(IC) Chapter 2: Lumea

The woman removed her hood reviling the face of a strong mature young woman. She had short blueish black hair and narrow silver eyes. She look at Shiro as he laid on the deck and said, “we’re in combat and he’s using magic without disciple or control. He’s lucky that mental fatigue is his only problem right now that mage would’ve killed him if I didn’t step in.”

“Don’t worry I’ll take him somewhere safe,” says Cindy as she pick the unconscious boy. Aida wasn’t the only one that did like this woman Cindy wasn’t too fond of her either. As the battle raged in soldiers wearing Legionnaire Armor boarded the ship along with some soldier heartless and a Powered Armor heartless.

The Legionnaires armed with swords and shields made a shield wall that stop the small caliber rounds fired by the marines. “Fell back fell back,” one shouted, “machineguns… we need machineguns,” said another. “I’ll didn’t care if you like the way run things around here or not,” the woman said to Aida, “my man are going to die if we don’t stop that yokai.”

"Fine," Aida said reluctantly. She didn't like this woman, but that didn't mean she would leave them to suffer. Considering the rules of magic here are different, I have to be wise about how I go about this, Aida thought to herself. "I'll back you up as much as I can." With a wave of her hand, a magic circle appeared as she declares, "Blizzara!" causing a wave of ice to unleash on the giant Heartless.


Aida then got ready to launch another spell. "Shotlock: Chaos Snake!" A volley of projectiles zigzagged at multiple targets, including the Power Armored Heartless, confusing them as they hit their marks. Hopefully, what we do now will be enough, Aida thought, but if not, at least I can buy us enough time for Shiro to regain consciousness..

The wave of ice from Aida’s Blizzara spell chilled the metal body of the oversized heartless slightly slowing it movement. While her second did little more than to stop the advancing Legionnaires and piss off the powered armor heartless. The large heartless launched his fist at Aida only to be blocked by the woman using her sword. “Not on my watch you damn monster,” the woman said before she turn her sword back into a pistol and shoot the powered armor in the head twice. The now angry heartless stomped its feet rocking the ship back and forth.

“I think its mad now,” said the boy after killing another mage, “hey I’m gonna help out the girls cover me from here.” He then jumped out the window drawing a sword of the wooden stock of his rifle and launching lightning Brave Slashs at the heartless’s body.

Aida made a dash towards the monster as it was blindsided by the previous attack. Pulling the twin daggers from her waist belt, she jumped up to meet it at eye level (or at least if it had eyes.) She slashed its face and torso as she was landing back down, causing the Heartless to stumble before sweeping its legs from under and making it come crashing down on its back.

Completely independent of its body the powered armor’s feet began to move again and soccer kicked Aida and the boy into the wall. Its hands too began attacking the sailors as the Legionnaires moved in to attack the marines. The battle once again became close quarters as the marines tried to fight off the legionnaires with melee weapons. “Damn,” said the boy, “did anyone get the number of the foot that just hit me.”

"Everyone back away from the monster!" he exclaimed. Wiwoka summoned two weapons from his pocket dimension and fired them at the Heartless.

Marines and sailors dove out of the way as Wiwoka’s rockets destroyed the heartless’s hands and feet. What was left of the powered armor began to spin around rapidly killing legionnaires and marines that were too close to it. In an effort to stop the rampaging heartless, the woman focused her ki into her sword setting on fire. Following the woman’s lead, the boy also focused his ki into his blade that made it light up with an electrical charge. “Royce! Let finish this,” says the woman as she charged the heartless. “You got it professor,” Royce said follow closely behind the professor.

The two attacked the heartless from two sides stopping its movements and damaging its torso leaving a giant crack.

Aida followed suit, summoning her Key blade, Rainfall. “This is it! Wishing Edge!!" She rushed the Heartless, gathering her magic in her weapon and attacked from the front.


