A/N: Atlantis sure is in deep trouble cause of Lyle and the Shadowmoon. It's a shame, really. It's surprising how the Shadowmoon would go so far to destroy the last LeiShen, they would steal and meddle in other worlds. That's just bad isn't it?
World: Atlantis
My battle against Hollow Vessel is pretty hard core. The beast is wild and feral. I have to use my Ventus Charm to keep up with it, since Ven is all about speed. I make the first strike with Sonic Blade, repeatly rushing at the Nobody creature with sonic charges. Hollow Vessel staggers well from Sonic Blade. At the final blast, Hollow Vessel viciously attacks me.
I suffer the damage, but once I recover I heal myself with Curaga. Hollow Vessel runs around the area. I chase after it, until I reach it and attack with Lightning Nova. My Keyblade charges with electric, then I give it swift swings on the Hollow Vessel. I deliver the final blow, charging through the Nobody. Seconds after the strike, all my attacks on it Nobody does an after strike then, at once, all explode in an electrifying inferno.
Hollow Vessel roars loudly, I cast Thundaja, five lightning rains down on Hollow Vessel, the ground each of the lightning hits leaves lightning orbs. They grow until they're double the size and they explode. Hollow Vessel enrages, it's eyes burn fiery red and it's body is coated in shadow. Hollow Vessel attacks in such a berserker rage. And I thought Saix was bad enough when he went berserk.
Meanwhile, Milo is just arriving in the Cavern of Heart. The Heart of Atlantis is glowing red and sending red spotlights all around. "Lyle!"
Lyle, Helga and Kida turns to see Milo. "You!?" Lyle is surprise. "Helga! Take care of him!"
Milo was about to take Kida and run only Helga tackles him. She has his neck locked in her arm and a gun aiming at his head ready to shoot. Lyle returns his attention to the scene up ahead. One of the beams lands on Kida. The crystal around Kida's neck glows and floats in front of her. Kida's eyes turn light blue, as well as the light from the Heart of Atlantis.
Kida becomes hypnotized, for the crystal comes to life in her mind, taking over her. Kida mindlessly starts up at the Heart of Atlantis, she starts walking on water heading towards it. Lyle, Helga and Milo are looking at Kida, confused. They barely understand what's going on here.
Kida stands right underneath to Heart of Atlantis. All of the spotlights move onto Kida, and the light shrinks until it closes on the crystal and widens on her. Kida floats up, slowly soaring into the heart. Once she's inside, the faces of the kings starts spinning, greatly accelerating. Milo, Lyle and Helga are speechless at the very sight of this.
After a while, the faces starts slowing down. As it slows, it starts to reveal that both Kida and the giant energy is both gone. All that reminds is a crystalized Kida. The crystalized Kida slow falls to the ground, until her feet are on the surface of water.
Milo is not too happy to see this. Cause he knows that the Kida he met is gone. "Kida..."
I am on the ground, with Hollow Vessel over me. The beast has me pinned down. I try to hold its face back, defending myself with my Keyblade. Hollow Vessel snarls at me. I can smell it's rotten breath and I gag. "By the light! Ever heard of toothpaste?"
The beast chops its fangs on me. I fight back by kicking it hard in the stomach. Hollow Vessel reacts to it by dropping it's assault. To my advantage, I blow Aeroza at it, blowing Hollow Vessel off of me.
I quickly get back on my feet, then unleash Cyclone. My swift air spins strikes hard on the Hollow Vessel. When that was done, the beast roars in agony and collapses. Its body starts to unravel until nothing of it remains.
After the monsters defeat, Lyle, Helga returns with the captive Milo and the crystalized Kida. When I first start Kida, I didn't recognize her. I am in fact surprised to see her completely turn to crystal. Lyle was kind enough to let Milo go, then he takes off with his prize.
The crystalized Kida.
Kida is now loaded up in a metal cabinet, which is loaded up in the van. I just stand back, watching those whole event with a bitter look. Lyle and Helga are getting away with Kida and the Heart of Atlantis.
"All right. I'm gonna give you all one last chance." Lyle says. Audrey, Dr. Joshua and Vincenzo still denies Lyle's offer. "Fine then! More for me!"
Lyle and Helga get into the van and drive off. They cross past the bridge, heading right into the caverns. I groan in frustration and turn walking away. "I can't believe this!"
"I know! That crystal was the Atlantan's life force and now they're entire culture is in danger!" Milo says. "We've got to do something."
"Like what?" Audrey asks.
"Audrey is right. Lyle has weapons and his army of those creatures on his side. He's won. There's nothing we can do about it." Dr. Joshua says.
"We can't give up." We all turn to see the king struggling to walk out of his chambers, even using his staff for support. "Your friends must be stopped. They have no idea of the dangerous power they carry."
"What are you talking about?" I ask.
"The Heart of Atlantis carries such unstoppable power. If anyone where to use it as a weapon, it will cause absolute destruction. I tried to use it once, back on the surface, to defend my people. But because of my arrogance, it was proven to be too powerful, and it drive the entire city into the forsaken ruin you now see."
