Her vision darkens as the faint light of the surface shrinks. The strength in her body is drained, her muscles refusing to listen any longer. Aqua is aware of the suffocating weight that seems to sit on her chest, and how with every passing second, the oxygen in her lungs is replaced with cold water.
What… was this feeling?
The heaviness in her chest pulls her deeper into the dark depths. An ache slowly gnawed at her limbs and consumed her.
Was this really the end?
As her eyes shut, she remembers that final night they all spent together under the same stars. It was the last time she felt her cheeks ache from laughing and smiling. Her memories are hazy as her mind wanders to the sleeping boy who lay hidden away in the place they once called home.
I'm sorry Ven.
While Ven slept, she trudged through unmarked pathways and fallen worlds, Heartless lurking within the shadows waiting to greet her.
How long had she been walking?
She had nothing but her own weak heart to keep her company. Each step splintering the courage that she tried to keep aflame in this cold eternal night.
After she had chased illusion after illusion in a desperate attempt to silence the doubts of her own phantom, she didn't want to be alone anymore. The briefest flicker of hope returned to her when she heard the familiar timber of his voice calling her name.
Terra had heard her and somehow found his way here. When she does see him, she notices his bright blue eyes are cloudy and unfocused. He only turns to look at her when he hears the sound of her voice. Terra's eyes never focus on her and her heart continues to sink when she realizes that in the end, she too had somehow failed him. His heart was tied to darkness and no one could locate him in the realm of light. They were all separated and lost to one another.
Her mind is foggy and tired now, her thoughts hardly coherent. It was only a matter of time before her consciousness slipped away. She tried to focus on the memory of Terra and Ven. She wanted to see them one last time, but that would have to remain as nothing more than a far off dream. Her memories, her dreams, all start to disappear. The last light of her life slipping away and being devoured by this place.
In the darkness of her mind she hears a soft and matronly voice speaking to her.
"Come now my dear, surely you don't believe that. If you did then I wouldn't be speaking to you right now."
The fog is thick in her mind and the words sound distant and muffled. Her dream…in the past her dream was to become a Keyblade Master, but that dream was hollow without Terra and Ven. She had taken all those days with them for granted.
"I want to be with them again. I want to see Terra and Ven."
The voice is clearer now and Aqua can feel a comforting hand stroking her hair. "Then, trust in your dream my dear."
Darkness is replaced by light and the weight on her body and mind feels lifted. Her eyes flutter open and instead of the vast darkness of the sea, she sees stark white ceilings. She hears the beeping noise of a machine next to her. She was lying on a foreign bed, and the air smelled sterile and sick. When she glances down at her arms, she notices a needle puncturing her skin.
Where was she?
Her head throbs and her muscles are now aching and screaming at her in protest with any movement she makes. When she pushes herself upright, the room begins to spin and the headache worsens. She shuts her eyes in a desperate attempt to ease the pain. The machine next to her beeps faster; it was in perfect rhythm with the beating of her own heart.
She opens her eyes and thrusts her hand out, focused on Master Keeper but nothing happens. The Keyblade was still lost to her even in this foreign place. There was no other choice but to escape.
Was Terra and Ven here as well?
There was no time to lose; she pulls the needle from her skin and hisses in pain. When Aqua looks up, she sees a panicked face clad in blue clothing staring at her. The stranger screams for help and Aqua hears the drumming of her heart in her ears. She pulls the blanket off and feels a chill from the sudden cold. Her legs feel heavy and they don't cooperate with her wishes, but she manages to push herself out of bed. Her knees buckle and she finds herself falling onto the cold floor. Aqua tries to push herself up again but when her own strength fails her, tears stream down her face. She was alone and scared with no memory of where she was or how she got here.
"Terra, Ven!" Her own voice sounded foreign, it was hoarse and quiet. She calls their name repeatedly and prays for a miracle. Instead she sees a group of strangers rush in, most of them were wearing the same blue clothing. They flock to her and take hold of her arms, as she struggles in their hold and screams for Terra and Ven again. She elbows one and manages to push another away, crawling from them in a desperate attempt to flee.
An older man with flaxen hair rushes in wearing a white coat, holding another needle. The group of strangers look relieved when they see him.
He looks like…
The man is shouting orders at them, telling them to keep her still, that she needed to be sedated. The group is on her again, subduing her on the ground.
"Miss. Rainn, please calm down!"
Aqua is disoriented and unsure why they were calling her that and wondered if that was her name. Had she always been Aqua Rainn?
The sharp prick of the needle breaks through her skin and her vision dims. It's dark again and Aqua finds herself in a familiar hallway when she wakes.
The walls are white and almost blinding, columns line the walls. In front of her double doors await her arrival.
"Welcome to Castle Oblivion," a mocking voice echoes in the room. She turns quickly and comes face to face with her own phantom. No. This wasn't her phantom, it was someone else. The doppelgänger had pale blue hair and golden eyes that were filled with misery and despair.
Aqua steps back while the stranger stalks forward with a hand reaching out to her. The movement is halted by an invisible barrier.
