"Stop, stop!" Georgia said, scrambling to her feet. "He's a...goodness knows..." She reached up and massaged her temples. "Urgghhhh, feels like his whole life got put in here." She shook her head, as if that helped with psychic echoes floating around in your brain. "He was stuck in that robot. It's his. They took it from him. He's a friendly."

She walked up and put a hand on Asher's arm and gently pilled the knife away from the space mans throat. "It's not his fault. Blame black coat, he dumped him on me." She pulled more, moving Asher a little ways back from Amuro. Then, as he was about to speak, she hauled off and slapped him across the face. "That's for mind melding without my okay." She said.

Before anything else their was a sound like water coming up a drain and a plethora of clanks, along with the warning growl of Snopes. Before he had been defensively posturing at the boy that had been annoying his master, but now he was letting out full on danger growls. Georgia turned to see the previously empty hallway filled with waist high, semi-armored creatures. They weren't like the small black shadows that had assaulted her back home, but those luminescent yellow eyes shining out of their helmets told the whole story. The heartless.

As she watched more warped in, more of the armored ones content to dance mockingly in front of them. In the back several larger varieties of the species, fat with giant arms and tiny heads. She was momentarily taken aback, not by fear but awe. "Natural real time warping...what let's them do that?" She said, more to herself that anyone.

The closest ones didn't let her finish speculating. They danced forward, four of them, spinning toward the four of them like demonic tops. Georgia grabbed the carbon rope from her side and unfurled it, whipping it at the one on the end. The thing shot out like a snake, coiling itself around the things center. Georgia whipped it to the left, slamming it into the others and sending the whole group crashing through one of the windows.

The rope slithered through the air back to her, climbing up her arm to leave a length dangling from her hand. With her other she dragged Amuro off the wall and put him behind the velociraptor. "You take care of him, boy. Mama's got work to do." She'd been headed for the robot, bit she supposed she could handle keeping these things away from the empress.

Another jumped at them and she lashed out, whipping it down. These guys were coming at them slow as muck for some reason, but she wasn't complaining. She was complaining about how the chaotic thing hopped back to its feet almost instantly though. That was disturbingly familiar. This subspecies was less ethereal than the small shadows, but no less immune to her normal tricks.

"Right, Keyblade or magic." She said, summoning the blade in her other hand. If she'd know she was going to be expected to fence, she would have agreed to take those lessons from those wandering knights. Still, she had a way to make this work for her.

She lashed out again with the rope, wrapping around the arm of the one she'd failed to damage and yanking him toward her. The blade was big, and unwieldy, but so long as it was wrapped in her shroud she could lift and swing it as easily as a walking stick. As the heartless sailed though the air she swung down, taking its head off with one clean slice.

The body tumbled behind her as the head clattered to the floor and vanished in a cloud to black smoke. "So the armor is part of their bodies? Fascinating." She turned back to Asher. "Hey, what would you call this sub species? I'm crap at naming things."

Palace of the Blachrenae, Renovation

"Buffs," said Tocsax, "Healing is boring." He then held out some bread and a jar of blackberry jam; jam that Felix had been saving for his own pranks. "Want some of this, by the way?"

Watching Hirutila try and harpoon the Gundam's leg, the Nobody lifted up his Keyblade and said, "Protectra plus Shellra!", casting a white aura of shielding that would spare the old pirate from the prospect of major bruises, as well as an overlapping blue glow that protected from spells. "By the way," he said, "We are going to pay off your debts and pay you enough gold to set you and your daugther up for life; sorry for the delay in replying!"

Then Agni and Ignitio finally arrived; it seemed they had been late. "Mass Hastega!" Tocsax cast as he lifted up his Keyblade once more, increasing the two newcomers' speed. This was good, as the Possessed Gundam, though less of a threat than before, was still moving fast, drawing its beam rifle for a second go - Unless someone stopped it, the Blachrenae Palace was toast.

Tocsax turned to Felix, "So, do we wait for our new Keybladers to do something about its gun, or should we interfere? Alternatively, Damianos can cast ZettaReflect or do a 'beam struggle' with ZettaFlare; that ought to be 'educational'."

@Double@Gentlemanvaultboy@Ryteb Pymeroce@ShadowVentus@Nerevarine@Tenma Tendo

"Shishishi... let them deal with the robot, I'm not on repair duty this week." sniggered Felix. He was annoyed Toscy nicked his jam, he was planning to use that on the bedsheets of the others. Eh, no matter he'd just have to find some other sticky and slimey substance. Maybe some goopy cream, that'd get a hilarious reaction out of them.

Upon seeing the new guys Felix turned to Toscax and said: "Pay up, I told you anime characters would show up."

---

Zane parkoured up the robot like he'd done this a thousand times before. Then again, considering the robot was smaller than the Infershia he fought during the war, it was no surprise he found it easy. Seeing another man jump out to try and spear the thing, he decided to give him a bit of help. Leaping off towards the guy, he grabbed him by the arm and used the momentum to spin in midair, charging the man with his lightning magic, before pushing him towards the robot at higher speed.

Of course, this sent him flying away from the robot, but allowed him air time tp charge up his special move. Turning his fall into a flying kick, he called out;

"THUNDER BREAK!"

Around his leg, lightning coalesced into a pair of snapping jaws. Aiming for the center of the Heartless, he smashed one of the fat armoured ones in the chest, shattering through its armour. The resulting explosion took out every heartless within a ten foot radius, though left Zane unscathed. Settling back into a combat stance, he laughed and charged again at the poor Heartless who had the unfortunate luck of spawning near the Dark Knight.

Now Playing: Night of Fate

"Uh..." Vic groaned as he awoke. He sat upright, feeling a crick in his neck that he immediately started stretching to treat. He slowly got to his feet, and glanced around. It was only now that he realized he was no longer in Twoson Town. Eyes widened as the boy's gaze darted around, almost in a panic. Where was he? Where was this? What happened to Twoson? Terrence? Ashley? He saw no one around, at least none he recognized. Finally he looked up at a darkening sky and saw the portals. Heartless? So even here, in this strange place, they were still present? He took a few running steps in the direction of portals, intending to fight again. He stopped, however, he saw a particularly large portal appear in the distance only to produce a giant humanoid machine.

Vic swallowed hard. He'd seen some Heartless before, but whatever that machine was was something else entirely. He also suddenly started feeling a sharp pain in his mind. Someone was projecting their thoughts and feelings and doing so with an almost dangerous intensity. Vic clutched his head, finding himself unable to move or concentrate. This went on for some moments until, all at once, it stopped. During that time, Vic had seen some images pop into his head. None of it seemed recognizable, and probably came from whoever had been projecting it. Still, Vic breathed a sigh of relief at the thought of the mental pain finally being gone. Then he steeled himself and started running again.

The closer he got to where the machine appeared, the more hectic things became. Soon Vic found himself under attack, not by the machine but by Heartless instead. He reached out a hand, remembering that the Moogles once told him that his Keyblade was the only thing that could permanently defeat a Heartless. Vic tried to summon his Keyblade... but nothing came. This was confusing, and unfortunately the boy had little time to think it over. Instead he frantically put up a PK Shield to keep from being pounced on, then countered with PK Fire. Then he tried summoning the Keyblade, but again nothing happened.

Is it because I'm alone?

