Seek the Stars

XVII

Doors were opening everywhere, on every planet, every world, simultaneously. It was just as he wanted. With the Order spread so thin and those Keyblade brats out of the way, his Enigma could harvest each and every soul they came across. Then he would show his former allies just what kind of power they were denying themselves. Even Xiko, the Firstborn, wouldn’t be able to stand against him. And in return, all he had to do was deliver four precious people to his new allies. Two he had trapped in the Corridors and the other two were waiting ever so patiently in Sunrise Town.

Madax have a snarling laugh. Even if Xiko caught on now it would be too late. He had more power than both Xiko and Xact combined, and soon they would have no allies to turn to. They were even bound by their own Laws, so when Madax came to call, they would be little more than sitting ducks. The worlds and Kingdom Hearts would come under Madax’s control and no one would oppose him.

He turned to look at his two captives, smiling sweetly at Aqua. “You could join me, you know.”

Aqua spat at Madax’s feet. “I’ll sooner bite my tongue and die.”

Ventus’ response was a bit more pithy but just as identical.

Madax sighed. “It’s going to be a shame to kill you. And wouldn’t you know it? Terra’s abandoned you. Left you both at my mercy. Don’t you hate him?”

This time Ventus laughed. “Abandon isn’t in Terra’s vocabulary.”

“Yeah,” Aqua added. “He could even be here, right now, watching you.”

“It hardly matters if he is or isn’t.” Madax said sneeringly. “The two of you are going to be the appetizer. The main course has yet to arrive.”

“All this talk about dinner and I’m not even invited?” This voice was quiet, a tenor masked with silence. Madax slowly turned to face Terra and another young man, this one possessed of silver hair and the same yellow eyes as a Heartless.

“I did tell you I’d come back for my friends.” Terra said.

Madax lips curled. “Kagami, it’s so nice to see you.”

“I wish I could say the same.” The silver-haired man replied. “Unfortunately, you crossed a line, and threw the Balance of whack.”

“Balance shmalance.” Madax snarled. “It’s time for a new era. You could still join me, eradicate the Watchers, the Seekers, the Keyblades, everything!”

Kagami’s eyes sharpened. “You don’t understand yet, but you will in the end.”

Kagami’s hand lifted, index finger pointing at Madax’s heart. Despite himself, the rogue Watcher winced and briefly closed his eyes. When he reopened them, he found he was alone, and his captives were gone. He gave a primal roar of rage and felt a bit better when his army answered back.


Terra paced before Xiko and Xact, the two studying him carefully. “And if Kagami hadn’t have come when he did, my friends would be Enigma food!”

Xact looked at Xiko and knew his face was impassive under that hood. Sighing, the blonde Nobody looked at Terra and tried to think of something to tell him to comfort him.

“What did you see?” Xiko asked before Xact could soothe the wound. Terra slashed a glare at the Watcher but heaved a sigh.

“Thousands of Enigma. Doors are opening everywhere, on all the known worlds and with everyone spread so thin, we’re going to lose.” He replied. “Madax must have been planning this for years.”

Xiko made a humming noise. “Will you assist?”

Terra looked about to reflexively say ‘no’ but paused. “You’re giving me a choice?”

Xiko nodded. Xact almost thought that his non-existent heart was going to stop beating. Xiko never gave anyone a choice.

Terra looked back to Kagami and saw determination in the fourth Seeker’s eyes. Kagami was going to fight. Everyone was going to fight, even the Watchers. Finally, the Seeker Leader sighed.

“It’s not really an actual choice,” he told Xiko lamely.

“On the contrary. You can take yours and enter Kingdom Hearts to wait out the battle, or you can take part in it and get some revenge.” Xact said. “It’s up to you.”

“You already know I’m going to fight.” Terra argued. “I can’t leave everyone else to shoulder my half of the burden.”

“Then it’s decided.” Xiko whispered. “Terra, you’ll go to whatever world needs your help the most and fight there until the Door is closed. I need you to try and stall Madax and his allies.”

“If we cause enough damage, I think we’ll be able to sufficiently distract him.” Terra said dryly. “Why?”

“Because I have a plan that should, if it goes correctly, limit the menace we face back down to just the Heartless and Nobodies.”

