Chapter 35
Enchanted Dominion
The Highwind jumped out of lightspeed, entering the orbit of Enchanted Dominion. Hinata sat on the rope netting along the deck, watching as the stars changed from white streaks to shimmering specks in the distance. She hadn't said much throughout the journey there. Ben remained at Navigation, occasionally sparking up conversation with her, but seemed preoccupied with some sort of discussion with Lupe over the communications. Sam and Velcia were both transferred to the digital mansion, not even on the ship for the time being. Both of them spent their few free hours preparing for the mission. But they would be back any moment now.
Hinata looked down at Enchanted Dominion below them. As she expected, the entire world was gray and colorless. She could make out the mass of trees, mountains, and the expanse of seas, but all through the monochrome palette of gray. It truly was lifeless. Staring down at the world, it didn't seem real. Hinata spent the trip dreading seeing Keres again, but now the unsettling reality of having to be without magic for the whole mission reared its ugly head and she heavily sighed, leaning back against the ropes. They creaked beneath her, almost covering the sound of Sam and Velcia beaming back onto the deck.
"Hey," Sam called up to her.
Hinata looked over to see Sam holding out a small black device for her. She reached through the rope's netting and grabbed it.
"It'll let us talk to each other down there," Sam explained. She pushed her hair back behind her ear, showing the black earpiece inserted inside.
With a nod, Hinata placed the device in her ear. "Um, testing?"
"Hey Hina," Lupe replied, his voice crisp in the ear piece. "Hear you loud and clear."
"Hey Lupe," she greeted in return with a smile. "Feeling ready?"
"Absolutely!" Lupe replied with the sort of tone that Hinata could just imagine his grin. "We're gonna rock it. I know it."
Hinata laughed softly. "Here's hoping."
"I believe I've prepared enough potions," Velcia said. "Should I explain everything I'm bringing?"
"I trust your judgment," Hinata told her, climbing down from the ropes. "You'll know when to use them."
Lupe chuckled a bit awkwardly. "Still, it might be good for everyone to know what we're working with, right?" He stammered a little. "I mean, if you're ok with that, Hina."
"I know what she's bringing!" Ben chimed in, joining the group. "Let's see, there's slow falling, ethers, health, enhancers, night vision, lots of utility!"
"Enhancers?" Sam asked.
"Yes!" Velcia nodded, opening the satchel at her hip and pulling out a few different colored vials. "These will enhance different physical attributes for a while. Things like movement, and jumping, even strength and defenses."
"Well, Lupe has a point," Hinata said, coming to Velcia's side and picking up one of the potions to look at. "What else do you have?"
Velcia placed the enhancers back in her bag, allowing Hinata to keep the movement potion she examined. Clasping her satchel, she then pulled out her backpack and unzipped it. Glowing color illuminated out of it and inside were carefully organized vials of all different colors. "I have also been working on some potions that should weaken the enemies' defenses. Though I have not had the chance to test them, so these will be here as a backup."
"That's great, Velcia!" Lupe said. "We'll definitely get good use out of those."
"Do you mind if I keep this one on me?" Hinata asked, holding up the movement enhancer potion she'd been eyeing.
"Of course!" Velcia nodded emphatically. "And Sam, I had a feeling you might like to use these jump enhancers."
"Yeah, actually," Sam agreed, finding a good spot to put them in her satchel. "Thanks."
"Might be good for everyone to have a night vision potion on hand, too," Lupe suggested. "Who knows how dark it'll get down there."
"Good thinking," Hinata said. "Could we do that, Velcia?"
Velcia was already getting them out of her bag and handing one over to her.
"Alright then." Hinata clipped in the potion, then went over to the railing to look down at Enchanted Dominion. She took a deep breath. "Is everyone ready?"
"I am!" Ben said right away, raising his hand. The others were quiet in thought, but then snickered at Ben's excitement. He scratched the side of his face. "You are letting me go, right?"
"You don't run on magic, so I don't see why not," Sam said with a shrug.
Hinata crossed her arms. "Do you think you'll be able to scan for Thaanix while we're there?"
"In theory!" Ben put up a finger. "But from what Lupe told me about how many Unmade critters are down there, I can't say for sure. DiZ did just upgrade my scanner though! That's how I could see everything you guys were doing in Twilight Town. Which—by the way—is not the case anymore! I mentioned it to DiZ and that was NOT intentional with the upgrade." Ben laughed. "So-uh, don't have to worry about that anymore. I'm working on making it up to you, though, so—"
"Ben," Hinata stopped him, grabbing his shoulders. "I'm alright with you coming along, but you can't be talking while we're fighting. Ok?"
"Yeah I will find a way to mute you, so fast," Sam added.
Ben nodded, miming zipping up his mouth before saluting.
"Alright." Hinata began pacing across the deck, counting details on her hand. "So Velcia's got potions, Sam's got her arm and staff, I have my blades and shield, Lupe's got maps and strategy, Ben's scanning the area and can be there for emergency extractions back to the ship… Okay, I think that's everything."
"Sounds good to me," Lupe said, making Hinata smile.
"Then, let's go," Hinata said.
She went over to the navigation and pressed a button. In an instant, all of them were surrounded with white light and vanished from the Highwind.
A forest surrounded them. A gray, dark, and silent forest. Woodland creatures stood between the trees, some midstride. Birds were scattered overhead, wings outstretched and beaks open with a promise of song, but there wasn't a sound. Hinata walked forward. They appeared on a grassy knoll beside what appeared to once be a babbling river. She bent down beside the riverbank and tried to dip her fingers into the water. Her fingers visually went beneath the surface, but she didn't feel the sensation. Even pulling back her hand, nothing was on her skin.
"Woooow," Ben gasped, walking up beside Hinata. His eyes clicked like a camera. "Wait till DiZ sees this. He won't believe it!"
