The screen flickered for a bit before the author appeared, browsing what to watch on a tablet before the author notices you and puts the tablet away.
*Hey guys Hakuorofan7 here and welcome back to another chapter of From No One to Someone.*
*I'll keep this short, but in this chapter Aqua and Roxas discover the truth about what Terra did in Enchanted Domain, Vanitas and Maleficent enact their plan yet things doen't exactly follow it, and finally Roxas, Aqua, and Ven find themselves being drawn into conflicts with dangerous opponents on most fronts. Anyway I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.*
*But first I do not own Kingdom Hearts.*
*Secondly just sit back, relax, and enjoy some music. I will see you all at the end of the chapter.*
The author snaps his fingers as the screen turns to static as the chapter begins.
Wings of the Dark Fey
"So why aren't you involving this Queen Ingrith against Maleficent? If you can get her kingdom's help you would have an easier time repelling the Unversed. Especially with their king being under her curse?" Aqua asked Stefan with a frown as they walked up the tower's steps.
After she and Roxas had arrived to the castle, King Stefan had brought them in and was taking them to what Terra wanted him to show them. Only making a stop to greet his wife Queen Leah and friend King Hubert of Ulstead in a room set up at the base of the tower he was leading the two Keyblade wielders up.
Whatever it was, the king had mainly been silent about what had he wished to show them, but was letting more details slipped on what was going on. Alongside noticing how empty the castle was and the rooms pack with those that have fallen asleep to the curse, tended by those still awake.
Including the identity of this Maleficent.
Aqua without meeting her could tell that this fairy must have a heart blacker than even Lady Tremaine's own. Surpassed only by Vanitas himself, believing the only reason a blight on the world like herself had gone unnoticed due to the lack of Keyblade warriors and she mainly sticks to her own domain most of the time.
Otherwise she would have been eradicated long ago.
But the Keyblade Master had a feeling on what Stefan would be showing him based on the news of the curse, Terra telling Stefan to look for her or Master Eraqus, and Roxas mainly being silent as they walked through the castle.
She hoped to Kingdom Hearts that she was wrong about it, but with what Aqua had noticed so far the possibility was grim…
"Normally I would, Ingrith would gladly welcome the chance to get rid of Maleficent. But I know that she would ask for the Moors for reparations and I fear what the next thing she would do to Hubert if he refused to follow her demands if that were to happen. Ingrith is the second most spiteful person I have met and the only one that I wished to have never meant." Stefan said with a sigh. "And the one thing myself and Maleficent agree on that handing the Moors to Ingrith would only lead to even more despair."
Hearing this surprised both Keyblade wielders, especially Roxas.
Not only did Stefan, whose daughter and kingdom Maleficent cursed agreed with her on something yet there was something else she seemed to care for enough besides her raven Diablo.
"And what exactly that would be?" Roxas asked, speaking for the first time in awhile.
"The Moors while are mostly in Maleficent's territory are actually neutral ground. The Moors are home to fairies and other such creatures along with invaluable treasures and resources most men would go their entire lives without seeing. I am one of the lucky few to have seen and lived there for a time, no man has taken a single step in the Moors for around 20 years. Which may have been for the best. My predecessor King Henry tried to invade it twice over, leading to many deaths including his own. Ingrith would, no she will take it over and eradicate whatever dwells in the Moors." Stefan said, getting both Aqua and Roxas to stare at each other.
Both Keyblade wielders came to the same conclusion, they had arrived onto this world at best possible time.
The possible eradication of a place like the Moors would throw the balance of the world in disarray. Especially if such a place held the location to the heart of Enchanted Domain. The Unversed and Maleficent was one such thing, but something like that might risk plunging chaos onto the world.
And the worst case Roxas could think of was such an event creating an opening for the Heartless into the Realm of Light.
Aqua and Roxas continued to follow Stefan in silence, not sure on what to say as they came to the end of the stairs and at a door.
"Behind this door lies the reason why Terra chose to tell me about you. The proof of his sin, or rather the lack of it. Along with my own." Stefan said grimly, opening the door to reveal the sleeping form of Aurora on a bed. She looked practically the same from when Roxas had seen her through Sora's memories.
Except for the lack of a heart.
For a moment Roxas just stood there, before both he and Stefan were forced to cover their eyes as a bright light covered the room.
It died down a moment later, but there were multiple flickers of light around Aqua as she was kneeling around Aurora.
She looked over the cursed princess, trying to sense for anything, casting Scan on her, even physically checking to see if there was a pulse. Aurora was still alive, but her heart was gone.
Terra had taken her heart.
Light flashed off Aqua again at the realization of what he had done, before remembering what Roxas had said and Terra had warned Stefan of what happened. She took a few breaths as the light faded around her.
Terra had not fallen to the darkness thankfully, but he had committed a great mistake. One that she was set out to fix.
Aqua was going to give Terra a piece of her mind the next time she saw him.
The Keyblade Master broke herself out of her thoughts, turning to see Stefan standing against the wall looking at her warily. And Roxas looking at her with concern as he slowly approached her, Oathkeeper in hand.
Before she could even ask, the tip glowed green and she saw a green aura cover her arm. Healing up a small burn on her arm.
Aqua was surprised by this before shaking her head.
She had not been burned by her own light before, nor had she heard from here own Master about such a thing happening.
Yet she would focus on about that after they restored the balance of Enchanted Domain. Aqua would just have to keep her light in check, if not focused on using it to exterminate the Unversed.
"Thank you Roxas, I'll be alright. Going to give Terra some choice words the next time I see him." Aqua said, getting the Nobody to nod at her.
It seemed that she had calmed down, but Roxas would still keep an eye on her. Especially since he had just seen what her own light could do if she lost control of it.
"Sorry about that Your Highness I was just upset of my friend being tricked by Maleficent into doing this?" Aqua said, getting Stefan to nod shakily. "So what do you knoe to have happend earlier with Terra?"
"it was only two-three days ago when I woke up along with about half the kingdom, the entire castle and surrounding lands had been put to sleep by Aurora's guardians is what Terra and I believed. Most likely to spare myself and Leah the grief of all we had sacrificed to prevent Maleficent's curse from taking effect. No doubt Maleficent had lifted the spell on me to suffer, knowing that all these years were wasted." Stefan said, clenching his fists. "If that wasn't enough I woke up to see that one of those Unversed as you called them attack. In the shape of a giant spindle wheel, most likely by her design."
