White Walls [Extremely Open]

[Keyblade Warrior Terra]

But don't be afraid...
You are the one who will open the door.

That again, naturally, had no meaning to the youth. To him, it was simply garbled nonsense. He had lived in Daybreak Town for his entire life, after all, with no real education or anybody to learn from about the outside worlds. What could he, a boy who had grown up without a home, know about any sort of door he was meant to find? This voice, whoever or whatever it was, had told him of so much he didn't understand; the fate he'd avoided but could still fall upon, the power he had but had sacrificed something to gain, the loved ones he had supposedly known who had been spared from their torment...and that door, the door he was supposed to open.
Where it was, how he would know when he found it, and how he would even go about doing so, all were a mystery to him. On top of that, he'd been badly beaten down by a Heartless who'd taken the shape of a boy, and thrown mercilessly into the dark abyss. Here, is where he had ended up.

Terra didn't know this place, naturally. The depths of the dark whorl around him yawned off into empty oblivion. All that stood before him, was a castle of tarnished gold, holding against stained glass windows glowing eerily in the shadows around it. Twisted, gnarled, pointed, and malformed the structure seemed to be the only thing for several miles that could be deemed of any interest. It didn't seem there was anywhere else to go.

Strangely, as the Keyblade Warrior gazed at the looming fortress in front of him....he was not so much puzzled as he was....sad. Why he was, he couldn't say. He'd never left Daybreak Town before, and knew he'd never seen this place...So why was it that his heart felt as though it were breaking, why his throat seemed so stiff? Terra almost felt as though he were walking through the remains of a fire in a childhood home, or on the grave of someone he loved. How could he get such a feeling from a place so new to him?
It was new to him, wasn't it? There was a sensation to it that was....familiar, as though someone had added rooms to a house he knew well. It was recognizable, slightly, but changed. Terra did not know the name of this place...but he knew it had once had a name.

Cautiously, he approached the door, and knocked. The sound echoed into the bowels of the building, but no noise came in response. Terra paused, crossing his arms in thought.
"Am I just supposed to go inside?" He wondered.
With a grunt, he pushed up against the door, staring at the interior of the place. White walls, white flower pots, white columns, white floors--everything was bleached, carved from marble, frozen in time. There seemed to be nothing inside; nothing but a door at the end of the hall.
Why here, of all places? Was this the door he was intended to find? It couldn't be that easy. What was he supposed to do now?

[Drake Pathos]

It was a twist of fate for the child of wild infernos to be caught in such a dilemma. Back in Twilight Town, he was simply waltzing about and annoying the mob with his curiosity and flame. Along came alienation from the smith he assisted before and eventually he would again be just some isolated boy. Innocent in a sense, he hardly understood the workings of the dark side of society. Especially when it came to the mob hiring outside resources to deal with the boy. After his meeting with Laiya, the boy eventually parted ways only to be met by a group of mages that took advantage of his greenhorn state. Placing him in a magical circle, they twisted space and time with their magics to displace the boy to wherever it would take him. Now, he was stuck with an emblem on his right palm that was the same symbol as the magic circle that formed underneath. Spawning in a grand hall, the boy awoke in a daze. Looking around, he wondered what had become of him. Whatever magic they used had clearly been powerful,

In the first view of things, the white had consumed his ability to see and spat out blindness. Once the bright anti-color returned his vision, he took time to marvel at the architecture of within. It had simply taken him full-grip and blew him away. The sleek design along with the vague-but -gold detail. The pearl finish to everything and the marble that seemed to be used had put him in sheer awe. "Well, hot damn. This place is truly a landmark...but where am I?" Taking time to review the artistic design of the grand hall of the castle, Darius then realized that his quest was torn away from him. The mob had no pesky kid to try and pervert their plans. He gripped his fists, a wave of heat rising along his body. He stood with waves emitting off of him. After he calmed, the radiation ended and he paced. "Them rotten mages, man. I gotta do something. I love  you, castle, but I gotta go. I gotta go save people and citizens and destroy this drug. This...elixir?" Darius removed a philter of the glowing elixir from his pocket. Curious as to why it was there, he heard the grand creak of a door. A massive door to the outside had opened to reveal a burly but young figure entering. Nearly going for his sword, he just smiled and waved.

"Nice weather we're having, huh?" Darius was clueless as to why the person was showing up, but he had doubted this person was hired by the mob. The person was too medieval in design, too barbaric for the more modern costumes the mages had worn. He still kept a distance, however, as he could not truly know. "Uh, a little lost. Hoping for directions? And...a general location. A good reach-around will reward ye- Oh, silly me. I meant a favor for a favor not the ol' one-two slip them peasants be using as bargaining chips. Ol' Sally was known best for the front-er's and the back-er's. Sime-Ol'-Tanious. But, ah, let's get off the subject of damn good traditions and back onto the who's and what's." Darius stepped forward, still keeping a distance and hiding the elixir. "Les' just start with names. Places, preferably, but I'm not afraid to tell you I'm Darius. So, I'm Darius. Darius Fetch." Putting his hands in his pockets, he kept his left hand loose so that he could dart for his sword if need be.

[Keyblade Warrior Terra]

Terra slowly entered the gaping maw of the castle's interior. After all, where else could he go? The path behind him, as he noted, was dark and gave him an ominous feeling in his gut. Though it seemed innocent enough, he didn't dare to turn back. Something watched him through the night, and he quietly worried it may be far worse than Jett.

The air was icy in this place. It smelled as though it had not known the breath of a living person in a long while, heavy with dust despite there being no such accumulation anywhere around. It was dead air. Empty air.

The young warrior nearly kicked himself for not seeing the other lad in the room with him. He'd completely overlooked that he was not alone in this place. He was a strangely-dressed boy, and quite a few years younger than he was, small and surprisingly thick in build for someone of his age. Terra already noticed he had a hand on a sword. He wondered if this world had child guards or something to that effect...The boy certainly looked hardened, although by what, and in what way, he couldn't quite place.

The other spoke so out of place, that Terra was barely able to keep up with what he was talking about. He could piece together that this young man was as lost here as he was, however, and his heart sank a little. He'd been half-hoping for answers...instead, he only managed to get tangled up in more questions. This Darius kid wasn't from around here, meaning he knew nothing about why this castle was here, or what its purpose was. He didn't have a Keyblade either, which meant there was no answering his questions about the legendary weapon anytime soon.

The more he looked for the answers to the things he asked for, the more lost he seemed to become! Seething in silent frustration, Terra ground his teeth behind his closed lips, brow furrowing at his annoyance. Still, being here with someone, even if they were strange, was better than trying to figure out all of this out on his own. His features wound down, and he exhaled in an attempt to vent out his annoyance.

