Re: Kingdom Hearts: To The Bitter End [Part One]

[Cracklord]

Chaos
It's like trying to contain a storm. Kratos lashes at you with superhuman strength, tossing you around and smashing you against the walls as the current takes you onward to some unknown destination. The sickening snap of bones being broken sounds as he twists your arm, nearly tearing it out of the socket, as he grinds your head against the rough, jagged stone.

Zhou Yu
Hades is standing over the crevasse looking down reflectively. "Dammit, I picked the wrong brother. Now I have to call up the spare." He says, waving his hands over the pool, a flickering will-o-the-wisp rising into his clawed hands.
He looks up and spots the strategist, and his eyes narrow. "And not a moment to soon. Meet Deimos. I just know you're going to get along."
Demios was not his brother, his skin a nut brown, his hair and beard a lions mane, and his features less cadaverous, but nonetheless was hauntingly familiar to anyone who'd seen Kratos. The same physique, imposing build, and hard, cold eyes. He was hanging from his arms, two massive gauntlets attached to chains that left him hanging from the ceiling. Hades snapped his fingers again and the chains vanished.

[AnimeKid]

Ventus, Fayt

Both stand and bow before saying at the same time, "Thank you Master Yen Sid." The both of them then head back down the tower and take the train to Twilight Town.

Dawning Light

After getting back to Twilight Town Ven and Fayt immediately search out the rest of the gang and upon finding them informs them of everything they have learned. Xianghua speaks up first, "That is amazing Fayt," she says as she gives him a peck on the cheek. A blushing Fayt speaks up with a slight stutter, "U-um w-well where to from here?" Knuckles then speaks up, "We need to go to Olympic Coliseum," he says, "There are multiple shards of the master emerald there." Ven nods as he says alright then to Olympic Coliseum it is." They say goodbye to their new found friends as Fayt ports them up to the gummi ship. They then fly to the Coliseum, all the while Fayt is trying to get Red Hare to eat after he cleans up his area.

[draxx]

Zhou Yu
The strategist only smiles enigmatically, and holds up two fingers, pointing the sword at the man with the other hand, then lifting his stance. His movements are like water, smooth and flowing, to contrast the brutal economy of the two brothers.
"Perhaps I shall give the lesson to you first."

Chaos
It drew back, shrieking, then closed it's massive mouth around the Spartan's face, with bone crunching force.

[Cracklord]

Zhou Yu
"You have nothing to teach me, effete fool." He yells, spittle flying. His eyes are wide with bloodlust, and the long red pattern is glowing cherry red like molten iron. The air simmers around him, as though an open forge was inches away.
That done, he lowers his shoulder and charges, errupting into an explosion of brutality so shockingly violent it was almost hypnotic, trying to beat you to death with his massive gauntlet, a stylized fist as big as a torso.

Chaos
Taking your head, he smashes it against the sides, again and again until all that is left is a bloody pulp, then brings his blade across your throat, slashing it horrifically. Driving his hand into the open wound, he tears out your tongue, and tosses it away, then hammers you in the forehead one last time before climbing out of the river.

Dawning Light
(What would you prefer, being sent adrift to Agrabah, or getting a mini-game as you go through a Space battle?)

[AnimeKid]

(ooh, ooh, space battle, space battle! I get to show off my/Fayt's ships awesome moves and show that Fayt is more that just a smart guy with a sword and a superpower. Plus space battles rock!)

[Cracklord]

Dawning Light
As soon as the group left the airspace of Twilight To2wn and started heading through the pathways between worlds, they learned that this was not going to be an easy journey. There were endless Heartless and Nobody piloted ships flying around, forming a massive wall.
In the center was an enormous, white battleship, The Dreadnaught. It was a large, rectangular structure with each of its corners lined by a long, cylindrical tower, topped by a conical spike.
Around it buzzed lesser vessels, white, vaguely insectoid battleships of a menacing appearance.
This was the first dogfight any of them had ever really been involved in using this ship, but you all know how to work the weapons systems, targeters and controls. You should be fine.


