And now, Chapter 3 of Operation Ragnarok and Kajex/ Kaja's final match in the Grand Clash. Brace yourselves folks... now we're getting to the real bits of this arc.

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The second round of the semifinals match was getting fierce. Kiryu was blocking blow after blow from Kaja as she swung her Keyblade as if it was second nature, making sure to hit the weakest bits of his guard. The crowd was going wild… but Leah and the others couldn’t help but to look at the traumatized Kajex on the sidelines. He couldn’t get over what he did.

“I almost killed her…” he mumbled to himself, his eyes shaking with fear as he stared down at the floor. Kaja couldn’t help but to glance at him.

“Kajex…” she mumbled to herself in between Kiryu’s attacks.

“Focus on the battle in front of you!” Kiryu exclaimed as he punched Kaja right in the face, her feet skidding across the dirt at breakneck pace.

“S-Sorry about that!” Kaja replied as she shook off the blow, readying her stance. She dashed right towards him, her hair flowing behind her like a cape as she prepared for an upward slash. Kiryu couldn’t block in time, the blade slicing through his gi and leaving a gash in his stomach. He was more impressed than anything.

“Seems you have more innate talent than you give yourself credit for,” he remarked proudly as he glanced down at the gash.

“You should know I’m not the biggest fan of flattery,” Kaja shrugged as she readied an all or nothing fighting stance. Thorya was the only one really paying any attention to the fight.

“Kaja…” Thorya thought with a somber look on their face, “... win and help Kajex.” Kiryu was shaking off the blow now, ready to keep going for just a moment longer.

“My apologies then,” Kiryu replied sincerely, leaping into the air to unleash another devastating attack… or so it seemed. Kaja would look up at Kiryu, getting ready for a devastating punch, but he’d merely give her a simple nod. He was telling her now was the time to finish it.

“I hear you loud and clear,” Kaja mumbled as she took a deep breath as the punch came barreling down towards her. She’d dive forward, sending her Keyblade away as she used her arms to vault into the air and kicked Kiryu right in the gut where the gash was. He was sent flying into the air, but Kaja wasn’t done.

“Real potential you have there,” Kiryu thought as his blood soaked his gi. Kaja landed back on the ground as the crowd roared, summoning her Keyblade back as she leaped into the air proper… not noticing how she subconsciously used a bit of her powers to grow her body just a smidge for extra strength as Kiryu began to fall. She’d end up just above him as she readied a final swing.

“I’ll save him,” Kaja said in a brief moment where time felt like it had stopped.

“I’m certain you will,” Kiryu replied as he closed his eyes, guard completely dropped. Kaja swung her Keyblade at full force, directly into Kiryu’s spine, sending him crashing back down into the arena like a meteorite, dust plumes filling the arena and washing over the crowd as their cheers grew louder and louder. Kiryu was out of commission.

“I’ll cheer for you and your brother on the sidelines,” Kiryu softly chuckled, hardly able to move as Kaja landed back on the ground, fumbling in place as her body subconsciously went back to normal size.

“Thanks Kiryu,” Kaja panted as she looked up at the sky, “I’ll save him for you.” The round had finally finished.

“And our winner is… Kaja Alura of Orrei!” Atrimel exclaimed at the top of his lungs, “Looks like the Orreian representatives take the finals after all!” The cheers wouldn’t stop, excitement continued to grow in the crowd and even Leah and the others were clapping for Kaja despite the pain of what they witnessed from Kajex. Kajex himself however… was more fearful than ever.

“Not her anyone but her,” he thought over and over again, his whole body shaking in fear. Atrimel however, was growing more and more curious.

“Seems her own mental limitations are more lax than her brother’s,” he thought with a toothy grin, “She can’t control her powers as well as he can.” Naomi was looking down at Kajex, quickly noticing how much more on edge he was.

“I-Is… Kajex gonna be okay?” Naomi asked, sweat rushing down her cheeks.

“Are either of them gonna be okay is more like the question,” Leah remarked as she’d focus on Kaja. She herself was also sweating bullets over what she needed to do.

“Hopefully I can keep him under control,” she thought as Atrimel began to stand up.

