The tournament was about to begin, and even though there wasn't public, many were the participants that were in the center of the arena. Kairi, near Edea and Rena, could observe all participants, and clearly was the most disparate group of characters that could be in a tournament, probably from different worlds. So could find Elrena among the participants, but was frowning and seemed to look around, probably looking if there was anything unusual in the area, so no Kairi caught his attention.
Soon appeared in front of them a large and muscular man of orange skin, white long hair, eyebrows, and a white beard, wearing a Greek purple robe with a belt over his left shoulder with a medallion on it, and barefoot. At first glance, it was really imposing and surely was a god. Soon more gods appeared at his side, including Hades.
"Attention all!" The white-haired god called. "Perhaps some may know who I am, but for those who do not know, I'm Zeus, the king of all the gods of this world!"
Everyone was silent as they watched now Zeus.
"That's Hercules's father?" Kairi asked Rena.
"It is possible." Affirm the elf.
"I know you are all looking forward to the tournament, and we understand that," Zeus said. "We have been preparing for this tournament for some time, especially after the Heartless' disappearance. But don't worry; we have found a replacement for them. These creatures, as I understand, they're called the Fallen."
Many people began to talk between them after this notice. Apparently, other worlds had contact with these beings, which worried Kairi.
"I imagine you have had before an encounter with these beings. But I can assure you that we have everything under control." Zeus said trying to calm the others.
"Yes, everything except the freak." Commented Hades suddenly, catching the attention of others.
"What freak is talking about?" One of the participants asked.
"It's nothing. It's just a Fallen that apparently doesn't obey orders, and loves to spoil all kinds of events, but we are prepared." Zeus said. "We will not allow this tournament to be messed up."
"And if appears so suddenly?" Another participant asked.
"Calm down. There is only one, so I'm sure that if it happens, we can with it." Hercules said among the participants, trying to calm them.
"As my son says, no need to worry," Zeus said.
"Just wait." Said a red-skinned god with red spartan armor and a helmet that barely fit in the head. He seemed to have a list in hand. "A participant is missing." He said and looked at the other gods, observing the participants.
"You're right, Ares," Hades said eyeing the arena. "This one is missing. Or is very small, or she isn't here. "
"Oh, well, if she's not here soon, she may be disqualified." A blue god who was flying said.
Kairi was curious about who the participant was missing, but something caught her eye.
An evil laugh is heard on one side of the arena, and all looked to its source, near a door with bars. Suddenly appeared on the floor a Fallen Circle and released a being that looked like a person, or rather a demon, with a harlequin dress with black and red robes, with parts of his torso and arms exposed. The gaze of the strange man clearly revealed evil. Pure evil.
"Here's again! The Hellequin" Said one of the gods.
"Too inopportune!" cursed Zeus.
The Hellequin snapped his fingers and more Fallen Circles appeared around soon having with him a legion of Skeletons, Axe Armors, Knight Armors, and several Wraiths type Ignis, Nulla, and Cicero. The Hellequin pointed with his hand to the participants and the Fallen advanced toward them.
"Prepare yourself!" Rena alerted taking her bow.
All participants, including gods, confronted the Fallen legion dispatched by the Hellequin while he scurried away from the battle for better seen at a distance.
Kairi didn't take long to destroy several Skeletons and Axe Armors, also launching several spells against the Wraiths, making sure not to hit any of them with their element or would be a waste of magic, though with practice had no problems.
Although she couldn't look at the other participants or gods, she managed to look at Rena, who from a distance started shooting magic arrows from her bow against the Wraiths, hitting on all shots. However a Knight Armor approach her and attacked with his halberd, but the elf stepped nimbly avoiding him aside, and struck several kicks to the armor, throwing back while synchronizing a shot that hit the head of the Knight Armor, killing it
She also caught her attention Edea, who was dealing with Skeletons, Axe Armors, and Knights Armors, blocking every attack with her katana with great skill, and after seeing an opportunity, made several cuts with the katana cutting several Fallen in front of her. She also had the opportunity to make a wide horizontal cut against three Axe Armors, destroying all three at once.
