Sorry about the wait for this one. Got distracted by Xenoblade Chronicles 3 ^^; That and there were some points my mind went blank at some points. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
Paralogue 12: Burning Lineage
The sun had long dipped below the horizon as the Ylissean League marched through the night. Torches had been long-extinguished, the possibility of scouts from Walhart's forces all top high. But for some, the late-night march was starting to take its toll.
"Are you sure you're okay carrying her, Tiki? I don't mind holding onto Nowi for a bit." Robin comments as he and Tiki walk side-by-side, Nowi asleep on Tiki's back. The Voice of Naga shakes her head softly at Robin with a smile.
"It is nice of you to offer, but I am fine. Besides, I believe we are about to stop for the night anyway." She motions with her head towards the front, where tents had started to be erected as scouts move forward with torches. Robin silently hums in agreement before his eyes drift to the side, a curious vista filling his view.
"What is this place, Tiki? Looks like an old shrine for something." Tiki looks at Robin before silently gasping at the ruins, the old stone doors left open.
"I had forgotten that this place existed along this road. Then again, this road has been long forgotten about." Tiki comments while setting Nowi down gently. "I do not remember much, but I believe this is where the Wellspring of Truth lies."
"Wellspring of Truth?" Robin asks with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes. While my knowledge is old and based merely on rumours and legends, it was said that the waters would be able to reveal a person's true self. Not that I know by what it means." Tiki reveals. Robin nods before turning his gaze back to the ruins, his mind wondering. Could this place show who he is? Naminé's attempts to bring his memories back failed to the point they gave up. He even said that he no longer cared about WERE he came from. But if there was a chance… He shakes his head to remove the thought, not while their battle with Walhart loomed over them.
Unbeknownst to them, Ven had overheard them.
"A place that shows your true self? I wonder…" Ven ponders before a figure in the ruin's doorway catches his eye. It was a girl around his age, with long black hair and brown eyes. She seemed to be looking at him with sadness and recognition. Before Ven could blink, three more people walked up to her. Two were boys around his age again, one with messy silver hair, green eyes and a red scarf, while the other was wearing a hat that covered his face. Only his blackish-brown hair was visible as they both gazed with sad smiles toward Ven. The final one was a girl in a simple white dress, with black stockings and shoes, while her rust-brown hair was tied into two pigtails going down her back.
"Ven? Is everything alright?" Aqua asks. She had noticed Ven glancing towards the ruins, yet no one was standing there when she looked. Her concerned voice caught the attention of Sora, Kairi, Caelum, Oceania, Lea, Say'ri, Chrom Robin and Tiki as they all looked at Ven in worry. Ven's face seemed to be simultaneously etched with confusion, recognition, happiness and sadness. Then, he sprinted for the ruins, ignoring the cries of the overs as he dashed forward.
"VEN! WAIT!" Aqua cries as she, Lea and Say'ri chase after him, followed by Sora, Kairi, Caelum and Oceania. Chrom sighs while shaking his head before ordering Frederick to keep everyone here and fishing the camp before chasing after them with Robin and Tiki, much to the confusion of all remaining behind.
Where did they go!? Ven franticly scans around him. I don't know why but I KNOW them! I have to ask why. Shaking his head in irritation, Ven continues to walk down the dark corridors, doing his best to ignore the strange air.
"VEN!" Aqua's voice echoes behind him, stopping him in his tracks. He turns around in surprise just as Aqua, Lea and Say'ri catch up to him with worried looks. "Why did you do that, Ven? Why did you run into this place?" Aqua asks with a scolding yet worried tone, causing the young man to flinch. Ven rubs his arm sheepishly in response while looking down.
"I'm sorry, Aqua. But, I saw something that I had to see."
"Something? What could that 'something' be?" Lea asks with an intrigued tone. Ven bits the inside of his cheek as he folds his arms, thinking hard.
"I'm not sure, but when I looked at the entrance, I saw four people standing there with sad faces. But the strange thing is that my heart seemed to know them." He finishes while placing a hand on his chest.