Now Vic was starting to become afraid. With the Keyblade, he at least knew he had a means to actually defeat these monsters for real. But it was gone, he couldn't get it to appear and he had no idea why. His only idea was that his friends were the reason he could summon it before. They did give him more strength than he felt he had on his own. Where were they? What happened to them? That was beginning to worry and frighten him even more than the Heartless. Speaking of, the Heartless went on the attack again, but Vic was able to put up another PK Shield to keep them at bay.

What do I do? How did even I get here? What's going on?

The fear in him grew, causing him to begin projecting his thoughts as if instinctively. It wasn't like when the machine appeared. Vic's thoughts were scattered, frantic, but most of all they were more like a trickle compared to the torrent that was Amuro Ray earlier. And unlike Amuro... everyone could feel these thoughts projected to their minds. This may have been similar to the Gundam's pilot, but most definitely not the same.

BGM: Eden's Threat still playing

Upon landing, Agni and Ignitio joined the battle midway through it. He released the Moogle he had been holding as the little creature thanked him. "T-Thank you so much, kupo! You saved my life!" The Moogle said. "Don't worry about it. Right now, you should hide until this is all over, OK?" Agni spoke. The Moogle nodded and with a last "Kupo!" it went into hiding. Ignitio looked at the robot and saw the cannon ready for a shot at the Palace. "This is bad. That robot is charging up his weapon. As soon as it finishes charging, the whole place will come apart." Ignitio spoke.

Suddenly, the effects from Tocsax's Mass Hastega activated upon Agni and Ignitio. It felt as if their time got faster in comparison to the world itself. "This power... I feel as if the time I possess upon myself has grown steadily. That, or the world suddenly got slower in comparison to me." Ignitio commented. Agni looked at Tocsax. "I suppose we can leave our introductions and explanations at a better time, but thank you. Also, sorry if we're late but we had a problem back at our world." Agni spoke. Ignitio examined the situation and decided to share insights. "Agni, most of them are fighting the robot head-on. We should use a different strategy for the while this magic remains active." Ignitio explained his thoughts. On agreement, Agni began to look around and found two buildings with an alley separating them. "I have an idea. Ignitio, look over there." Agni spoke, pointing to the buildings. Ignitio understood the idea and nodded. Before they put the idea into execution, though, Agni looked at Tocsax once more. "We'll help on a different way than usual. If it gets too dangerous, we'll retreat back here as fast as possible. For now, we'll try something different, so please be careful." He spoke. While knowing the fellow Keyblade wielder seemed far more experient than Agni could be, he still expressed that he would be very worried if any of them got hurt.

BGM: Lightning Strikes

Using their new enhanced movement, Agni and Ignitio went towards the two buildings. Upon entering the alleyway, they jumped like shadows and climbed the walls. Upon reaching the roofs of those buildings, Agni joined Ignitio as they stood back to back, looking at the giant robot. "Even if this does little to no damage, we should be able to call his attention outside of the palace if we try. Most of the others are already in close combat, so a distracting barrage should suffice for the moment. Agni spoke. Like two cowboys, they summoned their weapons and pointed them at the enemy with almost as triple the size they had. "Let the rain of bullets commence and our triggers roar." Ignitio spoke. "Guns or Keyblade, I'll use whatever means necessary if it means saving lives. Let's go, Ignitio!" Agni ordered.

The figure of speech wasn't just someone trying to be cool. As natural gunners, Agni began to shoot Aero spells while Ignitio shot his bullets at fast speeds thanks to Mass Hastega, all of them going at different places of the robot including the rifle. Their plan wasn't to exactly damage the robot since both of them thought that wind and flame bullets wouldn't do anything to a giant robot with an armor capable of not feeling that sort of damage. However, the bullet hell they wanted to provide was a distraction: a way to lead the robot away from the aim of the Palace and those who were inside it. In the meanwhile, they both agreed to one thing while shooting. "There has to be a weak spot on this robot somewhere! Once we find it, we will be able to damage it with our bullets!" Ignitio spoke. "The weak spot will also help the others. Keep your eyes peeled and don't stop shooting until we draw it out of the Palace's range!" Agni spoke.

The rope dug into Hirutila's hands as he gripped onto it, swinging rapidly from the castle towards the giant mech. Hirutila opened his eyes, fixating on the spot of landing, right in the robot's leg joint. But any feelings of optimism were quickly dashed when he saw a rain of fire fall out of the sky as the robot shot a gummi ship out of the sky like nothing. He gulped in fear as he saw the robot immediate return its attention back at the palace, charging up the beam rifle.

Only have one shot at this, I have to make this count, or we're all dead.

At that moment, however, Hirutila felt a sudden grasp upon his forearm. He instinctively jerked his head to the side and met eyes with the unexpected visitor. At least, he thought that's where his eyes would be. The figure was clad in dark purple armor, unlike anything he had ever seen. Hirutila should have known not to be surprised by anything anymore, yet this guy was more than he had expected to see, more like a character in some story than a real person. However, the grip on his arm confirmed the reality of the other, as did the sudden jerking as the armored man began to twist them. Hirutila's eyes widened in a mixture of disbelief and fear as he felt the two of them turn increasingly rapidly, the force of the cyclone becoming almost unbearable for a brief second, as he felt his entire body beginning to burn and crackle, like a pan of hot oil, coursing through his entire body, the heat and the energy jumping off him unlike anything he had ever felt before, it left him unable to move, before he felt the pressure on his arm release. The purple figure slowly began to drift away, as time seemed to slow down to a crawl for Hirutila, the other falling away from him back towards the ground, with Hirutila turning himself around, to see the Gundam growing closer and closer, as time snapped back to reality, he realized he was heading straight for the machine.

"EAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The old pirate crackled in the sky with the scream following after, a trail of lighting following behind him as he whizzed like a corkscrew across the sky right at the Gundam's weapon arm. The robot charged up its attack, nearing completion, ready to blow the palace off the face of the earth. However, Hirutaila was in full panic mode, heading straight for the machine, he held his arm out in front of his face as if the brace would save him from the impact. Tocsax may have given him a little extra shielding, but he was sure an impact at this speed right into the robot would be more than enough to at least break something good and well. His heart pumped, as he came closer, spinning like a drill. In that moment of distress, Hirutila felt a sudden weight in his hand, as he opened his eyes, to spy his keyblade once more. Manifested in his hand, he looked ahead, finding himself just a few feet away from the Robot's arm joint. As if by instinct, Hirutila began to straighten out his body, and hold the keyblade ahead, letting it stand straight as his body spun around even more rapidly.

The loud crash of hte impact could be heard all over the area of hte palace as Hirutila slammed into the Gundam's arm joint with full force, and onlookers would see the robot spurt out sparks as the joint was severed through, almost immediately falling into disrepair and tumbling from the machine onto the ground, the weapon going with it. Hirutila followed after, being forced back to the ground like a ping pong ball as he crashed into the earth. The old pirate was saved from death on impact thanks to the extra protection the nobody had given him, but the old man was out cold from the sheer force, laying eyes open but motionless next to the sundered arm.

Now Playing: Vim and Vigor


Hearing his newfound comrade out, Asher did not resist when she guided his hand away from Amuro and had him step to the side to advance towards the pilot. Before he could continue the banter, a new distraction set itself up right in front of them in the form of more Heartless. Considering these things roamed the streets of his world with relative ease, he was not so easily perturbed by their presence. In fact, a grin crept along his face as he unsheathed his other dagger.

"Hey, what would you call this sub species? I'm crap at naming things."

