Hello, all! So I've read yaoi for just about...ever, now. And I'm going to try my best to write something and actually finish it! So I've started this story based on an idea I had long ago for an AkuRoku fanfiction. I'm a fantasy writer, and I've always wanted to incorporate fanfiction, fantasy, and yaoi all in one - so here I am. I plan on this story being pretty large, so I'll definitely include characters from both Kingdom Hearts, and even a few from Final Fantasy. And since it's yaoi, there will be many pairings to come aside from simply AkuRoku.

I know this chapter is kind of short, and I apologize - I just wanted to post something before I fell asleep (it's 1:20 AM here). So... think of this as a prologue, if you will. ALSO! I did not take much time to edit this. Again, I just wanted to hurry and finish the last part so I could post it. I guarantee that I will repost an edited version of this chapter... so think of this not only as a prologue of sorts, but also a 'rough draft'. ALSO! I apologize for the scene changes; I got bored staying in one place for too long, and this is just the prologue. The next installment will just focus on one character, since a little background will be given for all three in this chapter here. Anyway. I talk way too much. On to the story :p

Pairings: AkuRoku, Zemyx, RiSo (now that was a hard name to think of), and probably some Cleon. All of that will be in the future, though. Hopefully my interest in writing this will last 'till then. It should ;)

!WARNING!

* Story contains yaoi, AKA boy-on-boy love. AKA homosexual. AKA gay. If this offends you, flee. If you even try to flame this story, I won't have it. Honestly, there are about a billion other yaoi stories you could pick on. I'm just sayin'.

* Story contains OOC's. Not a lot, but some nonetheless. Some people are bothered with it, but I don't see how you could be.

* RATED M for yaoi and future lemon.

Dramatis Personae: All persons shown and/or mentioned in this chapter. (Look at me, using a fancy Latin phrase! :D)

Roxas Golding – Golden-haired noble with an affinity to magic and the Divine.
Axel Ward – Vibrant and slender squire – confident in his abilities and his appearance.
Yuffie Bennet – Axel's senior squire; small in stature yet massive in spirit.
Ventus Golding – Roxas' younger twin brother.
Leon – Lorellian knight. Guides both Yuffie and Axel in the pursuit of Knight-hood.
Cloud Golding – Father of Roxas and Ventus. Head of the Golding family in Lorellia.
Master Ansem – Wise and old sorcerer and master to Roxas.
Aerith – Goddess of Knowledge, and keeper of the Sacred Tomes.
Jhadia – Raven-haired Goddess of Stars, also worshipped as a deity of great Beauty.
Jenova – Queen of the Gods of Renne, and the Goddess of Peace.

Journal of Aerith, Goddess of Knowledge
78th day of our Third-Age, the Age of Pestilence
Written in the Library of Renne

The world wasn't what it always was. Centuries ago, everyone in the mortal realm worshipped the immortal gods that ruled over the elements of life. Many were touched by magic, and could command its awe-some presence to perform incredible feats. Yes, back then, the mortals were much more open-minded.

Then, it was called the Second-Age; the age of time when both mortals and immortals alike flourished. The Age of Prosperity. It was then when all beings basked in the wealth and vigor of the Golden Suns. But we immortals were ignorant in our splendor; we had forgotten old deities – old spirits – that we had imprisoned. And our ignorance, as can be expected, brought about our downfall.

Even now, I write in this journal in the confines of one of one of the Gods' last, hidden sanctuaries – the Renne Library, deep underground and hidden from those that seek to hunt us out.

I feel that, despite the world being plunged into darkness, it is high time to retell the accounts of the last moments of the Second Age. And, as with many of what mortals would deem fairytales, it starts with a boy. . .

Roxas Golding was fed up with training. His thin muscles hurt from holding the sword that was much too heavy for his form. His brain hurt from cramming in the Old Tongue used by magicians like him. His soul was exhausted from gathering up every.

Single.

Amount.

Of magic.

He could.

Sure, he knew what training could bring; he could recite his master's lecture on the importance of practice by heart. How it would make him better at fencing; how he could read ancient scrolls and books written in the old tongue; how he could reach his full magical potential. Of course, the last one was what his resident teacher, Ansem the Wise, focused on. Ever since toddler Roxas developed a rare magical aura of bright gold, the old wizard had attached himself to him and the Golding family. He was always urging Roxas to push his abilities to the limits so that he could grow his skill, and to take up any and all areas of study so that his mind could grow to accommodate his power. Ansem cared.