"You don't need to jump for your weapon, hurting kids really isn't my style," he said, coolly. He didn't see the bottle being slipped away, and probably wouldn't have cared either way.
"My name is Terra. I'm not really from around here myself...I come from Daybreak Town. It's...Well, I've got no idea where that is in relation to this place, to be honest. Have you seen anybody else in here, Darius? I was hoping I could find someone to talk to." Dejectedly, he crossed his arms, pondering at his thoughts aloud.
"I've been having these weird thoughts lately. I'm not even sure if any of this is real or not. All of these things have been happening to me, and nobody seems to have answers for me."

It wasn't in his nature to feel bad about himself, after all, he'd lived with next-to-nothing his whole life. Still, all of this pointless flailing about was starting to get to him. Every turn he'd made, and still, he was no further along in finding out about the Keyblade, about his other fate, and about the door than the day he'd first began.

[Drake Pathos]

Darius rolled his eyes when the burly man had hinted a confrontation would end badly for him. Pacing and making a racing sound with is hands via snapping and clapping his hand on his fist, he thought of what to do next. He didn't exactly have the option of trying to find the mages, as he doubted the castle was in Twilight Town, but the man could provide him answers. There was an aura of seriousness about the brunette which made Darius wonder what kind of mess he got in. "Hey-O, don't burn yourself. Anyways, Haven't seen a single soul. In fact, some mages shoved me through some magic and now I'm here." the boy shrugged as he turned towards a golden gate. Cocking his head to the side, he wondered if he should open it. "No clue as to where the hell we are? Great. I'm from Twilight Town, if this still isn't in that world. Man, the architecture is some real poetry, y'know?" Darius walked towards a wall, rubbing his hand up and down it. A big smile stretched across his face, clearly pleased by something such as the shape of where they stood.

"Well, I'm a voice. I talk. Might not have what you're really looking for, but I can make this seem less boring. But uh," knocking on the wall, Darius motioned his body to further reinforce, "Seems real to me. I'll take it as that, because the person who tricks me into such a wonderful fantasy? My foot, their ass. I'll make sure to give 'em a good rhino-thumpin' like them Sally's used to. Right. In. The. Cooch. But, ah, we should really just figure out where we are. Should we walk forward or get outta here? Or should I steal this gate and hitch a ride home...." For a moment, Darius seemed serious about his last statement until he suddenly laughed at the thought. However, under all the humor he was indeed worried about what would happen in the wake of his absence. The elixir wasn't something to personally test, but a good chemist would indeed be crucial to discovering its properties. He needed to leave as quickly as he could, and idle conversation with someone isn't getting him anywhere. Putting his hands in his pockets, Darius groped the philter and turned his back on Terra. When he did, a face of intense concern replaced his giddy expression. "I do need to return, however. The place has some darkened roots of crime and I'm tryna wash them away. Gotta keep them roots clean, Terra. Nice to meet you, by the way."

[Keyblade Warrior Terra]

The Keyblade Warrior listened carefully to the lad as he spoke, still trying to get over the hurdle that was his outrageous accent. It was getting a little easier getting used to, but he knew it was going to take a while still before he could properly piece together exactly what he was going at. Still, any kind of company in a place like this was better than nothing.

So he'd been sent here by mages from a place called Twilight Town...a place filled with some kind of trouble he was trying to take care of. That's something Terra felt he could take some time in investing...after all, Keyblade Warriors were supposed to help people in need, right? They were protectors of the light, so the stories said.
How were they supposed to go anywhere, though? The gate only lead out into the empty expanse of...wherever this place was at. Terra didn't get a good feeling from it. It was a mix of fear...and gut instinct, telling him to keep away from it.

"I can get that open," Terra offered, with a shrug. In a flurry of white light and bright cubes, the Ends of the Earth was called forth into the man's palm. It was then that he realized...he had absolutely no idea how to use the Keyblade to even open things, let alone if it would work on something like this gate.
With a shuddering jolt, a bright beam of light shot forth from its tip, penetrating the lock with a quiet "click." Slowly, the gates swung back open. Half-startled and half pleased with himself, the other grinned at the achievement.
"Well, that takes care of that." He glanced back at the eerie form of the castle, thoughtfully. "I guess since there's nothing to look at, going in there wouldn't be worth the time. That path gives me...a bad feeling. Are you sure that's the way back to your Twilight Town?"

Maybe there was someone living in here that this kid hadn't seen. After all, nobody left a castle out here in the open. It was much too clean from its appearance to have nobody inside of it...Not that Terra had seen his fair share of any sort of luxury. Still, if there was something out here, there was a reason for it, right? Someone or something must have placed this building all the way out in this dark little corner, for some reason. Jett had sent him here...maybe there was some purpose to it.
If someone WAS here, perhaps they could help them leave, or give answers...or maybe they would try and hurt them. Who knew?

[Drake Pathos]

Darius looked to the door leading outside of the castle, then looked down. Looking back to Terra, he shook his head. "No, that's not the way back. I can feel it. Let's just see what's ahead." Now Darius was frightened, however he did not show it. He didn't realize that whatever the mages did, had really trapped him. There was no way back without a ship or a portal of some sort, but the mark was quite the curious one. Taking a step forward to the depths of the castle, Darius awaited his new found companion. "What kind of answers are you looking for anyways? And what kind of fuckin' key was that? Mate, if that's your house key then you need better locks because I could CRAWL through those locks." Darius chuckled, but couldn't shake the feeling of despair washing over him he was certain he was going to start anew when he crash landed in the orange-pattered city. It was all ruined because of some mob that wanted to fling their drugs around.

"Y'know, the last time I went explorin' some bandits were about. And the time before that. And all the times I did explore, I learned there's always a danger. Terra, keep whatever weapon you have out and ready. I know that much, for sure. Me? I won't, I like connecting to new places, not telling the landscape I'm some bastard." Darius put his hands at his waist, making a heroic pose once again. He exaggerated the seriousness of the pose and stood on the tips of his toes. He was ready for the adventure, but scared of the truth. "ONWARD! FOR SCIENCE! Orsurvivalwhicheverwordsuitesyouitallmeansthesameintheend." He spoke as fast as he could on the last note,still keeping the syllables clear but maybe a bit too quickly and unspaced for the brunette before him.

[Keyblade Warrior Terra]

Despite his nerves, Terra couldn't help but laugh at the joke. It was kind of an enormous key, wasn't it? It seemed a tad outrageous, now that he really thought about it. Ordinary people had keys, too, but never anything this size.

"True enough," the other replied, with a grin. "And I guess considering how many times you've been attacked, going for your weapon wouldn't be a bad decision."

Slowly, he approached the threshold of the castle, and studied the supposedly empty interior for a moment. If there was anybody in there, they'd have surely noticed their door was wide open. Maybe that was their intent. Regardless of what they'd find, it was probably important to keep their eyes open for anything suspicious.

"I'm not sure, Darius," Terra responded, with a shrug. "Any answers are okay with me...why this Keyblade came to me, what door I'm looking for, or why...Just...some kind of sign as to what I'm supposed to be doing now, I guess."

