SEE CHAPTER ONE FOR DISCLAIMERS

PLEASE READ & REVIEW, AND TEND TO THE TROPE PAGES

-CHAPTER START-

Realm DB-107 – Kami's Lookout

A sizable mixed group of people gathered on the massive floating structure; Kerrigan and Artanis had returned to normal (with Kerrigan taking her mostly-human form), though the Xel'Naga power was sleeping just beneath the surface, ready to be called it needed. Even the two earthbound Protoss spirits of Tassadar and Zeratul were present; Ouros' passing had not severed their connection to the physical realm.

Artanis could scarcely believe the amount of incredible, ancient power he sensed within the seven orange-starred golden orbs, as they pulsed rhythmically in time with each other. He'd been told amazing things about what they could do, and now that they were free of Amon's curse…

"Right, then" Goku said as he stepped up to the orbs. "Everyone ready?"

The Dragon Balls seemed to pulse slightly faster as Goku walked up to them, a serious expression on his face as he pointed his open hands down at them.

"Eternal Dragon!" he cried out. "By your name, we summon you forth! Shenron!-!"

The pulsing of light became a continuous glow, brightening by the second. Power thrummed and surged, as the skies overhead grew dark. Then, a massive pillar of light shot upwards from the Dragon Balls, curving and coiling through the air above. Finally, the mass of light took shape and faded, taking the form of an utterly huge serpentine dragon, emerald-green scales shining with inner light, a pair of antler-like horns and two long, thin 'whiskers' sprouting from a head with a long fang-filled snout and glowing red eyes. Seeing his awe-inspiring majesty and sensing his vast power for the first time, many Dimensional Defense Force members were awestruck, a few falling to their knees.

"WITH THE FALLEN ONE'S PASSING," Shenron spoke with a deep, rumbling voice, "THE CURSE THAT FORCED ME INTO SLUMBER HAS BEEN LIFTED. WARRIORS OF THE LIGHT WHO HAVE SUMMONED ME, PLEASE STATE YOUR WISHES."

"Unreal…" Teana whispered out; beside her, Caro – more in tune with the power of ancient dragons than most – was struck speechless with awe.

"Shenron!" Goku said. "Many innocent lives have been lost in recent times, with the wars against the Reapers and their thralls, the Didact and the Covenant extremists who followed him, and Amon and his dark forces. We would ask that you use your power to revive those who died in these wars across their galaxies, except for those with evil hearts!"

"I SHALL REVIVE WHO I CAN. HOWEVER, YOU MUST KNOW THAT SOME CANNOT BE BROUGHT BACK."

"What do you mean?"

"FOR THE CASUALTIES OF THE REAPER WAR, I AM ABLE TO RESURRECT THOSE SLAIN BY HUSKS, OR CERBERUS FORCES, AS WELL AS THOSE PEOPLE INDOCTRINATED AND TURNED INTO CERBERUS PERSONNEL, BUT I AM NOT ABLE TO REVIVE THOSE DIRECTLY SLAIN BY THE C'TAN KNOWN AS HARBINGER, OR HIS 'REAPER' PROGENY. FROM THE BRIEF CONFLICT AGAINST THE DIDACT, I CAN REVIVE THOSE SLAIN BY HIM OR BY JUL MDAMA'S WARRIORS, BUT I CANNOT RESTORE THOSE BEINGS WHO WERE 'COMPOSED'. AND FOR THIS LATEST WAR, ALTHOUGH I AM ABLE TO RESURRECT THOSE PEOPLE SLAIN BY AMON'S HUMAN, ZERG, AND PROTOSS THRALLS, AS WELL AS REVIVE THE PROTOSS AND TERRANS KILLED WHILE UNDER HIS CONTROL, I CANNOT REVIVE THOSE FEW KILLED BY AMON HIMSELF, OR THOSE DIRECTLY SLAIN BY HIS HYBRIDS."

There were mixed unhappy or sorrowful reactions from many. "I suppose this has to do with the ancient energies wielded by the C'Tan and by Amon's direct brethren…" Artanis asked.

"YES. I AM SORRY, BUT IT IS BEYOND MY POWER."

Goku sighed. "…Very well, then. Some is better than none. Please revive all those who can be revived."

"IT SHALL BE DONE…"

The Eternal Dragon's eyes glowed more brightly, as his power reached out across the Realms. Across three different Milky Ways, people – soldiers and civilians, of all races – were returned to life, armed with vague knowledge of how this had been done, and of how some of their brethren could not be returned. On the Lookout, Zeratul's spirit was engulfed in light, which faded to reveal his living, flesh & blood self.

"IT IS DONE" Shenron soon announced. "DO YOU HAVE A SECOND WISH?"

"Not at this time, no" Goku replied.

"VERY WELL. WITH YOUR SECOND WISH FORFEITED, THE DRAGON BALLS SHALL BE USABLE AGAIN IN FOUR MONTHS RATHER THAN TWELVE." The mighty dragon-god looked out over the DDF group as a whole. "BEFORE I LEAVE, I SHALL GIVE TO YOU ALL A WARNING OF WHAT IS TO COME. THE FALLEN KEYBLADE MASTER, XEHANORT, SHALL BE YOUR NEXT MAIN FOE; EVEN NOW, HE MOVES TO PREPARE HIS ENDGAME."

"Xehanort…" Riku murmured. "I was wondering when he'd try something."

