There Is a Destiny That Makes Us Brothers

Chapter Three: Yen Sid


Sora shifted uncomfortably in his seat on the train, as the buildings of Twilight Town grew sparse and then disappeared altogether. The mysterious train made its journey to the strange, in-between world where Yen Sid resided with no conductor or anything, just as it had last time.

Sora glanced over at Roxas, who was gazing out the window. He'd hardly said a thing since they'd arrived so unexpectedly in Twilight Town. Luckily, the station plaza had been bustling with people embarking on their morning commutes, and Sora and Roxas' sudden appearance didn't seem to attract any unwanted attention.

"I guess we oughta go see Yen Sid, now that we're here," Sora had said, scanning the area for any of the shadow monsters. All seemed quiet.

Roxas had merely nodded absently, gazing out past the ledge surrounding the plaza and at the whole of Twilight Town spread out below them.

The train seemed to glide through the air for a while, until in the distance they could make out the turrets of Yen Sid's tower. As when Sora had visited before, the train slowed to a stop directly in front of the tower. Unlike last time, though, the train did not vanish as soon as he and Roxas had disembarked.

"...You okay?" Sora asked finally.

Roxas exhaled deeply. "Yeah. I'm fine." In truth, he wasn't sure that he was. It was simply hard to reconcile the fact that he had once known Twilight Town as his home, in a way that the World That Never Was had never been, when those memories were of things that had never truly happened.

As they approached the stronghold, the doors swung open automatically. Everything was just as quiet as Twilight Town had been as they climbed the numerous spiral stairs to Yen Sid's study. Last time Sora had been here, there were more Heartless every five feet.

"Y'know, something's kinda bothering me," Sora said, as they continued the long ascent upwards.

"What?"

"If all it takes for this..."bad" prophecy to come true is for one of us to get killed, then why'd the shadow lady bother warping us back to Twilight Town? Why not just kill us right there and get the job done?"

"I don't think it is just about getting the job done, though," Roxas answered. "I mean...she kept saying all that stuff about playing with us, and it's a race to find the others. She didn't kill us back there because she didn't want to then."

Sora made a face. "Awesome," he muttered.

By then, they had finally reached the door to Yen Sid's study. Sora exchanged a look with Roxas, who shrugged in reply. Sora reached up a hand to knock on the door, but it opened slightly of its own accord.

"Come in," came a voice from inside.

Sora pushed the door open the rest of the way, and he and Roxas stepped into the study. The wizard Yen Sid sat at large wooden desk at the end of the room.

"I have been expecting you both," he said, gesturing them forward. "King Mickey had told me many things about the current situation."

"The King was here?" Sora repeated. When Yen Sid nodded, he pressed on. "What about Riku, Kairi, and Naminé?!"

Yen Sid frowned. "Your friends have not been here. Unfortunately, their current location is unknown. The King is attempting to discover where they are as we speak."

Sora's shoulders slumped.

"However," Yen Sid began, "the King is reasonably certain that they were able to escape Destiny Islands without injury."

"What about Destiny Islands, anyway?" Roxas spoke up. "What happened to it?"

Yen Sid turned to Roxas as if just seeing him for the first time. "Right now, it hangs precariously balanced between light and darkness. If you fail to defeat the force behind this attack in enough time, Destiny Islands will succumb to darkness," he explained, after scrutinizing the boy for a brief moment.

"How long do we have?" Roxas asked.

"Perhaps two weeks."

Sora and Roxas exchanged glances. Just like in the diary they'd found in the future.

Yen Sid leaned forward, placing the tips of his fingers together. "Regrettably, we know very little about the being behind these attacks."

"Oh, it's definitely that enchantress who's supposed to be guarding the Domain of Shadows," Sora piped up. "Well, there's somebody possessing her, anyway."

Yen Sid regarded him curiously. "You have seen her?"

"Yep." So Sora explained how they had come to see the destroyed future Radiant Garden, and how in that timeline the second half of the prophecy had come true. Yen Sid grew quiet upon hearing the story, leaning back in his chair.

"I know she – it – whoever said all that stuff about wanting to have a race to see who can find my friends first," Sora spoke up, "but it's still kind of weird that she didn't just kill us then."

At this, Yen Sid waved a hand. A heavy leather tome extracted itself from one of the bookshelves in the room, floating over to the desk and opening itself in front of Roxas and Sora.

"It is not so strange," Yen Sid began. "You see, whoever controls the Domain of Shadows controls the balance of light and dark in all worlds. The Domain has existed since the beginning of the worlds." He gestured to the book. Peering at it, Roxas and Sora saw it was an ancient encyclopedia of sorts that had opened itself to the page on the Domain of Shadows.

