The Prince Speaks: Quick Update

In an effort to lift Keily's spirits, everyone present pitched in to help her make dinner for us all. She was weak, sore and still injured, but she had to get up and do something, because she did not feel that she could just sit down and let other people do any work for her. So we worked together for a night of nothing, but Italian cuisine.

The young woman had disappeared halfway through the boiling of the linguini, so that left myself to stand and keep watch of it. The Nobodies were having a time preparing a Cesar salad; Larxene chopping up the lettuce into manageable pieces, Axel frying up some actual pieces of bacon and Xigbar had accompanied Demyx out to buy some dressing. We had invited Nexu's group for a stay at the house, which meant that we had to augment the amount of food we were preparing. They hadn't arrived yet when I heard the peals of laughter and music coming from upstairs where Keily's room was.

And then, as Nexu and her group was welcome into the house by Axel, the song started to play, which, for very obvious reasons...enraged our new guests like nothing else. They chased Keily around the second floor of the house, their footsteps easily heard below as well as Keily's rather loud singing. The original was annoying enough as it was, but with Keily's slight change in version, well...

Several things broke, lots of swar words were tossed and Keily actually seemed to be having a very good time, despite her self-pity and loathing about everything she had done. Something must have uplifted her spirits and it was only after she tripped on a chair did the chasing stop and I was able to ask her where she had learned such a atrocious song.

"I learned it ten years ago! At least...I think it was ten years ago...might've been less than that...But an old friend sent me a message and reminded me of the song and I couldn't help, but switch in a few words of my own-hahahaha..."

Kadaj, growled from where he was being restrained by Reno? He said some very ungainly things at Keily and the girl only stuck her tongue out back at him.

"Only a Shinra..."

"That's right, only a Shinra, Kadaj," she said, possibly hinting at who had exactly sent her such an idea.

Well, at least we're heading towards a more normal direction, but I can't help, but wonder what might be going on up here in Babylon Palace.

-----------------------------

The following was typed up by Keily after Severus relinquished the laptop to her. Be advised that it is not wise to sing this song in front of Kadaj or any of the Remnants. A note is that when Keily sang this song, the word 'witch' was pronounced with a different beginning consonant.

Well, Kadaj's mom a witch.
She's a big fat witch.
She's the biggest witch in the whole wide world.
She's a stupid witch, if there ever was a witch.
She's a witch to all the boys and girls.

On Monday she' a witch.
One Tuesday she's a witch and on Wednsday to Saturday, she's a witch.
Then on Sunday just to be different, she's a super king kamehameha wi-atch!

Have you ever the Remnant Kadaj's mom?
She's the biggest witch in the whole wide world!
She's a mean old witch and she has stupid hair.
She's a witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, witch!
Witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, she's a stupid witch!
Kadaj's mom's a witch and she's a dirty witch!

Talk to kids around the world and it might go a little bit something like this!

*insert incomprehensible singing here*

Have you ever the Remnant Kadaj's mom?
She's the biggest witch in the whole wide world!She's a mean old witch and she has stupid hair.
She's a witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, witch!
Witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, witch, she's a stupid witch!
Kadaj's mom's a witch and she's a dirty witch!

I really mean it!
Kadaj's mom!
She's a real fat fricking witch!
Real fat frickin' witch!
Kadaj's mom yeah!

The Prince Speaks: An Untriumphant Return

It was some time after the arrival of the Turks as well as the three silver haired men along with Nexu to Montreal on late Saturday/early Sunday did Babylon Palace finally begin to shift. As our guests were settling in I spied the large structure in all of its glory start moving towards the east. For the while, I had thought nothing of it and then straight to the worst possible scenario: Keily lost and whoever was still left inside had won and were most likely try to get away. When the large fortress started descending sharply and erratically, I felt a small surge of hope. Perhaps this was a sign of victory and not loss?

But all was not so well as Babylon Palace seemed to stabilize itself just in time before it hit water.

And then they appeared right in front of the doorstep, looking no worse for the wear, as if they hadn't been in any battles recently, though I knew they were probably exhausted. Xigbar and Demyx had appeared first, through a portal of darkness. Larxene came tumblig out after, immediately turning around to scream and yell, throwing a few of her knives into the portal behind her. There was a dangerous roar and soon Axel emerged, the portal closing shut behind him. Well, Tabby will be happy to know these four are alright.

And in his arms...

"Can someone take her? My arms feel like they're going to fall off."

Battered and bruised; dressed in black clothing with a white trenchcoat stained with blood instead of the pristine white armor she had worn at the arena, there laid Keily, unconscious.

I quickly ushered them inside, asking them what had happened.

"Well," Demyx began, letting himself lounge upon one of the couches of the living room as Axel placed Keily gently down on one of the longer ones. "We were on our merry way to the core; gutting bad guys, taking names...that sort of thing like we had for the last...I don't know...72 or so hours when this..." He shuddered. "HUGE honkin' three headed dog came by. I...er....supervised...Xigbar came with me and so did Larxene...Axel and Keily took care of it pretty good, but Kei's not a Nobody and that means she doesn't quite have enough stamina or health and stuff and...well..."

The blond man rubbed the back of his neck. "She got beaten up pretty badly...and what with the small amounts of time we got to rest and all...not to mention our lack of healing abilities...she had to be real careful and all...But we made it to the core! And she used her influence to drain it of a bunch of enteched souls and sent them back to where they came from--so we'll probably be seeing a couple of guys get back up again, but..." He winced. "Kei...er...she...she didn't finish the job. Cerberus came back and well..." He gave me a rather petulant glare. "She's only human you know...can only do so much before she got hurt pretty bad..."

The Nobody got up and went ove to Keily's unconscious form and placed a hand on her forehead. "We got her to a medical facility in Babylon Palace...patched her up a bit...then we got attacked again and we knew we had to get out, so..."

He said no more.

I do not know what to think, but to try and call Vader and anyone else to tip them off of what had transpired recently. It is all I can do at the moment. The palace is still locked up tightly so that no one may leave (exempting these five, but I think it's due to Keily's influence that let them escape at all), so an assault upon the palace would leave many of Palpatine's allies and followers quite dead.

But it might also endanger the enteched souls still remaining within the palace core.

At the moment, I am in Keily's room, typing away at her computer, awaiting the replies I will most likely be receiving within the next 24 hours or so. The Nobodies are recuperating and the Turks are dealing with the Silver Trio as well as their hostess, Nexu. Keily hasn't woken up yet, but after such a long nightmare of losing her heart, then serving under Palpatine, fighting all those familiar faces and then a mad marathon run to help liberate the lost souls of comrades, facing whatever horros awaited her, I wouldn't want to as well.

