#naude lucem

[orangemoonxworks]

COR REGNUM // DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — VI WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -------------------------------------------------

There was something strange happening in the sky above Seventh District. The gentle afternoon breeze transformed into sweeping gusts of wind that pushed through Fountain Square. Blackened ash-like clouds formed above Fountain Square, catching everyone’s attention. Muffled rumblings and crackles rang out. Amica quickly sat up and stared at the sky.

Nōs’s hands limply dangled, and their eyes widened. “What’s…going on?”

Amica’s fists clenched. “Dunno. But I’m getting a bad feeling.”

“The sky was normal a moment ago, right? And now this…”

“Hmm. A storm wasn’t on the forecast today. Could be some sort of air pollution?”

“It’s definitely not that. The academy’s strict about that.” Nōs replied, their gaze unbroken. “There’s a barrier over the district that snuffs out contaminants and blocks radiation. Not only that but you know those small translucent cubes we always see around? They periodically purify the air here.”

“Huh.” Amica gently rubbed her neck. “Guess that’s why it feels easier to breathe here.”

“That’s beside the point. This is…something else.”

An ear-splitting crack rang out and, as if being ripped apart, the black ash clouds dispersed revealing a blood red sky with black miasma spread in the air. What lay in the sky was something that defied all logic and even physics. There was a tear or rather a huge spatial rift. But that wasn’t what caused everyone to collectively freeze – it was the giant, monstrous dark claws clutching the edges of the rift, followed by a thunderous roar. It was only after that everyone began to panic and scatter.

Amica quickly hopped off the fountain’s edge then grabbed Nos’s arm, yanking and dragging along while they ran alongside the panicked students. “Stop spacing out, damn it! Let’s go!”

Nos couldn’t turn away from it. “That’s…that’s a…”

The giant beast pulled its head and most of its torso through the spatial rift, having ripped it open wide enough to do so. It’s wild tentacle hair blew with the strong winds, it’s golden yellow beady-eyes glowed, distinct from its rugged, muscular, and obsidian-ish body. The beast ferociously roared again. The ground violently shook. It was a calling. Hundreds of smaller spatial rifts appeared over Fountain Square. Many dark creatures – Shadows, leapt and fell from them, crashing onto the ground below, then chasing after and attacking any and everyone in sight. Chaos quickly ensued.

Shadows crave light and aether. Heart crystals are a crystalized mass of both, and since there were so many people in Fountain Square, this was a bountiful feast for them. Neither Nos nor Amica could avoid the horrifying scenes playing out. Bodies slashed and ripped apart. The screams of agony as their heart crystals were violently snatched, watching them be ravenously devoured as their life faded, and light of their souls vanish from them.

Nos clenched their fists and grit their teeth. They pulled away from Amica, stopping with their feet planted firm to the ground, then summoned their keyblade. Amica twisted her body then came, keeping her balance, slowed her steps until she came to a halt.

“H-Hey! What are you doing?!”

“What does it look like?” Nos answered, running toward a shadow and slashing it across the head. Its body dispersed into darkness. “We have to do something!”

“Are you out of your mind?!”

“We’re students of Union Cross!” Nos shouted, cutting through a Shadow that lunged at them, claws outstretched and fangs ready. “It’s our duty to help in a crisis!”

Amica loudly grunted. “You don’t seriously think we can –”

Before she could finish, something large crashed down onto Fountain of Knowledge sending chunks of debris and water everywhere, followed by an earth splitting quake. Neither Nos nor Amica could hold their ground and were blown back. Amica angled herself and spread her arms, letting her feet float and glide smoothly above the ground until her shoes grazed the pavement and she came to a stop. Unfortunately for Nos, they zipped past her and slammed back-first into a wall, and all the air in their lungs rushed out. The wall instantly crumbled.

Amica looked over her shoulder and shouted “Shit! Are you okay!?”

After regaining consciousness, Nos looked at what was once the Fountain of Knowledge now crushed underneath the monstrous Shadow. Amica slowly turned her head, anxiously staring at the shadow as it struggled getting to its feet. Amica’s right hand twitched, and a keyblade appeared in her grasp. Neither her nor Nos could avert the shadow’s fierce presence and, despite how insignificant and small they were in the eyes of the beast, it couldn’t not acknowledge the aura of their keyblades.

And so, the shadow raised its right arm then spread its claws. Its hand swung down fast enough for wind to shoot upward. Amica jumped back before the shadows hand struck the ground, shielding her face from the oncoming debris, and sliding to stop after landing. Nos, finally back on their feet, rushed to her side. The shadow pulled its arm back then raised the other. A small stream of darkness swirled within its palm, forming an orb with a thick fog of darkness and corrupted aether at its core that rapidly vibrated and swelled in size. It didn’t take long for it to implode, sending out a shockwave of darkness. A barrier of darkness fused with aether enveloped the entirety of Fountain Square.

They were trapped.

Amica sucked her teeth. “Damn it! Screw my rotten luck. Too late to run now.”

“Hey! Watch out!”

Nos grabbed her hand and they both jumped. The shadow’s giant claw swept below them followed by a heavy wave of wind carrying dirt, stone, and glass. Its claws ripped up the ground and tore through the faces of the buildings nearby. The wind wave swept up the two students though briefly – they landed in front of destroyed boutique a short distance from where they were. A faint red light flashed in the corner of Nos’s eye. Looking to the side, they saw a hand clutching an emblem. It was a Lux Unitas emblem, and it belonged to the Guardian whose body lay sprawled out in a puddle of blood.

Unfortunately, this was no time to mourn. The shadow had stretched its arm again and raking its opened claw through the ground, sweeping up dirt and stone in its path. With a quick flick of the wrist, its claw dug deep and swept up, pulling up a wave of debris that blew toward the. Both split and dashed off in opposite directions, narrowly avoiding wave of debris that buried the boutique. The shadow belted an ear-splitting roar. Despite the shadow’s efforts, the two students were still alive. A relentless onslaught of swipes, smashes, and punches quickly followed – all of which they narrowly avoided with few scratches and bruises. Seeing its efforts still going to waste, the rampaging shadow abruptly stopped.

Amica and Nos took this small window to catch a breath.

“I don’t…I don’t know if we can…keep this up…for much longer.” Amica panted.

“W-We just have to…do our best to…to survive. Someone…someone’s going to come.”

“F-Fat chance…of that happening. We’re t-trapped…like rats.”

“As long as we have this…we can still…have hope.”

Amica’s eyes shifted down to the red blinking emblem in their hand.

“When did you –”

Their brief rest was interrupted – not by another deafening roar or attack, but by the sight of aether being siphoned and drawn toward the swirling darkness in the shadow’s palms above its head. It was a growing mass of aether and darkness that when mixed together created dark energy – Nether. And with the amount it was creating, it was scarily obvious what was going to happen.

“Augh! Are you frickin’ kidding me?! Don’t tell me that thing’s –”

Nos readied their keyblade. “We have to try and stall it till help comes!”

“As if we can do jack shit! Damn it!” Amica shouted. She rolled up the sleeve of her right arm then tightened the grip on her keyblade. “Someone better respond to that signal or else we’re dead.”

-------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

KINGDOM HEARTS: DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — V WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -------------------------------------------------

Ava quietly sighed as she went through the stack of paperwork piled in front of her. The strong winds brushing against the large windows behind her were washed out by the thickness of the glass and the barriers that surrounded the Vulpes Unionis Praetoria. Of course, this was necessary given that the Grandmaster’s chambers were always at the highest point of these towers. Despite it being nearly silent, the ringing afternoon bells from the Seventh district’s clock towers, though faint, managed to get through.

Ava’s gaze slowly rose from the papers and, with rapid swiftness, swept her left land out and summoned her keyblade though partially – the bladed half was lodged inside a spatial rift. She turned the keyblade sideways. Golden chains quickly sprang from the multiple spatial rifts that opened around the room, all of which seemed to be striking down at something on the move, piercing through the floor. The chains ceased after reaching the vicinity of her desk.

Ava’s eyes narrowed. Her keyblade vanished from her right hand along with the spatial rift then appeared in the left. She swung the keyblade right, quickly coming to a full stop as if time had frozen. Something cracked. The barrier concealing the perpetrator shattered like glass to the floor revealing Gula slightly leaning back with his hands up. The tip of her keyblade was less than a hair from his neck. He nervously chuckled. A ray of light sprang up from the floor fully illuminating Gula. It happened in a flash – a light bream shot up from a spatial rift that appeared beneath him which then crashed through the ceiling, burning a gaping hole through it.

Luckily for Gula, he managed to evade it though narrowly, quick stepping away. He reappeared in front of her desk then frowned. “Someone’s not in a good mood today.”

“What do you want?” she asked straight away.

“What, I can’t visit a friend?”

Another spatial rift appeared though this time above his head. It was slightly larger than the others, and light was glowing from inside. Ava’s glare, like a sharpened blade, pierced deeply into his soul. “Out with it. I won’t miss.”

“All right, all right. Geez. You used to be so much nicer.” Gula sighed then continued. “I genuinely want to check in on you. I mean, you did cause quite a stir during our meeting earlier.”

“And whose fault is that? Those were your words, not mine.” Ava replied sharply.

“But you delivered them so well. Might’ve flubbed a little here and there but I couldn’t have said it any better myself. Everyone reacted just as expected – well, all except for one. You deviated from the script.”

Ava’s eyes narrowed. “You asked for my help, and I gave it to you. Next time, do it yourself.”

“You know I can’t do that. Like you, I’m still working on the mission the Master gave me. And I’m nowhere close to figuring out who the traitor is or what they’re looking for.” Gula stepped away from her desk then began massaging his chin. “I thought I’d get some leads after the scourges started popping up, but so far I’ve got nothing and its starting to irk me.”

“And now you’re suspecting us?”

“Gotta keep an open mind.” Gula said, tapping his finger on the side of his head. “Everyone’s got something they’re hiding in the shadows. Even our renowned and virtuous leader Ira has something hidden in his heart that he doesn’t want anyone to know about. The same goes for Invi, our Master’s number one fan girl. Loyalty can make you do some truly shameful things – some that’d even make you wish you could forget.”

He continued. “And then there’s Aced. That Bear-Headed idiot never ceases to amaze me. One minute he’s as dense as a brick, and the next he’s alarmingly perceptive. If he wasn’t such a self-righteous dumbass, he’d be a real force to reckon with. And that’s one of the reasons I don’t like him or trust him.”

“And what about me?” Ava asked.

Gula snapped his fingers and pointed at her. “You’re just as unpredictable. Everything changes with time – especially people. And that’s what makes people unreliable. You used to be so lively and cheerful. Nowadays, I can’t tell whether you hate me or trust me. Hmph. But that’s fine. I prefer it that way. The less defined a relationship, the easier it is to throw it away.”

“I’m not some tool you can toss in the trash.”

“It was a figure of speech. Speaking of that, shouldn’t that apply to you too?” he asked, the palm of his hand to her. “Are we not each other’s pawns in an elaborate game of chess?”

Ava briefly paused, looking down at her desk, then raised her head and stared straight into his eyes. “You’re right. I absolutely hate you.”

“Is that right?” Gula chuckled. “Even though you’ve gotten colder with age, your heart’s still as soft and pure as gold. If I were you, I’d treasure that. Time tends to darken the heart, you know.”

“Tch. Funny, coming from you.” Ava snapped back. “You’ve changed the most out of us. And for the worst too.”

“I’m glad you’ve said that because the last one I’m suspecting is me, of course.” Gula pointed to himself, his finger pressed into his chest. “You’re the only other person who knows there’s a traitor out there. For all we know, I could be the traitor! That’d be an interesting twist, right?”

“Sure. Whatever you say.”

“In all seriousness, I doubt either of us are the traitor. I’ve been watching you all for the past seven years, and while everyone’s got their own things they keep in the shadows, I haven’t come across anything that’d make me question your devotion to this realm and the future we’re striving for.”

“So, why’d you make me say all that?”

“Who knows.” Gula spread his hands out and shook his head. A smirked crept on his face. “Maybe I just wanted to mess with you.”

As soon as he said that, a light beam rained down from the spatial rift Ava had summoned earlier. Gula kicked his feet off the ground and jumped back, narrowly avoiding the deadly beam mere inches from his face. He landed on his heels and stumbled backward, barely catching his balance. For a moment, all his could see was white. As soon as his sight began to return, he sucked his teeth then glared at Ava.

“That was a joke, you know.”

“And I missed, didn’t I?” she coldly replied. “Look, I’m busy. Stop playing around and tell me why you’re really here.”

Gula let out an exaggerated sigh. “Fine. I guess I am being a pain-in-the-ass.”

He snapped his fingers. Ava’s attention shifted to the three notebooks that appeared on her desk.

“One of my guardians found these while they were going through the archives in the Librorum Praetorium. These are journals that the Master wrote sometime before or after the realm was created. From what I skimmed through, they seem to be just a collection of notes and halfwit ideas. I was never interested in his crackpot theories or his bizarre and useless inventions – like those talking cats that were supposed be our personal aides.”

“The Chirithy, right? I thought they were cute.”

“Anyway, you were always into that stuff – more than anyone else. So instead of having them locked away in some far corner collecting dust again, I’ve decided to be generous and give them to you. Think of them as a gift from a friend.”

Ava’s arms folded. “Uh huh. And you’re not just pawning these off on me in hopes that they’ll have something you’re looking for, right?”

His sighed, letting his shoulders slump. “Nothing gets past you, does it? I am curious about whether there’s anything interesting in them, but the journals really are just for you. That said, if there happens to be something that’s worth looking into, that’d be great wouldn’t it?”

Ava blankly stared at him, unconvinced.

“Well, I’ve clearly overstayed my welcome. You can go back to doing your precious work for Union Cross.” He said, lazily flapping his hand as he turned to leave.

He took only a few steps forward before stopping and looking back over his shoulder.

“Oh! I forgot to congratulate you on the number of students you’ve managed to rake in.” He grinned while holding up an index finger. “This year’s crop is looking pretty good so far. Let’s hope it stays that way. I’ve already got an eye on a few.”

Ava’s right eye and upper lip twitched. “I’d appreciate it if you kept your eye away from them. Wouldn’t want your influence warping them into something beyond repair – like you.”

“Ouch. That kind of stung. You really used to be much nicer.” Gula frowned then turned around, headed for chamber doors. “Eh, whatever. Enjoy those journals. Read them to your heart’s content.”

Ava watched as he left chamber, his hand waving limply as the doors closed behind him. With peace and quiet now returned to her, she palmed the side of head then let out relieved groaned. Her eyes fell upon the journals he left. She picked one up, gently rubbing her thumb slid across it’s dingy and worn surface, then let slip from her hand and fall back onto her desk. Ava leaned back in her chair, her neck lying on the head rest.

“As if I’d trust anything that comes out of your mouth.”