Roxas didn't care.

One of the most influential noble families in the metropolis of Lorellia, the Golding family was undoubtedly the richest – more so than even the proud monarchs who ruled the affluent land. Celebrated for their wealth and deep family connections with royal-blooded lines, the Goldings not only hailed from Lorellia, but also boasted royal blood of several surrounding provinces. They were not the current ruling house in Lorellia, but because of the gravity of their mere family name, they were the unofficial sovereigns of the region.

Branched off into different subdivisions like most other noble-families, Roxas Golding, along with his brother Ventus and father Cloud, were the direct offsprings of the pure-blooded Lorellian Goldings. Living in the Golding Estate, their private property covered three city blocks, and was home to multiple courtyards, menageries, towers, granaries, gardens, and even a waterfall and barracks.

With an irritated sigh, the youngest Golding briskly walked across the entry-courtyard of his family's estate. A large plot of yard filled with gardened flowers, bushes, and grass was also home to an extravagant fountain in the center. Mid-spring blessed the entire Golding estate with vibrant colors and heavenly scents.

Roxas heaved open the large door leading into the Golding Estate. For him, thank the Gods, it was the large door that lead out of the Golding Estate. The young man was nearing adult-hood at the age of nineteen, though his small height and undeniably gorgeous and flawless features made him appear as a teen-aged boy. His hair was golden in color (a trait passed down by all Golding men), shining in the sunlight, and tousled carelessly on his head.

"Hey!" A voice called from behind him, attempting to halt the golden-haired teen from stomping off into the busy city streets. Roxas paused, letting out a barely-audible sigh. 'Now what?'

"What do you think you're doing, Roxy?" Roxas' identical twin asked in a tone that suggested he knew all too well what Roxas was up to. The older Golding twin looked very much like his counterpart, save a few subtle facial differences, and a more muscled form.

"Don't call me that, Ventus!" Roxas snapped, leaning his head towards his twin brother behind him. "I'm going out," Roxas stated as if it were obvious.

A frown. "What's happened this time, Roxas?"

"Nothing. I'm not a child – it's not required of me to have a reason to leave my estate."

Ventus snorted. "You mean Father's estate. Just because you're next in line to inherit it doesn't mean it's yours now."

Roxas shrugged grudgingly, trying his best not to lose patience. He needed to get out. Yelling would only draw his father's attention, and afflict him with a guilty conscience for raising his voice at his twin. "I'm going anyway."

"Alright, fine, but I'm not covering for you again," Ventus warned, the renowned Golding family frown taking root on his mouth, "If Master Ansem finds out you left without his permission, you're on your own with the excuses."

"H-He's asleep," Roxas lied, hoping to the Gods that his brother wouldn't see past it. Ventus gave a small sigh, making a mental note of how bad a liar his brother was for someone as determined as him. Roxas slammed the door behind him as if he were leaving the place for good. Unknown to his twin Ventus and father Cloud, it was Master Ansem's plan for Roxas to do just that.

"Wimp!" Yuffie Bennet taunted, rushing towards her opponent with her broad-sword raised high above her head.

With a grunt, Axel Ward rolled to the left. Yuffie's sword hit the patch of dirt where he had just been, mercilessly hacking into the earth. Standing up quickly, Axel seemed to tower over his partner in height – but the fact that she had a weapon that stood high above his head was a little down-grading.

Just a little.

"Woah!" Axel cautioned as he ducked a blow that was directed towards his head. "How you can swing that thing so fast and high with your small arms, I'll never know," Axel muttered to himself, continuing to evade the sword.

"Fight me!" Yuffie commanded, taking another swing at Axel, who was now to her right. Stepping backwards, Axel easily missed the deadly steel. It was known to both of them that Axel's lean form granted him dexterity and speed, and his plan was to either regain his sword, or tire the petite warrior out until she could swing her large blade no more.

"Give me back my sword, and I'll fight," Axel calmly challenged.

Pausing for the first time in nearly ten minutes, Yuffie let out an irritated huff, and unstrapped the sword she had stolen from the red-head… or at least, as she saw it, the sword she had rightfully won after disarming Axel.

