Final Chapter of DS 1!

Chapter 12: Dead Space

The shuttle rumbles and moans as it enters the Atmosphere of Aegis 7, Isaac steading the controls as the winds bash against it. All is quiet inside as Nicole continues to look over the controls. Riku and Aqua mediate in their seats while Sora and Kairi look out the main window. The clouds glow a deep brown and orange as the sun begins to set, while the looming mass of rock above them casts a shadow over the clouds.

Soon, they break through the clouds and find the colony, built into a vast mountainside on the edge of the vast crater left behind by the Ishimura when it 'pulled the cork' as Isaac called it. Setting the shuttle into auto-pilot, Isaac watches as the ship is brought to a landing pad right on the crater's edge. Soon the sound of the shuttle's engines dies away as the sudden landing jostles the shuttle as the six exit, Nicole, Riku and Aqua taking the lead.

"Woah." Sora breathes as he sees the size of the creator. From above, it looked massive, but standing at the edge made it look ginormous. "Suddenly, I feel tiny." He says to an equally amazed Kairi. They couldn't help but look up towards the Ishimura, a tiny speck as the massive piece of land could be mistaken for a moon hung below it. At the same time, several beams shot down from below it.

"How does it even hold onto that much rock, never mind lift it?" Kairi asks before looking toward Isaac. He gives a small chuckle before pointing to a tower near the shuttle, a blue beam shooting from it toward the floating chunk of rock.

"We use what is called gravity tethers. They act like a giant pulley system connecting to a similar one on the bottom of the Ishimura, the 'legs' underneath it." Isaac explains in general terms. "When ready, the tethers pull the land towards the mining ship above. When it's at a certain point, the ground tethers are deactivated while the mining ship keeps theirs on as they begin to mine from the chunk they pulled up. Usually, there would be more than one ship during a mining op, but we all know this wasn't a 'normal' op."

"Isaac, we don't have time." Nicole suddenly interrupts with distress on her face. "We need to use one of the loaders to move the Marker off the shuttle." She points to the left towards the front of the shuttle along a track. Nodding in response, Isaac and the couple walk to the front, where a transport cart stands, ready to pick up the Marker. Pressing the nearby terminal, the system roared to life as the Marker emerged from the ground before them, as it is placed on the cart. With the clamps securing themselves to base, as much as they could considering the bizarre design of the Marker, Isaac began moving it with Kinesis as the Couple stood on either side, ready to defend him from any Necromorph attack.

This was the location of the original outbreak; it would be stupid to think otherwise.

While Riku and Aqua stood next to Nicole with diligent looks, the survivor trio looked at the entrance doors to the colony with disgruntled looks. The power cell had been removed, and the doors closed shut.

"Time to go on another cell hunt." Isaac says with no humour in his voice before looking to his left. Beside them was the control room for directing shuttles coming to and from the colony. If there were any power cells left, they would be in there. "Okay, Riku and Aqua, stay here and keep Nicole safe. Sora and Kairi, you're with me." The two Masters say nothing as the trio walks toward the building, but not before Nicole speaks to them.

"The Marker needs to be returned to the Pedestal Chamber at the other end of this place. That's the only way to silence the Hive Mind. Please, replace what was taken, and make us whole again." As she said those words, the trio could feel a strange feeling trying to make its way into their minds, but it quickly vanished as soon as it tried. Shaking it off as nothing, the three enter the building, only to be greeted with blood covering all of the terminals and windows, with a body hanging from the ceiling.

"I know we heard about some sort of 'madness' that happened here, but this…." Kairi says with shock as they look over the ruined room. Just what horrors happened here would make the Ishimura look tamed in comparison. A glowing recorder on the floor grabs her attention before she walks over to pick it up. The moment she does, it activates, her ears greeted by the sounds of civilians screaming in fear and panic as an explosion could be heard.

"This is Sergeant Nuemann, P-Sec! We've lost all the shuttles!" A voice suddenly speaks as Sora and Isaac gather around Kairi. "One of them just took off, then came straight back down and crashed into the bay! Took a couple hundred people and all the remaining shuttles with it! If anyone can hear this, do not land! Do not land!" The recording goes dead as the message ends, leaving the trio with stormed looks.