“Now, may our other finalist come to the arena?” Atrimel said in a cocky tone, as if he knew something was going to go down soon. Kajex would jump in place. He knew he couldn’t run or else he’d be locked up for the rest of his life, yet he didn’t want to hurt his sister, let alone nearly take her life. In the end, he walked to the arena.

“Just let her finish it fast,” he thought as he summoned his Keyblade, “Before I… snap.” The twins would stare down each other, both ungodly nervous and fear rushing through every vein of their bodies while most of the crowd continued to cheer.

“Hopefully they let this end fast,” Lilith remarked as she looked down at the twins.

“If it ends quickly then I can finally begin,” Atrimel thought as he overheard Lilith’s remark. The crowd was watching in anticipation, Kajex and Kaja readying shaky stances towards one another as they tried to calm their nerves.

“Kaja…” Kajex began in a somber tone.

“... yeah?” Kaja replied, her heart beginning to palpitate.

“... don’t hold it against me if I snap,” he began, tears welling up in his eyes, “... please?”

“I wasn’t gonna in the first place,” Kaja replied as her own eyes began to swell up with tears. The time to talk was over now. It was time for the finals match to begin.

“Now for our Grand Clash final match,” Atrimel began, trying to hide how giddy he was in his voice, “Between Orrei’s own Kajex and Kaja Alura!” The crowd was trying to hold their excitement back, eagerly awaiting for the fight to start.

“Don’t be afraid,” they both muttered under their breath in sync with each other.

“The match begins in 3…” Atrimel exclaimed, his heart beginning to race in his chest, “2…” his eyes began to visibly shake with anticipation, “... 1! Begin!” The two dashed right at each other, their Keyblades pressing against each other as sparks began to fly with the friction. Their hearts were pumping their bodies full of adrenaline.

“Just make it quick you two,” Leah thought as tears welled up in her eyes with a potentially grim future, “I don’t want to lose either of you.” The two would repel each other away, sending them flying backwards in the air, their soles skidding across the dirt until they finally came to a stop. They’d be panting heavily as they readied their stances again.

“At least we’ll get some good sparring practice against each other,” Kaja scoffed as a light joke.

“C-Could be handy,” Kajex meekly replied, looking down to his side. Kaja wasn’t gonna let him mope around despite the amount of danger she had put herself in. She charged right at Kajex where he blocked in just the nick of time. The crowd was eagerly awaiting for things to heat up between the twins. Kajex was gritting his teeth before he decided to counter.

“But not with just our Keyblades!” Kajex exclaimed before repelling Kaja and hitting her with a Meteor Mash in the stomach, sending her flying back a bit.

“Gah!” Kaja coughed as blood began to drizzle out of her mouth, “No fair!”

“It’s called we’re in a fight,” Kajex said with a light smirk, getting his confidence back bit by bit. He’d lunge back towards Kaja using Extreme Speed, but this time she was ready. She dove right under Kajex and sliced his leg using Night Slash, sending him fumbling and flying into the edge of the arena. He’d try and shake it off as the crowd roared.

“Get ‘em Kajex!” Rhys cheered, hoping that Kajex wasn’t gonna fall back into the twisted mindset.

“Go on Kaja!” Dimitri roared, pumping his fist into the air with excitement. Little did everyone know however, was that they were subconsciously stressing out Kajex more and more, having him try and live up to the expectations placed on him. The voice was already beginning to whisper in the back of his head.

“Shut up,” he mumbled to himself as he shakily got back on his feet, blood soaking the ground beneath him as he began to get more serious.

“Come on!” Kaja smirked as she and Kajex clashed Keyblades again, sparks flying with every swing that made contact with each other, “You can do better than that!”

“Just give me a second!” Kajex gritted in response as he dodged backwards before lunging back at her with Extreme Speed. Kaja would try and block, but she only skidded against the floor again, back slamming into the wall. She’d grit her teeth as she tried to ignore the pain.

“That one really smarts!” Kaja gritted before she lunged back at Kajex without even a moment of reprieve.

“Wh-What the-?!” Kajex stammered as his sliced leg made him collapse onto his knee, the attack landing right on Kajex’s face. Kajex was sent flying back a bit, blood gushing down his cheek as Kajex’s mind began to rush through thought after thought. The voice was come back again.

