Kingdom Hearts: To The Bitter End [Part One]

Nameless
Aladdin meets your gaze, though his face fell a little. He'd been expecting this, though he hadn't wanted to resort to it. "Because I know the location of something else. The Cave of Wonders. Trust me, there's more treasure in there then even you can dream. And that's the least of it. If you help me save Jasmine, and the sultan, I'll show you where it is."

Zhou Yu
Auron brings up the rear, moving even slower then you, but never falling too far behind. The journey seems to take forever, and you begin to despair of ever reaching the bottom when you notice the walls are tightening, becoming narrower, and you are compressed with less room to move, worming your way deeper. You are not claustrophobic, but it's enough to make anyone terrified of being trapped, unable to g on or go back, miles beneath the surface.

Zhou Yu
He takes a deep breath and calms his heart, his reason triumphing over instinct as was the virtue of the civilized man. His companion had been lost bellow, and he intended to find him, even if only to wish him farewell.

When he is confident again, he continues his descent, still careful, still patient. "So this is Hell?" He asks his new companion who seemed somewhat familiar with the caverns they now found themselves in. The Chinese had a lot of hells, he had no trouble believing he had stumbled into one.

Nameless
"Magic?" He asks, suddenly interested. The boy was not lying to him, though it stretched credulity to believe he lived like this when he had such treasures within his reach. There was obviously more to it then the boy was saying.

Zhou Yu
"No. Merely the harbor on the long journey that leads to the afterlife, though where the destination leads I do not know." I was trapped here for a time, caught up by my failure in regards to a very close friend, and I desired absolution. Had I let go of my Mortal life, I would have taken a journey on the river that leads to my final destination." He replies.
"The God tried to force me to execute his will, but I would not bow to his wishes, and so he tried to make me his slave. I was freed by a boy, and left to wander these halls. Then I met the ghost of a poet, Virgil, who told me of your need."

Nameless
"Yes, magic. Power beyond your wildest imaginings."

Nameless
"But beneath yours, apparently." He said pointedly, twitching his head to indicate Aladdin's clothes and slightly unkept appearance. He considered the offer, then finally shrugged his big, lop-sided shoulders. At the very least, he could use the treasure to trade for the bronze orb.
"Very well then. I agree, but on one condition." He does not name it. He would keep that in reserve to use later. "Lead the way."

Zhou Yu
"Interesting." He wondered who this Virgil was and how he knew about Vincent's plight, then decided it didn't really matter. If he was offered help, whatever the source, he would be wise to accept it.

Then he paused. "Would he have the knowledge of others who have passed through here?" He says, thinking of Sun Ce, his closest friend, now long gone. He doubted the young conqueror would have lingered in this place, no, his friend would have been welcomed into the Celestial Heavens, however he cannot suppress a yearning to see and speak to his closest friend once more, to fight by his side and speak of their dreams. The world was larger then either of them had imagined, and yet he felt that Sun Ce would not be swayed by the magnitude of the task. If anything, he would be inspired.

Sheik
She follows silently, footfalls making no sound, as she follows the two of them into the desert.

Cloud Strife
He had no words. His voice was in his sword.
Cloud's aura blazes a deep blue, extending almost a foot from his body and leaving a painful after-image burned into the retina. It was burning like fire, as his eyes blaze like miniature suns with the power of the Mako, the lifeforce of the planet. For a moment he holds, bringing the sword before him, then he streaks forward, thrusting the Buster sword forward in tremendous lunge to drive the point through the wall that was Garland.

Scrooge
When he hears the explosion, a vagrant gleam grows in his eye, and he turns, stepping infront of his nephews to see what was going on and protect them if needed. He draws one of the sandlewood revolvers on his hip in hands at a speed that would of shamed lightning.
This was more like it. Business and adventure at once.

Mew-Two
He exits his meditations to look out at the world they had come to.

Sora, Riku Kairi
Sora yawns and smacks his lips, extending his arms to stretch out his stiff shoulders and back, then blinks as he realizes where he is. He looks at Riku, whose still asleep. Riku looks a lot younger when he sleeps, all the cares and worries ease making him look his actual age. Then he looks over at Kairi, to find her sitting at the edge, dangling her feet over the abyss beyond.
"Hey Sora. Do you know where we are?"
Sora shrugs. "No idea. Never been here before."
"Oh. I kinda like it here."
"Yeah. I feel safe, you know?" He thumps his hand over his heart. "Like I'm protected, nothing can reach me here."
She nods. "Yeah. It's nice."
Sora looks around, trying to figure out the puzzle, then slams his forehead. "I totally forgot. I can fly!"

