Hidden Light Chapter 20: Mark of Mastery, a kingdom hearts fanfic

The bright sun shone into the window of her bedroom and Velle opened her eyes slowly.

"Aw man, I was having a really good dream…" She mumbled into her pillow severely entangled in her blanket. Suddenly her head shot up, alert ", Aqua! Terra!" she exclaimed. Haphazardly she jumped out of bed and tripped on her blanket falling back to the ground.

The bright sun shone into the window of her bedroom and Velle opened her eyes slowly.

"Aw man, I was having a really good dream…" She mumbled into her pillow severely entangled in her blanket. Suddenly her head shot up, alert. "Aqua! Terra!" she exclaimed. Haphazardly she jumped out of bed and tripped on her blanket falling back to the ground.

"Owww…." Velle heard a snicker come from her doorway and she looked up annoyed. Ventus leaned against her door frame laughing at her. "When did you get here?" She asked, embarrassed.

Ventus coughed and then blushed, "I heard you scream Terra's name and then you got up and fell."

Velle's eyes widened and she blushed, "I said Aqua AND Terra, I almost slept through their Mark of Mastery!"

"I know, we were supposed to meet in the courtyard!" Ventus laughed, "I didn't want you to miss it so I came to get you."

Velle relaxed, "Oh okay, go wait out in the hallway, I'll be right out."

Velle quickly got ready and ran out the door, down the hallway to where Ventus waited. When the two met up they left for the Mark of Mastery examto watch their friends become masters.

"That meteor shower was really something," Ventus commented, walking with his hands behind his head.

"Yeah, it was beautiful. I wish I hadn't fallen asleep for half of it though." She blushed thinking about her sleeping on his chest and waking up on top of his coat.

Ventus felt his face warm up a bit too but he fought it off, "I didn't mind it." He said quietly. Then he grinned at her cheekily, "I bet the meteor shower was a good sign for Aqua and Terra! I bet they're both gonna become Masters."

Velle chewed her lip in thought, "I hope so, meteor showers are known to be a sign of a big event...could be good, could be bad…who knows?"

Ventus shoved her playfully, "Don't think like that, Velle, or I'll wind up becoming Master before you!"

Velle scrunched up her nose, "No way!"

Ventus smiled and his eyes crinkled, "I know we're in this together."

"Yup! And if you keep slowing us down like you have and I stay and hang around right by your side Ventus." She grinned mischievously.

"Hey what's that supposed to mean! I do not slow us down!" the blonde huffed, annoyed. Velle giggled as they entered the Chamber of Waking to see their two friends and their master. However, someone else caught her eye and for some reason her heart started to race with fear. Xehanort, why was she scared of Master Xehanort?

"Vellum, Ventus! Good to see you both here! Observing this will serve you well." Master Eraqus said with a smile.

"Sorry we're late Master Eraqus, Velle was a little sleepy." Ventus snickered, Velle glared at him while Terra, Eraqus, and Aqua laughed.

"I suppose some things never change, do they Vellum?" Master Xehanort quipped. It was meant to be humorous but something about his cold sinister voice sent chills down her spine.

Velle tried to shrug the feeling off, "I can't even deny it, I did sleep in..."

Ventus clapped her on her shoulder, "It's alright! I had your back didn't I?" He laughed.

"You threw me under the bus, you jerk." She hissed under her breath but everyone heard.

"Come on, now that we're all here let's start the exam." Master Eraqus announced. Velle could see the pure excitement and nervousness on her friend's faces. This was the moment they'd been training years for. Aqua and Terra took their spots in the center of the Chamber, Master Xehanort and Master Eraqus sat on two of the three thrones. After a moment Master Eraqus got up and walked forward to stand before his pupils. He looked down on them observantly. Ventus watched over them enviously with a frown, he felt very uneasy for a moment and he couldn't place why. His eyes scanned the room and he felt an odd chill come over him when he looked at Master Xehanort sitting menacingly in the throne. Ventus didn't think the old man meant to come off so terrifying and sinister...little did the poor blonde keyblade wielder know. When Master Eraqus stood Ventus straightened his posture and stood at attention.

