Kingdom Hearts: To The Bitter End [Part One]

Dawning Light
There is no trace of the gemstone to be sensed. It would seem that the fragments never made it to this world, or they are too far away to be sensed. But it was a long shot anyway. This is a long way from Olympus.
You come to the gates, that lead to the forbidden city, massive black affairs, studded with massive balls of red gold. They are closed and barred, and guards stare down form the towers at either side.

Spy
The lock opens. You stare down long stairs leading deep, deep down.

Scout
You make your way around the complex, looking for a diversion. Eventually, you find one. Six cars, parked together, each one chosen with a very distinctive theme in mind.
The first one is a green hybrid car that has been decorated with real tropical flowers, that against all reason seem to have found a way to take root, and are blooming quite healthily and vibrantly, filling the air with a sweet smelling pollen. The windows are tinted, but one is rolled down, revealing that the seats are covered with what appears to be moss.
The next car manages to challenge it's position as strangest in the lot. It's a mint condition silver mercedes, at least on one side. On the other side, it's a charred, rusted hunk of twisted scrap metal, that you'd be surprised if can even drive. Each window is broken, the seats have been torn up, and the interior is trashed and stained. At least on one side.
Then there is a purple car that appears to be customized, as it resembles no other car on the road. It is shaped like an old fashioned auto-mobile, with a grinning white Joker's face instead of the grille.
And other cars. Some even weirder.

Sniper
The flickers are all occurring in certain areas, not in a pattern but the same locations each time.

Cloud Strife
Gilgamesh returns to his feet, still brandishing his remaining weapons. "Indeed, that was a worthy beginning. But it is not over yet." Not letting you keep the upper hand, he dashes forward for the first attack.
He spun swiftly in a full circle slashing his five blades in a great spiral, each one at different heights and extensions, even different speeds to force Cloud to react to each one separately and hopefully overwhelm his defenses. His blood singing with joy, he had forgotten this was meant to be a show fight, and is going for the kill.

Spy

The spy descends down the stairs.

Scout

"So much for some kind of super terrorists. These chumps can't even afford working cars." Scout muses idly swinging his bat towards the window of the half burnt car.

Sniper

Sniper takes aim for the area for the centre of the area where the movements have been and fires.

Scout
It's bullet proof glass. It doesn't even crack. What sort of psycho uses bulletproof glass on the passenger window? When all the other windows are broken anyway?

Sniper
You hit something. You're not sure what, but you hint someting. You just can't quite make out what it is.

Spy
In contrast to the aboveground section, everything down here appears functional and in working order. People walk around in white coats, hold clipboards, and do what your disinterested mind labels as 'science stuff.'
This seems to mainly consist of strapping struggling or heavily sedated people to tables and injecting them with things.
You are able to walk around unchallenged. It's the sort of complex that nobody is supposed to know about and is supposed to be hard to get into, so if you're walking around in here then you must have a good reason.

Siegfried Schtauffen
Soul Edge and Soul Calibur. The two of them were lodged within one another, Soul Calibur driven straight through the bizarre eye in the center of Soul Edge. The portion that was Soul Edge was meaty and fleshy, red, orange, and yellow in color, with a blade on one side of it and tentacle-like growths on the other side. The tentacles spiraled and twisted around the blade and hilt of Soul Calibur. Soul Calibur looked more like a conventional sword - but was with its own form of bizarre appearance. The blade was decorated with symbols, and the portion between the blade and the handle was an orb that faintly glowed a dull blue, surrounded by rocky and ice-like stones with spiky and fin-like obtrusions.
It almost appears as if the two of them are frozen in some sort of twisted embrace.
Regardless, you have them both. But nothing you do can destroy or influence the two of them in any way, and the shards of Soul Edge continue to grow on their own. You need to find some way to destroy it, yet no matter how many worlds you travel to, nothing seems to work.
That is why you are here. Warriors of exceptional strength. They would wield powerful weapons themselves, and must be overflowing with knowledge of strength and how to acquire it. Someone here may be able to help you.