[orangemoonxworks]

ORANGE MOON works | List of works + updates ------------------------------------------------------------------- LIFTED Episode 1: Notebook Nostalgia > Part 1 | Part 2 | ----------------------------------------------------------------- COR REGNUM // DIVERGE Volume 0: March of the Fools > Prologue, The Foretellers — I > Prologue, The Foretellers — II > Prologue, The Foretellers — III > Prologue, The Foretellers — IV > Prologue, The Foretellers — V > Prologue, The Foretellers — VI > Prologue, The Foretellers — VII > March of the Fools, Part I — I > March of the Fools, Part I — II > March of the Fools, Part I — III > March of the Fools, Part I — IV > March of the Fools, Part I — V > March of the Fools, Part I — VI > March of the Fools, Part I — VII > March of the Fools, Part I — VIII > March of the Fools, Part I — IX > March of the Fools, Part I — X

----------------------------------------------------------------- ORANGE MOON works | working for the moon

[orangemoonxworks]

COR REGNUM // DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — XIII WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem ------------------------------------------------

One of the common places for USF officers to slack off during their patrols were the rooftops though that meant everyone always knew where they were. So, they found blind spots like smaller buildings that were hidden in the cut, balconies with wide archways, back alleys where sunlight normally didn’t reach, and anywhere they could stay out of sight and out of my mind. Gula was in one of those spots. He was on the balcony of a vacant building near the Argentum Tower with a deep archway leaning over the thick stone railing around it. He quietly hummed and bobbed his head side to side while skimming surveillance footage through the monocle over his right eye. It was connected to the Oculi; small chrome orbs that were made to keep tabs on the goings on around the realm. These were created by Gula himself which wasn’t the least bit surprising. Along with the World Athenaeum, he presided over the Ars Inventorum Guild as well.

As he watched the footage, he thought about the events of the day. (“A scourge suddenly pops up in the heart of the Union Cross of all places. And not only that, it didn’t progress much beyond its inception point. There was a clear boundary this time, and none of the Shadows passed over it from what I could see. Hmm. And then there’s the Shadow Titan at the Fountain of Knowledge. Now why would it spawn there? And why was it so hell bent on destroying the area?”)

He nodded then quietly said to himself “Ah, questions, questions…”

(“As intriguing is this is, I shouldn’t jump to conclusions. This could just be another coincidence in the sea of probabilities. But when all the chips fall and suspiciously line up somewhat perfectly, how can I not?”)

He skimmed through more recent footage, some of which was timed back about an hour before the Scourge struck Fountain Plaza. Most of the feed was from that area. Compared to what was left of it after the Shadow Titan’s rampage, one could hardly tell that was the same place.

(“The Fountain of Knowledge is at the heart of Union Cross after all. And it’s not like I haven’t had my eyes on the academy all this time, so I’m not that surprised. Still though, it’s a little too convenient”.)

He fiddled with his fingers, sliding them along the rough stone railing’s surface.

(“The Book of Prophecies being somewhere near the Fountain of Knowledge is something any chump could predict. That’s too on-the-nose. The Master was a lot of things but simple and transparent wasn’t one of them. He was always meticulous about what he said, what he did, how he did it, and how it’d be perceived by people. There’s no way it’d be that obvious.”)

Gula shook his head a bit and sighed.

(“A lead is a lead and that’s all that counts. It’s been years since I started this mission, and I haven’t gotten any closer to finding the traitor. Let’s hope that this isn’t a simple coincidence this time.”)

Gula eyes quickly blinked. “Hmm? What’s that?”

He stopped on a short clip of footage that was timed right after the Scourge’s inception when Shadows descended from the torn spatial rifts in the sky to wreak havoc. There, obscured by the dozens of students scrambling in every which way in panic, was a strange shadowy figure that upon zooming in appeared to have a humanoid silhouette. The limb extending from its body – likely an arm though hard to make out due to the students running by it was raised at an upward angle – possibly pointing toward to the sky.

Gula’s eyes slowly narrowed. “Huh. Now that can’t be normal.”

“What isn’t normal?”

Gula turned and looked over his shoulder. He wasn’t the least bit surprised by that someone managed to find him much less overhear what he’d said. In fact, given the smug smirk on his face as the person to whom the voice belonged to emerged from lightless room behind him, he was well aware that someone would find him. Once they stepped into the small light path cast from the nearby street lamps, Gula’s smirk slightly grew. He knew who they were before they even had a chance to catch him off-guard.

Ira, Mask-less with his white robe shinning in the orange street light path, stood sternly with his arms folded. “Please tell, if you will.”

“Oooh, Grandmaster Ira. Didn’t think I’d be getting a visit from you this evening. What’s got you out this late looking for little ole me?”

“I’m glad you asked.”

Ira opened his left hand. One of Gula’s oculi lay in his palm. “I found this snooping around.”

“Oh? And where did you find that?”

“Outside the window of the Council Hall — after our assembly earlier.”

Gula’s lack of a response and unwavering smirk annoyed Ira. He closed his hand, clenched it into a fist, then squeezed until the oculi popped. He opened his hand and let the crushed remnants sprinkle down like dirt. Gula remained silent.

“I told you before to cease production of these things. Not only do they infringe upon the trust of the people of this realm and your comrades, but they’re a violation of several laws the Master put in place. As a Grandmaster and Foreteller who’s sworn to protect this realm, I can’t believe you’ve willingly disregarded that.”

“Sure. That’s one way you can look at it — if it was that black and white.” Gula fully turned to face him with his back against the balcony’s stone railing. He pulled an oculi from his pocket then held it close to his eye between his thumb and middle finger. “But the way I see it, the oculi are nothing but insurance.”

“Insurance? For what?”

Gula tossed the oculi up. It stopped and hovered in the air above them.

“Do you honestly believe we can trust everyone around us? I mean, the fact that you still think of us as comrades after all this time pretty much says it all. Heh. That couldn’t be further from the truth. And you’re too afraid to accept that.”

“You can believe what you want, but that doesn’t change what we are to each other.” Ira told him.

Gula grabbed his stomach and chuckled. “Oh, really? Then why is that the snake, the bear, the leopard, and the fox all hate each other? I mean, do you see us when we’re all together? We’re a pin drop away from snapping each other’s necks. You could literally cut through the tension between us with a knife. And yet we put on our masks and pretend everything is okay for the sake of this realm.”

Gula tilted his head. “Tell me; does that sound like comrades to you?”

Ira started to say something but stopped. A quiet breathy groan was all the left his mouth.

Gula continued, “I don’t care if you believe me or not, but everything I do is always for the sake of this realm and everyone here. I’ve never been one to trust everything I see, hear, and feel. Our perception often lies and shields us from what’s really there. I’d rather know what lies beyond the wall than stay comfortably behind it.”

Ira replied, barely masking his irritation, “At the expense of the people?”

“Again, you can look at it that way of you want. But all I’m doing is making sure we don’t have any blemishes on our canvas. I mean, we have a beautiful portrait here, don’t we?” Gula said. His eyes narrowed into a piercing smug glare. “It’d be a shame if some ink ran from the brush.”

Ira sighed. “You too, huh.”

“Don’t go lumping me in with that moronic bear. I’m not paranoid enough to suspect any of us as a traitor, but I’m also not stupid enough to trust anyone either.” Gula snapped his fingers. The oculi descended from above and stopped just over his shoulder. He continued, “People are about as fickle as the weather, and loyalty is a lie peddled by the weak who are deathly afraid of themselves, and seek validation to soothe their egos. Trust is worthless.”

Unable to mask his anger any longer, Ira stepped to Gula then smacked the Oculi away with his backhand. It fell down to the street below. Even with that, Gula didn’t bother to flinch.

Ira spoke with all seriousness as he stared him down. “Feel however you want Gula, but you will cease production of the Oculi and destroy every single one of them. This is the final warning. If I find any of Oculi floating around the realm after today, then you will face the consequences – by my own hands.”

“Oh? Is that right?”

They stared each other down.

After about a minute of dead silence, Gula raised and waved his hand. “All right, fine. I’ll do as you say, O’ fearless leader. Nice display of power there by the way. The Master would be smiling ear to ear if he could see you now.”

Gula pushed himself off the railing and tapped Ira in the shoulder as he walked pass. Just as he was about to go inside, having stepped out of the street lights path, he stopped. He turned to the side and looked back at Ira.

“Hey, do you know why the unicorn is such a fascinating creature? It’s because it only exists if you believe in it. Crazy, huh? Your whole existence could be snuffed out at any moment and there’s nothing you can do about it. That’s gotta be terrifying, right? Personally I never believed in myths or fairy tales and there’s nothing that can change that.”

Another air of silence swept between them.

Ira clenched his fists then took a quiet, small breath before he spoke. “Try as you may but you will never be him.”

“Same goes for you, leader.” Gula shot back.

After that, he vanished into the darkness.

Gula reappeared on a nearby rooftop with a clear view of the Argentum Tower. He flicked the monocle over his right eye back on with a finger tap, then brought back the paused footage with the mysterious shadowy figure.

“Now then, what are you…” ------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

COR REGNUM // DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — XII WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem ------------------------------------------------

Of all the times Nos had seen the Vulpes Unionis Praetoria in the distance, they never imagined they’d be able to see the tower up close, much less have the opportunity to ever go inside. Nos closely followed behind Ephemer as they moved through the entrance plaza, nervously looking around with their head low, and practically tiptoeing to avoid making a sound. The presence of the armed Guardians standing by and patrolling the premises sent their nerves through the sky. Ephemer on the other hand was completely fine. He spoke to every Guardian they passed by, even stopping briefly to talk to a few only to hurry off abruptly once his eyes crossed his watch. They eventually made their way inside and after checking in headed into a glass elevator set for the highest floor – the Vulpes Chamber.

Nos was glued to the wall. It was impossible for them to ease their nerves, and it only got worse the higher they went. Fortunately, the elevator was slow which allowed its passengers to take their timer enjoying the view outside its large glass front. Despite the Vulpes Unionis Praetoria being as imposing as it was, there weren’t many floors inside. Even so, the immaculate and minimalistic interior design lent well to the calming and worldly atmosphere. However, that wasn’t enough to keep Nos’s mind away from the inevitable. They rapidly tapped their foot and latched onto the handrail behind them. Their whole body was stiff as a stone statue.

(“Gaaah! There’s no way this is really happening! Am I still dreaming? I’ve got to be! There’s no way I’m inside the Vulpes Unionis Praetoria right now! Not only that but the Grandmaster, a Foreteller, wants to meet me! Me of all people!! Is it because of the scourge? Did I do something wrong?? Wait, why am I even here at all?? I have no idea why I’m being summoned!! And this guy hasn’t told me anything!! He doesn’t care at all! Why am I going along with this?? Argh! I’m about to crack. I can’t do this. I wanna go home…”)

Ephemer smirked as he watched them panic. “Yeah, you’re totally not nervous.”

“Um, well, this is the first time I’m getting to meet a Grandmaster. Stuff like this doesn’t typically happen to normal people like me.”

“Hmm. You’re far from normal though. A normal person wouldn’t dare step up to a shadow, especially one as dangerous as that, and try to fight it despite knowing the odds. The fact you can even talk about it now is beyond normal.”

“T-That’s only because of the emblem I held onto.” Nos explained. “Otherwise, I’d be…”

“Sure, but think of it this way; would a normal person without training or experience have the courage to stand against a Shadow? Most people would buckle under the pressure and run for their lives. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Knowing your limits and being afraid is a normal human thing.”

Ephemer grabbed Nos’s shoulders, and they reflexively jerked up. He looked them straight in the eyes then continued, “But knowing the odds stacked against you and still choosing to fight anyway – you’ve got to be a special kind of crazy. It’s like my Master says: to be a Guardian you have to have a screw loose somewhere up here.”

Ephemer tapped his finger on their forehead. He let go of their shoulders then backed away.

“But I get it. Meeting a Grandmaster – and a Foreteller at that – is a bit intimidating. The first time I met Grandmaster Ava, I was shaking so much you could practically hear my bones rattle like drumsticks. I for sure thought I was going to mentally short-circuit or something. Hehe.”

Nos stared at them narrowed eye.

(“That’s supposed to make me less nervous???”)

Ephemer went on. “Grandmaster Ava isn’t the cold person everyone thinks she is. It’s easy to forget this but the Foretellers are people just like you and me. The only difference is they’ve got the weight of the realm on their shoulders. And that’s no exaggeration. Try to remember that when you’re up there.”

Nos sighed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The elevator finally reached its destination. They stepped out to a small box-like area with two plotted plants and pair of large doors with the Vulpes symbol carved into them.

“All right. Here’s your stop.” Ephemer said while bowing and pointing his hands to the doors.

Nos took a step back and shook their head. Just looking at the ominous fox symbol sent a sharp pang down their spine. Ephemer sighed, palming his face, then gently pushed them forward. “Go on. You’ll be fine. If it helps, I’ll be waiting for you outside.”

“Heh?? W-Why’s that??”

“Because there’s something I want to ask you.”

Nos’s curiosity over what he could’ve possibly wanted to ask them quickly overtook their confusion. For Ephemer, this brief moment of inaction was his cue to leave. He kicked his feet off the floor then jumped back into the elevator and mashed the button for the doors to close. By the time they turned around and realized that he was leaving them alone, the elevator’s doors were already halfway closed. There was no point in trying to force their way back inside.

Ephemer, grinning and waving, winked at them through the narrowing gap between the doors. “Good luck in there!”

The doors closed.

There was nowhere to run.

With no other choice, Nos closed their eyes and took a deep breath, then reached their hand out to knock on the doors. Just as they were about to knock, the Vulpes Chamber’s doors suddenly cracked open. Nos stumbled inside through the gap nearly tripping over themselves. After regaining their balance, hands on their knees, they looked up to see Ava in her Vulpes mask sitting on the spacious windowsill behind her desk with one leg arched and the other hanging off, looking out of the window. She lifted her left arm, stretched it out, then opened and closed the palm of her hand. The Vulpes Chamber doors shut simultaneously.

Ava turned and shifted her head toward Nos without uttering a word. Her acknowledging their existence made them freeze up.

Reality quickly sunk in. This was happening.

They were in the presence of a Grandmaster.

Nos’s lips trembled as they tried to speak but neither word, sound, nor breath escaped their mouth. The trembling spread to the rest of their body, and they began to sweat.

(“W-What do I do??? W-What do I say??  What’s the p-proper thing to d-do right now?? Do I bow?? Do I wave?? Do I nod?? Aw, man… Why’s my mouth not working anymore?? M-My lips won’t move! Talk! Say something! G-Great, now I c-can’t stop shaking! And the Grandmaster… she’s looking at me. What if I came at a bad time?! It looked like she was relaxing before I came in. What if I interrupted her? Oh, no…”)

Having watched them struggle for a bit, Ava let out a soft but aggravated sigh. “The nerve of you. You stumble into my chamber unannounced and say absolutely nothing?”

The sound of her cold yet firm voice made them freeze up again. She had their full attention. “You haven’t even introduced yourself, given a word of acknowledgement, nor have you stated your reason for coming into my chamber. If you have no business here, then leave my sight now or I will remove you myself.”

Nos immediately bowed their head and spoke. “I-I’m so sorry, G-Grandmaster Ava! I-It was not my intention to be discourteous nor offend you in any way. I wholeheartedly apologize for my actions. It’s just that, uh, well…”

Ava coldly glared at them from behind her mask.

“I-I was summoned here by you…or so I was told. B-But I don’t understand…”

“What don’t you understand?” Ava questioned. Her patience was wearing thin.

“I’m just a student – basically, a nobody. And you’re the Grandmaster of the Seventh — er, I mean, you’re one of the Foretellers.”

“And? So, what about it?”

“I’m not special. I could never be. I didn’t do anything but put both myself and my friend in danger. What happened back there during the scourge…t-that was all my fault. We should’ve — n-no, I should’ve listened to her and ran away when we had the chance. I-I mean, we’re just students. There was…no way we were going to stand a chance against that monster.”

Nos clenched their fists, and their eyes started to tear up. “But no, I had to be selfish. I had to fight because I wanted to believe that I’d make a difference somehow. Nothing else mattered. So, I’m the reason things are the way they are now and why my friend…why she…why she’s barely holding on now. All because I wanted to be a stupid hero.”

Unable to hold it in any longer, Nos broke down and quietly cried.

