For Honor and Hearts

A Kingdom Hearts/For Honor multi-crossover

…

Chapter 1: Knight Fall

Destiny Islands.

It was nearing the end of the day and Sora felt a deep sense of accomplishment. The raft that he and his best friends, Riku and Kairi had been working on for the past few weeks was finally completed. All the supplies had been gathered and tomorrow, they would finally set out and see the rest of the worlds. For years, it had been Sora's dream to see what was beyond Destiny Islands instead of just playing on the island, pretending to go on grand quests. Soon, they would be having a real adventure, not just pretending to have one, as they had always dreamed of since they were small.

Riku had already left the island to rest for the journey tomorrow. Kairi had wanted to stay and watch the sunset and Sora decided to keep her company until she was ready to return home. The two of them sat on the edge of the dock watching the sun slowly set. "You know," Kairi began to say, "Riku has changed," she said softly.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked and Kairi seemed to be at a loss for words. "Well…" she tried to say.

"You okay?" Sora asked looking at her in concern. Kairi then suddenly stood to her feet., "Sora, let's take the raft and go. Just the two of us!" she exclaimed.

"What?!" Sora spluttered in shock wondering what had come over Kairi while trying to hide a blush at the thought of being alone with her.

Kairi then started giggling. "Just kidding!" she said as she giggled.

"What's gotten into you?" Sora questioned her. "You're the one who's changed, Kairi," he said.

"Maybe…" Kairi whispered softly. "You know, I was afraid at first, but now I'm ready," she said her violet blue eyes filling with determination. "No matter where I go, or what I see, I know I can always come back here," she stated before she looked at Sora and asked, "Right?"

"Yeah, of course!" replied Sora with no hesitation in his voice. Kairi turned to look back at the sunset.

"Sora? Don't ever change," Kairi then said.

"Hmm?" Sora looked at Kairi oddly. Kairi then stood up from her spot. "I just can't wait, once we set sail," she said to herself. "It'll be great," she added with a smile.

"You want me to take you home?" Sora asked her shyly. Kairi giggled and replied, "Thank you, but I don't wanna leave my boat here all night, but thanks anyway," she said kindly. A few minutes later, Kairi returned to the main island and Sora not long after her.

Sora entered the house and called out, "Mom? I'm home!"

Sora's mother walked into view with a smile on her lips. "Hey, kiddo, how was your day?" she asked as she briefly rubbed the top of Sora's head with one hand.

"It was good, Mom," replied Sora.

"So, you and your friends are finally setting out to see the worlds tomorrow on your raft?" Sora's mother asked with a knowing smile.

Sora blanched. "How did you…?" he tried to ask. They had all promised not to tell their parents what they were going to do, telling them that they were going to spend the week on the play island. No doubt their parents would try to stop them from leaving if they knew the real reason.

Sora's mother gave a mysterious and knowing smile. "I'm your mother, I know everything," she said simply. When Sora tried to say something to explain himself, she cut him off. "Don't worry, I'm not going to try and stop you." Sora looked up at her in confusion. "Your father wanted to do the same thing at your age, but his uncle held him back until he was eighteen…"

Sora's mother knelt so that she was eye level with Sora. "You two are so much alike," she murmured softly, and she looked almost sad as she said it and Sora frowned.

"You keep telling me that and that he loves me, but if he did, then why did he leave?" he asked.

Sora's mother smile turned sadder, and she said, "Your father had his reasons… and, well… I can't tell you just yet."

"When are you gonna stop treating me like a kid?!" Sora whined.

An amused grin spread across his mother's lips as she replied, "If I did, I wouldn't let you go off on that raft now, would I?" She chuckled before sighing softly. "Sora, when I was younger, I made a lot of bad choices and did a lot of bad things… things that looking back, I wish I could change, things that I must live with for the rest of my life and have paid dearly for. The worlds may not be as safe as they once were, and your father had a feeling that something big was coming. He left to try and stop it, but I fear it may already be too late. All I can say to you is to be careful and may your heart be your guiding key," she said.

"What does that mean?" Sora asked. Sora's mother smiled fondly as she stood to her feet and ruffled his hair. "Just wash up and be ready. Dinner's ready in five," she said.

Sora headed up to his room and washed his hands before laying back on his bed to wait until dinner was ready. Soon, he and Kairi and Riku would be off to explore the outside worlds.

"I just can't wait, until we set sail. It'll be great." Kairi's voice echoed in Sora's mind then looking out the window, Sora saw a large dark storm brewing over the play island. "A storm? Oh no! The raft!" Sora gasped. Quickly opening his bedroom window, Sora climbed down and ran towards the dock to his boat just as his mother called, "Sora! Dinner's ready! Sora?"