At that mention both Aqua and Roxas shared a look and came to a grim understanding.
It was like with Lady Tremaine again, but Vanitas might have actually some involvement with Maleficent.
Given what the ancient Keyblade wielder had pulled in Castle of Dreams, whatever he was planning on doing here, and from what Roxas knew about Maleficent's history with Ansem it did not paint a good picture of what could happen here.
"Did Terra ever tell you about someone named Vanitas?" Roxas asked Stefan, getting the king to shake his head.
"He did but there had been no sign of him since the Unversed first plagued these lands, or after Maleficent's curse came into effect." He sighed out. "Whatever he is involved I have no idea, but I had first met Terra after he saved myself and Hubert from being attacked by the beast. Shortly before defeating it. It took a while to get answers from him as he wished to show me what happened, first I had to stifle the chaos caused by Maleficent."
"I can imagine, myself and Roxas hadn't been here long but we had seen how the curse had affected one of the villages in your kingdom." Aqua said with a frown.
"Indeed, it was and still is quite the mess. Terra helped were he could, but there wasn't much he could do. He showed me what happened to Aurora…and I will admit I almost lashed out at the young man after he explained everything. The first time I see my daughter in 15 years she is cursed and had her heart stolen." Stefan said while letting out an aggravated sigh. "But he was tricked by Maleficent and his guilt was clear as day. In the end Terra was just another victim of her hatred towards myself…"
"And makes you think of that?" Roxas asked tersely.
"Because I betrayed and mutilated her for my own ambitions and for 20 years not a day has past since I regretted it." Stefan admitted grimly, surprising both Keyblade wielders while Roxas had frowned at him.
If what Stefan was saying was true, than nearly that would happen in the next 9 years dealing with the Heartless he had indirectly caused.
So many worlds lost to darkness including this one under Maleficent started from something that he did.
Even if did happen in just this timeline and not this own, this man was indirectly responsible for so much pain and suffering on the worlds years from the future.
It was this fact alone and Aqua's presence here that Roxas didn't make his displeasure known to the king.
But that didn't stop the light around him to flicker briefly before dissipating.
"What exactly did you do?" Aqua said with a pointed glare.
Stefan sighed as he shook his head.
"I cut off her wings. In King Henry's last attempt to invade the Moors, Maleficent fatally injured him. He offered his crown and daughter's hand for whoever would kill Maleficent before his death. I was just a servant of his at the time, but myself and Maleficent had spent much time together in the Moors…" Stefan said sadly.
"And instead of killing her you just cut off her wings all for a throne." Roxas said coldly, tightening his grip on Oathkeeper.
"I did, after using her trust in me to drug her. No matter what I could not kill her, so I took her wings and secured the throne for myself. Ending King Henry's ambition for the Moors and inviting Maleficent's wrath upon my people. I will admit that I was a fool back then…that decision cost me dearly and twisted Maleficent into what she is today." Stefan said wearily, looking years older as he looked at his slumbering daughter.
Both Keyblade wielders looked at the king wearily, he was responsible for everything on Enchanted Domain that wasn't tied to the Unversed.
They kept their eyes on Stefan and their sense fixed on his heart, trying to discern what he could do. The only thing that they could tell after a short while from the man was that his heart was weighed down heavily by his own grief.
"Things between you and Maleficent have progressed so far that even if you had offered her wings back years ago, she would reject them. Everything she has done to your kingdom was out of spite towards you." Aqua said evenly, getting Stefan to let out a dry, hollow chuckle.
"Terra was right about you, he almost said the same thing verbatim. I tried to give them back to Maleficent years before she cursed Aurora, saying that she would find them and take them back herself once she was sure that I had suffered enough. Evidentially all these years later Maleficent still strives to make the kingdom suffer from my mistake and she had yet to find where I put her wings. Or she has and can't get them." Stefan sighed out.
"And where exactly did you out them?" Roxas asked.
"An iron case in the castle, fairies are weak to iron and it is immune to their magic." Stefan said, with Roxas noting that fact down.
If that was in fact the rule of the fairies tied to this world, then Maleficent would still carry such a trait even off world.
He was broken from his musings as Aqua spoke up.
"We will take back your daughter's heart and deal with Maleficent in order to lift her curse on your kingdom, but not to fix the mistakes you made." She said sternly, getting Stefan to nod.
"Terra summarized as much." He said, getting Aqua to smile a little.
While he still made a pretty big mistake and was struggling to balance the darkness in his heart, Terra was still a Keyblade wielder at his core.
"Was there anything else Terra told you about Aurora's heart, it would help." Aqua said.
"Terra mentioned that it was a heart of pure light, he said that it would help." Stefan said, pride filling his tone.
"It certainly would, if we were to remove it from where Maleficent is keep it should return to Aurora. But it will not undo Maleficent's curse." Aqua said, internally groaning while Roxas nodded.
She figured that was the case, but just had to be sure.
She and Terra had learned about this from their Master, a heart of pure light could be returned or taken from it's original body by a Keyblade wielder. But only a Master could safely do it, and she had taken what he had said about trying to remove parts of the heart.
Yet Terra was able to successfully remove a heart of pure light when he wasn't even a Keyblade Master and was tricked into doing so. If he wasn't struggling with the darkness they both would have become Masters. Terra could have even restored Aurora's heart by himself.
But she suspected that he didn't was becasue Terra was probably afraid he would mess things up once again or his darkness would affect Aurora's heart. It was only speculation, but she would have to ask Terra herself the next time she saw him.
"I know but it would be a start, the only other thing that Terra said was he was leaving to seek either you, your master, or a Master Xehanort on this matter. Saying that he heard from Maleficent that she heard him discussing about pure hearts in the kingdom. That is all I can provide." Stefan said, surprising both Roxas and Aqua.
"So he was hear and Maleficent heard him talking this?" Roxas asked with a frown, getting the king to nod.
"Terra did say that, along with that he had disappeared and you were looking for him as well." Stefan said.
"We were, but why would he be here in the first place?" Aqua inquired, getting Stefan to shake his head.
Both Keyblade wielders grew a little wary about this information, especially Roxas as he had sensed that Xehanort was using some kind of false light to mask his heart from the other Keyblade wielders.
Now he finds out that the same Keyblade Master was here before everything went wrong with somewhere with Maleficent.
