The siege of Sublime had miraculously lifted once the First Sister and the rest of the Sisterhood had departed with their ill-gotten prize, the Horned King having strangely ordered a withdrawal from the world and so the Heartless numbers had dropped to almost nil, leaving the Guardians perplexed to say the least. They had quickly rallied on Laguna's order at Sublime Manor. Mickey didn't seem to be among them though. As they approached, they saw Si'Lea emerging from within, followed not far behind by Namine, Sora, and Aqua.

"Master, the Heartless are in full recess, and we-…whoa, where did she come from?!" Laguna yelped as they saw Namine.

"Stand down! She's with us." Si'Lea ordered, standing between Namine at the guardians.

"You sure?" Ren asked. Medy, Arlene, Ludro, Laaurim, Reno, and Ise however both recognized her immediately.

"Yeah, she is. She's on our side." Ise said as he and Reno moved to stand next to Namine. The other four ex-Nobodies looked at her curiously but said nothing.

"Master, what's going on?" Laaurim asked as Si'Lea grimaced.

"The Sisterhood…they've taken Nixe's Heart. Nixe…is dead now. Her body lost to the Darkness." Si'Lea said. The entire host of Guardians were crestfallen, stunned and shocked by the news.

"How did this happen? Who did this?" Ludro asked.

"It was that witch, First! That beast! She did this! She ordered the siege of the city to distract all of you so that no one could come to Si'Lea's aide, and the moment they got what they were after, they retreated!" Namine explained, visibly angered by the turn of events, something that Sora noticed.

"Namine?" he asked softly but she didn't respond.

"Namine, can you get us to the Palace of Eternity?" Si'Lea asked as Namine nodded.

"Yes. I can open a Corridor of Darkness large enough to allow as many of us as we need passage there." Namine said as Si'Lea looked to the Guardians, stepping towards them.

"For the last eleven years, you've all stood with me, fighting for our homes, our lives, defying the Sisterhood by our very being here. We've stood together, resisting and rebelling against the Sisterhood of Seven. Well now they've taken away something that we've all fought to protect, someone we've all cared for and loved in our ways and if we think they're going to stop at just, Nixe, then we're damned fools for believing that! They've taken Prishe, they've taken Oswald, they've mutilated Vincent, they've hurt and wounded each of us! Our worlds are in Darkness! Our hopes have been trampled on! That beast will make off with your children! She'll come after them in the night! We're not safe 'til she's dealt with once and for all! I say we kill the beast!" Si'Lea yelled, leaping onto a box as the Guardians cheered along with her. (Music Cue: The Mob Song – Beauty and the Beast)

"We're not safe until she's dead!"
"She'll come stalking us at night!"
"Set to sacrifice our children to her monstrous appetite!"
"She'll wreak havoc on our homelands if we let her wander free!"

Laaurim, Arlene, Jeckt, and Fang all said as Si'Lea summoned her armor, sans helmet, and raised her Keyblade into the air.

"So it's time to take some action, boys,
it's time to follow me!"

Si'Lea called before leaping down from her box, stalking through the crowd of Guardians…

"Through the mist, through the woods,
through the darkness and the shadows,
it's a nightmare but it's one exciting ride!
Say a prayer, then we're there,
at the outskirts of a palace,
and there's something truly terrible inside!"

Si'Lea sang before Namine took over, singing out amongst them…

"It's a beast! She's got fangs,
razor sharp ones!
Massive paws, killer claws for the feast!"
Hear her roar! See her foam!
But we're not coming home 'til she's dead!"

"Good and dead! Kill the beast!" Namine yelled, stunning Sora.

"Namine! What are you doing?! This isn't like you!" Sora pleaded as Namine turned towards him with a pained expression.

"I can't stand by and do nothing anymore, Sora! I have a chance to make amends for all I've done! And if it means going to war and possibly even fading away into Darkness to save a friend, then so be it!" Namine replied, Sora looking confused.

"You hardly even know her." Sora said, Namine looking towards him with a sad expression.

"But you did." She replied, leaving Sora even more confused as Si'Lea leapt up onto the side of a lamppost.

"We'll rid the worlds of this beast, who's with me?!" Si'Lea yelled, the Guardians voicing their support while Aqua and Sora both stood to the side, watching with hesitant expressions as Namine turned and started opening a Corridor of Darkness.

