Chapter I

A Boy's Dreams and Nightmares

There was light. There was a song.

Pure unadulterated light, so visible it felt like one could touch it had they just reached out for it, yet he didn't want to do so for fears of tainting it. And such a beautiful song that seem to be like a rare rainbow appearing after such a wicked storm in his ears. Both seemed to shroud him, both warmed him, making him feel… safe. As if there was nothing to fear or worry about here in this land of golden light and sweet song.

He wasn't alone; there was another with him, sapphire eyes smiling with them as they laughed. Their laughter sounded like children, playing games like children should. He could feel the wind in his hair as he ran with his blue eyed playmate. Out of breath the two collapsed, laughing and smiling. The laughter of two others joined them; he could see one had sharp jade green eyes, and the other had eyes of vivid aquamarine.

Suddenly everything changed as there was the sensation of a pair of strong arms wrapping around him in a strong embrace. A deep warm voice whispering in his ear such sweet and sensual promises that brought a blushing smile to his face and a bitter sweet pang in his heart as he knew such peace would not last.

Even in this paradise, nothing lasted forever.

Suddenly, in the color of a gold, red, and darkened aqua, the light faded away as darkness claimed it, flames claimed it, and laughter was stolen by a clang of steel.

He could feel the tears burn in his eyes as he fought those he knew and cared for dearly, the strange blue silver ironed keyblades in his hands becoming stained with their blood. But he was not alone.

The one with those jade colored eyes was with him. Strange bladed wheels in his hands as the flames danced around him as he fought by the boy's side. His face set in grim determination, yet pain at what he was doing shown in his eyes of sharp jade. And there were many others, their weapons strange and beautiful, as they all were.

There was also the other with the sapphire eyes who fought with a set of twin red gold keyblades. Yet he could see tears in those eyes as he saw the figure fighting one with a pair of familiar aquamarine eyes. But those familiar aqua eyes had a strange darkness within them; a darkness that let him know that the owner of those eyes didn't want to be fighting them yet… he had no choice. As a man evil laughter rang in the chasm of pain and rage.

Suddenly he was in a room of gray, and voices echoed in his mind. Voices of two men who didn't wish to be separated, yet… they had no choice. They had to be split apart. It was the only way… but for what? He felt he should know… but he didn't

"Let's meet again in the next life." One spoke, his voice sad yet determined.

"Yeah." Spoke another whose voice he knew rather well yet wasn't able to place for some reason. "I'll be waiting..."

Suddenly he was stepping in to a pool of shadowy blue. It was like as if he were falling through murky, yet blissfully still waters. Images flashing through his mind yet none of them made sense, suddenly he was on his feet as a bright light broke through the darkness below him and then…

…Roxas Strife awoke with a start. His mind blurred with strange images and voices that he seemed to reach at while it disappeared like smoke into the air. Shaking in a cold sweat, his sleepy eyes surveyed the room.

At once he noticed the plain painted white brick walls adored with several video game wall scrolls and anime posters, the dark wooden (and messy) desk he sat at, the window next to him with its goldenrod drapes drawn, the armoire beside the door, the bed next to it in the corner. Even in the dim light the boy could make out his dark green comforter on the bed as well as the clothes in the small closet. All the makings of a single person dorm room at the Twilight Town University dorms.

Still groggy with that strange… dream he had, Roxas rubbed his eyes to be stopped by his reading glasses still perched on the bridge of his nose. With a groan he took them off and set them on the key board of his laptop, it's screen glowing in the dim lamp light.

Drowsily, he spotted his thick Biology book, still open to the chapter of Homeostasis he had been studying… until he fell asleep that is. For the umpteenth time he groaned, (why the hell did he take that Bio course anyway- he was writing major for god's sake!). Yet that thought was merely a grain of sand in the wind compared to the other that assaulted his mind.

Those… dreams again, he thought reaching out to his now ice cold cup of coffee he had been drinking to try to keep himself awake before crashing. Despite the caffeine and sugar, he still had fallen asleep after drinking it. He gave the cup a glare as if it and its contents had caused his dream. Yet he knew better.