Asher twirled his daggers in his hands, stopping their path by firmly grasping the tips of the blades, prepared to get in some target practice on the leftover baddies. “Hmm….well, these ones-” He cuts himself off to release his daggers at two of the semi-armored Heartless that were heading towards her. Both daggers flew past Georgia’s head, each one returning to their rightful sheathes after inserting themselves into the abdomens of their targets. This stuns them long enough to place himself at her side. “We call them Soldiers where I’m from.” He finished. He extends his right hand forward. With a bright flash of light, Fate’s Rebellion materializes in his outstretched hand. “As for the large buggers..well, they’re new to me.” He ran towards the two Soldiers from earlier and cut them down with two clean strokes of his blade. Noticing that one of the bulkier enemies was approaching him, he jumped towards it, bringing his keyblade down on its head as he arced over it.

Georgia had been momentarily distracted by the presence of another person in her head. It wasn't as bad as Amuro's tidal wave of emotion and history, but it still wasn't nice having someone else's fear and confusion rolling around in your skull, especially when there wasn't anything you could realistically do about it. She was gonna have to sit all these people down and explain boundaries to them, especially since she was the only civilised psychic here!

Well, maybe not. The knives her partner had throw to impale two heartless jerked out and flew by themselves back to their sheaths before the man stepped forward and finished them off. Soldiers, huh? "That works. They kind of look the part, in a clownish sort of way. You're getting a credit when I write the book on these."

That left the non due guerre's of the big boys up to her, and right in the nick of time. As asher jumped clear over one of them and smashed its head like a whack a mole game another was advancing on her along with a group of soldiers. Big boys, that could work. No, no, that was a fast food chain. It needed to be punchier.

As she thought the big guy wiggled and launched itself at her, gut first. Georgia yelped and jumped into the air as the big guy passed under her. "Big Bellies!" She exclaimed, throwing her rope down toward the Heartless. Like living thing it twisted around the creatures small head, squeezing good and tight and covering its eyes as Georgia landed on its shoulders. It freaked out, stomped its feet, and tried to reach up to get he be down,t seem to be able to. It's big arms didn't go up that far.

She gave the rope a tug, pulling on it's head, and the monster spun its fists out in that direction. Two of the soldiers were caught completely off guard and splattered onto the opposite wall.

One got past on the other side, but luckily her sweet vigilant baby boy was there waiting for it. It gave off a war screech as the thing danced close and leaped, landing wicked sickle claw first and taking it to the ground where he proceeded to chomp down on the arm and give it a right good thrash about. The arm tore clean, and so Snopes threw it aside and attacked the things head as Amuro looked on in combined confusion/horror.

Satisfied that, if not kill the things, Snopes could certainly tear them apart she gave a hard yank to the things head again and it turned swiftly toward the herd of them conveying the hallway. Grinning and brought down the flat of her Keyblade hard on the things back. It launched forward in a blind panic, swinging its arms from side to side in a meaningless frenzy as it ran. It caught soldiers left and right, the sound of their crude armor crunching inward filling the hallway. As she got close to where Asher had landed she gave a tug again and the Big Belly turned to give him a wide berth. "Hahaha! Just like the trikes back on the ranch. Yeeehaaa!"

@ShadowVentus

Palace of the Blachrenae, Renovation

"By the way," Tocsax turned to Felix, "After this, you might want to prepare the Gummi Ship for the upcoming voyage; I don't think the Palace is in any shape to receive visitors after this." He observed Hirutila destroy the Gundam's arm with his Keyblade, even as the feeling of fear and discomfort Vic emanated washed over the Nobody's mind in waves. Looking at Felix once more, Tocsax said, "I'll be right back."

Then he got up, set the jar of jam onto the floor, and sped towards where Vic was being attacked by the Heartless, his Keyblade out. The physically-19 Nobody cut, slashed, and stabbed, before unleashing a Dark Firaga against a knot of Air Soldiers getting in the way of him and Vic.

Say what one will about Tocsax, but after regrowing his Heart, he knew the right thing to do. Clad in his purple shirt and black jeans, he made his way to Vic's side, saying, "I'll be cutting a path for you; get you to safety."

He then began doing so, just as the rain of bullets from Agni and Ignitio hit the Gundam, further distracting the Possessor Heartless piloting it from Hirutila's Zane-amplified attack, which managed to tear off the arm carrying its weapon. Well, one of its weapons, anyway; it still had its shield. As Tocsax guided Vic to safety, finally leading the boy to where Felix/Psilvux stood, he'd introduce himself.

"Hey, my name is Tocsax; what's yours?" The Nobody then walked over to where Amuro was standing, and said, "Amuro Ray, right? My name is Tocsax and I know from what world you come from; the Earth Federation is safe for now. Same for your erthswhile enemies, Char Anzable and Lalah Sune; you were taken away just before you... It doesn't matter now, there's a greater struggle you're part of now."

He then frowned as he turned towards the Gundam, saying to everyone within earshot, "All right, people; learning experience is over - Time to show our enemies that we won't give in this easily!"

Tocsax lifted up his Keyblade, transforming it into a large cannon. Then he fired a series of energy spheres from it at the Gundam, blasting off its legs, shield, and remaining arm. As it fell to the ground before a shocked Amuro's eyes, Tocsax fired off another sphere to take off its head and the small cannons on it then and there. Then, the Keyblade reverted back to its original shape, and Tocsax fell down to one knee, clearly tired.

The horde of Heartless halted mid-fight, vanishing into pools of darkness. And at the centre of the Courtyard appeared a young man who cast off his black robe to reveal white clothing. He then introduced himself.



"Greetings, my name is Leo Psellos, the younger self of Leo the Second Mathematician. I am the herald of the movement against the 'Tyranny of Light', and I have come to give you and the remnants of the Old Keyblade Order one final warning: Your Quest will fail."

Eleven other figures then appeared out of Corridors of Darkness (except for one of them, who merely teleported), all clad in black robes. One of them went to Leo Psellos' side, lowering the hood he wore to expose a sun-tanned, white-bearded face. Taking out a Keyblade of his own, this old man spoke gravely.



"To the Emperor Michael the Thirteenth - Give Up Your Quest. With only a thimble-full of the power and resources available to us, we have wrecked your palace and damaged your precious Cornerstone of Light. We have destroyed your sense of security, violated the safety of your world, and demonstrated our power. so cease serving the Tyranny of Light or perish! For I am Leo the Second Mathematician, Philosopher and Sage, and I will herald a more perfect Multiverse."

The other figures, including Young Leo, then departed, leaving 'Master Leo' alone to radiate a sense of power that put him above anything the cast of Keybladers had faced, includng Tocsax. Facing the young Nobody, who was glaring at him with hate and fear, Leo said, "I am disappointed, Tocsax; will my last vessel be someone so weak, or will I just choose another candidate?"

He flash-stepped before Tocsax, cupping the latter's chin with his right hand and staring into the latter's eyes, gold gazing into black. "Never forget that you are my possession - Rebellion is temporary!"

Holding Tocsax's gaze for a moment, pointedly ignoring Felix/Psilvux, Leo then dropped Ascot's Nobody onto the ground, shaking with fear. "I can do with you whatever I want, whenever I want, and your little rebellion exists only because it benefits my plans."

And he then turned to leave, a portal appearing to take him away.

"He's bluffing... He's bluffing..." Tocsax was blubbering, tears in his eyes. Amuro and perhaps Vic can glimpse the depth of his fear should they look at him.