Sora's mother looked out the window and saw her son already rowing across the ocean towards the play island where dark clouds rumbled and thundered overhead. Sighing sadly, she said, "Things are in motion… it was foolish to hope this day would never come," she whispered to herself before looking out at her son for what could be the last time. "Be safe, my son… and may the Force be with you."

…

Ashfeld. The Ring.

The sound of steel clashing against steel mingling with the cacophony of cheers and trumpets rang out into the air as two opponents fought each other in a grand arena. The first of the combatants was a knight clad in a mixture of leather and partial plate armour with a helmet in the barbuta style and armed with a steel longsword circled his foe who was armed with a poleaxe and clad in full plate armour.

The two knights circled each other, trying to find a weakness and opening. The knight with the poleaxe thrust the iron spear tip of his weapon at his foe who parried the strike, before moving in close. Twisting around, the knight slammed the pommel of his longsword into the helm of his opponent. The man stumbled grunting in pain and surprise but swung his hybrid weapon out.

Hopping smoothly over the extended poleaxe, the sword wielding knight slapped the long axe out of his foe's hands and swiftly moved the tip of his sword to his opponent's neck, stopping short when the man shouted, "I yield!"

The sword bearing warrior nodded in acceptance before moving back to let his foe stand. The assembled crowd cheered as the announcer proclaimed, "Warden Yorick, Lord of the Iron Legion, has once again claimed victory!"

Warden Yorick, nodded and bowed his head in gratitude for the cheering of the crowd before looking to his opponent and spoke to him. "Well done, sir. You did very well in our fight," he complimented.

"Still doesn't change that I lost. But it was an honour to lose to you, Lord Yorick," his foe replied, his acceptance of defeat coming easy.

"I'm no lord, Lawbringer. Simply a Warden," Yorick said modestly.

"It does not change that many see you as the Lord of the Iron Legion, the hero who united everyone in Heathmoor after years of constant warfare," the Lawbringer said earnestly.

Yorick faltered at this before saying, "Yes. Thank you, but my position is temporary until peace is finally acquired and we can no longer live in fear of the likes of Apollyon again."

"It was an honour to face, Lord Yorick," the young Lawbringer then said respectfully. "But I think you have a more pressing engagement to tend to," he added nodding at someone behind Yorick who turned around to see a comparatively small woman clad in leather armour with hints of mail underneath, a cage helmet and hood on her head and armed with a sword and dagger sheathed on her hips.

Yorick sighed as he recognised Mercy, a Peacekeeper once in service to the Warmonger Apollyon. Sheathing his sword over his back, the Warden walked over to greet Mercy. "It's been a while, Mercy," he said a little tersely.

"So it has," Mercy said emotionlessly. "Keeping busy entertaining the masses?" she asked lightly.

"One could say that," Yorick admitted. "I imagine you've been kept busy in your work," he said with some distaste for what Peacekeepers did in the shadows.

"it is the silent blade that keeps the peace, Lord Yorick. And in both peace and war, a Peacekeeper's work is never done," Mercy stated. "How are you, really?" she suddenly asked.

"As well as can be in my position," Yorick replied. "It's been several years since Apollyon's defeat. Seven years of war and hardship. The peace was hard won, but we have it," he said.

"Indeed," Mercy agreed as she began to head into the crowd of people with Yorick following her. "We have near eradicated all of Apollyon's forces and agents, but even still, I hear whispers," she said grimly.

"More trouble?" Yorick asked tiredly.

"Rumours. Little else than that, but we both know there is always a grain of truth to rumours and whispers," Mercy replied. She then looked at the Warden and said to him, "But today is for you, Lord Yorick. Try to enjoy it while you can." And with that, the Peacekeeper walked off into the ground and seemingly melted away.

Not even bothering to look where Mercy had gone, Yorick decided to head his private chambers to get some food and rest and just enjoy the peace whilst he could.

As he prepared to enter the keep, dark clouds appeared on the horizon causing Yorick to sigh and mutter, "A storm? Wonderful, just what I needed to liven my mood." With a tiny shake of his head, the Lord of the Iron Legion prepared to head to his room to relax.

…

New York, Manhattan. The Frick Collection.

It was night time in Manhattan as wealthy socialites, high powered businessmen and celebrities congregated one of the numerous art museums of New York. Security guards dressed in crisp black suits watched carefully and vigilantly for any signs of trouble or those who pad the potential to cause it.

