When Peccator wasn’t advising or giving his vague vissions He’s in his lab, a place where he kept studying Keyblades and how to improve upon them. His lab was a simple room, a Keyblade forge in the corner, many boxes and such packed with Synthesis ingredients, and some new ingredients from Cript’s world. And lots, and lots of blank books to write in. Zeke knocked on the door. “Peccator. We need to talk.”

“Come in.” He said, the door opening by itself as Zeke entered immediately. He was at his desk, looking over a fragment of an ingredient and writing down observations. “So, this is about Void Key, right?”

“Yes… How did you make it? I know why you made it, but how? What weakness does it have that we can exploit?”

“Hmm… I don’t remember. I know why I made it, this vary outcome… I wanted to avoid it, stick to the original path… didn’t work out. THose memories are...fuzzy. Like looking through TV static. But I made it from something someone gave me.”

“Who? And what?”

“Who is fuzzy also, but what is clear as day. Heh. It was the hilt of a broken Keyblade, one I do not know of. I never found out what it originally was, but it was a Keyblade of the Void.”

“But that-”

“Not like Void Key itself. This one was made like others, but infused with void in the forge, the Light and Darkness within it was acting like a… what’s a good example… a Pipe, keeping the wild and unpredictable void in check. I wasn’t able to remake it perfectly, it wasn’t able to draw power from the void itself, so I had to make its power supply.”

“The artificial void?”

“Yup. Little was known about the King of Nothingness back then, but I had to take advantage of what leads I could find, few hundred years of research and searching I find a single Fragment of the old Kings Nothingness infused Armor, forged from metal existing only in Nothingness. I used that as the bases, and saw what happened when I put in some void. I got a very interesting result.”

“What? Don’t they cancel each other out?”

“Not like we originally thought. Under closer inspection, they joined together, like a reunion long awaited and became pure blank code.”

“Blank code?”

“Yes. This accidental discovery lead to me learning about how Admins and out own realities are constructed, but at the time I put all of that on the side for a more...grimm idea. I discovered something while experimenting. This blank code was easily susceptible to emotions. Positive emotions made it act as it should, forming whatever and everything. But negative emotions… devolved it.”

“Devolved… wait, so does that mean this Blank Code stuff is just…”

“Yup, the Void itself. That means somewhere in that vast eternal abyss of corrupt, twisted hellscape… is the being who made it. Who or what though is beyond me.”

Zeke took a seat, processing this discovery. “So… Void IS code but…”

“Think of it like this code is still in its infancy, pure and innocent, then something or someone changed it to become what it is. Dark, full of malice and hatred. Whatever did this is something I don’t think I want to know about, but knowing us that will happen.”

“Then, you used this Blank code to create the artificial void… how is it different or resistant to Nothingness then?”

“I made it resistant to Nothingness by keeping just enough code in there to make it so, in short… you can say I made something almost akin to a Delete or an Admin, something in between the two, just enough code to have that needed resistance, just enough void to do what I built it for.”

“How?”

“Lots of time, lots of research.”

“And help from someone you don’t even remember?”

“Yeah. And that pisses me off, normally I can remember everything… but not that assholes face, name or even voice. Either they made me forget or I don’t want to remember.”

“EIther way… So what weakness does it have?”

“Aside from needing a wielder to do anything… Code.”

“Code?”

“It has enough Code in it still for the resistance, an amalgamation between a Delete and an Admin. If an Admin or someone can Hack it’s core, meaning you’d have to know where the damned thing went, you could change the code inside it and the whole thing would fall apart.”

“Okay, and we have to know where you stached that big ass eye?”

“Originally I stashed it in Halloween Town, seemed fitting, but when I returned just before we were all fused together by your Nobody, it was gone. And ONLY the artificial void, all my other experiments were still in their hiding places. Not long after that Kexez found me and, the rest is history.”

“So someone stole it, somehow knowing where you hid it… So got any suspects there?”

“None. Wish I did, but I got nothing.”

“Crap… Well, thanks anyway. Let me know if you remember anything at all.”

“I will. See you around Zeke.”

As the day went on it was more and more clear to the population that the crown was preparing. Many worlds were receiving heavy fortifications, but it seemed none of it was enough. “Damn it…” Zeke sighed from within his office. “I’d feel prepared if this were not Admin warfare. I’m going in blind here, there has to be someone who has a book or something akin to that so I’m not just wasting time and resources…” Zeke sighed, looking over the newest fortification plans for their new castle. “Hmmm… Lord or Cript might know something, or someone who can help with this. Cript already has countless armies because of that Freak inc thing he’s got, and Lord has… god knows what up his sleeve. One of them has to know what I need to do, and we need Cript out of retirement anyway… Question is how easy or hard will this be?”

Zeke got up, heading over to Eclipsa’s office across the hall from his own. As always, Zeke knocked first. “Come in.” Eclipsa called, sounding flustered.

Chickling, Zeke entered. Inside Eclipsa had two piles of paperwork. A taller undone, unread and approved/Rejected pile, and a smaller read approved/rejected pile. “Having fun?” Zeke asked.

“Paper work is the devil’s greatest achievement…” Eclipsa groaned. “I know this is all for kids and such but THIS many forms?”

“Got to make sure everything gets down. We are the crown, unlike the US or other governments, all citizen requests and large project to the kingdom have to be approved by the crown. And this is just the stuff specific for you, larger projects regarding multiple or all of our areas will be dealt with in monthly Grand Crown meetings.”

“Feels more like a business than a kingdom.”

“Bit of both is true when running a kingdom, leading people and keeping them safe. But I’ve come to offer you a break.”

“Is it sex? Cause I could use that kind of distraction about now.” Eclipsa asked, the tip of her snake tail waving a little.

