A Song of Fire, Ice and Hearts

by Jebest4781

Venturing outside of the Heart of his Somebody, a Nobody enters a World where it's at the brink of self destruction. Will he be able to handle and survive the Game of Thrones. Rated M for language, violence, etc. Pairings hidden at current time. KHXGoT/ASoIaF CoWritten by free man writer. Cover Image by Carlos M. Please leave reviews.

44. The Sands of Time

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Disney, Square-Enix, Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire or anything else. They rightfully belong to their respective owners.

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

Writing/Singing

"Foreign Language/Flashback"

-Scene Shift-

Chapter 44: The Sands of Time

Great and heavy was the weight of the crown.

The responsibility of ruling an empire, let alone a kingdom was monumental.

For Tus, son of Sharaman, this was what he was feeling now as Persia's new king.

He's been preparing to take the Persian throne of his father and their ancestors before them for most of his life. Everything in his life was meant to make him be ready for the time when he would ascend to be the ruler of Persia. Yet Tus felt like he wasn't. He knew one can never be prepared enough to wear the crown, but not like this. Not with how his father was taken too soon and by his own brother no less, making it far worse than he could ever imagine.

It was even a bit more difficult on his compilation and focus, all due to his last conversation with his late father.

"We had indications Alamut was arming our enemies."

"Enemies?" Sharaman questions his eldest son. "You better have more than indications to occupy a holy city with my troops! This *tsk* adventure won't sit well with our allies. Oh, but I suppose you didn't take that into account." He saw Tus glance to the side where Nizam stood. "Don't look for your uncle, boy."

"The… decision, and its consequences, rest with me."

The king can only give his son a look, holding a lot of emotion. But what Tus could pick out from them all was disappointment. "I know you're eager to wear the crown but trust me when I tell you you're not yet ready."

"No man would know better than you, father." Tus says, trying to compose himself. "Because your trust is something I deeply cherish…"

This was his last memory of him. One which will affect him for not only his reign but the rest of his life.

Situated in his tent, Tus contemplates much of his life when Nazim and Garsiv come walking in once the guard outside informs him of their presence.

"Your majesty." Says his uncle.

"I thought you were staying in Alamut." Garsiv remarked.

Tus doesn't respond back to his loyal brother's comment. Instead, he focuses on the matter at hand. "Tell me about Dastan."

He heard various reports from his Persian soldiers of Dastan's presence in Avrat. Yet he wanted to know from the accounts of his uncle and brother.

"Dastan came to Avrat to kill me," Nizam states with some hesitation in his voice. "In the marketplace. I just got away." He looked over to his other nephew, who stood beside him. "I would've died if Garsiv and his men hadn't come to my rescue and stopped Dastan. Yet the girl from Alamat assisted Dastan on his escape."

"Girl? What girl?"

"I believe it was the nomad Dastan introduced to us." Nizam informs his nephew and king, getting a look of recognition from him. "And I can assume her companion -the other nomad- was in the city as well."

"Why were they helping Dastan?" Tus asks from utter curiosity.

"Perhaps they struck a bargain with him." Garsiv merely guesses. "Whatever the case may be, the girl is a formidable fighter and probably the other as well. Dastan is clearly protected by them for their service."

The new king was silent when regarding this little report.

Nizam speaks up. "Tus, my death would weaken your young reign. Dastan hopes to start a rebellion."

Tus looked at his Uncle with alarm and surprise. "He wants the throne?"

There was a hint of disbelief in the new King's tone so Nizam moved in quickly. "I fear so, my lord. Putting Dastan on trial would give him a stage for his sedition. My advice would be to avoid a trial. Don't bring him back to Nasaf alive."

Hearing Nizam's suggestion, Tus had to weigh his options. Yet he came to a decision. "Whatever Dastan's crimes may be, a public trial will best communicate the king I hope to be. Strong, honoring the rule of law. We are not savages."

"You grow more of a king every day." Nizam bows whereas Garsiv remains tall.

"Dastan must be found and brought to justice."

Hearing Tus' order, Nizam and Garsiv basically knew what needed to be done.

However, both had their own agendas and own means of how to deal with Dastan now once they left the royal tent and separated.

For Garsiv, he'd most certainly bring justice to Dastan. Yet he'd have him killed when the opportunity presents itself. As such, he'll continue his search with his men.

As for Nizam, he had other plans for what he desired most in the world.

-Meanwhile-

A certain princess was trying to avoid the venomous glare of a Sand Snake.

"I so… so want to kill you right now."

The group composed of Dastan, Tamina, Tyene and Roxas were relatively silent as they rode their Chocobo mounts across the desert. They were more focused on being a good distance away from Avrat so they wouldn't get caught by any Persian forces.

But after settling down after the long ride, matters had to be discussed.

One being the most obvious…

"Figured as such." Roxas groaned with a mutter. "Realized what she did before you two showed up."

Tyene's throat made a sound to show her displeasure before facing Alamut's princess. Her face displayed the controlled anger and frustration she felt right now. Dastan was similar but was just more tired than the Dornish girl.

Having gotten off her feathered mount, Tyene all but stomped towards Tamina, jabbing a finger in her face. "I'm honestly sick of this, you hear?! And I am this close," She had her index and thumb be a millimeter apart from each other. "Oh so very close to just stabbing you and leaving you bleeding in the desert."

Hearing Tyene's threat, Tamina blurts out "You're bluffing."

"I'm with her on this one." Dastan coldly declared, dismounting his Chocobo. "We're tired of your penchant for lies and backstabbing."

Alamut's princess looked over to Roxas to see if he had a say on this. "Don't look at me. It's mostly a majority vote by this point." Was his response, tossing the mystical dagger over to Dastan.

He'd certainly jump in if needed, but he's really tired of this and she was pushing him to his limit.

"However," Dastan began as he got close to Tamina with Tyene practically cornering her. "What you say next may have us consider doing that now or later."

"Why's that?" Was her nervous inquiry.

"You still got explaining to do, for real this time." Tyene picks up, given she more or less has a similar thought to Dastan right now. She practically stabs the princess on the side with her finger. "And your little act of theft bought you some leeway."

This got confusion from Tamina and Roxas with the latter voicing an amicable response. "What are you talking about?"

Dastan's expression morphed into a bitter, crestfallen manner, looking at Roxas than the Princess. "It wasn't Tus that killed my father. It was Nizam."

"...Your uncle?" Tamina murmured to make sure who he was talking about.

The Persian Prince glanced down at one of his hands, clenching it tightly.

"His hands were burned. He said it happened trying to pull off the robe that killed my father. But that's just it." He pointed at his head. "I've gone over that moment over and over in my head. He never touched the robe back then. He must've handled it before." Dastan walked away to give Tamina space. "It was Nizam who poisoned the robe to begin with." Unfurling the dagger from the cloth, the Scapegoat Prince gazes upon it. "What good does turning back a few moments of time do for my uncle? None." He turns back to Tamina, letting her look at the dagger. "He murdered my father more than just this."

Hearing this, Roxas turns over to Alamut's princess, eyes narrowed now. "What aren't you telling us? This dagger is way more important than just being able to turn back time for what, mere moments?"

Tyene nods, adding in "No more games and tricks."

Tamina breathes out a sigh, knowing she can't keep it a secret forever. It was time to tell the tale of the dagger.

"In Alamut rests the beating heart of all life on this World; the Sandglass of the Gods." She began, garnering their attention. "Long ago, the gods looked down on man and saw nothing but their thirst for power, greed, wrath and treachery. And so they sent a great sandstorm to destroy all, to wipe clean from the face of the earth. However, one young girl pleaded her case and begged the gods to give mankind another chance with the former offering her life in exchange. And she wasn't alone. With her, a warrior wielding a Keyblade fought by her side to reach the Gods so that she was able to make her plea."

"So that's how you know of the Keyblade." Roxas surmised.

"To a degree." Says Tamina before resuming her tale. "Seeing the innate purity within the girl and the heroism displayed by the Keybearer with her, the gods were reminded of man's potential for good. So they swept the sand into the Sandglass. From there, they forged the Dagger of Time and gave it to the girl who saved mankind, making her the first guardian." Her eyes focus on the dagger in Dastan's possession. "It is said the dagger's blade is the only thing that can pierce the Sandglass and remove the Sands of Time. However, the handle only holds for one minute."

"This was tested before, right?" Roxas inquired and Tamina nodded.

"Yes, but we've only used it for times of need."

Digesting this tale, Dastan looks at the sand in the dagger's glass handle. "What if one were to place the dagger in the Sandglass and press the jeweled pommel at the same time?"

Tamina gazed at the Prince, troubled by his question. "Sand would flow through endlessly."

"...Then you could go back in time as far as you want?" Roxas surmised.

"Yes, but it is forbidden." Tamina spoke in grave seriousness. "Tampering with time on that scale would cause untold damage."

Momentarily, Tyene thought of the prospect. Would it only work for a person's own personal time in the past or could their very being go further back? On the former, the idea of possibly forewarning Gruncle Lewyn and others of the attack at Kings Landing so many lives could be spared. If the latter could be achieved, the idea of going back to save her aunt Elia and her children was quite tempting.

Focusing back on the dagger causing all this mess, the Sand Snake saw a peculiar look the Persian prince made. "You know something, Dastan."

The Prince shook his head, a hand over his eyes as his mind had a strange clarity to just what it was that his Uncle was planning.

"I believe I know what Nizam intends on doing. Something involving a tale I know too well."

The others gazed at him questioningly save for the Sand Snake who pointed at him in realization.

"The story you mentioned was your father's favorite." Tyene recalls from the one meeting with Nizam earlier that day. "Something about a lion?"

He nodded at her, looking at Roxas and Tamina.

"When my father was a boy, Nizam saved his life hunting." Dastan elaborates. "One day, the two princes were stalking a beautiful buck, but they weren't aware of a lioness stalking them. Nizam saved Sharaman. My father told us the story over and over again."

Tamina gave a bewildered expression. "So Nizam saved your father's life. What does that mean?"

A dark glint appeared in Dastan's eyes. "Nizam wishes to go back in time and undo what he did. Not save my father, let him die."

This got quite the reaction from the others.

"Nizam would've been king instead." Tyene said.

"Your brothers would never be born." Tamina went on.

"While you would never be taken from the streets." Roxas finished off.

Dastan held up the powerful knife, a grave and determined face for them to see. "We can't let Nizam have the dagger."

On that, the group collectively agreed on. The first proper agreement shared between the four.

"Listen, the sands contained within the Sandglass are incredibly powerful. Opening the dagger while it's inside may indeed wind back time as far as one desires, but there poses the ultimate risk. The seal for the Sandglass may be destroyed, causing it to crack and shatter. The Sands of Time would no longer be contained and they would carry the gods' wrath with them once more, destroying this very World as a result of Nizam's treachery."

Hearing Tamina's warning of what may happen merely drove the others to what needed to be done.

Roxas couldn't help but ask "Then what do we do now?"

"The secret Guardian Temple outside Alamut is a sanctuary, the one place in the World the dagger can be hidden safely and to stop this Armageddon." She looks at the three. "That's the truth, all of it." She focuses more on Dastan. "Give me the dagger, so I can take it there."

Dastan, however, shakes his head. "I can't do that." This garnered a frown from the princess. "Because I'm coming with you."

"What?" Tamina murmured.

Tyene gave a small smile. "Might as well help."

"Same." Roxas chuckled out.

The Alamutian Princess stared in astonishment. "You're… You're going to help me?"

Dastan climbed on top of his feathered steed with a smile. "We could sit here and chat, or you can get on your chocobo and lead the way."

Dumbfounded after everything, Tamina didn't know what to do. Of course, a playful nudge by the Sand Snake got her to focus back.

"See what happens when you're honest with people for once?"

-Later, Elsewhere-

Walking into a castle compound built within a mountain, Nizam of Persia walked with purpose and ambition to see his desire come to fruition.

With each and every step in the dark, he could hear faint sounds of commotion all around. It was mostly, from what Nizam knew, the residents training their craft. On how to be more effective in fighting, in stealth and much more for the purpose of killing specific targets.

This was what the Hassansins were and operated for years.

The Order was almost disbanded by King Sharaman if it weren't for Nizam to ignore the command. He saw they were… relatively loyal to the Persian throne for generations and saw no purpose in ending them.

If there was a certain threat to the Persian empire, Nizam would use these elite assassins to silence them for good. It's been done countless times without Sharaman's knowledge. And for Nizam's services, the empire prospered even if no one else would know.

Of course, at one point, Nizam saw himself on the throne instead of his brother. And as such, he had to plan… thoroughly plan.

They helped provide him with the poison to make the prayer robes effective in killing his brother. Nizam could've done a particular death in a different manner, but it wouldn't be enough for what he truly desired above all else.

It was through the Hashshashin did he learned a whole litany of information, which gave way to many possibilities. Not only did he learn a way to get what he truly desired, but something far more than intended.

After traveling through the dark mountainside castle, Nizam came to a stop when he felt a presence beside him. Turning, he saw a figure in black with unusual eyes and a scarred face.

This was Hassan-i-Sabbah, the current leader of the Hashshashin.

"Lord Nizam." Said the Hassan leader. "What brings you here today?"

"I have another task for you, but you'll have to be quick. Your prey has a head start."

"Of course. And who is it you desire to receive the gift of Death?"

"My nephew, Prince Dastan and his nomad allies. I also desire the dagger they have on them. It is of great importance."

Seeing the curious look on the Hassan's face, Nizam gave a description of what he recalled of it days prior when he first saw it in Dastan's possession. A look of recognition came upon the assassin leader, seemingly knowing what his client desires to obtain.

"And the payment?"

A bag of gold was withdrawn from Nizam's robes and were handed over to the Hassansin leader, who weighed it in his hand before accepting the offering.

"Is there anything else you wish to inform us about them?" The scarred man calmly asked.

"These nomads, I was told, hold impeccable skill. Even Dastan claimed they wield magic. They may prove problematic in accomplishing this task." Hearing the Hassan hum a little, Nizam added in one last detail. "There was also a factor of these nomads wielding swords shaped like keys of all things."