Riku, Sora, Kairi
The man on the horse, his eyes not as red but just as evil as the beast's, raised a hand towards Riku seemingly without even seeing him. The raising of the hand didn't seem to serve any purpose, but Riku knew that if he didn't get away he was as good as gone!
Riku's face froze with horror as he waited for something, anything, to end his life. He couldn't move and he couldn't run; fear had taken control of his entire body. He stood like a cornered hare realizing and awaiting its inevitable death…

You wake Riku up by shaking him, then fly up and out of the caverns, into the forrest above. The Deku Tree dwelled within an area of the Lost Woods surrounded by towering and rocky hills, a large meadow cut off from the rest of the forest. Ironically, the meadow was the highest point in the forest, thus metaphorically making the hills the walls to a stronghold protecting the Lost Wood's monarch and greatest treasure, the Deku Tree.
"Sp, empheral, you have come. I sense you have questions. I shall tell you what I may. In the vast, deep forest of Hyrule... Long have I served as the guardian spirit... I am known as the Deku Tree..."

Scrooge
You turn, amidst shrieking guests and the sound of splintering wood and tortured metal, to find yourself staring at the figure who just blew the right water-wheel off. He definitely stood out, even in the crowd that had come to the party dressed in outlandish costumes. He was dressed in what could only be described as a jester's uniform of garish reds, greens, whites, and yellows. The make-up on his face was clownish, and the smile seemed half-frozen on his face. His blond hair was tied in a ponytail out of his blue eyes, which were unsettlingly wide, and shining with the light of burning bridges. One glance at those eyes would tell you that this man is completely and irredeemably insane.
"Now that I have your attention," He shouts cheerfully, spinning in a little circle on the spot "I have an announcement." It's hard to keep track of him, the clothing is bad enough, but he just can't stay still, even for a moment. Instead he paces around meaninglessly, gesturing like a rabid stork. He raises both hands into the air, squeezes his fists and lowers his hands whenever he wants to make a point, his every action over the top. Even in the open air he feels too big, as though this world is confining him and he needs more space.
"I am here for the girl." he glances over, to where Siegfried has stepped in front of Charlotte and the other women and drawn his sword. The Knight does not look like he's messing around, and Soul Caliber gleams white in the light. Kefka's smile widens.
"O-ho-ho, so you know she's the one I'm after?" He says. "Well that saves time. Hand her over, and I'll stop... if not, well..." He extends a hand, laughs manically, and blows of the other wheel, sending a cloud of splinters into the air. "Delicious destruction! I'll drown you all like rats!"

"Unca' Scrooge!" Huey says, waving his book up in the air. "This is bad! My Junior Woodchuck Guidebook says that a steamboat that loses speed cannot remain buoyant and sinks, particularly if the structural integrity is damaged!"

Zhou Yu
You come to a cavern, deep beneath the earth, where a lazy vein of lava thicker then any river moves sluggishly along, giving the entire cavern an ambient glow. Stalagmites the size of trees break up the ground, and massive, shuffling figures can be seen making their way around the lava. They have small glowing yellow eyes which peer out of a massive red stone skull. In fact, their entire body is formed from chunks of red stone, even what appears to be a beard or mane. Their arms and legs are thick pillars of rock, and every inch is covered with molten veins.
Auron holds up a hand as he lands beside you. "Careful. They are hostile."

Terra
"Well, ain't that a bitch?" Hades is looking at you from across the corridor, smiling widely to reveal triangular teeth, sharp and white. "You survived, your friend killed my number two, and you got away. Good thing I got plenty of Irons in the fire, isn't it?"
He snaps his fingers, and a dark portal opens behind him, where a wasted figure steps out. Hades waves him over. "You want Beatrice? She's yours if you kill this chump for me. Do it slow." He says, then vanishes the way the man came, leaving you alone, facing him.
His face is handsome, beneath chain mail and a metal crown of thorns, and has sewn a crimson, cross shaped tapestry to his muscular chest, depicting events and sins of his past. Furthermore, he wrapped long, trailing, crimson lengths of material round his forearms, each with a small silver crucifix attached to the end.
He wears light armour on his arms, shoulders and thighs, and a leather holster on his back, of which houses an enormous scythe carved from what seems to be a spine lined with silver. A thick leather belt holsters another silver Cross.
Staring at you with mad eyes, he reaches for the weapon. "You shall not keep me from my love!" he yells, swinging it at you in a vicious blow, the spine extending to close the intervening distance.