We're all speechless hearing this. "So that's why you hide it, didn't you? To prevent history from repeating itself." Milos says.
"But he wasn't lucky. Cause the heart was stolen once. By Rasputin." I say. "Your highness. What did the Shadowmoon use the heart for?"
"That. I do not know. But if he used it on any of his enemies. I'd say his chances were that he destroyed their entire culture." The king says. I have a gut feeling he did. He used the heart of the LeiShen's. "Please! Save Atlantis. Save my daughter. If she is bound to the crystal far too long, she will be lost forever."
I get it. She'll be either completely mindless, or permanently bound to the crystal. "Don't worry, your majesty. I will save your daughter and bring back the Heart of Atlantis." Milo swears by standing straight and saluting.
"And just how are you gonna do that?" Andrey asks.
Milo was silent for a few, then speaks. "I have no idea."
Figures. The hero doesn't have a plan. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm gonna go after Lyle." I start walking away.
I hop on my Hoverbike, start it up. I slowly drive it to the center of the city, aiming it direction at the bridge, then Milo stands in front of me as if to stop me from leaving.
"Wait! I'm coming with you!" Milo says.
"I admire your tenacity, kid. But you're going to be eaten alive out there." I say.
"This is all my fault that heart is stolen. I'm the one who brought Lyle here, and I'm gonna fix it." Milo says.
"Fine. Hop on." I'm not too pleased with him coming along, mostly cause I can't guarantee his safety.
Without any further hesitation, we take off right into the caverns. It was a fast ride and Milo spent most of the time screaming, for he is both terrified and exhilarated.
In the Volcanic Depths, Helga launches a missile to the top of the cavern. It goes high up until it hits the roof, creating an opening. Lyle stands in the spotlight, looking up. "I love it when I win."
Helga and Lyle releases a large air balloon, hook it to the cabinet carrying the crystalized Kida. The balloon starts floating to the top, soon beginning to carry the cabinet with it. That's when Lyle sees Milo and I coming within sight.
"We've got company!" Lyle summons Air Pilots, Nobodies that are riding on planes. "Destroy them!"
Air Pilots fly all around, shooting at Milo and I. I start taking evasive action, avoiding the lasers while firing back at them. I take out the Air Pilots while trying to fly close to the air balloon. When we fly close, I shoot at one of the small balloons at the side. It explodes and starts causing the whole thing to fall slowly.
Lyle and Helga notices the situation. "We need to lighten the load!" Lyle says.
They start dropping heavy stuff as I start taking on the Air Pilots. "We need to stop them!" Milo says.
"All right! Good luck kid!" I say.
Milo seems confused. "Wait. What?" When above the air balloon, I turn the Hoverbike upside down, dropping Milo, then I fly off to take care of the rest of the Nobodies. Helga and Lyle dumps everything they could drop, but the balloon is still falling.
"That's everything! Unless one of us is willing to take a dive." Helga says.
Lyle grins, for he's about to give her a taste of her own words. "Ladies first." He grabs Helga and dumps her. Helga screams as she falls. "Nothing personal!" He shouts down at her.
The air balloon starts floating back up. Milo makes his way to Lyle, trying to be stealthy but failing to do it. Lyle notices Milo and he starts attacking him. Milo is not really doing a good job at fighting back. Infact, he's just avoiding and trying to get away.
Helga is at the bottom of the cavern. Her body is sore from the fall. She takes out a flare gun, aiming it at the balloon. "Nothing. Personal!" She fires at the air balloon, and it explodes.
The container starts falling. Milo is now hanging from the door of the cabinet. Lyle takes out the emergency axe and starts using it on Milo. "Getting tired, Mr. Thatch?" He slams the axe into the glass window of the cabinet. "That's too bad." He lifts the Axe. Milo grabs a piece of glass, which is coated in the magic crystal. Lyle grabs Milo by the neck. "I'm just getting warmed up!" Then lifts him up.
Milo cuts Lyle on the arm, which cause shim to release Milo and grunt in pain. Milo falls from the release. I see his predicament and ride down to catch him.
Lyle wasn't happy to see Milo survive the fall, but he really isn't happy to see is that he's beginning to turn to crystal from that cut Milo gave him. This keeps happening until he's completely covered in crystal, becoming as still as a statue.
The large fireball that use to be the air balloon crashes right into the center of the ground, and the metal cabinet crashes as well. I land the Hoverbike right next to the cabinet. However, the cavern starts shaking, that's when the ground starts cracking and lava starts bursting out.
"Oh dear, this can't be good." Milo says.
"Come on!" I rush to what remains of the air ballon and grab the chains. I hook the metal cabinet to my Hoverbike. I get back on and so does Milo. "Hang on!" The Hoverbike turns on and takes off.
We ride at high speed, trying to distance ourselves from the lava that's surfing behind us. We made it out of the caverns and the lava starts pouring out of the tunnels.