"Today you will be examined for the Mark of Mastery. Not one but two of the keyblade's chosen stand here as candidates. But this is neither a competition nor a battle for supremacy-not a test of wills, but a test of heart. Both of you may prevail or I'm sure our guest, Master Xehanort did not travel all this way to see our youngest prospects in years fall short of the Mark." He looked back upon his friend. "I trust you are ready." Master Eraqus spoke.

"Yes!" Terra and Aqua said in unison.

"Then let the examination begin." The Master summoned five balls of light with his keyblade and the two stood ready.

Velle watched in awe as her friends prepared to show them all how strong they were. Suddenly the balls of light were engulfed in darkness and started to move erratically. Aqua and Terra ran up to two of the rogue orbs and sliced them down. Terra jumped over and slashed a second orb but the last one made its way over to Ventus seeming intent on a target.

"Ven!" Aqua, Terra, and Velle shouted in concern. Ventus acted quickly and summoned his keyblade, he jumped up and slashed the orb with all of his might making it vanish.

"Don't worry about me! You two focus on the exam!" Ventus exclaimed.

"But Ven, you and Velle are in danger here. Go wait in your rooms." Aqua said definitively.

Ventus shook his head disobediently, "No way! We've been looking forward to this-seeing you two become Masters. We're not gonna miss it now!"

Terra was standing back to back with Aqua, "They can take care of themselves. They've been out there training just as hard as us."

"Yeah!" Velle chirped from the other side of the room.

"Stay sharp, guys!" Aqua said finally.

Velle decided to stand with Ventus on the other side of the Chamber in case anything else happened. It was a better idea than being split up. Eraqus summoned more orbs of light and the exam continued. Just as Velle was about to start moving a chuckle behind her caught her attention.

"Hello?" She whispered down the stairs so as to not arouse attention. No one answered, but she heard footsteps retreating slowly. Velle slipped silently down the stairs and followed the footsteps until they came to a halt. Down in the entrance hall of the castle Velle looked left and right for any sign of the creator of the footsteps. A chuckle echoed from behind her and Velle turned abruptly. "Who's there!?" She demanded.

When she heard no response Velle walked towards where she thought the laugh came from. There were large pillars lining the hallway, Velle checked behind one when suddenly someone grabbed her by the throat and threw her against the wall.

"Ack!" She choked out.

"You know what they say about the cat," a cold voice said in a hushed growl. "Curiosity killed it" he finished. Velle felt the hand loosen its grip enough for her to breathe but not enough for her to fall back to the ground. Her attacker was a young man in a mask. She couldn't see his face but something about his voice sounded vaguely familiar like she had heard it before. "You should have stayed with your weak friends, Vellum." The boy warned.

"Do I know you?" She asked, confused.

The boy let out a quiet chilling laugh, "I almost forgot this little puppy got wiped clean." He pointed his other gloved hand at her forehead.

"Get off of me!" Velle demanded finally using a thunder attack to send him flying back and stunning him for a moment. She summoned her keyblade, "Who are you? Why are you here!"

The masked boy chuckled as he struggled to stand for a moment, he held his ribs where she left a wound. "You've gotten a little stronger, haven't you? Doesn't matter though, you're still a weakling like Ventus." The masked boy summoned a keyblade and charged towards Velle. She summoned her own and blocked his advance. They stood there for a moment in a stalemate before the boy jumped back and charged again. "If you think I'm weak you've got another thing coming, and if you think Ven's weak then you're a joke!" In a fit of fury the masked boy brought his keyblade down rapidly trying to break Velle's block. Once again, a stalemate, keyblades grinding against each other in a battle for dominance. "I think you need to chill out," Velle growled. "Blizzard!" A chill started in the boy's fingers, quickly overcoming his body until he started to freeze, he couldn't move.

