Maleficent sat upon her immense throne in her castle, stroking her faithful raven, Diablo. It had nearly been a year since her encounter with the wielders of the Keyblade. The sorceress assumed that the plan that Master Xehanort had spoken of had failed. It was inevitable. After all, Xehanort was a feeble old man. What chance did he stand against warriors who had even been able to best the Mistress of All Evil?

The past year hadn't yielded very much excitement for Maleficent and she hadn't heard from her emissary, Pete, in months. Never the less, Maleficent was still as determined as ever to acquire the Princesses of Heart and use the darkness to rule all worlds. The only problem was that she didn't quite know where to start. The uncertainty infuriated her. Xehanort had shown her how to use the Corridors of Darkness to travel between worlds, but not a way to find and capture the princesses.

Just then, what appeared to be a shadow on the floor began to inch closer to Maleficent. The sorceress looked around too see what was casting the shadow but to no avail. At first, Maleficent assumed it to be an unversed but quickly dismissed the notion. The unversed didn't move like that and hadn't been seen in her world since the keyblade wielders departed. The shadow then began to rise from the floor into a three dimensional form that resembled an ant.

"What on earth?" Maleficent thought aloud.

Maleficent rose from her throne to get a better look at the creature. However, as she did, the shadow lunged at Maleficent with claws outstretched. Maleficent responded quickly by knocking the creature back with her lightning magic. The shadow fell back into the lower area of the throne room. The sorceress walked to the edge of her perch and looked down at the shadow. It was standing up and its antennae were vibrating at a break neck pace.

You are the strongest. I will obey you.

Maleficent was puzzled by this sensation. These words weren't spoken or seen but were somehow felt within her heart.

"Are you talking to me?" Maleficent asked the creature.

The shadow's antennae began to vibrate again.

Yes.

"Intriguing," Maleficent thought out loud.

My kind and I are at your disposal.

"Your kind?" Maleficent asked, "Does that mean that there are more of you?"

Yes.

"Tell me then," Maleficent proceeded, "what is your kind's purpose here?"

To collect hearts and find the keyhole.

The keyhole? Xehanort had mentioned these keyholes. He said that when unlocked, they would plunge the world into darkness. These keyholes sparked Maleficent's interest, especially one that Xehanort called the Final Keyhole. But where could this world's keyhole be?

"Well!" Maleficent exclaimed, "It seems that we have a common goal. Where are the rest of your kind?"

Seeking hearts.

"Can you call them here?"

No. But you can.

"How?"

Use the powers of darkness.

Maleficent reached into her heart and called upon the darkness within her. She then concentrated on more shadows appearing. And, as if by magic, one by one more shadows appeared throughout her throne room.

"Marvelous!"

You are the strongest. We obey you.

"Then go forth, my army, swarm Stefan's castle and retrieve for me Princess Aurora. You will know it is her because her heart does not contain the slightest drop of darkness. Now go!"

The shadows obeyed and slinked off into the darkness. Everything was falling perfectly into place. Where Maleficent had been uncertain for the past year, she now had the perfect vessel. These shadows would act as excellent foot soldiers in her grand scheme. Master Xehanort had been a fool to empower her with information. She would become the ruler of all worlds while he would remain an old fool who's plan never made it past square one. The sorceress smiled at the notion.

"Come, my pet," Maleficent said to her raven, "Let us go and get better a view of my ultimate triumph."