 Ava sighed. “Well, this is unexpected. I did summon you here in part to scold you for your foolish and reckless actions. Fortunately, you’ve beaten me to the punch it seems. You’re right; as a student you had neither the right nor authority to take action. You risked not only your life but your friend’s life too. That level of recklessness is something I will not tolerate.”

She paused and took a calm and quiet breath. “But I see that you’ve accepted responsibility for your actions. There isn’t much else I can say besides giving out an appropriate discipline. But that can wait for another time.”

Ava hopped off the windowsill. She started to walk toward Nos but instead of going around her desk she physically phased through it. This was an advanced aethereal art that nullified the aether surrounding a subject, allowing the subject to physically pass through objects with little resistance provided they were stationary. Ava made her way to Nos and stood before them.

“Lift your head and tell me your name.”

Nos raised their head and hesitantly looked.

“N-Nos.” They sniffled.

Ava patted their head and, although it was hidden behind her mask, she smiled.

“Nice to meet you then, Nos.”

Once Nos calmed down and stopped crying, Ava told them to grab the chair next to her library – which was a wall of shelves filled with hundreds of books – then to take a seat in front of her desk. Ava returned to her comfy spot on the windowsill and began talking to Nos – mainly asking them about themselves. Seeing that they were still a bit anxious, Ava spoke to them in a warmer and less intimidating tone.

“…I see. So that’s why you’ve enrolled in the Union Cross academia. It’s a common goal amongst the students here, especially the ones who’re eager to prove themselves. Wanting to make a difference is an admirable goal to have. It’s what we all strive to do. However, there’s more to being a Guardian than just that.”

Ava went on, “What we do and how we affect the world and the people around us is important but making sure we can secure a future for those who’ll come after us – that is our sole purpose. It’s our mission – one which will never end even after we’re long gone from this world.”

Nos listened intently as she spoke.

“To be a Guardian, you must be a beacon of hope — a shining light for those trapped in darkness. You must give your everything: your heart, body, soul, and even your life for the light of tomorrow. That’s what it means to be a Guardian. Tell me, is that something you’re willing to do?”

Nos answered, “Y-Yes. I want to help keep the light of this world alive in any way I can. This is our world – our home. So, I’m going to protect it no matter what even if that means giving up everything.”

Ava smiled behind her mask. “Great answer. Although, I don’t want you going out there and being any more reckless than you’ve already been. There are too many Guardians in our ranks who are content with becoming martyrs.”

She let out a soft, slightly annoyed sigh. “Please be careful and don’t sacrifice your life for a shot at posthumous glory.”

“Yes, uh, Grandmaster Ava. I’ll, uh, make sure to keep that in mind.”

Ava moved on. “Putting that aside, I’d like to know how your time in Union Cross has been. I’m always curious about what the students think of the academy and how they’ve been handling their themselves here.”

Nos thought for a moment. “I’ve been doing okay, I guess. The classes are about what I’d expected but the work isn’t too difficult. I like that we have a bit of freedom here and the dorm is a big step up from home. I’m fine with it.”

Ava nodded while they went on.

“Amica on the other hand is a different story. She constantly complains about how hard and boring the classes are and she sleeps through most of them. I can’t count how many times I’ve helped out so she wouldn’t fail – not that I mind. She isn’t interested in becoming a Guardian though, so I guess that makes sense.”

Ava was confused. “Hmm? Is there a reason she chose to enroll in the academy?”

“She felt like there wasn’t any other choice.”

“Did she say why she felt that way?”

As Nos thought about what Amica told him, an interesting question crossed their mind. “I don’t mean to pry or anything, but did you always want to become a Guardian, Grandmaster Ava?”

“I did. Why’re you asking?”

“Was there ever anything else you wanted to be? You know, besides a Guardian.”

Ava thought to herself with her brows raised, aimlessly staring off. Nos’s question intrigued her. This was the first time anyone aside from Blaine boldly asked her something personal.

“Hmm. I enjoyed making up and telling stories when I was younger.” She said, her eyes having shifted back to Nos. “Back in the orphanage I lived in, there was a caretaker who’d read books to us sometimes. Every book they read was different from the last one and it seemed like they could never run out of them. After a while, they stopped reading books and started telling us all sorts of crazy stories. I realized then that you didn’t need books to tell stories; all you needed was an imagination.”

“When the caretaker left, I decided to take their place and tell my own stories. As you can imagine, they weren’t as good as the caretaker’s stories. But it was fun, and the other kids seemed to like them. If I had given up on my dream of becoming a Guardian, then I probably would’ve wanted to be a storyteller.” Ava answered.

Nos nodded while slowly rubbing their thumb across the underside of their chin. “Suppose someone didn’t want to become a Guardian but everyone around them wanted to be one. And instead of following their dreams, they decide to follow someone else’s —”

Ava cut them off. “Because they believe that’s their only choice, right? I understand what you’re getting at. It’s true – for the people who want to protect this realm, it’s the only path forward. In the sea of shattered realms out there, ours is one of the few that’s left. So, we feel obligated to protect all that we have.”

“Even so, we heavily rely on the people who chose not to follow our path in so many ways and that’s something that’ll never change. Everyone matters. The person who tells silly stories and makes everyone smile is just as important as the people protecting us. Your friend isn’t wrong to feel how she does. But I hope that with time, her perspective on becoming a Guardian changes.”

“I…hope so too.” Nos agreed.

Ava’s ears perked and she turned to look out the window. It wasn’t difficult for her to hear the evening bells ringing from the Seventh District clock towers, however faint they were.

“It’s around that time, huh. Let’s end things here.” She said then turned back to them. “You need to get going before curfew strikes. Wouldn’t want you getting into any more trouble.”

“Okay – uh, I mean, thanks for allowing me to speak to you, Grandmaster Ava.” Nos said then humbly bowed.

“The pleasure is all mine. Go on now.”

Just as they turned to leave, Ava cleared her throat. Nos stopped and looked back.

“By the way, you’ll be receiving your punishment as I’ve instructed to the headmaster of your dorm. I trust that you’ll follow their rules until your disciplinary period is over. And if you decide to make more trouble, then I’ll personally deal with you. That isn’t something you want, right?”

Nos’s shoulders sunk down.

“No, ma’am.” They sheepishly sighed.

“Good. I’m glad you understand. One last thing before you leave –” Ava gave them a strained and irritated smile. “Don’t ever call me “ma’am” again for as long as you live, got it?”

Nos’s shoulders briefly stiffened up, then sunk as they lowered their head and quietly moaned.

“S-Sorry, Grandmaster Ava.”

After Nos left Vulpes Chamber, they were led outside of the Vulpes Unionis Praetoria by a female Guardian. When they arrived back at the entrance plaza, Nos spotted Ephemer against one of the stone pillars near the stairs leading down to the street. True to his word, he’d been patiently waiting for them. Ephemer looked at them and, upon seeing the dispirited look on their face, grinned. “Grilled ya hard, huh?”

“You knew that was going to happen.” Nos said then sighed. “Fortunately, Grandmaster Ava didn’t go too hard on me. The “grilling” was lessened because, in her words, I had already beaten her to the punch.”

“Huh, well look at that — you beat yourself up so much that the Grandmaster decided to take it easy on you. Guess luck was on your side.” He said then chuckled.

“I still got lectured by her more than once and she told me she’d personally deal with me if I screw up during my disciplinary period.”

“Yeah, that’s Grandmaster Ava for you. One minute she’s cool as an autumn breeze and the next she’s a ticking time bomb ready to explode. Don’t sweat it though.” Ephemer lazily flapped his wrist at them. “The Grandmaster’s got a big heart. She cares about everyone – especially the students. You’re all under her watch after all.”

Nos groaned and pouted, “That’s nice and all but I’m seriously dreading whatever punishment I’m facing when I get back.”

“Eh, you’ll live.”

Then, the streetlights began to turn on.

Nos took a deep breath. “I should get going. If I miss curfew, I won’t hear the end of it from the headmaster especially after everything that happened today. Also, I don’t want to get on the Grandmaster’s bad side already.”

Ephemer raised his hand. “All right then.”

Nos hurriedly walked down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, they stopped and turned around. Ephemer was still watching from above.

“I know it’s kind of late to say this, but thanks for saving us back there. If you hadn’t showed up when you did, then we wouldn’t have survived. We owe our lives to you – even if one of us is barely hanging on. I know this kind of stupid to say since I’m only a student and have nothing to offer really, but if there’s ever anything I can do to repay you, then —”

“Actually, there is something.” Ephemer said, then stepped away from the wall. “I still haven’t asked my question yet, remember?”

“Oh, right.” Nos remembered. “What is it?”

“Well…”

Ephemer walked down the stairs, keeping his eyes firmly on them, then stopped in front of them after making it to the bottom. He raised his arm then softly planted his hand on their right shoulder then smiled.

“Let’s hang out tomorrow. Just you and me, all right?”

A long silence passed by. Nos stared back at him completely dumbfounded by what he said.

“Eh??” ------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

COR REGNUM // DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — XI WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -------------------------------------------------

There was nothing but darkness here. Only Nos seemed to exist within this endless black void of nothingness. Unconscious, their body lifelessly hovered there in a fixed and immobile state as if time had completely stopped or, perhaps in this empty space of nothingness, ceased to exist. There was nothing to see, nothing to hear, and nothing to feel. All of their senses were gone. Not even a pulse of a heartbeat remained.

Were they even alive?

The void wrapped around Nos like the cold of the deep blue, descending further into the depths only to be crushed by the immense pressure. This feeling…wait, feeling? Yes, they were feeling something now. It was a stabbing freezing feeling – like standing blindly in the middle of a stormy blizzard somewhere in an icy tundra. Why was it so cold? And why did this sharp coldness cause so much excruciating pain? They wrapped their arms around themselves and pulled their knees in, yet the pain grew more and more intense, and the piercing cold made their body numb. They shivered and shook uncontrollably, whimpering while desperately clinging to themselves in hope of warmness.

“It hurts…”

They spoke. Or rather, they heard their fading and cracked voice through brittle but soft breaths. Their pulse returned though it was faint – like their heart could give out at any moment. They hugged themselves tighter and harder, their breaths gradually grew faster, and the warmth they so desperately yearned for blessed them from within, rising steadily to a boiling point. They unraveled their arms, lowering their knees, and let the cool air brush against them. But this moment of relief was short. Their heartbeat rapidly increased and, despite the intense heat, they wrapped their arms around themselves again due to the punching and needlelike aches. A single heartbeat, one that felt as if their heart was about to break their chest, was enough to shock their eyes open.

They could see, hear, and feel again. A small bit of light, though dim and hard to see, twinkled in the distance with the void of nothingness. Nos sat up, hand clutching their chest over their heart, and reached out to grab and hold the light in their grasp. And they did…for a moment. Rays of light shined out and broke through the cracks of their clutched and now shaking fist, exploding from there, and wiping away the darkness of the void. Now, the void was completely white – or at least it seemed to be. They were blinded by the light. Their sight gradually returned and with it, the feeling of their hands and bottom in water.

“What…is this place?”

It was no longer a void. This place they found themselves in was an endless stretch of bright blue skies and a watery transparent surface. Looking down, Nos could see their reflection, and the small ripples on the flat water as they moved. While they sat there, perplexed about this strange place, a human figure engulfed in white appeared behind them. It touched their shoulder and then leaned in close to their ear, whispering low and wistfully:

“There you are.”

Nos’s eyes shot open and they jumped out of their sleep, startling the Young Nurse. Her clipboard slipped from her hands and the papers that were clipped to it scattered on the floor. The sudden rise in motion made Nos’s head spin, and they grabbed their head. They were drenched in sweat from head to toe, breathing rather fast, and burning up inside like they had a fever. Nos brought their left hand just above their heart and felt the bare skin of their chest – they weren’t wearing a shirt. The Young Nurse had taken it off them once she noticed the sudden spike in their temperature. Nos sat there utterly confused and still in shock.

(“That was a dream…right?”)

The Young Nurse’s voice trembled as she spoke, “A-Are you alright??? You got up so fast and nearly scared the life out of me.”

Nos looked at her, finally realizing her presence, then looked around. Some time had passed since they were brought into the Infirmary. Even though most of the beds were empty there were still a few people being treated for their injuries and blights. The hectic atmosphere from before faded and the Infirmary returned to its usual state of quietness.

“How did…I get here?” Nos asked her.

“Huh? Oh, I guess you wouldn’t remember.” The Young Nurse said, kneeling down and collecting the scattered papers from the floor. “You were brought here by a Guardian. Apparently, you were up close and personal with a Shadow Titan. That you and your friend managed to survive at all is a miracle.”

She finished gathering the papers then stood up. “You both suffered some serious trauma. There were multiple broken bones and fractures throughout your bodies. Thankfully, our healers were able to restore them.”

“That explains why I’m aching all over.” Nos said, massaging their sides. They turned their head and looked over to the bed next to them.

It was empty.

“Where’s my friend? Is she somewhere else?”

“Oh, right. About her…” A long and depressed sigh escaped the Young Nurse. “Regardless of what I’m about to tell you, please understand that we’re doing everything we can for her.”

“What…does that mean?” Nos was worried.

“This is going to be difficult to for you to hear but your friend, well, she’s…”

Outside of the Infirmary. Nos sat alone on the entrance stairs to the infirmary with their head buried in their knees. Nearly an hour had passed since they were discharged. Everything single word the Young Nurse had said during their talk endlessly replayed in their mind, and each time their heart sank further than before. It would be one thing if that was all but being the image of Amica submerged in a glass water chamber with long wires and tubes hooked to her, and seeing so much darkness oozing from her blackened and deteriorating skin, it was enough to make Nos completely break down right there. They dropped to their knees, eyes shocked and filled with tears, unable to say anything or even move. It took a while to console them. Even though they were deemed fine enough to go on their own, Nos couldn’t bring themselves to leave.

Nos lifted their head a bit, mouth pressed into their forearms and looked out to the harbor across from the infirmary. “It was all my fault. If only I listened to you. We’d be…”

They looked away from the harbor. There was no speck of light left in their eyes. “I should be in there with you. It’s not fair.”

“Yo! Kid at the top of the stairs!”

Nos looked at the person waving at them near the bottom of the stairs. It was Ephemer.

(“Is he…waving at me? Nah, couldn’t be. I don’t know even know who –”)

A memory flashed through their mind. It was right after the Shadow Titan’s arms were sliced off and crashed onto the ground sending both them and Amica springing up into the air. It was brief but they remembered seeing someone with white hair and a long red scarf.

(“Hmm. So that’s the guy who saved us.”)

Ephemer frowned. “You feeling all right up there? Or are you just ignoring me on purpose?”

“You’re the Guardian that saved me and my friend, right?” Nos questioned.

“Yeah – wait, you remember me?” Ephemer was genuinely surprised. “Huh. I could’ve sworn you guys were out cold.”

“I caught a glimpse of you before we hit the ground again.” Nos told him. They lifted their head above their knees. “Thanks, by the way. I appreciate you getting us out of there and taking care of that Shadow.”

“Eh, no problem but…are you okay? You look pretty down.”

Nos hesitated for a moment. Their lips trembled as they spoke. “M-My friend…she…”

“Oh, right. Your friend is in intensive care right now. You’re worried about her, aren’t you?”

Nos nodded their head.

Ephemer pressed his index finger into his cheek.

“Hmm. Not sure if this is the right thing to say but your friend is pretty strong, isn’t she?”

“Sure. I guess.”

“You guess, huh.” He said, a bit disappointed with their reply. “She’s still holding on after being exposed to so much darkness and suffering from aether corruption. That takes a lot of strength and willpower, you know? And with the healers and mages taking care of her, she’ll get even stronger. I mean, they’re the best of the best. Getting rid of darkness is their forte.”