Castle That Never was
A pair stood atop the Alter of Naught, looking ahead at the outline that had begun to form Kingdom hearts. The man watched silently, with no signs of passion or distress, in fact seeming almost serene. He wears light armor plated with gold, gilt and ornamental rather then functional, over silken purple robes. He is beautiful rather then handsome, with delicate features, flashing green eyes and an arrogant smile that cut like a knife. Mateus wears purple makeup on his eyes and lips, and a purple crown with a snake head emerging from it. He is unarmed, though his gauntlets sport extended claws.
"I admit I am impressed." He says to the woman at his side. "You have accomplished more then I had imagined. So much, in fact, I cannot help but wonder why you would come to me for help. People in our position rarely have an urge to share power."
Maleficent frowned. "That is for me to know." She replies, in her throaty, drawling voice. "No concern of yours."
"Quite." Matteus, Emperor of Palamecia, replies, raising his palms and gazing to the heavens, staring at something only he could see. It was off-putting, even disconcerting, but you couldn't help but be swept up by him. It wasn't charisma, exactly, it was something more powerful. Something almost like the darkness that fed on your desires and ambitions. Something irresistible. "Well, I see no reason to refuse your generous offer. I think this might just be the start of a long and fruitful relationship."
Maleficent turned. "Remember, Kingdom Hearts belongs to me! The heart of all kingdoms, the heart of all that lives. A dominion fit to be called Kingdom Hearts must be MY dominion!"
"If you say so. And my Empire is mine. But I'm sure there is enough to share a little. I can be generous."

[draxx]

Nameless
"So you're the princess, then." he mentions, as the two silently make their way towards the throneroom. "I'm interested to learn how you do that."

Zhou Yu
He stepped back and ghosted aside, the fist sailing past him to smash into the wall, cracking it. Zhou Yu brought the blade around, slicing a shallow gash along his exposed back, then spun away, putting space between the two of them again.

"Come on, surely you can do better." He says softly, needling the pride of the Spartan, onm top of the humiliation of the strike, in order to keep him angry. Angry people were so easy to predict, control and direct. And given the figure was a warrior likely better then Zhou Yu himself, keeping his predictable was important. "Concentrate and try again."

Vincent Valentine
It drew back, shrieking, and mere moments of transformation later, Vincent was himself once more, a ragged gash across his pale throat beneath his scarf. It was bleeding steadily, but the gunman didn't even seem to notice, or care. His bloodred irises were fixed on the pale back of The Spartan, and he had his gun to hand.

Cerebus spat death as the current swept him away, punching into Kratos's back above his heart. The Spartan was dangerous, perhaps a match for a first-class soldier, maybe even better. But no matter how skillful or dangerous the man, a shot in the back will seriously cramp his style.

[Cracklord]

Zhou Yu
It's the wrong thing to say. He turns and grabs you, driving you onto the ground and bashing your head on the stone, again and again.

Nameless
You make your way up the winding staircase that leads up the tower, looking for any signs of life or Jafar. But the whole pallace seems to be empty.

Vincent Valentine
Kratos turns and glares, then swings, a flaming chain driving the blade on the end through your soft midsection and pulling you out like a hooked fish.

Aqua
How had things ever managed to get so horrifically off balance?
There were supposed to be three keybearers, always. Now one was in a permanent sleep. Another had fallen to darkness. The masters were dead, missing, powerless. Unable to do anything to avert the coming horror.
Now, there was only one keybearer left. The lone woman.
Destiny, it seemed, always proclaimed she would be the one to endure when all else was falling apart. The balance of light and darkness had to be maintained, and at this juncture, darkness far outweighed the light.
She didn't want to, but she knew she had to fight.

[draxx]

Zhou Yu
The strategist looked delicate, particularly when compared to the massive Spartan, but he was not weak, and quite capable of taking a little pain. As the back of his head was slammed, he drove his leg between the Spartans legs, driving his leather boot into the Spartans manhood, and watched as the warrior's shrunk into a tiny universe of pain. Normally, he would have balked at the dishonorable move, but it was his opponent who had let it descend to brawling.

Nameless
"So. You took your prize and fled." He says softly, looking out the window at the dessert that stretched outside the city. "Wise of you. Or is it just that there was nothing for you here but revenge?"
He'd taken enough gold to bribe the Peddler. If the Palace was empty, no need to wait around here. "Come, Princess."

Vincent
He takes aim, and a loud bang and a smoking gun later, Kratos has a bullet in his eye. Vincent was only still going with Spite. He'd regenerate, but this warrior had killed the demon in his head, at least for a time. He had nothing that could take it out. Nonetheless, he could make it suffer.

