Prologue
His vision is blurry, but up ahead he sees them: three pedestals, each with a different item hovering above them. The porcelain pillars are the only illumination against the otherwise dark void. Looking out at the starless expanse, he walks forward, slowly. With each step he hears the sound of bells chiming together and the melodic playing of a piano far off in the distance. The three items are now in site, their warmth vibrating against his. What are they, how did they get here, how did he get here? What even is here? These questions all ruminated in the young boys head as he observed the items. The first and most obvious was a sword, but not like any sword he had come to known. It was small and cartoonish, and hardly fit for combat. It had a golden hilt and a crest in the middle that looked like… a mouse head. Despite its frail appearance the sword radiated with power and energy, as if it was the embodiment of every sword that had come before it. The next object was a stalwart shield; it had red trim and a bright red mouse head in the middle, similar to the sword. The shield, much like the other objects was childish and yet somehow intimidating. Finally the boy came to a staff, which was light blue and had a mouse head mounted at the top of it. He wondered if he was supposed to take one, if they would help him find out what had happened, help him understand what this was…
Just then, he heard a whisper in the back of his mind. Scratching at the door of his subconscious, like a voice that had always been there, but hadn't said anything until just now. It was powerful and resonating, and had a deep timber to it.
"Power sleeps within you. If you give it form, it will give you strength. The power of The Warrior: invincible courage, a sword of terrible destruction. The power of The Guardian: kindness to aid friends, a shield to repel all. The Power of The Mystic: inner strength, a staff of wonder and ruin. Choose wisely…" the voice echoed.
The boy was trembling. He didn't know why, but something pulled on him, telling him that if he proceeded, he wouldn't be able to go back. He looked at the darkness behind him and in front of him, below and above him. And decided. He reached out his hand towards the shield. All three shimmered and hummed with light, but the shield promised safety and the power to protect what the boy cared for most. The shield was warm in his hands, and heavier than he expected. As soon as he made contact with the item the others disappeared as if they were never there to begin with, reforming with the darkness.
Just then a soft sort of glow came about from underneath the boy's feet. It was a rich emerald light that scattered about like watercolors on canvas. It bled and danced and moved with a mind all its own. An image was beginning to form and break away from the darkness, like an ornate stained glass mural. It was a picture of a girl, fierce and beautiful, with striking dark eyes and chestnut hair. She was adorned with white wolf's furs, as well as red war paint which accented her elegant features. Lastly, she was in a lush forest, with light filtering through the gaps in the tree branches. On each limb were tiny white shapeless beings with hallow eyes and mouths.
The boy was taken aback by the creation of the art in front of him, but was instantly transfixed by the image and its mysterious nature. He didn't have long to admire it however, as things started to quickly approach him from the void. They were shadowy things, with tendrils sprouting out of their bodies that served as limbs and antenna. The only way he was able to tell where they were at all were their eyes, bright yellow eyes comparable to two full moons hanging in the night sky. They were pitiful, macabre sort of beings that contorted and shuffled about the boy without any particular direction or purpose.
"The heartless." The deep voice from before murmured.
The heartless? That's what these things were called? Soon one of their kind lunged forward nipping and clawing at the boys feet. He stepped back quickly, assessing their unfriendly motives. But they were many, far too many. His shield protected against most of their assaults, but slowly he was being pushed to the edge of the stained glass, which he only assumed would lead to a deep, endless fall into the void.
A glass step illuminated itself behind him. It was clear and simple and just the escape route he needed. More steps began to form in front of him, spiraling up into the seemingly never ending darkness. The heartless were trailing quickly behind him in one amalgamated shuffling blob of shadow. Thousands of bright eyes stared at him, closing on the boy with every step. The staircase continued to expand and trail off, without any means of suspension. They were just floating there in the void. Perhaps they had always been there.
Finally he reached the top of the steps to find another platform, similar to the one he had just left. It was a round stained glass image of yet another girl, but this one seemed more at peace. She too was strikingly beautiful, with short red hair that fell just below the nape of her neck. She wore sky blue clothing that seemed to effortless hang off of her, as if she was in a constant state of flying. Her eyes were closed and her porcelain lips curled up into a confident yet calm smile. On her shoulder was a pet perhaps? It was a small thing, somewhere in between a squirrel and a tiger. It was unlike any animal the boy had seen before. But it had bright green eyes, like dragonfly wings and seemed to be staring directly at him. The entire darkness was bathed in the warm yellow light of the scenery. They were in a field of what was wheat it seemed, rife and vibrant. The boy wanted to leave the darkness and enter her world, and for a moment he felt as though he could. But there was no time to contemplate. The heartless had caught up to him and continued their pursuit. The once clear and clean image was now tainted with the writhing bodies of their kin, like ink staining a piece of parchment.
The boy had to gather his courage to fight them. But how could he? The shield weighed down on him, and he wondered if it would've been a better idea to take the sword or the staff. Perhaps then he wouldn't be in the predicament he was in. The shield resonated in response, as if it was insulted by the boy's lack of trust. Slowly, the heartless gathered around him, drowning him in their darkness. It was like the waves of the ocean, overpowering him and making him succumb to their will as he was dragged under.
The mural began to break apart, split and shatter. The last vestige of light was cut off from the boy's vision and he plummeted into the depths of the void. Falling. Falling and continuing to descend. Or perhaps he was going up? All perspective had been stripped away. But he held steadfast to his shield, his grip on reality. His bravery.
"This is a dream."
The voice echoed.
And just before the boy woke up, safe in his bed, in his little house, in his little village, these words engrained themselves in his mind.
"Kingdom Hearts."