“More where that came from!” Kaja exclaimed as she got in the groove, lunging for Kajex with a Brick Break at the ready for him. Kajex would dodge to the side at the last second, Kaja breaking a hole in the wall where Kajex once stood. Kajex’s heart was palpitating in his chest, his eyes beginning to shake as he got back on his feet, holding his Keyblade forward. He was starting to lose control.

“Let them know what kind of monster they made,” the voice muttered to Kajex over and over again.

“Shut up already,” Kajex mumbled in response, “This is my sister.” Kaja would glance towards Kajex as she readied her Keyblade, quickly noticing the distressed look on Kajex’s face. She was instantly becoming nervous over her brother’s safety.

“A-Are you okay?” Kaja asked cautiously as she slowly began to back away. The crowd was growing displeased as their friends and family grew far more worried as Kajex clenched his head with his free hand.

“You didn’t even want to be here in the first place,” the voice continued to try to take hold, “Let them know why you should’ve never come.”

“I said shut up!” Kajex growled more fiercely as he threw his Keyblade to the side, himself grasping at either side of his head. At this point those who saw what happened to Kajex knew what was happening as the lucario would roar in pain, grasping at either side of his skull. Even the crowd was growing worried over this self harmful display Kajex was displaying. Atrimel however… relished in this.

“He’s not strong enough to fight his true feelings,” the king thought as tears began to streak down Kajex’s face, “She’ll survive easily.”

“Nobody ever cared except for mom,” the voice muttered a final time, causing Kajex to fully snap. He’d let out one final howl of pain before his eyes reverted to the dull, hollow look. Kajex was back in the black void and his body was hellbent on murder once again. Kaja was more afraid than she’d ever been in her life.

“K-Kajex…?” Kaja muttered as her whole body began to tense up and shake in fear. Kajex didn’t respond. He lunged towards her with his Keyblade summoned back to his palm. Kaja had to react to even the slightest movement her brother made or else she’d meet the same fate as Zaria… or even worse.

“K-Kajex wake up!” the zoroark would exclaim as sweat poured down her cheeks, “This isn’t you!” Kajex wouldn’t respond. He’d merely dodge backwards and prepare to strike her at full force. Meanwhile Kajex himself would look around the void, trying to find the source of the voice.

“What’s wrong with you?!” Kajex would cry out, tears streaking down his own cheeks, “That’s my sister you’re trying to kill!”

“It doesn’t matter!” the childish voice would cry back, “If they wanna hurt me then they need to disappear!”

Kaja would have to use Agility to dash up the walls of the arena to try and avoid Kajex’s attacks. The crowd was cheering now that Kajex was back in the game, but the group was merely hoping Kaja could snap Kajex out of it before it was too late.

“Think she can bring him back?” Yuki asked in a concerned tone as Naomi and Leah would try to call out to Kajex to break him free again.

“We can always hope so,” Ace sweated as his own heart began to race with anxiety. Atrimel was unable to stop cackling over the display, his excitement too much to contain anymore and it’d only make the trio of VIPS feel… uneasy being around him.

“This bastard’s got a sick sense of humor,” Cherry scoffed as she glanced upwards at him in disgust.

“That’s something we can agree on for once,” Lilith remarked before glancing back at Cherry in concern.

“You’d better not be trying to get on my good side ya cheater,” Cherry scoffed further, completely looking away from the group.

“I think it’s more than that,” Thorya thought as they tried to scoot away from their father bit by bit. Kaja was trying to block every hit Kajex would throw at her, but every once in a while a punch of slash would slip past her defenses. Bits of her blood would ooze out of lashes in her body as Kajex’s hollow stare would pierce right through to her soul. She needed to break him out of it before he’d break something.

“Come on bro you gotta snap outta this!” Kaja would cry out, trying to get through to him again as she blocked another blow. Kajex was on pure offense. He’d alternate between attacking with his Keyblade to his bare fists at lightning speeds. Kaja wasn’t able to fully adapt to whenever he’d change his methods of offense, causing her to get beaten senseless whenever she’d slip up.

“Kajex wake up already!” Thorya cried out, the fear being washed over them by their father’s cackling growing more and more relentless.

“Oh he won’t be stopped if I have any say,” Atrimel thought as their cackling only grew more and more maniacal. Kaja made some distance between the two using Agility, but Kajex would only dash towards her with Extreme Speed. Kaja however now, had a gamble to make to break him out of his mindset. It was dangerous and potentially lethal to her.