It wasn't the… caffeine that gave him that dream. It couldn't be as he'd been having it these past few weeks.

This meant that…

The young man shook his head quickly to clear the thought. With a sigh he stood up, going to the small sink he had in his dorm room next to the closet, dumping the cold coffee down the drain. He didn't have to look at the clock to know what time it was and that it would be better to head off to bed than study this early in the morning.

Not like he would be able to sleep after… that kind of dream anyway.

Roxas sighed. As he did so he looked at his reflection in the mirror just above his sink and small medicine cabinet. The face that met his eyes was that of a teenager growing into a young man. He wasn't tall, or short, just somewhere in the middle. His white and black baseball tee rumpled looking and his jeans torn at the knees. Blonde hair grew in wild spikes that hadn't touched a single drop of hair spray and could never be tamed despite all of his hard work. His bright sapphire eyes looked haunted as one did after waking from a nightmare… but for Roxas it was different.

For Roxas it was more than just a nightmare, as…

Well his… nightmares had a nasty way of coming true before his eyes. Wincing, he shook his head, yanking his gaze from the mirror as he couldn't stand to look at himself as, like ever one of these damned dreams, he started to remember… the first time it happened.

Taking another sigh, he went to his desk and closed the laptop. As he looked up he spied a picture in a dark wooden frame, his eyes met those of his smiling eight-year-old self standing in front of his spiky blonde haired father, Cloud, who stood hand in hand with a rather pretty women with hair as black as the night and warm brown eyes… His mother …

Tifa.

And right in front of her- next to the young Roxas- stood a young girl with ebony black hair and sky blue eyes… His little sister…

Xion.

His throat tightened, and tears burned in his eyes as he looked to these two faces…

Faces he hadn't seen in so long.

Ten years… He couldn't help but think. Ten years since this picture and … what happened and… and still it… all of it… doesn't get any easier.

Forcefully he yanked his eyes away, and turned away from the picture. A horrible pain like a splinter festering burned in his heart as he remembered… the first time it happened.

Stop it, Roxas, He thought wiping his sapphire eyes of the tears he had burning his eyes. Just stop it, it won't bring them back.

Instantly he pulled on the chain hidden by his black and white baseball shirt collar. At once a small blue-silver key caught the dim desk light. Gently, almost reverently, he took the charm into his hand and held it to his heart. Ever since his mother left him this charm it always calmed him especially when he had those "dreams" or worst…

Taking another calming breath, he turned to the bed. Knowing he should really think about getting some sleep. But he knew that he wouldn't really be able to sleep. After all…

How could he sleep now after that stupid dream?

A dream he knew, with a knowledge he couldn't explain… Gave a hint of the future, like the dream he had so many years ago…

When his mother and sister were both killed.

---

Very far away from the blonde boy in his dorm room a dark and still town, almost completely lifeless, sat as if holding its breath. The only thing that seemed to move in the empty town of black skyscrapers and neon lights was the rain that fell from the strangely colored sky of black and red. Yet despite the rain a far distant moon seemed to shine from the clouds that seemed to part only for this great orb of light. Below it a strange castle of cloudy gray stone stood; the great shadow of it's many towers, that seemed to branch out like that of a tree, enveloped the small town below. It was beautiful, yet some sort of power resonated from it. A power of something not quite…

Human.

This was the middle of the Middle World; a land of light and darkness. Some would call it the place of judgment, but… for a select few, they knew this place as The World That Mortals Would Never Know Was. Not until it was time for their hearts to be judged.

And in this world a single figure appeared in the streets in a strange almost hole-like phenomenon that seemed to rip through reality and rationality.

He was clad completely in night-black from the drawn hood of his cloak to the soles of his boots stepping into the seemingly empty city. The dark portal disappearing behind him, and he cursed slightly as he realized the weather. Grumbling to himself he walked through the city streets, not at all bothered by the complete emptiness this city had.