"A-Are you documenting this?" Velcia asked. She remained still, her hands gripping the straps to her backpack as if they were solely responsible for keeping her standing. Her skin seemed paler than usual, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead. She strained a smile when Ben spun to look at her.
"Is that alright to do?" Ben asked, scratching his head.
"Of course," Velcia said shakily. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. "As… terrifying as this is, it's incredible. And keeping records is very important."
"Take your time adjusting, Velcia," Lupe encouraged her gently, speaking through the ear piece. "Ben and I will get the scans going, so you guys take your time getting used to being there."
"Thanks, Lupe," Hinata said, distracted. She walked slowly around the clearing, seeing all the animals and even the leaves stopped mid fall. "This feels wrong. Freezing an entire world like this."
"Tell me about it," Sam agreed, coming up beside her. "Evil witch or not, it's extreme."
"We don't know what it was like when Maleficent was in power," Lupe pointed out. "This might have been the best call. The Princess seemed to think so."
"Royalty doesn't mean she's smart," Sam remarked under her breath and she could faintly hear Lupe letting out a sigh, but she didn't mention it. She nudged Hinata with her elbow. "How you feeling? With the no magic and Thaanix thing?"
Hinata scoffed, shaking her head. "Just… trying to take it a step at a time." She glanced over at Sam. "But I feel like I'm gonna throw up."
Sam pursed her lips, nodding in understanding. "Yeah, that's fair."
"If you do," Ben joined in, "save it for the Unmade. The bile counteracts their acidic blood and makes them decompose!"
"Gross!" Sam exclaimed while Hinata and Lupe laughed.
"Thanks Ben, I will keep that in mind," Hinata replied, still laughing.
"What?" Ben objected to Sam. "Dr. Finklestein taught that to me!"
"And it's disgusting!" Sam yelled back.
"Guys. Hold on." Lupe suddenly got serious. "A map of the area just loaded up… I don't think you guys are alone."
Everyone went quiet and Ben pulled out his chest compartment to look at his scanner. As he mentioned, the screen was indeed upgraded with more reliable tracking. A silhouette of the area showed on the screen with a pulsing indicator showing four yellow dots in their location. Through the trees at a cliffside, a red dot flickered in and out.
"What is that?" Sam asked, looking over Ben's shoulder.
"Let's check it out," Hinata said before she went to Velcia's side and placed her hand on her shoulder. "If you're feeling ready for it."
Velcia licked her lips and nodded. "Y-Yes. I believe I am. Thank you." She turned towards Hinata. "Let's go."
Hinata patted her shoulder, then led the way through the trees. She went slowly, carefully, keeping an eye on Ben's scanner and the flickering red dot. Reaching the edge of the treeline, she stopped and looked out at the sloped hillside that cut off into a cliff. Beyond the cliffside lay a thick, gaseous fog. It filled the canyon, shrouding the sun. Out in the distance they could see the black spires of the Forbidden Mountain, Maleficent's kingdom. Clouds swirled above it, ignited by a lightning strike frozen in time. But what caught Hinata's attention was the man in the black coat, standing right at the edge of the cliff. Luxord.
"Shit," Sam cursed under her breath, moving back to be shrouded by the trees. "Course the Organization's here."
"Is he one of the ones you know, Hinata?" Velcia asked, still struggling to catch her breath.
"I met him on Atlantis," Hinata answered, staring at Luxord's back. "He's… different from the other Members of the Organization."
Sam scoffed. "You realize you say that about all of them, right?"
Hinata glanced at her but didn't reply.
"I've read a bit about him," Lupe said. "It's Luxord, right? He's a gambler. Even the way he fights is like a game."
Hinata nodded. "He has a strict set of rules he follows. And he'll stick to them even if he loses."
"I see…" Velcia said softly. "What should we do?"
Hinata and Lupe talked at the same time, both of them saying different things.
"We should keep our distance," Lupe said.
"I'm going to talk to him," Hinata said.
There was a short awkward silence after they spoke simultaneously.
"You're sure about this, Hinata?" Lupe asked, deferring immediately to her.
"I won the game last time," Hinata told him. "I had the chance to kill him, and he even told me to, but I didn't take it. Instead, I let him live and told him to leave. If he's still sticking to that code of his, then he should owe me."
Sam scoffed. "What, you're thinking he'll just leave?"
"Or at least leave us alone," Hinata said. "We're working towards the same thing."
"Except, he'd probably take Keres for himself if he had the chance," Ben pointed out.
"It's up to you, Hinata," Lupe said slowly. By his tone, Hinata knew he didn't agree with her.
Lupe was likely right and Hinata knew it. He was like a little conscience in her ear, telling her to slow down and think. And she was. At least, she felt she was. With everything at stake, they needed to know all the variables against them. Luxord wasn't expected, but she had experience playing his games.
And so, as she walked out of the shroud of the trees, she said softly to Lupe, "I have to try."
Luxord looked over his shoulder as she approached. He didn't seem surprised to see her and showed his nonchalance by looking back out into the fog.
"Ah, so they've sent their captain to deliberate," he said as she reached his side. "A wise decision, given our past. Wouldn't you say, Hinata?"
She stopped beside him, trying to match his poised demeanor. Standing straight, hands clasped in front of her, gaze settled on the forbidden mountain as if they were admiring any old landscape. Even talking to him would be part of his game. Any information, any expression, would be stored as a strategy against her. So she took her time with responding, measuring her options.
"Why are you here, Luxord?" she asked directly.
"I would think it should be obvious," he replied. He peeked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Or are you attempting to acquire information?"
"I mean other than the obvious," Hinata corrected. "We're both here for the Replica."
"Ah, I see," he realized. "You want to know why the Organization sent me. Perhaps they knew our paths would cross."
"They would have sent Saix in that case," she countered.