“I just gotta take this,” Kaja thought as she left herself wide open for a devastating blow as she sent away her keyblade. Kajex would continue to scream in the void, trying to get the voice to leave him be to no avail. He was desperate.

“Kaja knows what I went through better than even mom!” Kajex would cry out a final time.

“She isn’t me,” the voice would counter in a harsh, cold tone, “I’m not gonna stay quiet no matter who it is!” Kaja would have Kajex’s keyblade pierce her abdomen, but she’d catch it with her bare hands before it went too deep Kajex was trying to finish her, but he was right where she wanted. Leah would gasp in horror as Kaja struggled to keep the blade from going any deeper.

“DEAR ARCEUS KAJA!!!” Leah shrieked at the top of her lungs as blood began to gush down Kaja’s leg from the wound, Kajex now beginning to try and twist the blade.

“The only way to save you is to disarm you,” Kaja gritted as a confident smirk began to form across her face. Kajex couldn’t react in time for what was to follow. Kaja would use her powers to grow a fair bit larger, the blade still in her stomach before her increased strength ripped it out of his hands and she headbutted him right into the skull, staggering him as blood began to trickle down his face. Kaja would instantly return to normal size much to the crowd’s shock at the display of her powers.

“Sh-She used her powers?!” Naomi gasped in awe as Kaja grabbed Kajex’s Keyblade and summoning back her own, now dual wielding.

“It was the only way to get an advantage,” Kaja smirked, Kajex unable to summon back his blade. He lunged at her as the stab wound began to burn off of her body in a dynamax red flame. The crowd was in shock as now with two blades, Kaja began to deliver her own counter attack. One blade guarded while the other would attack Kajex’s unguarded sides. He could feel every bit from the blows, even from inside the void.

“G-Gah!” Kajex gritted, feeling every shock his body endured, “I-Is she-”

“DISAPPEAR ALREADY!!!” the voice exclaimed as Kajex’s body kicked into overdrive. He’d end up using a mix of Extreme Speed and Close Combat to unleash a barrage of relentless blows on Kaja, but she was ready. She just needed to wait for a tiny gap to pull Kajex outta there, and win.

“Now wake up Kajex!” Kaja explained as she yelled at the top of her lungs, repelling him away as she threw away both blades, “This isn’t you!” She went for it in the brief moment he was staggered. She used Shadow Claw right into Kajex’s chest in just the same way she did to the garchomp in the first round. The words finally struck the nerve they needed to as the color in the lucario’s eyes flooded back. He fell to the ground, gasping for air as Kaja claimed victory in the match.

“Thank you…” Kajex wheezed, the sound of the voice’s cries ringing in his ears still.

“Took a lot more than you think to save you,” Kaja half chuckled as she grabbed his Keyblade and held out the handle for him to grab. The crowd cheered for Kaja’s victory, but Atrimel wasn’t announcing it even as Kajex took his blade and pulled himself to his knees at least.

“Excellent, excellent EXCELLENT!!!” Atrimel cackled at the top of his lungs as he stood up in his chair, “This is what I wanted!” The crowd grew silent almost instantly, looking up towards Atrimel in fear as those around him began to slowly back away from the guy.

“Huh?” Kajex panted as he tried to catch his breath.

“I have waited over 20 YEARS!!!” the king would continue with his cackle turning more twisted and sinister, “Years of merely biding my time, preparing every little THING for this very moment!”

“H-Huh?” Kajex stammered, his body now beginning to shake with fear.

“But now the time has finally come for my Ragnarok!” Atrimel exclaimed at the top of his lungs. At that very instant a beam of white light shot up from the depths of Orrei Palace, a dark gray, almost translucent veil began to cover the sky after the beam shot up miles upon miles into the sky. The people began to run and scramble away in fear of the sudden change in scenery, but the guards would block the exits and apprehend anyone in their path.

“H-Hey let me go!” Sora gritted as a guard grabbed her by the arm, unable to shake them off.

“What’s going on?!” Cherry panicked as she looked up at Atrimel, “What’re you doing ya bastard?!”

“Yeah what’s going on here?!” Kaja yelled at Atrimel, a look of rage beginning to form in her eyes. Atrimel looked towards the heavens in disgust, the veil forming in the sky above the arena now as it continued to expand over the city.