That revelation didn't sit well with either Aqua or Roxas. With the later beginning to contemplate that there was possibly more going on Enchanted Domain besides whatever Vanitas was planning…
A loud piercing shriek rang out through the air, getting everyone in the room to cover their ears from how loud it was.
Aqua was the first to regain her barrings and rushed to the window to observe what was going on. Only to hastily erected a barrier around herself as several projectiles embedded in the wall around her, one deflecting off her barrier and clanging onto the windowsill.
Looking at it the projectile looked to be a feather shaped object that was pitch black, the tip and edges glowing violet.
She quickly found the source of it as Roxas and Stefan joined her looking out the window.
It was a large griffon like Unversed flying through the air. It's skin was mainly black with purple markings lining it's frame, the Unversed emblem appearing on it's chest and stretching to it's underbelly. It's large wings were as dark as night with with purple highlights matching that of feathers that impacted wall before. It's red eyes set in a joyous expression as it let out a loud screech.
Down below the three of them could see guards fighting sword, spear, and shield against a swarm of Floods, Scrappers, and Bruisers. They seemed to be in stalemate with each other as massive brambles of thorns began to crawl up the towers.
The castle was under an invasion and the most concerning part is what Roxas and Aqua could sense at the castle's gates.
A heart practically seeping in darkness that Aqua surprised Aqua only a little, due to it being much darker than Lady Tremaine's own. But both she and Roxas knew who it was.
Maleficent was invading the castle.
"So she has finally decided to make her move. I assume you believe that she is controlling the Unversed." Stefan said as Aqua summoned Rainfall as bramble began to cover the window.
"Actually that would be me." Hearing that, both Keyblade wielders turned themselves around to train their weapons against Vanitas as he stood in front of Aurora. Stefan widened his eyes in surprise which turned to anger as he reached for his chain.
None of them made a move yet due to how close he was to the princess.
"So you decided to form an aliance with Maleficent then?" Roxas asked, getting Vanitas to chuckle.
"More of an agreement to get what we want first, I'm just upholding my end of it." Vanitas said before turning to face Stefan and have him a mock bow. "Don't worry your highness, Aurora and most of your subjects will be safe as long as they stay in their rooms. Can't promise about your guards though. Anyway I'll be in the throne room with Maleficent, if you want to end this soon you better hurry. She doesn't have the same tolerance towards your subject's lives that I do."
Before anyone could do anything, Vanitas opened up a Corridor at his feet and slipped through it before closing.
"If that is the case we best not to keep them waiting for long!" Stefan said before he charged out of Aurora's room, getting both Aqua and Roxas to look at eachother.
"Roxas, we need to make sure to stay close to Stefan. He might be experienced, but from what we've seen of Maleficent's magic he stands no chance." Aqua said as the Nobody rushed ahead down the stairs followed by herself.
"Neither would we alone, especially with Vanitas." He added mostly truthful, getting her to nod.
From what he could sense, the strength of Maleficent's heart was weaker than when she had encountered Sora after he merged with his Somebody. Which was expected given the nearly 11 year gap. But she was still pretty dangerous.
Add in the risk of her targeting Stefan or Vanitas jumping in to assist her things could easily go wrong.
Aqua was having similar thoughts to Roxas. If they were to comfort the two of them alongside Kier the Keyblade Master wasn't sure what the outcome would be. Especially if he called in the
But she was determined to deal with all three with them and if possible take out Maleficent. Judging by he current actions and possible information regarding other worlds, she was an active threat to the balance of Enchanted Domain and more if allowed to continue.
The Unversed under Vanitas might be the greater threat, but Maleficent was shaping up to grow into one to the worlds if given a chance.
She cleared her head noticing something out of the window. Aqua jumped in front of Roxas and pulled up her barrier to block a volley of feathers from the gryphon like Unversed.
It let out an annoyed growl as it noticed the tips of Rainfall and Oathkeeper poking out the window.
"Triple Firaga!""Aerora!" Both Keyblade wielders casted, the spells racing towards the Unversed.
Most of them missed as the Unversed took a dive, but it let out a growl as one fireball managed to land directly in it's face before flying out of range.
"Looks like it is best to just cast spells out of any windows we come across." Aqua stated as she watched the Unversed let out screech as it disappeared from view.
It only seemed to be focused on them for now and not on the guards fighting down below, something the Keyboade Master was thankful for. She doubted they could stand against an Unversed like that.
"Agreed." Roxas said, before hearing a rattling sound and continued down the tower with Aqua.
They quickly caught up to Stefan, the king cornered on the steps by a pair of Floods and Scrappers. One of the Floods wrapped in the chain and slammed into a Scrapper, dazing them both.
"Took you both long enough." Stefan said as he used the chain to black a strike from a Scrapper's claws. He struggled for a bit before Roxas threw his Keyblade, instantly felling the Unversed.
Aqua launched a bolt of lightning from her Keyblade that felled another Scrapper and a Flood. The final Flood charged at Stefan, but swung his chain at it. The Unversed hit a wall before it vanished in a puff of darkness.
"I assume that was a trap for then, along with Unversed outside." Aqua stated as all three of them resumed down the tower's stairs.
"Not sure about that one, but there was five of those monstrosities lying in wait. Managed to defeat one of the smaller ones before you two arrived. I was not sure for how much longer I could last against the remaining four." Stefan admitted sounding a little ragged.
Any hopes of not encountering any more of the Unversed were quickly dashed as a Bruiser emerged from in front of him and a pair of Floods sprang from the wall behind them.
Aqua summoned her barrier and the Unversed bounced off it while Roxas stepped in front of Stefan and deflected a blow meant for the king.
"Then I would suggest that you get behind me." Roxas said as the Bruiser stepped back.
"There is some more Unversed on the way." Aqua said as the Floods picked themselves up.
"I figured as much, that won't stop me." Stefan said, stepping behind Roxas as he brandished his chain.
True to Aqua's words both Keyblade wielders sensed another six Unversed appeared. Roxas looked to the ceiling to see four Floods and two Scrappers crawling on top. With a pair of Floods and a Scapper dropping down on either side of the trio.
The Floods where the first to attack, jumping forward. Only for a pair of them to be cut down by Roxas and Aqua, while a third one was wrapped up in Stefan's chain and slammed into another one. Before being defeated as it was once again slammed into the ground before being whipped by the chain.
Another Flood tried to jump at him, but Stefan smack it with his chain before wrapping it around the Unversed. Before slamming it into the claws of a Scrapper that tried to strike Roxas in the back as he deflected the blow from the Bruiser.