"As such," Yen Sid continued, "a variety of precautions and provisos have been put in place to prevent the enchantress from being harmed or to prevent outsiders from entering the Domain of Shadows. One such restriction is that the enchantress cannot leave the Domain of Shadows for more than a few hours, and she may only speak to outsiders, nothing more, and only under extenuating circumstances."

Roxas frowned. "Are you saying that whatever it is that's controlling her couldn't kill us in Radiant Garden because it has to follow the same rules she does?"

Yen Sid nodded. "That is correct. That is why she sends shadows in her stead."

"What's the deal with those shadows, anyway?" Sora asked.

"Shadows, like most people and worlds, are made of equal parts light and darkness. However, the dark force currently controlling their domain has altered the very shadows themselves. They have become dark creatures, not unlike the Heartless."

"How do you get rid of them?" Roxas asked.

"Light," Yen Sid answered simply. "Which is why the Keyblade makes an effective weapon against them. I myself have managed to keep them out of Twilight Town with a spell, but I will not be able to keep it going forever."

Roxas frowned. "So, the big question: how do we get rid of whatever it is controlling the enchantress without hurting her?"

"This, I do not know," was the reply. "Because it is so crucial in keeping the worlds safe, there are many secrets of the Domain of Shadows that only its ruler know. But I would hazard a guess that the powers of light must be brought back to the Domain of Shadows. Then, whatever evil force that is behind this will be driven out."

Roxas' eyes narrowed. "Does that mean...we have to go to the Domain of Shadows?"

"All five of you must, as dictated by the prophecy the King described to you."

"Then tell us how to get there," Sora said urgently.

Yen Sid frowned. "As I said, little is known about the Domain of Shadows, including how to enter it."

Sora groaned.

"But, I do know that five objects are required to enter. Exactly what these objects are, I do not know."

"One for each of us," Roxas noted.

"According to legend, these five magical objects were scattered throughout different worlds, to make entering the Domain of Shadows as difficult as possible. Furthermore, after they are used, all five items automatically return to their original location," Yen Sid explained.

"Okay, that means that whoever's behind this collected all five objects to get in and possess the enchantress, and now we need to go around re-collecting the objects," Roxas clarified.

Yen Sid nodded as he stood, crossing the room to one of the tall bookshelves, eyes scanning over each volume. "Ah, here," he said to himself, plucking a particularly thick volume from the shelf. He brought the book back to his desk and opened it, revealing a hollow cavity carved out of the pages. Inside the cavity was a small bag of blue velvet, embroidered with silver stars and crescent moons.

Sora and Roxas watched closely, waiting to see what sort of object was in there that had to be hidden so well. Yen Sid tipped the bag over, and a small, rusted skeleton key dropped into his palm.

"It's just a...key," Sora said aloud. "I mean, keys are great and all, but-"

"Take this," Yen Sid interrupted, offering the key to Sora. "It has been in my possession for a long time."

"What's it open?" Roxas asked, peering at the key now held in Sora's hand. It didn't look special, just old.

"Something hidden in the Old Mansion of Twilight Town," Yen Sid answered. "While I cannot be sure that it will be of any use to you, I was instructed many years ago to make sure that key never fell into the wrong hands. The Old Mansion holds many secrets pertaining to the Realms of Light and Darkness. You may find more answers there."

Sora nodded determinedly, pocketing the key. "We'll go there right away, sir. Thanks for all your help."

Yen Sid merely nodded in acknowledgment.

But Roxas looked uncertain. "I have a question for you," he said slowly.

Yen Sid regarded him with surprise. "Yes?"

"What happens to me and Naminé when this is all over?" Roxas asked. "Do we stay human, or will we fade away again?"

Yen Sid leaned back in his chair again, frowning. "The King mentioned to me your concern. I do not know what will befall you and Naminé. But let me ask you this, Roxas: does it matter?"

"H-huh?"

"What I mean is, does saving the worlds mean less to you if you are to 'fade away', as you say?"

Roxas just stared in disbelief. "Of course not! I- " But still, the thought had occurred to him, no matter how many times he tried to squash it down. Why should you care about the worlds, it said, when none of them have ever cared about you?

"I-I'm not just trying to save my own skin, you know!" Roxas retorted finally.

"That seemed to be your intention when you opened a Corridor of Darkness in Destiny Islands."

Was it? No...well, yes, he was trying to save himself, but save Sora, too –

Roxas was at a loss for words.