Aida figured one more attack should do it, but before she could do any more, a voice from above shouted, “My turn!!" It was Shiro, his own Key blade at the ready, surrounded by a fiery aura. “Limit Break: Dragon Wrath!!!" The aura around him intensified, especially around his weapon as he brought it down on the Heartless's torso

Shiro’s attack cut the heartless’s metal body open releasing a large heart that floated into the air. The giant monster’s body then faded away into balls of pure light scattered into the wind. Seeing the powered armor killed the legionnaires and crew of the enemy ship loss the will to fight and gave into the marines. Off into distance they could see the enemy fleet retreating as the marines and sailor cheered in victory. “You guys did it,” says Cindy as she steps out onto the ship’s deck, “you guy’s took down that big ol’ heartless and won the battle.” “Yes you did,” the captain of the ship said as the marines once again surrounded the group, “now I want to know who you are, where you came from, and why we should trust you.”

Wiwoka stepped forward to explain. "My name is Wiwoka," he said, "and I'm from the world of Mesotamia. These individuals I have with me are Aida, Shiro, and Cindy and they're from a world called Radiant Garden. We've traveled from our home worlds to battle creatures known as the heartless so we can save the worlds that they are attacking. Not sure how much you know about them, but that thing we just killed was a heartless. Their goal is to consume worlds in darkness and we want to keep that from happening."

“Your for another world,” said one of the marines in disbelief, “that would make you one of us.” “But that’s impossible they were using magic,” said another. “What about their plane,” asked one of sailors, “only Homxenon city-states have that technology plus they were shot down by the imperials.” “They could have come from the far eastern city-states,” said the marine, “they could be spies for all we know.” As the confusion and uncertain marines and sailors argued the already high tension started to reach a breaking point. "Say if I believe your crazy story,” says the professor, “how would the four of you stop these ‘heartless’ for killing us all?” Her statement made the soldiers stop arguing to hear what kind of answer would be given.

"The heartless are looking for something called a keyhole," said Wiwoka, "If they locate that before we do, then this world will be consumed in darkness. However, if we locate it first, we can lock it for good using a keyblade, keeping them from ever consuming this world. The heartless will likely leave this world right away once they realize they cannot complete their mission."

“Besides," Shiro added bluntly, “they only eliminate by way of higher command or those whom they consider a threat. Otherwise they go about their normal M.O. and take away the spirit in your hearts, turning you into one of them." "Please," Aida begged, “I know if we all cooperate, no one will be harmed."

The professor took some time to think over what she has heard of the group. She thought about how well this group knew the heartless. "Alright," she said, "I believe you." This surprised many members of the ship most of all the captain. "You can't be serious Professor Kagura," exclaimed the captain, "you mean to tell me that you trust these outsiders!" "They know more about the heartless then we do and they're willing to fight the Imperials," she said in a matter-a-fact tone. "You may represent an autonomous combat school but this my ship," raged the captain, "I'll handle prisoners as I see fit."

As the two argued, Royce grabbed a phone from his bag and made a call after a short conversation he walked up to the captain and gave him the phone. "Yes who is this," he said before his face nearly turned pale, "Admiral Aylmore, sir, I didn't know you'd... yes sir... yes sir...right away sir..." The captain hung up the phone and returned it to Royce. "Stand down man," he ordered, "they're going with the professor everyone else prepare to set sail we'll be returning to Mericana."

“Well, on the bright side this could've turned out wor-" Shiro began to say before he stopped mid sentence. He swayed a little before his eyes rolled into the back of his head, collapsing on the deck. “Shiro!!" Aida shouted rushing to him. She checked his vitals before breathing a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness," she said quietly, “he's only unconscious.... again." Geez, I forgot he still has trouble with some of his Limit skills, Aida thought. Add that with what happened earlier and our current situation, it's a miracle he isn't dead..

"Perhaps we could all use a short break," said Wiwoka.