[Cracklord]

Zhou Yu
Demios is over the pain by the time you get to your feet, and has finally exchanged his oversized gauntlet for a real weapon. A long shafted with a steel tip, red tints hinting at an unnatural nature, with a long scarlet and gold strip of cloth wrapped around it. To go with it he has a rather battered bronze shield, with the Greek lamda symbol done in white and black.
Bracing his shield, he drives the spear at you in a mighty thrust, spinning the point as he drives it to add to it's already colossal force.

Vincent
The shot grazes the side of his skull, ricocheting off and leaving his right ear torn clear away. This only seems to compound his anger even further, tugging you all the more fiercely out of the river, away from the reaching, insubstantial hands that try to drag you bellow and the moans and sobbing, the pleas and sounds of the dead.
Kratos tears the blade from your soft midsection, tearing chunks of your white flesh out with it, and stomps down on your good arm, knocking the gun from your grip and rendering you effectively helpless. Then he drives his fist into your face hard enough to crack stone. Again and again he hits you, burning away his aggression in a kind of monstrous brutality until he’s pounding wet chunks of bone into the ground, and your face is an unrecognizable mess.
Taking the gun as a trophy by right of conquest, he sticks the barrel into his belt and turns to walk away, leaving you crushed and broken.

Xiao Qiao
Zhou Yu's wife had lost track of how many days she spent in the tiny room she was placed in. She was rarely let out but through her small window she could see the landscape. Even in the dead of winter, it looked magnificent. All she could see for miles were the tops of dark forest green trees, covering the landscape. It reminded her of the beauty of the riverlands of China where she had grown up. She had loved her home, and her heart ached for it, adrift and lonely in a strange land. She wanted to go home more then anything.

[draxx]

Zhou Yu
Not even pausing to sneer at a man stupid enough to use a spear in single combat against a man on foot, he stepped aside, the thrust sailing past him, then sliced the shield apart with a single chop, as though it was the easiest thing in the world. Which, to a swordsman of his skill, wasn't far from the truth, given the shield was made of bronze.

See beyond the obstacle and you can break any barrier. Dispel resistance within the mind and no force will resist you. If you could do that, you could snap your enemy like a reed in a hurricane. There is a grating sound and sparks, then the shield is sliced in half as though it was as soft as cloud.

[Cracklord]

Dawning Light
As soon as the group left the airspace of Twilight Town and started heading through the pathways between worlds, they learned that this was not going to be an easy journey. There were endless Heartless and Nobody piloted ships swarming around, forming a massive wall.
In the center was an enormous, white battleship, The Dreadnaught. It was a large, rectangular structure with each of its corners lined by a long, cylindrical tower, topped by a conical spike.
Around it buzzed lesser vessels, white, vaguely insectoid battleships of a menacing appearance, some almost the size of cities. You haven't seen anything like them before, and indeed they'd all vanished once Xenmas had been killed, And the Castle that Never Was had been emptied. Yet somehow, here they were.
This was the first dogfight any of them had ever really been involved in using this ship, but you all know how to work the weapons systems, targeters and controls.

Zhou Yu
Demios hammers your head with the haft of your spear, sending you flying again to crash against the stone walls painfully, then leaps at you, bringing the spear two-handed over his head then bringing it down with all the force he can muster, trying to impale you, again sacrificing elegance and skill for sheer brute force.

Terra
At long last you're healed, your neck raw and tender but once more functional, and your hand better. Your once more in sufficient shape to move. Your companions are all missing, you'll have to find them quickly.

Metaknight
Marth steps up onto the bridge to look out with you, followed by a dozen off your knights. He is a true king, and nobility and justness can be read in every line of his countenance. More to the point, he has his sword drawn, if held low and nonthreateningly. “You did promise me your help.” He says quietly. “And I am grateful, but I cannot wait much longer.”

Nameless, Shiek
You leave the palace, and step back into the narrow, winding streets and alleyways that make up the bazaar of Agrabah. Again, you are bombarded with smells and sounds, a cacophony of voices and animals sounds, and a sensory overload that threatens your sanity.
As you make your way through the maze of alleyways towards the Peddlers residence, a lean, agile shape drops in front of you.
The young man, for that’s what the shape quickly arranged itself into, has tan skin and black, shaggy hair, with a red-violet fez perched atop. He favors a thin, purple vest, hanging open and exposing his chest, along baggy white trousers.
“You’ve just come from the palace, haven’t you?” He asks, slightly breathless.