Luxord smirked but didn't reply. The silence he gave irritated her. He was holding his cards close to his chest, just waiting for her to be the one to mess up. And she hated that it was likely only a matter of time. The confidence she walked into the conversation with was already dwindling.
"Why else are you here?" she continued to push.
"Are you asking for my orders?" he asked.
"I'm saying it seems like we both want the same thing," she said.
"Really?" His head half turned to look at her, his brow raising, though his voice didn't seem exactly surprised. "And your crew would work with the Organization?" He feigned a chuckle, turning back towards the cliff. "Ah, that's right. They already have. Axel's been among your ranks, hasn't he?"
"I let you live the last time we met." She ignored his prying.
"And now I owe you a debt?" he asked.
"It's proof I don't go back on deals," she said plainly. "We help each other. Get it done. Then that's it. Both groups get what they want."
Luxord smirked. "And I am to believe you would actually destroy this Replica of yours?"
Hinata didn't reply right away. Of course he'd doubt her resolve. It didn't stop the way her anger flared in her chest at the inclination. At a time like this, there was only one answer: "Yes."
A deep laugh rumbled in Luxord's chest. "As tempting the prospect is, I don't intend to return empty handed." His hand flicked up, two cards appearing between his fingers. "You or your Replica, I care not which." The cards flipped masterfully between his fingers.
"Get out of there, Hina," Lupe said low and quiet in her ear, as if Luxord would be able to hear him if he spoke loud enough.
Hinata took a deep breath, watching the cards deftly move as if they were floating. She didn't want to move, it felt like admitting defeat in the first round. Even just talking, it was a game and she was sorely outmatched.
"What if we get there first?" The words came out of her hoarsely, said before she fully thought them through. She swallowed hard, realizing what she just suggested. It was too late to back out.
"What!?" Lupe exclaimed with a harsh whisper, his voice muffled as if his face were planted in his hands. "Hinata, what are you—"
"Really?" Luxord's interest was piqued now. He turned around completely and walked across the hill. "A wager, then."
Hinata sucked in a breath, her heart pounding.
"What say we have a little race to this Replica of yours?" Luxord suggested. "Whoever reaches her first is the victor."
"That means if we win, you're leaving empty handed," Hinata pointed out, turning towards him.
"So says the rules," he said, looking at her over his shoulder. "Do we have a deal?"
Hinata looked towards the shroud of trees. She could faintly make out the silhouettes of her friends hidden inside, watching and waiting for the outcome. Lupe remained oddly quiet in her ear—deferring to her judgment even though Hinata knew full well he didn't agree with it. They were about to play a dangerous game.
"What about your Corridors?" she asked.
Luxord huffed a short laugh. "It would be unwise to use them in a world without magic. My power will be reserved, same as yours."
"And if I say no?" she asked.
His lips spread into a straight line and he snapped his fingers. White and gray vines materialized around Hinata, swirling and gradually tightening. A commotion of voices erupted from the forest as Sam, Velcia, and Ben all ran out in a panic, but Hinata held out her hand towards them.
"I'm alright!" she called, but her trembling voice gave the truth away. She just wanted them to stay back, to stay safe. Looking into Luxord's gaze, she knew they were completely at his mercy and were the moment they arrived. Whatever happened to him since Atlantis, he wasn't the same Member she'd known.
"Do we have a deal?" Luxord asked again, a smirk growing across his face.
Hinata's brow furrowed. The condescension in his tone was not lost on her. "Deal."
His hand flicked up and a single card appeared between his fingers. "Then let the games begin." He threw the card to Hinata and stepped backwards off the cliff, disappearing into the fog below.
Hinata caught it, watching the wisps of the constricting vines disappear before she looked down at it. An image of her appeared on the card and she dropped it with a gasp, stumbling backwards. The card ignited, disappearing with the same vine-like magic Luxord had surrounded her with.
"Are you alright, Hinata?" Lupe asked as the others ran to catch up to her.
"I…" She cleared her throat and shook her head. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"What was that spell about to do?" he asked. When Hinata didn't reply right away, he pressed, "Would it have turned you into a card?"
Hinata nodded, struggling to formulate the words.
"Dammit," Lupe cursed, sighing heavily. "Then… We make sure to keep an eye out for him. Don't give him the chance to cast it again. He'll probably use it to try to slow us down."
She nodded again, brows furrowing and eyes flitting around when the others approached. Ben wrapped his arms around her, fussing about being worried, but Hinata didn't say anything. She looked out at the mountain, hearing the phantom ticking of a clock already running out of time.
"We're leaving, right?" Sam's question broke through the haze. "Because that guy can do that whenever the hell he wants. What's stopping him from doing it the moment we turn our backs?"
"He'll follow the rules of the game," Hinata replied quietly. She moved to lead the way down the hillside. If they were going to discuss things, they could do so on the way to the mountain.
"And we're just trusting him on that?" Sam asked.
"If we left, the Organization would get Keres," Ben pointed out.
"They might still get her at this point," Sam countered. "Is anyone else on my side here?"
"We have a job to do, Sam," Hinata replied. "Luxord won't break the rules. He either gets Thaanix or he doesn't."
"And we're also here to clear out the Unmade," Lupe added. "Replica or not…" He let out a breath, and confessed, "I don't like the situation with Luxord either, Sam. But we have to adapt. We'll keep pressing forward as a team and we'll get it done."
"Fine," Sam resigned shortly.
"Merlin and the Fairies entrusted us with this mission," Velcia said softly, trailing a few steps behind the group. "They must believe in our abilities to do it."
"You're right, Velcia," Lupe agreed. "We can do this."
They followed Hinata along the windy path towards the mountain, the fog growing thicker around them. The forest thinned out, leaving them surrounded with nothing but craggy rocks and thorny vines. Their footsteps echoed around them, scraping against the stone.
"What's your plan, Hinata?" Lupe asked after a short while.
