A Fantasy in Turmoil (Closed)

Dark cloud’s passed overhead, slowly moving towards the grand castle that overlooked its vast domain. A streak of jagged lightning tore across the sky soon followed by a roar of thunder that could almost be felt, as if a monstrous beast were trying to shake the very land to its foundation. A bad omen if there ever was one or perhaps a genuine expression of the state that currently plagued the kingdoms. The murder of King Stephen, King Hubert, and other leaders of their respected kingdoms had forced the world of the Enchanted Dominion into an age rife with turmoil. Blood was spilled and lives were wasted everyday as the nobles fought over who would ascend to the throne. Neighboring kingdoms threatened to invade, desiring more land and forcing another power to bow to its rule. No one was safe. Even the noble fairies that had once been so common throughout human society were now a rare sight, retreating into the sanctity of their homes to escape the chaos darkness had wrought.

Another boom of thunder was heard and the sorceress, Faye, hoped that she could make it into the next town before the rain hit.  “If only someone had the mental capabilities to unite all the kingdoms under one banner. Perhaps then this world could finally see some peace.” the young woman spoke in a regal like manner as she guided her horse drawn wagon down a neglected cobblestone road. The wind picked up, causing her wavy dark brown locks to sway wildly beneath her hood.  “Fiddlesticks!” she cursed, quickly tightening the draw strings around her crimson cloak.

Clearing her throat, she continued with her little rant, though there was no one around to reply she didn’t think. It was a habit she found herself doing often. A way for her to make up for the loneliness in her heart that she would not dare to admit. “What we need is an individual who would not fall into the same cookie cutter pattern that all have before him… or her.” she suddenly laughed out loud at that part, her voice ringing across the seemingly barren meadow “A woman sitting alone on the throne? That would be something to see. I can imagine the men would go absolutely mad at such a testimony. Some may even feel as if they had been were gelded.” a sigh slips past her ruby lips, rolling her eyes at her own behavior. Sometime she wondered if she was insane. No wonder people were quick to accuse her of being an evil witch. “And here I go on rambling to myself again with no purpose, unless you are listening, Noir?” the black stallion continued to trot onward, focusing on the trail that was laid out before him. “Be glad you are spared from the idiocy man calls politics, my dear friend. At least Mother Nature cuts out the middle man and doesn’t beat around the bush when she wants to get something done. Why I even bothered to study up on such things I know not. Hmph. The things one will do in their boredom.”

A few raindrops fell from the sky, dotting the cobblestone road with tiny grey splotches that would soon overtake the pearly white stones. Much like the darkness. Faye thought to herself as the tone of her horse’s hooves changed in rhythm when they met the wooden bridge. Thankfully, it still seemed to be in decent condition. What with the political struggles as of late, repairing the roads was the last thing the nobles would think about.

Up ahead, she could see the lights of the castle village where they would be staying for the next few days.  It was here she would offer her services as a seamstress and try to sell the many gowns and tunics she had labored over with care. Briefly, she glanced back at the worn chest that contained her goods as well as a collection of fabrics and other tools she used for sewing. It rocked gently back and forth as the wagon bounced along the road. Hopefully this trip would be more successful than the last.

Meanwhile...

Her scanner was still humming away as the rain dotted the ground. Hyalus herself didn't really mind the elements herself; she was much too focused on her work to care for the gradual turn in the weather. There was definitely something buried around here. The machine on her wrist stated it was a metal, but what manner of the sort was just too vague. With that said, it'd just be better to dig the thing up herself.

As horrendously built and poorly designed as the ship she'd...acquired...was, it at least had room to hold all of Krysta's tools -- Shovels, Pickaxes, her Synthy gear, and a few personal items for travel -- though she wouldn't mind fetching a better Gummi Ship. Of course, as she'd noted when she first arrived to this world, it wasn't very...technologically inclined.
Once again, Krysta had tried to make a beeline for Radiant Garden, one of the most prosperous and advanced worlds known to travelers. It was home to the Moogles, the beings who both invented the art of Synthesis, and raised her since she was small. The Moogling Marksman had been itching to learn more secrets to her trade from the best of their kind, but as usual, she'd managed to get herself stuck somewhere else entirely.

The Terrible Tonberry had sprung a leak. Krysta had spent two hours fishing all of her belongings out of the Cure-G cockpit, and doing her best to dry them out. Now, ironically, it was raining, and it'd be soaking wet again. The best she'd been able to do was pile it up under a tree nearby, and then her Synth-Scanner had gone off.
Hyalus had run away from her home in Traverse Town, seeking ways to improve herself in both Synthesis, and combat, and in doing so finding a manner to create the best weapons and items in the worlds. She didn't dare to go back home to her family without some form of proof that she'd managed to accomplish something worth going such a great length for. So far, Krysta's searches had turned up absolutely nothing.

At least now, she'd managed to locate something decent, she thought to herself. The tween was digging with a surprising amount of vigor into the earth, neglecting the sizable pile of dirt she'd accumulated, and caring very little about the fact that she was now laying on her stomach, with her feet sticking out of the hole she'd burrowed.
"Stupid rain," she grouched, shaking a clod of clay from her head. "It'd help if I had a light or something...Oh wait." The girl snapped her fingers, conjuring up a tiny flame on the tip of her thumb. It was a very feeble light, but it'd do. All she had to do, was find her nugget...wherever it was.

A noise caught her attention, though it was muffled quite a bit, and Krysta put her ear to the ground. It sounded like...a voice.
"...This world has MOLE PEOPLE." She deduced, sounding less surprised by the revelation than most would. "How interesting!"
Oh, no. That sound, as she did a second listen in, was coming from not too far away from her position, above the ground. Oh well. Perhaps there weren't mole people here after all.
"How disappointing," Hyalus lamented, with a shrug, as she squirmed around in her miniature cave, pushing away more of the earth before her.

Suddenly, a glint of pale, blue shine caught her eye in the dark, and the girl lit up instantly.
"AHA! Jackpot!"
Throwing dirt by the handfuls, Krysta began digging furiously, caring little for how messy she was getting. There was absolutely no way in the worlds she was going to let something like this slip through her fingers! If it were a new kind of material...she could go home right now and present it to the Chief! There was no way he'd be able to be angry with her if she came home with something this incredible!
But, it was merely a deposit of Mythril Stone, much to her dismay. She felt her heart sink back into her stomach as she realized she'd become excited for no real reason, and the flame in her hand flickered out.

Downtrodden with her rotten luck, Hyalus plucked as much of the mineral from the ground as she could, and wriggled her way back up to the surface. The rain was picking up. There were storm clouds passing overhead. She was pretty sure she heard a clash of lightning further away. She didn't care. Krysta knew she'd have to find some shelter pretty soon, though...Unfamiliar with the world, there was no telling how near or far she really was from civilization.
It was at that moment that she recalled the noise she'd encountered beforehand, and to her south, there was a wagon coming across the nearby pathway. Jogging half-heartedly towards the driver, who was presently too far off to really make much of, Krysta carried some faint hope that maybe today wouldn't be so terrible. After all, she had enough Mythril to at least make some rings to sell to some of the locals. Some Munny might do her good for a night's stay someplace.

"Excuse me! Excuse me! Help a girl out with pointing out the nearest town, maybe? If it's not too much of a bother?"

The wagon jerked a bit as the wheels met a dip between the bridge and the road. For a moment, Faye had been certain she was going to be thrown from the cart when it caused her to bonce up an inch or two before rocking her back down. The sorceress had only saved herself by gripping the reins with one hand while desperately clawing at the edge of her seat with the other. Mud splattered everywhere as the wheels dug down into an old puddle, one that the sun had not yet dried from the last spell of rain. Part of her leg stuck out of the cart, flailing around as she struggled to keep her balance. The cool air met her calf as the white cotton of her petticoat slid all the way up to her finely sewn garters. An embarrassing sight indeed! It wounded her pride as a lady that she had not taken that bump with more grace. Blood quickly rushed to her cheeks, turning them a bright shade of red. Straightening back up on the bench, she reached down to pull her skirt back into place.

A few splatters of the offending sludge managed to find its way onto Faye’s cloak and she sneered in frustration. At least it was doing its job and didn’t get her dress dirty instead but still. Faye was quite a finicky person and always wanted to appear as any proper lady should. Mostly it was because her adoptive mother and the other fairies found it very important to present oneself in the best possible way. It wasn’t a bad thing. No not at all. It gave her the confidence she needed and oh boy did she need it when it came to dealing with the bigotry she often found herself dealing with.
Damn these terrible roads! She thought, glancing over her shoulder to check on the old chest.

It was a miracle the chest didn’t bounce right out and into the dark gunk. That would have been a disaster so bad she would have fallen to her knees and mourned for the loss of all those gorgeous fabrics she could barely afford. Yes, it was silly to care so much for basic material, except it wasn’t just simple cloth. It was the best of the best, a labor of love that could only be obtained with a heavy purse. Faye had fought to resist the treasures when she originally found them, trying to convince herself that they weren’t that great, but it was impossible for the young seamstress. Never had she seen anything like it before. The patterns were so unique, layered with an array of different styles and mesmerizing colors. The texture was completely foreign. So smooth that gently drawing a finger upon its surface barely caused any friction, an artistic expression of water that could be worn. They were so irresistible to the sorceress that she actually tested each bolt to see if they contained some kind of bewitching enchantment, but of course there were none to be found. She could remember walking out of that town determined to pass on the opportunity, but she immediately turned on her heels and practically threw her Munny at the bewildered merchant. The fabric she purchased was called silk and she bought a lot of it. The merchant himself had been interesting too, claiming to come from a world called The Land of Dragons. It was on Faye’s list to go there someday.

Turning back around in her seat, she watched the road again. The heat of the day continued to dwindle as dusk started to settle in. It was a nice change. The trip had been hard on Faye and her horse with the sun beating down on their heads and the bumpy road didn’t help. The sight of the pale moon fighting for control of the sky in the twilight hour was a welcome sight. It was her favorite time of day, calm and relaxing. A promise for the future or a promise for an end, that was dawn and dusk and yet they appeared the same.

Noir’s ears flicked forward and he gave a soft nicker, lifting his head up and leaning a little harder on the bit. Grunting, Faye pulled back on the reins to get him to slow back down into a relaxed trot. ”Shh… easy, boy. Wolves?” She mutters, casting a look around their position. Unless they were hiding down in the grass, there wasn’t much of a place for them to hide in the valley. Then she saw what Noir had seen, a small figure in the distance. Too far away to really make out what it was but enough to know it was a person. “Highwaymen? I’ve scorched enough on this trip. There has to be at least ten men walking around with burnt backsides spreading the tale of the evil witch now.” she slowly shook her head. “I suppose one more won’t make a difference. Slow and steady, Noir. We’ll handle this one like we have all the others.”

As they made their way closer, the appearance of the person became clearer. Faye stood up a little in her seat, intrigued by the sight of what appeared to be an oddly dressed girl with a very peculiar hair color to boot. Her hair was pale as moonlight with streaks as violet as the fire the sorceress could wield.  She couldn’t have been any more than twelve or thirteen years old. The sorceress took another look around the area, searching for any other signs of life.

I do not see anyone else. Is she truly all alone in this valley? By the stars it’s a wonder she hasn’t been attacked, abducted, or killed. She thought.

Snapping the reins, Faye instructed Noir to quicken his pace, causing his feathered hooves to appear as if he were gliding on air. The odd girl came jogging towards the cart when she noticed them, calling out for what sounded like directions to the nearest town, but Faye didn’t catch all of it with the sound of Noir’s hooves clicking against the cobblestone. Once they were close enough, Noir stopped with a snort. Looking her top to bottom, Faye examined the girl up close for the first time. Whoever she was, she certainly was not from the Enchanted Dominion. She stuck out like a sore thumb that had been stuck in purple paint.

At first, Faye said absolutely nothing, staring at the small teen with a calculating expression. Some found it intimidating or disturbing the way she gazed into a person’s eyes. No nods, no smiles, no hand gestures, just one blank stare that didn’t break eye contact. It was almost as if she were trying to see through into the heart. A combination of curiosity mixed with her natural affinity for being awkward.

After about fifteen seconds of silence, Faye cleared her throat. “Are you alone?” she asks quietly as she eyes the girl up and down for what felt like the tenth time. “You are from another world.” it was a statement not a question. That much she had figured out. “Tis foolish to be out here by yourself, especially for one so young. Why are you here?” her voice rang with that regal tone, cool and proper.

The first thing she noticed, as she got closer to the caravan's location, was that it was being driven by a woman. She was tentative about talking to any strange guys, given what had happened with the Land of Dragons a few days ago, to be perfectly honest. Krysta had long had her fill of the bizarre to last her a while.

She couldn't tell if this woman was a local or not, however. It was hard to judge based on appearances, since the Synthy hadn't seen anybody since arriving here. White petticoat, red skirt, yellow gloves--all of it in an old-school style--similar to what some of the folks in Traverse Town wore, but with a bit more...age to it. There was an aire of old world feel to the whole thing, not too unlike what had been going around in the Land of Dragons. Hyalus half wondered if there were fewer advanced worlds than she thought...She'd yet to make it to Radiant Garden like she'd wanted to, and somehow kept landing in all these worlds with no real means of getting directions. Maybe she should've purchase a Navi-G before she'd left...