Then approaching the glass front doors to the Frick Collection was a tall stunningly beautiful woman with silver-blonde hair done in a perfectly done coif and she wore an elegantly cut black dress that highlight and enhanced her already lush figure as she strode confidently and purposefully towards the entrace. Already, people's gaze were drawn to this mysterious and beautiful lady as she handed a doorman her invitation to the event and she was allowed inside with no-one attempting to stop her.

Warm air brushed against the bare skin that was exposed on the stranger's body. Nearing two waiters, she took an offer champagne glass and was poured a modest amount of the alcohol from a bottle. Taking a small sip of the bubbling liquid, the woman's smoky electric blue eyes gazed around at all the artworks on display as everyone mingled and conversed with each other.

This woman was no ordinary socialite, nor was she here to entertain herself with the shallow vacuous conversation that everyone else engaged in. She was a master thief of no small reputation.

Her name? Felicia Hardy AKA the Black Cat.

Glancing out of the corner of her, Felicia smiled generously as she recognised a familiar face among the crowd who was now approaching her.

"Odessa! Darling!" the platinum haired cooed in delight as a woman who was equally stunning to look at, but contrasting as well with dark hair with one side of her scalp shaved closely to leave it bald and her skin tone was of a pigment that made it hard to determine her ethnicity and she wore an elegantly cut scarlet dress. "Imagine seeing you here!" Felicia then said as she gave a little air kiss to the cheek of the other woman.

"Hardy," Odessa Drake greeted, her tone polite but steely as she then said, "So… nice to see you."

"A happy accident, I'm sure," Felicia said her smile still present on her lips, but her eyes were narrowed.

Odessa smiled thinly in response and replied, "You know who I am. There is nothing I do 'accidentally.'" She said the last word almost mockingly as she sipped from her martini glass.

The reason for this apparent tension between Felicia and Odessa was that the latter was the head of the New York Thieves Guild and it was not that long ago that the Thieves Guild had made their comeback by stealing the equipment of all the heroes in New York City, namely the Avengers' gear and equipment. It would've been a big haul and netted Odessa and her Guild a lot of money and won them a lot of respect and gravitas from the criminal community.

Or it would've if Felicia herself hadn't put a stop to it. Felicia knew that taking the equipment that the Avengers needed to do good and protect people was a very dangerous thing to do, so she had done the right thing in stopping Odessa and her lackeys. More importantly, it was a thrill for her to tweak the noses of those who thought themselves superior to everyone else.

"I have terms, Felicia," Odessa then said as she glared balefully over the rim of her martini glass at the woman opposite her. "You will make this right with the Guild. First—"

"Odessa, darling, let me stop you right there," Felicia cut her off with a raised hand. "You can train a dog to heel," she said slowly before flexing her fingers and springing out from the tips were long claws. "But a cat… a cat doesn't listen to anyone," she stated as she used a claw to spike the olive in her rival's glass and fish it out to eat.

Odessa stared flatly at this power play before saying, "A cat becomes more tractable when starved, Felicia." Turning on her heel, the head of the New York Thieves guild stalked away like a lioness, saying over her shoulder, "I would make that olive last if I were you. It is the last profit of our… trade for this night." She then disappeared into the crowd of socialites and celebrated citizens.

Felicia smirked to herself before meandering off herself to admire some of the artwork. Her gaze fell upon a large portrait of a young girl in a period dress. Humming to herself in thought, Black Cat was roused from her reverie by a man dressed in the same black suit as the security guards.

"Ms Hardy, I think it was time you were leaving," the man's tone was crisp and brusque, indicating a no nonsense attitude and a tightly wound personality.

"Ah, but the evening's just begun," Felicia said with a tinkling laugh.

"I think you'll find that for you, it's just ended," the head of security replied sternly.

"A tragedy. I love art," Felicia said in mock sadness. "I'd take this all home with me, if I could," she added.

"I'll bet," the security chief said sarcastically as he and his associate escorted Felicia out. "I know your rep. Respect, but you'll have to be satisfied going home empty handed this time," he told her.

As they left the building to stand out on the street, Felicia looked at the man and said, "At the risk of running my gimmick into the ground, Mister…?"

"Ocampo. Sonny Ocampo."

"Ocampo, right. The thing about the cat you see," Felicia began as a car pulled up on the curb in front of them. "She never leaves empty-handed," she whispered sensuously to Sonny as she climbed into the car and the car drove. She watched out of the back window as the head of security spoke to someone on his ear piece. She grinned like a Cheshire cat as the man realised that something had been stolen without him realising it.