It was clear that this was going to be a hard fight; a hard quest.

@Double@Gentlemanvaultboy@Ryteb Pymeroce@ShadowVentus@Nerevarine@Tenma Tendo

Despite her distant, unbothered posture as she glanced up at the starry sky above her, Capella's ears remained sharp and alert as she only managed to pick up bits and pieces of the conversations happening behind her back. Some were...mistaking her for royalty? Someone like her? Capella would have laughed if it hadn't been for the situation she found herself in. Of course she knew purple was seen as a color only worn by nobles, but in a sense, she was one. Although not the kind that the people here were use to. Regardless, Capella eventually let the comments go in one ear and out the other as she found herself petting the Moogle situated on her lap; Amalthea, she's mentally named the creature for now.

As their slow and steady trek began, Capella found her mind begin to wonder within the maze that was her memories. She wondered what those of Auriga would say about her sudden absence, if they would even notice, and what the Big Three would do to her once they found out one of their own defected. Maybe they'd let her be...it's not like she was doing anything wrong. But Sirius would probably want her Star Fragment back. A quiet sigh escaped the blonde and blue haired teen at the idea as she placed a free hand on her chest, right where said Fragment was inside of her, a faint glow peeking through her purple garbs as she looked back out at the panoramic surroundings. While she was enamored by the beautiful landscapes, she couldn't help but see the duality that cloaked it all, causing a sense of unease to crawl up her spine. She tried to enjoy the ride regardless and not scare any of the other travelers that were making this possible. If anything, this was normal for them, right?

The star child was glad that no one talked to her during the mini trek, but unfortunately it didn't last to the end of their journey as a young man ceased her attention for himself. Tightening her grip on Amalthea, Capella gave the man an unsure, but curious glance as she opened her mouth to speak, using that time to translate what he even said.
"U-Uh..." Vocal chords constricted uncomfortably due to under use, but she continued regardless, keeping her voice barely above a whisper. "I guess you c-could say th--" A cacophony of neighs drowned out the rest of what Capella said, her attention snapping back to what was around them. Within seconds, Capella was on her feet, practically flinging the unsuspecting Moogle off her lap. A sea of purples, blacks, and yellow spots surrounded not only the cart, but also the small town that was so close yet so far away.

"Those are your enemy, kupo! You must defeat them! Remember the letter?" Amalthea chimed, perking up significantly at the predicament they found themselves in. The star child grit her teeth, already exhausted at the thought of taking care of this all by herself. The letter said to protect a child from these...these Heartless, but the thought was more than out of reach for the Auriga-born.

Not wasn't the time to think! Go. Go!

"Go!" Capella yelled, grasping her neck as the uncomfortable vibrations slid up and down her throat. "Keep moving! I'll make a path! Just don't stop! You have to get me to Bethelehem!" Capella summoned Halcyon right after and made her way to the front of the cart so that she was right behind the driver. Capella then held the Keyblade above her head and began to draw out the constellation of her namesake, the tip of the blade glowing a pale red with yellow swatches. If her Keyblade really had gotten stronger, then this should do the trick...hopefully. "Messier Object 37!" Capella called upon on of the sacred Messier Objects, watching as the glyph flew up into the sky. The glyph then enlarged as a shower of golden light fell down, thin needles precisely and ruthlessly cut through the waves of enemies that chose to surround them, the cart only being protected by the glyph above them.

Capella gripped onto anything she could as the cart sped ahead, also having no time to even admire her work. She needed to reduce the waves of Heartless before she got to them. Taking out one of their commanders would probably do the trick, but she couldn't handle any of them with so many other people to worry about. Distracting them would do the trick for now.

As the glyph above them disappeared, Capella started to draw another three, but this time in front of her and in the color of bright red.
"Flaming Star Nebula!" At her command, several fireballs as bright and white as a star themselves hurled their way towards the three separate commanders and the Heartless surrounding them. Not even looking to see if she made any impact, the blonde looked back at the driver. "Oh, here's good, I think I can go the rest of the way. Find any stragglers and let them on here. And don't get too close, please!" She tried to be as articulate as possible before hoping off the cart and drawing another glyph in black, this time of the Corvus constellation; this one rest on her back while the previous Auriga glyphs remained stationed in front of her. "Gienah!" The glyph shaped into a pair of black wings and without a second thought, the star born child catapulted into the air, passing over all the Heartless invading the small town. "Flaming Star Nebula!" The red glyphs activated once again, fireballs falling down onto Heartless. She only stopped once she got especially close to some of the houses.

She needed to find that boy.

"Yeshua!" She called out among the turmoil going on around her. Unsure of where to go, Capella took off in the direction with he most Heartless, giving others some direction to go to once they were out of immediate danger, but not without asking for the child she needed in her sight.

Zekaraya slammed hard into the stone ground as the sword in his left hand shattered like glass upon impact with the Emperor's keyblade, the swordsman just barely managing to roll away as the Keyblade slashed towards him. Though Zekarya was drenched in sweat, the turban on his head sagging from the sheer weight of the moisture and lungs puffing his chest with every struggled breath, his opponent barely seemed winded. Zekaraya rose to his feet once more, wiping the sweat from his forehead before lunging at the emperor one more time. He simply turned to his side, swinging the blade onto Zekaraya's back, knocking him to the ground once more, prompting an exasperated cry of pain as he made impact. Zekaraya angrily turned himself over, struggling to force himself back to his feet, with a furious cry directed at the Emperor, who stood before him in perfect form.

"How....How can you have this much power!" He screamed out in a blind fury, face a bright shade of cherry red from exhaustion and fury. The swordsman threw his remaining weapon onto the ground and fell to one knee, groaning in agony as he tried to force himself up. "I am an agent of God, I am the sword of the messiah!" he roared, finally managing to get back on his feet once more. "You...You're nothing but some earthly king, you aren't even just beneath me, you don't even deserve to look in my presence let alone spill my blood!"

Zekaraya charged at Emperor Michael once more, "I am the Lion of Judah!" he howled as he dived towards him, only for the Emperor to simply raise his keyblade.

"Thundaga!" spoke the Emperor, as a bolt of lightning arced out, striking Zekaraya point blank in the chest, dropping him to the ground to skid across the stone floor, landing at the Emperor's feet. Zekaraya uncurled his body, aching as he tried once more to rise to his feet.

While Zekaraya's lifeless body lay there at his feet, the swordsman kept his hands tucked under his body, waiting for the Emperor to slip up. When he finally saw it, Zekaraya forced himself onto his back, and raised his hands in front of him.

"Blind!"

As the Emperor was struck by the spell, Zekaraya swung a kick at his knees, knocking him down as the Swordsman took off into the castle, swerving past anyone who may be in his path, before crashing through one of the castle's windows, tumbling out into the aftermath of the preceding battle. What caught his eye the most, however, was the airpad of Gummi Ships. Zekaraya charged towards the ships, immediately jumping into one, commanding the vehicle as it rose into the air and flew away from the ruined palace.

Zekaraya cursed as he relaxed, eyes fixated on the wounds he had sustained from the fight with the Emperor. Never before had he faced an opponent who so much as offered him a challenge, let alone outright defeat him. He looked at the burns from the Thundaga attacks and clenched his teeth in anger. Where the Gummi ship was headed, he did not know, but he vowed that he would make use of whomever he found there, and become powerful enough to not only cut the keybladers down one by one but return to exact his revenge upon the Emperor who bested him.

