Gula
Defeated again.
The God of Darkness could only stare in disappointment as the wielders…
No.
They were not worthy to be wielders.
His gifts had only sought those three out because they were the most known rulers amongst the mortal, not because they were powerful.
It seems his only Dark Herald, Sutr was worthy.
Still, he was not as upset at their defeat as he felt he should, if only because Aqua had shown him the beings of darkness on that other world.
The Heartless.
He gazed at his Pool of Annihilation, considering if he could create similar creatures as well. That sought not to destroy but corrupt the hearts, to spread and turn them all into similar beings of darkness.
It was something to consider.
Which were superior?
These Heartless or his Grimm children?
The God of Darkness could only ponder these questions more and more. It was obvious simply creating weapons and sending them to the humans was not enough. While he was more interested in what this Aqua woman had to show him, both of what these new worlds could bring and her powers. While his brother had more empathy for their creations, the God of Darkness saw Humanity more as playthings for himself and his brother, not giving them much thought other than entertainment.
Sure, he gave them the gift of magic but that was merely part of his curiosity in testing their limits and he would admit he admired their resources, especially when he sent his Grimm to challenge them.
And he was interested in challenging that young woman, Aqua again.
But how?
Should he create brand new Grimm, even stronger than the ones that already existed and send them to challenge her?
Should he craft new weapons and find more worthy candidates?
Or should he ask Surtr to challenge her again?
He might be better prepared this time.
"Better prepared." The dark deity looked down at his dark pools. "You have inspired me, Aqua. You and those Heartless creatures. So let us see what I can make of this."
He raised his hands, focusing his power and will into the Pool of Annihilation. The destructive liquid essence bubbled as a new form of life was made, starting with a single hand that slowly reached up from the blackened water.
The deity of darkness watched in pride at its new child.
This Grimm was more humanoid than most others. It was bulky, ten feet tall with hind legs, sharp teeth, horns, and had boney white armor all over it. Having been inspired by those Invisible Heartless he had seen Aqua fighting, the God of Darkness opted to create a more complex Grimm. This new one, was made not just to destroy.
But to battle dangerous warriors like Aqua.
The Grimm were made to be a force of pure destruction and he proudly could say that they have followed that path to the letter. However, the appearance of Aqua and the Heartless showed him that while the Grimm were dangerous, they might not be the most dangerous destructive force born from the darkness.
These Heartless, born from mortal hearts could possibly rival his children.
And he could not allow that.
This new Grimm that would one be called a Troll, was made with the idea from the muscular bodies the Invisibles had. While they lacked rings and didn't wield weapons like those Invisibles did it was only the beginning. Its body was made to be strong with its armor meant to show it at the peak of its strength. Its mind, while not like a human mind and was driven by base instinct to destroy, would still be more complex with the capacity to learn how to fight even through battle.
"You are the first of a new batch of my children, created to fight beings and warriors unlike any that this world has seen before." The God of Darkness petted his creation on the head.
The Troll Grimm growled in anticipation.
"And you will not be alone." The God of Darkness said, raising one hand again. "So much potential for destruction beyond even what I had imagined."
He had agreed not to create anymore Grimm but honestly, when his brother had all the worshippers and left him and his creations alone how could he not have created more?
Even a deity could become lonely and underappreciated.
So he created more and let them play with the Humans and now he had someone new to play with.
From the pool emerged more new Grimm, each of them looking more beastly than their older brethren and even scarier.
Another form of humanoid Grimm with long dark wings.
A giant dog like Grimm with three heads.
A dragon Grimm with a large serpentine like body about twenty meters long with four limbs for arms and legs and wings on its back with a grey underbelly. From its huge mouth came eerily dripping fluids as it looked at its creator with bright red eyes.
A large lion with its main made of concentrated Grimm essence and hardened to be as strong as any kind of steel.
A new form of Beowulf that could actually stand on its hind legs, its arms made of pure white bone with sharpened claws and spikes protruding from the elbows.
Some Grimm resembled large whale and
And they were just the beginning.
Now was the difficult part.
The dark deity focused his powers on creating a new kind of Grimm, one that could possibly have the ability to travel beyond this world. The dark water bubbled again as a new Grimm arose, unlike any that he had created before. It had two heads that resembled a baboon's head, reptilian legs, tentacles for arms, and red glowing eyes on each head. The God of Darkness watched as it summoned a portal and stepped into it and used his gaze to see where it traveled.