Mitsarugi
A fight. The greatest fight, that pushes you to the very limits of your soul, body and mind. That is why you have come. That is why you are here.

Zelda, Nameless
The clamor continues, overwhelming each sense individually. The clash of colors, of smells and of voices braying to be heard is almost maddening.

Mew Two
Wesker turns to stare at you. "Is that so?" He replies, as though teleporting sentient animals appeared in his room every day. "Well too bad, you can't have it."
With that he shoots you in the leg. You're a valuable specimen, he doesn't want to damage you too much.

A small smudge flew above the dessert, winds outstretched to catch the rising hot air, drifting along. It's feathers had once been brilliant, an impressive plumage and noble appearance. But time had not been king, it was molting, it's feathers drooped and it's body was plump. It's head was bald, and it no longer had . It seemed faintly ridiculous that the thing could even fly.
It's talons clutched a black lamp, black as onyx. There was a strange inscription around it, but not one that could be read.
"I do not believe it. I just do not believe it." It groused as it continued on. "You're lucky I don't just drop you and go on. How could you fall for that? How? It's the oldest trick in the book you wrote. You're done. Dried up! Finished! And I'm not going to let you pull me down with you."
"And then where would you be, Iago?" The voice replied, it's voice a rich, deep purr. "You need me, unless you wish to spend your last days in the wilderness scratching a living off rocks."
"At least it would be a life." He replied, but his heart wasn't in it. Jafar was right. "So what? what now?"
"Patience Iago. We return to the Cave of Wonders for now."
"Why? You got your lamp. Great going by the way, now you can be close to it forever."
"Lamp? Oh no, Iago. There is more then one treasure hidden beneath these sands."

[Scene]

Those who know him all seem to assume he brings control and command to all areas of his life, that he never stops bellowing orders until he sleeps. Those who have fought him and survived, those lucky few, they see him as a devil, and they don't think he even does something so human as sleep. Surely, a man like that doesn't allow himself to be vulnerable. Surely he stalks the hallways of his fortress at night, while everyone else sleeps uneasily in their beds.
But he was human. Honorable in his way, but corrupt to a fault. He'd made a vow in exchange for war unending, and Zexion had given him what he asked for, he'd given him an army that could keep pace with it's fearsome leader, and a way to conquer the stars themselves. With this army, he could storm heaven when he found it.
But vows are such easily broken things.
Some men break their vows due to their own fickle hearts, because their love and obedience turn into ambition and greed. Some men break their vows by apathy, by standing aside in inaction as the enemy crashes against the gates. Some men have to be turned from their vows, and there are always ways to do that.
He was fundamentally honest and direct. It no longer suited him to work for the organization. He was tired of Zexion and his smiling hunter. He was tired of the demons the man had dredged from some fell underworld. And he was tired of taking orders. And therefore, he would not. There was nothing more to it to his uncomplicated way of thinking.
"Lu Bu, the forbidden city is only two days march away." It was Chen Gong, dressed in his headpiece and strategists robes, a long silver robe with shiny black shoes, with his hands tucked into the sleeves. Something about him seemed sly, and slightly devious. Yet one could almost feel how intelligent and tactful this man was. When did he get here? Lu Bu shook his head, frustrated. His senses were sharp, but the strategist had a strange way of sneaking up on him. "Our men are ready. The Huns are strong warriors, and the Heartless have never failed us. It is ours."
Lu Bu grunted. "Good. That is good." he replies in his deep voice, helping himself to more wine. He'd already had enough to knock out a pair of Irish men, but Lu Bu was not a man of small appetites.
"And Shan-Yu is dead. He was killed, although we're not sure who could have done it, after you crushed all the armies the emperor sent against you."
A rumble of approval. "Good." Lu Bu boomed. "That is good. The man was insolent. I would have killed him soon myself."
"As you say, my lord."
"Leave me. I have taken the best this soft world could throw at me. I am losing interest. Tomorrow, I shall take the city for my own. But now I am tired. So enough."
"As you wish my lord." The strategist steps out into the crisp night air, and into the camp of the greatest army ever assembled on this world.