I returned her hope to her, marvel at its brilliance when it disappeared back into her body. Kadaj had yet to relinquish his unknown piece and Vexn still had his. How many more did I have yet to find? Keily couldn't possibly be whole...not from what I could remember...

Now, I pose a question for you all.

'What do we do now?'

The Prince Speaks: Hell and Back Part 2

Before I continue with the last part of this tale, I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone, as well as my condolences.

As such, thank you Kenya for sending me this shard the moment you received it. I'm sure she would greatly appreciate the gesture. I only wish it were safe enough for me to venture back to Babylon Palace...

-----------------------

As I recall, I promised to reveal more of what happened that day. I watched as Kyxiel challenged the white knight to a fight, stopping him from going on any further. I did not hear what she had to say, but heard well enough about what Palpatine and Voldemort had to say on the matter. Let the little Nobody fight. Let her challenge thier champion. At that moment, the arena changed. It shook terribly and cracked until there were merely little islands floating on...

In the hush that came over the crowd, I distinctly heard Kyxiel swear to every single deity she knew in any language she possessed.

She was standing on a rock, keeping afloat on lava. This fight promised not to be a pleasant one with a good amount of infringement. Perhaps Palpatine wanted to shake up Lord Vader...maybe he wanted some real sport to witness. Either way, the fight began, with various close calls ranging from almost falling into the lava or getting a limb chopped off. Kyxiel and the Knight were evenly matched when it came to laser swordplay (the white knight pulled a blue lightsaber out to block Kyxiel's oncoming red lightsaber).

The field changed again.

Water began to flood in from the walls out of nowhere--the walls had been completely seamless--steam rising into the air and blocking our view momentarily. When the mist cleared I saw that there was ice everywhere--the ground had been frozen. What had been an unsteady playing field of hot, boiling lava, was now an uneven terrain of ice and snow where Kyxiel and the Knight continued with their fight. Getting bored a little, Voldemort ordered for another fighter to be added to the melee. A lot of protest from the crowd could be heard (not to mention a lot of colorful insults). Out of spite, he changed his mind and allowed a whole slew of them to arrive onto the slippery arena, converging on the two fighters from all sides.

Not to let a comrade fight alone, some from the crowd began heading down as fast as they could, others joining in soon after. Here, I would like to retain some form of vagueness, as I barely recalled the fight myself--perhaps I'd rather not remember at all. Here was where parent fought child, lover against lover, brothers and sisters, friends of old and new...all in the arena fighting ones whom they loved or knew...

I joined them down below, rushing my way to Kyxiel's side. Somehow, she and her opponent had a wide berth all to themselves as the chaos and violence around them escalated. I passed by a myriad of familiar faces and had to fight to keep looking ahead, lest something held me back. I shot spell after spell as I followed to keep up with Kyxiel and the Knight; they were in a fight far too fast and vicious for me to keep up with. I lost them for a while, bombarded with bodies as I was suddenly. I wanted to wretch at the horrible stench of some of the bodies, but continued to press on after shoving them off, getting back up to find Kyxiel.

I heard the whirring of lightsabers and thought that it could have been her, but saw Lord Vader cut someone down--I won't say who.

I finally caught sight of her chasing a mass of white armor down through one of the opened gates and followed suite, glad that these eyes of Voldemort's could adjust to the dark very quickly. As we were getting farther and farther away from the roar of the arena battle, I could hear with better clarity, the conversation being held by Kyxiel and the white knight. Or should I say...

"Dammit Keily! Snap out of it already!"

Kyxiel charged forward and knocked her opponent's helmet off showing that it indeed was Keily underneath the armor. Although I admit to expecting to see her as a shell of her former self...perhaps gaunt, withdrawn and possibly mad (look at some of Voldemort's returning followers and you'll understand what I mean). But she looked quite healthy, though somewhat thinner than the last time I saw her.

"There is nothing for me to snap out of, Nobody," Keily replied, arching an upward swing that would have left a very wide slash in Kyxiel's torso had she not backpedaled a few steps.

"Come on, can't you see he's using you? The way he's used everyone else?! Don't you understand that that bastard doesn't care? That once he's gotten everything he wants he'll just get rid of you when the next best thing comes walking along?!"

Keily did not hesitate, however, but I could understand why. This was merely a body with no soul or heart. Not dead, not exactly living. But how did that explain her mastery over something not even the main characters of Kingdom Hearts had ever seen? Perhaps, then...she still possessed one shard within her body. But what emotion would let her obey everything that Palpatine or Voldemort said?

I wasn't allowed further contemplation on the matter as the wall to my right broke in and a scream tore the air. A blonde woman with a pair of rather bizarre bangs had been driven through the stone wall. I recognized the Organization coat (I've met enough members to know their 'uniform') and deduced that this was the infamous only female of the group of Nobodies. Getting up, she snarled, lightning crackling around her arms as she charged back through the hole she had come from.

I turned my gaze back upon Kyxiel and Keily, but found that I had lost them again. Before I could even try to chase after them again, I was, inevitably, pulled into a fight of my own.

I never really had the displeasure of facing the Emperor head-on. I might have seen him from afar or on a television screen, but never on a combat level. But there I was, trying to keep well out of the way of four rather irate Nobodies (two of them I recall being Demyx and Axel, the other I learned to be Larxene and Xigbar) as they engaged Palpatine head-on, throwing hexes and protection spells left and right. I felt distinctly uncomfortable, somehow, fighting with this man. Although he had committed several atrocities in his entire life throughout the known Worlds, I felt that it wasn't my right to fight him. Maybe it's because it would seem that the 'honor' had fallen upon the shoulders of Kenya and Vader and mostly of anyone somehow related to the Skywalkers intimately...

Palpatine was a very powerful man. He could toss around the Nobodies like they were nothing (pun not intended for those who take offense at Nobody jokes). Xigbar used his powers to shift around the dimension of space itself to keep his comrades safe from being thrown too far or into some pit that would appear out of nowhere. Either the Palace was highly sentient, or the Palace wasn't exactly stable...neither were very good prospects for us as these unfortunate things kept happening to us and only us.

Lightning was shot everywhere thanks to Larxene and Palpatine; fire was flung, huge walls of water--it was a mad fight. I was a man who could duel, but an actual fight would often escape me. I am a Slytherin and as such, such physical things usually allude me (it did not help that the body I was currently residing in was not at its physical peak).