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Bethlehem, Green Sahara
@Tenma Tendo

The noise coming from Bethlehem was intense, as the streets flooded with people fleeing from the indiscriminate destruction of their homes, houses crumbled and burning, with people trying and failing to fend off attacks by the Heartless as they flooded into the city. But the Heartless were not the only threat to be found. As a small group of young men managed to slip away from the Heartless, they found themselves suddenly faced with a strange looking figure. The tall man with almost pitch black skin and long braided hair towered over them, his head covered by some kind of wide straw hat, his body wraped in an orange tunic, as he pulled out a shining long sword, with teeth like a saw, that he swung at the young men, taking each of them down one at a time before the others had time to react. The hatted man stepped out of the shadows into the stream of Heartless, the blood from the slain men still shimmering on the steel blade in the light of the fires. He smiled as he began walking down the road, simply cutting down anyone who was unfortunate enough to come in his path. He stopped at the sight of the fireballs, crashing into the city, burning away the Heartless that had accompanied him. He smiled at the sight,

"Heh, maybe there will be some real fun here after all."

The man continued on his path, seemingly unphased by the destruction but fixated on a single point, like a wolf stalking a deer. He gripped onto the sword in his hand as the began to descend upon a single building. It was no residential home, just a small dwelling set aside for travelers. As he approached, the man kicked in the door, to the horror of the two dwelling inside. The woman held tightly to the Child at her side, while the man in the room charged at the assailant. However, it was of little good, for the attacker simply grabbed the child's father by the throat, lifting him into the air before tossing him onto the ground outside of the inn, approaching the woman and her child with an almost gleeful abandon.

"You can't possibly know why this smile is on my face, can you?" He said to the terrified woman, who closed her eyes in fear, only to have the smiling swordsman grab onto her face, forcing her eyes forward.
"You wouldn't, hell you couldn't, know what it's like to be forced to be the Pharaoh's dog for 5 years of your life, but I got the chance to get out, to finally get my life back. And all I have to do," he spoke, "Is to take out the little baby you have there. So, if you feel like getting out of this with your life, miss, you'll do well to hand him over, or I can do you a favor and send you to next life with him."

However, the man's speech was cut short when he felt a presence behind him. The demented smile came back to his face as he turned around, seeing Capella in the doorway.

He scoffed at the sight of her, "You certainly are no Hebrew, girl. What, you think you're going to be some kind of hero?" He was perplexed by the sight of the girl, there was an air of both power and reservation to her.
"Are you from far or just stupid, girl. You're standing before Rago Yakubu, the Scourge of the Mediterranean! You think you can stop me. I'll have fun chopping you up before I take out these two."
Rago began to approach Capella, Sword drawn and ready to attack.

Felix, being the good friend and companion he was, walled straight over to Toscax and bashed him round the back of the head with the butt of his pistol. Okay, maybe it was a bit harder than it should have been but the asshat Leo had him pissed off. With his other pistol he shot a Cura and a weak Thunder at the old pirate to wake him up.

"Ya really shouldn't listen to him boss man. The guy's a prick." Felix said, walking around to see if anyone else needed healing. Seemed to be a few scratches here and there, nothing major. Those people were on the recieving end of his Cure bullets.

"Shishishi... right folks, the boss is currently incapacitated for reasons of a personal nature, so it falls to me to gather you idiots up. For the new people, we are now on a mission to save the multiverse from a complete and utter prick with a god complex. Personally I blame him feeling inferior in the bedroom department. If you will follow me to our awesome interdimensional ship, our esteemed leader will be able to fill you in better once he's recovered from meeting his ex."

Chortling, Felix walked towards the hanger to get the Gummi Ship ready to fly. He would strangle the dumbass who came up with that idiotic name for such a useful machine. He slso stopped to turn Toscax's coat lime green with pink polka dots. His fault for leaving it unattended.

BGM: Lightning Strikes still playing

The plan seemed to work as the giant robot they shot began to turn his attention to where the bullets would be coming from. Eventually, one of the other Keyblade wielders managed to use a powerful attack to cut one of the arms, specifically the one containing the rifle. "Good, it worked. Now the threat is reduced a little." Agni said. "Do not let your tenseness out yet. It still has the shield, which can easily be a weapon if one wants to." Ignitio said. "I know that. Still, I think I found a sort of weak point." Agni said and pointed to the arms and legs. "Technically, the robot's core will be active ever still, but if we hit his joints, we'll be able to render him useless. It'll give us time to deactivate it without suffering counterattacks." Agni explained. "I see. In that case, however, we must get closer to him. Run but keep shooting." Ignitio spoke. Then, both of them began to jump from buildings while shooting at the robot ever still. They need to keep the momentum of distraction going. That was the plan... however...

BGM: Hel's Theme (Fire Emblem Heroes)

From the building, they could see the courtyard. In the courtyard, thirteen black-coated figures appeared, two of them revealing themselves. And from the courtyard, nothing else but the terrific aura coming from the old man who was wielding a Keyblade as well. Whoever he was, he was nothing short of powerful. "That man... his power is insane. We aren't that distant, but it's like his aura can be felt from miles long. As if everyone would know he arrived, no matter where they were." Agni spoke. "... Lovely to know that one of ours seems to share a past with him." Ignitio commented. "Don't go doubting him. I'm positive he's not the likes of a backstabber." Agni spoke. "It does not change the fact that they know each other. Also, do not be positive since you do not know each other." Ignitio was relatively suspicious, even if this would be just a first impression. He isn't the type to immediately trust people, like his brother does. Agni, on the other hand, wasn't agreeing to what Ignitio just said. "If I end up being mistaken, let my trust be tested out. Don't start making enemies of those who could be our allies, like you did back then." Agni spoke. Ignitio sighed and the strange man finally left through the portal.

"I wonder if they're OK. Let's put a halt and check them out before attacking once more." Agni spoke. "Best if you go by yourself. One of us needs to keep the bullets going while this magic is still at work." Ignitio dismissed Agni. "*sigh* We're barely at the start and you're already being difficult... Fine. I'll go. Keep shooting at will." Agni spoke, while jumping out of the buildings and going towards Tocsax and the others near him. Ignitio returned to shooting, but kept an eye at Agni. Agni... do not be careless. He thought.

Agni reached Tocsax and the rest of the people near him. "Is everything alright? Did that man hurt you?" He asked.

@Letter Bee@Ryteb Pymeroce@Double

Bethlehem was said to be on the smaller side in terms of towns, but with all the commotion going on and the fact Capella still had yet to find Yeshua made her think otherwise. The clothing she bought not even a few hours ago was already starting to tear at the ends. Royal purple sleeves were now scorched an evil black as they tried not to disintegrate from the combat it clearly wasn't suited for. But regardless, the star child didn't stop. Once one of her glyphs broke down, she was quick to make another, even leaving some of them on the ground and setting them off once she was farther away. The tediousness of it almost made Capella go crazy, but she wasn't planning on stopping until she knew where Yeshua was; and with this extra boost in power she was given, it only made her desires that much more obtainable.

The young girl searched to and fro, helping those she came across but also keeping an extra close eye on anything that seemed out of the ordinary. This eventually lead to Capella's steel gaze falling upon some of the men she remembered she helped escape earlier.

Only...they were dead now.