"What is this?" He demanded.

"I thought I told you to chill out!" Velle turned and kicked the boy in his chest hard, sending him flying back again. Suddenly the boy began to glow red and the blizzard spell melted off. The loud exam above was now quiet, they must have finished. Velle needed to get back up to the exam before they started wondering where she was. In her distraction the boy attacked, once again pinning her to the wall. This time, however, his hands were on either side of her head and he wasn't choking her.

"You better run along, you little Damsel before your friends start to worry," he said in a low dangerous voice.

Velle struggled to push him off, his chest laid flat against her preventing her from moving. His knee was between her legs, holding her slightly off the ground so she couldn't run. "Ugh, who are you!" She asked one last time between struggles.

The boy chuckled and backed away letting her fall to the ground gently "Vanitas. That's the second time I've told you now. Don't let there be a third or we'll have a problem. The masked stranger named Vanitas disappeared in a dark portal and left her standing alone in the entrance hall. Quickly, Velle sprinted back up the chamber taking the other set of stairs so she could stand with Ventus.

"Hey what took you so longI thought you were going to come over here with me?" Ventus whispered when she jogged up to him.

Velle seemed more out of breath than she should have been from just running down and up a flight of stairs, "I ran to the bathroom." She panted.

"You alright? You seem winded." Ventus asked suspiciously.

Velle, about to tell Ventus about her encounter with Vanitas, gasped as she reached into her pocket, realizing she must have dropped her wayfinder in the fight. "I gotta go, I'll be right back. I think I dropped my lucky charm!"

"Do you want me to go look with you?" Ventus asked, wanting more to spend time with Velle then help her find the charm.

"No, I'm okay, Ven."

"Well hurry they're just finishing up." He whispered. Velle nodded and jogged back to the entrance hall.

"Looking for something?" Vanitas's voice sounded from behind her. Velle jumped and turned around abruptly. In the masked boy's hand dangled her wayfinder that Aqua gifted her.

"That's mine!" Velle demanded trying to reach for it but Vanitas lifted out of her grasp with a laugh.

Suddenly she was thrown into the wall again with his hand gripping her throat. "I forgot to mention if you tell anyone about me I'll have to hurt your little blonde hero."

"What's with you and Ventus? Are you obsessed or something? Doesn't matter anyway you could never hurt Ven." Velle spat, realizing that he seemed to be hung up on him.

"Get real! That pathetic weakling doesn't stand a chance. All I have to do is remind him about a little something and-POOF! Man down…" Vanitas cackled.

"No don't hurt him, he was out for days last time!" Velle replied quickly.

"And this is the last time I'm telling you this, sweetheart, I am Ventus." Vanitas hissed in her ear, he dropped her wayfinder in her hand before disappearing again.

"What does that even mean?" Velle asked, officially frustrated. She ran up the stairs and joined Ventus who was waiting for her at the top of the steps impatiently.

"What took you so long?" Ventus asked, "A couple more of those orbs started going crazy you should have seen ."

Velle gasped "Really?" She wondered if that was Vanitas's way of warning her not to tell Ventus about him. "I-um...I just couldn't find it at first but I got it." She took it out and dangled it in front of her. Velle felt a pang of guilt for not telling Ventus about the masked villian but if this kid could control Master Eraqus's tests without him knowing then he must not be someone to mess with… little did she know, Master Xehanort had been responsible for all the havoc caused...and...for all the havoc that will be caused.

"Good, well they just cleared the floor. Come on they're about to take the second test." Ventus said . He took Velle by the hand and led her back into the chamber.

"Are you alright? Did you get hurt from those orbs?" She whispered, giving his hand a light squeeze.

Ventus chuckled, "No! Of course not! You should have seen me go, Velle."

Velle glared playfully at him, "I bet I could have taken on twice as many as you."

"How would you know? You haven't taken any." Ventus retorted. Velle pouted, she certainly held her own up against the intruder. What did he mean when he said he was Ventus, he couldn't be Ventus. Ventus was tender, sweet, and full of light. Vanitas was rough, violent, and full of darkness she could feel it radiating from him.

