Age of Fairy Tales:

The New Gods XIII

Aqua had no idea of what she was going to do. She was going to have a hard time creating a cover story but keeping them from finding out her origins will be impossible now. Amarilla just revealed herself as one of the descendants of her friend the Emerald King Artura had many generations and had now guessed that Aqua was a time walker Amarilla.

Aqua was left in the fix right now but managed to hold off this conversation as she invited the group inside her temple to let them explore around a bit.

This give her a moment to gather her thoughts and to steady herself for them what was next to come. But for right now she needed to use her semblance to connect with the others in the Ever After, Penny pacifically.

Back in the Ever After the others had also witnessed and heard everything.

Neo was and a little bit worried for Aqua in that timeline even finding out something familiar about the one in the black hood woman armed with a golden scythe. "Holy crap. Is that woman Little Red's ancestor?

It made perfect sense. Both of them were scythe wielders. To top it all off she noticed not only was her hair color exactly like Ruby Rose she also possessed silver eyes.

Neo looked back at Penny. "Okay, who is this person and how she does knew Aqua?"

Penny glanced at the three, knowing her friends in her heart also wanted answers. "Before you and the others fell here, Aqua arrived first and she made it to the tree. The Keyblade rendered her immune to the magic of the Ever After and thus allowed her to reach the tree without having to take the path in the book. She reached the tree and met Drasil who sent her into Remnant's past, the time of the first Humanity when the Gods lived with them. She met many people during her time there, including Ozma, Salem, the Gods and the Emerald King that Ozma once had served under as the Emerald Knight, Artura ruler of the Emerald Kingdom."

To better clarify her story, Penny touched the bark of the tree and images of Aqua's journey into Remnant's past was projected for everyone to see.

"Artura's ancestors went to the Brother of Light to ask for his help to wait to defeat the Grimm that are invading their lands constantly. The Brother of Light offered her the powers of his eyes, his silver eyes. With the gift that he bestowed upon her ancestors, they were able to eliminate the Grimm and protect their lands and that's how the legend of the Silver Eyes was born. Artura was born as the next in line ruler of the Emerald Kingdom but she was also secretly known as the Sapphire Knight at a young age while she was groomed to one day rule the kingdom. She had secretly covered her true identity with no one aside from her closest advisors and family knowing."

Penny showed an image of Artura disguised as a man now.

"She let herself be known as King Arthur preventing any enemies of her kingdom from knowing who the real ruler of the Emerald Kingdom was. She was clever and wise in letting those from the outside think she was a man instead of a woman ruling the kingdom while at the same time, was known as to her fellow knights as Artura, the Sapphire Kngiht."

Everyone was amazed by this queen's strategy, cleverness, wisdom and kindness. Especially the others taking refuge inside Penny's heart.

"While Aqua was with the Brother of Light, telling him of her circumstance, the previous Crimson warlord had grown spiteful of his near-death experience and being disgraced by his lands after Aqua and Ozma worked together to defeat him. He could not go to the Brother of Light for vengeance so he sought out the Brother of Darkness, thinking that with the God of Darkness' interest in destruction would be perfect for him to have a second chance to have his revenge."

Penny conjured an image of a dying Sidorak, begging to the God of Darkness at his feet.

"The Brother of Darkness accepted for his plea and granted him new life becoming a demon born from his pools of darkness. His first intent was to go to the Emerald Kingdom that opposed against him in his previous life. Aqua had helped her new friend in the Emerald Kingdom Ozma to put a stop to this threat to their land. Her majesty Artura was quite amazed of seeing Ozma's friend help their kingdom with skills and abilities that had never been seen before finally against that demon Grimm."

Aqua and Ozma were now shown battling and defeating Surtr when he attacked the Emerald Kingdom.

"He once was defeated again by the heroes that defeated him. After the great battle, Ozma had fallen ill. Aqua had found that solution to save Ozma but when she got back three kingdoms and armies with golden weapons were waiting for her to eliminate her on behalf of the God of Darkness who considered her a threat. During that fight, Aqua and the other two Salem and Ozma joined in the fight against the enemy."

