keyblade wielders. "Are you satisfied Jafar?"
"Quite," Jafar replies staring at them with the same sneer. His gaze falls on Ven and his sneer grows slightly larger.
"Daddy!" The little girl whine reaches them before the young girl, about seven years old, enters the throne room with a pout on her face.
"Jasmine, dear," the Sultan says to her as she walks to them. Her long black hair reaches to the middle of her back and is held out of her face by a teal headband with a large stone set in the middle. "I am in the middle of a meeting. Go play in the garden with Rajah." As he says this he reaches out a hand to pet the baby tiger Jasmine has cuddled in her arms. Rajah growls slightly and paws at his hand.
With a frown at her father, Jasmine spins on her heels and walks away without argument. As she goes she looks curiously at the keyblade wielders. Before she can leave the throne room, the door bursts open and the guard Razoul hurries in. "Sire..." He forces out breathing hard from running. "In the bazaar...a monster...it's destroying everything."
"A monster!" The Sultan exclaims and his daughter Jasmine runs to his side with a fearful expression.
"Sir, with your permission, we will take care of whatever it is for you," Terra says hurriedly.
"You will?" The Sultan says in a relieved voice.
"Of course," Aqua says, and Ven nods in agreement.
"By all means, do what you can," the Sultan says taking Jasmine's hand. "I will have my guards clear the people out of harms way, but they won't interfere unless you require their assistance."
"Thank you sir," the three say together and hurry out of the throne room.
…
Outside the palace is a mob scene. Agrabah's inhabitants are running in all directions screaming in fear. Several of the Sultan's guards are doing their best to control the panic, but their efforts are mostly in vain.
"C'mon!" Terra shouts grabbing both Aqua and Ven's hands so not to lose them in the crowd. They rush through the crowd towards the entrance of the market they had been in before. It is like trying to swim upstream with all the people stampeding out of the bazaar. It takes them nearly two minutes to get inside the bazaar and once in, they pull up short staring in shock at the huge heartless that is the cause of all the commotion.
It is as tall as the buildings standing on two legs, but it has six arms two of which have curved swords. Its head is snake like with beady black eyes that have no trace of life in them.
All the people have escaped except for one last merchant whose arms were piled high with clay pots and lamps. The heartless has destroyed nearly every stand in the marketplace and has backed the unfortunate merchant into a corner where he stands shaking in fear.
"Hey!" Ven shouts catching the heartless' attention. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
The large heartless turns to face them, and seeing his opening the merchant runs off still cradling his merchandise in his arms. Now with the heartless' attention solely on them, the three keyblade wielders summon their weapons and prepare to fight. Aqua is the first to make a move pointing her keyblade at the heartless.
"Thun-" Her spell is cut off by strange glowing rings that surround each of them for a moment before disappearing.
"What the fuck was that?" Ven asks looking down at himself for any injuries. Whatever it was had left him feeling weighted down for some reason.
"An anti-magic spell," Aqua says in a worried voice. "Only the strongest enemies can cast them. Ven, Terra, be careful. This is going to be a hard battle."
Steeling themselves for a battle with no magic, Terra, Aqua, and Ven run forward without fear to meet the six armed heartless head on. In two of its hands are orbs glowing in a similar way to the rings that had drained their magic. "Focus on those orbs," Terra says to them as he swings his keyblade at the nearest one. Terra's keyblade makes contact and the orb shrinks from the damage. Ven tries to follow his example while Aqua runs around to attack the other orb. As Ven whips his keyblade around to strike the orb, he fails to notice the curved sword slicing down at him. By luck, the sword and keyblade slam into each other and the collision knocks both of them slightly off target. Ven misses the orb by a few centimeters, but, although knocked of target, the heartless' sword lands a glancing cut on Ven's arm. With a hiss of pain, Ven jumps back gripping his cut arm.
The heartless also jumps back into the air while Terra comes to Ven's side. "Cura," Terra says quickly holding his hand over Ven's bleeding arm. Nothing happens. "Damn it!" Terra says remembering that they can't use magic.
"It's alright Terra. It doesn't hardly even hurt," Ven says trying to keep a grimace off his face. He looks past Terra and sees the heartless spinning in the air. "What is it do- Terra look out!"
