Ember stepped onto the hardened ground for the first time in four years. This place just felt wrong to her. Even four years ago she could barely stand to be here - but she had had Ven to think of by then. She looked around, and tensed.

Of all the areas in this place she could land, she landed here.

Pain lanced through her head and she grimaced. This happened often - there were things she knew, without knowing exactly how she knew them. Like the fact that there was absolutely no way in Abyss that she could trust Xehanort. That he was responsible for Ven's missing memories.

She could barely even tell you why she hated this particular spot so much, but hate it she did.

Ember took several steps towards a rock formation, then stopped. It was a small cliff-like area with a large open space that would be perfect for practicing kata and widespread magic attacks. Her eyes widened in realization.

It hit her like a Thundaga.

Her head felt like it would split open for a brief second, then whatever had been holding back these memories broke and she was four years in the past.

.

Ember landed on the desert ground, her assignment hadn't taken as long as she had been expecting. And she most certainly wasn't expecting what she saw now. "Ven?" The boy she considered a little brother was laying on the ground with their Master standing over him.

"If I must, I will extract the Darkness from within you myself." The man's Keyblade appeared in his hand.

"Master Xehanort?" Ember started forward. "What are you doing?" The man looked at her, and for the first time his true allegiance hit her like a battering ram. "Ven!" She called worriedly, then threatened, "Don't you dare touch him!" Xehanort gestured sharply and half a dozen faintly humanoid shadows with long antennae and yellow eyes appeared. They tackled the young woman before she had a chance to summon her own weapon, pinning her to the ground even as Xehanort rose his keyblade over Ventus. "NO!"

A beam of black struck the boy directly where his heart lay and Ember was close enough to see blue eyes snap open in shock. His mouth moved in a soundless gasp as a glowing sphere rose from his chest. Darkness surrounded the sphere before revealing a masked figure clad in gradient shades of blue, red, and black. Ventus' back arched in agony, a weak scream tearing from his lips, and then the light faded and he slumped spread eagle on the ground, completely lifeless.

"Empty creature from Ventus riven... to you, the name Vanitas shall be given." Xehanort spoke to the newcomer.

"Yes, Master."

With a wordless yell, Ember managed to blast the creatures holding her down and she scrambled, Keyblade now in hand, to gather Ven up in her arms. "What did you do!?" Her hair crackled briefly in her rage but neither man noticed it. "Ven? Ven? C'mon answer me!" The boy didn't even twitch. The older girl looked up just in time to see Xehanort reaching for her and she snarled under her breath. Slashing her Keyblade in front of her, a portal appeared between her and the aged Master before swallowing herself and Ven.

The Dark Path left them on the shore of a beach, white sand shifted beneath Ember as she banished Flamedancer and turned her entire attention to the dead weight in her arms. "Ventus…" Half- lidded blue eyes were blank, no highlight or even really any pupil. "Ven… please…" She pulled him forward and the blond head came to rest limply on her shoulder even as she buried her face in his neck, tears beginning to flow. Xehanort had torn her little brother's heart apart: and she knew what the chances of a damaged heart surviving were.

Slim to none. His heart was dying, and it was only a matter of time before his body followed.

Her shoulders started shaking as she broke into full blown sobs. Ven was the only family she had… and now Xehanort had sacrificed him for his own agenda. She sat there for who knows how long, though her tears had run their course and now she was just cradling Ven's body to her chest.

Then there was a shift at the edge of her awareness, and Ven moved slightly in her arms. "Huh?" She pulled back slightly to look at his face; his eyes had closed completely and his expression had changed from broken lethargy to something far more relaxed. His Keyblade appeared in his hand, pointing up towards the sky where the World's Keyhole appeared. When Wayward Wind was banished again, Ven seemed to snuggle into her embrace. He was sleeping, a regular, healthy sleep.

This time the tears were of relief.

.

Ember stumbled backwards as she came out of the flashback. Man, this was just the time for forgotten memories resurfacing, wasn't it? Xehanort had caught up with them shortly afterwards and, well, she had only been a Sentinel for less than a year, so she wasn't as powerful as she was now - and even now she wasn't sure if she could go toe-to-toe with Xehanort and win. He had attacked them, and somehow corrupted her memories of the incident so she wouldn't go straight to Eraqus with the information.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the memories, she quickly redid her braids. She couldn't afford to be lost in her memories right now, she had to go find the others. She could sense that they were all on-World, which made it easier. She ran off, weaving through the maze of cliffs in search of her friends.

