AD: Hmm…You know what? I think things are gonna get interesting starting after this chapter. As in, I think they'll start going to new worlds. I hope you guys are ok with that.

Disclaimer: See prologue.

Enjoy!

"Again," Master Eraqus called from the other side of the training room. Aqua and Ven groaned. Twenty-five minutes they had been working on this move, Aqua had counted. Master Eraqus walked over. "Aqua," he continued exasperatedly, "do you understand that you must put force behind your blows? You won't hit Ven; your job is to defend. If he gets hit, it's his own fault. As his Keyblade strikes yours, he will lean on it, roll off of it, and end up behind you."

Breathing heavily, Aqua nodded.

"Try again, please," Master Eraqus said stepping back to give them space.

After a few blocks, Ven's Keyblade stayed on Aqua's only a second longer before leaning on it and rolling off. He landed in a crouched position behind Aqua, his Keyblade across his chest, prepared to attack.

Master Eraqus clapped. "Perfect! That's what I was saying. You see Aqua, when you practice like you would fight you learn a lot more. Right there, Ven used your own force against you so that he could have a chance at an attack at your unprotected back."

They tried again with Aqua attacking. They aced it on the first try.

"Very good," Master Eraqus praised. "I want eight laps in your spare time, between now and tomorrow."Aqua and Ven groaned. "What was that? You want the ninth lap?"

"No, Master Eraqus," Aqua said quickly. Ven shook his head.

"Good, now, we'll meet again tomorrow as always. You two are dismissed."

Aqua and Ven nodded. Five minutes past the usual time, but it was nice to finally be released. They met Terra outside just down the stone steps. He laughed when he spotted them.

"So you're finally done?" he asked. It had been a week since training had increase for Aqua and Ven. Terra knew now to expect more after every session, though he didn't fully know that they had changed their training. For all he knew, Master Eraqus had simply added a few more exercises.

"Yes," Aqua sighed before laughing.

"I guess Master Eraqus really brought the heat down on you guys after I left. It never takes you a week to get used to a new routine."

Ven opened his mouth to speak, but Aqua silenced him with a glance. She smiled at Terra. "I guess that means we'll have to start working harder. Isn't that right, Ven?" She gave him a look that said: 'Answer this right, or there's gonna be trouble'.

Ven gulped and nodded. "Yeah, especially you, Aqua. It took you forever to learn that move. My arms were getting sore by near the end there. I wasn't sure I was gonna make it," he replied laughing.

Aqua blushed when she received a look from Terra. "What? It usually doesn't take you long to master a move. I should know. I remember that one move I taught you, you learned it within minutes."

She shrugged. "I guess I need more work at it then." That put a smile on Terra's face. "Well, we better get started on those laps, huh, Ven?"

Ven sighed, but nodded. "Sure, sure, I guess so…"

Terra laughed at them. "Did Master Eraqus threaten you guys with the Nightmare Nine?"

"Yes…he almost caught us in complaining, but luckily he didn't make us run the ninth lap," Aqua explained.

"I hate the Nightmare Nine," Ven exclaimed throwing his arms into the air. "Of course, I hate doing any extra work, really, but you run the first eight laps, then, as you run the ninth, you think: Man, I really could've prevented this extra lap if I only I had not complained to Master Eraqus."

Terra ruffled Ven's blonde spikes. "That's the point of the Nightmare Nine, Dummy." He sighed. "Well, Master Xahanort is leaving today. He finally found a clue to the whereabouts of Vanitas. Looks like I'll be back with you guys. That is, unless, Master Eraqus has other plans."

"How was it working with him?" Aqua questioned.

Terra looked up at the clouds. "I dunno…not like Master Eraqus's training, faster paced, but Master Xahanort, he's…different. It's hard to explain actually. I feel as I learned a lot more, to sum it all up."

"Well, that's a good thing," Ven said.

"Who knows, maybe the three of us will be taking the Master Qualification exams," Terra said a strange smile on his face.

"What's that?" Aqua asked.

Terra turned to her. "What's what?"

"The Master Qualification exams."

Ven laughed and Terra's smile was replaced with a slight frown. "We never mentioned it to you before," Aqua shook her head slowly. "It's when they test you to become a Master of the Keyblade," Terra explained.

Aqua smiled. "Is it possible for all three of us to make it at once?"

Terra shrugged. "If we're really all equal, I guess there's a slim chance."

Ven grinned and wrapped his arms around his two friends' shoulders. "Don't worry about it, guys. We got this one in the bag. By the end of a couple months we could all be Keyblade Masters!" he exclaimed.

"By your work ethic, you'll never make Master," Terra snickered.

Ven smiled and shook his head.

Terra ducked under Ven's arm and backed away. "Well, if you two will you excuse me, my break is over. I have a mandatory meeting with Master Xahanort."

Ven removed his arm from around Aqua and frowned. "Really? Didn't you just finish?"

Terra looked over his shoulder at them. "He told me to take a quick break before meeting him by the platform by the waterfall. So, with that, I take my leave," he said smiling before leaving. Terra walked away from his friends, leaving them with questions still in their eyes. He felt bad about not explaining it better to them, but Xahanort had advised against it. Again, the man filled him with his own questions.

When he reached the platform, Terra found Master Xahanort with his back to him, his hands clasped behind his back, and as normally, hunched over. Terra always wondered how this frail looking man could really be a Keyblade Master…but he had shown it many times during this one week with him. His knowledge was vast over the Keyblade, which only added to his power. For a long couple of minutes, they stood just like that, no one saying or doing anything. Finally, Master Xahanort turned to him.

"You need to know this, Terra. You and I both know that you hold much more power than your other two friends, Aqua and Ventus. You could easily gain the title of Master," Master Xahanort said harshly as he turned around to eye Terra. "But there is one thing that could put an obstacle in your path." He walked over to stand in front of Terra. "I have studied the three of you with a careful eye and I have come to my personal conclusion. Aqua and Ventus have light that is too strong, it will just make the darkness inside you more apparent," he continued poking Terra's chest with a finger.

Terra's eyes narrowed. That was that. They had discussed this before and, at first, Terra took it terribly. Luckily, he knew how to take out his feelings through his training. Now, he accepted it. He had to, what else was there to do? He couldn't change the path of his heart.

"What do I do now?" he asked.

Master Xahanort patted his arm and looked off into the distance. "Travel the worlds!" he exclaimed starting to walk away again. His eyes narrowed and his outstretched hand clenched when he was turned away from Terra. "And destroy the ones who disturb the balance," he continued quieter. Terra's brows furrowed in frustration. "I leave today in order to hopefully end a journey that began a long time ago. Your journey, on the other hand, is only just beginning."

"Who are the ones that disturb the peace?" Terra asked.

"Your paths will cross, or they already have. Remember what I told you, that darkness in your heart is not a casualty. Use it to its highest advantages. Take hold of that great power you wield, control, and use it instead of trying to act like it doesn't exist. That will get you nowhere." He walked back to Terra and put both of his hands on Terra's shoulders. "If you keep ignoring the darkness in your heart, like you have been, your friends will equal and surpass you like that," he said snapping. "Darkness is power just like everything your training's been giving you. It's not bad to use power you've been giving. Maybe I will see you as I finish up my own journey. Think my words over carefully. Farewell, Terra." With that, Master Xahanort left Terra to ponder his words.

AD: Ugh, that was really hard to right. I hope I did ok. I was trying to decipher what was being said in the Japanese cutscene. Please let me know if it was ok. Thanks for reading. Review, too! Thanks!