Capella wouldn't have been too surprised especially since she'd told them to leave quite a while ago, but something was off... Taking this as a clue, Capella followed the barely visible trail of blood that seemed to be coming from a mystery assailant; someone that either had to be a third party or the one behind all of this.

The trail proved to be very useful, different bodies replacing the drops of blood she was already straining her eyes to see. Eventually, the Auriga-born found herself staring at one of the only buildings that had yet to collapse in the midst of everything, wasting no time sprinting towards it, shallow pants of breath being all Capella could muster at the moment. Standing in front of the building entrance, Capella was left face to face with both her objective and her enemy.

The former looked unharmed for the most part, and it was honestly a large weight off the blonde's shoulders to see that she hadn't already failed. But as her attention moved to the man looming over them, the weights returned ten times heavier. Black skin darker than the moonless night sky. Body cradled by an orange fabric as warm as the sun. A wide straw hat that masked most of his facial features aside from a slasher smile as sharp as his sword if not sharper.

Capella couldn't stop her hands from shaking as she positioned Halcyon in front of her. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears, it drowning out everything aside from what the man in front of her was saying. With very little time to regain her bearings, the star child found herself in another fight, one that she couldn't just force her way out of.

"I-I'm not a hero, b-but I do h-have a t-task..." She croaked before letting out a strangled fit of coughs afterwards. The name Rago Yakubu completely eluded her, but it wasn't like she had enough time to think about it anyways as she was forced to move back in hopes of getting Rago away from Yeshua and his mother. Too much distance might make the man give up on her, so taking to the skies was out of the option. Close combat against someone like this would be impossible for her, but she'd just have to make it work.

Bright red, crumbling glyphs remained by her side as she called forth on the power of her constellation again to send a flurry of fireballs in the man's direction, before following right behind them with a prepared slash in the shape of an arc; an attack that would at least protect her if Rago chose to retaliate.

Alexandria, Isaurian Egypt, Green Sahara, 1245 AD

The two pirates shuffled themselves around, tension growing in the air as they stared down the official seated before them. Hirutila sat more or less still, his eyes closed and only making the occasional movement to keep the shackles around his wrists from falling into the cuts they had previously made. However, his partner, Rago, was fidgeting every second, as if he was to die if he sat still for more than a second. His body undulated with each deep breath that he took as he burned a hole through the Egyptian official with his gaze. Perhaps if he could have done some real damage with that, he and Hirutila would be walking free. But for now, their lives rested in the hands of this civil servant, who perused through a small document detailing the nature of the two men he was tasked with judging.

"I'm sure you men know that the nature of your crimes is severe," the man spoke, peaking over the parchment to gaze upon Rago and Hirutila. "The confiscated stolen wealth on your ship, in addition to the verifiable deaths attributed to your actions, and the resistance of your crew and yourselves to your arrest all constitute very harsh sentencing."

Rago simply spit into the official's face as he eyed him, prompting one of the soldiers in the room to smack him over the head with a club. Hirutila opened his eyes at the sound of his partner being beaten but refused to say anything. The official rested the papers onto the table before him, and spoke in a soft voice, though the attempts at affability fell flat immediately.

"The Pharaoh is willing to extend an offer to you men. Under normal circumstances, you would simply be sentenced to life in prison. However, your pasts are of interest to our Emperor, and he is offering a stay of your imprisonment in exchange for a lifetime enlistment into the Imperial Army."

Rago and Hirutila stared once more at the man, Rago's face locked in a devious smile, while Hirutila seemed to let off a pained grimace.

"You're letting us walk away from prison to go kill?" Rago inquired incredulously, pointing a look at the official as if he expected the man to retract the offer as some kind of joke, though a few passing seconds of silence only caused the pirate's smile to grow as he nodded furiously. "I can't see what the punishment is supposed to be." Though Rago was so willing to sign his life away, he didn't pick up on the official's sinister gaze upon those words.

Hirutila, however, remained uninterested. Rago glared over at his partner as he refused to join in the same path.

"What? You're just going to let them throw you in some cage, Hiru?"

Hirutila sighed as he spoke, "I'm tired of the death, Rago. If you wish to revel in it further, then go ahead. But I'm done with it. This was always about going back home. And if that will never be, then I don't want to fight any longer."

Rago looked over at the man with a confused, and infuriated look, as the soldiers went to escort them away. The last look Hirutila got of his former partner was when he was marched out the oak door behind them. Hirutila let out a sigh of relief to watch Rago leave, like a weight removed from his chest.

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Bethlehem, Israel, Green Sahara, 1250 AD
@Tenma Tendo

Rago's eyes were fixed upon Capella, his body swaying in its movements like some kind of depraved dance. The man walked a semi-circle around her as the grin on his face continued to twist grotesquely. The serrated sword in his hand quivered as he anticipated the first attack, planning out just where to lunge to get her. Lost in the grizzly fantasies that played out, he seemed unaware of the magic around Capella, like he couldn't see anything but the visions of blood and gore in his mind.

With that Rago lunged forward, but as soon as it had begun, the battle was over. The fireballs made a clear impact, as the silk robe ignited, to the horror of the swordsman, who in the brief moment that the flames stung his skin, he was pulled back into reality, only to be met with impact from Halcyon. The force from the fireballs sent the man flying through the air, the chared robe striking against the beige walls of the guest house, and destroyed hat flung from his body to land before Capella's feet, still smoldering from the spell. Rago's body was flung through the open window, falling some distance away. Rago lay there lifeless, the smell of burnt flesh and silk wafting from his broken form.

At the moment of Rago's demise, the Heartless seemed to begin their retreat from Bethlehem, as if in a panic as they swarmed away with the defeat of their commander. Though the pirate's body was simply left to smolder and burn in the dirt, as the heartless didn't even bother with what little life was left in the vessel as they singlemindedly fled from the town.

The young woman, the mother of the boy Yeshua, sat stunned for a brief moment, before suddenly throwing herself upon the keyblader in a fit of joy and tears, clinging to her tightly in a fit of emotional studdering, as she showered Capella in thank yous and sobbing, as the baby at her side began to whimper from the commotion.

As the woman began to compose herself, she expained the situation, "I'm sorry miss, my...my name is Maryam, I had just given birth to my son, and then the village was attacked. My husband and I took refuge in this guesthouse, but the found us none the less. But you...you saved us!" Maryam seemed overwhelmed with joy once again, however her emotions were quickly refocused when the man who had accompanied her managed to get himself back to his feet.

"Josef! Oh, you're alright! Oh this woman saved us from that pirate. That man, he was after Yeshua...but why? Could they..."

The man shook his head in confusion, "All I know is it's not safe here anymore. We should leave as soon as we can. We can go to my home town, in Galilee, far from here." Josef then turned his attention to Capella. "But you, you saved not only my wife and son, but this whole village. You have come as a hero, and so we will give you a hero's celebration."

Josef took Capella by the hand and pulled her into the street outside, proclaiming her as the savior of Bethlehem. Though not much was left of the village, the survivors cheered at the sight of the young woman. The people immediately saw to it to provide what little they could to give a hero's welcome to Capella.

In the commotion of it all, no eyes would spy as a hooded figure dragged the burned body of Rago away from the guest house, far beyond the limits of the village. Rago let out only a few moans in pain, until he felt a sharp electric shock radiate through his body, to gaze upon the sight of a figure, clad in a blue tunic covered with a dark mantle, hood over his face, though it was little surprise to Rago who this was.