Gingerly, the Keyblade Warrior stepped through into the cool, unbreathed air of Castle Oblivion. From inside the place, the outside seemed much, much darker indeed. It gave him the chills. He cupped his hands together, trying to maximize his voice's volume, and offered a question to the depraved room before them.
"Hello? Anybody home? We're...a bit lost down here. Anybody who can help out?"

[Tsumiko]

"H-Hello..?"

From within the castle, a woman's soft voice echoed against the empty walls. Peaking at them from behind one of the many white columns presented in the hall, Tsumiko's silver-blue hair fell like a curtain onto the floor beside her.

Previous to their arrival, she had been curled up with her forehead to her knees, quietly crying to herself. She was lost, with no idea how she got there, and no idea on how to get anywhere from where she was. What she assumed to be the front door was locked and there didn't seem to be any other way out. So, in her defeat, the songstress opted to stay put until something happened. Though with the illusion of eternity passing, it frightened her when something actually did happen. The sound of the door unlocking made her heart feel like it skipped a beat - or several.

That was it. Whoever or whatever got her here was comin' for her! This crazy place with its intense white walls would be the end!

Quickly wiping away stray tears, Tsumiko's nerves and the overwhelming sense of fight or flight settled as she heard a voice call out into the room. Still somewhat startled, she wasn't entirely sure if exposing herself was the right idea. Though taking a look at them didn't exactly do herself any favors. From first appearances, the two men standing there didn't seem all that ominous. Just a man holding some kind of big key and a boy that looked no older than her. She knew from experience, however, that looks could be deceiving.

[Drake Pathos]

Darius slipped away, eventually. Not literally, but mentally. He was lost in the beauty of the castle as they burrowed deeper into its design. Empty, yet no dust to litter and mold its beauty. The rose stays without wilting, something he marveled at. It was like losing consciousness to love, and that made him lose the words of the man speaking to him partially. He gave a few half-hearted "yeah"s and "right"s here and there, but could not evade the pearly gloss. He whipped out a notepad from his pocket and a pen, sketching his perception of the grand castle in hopes he would someday work on the development of something so grand. However, he didn't like working for snobs. They bothered him, as did the villainy of the shady. If someone is going to do something, be open about it. If you want to drop-kick an arse, drop-kick them with pride]...and righteousness. No drop-kicking babies, ladies, or plain Larry's. Don't worry, viewers. You can drop-kick Sally's. They come with a free premium package of itch.

Darius kept wondering ahead, but stopped as soon as he realized he was quite distanced from Terra. He was still in view, and the idea of a keyblade had made him wonder. Walking up to Terra, he rose a finger and looked down, curious as he could ever be. Flicking his wrist and watching it, he excitingly pointed at the blade and looked at the keyblader with this same giddiness. "So, giant-ass house-key. Weapon, yeah? Give those bowels good, rootin'-tootin' unlockin' righ'? Well, how the hell does that work? You gotta lug it around, I much prefer PROPORTIONAL swords. Like this here, uh, Wildheart! Yeah, like the name, I'll sue if you take it. I will-y-will if you do, Terra." Wagging his finger at the man, he held back his laughs from his own satire. However, he was still vastly curious about the nature of the blade. The design, the composition, dimensions, and hopefully a correlation between density and weight. "Whatever details you know, I'd like. If you don't know squat, well that's just an adventure I'd rather be taking right now...However a way home is probably a higher-priority subject, eh?" Darius turned to a blank page on his notepad, waiting for a few notes.

"You know we're the only fucking people making sound, stealth isn't exactly viable if the first thing you blurt. 'UH. UH. HULLO!?' God diggity-damn. But, it's alright. The first time's always the hardest, eh? I mean, these walls have nothing but space and now three more objects." Darius leaned slightly, looking in the direction of the sound's source. She's not a bright one, Ms.-dumb-Bitch. She's a scared one, Ms.-dumb-Bitch. Ah, I crack myself up. Phwoo!. Darius turned around with pizzazz, making a satirical face of seduction. Holding his pen and paper, he still make finger-guns to be more of an ice-breaker. "Darius. Darius Fetch. Fetchin' ALLL the Sally's...yet no itch yet fer some reason-er-another. Cooome on!" Darius avoided using the fishing rod move, because out of all the ridiculous acts, that one would be his death. His...second death if it's worse than he thought. All the comedy. All the hilariousness, and really such a good distraction from his own fears.

[Keyblade Warrior Terra]

Terra was overwhelmed with the sheer amount of energy Darius seemed to have on him. Whereas he was a little more calm and collected, this boy apparently bounced off every surface with no signs of really stopping. It was a relief not to be alone in this place, but he was so used to being on his own, that the situation was a little heavy.

In fact, the only time the lad was quiet was when he was at his pen and paper. From what the Keyblade Warrior could piece out, Darius was some kind of explorer--a map-maker, by the looks of it--and a damn good one. Terra could only really glance at it, given his advantage in height, but he'd never seen anybody draw so well, so quickly before in his life.
Out of the blue however, Fetch began asking more about the Keyblade, wanting answers to questions he really didn't know himself. The Daybreak Town orphan was at a loss for how to explain anything about it. He seemed young; maybe he simply hadn't heard about the story of the weapon, or they just didn't tell those kinds of tales in that...Twilight Town of his.

With a sigh, the brunette shook his head.
"I don't really know much about the Keyblade, to be honest; only what I know from fairy tales. It's supposed to be a weapon that can unlock any lock, open any door, and fight Darkness in all its forms. I don't really know how it works myself...I've only had it for a few weeks, and every time I've went looking for someone to teach me, I've ended up with nothing..." He twirled the weapon around, care-free in his movements. It felt less like a blade, and more like an extension of himself; a sharp hand that could strike at his enemies where he himself could not, a hand that could channel untold and unfathomable power...and a hand that guided him through this strange and unknown path.
"It's not that hard to carry around, really," He added. "If you want, you can hold it for a while, see for yourself. It's light for its size."

The older of the two jolted with embarrassment as he realized that, had there been anybody looking to harm them, he'd given away where they were by calling out. His face went hot from the slight humiliation, but he elected to mask it as best as he was able, continuing with the conversation.
"Sorry. I thought there might be someone in here that could be helpful to us. I'm supposed to be looking for a specific door, but don't know where to look or how to get there. I wouldn't know what I was looking for, even if I ran into it, or what to do when I found it."

And then, Darius went on some sort of strange tangent, going on about how there were three objects now instead of two, and making very weird, very provocative motions towards one of the pillars in the room--
No, wait, not at one of the pillars, but the person behind them. So they weren't alone in this castle after all! Terra did a double-take, when his eyes fell upon the form of a young woman curled up behind one of the structures. Her face was strikingly beautiful, though stained in obvious tears, tracks of salt-water that went down her visage showed that she'd suffered through some sort of trouble. Azure locks tumbled like the cascades of a waterfall down her shoulders, shimmering as if each hair were chipped from silver, framing her features in a flowing picture of loveliness. Briefly, he felt absolutely lost in looking at her, but remembered that time stood still for nobody.