Terra blinked, nodded, and finally saluted. He turned sharply on his heel and brushed past Kagami. The fourth Seeker heaved a silent sigh and moved after Terra, saying nothing when he caught up. The doors to the chamber closed behind them, leaving Xiko and Xact completely alone. Xact turned to his superior and frowned.

“Are you going to tell me this plan or am I going to have to guess?” he said with a hint of tartness.

Xiko smiled slightly. “Why tell you when you already know it?”

Xact frowned deeper, folding his arms over his chest. “You can’t be serious.”

“We’ve let him do what he wanted this far. Now, it’s time for us to kick him back.”

“You’re evil and I love you for it.” Xact grinned. “It’s the last thing he’ll be expecting.”

Xiko smiled and canted his head. “We just have to wait for Axel to bring us the children.”

Xact’s grin took on a more sinister look then and the Watcher eased back on his heels. If Xiko felt confident enough to use that plan, then Madax was in for the long haul.

“I’ll go prepare for our guests’ arrival then?” Xact asked.

“Do that.” Xiko replied absently. “I’ll keep an eye on the afflicted worlds.”

“Call if you need me.”

Xact swept out of the chamber then with a slight bounce in his step. Of course, he was always giddy when his red-haired leader was going to let him kill things. Must be a berserker thing.


Elena slumped against Vincent and Reno and slid to sit down, holding her head in her hands. Reno crouched next to her and put his hand on her shoulder. He accepted her desperate hug and tried to comfort her. They were losing. They had retreated back to the main part of the city where it was easily defensible and had been fighting for days. The wounded kept piling up and of the dead there was no trace. Even Cloud and Denzel, who had been tireless, ravenous wolves were flagging, kept on their feet by an exhaustible supply of potions. Their magic reserves had long since run out, and as far as they knew, they were alone. All the worlds had been attacked at the same time, preventing anyone from getting aid. The message was the same: when we finish, we’ll come to you. But even Elena knew help would never arrive.

“Where are the Keybladists when you need them?” Cid asked as he hauled over another sandbag to replace an emptying one.

Vincent shrugged. “They could be another world, fighting to close that door.”

“And how long do you think we can hold out?” Reno muttered. “There are hundreds of worlds.”

Vincent simply smiled. It was brief and it gave everyone shivers. “I trust them. There were plenty of times where we could have given up, faded and become nothing but a memory or a dream. We’ve all faced tougher creatures than this.”

“I remember the Weapons,” Reno said with a smirk. “Those things were damn near impossible to kill.”

“And remember the time with all the Geostigma victims?” Elena asked. “We didn’t give up then.”

Denzel plopped heavily beside Elena. “You were the strongest people I knew.” He said, smiling. “All we have to do is keep fighting.”

Cloud sat beside Vincent’s legs and hummed softly at Leon as he, Merlin, Yuffie, and Aerith joined them. They sat in silence and listened to the Enigma howling outside their makeshift barricade. Footsteps alerted them to the sudden silence. Reno peeked over the barricade of sandbags and choked on the sudden intake of breath.

“Reno.”

“Ge… Genesis.”

Elena shot to her feet and jumped back as she stared right into the eyes of a man she had only heard stories about. Cloud’s response was more appropriate, as was Vincent’s, the two on edge in a way that reminded her of dogs with their hackles raised.
Genesis smiled. “A little bird told me you needed help.”

Vincent slowly blinked. “He told you?”

“He’s the only one who knows how to contact us.” Genesis replied. “We’ve split up, just like the Order.”

“All on different worlds?”

“The ones in dire need, anyway.” Genesis shrugged. “Nero wanted to come here, but I overruled him. We could be the alternate Door closers, since the Keyblades are otherwise occupied.”

“Door closers.” Cloud mumbled. He shook his head and sighed. Denzel slowly rose and stretched, purring softly.

“Genesis can close the Door.” Denzel said. “So can all those with Genesis’ blood. They said so.”

“Who said so?”

Denzel casually pointed behind Genesis to the approaching Enigma.

“You understand them?” Elena asked incredulously.

Denzel shook his head. “No. Of course not. There’s just more of them now that Genesis is here.”

“Great.” Reno rubbed the back of his neck. “Our saviour is Enigma bait.”

Genesis slashed the redhead a deadly glare. Reno shrugged. Elena and Vincent loaded their firearms and Cloud and Denzel readied their swords.

“Come on, you mangy curs.” Cid snarled at the Enigma. “I’ll rip your fucking heads off.”