Cloud
There is a screech and sparks trail along the ground as Garland spins forward in a circle, his blade smashing into yours with incredible force, parrying the blow. He strains against you a moment, then sends you hrtling back as he stomps forward, mdragging his sword again. He's stronger then you expected. Much stronger then he has any right to be.

Mickey
Another explosion rocks the ship, sending you flying to one side. Whatever it is, it's threatening to rip the entire ship apart. Tiana is sent sprawling, hitting her head on the wall, and Naveen vanishes with a long, drawn-out croak.

Terra
He raises an eyebrow, then sinks into an open stance, a light shining as he summons his keyblade, Chaos Ripper, that materializes in his hand, then takes it in two, his entire musculature a coiled spring ready to strike. "Who says you're able to?" He rumbled, exactly like the earth he was named for.

He batted the thrust of the scythe aside with contemptuous ease and began advancing, slowly and patiently. He was slightly unsteady after the beating the Ghost of Sparta had given him, his neck livid with burns and his right arm stiff, but just the same he seemed to tower over the Crusader. "Try again."

Zhou Yu
"I never would have guessed." He notes sarcastically, staring out at the giants, then at the lava. He had to cross that somehow. He had no idea how, he supposed he'd have to improvise a bridge.

Dawning Light

Fayt seeing their chance takes a deep breath before he exclaims, "Hang on everybody!" He then angles the ship upward and flies into the opening in the ship. Fayt then barks out orders, "Xianghua I want a scan of this ship pronto. We need to find the core and put it out of commission." Xianghua nods as she replies, "On it!" Ike responds not to long after, "The warp drive has reached 65% retreat is an option now if it is needed." Fayt responds, "Good, keep charging just in case if this thing starts falling apart like I think it will after we hit the core we're going to need a gravitic warp jump." Ven and Knuckles pepper the insides of the ship with quantum torpedo rounds while the conversation goes on.

Dawning Light
You destroy several enemy ships, blowing them through pieces as you slip between two tight walls of nothing, then jolt directly up to avoid an imposing wall of the white material. You then smash against it, sending up multi-colored sparks and a grind of steel, and then slip through a crack.
You're inside the corridores of the Dreadnaught, the ship as terrifying and imposing from inside. The corridors alone are enough to navigate your ship, though the defences make it hard. Streams of cold and fire seek you out with unerring aim, monsterous heartless smash at you, and other, worse things as you make your way lower, towards the center, where a massive orb like the keystone of Light can be seen. You'll have to find some way to destroy that.

Terra
"You cannot stop me. I will not be denied!" He yells, bringing his scythe around in a whirlwind of steel and bone. A scythe was a hard weapon to defend against, although given it's shape an balance left plenty of openings. But Dante was skilled, and strong, and had a screaming fanatical fervor in his eyes that lent him the strength of madness.
“I will kill you, and then Beatrice will be mine again!” He yells, forcing you back as his strikes grow in power and speed, leaving silver trails behind.

Realm of Darkness
Fading. He was fading away.
There was no pain to be felt, mentally or physically.
He knew that he was disappearing into nothingness. He could see the black tendrils of darkness licking at his body, greedily claiming him for their own.
His conscious was fading. It wouldn't be long before he completely vanished. He closed his eyes. He was falling for a very long time, through flashes of light and darkness and great rushing winds. And then he came to a stop.