It traveled…outside of space and time?
The only reason the dark deity could still see was because he could link himself with his children and see what they see.
His new child had entered some sort of shadow world.
Well, it's not as if the Dark God had not anticipated there would be some problems to creating a new child with the power to travel beyond worlds. He had remembered the creations he and his brother had made together in their quest to create something they could both be proud of. The numerous failures they had made before finally creating a form of sentient and intelligent life. This only gave him the drive to try again and to not stop until he succeeded.
"To think it took the appearance of a stranger to motivate me so much. Perhaps I should thank her if we ever meet." The God of Darkness mused as he looked down the pool, showing Aqua's image again.
Strangely, he hoped they would meet.
"Why?"
That was the only question that could be uttered in a situation like this.
Salem was kneeling next to the bed where the now deceased Ozma laid, her cheeks stained with tears as she sobbed. Aqua stood behind her, arms together with a saddened look on her face. As someone who lost her own friends and parental figure, Aqua understood her pain well but all she could do was stand and watch as Salem cried over the loss of her love.
"I loved him. How could the Gods let this to happen?" Salem cried, clutching his staff tightly to her chest. "Why did this happen?"
Salem had only remembered the brutish warlord striking her with his scythe before she woke up to find Ozma was dead and that Aqua had used what she been planning to save him to safe her instead.
Aqua could only turn away, looking out the window to allow Salem her moment of grief.
Despite her sadness at Ozma's passing there were also questions floating to the top of Aqua's mind:
Who were those people who came after her?
Salem explained they were all from kingdoms of neighboring lands, all of them rulers.
And what were those magical weapons they wielded?
A scythe that controlled Earth.
A fan that controlled Wind.
And a spear that conjured and controlled Ice.
She felt the magic behind them. They were not like Ozma's staff that he used to channel his magical power through for greater control along with enhancing the power of his own magical blast.
'They felt more like my Keyblade.' Aqua thought to herself. 'Natural conduits for great magical power. And that power even felt…divine.'
This was likely the work of a god.
And she knew that two gods lived in this world.
"You did this!"
Aqua was shaken from her thoughts by Salem's voice and turned around to see the young princess glaring furiously at her. "What?"
"You did this. They came after you and you used the one thing that could have saved him!" Salem accused.
Aqua blinked and then frowned. "He asked me to use it on you so you could live."
"And then you let him die." Salem stood up, glaring daggers at Aqua. "All of this and he still died."
"But you're alive and that was his wish." Aqua countered.
"Don't tell me what his wish was!" Salem shouted, electricity sparkling around her which prompted Aqua to step back. "I had my suspicions about you from the very beginning!"
"What are you talking about?" Aqua asked, not entirely understanding the depths of Salem's anger towards her.
"You! Appearing out of nowhere, claiming to be one of Ozma's friends then disappear when he is dying and when you return you are suddenly attacked! It all seems so convenient." Salem pointed accusingly at Aqua. "You set this up, didn't you?"
Now Aqua was glaring but remained calm and composed in the face of these accusations. "I had nothing to do with those attackers but it is clear you are not listening. Whether you think I had some ulterior motives or not, I still considered Ozma a friend and I respected his wish to save you instead."
With that, she turned to the door.
"Where are you going?" Salem barked behind her.
"Somewhere. I know I am not wanted here." Aqua said, reaching the door without stopping or turning as she answered.
"You don't just walk away after what you've done!" Salem raised her hand and fired a blast of red magical energy at Aqua with her back turned.
Acting on instinct, Aqua spun and summoned her Keyblade, erecting a barrier around herself that blocked the magical blast and reflected right back at its progenitor. Salem gasped her attack hit her and knocked her into the wall. She slid down, groaning in pain from the injury inflicted by her own attack. She opened her eyes and saw Aqua pointing her Keyblade directly at her face which caused her to freeze.
"Heal." Aqua simply said, casting a green light over Salem that caused the wound from the attack to instantly heal. "That is the only warning you are going to be given, Salem. Ozma wouldn't want us killing each other over his body nor would he want me to leave you in pain after I sacrificed his chance of being saved. Don't make that sacrifice count for nothing."
With that, she dismissed her Keyblade and headed for the door. Salem could do nothing but watch and glare in pained silence as Aqua opened the door, casting one last look at her before walking out and closing it. Salem continued glaring at the door for some time before grief and sadness overtook her once again as she looked the dead body of her beloved.
How did it come to this?
