Here is Chapter 10 of Key through the Soul. I am proud to say that this chapter wraps up the current story line quite nicely. It has taken me several rewrites and deletions to get it to the quality below but I assure you that it is worth it. Here you will see Aqua and Terra confront what haunts them the most and Eraqus finally keeps his promise to Ichigo, albeit indirectly. There are even a few twists and turns along the way so make sure to read carefully.
*On a related note I have reached over 10,000 views and over 100 reviews! Over half of that comes from the last four chapters so that means more and more of you are becoming interested in my story. I thank you my loyal readers for the support you have given me. It is your views and reviews that drive me to write each and every chapter so I thank you once again.
*Make sure to participate in the poll for who you want to be a Princess of Darkness. There are only a few chapters remaining until I close the poll so if you want to have a say in the matter please give your choices!
*I want to say once again that keyblades are unique to the wielder. In my story the keyblade is intimately tied to the heart of its wielder and therefore no more than one can be wielded at any time. If anyone tries to bring Roxas or Sora into the argument I have an easy answer for you. Nobodies, contrary to popular belief, could regain their hearts given enough time. Roxas defeated Xion and absorbed her, merging their hearts (in my universe anyway) and allowing Roxas to wield two keyblades. Eventually Roxas merged back with Sora, giving him the ability to use two keyblades at once. It makes a lot of sense.
* Don't forget to read and review!
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"What is this place?"
It had been a week since Gilgamesh showed up in the Land of Departure and already many changes could be seen throughout the world. When in the past Aqua would hardly ever see guards outside the castle walls now she couldn't go more then an hour without noticing two to three patrolling the various roads and paths. Master Eraqus claimed that such measures were temporary due to the darkness Gilgamesh had wielded temporarily weakening the barrier surrounding the Land of Departure and making it easier for heartless to arrive on the world.
Eraqus's footsteps echoed on the worn marble tiles, "You will know soon enough."
Their master's behavior over the last seven days had been anything but normal. Despite praising both of them for risking their lives to save Ichigo from Gilgamesh and promising them they had earned the right to wield a keyblade Eraqus had been rather silent and pensive. Terra had tried to get his master to open up but Eraqus had simply shaken his head and said that there was just too much on his mind at the moment and things should clear up soon enough. Days passed without their master's mood improving. In fact, it seemed to actually be getting worse with the pensive look slowly but surely being replaced by one that seemed almost…sad.
It was early this morning, just as the sun crested over the mountains, that their master woke them up while informing them that the preparations to grant them a keyblade have been completed.
Aqua briefly looked around the hall she was currently walking through. The architecture seemed to be unlike anything else in the castle. A thick layer of dust covered the marble surfaces and she had to brush away cobwebs more than once. In spite of these conditions Eraqus continued walking forward without uttering a single word. Eventually they turned a corner and descended down a flight of pristine stairs that seemed to end in a dead end.
"We have arrived."
"I don't mean to be rude Master Eraqus," Terra spoke up as he examined the wall in front of them, "But there's nothing here."
Instead of answering Eraqus extended his arm and Master Keeper appeared in a shower of light. Raising his keyblade towards the wall Eraqus muttered a silent incantation and immediately a thin beam of light shot out from the tip of the blade and flew straight until it collided with the wall.
Aqua and Terra watched in fascination as the beam of light collided with the wall and immediately an effigy in the shape of a heart appeared on the wall, its outline shining with the same light their master's keyblade had emitted. After a couple of moments the heart faded away and a pair of doors took its place.
"I am afraid I did not tell you the entire truth the other day," their master said in a pensive tone as he lowered Master Keeper, "For while you may believe you are ready for a keyblade there is still one final test you need to take and it is something I cannot do. For generations potential wielders have entered this room to determine whether they truly deserve to be among the protectors of the Realm of Light. This is in the Chamber of Introspection and it shall determine whether you will ever wield a keyblade."
"If we will ever wield?" Terra muttered in confusion, his brown eyes narrowed, "I thought that was up to you to decide."
"Unlike what most beings in the Realm of Light believe it has never been up to the masters to determine who can wield a keyblade."
"Wait a second…" Aqua pursed her lips as something came to mind, "What about the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony? Doesn't the ceremony allow a master to choose if someone is worthy of summoning a keyblade?"
"A common misconception," Eraqus pressed a palm against one of the doors, "The actual purpose of the inheritance ceremony is to determine if someone's heart fits the criteria to wield a keyblade. It is one of the few ways masters know who is worthy of being taken under their wing. In the past more then one potentially powerful wielder has been turned away just by failing the ceremony for that very reason."
The doors to the Chamber of Introspection began emitting a hiss as dust that hadn't been disturbed for many years was blown away by the sudden change in atmospheric pressure, "The keyblade is a sacred weapon that is tied to the heart of its wielder. It is usually impossible for someone to wield another's keyblade unless his or her hearts are in synch. Terra, when you grabbed Ichigo's keyblade you did so with the singular purpose of protecting Ichigo and thus were allowed to use it."
"From this point forward you are on your own," Eraqus said as the doors began opening soundlessly. Aqua and Terra had to cover their eyes as an intense white light shone out from within the chamber, "You may believe being able to visit your respective Dive to the Heart means you are prepared to defend the Realm of Light but what lies within this chamber will test whether that is true or not."
Terra seemed bothered by something, "Wait a minute. Ichigo didn't have to go through any of this and he has a keyblade."
Eraqus turned his head slightly at Terra's question, "There are usually three steps. The inheritance ceremony determines if someone's heart is worthy to wield the keyblade. The ability for oneself to manifest in their Dive to the Heart implies they have the strength of heart to bear the responsibilities of the keyblade. The Chamber of Introspection is where you prove if you deserve to wield the keyblade. Whatever Ichigo Kurosaki did to earn his keyblade I am unable to say for sure but this is not the first time someone has gained the keyblade without proving themselves within this chamber."
Aqua and Terra listened on as their master continued with his explanation, "There was a master by the name of Tellah who lived decades before my time. The story goes that an army of heartless attacked the world he lived on but something happened just before its heart was devoured by the darkness. Tellah stood before the heartless, held out his hand, and managed to summon the keyblade and singlehandedly fight back the heartless on his world."