"I don't know yet," she answered honestly, letting out a breath.
"I believe our goal is the same," Velcia said. "We were sent here to take care of the Unmade. While the Organization taking Keres is not a desirable outcome… I don't think it should change anything."
"It's better than them taking Hina," Ben said, his eyes green with worry. He walked closest to Hinata, occasionally glancing up at her. "We can't let that happen."
"We won't, Ben," Lupe promised, then took in a long, even breath. "But Hinata, we need a plan. I know you're shaken up, and I want to help. What can I do?"
Hinata came to a stop to think, then thought better of it considering they were on the clock. Instead, she hurried their pace into a jog. "Um… you can get maps right? Can you get one of the fortress ready?"
"Good call," Lupe told her, his fingers heard clicking away on his keyboard.
"And Ben, use your short range scanner to find the best way to the castle," Hinata ordered, her breath heavy.
No breeze granted them respite. It felt as if they were running in a dream, barely able to see the path in front of them through the fog, but unable to feel the humidity of the fog itself. Hinata's lungs burned with every breath and they hadn't even reached the Unmade.
Still, they continued on. Ben followed orders and directed them up the rocky terrain. They climbed, slipped, and stumbled, working together up the sheer cliffs. Reaching a landing, the thick hazy fog made it impossible to see more than an inch in front of their faces. If it weren't for Ben's eyes shining beside her, Hinata would have no idea the others were even there.
They'd been hearing the occasional chitter from an Unmade during their ascent, but now the sound grew as a warbling chorus. Claws scraped against stone, coming closer, searching for them.
"Would the night vision potions help right now?" Hinata asked with a whisper, hoping the others picked up her voice on their earpiece.
There was a pause.
"We can try," Velcia's voice said through the earpiece.
Hinata unclipped a dark blue potion from her belt and drank the contents. The viscous liquid went down her throat, her body threatening to gag, but she forced it down with a gulp. She blinked, everything in her vision going bright. The fog itself was still present, but thinner and white in color. The black rocks beneath her feet turned bright yellow and all at once she could see the spires and the cliffs ahead of them, as well as the lime green hordes of Unmade clamoring towards them.
"Lupe, can you see this?" Hinata asked, summoning her blades to her hands. As they appeared, a slight wave of energy went with them.
"I can see the Unmade on the scanner," he replied. "But it's a top down view."
She nodded. "Tell us where to go."
Without missing a beat, Lupe got to work. "Sam, charge shot across the front lines. Then focus on the middle. We're going to need to make a path straight through these guys."
"First we get Thaanix, then we'll come back for these guys," Hinata added.
"Got it!" Sam called back.
Hinata could see her running forward. The shots from Sam's arm were brilliantly bright under the influence of the potion. The front line of the Unmade burst upon impact, their acidic blood pouring over those behind and causing disarray. Then Hinata went to work. She ran on ahead, spinning and slicing through a group of the creatures. They screeched and howled in surprise, seeming just as blind in the fog as they were before.
"Hina, shield!" Lupe ordered and she did it without delay.
She put up the shield, just in time for Sam to jump on top of it. With all of her might, she shoved Sam up, giving her a boost. Sam leapt high in the air, higher than Hinata had ever seen, and rained down bursts of shots from her arm. Velcia threw a slow falling potion ahead. It burst and plumed pink smoke, catching Sam in her fall and lowering her gently to the ground.
The attack caused a thin path through the horde. Hinata turned and ushered Velcia and Ben through after Sam and they rushed past. Glowing blasts from Sam's arm ignited in Hinata's vision. It was all so overwhelming and magnificent, the sort of way that had her adrenaline rushing in an indescribable way. They ran ahead, reaching a crumbling stairwell spiraling up a spire. They were getting closer.
"Shit," Sam cursed under her breath, hitting her palm against her mechanical arm.
Hinata looked over as they ascended the stairwell, but couldn't look away for long as more Unmade blocked their path. She sprinted forward, utilizing her shield to sweep Unmade down to the abyss below.
"Sam, what's wrong?" Lupe asked.
"It's my arm!" Sam explained in a mixture of a grumble and a panic. "It's taking forever to charge up another shot. It's like it's lagging or something."
"Well it is a magic crystal," Ben pointed out and suddenly everyone stopped. "It… you guys didn't realize that, did you?"
Sam yelled, her voice echoing across the canyon. "What the hell are we supposed to do? I need this thing!"
"I know it sucks, it really does," Lupe tried to comfort her with a hurried voice. "But we have to keep moving. You still have your staff. Let's adapt."
"It'll still recharge at your workshop!" Ben also tried to comfort her as they got back to moving.
"Yeah, I know, but—" Sam let out a groan mixed with a yell, roughly ruffling her hands through her hair. "We're already so over our heads."
"We're ok, Sam!" Hinata called back, still taking point in clearing the path.
"We are," Velcia agreed with a much softer and breathier voice. She struggled to keep up, gripping onto her backpack straps.
"You might still be able to use it a little bit," Lupe told her. "Just sparingly, like Velcia's magic."
"Yeah, fine," Sam grumbled, annoyed more at herself than at anyone in particular.
Reaching the top of the stairwell, the fog considerably thinned. The fortress stood before them, its drawbridge lowered with thick massive chains. Hinata walked ahead a few steps, the potion's effectiveness waning as the darkness webbed back into her vision. She blinked rapidly, regaining her bearings.
Unmade scuttered onto the bridge, bristling at the intruders. Hinata took one look at Sam, then ran forward without relaying orders. Her shield walloped six Unmade in a single swing, sending them tumbling off the side of the bridge. Amongst the sounds of metal and warbling screeching, she heard Lupe giving some orders to Sam, but didn't focus on the specifics. With both her hands, she punctured her shield into the chest of an Unmade and spun, sending the creature flying into a tower where other creatures watched the chaos with chittering hisses.
