Calm. Well, more the calm before the storm. On the newborn island Sora, Kairi, Lea and Bryan regrouped to plan their next move. The spent Dream Eaters had been sent home. Neither Meow Wow were in any condition to continue. Fantasia also left, knowing she didn't have enough energy to fight. Seger left but not before casting Bryan a final dirty look at being dismissed. The remaining spirits were magically healed up fully. The Masters didn't need to spend much healing magic on themselves as they had been about as useful in that fight as the 'g' in lasagna. Bryan summoned Jewel back. She clapped her armored fins in delight to see everything had worked out fine.
"To the Mother Island then?" Sora asked the group.
"I'm ready," Bryan said. "Too bad we couldn't have brought that crystal to this fight. Even if the thing itself didn't have the power of Reality, a power boost would have been great."
"There's no way we could have attuned to it in time." Sora said.
"Actually…" Kairi said distantly.
"Yeah?"
Absentmindedly the princess brought a hand to her hair. "I don't-wait! Yes!" She pulled out the metal and enamel ornament that held up a portion of her hair. "I remember why this was important! That note makes sense now!"
In her hands Kairi held a small beautiful laurel-shaped hairpiece. At one end curled up three wilting rose petals. The rest was a twisted, thorny stem with a few leaves. This was Brylissa's talisman, all which remained of the cursed rose that once held sway over the Beast and his castle.
"Wait a second," Lea's hand went to his belt. There he had a small pocketwatch. The face began faintly pulsing with iridescent light when he touched it. "This was in the same chest with that note. This is one of them too, isn't it? I'm remembering...I think Donald collected the hair thing from Brylissa when I fought her with Sora and Goofy. Who got this one?"
Kairi shrugged.
"Must have been Rachel or Riku," Bryan said.
"You two have had those for quite a while, right?" Sora asked.
"We have. Ever since the whistle sounded from that box. Magical amplifiers that require attunement, that's what the note said they were." Kairi said, smiling. "Now we know what they're connected to. I think it won't be long before we remember our younger selves being clever."
"Don't suppose you can stop time with that thing, could you?" Sora asked Lea hopefully.
"Um, no. I mean, I've been attuned to it for a long time. I know I've drawn power from it before but up until a minute ago didn't understand it was part of something bigger, let alone that it had time-related powers. Even if my attunement will allow it, I have no idea how to make it work."
"True. Last minute study-cramming with the power of Time could backfire big time." Sora said.
"We lose Riku but you two remember you the history of your jacked up amplifiers," Bryan said. "We're down a few Spirits but Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Ven will be joining us soon if they're not there already. I think the odds have moved in our favor. That and," He glanced to Kairi. "I have my own score to settle."
Kairi nodded. She remembered him confiding in her about what Xhosar had done to the Music.
Without another word Kairi lifted her hand. An ovular passage of white and gold light appeared at her fingertips.
The corridor of Light opened to a dreary, rocky series of small islands. No sooner had they stepped out the Dream Eaters materialized, scattered about them. The sky above was dark. But it wasn't so much from clouds as it was a haze of ash in the air. Deserted? A volcano? Questions were put on hold as a flaming boulder went hurtling above them.
"Whoa!"
"What the-?!"
Then a high-pitched,
"YA-haha-ha-hoi!"
"Sora look out!"
"Huh? Wha!"
The party only had time to flinch before Goofy slid by out of control on his shield, bowling Sora down flat.
"Sorry, Sora," He said, eyes rolling in a bit of a daze.
"I'd say that's about par at this point," Sora wheezed.
"HEADS UP!" Another familiar voice yelled.
Streaks of lightning came across dangerously close to the party. Ventus had done his best to disrupt its path of destruction but still called out in warning. Good thing too. Anyone momentarily distracted by the impromptu pedestrian bowling got snapped back to the dangers around them and jumped clear of the attack. Immediately Arihana followed up with another jolt of lightning. The stones on the back of her brass knuckles lit up yellow before she literally punched a lightning bolt into existence. This time, completely on their guard, the bolt flew wide of everyone. Their arrival had clearly not thrown the Nobodies. On the contrary they seemed to take it in stride. Several lesser Nobodies had been summoned but were being dealt with quickly. And then there was the lava titan hurling flaming balls of burning rock. The chaos of battle at its finest.
