Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my oc's, any fan-made keyblades I made up all rights belong to Square Enix, Disney dreamworks and Tetsuya Nomura and their repeated creators.

Chapter 21 Broken Trust

Once they reach the badlands. "Ventus! Over there!" Azura directed his action to where Mickey was laying. They quickly flew to him and landed. Ventus was the first one to remove his armor and guilder. "Mickey!" He ran up to his friend. Azura and the dragons racing after Ven.

Azura summoned her keyblade, "CURGA!" Light green light surround King Mickey. Ventus knelt down turning him around he supporting his head. Azura knelt down on the other side of Mickey. "Don't worry he'll be fine." Azura reassured her friend. Resting a hand on his shoulder.

Shadow and Sleet leapt in front of the growling and arching their backs. Their eyes narrowed like a cat. They looked to see an old man walking up to them from the shadows. "Master Xehanort," the two said Ventus stood up followed by Azura bit slower.

With a sharp cry of pain. Ventus grabbed his head, and closed his eyes. "Ven!" She cried out. 'No. Please no.' Az thought as she looked at him. Carefully and swiftly she moved herself in front of Mickey and Ventus. Shadow and Sleet helped block his view and protecting Ven and herself from this threat they thought he was.

"Ah yes, so you are starting to realize… what you lost— oh, but not for good. You had to lose in order to find. Now it can be all yours again if you only reach out and take it." Xenhort address Ventus who stood behind two dragons and Azura.

The three blocked his view of not just Ven, but of Mickey who laid behind them. All Azura wanted was this to end quickly. Azura knew, she was holding the dragon's back from truly fighting. They respected her and Ven. 'I hate him for what he did to Ven, but maybe if he didn't who knows where would we be now without his inference.'

Xenhort continued. "Reclaiming the part left you. Clash with him! Pure light against pure darkness, to forge the ultimate key. The all powerful X-blade." He told him while Az bit her lip glaring at the old man.

"Ahhh!" "Ventus!" She spun to face Xenhort. "Your a fool. No. No one should hold that X-blade!" Azura snapped in a flash she summoned her keyblade to her side.

"Ah. Master Azura." Azura look at Ven who laid on the ground his blue eyes half open. "I won't let you have it." Xehanort laughed at her. "Death.. a letter that spells endings." A black opening appeared above them.

"And I have the power to make it." Azura looked over at Ventus. "Stop! He doesn't deserve this!! It's hurting him!" Azura snapped she could feel her own darkness and light fighting within her as she spoke.

"Eraqus knows it too. Even she knows." Azura was taken it back. 'How would he know she knew.' "Have you ever wondered why they never let you leave their sides or let you get stronger. They were frightened of you. If you learn the truth, realized what you are.." he paused for a few seconds. "They never trusted you. Why else would he keep you within his sights at all times?" Master Xehanort asked Ventus.

"Shut up!" Azura half growled at him green eyes blazing. "As for you. You seem to know a lot about the X-blade." Azura pointed her keyblade at him. "D-don't you dare. Leave. NOW!" A flash of light hit few inches from Ven. Shadow shot a warning blast with Sleet.

Azura opened her mouth, but… "yeah. He never let me see other either worlds, no matter how much I asked." Ventus pushed himself up to his feet. "Go!" Huge gust wind blew at them. Sleet and Shadow dug their claws into the ground. "Ven-tus!" Azura called to him. Using her arms to block the winds.

"Ask the Masters yourself. Learn the truth, and remember you have a greater purpose." The wind spin fast enough to knock Ventus, Azura, Shadow, Sleet and Mickey into the air heading to the black opening in the sky.

-line break-

Ventus walked up to the castle. He stopped short gazing up at it. "Ventus, you're alone? Shouldn't Aqua or Azura—" he walked to the young boy before him. He knelt down putting his hands on Ven's shoulders.

"Well, what matters is that you're home. You don't belong outside this world yet. You need to stay here where you can learn—" "In your prison?" Ventus snapped at him.

Azura laned and spotted the near the castle. With the dragons in toe she raced over to them as fast as she could go. 'Gotta hurry, gotta hurry,' she chanted.

"What?" Eraqus backed up and stood up. "That your excuses.. for keeping me imprisoned here, isn't it?" She heard Ven snap at his Master. "What did you hear?" He asked Ventus.

"That I'm supposed to be some weapon… some kind of X-blade." Ventus told him what Xehanort told him. "I knew Xehanort— he could never let it go." Eraqus spoke to himself.