She got to the large clearing about the same time as Aqua, who went over to Terra. "I was told… the Master was struck down."

Terra flinched, then looked away. "Yes… that's right." Ember could FEEL his self-loathing. "I was stupid and helped Xehanort do it." Aqua gasped, her eyes widening. "The Master - he tried to hurt Ven. I only fought because I wanted to protect him." Aqua sighed and Ember moved closer, laying a hand on Terra's arm. "But I was tricked. Xehanort set the whole thing up!"

"I told you that Darkness was a wholly defensive power." Ember murmured. "It's something the Abyss likes to use as a lure."

"You were right, Aqua - and so was the Master." Terra's voice got louder. "I did need to be watched."

"No." Aqua cut him off, taking in a shaky breath and - almost hesitatingly - wrapped her arms around him. "We weren't. Not completely." Ember had stepped away when Aqua hugged the young man, and Terra was tense; his arms held out away from his body in shock. "Xehanort used you. He tricked you. It doesn't mean that you were entirely wrong."

"Aqua…" Terra finally figured out what to do with his arms and returned the hug. He hadn't quite believed that Aqua had been reconsidering her views on Darkness, but now he was convinced. He was also much more convinced that Aqua had feelings for him.

"It's the Abyss' nature to use anything it can to drag people into its grip." Ember spoke up. "I'd be concerned if you WEREN'T feeling guilty about this. The fact that you're beating yourself up over this is proof that your Heart is pure."

Aqua released Terra and offered him a smile - her face stained both by tears and a blush - just as Ven walked up to them.

"Xehanort wants me and Vanitas to fight, and make some kind of "X-Blade." He pronounced it key. "But the Master said we can't let that happen… and he tried to destroy me for it."

"X-Blade?" Aqua questioned.

"The X-Blade," Ember pronounced kye, "is the most powerful Keyblade in existence. It was the First, and it will be the Last. It's said to be the key to finding Kingdom Hearts."

All three of her friends stared at her in shock.

"It scares me to death just thinking about it…" Ven seemed to curl in on himself a little, his hand hovering over his heart.

"Terra put his hand on Ven's shoulder. "Relax, Ven. We're here and we're gonna take care of you. Aqua nodded, stepping closer, and Ember put her arm around the back of his shoulders.

"I may have to fight Vanitas after all… " Ven whispered. "If I do, guys… I want you to -"

"Terra cut him off. "The four of us can never be torn apart, all right?"

"We'll find a way, Ven. No matter what." Ember avvered.

Aqua bent down and put a hand on Ven's cheek, only to have him remove it. "I'm asking you, as a friend…" He pushed Terra's hand off his shoulder and stepped free of Ember's. "Just… put an end to me."

All three of them looked away; Terra's fists clenching, Aqua clasping her hands over her heart, and Ember trying to hide her face with only one hand.

Just as Ember was about to respond, all four of them tensed and looked in the same direction. Xehanort was standing about a hundred yards away, barely recognizable through the swirling dust. He was walking towards them, and then in a "blink and you'll miss it" moment, Vanitas was walking next to him. Ember growled slightly as he approached - and she wasn't the only one.

Finally stopping several feet away from them, Xehanort gestured around him, at the countless Keyblades buried in the ground. "Behold. These lifeless keys used to be full of power—united with the hearts of their masters. On this barren soil, Keyblades of light and darkness were locked in combat... as a great Keyblade War raged. Countless Keyblade wielders gave up their lives, all in search of one, ultimate key. And it will soon belong to me…" He pointed at Ven and Ember snarled. "χ-blade."

All four Keybearers scoffed and activated their armor, Ven made to step forward only to have Terra push him backwards as the older boy rushed Xehanort. He never made it to the aged Master - a pillar of earth rocketed upwards, slamming into Terra and throwing him into the air; separating him from the others.

Aqua, Ember, and Ven were forced to scatter as Vanitas took control of the dead Keyblades and turned them into a vortex of doom. Aqua was thrown by the Keyblades and her helmet broke, leaving little but the wings on the sides of her head. As Ven helped her up, she threw a shield towards Terra, protecting him from the rushing Keyblades.