"Have you come to kill me for failure?" Rago said, the defiant smile creeping onto his face once more.

"No," the hooded man spoke, kneeling down into the dirt next to Rago. "On the contrary, you have not failed me at all. You've done just what I wanted."

Rago looked at the man in confusion.

"You actually though you stood a chance, Rago? You had no idea what you were up against, even now as you lay there like a roast pig you don't understand. A common man has no chance against keyblade wielders." The figure reached into the pocket inside the mantle, pulling out a small crystal, green and hexagonally patterned, with a small red core, barely bigger than a coin. "I can imagine you want to salvage what's left of your dignity, and prove I got more than just a rat for testing out of the Egyptian Army."

Rago looked at the crystal, and then back at the figure. "What are you suggesting?"

"Did you ever wonder where the power that the messiah bestowed upon us came from, Rago?" the figure spoke as he took Rago's sword into his hand, and plunged it deep into the pirate's hand, pulling it out to create a deep wound. "I received them from him, and he from an angel. But the Angel left a few breadcrumbs, and I followed them until I found this," he spoke, waving the crystal in front of Rago's face. "Or rather, I managed to put the pieces together to recreate what Emmanuel has yet to figure out isn't godly magic. I call it magicite, and with it, Rago, you'll have power beyond what you ever thought possible, maybe just enough to deal with our little keyblader there." With that, the hooded man slid the small crystal deep into the wound. As he let go, the laceration began to radiate with a sickly green glow, as the crystal burst, and shards began burrowing into Rago's flesh. The pirate screamed out in agony, as he twisted and convulsed, the man's green eyes slowly changing color from their normal green, into the same sickly, ghostly color as the magicite. Rago continued to scream in pain as the magicite dispersed throughout his body. Before long, he had slipped back into unconsciousness.
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Palace Grounds, Constantinople, Renovation

Hirutila jolted up with a gasp of fear and surprise as he took a look around. The palace was left in great disrepair, the aftermath of the battle being apparent with the scattering of machine parts all over. However, Hirutila had little time to take anything in, as he immediately was being herded off by Felix to the hangar.

Seemed like finally, the party was off to go do this whole save the world thing. Hirutila groaned as he got back up, and walked alongside the others. He couldn't help but take note of a few new faces. At least he thought they were new. Perhaps he was just not paying enough attention before. Most disturbing of all to him, however, was the sudden change in demeanor of their Nobody companion. Hirutila had clearly missed out on something massive in his catatonia, better that he try and discuss it with someone while they make their way to the next world. Time cramped on a ship with this motley crew should be interesting.

Hirutila chimed up a bit, "Out of the cell, right back onto a ship. I never can escape this life," chuckling a little at his own observation. He only hoped the crew would be a little less murderous this time around. Not that that would be too particularly difficult. . But Hirutila was uneasy. There was no telling what was ahead. But the promise of getting back to life with Dammania was enough for him.

Still Playing: Vim and Vigor

Asher had to do everything in his power to maintain his composure as his companion passed him by on one of the large Heartless from before. The best comparison he could draw would be to that of a someone speeding around on a horse carriage, which very much made want to laugh at the sight of this display. However, the fun ended as soon as it began, for quite a few explosive blasts and sounds of grinding of metal were soon followed by the retreat of the Heartless themselves. So, seeing that the big creature Georgia was using as her steed was beginning to dissipate, Asher decided to take a gamble and cast Aero below the very moment the Heartless fully vanished, so as to cushion her fall. “We really need to work on that name you’ve suggested. Something about ‘Big Bellies’ just doesn’t sit right with me.” He remarked. Wishing to go check out the courtyard, he faced Georgia once more, pulling out the case containing the other three Earrings of Whisper. He pulled out the Club Earring and tossed it over to her. “Put this on. If anything happens, simply touch it, and relay your situation. I’m going to see what’s going on.” After explaining how the earring works, he makes his way back towards the courtyard where the heart of the action was.

Now Playing: Mastermind

Asher made it just in time to hear the introduction of the big bad himself. Two versions of the self-proclaimed Leo Psellos stood there alongside several other hooded individuals, denouncing their quest before they had even begun on it. All of the figures then proceeded to vanish into portals of darkness save for the older version of Leo. This man emanated a particularly nasty aura. One of a man that walked in complete darkness. His “display” of the power he held over Tocsax didn’t surprise him. Men like him were very common in his line of work. In fact, the only difference was that this one had yet to be cut down by his blade. Bearing witness to the breakdown of their group’s Nobody in the face of this individual didn’t phase him either. In fact, if anyone were looking at him, they would catch a brief glimpse of utter disappointment and disgust upon Asher’s face. His respect had to be earned, and in his eyes, Tocsax was nowhere near meeting that as of now. A true leader had to be able to do more than just cast a few cantrips in his mind.
He then found himself overhearing Felix’s announcement that they were to all head to the hangar and prepare to begin the first leg of their journey. However, he instead simply walked away from the group, heading towards a secluded hallway where he could just take a moment to seclude himself from all of the noise.

Now Playing: Chaos

Upon reaching the midway point of his trek down one of the many long, empty hallways of the palace, another portal of darkness opens before him. A hooded figure exits from this opening. Asher had no proper way of telling whether or not this individual was one of the others he had seen previously. He quickly touches his Spade Earring. If Georgia had put hers on, she would hear him say, “We might have another problem on our hands.” He then dropped his hand to grip one of his daggers, ready to remove it from his sheath and toss it in case this conversation went south.

“My my...vigilant as ever, I see. It seems Bloody Mary has taught you well.” The figure remarks, beginning to slowly clap. The voice seemed like it belonged to a male, but it wasn’t one he recognized.

“You know her? Not many live to tell that tale...just who exactly are you?” Asher inquired.

The figure laughs, coyly rubbing the back of his head. “She’s truly never mentioned me? Good to know that she’s still willing to protect her own after all these years. I wonder if the same would apply to you...”

Asher raised an eyebrow to this. “Just what exactly are you getting at? My parents are all I have, and they're under Mary's protection.”

The hooded man chuckles in response. “Ah, yes, you wouldn’t remember...too young, I suppose. That fire must have really traumatised you...and here I thought she meant everything to you.” Finishing that sentence, the Corridor of Darkness opened up once again behind the individual. “This is going to be a very bittersweet reunion. Let’s just hope you survive until then, hm? Hahaha…” His laugh echoes throughout the hall as he steps back into the Corridor, it closing upon his entry.

“'She'..? Oh gods..who is he talking about..?” Asher clutches his head in his right hand, an aching sensation beginning to creep up out of nowhere. Something about that conversation caught him off guard, the ache growing into a strong pounding sensation. Out of nowhere, the hallway began to seemingly catch fire, the smell of smoke overwhelming him. Fully convinced by this hallucination, he instinctively reached for his earring once more. “Help...fire…” This was all he could manage to get out before falling unconscious.

@Gentlemanvaultboy

Palace of the Blachrenae, Renovation

Tocsax smiled at Felix's attempt to lighten the mood, while telling Agni, "No, I'm not hurt, but thank you for your concern." His lips were slightly pursed as he continued, "I'll give you, your companion, and our newcomer boy the needed exposition on the way to the Gummi Ship."