"...Key…blades…"

Nizam took note of the sound of seeming recognition when the Hassan said this. "You know something." He states.

"...In a manner…"

-Meanwhile-

"Our journey is blessed." Tamina whispered in relief at the sight of water.

After riding for quite some time, the group eventually arrived at an oasis.

"We'll stop for water and push for the mountain pass by nightfall." The princess declared and her normally most vocal critic didn't see anything wrong with Tamina's words.

"I'm fine with that." Tyene remarked, sliding off her Chocobo, Roxas doing the same.

"Beats casting Water spells so much, just to refill our waterskins."

Dastan looks over to Tamina with a smirk. "You enjoy telling us what to do."

She raised an amused brow of faux-challenge. "Only because you're so good at following orders."

"Yeah, don't press your luck."

Getting to the watering hole, the group was refilling their containers and cleaning themselves up while their Chocobo mounts were taking their fill of water.

Yet as the group was taking their break, Dastan was feeling rather off. Not about what he's learned recently about the dagger and the dire situation at hand. No, it was something else and it wouldn't leave him quite well.

Suddenly, they heard a noise. Chirping to be exact.

Looking to the source, they saw a lone chocobo with a cloth over their head.

"What?"

Before they could properly process anything, a few dozen bandits appeared out of the grass and around the rock formations to surround them.

"Persian!" Emerging from these bandits was Sheikh Amar and he didn't look exactly pleased to see them, despite his pleasant facade. "We parted under such rushed circumstances, I didn't get the chance to say goodbye."

"Sheikh Amar, good to see you again." Says Dastan as he and the others are held and sword and knifepoint.

The bandit leader got up to Dastan's face with a sneer. "We've been tracking you for days. That little riot you started, it went on for two days!" He turned away from him with sorrow on his face. "My beloved racetrack, all washed away like footprints in the sand." He then points to the lone chocobo with the cloth over its head. "See that? That's the only chocobo left of my gaming empire… until now." He gestures to his men to secure the other chocobos Dastan, Tamina, Tyene and Roxas took from him. "It'll take forever to restore it how it once was."

"Is it too late to say we're sorry?" Roxas asked.

Sheikh Amar snorts. "Like I'll accept it that easily. No. Your Chocobos are just the start. The best way to reclaim all my losses is to track you four and present you all to the Persian king." He then notices Dastan wasn't focusing on him. "I'm talking to you!"

As the bandit leader was speaking, the Scapegoat Prince was focused elsewhere. It took some moments for Sheikh Amar to look at Dastan's general direction to see a number of sand whirls in the distance.

Amar scoffed, turning back to the Prince. "Oh, it's just dust devils, Persian. They're common as camel turds in the desert."

Dastan, however, knew something else. "No, Sheikh Amar, listen to me-!"

The prince was suddenly gagged with a cloth and a length of rope in order to silence him.

"I'd rather not."

It was at this instance did Seso withdrew the mystical dagger from Dastan's waist. "Nice knife." Says the Ngbaka.

Not wanting things to go badly, Tamina begins her plea. "Noble Sheikh, we are on a sacred journey to the Temple-" Sadly she too was silenced with a gag by another one of the bandits.

"Temple? There's nothing more sacred than Persian gold!"

Roxas and Tyene cringed, not knowing how they'd be getting out of this mess now. They could simply break out of this but they didn't want to risk putting Dastan nor the Princess in harm's way.

It was nightfall when Sheikh Amar and his people had the four confined at the oasis. Some bandits were awake and stood guard in case any of the prisoners decided to do anything.

Unbeknownst to anyone, a man appeared on the scene. He was covered from head to toe in dark clothing all the while wearing a skull-like mask. This was a member of the Hashashashin.

Lowering his arms to the ground, several dozen snakes came out of his sleeves and silently slithered under the sand toward his targets.

Dastan was situated near Seso while Tamina was near Sheikh Amar. As for Roxas and Tyene, the two were sleeping together.

The blonde Nobody stirred awake when he felt something move his foot. Waking up, he moved about to see several things moving underneath the sand. Without missing a beat, he pulled his hands apart, snapping the ropes that kept him bound off with ease. He then nudges Tyene awake in the process.

"Wha-?"

"Tyene." Her lover whispers. "Something's happening."

As this was going on, Dastan stirred awake as well just in time to see a snake emerging in front of Seso, who just woke up. The Ngbaka kept still, trying to not alarm the snake to attack. However, such a tactic wouldn't work as the snake rose up and was poised to strike.

Once it launched forward, Dastan quickly grabbed a torch, swung it and smacked the snake away from Seso and into the firepit. The action caused many nearby to wake up.

"Take cover!" Roxas yells out, casting Fire from his hands and burning a snake soon after. He then concentrates the fire onto his bindings to free himself before Tyene.

"What is this?!" Sheikh Amar yells in fright as Tamina scrambles for cover.

Tyene summons Missing Ache, and swings and cuts a snake in mere moments. "Us saving you and your men from an ambush!"

"Give me the dagger. There are too many of them." Dastan demands Seso. "You can't kill them all!"

The two Keybearers did all they could to assist the bandits. But in the ensuing chaos, one of them knocks Tyene off her balance and falls to the ground. In the process of getting back up, she ends up hissing and yelling in pain.

Hearing her cry, Roxas turns and pales upon seeing the Dornish girl having been bitten by one of the snakes.

"Tyene!" He quickly swipes his weapon to kill it, but its fangs are still lodged into her flesh. She flails while trying to breathe, almost causing her to bite her own tongue in the process. "Stay with me!" He says, holding her while trying to pull out an Elixir or anything to help.

Scrambling over, Tamina panics upon seeing one of the Keybearers being mortally wounded. "Can you do anything?!"

"I don't know!" Roxas shouted, now pulling out an Elixir. "Please work!"

Seeing this, Dastan rears back to Seso. "You want to have all that death on your hands?" He yells, rattling the Ngbaka even more. "You want to save them all, then give me the dagger!"

Seso cuts Dastan free and tosses the mystical dagger to him.

An instant later, Dastan presses the jeweled pommel as a snake lunges at him. Time halts and begins to wind back. Looking about, Dastan saw Tyene being bitten reversed along with the places where all of the snakes were coming out from. Memorizing it all, he arrived back to the time when the snakes began their attack.

As time returned to normal, Dastan quickly moved and snagged the dagger of time from Seso. He ignored the Ngbaka and quickly went to work.

But first-

"Roxas! Cut me loose!"

He did as asked, Dastan freed from his restraints and immediately jumped into action.

Roxas moved to assist Tyene whilst Dastan targeted the snakes he remembered seeing.

As the one snake struck, he quickly snatched a tree branch from the nearby fire so it would latch onto it instead. He quickly sliced the snake with the dagger before harshly stomping some moments later where he crushed an incoming snake without even looking. From there, he swung the branch to knock another snake away before stabbing the lit branch to the snake entrapped underneath his boot.

"Tyene, move away!" Cries out the Persian.

Hearing her name, the Dornish girl quickly moves which has her not get knocked down by one of the bandits. In the process, she doesn't fall down and leaves herself open to the venomous snake. Though she does take it out by a quick swing of her Keyblade.

With all these movements done ever so swiftly, Dastan finishes things off by swinging his arm hard to have the dagger impale a snake that was about to bite into Sheik Amar, who was seated some distance away

The hidden Hassan quirks his head quizzically, wondering how the primary target was able to predict all this.

Amar was gaping at the carnage of snakes, looking at one that was beheaded right next to him before looking up at Dastan.

"Persian… How did you-?"

"Instinct." Was his quick retort, catching the eyes of his friends, the trio obviously picking up on what Dastan actually did.

The Prince checked around and thankfully, due to the combined actions of himself, Roxas, and Tyene, there were no casualties this time around. He released a breath he didn't realize he had been holding and checked on Tamina, seeing she was alright, the princess gave him an appreciative smile at his gesture.

The sound of wind in the distance made the Prince pause, slowly turning around in the in the distance…

Dust Devils moving away from them.

Seeing the sand whirl in the distance, something clicks in Dastan's head which fills him with dread.

"We have to get out of here."

-Morning-

Having left the oasis after their abrupt awakening (along with the dead bandits), the group composed of Dastan, Tamina, the Keybearers and Sheikh Amar's men were making their way to the Guardian Temple. However, the bandits were blindly following their saviors at this time without knowing the intended end.

"Are you alright, Tyene?" No. XIII inquired, sitting down next to her.

"I'm fine." She shivered slightly. "I'm used to the cold of desert nights." Her sight gazes onward to the mountain snow falling from the sky. "Just not this particular cold."

At the mention of this, Roxas unzips and takes off his coat before having Tyene slip it on. Soon after, she could feel a neutral warmth.

"Better?" He saw her inhale the scent of the coat and she gave him a sultry and loving smile.

"Yes." She pecks him on the cheek. "Thank you."

Looking ahead, the Sand Snake could only marvel at how the light snowfall was. It was pretty much the first time she'd seen it.

"What happened last night?" Sheikh Amar asks. "I didn't know there was a snake nest at the oasis. Rather unusual if you ask me."

"Those vipers were controlled by the Hashshashin or Hassansins for short."

"Hassansins?" Sheikh parroted.

"Assassins. The most lethal ones there ever are." Dastan clarifies. "For years, they were the covert killing force for Persian kings for generations, before my father ordered them disbanded."

"I get the feeling Nizam must've gone behind your father's back and ignored it." Tyene remarked, seeing Dastan grimace.

"That would be my best guess." The Prince stated.

"Are we going to be facing an army of these Hashshashin?" Roxas asked, with Dastan shaking his head.

"I do not know. I pray we won't."

Overhearing all this, the Chocobo promoter let out a titter of fright.

"This secret government killing activity," Shiekh says nervously, "See, this is why I-"

"Don't pay taxes, we know." Tyene interrupts the bandit leader. "Don't remind us."

"What do we do now?" Roxas inquired. "If those guys were sent by your uncle, then that means they're not far behind."

"They're probably watching us now." Tyene tacked on, a hint of nervousness in her tone that did little to alleviate the already frightened Sheikh.

"If that's the case, we mustn't stop." Tamina resolutely declared.

"Well, perhaps you can't, but we can."

Shortly after Sheikh Amar says this, he silently commands his men to stop moving forward. The others took notice of this, earning several responses.

"Are you serious right now?" Tyene said in disbelief. "We save your lives after all the nonsense you put us through and this is how you react?"

"We can use your help getting to the temple." Dastan chimed in.

"By crossing the Hindu Kush with a storm blowing?" Sheikh scoffs. "You attract trouble like flies around rotting mango." He barely notices Tamina coming up to him as he continues his rant. " And you're insane-"

"There's gold at the temple. More than all your horses and Chocobo here can carry." This drew the attention of the bandit leader and his men at the prospect. They were weighing the options on this particular detail. Of course what Tamina says next sells it. "And it's all tax-free. Yours to keep with no strings attached."

Sheikh Amar grins with his greed washing over him now. "Well then, let's be off!"

Seeing the bandits' enthusiastic reaction, the others trudged on.

As they kept on walking Tyene thought of the new element at play on their journey to save this World.

'These Hassassin sound all so very much like the Faceless Men of Braavos.' She frowned with worry.

It was a bedtime story she recalled her father telling her in her youth, just to give her a good scare when tucked in at night. Yet the fear was ever present, even to this day.

No one knows, let alone recalls, when the Faceless Men began their work. But for as long as everyone remembers, they originated from Old Valyria as a group of slaves who joined those who helped found Braavos. Since then, they are the most feared group of people anyone will ever come across. No one would know if a passing stranger or someone ever so insignificant is one of their members carrying out their work.

If a contract is set, one may never know when the target receives the gift of Death. It may be that very day, the following one, weeks, months or years later. Regardless, one's fate is practically sealed once they have their sights on them.

As such, they are the most feared assassin's guild in the world. And arguably the most mysterious cult there is, given their worship of the Many-Faced-God.

Of course, with their reputation, they are highly sought out by many if they don't want to do the deathly deed themselves. As a result, the cost of their services varies depending on the particular target in mind. After all, it's rumored that the Iron Bank of Bravos is their most frequent client, given many don't uphold their end of the contracts and the bank wants their due; whatever means necessary.

So having a group similar to the Faceless Men being in this World gave Tyene a sense of worry. Yet, she doesn't know of the Hassassins' capabilities if they were similar or vastly different.

'One thing at a time.' she thought as she kept up on her trek.

Halfway to the temple, Tamina took more of the lead in guiding them all to their destination.

"Do you have any idea where we are going?" Roxas asked, feeling as though they were wandering down an unclear path.

"I memorized this path as a child." Says the princess. "Every member of my family had to for generations." A smile soon graces her face as they make it around a bend. "It's over there. The sanctuary."

"Hopefully this'll be the one place the dagger can be kept away from Nizam's schemes." Says Tyene, briefly glancing over to her lover.

With her thinking about it now, they could just have Roxas open up a Dark Corridor and toss the dagger through to save them the trouble. Yet she doesn't know if it'll cause more problems as a result given the severity of the item in question.

That thought alone gave Tyene a slight headache.

'The idea of messing with time itself.' The Sand Snake mused in exasperation. 'And here I thought bedding my love to be the greatest challenge of my life.'

"This gold you promise better be worth it." Mutters the bandit leader as he gazes about the sanctuary. "Though I was expecting golden statues and waterfalls."

"That only happens in murmurs tales." Comments the Dornish girl. "Besides, what use is a secret temple if it's way too noticeable by the outside world?"

As they got closer to their destination, Tamina turned her focus to Dastan. "Give me the dagger so that I can take it there."

Unlike previous instances of him refusing, the Persian prince willingly does. Withdrawing the mystical dagger from his waist, he holds it out to her. "Don't cut yourself, princess." He says with a smirk.

She gives him a soft smile in turn. "I thank you." She sighs, gazing at him and the two Keybearers. "And I'm sorry for being difficult."

"Difficult is an understatement." Tyene retorted and rather than make any comment of her own, Tamina only smiled with remorse.