"They tried to leave, but all the shuttles were gone? Just what happened?" Sora asks as he looks around the room. Isaac shrugs his shoulders as Kairi places the recorder back on the ground. Deciding that staying here was losing time, the three leave the control room before entering a sleeping room, with several colonist bodies lying around. Evidence of violence was evident on them, but not from Necromorphs. These were wounds from other people.

"Guess these guys tried to fight back or were caught up in the paranoia." Isaac says as he looks over one of them before sighing sadly. All this because of Earth Gov and the Unitologists playing with things they did not know or understand. That offer the two gave him sounded better with each passing moment. Not that he had already decided to accept it.

"Isaac, we have two infectors locked in the next room." Sora comments as two infectors clung to the glass walls of the freezing room. Luckily for them, despite the Infectors wanting to get to the bodies in this room, the room they were in had no vents. Isaac could only smirk at the sight before looking at the couple.

"Think you guys can give them a shocking surprise? Or introduce them to Sir Newton's law on physics?" Isaac suggests with a smug grin. But to his surprise, the two shook their heads before Kairi pointed to an object in the room with the Infectors. A power cell, lying directly next to one of them. Like it was using it as a shield. That's why the two haven't taken them out yet. They were concerned their magic would damage the cell.

And that presented another problem. The moment they open the door, the two Infectors will rush out and start turning the bodies around them. Thankfully, they had a solution to that.

"Okay, you two, get ready. The moment I open the door, those things will rush out at a full sprint. Hit them with either a stasis blast or use your stop magic to freeze them. Then we can deal with them without harming the power cell."

"We had a feeling you would say that." Sora says as the two move to either side of the door, Keyblades pointed. With a quick nod, Isaac hits the panel before backing away, the doors slowly processing the request to open. The moment they door, the two Infectors rush out, homing in on the nearest corpses. But they soon found themselves held in place, multi-coloured pointers hovering around them as Isaac took aim with the Pulse Rifle. Blasting into the two wings of the Infectors and nearly emptying the clip, Isaac then fires a grenade at them, emptying the gun just as the stop spell ends. The smoking remains of the Infectors were all that remained as Isaac used Kinesis to grab the power cell.

"We'll move ahead, Isaac." Kairi says as she and Sora open the door to the outside. "Riku, Aqua! We found the- huh? Where did they go?" To their surprise and shock, Nicole, Riku and Aqua had seemingly vanished. All the doors around them glowed orange with no power, and the shuttle's doors were still closed.

"Do you think Riku and Aqua activated their Keyblade gliders and took Nicole with them to this 'Pedestal Chamber'?" Sora asks as they walk towards the main door. Isaac shrugs as he places the power cell into the door but hesitates as he walks towards the lock.

"Actually, I can't help but be concerned for them. Your friends have been quiet since we met up with them back on the flight deck, and Nicole…" he sighs as he rubs the back of his helmet. "I don't remember her being like that. She was never religious, so hearing her speak like that worries me."

"Well, next time we see her, let's ask her about-hrk!" Sora's comment is cut as a Divider ambushes them from behind, a tendril wrapping itself tightly around Sora's neck. Kairi, in an instant, slices the tendril off as Isaac unloads into the Divider, causing it to separate before launching another grenade. "Thanks for that, guys. I didn't even know it was coming." Sora says as he massages his throat.

"Don't worry about it. Besides, I still owe you on the saving part anyway." Kairi replies with a smirk, hiding her worry about the ambush as Isaac looks over the burning remains. "Still, how did that Divider get here anyway? There weren't any vents around here, is there?"