"But Ven, we didn't see anyone standing there. Are you SURE you saw someone there?" Aqua asks with concern. Ven opens his mouth to reply until the sound of rubble moving draws the attention of the four, as what looked like figures in the shadows rushed away from them.
"It would seem that someone has made their home here…" Say'ri comments as she draws Amatsu. "I would say we regroup with the others and explore together, but something tells me we don't have the option." Aqua looked ready to protest, but seeing the look in Ven's eyes put an end to any objections she had. She recognised that look in his eyes, one yearning for answers.
"Alright, we will continue on. But we stay together. No running off by ourselves." She sternly tells the group before drawing Stromfall. Ven, Lea and Say'ri nod in reply as the boys pull their own swords out before venturing further into the halls.
After what felt like hours but was only mere minutes, the group of four find themselves in a room with glowing blue runes along the floors. A pool of water lay at the far end, glowing with holy light.
"This place… It feels sacred…" Say'ri comments as she glances around the room. Lea could only let out an impressive whistle at sight. Compared to the rest of the place, this looked newly built. Aqua, meanwhile, kept her gaze on Ven, who in turn was gazing at the four figures standing over the pool with their backs to them.
"Are these the people you saw, Ven?" Aqua asks. Ven silently nods as he places a hand on his head, a growing pain gnawing away at him. The four turn around before looking straight at Ven, each with a sad smile.
"Who are you? Why do I know you?" Ven asks with a hiss as the pain in his head seemingly grows.
"You don't recognise your old friends? Some pal you are, Ventus." A voice echoes around them as the three figures close their eyes. Before them, a shapeless mirage appeared before them, settling into a figure's form. A form of Ventus before he came to this world, with a dark look on his face.
"Another Ven?" Lea asks in surprise, with Aqua and Ven sharing his shock. Say'ri was more taken aback by the clothing of the Miri-Ven, compared to the Real-Ven.
"Did you not know? This place reveals the hidden truths we keep locked away to those around us or ourselves." Miri-Ven replies before glaring at Real-Ven. "You have forgotten about your true origins, Ventus. So allow me to remind you."
"What do you mean 'true origins'?" Aqua asks while stepping in front of Rea-Ven. Miri-Ven glares at Aqua briefly before returning his gaze towards Real-Ven.
"Exactly what I mean. Ventus was born in the world of Daybreak town. During the age you called, the Age of Fairy Tales."
"That's impossible! The Age of Fairy Tales happened an untold number of centuries before us! How can Ven be from that era!?" Aqua asks angrily while Lea and Say'ri move to either side of her, forming a wall between them and Ven.
"The answer is simple. As I'm sure, Xehanort had shown in painful detail." Miri-Ven replies in a mocking tone. "And as I said, Ventus was friends with three of these people. His fellow Union leaders. Skuld, Ephimer and Brain. As for the last one…"
"Wait! Hold up a sec!" Lea quips while making a T shape with his arms. "Union leader? What the heck is that? And your saying Ven ad three of them were leaders?"
"Along with a man named Laurium, yes. But I'm sure you know him and his friend better as Marluxia and Larxene." Miri-Ven replies, shocking the three Guardians. Say'ri only raises an eyebrow, missing the conversation but seeing the gravity. "As for the Unions, they were, as the names suggest, Unions of Keyblade wielders numbering in the hundreds. Their goal? To collect light in the form of Lux and protect Kingdom Hearts. But the Leaders of the Unions, five of the Master of Masters' six apprentices, fell out with each other, leading to the Keyblade War. I'm sure you remember the Graveyard where the battle took place."
"And, I was from that time? Chosen to be a leader?" Ven asks with a wince, the headache getting worse. Miri-Ven looks at him and, to their surprise, briefly looks at him with a sad look.
"No. You were not. It was, in fact, Strelitzia, Laurium's sister, who was chosen instead. However, she was killed before she could take her role. Killed by Darkness."
"Darkness? How does Darkness kill? Or do you talk about the Heartless?" Say'ri questions.