They were now seeing Aqua, Ozma and Salem before her corruption facing down the Barbarian Warlord, the Fat King and the Stern Queen who wielded magical weapons along with their armies. During the battle, one of them managed to strike Salem down.

"One of the rulers of the Kingdom struck Salem down with a lethal blow impaling her body with the golden scythe. They repelled the warrior King away along with the others and left the golden weapons behind. Leaving two people dying under Aqua's care with the solution to bring one of them back from moments of death."

Aqua was now shown kneeling to the dying Ozma and Salem, with Salem's clothes drenched in blood.

"Aqua had gone so far as trying to find a way to save Ozma the Emerald knight that she shortly made friends with but now she was left with choice of using her gift to save him or save the emerald knight's beloved that he had saved trapped in the tower by her cruel father whom she had known shortly before Ozma's illness."

This surprises everyone especially Oscar as this was before Salem plan's on uniting the kingdoms against the Brothers for not accepting her plea.

Penny continued. "Aqua listened to Ozma's final request to give the potion to Salem as he knew that she had not seen the whole world yet. Aqua did what she was told to do by Ozma for his selfless sacrifice. She saved Salem while Ozma passed away."

Everyone was amazed by this story. Even Neo and Oscar thought there was a moment when Salem would be gone for good, instead she was saved by someone who would become her enemy but they wouldn't blame her for the situation she was in. Aqua hadn't been informed about Salem's actions yet to come either.

"Aqua went through much trouble before and after this happened especially when the Brother of Darkness tried to indirectly destroy her with his new creations, Grimm that were even more powerful than the ones he had already made and were created to fight someone with a Keyblade. This was because the God of Darkness believed that she was a threat to them and their experiment. Aqua went back to stop the Brother of Darkness creations going after her which also included following her toward other worlds, especially the one in the Realm of Light with many Keyblade Wielders in a world called Daybreak Town." Penny continued, conjuring an image of Daybreak Town for them to see. "When Aqua finally made it to the dark brother's domain she came across an old enemy there too. Maleficent, the Mistress of Evil."

Penny then conjured an image of Maleficent for Oscar and Neo to see, and they could tell right off the bat she was evil. She gave off really evil vibes to Neo, Oscar and the ones in Penny's heart.

Only Salem had given them bad feelings like this before.

"Maleficent was only exploring the world a moment ago even she came across Salem who wad giving her the same story as the kingdoms she had gone to as part of plot against the Gods but Maleficent also knew Salem's lies about immortality being stolen from the Gods but was more interested in the God of Darkness and the Creatures of Grimm so she journeyed to the dark brother's domain. She also found her old adversary Aqua." Penny stopped to show the battle between the two.

Neo was quite surprised to see her mentor taking on someone that called herself 'The Mistress of Evil' and was even more so when seeing that woman with horns transform herself into a black dragon that was similar to but different from the Brother of Darkness going against Aqua.

"Aqua had won this battle but even the Brother of Darkness didn't know about his dragon instincts taking over trying to court Maleficent who retreated immediately after. It was oddly strange but fortunately the Brother of Light broke it up. After that ordeal, both of the Brothers reconvened with Aqua in the Brother of Light's domain where Aqua would try to convince the Brothers for them not to spy or even send Grimm after her and that they were violating the world order."

Penny showed them Aqua speaking with the Brother Gods.

"It was here that Aqua gave them names, something that intrigued them when they learned of other gods who had names of their own." Penny continued. "For the Brother of Light, Aqua named him Izanagi and for the Brother of Darkness, Aqua gave him the name Erebus."

The Brothers seemed to consider these names when the army Salem gathered arrived to destroy the brothers.

"When Salem arrived with her army, Aqua had also fought against them to protect the Brothers and at the last moment, the brothers had also intervened and had enough of Salem's actions. Aqua pleaded to change the Brother of Darkness' mind to not wipe all of humanity but only those who rise against them, knowing she could not stop him from carrying out his judgement but tried to convince him to spare those who were innocent. After the Brothers heard Aqua's plea, the Brother of Darkness accepted Aqua and his brothers' reason." Penny said, showing Aqua fighting against Salem and her army, ending with the Gods coming to her aid. "He did wipe out the army that followed Salem but in the long run, he took back his gift that was given to humanity. While he did that, he also sent the message to all the people in the world who are responsible for losing their powers. As what had happened before Izanagi and Erebus departed from the first world and Erebus granted Aqua's request to stop sending his creations after her. Aqua save the rest of humanity but they are going into trouble when the previous demon both Aqua and Ozma once had defeated had returned."