Why did the Gods allow this?
'Wait, the Gods!' Salem perked up for a second, remembering what Ozma had told her about the Gods. 'Ozma said they answer the prayers of people who come to them, seeking help!'
That was what she needed to do.
She would go to the Gods for help.
And Ozma had told her where the God of Light resided.
Salem walked over the bed, looking sadly at Ozma's body. Despite his deceased state, it only looked like he was sleeping.
She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "I promise, I will save you."
She picked his staff and headed for the door.
As soon as she left Ozma's home, Aqua started walking with no clear destination. All she knew at the moment was that she had to get away, have time for her to work out her own sadness from Ozma's passing. She understood Salem was grieving as well and felt the need to lash out in any possible way to cope with the pain.
She just wished she hadn't suddenly blamed her for Ozma's death.
Sighing to herself, Aqua had walked for some time before she came to a stop and took out the Horn of Passage. She still had questions about what was going in Daybreak Town and why she saw Ven there. Given that her tasks here were done, even if she failed she saw nothing else keeping her here and blew on the Horn.
The spirit of Heimdallr appeared before her. "You wish to go somewhere?"
"Back to Daybreak Town, please." Aqua answered politely.
"As you wish." Heimdallr said, opening a rainbow bridge through the portal of light that appeared above them.
"So that's how you did it."
Aqua's eyes widened in surprise and she spun around to see someone standing behind her. She widened her eyes even further when she saw the person was dressed exactly like Invi, save for the fact their robe and cloak were all pale yellow, they were male and wore a leopard mask.
"I am kind of disappointed. You can't use a Door of Light?" The boy asked, bringing an index finger to his chin.
"Who are you?" Aqua took a step back as she put the Horn away.
"Right, right. Manners. My name is Gula, leader of the Leopard Union. You've already met Invi." The boy introduced himself.
"Gula?" Aqua slowly repeated. "How did you follow me here?"
"That was easy. I opened a door." Gula said like it was obvious. "You really don't know what a Door of Light is? Who is your master? I'd like to talk to them about their really odd way of teaching."
Aqua narrowed her eyes. "Do not insult my master."
Gula, seeing how mad Aqua was becoming, simply sighed and summoned his Keyblade. "Very well."
Gula's Keyblade had a long, dark blue handle. Its pommel and guard resembled golden bolts of lightning. The base of the blade was an etching of a green eyed leopard, and the shaft was formed from golden spiked blade with a wide, darkened middle, itself etched in yellow with an icon resembling her own emblem. The teeth were formed from a web of crystalline spikes, and had another etched icon with a general heart like shape. The Keychain was made of small, electrum crystals, and the token was a spiked electrum with an eye like she one she saw on Invi, Vanitas, and Xehanort's Keyblades.
(Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep OST Master, Tell Me the Truth Starts)
"Now then," Gula grinned before vanishing.
Aqua's senses screamed at her as she summoned her own Keyblade and blocked a slash aimed at her head.
"Decent reflexes." Gula commented.
Aqua launched a series of counter strikes at Gula who used his natural but impressive speed to narrowly avoid his opponent's attacks. Gula jumped back, looking slightly impressed by Aqua's skills but was still confident in his own skills.
He then smiled at her and made a gesture with his hand. 'Come and get me.'
Aqua accepted, this time being the one to charge and dashed at Gula like a graceful and yet powerful tidal wave. She attacked Gula, her slashes leaving behind a magic flower with each strike that soon vanished in the air. Gula was able to block Aqua's strikes, matching her swings with his own speed and reflexes. Though he was faster he could see Aqua's skills were more refined than his own and that impressive, considering the shape of her Keyblade.
Gula then leaned back, allowing Aqua's Keyblade to sail over his head as she swung up and actually landed a hit on her, knocking her back. Aqua grunted as she staggered back but she managed to straighten herself and teleport out of the way as Gula thrust his Keyblade at her torso. She reappeared behind him, glowing white as she activated her Spellweaver. Gula spun and ducked as Aqua's Keyblade sailed over his head.
The Keyblade spun through the air back at Gula who blocked with his own but Aqua then summoned two glowing orbs around her that actually struck Gula, one knocking his Keyblade from hers and the other nearly knocking it out of his hand.
"Wow." Gula said as he flipped back, watching as Aqua summoned back her Keyblade. "Impressive."
"Thunder!" Aqua shouted.