Eraqus looked at the impressed looks on his students' faces and found himself barely able to say the next part of his speech, "I have forestalled your test long enough. Whatever the test you face may be I wish you the best of luck. I know that you both will walk out of the chamber with your heads held high and a keyblade in your hands. Don't give up and let your heart guide you."
Terra and Aqua looked at each other before gathering their courage and entering the Chamber of Introspection. Eraqus watched on silently as their forms disappeared into the all-encompassing light. Closing his eyes he leaned against a nearby wall and began meditating on what could happen to his students but only time could tell. Whatever happens in the next few hours will determine if they become wielders of the keyblade.
"Why did you not tell me how painful this was?"
Key through the Soul
CHAPTER 10: The Internal Conflict
There was an intense burst of light as she walked into the Chamber of Introspection and Aqua was forced to close them lest she go blind. After what seemed like several minutes passes she hesitantly risked opening them and found to her surprise that while the blinding light was gone she was no longer in the chamber or anywhere else in the Realm of Departure. Instead of standing in the castle she now stood in the middle of a field of yellow and white flowers. Taking a quick look to her left and then right she realized that the field of flowers stretched as far as she could see and up and over the hills surrounding her.
"Terra?" she shouted and waited as her voice echoed before fading away. As it became obvious that she was truly alone Aqua turned her attention towards more important matters.
The last thing she remembered was walking into the Chamber of Introspection alongside Terra and then nothing besides a bright light. It should have been impossible to end up outside or wherever she currently was. If she had been teleported or brought out of the castle via magic she would have been able to sense a residual trace of the spell on her body and yet there was nothing. Either she was still in the chamber and this was all an illusion or a spell of extraordinary power and complexity had been cast.
Testing out if this truly was an illusion Aqua retraced her steps back towards the entrance of the chamber. One of the hardest things for an illusion to influence is the sense of touch due to how varied and sensitive skin is. If she managed to actually feel the door the entire illusion should collapse. After four, five, six steps through the field of flowers Aqua took a breath and raised an arm. If she was correct then the door should only be a couple of inches, a foot at the most, in front of her. Pressing forward she became dismayed when her arm passed through the air without making contact with anything solid.
"So this isn't an illusion then," Aqua's blue eyes narrowed as she tried to think of an alternative answer, "But I don't think this is a teleportation spell, or at least one I've seen before."
Deciding to test out how big this place actually was, as well as trying to find Terra if he was even here, Aqua began walking towards the tallest nearby hill. Up there she could see for a much longer distance and perhaps a landmark or two. Flowers for as far as she could see wasn't exactly a reliable location. As she reached and began climbing the hill Aqua began sensing someone watching her.
"Who's there?"
She turned around and saw nothing out of the ordinary, only flowers shifting in the small spring breeze. Despite not seeing anything Aqua didn't let her guard down. She knew someone or something was here and it would be foolish to think she was safe. Master Eraqus had said this was the final test to receive a keyblade; perhaps all this was simply to determine if she was worthy? Nevertheless Aqua continued to walk up the hill, her body tensed in preparation for any impending attack.
The hill was much taller than Aqua thought and it took her several minutes of pacing herself to reach the summit. When she did so she couldn't help but take in the view. The field of flowers really was endless and stretched into the horizon that had to be several miles away. As she stared out into the distance Aqua saw the flowers moving in waves as the wind shifted and looped through the hills.
The feeling of being watched returned two-fold and Aqua pivoted around, "Who's there? Show yourself!"
"Why would I need to show myself when you already know I'm here?"
The voice that replied was distinctly feminine and seemed to echo from throughout the area. Just a moment ago Aqua had been sure she was dealing with a person but this voice felt like it had never belonged in a physical body and yet she couldn't shake the feeling she knew this voice.
"Who are you?"
"Who I am is unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Trivial knowledge used by the mind to placate the fear of being in the presence of a greater being. The question that needs to be asked is whether you truly deserve to wield a keyblade."
The question threw Aqua through a loop but she kept herself from lashing out. She could sense no darkness coming from the voice and so far it hadn't threatened her, "Why would you say that?"
"Do you really not know?" the voice asked with the same emotionless tone but Aqua could feel a hint of anger, "Someone selfish like yourself cannot be trusted with such a sacred weapon."
Now Aqua was starting to get angry, "I'm not selfish."
"Are you?" a stiff wind blew through the field and Aqua shivered at the sudden drop in temperature, "Have you forgotten what occurred thirteen days after Eraqus accepted you as an apprentice?"
Aqua's body stiffened as the memories assaulted her. She, of course, knew what happened that day but had tried to forget all about it.
After her mother sacrificed her life bringing her to the Land of Departure it had been Master Eraqus who took her in and made sure she had a bed to sleep in and food to eat. For many years afterwards she was grateful and viewed him as the father she couldn't remember so when the day came when he offered her a chance to become his student in the way of the keyblade she had accepted without hesitation. She wanted to repay him back for taking her in all those years ago and she was determined to not let him down.
Two weeks after that day, thirteen days if one was keeping track, she found out that Terra, her first and best friend, had also been accepted as Eraqus's apprentice. When Aqua had asked Terra about how this was possible he had laughed and said he didn't really expect to be taken on but Master Eraqus must have seen something worthwhile in him and he wasn't going to let him down by screwing up.
What happened next was completely accidental and to this day Aqua would swear she didn't mean it. In her excitement upon finding out that her best friend would be training alongside her Aqua tripped and began falling face first towards the ground. Terra had moved to catch her but misjudged how tall she was and while managing to catch her actually began falling himself. As he fell he reached towards one of the many decorative suits of armor decorating the rooms of the castle. Terra had stood there, one arm holding onto her and the other propped against the wall, and watched as the armor slowly tipped over and crashed to the ground with a loud bang, destroying both the priceless suit of armor as well as the antique table that was in its way.