Looking at the two men in the car with her, both dressed as waiters, Felicia asked them, "No problems, boys?"

The driver, a large muscular man with short wavy blonde hair, grinned at her and replied, "Clockwork, Boss."

The man in the passenger seat, a dark skinned man with a horseshoe ring of curly black hair said, "Child's play. Almost insulting."

These two men were Felicia's crew, Dr. Boris Korpse and Bruno Grainger. Boris was a self-taught genius and self-titled doctor who could crack almost any safe and hack almost any computer system. The ones he couldn't, he blew up with explosives. When in prison, his performance of Richard III almost started a prison riot. Bruno was an ex-army helicopter pilot and ex-Bagram heavyweight champion who could drive anything with wheels, fly anything with wings or blades and he would throw hands with the Hulk if Felicia asked him to. Bruno had a problem with authority until he came to work for Felicia.

And tonight was a job for them all. While Felicia herself would draw the attention of security, Boris and Bruno disguised as waiters would steal an item a mystery client had hired them to do so. A painting done by a Late-Renaissance artist, a profitable prize to be sure, but nothing truly noteworthy, but the money for the job made up for it.

Bruno spun the wheel of the car as the vehicle sped through the darkened streets of Manhattan before entering Central Park. It seemed like it was smooth sailing from here on to the hideout.

Or at least it would be if not for a heavy thump on the roof of the car and the sunroof was torn open and Felicia and her crew looked up to see a man dressed in scarlet ninja robes.

"Felicia Hardy! Surrender your spoils to the Guild!" the ninja spat out as he reached inside the car only to receive a punch to the jaw from Black Cat.

"Get lost!" In the backseat of the car, Felicia was already stripping off her evening gown for something more suitable. Boris looked over the passenger seat and asked, "How are they on us already?!"

"Hey, eyes front, perv!"

Keeping one hand on the wheel and with his other hand, Bruno tossed the unconscious ninja off to the roof of the car. "Boss! Boss, you got a plan?" he asked.

Now dressed in her Black Cat regalia, Felicia climbed up to stand on the roof of the car and replied, "I got a plan, Bruno." Standing defiantly on the roof, her platinum white hair whipping about in the rushing air, Black Cat stated, "We keep what we stole! We carve 'em up! And we don't take orders from anyone!" Flexing her hands into fists, she yelled out to the pursuing Thieves Guild Ninjas, "So, come on then!"

As Felicia and her crew faced off against the ninjas, thunder rumbled overhead as dark clouds spread across the night sky.

…

Pont Vanis. Kovir.

Drizzling rain pattered gently down on the many rooves of Kovir as the citizens made their way through the winding streets of Pont Vanis. One individual walked slowly through the water sodden streets, carefully and calmly avoiding the local denizens. She was a reasonably tall young woman with a slender hourglass figure and deep fiery red hair in twin low hanging buns that were hidden beneath the large hood she wore to keep the rain off her head. A pair of bright green eyes were looking ahead, focussing on her destination.

This young woman was named Triss Merigold of Maribor, a powerful sorceress who formerly belonged to the Lodge of Sorceresses, a secret political and magical cabal of the world's most powerful sorceresses who had been involved in more than their share of cutthroat political backstabbing and the like. So much so, that it had led the mass killings and witch hunts in the Northern Kingdoms led by Radovid the Stern, King of Redania.

But much of that was in the past now due to individuals who had brought about an end to the insane Radovid, not to mention the business with the Wild Hunt.

Initially, Triss had set up shop in Novigrad but was quickly forced into hiding due to Church of Eternal Fire declaring all mages to be witches and traitors and with help from Radovid, they had started exterminating anyone who so much as had a whiff of magic or learning about them. Triss found herself the head of an underground movement looking to free all the mages of Novigrad and with some help from Novigrad's underworld bosses and the assistance of the Witcher Geralt of Rivia, Triss had spirited away the mages of Novigrad to Kovir where they were given sanctuary by King Tancred.

Geralt…

Geralt was a… complicated subject for Triss to put it lightly. For years she had been in love with the Witcher, unhappily so, she would admit. When Geralt had been found outside Kaer Morhen with no memory of his past, Triss, ashamedly, taken advantage of the man's amnesia, and partly due to the belief that Geralt's other half as well as Triss's best friend and fellow sorceress, Yennefer of Vengerberg, was presumed dead, to pursue a relationship with him.

