Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, its characters or anything Disney. This chapter holds a great significance regarding the previous story. You'll find out why towards the end of the chapter. Hope you like it.
Fourteen months had passed since Nairbix and Mickey met Jumba and faced The Soft Throat. At often times, Jumba would come and visit to see his friends when their master allowed it. But when it wasn't their pudgy friend, it was often Nairbix's mother coming to check on her son. It was a relief for the boy since he was worried for his mother after what they had done to the infant princess of the king who had betrayed the fallen fairy.
Nevertheless, he was always happy to feel the warmth and love of his mother, Nairbix was also just as happy for whenever he was able to go and see Natasha, with his master's permission of course.
But aside from that, today was a promising moment for the young manifestation and embodiment's training. While he was studying magic in his room, Nairbix pulled his eyes from the book he was reading to see his master looking fondly at him from the doorframe.
"I see that you're enjoying your studying, Nairbix." He said as he entered the room.
"Actually, Master, I'm just rereading this one."
"Really?"
"Oh, yes. It's my favorite one, the spells and incantations just seem to flow into me as I read." Nairbix said in wonder causing his teacher to chuckle.
"Then it is a good thing that I have come here. I have a surprise for you, Nairbix."
"What is it, Master?"
"Well, since you have already mastered every spell that I have for you at your current level, I have contacted an old friend of mine and she has agreed to help further your training in magic." Yen Sid explained.
"Really, wait, would Mickey be coming with me?" He asked.
"No, as talented as Mickey is with both magic and the Keyblade, he is not quite ready for the type of magic that you will be working with, should you accept." The old man replied. "Don't worry though, I have already informed Mickey about this to make sure he would not take this the wrong way. He said that it doesn't bother him and that he was quite proud and happy for you to see your training come so far in just a short amount of time."
"Oh, good. That's a relief." Nairbix said exhaling deeply. Even though he was proud of his own skills, Nairbix often worried that it seemed like he was intentionally trying to leave Mickey behind when it came to training. "When would I be leaving?"
"As soon as you are ready." His master replied, once Nairbix was ready, Yen Sid summoned a Corridor of Light to take them to their destination. After the light had cleared and his eyes adjusted, Nairbix saw a cozy home behind a large iron gate with two halves of a large frog on both sides. The surrounding area was covered with fallen red, yellow and brown leaves.
As they were walking to the front door, Nairbix was sensing great magic from inside. Yen Sid then knocked on the door and waited for the owner to open up. A moment later, an elderly woman with a warm smile and faded, curly blonde hair opened up and happily greeted the two wielders of the Keyblade.
"Ah, Yen Sid!" She exclaimed merrily, "Come in, do come in!"
"Thank you, Aggie, it's good to see you again." Yen Sid replied as they exchanged friendly hugs.
"And who is this handsome young man you've brought with you?" Aggie asked once she spotted Nairbix, the way she said it was as though she was the boy's grandmother.
"This is my student, why don't you introduce yourself?" Yen Sid asked.
"Hello, ma'am, my name is Nairbix VanSull, the living manifestation and embodiment of Narnia's firstborn darkness and apprentice to Keyblade Master Yen Sid." He said with a slight bow that seemed to amuse the woman.
"Well, Nairbix, my name is Aggie Cromwell. Welcome to Halloweentown."
"Now, Nairbix, Aggie will be supervising your training here until you have learned all you can from her. Treat her with the same respect that you show me, understood?" Yen Sid asked his student.
"Of course, Master." Nairbix said with a respectful nod, and with that, Yen Sid left.
"Now then, dear," Aggie began, "Yen Sid tells me that you're quite skilled in magic, correct?"
"Yep, but is your magic that different from his?"
"Well, magic comes in all sorts forms and ways, mine just happens to involve more incantations and items than the type you're used to." She replied, she then walked over into the kitchen and prepared a large black caldron. "Are you familiar with working caldrons, dear?" Aggie asked sweetly.
"I've had some experience. What is it you're working on?" Nairbix asked.
"Well, as of lately, there have been some disappearances here in Halloweentown. What is causing them, I don't know. But just as a precaution, I've decided to ready an old defense for Halloweentown just in case whatever might be causing all this, is something of a bit more darker nature." She then grabbed a large multi colored handbag and plopped it on the counter. After rummaging through her bag, Aggie pulled out a long black box and presented it to her new student.
"This is the Talisman of Merlin." She said as she revealed a small silver rod with a claw clutching a foggy white orb. "It has been passed down the Cromwell family for centuries since the time of my father."
"Your father…wait was your father Merlin?" Nairbix as he remembered his encounter with the old wizard.
"No, Marvin, Merlin's cousin." She replied bluntly. "Anyway, while I am going to train you, I will also need your help for when I'm ready to prepare the potion which powers the Talisman. But, until then, we'll be hitting the book, so to speak."
"Book?" Nairbix asked while Aggie dug through her bag again, "As in singular?"
"Of course, I'm not like Yen Sid as to keep you locked up all day with mountains of books." She said through her grandmotherly laughter as she slammed a large spell book on the table in front of Nairbix. "Just the one monstrous book."
Thankfully it only took Nairbix a day to read through and make excellent progress with all of the spells in the spell book much to Aggie's amazement. The next day was sure to be more exciting for the two of them though.
"Nairbix!" Aggie called through the house, "Are you ready, dear?"
"Yes, Aggie, sorry I took so long, I was just thinking about the spells that I read."
"That's alright, dear. Now let's head on to town." She said cheerfully.
"Aggie?" He asked as the made their way outside.
"Hm, yes?"
"Why is it that you only visit your family only on Halloween?"
"Well, due to the fact that mortals-or more precise, humans are easily quick to jump the gun at things they don't understand, we who live here in Halloweentown agreed that in order to protect ourselves, we should only ever leave for the mortal world on the day that humans imitate us. Mortal see, mortal do." She explained merrily.
"Now, typically, we take the bus that is able to transport us to the mortal world, but for warlocks and witches like myself, we can open the original portal to travel."
"So why not use that instead?" Nairbix asked.
"Oh, because if you take the bus then you'll be able to interact with all of those who like to travel on that wonderful day." Aggie said in her happy tone. Once they were on the other side of the gate, Aggie whistled and shouted, "Taxi!"
Not a moment later, a heavily decorated yellow taxi cab pulled up in front of them, but the driver was no more than a talking skeleton!
"Morning, Aggie!" The skeleton said as happily as Aggie would.