Master Eraqus, along with several of the castle guards had rushed to the room when the crash was heard and to this day had never seen her master so angry. He had demanded to know who was responsible for causing so much destruction. Aqua had frozen in fear. She was conflicted on what to do. On one hand she felt in her heart it was best to come clean and say it was an accident but on the other hand she didn't want to do anything to jeopardize her chances of being Eraqus's apprentice. What she didn't expect was for Terra to step forward and claim responsibility for the whole event.
To this day it ate her up that she didn't take responsibility for what happened even if it was an accident.
"I know it was my fault," Aqua whispered, more to herself then the voice, "When Terra took the blame for what happened it made me realize that I could be a better friend. He willingly took the fall for something he knew was my fault and I just stood by in silence. After that day I vowed to be a better friend and stick up for him whenever he needed my help. That is why I don't live in the past. I learned my lesson and what could happen if I forsake my friends in fear of letting someone down."
"Well said," the voice seemed impressed, if barely, by her answer, "But in the future there will be times you will have to once again choose between Terra and Eraqus. When that time arrives who will you side with, your best friend and the one who took the blame for your mistake or your teacher and the man you consider a father?"
Aqua closed her eyes and sighed peacefully, "If, and when, that time comes I'll make a decision. Thinking about what I might do in the future is useless. If I am forced to ever make such a terrible choice I will just have to trust my heart."
There was absolute silence as Aqua finished and even the wind coasting through the field seemed to have died off. Several minutes passed without the voice answering or even talking to her and she was beginning to believe that she had failed whatever test this was.
As she turned to walk down the hill and hopefully find the exit to this place she noticed a sphere of light flying lazily through the skies above her. Her blue eyes watched mesmerized as it drew closer and closer. Reaching out with one hand as it finally approached her she felt it land softly on her palm before it faded away.
"This is…"
Dangling from her hand with a sound similar to a wind chime was a keychain. The chains resembled blue translucent rain drops hooked together and ending in a stylized silver droplet with a blue gem held in the middle. Aqua stared at the keychain in disbelief, her eyes unable to comprehend just what she was holding. Deep in her heart the keychain felt right. Closing her hand while holding the keychain tightly Aqua noticed that her body was beginning to fade away in a shower of light.
"What's going on?"
"You have passed the test," the voice answered in barely a whisper. Aqua had to strain her ears just to understand it, "You have accepted what you hate most about yourself and proven worthy to wield the keyblade. Friends and family are both important but what you choose in your heart is equally vital."
Just when her body was nearly gone Aqua felt as if she finally recognized why the voice sounded so familiar. As she reached out towards the blurry figure that had not existed prior to that moment the last of her body faded away.
...
"Ugh. Why does my mouth takes terrible?"
Terra opened his eyes and shook his head as his memories assaulted me. He remembered walking into the Chamber of Introspection alongside Aqua and then…nothing. He wracked his brain trying to figure out what happened and how he arrived where he was.
"That's a very good question."
Instead of the castle, Terra was standing in the middle of what looked like ancient ruins from a long-gone civilization. Many of the buildings and statues were in a state of extreme decay but what bothered him the most was that there had to be at least a foot of snow on the ground and yet he wasn't shivering in the slightest. Thinking this was an illusion he bent down and scooped some snow in his hand. Rubbing it through his fingers Terra could definitely feel it as it slipped and melted through his fingers but none of the accompanying numbness was present.
"Someone went through a lot of trouble to convince me I was teleported to a world in the middle of winter," Terra mused as he brushed his hand on his hakama. This was all very confusing and yet Terra had the strangest feeling this was his test. Perhaps, he thought as he began exploring the ruins, the test was to show that he was able to function and fight without a keyblade? His brief clash against Gilgamesh had shown one doesn't need to have a keyblade to be strong. That man had wiped the floor with him without even trying. Frankly, it was rather humbling to the brash young man.
Terra walked around a half-fallen pillar and saw that the ruins extended deep into the mountains. Sighing he cupped his hands to his mouth and threw caution to the wind, "Hello? Is anyone here?"
He listened as his voice echoed through the ruins but wasn't surprised when he heard nothing else. He truly was alone in this place but perhaps that was the point of this test, "Could it be that I need to solve some sort of problem without knowing about it beforehand?"
That would make sense. Master Eraqus had explained that most problems keyblade masters solve do not fall into their laps but come as a result of investigation and research. There was something he was missing here and Terra was determined to find it.
"This would be a lot easier if Aqua was here. She's better at these sorts of things."
Something prickled at his senses and Terra quickly turned towards one of the larger buildings. His eyes narrowed, he glanced from roof to roof for the source of the feeling. Someone was definitely here but he couldn't sense where they were. After several fruitless minutes of searching and finding nothing he gave his surroundings one final glance before trekking onwards.
"I must be imagining things."
"Being overly cautious does not make one paranoid. It is what you choose to do that determines your state of mind."
"Who are you?" Terra spun around for the source of the voice. What made it difficult was that it sounded like it was coming from all around him, "What do you want?"
"Do you think trespassing on sacred grounds is the smart thing to do? What if those who built this place still live here?"
"You didn't answer my question," Terra could swear the voice was familiar to him but whenever he tried to think how the memories slipped through the cracks, "Fine then. Can I at least know your name?"
"My name is not important in the grand scheme of things. Giving someone your name implies they have power over you. A name contains power therefore allowing oneself to have no sense of identity eliminates that sense of ownership."
Terra glanced around as the voice continued speaking. He didn't know why but he had the strangest feeling that it was watching him but he couldn't see anyone around, "So what do you want?"
"The question is what do you want," the voice said, ignoring his question, "You would have already earned the right to wield the keyblade if it wasn't for Aqua."
"What are you talking about?" Terra narrowed his eyes. He didn't like where this was going.
"If it wasn't for her then Eraqus would have seen your potential long ago. If it wasn't for Aqua then you wouldn't have had to wait two years for Eraqus to agree to take you as his student and even then you were soon outclassed. How many times have you seen Eraqus praise Aqua for grasping an advanced spell when you are still unable to use anything more than the basics?"