We ride back to the city, directly at the center, placing the cabinet down. After I land the hoverbike, Milo and I get off. Milo tries to free Kida while I look back at the caverns. It's starting the burst and crack. This is a bad sign. The volcano is going to explode.
"We need to get her out!" Milo says.
I turn to the cabinet and summon my Keyblade. "I've got this." Milo stands back as I aim my Keyblade at the door. The tip glows in light then shoots a beam at the cabinet. Like a keyhole, the whole thing glows and shatters open. The crystalized Kida floats in place. She channels powerful magic.
Down below in the Cavern of Heart, the kings faces awakens in magic and starts floating up. The faces pierces through the ground, surfacing all around the crystalized Kida. The faces and Kida floats high above the city. The faces spins, greatly accelerating until all we can see is the glowing orb of the Heart of Atlantis and a ring of light.
The Heart of Atlantis starts shooting beams of light all around. The beam hits something, then massive guardians starts rising out of the waters of the city.
"I don't believe it...they must be the guardians of Atlantis." Milo says.
"By the light..." I'm surprisingly impressed by the size of these giants. We're practically ants to them.
Overtime, the all of the guardians are risen, and they surround the city by the very edge. The very moment the volcano explodes, the guardians starts creating an energetic barrier, greatly extending and spread throughout until it turns into a giant dome protecting the city.
"This is amazing." I say. The lava starts splashing onto the giant bubble. At first, we start to worry, even since the lava begins covering the city, but the barrier is managing to hold. "It's like a giant shield."
"I know." Milo says.
Just then, a crystal shard was shot at Milo, luckily by the arm. We were all surprised by that. We turn to see it's the crystalized Lyle, standing in position that shows he's the one that made the shoot. His left wrist is chained, which made me believe he was hooked up to my Hoverbike when we escaped.
He looks at us angrily. "Look! At what! You did! TO ME!" He voice is echoing distorted.
I step up, summon my Keyblade and positioned myself to fight. "You brought this on yourself!"
I charge in on Lyle, attacking them. Lyle seems pretty sensitive with being hit cause I've never seen an enemy that staggers so easily. I'm guessing this is from the crystallization curse. I give Lyle a taste of Ruinja, channeling magic causing ten ruins to come at him, piling up on him. When they're all gathered, it grows until it explodes, leaving a massive smoke and then releases the ten ruins, launched in different directions in the form of a circle. Those ruins only travel ten yards then explodes, without leaving any smoke.
The spell causes me to enter Spell Weaver.
Lyle comes at me, throwing me a couple of punches. "You! Will! Pay!" His fist gathers strength then punches the ground, causing a bush of crystals to raise up from beneath me. That attack pretty much knocked me into the air. His hits really hurts. For a guy who can barely take a hit, he sure packs a punch. Lyle crafts a crystal long sword. By the time he's done, I start attacking him. I give him a taste of Explosion, he really didn't enjoy that attack, then my power runs deeper and I enter Heavens Light.
Lyle swings his crystal sword at me couple times. When I recover, I heal myself with Curaga then continue attacking. I hit Lyle a couple of times, even throw a Shadow Dash. "Too slow!"
Lyle recovers from the stagger then does Crystal Barrage. "The power! Of crystal! IS MINE!" He starts rapidly shooting crystal shards in front of him. I avoid by rushing to the side and getting behind, but that doesn't stop him for he starts spinning directions. After a while of this, he stops, then I continue attacking until I reach my full power and unleash Heavens Light.
I'll be honest, he's not much of a challenge if he's THAT easy to stagger.
Upon his defeat, Lyle stumbles back. He shouts in agony and his body starts to crack. Rays of red light are released from the cracks, up until Lyle explodes.
The explorers are amazed at the explosion. "Whoa..." They all say.
Rumbling sound happens all around us. We look up to see the lava starts to harden. We are trapped inside, but only shortly when the barrier causes the harden lava starts to crack and fall apart. When everything was clear, the barrier vanishes.
I whistle. "Very impressive." A small ray of light shines from the clouds. We all look up, and Kida, the normal human girl, is slow falling down. Looks like she's returned to normal. Milo stands in the spotlight as Kida slowly falls into his arms.
Everything goes well in the hand. The city restores to its former glory. Now, Audrey, Dr. Joshua and Vincenzo are getting ready to leave. Kida and the Atlantis give them a ship, that'll help them return to the surface, filled with tons of gold. Kida now gives them each a crystal necklace.
"Atlantans will always remember your names for future generations. I wish there was more we can do." Kida says.
"That's real nice of you but..." Vincenzo looks back at all of the gold. "I think we're covered."
Kida approaches to me. "Here. This is for you as well."
Kida hands me a Kida charm. "Much oblige." I turn. "Well, I should get going." I start walking but soon stop when Kida speaks.
"You're not staying?" She asks.
I turn to look at her. "I have to find my friend. She's still out there...somewhere."
"I understand. You are welcome to visit anytime." Kida says.
"Noted. Good luck to you and the rest of your culture." Then I make my leave. I will find Aqua and save her, then I'll make the Shadowmoon pay for everything they have done.