Small wisps of flames danced upon the black sand beneath the empty sky, swirling about until they were smothered by the tide that lapped gently against the shore, extinguishing them with a wisp of steam and a slight hiss.
The figure who had tossed it had long, spiky, bright red hair and brilliant green eyes, purple upside down teardrops underneath. He was young, with warm, crumpled clothes that had been hard worn and a . The redhead collected another small fireball in his palm and hurled it into the darkened sky. It somewhat exploded, fiery embers falling through the air.
"Do you have to do that?" No scar between his yellow eyes, pointed ears and shorter hair. His face has smoothed, unscarred by battle and young again. He was himself, Isa, dressed in blue and not yet a man.
It was strange, sitting here like this. They had their hearts back, but trapped as they were in the realm they'd fade and be gone. "Something more important to do?" he asks, giving a small smile (he wondered if he'd ever smile like he had before) and summoning another fireball.
Isa paused, tapping his fingers together, and looked around again. Black sand. Strange, twisting shapes, smooth as glass and looking like coral. Beyond that, nothing. Nothing but the waves of the still, silent ocean, the still air, and the silence. "Good point." He conceded, then fell silent. That was Isa. Never say a word if silence would do.
They were in the Realm of Darkness. The deepest darkness imaginable, but not threatening darkness. Rather the darkness of your room in your bed. they feel safe, secure and at peace sitting there, without a care in the world. Time didn’t really seem to pass here. It simply was.
Growing tired, he stops meddling with fire and turns to look at the boy who had once been his closest friend. He had so much to say. It wouldn't last long, without the Organization robes. The cloak was specifically tailored to protect the wearer from the effects of prolonged exposure to the Darkness. Without it, you'd slowly fade away, until you just melded with the darkness and vanished. Not become a Heartless or Nobody or anything like that, just the darkness itself. Already, Axel was fading, memories becoming snatches, snatches becoming impressions. Soon there'd be nothing at all.
"So what happened?"
"So much for 'got it memorized'." Isa said softly. That was just like him. Even when he does say something, it's usually some smart-ass remark. Then he shrugs. "The boy with the keyblade defeated me, along with the others. Last I saw, he was going to confront Xenmas." It felt strange using his name. But he didn't know what else to call him?
"And then what happened?" Lea pressed, wanting to hear more.
"I don't know." Isa said, shrugging. “I woke up here, myself again.”
"Do you think..." He taps his chest. "Do you think he lost?” Isa didn’t have to ask who he meant. “Do you think Xenmas pulled it off, and got our hearts back? Our bodies are trapped in darkness, but with our hearts released they found their way to us..."
"I suppose." Isa replied. He hadn't felt emotion in a long time, so he almost didn't know how to deal with the gnawing feeling in his chest, but he hoped that Lea's idea wasn't right. “Do you think the others are here as well?”
Lea paused, then nodded. “Yeah, I guess they would be, if we are. What do you think they’re up to?”
“Can’t say I care.” Isa replied. He opened his mouth, then closed it, and went back to looking up at the sky. No clouds, no stars, no moon (he felt something stir as he imagined a silvery orb) nothing but darkness.
Le shook his head. "You're so different now. I mean, would it kill ya to laugh at least once? Yeah, I know a lot of things went on, I'd be stupid to say nothing has changed, but why can't you be for even a minute how you used to?" ”I couldn’t live with myself if I did.” Isa replied softly.
“C’mon, smile! Be witty!” He leapt over and grabbed Isa’s face, forcing the corners up to something that could generously be called a smile. “That wasn’t you, alright? Now you got your heart back, which is what you wanted. Why aren’t you happy?”
“I’m sorry, Lea.” Isa said. “For everything. I’m sorry I hurt you, I’m sorry about…”
“Yeah, yeah, forget it. I don’t want to listen.” Lea said. “You’re supposed to be my friend.”
“It doesn’t look like I have much choice.”
“Nope. You’re stuck with me.”

Terra
He steps back and slams his right arm to his left shoulder, which began to glow brilliantly as it activated. The glow spreads, a deep red pulse masking his entire body until only a silhouette remains, then suddenly fades. Terra is encased from head to toe in armor, mostly in shades of dark brown, gold, and red. Dull orange lines decorate it, and a navy-blue cape hangs from his shoulders, twitching in an appropriate, dramatic breeze. He is crowned with a dark-visored helmet sporting two tall, red prongs on either side, and his keyblade is pressed to the ground. He straightens slowly, pointing the blade at the Templar, then advances.

"I pity you." his voice rings hollowly beneath his helmet, as he shakes his head. "Your life is empty. You have given in to darkness, and believe that by serving it, it will leave you, when you only lower yourself. I'm a peacekeeper, not a tyrant. I would prefer to leave you to your own. But you have forced my hand." There is a streak of light, and he knocks aside the staff, stepping a foot from the templar, and slapping his lantern jaw with the back of his armored gauntlet, sending him staggering.

But Terra doesn't press the attack. He just holds his ground, Keyblade in hand. "You have to be strong, to carry yourself, but stregnth of body is nothing without stregnth of heart. This will prove nothing. Don't try to fight me."

Zhou Yu
When Auron doesn't reply, he looks again at the magma. A man would be a fool to try to leap across it, even a bridge would burn one to a crisp. There had to be some other way. He paused, then looked at the giants again, wishing he could simply ask them, but dismissed it as foolish. Then he got to his feet, and stretched, his muscles sore from their descent.