What the voice said was true. Terra had been jealous of Aqua's skill with magic. He remembered their first lesson under Master Eraqus as if it happened only yesterday. Their master had brought them to a small clearing near the castle with a couple of dummies set up. He wanted to see how skilled they were with magic before doing anything else. Master Eraqus proceeded to cast Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder in quick succession on the target before asking Terra to copy him.
What happened next was to be expected. While he was able to cast Fire he found himself unable to do anything else. His blizzard only caused a light fluttering of snow and ice to hit the target and his Thunder did nothing more then cause his hair to stand on end. Eraqus didn't seem upset and said he was actually ahead of where he expected Terra to be after only casting magic once. His esteem at the praise remained high until Aqua stepped forward and proceeded to unintentionally demolish the training dummy with her magic.
Ever since that day Terra had seen Aqua pull more and more ahead of him when it came to magic. When he finally mastered the basic elemental spells after days of painful training and practice he found that she was already mastering the intermediate spells. As Master Eraqus spent more time helping Aqua with her magic Terra's jealousy grew. He needed to prove himself in to his master no matter the cost.
But he would never hurt Aqua to do so.
"I may be jealous of her skill with magic," he said, confidence evident in his voice, "But that just makes me want to prove myself even more. Every time I see her cast something I can only dream about doing it forces me to strive to better myself."
"So you admit you're jealous that she is better than you?"
"At magic…but I'm better at other things. We can't all be perfect. Perhaps Aqua's strength in life is magic and perhaps I will never be as good as her but I can do plenty of other things! I didn't need to use magic to come up with a plan to save Ichigo from Gilgamesh and I definitely didn't need it when I foolishly fought him to prevent Ichigo from dying!
He stabbed a finger forward and growled, "I don't need you telling me what I already know deep in my heart! I may be jealous but that does not make me a bad person!"
Terra panted as he finished yelling, waiting for the voice to say something witty or mocking. When nothing happened he looked around, the only sound coming from the wind whipping the snow around the dilapidated ruins. Just as he was beginning to feel stupid for shouting at a voice that wasn't really there Terra had to wince as a flash of light erupted from directly in front of him.
"What the hell?"
As the light died down Terra couldn't help but reach forward and grab the keychain hovering in midair, the rust colored chains swinging softly in the breeze.
"What is this?" Terra asked despite knowing the answer as he beheld the keychain in his hand, "Did I pass the test?"
"Jealousy by itself is not inherently dark," the voice answered and Terra gasped as he saw his body slowly evaporated in a shower of light, "Some use jealousy to enact disproportional vengeance against the target of their ire and yet others use it to better themselves. Trust yourself and what you can do but trust others for they can help you when you cannot help yourself."
...
Aqua groaned as consciousness quickly and harshly reasserted itself. Clearing the cobwebs from her head she pushed herself off the ground and looked around as everything slowly came back to her. She was laying in a room with cracked grey walls and illuminated by ambient lighting that seemed to permeate from around the entire room. After a couple of seconds of reorienting herself she notice Terra sprawled unconscious on the ground just a few feet away.
"Terra!" Aqua crawled over and shook his shoulder. When that failed to elicit a response she gave him a quick smack on the face. To her relief he groaned opened his eyes.
"Uh…What happened?" Terra sat up and rubbed his cheek. He winced as his eyes sensitively reacted to the light, "Where are we? The last thing I remember is a strange voice saying something and then nothing."
"Did it seem to know stuff about you that no one else could know?"
"Yeah," Terra grumbled before turning his head to Aqua, "How did you know that?"
Aqua hugged herself, "I know because it knew things about me that no one could possibly know about. Things that I hoped no one would ever find out."
"What are you saying?" Terra asked with concern.
"It knew what happened soon after we became Master Eraqus's students."
Terra's eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to recall what Aqua was referring to, "Are you talking about what happened with the suit of armor?" Aqua nodded sadly but to her surprise Terra waved it off, "Don't tell me you're still upset that I took the blame? Master Eraqus knew it was an accident from the moment he walked in the room. He could see it in your eyes. Why do you think I didn't get in trouble?"
"You knew all along?"
Terra nodded, "Of course. Master Eraqus knew how wound up you were when he took you on as a student. He felt it would be better to let it slide and allow you to get used to everything. You remember how shy and introverted you were until just a few years ago."
Aqua hadn't always been the friendly and outgoing girl who would do anything to support her friends. For a long time after arriving on the Land of Departure she was perhaps the shyest person on the entire world. For hours on end she would either sequester herself in her room or the archives and escape the world around her by diving into the realm of knowledge. For years she would read about the various worlds across the Realm of Light and the keyblade wielders who defended them from the darkness and she became determined to one day become a master herself. It wasn't until she first met Terra a couple years later that the shell she had erected around her heart began to crack. It began with small smiles but the final nail in the coffin had been the guilt in thinking she got Terra into a lot of trouble. That one last act forced her to escape from the shell around her heart and finally become a real friend.
Aqua cracked a smile and playfully punched Terra's arm, "You don't know how much better that makes me feel. So…what did the voice tell you?"
Terra looked away nervously, "It said I was jealous of your skill and the attention Master Eraqus gives you."
"You know that's not true Terra."
"No, the voice was right. I am jealous of you," Terra leaned back against the wall, "As Master Eraqus started giving you extra training in magic I found myself falling further and further behind you. No matter how much I trained or practice it was like I just going nowhere but you know something? I wouldn't have it any other way."
Aqua looked at him in shock, "What?"
Terra rested his head on the wall and stared at the ceiling, "I'm jealous of your skill Aqua and I don't think that will ever change but you know, it forces me to think about myself. Every time I see you cast a spell flawlessly that I can barely do I think to myself that if I just push myself a little harder I'll reach your level someday."
Aqua hugged her knees closer to her chest as she sat next to Terra, "I guess I'll have to practice more so you're skill with magic improves. You know how horrible you are."
Terra smirked, "I know right? I can't cast anything higher then Thundara without shocking myself along the way."
"What about-"
Whatever Aqua was about to say was cut off as the doors to the chamber opened with a hiss and their master walked in. They could both see a relieved smile on the normally stern face of their master, "You are both awake. That is good. I am glad to see you both managed to pass the test."