"YOU HAVE TIME, BUT NOT TOO MUCH OF IT. …I WOULD RECOMMEND TRAVELING TO OTHER REALMS, NEW ONES YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS NOT VISITED BEFORE, TO RECRUIT NEW WARRIORS OF THE LIGHT, TO AID IN THE COMING BATTLES. …IN ADDITION, THERE IS ANOTHER, GREATER THREAT LOOMING BEYOND THE HORIZON. I KNOW NOT WHAT IT IS, OR WHEN IT WILL ARRIVE."

"Another new threat?" Naruto asked. "…Is it those 'Leviathan' things from ME-N7?"

Shenron smirked. "THE ENTITIES YOU CALL 'LEVIATHANS' DO NOT HAVE EVEN A FRACTION OF THE NUMBERS OR RESOURCES NEEDED TO STAND AGAINST THE MIGHT OF THE ENTIRE DIMENSIONAL DEFENSE FORCE. THEY ARE FAR LESS OF A THREAT THAN THEY BELIEVE THEMSELVES TO BE. THEIR DAYS OF GLORY ARE LONG, LONG PAST. THIS NEW THREAT IS SOMETHING ELSE – SOMETHING… OLDER. REGRETTABLY, I CANNOT DISCERN ITS NATURE BEYOND THAT."

Goku nodded. "Thank you for the warnings, Shenron."

"YOU ARE WELCOME. NOW, I MUST DEPART, UNTIL THE NEXT TIME I AM SUMMONED. FAREWELL…"

Shenron transformed into a mass of golden light, surging back downward into the brightly-glowing Dragon Balls, which floated high up into the air and then shot outward at hypersonic speed, scattering in different directions to the far corners of the world. The sky returned to normal.

"Well," Teana said, "sounds like we're going straight from one adventure into another."

"Riku and I had better go see Master Yen-Sid," Sora said, "see if he has any ideas, anything for us to do. I think he said he wanted to step up my training…"

"We'd best get back to the Infinity" Fireteam Crimson leader Lero said. "We're planning soon on going to Requiem, to try and take it from Jul Mdama's forces."

"And I'm supposed to accompany Carolina and the guys in investigating a couple odd reports regarding a planet called Chorus," Washington said, "out in the Outer Colonies."

"And we'll start looking for new worlds with new people to befriend and recruit" Teana added.

"Much preparation is needed for what is to come…" Tassadar's earthbound spirit stated. He turned to his living brethren. "Regrettably, I must part ways with you all for now. I will wander the Realms, and lend my aid to whomever is in need of it, however I can. But I can feel it: someday, we shall meet again."

Artanis nodded. "Farewell, brother. And thank you for everything."

"May Adun watch over you…" Tassadar's spirit vanished in a burst of blue light.

-Break-

The various members of the Dimensional Defense Force would soon be departing for their own Realms. One old warrior, returned to life, made ready to accompany his fellows home.

"Zeratul…"

The Nerazim Prelate turned, to see Riku walking up to him.

"There is something I feel must be done," the youth said, "something you have earned…"

Riku held his hand out, summoning the Road to Dawn.

"Lay your hand upon this key…" he recited. Zeratul obeyed, lightly grasping part of the weapon. "So long as you have the making," Riku continued, eyes closed, "then through this simple act of taking… A wielder you shall one day be."

The Keyblade pulsed with light, and Zeratul felt a tiny 'spark' of power form deep within himself. Slowly letting go of the blade, he understood.

"I am honored that you believe me worthy of this, young Riku" he said. "When the time comes, I swear to wield this power in the defense of justice and truth."

"I know. Good luck on whatever task fate leads you to next, Zeratul."

"And good fortune to you as well, my friend."

-Break-

"Lord Pierrot… Lord Amon… both gone… …Accursed warriors of the light… There will be vengeance…"

-Break-

Master Xehanort smirked as he looked out over the monsters before him, 'rescued' from when most of their brethren fell – nearly 100 of them, most 5 meters in size with some at double that. As he extended his will, he saw the glow of their eyes shine yellow, and sensed his energies and will filling them. He chuckled softly, looking out at the Hybrids that he now knew without a shadow of a doubt to be completely under his control…

-BOOK 31 END-

To clarify: For those killed in the Reaper War: People killed by a Reaper (i.e. stepped on by one, vaporized by a Reaper's beam weapon, etc) could not be revived, but people killed by Husks and Cerberus forces can. For the Didact Incident: People killed the 'normal' way by Promethean or Covenant forces are resurrected, but Shenron can't help the people who were Composed. And for the Amon War: people killed by Hybrids or by Amon himself (i.e. Spartan Fireteam Indigo) are dead for good, but people killed by Moebius Corps, Amon's Zerg, or the Enthralled Protoss and Tal'darim are brought back (even if a Hybrid was present, leading a force of Thralls, so long as the dead people weren't killed by the Hybrid itself, they're brought back; if 10 feet away from each other a Hybrid Reaver ripped some poor bastard apart while two Thrall-Zealots under the Hybrid's control cut down his buddy, the Reaver's kill can't be brought back but his buddy can), as are the Moebius Corps people (their minds now cleared/repaired) and the Khalai Protoss who were killed while under Amon's control.

Book 32 will not focus on a single 'series'; rather, it will be composed of various chapters covering happenings in various Realms, both old and new. There's going to be a little break before I start work on it, maybe, since I want to refresh myself on the source materials for some of them.

Next Time: Book 32 – Seeking Lights