"I'm taking a little walk." He said to Auron, getting to his feet and walking nonchallantly across the cavern towards the lava.

Emperor
Matius was sitting on a low hill, looking up at the stars, a long, pale finger stroking his chin. To most people it was nothing but points of light, or maybe abstract patterns if one took the time to look hard enough. But when he looked up into the veil of night, he tried to sense the movement of creation, a reflection of the totality of existence. So many lights, each a world, a point of light. And yet, sufficiently strong hearts had a light of their own.
Did the stars and constellations relate at all to what happened here within the bounds of the world? Were the constellations really harbingers of universal will, or just someone's fanciful imagination at work?
He didn't know for sure. And he loathed that. He loathed anything beyond his control.
He looked up, seeking the star he could always, unerringly find. A bright star at his left was the star of his house, or so a Wise man had confided him before he choked the life out of the old man and beat out his brains on the walls of the palace. It was his sign in the Heavens. As the fortunes of his house rose, it would blaze all the brighter, and were he weaken it would fade, until the house died with him (for he would have no heir) and the star fell at long last. He liked looking up at it. As long as it blazed as brilliantly as it did now, he knew all was well. For there was light in his heart as much as Darkness, he knew that for certain.
The stars. So brilliant, so bright, so distant. But within his reach. And one day, there would be but one star in the heavens. He meant to see to it.

Zhou Yu
The giant turns, it's fiery eyes narrowing, with a grating sound, and then, with a lumbering, ponderous movement, lifts it's leg to begin making it's way towards you, mouth tightening in a tremendous glare. It brings it's foot down, the entire cavern shaking beneath it's heavy tread, then lifts it's other leg, making it's way towards you.

Terra
Dante staggers as you hit him, but he's strong and it does little bar humiliate him. Admittedly that was your intention, but just the same he's more dangerous when he's mad.
"NO!" He yells, slamming his shoulder into your midsection and sending you staggering back, then slashing at you with the scythe, forcing you on the defensive again. "You will not keep her from me. I don't know what temptation you offer, but I will not allow her to suffer for my sins!"

Terra
"It's not for us to decide the consequences." He replies, slipping past his guard and slapping Dante again, then stepping back before he can counter-attack. "That's why we don't give ourselves to darkness in the first place. The price is always too much. I count myself lucky to have learned that."

He dodges another swing and slaps him again. He's pointedly not landing any blows. It demonstrates his superiority far more effectively to hold back. "I'm not going to fight you. You will survive, and are either going to end up poisoning yourself in black depression or writing poems about how lonely you are. But you've paid the price. You'll never get her back, because I won't let you kill me."

He reaches up and removes his helmet, to reveal deep brown eyes, clear and defiant, not without compassion or empathy, but without weakness or any give in them whatsoever. "Deal with it."

Dawning Light

Xianghua looks up exited as she calls out, "Fayt I think that's the core!" Ike nods, "Indeed it is, but how are we going to damage it let alone destroy it," He asks levelly. Fayt then responds in kind, "We'll have to use the Creation Cannon. The Creation Energy that the cannon fires should be enough." Xianghua then speaks out, "Umm Fayt? I'm doing a scan on this thing and although the Creation energy that your world discovered is powerful but I don't know if it's enough to destroy that core." Fayt gives a small smirk," Why do you think I built an interface device into this ship?" He then barks out orders. Ventus, Knuckles fire the Creation Cannon!" With a quick "Yessir" from both of them they start up the cannon. The front of the shit splits in half, much like the front of the Egg Carrier, and the cannon charges energy. Fayt then hits a few buttons on the dashboard before it flips over to reveal to orb-like conduits. Placing his hands on both of them he starts channeling the power of destruction that he has used so many times before and combines it with the creation energy in the cannon. His eyes glow as he says, "Take this.," the canon then fires.

Terra
For a moment, you thought you might have broken through. He steps back, eyes wide, then they fill with a desperate iron resolve. "No! I will not let her suffer for my sins! I will destroy you, even if it only drag me deeper into perdition. I must. For her."
Letting go of the scythe with his right hand, he removes the silver cross from the loop in his belt and brandishes it before him, the relic glowing white with brilliant light. The conviction returns, and he channels it into an explosion of energy that sends you staggering back to crash into the cavern wall. White Magic. Just as harmful as Black Magic, in the right hands.
Before you can recover, he's on you, swinging his scythe with the intention of bisecting you, a fleck of foam on the corner of his lips.

