The night air was still, heavy with the weight of mourning, and yet somewhere beneath the silence, tension rippled like a current beneath the surface of still water.
Aqua stood on a rise just outside the edge of the camp, her back to the forest. Her gloved hand reached outward, and in a shimmer of blue light, the Master's Defender appeared in her grip.
The weight of it was familiar—too familiar. It reminded her of the time she spent in the Realm of Darkness and that she still needed to find a way to rescue her friends Terra and Ventus. To do that she needed the information Helios had but getting it out of him would prove to be difficult. It was one of the main reasons she refused to trust him and worked with him begrudgingly.
Skuld who stood nearby, arms crossed, stared curiously at the keyblade. "You don't use that one anymore," she remarked softly.
"No," Aqua admitted, her voice distant. "I've relied on Stormfall for a while now that I would feel uncomfortable to use this one."
She turned, letting the moonlight catch on the Defender's polished guard. "But this blade… it carries more than just power. It's a legacy of my deceased Master and the happiest times I spent with him and my two best friends."
Skuld tilted her head. "I've seen that keyblade before. I think… I think it used to belong to someone I knew."
Aqua looked at her with interest. "Really? Right, you told me you're actually from the past right? It's so hard to believe at times that you are from the past and Helios from the future. It's an unusual time from past and future to collide in the present."
Skuld nodded. "Yeah, it is. My memories are still fuzzy, like someone ripped out pages from a book… but there was a boy. Smart, always thinking, always planning. His name was Brain."
Aqua's breath caught at the name. "Brain…"
Skuld took a step closer. "He was one of the Dandelion Leaders meant to pass hope and light down to the future. Back when everything fell apart… before the darkness swallowed our world. I'm glad we succeeded and that light still exists."
Aqua gazed down at the keyblade in her hands, slowly understanding. "Then this blade… passed from him, down through time. Eventually, it reached my master, Eraqus, and then to me."
"Yes and that means," Skuld said, wonder in her voice, "we've been connected longer than either of us realized. Especially considering Ven…"
Before Aqua could hear the rest, a sharp shout rang through the camp.
The two turned to see a group of warriors entering from the forest. At their head was Chief Powhatan, flanked by two guards—each one dragging John Smith, bound at the wrists and bleeding from the lip. Pocahontas walked beside them, tear-streaked and frantically trying to talk to her father who refused to heed her.
A commotion erupted instantly as villagers gathered around, confused and alarmed. Why was John Smith the man who fought alongside them and was a friend to the tribe now bound? Such questions were asked in hushed tones as those who gather tried to figure out what was going on.
Aqua and Skuld rushed down to meet them, intercepting Pocahontas.
"What's going on?!" Aqua demanded.
Pocahontas, her voice shaky, said, "Kocoum is dead. He attacked John. And a young man that John knows… Thomas shot Kocoum to protect John. Now my father thinks it's murder and he blames John. He wants John executed at dawn… and he's preparing to go to war with the rest of the settlers."
Skuld looked horrified. "What?! How did this even happen?!"
"Start from the beginning," Aqua said, her tone calm but firm. "Tell us everything."
Pocahontas took a shaky breath and told them—about the meeting with Grandmother Willow, the kiss with John, Kocoum's ambush, Thomas' intervention. Everything. And when the story ended, the silence between the three women was deafening.
"They've all lost themselves," Aqua said finally. "Grief has turned to rage. The chief is acting on pain, not wisdom. This will be difficult to solve with words."
"So what do we do?" Pocahontas asked, voice breaking. "If they execute John… everything I've fought for the possibility of peace amongst our people will fall apart."
Skuld's voice was quiet. "If we save John, who protects the tribe when the settlers retaliate or the heartless attack?"
Pocahontas wiped her eyes. "I will so please go save him now."
"No, wait," Aqua said gently but firmly. "You're strong, Pocahontas. But you're not ready to fight alone against such odds. Let's take a moment to compose ourselves."
She looked between them. "This is what I suggest: we rescue John before dawn, get him away from the village. Then… we strike at the heart of the problem—Ratcliffe. Without him, the settlers might not attack especially if they see John unharmed. I could maybe also use my magic to create a wall of ice to prevent the tribe from attacking for a while. With time, maybe they'll even listen to Pocahontas. But first, we have to stop John's execution which will start a war."
Skuld nodded, her resolve firming. "We'll need a plan on how to save John."
"I'll handle the guards," Aqua said. "Skuld, get the villagers distracted. Pocahontas—"
"I'll lead you to John and help you sneak in," she interrupted, fire rekindling in her voice. "Please we don't have much time."
Aqua placed a hand on Pocahontas' shoulder. "Don't worry, I will save him and end this. Before more hearts are lost."