"Triple Blizzaga!" Aqua casted, blasting three ice shards and freezing a Flood solid and a Scrapper to the tower's wall. Before rushing forward to finish them off with her Keyblade.
Stefan struggled to block the Scrapper with his change and grunted as it's claws scratched his armor. Only to falter as Roxas blasted it with a fireball before cutting back into the Bruiser. The king took the chance to wrap his chain around the Unversed's arms and neck. As it struggled about, Stefan drew his sword and rammed it into it's chest.
"Thank you for the assist." Stefan said as the Scrapper faded away.
"No problem, but you might want to step back. Thunder!" Roxas casted, launching a chain of lightning bolts that shocked the Bruiser and finished off the last of the Floods. The Nobody cut into the Unversed a few more times with Oathkeeper before it was finally defeated.
"I suggest that you stay between us for now Your Highness." Aqua said, getting Stefan to nod as he sheathed his sword.
There could be more ambushes along the way or anything else Vanitas or Maleficent could have come up with.
"Very well than, Roxas would you lead the way than?" Stefan said as the Nobody switched out Oathkeeper for Destiny Rewritten.
"Certainly." Roxas said, keeping in guard as they resumed their track down the stairs.
He could sense both Maleficent and Vanitas in the throne room, the large Unversed in the air, and no hearts of the people in the castle vanishing. Though he could tell that there was a bunch of them fleeing the castle in droves and so was Aqua.
So it seemed like Vanitas was using the Unversed to either cause the people inside the castle to either flee or hold them hostage.
Given that Vanitas's goals were still unknown and Maleficent might just make things worse for the kingdom out of spite, Roxas could safely assure things were shaping to possibly be worse than Hollow Bastion was for Sora.
"Now didn't I tell you that will feel cathartic." Vanitas said as a small explosion rang out in the throne room.
"Indeed, though it isn't as satisfying as what I will do to Stefan." Maleficent sighed out as she stroked Diablo while sitting in Leah's throne.
Having reduced Stefan's throne to a ruined, flaming wreck several times over at this point.
"You'll get your cracks in soon, we all will." Vanitas said as he observed a group of Scrappers carrying several guards outside the throne room and towards outside the castle if they could.
They had rushed in hoping to stop the two of them from desecrating the throne room.
It went about as well as he thought that it was going to be.
Still he was only going to knock them out and have his Unversed try and scaring everyone away, leaving those helping to escort people outside of the castle alone. Heck he even created the Gryfiend for intimidation alongside air support and incase Roxas or Aqua get any ideas to attack from above.
Any normal person would held for cover at a gryphon like monster firing razor sharp feathers at them, but Vanitas had to give Stefan's guards credit for them not backing down.
Either way the ancient Keyblade wielder was trying to get as many people away from Maleficent as possible.
He wouldn't put it past the fairy to try and do something to the citizens of this kingdom out of spite for Stefan.
Speaking of which.
"They should be here soon enough, but it seems like I have knock some sense into some more guards." Vanitas said as he summoned Void Gear.
"Of which I can not wait for. Yet I am going to have to ask that you hold your monstrosity at bay for a few moments longer." Maleficent said with a grin.
"Please tell me you are not going to gloat at him." Vanitas said sarcastically.
"Nothing like that, merely a warm up. It has been far too long since I have been able to fight without discomfort." Maleficent said as she got up from the throne, Diablo rustling his wings.
"So you want the chance to stretch out a bit, fair enough I suppose. I will just deal with our uninvited guests first." Vanitas said, summoning a few Scrappers around him as a bunch of guards burst into the throne room.
Brandishing their shields and swords as Vanitas and his Unversed rushed forward to attack them.
"At least your people seem safe enough for now." Aqua sighed out as she and Roxas kept an eye out for anymore Unversed while Stefan tried to reassure several of his subjects as they were carrying a few people under the curses effect.
Just as Roxas had thought, the Unversed were mainly leaving those unarmed or unconscious alone. Heck they even saw a Scrapper cut through a thorny vine to free some trapped civilians before it attacked them.
The same could not be said for a majority of the guards or the three of them. The only time that they didn't attack a guard was if they were protecting those unarmed.
In the tower alone both he and Aqua had to fire spells out of the window to prevent that flying Unversed from attacking them and were ambushed by small swarms of Floods twice after their first ambush.
After the tower they were just attacked by very few Unversed at all, usually just a single one or a pair confronting them.
The castle grounds were mostly vacant of them, the large gryphon like Unversed still patroling the skies. Keeping out of their spell's reach and flying off for a little bit before returning. Always seemed like that it was just to keep an eye on them and any attempts to go after them result in an Unversed jumping in to attack while it flew away.
Aqua and Roxas decided to save that Unversed for later as their main concern right now was with Vanitas and Maleficent. With the ancient Keyblade wielder's Unversed where mainly geared to slowing them down or scaring away everyone else in the castle, that would leave Maleficent as the main threat they would have to worry about as from what they heard and what Stefan and Roxas knew that she had no such qualms against them.
She would show no mercy to anyone in her wake.
Both Roxas and Aqua were thankful that they could sense that a good number of people had evacuated the castle already. Besides a group of people they sensed fleeing the throne room, these were the closest to danger.
The less chance any of them get caught up in the crossfire, the better.
"For now they are. Yet I do not know for how much longer with Maleficent or this Vanitas as I heard he has already dealt with enough of my guards. He has had his monsters dumping those knocked out outside the castle gates. I am afraid that it would only be us dealing with them." Stefan sighed out as he walked towards the Keyblade wielders. With all three of them beginning to approach the throne room.
"Although it is probably for the best that way." Roxas said. "But you probably would have preferred things to be this way already."
Stefan let out a laugh and grinned at the Nobody's words.
"Quite true, this kingdom and everyone in it has suffered enough from my mistake. I look forward to ending this quickly. But it will not be that easy." He sighed out.
"No it will not, especially since the two of them are there now." Aqua said sternly, keeping her eyes and senses trained at every shadow for the slightest sign of anything.
Wether it being any other Unversed or if Vanitas or Maleficent made themselves known first.
So she was glad that after a few minutes of walking they had arrived at the entrance of the throne room without any signs of the Unversed ambushing them. To find the doors had been thrown open with thorny briar off their hinges.