"Well, I'm not staying to find out." Isaac says as he opens the door. "Come on, we have a long ways to go before we're free of this pain." Sora and Kairi nod wordlessly as they follow Isaac deeper into the colony. At the same time, he pulls the Marker along with Kinesis. After activating a shutter control on the inside and closing the door in the separation room they had entered, they soon entered a space covered with gangways and bridges, with several spanning over the tracks. While half of the room was covered in growth, no doubt leading to another landing pad, the walls themselves were covered in writing, drawings of the Marker scribbled like a child's drawing breaking the jumbled words.

"Well, this makes things interesting." Isaac comments with sarcasm before turning to Sora. "Think you can hit the switches to raise the bridges for me?"

"No problem, but it looks like I'll have to be on the other side of the tracks." Sora points out, indicating the panel on the other side. A quick glance between them told all. Sighing reluctantly, Sora crosses over the bridge, with Kairi and Isaac eyeing the vents around with trepidation. Reaching the other side, they breathe a relieved sigh as no Necromorph appear.

But as Sora activated the bridge, the room went into quarantine.

"Damn it!" Isaac shouts as he pulls the Marker to the other side before disengaging the Kinesis, bringing Hammond's Pulse Rifle up and scanning the room. Sora and Kairi glue their eyes to the vents. Spells at the ready as the Necromorphs make their presence known. As Sora ran across the bridge to rejoin Isaac and Kairi, Slashers, Lurkers, and Exploders burst from the vents, some even forming out of the fleshy wall, before charging at the trio.

While Isaac used the Pulse Gun on the Exploders, eliminating any Necro standing next to them, Sora and Kairi dealt with the Lurkers and Slasher, using Gravity and Magnet to immobilise any that got close before swinging their Keyblades at close range. Seeing a break in the attack, Isaac pulls the Marker forward while Sora and Kairi protect him, casting Reflect when an Exploder drops on their right at close range. After making a right angle, Isaac pushes it towards an entranceway leading to a Gravity Tether Core. Not that he had ANY idea where the location they were looking for was, but it was the only open door in the room.

"Get inside now!" Isaac yells as he turns around and opens fire while Sora and Kairi rush behind him into the room. Kairi spins on her heels and hits the panel, causing the door to close as Isaac backs into the room, surgically removing the attacking Slasher's limbs as the room begins to fill. Just as the swarm was about to charge, the door slammed shut.

"That was close. If we stayed there for any longer, we would be dead." Kairi says as her shoulders slump. They had been at this for who knows how long without proper rest. Even for Keyblade wielders like them, this was starting to get to the breaking point.

"Agreed. Let's hope this 'Pedestal Chamber' is just beyond the next room." Isaac replies before looking over Hammond's Gun. I'm running low on ammo… Those grenades eat up a fair amount. Good thing I still have plenty of packs for my Cutter, but we can't stay ad fight every Necro we see. I don't have the ammo to last, and their mana is not infinite. Shaking himself free of those thoughts, Isaac steels himself as the opposing door opens, revealing a similar room with growth covering all the walls. On the other side is another large door, but two bridges stand in the way, with no power.

"Isaac, you're almost there." Nicole speaks over the comm, startling the three. "You need to restore power to the bridges. Look for a control station at the end of the Maintenance Tube."

"Hang on, Nicole, how do you know that? And where are you, Riku and Aqua?" Isaac asks, confused. I am starting to get really worried now. What has the Marker done to her?

"Please, Isaac. Make us whole again." The line dies just as suddenly as it started, as quiet moans echo out the room. The trio look at each other with confused, worried and saddened looks. Even though they couldn't see each other's faces. While their questions continued to build with no answers, they entered the room, finding two Guardians glued on either side of a sizeable circular door. The same as in the Centrifugal Room. Just as the Guardian launched pods at them, Sora and Kairi unleashed Fire magic at the unfortunate souls, ending their suffering as Isaac dealt with the pods. While they got out several shots, most of them bounced harmlessly off their armour, while the small few that did pierce their undersuits.

"Man, those things are annoying." Sora remarks as he pulls a bone shard out of his arm. "Hopefully, this is the last time we have to deal with them."

"I wouldn't bet on it, Sora." Kairi replies as she casts a healing spell on them. "For all we know, there could be even more waiting for us beyond the door."