Gathering his wits, the Ends of the Earth vanished into an array of cubes and light once again, and he conked the smaller on the head lightly. The expression he wore was of slightly amused disapproval.
"Cut it out Fetch. Look at her, she's terrified enough without you acting like a spazz." Terra swallowed up his nerves as best as he could, but found that his confidence that was usually rock solid was slightly...muddied. It wasn't painfully obvious that the youth was less-than-suave around girls, but it showed in subtle movements and speech. Slowly, he knelt down to her level, putting on a small smile to convey he wasn't trying to be a threat.
"He didn't mean that, he's just easily excited," the other said, apologetically. "Are you alright? It's none of our business, but you look like you've really been through something. I'm Terra, and this nut over here is Darius Fetch. We're...a little lost, actually. Do you live here?"

The way she appeared, she could have very well been some sort of princess or something. She certainly looked the part, but there was no telling for sure. In any case, he couldn't help but feel a pang of concern, and a bit of anger, too. He was a bit of a bully with a soft side; he had his limits on who to beat down. Children, the defenseless, the elderly, and most especially, girls, were definitely out of his limitations when it came to combat...he just felt bad using his strength to cause harm to people who didn't deserve it...and this girl in particular looked as though she'd been through some kind of hurt. It could just as likely have been a trap, but Terra was much too engrossed in the passing of her tears to consider it.

[Tsumiko]

She wasn't quiet sure how to respond the to seemingly flirtatious nature of the one who called himself Darius and so the songstress' only response was to stare - blankly. Typically, his gestures would have brought a wide smile to her face would be accompanied by a coy remark of her own. But being that the current situation had Tsumiko feeling more than just mild fear, cracking jokes was the last thing she had on her mind.

Her attention shifted from one to the other as the brunette bonked Darius on the head. As he approached her, the songstress unintentionally began pressing herself against the wall behind her. The tension her body was feeling grew on its own. And then she got to thinking once again, as he knelt before her, they didn't seem all that dangerous. Actually, they appeared rather harmless. To herself, at any rate. And there was no way a smile like that meant harm. Tsumiko looked at him with wide eyes as he talked to her, seemingly unaware or the fact she was staring right into his blue eyes. It was strange... He wasn't saying anything out of the ordinary, but his words were calming. Enough so that she no longer felt scared.

In response to his questions, however, she shook her head with a soft sniffle. Wiping the rest of her tears away, Tsumiko spoke as calm as she could. "I-I'm alright, thank you. And I'm... Tsumiko," she said with a small smile, her muscles finally relaxing enough to where she didn't appear so rigid. "But I'm afraid I'm just as lost as you. I was in Radiant Garden, walking home from the fissure and the next thing I know there was darkness everywhere. I woke up here what feels like forever ago, but there was nowhere to go. All the doors were locked until just now when the two of you came in."

Tsumiko looked from Terra, to Darius, to the world outside the door. It didn't seem all that welcoming, in her opinion. The feeling she got didn't sit well in her chest, either. Even so, the songstress debated on braving it to find a way home. Even with her poorly made reasoning to leave, the fact that there was a great unknown out there made nearly any success of getting home unlikely. Logic dictated that she stay with these.. men. (Though only one really seemed to fit that description.) It was going to be far safer to stay with people, even if she hardly knew them.

Turning her line of sight back to Terra, she smiled. It was meant to display her thanks, however may have came off more forced. Getting to her feet, Tsumiko fixed any loose locks of hair behind her and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I can't be of any more help. Though I would like to thank you for finding me, even if you didn't intend to." The songstress giggled, mostly to herself, and laced her fingers behind her - a habit she had a knack of doing when she didn't know what else to do with herself. Her solution was to simply put on as bright a smile as the situation called for, and say, "Even so, would the two of you mind if I tag along? It'd be pretty scary wandering around on my own..."

[Drake Pathos]

Bonked on the head, Darius immediately patted it, feigning pain as he let out a subtle, "ow".  He looked at Terra with a pouting face, but quickly washed it away to return to his devilish smirk. The little devil had the looks too, however he was still a bit young. A little too zany for some, and the energy was too blatantly rapid. Returning to his etches, he noticed the girl keeping her eyes on the brunette, looking at the man with wiggling eyebrows. The eyebrows held grand implication, but as to what they were had been left up to one's own perception. By now, he had a full sketch of the keyblade in high detail. He estimated its measurements and assumed it had an unknown, light-in-density metal that provided its efficiency in durability. However, he did not know what it was. No one could swing a sword so easily without it being some sort of higher quality metal. Iron and steel had been too heavy at such a size. Looking back at the girl, he rolled his eyes after deciding to apologize for his behavior. "Excuse thy nature. I am somewhat of an inferno. A wildfire, with a wild heart."

Darius returned his notepad to the pages detailing what they had seen. Beckoning the two to follow him, he moved on ahead. The man was too tense, needed something to depressurize him. Bet'chu that Sally right there will give 'em the ol' one-two-scrubba-doo. Tug-tug, knudge-flick-slap-punch. Oh, that last one is more of a me thing. Darius had no tools to test the composition of anything, but granite and/or marble was out of the question. The walls were SOLID white, no texture of paint or coating and no sight of even the faintest of patterns. "So, uh. Terra. About that keyblade before the whip hit you. Mind if I take a closer look?" Darius wondered how the keyblade would react to his grip, seeing as it had some magical properties. It was summoned out of nowhere, and then it was used to unlock a gate without properly entering a keyhole. An odd but wonderfully mysterious weapon. Darius lost much of the energy he had before to his curiosity, now driven to learn more about the keyblade, the castle, and what he could do to return home.

[Keyblade Warrior Terra]

The Keyblade Warrior listened to the young lady, but found himself slightly disappointed. So she was a stranger here, too. Was this place really so far out in the void that nobody knew what it was, or where to go? It seemed everybody here so far as lost. Still, at least he wasn't alone in this place...

Darius was motioning for the two of them to follow him along, although Terra was pretty convinced the kid was about as sure as where he was going as he was at keeping his energy bottled up. There wasn't really anywhere for them to get lost in, so he saw no real harm in it.
He turned his attention back to the girl, Tsumiko. Who knew how long she'd been in here without anybody to keep her company...the thought made him sad. Terra knew he wouldn't have handled it too much better if it had been him. Offering a hand to help her up, the other nodded firmly. Dense as he was when it came to women, he didn't notice her subtle motions.
"Sure, you can come along. I bet you could use some company, right?"

Now his eyes went to Darius, who was busy wandering about the room, his pen skating across the surface of his pad as though it were possessed. The older of the two males raised an eyebrow. That kid could really churn out a drawing or two, that was for certain.
Terra's thoughts went into a brief pause as he attempted to figure out what Darius meant when he mentioned a whip, but shrugged it off. Fetch had a very puzzling way of talking that he was slowly getting used to.