King Mickey
The Frog Prince, confused, falls silent. Tiana takes the long waited opportunity to speak.
Everyone has a point where they break, and Tiana had just been hit by a spoon. Tiana is a practical, worldly girl. She didn’t believe in magic, she believed in hard work and perseverance, and what she could see and touch. So meeting a talking Anthropomorphized duck that was lacking in the pants department, a talking styalized mouse with a verbal tick and a talking frog in the same five minutes had put her very close to the edge of hysteria.
“Could someone, anyone, I don’t care who, tell me what the hell is going on?”

Odie, Flower
As you turn, the dozen or so masks stop, surrounding you in a half circle, their lamplike yellow eyes blazing into your soul, their shadowy claws twitching with stupid malice. All of a sudden, a large shadow which connected to nothing rose against the wall. A long, skinny arm reached out of the shadow and clutched onto the wall, dragging the arm's owner out.
"I hate doing that." Facilier said, breathing hard with bugged eyes. "Keep thinking I won't be able to find my way out. Good to see you, old biddy. What brings you down to my neck of the world? Been a long time since ya took the time ta visit N'awlins." He smiles, his teeth very white but for the gap, and wiggles his fingers with marvelous dexterity, showing that they were double-jointed. "Maybe you could spare a few minutes to have a quick fortune reading done." Dr. Facilier suggested, gesturing towards the table in the corner of the shop. "Come to a mutually beneficial result, perhaps."

Scrooge
Siegfried has stepped off the ship and onto the deck of the ship, looking every inch the traditional 'knight in shining armor'. A layer of crystalline armor with intricate designs simmers under the light, in every color of the spectrum, the massive blade that is comprised of the bulk of Soul Calibur is sheathed at his back, almost as big as he is. A long blue scarf is wrapped around his neck.
“Such an age of wonders.” He says, impressed and a little awed as he looks around. “It seems amazing that such things are possible, and yet mans inventiveness conquers the rivers as it has the lands. None carry swords or the scars of war. Truly, this is a time of peace and prosperity the likes of which I can scarcely credit.”
The nephews, as they got out, were somewhat differently impressed, more in line with ‘excitable youngsters about to have an adventure’ then that. “Wow, this is an old steamboat! Hey, I’ll check my Junior Woodchuck Guidebook! I think there is something about these in here!” Says one of the nephews.

Cloud Strife
Now nearing the finals, there are fewer battles between to give you time to rest. Before you know it, you are up again, facing Garland, The Dread Black Knight.
You feel a certain deja vu as you stand before him, looking up at his stalwart, implaceable frame, and his massive blade. He towers above you, every inch hard and fatal.
"Come. Let us enjoy this battle. Lets enjoy the clash of our souls as we throw everything into the battle." He says, his voice deep and melancholy, yet nontheless unbroken, even passionate.
"I, Garland, will knock you down."

HK-47
The two of you make an odd group as he leads you out of the swamp and into the city, passing along the streets, only to be cut off by a procession of musicians playing music on trumpet and drums rather loudly. Music, you identify it. Rhythmic sounds that biological lifeforms find pleasing. Jazz.
Banners of green, gold, and purple were draped and strung around the city, on every surface.
Ray buzzes ahead, towards a darkened alleyway, and you have no choice but to follow or stay here and get lost.

Sora, Riku, Kairi
The Deku Tree, while not a giant, was a giant tree, so large that he demanded his own clearing almost the size of the village. And while he didn't possess the powers of the Three Goddesses, he did have power of the forests. He was believed to create everything within the woodlands: the trees, the animals, the fairies, and even the Kokiri themselves.
The three of you awake in a room. The room was large, so large, in fact, you cannot see the walls and can't help but wonder why the high ceiling did not crash down around you. You are all lying together on a smooth slab of something difficult to classify. It's not any form of earth or stone you've encountered before on all your myriad of travels, and it is warm and soft – like a blanket that has been warmed in the sun.
The slab was situated in the middle of another slab that appeared to be simple wood, that was the only floor in the room as far as his eyes could see. Everything else fell away into nothingness and darkness, as deep as forever. You fancied if you fell of the edge you'd never stop falling. The larger platform was covered completely in what looked like water, but like the slab he sat on, something just was not right about it. Like how it continuously cascaded over the edge, but its level never ebbed.
The only light in the room came from three bright torches. Though, that was hardly a proper description, since none of them even looked like torches should look. First, they were not in ordinary torch stands. Instead, each stand was constructed of fine crystal so that it caught the light and reflected it out in all directions. Next were the 'flames' themselves – none were made of fire, nor did they appear to be burning. The one directly in front of the trio was a deep blood red, casting flashing light as it lashed back and forth. On your left a cerulean light danced lazily on its stand. And to your right a light as bright green as the sun on leaves crackled steadily.
You have no idea how you got here.

