Chapter 12: Dwarf Woodlands.
After leaving La Cite des Cloches Sora found something in his hand: The Guardian Bell Keychain, and since it had more strength and more magic he attached it to his Keyblade. The gang had decided to let Ventus take the lead, Ven would therefore decide where they would next visit.
The journey took them past Olympus Coliseum and Traverse Town, past Disney Castle and finally past Radiant Garden. The world the gang orbited for a minute was covered in lush, green fields, a slightly scary forest and a tall stone Castle which was firing fireworks into the air, however, what the gang didn't notice was a dark patch at the bottom of the world slowly speading.
When the gang landed they appeared at the castle gates, the guards immediately allowed Ventus and Aqua to enter, but they kept the others outside. For the entire visit Ven and Aqua remained inside castle walls watching Snow White's coronation. The evening was filled with dancing, food and a snog in a nearby corner of the ball room.
Outside the castle walls an army of over 10,000 heartless, both pureblood and artificial stormed out of slightly scary forest.
In the flower field a little girl was unfortunately killed when the heartless stole her heart. The 6 Keybladers summoned their respective weapons and prepared for battle.
Sora, Riku, Roxas, Xion, Mark and Phillipa vs 8334 Heartless and 1666 Unversed.
The gang split up into six individual fighters and dealt with a sixth of the total army.
Sora vs. 1666 Heartless.
Luckily for Sora the group he faced were Surveillance Robots and that other type of Heartless he fought in the war of Hollow Bastion. Sora stuck to Snag and Rising Sun Reaction Commands allowing him to grab a Surveillance Robot and spread a long laser beam in a huge circle, or rise up into the air and slashing downwards while bringing himself into the air and repeating the process about five more times.
Sora's fight lasted half an hour before he completed his quota.
Roxas vs. 1666 Heartless.
Roxas was also happy with the type of Heartless he had picked, they were once again Neoshadows that always died after one hit from him. However, these Neoshadows weren't what they appeared at first, they were actually Novashadows! Roxas hated these Heartless, they were strong and had high defence. "Oh, Come on!" Before rushing at his enemies and proceeded to beat the very shit out of them. Due to the resilience Roxas's fight lasted over an hour! Roxas had faced Novashadows before during his time at the Organization, but these Novashadows were a lot stronger then he remembered. He didn't notice a Novashadow head off towards the castle.
Xion vs. 1666 Heartless.
Xion meanwhile was fighting Invisibles, Invisibles being an extremely tough enemy with a move that can half your health are difficult individually, but when facing over a thousand of the buggers, it was nigh on impossible.
Naturally Xion killed a lot of them but they had gotten her health down to near 0, and since Xion hadn't really changed her abilities that much she still had her 'Last Legs' attack, so, focusing on her energy Xion suddenly upgraded her weapon saying. "I won't give in!" before attacking the rest of the Invisbles, her abilities being what they were allowed her to hurl columns of light outwards destroying any Invisible a column came in contact with.
Xion's fight lasted about fifteen minutes before all of her enemies were utterly smashed, not one survived her onslaught.
4997 down, 5002 to go.
Riku vs 1666 Unversed.
Riku was actually pitted against creatures he had never seen before: 1666 Elemental Towers (those Unversed split into three parts commonly found in Neverland), as far as Riku could tell at any one time the creatures in front of him could only fire one element at him at any one time, while weak against the opposite element. "Really? Are you kidding me?" Riku shouted at no one in particular before destroying half of the Unversed with one large Thundaga. Every time one of the Unversed shot a fireball, blizzard or lightning bolt at him Riku simply blocked with his Dark Barrier and used his retaliation to clear the enemies in the immediate area.
Overall Riku's fight lasted ten minutes.
Mark and Phillipa vs. 3336 Heartless.
Mark and Phillipa refused to part so they had a larger group plus an extra four since 10000/6=1666.6(recurring) and there would be four enemies left over all. Anyway Mark and Phillipa were left with Defenders, Wizards, Darkballs and Wyverns.