"Yeah, sure thing," the young man replied, conjuring the weapon back into his hands. "You can swing it around for a bit, if you'd like. Think fast," he added, tossing the Keyblade at the other casually.
"I might need it for that door over there though," Terra continued, as he noticed the hallway came to a sudden end. All that stood before them was a set of steps, and an archway that appeared sealed shut. Whoever owned this castle definitely didn't want intruders waltzing in...but a shadow of doubt cast over him, too. The person who had sealed up this place apparently hadn't accounted for the Keyblade's power...meaning, it was likely he'd come to another dead end on his journey to understanding the weapon, or his mission.

Was there simply nobody who understood the Keyblade anymore? Was he really alone? He thought there'd used to be so many Keyblade Warriors...how could they all have simply vanished? How was he supposed to learn with nobody to teach him?

[Tsumiko]

From behind the brunette, Tsumiko could see Darius ushering them along further down the hall. From what she could tell, he was quite accurate in how he described himself. Inferno, indeed. A ball of burning energy, especially in the way he had sketches popping out. Though at the time, the songstress hadn't a clue as to what was being placed upon the pad of paper. Only that Darius was rather quick at it. It caused her curiosity to pique. Just what was he putting down in such practiced tizzy? If it hadn't been for Terra speaking to her, Tsumiko would have began tip-toeing over to sate that curiosity.

His words bright another smile to her lips. "Yes, thank you," she said, relieved that they weren't going to leave her there. Though where they were headed was a mystery. That was okay. Company, however bizarre, was always welcome.

Though the more Tsumiko heard Darius talk, the more she had to wonder where he learned such euphemisms. As Terra tossed...whatever it was to the other, her expression turned to that of a childish pout. "At least the whip has some form of restraint..." she mumbled under her breath, looking at Darius. Though the two seemed occupied with whatever sort of weapon a "Keyblade" was, such things didn't quite strike her fancy. Being as such, the songstress figured she could take another gander at the door. Down the hall, up the couple steps that were present, standing before the tall, simple door, a single hand slid down a smooth surface. It was cold to the touch, as one might expect, but no matter how she pulled, the door showed no signs of budging. There wasn't even the slightest of wiggles even after Tsumiko applied all her weight against it. Which wasn't saying much. She didn't possess a lot of muscle to begin with.

With a silent sigh she turned to watch the two men, deciding to lean against the door's surface. Company was definitely better than loneliness.

[Drake Pathos]

The map of the first floor was starting to come together, all of its detail and small notes designated by numbers. A note page would organize these notes, such as knowledge about the material and estimated measurements. He had a pretty accurate eye as he did do this for the criminals of the Castle of Dreams. His hands felt the passion, and so did his body and soul. The will to etch an image of the world down on paper was something that fueled his happiness. It let him ignore the fact that he was gone from his home. Twilight Town was plain yet sophisticated, in the sense that the vague shape of it all was rather generic. The detail, however, was so much more fun to map out than simple boxes. What the castle did allow is the simple-but-gold design, while Twilight Town had its beauty held within the complexity of the bricks and the buildings. Brightly colored, both of them, they were two of his favorite areas.

Catching the blade of the keyblader, he swung it around and felt...something. A feeling in his heart, it wasn't magical but it was something that made him instantly fall in love. Efficiency, looks, it had it all. Tossing it into a spin, he took an exaggerated pose and attempted to unlock the gate. Nothing. Looking at it, the idea nothing happened for him reinforced the idea that it had magical properties. Switching from his serious and professional attitude, he smirked at the knight as he tossed the blade back at him. "I wouldn't mind of those doo-hickey's. Man, swing-swing-slash-BLAM! Baddie dead. Y'know? Good swiftin' through the throat. Good ol' Ripper antics." Darius stood on his toes, pushing his pelvis forward and rocking back as he went back to a normal stance. He held his hands in his pocket, feeling the elixir and putting the notepad away until the gate was unlocked. "Now, uh, work your pretty lil' magic. Ready-aim-fire, mate. Unless, uh, lil' Sally gives ya performance issues. Tsk-tsk. Oh, mind my manners, more of a Theresa- yeah? Mother-Motherly Theresa. All holy and shite." Darius had a sarcastic grin stretched across his face.

Innocent. No way in bloody hell was anyone innocent. "Bit of anxiety ma'am? Don't like the fire-TOO hot? Don't touch the flames. And uh, when you mumble ya gotta be careful of the lack of interference. I may talk a lot but...hell. Look at me being right-stiffy Dickins? At least I gotta bend. So, uh," Darius now made a mocking serious tone as if he were imitating a psychiatrist, "Conclusion...Lighten up girly. Besides," Darius slapped his hand on the brunette's shoulder after walking near him. "Suns burn brighter and longer and stronger than the rocks that orbit. Do I got a bit of bottle thunder, yeah?" At this point, because the boy was wary, he was mocking the two for being so stereotypical in their at-first-sight locked gazes. Strong whips often catch the men.

[Keyblade Warrior Terra]

Catching the Keyblade in his hands again, Terra examined the smooth face of the door before them. He wasn't entirely sure if the Ends of the Earth would even work on a barrier like this, but there was no place else they could go other than forward. There had to be something in here, for there to be so much security, right?

The brunette cocked an eyebrow at Darius, trying to piece together what he was talking about once more.
"Performance issues? I don't think it really has any--" He rolled his eyes as he understood the euphemism. "Really funny, kid. You're a real joker. As far as I know, the Keyblade gets its power from the heart. No issues there."
Not that Terra really understood how the Keyblade worked, in all honesty. But at this point, everything was a guess. Everything would be a mystery, until he found someone with some answers.

Pointing the weapon at the archway, the Keyblade Warrior waited for a reaction. It took a moment, but the tool of light shuddered with a sudden burst of energy, and out from its crest came a beam of piercing white light. It penetrated the solid surface of the barrier between them, shattering it like glass, as it gave way to a lightless corridor. There was nothing they could see from this distance--the darkness before them was too great for their sight.

Terra observed the passage with a wary gaze. He didn't like the idea of carelessly walking into something he couldn't make out. For all he knew, it could be some sort of trap. Hesitantly, he glanced over his shoulder at the others.
"Anybody have something that can light this up? I don't know about you guys...but running through pitch-black hallways isn't really looking like a good idea."

[Tsumiko]

The manner of speech the blonde had was amusing. It would have caused the songstress so smile if it didn't feel like everything he said had a double meaning or some form of sly implication. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing on its own, however. It was a proper quirk he possessed, no need to scold him for it. There was still one thing that bothered her. "My name's not Sally..." she mumbled, knowing full well that Darius was likely to hear her. Though she couldn't hide the grin that was a result of Terra catching what he said.

But something Terra mentioned made her wonder. Was a power of the heart an actual thing? Perhaps it was just her ignorance on the matter, but the songstress didn't quite see how that was possible. Power came from ones' own capability and training. Right? What did the heart have to do with anything? Her curiosity tugged her to find out, but now wasn't the time.