Dawning Light
The ship pours out a column of energy so raw, so stark, so incomprehensibly violent that it had to be seen to be even dimly appreciated, blazing a hot trail through the interior of the ship and smashing into the core, tearing it violently to pieces and releasing a wave of power that begins to fill the interior, vaporizing everything it touches.
To use the vernacular, she's going to blow.

Terra
Terra staggered against the wall, hitting it with considerable force and leaning against it to remain upright. He shook his head, then looked up to see the descending scythe, and realized there was no time to dodge. Wincing, he slammed his hand against the wall and the entire cavern shook as he dipped into the well at his heart and used his magic. Boulders the size of his torso began raining around the mad Templar, ejected with tremendous force and forcing him back, as Terra shook away the daze.

"You cannot wash away darkness with more darkness, no matter how much you try. Believe me, I know." He says, though he knows now there is only one way this is going to end. "You're strong, but not strong enough to crush me. Walk away. Don't let Hades make you think he owns you, you can still escape this." But when Dante only charges again, the scythe coming at him in a terrible arc, he sighs and hangs his head in defeat.

"Very well." He takes his keyblade in both hands. His limbs felt as light as air, his reaction time bordering on prescient. In his opponent's eyes he could see his intent before he even acted. Coming at him like a bolt of lightning, he easily swatted aside the desperate sweeps of the scythe and broke through the determined guard, planting a single blow across his midsection, feeling muscle and bone give way, right across the red cross the man had sewn.

For a moment, he stands there, then lowers the blade and takes two steps away as the body of the Templar falls in a bloody heap. Terra turns, sorrowful at the death of the man, then takes the scythe, strapping it to his back, and, on consideration, the cross as well, hanging it around his neck. Then he pauses. Going beneath the earth seemed, on reflection, a poor choice. He had no guide and no way of finding his companions. He could become lost, to wander these caverns for eternity. Furthermore, Hades was up to something up there, and he meant to stop, whatever it was. Perhaps he could find news of his friends while he was here. Or maybe Zack, he'd liked that boy. The matter decided (for now, at least) he returned his armor to it's dormant state, and began making his way towards the surface, only to stumble on the corpse of Demios. For a long moment he considered just stepping over and continuing, but then he shook his head and bent down, handing the Spartan a healing potion.

"Use your second chance better." he says, and continued up towards the Colosseum. It was nearly time for his next fight.

Dawning Light

"SHE'S GONNA BLOW!," Knuckles shouts as the structure of the ship starts to give way. Fayt then says, "Ike how's it coming?" Ike then responds with relief, "Gravitic warp is at 100% we're ready to warp," it is then Fayt's turn to grin as he yells out, "ALRIGHT THEN, activate gravitic warp, cause we are outta here!" With a few quick adjustments and entering the command for warp the ship glows for a second. It then seems to zoom forward and disappear just before it hits one of the ships walls.

Ventus
You land the ship outside the colosseum, noting how much it has changed. When you were last here, Hercules was still training and making a name for himself. Now he's at the top of his game, and the best he's ever been in. A tournament is being held, the best fighters from this and any other world coming to put on a show, and the place is full to bursting with watchers and well-wishers. Already, most of the contestants have been eliminated, with eight remaining, and Ventus feels his heart leap when he sees Terra is on the lists (other then Hercules, he doesn't recognize the other names). Knuckles, meanwhile, can sense the emerald everywhere. All the contestants have pieces, it would seem. Xianghua spots Heishiro Mitsurugi, the samurai she knew from her own world who had relentlessly sought Soul Edge and made battle with the strongest warriors he could find, and Marth spots The Halberd, the imposing flagship of Metaknight, who had offered Marth a lift.

ExDeath
"And so it ends, as all will." He says calmly as the ship rocks from the cataclysmic forces tearing it apart, the nothing he dragged into the world rampaging out of control and dragging all out of the universe and into the emptiness between the cracks.
Then he fades, dragged away.

Terra
As you emerge from the cracks and make your way back up to the Colosseum, you spot a face you certainly didn't expect. It's Ventus, with four other's you don't recognize.

Terra
The time as a host for Xehanort had not been kind to the figure who had once been Ventus's role-model. His hair had turned stak white, and there was a tiredness in the eyes that had once gleamed so brightly. he was quieter, and more thoughtful, and though his body hadn't changed he was ancient in spirit. The massive silver crucifix dangling around his neck is new, as is the bone and steel scythe he has strapped to his back (that looks rather vicious, if you say so yourself).