Ven tackles Terra sending them both to the ground just in time for the heartless to fly over them like a spinning deadly frisbee. Spitting sand out of his mouth, Terra sits up to see the heartless make a large arc taking out a few more of the flimsy stalls in the marketplace. Once turned around, it flips head over heels to come spinning at them vertically this time. Both Terra and Ven don't have time to get up before the spinning heartless is nearly on top of them. They are saved from the devastating attack by Aqua who jumps in front of them with her keyblade raised in a block. The full force of the heartless' attack slams into her keyblade, and, while the heartless is deflected, the impact sends Aqua to the ground.
"Aqua!" Terra says worriedly getting to his feet and running to her side to help her to her feet.
"I'm fine Terra," Aqua says pulling her arm out of Terra's hand once she is back on her feet. Ven joins them and together they turn to face the heartless now back of the ground. The two orbs in its hands are less than half the size they used to be. Ven ignores the stinging pain in his arm following the others as they rush the heartless. It spins its curved swords at terrifying speeds, but they work together to dodge the swords. Ven and Aqua each land a hit on the orb on the right to make it fade out of existence, and Terra lands a powerful combo on the left one causing it to also disappear.
The effect is immediate. The weight of the anti-magic spell lifts while the heartless falls onto the sandy marketplace floor. Wasting no time, Terra, Aqua, and Ven attack the weakened heartless keeping it from rising to its feet again. Ven jumps onto the heartless' shoulder striking its head from above. Terra and Aqua take turns landing ground combos on its torso. Even though the heartless is taking massive damage, it finds the strength to fight back. Its head shoots out revealing that it has a long snake like neck. With quick movements, the snake like head on its long flexible neck snaps at Ven forcing him to jump down to avoid getting bitten.
The snapping head forces all three to back away, and now free of their attacks, the heartless rises to its feet. All its limbs curl in for a moment and a bright blue and red light envelopes it hardening into a spherical force field. It moves across the marketplace putting as much distance as possible between them. Terra takes the lapse in fighting to take Ven's arm, which he had been cradling close to his chest, and mutter, "Cura." The green light stops the flow of blood and soon the gash heals.
"Thanks," Ven says taking his arm back to inspect the newly repaired skin. He looks back up seeing hovering fireballs suddenly appear out of thin air around them.
"Move!" Aqua commands and they scatter, each diving in a different direction as the fireballs spontaneously explode. When the explosions cease, they push themselves up from the ground trying to shake out the ringing in their ears. The heartless is still across the marketplace apparently content to avoid a physical fight. Just as they clamber back to their feet, tornadoes appear around them and before they can react they are sent flying into the air.
The sky and ground spin past each other so fast Terra can no longer tell which way is up and which is down. He closes his eyes hoping for his tumbling flight to come to an end. He gets his wish as he slams into the broken pile of what used to be one of the stalls. The hard landing jars his arm sending his keyblade flying out of his hand. He opens his eyes just in time to see it skid across the ground and disappear behind a stall that has been left standing. With a groan, Terra quickly gets to his feet and moves to go after his keyblade.
To his surprise, from behind the stall, the silver haired boy from before crawls out and stands up with Terra's keyblade grasped in his small hands. Terra freezes, completely shocked that the little boy can hold the keyblade. Cautiously, the boy walks towards him and stops right in front of him staring up at Terra who stares back. "Here," the silver haired boy says holding out Terra's keyblade by the middle of the shaft. "You dropped this."
Terra reaches out and grips the keyblade by its handle. Something, almost like an electric shock, travels through Terra's body and causes the hair on the back of his neck to stand up straight. The little boy's eyes widen in surprise and Terra wonders if he felt the same thing. They both remain still and silent for a moment before Terra says, "Thank you."
The boy nods with a serious expression taking his hand off Terra's keyblade. "You're welcome."
The boom and bright light of a fireball goes off behind Terra and he can see the boy's turquoise eyes widen in fear. "C'mon," Terra says ushering the young boy back to the stall he had been hiding behind before. As they hurry over, a small head pokes out from behind the stall to look at them. It is the brown haired boy that had run into Terra after stealing a loaf of bread. Terra ushers both boys back behind the stall and they crouch under the counter. "Stay here ok?" Terra says urgently. Both boys nod with frightened eyes. "Don't worry, everything is going to be ok," Terra says standing and trying to give them a reassuring smile. "I'll be right back." With that, Terra runs off back towards the heartless and the continuing fight.