Our battle moved around. I saw snippets of other fights; bouts of shouting from who knew where and whom; limbs being torn and thrown--utter madness. The scene went from marble white, to darkness, to a bright arena with other fighters, and a labyrinth with shifting and sliding walls. One could only imagine what sort of result one could get when six people enter a tricky labyrinth.

First, we lost Larxene. Then Demyx. Xigbar went off on his own to seek out his fellows because he knew that taking down the Emperor was not something someone does alone. Axel was left with me and I lost him, too...onto to be found alone with Palpatine. Well, not quite...

He looked at me smugly as a figure in white stepped from around a corner and I felt my heart froze. Keily looked at me levelly, a deactivated lightsaber on hand. Another was clipped to her belt and I know whose it was. My heart wrenched. Had Kyxiel been defeated? I didn't know. What I did know was that I was outnumbered and outmatched. Even if Keily had not shown up I wouldn't have stood a chance against the Emperor.

"Well, well...this is certainly an interesting, twist of events...isn't it my dear daughter?" the man asked, looking to the young woman at his side. She nodded obediently and I grasped my wand, wondering if I could fight for my life and end hers.

If I damn well have to, the frightening thought came to mind. I would deal with the consequences, as damning as they were. I had been wanted for the murder of Albus...what would be one more loved one dying at my hands matter for me in the long wrong? She would be seen as a casualty in a war...

I didn't like the thought one bit.

"Tell me," Palpatine began, "what does it feel like...to be facing down one who once tried to rescue your life, Snape?"

I said nothing. He chuckled.

"Have I hit a nerve? I apologize." He wasn't at all sorry. And I certainly wouldn't be sorry if I found my hands around his neck. "You're dark, Snape...did you ever think you could just leave it all behind? Her saving grace could not help you...except bring you to an early grave." He turned to Keily then, looking at her in what I figured to be mock tenderness.

"Keily, my darling child...I need you to do something for me..." He looked in my direction. "This Dark Lord seeks to take all your loved ones away...it wouldn't do to let him live, would it?" She shook her head. He smiled. "Don't you think he deserves to be punished for his sins?"

Her answer came longer this time and Palpatine's confidence ebbed away slowly as Keily turned her head and gazed at him with more emotion than I had ever witnessed in her eyes.

"Quite," she whispered, before activating the blue lightsaber in her hand. She utterly surprised the man beside her as she sliced his right hand off (perhaps karmic justice finally coming to get the old man) and shoved him roughly to the floor. She pointed the tip of her blade to his throat and stepped on his chest to help keep him down as he held his stump of an arm. He tried throwing her off using the Force, but it didn't seem to work.

"H-how?" he demanded angrily, almost cutting his throat wide open on the lightsaber.

"I gave you life once again...I pulled you through the very doors of Kingdom Hearts...the abyss known as Oblivion...I manipulated your very being...don't think that now I am partially whole that I cannot do as I please with you," she replied, voice still low; soft.

I stared, unable to believe what I was seeing or hearing.

I did find my voice.

"Keily?"

She looked up at me, expression unreadable for some moments, then it broke into a sad, sad smile. "Severus," she whispered, in that slightly accented way of hers. It was music to my ears.

"How is this possible?"

"All in due time, Severus," she told me, before looking back down at Palpatine, her features now showing indecision and...worry? Hesitance? "Right now...I must deal with...him."

"If you strike me down...you will be no better than I," Palpatine said, smug. He was probably playing upon Keily's morals, which I'm sure must have returned along with her mind. I couldn't help, but still wonder where Kyxiel had gone, though, in my heart, I knew exactly what had happened to the foul mouthed, passionate Nobody I had been living with for the last several months. "You will turn to the dark side."

"True enough," she conceded, but not letting up on the pressure on his chest nor with the lightsaber held to his neck. "It isn't my place to judge you, for I am no better than you at this point in time." She paused, considering something, but her red-brown eyes not leaving his face as he looked up at her. "So, I shall let those who can judge you for myself."

I backed up a bit as a wind suddenly picked up around us, swirling up dust and whatever else into the air. The entire building shook tremendously from an incredible force of...magic? The Force? Gods only knew what as the shape of a very large door began to emerge from out of nowhere. Keily deactivated her lightsaber as the white door appeared behind her, glowing incandescently. The rumbling had ceased once the door was firmly set into existence. The door began to creak open and she took her foot away from him.

"Let those who you have wronged judge you," were her quiet words as she stepped aside. "All hearts return to darkness...especially one such as yours."

A shimmering light broke through from inbetween the crack, displaying colors of all types, shifting into all colors, then back into white, snaking tendrils heading straight towards Palpatine. The door opened wide and the light turned into shadows--dark hands grasping at the powerless man who screamed in terror as voices called out from beyond, familiar voices filled with anguish and need for vengeance. I turned away as I was sure a gruesome and slow death was occurring. If the telltales signs of flesh being ripped apart, sounds of a person choking and gurgling on their own blood were of any indication.

I turned back in time to see the shadows recede back into the door, leaving nothing of Palpatine behind. Not even a blood stains where he would have died. They took everything of him. The door shook and closed itself, disappearing in a twinkling light.

Rather than be stunned with what had just happened, I turned to look at Keily--wanted to ask her if she was alright, but she was already walking away. Without knowing what I was doing, I ran forward and wrapped her in my arms. She stood very still, tensed up. And she was shaking, ever so slightly as I held her for one impulsive moment.

She broke away from me. Keily smiled at me, however, raising a hand to my cheek.

"Severus...now isn't the time...I have a lot to do....now that I'm back..." I both understood and didn't understand at all what she had meant by all this and really, I should have been in some sort of shock, but I suppose that I've gotten used to such things. We may have been rid of one dark being, but there were dozens more within these walls. "This is all my fault...So I will make things right."

"What will you do?" I asked.

He hesitated a moment before explaining about the core of Babylon Palace. It is what keeps the place alive and floating. It is the energy source for the unrealistic building. It was also where all the enteched have been put. Keily said that she knew how she was going to free all those lost souls and knew exactly what would be waiting for her, if she did.

"Traps...curses...not to mention every person who was working with Voldemort and Palpatine once they find out what's happened...I don't think my little performance would have gone unnoticed for some..."

Before I could tell her that it was dangerous and something she couldn't do alone, she hushed me with her fingers. Silence would have been too harsh a word for her, the way she looked at me and had her fingers gently pressed to my lips...those that had kissed her Nobody's not so long ago.