"The Chamber of Introspection is unlike anything you could have prepared for. It forces anyone who enters it to face what they believe is the worst part about themselves. Aqua, this was the memory of not taking the blame for what was your fault although it was an accident. For you Terra, it was your long jealousy for believing I give more time and effort to training Aqua over you. Those unable to admit to their shortcomings or deny even having them automatically fail the test and are forever barred from wielding the keyblade. Now stand up. There is one last thing you need to do."
It took a bit of effort but Aqua and Terra managed to get to their feet. It seemed as if most of their strength had been drained during the test.
"From this point forward we stand as equals," Eraqus address Terra and then Aqua, "While I am still your master and will continue to train you until you take the Mark of Mastery, in the eyes of the Light we are equal. Now reach deep within your hearts and summon the keyblades you have been blessed with."
With a flick of her wrist Aqua instinctively summoned her keyblade for the first time accompanied by a small whirlwind of petals. The keyblade was thinner than Ichigo's Lost Memory and was a predominately dull blue color with a teardrop shaped hole excised from between the blade and the guard, which did not connect fully with the rest of the keyblade. The blade was in a diamond shape with teeth formed by several blue spikes alongside the outer edge of the blade.
Aqua looked at her keyblade with reverence. In the depths of her heart she knew just what to call it, "…Rainfell."
Terra held his hand out and at first nothing happened but suddenly a series of numbers and then small cubes appeared before a keyblade was held firmly in his grasp. Much like the keychain he had obtained the keyblade was a dark textured brown with edges that appeared to resemble brass. The end of the blade had three sets of protrusions sticking out, each set bigger then the previous. The guard, until the rest of the keyblade, was a bluish color and resembled two horseshoes wielded together end to end.
"So this is Earthshaker?" Terra turned his keyblade over in his hand, "Not too shabby."
Eraqus looked at his students with pride, "For a long time I was unsure whether you two would be found worthy enough to wield keyblades but after seeing you throw your lives on the line to save a friend I can see I was mistaken. Wield your keyblades with pride and defend the Realm of Light from the darkness that ever threatens to devour it. Now let us depart back to the main castle. I am sure you two are quite hungry after spending several hours down here."
Aqua wrapped an arm around Terra for support as they walked out of the Chamber of Introspection. As the doors to the chamber closed and sealed themselves once more, Aqua couldn't help but think whether Ichigo would have passed the test.
...
"Let's see if I got everything…"
She had enough food and water to survive in the wilderness for three weeks. She was going to be gone for a much longer period of time but Yoruichi planned on supplementing her rations with whatever she could hunt and trap. She didn't get to be captain of the Second Division solely on her stealth and nobility. While they did help Yoruichi prided herself on being self-reliant. Before returning to Kisuke's shop she had spent decades living off the land and outside society so she wasn't really worried.
Besides figuring out how much food she would need Yoruichi had also determined that she needed to throw away her captain's haori and sleeveless shinigami shihakusho for something a bit more practical. She had originally chosen to wear it solely to help Ichigo get threw the Royal Realm alive and intact but after everything that has happened Yoruichi felt it would be wrong to keep wearing the uniform of an organization that doesn't even exist anymore.
As Yoruichi finished changing she lamented the Seireitei's inability to adapt with the times. Already she could see why Ichigo continued to wear jeans, they were just so practical. They didn't easily tear in combat like a shihakusho and bloodstains easily washed out of the fabric. All in all they were much simpler and practical. Besides jeans she now wore a skintight sleeveless black shirt with a large white stylized heart on the back as well as a pair of armored guards on her forearms and shins.
When she had explained to Eraqus that she wanted some armor made for close quarters combat he had seemed hesitant. He tried to say that a keyblade's strike, when wielded by someone strong of heart, could not be stopped by any ordinary armor. Yoruichi had thought about what he said and proceeded to throw some of Gilgamesh's armor that she had pilfered during the fight on the ground. Eraqus had been impressed she was able to steal even a small portion of Gilgamesh's Genji armor and agreed right away to have several of the castle's resident moogles begin fashioning her armor. When she asked what the hell a moogle was Eraqus simply smirked and walked away.
She still doesn't know what the hell's a moogle. When she woke up the next day, determined to find out, she found her armor, customized to her size and body, already sitting on the nearby desk. Yoruichi had been so amazed at the amount of work and detail put into her new Genji armor that she had forgotten all about the moogles.
"I should find out before I go," she muttered.
"And just where do you think you're going?"
Yoruichi smirked at the familiar voice. Leave it to Eraqus to figure out what she was going to do right before she left, "Me? I was just planning on taking a little vacation. All this excitement isn't good for my complexion. I was thinking of seeing the sights and take in some local culture. That sort of thing."
Eraqus's expression hardened, "The real reason Yoruichi."
Of course he wanted to the real reason.. Yoruichi sighed, "I need to leave to gain control over the power of darkness."
"If all it took to control the darkness was simply training I think someone would have figured it out years ago," Eraqus cautioned.. Despite the tone he did seem concerned about what she was trying to do, "I strongly discourage you from trying to control the darkness. Nothing ever good comes from messing with such corruptive powers. I have seen people, good people, succumb to the darkness despite their good intentions."
"Perhaps you're right but I still need to figure out a way to control the darkness," she clenched a fist and unconsciously summoned a small amount of darkness. After quickly dissipating it she continued, "Even if what you said is true I need to prevent it from interfering when I fight. When I fought Gilgamesh the darkness made me reckless, angry, and filled me with a want for vengeance against him for hurting Ichigo. I can't let my judgment be clouded by emotions during a fight. I may not be so lucky next time."
"I might be more inclined to trust you if I understood you better Yoruichi," Eraqus entered the room with his arms folded behind his back, "What is Ichigo's relation to you? I don't mean to be rude but he doesn't look anything like you."
Yoruichi couldn't help but chuckle, "If Ichigo were my son then his father would come back from the dead just to kill me. No, you're right. Ichigo is the son of a close friend. Before Karakura was destroyed by the heartless I promised myself I would watch over Ichigo if anything were to happen to his father. He's the only thing remaining and I'm going to do my damned best to make sure he survives."