Removing herself from the doorway so that she wasn't in the way of Terra's magical... shenanigans ...she took a spot beside Darius. Without looking away from what the brunette was doing, Tsumiko leaned sideways towards Darius and said, "Nothing lasts forever, ya know. That's why we have to cherish what we do have while it's still around." She didn't wait for his reply, instead prancing up to Terra after he looked towards them.

Tsumiko looked from him to the now open doorway, continuing her path right up to the entrance. Looking into the darkness from every angle she could, she came to a conclusion. Hopping to face them, she bore a serious expression, holding a single finger up in an "ah-ha!" sort of way. "It's super dark in there!" Hopping back around to face the doorway again, the songstress didn't even think twice before jumping inside. But there was nothing to see. The only thing that existed there in the darkness was herself and the door which she came through. Above, below, all around, it was just eerie nothingness no matter how far she walked in. It gave her an unsettling feeling, which prompted Tsumiko to cross her arms over her chest to comfort herself. Not liking the feeling of it, she turned around and headed back into the light the hall provided. Looking from one of the men to the other, the songstress' emotions were displayed on her face quite visibly.

"There's nothing in there. Or at least nothing that light can reflect off of," she said, allowing her hands to drop to her elbows into a more composed manner of appearance. Quite honestly, she didn't even think that a light source was going to help them. That was the notion she got.

[Drake Pathos]

Darius chuckled after he realized the girl had picked up on a bit of what he was saying. Same for Terra, he had a good laugh on the inside after the fun he was having teasing the two. The girl had leaned in to tell him to appreciate what he has. Shaking his head back and forth in a teasing manner, he let out a single, sarcastic laugh. "Well, neither of you have to worry. The sun doesn't go out for a long time." Darius was sure of himself, and full of himself to some degree, so his confidence gave a nice touch of insurance. On the inside, he might have been in a barrel roll of thought and emotion but on the outside, it was a barrel roll of zany personality and wild curiosity. The ginger had the makings of a fine flame, but the instability and reckless nature of a bomb. His fire is going to scorch something, eventually. His warmth will know no bounds in that very moment. After the girl went into the darkened hall, she came back with the thought that nothing would illuminate the hall. Darius took a quick step forward and rose a hand. Instantly, the darkness was illuminated by a bright and wild fire flowing from his hand.

"Don't worry, my heart burns bright and hot. If I wanted to, I could probably make a lock to hold a key." Darius made a cocky pose, waving his hands to have them step forward. He had his hand spread and held high, the fire being harmless to what he wore. It was almost white in appearance, the tails of flame whipping with a crack. Vicious in strength, it gave them a decent view of the empty hall. "Well, can't exactly map with a hand taken. Guys, something to light on fire for now would help. Hm." Darius began walking around, not straying too far. "Oi, if you got at least the tiniest bit of burn, let it flow into your hand. Fire speaks closely to me, so just...speak back." He thought it'd be easier if Terra or the other girl would do the same thing he was doing instead of him. Darius looked into the flame engulfing his hand, his face illuminated in the darkness with just the right angle to give him a heroic pose. A light in the darkness. For anyone, he could be that light. But for his reckless nature, he needed the same illumination.

[Keyblade Warrior Terra]

Terra's jaw dropped as Tsumiko waltzed right into the dark hall without even a moment's hesitation.
"Wh-wait a second!"
Thankfully, she had come to no harm. The soft-hearted warrior felt his blood pressure lessen slightly as she came back to their line of sight without any signs of damage. He breathed a slight sigh of relief as he shook his head.
"That was reckless...you could've gotten hurt."

It didn't seem like there was any real way of lighting their path, until suddenly, Darius's hand caught on fire.
"Whoa!"

Startled by the unexpected fire, Terra stepped back in alarm, eyes wide with surprise. He'd never seen anybody conjure fire up like that before--at least, anybody that wasn't a Heartless. Was Fetch...one of them, like Jett?
They both appeared to be children, yet had enormous power, and could do weird things like...cast fire. Now, the Keyblade Warrior's suspicions were back on edge. If Darius was a Heartless, it meant that he and Tsumiko were in danger.

He didn't dismiss the Ends of the Earth this time around. If there were trouble brewing, either from the unseen rooms before them or the boy with the flames in his hand, he didn't want to be unprepared.
Fetch needed both hands, supposedly, and needed something to light, but there didn't seem to be much of anything around for them to do so. The orphan considered ripping off a sleeve of his jacket, but considered that it was the thickest article of clothing he had. It wouldn't do much good with protecting him, if it were mangled.

Begrudgingly, Terra displaced his white coat onto the floor, and pulled off the chocolate-colored tank top he had beneath it. It was, in comparison to the frock, lighter and more expendable, and it covered next to nothing save his chest. Nonchalantly, he placed the coat back on, and wrapped the other article of clothing around the edge of his weapon. It made a crude torch, but it was a source of light none-the-less. At least now Darius could have his hands free...although now, Terra wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or not.

"Here, light this," he offered, pointing the thing at him. "You'll be able to work with two hands open, I'm guessing."
Then, the other suddenly realized something he had forgotten momentarily. Darius had just finished holding his Keyblade. No Heartless would dare touch a weapon that could kill them in one blow -- even Jett had went out of his way to avoid being struck by it, and had told him the Keyblade was the only thing that could destroy them for good. Fetch couldn't be a Heartless...so then how in the worlds...was he manipulating fire like that?

"Darius," Terra said, keeping his tone as neutral as he could, "how are you doing that? I didn't know people like us could...do that sort of thing."

---

Yeah, I took of his shirt. dealwithit.jpg

[Tsumiko]

Tsumiko looked at the Keyblader apologetically as Darius walked by into the darkness, a sheepish grin on her face. Though when she seen Terra look at past her, taking a step back, she looked over her shoulder to see what it was that had him raising his guard. From beyond the door, a light was cast by a single flame. It caught her by surprise, but the sight didn't phase her like Terra. Blinking, the songstress walked in once again towards the fire and its caster.

Being that she practiced magic herself, it wasn't all that difficult to wrap her mind around. The only thing that got her was the fire part. Her expertise lay in wind, so fire was beyond her grasp. It made her wonder what was necessary to make it happen. And she would have asked it if wasn't for the sound of shifting fabric. Her ears grabbed her curiosity, but her eyes wished they hadn't for shame and embarrassment burned greater than the flame Darius held. At that moment, the songstress was grateful for the darkness surrounding them. Made hiding her blush all the easier. Just what was he thinking, stripping like that? What was the - "Here, light this."

Her questioning of his motives was soon answered as she looked over. He was...attempting to light his shirt on fire. With one question answered, it was replaced by another. Which was also answered. Terra asked the other how he was capable of making the flame. Perhaps it was a misunderstanding on her part, but... All this macho-ness and he didn't know about magic?