"Yes, I can understand your annoyance with me."

"You're an annoying royal but not the worst we've dealt with." Roxas chimed in. "So don't worry. You're at least humble enough to turn things around."

"Hey!" They heard Seso's alarmed cry some distance ahead of them. "You need to see this!"

This drew a bit of concern, having the initial group and the other bandits hurry their pace.

Coming down from an overpassed hill, they saw a village. For Tamina, she remembered this was the last safeguard for the sanctuary with its inhabitants being the gatekeepers.

From what all of them can see, all of the residents of this place were lying on the ground dead and exposed to the elements. Taking a closer look, they saw the corpses had puncture wounds and slit marks on varying throats of certain parts of their bodies.

"Oh shit." Were Tyene's response to the sight.

"Not long dead. Last night, maybe." Seso comments having examined the bodies earlier.

Seeing this as well, Tyene noticed the peculiar fashion of the deaths. "They were tortured."

"I agree." Says the Ngbaka, the man giving the Sand Snake a look. "You know, yes?"

"Taught by my father to know such things."

"Then it's the Hassassins." The Prince declared

With this realization, a sense of dread washed over them all.

"Nizam knows this place." Dastan concludes.

As this was said, Roxas and Sheikh Amar came out from different huts with the same thing in mind.

"They're all dead." The former said with a forlorn gaze, making Tamina's heart sink.

"The entire village is gone." Amar grimaced at it all. He may be a man who loves money but he wasn't some heartless bastard.

Worry swiftly blanketing her, Tamina runs on ahead and brushes past the bandit leader. Tyene and Dastan go after her with Roxas following suit.

"Wait, what about my gold?" He called out to them.

"Later!" Roxas retorted.

"Where are you going?" Dastan asked Tamina, the Princess increasing her run.

"There is only one way to stop all this. To make sure the dagger is safe." She proclaimed, bewildering her companions.

"What?"

"Inside the temple holds the stone the dagger came from." Tamina hurriedly says as she and the others climb the steps. "The first thing we learned, if all else fails, we must put the dagger back into the stone. It would then be swallowed up, pulled into the mountain, and returned to the gods."

"Okay, we get that. But where is the temple?" Roxas asked the million-munny question.

Tamina doesn't answer as she enters a hut and sees another dead body. She looked away, her heart breaking at all this death yet knew she must remain resolute.

"And now the original promise must be paid." She softly said.

This didn't sit well with what was just said.

"What promise?" Dastan slowly asked.

"The gods must take back the life they spared." States Tamina, horrifying her companions.

"Hold on, so if you put the dagger back-"

"You'll die."

Tamina doesn't answer when they all hear horses storm into the village. Looking at the source, they saw it was Persian troops as they quickly blocked the one exit. Turning around, Tamina was already making an escape just when more Persian troops came in from above.

"Shit." Tyene curses.

"Stay there!" They heard Garsiv's yell, having Dastan, Tyene and Roxas turn over to see the man approach. "Stay right there!"

"Garsiv, please!" Dastan pleaded. "Listen to me. Listen to me!"

The general and the second son of Sharaman ignored Dastan's plea as he drew his sword at him. "Give me your weapons." He demands. "Give them to me or do you forsake even that honor?"

The two Keybearers were to intervene when a pair of Persian soldiers drew their weapons onto them. Roxas acted first by holding up his arms slightly with Tyene following suit.

"Please Garsiv, there are dead villagers all around. Murdered by the Hashshashin, on Nizam's orders!" The youngest Persian Prince continued, going up to his brother.

"He's the traitor! Not Dastan!" Roxas chimed in.

"The Hassassin no longer exist!" Garsiv states just when the others heard Tamina's struggling yell. Glancing over, Dastan, Tyene and Roxas saw Alamut's princess was already captured by the Persian troops. "You always thought you were so clever."

"This is no trick, brother-"

"You are no brother of mine after what you've done!" Garsiv cut him off with a snarl.

"He didn't kill your father!" Tyene argued, now getting a bit frustrated with the man.

"Sir!" A Persian soldier came out from one of the nearby huts. "They're dead!"

Another soldier came over soon after. "There's more dead in the other huts."

Not liking what he is hearing, Garsiv went into a hut with a guard following to see for himself where he saw a small family of corpses. "Who could've done this?"

Having followed after his brother, Dastan saw Garsiv looking at the dead. "Nizam wants me dead. Wants me silenced. A trial would be too public." Garsiv turns to him but doesn't say anything. "You know this? He said as much, didn't he?" He backed away slightly when Garsiv aimed his sword at his throat. "I know it hasn't been easy between us, Garsiv, but still, we are brothers."

"Touching words with my sword at your throat."

"You often questioned why Father spent so much time in prayer. Before he died, he told me that the bond between brothers is the sword that defends our empire. He was praying that that sword remain strong. Why would I go into Avrat for Father's funeral when I knew it was so dangerous? Why would my friends risk their lives through possibly suicidal tasks if they trust or believe in me?"

Thinking this over, Garsiv glances over to the one guard and gestures him to leave. Following his prince's order, the soldier exits and leaves Garsiv and Dastan some privacy.

"Uncle recommended your death. He and I believed you hired your two friends to assist in Father's demise. Tus disagreed, ordering to have you brought back alive."

"I never hired them. They willingly followed as they knew I was set up." Dastan says firmly. "Nizam wants me dead and hired the Hassassins to make sure that does happen. He's afraid of what I might say and who I might tell."

Thinking it over, Garsiv wondered what exactly Dastan knew that possibly had Nizam so scared to possibly resort to using the ancient assassin order of all people.

As the two brothers conversed, Roxas and Tyene were staying where they were.

"They've been in there for a while." The former quietly said.

"Hard to tell with me focusing on not getting a blade thrusted through me." Tyene eyes the scimitars pointed at them. A smirk soon crosses her lips. "I'd rather prefer yours going in and out of me."

The blonde Nobody gave her a look. "Really?"

"Really, really." She remarked, wrapping her arms around him. "In case you need a reminder as to who my father is-"

"No, no I don't." Roxas interjected.

"Then you should already know I care not for those who observe my unbridled love for you." She lustfully whispered and the Persian soldiers around them all shifted uncomfortably at Tyene's actions.

Roxas felt his entire face heating up, both in embarrassment and his damnable hormones with Tyene pressing her body against his when he felt something off in the air, turning away, unaffected by Tyene's lips peppering his cheek and neck.

"Stop."

Tyene childishly whined. "Oh, c'mon~~"

"No, seriously. Stop." The tone he held had its effect with his lover now becoming troubled.

"...What is it?"

"Someone's watching us." He answered, looking up.

It took Tyene a moment to realize her lover wasn't referring to the Persian soldiers. The soldiers also found him looking up rather than at them off-putting, and they slowly craned their heads up.

There was an ominous mist hanging over them, a moment of silence permeating the air when there was a swishing sound and a moment later, an oversized needle flew down from on high and embedded itself into the chest of a Persian soldier.

"Assassins!" Tyene yells.

The mist hanging over them seemingly dispelled and in dropped several robed and armored men, one of which fired multiple needles from his wrists, killing the Persian soldiers surrounding Roxas and Tyene.

The Keyblade wielders called forth their weapons and the blond cast an Aerora spell, deflecting projectiles sent their way.

Just when Garsiv came out of the hut, several spikes were shot down from above and would've struck his chest if it weren't for the magical barrier casted around him; courtesy of Roxas.

"Garsiv!" Dastan shouted, rushing out for his brother only to be tackled by Tyene as a Hassansin tried killing him where he stood.

"It's the Hassansins, Dastan." The Sand Snake yelled out.

"Not just them." Roxas was quick to shout, seeing Heartless appear in the area from plumbs of dark vapors.

"Great, those bastards." Dastan grunted out, pulling out two swords. "Garsiv, watch yourself, aim for their necks and heads and hit them hard."

"What are they?" His brother hastily pulled out his own sword, looking at them nervously.

"Heartless." Roxas quickly answered, eyes glancing over to the Hassansins who momentarily halted their attacks, eyeing the dark creatures warily.

He had to look away a moment later as a Lunar Bandit charged in, the other Heartless making their move and attacking his friends as well.

Roxas, Tyene and Dastan repelled some of the Heartless quickly yet they were soon assailed by the Hassansins as they had seen the Heartless going after their targets rather than themselves.

"Oh come on." Tyene complained, throwing her Keyblade up as a Hassansin wielding a blade rushed right at her.

His blade clashed with her Keyblade and the Sand Snake was startled by the strength behind him, stumbling back, feeling her arms vibrate from the impact.

Roxas performed a reversal, coming up with an upward slash that separated the Hassansin and his lover and followed it up with a dual-horizontal swing that sent the foe flying back.

"Tyene," He looked back at her. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," She answered with a slight wince as she flicked her wrist in pain. "Just wasn't expecting him to be that strong."

"They all are." Roxas said, focusing back on the Hassansin he just hit as he got back to his feet, glaring at the Nobody.

Over yonder, another Hassan starts tossing grenades, all of which combine together to create walls of flames, causing many soldiers to be burnt asunder.

"My men!" Garsiv shouted.

"No, Garsiv, look out." Dastan cried out, rushing to grab the back of his brother and pulling him back from being struck by a whip with miniature blades on it.

Another was sent in the direction of the brothers but Dastan was quick to react, swinging one of his swords in a wide arch that swatted the bladed whip away.

The Hassansin sneered at the young prince, recalling both his whips and spinning them rapidly, the blades creating sparks from the stones on the ground. The two brothers faltered slightly but Garsiv steeled his nerve, clapping his hand on Dastan's shoulder and the younger brother shot him an appreciative smile, knowing he had his brother's trust back.

"Try not to miss your chance." Garsiv couldn't help but say, momentarily confusing Dastan when he lunged forward.

"Garsiv!"

The older brother rushed in, holding a sword in one hand and grabbing a nearby spear with his other. He flung the spear that the Hassan deftly avoided and thrusted his sword forward which was ensnared by the bladed-whips.

Garsiv acted fast, jabbing his blade into the ground, disregarding his own safety by grabbing the ropes with some of the blades digging into his arm. He grunted through the pain and did what he could to withstand it.

Dastan saw what his brother was doing and sprinted forward, jumping slightly and then going into a front flip over his brother, slicing through the whips, making the Hassansin stumble back.

"Garsiv."

"I'm alright, brother, just finish that bastard off."

Dastan nodded, turning back to the Hassansin who threw out one hand, a staff popping out of his sleeve that grew into a full spear. Faltering slightly, the young Persian Prince twirled his blades and pounced, his swords clashing with the spear.

The Hassansin expertly deflected the two blades, swatting them aside and went for a jab with Dastan angling his body back with the tip narrowly missing his shoulder. The Prince used his shoulder to knock the spear upwards and lunged forward yet the Hassan expertly flipped back.

What the assassin did not expect was a small blade coming right for his head, jerking his head back as the small knife cut a large gash in his cheek, blood instantly flowing down his face. Dastan blinked, looking back to see Garsiv having his arm outstretched and a cocky smirk in place.

"Just like old times, eh?"

Dastan only smirked as the two brothers soon fought side by side once more instead of opposing.

Elsewhere, Sheikh Amar hides behind a chicken cage from the current fight with a scimitar in his hand. A massive confrontation between the combined forces of his men and Persian soldiers against the Hassassin with these dark creatures.

He hisses in annoyance and turns to the caged birds. "Shut up!"

In the midst of the chaos, Tamina was looking for a possible route that was clear for her to take. However, it was proven difficult with her soon face to face with a Hassan, who spotted the desired dagger of time tucked in her waist belt.

Quickly picking up a sword from the ground, she held it before her as a means of defense. Sadly, it was useless as the Hassan merely bats it away before getting in close.

Seeing this happen, Roxas rushes in and knocks the Hassan away from Tamina. From here, the Blond Nobody began combating against his present opponent as they traded blows. The Hassansin proved to be a formidable opponent yet Roxas was far more skilled as he quickly began overwhelming the man with his endless string of attacks.

Over with Tyene, she was facing her own Hassansin, this one using clawed vambraces.

With Missing Ache, the Sand Snake did all she could to maneuver around her one opponent while quickly blocking their attacks. At some point, Tyene had to quickly withdraw a dagger from her person to help even things out, in a fashion. There was some difficulty, but the Dornish girl did all she could to keep up.

Sadly she wasn't quick enough when the Clawed Hassan ended up slicing part of her arm, leaving some bloody wounds in the process. Hissing in pain, Tyene keeps on going by evading and figuring out her next course of action.

Acting quickly, she casts Haste to speed up her movements before firing off Blizzard at the Hassan's blindside. With the person relatively frozen in place, Tyene dives in and drives her dagger into the assassin's neck and killing them.

The Heartless continued their own attacks, running around causing chaos and madness. In the midst of all this, Seso was holding his own, using his skills to their utmost limit to keep the dark beings at bay. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a Bandit rushing towards the two Persian Princes who were still fighting their own Hassansin.

"Persian, behind you!"

Hearing Seso's warning, Dastan quickly reacts, looking back to see the incoming Heartless and performing a quick spin to eliminate it.

He then saw someone was absent.

"Tamina?" Dastan looks about and saw Tamina was nowhere in sight. "Tamina!"

"Over there!" Tyene called out, pointing some distance ahead where she saw Tamina going to higher ground.

"Dastan!" Garsiv shouted and the younger brother turned in time to see the Hassansin he had been fighting pounce at him. His instincts kicked in and the Prince swatted aside the spear and kicked the man back and Garsiv took his chance, stabbing his blade through the back of the Hassansin, right through the heart.

"How you've gotten this far is beyond me, brother?" Garsiv said with a shake of his head, exhaling slightly from the battle.

Dastan chuckled good-naturedly at his hot-headed older sibling, spotting something near another dead Hassansin a moment later.

Before going after Tamina, Dastan grabs the bag and sees explosives inside a moment later tosses it to Seso. "Make use of these!"