Half of Sam's staff whistled past, ricocheting off the remaining creatures before flying back to Sam's awaiting hand. Red smoke from the creatures' remains hazed around Hinata, wisping in the air as it gradually disappeared.
"We need to figure something out for Sam's arm," Lupe informed Hinata.
She looked back at her team to see Ben helping Sam reattach the halves of her staff. Her mechanical arm weighed heavily at her side, its blue glow waning.
"Sam." Hinata rushed over.
"It's fine." Sam sheathed her staff. "I'll figure it out."
"I… might be able to use my magic to recharge the crystal," Velcia suggested. "I made sure to bring plenty of ethers to replenish myself."
Hinata nodded. "Do it."
"But—" Lupe started to say, but stopped himself. "To be clear, we should have a new rule of no more using the arm as a laser blaster."
"Yeah, thanks mom, I think I get it," Sam remarked with a roll of her eyes.
"He's right though," Hinata said seriously, looking directly at Sam. "I only want Velcia to do this once. The rest of the mission has to be staff only."
Sam nodded. She gripped the copper plating to her arm and carefully pulled it off, revealing the pulsing crystal. Its usual brilliant blue instead appeared more like an opaque white with a hint of blue at its core.
"Vel, do you think you can only charge it up part of the way?" Lupe asked. "Just enough for Sam to get her movement back and a few emergency shots."
"So it won't take too much magic," Hinata surmised.
"Exactly," Lupe agreed.
"I believe I can," Velcia said. "I'll be mindful of how much power I use."
She placed her hand over it, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Brilliant light beamed between her fingers. Warmth of color sprouted at their feet, a fresh flower blooming between a crack in the cliff.
The light faded, the color around them going with it. Velcia lifted her hand, her entire body trembling. Even being careful, she wasn't prepared for the immediate weakness. The crystal's glow illuminated the world around them, until Sam concealed it under the copper plating. Her entire arm whirred back to life and she opened and closed her metal palm.
Velcia staggered back, Ben catching and steadying her. She whispered thanks to him, telling him which of her potions was the ether she needed.
"An ether's not going to fix that," Lupe said, letting out a sigh.
Hinata agreed but didn't say so outright. She gently grasped Velcia's arm as she drank the contents of the ether, offering a smile when their eyes met.
"I'm alright," Velcia assured her, placing her hand over Hinata's as color returned to her cheeks.
With a nod, Hinata accepted her answer. Giving her arm a gentle squeeze before she turned to look at the emptied drawbridge. Beady eyes of Unmade glowed through the gates, watching them, but they didn't pass the threshold to confront them. Hinata took the moment of reprieve to let everyone regain her bearings. Looking up at the stronghold, she finally had the chance to take in its enormity.
Keres was holed up somewhere inside. Surrounded by parapets, crumbling bricks, and a self made army endlessly throwing themselves at her pursuers.
"How are there so many…?" Hinata found herself asking out loud.
She didn't think anyone heard her, or that they didn't have the mind to reply—both of which she'd been perfectly content with—then Lupe replied: "I've been wondering the same thing. There's too many Unmade for Keres to be making them on accident."
"But doing it on purpose would…" her voice trailed off. She didn't want to finish the thought or consider the connotations it carried with it.
Lupe finished it for her. "It would drain her powers. Drain everything she had." He went quiet, blowing out a breath. "Hina, I've never met Keres but, I—"
"Stop," she cut him off, closing her eyes when the word blurted out. "Sorry, I… I can't handle thinking about that right now."
She waited for his response, the heavy pause feeling like an eternity. "Ok…" he said eventually. "We should get moving then."
Hinata cringed. Their first real mission together and Lupe was seeing the worst in her. "I'm… sorry, Lupe, I'm trying."
"It's alright, Hinata," he assured her gently. "We're all a bit on edge. I know I'm stepping on your toes, too."
She huffed out a soft laugh. "Hardly. We appreciate your help."
"Thanks, Hina," he replied with a chuckle of his own, but it lacked the mirth she'd come to recognize him by.
A slight smile curved her mouth, but it fell the longer she looked at the stronghold. It really was time to get moving. She went back to her team and explained the plan. Ben's scanner could tell the difference between them and the Unmade, which Hinata hoped would also count for differentiating the Replica. Velcia would remain in the middle of them all, with Hinata in the front and Sam in the back, only destroying Unmade if absolutely necessary. With agreement, they went into formation and made their way across the drawbridge.
Ben's eyes illuminated their path through the dark, decrepit halls. The occasional Unmade attempted to attack, being destroyed almost immediately by either Sam or Hinata. Many others simply watched, parting when the group approached.
The walls to the fortress towered above them, with balconies and stairwells where even more creatures observed them. They were all silent, only their eyes following. Hinata slowed to a stop as they reached a foyer. Arched doorways led in several directions and Ben worked to narrow down which one they needed to choose.
Hinata looked between the doorways, then around at the herd of Unmade gathered behind them. She turned towards them completely. It must have been nearly a hundred of them. All simply watching, waiting, their beady eyes blinking and acid dripping. Glancing over her shoulder, hardly any stood in their path. The pathways were cleared for them.
"They're waiting for something," Hinata said quietly.
"But for what?" Lupe asked.
"I believe they are blocking us in," Velcia said quietly, her voice shaking. "I… I see someone watching us."
"Yeah, a lot of things are watching us," Sam said.
"No." Velcia motioned her chin towards a balcony, not daring to point.
Hinata and Sam followed her gaze. A chill gripped Hinata's chest. Staring directly at her was a copy of her, but gray in color and sunken in complexion.
"What is that thing…?" Sam asked with a whisper.
"It's a being of darkness," Velcia whispered back, her eyes locked with the dark specter's. "I saw them in Keres' dream. Inside the tree. They… tormented her."