After a few mere swipes Mickey skidded to a stop with finesse between Sora and Lea.
"Be careful," He said in a lower voice. "They're tough, as we expected but something's not right. As strong as they've claimed to be, I'm afraid something bigger is coming."
"What makes you think that?" Lea asked, keeping his guard up.
"I'm not sure. But I am sure the others have sensed it too. Xhosar is stronger than this, so why isn't he fighting like it?"
"Oh, I can fix that," Bryan said, overhearing.
The Master demolished through every lesser Nobody as he dashed his way toward Xhosar, who was currently engaged with Aqua. Only he didn't quite make it. With only a split second to react Bryan veered, avoiding the glowing slice of energy that cut across his path. In the time it took him to get control over his momentum the beautiful Adaira was right up in his face. She took a breath. The single dancing note that escaped her lips seemed to seize the air and break it simultaneously. Bryan stumbled backward. The divine siren sound slipped through his ear like a mermaid in her element.
Be still. You do not want to fight him. You do not want to fight me. Come to me. I am your dearest friend.
Bryan stepped back once or twice more, looking dazed. But then he made direct eye contact with Adaira and straightened up. He stepped forward, not breaking her gaze the entire time.
"What are you doing!" Kairi shouted.
Adaira smirked, glancing over triumphantly to Xhosar. No sooner had she turned Bryan charged her. He struck hard. She cried out strangely before getting knocked back off her feet.
"Adaira!" Arihana cried.
"HOW!" The false princess shrieked as she got back on her feet.
Bryan shrugged smugly. "Guess the Music in me is stronger than the music in you. Don't get me wrong, that was an interesting experience. Maybe try a little harder next time," He added, patronizingly.
To this she positively seethed. Aggressively Adaira turned her head to Xhosar. Even amid fighting Aqua and now King Mickey, the elder Nobody looked back to her and nodded.
"Good. Well, we were going to play this game with you a little longer but things have moved up now that you've made me angry." She hissed, regaining her composure some.
"Yeah, uh-huh. Want me to spot you some munny so you can call someone who cares? I've got my eye on a much bigger fish than you."
"Bigger? Well then…allow me to show you just how much bigger your problems can get!"
The golden-haired Nobody jumped back several yards to the edge of the rocky islands. Immediately she cast a protective barrier around herself. She took a long breath. Once again the very air seemed to react to the angelic notes she sang. Only this time there was a disturbing reverberation to her haunting song. No one was being enthralled but all could feel a strange shiver all the way to the bone.
Behind her the water began to roil. Exploding from the sudden boil came a massive Heartless. The spray hissed and cracked as it rapidly heated up then evaporated into steam. Once heaved up on the shores its dark body began to glow magma red. The Inferno shook its long narrow head. The last third of its head was a small mouth with sharp teeth. Far back on its head were frill-like ears with three sharp and angular points. Another three points or spines were spaced across the back of its head. Out of the water they could see the Heartless was bipedal. The deep chest joined to a very thin middle with jagged hips. A short stubby tail dragged behind it. Jagged spines jut out of its shoulders and elbows. Long forearms ended with huge three-fingered clawed hands with little distinction where the wrist should be. Claws shifted between being flimsy and shadowy to solid. A tinier second pair of two-clawed arms were set behind the first. Black pterodactyl like wings fluttered uselessly off its back. Big, flat, ovular feet with a strange single clawed toe crackled the stone beneath its weight. Oddly, the Inferno did not seem to have eyes.
Strangely enough it didn't go straight for the rampage. The pause created by its summoning gave Xhosar time to disengage and make his way to the highest rocky peak. The Inferno made it so no one could follow. He pulled out a glowing green stone from his robe. Te Fiti roared, most of her body glowing bright orange as she thrust herself forward to pursue him regardless of the borders in her way. Almost. At her charge the Inferno threw itself in her path. There they stood; like two bulls locking horns. As both were beings of earth and fire neither could do much damage to the other.
"As powerful as this is," Xhosar said. Even at a distance his voice was somehow amplified and clear. "The Heart of a goddess is of little benefit to me if I cannot utilize it. Much like how useful parchment may be it is quite useless for writing while still in the form of a tree. It must first become a suitable tool before it becomes the strongest of Talismans. Yes, that was my intention from the start. Once its power is mine our fallen shall be restored. A new age will follow."