"No. I'm talking about Darkness's physical, mental, and intelligent embodiment." Miri-Ven replies with the dark look returning. "It was Darkness, possessing someone, who killed her and made Ven take her place. And that person it possessed." He raises a finger towards the group. "Was you, Ventus."
"Where did they go?" Sora asks as he, Kairi, Caelum and Oceania venture through the ruins. Despite rushing in right behind Aqua's group, they somehow lost them.
"I'm sure they came this way." Caelum mumbles. "I know I saw them go down this hallway."
"Are you really sure, bro? They could have gone straight on or turned right." Oceania quips back with arms folded. "Still, we should at least hear them. I haven't heard anything ever since we entered this place." Sora hesitantly nods, a foreboding feeling surrounding the four as they continue on.
"How about you, Kai? Do you feel anything?" Kairi shakes her head while rubbing her arm, unease written on her face.
"No, I can't, and that's what worries me. This place doesn't feel abandoned. Instead, it feels…aware. Like it knows we are here." Those words did little to ease their nerves, even as a soft blue light emerged down the hall. Despite the building anxiety, the four walk towards the light before entering an empty room with a pool of water at the end.
"What is this place anyway? Sora asks.
It is a place where truths are revealed. A voice echoes around them, startling the group. A place where the reality of a person is made known and where it is confronted.
"Who's there!?" Sora yells as the four draw their weapons, backs to each other. The voice only replies with an inquisitive hum, as they could feel its non-existing eyes land on them.
You four… You value the bonds you have between those you care about and strive to strengthen those bonds. But I wonder, do you tell them the dark secrets you hold locked in your heart? Or do you keep it locked away?
"What are you talking about?!" Oceania yells in frustration, the cryptic words annoying her.
Let me ask you, children of the future, do you know? Caelum and Oceania gasp in surprise as the voice speaks to them. Did your father ever tell you about the darkness that resides within him? The two look at each other with bewildered eyes. Was it talking about the darkness in their hearts, for if so, then, of course, they knew about that. Or was it talking about something else? It would seem not. A pity. Then let me show you the hidden truth.
"ARRRRRRGH!" Sora cries out in pain suddenly as a dark mist emits from his chest. Kairi grabs onto Sora in alarm while Caelum and Oceania look on with concern and confusion. As the dew falls to the floor, it speeds away from the group before condensing before the pool. A shadowy figure forms from the mist. Slowly, it becomes more defined as dark whisps flying off the hands and feet while a haze forms around its legs. It was not long before the shadowy figure had finished forming, but into a shape no one wanted to see.
It was a walking shadow of Sora, with red eyes full of rage, wielding a dark version of Kingdom Key.
Behold. This is the hidden truth that he has kept from you. A secret rage, one so terrible that it shuns the light. The voice bellows towards them. Does it hurt to see this? Your beloved father in this rage-filled form? Or does it hurt to know that it was hidden from you? Caelum and Oceania say nothing as they stare at the dark shape of Sora, its dark eyes staring at them with pure rage.
Suddenly, it leaps.
"How have we not found them yet?" Chrom asks in a worried tone as he, Tiki and Robin walk down a stone hallway. "Did we take a wrong turn at some point?"
"No, I don't think so. All other pathways were blocked off. They could only have come this way." Robin replies, his eyes looking over the rubble-filled passages to their side. Chrom hums in a worried tone as they continue down, walking past an unblocked path to their right. Tiki notices the way, but a figure walks toward her as she is about to call to the others. Wearing a long pink dress and green shoulder-length hair, with a gold draconic tiara and brown sandals, Tiki could only gasp in shock at seeing her younger self walking towards her.
"Tiki? Is something wrong?" Robin asks as he and Chrom walk up to her before seeing the younger Tiki looking at them. Her gaze lingers on them before she turns and flees down the hallway. Almost on instinct, Tiki chances after her, Chrom and Robin close behind before they find themselves in a room with a pool of water. The younger Tiki stands before it, an unreadable expression on her face. "Why did she lead us here? And who is this girl?"