"We can worry about that once we get power working again." Isaac says, sounding noticeably tense. "For now, let's just keep moving. I have no idea what we will find in this Maintenance Tube, but it won't be good." Frowning at the irritated attitude Isaac was developing, although they could not blame him, the couple followed him past the circular door.

Entering it, they were surprised to find it a Zero-Gravity environment. Sora and Kairi could only look in silent amazement as they followed Isaac into the atmosphere, silently wondering what was making this a Zero-Gravity environment. Probably a reverse Gravity Plate like on the Ishimura.

They didn't have long to ponder, though, as turning the corner, they find a Leaper lazing around a powerless fan, seemingly bored out of, whatever mind it had left. Not that it had time to wonder either, as Sora flung his Keyblade into a Strike Raid, cutting off the tail as Kairi blasted its head with ice magic. Running up to it, Isaac finishes it with a kick to the head, his plated boots quickly crushing the frozen rotting head.

Continuing on, they notice, with alarm, a vast quantity of blood plastered on the floor around them. At the same time, body parts drift beyond the blades. More than enough to suggest that at least five people were here at one time before the fans had their way with them. Suppressing a shiver at the thought, Issac continued to lead the two down the tube, passing a second fan along the way before reaching the end.

"Alright, here's the switch." Isaac remarks before activating it, restoring power to the area. But the sudden shift in the air around them, as floating pieces of flesh and debris flow downwards, along with the sound of spinning metal, alerted them to another fact.

"The fans are back on." Kairi says exhaustively while Sora rubs the front of his helm. Even Isaac couldn't help but sigh in an 'I am so done with this shit' tone before looking back up.

"Let's just move and get out of here. I'm not sure how much strength I have left in me." Isaac couldn't help but admit that he was fatigued to hell. Every bone and muscle in his body cried for rest. Even his brain was hammering away for some sleep with the headache he had since they landed. But until the Marker was back in its spot and this outbreak stopped, he had to press on.

He couldn't help but feel sorry for the couple as well. Even if their Keyblade granted them more stamina and resistance than average, he could tell even they wanted nothing more than rest at this point. They had been at this for over five hours now, not counting the time they had to wait on the tram as it took them between stations. Why did they not make it a two-lane track? Why a single way? Shaking his head and taking a deep breath, Isaac returns his gaze to the spinning fan blade before blasting it with stasis.

With the blade slowed, the trio rushed past it before repeating the process to the second blade, leaving the dilapidated tunnel behind. But while they were gone, a Brute had managed to find its way into the room, if the gaping hole in the ceiling was anything to go by. But the trio were not intimidated by it. As it blindly charged towards them, the three simple step out of the way as it charged into the tunnel, just as the doors closed, trapping it.

"All brawn, no brain." Sora quips as he and Kairi activate the bridges, casting stop on both to keep them in place while Isaac drags the marker across the floor. Going through the same procedure as the last two times, they find themselves in another room, this time the same as the first one. But just as they brought the Marker to the corner, a loud deafening roar erupted from beyond the next door, shaking the building. "What was that?!"

"I think THAT is our 'Hive Mind'." Isaac angrily replies. "The Pedestal must be beyond those doors. Let's open it and plant it back where it was found."

Wordlessly, the couple raised the bridge, allowing Isaac to proceed as they approached the final separation room. As the last shutter closes behind them, the door to the outside opens slowly, while the trio exit through a smaller door. Outside, they briefly catch a glimpse of the Hive Mind, its large appendages swinging in the breeze as it falls into the creator, seemingly frightened of the Marker. Before it, two large terminals flanked either side of a metal platform, with the rack running right up to it over a bottomless pit. A decontamination station was built into the cliff on the left.

"Looks like the Hive Mind is afraid of the Marker. Kyne was telling the truth." Kairi says with a hint of sadness. "I bet he would be ecstatic if he was still with us."