Scout

"What kinda crap is this?" Scout asked in confusion as he looks at his failed attempts at vandalism. Not bothering to think this through though he turns his attention to the clown car and it's unbroken windows.

Sniper

He waits to see if there is any more motion from that spot.

Spy

Spy looks around to see if they have some cells or something where they are keeping test subjects not currently in use.

Spy
In an act of monumental incompetence, no map of the facilites was provided. You are going in blind.
You walk around, then spot a scientist leading a sedated prisoner out of a series of rooms. That looks like your best bet. However, there are two guards, and three scientists wandering around.

Scout
The windscreen shatters in a single blow, shattering with a very satisfying tinkling noise, and sending shards flying everywhere. BONK!
Then the car alarm starts. It's not the usual siren, it's a deranged cackling noise, like someone choking out laughter. It goes on and on, getting lounder and louder, then it abruptly stops. Behind you, a door slowly begins to open, sliding up. It's opening slowly, but so far you see massive boots. They have to be the biggest feet you've ever seen.

Sniper
Nope. Whatever it was, you got him. Then you see a flicker in the corner of your vision. At first glance it appears to be a quick-moving shadow, but a second, harder inspection a dark figure that your vision tries to slide around. The thing has black skin, pitch black, like a moonless night, a muscular frame and a heart-shaped hole in it's torso. It has sharp purple and blue horns that form the outline of a curled heart It's long tail appears scaly, and ends in a sharp, crescent-shaped blade.
It's holding a big, scalloped, blue-bladed swords that appears blunt, but somehow you doubt it is. How did it sneak up on you? Nobody can sneak up on you...

Zhou Yu
"Concentration. With concentration, you may kill a dragon with but a pebble." He muses, unbuckling the blade that rests on his hip. Zantetsuken, a large, heavy blade with a single curved edge, of dark,smoky steel that has been forged hundreds of times to burn away any impurities, then folded an unimaginable number of times. It was heavy, and never lost it's edge or notched. It seemed to large to hold in one hand, and yet it flowed like water in his grip, parting mail and flesh as easily as air, and his movements seeming almost a dance they were so graceful.

With reverence, he places it carefully aside. It was a gift from the Tiger King, Sun Jian himself, and was (to him at least) the most precious thing he owned. He looks down at it for a second, then lifts a long bo staff, lacquered with red, and tipped with gold caps on both ends to give it weight. It was in excellent condition, only a few nicks along the underside betraying that this was a warriors tool, not a show piece.

He stroked his hands along it, familiarizing himself with it once more. It felt right in his hands, though not as right as a sword. But these games were not to the death. To use a sword in such, was to dishonor the weapon, and to tempt fate. A sword was for killing. Nothing else. So he would not use it, though it was his strongest discipline in the martial arts. Instead, they would face him with this in his hands, and they would find him deadly indeed.

"I only know how to win." He says, standing up and walking back to the box, sitting beside Terra once more.

Nameless
The massive immortal has bought clothes. Removing his vestments, he wears a robe that opens at the chest to accommodate his wide shoulders. It had been white when he had bought it, but already the dust had stained it, and would no doubt only continue to do so. He has removed and discarded most of the bones and pieces of armor he wore before, although he has kept a few pieces. He has also acquired a short handled, broad-bladed, crescent shaped axe. A scimitar would be cheaper, but he's not comfortable with swords for some reason he doesn't remember. Somehow, he anticipated it would be needed in the near future.

"You have a promise to keep, your majesty." He says. "Tell me what you read."

Spy

Changing his disguise to that of one of the scientists the Spy proceeds into the room.

Scout

"Come on Bozo! Let's rock!" Scout yells opening his shotgun on clown.

Sniper and the Rest

Sniper draws his sub machine gun and proceeds to fire wildly into that thing. "We got us some action boys get the hell out here?"