As the group was taken into the ship to rest, news of the Imperials Navy's defeat had ready reached Lord Noregoth Herius: the leader of Imperial Expeditionary Force. Lord Herius, an older man with sharp facial features and slightly swarthy skin, sat displeased in the war room as the newly arrived message on the battle was being read. "I see the rumors of the Mericanan Navy were true," says Lady Arquetius one of Lord Herius's vassals, "it is no wonder how their city lasted for 200 years." "Nonsense," exclaimed Sir Glaber, "That fool: Imbrex, just lack will to mount a full assault! If I were in charge we would be marching into their city by now!"

"Or more likely fishing our dead out of the ocean," remarked General Tiber, "The decision to attack the Mericanans was bad to begin with, we're luck that Imbrex was smart enough to retreat before the whole fleet could be wiped out." "What of the heartless then," snapped Sir Glaber, "surely those homxenon dogs couldn't have known how to fight them off." "It would appear that they had help from meddling group of keyblade wielders," said a tall woman in a hooded bluish-purple robe as she entered the room. "Potema," said Lord Herius, "do you know what happened." "Yes my lord, I saw it all through my crystal ball," says Potema, "my master warned me that they may come."

"And you choose not to tell us about this, WITCH," shouted Sir Glaber. "It matters little if I have told you or not," Potema said, "I have I ready taken sets to deal with these brats." "More heartless then," Lady Arquetius says plainly. "I have things well at hand," the witch said proudly.

24 hours after the battle the ship reached harbor of the city-state Mericana. The city itself was on an island off the western continent with smaller islands around it that made a natural barrier. Once off the ship after docking, the group was met by a naval officer in a dress uniform along with a young girl. “Admiral Aylmore,” Kagura called out, “I was hoping to see you before heading back to the school.” “A group of magic using homxenon wielding key shaped swords was hard to believe,” said the admiral, “I had to see it for myself.” Aylmore gave the group long hard look before saying, “I’m Admiral Aylmore commander of 5th fleet.”

“Pleased to meet you, my name is Aida," Aida said as she formally bowed. Shiro gave the admiral a once-over glance before he made a lazy half nod. “I'm sorry, Mr. Tough Guy there is my friend Shiro. And that's Wiwoka and Cindy."
“Yeah, well, now that we're all acquainted," Shiro said in a flat tone, crossing his arms against his chest, “you mind explaining where are we and what are we doing here?"

“I was hoping that the admiral here would take me and Wiwoka to see the Council of Elders,” said Kagura. “Wait, what about the rest of us,” asked Cindy. “You’ll be going to the academy with Aedre,” she said referring to the girl, “there's also a place where you can repair your ship.”

"I would be happy to speak with your council," said Wiwoka, "It is necessary that your leaders know the severity of what is really going on here."

"I for one don't see why we need these outsiders," Aedre said harshly, "Mericana has fought the empire for 6 years now and just cause these heartless things show up now we need help."

“Because WE have the necessary means of beating them," Shiro replied with equal harshness. “We have more knowledge about the Heartless, and there reason of being here." Well, isn't SHE all rainbows and sunshine, Shiro thought sarcastically. At that moment, he had a feeling they weren't going to get along well.

“Besides," Aida added, “you should have seen what we can do. I assure you, we won't be a burden

"And as Shiro stated," said Wiwoka, "We actually have the means of defeating them. No matter how strong your forces are, the heartless will just keep coming and you will eventually be overwhelmed. The only way to stop them is to seal the keyhole so that they will no longer have a reason to be here."

"Why don't you try to be easy, princess," Royce said in a calm tone, "if we ain't need their help professor wouldn't have brought them here." "An outsider like you would never understand, Royce," Aedre says to him. "That's enough Aedre," exclaimed the admiral. It was clear to everyone that the young girl had went to far, but Royce simply smiled and said, "if you wanna fight alone that's your choose, but the rest of us would turn down good help when needed." Aedre looked at Royce's calm demeanor and began to feel ashamed of what she had said. "Let's just go to the school," Aedre says as she turns and walks toward the car.