"Hammond as well." Sora adds on as the trio moves forward. Looking around, Sora couldn't help but feel a dark feeling surge again. "Seriously, where are Riku, Aqua and Nicole? They should be here." Before anyone could reply, however, six Drag Tentacles burst from the pit, blocking the path forward. "Oh, come on, give us a break!" Sora says as he flings Kingdom Key into a Strike Raid towards a tentacle on the left, Kairi doing the same to one on the right. Just as Sora repeated the action a second time, a roar behind them, followed by a burst of vents, alerted the three to a hoard of Necromorphs charging toward them.

"Isaac! Get the Marker to its spot! We'll hold them back!" Kairi yells as she and Sora cast Aero on themselves, basing away several Twitchers who had sprinted ahead of the horde. With a slight gesture with his head, Isaac aim's Hammonds Gun at the last Tentacle on Sora's side, the previous two on Kairi's side unable to reach him. Pulling the trigger, he empties out the last of the remaining ammo he had, destroying the Tentacle just as the gun starts clicking.

Thanks, Hammond. Putting the rifle on his back, Isaac grabs his Cutter while pulling the Marker forward, hurrying towards the platform as Sora and Kairi are bushed back towards him. Finally, he reaches the end and slams his fist on the terminal, powering it up and taking the Marker onto the pedestal. Not waiting for it to finish, Isaac turns around and fires into the mass of Necromorphs, blasting over Sora and Kairi's heads as they are pushed back towards the decon-station.

Suddenly, a blast of red light thundered behind him as a pulse flew across the sky. Instantly, the moment the pulses began, the Necromorphs all began falling to the ground, like someone had cut all their strings. At the same time, a terrible roar echoed behind them. But soon, all was quiet as the Marker hummed and pulsed with power, continuing to send out the pulses as it fired a red beam of light into the sky.

"We did it." Isaac whispers as he walks up to the couple, leaning on each other for support. Looking over themselves, they couldn't help but grimace at the blood and gunk that was covering their suits while Isaac's gear was showing cracks and tears.

"Thank you, Isaac, Sora and Kairi." Nicole's voice echoed from behind. Turning around, the three were shocked to see her standing next to the Marker as red lightning covered its frame. But Riku and Aqua were nowhere to be seen. "I knew you could do. I always believed you would. You made us whole again. We are whole again." She speaks in a trance-like state before suddenly vanishing into thin air while the Marker continues to spark and burn.

"That wasn't hear." Isaac snarls before glaring at the Marker. "It was, THIS, trying to get into our minds." He turned to look at Sora and Kairi, and they could feel his gaze. "They must still be at the shuttle, taking shelter inside." He goes to activate his comm, only to find it not working. He curses under his breath before seeing the couple throw their Key's into the air. He half expected them to turn into their glider forms, but when they touched the Marker pulses, they were thrown straight back to the ground.

"Well, looks like we won't be taking the scenic route back." Sora grumpily says before looking back to the large doors. "Looks like the power has also been shut off as well." Isaac couldn't help but groan at the news. Still, before he could say anything else, the A.I. announcer alerted them to a change. A very, VERY, big and worrying change.

Emergency: geo-orbital tethers offline. Tectonic load released. Impact imminent. Evacuate this area immediately.

"WHAT!?" The trio cried as they looked upwards, the blue tethers connected to the chuck of crust above gone as it slowly moved towards them, its lower half turning yellow quickly.

"Oh shit!" Isaac cries before glancing back to the decon-station. "Quick! Into the decon-station! It should take us back to the landing pad! Go!" Not needing to be told twice, the couple rushes into the station with Isaac close behind them. Hitting the button, the door closes as shutters cover the windows, beginning the deco-process.

"Not that I mind cleaning our armour, but now is not the time!" Kairi says impatiently as precious seconds pass by.

"I couldn't agree more." A familiar voice sounded outside the room. Turning around, and to their shock and surprise, Kendra was standing outside, pistole in hand, as the cargo loader picked up the marker from its spot. No longer blood red, it was a charred black. "Did you three really think I was going to give up without a fight? That I was going to just, 'walk away'? I can't do that. The Marker is coming with me."