But as time went on, Geralt's memory came back to him and Yennefer was revealed to be alive and subsequently, the pair had gotten back together and were now more in love than ever. Of course, Geralt had forgiven Triss for deceiving and taking advantage of his amnesiac state and he too had believed Yennefer to be dead for a time.

But still, it was a bitter sting to Triss's heart that Geralt and Yennefer had now gotten their happily ever after. Last Triss had heard, Geralt had been given a vineyard of all things as part of a reward for a lucrative monster contract in Toussaint.

But in all respects, Triss didn't have it too bad either herself; she no longer had to hide her magical abilities, was in service to a sympathetic king who had given the mages shelter and the whole mess with the war and the Wild Hunt was now over.

Still, Triss did often think about of her life with Geralt before. To tell the complete truth, she was lonely. The house she had been given in Pont Vanis was a tad empty of human company, despite some of the servants who tended the estate and as lousy as she felt about the matter, Triss felt herself pining for company.

Sighing to herself, Triss made her way through the streets as she neared a brightly lit tavern. She had decided to get out of the house and spend and evening at a tavern, hoping the mood and presence of people would cheer her up. At the very least, she could get blind drunk and stumble back home with someone.

Entering the tavern, Triss felt the warm air brush over her as she lowered her hood and took in the sights of the tavern patrons, eating, drinking, singing or other such activities one would partake in a tavern. A troupe of troubadours were in stage playing a lively and merry tune and some space in the middle of the floor was cleared away for patrons to dance.

Sitting herself in a small but cosy booth, Triss gave her order to a serving girl who came back moments later with a bottle of fine Est-Est and a glass. Murmuring her thanks, Triss poured herself a glass and sipped slowly; giving a small hum of appreciation of the fine tasting wine, Triss settled back in her seat to observe the crowd. She spotted some young couples dancing together or enjoying private intimate moments with each other; her heart panged at the sight.

Sighing heavily, Triss took another sip of her wine, hoping that the alcohol would kick in and she could forget her own heartache for a while. A rumble of thunder cracked through the ambience and Triss sighed to herself, feeling her mood grow glummer and more melancholic. She took a gulp of her wine, hoping she could get drunk as quickly as possible before stumbling home.

…

Sora arrived on the play island and floating above the island was a large dark sphere. "What is that?" Sora asked himself as he looked up at the giant dark floating orb. Sora then turned to see two boats he recognised. "Riku's boat? And Kairi's!" he exclaimed

Then lifting themselves up from the sand were creatures made of darkness, each with beady golden eyes. Sora's eyes widened in recognition; he'd had a dream of these creatures a few days back. Pulling out his wooden sword, Sora attacked the first one nearest to him; the wooden toy weapon simply passed through the creature harmlessly. Sensing he could not fight these creatures without a proper weapon, Sora opted to run past them and see if could find Riku or Kairi.

Running past the shadow creatures, Sora saw Riku standing on the small island where they would sit and watch the sunset. Running past the creatures and across the bridge, Sora shouted, "Where's Kairi? I thought she was with you!" Sora shouted at Riku who didn't seem too bothered by what was happening.

"The door… has been opened," Riku said quietly.

This only confused Sora. "What?!"

"The door has been opened, Sora! Now we can go to the outside worlds!" Riku exclaimed in manic excitement.

"What are you talking about?! We gotta find Kairi!" Sora yelled.

"Kairi's coming with us!" Riku said confidently. "Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back, but this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!" he declared.

Riku then stretched his hand out to Sora just as tendrils of darkness began to wrap around him. Sora struggle to reach his friend's hand to pull out of the darkness, but no matter what he did, he could not reach him. Then everything went black. Suddenly a bright light filled the darkness banishing it and Sora opened his eyes to see in his right, a strange sword shaped like a key and in the corridors of his mind, Sora heard a word.

Keyblade… Keyblade…

…

Yorick's private chambers.

Yorick entered his room, taking his helmet as he did. Setting it down on a nearby table, the Warden ran his fingers through his sweaty dirty blonde hair. Looking at his reflection in a nearby mirror, the Lord of the Iron Legion took note of his facial features. His deep blue eyes looked tired with an almost constant thousand yard stare to them. Scars littered his face showing a hardened weathered countenance and his jaw was covered with a scraggly beard of blonde bristles.

"Could do with a shave and a trim. Looking more unkempt every day," Yorick muttered to himself as he took out from a drawer a shaving razor and scissors. With a grace that came from years of self-grooming in the field, the Warden shaved off his beard and trimmed back his hair to more acceptable lengths. Once his jaw was shaven clean and the ponytail of dirty blonde hair was severed, Yorick splashed some cold water on his face before drying it with a nearby cloth. Looking at himself in the looking glass, Yorick nodded in satisfaction.