Eraqus examined the meager belongings she had been packing, "You could have been quite the keyblade master Yoruichi."
"Aren't you nice?" Yoruichi swung her bags over her shoulder. After making sure they were secure she huffed, "But the keyblade is Ichigo's thing. If it had chosen him then who am I to take that away from him? I have my own powers and he has his."
"Very well but I have one final question," Eraqus stopped her before she could leave, "How long do you plan to be gone? While I am sure there are plenty of places across the Land of Departure where you can go, my main concern is how Ichigo will take it. I can tell that you have forgotten to inform him of your decision. How do you think he'll take the news that you left without saying goodbye?"
Yoruichi stopped and turned around, a mischievous smirk on her face, "I don't plan on being gone for more then a year but you can tell Ichigo whatever you want. Perhaps he'll learn to get over himself when I'm gone."
"You're risking quite a lot Yoruichi. Is that the proper attitude you want to take?"
"You don't know Ichigo or his family like I do. When something bad happens they tend to mope around for a few days, get real angsty but eventually they get over it. Trust me when I say Ichigo will be fine soon enough. He just needs some time to think and get his head on straight."
With that Yoruichi closed the door behind her with a solid thump, leaving Eraqus alone in what had been her room. The master was pensive as he replayed the conversation he just had in his head. Despite his misgivings with Yoruichi's attempt to control the darkness he did have hopes that she would be able to at least prevent it from leaking out in a fight. It may be because she's from the Realm of Darkness but he couldn't sense any corruption of her heart from the darkness and that gave him hope that she might actually succeed. All he needed to do now was inform Ichigo about Yoruichi's decision and departure.
...
Ichigo Kurosaki walked through the upper floors of the castle, his hands tucked in his pockets and his mind deep in thought. Despite the overwhelming size of the castle and the number of people currently living or working in it, most of the upper levels were devoid of living beings. It gave him the solitude he needed to get his head back on straight.
Already he could feel the loneliness and guilt created from the destruction of Karakura lessening by the hour. He knew it would never truly go away but Ichigo was learning to live with and accept it for what it was. Gazing through the windows lining one entire side of the corridor he noticed a speck of light moving around rapidly in the distance. He walked towards the nearest window to get a closer look. It seemed oddly familiar to him but he just couldn't figure out where he had seen something like that before.
"Ichigo Kurosaki!"
He looked down the hall and saw one of the castle maids jogging towards him. It was obvious from the state she was in that she had been looking for him for a long time.
"That's me."
"Thank the light," the woman took a couple of deep breaths, "I have this letter for you from Master Xehanort."
"Xehanort?" The master had left a week ago so why would he be getting a letter now? Perplexed he grabbed the thin envelope out of her hand, "Why am I getting this just now?"
"Master Xehanort ordered for this letter to be delivered to you exactly one week after his departure.
"Thanks," he muttered. As the maid quickly hurried back to whatever she was doing before she began searching for him Ichigo flipped over the envelope in his hand. It was certainly odd of Xehanort to have a letter delivered so long after leaving. Ichigo couldn't think of any reason why the master would choose to do something like that. Opening it up he began reading, hoping there would be an explanation inside.
Ichigo,
If you are reading this then it has been seven days since my departure. I apologize that I was not able to speak about this to you in person but I felt it was the proper decision in case someone overheard us. In trying times like this we cannot know who to trust. You needn't worry about someone reading this letter. I have enchanted it so that it can only be read by your eyes. That is why I can say the greatest problem we are facing comes from this Dark Master.
Eraqus may be taking the threat from this Dark Master seriously but I feel that my old friend still believes him to not pose any immediately danger to the Realms of Light and Darkness. Someone with that much power and darkness will not rest until everything that stands in his way is destroyed. Unfortunately that means your life is in constant danger until you are able to adequately defend yourself. If my predictions are correct then the Dark Master will continue to sent assassins much like Gilgamesh after you until you finally fall to their might.
You will never hear Eraqus admit this, and I am loathe to admit it myself due to my stance, but the darkness in your greatest weapon. Despite the inherent corruptive nature of the darkness it could be your only advantage against this Dark Master. You must realize how strong Gilgamesh was during your fight with the swordsman but what you don't know is that he wasn't enhancing his powers with the darkness. Had he done so his strength would have been multiplied two to three times and you would have quickly succumbed to his attacks.
We agree that the Dark Master is a threat to everything we know but you must be the one to stop him Ichigo. If he truly comes from the Realm of Darkness it is plausible that his base of operations lies within it, forbidding any of the twenty seven masters from hunting him down and putting an end to his plans. Gain strength Ichigo and find this Dark Master. Use any means necessary to put an end to his schemes before he can destroy everything we cherish.
Xehanort
Ichigo read the letter a second time just to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. If what he read was correct this Dark Master was so strong that even keyblade masters with years of experience like Xehanort and Eraqus were afraid of facing him. That gave Ichigo pause for concern. Xehanort had mentioned that it was likely the Dark Master was from the Realm of Darkness much like Yoruichi and himself. That meant if it came down to it only they could withstand his attacks without quickly becoming tainted by the darkness.
"What should I do?"
Ichigo knew he could always use the power of darkness like Xehanort suggested but a large part of his mind rallied against the idea. He had seen enough movies to know that using something that dangerous meant there would eventually be side effects. If he was going to confront this so-called Dark Master he was going to do it on his own terms and with powers that wouldn't stab him in the back at the first opportunity.
A loud bang followed by shouting interrupted his train of thought. Glancing through the window he saw a man hop off a keyblade glider and stumble for a moment. As dozens of guards raced out to confront the man Ichigo could only wonder what was going on. Pocketing the letter began walking back the way he came. He had a sinking feeling that whatever was about to go on out there involved him.
...
"Jeez," the man glanced down at the blade merely inches from his neck, "Security in this place has really tightened up."
Running a hand through long unruly black hair the man, who looked to be facing certain death at the hands of nearly a dozen guards with weapons pointed at several vital points on his body, grumbled and folded his arms across his bare chest, "Since when was Eraqus this paranoid about security? That man seriously needs to take a vacation."