"Not everyone is capable of it," Tsumiko intervened before he actually set his shirt on fire. There was an amused grin on her face that was attempting to bite back. " but for those who are, magic isn't all that hard once you grasp an understanding of it." After motioning for Darius to bring the fire closer, she placed her hands on either side. The wisps at the top blew violently as the songstress began encasing the flame in what appeared to be an orb. Its composition was purely that of shifting air, only made visible by the light source it contained. She didn't realize it but Tsumiko's face was contorted in concentration, though was quickly replaced with content having succeeded.

Her hands placed gingerly under the orb as it hovered in her grasp, Tsumiko turned to face Terra to prove her point. And hopefully give him reason to put his shirt back on. Haven given the Keyblader the chance to inspect it if he wished, the songstress turned her attention to Darius and whatever lay further in the room. Though from what she could tell, there wasn't a whole lot to look at.

[Lenneth]

A white castle lit in mystery land lost to time, bright as snow that lay in the here before the border  of darkness and light, it hanging off the earth by a finger of hope. Its nature lay lost in the records of history, forgotten with little to pay it mind then an interested design or fans of architecture, some passed by these gates on occasion but not entering. Not that it was often that people walked upon these ruins lands either or even knew of their existence within this era anyways but still they remained, unchanged and untouched until today it seemed. The host of guests that appeared were numerous compared to the most of histories memories, that number would increased by one as a special guest invited himself to their little party, hopefully welcomed if they  all crossed paths in some way or more.  As the stillness was shattered by sound and the shadows deepened in blackest the darkness started to become spinning particles of dark matter that danced with each other in rhythmic motions, colliding in multi colors of light and tones, flowing as a school of fish to build into a perfect man of flawless beauty and charm. His attire of dark silk barley formed first before is flesh appeared quickly, covering his bulging lean muscles as his brown skin trickled with lightly nerve hisses as at met this realm. His golden hair blonde touching down past the back of his neck while the front lay on his color bone.  He had arrived a level just above the one that the other heroes of this tale.

The heartless king found himself in slight wonder at these stones , they remained quite well against the erosion of time, quite a remarkable feat even he did not expect.  Looking upon this place with his baby blues for the time Lenny witness such a wonder to behold as he gazed upon the reflectiveness of the white stone, his own imagine staring sensual back at him with a shine and sparkly no other could mimic. Each angle, shadow and curve of his unspoiled self-enchanting persona, it was such a wonder to behold and a achievement the charm lord had to appall cleaning staff.  It was just so white,  who would keep such a mysterious place so clean? maybe the worlds most fearfully germaphobe,  that answer will be  one of many he would attempted to find this day. He had wondered about this location a few days back, an interest piece of exploration  that one of his scouts while out hunting out this far between borders of the realms. There weren’t any signs of life from the reports so it was safe to visit this world personally.    

Touching down Lenny admired himself as he looked onto the floor a bit more, kneeling down seeing himself closer up, shiny, pretty and straight clean at the dustless smoothness, even in the darkness he could see this all within as though it was lite up by the light, born in the realm of eternal night there was no difference in terms of sight. Such a strange place who could have created these ruins and for what purpose?

Though now at a closer range and with the wonder of this strange castle fading something else caught Len’s senses in a abutted manner that stark caution over is quest of knowledge. The feeling of a key nearby that erodes any sense of ease he may have held in a simple outing of curiosity, distance and faint however. Bloody weapons where everywhere now a days anytime  he arrived in the realm outside his own, there was at least one in most worlds, keys were being found like weeds sprouting in their perfect garden of food, angrily realizing it even here  he could not escape threats to his life Lenny expelled a mighty force from his form to left of steam, shaking the foundations of his flow before claiming himself down. Finding the stillness of his rage there was also a strange issue that presented itself to him that didn’t help, he couldn’t pin point an exact location or tell how far the bane of his existence was even to him. Something about this castle distorted his natural abilities at least in this room. Such a new expercines to be left in the dark like this, maybe he would learn of why after this had been dealt with. Lenneth quickly conjured a few shadows to his sides, sending them off to search other floors of this castle that bared its path with doors, passing through the darkness when a door presented to block their path as Len waited for the reports on this level.  He would wait sitting down partially till he felt something else amiss that would be worth his time investigating personally.

Two shadows made it down into the level below, scaring around the area as their yellow eyes bobbed up and down in the empty darkness moving at a brisk pace with no hurry at their tiny feet. As they spotted a flicking light source in the distance, the only one yet they had encountered moving about unhindered, moving closer they were unsure on how to approach it but remained quite in view of the trio of somebodies likely due to the lacked any sense of stealth.  They would remain still once they light had illuminated their bodies in full view to simple witness just what else was there with them however if anything got to close they would strike first with their little claws ready for action. Which also formed the La Vaeas of such tidings and to watch through the eyes of his servants.

[Keyblade Warrior Terra]

As they continued to walk on, the Keyblade Warrior noticed Tsumiko trying to hold back a grin. It was almost too dim to see her face, but the smirk was there just out of his vision. He had to wonder why she was smiling like that.
Girls. He just didn't get them. They tended to avoid him back in Daybreak Town -- there, he was known as the orphan bully, a guy who beat people up just for the sake of proving his strength. He was different, and so naturally, people kept away from him. It wasn't true, of course...Terra had never fought anybody who didn't ask for it, or didn't deserve it. He'd never hurt anybody who wasn't prepared, or unarmed, or too weak to fend for themselves... Still, rumors were rumors, whether or not they were true. Needless to say, girls didn't hang out much with a homeless guy, no matter how good he looked or how kind he was.

Just as he was lost in his thoughts, Terra saw Tsumiko trap some of Darius's fire in a small sphere of wind. He felt his eyes grow wider as he gazed at the feat. So she could do...magic? That's what she'd called it, anyway. Noticing his mouth was open slightly at the sight, he regained his composure, staring at the flame with puzzled interest. If he had the Keyblade, and that was magic, would it be safe to assume he could do magic, too?
"How're you doing that though?" The other questioned, getting closer to her with interest. "I mean, where I come from, I don't think there's anybody who does magic. I've never seen it done before. Is there some kind of trick to it? Can you teach me?"

He knew he was bombarding her with questions, but he was legitimately curious. The young man wanted to become stronger, to become a proper Keyblade Master, and to protect the things that mattered the most to him through that strength. If his enemies, the Heartless, knew how to cast magic like Jett had, he should know how to cast it, too.
Terra had been keeping his field of vision broad though, and it was fortunate he had -- there in the distance, shown very dimly by the light in Darius's hand, were two Shadow Heartless. He half hoped that the creatures hadn't spotted them, but no; their beady yellow eyes were fixated on them. Suddenly, Jett's words rang back into the young man's thoughts...

"You're going to meet a lot more of my kind depending on the choices you make.. They don't all look as beautiful as I do but you'll know us when you see us. What are we? We're the manifestations of darkness that linger in every world, we'll always be able to track you down so long as you hold the keyblade but I'll cut it short for you there, I am a heartless and technically I'm meant to destroy you."