"Oh don't pout Vellum, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Come on smile, like this!" Ventus hooked his fingers in the corners of his mouth and made a silly face.

Velle giggled, "Ew stop it Ventus!" She put emphasis on Ventus's full name.

"Don't call me that!" Ventus scrunched his face up and lightly pushed her.

"Don't call me Vellum," She shot back.

"But that's your name."

"So is Ventus."

"But I think you have a pretty name, it suits you." Ventus said. Velle could hear Vanitas's chuckle somewhere in the chamber and she looked around wildly. "What's wrong Vellum?"

"Ugh stop that!" She slapped his arm lightly and stopped searching, "I-um-I thought I heard something."

"It was probably Master Eraqus starting, shhh!" Ventus said holding a finger to his lips, he didn't relinquish Velle's hand. Velle heard another chuckle somewhere, she felt like someone was watching her but everyone's eyes were on Master Eraqus, at least everyone she could see.

"That was unexpected," The Master spoke as he observed his students proudly. "But one must keep a still heart even in the most trying of circumstances. It was an excellent test, one I chose to let unfold. Which brings us to your next trial." Aqua and Terra stood across from each other with their keyblades in hand.

"Are they going to fight?" Velle asked Ventus.

"I think so."

"Now Terra and Aqua, the two of you will face each other in combat. Remember, there are no winners-only truths, for when equal powers clash, their nature is revealed. Begin!"

The two friends pounced on each other and Velle held her breath in anticipation. Aqua advanced on Terra almost hitting him in the face proving that if she wanted to she could have. Velle could see the anger on Terra's face, just then he held his hand out and darkness engulfed it. All eyes were on his hand, even his. Shocked, Terra shook it and the darkness disappeared. They continued fighting, Velle's eyes focused on something behind Master Xehanort's seat, Vanitas. The masked boy stood quietly behind the chair with his arm crossed apparently invisible to everyone but her. It didn't look like he was watching Terra and Aqua, she couldn't see his face but he was staring straight ahead at her and Ventus. She swallowed nervously and as if to confirm her fears he lifted a few fingers and wiggled them in a wave. Velle glared and turned her attention back to the fight pretending to ignore the masked boy.

"You okay?" Ventus asked leaning towards her, she felt him squeeze her hand lightly and she realized she had been holding it the entire time.

Velle blushed and let go pretending to smooth her skirt down, "Um, yeah…" She looked quickly back up at Vanitas who had his head cocked slightly with interest.

"What about Terra though, what was that?" Velle asked, changing the subject quickly. "I've never seen darkness in him before."

Ventus's face hardened for a moment as he looked upon the boy he thought of like an older brother, "Neither have I."

When the fight was over Masters Xehanort and Eraqus left the hall and returned "We have deliberated and reached a decision. Terra, Aqua, you both performed commendable. However, only Aqua had shown the Mark of Mastery." Terra's mouth dropped, "Terra, you failed to keep the darkness within you sufficiently in check. But there is always next time, that is all. Aqua as our newest keyblade master you are entitled to certain knowledge. Please wait here for further instructions." Eraqus hesitated, wanting to console Terra but thought better of it and followed Xehanort out of the hall.

"Hey," Aqua turned to Terra. Ventus and Velle ran up to their friends.

"Terra, I'm sorry…" Ventus said softly. Velle looked at her heart broken friend, her eyes stung with unsung tears.

Terra looked at the ground and asked, "The darkness...where did it come from?"

"Owww…." Velle heard a snicker come from her doorway and she looked up annoyed. Ventus leaned against her door frame laughing at her. "When did you get here?" She asked, embarrassed.

Ventus coughed, "I heard you scream Terra's name and then you got up and fell."

Velle's eyes widened and she blushed ", I said Aqua AND Terra, I almost slept through their Mark of Mastery!"