She was surprised to see that her comrades in the tournament if they were to be, were so good for their age, but that doesn't distract her from the battle. Soon, everyone had finished with the Fallen's group.
Without warning, the Hellequin appeared again, and to annoy them more, summoned more Fallen Circles, calling more Ignis, Nulla, and Cicero Wraiths, this time calling for a green version that seemed to stay close to the other spectra (Sana Wraith). It also appeared from several circles a group of creatures like a mix between man, fish, and eel (Merman), roaring to all of them. The Hellequin gave the order to attack and retired immediately.
"Really?" Edea said.
"Stop messing around!" said one participant.
Again all began to fight against the Wraiths and the Mermen. Kairi was now fighting a trio of Mermen and multiple Wraiths on this occasion. She could see that one of the Mermen coiled like a spring on his tail and she could see that time jumped like a snake at her, avoiding it in time. Kairi didn't remove her attention from the other Mermen, but one sucked air, and without warning launched a Firagaball that if she had not ducked, it would hit full in her, but the ball hit the other Merman, enraging it. After knowing the pattern of these new Fallen, Kairi started beating the Mermen on, thus preventing them to surround her, but for some reason, these were recovered after the hits. Her eye soon caught the Sana Wraiths, casting spells that affected the near Fallen. These monsters were the same as the Heartless Green Requiem and were using Cure and Cura spells with them!
The Keyholder quickly understood and knowing that these green ghosts were identical to the homogeneous Heartless, threw her Keyblade like a boomerang, hitting the Sana Wraiths, destroying them, and leaving vulnerable the Mermen. After evading the jump of a Merman, and the Firagaballs from the other two, she could focus on them with blows and Thundaga spells, soon destroying those who had close.
Rena, meanwhile, was shooting at the Fallen with her arrows to all the Wraiths and Mermen at aim, and honestly, she quickly grasped the importance of the Wraiths Sana in this confrontation, and after eliminating them with well-shot magic arrows, she could take care of the other Fallen without much difficulty, either with magic arrows or with blunt kicks.
Edea, however, had to block with her katana every attack from the Wraith specters and the Mermen, but took every opportunity to counter their attacks, though she knew that while the Sana Wraiths were wandering around, the other Wraiths and Mermen would recover from her attacks in a few moments. Anyway, she advanced to be able to reach these Wraiths and with her katana soon got rid of them, being able to get rid of the other Fallen in a few moments.
Finally, all got rid of the enemy, although some were tired of the battle.
Suddenly the Hellequin made an appearance for the third time, releasing his laughter.
"Really! Is it a joke?" Rena said complaining.
"Not this time!" Kairi cried and ran towards the Hellequin, trying to hit him with the Keyblade.
The Hellequin dodged the blow and with a quick sleight of hand, launched several daggers as he retreated against Kairi. This avoided a dagger while the others blocked them.
The lost dagger just digs into Zeus' butt, who just looked what happened. "Eh! Hey you! Watch where you point was that!" The king of the gods shouted to the Hellequin angrily.
The Hellequin jumped into the sky while throwing several bombs to the ground, forcing Kairi to retreat to avoid explosions. Upon landing and taking advantage summoned more Fallen Circles, but this time it came out three new types of Fallen: skeletons with light armor armed with short swords (Skeleton Soldier), skeletons with light plates armed with bows (Skeleton Archer), and dozens of giant beasts like wolves (Warg), also these were being covered by several Sana Wraiths. The Hellequin ordered to attack with hand and retreated again.
All were now fighting desperately against the new legion of Fallen, while Kairi was defending herself from the Soldier Skeletons, blocking arrows from the Skeleton Archers, and trying to avoid the terrible jaws of the Wargs. During the battle, Edea and Rena ran at her side, also battling the Fallen.
"We have to fight together to overcome them!" Kairi said after blocking the strike of a Fallen.
"Maybe you're right! On our own, we would have it hard!" Edea said after cutting deadly a Warg.
"So be it! Count with me!" Rena confirmed by looking at them, while a direct arrow Firagad against a Sana Wraith, and without looking.