"She is me." Tiki replies with slight shock. "This was me, back during Marth's time. But why is she here?" Tiki's eyes narrow at her younger form, who looks at them passively until she remembers what she said outside. "Wait, this place is said to reveal a person's 'true self'. If that is the case, then…." No sooner does she speak dose another mirage appeared before them, taking the form of Chrom.
"Wh-What!? Another me?" Chrom asks in surprise before drawing Falchion, as his mirror does the same. Then, a third mirage appears, its form taking that of Robin, armed with a dark tome. "Even a mirage of Robin? What is going on?"
"It is a test." Tiki replies calmly, her grip on her Dragonstone tightening. "A test to see if we are worthy of learning the truth of ourselves." Chrom looks at his mirage before shaking his head, stating that he doesn't need a divine pool to show his hidden truth. He was more than capable of finding it on his own, with his comrades at his side. Robin, however, was conflicted.
If I beat him, will I learn the truth about myself? Would I be found worthy of standing beside Chrom, Sora, Tiki and the others? Am I fit to lead them? The questions continue to circle around his mind as he pulls out his thunder tome before charging a blast of lightning in his hand. At the same time, his mirror prepares an explosion of dark magic in his. Just… Who am I?
These questions filled his mind as he and his counterpart exchanged magic as the battle began.
"What are you talking about!? Ven would NEVER kill anyone!" Aqua yells in anger as she pints Stormfall at Miri-Ven. Say'ri and Lea continue to stand on either side of Real-Ven as his headache worsens after the accusation, memories once suppressed returning like a flood.
"It is, as I said. Ventus killed Strelitzia and took her place as a Union leader. Oh, they found out what had happened eventually. Even managed to expel the Darkness that was inside Ven as well. But does that absolve him of the crime he committed? Why don't we ask his 'friends'?" Miri-Ven motions his hand to the four behind him, who harden their faces before summoning their Keyblades. The one called by the boy with the hat shocked Aqua and Ven, as it was the Keyblade their Eraqus used when he was alive.
"Well, it would seem they have made their choice. Are you ready, Ventus? It is time you accepted the truth!" Pointing his arm forward, the four mirages charge towards the group, two charging towards Aqua, while Say'ri and Lea had one each. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the three held the four phantoms back. At the same time, Ven struggled with the onslaught of memories rushing into his mind.
"Why do you protect him? He has a darkness inside him that is willing to kill others to get what he wants. How can you side with him?"
"What do you know!?" Aqua yells back, pushing her attacks off her. "Even if what you said is true, the Ven we know would NEVER do anything like that!"
"She right! Ven is not the sort of person who would attack someone out of spite or personal vendetta! If you are really his 'true self' then you would know what he has been through!" Lea shouts back in anger.
"While I may not have the same level of knowledge as Lea and Lady Aqua do, I view sir Ven as a dear friend and a gentle soul. No matter what happens, we will be by his side to see he remains so." Say'ri declares as she stabs Amatsu into the ground. Miri-Ven looks at them with a hardened gaze before summoning his own Keyblade. But it was not Wayward Wind.
The handle guard had black bat wings on the bottom, while the sides were a golden white, with two sharp blades coming from near the hilt. The blade was black, with a silver centre and two golden V's, while the tea looked like a five-point star, the central point black with the two side points the same white as on the guard. A blue spike extended from the pack, while a white spike extended from the top.
"In that case, I will show you myself. The insatiable hunger for power that lies within him." Miri-Ven snarls before unleashing a blast of wind at the group, dissolving the phantoms and nocking Aqua, Lea and Say'ri back as Ven kneels on the floor. "What's wrong, Ven? Not going to protect your friends like you always have? I shall end this here if you do not draw your blade!" Miri-Ven proclaims before charging forward towards Ven, who only closes his eyes as the headache continues. But instead of Keyblade striking flesh, the sound of struck metal echoed around the room. Opening his eyes, Ven was met by the sight of a large metal sword, almost the size of him length-wise and easily as tall, while two small holes at the base could be seen. Looking at the blade's wilder, Ven's eyes widened in surprise as the sword's wielder gave him a trademark smile.