"It's something I have to do...really!" She said, when I gave her a very incredulous look. "Look...I promise to come out alright...just trust me."

I looked at her.

"I do."

She smiled brightly at me and moved to hug me when I heard a small, telltale tinkle. I spotted the pendant Yuuko had given to me around her neck. I felt around my own neckline and realized then that Kyxiel had took it and that's why Keily was normal now. Was she whole again? Doubtful. Keily even admitted it herself to Palpatine.

So Kyxiel really was gone. I felt a pang.

"Well...looks like I've got my work cut out for me, but on't worry...Everything will turn out for the best..."

--------------------

After that, I do not recall. I know for a fact that Keily must have sent us out, just because that--save a few--every villain that had sided with the Emperor was trapped in Babylon Palace. Whether or not she has dealt with them or simply just imprisoned them there, I do not rightly know. All I know is that Keily has been up there either fighting or hiding or whatever and I don't know what's become of her or the beings still residing within it.

Sometimes, explosions can be heard and the whispers of screams can be carried on the wind.

Somehow, I don't want to know.

But I suspect that once our comrades who have been enteched have returned to us that Keily must had successfully reached the core...

All we can do is wait for now...

The Prince Speaks: Hell and Back Part 1

Considering that we were already within the same city as Babylon Palace there didn't seem much of a need for us to just sit by and wait for them to come for us. As it were, Kyxiel and I decided to go early and walk towards the top of Mount-Royal where the palace was currently floating over. Axel and Demyx would follow after us via gummi ship or shuttle, depending on their preference. I suppose a gummi ship would be more prudent, especially if they had to make a quick escape.

The Nobody at my side decided to take a longer route, however, as I discovered that we were headed towards Cote de Neige, a quarter of Montreal known for its...how do I put this? General depressing air? Compared to the rest of the city that part does seem depressing and drab where the downtown area was colorful and full of bustling life.

Worse yet, she seemed to be taking me to a graveyard.

"If you think we're reinacting the scene where the Dark Lord faces off with Potter, you're sadly mistaken," I told her, as we passed a few stone angels. She gave me a withering look, but continued walking along, the snow crunching lightly under her boots. "If you wanted to visit the Memorial, there is a better way of getting to it without having to go through a graveyard."

"This is something I have to do, alright? And we're not going to see the Memorial."

We wandered for a while with her trying to discern tombstone from tombstone, looking for something in particular. I did not feel too comfortable being surrounded by nothing, but the dead and wished to leave as soon as possible, but she seemed ardent in trying to find what she was looking for. She mentioned offhandedly about how hard it was everywhere to find the right ones, as if she was slowly forgetting everything. She admitted to Keily and her having photographic memory--when they 'remembered to load the camera', as she put it. But 'even photos fade with time', she told me with a pensive look on her face.

Eventually, she found exactly what she was looking for. It was actually two tombs next to each other. One was marked as 'Yukito Shirohane', while the other was marked as 'Eric Devereaux'. I watched as she brushed the snow and ice off of both of them gently, humming the song I came to recognize from the Phantom of the Opera as 'Wishing You Were Here Again'. More of the writing on the tombs was revealed and I found that these two people had died in the same year. 2000.

"You know, for all my ranting about everyone else, Keily and I have our issues, too," she said.

"I know," I replied, thinking of the time I spent with Keily and got to know of her...which was surprisingly little now that it had been brought to my attention. During our first initial contact we kept very much to ourselves, after the first few months we lived civilly with one another. We became more acquainted with one another just a little bit before the first time the Terran Resistance was called to arms. By that time I found myself fond of the young woman who housed Draco and I and very caring about her when she found it in herself to fight on my behalf. I was touched.

During the summer we grew somewhat closer due to circumstances beyond our control and she admitted to loving me.

At this point, I'm really not sure how I feel about her, surprisingly enough. I do care about her, no mistake about that. But I do wonder if everyone is making our relationship more quixotic than it truly is. And I realize that it pained me to think that way and I wonder once again, where my heart truly lies.

I touched a pendant given to me by Yuuko the day after I was basically told to go looking for the broken pieces of heart belonging to Keily. The witch already had quite a few of the pieces herself and placed them inside the crystal that he wore. Ten to be exact and some too sweet in their own right. Jealousy, anger, hatred, despair, sorrow, fear, lust; joy, affection and curiosity. I had scouted out a few others retrieved them (from the most unlikely of places and I have bene sworn never to reveal where they had come from), placing them with their brethren within the crystal. I found that I still had a few pieces missing. One from Tabby's, one from Nexu's and Hope at Kenya's, but I have no idea exactly where exactly she is residing at--or in, if she was taking residence within a body instead of an inanimate object like some of the ones I had found.

The pendant glowed softly under my fingertips, pretty much spelling out exactly how it felt about me. I could feel affection shining through the others and it quelled my doubts for a little while as certain memories came into play. Mainly of the ones where a bit of her 'truer' personlity would shine through the calmness, sarcasm and sunny smiles she had. The passionate side that Kyxiel represented so well at times...

"You know...we...always had problems when it comes to love...sometimes, we overcommit...others we're so afraid of committing we break it off at the soonest possible moment." Her gloved fingers traced along the lines of Yukito and then over Eric's name. "When we experienced love for the first time, it was like a dream come true, you know. We had a prince all of our own, who cared for us, supported us and wanted us to succeed."

She smiled sardonically. "Of course, all dreams must come to an end."

I nodded. Tragedy did have a habit of following these two everywhere they went. They were practically magnets for it.

"We've done pretty terrible things in the past...probably nowhere near as universally bad as Voldemort or Palpatine, but...children have a habit of being cruel. But you would know, wouldn't you?"

I frowned at this, knowing exactly to what she was referring and cursing the books that let the whole world know some of my more personal secrets. Despite this, I still asked what had happened. Kyxiel explained to me the significance of the month of March and April, of the music of the night, of drunken men and promises to never cry at a loved one's suffering and death. I was told of unmagical curses which could come true; of young betrayal behind the curtains...

Kyxiel and I had a good long talk, about various things, while standing in front of the graves of two people who helped shaped Keily to be the person she had been. Eric had been her first serious boyfriend; they met at a volunteer theatre group some time before auditions for a musical. The boy had had a bit of a deformation, which had initially scared Keily and made her shy around him, but once they got to working closely together, she managed to overlook this fact and got along very well with him. When they broke-up, it had been rather messy and showered with hate-filled words. Eric died in a house fire that took his mother with him.