“The reason I set up this Grand Clash…” Atrimel began as he composed himself a little, “Was so that I could wear down the two greatest weapons ever created until I could subjugate them under MY control! For my war to bring this world to it’s knees under someone willing to RULE!” Thorya was trying their hardest to get away, but two guards standing by grabbed them by their arms while the others nearby would try to go for Cherry and Lilith.

“H-Hey let me go!” Thorya gritted as they tried to break free, “Gua-” they looked up at the soulless, puppet-like eyes the guards had. They had no free will left in them anymore and they were wearing collars identical to the Grand Clash participants. Lilith and Cherry were backed into a corner, fearing of the chances they’ll end up just like the soulless guards around them.

“Cherry!” Lilith said as she glanced towards the meowstic, “Grab onto me and we’ll get outta here!”

“H-Hey don’t tell me what to do!” Cherry angrily replied as Atrimel began to reach into their cloak, sweat pouring down the meowstic’s face.

“Would you rather end up like them?” Lilith asked sternly as the guards inched closer and closer.

“Grrrrh,” Cherry gritted as she grabbed Lilith’s arm, “Just do it already!” Lilith warped the two of them away in the blink of an eye, only the purple smoke remaining as Atrimel pulled out a little controller from his cloak. He just shrugged over the two that managed to leave, thinking they wouldn’t matter much in the grand scheme of his plans.

“And now, for my two most precious pawns to FINALLY return to me!” Atrimel cackled as he pushed the button.

“Get down here you basta-” the twins yelled before electricity began to stab the two in the back of their necks. The collars were rigged with something that was trying to drill their way into their bodies. The twins and even the other fighters in the infirmary were screaming in pain as they dropped to their knees, trying to yank off the collars before they could complete whatever they were doing to them.

“Get this stupid collar off of me!” Kaja would begin to cry as she tried to pull it off, but any tear made would instantly heal. The twins and even the unseen combatants would try to tear them all off with all their might to no avail. They could feel the shocks rushing through their spines and soon their skeletons as they all remained glued to the ground.

“With regeneration magic weaved into the fabric of those collars…” Atrimel cackled in glee as Thorya continued to try and break free, “... and the highest quality nanochips to take over your nervous systems you can’t EVER break free from my control once your nervous systems are overpowered! You aren’t individuals and never have been from the day you were born you two! You were born for MY conquest! To overthrow arceus himself!”

Most of the group that cheered for the twins were already apprehended by the army of soldiers guarding the arena. Leah and Naomi were the only two left to get captured, now cornered by several guards in the stands. Luckily however they had a saving grace as soon as Lilith reappeared right between them.

“H-Huh?!” the two stammered in unison, still filled with panic and adrenaline.

“I’m getting you two out of here at least,” Lilith muttered before grabbing the two and teleporting away again. The twins were both trying their best to pull off the collars, but only able to use one hand each for them. Their vision was growing blurrier and blurrier and their cries were turning into growls. They were almost finished.

“FIght you two!” Thorya cried out as the two began to writhe on the ground in agony.

“I-I’m not going down!” Kaja tried and whimpered as her muscles steadily began to disagree with her, “I-I’m not your lapdog!”

“N-No…” Kajex muttered as his eyes began to visibly quiver in fear. It wasn’t much longer until Kaja couldn’t keep going. She went limp on the ground while Kajex watched as he continued to clamor for the strength to get it off.

“K-Kaja…” Kajex whimpered as his tears swelled in his eyes. The pain however, began to send memories rushing through his mind. All the torture experiments, the physical and verbal abuse Atrimel’s lackeies kept dishing out to him as he was forced to take it. Atrimel’s cackles were sending shocks through Kajex’s brain as he felt something different snap inside of him. He felt like he could do it.

“I-I can’t…” Kajex thought as the memories began to feel like his life was flashing before his eyes.

“Just submit,” Atrimel scoffed with a toothy grin, “It’s all you’ve been any good for.” The memories continued to flood through Kajex’s mind. Remembering how he caved into whatever the scientists demanded of him, all the experiments he was forced to endure. Being electrocuted, burned, stabbed, plunged into freezing water, and so much more. One experiment however was worse than them all.

“I-I can’t go back…” Kajex cried as he looked down at his left hand as the memory coursed through his mind.