"Zack?" Ven asks in a stupor. He looked nothing like how he last saw him back in Olympus. He had clearly gone through a growth spurt, but his hair seemed to be longer, and a unique scar was on his face. But even so, he could tell it was still him.
"Sup Ven? Long-time no see." Zack replies casually before nocking the phantom back and pulling out a vulnerary. "Here, this should help with the headache. This place does a number on your mind." Ven gladly takes the vulnerary just as Aqua, Lea and Say'ri stumble to their feet. Aqua shakes her head briefly before her gaze falls upon Zack, helping Ven to his feet.
"Zack? Is that you? We thought that you-?"
"Was pushing up daisies somewhere? Yeah, not my style." Zack replies before turning his gaze back to the phantom. "We can talk more after we deal with this fake. You up for it, Ven?" Ven looks at Zack with wide eyes before turning his gaze back to his phantom self. Not saying a word, Ven narrows his eyes before drawing Wayward Wind.
"I don't know why I acted like that all those years ago. But I don't care. I am not the same person I was back then, and I'll prove it here and now. That is my truth!" Tightening his grip on Wayward Wind, Ven charges against his phantom as Zack follows in from behind, Buster Sword in hand. Ven's mirage strikes back, redirecting Ven's strike only to be hit by the flat end of Zack's sword, knocking the wind out of him as he is thrown into a pillar. The phantom raises to his feet, only to see Ven charging him with an Ars Arcanum before switching into an Astra just as he lands the final strike. Silence rains as the mirage stumble back, the Keyblade in its hand vanishing into mist. It looks up at Ven in shock before morphing into an accepting smile.
"So, this is your answer…." It says with a contempt smile before vanishing into the mist while a bright light engulfs the room. Just as the light filled their vision, the mirages voice spoke once more. "And Strelitzia still lives. How you find her… Is up to you."
What are you doing? The voice questions in bewilderment. Is it not your vow to destroy the Darkness that ruined your lives? Why are you letting him live when he harbours the same Darkness you hate? Caelum and Oceania say nothing as they lock blades with the mirage, as it tries to force its way past them towards Sora and Kairi. Grunting under pressure, the two force back the shadow before refocusing themselves.
"It's true. We hate the Darkness more than anything. Because of it, we lost our parents, our friends, and the untold number of people we loved and cared about." Oceania explains with pain in her voice. "But we also know that Darkness itself is not inherently evil. It is the person using it that defines its use. That was something that our dad always told us about. And even though he never told us about 'this', he never kept secrets from us. He always promised to tell us everything. The only thing preventing him from that was our age. So how was it his fault for not telling us!"
"Blindly hating Darkness is no different from being a slave to the light. And there is Darkness within everyone's heart. There is no changing that." Caelum rebuffs. "Even if we vowed to destroy Darkness as you said, we would never resort to mass slaughter. For that is the very thing we fight to prevent!"
I see. Is that your 'truth'? How disappointing. Darkness must be expelled from all hearts and minds! No presence of it must be left!
"In that case, may you explain the Heartless that had run amok in your halls?" A voice echoes behind them. Turning around, Caelum and Oceania's faces lit up as Honō entered the room, Amatsu drawn. "I must say, forcing people to face themselves to find the truth is not very helpful."
"Honō! What are you doing here?" Oceania asks in joyful surprise. Honō gives her a smirk as she walks up next to them, eyes fixed on the shadow before them.
"I was here with some others investigating reports of shadows in the area. Didn't expect to be thrown into this, though. We can talk more once we have dealt with this phantom." Caelum and Oceania nod in reply before turning their attention to the mirage as it charges at them again with feral fury. Its strikes were quick and powerful, but it was missing something that the three could easily see. The shadow was blindly striking in anger and rage with no sense of control.
Seeing this, the three quickly fall into a pattern. While Oceania blocked the strikes, Honō and Caelum struck from the sides, the two switching out when one finished their strike. Eventually, the raging mass of darkness began to slow in its strikes before, finally, Oceania finished it with a strike to its chest. The shadow blankly stares at her before vanishing into a dark smoke, while Oceania looks away with a grimace.
Even though it was a fake illusion, it was still in the form of Sora.