"Light your torch! Mount your horse!"

The crowd sang as Si'Lea leapt down towards the head of the crowd as the Corridor of Darkness opened all the way, showing the Palace of Eternity in the distance on the other side.

"Screw your courage to the sticking place!"

Si'Lea sang as Namine fell in with the crowd, all of them marching into the Corridor and onto the desolate wasteland outside of the Palace of Eternity.

"We're counting on Si'Lea to lead the way!
Through a mist, through a wood,
where within an evil palace,
something's lurking that you don't see every day!"

The Guardians all sang as they marched…

"It's a beast, one as tall as a mountain!
We won't rest 'til she's good and deceased!
Sally forth! Tally ho!
Grab your sword! Grab your bow!
Praise the Light and here we go!"

"We'll lay siege to the Palace and bring back First's head!" Si'Lea yelled, the Corridor closing behind them. Back in Sublime, Sora and Aqua were alone near the Mansion as Aqua bit her lip with anxiety.

"What are we going to do, Sora? We can't let them fight the Sisterhood all on their own! They might get slaughtered!" Aqua said as Sora nodded.

"But even if we joined them, what could we do? What could two extra Keyblade Masters do?" Sora asked.

"Who says it'd just be the two of you?" a voice asked from nearby, catching their attention, causing their eyes to widen and excited grins to appear on their faces. Back outside the Palace of Eternity the Guardians were still marching as they sang…

"We don't like,
what we don't understand,
in fact it scares us,
and this monster is mysterious at least!
Bring your guns!
Bring your knives!
Save your children and your wives!
We'll save our homelands and our lives!
We'll kill the Beast!"

On the Palace promenade level, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth were gathered outside, looking up towards the Brink of Infinity at the top of the Palace.

"I can't believe the plan actually worked." Third commented.

"I always knew." Fourth sniffed. She was back at her normal size now.

"But now that we know the true method to obtain hearts, all we need to do now is find more Apprentices and we'll finally be independent." Fifth said before Sixth glanced out over the railing.

"What's that?" she asked, the sisters all turning and seeing the approaching army of guardians in the distance.

"What the-! It's that accursed Si'Lea and her minions!" Fifth exclaimed.

"And Seven is with them! I knew she'd turn full traitor eventually!" Fourth hissed.

"Warn First, if it's a fight they want we'll be ready for them!" Sixth said, Third turning and running into the Palace. Down amongst the Guardians, Si'Lea snarled up at the palace.

"Take whatever booty you can find, but remember, that beast is MINE!" Si'Lea yelled as the Guardians all sang out…

"Hearts ablaze!
Banners high!
We go marching into battle!
Unafraid although the danger just increased!
Raise the flag!
Sing the song!
Here we come, we're twenty strong,
and twenty people can't be wrong!
Let's kill the Beast!"

Inside the Palace, Third peaked into First's strangely darkened room.

"Pardon me, sister."

"What do you want, Third?" First's voice echoed from inside.

"It's the Keyblade Master! We're under attack." Third reported.

"Kill the Beast!
Kill the Beast!"

The Guardians chanted outside as they approached. Back in First's room…

"So they think they can defeat us now? They must be desperate." First chuckled, her lone yellow eye piercing the darkness of her room, the light from her window casting a shadow of her outline as she sat in the darkness.

"Kill the Beast!
Kill the Beast!"

They could hear the Guardians chanting from outside as they reached the gates.

"What do you want us to do, sister?" Third asked as First started to approach.

"Easy. We let them come." She replied with a dark chuckle.

"Kill the Beast!
Kill the Beast!
Kill the Beast!"

The Guardians chanted before Si'Lea raised her fist, silencing and halting their advance all at once. It was silent, with only the occasional whistling of the wind as they all looked up at the imposing tower-like Palace of Eternity.

"So…do we knock?" Reno asked, earning a few scowling glares, silencing him. Si'Lea looked up at the palace for a moment before summoning her Keyblade and shield. Her armor had been active for a while.

"She knows we're here. They'll be sending out the welcoming committee any minute now." Si'Lea said as the Guardians took up a defensive formation, forming a tight, outward facing cluster. After a moment, Namine sensed something, dropping into her fighting stance.

