The Hearts of Azeroth
Chapter One: Dive into Azeroth
The familiar salty spray of the cool ocean breeze hit my face as I ran out of the wooden tunnel leading to the Destiny Island beach, seeing Riku's white hair almost blending in with the pale yellow sand as I quickly made my way to him from down the ramp. I leapt over the curiously bent tree Riku used as his seat, leaning back on it while resting my hands over the back of my head. We both stared at the expansive, rippling ocean with amber diamonds dancing along created by the sunset, painting the sky a deep yellow orange with edges of the pale blue sky of the afternoon lingering.
"Nothing's changed, huh?" Riku said, after a few moments, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Nope. Nothing will." I replied. Riku kept staring off into that ocean as if he were thinking about something. "What a small world." He finally let out, a familiar echo, but one that felt more content.
"But… part of one that's much bigger." I said, as if finishing the sentiment. Riku smiled a bit and let the comfortable silence set in, once more. But the question inside me that had been burning inside me felt right to ask.
"Hey, Riku." He turned my head up, finally creating some sort of eye contact. "What do you think that was? The door to the Light?" It had been bothering me since we got back a year ago from that entire journey, culminating in us defeating Xemnas and finding our way out of this world of Darkness. It was essentially this… giant door that led us back to Destiny Islands.
Riku laughed to himself, and hopped off of the tree, he took a few steps towards me and poked the center of my chest. "This." He said simply. I blinked and quirked a brow. "This?"
Riku nodded. "Yeah. Its always closer than you think." Well. That was a bit cheezy, but a better explanation than I had. I smiled and had a laugh sitting in the back of my throat.
"Sora! Riku!" Said another familiar voice. It was Kairi, running down the ramp with some sort of urgency, waving a glass bottle. She made our way to us, afterwards doubling over to catch her breath. "Look." She handed me the bottle, and I see the roll of paper with a seal on it, one large circle with two smaller one next to each other on top of it.
"The King?" I popped open the cork, and shook the roll of paper from the bottleneck. What would he be writing to us about? Aren't all these threats gone now? I rolled open the piece of paper, Riku stepped to stand beside me and look over my shoulder. Kairi stood on the other side of me, as well.
Dear Sora, Riku, and Kairi,
This letter is a request for the three of you to help assist with a new world we found. Normally, this wouldn't be something worth calling you from your home. But there are circumstances that weigh heavily on the Realm of Light. Not only pertaining to the world itself, but also the fact that there are looming signs of an old enemy. Along with this, there are hurts you must mend. Hurts not caused by you but still connected. I hope you will heed this letter's message. The stamp on the bottom is enchanted with a teleportation spell. So as soon as possible, point the Keyblade at it. This should be enough to take you to where I need you.
Sincerely, King Mickey of Disney Castle.
I blink, and tilt my head. "A new world? When has that been anything special? Hurts?" Riku strokes his chin. "An old enemy?" He starts. "Like… Xehanort?"
Kairi looked just as confused as us. "Which Xehanort, though? Are we even sure it's him?"
I look down. "Well. The only way to find out is to take this seal and… ask him ourselves. I'm pretty sure it's big if King Mickey wants us three down there." I hold out my hand in front of me, reaching out to nothing in particular. I concentrate and focus my thoughts, and like always my Keyblade appears in a small burst of light. "Are we… ready?" I say, looking to Riku, then Kairi.
Riku and Kairi both nod. "Well. It's settled." I point the teeth of my Keyblade towards the red stamp at the bottom, taking in deep breaths. I concentrate and let the spell do its work. The tip of my blade shimmers along with the stamp. A circle appears below us, runes and lines forming as the light from the ground flows upwards, towards us. Soon, my vision starts to become obscured until my friends become clouded from sight. Everything becomes an opaque bright white and gold as I felt myself become lighter and lighter. Soon everything faded and became numb and felt as if I were losing consciousness.
I felt myself sort of wake up, the light losing opacity and my vision becoming clear once more. I was once again at the top of Yen Sid's tower, facing Yen Sid sitting in his large chair, and the King himself, both separated from us by the wooden desk in front of them. Riku and Kairi were at the exact same spot as they were at the islands, standing beside me. The old man stared at the three of us, before softening his expression as he nodded to King Mickey. The King nods back, and smiles brightly. "Welcome back. I'm glad ya' got the message and came down here!"
I nod. "Of course. But. What's this you were saying about this old enemy, and new world, and… some …hurt?" I scratch my head, my other arm hanging loosely at my side. Riku nods in agreement.
Yen Sid nods. "Yes. It appears there are signs that an old threat has come back to menace us. Xehanort has returned to continue his plans." I drop my jaw, brows contorting in disbelief at what I heard.
"Xehanort? Didn't we defeat him?" I ask. Riku tilts his head to the side. "Yeah. We got rid of his heartless, and his nobody. Doesn't that mean he's gone, now?" Riku says.
Yen Sid furrowed his bushy brows, and strokes his unusually long beard. "Yes, you and Riku vanquished Xehanort's Heartless, Ansem, and his Nobody, Xemnas. But doing so has caused his heart and his body to rejoin. The original Xehanort is now formed again."