All threw of them brandished there weapons as the throne room revealed that it was now covered in thorny vines like a miniature forest. The very light in the room was all but nil, the only source being sunlight from the windows and the eyes of Floods among the thorns. They began to clamber down from the thorns towards them.
"Roxas cover us from behind incase there is more." Aqua said as she blasted a few of them back with a fire ball while Stefan swatted a pair of them aside.
Roxas took a step back before he felt his senses blaring and summoned Destiny Rewritten's barrier as he jumped behind Stefan's back.
Just as Maleficent's scepter crashed into it as she appeared in front of the Keyblade wielder in a flurry of green flames.
"Vanitas warned me about you two, it seems his words rang true." Maleficent said as the Floods began to fall back as she slammed the bottom of her staff against the ground. Roxas hurriedly dragging Stefan back as five massive thorny vines shot forward at blinding speed.
They grew to massive size, tearing apart the walls and any unlucky Floods caught up in their path. Aqua, Roxas, and Stefan managed to avoid being crushed by the vines yet now found themselves trapped in the throne room.
And Stefan yelled in pain as he was struck by a bolt of magic from Maleficent as she teleported directly in front of him.
"Yet neither of them nor your accursed armor will shield you from my wrath Stefan!" Maleficent yelled as she raised her scepter.
"Reflect!" "Thundaga Shot!" Roxas and Aqua casted at the same time, a barrier erecting around the three of them while the blast of lightning sailed towards Maleficent. She teleported away in a flurry of green flames before the spell could land. Yet it did manage to vaporize an unlucky Flood.
A bolt of lightning crashed against the barrier as Roxas casted a silent Cure on Stefan.
"Thanks lad." Stefan said, before a another bolt of lightning and a dark fireball crashed against the barrier.
"It's no problem." Roxas said as another barrage broke the barrier, both Maleficent and Vanitas making their presence known.
"I said for you not to interfere!" Maleficent said as she teleported out of the way of Stefan's chain and a fireball from Roxas. Vanitas blocked an ice shard from Aqua with Void Gear and redirected back at Aqua.
"You have a minute, besides I still need to get some payback on Aqua first!" Vanitas growled out as Aqua jumped towards him.
"Wishing Edge!" She casted, spinning towards the ancient Keyblade wielder and managed to land a hit in before he vanished. Aqua jumped out of the way as a dark ice shard impacted a briar and summoned her barrier to block another one. "I expected nothing less than you after what happened at the Castle of Dreams, but to ally yourself with someone like Maleficent!"
"Believe me we have an agreement and the feeling is mutual on both sides." Vanitas said as he barely dodged Aqua casting Triple Firaga.
As he unleashed another spell at Aqua, Maleficent barely teleported out of the way of Stefan's chain and Roxas's Destiny Rewritten once again.
The fairy had been teleporting in and out for the past few minutes inorder to avoid Stefan's chain or Roxas's attacks. Occasionally stopping only to let lose a bolt of lighting or to club either one of them with her scepter before she could be hit.
"Enough of this!" Maleficent said as she slammed her scepter down onto he ground raiseing some more thorny vines that whipped at the two of them.
Stefan grunted in pain as one such vine struck him in the chest and pushed him back into another one.
"Aerora!" Roxas casted, a wind lance cutting through the vines and one that was about to smash into Stefan.
Maleficent teleported behind the king, but yelled in pain as he managed to strike her with his chain before vanishing in a flurry of flames.
"Got her that time." Stefan muttered before hurriedly ducking for cover as a dark ice shard impacted were he previously was.
"That was meant for you." Vanitas said as he fired more ice shards at Aqua as she continued to dodge his spells. "Haste!"
The ancient Keyblade wielder picked up speed and began to slash at Aqua rapidly, with her barely managing to dodge his strikes. Fire forming at the tip of her Keyblade. She just needed a little more time.
Yet she never would receive it as Vanitas's Keyblade slammed into her stomach and sent her crashing into a thorny briar. Aqua winced held back from yelling in pain as Vanitas drew in close, but held onto her focus.
"Flame Salvo! Payback Surge!" Aqua casted, launching a few small fireballs and herself at Vanitas. He battered the fireballs aside, but was sent flying into the other side of the room and into a briar nearby Roxas and Stefan.
"Thundara!" Roxas casted, a curtain of lightning bolts spreading in fornt of him. Vanitas immediately jumped out of the way of the spell while Maleficent blasted a wave green flames before teleporting away.
Roxas summoned his Keyblade's barrier to shield himself and Stefan from the flames, although the barrier shattered.
Vanitas pounced at Aqua, who raised her barrier to defend against his strikes.
Meanwhile Maleficent teleported behind Roxas and blasted the Nobody with magic point blink at his back, vanishing into flames to avoid being struck by the iron chain. Which only hit Roxas instead.
"Sorry about that." Stefan said, before he held up his chain to black a strike from Maleficent's scepter before she teleported away from him with a growl. "Anyway to get her to stop that?"
"A few, Blizzaga!" Roxas casted, creating an ice mine around him as Maleficent teleported around him. The spell trapping her feet and scepter in ice.
"Do you really think that this will-" Maleficent was saying, only to yell and writhing in pain as Stefan's chain struck and wrapped around her.
"Just long enough to hold you down." Roxas said, training Destiny Rewritten's tip at the fairy. Wincing at the sight of her struggling in pain. The Nobody might have plenty of reasons to despise Maleficent, seeing the effects of iron on her, her yelling, and the smell of burnt flesh filling the air was not a pleasant sight.
Vanitas let out a growl before snapping his fingers, summoning two Red Hot Chilis above Roxas and Stefan before ducking into a Corridor of Darkness before Aqua could strike him with Rainfall.
Roxas backed off as they launched fireballs at the two of them and pulled back Stefan to avoid being hit. Maleficent fell to her hands and knees while trying to regain her barrings.
Before Vanitas grabbed her through a Corridor and brought her back to the thrones.
"Honestly this probably went about as well as I originally thought that it would." Vanitas said as the dark fairy stood back up as Aqua blasted one of the Red Hot Chili with a silent Water spell. "I suggest that keep your spite in check for a minute."
"Indeed you might be right." Maleficent groaned out as the end of her scepter began to spark. "But we do need to sun them first."
Vanitas chuckled as sparks gathered at the tip of Void Gear.
"Blizzard!" Roxas casted, downing the other Red Hot Chili with an ice shard before a chill doen his spin as Maleficent raised her scepter high into the air. A movement he had seen in Sora's memories and knew what it could mean.
