Guardians of the halls of Heart, when we from our home depart...

[wrfm-mods.livejournal.com]

Who: Everyone who wants to fight or help
What: The Denizens of Light have broken free and are now faced with the First Darkness itself. What will be the fate of the World?
Where: The Keyblade Graveyard

The Door opened, and Light rushed forth.

"NO!" the Keybearer screamed, the sound fading as he was engulfed. Light, True Light, washed over everyone in waves, coming and coming and never seeming to end until all of Alexandria was covered beneath the shroud locking it in. Chernabog, met with an enemy he could not easily stand against even without his current wounds, shielded his eyes and vanished. There came a cracking sound, elevating in volume until it became thunder.

Weakened by the Ten-Chi Ken, under the pressing weight of its true enemy at full strength, the cage of Darkness shattered.

True Light cradled its children, lovingly soothing and rejuvenating any who might need it. There came a gentle pulling sensation, and all were taken to where they belonged, where their Hearts wanted them to be. As one, the worlds were covered in Light, and Denizens deposited in exactly where they should be. One such world, a desolate land of lifeless keys, experienced much the same, but only those who were ready and willing to fight were left here, faced with an enemy decided by their very nature.

The First Darkness looked on in outraged revulsion, Light prickling at his skin.

They will decide their own fates. The words simply appeared in his head with no voice to speak them, not even Patrick. You cannot do that for them, no matter your power.

And so the Light faded, lingering only a moment longer to fortify those left to oppose the Darkness. The Keybearers stood at the forefront, each grasping their key in hand. Their allies were gathered behind them, some looking confused and scared, others excited and determined, with every emotion in between. The forces of Darkness looked meager in comparison, with only the debilitated First Darkness himself and his handful of Keybearers. Jagannatha's expression twisted into a grotesque sneer, gold eyes blazing with something like elation as he whispered quietly to himself. Mere moments later, hundreds, perhaps even thousands of Heartless and Nobodies were appearing at their sides, quickly outnumbering the Denizens of Light.

"You found it then," he growled, addressing all of them at once. "I find that I am hardly surprised. Your kind were always stubborn, weren't you? Small matter. Once the lot of you are crushed, the remaining Denizens of Light will have no one. It will be so much simpler to keep them caged when all that's left of their fighting spirit has been destroyed beyond hope. They'll be the perfect little pets for us. And it will be so much more enjoyable to watch them break."

In a moment, he was a mere step away from Sora, brandishing a blade of pure Darkness in his face. The boy rolled in a dodge, and Jagannatha agilely turned to follow. That was all the indication his Keybearers needed.

The final battle had begun.

OOC Notes:
- Everyone coming from within Alexandria has been fully healed by the Light.
- Those Denizens of Light outside of Alexandria may be touched by the Light if they so choose, meaning you will be healed and transported to where you need to be, as well.
- Light magic is fully restored. Reverse Cure is no longer an issue.
- Dark magic has been weakened by the Ten-Chi Ken, but is still fully accessible.
- Refugees will be fighting either one of the five Dark Keybearers, members of the Academy of Shadows if they join the fray, or Heartless and Nobodies. Keybearers have the distinct advantage here in one-on-one combat.
- If you have any questions, please take them over here.

Comments

Starts off epic battle with sap >.>;;;

[ariakitsune.livejournal.com]

Aria had only one thought once she realized she was no longr in Alexandria.

"Seph!" She all but ignored the battle that had started almost immediately. The possibility that Seph wasn't alive or even just not on the same world was ignored.

Wherever he was, he wasn't within her sight. She set off determined to find him and only fighting whatever got in her way.

It was a sappy thought but, she was certain she'd know if he wasn't alive. She'd concentrate on the battle soon. She just really needed to see him first.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry drew in a deep breath for what seemed the first time in forever. There was no catch in her lungs, no pain in her chest. The power within her felt pure again, all green and living and brilliant. Perhaps she would not be useless in this fray after all.

Fast lane through a hurricane~

[ryuuzoku-aya.livejournal.com]

In her current condition, the healing touch of the Light was a welcomed thing, easily counteracting the darkness Chernabog had all but soaked her and Quetzalcoatl in. When Aya appeared, Quetzalcoatl had vanished, returned to the summon gem around her neck.

She tugged her goggles downward around her neck and looked around in wonder, recognizing this Keyblade Graveyard from cutscenes on Youtube. Jagannatha spoke and she whipped around to face him, returning his sneer. "Never!" she growled defiantly, hair on the back of her neck standing up as thousands of Heartless and Nobodies rose to surround them.

Flicking her wrist, the Spine ejected itself into Aya's left hand. Her eyes scanned beyond Jagannatha, surprised to see that there were several Keybearers on his side. "Keybearers?! You've gotta be kidding me, how the hell are so many working for him?!" She actually hesitated now. In the past there were many times her wrist got slapped for picking something that just wasn't her fight. Xemnas in particular came to mind.

