It's been so long...

I can't seem to smile anymore... It's been a while since I've stopped feeling their presence in my heart. Ven... Terra...

Where are you?

I felt rather strange that day, as if the darkness was permeated my something impure. I wanted to dismiss it as my imagination, but the feeling was there, and if anything kept me alive and sane throughout the time that I've spent wandering the darkness, it was my feelings, so I decided to look into it. I walked the darkness in search of what could have been the disturbance, but i found little worthy of mention. Maybe my feelings were tricking me. Maybe I WAS fading away into the darkness, now that Ven and Terra's presences were no longer there with me.

Something stirred within the void. Now this was DEFINITELY something I could not ignore, because it was close. My emotions began to flood right back into me when I saw what it was- who it was.

The stranger who dropped down into the darkness was radiating a light like nothing I've ever seen, and I've seen plenty. He was kneeling before me like a slave, with a sword of light in his right hand and a shield in his left. His face was radiating so much light that I couldn't see it's features. I was just standing there, dumbfounded at the first light that I've seen in what could have been decades. I began to cry as I was bathed in that light, it felt so good, but it only filled me with more despair, because if that creature of brilliant light was stuck down there with me, what chance had I to ever leave here, to fulfill my promise to Ven?

I fell to my knees in pretty much the same position the warrior of light was kneeling and began to cry my heart out. I wanted it all to end so badly, my isolation, my distance from my friends. Just then, I saw the warrior stand up and approach me. He was lifting his sword high above his head, as if preparing to strike me with it, but I just sat there, helpless, still crying. I knew I was about to die, but I no longer cared. It was about time, anyway. I closed my eyes and slipped away into a dream as I awaited the lethal strike that was to end me.

"Aqua. It's been a while"

"Ven! I'm sorry..."

"Why are you crying?"

"I couldn't keep my promise to you. I'm so sorry..."

"Calm down now."

"Terra?"

"Don't worry. We're looking down on you, smiling. And all we ask is that..."

"...You smile back, Aqua."

I opened my eyes and found myself in a strange place. There was a boy looking down at me.

"She's awake! Bring Keres here immediately!" The boy was shouting orders at... Unversed?

Just then, another man walked into the room. He was rather tall, with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in armor from neck to toe, and he was- wait... That armor...

"I see you're awake, Aqua," He said and walked to me. I tried getting up, but the pain from my shoulder was too much, so I just lay back down. "You're injured. Don't tire yourself out."

"After all," the other boy, who was blond, with messy hair and blue eyes continued. "we don't want you bleeding out, now do we?"

"Terra?" I barely managed to whisper.

"Yeah, about that..." The man wearing Terra's armor said. "Very much time has passed while you were down there, in the darkness. How long was it, Reg?"

"Little over 80 years," The blond boy, who looked WAY too much like Ventus, replied. "Things have changed, Aqua. Terra and Ven are long gone."

"... it's been that long?" I began to cry again. I could never see my friends again, even though I was saved from the darkness. It was pointless now.

"Aqua..." The man in the armor walked toward me and wiped my tears away. "Don't worry. It will be alright. Just let yourself rest. I'm Keres, by the way. If you ever need to talk, Reg is here, and he can call me over here if you'd like."

I found myself unable to reply to him, but just stared into his pale blue eyes instead. He was the one that saved me. I knew it. I just knew.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2