"Ben, which way?" Lupe asked. They needed to move.
"I have it narrowed down to two paths," Ben replied, working away on his scanner.
"Why would they block us in but not block the path to Thaanix?" Hinata asked.
The dark form seemed to hear her and a thin unnatural grin spread across its face. All at once, the Unmade around them lost their forms, their bodies glooping to the floor like piles of mucous. Lupe ordered them to huddle together, keeping Velcia and Ben in the middle. Sam begged for Ben to just pick a damn path for them to escape down, but even that was made impossible. Thick black vines grew across the doorways, blocking any escape.
The mucous remains of the creatures congealed together, growing and pulsing with threads of gold.
Hinata turned around, looking anxiously between each of the covered doorways. Dispelling her shield, she braced her feet and shot a plume of fire from her hand. Energy in her chest sapped away with every flick of the flames against the vine and she could hear Lupe yelling at her to stop. The vines snapped under the heat and she stopped, staggering forward.
"Go," she breathed out.
"But that's not—" Ben started.
"GO!" She pushed him into the doorway, the others following.
The hallway beyond was thin. Thin enough that they had to stand in a line, each of them staring wide eyed at the still burning doorway. The singed ends of the vines still glowed orange from the heat, and a trail of smoke wisped from it, smelling of something rotten. Hinata stood in front of her line of friends, protective and struggling to catch her breath. Everyone else was silent, even Lupe didn't utter a word. She'd sent them down the wrong doorway, she knew that, but they needed an out.
Outside their little hall, they could hear the warbled sounds of the congealed Unmade. It sounded like hundreds of them screaming inside of it, fighting to get out, but their voices were muffled behind the mass. Hinata waited, watching to see if it could follow in its massive, unruly form.
THUD!
The entire mass lopped in front of the door, bulging inside the doorway.
"What's the plan here?" Sam asked, backing up with her staff at the ready.
"We can't do any damage to it," Hinata said to Lupe more than anyone else. "Not without magic."
Lupe sighed. "No, we can't. The plan's to get as much distance between it and yourselves as you can. Those dark things know you can't use magic here. They're trying to use it against you."
As if in reply, a chunk of the blob plopped into the hall, forming into the shape of a massive hand. Its fingers crawled towards them, reaching and stretching unnaturally long. Hinata summoned her shield, throwing it and slicing off the thin arm connecting the hand to the mass. The hand splattered to the ground, breaking into smaller hands that crawled towards them like spiders.
"AH shit!" Sam smashed the hands with her staff, jumping back and kicking one attempting to clamber up her leg.
"Follow me!" Ben yelled.
Everyone followed without question, hearing the slimy hands pattering after them. The hall turned into a spiraling staircase and they stumbled up, the hands squeezing through the cracks of crumbling bricks. Velcia reached into her backpack, grabbing a random assortment of potions. She tossed one behind them, hearing the glass vial clink down the stairs before bursting at the bottom. Whatever its contents, it upset the creatures, eliciting a hiss that vibrated the very walls.
"Great thinking, Vel!" Lupe cheered. "Keep it up!"
More and more potions were tossed behind them, some even opened and poured on the deep fissures, causing the slime to sizzle and shriek. They reached the top of the staircase, entering what appeared to be a mess hall of sorts with dilapidated tables and rotting food scattered across the room. Regular Unmade scuttered about, all looking up when the group stumbled in and hissing into action.
"Of course," Sam groaned, tiredly readying her staff.
"Ben, can you find us a new path?" Hinata asked, bouncing between the balls of her feet.
"Working on it!" Ben exclaimed.
Hinata slammed her shield against the rushing enemies, shoving them back. They staggered, Sam's staff immediately whipping into them and making them burst. Lupe encouraged them along, pointing out enemies coming from behind, and making sure Velcia and Ben remained protected. Velcia watched the fight, flinging potions whenever she saw an opening. But it didn't take long for her to reach into her bag and find it empty. Healths and ethers remained in her satchel, but anything useful in a defensive way had been spent. She slung the backpack over her shoulder, her eyes darting around the battlefield.
Larger Unmade stomped around the outskirts of the hall, their legs kicking aside the tables. Velcia watched them, gaze focused and narrowed. Sam and Hinata were distracted with the swarm around them and hadn't noticed the larger ones eyeing them. One of the creatures bared its teeth, acid dripping out like drool. Its clawed feet scraped against the ground.
Velcia tried to say Hinata's name, but her voice was lost to the roar of the battle. Then the Unmade charged, barreling straight towards them. Without a second thought, Velcia's Keyblade flashed to her hands. A simple lightning spell ignited, zapping across the Unmade's body, bursting it upon impact. The display disappeared in an instant, taking Velcia's power along with it. She grit her teeth, wincing at the strain on her dwindling reserves of magic.
"Velcia, are you—" Lupe started.
"I'll be fine," she assured him. "I will use my spells sparingly. But I have to help."
"...Alright," he conceded with a straight tone.
They continued on like that, gradually making it across the mess hall, until Ben announced he discovered a new path. He led the way with Hinata serving as his bodyguard. Her shield shoved back piles of Unmade, creating a path for them to get through. More hallways, more stairs, more balconies where dark specters watched them, toying with them.
Reaching yet another hall, Hinata pulled a rickety door shut behind them in an attempt to separate them from any unaware Unmade. Its hinges squeaked terribly, causing their ears to ring, and also catching the attention of the creatures anyway—yet their bodies banged against the door uselessly, still giving them some security. With a moment of reprieve, Sam stumbled back into the wall, sliding down. She hung her head back, her chest heaving as sweat dripped down the side of her face.
"J-Just need a sec," she said hoarsely.