"Do you guys mind pointing the sharp end of your toys somewhere else? Someone might get the idea that you are threatening me," the man looked around and saw no hesitation in any of the guards' eyes. Impressed by their dedication but still in a hurry he shrugged, "Suit yourselves. Reflect."
In an instant a dome of light flashed into existence around the man, both repelling the guards surrounding him and destroying their swords. As the barrier created by the Reflect disappeared a second later the man looked out over the fallen guards, "Man, did I put too much power into that or has the quality of guards seriously dropped?"
"What a surprise see you of all people here."
The man turned and saw Eraqus storming his way towards him, "Eraqus, good to see you! I see you're still an enormous stick in the mud. How've you been?"
Eraqus's eyes glanced over the guards, who were just starting to recover from the spell, "I was fine until you showed up and started wrecking havoc."
"Havoc?" the man glanced around, "I haven't destroyed anything and I've been here for nearly ten minutes. I say that's an improvement."
Tired of the runaround Eraqus decided to get straight to the point, "Why are you here Jecht?"
"What?" Jecht said in mock hurt, "You haven't seen your friend in a long time and the first thing you say is that? I'm hurt Eraqus."
Jecht wasn't worried when Eraqus's expression hardened. He had dealt with the man before and nothing he did really bothered him anyway, "That old geezer, Xehanort, ran into me on Radiant Gardens a few days back. He said something about a kid with a keyblade but no master and asked me to take a look at him. In my own choice words I said he was full of himself and was about to walk away when the old man mentioned the kid surviving a fight against Gilgamesh. So where is the little brat who lived through a fight with big red?"
"I doubt that Xehanort would have asked you of all people to mentor Ichigo."
"His name's Ichigo?" Jecht's faded red eyes mulled over the name, "That's a weird name but at least it's nothing girly. So you don't think I can be a great master Eraqus?"
Eraqus noticed someone approaching but thought nothing of it, "Your record would agree with my earlier statement. How many promising students have you taken on and how many have actually become masters? A great master you may be but a teacher you aren't."
Jecht scratched his neck. He didn't like having conversations like this, "You and I both know that power and skill doesn't make a master. Sure it counts for a large part but it's not everything."
The sound of approaching footsteps quickly brought a halt to the conversation when a voice asked, "Who are you?"
"You must be Ichigo," Jecht turned around allowing Ichigo to get a good look at the man. Unlike Eraqus and everyone else he had met Jecht had foregone the standard use of a shirt and only wore a pair of black shorts and metal boots with an orange sash looped through his belt and allowed to hang freely over his right leg.
"This is very strange…" Jecht muttered to himself as he took in Ichigo's appearance, "He doesn't look like much Eraqus. Are you sure this is the kid Xehanort was talking about?"
Ichigo snapped to attention at that name, "How do you know that name?"
Jecht ignored Ichigo's question and grumbled, "You look like a real big baby. Can you even summon a keyblade or are you just all talk?"
With a snap of his wrist, Lost Memory appeared in Ichigo's hand, "Is this proof enough for you?"
Rather than being impressed Jecht looked at the keyblade and simply rolled his eyes, "Oh wow… you can summon a keyblade. Tell you what kid. Why don't you go on home to your mommy or something and let the big boys play with keyblades. I'm sure she's waiting for you to cry on her shoulder. A momma's boy like you can never-"
Ichigo found Jecht to be annoying as soon as he saw him. There was just something about the master that grated on his nerves but Ichigo had felt worse so he was content to let it slide. After all, he had lived with his father, a man who should have been declared legally insane years ago, and didn't snap so he could make the conscious effort to allow Jecht the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately as Jecht started speaking Ichigo found his annoyance shifting quickly to anger.
Therefore he decided the best course of action would be to remedy the problem.
"Gah!" Jecht collapsed to one knee and held a hand to his nose. As rivers of blood flowed between his fingers Ichigo looked at the downed master in a mix of satisfaction and shock. While hitting the man was extremely satisfying he most likely destroyed any chance of Jecht training him. Casting a quick Cura spell on his broken nose Jecht glared daggers at Ichigo, "Well kid, you succeeded in pissing off probably the only master willing to take you on. You have anything to say for yourself?"
"Shut the hell up!" Ichigo growled and looked at Eraqus. The master's expression seemed to be one of mute shock, "This guy is supposed to be my master? The person who will help me learn everything about the keyblade and how to defend worlds from the heartless? I'd rather not have a keyblade then listen to this jackass speak one more word about my mother!"
With both his day and mood ruined Ichigo stormed back to his room. He needed to get as much space between this man and himself or he would most likely punch him again. Even before he could make it ten feet he heard mirthful laughing coming from Jecht. Looking back he saw the master standing with a wide grin on his face, ignorant of the blood still lingering from the freshly fixed wound, "You're a tough one. I'll think you'll do fine kid."
Jecht walked over and looked Ichigo square in the eye, "It takes real…uhhh…guts to stand up to a master and even more by willing to give up the keyblade entirely. You wouldn't believe how many students I've had to kick out that agreed with everything I said or just kept their mouths shut in fear of my reaction."
Wrapping an arm around Ichigo's neck Jecht pointed to Eraqus, "Take this stick in the mud. Rumor has it when he was first chosen by his master he was such a brown nose that he literally memorized the rulebook of wielding a keyblade. I didn't even know such a thing existed and yet Eraqus found it. Even Xehanort was more fun to be around then him and that's saying something. Talk about not having a life. Jeez…"
Patting Ichigo on the back he began walking to the castle, "I'll see you first thing tomorrow morning to begin your torture…I mean training. Make sure to get lots of sleep and pray to whatever god you believe in because starting tomorrow I'm the only thing that can say when you have the right to die. Just be…sure…to…"
"What's the matter now?"
Jecht stared into the distance a couple of seconds longer before narrowing his eyes, "Nothing. I thought I sensed something. Anyway, I look forward to seeing how long you last Ichigo. Personally I don't think you'll last a month but here's to hoping you beat my expectations."