"Morning, Bennie." She chuckled.
"Oh, I see that you've brought more than that stubborn bag of yours this time. But then again, I don't have any eyeballs to see with, haha!" Bennie joked once he "spotted" Nairbix.
"Yes indeed, Bennie, this is Mr. Nairbix VanSull. I've been teaching him magic the only way a Cromwell can." Aggie explained joyfully.
"Well then, Mr. VanSull, enjoy your stay here in Halloweentown. Come on, hop in, I'll give you two a lift to town." As they were all enjoying to ride through town, Bennie entertained them with his classic jokes.
"Hey, Nairbix, what do you call a skeleton musician?" He asked.
"A natural bone singer." Nairbix said before Bennie could answer his own joke.
"A natural bone-…hey, that's right. Okay, here's another one. What did the skeleton say to the witch?"
"You were bone to be wicked." Nairbix said yet again beating Bennie to the punchline.
"Got me again, huh? You're pretty quick, kid." He said as Nairbix simply shrugged.
"Your jokes are good, Bennie. But they're a bit predictable."
"I guess, and thanks. You know what, kid? I think I like you already. A little thing about comedy though, always stay fresh. That's why I never use the same joke twice, never, I just won't do it." He said as they pulled up to the curb. "Well, here we are, Halloweentown square, have a nice day, you two."
"Thank you, Bennie." Aggie said cheerfully.
"Hey, Bennie." Nairbix said just before the skeleton drove off.
"Yeah, kid?" He asked.
"Just for the record, I think your jokes are comedy bone."
"HA! Comedy bone, that's a good one, kid! I'll have to remember that one, haha!" Bennie said as began to drive away filling the air with his laughter. As soon as they took in the fall and humorously spooky layout of the town, Aggie and Nairbix were fully ready to get on, that is until an obnoxious voice stopped them.
"Well, well, well. Lookie what we have here, old Aggie Cromwell gracing us with her presence." The voice belonged to a redhead teenager who seemed to be full of himself.
"Actually, Luke, we were just about to leave." Aggie informed with a small trace of annoyance in her voice.
"Sure, who's the kid? Thought all your grandkids were living it up in the mortal world?" He asked while attempting to get underneath their skins.
"He is not my grandchild, he is my student, Nairbix VanSull. And I would prefer that you not mock only him, but my family as well." She said sternly.
"Or what? It's not my fault that your daughter resents you and decided to get with a human." Luke taunted, before Aggie could continue the discussion, Nairbix walked in front of Luke and pulled on his jacket.
"Excuse me, mister." He said with a fake innocent voice. Luke looked down at him and said, "What, kid?"
"Could you do something for me?"
"What?" As he asked this, Nairbix turned his left hand and pressed his fingertips into the punk's stomach before saying bitterly, "Take a nap, you arrogant chowder head." And with that, he sent a quick but powerful punch that sent Luke flying into several haystacks about fourteen feet away.
"Nairbix!?" Aggie exclaimed in shock after seeing her student do such a thing.
"What? Oh, come on. It's not like anyone's going to believe him when he says that a seven year old did that to him." He said earning another set of chuckles from the witch.
"Well, hello, hello, hello." A man greeted wearing a suit and top hat said to the duo from behind as he twirled his cane cheerfully.
"Oh, Kalabar, so nice to see you." Aggie greeted.
"And you as well, Aggie." He replied, he then took a glance at Nairbix and bent down to his level. "Well, it looks to me like I've found someone new to greet today."
"Oh, yes, Kalabar, this is my new student, Nairbix. I'm doing an old friend of mine a favor and helping the boy learn magic." Aggie explained.
"Well isn't that something, to learn from Halloweentown's very own Cromwell witch herself." Kalabar said not taking his eyes off of Nairbix.
"It was a surprise for me too, but a pleasant one nonetheless." Nairbix replied.
"Well, I'd best be getting back to work, enjoy your day, and Nairbix, enjoy your stay here in Halloweentown." And with a tip of his hat, Kalabar left as quickly as he came.
"Aggie, who was that?" Nairbix asked as he watched the man walk off.
"Oh, that was Kalabar the mayor of Halloweentown. He also happens to be an old flame of my daughter, Gwen." She replied as they continued their way into town.
"So what exactly are we in town for?" Nairbix asked after they entered what seemed to be a convince store while Aggie was scanning the shelves.
"Well, in order to power the talisman, I need to make a concoction known as Witch's Brew."
"Witch's Brew?"
"Yes." Aggie replied, "Now, normally I would try and make it from scratch myself, but seeing as there have been several disappearances already, I'm forced to do things the faster way and use the instant brand, much to my disliking." After her explanation, the merry witch found what she was looking for. "Ah, here it is!"
"That's it?" Nairbix asked as he looked at the small box unsure if it would really solve the problem at hand.
"This is it. Come on, let's go pay for it and prepare the caldron. By the time its ready we'll be back."
"Back, what are we going somewhere?" He asked as they paid and left the store.
"Oh, dear me, I forgot to tell you, didn't I?" Aggie asked. "Well, you see, Nairbix, in three days it'll be Halloween. I'll be popping by to see my daughter and grandchildren. You'll be coming along, of course. I'm sure my grandchildren will be happy to meet you."
"Hm, okay, you're the teacher. But I thought that you said, that your daughter was anti-magic?" He asked.
"Oh, she is, but thankfully she's not too wrapped up in her "perfectly normal" life as to deny me the chance to not only visit her but the children as well. I love my daughter to death, but ever since she met her late husband she has been obsessed with trying to lead a life only the mortal world can provide. Even if it means denying her children their own choices in worlds."
"What do you mean?"
"You see, when a witch or warlock faces their thirteenth Halloween, if they haven't begun their training by midnight, then they will lose their powers forever." Aggie said shocking her young student. "Marnie, my oldest granddaughter, will reach her thirteenth Halloween next week and if I can't convince her stubborn mother to allow me or at the very least herself to begin Marnie's training, then the magical bloodline of the Cromwells will end with a Cromwell who refuses to even acknowledge her heritage and deny her children such a life."
"Talk about your average family issues." Nairbix said to himself.
"I guess it's a good thing that I'm learning under your tutelage, if that's not too bold to say." Nairbix said hopping that what he said didn't come out insensitive.
"Oh, not at all, dear. As I said, I love Gwen as stubborn as she is and I'm happy to be teaching you, even if it's just for these few days." Aggie reassured surprising Nairbix with her last statement.