...
Aqua lands hard on her side after being sent flying by the tornado attack. She rolls to her feet and looks around quickly. She had been blown much closer to the heartless and Ven is getting to his feet a little ways away. Terra isn't nearby however and for a moment Aqua can't breathe, but she forces herself not worry. Terra can take care of himself and she has to focus on taking down this heartless. "Aqua! Where is Terra?" Ven comes running to her side, but she keeps her eyes trained on the heartless.
"I don't know Ven. We will find him once we defeat this thing," Aqua says before winding up and throwing her keyblade hard at the heartless encased in its forcefield. Her keyblade spins through the air perfectly balanced and strikes the forcefield in a solid hit. Unfortunately, the shield holds and sends Aqua's keyblade flying back like a boomerang. With a frown, she reaches out plucking it out of the air. "I don't think we can break through that forcefield with our keyblades," she says to Ven.
"What about magic?" Ven suggests.
"It's worth a shot," Aqua replies and they both point their keyblades at the heartless. "Thundaga."
Bolts of lightning slam into the heartless. The forcefield seems to do nothing as the heartless writhes in pain from the attack. Half a second behind Aqua, Ven calls out, "Blizzard!"
Like the bolts of lightning, the icicles pass through the forcefield and strike the heartless in the chest causing it to stumble. With a grin, Ven turns triumphantly to Aqua who keeps her face set in a determined expression. Following her lead, Ven turns back to the heartless and raises his keyblade again. "Fire."
"Blizzara."
"Thunder."
"Fira."
"Fire!"
"Thundaga."
"Blizzard!" Ven shouts and frowns angrily as the heartless stumbles, but still refuses to fall. "Just die already you stupid bastard!"
"Firaga!" Aqua shouts and a huge fireball explodes out of her keyblade and envelopes the heartless. When the blinding light fades, the heartless is still standing with its shield intact, but it is obviously wounded.
Without thinking, Ven copies Aqua shouting, "Firaga!" Another bright explosion hits the heartless, and with a pitiful noise it collapses to the ground as its forcefield disappears. The edges of Ven's vision go fuzzy, and without realizing he had fallen, Ven finds himself pushing himself up onto his hands and knees.
"Ven!" Aqua says gently helping him sit up. "Oh Ven, why did you do that? You weren't strong enough."
"I'll be ok," Ven says tiredly trying not to slur his words. "Go. Finish it off." Aqua looks from Ven to the heartless biting her lip. "Go Aqua. I'm fine."
Knowing she has to, Aqua gets to her feet and hurries to the heartless which is once again sitting on the ground. Now the only one left fighting, Aqua draws upon her anger at the heartless for hurting her friends for strength. The heartless raises its snake like head and hisses at her, challenging her to come closer.
Aqua leaps forward and the snake head lunges at her with its jaw open wide and its fangs gleaming in the sunlight. Aqua slashes with her keyblade knocking the head to the side and lands lightly in front of its torso. Before the snake head can recover, Aqua stabs the defenseless heartless through the chest with her keyblade. As she pulls her keyblade back, the heartless rises into the air and then explodes into little pieces of darkness that fade away while a soft pink heart rises up and disappears into the sky.
Kurt Zisa is probably my fav boss battle. He is just such a cool heartless. I hate his no magic thing 'cause thats when I always die :(
Next chapter will explain who the kids are (I'm pretty sure that one is really obvious...) and what happened between Terra and the boy (again, I think it's obvious).
MLSoT: Go right ahead! The fact that you want to write a fanfiction of one of my fanfictions is super flattering. I'm also wicked curious so let me know when you write your story because I definitely want to read it.
Mexi: Yeah Ven helped the kids because they reminded him of himself having to steal food to survive. Aladdin actually isn't one of the kids but he was the inspiration for the bread stealing scene.
WHO ELSE IS OUT OF THEIR MINDS WITH EXCITEMENT ABOUT KH3?
I am sooooo excited! Ahhhh! OMG! Is this real life? Is this like finally actually happening?
The trailer was such a teaser! It didn't show anything about the story line :(
EEEP! I can't wait!