Yukito had been a childhood friend who, according to his younger sister had had a crush on Keily for a little while and still did when she went out with Eric. He supported her through her rough time when the news traveled all the way to her house in the form of a letter from Erik's father. He was an older boy, one that Keily looked up to as an older brother and her rock to keep her sane in her time of grief. At the time, Yukito confessed to liking her, but, since she was young, had misunderstood his words and took it as a sign of deeper friendship, than as a possible sign of love. He, too, was lost, in a car crash between him and a drunk driver where the driver had gotten out with nothing more than bad whiplash.

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Hey, I read the blogs, too, remember? And even if you don't write it out or say it out loud...I can tell what's in your heart," she told me with a chuckle. "Ironically, us Nobodies are good at interpreting what is in the heart, though we don't possess one...Funny isn't it?" Her shoulders sagged then and a soft, wistful look overcame her features.

"You know...she does really love you."

I didn't know what to say to that. I was still a little confused as to what I truly felt about the whole thing. I had to re-evaluate my actions...and hers. I heard her sigh next to me and tugged at my robe sleeve.

"Come on...lets go. I want to just get this over with."

--------------

It was certainly very crowded in Babylon Palace. But then again, we were only in the entrance hall. The first hour of being in the palace, I couldn't help, but stare at the sheer opulence around us. The marble walls, the gilt designs, crystal lights and the hanging plants. Voldemort and Palpatine had either spared no expense, or they had forced someone into putting this place into existence.

My pendant glowed softly, indicating that there was another heart shard nearby, bit I doubted I had the time to investigate...at least, not just yet.

I met up with Lord Vader and Kenya, as well as Rose and her live-ins. Various others who had been invited were there as well, among them, notably, was one Harry Potter with his two friends, Granger and Weasley, looking about shiftily. I could tell that they were gripping their wands in their pockets, wary of any sudden attacks on their persons. I would have smiled at their paranoia, but I certainly wasn't one to talk. I was very suspicious of what our esteemed hosts had planned for us.

"This place is...not right..." I heard someone on my right say. I had no idea who it was at the time and I hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but... "...it is beautiful, but...somehow...I sense something...terribly..."

"...It feels like despair, only not...like anguish mixed with..." said a second person talking to the first.

"Maybe it's the...maybe Babylon Palace is where the enteched went...?"

"Who knows..."

After waiting a while with many talking to one another of what was to be expected, we were finally led through an interconnecting corridor with glass walls that let us see outside once everyone had more or less arrived on the scene. On the left was almost a jungle of tropical flowers from all over the world; on our right there was a waterfall falling into a deep pool where I was sure that I could see something swimming underneath the depths when I squinted to look. The corridor took us to a grand room with a high ceiling with a magnificent chandelier. Tables were set up, covering two thirds of the room in a semi-circle. The other third was a beautiful dance floor which led up to the steps going up to a throne. The throne was currently empty.

The next hour or so was a total blurr to me, but I highly doubt that it was very important. But due to the feeling of having eaten something, I suppose weall had something to eat together in the ballroom. I'm sure that there had been no dancing, for which I was very glad for. Things were already awkward as it was without something as contrived as a dance coming into play. We were ushered out of the room into another corridor, which led us to...

A colliseum...?

It was like any colliseum one could expect from the look of things. It was circular, had many stories filled with spectator seats overlooking the arena below. Over to one side, one may find a balcony where an emperor may sit and watch the proceedings. It was also where we could see two figures standing there in wait for us. One possessed my real body, while the other...

"Welcome to my humble abode. First, allow me to express my gratitude that of those invited who came to this event."

Quite a few murmured to each other and I heard Kyxiel grumble at my side, saying something about wanting to gag. I looked on unwaveringly at the impossibly younger looking Emperor Palpatine as he must have looked like befoe his position as Emperor...possibly even before being a senator. Unlike Voldemort's ressurrection which had given him a new body, Palpatine's seemed much more whole and human. Charming and young; deceiving. Despite his more honest looks, I am very certain little has changed in his heart.

"I'm sure that banquet was to your liking and regret not having been there to play host, but my associate and I--" I coffed at this. "--were quite busy still making last minute arrangements for the festivities for you all. Please enjoy the entertainment..." The man snapped his fingers and the structure rumbled a bit as some of the gates in the arena began to move open. So far, Palpatine had kept to his word...a celebration for this 'humble home' and his successful rebirth. I frowned. A reborn Palpatine, a Voldemort in a healthy, stolen body...both at full power and whatever or whoever else they had on hand.

I did not sit as some did and neither did Kyxiel as we watched the first part of the 'entertainment' provided.

I'm not sure mere words could convey the horror of what we witnessed in the arena during the first five minutes. And I am certain that I do not want to repeat for fear of dredging up bad memories for those it pertains to. But...we had heard news of grave robbing and had wondered what sort of devious plot was to be put into play. I soon realized as I watched people slaughter one another like in some grotesque play what those graves had been robbed for.

The bodies had no souls, that was to be sure. I'm not very cetain if they felt pain or not. But the violence was real enough. All I could do was pray for them and send my silent condolences for anyone who had to watch their loved ones fight it out in this sick show...

They all fell to one who was dressed in white armor, a full helmet masking their face. Was this their new servant? Or someone else they had dug up? I didn't know. What I did know that Kyxiel was visibly disturbed by all this and was itching to do something about it. But she held back and did not go as she watched the white knight take down one that Palpatine announced as 'Elita-1'. She muttered something under her breath, shaking her head a few times. She threw glances at me a couple of times before saying that she needed to get down there.

"Why?" I asked, suddenly fearing for her safety.

"Lets just say...I need some...'bonding' time with someone..." was her reply before she pulled me down for a quick and sloppy kiss. I gave her a very confused look and she gave me not a sheepish look of embarrassment, but one of resignation. Like this was the end. "Bye, Severus. It was real nice getting to know you." And then she jumped down to the area, calling forth a red lightsaber from her belt. At the time, I hadn't realized that she slipped the pendant holding Keily's heart shards off my neck.

She challenged the white knight, saying things that I couldn't very well hear. And then the fight started....

---------------------

There is more to this tale, but however...I am still rather weary vfrom surviving it all. But I am very happy that we all, more or less, made it out alive and in one piece. I do remember the fight between white knight and Kyxiel getting out of hand and the whole colliseum was like the battle on Geonosis or whatever that blasted planet was called again. I had never witnessed such a fight firsthand myself...

Babylon Palace still stands, though it is now bereft of its master who is long gone and never returning. How this has come to bought, I will tell you all in my own time. Voldemort is still on the loose, but I know that Potter will track him down one of these days. There are bound by destiny to face off sooner or later and I am sure that the boy is rather tired of having to chase around 'ghosts' all the time.

