Chapter 1: Enter Nex
Lux sat tapping his fingers, completely bored at the situation he found himself in. His parents, Sora and Kairi, were sitting talking to their friend Riku. The family had left their home on Destiny Islands to come and visit Riku who lived in Radiant Garden, and was now in charge of the committee that made sure the world remained a safe and happy place to live.
Lux was fourteen years old, and though he enjoyed travelling in a Gummi Ship; watching his parents sit and talk all day was not his idea of fun. Every one of these trips was the same, with Sora and Kairi rarely seeing Riku anymore they used every second they had to catch up with their best friend.
He ran his hands through his messy auburn hair and closed his deep blue eyes, whilst uttering a silent sigh. Anyone who knew Sora and Kairi could instantly spot the resemblance in their son. That and the fact that at about the age of twelve a Keyblade had appeared out of thin air in his hands at dinner one night. Since then his dad had been training him the correct ways to use the weapon and to respect the power that had been bestowed upon him.
Sora and Kairi had been worried that this meant that the dark was on the rise again, but since they had finally defeated Xehanort all those years ago there had been very little trouble.
They were currently sitting inside a bar that Riku owned in the main square of the town. The walls were completely covered with pictures of the three friends and many other people who Lux had never met. He felt envious of his parents and Riku, not only for the adventures they had undertaken together, but for the fact that they had always had each since they were young. Being the son of the saviours of the worlds and the fact that you are the holder of a mystical weapon makes you slightly daunting to other kids your age, so Lux had never really had any great friends.
"Cid did WHAT?" he heard his mother exclaim then burst into laughter.
"He got so drunk we had to chuck him into an ice cold bath, it was highly amusing." A smirk spread across Riku's face.
"Arh I wish we'd been here to see it." Sora groaned, leaning back on the wooden chair and putting his hands behind his back.
This drew an awkward silence from the trio because it reminded them of how little they actually saw each other, with Riku's commitments and Sora and Kairi looking after Lux.
Lux thought he'd break this silence, "Mum is it ok if I go for a walk?"
"Sure honey, but don't go too far, we're going up to the castle in a little while to see the rest of our friends." Kairi replied, smiling at her son.
Lux nodded and stood up from the wooden table and pulled the white door inwards and stepped onto the main street of Radiant Garden. There was a gust of wind that made Lux shiver.
It was always freezing here compared to home and the white hoodie and black shorts did little to keep him warm. Lux didn't know any differently, but Radiant Garden had undergone massive changes since the worlds had finally been saved by his parents. The place was always bustling with shoppers who had a wide variety of places to purchase from. Regardless of this fact, Lux preferred his home on Destiny Islands, because it was much quieter and the fact that he was Sora and Kairi's son made him stand out even more here, with people always giving him second glances and whispering when he walked past.
Meandering the streets with no particular destination in mind, Lux suddenly heard a commotion going on from round the corner.
"HOW DARE YE TRY AN' STEAL FROM ME!"
Lux knew that voice instantly, it was Scrooge McDuck who owned a chain of ice cream parlours throughout the world, but still kept his original shop open for business, which was where Lux found himself now.
The duck had an apoplectic face and was pointing viciously at a boy who looked a similar age to Lux. The unknown boy was roughly the same height, but had white hair and a nonchalant look. He wore a black hoodie with red trim down the arms and dark blue shorts with silver patterns.
"Hey Mr. McDuck what's going on?"Lux queried.
"Ah hello there young Lux." The duck responded, calming down.
"This little devil here thought he could get away with taking one of my ice creams without paying for it."
"I told you I was going to pay." The boy replied in a bored tone.
"I'm sure you were lad."
"It's ok; I'll buy one as well and cover that one as well." Lux offered.
"Very well lad, here you are." The duck took the money and handed over another sea-salt ice cream to Lux.
The other boy turned to Lux,
"Thanks, I thought that duck was going to be more trouble than this ice cream was worth." He said, still sounding utterly bored.
"No problem, he can be a bit of a grouch. My name's Lux, how about you?"
The other boy took a sudden interest and turned around to face Lux.
"Lux, as in the son of Sora and Kairi?"
"Ugh yep that'd be me." Lux replied glumly.
"You don't sound too happy about that fact. My name is Nex, pleased to meet you Lux."
"Likewise Nex. It's not that I don't like the fact, but sometimes it scares people off before they get to know me."
"Well don't worry it takes quite a lot to scare me." Nex responded then took a bite out of the ice cream.
"LUX!" Sora was standing on the opposite side of the square waving his arms and smiling broadly.
"Hmmm looks like I have to go. Well maybe I'll see you around?" Lux said turning to the other boy.
"I'm certain of it. Thanks for the ice cream."