The Ngbaka nods, shooting his hands inside the bag and pulling out explosives. Once lighting them up, he quickly threw them to destroy a number of Heartless and Hassan left and right. Some got in close, having Seso draw out his daggers and use them for defensive measures. Tyene came in to assist him, much to his appreciation.

Roxas was a blur on the battlefield, rushing from one enemy to the next, taking them out with near-practiced ease, using his Keyblades and magic to eliminate any and all foes he came across.

Tyene and Seso were now back-to-back when another Hassan holding an oversized sword jumped in from a higher platform and kicked the latter to the ground. The Sand Snake was about to attack the Hassansin when several Heartless came after her.

The Hassansin sneered at the Ngbaka, raising his sword above his head.

Sheikh Amar came to their aid in hopes of distracting the one sword-wielding Hassan. "Hey, over here!" He calls out. "You know what they say about men with big swords?" He grins, flexing his pinkie in the process.

Enraged by the insult, the one Hassan goes after the bandit leader. He brings down his sword, which Sheikh Amar brought up on his own. The man didn't expect his scimitar to break so easily with him still holding one half.

As Tyene, now free of the Heartless, goes in to attack the one Hassan, Sheikh Amar gets an idea and tosses his ruined sword to Seso who swiftly catches it. Seeing an opportunity, the Ngbaka threw the ruined sword at the distracted Hassan where it embedded into the man's neck, killing him right then and there.

"Nice throw, Seso." Tyene praised.

There was the sound of metal cleaving through Heartless from above and Roxas dropped down, looking around.

"Where's Dastan and Tamina?"

"They went up the mountain." Says Tyene. "We must hurry."

Within the hidden temple, Dastan was able to catch up with Tamina. He saw her standing in a little pond and facing a peculiar boulder. From what he could see, there was an unusual glow coming from a slot, making him realize it was where the dagger of time originated from.

"Tamina, let me do it."

The princess doesn't turn away as she speaks. "Only a guardian can return the dagger, Dastan. This isn't something you can do." She points out. "I'm ready for this."

He jumps into the pool and blocks her way. "I'm not."

Despite the circumstances, Tamina managed to quirk a brow and released a shaky breath.

"Oh?" She tried to use a teasing tone, but the tremble gave her away. "What's this, Prince Dastan? Have I grown on you that much?"

Dastan's intense gaze sent a shiver down her spine and without realizing it, she was already leaning forward.

Still, her original intention remained at the forefront of her mind as she held the dagger just out of sight from Dastan. The pair were mere inches apart with their eyes slowly closing while Tamina located where the dagger of time needed to be returned to.

Before Tamina could put the dagger into the boulder's slot, a chain whip ensnared her arm. A split moment later, she was yanked aside and knocked out.

"Tamina!"

Dastan looked up to see blades from the edge of a whip come narrowly close to his face when it was abruptly yanked back.

"Dastan!"

The young Prince saw his brother wrestling the Hassansin to the ground only for the man to elbow the elder Persian in the gut and shove him off.

Dastan wasted no time in drawing his blades and rushing up to help his brother.

As the others were distracted by the one Hassan, neither of them noticed a snake moving over Tamina's body. It momentarily contemplates attacking her, but sees the dagger it was instructed to retrieve. Slithering over, it opened its maw and swallowed up the dagger before slithering away.

Forced outside of the temple, Dastan and Garsiv fought against the Hassan.

All the while, the leader of the Hassansins retrieved his serpent and felt the different weight of it now, having the Hassan know the dagger was in his possession. Soon after, he lets out a series of whistles, signaling his compatriots to leave the vicinity.

Roxas and co heard this and saw the retreat of the Hassansins yet the Heartless remained including the other whip-wielding Hassan that was engaged with the Persian Princes.

The duo fought together with all their might and it was needed as Roxas spotted something unusual and dangerous emanating from the Hassansin. With every swing and strike of his whips, dark wisps began flaring off his body with an increasing dark aura surrounding him.

"He's being taken by the Darkness!" Roxas shouted, bewildering those unfamiliar to what he meant.

"What is he talking abou-"

The Hassansin suddenly blitzed the area and appeared in the air, shooting one of his whips forward.

Garsiv was completely caught off guard by the speed in which the whip came at him, the blade of the whip slicing through his own sword and embedding itself into the center of his chest.

"GARSIV!" Dastan cried out in horror at the dagger in his brother's body.

The elder brother stumbled, looking at Dastan with remorse and sorrow before tumbling down to the ground.

Dastan breathed heavily, seething and weeping at the same time, teeth clenched tightly as his eyes blazed with unbridled fury at the leering Hassansin, the man giving a mocking gesture at the Prince.

Releasing a blood-curdling scream of anguish and rage, Dastan charged forward with shocking speed of his own.

The Hassansin spun his whips about rapidly, the blades at the edge striking the ground, creating sparks that turned into dark flames directed at the Prince. Roxas glided in from the side, twirling his Keyblades that repelled the flames.

Dastan got in close, drop kicking the man in the chest, hearing the wind get knocked out of the Hassan.

Despite this powerful blow, the assassin was back on his feet, flinging his whips.

Tyene then came in from on high, snagging one with her Keyblade and cutting through it.

Roxas deflected and tore up the other and Dastan charged forward, delivering an X-slice that left the large letter gash on the man's chest. Blood flowed from his body; however, the Hassansin appeared unbothered by this deep injury.

He stood there, blood leaking from his chest and mouth, a wild and dangerous look in his eyes as the darkness from the Heartless began to emanate at a greater amount.

"Great." Roxas gritted out. "We're in for a serious fight now."

"Dammit." Dastan snarled. "We don't have time!"

The Hassan looked at his arms, feeling the power of the Heartless seeping into his body. He closed his eyes, reveling in the power before beginning to laugh maniacally.

The man held a gleeful glare at the heroes, raising his hands, dark energy slowly morphing into whips when suddenly, just as he was about to conjure forth his new weapons, his chest -more specifically his heart- was skewered by a pitchfork that came in from behind Roxas and Dastan. Looking towards the source, the Hassan and Dastan saw it was Garsiv, using a nearby wall as support, using the last of his strength to kill the man.

The Hassan's eyes widened and the darkness that enshrouded him dispelled as fast as it first appeared and he toppled over, the pitchfork still in his body.

With the last remaining Hassan now dead, there was a momentary sense of relief for many present in the area. However, with this, came the harsh realization of what occurred.

Garsiv fell forward with his younger brother catching him at the last possible second.

"Garsiv." Dastan shakily said. "Hang on, just hang on, we'll-"

He was silenced by his brother thumping him on his chest and the look the younger Prince received was all he needed to know, and the last possible thing he wanted to see from his most bullheaded and stubborn sibling.

With his brother dying in his arms, Dastan silently wept as Garsiv began saying his last words in life.

"Dastan, I'm sorry." Garsiv rasps out and chokes on his blood as his life fades away. Despite all this, he managed to grab hold of his younger brother's hand with all his remaining strength. "S-Sa-Save the empire. Y-you m-mus…"

The elder Princes' head fell back and he released his last breath, his hand slackening yet Dastan refused to let it go.

Fresh tears continually streamed down his face, Dastan holding his brother's hand to his chest while placing his free hand over Garsiv's chest, whispering his name once more in a broken tone.

Nearby, Tyene and Roxas gave their friend looks of sympathy. Each had experienced personal loss in their own way; either from seeing it from their own eyes or learning from it.

Neither of them knew who wanted to talk to Dastan first and voice 'I'm sorry'. However, such a desire was postponed when seeing Tamina some distance away.

"Where's the dagger?" Roxas asked straight away.

"It's gone." The princess laments with dread in her voice. "Protect the dagger, no matter the consequences. That was my sacred calling." Tamina frowns heavily. "That was my destiny."

The Keybearer gave her a stern look. "We make our own destiny, princess."

"We'll get it back." Tyene assured. "The Hashshashin can't be far away."

"I sure hope so." Roxas murmured, glancing over at Dastan who was still holding the body of his brother.

"Dastan," Tamina whispered, her heart breaking at the sight of the man who looked absolutely miserable. She wordlessly walked over to him, kneeling down and placed her hand over his that still held his brothers.

The Prince looked at her with a pained expression, one that nearly caused her to weep, seeing the normally confident and witty man so defeated and saddened. Lowering her head, she closed her eyes and began reciting an Alamut prayer, placing her other hand over Garsiv's chest, not minding the blood coating her fingers and palm.

"What a mess." Tyene murmured.

The four of them remained where they were, waiting on Tamina too finish her prayer before Roxas used his Keyblade to created a hole in the ground that would fit as Garsiv's grave. Carefully, they lowered the deceased Prince into the ground but instead of using magic, Dastan buried his brother himself, his friends joining in soon after.

Setting his helmet at the head of the grave, Dastan made his own prayer to his brother before bidding him farewell.

Making their way down, the group saw the vast amount of dead Hashshashin and Persian soldiers. Oddly enough, the bandits were still alive but with lesser numbers than before the ambush.

Amongst them was Sheikh Amar, who was gathering a number of gold trinkets from the dead.

"We're gonna need another horse at this rate." Says the bandit leader, greedy glee filled his voice.

Eyes rolled by several who heard this.

Spotting the Keybearers, Persian and princess coming over, the Ngbaka asks "Where will you all go now?"

"Alamut." Dastan says, surprising them. "Nizam will use that dagger to pierce the Sandglass and end the World."

"He has to be stopped." Tamina declared.

"Has to be stopped?" Sheikh mockingly questions but is silenced as Seso looks at him with a serious expression. "What?" It didn't take long for the Chocobo race organizer to realize just what his indebted friend was conveying "No, you can't be serious." Seeing his Ngbaka nod, the bandit leader groans. "Great, a knife thrower with a conscience."

Roxas and Tyene shot the Ngbaka a grin which he returned and Tamina placed a hand on his arm.

"Thank you." She kindly said.

Sheikh Amar continued to complain with his actions conveying him preparing for the journey to the holy city.

"After all this is said and done, tax-free lives, you hear me? Tax-free!"

-Alamut-

After riding hard from the temple sanctuary, the group makes their way back to where everything started.

Tamina helped sneak their way in from a hidden entrance at the city walls. Once in a secure area, the princess went on ahead to ask about the current standing of things. After some time away, she returned with news.

"Our friends in the palace say the Persians have broken through to the first level of the tunnels. They'll reach the Sandglass within hours."

"Where's the dagger?"

"Nizam's keeping the dagger in the high temple." Tamina points to the highest tower of Alamut's palace. "But it's guarded by a Hassassin with spikes."

"I saw him," Tyene spoke up. "He's a long-ranged fighter. We'd never get close enough to retrieve it."

"Sadly that assassin is the only thing that stands between us and the dagger of time." Tamina stated. "No man can stand within twenty yards of him and survive."

"Plus, there's what happened with that other Hassansin and the Heartless." Roxas grimly reminded. "For all we know, all of the Hassansins are being aided by the Heartless, meaning their strengths just got a whole lot bigger."

"Some don't even need to get that close." Seso says, getting their attention.

"And who says it has to be a man." Tyene adds in, earning some worry with Roxas.

Making their way to one of the palace entrances, a trio of robbed individuals approached a pair of guards.

"Spare some water, sire?"

"We've been working all day."

Instead of giving any water, one of the guards spits water at them. This got the other guards to laugh.

"That isn't fair." Was all one of the robbed people mutters out before one of the others whips out a hidden shovel and whacks the one guard across the head. Right after, the other robbed people quickly dispatched the other guards before they had the chance to act.

Pulling back their hoods, it was Seso, Sheikh Amar and Tyene.

"Are you sure about this?" Sheikh questions Seso.

"I owe them." The knife-thrower said with conviction.

Amar scoffed at this, lightly slapping the man on the chest.

"You're a Ngbaka! Scourge of the Numidian plain. Me? I'm a slightly dishonorable entrepreneur. This… nobility business is not the cloth we're cut from."

Grasping Sheik's arms, Seso speaks. "My friend, has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?"

The bandit leader merely sighed before the pair laughed at one another, Sheikh clapping his old friend on the shoulder.

As this little conversation took place, another occurred.

The Sand Snake turned to see Roxas with a conflicted look.

"Tyene-"

She stepped forward, placing a delicate hand on his lips. "I know what you're gonna say, Roxas. But Seso needs the assistance."

She made to leave, but Roxas grasped the side of her face and pulled her close, ensnaring her lips with his for a kiss. The Dornish girl was quick to overcome her shock and reciprocated the action. After some moments, they separate with Tyene seeing her love look at her with deep concern in his eyes.

"Just…. Just come back to me."

"Where'd this come from?" She couldn't help but ask.

"You. Now promise."

She merely gives a small smile. "I will. Just head over to the rendezvous point."

It took some time for the Ngbaka and Sand Snake to navigate through the palace. The pair did their best to not get spotted by the guards and kept a lookout in case any Hassassin and Heartless lurked in the shadows.

Eventually making their way into the high temple, Seso and Tyene approach the door of its main chamber. The pair looked at each other and kept up their guard as they opened the doorway.

Glancing about, Seso slowly drew out his knives whereas Tyene summoned her Keyblade.

Looking onward, the two could practically see the dagger of time situated on its little pedestal. It was all so inviting and up for grabs with no one guarding it.

How naive such a thought would be if that wasn't the case.

The moment they stepped a little further, Tyene's instincts flared as she whipped Missing Ache to deflect several spikes coming their way. With the projectiles hitting the floor, the Ngbaka and Sand Snake quickly dove for cover behind a pair of pillars.

Tyene saw the other side of the pillar Seso was hiding behind and her eyes momentarily widened.

The spikes were small but the craters and damage were considerable with half of the stone being shattered.

"Well shit…" The Sand Snake muttered. "Looks like the Heartless are indeed helping these bastards out."

"What do we do?" Seso calmly asked.

"Wait for your chance." She instructed. "I'll lead and you follow."

The Ngbaka nodded, pulling out a pair of daggers. He watched as Tyene held out her hand in a 'hold' position, her eyes trailing the area. For added risk, she slowly moved from cover to get a better perspective.

"...I see you."