A year ago he had been dragged here, kicking and screaming all the while. Back then, he hadn't known… what he was and what this world truly meant. This rain reminded him of that terrifying night where he was forcefully dragged away from everything he thought he knew.

More like everything I thought was normal, The cloaked figure couldn't help but think as he moved closer and closer to the castle. Now I wonder what the hell 'normal' is anyway. After all that I've seen…

In what seemed like no time at all he stood at the base of the great gray castle and out of the drizzle. To the 'normal' mortal it would have seemed even more impressive so close up with it's monolithic size, intricate towers, as well as the extraordinary way the castle seemed to glow in the strange moon's light. It didn't help the fact that the rain around the fortress seemed to stop or that this castle seemingly seemed to float over a giant chasm of darkness! He had once been intimidated by this great turret. But that was a while ago, before he truly understood what he really was…

Who he really was.

The cloaked figure stopped suddenly on the edge of the giant chasm; his hooded face hidden as he looked up to the tallest tower and the clear starry skies above it, a source of calm in the storm that had fallen on this world, a storm that would pass that morning. He closed his eyes as, like a memory from a dream, a scene played within his mind's eye…

"Wow!" A young man exclaimed in awe, as he looked up to the white castle before him, his blue eyes wide in a way that reminded the him of a child dispute the boy's age.

"You'll be living in there?" The blue eyed one asked in awe.

"Apparently, Kiddo." He replied with a smile. "And so will you, after the ceremony."

The two stood in wonder. This Castle…

It was like nothing they had ever seen! Even in the mortal world.

"Hard to believe it's all happening, isn't it?" The younger boy breathed suddenly, softly. "I know that we'll be seeing each other again but I…"

The youngest trailed off, looking away as his blue eyes were downcast.

"I really don't want to sound like a girl, but I'm afraid to say goodbye to… all of this. Sora, and… you. Even if it's just for a little while."

At this the oldest couldn't help but wrap his arms around the one he held the dearer than his own life, kissing him softly on the side of his temple.

"I wouldn't worry, you can't get rid of me that easily… Ventus." He replied with a smirk.

At this the blonde haired, blue eyed younger boy looked up at him with a smile that always sent his heart pounding…

… And with a gasp the cloaked man tore himself from the memory.

Dammit! Why did he have to remember that now?

Now of all times when it felt like… he would never see those eyes, that face…

Ever again.

As his resentment of his own actions grew, a strange energy seemed to follow; building with his emotion of righteous anger, growing and growing, burning inside him. Then suddenly, as if conjured from thin air…

Flames had blossomed in the center of his back!

But there was no sizzle of burning leather, nor a cry of pain from the cloaked man. In fact a small smirk appeared on his face as he seemingly pushed his frustration and anger aside, while the flames started to split, one seeming reaching for the right, the other for the left. Reaching farther… farther… And just as the flames reached a good nine feet the cloaked figure stepped foreword…

And started to fall into the seeming endless chasm below the castle!

He was falling faster and faster each second, the wind whipping at his cloaked and the sound of flames crackling in his ears. Yet he kept falling deeper and deeper into the darkness.

Falling…

Falling...

Falling...

Leaving his frustrations behind him as he plummeted deeper and deeper into the abyss that threatened to swallow him whole and never let him see the light of day ever again.

Yet something strange was happing as he fell, the flames seemed to be forming something in the dark- as if the inferno was melting into some sort of… figure. A strange sweeping figure that he could faintly see in the dark with his keen eyesight.

Soon only a mere flicker, like those of candlesticks, remained. And while still falling into the black the figure gave a wicked grin.

"Now!" He cried.

And… Suddenly… Impossibly… he was not longer falling into the dark!

Indeed it seemed as if he did a perfect arch in mid-air and was now going up, up, up! Towards the light, towards the castle, towards… home.

The sudden, constant beating on either side of him made him smile and when the light was on his hooded face he couldn't help but glance to the side out of the corner of his eye. A slight chuckle emerged as he saw it-a part of him still in awe to see them.

For there, coming through the leather cloak on his back on either of his sides was a pair of feathered wings showing a vivid cardinal that caught the eye, speckled with bits of ebony!