“You were born to be my weapon against god himself,” Atrimel continued to taunt, “Just accept that’s all you were born to do.” All he was doing however, was building up Kajex’s resolve to fight back.

“I-I’m not…” Kajex gritted as he managed to reach his second hand onto the collar through sheer willpower, “... I’m not some lunatic’s damned puppet!” Kajex began to pour every ounce of strength into his hands, yanking on the collar with all of his might as he watched his sister silently writhe in pain. Micro-tears were forming across the back of the collar despite the regeneration potion doing numbers to heal it. Atrimel would notice Kajex’s resilience.

“Wh-What the hell?!” Atrimel gasped as he sent the guards to apprehend Kajex.

“I-I…” Kajex began as his heart began to race uncontrollably, the tears flying offof his face, “... I AM ME! NOBODY’S TOY!!!” He tore off the collar as his eyes suddenly flashed a lighter purple for a split second. Adrenaline began to pump through his body as he sat there on his hands and knees, muscles pulsing as he wheezed in pain between coughs of blood gushing out of his mouth.

“HOW DID HE BREAK OUT OF THAT?!” Atrimel exclaimed in rage, his own eyes now shaking in fear, “Kaja get him NOW!” Kaja would stand up slowly as Kajex would try and catch his breath, summoning his Keyblade to his hand as he looked at his once fearful sister glance towards him with a glare filled with pure malice. He now knew what she felt against him.

“K-Kaja…?” Kajex stammered for a moment before Kaja lunged towards him, growling like a rabid animal. She’d use her powers to instantly triple in size, grabbing Kajex with her hands and squeezing him in her palms like she was crushing an aluminum can. The lucario would scream in pain as he felt his bones begin to crack under the immense pressure that only got worse and worse as Kaja continued to use her powers to grow against her will.

“Get a new collar on him NOW!” Atrimel exclaimed with pure rage in his voice, “Then we can start applying them to the prisoners.”

“K-Kaja it’s me!” Kajex screamed as he tried to break free, unable to try breaking free with his own powers at this point, “W-Wake up sis!” Kaja would give Kajex a sadistic grin in response, clearly being forced to enjoy torturing her own brother. Kajex was unable to break free… on his own.

“Lightning,” a familiar voice echoed before a bolt of lightning came crashing down on Kaja’s forearms, forcing her to drop Kajex before Lilith caught him midair. Kajex however, was already brutally wounded from the electricity, the fight earlier with Kaja, and having almost every bone in his chest shattered. He was weak.

“Lil… ith…” Kajex mumbled before he dropped unconscious from the immense pain. Kaja would try and grab Lilith, but she had a barrier casted over her that she couldn’t break through. Atrimel would notice Lilith’s sudden reappearance and scoff as he looked down at her.

“You really think you can beat my army?” Atrimel scoffed as he glared down towards her.

“You won’t be getting away with this Atrimel,” Lilith assured him with a tone filled with disgust, “Had I known you were going to use me for this I would’ve dropped working for you years ago.”

“Even still, just because you’re a descendant of the 12 Pillars doesn’t mean you can stop me,” Atrimel scoffed as he turned his back towards her, “Kajex will be mine soon enough.”

“No he won’t,” Lilith replied before teleporting away with Kajex. Kaja would tumble to the ground, roaring towards the skies above as the gray skies continued to permeate throughout the region with the veil. Lilith would reappear in her house with an angry Cherry and a confused Cain arguing while Leah and Naomi would clamor towards Kajex, tears streaming down their faces.

“Kajex sweetie!” Leah cried at her unconscious son, taking him from Lilith and holding him close.

“He’ll be fine,” Lilith assured her as the two girls cried their hearts out, “Cain and I will have to set up a barrier around here to keep Atrimel out while Kajex recovers.”

“Seriously WHAT in the fuck is going on?!” Cain exclaimed, completely lost as to what was going down., “I was just playing video games when this crazy cat showed up!”

“OH I’M THE CRAZY CAT?!” Cherry yelled angrily at the braixen before Naomi broke the two up abruptly.

“Enough,” Naomi said sternly, fighting back her tears.

“I’ll explain later,” Lilith assured sternly, “Just help me get the barrier up! You three get Kajex a bed to rest in! We need him in as good of a condition as possible!”