Axel caught the blade by its hilt in midair, swirling it in his hand a few times to adjust his hold on it. This time, when Yuffie charged with her usual cry, Axel easily parried her sword. With a surprised yelp, the girl's weapon was thrown far away from her reach, landing with a loud thud! on the dirt. It was pleasantly ironic, and Axel's brilliant grin applauded that fact.

"No fair!" she tried, backing away from her opponent.

Axel's smile fell quickly, replaced by a mocking frown. "So it's okay if you disarm me, but not the other way around?"

Taking a step towards the unarmed girl, the red-head quickly realized it was a mistake when she reached for something inside her left sleeve. Damn it, he mentally cursed himself, I should've expected that.

The red-head barely had enough time to dodge three deadly knives that had been thrown right at his head. With deadly precision and a speed that even Axel could not match, the three throwing-knives hit the barracks behind the red-head, suspended in the air as they stuck to the wall.

"Alright, alright," a voice sounded from a few yards away. "Fight's over – stalemate. I said no ranged weapons were allowed," the person declared.

"WHAT?"

"Yuffie, you were disarmed, and you pulled out three knives…" Sir Leon began, before being interrupted.

"So? He dodged them! Rematch!" The incredulous squire-girl demanded.

The red-headed squire narrowed his eyes at her. "You want to see me killed," he accused.

Crossing her arms in front of her armored chest, Yuffie gave out a very feminine hmph!

"Just maimed!" She shot back. "You lost anyway!"

"I didn't lose!" Axel started, "Leon called it a tie!"

"Enough!" Leon sighed, gripping the bridge of his nose with his fingers, eyes shut determinedly. "It's not even noon, and you two have already given me a headache," he declared.

"She started it."

"He started it," the two squires said at once, before looking at each other. Both tried to suppress their laughter.

"You two are going to be the death of me," Leon complained, shaking his head as he walked away. He hadn't gone far before yelling over his shoulder. "Yuffie – you're coming with me to on patrol duty – Orchid District."

Glancing back at his two squires, he continued, "And Axel: check on the armor at Iron-Greaves Smithing down in the market."

Yuffie stuck her tongue out at the red-head, Axel's sigh not far behind. He and Yuffie had been squires for a long time now, and it always seemed like Axel got sent on the errands.

"Seeya, Axie," Yuffie taunted, shouldering her broadsword as she walked behind Leon towards the barracks.

Axel, walking over to the nearest equipment rack, took off his light-armored plating, revealing a simple tunic and pants that complimented his physique. Shaking his hair free of sweat with a damp washrag, he set out towards Lorellia's enormous marketplace, coins jiggling in his pockets, and a tune being whistled from his careless lips. Little did he know that he would soon be thankful that he was sent on an errand into the marketplace that day.

A loud crash sounded above me. The entire room began to shake.

Books scattered to the ground, shoved off of the trembling desk as I braced myself. The bookshelves around me rattled, and it was some time before I could gather my thoughts back to the present long enough to realize what was happening.

We had been hit with another force of power.

"Our protective wards won't hold for long!" I heard Jhadia scream at someone from the floor above me. The room still trembling, I hastily grabbed my journal and made for the stairway.

"Who did it this time!" I shouted over the rumble of power and the clash's and bang's of objects being upset to the stone floor.

Jhadia turned to me, her dark silk-garments bunched in her hands so that she could move hastily without tripping on them; even now I was stunned by her beauty. Her hair, black as midnight yet luminous like the stars, flowed down her back and chest, beautiful even as the ground shuffled around it.

"Does it matter!" She shouted back, being forced to grab onto a nearby bookshelf as the ground shook even more violently than before. I was thrown to the ground, my head hitting the stone floor hard. My vision quickly started to decline. We might've been gods, but that doesn't mean we were impervious to pain or concussions.

I must end Aerith's tale for now, for Jenova has already called upon my magic to re-fortify the wards around the Library. Aerith no doubt begin to write this tale soon again, though it will be no easy feat, considering how most of her and all of our time will be spent cleaning up this ruined library, and defending it as our last sanctuary against our enemies.

May the White Lady bless us all.

So yeah, review and tell me what you think ;P

Like I said, I'll have a revised version of this chapter up soon. Next chapter is already in the works. Hope you liked?

Thanks!

P.S. I just realized that I sound like a giddy teen-aged girl. Damn you, yaoi. You make me squee.