This is the closest to fear he's ever felt but this thing was not among his normal targets. The other start to get out of the camper but they might not be fast enough,

Dawning Light

Ventus gulps nervously as he walks forward and knocks on the gate. He then figures the best way to get an audience with the emperor is to find Mulan. "Excuse me, may we enter?"

Dawning Light
The gates open a crack. Just a crack, though it takes twenty men pushing them to move them that much. They are made of heavy, ancient wood that has fossilized into something more akin to stone. A man steps out, dressed in the armor of a captain of the royal guards. The gate, slowly and ponderously, closes behind him.
It occurs to you that Xianghua has a series of skills from her own time as an imperial guard (of a different dynasty on a different world), and of you is the one most familiar with the workings. If anyone can get you in, it's her.

Scout
The door continues to open, revealing the figure inside. You judged him wrong. He's a clown, but one on steroids. Lots of them. He looks like the incredible Hulk decided to start making people laugh. his mouth has be sewn in such a way that he can't help but smile, and his eyes are deepset. He has a green mohawk for hair, and no shirt.
A voice turns on in the car, speaking through the radio inside. "You just crossed a line. It's one thing to kill people, but messing with another man's ride is never funny."

Sniper
The thing advances, your spray of inaccurate bullets missing it's vitals and not doing more then knocking loose a few puffs of black smoke from it's shadowy body. Raising it's sword, it brings it crashing down at your head.

Spy
Glass rooms, with the clean look of hospitals. Everything was white. No air-holes. Some of them look like ordinary people. Others, not so much. Extra eyes, all their hair has fallen off, their flesh appears to be rotting, their teeth and bones have softened, becoming rubbery and weak, their hearts beat so quickly they suffer continuing epilepsy fits... these were the lucky few.
Others were in the far stages of total mutation. Bits of them fell off, other bits of them continued growing to obscene levels, and so on. At the end of the row, was another door. Locked. Which makes you wonder, if these are the ones it is acceptable to show, what the hell are they keeping secret?


"He's leaving?"
"Yes, grandmother." Mulan replied as she watched Shang's white stallion disappear into the distance. He had bumbled his way through dinner and politely refused to stay the night as a guest in the Fa household. Now he was off to camp in the fields outside of town, before returning to the capital.
"He'll be back." The elderly woman nodded.
"I know." She said and blushed briefly. He hadn't been able to say anything right all night and had finally calmed down when Fa Zhou started discussing military tactics. After conversing with her father with what seemed like hours, they retreated to the garden and he confessed his reasons for coming to visit. However his lack of self-confidence was apparent then more than ever. He told her that he was not worthy of her, not as a mere Captain. She deserved more and until he could return as a General, he wasn't going to ask her to be his wife.
It was foolish, but she couldn't tell him it didn't matter. He had his pride.

Tuatha Dé Danann
Your Gummi ship lands on a long expanse of snow. It's landed much like a plane, as you're still not used to it. On one side, there is a city, and a huge one, while on the other side is mountains. There are fires scattered around it. A camp, of the sort used by an invading army.

Son Son
You finish the peaches, and continue down the mountain. A camp stretches out before you. There will be humans in there. Your father told you to learn about humans.

Double Dragon
You are still with team Dawning Light, about to attempt to enter The Forbidden City. It looks like it might be a struggle to do so.

Dawning Light

Ven nods to Xianghua and she nods back moving forward. "Greetings," she says with a low bow, "I am Xianghua of the Chai family. Former member of the imperial guard. We have come for an audience with the emperor that relates to a threat that befell this world once before, the heartless. Perhaps you remember the battle of the mountain pass which was fought against the Hun Shan Yu. Where the army fought against a large army of otherworldly beings that were immune to conventional weapons. This army was only defeated due to the quick thinking of one Fa Mulan and a young boy wielding a strange key-shaped blade. Perhaps you also remember about the time when a great dragon statue was transformed into a living entity by the same creatures. This is the threat that menaces this world once again. We wish to to speak with the emperor to find a way to stem this threat." Ven then speaks up and says, "If that is not possible could you please give us directions to the Fa household."

