Kingdom Hearts: Hearts Through Time

by Gameshowkidd

Based on and inspired by J Tom's branch of Kingdom Hearts Eras from the Past are drawn into the Future, leading Sora and friends to Investigate and recruit new allies for the upcoming Keyblade War, but a member of the Organization takes this opportunity to recruit his own allies, or will they be enemies?

7. Chapter 6: The Gazing Eye

Now, the final battle for Daybreak Town

The ferry pulled up to the edge of the harbor just as the sun was starting to set in the sky.

Everyone got off and looked around.

"I don't see any sign of the Heartless or Nobodies." Sora pointed out. "I think we're early."

"In that case, we can hurry and warn the Foretellers about Xigbar." Kairi urged.

"Just hold on." Riku stopped his childhood friends from getting too hasty. "We don't know if we're early or not. From what Marluxia and Larxene said; they were told to buy time. Chances are that's already come to pass, maybe the reason why don't see any enemies is because they're lying in wait."

"That may be true." Ephemer agreed. "We'd better be on alert. Make sure none try to ambush us..."

"Agreed." Said Brain. "We can't let them take us by surprise."

"And we'll have a better chance at winning if we stick together." Skuld suggested. "So whatever plan Xigbar has for us, we can't split up over it. I'm willing to bet he wants us to split into groups so he can pick us all off with those squiggly minions of his."

"You don't have to tell us twice, kupo." Mog smiled as he and his friends grouped together.

"Let's get going." DJ Rock pleaded. "It's already uncomfortable standing in a very quiet town."

"Yeah." Kendall agreed. "It's too quiet. Usually I'd expect a few people going to eat ice cream or go to a restaurant to eat but this? It's like a ghost town."

"Maybe they're all out on missions?" Gabby suggested.

"No, most of them would be back by now." Allura pointed out.

"If it's ok with you. I'd like to scout ahead." Kendall pleaded. "I want to know if my little brother and sister are safe."

"The same with my little sister, Rosanna." Bobo agreed. "And her friend Sky as well as my babe, I mean Lorelei."

"Ok, just be careful." Brain replied. "And come find us at the first sign of danger."

Both teens nodded and sprinted ahead into town.

"The rest of us need to get to the Clock Tower and make sure the Foretellers are OK." Ephemer instructed.

"Agreed." Said Skuld. "We can't let Xigbar succeed in whatever he plans to do with them."

The Guardians and the Dandelions sprinted off in the direction of the Clock Tower.

---

Sora, Riku, Kairi, Roxas, Naminé, Xion, Donald, Goofy, Daisy, Max, Ephemer, Skuld, Strelitzia, Brain, Mog, Gabby, Allura and DJ Rock snuck through the streets of the town. All eyes darting everywhere in case a heartless or a nobody might make an ambush.

By the time they reached Fountain Square, they all stopped for a breather.

"The clock tower is just up ahead." Allura pointed out.

"Good." Max smiled. "Then let's hurry there and find the Foretellers. Before Xigbar does."

At that moment five corridors of light appeared on the opposite side of the fountain.

Five distinct shapes began to appear inside of these, stepping out to reveal the Foretellers.

For a while, they just started at the Guardians silently, while their eyes were obscured by their masks their mouths were frowns of firm, serious frowns. (Save for Invi whose hood covered her mouth and Ava who looked more reluctant than determined.)

"Ummm..." Sora tried to speak. "Hey there, Foretellers."

"Hello, Guardians." Ira spoke. His voice showing no hospitality. "I see you have finished your mission with Ava's Dandelions for the day."

"We did." Kairi replied. "It was very nice to fight alongside them." She turned to Ava. "Thank you for the opportunity."

Ava gave off a sad nod before looking down.

"Well we're glad we found you." Riku spoke up. "You see, one of our enemies said he was planning to come after you and we were wondering if you ran into him already and-"

"We did, and he told us everything we needed to know." Invi replied. Her voice blunt.

Now the Guardians were starting to get put off by how hostile the Foretellers were acting towards them.

"About...what exactly?" Daisy asked. Nervous of what the answer might be.

"About your true mission." Gula sneered. "How you travel world to world, using the light in your heart to attract Darkness. About how in your 'quest' to protect all worlds you fail to use the power of light properly which leads to every world falling to danger!"

This threw the Guardians and Dandelions for a loop.

"But, why would we do that?" Asked Naminé. "We really do want to protect all worlds from Xehanort and the Organization. If we wanted this world to fall then we wouldn't have come here in the first place."

"Stop trying to deceive us!" Aced barked. "We see through your lies!"

"But we're not lying!" Kairi protested. "I'm a Princess of Heart, remember? That's proof that we're on the side of light!"

"Wrong." Ira interrupted. "The fact that you are associated with these kids, and these...Dream Eaters-

"TOONS!" Donald, Goofy, Daisy and Max all shouted.

"And Toons who we have never seen before is proof that you are complicit with their reckless misuse of light."

"Reckless misuse?" Xion exclaimed. "The hell are you guys talking about?"

"Look around!" Invi ordered. "She gestured to the distance where the heroes turned and gasped.

There were heartless basically everywhere. Standing in the outskirts of town. The flower fields, even the bridge where they faced the Darklings.

"Holy heck." Max whispered.

"Now THAT'S a lot of Heartless." Skuld whispered.

"Our fellow apprentice told us that they're here because of how strong your light is. Don't you see? They are only here because they are after your light because of how you use it to attract them!" Gula snarled.

The Guardians were shocked at this.

However Ephemer noticed something off about these enemies.

"Hold on, guys." He turned to them. "There's something strange about these Heartless. Usually they attack anything in sight without hesitation. But these guys aren't. It's like they're...waiting for something."

"Could this be one of the Organization's tricks?" Roxas wondered.

"What are you all whispering about?" Invi ordered.

The heroes turned back to the Foretellers.

"Listen. Guys." Sora tried to reason with them. "I think you're being tricked."

"So you admit you were deceiving us!" Gula demanded.

"We're not the ones deceiving you!" Donald angrily quacked. "Can't you animal faced idiots get that through your ding-dang heads for one second!? We! ARE! GOOD GUYS!"

Everyone was surprised at his outburst and his bold, brazen attitude towards the Five most revered people of this world.

Ira was the first to speak up. "That's enough...Guardians of Light-if that's what we can really call you right now, from your current situation, you have two options: you can either surrender to us, or you refuse and we will purge you from this world."

"Master Ira, if I may." Strelitzia walked up awkwardly. "I don't believe that the Guardians are using light to bring this world into darkness?"

"What makes you think that?" Ava asked. Her tone holding a slight hint of hope.

"Well for one." Strelitzia replied. "If they were attracting darkness instead of working together with us to fight it off, they would have just let it be. Which didn't happen because Riku," she gestured to the silver haired boy. "Saved me yesterday. And during our mission, they worked together with us to defeat them. And second of all, two of the enemy captains were brainwashed versions of my big brother and his girlfriend from the future. And the guardians promised me they would save them. And all of that is nothing enemies of the worlds would do."

"That's worth considering..." Invi spoke.

"But all the Heartless fighting could a ruse." Gula pointed out. "After all, there is a near infinite number of them, what would expending a few of them be compared to the many ones you could attract to replace those you've felled?"

"Come on you guys!" Roxas protested. "We're called Guardians of Light for a reason! Do you seriously believe we deliberately endanger the worlds we reach?"

"Well, he did imply you were likely being oblivious to your own intentions." Ira put his hand to his chin. "But that's still no excuse. Light should not be misused in a way that brings darkness to worlds."

"But we're not-" Daisy tried to protest.

"ENOUGH!" Aced barked. Clearly having it with the Guardians. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way! Either you surrender to us and nobody gets hurt, or refuse, and we kill you."

"We don't mean any harm, Master." Goofy tried to assure the big bad bear. "We're just trying to fight back against the Darkness."

Aced was clearly getting more and more aggressive with that the Guardians were saying. "I will warn you one more time: Surrender or die!" He demanded

"Aced." Ira tried to calm him down.

At that moment, Sora stepped up. "I'm sorry but no." He firmly spoke. "We cannot surrender to you, we have a job as Guardians to protect the worlds from Darkness. I don't know what our enemies told you but if you would just listen. We can all have a calm conversation about all of-"

(Music: Rage Awakened: KH 2.5 Version)

However Aced wasn't in any mood to listen. He summoned Ursus and lunged at Sora with an enraged roar.

Sora summoned Kingdom Key and tried to block the strike but it was too much for him to hold, so he summoned Light Seeker in his other hand to dual wield but even two Keyblades weren't strong enough to push back the stronger Master's blade lock and he was shoved back.

He landed a few feet away from the Moogle Shop and stood up. Still dual wielding both Keyblades.

Aced didn't take his eyes off of the boy and pointed his Keyblade at his chest.

Seeing that there was no other way. Sora dismissed both Keyblades for his Ultima Weapon (KH II) (1) and got in a fighting stance.

(Battle Music: Rage Awakened: KH 2.5 Version)

Party Members

Sora

Information

Quell Master Aced's anger.

Aced lunged at Sora at blinding speed and thrust his Keyblade Forward. Sora dodged out of the way and slashed his blade across Aced's chest. The Foreteller stumbled back before glaring at Sora. He leaped up in the air with Sora jumping up after him and they clashed, trading blow after blow. Sora used his Ragnarok shot lock on the Bear Masked man releasing bullet of light from the tip of his Keyblade that bombarded him from all sides until he landed on the ground. Aced stood up, using his Keyblade to support him. He stared at Sora who lunged at him perform an Ars Arcanum technique, but the master quickly raised his blade to blunt the attack.

Then with than he roared "ENOUGH!" He swung his Keyblade across Sora's legs knocking him off his feet before slamming it into the ground causing several mounds of earth to shoot out from where it hit, sending Sora flying into a wall. The boy dropped to the ground, defeated.

(Battle Music Ends)

"Sora!" The Guardians and Dandelions dashed towards him. Skuld and Strelitzia being the first ones to reach his groaning body. They knelt down to check his condition.

He was still conscious, yet he was groaning in pain, his clothes were tattered and he seemed to possess a few bruises.

"He's O.K." Skuld turned to the others. "He took quite the beating from Master Aced, but he'll pull through."