"Say what now?" He asked bewildered.
"From what I have seen, you've mastered all of the spells in my spell book, and have more than enough talent to preform them without my help. Since you've already mastered the spells that Yen Sid has shown you so far, the magic I've taught you will not only amplify what you already know, but allow you to unlock spells and techniques that would be near impossible for you to preform without it." She said proudly.
"All I did was read the book the one time!" He stressed.
"Yes, but as you were reading and working each spell inside your head," Aggie began as she gently tapped the boy's head, "I could sense your magic growing so quickly, that with a little more experience, you may even surpass me soon." She then continued to walk while Nairbix stood where he was in disbelief.
"Am I really that good already?" He asked himself out loud, once he noticed that Aggie was well ahead of him, he rushed back to her side as she once again called Bennie to take them back to the Cromwell estate.
Three days had passed and after hearing more of Bennie's skull jokes and annoying side comments from Luke, both Aggie and Nairbix were boarding the bus that led to the mortal world. In said world, it was pitch black thanks to the night sky, but the glows from the jack-o-lanterns were able to light all the porches and homes that they belonged to.
With the bus hovering several feet above the ground, Aggie used her umbrella to gently float to the ground while Nairbix simply jumped off. However, the same couldn't be said for Aggie's stubborn handbag as it wiggled as to say that it didn't want to go.
"Come on." Aggie told it only to see it wiggle in disagreement yet again. "Come on." She said more sternly only to receive the same answer. "Suit yourself." She said as she and Nairbix began to walk off. Not wanting to be alone, the bag leapt from the bus and quickly scurried to its owner, Nairbix noticed it was at his side and patted it before lifting it up to give to his teacher. She then patted it and cooed at it as though the bag were a dog as they continued their walk.
"I'm guessing that this is your daughter's home?" Nairbix asked once they reached the only house on the street that lacked any trace of decorations.
"Sigh, that's the one. Now before we go in, let's remember the rules, shall we?" Aggie asked earning a less enthusiastic look from Nairbix, the reason was that he felt that these were mostly his responsibility to remind his teacher.
"Don't mention Halloweentown, magic or the Keyblade. Don't anger Gwen, and keep the matter about the threat on Halloweentown as low as possible until the children are asleep. Can you remember all of that, Aggie?" He asked dryly fully knowing the correct answer.
"Oh, posh!" She retorted with a wave of her hand before marching to the door. Without permission, Aggie opened the door to hear that her daughter had just sneaked away a floating cookie from her youngest daughter.
"Good thing she doesn't like liver, eh, dear?" She said letting everyone in the house know she was there.
"Oh, it's so good to see you all again." She said to her family as her grandchildren embraced her with hugs. "And my, my, my look at how you've grown."
"Did you bring us presents?" Sophie, the youngest asked.
"Oh, presents, presents, presents, presents, what kind of a grandma would I be if I didn't bring presents?" She asked as she laughed at her granddaughter's question. "Nairbix, dear, could you fetch my bag for me, please?"
"Yes, ma'am, Aggie." He replied as he hoisted the bag up on the table.
"Um, Mother?" Gwen asked with an upset tone rising in her voice, "Who is that?" She asked pointing at Nairbix as he pulled out the candy and decorations from the bag.
"Oh, this Nairbix VanSull, I've been teaching him some of my "secrets" for the past week as favor for an old friend of mine." Aggie replied discreetly.
"What kind of secrets, Grandma?" Marnie asked as she and her siblings were digging into the candy.
"Oh, just some things that my friend thought he could stand to learn for a while." She then looked to Gwen and quickly mouthed Yen Sid allowing her daughter to know just who/what Nairbix was. After dressing the children in their costumes and eating dinner, Aggie was able to convince her daughter to let her read a bedtime story to her grandchildren.
"What story are you gonna tell us, Grandma, is it one I know?" Sophie asked once they were all gathered around the old woman.
"Oh, no, I wouldn't think so. My story is about a magical place. Where many different sorts of creatures live together in peace. And it's called, Halloweentown, and the residents are a bit more…exotic." Aggie said grabbing her grandchildren's attention. "Monsters, goblins, ghosts, ghouls, vampires, mummies, gnomes, and skeletons."
"Do they have banshees there, too?" Marnie asked in excitement.
"By the dozens, and of course…a few very fine witches." Aggie said with pride.
"I don't like witches." Sophie said before Aggie could continue. "They're mean and scary." In rush to change her granddaughter's mind, Aggie quickly defended her kind, gently.
"Oh, no, no, no, sweetheart. I mean, they're just like everyone else, some are kind and some are mean-that's the way they use their magic." She said mystically. "You can't tell what's in a monster's heart just by looking at them. Sometimes, even the slimiest and nastiest monsters can turn out to be the nicest!"
"I want to go there!" Sophie exclaimed.
"Excuse, me." Dylan interrupted, "But might I remind you, that we have an impressionably young child here, so I think you should point out that this place is just pretend." After he said this, Nairbix just snickered from the doorframe where he was standing.
"Oh, yes, right. Well, actually, I have to confess, I didn't make it up. I actually read it in a book." Aggie admitted/lied. "So you see, maybe it is real."
"A book, what book?" Dylan asked not believing his grandmother. She then pulled out a small children's book from her dress and presented it to her now even more amazed family.
"There, you see, Halloweentown!" Aggie then began to show them all the pictures that represented the everyday residents of the actual Halloweentown. As they continued to flip through the book, Marnie stumbled upon a picture of a young witch that greatly resembled her.
"Look, its' Marnie!" Sophie exclaimed as she pointed to the illustration.
"It is, me." She said in shock as she looked at her smirking grandmother.
"Well, there is quite a resemblance. Maybe Marnie has a secret life that we know nothing about?" Aggie teased hopping the hint would drop.
"If she's a witch, then she's certainly got the weird part down. It's just the magic powers she's missing." Dylan sneered at his older sister.
"What about it, dear?" Aggie asked. "Have you casted any spells lately? Or taken any midnight flights through the sky?"
"…I wish. But the truth is, there's nothing special about me." Marnie replied with disappointment.
"Oh, no, dear you're very special-you're a Cromwell! And since the dawn of time, the Cromwells have been the most-"
"Mother!" Gwen snapped from the door. Aggie sheepishly turned to see her own daughter glare at her yet again. "It's getting late. You and your little student wouldn't want to miss your bus back home."
"How did I get dragged into this scolding session?" Nairbix thought bluntly.
