A.N. AAAAAHHHHHH! I'm so sorry! I swear the chapter was done on time but when I uploaded it it was really late at night and I wasn't thinking straight and ended up only posting chapter 5 to my Ao3 account and forgot about fanfiction. net until now. ' I'm so sorry everyone please dont hate me.

Chapter 5

I Fight for the Trees

The standoff didn't last long as the polters started shambling their way to the group. Percedal was first to break the formation they had made and raced to face the polters head on. Eva covered him as she let arrows loose that would piece the small beings. Ruel ended up taking a more defensive position as he waited for the polters to come to him so that he would be able to swing at them with his shovel. Sora, Donald, and Goofy raced toward the tree, hoping to free it from the heartless.

As he ran Sora turned to the side and saw a polter coming up behind the changed shape of his winged friend.

"Donald!" Sora yelled just as the creature was reaching out with one of its antenna. Donald turned and called out Thunder, causing lighting to strike in a small area around him, removing the threat of numerous polters as they faltered and sunk towards the ground. While this happened Eva turned to the Eniripsa with a weary glace, never before had she seen an Eniripsa use a spell like that.

With more of the polters taken out and or held back by the others Sora and his friends were able to continue their way forward, Goofy took town many of the polters as they went as he slammed his shield down on top of them or throwing his shield towards the enemies like a disc.

Just like before, when Sora approached the tree alone, the tree's massive branches came down to swat the boys away like flies. The three ducked and dodged the branches to avoid wasting progress towards the tree, should they be swatted away.

Once they were at the base of the tree Goofy turned and took on his role of guard as he threw his shield with practiced ease to take out the polters so Sora and Donald could put their entire focus on taking out the heartless. Donald, limited to his spells and magic, was careful to avoid any of his fire spells or spells that had a chance to set the tree ablaze.

While his two friends worked on support and protection Sora went straight for the heartless that afflicted the tree. Originally when he got his first look at them his had assumed they would be unable to attack due to their lack of arms. He assumed they would be similar to the mushroom type heartless he would come across on his first journey that only needed spells to clear them out to suit their needs.

He was completely wrong as the closest one swung its bulbous cap and knocked him back about a foot. Of course it couldn't be that easy and he was sure he counted at least five of them in total all at the base of the tree.

From behind him, Eva readied another arrow, charging it with the frozen wind, aiming it at another polter and taking aim when she noticed another one approaching the teen who was getting back to his feet after getting knocked back by one of the creatures he called Heartless. She re-aimed her shot at the polter and fired, watching as it flew and hit the target. Though in her rush to clear the polter she miscalculated just how close it was to the teen and the ice spread too quickly; causing Sora's leg, up to the knee, to get encased in the thick magic imbued ice.

Unaware of what was happening Sora had been trying to regain his footing when the ice spread and was unable to correct his balance in time. He fell back again as the ice encased his leg, which ended up twisted in a painful way as he landed back on the ground. He re-summoned his weapon and swung at the polters that were now within dangerous reach of his prone form. Eva winced at her mistake and watched as Amalia ran to his side to see if he was okay and to offer some defense until he could break out of the ice. She turned to the tree and its afflicted bark and called out thick brambles to see if they could assist in any way against the creatures that clung to the large tree. The brambles followed her command and wrapped themselves around the strange enemy.

The brambles wrapped tighter and tighter, fully securing the enemies and making it easier for Donald and Goofy to take Sora's place as they worked in tandem with one another clearing out the heartless one by one while also keeping the polters away from one another.

The heartless were nearly cleared away when one of the large sweeping branches made a reappearance and swatted at both Donald and Goofy, who were just barely able to dodge away from the attack, and then towards Sora and Amalia who were not as lucky.

With the branch's attack, Sora's leg broke free from the ice, possibly breaking his leg in the process, and both the teen as well at the Sadida princess were sent flying through the air. A large flower appeared below them, petals opening and cushioning their fall before gently turning to the ground and allowing the two to slide down the soft petals.

Behind them Donald and Goofy were finishing up the last of the heartless while Eva, Ruel, and Percedal finished off the polters that remained.