"Here. Drink this potion." Strelitzia summoned a potion in her right hand and held it towards Sora who tried to reach for it but his arms fell as he groaned in pain again. "Easy now," she soothed. I'll help you with it."

As she held the potion towards his lips while Skuld held him up, the others turned to Aced and the other Foretellers.

Aced was already a bit unhinged after the clash with Sora so he was breathing heavily as he moved his eyes along the rest of his opponents before settling on Kairi.

"Princess of Heart." He snarled. "You will be the next to fall!"

Letting out a bone-chilling growl he lunged at Kairi who let out a shriek of fright before summoning her Keyblade to try and defend herself.

"KAIRI!" Everyone shouted as Aced neared her.

CLANG!

What Kairi opened her eyes she found herself locking Blades with Aced with relative ease.

However, she then realized that someone else was locking the Keyblade with her.

Turning to her right she saw the Vulpes Keyblade pushing back against the Ursus Keyblade.

It was Ava who was defending her.

Aced was so shocked at this he let his guard down as Ava slashed him back.

Both sides gasped in shock at what Ava did.

"Ava!?" Ira exclaimed in shock.

"What are you doing?" Gula asked her. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Stop this now," Ava pleaded. "I don't want you to fight them anymore!"

"Ava, they're our enemies!" Invi pointed out. "We don't know anything about them rather than the fact that their light poses a threat to Daybreak Town and all worlds!"

"We don't know that!" Ava protested. "They could be Keyblade Wielders who are have good intentions like we do! And if it's true their light is attracting Darkness, we certainly shouldn't KILL them for it."

"What would you know about these guys?" Gula demanded.

"Probably more than you think?" Ava retorted. "And you should know too. One of them looks like your Union Member after all!"

"I know that." Gula replied. "But that doesn't mean I trust him like the others."

Ava could only sigh in hurt disappointment. Why could he understand like she?

"Alright," Ira walked up. "Ava, I know you have a caring and gentle heart, but these people are our enemies. Light or not. Please stand behind us and we'll take care of them."

Ava looked at her fellow apprentices for a moment and then at Kairi and Naminé. She shut her eyes tightly then looked back at her friends.

"No." She spoke, firmness etched in her voice. "I won't."

Her Foreteller friends gasped. "What?" Ira gasped.

"What are you doing?" Invi demanded."

"Have you gone mad?" Aced snapped.

"Ava. It's us." Gula pleaded. "Why would you stand with these villains?"

Ava grew nervous at what to say.

"While I can't tell you the exact details, I have some sort of connection with the Princess of Heart and her other self." She tried to explain herself. "That is why I cannot bring myself to raise a weapon against them. Least of all her. So please my friends. Think about what you're doing concerning her and ask if it's really the answer to do away with one of the seven hearts of legend."

Ira, Gula and Invi have her looks of concern, disbelief and curiosity.

But Aced was still stubborn.

"I've heard enough, Ava!" He snapped. "Your delusions of trying to keep light from expiring have clearly gotten to your head to the point where you are defending the enemy! Either you join us in protecting this world or you'll be considered an enemy alongside them!"

Ava felt her heart being split in two at these words. Her own partners were going to deem her an enemy just for following her heart and her role? She didn't want to be split up from them, not after the whole debacle on who the traitor was, but hurting innocents and one of the seven hearts of legend? One that she had a mysterious connection to? She would be no different from the Heartless and this evil organization the Guardians kept bringing up. She had the make a choice, each one requiring her to make a sacrifice. Either she stays with her allies and follows their twisted ideal of Light which could probably mean purging other lights. Or she abandons them and fights for what the Guardians--what their Princess of Heart--believed in.

She needed to pick the choice that required less sacrifice, That had the least amount of things she'd be risking. And she knew what that choice was.

A single year slipped out from under her Fox Mask as she made her decision.

"Forgive me...my friends." She sighed at the other Foretellers.

She held out her hand...and summoned Vulpes.

"But this is the only way to ensure that Light prevails!"

The Dandelions and Guardians stared at her in awe. Ava smiled at them before trying to brace herself for the looks her fellow Foretellers were giving her for her defection.

Ira had a look of disappointment etched all over his lips. He looked down and shook his head.

Invi's face was covered by both her mask and scarf but Ava could tell she was in utter shock and disbelief given by how stiff she looked.

Aced had a look of surprise on his mouth and Ava swore she could hear him letting out a strangled gasp before his fists clenched and his teeth gritted.

And Gula...her sweet, dear Gula. His mouth was wide open, he had a hand gripping his heart tightly. She could hear him whispering "no" over and over again in disbelief.

"I'm sorry. I truly am." Ava tried to reason with them. "But it doesn't have to end this way. You can join me...join us. And together we can defeat the Darkness that threatens both their and our worlds."

"She's right." Riku agreed. "We need all the help we can get to defeat Xehanort and the Organization. We don't need to be enemies like we already are with them. If you could join us, we can defeat them together."

"I'm afraid that is not an option." Ira narrowed his eyes as he summoned Unicornis. "If you are looking for forgiveness, Ava, you'll find none from any of us. I cannot forgive the choice you've made! Perhaps it is a blessing The Master isn't here to witness your betrayal. (2)"

"Ira, friends, please!" Ava tried.

"No, Ava." Invi cut her off "I won't. While I always knew your naïveté was going to lead you to do silly things, this by far is more than silly, it's pure idiocy. If I have to beat some sense into you for you realize what you're doing then so be it."

"Gula?" Ava looked at him hopefully.

But Gula's hurt face had already hardened. "I can't believe you, Ava." He spoke in a low voice. "You would really turn your back on us, after all we've been through."

"But it doesn't have to be this way!" Ava pleaded. "You can come with me. I'm sure the Guardians would accept you too. Right?"

The other Guardians nodded.

Gula could only shake his head and retreat behind Aced who was slowly storming forward towards the Fox Girl: Rage and Disappointment laced in his tone.

"We called you our 'comrade'." He spat. "But never again, Ava. It doesn't matter to me if you think this is the right way to preserve the light. You'd turn your back on us for our enemies and yet you try to ask us to fight alongside them too? To shirk our roles for false light? Well I won't forgive you for that."

He re-summoned Ursus.

Invi and Gula summoned Anguis and Leopardus respectively as they and Ira all got together.

"Everyone. Be ready." Ira ordered the other Foretellers. "We must act swiftly and defeat these misusers of light. However, do not harm Ava. Not yet at least."

"Indeed." Invi nodded. "She's clearly being deceived. We must return her to her senses as quickly as possible."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Said Gula as he glowered at Ava.

"Please!" Ava begged until Naminé put a hand on her shoulder.

"They won't listen to reason." She told Ava. "They've made their choice just as you have made yours. All we can do now is live with it."

"We have to defeat them." Roxas added "It's the only way to get them to listen to us."

Ava sighed. "Right." She turned to Sora who was still recovering from the beatdown Aced gave him with Skuld and Strelitzia still tending to him.

"You two take care of him until he can fight." She ordered before turning back to the Guardians and Dandelions. "Everyone else, at the ready. We must defeat the Foretellers, however you will not kill them. They are still the protectors of this world and need to remain alive."

"Don't worry, Master Ava." Ephemer assured his master. "We have no intention of harming them badly anytime soon."

Riku summoned Way to the Dawn, Kairi summoned Destiny's Embrace, Roxas dual-wielded Two Become One in his right and Light Seeker in his left, Naminé summoned Oathkeeper, Xion summoned Oblivion, Donald summoned Divewing and Save the Queen, Goofy summoned Unbound and Save the King, Daisy summoned Zero/One, Max summoned All for One, Ephemer summoned Starlight, Brain summoned Master's Defender and Mog summoned Moogle 'O Glory.

Ava held Vulpes in both hands and took a deep breath before glaring at her former comrades.

Before the battle could commence, several Sorcerer, Sniper and Dragoon Nobodies appeared in front of the Foretellers.

"Nobodies!?" Roxas exclaimed.

"That's what those things are?" Ava asked. She turned to Roxas and Naminé and back to the minions. "But these ones look more monstrous than I was told."

"It's a long story." Naminé explained. "But bottom line: Roxas and I look like humans because our somebodies had strong souls. You need to have a strong will in order to hold onto your form."

"Well whatever the case." Ava replied. "We should also deal with these things as well before handling the Foretellers.

"Agreed." Said Roxas. "But why are they assisting the Foretellers?"

"Our fellow apprentice Luxu--or some man claiming to be Luxu came to us and summoned these creatures to assist us in fighting you."

"Xigbar..." Sora snarled.

"So we are too late." Riku lamented. "Xigbar already set his plan into motion and turned the Foretellers against us."

"So that's who that man was." Ava realized. "While I wasn't really convinced by the voice. The hooded black coat was really spot on. Honestly, anyone wearing a coat like that could have easily fooled me.

Roxas and Xion exchanged uneasy glances, Glad that they were able to change into different clothes before they met the Foretellers.

"Anyways. Let's begin!" Ephemer ordered as he held up his Keyblade.

(Music: Dawn of Hope: KH3)

Party Members

Ephemer

Riku

Kairi

Roxas

Xion

Naminé

Donald Duck

Goofy Goof

Daisy Duck

Max Goof

Brain

Mog

Assistants

Master Ava

Gabby

Allura

DJ Rock

Information

Defeat the Foretellers and Nobodies.

Ephemer started the fight by charging at a Sorcerer. He swung his keyblade at it, only for it to collide with a shield. He leapt back to brace for a few laser shots before attempting at attack again. His blade connected with the shield once more. He slashed at it rapidly hoping for it to break but to no avail.

"Hope you didn't forget about me!" Riku shouted as he appeared behind the creature and slashed it from the back. The two boys nodded at one another before continuing the attack by charging at a Dragoon and Sniper standing before them. Each using a Thundaza and Dark Firaza skill to decimate their respective foe.

Donald and Daisy charged at Three Sorcerers. Donald dodged one's laser cube attack and bashed its head. A second tried to fire the same laser cube spell to assault him but Daisy was one step ahead and cast a reflectga spell to stun it with its own move. One that was out of the way Donald charged forward and used Aeroga on the third and sent it flying into its partners. The Duck Couple then combined Thundaza spells to destroy them.

A sniper shot rapid arrow attacks onto Max as he charged towards it, but Goofy was right at his son's side, blocking the attacks with his shield until Max was close enough. Both Father and Son thrust their Keyblades forward to finish it off.