But when he sees you, he smiles warmly and jogs over. "Ven?" He says, sounding almost disbelieving, then smiles warmly. "Ven!"

Dawning Light

Ventus abruptly turns at hearing his name called out in a world that no one should know him in. Then he recognizes the voice and the person running towards him. He looked different sure, but one look into his eyes and Ventus could tell that the person that he would gladly call his brother was back. He runs forward towards Terra to envelope him in a grand hug, "Terra!" Fayt follows to make sure nothing happens to Ven in this place. He can tell that while there are some good people here there were some rather unsavory characters as well.

Xianghua meanwhile walks over calmly to Mitsurugi before giving a respectful bow. "Mitsurugi, I trust you are well? Last I saw you were still on the quest to find and try to take control of Soul Edge as it's wielder. Seeing as you are here I should hope that this means that you have decided that it is not worthwhile endeavor?" She hopes desperately that he has given up his search for Soul Edge. After all competition while trying to find all of the pieces of Soul Edge would not be good. Especially if it was Mitsurugi.

Ike chooses to follow Ventus and Fayt at least for now. He wanted to see how Marth was doing and why he was here, but he had a job to do first. While it seemed cold Ike had left Marth in the capable hands of that Metaknight character. While he was not sure it he was trustworthy or not he was sure he followed the code of the warrior and he did promise himself that he would allow Marth to stand on his own two feet. Marth was a prince after all, and a prince who cannot lead is but a figure head. If he kept helping Marth to much instead of letting Marth help himself, that's all he would become.

Knuckles meanwhile is looking wildly all over the place. So many pieces of his emerald, all held by every grubby competitor who could get his hands on one. His temper was approaching danger levels before he managed to tone it down just a little. However that meant that he wasn't going to play mister nice guy. These guys wanted to come here for fights? Oh he would give em a fight alright. Walking up to the nearest guy taps him on the small of his back as he says, "Hey you, I'm challenging you right here right now. You see you have something that belongs to me. So I'm challenging you to a fight for that emerald piece that you got for entering this damn tournament or you could just hand it over now and save yourself a world of hurt. The choice is yours."

Terra
He laughs, wrapping his strong arms around his friends shoulders. They'd been close, it was good to know they still were. "You're getting taller." He notes when he lets him go and steps back. "You'll be my height soon enough."

He laughs again, and starts walking over towards the entrance. "So who is this?" He asks, glancing at Fayt. He is a terrible judge of character so he's decided to wait before he comes to any conclusions about the boy.

Ventus, Fayt

Ventus turns as he says, "Oh this is Fayt, soon to be keyblade wielder." Fayt scratches the back of his head in a sheepish embarrassed manner. "Aw Ven, I only just became a wielder from visiting Yen Sid. I Haven't even materialized my keyblade. Mind you it hasn't been long since I just got the key that will become my keyblade." Ventus then smiles as he says, "Yeah but Yen Sid clearly likes you. I think that he thinks you've got real potential." With a small chuckle he turns towards Terra. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Fayt Liengod a Resident of the Star Ocean world. Unfortunately because of our tech we were targeted first, and hard. In fact it's thanks to Ven, here that I'm even alive. I owe him my life. Any friend of Ven is a friend of mine. It's nice to finally meet you Terra, Ventus never stops talking about you." After he says all of this he gives a bow and sticks out his hand for a handshake a big smile on his face.

Terra
He takes you offered hand in a firm grip and shakes. You brace yourself for bone-crushing force, and are surprised when he's almost gentle. He's quite concious of his stregnth, and doesn't want to hurt you. He even offers a small smile. You quickly see why Ventus admired him. He's likeable, in his own way, and more then that, he's almost exactly the sort of young man you can see him wanting to grow into.

"Yeah, that does sound like Ven." He says, stretching his arms. "Star Ocean? I've never been there, though I wish I had. It's a big multiverse, afterall." He pauses, deciding not to consider why they chose that as a target of opportunity. His enemies seldom did anything without a reason. "So how did he save you? That sounds like the sort of thing he'll get all bashful about."

Ventus, Fayt

Ventus scratches his head as he says, "Actually it was mostly luck on both our parts." Fayt continues, "I had to flee from my world along with many others from my world in escape pods. My pod was knocked off course from the nearest world. I just drifted endlessly through space. Eventually Ventus found me as he was passing through. It was a good thing he did, because after nine days the oxygen was starting thin out. If I had been in there one more day I would have died from oxygen deprivation." Ventus nods as he says, "Yeah, it wasn't some daring rescue or something. It was just Fayt lucking out mostly. However it was a blessing as Fayt is an awesome fighter. Truth be told we've run into a few battles that if I didn't have Fayt there I would have lost. As a keyblade wielder I'm sure he'll only be twice a strong." Fayt then reprimands him, "Stop your embarrassing me."