Once on the ground Amalia turned to Sora, concern flashing in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" She asked as her hands hovered over Sora's leg seeing that a bruise was already forming and visible just above the top of his shoe. Sora followed her gaze and shifted his leg to a more comfortable position. He was able to move it but there was still a jolt of pain that moved through the limb so while it wasn't fully broken there was definitely something wrong.

Sora winced as he shifted the limb again, moving to get up and back to the fight. "I should be fine soon as Donald can get a look at it." His reserves of magic had been spent and he'd given majority of his stock to Donald and Goofy to hang on to as he had a habit of selling them to get the funds for better equipment. Amalia gave him a look that made it clear she didn't believe him and with gentle hands she guided him back to the ground to get the weight off of his leg.

From his spot back on the ground Sora and Amalia watched the remaining members of their group continued fighting, clearing out the Heartless and Polters with minor issues as they spread out and covered a wide area.

From where they were sitting Sora and Amalia were able to spot the polter that was approaching behind the unsuspecting Evangelyn. They were too far away to race to her aid and with how loud the fight had gotten as it neared the end there was a high chance she would be unable to hear them if they yelled a warning. Luckily Percedal saw the threat and ran towards it, smashing it with Rubilax. From where they were sitting the two were just barely able to make out the stupid grin on Percedal's face as he turned to look up at Eva.

"I believe saving your life is worthy of a kiss, don't you Eva?" He stated while puckering his lips together. Unknown by Percidal, the polter that he had just hit with Rubilax wasn't truly defeated, and just as the Shushu guardian was going for a kiss, an antennae reached out and touched the Iops ankle and he was overcome by leaves and was stuck as a shrub just like the inhabitants of Emelka. By this time the tree seemed to have calmed down and with the tree no longer on a rampage the heartless cleared out as well.

One of the branches that was once used to swat away at the heroes reached out with a slow grace, formerly unseen from the tree. The hand like branch wrapped around the Sadida princess and lifted her away from the ground, leaving Sora stumbling to the ground as he tried to swing the keyblade at the perceived threat. His sprained ankle was still unable to fully hold his weight yet and he collapsed back to the ground and was stuck watching as Amalia was brought far above the canopy.

The remaining members of their group raced to where Sora fell and looked up to where they could see Amalia held gently in the giant trees limb. From where they stood they could hear the tree talking and with the breaks in its words it was clear the two were having a conversation. They group watched as the tree was rejuvenated through the Sadida Princess' touch.

Just as gently as the tree originally brought Amalia up above the canopy it returned her back to the ground. As though by some unspoken command the polter that had turned Percedal into a shrub reached out with its antenna and before their eyes Percedal returned to his original state. Due ot coming back in the state he was last in, leaning over for a kiss, his action was completed, though since Eva had moved since he had been frozen the Iop ended up falling forward and kissing the forest floor instead of the blond like he had intended.

The tree, Soft Oak, gave a new command one that everyone was able to hear and sent to polters back to Emelka to free all the people who were trapped as shrubs. It was strange to ride atop the little creatures that had been so easily crushed under foot earlier the same day. Though Sora wouldn't be afraid to admit that he was happy to catch a ride as Donald hasn't yet had a chance to check is ankle.

As soon as the Polters reached Emelka they began branching off towards their earlier victims and released the inhabitants of Emelka from their leafy prisons. The majority of the polters remained though as they continued carrying their passengers towards the Inn. As more inhabitants of Emelka were freed by the polters the fewer polters remained in town as they were quick to head back into the forest once their job was done.

Upon being freed Alibert is quick to find his son and pull the young boy into his arms, spinning with his son held in the air before he pulls his son close again. "Yugo I thought I told you to go to Oma?" The large man said as he placed Yugo back on the ground. A frown placed itself on Yugo;s face as he looked up at his father.

"I know but I wanted to help here first and make sure everyone was okay." Yugo explained.

Alibert smiled at his son but before he was able to say anything a sudden blast knocked everyone into the air before they were stuck, frozen as though hung by invisible bindings. Sora and his companions recognized the feeling all too well and found that within the center of where the blast originated from stood the stranger that had sent them here in the first place.