"I know, we were supposed to meet in the courtyard!" Ventus laughed ", I didn't want to miss it so I came to get you."

Velle relaxed ", Oh okay, go wait out in the hallway, I'll be right out."

Velle quickly got ready and ran out the door, down the hallway to where Ventus waited. When the two met up they left for the Chamber of Waking to watch their friends become masters.

"That meteor shower was really something," Ventus commented, walking with his hands behind his head.

"Yeah, it was beautiful. I wish I hadn't fallen asleep for half of it though." She blushed thinking about her sleeping on his chest and waking up on top of his coat.

Ventus felt his face warm up a bit too but he fought it off ", I didn't mind it." He said quietly. Then he grinned at her cheekily ", I bet the meteor shower was a good sign for Aqua and Terra! I bet they're both gonna become Masters."

Velle chewed her lip in thought ", I hope so, meteor showers are known to be a sign of a big event...but it could be good or bad…"

Ventus shoved her playfully ", Don't think like that, Velle, or I'll wind up becoming Master before you!"

Velle scrunched up her nose ", No way!"

Ventus smiled and his eyes crinkled ", I know we're in this together."

"Yup! And if you keep slowing us down like you have and I stay and hang around right by your side Ventus." She grinned mischievously.

"Vellum, Ventus! Good to see you both here! Observing this will serve you well." Master Eraqus said with a smile.

"Sorry we're late Master Eraqus, Velle was a little sleepy." Ventus snickered, Velle glared at him while Terra, Eraqus, and Aqua laughed.

"I suppose some things never change, do they Vellum?" Master Xehanort quipped. It was meant to be humorous but something about his cold sinister voice sent chills down her spine.

Velle tried to shrug the feeling off ", I can't even deny it, I did sleep in."

Ventus clapped her on her shoulder ", It's alright! I had your back didn't I?" He laughed.

"Then you threw me under the bus." She hissed under her breath but everyone heard.

"Come on, now that we're all here let's start the exam." Master Eraqus announced. Velle could see the pure excitement and nervousness on her friend's faces. This is the moment they've been training years for. Aqua and Terra took their spots in the center of the Chamber, Master Xehanort and Master Eraqus sat on two of the three thrones. After a moment Master Eraqus got up and walked forward to stand before his pupils. He looked down on them observantly. Ventus looked over enviously with a frown, he felt very uneasy for a moment and he couldn't place why. His eyes scanned the room and he felt an odd chill come over him when he looked at Master Xehanort sitting menacingly in the throne. Ventus didn't think the old man meant to come off so terrifying and sinister...little did the poor blonde keyblade wielder know. When Master Eraqus stood Ventus straightened his posture and stood at attention.

"Yes!" Terra and Aqua said in unison.

"Then let the examination begin." The Master summoned five balls of light with his keyblade and Terra and Aqua stood ready.

"Ven!" Aqua, Terra, and Velle shouted in concern. Ventus acted quickly and summoned his keyblade and jumped up and slashed the orb with all of his might and it dissipated.

"Don't worry about me! You two focus on the exam!" Ventus exclaimed.

"But Ven, you and Velle are in danger here. Go wait in your rooms." Aqua said definitively.

Ventus shook his head disobediently ", No way! We've been looking forward to this-seeing you two become Masters. We're not gonna miss it now!"

Terra was standing back to back with Aqua ", They can take care of themselves. They've been out there training just as hard as us."

"Yeah!" Velle chirped from the other side of the room.

"Stay sharp, guys!" Aqua said finally.

"Hello?" She whispered down the stairs so as to not arouse attention, no one answered but she heard footsteps retreating slowly. Velle slipped silently down the stairs and followed the footsteps until they came to a halt. Down in the entrance hall of the castle Velle looked left and right for any sign of the creator of the footsteps. A chuckle echoed from behind her and Velle turned abruptly. "Who's there?" She demanded.

When she heard no response Velle walked towards where she thought the laugh came from. There were large pillars lining the hallway and Velle checked behind one when suddenly someone grabbed her by the throat and threw her against the wall.

