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Mortimer smiled. "One fly after another asks the son of darkness for help. You need not use my pets for you bidding for I can read the darkness and in turn your mind. I have lived since Kingdom Hearts was created for I am the son of the darkness." He chuckled a bit. "Now. What is it you want?"

Shroud scratched the chin of the shadow that stood on his shoulder, the small dark creature spoke in Shroud's voice as he spoke through it, "I think I'll keep the shadow though, if you don't mind, I haven't heard my voice in years, and the little thing could be useful." He walked around a bit to get a good feel for the place, the shadow holding on with its little hand, "I have been sent here by Taint, as I mentioned, for two reasons. One was something about a trade, the other was to ask for your assisstance. I have been created years ago by an old dark keyblade master to find something for him. You mightv'e heard of it; the Heart of Darkness. It is a strange item that works like the seven hearts of pure light, only it gives the host the purest of darkness and the power to grant the darkest wishes. It requires a ritual that has brought close to success only to have myself sealed away. What is required is simple," The shadow used it's small hand to tally off what was neeed, "A heart of pure innocence, a keyblade of light, and a hollow vessel of darkness. I am the vessel that can help incubate the heart, but the rest is always beyond my reach, that and another being that was created to oppose me, Halcyon, keeps interferring." Shroud turned back to Mortimer and growled, the shadow translated, "Do you think you can help, or do you require something in return?" Shroud heard something in the tower, he felt a familiar darkness in the Vale, but it disappeared just as fast as it came, onlty it felt more stronger before it left. He looked back at Mortimer and tilted his head, Taint had better not sent him here to die.

Shroud was now getting annoyed with the whole mind reading thing. Mortimer seemed to be more interested about someone dying. Oh well, maybe there was an oportunity in this. He followed him to another room and looked inside. Something seemed missing alright. And according to Mortimer this was a very touchy matter. The shadow on his shoulder expressed his thoughts, "It seems Taint took this oportunity of my visit to take something from you, how curious. If this a personal thing, then maybe I can help with my offer. I can give you the heart, and go from the son of darkness to its true master. I wanted the heart myself at first, but my body is weak fom captivity to support its power. I can create the heart for you and out match Taints new power, All I ask is some help with the requirments." He stood behind Mortimer, his anger might either get him killed or accept his offer. Either way, his search was still close.

Shroud tilted his head and growled with thought. The shadow began to speak, "Time you say, even if he aquires such a power, he still has to abide by the laws of time. He cannot do anything drastic, unless he finds a sort of way to travel back without the mention of the laws. Other than that, power over time isn't as strong as it used to." Shroud walked around the room to look at what mightv'e happened, "He is like the boy he split from, he mention him to me before and I had the leasure of fighting him for a short period. He was who I thought had a heart of innocence, but I was wrong. Then there was a girl I thought had it, a girl named Ovel, but her heart had a power of love, a cursed power that is an evolved form of innocence. But, there was another girl amongst them. Halcyon stopped me before I could confirm it, but I am sure she is the one with a heart of innocence. I barely caught her name... Asta I believe. Her innocence was strong, and it confused me on who had the heart. Her heart is the one I need to create the heart. But, since Halcyon was there, there is a chance that he has finaly found out what I have been looking for." Shroud knelt down to touch some crumbled rock. It held a small trace of power in it. It was the same seal that he was kept in, only more complex. He stood up to look at Martimer, "I can sense her heart I think through the tag I placed in the town in Radiant Garden.... I know that you cannot be outmatched in the way of darkness, but this is something my creator wished for before I was sealed away. It's power has almost brought a war, only to be pushed back by the time of Kingdom Heart's discovery. Now that it can be obtained without that much interuption, I can finally create it and maybe find someone to contain its power after incubation." Shroud looked at a wall and found traces of a physical darkness that was left behind from things called darksides. So Taint was able to kill the brutes without trying, this was worrysome now.

Shroud stood there when Mortimer left. He was mysterious about his power and origin, but his 'Father' sis sound familiar. He walked around the Vale with his shadow puppet on his shoulder. There were things that were blocked of by Darksides and chambers full of things that looked wrong to him. He went back to the main chamber to wait, there he sat down on the window that overlooked most of the world. He saw some sort ship take off from the world. And he couldv'e sworn he saw some sort of light line speed after it. He didn't like where things were going. If Taint is trying to gain the power of time, and Mortimer ia trying to still keep the balance of his power, then there was a strange chance that his idea could help one of them. He placed his hand on his chest, he was still weak from his imprisonment so his body won't do for containing the heart. He just sat there, looking out to the town.

Taint appears on Mortimer's throne. "Morty, Morty, Morty. You really are a good kidnapper. A bit off sometimes but I love the way you work. Too bad ansem had kidnapped the princesses of light before you." He laughs as a Trinity Armour appears beside him. "I have a deal to make with you. Care to hear it?"

Mortimer Laughed as he heard Taint in his throne room. "All will be over soon enough." He marched out of the room and down the hall as four Darksides appeared in front of the door. Mortimer entered the throne room and pushed Taint off the throne with a couple of Heartless. "You want to visit then stay off my throne. Now what is your proposition?" He sat down in his throne and stared at Taint.

Mortimer smiled. "What is there in the past that you desire so? And why should I help you? You took my loyal subordinate that my father gave to me. To what do I owe you? If I recall. I also set you free. So you should be working for me now."