"Much better," he remarked to his reflection.

Then the sound of skittering alerted the Warden who turned around to see an odd sight. Skittering about was a strange looking creature; it looked vaguely humanoid about the size of a small child. Inky black flesh, a pair of antenna on its head and beady gold lidless eyes as it looked around.

"What manner of creature are you? How did you even get in?" Yorick asked as he approached the thing which then looked at him before leaping towards, inky black claws swiping at the Warden's face.

Yorick leaned back while drawing his longsword. "Not so friendly, are we?" he asked dryly as the creature leapt towards him again. A swift swing of his sword was all that was needed and the creature exploded in a spray of black mist.

"Wasn't expecting that," Yorick said to himself. As he prepared to leave his room to find Mercy and warn her of this development, more the same creatures melted into the room.

"My God… what on earth is happening now?" the Warden asked himself as he was seemingly surrounded by these creatures of darkness. Grabbing his helmet and putting it on, the Warden readied himself and said, "If it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you'll get! So, come on, then!"

The shadow creatures then surged towards Yorick who met their charge with his sword held high.

…

Felicia returned to the hideout, a warehouse under a string of dummy accounts that Felicia knew would lead those who looked on a wild goose chase. She had voluntarily left Boris and Bruno to draw off the Thieves Guild Ninjas, and there was an incident as the head of security from the Frick Collection had also pursued them intent on retrieving the painting Felicia's crew had lifted from the museum.

It had been a merry chase, but Felicia had soon lost her pursuers and made it back to the hideout, intent on celebrating a job well done.

"Boys!" the master thief called out as she strolled into the open floor area where some couches and furniture lay scattered about, a bottle of champagne in her gloved hand. She looked around and saw the car they had driven was parked but neither Boris or Bruno were in the vicinity.

"Doc! Bruno? You guys here? Where are you?" Felicia called out. Worry was beginning to gnaw at her gut as she thought that Odessa had found the hideout and had taken her crew hostage. Putting the champagne bottle on a nearby workbench, Felicia cautiously looked around, half thinking that Odessa was going to step out from the shadows to gloat at her or make some ridiculous demand about being paid tribute.

"Okay, think. Where could've they gone?" Felicia asked herself as her eyes flickered about searching for any sign of her crew. Then her hearing picked up the sound of skittering claws against the cement tiled ground. Following the sound, Felicia soon found what was making the noise and she had to stop and look at the thing dumbfounded.

It was a small thing, about the size of a child with flesh the colour of black ink, beady golden eyes and twitching antennae on its round spherical head.

"What on earth are you supposed to be?" Black Cat asked as she knelt down to examine the stranger creature. "You know where my guys, little guy?" she questioned the bizarre creature that appeared to regard her for a moment before swiping at her with black claws.

"Whoa!" Felicia cart wheeled back and looked at the suddenly hostile beast, the claws of her gloves extending out. "So, not the neighbourly sort, are we?" she asked mockingly and as if in answer, more inky black creatures rose up out from the floor until a good number of them surrounded Felicia.

"I'll give you boys credit, very few could get past my security without me knowing, but this is my hideout and you've worn out your welcome!" Felicia said to them. "So, come on then!" she dared them as they leapt towards her.

…

Triss was trudging home, feeling morose as the alcohol and the ambience of the tavern hadn't improved her mood at all. Slightly tipsy, the sorceress stumbled home where she opened the door and found the house empty of the servants.

Triss's first thought was that perhaps the servants themselves had gone home to their families as it was rather late in the evening. Yawning slightly to herself, Triss prepared to head upstairs to her room to collapse into the large goose feather bed and surrender herself to sleep.

Just as she prepared to walk up the stairs, the sound of glass shattering alerted the sorceress. Wondering if this was a break-in by some thief or perhaps rats scurrying around, Triss headed in the direction of the noise.

More sounds of things being broken had the sorceress hurrying faster and she entered the kitchen where she found a curious looking beast, wandering about. Triss's first thought when she saw the bizarre looking creature was that it was some kind of new monster, maybe some exotic breed of nekker or perhaps a godling of some kind. Its flesh was black as ink and its eyes were twin beads of gold on a featureless face and its antennae twitched as it scuttled about, knocking things over as it did so.

"What on earth are you supposed to be?" Triss asked as looked at the strange creature with blatant interest.