"Ventus!" He looked to see Azura racing up to him with Shadow and Sleet. Ven recalled Master Xehanort tell him she knew what he was for a long time now. But, she had a look in her eyes- fear. 'Is she scared of me?' Ventus heart sank. He didn't want her to be. "Master Azura glad to see you've showed up as well." Eraqus said to her. Then turning back to Ventus.

"I failed. I had the chance to stop him and I couldn't do it. But, I will not fail again." In a flashed Eraqus summed his keyblade. "Master? What are you…." Ven gasped in shock. "The X-blade has no place in this or any other world. Xehanort made it his purpose to claim it.. and I with no other choice." He told Ventus.

Someone moved in front of him. Her keyblade in her hand. "Az-ura!" Eraqus notice her and the dragons stood back watching them. "Azura move." Ventus pleads. "Master Azura stand aside." Eraqus commands her. "No. I won't let you hurt my friend." She fixed stern look on him.

Eraqus looked at her. "He must be dealt with before—" "Before what..? He's just a kid. Like me... You think I wasn't watching." Azura voice cracks. Looking over at Ven then back at Eraqus. "You used me.- you used me to keep an eye on him. No.. you were scared of him, of both us. And because of it you kept us under your eye. You need to understand you can't keep us safe forever." Azura told him hit of sorrow in her tone. "I won't stand down.!" Azura refaced her earlier statement.

"Very well, you'll share his fate then," light surge to the tip of his keyblade. Standing her ground Azura branded herself for the attack. The light hit them.

"BLOCK!" Right as the light broke she fell back due to the rebound land few inches near Ven's feet her keyblade laid at her side. And neither of them hurt from the attack.

"Azura! Please..." Ventus pleads once more. Az shakes her head at Ven. "I, told you. I won't let you hurt Ventus." Her tone was more threatening than it should be.

"Doesn't matter. Forgive me," he changed another blast and it flew right at them. Azura was up again and raised her keyblade ready to block once more.

"VEN! AZ!" In a flash something- no- someone stood in front of them this time. "What?" Eraqus looked at Terra in shock. "Terra!" Azura cried in relief. "Master have you gone mad?" Terra asked him upset about what he just saw.

"Terra! I command you— step aside." He ordered his apprentice. The light started to vanish as he released his keyblade armor. "No!" Terra snapped back at his master. Azura felt a bit of pride. He was standing up for what believe was right. Ven shares the same shocked expression she must have.

"You will not heed your master?" Eraqus asked him. "I won't." He challenged back. "Why should he listen to you?" Azura spoke up. "You may be his master, but your heart is to clouded by FEAR." She half yelled the last word. "Are you two ok?" Terra asked them. "Yes."

"Why do all my attempts to reach you fail? If you don't obey… then you'll share Ventus's and Azura's fates." Sorrow in his tone told her he didn't want this. 'It's too late Master. I'm sorry..' She thought.

Eraqus ran at them. Terra stood as Eraqus swung his keyblade again at Terra. Who blocked each attack not moving an inch. 'Keep your legs even and balance on both sides,' she thought.

Azura stood up now and looked at Ven who kneeled down. 'Please don't give up now Ventus.' She begged him. She didn't want to see her old friend giving up like this. It hurt.

"Enough, Terra! He's right…" "Quiet!" Terra snapped back at him. "Oh Ven." She felt sadness building up inside her. 'I failed.' Azura thought as she watched the master and apprentice.

Eraqus jumped back swing his keyblade he casted a huge light spell at them. The impact knocked Terra and Ventus back. Azura leapt in front her own keyblade taking the brunt force that was left.

"Are you two ok?" Azura asked them lowering her keyblade. She watched Terra pick up Ventus. "We are fine. Thanks Master Azura." Terra thanked her she blinked in shock. Terra hasn't called her that for along time now. Eraqus started to charge up his next attack.

Terra closed his eyes. Taking a deep breathe. When he open them darkens surrounded his body. Azura nodded in agreement. 'He needs to follow this path, no matter how hard it is to watch him do this.' Azura thought looking away and back at Eraqus.

"You my be my master. But I will not.. let you hurt my friends." Terra said to him voice no words held power.

"Has the darkness taken you, Terra?" Master Eraqus asked his former apprentice. Pointing the keyblade behind him he made a portal. Terra tossed Ventus into it.

"Wait Terra!" Ven yelled.

"Go with him Az, I got this." Azura ran to the portal. Shadow and Sleet raced into it she stopped and looked back before stepping into the portal. It closed behind them. Azura and Ven watched Terra face off with their master. Az swallowed the lump in her throat. 'Goodbye.. Master.'