Hinata swallowed hard, attempting to coat her painfully dry throat, but all she got in return was an intense burning sensation that made her entire face contort. So she decided against trying that again and went a few paces down the hall while the others rested. She knew in the back of her mind that she should join them, but with the way her limbs ached, she wasn't sure she'd be able to get back up again to keep going. Besides, someone needed to keep an eye out for any surprise visitors. They still hadn't seen any signs of Luxord since their first encounter on the cliffside and Hinata was both relieved and unnerved by that.
The hall appeared empty. There was an occasional window that looked out over the rest of the mountain and Hinata took the opportunity to check out there. She wished she could feel a breeze, but it was no different from the stuffiness inside. There wasn't much to see outside on the mountain side either. The fog covered the landscape and the only movements were scattered Unmade.
According to Ben's scanner, it wouldn't be long until they found the throne room and that was their best bet on where Thaanix was hiding. Hiding and releasing everything inside her. Or at least, that's what they theorized she was doing. Hinata wasn't so sure it was that simple, or maybe she didn't want to believe it. There wasn't anything redeemable about Thaanix, not to her. If she truly was trying to drain her powers, then maybe Thaanix finally realized that, too.
Hinata's breath shuddered at that thought and she backed up from the window. Her hand reached up to her locket, her heart thumping sickly in her chest. She struggled grappling with the fact that she just hoped Thaanix would take her own life. Riku's word of caution against the darkness rang through her on repeat like an alarm. Lupe asked if she was alright but she didn't know how to respond. Her eyes darted around, her finger tracing the indents of her locket over and over again.
"I…" she started. She swallowed, immediately regretting it. "Lupe, I… I can't do this."
The confession seemed to come as much as a surprise to him as it did to herself. Hinata's tight grip over her locket trembled.
"Why do you say that?" he asked eventually, gentle in his tone.
"I want her gone," she admitted, wishing she could be talking to Riku, but Lupe was all she had at the moment. "And I don't care how. It's…" She let out a voice breaking breath. "I'm starting to scare myself. I can't be the one to do this. Someone else—"
"Hina, you're the most qualified for this," Lupe interrupted her. "I know you're freaked out. We all are. But we're here. We're here for you, for Merlin, Master Yen Sid, the Fairies, for Riku." He paused, giving her a moment to take it in. "You can do this. Whatever you're scared about, we're here. You got a team backing you up to help with the hard stuff."
"What if I'm doing this wrong?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"Then we'll figure that out together," he replied. "I've known you for a week Hina, and from what I've seen, everyone here believes in what you're doing. Give yourself a little more credit."
Everyone did believe in her. It was both an encouraging and terrifying prospect to her. She breathed deeply, quietly, before saying, "I might kill her."
"We'd understand," he answered without hesitation. "You could decide to fight her, spare her, talk to her, hell even try to be friends with her. If you believe it's the right thing to do, we're there. You just have to be sure."
She had to be sure. The entire team depended on her conviction to lead them and there she was pacing in a panic, her mind flip flopping in every direction.
"And if you feel like it's too much, there's always the option to leave," Lupe continued.
Hinata blinked, taken aback at the suggestion.
"I know it sounds crazy," he said with a soft chuckle. "But it's never too late to retreat and regroup. And I'm not saying that's what you should do. I'm just… giving the options."
She nodded. Leaving was an option and it was an enticing one. Since arriving, they'd been in over their heads, as Sam liked to put it. But that didn't seem like the right choice. If all the Unmade meant Thaanix really was draining her powers, that put her in a vulnerable and unique position. One they'd likely never get again. Whatever Hinata needed to get from her — answers, revenge, or even just the chance to yell at her to release her pent up resentment — this was their chance.
Her hand lowered from her locket and she straightened her clothes. "We're going to keep following Ben's path," she explained, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "If Thaanix really is draining her powers, this will be our chance to figure out who she really is. And I'll make the call from there."
"Yes, ma'am," Lupe replied, a grin plain in his voice.
Hinata grinned shortly with a breathy laugh.
She walked back towards the others, finding them similar to how she left them. Sam remained seated on the ground, though stronger than before as she tinkered with something on her arm. Velcia and Ben quietly discussed the path they were taking, looking at his scanner between them. They all looked up when they heard Hinata approaching and Ben immediately rushed over and embraced her.
"We really do believe in you," Ben told her and Hinata's heart leapt to her throat.
"You, you guys could—" she stammered.
"We didn't mean to intrude," Velcia explained, slightly embarrassed. "But Lupe was right. We are all here for you, Hinata."
Hinata awkwardly laughed, her face burning.
"I didn't tell you about switching voice channels, did I?" Sam asked and Hinata shook her head. "Yeah, I had a feeling."
"Well, now that I'm dying inside, are you all ready to go?" Hinata asked, getting snickers from the group.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Sam said. She lifted her hand and Hinata took it, pulling to help her stand. Their hands still clasped, Sam added quieter, "But seriously, you're not as alone as you think."
Hinata's expression softened and she squeezed her hand. Then she looked over to see Velcia handing her a lime green potion.
"This will help renew your energy," Velcia explained. "At least a little bit."
Taking it, Hinata smiled and lifted the potion like a toast. "Thanks."
She drank the potion, cringing at its exceedingly sour contents, while everyone got ready to move. Ben went on ahead, getting back on the path towards Thaanix. Hinata trailed near the back, taking a moment to glance out the window she'd been at earlier. The sun was beginning to set.
The hallway went on for a while, curving this way and that, until eventually it led to a large open balcony. Large bird-like Unmade perched on the twisted metal railing, watching over the stronghold. They hadn't noticed the group yet. Their bodies cast long shadows over the balcony that Lupe suggested the team utilize for cover. It worked at first. Any birds flying overhead couldn't spot them in the shadows.
Ben whispered they only needed to make it past the balcony. Beyond it laid the stairwell to the throne room. He hadn't realized how keen the birds' hearing was. None of them did. The birds' heads turned, the rest of their bodies remaining perfectly still. Glowing eyes peered at them from behind a mess of shadowy feathers and Ben had the idea to wave and say hello.