Quickly rolling away from the pillar, Tyene fired a magic shot at her target, causing a little explosion to happen.

The Hassan fell from the rafters of the room and landed in a roll, snapping up to fire more needles infused with Darkness.

These went through the pillars this time, Seso having ducked his head down on instinct and it was good that he did. But that also left half his body exposed with the Hassan firing more shots at the man.

Tyene slid in, using her Keyblade to deflect the needles, grunting at the power behind those shots.

Seso popped up behind her, flinging several small daggers at the Hassan who deftly avoided them all while firing back with his own needles.

Tyene hastily threw up a Barrier that deflected the needles but she cursed at the sight of Bandit Heartless appearing.

"That is so unfair." She complained, concentrating on her magic and firing two Blizzard shots to take out the closest Heartless.

The Hassan went on the offensive, rapidly throwing and firing dozens of needles that tore through the pillars within the chamber, Seso and Tyene constantly on the move. The latter tried to retaliate but found herself distracted by fending off the Heartless all while the former kept throwing his own weaponry at the Hassan to keep him at bay at least.

All around the pair, stones and rubble flew about from the darkness-infused needles the Hassan kept firing at them.

"Dammit!" Tyene snapped, a large rock actually striking the side of her head. "He's so annoying."

"He's dangerous."

"One can be both." Tyene and Seso were behind a fallen pillar. The Sand Snake briefly rose up to strike down a Bandit before ducking down in time to avoid more needles.

"We just need one opening." She muttered.

"We better make it quick." Seso informed, holding up a shuriken-like weapon. "I'm running out of things to throw."

Tyene's mind was going through multiple scenarios, all of which posed great risk regardless of what path they took. She didn't want to break her promise to Roxas nor did she wish for one of them to take the fall.

Looking at the curved blade tucked into Seso's clothing, an idea formed in her mind.

Holding her Keyblade up, Tyene concentrated, picturing all the ways she had seen Roxas utilize his own and how he used them so seamlessly and effortlessly. She briefly closed her eyes, truly focusing on her Keyblade and recalling several of the lessons and pointers her love gave to her when she started using this, and slowly, a light aura began to form around Missing Ache.

Seso watched all this in rapt silence, unmoving as Tyene held her Keyblade out and tapped his weapon in his belt, a flash of light surrounding it now.

She exhaled shakily and opened her eyes, now a more confident look in her eyes.

"Ready?"

Seso patted his light-infused weapon, holding out a curved longsword and silently nodded.

There was a brief pause between the two before they both jumped out at the same time, running in separate directions.

The Hassansin had his head snap back and forth between the two of them, tracking their movements. Throwing his arms out, multiple dark needles were fired from the devices on his wrists, further damaging the chamber.

Despite this, Tyene and Seso kept moving, both throwing magic, knives and daggers at the Hassan all while fighting back against the Heartless.

Tyene threw her Keyblade forward, shooting a Fira that greatly depleted her magic reserves, feeling the sensation that made the Hassan jump behind a damaged pillar for cover. The fireball streaked past the man, blowing a sizable hole through the chamber.

Seso's eyes caught a glint of a reflection and looked up at a ceiling decoration and paused, seeing the reflection of the Hassan hiding behind the pillar. He immediately pulled out another shuriken-like weapon and flung it, the multi-bladed weapon spinning in a curved fashion that the Hassansin heard at the last possible second.

He ducked under the weapon, the top part of the clothing on his head being cut through and he fired back at the duo.

They both dodged again but this time, the Hassan pursued them both, rapidly firing shots that increased in power and output. The pair ended up behind another fallen pillar and they realized the proximity they now had to the dagger, being closer than the Hassansin.

"Tyene." Seso said aloud, giving her a look, holding up his final weapon, the one she had enhanced with her power. "On my mark."

The Sand Snake simply nodded and called upon her magic reserves.

Seso jerked his head forward and Tyene leapt out, conjuring forth a single bolt of Thunder that came down right in front of the Hassansin. The man shot off wildly at the two, blinded and startled by the sudden appearance of lightning, missing the whistling whirl coming right for him.

*GURK*

His head violently jerked to the side and his eyes widened in realization.

The last of Seso's throwing weapons lodged itself in the base of the Hassan's neck, causing him to gurgle, blood already seeping out of his mouth. He tried to keep moving, but Tyene swept in for the final blow.

With a jumping slash, the Hassansin toppled over, defeated and dead at last.

"Whew," Tyene released a small breath, wiping away a bead of sweat. She turned to her ally, about to give him a wide smile that never came as soon as she saw the state of the man.

The Sand Snake widened her eyes upon seeing several spikes embedded into Seso's chest. Apparently, the last attack the Ngbaka made didn't go unscathed.

Her hand instinctively reached out, as if wanting to pry them out. All Seso did was shake his head 'no', indicating he knew he didn't have much time left.

Tyene was about to use her magic to heal him but realized she was on her reserves and a basic Cure spell could only do so much, especially when dealing with a mortal injury.

Before anything else could be done, the two heard a commotion outside of the chamber.

"We need to go." Tyene desperately said, being stopped by the man who placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No, you go." Seso resolutely declared, staving off the pain in his voice.

"But-"

The Persian guards came running into the chamber and saw Seso and Tyene so close to the dagger of time.

The attention being momentarily diverted towards the guards, actions became more demanding. Tyene was conflicted with what to do, yet Seso forced her to a certain path.

"GO!"

Quickly snatching the dagger, Tyene ran out and towards the balcony. She didn't look back but could tell that Ngbaka was sacrificing himself to give her time for her escape, the sound of swords clashing and men yelling out in pain and death in the background.

Getting over the railing, she did some leaps and landings on the architecture decorations before getting quite the amount of distance for a rather large leap.

"Whoa!" Tyene barely managed to retain her balance at the edge of where she stood, looking out at the city with the drop-down below. She was so high up that she couldn't find any other building or structure close by where she could jump to escape. She knew she wasn't like Roxas who seemed to survive virtually everything thrown his way.

She wanted to go back. Going back to tread a dangerous, yet safer route. However, the one tower is no doubt flooded with guards by now.

The only viable option for her now was the quickest and most dangerous route imaginable.

And she saw it all the way down at the very bottom of the ground.

Gulping, Tyene rapidly shook her head, hearing more Persian men coming her way and she felt her whole body clench up just before she moved.

"Oh Seven Fucking Heeeeellls~~~~!" Were her last words before performing a graceful jump where she flipped in midair with her back to the ground, arms and legs outstretched and far in the distance, the Sand Snake could have sworn she heard the sound of an eagle's cry all the way down her plummet.

Her body plummets down smackdab into a large haystack below.

The haystack was unmoving and even the people around it appeared to have not noticed a body falling in when Tyene's head popped out, hay falling from her hair and the Dornish girl patting her body down in complete disbelief.

"Holy fuck, I can't believe that worked." She breathlessly said, not seeing a number of people looking at her in bewilderment.

With the bit of adrenaline still running through her veins, Tyene got out of the haystack and rushed over to the rendezvous point.

It took her a bit of time to find her way. But upon finding the rest, she no doubt saw varying states of worry on their faces. It shifted when they saw her present state with the dagger of time in hand.

"They've done it." Dastan said, a wide grin in place.

"You've got the dagger?" Tamina asked and Tyene wordlessly tossed up the dagger, catching it at the tip with a tired smirk. The Princess smiled at this, tentatively taking it into her hands.

"Where's Seso?" Sheikh Amar asked, noticing his missing presence.

Tyene frowns, silently conveying the message of what happened.

Sheikh Amar's mood fell, leaning back against a nearby tree. "Have I ever told you about the Ngbaka?"

"Yes, you have." Says Tyene. "He… He holds a great example for his people."

Amar was silent for a few moments before steeling himself and giving a pointed look at the Persian Prince.

"Your brother better listen." The bandit leader says to Dastan before glancing at the others. "Don't let his death go in vain."

"Now to do my part." Mutters Roxas as he walks off.

As for Sheik Amar, he too leaves as his business with the others are done and over with.

Back at the high temple, Nizam stormed in and saw the absence of the mystical dagger. The key to everything he's worked for.

"They were here." He snarled before looking at the guards with the utmost fury. "Seal every gate! Find them!" As the guards left, a Hassan made their presence known and approached Nizam. "What is it?"

"We've found it."

"The Sandglass?" Seeing the Hassan nod, Nizam hisses slightly. "But I don't have the dagger."

The Persian didn't wait for the assassin to speak as the man stormed out of the chamber.

With the orders given out, much of the Persian security went out to find Dastan and his compatriots.

On horseback, Roxas was riding hard to the one gate. He wasn't being all sneaky, but being presentable for being noticed. As a result, he was drawing quite the assembly of forces hot on his tail.

Before making it to one of the gates, Roxas' path was blocked with it closing up with the multitude of guards arriving.

"Stop where you are!" Yells out a Persian soldier. "We have you surrounded!"

"Dismount and surrender!" Yells out another.

The guards expected the person to be resistant and seek a means of escape. To their surprise, the rider indeed dismounted without any fuss at all. As such, the guards soon came in to apprehend him.

Smirking, Roxas conjures a Dark Corridor to envelop him. The action surprises all present as they rush in to capture the blonde Nobody. However, much to his dismay, he was long gone.

Elsewhere, a Dark Corridor appeared elsewhere in Alamut where Roxas exited out of it as he came near the others.

"Alright. I believe security is lessened now." Roxas says, signaling his presence.

Tamina soon focuses on the Persian. "Are you sure this plan of yours will work?"

"Tus will listen to me." Dastan states.

"And what is this plan exactly?" Princess asked anxiously.

Dastan and Roxas look at Tyene and Tamina.

"Just… we can't show ourselves until Tus stops Dastan." Roxas slowly said.

Tamina looked between her three companions. "Why? What's he plan on doing?"

"It'll make sense later."

Huddling outside of one area of the palace, Dastan's companions waited while the Scapegoat prince awaited for a certain arrival.

It wasn't long before Tus entered the one chamber, where he gave a command to his guards. "Leave me."

It was shortly after the guards left their king, that they heard someone speak. "Hello, Tus."

The Persian king turned around and saw his brother hiding in the shadows. "Dastan!"

With the guards now on alert, they went to protect their king. However, a magical barrier swiftly went up and blocked their way.

The originator of this was thanks to Roxas.

"We need to talk."

Tus scowls. "Then talk." He soon eyed the magical barrier. "Obviously my men can't come."

"We are brothers, are we not?" Hearing no response from Tus, Dastan pulled away but kept the mystical dagger to his brother's throat. "The robe that killed Father was poisoned by Nizam."

His eldest brother scoffed dismissively. "Nizam? You're mad."

"Who gave you the robe, Tus? Who gave you the robe!?" Dastan yells out and he saw Tus falter. "Think for a moment. I bet on my life he came to you, touting that in my "relishing" of victory I had forgotten to get our father a proper gift. The devoted Uncle to his nephews and brother to the Emperor." Once again, Tus winced and Dastan continued on. "You trust him, as did I. But Alamut wasn't supplying our enemies with weapons. Nizam lied to us."

Tus hesitated but asked what came to mind. "Why would he do such a thing? What could he gain?"

The youngest Prince lowered the dagger from Tus' throat and held it up, specifically the handle for his brother to see.

"Listen to me carefully. Beneath the streets of this city lies an ancient force. A container holding the fabled Sands of Time. Nizam wishes to turn back time and make himself king by not saving Father that fateful day with the lion."

"Sands of Time?" Tus merely laughs. "Heresies, Dastan. Pagan madness. No."

"I've seen its power with my own eyes, Tus." He retorted, emphasizing the dagger in his hand. "And Nizam discovered its resting place. If we don't stop him, our World could end."

Tus glares, still not believing anything Dastan said. "If you're gonna kill me, best you do it now."

Seeing his brother wasn't convinced, Dastan had to do what needed to be done. Pulling away the mystical dagger, the Scapegoat Prince kept it visible for Tus to see. "This is no ordinary dagger. Press the jewel on its hilt and you will see." He shakes his head a little. "I should have had the strength to do this before we invaded the city."

"What are you talking about?"

"To act on what I know is right… no matter the consequences."

Before the eyes of Tus and the others hidden from sight, they widened their eyes upon Dastan's act of plunging the dagger into his chest and into his heart.

"DASTAN!" Tus cries out.

In the hiding place, Dastan's companions had varying reactions. Tamina and Tyene were no doubt surprised and horrified by what was done whereas Roxas could only look away.

As this went on, Nizam entered the chamber from another area. He sees Tus holding Dastan on the floor who was now dead and prying the dagger out of his brother's chest.

"Your majesty, the soldiers tell me-"

"STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" Tus roars out the order, stopping Nizam in his place. He looks back at Dastan's corpse. "He took his own life."

"Then God will have mercy on the traitor, for he chose the path of the coward." Nizam spoke apathetically yet the new emperor of Persia narrowed his eyes at the tone.

Tus looks at his uncle. "We both know Dastan was many things, but not a coward."

Looking back at the mystical dagger, the Persian king inspects it as Dastan's blood dribbles off of the blade. He recalls his brother's words about it, having him press the jewel on the dagger's hilt.

The instant he presses it, a glow envelops Tus as he suddenly sees himself in a third perspective. Everything began to wind back from Nizam walking backward out of the one section of the room to the clattering of foodstuff coming up from the floor and onto the food stand. But his main focus was on himself and Dastan, how they moved back up from the floor all up to when Dastan was about to plunge the dagger into his heart.

At that very moment, Tus finds himself back into his own body and tries registering what just happened.

"...no matter the consequences."

Tus' eyes widen in shock when recalling those words. He reaches out and grasps Dastan's arms before he takes his own life.

"Stop!" The Scapegoat prince looks at his brother. "A moment ago… you died before my eyes."

Seeing that the handle was now empty of the sands, the young prince sighed with relief at the revelation, smiling widely and his body relaxed. "You pressed it."

Tus released a disbelieving laugh. "How'd you know I would?"

"Because we are brothers."

For those hidden from sight, Dastan's companions soon realized Dastan trusted Tus with his very own life.