Lost in her own thoughts, Krysta hadn't even noticed how hard the woman in the wagon had been staring her down. Now that she did, the youth felt a twinge of discomfort. Something was...off. She hadn't stopped making eye contact the entire time. The Moogling Marksman shifted uncomfortably. Was this woman mute? If so, she felt awful for not understanding beforehand...
But no, she did actually speak, and when she did, Krysta almost jumped at the suddenness of her vocals. She hadn't been expecting a reply with the way the other had been acting. Stricken with nerves quite out of nowhere, the teen nodded fervently.

"Uh...y-yeah! I'm by myself! I'm on a glorious quest, you see, and--"
On the comment of her origins, Hyalus felt her blood turn to ice and her body turn rigid with the realization that she hadn't even put on a disguise. She'd just ran towards someone without even taking time to think that she wasn't alone here. She hadn't seen anybody since she'd landed, after all; Krysta had simply assumed this world was uninhabited...
Cheeks red with sheepishness and humiliation for her foolish mistake, Krysta slowly nodded. Strangely enough, this woman seemed to be taking the knowledge with...an unusual amount of grace. Was everybody around here this...standoffish?

"I...uh...Yeah. Good...good guess. I wasn't expecting to meet anybody all the way out here..."
She really hadn't. It made her wonder how many other people she'd stupidly let know this secret. After all the Terrible Tonberry was a noisy glob of Gummis with as more issues than a Moogle hopped up on cream puffs. Who knows how much attention that thing had managed to attract...not to mention, her clothes were suited more for places like Radiant Garden, or Traverse Town--the so-dubbed "Civil" worlds-- rather than all these out of the way places.
Stupid, so, so stupid...Why am I so stupid?

"So," Hyalus continued, with a nervous laugh, obviously trying to back away from the subject of other worlds, "What's so dangerous about being out here on your own? If you're talking about the Heartless or something like that, I'm experienced with taking care of those creeps. No big deal. No little shadowkin's gonna keep me from my glorious quest!"
Oh, right. This lady probably didn't know. Better to explain, right? Right!
"I am Krysta Hyalus!" The Mooglette introduced, with a quick, sweeping bow. "I come from a place called Traverse Town, and I am one of the greatest human Synthies in the worlds. I make weapons and other trinkets," she continued, counting on her fingers as she talked. "Rings, belts, armlets, necklaces, hairpins, bracelets, amulets, charms, earrings, and so on. If you can name it, chances are I can synth it. I make stuff out of things like this," Krysta pulled out one of the Mythril Stones and showed it to the woman in her palm.
"I'm on a glorious quest to find something absolutely incredibly amazingly and totally epically awesome to bring home with me, so I can go back as a NOT failure," the girl added, enthusiastically.

"Soooooo, what're you doing out here, then?" She questioned, peering in and around the wagon. "What's your name? What do you do? Where're you going? Is that your horse? What's its name? It's a nice horse. We don't have any where I come from. Is there a town nearby? Are you from it? What's this world called? Are you a local, or are you adventuring, too?"
Her energy was bubbling now, and with the typical mannerisms of a teen, she had all the excitement and neglect of a young child paired with the intent of a young adult. She was absolutely clueless as to how she was coming off, her mouth just continued to spew question after question. Her curiousness was well ahead of her thought processes.

The sorceress listened intently to the girl that had introduced herself as Krysta, cocking her head ever so slightly to the side in a manner much like an observing feline. It was a bit overwhelming to be honest. There were so many questions thrown at her that she didn’t know what to do with them, causing her brow to furrow in half distress and confusion. Never had she seen someone talk so much. How did this girl find the time to breathe between the many words that flowed past her lips? A waterfall of unknown words and otherworldly phrases left the sorceress baffled. Half of what Krysta said she had no idea what she was talking about. Totally epically awesome… the girl had an interesting way to use adjectives, she’d give her that.

Krysta was so bubbly and full of life she practically shined with a blinding aura of euphoria. Faye couldn’t remember the last time she had seen anyone possess such joy and passion. Even if the girl had been disguised as a native, just seeing her behavior would have been enough to give her away as an outsider. No doubt if she went into town alone acting as such, she’d be branded a lunatic within the hour… or maybe less than that. Moral was significantly low amongst the populace as they mourned for the peace they no longer had, stolen away from them by the sinister blade of a masked assassin. At least that is what Faye had come to learn from the rumors. The once happy people of the kingdoms were now a depressing and grim picture. They may as well have been painted black and white. The color that once enriched their lives was all but gone now it seemed. A person like Krysta, disguised or not, would be a beacon that no one could ignore and Faye knew from experience that wasn’t a good thing. Not during these dark times.  

That inquisitive gaze of hers did not cease until she noticed the anxiety that clung to the girl’s voice, wracking her words as she sometimes stuttered over them. Faye shut her eyes, breaking eye contact for the first time as she tilted her head towards the darkening sky. The sorceress hardly knew how to respond. Best to start with the first question she supposed.

“Ah, yes. The Heartless. Beings of darkness, yes?" she said quietly as if the creatures could be eavesdropping from the shadows. "No, it ‘twas not those beasts that I speak of. The greatest threat to you in this land are the people itself. They react with fear to anything that is different… especially outsiders. You should be more careful.” she looked back down at her from the corner of her eye. “Appearances can be deceiving. Never let yourself be so foolish as to assume there is no one about.”The sorceress almost felt like a scolding mother and probably sounded like it as well.

Although the rain continued to fall, Faye decided to lower her hood, knowing that the girl was already unnerved and speaking to a woman who had yet to reveal her face was probably making it worse. She pushed her wavy locks back over her shoulder before adjusting the gold headband that glistened with tiny red crystals. Meeting Krysta’s gaze again, she thought to herself and what she would do next. I cannot leave her alone here, whether she believes she is capable of defending herself or not. She is ignorant of the darkness that plagues this word. If she were to get killed because I did nothing, her blood would be on my hands. I will not have that on my conscience. I have enough regrets without adding another.

After a minute of silently weighing her options, she finally spoke. “You have many questions, Krysta and I will answer them.” She hesitates for a moment, feeling a little uncomfortable with the offer she was about to make. “You are welcome to join me for a time.” She said softly. Having a traveling companion even if it was for a short time was going to be very strange for the distant sorceress. “Tis not wise to linger here for very long and I cannot in good conscience leave you alone to fend for yourself. Night falls and the wolves begin their hunts. Not to mention the Heartless could be lurking nearby as well. Tis best we leave with all haste.” She straightens up in her seat, taking a tighter grip on the reins. “Climb into the back and make yourself comfortable. I am headed for the closet town. Tis not far from here and we should arrive before the night completely embraces the darkness.” pulling her hood back up again when the rain began to pour harder, she added. "Oh. You may call me Faye." she clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, interrupting the stallion from his grazing as he stood at attention, ready to hit the trail again.

Hyalus raised a puzzled eyebrow at the woman's response. The people here were more dangerous than the Heartless? That, she found pretty hard to believe. After all, it was pretty hard to be more dangerous than a heart devouring monster made entirely out of Darkness, who couldn't be killed unless it was by a legendary weapon of Light, so unbelievably rare that only a chosen few picked by an unseen force could even summon it forth. She hadn't met many people who could crawl along the ground as a two-dimensional space, either...and by many, the number was actually zero.
Then again, Krysta reflected, the way people were acting might've had something to do with the not-so-very-long-ago murders of the World Leaders by that loony in the mask. She was just a kid when it had all happened, but she'd learned about it in school. The apprentice Synthy wasn't much for keeping up with news, but maybe some worlds had fallen into disarray since then. She hadn't thought she'd ever find one...

Krysta felt a little embarrassed, being scolded the way she was, but she took responsibility for it, even if she didn't like it. People who ended up in Traverse Town often got the same talk. Most of them were from worlds that didn't exist anymore, or had just landed there on accident, without warning. Those who decided to try and get back to wherever they'd come from, got told the basics of world travel.
You didn't talk about other worlds to the locals. Once people heard about that sort of thing, it changed their perspectives immediately. Some folks might even try and force other worlds into their way of life, which wasn't good for anybody. History had mentioned something about a War between Keyblade Factions, long before most people alive today remember, and Krysta's guess was that nobody wanted that to be repeated again. Sometimes she wondered if people wouldn't be better off working together to solve their problems, but you really never knew who was bad or good until it was too late...
Maybe that man in the mask had been one of those people.

At the offer for a ride into town, the Mooglette nodded fervently, grinning ear to ear with delight. So there was a town nearby! Excellent! She might be able to get some pointers on where else to start digging around for more stuff, or learn more about why this world was so...solemn. The tween couldn't place it, but there was a distinct lack of joy in the air. It was a quiet calm, but there was a twinge of...something looming around in it...something dangerous and dark.
With a grunt, Krysta lifted herself into the back of the caravan, taking care not to disturb any of the contents inside, her legs dangling carefree off the lip facing the winding road behind. She watched the rain patter down, faster and faster still, humming quietly to herself as she did so. She felt grateful that this Faye woman (who, despite her odd quirks, was very pretty, and seemed kinder than her mannerisms let on,) had decided to stop for her.

Her fingers felt in the pocket of her belt at the Mythril Stones inside. When this was over, she'd have to pay Faye back for how nice she'd been. Mythril Rings fetched a pretty good price, even in worlds like this; or maybe she could do her some sort of favor? Krysta glanced around at all of the clothing that had been carefully folded up into different piles. Was Faye a seamstress? If she was, she was pretty good at it, the girl thought to herself, as she admired a particularly nice gown.

"I'm not worried you know," she said, after a lengthy period of silence. "About the Heartless, I mean. Where I come from, my world, it's got Heartless all the time. Nobodies, too. When the guards defeat them, they drop things that my family and I make things from. I've never seen a wolf before though," the girl continued, shrugging. "My world is one big town. I guess that's why they call it Traverse Town. Lots of people always going in and out. We open our doors to a lot of people whose worlds were eaten by those Heartless guys..." Quietly, she contemplated that thought. "There's a lot of worlds that they eat, too..."
Turning around in her sitting position, she faced Faye's back side, watching her long, beautiful hair swish back and forth with the movement of the wagon.
"You never did tell me what this place is called. Does this world have a name? You seem like a local, since you know so much."

Faye noticed the confused and perhaps somewhat skeptical expression Krysta gave her at the mention of the locals being more dangerous than the Heartless. It was a bit of a stretch to say such, but to the sorceress who had only encountered the weaker incarnations of the darkness, had no idea what the monsters were truly capable of. The woman had seen the scurrying shadows that emerged from the ground, ambushing their victims while their backs were turned. There was a number of Emblem Heartless as well, but nothing so powerful that she didn’t take the battles they presented in stride. From her own personal experience, she saw the Heartless less threatening than the people who wouldn’t hesitate to burn her at the stake. There was no doubt in her mind that if she displayed her destructive powers openly, there would be a mob on her heels. They were already prejudiced and suspicious enough and that was only because she was a young unmarried woman living alone close to where the fairies resided, good and bad alike.

The Enchanted Dominion and its mountainous kingdoms were all she had ever known.  Faye believed that she was a wise practitioner of magic, but honestly she was just as naïve as everyone else when it came to the Heartless and the outside world. The only difference was that the sorceress did not mind these new harmless ideas that were being brought over by the outsiders. The other inhabitants were wary of newcomers, especially after the line of assassinations that took place. They felt that they threatened their way of life. Not that it was much of a life really. In a way, Faye could not entirely blame the populace for their beliefs on outsiders. They were afraid, frightened rabbits that would not dare tread outside the confines of their burrow. Faye, however, hungered for knowledge and desired to learn more. Perhaps even one day leave the magical lands, but that was only a dream. Faye did not have the means nor did she exactly know how to go about acquiring a vessel into what she’d heard foreign merchants call the “Lanes in between”.

Seeing the relief and excitement that lit up the girl’s face caused the corner of Faye’s mouth to twitch. It was faint, but it was there. The evidence of a small grin that desired to be shown, but was refused as the sorceress kept her composure. Instead, she bowed her politely. Krysta’s happy go lucky attitude was starting to become contiguous. What an interesting child, Faye thought as she watched the peppy teen until she passed from the corner of her vision. The wagon didn’t even shake as the girl took a seat and Faye had to look back to make sure she was actually sitting there. She must be light as a feather, Faye thought as she gently snapped the reins. Noir snorted, leaning forward as he started to pull the wagon down the road once more, the wagon wheels squeaking softly as they rolled and rocked over the smooth stones.

Faye let the silence fall upon them, wishing not to disturb it for she knew not what to say. When it came to carrying on conversations with anyone but herself or the animals, she was a novice. She glanced back at Krysta from time to time, trying to be as subtle about it as she could be. Seeing that one of her gowns had caught her eye, she couldn’t help but smile just a little. Faye kept this hidden as she went back to focusing on the trail. It was always nice to have someone notice the hard work and dedication she put into her clothes.

It was a while before Krysta started speaking again, mentioning that she was not concerned about the Heartless and was used to them from this Traverse Town she hailed from. The name was familiar. Perhaps she had heard it upon the air as she passed by a group of gossipers. It was possible. From Krysta’s explanation, it was a giant town with no meadows, mountains, or forests. Faye could not imagine. It did not sound very appealing to her in the least. Being so crowded day after day would drive the sorceress insane. Sure, she was lonely, but she was used to her privacy. People living on top of each other, Faye knew she would just scream if she were ever forced into that position.