And those eyes...something about those eyes...their color...the Darkness...why did it all make him so terribly uncomfortable?
"You see how powerless you are to save them? Savor that rage and despair. Let it empower you!"

Terra shuddered involuntarily, shoving those thoughts to the side. There was trouble afoot, and he needed to be ready for a fight. He ripped his shirt off of his weapon -- it looked as though he wouldn't be using it for a torch anytime soon -- and pointed it at the incoming creatures.
"Looks like this place isn't as empty as we thought. Be on your guard!"

Had the Keyblade brought the Heartless here, like Jett had told them it would? If so...if they got hurt, it would be his fault. He shouldn't have left Daybreak Town, but if he'd stayed...they would have followed him here, too. He had to become stronger...if the Heartless would indeed follow him around, it meant any world he traveled to would be in peril. ...He would have to defend not only himself, but anybody he came across. Terra was both a savior, and a sign of terrible things to come.
But why? All he'd wanted to do was help people, like the stories had said Keyblade Warriors did. Did he have to bring such ruin to the worlds as well? Was there a point, in having this weapon, when all he would do is bring more Darkness wherever he went? Terra...wasn't sure. He had no answers for anything -- not his past, not the past that had supposedly been changed, not the Keyblade, not magic, and certainly not how to defeat the Heartless once and for all.

[Drake Pathos]

Darius thought about it deeply, where had his fire come from? Was it the burning rebellion festering inside his heart? It just waited and built up, his want and will to be the anti-hero his home needed and the anger from his mistakes collaborating with it. It was a growing brightness, and a wildfire at that. The sparks were bright and good, but once the flames of passion came...all it brought was destruction. Maybe Laiya was right, maybe he was too reckless and needed to be much more careful. It was pretty clear his decisions were going to burn a lot of people. However, he felt the destruction of the elixir was more necessary than the short-term safety of carefully destroying it. "I...don't know. I couldn't tell you anything but it just...comes to me. It just rises from my heart, this combination of all sides of emotion. Huh?" Darius turned to view yellow eyes coming into sight. Immediately his hand jerked outward, his blade exploding into harmless fire. Almost simultaneously, a wild burst of flame swirled from the boy's hand. In an instant, his blade was already in his hand. The vibrant colors stuck out and he shot the flame into Tsumiko's orb of wind.

"Well, it's time to do hero-y stuffs. What the hell are these things?" His instinct brought him to hostility, hopped to and from from his left foot to his right foot to gain a nimble stance. It was as if he was a floating like a butterfly. As the shadows came into the light, Darius pointed his blade at them. They were harmless yet frightening in appearance, a sort of vague detail that wouldn't really scare someone like him but the idea that they are monsters in appearance was still embedded in the structure. Darius didn't understand the turmoil going on inside Terra, but he had his own to deal with. The lack of understanding and the need to find out more, the cold reaction on his new-found companion's face, and the instant hostility that wasn't just his. Terra had reacted with no other emotion but alertness and the need to defend himself it seemed. Darius reacted similarly, however he wouldn't have the same kind of tension. The beings of pure darkness didn't sit well with him, and he felt a bit uneasy being around them. As they were clearly primal beasts, one came in for a lunge. Darius batted it away but did not harm it, merely keeping it at bay. "Uh, if you want more of that bright, fiery magic -- I suggest you give me the go-ahead." Maybe the castle wasn't just a bundle of white walls being repeated.

[Tsumiko]

The sudden barrage of questions caught Tsumiko off guard, though it should have been expected. Her eyes drifted to Darius as he gave a vague explanation of how he conjured magic. The more she thought about it, the less she really understood the basic fundamentals of the art. It was only by chance that Tsumiko discovered it, and by means of trial and error was she able to recreate the act. After discovering what made it happen, she made quick work upon expanding her skill. Her musings where cut short as her sphere was turned into a flame container. Sure, that's what she wanted to use it for, but the suddenness caught her by surprise. Almost lost her orb to it.

Turning to chastise Darius for being so careless, she stopped when the offensive stances of the two men were directed toward the darkness further down the hall - specifically a pair of yellow eyes that stared up at them. It didn't take long for the shadow to jump into action after being spotted though the shorter of the two males quickly dealt with it in a rather harmless way. The small creature of darkness skidded off to the side and into the darkness of the hall that the flame Tsumiko held didn't light. Quickly, and so she adjusted her position as to allow it to be found. Her eyes scanned the area, though she was at a loss at to what she could do. All her gear sat back in her room, being that the visit to the castle was highly unexpected. Fighting the Heartless directly wasn't really an option for her, if it really came to that. Though perhaps she could provide some support should it be needed. Hopefully it wouldn't, as there was only one, but that didn't mean that there couldn't be more around. From the little that the songstress understood about the dark beings from her few adventures, they were typically never alone.

"It's a heartless, Darius. But I would keep those sparks handy, just in case."

Feeding the flame in her possession more oxygen, Tsumiko held the sphere higher to serve as a better, brighter light source. Hopefully what the light revealed wasn't going to freak her out.

[Lenneth]

There little yellows eyes were a little difficult to adjust to still, it was like a bad filter that Lenny had to see those that the shadows had spotted in front of them but it was information never the less was what he needed. And what appeared to Lenny proved to be an interesting little development for him, aesthetically at least, the oldest of the trio appeared to be the one he had worried about the most, the cursed key weapon was within in confirming the target all heartless had to consider the most important. Not only for the fact it was the only item to truly make death a real thing for those of darkness but for the tempting ambrosia that lay hidden in that danger, key bears held one of the most desirable hearts linked to that special power binding all things as one. Its allure knew no limits for the more basic of heartless and for special ones like Lenneth was a prize indeed. And on a more personally opinion Terra wasn’t bad on the eyes either, nothing in leagues to Len of course but his face was handsome yes. That coat formed a nice shape as well that peeked that charm lord, he’d have to take closer look when the time came.

The other two were of note as well, a young lady of silver hair and thin demeanor and a teen boy of  a well decorated attire the dark prince had not seen before in any worlds, the designs were well crafted he’d have to exam him as well.  

One of the shadows wondered off into a close range for the little heros and found itself being pushed back by the blade’s dull end, annoyed though not harmed in a manner outside the push. Interesting to pounder why he didn’t strike down at some harm first as the little shadow but it spoke of their uncertainty at what they were dealing with. The girl held her position she remained the mystery. Crossing into the ground the little shadows would shift into 2D space along the surface of the crystal smooth ground, quickly making their way up towards zigzagging as they rushed towards and aiming to move underneath them before appearing behind their targets before trying to slash as their legs with their sharp fast move claws.

Lenny as he watched called to the other four little shadows that he had called to his side that were exploring the castle, sending them to convergent on the trio’s location as soon as they could. It would take them a few minutes to move down to that exact floor though.

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