Kingdom Hearts: Echoplex II

EP6 - Season 2 (Struggles of a Shell)

The group found a relatively quiet corner in the entrance room of the tower, away from the commotion happening at the top. As they sat down to catch their breath, Skuld couldn't help but reflect on the situation they had just witnessed.

Skuld: I can't believe Dante and Vergil are brothers. To fight each other like that, it's so heartbreaking. How could they let their differences drive them to such extremes?

Asukazen remained silent for a moment, his eyes distant as if lost in thought. When he finally spoke, his words carried a heavy weight. Family can be complicated, Skuld. Sometimes, the bonds of blood are not enough to bridge the gaps created by conflicting ideologies and past wounds. It's a harsh reality that many face.

Skuld turned to Asukazen, curiosity mingling with concern in her eyes.

Skuld: What about you, Asukazen? Do you have any family back in your world?

Asukazen's jaw clenched, and he averted his gaze.

Asukazen: How could i know, it's too blurry in my head, beside... dwelling on the past serves no purpose. Our focus should be on the present and the task at hand - finding the Keyhole.

Skuld sighed, accepting their decision to move on from the topic.

Skuld: You're right. I apologize for prying. Let's keep moving forward.

The group ventured deeper into the tower, their footsteps reverbating against the ancient stone walls. The air grew heavy with an oppressive atmosphere as they navigated through the labyrinthine corridors. The architecture seemed to shift and morph before their eyes, with grotesque gargoyles leering down at them from every corner. The flickering torchlight cast eerie shadows that danced across the crumbling walls, creating an illusion of movement in the stillness.

The corridors began to widen, revealing grand halls adorned with faded tapestries and shattered stained-glass windows. The intricate designs depicted scenes of ancient battles and otherworldly creatures, their colors long since dulled by the passage of time. Strange symbols and runes were carved into the walls, their meanings lost to the ages.

Skuld: This place is giving me the creeps. It's like the walls are watching us, judging our every move.

Blizzard: Yeah, it's definitely not the most welcoming place.

Pressing onward, the corridor began to widen, and they found themselves emerging into a vast, open area that appeared to be some sort of garden. The space was surrounded by towering gothic arches and crumbling stone balustrades, and the ground was littered with the remnants of ancient statues and fountains, long since fallen into disrepair.

Asukazen frowned as his eyes scanned the area with a critical gaze.

Asukazen: This garden... it's not natural.

Without warning, the ground beneath their feet heaved and buckled, and a deafening crash filled the air. The group barely had time to react as a massive, demonic whale came plummeting from the sky, its lifeless body slamming into the ground mere feet from where they stood. The impact was devastating, sending shockwaves rippling through the tower and causing huge chunks of masonry to break free from the walls and rain down around them.

Skuld screamed, throwing herself to the ground and covering her head with her hands as debris rained down around her. Blizzard and Asukazen dove for cover, narrowly avoiding being crushed by the falling rubble.

As the dust began to settle, the group slowly picked themselves up, coughing and sputtering as they tried to catch their breath. The garden was now a scene of utter devastation, with huge craters gouged into the earth and piles of broken stone and twisted metal scattered everywhere. The demon lay in the center of the destruction.