"On the day we left for war, our father told me a true considers the advice of counsel, but always listens to his heart." Tus advises his brother, earning smiles from Dastan and those hidden. "You shouldn't have had to go so far for me to believe you."

"Your majesty, the soldiers tell me that…" Nizam enters the chamber and halts upon seeing Tus and Dastan together. "I see that you've returned." He says before glancing off to the side.

Unbeknownst to them, an ax-wielding Hassan steps out from the shadows and stalks over to his targets.

Dastan was the first to spot the Hassan and quickly gave out a warning to his brother.

"Tus, remember what I told you!"

Unfortunately, Dastan's warning came too late as Nizam quickly drew his sword and slashed Tus' throat. It was right after did the Scapegoat prince realized what happened, having him look on horrified.

"NO!"

Flecks of darkness seeped off Nizam's blade as did wisps of it floating from his shoulders.

The traitorous Uncle didn't fail to notice this, holding up his hand and clenching it tightly, inhaling as if sucking in the power of Darkness into his very being.

"Interesting." Was all he said, now facing Dastan.

His head whipped around at the sound of two shouts, seeing Roxas and Tyene appear from their hiding place.

Instinctively, Nizam threw his hand forward, unleashing a dark wind that sent the two flying back. A moment later, a barrier of Darkness was erected, separating them from the Prince and his evil Uncle.

Nizam now smiled evilly. "Very interesting."

Dastan made to move but the one Hassan knocked him to the ground. He was kept in place by the dull end of the axe to his throat, which its wielder was prepared to kill him. Yet his action was halted upon hearing Nizam's command. "No, a moment."

The Hassan obeys but keeps Dastan pinned down.

Roxas and Tyene banged against the barrier to no avail, Tamina also being with them, still hidden from sight as she watched on in rapt terror at seeing Dastan at the mercy of his Uncle.

Walking over to Tus, Nizam looked down at his dying nephew. "Poor Tus, so eager for the crown." He mocks before turning to Dastan. "And you, Dastan, always charging in. So desperate to prove you are… more than something my foolish brother scraped off the streets. What a glorious mess we are." The reaches down and pries the mystical dagger out of Dastan's hand. "It seems the bond between brothers is no longer the sword that defends our empire."

"You were no longer a brother the moment you conspired against Father." The Young Persian roared.

"Like I would care, once I finish what I started." Nizam then walks out of the chamber and gives out an order to the Hassan. "Kill him."

"NO!" Roxas yelled out from his hiding spot. Calling forth his element, Light enshrouded his body and with a powerful dual-slice, broke through the barrier.

Nizam stumbled back, the Hassansin's eyes widening at the display of power yet he remained resolute, walking forward with Heartless appearing by his side.

"Oh come on, really?" Tyene bemoaned the sight of them.

Nizam beat a hasty retreat, unseen by the others as they had to engage the Heartless and the Dark-empowered Hassan.

"We don't have time for this." Roxas declared, having only beaten back several Heartless before charging up with Light once again

Levitating up off the ground, Roxas thrust his Keyblades in the air, creating thirteen pillars of Light that were shot out, slicing through the Heartless and severely damaging the Hassansin that Dastan swooped in to kill a second later.

With the recent conflict basically over, Tamina comes out of the hiding spot and checks on with the rest. As she did, she saw Dastan hunched over Tus' body with a look of grief on his face. Her heart ached for his loss but she knew they were running out of time. Hating herself for doing this, she placed a delicate hand on Dastan's cheek, making him face her.

"I'm sorry. We must hurry." Says Tamina. "We need to stop Nizam from reaching the Sandglass."

Dastan knew she was right. Clenching his teeth, he pounded his fist over his brother's chest before nodding at the princess. Following Tamina, she led her companions down a very old passageway at a secluded part of Alamut's palace.

"Should've known there'd be something like this." Tyene commented.

"The Guardians built passageways underneath the city years ago, a secret access to the Sandglass. If we move fast enough, we can get there before Nizam."

Going to a particular statue, Tamina reaches behind it and brushes her fingertips to a peculiar spot. Once finding it, she presses it to open up a secret corridor on the opposite side of the room. As the doorway parted, a large gust of air hit the others in the process.

"Well, that is most certainly gross." Roxas spat out dust and sand out of his mouth.

Making their way through the opened doorway, the group enter a chamber with a peculiar pathway leading to some structure overyonder.

"That will lead us down to the Sandglass chamber."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Before Tyene gets the chance to move forward, Tamina grasps her arm. "What?"

"There's only one safe path." She quickly said.

"...Which is hidden underneath all this sand, right?" Seeing Tamina nod, Tyene smirks. "Then let's cheat a little." Summoning her Keyblade, the Dornish girl casts Aero ever forward to reveal the fuller pathway without anything hidden. In the process, the others saw a peculiar set of stonework with various symbols all about.

"Thank you." Tamina looks down to a peculiar spot and presses her foot against it. Right after, a puff of air shot up from underneath to have more going on along the path. "Now, follow my footsteps. Nothing can touch anywhere other than where I step."

"Ain't that lovely." Dastan remarked.

It was a narrow path, but a further one at that with how the four had to awkwardly step in line.

Suddenly, the four heard a rumble from above. A moment later, a rock dropped down from the ceiling, no doubt from the construction caused by the forced labor on the surface.

"Shit!"

Dastan was quick in snatching the piece of debris, much to the relief of everyone else. However, for some unfortunate joke, another rock fell from above and bounced off of the one in Dastan's hand before falling onto the path.

"Fuck…"

Nearly instantly, the ground underneath them all began breaking apart and started to sink into itself.

"Run!" Roxas shouted.

The four made a break for the structure. However, Dastan and Tyene were too slow when the pathway broke apart, causing the pair to fall into the falling sand.

It was only when Tamina and Roxas arrived at the structure, they saw the others were not behind them.

"Dastan!"/"Tyene!"

With the aforementioned pair, they were experiencing quite the ride of their lives.

Sliding from the roaring sand, the Persian prince and Sand Snake did their best to avoid any bits of debris falling from above. It escalated further with more of the ruins crumbling around them.

Looking ahead, they saw a large gap with a lighted ledge beyond it. Neither of them knew they wouldn't make it with what came to mind. As such, they sought a means to halt their form of progression.

Fortunately for them, they acquired it when their feet made an impact with a hard, stone surface and kept them in place.

This momentarily gave the Persian and Dornish some time to breathe.

Sadly, it wouldn't last long as the area around them began breaking apart with everything around them seemingly crumbling.

"Oh for fuck's sake." Tyene curses.

"Get ready!"

Getting to their feet, the pair saw their placement was moving forward, due to what was presently happening. Without a moment's notice, they quickly ran several steps before making a hard leap across the chasm just as large pieces of debris fell where they once were.

Landing on the lightened ledge, the pair laughed with Dastan patting Tamina on the back.

Entering the little archway from the lightened ledge, the pair's sense of relief swiftly died when they fell through a trapdoor.

At the very least, their contained fall was relatively short in comparison to the rest they experienced recently.

Once getting up from their fall, the pair dusted themselves off and did what they could to control their rapidly beating hearts.

"I've had enough falling for one day." Tyene shakily says.

Dastan intended to say something when his attention was focused elsewhere. Tyene noticed this and followed his line of sight.

In the distance, the two saw a glowing pillar of twisted glass.

"The Sandglass…" They both said.

"Come on," Tyene encouraged. "We're almost there."

Dastan cringed upon hearing that. "And when things are going our way…"

On the path ahead, several Hassansins appeared, seemingly from nowhere, making both slump slightly.

"Of course they'd get in our way." Tyene bemoaned, Missing Ache immediately flashing into her hand.

"Let's make this quick." Dastan growled, pulling out his sword.

As Dastan and Tyene fought against the Hassans, Roxas and Tamina all but ran down the flight of stairs to the Sandglass chamber. They too were met with Heartless and Hassansins, Roxas engaging immediately.

Swords clashed to and fro with varying parries and counters. Each Hassan was hard for Tyene and Dastan to fend off against as they gave it their all. Being powered by Darkness gave them a boost but the desperation from the duo gave them the needed edge to beat them back.

In the midst of the fight, Tyene caught sight of an unusual light falling relatively close to the Sandglass from a higher area. She soon realized it was a torch being tossed down.

'Nizam is here.' She thought before refocusing on the fight at hand.

At some point, Tamina and Roxas came out of a stairwell and saw what was happening. The latter was quick to act by rushing in and assisting his friends.

With the more experienced Keybearer in the fray, the fight against the Hassans came to a swift end once coming in and striking their blind sides. With them struck in a fashion, it ended up leaving them exposed for Tyene and Dastan to finish them off.

Then came in the leader of the Hassansins, the man a tornado of rage and death, fending off all three fighters at the same time.

The scarred visage was curled in sneering anger, fighting the two Keybearers back before turning to Dastan when he was kicked by Roxas from behind.

"We really don't have time for you." Tyene declared, rearing her Keyblade back and whacking him right across the jaw.

The Hassan leader became overwhelmed by the amount of fighters within the confined space. They didn't give him any openings as they struck him from all sides, ending with Dastan stabbing the man through the chest and shoving him back, the body plummeting into the endless depths below.

Seeing the last of the Hassans -as far as they knew- dead, the four had some time to breathe.

"You two missed out on the fun." Tyene says with a smirk.

Roxas returned it in kind. "We can talk about it later when this is all over."

As the two Keybearers had their bit of conversation, Dastan and Tamina appeared to be leaning closer and closer. A brief urge to kiss each other was all but forced down right then and there.

They couldn't waste time. Not right now when they were so close to stopping Nizam.

"Come on." Roxas said aloud, the four resuming their frantic pace to reach the Sandglass.

Navigating through the last natural pathways was tricky when trying to get closer and closer to their goal. But as they did, they saw Nizam was present as he got off of the pulley with a sword drawn out.

"Nizam!" Dastan yells out, drawing out his own sword.

With the four having the high ground, they stared down at Nizam with hate in their eyes.

"Dastan." Nizam said evenly.

The young Prince shook his own head, pointing his sword at him. "How could you do this? How could you betray everything you taught us?"

"Betray? What have I betrayed?" The Uncle retorted.

Tyene felt something flare up at the casual dismissal, murderously glaring at the man. "You murdered your family. Sharaman was your brother!"

Nizam scowls. "And my curse."

Dastan leapt down, knocked his uncle into a boulder and held him in place with his sword pointed at his throat.

"I looked up to you." He softly said. "We all did."

In a swift movement, Nizam unfurled a hidden dagger from his sleeve and stabbed Dastan with it. It embeds into his side, causing Dastan to grunt in pain before Nizam knocks him over.

"Dastan!" Tamina cried out in horror, about to go for him when Roxas grabbed her and pulled her away from falling rocks.

"Tamina, stay back!"

All around them, rocks reigned down, the Sandglass expunging its energy as if acting as a defense mechanism.

The group was separated by all the falling debris with Nizam managing to stand over a now dangling Dastan.

"I never understood why my brother brought a street rat into the palace." Nizam spat out. "Enjoy the gutter, Dastan. It's where you and your friends will stay under my reign."

More debris fell from above, causing everyone present to fall and tumble to some capacity. Roxas and Tyene were quick to snag Tamina while Dastan and Nizam clung to some rocks.

"Nizam!" Dastan calls out and he saw Nizam climb back up. "Don't use the dagger to undo the past! You'll unleash-"

"Unleash what?! Wrath of the Gods?! Hell itself?!" Nizam kicked him in the chin, making Dastan fall back, grabbing onto a ledge with all his might despite the pain coursing from his injury.

Nizam sneered victoriously, turning just as Tyene came in, Keyblade reared back.

"Hell is where you're going, you traitor!" She shouted, ready to strike him down when another boulder fell between them, separating the two.

Tyene's ground faltered and she was about to fall down when Roxas jumped down, grabbing her and jumping to a more secure position.

Nizam took his chance and rapidly scaled up to the Sandglass.

Just as he was about to reach it, Tamina now stood in his path.

"Please," She begged desperately. "Don't do this. You can't. The World-"

"Shall be mine." Nizam cut her off, violently grabbing her head and shoving her off where they stood.

The Sandglass released another pulse of energy, causing more rocks to fall.

"TAMINA!" Roxas and Tyene shouted, seeing her fall only to be grabbed by Dastan at the last second.

With Nizam ascending further, the three did their best to get Tamina up from her perilous position. Yet with the shaking and falling debris made it much harder. It didn't help that the Sandglass kept releasing pulses that made the entire area a hazard to move through.

"Stop him!" Says Alamut's princess. "If the glass shatters, the World dies with it. It's not my destiny… it's yours. It always has been."

"Hang on!" Tyene called out to her.

"Don't let go!" Roxas tacked on.

"I'm sorry." Tamina says in a struggle, defeat in her voice. "Let me go."

"DASTAN, DON'T!"

"I won't!" The Prince resolutely said, trying his damndest yet he already felt her slipping.

"Let me go." Begs Tamina. "I wish we could have been together. I wish things could have been different." She gives them a sad smile. "May your Hearts be your Guiding Keys."

And with that, Tamina forces herself to let go of them.

"TAMINA!" Dastan cried out, seeing her vanish into the darkness below.

The horror of what they witnessed was hard to process. The three wanted to grieve, yet they had one matter to take care of so all this death that happened didn't go in vain.

Climbing back up, the trio make their way to stop Nizam, but are too late as they see the man plunge the dagger into the Sandglass.

"No!"

They move in and fight for control. In the scuffle, the jewel pommel is pulled open, unleashing the Sands of Time in a torrent blast. And in the process, the Sandglass began cracking more and more with each passing second.

On the surface, a mighty sandstorm began forming and started tearing up the very World.

Nizam struggled to keep hold of the mystical dagger but was quickly punched across the face by Roxas. He tried to stay in place, when he suddenly grunted, eyes widening in horror. Looking down, he saw a blade piercing his chest, courtesy of one of Tyene's daggers.

"Rot in Hell, you son of a bitch!"