"Father, you okay?" Caelum asks as Kairi helps Sora to his feet. Oceania looks at him with concern but is reassured as no visible sign of damage, or lingering effect could be seen.
"I'm fine. Don't worry. Just a little shaken at seeing you face against that is all." Sora replies before he and Kairi look at Honō. They took a single glance at her hair and sword before grinning at her. "I'm guessing you're from the future like Lucina, right?" Honō smiles in reply before sheaving Amatsu into its sheath, the blade not gone unnoticed by the two.
"Yes, I am. My name is Honō." She says with a regal bow before straightening up and tapping the side of her head playfully with a finger. "Got it memorised?" The group break into a slight chuckle at the comment before a flash of light engulfs the room.
Who knew that fighting a mirror version of yourself would be as hard as one thought? At least that's how it felt to Robin as he narrowly dodges another blast of dark magic thrown at him by his mirage. A glance over to Chrom showed a similar story playing out, with the prince switching between Falchion and his spear in quick succession to try and out manoeuvre his foe.
On the other hand, Tiki had not raised a finger against her mirage. Instead, she continued to give it a sadden glance as the young Tiki looked back with a look of loneliness. Sending a blast of lighting to distract his phantom, Robin rushes over to Tiki as his eyes stay focused on his foe.
"What's wrong?" He asks as his hand sparks with lightning. Tiki quickly casts a glance towards him before turning her eyes back to her mirage, who continued to stare at her.
"This phantom, it represents who I once was." Tiki says softly. "Young and scared, nothing but a pawn to higher powers. All for their own dark ends. But most of all…" She closes her eyes before looking at Robin. "She represents my fear of being alone. For so long, I have been by myself. My friends and companions are long gone. Even in that shrine, I rarely received visitors who stayed for long. It was seen as a distant figure, to be revered, and too far to be approached."
Taking a moment to deflect another blast of dark magic, Robin pondered on Tiki's words. They had, in a sense, not even considered it from Tiki's view. Living far longer than them, she would have had to watch the people she knew grow old and die while she remained young and alone. And even though the people of Valm revere her, they never see her as anything but Naga's voice.
It's no wonder why she fears being alone.
"Look out!" Tiki cries as she pushes Robin to the floor, just as an orb of darkness passes over where he was just standing. Glancing to his side, Robin glares at his mirage before launching a blast of lightning towards it, forcing it back towards Tiki's mirage, followed closely by Chrom's.
"You alright?" Chrom asks as he moves to their side as Tiki helps Robin up.
"Yeah, I am. Thanks to Tiki." He smiles gratefully at her, to which she recuperates, before looking back at the phantoms. "These mirages, they're tough."
"I know. It's like fighting a mirror." Chrom replies before sheathing his spear and drawing Falchion. "A foe who fights like yourself and knows your every move is a stubborn one. How about you, Robin?" Robin narrows his eyes before looking at his mirage, the blank eyes staring back at him. An uneasy feeling builds within him as the cold eyes stare back, as questions begin to bounce around his head rapidly.
"I'm scared." Robin admits to them. "This place, it's supposed to reveal a person's 'true self', right? Well, what if this 'phantom' IS our true selves? If that is the case, do I even WANT to know?"
"Does that even matter anymore, Robin?" Chrom asks as his eyes never leave his mirror. "I understand why you would be drawn here. A chance to find out about your past? Anyone would want that. But does knowing who you were before change who you are now?"
"Chrom is right." Tiki reaffirms. "Who cares about what you were before? What matters is now. You are Robin. And that's all the truth you will ever need."
"Well said!" A voice echoes to their side as a blast of energy rips across the floor, forcing the mirages to separate. The three turn to the source to see a man was a large golden sword on his shoulder walking into the room. "The real truth is of the here and now. Chasing after a forgotten past will only bog you down."
"Who are-?" Chrom asks before his mirage charges at him. The man moves in front, deflecting the strike and pushing the phantom back.