Massive wings spread, the sunset's rays glittering through its feathers. It would have been a breathtaking sight if its next move hadn't sent a billowing gust of whistling wind. Ben hollered, sent flying back and slamming into the castle wall with a metal clang. The others struggled to remain standing from the relentless wind as the birds beat their wings again and again. Hinata summoned her shield, slamming it down between two bricks. A wind tunnel formed around her and she knelt behind it, using all of her weight to keep her shield there.
Lupe yelled something in her ear, his voice lost to the roar of the wind. A pair of sharp, craggy claws swooped down into Hinata's peripheral. She whipped her head around to see Sam snatched away and before the others could even hear her scream, the bird soared back to the sky.
There wasn't anything holding Hinata back now. A rage and fear boiled inside her, erupting in a primal yell. Her tattoo ignited with magic, her shield brimming with intense energy. A wave of water shot out of the shield at a profound speed, crashing against one of the birds perched along the railing. It cawed and shrieked in surprise, the water soaking its feathers and making it difficult to fly. With the bird gone, the wind's intensity went with it. Hinata stood, pulling out her shield from the ground even as her entire body throbbed from the severe drop in energy.
It was only then she was able to get her bearings of the rest of the team. Ben remained at the castle wall, crumbled with his parts strewn about. He worked on putting himself back together, faster now without the wind making the gears spread out. Velcia ran around the balcony, her eyes set on the sky, looking for any sign of the bird that snatched away Sam. Hinata joined her, seeing flashes of brilliant blue amongst the clouds that she only hoped meant Sam was fighting the bird.
"Do you know where she is?" Hinata asked, her entire body trembling.
Velcia shook her head, in a similar state of panic. "I-I don't know. I only know that Lupe's talking with her."
"We have to trust them," Hinata muttered, trying to convince herself just as much as Velcia.
"There!" Velcia summoned her Keyblade and in the next moment a Pearl of Light swirled through the air. It pierced the clouds and met its mark, resulting in an explosion of black smoke and Sam free falling.
Lupe's voice came through the earpiece. "Slow falling, now!"
Velcia struggled to open her satchel in her exhausted and panicked haze, so Hinata reached in and grabbed the correct one, throwing it out and watching it burst on the ground. The pink smoke pillowed out of it, spiraling up towards Sam and slowing her descent. The moment she landed, Hinata rushed towards her, embracing her even despite the obvious scratches and distress. Sam hugged her back immediately, both of them gripping tightly and breathing heavily.
"Don't do that again," Hinata ordered her.
"No promises," Sam replied. Both of them laughed, emotion straining their throats.
"Very sweet, but not the time," Lupe told them. "More Unmade are incoming. Someone needs to get Ben."
"On it." Sam pulled back from the hug and ran for Ben.
It was only then that Hinata saw the wounds scattered all over Sam, but she didn't have the time to heal anything. She instead went back to Velcia, finding her kneeling on the ground, beads of sweat soaked in her hair.
"You need another ether," Hinata told her, helping her up.
Velcia nodded, her head lolling to the side as if she were in a daze.
Reaching into her satchel, Hinata found the correct potion and took off the cork for her. Velcia sipped on its contents, just beginning to regain her bearings when the flash of black feathers caused her to drop the bottle entirely with a gasp.
"Hinata, bird coming from behind!" Lupe called.
Hinata spun around, shield at the ready, but a golden shield flashed into existence in front of her. Her eyes widened, Lupe yelled for Velcia to stop, but it was too late. The bird slammed into the magic barrier and a resounding crack filled the air. Magic shards burst in every direction, sending a shockwave out that knocked everyone off their feet. The bird ricocheted off into the railing, plummeting down to the fog below.
Everything went silent. Hinata's head spun, her vision blurred. She pushed herself up, blinking rapidly. All the Unmade on the balcony were gone and she could faintly see Sam helping Ben standing back up.
"Velcia?" Lupe's voice cut through Hinata's haze. "Velcia!"
Hinata turned around, seeing Velcia standing there, swaying. A glaze covered her green eyes, her skin pasty white, and her Keyblade slipped from her grasp, clanging against the ground before it disappeared in a flash of white. Velcia followed suit. Her eyes rolled back and her entire body went limp. Hinata barely managed to catch her. Dark bruises formed on her skin, starting from her feet, trailing up her body.
"NO, no, no," Hinata stammered, shaking her. "Velcia. Velcia!" Her voice broke, shaking uncontrollably.
Sam skidded to her knees beside them, pushing back Velcia's hair. "Shit. What do we do?"
"Ben, check her vitals," Lupe ordered firmly.
Ben's eyes scanned over her. "Her heart rate is abnormal. It's… slowing down. We need—"
"Get her out of here," Hinata said flatly. "Both of you."
"I'm not leaving," Sam said.
"No." Hinata shook her head, handing Velcia over to Ben. She stood up. "You're going back. Help Ben get Velcia into one of the pods."
"What about you?" Lupe asked.
"I'm staying," Hinata said. "Get my dad. He'll know what to do to help Velcia."
"That's not…" Lupe sighed with a groan. "Hinata, what's stopping Luxord from just taking both of you? You can't go without your team!"
"And I'm not leaving after what she just did to my team!" Hinata yelled back. She watched as Ben, Velcia, and Sam disappeared in a flash of white, beaming back to the ship. "Take care of them, Lupe. I'm counting on you."
Ignoring Lupe's protests, she grabbed her earpiece and pulled it out. She looked at the small device, hearing the muffled sound of voices. They begged her to come back, to stop and reconsider, but she shoved it into her pocket and took a trembling breath. The stairwell to the throne room lay ahead in the distance and Hinata began to make her way towards it.