"Something's coming!" she said, Si'Lea dropping into her stance as well.

"Yeah, its strangely familiar though. What could-…no! No it cannot be!" Si'Lea exclaimed before First's laughter echoed across the wasteland. They all looked up towards the promenade and saw Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth standing near the railing, looking down at them with smug expressions. Finally, they were joined by a fifth figure clad in a black coat and hood like the ones worn by Organization XIII. The figure reached the railing and then proceeded to pull back the hood, revealing First beneath the hood, smirking down at them only now both of her eyes were in perfect condition, with only a faint scar above and below her right eye. Si'Lea and Namine both sensed something that horrified them to their cores.

"She's…she's not a Nobody anymore. She's absorbed Nixe's heart! She's a whole being now!" Namine exclaimed as First chuckled menacingly down at them.

"Yes, and it is without a doubt the most exhilarating sensation I've ever felt! Imagine suddenly having all of your senses coming alive for the first time! Ah it is amazing!" First remarked, holding herself in virtual ecstasy.

"Enjoy it while you can, First, because you won't be alive long enough to enjoy it for long!" Si'Lea yelled angrily back up at her hated enemy. First merely chuckled, extending out a hand, causing a sphere of pulsating black energy to form within it.

"Ah, Si'Lea, I might one day miss your tireless and relentless efforts to stop me, and seeing as how I've already won, I find it hilarious but somewhat predictable that you'd come here to try and 'punish' me for achieving my lifetime dream of becoming my own being. But for now, I won't miss it." First said before raising the sphere into the air, the sphere suddenly rocketing off into the sky, disappearing into the clouds. They all looked up just as they heard the loud rumble of thunder and flashes of lightning. They looked up and saw the shape of something large amongst the clouds. They then heard a loud monstrous roar from among the skies.

"Master, what is that?!" Fang asked as Si'Lea grimaced.

"It's the Palace of Eternity's guard dog. The terrible Black Dragon itself." Si'Lea replied.

"D-D-Dragon?" Reno asked as they heard the roaring.

"Yes…the monster they call, Deathgaze." Si'Lea replied as they saw the clouds over the palace suddenly start to bulge sharply downward for a moment before a large black winged beast emerged, revealing a massive black dragon with a large wing span and two long back-swept horns, its body ripped and cracked like it had been partially formed of molten rock. The massive beast landed between the Guardians and the gates to the Palace, letting out a monstrous roar, causing many of the Guardians to step back, shielding themselves.

"That's Deathgaze?! I thought Deathgaze was First's pet!" Namine yelped.

"It is. Deathgaze's strength corresponds to the strength of its Master." Si'Lea replied.

"And so I leave you to play with my, pet! It's been fun, Si'Lea! Farewell!" First called tauntingly, she and the rest of the sisters turning to leave, all with smug expressions.

"Any suggestions, Master?" Laguna asked, prepping his missile launcher.

"How about you let us take this one?" another voice replied, causing Namine's eyes to widen. Si'Lea arched an eyebrow as she and Namine saw Sora and Aqua came running up to stand beside them, clad in their Keyblade armor sans helmets.

"Aqua? Sora? I thought you two weren't going to join us." Si'Lea said, Deathgaze staring at them, daring them to make a move towards him.

"We never said we weren't." Aqua replied as Sora rested his Keyblade on his shoulder.

"But it's a good thing we lagged behind, otherwise these guys wouldn't know where to go." Sora added with a smirk. (Battle Music Cue: Another Side-Battle Version- - 358/2 Days)

"What are you talking about?" Si'Lea asked. Suddenly they heard what sounded like a cannon firing followed shortly by a massive red sphere that hit Deathgaze, head-on, causing the Dragon to howl in pain. This caused First and the other sisters to whirl around in alarm.

"What?! Who did that?!" First asked. Si'Lea's eyes widened at the sight.

"That attack! I know that attack! That's-…" Si'Lea gasped.

"Did you miss me?" Terra asked as he walked up to stand next to her, fully armored sans helmet. He shot her a smile and a wink, Si'Lea gasping at the sight of him.

"So, another dragon eh?" Ven asked as he dropped from the sky in full armor, helmet disappearing.

"Nothing we can't handle." Axel said as he approached along with Kairi who smiled at Namine, the Nobody looking surprised yet relieved to see her Other standing beside her.