Kairi charged towards a Dragoon as she dodged and swatted away the blasts nearby snipers fired onto her. She leaped in the air and proceeded to use a Seven Wishes technique to pummel her target. One she was done, she used Raging Storm to annihilate it.

Naminé faced down two snipers who proceeded to aim their arrows at her. Getting an idea, she circled around and stopped behind of the sniper closest to her, once both shots released. She guarded with her Keyblade against one shot, as the second one made its mark into the Sniper she got behind. The surviving Sniper enlarged its crossbow and fired a large shot at her that divided into smaller lasers. Brain jumped in the way and slashed at several of the beams allowing Naminé to rush up and perform a finishing leap. Thrusting her Keyblade into the ground and allowing a shockwave to blow the Sniper (and other nearby enemies) back.

Mog, Gabby, Allura and DJ Rock charged through a crown of Dragoons. They parried several jabs before retaliating. Mog started by attacking with an Ars Solum technique that sent his Dragoon stumbling back, then he finished them off with a Zantetsuken technique. Allura fired several seeker mines onto the Dragoons closing in on her corner causing the front most ones to be destroyed while the ones behind them were weakened. Gabby cartwheeled away from the nearest one's sideways swipe and retaliated with a Poison Edge causing the Nobody to take rapid damage before being obliterated. She was suddenly knocked of her feet by one that appeared behind her but DJ Rock literally flew to her aid with a Thunder Surge right into the Dragoon's kisser. The two then finished it off with each their own Crawling Fire Spell.

Five Sorcerers Surrounded Ava but she didn't show fear. Gripping Vulpes in both her hands she closed her eyes...and began to glow pink as she broke off into multiple clones which slashed down each heartless. The suspended doubles in midair then exploded into petals taking the Sorcerers with them.

Roxas and Xion charged towards the remaining Sorcerer together before splitting up. Xion dashing off to the side to circle behind. Roxas sprang up in the air while Xion took her position behind the Sorcerer. However the Nobody proved itself to be cunning as it summoned two shields to block their attacks on both ends. Despite that, both former Organization Members proved themselves stronger and their Keyblades burst through his shields and they both cut him down.

With the Nobodies out of the way everyone focused their attention on the Foretellers.

"Attack them in force!" Ava ordered. "You'll never defeat them alone." (3)

"Right." Riku nodded. "We'd better use team attacks on them to be safe! Pair up with someone you'll work well with and attack!"

Everyone nodded and divided into pairs: Riku & Kairi with Ava, Ephemer with Brain, Donald with Daisy, Goofy with Max, The Daybreak Quartet with each other, and Xion & Naminé with Roxas.

Donald and Daisy focused on Aced.

"Let's take this Big Bad Bear Palooka down!" Donald growled.

"Yeah." Daisy agreed. "Let's see if he and his bad temper are stronger than the both of us combined!"

The Duck Couple lunged at Aced before thrusting their Keyblades at Aced. But they were met with him blocking their thrusts with his own blade before knocking them back as he used a Quake Spell to pummel them while in midair. They both landed to the ground battered.

Both Ducks let out angry shouts as they exploded with Thunder and Wind magic before unleashing their combo onto Aced.

They slashed him with their Keyblades (and Donald bashed with his staff) before they leaped into the air and used the light in their hearts to conjure up a combo of spells. First they use a Flare Force spell, conjuring up hundreds of tiny rockets and launching them right at the Bear Masked Man. Next they unleashed a Comet spell, engulfing them in a multitude of magical explosions of small but powerful fireworks that he found difficult to stand up to. They pushed him back further with a double Pearlza spell.

"Together! Ultima!" they shouted.

Donald and Daisy summoned orbs of light and combined them. The duo thrusted their weapons unleashing a beam of light that made a direct hit and exploded against Aced causing him to sprawl back.

Naminé and Xion were next with Invi. They readied Oathkeeper and Oblivion respectively before charging at the Snake Mask. She tried to defend herself by blasting orbs of Fire, Wind, Ice and Lightning but the girls were ready to counter. Naminé used Deep Freeze to null the Fire. They both used the wind to their advantage to soar high in the air where Xion used Firaga to null the Ice attack and they both used Reflecga to block the lightning strike before landing and continuing their charge.

Together they did an upward slash to send her flying. Xion leapt in the air to perform a downward slash to slam her back down to Naminé who used a Transcendence spell to send her towards Roxas' direction. Both Girls tossed their Keyblades to Roxas who dismissed Two Become One and Light Seeker, and grabbed the ones thrown to him as they flew past Invi.

He raised both blades skyward before generating a giant sigil beneath him before generating pillars of multicolored light to shoot up and ravage her.

When that was cleared. He returned the Keyblades to the girls and re-summoned the ones he was wielding for this battle.

The Daybreak Quartet had surrounded Gula on all sides.

"Please stop, Kupo." Mog pleaded. "Master Ava doesn't want you to get hurt!"

"As much as I appreciate your concern, we're in a fight." Gula pointed out. "So we can't stop now sadly. Besides, once all of you are out of the way, Ava should be back with us for sure...yes she can be...she will be

"Just surrender." Allura pointed out. "You're outnumbered."

"Numbers don't win a fight." Gula smirked as he vanished in a flash.

The Quartet looked around to see where he went only for him to lunge at them from the side in a rapid flash, then again from a different angle, and again at another and he did this multiple times, slashing down Mog, Gabby, Allura and DJ Rock until the four of them were down on the ground. As he started regretfully at what he had to do he was thrown off by two battle screams. He turned to see Goofy and Max charging at him. Goofy tossed his shield onto the ground and it began to spin. Both father and son hopped on as they spun around the Leopard Masked Boy slamming into him rapidly and every time he tried to slash at them they sped away at blinding speed.

Goody and Max then held up their Keyblades and enchanted a Dark Firaga spell that ended up blasting Gula back. He skidded across the ground and groaned in pain as he was defeated.

Brain clashed Keyblades with Ira. Neither of them being able to topple the other even if The Unicornis Leader proved Stronger than Brain.

They managed to reach a blade lock as they tried their hardest to push back against their opponent.

"Do you really think you can win against me?" Ira asked Brain.

The Enigmatic Man looked down and sighed. "No...but I can at least hold you."

"Hold me?" Ira asked.

At that moment, Ephemer charged at him and slashed at his back rapidly forcing the Unicorn Mask to leap skyward to evade.

Ira narrowed his eyes and retaliated by summoning several pikes of light and caused them to rain rapidly down around Ephemer. Brain could see there this was going.

"Watch out!" He cried as he lunged and tackled Ephemer just as Ira thrust his weapon forward.

The pikes of light exploded as the two of them rolled away.

Ira was then caught off guard once again when he found himself surrounded by several of Ava's clones which proceeded to cut through him before reforming from their petals into the real deal.

Ava lunged forward and locked blades with Ira. Though both seemed reluctant to fight one another.

"I want to be as merciful as I can." Ira spoke solemnly "Though being reminded of your decision to betray us has made that hard."

"I would expect nothing more than that." Ava sighed before glaring behind her mask. "If you are so sure you're doing the right thing in harming innocents. Then you should have no problem, going through someone you've seen as a little sister since you took this job...to do it. (4)

She fired two blasts of light from her Keyblade but Ira evaded both shots and moved his Keyblade behind him, it surged with energy for while before he thrust it forward. The light energy from it hitting her on the torso causing her to shout in pain and collapse before Kairi and Riku.

"Master Ava!" Kairi cried in horror before glaring at Ira.

"Let's end this." Riku told her as Kairi vehemently nodded.

Both Islanders leapt up in the air to level with the airborne master and unleashed their Dark Divide and Heart of Princess Shotlocks. As disks of dark fire blasted towards the Unicorn Masked Man, Meteors of light rained down on him making it impossible for him to escape either attack. Kairi proceeded to blitz attack him before allowing Riku to blast him with Triple Firaga.

As Ira floated weakly in the air. Riku and Kairi landed on the ground with their Keyblades ready?

"Ready?" Riku asked her.

Kairi nodded.

"Here's the finisher!" Riku yelled as they thrust their blades forward.

The tips of Way to the Dawn and Destiny's Embrace began to glow before each released a laser. Violet for Riku and Magenta for Kairi.

The two lasers spiraled around each other before forming a singular arrow that slammed into Ira's chest before exploding into Purple Hearts and Pink Star Shaped Flowers.

Ira slammed to the ground. Defeated, just like his fellow Foretellers save for Ava.

(Battle Music Ends)

Sora got to his feet groaning weakly as Skuld and Strelitzia helped him up.

"Can you walk?" Skuld asked him as she released her grip.

Sora's legs wobbled a little before he stabilized himself. "Yeah. I'm good."

"I'm glad to hear that." Strelitzia smiled. Her eyes went to over where the Four Rogue Foretellers were. "It looks like the battle's over already."

The three of them slowly made their way over to the others who stood before Ira, Aced, Gula and Invi.

The four Masters slowly got up to their feet.

"It's over, now." Ava pleaded. "Just stand down and listen to us."

"No...Ava." Aced weakly groaned. "We will not simply stand by...as you turn your back on us...You abandoned us...your true comrades for these children. And that is something that...something that...

He started to growl like an animal...a dark red aura began to form around him as his snarl reached a crescendo.

"THAT CANNOT BE EXCUSED!!!!"

The small aura exploded into a full out fire. Burning around him as he seethed.

Ava gasped at this "Aced! You're falling to Darkness!"

"Do not be a hypocrite." He snarled. "You're clearly the one who's fallen to Darkness."

"She's telling the truth! Look at yourself! Sora snapped.

Ava turned to the other Foretellers and gestured to Aced but they didn't seem to notice their fellow Foreteller. In fact, they seemed to be focused on her as if nothing else mattered aside from confronting her.

"Ava." Ira spoke in pure disdain. "If you have turned your back on us and our Master's teachings, then YOU are the one who's fallen to Darkness. You are no longer our ally. You are forever lost to us." At that, a dark aura surrounded him. Gula and Invi were standing next to him yet didn't seem to notice this.

"You really left us for them?" Invi spoke. Sounding irritated. "What do they have that we don't? Why would you leave the Master...why would you leave us? We gave you so much Ava? Why couldn't it have sufficed for you?" She turned away as a dark aura surrounded her next.