Ephemer’s words of assurance had little effect on Nos whose heart and spirit was broken. Still, he persisted, clearing his throat before he carried on. “But that alone isn’t enough. You have to be strong too – for her. Someone once told me that strength is infectious. That means if you’re strong, then your strength will get to her even if you’re both on opposite ends of the realm. She’ll feel it and that’ll push her to keep fighting. So, be strong for her and have faith in her strength. She’ll pull through.”

Nos sighed. “If only it was that easy.”

“Nothing in life is easy. That’s something my Master always tells me. But it doesn’t matter if something is easy or hard. What matters is that you believe in something enough that you make it happen. And when it does, you’ll be glad you did. Simply believing in something and having the strength to keep believing is enough.”

Ephemer’s bright and warm smile sent a fluttery feeling through Nos’s heart. From their view atop the stairs, and with the sunset glowing gracefully behind him, he looked like an angel. Nos thought about what he said for a bit then, after hesitating to get their words, spoke up.

“I…I’m going to believe in her.”

“That’s the spirit! Guh – oh crap!!!” Ephemer’s eyes happened to catch the time on the clock above the Infirmary’s entrance door. “We should probably get going now. Don’t wanna keep the Grandmaster waiting for too long. She gets kinda scary if you waste her time.”

“Heh? What are you talking about?” Nos asked.

They stared at each other – both confused by the other’s absolute confusion. Despite that, it only took a second for Ephemer to understand why.

“Wait, hold on. Did that Nurse not tell you?” -------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

COR REGNUM // DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — X WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -------------------------------------------------

There was a long and narrow alley behind the Seventh District Infirmary with a tall chain fence on the opposite side, and a canal that stretched out to the ocean nearby. It was also connected to the city’s underground waterways. Blaine, who was lazily leaning against the Infirmary’s back wall, watched as a few seagulls flew over. Blaine briefly closed his eyes and relaxed his breath, listening to the swishing water from the canal, and the subtle rumblings of the district. Unfortunately, that brief bit of peace was cut short. Ava pushed open the double doors nearby then stepped outside. She looked to the side, spotting Blaine who didn’t bother to look back, keeping his gaze on the sky instead.

“Ah, so you’ve finally come to check up on me.” Blaine said sarcastically with a smirk. “You don’t know how happy that makes me.”

Ava stood beside him, taking off her fox mask and breathing in relief as the wind brushed her sweaty face. “You’re as chipper as ever. And here I was hoping you’d broken a leg or something.”

“Whaaaaat? That’s a harsh thing to say to someone – especially when that someone is your one and only friend.”

“That you consider yourself my only friend says more about you than me.” Ava shot back.

“It does? That’s interesting considering that out of everyone in this realm I’m the only one who actually knows you.” Blaine turned his neck then gazed into her eyes. He softly tapped her left shoulder. “And I’m the only one who knows how to push your buttons.”

Ava’s shoulders twitched and, although she didn’t directly return his gaze, her narrowed eyes and annoyed half-smile said enough. “Oh, really? Please tell me what these imaginary buttons are.”

Blaine’s smirk readily transformed into a sly and mischievous grin. He wasted no time and went straight for the jugular. “For one, you don’t have any other friends. The other Grandmasters are too tight-assed and stubborn to foster real relationships with anyone. Your Guardians love, fear, and respect you too much to even entertain the thought of getting close to you, which is understandable. And then, of course, being a person of your status, you can’t afford to let yourself relax lest you risk that mask you’ve carefully crafted over the years slipping off.”

He continued, his words digging deeper. “And then there’s the fact that you spend most of your time secluded in that dark and gloomy chamber with hardly any human contact. It’s gotten to a point where even I’m starting to worry. Not to mention, you’re always grumpy as hell and quick to snap. It’s such a shame. I really miss the days when you were –”

Ava’s clenched fist slammed onto the top of his head, knocking his hat to the side.

Unbothered by the sudden strike and her angry death stare, he fixed it then smirked and chuckled. “Pushed a button, didn’t I?”

“Oh, shut up!” Ava raised her voice then jammed a finger into his cheek. “You don’t know what you’re talking about! I’ll let you know that despite how busy I am, I’m not some sad and reclusive loner! In fact, contrary to what you think you know, I have plenty of –”

“Plenty of what?” Blaine grinned, moving closer to her face while cupping his right cheek. “Go on. Tell me. I’m giddy with anticipation.”

Ava clenched her teeth and balled her fists, but the burning will to hit him upside the head again quickly went away. He spoke the unfortunate truth. She couldn’t even strike back.

Sighing in total defeat, Ava turned away then folded her arms. “Never mind. Jerk.”

Blaine let out a small laugh. “You asked for it.”

“Anyway,” Ava said, rolling her eyes. “I read your report.”

“Hmph. Changing the subject so soon, are we? And here I was having fun.”

Ava’s right hand twitched and nearly on instinct almost summoned her keyblade. Luckily, she managed to restrain herself choosing to ball her fists so tightly her veins bulged and replied, “If you’d like, I can make it so that your leg is actually broken.”

“Ah, there’s the Ava I’m familiar with.” Blaine teased for the last time then moved on. “Without those students and my apprentices taking that damned thing out, we probably would’ve had another catastrophe on our hands.”

“This scourge was significantly smaller than the one in the Second District, thankfully. As much as I despise Aced, he does have a point. The fact that your apprentices were able to deal with that Shadow Titan, and that the scourge seemed to be peculiarly fixed on a certain area within the campus grounds is odd in and of itself.”

“Agreed. Most of the areas outside the academy were hardly affected. A few straggling shadows and minor damages here and there, but that was it. The darkness wasn’t as strong this time.”

“It was strong enough to corrupt a few people’s aether. Some more than others.” Ava said, thinking of Amica and remembering the dark blotches that plagued her skin.

“That’s to be expected when you’re exposed to that much darkness, but that’s beside the point.” Blaine said then briefly closed his eyes, sighing out of annoyance. “Although it pains me to say this since I don’t like the two-faced bastard, you and that leprechaun might be onto something.”

Ava chuckled but immediately stopped herself, clearing her throat. Blaine smiled.

“Hmph. Made you laugh, huh?”

“Shut it.”  She told him. “Look, I don’t want to jump to conclusions. There’s a lot we’ll have to consider before we can get to a point where we can confidently prove anything. With the way things are going now, we can’t afford to just throw out baseless assumptions lest we have a repeat of today’s mess of gathering.”

“Hmm? Trouble in paradise? Huh, that’s not the least bit surprising. I’m sure that leprechaun had something to do with that. Tch.” Blaine said, gently scratching his neck. “About the scourge’s inception point, have any idea why it suddenly popped up in Fountain Plaza of all places?”

“The only thing I can think of is that plaza is at the heart of Union Cross. Like I said before, the radius of scourge was smaller than usual and the only areas that were affected were within the campus grounds. What’s strange is that the scourge didn’t progress far beyond its inception unlike the previous ones. It’s almost as if it was purposefully kept there.”

“Hmm. That lines up with what I saw.”

“And that Shadow Titan…it was slightly different than the others. The ones we’ve encountered so far haven’t exhibited any kind of intelligence or power beyond their beastly nature. But this one…it could manipulate gravity and was able to gather massive amounts of aether effortlessly. And not only that but it blended all of that aether with darkness creating something similar to a Unified Force.” She paused, briefly pressing a finger to her lips. “Only an experienced and masterful Guardian would be able to do that and even then, it’d take more than one on that level.”

“Lauriam must’ve caught on to that then.” Blaine said. “He and Ephemer fired off a Unified Force and obliterated the Titan. But what’s more intriguing is that the Titan even had the brains to create something similar to that.”

“The real question, again, is why that Titan destroyed the Fountain Plaza at all. It’s a bit too calculated for a usually primitive and mindless beast – almost as if it was targeting something or, better yet, searching for something.”

“Hmm. Is there anything important concealed within the Academia? Maybe something the Founder might’ve left behind?”

“You know I can’t share that information with you.”

“All right. It’s something to think about though.” Blaine said then, after a brief pause, turned to face her. “While we’re on the subject, have you ever heard of a Shadow than can talk? Like, they can fully speak human language.”

Ava’s right brown raised. “Huh?? Where’s this coming from??”

“Just curious is all. With all the weird shit that’s been happening recently, coming across a Shadow that can talk at some point isn’t too far-fetched of a possibility.” He explained.

Ava thought to herself for a moment then spoke up, “Hmm. Now that you’ve mentioned it, I do remember reading something about Shadows that could emulate humans. It was in one of the texts the Master suggested we read back when were under his apprenticeship, but it wasn’t something that was seriously required so I didn’t look too deeply into it.”

“So, that type of Shadow exists?”

“From what I can remember from the text, they did at one point. They were extremely powerful and nearly brought the Worlds Beyond to ruin. The Master was able to deal with them but that came at a great cost as you’d imagine. This was presumably before he built this realm. I’d like to say that I doubt we’ll ever run into Shadows like that, but everything evolves with time – the same goes for the darkness.”

Blaine stared off aimlessly while stroking his chin. “Hmm. You don’t say…”

Ava’s eyes narrowed. “I know that look. You asked that question for a reason.”

“I already told you – I’m just curious.” Blaine said then turned to her again speaking in assurance, “Trust me, if I ever come across one of those Shadows, you’ll be the first to know – well, assuming if the one telling you is really me.”

“Uh huh…” Ava was unconvinced.

“Have I ever given you any reason to doubt me?”

Ava looked at him for a bit longer, staring deeply into his silver-colored eyes with their mutual gaze unfazed by the tension, then let out a long and breathy sigh. “I guess not. But if there is something and you’re not telling me, you know I can’t overlook that.”

“I understand, Ms. Foreteller.”

Blaine pushed himself off the wall. He stretched his arms, twisting his wrists while flexing and curling his fingers, then groaned in relief as his joints popped. He then turned to Ava, looking over his shoulder. “Whelp! Break time’s over. Same for you, right?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” She stepped away from the wall and brushed off the back of her robe. “This was just a minor detour. Once I get back to the chamber, there are…some arrangements I have to take care of.”

Realizing what she meant, Blaine’s eyes dimmed and rose toward the sky. “Right. Hmph. It’s never easy, is it – having to be the bearer of that, and then taking responsibility for it, knowing there was nothing you could’ve done.”

Ava raised her head to the sky as well, a somber and despondent look in her eyes.

“No. It isn’t.” -------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

COR REGNUM // DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — IX WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -------------------------------------------------

The Seventh District Infirmary was a treatment center just outside the Northeast end of the Union Cross campus. The facility operated out of a spacious hall in a single-story building the size of an industrial hangar. It once served as a gathering ground of worship for followers of the light. Even though there were many treatment stations and beds all neatly and tightly packed into cubicles like sardines in a can, it was usually empty with barely any patients. In the aftermath of the Scourge however, the place was packed with injured victims and buzzing with noise.

Grandmasters Ava, Ira, and Aced’s presence, while having captured a few quick glances as they made their way through the infirmary hall, was mostly ignored. Ava took the lead while Ira and Aced closely followed behind. As Ira looked around, memories of the Second District scourge’s aftermath flashed through his mind. A quiet breath left him, and the light in his eyes dimmed. “This many were injured…”

“Less than before though.” Aced responded, his mood unaffected by the gloomy atmosphere. “The scourge was quelled quickly this time. We have our Guardians, officers from the Union Safety Force, and the Ars Inventorum Guild to thank. Also, that device we commissioned a while ago turned out to be useful.”

“And yet people still suffered. There’s no bright side to this.” Ava said despondently, her voice low and words drifting in her breath.

Ira spoke, watching as they passed a healer treated a student with a claw-like gash down their back oozing dark miasma. “Yes. No one should have to experience such tragedy.”

“That goes without saying, of course.” Aced agreed with him. “I’d rather there be no victims but regardless, progress is progress. Still though, for the scourge to appear in the Seventh District of all places, and so soon after that mess of a gathering we had earlier…”

He side-eyed Ava while stroking the fuzz on his chin. “Hmph. Interesting coincidence, isn’t it?”

“Keep your asinine comments to yourself!”

She was barely able to compose herself, having raised her voice just enough to avoid drawing attention. Her hands reflexively twitched while she glared furiously over her shoulder. Aced was taken aback – less by her anger and more by the dead-eyed stare and weight of her tone. She turned away and pressed onward, leaving both of them behind.

Ira palmed his forehead then briefly closed his eyes and sighed. “As I’ve told you many times Aced, think before you speak.”

“As if I said anything wrong. Besides, is that not a reasonable conclusion? The Seventh District is under her authority. And wouldn’t you know after all that talk of a traitor, the district that she presides over gets struck by a scourge hours later. And strangely it’s quickly dealt with. You don’t find that suspicious?”

Ira sternly warned, “Aced, anymore and you will leave this place.”

Aced sucked his teeth then raised his head a bit. “Tch! Fine. But I’m standing by what I said.”

Ira groaned then walked away. Aced folded his arms, sucked his teeth again though loudly this time, then went off in another direction.

Ava continued her walkthrough of the infirmary, briefly stopping at stations here and there, and speaking with the healers and their patients. One of her last stops was at a station near the back of the infirmary where two Union Cross students, Nos and Amica, lay unconscious as they were treated by a relatively young healer. She lifted her head from her notepad, raising her eyes from to see Ava somberly looking at them.

“Oh, Grandmaster Ava?! Y-You’re here?? S-Sorry! I-I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” The young healer said anxiously. Her hands and legs jittered, and she nearly dropped her notepad.

Ava replied “I am the Overseer of this district. It’s my duty to check in and see how things are going. Besides, there was a scourge attack. Some of my Guardians as well as some students from the academy were affected. Is this not an acceptable reason to show my face here?”

“I…I apologize, Grandmaster Ava. I-I didn’t mean to offend.” The young healer took a short breath, then continued, “It’s just that you’ve all been so busy lately and…well, never mind. It’s great that you’re here. N-Nice to finally meet you.”

“Likewise. You’re fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“I-If I may ask, what brings you to this station?”

“I heard that there were two students that clashed with the Shadow at the epicenter of the scourge. According to one of my Guardians, the one who brought them here, these two are those students.” Ava explained.

“Oh, right. He did mention that earlier.” The young healer recalled her encounter with the white-haired guardian with the red scarf. She continued, “They’re both suffering from aether corruption – one more than the other. The student there, the one holding that Lux Unitas emblem, suffered the least of it. Those emblems are blessed with primordial light, so it soaked up much of the darkness that would’ve affected their body. The other wasn’t so lucky. She’s still recovering but the darkness spread throughout her body as you can see. It’ll take a while to fully cleanse her.”

Ava looked over the patches of darkened skin on Amica’s arms, legs, and face. Even though she was unconscious, her quiet moaning and subtle jerks was enough to tell she was in pain. “Will she be fine?”

“It’s hard to say.” The young healer skimmed through her notes as she continued. “Fully cleansing a body afflicted with darkness to this degree is a tough task. At best, she’ll be able to recover but with minor complications. At worst, her condition could potentially develop into aether degradation. That’s something I’m hoping we can avoid.”

Ava sighed, folding her arms. “I’d like to believe it won’t come to that.”

“W-Well, it’s still early so no need for the doom and gloom. I-If there’s something you’d like to say to them, then I’ll pass it on later. They’re still resting and won’t be awake for a while.”

“I understand. Then please pass on my regards. Oh – for that one,” Ava’s gaze fell upon Nos. “When they awaken and have fully recovered, please let me know. One of my Guardians will escort them to the Vulpes Chamber.”

“Uh, sure. If I may be so bold to ask, w-why?”

“Don’t worry – it’s nothing serious. I want to…talk to them about what happened.” Ava answered, giving an obviously fake half smile.