"Aw, Grandma has to go?" Sophie asked.
"But can't you two stay overnight, Grandma?" Marnie asked with hope.
"No, your mother's right. If we don't catch our bus by midnight…it'll just be a long time before the next one, so kiss Grandma Goodnight." She said sadly as they exchanged pecks and hugs.
"Mother, I am going to put Dylan to bed, and I will speak with you in the kitchen in one minute." Gwen said as though she were the mother.
"Of course, dear." Aggie said knowing she didn't have a choice. Once Gwen was in the other room, and the teacher and student were downstairs, Nairbix began to speak.
"Aggie, when Gwen was a teenager and ridding around on brooms, did one of them get stuck up her butt and stay there?" He asked bluntly.
"Oh!" Aggie playfully waved off. Once Gwen was downstairs, she rushed through to put away her leftovers as she vented her anger at her mother while she and Nairbix somewhat listened to her.
"And after I specifically told you not to speak about it!"
"I was only trying to do what you should have done a long time ago." Aggie retorted. "You are on the verge of breaking a tradition that goes back for over a thousand years!"
"Your tradition, Mother, not mine!" Gwen snapped back. "Marnie is my daughter, and if I decide not to train her like a witch, then that's none of your business."
"A witch's thirteenth Halloween is supposed to mark the end of her training." Nairbix added as he began to back away the decorations into the bag. "If nothing is done by midnight tonight, then she can kiss her powers goodbye."
"Yes, and she'll be finally be human! She'll finally be normal, like her brother, like her father, and like Sophie will be. And nobody asked you, anyway." Gwen pointed out harshly.
"Well, I wasn't waiting for an invitation." He retorted with an even voice, even though she was getting on his nerves.
"Hmph, you're lucky that you have at least two children showing powers, especially considering they're half mortal." Aggie reminded, as she was arguing, Nairbix caught whiff of another person's scent from behind him, as he turned around to see he found nothing and simply shrugged it off.
"Do you really want them to go through life the hard way?" Aggie asked as Gwen was readying plastic containers for the chicken. "I mean, look at you-look at you using plastic bowls when you know leftover chicken keeps better when it's back on the bone!" In an instant, the wings reverted to a live chicken sitting in the bowl. In surprise, Gwen nearly jumped a foot before she ordered her mother to undo her magic. So, with a quick flap of her arms and her own chicken cluck, Aggie did as she was told.
"Is it wrong to want to eat that chicken even more after seeing that?" Nairbix asked only to gain blank stares from the two witches, moving on, Gwen continued to lecture Aggie.
"For years you have been coming here-you've been dropping hints to Marnie and you've been badgering me to start her training. I know that's why you came here tonight, Mother. But the fight is over, you know that? The clock has finally run out, and you and Nairbix can just go home."
"Why do you continue to include me in your rants towards your mother?" Nairbix asked as he was munching on the leftover chicken.
"Gwen, as much as I think you're making a terrible mistake with Marnie…you're wrong about why I came here tonight." Aggie admitted. "The fact is, I need your help."
"My help, with what?" She asked.
"Well, something's wrong at home, something is happening." The older witch began, "Every day, I find that another neighbor has changed-turned hateful, frightening. And then suddenly, they disappear altogether."
"It's a mystery!" Nairbix teased hauntingly as he was now eating the bones for whatever reason, undoubtedly for the calcium.
"Oh, Mother please." Gwen replied as though it was nonsense, "My neighbors vanish all the time, it's called moving."
"Gwendolyn!" Aggie snapped, "I'm quite serious about this! It's as if something or someone is trying to return us back to the dark times. And I fear that even with the power of Nairbix's Keyblade, my powers aren't enough." She then grabbed her daughter's shoulders in desperation, "I need another Cromwell witch…I need you."
In an attempt to reassure her mother and to convince her to leave her be, Gwen gently spoke to her. "Mother, I'm sure there are plenty of other witches and warlocks in Halloweentown, why don't you recruit one of them?"
"Oh, I tried!" Aggie replied hotly at the memories. "You know how it is today, no one wants to get involved!"
"Yeah, Little Miss Molly Mortal here is proof enough to that statement." Nairbix added earning yet another glare.
"Become a single parent to three children and then you can talk to me about being involved." Gwen retorted.
"So long as I can do this," Nairbix said as he summoned his Keyblade, "I will answer any call that comes my way."
"See," Aggie stressed as she pointed to her students as he dismissed his weapon, "Even a child like Nairbix is willing to help!"
"Mother, I'm sure that you believe there's some big problem, but I can't just leave my kids to go fight some nameless force in another world that I have nothing to do with."
"Nothing to do with?" Aggie asked in shock before anger took over. "Fine, bury your head in the sand of your precious mortal world. Perhaps the Cromwell line will end with you, but let's just hope Halloweentown doesn't come to an end along with it! Come along, Nairbix. We're leaving." Nairbix and the bag then hopped down from the kitchen island and followed Aggie out, but Nairbix stopped for a moment and turned to Gwen.
"Enjoy you leftovers, Gwen." He said before he redid the spell Aggie had done on the chicken while it clucked and moved around inside the refrigerator.
Once they left the house, they made their way back to the bus stop and awaited the bus to take them back. Sure enough, the bus flew down and gently stopped for the duo (trio if you counted the bag).
"Hi, Skinner." Aggie greeted as they boarded the bus.
"Hello, Aggie, Nairbix." He replied kindly before closing the door. After a brief crossing between the two realms, the bus landed in the sunny and ever fall climate of Halloweentown. Aggie and Nairbix were just about to call for Bennie, but the older woman accidently bumped into one of her many neighbors and friends.
"Harriet!" She said happily at the sight of her friend.
"Oh, Aggie!" She replied as they hugged and laughed. "Fancied a trip to the mortals, did we? Didn't have time myself this year. Been doing some volunteer work at the headless shelter, poor dears. Care for a muffin?" She offered, Aggie refused but Nairbix did otherwise.
"May I have one, Ms. Harriet?" Nairbix asked sweetly, giving the boy another warm and friendly smile, Harriet reached into her basket and gave him one of her muffins and gained and hum of delight as he ate it happily. "Never had a tastier muffin than one of yours, Ms. Harriet."
"Oh, sweet as always, Nairbix. Shame they couldn't eat any at the shelter, no heads!" She exclaimed and laughed at the irony. "Oh, well, best be off, take care."