"Are you insane! That Marker is what's keeping the Necromorphs in check! If you take it away, you could end up spreading this madness to the whole system!" Isaac yells in anger before firing a shot at the glass, only for it to leave no mark. He could only growl in anger as Kendra laughed.

"Nice try, but the glass is more sturdy than that. And besides, you're calling me insane? Have the three of you looked in the mirror? You're just as insane as Mercer and Kyne." Kendra bites back with amusement.

"What are you talking about!?" Sora asks, equally annoyed as Kairi tries to cast a Gravity spell, only to find her mana supply has not yet recharged. Kendra seemed to ponder Sora's question before going back to fiddle with her gun.

"Exactly as I said. All of you are insane. I heard over the comms how the two of you were talking to a 'Riku' and 'Aqua', but no one was there. No vitals, no RiG, no signal. Nothing." Kendra reveals, confusing the two Key bearers. How could that be when they saw them themselves? And yet, they had both acted strange in every single encounter. But Kendra was not done as she turned her gaze to Isaac. "As for you, Isaac, I would tell you about Nicole, but I think I'll let her video spell it out for you. I'll even let it finish for you."

Before he could ask, the video flared to life, almost like Kendra willed it. Sora and Kairi stood on either side as it played, Nicole's face filled with sadness, dread, acceptance and grief.

"Isaac, it's me. I wish I could talk to you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything. I wish I could just… talk to someone. It's all falling apart here. I can't believe what's happening! It's strange… such a little thing." She glances down, taking a deep breath, before focusing her gaze on the camera. "In the end, it all comes down to this little thing…." She reveals an object she had been holding in her hands. One that made the trio's eyes widen in horror.

It was a syringe.

"No way…" Sora mumbles

"She can't have…." Kairi whispers.

But Isaac said nothing, his eyes focused on Nicole as she held the syringe over her wrist, the needle pointed at a vein.

"I didn't want it to end like this. I really wanted to see you again, just once. I loved you. I always, loved you." And with that, she injects the needle into her wrist. Instantly the effects of, whatever was in it kicked in, as visible pain flared across Nicole's face as she grunted in pain. All Isaac could do, was watch as the life left her eyes, as tears fell down from his on. He said nothing, all but putting his hand on the face of his helmet as he took a deep sigh. Sora and Kairi placed their own hands on his arms, each wanting to say something, anything, but finding no words to say.

Except for one person, that was.

"See? You're insane! Just like Kyne. Just like the captain. Even just like the couple standing with you right now!" Kendra says with a certain glee in her voice. "Nicole has been dead this whole time. What the three of you were seeing was caused by that. You were its pawns. But don't worry, it will be in a good place. Goodbye, you three, and enjoy your last moments of sanity. If you have any left, that is." And with that, she runs off, the Marker following closely behind her. Sora and Kairi glare at her as she runs, their hands still on Isaac's shoulder, slight tremors radiating from him. Until the hand on his visor curls into a fist.

"Leave us to die? Yeah, fucking right." Isaac snarls before spinning around to the exit door. "I can grieve about Nicole later, but right now, we need to get off the piece of shit of a planet. I am not going to let any of us die!" He forcefully empties the spent Plasma Pack before ramming a new one in. Sora and Kairi stare in silence before nodding at Isaac, their gaze hidden.

Unfortunately, the route back was covered in biomass, slowing them down to a crawl, even as they tried to sprint. The glass canopy covering the route was itself covered in growth as the ground began to rumble and quake, as rocks fell from the sky in increasing intervals. Exiting the corridor, they enter the control room for the platform, bursting into a sprint as they exit the building. But just as they reached the pad, a violent earthquake sent the three of them to the ground as they saw Kendra sprint up the ramp leading to the shuttle. The Marker was parked in front of it, ready to be loaded. Kendra spotted the group, her eyes widening in surprise. But before she could quip at them, a giant Tentacle made itself known.