"Gula." Ava turned to the last Foreteller who might be willing to hear her out. "Please... I love you..." she tried.

"If you really loved did, you wouldn't have abandoned us for them." He shook his head. He tone was so blunt that it caused Ava to clutch her chest. "But...if you've fallen to Darkness, all that's left to do in order to free you...is to destroy you...Yes...then we can be together again...you and me...the way I want it. The way...of Darkness."

A dark aura enveloped him leading Ava to sink to her knees in despair.

"No...this...this isn't what I thought would happen. My friends...they're all gone...And it's MY fault they're gone! I'm...I'm awful...I'm a monster..."

"Master Ava?" Sora looked to her and could see her starting to sob silently.

"I guess I was the traitor the Book of Prophecies talked about. I betrayed my friends and left disaster in my wake...and now Ira, Invi, Gula...even Aced...everyone who was dear to me has fallen to Darkness...because of me."

In response to her despair and guilt, a dark aura began to emerge from her, slowly corrupting her as well.

The Guardians saw this and gasped.

"She's falling to Darkness too!" Riku exclaimed.

"Master, no!" Kairi cried. She knelt down in front of the Fox-Masked girl and put both hands on her shoulders.

"Master, it's not your fault." Kairi assured her. "You didn't force them to fall to darkness, they chose to. Just as you chose to protect us. To trust us."

"Yes, but if only I could have gotten them to do the same." Ava lamented. "Or maybe if I had not tried at all...but then again they still would have...either way we would have fallen to darkness but that way, we would have fallen together."

The aura around her began to grow, forcing Kairi to release Ava and step back.

"No, Ava!" She cried.

"Ava. You can't let negative emotions overtake you." Riku exclaimed. "Or you'll fall to the darkness too (5)

"But that's like telling me not to breathe!" Ava sobbed. "They're gone. Ira, Aced, Invi...and my sweet Gula...they're all gone forever because of me...without them I-"

"Look at them!" Riku gestured. "You haven't lost them. They still have their hearts...they're just buried deep inside them right now. But we can still get them back! It's not too late to save them from the Darkness. It never is!"

"How do you know that?" Ava asked.

"Because..." Riku trailed off not sure what to say next. But looks from Sora, Kairi and Strelitzia gave him the strength. "I fell to Darkness once."

Ava looked at him. "You did?"

Riku nodded. "My feelings of insecurity were preyed on and I was used by two villains for their plot. But I came back thanks to my friends not giving up on me. So if you don't give up on yours, we can save them too."

"That's right." Strelitzia agreed. "My brother may be used as a pawn for whoever's pulling the strings. But I refuse to give up on him. I have faith that I will save him and that alone gives me strength!"

Ava looked at her. Slightly inspired.

Sora extended his hand to Ava.

"Come on, Master." He smiled. "We're stronger if we work together but we can only do so much with only a few of us."

Ava looked up and turned from one smiling face to the next.

She slowly reached for Sora's hand. The dark aura around her slowly receding until it vanished the moment she grabbed it.

"Okay." She smiled. "I'll help."

"Great!" Sora smiled.

Before anyone could do anything Kairi and Naminé ran forward and embraced Ava.

"You did it." Kairi smiled gently.

"You believed." Added Naminé.

Ava smiled as she embraced them back, before they all turned their attention back to the corrupted Foretellers.

However they noticed something else too.

In the distance, all around Daybreak Town. The Heartless were gone. They had made their way into the town and were closing in on town square

It was then that the heroes realized that they were being attracted to the Foreteller's Dark Auras.

"Heartless?" Ava gasped. "And they're being drawn to the Foreteller's darkness!"

"But why?" Ephemer asked. "Who's doing this?"

"Why that would be me, ladies and gents." Xigbar's voice rang out.

A corridor of darkness appeared next to the Foretellers and Xigbar walked up. His hood still covering his face.

"Xigbar!" Roxas sneered.

"Is that who that man is?" Ava asked.

"Yeah." Xion nodded. "He's part of the organization we're facing. A real bad guy."

Ava turned to him. Fury in her eyes.

"You!" She pointed a finger at him. "You're not Luxu! You impersonated him and caused my friends to fall to darkness! Didn't you!?"

Xigbar gave off a playful shrug. "You got me." He smirked. "Luxu was just an old face I was once acquainted with so it was remarkably easy to pretend to be him. I knew it would be child's play to get these four animal faced Foretellers on my side but you, Ava. I wasn't really expecting you to be tricked too and now I'm glad you didn't. After all, you still have your role that The Master gave you to carry out."

"What do you want you one-eyed devil?" Sora demanded.

"I came here to recruit more darknesses for Organization XIII." Xigbar smirked. "Though to be honest. Black coats will SO not look good on them, but hey. These are four of the most powerful darknesses in history."

"What do you mean 'They're the four most powerful darknesses'?" Riku demanded.

"Long ago," Xigbar smirked. "There was a battle between Light and Darknesses. The first Keyblade master here came up with a plan to fight them: He sealed seven of the most powerful ones inside the hearts of himself and his six apprentices.

The Guardians gasped as they turned to Ava. And the Foretellers who were still staring at the Guardians. Not noticing the Heartless around them, nor to what anything the man they thought was Luxu was saying."

"His plan was to have his apprentices hearts grow strong enough to lock away the Darknesses in their hearts which one of you gets a gold star for doing." He pointed at Ava. "The others...we're not so lucky as you can see."

"Well give them back!" Brain demanded.

"Not a chance, Sonny." Xigbar retorted.

Ava was getting furious.

"Give...them...back...to me." She snarled quietly as she re-summoned Vulpes.

"And that's my cue." Xigbar smirked.

He turned to the Foretellers and spoke in the voice he used to trick them.

"Guys, help! Your traitorous friend just threatened me." He pretended to be scared. "She just threatened me with her Keyblade which she's using to fight for that false light."

"We're not the false light!" Sora angrily retorted. "You are Xigbar."

"And while you've got them convinced they're fighting for light." Riku added. "You're just using them for Darkness!"

"That's not right of you to do so!" Snarled Kairi. "They're supposed to be the protectors of this town. Guardians of Light like we are. What right do you have to drag them into your malicious scheme?"

"More than you think, Princess." The Freeshooter grinned. "Though to be fair. It's not like I corrupted them with my words. They always did have their own paranoia and flaws that were going to be their undoing in one form or another." He smirked at Aced. "Some of them more than others."

"That's not true!" Ava protested. "I know Aced has his temper issues. He can be self-righteous and impulsive but all of that comes from a good place in his heart! He just wants to protect this world and the people he cares about! And that's one of the reasons I'm proud to call him my friend!"

At that. Aced slowly began to speak in a strained voice.

"You...really...believe that...about me...Ava?" He asked.

"What!?" Xigbar gasped.

"Aced!" Ava exclaimed.

"They're coming back!" Donald exclaimed. "But how?"

Naminé had an idea. "She's speaking to the light inside of their hearts! Their true selves! Ava keep encouraging them!"

Ava nodded and turned back to the Ursus leader. "Yes I do, Aced. While you can be big and scary at time, I always turn to you because I know I have you to turn to, to look out for me!" She turned to Ira. "And you, Ira. While you always have trouble with leading us, I'm sure with enough help from those around you, you can become an encouraging and inspiring leader everyone will look up to. Like Riku here." She gestured to Riku. "While the Master made you leader for no apparent reason, I believe anyone can be leader if they have the right people to help them gain potential along the way. That's why I need you back Ira! To help lead me!"

Ira began to speak.

"Ava...thank you..." he wheezed.

"No...NO!" Xigbar exclaimed. Horrified at his plan coming undone. He turned to the Heartless. "Go! Stop her!"

A Darkling charged towards Ava but Naminé slashed it back.

She turned to the others.

"Everyone! Protect Ava until she finishes freeing the Foretellers!" She ordered.

"Right!" They nodded as they formed a circle around Ava with Sora, Skuld and Strelitzia defending her in the middle the front but spaced out a little so she could project her voice more clearly.

As more heartless closed in on the Guardians and Dandelions, Ava continued her speech.

"Invi, you are like the big sister I never had." She continued. "You're always looking out for us and you're super loyal to The Master and his orders. And that's all the more reason why I need you. Think about what the Master would think if he could see you fighting against the cause he entrusted you with."

"That-That's a lie!" Xigbar stammered. "This is all part of the Master's big plan. Trust me, your old pal Luxu!"

Invi stared at him though she was starting to find what he was saying to be suspicious.

"Please go on...Ava." She managed to speak out.

"Invi." Ava continued. "If the Master ordered you to throw yourself off a cliff would you do that?"

"I..." Invi tried to say before Ava cut her off.

"If you would, then let me ask you: Why would you put yourself in harms way for his sake? Is it because you don't see yourself with any other purpose than to serve him, or is it because you want to prove something else?"

Invi looked down.

"La-la-la." Xigbar started to panic. "Don't pay any attention to what she's saying. She's just being delusional."

He was cut off by a Fire spell send to him from Skuld.

"Please continue." She told Ava who proceeded to do so.

"Is it because you want to feel superior to the rest of us. Not because we usually follow our own wayward paths when it comes to the Master's orders but because you want to have something that we don't?"

Invi didn't respond but her head was still hanging.

"Do you really think you're inferior to the rest of us? You're not! There are so many other things next to your loyalty that you have and we don't! Your skill with magic for example is nearly next to none. Heck, I've even heard many of my Dandelions from your union talk a lot about how much they want to have magical abilities like yours! Everyone is special in their own way, Invi, but that doesn't make them inferior when compared to others! Please know that, and come back to us...come back to me..."

Invi looked up. Her scarf had dropped down so her mouth was shown.

"You really think I'm special?" She asked Ava.

"If you recall every word I said, then you know it's true." Ava smiled.

Invi smiled back.

"Uh guys!" Gabby exclaimed. "I hate to sour the mood but there are too many of them!"

They were now surrounded by the entire horde of Heartless who was starting to push their way in.

The Wielders tried to fight them off but more seemed to come. Slowly pushing them back.

"Master Ava!" DJ Rock cried. "Hurry!"

"No!" Xigbar shouted to his horde. "You guys hurry!"

The horde began to attack more aggressively as Ava turned to Gula.