As for the white knight and Kyxiel. That shall remain for the next blog entry as well.

Good night everyone. Thank you and pleasant dreams.

P.S. You were lucky, Vader and Kenya that you were not in the same room as the Emperor, Kyxiel and I for he met an end that not even you would have wanted to witness.

Kyxiel Report 7: Days of Our Lives

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to pull a Xaldin."

"It's...interesting, Kyxiel."

"It's hard as hell is what it is...don't know how he does it. Probably has to do with the fact that he has a stable element to work with."

I've been in training since the invitations were issued out. Kind of slightly pointless really, because I pretty much went nowhere with it as A. I had no idea what I was doing; B. I was very frustrated; and C. I had no way of knowing if I was improving or just making a total moron of myself. Luckily for me, Axel and Demyx had decided to pay us a visit up north to see what the commotion was all about. I took them to see Babylon Palace in all of its floating glory.

Yes, I said 'floating glory'.

On the outside, the palace was actually the size of the castle in the World That Never Was (possibly a good ten times bigger now that I'm looking at it again), but with a lot more color than that place ever possessed and more....pristine? Tranquil? The place looked deceptively calm and peaceful with its white walls, hanging gardens and waterways falling into artificial waterfalls. It looked like someone had taken a piece of Naboo and pasted it into the airspace above Montreal.

Axel, who had been watching me, scratch his head and gave me a sort of confused look. It was sort of cute, in a way. "Why would you wanna do that?"

"Because I am a Nobody and I have no idea what 'element' I possess."

It had come up after Diz stopped by to drop off a bunch of old files he found in Radiant Garden which he thought would help us somehow. I went through them and found some of his old notes about Nobodies and their characteristics. Most notably, since there were only ever a couple of handful in existence, ever...Nobodies possessed some sort of power.

Now, Diz pretty much assumed that since I am Keily's Nobody that I would inherit her powe over Kingdom Hearts as well...If that were the truth, then why the Hell can't I pull off half the things she can? Oh, right. I don't have a bloody heart. So I began a training regime that would try and figure out what the hell I was.

I know that I was dubbed the Doorway, but in all honesty...what sort of idiotic name is that? I only accepted it because, at the time, I was freshly born and the first thing I clung onto was Diz, so I let him name me. I even let him get away with scrambling up a name for me. Only now do I realize the utter stupidity of it all.

Insults to the man who helped start it all aside, I was in a bit of a bind and it annoyed me to no end. I found that I could control the elements to a certain degree. I wouldn't exactly use them in a fight against a Dark Lord at full power, but they are pretty useful.

It was morning and I was out training. There was something very wrong with this picture.

"Why don't you try using fire instead?" Axel suggested.

"Or water. It's a lot more versatile," Demyx chimed in.

I didn't have the heart to tell them that I had tried and I failed miserably. Or maybe I just gave up too fast. I almost burned my coat trying to control fire and I ended up having to chip my legs out of two blocks of ice stuck to the ground.

"Maybe next time," I said, knowing I was making a promise I couldn't very well keep. They must have known, too, because they looked at me with disbelieving expressions. It was only a matter of time until Babylon Palace and whatever awaited within. Everyone was pitching in to help in whatever way they could. Severus was out heart shard hunting at the moment and we had dropped William off at Narcissa's for the time being. Cid was working on a set of communicators for everyone that could let us report onto our blog no matter where we are. I had found out that Harry and a few from the British Isle had been invited to the shindig as well, but it wasn't too surprising as Voldemort was going to be there and, well...

"You worried?" Axel asked. "About what's going to happen..."

Demyx looked at the ground, at a loss for exactly what to say. He looked up at me as I let the staffs I had bene using to practice control over wind drop to the icy ground. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. It happened a few more times, making the poor guy look like a fish, until he just loked at Axel.

"Well...with all that's happening...we thought...maybe you would...like Roxas and Sora..."

I smiled sadly. Yes, like Roxas and Sora, only I would never get a body of my own. I would, in all likely cases, merge back with my Other so that we may be one whole person once again. It is something that I somehow find a sort of sad peace with, rather than actual terror, but I can understand what these two are most likely feeling.

All I can really say is that they are good friends and that I hope we can remain so and that when my Other comes back to her sense that she'll be nice to them.

I crouched to pick up the staffs and decided that a clean up was in order since I didn't want to try my hand at lightning just yet. Earth was a whole other thing, too...Demyx came to help me out.

"Well..." he began as he tried to take the load in my arms as well, but I kept refusing him stubbornly. As small and wiry as he was, he was probably just as strong as the next Organization member. "...no matter what happens, you'll always be one of us."

Axel seemed to take to the idea rather well as his eyes were alight, as if he had just lit something with his powers. "That's right...you're the new Nobody baby...Roxas isn't the youngest anymore." Just so you know, we don't count age by physical appearance. We count it in accordance to how long we've existed. So...by default I am the youngest and I am just a baby--hell, I'm younger than William by a couple of months! He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and gave me a noogie with his hand. "And since you've got an 'X' in your name...that makes you the honorary Organization baby."

I growled and swatted his hand away. "Who the hell're you calling a baby? At least I can hold my alcohol Mister Flaming Christmas Pants." He gaped at me.

"You promised you wouldn't mention that!"

I smirked evilly. "Oh, did I? I forgot," I said playfully.

"Oh, that's it Doorway...you're going down," he replied a mischievous glint in his eyes. He got into a relaxed sort of stance and I got into one of my own. We looked like two morons in a bad 70's kung-fu movie.

"Not if I take you down first, Flurry of Dancing Flames!"

I paused. "Damn that's a mouthful. Did you pick that yourself?"

"He did," Demyx said, shaking his head at us as we hadn't gotten out of our 'action poses' just yet. "His original name was actually longer than that, but I heard that he was pretty much given a character limit so he had to shorten to...well...that."

Axel snorted. "Certainly better than 'Doorway'."

"Shut-up. Diz gave me that name. I could have thoguth up a better nickname, I'm sure..."

"Make one up then."

I couldn't--at least, not without them sounding really cheesy.

"Shut-up Axel."

The rest of the day we pretty much just poked fun at each other and went for drinks. I probably should have been training for the big possible showdown, but I thought...hey. If these are going to be my last days on Earth I might as well enjoy them while I still can. I can only hope that my Other can appreciate the good memories instead of the bad ones when she comes back to us.