“Hehe. Talk to them huh…” The young healer lowered her eyes to Nos. A sense of pity washed across her face. “[This kid is definitely in for a long lecture.]”

Ava continued “That, and the Guardian who brought them here is worried. On the chance that they’d like to meet the person who came to their aid, I think it’d be great for both of them.”

“I’ll make sure to pass that on then.”

As Ava left her station, the young healer raised her hand and gave a subtle wave, meekly smiling as she watched the Grandmaster make her way to another station nearby. She hadn’t noticed since she was preoccupied with her patients, but the sight of Grandmaster’s Ira and Aced walking about nearby surprised her as well. The sight of the three Grandmasters all in one place sent an eerie feeling panging in her chest.

“Grandmaster Ava, Ira, and Aced huh. Things are getting serious.” She said then turned back to the unconscious Nos. “And then there’s you. Not only did you somehow manage to survive a clash with that Shadow, but now you’ve got one of the Grandmasters interested in you.”

She continued, gently rubbing her hand against their forehead. “You’re a lucky one, aren’t you? Heh. Let’s hope you can share some of that luck with your friend here.” -------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

COR REGNUM // DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — VIII WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -------------------------------------------------

Among the few rest and hangout areas around Union Cross’s campus, Evergreen Garden was the most tranquil of them. At its center was a vast field of grass and oak trees surrounded by townhouse dorms – most of which were unoccupied. True to its name, there was an unofficial but spacious flower garden – that was just large patches of flora – in the middle of the field and open to everyone. There was always an abundance of sunlight and shade. Even though Evergreen Garden was just outside the Scourge’s range, that didn’t stop straggler shadows from wandering into the area.

In a nearby alley, a straggler shadow galloped on all fours while its antennae swayed in the wind. Its breathing and movements were frantic as if it was running away from something. The shadow dashed onto Evergreen Garden’s central park, weaving around the trees until it sprung on to the open grass and flower fields. A ray of sun light from above shone down at the central point of the park, shining on a patch of flowers. The Shadow’s golden eyes locked onto it like it was in a trance.

Unfortunately, its small body was cleaved in half before its claws could touch the light. A curved, silver sword-like keyblade with four silver and black diamond prongs smoothly swept through the air as the Shadow’s body disintegrated into nothingness. It belonged to Blaine.

“Huh. That’s one less problem to worry about it.” he said, sliding the keyblade into the black holster strapped to his back.

A metallic orb hovered beside him. It was a remote-controlled monitor pod designed by Auden for the Ars Inventorum Guild. Her voice, accompanied by low static, spoke out. [“So, what do you see? Anything strange there?”]

“Nothing out of the ordinary aside from a few stragglers here and there.” Blaine replied. “From what I’ve seen so far, this area wasn’t affected by the Scourge in the slightest. Are you sure that device’s reading was right?”

[“I’ve been tinkering with it since you all left, and I’ve gotten the same reading every time I’ve rebooted it. It’s a miracle this darn thing hasn’t crapped out on me.”]

“It’s faint but I can sense some darkness here although its fading with the light returning to the sky. How high is the level on that meter?”

[“It’s in the red. It’s peaking.”]

Blaine sighed. “That’s not good. It can’t be the darkness and I’ve gotten rid of most of the stragglers. Could be an aetheric imbalance caused by the darkness, but…”

The static in the pod’s audio signal picked up, and her voice started cutting out. [“H-Hey, can you… you hear…voice?? H-Hold on! The signal is…It’s break-king up. This…not working!?”]

“Auden, what’s going on?” Blaine asked, his sense of worry rising by the second.

[“I-I don’t know! The signal, its…the connection, I can’t…some interference!”]

The pod’s audio signal died.

“Auden, answer me!”

A mysterious voice suddenly spoke. It was close enough to Blaine that he could practically feel its breath against his ears. “No need to worry. The connection is only temporarily severed.”

Blaine quickly swung around and looked back. No one was there. He looked around, scanning the stretch of large trees behind him and listened closely to his surroundings. All he could hear was the rustling of fallen leaves sweeping along the grass, subtle winds gently flowing about, and his own breath as he stayed still and alert. His grip on his keyblade tightened.

Something moved. It was akin to a footstep – the sound of someone stepping onto grass, the slight crunch of their foot pressing down on the tiny brittle leaves, and the low swish of their foot softly sliding through them. Blaine twisted and shifted his body left though not fully turning; his chin hovered his over his shoulder as he looked toward the ray of light shining down from above – or rather, the strange humanoid figure whose near-transparent, water-like body hovered just above the grass at the center of it. The figure had no eyes nor mouth to speak. It was like a Mimic which wasn’t out of the ordinary for anyone who was adept at advanced aethereal arts. Clearly, this being was something far different.

Blaine glared at the being, his eyes sharp and narrow as a blade. “What the hell are you?”

Despite not having a mouth, it spoke with a flat and toneless voice that was devoid of emotion. “I am that which you see before you.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“It doesn’t? Hmm.” It paused for a second, seemingly out of curiosity. “I suppose you are right. Perhaps I should be clearer.”

“Before you do that, tell me; are you a Shadow? Or some other creature of darkness?”

“I am neither.” It swiftly answered. “I cannot be One of the Darkness nor am I One of the Light. We, of The End, do not have any relation to the primordial forces that permeate this star’s existence.”

“Hmph. You’re a chatty one.”

“I simply wish to communicate.”

“That’s all good and dandy, but you still haven’t explained what you are.” Blaine said then raised his keyblade to the strange being. “My patience is wearing thin. Unless you have an answer for me, there’s no point in dragging out whatever’s happening right now.”

“I am of no danger to you, and neither you to me. You may ease your nerves.” It tried to explain.

“How about no.”

Blaine vanished then swiftly reappeared behind the mysterious being with his arm stretched out in a strike stance. Several white chains of light sliced through the air and violently slashed at its body like whips, followed by a heavy gust of wind that swept leaves and flowers petals in the air. As he turned to look over his shoulder, his brows raised slightly. The mysterious being was there –completely unaffected by the assault. It wasn’t that the chain’s slashes didn’t do any damage, none of them actually hit the mysterious being’s transparent liquid body. All of the chains simply went through a stick swiping through water.

Blaine was puzzled. “Okay. That’s weird.”

“As I said, you are of no danger to me.” It calmly spoke. “For the sake of time and patience, I shall dispense with the pleasantries and give you an answer. As I said before, I am that which you see before you – One of The End. Therefore, you may call me an Endless.”

“One of The End?? Endless??” Blaine said then lightly groaned, sliding his fingers through his hair. “What the hell is going on? Am I going crazy or something?”

“In due time, your confusion will be put to rest.” The Endless assured. “For now, this answer must suffice. I have only appeared to you so that my presence may be known.”

“And why is that?”

“I cannot tell you, for The End will not allow.”

“Fine.” He sighed, having given up on trying to make sense of the situation. “One more thing, what do you want?”

The Endless proceeded to answer though its words were chopped up, reversed, and heavily distorted. It was impossible to make out what was being said. Towards the end, however, its voice and speech returned to normal. “…and with that, we shall meet again my friend.”

“Friend?? When did we become –”

The Endless vanished before he could finish. In the few seconds after it’s abrupt departure, the pod’s connection was restored. [“Huh?? Wha – the connection’s back?? Hey, are you there!? What happened?!”]

Auden’s voice blasted from the pod. The pod’s audio signal had returned, and it was much clearer than before.

“I couldn’t even begin to tell you if what just happened was real or a hallucination.” Blaine answered then let out an annoyed sigh. “Forget it. Doesn’t matter. Now that things seem to be returning to normal, I’m going move on from this place. Any longer here and I’ll end up suffering from aether corruption.”

[“Uh, don’t know what you’re talking about but…okay?? A-Anyway, meter’s level dropped from red to nothing as soon as the connection returned. You sure nothing happened?”]

Blaine touched his chin while thinking. “(If what just happened was real, then it’s I probably best that I keep it to myself for now.)”

He replied, brushing the situation aside, “Nope. Like I said, probably just a hallucination brought on by a slight bit of aether corruption. I’ll have to check in with a healer at the infirmary. For now, I want you to head back to the Vulpes Chamber and sit tight until we’ve regrouped.”

[“S-Sure. See you later, then.”]

As soon as the pod’s audio signal ended, the pod itself contracted, shrinking down to the size of a marble. Blaine grabbed the shrunken pod then dropped it into one of the pockets on his coat. He looked toward where the Endless was. It was a bizarre situation, and no matter how hard he tried to make sense of it, the existence of such a mysterious being completely mystified him. What was the Endless? What was The End it spoke of? Why did it appear? And why did it appear to him specifically? Suck questions ran through his mind as he left Evergreen Garden.

“An Endless, huh. Hmm…” -------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

COR REGNUM // DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — VII WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -------------------------------------------------

Ephemer and Lauriam headed further into the depths of the scourge, surfing their keyblades above the campus streets as the chaos from the shadow’s rampage continued. Ephemer turned the small knob on the side of his goggles while observing what was happening below; shadows relentlessly attacking and chasing people, aether being drained from all over by the darkness.

Ephemer’s brows shot up. “Whoa! How did this many shadows get here?!”

“Did those goggles make you blind?” Lauriam asked somewhat sarcastically while also looking down. A few Guardians and uniformed officers from the Union Safety Force were engaging Shadows. “Hmph. A couple of Guardians and USF officers have already responded. I doubt they’ll be enough though. Most of them aren’t equipped to deal with Shadows.”

“Which is why we should make a detour and help them!!” Ephemer shouted.

“If we tried to help everyone, then we’d end up helping no one.” Lauriam replied, his focus now straight ahead. “Our main objective is at the center of the Scourge; a giant Shadow monster with a heart-shaped hole at its core – a Titan. Based on info we’ve gotten from previous Scourges, that one seems to be the source. Wiping it out should stop the Scourge and cause the rifts to close.”

“You believe that?”

“Whether I believe it or not is irrelevant.”

“I don’t get it – why all this is happening? All of these people were just living their lives. And now it’s all being torn apart right in front of them.” Ephemer’s fist tightened to the point his veins bulged. “And you’re saying we’re supposed to ignore them because there’s something more important to deal with?? How are their lives not more important?!”

“You chose to become a Guardian, Ephemer. This is the nature of what we do.” Lauriam reminded him. “If there’s a way to somehow alleviate a crisis, that’ll always take precedence. Risking everything over a misguided sense of honor is pointless.”

Ephemer exasperatedly sighed. “Yeah, yeah. I already know.”

They eventually passed over the entrance gates to the Union Cross campus grounds. The Shadow Titan’s monstrous presence was impossible to miss even with the thick black haze that had spread throughout the campus. The Lux Unitas emblem strapped to Ephemer’s left forearm buzzed and flashed. The emblem clipped to Lauriam’s pocket chain lit up as well.

Ephemer leaned forward and stretched his arms back – increasing the flow of wind rushing behind him to pick up more speed. “This is bad! There’s someone over there!”

“A Guardian engaging that thing alone? What the hell are they thinking??” Lauriam questioned though his voice sunk in the wind pushing behind Ephemer. He pushed himself to match his speed.

“Doesn’t matter! We have to help them!”

“Getting rid of that Shadow before it drops that dark energy sphere is more important!! There’s no telling how much destruction it’ll cause! We won’t stand a chance if –”

Ephemer took off. “Don’t worry! I’ll be quick!”

-------------------------------------------------

Nos and Amica’s attempts at stalling the Shadow Titan from gathering more aether into the now enormous dark energy sphere were useless. The Titan seemed to anticipate their actions because a reflective barrier had risen around it, and the gravity within the barrier covering Fountain Plaza had drastically risen to the point one could barely move.

“Damn it, we’re not getting anywhere!!” Amica shouted in frustration.

“There’s so much pressure…pushing down on me.  It’s…taking everything I’ve got to stand.” Nos said, almost straining to get their words out.

“You’re telling me. I feel like I’ve got a frickin’ thousand-ton boulder on my back. My arms feel like wet noodles. Even holding this stupid keyblade is taking all my strength.”

“I didn’t know…Shadows were this strong. It summoned a barrier…and it’s manipulating the gravity here. There’s nothing we can do now.”

“H-Hey, you’ve still got mana right? Ya think casting some magic will work?

“Even if I could, whatever magic I cast…would be reflected back…or fall straight to the ground. We’d get caught up in it regardless.”

“So, there’s nothing we can do. Damn it. I knew I should’ve kept running! Wha–!”

Amica dropped to her knees. Her keyblade fell out of her grasp and flat onto the ground. Gravity spiked again. The excruciating feeling of being crushed under the intense pressure was too much for her to take. She dropped again though this time leaning forward, swooping down fast enough that her silhouette blurred as she fell, then slammed shoulder first onto the concrete. A painful shock rang through her shoulder, then quickly spread to the rest of her body, sapping the last sliver of strength she had.

“Ack!”

Before Nos could utter her name, they plummeted to the ground along with their keyblade. The two lay there unable to move, their bodies crushing under the gravitational pressure while the Titan continued sucking up aether into its dark energy sphere. With the Fountain of Knowledge crushed and more than half of the area eroding away into dust, Fountain Plaza was unrecognizable. The only bit of aether that was lie inside Nos and Amica. Their heart crystals weakened due to prolonged darkness exposure and darkness was able to seep through the cracks.

They were afflicted with aether corruption.

Darkness oozed from their bodies as they lay there almost lifelessly, numb from the crushing pressure as their vitality slowly began to fade.

“Guess this is it, huh…” Amica said, her voice fading under her weak breaths.

“It’s…not over. We can’t…give up.”

“There’s…no way…we’re getting…through this. Heh. Just my…rotten luck. The one time…I try to be a hero…and this happens.” She closed her eyes. Tears poured out as she quietly whimpered, “I…I don’t wanna go. I don’t wanna go…not like this.”

“Don’t talk like that! Hang…in there! Someone…someone’s going to –”

There was a moment of empty silence. Nothing moved nor could they even hear the sounds from within their body. All the darkness flowing in the air suddenly froze. It was as if time stopped. And just like a record being wound forward, sound gradually came back – slowly at first, then fast – returning within seconds. Nos’s ears were violated a screeching holler followed something huge crashing onto the ground causing the earth beneath them to quake. The impact sent Nos and Amica’s limp bodies springing a few meters into the air along with floating debris.

(“Huh…??”)

Although it was hard to see because of the dark haze and slabs of concrete floating in the air, Nos caught a glimpse of a human silhouette and a flashing red light. Their left arm was extended back and appeared go be holding something, their was firmly planted on the ground, and their knees were angled as if they’d just landed. But that wasn’t all – the two monstrous arms suspended in the air behind the silhouette was impossible to miss. Before Nos could make sense of what happened, the crushing pressure which had briefly subsided, returned. Nos and Amica slammed back to the ground leaving a small crater from the heavy impact. They blacked out.

-------------------------------------------------

The Titan’s severed arms started decaying and all the darkness that was inside oozed out into the air, dissipating shortly after. The black haze started to clear up though slightly. A spear of light shot raced by from above and clashed with the Titan’s barrier, though it was reflected and crashed into a nearby building leaving a hole in its façade. Lauriam, standing on a building overlooking the ruins of Fountain Plaza, lowered his keyblade and sucked his teeth.

“Damn it. A reflective barrier.”