"And Gula!" Ava pleaded.

Gula didn't respond but Ava could only hope he was listening.

"Gula...you are one of the greatest people I've ever met during my role as an apprentice. Because we're near the same age, we usually do a lot of things together. I remember a few times when I'd get upset and you'd be there to cheer me up. I was so grateful for those moments and I still am. So much that I'd always return the favor however I could. Usually by taking you to get Sea Salt Ice Cream. Don't you remember?"

Gula's body didn't move but Ava could hear what appeared to be a small chuckle.

"Don't listen to this traitor, Gula!" Xigbar protested as he tried to cover the boys ears to tune out Ava's voice, but as his arms shot out, The Leopardus Leader brought his hands up, grabbed the Freeshooter's wrists and held them down. He turned to Ava, wanting to hear more.

Ava continued. "Gula, remember that day when you took me to the top of the clock tower and we took in the view of Daybreak Town? It was there that you made a promise to me that you would look out for me no matter what. I know now it looks like I threw that oath back at you and I don't know how to make up for it but I can say this: The last thing I'd ever want to do is for you to be hurt. Least of all for me to be the one to do it."

"They're getting in!" Allura cried as the Heartless shoved her back.

"Which is why you must know...why I NEED you to know that...even if you probably don't feel the way you used to about me anymore. I still feel that way about you, Gula!" Finished Ava. "With every beat of my heart!"

Gula didn't respond. But a single tear rolled out from behind his mask.

With that the Heartless broke through the circle and were closing in on her.

"Ava!" Xion cried.

Ava sighed knowing her fate was sealed, but turned to the Foretellers.

"You're my dearest friends." She called out. "I don't know if these words will ever reach you. But know that I will never stop believing in you!"

Xigbar scoffed. "You just wasted your last Breath, kid. There's no way that those heartfelt words can break through the-"

He was cut off by the Dark Auras surrounding the four Foretellers vanishing as they looked around in shock.

"What just happened?" Ira asked.

"What were we just doing?" Invi asked as well.

"And why are there Heartless attacking the town?" Asked Aced.

"Never mind that!" Gula pointed. "Ava's in danger!"

With that, the four of them bounded form their post and slashed away the Heartless closing in on their comrade and her Dandleions as she turned towards them.

"Guys!" Ava cried. "You have returned! Thank you for listening to my words!"

Invi smiled at her. "No. Thank you for reminding us of who we really are."

"Yeah." Gula smiled. "We wouldn't have been able to break through that Darkness had you not said all those touching words."

"I know." Ava smiled. "It's the least I could do after I betrayed you guys like that. I'm really sorry."

"No, Ava." Ira put his hand on her shoulder. "We're the ones who should be sorry. We were so caught up with our jobs as protectors of light that we ended up falling to Darkness."

"So you clearly did the right thing in turning against us when we were turning evil." Aced replied. "Even if you technically were a traitor, you at least had well-intentioned motives in doing so."

"I know," Ava smiled. "But we should know by now that the real bad guy is This Organization the Guardians are facing. And that guy who's a part of it."

All Five Foretellers turned their angry attention onto Xigbar.

"Luxu! You lied to us!" Aced bellowed. "The Guardians weren't false light. You were!"

"Why would you defy the master's teachings like this?" Invi asked. "You are one of his most loyal apprentices."

"Well here comes the best part. I'm not Luxu." Xigbar smirked.

He pulled off his hood to reveal his face much to the Quintet's shock.

"Name's Xigbar." He grinned. "I'm one of those bad guys as the people call it. My job is to plunge worlds into Darkness and recruit allies for Master Xehanort's organization.

"So is that why you lied to us and impersonated our friend?" Gula asked, very pissed.

"As if." Xigbar snorted "While attacking this world was ordered. Turning you guys over to our side was my own idea."

"And why's that?" Ava asked irritably.

"That's not in your role for you to know." Xigbar replied before turning to the Foretellers. "Now. While I may have failed with my own personal goal of recruiting you for the Organization, I still haven't carried out my primary one of plunging this world into darkness. So maybe that'll wipe away the mark of that first failure. I just hope you can go easy on old one eyed me."

"You have deceived us, and tricked us into harming the innocent." Ira narrowed his eyes as he re-summoned his Keyblade. "There can be no mercy for you." He turned to Sora and the others. "Guardians of Light, forgive our transgressions, we will make it up to you by fighting alongside you in this battle."

"Thanks." Sora smirked.

The Guardians and Dandelions readied their weapons while Aced, Invi and Gula summoned their Keyblades.

Sora, Skuld and Strelitzia held out their arms to summon their Keyblades only for their hands to glow with a golden light.

"What's going on?" Skuld asked.

"I don't know." Strelitzia replied. "But I feel...warm, as if something is giving me strength."

At that moment, new Keyblade designs appeared in Skuld, Strelitzia and Sora's hands.

Skuld's new Keyblade had an abstract swooping design based off of shooting stars. The top of the handle had a silver shooting star design ending in a multicolored star. The length of the blade had a swooping blue and yellow tail ending at the top in an open blue star and a reversed yellow star that made up the teeth. The keychain was three yellow diamonds, and the token was a multicolored star similar to the one on the handle with a yellow diamond on top.

Strelitzia's new Keyblade had the model of Mickey's Kingdom Key W/Star Cluster Keyblade but with the coloration of Riku's Braveheart Keyblade. Its handle was black with both ends capped with white. The guard was alternating light and dark grey, with the edges at the bottom tipped with black circles and a black crescent moon in the center, and the edges on the top capped with black stars. The base of the blade was light grey with black. The blade was black with grey stars of varying sizes, and the teeth were similar to the Kingdom Key's, except white.

Sora's new Keyblade resembled the Starlight Keyblade but with distinct differences. The shaft was black, with a gold spiral along it with three four-pointed stars of pale gold. The segmentation at the rainguard and the cage near the teeth were both gold, and the silver orb had been replaced by a golden sun with seven ray points. The star at the teeth was three layers of gold, blue, and pale gold, and the trail was slightly wider. The shooting star at the hilt was also three-layered in the same manner as the teeth, with the trails now gold and blue, and a four-pointed star like those on the shaft were added to the opposite corners of the guard. The token was a ten-pointed star in the same manner as the teeth, gold overlaid upon blue.

The others were in awe over this.

"Wow. New Keyblades Designs!" Roxas exclaimed.

"But how did you get them?" Xion asked.

Sora came to a realization.

"My travels to other worlds and the bonds I made with my friends and those I was connected to granted me access to new forms for my Keyblade." He explained.

"So that's how you got yours." Said Daisy. "What about Skuld and Strelitzia's?"

Both Daybreak Girls looked at each other, unsure but then they looked at Xion and Riku respectively and were given the answers at once.

"Let's just say we developed some connections with some of you guys." Strelitzia smiled.

The Guardians returned their smiles.

[Music: Falling Wings from Fire Emblem Engage: Near the end, After the dramatic crescendo, Starting from the creepy piano part]

"Well that's so sweet." Xigbar taunted. "All these relationships, connections, bonds of loyalty, whatever are givin' me the warm n' fuzzies." He then narrowed his eyes. "I should be impressed but since you brats ruined my fun here so I'll only take immense satisfaction in playing that stupid hick town into eternal night! Marluxia! Larxene!"

He snapped his fingers and said members stepped out from Dark Corridors. Their faces visible.

"Brother! Elrena!" Strelitzia cried out.

"Prepare yourselves for battle." Xigbar told his partners. "I don't want a single one left alive."

"Whatever you desire." Marluxia nodded.

"I personally hope they have the endurance to at least resist a little." Larxene remarked. "It's no fun if they just die." (6)

"Excellent." Xigbar grinned. He turned to the Foretellers. "You know, seeing as how you really have no idea of who I truly am or what I'm capable of, you'll be in for quite the surprise by the time I whisper the whole truth into your dead ears. You really wanna squander the intentions we have for you? Fine. Your re-animated corpses will just have to suffice instead."

"We will NOT lose to you." Sora snarled.

"Well it's not gonna matter anyways since we have millions of Heartless and Nobodies at our disposal compared to the 23 of you." Xigbar smirked. "You all get gold stars for protecting this world for as long as you did up to this point, but that's where your roles end. (7) Only one of us deserves the honor of being a Keyblade Master to his will. That honor belongs to me and me alone!"

Sora gritted his teeth. "My friends. It's time to fight!" (6)

[Battle Music: Falling Petals from Fire Emblem Engage]

Party Members

Sora

Riku

Kairi

Roxas

Xion

Naminé

Donald Duck

Goofy Goof

Daisy Duck

Max Goof

Ephemer

Skuld

Strelitzia

Brain

Mog

Gabby

Allura

DJ Rock

Assistants

Master Ava

Master Ira

Master Invi

Master Gula

Master Aced

Information: Defeat Marluxia, Larxene and Xigbar

"Oh that's right." Xigbar smirked. "I have a special surprise for all y'all."

He snapped his fingers and the Heartless around them began to glow with the same dark red auras the Foretellers were once surrounded with. Then these creatures took the forms of Darklings shrouded in dark auras. The ones that were already Darklings remained the same yet sported the same aura as the transformed ones.

"Whoah!" Cried DJ Rock. "Something's not right about these guys. This darkness in them...it's nothing like what we're usually used to!"

"That's because I was able to absorb some of the dark essence these five gave off and used it to make their abilities go sky-high." Xigbar explained. "While it's not the same as what it was supposed to be: with them directly feeding off the darkness in the Foretellers, it should still give them the boost they need to kill all of you."

"We are not going to let that happen, Bigrax or whatever the fuck your name is." Aced snarled.

"It's Xigbar, Bear-Brain." The Freeshooter retorted. "Got it memorized?" He tapped the side of his head in the same manner Axel/Lea usually did much to the chagrin of Roxas and Xion. "Now then. Let the killing begin."

The Darklings began to screech and cry as they charged towards the Guardians and their allies.

"Everyone. Proceed with caution!" Ira ordered.

"You don't have to tell us twice." Riku spoke as he thrust his Keyblade Forward and slashed a Darkling Back and parried a second's swipe. As both reared their ugly claws, a giant flower shoot whizzed past him and obliterated them. He turned to see Strelitzia with her new Keyblade. With a nod, the two of them charged forward until they were face to face with more Darklings.