The term Nobody was a newer term to her that Krysta had mentioned. There had been talk about bodies rising after their hearts had been stolen, void of all emotion, but that was only a rumor. To think that it was true caused a shiver to race down Faye’s spine. What kind of life was that? How could one go on after such a tragedy? The sorceress did not know nor did she want to learn first-hand. It was chilling to learn that this was not just a tall tale spun by the storytellers and minstrels.

“I see. Then the stories are true. These abominations are a force to be reckoned with.” Her voice was soft, thinking about what the kingdoms could do to defend against the Heartless that plagued them. From what she understood, it would only become worse by the day. Surely there had to be some solution to obliterate the monsters for good, but what? Faye moved on to something a little different, not wishing to dwell on it any longer. “At least slaying the creatures also reaps rewards for your career as a,” her brows furrow as she tried to remember that damn word that started with an S. It always seemed to slip her mind for some reason. “The previous term you used which description sounds similar to that of a jeweler or blacksmith.”

When the teen asked about her home, Faye cleared her throat. “ This world is called the Enchanted Dominion and I have lived here all of my life. Tis made up many kingdoms or should I say what is left of them. What we have now is but a pathetic echo of what once was. Unfortunately, the lands have been in disarray ever since the assassinations. Many of the regents of their respected kingdoms were murdered, including King Stephen who ruled over this domain. You have come during a very dark time..” she trails off, leaving it at that.

The stallion glanced back towards them, flicking his ears curiously as he acted like he too was listening. She’d forgotten that the outsider had been curious about the horse. Not surprising considering what majestic beasts they were, especially Noir in particular with his shiny black fur and feathered hooves “This is Noir, my companion. Introduce yourself like a good gentlehorse.” the stallion nickered gently in response before looking back ahead. "Very good." she praised him.

The air would once more grow tense with silence when the conversation died down. It was like Faye oozed with her discomfort and saturated the air. Faye quickly thought up a question. There were many, but did not want to pester her with a barrage of them. She settled on the first thing that came to her mind “How did you get here? Twas by Goomei ship, correct?” it was laughable how Faye had pronounced the name of the space-baring vessel, giving it an unnecessary fancy inflection.  Personally, the sorceress thought the actual word “Gummi” sounded childish, so she chose to speak it in a way that she thought was more fitting, but probably hilarious to anyone else.

The Mooglette watched the wood and the road behind her, gazing at the rain as it continued to wash down on this world. For a place that was supposedly so dangerous, it was awfully pretty. The natural parts of this world seemed so organized, flowing, almost as if it had been painted by the stroke of an otherworldly brush. Krysta couldn't help but admire it all. She'd never really been particularly close to nature most of her life; she only recalled brief snippets of her time in her original home, and though Fifth District housed a Garden, it was nothing compared to this.

Upon noticing her companion's reaction to the confirmation of the ghostly grays, Krysta nodded in understanding.
"They're real alright...rare, but there. They can only be hurt with weapons enchanted by Moogle magic...or a Keyblade," she added, "but those are an even rarer sight, to be honest. I guess they don't give out the ultimate weapon of Light to just anybody, heh. The Heartless and Nobodies are pretty scared of the Keyblade, but there's been nobody around with one on hand, so they get to do almost whatever they want..."

Hyalus bit her lip, thinking back to what she'd told that man in the Land of Dragons about talking too much on politics. She couldn't help herself though; Faye seemed really nice, and it would just be awkward to sit in her wagon in complete silence. After all, Faye had given her a lift, and she already seemed to know a lot about what was going on, which included the outside. Besides...she didn't seem like a loony, unlike that man who'd come from the mountains. Reflecting back on it, something still seemed slightly...off...about him...

At the mention of her quest, Krysta grinned.
"Oh, Synthy. That's...well, it's slang, really. The craft is called 'Synthesis'. Some people call it 'Moogling Arts' though, since a lot of folks thought only Moogles could do it for a while." She shrugged. "It's kind of like a blacksmith and a jeweler, yeah. There's more complexity in it, though. You have to know how to enchant things, and that requires a special kind of magic. I only learned because of my family."

Then, quietly, the tween listened to Faye's explanation of her world, the Enchanted Dominion. At the mention of "Enchanted", Krysta wondered if there was more to this world than just the beauty of its nature and the looming threat of its citizens, but put that thought away for another time. Just like other worlds she'd heard about during her time in Traverse Town, this one seemed to be falling apart not from the Heartless, but from that crazy man in the mask. Without a leader, the people of the worlds fell into disarray and chaos, turning on one another and eventually bringing Darkness to them. That Darkness drew in the Heartless like a moth to a flame, and before anybody knew what was going on, the world was completely destroyed.
That Krysta knew of, once a world was swallowed by the Heartless, it was gone for good, lost in the deepest, blackest pits. A place darker than the dullest shadow, more terrible than the abyssal void of your nightmares, she couldn't really imagine it herself...she didn't really want to, either.

"Something should be done," Hyalus muttered, quietly. "Someone should step forward. If there isn't a solution in time, you're going to have a lot of uninvited, heart-gobbling guests. They feed off the Darkness in people's hearts, and there's nothing that makes more Darkness than people who constantly do the wrong thing..."
Pondering thoughtfully, Krysta turned to face the woman with a sunny smile. "Maybe you should try and lead everybody. You're smart, and kind, at least I think so anyway. I can't say I know all the people here, but I bet they'd like you, too." At the mention of the steed, the girl chuckled, grinning widely. "And you too, Noir. It's nice to meet you! I bet you'd be much happier as a royal kind of horse, with all the apples you can eat, right?"

That of course, is when Krysta encountered the most hilarious pronunciation for an aircraft she'd ever heard. At first, she strained to keep the laughter in, but after several seconds of keeping it stifled, the girl burst into gales of gleeful giggling.
"I d-did, yes! It's...it's not a very good one...It falls apart a lot, but it's the only ship I've got!" Settling down, the Traverse Town native mulled over a thought for a moment, her face twisting into reflection. "I know there's other ways to get around the worlds, but that's with magic way too complicated for me. Corridors, or something like that. I'm not so great with combat magicks...I couldn't figure out something like that. It'd take like...a wizard or something."

Upon hearing about a weapon that the the Heartless and Nobodies feared, the sorceress felt a tightening sensation deep within her chest. Out of fear or excitement, she was not sure. "The Keyblade," Faye recited the familiar words softly. A blade forged of light to banish the darkness. It was not the first time that Faye had heard of this legendary sword, but that was all she believed that it was, a legend and nothing more. There were several ancient tomes on the subject, put together as old folktales from long ago. They had come into the woman’s possession by a very strange traveler. Oh Faye could never forget meeting him. It was so odd. The sorceress reflected back on what happened.

That day, she had been walking through a nearby village to sell her array of new clothes. It had been successful day. The ladies of the little town were overjoyed with the gowns they had purchased and promised to spread her good name as a seamstress. Of course, there was the occasional odd look as she passed by, but overall it had been a good day.

As she came to a small hill, three books came tumbling down and miraculously landed at her feet in a neat organized stack. An elderly man was not far behind, donning a blue robe and matching pointy hat. A long white beard sprouted from his face, almost reaching down to his knees as it swayed to and fro with his movements. On his nose, he wore a pair of rounded spectacles over his black beady eyes. The old man was calling out for the books to stop running away from him and for an instant the maiden was certain that he was an escaped lunatic. Then she felt it, gliding across the air, burning with great ferocity. There was an aura of magic about, quite powerful too. When Faye had first sensed the arcane brilliance, it had put her on edge. What matter of person could have so much power? Never had she felt such before.

Reaching the bottom of the hill, the man had started to scoop up the books when he noticed the young woman standing there. “Oooh! Now I understand!” he said, with a smile. His eyes seemed to glisten with glee. All the sorceress could do was stare at him, completely bewildered. What on earth was going on? The next thing she knew, the elder had shoved the three books into her arms.

“W-what?” she had stuttered, meeting his kind gaze.

“They were looking for you!” he said as if that were a completely normal statement. “Books come and go out of my bag all the time, but these three,” he pointed at the tomes. “They are quite the troublemakers, always running off to other worlds. You’ll give them a good home, I hope!”

“Pardon?” Faye practically gasped out.

“Ah, but I’m afraid I’ve wasted enough time. I must get back home, you see.”

The sorceress looked down, examining the covers of the old books for a moment. “I couldn’t possibly—“ when she looked back up, the strange man was gone. “Take these… um. Hello?” staring at the empty space for a time, Faye finally shrugged. “Hmm.” she said, smoothing a hand over the faded leather of the cover.


“Who was he?” Faye said out loud as she thought back to that time.

The three books had suffered great hardship in the time they had existed. There was no doubt that they had been around for at least a hundred years or more. Most of the books were falling apart, making them difficult to read. Between the tears, stains, and missing pages, there was only so much information that the sorceress could gather from them. Although she attempted to repair them, it was no use. The damage was too much and Faye did not have the skills for such recreation. It didn’t bother her too much at the time. After all, the woman just assumed it was a fairytale.

To think that it was real... Could this be the answer she had been searching for? Could a Keyblade be able to save her homeland from this misery that had descended upon them? And if this was true, why had the light allowed any of this to happen in the first place? Perhaps if it was that weak it wasn't worth the bother. Still, the idea intrigued the fire maiden. There had to be someone out there who was worthy to wield it.

If I were to have such a weapon... that kind of power, she was guilty to admit how much it enticed her. The things one could do with that blade; the possibilities could be endless. Faye snorted at the thought.

No, no, no. There was no need for that. Faye was confident in her own power. Rosethorn, her adoptive mother, had taught her the secrets of fairy magic, much of which were unknown to humans. Besides, the light had never done anything to help her before and she wouldn't need it now. If something was to be done, she'd do it alone as she always had, relying on her own strength. Krysta had said so herself that there were other ways to fight back the darkness such as Moogle Magic--whatever that was. Faye had no doubt that the magic of the fairies could work even better. Besides, the little shadows that lurked around were more of a pest than anything else and the sorceress was sure that she as well as the other inhabitants could nip it in the bud. As long they continued to exterminate them whenever they appeared, everything would be fine. A wise woman in her own world, but she was naive when it came to what lay beyond and the threat of the Heartless. No amount of studying or listening to stories can substitute for experience and that's what it would take to make the solemn maiden see truth.

While she had been deep in thought, Faye had completely forgotten that Krysta was in the back of her wagon talking. Some of the things the mooglette said, she had missed completely. She hoped that the girl hadn’t noticed. In her eyes, Krysta was just a child and she certainly didn’t want to hurt her feelings. No, like her mother, she had a soft spot for younglings.

When the synthie suggested that she take charge and lead the world, the sorceress couldn’t help but laugh. It surprised even her. When was the last time she had felt such joy, especially in talking to another human being? Catching herself, Faye faked a cough, hoping to cover up the giggle she had made. This was no time to look silly. “What a silly notion.” Krysta was new to this world and its ways. Faye understood that. Even so, the compliment did boost her ego. Lifting her chin a bit, she declared. “Not that I couldn’t, mind you. I have taken time to read about political theory, warfare, proper etiquette, and other related genres. I do have a lot of time on my hands…” lowering her head, the pride that swelled within her disappeared and she continued “But that is not for me to decide. Tis the people. Trust me,” her knuckles turned white as she gripped the reins harder. “They would rather this world be devoured by darkness than see someone like me leading them. I’m sure that’s exactly what they would think,” she said this last sentence more to herself than to her new companion.

After Krysta caught her breath from the laughter that came out of nowhere, Faye didn’t understand how silly goomei sounded, she mentioned alternate ways one could travel to other worlds. “I do wish I could escape this place. Sometimes I feel as if I am trapped. You are fortunate to have a vessel to go where you please.” the solemn maiden said. Oh, how she wished that she could see the other worlds and experience new things. The Enchanted Dominion was her home, yes, but there was so much that she wanted to see. This place was a gilded cage at best.

Lights appeared in the distance, flickering in the darkness of night. Relief swept over Faye and she encouraged Noir to quicken his pace, causing the wagon to rock harder over the cobblestones. They were almost to the castle village. There, she could finally take a much needed rest and have a bite to eat. Looking back at Krysta, she said, “We will be arriving soon. I suggest you pick one of the gowns from the chest to wear. Just for the time being. You must be exhausted and I'm sure you do not want any nosey villagers pestering you. After a good night’s sleep, you can start searching for a way to continue your quest. No doubt, you wish to leave as soon as possible.”

[I'm terribly sorry for the delay; I was on business over the weekend.]

Krysta stared, contemplatingly, as the woods passed them by. They were approaching a large array of fields, once used for farming, she assumed. Many of them now were lain bare, or only just getting by despite the rain, and the girl wondered if they'd been ruined by the turmoil Faye had described to her before. She glanced away at the farmland, recalling things she'd have much rather forgotten, her thoughts turning towards other matters.
There was more Darkness around here than she'd originally been led to believe...she'd never have guessed just by looking, or by simply staying within the forest. Everything had appeared so peaceful and quiet...