Dawning Light, Double Dragone
The guards confer silently, aftering hearing your adress, then at last agree, the gates opening to allow you entry. "You will be granted audience with his Celestial Majesty. As a mark of respect, you will be granted the honor of retaining your weapons. However, you may come no closer then one hundred feet to him."
That is a great honor, though it doesn't seem like one to characters from less strict and restricted cultures. You walk up the long road, through no less then three sucsessive walls and courtyards, all empty. It was such opulence it was almost obscene. At last, you come to the massive stairs that lead up to the pallace itself. Ascending slowly, the double doors slide open, admitting you within. Your escort of imperial guards break off, allowing you entry alone.
The Emperor is an old, thin man with a long white beard and mustache. His eyes are black and his eyebrows are white and bushy. His hair is also white, though most of it is tucked into the crown that he wears. He dresses in elegant robes with black cuffs and furisode-esque sleeves and a wide, black obi-like sash. He spreads his arms slightly to welcome you. His usual advisors and court are not present, he is alone, and for that sake he has not bothered to sit apon his throne.
"You say the Heartless have returned? That is troubling indeed. Please, tell me what you have learned." He replies, allowing you to fill the holes in his knowledge for now.

Terra
There are three more pages, that you have read by now. The rest appears to be missing.

The shadows that crawl beneath the castle... Are they the people who lost their hearts, or incarnations of darkness? Or something entirely beyond my imagination?
All my knowledge has provided no answer. One thing I am sure of is that they are entirely devoid of emotion. Perhaps further study will unlock the mysteries of the heart.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of test samples. They are multiplying underground even as I write this report. They still need a name. Those who lack hearts... I will call them the Heartless.

The Heartless appear in groups, and are multiplying rapidly. I've provided them both living and nonliving samples. They've responded only to the living. They seem to multiply after absorbing something from the living creatures. Their prey vanishes without a trace.
I believe the Heartless are taking hearts. They are born from those who've lost their hearts, and thrive on hearts seized from others. The hearts taken by the Heartless become Heartless themselves.
Though I lack proof, I am confident in this hypothesis. I must also study their behavioral principles. Though they lack emotions, they do seem to have some intelligence. How to communicate with them?
It's just occurred to me: Could they be the darkness in people's hearts?
To study the Heartless behavior, I picked one out for observation. It wiggled its antennae and, as if sensing a target, headed deep into the castle. In the deepest part of the castle, its antennae began vibrating, as if searching for something. Suddenly, a strange door appeared. I'd never known of its existence.
It had a large keyhole, but didn't seem to be locked. So I opened the door. What I saw on the other side mystified me. What was that powerful mass of energy? That night I observed a great meteor shower in the sky. Could it be related to the door that I have opened?

Dawning Light

Ike speaks up this time bowing. " Of course your exellence. You see the heartless have wreaking havoc all across the worlds. We know they are being controlled by group that we are trying to take down. We came to this world because we believe one of these people to be Lu Bu who is conspiring with an evil entity named Nightmare. One minor controller that we encountered was the Hun Shan Yu. Our comrade Knuckles ended him permantenly. However he was only a minor controller. We need to take out the main controller to beat back the heartless."

Dawning light
"I had thought Shan-Yu long dead already. It worries me that he could return even after death." The emperor says, tapping his fingers against a table with a faint clicking sound. "I know of the mustering of the barbarians, however I did not suspect the Heartless had returned. Afterall, Sora sealed the Keyhole. Is it possible that it opened again on it's own?"
He doesn't mention Lu Bu just yet. He'll get to that after he takes care of these two problems.