"Greetings, my name is Nox, if you all do as I say no one will get hurt." At the statement there were looks of hate all directed towards the strangers from all members of the thrown together group; from the other side of the field, in a spot Sora couldn't quite see him Ruel exclaimed.

"He's a Xelor!" Ignoring their rules of blending in and not messing with the world order Sora called to Ruel "What does that have to do with anything!?" Evangeline was the one to answer his question, calling from his left it sounded like, "A Xelor is a mage that controls time, though for one to attack like this is strange."

That explained a number of things for Sora but also resulted in more questions. Was this the same person from before, it certainly felt like it? What did they do to him and his friends? And since this 'Xelor' could control time where or when where they sent?

He hadn't really thought about it too much until now but it finally dawned on him that when they originally disappeared the clearing they had been in was demolished and burning, but when they reappeared, probably in the same clearing, it was lush and green. So did that mean-.

Sora's thoughts were interrupted when a face appeared in front of him "Hmm, when I made it so that you and your strange friends were no longer in my way I never expected you to reappear again, let alone twelve years later."

This news froze the blood in Sora's veins. If they were really twelve years in the future what happened to Riku? Or to Kairi? Did everyone think he was dead, or was he simply erased from their memories like when he was in that strange pod.

"However, according to someone aiding me, this little development may prove to be in my favor." The Xelor said, ignoring the fear that clung deep to Sora's bones. Sora pushed down his fear and instead sent a glare towards the Xelor who in turn ignored it as they turned their attention instead to Yugo.

"Now then on to you, the boy with the blue hat, tell me everything that you know about the dragon Grougaloragran." Yugo was quick to yell in the Xelor's face, clearly trying to fight whatever paralysis kept them all suspended in the air while explaining that he knew nothing about any Grougaloragran.

While Yugo knew nothing of who the Xelor was looking for Sora and two companions recognized the name.

"What do you want with him?!" Donald yelled from somewhere to Sora's right. Though the Xelor ignored anything they said and continued his one sided conversation with the twelve year old boy.

"If you don't tell me everything I want to know I will be sure to end the lives of all of your little friends, starting with the Tofu."

Through some invisible force the small yellow bird was brought to the Xelor's hand and Nox was quick to pluck the bright blue feather that stuck out among the normal yellow tail feathers.

Just as the blue feather was plucked it was overcome by some sort of magic and began inscribing a message in the air, writing in an unknown language. As soon as the feather had finished its work its colors dimmed and it fell to the ground as the message itself seemed to flow right into Yugo's eyes.

Nox watched as the twelve year olds eyes widened, as though he now understood what the message had said. He grabbed the boy by the shoulders and demanded to know the contents of the message though the boy held fast and continued to refuse even when Nox was preparing to physically injure the boy.

From where they watched they could see Alibert overcome the force holding them allowing him to lunge and attack his son's assailant. A strange force pushed the father back though before he could do any real damage but it ended with a positive result as everyone was released from the strange stasis.

By the time everyone was able to right themselves on the ground Nox was gone and Alibert had lost his strength and the force that had knocked him back seemed to speed his aging as white spread throughout his hair which also grew in length and became unkempt.

Everyone ran to the Inn Keeper/Mayors side. Huddled together and reassured that Alibert was okay, other that the rapid aging, Yugo explained what the message said and they decided as a group to make their way to Oma Island.

As the group left the village, heading towards something Ruel called a Zapp Portal, Alibert was left watching his son's retreating back, praying he'd see Yugo again.

A.N. Ya'll I finished the chapter during a power outage we had on March 23rd. Honestly March has been crazy for me. About 2 weeks before the snowstorm that knocked the power out I crashed and completely flipped my car. Luckily I wasn't injured to bad and was literally able to just crawl out with minor injuries, main issue I had was soreness. Then we had the power outage. Also had a kindergarten student tell me no less than 18 times that "I wish you were dead". Like March has honestly sucked and I'm glad it is over. With this chapter done there's about 59 pages left to retype until I'm caught up and need to figure out new material.