Of course, she remembered back in her own, real home. They called it the Dwarf Woodlands now, though it once belonged to their royal family before the man in the mask. Hyalus liked to tell people she was too young to remember those times...the truth of the matter was, she simply hated to bring back those memories. Quite the opposite, she'd experienced the event firsthand...

She was six. Her mother and father had only just recently purchased a wagon for the harvest season. Krysta remembered the leaves, falling everywhere, making the cobblestones bright with color. Everything seemed well enough. Their Queen had passed away only a week or so ago; she'd been caught off guard, they had said, by an illness. Now that she thought on it, maybe it hadn't been an illness at all...

The last remaining heir to the throne was the Princess, now grown, named Snow White. Beloved by the people for her kindness, beauty, and loving nature, everybody was excited to see her finally take charge within the kingdom. Krysta herself adored the royal, and had been eagerly looking forward to seeing her in person. It wasn't often that the rabble of the land were presented the opportunity to see nobility. Their farming family lived further out in the fields, a ways away from the little villa by the palace. Spring and Harvest were the only times where Krysta got to see much of anything other than crops. Today, was special...she'd been allowed to wear her best gown to the event...

The Mooglette whipped away from her memories, at the response from Faye. She seemed less-than-enthusiastic about becoming a leader, despite her qualifications. Krysta couldn't believe what she was hearing, coming from someone who seemed as kind and pure-hearted as the Princess she'd once looked up to. Frowning, she turned from her position facing the road, and crossed her arms.
"You can't honestly expect me to believe people would rather see their world destroyed than possibly saved," she informed the woman. "I've seen what happens to the people who get misplaced after the Heartless come for them. They're distraught. They're lost. They're traumatized, sometimes even permanently scarred. Lots of folks never really adjust or get over it. Some people I know still look up at the sky, where their world used to be, still hoping that one day it'll come back, and they can go home...And those are the lucky ones." Shaking her head, she continued, quietly.
"One of those worlds was supposed to be he happiest place ever. I'd heard about it before. They called it Disney Town. It was swallowed up by a Heartless, one of the strongest ever seen. All the people who did make it, they ended up here with us in Traverse Town. They all seem so...sad, even after they find a new life, and a new home. It's just not the same."
With a half-smile that was trying to shoo away the pain, Krysta gave a small chuckle. "As much as I'd like to see you every day, and show you all sorts of different things all over the place, I wouldn't want you to end up in Traverse Town that way. This is where your home is, even if it's messed up. You always end up missing it."

In the square, thousands of people had gathered to see the Princess's coronation. Banners were flying, trumpets blared...Krysta couldn't possibly forget how happy everybody was that day. Snow White was a picture of beauty when she approached the balcony--her raven hair up, dazzled with pearls and gold, and her gown that shimmered in the sunlight--skin as white as snow, lips redder than the reddest rose, and a smile that lit up the plaza like a roman candle. The cardinal reached for the crown to bestow upon her, just as her father was lifting her up onto his shoulders for a better view.

"Roselynn, to think," said he, "you'll be telling of this day to your own little ones."
"That we could save this moment to show others for years to come," her mother agreed, beaming with joy. "It would be one of my happiest."

Snow White knelt down to receive the crown, as the priest continued his chant in the ancient tongue. The crowd was hushed. As the symbol of authority and power touched the newly made queen's head, however, there was a sudden uproar. A figure in black had emerged, dressed in the darkest of robes, figure clad in shadow but his face. His visage was covered in a white mask, its features blank, two empty, dark eyes staring without emotion as he darted across the wall. He moved across the vertical as though he were flying, and there on the balcony, he landed.
Three guards of the elite Queen's Brigade moved to intercept him. The masked man merely tilted his head, and suddenly, they were cut cleanly into three pieces. Blood painted the stone immediately. The people below flew into a panic. Some watched with horror. Others turned to flee. The cardinal placed himself in front of his Queen defiantly. He, too, was divided into a crimson pulp.

Krysta...or rather, Roselynn, didn't see her idol perish. Her parents turned her away, racing back to their wagon in a prayer they may pass through this ordeal unscathed. She didn't however, need to see anything; she heard the scream, loudly echoing through the courtyard, that haunted her to this very day.

Quietly, the tween plucked a emerald green dress and a matching cloak from the chest before her, sliding into the gown gently. It had been so long, she thought, since she'd ever had to wear one of these. When she'd ran away, Krysta had left all of this behind; the dresses, the manners, the simple life of a farmer's daughter...She'd changed her hair, dyed it what colors she wished, and even changed her name. Truth be told, Hyalus simply didn't want to remember any of it. She hadn't expected to be reminded so much of home by visiting here.

Slipping the hood upright, the girl put on a smile, and nodded to Faye politely.
"I'm in no hurry, but you are right," she muttered, rubbing her arms. "Digging can really take a number on you." Thoughtfully, she added, "Maybe I could take you to the world I'm going to next. Radiant Garden is supposed to be the city of light, and I heard rumors there's a wizard living somewhere there. He might be able to help you find a way to do special world-traveling magic...or something...Or we can just get you a ship. They're easy to fly once you get the hang of it."

It's okay. I understand : ) ]

The stories that Krysta told her were unsettling. This Disney Town, a world supposedly brimming with light, was completely devoured by the darkness. If a place like that was lost, what chance did her world have? No… the Heartless cannot be that strong. The sorceress told herself, struggling to remain in denial like so many others. The thought of losing one’s home was terrifying, even if it did feel like a prison at times. Those little shadows cannot be capable of such. That world must have just been weak. That was her conclusion though she would not reveal such to Krysta, giving the girl solemn nod of understand instead. It gave Faye a very small amount of comfort to believe such, but not nearly enough. Tonight was going to be filled with nightmares. She just knew it.

The grand castle of King Stephen’s domain grew closer, towering above them in all of its magnificent glory. Its form cast a monstrous shadow and swallowed all beneath the red setting sun, steadily growing larger and larger as each minute ticked by. What was once a bastion for the people was now gone. Holes in the curtain wall, collapsed towers, and a great amount of missing ashlar missing from it all. The castle had been neglected for years and was in need of serious repair. It had been attacked on numerous occasions by the petty crooked nobles that had—in Faye’s eyes—unfortunately survived the chain of assassinations, claiming for one ridiculous reason or another that it was their birthright to take the throne. The fact that castle was still standing was a testament to its structure and design. Still, without it’s king, the palace was nothing more than cold and lifeless stone, a shell of what it once was. This was reflected by the people, their lives turning grim and filled with fear.
 
The ever vigilant King’s Guard continued to protect the great gates as if its sovereign ruler still reigned within. They had not allowed a single person near the castle after the king’s death. No one went in and no one came out. The knights stood true to their vows, watching over the castle as well as the resting place of King Stephen and his beloved Queen Leah. The only one missing from the grave was their only daughter, Princess Aurora.

After being cursed by the evil fairy Maleficent, she was taken away into hiding until the day she could safely return home. That was sixteen years ago and no sign of the princess had been seen. Besides Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, no one knew where she was. Not even the other fairies of the glade had the slightest idea. It was Aurora and her alone that held the birthright to her father’s kingdom. The question was did she still live? Had the masked man taken her life as well? It was hard to say. Perhaps they would never know.

However, if there was one good thing that came of the assassin’s transgressions, it was the disappearance of Maleficent. Rosethorn herself had traveled with several other fairies to the devil’s domain. They searched high and low, up to the tallest tower and down to the darkest dungeon, but there was not a trace of the evil fairy to be found. If the murderer had manged to take down such a powerful corrupt being, it was a blessing. The fairy had been a menace, causing chaos in her wake wherever she went. A woman so cruel that she would curse an infant child to die at the age of sixteen simply because she was not invited to a party. Faye had never heard of a more sadistic creature in all of her life. The stories Rosethorn told her were terrifying and gave her nightmares as a child. Even as an adult, just thinking about her sent a chill through her spine. Whether Maleficent lived or died, it was unknown. To this day, her dark fortress stood empty. The mysterious secrets of the bad fairy tempted the sorceress. A horrible thing, but she could not help but be curious. What did she leave behind and could it ever be useful?

Noir whinnied as they approached the village gate, abruptly pulling Faye out of her thoughts. It had been a long hard day for the horse and he was excited to get the harness off and a belly full of feed—and boy, did he deserve it. Dragging that wagon for hours wasn’t an easy feat as was clear from the sweat shining on his slick black fur. Perhaps he was a little too eager because the wagon began to rock harder as he increased his gait. The cart gave a rough jerk as it hit the start of the stone bridge that led into the village, making the sorceress almost fall out of her seat again. Faye had no choice but to jerk on the bit to get him to slow down. He did have a hard mouth sometimes.

“Shhh! Be patient, Noir.” she cooed softly.

“Bewitched yer horse, did ya?” a guard called ahead of them.

"This fool again. Wonderful." she muttered, remembering who this worm was. "I apologize, Krysta. This pathetic excuse for a human being enjoys causing me trouble. I shall deal with him as quickly as possible. Please, be patient.

The stallion came to a stop in front of portcullis where an armed guard  holding a lance in one hand stood at attention. Each time Faye saw him, his armor was decorated in a different color and crest. A rat if there ever was one. The man had no real loyalties but to himself, swearing fealty to whatever noble seemed the best choice at the time. All men were foolish, yes, but at least most had a sense of loyalty to their silly cause.

Holding her head up high, she just barely made eye contact with the guard from the corner of her eye. This sniveling pig wasn’t worthy of her nor anyone else's attention. She wanted this troublesome act of his done with already. It was never anything complex or even remotely different for that matter. It was always started out the same way. The fire maiden could mock his dialogue word by word, he had done it so many times.

“Need to check your inventory for stolen goods, ma’am. You match the description of a thief that just up ‘n left the market.” he said in that smug tone of his, one that would make you want to rip his voice box out and chuck it over the mountain top.

Gripping the reins tightly for a moment, she finally relaxed and heaved a great sigh “Funny how each time I visit that I seemingly match the description of this rouge of yours. As I have told you time and time again, I am no thief.”

The guard grinned up at the sorceress, knocking his armed gauntlets against the wagon so as to purposely leave scratches in the wood. “Then ye’ll have no problem if I just take a little look see.” as he made his way to the back, he finally noticed Krysta, peering up at her in curiosity. “Oh what’s this? Kidnapping gals to throw in your pot o’ witch’s soup now, huh? Look at that hair! Did she put a curse on you?” he grunted as he climbed into the wagon, having some trouble with his wide girth before reaching for the worn chest. The sorceress tensed, narrowing her eyes as she watched the man. He rummaged through the collection of clothes, leaving an essence of dirt and sweat upon the delicate fabrics with his thick fingers. A hum passed through his lips with each dress he examined, seemingly pondering. The sorceress knew that could not be that case. No troll like that could ever have a functional brain to think with.

“Just as I thought!” he finally exclaimed when he removed an ivory dress from the trunk. It was one of the few she had made with the silk fabric and was meant to be worn by a bride on her wedding day. "This here dress looks just like my dear 'ole mum’s.” he said, with a chuckle.

A gasp slipped past her lips when she saw what he held in his filthy hands. Faye jumped down from the wagon, holding her skirt tail up so it would not trail in the mud. “Unhand that dress immediately!” Faye demanded, her eyes filled with fury. Already, she was thinking of the horrible curses she could place upon the scoundrel. The last time it was a "sunburn", but she was debating this time if she should sprinkle him with Dream Dust and toss him into the mote to drown.

The guard smirked, hoping that she would say something to that effect. “As you wish, m’lady.”

To her horror, the guard released the gown from his grip, letting it drop to the dark wet ground below. The sorceress felt her heart break, watching as the dark brown mud soaked into the delicate fabric. So many hours of work wasted by a prejudice idiot. Anger swelled within her, making the woman feel as if it was boiling beneath her skin. Kneeling down, she scooped up the ruined gown as if she were lifting a child into her arms. What had taken Faye well over a month to make was completely ruined within the time of a few seconds.

“Fie on you.” the tone of her voice was unsettling, strangely calm considering the fury she was experiencing..

Just as Krysta was settling into things and getting comfortable with the shifting nature of the road, it appeared that they'd stopped. Their journey had come to a halt at the edge of a town that bore a strikingly eerie resemblance to that of her original home, and it gave the girl shivers just looking at it. Much like the Dwarf Woodlands, it was a sprawling town, filled with the faces of the common folk, forged from wood and stone. They even dressed like back there, she'd noticed.
The castle in the background, framed by beautiful seafoam green mountains, was also rather similar to that of Castle White. It stood as a proud symbol of their people's strength, honor, and unity...but much like the palace the girl had stared at from her window as a young child, it was devoid of something. This place no longer had that glow, much in the way Castle White had when the royal family had passed. It seemed empty, and sad...more a reminder of that terrible day than of the joyful times. That reason was one of the many she'd decided to make way for a new home, where there were no villages, and no palaces...and no memories.