She kicks the man away, having him plummet to his death.

They didn't have time to react or do anything else as the Sandglass unleashed its most explosive shockwave of power, the trio holding onto each other with Dastan grasping the dagger with all his might. Their legs flailed in the air, landing roughly after a few moments yet they still managed to keep their grasp.

"Hold on!" Dastan cried out, feeling his arms straining from trying to pull out the dagger of time.

Tyene reached forward, trying to help only to be met with the same result. "It won't budge!"

Roxas then joined in. "Together!"

All three of them grasped the mystical dagger and after a few seconds of struggle, retched it free with all their might.

However, the moment they released the dagger from the Sandglass, all three of them were swept up by the sandstorm and their vision suddenly went hazy. Briefly, they saw the events of the past, hearing the echoes of the memories fly all around them as they flew threw an endless abyss.

Next thing they knew once their vision settled, they were back in Alamut's streets with chaos surrounding them.

In one instance, they felt a migraine wash over them. A series of memories rush through them, seeing and experiencing a series of events.

Roxas and Tyene stood side by side and the latter almost collapsed into the arms of the former, overwhelmed by what they just experienced.

"What… What just happened?" Roxas muttered, holding Tyene closely with her wrapping her arms around him shaking.

"Did… Did that really-?"

"Roxas? Tyene?" The two Keybearers turned over to the Persian prince who held the mystical dagger in his hand.

"Dastan?" Roxas said.

There was a daze in the eye as he looked at them both

"You… You…" He breathlessly laughs. "I remember you. Both of you."

"Prince Dastan!"

The three looked over and saw someone rush over to them. To Roxas and Tyene, they vaguely remember him, but to Dastan, he knew him instantly.

"Bis?" The young Prince said in disbelief. "You're here?"

Bis looks at Dastan oddly. "Of course, I'm here." He shakes his head soon after, wanting to get to the matter at hand. "Our men are surrounding the palace. You are expected to-" Bis finally took notice of Roxas and Tyene, slightly unsure of what to make of them. "Who are they? Are they allies to Alamutians?"

Dastan struggled to say an appropriate response to this, given he was more overcome with the knowledge his oldest friend was alive and no longer dead and the overwhelming feeling of nostalgia, even though this event took place days earlier. It felt like an entire lifetime ago now.

However, what he sought to say next was halted when hearing horns in the air.

"They are taking the palace." Says Bis. "The fight for Alamut is over."

"No… No it's not." Dastan declared, making it vague for Bis.

In a split moment, Dastan and the two Keybearers look at each other before booking it to the palace, leaving a confused Bis behind.

Running as hard as they could, the three ran and pressed themselves through the crowds of Persian soldiers.

"Stop! Stop!"

"Wait!"

Looking to the side, Tyene saw Nizam look their way while riding his horse with a curious look upon his face. This urged her to run faster so she, Dastan and Roxas could stop this madness.

Making their way through the Persian crowd, many of the soldiers congratulated Dastan for his actions earlier that day. But all were ignored with one desire in mind.

"Brave warriors of Persia, we have been deceived into attacking this holy city!" Dastan announces at the top of his lungs, confusing everyone present. "Alamut has no weapon forges!"

"Dastan!" Tus hisses at his brother. "Have you gone mad?"

"Maybe." Garsiv comments before seeing the two beside Dastan. "Who are they?"

"Nomads or something of the like." Tus guessed as they got closer to Dastan. And walking past them was Nizam who was outright curious by this point about what was going on.

"I cannot stand silent in the face of treachery." Dastan says before shifting his focus over to Nizam. "Alamut's attack was set up by one trusted above all else, our uncle Nizam."

"Dastan has fought hard today, perhaps too hard." Nizam declares once ascending the steps higher than his nephew. "What he needs now is to get out from under this burning sun to rest, gather his wits."

This got the surrounding Persians to laugh, yet Dastan and the Keybearers didn't join.

"The weapons you found were forgeries!" Roxas yells out, shutting many Persians up.

"There are no weapon forges here, uncle, and you know it!" Dastan all but growls at Nizam.

"And this spy who supposedly intercepted them was no doubt hired by you to provoke the attack on Alamut!" Tyene points out.

Nizam snorts a little and gives a counterargument. "What is this, Dastan? Victor's remorse? You yourself led this attack. Brought us a great triumph!"

As the surrounding Persians cheered, Dastan quickly interrupted it by speaking out and mostly focused his attention on Tus. "I should have never led the attack. I knew in my heart it was wrong." He turns back and walks up to his uncle with a glare. "It will never be you. You will never be king. Even if you turned back time, you don't have the heart to be one." Dastan saw his uncle widen his eyes ever so slightly, making the man realize Dastan somehow knew his plans. "You will die in the shadow of a great man."

Nizam almost pulls out his sword in anger but stops himself, especially now with all these people present.

Roxas and Tyene smirked but held out their arms in case of anything.

"Get him down from there before he makes an even bigger fool of himself!" Garsiv orders some soldiers to ascend the steps.

However, Dastan merely walks down and pushes past the soldiers so he can approach his eldest brother. "Tus, before we left for war, Father said that a true king considers the advice of his counsel, but always listens to his heart."

This caused Tus to widen his eyes and step back in surprise. He almost lost his footing but quickly steadied himself. "F-Father and I were alone. How could you know that?"

"He's right." Dastan says with a tired smile. "He knows us and he knows what we're capable of."

"Just let your heart guide you on what needs to be done." Says Roxas, once approaching the crown prince.

Nizam soon butts in. "They defy your order, led the attack and now wants to turn back." He argues. "Tus… Take measure here."

Everyone practically waited on batted breath for Tus' decision on the matter. The crown prince looks back and forth from Dastan to Nizam. Hearing the advice from the blonde stranger, he lets his heart guide him on what needed to be done.

"The spy knows the truth." Tus states, earning varying reactions in turn. "Find the spy! Bring him to me! We'll wring it from him!"

Many people began to move upon Tus' order. In the process, Nizam frowns in utter frustration as his plans have truly been ruined. As a result, he draws his sword and attacks Dastan.

"Dastan!"

The Persian prince acts quickly in spinning around to evade the blow.

Then came a great shock to all those in attendance.

Darkness erupted from Nizam and Heartless began appearing from all around.

Cries and shouts of fear and terror began flying out in all directions.

Everyone was petrified, terrified and horrified at what they were witnessing from Nizam.

All but three.

Roxas stood in the center, Keyblades out with Tyene on his right and Dastan on his left. The trio glared defiantly at Nizam who was so overcome with rage at his plans now foiled that, unlike last time, he hadn't even registered his newfound power from the Heartless. He had allowed his rage and vengeance to consume his reasoning and wits, all with the sole focus of killing Dastan and his friends.

-Insert Kingdom Hearts II: Vim and Vigor OST-

"Let's finish this." Roxas stated, getting into his stance, Tyene and Dastan mirroring his actions.

Nizam let out a roar of anger, more darkness exploding around him and he charged forward.

Roxas called upon his Light and had it surround him as an aura. Thirteen pillars of Light appeared and circled around him before they were sent forward.

Two turned horizontal, Tyene and Dastan using them to jump into the air, attacking Nizam in a pincer.

The deranged man jumped and spun into the air, tendrils of the Darkness lashing out and striking the two.

Tyene, having seen Roxas do this numerous times, performed and aerial recovery whilst Dastan was assisted by one of Roxas' light pillars, using his swords to hook onto to it and spin to land safely.

Roxas then charged in, gliding a foot above the ground, his Keyblades audibly clashing with Nizam's swords. The man hissed like a snake definitely trying to push the blond back to no avail.

Roxas then jerked his arms up and swung his Keyblades with them, making Nizam's arms go up, barely holding onto his swords.

Tyene came in for a spinning kick followed by a jab with the edge of her Keyblade to his chest, and Dastan followed that up with a burst of speed that left two gashes on Nizam's body. Despite this, dark wisps emanated from the injuries, which healed moments later, yet they could tell that the damage still affected the man.

As this went on, several Heartless began popping up. The several types of Bandits were the most well-known to the trio. However, another batch appeared which resembled the Hassassins with their various types of weaponry.

"Oh, lovely."

Without being prompted, Roxas ran forward, his body flashing.

"Dastan!"

A sensation surged through the Persian Prince, his own body flashing with light and he fell in stride with Roxas. The two ran side-by-side until both jumped, planting their feet against each other and launching themselves in the opposite direction.

The two spun about rapidly, cutting through the Heartless and criss-crossed with everyone they took out. As this went on, sand began kicking up, turning into a tornado that began pulling in the Heartless. It ended with the duo landing in the eye of the storm, flinging their weapons forward that sliced through the captured Heartless, their weapons flying back into their hands with a bolt of lightning that came down, struck the two and expunging a crackling energy that eliminated any stragglers.

Tyene watched all this with her jaw dropped, seeing her lover and she felt her entire body burning with desire and lust.

'Oh, am I gonna drive you wild later, Roxas,' Were her devious thoughts, briefly licking her lips before remembering they were still in the middle of a battle.

Nizam swooped in, his eyes now glowing yellow as he rapidly swung his blades about, trying to tear into Roxas and Dastan, his attacks more directed at the latter. Tyene rushed in and now it was a three-on-one with Nizam able to hold them back as the Darkness kept adding additional attacks that forced them to dodge or block.

The Uncle started shouting with every strike, darkness pulsing with every attack until Roxas took an emphatic stomp forward, Light exploding off of him. The darkness that surrounded Nizam diminished considerably and Dastan and Tyene moved in for the kill.

Tyene jumped up with Dastan crossing his arms to serve as he platform. He pushed her up just as she jumped, getting her high in the air and he quickly spun his blades into a backhanded grip.

Roxas appeared alongside him and the pair turned into blurs that appeared behind Nizam.

The man froze on the spot when he was assailed with dozens of slashes, the darkness around him lessening further.

Tyene came down, her Keyblade held over her head before swinging it with everything she had, smashing it against Nizam's chest.

The Darkness was completely expunged and the man was sent careening back, smashing into a nearby statue before collapsing onto the ground in a heap.

The battle was over. Nizam laid on the ground, utterly battered and exhausted after what had occurred. And lingering over him was Dastan who only looked at him with pity and disappointment.

"You had what every person out there would've wanted: love, respect and family. But that wasn't enough for you, was it?" Dastan states, spitting on the ground soon after.

Thinking it was over, Dastan moved away from Nizam.

With his nephew's attention no longer on him, he used the last of his strength to quickly get up and pull out a knife.

Seeing this, Tus pushes Dastan out of the way. Right after, he rushes in before stabbing Nizam and killing him.

Shocked at what he'd done, Tus didn't know what would happen now. Yet he felt a few pats on his shoulders, having him look to see Dastan and Garsiv give him reassuring pats.

The crown Prince glanced at his youngest sibling in disbelief. "Dastan, what was all-"

"A very, very long story that my new friends can help explain."

Focusing away from his brothers, Tus look towards Roxas and Tyene. "I'm sorry, but who are you two exactly?"

"Allies of Perisa, Your Highness." Tyene bows alongside Roxas.

"Though I do believe you owe the princess an apology for what happened today." Roxas includes.

Tus nods with a grim look on his face. "That we do."

Turning, he walks up the steps and into the palace with many following him.

"Do you think she remembers?" Tyene couldn't help but ask.

"...I… I don't know." Dastan says, rather unsurely.

Inside Alamut's throne room, a great assembly was held with the Persians laying down their arms with the princes' standing before Princess Tamina.

"Princess of Alamut," Began Persia's crown prince. "I was misled into attacking your city. Forgive me, Your Highness. Let me make amends."

Pulling back the shaul from over her head, Tamina regards Tus for a moment before something catches her attention. Turning slightly she froze in her spot.

The moment Tamina gazed at Dastan, Tyene and Roxas; a reaction was made. It was fought hard and contained, but it was noticed by the one prince and the Keybearers. It made the trio realize Alamut's princess remembers as well.

She breaks away her attention on the three when hearing Tus continue to speak. "Not only will we offer up gold as compensation for your losses but I also propose a mutual advantage that our nations be united by a bond stronger than friendship: marriage."

"Again?" Roxas asks under his breath.

"Apparently some things don't really change." Tyene mutters in response.

"And what would this marriage be with? You?" Tamina asks.

To her surprise, and no doubt many others present, Tus shakes his head. "No. It would be towards one who is both conqueror and savior of your city." He descends the small series of steps and walks up to his younger brother. "Dastan." He says, earning various reactions. "Royal blood or not, he's every bit a son to our father. Every bit a brother to Garsiv and I. A true prince of Persia."

Dastan was hesitant to move, causing Garsiv to lean over and whisper into his ear. "Get up there before I take your place."

Withholding a chuckle, Dastan walks forward with his brothers pushing him. Once near Tamina, he knelt before her. "Hello, Princess."

The corner of her lips flicker upward as a warmth is present in her eyes. "Hello, Da-Prince Dastan."

Coughing to clear his throat, Dastan stammers slightly. "It's, uh, it's customary to accompany a proposal with gifts but, uh… I was surprised and unprepared." He could practically imagine his brothers and two friends snickering slightly behind him. "I've got nothing for you, save… something which is already yours, I believe." He withdraws the mystical dagger from his waist and presents it to her, letting Tamina slowly take it back.

Smiling a bit more, Tamina places the dagger on her lap momentarily. "Prince Tus."

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"I believe I can accept your arrangement."

With this grand meeting over with, there was some time for a reprieve for many. The Persians needed to help Alamut in mending what damage they caused with many rearrangements to help the people recount their losses.

In the meantime, Tamina led Dastan, Roxas and Tyene to the garden area of the palace, in which they were relatively alone.

"How can I trust the man who breached the walls of my city?" The princess finally asks after some time of silence.

"He is no longer the same man who breached them, princess." Roxas answered for them and they saw amusement dancing in her eyes.

"...That's a short time for a man to change. It sounds as if you've discovered something here."

"Perhaps." Was Dastan's vague response.

"I'd think it was more than a simple discovery." Tyene airily remarked.