Three bolts of lightning fell down towards Gula who smirked as the ground around him exploded. Aqua waited for the dust to clear but it did, Gula had vanished. She noticed a yellow blur before she was suddenly hit in the face. The yellow blur came again and Aqua was hit in the back before she could even comprehend the first hit.
There were several more hits before it was finally over and Aqua slammed into the ground. Gula landed a few feet away.
"While magic is not my specialty I am no slouch at it either." Gula remarked with a smile.
Aqua grunted as a green light enveloped her. "Heal."
Her light wounds healed and she stood up, glaring at Gula.
"Well, impressive use of magic. No Invi but you know when to make use of it. Your stance is refined to the point you can wield the Keyblade no matter what shape and you've got a cool head, kind of like me." Gula noted. "And you've got the experience to adapt to your situations."
"Who are you?" Aqua asked. "Why are you attacking me and how did you even get here?"
"I told you, my name is Gula, leader of the Leopard Union and I used a Door of Light." Gula answered with a frown. "Slow on the uptake, I see. Still, you've a chance to learn but only if you can show the heart for it!"
Just as Gula shot forward in another yellow blur but this time, Aqua was ready.
"Transcendence!" She shouted, conjuring an anti-gravity field.
Gula shot right into the field and was lifted off his feet, taking him by surprise. Aqua then teleported outside of the field. Once she was outside she pointed her Keyblade and Gula and a barrage of multi-colored orbs that slammed into Gua, sending him crashing into the ground.
(Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep OST Master, Tell Me the Truth Ends)
Gula grunted as he stood up, casting a Cura himself. "Maybe not so weak as I thought."
Aqua remained composed as a door made of pure light appeared behind Gula as he dismissed his Keyblade.
"Keep at it, whatever you are doing." Gula said as he turned around, only to glance back at her. "He's got high expectations of you."
Aqua just stared as Gula entered the door and vanished into the light…and fell to her knees in exhaustion when he was finally gone.
What was going on?
Who was Gula talking about?
Did it have to do with something in this world or in Daybreak Town?
All these questions left Aqua feeling exhausted.
It was beautiful.
Salem placed some flowers on the staircase leading to the altar of the God of Light's domain while holding onto Ozma's scepter. This was a custom amongst mortals to offer their respects to the Gods before entering their domain.
It made them receptacle to hearing a mortal's pleas.
Salem then walked up and when she reached the top of the mountain, she stopped as she looked upon the Domain of Light, a valley filled with golden flowers with a pool of water and a tree at the center. Leaves blew from the tree and encircled above the water.
It was truly a magical place.
One that you would only expect to see in a fairy tale.
She slowly approached the pool and stopped to watch as a being in golden light slowly rose from the pool. This being had dragon like horns on his head and the light emanating from him told her exactly who he was.
The God of Light.
He walked across the water, his feet standing on it to show he was truly a God as Salem fell to her knees, holding Ozma's scepter to her chest.
"Please…Please, bring him back to me." Salem begged tearfully.
"I understand your pain, but you demand of me that which I cannot make so." The God of Light answered. "Life and death are part of a delicate balance."
"So…you won't do it then?" Salem slowly asked.
"To disrupt the cycle of-" The God of Light began but was interrupted.
"But that's not fair…That's not fair!" Salem's voice echoed throughout the Domain of Light.
The God of Light's stance suddenly became very stern. "Let. Him. Rest."
The wind picked up, causing leaves to blow around Salem. Suddenly she found herself back at the bottom of the stairway, leading to the Domain of Light.
She looked at Ozma's in her hands before looking up the stairs with an angered look on her face. "No."
She would not accept this.
He was her one true love.
She couldn't just forget him.
She won't.
If the God of Light won't help here, then she will go and see his brother…
The God of Darkness.
"Gula took his sweet time playing with her." The Darkness spoke to the Master who sat at his desk.
"He's like that. Sure he likes to be cool-headed and serious but his youth gives him a rather laid back outlook on life." The Master stated. "He managed follow her back to that world."
"She obviously has not been trained to use Light or Darkness to directly travel to other worlds." The Darkness noted.
"But she has found another way and a rather interesting one at that. This world is deep in the Realm of Light, a nexus of worlds from which all others spawn from and the world she has come from…It appears to be as deep in the Realm of Darkness as this world is in the Light." The Master noted in interest. "A nexus from which worlds can possible be spawned, though it appears to be the only world there at the moment. I wonder what one born from the world of Light can do in a world of Darkness."