"Bye, Harriet." Aggie said still giggling before walking off. In an effort to save time, Nairbix transported himself and his teacher to the estate in order to prepare the talisman. After pouring in the powdered Witch's Brew into a small caldron, Aggie stuck it in a microwave and waited for it to be ready.
"Somebody's coming." She muttered as Nairbix also caught a whiff of the new scent. She then walked towards the door and opened it to find all three of her grandchildren.
"Oh, kids! How did you get here?" She asked happy to see them.
"On the bus." Sophie replied.
"I'm here to start my training, Grandma." Marnie stated with excitement.
"Your training?" Aggie asked before realizing what happened. "Oh, it was you outside the kitchen. I thought I heard someone listening."
"Well I can assume, that your mother knows nothing about this." Nairbix said as he was pulling out the talisman's box.
Aggie simply laughed and said, "I'm sure she's going to be awfully upset when she realizes you're gone."
"Can't we just call her?" Dylan asked.
"No, no, dear. I'm afraid, that we haven't worked out long distance calls between worlds just yet. No, I'm afraid that I'll just have to take you back home myself."
"But you can't take us home." Marnie whined.
"Yeah, we want to help fight the bad thing." Sophie informed.
"Yeah, the bad thing or force field-whatever it is. You said, you needed another Cromwell witch." Marnie reminded. "That could be me! You can train, me!"
"We could always use the extra help, Aggie." Nairbix said letting himself be known. "You know that Gwen is already leaving us on our own, so why not use the more enthusiastic one?"
"Well, I suppose that it'd be alright if you stayed for a while, at least before midnight in the mortal world."
"But that's only two hours from now!" Marnie exclaimed in worry, but Aggie quickly calmed her down.
"Don't worry, dear. Time works differently in all worlds. Two hours there, might be two days or two weeks here."
"What's this, Grandma?" Dylan asked as he stood next to a large black caldron filled with swirling dark magical water.
"Looks like you've discovered the Witch's Glass, it's been handed down the Cromwell clan for generations." Aggie described, "Nairbix and I have been using it to keep our eyes on Halloweentown." As she peered into the glass and waved her hands over it, she began to see what was causing the strange events. It was a laughing dark figure wearing a mask that resembled a horrific scarecrow's face.
"We're in for it now." Nairbix stated bluntly after they all witnessed their new foe.
"What can we do to stop it?" Marnie asked before Aggie brought out Merlin's Talisman.
"Merlin himself used this talisman to end the dark ages in the mortal world, I think that it just might do the trick for our problems here." She explained as the microwave went off, Nairbix then walked over to it and brought the bubbling caldron to the table for his teacher.
"Are you cooking chowder, Grandma?" Sophie asked cutely.
"Oh, no, dear. This is Witch's Brew, a little recipe that I picked up in the sixth century." Aggie corrected while stirring.
"I'd hate to see what would happen to any poor sucker who did try to eat this stuff like it was chowder." Nairbix said earning a little bit of laughter from the others.
"How's it going to help?" Dylan asked.
"By bring this talisman back to life." Aggie said as she took it out of its case.
"Are you going to use your magic to raise some spirits, have a big ritual and summon the forces of darkness to get it going?" Marnie asked in excitement.
"Nope." Nairbix began curtly.
"We're just going to fill it up and see if the light goes on." Aggie finished with her merry attitude bringing Marnie back down to the world. She then began to pour the brew inside the talisman. "If I can get it lit and restore its properties, it should suffice to drive away this force that threatens us."
"That's it, you just fill it up?" Marnie asked with disappointment in her voice, Aggie and Nairbix then looked to her and quickly reassured her.
"Well of course there's more to it than that, this is magic we're talking about, it's never that boring!" Nairbix replied.
"We do have to say a spell over it." Aggie added, "That's why I asked your mother to come and help, you see, spells are more powerful when more than one user of magic joins in. Especially if their Cromwells or wielders of the Keyblade."
"What's a Keyblade?" Marnie asked.
"This." Nairbix said as he summoned his weapon in flash of darkness. The three siblings looked at both him and it in amazement. "The Keyblade is a powerful weapon that only few can use. It chooses its wielder and presents them with the responsibility to watch over and protect all worlds."
"Wow, this is amazing!" Marnie exclaimed as she examined the key, "Grandma you said that you're teaching him, right? Do you have a Keyblade too?"
"No, I can't. I'm simply teaching Nairbix how to preform my style of magic, his master is an old friend of mine and wanted to help. He's already finished with his training with my spells, so once we've finished off the threat against Halloweentown, he'll be heading back to his training with his master."
"Yep, and he undoubtedly already has even more rigorous training in store for me when I get back." He said with dread. "Anyway, I think we should try and get this thing lit, while we still can.
"Right." Aggie said with a nod, both she and Nairbix focused their magic to the talisman and quickly muttered the necessary spell. For a moment, it looked as though it worked, sadly that was not the outcome. "Oh, drat! That's what I get for trying to use instant."
"I told you, we should've made it from scratch." Nairbix reminded. "We had three days to get the necessary ingredients, if you hadn't chosen the easy way, we would have been done with this yesterday!"
"Well, we'll just have to do things the old fashioned way, then." Aggie said in a huff. She then guided everyone to take a look at the original recipe for Witch's Brew from her spell book. "Let's see…vampire's fang, hair of a werewolf, sweat of a ghost, I suppose we could gather these ingredients in town. But we'd have to be very discreet, I can't be certain who to trust anymore."
Once the newly formed party left the Cromwell estate, they ventured into the peaceful community of Halloweentown.
"Is there gonna be a big Halloween party, Grandma?" Sophie asked as the townsfolk passed by them. "Everybody's all dressed up."
"No, this is the way we all dress here." Aggie replied merrily, "The people who started your Halloween just imitated our traditions-mortal see mortal do!"
"But why do you have to live so far away, Grandma?" Marnie asked.
"Well, there was a time where humans and monsters, witches and vampires and all of us could be together. Then there were the dark times. It was a bad mix, humans feared us and tried to destroy us, so we did our best to try and make them miserable in return. But it was turning us evil-which we are not. So, we decided to create our own world." She said proudly of her home. "From that day on, we were able to settle down and have homes and children and jobs."
As they were walking past the movie theatre, a vicious and bitter creature bumped into Aggie and snarled at her like an animal. Immediately, both Nairbix and Aggie recognized it as who they bumped into earlier.
"Aggie, was that?" Nairbix asked in shock.