Penny then showed everyone how world's civilizations began to crumble without magic protecting them from the Grimm and later showed Surtr being revived.

"Realizing the brother of darkness must have revived him after his previous battle and before the uprising, Aqua felt responsible for what had happened including the fall of the Emerald Kingdom. Aqua joined forces with the former Emerald King Artura along with finding help with others, a skilled warrior, a former Seer and a one-armed warrior. When they all combined their skills and abilities along with six Keyblade wielders who had joined the fight against the demon king the group of heroes defeated that demon and sealed it away. After that, the group took the golden mystical weapons, Artura choosing to take the earth scythe and used it conceal the land where the demon had chosen for his domain, transforming it into the emerald forest."

Needless to say, this surprised Oscar and Neo.

So much had been changed from the previous history of Remnant, all because of one mistake that led to Remnant's destruction in the future.

After hearing this story, Neo began to put the pieces together.

The one in the black hood was Artura's descendant which means she is also royalty.

'So, little Red is also a little princess…' Neo rolled her eyes. 'Can only imagine what she thinks of that.'

The others that resided within Penny's heart were also amazed and yet dumbfounded about Ruby Rose's situation in this alternate timeline. The previous one when humanity second time come around barely had any ancestry. Now, thanks to Aqua, not everyone was wiped out, but it was still mind-blowing.

"It's true." Penny said, feeling the reactions in her heart. "Ruby, you were not born from a royal bloodline before…But thanks to Aqua's help in saving the First Humanity, many generations would survive and eventually a new humanity would be born and merged with the many surviving generations."

Penny stopped, sensing someone connecting with her heart and knew it was Aqua.

She must be making contact with her over the matter involving Amarilla figuring out who and what Aqua truly was.

Poppy had always been wondering who her mentor really was from their adventures. From what the Spirit of Creation that had told her about her mentor and knowing many things that are not common to this world. Finally going to that domain between space and time where the Brother Gods were located in that temple revealing everything she wanted to know about Aqua.

Which left Poppy's mind blown that her mentor was more than what she claims to be.

Aqua was not from this world.

And she was also someone who could somehow…walk through time.

Poppy shook her thoughts to the present matter with the descendant of a queen finding out her mentor. That her majesty found out through a journal of her ancestors.

She could tell everything was coming together. This queen or the descendent of a queen was pretty much getting them all right. Poppy remembered if Aqua wasn't born or originated from this world but with the Horn of Passage she was almost able about to go outside of the world, a place that wasn't this world. That was almost exciting and yet disappointing that she didn't get a chance to go see the other worlds instead of going between the realms where the Brothers were located in the Temple of Time.

Aqua knew her apprentice had questions, but she needed to have a private talk really quick.

'It's over now. I'll have to tell them everything…And violate the World Order.' Aqua looked out the window, gazing across the land.

'It is all righty, Friend Aqua. You are not violating anything.' Penny spoke in her mind.

'She's right, Aqua.' Terra spoke next. 'I know you feel like your breaking the rules but these people seem trustworthy enough. Remember Mickey?'

'How can I forget?' Aqua asked rhetorically.

'His subjects didn't possess Keyblades but they trusted him and his royal advisors knew about the Keyblade. They were loyal and wise enough to keep what they knew a secret.' Terra pointed out.

That was a valid point for her not to be so worried about that. This left the main subject in the matter too before Amarilla came to their lands.

'We still have to defeat that monster Sin.' Aqua remembered.

'You do not have to worry about Sin for now.' Penny replied. 'Before the Brothers summoned you they sealed Sin in a pocket dimension.'

Aqua's went wide at that. "What?"

Penny sent her a mental recording of what happened to the monster. That meant that crisis was now averted but it was concerning what the Brothers were going to do with that thing.

This also left Aqua to figure out what she has to do.

