“Just over this cliff now!”  Xelio yelled and pointed in front of them.  “Well, you’ve impressed me.  I didn’t think you’d be able to keep up so well!”

“Thank you.”  But for some reason, Kiro surprised himself also.  He had hardly done any specific training through extreme conditions such as this with Achilles.  As Kiro hiked up towards the end of the cliff, he looked around at the light flakes of snow falling from the sky.  Each one let off a tiny sparkle, and all together it was as if brilliant diamonds sprinkled from the sky.  He reached his hand out and one fell onto his palm.  He tapped it with his other hand and it melted into a tiny sparkling droplet.

“Hey!  Let’s go!  You’re the one who wanted to see this!”  Xelio yelled again.  Kiro ran towards Xelio, and stopped abruptly as soon as he caught up with him at the edge of the cliff.

Kiro stood before the most amazing sight of his life.  Large ancient monuments sat at the valley below the cliff; there were still large sturdy towers that stood, topped with the sparkling snow and ice.  They surrounded an amazing centerpiece; it was a large dome-shaped building.  Kiro could see the large pieces of frozen stained glass.  He was amazed to see that the ruins would still look so beautiful.  Of course, there were still many piles of rubble covered in ice, and many towers seemed to be missing.  There were large holes and parts of the walls were missing in the large building in the center along with the surrounding towers.  There was one thing that really piqued Kiro’s interest:  A large river flowed towards the whole ruins at one end, and a series of trenches guided the water around it and met again at another end, where the water streamed away.  This was the illustrious Blizzaga Sanctuary ruins.

“Awesome, isn’t it?”  Xelio waved his fishing pole around.  When Kiro asked him why he was bringing it, he responded with the fact that he had a better sense of security when he’s with his fishing rod.  Kiro didn’t question any further; Xelio was already strange enough.  “To be honest, I haven’t been here for so long, myself.”  Xelio started to jump and slide down the slippery ice building up along the side of the cliff.  “Follow me!”

“Wha?  Wait!”  It couldn’t be helped.  There didn’t seem to be any safer way, and he didn’t have time to figure out if there was.  Kiro kicked a large piece of ice and jumped off with it.  He held on to it as he rapidly slid down the cold slippery precipice.  Soon, the slab of ice he rode met the thick snow that also piled up near the ruins.  Kiro picked himself up out of the snow and walked towards Xelio, who stood by the flowing water around the ruins.  “How are we going to cross this?”  He looked at the drifting pieces of ice.  Those don’t seem very stable…

“Oh, ignore those.  We’ll be crossing with help from some friends.”  Xelio slapped the end of his fishing rod on the water’s surface.  Kiro watched the ripples spread outwards and down along the water.  He could see large darkened blobs along the water’s surface as they gathered towards where Xelio struck his fishing rod.  “C’mon!  We need some help getting across!”  Suddenly, many splashes of water protruded from the surface, and as the water settled, Kiro was surprised at what now floated in the water.

It was a bunch of walruses.  Their large blubbery bodies floated comically in the water and they stared at Xelio and Kiro.  Then, the largest ones all lined up and formed a bridge to the other side, where the entrance to the ruins was.  Xelio jumped on the belly of the first walrus and proceeded towards the other side.  Kiro followed.  “What are they doing here?  I thought this place was barren…”

“They’ve lived around here for a very long time, even before the creation of the sanctuary.  It was planned to be built right where this river flows.  So they made it to where the river went all the way around the temple.  Dug out a bunch of huge trenches somehow in all this ice and the water just filled it up.  There’s also a third branch leading right into the temple, but it’s surface could be all frozen by now for all I know.”

“They did that?”

“Nah, what are you?  Humans did that, of course!”

Eventually, they stood in front of a large set of doors.  The doors were locked between two large columns and guarded by two large stone walruses.  Kiro examined the doors. They were coated in ice, and it seemed as though they wouldn’t move an inch to Xelio and him through.  “Well, what now?  I don’t have anything to melt through all this ice…”

“Well, they must’ve got inside somehow…”  Xelio spotted a hole at the top of the door to the right.  “No obvious way in, unless you can climb up to that hole up there.”

“Wait… There!”  Kiro pointed at the large column that the doors were hinged on.  As everything in Blizzaga, they were covered in ice, but had many ridges.  “It’s like a ladder.”  He then pointed up at the opening at the top of the right-hand door.  “Do you think you can make it if you jump off the top of the column into the hole?”

“Of course!  Ain’t that old.”  Xelio then proceeded to climb the ladder-like column, but cursed as he soon fell back to the ground.

“Uh… I’ll climb up first, and I’ll send a rope down to pull you up when I get there.”  Now Kiro took a grip on the cold dry column and swiftly arrived at the top of the door.  He jumped through the hole and hung on to the other side.  He was about to take out the grapple hook, but looked down to see Xelio already standing inside the temple.  “Wha?  How did you-“

“Hurry up, kid!  Slowin’ me down!  You’re the one that wanted to be here, remember?”  Xelio then started to walk further into the temple.  Kiro jumped off the door and followed.

The inside of the center building in the Temple was intricately decorated.  Kiro could still see the frozen remains of large chandeliers and some of the stained-glass embedded into the high dome-shaped ceiling.  The walls were adorned with many paintings of… Walruses…  Kiro looked back at the stained-glass and noticed that they also depicted walruses.  He turned to look back at Xelio, and they were heading towards a hallway, with large statues of what seemed to be soldiers, accompanied by more walruses.  “Uh… Xelio, sir…”

“Eh?  What is it?”

“Why are there so many, um, of these walruses?”

“Oh!”  Xelio noticed Kiro’s puzzled look as he continued to look around at all the décor inside the temple.  “Long ago, they were guardians of this place.  The first creatures that lived around the Pure Element.  They decided to help the humans that built this temple, to defend Blizzaga.  They were fearsome creatures, and proved to be very valued allies and friends.  Alas, most, if not all, of these warrior walruses are gone.  Destroyed in the war with Xonek.”

“Ah…  Do you think any are still out there?”

“…  I believe there are…  Now, here we are!”  Xelio and Kiro stood in front of another set of doors, but one was open slightly enough for them to fit through.  The slipped through the doors, and were once again, outdoors, but not outside the ruins.  It was more like the courtyard.  As Xelio stepped towards the center of the large square, Kiro looked around to see yet even more statues and frozen fountains spread out all over.

Kiro started to walk in Xelio’s direction, but quickly had to catch his balance.  He looked down; the floor below him was all ice.  “Wait…  This is the water from the river!”  Kiro stepped carefully towards Xelio, and found that the frozen paths were wide and patterned throughout the courtyard.  They fashioned the river to flow in two directions to make yet another large circle around the center of the courtyard.  Kiro could only imagine how magnificent it all looked when the temple was still standing at its best.

“Done sightseeing?  Yea I know.  It’s a pretty sight.  But we’re supposed to be looking for someone aren’t we?”

“Xelio…  I really appreciate how much you’ve helped me, but I think I should take it from here now.  You should probably go back.  This place might still have Heartless in it.  You’d be putting yourself in danger-“

“Nonsense!  Just because I’m old, eh?!  A wise, experienced fellow like me can look after himself!  I have an idea.  Why don’t we split up?  You take one half of the ruins and I go the other.  It’d be better if the two of us are covering different areas.  There’s more of a chance that we’d find them.  Besides, we don’t want to keep those ladies waiting, do we?”

“Eh…”  Kiro just now noticed why Xelio was so eager to come with him to find Icel and Miss Rhenisca.  Kiro wasn’t comfortable with leaving Xelio alone, but he had a feeling he should trust him for now.  Splitting up did sound like a good idea anyway.  “Okay.  I’ll go this way.”

“See you later then.”  Xelio disappeared down another hallway that continued away from the courtyard.

Kiro started heading for the hallway on the opposite side of the courtyard, but something in the middle of the room caught his eye.  Another large statue that was bigger than all the others.  It was a huge armored walrus with massive tusks.  Standing on the back of the walrus, was a little man.  He had his arm up, but the hand piece was missing.  Something’s weird about this one…  An armored walrus with a tiny man on top…?  Kiro continued to examine the strange centerpiece, but was alarmed by an explosion that echoed across the ruins.  Kiro looked up towards the source of the sound, and saw smoke at the top of one of the large towers.  There…  He vanished down the nearest hallway towards the tower.

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

“Icel…  Don’t move…”  Rhen whispered and put a hand on Icel’s as the smoke cleared.  She could hear the shrieks and hisses of the Heartless around them.  Apparently some of the smaller bomb shaped ones had an accident.  Luckily for Rhen and Icel, the explosion was strong enough to knock out the Parasite Cage that was holding them.  “Stay very still.  Not even an eyelid.  When I let go, that’s when we strike…”  Rhen waited for the steps to grow louder, but she heard nothing.  She opened one eye and looked for any sign of the other Heartless, and found none.  She gripped Icel’s hand more firmly, “Get up.  They don’t seem to be here anymore.”

Icel opened her eyes and brought herself up.  “We’re still inside this thing though…”

“Yes, but these…”  She kicked one of the teeth-like structures that acted as bars of a prison cell.  It shifted slightly and moved back into place.  “They’re loose.  We can probably squeeze through.”  Rhen moved one of the parts around for a space big enough for her and Icel to jump through.  After they managed to get out of the Parasite Cage, they turned around to look back at it.  The color of the cage was very different than when they first saw a Parasite Cage.  They knew it was different than the first one they were thrown into, but that wasn’t the thing that bothered them.  It was the strange shade of bluish black that now covered it.

“Why is it-“  Icel gasped.  Many yellow dots started to appear on the cage.  A Parasite Cage only had four eyes, and these dots were far too many for a Parasite Cage.  At that moment, many Shadows sprang forth from the cage towards Rhen and Icel with their claws ready to slash.

“Get back!”  Rhen and Icel rolled back.  Rhen brought her palms together by her side, and the air around her hands started to freeze and sparkle.  She thrust her hands forward and a frosty orb shot out.  The orb let out a soft blue glow, and as it passed the first few Shadows in midair, it burst into a large spiked mass of ice.  Many of the shadows screeched and vanished after being impaled.  “Icel, cover my back!  I’ll take care of these one…”  Three very large and round Heartless pounded their bellies where the Parasite Cage once stood.  They started hopping towards Rhen, a seismic wave spread out from their feet every time they landed.

“Diamond Dust!”  Behind Rhen, Icel turned around just in time to summon her keyblade to block an incoming attack from a Neo Shadow.  It withdrew its claw, shrieking in agony from the touch of the blade.  “You won’t trick us so easily this time…”  Icel’s keyblade shined brilliantly.  It’s white razor edges resembled the blizzard element along with its snowflake shaped teeth and chain.  She pushed the Heartless back and regained her balance.  Suddenly, two more Neo Shadows appeared before her; all three surrounded her now.  She didn’t falter, but instead spun around palms outward.  Cold bitter air formed around her as she spun, and the three Heartless were immediately frozen.  Ice formed on their fronts, rendering them immobile.  Icel prepared her blade, and swiftly cut the three in half.  She looked back at her teacher, to see her doing just as well.

Rhen swiped her right hand in front of her, the air she touched with her fist froze and formed what looked like a long ribbon of thin ice.  The three Large Bodies were closing in on her now, but Rhen released her fist. As her hand sprang open, the sheet of ice broke off into many thin needles of ice and shot out.  The needles flew and cut at the Large Bodies with lethal speed; the three Heartless vanished in an instant.

Rhen walked over to a stone tablet with a hand-shaped depression in it.  “We’ll take the elevator down.  Hopefully it’s still working.  I’m really not in the mood to take every staircase to the bottom of this ridiculously high tower.”

“Should I send a message back to the Masters?  It’s been over a week.”

“Yes.  We need to confirm the assumption that the Heartless are acting again.  And it’s best to know that we have an idea of where the Zoul Drop is.”

Icel took a small purple-winged contraption out of her pocket.  It was a round-shaped gadget that appeared to have a fuzzy white exterior with a small speaker on it.  It also possessed an antenna with an even smaller red ball at the end.  She brought the device closer to her mouth, and pressed a button on its side.

“Recording Standby…. 3… 2… 1… Kupo!”

“This is Maricel Shin.  I apologize for not using the usual formal introduction to every report, but we needed to get a quick confirmation of our status back to you all.  Rhenisca sensei and I were captured by several Heartless, but managed to escape after a premature detonation of a large scale of Minute Bomb class of Heartless.  Yes, we are confirming the activity of Heartless in this area.  Also, a possible location of the Zoul Drop has been discovered.  We cannot give specifics for fear of interception, so that is all we can say for now.  I will have sent over another report shortly after the release of this one.  I apologize once again, we are hurrying towards the location of the Zoul Drop, and I haven’t much time left for now.  That is all.”  Icel pressed the button again, and let go of the small contraption, and its wings buzzed rapidly.

The device flew around the room for a few seconds, then stopped.  “Kupo!”  It shot out of the tower’s open window, and zoomed off into the distance.

Rhen placed her hand over the tablet, but before she placed her hand into the depression, its soft blue glow turned into a shade of purple, then to red.  “Something’s using the elevator to head up here…”

“The Heartless don’t need the-”

“I know.  Get ready!  Try and make something to hide, it’s going to take awhile for the elevator to get here.  It’s a tall tower, and it might not be going as fast as it did back when this temple was at its best.  I’ll be looking for another way to get out, in case there is.”  Rhen ran to the nearest window and looked down.  She couldn’t even see the courtyard.  The white snow reflected the light; it was enough to hide the bottom level in a bright blinding cloak.  Icel ran to a pile of rubble and crouched.  She gazed through an opening to look towards the elevator door.  Half the door was blown through, so it’d be easy to see anyone that’s coming before they even walk in.  She readied her keyblade by pointing it in front of her, through the hole, right at the doorway.

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

It still works…  As the large stone elevator moved up slowly, he could look out the window long enough to tell how high he was before the elevator passed it.  I shouldn’t stay on too long.  They’ll be expecting me, whatever’s up there…  The elevator came up to another open door to a different floor.

Kiro was about to jump through the door before the elevator passed it, but just then, black spots started to appear below him.  He rolled to his left and summoned the Assailant in his left hand, ready to pounce on the Heartless he knew were going to appear.   Whatever’s up there, they don’t want me getting to it.  I’ll stay for now.  It might be Rhen and Icel…  Two small Shadows crawled out of their holes and rushed towards Kiro.  He quickly disposed of them with the end of his keyblade and regained a defensive stance for the next few.

Now, the black spots littered the floor.  More Shadows appeared and filled the elevator, and surrounded Kiro.  Several of them tried to attack, but he quickly stopped them with the Assailant.  Too many…  The Shadows proceeded to strike in small groups of two or three, which weren’t a problem at all for Kiro.  Their numbers were just too large.  It was a never ending stream of these small clawed devils.  To make the situation worse, two more Heartless appeared in the air.  They were large and blue, winged, dragon-like Heartless.  Black Wyvern.  Wings spread wide; they circled above Kiro with their sharp black claws.  One dived towards him, and Kiro tried to dodge to the side, but he fell on top of several Shadows.  They grabbed onto him and each other to pull him into the darkness.  No… Not now…

“Get off!”  Kiro jumped into the air and somehow forced himself free from the Shadows that hung onto him.  They flew back, and several others around him were also thrown backwards.  How did I…?  Kiro looked at his hands, his palms and arms had strange black marks and spots.  Just like the darkness the Heartless poured out of.  What is this…?

“HAAAAAAAAYYYEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”

Kiro turned towards the direction of the strange cry.  It was coming from the window, as if someone was climbing the outside the tower.  No way…

An old bearded man came through the window onto the elevator.  He waved his fishing pole around and several Shadows were caught onto its mystical hook.  “Definitely not the best catch of the day!”  Xelio grinned and fingered his beard.  He reeled the Heartless towards him and held his hand out.  “Frost Bite!”  A burst of spike-shaped ice protruded from Xelio’s palm, and the Heartless that were reeled in met their cold end.  After they vanished, Xelio released the spikes, and they shot out in a wide range front of him, destroying a large number of Shadows.

“Xelio?!  I didn’t kno-”

“Whuzzat?  Sorry kid, I’m not hearin’ you very well.  Weeell it don’t matter, cuz I’m here to help drive these little bugs off!  And it looks like you could use my help.”

“Eh…”  Kiro nodded.  He turned towards one of the Black Wyverns.  They continued to circle, but in a more rapid and panicked motion.  Xelio’s entrance seemed to have greatly disturbed them.  The Black Wyvern that tried to attack Kiro earlier made another dive while it’s partner flew towards Xelio with claws wide open.

“These guys aren’t so bright!  Kiro, use that fancy sword of yours to ground him!  If we get these guys, the smaller bugs should run away.”

Kiro nodded again.  He jumped towards the Black Wyvern, and his keyblade met the Heartless’ wing.  The Heartless let out a deafening cry and crashed to the ground.  Kiro landed expertly back onto the elevator platform.  He looked over to Xelio just in time to see the Wyvern impaled during midflight by a large pillar of ice.  The Heartless vanished a moment after the ice cut through.  Like Xelio said, the Shadows around them retreated, and the black spots on the floor disappeared.  Kiro walked over to the limping Wyvern.  He pulled back the Assailant, to ready the final blow.  It shifted its neck towards Kiro and hissed.

Same…

Kiro stopped.  “What?”

“Finish it, kid.  Whatcha standin’ there for?”

Kiro shook his head.  “Nothing.”  He could hear a sick but familiar sound as he slammed the sharp teeth of the Assailant on the Wyvern’s head.  The Heartless vanished shortly after.  Kiro looked again at his hands, they were normal.  The same skin he’s had since he was born.  Was I…  Just imagining it?

“Nice to see you too, kid.”  Xelio sat on the floor with his fishing rod on his lap.

“Sorry.  It’s… Today’s been so weird.”

“Ah it’s okay.  It really is the first time you’ve went against the Heartless, isn’t it?”

“No…  I have before.  I think…”

“Still a little rough around the edges.  You’ll get used to it.  You aren’t such a newbie actually.

“Wait, so you’ve fought them before?”

Xelio stood up, and walked over to look out a window.  “You could say that.”

Kiro wanted to ask what he meant, but he realized he shouldn’t really be asking questions after someone just saved his life.  “Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me yet…”

Kiro walked over to another window that the elevator slowly passed.  “This is going to take awhile…”

Xelio walked over to the stone tablet that Kiro pressed to start the elevator.  Xelio’s hand gave off a strong bluish white glow, and he slammed it onto the tablet.  The elevator platform then proceeded to rise much faster than before.

Kiro turned around, startled by the sudden change in speed.  Xelio was gone.  Kiro walked over to the stone tablet.  Ice must be the key to this thing…

“I guess I should thank you now?”  Kiro laughed, and looked up.  He could see the floor he was aiming for.  The door’s busted through… This must be where the explosion happened…  Soon enough, the elevator reached the broken doorway.  He placed his hand on the stone tablet again, and the elevator stopped.

He walked over to the doorway, stepped in, and felt a thin cold line touch his forehead.