"Name's Priam. Came here for some pest extermination only to find this place testing me. Not that I'm interested in that." Priam replies. "Now, how about we deal with these fakes and get out of here? I've got some friends to find." Chrom nods in affirmative along with Robin as they stand beside Priam against their doubles. Tiki casts a glance towards hers, locking with her eyes, before smiling gently at her. The mirage's eyes widen in surprise before giving the same smile back, before vanishing into a faint mist.
Chrom moves forward, Falchion pointed to the ground as his double charges against him while a plan forms in his mind. So far, he had only used skills that he had learned from his mentors, along with Aether, yet his shadow had exactly countered him. Maybe it was time to try something out of the box. He thrusts Falchion forward, letting the blade carry him as he shoots past his mirage, catching it off guard. Before it could react, Chrom spins on his heel and charges again, slamming into its back before repeating it three more times. His final thrust sends his shadow into the wall, dissipating it into a white mist as he wipes sweat from his forehead.
Robin's mirage continued to blast away with dark magic as Prima used his sword to cut through them like butter, despite the visible cracks along his blade. All the while, Robin held back and planned. His mirage with just as adapt with tactics as himself, using a barrage of magic to keep their new ally at bay while also obstructing his view. Glancing around him, Robin sighs a resigned breath as he closes his book. I'm glad Sora and the others are not here. They will chew me out for this. Drawing his Levin Sword, Robin started to focus energy at the tip, ignoring all outside noise and concentrating on his mirage. A bright energy sphere builds at the end of the sword as streams of orange energy from within. Waiting till it hits its apex, Robin pulls his sword back, erupting the globe as streams of light burst out from it. Swarming past Priam, they homing on Robin's mirage, catching him in a barrage of light, leaving nothing behind but mist.
"Well, THAT was impressive young lad." Priam praises as Robin breaths deeply, wiping his forehead of sweat. "Reminds me of how the young miss and my friend fight." He comments casually as Tiki and Chrom steady the Grandmaster.
"While I agree it was impressive, Robin. It was also reckless." Chrom chastises sternly, yet it only lasts for a second before morphing into a grin. "But I suppose one has to be in your position, old friend."
"I concur with Chrom. That level of recklessness would be on par with Vaike or the Guardians." Tiki comments with a smirk. Robbin for his part merely chuckles in embarrassment, before the room is engulfed in a flash of light.
As soon as the light dies away, all three groups found themselves in the main hallway, the entrance just before them. And yet behind them, none of the passageways were before them, only crumbling halls.
"Does anyone know what happened, or is everyone as clueless as me?" Caelum asks as they look around in confusion. First separate paths, then a strange voice followed by a fight and now there were back at the entrance in a different room?
"I believe it is for the best we do not discuss how this happened." Tiki replies before her eyes fall on the plus twos. "But I think it best that we discuss with our new allies about why they were here." She motions to Zack and Honō. Say'ri and Lea's eyes fell upon Honō with widening realisation, while Sora could only look at the sword on Zack's back with bafflement.
"Yes, I agree. We do have a lot to discuss. But can we do it while not in the crumbling ruins of, whatever this was? I'd rather not risk a piece of rubble falling on my head." Honō suggests. To prove her point, a piece of crumbling timber falls from the ceiling, almost landing on Zack who glares at it angrily.
"No argument from me. We have a camp outside with the rest of our comrades. Would you be willing to share your stories over the fire?" Chrom offers. The three readily accept before following Chrom and the others out of the ruins, not before Ven and Robin take a moment to glance back.
"In the end, I decided not to learn the truth." Robin says contempt before looking at Ventus. "How about you Ven? Did you learn anything?" Ven glances at Robin before looking back at the ruins, smiling fondly before turning around.
"I did. But it was not as important as what I have now." Ven answers cryptically before walking back to the camp, his mirages voice still lingering within his mind. Once this threat is over, I'll tell everyone about what I have learned. And maybe, see if I can find Strelitzia. I'm not sure if she will forgive me, but I have to apologise to her at least.
Quick spoiler, Strelitzia wont be appearing in this fic. Since in this verse Sora didn't abuse the Power of Waking to getting sent to Quadratum, they crew don't know about Unreality. Sorry about that.