Cloud Strife
Rather then play on his terms, Cloud took the iniatitive, launching an attack of his own. While the extra arms were an advantage, they were also a weakness. They got in the way, trapping him to take the same blows again. In short, while it took considerable skill to keep up with him, he was predictable. Swinging The Buster Sword with all the force he could muster into Gilgamesh's incoming blow, he moves at the last second, hitting below the hand guard and taking the handle. With a flick, he uses the leaverage to knock the weapon out of the warriors hand. Now down to four blades, Gilgamesh was losing his advantage at a fast rate, and Cloud wasn't even tired.

While Gilgamesh was on the defensive Cloud changes tactics once more, launching a sudden overwhelming barrage of blows, fighting using both weapons with equal skill and ambidexterous grace, leaving Gilgamesh barely able to keep up. When he starts to recover and keep up Cloud suddenly breaks off, backing off and stepping back. By keeping Gilgamesh reacting to his fighting style he would be unable to muster a sufficient defence or strategy, and therefore would lose.

Zelda
She has a promise to keep. Summoning the power of the Triforce of Wisdom, she attempts to read the markings tatooed on the immortal, tracing her finger over them in her attempt to understand them. She has never heard of the language, or seen it before, however the triforce usually allows her to learn anything without the need for a teacher. This includes dead languages.

Mewtwo
With a flick of his mind he takes apart the gun, reducing it to sepperate pieces and making it utterly useless. Do not threaten me. I require your serum that induces mutations and growth. Give it to me, and you will be spared.

Cloud Strife
Gilgamesh, forced into a reactionary force by trying to follow your tactics, follows after you, attempting to take back the offensive. He's breathing heavily, this fight is taking a lot out of him.

Zelda
You read the tatoos. They appear to be instructions detailing how to retrieve something from a place called the cave of wonders, a place far out in the dessert here. It's written in a strange pantemeter, and bits are left out or ruined by scars (and there are a lot of scars).
The first step seems to be see a peddler with a shop in the market, and take the two things he has for you.

Mewtwo
"Try again." he replies, his face dispasionate.

Mewtwo
Mentally picking him up, Mewtwo slams him against a wall, hard enough to dent it seriously, and makes his vertebrae creak painfully. I am quite serious. Give it to me, or I will rip the knowledge from your mind, then kill you.

Zelda
"They are instructions. It would seem we are in the right place afterall."

Cloud Strife
Perfect. As he does, Cloud leaps down, moving beneath his lashing blades and kicks him behind the knee, sending him staggering onto his knees. Before he can turn and take advantage of how open the SOLDIER left himself, Cloud is behind him, the blade of his massive sword resting at the side of his neck.
"You lose." He says. "Can't smile about this one." With that he hefts his blade, shoulders it, then turns to walk off the stadium.

Dawning Light

Knuckles speaks up. "Well if it helps he wasn't exactly human. He was some kind of monster. Not only was he able to take my punches, which can pulverize steal I'll have you know, but he also weakend my body just by breathing on me." Ventus then says, "As for the keyholes, my theory is that a powerful enough holder of darkness can erode the effect of the keyholes overtime. That or the sealed keyhole is unlocked by a huge imbalence between the forces of light and darkness."

Dawning Light, Double Dragon
"I see. That is a relief, surprisingly. I admit that I feared that a champion of darkness equal to the champions of light had arisen, capable of undoing what they achieved." He replies. Now that he says it, it makes a certain horrifying sense. Ventus in particular has a vision of Master Xehanort, and his keyblade. Could it be?
"And Lu Bu. I knew a warlord had arisen, as the first and third Imperial armies were defeated at the pass, and the remnants of the second fled. This Lu Bu, how fearsome is he?"

Dawning light

Xianghua responds, "I'm not sure, but he has to be pretty strong in order to get an all consuming demon like Nightmare to work with him, possibly serve him. If I had to guess I would say that he is at least 4 times as strong as Shan-Yu himself."

Dawning Light, Double Dragon
"I see. Then he is a monster indeed. One we do not understand. It would be best if we were to learn more of him before we try and fight him, do you not agree?"
Then he pauses. "Nightmare. Who is Nightmare?"