The creature turned to look at her, regarding her for a moment, before leaping into the air in an attempt to land on the sorceress swinging sharp inky talons at her. Casting a quick spell, Triss knocked the creature back and frowned, her prior tipsiness fading as she readied herself to fight this strange beast.

"You're obviously not that friendly, but if you're at all sentient, I'd leave now if I were you!" she warned. Then more strange inky black creatures rose from the floor. Conjuring a fireball in her hand, Triss said, "Seems you've brought some friends. Well, the more the merrier!" She then flung balls of fire at the beasts as they scuttled towards her, their talons outstretched.

…

Sora used his new weapon to strike down the shadow creatures, finding that they went down much more easily than they did with his wooden sword. Sora destroyed as many of them as he could, but for every one of the creatures he struck down, three more took its place.

Sora then saw a strange door to the passage to the secret place. Feeling that might be where Kairi could be, Sora dashed for the door, opening it and sprinting down the passage where he found Kairi standing in front of the strange door with now doorknob. "Kairi!" Sora called in worry.

Kairi turned and looked at Sora with sleepy eyes. "Sora…" she managed to say. Then the door with no handle burst opened and a great gust of wind came out and pushed Kairi towards Sora. Sora tried to catch Kairi as she flew towards him, but she disappeared upon contact which shocked him. The wind intensified and Sora eventually lost his footing, and he was blown back down the passage outside.

…

Yorick fought his way out of his chambers, panting for breath. He then looked around him and to his dismay, it was chaos outside. Dozens if not hundreds of the shadow demons swarmed everywhere and the Warden looked up to see a massive vortex with a glowing red centre in the middle of it was sucking everything that was nailed down up into it.

"Another Cataclysm?" Yorick asked in dread. His world had already undergone two Cataclysms, there didn't need to be another.

Then the sound and tremor of something heavy alerted the Warden. Turning around, he saw a massive shadow demon that towered over by at least two dozen feet. A massive heart shaped hole was in its torso as it looked down at Yorick with glowing golden eyes.

Yorick gritted his teeth under his helmet, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly as he said, "If I cannot save my home, then I swear I will avenge it!" With a battle cry on his lips, Yorick, Warden and Lord of the Iron Legion charged towards his immense that was reaching down with a massive clawed hand.

…

The windows of the warehouse burst outward as Felicia broke through the glass and landed like a feline and bounced up to her feet and looked around. To her utter surprise, all of New York was a wreck and even the entire isle of Manhattan was floating in the air.

"Holy shit! Where are the Avengers when you need them!?" Felicia said in dismay. This was way above her paygrade, she had thought that Odessa had gotten involved in wacked out dark magic and sent those shadow creatures after her as petty revenge for ruining her plans. But even Odessa wouldn't be so petty as to destroy all of New York just to get simple revenge, would she?

No, Felicia shook her head, even if Odessa would stoop to this level, there had to be someone pulling the strings including Odessa's. But who would have the brass balls and the nerve to do this? Maybe Doctor Doom? That tin plated bastard would do something like this to assert his agenda of supremacy over all mankind.

This train of thought was interrupted by the sound and tremor of something heavy and enormous landing behind Black Cat. Turning around, Felicia grit her teeth as she gazed upon and enormous shadow monster that could almost rival Galactus in size with a massive heart-shaped in its abdomen.

"So, you're the one behind all this? Or at least doing what you're told, huh?" Felicia asked flippantly. The monster gazed at her uncaringly, its flashing gold eyes glaring at the thief impassively. "Well, if you're not feeling talkative, how about I give you a bloody nose, then?" Felicia said as she palmed her fist in one hand and the beast stretched forth a massive taloned hand and Felicia charged towards the monster intent on carrying out her threat.

…

The front door and window to Triss's home exploded outwards as the owner of said house cast a massive fireball that devastated the shadow creatures that had invaded her home. Sighing to herself, wondering how she was going to explain to King Tancred about the damages, Triss found such thoughts dashed to pieces as she now bore witness to the utter devastation that was happening to Pont Vanis.

"Sweet Lebioda! What the hell is going on?!" the redheaded sorceress exclaimed in shock, confusion and dismay as she that many of the building were now complete wrecks as a hurricane howled loudly into the night sky. It also seemed that there was some great vortex as debris was being sucked up into the air and Triss looked up to see a massive orb of dark energy and a burning red centre in the middle absorbing the debris being sucked up into it.