One of the perks of being an Earth Bound Angel, he thought slyly as he flew up toward the white sweeping platform.

Expertly, he circled around before setting himself down without a hitch. Raising his right hand, he snapped through his leather gloves. Almost instantly, the wings he had suddenly disappeared in a flash of blazing red flame and smoke. And so he stood, just as he had mere seconds ago, wingless.

"Still a show-off, I see," a deep voice spoke suddenly in a lilting tone from the shadows of the castles entrance.

At this the Red Winged Angel turned to see a man in a black cloak just like his own, yet his hood fallen aside to reveal his face, sharp yet handsome in his age of twenty-six despite the birthmark in the shape of a great X crossing between his eyebrows. His eyes were the color of amber and as sharp as a hawk's. Pale sky-blue hair the framed his face and fell in waves from his shoulders.

"Nice to see you too, Saϊx." The cloaked man spoke, his voice baring a smile within it.

"You're late."

"Aww, worried about me Saϊ?" The cloaked man teased suddenly. "You really shouldn't be. I can take care of myself. Got it memorized?"

At this the Saϊx, the blue haired angel, scoffed.

"I know better, you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. But this little trend of yours is really starting to annoy the Superior."

"Yeah… Well," The cloaked figure shrugged, the teasing air around him fading into annoyance.

"Shit happens, you know. And I'm sure Number I knows that very well."

Amber eyes narrowed at these words yet Saϊx said nothing. Thinking that there was nothing left to say the hooded man shrugged.

"Well, anyway I'm off for a shower until the morning. You know when he lands another one of these damned missons on my plate. "

At this the cloaked man went to pass Saϊx on his way inside the castle when the Superior Angel spoke words that made him stop in his tracks.

"You went looking for… him again, didn't you."

Silence rang suddenly between the two angels, as the cloaked man seemed to clench his fist slightly.

"You still going for the title of 'Captain Obvious,' Saϊ?" He replied over his shoulder.

At this the blue haired angel gave him a stern look, yet continued.

"How many times are you going to deviate from your missions? You know how important this is to us-!"

"Lucky for you to say," the cloaked man snapped suddenly turning his hidden face to the blue haired man, voice icy cold. "You already have who you were looking for."

With these words Saϊx froze, his expression becoming blank. Suddenly he lowered his eyes as if he didn't know what else to say. Seeing this, the cloaked man walked past him into the entrance hall. He didn't make it far when his superior and friend spoke.

"Look… Lea," Saϊx said suddenly, his tone stopping the cloaked man as he recognized that name instantly… like it was his own.

After all, it had been… once upon a time.

"You'll find… Number XIII when he wishes to be found. Until then you can't go rushing into a meeting with him. If those creatures find his existence before we do, we will lose a great warrior, and… you know what you'll lose."

"Spare me the lectures Saϊ," the red winged angel said suddenly. "I know… but I don't think he does. He doesn't remember for starters. And I need to find him. I made a promise you know…"

And with this he pulled his hood up to revile a handsome face with a pair of sharp jade green eyes, shining like a cat's in the night.

"And I intend to keep it."

---

"…Rox? Oi Roxas!"

At once Roxas looked up from his breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon, slightly dazed eyes taking in the light filled cafeteria. Its walls painted a warm gold with white tiled floors, and filled with burgundy colored booths, as well white tables and plastic chairs. It was then his blue eyes met brown ones of the one sitting across from him.

Although he still felt as though he were somewhere else other than here, Roxas instantly recognized the boy who sat across from him in his booth. His dirty blonde hair was spiked in a wild way, wearing his favorite olive colored cargo vest, and black oversized shirt that fell over the pockets of his camouflage printed pants. The blue eyed blonde should know this boy. After all, this was his best friend, Hayner. Who was giving him a look crossed between amusement and annoyance.

"You dozed off again didn't cha, Rox?" Hayner proclaimed suddenly, a knowing smirk on his face.

At this Roxas grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry Hay," The boy replied apologetically.