"Who are you?" she asks.
The imposter laughs and smirks, Aqua shudders as she recalls the same expression on Vanitas.
"I'm you…but if you must call me something then call me Abyssia."
Aqua's eyes narrow at the words and walks closer to the barrier, she stops a few inches away from it. Abyssia's smirk gets even bigger, her eyes are wide and crazed.
"Yes, Master Aqua, come closer and see the monster that hides in your weak little heart."
"Tell me why you've brought me here," Aqua replies, raising her chin and crossing her arms. Abyssia howls in laughter.
"Me? You seriously think I would bring you here," she wheezes out between each laugh. Her laughter stops abruptly and her golden eyes stares at her unblinking, glittering with amusement. Abyssia shakes her head and sneers at Aqua, "No, sister, this is all you. You brought us here."
Aqua flinches when Abyssia over enunciates the word "sister" and steps back again. Abyssia's hand moves up on the barrier and rests at the same level of her neck.
"If I had my way, I would wrap my hands around that swan like neck and snuff the last light from you," Abyssias fingers curl together for a moment before turning into a fist. She slams it on the barrier over and over. Soon Abyssia is pounding on the barrier with both fists, the sound reverberating loudly in the room. The barrier flashed white with each impact, stopping the barrage from breaking through.
Aqua's heart races in fear and every muscle in her body tells her to run. She turns around tries to get as much distance as possible from Abyssia. Aqua hears her screaming, calling her name over and over. Aqua looks around frantically. There were only two doors, the one behind Abyssia and other door was at the end of the room. She doesn't think twice and throws open the double doors. Her vision is blinded by a pure bright light and she feels herself falling forward.
When she wakes again, she's on the cold floor of an unfamiliar room. She pushes herself up and hears a new voice greeting her from the middle of the room. Aqua notices that the white walls are littered with colourful sketches.
Some of them looked like Terra, Ven and herself, but others were of people she could only half-remember.
This room is different, there is a large window at the side. Warm sunlight passes through sheer curtains that give the room a warm feeling, and in the center of the room is a large crystal ball resting on a pronged pedestal. A petite blonde girl sits on a white chair next to it.
"Hello, Aqua," the blonde girl gives her a friendly smile. Her small hands clutch a sketch book close to her chest. There is something familiar about the blonde, her vision shifts for a moment and she sees a flash of red hair.
"Who are you?"
The girls lips move to answer her, but Aqua hears nothing, like the words are being stolen before it can be said.
"I suppose my name can't be revealed here." The girl sighs and looks down to her lap for a moment. Her gaze shifts back to Aqua and opens up her sketchbook to a blank page.
"Where am I? Why am I here?"
"You've been consumed by darkness. Abyssia, she is as much apart of you as you are hers."
Aqua looks away for a moment. That powerful and menacing darkness that she had faced was her. She turns around and looks back at the door that she entered from, her hands clench and she know what must be done.
Darkness must be extinguished.
The sound of chair legs scraping the floor is heard, light footsteps rushing towards her and finally soft hands taking hold of her arm.
"You can't beat her."
Aqua faces the small girl whose eyes are frantic and worried. Her grip on Aqua's arm tightens and for a moment Aqua remembers Ven. Aqua takes hold of the blonde's hand and gives it a tight squeeze.
"'I'll beat her, I'll find a way." She pats the blonde girl on her head and turns to leave once more.
"Please Aqua, you're not strong enough right now." The blondes voice is soft but firm, and she pulls Aqua back closer to the middle of the room.
"The you standing in this room is the last ember of light before you're completely destroyed by the darkness. This place is the final rest…that voice from earlier…" As her voice trails off, Aqua watches various emotions pass through the young girls face .
"Now my dear don't be so hasty."
That voice, Aqua's eyes dart to the side of the room. A small speck of light shifts and forms into pale blue robes, grey hair hidden behind a hood and warm brown eyes.
"Fairy Godmother!" Aqua gasps out.
"Please call me Dana."
The fairy chuckles and walks closer to the pair, resting a reassuring hand on the blonde girl's shoulder. The blondes fear and uneasy expression subside and gives a relieved smile at Dana. The old fairy finally turns to Aqua and with a flick of her wand a chair appears and gestures towards it. Aqua hesitates for a moment before finally settling into the chair.
The good fairy points at the crystal ball and inside of it small clouds swirl and thunder crackles before clearing up and revealing Aqua's sinking figure falling into the ocean. A black mass of darkness in her chest spreads across her body.
"Aqua, when your light was almost consumed, I heard your wish. Though I could not stop the darkness, I managed to cast a spell that allowed me to hold it back from consuming you completely." Aqua touches where the dark mass had first started to form and grits her teeth. She had failed again, and this time she almost paid the ultimate cost, her life. Dana continues speaking as the vision finishes.
"You're weak right now, but your light and heart can become strong again to beat Abyssia."
Aqua stands up at her words. She would do anything to regain her strength again.
"Tell me how."