"I can't fight those, I'm not a Keybearer...I don't have a pure heart, I don't got some special prophesy or destiny on my side." she murmured, considering throwing her weight behind taking out the encroaching Heartless instead.

Aya cringed and lurched forward, hand tightening on her strange-looking weapon. "...it hasn't. It doesn't matter! I'm a fuckin' Denizen of Light! SCREW YOU ASSHOLES WITH A RUSTY GARDEN HOSE! YOU AIN'T GONNA BREAK ME!!"

Of the five Keybearers, she chose the nearest and charged.

[fox_the_kitsune]

Fox really hated teleporting and world shifts, regardless of cause. In this case, though, she supposed she couldn't complain. This was where the battle was, so this was where everyone who could and would fight needed to be.

She pointedly avoided the Dark Keybearers, knowing full well she could't take any of them. Instead, she turned her attention to Heartless and specifcally to keeping them away from interfering with the battles between Keybearers. Sora and the others had their hands full as it was.

[hocketypockety.livejournal.com]

In the skies about the battle, taking out any and all flying Heartless and Nobodes it encountered, was a bespectacled blue dragon with noticeable white whiskers.

Merlin didn't question why the Light had sent him here. Besides being reasonably certain he knew, there was also just no point in arguing with it. Everyone had a part to play. He was playing his. So it was that he'd taken to the skies, noticing his allies were a bit lacking at the moment in aerial support. He changed forms here and there where it suited the situation, but for the most part, the dragon seemed most useful.

That the Heartless seemed to be aware that the true form of their opponent was that of an old wizard seemed to be working in his favor.

"Ha-HA! Underestimating an old man, are you?"

Admittedly, he could likely take on Jagannatha and the Dark Keybearers, but that wasn't his fight. Sora and the others could handle them. In that, he had faith.

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

Medrau caught her sister's eyes from across the battlefield, and smiled.

She had kept her distance until now, not dedicated enough to her act of loyalty to actually risk herself in a fight for Jagannatha, and certainly not foolish enough to challenge him. This, however, was a different opportunity. She couldn't care less if this incarnation of the dark lord won or lost, but neither could she resist a chance to 'play' with the Refugees.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry frowned slightly, but tightened the grip on the staff that until recently had been all that supported her. Once she had favored the sword in combat, but experience had taught her that she was better with a staff anyway. Not that fighting had been much of an option recently. But now it was an option again, and she was glad that the weapon she possessed was one that would not do her sister's body lasting harm.

Yet, she knew all too well that this battle would occur more with words than weapons. The true task was not to defeat Medrau in battle, but to draw the other half of her sister's spirit into the fray and hopefully back into control. Only how could it be done?

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

Medrau knew what was expected of her, and she almost scoffed at the thought of it. There was little doubt that Mabry was preparing for one of those dramatic, fantasy novel conflicts, full of bold, meaningful words shot back and forth until one or the other folded. It was tempting, really, but Medrau had been listening to Hex's rambles about the ways of this universe - the predictability of Good versus Evil. On a fair field, Mabry would win, nomatter how much confidence Maleficent's student had in herself. It was, after all, two against one.

She'd just have to make the field unfair.

Still smiling, she twirled Song's glaive casually in one hand and then held out the other, curling her fingers in a gesture of beckoning.

[creepy-son-of-a.livejournal.com]

Seph was a bit startled by the Light. At least, aside from a bit of itching, it didn't harm him.

He nearly grinned when he saw that some of the Refugees and Sora's group had somehow been transported here. The only reason he didn't was that he couldn't see Aria.

He thought he heard her voice calling his name but, by the time he turned to look the chaos of battle was obstructing his view.

He unleashed a barrage of Shadow Flares at the sudden hoard of heartless and then set off to find Aria. There was no way he could properly concentrate on the battle until he saw her.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry held her staff in a defensive position and resisted the temptation to close with Medrau. It had been too long since she had sparred with her sister and she had little idea of how their skills compared. While her body was healed, she herself was out of condition. Physical combat was not her friend. Her allies would be words and magic . . . and perhaps trickery if it came to that.

"Do you remember when we found Pixel?" Mabry asked in a softer tone of voice than was usual for her. "And after we took him back to your house and fed him, I told you a story from Robert Heinlein? From The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress?"

Words, she thought again. And if this fails, there was always plan b.

*tries to breathe some life into this log* Where the hell is everyone?

[thirteenth_brat]

Being healed was a plus. Being out of Alexandria was also a plus. Roxas wasn't so sure being transported to the Keyblade Graveyard was such a plus, though, especially when the first opponent he ran into was another Keybearer.

Maybe it didn't matter. He was ready, Oblivion in one hand, Bond of Flame in the other. He would get through this bastard and go and help Sora with Jagannatha. There was no question on that.