"Harriet." She breathed, she then noticed Kalabar across the street as he walked into an ice-cream parlor. In a rush, she quickly raced over to meet up with him in order to inform him about Harriet.
"Kalabar." Aggie addressed.
"Yes?" He asked before noticing the children he met upon their arrival. "Hello again, Soapy." He teased.
"Sophie!" The three siblings stressed before their grandmother could pull the man away.
"Kalabar, I just ran into Harriet and she's completely changed! Her face, she was like a wild animal."
"And she was fine a couple of hours ago, too!" Nairbix added earning a concerned look from the mayor.
"Really?" He asked them.
"This is what I've been telling you about. If she ends up like the others, then she'll have disappeared by tomorrow altogether." Aggie informed. Kalabar paused for a moment before he replied.
"I have to apologize to you, Aggie." He admitted, "I didn't take you seriously about this thing, at first. I think you and your student have uncovered something very serious."
"What is it? What's wrong?" She asked.
"Well, I don't have all the details yet. But I do know one thing…I want you to leave this alone, for now. It's much too dangerous-especially with the children. Promise me that you won't do this by yourself. Promise me?" He asked with a smirk only to earn a stiff pout from the old woman. "You Cromwells are impossible. Just give me two days." He said as he made his way to the door, but the duo still gave him stubborn glares. "Just two days, that's all."
Aggie then walked over to Dylan and Sophie and told them that they were leaving. "Come along, children." She said.
"Um, Aggie." Nairbix said as he tugged on her dress and pointed outside.
"What is it-oh, Marnie! She's found the brooms." Aggie said seeing where this was going. Over at the broom shop, Marnie was happily examining the merchandise.
"Grandma, would you look at these!" She said happily as the others walked over.
"Yes, they are a bit snazzier than when I was a girl." Aggie admitted.
"Can I get one Grandma, please?" Marnie pleaded.
"Yes, well I guess it is the right of passage for witches your age." She replied as her granddaughter hugged her, off to the side, the would-be punk Luke added his own little comment.
"How sweet." He said bitterly, "Buying little Marely here her first broom."
"It's Marnie." She retorted with a sneer.
"This is a local boy, Luke." Aggie introduced.
"Hey, don't sell me too short, Grammy. I'm sort of a big cheese around here. Maybe I could show you around sometime, buy you an ice-cream?" He asked arrogantly. "The Abominable Snowman has a little shop down the street."
"You know?" Marnie asked, "I was getting kinda hungry, but then I smelled something stinky. I guess it must be the big cheese."
"Perhaps another time." Aggie offered with a smirk at her granddaughter's comeback.
"Yeah, like never." Dylan threw in.
"You know, if you people were smart, you'd be nice to me." Luke threatened, "I'm friends with very powerful creatures around here!" He shouted before bumping into some brooms like a fool. With the pest gone, Aggie and Marnie took her new broom out for a pin in the sky laughing and cheering the way only witches could do.
"Me next! Me next!" Sophie said happily as they landed.
"You next! You next!" Aggie laughed.
"I don't think so." Said a stiff voice from behind. It was a very unhappy Gwen.
"And so ends the joy." Nairbix muttered as he looked away.
"I'm sorry if we worried you, dear." Aggie said sheepishly, "I was going to bring them back just as soon as I-"
"Mother, I can't believe that you brought them here in the first place!" Gwen accused.
"Well I didn't, they came to see me." Aggie corrected triumphantly.
"I came to get my training." Marnie said proudly.
"Training?" Gwen asked as her temper rose even higher.
"I tried to stop them, Mom but they hypnotized me!" Dylan lied.
"Traitor." Nairbix said bluntly.
"And I thought you were brave?!" Marnie exclaimed.
"Hey, it's Mom." He defended.
"Stop it, I don't want to here anymore excuses. I want you all to get back on that bus because we are going home." Gwen declared.
"But, Mom! Grandma and Nairbix need help!" Marnie reminded, "And since you won't do it, they need the only other Cromwell witch there is, me." She said smugly as though she won.
"You are not a witch." Her mother denied. "And you don't even know what he is." She added sending anger into the boy.
"Oh, yes I am, no thanks to you. And I perfectly know what Nairbix is, he is my friend. You're gonna let my powers go away forever."
"Marnie, there is so much more to this thing than you understand." Gwen pleaded.
"I understand that I am here. And I've got a broom and that I am going to learn that everything that Grandma can teach me." Marnie retorted yet again.
"You will not." Gwen said flatly.
"It's her birth right!" Aggie snapped.
"She was born in the human world and human is what she'll be!" Gwen bellowed at her mother.
"It's her life, let her decide!" Nairbix shouted as he defended his teacher.
"This is none of your concern, you little darkling." She snapped causing her mother to gasp at the insult.
"Gwendolyn!" Nairbix lowered his head as he soon began to tremble with anger. He looked back up at the woman with his eyes blazing and spoke in malice to her.
"Yeah, I'm of darkness. I am the living manifestation and embodiment of my home's firstborn darkness. But unlike you, Gwendolyn," He sneered, "I am not ashamed of who I am or where I come from!"
"How dare you-"
"No, you don't get to speak!" He shouted as darkness formed around him. "You are done talking to everyone like they are your children and like you have authority over them! I take pride in my origins, I take pride in the fact that my own world chose on its own to give me the life I have. You, however, have no respect for your origins, you have no respect for your family. You have no respect for yourself! And unlike you, I can't return to my home." Nairbix said as the darkness began to fade. "Good day to you." He said through his gritting teeth as he walked away.
"Who do you think you are?" Gwen asked breaking the silence. "You have no right to speak to me like that! I am their mother, and if I decide to train my children or not, then you nor anyone else can tell me otherwise!"
"I said, Good day!" Nairbix shouted even louder.
"Come on, kids. We're leaving." Gwen growled as she glared at her mother's student.
"If you think that I'm going with you after what you just said to my friend, you've got another thing coming." Marnie snapped at her mother.
"You put that broom down right now, young lady, you are grounded." Gwen snapped ending the long heated argument. "Say goodbye to Grandma, everybody. It's time for us to go home." With that being said, the Piper family left the emotionally hurt teacher and student.
While the others were trying to find a way back to the other world, both Aggie and Nairbix were walking down Main Street to get back to the estate. However, they once again ran into Luke.
"Go away, Luke, we're not in the mood." Aggie growled before the teen could even say anything.