Suddenly, to her surprise, a man stopped their trek. From the looks of it, he was a member of the guard, but the way he talked to Faye immediately put Krysta into a foul mood. The defenders of the people, as she remembered from her early childhood, were supposed to be friendly, honorable, and kind. This man was as far away from the concept as anyone could get. He talked about magic as though it were some kind of horrible thing. The tween rolled her eyes at how stupidly ignorant he was, but worry tinted her thoughts. Did everybody here think about magic that way? She prayed he was only a minority...
Hyalus winced as she heard the sound of metal scraping on wood, and jolted up towards the front of the wagon, glaring rather purposely at the culprit. Did this guy have any manners at all? He seemed more like a brigand or a bum, rather than a member of law enforcement. A real guard would never allow his own prejudice to overrule the word of the law.

The carriage practically quaked with the weight of this pot-bellied ogre clamoring onto it. Krysta was pretty sure she'd be groaning as much as the wooden floor if she had to hold all that lard, too.
"There's nothing wrong with my hair," she said, flatly. "I was born like this. She didn't kidnap me, either; I asked her for a ride to town while I was lost! And who would be so terrible to imply that someone would eat someone else? Didn't anybody teach you respect?"
She hadn't been lying, either. Her abnormal coloring to her hair was part of the reason her parents had moved to the countryside; fewer people were around to call her some kind of witch. The highlights were her own doing, to be sure, but much like the princess she'd adored, the tween was outcast simply because of the way she looked.
Watching with disgust as he rummaged through with filthy hands, the Synthy felt her heart harden. What was this guy's deal? Didn't he have an ounce of common courtesy? Were all the guards around here this dishonorable and pitiful? She wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine, but who knows what would happen if she tried beating down one of the guards. The girl didn't want to get Faye in trouble, too...after all, she'd done a lot for her already, and it wouldn't be right to strike out rashly.

But what happened to the lovely white gown, the way that pig of a man had decided to so cruelly ruin something so beautiful...made Hyalus too furious for rational thought. Her stomach turned to stone as she watched the mud seep into the delicate fabrics and elaborate trimming. Muscles froze with fury as she watched Faye cradle the dress in her arms.
That was not okay. Not even close. The sorceress may have said "Fie on you," but Krysta was thinking of something much, much worse than a simple insult.

Carefully, she crept to the other side of the wagon, taking care not to make too much noise, and slid out of view from that oafish troglodyte. Her thoughts and feelings centered on one word as she focused her power, reaching out into the cosmos for a friend.
Courage!
Then, in the emptiness, she felt him connect with her. In that instant, a bright glyph, shining with light, appeared on the ground before her, masking the shape of a small, slightly pudgy figure. Once that glow had faded, there stood the tiny figure of a being clad in soft oranges. A small helm donned its head. A flowing red cape caught its back, matching the sword and shield it carried. It held itself with the aire of a well-seasoned warrior, brave, yet gentle, true, yet ferocious.
"Onion Knight!" The girl whispered, excitedly, giving the little being a high-five.
"At your service!" The toy replied, with a curt bow.
"Let's go!"

"What do you require?" The minuscule figure questioned, in its tiny voice.
"See that guy there?" Krysta directed, making the boorish guard out to her friend.
"What about him?"
Hyalus grinned. "Kick his butt."
The summon glanced at her quizzically. "That seems rather...non-paragon."
Slyly, the girl shrugged. "Alright, but I thought I'd mention, he made that damsel there," she said, pointing out Faye with a finger, "very distressed."

That did it. The mechanical marauder visibly bristled, rolling up sleeves it didn't have and stomping towards the guard with boiling anger. Nothing made him more furious than a damsel in distress. Although the Onion Knight barely reached up to Krysta's kneecap, the Synthy knew better than to judge him on his appearance. She had, after all, built him herself.

Somehow, over the course of his functioning, this tinkerer's toy had developed a personality all of its own, taking on a noble stature. Even when he'd just been created, the little Onion Knight had taken a deep interest and passion for the ways of the honorable and valiant. The toy even had hopes and dreams...and that, was simply to become a great and glorious knight. Krysta had merely built him because she'd wanted a friend...instead, she'd gotten something much, much more.
While at first, the development of a personality in a machine baffled her, the Mooglette found she didn't care after a while. No matter how it had happened, the Onion Knight had developed its own heart, and he was, through and through, her friend. Though she'd balked at the idea that a toy could become a warrior, Krysta had done everything she could to make her friend's dream come true: She'd upgraded him, and read him books, and programed as much as she could to make him as useful as possible.
What kind of friend would she be, after all, if she didn't help him try? And what kind of friend would she be to Faye, if she didn't defend her somehow?

"My good fellow," he said, calmly and as heroically as he could, "that is no way to treat the belongings of a lady! I request you pay for the gown at once, or face my just blade!"

---

Summon used!
Summoned Onion Knight!
DP -2
4 DP remains.

Damn humans. Filthy, vile, and wicked humans. Why had she even bothered to stop? Why hadn’t she simply extended her hand and burned him to cinders the moment she caught sight of the ugly piggish brute? The bitterness in Faye’s heart ignited, swarming within like a hive of angry bees. It was a hate that she could keep under control the majority of the time, strangled by the light of her heart, but this time—No. This was too much. There was no way she could logically reason with herself this time. That guard had done so much to her, things she could usually brush off, but this was different. Out of everything he had done, this had been the cruelest and he knew it. He was a rat that loved hurting people, enjoyed it immensely, but could only do so in a way that could leave him unscathed as well. Destroying a treasure that was so important to her made that hideous smug smile on his face grow ten times larger. This went beyond what she could tolerate. There was only so much the sorceress could bottle up and after years of harassment from the simpleton, she had reached her limit. Faye knew she was on the verge of making a mistake she could end up regretting, but she didn't care. Right now, she just wanted this man to suffer.

“I should… I should…” Faye’s words dripped with venom as she rose to her feet, dark eyes blazing with fury that had laid dormant until now. Wisps of violet fire began to flare, curling through the maiden’s fingers and into a terrifying imagine of a snake—and it was no trick of the light. This creature was alive, no different from any other snake that slithered upon the forest floor. The fire serpent raised its head, flicking its forked tongue out in a promise of ill will “I should sear the flesh from your bones!” the sorceress growled, pointing her finger towards the hefty guard. The snake of flame hissed along with its mistress, revealing its sharp fangs to the ogre man. The rattle on its tail sparked and sizzled with anticipation. Ever since she was a child, Faye had the ability to imbue the desires of her heart into the magic she weaved, giving her creations life and purpose. Fire was more than just an element to manipulate in the young maiden’s hands, but an extension of her very self, taking the shape of whatever her emotions dictated and currently; she wanted nothing more than to wrap her hands around the guard’s throat. What better than the strong coils of a snake to accomplish that task?

The man stumble backwards, holding up his arms in a sad attempt to shield himself “Nuh-uh uhhhh, little witch.” the guard warned, wagging a chubby finger in front of her face“Me 'n you both know how that’ll end.” he chuckled, his coarse voice rich with the fear he desperately tried to hide, but his quivering knees easily gave that away “Ye do one thing to me and ye’ll be burned at the stake quicker than ye can say biscuits and honey—which I must say… sounds pretty tasty right about now.”he said, patting his wide gut.

The flaming serpent wrapped around Faye's wrist, suddenly shivered, tilting its head to peer up at her. The maiden's determination wavered and so too did the flames. The guard was right. The moment he fell by her hand, it would be over. Whatever little peace she had would vanish in an instant. There would be only two options. If she stayed, she would be killed quickly and that was if she was lucky. If they reasoned that she kept some kind of dangerous information, torture was not impossible. If she were to run, she would be hunted for the rest of her life. There could be no place she could call home and she wouldn't risk the lives of the fairies by hiding with them. Neither option was favorable. Not only that, but it would put Krysta in danger. What if they believed she was some little witch child simply because of her moonlight hair? Although she hardly knew the girl, Faye could never do that to the mooglette, not when she had been so kind. Krysta saw her for what she was, a human being, not some kind of evil witch. It touched the sorceress deeply and lit a light inside her troubled heart. Speaking of which, where was she? Faye peered around, catching sight of the girl's feet on the other side of the wagon. What was she doing over there? Surely, she wasn't frightened.

Before she could call out to the young synthie, she stopped, forgetting everything she was about to say when she heard a clicking sound. What she saw baffled her. A little man--no, not a little man, but a toy--came marching out from behind the wagon, donning a strange onion shaped helm. It held a double edged sword in one hand and a kite shield in the other. A little yellow cape flowed behind him as he walked, looking quite heroic... well heroically adorable anyway. It's tiny feet clicked as it walked across the cobblestone bridge.

"That's a good gal. Now, why don't you just--" the guard had started when a small voice spoke up "Who said that?" the large oaf turned his back to the sorceress, looking around for the source of what he thought could be a child's voice. When he heard it again, he actually had the sense to look down "And what are you supposed to be?" he sneered, kneeling down to inspect the summon. "Ain't that cute." he leaned in closer to get a better look, near enough for his beard to tickle the Onion Knight. "He can talk! Ha! Face your just blade? What could you ever do to me?"  he said, with a laugh.

I sincerely apologize for the length of delay on this post...I unfortunately had no access to a computer for a long while.

---

Krysta peered from behind the wagon, and her jaw dropped as she observed Faye in the company of a fiery serpent. It took her a while to realize it, but the girl finally understood that her newest companion was some manner of magician herself...and the coil of flame beside her was only a demonstration of her abilities. Still, the Mooglette could feel the seething anger from her comrade in arms, not too unlike the waves of heat one feels from a furnace. Krysta wasn't an idiot when it came to magic; she knew a powerful force when she saw one. Hyalus herself wasn't much of a damaging magic-user herself, but never in her wildest dreams could she be able to shape fire in such a manner of ease like Faye.

The tween clamped her eyes shut, praying that the dark-haired woman didn't seal her fate by lashing out. At least with the Onion Knight going into the fray, Krysta could simply call him back after this oafish excuse for a human being was taken care of...Faye wouldn't take any blame if the Knight suddenly vanished without a trace, or at least Krysta hoped she wouldn't.

The man called her friend a witch! What an awful thing to say! Hyalus could practically feel her teeth setting on edge, but she knew she couldn't do anything. If this man was truly a guard, moving against him herself would only get them into more trouble. However, the little toy knight was rather keen on teaching him a lesson, she knew.
The mechanical being spluttered with indigence as the portly, porky man's beard poked him in the face, waving its tiny arms to clear away from the unkempt and clearly unwashed hair. Its little emerald eyes glared with a fruitful purpose directly at its opposition.

"Good sir, I have requested that you kindly step aside and leave the ladies of this vessel be. They've done no foul to the persons of this fair town, and have expressed their desire to pass." With a minuscule hand, the Onion Knight took hold of the scraggly mass of facial fuzz, reeling him in closer with force.
"Do I make myself clear, sir? Let the maidens be."
The penultimate mistake, was mocking the little knight for its appearance. Though adorable it seemed to be, its creator had intended it to make opponents second guess its capabilities. It didn't look strong, and therefore didn't seem to pose a threat. They were always wrong.
"You sir, have exceeded my patience and are therefore quite deserving of a proper punishment befitting your clear lack of chivalry!" The Onion Knight exclaimed furiously, its sword swiping furiously at the whiskers on the piggish guard's face.
"Have at thee!"

Eyes wide with surprise, the guard almost lost his footing when the toy Onion Knight pulled him closer. How could something that appeared so small and childish have such strength? It was baffling. Not in her wildest dreams had Faye ever predicted that a situation like this would occur on her trip. A simple trip into town had become a lot more interesting. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.

The sorceress spared a glance towards her otherworldly companion, and could tell by her tense stance that she was angry, possibly grinding her teeth as well. Had this something to do with the white haired girl? Was this mechanical soldier a creation of Krysta’s, and if so… how in the heavens had she, a single girl, given life to an inanimate object? It was as if the toy had a heart. Teen or not, Faye had definitely underestimated her capabilities. It was just she had never seen someone, especially this young, possess such a strange talent. In Faye's world, girls Krysta's age would be helping their mothers with chore or preparing to be wed to a suitor, not… Synthizing? Yes, that was the word Krysta had mentioned earlier. So this was her power… the power to create whatever she desired, similar to magic and yet completely different. The sorceress found it very curious, desiring to know more about what the mooglette could do.

After the waves of shock had washed over him, the guard growled. Those black eyes of his were practically bulging out from their sockets, he was so angry. “W-what is this? Let go of me!” finding his balance on one hand, he raised the other to swipe at the Onion Knight. However, what he wasn’t expecting was the toy would start swinging his sword. With his first swift strike, his rugged salt and pepper beard was cut from his chin. The coarse hairs fell upon ground in a heap before being swept away by the wind.

“My beard! It… It took me four years to grow that!” the guard wailed. Howling in rage, he tried to crush the summon with his fist, but at that moment, the toy’s sword met his nose. The sorceress watched, completely bewildered as the force from such a tiny sword sent the guard reeling backwards. Jumping up, he struggled to keep his footing. “W-what what are you?! G-g-get away from me! You must b-be one of those dark monsters! The Hear—”

The big oaf did not get to finish his babbling. As he continued to stumble backwards, Faye’s eyes narrowed and an evident smirk made itself upon her red lips. The guard came within a few inches of the sorceress, and the moment he did, she innocently extended one foot. With arms spinning around like a windmill, fighting to keep his balance, Faye grabbed the leather Munny pouch on the guard’s belt and yanked it off. There was no saving him. Squealing like the pig he was, the dirty guard went tumbling off the bridge and into the mote below. A few seconds later, his head popped up to the surface, and he quickly began sputtering and splashing around. He would be fine, cold and soaked to the bone perhaps, but fine.