'It will be all right, Friend Aqua. Just try to be yourself and don't close yourself off.' Penny answered optimistically. 'If you hide too much you risk alienating the people who can help you. These friends can join you for your main mission: keeping Remnant safe. That is not violating the World Order.'

Aqua realized Penny was right about that. It if was just about protecting Remnant, she might not have to be too secretive. Many things had happened in her journey from not only just helping a lot of people but even acquiring an apprentice.

Trying to stop Sin that was made from Kingdom Hearts by that cult leader.

And now searching for the relics of knowledge and destruction before Salem and Ozma use those items against that monstrosity that wasn't from this world of the Remnant.

And end up finding out those three monsters that once serve that warlord now became a demon along with the rest of his lieutenants becoming humanoid Grims who wanted to set him free.

So, they will be set free from their prison.

They don't have the Relic of Knowledge right now, but they will try to search for Aqua instead.

Aqua may have to find the Relic of Knowledge to hide it or use the last question, rendering the lamp useless for anyone to acquire information until a hundred years had passed.

Aqua sighed and stepped away from the window, seeing Armilla and Poppy waiting for her at the three thrones in the center of the temple. "All right, I'll tell you the truth."

And so, she did.

Penny, Oscar, Neo and Terra watched as Aqua told Poppy and Armilla who she was, how she was not from Remnant and her mission as a Keyblade Wielder, protecting Remnant from the darkness that was lurking out in the Realm of Darkness that Remnant seemed connected with.

"It has begun." Penny stated.

"So, what happens now?" Oscar asked.

"Aqua, Poppy and Armilla will begin their own missions, spreading the secret of Aura across Remnant, training people they come across to defend themselves." Penny explained, waving her hand and the image changed.

It showed Aqua traveling across the lands, sometimes with Poppy or with her and Armilla. They would come across villages in need and help them fend off the Grimm. Aqua would often stay at an inn where sick and injured people would stay and help to heal them as best as she could before having to move on.

"They would travel from place to place, offering what help they can." Penny continued. "And then, the armies of Ozma and Salem would reach the land that would one day become Anima led by Ozma. Aqua and the friends she made would gather together and would repel them."

Oscar watched as Aqua easily defeated Ozma, at least the incarnation of him pretending to be a god. Ozma had been renowned as a great and powerful warrior and yet Aqua made it look so easy.

"Salem would become nervous, believing another magic user would threaten her plans for domination and control." Penny then showed Salem summoning Gargoyle Grimm. "She would look for powerful Grimm and send them after Aqua. Only now with the God of Darkness retracting his order, the Grimm were free to attack her."

Gargoyle Grimm would attack Aqua, and she would defeat them.

"Salem would become angry."

Salem was shown watching her Grimm fail through her crystal ball and she would become angry.

"Fearful that someone could challenge them, Salem would deem Aqua and her friends a threat for amassing their own following, even though it was only done to help people learn how to defend themselves." Penny continued. "She would fail and become more and more extreme in methods of ruling."

Ozma was shown looking out the window with a troubled look on her face before looking at Salem who had an agitated look on her face, watching her army conqueror another kingdom.

And yet it was of little consequence.

For the image in the crystal showed Aqua and Poppy, the young red haired girl now a woman facing off her forces and easily defeating them.

"Finally, Ozma would confess the truth of why he was brought back to her." Penny said, glancing at Oscar who froze.

"Are we sure this is right?"

Salem looked over to Ozma who was staring despondently out the window. "You said we needed to bring Humanity together. In order to do that, we have to spread our word, and destroy those who will deny it."

Ozma gained a shocked expression on his face upon hearing these words.

He turns to see his reflection on the window, which suddenly talked to him. "What are we doing?"

Ozma reels back in horror seeing his reflection ask him that question, briefly becoming his original incarnation, before looking over to Salem.

"This isn't what he asked of me..."

"What did you say?"

The two then hear a door open, and their eldest daughter enters the room excitedly. "Mother, father, look!"

Their daughter then conjures multicolored wisps that fly in circles in front of her. Salem has a proud expression on her face, while Ozma looks on in surprise, before looking down with his troubled expression again.