"Wow Roxas," Spoke up another, slightly heavy-set, boy who sat with them next to Hayner.

His brown hair fell wildly over his white and black headband. He wore a white tee under his 'Dog Street' red shirt, his jeans faded from use. This boy's name was Pence, and he was another friend Roxas had known since grade school.

"That's gotta be the fifth time this morning, you okay man?" The brunette asked his friend, brown eyes filled with concern, before spooning himself some more cereal.

"Yeah, just a long night." Roxas replied. "Sorry, guys. What did I miss?"

"Oh nothing…" replied the pretty green eyed and brown haired Olette.

Roxas turned to her as she sat beside him, just in time to see her brushing her toast crumbs off of her capris. "…Just Hayner ranting about his Chem. Class and the fact that his been paired up with Seifer for the latest lab."

At this Roxas winced while Hayner groaned.

"Damn it Olette! You don't have to go on reminding me!" The brown eyed blonde told her. Leaning back in his chair with a loud flump!

"Well you were the one whining about it!" Pence pointed out with a smirk.

"Aw, shut it or it's no ice cream for you tonight!"

At this the three friends couldn't help but giggle at Hayner's antics. The brown eyed blonde could be a bit of a hot head at times but he was the best friend they could ask for. The boy himself couldn't help but smile back despite his current troubles. After they were done Olette spoke.

"I still say that if Seifer gives you any trouble-."

" 'Lette this is Seifer we're talking about, trouble may as well be the guy's middle name."

The girl gave her friend a bit of a look for interrupting, but continued on.

"If he gives you trouble then asked the professor to switch partners. I'm sure that Dr. Crescent will understand. She's pretty nice for a Chem. teacher."

Roxas nodded.

"That and I wouldn't think Seifer wouldn't give you too much trouble since his grade depends on it too." He added. "He may be a jerk, but studying is the only thing he takes seriously. And with his major being in government police work you know he's not going to risk it."

"Sounds good to me," Pence agreed.

At this Hayner sighed.

"Alright fine," The dirty blonde boy replied. "Guess I'll try. But if he calls me 'Lamer' one more time while were dealing with acids then I swear! I'm going to-."

"Act like a reasonable gentlemen?" Olette finished with a wide smile.

"Hayner? A… gentleman?" Roxas asked incredulously.

At this the group couldn't help but burst out laughing at the thought of the hotheaded Hayner in coattails worthy of a British spy acting like a "gentleman". Hayner himself especially, since he knew he wasn't. Nor would he ever be if he had anything to say about it. Once the group had calmed down, several bits of small talk was said over the breakfast until Pence checked his watch.

"Well guys," He said. "I'd love to hang out some more but we gotta run if we want to make it to that ten o'clock class."

"Damn!" Hayner exclaimed. "It's that time already?!"

"Yep!"

"Aw crap!!" the boy exclaimed shoving the last big bite of his ham, turkey, and cheese omelet in his mouth just before grabbing his tray and snatching up his bag and running to the trash can.

At this Pence shook his head.

"Told him he should have bought a watch, but he had to have that new Halo game," The boy said with a sigh and a small grin.

"Well, that explains why he was late today." Roxas quipped before putting a forkful of bacon and egg in his mouth.

"You got that right. I tried to talk him out of staying up so late but… well you know how he is." Pence replied.

"You got that right." Olette giggled.

"Well," Pence sighed good naturedly. "I better catch up to him if I want a study partner. I'll see you guys later."

"Later Pence." The green eyed girl waved as the boy across from him put his bag on his shoulder and picked up his tray.

"See ya man," Roxas told him with a nod.

And so, Roxas and Olette sat at the booth just the two of them.

"Well, this is certainly different," the green eyed girl teased, playing with the straw in her orange juice. "It's been a while since it was just us two who hung out."

"If I remember right, last time we hung out, just the two of us, you were offering to paint my nails and talk to me about boys." Roxas replied with a bit of a smirk.

At this Olette laughed.

"True, hard to believe it's been that long."