"You wouldn't dare," Bryan warned.
It was then it began to sink in how dangerous a source of tremendous power would be in the hands of someone with his unique and terrible skill.
Xhosar smiled. He held out the Heart.
"Not yet,"
The old Nobody clenched his long fingers around the little stone. Immediately the flesh turned black down to mid-forearm. A familiar smoke-like essence rose up from his hand. Sparks like miniaturized lightning crackled around him.
Te Fiti pulled back from the Inferno howling. Amidst terrible wails and flailing about the goddess clawed desperately at the center of her chest. An unnatural blackness spiraled out from the grooves in her rocky body like a fast-spreading infection. Her cries of agony were the worst any of the Masters had ever heard.
"He's corrupting the Heart!" Sora cried.
Fast as Mighty Mouse (sorry) King Mickey dashed to the goddess. He leapt high.
"Light!"
A beautiful sparking orb of silver and white burst to life. For the briefest of moments the paths of the Darkness receded, only to grow outward again once it faded. Seeing this have some success Aqua and Kairi joined Mickey. Together they drew upon the Light. Te Fiti threw herself at the glow like how a poor soul lost in the desert throws themselves to water. The result, however, remained the same. No sooner had the Light faded the putrid blackness took back the ground it had lost with a vengeance.
"The source!" Lea shouted.
He made to advance to Xhosar but the Inferno slammed the ground to stop him.
Xhosar continued to pour his own Dark energy into the Heart. The effect wore on him. Even at the distance it was clear his wicked task took a great deal of focus. The discipline required not to grimace was a marvel in and of itself.
The heroes were very familiar with how time genuinely flows differently in the throes of combat than it does ordinarily. Between them and the Dream Eathers destroying all the lesser Nobodies took no time at all but was still too long. The challenge of getting passed the perceptive Inferno required more time than could be afforded. That was of course after the shock of understanding the gravity of the situation. Ultimately there was simply not enough time to stop the worst from happening.
Xhosar, ever so slightly, stumbled backward. The goddess collapsed on the rocks with a great crash. Immediately Adaira was at Xhosar's side, just as Kairi and Aqua were at Te Fiti's. The old Nobody held up a hand to indicate he was all right. The same could not be said for all.
"I got a bad feeling about this," Donald said shakily. He held his wand out before him protectively.
"*Gulp* Me too." Goofy kept glancing around between Xhosar and Te Fiti.
On the large rocky island Adaira stared at the inky black spiraled stone in Xhosar's hand. Ever so faintly it pulsed with dark violet light. The surface glistened all colors like oil.
"You did it," She breathed. "The last piece. At last we have it!"
"Yes," Xhosar said, taking several long, deliberate breaths. Pouring out enough of ones' own power and Darkness to overcome the strength of a goddess was by no means an easy feat but he looked tremendously triumphant. "It will take some time for me to attune with it and gain unfettered access to its potential but our friends below need not know that. Once I have, our family will be restored. The Heart will be made to my Talisman. Can you imagine it, my dear? The power of Life itself fueled by the Heart of a world it helped sustain? I could draw energy from it for a dozen lifetimes! But we cannot celebrate just yet." He looked to the key bearers below. "There are still a few loose ends to tie up. In the meantime it will serve as a tether to my control over a goddess."
"Te Fiti!" Kairi cried. "Get up! You have to get up!"
"How can we help you?" Aqua asked urgently. "Give us some kind of clue and we'll do it!"
The broken goddess stirred. Her body had gone dark. Thick plumes of smoke began rising from her head and back once again. The flames within ignited. Only, her rocky exterior remained unnaturally black and glistened in places like obsidian. Hellfire orange slowly blazed up from within. Teasing flashes of bright blue flame danced momentarily across her surface before fading. Very slowly she pushed herself up.
"Kairi," Sora said approached her but never took his eyes off the goddess. "Come with me. Step away."
"Te Fiti?" Kairi whispered.
The scraping of stone-on-stone seemed almost unnaturally loud as Te Ka turned down to the voice. It opened its eyes.
Eyes…that were Heartless yellow.
Title Translation: Do Not Disturb The Water That is Tranquil
Phew! Getting the juices flowing again!