Ichigo stood there stunned as Jecht disappeared into the castle. As his mind finally caught up with the abrupt changes in emotions he had experienced over the last few minutes he looked at Eraqus, "What the hell just happened?"
"The unthinkable," Eraqus rubbed the bridge of his nose to avoid the predictable headache was the sure to follow Jecht's arrival. Why had his old friend chosen Jecht of all people to be Ichigo's master? There were ten others he could think of off the top of his head that would have been a better match for Ichigo, "It seems that my old friend picked the only person I would never have chosen. While Jecht is a powerful and accomplished master his teaching methods leave much to be desired. I wish you the best of luck with Jecht's lessons. You will need it."
Ichigo's shoulders slumped as Eraqus walked away. How had this day gotten so weird? One minute he was punching a master in the nose and the next that same guy was laughing it off like it was nothing. What was worse then everything else was the feeling that Jecht meant every word about his training being torture. At the current rate he might not last long enough to hunt down the Dark Master.
"This is going to suck."
...
Miles away from the castle that was the capital of the Realm of Departure stood a mountain range known as the Emerald Peaks. The name comes from the hue the mountains take twice a year when the angle of the sun off the rocks colors the peaks a light green color. It was on top of one of the taller peaks, a mile above the castle below in the distance, that the sky began rippling. The rippling soon turned to shattering as a form emerged. The light shining from the figure was strong enough to melt away the ice and snow several feet below where the figure hovered. With an annoyed flap of her wings Uriel reigned back in her purifying light.
"That traitor almost noticed my presence through my bulwark."
The bulwark was one of the innate abilities of the soulless. By focusing the light composing their bodies outwards into the environment they were able to make themselves invisible to both sight and sound. As long as they continued channeling light into their bulwark no being other than another soulless could detect them. It was perfect for spying but there were drawbacks that made it unsuitable for combat.
Any being with a strong enough connection to the light could theoretically see through the bulwark. Even the traitors to the light below, wielding the ancient weapons and declaring themselves the protectors of the light, could pierce her bulwark if she was close enough. That one man had nearly done so from several miles away. With such a strong traitor there was no way Uriel could get any closer to her target without giving herself away and declaring the return of the soulless to the realms before her brothers and sisters were ready. But even as far away as she was Uriel could sense the sadness and despair from her target. It was strong enough that the crystal tears that so often slid down her golden face doubled in intensity.
"How could such a being not succumb to their overwhelming sadness?" she asked herself as she began crying, "Why have they not given up hope and allowed the light to ease their burden?"
Uriel's body strained to go after her target but her mind managed to keep control, if barely. She was here for a reason and nothing, not even herself, will jeopardize that.
"What darkness…"
Uriel shuddered as she intimately felt the darkness in the heart of every being throughout the world. Even the most pure of hearts had become tainted by the darkness and would need to be released from their pain. What stunned her were the few hearts that seemed to be composed of more darkness than light. One of them was her target but the others were unknown to her. Who could they be and how were they able to escape the notice of her brothers and sisters? This was a matter of great concern for if some managed to slip through the cracks more were bound to as well.
Her options were laid on the table in front of her and Uriel closed her glowing eyes as she came to a decision. Raising a hand, she traced a circle in the air with her finger and immediately a tunnel of light appeared behind her. Hovering backwards into the tunnel Uriel knew she needed to tell her brothers and sisters of her findings. So much has changed in the Realm of Light since they were sealed. They needed time to gather their thoughts and plan the next move. They would need to move carefully lest the traitors to the light grow suspicious but they had time.
Time was something that did not affect the soulless. Centuries imprisoned by traitors had done nothing to diminish their numbers.
As the seraphim was enveloped by the light she could feel her fellow soulless welcoming her back. Uriel cracked a sad smile. Now that they had returned to the Realm of Light she would soon be able to save every being from the sadness and darkness that consumes them. Only then would the remorse that permeates every fiber of her being finally be lifted.
One year…
...
A dream is a wish your heart makes
~Walt Disney
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And so ends the prelude to the dream, which leaves but the Heart open for interpretation,
The pieces fall into place but the players are not yet ready.
.
.
.
The diametric forces of Light and Darkness fight for dominance,
But anything in abundance might be a bad thing.
Whether consumed by the Darkness or bathed in the Light,
The heart will fight for balance.
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END BOOK 1: Dive to the Soul
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BEGIN BOOK 2: Journey through Darkness
...
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well that is the end of Book 1. As you can see Ichigo now has a keyblade master willing and able to teach him what it means to wield a keyblade, Aqua and Terra both got their respective keyblades, Yoruichi has left Ichigo to go control the new powers she was given and the Soulless have retreated for the moment. So…Book 1. Originally I planned for the first book of my story to only go up to Chapter 9 but I realized it would leave too many plot holes and gaps in the story so I hope this wraps up everything nicely before the time skip.
Yes there is a time skip and no, Ichigo will not get super powerful during it. Think back to Aqua and Terra fighting Gilgamesh. They were able to do more to him with magic and tactics then Ichigo could due to being trained by Eraqus for nearly two years. Ichigo may have the power but he has none of the skill or training necessary to use it wisely. If he had then his fight against Gilgamesh wouldn't have been so one-sided.
And no, despite what similarities may exist the voices that Aqua and Terra hear in the Chamber of Introspection are NOT the same as zanpakuto. The purpose of the chamber is to force those that enter it to face what they feel is the worst part about themselves. The voice is merely a replica, twin, copy or whatever you want to call it of those that enter but who are fully aware of their follies. The voice tests potential keyblade wielders by talking about what they refuse to admit until they either accept it and move on (Passing the test) or denying it and refusing (failing). The voice only exists in the chamber and will not make any other appearances in the story.
Book 2 will be called Journey through Darkness and while I don't like to give spoilers (since it raises your expectations) I will hint that it involves Ichigo traveling to the Realm of Darkness to face those opposed to him. I will not be starting Book 2 right away. I want to proofread and edit Chapters 1-9, fix typos and plot holes, and add in several things that I forgot before I start Chapter 11. Check my profile every so often since I will post what chapters have been updated as I go through them.
Update: Chapter 11 will be posted within two weeks!