[draxx]

Zhou Yu
Despite the situation, he had an air of grace and reserve not usually associated with violence. His face was caked with crusted blood and slightly swollen from the pounding, his long hair was even worse held together in clumps by congealed blood and matted filth, and his eyes are bloodshot in stark contrast to his rather pale skin, yet nonetheless he manages to retain an almost palpable aura of dignity and calm. It was not the rampant, almost out of control masculinity of either of the brothers he was against, yet of the two he still seemed the stronger, like a tree that weathers a storm, swaying in the winds but finally standing triumphant when they had died away. And his almond eyes showed only defiance.

"Burn." He says, drawing back an arm, then thrusting it forward, sending an orb of fire into Demios's face as he charges, then rolling out of the way of the out-flung spear-thrust, leaps to his feet and brings his sword in a terrible blow across the back of the mans legs, ham-stringing him, severing both the tendons and leaving his legs effectively useless. He looks down with little pity at the barbarian, who lies thrashing in a pool of his blood, and will never walk again. Any sympathy the man might have earned he had lost with his own actions.

"You said a Spartan never allows his back to hit the ground. Now, it never will." Wiping his sword fastidiously, he turns and makes for the whole, meaning to look for Vincent.

Nameless
"I did." He replies, mismatched eyes burning into Aladdin's brown ones with an intensity that is terrifying. The street rat cannot bring himself to meet the Nameless one's gaze, even with his considerable mental reserves. He doesn't know exactly who the figure is, but the unmistakable impression is something he'd be better off not knowing, something older then anything mortal or immortal, and more terrible then either. Something that had beheld the first light of the world, that had known the embrace of death and the kisses of the queens of hell. Then the impression fades, and he's looking at the bizarre figure, blinking away the water that stings his eyes.

He's dressed in white robes, as is usual and practical for inhabitants of the desert, but if he intends to blend in his concealment needs work. It's open at the front to reveal a finely-sculpted chest, criss-crossed by scars, old and new. His skin is pallid and grey, alternately stretched and wrinkled. Scarred. It is dead skin.

Across his left shoulder is a bandolier that appears to be studded with rusted iron studs and bones. His face is not handsome; a square chin, high cheekbones, stringy black hair that falls on either side of his face and braided with white beads and hollowed out fingerbones, with the occasional iron. A nose that has been broken too many times, a heavy, caveman brow, and his mouth is wide. In short, Aladdin doubts there is anywhere in all worlds imaginable that this man could blend in.

"What are my wanderings to you?"

Metaknight
"Time. Never enough of it." He replies absentmindedly, watching Cloud. A protege, perhaps. A man worthy of taking on the responsobilities and powers of his station. Certainly his arm was strong enough, although to bear his burden was more then mere power.

"The Halberd is your only route home. If you try your own way, you shall never get close, such is the blockade. I gave you my word, you would return home and I would help you find aid. Here is where the aid shall come from."

[Cracklord]

Nameless
"I... that is," Aladdin finds himself somewhat lost, unknowing what to say in the eye of this ancient. Then he shrugs, and something of his usual cocky personality reestablishes itself. He's a little diminished before Nameless, that's true, but he retains enough self-confidence and esteem to brush it aside.
"None whatsoever. You're not any of my business. But I think I might know a thing or two that might help you out." He flashes a charming smile, that was the downfall of saints. At least, female ones. "If you're interested, that is."