Ember had managed to successfully dodge the vortex thus far, but she was rather distracted when she looked up just in time to see Xehanort freeze Ven and drop him off the cliff. "Ven!" She rushed towards the falling figure, breathing again only when Aqua succeeded in catching him before he hit the ground. Aqua resituated Ven so he was laying in her lap and Ember ran over to kneel next to them. He had lost his helmet in the fall, so his blue eyes were flicking back and forth between the two of them.

"Ven! Are you okay?" Aqua asked breathlessly. Ember muttered under her breath and began thawing out her little brother. "That's not any Fire spell I've ever seen…" Aqua commented.

"You wouldn't have. It's from my Homeworld."

Their conversation was cut short as the sky lit up bright blue - a heart shaped moon shining down on them. "Great Guardians…" Ember breathed. "What does he think he's doing?"

"How 'bout you leave the popsicle with me, so you can go have your little fight with Terra." A man walked up to them. Ember frowned at him."You can't be too happy about him deep-sixing your Master."

"What's it to you?" Ember snarked at the same time as Aqua asked,

"Who are you?"

The man just sneered. "You think you three have got some grand role to play. As if. You're only here so that when I finish you off... Terra will succumb to the darkness. So... who wants to go first?"

Ven managed to force himelf up onto one elbow. "Shut up!"

"Oh, so this kiddo thinks he's a full-fledged Keyblade wielder? He's got the angry look down." the man mocked, yellow eyes narrowing.

"Go ahead if you want to waste your time." Aqua responded. "Keep trying to drive us apart with your mind games. It'll never work!" She set a half-thawed Ven down and nodded to Ember before standing and facing the man. "Terra will prove to you he's stronger!" She summoned her Keyblade and rushed forward.

"Aqua!" Ven called after her, but Ember placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

Aqua's fight was quick and decisive. The man fell against a boulder and chuckled. "I keep forgetting-don't mess with Keyblade wielders. But you know what? That just means I made the right choice!"

"What?" Ember questioned.

"Well...he wanted me to buy time, and I'd say he got it." with that the man turned and ran off, Aqua started to follow, but seemed to think better of it and turned back to Ven and Ember. Before either of her friends could do much more than begin to voice a warning, Vanitas appeared behind Aqua and knocked her out.

"Aqua!" Ven and Ember cried. Ven scrambled to his feet as Vanitas rose his Keyblade over Aqua's heart. "NO!"

Ember swore she could see Vanitas smirk behind his mask as he summoned a vortex of dead Keyblades that slammed into her and sent her flying.

Ember was being battered nearly constantly by the dead Keyblades - and to add to her troubles, Unversed were spawning as well. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that Vanitas had engaged Ventus.

With a huff of frustration, Ember rolled under a stream of Keyblades. As she came up onto one knee, her right hand extended back and black and white sparks gleamed around it. When the Keyblades circled back around to attack again, they were blocked by gothic filigree and white crystals.

Ember stood - hair crackling and eyes burning - with a Keyblade in each hand. Soulfire in her left, and Dark Beacon in her right. With her Sentinel Keyblade in her hand, Ember became more of a demon than a mere fighter. Dead Keyblades shattered when she struck them, Unversed were torn to shreds by her 'blades. Black flames had been flickering around her ever since she'd summoned Dark Beacon.

She looked up sharply as a pillar of Dark energy exploded from the top of the cliffs. Where Terra was. She could feel that he was drawing on True Darkness - not the stuff tainted by the Abyss like Xehanort uses - and smiled. Terra would make a Sentinel yet; she was sure of it.

Several minutes later a wave of Evil washed over her and she was sent flying into a wall; she hit the wall hard and slid sideways onto her side. Pushing herself up, her gaze locked on where Terra was fighting. "TERRA!" She screamed, transforming Soulfire into her Rider and flew up towards her friend.

When she reached the top, she saw a Terra yelling at… his Armor?

No. The armor was empty. Xehanort had taken over Terra's body.

"Your body submits, your heart succumbs - so why does your mind resist!?" Xehanort brandished his Keyblade in irritation.

"No…" Her Rider transformed back into Soulfire as she dropped onto Xehanort.

Between her and the Armor, Xehanort was beaten but Ember was a little worse for wear. Panting, she looked over at the Armor as it planted its Keyblade in the ground and knelt -gripping the handle with both hands.

The heart shaped moon was hidden again behind clouds and Ember's vision started to go black.

"Aqua, Ember, Ven… One day I will set this right..."

"...Terra…"