Having been trained to detect magic, Triss felt her head pound as she felt the raw near uncontainable mystical energies assail her. Triss quickly thought that if she could contain whatever this was, she could find some way to remove it and stop this utter chaos. But that train of thought was interrupted as the sorceress felt the looming presence of something behind her.

Turing around, Triss felt her heart almost stop as she saw what she could only liken to a giant of some kind. It was the same colour as the shadow creatures that had attacked her earlier. Perhaps it was the leader or the mother of them, Triss thought to herself.

Quickly deciding to put an end to the leader of these new monsters, Triss readied a fireball in her hand and shouted, "I don't know what you are, but you are trespassing in the Kingdom of Kovir! Leave now or suffer my wrath!"

Triss only received a massive clawed hand reaching down towards her as she cast her spell at the creature.

…

When Sora came to, he saw that he was standing on what remained of Destiny Island and his eyes widened in horror. "Whoa!" he gasped then standing in the middle was the giant shadow creature from his dreams. Charging at the monster with his new Keyblade, Sora ran towards the creature just as it slammed one hand down into the ground and springing up from the creature's fist was more shadow creatures. Sora quickly eliminated them before running up the larger one's arm and he began to slash at the thing's head several times.

Jumping off knowing he did enough damage to it, Sora saw the monster being sucked up into the dark sphere above the island. Realising he was going to be sucked in too, Sora latched onto a tree branch, holding on like grim death, but to his dismay, Sora was sucked up into the dark sphere and he gave a scream of fear and despair as he was sucked into darkness. As the darkness claimed him, Sora heard a voice in his head "Sora, these are your first steps."

…

Yorick slashed for all he was worth with his sword at the demon, roaring his anger and hatred. He had come too far and worked too hard for the peace he fought for to be destroyed in what would be a Third Cataclysm. Leaping onto the monster's arm, Yorick charged towards its head and thrust the blade of his sword deep into what he believed to be its jugular. The monster fell to its knees, seemingly dying. Leaping off, Yorick prepared to finish the beast off when the vacuum effect of the vortex suddenly shifted gears and air began to whip and howl as everything was being sucked up into.

The shadow demon was the first to go as it silently went into the darkness. Feeling himself being lifted into the air, Yorick thrust his sword deep into the earth and held on like grim death. The trick seemed to work for a moment, but the sword came free from its anchors and Yorick was sucked up into darkness.

Giving a yell of panic and dismay, Yorick watched in despair as his world was destroyed before darkness filled his vision and he knew no more.

…

Felicia gave a feral yell as she slashed, punched and kicked the monster's head. Pulling out some C4 explosive from her belt. The thief slapped the explosive onto the beast's face as it made to swipe her off. Smoothly leaping off and landing lithely on the ground, Black Cat pressed a small button hidden in the fur collar of her outfit.

A millisecond passed before the C4 stuck to the monster's face combusted and the monster was seemingly defeated and was sucked upwards into the darkness.

Smiling to herself, Felicia looked around and to her confusion the destruction went on. "Why didn't that work?" she asked before she felt herself being vacuumed up into the air. Thinking quickly, Felicia fired her grapnel line into the ground and just in time as her body was lifted up into the air.

The grapnel line went taut as it strained and groaned dangerously. "Don't you dare!" Felicia growled at the carbon fibre cord, but as if to spite her, the line snapped and the thief screamed in dismay as she was sucked into the darkness that was consuming New York.

…

Triss gave a scream of exertion as she used her telekinesis to summon debris to smash into the shadow monster leader. The beast fell to its knees seemingly beaten and summoning the last vestiges of her power, Triss hurled a final fireball at the creature. The explosion nearly knocked the sorceress of her feet as the beast was sent up into the air and was caught in the vacuum and absorbed into the darkness.

Feeling blood trickle down from her nose and over lips, Triss panted as she realised she had used quite a bit of the Power to do that. She felt weak as a kitten as she looked around to see that the chaos had not abated.

"I don't understand, why didn't that work?" Triss mumbled to herself weakly and she found herself wishing Geralt, Yen and Ciri were here to help out. Heck, even Lambert and Keira would've been welcome to help if they were in the area.

Triss then felt herself being lifted into the air by the rising hurricane and she was still too weak to anchor herself to anything solid.

"So, this is it? This is how I die?" Triss thought to herself bitterly as she was lifted up into the dark skies. "I had a good run at least. I wish Geralt, Yen and Ciri were here to see me go…" was her last thought as she sucked up into the darkness.

Below on the ground, undisturbed by all that was happening, a tall figure in brown robes, his face shrouded in darkness whispered.

"This world has been connected…"

TO BE CONTINUED…