He glimpsed Asher's look of 'utter disappointment and disgust', and clenched his left fist in response as the 'thief' trailed off. There can be no explanation that person would accept, at least not verbally. Asher Rain was someone who accepted only actions - It was a shame that Tocsax felt that he didn't have the time to regain the Keyblader's respect. He didn't dislike Asher, but he needed the time that would be spent regaining his respect to investigate Leo's activities, among other things.

As Tocsax got up, Vic, Georgia, and Amuro might feel the Nobody's own regrown emotions - Disgust, self-hate, and the feeling of time wasted. He began walking to the hangar, where Felix was busy preparing the brightly colored Gummi Ship, Anastasios. Then upon sensing the opening of another Corridor of Darkness in the Palace itself, the young-looking Keyblader opened up his own portal and traveled to where Asher lay unconcious. Tocsax, still buffed by Strengthra, lifted up the 'thief's' body in a bridal carry and Corridor'd them both into the Anastasios' medbay.

Then after setting Asher onto the medbay's bed, Tocsax Corridor'd himself outside once more, to where Emperor Michael had made his way outside the palace to pursue Zekaraya, his expression stormy as well.

"Basileus, it seems we have to depart early," the Nobody said.

Emperor Michael nodded, "The Cornerstone of Light will repair itself in time, but until then, we won't be able to help you in your quest; we'll be too busy repelling Heartless attacks." He put a hand on Tocsax's shoulder, "God bless your journey."

The Nobody smiled. "Thank you."

@Double@Gentlemanvaultboy@Ryteb Pymeroce@ShadowVentus@Nerevarine@Tenma Tendo

Near Bethlehem, Israel, Green Sahara
_{@Renny@Tenma Tendo}

A family of lizards took flight as the sound of hooves against stone rang hollow against the dead air of the night. A strong black steed trotted proudly, holding his head high as the rider commanded the beast forward. The moon had risen high, nearing the center of the sky, shining overhead like a spotlight on the harsh ground, as animals fled in fear at the sight of the creature, and the masked rider who held his reigns. The rider's eyes were a mixture of the bright red of fatigue, and a sickly, glowing green that seemed to shine through the night, like some kind of phosphorescence. The horse, though his muscles twitched and spasmed, had no signs of stopping. Bethlehem was nearby, there was no time to stop.

It was a long way from the Valley of the Moon. The sooner out of Arabia the better, not the least for the purpose of this journey. The figure was wrapped tightly in a collection of loose garments thrown across their body. Coming south into Israel from the desert necessitated such dress, and it was useful to keep those who had no business seeing the rider's face from doing so. Though the rider approached the town with haste, there were no obvious signs of trade nor war on their person, though the clothing of the traveler was striking, a long green garment decorated with orange embroidery at the edges, and a black cloth tied around their face and head with golden elements, all seated upon a handsome black stallion.

The rider stopped the horse upon a story crag, gazing down from the height onto the sight of smoldering ashes and blackened wood down the road. The figure cursed upon the wind. Had they arrived too late? Had something gone wrong? There was no mention of a disaster like this in Bethlehem. The horse turned at the will of its master, riding down the side of the hill to the road below. As hoof touched paved stone, the rider's eye caught sight of another anomaly. Smoke rising from a pit. Wreckage. The glowing eyes narrowed, focusing in on the destruction, before opening in shock. That ship...could it be? A crack echoed through the night as the horse neighed loudly, running over to the sight of the crashed vessel.

The vehicle matched the specifications found in the old books. The Monks called back to these lost vessels, the transports called the Gummi Ship. Dismounting from the horse, the rider strode up to the wreckage cautiously, before placing a hand upon the remains. This could not be the ruins of the transport that brought the Legendary Hero, the monks specified that she had arrived in Jerusalem. So...what was this...? Who had come? A cold pulse ran down the back of the rider's spine as the forced the sleeve of the garment up, revealing the shining gadget resting around their arm. Fingers brushed the device, tracing the indentations and crevices as the glowing eyes fixated upon it. The sleeve was pulled back over the device, as rider screamed and slammed a fist upon the wreckage over and over until the finger joints began to ache. Variables were to be expected, but she had only just begun. Caution must be taken from now on.

The horse grunted as the Rider mounted it once again, exhaling. No more room for error, variables must be controlled. The cold, glowing eyes stared forward as the horse followed the light of Sirius toward the small town. She whispered a prayer to nothing in particular, that the hero was still present. As her eyes opened, she spotted one final abnormality, a traveler sharing the road. But the garments he wore were misplaced in this land. Modern, too modern. The rider commanded the horse to sway off of his path. Best not to catch his attention just yet.

The sickening smell of burning flesh and the added weight of her blade had the girl squeeze her eyes shut in despair. It was almost like Rago didn't even see what was right in front of him. Capella could only imagine what would have happened if the other evaded her attack, however the thought didn't manage to fully make itself realized as she soon found herself looking down at the man's hat. A part of her wanted to take the accessory for herself, as a parting gift of sorts, but another part of her wanted to forget this whole event even happened.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion at that point, Heartless retreating as if they did nothing wrong; without their leader, they probably lost the will to do anything for themselves. Well, it didn't matter anymore. She should probably find Rago's body to make sure he's actually done for. Unfortunately, this thought was pushed to the back of her mind as both the woman and child she's tasked to protect threw themselves at the star child, said girl sending away Halcyon before she accidentally hurt the two. Small, trembling hands found their way around the two, clutching gently onto them to get a better footing.
"Y-You're welcome...You're welcome...I'm g-glad I could help..." Capella rasped with a small smile, voice completely shot from all the yelling.

Once the woman, Maryam was her name, calmed down, Capella was given a much proper thank you before her attention moved to a man struggling to get back to his feet. Capella simply kept her distance, reaching down to collect the wide rimmed hat before holding it against her chest. She needed to move on after finding Rago, taking up more time here would only just make her next journey all the harder. Unfortunately, the people of Bethlehem weren't going to let her off as easily as she thought.
"O-Oh, um, you really don't hav--" Never getting the chance to finish, Capella whisked away against her will, and treated graciously for her hard work.

---

The people of Bethlehem were far too nice. Even though they had just been attack and lost most of what they grew accustomed to, they still managed to pull a celebration that Capella didn't have the heart to walk away from. At least she was able to catch up with Amalthea in the midst of it. If Rago was really still out there, he'd be gone by then, so Capella made the decision to avoid wasting more time looking for him and instead head to her next destination;

PS: After you've saved Bethlehem, go to the western side of a Peninsula called Arabia, and save a city called Mecca from an invading army calling themselves the Kingdom of Axum. Do not let a single Axumite - Or their own legions of Heartless - get within 50 miles of the city. Another birth of immense importance is to occur there.

"The Gummi Ship is still back at Jerusalem." The Moogle mused, making Capella sigh in slight defeat. She couldn't possibly ask the people of Bethlehem for a ride, not when they needed to be together at this point. Plus, it wouldn't be too hard to fly back. This time, using his finger to draw the Corvus glyph she needed, Capella was in the skies in no time, Amalthea clutched tightly in her free arm.

It was smooth sailing for a little bit before Capella found herself hit with a wave of dizziness.
"Capella?" At that instant, the glyph on her back crumbled and her vision blurred. Did she push herself too much? Her mind was still running, but her body just couldn't keep up it seemed. Unable to lower herself before her wings disappeared, Capella felt herself plummeting towards the ground, Amalthea shouting her name, and consciousness fading in the process. However, just before she was completely out for the count, steel eyes caught the sight of a figure moving towards Bethlehem...