Looking over the side, the sorceress scoffed. “I shall take this as compensation for the dress you ruined. Do take your time climbing out of there.” she sighed, shaking her head slowly as she turned back to Krysta. “Sadly, no amount of coin will make me feel better. The true reward would have been to see an actual bride wear it on her wedding day. This will have to do, I suppose.” she said, placing the coin purse in the wagon. “I pray no one else was around to witness this event.”

Casting her gaze to the top of the castle wall, she saw that she would not have to worry. The other guard was asleep… not surprising. It wouldn't completely spare her future trouble, but at least it would be delayed. Well, until the simpleton climbed out of the mote, which could take a while. It was nice drop and the hill was slippery. No doubt he would be flopping around down there like a fish until he was found.

Noir was distraught, pawing the stones and snorting something fierce. Being tied up to the cart, he had been unable to help his mistress, and it was probably a good thing too. The horse wouldn’t have hesitated to kick the guard’s head off if he had the chance. Thankfully, Faye had never given him that chance, even if it was a pleasing idea. The sorceress made her way to the stallion, cradling his head in her hands. “Shh… easy, now… easy.” she cooed softly, stroking his black velvety nose. It didn’t take long for the horse to calm down, his anxiety seemed to disappear upon hearing the maiden’s voice. “There we go. That’s my gentlehorse.” she said, giving him a nice pat on the neck before she returned to the back of the wagon.

Now, it was time to inspect this tiny savior of hers. “Krysta…” she began, not taking her eyes off of the Onion Knight. “What sorcery is this?”

Krysta found it absolutely impossible to keep the grin off her face as Onion Knight took off the guard's less-than-impressive beard. For its size, the little toy had an impressive strength that was almost impossible to possess in such a tiny package. But, that was the power of Moogle Magic; it turned the ordinary into something much, much more, no matter what it was or how fragile it appeared. Every one of Krysta's summons were enchanted with the stuff, and forged from the heart with the intent of helping both herself...and by extension, others.

As the portly man was dealt with by the miniature knight, Hyalus spotted Faye sticking her foot out from the corner of her eye, and felt the smile break through the hands over her mouth. Her newest friend's slight intervention sent the oafish bully tumbling straight into the moat as his munny pouch was snatched from his belt with a nice, vicious yank. The tween definitely didn't feel bad for him; he'd definitely deserved of it, and a whole lot more. There wasn't any room in the girl's book for bigotry.

With a little bow to Faye, the Onion Knight bounced back over to his summoner. He had no mouth to speak of, but his eyes certainly showed a large amount of glee.
"The lady is avenged," it stated proudly. "Will there be anything more, my friend?"
Krysta shrugged, fighting down the giggles as she watched that guard splutter around. "I guess not. That guy was being such a pain. Thank you for all the help, Onion Knight."
"It is my absolute pleasure to aid you!" The other exclaimed. "For what is the measure of a great knight if not for the deeds he does and the adventures he partakes in?"
"Spoken like a true kni--" The Mooglette began, before Noir began showing his discomfort.

Krysta wasn't much for animals. She'd always wanted a puppy, but the Chief had never really allowed her to have a pet of her own. (Probably because he was worried it might think they were chew toys.) She was more of a tinkerer with mechanics and gears anyway, and although its purpose was for fighting, Mecha Fenrir was just as much a dog as any other. Sure it wasn't the 'real' thing, but she didn't mind. The way Faye handled her horse was something that the girl had to both envy and admire...and the way she'd cast up that magic without so much as an effort... Now that was some quality fire spell! Hyalus wished she could do things to that extent, but her magic was more suited to creating and practical means than wanton destruction.

As Faye approached them, she questioned what the summoned creature beside her was, calling it...sorcery. Is that what people considered magic around here? Usually when that word was thrown around it was referring to...bad magic, at least where Krysta had originally come from.
"This?" She asked, nudging the toy gently. "He's my friend. He calls himself the Onion Knight, on account he wants to be one someday."
"M'lady," the mechanical one nodded, taking its tiny hand and mimicking the motion of kissing Faye's.
"Anyway..." Hyalus muttered, rolling her eyes at how silly he was being. "I made him myself! He comes whenever I call him. It's pretty nifty. It's called Summoning Magic, I think."

The sorceress placed a finger to her chin, nodding as she listened to the young teen. This Onion Knight of Krysta's had definitely helped her out of a bind. An unexpected savior, but a welcomed one all the same. It would only be proper to thank the little mechanical soldier appropriately, even if it did feel somewhat silly. What hurt would there be in playing along? Maybe it would even make Krysta smile. Faye could loosen up a little sometimes... rarely, but she could. "It seems I have you to thank for my rescue then, Onion Knight, and every hero deserves a reward." she said, placing her cloak over the side of the wagon.

Extending her index finger above her hand, she gave it single twirl. A glimmer of violet magic spiraled down from her finger like an unraveling spindle, sprinkling down upon the sorceress in gentle waves. Faye focused on her body, feeling the light tingles of magic adjust her form. After a few seconds, the woman disappeared in a curtain of sparkles... or so it appeared. Standing only six inches tall, Faye was now about the same size as the Onion Knight. It was a simple spell, one that all fairies knew by heart, and a favorite of Faye's. The sorceress could not count the number of times this enchantment had saved her hide. A basic spell, perhaps, but one could be very creative with how Shrink was used, such as what Faye was about to do.

Approaching the Onion Knight, she bobbed a curtsy. "As my savior, dear brave knight, I shall bestow a kiss upon thee." she leaned forward, offering to peck him gently on the cheek. It felt appropriate. The books she had read had described scenes between the hero and damsel much like this. Hopefully, it would tickle the Summon and make him feel even more like a hero.

The sorceress knew he deserved it, but he was not the only one. "I thank you as well, Krysta. That was... well..." she was not sure how to respond at first. This was a rare feeling she had in her chest-- tight and bubbly. To think that one of her own kind actually helped her on purpose. The sensation in her chest, it was a good one, and she wished she could experience it more often. "No one has ever done such for me before. I am in your debt. Now," she found the courage to look back at the mooglette. "I hope you do not mind carrying me for a moment. Had I known that oaf would be on gate duty, I would have placed this spell upon myself sooner." she pointed towards her cloak. "Cover yourself up to hide your hair. Just as a precaution, mind you. Call up there for them to open the gate. The idiot on duty will open it for you without a second thought, especially since he's too busy taking a nap. This way we can be spared his ignorance and he will allow us inside with no questions. As you can see... our 'great defenders' are highly lacking in intellect. That is what happens when good men are wasted as foot soldiers for feuding nobles. We are left with nothing but what is at that bottom of the barrel. 'Tis a pity." she clasped her hands behind her back. "I hope this is not too much to ask." was it? The sorceress did not know. She didn't exactly have many friends that could voice their opinions to her in anything other than growls or snorts.

---

Shrink Activated.
Spell Cost: 20 MP
Mana: 140 MP

I apologize for how long this took. Constant. Distractions.

---

At first, Krysta was about to respond to Faye's kind words, but very suddenly, the woman vanished before her eyes! The young girl was awestruck--where could her newest friend have possibly gone?! In a state of slight panic, she looked around for the sorceress, but then noticed that the Onion Knight was bowing gracefully to a tiny figure on the ground. On closer inspection, the Mooglette discovered that this person was Faye herself!

"I--wha--how did you--oh my gosh that is the coolest thing I have ever seen!" Krysta gushed, putting her hands to her cheeks.
"The pleasure was mine, dear lady," the little knight blushed, shyly. "I shall remember your kiss with great fondness, Lady Faye. Until we meet again."
As the toy flushed a shade of dark orange, it began to vanish in a shower of sparkles, giving a mock salute to the ladies as it returned to its proper place in time. The tween, on the other hand, was too busy being absolutely stunned by what her eyes had just witnessed.

"You can shrink yourself! That's so cool!" She babbled excitedly, wringing her hands with giddiness as she stooped down to scoop the other up.
"Don't mention the help; I mean...that was totally bogus what that guy was trying to do anyway. I'll help you inside--mind your step though. Don't want you falling down your dress!"

The young woman carefully placed Faye on her shoulder, within the range of the hood, to disguise her presence there.
"You can hold onto my hair. You're small, so it shouldn't be a problem," the other said, cupping her hands to her face. Carefully keeping her body from bouncing as much as she could, Krysta climbed back up to the driver's seat of the wagon, and leaned forward to Noir.

"Faye's in my hood," she explained politely, jerking her head in the other's direction. "It'll only take a little while, but she'll be right back to normal size...I hope."
"Hello up there!" She called to the gate guard. "One wagon, coming through! Mind opening up?"

Faye beamed with pride—perhaps a little too much—when Krysta gazed down at her tiny form in awe. If there was one thing she absolutely adored, it was being admired for her magical prowess. The sorceress had no modesty when it came to her potential. Why deny she wasn’t that good when really she was? No, she would never show a lack of confidence it her talents. Modesty was for the overly self-conscious, those that did not believe in themselves, a weakness. That was not Faye. She had worked hard to get where she was and enjoyed showing off her spells to those that could appreciate them—which wasn’t very often at all. When it came to magic, she did not just think, she knew that she was a master. Any day now, that bubble was going to be popped.  

Although she did not show it, seeing the teen so excited over her simple shrinking spell tickled the sorceress. A smile touched the maiden’s lips as she twirled her finger around a wavy lock of hair. There was no way she was going to miss this chance to brag about her powers. “Ah.. yes, the shrinking spell. ‘Tis very common amongst the fairies, and is usually the first spell they learn.” the sorceress revealed, mentioning her caretakers for the first time to the outsider. After Krysta defended her like that, she felt comfortable enough to talk about them. “For humans, it can be rather difficult to master. We are such solid beings, and manipulating our form is no easy task. However, it was nothing I could not accomplish. I do have the best teachers one could ask for, after all.”

The sorceress watched as the Onion Knight blushed, vanishing in a rain of glittering lights a few moments later. Faye reminded herself that she would have to ask Krysta more about the toy solider and its creation later. Right now, she would have to focus on getting past the gate, something that would hopefully not prove too challenging. At least, that’s what she was betting on.

“I am used to such treatment.” she said, when Krysta mentioned the guard’s behavior. “Some are worse than others, such as that fool. They are simply frightened of what they refuse to understand. Magic is a gift, not a curse. It seems they believe that it only exists to try and rule over man, but it is the opposite, ‘tis here to serve the people. Unfortunately, a few wicked souls can completely ruin that perspective and give anything a bad reputation.” she thought briefly of Maleficent before shaking her head. Rosethorn had warned her not to dwell on the evil fairy for very long. So many dark and powerful magicks were in place. The fairies feared that memories alone could bring about the witch’s return. It was one they would not risk.

“As long as you do not mind.” Faye moved from Krysta’s hand and onto her shoulder, taking a tiny strand of violet-white hair between her fingers to hold. It really was the most beautiful and exotic locks that the maiden had ever seen. Was Krysta special or was it normal for the people of her world to have such vibrant hair? It was nothing Faye had ever seen in the Enchanted Dominion; that was for certain. Next to the young teen, she felt really plain with her average dark hair and eyes. Even so, she knew she was still beautiful, looks and all. Everyone was in their own way. Well, except maybe that large troll of a guard that had had tumbled off the bridge. If there was beauty there, she did not see it.

The black stallion looked back as the mooglette climbed into the driver's seat, flicking his ears back to listen to her speak. He seemed to understand what was going on, watching the girl with intelligent eyes. The horse pawed at the stones, making a loud clicking sound against the stones. No one was more eager than him to get inside the town.

Combined with teen's yell, the sleeping guard on duty bolted up right, looking around with a bewildered expression. It took him a moment to realize where he was and what he was doing. Once he figured it out, he jumped to his feet and stood as tall and proud as he could. "Oh! Um..." he cleared his throat, taking more command into his voice. "Just a moment, m'lady" the lazy guard didn't even seem to notice that his larger companion had disappeared. Right now, he was far too concerned that the "Average Traveler" had seen him asleep, and would report him to his captain. Pulling down the wooden lever by his post, the portcullis retreated, disappearing into the castle wall above. "Welcome and have a good day, fair maiden" he said, giving a nervous bow from atop the wall. Apparently, he thought a little sweet talk would help his chances of not getting into trouble.

Once inside the city, Faye found a hidden area to allow the Shrink spell to wear off, regaining her natural size. Changing like that in public would be sure to draw unwanted attention, and after the day she had had, she was not tolerant enough to deal with more bigots. When she returned to her cart, her Synthie companion was nowhere to be seen. For some reason or another, Krysta had decided to part ways with the sorceress. Although she was concerned, she did not know what else to do. Hopefully, the girl would be okay. There was no doubt that she was clever enough to do so after seeing that summon. With reins in hand, Faye went on about her business, guiding her wagon to the stables. The rest her day went on as usual.