"Aqua, Stefan stick close to me. Reflect!" The Nobody casted, creating a large barrier over the three of them before deploying Destiny Rewritten's barrier above him.
"What do you mean by that?" Aqua ask, noticing that the Floods hidden among the briars began to run away.
Yet it was only a moment later she got her answer.
"Thunder light and lightning strike!" Maleficent casted, a multitude of lightning bolts began to run down all around them. They struck at random and always a moment from after a group of lightning had stricken first.
It struck indiscriminately, burning down any briar in it's path or vanquishing an unlucky Flood. Although it could only seem to crack the barrier around the three with each stike.
Eventually the bolts of lightning began to become fewer in number as Vanitass raised his sparking Keyblade above his head.
"I have been waiting for a chance to try this spell out." He said before training Void Gear downwards. "Bolting!"
The sparks disappeared from the Keyblade's tip and for a moment a deafening silence ruled the throne room.
Before a rumbling noise filled the air.
"Reflect!" Roxas hastily casted, but it did little to help as three massive pillars of electricity smashed through the first barrier.
The second barrier didn't last that much longer before the spell tore through it as well and struck all three of them. Stefan was the first to yell out in pain with Roxas joining him as his Keyblade's barrier was shattered as well. Aqua was able to maintain hold of her own barrier, but barely and was struggling to keep it up.
Just as soon as the lightening had struck, it dissipated. Aqua dropped her barrier and quickly went to check on Roxas and Stefan while Vanitas panted a little.
"Took more out of me than I thought." Vanitas said as he straightened himself out.
"Perhaps, but I must say that it had the desired effects though." Maleficent said with a grin at seeing Stefan's condition as both Roxas and Aqua helped him up.
"Curaga!" The Nobody casted, creating a healing field around all three of them before pulling out an ether and potion from his bag. "You should really take this." He said while handing the king the potion.
"Thanks lad." Stefan groaned out before downing the potion and staring at Vanitas and Maleficent.
Stefan was sure that if it wasn't for Roxas's barriers he would have been killed. His armor would have protected him from Maleficent's magic, but it did little to nothing against Vanitas's own. He was out of his depths here, but he couldn't back down. Not with his daughter's heart and his subject's safety on the line.
Aqua silently casted Cure on the both of them to speed up the healing, glaring at Vanitas and Maleficent. Wisps of darkness forming in the later's hand.
"Looks like everything is ready. Kier smash the case open." Vanitas said.
'On it my liege!' He heard the sentient Unversed replied gleefully mentally.
"Stefan out of everything you have done since you cut off my wings with that very chain, there is actually something that I should be thanking you for." Maleficent spat out hatefully before she began to grin that unnerved all three of them.
"And what would that be?" Stefan asked coldly while tightening his grip on the chain.
Aqua noticed something starting to appear behind them and began to reach for her armor.
"For keeping my wings safe for all these years!" Maleficent yelled with a grin.
"Hasteza!" Vanitas casted, vanishing in a blur of speed as a Corridor of Darkness opened up behind Roxas. The Nobody barely had anytime to brace himself as he felt Vanitas grab a hold of him.
Only for Aqua in her Keyblade armor to push him aside and slam Rainfall into Vanitas's helmet. With her pushing herself and the ancient Keyblade wielder into the Corridor.
"You will not take him away from me again." Aqua said coldly before they both disappeared into the Corrridor.
"Aqua!" Roxas called out as he rushed towards the Corridor, only to back up as a pair of objects shot out of the Corridor.
Followed soon by a white Unversed that resembled a Flood the size of a Shadow Heartless with golden eyes. It jumped out of the Corridor as it closed to claw him.
"Wait!" The Unversed said midair, sounding surprised just as much as Roxas was before it dove into the ground. The Nobody quickly shook off his shock as he realized that this was Kier as Aqua had described.
But he could focus on that later as Maleficent began to laugh, the objects turning out be a pair of large eagle like wings with a claw at the joint.
"Finally after all these years!" Maleficent said gleefully as her wings joined her back, a golden glow that held streaks of green coming from them as she continued laugh. with Kier emerging from her side looking between her and Roxas.
'My liege what happened, you were supposed to have grabbed Roxas and left Aqua to me.' Kier asked Vanitas mentally while tilting it's head.
"Change of plans Kier, you'll get another shot at Aqua soon enough. I have been looking forward to this anyway. Just back up Maleficent for now." Vanitas said as he pried Rainfall from his helmet after slamming Void Gear into Aqua, causing her to crash into the ruins of the broken case.
He was supposed to have grabbed Roxas, but he had been wanting to get back at the Keyblade Master for blasting lighting into his face back in Castle of Dreams.
That and now for nearly losing an eye to her Keyblade.
He tossed her Keyblade aside as he glared at her from the open cracks in his mask. With Aqua picking herself up while he dispelling her armor. Giving Vanitas a icy glare of her own.
"So all of this was just to get your wings back, that is what you agreement with Vanitas was." Roxas said as he observed both Maleficent and Kier. The fairy was stretching her wings and the Nobody had been put on edge by both of their presences.
Maleficent's heart now seemed more balanced than before, but it also felt stronger than before. Not as much as when Sora had faced her in Hollow Bastion, but still troubling.
Yet yet really worried him the most was Kier's presence.
It felt like any other Unversed he had encountered so far. Except there felt like an inherit wrongness in it's very presence felt like it didn't belong here. He stared at the Unversed some more before closing off his senses as focusing on it was starting to give him a headache.
Roxas decided to wonder what was it that felt so inheritedly wrong about Kier later. Right now he had to worry about making sure Stefan and himself would survive against them and that Aqua would be alright.
"So this is it than. Stealing Aurora's heart, putting half of the kingdom into an eternal slumber, and now this. All of it was to put it all to an end!" Stefan said coldly as Maleficent began to flap her wings, becoming airborne.
"Indeed, although you haven't suffered enough Stefan. Do you know what your subjects had to say about me after they had learned that I had 'survived your attempt to kill me'. The very one that made you king. A fairy creature without wings that does belong in this world." Maleficent said with a glare before chuckling a little. "Although I suppose they were half right in that regard."
Roxas narrowed his eyes at her words and placed himself between Stefan and Maleficent.
"Lad you might want to take a few steps back." The king said, brandishing his chain and following his own words.