The three young girls began to fight against their enemies together. While Rena shoots at the Wraith Sana and Skeletons Archers, Edea and Kairi faced the nearby Fallen without discriminating between Skeleton Soldier and Warg, and some too close Skeleton Archer. And while Kairi threw her spells against the Fallen, Edea protected her against any enemy approaching her.
After several minutes of fighting, Kairi had the idea to use her special ability, without prior warning to the other two that remain not surprised by what they would see. After that announcement, Kairi concentrated and triggered the Chocobo Form, knowing that this time needs agility. Despite the clear surprise of what happened, Edea and Rena remained steady and focused on their enemies. Kairi used her raised agility by the Chocobo Form to attack quickly the Fallen, reaching quickly the ones far away.
After fighting a long time, they managed to end the third group of fallen, and all were tired.
Unfortunately, the Hellequin appeared to them a fourth time, making fun of how exhausted was everyone.
"This is over!" Kairi said preparing to launch a Firaga against the evil harlequin, but something stopped her.
A large Firagaball hit directly in the Hellequin, causing it to hit the ground. The impact must have been powerful, as the Fallen soon exploded, leaving the heart and a great number of souls that had inside.
"What happened?" Rena asked.
"That was close, don't you think?" Rang a female voice behind them all, and they turned around.
All were left without a word, and it was complicated. The person who spoke was exactly like a little fairy that generated a blue glow, but you could see it was a female with long white hair with yellow tips, wearing a short white dress accompanied by black stockings and gloves, and a small crystal on the top of the dress. This seemed to show a friendly smile, yet sinister.
"YOU!" Exclaimed Edea, her katana ready to attack, but Rena stopped her standing in her way.
"What's wrong?" The elf asked her.
"Where were you?" The god Ares asked. "You missed all the fun!"
"Fun your ass!" Most participants exclaimed.
"Forgive my delay, great God of War." The fairy said addressing the gods. "I've just been busy looking for someone."
"Who was the person who you were looking for when this entire circus happened?" Hades asked.
"I don't believe such a lame excuse!" Edea said getting closer with her katana, but something hit her full, leaving her paralyzed in the position in which she was hit, not knowing what had happened, and unable to speak.
"Excuse me, it's my fault." Another voice said. Soon appeared at the fairy's side a kind of creature with the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a snake; wearing clothes that covered only her breasts and waist, snake eyes, and, to everyone's surprise, a large number of black snakes instead of hair. "Excuse Airy. She detected the presence of the Hellequin and sought me to prevent more Fallen be just under his command. "
"Did you do that?" Asked Rena looking at Edea paralyzed.
"It is." The snake woman said. "Don't worry. Soon it will get rid of the paralysis. "
"You know I don't accept that you use your powers to paralyze others." Zeus scolded for a moment. "Anyway, are you sure we will don't have another Hellequin hanging around here, Medusa?"
"It is." The lady snake, Medusa, answered addressing the king of the gods. "That was the only Hellequin there was. There will be no more problems in the tournament. "
"For your sake, I hope so," Zeus said and looked at the fairy Airy. "And you, Airy, you better get ready for the tournament."
"So shall be, king of the gods," Airy said bowing, at the precise moment that Edea's paralysis ended.
"Wait, you can play too?" Edea asked confused, recovering from paralysis.
"Yes, Edea, that is." Said Airy and soon began to fly away. "We'll see." The fairy was saying goodbye with her hand, almost mocking the swordswoman.
"Now, if you don't mind, I have to go to make sure everything goes well," Medusa said bowing, while one of the snake heads stared at Kairi just as a snake looking at her prey.
Kairi decided to ignore it and focused on Edea, who was about to burst with anger, even though it was like a statue just before. "Edea, tell me, who is that Airy?"
She then looked at her seriously. "I will say only one thing. She represents deceit, lies, and betrayal to me." Edea said with hatred in her voice.
After that answer, she saw Airy leaving the arena, knowing she would have to find out everything she could about her, and Edea seemed to be the only one who knew. But at the same time, she distrusted the intentions of the mysterious Medusa and how one of her snakes looked at her before.
None of those present realized the Elrena's killing glare was doing to Medusa at the time.