This is a very Marvel-centric chapter, ladies and gentlemen.

Episode 14: Hail Hydra:

The World That Never Was – The Soundless Prison

August 14, 2015

"Is this him?" Neubla asked as she and Diablo stood in the storage room just off the prison block of the Organization's now-abandoned castle. They'd been sent to liberate a prisoner Xehanort had apparently been keeping in a stasis pod for over seventy years. Based on the now deceased Keyblade Master's testimony, the man, apparently named Schmidt, seemed like a potential candidate for membership in the Hellfire Club. So Maleficent had dispatched the duo, accompanied by a squad of Leroys, to release him and either bring him back to the Kiln if he was willing to join, or execute him if he refused.

"It is," the raven-turned-human answered as they looked at the translucent, bud-shaped pod containing a man with red skin, a misshapen head, and black leather clothing. With a nod of acknowledgement, Nebula walked over to the console the pod had been hooked up to and began pressing buttons to release the prisoner. After a few minutes, the pod opened like a flower blooming. Its occupant gave a low groan as he slowly regained consciousness.

"Where am I?" he asked in a thick accent that tethered worlds referred to as German. "And who are you?"

"We are but servants of one much more powerful than us," Diablo replied with a flourish. "As for where you are, we've just liberated you from the dungeons of a castle once owned by a madman by the name of Xehanort."

"Xehanort!?" the man scoffed. "That arrogant young man with the ridiculous silver hair and his silly golden eyes? Ha! He's a fool if he thinks people will share his fascination with Darkness. Where is he?"

"He's been dead for two weeks now," Nebula commented. "And from what I heard he was pushing eighty by that point." For a moment, the red-skinned man gasped incredulously before quickly composing himself.

"In that case," he replied. "I thank you for freeing me. I assume your leader has some grander purpose for securing my release?" Diablo grinned. He liked this guy already.

"Maleficent seeks to conquer the known universe," Nebula answered with a smirk. "To that end, she has been gathering a cabal of powerful and like-minded allies to achieve their shared goal." At this, the skull-faced man broke out into a grin.

"Then it would seem this "Maleficent" and I have much in common," he said. "I am in. Now, how do you plan to get us out of here?"

"That's already been taken care of," Diablo replied with a smirk as they walked out of the storage room into the hallway where the Leroys were waiting. The bird-man gestured with his hand and a Corridor of Darkness opened against the far wall of the storage room. The raven had been expecting the man to be shocked and confused by Nebula's skin, the Leroys, and his instantaneous portal generation. But to Diablo's surprise, the man didn't even bat an eyelid at sights that would leave most first time inter-world travelers stuttering in surprise. Although considering his own appearance, he's probably used to seeing things that are strange, Diablo mused as he lead the group through the Dark Corridor and out into the main offices of the Kiln.

"You're late," Maleficent remarked as Diablo, Nebula, and the freed prisoner entered the conference room.

"Apologies, M' Lady," her avian familiar said with a quick bow. "The Daybreak Coalition put security measures in place around the ruins of The World That Never Was, figuring that we'd come back to loot the place now that Xehanort's gone. The citadel's Munny vault and computer systems were completely cleared out, but we were able to liberate the prisoner Xehanort attempted to trade for the Princess of Heart. He's agreed to join our cause."

Maleficent nodded, and Diablo morphed back into his natural feathered form before flying out of the office. Nebula stepped into the hall and closed the door while she stood guard outside.

"So," she began when she and the red-skinned man were alone in her new office. "Who are you? And what makes you think you're qualified to be a member of my cabal? My familiar tells me you've agreed to join, but the only thing I have to go on for your potential as a member of this little club of ours is Xehanort's word, and he is not one I would consider trustworthy." The man grinned malevolently as Maleficent offered him a glass of wine that had been sitting on the table.

"My name is Johan Schmidt," the man answered. "But my followers refer to me as The Red Skull. On my world, I was given tremendous power, and the means to conquer. If you can get me back in contact with my world, I can supply a vast army, advanced technology, and a less derelict base of operations." Maleficent smiled insidiously. He's prefect material for the cabal.

"Welcome to the Hellfire Club," she said with a malicious grin. Now we can finally start rebuilding my empire again, she thought as she led her newest ally out of the office and toward the conference room where the rest of her inner circle was currently gathered. It was time to take stock of their progress and begin planning for the future. With the help of the Red Skull, the Hellfire Club would once more become a force to be feared throughout the galaxy.

And thus, the Red Skull joined the ranks of Maleficent's team. Rest assured, RS will be a major character in the later Acolytes of Chaos stories. The meeting between himself and Xehanort that he references in this chapter will be featured in detail during Ripple Effects. Diablo is Maleficent's raven for those of you who didn't know, and his shapeshifting powers in TXW are based on the live-action Maleficent movie. That's pretty much it as far as things from that movie are concerned. I enjoyed the movie, but as an origin story for one of Disney's most popular villains, it was very underwhelming.

Next chapter: Ven introduces his parents to Terra, Aqua, and Vanitas. There will be funny and heartwarming moments all over the place.