But unlike the ones they had faced before, this one was covered in bone-like armour, with no visible weakness. Kendra stares at it in horror before running to the shuttle's entrance, only for the tentacle to whip her in the stomach, sending her RiG into yellow as she tumbles onto the platform. She struggles to stand as the limb hovers above her like a bird of prey before falling down on her like a rock.

Kendra gives out a scream as it falls towards her, only to be cut off as she is flattened into the ground. To add insult to injury, the limb wipes her across the floor like a cloth before flinging her flattened corpse into the flight control room, limbs and blood splattering everywhere. While the trio rise to their feet, the ground beings to quake again as another tentacle appears from the creator, encircling them and blocking their path to the shuttle.

With hands gripping on their weapons like iron, the three stay silent as the quakes worsen before the Hive Mind reveals itself in all its hideous glory, howling to the sky as it awakens from its slumber. It soon turns its head towards them, its mouth full of teeth located at its centre, while five glowing sacks, most lily its eyes, glaring down at them from above. Behind it, the piece of land falls towards them, engulfed in white and yellow flames as it hurtles towards them.

"You two ever faced something this big before?" Isaac asks as he looks at the Hive Mind, fear and adrenaline filling his veins in equal measure.

"A few times, and this won't be any different!" Sora yells as he settles into his old familiar stance, Kairi mirroring him in equal determination.

"Let's beat this and head home!" Kairi cries before aiming her Keyblade forward. "Blizzard!" With a shout, a chunk of ice zooms towards the Hive Mind, slamming into one of the sacks and blinding it in that eye. It rears its head back in pain as it uses two of its tentacles to smash into them. Sora activates Reflect, deflecting the strike, as Isaac opens up with his Cutter, landing several shots into one of the sacks before destroying it.

Angered by this defiance, the Hive Mind spits up, much to the group's displeasure, several Necromorphs to fight them, ranging from Slashers to Pregnants. While dealing with these, the Hive Mind increased the frequency of its attacks, not caring about smashing its own creations. As it rested from its attack, Sora unleashed a blast of fire toward the Hive Mind, destroying another eye.

"Alright! Three down, two to gooooooOOOOOOOO!?" Isaac cries in surprise as the Hive Mind grabs him by the foot before dangling him above its mouth. "I AM NOT GOING TO BE A CHEW TOY!" Isaac yells before blasting, as much as he can, at the remaining eyes on the Hive Mind's face. Seeing Isaac in trouble, Sora and Kairi activate their gliders before dashing off to help. The Hive Mind sees them before swinging several of its limbs toward them, forcing them to dodge and weave as the Hive Mind seeks to bring them down.

But it was the distraction that Isaac needed as he managed to destroy another eye. But that only causes the Hive Mind to look back at him, lowering him closer to its mouth. When it looked like Isaac was about to become food, Sora zoomed in and grabbed him, pulling him free of the Hive Mind's grip. The moment he did, Kairi blasted the final eye with thunder, robbing the Hive Mind of its sight.

In a fury, it roars in anger, the shock wave knocking the trio to the ground. And just in time, as it swings its arms around in a blind fury, unaware that they were now back on the ground.

"Now what?! It's still alive even after we took out its eyes!" Kairi yells as they dodge a random limb. Isaac growls before glancing above them, the chunk of crust getting closer. He could feel sweat dripping down his forehead before glancing at the Hive Mind's chest. A cavity had opened to his surprise and delight, revealing a dozen glowing pods.

That must be its organs! We take those out, and this thing is history! He looks at the couple, their gaze fixed on the limbs as they slam down around them. I only hope they know a big enough spell. "Sora! Kairi! There is a cavity in its chest that holds its organs! Destroy them, and this thing is toast!"

The two look at Isaac before glancing at the Hive Mind; its chest was glowing against its bony skin. The two look at each other, a silent conversation passing between them before nodding.

"Okay, Isaac. Best step back, though. There is something Kairi and I have wanted to try all year, and this will be a good enough time as ever!" Hearing the determination in his voice, Isaac stood behind them, cutter aimed at the chest to help guide them as the Hive Mind swung in wild abandon. Soon, embers and ice begin building up around the couple's Keys, growing in intensity and quantity before they become like a mini sun and a mini blizzard. Their arms could be seen shaking from holding whatever power they were channelling as they waited for the perfect moment. Soon, the Hive Mind stopped thrashing, seemingly tiring itself out.