Smoke transitions the scene again, this time showing Ozma telling what he knows to Salem in his study. Ozma finishes his explanation to Salem.

"Don't you see? None of that matters anymore. Why spend our lives trying to redeem these Humans when we can replace them with what they could never be?" Salem offers her hand out, but Ozma hesitates to take it, backing away in disgust.

And in that moment, his eyes widened in horror as he turned around. "…Aqua."

"What?"

Ozma quickly shook his head. "Nothing…It's nothing."

"It was here in this moment that Diggs, the original soul that Ozma had bonded to, shared the memories that he and Salem had lost when Aqua used the Sword of Destruction to destroy their memories of her." Penny said as the image faded away.

Oscar was shaking now. "Wh…What did he do?"

"He convinces Salem that instead of trying to kill Aqua, they should meet with her." Penny answered. "It was also around this time that Armilla is convinced the only way to stop Salem and Ozma's kingdom from invading anymore lands was to expose them. There is only one method that can do so."

"The Lamp." Oscar caught on quickly. "It still has one question in that century."

"Correct." Penny nodded. "Armilla learns of the Relics and the people from the secret village her ancestor founded begin looking for the Relics, the Lamp specifically. She convinces Aqua to try and find the Relics one last time to expose Salem and Ozma and end the war."

"And Aqua would be able to sense them. Her magical senses are keen enough to pick up magical signatures, especially if these Relics emit a divine magic that is different from anything else." Terra spoke. "If it could end all the violence, Aqua would do it."

"And she does." Penny said, conjuring an image of Aqua traveling across Remnant on her glider. "She looks for the Relics, being careful that she doesn't lead anyone to it. It takes months of traveling and in that time, she finds the Relics but leaves behind the Sword and the Crown. She picks up the Staff and finds the Lamp last."

"Why take the Staff?" Oscar asked.

"She had…a feeling she might need." Penny answered, sounding a bit hesitant but no one bothered to push her. "With the Lamp and Staff found, she returns to the temple where Poppy is waiting with a message from Ozma, asking her to come to his and Salem's castle."

She waves her hand and an image of Aqua and Poppy is shown, outside the temple and reading a scroll that had been sent to them.

"Aqua and Poppy elect to go." Penny said as the image disappeared. "Aqua believes it's time to confront Salem and Ozma and end this."

"Penny," Oscar said slowly. "What is going to happen?"

Penny hesitated to answer.

"So, what do you think?"

In the years, both Aqua and her apprentice Poppy had grown. Aqua's hair now reached her shoulders, and she wore a white robe similar to the one worn by her late master but had a blue tint along the edges. She wore black armor over her chest with a small bit of her cleavage exposed and she wore armor over her knees. White strings were tied around her elbows, keeping the sleeves close to the skin as possible.

Poppy in the meantime, wore silver armor and a traveling cloak and a sword was strapped to her hip. Her hair had grown out which she kept tied in a ponytail. She grown quite a bit since the day she had first met Aqua all those years ago, becoming a beautiful young woman. After learning the truth of Aqua's origins, Poppy had hoped that she would consider teaching her how to wield a Keyblade but was also pleased that she finally unlocked her Semblance.

Her Semblance allowed her to set anything she touched on fire.

She often used her Semblance in tandem with her sword, making her very lethal in battle.

"This has to be a trap." Poppy said, glaring at the letter.

"I don't know." Aqua softly replied. "Ozma was never the type to do something like this. If he remembers now, why bother sending us a message to meet with him?"

"Maybe to lure us onto their turf." Poppy answered.

She had never forgiven Salem for the role she played in the deaths of her family and village and she considered Ozma guilty by association.

Aqua placed a hand over her heart and closed her eyes….

There was brief flash as her Semblance reached out and touched the bond she had made with Ozma.

She could feel…

Shame.

Fear.

Disgust.

None of these emotions were focused on her but on himself and…Salem…and…children?

"I have to see for myself." She opened her eyes and looked to Poppy. "I have to see if I can truly end this."

Poppy stared at for a moment and sighed. "All right, what's the plan?"

Aqua looked surprised how easily Poppy agreed but smiled. "Well, if this is a trap, we're going to need the Staff and the Lamp."