Dana gestures her to sit down once more and looks toward the silent girl. The two exchange a knowing glance. The girl fiddles with her dress for a moment before speaking.
"Your light must travel to another and recuperate, but the problem is the only heart that you can travel to resides in a different universe."
Aqua feels numb, she would have to leave this world completely. She looks at Dana who nods her head in agreement with the girl.
"A different universe?" she mutters so quiet and afraid. The room's silence was deafening now. Dana continues on, her cheerful voice is serious and her eyes seem to even darken at the next few words.
"Yes, a place untouched by Master Xehanort."
Aqua can't imagine a world without the Unversed, the Heartless and most of all Master Xehanort. The one who orchestrated the death of her master and cleaved Ven's heart in half. He was the reason Terra had gone missing in the realm of light. She wonders about who's heart she would be resting within.
"In this alternate universe, you won't be sleeping, you'll be living her life."
Aqua's eyebrows knit together in confusion. Her stomach feels uneasy, she would be robbing this alternate self of her life.
"But what about her life, I can't just take her life..." She looks down at her lap and at her hands. She could not protect those she cared about the most and now she was stealing another's life. Her eyes sting with tears, ashamed at her own weakness.
Dana opens her mouth to respond, but the girl is faster. Her words come out as a burst that it takes Aqua off guard.
"No, you and her will become one. You know yourself best!"
The girl flushes red from the outburst and looks away again. There was something else that she had to say. Her next words come out as a whisper, but it's enough for Aqua to feel her own heart shatter again.
"Her memories will become yours and your memories…will become scattered and forgotten."
Aqua pulls the blue wayfinder from her side and traces the outline of the star with her finger. The one thing that kept her going through the darkness would be erased in order for her to survive.
"My memories…I don't want to forget about any of my friends," she murmurs, while cradling the wayfinder close to her heart.
"I'm sorry, but that's the price you must pay to go there." The girl reaches over and holds onto Aqua's hand. She speaks with a wisdom that seemed misplaced for someone so young.
"Although you'll forget those memories, they will never truly be lost." The girl's eyes were glassy with unshed tears.
Dana places a comforting hand on Aqua's shoulder and gives it a tight squeeze, "I'm sorry Aqua, but this is the only way."
Aqua closes her eyes and tries to sear in the details of her friends into her mind one last time. She would come back and return to this land and beat her darkness and rescue both Terra and Ven. No matter how long it took.
"I understand, please send me to this other universe."
Aqua stands up from her seat and takes a deep breath. This would be the last time she would also be in Oblivion for a long time. Dana nods to the girl who grabs a coloured pencil, her hand hovers over the empty page.
Aqua's heart races as she looks around the room for some sort of device or mirror to transport her. "How will I go there?"
Dana smiles and beams like a proud mother, "This girl has a special power, she can control the memories of others. With my magic, we will send you to this new land."
Aqua looks at the girl and takes in every detail of her. A white dress that matched the interior with pale blue sandals. It was her eyes that struck Aqua as familiar. She looked like someone she had met a long time ago. Aqua shakes her head and tries to focus on the events that were about to unfold. She wondered just how she would be able to gain back her strength and come back.
"Aqua, you'll experience many more things in your life. You must complete yourself and find those you have lost again. Find the strength to return to them," Dana says.
Aqua thanks Dana and gives her a smile. Dana cups her cheek and places a kiss on her forehead. "Take care my darling, have the sweetest dreams."
The girl stands up and walks to her, her eyes are hopeful. Part of Aqua wished that she could have taken the time to speak to the girl some more.
"I am thankful for your for help, but why are you doing all of this?" Aqua asks the girl.
"You don't know it yet, but our hearts are connected as well. I wanted to help you."
Though the girl looks frail, Aqua can see a light that shines brightly within. There was something special about her, indeed.
"Goodnight Aqua, I'll be here to greet you when you return."
Aqua thanks her once more before she finds herself being enclosed in a crystal pod, the girl with pencil in hand sketching in her notebook before everything turns black.
She hears chains unlinking piece by piece and her memories are soon becoming harder and harder to recall. She tries desperately to keep herself from forgetting everything. She chokes back on her tears and wakes up suddenly in a bright room.
Had she been here before?
A machine beeps next to her bed. A vase of blue flowers lay by her bedside.
Were those called forget-me-nots? What had happened?
Her head throbs as she remembers an ocean, a dark sand beach and a fading white sun. In her mind she recalls the back of two figures walking away from her, but the harder she tried to remember the blurrier the memory got.
The door opens and a petite blonde wearing a white dress walks in, her face etched with worry. In her arms was a bouquet of purple gladiolus. Sweet blue eyes staring at her in disbelief before rushing to her bedside. The small girl throws herself into Aqua's arms crying. Memories that seemed foreign come rushing back to Aqua. The girl was one of the most important people in her life, she became the girl's guardian that fateful day at the orphanage. Her eyes well up with tears and her heart aches from having forgotten. She strokes the girls hair and whispers to her.
"Good morning, Naminé."
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter.