Kingdom Hearts: Echoplex II

EP4 - Season 2 (Divini Apostoli)

Blizzard managed to regain some of his composure, though he still kept a hand covering his nose to ward off the unpleasant smell. He turned to Dante, a puzzled expression on his face, and asked, his voice muffled by his hand.

Blizzard: How can you not feel this disgusting smell?

Dante: Guess my nose isn't as sensitive as yours. Must be one of those perks of being a demon hunter, you know? I've dealt with all sorts of stinky things in my line of work.

Asukazen: It might be because we are Key... (he paused, catching his breath before completing the sentence.) The Keyblade has a connection to one's heart, so it's possible that it grants a heightened sense of smell or some other extra perception to detect both light and darkness.

Skuld nodded in agreement, her eyes widening with intrigue as she considered the theory.

Skuld: That could be it. Keyblade Wielders are meant to fight against the darkness, so it would make sense if we had some special abilities to sense it, to feel its presence even when it's hidden from sight.

Blizzard, still feeling a bit uneasy, added, his voice tinged with a hint of fear.

Blizzard: It's like our senses are reacting to the darkness around us, trying to warn us or protect us from the horrors that lurk within these walls.

Dante: In that case, I guess I should be glad I don't have that extra sense. It sounds like it's no fun at all.

Asukazen's voice taking on a careful tone, continued, his eyes distant as if recalling a painful memory.

Asukazen: That basic smell, the kind you encounter in most... worlds infested with Heartless, it has a musty and rotten smell, like decaying matter, but it's... barely noticeable. It's the kind of stench that you can almost ignore, if you try hard enough.

Blizzard nodded in agreement, his face twisting in disgust at the memory.

Blizzard: Yeah, that's the kind we're used to dealing with. It's not pleasant, but we can handle it, we can push through it and keep fighting.

Asukazen: The second type is a more intense version, it's stronger and more oppressive, like a suffocating aura that weighs on your senses. It makes you feel on edge, like there's something watching you from the shadows, waiting to strike.

Dante: So, you kids are saying it's a darker darkness? Got it.

Asukazen: The third type... (Asukazen's voice took on a colder tone, his eyes growing distant) is the worst. It's suffocating, like a combination of burnt flesh and decaying bodies. It fills the air and clings to everything around. That's the one that disgusts me the most. Not just because of the smell, but because it's so overwhelming that it can consume anyone, regardless of their strength or willpower. It's like feeling a hand on your shoulder from behind, and before you can even turn around to face the abyss, it's already too late. Your existence is snuffed out in an instant, and there's nothing you can do to stop it.

Skuld shivered, feeling the gravity of Asukazen's words, her voice filled with a mixture of fear and revulsion.

Skuld: That sounds terrible. I can feel it too, but I never imagined the darkness could have different smells, different levels of intensity. It's like a physical manifestation of the evil that lurks within this place.

Dante: Well, you guys are painting a pretty grim picture here. But I suppose that's what we're up against in this Tower, huh? A darkness so thick you can smell it, so powerful it can consume you whole.