Ephemer started looking around for survivors while the Titan was momentarily incapacitated from shock. His keyblade started to slip from his grasp and nearly dropped from his hand though he tightened his grip. “Man, it’s heavy here. ”

A red light flashed in the corner of his eye. He turned to see two unconscious people sprawled out on the floor – one of them was holding on tightly to the flashing Lux Unitas emblem. He quickly rushed over and checked for a pulse. They were still alive. He was relieved. He took the emblem from them and noticed the insignia on both of their clothing. Realizing what it was, his widened

“Wait, they’re just…”

“Ephemer!!! Get up here and get them to safety!!!” Lauriam shouted, his voice echoing.

“Oh, right!”

Ephemer grabbed Nos by the arm then lifted them up and over his shoulders. The added weight of another person on top of overwhelming pressure pushing down made him buckle a bit. Regardless, he quick-stepped to the rooftop where Lauriam was and laid them down, the went back for Amica. As he was on his way back to the rooftop, the Titan recovered from shock and let out sharp scream. The Titan’s body shook and convulsed, writhing in pain. Despite its severed arms and brief incapacitation, the dark energy sphere remained unaffected. All of the surrounding black haze was now being pulled into it.

“Wait, hold on, how’s it still generating energy? I severed both its arms!” Ephemer shouted.

“Clearly, that wasn’t enough.” Lauriam said then groaned. “Neither magic nor offensive arts seem to work, and attacking it head on like you did before is pointless. Our options are running thin.”

He briefly and gently bit his thumb. “There’s a barrier surrounding the Shadow – a reflective barrier similar to the ones we use. The only difference is it’s imbued with darkness making it stronger and deadlier.”

“Huh?! Wait, you’re joking right? Shadows can do stuff like that?!!”

“I’m just as surprised as you are. Shattering the barrier and disrupting that flow of energy is all we can do.” Lauriam said then paused, taking a second to think. “Hmm. A Unison Link could work but…I don’t know. It’ll be risky.”

“Huh? Wait, what’s risky about that?” Ephemer curiously asked. “And, uh, what’s a Unison Link?”

“You’ll see when it happens.”

Lauriam snatched Ephemer’s hand and locked their fingers together, his grip firm and unshakeable.

“H-Hey! What are you –”

“Focus and channel your the aether to your hand so it can resonate with mines. Once our aether is intertwined, a link will be established. From there, we’ll transfer some of the light from our heart crystals along with our intertwined aether to your keyblade. It will all merge and become one within your keyblade – a unified force. You’re going to shoot that at the barrier.” Lauriam explained.

“Err, you sure that’s going to work??”

“There’s no time to second guess. Focus!!!”

Ephemer took a deep breath, exhaled softly, then closed his eyes. His breaths gradually slowed and the tension in his muscles loosened. A bright light glowed from the core of his chest – his heart crystal. A stream of aether flowed through his body and down to the palm of both his hands. Then, light in the form of a chain appeared and wrapped tightly around their wrists. Their aether had successfully resonated and Unison Link was formed. The next part of the process began.

As light was drawn from their heart crystals and flowed through Ephemer’s body to his keyblade, fatigue steadily crept up on Lauriam. He dropped to one knee but still kept hold of Ephemer’s hand despite his strength and vitality being sapped away.

Ephemer opened his eyes. “H-Hey! Are you –”

“Focus! Aim your keyblade at that Shadow. When I tell you to, release the unified force!”

“Seriously?! But you’ll be–!”

“I’ll be fine! Focus! More…just a little bit more…”

Ephemer raised his keyblade. It was now bathed in pure white light so bright that one look at it would blind someone. As more light and aether were transferred in, heat began radiating from the keyblade, burning Ephemer’s hand. He gritted his teeth. Despite the loss of strength, Lauriam tightened his grip.

Lauriam shouted with all his might. “Now!!!”

Ephemer stomped forward. A large beam of pure white energy fired off from the keyblade. All sense of sound disappeared for a few seconds followed by a low frequency warble and shockwave the tore through the roof they were standing on. The unified force quickly pierced through the reflective barrier, shattering it like glass, then cut through the massive sphere of dark energy. The light of the unified force completely engulfed it. Every spec of darkness and corrupted aether inside was purified, and the black sphere changed to white. Suddenly, it shrunk down to the size of a pea. What followed next was a blazing light that eclipsed most of Fountain Plaza, and a huge deafening explosion.

Once the light disappeared, the Shadow Titan was gone.

Only a giant crater remained.

-------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

KINGDOM HEARTS: DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — IV WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -------------------------------------------------

The Argentum Tower was the second tallest tower in the Seventh District – the tallest being the Vulpes Unionis Praetoria, the headquarters of the Vulpes Union. The Argentum Tower was known for its unique clockface which had thirteen numbers instead of twelve. Out of the seven clock towers in Daybreak, each district having its own, it was the only one whose clockface wasn’t functional. For some reason, its hands never moved – both were stuck thirteen. This led to many theories and conspiracies. Nevertheless, it was the perfect place for both the Union Cross students since the surrounding atmosphere was calm.

The balcony below the clockface was a spot known only to a few, and those few were currently there: Blaine, the Vulpes Union’s only Keyblade Master, a man in his early twenties whose black and grey hair fell past his shoulders. His face was mostly hidden by his tipped down fedora. All Keyblade Masters had to don their white and silver union robes but were free to wear whatever under them. Black was his style, so his clothing and fedora was just that.

Ephemer, the white-haired young man with the red scarf around his neck, was bent over the railing and gazing down below through a pair of binoculars. His short hair and scarf blew with the wind. “Whoa, I’m seeing loads of new faces down there.”

“Why are you wearing those ridiculous things?” said Lauriam, the other young man with short dark-pink hair, looking up from the small book in his hand. Unlike Ephemer who was dressed somewhat stylishly, his attire was similar to a bartender’s. He continued “And peeping at others no less.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m just checking out the new blood.” he replied, flapping his hand. “I guess Grandmaster Ava recruited more people this year.”

“You should be focused on the task at hand.” said Auden, the young woman sitting on the floor with her legs folded. Her stringy and curly sand-colored hair was short, and her eyes green-ish black. She was intensely monitoring a device. Its screen suddenly shut off and she slapped her thighs. “Damn it! Stop screwing up every five seconds!!”

“You’ve been tinkering with that since we got here.” Lauriam said, watching as she annoyedly rebooted the device. “Are you sure it’s not broken?”

“No, it’s completely fine. I’ve just been toying around with it for fun!” Auden sarcastically replied.

“What is that thing anyway?” Ephemer asked.

“It’s an Aether Meter. It scans an area within a set radius then measures and records the concentration of aether in the atmosphere.” Auden explained. “Normally, it’s used for detecting aetheric imbalances but due to the recent spike in shadow scourges, somebody requested it to be modified to detect darkness. And guess who got stuck with field testing this stupid crap? You guessed it.”

Ephemer looked at the device in awe. “Wait, can it really do that?”

“Apparently. You could use it as is to detect darkness just by observing the recorded aether balances, but that’s not reliable. Because darkness, or “nether”, has a unique energy signature, modifying these meters to detect it is a nightmare since the slightest exposure could corrupt your own aether. Luckily, the Mages at the Ars Magna Guild were crazy enough to make it work – or so they thought!”

“Cool. So, what’s wrong with it?”

“If I had the answer to that, I would’ve fixed it by now!”

Blaine groaned then spoke, slightly lifting his hat. “You’re too loud. Relax and take a break.”

“Shut it, you lazy bum!” Auden shot back. “Why don’t you get off your butt and help!?”

“Nope. That’s your expertise. Try turning it off and on. Works on most things.”

“It’s not a light switch! And if that was the case, it’d be working now given how many times it’s –”

A beep sounded off. The aether meter’s display began fading. “Damn it! It shut off again!”

Ephemer kneeled down and tapped the meter. “Maybe it’s out of juice.”

“Or it’s an old piece of crap that needs to be overhauled. Yeah, let’s go with that.”

“Why did you bring it anyway?” Blaine questioned. “Not like it’ll be any help if a scourge appears.”

“Gah! Were you even listening?! I told you earlier!” Auden snapped then groaned. “Somebody, probably one of the Grandmasters, wants the guardians to start using these in hopes that it’ll give them an edge when dealing with the shadow scourges. In theory, it makes sense – less destruction and casualties if they can get to a scourge-inflicted area faster. But in practice? Tch! Who knows. If it works, maybe.”

Lauriam closed his book then tucked it away in his back pocket. “Well, we’re here. If anything happens, we’ll know even without that meter. On a different note, I should visit my sister once we’re done. It’s been a few days since we’ve talked. I wonder if her classes are going well.”

Ephemer poked a finger into his cheek. “Oh, right. She’s studying to become a Mage, isn’t she?”

“Yes. It’s unfortunate – she’s much more adept with aethereal arts than I am. She would be a great addition to the Lux Unitas if she could only get through the physical hurdles. But my sister has never been a fighter. I feel that’s for the best. She’s a bit too soft-hearted for the battlefield.”

“I don’t see anything wrong with that.” Ephemer backed into the balcony’s railing, then relaxed his hands behind his neck. “Being a Guardian isn’t just about the action. Everyone contributes in some way. I mean, without Mages we’d be toast.”

“Still, it’d ease my mind if she’d learn how to protect herself.”

“She’ll have to regardless.” Blaine spoke up. “Can’t become a Guardian or a Mage without knowing your way around a keyblade. She’ll need to train under a Master for a little while.”

“Huh? Really? Isn’t that just for the Lux Unitas?” Ephemer asked.

“If it was, then Auden wouldn’t be here.” Blaine answered.

Ephemer’s eyes widened as he turned to her. “Wait, you’re not a Guardian???”

“Not important.” Auden replied, brushing him off. The aether meter’s small screen slowly lit up and displayed a pixelated version of the Ars Magna Guild’s insignia. She breathed a sigh of relief. “Whew! Okay, here we go. It’s working again. Now I just need you to stay on long enough for me to get a reading. Expand the radius a bit, and…”

She smacked her palms together then giddily grinned. “Bingo! Now we just wait for the meter to measure and record the aetheric balance here.”

Still surprised about the Auden revelation, Ephemer continued “Huh. Didn’t know we could take apprentices out on missions.”

“If something serious happens, say a shadow scourge, then the students of Union Cross are obligated to act for the safety of themselves and others around them. They don’t have keyblades for nothing.”

“Isn’t that dangerous though? I mean, they’re only students. There’s but so much they can do.”

“Like it or not, that’s what you sign up for when you enroll in Union Cross.”

“Well, yeah but, still…”

“Yes!!!” Auden shouted out if the blue, startling Ephemer whose body instinctively jerked. “Er, I mean, crap! We’ve got something!”

The guys, including Blaine who reluctant peeled himself off the bench and dragged his feet, crowded around her and stared the meter’s screen. “Based on the aether concentration reading, there’s an aetheric imbalance about two kilometers from here which lines up with the darkness detection point. What’s worse is that the darkness gathering there is steadily growing by the sec – hold on, I know this area. It’s on the campus grounds.”

Lauriam backed away and stood up. “Then it’s a shadow scourge. We should get going then.”

Auden raised her hand. “Wait! That’s not all. It’s also picking up another detection point but…there’s something strange. The aether balance in this area is fine and there doesn’t appear to be darkness accumulating there, at least not for now. I wonder what set the meter’s detection off.”

“Hmm. I’ll go check it out.” Blaine said then stood up and removed his hat, then cast it away at the snap of his fingers. His gaze shifted to his subordinates. “You two get to the campus grounds. It’s likely to be engulfed in chaos by the time you get there, so do whatever you can. Once the area is evacuated, find the inception point and destroy the harbinger. That’s the only way to put a stop to the scourge.”

Ephemer summoned his keyblade then leapt onto the railing. He stood perfectly still even with the wind pushing against him. Looking over his shoulder at Blaine, he eagerly replied “Roger that, Master!”

Lauriam sighed. Summoning his own keyblade, he leapt into the air, briefly stepping on the balcony railing, then pushed himself off and vanished. He reappeared in a flash, stepping on a rooftop a short distance away, then vanished again. It was a technique called “quick step” that guardians used for fast traversal. Ephemer jumped from the balcony and followed after.

With them gone, Blaine spoke to Auden “You stay here. Let me know if anything changes.”

“Will do.” Auden lazily waved her hand, focusing on the aether meter. “You know, when you actually act like a Master, there’s a part of me that almost respects you. Almost.”

He lightly groaned. “I’ll pretend that was a compliment.”

Blaine placed his hand over his chest, then teleported away. -------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

KINGDOM HEARTS: DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — III WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -------------------------------------------------

The First District was the central point of Daybreak and at its heart stood a massive clock tower that rose into the clouds. If one were to reach the highest point of it, not only could they see all six of the districts surrounding it but a vast stretch of grasslands, an endless ocean to the west, and a barren wasteland far out in the distance. The clock tower, Arx ad Arbitris Tempus (“Stronghold for the Arbiters of Time”), was the base of operations for the Foretellers and the Lux Unitas. Of the seven districts that made up Daybreak, the First was naturally Ira’s jurisdiction.

As the others gradually arrived in the assembly chamber, finding their place around the long oval shaped table at the center of the room, Ira stood by the row of wall-sized windows gazing outside. Once everyone was fully present, he made his way to the head of the table. Since they amongst themselves, neither of them wore their iconic masks.

Ira cleared his throat then began. “Good. You’re all here.”

“You summoned us.” Gula snarkily replied.

“Well, I know you’re all busy – myself included. I’ll try to keep things short.”

Invi asked a question. “Is this about the Second District? Has any progress been made?”

“That happens to be one of the purposes of this meeting.” Ira replied. “We’ll be discussing what’s been happening lately concerning the scourges and the catastrophe that befell the Second District. I’m sure you’re all eager to know what’s going on, so that’s where we’ll begin.”

Ira continued. “We’re still eradicating the darkness. It hasn’t been easy, and we’ve lost some people in the process. I imagine it’ll be a long time before the district can return to any semblance of normal. Still, we’ve made some strides. We’ve managed to clear out a big portion of the district which has allowed our Guardians to advance further in. We’ve also strengthened and condensed the size of the barrier as we’ve progressed to keep the remaining darkness contained, and our mages have been hard at work cleansing the darkness and restoring the aether that once permeated the district.”

“Unfortunately, aether degradation is a serious concern. The black coats the Master provided us do well enough to stave off the darkness, but they were made specifically for us. The Master didn’t leave behind blueprints for them either, so reproducing the black coats is next to impossible. That means our Guardians and Mages are unprotected and perpetually at risk. And that’s something I can’t allow to continue. I’ve asked the Ars Magna Guild to study the coats and see if they can come up with an alternative. For now, we’ll have to lend our spares to those stationed in the district.”

Invi spoke in agreement. “That’s fine. I’m sure no one here has an issue with that.”

Aced interjected. “Tch. I don’t mind handing over the coats, but don’t go speaking for everyone.”

“It’s not as if it’s negotiable. Our Guardians and Mages need them.”

Aced replied, “Even so, our choices aren’t dictated by circumstance. We just happen to collectively agree on the matter at hand. It isn’t as cut and dry as you believe.”

Invi’s eyes narrowed. “These are trying times we’re in, Aced. You can feel however you want but we don’t have the luxury to be selfish and petulant.”

“What was that?” Aced sharply replied, arms folded against his chest.

Ira quickly interjected. “Enough, you two.”

Gula mumbled under his breath. “Looks like the meeting’s starting smoothly as always.”

Ira continued. “Anyway, let’s move on. Putting aside the Second District’s restoration, there is another important matter that must be addressed. Many lives were lost during the scourge – an estimation of 700 according to the Vitalis Registrum.”

Invi’s eyes widened. “700? That’s… so many.”

Ira went on. “An entire district of unsuspecting lives was taken. It has… been a challenge dealing with the aftermath. Understandably, people are in distress. Loved ones, friends, partners and whatnot all perished either due to fatal encounters with the shadows, or affliction of aether degradation. We’re doing what we can for those in mourning, but we can’t alleviate their sorrows.”