Sora, who had been watching the entire scene unfold, dumbfounded, stepped forward. "H-hey, come on," he said to Yen Sid. "Roxas hasn't had it easy, but he's a good guy..."

Yen Sid ignored Sora's protests. "Why is it that you can still open Corridors of Darkness, if you are human?"

"I don't know!" Roxas shouted. "If you apparently know so much about me, then you tell me!"

"H-hey!" Sora protested feebly.

Yen Sid leaned forward, his own voice growing louder. "Roxas, I believe that you will fade away from this world eventually, because you are an anomaly. You were an anomaly as a Nobody, and you are one now as a Nobody-turned-human."

Roxas just stared for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't have to stand here and take this anymore. I'll be outside, Sora," he said, his voice tight with anger.

"O-okay," Sora said weakly.

Roxas turned and was reaching for the door, when Yen Sid spoke again.

"Do not misunderstand me, boy," he thundered, so that Roxas, despite himself, paused and half turned back. "I do not speak out of a prejudiced hatred for Nobodies as the man known as DiZ once did. I only ask you to consider this: what sort of destiny can there possibly for one who was never meant to exist?"

The room grew quiet and tense. Roxas stood at the door, one hand still resting on the doorknob. He didn't look at either of the others in the room. Sora held his breath, waiting for Roxas to yell again, and when he didn't, Sora found that he was waiting for Roxas to say something, anything, and not just stand there like he'd had the life sucked out of him. Finally, without a word, Roxas turned and left the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

Sora exhaled loudly. He turned to look back at Yen Sid, who was leaning back in his chair as though nothing had happened.

Sora opened his mouth to speak. It didn't matter if what Yen Sid had said was true or not; Sora had to say something. But what he finally blurted out was, "My mom always taught me that if you can't say anything nice, then just don't say anything at all."

With that, he turned and hurried out of the room after Roxas, missing the bewildered look on Yen Sid's face.

"Roxas, wait up!" Sora called as he left the study, rushing down the stairs after the other. Roxas paused to allow Sora to catch up to him, but said nothing.

"I, uh, guess we oughta go check out the Old Mansion now, huh?" Sora said, keeping his tone nonchalant.

"Yeah," Roxas said simply. He didn't sound or look angry anymore – just tired. And Sora realized he would much prefer Roxas to be angry.

Roxas didn't say anything as they boarded the train that would take them back to Twilight Town, either, only gazed out the window as orange sherbet clouds reappeared in the sky above them. Sora sighed, resting his hands on his knees.

"We oughta come back to Twilight Town once all this is over. You know, to hang out. We could get some of that weird ice cream you like."

Roxas turned to face Sora at this, his expression sour. "You're not that subtle, are you?"

"Aw, c'mon!" Sora pouted, slumping back in his seat. "You aren't really thinking about what Yen Sid said, are you?"

Roxas turned back to face the window. "He's right, though. I was never meant to exist. Not as a Nobody, not now."

"Geez, you oughta make up your mind," Sora said quietly. "I mean, do you want to fade away or don't you?"

Roxas rounded on him. "I-!" But the reply was caught in his throat. He closed his mouth and turned back to the window. "I just... If I don't fade away, what are we supposed to do, Sora? I'm just this kid that suddenly appears out of nowhere? What, am I going to live in your closet?"

"Yes!" Sora exclaimed, as though this were the most obvious thing in the world. "If that's what we have to do, then yeah! But I'm sure we could think of something better."

He reached out and gripped Roxas' shoulder, who turned to meet his friendly gaze. "C'mon," Sora said. "We're friends now, aren't we?"

Roxas couldn't answer, not right then. It was a valid question, but one that he didn't know the answer to. Of course, he liked Sora. But to be his friend...

It was difficult, when all the friends Roxas had ever known were gone. If they had even been real to begin with. Roxas turned away to avoid seeing the disappointment on Sora's face, as the train pulled back into the station.

It was midday then. The station plaza was much emptier than it had been when they had arrived, but there was one disturbing difference. Their shadows, and all the shadows around them, were far too short for the early evening glow of Twilight Town.

"Just like in the other Radiant Garden," Sora breathed. "I guess Yen Sid's spell is gonna expire sooner than he thought."

Roxas didn't answer at first, just looked out across the town. Somewhere out there was "his" house. Far in the distance he could see the beach, where he'd gone every summer with Hayner, Pence, and Olette.

They were false memories, but no matter how many times he told himself that, they stayed with him, and now he could feel them in his heart, weighting it down and squeezing it until he thought it might burst.

Roxas put a hand over his chest. Having a heart sucks.