"And what would that be?" Tamina asked, playing into their little game.

"A new spiritual awareness." Dastan dramatically said.

"Or a destiny." Roxas tacked on.

"Both sounds about right." Tamina mused.

"Though I do believe we make our own destinies." Dastan chimed.

"I agree."

"You have an unfortunate lack of curiosity." Tamina retorted jokingly.

Dastan pretended to be in pain from the "insult". "One of my many flaws."

"Just like her stubbornness?"

"Please don't mock me, Tyene."

"Oh really?"

In a surprising action, Alamut's princess hugs the Sand Snake before pulling Roxas in as well.

"...It's so good to see you again. I feared the worst." She tearfully said. "And I'm sorry for how I acted at the start of it all."

Tyene and Roxas simply patted her back, the former leaning her head against the princess's.

"Yeah, you were kinda bitchy."

Despite hearing this, Tamina heartily laughed, shaking her head.

"I could've been worse."

"Far worse." Roxas spoke up, shooting Tyene a pointed look. "You and I both know it."

Tyene laughed all while Tamina turned to Dastan.

"So you remember." He happily said.

"I do." She whispered. She then surprised him with a pounce, sealing her lips over his, kissing him fiercely, needily and lovingly.

Dastan was certainly surprised by this but was quick to reciprocate the gesture, kissing her back with equal fervor.

"Just wait till we're alone." Tyene whispered mischievously to Roxas, loving the blush forming on his face.

Dastan and Tamina pulled away from each other, out of breath, leaning on each other for support.

Tyene let out a small whistle of approval, now causing the Princess to jolt and sport a healthy blush of her own, realizing what she had done.

"Never knew you had that in you, Princess."

Tamina coughed into her hand, looking down bashfully. "Yes, well… when the World almost ends and you experience near death and the thought of losing those you came to care for…"

"So if I were to do it again," Dastan teased. "How far will you go next time?"

Tamina gaped, looking up at him, and seeing him laugh. She scrunched her face up and smacked his arm, making him laugh further.

"What happened to the man who feared marriage?"

"That man now sees that it won't be as terrifying as he once assumed." He shot back, loving the way he made his soon-to-be wife squirm. Tamina smiled a moment later, leaning onto him.

Suddenly, a pillar of light formed in Tyene's hand as her Keyblade appeared. But instead of Missing Ache, it was something else.

It resembled the mystical dagger in terms of design with its intricate patterns along the blade along with its guard and glass handle. However, it was debatable now if it was considered a shortsword or a long dagger with how big it was. From its guard came two strands of crystalized sand jotting out several inches away, curving and coiling around to meet the jewel pommel from one strand while the other went up the blade to the tip in forming Alamut's six-pointed star to serve as the teeth. And hanging off from the jewel pommel was the necklace Tamina presently wore around her neck acting as its keychain.

"What the-?"

An odd sensation overwhelmed Tyene, having him jump back as it seemed her new Keyblade guided her. Twirling it in hand, Tyene ends up pointing at the mystical dagger of time which suddenly levitated in the air.

Underground where the Sandglass resided, it glowed a bit more before a small pillar of light shot out from it and onto the surface.

From the Temple Sanctuary hidden in the mountains, a light gathered from the boulder where the dagger originated from before shooting outward and bypassing the rocky mass.

Back at Alamut's palace, a light shot out from the mystical dagger to the sky and connected from the two other lights. Upon their connection, a Keyhole appeared.

Light gathered towards the tip of Tyene's Keyblade before shooting out and connecting with the Keyhole. As both met, a loud click was heard as it seemed to reverberate within the sky. Before long, the light faded away and disappeared without a trace.

"What... What was that?"

"That was Tyene sealing the Keyhole to this world." Says Roxas.

"Keyhole to the World?" His three friends all said in unison.

"It's a kind of safety measure, a permanent one." No. XIII elaborated. "I thought every World was sealed but it appears there's a few outliers. Though with this one, it might have something to do with the Sandglass. Who's to say?"

"You are." Tyene rebuked. "Aren't you the one who's supposed to know all this stuff?"

"Not really, no." Roxas freely admitted. "I only know so much."

There was a brief moment of silence shared between them when Dastan spoke up.

"So, do you figure we should commemorate our victory?" He asked with a grin. "After all that we have endured, a proper celebration, one where we can enjoy without someone dying is in order, don't you all think?"

Rather than oppose the idea, Tamina hummed along, leaning against her soon-to-be husband's chest, smiling up at him.

"Now that my city has been liberated and betrothed to its savior, a banquet and ceremony is in order."

Tyene was about to agree but Roxas took hold of her hand, giving her a knowing look. She faltered slightly and remembered that despite their victory here, all was still not well back home.

"As much as we'd love to stay, we best leave." Roxas said to their two friends, both of whom had their expressions fall slightly.

"Must you?" Tamina asked.

"Yeah, must we?" Tyene said, a slight pleading in her tone.

Roxas gave her an apologetic smile, taking hold of her other hand and raising them slightly. "Yes. We must. We still have other friends who need us."

Tyene sighed in acceptance and nodded, turning back to the new couple.

"Sorry my friends, you heard him."

Tamina smiled sadly, pulling away from Dastan to give the pair a hug.

"You two are always welcome here."

"And in all of Persia." Dastan added on, clasping Roxas' arm in a warrior's grip, hand on the teen's shoulder. "Thank you both. I wish there was a way to repay you but I believe nothing in this world can do so."

"You're our friend, Dastan." Roxas plainly said. "I don't need a reason to help a friend."

"Saving the world is quite an achievement." Tyene remarked.

"Though I have heard it is common for Keybearers." Tamina quipped.

"More than you realize." Roxas said, somewhat tiredly. "Come on, Tyene, our friends are waiting for us."

"Take care, you two." Tyene said, waving at them as she and Roxas walked away.

"We wish you luck." Tamina waved back.

"The same to you on your journey." Dastan declared, placing his hand on Tamina's shoulders, the Princess hugging her betrothed in response.

"We'll see you again." Roxas called back to them. "That's a promise."

Leaving Alamut's palace, the two Keybearers began making their way through the city as several questions filled their minds.

"How is it possible she was able to remember everything?" Asks Tyene.

"She didn't touch the dagger when everything reset." Roxas states.

"You can thank my assistance on that."

The two Keybearers looked around and saw Aeon standing there.

Overcoming her bit of shock and surprise, Tyene was able to realize who this person was. And in short order, she responded to what he said. "You… what?"

"Normally, the ones who hold the dagger when activated can remember everything that occurred before everything wound up to a certain point. However, I decided to… gift Tamina her experiences of the one timeline."

"Why?" Roxas suspiciously asked.

Aeon raised his hands in a placating manner. "The two of you have done as I wished and saved not only this world but what may have resulted in further cataclysms in the World Order. Time is a dangerous entity that can be breached on many levels, this World being one of them. Plus, the whole idea of having to reconnect and all would be a chore. I for one prefer a happy ending, thank you."

Being reminded of the purpose of their presence here, Tyene states the obvious. "We've done what you wanted. Now give back what you took from Roxas."

"Indeed you have." Aeon waved his hand slightly. "Now I'll uphold my end of the bargain."

In one instance, Tyene felt something crawl on her. Looking at the source, she saw little Bahamut come up her back and perch on her shoulder. She was quick in coddling the dragon with glee in her actions. As for Roxas, he felt the little weights around his neck, having him pat his chest to feel the two summon charms. When turning, the Nobody felt his foot nudge against something, having him look down to see the box containing his share of the Carpathian mirror shards.

Putting the box in his storage place, Roxas turned it over to Aeon.

"Thanks, I guess." He mumbled, shooting an unpleasant look at the timekeeper who shrugged apologetically.

Aeon says nothing but tosses something over to Tyene, who quickly catches it. Opening her hand, she saw a charm that was reminiscent of a serpent of all things.

"What's this?"

"An additional compensation for your time here. It will help you in your growth and journey."

It was rather vague, but Tyene accepted the little reward all the same. "Will you send us back now?"

"I could and would, but not now." Aeon gives a small smile. "In truth, I'm sending you both where you're needed most right now."

Before either Roxas or Tyene knew it, a bright flash of light came from the corner of their vision. Looking towards it, the couple saw a dome of flames erupting from the ground which Roxas thought was something akin to a Corridor of Darkness. However, this was like its polar opposite, being like a Corridor of Light.

Overcoming the bit of surprise, Aeon's words finally registered to the pair. Neither had the proper chance to act as a powerful gust of wind knocked them off their feet and sent them flying into the Light Corridor before closing up moments later.

The timekeeper stood there for a moment before releasing an annoyed breath.

"Was that really necessary?" Aeon said without looking at the source.

"I thought it was." Walking into view was a man in all black, an attire similar to Roxas' Organization uniform. "Besides, there's fun in the mystery of the unknown."

"They would have been more accepting of their next destination had I told them the truth."

"Where's the fun in that?" The Master of Masters could only smirk underneath his hood hearing Aeon grumble before the pair disappeared from the World.

-End Chapter-

Sands of Time Keyblade: received from saving the Desert of Time World

Daggers of Time: Sands of Time Shotlock attack which several ethereal daggers seek out any and all locked on targets. They are frozen in time momentarily, leaving them open for further attacks.

To wind back time for the briefest of moments, the wielder must pour magic into it to refill the sandglass handle. However it is costly on their reserves.

AN:

This chapter took a lot longer to get out than imagined. Mostly the usual stuff getting in the way, but hey, what can you do?

Anyways the movie events are over and now can go back to the initial story.

FMW: Indeed, also, cool tidbit for those who pay attention and know this bit of trivia and lore. Tyene doing the leap of faith is actually a reference to the fact that, originally, the first ever Assassin's Creed was actually slated to be the next Prince of Persia game before it was remade and reshaped into the new game. Cool little trivia there.

As for the chapter, it wasn't a chore, per se to get through. More like we had to constantly hold ourselves back from doing way more in the chapter as a whole because, frankly, this chapter would have been in the 30k or even 35k mark and then we would have had to split it and prolong this arc, keeping us away from other plotlines and characters.

There was a lot more focus, so to speak, on Tyene and it's a given since this is her first World after all. She gets the new Keyblade and all and more of the lines and such and will add to her own character arc and such.

Anyways, be sure to review this story guys! Would like the criticisms. Please and thank you!

R

-How it Should Have Ended Omake-

Sipping from his cup of tea at the nice cafe at Twilight Town, Aeon was reading a nice book when hearing coughing in front of him. Glancing all so briefly away from his book, the Time Keeper regarded the Master of Masters.

"Yes?"

"So…"

"So… what?"

"Mind telling me how things could've been on their latest adventure?"

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I'm rather curious."

Knowing the MoM will not let this go until satisfied, Aeon decides to humor him. With a flick of his wrist, a small window appeared for the old Keyblade Master to view.

"Tamina's sacrifice…"

Inside of the sanctuary's temple, Tamina quickly moved around Dastan and plunges the dagger into the boulder it originated from before the whip-wielding Hassan intervenes. The glow from the slot traveled up the dagger and traveled up the princess' arm as her body was ensnared by it's light. Dastan can only watch in horror of seeing her be consumed moments later with the dagger disintegrating into dust.

Seeing what happened, the one Hassan 'tsks' in annoyance as he failed to complete one of his tasks. Distracted this occurrence, he was quickly slain by Dastan once realizing of the assassin's presence.

Roxas and Tyene arrived shortly after to see Dastan grieve for their loss.

"A different means of retrieving the dagger from the tower…"

A Dark Corridor appeared near where the dagger was placed on it's pedestal. Roxas popped out and widened his eyes when seeing the Hassan having spotted him. After all, his Corridor was rather hard not to be spotted.

Acting quickly, the Nobody snatched the dagger and jumped back through the Corridor just when several daggers flew in at the attempt to skewer him.

Back down below, the others saw the Dark Corridor pop up with Roxas coming out of it.

"We should move."

After seeing this, MoM gave Aeon a curious look.

"What was the point on the original idea?"

"It was just showing off how Tyene and Seso could've been like with their skills." Aeon took a sip from his tea. "This alternative merely showed a quicker and safer means on their mission without raising alarms."

"Sounds boring."

"If you think that's bad, this is what could've occurred at the tower."

Upon entering the tower where the dagger of time was kept, Seso and Tyene came to a realization.

"The dagger ain't here?"

"Where is it?"

With Nizam, he has the mystical dagger of time tucked into his robes.

After seeing this, MoM gave out a hum. "Huh… that's rather smart for him to do."

"What? You thought he'd be stupid enough to keep the important dagger away from him at this point in time?"

"In other timelines, yes."

To finish things off, Aeon decides to show the Master of Masters one last alternative.

"And this here is what could've happened had I not restored Tamina's memories."

Inside of Alamut's throne room, Tus had presented Dastan to be Tamina's husband as recompense for what happened on the invasion. And for his offering, Dastan handed back the dagger of time.

After eyeing the dagger she had the sacred duty to guard, Tamina tucks it away and looks at Dastan.

"Tell me, prince, how exactly did you imagine this conversation going?" The princess insultingly says. "Oh, I'm sorry that I've harmed and murdered your civilian population and most of your military force. But here, have my adopted brother as a husband. That would make everything alright." Her lips curl into a frown. "Honestly, did you really think that would make me forget everything that just happened? The whole slaughter of my people, despite its actions having been orchestrated by your uncle. No, you sir, can go fuck off and leave my city immediately."

Of course, the reaction that was given was rather… unique.

"Seems she doesn't remember a thing at all." Roxas mutters with a momentarily shocked expression.

The footage ended with the window disappearing soon after.

The Master of Masters stared at him leaning forward, arms dangling dramatically.

"That's how she would have reacted without her memories?"

Aeon smirked, snorting at the MoM.

"No. But it is pretty funny."

MoM flailed slightly.

"What was the point of showing me that?"

Aeon shrugged, walking away from the man who was now complaining.

"Oi, don't gimme that silent treatment!" The timekeeper ignored him further, making him grumble a little. "You plan on showing me anything else?"

"No."

"...Boo… you're no fun."