"Ready?" Riku asked her.

"You take the front, I'll take the back." She nodded.

The two of them sidled together before swinging their Keyblades, knocking away or cutting down any enemies foolish enough to get too close to them.

---

Xion locked Keyblades with one but its claw swipe proved stronger and she was sent flying back, however Roxas leaped behind her and caught her before she could go too far.

"Thanks, Roxas." She smiled.

"Of course." He nodded.

Both versions of Sora nodded as Roxas unleashed a Black Hole move to stun the Darklings before them while Xion used Fission Firaga to obliterate most of them save for a survivor.

"Don't forget about me!" Naminé shouted as she leaped up in the air and unleashed a Union Ragnarok Shotlock onto the remaining Darkling. Streams of Light shot from the tip of her Keyblade, causing it to disperse into shadow.

---

Invi charged towards a Darkling and slashed it away with her Keyblade. She then leapt up and summoned multiple orbs of Fire, Wind, Ice and Lightning and sent them flying out in a circle, burning, blowing away, freezing or shocking the enemies surrounding her.

Nearby, Kairi was impressed.

"Looks like she could give Aqua a run for her money." She mused.

A nearby Darkling charged at her but she simply swiped it away, without taking her eyes off of Invi.

The Darkling Kairi knocked away, slammed into a few more of its partners where Gula and Ava stood. Gula proceeded to slash at them rapidly from multiple directions while Ava readied her Illusions. The moment Gula closed in for the final blow, so did the Illusions. As the two Foretellers joined up together. An explosion of Yellow Energy and Pink Petals made them see to it that those foes were gone for good.

---

A Darkling lunged at Max but he ducked out of the way causing it to crash into a wall. A second charged at him but he jumped over it and it slammed into its partner. Max then prepared himself for the third by moving aside and batting it into the other two with his Keyblade. Once that was done he charged forward and skewered all three of them like a kabob and disintegrated them with a Pearlza spell.

---

Brain expertly slashed and thrust at the Darklings like a fencer and parried any counterattacks dished out to him. One Darkling however tackled him from the side causing him to crumple to the ground. Before it could Finish Him, Skuld leapt up and performed a Meteor Shower Shotlock onto it, releasing shooting stars from the tip of her weapon onto the Heartless. Once that was done she helped him up and they charged in separate directions.

---

The Daybreak Quartet was busy fighting away the Darklings using whatever spells, or Keyblade techniques they could muster from different corners of the fountain.

"There are too many of them, Kupo!" Mog cried as a Darkling grabbed the shaft of his blade as he tried to swing it.

"We can't win this on our own!" Gabby lamented before a Darkling swiped her arm causing her to recoil.

Allura dodged a swipe from a Darkling and swatted it away but was left open by another lunging and tackling her down. "I second that statement."

"Maybe not alone." DJ rock had an idea. "But maybe together!"

"But we're already fighting together." Allura pointed out as she shoved the Darklings off her body.

Mog could see where he was going. "No, he's onto something. Individually, we might be weak. But maybe if we pool our powers together. We might just have a fighting chance, Kupo."

"Then join your Keyblades together!" DJ Rock ordered.

The four friends climbed into the fountain and made it close enough to each other and raised their weapons together over the structure's tip.

"Now what?" Gabby asked.

"Call for spells!" DJ Rock ordered. "Think of any spell that might get us out of this pinch and summon it.

The four of them closed their eyes and focused on different spells that began to work in tandem with one another: A meteor spell to stun The Surrounding Darklings momentarily, a tornado spell to send them flying, a magnet spell to draw them In whilst in midair and finally a Holy spell to annihilate them fully.

Once they were gone the Daybreak Quartet leapt down from the fountain.

"That was AMAZING!" Allura cheered.

"An awesome combo." Gabby agreed.

"A move like that deserves a name." DJ Rock smirked. "What should we name it?"

Mog thought for a while before his eyes turned to the Fountain.

"How about: Union Fountain?" He suggested.

"I like that," Gabby blushed, "What do you guys think?"

"It sounds symbolic." Said DJ Rock.

"It's a catchy name." Allura nodded. She noticed some remaining Darklings closing in on them. "But I have a feeling we won't need it to finish these goons off."

"Right. We shouldn't use it unless we're in a deadly situation." agreed Mog.

"Fight first, talk later!" Gabby shouted as she charged forward with renewed vigor.

The others nodded and charged forward with more battle screams.

---

Ira and Aced were fighting side by side. Using their light and earth powers in tandem to fight back against the Darklings. Aced sprang up in the air and performed a Geo Impact followed by a savage meteor rain. Ira rapidly slashed Darklings back before finishing with a Salvation attack.

"You know." Aced spoke as he continued fighting back the Darklings. "I never thought I'd live to see the day you and I worked together."

"I know." Ira replied as he knocked one back. "Fate does work in mysterious ways and yet..."

"And yet what?" Aced asked him.

"I have this feeling of satisfaction as we fight as true comrades." Ira turned to Aced. "As we're not seeing each other as a threat anymore."

"I feel it too." Aced replied. "As much as I cannot stomach saying this: I feel much more satisfied fighting with you rather than against you."

"Then let's keep at it." Ira smiled teasingly at his partner. "I want you to give it your all in this fight!"

Aced let out an impressed smirk. "Then show me what you're made of, And I'll back you up every step of the way!"

The two men nodded as they lunged into the crowd with ferocious battle cries, together releasing a huge explosion of light and earth.

---

Sora, Ephemer, Donald and Goofy were surrounded by more Darklings. Ephemer leaped up and slammed his Keyblade down causing a few Darklings to slide back. He charged forward and unleashed a Pearlza spell into the nearest three to obliterate them. Three more leaped up behind him causing him to turn around and gasp, but Sora sprang upwards and slashed them away with his Keyblade. He landed besides Ephemer.

"Hey, thanks." Ephemer smiled.

"No prob." Sora replied. "You might wanna step back for this one."

Ephemer conceded. And watched as the World Traveling trio worked their magic.

Sora, Donald and Goofy raised their weapons and fired a barrage of drive orbs at the Darklings causing them to be sent flying back. Once they were done, they hurried over and delivered several mid air slashes to the enemies until they were soaring even higher. Finally, they raised their Keyblades and drew in those enemies and bombarded them with several fireworks.

At last, they landed below the remaining enemies and raised their weapons and unleashed a storm of energy from the tips. Within a blinding flash, the last of the Darklings were gone.

"That was so cool!" Ephemer exclaimed.

"I know." Sora smiled. "That's called our trinity limit! You should try that with two of your own buddies."

Ephemer looked over at Skuld and Strelitzia. "You know what? Maybe I can when the time comes."

With the Darklings out of the way, the four of them regrouped with the other 19 as they faced down Xigbar, Marluxia and Larxene. Now having a clear shot at them.

"Let's split into group and defeat them!" Sora suggested.

"I like the sound of that, bestie!" Riku smirked.

"Seconded!" Kairi giggled.

Sora, Ephemer, Skuld, Donald, Goofy, and Roxas turned their Attention to Xigbar.

Riku, Strelitzia, Max, Brain, Mog, Gabby, Allura and DJ Rock went after Marluxia.

Kairi, Namine, Xion and Daisy focused on Larxene.

The Foretellers stared baffled at the Guardians quick thinking.

"Well that's unexpected." Invi replied. "We should go help them."

"Right." Ava nodded. "We too should split into groups and assist them. I'll go help The Princess and her friends."

"Not alone you're not." Gula cut in. "I'm helping you."

The youngest members of the Foretellers charged towards the Savage Nymph.

"I'll handle the liar." Aced snarled as he tightened his grip on his Keyblade. "He will pay for using Luxu's identity to deceive us."

He charged at the Freeshooter.

"Invi, you keep an eye on him so he doesn't get too reckless." Ira ordered her.

The Anguis master nodded as she followed Aced.

Ira turned to Marluxia. "I guess that leaves me with Flower Man."

He advanced into the fray.

Xigbar did whatever he could to keep the Guardians back. He was successfully able to nail Donald and Goofy with two shots from his arrow gun but this left him open to Aced unleashing a Quake spell to take him off guard. He tumbled to his feet as Invi gently pushed last Aced and charged up a magical spell on her Keyblade. She used triple Blizzaza to freeze his arms and legs to the ground before finishing with a Thundaza to shatter the ice and electrocute him with the full brunt of the spell.

Roxas charged forward and used a Transcendence spell to send him flying as Sora and Ephemer raised their Starlight Keyblades and each did a diagonal slash through him. Xigbar recovered and fused his Arrowguns into a Longbow and shot an arrow rain at the Guardians forcing them to duck and cover before Donald and Goofy leaped forward and casted Reflega spells to block the attacks.

Daisy lunged at Larxene and kicked her in the ribs. The Savage Nymph retaliated by shooting several electrified knives at her. Daisy tried to leap out of the way but the electrical explosion they caused propelled her back and slammed her into a wall. Larxene charged at the duck to finish her off but was cut off by Naminé locking weapons with her. Larxene however proved to be stronger as she pushed the shorter Blonde back. However she noticed Naminé smirk and look up. Larxene looked behind her and saw Kairi and Xion leap down with their Keyblades. And slashed her across the shoulder blades causing her to scream and stumble back.

"What do you say, girls?" Kairi asked. "Should we pool our powers together?"

"Totally." Naminé smirked.

"I thought you'd never ask." Xion smiled.

The three of them dispersed around Larxene to give themselves space and lunged back to her.

Kairi first executed a spiral bloom to sent her flying back into Naminé who casted a Zero Gravira spell to keep heir airborne.

Xion leapt up and rapidly slashed Larxene until The Rank VI member of the Organization was left disoriented and dizzy.

The two versions of Kairi leaped up to join their fellow lookalike as they formed a triangle formation around The Savage Nymph and pointed their Keyblades at her.

Beams of light began to form from the tips of Destiny's Embrace, Oathkeeper and Oblivion. Each with a color coded outline. Pink for Kairi, Indigo for Xion and Cyan for Naminé. The beams all formed a magic seal above Larxene.

An orb of light shot from out of the seal and slammed into Larxene driving her into the ground. Once she was there, the orb exploded into a pillar of light surrounded by pink, purple and blue sparkles.

Larxene slowly climbed to her feet, her legs slightly wobbling before she re-summoned her knives and glared at the girls who landed before her.