"Why not ask our resident dragon slayer." Terra said as Riku approached, Keyblade resting on his shoulder, a determined glare aimed directly at the First Sister. Si'Lea was amazed to see Riku with a Keyblade.

"Last I saw you, you were-…wait, you're the real Riku, aren't you?" Si'Lea asked, earning a slight glare from the younger Keyblade Wielder.

"Let me be clear. I'm doing this for Nixe." He replied, dropping into his fighting stance.

"As we all should." A voice said that made Si'Lea freeze in disbelief.

"No way." She muttered softly as she turned to see Master Yen Sid approaching with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy close behind. Xenix was next to Yen Sid as well only concealed in her tattered grey cloak and hood. She quickly dropped to one knee upon seeing her former Master.

"Master! I never thought that you'd-…I'm honored by your presence." Si'Lea greeted.

"Save the formalities for another time, Si'Lea. We have a battle to win." The Keyblade Master said as he glared at Deathgaze. Si'Lea climbed back to her feet, turning back towards the Palace, First and the other Sisters glaring down at them in surprise.

"Sister, there are more Keyblade Wielders here! What do we do?" Third asked as First merely smiled.

"Do? Why, it's obvious, they've brought roughly four more Keyblade Apprentices to our doorstep. What we do, is prepare for our independence…that's assuming they can get past-…huh?" First asked as Riku stepped forward, helmet appearing.

"I've got this." Riku said as he pointed his Keyblade at Deathgaze. His Keyblade suddenly started to glow with a black and white aura before two bolts of black and white energy coiled around the Keyblade from the handle to the tip before firing off lightning fast in two directions, the black striking Deathgaze in the face, causing it to roar in fury, but that was the opening Riku needed as the white bolt flew into its mouth, traveling down its throat, causing the fire in Deathgaze's belly to briefly turn white, smoke billowing from its mouth.

"Terra!" Riku shouted as Terra flew past at high speeds, his Keyblade reared across and back in front of him, glowing pink petals of energy appearing in the air around him before he came to a stop and suddenly vanished in a black and pink haze, reappearing behind the dragon with his Keyblade out to the side. Deathgaze let out a roar of pain as a burst of light appeared at its neck before the head separated from its body, the dragon falling, decapitated from Terra's Zantetzukan attack, to the ground before releasing a massive pink heart.

"Whoa, that thing was a Heartless?!" Ven yelped.

"It's somewhere in between an Invisible Type and a Chernabog if that helps." Si'Lea replied as Ven smirked towards her.

"Terra's been looking forward to seeing you again. He's been making kissy faces in the mirror for a while now." Ven chortled but Si'Lea merely smiled softly at him.

"I think I'm a little old for those jokes, Ven." Si'Lea replied as Ven chuckled.

"Then why are you blushing?" Aqua asked as Si'Lea's helmet formed over her head for a moment. Meanwhile, First sneered down at the Keyblade Wielders.

"Hmph…Sisters, take your positions within the Palace. We shall stagger their advance. Make sure our slave and the abhorrent one are in position as well. As for the rest of Si'Lea's little fan club…" First said, raising her hand towards the wasteland, causing a black sphere to appear in her hand, the sphere sending out a powerful pulse that caused thousands of Heartless to appear across the Wasteland.

"Now what's going on?!" Ven asked as Laguna cocked his rifle.

"Heh, leave these Hearses to us! We'll cover you!" Laguna said.

"That's 'Heartless,' sir." Cissnei corrected.

"What did I say?" Laguna asked, clueless.

"If you're sure, Laguna." Si'Lea said as Yen Sid gave her a nod.

"I shall stand with these brave souls, Si'Lea. Go." Yen Sid said, Si'Lea bowing her head slightly towards him.

"Yes, Master. Alright, let's go!" She shouted as she, Namine, Sora, Aqua, Terra, Ven, Riku, Kairi, Xenix, Mickey, and Axel raced for the doors to the Palace of Eternity.

"Come on guys, let's hold the line, for the Master! For our homes! For Nixe!" Laguna shouted, the Guardians letting out a cheer before they began battling the Heartless around them. At that point, it was clear…

…the final battle in the war against the Sisterhood of Seven…

…had finally begun.

End Chapter 59