Metaknight
Marth concedes you make good points, but everyone had reasons, and they do not help in the slightest. He puts away his sword, and folds his arms pointedly.
"I left my home because all I could do alone was fight and die gloriously. That would satisfy my pride, but it would serve no purpose, so instead I fled. Death will not help my people or my family. But nor will cowardice, I will not go into exile and leave them to suffer. If all I can offer is my life, then I shall sell it as dearly as possible."

Zhou Yu
Demios thrashes and yells incoherently, even trying to drag himself after you, but hamstrung he can only crawl and flop pathetically, much like a landed fish. You step over to the cavern, looking down the crevasse where Vincent and Kratos had fallen together. Bellow is a river that glowed, with an eerie green light, like wytchfires covered in a thin sheet of ice. Vague suggestions of skeletal shapes could be seen taking form beneath the surface, then vanishing before you can do more then gain hints.
The river of Death.

(Animekid? Going to update? Same goes for you Doliest)

[AnimeKid]

Dawning Light

Seeing what's happening Xianghua calls for Fayt, "Hey Fayt, we got trouble we need you up at the bridge pronto." Fayt stops his attempts to feed Red Hare for the moment and instead hurries to the bridge. When he gets there he sees the situation, then he jumps into action. "Ventus, Knuckles get on the weapons systems. Xianghua monitor all our stats and get those shields up. Ike I need you to charge to gravitic warp drive energy buildup in case we need a quick escape. Let's lock and load people." Everyone gets to thier posts and immediately gets to work. Xianghua speaks up first, "Shields are at 100% and all functions are normal," Ventus then speaks up, "Me and Knuckles have manned the weapons and they are all functioning at peak capacity. We're ready to let 'em have it." Ike watches the warp gauge as it slowly builds up from it's current 20%. Fayt nods at his friends and as he turns back to the front says, "Okay then time to put this puppy to work." He flips a few switches on the headboard and grabs what looks like and antique stick-shift with a ridiculous number of gears. Fayt switches it all the way over to 5th gear(there are 9 gears in total) and a holographic keyboard that he uses to control the ship. They then zoom towards the armada and Ventus and Knuckles unload the first volley of fire using the ships standard weapons (all of which come from Fayt's world) the Quantum Torpedoes.

[Doliest]

King Mickey
"Well, mahm, I'm King Mickey, ruler of Disney Castle, wielder of the keyblade. I'm here as part of a crusade against the Heartless, a unified intelligence controlling innumerable smaller bodies composed of shadow and darkness that are attemtping to swallow every world up into their mass for some reason that even the most accomplished among our researchers don't truly understand. This is Scrooge, a patroit and businessman among my kingdom. And a talking frog I presume is a prince. It's really rather simple. Ho ho."

Flower, Odie
Wild Flower's eyes glow blue, "I shall partake of no games of chance against the unbalancing force of darkness. Nor shall I converse with-"

Red. "Do you ever shut up!? He has nothing to do with me. Or my ilk. He IS a fool, but that is not synonomious with my kind. Even if that IS true of most of them."

Madame Odie chuckles as she sits down opposite Facilier, "Yeah, it's been a while."

HK47
Music is, for the most part, irrelevant to the droid. It knows how to play many different types of music, but only as part of his ability to disguise himself as a protocol droid. Nothing but a talented piece of furniture.
.
..
Scratch that as a description of protocol droids. After making King Mickey his 'Master' he had actually met living furniture. It was strange, but something he had added to his database. He would have much to report back to Master....Master....he knew he had a greater master...but...who....putting that aside for later, HK continues to follow Ray.

[Cracklord]

Dreadnaught
A small rat rested in Exdeath's metallic palm, calmly nibbling on a small walnut. It had seemed to prefer Exdeath in one way or another and felt no fear in his presence. As it finished its last bite, the small rodent looked up at the warrior lovingly.
That was when a small vortex materialized, sucking up the rat and the crumbs. Exdeath closed his hand in a fist and when he opened it, nothing remained.
"Returned to the Void." Exdeath spoke, in his deep, grating, inhuman voice turning around. "As all soon will be."
Exdeath had no care for existence. He placed no higher value on life or death, as he felt it was all pointless. The Void, nothingness incarnate, was what all reality should turn to.
Then the ship shakes, and he turns, the slit of his helm staring out at the incoming Gummi ship. With senses that nothing living could understand, he reads those flying the ship, and lowers his helm a moment, then touches his hands to the white ship, tiny tendrils not unlike roots spreading from his palms to worm their way into the ship, pulsing darkness.
"All is equal before the Void. The Void is eternal, and shall consume all that is and all that has and will be. You are fools to face me." He says, in a voice clear of all inflection.