"It will all end soon and put everything that has happen behind me. Once I make sure that you and everyone in my way is finished!" Maleficent shouted before releasing a large gale from her wings.
Roxas planted the tip of his Keyblade into the ground as the gust began to blow both him and Stefan back. The Nobody gripping his Keyblade tightly as the winds pushed everything in the room back.
Maleficent grinned as her scepter sparked before discharging a blast of energy towards Stefan as he was blown away.
Only for an ice shard to block the spell, canceling them out.
The fairy looked for the source, only to dive out of the way from a pair of fireballs. The wind began to settle in the room as she evaded another fireball to see the spells were coming from Roxas, wielding both Destiny Rewritten and Oathkeeper.
"Aero!" He casted, launching twin bursts of air towards Maleficent.
"Pathetic." Maleficent said, a flap of her wings dissipating the spells with ease. But yelled in pain as Stefan's chain connected with her leg.
Right before he grunted in pain as Kier shot out of the wall and pushed him back. And unleashed a sphere of darkness at another fireball from Roxas.
"Not bad creature, I suppose this is why Vanitas praises you." Maleficent said as she landed next to the Unversed. "Just try not to get in my way and Stefan is mine to finish off."
"Believe me I will, I just want to het some payback on my own but she's with my liege. I'll settle for taking my frustrations on those two for now, especially the king." Kier growled out, getting Maleficent to smile.
"I think that we will get along nicely creature." Maleficent said as she turned to see Roxas healing Stefan.
"Thanks lad, but you could have pulled that second weapon of your's out earlier." Stefan said as Roxas just nodded.
"I know, doubt that it would have done much of a difference." Roxas said while brandish both of his Keyblades towards Maleficent.
There was no use in hiding it anymore. With her wings and if what the Nobody had gleamed from her words was that she wished to leave this world than it could spell trouble even if there was no Heartless for her to control currently. Considering her partnership with Vanitas and Kier aiding her he needed to deal with Maleficent as soon as he could while protecting Stefan.
"Doesn't matter now anyway, I got your back lad and be careful." Stefan said, getting the Nobody to nod.
"Thanks, and I could say the same about yourself." He said, getting the king to chuckle a little before focusing his gaze back on Maleficent and Kier. Waiting for either of them to make the first move.
Roxas hoped that Aqua was alright and that they could put an end to this soon. With whatever Vanitas was planning and Maleficent's spitefulness everything could turn a whole lot worse for Enchanted Domain soon enough.
"Triple Blizzaga!" Aqua casted, launching three ice shards at the ancient Keyblade wielder.
"Magic Seal!" Vanitas casted, the shards shattered in an instant. "Well now that takes care of-."
"Barrier Surge!" Aqua casted, coating herself in a barrier and slammed into Vanitas. Sending him flying into a wall on the other side of the room. "Roxas was right, you talk too much."
"Alright I probably deserved that, but that is kind of the point. I was planning on bringing Roxas up here and leaving Kier and Maleficent to you while I bought some time." Vanitas said a Aqua charged him, raising Void Gear to block an overhead strike from Aqua.
"What do you mean by that?" Aqua asked coldly, before hearing the windows and wall smash behind her.
Barely having enough time to create a barrier before a razor like feather sliced through her back, yelling out in pain as more feathers bounced off her barrier from the gryphon like Unversed.
"Simple, I would have brought Roxas up here to capture him once again with a little support of the Gryfiend. But now that plan is scrapped." Vanitas said, as Aqua's barrier dispelled. The Gryfiend letting out a screech before pulling out of the room and taking flight.
The Keyblade Master began to charge at Vanitas, before groaning as she felt her strength slowly sapping away. She hastily reached into her bag to find an elixir but couldn't find it. In fact she could only find a few items including a potion.
"You realized it didn't you, the Gryfiend's feathers are poisonous. Nothing to exciting except it's slow acting and disorients you. Perfect for capture and extending your suffering. With Magic Seal also affecting your bag I doubt you'll be able to counter it much." Vanitas said as he charged at Aqua who cartwheeled away from his strike.
"It will take more than to keep me down." Aqua said as she swung Rainfall, with Vanitas simply side stepping out of the way and going for another strike.
Only for Aqua to slash at him from above, her Keyblade connecting with his helmet. She pulled back and was able to land another two hits before slipping up the third one. Vanitas pulled back as the Gryfiend swooped by the opening it made and unleashed another feathery barrage.
Aqua barely had enough time to summon her barrier before the feathers struck.
However half way threw he barrier began to dissipate and Aqua grunted in pain as a feather nicked her arm before swatting a feather into Vanitas with her Keyblade.
Vanitas grunted in pain as the feather struck him in the leg while the Gryfiend made a hasty retreat. He pulled the feather out before it vanished in a puff of darkness.
With a snap of his fingers a Flood appeared and touched his leg, a green glow covering him.
"Thankfully I came prepared for that eventuality." He grumbled out, thankful he modified that Flood to cast Esuna. Aqua tried to strike it down, but sunk into the floor as Vanitas blocked her strike and slammed Void Gear into her gut. "Believe me I know and sadly the poison doesn't increase in potency once affected. But it should hold you off long enough until Ventus falls on this world."
"Wait Ven's here!" Aqua said in shock.
She could only guess that he had only just arrived after spending so much time searching for him with Roxas since they arrived to Enchanted Domain.
Before her shock turned to a chilling rage as light began to flicker off of her.
"Yeah but that weakling won't last long." Vanitas said, giving his Unversed the order to strike.
"Seems like we are stuck here." Ven said to himself as he and the fairies where at the foothills of Maleficent's territory.
They had been traveling in the forest for a while now, being attacked by Unversed every now and then. None of them were anything that would have given him much trouble, only when they decided to attack the fairies and that wasn't often.
Now they find the path to Maleficent's territory, only to find it block by a wall of green flames and smoke.
"Indeed, this would be Maleficent's doing." Flora said as she and Merryweather studied the wall for a minute before Fauna stepped in front of them.
With the wave of her wand green sparks shot out of it and struck the wall of flames. Slowly a small hole began to open up in the center of the smoke, expanding slowly until the flames and smoke dissipated fully.
"Shall we?" Fauna said with a slight bow before walking forward.
"Well that should take care of that then." Flora said, getting Ven to nod as they began to walk towards the pathway. Before summoning his Keyblade as he saw shadows zipping towards them.