We all lost it, looking even more confused at what we had just heard. The original Xehanort is now back? Does that mean he's them combined in strength, or something? We barely defeated them at the strength they were! "What!?" I exclaimed. "How? So… what does that mean, then?"
Riku's the first to regain his composure, shaking his head. "So what you're saying is, he's even more powerful?" His eyebrow rose, expecting some sort of explanation.
Yen Sid nods. "Yes. And you're no longer fighting one of him, at least if I am correct. But, that is not the most important issue. Until he manifests himself in some way, all you will be worrying about is the world we know that is displaying signs of him. There are not only signs of controlled heartless and nobodies, but proper motive and threats that not even Xehanort can predict."
I cross my arms. "So what makes this world different from the ones we've seen, so far." Riku then adds to my query. "Yeah, what are these motives you're talking about? Doesn't he just want this world's heart? What makes this world so special?"
The wizard gestures with his hands on the table, a shimmering image of a globe appearing on top. "This is Azeroth. This world is one of ever lasting conflict and strife. Even without the Heartless, this a world worth monitoring due to its nature of being a beacon of… very large, very important cosmic events. But it is highlighted even more by the interest of Xehanort. There are forces here that if he gets his hands on, he could ultimately upset the balance between Light and Darkness.
Mickey nods. "Yeah! Now, this is where it gets complicated. There are two dominant factions warring with each other on this planet. The Alliance and the Horde. These are the two strongest unions of people. They are bitter enemies with plenty of history."
Yen Sid gestures to Riku and I. "Now, until he shows his face. I have your assignment. You two are not strong enough to face Xehanort, but. I have a test to make sure you are up to the challenge. This is what will be your Mark of Mastery exam. If you complete this, and come back alive, I will consider you both Keyblade Masters."
Keyblade Masters? That title alone sounded incredibly cool. To be considered a master at what I do sounds like the perfect thing I need to be in order to face… multiple Xehanorts. "What's the test?" I ask.
Mickey nods. "The test shall be uniting these two factions to take down a common, very world-threatening enemy. The Lich King. The Lich King is the commander of all undead in Azeroth. Shambling abominations that are the dead's bodies…. Coming back to life."
"Like a nobody?" I ask. Mickey looked a bit unsure at that. "….Kinda." He replied shakily. "These are a bit more gruesome than Nobodies, and just as fierce."
Yen Sid takes over. "Now. Before I start assigning you two to where you'll need to be, I need to warn you. This world will be absolutely nothing like anything you've ever faced. You will find concepts and facts that, to you, seem absolutely horrid, and terrible to be commonplace. You will be tested in ways you've never thought of. You will have to extinguish burning hatreds, learn when to stay your blade. At the same time you will learn when to follow through, and refrain from hesitation."
I gulp. This was a lot to take in, and I'm not sure what some of this even means for me. But to face everything I have, I know that if I just keep my head held high and stay determined I wont falter. "Of course." Riku and Kairi looked just like I do, perplexed, but also a touch nervous looking. This was a lot for them, too, I guess.
Yen Sid looked straight to Kairi. "You shall stay here. You will train with the Keyblade, with me. Your role will be just as important. As long as you take my lessons to heart, you will be on equal footing with Sora and Riku." Kairi nods, and looks to me and Riku.
"Huh. Be on even footing with you two? I guess you'll have to watch out, then!" She laughs and gives a teasing smile.
The wizard looks then to Riku and I. "But you two will be representatives of the Keyblade, to the Alliance and Horde, respectively. You both will be sent to one faction, and from then garner support from them to help lead a war against the undead. Sora, you shall meet King Varian Wrynn of the Alliance. All you have to do is give him the letter I will send you with. And Riku, you shall be sent to Warchief Thrall of the Horde. Of course, you will have protection. Humans are one of the races that are at war with the horde, but the Warchief himself should be more diplomatically minded. He will also know that you are of another world and are a representative."
Riku and I look to each other. "Huh. Looks like we'll all be apart again." I said. Riku laughs, and gives me a pat on the shoulder. "Of course, but I think we'll see each other soon. It's not like we'll be apart for long, for the most part."
Kairi nods. "Yeah. Besides, we already know the bonds of the heart from experience, huh? We'll find a way, even if things if things do mess up." She gives another smile and nods.
Mickey flashes another bright grin and sets two scrolls on the table. "These shall be enough to explain our situation. Yen Sid has already let them know you two will be there, soon. I'm sure you two'll do a wonderful job of representin' us!"
Riku nods. "Yeah." Kairi grabs both Riku and I, and gives us a hug. "Good luck, you two!" She smiles again, as we both hug her back as a group.
I take my scroll from the table, as Riku does the same. Yen Sid raises a hand up. "Good luck, and may this test prepare you." His hand shimmers, like my Keyblade did at the beach. The circle forms once more, as the light envelops us again. Riku gives me a wave. "See ya', Sora." I wave back. "You, too."
The numbing, opaque light clouds everything again as my consciousness fades.