"Even if I fade away," he said finally, turning to Sora, "this place is the closest thing I have to a home. So...I'm gonna save it." There was determination in his blue eyes now.

Sora nodded, his expression grave. "Okay. Let's get to it, then."


They were able to make it to the Old Mansion with no trouble. But they were uneasy; the padlock holding the front gate closed had been torn off and was lying on the ground. When they examined it closer, they could see deep gashes, and even teeth marks, in the chain links.

The Old Mansion was large, and it would take a long time to comb the entirety of it for any secrets that could be unlocked with the key they'd received from Yen Sid. The library had seemed the logical place to start in a search for secrets; it contained the clandestine entrance to the extensive basement where Sora had slept for a year.

"So what do you think we're supposed to open with that key?" Roxas asked, as they began to examine the books, the walls, the floors, everything.

"I dunno, a chest?" Sora shrugged. He observed the dizzying amount of books in the library with dismay. It'd take forever to look for a clue in all of those...

"Huh...what about a door?" Roxas asked, gesturing toward a pair of glass double doors at one end of the library.

They both went over to investigate, and sure enough, the doors were locked. Peering out through the windows, they could see a courtyard completely overgrown with foliage.

"Sure looks like nobody's been there for a while...Just like there's some kinda big secret out there, huh?" Sora quipped, pulling the old key out of his pocket and inserting it into the lock. It clicked, and the door swung open. Sora took the key out of the door, replacing it in his pocket.

The size of the courtyard was admirable. At one time, the gardens would have been extraordinary. But the illusion was shattered when Roxas looked down: large, three-toed footprints were visible in the dirt and overgrowth. He nudged Sora and gestured at them, who gulped. Whatever had made those was far from human. And the last being to enter the courtyard had to have been whoever was behind everything.

The footprints led to a dry, broken-down water fountain in the middle of the courtyard. Roxas knelt down, tracing his fingers across the broken, dull, and dirty marble. "Looks like this is important, somehow."

Sora circled the fountain. The strange footprints circled the fountain as well. Where they stopped, so did Sora. "W-whoa!" he said aloud. "C'mere, look at this!"

Roxas hurried over, looking down at where Sora was pointing. Inside the fountain, on the bottom, was an etching of a five-pointed star. At every point, there was an indentation. The shape of each indentation was slightly different, as if a different object were meant to go in each one.

"What do you wanna bet this is where we put the five objects we need to get to the Domain of Shadows?" Roxas breathed.

Sora nodded. "Too bad we still don't know exactly what we need or where to find them."

Roxas was about to reply, when Sora suddenly let out a yelp of pain.

"What was that?!" Roxas exclaimed, as Sora frantically reached into his pocket, digging out the key from Yen Sid, and throwing it onto the ground in front of them.

"It just got really...hot all of a sudden!" Sora cried helplessly.

The key was glowing brightly, and just when they thought it may burst into flame, gold, ornate text materialized in the air in front of them.

"Young hero, your journey is likely to be a perilous one. Keep your wits about you, and recall that all heroes must start somewhere," read the bizarre message. It hovered in the air a moment longer, and then vanished. The old key was back to its normal state, and Sora cautiously poked at it. When it didn't burn him, he scooped it up and put it back in his pocket.

"That was...weird," Roxas blinked.

"Tell me about it," Sora sighed. The two of them sat side by side on the edge of the old fountain.

"It was a definitely a clue, though."

"Definitely." Sora frowned. "Maybe a clue to where we go next?"

"Maybe." Roxas leaned forward, resting his chin in his hand. "Why can't they just say 'go here and do this'?"

Sora nodded absentmindedly, his brow furrowed. " 'All heroes must start somewhere'," he repeated. "Where do heroes get their start?"

"Uh..."

The answer hit both of them like a bolt of lightning. Roxas sat upright, and they whipped around to face each other.

"Olympus Coliseum!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Yeah! ...Wait, you've been there before?" Sora asked, his expression changing from triumph to confusion.

Roxas nodded, getting to his feet. "When I was in the Organization," he said distractedly.

"O-oh," Sora blinked, getting up as well.

"But that's got to be what the riddle was referring to," Roxas said, already holding out his hand.

"It's gotta be," Sora agreed. "Maybe we'll find one of the five thingies we need. Or at least get an idea of where they are."

Roxas opened a Corridor of Darkness leading to Olympus Coliseum, and they stepped inside. There were still an awful lot of questions – spoken and unspoken – but at least now they were on a path toward answers.


Roxas isn't really having a good day either. XD; Sorry, Roxas. Next chapter, we'll find out what kind of day Kairi, Riku, and Naminé have been having!