---

Loud angry voices were heard outside the inn, waking the sorceress from her peaceful dream. Eyes fluttering open, she grumbled a few curses before trying to return to the sanctity of her dreams, hoping that whatever was going on would settle down. When the shouting only became louder, added by the clash and ring of metal, Faye decided she would see what all the commotion was about. The window shutters swung open as the sorceress leaned over to see down below. The sky was dark, with not a single star to be seen, hidden away behind the thunderheads rumbling in the distance. The lanterns that lit the street were barely flickering, and many were already gone, constantly growing with shadows. A crowd of people surrounded two men, both of which were dressed in the finest attire her world had to offer. Nobles, no doubt, and both were armed for combat. Judging from the cuts and bruises, they had already had a go at each other before.

"I'm growing impatient. This is your last chance, brother. Stand down, or I will see fit to take your life."

"You think that I will concede to you?  You're mad!" the other yelled, his round cheeks growing redder by the second. "I am the eldest. By our father’s will, I was chosen as the heir of house Farring!"

The youngest jabbed a finger at his brother. "Our father died of the fever, sputtering madness as he withered away. What he said that night on his deathbed was nonsense. By no means would father ever declare a sad and pathetic drunk as his heir— wasting away our riches on fine wines and parties! We should be building an army. King Stephen is our kin. Do you know what that means? We are the closet living relatives to the royal family! The line of succession will falls to us, but we both know that only I am worthy to wear the crown. I will rule this land!” he raised his blade, preparing to strike again. “Now this is the last time I will ask. Submit, and I may just let you continue your life."

Faye didn’t know how it was possible that the fat one could turn any redder; and she was just waiting for him to just swell up and pop. "You dare threaten me? G-guards... Guards! Guards! Guards!” he stomped his feet in a comical tantrum. “Arrest this fool! Bind him in irons!”

The so called protectors of the law were quick to respond, not because it was their duty, but because the lowlifes wanted to brownnose where the gold flowed. It was no surprise to anyone that they hung on his every word regardless of the situation. It was a pity that the lives of many good men had been loss to the Heartless and the civil wars, leaving the poor natives with not even the bottom of the barrel to scrap, but the rotten filth that was scooped out and thrown aside long ago—digging through garbage because it was all they had left. For all the good they did, it was like having no guard at all. From time to time, they could be persuaded.

The eldest brother smirked, a conniving grin laced with spite. “Ha! You’ll rot away in stocks for threatening me! I’ll—“ his words were cut short—eyes wide with horror as the light that gleamed upon his fat red face turned white as the moon above.

A sinister aura surrounded the younger brother, seething with raw power. Gazing down from the window, the sorceress narrowed her eyes. There was no way to mistake that kind of magic. The corruption wrapped around his hands, glowing like to bright beacon that darkened the streets. The last few dimming lanterns were snuffed out one by one as if the wind itself saw to the man’s wishes. The guards fell still, as did the rest of the citizens, gazing in fear upon this malevolent force. Then one by one, eyes began to appear from the shadow, a familiar malevolent gold that burned the soul. Like moths to an open flame, they were attracted by the malice and terror in the atmosphere. Screams were heard, and the guards turned their attention from the feuding brothers to the Heartless racing towards them. An icy chill filled the air as death came to linger upon the castle town. Faye could feel it in her bones, her knuckles turning white from where they gripped the window pane. The sorceress could watch no longer. She would not stand by and let this idiot bring hell upon these people. Yes, they looked down upon her, called her an evil fairy, but she wouldn’t leave them to this fate. Faye couldn’t be that cruel. The woman was better than that. She would not abandon the innocent if she could help it.

“Behold the gifts I have been granted, dear brother! Haha! It shall be your end. I am a god!” the young noble cackled, watching in glee as a horde of shadow Heartless tackled his brother. The eldest barely had a chance to lift his sword before they consumed him, vanishing in a ray of light as his heart was taken.

The trunk went mad, suddenly bouncing across the floor, causing the wooden boards to groan in protest. Extending her hand, the lid flew open, and a crystal orb shining with violet energy landed in her hand. The violet fire flared wildly, mirroring the fury she felt inside. This was more than enough of an excuse to use her power. No noble with a god complex was going to risk the lives of everyone just so he could be king. Not to mention, this town was a good place of business. She didn't want it going up in flames. Faye donned her crimson gown once again, dashing down the stairs as she hastily tied her wavy locks back into a loose half bun. If she was going to be knocking idiots around, and destroying Heartless, she wanted to at least look good while doing it. No bards would spin tales of a disheveled maiden in her nightgown flinging fireballs.

The streets were in a panic. Carts and stalls were tipped over, leaving goods of all kinds scattered about the street. The panicked townsfolk were tripping and crawling all over one another, their last desperate attempt to escape the heart devouring monsters that stalked them. Faye looked from left to right, surveying the chaos that was before her. It was all so sudden, and it horrified the sorceress just how fast the Heartless could destroy when they put their feeble minds to it. Turning her head down the lane, she spotted the young noble again, laughing like a maniac as he attacked anyone that came within range, darkness radiating around him. The true king, indeed. A mad one.Faye thought, rolling her eyes. It appeared to the fairy maiden that whatever great power he had been granted had quickly turned him insane.

The first step was clear. Not wasting another second, the sorceress raced down the road, her skirts and ribbons fluttering behind her with each click of her shoes. The Heartless were quickly attracted by this new heart, and scrambled towards her. They were met with a swift death, or tossed aside as Faye waved her hands in an arc, sending the Wisp Sphere raging towards them like an angry spirit. Leaping and bounding from side to side, the maiden attacked her foes, her motions graceful and accurate as if she were performing a delicate dance. The Wisp Sphere spun around her, a fitting partner that complimented her every move, almost like a duet. When was the last time she had let her magic express flow so freely? It felt like ages. For Faye, it was like her body was singing; spinning intricate patterns of arcane in every direction. More than anything, it was relief. A battle like this was just what she needed. The circumstances were just unfortunate.

Faye's orb brimmed with magic, pulsing with hot deadly flames that she channeled into its core. The madman was almost within range, and even better, distracted. One of his own minions had clawed his leg, causing him to curse out to the night sky. What happened next made the fairy maiden skid to a stop. In a satisfying twist of irony, the Heartless turned on their master, surrounding him from all sides. His heart was too weak, and he had abused the darkness so much in too short a time that it was impossible for the shadowkin not to notice. Now it was his heart they desired above all else. They finally jumped upon the noble, tearing and clawing while he screamed in utter agony. Light appeared soon after, followed by a heart rising into the sky. It only made it so far before a shadow Heartless took its place, joining the horde that continued to roam the city.

"Hmph. Deserved." Faye said; ready to run back to help the townsfolk when something caught her eye. Standing on one of the rooftops was a tall figure barely noticeable against the dark horizon. Had the red hot flames that licked the sky not highlighted his form, she may have missed him entirely. Even still, all that could be seen was a shadow, no other distinct features could be made out. The unknown could have been standing there the entire time, watching the scene from below. It didn't take Faye long to put two and two together. Clever the young nobleman may have been, but not so smart to gain the powers of darkness on his own. No, there was someone else behind this, a puppet master pulling the strings. The sorceress suddenly felt his eyes upon her, and a shiver went up her spine, cold and foreboding. What appeared to be a chuckle was heard before he turned around, walking away from the edge.

Her heart yearned to know more. Imbuing her sphere with wind, she tossed it to the ground, creating a strong gust of wind to lift her up high into the air. Landing on the thatched roof in a crouch, she could see the figure standing at the other end as if waiting for her to give chase. Waving his hand in a mock greeting, he vanished from sight, teleporting to the next building in an orb of darkness. A trap, obviously, but Faye did not care. Someone had to stop him, demand answers, and kill him if necessary. Who better than a great and powerful mage such as herself? In her vanity, she decided to play his game, completely confident that she was prepared for whatever he had to throw at her.

The fairy maiden followed, gliding from rooftop to rooftop using her Skyward spell. Beneath her, the Heartless continued their rampage, feasting upon the hearts of many that night. When she was close enough, she would unleash a fire spell, destroying any Heartless in its path. Her intervention saved lives, but not as much as she would have hoped. As much as it pained Faye, she could not help them anymore than that. If any progress was to be made the source would have to be destroyed first. Anything before that would only be biding time, not solving the problem.

The shadow man neared the castle, casting a sideways glance over his shoulder to see if his little cat was still coming. Faye was right on his heels, panting and covered in sweat, but she was almost right on top of him. As she came down from the air, vines sprouted from the orb like claws, reaching out to trap her prey. A pointless attack. Once again he vanished in a dark cloud. Landing where he had once been, the woman growled out in frustration. Why was this proving to be harder than she thought? She didn't like this. She didn't like being wrong! Her target manifested back into the physical world, standing upon the white stone bridge that led to the castle. There was nowhere else to run, unless he was ready to disappear entirely, he would have to make his stand here. If he was finally ready to end this charade, she was more than happy to oblige. Again, she propelled herself towards her target, readying herself for combat.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" the sorceress demanded.

A laugh came from the man as his cloak of shadows began to fade, receding into a single black point on his chest. Beneath the moonlit sky, echoed by the screams of the townsfolk in the distance, the sorceress met the scarlet and gold eyes of her foe. A waterfall of silver hair flowed past his shoulders, complimenting his dark obsidian skin. A red mason topcoat covered his body, with accents of ebony and white glimmering out from underneath. Astonished, Faye came to realize that this wasn't actually a man at all, but a fey being like herself, or... at least what was left of one. It wasn't just from his pointed ears, and lithe form. The woman could feel a bond as she did with all those of those with blood blessed by magic.

The elf twirled his small cane about his fingers, an evident smirk upon his face as he watched the woman observe him, making conclusions to satisfy her curiosity, and her ego. "My mistake, fair maiden." the elf bowed, his voice sweet and smooth like honey, one that could easily lure you into a false sense of security. "You were such a persistent little kitten, I just assumed you were enjoying yourself. Rarely do I take the part of the mouse." he grinned, revealing a row of sharp white teeth. Clearing his throat, he placed a hand to his chest. "Pardon my manners, you wished for an introduction, yes?” he placed one slender onyx finger to his chin as he began to contemplate what to say. “Forgive me. In my line of work names are not necessary. However… hm, the name Malazon will suffice. Now," the elven man began his approach, eyes glowing with a sinister aura. Staring into his face, the woman was suddenly gripped by a pang of fear, seeing, almost feeling the heat of the merciless flames from a memory so long ago. What was that? Why would she think of that at a time like this? "I would like to know your name."

"Faye." she said, hesitant at first, but saw no reason not to comply.

"A lovely name. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Faye." his etiquette was exceptional. She'd give him that, but if he thought he flatter her with his honeyed words, he was going to be sorely disappointed.

"What purpose did you have granting that nobleman the power of darkness?" she asked, getting straight to the point. The sorceress was never one to beat around the bush.

"Huh." he tapped the top of his ruby jeweled cane against his shoulder, quirking a silver brow. "That is quite the accusation to make against someone you've only just met."

"Weaving the darkness is second nature to you. That is easy enough to see. Do not take me for some blind fool." the maiden sneered, an aura of fire rising around her body as her emotions were nearly set loose. The event she had just witnessed, so many lives senselessly taken, scarred her more than she let on. After taking a deep breath, the flames died down, and Faye regained her composure. How embarrassing that she had allowed room for such a tiny mistake, a mistake she knew could turn into a disaster if not harnessed in time.

Malazon let out an overly dramatic sigh, shaking his head in disappointment. "You wound me, my lady, but such is the nature of an improvised heroine. Your tale is not so different from the countless others who believed it wise to challenge me." an audible growl came from the sorceress, fingernails screeching against the crystal orb in her hand. How many others had stood in his path and failed? Faye feared what that answer might be. "Ah, but I have never had much fun playing the innocent victim." a radiant smile curled upon his lips, and he began examining the red tinge on his nails. Blood if Faye had to guess. She had already decided his guilt at this point. "Very well, you are correct. I did instruct the noble in the art of darkness. A pity he could not command my kin any longer than ten minutes, but not unexpected. Such a weak heart. The little man wasn't the best actor, but he played his part. Thanks to him, my brothers and sisters are having such a wonderful feast. It only takes one to sow the seed of chaos. In a dying garden such as this, it will not take long for the weeds to drain the life from this world. It’s done an excellent job doing that without my help."

"Then you admit--ah!" another flash and the sorceress took several steps back, struggling to control the terror that was surging through her veins. Fiery demonic faces dancing against a midnight sky, ash raining down from the heavens, the scent of burnt flesh upon the wind, the horrific screams--a sound burned into Fay'es mind--of the families burned alive by the flames, and the cries of those who lost their loved ones, carrying out across the smoky fields in the most haunting tune. Everything was gone in one night, a night she desperately tried to forget. For so long she had repressed those memories, only coming to her from time to time in her dreams. It made no sense. Why was she thinking about this now? Glaring at the elf, she could almost see it. Traces of dark magic laced with the powers of moon and illusion.  It was him. Somehow, Malazon was awakening these nightmares, taunting her with them, trying to break her down. Question was, how? How was it possible for a mortal to wield so much darkness and not be consumed by it? There was one answer, but she did not want to believe it, simply because she was terrified by the revelation.

"What are you?"

"What do you think I am?"

