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

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Now it was Mabry who set aside her weapon, reaching her hand into the first aid kit that hung by her side. "My answer is . . . Stop."

It was her only combat relevant spell, but if she moved quickly, it might be enough.

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

And Medrau froze, stiller than death, her expression caught somewhere between quizzical and contemptuous. The half-Heartless of her unborn child, also caught in the spell, was still clinging to her shirt like a disgustingly large insect.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry drew the item from her first aid kit, a syringe filled with a relatively powerful sedative. When she had packed the kit, she had intended it for the possibility of having to stitch a wound together. Then when she had anticipated trouble, she had prepared it as a possible last defense of her safety.

She had not wanted to use it on her sister. While in the second trimester, the risk would have been minimal, any unnecessary medication could cause complications. But Medrau had removed that concern, turning Song's unborn into a Heartless.

So she plunged the needle into Medrau's harm and injected the sedative into her system, before replacing the syringe in her kit. It would take a few moments before the effects would be felt and more before the Shadow lost consciousness, but once she was asleep, she should sleep for several hours, long enough for the battle to end.

With this done, she retrieved her staff and made a deft sweep at Medrau's legs before the spell could wear off.

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

Medrau regained awareness on the ground, the throb in her shins making it fairly clear how she'd ended up there. The apparent black-out was another mystery - she had no memory of the brief time spent in the Stop spell. There was a chance, she thought, that Song had regained control for just long enough to give Mabry an opening.

She scrambled to her feet and expressed her irritation through mockery. "Tch. Just as I thought, and I am not impressed. You might come to regret turning down my offer..." She acted lazy about bringing her guard back up, hoping that Mabry would try for another hit and she could catch her once she was committed to the attack.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry hung back, cautiously maintaining her own defensive stance. It was time for the waiting game, and she couldn't afford to take any risks. "Whenever I'm offered a bad choice, I refuse the choice. My sister knows that."

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

Medrau tossed her head to shake long bangs away from her eyes. It was a very Song-like gesture.
"I was being generous. You'd have had a decent chance of succeeding, I think. After all, it's worked in the past." She blinked a few times to clear her vision and focus.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

"It might still," Mabry insisted. "After all, what good is magic if it cannot save my sister?" If any reference would bring Robin out, surely that one would have a chance.

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

Medrau didn't bother with an answer. Instead she made her first real attack, bringing the glaive in a swift upward swing and stepping forward with the motion. It was not a carefully aimed attack, intended mostly to shut Mabry up.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry did not move much, deflecting the blow at the last minute with a careful parry of her staff against the haft of the glaive. "How much of her memories do you have, I wonder?" Mabry asked thoughtfully.

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

Medrau smirked at that, eyes narrow. "I remember everything." She struck again. "It makes me stronger." And again. "Like breaking a finger to toughen the bone."
The next strike was a feint and slash, using all the speed granted by the glaive's enchantment. Into it she called Thunder again, projecting the spell through the blade.

And she staggered, going to her knees.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry jumped backward, though the proximity of the lightning was enough to make her hair stand on end. "You seem very strong just now." The sarcasm dripped from her voice. "And breaking a finger doesn't toughen the bone--it makes it more prone to breaks in the future, and the scar tissue sometimes aches in bad weather. Teach your grandmother to suck eggs!" She tsktsked, looking down at the younger woman.

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

Medrau wasn't paying attention. She was looking inward, confused and bewildered by this weakness and suspecting Song. All she got from her other half was a worrisome spark of hope and the echo of dull, cynical laughter. The arrogant imp was annoyingly innocent.

Struggling to her feet, she glared daggers at Mabry. "Is this some magic of yours?" She timed her next move for the moment before her opponent could answer, darting in and out again in what her sister had once called the 'falcon technique'. It ended with her well out of reach, bracing herself with the glaive to hide the waver in her stance.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

This time her attack found Mabry unprepared, and the glaive met skin.

Yet no blood flowed, and Mabry did not seem hurt. Mabry touched her side where the glaive had touched her, and silent prayed her thanks that the enchantment on her necklace had held. It was a three year old spell that had never been put to use, because the one time before now that she would have needed it, she had foolishly not been wearing the triple moon pendant--Ashlyn had taken to pulling it, and she'd stopped wearing it for a number of months until her recent weakness had left her needing every defense available to her.

Mabry shook her head at Medrau and smiled mysteriously. "No magic of mine, impling. My magic is to heal . . . and occasionally to buy myself time."

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

If attacks wouldn't work...

Medrau huffed, irate but not frightened. By all rights she should have been, weakening and at the mercy of the person most likely to break her control, but she'd given that up for her own sort of armor. Self-preserving fear in exchange for immortality...

Alas, immortality and immunity were two different things.

She'd have to act quickly now if she had any chance of ending this fight in a draw.
Medrau flung out her hand and this time the portal opened up beneath Mabry's feet.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry fell, letting out a short sharp shriek, before catching herself with her staff, which was blessedly wider than the opening. She did not glance down, not daring to see how far a drop was beneath her or what awaited her below. She could not afford to fall.

Still she was in a precarious position, the staff under her arm pits, leaning forward to stop her body falling further down through the portal. It was not a comfortable position and it left her quite vulnerable. She was not entirely sure if she'd be able to pull herself back up, as her upper body strength was minimal.

[malumsomnium.livejournal.com]

Something surged inside Medrau, overpowering her in this moment of weakness. It felt like flood water rushing upward and forward, originating from the same source yet breaking through from two different points - her heart and her mind.

Pale, slender hands latched onto Mabry's staff pulled, while the portal roiled and and began to shrink out of existence.

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry's eyes widened with relief as she was pulled from the portal. "That," she gasped out, half laughing, "is what heroes are for."

[songbird9.livejournal.com]

Song grinned at her and started to straighten up, but changed her mind abruptly and instead sank to her knees.

"... The hell'd you do to 'er?"

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry ruffled her sister's hair fondly and displayed the empty syringe for her to see. "Sorry, kiddo. I'm afraid you're going to have to sleep through this one."

[songbird9.livejournal.com]

She felt too drowsy to be terribly bothered by this.

"Oh, that's great," she mumbled. "Get to take a nap on a battlefield..."

[belegwen.livejournal.com]

Mabry draped her own cloak over Songbird, then returned her attention to the battle, searching to see if her healing skills were needed. It was time to do what she was best at.