Marluxia swung his scythe at Brain and Mog who both jumped over/ducked respectively. He shot a Dark Firaga spell at them which they deflected DJ Rock then appeared behind Marluxia and used a Magnet spell to draw him in so Gabby and Allura could use double Ars arcanum techniques against him. Max charged forward and locked his Keyblade with Marluxia's scythe. As the Graceful Assassin pushed the dog boy back. The Captain's son had an idea. He channeled fire magic through his blade which passed to the scythe causing Marluxia to drop it in pain. With him disarmed, Max charged at him like a bull and head butted him in the chest and he was sent flying before Ira who proceeded to use Magic Hour to summon several pillars of light to rush him at once before they all exploded.

The Pink Haired man landed by the feet of both Riku and Strelitzia who both turned to each other and nodded (through Strelitzia looked more reluctant).

Strelitzia!" Riku cried as he used a Transcendence spell to cast Marluxia painfully in the air before leaping after the Pink Haired man and delivering several rapid slashes to his chest before falling to the ground.

"I'm here!" Strelitiza replied as she dashed around the Graceful Assassin surrounding him in a ring of sixteen light orbs, a few of them slamming into Marluxia one by one.

Riku landed, slamming his keyblade into the ground sending out dark fire to snake through the ground underneath the floating orbs causing them to detonate into pale lavender pillars of light to send the Graceful Assassin flying.

(Battle Music pauses)

Marluxia landed on the ground groaning in pain as he clutched his head. Strelitzia slowly approached him as he looked up at her.

"Y-you?" He said with confusion while gazing at her intently. "What is it you desire from me?"

"Lauriam, please." Strelitzia begged. "You're under a spell. You have to fight it! Remember who you are!"

"What are you talking about?" The Graceful Assassin asked "I am Marluxia: Rank VII of Organization XIII. What else is there about myself for me to know?"

"That isn't you!" Strelitzia replied. "You're not evil. You're a protector of light like I am! So why are you working against us? What is it they're promising you and Elrena for you to have made this turn? What happened to you Lauriam?! What happened to my kind and loving brother?!"

(Music: Missing You: KH 2.5)

At these words, Marluxia's eyes widened as he felt something deep inside his mind awaken. Something that had been repressed for what was likely an insurmountable amount of time.

He was standing in a bedroom wearing a different set of clothes: A large-collared white button-up shirt with large cuffs beneath a black vest with tattered ends at either side on the front and a tattered longer coattail style addition in the back, also wearing dark pink pants and sleek black boots.

He was staring at an unconscious young boy with blonde hair and a white jacket. He looked similar to Roxas yet this boy was slightly younger. What was he feeling at that moment as he spoke to the boy? Pain? Anger? Paranoia? But why? This boy took something from him? No...someone.But upon looking deeper, it wasn't the boy's fault. He was merely a puppet for a much higher power. Yet Marluxia-or rather the person he was-chose to blame someone who was already present, someone more simple and tangible...even though whatever dark force possessing the boy was gonethe pain he was feeling wasn't. It remained festeringinside of him.

Then, at that moment, something broke through the miasma of grief and despair. The warm touch of that someone who was taken from him.

"Hatred, anger, and sadness... That's exactly what they want." Her voice spoke to him. "You have to let it go. What happened to my kind and loving brother?"

(Back to Reality)

(Battle Music: Lord of the Castle: KHIII Data-Marluxia version)

Marluxia clutched his head and let out a louder cry of pain.

He weakly raised his head towards Strelitzia.

"You...you're..." he mustered.

"Yes. Yes." She assured. "I am Strelitzia, I'm your-"

She was suddenly cut off by a Foudre knife soaring the air and slashing her arm causing her to stumble back and scream in pain from the residue electricity.

"Strelitzia!" Riku cried as he hurried over to her side. He looked up and saw Larxene holding a knife in her hands and glaring at Strelitzia.

"Stay away from him!" She snarled. "I won't let you mess with his head, or whatever it is you're trying to do!"

"Elrena," Strelitzia groaned. "Don't do this."

"How many times do I have to tell you, flower girl!" Larxene bellowed. "I. AM. LARXENE!"

She summoned a few more knives and prepared to toss them at Riku and Strelitzia only for Ava to leap up before her.

"Keep away from her!" She demanded as she split herself into illusory doubles to surround the Savage Nymph. However Larxene simply responded by throwing her knives out in all directions, dispersing the illusions into a flurry of petals which blinded her enough for the real Ava to spring up and deliver a flower shoot to her face. Once Larxene landed, Gula appeared and unleashed an Ars Arcanum Technique to send her flying back into Marluxia.

Meanwhile Xigbar continued to rapidly shoot ammo at Sora's group as they stayed behind Donald and Goofy. Finally both toons pushed with all their might against the attacks until the shield exploded and caused Xigbar to recoil, allowing Sora and Ephemer to attack together. They fired several fire, ice, and thunder spells from their respective Keyblades to pulverize the Freeshooter. Before they were done and thrust their Keyblades Forward.

"LIGHT!" they both shouted as the respective projectiles of light they fired formed into one larger arrow, sending Xigbar flying near Marluxia and Larxene.

They all regrouped before the wounded trio.

"Let's finish them off." Said Sora.

"Any ideas?" Ava asked.

Suddenly the Foreteller's Keyblade began to radiate with bright light as well as Sora's. They looked at their weapons in surprise.

"Guys. Lend him your power!" Ava ordered.

The Foretellers looked at each other and nodded. They raised their Keyblades as multicolored lights (Magenta for Ava, Orange for Aced, Chartreuse for Gula, Blue for Ira, and Violet for Invi) shot from the tips of their weapons and were imbued into Sora's Keyblade surrounding it in a swirling gold aura.

"Finish this." Aced ordered with a nod.

Sora nodded back and turned to Xigbar, Marluxia and Larxene before pointing his glowing Keyblade at them with both hands as the tip began to shine with an even brighter light.

"ULTIMA!" Sora shouted as a giant orb of light shot from the tip and slammed it into the three of them as they screamed in pain.

(Lord of the Castle ends)

The Guardians, The Dandelions and the Foretellers dismissed their weapons and stood a few feet away from the Organization members who were lying on the ground. Defeated.

"Is it over?" Asked Ava.

"Looks like it." Ephemer responded.

"We did it!" Sora cheered. "We saved Daybreak Town!"

"We defeated the bad guys!" Cheered Roxas.

"Let's celebrate!" Daisy cheered (8)

As everyone cheered, congratulated each other or just smiled in satisfaction. Xigbar, Marluxia and Larxene slowly got up glaring furiously at the Guardians, the Dandelions, and the Foretellers.

"Ugh," Larxene groaned. "I don't know what's more humiliating, the fact that we lost again, or the face that we lost to these other people who are probably as old as Xehanort or even in our time."

"Probably the fact that we failed." Xigbar snarled as he stared directly at the Foretellers.

"I know we should be used to this by now, but at this point it's just irksome." Marluxia snarled. "Those Five Wielders and that Strawberry Blonde girl have much more power over us than we thought."

"How can things get worse than this?" Xigbar grunted.

At that moment a Dark corridor appeared that caught everyone's attention.

From out of the corridor stepped none other than Master Xehanort, who had come to check on the Organization's progress.

When he saw the battered and beaten forms of his members, his intrigued face immediately changed into a bored one.

"You know while I am disappointed that this happened, at the same time I shouldn't be surprised." He sighed before turning his attention to the Guardians. His wicked smile returning.

"Well done, Guardians." He smirked. "And I see you were able to get some help from the denizens of the past as well."

"Xehanort." Sora snarled. "What are you doing here?"

"Shouldn't you be at The Castle that Never was, preparing for your next move against us?" Riku asked indignantly.

"I just simply came here to check on my Vessels." Xehanort explained "While I already saw you earlier progress against these past Heartless and the Darklings, as well as observing the Mettle of the five Masters protecting this world, I was mainly observing the progress going on in the other world I opened: The one the other half of your team is handling. I simply decided to drop here before going to confront them directly."

All eyes went onto the Guardians.

"The 'other half'?" Skuld asked. "As in, there are more members of your team?"

The Guardians nodded.

"Yes. Three of my old friend's pupils which consist of my own former pupil, my former vessel, and a misguided Keyblade Master, and the rest who are a royal mouse couple, a swampland couple, and three former members of my organization: A traitorous reserve vessel and two others who are a same-gendered couple." Xehanort replied.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

"Wow," said Gula. "That's even more of a mouthful when you say it all at once."

"Believe me, it is." Xehanort groaned.

"So this is the leader of those bad guys you were talking about?" Ava asked the The Guardians to which they nodded.

"He looks...older than I envisioned him to be." Ephemer replied.

"You know I can hear you." Xehanort replied before he narrowed his eyes with skepticism. "Tell me, what is your name, dear boy?"

"My name is Ephemer." Said boy growled.

Xehanort's eyes went from utter shock to a look of genuine amusement. "So you're the infamous Ephemer." He bowed. "It's an honor to make your acquaintance."

Ephemer was stunned. "You...know who I am?" He asked.

"Why of course." Xehanort replied. "You're the founder of my own home world: Scala ad Caelum."

This shocked everyone.

"What's 'Scala ad Caelum'?" Ephemer asked.

"It's probably a world from our time." Sora told him. "So don't worry about anything sounding strange yet."

Ephemer acknowledged this and returned to glaring at Xehanort.

Xehanort's eyes moved from one Daybreak Town Denizens to the next. The Daybreak Quartet he ignored but Skuld and Brain caught his attention.

Skuld's dark eyes and hair reminded him of an old face back during the most early days of his life.

Brain's Hat, and hair color were what attracted him. But now that he saw the type of Keyblade the young man was holding and once he sensed the boy's bloodline...he was even more intrigued.

"A boy with silver curly hair...an older boy with black clothes and a hat...and a girl with dark hair like my mother." He thought to himself. "Could they really be...The kids from my dreams? The ones my Caretaker befriended in their past?"

He let out a chuckle to himself as he whispered. "What an interesting turn of fate." (9).

His eyes finally moved onto Strelitzia. She was the only one he had not seen from his dreams yet the bloodline he sensed within her felt familiar.

"Would you three mind telling me your names for future reference?" He asked them.

"Name's Skuld." Skuld snarled.