"Ack!" She choked out.

"You know what they say about the cat," a cold voice said in a hushed growl. "Curiosity killed it" they growled. Velle felt the hand loosen its grip enough for her to breathe but not enough for her to fall back to the ground. Her attacker was a young man in a mask. She couldn't see his face but something about his voice sounded vaguely familiar like she had heard it before. "You should have stayed with your weak friends, Vellum." The boy warned.

"Do I know you?" She asked, confused.

The boy let out a quiet chilling laugh ", I almost forgot this little puppy got wiped clean." He pointed his other gloved hand at her forehead.

"Get off of me!" Velle demanded finally using a thunder attack to send him flying back and stunning him for a moment. She summoned her keyblade ", Who are you? Why are you here!"

The masked boy chuckled as he struggled to stand for a moment, he held his ribs where she left a wound. "You've gotten a little stronger, haven't you? Doesn't matter though, you're still a weakling like Ventus." The masked boy summoned a keyblade and charged towards Velle. She summoned her own keyblade and blocked his advance, they stood there for a moment in a stalemate before the boy jumped back and charged again. "If you think I'm weak you've got another thing coming, and if you think Ventus is weak then you're a joke!" In a fit of fury the masked boy brought his keyblade down rapidly trying to break Velle's block. Once again, a stalemate, keyblades grinding against each other in a battle for dominance. "I think you need to chill out," Velle growled. "Blizzard!" A chill started in the boy's fingers, quickly overcoming his body until he started to freeze, he couldn't move.

"What is this?" He demanded.

"You better run along, you little Damsel before your friends start to worry," he said in a low dangerous voice.

Velle struggled to push him off, his chest laid flat against her preventing her from moving. His knee was between her legs, holding slightly off the ground so she couldn't run. "Ugh, who are you!" She asked one last time between struggles.

The boy chuckled and backed away letting her fall to the ground gently "Vanitas. That's the second time I've told you now. Don't let there be a third or we'll have a problem. The masked stranger named Vanitas disappeared in a dark portal and left Velle standing alone in the entrance hall. Quickly Velle sprinted back up the chamber taking the other set of stairs so she could stand with Ventus.

"Hey what took you so long you looked like you were going to come over here with me?" Ventus whispered when she jogged up to him.

Velle seemed more out of breath than she should have been from just running down and up a flight of stairs ", I ran to the bathroom." She panted.

"You alright? You seem winded." Ventus asked suspiciously.

Velle, about to tell Ventus about her encounter with Vanitas, gasped as she reached into her pocket, she must have dropped her wayfinder in the fight. "I gotta go, I'll be right back. I think I dropped my lucky charm!"

"Do you want me to go with you?" Ventus asked, wanting more to spend time with Velle then help her find the charm.

"No I'm okay, Ven."

"Well hurry they're just finishing up." He whispered. Velle nodded and jogged back to the entrance hall.

"Looking for something?" Vanitas's voice sounded from behind her. Velle jumped and turned around abruptly. In the masked boy's hand dangled her wayfinder that Aqua gifted her.

"That's mine!" Velle demanded trying to reach for it but Vanitas lifted out of her grasp with a laugh.

Suddenly she was thrown into the wall again with his hand gripping her throat. "I forgot to mention if you tell anyone about me I'll have to hurt your little blonde hero."

"What's with you and Ventus? Are you obsessed or something? Doesn't matter anyway you could never hurt Ven" Velle spat, realizing that he seemed to be hung up on him.

"Get real! That pathetic weakling doesn't stand a chance. All I have to do is remind him about something he can't remember and-POOF! Man down…" Vanitas cackled.

"No don't hurt him, he was out for days last time!" Velle replied quickly.

"And his is the last time I'm telling you this, sweetheart, I am Ventus." Vanitas hissed in her ear, he dropped her wayfinder in her hand before disappearing again.