The Wizards were very easy to defeat since Mark and Phillipa had enough common sence not to use any magic on them. The Defenders were defeated when Mark distracted it while Phillipa beat the tar out of them from behind their shields.
The Darkballs and Wyverns weren't as easy since the Darkballs kept Teleporting around them and attacking them while the Wyverns flew in formation making them harder to hit. So Mark and Phillipa started a Combination attack which was similar to Phillipa's own Command but allowed both of them to speed around the area attacking their enemies from all sides.
Mark and Phillipa finished their fight in just over an hour.
End Fight.
Overall the fighting was a resounding success, however, due to the escape of a Heartless the world was in danger, and nobody knew it yet except for a person with a pair of glinting yellow eyes who smirked thinking 'Goodbye world.'
~In the Castle~
Meanwhile in the castle Ventus and Aqua were thoroughly enjoying themselves, after a particularly difficult waltz the couple sat down and drank some water. Looking into his water while swirling it around Ventus said quietly. "This is rather fun, shame about the others, they would have loved it."
"True, they would have, i'm not sure about Sora and Riku though." Aqua replied looking out at the sea of people.
"Really, how did you reach that conclusion?"
"Well, Sora is extremely hyperactive, I'm sure he only stayed still long enough at Elsa's coronation since he had wasted most of his energy at Traverse Town where he had to defeat that giant Heartless, so he was still regaining himself. Riku? Well Riku doesn't really have anyone to dance with, I know as his friend Xion and I would have done so, but he clearly has his eyes on another person so it wouldn't be fair." Aqua explained to Ven who nodded thoughtfully.
"Aq-." Ven started, however he didn't get to finish because at that point a giant Novashadow came crashing into the Ball Room. *Smash* went all of the glass windows as the guests screamed. "Never mind, let's get rid of this thing." However, as they were about to move the Worlds' keyhole appeared above the throne's, the Novashadow leapt straight for it, it increased its velocity, it was inches away from the Keyhole, but was stopped by about Twenty flying swords.
When Ven and Aqua looked at the source of the swords they saw nineteen Royal Guards and the newly crowned king standing by the main doors. "You have no business here, leave!" A brave General shouted at the creature.
However the Novashadow took no notice as it attempted to steal the hearts of nearby noblemen. It was about to take another leap at the Keyhole when Ventus summoned his Keyblade, which had adopted the look of Lost Memory, and threw it at the hideous creature destroying it instantly, the black vapour vanished harmlessly. "Thanks kid." The same General who had spoken earlier said to Ven putting his hand on Ven's shoulder and squeezing it slightly.
"No worries." Ven replied to that larger man. "But I'm afraid that those who lost their hearts are dead, including (sniff) the Queen."
Everyone gasped at the revelation as they looked at the queen who was lying on the floor, glassy eyed, and most assuredly dead. Snow White, the third Heart of Pure Light was dead.
~With Maleficent~
One of Maleficent's new Heartless appeared in front of her. "Well?" She asked. "Did you get it?" The Novashadow showed a pure white orb to Maleficent who burst into evil laughter.
~Later in Dwarf Woodlands~
The entire population of Dwarf Woodlands including the seven Dwarfs who were all downtrodden, even Happy couldn't find anything to smile about. Everyone was dressed completely in black, around them a thunder storm raged on. The priest approached the glass coffin where Snow White lay. Looking at his prepared speech he announced. "Queen Snow was a friend to all of us, especially to the Dwarf people of the forest and Diamond Mines. She was loved by everyone who met her. Before she was crowned Queen she asked me or my successors, in case she died, to thank certain people. First she thanks Ventus for helping her in her most dire situation. She thanks Aqua for helping her wake up. She also thanks Terra for protecting her from evil monsters. Finally she thanks Sora, Donald and Goofy for saving her from the evil Witch and restoring the Worlds. I believe that Ventus has something to say."