"Unversed incoming!" Ven said, alerting the fairies as they crowded behind him as four Floods emerged from the ground. Upon seeing what kind of Unversed they were Merryweather huffed as she brandished her wand.
"These ones are easy to deal with, let me at them!" Merryweather said as she stepped out from behind Roxas and towards the Unversed. Yet found herself being held back by Flora and Fauna. "Let me out them!"
Ven just sighed at her, already used to Merryweather trying to pick a fight with the Unversed multiple times already. He just shook his head before he noticed something rapidly approaching them.
"Get back, Tornado Stike!" Ven casted, a green whirlwind forming around him and startling the fairies as the got back.
Two axes like weapons with half gears for blades collided with the whirlwind and getting caught in it's pull before another burst of wind sent the axes higher into the air before they crashed into the ground.
"Are you three alright?" Ven asked the fairies, seeing that they were looking a little shaken.
"We are alright, but I would be more concerned with what is approaching us." Flora said shakily, pointing over Ven's shoulder.
The Keyblade apprentice followed where she was pointing, going into shock at what he saw.
"What?!" He exclaimed at seeing the same masked man that he saw in his room that warned him about Terra walking down the pathway towards them, with the Floods rushing to pick up the axes.
Ven brandished his Keyblade towards the man before realizing that this wasn't the same man. His body suit was different and he could see the eye pattern of the Unversed on it's mask. That and as it got closer to them he could sense it's heart.
Compared to Aqua and Terra he was never the best at senseing one's heart, but he had fought enough Unversed to tell when there was one close by.
But this one, he could practically feel the strength of it's heart from further away than any other Unversed he had seen so far. Meaning that it was likely far stronger than the tree like Heartless that he fought in Dwarf Woodlands.
He could worry about the implications of the man and his connection to the Unversed, he needed to get the fairies away from here.
"Head back to the forest, this Unversed isn't like the others we encountered. I'll deal with it." Ven said as he began to step towards the Unversed, surprising the fairies. "If I don't deal with it than I doubt we can reach Aurora's heart. So please let me handle this."
All three fairies looked between themselves and then the humanoid Unversed as the Floods brought it's axes back to it before nodding. Although they didn't look to happy in their decision.
"Alright Ven, but promise us that you will run back to us when you get the chance." Flora said, getting Ven to nod at her.
"I will." Ven said, tightening the grip on his Keyblade.
"Please be careful dear." Fauna said as she and the other fairies flew off.
Ven let out a sigh of relief before focusing it's attention on the Husk as it picked it's axes back up.
Both it and Ven stared down each other for a few moments before training an axe towards the Keyblade apprentice, the Floods immediately rushing to attack him.
"I unleashed a Husk on him like I did to you and Roxas earlier once he got close enough to the Maleficent's territory. With the express orders to eliminate the weakling if possible." Vanitas said, getting Aqua's eyes to widen in shock before the light around her began to flicker intensely.
Before calming herself down enough to give him the coldest glare the ancient Keyblade wielded he had ever seen as she reached into her bag.
"You have gone too far this time. You are lucky master wants me to bring you back to him alive. Other wise I would have exterminated you for everything you have done to is." Aqua said coldly.
"Then you better hope that the weakling can beat the Husk before you succumb to the poison and all the pain I plan to inflict on your for searing me eyes back at the Castle of Dreams!" Vanitas said as two Scrappers appeared at his side.
They began to approach her, but stepped back once an orange aura appeared around her.
"I have faith that he will do so, Ven is not the weakling you say he is. But I am going to make you pay for the pain you plan to inflect on him and Roxas." Aqua said as she placed both hands on Rainfall's handle and adopted a stance similar to what she had seen Terra use before the aura faded.
It had been awhile since she had felt the need to use a D-Link, but it was more than necessary to make sure Vanitas would pay for what he had done. Before heading back to Roxas and hopefully Ven.
Aqua just hoped that they would last that long.
Until than, she needed to make sure Vanitas suffered for all the pain he unleashed on those close to her.
The screen turns to static as the author reappears, once again on his tablet.
*Seriously there is nothing good to watch…*
He noticed you before placing the tablet back down.
*Hey guys Hakuorofan7 here and I hoped that you all enjoyed this chapter.*
*Anyway we have some details to discuss, shall we.*
*Both Aqua and Roxas learn the truth of what happened, with the former losing control of her light for a bit before coming to her senses. At least she is relieved things weren't as bad as she thought, but is clearly exasperated with what he had done and will have some words for him…maybe a few spells as well. Anyway both Keyblade wielders are determined to get Aurora's heart and Aqua at least is clued up that there is something up with Xehanort given what Terra heard.*
*So Vanitas's plan was simply invade the castle with Unversed to get Maleficent her wings while making sure enough people got far enough away from her to be a target in her wrath, knowing how spiteful she could be. Using the Gryfiend Unversed as a distraction, aerial bombardment, and back up incase Aqua or Roxas try to escape in the air. With the Unversed mainly doing there job while slowing the Keyblade wielders and Stefan down.*
*And as a quick note I have to thank warrior of six blades for the concept of the Gryfiend Unversed.*
*Even with than the duo of Vanitas and Maleficent were quite the match against Aqua and Roxas before they enacted their plan.*
*Though it goes awry with Aqua taking herself with Vanitas through the Corridor when the ancient Keyblade wielder targeted Roxas. Leaving a disappoint Kier to fight with Maleficent as it was looking forward to tearing into Aqua. And Roxas is going all out now with recognizing the danger Maleficent could possess if she gets off world especially with her wings.*
*Still despite this Vanitas is looking forward to inflicting as much pain as possible Aqua to het back at her for Castle of Dreams through means such as Magic Seal, the Gryfiend, and telling Aqua what he has planned for Ven with the Husk…although the later one seems to have been a mistake he might regret.*
*Speaking of Ven, Vanitas has dispatched a Husk to kill him if possible. Given how they were quite a challenge for Aqua and Roxas, things are not going to go well for him.*
*Which I will cover in the next chapter and only the Ven segment. Figured that I would give him some time to shine. That and with what is going on with Maleficent and Vanitas…let's just say it's best to see those together and the after math those battles will bring. So I hope that you all will enjoy the next chapter comes out.*
*Anyway let's move on, shall we.*
*If you have any questions leave a review or PM me and I will get back to you when I can. So until next time, ciao!*
The author snaps his fingers as the screen fades to black.