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

She did not remember nor did she care, and she was not about to let herself be led down this path. Nostalgia was a ridiculous weapon to be defeated by.

However... this would be easier if Mabry thought she had a chance at winning with only words.

A quick glance around confirmed that Medrau was still well clear of the other combatants. Keeping her eyes on her sister, she reversed her grip on the glaive and thrust it into the dry ground, then took several steps back, leaving it to stand like one of the sentinal keyblades. Disarmed, she once again smiled and beckoned Mabry closer.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

". . . actually, it was The Cat Who Walks through Walls, my apologies," Mabry went on. She continued to hold the staff in a defensive stance. "I told you how, in the book it was stated that if you take in a stray kitten and feed it, you're responsible for it." She edged slightly forward, feeling as if she were walking into a trap. "It was our excuse for why you should keep the kitten."

When Mabry was about a foot away from the glaive she stopped. "The name Pixel came from the cat in the story. The Cat who walks through walls . . . who is able to do it, because it never occurred to him that he couldn't."

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

The memory came back, signaled only by Medrau blinking and wrinkling her nose slightly. What did it matter, anyway? She had a thousand other silly memories about Song's stray cat collection.

"I don't know what point you're trying to make, though I could guess a few." She reached into her hair as if brushing it back, but when her hand came into few again there was a small dark thing cupped in her palm. She stroked it with the fingertips of her other hand, still wearing that sickly sweet smile.
"Who is it exactly that you are suggesting should walk through walls?"

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry raised an eyebrow. "You, perhaps. In psychology the mind is often envisioned as a house with rooms and furnishings: our thoughts and memories. In your mind, there's a room with a locked door, isn't there? And in that room is a woman who's made an art of doing the impossible--in fact, of not believing that anything is impossible. Makes you think."

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

Medrau sighed in bored exasperation and raised the tiny, unformed creature to eye-level, as one might do with a very small pet. "Your auntie just doesn't give up, does she?" she cooed. "What will she want me to do next, huh? Sing a song to make it all better? Or maybe she's hoping for a hug and a good cry." She met Mabry's eyes again and bared her teeth in a grin. "Go on, 'auntie', keep talking. We're both very curious by nature."

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

At the sight of the fetus in Medrau's hand, Mabry's previously cool gaze became a glare. "Congratulations, you've accomplished what you sought to accomplish. You hurt me." She drew in a slow breath. "But you should know . . . ." Now she did move in closer, and her voice was just a whisper. "You've also failed, because I'm out to save my sister, not the possibility of her child. Showing it to me changes nothing."

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

Medrau made a show of coddling the odd little proto-Heartless before letting it climb back onto her shoulder. As it clung there, the faintest ribbons of some dark energy could be made out, flowing from the creature to coil around Medrau and no doubt into her, joining mother and child.

"You can hardly say I've failed when you don't yet know my intentions. Hurting you is just my way of keeping it fun. You know how it goes with us entities of Darkness..." she waved a hand in a broad gesture as she drawled on, "evil is a joy, pain and suffering a treat. Horribly cliche, I know, but who am I to argue with what works for me?"

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

"I hope you haven't been forcing her to watch this," Mabry said softly.

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

Medrau gave her a wide-eyed look. "You think I'd let her miss out? You know how she loves to be a part of absolutely everything. Fingers in all the pies, you could say. I can assure you, she's got a front-row seat."

She looked to her left and right, checking the battle field once again, seemingly unconcerned this time about taking her eyes off her opponent. "You know, this is really not the best place for a good long chat."

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

That was just what Mabry wanted to hear. Songbird could hear her. She was reaching more than just Medrau.

Medrau was right, Mabry realized. It wasn't the time or the place. "Well, you could always surrender, go home, and we can discuss this in-depth over a cup of tea later."

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

"Ala Demetria, daughter of Shabaranigdo?" It was Medrau's turn to be nostalgic. "I am not her, though she might have been an early source of inspirational development..."

She closed in, but made no move to retrieve her weapon.

"No, I was thinking instead we might try walking through walls."

She made a familiar gesture, arm outstretched with palm forward and fingers splayed. The Dark Portal opened so close behind Mabry that tendrils of its purple-hued darkness licked the back of her neck.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry edged away from the portal, bringing her closer to Medrau. "No thank you. I think this is right where I need to be for the moment."

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

"I could make a deal with you," Medrau offered. "You and I step through the portal, away from this battle, into a perfectly safe place where you can talk at me to your heart's content... or I leave now, stay far away from Radiant Garden, and Darkness knows when next you'll get a chance to rescue your sister."

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry laughed. "And thus you fall into the persistent trap of the villain: offering the deal that cannot be accepted, the unthinkable choice." A gentle smile touched Mabry's lips. "And my answer must be the same that we all make."