Ira extended the palm of his hand in Ava’s direction. “Ava and I have been preparing a grand ceremony to honor the lost. Their names will also be engraved in the Garden of Remembrance’s Wall of Memories. It is the least we can do. From this point forward, our goal – no, our mission – is to ensure something of that magnitude doesn’t happen again.”

Ira briefly paused. “That being said, although we’ve been working to the best of our abilities to pinpoint the cause of the shadow scourges, we’ve not made any significant progress other than detecting them the moment they occur. It isn’t enough time to act or prevent catastrophes. With the recent spike in scourges, our realm is in danger. We need to figure out what’s causing them and why.”

Aced chimed in. “We all have our own theories. You know where I stand, but I’m curious to know what everyone else’s thoughts are. Maybe one of us could add some insight.”

“Yes, and that’s next point of discussion.” Ira declared. “It’s why I’ve summoned you all here today. Of course, if there are other issues you’d like to bring up, they will be accepted within reason and discussed afterward. With that said, the floor is all yours. Any thoughts?”

Invi spoke first. “Hmm, well given the frequency in which they’ve been appearing, I can only assume that gaps have formed along the barrier. Even when the Master was here, it was under constant threat from the darkness. Luckily, he was able to maintain it. Without him here, the barrier likely can’t sustain this realm anymore. I believe the scourges are splinters of the darkness that’s managed to push its way in.”

Ira nodded in agreement. “Then you and I are of the same mind.”

Gula interjected. “Anyone could come to that conclusion. Since this realm’s inception, there haven’t been any run-ins with the darkness. The fact that we’re dealing with this now is reason enough to believe that.”

“Then what’s you’re take?” Invi asked.

“I don’t have one.” Gula replied while sighing, leaning back with his arms behind his head. “We don’t know jack shit and speaking on hypotheticals is a waste of time.”

“If you don’t have anything to say, then don’t speak.” Aced said, irritated.

“You don’t decide that. Gula isn’t wrong, but this is still a discussion.” Ira told him.

“That he should contribute to!” Aced angrily cut in. “He doesn’t get a pass for being a lazy prick!”

Gula grinned. “Wow. Those are some sharp words. Someone’s been studying comebacks.”

“You cheeky little bastard. Don’t make me –”

“Enough. Both of you.” Ira sternly spoke.

Ava spoke up. “If you’re both done, I’ll offer my opinion. For the sake of discussion, let’s assume that there are two truths; one where we have darkness intruding from the outside, and one where there’s someone orchestrating events from the inside. I take it that you lean toward the latter right, Aced?”

Aced responded with a nod, arms tightly folded.

Ava continued. “If there is someone causing the scourges to happen, then that means we’re likely dealing with someone who follows the path of darkness and knows how to wield its power. Darkness warps the heart, the mind, and the soul but it can’t strip away a person’s will. Whatever they decide to do is purely their own choice. The darkness only gives them a nudge.

“So? What are you getting at?” Aced asked.

Ava replied, “If we’re going to stick with that theory, then a reason has to exist.”

Aced’s face instantly scowled at her suggestion. “Tch! Does a reason matter if they’re a traitor? That should be enough for them to be dealt with.”

“Understanding their motives is important for what we’re dealing with.”

Gula responded, “Anyone who follows the path of darkness is either inadvertently or directly carrying out its will – which is to erase light from existence. We all know this from our teachings. That doesn’t help us solve the problem of who’s responsible.”

Invi agreed. “Right. We need to pinpoint a culprit.”

Ava continued, “In a general sense, you’re right Gula. But apart from the will of darkness, people have their own goals and desires that they pursue. Let’s think about it this way; if there was something you really wanted from the bottom of your heart, then you’d do whatever’s necessary to get it, right?  We should look at a potential culprit the same way; what would they want that’s worth the destroying this realm? And what if the shadow scourges aren’t just coincidences but calculated distractions?”

Ira spoke. “You’re implying the culprit is searching for something? I assume you have an idea.”

“It could be many things.” Ava replied then explained. “Our realm’s Heart crystal, the Kingdom key, the Hands of Caelum, the Cubis datums on Project Vitas Replica, or even the Book of Prophecies. These are all things that have been carefully hidden – all of which are important to the future of not only this realm, but also the continued preservation of light.”

Aced nodded. “Hmm, that makes sense. But if what you’re saying turns out to be true, then we’ll have no choice but to address the elephant in the room.”

“Being?” Ava asked.

“The only people who know they exist are the people in this room.”

A deafening silence immediately filled the room. Although Aced wasn’t fazed, the glares from Ira, Ava, and Invi were scathingly sharp enough to stab through one’s soul.

Ira spoke, his voice dark. “Aced, you…”

“I can’t believe you. Are you seriously implying that one of us is a traitor?!” Invi shouted.

“Everything Ava’s said so far falls in line with what I believe to be true. It’s almost uncanny.”

“I was just posing a hypothesis, nothing more.” Ava responded.

“Are you sure? You seem to be very interested in the matter.” Aced eyes narrowed suspiciously. “In the eight years I’ve known you, you’ve never gotten deeply involved with anything other than the Academia. Of course, that is your district so that’s to be expected. But still, it’s uncharacteristic of you. Hmph. I wonder, if what you’ve been saying this whole time is your actual thoughts, or…”

Ava’s brows and voice rose. “So, you think I’m a traitor??”

Invi furiously yelled, “No, I’m not letting that slide! Nobody in this room – including you, Aced – is a traitor! That you would even come to such a conclusion is sickening!”

“And she wasn’t nudging us to this point?!” Aced angrily shouted back. “We’re the only ones who know about those things! A traitor being in our ranks makes perfect sense! If one of us was corrupted by the darkness, then they’d have the power to bypass the barrier and allow darkness to break through!”

“For what reason would any of us need to risk the well-being of this realm?!” Invi responded. “Over the Heart crystal whose domain is protected by the World Gate and can only be opened with the Kingdom Key of which neither of us knows where it is?! The same goes for the Book of Prophecies! And not to mention the Hands of Caelum is a lost art! We’ve barely, barely scratched the surface on that! And Project Vita Replica is nothing more than a fantasy that will never be realized! Don’t you understand that?!”

Gula chuckled. “Wow, Aced. You’re on fire right now.”

“Shut your damn mouth, lazy bum!!!” Aced screamed.

Ira raised his voice. “Aced, calm yourself now!

“I won’t! I’m not backing down from this!” Aced furiously yelled back. “You say the traitor couldn’t be anyone in this room, but what of the people around us?! Anyone could be eavesdropping on us at any moment! Anyone could know about those things and gain an understanding of how to weaponize them against the realm!”

Invi jumped in. “So, what? We’re supposed to be suspicious of the entire realm?! By your logic, everyone is a traitor. The people’s trust lies with us, and ours lies with them! You’d rather we trample on all that just so you can feel some sort of vindication?!”

Aced’s large beefy fists crashed down onto the table. “I’d rather we get rid of the damn traitor so we can keep protecting this realm and the light!! You’re all too soft, naïve, and indecisive!! At some point, after everything that’s happened over the past year, it should’ve crossed your minds that there’s likely a traitor amongst us! Even that know-it-all buffoon we called our master would’ve come to that conclusion!!!”

Invi’s eyes widened and burned ferociously. She could tolerate Aced’s vitriol to a certain extent, but his disrespect for the Master was something her heart wouldn’t let slide. As the air rushed from her lungs to her mouth, the veins in her neck bulged bright red. “Don’t you dare speak about him like that!!”

Ignoring her outburst, Aced turned to their leader Ira. “And you – the man of the hour. You’ve let things spiral this far out of control to the point that the realm is on the verge of collapsing. And you’re supposed to be our leader? Tch! What a joke. I knew he made the wrong choice.”

Invi summoned her keyblade and, in a flash, appeared above Aced swinging her keyblade down on him. Aced quickly drew his own keyblade, blocking strike. The clash sent a small shockwave through the room. Despite the intensity of her strike, Aced’s raw strength easily overpowered her. He swung his keyblade. Invi leapt back, avoiding his attack, and landed on the table. She extended her arm out slightly, turning her keyblade sideways while still gripping the handle, then grabbed its tip with her other hand. Thin streams of water begin swirling in the air around her.

Aced kicked his chair back and readied himself. Suddenly, a white beam of light shot between them. It tore through the table, cutting it clean in half. Instead of piercing through the wall and leaving a gaping hole, it bounced off and traveled around the room hitting several other surfaces before returning to Ira’s keyblade. The chamber was nearly demolished – only the others stood unaffected. Invi, lying on one half of the split table on the floor, glared at him. Ira lowered his keyblade and sighed.

“I’ve had enough. This discussion doesn’t seem to be going anywhere meaningful, and I’d rather this not escalate any further. For now, the meeting will be adjourned. We’ll resume another time.”

Aced withdrew his keyblade and cast it away. “Fine by me. This was a waste of time.”

As he walked away, Gula smirked. “How about that – we actually agree on something.”

Ignoring Gula’s comment, Aced left the assembly chamber. Gula and Ava quietly followed shortly after. Invi pushed herself off the halved table then dusted off the back of her robe. Once she stepped out of the way, Ira cast a restoration art on the room, bringing it back to its former state.

“That didn’t go as well as I hoped.” Ira said.

“You should’ve expected that at this point.” Invi replied. “It was foolish of you to think that we’d all be on the same page, or even come to a collective agreement. That might’ve been true over seven years ago – before the Master disappeared, but definitely not now.”

“Maybe so. But we all took an oath to protect this realm together. As comrades, we should –”

“Look at us, Ira. Whatever comradery we had back then is long gone. Neither of us are who we used to be, and the divide between us keeps growing with each passing day.”

“I’d like to believe we can mend that.” Ira said then cast his keyblade away. “I can’t deny that it’s been difficult for everyone these past seven years. Being thrust into undertaking massive responsibilities all while shouldering the fate of an entire realm is too much for anyone to bear. Being the leader of the Lux Unitas and the overseer of this realm, trust me – I understand. You’re not alone in this.”

Ira paused, taking a short breath and briefly shutting his eyes. “To be honest with you, I find myself questioning if he made the right choice. The Master was known for his bizarre and illogical judgments but, in the end, they were always correct. I can’t help but feel this is the one time he was wrong.”

“Regardless of how things have become between us, I don’t want you to think for a second that that’s a reflection on you.” Invi said as she walked over to him, then placed a hand on his shoulder. “The Master chose you because he believed in you – just like I do. You’ve always been a leader, Ira. No matter where you go or whatever’s going on, you always manage to inspire everyone around you. You’re a light in the darkness. People see you as a symbol of hope because of how brave and selfless you are.”

She moved her hand then continued, “You go out of your way to help anyone – even to your own detriment. You’ll willingly sacrifice yourself for someone else’s sake if it means they’ll survive. And whenever the going gets tough, you never give up and never back down. You’re too stubborn for your own good. And while that does irk me sometimes, I admire that. The Master did too. That’s why, in spite of our differences, we come together whenever you need us. We trust you and you trust us. Tell me Ira, doesn’t that sound like a leader to you?”

Ira’s eyes slowly brightened and the tenseness in his body began to dissipate. All that escaped his mouth were small breaths, but subtle smile on his face was clear enough. But even so, he was still the leader of the Foretellers. Even if her words were enough to temporarily soothe his heart and mind, he had to keep up the role. And so, Ira turned away, averting her gaze, then cleared his throat. “I guess so.”

Invi’s eye lids slightly narrowed. She briefly shut her eyes, then took a small quiet breath. “Even if I think it’s futile, I’ll do what I can to help. You’re right; we may not be comrades now, but we must put our issues aside. We owe it to everyone to continue protecting the light of this realm and ensuring it thrives into the future. That was the oath we took and the promise we made to him.”

Ira’s brows nudged a bit. For some reason, his eyes dimmed.

“I’ll be looking forward to your assistance.” He replied.

“I’ll be on my way then.”

Invi said then started toward the chamber’s door. After she opened the door, she held it open with her palm pressed against it, then looked over her shoulder. “Oh, the next time you step in between me and that hot-headed grizzly bear, make sure you don’t accidentally slash my robe again. This took days to thread, you know. And this robe happens to be my favorite one.”

Ira choked then sighed. “Right, sorry about that.”

Invi closed the door behind her. Standing alone in the assembly chamber, Ira looked around the room. A ray of light broke through the clouds and shone through the thick glass windows, but it was short-lived. It was soon snuffed out by the clouds above – their shadow cast over most of the First District. Going over to the window, his gaze fell to the grounds below.

“The future, huh.” -------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

KINGDOM HEARTS: DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — II WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -------------------------------------------------

Seven months later.

There were three bell towers that stood in Union Cross’s campus and upon the arrival of noon they’d rang out simultaneously. Even though they weren’t particularly loud they could still be heard throughout the vast campus that was the Seventh District. Union Cross was a haven for the students – many who aspired to become Guardians. As such, it was always busy. The Fountain of Knowledge, a large circular stone fountain surrounded by buildings, food stalls, and shops was a central hub of respite. Aside from being a symbol for the academy, the fountain was little more than a bench for the students.

“Finally! We’re done!” said Amica, a tomboyish girl with messy dark scarlet hair and eyes to match. She laid flat along the fountain rim, stretching long enough for her joints to crack, then groaned in relief. “My brain is so drained right now. I could pass out.”

“Hmm. Our lectures did run a bit long today.” This was Nos, the person sitting beside her. They were slightly taller, caramel colored hair, and eyes as blue as a clear sky.

“A bit? Today was a huge slog! Sitting through one long boring lecture after the other made me want to gouge my ears out.” She yawned, letting her arm dangle lifelessly off the edge. “My eye lids feel like dumbbells. I just wanna sleep.”

“You think hearing you whine all day was music to my ears?”

“That’s funny coming from you, ‘O silent one.” Amica said mockingly. “I’m probably the only person here who’s ever heard you speak. People think you’re a mute, you know.”

“That’s not true. And I’m not a mute.”

“Right, right. You’re just being cautious or whatever. Pfft! I think you’re afraid of people. Doesn’t matter to me though. I like being the only one who gets to hear your sweet, majestic voice.” Amica teased again, though they didn’t respond this time. She lifted her head to see them then grinned. “Oh ho-ho, is that red I see? Go on, say something. My ears are ready for pleasure.”

Nos sighed. “Cut it out.”

“Anyway, it feels good to be outside. Cool breeze, the sky’s blue, and the sun’s shining. I could close my eyes, spread my arms, and drift into the wind. Let it take me wherever.”

“Like a leaf, huh.” Nos replied.

“Yep. Light as can be and one with the wind. Free from the crappy burdens of life.”

The thought of such an experience intrigued Nos. Unfortunately, as soon as they began to imagine, reality crashed down and spoiled it all. They let out a sigh of disappointment. “If only it was that simple. I wouldn’t mind being carried by the wind. Probably feels nice.”

As the two carried on, a group of Guardians dressed in white uniforms began patrolling the area. It wasn’t unusual to see them walking around but these Guardians were from the Lux Unitas, a special force under direct order of the Grandmasters. Given the jagged fox symbol imprinted on the backs of their jackets, they were from the Vulpes Union. Nos watched as they strolled around the fountain. A few of them had their keyblades at their side, and one with it sitting over their shoulder.

“I wonder why the Lux Unitas have been patrolling the campus lately.”

“Probably because of the shadow scourges.” Amica replied, now lying on her side, face resting on her stretched arm. “They’ve been popping up more and more lately. Remember the one that totally destroyed the Second district? Everything fell to ruin, and nobody survived. I heard it’s still being quarantined until the Lux Unitas can get rid of the darkness there.”