“Sadly no. I need to talk to Cript and Lord.”

“Oh. Time for war?”

“Preparing for it. Cript and lord both as people and what each can offer are invaluable as both assets, alies, and resources.”

“Yeah I can see that.” Eclispa said, getting up from her desk. “If it gets me out of all this paperwork for a while.”

Eclipsa opened up a portal to Cript, and the duo entered.

They arrived at a beach of sorts, Cript sitting on a rock looking out into the sea. “Was wondering when you’d show up.”

“I’m sure you know why we are here?” Zeke asked.

“Yeah. Lord already agreed to it, and after some searching and a little experiment… so am I.” They sighed, shaking their head. “GUess retirement just isn’t in the cards for me…”

“That was easy.” Eclipsa said. “So, how’s this going to work?”

“You’ll need a unified force, both in terms of realms and people, Zeke, you thinking what I’m thinking?” Cript asked.

“Yeah… but, question is are you considering the same details I am?”

“Sadly.” Cript sighed.

“What? What am I missing here?”

“In order for use to work as a unified force, the best and fastest rate to prepare properly is to unify my realm and yours… meaning I’d have to become one of your Grand Royal Crown.”

“But, wait, how? Isn’t the only way into the Grand Crown through marriage and being born into it?”

“Yup.” Cript and Zeke both said at the same time.

“So...who?”

“Has to be me.” Zeke sighed. “Cript is both yours and Ben’s parent both genetically and legally. Marrying your own child might have been alright both publicly and politically long ago but these days it’s not so well accepted.”

“Zeke… are you sure about this?”

“It will just be for show.” Cript spoke up. “Hopefully… On the bright side with these new...changes. You can all be with your moms again, Gleaming, Den, it’s a bright side to look forward to.”

“So this is more than just a Grand Crown…?” Eclipsa asked, realization hitting her. “When the Admin war hits… We will be the primary defence and strike force…”

“And everyone else will be dealing with the Admins creations made for this war or dragged into it.” Zeke sighed. “No stronger allies than Cript or Lord. Having both gives us an edge, and it means we can train like hell with the best.”

“So is the same for lord?” Eclipsa asked.

Cript laughed. “Hell no. Lord will be given a Knighthood under us, and made the arms Master of the kingdom. The weapons he makes are far deadlier than mine.”

“Oh… okay… So will every Admin we need as an allie… be married in?”

“Likely.” Cript said. “When Admins marry, like with you three, your realms fuse together, making both share a single realm, making them much stronger than before within their realm. From what I know some Admins forced marriage on weaker ones solely to take advantage of this. We will have too also, but this is based on a mix of necessity and possible interest in each other. Based on how things go, it could just be for show or could become something for any who do join in.”

“A kingdom of people of all kinds across all worlds...ruled by a Crown of Admins…” Eclipsa said. “Already sounds like a legend.”

“Maybe one day it will be.” Cript said. “The pages are still blank ahead of us, and we just got passed the prologue of our stories. Now, the rest begins.”

“But Lord won’t be married in? But he is an Admin.”

“Yes but he has no realm of his own.” Cript said. “He gave it to me, it’s not his, so if he did marry in, it would not change anything for us power wise.”

“Power wise… you want us to become as strong as you… don’t you?” Eclipsa asked.

“There is someone, something pulling the strings here more twisted than I expected… I need to warn Jericho.”

“But Jericho is the enemy-”

“Like me he was playing his role needed by the cycle.” Cript cut in. “Someone...something has changed this cycle. I saw it when… Heh, well you three will remember soon enough. But what I felt, what I sensed… for the first time in a long time… scared me.”

“Something scared you? What are we dealing with then?” Zeke asked.

“Honestly… I have no idea. But whatever it is, we need to stop it and for one I don’t think myself alone can pull this off. Whatever this thing is… is older than the void and as far as I know, NOTHING should be older than the void. Not even the past Mothers and Beliefs of prior cycles.”

“Can we stop something like that though?” Eclipsa asked.

“Together… A lot of us might… might… wait… maybe we don’t have to worry about that…”

“Worry about what?” Zeke asked. “Dying?”

“What is going to happen is… unavoidable. But dying might be avoided. If you’re like me in every way…”

“Remove our deaths…” Eclipsa said. “Just us or… Everyones?”

“I don’t know… I’ll need to talk with the Admin of Death.”

“There’s an Admin of Death?” Eclipsa asked. “I should not be surprised but… wow…”

“Yeah but don’t worry, she’s on our side.”

“Well now, that leaves one thing left.” Zeke spoke up, face a bit red. “WHen’s the wedding…?”

“Once I get Jericho and make sure he is okay.”

“So just to clarify Jericho is not the bad guy, he’s just doing what he has to do for this Cycle to complete itself so you two become these… uber powerful beings and make another existence to start this all over again?” Eclipsa asked.

“Yup. Don’t worry, we’ll bring your kids back too.” Cript said, standing up. “Someone under Jericho is working for the ones pulling the strings behind him. He’s in danger, and unlike me, at least for now, he CAN die, and none of us can have that happen.”

“This war just got a whole lot more interesting.” Zeke said in thought. “What or who is our real enemy then?”

“Whoever they are… they want a fight. Well we are going to give them one.” Cript said, taking leave.

“Well then… now what?” Eclipsa asked. “I’d offer sex on the beach but the mood kinda died for that.”

“Ben already screwed me after I screwed them. I’m just wondering when I’ll start acting and showing pregnancy… yikes this is gonna be all kinds of weird.”

Eclipsa wrapped her tail around Zeke. “It will all be alright. You heard Cript, together we can beat this threat.”

“I know… I just worry.”

“We all worry. There’s no need too when we are together.”