Dawning Light
You destroy some minor ships, sailing past them and their bright, silent explosions, then come up against the enormous bulk of the Dreadnought, your shots impacting harmlessly against it. It's as you come close you spot something like thick, pulsing veins along it's surface. Before you can identify them, an enormous hole opens, ripping the surface of reality to reveal the emptiness beyond and dragging all nearby into it's depths. Another opens nearby, hemming you in and forcing you up against the massive Cruiser, that opens fire itself, sending out a stream of beams of absolute cold that stretch towards you, mindlessly seeking you out like the feelers of some enormous beast.

Wild Flower, Odie
The other voodoo practitioner sat down at the table to which Dr. Facilier led her, looking around at the skulls, shrunken heads, masks, and dolls which lined the room. Most had not become animate as the ones that had been menacing the two of them, but she had little doubt they could. He had a lot to draw from, afterall.
"Now, no call fer dat. Y'all don't need to be all worried. I'm doing this reading free of charge, no obligation, pro bono. We'll see what we see, and then we can decide what happens next. Just calm your minds, all three of them, and I can tell you what the cards say of your past, your present, and your future." Dr. Facilier soothed, beckoning Wild Flower over.
"Now, lets start with you." He says to Odie, shuffling the cards and laying six down, three in front of her. "Lets play this old game, and see if I haven't learned some new tricks."
He flips the first one, and whistles between his teeth. "Ah, The Star. It seems you've been quite the inspiration to those you know. Always had faith in them, even when they lost faith in themselves, but we already know that now, don't we?" Facilier said.
His hands danced across the table like big, hairless spiders, the next card was overturned, and Odie saw herself crowned, with many swords laying broken at her feet.
"The Queen of Swords usually only shows up for a widow. You're probably feeling a bit like one, aren't you? So powerless, so lost, so unable to make a stand, to do more then watch it all slip away. But don't fret now - this card also shows one who can bear her sorrow. And you're doing that right now, am I right?" Dr. Facilier noted, trying to get her to play along.

King Mickey
As you are explaining, you hear the sound of explosions from up on deck, and screams. Something is terribly, terribly wrong. The entire ship shudders, and starts to roll. The sailor in you recognizes that somebody has damaged one of the paddle wheels, making the entire ship tilt. You smell magic on the air.

HK-47
Ray buzzes ahead, taking you through the streets and the carnival until you come to a door. Doctor Facilier's Voodoo emporium.

[draxx]

Zhou Yu
He ignores the Spartans suffering, having more or less dismissed him from existence. A warrior who let all but the thrill of combat fall away was better dead. He had done the only thing to be done.

Staring down, he looks for a sign of Vincent or the other warrior, whom he recognized was the more dangerous of the two. His companion was formidable, but if he had been bested then it fell to the strategist to kill the pale warrior. When he sees nothing, he sighs and looks for a way down more sensible then simply leaping right down.

Nameless
"Perhaps you do." The enigma replies, continuing the trip towards the Peddlers shop. He wants that bronze orb. "Tell me what you know. If I judge it valuable, I shall repay you with any favor you desire that is within my power."

[Cracklord]

Zhou Yu
"You won't find him that way." The strategist looks up, to find himself staring at another person. The person was a man, tall but not more ten average. He had a red robe on with one arm tucked inside of it, using the sleeve as a mock-sling. A brown shoulder pad on his other shoulder was intricately decorated with tan, green and blue patterns, with a beaded ornament dangling from it. On the man's belt were a few pouches and a glazed jug. The strategist found himself wondering what exactly was inside that jug, and decided it was probably not water or tea.
The meager light of the torches glimmered off of the robed man's smoky lenses he wore over his eyes, lending him a mysterious appearance, and his scar, unshaven chin and dark hair streaked with silver all added to this impression.