Cloud Strife
Gilgamesh gets to his feet, and his arms return into his body with an audible 'pop'. "I am bested." He says, lowering his head. "You are a great warrior indeed. Next time we meet, I will surpass you, and take that big sword." With that he extends a hand to shake.
Then he spots the new comer, and suddenly he's away. "I'm not going back to the Rift!"

Colosseum
"Wasn't that something? I could barely follow half of it." Phil said, to general cheers. "And the next fight promises to be just as spectacular. Exdeath, a magus of supreme darkness, born from a great evil sealed into a tree. Against Metaknight, leader of a mysterious order, and warrior beyond compare!"
Exdeath does not look like a warlock. He wears a sky blue suit of armor with a horned helmet, spiked shoulders, and a long blue cape. His helmet is topped with a two-ended plume and has a thin slot for his eyes, too thin to stick a blade through. His armor is decorated with jewels, gold trim, and beads, so ornementious that it looks more like a work of art then a practical gear for battle.
"I am the final close, the end of everything, the silence at the end of time. I am the void that consumes all, even, eventually me." He says, his voice strange and hollow, without inflection. It sounds like the creaking of a tree simulating human speech.

Mewtwo
"Don't count on it." He replies, glaring down at you. "My minds a fortress."

Metaknight
"I am hope." He replies, looking up at the knight shaped construct without any fear at all, his tiny hand drawing Galaxia and pointing it at the warlock. "And your joy in death is nothing but a hatred of life you are unable to feel. You are nothing but a jealous, empty monster. And if you are so eager to die, then perhaps I shall oblige you."

That said he advances, holding the sword in a two handed grip, his cape billowing behind him. Then he strikes, Galaxia leaving a glittering trail that slices through the air with the intention of bisecting the warlock. It was time to see if Exdeath could use that ridiculous sword he carried so proudly.

Nameless
He's shocked by the length of the instructions. "No wonder my back hurts; there's a damn novel written on it." Just the same, he's ecstatic to finally have some answers. "Where is this peddler?"

Metaknight
The warlock is obviously taken-aback by your reply. Though he has a humanoid form, he doesn't really understand humanity. He can't come to terms with things like love, hope and sacrifice. And so your declaration puts him off. "To the silent beyond!" He replies, then as the slash hits him, vanishes, reappearing into a circle behind you, bringing his blade up in both hands, then bringing it down on your back.

Nameless, Zelda
The Peddler turns out to be a very small man, with tanned skin, a thin, black goatee, and a rectangular mustache with a triangular gap at his philtum. His clothing is quite simple, consisting of a sky blue robe that reaches the floor, a faded red sash tied around his waist, and brown sandals. The most noticeable aspect of the Peddler's outfit is his ridiculously large, white turban, which is twice as big around as his own head, and he has the sort of smile that anybody would lend money to.
He has a small shop, more of a booth really, that is nestled between a similar stand stacked with fish, and another one stacked with fruit, both of which prove to be doing far better trade then him, though he does not seem worried by this in the slightest.
"Ah, Salaam and good evening to you worthy friend." He says, spreading his arms as he spots you. "Come closer, I have good news, yes. It was not easy, but..." He pulls what appears to be a bronze orb out of his sleeve. "I found it, yes. It's yours for the price we agreed on. Do not be fooled by it's common place appearance. Like so many things, it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts."

Cloud Strife
"That's more like it!" Phil says, stopping you as you return to your box. "Knew you was a one of a kind, since I first laid eyes on you. I reckon you'll give my boy hercules a real challenge."

Metaknight
A moment's shock, and then he reciprocates. The tiny figure is gone in a flash of night, his dark cape billowing around him as he cuts through space. He appears Exdeath, his cape having formed wide, batlike wings, flapping slowly to keep him in place. He strikes with his sword again, this time in an 'X'. The warlocks defenses were considerable, but Metaknight would wear him down.

Nameless
"Understood. Give it to me." He says, trying to conceal his general loss with the situation by being forthright and forceful.