The Prince Speaks: Babylon Palace

It was around late last night--way after Voldemort's visit--as I was watching the stars, waiting for Keily's hope--which had not appeared again after that one time--when I was approached by Lord Vader himself, comm unit on hand. He had told me that Kyxiel had called and was sounding incredibly distressed about something and refused to tell him what and wanted to take to me as soon as possible. She had even insulted the former Dark Lord of the Sith until he relented and went out in search of me. I took the offered comm, not knowing what I would hear from the other end.

"--and a sorry excuse for a pair of legs!"

I snorted and spoke into the comm. "As much as I enjoy hearing you insult various parts of Lord Vader body, Kyxiel, you are to be advised that you are speaking to me."

"Snape?" I almost winced at the volume she was using. What was wrong with the girl? "Snape! You can't believe what's happening up here--where are you? Are you still at Kenya's?"

"Yes, I am," I replied calmly. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"You remember the dark cloud in the sky that appeared a bit during or after Keily's heart broke?" she asked. I told her that I did indeed remember as it was a hard thing to forget and it was still hanging over our heads like an evil omen. "Well...it's gone now..."

My eyebrows--or the place where my eyebrows should be--shot up. The dark cloud was gone? Had it dissipated finally? I conveyed this question to the Nobody, but before I could hear an answer some owls began to swoop in from out of nowhere, bearing several envelopes in their claws. Some flew into the barn and the house, while one let its contents fall from their clutches into our hands before flying off to who knew where. I looked mine over, trying to discern if it was hexed or not, but found out it wasn't after taking my wand out and doing a few cursory scanning spells.

I opened the letter and was very alarmed by what I found on the parchment inside.

Snape,

You are cordially invited to attend a celebration marking the completion of my most humble of residences as well as my rebirth into this world. I am sure your schedule leaves you (as well as the rest of the Terran Resistance) with precious little free time, but I do hope that you are somehow able to attend, as a number of unique festivities have already been arranged. A courtesy shuttle has been provided for your convenience. It will arrive at 1 pm on the 20th of March at the destination of your choosing.

Sincerely,

Emperor Dantius Palpatine of Babylon Palace

I did the only reasonable thing I could at the moment--I swore colorfully under my breath. An out of character thing, to be sure, but I don't think the Starflights would appreciate my menacing the goats out of anger. I checked with Vader and found that he too received a similar invitation and so did several others when we went to check with them later on. Kyxiel's increased volume over the comm broke me out of my reverie and I finally answered her as she began to yell about my questionable heritage.

I swear, Keily had never been this bad. I Kyxiel for being a Nobody.

"Calm down, Kyxiel...please. Just calmly tell me what you wanted me to know about the darkness."

"It's a friggin' palace...at least...I think it's a palace...I don't know...just get over to Montreal and have a look for yourself! This is my Other's work, I know it!"

Giving Vader an apologetic look as well as his comm back, I apparated out of there with a promise of returning to brief everyone.

--------------

"You've seen it, then?"

I looked up from my seat in the corner of the barn, seeing Keily's translucent form a bit of a ways from me. She took a seat at the foot of the bed of one of Luke's Tuskan students, looking over them with something akin to a mix of sadness and....maternal tenderness?

"Was that what you were worried about?" I asked, remembering the night she had appeared as well as the large structure I had seen whn I apparated to Montreal.

She nodded. "Yes, among other things," she replied, turning to look away from the padawan learner and towards me. She gestured towards the invitation in my hand--an invitation that many others (Vader, Kenya, Luke, Rose, Megatron to name a few) had received. Was it a trap? I didn't know. "I've seen him," she told me, eyes reflecting a haunted emotion. "I'm scared."

"How do we save them? Do you know?" I asked, wanting to know if Keily knew. If she kept them alive somehow, shouldn't she know how to rescue their souls as well? Kenya and Vader were banking on Garrett Skywalker, but if she knew of another way...I was disappointed with a shake of her head, but what did I expect? Not even dead men knew everything. I winced as I had inadvertedly hought of Keily as dead. She must have picked up on it somehow as she smiled kindly at me.

"I'm sorry," she said.

'I'm sorry.' It was all she could say--what we all manged to say these last few months. I've heard it more in that span of time then all of my years at Hogwarts, teaching dunderheads who didn't know wormwood from loosestrife. Somehow, hearing her say it made my blood blood and I had the inexplicable urge to hex something. But I kept myself in check, folding the sleeves of my robe as I always did when I crossed my arms.

"What do you think should be our course of action?" I asked, wanting her ideas on the situation. She just smiled at me.

"I'm Hope, not Reason," she told me, with her hands on her hips. "But...I would go to see what was really going on...possibly armed, too, if I can. No sense in refusing a dark lord's invitation you know...even one as blatant as this."

"And how about your heart? Yourself? How am I to bring you back together?" I asked, wondering what would the answer be.

I saw her begin to fade away again--was she getting weaker? I wasn't sure. But this meeting was much shorter than the last.

"Piecing back together a broken heart...is no easy business...for I am quite sure that the shards have embedded themselves deep within the hearts of certain individuals...who these individuals are...I cannot be certain...but they shall be easy enough to find."

"How?"

"Ask the Witch. Yuuko will give you a way, I'm sure. I am very certain that things will turn out alright. Trust me."

And she was gone again, before I could even say, "I do."

The Prince Speaks: A Ray of Hope

It was in light of what turned up on Miss Starflight's doorstep that had made me leave Kyxiel and William's side (which much shouting between the Nobody and I that led to her injuring her right hand and my almost losing certain parts of the male human anatomy that shall be left unnamed) and head down to Idaho to check up on my fallen comrades in arms. I felt horribly responsible for what was going on, so I felt a modicum of decency was in order. Once I arrived, however, I made a note not to be seen nor heard (or in some cases, sensed) while I paid visits to the barn that was currently being used as both medical center and control room.

No amount of words could describe how terribly awful I felt at the sight that awaited me.

But you must be wondering...why name this blog entry 'a ray of hope'? I will not disappoint, but I did find it somewhat prudent to convey my sincerest apologies to everyone involved in this...tragedy? Travesty? I'm still at a loss of words...

It happened this very night when I decided to check up on my comrades and the medics had gone to take a break together. Some who stayed vigil by their friends' side had gone off, possibly to sleep or rest. I found it extremely odd that everyone just got up and left, but made no point in arguing over opportunity knocking at the door.