[AnimeKid]

Dawning Light

Fayt narrows his eyes as he switches the ship into 7th gear, the boosters emitting more flames as he weave's around the shots from the enemy ship. If they couldn't move away they would move under. Fayt moves the ship rapidly downwards nearly hugging the sides of the ship. Upon reaching the bottom Fayt then says, "All right guys let's get the heavy artillery ready." Ventus and Knuckles both say, "Roger," as they flip up a compartment on their turret handles and hit the buttons inside. They then aim for the underside of the ship. They the shoot the Plasmic Scatter Smart Bombs. The name may be long but they pack quite the punch. Plus upon making contact with their target the scatter into miniature versions after the powerful initial blast.

[draxx]

Zhou Yu
"I had no intention of tossing myself down." He replies, staring at the warrior respectfully. He could read in the economy of the mans movements and the way he held himself that he harbored no aggressive intentions, which he was grateful for. So soon after besting the previous warrior, he had no wish to test himself against another warrior.

"Thank you for your warning, however. I am grateful."

[Cracklord]

Dawning Light
The craggy spires of The Dreadnaught dominated your view port. The size of a small world, it truly was a sight to inspire awe, and terror. The explosions hammered it, tearing through the white material that comprised of it in multi-colored explosions, but the thing swallowed the damage. Given it's tremendous size, tearing it apart like that would take forever.
The dark balls of nothing continue to rip open in the space around you, forcing you to take increasingly desperate evasive maneuvers to avoid touching them. The consequences of doing do do not really bear thinking about.
They continue growing, until they form virtual walls of the energy, shrinking the space you have to fly through to narrow channels between the nothing, that are slowly shrinking, crushed under the weight of the void.
Occasionally, Nobody ships attack, but you blow them apart with our superior firepower before the can muster in sufficient numbers to attack you.
It's then that Fayt sees it. A massive opening that allows you entry into the The ship. If you can destroy it's power core, it will break apart and leave you free to continue on to Olympus.

Zhou Yu
"It is nothing." He replies laconicly, straightening slightly and peering over the smoked lenses of his sunglasses. "Do you have need of a guardian?" he asks, and though he words it as though of no real importance, you can sense the feeling behind the words.

[draxx]

Zhou Yu
The strategist pauses, considering, his handsome face pensive beneath the crusted streaks of blood and wild look. He did not know who this man was, or what he wanted from the strategist. Just the same, he had need of any assistance he could get. His enemy had powers beyond Zhou Yu's comprehension. When there was a reckoning between the two of them. he would have to surround himself with talented men in the same way to even the field.

He would not refuse. No. he could not. His mind made up, he faces Auron levelly and nods, just once. "I would be honored to accept the service you offer." He replies, offering his hand.

Nameless
"Perhaps you do." The enigma replies, continuing the trip towards the Peddlers shop. He wants that bronze orb. "Tell me what you know. If I judge it valuable, I shall repay you with any favor you desire that is within my power."

Metaknight
"I said I will assist you, and I mean to. Patience, for now."

[Cracklord]

Zhou Yu
"So be it..." He says, falling into step behind you. "Come. We must journey deep bellow the earth to come to that rivers base." That said, he leads you down towards a shaft, where a red glow can be seen deep bellow the earth, and an updraft of hot air is such that you feel you could almost float. You'll have to climb down the bare rock, deep down into the depths.

Metaknight
Marth looks at you for a moment, then throws up his hands and storms away, defeated for now.

Nameless
Aladdin pauses a moment, considering and trying to decide if he trusts you. Your grotesque appearance and undisguised pragmatic nature is not exactly reassuring, but he doesn't have anywhere else to turn. Making up his mind, he nods. "The vizier took the sultan and his daughter into the desert." Impossible as it seems, it's obvious he cares for the daughter.
"I saw him release something that turned everyone in the palace to sand. I can show you where he went."
He looks up at you again and swallows, but remains firm. "Just let me come with you, and help me save Jasmine."

[draxx]

Zilong
The strategist frowned, wishing he had a rope, then began his decent, making his way the narrow fissure towards the caverns below, deep beneath the earth. He decides to go first, both to get an idea whether or not he can trust Auron and to lead by example.

He took it easily, moving carefully and testing every handhold and foothold before resting his weight on it, making sure to distribute his weight. He was not afraid to die, but he did not intend to fall to his death if it could at all be averted.

Nameless
"If you want to risk your life I will not stop you." He replies to the Street Rat. "But why would I assist you? What do I care for your sultan, or his daughter?" It wasn't exactly dismissive. It was challenging, as though he was daring the boy to convince him to help.

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