The usually cheery boy approached the stand and spoke in a sombre voice to the assembled population. "When I first visited this beautiful place I was called a thief by our little friends the Dwarves. Later, when exploring I heard a scream from the nearby forest, inside I found the Queen cowering in fear, this happens to everyone. I helped her by taking her to the Dwarves house where she stayed until I left." Looking at the crowd he said. "Thank you."
Next Aqua approached the stands. "I barely knew the queen when I met her at the Dwarves House, she had been put into an eternal slumber from which only true loves kiss could awaken her. I did indeed help her wake, but seeing her in the glass coffin yet again reminds me how cruel life is, I hope one day that one of her recent children grow up to be like her."
After Aqua sat down a reverberating voice spoke from the heavens. "My name is Terra, not many of you will know me but I knew your old Queen. I know many of you are startled but be calm for I mean you no harm. Anyway, when I visited here I was tricked by your old evil Queen into cutting out Snow White's heart, after hearing the old Queens reasons I may have accepted verbally but in my head I knew I wouldn't do it. When I met Snow she was picking flowers from the Glade you are standing in now. Shortly after meeting her terrible fiends appeared, she ran into the forest where Ven would find her later. Automatic Will message end."
Of course Aqua and Ven knew what an Automatic Will message was: it was a message sent by a Lingering Will of a near deceased Keyblade Master, the message is pre-recorded and pre-determined by the wearers thoughts before they die. It was random, for example you are eating Ice Cream in a sad setting and a Message appears talking about jokes, since that's what the wearers' thoughts were.
When the message ended the now morose Sora approached the Stand. "I first met Snow White in my first journey after an evil villain kidnapped her, I along with my friends saved her. I didn't meet her at all afterwards. I'm sorry that is all I have to say."
When Sora stood down the King approached the stand. "Hello everyone, I just want to say that I loved Snow with all my heart and seeing her in that coffin again fills me with such sorrow, I fell in love with Snow when we were training in higher education at the age of 16, by then we had known each other for years, our love seemed to last forever, and when we had little Amelia and even littler Phillip our loved bloomed like a fire flower, yet she is now taken from me at the age of just 37, I promise that our children will always know you Snow. I love you."
The funeral from there was rather plain. Snow White was placed in the Dungeons with all of the other royals who died over the years.
Afterwards the gang left the Dwarf Woodlands behind. Next to Sora Aqua was sobbing. "It's all my fault, if only we had been quicker."
"It wasn't your fault Aqua, don't ever let anyone convince you otherwise, if it were your fault I'm sure you would have been forgiven, I knew I would." Ven assured Aqua, placing an arm around her. "I know let's go to a relaxing World yeah?"
Aqua nodded. "Yeah."
"Let's go to Disney Castle."
~In MX's evil lair~
MX, TX, Xemnas, Ansem-Xehanort (AX), PEX, Braig, Isa, Vanitas, YMX. Xehanort-who just left Destiny Islands (PDIX), Good Xehanort-but-will-still-work-for-MX (GX), Student Xehanort (SX) and (drum roll) Mark of Mastery Xehanort (MOMX) were all sitting in their cool chairs watching in horrific fascination as a bright light escaped from TX and slew out of the window. "It seems Terra has broken free, now my plans are starting to come to fruition." MX said to his assembled selves who applauded his showing how much he loves himself.
End chapter.
2,224 words
Current party: Same as last time.
Here ya go, I'm sorry about Snow's death, but someone needed to die or it wouldn't be exciting, nor would it make you angry with me.
New organisation:
1: Master Xehanort (MX)
2: Xemnas
3: Ansem-Xehanort (AX)
4: Terranort (TX)
5: Post Eraqus Xehanort (PEX)
6: Isa
7: Braig
8: Good-but-still-works-for-MX Xehanort (GX)
9: Mark of Mastery Xehanort (MOMX)
10: Xehanort-who just left Destiny Islands (PDIX)
11: Student Xehanort (SX)
12: Young Master Xehanort (TMX)
13: Vanitas (Cause he's the youngest.
Review Please (puppy eyes)
Meet me next time in... Disney Castle