And with that Lux set off in the direction of his father, who put an around his son's shoulders when he was close enough.
"Who was that buddy?"
"Just some kid I was talking to."
"It's good to see you're making an effort to make friends." Because even if Lux didn't realise it, his parents were worried by the lack of normality in their son's life.
"Hmm." Was all Lux replied, as he was still eating his ice cream.
They made their way towards the castle and met up with Riku and Kairi along the way.
"I'm gonna win the bet this time Riku!" Sora exclaimed.
"Sora you've lost 55 times in a row, I don't know why you keep putting this bet on." His friend replied.
Since they had started visiting Riku, even before Lux had been born, Sora had bet that he could make Cloud laugh, and so far every time he had failed.
"Well I have a fool proof plan that will get me the money this time." Sora replied confidently.
Lux looked at his mother and she rolled her eyes; even after all these years, Riku and Sora were as competitive as ever.
The Committee had relocated from Merlin the Wizard's house into the castle after the repairs had been completed. Lux enjoyed going to the castle because it was huge and there was always somewhere new to look around on every visit. They approached the huge ornate golden gates and Riku pulled out a card that he swiped down the centre a panel on the gates. They slowly opened outwards and the group made their way up the stone steps into a courtyard with a fountain at the centre.
A towering set of doors were the entrance to the castle and as they reached them Riku pulled a cord that let off a loud ringing. A moment later the doors opened and a group of people poured out. The remainder of the Committee swarmed over Sora and Kairi with hugs and hellos traded. All except a spiky blond haired man who stood leaning against the wall.
"Hey Cloud, how have you been?" Sora asked stepping towards him.
But Sora hadn't noticed that his shoe laces were loose and as he made his way forwards he stepped on a trailing lace and fell face first at the feet of Cloud.
Everyone burst into laughter and slowly the corners of Cloud's mouth turned upwards into a grin.
"Ow, that hurt, well...You're laughing! Yes! Riku the money if you be so kind."
"Sora you can't count that, you didn't mean to fall over."
"Oh I didn't realise there conditions." Sora retorted.
Lux was watching his dad and Riku argue when he noticed something. The gates were opening again at the bottom of the steps. He watched with a quizzical expression to see who would arrive and was shocked when he saw that it was Nex.
"Nex?" Lux exclaimed.
"Hello Lux, and hello to the saviours of all the worlds. I am truly honoured to be among such company." He replied in a mocking tone.
"And you are?" Leon asked, breaking away from the crowd.
"I am no one important. Just the person who will bring an end to this temporary peace you have bestowed upon the worlds." He replied matter-of-factly.
"Good luck with that kid!" Riku said stepping alongside Leon.
"Oh luck will have nothing to do with it, I cannot fail because there is no way you can stop me."
"Alright enough is enough, time to go back to your parents. You've had your fun." Sora said, a serious expression now scarring his usual carefree face.
"My fun is just beginning."
And with that he clicked his fingers and dozens of Heartless appeared in the courtyard.
"Kairi, get Lux inside and stay there until its safe!" Sora commanded.
"No Dad, I can help!" Lux protested, his keyblade appearing in his hands, which was patterned with waves and the sun at the edge of the blade.
"No! Go with your mother now!" Sora instructed, his own keyblade appearing in his outstretched hand.
Nex had taken an object out of his pocket that looked like a snow globe except it was completely filled with an opaque black liquid. He shook it and the globe began to glow and expand.
"Enjoy your wife and son while you can Keyblade master, because very shortly they will be gone and you won't remember anything about them." Nex scoffed and stepped into a portal that the globe had created.
Lux didn't stop to think, he just bolted straight for the rapidly shrinking portal, reaching just in time and jumped in. He was able to see a quick flash of his parent's anguished faces before the darkness swallowed him up.
He felt like he was falling for a very long time inside the dark until he came into a blinding light.
"I might actually win this time!"
He heard a voice shout, then felt himself fall straight onto whoever had shouted this.
Lux heard another set of footsteps go flying past him and then a groan.
"Unlucky, maybe next time Sora." A second voice expressed.
"No fair, I would have won easily if it hadn't been for this guy jumping on me."
Luxs' eyes were just about used to the light, so he rubbed them a few more times and talk in his surroundings.
He was completely stunned, because he was back on the beach at home on Destiny Islands. Before he could register anything else a voice spoke beneath him.
"Hey do you mind getting off of me?"
Lux turned to look at who had spoken and almost passed out.
"D-Dad?" he blurted out.
Underneath him was a much younger Sora and little more than ten metres away were his mum and Riku.
"Err do I know you?" Sora asked, but Lux had already sunk into unciouness, unable to deal with the absurdity of the situation.