Knuckles
A massive figure turns as you put your hand on his companions shoulder, and you can't help but gulp. Beneath massive brows are eyes like that of a phoenix, and he's nearly three meters tall, with a long silken black beard that stretches down to his waist. He's not glaring, but he's the sort of man who makes any sort of challenge wither on the lips.
And that's the least of it. As he turns, his motions were flawless. His body was huge and powerful, but without enough bulk to slow him down. Every muscle moved with a serpentine grace and was like a coiled spring, ready to strike.
On the other side of the figure, another man turns. He's as tall as the man currently facing you, but with none of the elegance or purity of design, which is not to say he doesn't look just as dangerous in his own way. He's simply enormous, a veritable mountain of physical power, who's every movement ripples as his muscles flex. His panther-face is set in a tremendous frown, his huge round eyes are narrowed dangerously, and he has heavy cheeks, thick with whiskers resembling that of a tiger's, and with a booming voice that thundered as it rang.
Then the man who you grabbed turns. Unlike his two companions, who are dressed in period clothing that puts you in mind of that the people wore in The Land of Dragons, he's wearing a well pressed and tailored, if slightly old-fashioned green suit that emphasises his razor sharp good looks, and his face is more hawklike, smooth and fine. He inclines his head, the epitome of politeness, and gives you a benevolent smile. "My name is Liu Bei." He says courteously. "Who might I have the honor of addressing?"

Xianghua
The samurai turns to face you, a straw hat held low over his face. He moved with neither grace nor humility, but purpose and courage. Let's get this done, his pose said. When he's faced you for a moment, he removes the hat and tosses it aside. His face has cheekbones you could shave with, a frown that had a sort of fierce joy and bloodlust and a smattering of stubble. His traditional clothing is colorful and loose, to allow greater movement, and there is an intense light in his eyes that does not look at all stable. His long, coarse hair is drawn back in a warriors pony tail, and he carries himself with the sort of surety that is deeply unsettling.
Mitsurugi holds still as you move and speak, then gives you the slightest of nods as he recognizes you, by his estimation an incredible sign of the estimation he holds you in, then pushes back his hakama to reveal a pair of ordinary swords, if beautiful examples of the art. "I found it, but it served me poorly. It is not the weapon that determines the worth of the weilder, but the warrior." He replies the bark of a challenge in his voice, then his frown quirks into something like a smile.
"I take it you are fighting then? This conflict is too tame to be a fight, the contestants hold back too much to be a real test. It is an insult to themselves and their spirits as warriors. I desire to match my heart and soul with my opponent, where I must strain with the entirety of my essence. That's my dream. If you do fight me, I will give you that, and you had best give me the same thing." He thumbs his sword once, then walks away, towards another figure.
He has the look of a fellow samurai, though his armor is of European make, and with adorments of a powerful noble, albeit one who is no stranger to combat himself. He's tall and handsome, and something about him suggests darkness, perhaps his slightly gant feartures, his beard, or the darkness of his eyes. Seeing you look at him, he smiles, gives you the nod Mitsarugi just did, then turns and walks away. A single black feather falls slowly to the ground as he sweeps his cape aside.

Nameless, Shiek
The sun beat down on the three of you with a fury that knew no respite. You had been walking for a very long time, and your water supply had long since run out. Without horses or cammels the going was slow and the wind gave no respite blowing up sand and coating you with grit, while the sun burned your exposed skin. You've long since lost your way, and can see only endless stretches of the ever-present sand and rock.
After seemingly forever, the boy stops at a dune seemingly indestinguishable from any other, and rests in the shade. "We need to wait for night."

Terra
"Good for you then. I've had a few trials myself." he replies, hand unconsciously straying to the crucifix. "So what are you doing here? I came here with a few companions myself to get us working as a team..." he paused as he realized he didn't have anybody at hand to introduce, and worry fluttered in his chest, but he squashed it. Zhou Yu was the deadliest man he'd ever met and smarter then most, and Vincent could look after himself. He had to trust them to do their job, and he would do his.


"... And it looks like Hades has some sort of plan. We're working on bringing it up and stopping whatever he has planned. Speaking of which, it looks like I need a partner for my next fight. Up for it?"