I had seen this scene of seemingly lifeless bodies lying comatose on beds many times before and could tell you with detail exactly who laid where, the tiniest freckle on skin and even where stray pieces of dirt would be found. I have seen many strange things in my life which do not limit to dark lords rising into power, blast end skrewts, a romance between a mermaid and a human and various other things...

I was not prepared to see what I had seen when I approached some of the beds containing some of Luke Skywalker's students.

I had witnessed this only a few times in my life, but mainly from those silly little movies Keily had insisted that I watched with her in order to know Vader and his group a little better, back in the day...The transparent form, illuminating a soft blue light around their ghostly bodies as they moved as they did when they were alive...

A smile was shone my way. "Hello, Severus. It certainly has been a while, hasn't it?"

I nodded numbly, too dumbstruck to say anything. I felt that anything I could have said would have been completely inadequate.

"So...you finally came...even though things are starting to fall apart?" A chuckle. "I'm sure it'll all work out in the end."

I wasn't sure what I was suppose to say to that.

"Do you know why you came?" An innocent inquiry, really, but not one I was comfortable with answering. I couldn't even show my face to those I had once fought alongside. "It's alright."

I watched them lay a gentle hand on one of the younger students, watched as they gently carressed the child's forehead in a painfully familiar gesture. The ghostly hand did nothing really--it couldn't even shift the iniest bit of hair. It brought reality back into mind and I found myself being able to speak once again.

"Why are you here?" I asked, before I could give the words tumbling out of my mouth permission to.

"This is my fault, too," was the breeze soft answer. "Not just yours...and I had to do everything in my power to help...even if it's something as small as keeping them alive with whatever power I have left."

I was surprised. "You're keeping them alive?"

Another smile. "Comes with being so well intuned with the Force...or magic...or Kingdom Hearts, or whatever have you." The smile turned into a sad one, then. "Severus...what they're doing is terrible."

I nodded. I had both heard and read about the entechment process and could only imagine what was happening on the other side of this eerily silent war. With Keily's unknown power, who knew what was happening truly and it frightened him to no end for not knowing.

"They've brought him back...but I realize that everyone probably knows it by now."

"Palpatine?" I asked.

"Yes," they said, "and many others...some of whom should have stayed dead...others ripped from their own worlds...and some who haven't even the chance to exist yet. They are building an army...an army fit to destroy the Worlds...only to remake them as their own..."

I was very confused by this and said so. They clarified themself.

"Why conquer a rebelling people when they have the power to remake?"

"But if they have this power already," I began, thinking about Keily again, "why not just simply forgo the war with us? Why not just go through with their plans? As you said, wouldn't it just be easier for them to do as they will and remake the worlds?"

A smile. "You cannot get something from nothing, as you well know, Severus. And what they want requires more energy than one person with half a heart can muster at a time."

That made sense. But if that were the truth, could it possibly mean that they were harnessing all of that energy for more than just battle purposes? And half a heart? As far as anyone was concerned, Keily had no heart at all. Whatever had been left of it was probably scattered to the winds...there was no way she could have gotten it back--let alone half. They had raised a lot of questions in this one chance meeting and had given less answers in return...

"How are you here? Have you...have you been here all this time?" I asked, looking them up and down. I reached for a hand and found that mine passed right through. But instead of feeling the coldness one would expect to feel from a ghost or the nothingness of an apparition of the Force, I felt a pleasant warmth fill my fingers for a few scant moments.

"I have my ways, but in truth, I am truly not really here," was the mysterious answer, followed by an almost musical laugh. They smiled sadly at me as a translucent hand came up to try to brush against my cheek in an affectionate manner. I felt that warmth again and longed to rest my head against it, but I knew that it could not be. "I've been keeping an eye on everyone here, for a while yet...just when I was needed most....It's the least I could do." The warm hand had laid itself upon my cheek, though it felt more like a heat had rested there instead of anything solid. It was soon removed and they began to walk away, fading away.

"Keily?"

She looked at me then, smiling that sad little smile of hers as she straightened out the white dress she had worn at the Ministry all those months ago. "Don't worry, Severus...I'm sure you'll figure out a way...someone will figure out a way," she told me reassuringly. "For now...I'll continue to watch over all of you..."

She paused for a moment, thinking about something.

"Severus...my..." She cringed a little. "My powers are terribly limited, you know. As long as I possessed no heart, I couldn't tap into it. Do you understand? I'm sure...Voldemort had found some shards of my heart and placed them into my body...emotions and memories which have probably been warped to suit his needs..." Another pause. I kept my eyes on her as I patiently waited for her to continue...this young woman who once had been alive, was still alive, yet who was also in a state of death at the same time. "I'm sure...he found my darker emotions somehow...those would be the easiest to manipulate. But...I think that if you found my better ones...those more suitable for...well, I wouldn't say light...but...if you did and put them back along with my other heart shards...that you could snap me out of whatever hold I'm under...."

She laughed.

"Well, that might backfire," she stated, looking at the ground. "And if that were ever to happen..." She shook her head.

I stared at her. I took in her entire, shining being. I studied her long black locks of hair which fell over her shoulders easily and how it hid her face as she looked at the ground, somewhat shamefaced. I noticed how her hands clenched her full white skirts in anxiety. I carefully filed everything she told me away at the back of my mind and I considered her, as she simply stood there and I barely said a word.

I had never been one ofr romantic reunions. Neither had she. But this moment wasn't as awkward as I often feared it would be when we did meet again--though I hadn't expected it to be so soon. I had hoped that there had been some part of the young woman that still harbored that old feeling of protectiveness for the worlds she cherished. I had seen it in young Kyxiel who shows growth everyday--a reflection of the woman who she once was and I had hoped would become again one day...

"Heart shards?" I asked. "How insanely bizarre that sounds. You could never do anything the easy or simple way, could you, Keily?"

She looked at me, perplexed. But soon, she smiled knowingly at me and shook her head.

"No, I always did have a taste for tragedy didn't I?" she said.

"But if the Dark Lord found negative pieces of heart...what are you exactly? You must be something positive if you are trying to protect the lives of those present."

She smiled again and closed her eyes. I was slightly startled to find her fading from me before my eyes and I instinctively shot out to latch onto her...but all I managed to grasp onto was something bright and warm. One could say...it was like a crystal, yet I knew I really wasn't holding anything at all. And it shone like a brilliant beacon in the night--like a star in the heavens. It twinkled in my hands before it disappeared to wherever it had come from.

And yet I could still hear her words as the others began to reappear one by one into the barn. I'm not sure if anyone else had heard--or felt--it, but...

"Like from Pandora's box where all the miseries of the world had sprung from...I am Hope."