Chapter 1
"Ven, I'm sorry... I might not make it back as soon as I thought. But I promise I'll be there, one day, to wake you up."
Aqua
"Seems like I've been walking for ages… How long have I been down here?"
The keyblade master walks through the mysterious Realm of Darkness. No idea of how to escape, nor any idea of where to begin the search. She is a castaway in the darkness, left with nothing to do but wonder hopelessly. She accepts this though, since she is in the Dark Realm because she sacrificed herself to save her friend, Terra.
The path is cold, damp, and is pulsating with dark energy. Suddenly, two massive shadows begin to form off of the path. They tower of her like skyscrapers… Heartless. The Darksides have glowing yellow eyes and have hearts cut through their chests. Two more appear as Aqua summons her master's keyblade, The Master Keeper.
"Maybe… I should fade into the darkness here," she says as one lifts its giant fist, getting ready to strike. Instantly, two beams of light appear. They glide into the heartless and destroy it. As they glide by she sees them, Terra and Ven's keyblades. They continue on and erase the other three Darksides. They then fly away into the darkness. Aqua stares at the darkness for a moment, taking it in. She smiles to herself, and gasps.
"I guess it's been so long, I almost forgot how to smile."
Aqua takes her Wayfinder out of her pocket. The blue star made of stained glass. This is the link that keeps her friendships together. She thinks of Ventus, and Terra, then grasps the star in her palm.
"There is always a way."
Aqua continues to wonder through the Realm of Darkness, waiting for a way out, waiting for someone to free her. Her friends are out there, waiting for her to help them. She'll let her light guide her.
"I believe darkness sleeps in every heart, no matter how pure. Given the chance, the smallest drop can spread and swallow the heart."
Terra
"Quit… Fighting back!" Xehanort told Terra. They have just fused together, and Terra's heart is proving to be much stronger than Xehanort had anticipated. As he stood there, struggling with himself, he pulled out his keyblade, and pointed the blade at his heart.
"This'll teach you, get out of my heart!" Xehanort said as he struck his heart.
Isa and Lea are two young men that live in Hollow Bastion. At this time in the story, they are outside of the castle grounds playing with their fake weapons. The two are best friends, Lea being the outgoing, while Isa is more silent.
"C'mon Isa! Get it together!" Lea shouted.
Lea threw his disc at Isa, who barely dodged it. He landed with his shoulder on the ground. Getting up, he brushed off his clothes that were as blue as his hair, and shed a crescent moon on the breast. He turned his face and glared at his friend, who chuckled as he rand his hand over his spiky red hair.
"I wasn't ready…" Isa muttered.
"You're just mad that you-" Suddenly Lea was cut off, because a dark shadow appeared on the ground near them. It was there for a second as a man was thrown out, then it disappeared. The man was unconscious.
"Hey… Isa let's check it out!"
The two walked up and inspected the man. He had white hair, and brown pants. Next to him, was a set of blue armor and a Keyblade.
"Who is he…?" Isa asked, looking around. Then, the man gasped, and sat up, holding his hands against his head. He looked around hesitantly, and then saw the two boys.
"You two!" The man said under his breath. "You need to tell me where…" He then collapsed again. He was breathing heavy, and about to leave consciousness.
"Uh, Mister do you need help?" Lea asked, standing over the man's face. The man turned his face, and looked up into Lea's face.
"You need to save them…" he said as he fell asleep.
"Uh… Okay…" Lea replied. Just then two guards from the castle appeared. One had an eye patch. The other had major black sideburns. The one with the eye patch kicked Lea out of the way.
"Get out of here you kids!" Eye Patch Man said.
"Braig…" Side Burn Man said.
Isa and Lea left as Eye Patch Man screamed at them. Across the courtyard, the boys could see the two guards whispering to one another. It became clear, that the man had gained consciousness once more, and was speaking to the guards. The two guards then returned to the castle.
They watched as Ansem the Wise followed the two guards back out. Eye Patch Man helped the man inside the castle while Side Burn Man carried the armor in after them. Isa and Lea looked at each other.
"Well… He'll be safe now that he's in the castle at least." Lea said, rubbing his shoulder.
"If you have a dream, don't wait. Act."
Ventus
Inside an empty, lonely castle resides a young keyblade wielder named Ventus. He lay asleep in a chair, which sits inside an all-white room. He is inside Castle Oblivion. Castle Oblivion is what The Land of Departure turned into after it was destroyed by darkness. Ventus is safe here.
As Ventus' heart lay in ruin, he is unaware of the visitor he has. A mouse with big round ears is with him now. The king of Disney Castle, Mickey.
"Ventus! So this is where Aqua is keeping you. I see… This is your old home…?" The king said. "I came to return somethin' to ya!" he then place a green stain-glass star on his lap. His Wayfinder. Mickey then sighed, and turned for the door. As he left, he said, "Get better soon Ven."
Time passed, and Ventus stayed asleep. His heart was still lingering. At some point, it connected to a boy, a boy with a strong heart. The boy had opened his heart and found Ventus' damaged heart. This boy's name: Sora. Sora opened his heart and let Ventus in.
"Hey, can you hear me?" Sora asked.
"I heard your voice. It cut through the darkness around me." Ventus' lingering heart is found by Sora. He takes it in his hands. "All alone, I followed the sound, into a sea of light… And found myself here, with you. You gave me something back when I needed it the most. A second chance." Ventus tells Sora.
"I did?"
"But… Now I have to go back to sleep again." Ventus says.
"Are you sad?" Sora asks.
"Would you mind if I stayed here, with you?" Ventus asks the young boy.
"Sure, if it'll make you feel better."
"Thank you." Ventus says, and he is then put into Sora's heart.
Sora and his best friend Riku are at the beach, on Destiny Islands. It is a starry night and they seem to be alone, and talking. Riku had asked him to open his heart, which led to Sora connecting with Ventus.