It was now, or nether.

"NOW!"

"MEGAFARE!" Sora screams as the mini sun screams forward, flames trailing behind as it is engulfed in orange plasma.

"DIAMOND DUST!" Kairi screams as the miniature blizzard howls ahead, a trail of frost and snow trailing behind.

The Hive Mind seemed to hear them as it turned its head towards them. But that only made its cavity more open to the twin magical attack. The moment the magic struck, it was all over. Two of the highest tiers of magic colliding simultaneously in a confined space tore apart the inside of the Hive Mind, going so far as to even shoot outside it back, tearing its skeletal armour apart. The side held no better, only bearly containing the force of the explosion while some of the combined magic blasts out of its mouth.

With its organ gone, the Hive Mind collapses forward, forcing the trio to run back to avoid getting crushed as its dead body falls upon the pad. With a loud crash, the Hive Mind collides with the ground before sliding off the end, dragged down to the abyss by its own weight. Luckily, the limb blocking their access to the shuttle falls with it.

"MOVE!" Isaac screams as he runs for the shuttle. Despite winded from using Megaflare and Diamond Dust, Sora and Kairi rush after him with a burst of Second Wind. Rushing up the platform, a strong quake rocks them, almost knocking them off as Isaac drops his Cutter. But he doesn't care as he sprints inside the shuttle to the cockpit. Not caring about the procedure, he punches in command after command as Sora and Kairi stand next to him. They grasp the seat as the shuttle blasts off from the port, screaming past the chuck of crust as they leave the planet's gravity.

The last thing they saw of Aegis 7 was a flash of light as the crust collided with the planet's surface.

Silence filled the shuttle as it flew silently in space; the lights inside dimmed down to the lowest. Only the lights on the pilot seat fill the glow of the room, as Isaac, with great weariness, removes his helmet. Blood was splattered on the left side of his head, mixing into this short dark greying hair. More minor specks cling to his stubby beard, as his eyes look heavy with relief, sadness and guilt.

"Isaac, you okay?" Kairi asks as she and Sora walk up to him. The two had removed their helmets, revealing the dried blood on their face, on Kairi's right cheek and on the right side of Sora's head. Isaac looks at them both before heaving a weary sigh, pinching the brow before his face.

"Yeah… I'll be fine." He says, though there is a pain in his voice. "You know, it's strange. I thought learning that Nicole is dead would have hurt more, but… It didn't. Almost like, I already knew she was dead." Sora and Kairi say nothing as Isaac turns to look at the terminal. "Maybe it's still setting in, and it hasn't registered yet. But at the moment, all I can do is live. It's what she would have wanted after all…."

"I'm sure that's what she would have wanted as well, Isaac." Sora replies before sighing heavily. "It's not right, to be separated from the ones you love. Especially if you never had the chance to give them a proper goodbye."

"Yeah. It does hurt. I won't lie." Isaac replies before turning to look at Sora. He was just about to ask something before the message from Nicole began to play. With a heavy heart, Isaac turns it off before it can start, before activating a beacon for someone to find them.

Until they heard the sound of metal creaking behind them.

"What was that?" Kairi asks nervously, hand ready to summon Destiny's Embrace as Sora readies to summon Kingdom Key. Isaac narrows his eyes into the darkness before them, thinking his eyes are playing tricks on him as three figures seem to materialise in the dark.

The last thing they saw was the reanimated bodies of Nicole, Riku and Aqua screaming into their faces with white eyes as Marker symbols flashed across their eyes before their consciousness slipped away.

And so we end on a cliff-hangers. And so it will remain for a bit, jumping back to Emblematic Hearts for a bit before starting DS 2's plot.

Also, fun fact. If you take the first letter of each chapter (not the prologue) It will spell out 'Nicole is Dead'.