Seeing the sly subtle grin appear on the dark elf's handsome face, Faye got her answer. That was all she needed. The sorceress was done asking questions. No longer would she tolerate this. The monster had infuriated her, wounded her pride by manipulating the fears she had tried to bury. A patient lady she was, but he had pushed the wrong buttons. Malazon--a Heartless in elven form-- was a threat to her world, and she would eliminate him. Not wasting another second, Faye tossed her orb, leaving a trail of violet fire in its wake as it raced towards the dark elf. It was an attack she thought sure to hit, fueled with more than enough magic and rage to incinerate an average band of armed men. Malazon would have no chance.

In her lifetime, the sorceress had never faced an enemy more powerful than herself, and so in her arrogance, believed that she was the greatest magic user to grace the Enchanted Dominion. That ego of hers cracked when the Wisp Sphere struck an invisible barrier. The orb returned to its master, and she tried again, hurling even more firepower towards the fiend. Over and over she attacked him, making no progress whatsoever. Guiding her weapon, she tried again, spinning a few different spells to add to the initial charge, using every element she had at her disposal. When Malazon took a step back, she smirked, believing that she was about to break down his defenses. She hurled the orb one more time, but instead of shattering his shield as she had hoped it suddenly froze. The sphere shuddered in the air, its light growing dim. The sound of the crystal ball striking stone echoed in her ears. Completely drained of magic, the orb fell, bouncing and rolling until it fell still at the elf's feet.

“H-how?" her voice nearly faltered as she tried to grasp what had just happened. Malazon did not even lift a finger. Had he destroyed it entirely? Squinting her eyes, it did not seem to be. A faint light could still be seen. That was better than nothing at all. There was hope that she could have it repaired, should she survive this battle. Doubts began to take form, but she snuffed them out. The thought of retreat made her sick. She refused to admit defeat. There had to be a way to stop him.

It seems direct spells are not efficient even over a period of time. Observation is the key. I need simply engage him again, examine his technique, and recognize his weakness. Now, she placed a hand over her frantically beating heart. This aura of terror Malazon possessed, she had to ignore it. Doubt and weakness, she loathed these feeling more than anything else, and she knew such emotions would destroy her quicker than he could. Peaceful thoughts.

"How amusing." tilting his head to the side, he gazed down at the orb from the corner of his eye. "Did you honestly believe you could harm me with this little toy? Simply precious." he kicked it away, sending the now lifeless weapon spinning down the bridge. "You will have to do better than that, my dear. Since I am a gentleman, I shall let you have another move. You will need it, I assure you.”

Ignoring the insult, the sorceress quickly searched her surroundings. There was ivy that clung to the bridge which gave Faye her next idea. “Your mistake.” magic flowed from her fingertips causing the tiny vines to shift. The rustle of leaves could be heard along with a creaking sound as the ivy transformed into a web of thick sharp thorns. With their accelerated growth, they covered the area in a matter of seconds. Flowers began to bloom, creating an aroma to disorient her enemies. Faye curled her fingers, aiming the razor like bards to shift towards the pseudo Heartless. This would be enough. It had to be enough. A combination of confusion and well placed attacked had to be the answer. The sorceress snapped her fingers, and hundreds of projectiles were launched towards the Heartless. Even in this threatening predicament Malazon did not appear intimidated. No hand was raised in defense, and nor did he seem to be afflicted by the flower’s poison. The moment the thorns came an inch from touching his body, he vanished. Faye spun around, feeling the blow of warm air on the back of her neck, but no one was there.

“Well played.” a voice whispered in her ear, and she heard a click. “My turn.”

Agony raced across her spine, freezing cruel metal meeting flesh. Faye cried out, stumbling forward and nearly losing her balance. Blood quickly seeped through her corset, staining the silk ribbon that flowed behind her.  From the corner of her eye, she discovered that the elf’s simple cane had transformed into a long glaive like weapon. Seeing the slight flex of his muscles prepare for another strike, the sorceress countered him before he had the chance, leaving a searing scratch upon his face. Finally, she had landed a successful hit, a small victory, but one she had no time to celebrate. Malazon’s eyes blazed, swiftly grabbing Faye by the throat before she could even comprehend what was happening. Hands clawing at his wrists, and feet kicking wildly, she fought desperately to escape his hold. Already, black was beginning to creep into the corners of her vison, her breath slipping away each second. Magic flowed out, stolen away… he was sapping her strength, taking away her greatest weapon, and that terrified the woman more than anything.

If I could only just… focusing on one of the nearby thorns, they unleashed another barrage towards the Heartless. It was just enough to distract him, or maybe he was just playing along. Faye didn’t know. Either way, Malazon decided to release his prey, enjoying the chase as he always did. This kind of torture was something to be savored. Catch and release. Reel them in and give some slack. That’s how he always worked.

Coughing and gasping for air, the sorceress stumbled forward, nearly collapsing the moment she touched the ground.  No, she would not let it end like this; she refused! The air screamed with malice, and the sorceress blindly leapt forward before the Heartless could sink his weapon into her flesh again.  The stone gave way beneath her feet as his blade struck the ground, sending both the woman and shadowkin falling. Grabbing desperately for the threads of magic she had left, Faye summoned the force of wind to slow her fall. A reaction that came too late as her head struck a ledge, swallowing her vision in darkness.

Dust rained over the battlefield, clinging to the air like a thick, acrid, veil. Deep coughs wracked the fairy descendant’s body as she came to. Lungs screaming for relief, she sat up as best as she could, taking steady deep breaths to relieve her air starved form. The world swam before her, fuzzy in the corner of her vision or turning double. Faye knew the searing ache on the back of her head could attest to this. At first, there was nothing she could see for the haze, until the glow of two crimson and gold orbs caught her attention. They pierced through the stone fog, two shining, devilish, rubies, freezing the blood of any who dare gaze into them.

Weight sank down onto her hips, slamming her down into the rocky debris. Bright lights flashed behind her eyes, rendering her blind. For a moment or an eternity, she couldn’t tell. The pain wanted to say it was forever. A tender hand brushed against her scratched cheek, sharp nails tracing the trail of blood that dripped down her chin. The dust began to clear, just enough for her to see the wicked smirk upon Malazon’s handsome face. The gleam of his intricately carved polearm caught her eye, and her heart knew what was to come. This was it. He was going to kill her right here, and she was helpless to stop him. No, there had to be something left in her arsenal—anything! Once again reaching for her magical reserves, Faye managed to conjure a small fireball. Her vain attack with silenced as pressure formed around her arm wrist, followed by the cracking and splinter of bone. A wail escaped her, teeth gritting together as her limp arm hit the dirt.

“We’ll have less of that.” came a cynical voice, sounding more annoyed than amused this time. Instincts began to overshadow Malazon's mind, craving the delicious heart coursing with fear before him. A simple desire for torment had quickly changed into a desperate need for sustenance. Yes, it was time to end this, and what better than by adding a little more despair into the mix?

"For a heart brimming with light, you carry quite the weight of guilt upon your shoulders." Faye had intended to snap back, but was frozen with horror once again when she saw her parents, saw the flesh melt away from their skin as they were devoured by the fires. Her fire? No… she was innocent! She... she didn't mean to hurt anybody. Faye was starting to lose her herself, the horrible memories wrapping their chains around her heart. "You crave power, hunger for it even as you sleep. You desire nothing more than to manipulate every aspect of life, to weave the threads of fate to your will. The lack and loss of control terrifies you beyond imagination. Even now as you lay helpless before me--this is your worst nightmare. As much as you may flaunt that magic of yours, you have no real power. You are that same weak little girl, able to do nothing but watch as the world burns down around you. And that fear is where darkness festers—where it will always bloom inside your heart."

His hands found his way around her throat, faster than she could comprehend, and enough to make her head spin. The woman struggled, feet kicking, nails digging into his arms to no avail. It only earned a laugh from the Heartless. "We have come to the climax of our encounter, Faye. In her last moments, the heroine turns into the damsel, her spirit breaking as she fights back in vain with her petty strikes. Alas, there appears to be no knight in shining armor on standby to save you. It seems destiny sees fit to have your story end in tragedy. A nice change of pace, I must say. Comedies are far too common nowadays, and despair is a much finer teacher than joy.” the elf's knuckles nearly turned white as he tightened his grip, watching with dark satisfaction as his prey writhed beneath him. “I am curious as to what your story has to teach? The beautiful tragedy of a heroine marching into the face of danger to protect what she loves, or the over confident fool who thought it wise to follow a stranger alone through the streets—a grim and fitting tale.”

One hand came to hover over her heart, transformed into long monstrous claws that one would see on a Shadow. Faye barely had a moment to prepare herself, muscles tensing for the pain that would come—and come it did. There were no proper words that came to mind as Malazon’s dark nails pierced her chest, phasing through the thickness of bone and muscle as easily as a knife through butter. Thinking wasn’t even possible at this point. The frantic and wild beating of her heart ceased abruptly, casting a cold, empty numbness that creeped quickly into every limb. Shadows fell upon her mind, clouding all judgement, turning her into an almost mindless docile animal. In this moment, she instantly understood why those whose hearts had been stolen before didn’t fight their attacker tooth and nail as it happened. You couldn’t. Whatever spell that fell upon the body prevented any of that. Once their thieving hands made their move, it was over. All she could do now was watch as the Heartless stole her life away, take everything that she was. A scream of pure anguish echoed through the night as Malazon’s hands finally touched her heart. Essence of gold appeared; a rain of shimmering light that reached for the stars and Faye knew no more.

“Foolish girl.” Faye tensed at the sound even in her semi-conscious state, a voice wise with age that commanded respect.

The woman stirred; a dream perhaps before her departure into oblivion? It was a possibly, Faye thought, after all she had never fallen into darkness before.  Was this the farewell from the last rays of light now flowing freely from her body? “M-mother?” is what she wanted to say, but only a croak emerged. The reply that came, however, disputed that any of this was just an illusion. Mistaking that familiar ire was impossible.

“Don’t you start! You keep those sassy lips shut tight. I’ve half a mind to throw you back to that wolf.” the elder grumbled, patting away the sweat from Faye’s head with a damp cloth. “Giving me more grey hairs every day you are. Surprised I’m not more withered than I am.”

Opening her eyes, the sorceress was greeted with the sight of her cozy stone cottage. As she became more oriented the first thing she realized was, obviously, she was alive beyond all reason. “I don’t understand.” She managed to whisper, gazing up into the kind—if not somewhat annoyed— face of her adoptive mother, Rosethorn. There was more she wanted to ask, but with her next draw of breath, what felt like shards of glass exploded in her chest, sending her into a fit of coughs.

“Easy now, child.” Rosethorn replied, somewhat more gently.

The sorceress began to place a hand over her chest, the memories of her encounter with the Heartless rushing back. “My heart?!” Faye sat up, and instantly regretted the action. The dull aches of wounds and spasms came to life, her body voicing it’s irritation at the sudden movement.  

“Still beats within you!” her mother snapped, pushing her back down to the pillow. “Worry not. You are no walking husk, though you came very close. A second longer and the dark elf may have succeeded.” Taking steady even breaths, she waited a few moments before asking how she had come to be home, and alive at that. “We could sense the darkness even from the glade.” Rosethron began, speaking of the other fairies. “I knew you were there for trade, and feared that you would act irrationally, which—not to my surprise—you did.” She stood up from her chair, placing a hand to her temple.  “Never in all my centuries have I ever felt as much magic surge within me before I saw that monster hovering over you.”

Faye watched her mother, feeling the guilt tightening around her throat. What if she had died at Malazon’s hands? She had jumped into the fray of danger without so much as a thought about her mother, and how devesated she would be if she perished. The sorceress had been so confident in her abilities that it didn’t even cross her mind. There had been no room in her thoughts for failure when she began the chase.  

“You destroyed the fiend.” she half stated half asked, hoping against hope that her mother had found the power needed to destroy Heartless where she had failed.

The old fairy laughed, shaking her head. “You assume too much of me, child.”

The room grew silent, and Rosethorn moved to the stove where a pot of vegetable stew was simmering. Faye stared up at the ceiling, comptemplating what this meant. Even her mother, a fairy of renowned power, could not defeat the dark elf. If that was the case, then there could be no hope at all for her world. She feared to ask the amount of damage that had been down to the castle village. Did anyone survive or was it now empty of all life, a haunting reminder of what had taken place.  

“You should eat.” Faye looked back to her mother holding a bowl of stew.

“I’m not tha—Ack!” she almost choked on the vegetables as the stew was shoved into her mouth. The taste was horrid, and the woman just nearly spit it back up. “What was that?!” she gasped.

The old fairy sighed. “I have yet to crack the secret of making these old healing herbs taste good. Surely the 103rd time will be the charm.” She took a whiff of the stew and grimaced. “Regardless, you have to eat it all.”

“Oh, sweet mercy.”

It was tough, but Faye did manage to eat all of the stew her mother offered. Right away, she could feel its healing properties working on her body, and even the pain dulled down considerably. At this rate, she knew she would be in shape within a day or two. But what then? This darkness was not something she could face on her own, at least not something like Malazon. Not without more power. Glancing over at the old weathered books on her nightstand, the legend of the Keyblade came to her mind. It did not take the woman long to realize what she must do. Somehow, she had to find a way to gain the mythical weapon of light or an individual that could to save her world.

[Topic End]