"Family trouble, huh, Grammy?" He asked ignoring her last statement. "Guess it's just you two again. Must get pretty frustrating, fighting this thing by yourselves, no one believing you."
"What do you know about it?" Nairbix asked with his eyes still blazing with anger.
"I know you've got Merlin's Talisman, and he wants it." Luke said smugly looking only at Aggie.
"He?" She asked, "Who is, He?"
"Don't know, huh? It's funny, he knows all about you and about that brew you guys have been working on too." Luke replied.
"Well if he's so powerful, why is he hiding? Why doesn't he reveal himself?" Aggie asked hotly.
"See, that's why I'm here." Luke answered. "He wants to reveal himself…to you. Come on, Grammy, admit it. You're dying to know, right? Or is the big bad Cromwell witch and her little Keyblade wielding student afraid?"
"We don't fear him or any creature." Nairbix snarled.
"Take us to him." Aggie ordered bravely. Luke complied and led them to the old movie theatre. After he let them in and showed them to one of the rooms, they noticed that several seats were filled with motionless townsfolk covered in cobwebs and that there was a dark void where the screen should have been. As they inspected to see who the creatures were, Aggie stumbled upon her friend's frozen body.
"Harriet?" She asked. Just then, from the dark void a twister of darkness came forth and revealed the dark figure that was shown in the Witch's Glass.
"Welcome to my museum." It said as it cackled.
"So this is why so many have disappeared." Aggie stated as she and Nairbix stared down the figure. "First you put them under an evil spell, then you turn them into statues."
"No, not statues." He said. "They're very much alive. They're merely frozen in time until I need them."
"To do what?" Nairbix hissed. "To destroy this world?"
"I know you have Merlin's Talisman. Give it to me!" He ordered.
"We do have the talisman." Aggie admitted smugly, "And soon your horrible spell over Halloweentown will be broken forever!"
"No, you foolish witch! You think that your magic is more powerful than mine?!" The figure shouted.
"Yeah, as if that could happen." Luke commented from a nearby seat.
"There is nothing you can do to stop me!"
"Zip, Nada, zero goose eggs." Luke added yet again.
"I will bend the creatures of this world to my will one by one!" He shouted.
"Two by two and three by three."
"Will you shut up?!" He shouted at his annoying lackey.
"Sorry." Luke said sheepishly.
"Give me the talisman!" He ordered Aggie.
"Never!" She shouted as Nairbix readied his Keyblade.
"Then suffer the consequences." He said as he waved his finger before firing the spell that would make them freeze like all the others. Despite her old age, Aggie was able to dodge the attacks as easily as her student.
"You cannot escape me!" The figure shouted as he continued his onslaught.
"Creature hasn't been born quick enough to catch a Cromwell." Aggie remarked.
"Or a wielder of the Keyblade!" Nairbix shouted as he tossed his darkness covered Keyblade. At first it missed the laughing creature and flew into the void from where he came.
"You missed, you meddlesome brat!" He said while Nairbix simply smirked. A second later, the spinning Keyblade came back and struck its target in the back before returning to its owner.
"Grandma!" Marnie shouted as she and her family entered the theatre.
"Get them!" He shouted to Luke once he spotted them.
"Leave my family alone!" Aggie shouted while Gwen bonded Luke with magical flowers.
"This is your last chance, give me the talisman!" Before he could freeze the eldest Cromwell, Gwen pushed her mother out of the way and received the attack. "Sleep now, Agatha Cromwell. And when you awake, I will be your master!" He shouted as he finally struck the old woman.
"Aggie!" Nairbix shouted as he witnessed the attack. The three siblings then reluctantly made their way to the door while the light blinded and weakened the creature as they escaped.
"Now, young VanSull." He addressed after regaining his composure, "Join your teacher and sleep!" He shouted as he struck Nairbix with his magic. Nairbix stood still as the magic enveloped him while his foe continued with his evil laughter.
"Don't laugh just yet." Nairbix said with anger making the creature stop. "It'll take more than that to put me down." He said moving freely.
"Argh! How is it you aren't affected?! My magic is supreme!" He shouted as he fired again only to see Nairbix easily dodge it. "Nothing can stop my darkness!"
"You're wrong." Nairbix said evenly as the shadows gathered around him. "You don't know darkness. What you call darkness, what you use is pathetic!" He shouted as he slashed his Keyblade sending a dark arch of power at his enemy.
"Petty!" He said again as his voice grew darker and slow as he fired his Dark Volley technique with each of the many orbs of darkness made contact.
"Weak!" Now, sending razor sharp shadows to slice the creature. As this attack did its work, Nairbix pointed his Keyblade his foe with a small glowing ball of dark energy forming at its tip. "Go back to the void from whence you came!" He shouted as a wide and powerful blast of dark energy struck the dark creature and pushed it back into the void behind him.
Grinning with victory, Nairbix made his way through the row of seats and made it out the door, but before he could go down the steps of the fire escape, someone or something wacked him on the back of the head and sent him over the railing and to the ground.
"That was for earlier." Luke said as he looked down at his deed.
About an hour later, Nairbix was brought out of his unconscious state by a hand slapping his face.
"Wake up, Nairbix. Stop being unconscious now!" Marnie said as she repeatedly slapped her friend.
"Marnie-Marnie! I'm awake!" He said as she gave him one last slap before helping him up. He then noticed that in her hand was the lit talisman. "You got it lit!" He said happily.
"Of course we did. We're Cromwells." Marnie said with pride.
"What happened to you anyway?" Dylan asked as Nairbix rubbed his aching head.
"After I took care of that creature, I made my way out and as soon as I opened the door, Luke got behind me and knocked me out before I fell over the railing." He replied.
"Well, we were able to get this thing lit, but now we don't know what to do with it." Marnie informed.
"Leave that to me. Aggie told me where we need to install it, but we need to be quick. That thing from earlier will be back and we need to be ready." He replied as he made his way back into the town.
"Install it? Install it where?" Dylan asked.
"Let me ask you this. On Halloween, where do you put the candle?" He asked making it clear, they needed to put the talisman in the giant pumpkin in the town square!
"I'll do it." Marnie said once she caught on and spotted the pumpkin.
"Are you crazy?!" Dylan asked.
"It's the only way to save Mom and Grandma." She replied.
"She's right. Besides, if that thing comes back while we're out here, I need to be ready in order to protect you guys and the town." Nairbix said as the darkness came. Over on the City Hall building, the dark creature arrived in another twister of wind and darkness.