"What the hell does that even mean?" Velle asked, officially frustrated. She ran up the stairs and joined Ventus who was waiting for her at the top of the steps impatiently.

"What took you so long?" Ventus asked ", A couple more of those orbs started going crazy you should have seen ."

Velle gasped "Really?" She wondered if that was Vanitas's way of warning her not to tell Ventus about him. "I-um...I just couldn't find it at first but I got it." She took it out and dangled it in front of her. She felt a pang of guilt for not telling Ventus about the masked villian but if this kid could control Master Eraqus's tests without him knowing then he must not be someone to mess with… little did she know Master Xehanort had been responsible for all the havoc caused and for all the havoc that will be caused.

"Good, well they just cleared the floor. Come on they're about to take the second test." Ventus said . He took Velle by the hand and led her back into the chamber.

"Are you alright? Did you get hurt from those orbs?" She whispered, giving his hand a light squeeze.

Ventus chuckled ", No! Of course not! You should have seen me go, Velle."

Velle glared playfully at him ", I bet I could have taken on twice as many as you."

"Oh don't pout Vellum, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Come on smile, like this!" Ventus hooked his fingers in the corners of his mouth and made a silly face.

Velle giggled ", Ew stop it Ventus!" She put emphasis on Ventus's full name.

"Don't call me that!" Ventus scrunched his face up and lightly pushed her.

"Don't call me Vellum," She shot back.

"But that's your name."

"So is Ventus."

"But I think you have a pretty name, it suits you." Ventus said. Velle could hear Vanitas's chuckle somewhere in the chamber and she looked around wildly. "What's wrong Vellum?"

"Ugh stop that!" She slapped his arm lightly and stopped searching ", I-um-I thought I heard something."

"Are they going to fight?" Velle asked Ventus.

"I think so."

"Now Terra and Aqua, the two of you will face each other in combat. Remember, there are no winners-only truths, for when equal powers clash, their nature is revealed. Begin!"

The two friends pounced on each other and Velle held her breath in anticipation. Aqua advanced on Terra almost hitting him in the face proving that if she wanted to she could have. Velle could see the anger on Terra's face just then he held his hand out and darkness engulfed it. All eyes were on his hand, even his. Shocked, Terra shook his hand and the darkness disappeared. They continued fighting, Velle's eyes focused on something behind Master Xehanort's seat, Vanitas. The masked boy stood quietly behind the chair with his arm crossed apparently invisible to everyone but her. It didn't look like he was watching Terra and Aqua, she couldn't see his face but he was staring straight ahead at her and Ventus. She swallowed nervously and as if to confirm her fears he lifted a few fingers and wiggled them. Velle glared and turned her attention back to the fight pretending to ignore the masked boy.

"You okay?" Ventus asked leaning towards her, she felt him squeeze her hand lightly and she realized she had been holding it the entire time.

Velle blushed and let go pretending to smooth her skirt down ", Um, yeah…" She looked quickly back up at Vanitas who had his head cocked slightly with interest.

"What about Terra though, what was that?" Velle asked, changing the subject quickly. "I've never seen darkness in him before."

Ventus's face hardened for a moment as he looked upon the boy he thought of like an older brother ", Neither have I."

When the fight was over Masters Xehanort and Eraqus left the hall and returned "We have deliberated and reached a decision. Terra, Aqua, you both performed commendable. However, only Aqua had shown the Mark of Mastery." Terra's mouth dropped ", Terra, you failed to keep the darkness within you sufficiently in check. But there is always next time, that is all. Aqua as our newest keyblade master you are entitled to certain knowledge. Please wait here for further instructions." Eraqus hesitated, wanting to console Terra but thought better of it and followed Xehanort out of the hall.

"Hey," Aqua turned to Terra. Ventus and Velle ran up to their friends.

"Terra, I'm sorry…" Ventus said softly. Velle looked at her heart broken friend, her eyes stung with unsung tears.

Terra looked at the ground and asked ", The darkness...where did it come from?"