Chapter One

Dreaming Darkness

They're after me, hunting me down like an animal. They shouldn't exist in this world; not anymore anyways. Yet here I am, running from the monsters. I sprint down the beach on the east side of Exile Island.

Exile Island has never been infested with Heartless, they keyhole has always prevented them from entering our world. The Heroes from the past closed all of the keyholes, sealing away the darkness.

The Heartless nearly have me, they're at me heals, little ant-like shadows trying to snatch away my heart! I refuse to become a Heartless! I continue running; faster and faster yet I can't escape them.

I run until I see someone standing on the horizon; her hair blonde hair blowing in the wind, wide blue eyes staring at me in alarm. "Run, Erika!" She stands there, frozen in horror. I glance behind me and see hundreds of shadows and neoshadows swarming behind me. I'm about ten yards from Erika when I make up my mind. I whip my body around throwing my arms up to defend myself. They consume me as I am lost in darkness. I hear Erika screaming my name, "Reno!" I glance back and see Hughes carrying her away to safety. My best friend glances back at me, pain clear on his face. I want to yell at him to run but I'm already blacking out as I am lost in darkness.

…

I am standing on a plateau surrounded by darkness. I glance down and see the old heroes, each one wielding a keyblade. As I am staring down at the painting, I notice my shadow grow into a dark replica of me. My black hair falling over his eyes, dark green eyes staring back at me; a sleeveless jacket with a collar that came up to his chin. Even my jeans with the ripped knees; as well as my gloves and the tattoos on my left shoulder.

My shadow stares at me while it reaches out as if to touch me. I'm startled as I feel my hand come up and touch a cool glass surface, a mirror. I'm standing before a mirror now, staring a shadow version of myself; I stumble backwards nearly falling on my ass. I stare down at my hands only seeing my normal flesh, nothing unusual.

I've never dreamed before, yet here I am, stuck in some twisted dream. Darkness erupts from the side of the plateau as a giant shadow leaps to stand before me. It's at least twenty feet tall with a sort of joker's shoes and a giant heart-shaped hole in its chest; as well as bandages wrapping its mouth with bright yellow glowing eyes and long hair.

It grabs me in its giant hands and picks me up, bringing me up to its half covered face. It other hand comes up and peals back it bandages revealing a huge mouth full of black jagged teeth. Darkness erupts from its mouth as it exhales. I don't have time to scream before it throws me into its mouth and I am once again consumed!

It feels like my body is being torn apart. I open my eyes to see only darkness, an endless abyss of darkness.

I'm going to die, I think to myself.

Suddenly I see a little sphere of light pushing through the darkness. It's rushing toward me until I see it enter my chest. I frantically grab at my chest finding no wound and no light.

"What's your name?" I hear it, but only in my mind I'm sure. There is no other way I could hear anything else.

"I-I'm Reno," I choke out.

"Reno, Huh? Well nice to meet you, Reno! Seems I've found you in a bit of a tight spot, haven't I?" The voice laughs in a care free manner.

"How is this funny!?" I yell at the voice in my head.

"Well…" He seems to consider this for a moment, "It's not quite funny, but I can help you. Just trust me, Okay?" He laughs again.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"I'll tell you someday, but for now I doubt you'll believe me if I told you," He laughs again, "But anyways, here's how I can help you. I'm guessing I'm here because you've been chosen, you remember that light earlier, right?"

"Yeah, was that you?"

"Kinda, I guess, but it was also a powerful light. A keyblade! Now focus, you gotta call it out to you, or else you're done for."

"Call it out? How?"

"Like this!" My hand moves without my control as a light forms in my hand and turns into a keyblade! It's shaped like a regular skeleton key with a crown chain, it looks like the kingdom key given to one of the heroes.

"Now you gotta use it! Come on, you're running out of time, Reno!"

"I know, I know," I bring the keyblade up in an arc; it tears open the Heartless that swallowed me. I tumble out and fall to the floor. I struggle to stand as I see the heartless dissipate, releasing the captured heart.

I suddenly lose myself and am falling, falling so far through darkness till suddenly I'm falling through the sky. I finally am plunged into a body of water. I stare upward and see Erika reaching for me; I go to grab her hand. She pulls me out of the water.

I realize we are standing on water until I turn and it's no longer her. A man with long silver hair and a scar on his left eye stands before me. He walks out toward the ocean. I turn to look at Exile Island and realize that it's a different island than mine. I turn back around and see the silver hair man facing me. I stare into his eyes as he smiles and reaches out, as if he is offering me his hand.

His black cloak sways as the water rushes behind him into a giant wave! I react without thinking, stumbling to save him.

"Reno!" I turn and see a brown-haired man reaching out as if to stop me. But it's too late, the water comes crashing down and I'm overwhelmed with water. I can still see the silver haired man; I reach for him, but only meet water.

Once again I pass out.

…

I wake up lying on sand, someone is standing over me. The cradle me in their arms, asking me something I can't understand.

"Hey, are you okay? Can you hear me?"

"Erika?" I croak out her name.

"Erika? Not quite, but hey at least your breathing now." She laughs lightly.

I open my eyes to see a red haired woman in a white dress. She's smiling brightly at me.

"Who are you?" I ask her.

"Who am I? Who are you? You're the one who fell out of the sky! I barely was able to save you from drowning."

"I'm Reno," I glance around and see the same island I was just at in my dream. "This isn't Exile Island, is it?"

She narrows her eyebrows, "No… this is Destiny Island. I've never heard of Exile Island before." She stands up and reaches her hand to me. I grab it and she pulls me up, "I'm Kairi! Nice to meet you, Reno! Tell me, do you fall out of the sky often?" She giggles and sticks her tongue out at me.

I rub the back of my head and laugh, "I try not to make a habit out of it."

"Well good, it doesn't seem too good for your health." She laughs again. "Come on, you look hungry. I can feed you at least."

We walk along the side of the beach, the ocean beating waves onto the shore. My mind wonders as I recount my dream and try and figure out what happened. Suddenly it occurs to me. "Kairi?"

"Yes?" She turns to look at me.

"You're the Kairi?! Your one of the heroes who stopped the darkness!"

She sighs, "I only helped my friends. That was years ago anyways." She continues walking, her back stiffer as if I upset her.

I continue following her, worried I upset her.

Too much has happened, I feel as if my head is gonna explode with everything I saw in my dream. Maybe she has answers. I hope so, anyways.