"My fellow creatures!" He announced, "Your moment of destiny has arrived! I offer you the chance to return to our days of glory, to end this exile from the mortal world which the humans have taken from us! Follow me, my fellow citizens of Halloweentown. Too long have we been exiled to this second-class world! Forced to live here in this Halloweentown! But now the time has come, to return to our true natures, to celebrate the evil within us! To reveal our true selves as we really are!" He said as his appearance morphed into its true form, the form of a laughing Kalabar!
"I knew there was a reason I didn't like that guy." Nairbix said bluntly to himself.
"Follow me! And together, we can reclaim the mortal world that is rightfully ours!" Kalabar shouted to the crowd beneath him. "But before we can be sure of success, we must find the ones who would stop us. The one who is half human and the one of pure darkness!" He shouted regarding Marnie and Nairbix.
"You want me?!" Nairbix shouted as the crowd cleared the way for him. "You got me."
"So glad that you made this easier for everyone and revealed yourself without a fight, young Nairbix." Kalabar said thinking he was achieving victory. "Now, give me the talisman."
"If you think that just because you've made some big speech and called out two children you can lead these people to rule an entire world, you're as dumb as looked with that ridiculous disguise." Nairbix said bluntly.
"Do you honestly think that your words alone are enough to stop me?!" Kalabar asked while Nairbix still gave an unimpressed look.
"No, but they've seemed to distract you long enough for our plan to work." He replied with a devious smirk. Enraged, Kalabar looked over to the pumpkin and saw that Marnie had just opened the top in order to put the talisman inside.
"No!" Kalabar shouted as he leapt down from the building and attempted to freeze the young witch. Once the magic struck her back, her body laid limp on the massive gourd. However, this still worked in their favor because the talisman slipped from her fingers and landed into the center of the pumpkin activating the magic.
As the light blinded and overpowered Kalabar, the magic that he had over his captives was released allowing them all to be freed. The two Cromwells then raced into town in order to embrace their family. Aggie walked over to her student who gave a sly look.
"You're late." He stated with his arms crossed.
"Well, I figured that I had left things in the capable hands of my family and star pupil. So there was nothing to rush for." She replied playfully before place a peck on his cheek. "You've got all the powers of a Keyblade Master and twice the guts!"
"Grandma, it was Kalabar." Marnie informed as their enemy picked himself up from the ground.
"It was you!" Aggie said as she pointed and glared at the warlock.
"Why, Kalabar?" Gwen asked.
"You could've had me." He said to her. "The most powerful warlock of all. You could have ruled with me as my queen! But you chose a human instead." He bellowed.
"Well, it looks she's a pretty good judge of character." Both Marnie and Nairbix said smirking.
"Your days of rule are at an end, Kalabar." Aggie declared. Kalabar waved his fingers at the old woman before he growled at her.
"Do not underestimate me, Agatha." With a flick of his hand, he pulled the talisman from the pumpkin and gripped it in his hands while he laughed. "Now my darkness will spread unchecked, and I will be ruler of all worlds!"
"Ha!" Nairbix shouted before he was on the ground laughing. "You, the ruler of all worlds? Ha, even Bennie has better jokes than that one." He said as he picked himself up. Aggie then pulled out one of charms and began to recite an incantation to dispel of Kalabar, Gwen and Nairbix then joined her in order to fuel the magic, but it proved useless.
"You waste your energy, weaklings!" He shouted. "Your precious talisman is more powerful when it is wielded by a creature of the night!"
"Hey, chocolate bar!" Marnie shouted gaining everyone's attention. "You better give that talisman back or you're in big trouble." She warned.
"You half human brat." He spat, "You think your magic is any match for mine?!"
Marnie pretended to think for a moment before she replied with confidence, "No, but my powers, and my mom's and my grandmother's and my sister's and my brother's and Nairbix's might do it. Hit it, guys." She said as they all joined hands and concentrated their magic into the talisman to overpower Kalabar.
"No!" He shouted as the light grew brighter, "No!" He shouted before the power of the talisman destroyed him ending the threat on the peaceful Halloweentown. The talisman then flew back into Aggie's hand as the surrounding crowd cheered over their victory.
"You did a fabulous job, all of you." Aggie cried cheerfully. She then turned to Nairbix and began to say the long foreseen goodbye. "Especially you, my dear student. We may have never succeeded without you."
"It's all thanks to you and your teachings, Aggie." He said with a sad smile.
"No, you have a power within you that you used all on your own, Nairbix. From what I've seen, you just might have what it take to surpass Yen Sid's teacher." She said confusing Nairbix.
"Wait, is Nairbix leaving?" Marnie asked as sorrow began to take her and her two siblings.
"Yes, dear, he is." Aggie said with pride.
"But why?" Sophie asked. "How come he's not coming back with all of us, Grandma?"
"Nairbix came here to Halloweentown to receive magic training with me. I told his master that I would keep him here as long as it took for him to master all that I could teach him, and I have."
"As sad as it is, we'll most likely never see each other again. But I'll always remember you all. Never forget that." Nairbix said as he hugged his three friends and his teacher.
"Here, take this with you." Aggie said as she handed him the talisman.
"But what about-"
"We won't need it for the time being." Aggie waved off. "But should we ever do, I trust that you'll keep very special care for it."
"I will." Nairbix said with a nod. He then summoned a corridor to take him back to the tower and looked back to the Cromwells before departing this world. And though they didn't know it, Nairbix would find another purpose for the talisman in the distant future when all things would be enveloped by his darkness.
Once the darkness cleared, Nairbix was once again in his master's study at The Mysterious Tower.
"Back so soon, Nairbix?" Yen Sid asked from behind his pupil's back.
"Yes, Master." Nairbix replied as he bowed, "I have completed my training at Halloweentown and helped vanquish the force wanting to oppress its good nature and people."
"Very good, my young pupil. I can sense that you have indeed grown very strong with magic in your short time there. Thankfully, I have just finished preparing your next level of training for you."
"Thank you, Master. I look forward to what you have in store for me." Nairbix thanked with another bow as his master chuckled.
"I'm sure you will. As for now, you should rest. Tomorrow, we will continue your training."
"Very well, Master. Goodnight." Nairbix said with a yawn as he left the study.
"In less than a week, he was able to master one of the most difficult and powerful forms of magic in all the worlds." Yen Sid thought to himself. "He is already showing great strength well beyond his age and skill level. If this continues, he may have what it takes to become a True Master of the Keyblade."