“There’s still darkness after all this time? Do you think they can get rid of it all?”

“Doubt it. Even if they could somehow get rid of it all, that district is too far gone. It’d take years, hell, even decades to rebuild. Besides, they’re more likely worried about the next scourge.”

“Next one, huh.” Nos’s eyes followed the two Guardians who passed them. As they thought about the inevitable coming of another scourge, a sense of dread and worry crept onto them. “I wonder what’s going on. Everything was fine up until a year ago. What changed?”

“Beats me.” Amica replied.

“We’re still working towards becoming Guardians, but we have no real experience with darkness. There’s a huge difference between fighting shadows in a simulation and fighting them for real. Most of us would choke if we ever came face to face with the real thing. It’s hard to think about being in that situation.”

“Nothing we can do but try to survive.” Amica said. “No use in crying at that point. Whoever wants to fight will fight, and whoever doesn’t will run away. Honestly, I’d probably be one of the people running for their lives. Fighting sucks.”

“You wouldn’t do that.”

“You don’t know me well then.” She rolled over on her back again. “Believe it or not, I’m the world’s biggest coward. Any sign of danger and I’m heading straight for the hills and not looking back. Better to live than die trying, right?”

“Be serious for once.”

“I am. Becoming a Guardian isn’t what I want – it’s just all there is. We’re taught from the moment we’re born that being a Guardian is the end-all-be-all. And for most people, it is. Almost everyone dreams about being a hero so they can live out fantasies or protect whatever they love. But for the people who just want to live, all we can do is chase other people’s dreams. What we want doesn’t matter.”

She continued, a pitied smile on her face. “Sounds messed up, doesn’t it? Nothing to be sad about though. We all have our roles to play in this parade. Some people just get the shorter end of the stick.”

“I…didn’t know you felt the way.”

“Eh. Guardian or not,” she sat upright then pivoted herself so her legs could hang off the fountain’s edge. “I’m going to live my life the way I want. You should too. Life would totally suck if you just go with the flow and not try to be whoever you want to be.”

“Sure, but I don’t know who I’d want to be? Almost everyone in the Lux Unitas is special. They all have something that sets them apart. As for me, I can’t say that I’m special in any shape or form, so being myself is out of the question.”

“You’re selling yourself short as always. You don’t have to be special to be somebody, you goober. Just be true to yourself. Besides I like you just the way you are.” Amica grinned then poked her finger into the side of their cheek. “And don’t go getting all strawberry faced. You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I know. Now stop poking me! The edge of your nail feels like a razor blade!”

“Anyway,” she said, having stopped. She pushed herself off the fountain then raised both her arms up as if she were cheering, letting out a relieved grunt. “Enough of the gloomy talk. We’ve got the rest of the afternoon to ourselves, no? Let’s hit up some of the food stalls for some grub. And maybe we can cop a treat or two on the side.”

Nos smirked. “Uh huh. You just want an excuse to go to the shop that sells the star-shaped fruit.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let’s go!”

Amica snatched Nos’s arm, yanking them up from the fountain and almost causing them to trip over themselves, then pulled Nos along with her. -------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

KINGDOM HEARTS: DIVERGE, VOL. 0 MARCH OF THE FOOLS, PART I — I WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -------------------------------------------------

A never-ending ominous black haze permeated the sky over what was once a bustling residential district. Most of the Victorian-esque buildings and structures had either been reduced to rubble, partially collapsed and nearly ruined beyond recognition, or stained black across their facades. The cobble stone streets were ripped up, broken apart, and eroding. A foul stench cursed the air, and what bits of aether remained would soon be wiped away by the overflowing darkness. And that meant there were no survivors.

All of this was the aftermath of a Shadow scourge.

In spite of the Second District’s desolate and dire state, two men – Ira and Aced, both clad in fancy white robes adorned with silver and gold, strolled through. Neither could believe what they were seeing. Ira, the one wearing the unicorn mask, let out a dejected sigh. “It’s much worse than I thought.”

Aced, the burly one in the bear mask, groaned. “As usual, we’re too late. How many has it been now? I’ve lost track by this point.”

“More than enough, that’s for sure.” Ira raised his head to the black sky. “Shadow scourges have been popping up at an alarming rate. That the darkness somehow made its way here to realm whose defenses are nigh-impenetrable, and whose barrier is bathed in primordial light, is unthinkable.”

“Is it really? We’ve been dealing with this crisis for more than a year now, and despite how much investigation we’ve done, we’re just as clueless as were before.” Aced frowned. “I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time to consider that the cause of the shadow scourges isn’t coming from the outside.”

“What are you getting at?”

“I’m saying that there might be a traitor among us. Someone’s been playing with darkness.”

“That’s impossible.” Ira quickly responded in disbelief. “Teachings of the darkness have always been forbidden here. There isn’t a single person living in this realm who follows the path of darkness. The Master made sure of that.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“As I said before, the barrier that protects this world is bathed in primordial light. Assuming a force of darkness could hypothetically break past the world’s defenses, it’d be snuffed out the moment it made contact with the barrier. Darkness can’t penetrate it. That said, no realm’s defenses are foolproof.”

Ira subtly stroked his chin. “As much as we’d like to believe that the barrier will protect this world forever, it has significantly weakened over time. I��d imagine that by now it’s nearing its end. And we don’t have the tools, power, nor knowledge to maintain it. The Master was the only one who possessed that. It pains me to say it, but the barrier was always meant to be temporary.”

“Even more reason to suspect that there might be a traitor.” Aced replied. “Like you said, teachings of darkness are non-existent here. We only know what the Master told us. That, and the many stories of those who’ve migrated here from fallen realms. You can bet your ass that there are people who’d be stupid enough to give into that sort of temptation.”

“Be that as it may, I’d rather you not jump to conclusions. Even if what you said was true, hypothetically speaking, what would you expect us to do? Go on a mass witch hunt and interrogate each and every living soul in this realm?” Ira’s voice began to rise. “We are this realm’s keepers. Destroying the trust and harmony we’ve fostered over the years because of that would be foolish! It’d be a disgrace to the Master and everything he’s done.”

“That’s not what I was saying, and you know that.” Aced sighed in annoyance. “Ira, don’t you think it’s time we’ve moved on from the Master’s vision? It's been seven years, and as much as everyone else would hate to admit it, he’s not coming back. This realm belongs to us. We should be following our own vision, our own will, not one handed to us by a man who abandoned his.”

“That’s enough, Aced.” Ira sternly replied.

Aced sucked his teeth. “Tch. Always the loyal lapdog.”

Although his eyes were covered, Ira glared at him. The two continued on, passing through what was left of the Second District, until they heard a faint and frail voice. They stopped and listened. It seemed to be coming from the alley across from them. They stepped inside, crossing over the debris from the some of the buildings along the alley, eventually finding a woman collapsed on the ground. Ira rushed to her side.

There were scratches and deep bruises all over her arms, legs, and face. Her eyes were partially shut, and her breaths were becoming smaller and fainter by the second. Just as Ira reached his hand out to touch her, Aced grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

“What are you –”

“It’s too late. Look at her.”

Ira’s eyes traced the woman’s weak and frail body. Darkness oozed from her like hot steam, and her skin was hard as stone, cracked, and blackened all over except for half her face.

“Aether degradation.” Ira said sorrowfully.

“That was careless, you know.” Aced pointed out.

“I…was just caught up in the moment.”

Despite the woman’s condition, Ira moved closer to her.

“Can you speak?” he asked.

The woman’s voice was gone. A subtle strain to utter a sound was all they could hear.

“Don’t force yourself.” He subtly shifted his head, then spoke to Aced. “Cast telepathy.”

“I’ve already done it. She’ll hear you.”

Ira took a deep breath then removed his mask, setting it on his lap, then peered into the woman’s darkening eyes. Her breaths were farther and fewer in between now.

[I know…I know you don’t have much time, but…can you tell me what happened?]

It took a moment for her voice to reach him.

[The sky…it was black. And everything…fell apart. People…they couldn’t…there was nowhere to go. Those monsters…killed them. They left, but…the darkness, it…I couldn’t…I couldn’t save them.]

Ira’s eyes shifted right to the end of the alley. Aced teleported over only to find several blackened and eroded corpses. His eyes widened in shock. Ira lowered his head and clenched his fist hard enough that his bones creaked. The telepathic connection began to fade.

[Please…don’t let them be…]

“I won’t. I promise.”

The woman’s eyes slowly closed. She was gone.

Ira smashed his fist against the floor, clenching his teeth.

Aced made his way back. Ira looked at him for some sign of assurance, but all Aced could do was shake his head. Ira briefly closed his eyes, letting out a disheartened sigh, then rose to his feet with his mask in hand. He stretched his right arm out, widening his palm, then summoned his keyblade and placed it over his chest. Suddenly, his white robe transformed into a long hooded black coat that draped to his ankles. His mask also vanished from his other hand. Aced immediately followed suit.

“Let’s go.” Ira quietly spoke then stepped forward.

The two headed further into the depths of the Second District’s ruin. -------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

KINGDOM HEARTS: DIVERGE, VOL. 0 THE FORETELLERS, PROLOGUE — VII WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Master’s abrupt disappearance, while not a shock to the Foretellers, left an empty feeling in the air. Still, they carried on as instructed. His parting gift to them was the Chirithy, an anthropomorphic cat meant to assist them in their future endeavors. It was the last time they were able to speak to him, and the last time they’d ever see him. And although he was gone, his dreams and ambitions for the preservation of the light remained strong in the hearts of his apprentices.

The Foretellers formed their unions soon after. The first were Ira and Invi’s unions Unicronis and Anguis. Aced formed Ursus shortly after and Gula followed along with Leopardus. And lastly, perhaps the smallest of the unions, was Ava’s union Vulpes. Over the next few years, they managed to recruit over 100 prospective keyblade warriors. To prepare them for the future, they were sent to train inside replicas of the Worlds Beyond; one of the master’s more grandiose creations, placed inside pocket dimensions, and complete with artificial life and creatures of darkness.

Still though, even in a world overflowing in the warmth of light, the shadows cast by its radiance were always nearby. And although things seemed to be going well, what was lurking within those shadows was beyond dangerous. As for what, that would be discovered – but far too late. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[orangemoonxworks]

KINGDOM HEARTS: DIVERGE, VOL. 0 THE FORETELLERS, PROLOGUE — VI WRITTEN BY: Naude Lucem -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ava was the youngest of the Foretellers and, despite her young age, she was adept at magic – even being able to cast grand spells. Still, she was naïve. As a Daybreak native, she lived a mostly sheltered life free of any exposure to darkness. It was hard for her to imagine that a calamity such as the darkness scourge existed, even much less that there were realms beyond the skies of Daybreak. In her eyes, things couldn’t have been as bad as they’d seemed. Ava, like many, was spoiled by the light’s grace. However, that gave her the freedom to be her spunky and cheerful self. Her heart was so pure it was infectious, but that’s what drew people to her, and what allowed her to get close to others.

Having received his request the day prior, Ava ventured to the Master’s chamber. When she arrived, he was deeply engrossed in an alchemic experiment. He was unusually silent, which was a rare occurrence. After finishing up his notes, he turned in his chair then slapped his thighs.

“So, you're curious about the Book of Prophecies, right?”

“Huh? Uh, well, maybe. Is that the reason you asked me to come by?”

“Hmm, yes and no. The Book of Prophecies is a golden trove of information. But unfortunately, that's all it is. It can't prevent catastrophes from happening, and it can't change anything. However,” The Master paused for a second, then wagged his index finger. “Knowledge is key. And with enough knowledge, you can do just about anything ‒ even tip the scales of destiny. So, the Book of Prophecies is a must have! Unfortunately, that's what makes it extremely dangerous. In the hands of someone with dark intentions, they can turn our reality upside down.”

“That’s why you keep the Book hidden?”

“Yeah, it's a bummer though. I don't get to read it at all” the Master pouted, palming his cheek. “Just imagine the kinds of juicy secrets that are in there?! So many things to know like, for example, my face under this hood! The Book knows what I look like! If you were curious enough, you could find out just how dashing and drop-dead handsome I am! Who knows, I could be an Adonis under here!”

Ava frowned. “Uh, Master, what you look like doesn't matter.”

“Huh?” The Master replied in a softened and dejected voice. He lowered his head then whimpered while clutching his chest, “My spirit is broken, and my heart is irreparably damaged.”

“I didn't mean it that way. You're our Master, and we value you and your guidance. So...”

The Master lifted his head for a second, then leapt from the chair to his feet, stroking his chin. “Of course, you do!! I mean, I am amazing. Hehe.”

Ava couldn’t help but frown again.

(Didn’t take long for him to snap out of it…)

“Anyway,” the Master continued, looking down at her. “Having limitless knowledge opens the door to infinite possibilities. And who doesn't want that kind of power? In fact, I can think of one group of dastardly creatures that'd absolutely LOVE to get their hands on it. Care to guess who?”

“Hmm…the Darkness?”

“Bingo!” he nearly shouted. “Like I said, whatever the book records will happen. Well, that is, unless someone comes into possession of it and starts throwing everything out of whack. So, in preparation for that eventuality, I have an mission for you and only you.”

“Uh, me?” Ava asked, confusedly pointing to herself.

“Yes. You might be the only hope of keeping the light from expiring.”

“Light expiring? W-What do you mean? And why me??”

“Because you’re like a light that never stops shining.” He said, then placed his hand on her shoulder. “A little candle whose fire never fades even in darkness. And you’ve got a heart stronger than anyone that I’ve ever come across. Who, better than someone like that to carry on the legacy of the light? Hmm?”

“Uh huh. You’re just trying to butter me up, aren’t you?”

The Master chuckled. He tapped her shoulder then took a step back. “More or less. The fact is, is that you’re the only person I can turn to for such a huge undertaking. The others simply aren’t reliable enough. This is something that you, and only you, can do.”

Ava paused for a moment. On the one hand, knowing he’d had that much faith in her made her happy. But on the other hand, the “important mission” he was coaxing her into didn’t inspire much confidence. After all, she had no idea what the “mission” would entail, and she lacked the experience the others had. Still, she could see that he was being sincere. The Master was never one to take serious matters lightly. So, having thought about it, she made up her mind.

“All right, if you say so. What is it that you need me to do?”

“It's simple – forget the notion of unions, find keyblade warriors with potential, and nurture them until they've fully matured ‒ in secret, of course. Then, when the time comes, send them off to another world. They will keep the light alive.”

Ava lowered her head and gripped her robe’s sides. “Are you sure that I’m right person for this?”

The Master gently lifted her head with his hand. “Ava, you're the only person for this. I know you can do it, and I trust you wholeheartedly. If I didn’t have some faith in you, then I wouldn’t have taken you under my wing. So, lighten up. This is your big break.”

“I understand but...you said that the Book falling into the wrong hands is something that could happen. But from the way you’ve been talking, it almost seems like you know something will happen. I-I'm not doubting you or anything! It’s just that…if someone does find the book, then…”

“Let me guess, you want to know what’s inside the Book that’s sooo dangerous, right? Hmm, I guess I could give you a hint. But you have to promise me one thing…” Suddenly, his voice darkened. “Don't get involved in anything going forward – not even squabbles between the others. You hear?”

“O-Okay. I promise.” Ava nodded.

“All right then. Tell me Ava, what is the one thing that people fear the most?”

She thought to herself for a moment. “I guess...the end of life? Or the darkness, maybe?”

“Good choices but no. The answer is rather simple.”

The Master bent down to her level then whispered into the side of her hood.

“It’s the truth.” -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------