"Call me Brain." Brain sneered.

"And I'm Strelitzia." Strelitzia spoke with a bitter tone in her voice. "And I want to know what makes you think you have the right to turn my brother and his close friend into two of your Pawns?!"

"Your brother and his-" Xehanort began until he turned to Marluxia and Larxene who were just as confused as he was, and at once everything clicked into place."

"Ah, I see it now." He muttered to himself. Given how Marluxia nor Larxene didn't seem to remember this girl he could use this to his advantage. Though chances were she had to be purged before anymore memories they had of her surfaced. But that would be a problem for another time.

"I am simply using these people as my thirteen vessels of Darkness." He explained. "I will re-enact the Keyblade War to have them combat seven of the Guardians' light for forging the Genesis Keyblade to control all worlds and Kingdom Hearts.

Those who didn't hear of this from the Guardians gasped in shock.

"You're what!?" Mog cried.

"That's terrible!" Gabby gasped.

"It's nefarious!" Allura whimpered.

"You can't do that!" DJ Rock protested.

"I can...and I will." Xehanort narrowed his eyes.

"Though, What do you mean by 're-enact' the Keyblade War?" Skuld asked. "We don't have one going on at the moment."

Xehanort pinched the bridge of his nose. "I forget that this world comes from the past." He looked back at the Dandelions and tried to explain. "Listen, sometime later in your era, A war is going to break out between Keyblade Wielders who will fight over light. And in my era, at least a hundred years from now. I'm planning to recreate that war using my Thirteen Seekers of Darkness against Seven of you miserable lights. And once I beat the light, the X-Blade and Kingdom Hearts will be mine to control."

"We will not allow you to do that." Ira firmly spoke as he and the other Foretellers walked before him.

Xehanort now sported an intrigued smile.

"Ahh. The Five Ancient Keyblade Wielders from the age of Fairytales. What an even bigger honor to meet you all in person."

"You don't really sound honored to meet us." Invi narrowed her eyes.

"Of course I'm not, it was sarcasm." Xehanort retorted. "Yet I am very intrigued by your presence. My caretaker has told me many tales about you while I was growing up. They said how you were the five most powerful Keyblade Masters in the Age of Fairytales. And upon observing your fights with each other and the Guardians, I can see how you stay true to your names."

"If you have watched us you would know not to underestimate us and our duty." Ira explained. "We are the protectors of light, and you and your darkness are not welcome here in this world." He summoned Unicornis and firmly pointed it at the Elderly Man. "We've already defeated three of your generals. So unless you do not wish to suffer the same fate I would advise you to leave."

Xehanort replied. "You five are just as strong and bold as the stories say you are. So if you don't mind..."

"His right hand surged with dark energy before a wall of darkness formed behind the Foretellers and around them in a circle separating them from the Guardians.

"I would like to see what you are made of."

The Foretellers all summoned and help up their weapons, glaring vehemently at the Elderly Master.

Xehanort chucked to himself as he summoned the Gazing Eye Keyblade.

Upon seeing the blade The Five gasped in shock.

"Th...that Keyblade." Ava exclaimed.

"It's..." Invi stammered. "It's..."

"At, so you are familiar with the ancient history of this Keyblade?" Xehanort asked. "Then you will know how much it will hurt for you to battle one armed with a weapon crafted by your own Master."

"I don't think I can fight him..." Gula shuddered. "Not while he's wielding that weapon."

"We have to." Aced replied, doubtful as he was. "We just have to..."

"At the ready." Ira ordered the Foretellers. Though his voice was slightly wavering.

Xehanort smiled with complete fascination. While he was outnumbers 5 to 1. He still had to test the strength of these Five Masters of the past.

He cackled as he readied his Keyblade.

The Guardians and the Dandelions could only watch as the Foretellers were forced to confront The Elderly Dark Master alone.

(Music: Fate of the Unknown/After the choir intro, up until the start of the Aqua leitmotif portion.)

Cutscene Battle (Like Sora vs Roxas in the original Kingdom Hearts II)

Gula tried to advance forward but Aced him back and charged at Xehanort. They clashed Keyblades for a while until Xehanort used Blizzaza to knock the Bear Mask Man back. Gula leapt up and tried to attack the old man from behind but Xehanort was too quick and warped away, quickly reappearing to grab the boy by the back of the head in a similar manner he did with Ventus before tossing him into Invi.

"Gula! Invi! Aced!" Ava cried.

"That's it!" Ira snarled as he brought out Unicornis and charged for the old man, swinging his Keyblade once he got close enough, however Xehanort shot out his left hand and enshrouded the Keyblade in a force field of dark energy, stopping it from getting to close to him.

Ira tried to pull it back but it was no use. After having enough, Xehanort charged the field up causing it to disperse in an explosion and Ira was sent flying back.

Xehanort turned his attention towards Ava and lunged at her with inhuman speed.

Invi quickly dashed towards her and cast up a barrier of water to dull the attack but the Old Man charged his blade with darkness to null the barrier and sent her flying into the barrier.

"Invi!" Ava cried gripping her Keyblade as she turned to Xehanort, only to see him raising his own above her, ready to strike her down.

Ava gasped as she readied herself with her Keyblade futilely to defend herself.

Seeing Ava in danger, Gula charged towards her as Ira and Aced gasped.

"No! Gula!" Aced reached out.

Gula raced over to Ava and protected her in a hug as Xehanort prepared to swing his Keyblade down.

Thinking quickly Aced used a Quake Spell to knock Xehanort off balance, stopping his attack mid-swing as the remaining Foretellers joined the younger two.

"You all ready?" Ira asked, to which they nodded.

They all charged up their Keyblades with bright orbs of energy onto the disoriented Master who was standing up.

"ULTIMA-" Ira began.

Thinking Quickly, Xehanort shot his Keyblade upward and screamed "STOPZA!"

In an instant, the Foretellers were frozen into place and the energy they were charging up stopped.

With that out of the way Xehanort casted Seeker Mines to move to the immobilized Foretellers. Once they came into contact, they all exploded and the Foretellers were send flying back near the Guardians and the Dandelions.

Xehanort snapped his fingers and the barriers disappeared allowing both groups to race up to the wounded masters.

"Master!" Kairi cried as she, and Naminé lifted Ava up. Strelitzia, Roxas, Gabby and Xion did the same with Gula. Allura, Skuld, Donald and Daisy with Aced. Goofy, Brain, DJ Rock and Max with Invi, and Ephemer, Mog, Sora and Riku with Ira.

All Foretellers were greatly wounded and were barely conscious form the major attack dealt to them.

All 18 gazes turned to Xehanort who only smirked as he dismissed his Keyblade.

"You monster." Sora snarled.

"How could you do this to them?" Riku demanded.

Xehanort ignored their reprimanding and continued smirking at the beaten Foretellers.

"Get out of here." Ephemer snarled. "Now!"

Xehanort looked at him and his friends who all sported glares on their faces and looked like they were ready to throw down.

Xehanort decided to cut his losses, knowing even he couldn't risk taking down 18 Wielders at one. Besides he was needed elsewhere.

A wicked grin crossed his face.

"Very well, Sir Ephemer. I will leave for now. I will leave knowing You and the people from your time have witnessed my superior power and watched your protectors fall under it, and by the time the Keyblade War is complete with my this town will be the first of many to fall under my command. And once Kingdom Hearts is mine, and you all have been defeated...nothing will stop me.

He opened a corridor for his vessels to walk through and he was about to leave himself before he turned to the Foretellers.

"Oh and by the way, I spoke with your master during my earlier years. He's a...very weird guy...if nothing else...yet it was he who inspired me to become the man I am today."

The Foretellers didn't know if it was either them being dizzy from the assault or if they were actually hearing this with their own ears.

"How ironic, that the very man responsible for training you into the Masters you are today is the same man who is going to bring about the downfall of every world. With that knowledge, I leave you to wallow in your despair and defeat."

He turned through the corridor and it disappeared.

Everyone stared in shock at what had transpired.

While the Guardians were glaring or were giving off nervous looks, The Dandelions were scared, appalled or even crestfallen.

Riku walked over to Strelitzia and put a hand on her shoulder and she embraced his chest, sobbing quietly.

Skuld frowned with distress until Xion walked over and patted her back. Skuld turned from Strelitzia and looked at her hair color twin while Ephemer did the same for Sora who put a hand on his shoulder.

Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Max, Kairi, Naminé and the Daybreak Quartet used combined Curaga spells onto the Foretellers as they were healed instantly.

The five got to their feet as they stared warily into the direction Xehanort disappeared into. Their minds still reeling from not just the massive beating he gave them, but also what he said about their master encouraging his dark path.

Despite having won this battle and their world was safe, what happened left huge mental scars on them all. Not just to how dangerous Xehanort already was...but who he had with him and how dangerous these villains were soon going to get.

While the denizens of this town didn't know much about this old man, they knew one thing for sure: He needed to be stopped. At all costs.

To be continued...

Up next, we say goodbye to Daybreak Town as the Guardians depart with new allies on their side.

If you're curious why I used a Fire Emblem Theme for battle music: If you listen to all the Fire Emblem Tracks I put through the fanfic, you'll hear a recurring melody that I use for Strelitzia's theme (and to represent the eventual confrontation she has to face her brother in). Even if it's already used for Veyle from Fire Emblem Engage

Also J. Tom, you're welcome to use some of these team combos for your Kingdom Hearts Stories if you wish.

Review and I'll see you soon.

---

(1) Sora won't obtain the KH III version of Ultima Weapon until another story.

(2) Fire Emblem Fates Conquest Chapter 6: Embrace the Dark. Corrin betrays Ryoma (Also Ira and Ryoma share the same voice actor: Matt Mercer)

(3) Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes: Chapter 2 Three Houses

(4) Tangled the Series. Not in the Mood: Rapunzel confronts Her dad

(5) Miraculous Ladybug Mayura (Hero's day part 2) Rena Rouge hit with a Hate Arrow.

(6) Fire Emblem Engage Chapter 17 Opening: Veyle's evil personality awakens.

(7) Fire Emblem Engage Chapter 21 Opening: Dark Veyle's response to when Mauvier Defects after Zephia Kills Marni.

(8) Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated Episode 52: Come Undone. The Universe Restarts.

(9) Persona 5: Shido recognizes Ren.