"I still find it hard to believe that Hayner let you do it! Even then! We may have been eight but still… you know how is! How he was even then!"

At this the two friends laughed. Yet Roxas couldn't help but let his happiness wash over him a little bit like a wave.

He should remember that night, vividly, especially as that had been the first time he had one of those "dreams". And his friends had been at his side, even then. They had stayed with him even after the accident, and his depression that followed, even after he had discovered his sexuality, his friends stayed by his side, never turning their back on him even for a second.

But what about this last dream? Roxas thought silently.

The blonde didn't want them to worry but the fact that he had been having this dream for a few weeks now… well, it was troubling to say the least. And being someone whose dreams had a nasty habit of coming true…

It made it even worst.

"Roxas are you alright?" Olette asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?" The blonde asked, trying to sound as if nothing was wrong.

"Well… you look a bit more pale than usual. And you aren't really scarfing down your food like usual…"

"I'm fine, just tired is all." Roxas replied simply, spearing some more eggs and bacon with his fork.

Yet Olette knew Roxas better than that. After all, she was the one who introduced him to Hayner and Pence and had lived next door for a good bit of her life. Something was up, and the green eyed girl definitely didn't buy the whole 'I'm-just-tired' line.

"It's not just that, is it? Did you… Did you have another one of those dreams?" Olette asked suddenly.

At this Roxas, who was just taking a sip, nearly choked on his juice.

"Wh-What makes you ask that 'Lette?!"

The green eyed girl gave him a look.

"Hayner says you've been like this since last Wednesday. I don't see you all that often but once a week for breakfast and dinner, but I can tell you look a lot more exhausted then you where a while back. And Pence has said he's caught you sleeping in the library. Something that had all of us shocked for some time."

Olette looked to her long time friend, hoping that he would tell her the truth.

"We all know how you are Roxas. You're never like then unless you've had… Unless you've had one of those dreams."

At this Roxas lowered his head. Both wondering if he should tell her and thanking whatever force out there that gave him such amazing friends. Taking a deep breath, he spoke.

"Y-yeah… I-I had another one."

At this Olette's eyes widened.

"You want to talk about it?"

The blond sighed, pushing his tray away, and folding his hands on the table.

" I've been having these dreams for a few weeks now. It's starting to drive me crazy, but it's not really that big of a deal…"

"You've been having this dream for weeks?!" his friend exclaimed, at this Roxas winced. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I… well you know me, I never like making you guys worry. Besides, we were all getting settled for college."

"Still…" Olette replied, looking unconvinced.

"Don't worry," Roxas sighed simply. "It'll happen whether I want it to or not. There's no use in worrying too much about it."

At this the two friends said nothing. Until Olette spoke, her tone slightly fearful.

"It's it good or bad?"

"Can't tell, it starts out pretty good and then it get's… dark." Roxas said, trying to remember his nightly visions as they seem to fade by the light of day.

Yet it seemed like catching pouring water from a faucet. Only bit's and pieces remained while the rest dripped from his fingers and out of reach. Yet something still remained vividly in his mind.

"I… I can't remember making a promise to someone in the end."

"What kind of promise?"

"I… I wish I knew but… my dream never shows me. "

---

Usually, Wednesdays were Roxas' cram day's class wise. In other words the blonde usually found himself going to class from 10:30 in the morning to 4:45 in the afternoon with just one break for lunch in-between his first and second class. Not that he minded though. He, unlike, Hayner got all of his least favorite courses that were general education requirements out of the way in high-school as well as his last semesters.

It had been a lot of work but it was worth it.

For now the first semester sophomore was taking the last of his Gen. Ed's. and the first of his major courses in Creative Writing and minor courses in Art.

For today it was folklore class, the Drawing , then Biology (Bleh, Roxas thought), and finally Creative Writing: Short Story. Although it was a good line up (besides Biology of course), and Roxas usually enjoyed it today just felt… off for some reason.

Maybe it's because of how vivid that stupid dream has been becoming each night, or because of his slightly restless heart. But Roxas couldn't help but get the feeling something was coming. He just wish he knew what.