Ventus followed closely behind Velle through the Lanes Between. He was in a daze, for some reason his heart wouldn't stop beating out of his chest. Was this the sense of doom he'd felt before? Were they riding towards something more dangerous than they could handle? Ventus shook his head to rid himself of his pesky thoughts, Mickey needed their help and they were going to save him at all costs. They breached the atmosphere of the world, Ventus tapped his armor and dropped from the sky. He rubbed his temples, feeling the dull ache return.

"Ven! He's over there!" Velle exclaimed. She turned to him and faltered, "A-are you alright?"

Ventus swallowed hard and nodded, "I'm fine, let's go! Mickey needs us." They jogged towards the fallen mouse. "Mickey!" Ventus shouted. When he didn't respond Velle and Ventus knelt beside him, the blonde was worried the King was in bad shape.

"We meet again, boy." a strangely familiar voice drawled. Footsteps slowly came near and Ventus and Velle looked up. "Oh and Vellum, how nice of you to finally join me again."

Velle's eyes widened and she screamed, she grabbed her head and fell into the fetal position. Ventus's head snapped towards her before he could see who the stranger was, "Velle!" he exclaimed

"My head!" Velle shrieked. The footsteps drew nearer and the pain subsided, it was as if smoke cleared in Velle's head. She remembered everything, "Ven! No!" Velle grabbed his wrist and pulled him to her but he turned to see who was walking towards them.

"Master Xehanort…" Suddenly Ventus fell under the same spell as his violet haired counterpart. The blonde fell to his knees beside Velle, clutching his own head, trying to make sense of the memories flooding back to him.

"Ah, yes...so you're starting to realize...what you lost-oh, but not for good. You had to lose in order to find. Now it can all be yours again, if only you reach out and take it. Reclaim the part that left you!" As Xehanort spoke Ventus shook his head violently, trying to quell the pain. Velle's eyes were wide with fear as she looked between Ventus and Xehanort, unknown to her she had tears of darkness running down her cheeks. "Clash with him! Pure light against pure darkness to forge the ultimate key. The all powerful X-blade!" Xehanort shouted, suddenly Ventus fell back with an ear splitting scream.

Velle gritted her teeth in anger and ran to his side, "You're insane! Leave them alone Xehanort! You've done enough damage!"

"Them?" Xehanort questioned curiously.

"Key...blade…" Ventus struggled.

"Ven, it's okay I've got you." Velle muttered.

"Not the keyblade we carry, 'X' a most ancient letter-" He summoned a symbol in his hand for them to see. Velle gritted her teeth, she knew all of this, she could have done something more if her memory hadn't been wiped. "Some say Kye, but the meaning is the same. Death. A letter that spells endings." He reached his hands to the sky and summoned the largest dark corridor she'd ever seen.

"And I have the power to make it?" Ventus groaned, Velle flinched.

"Ventus, don't exert yourself." Velle urged.

"Correct. Eraqus knows it too. He knows exactly what you are!" Xehanort continued.

"The master?" Ventus whispered.

"Haven't you ever wondered why he never granted you permission to leave his side, to grow stronger?" Xehanort questioned.

"Stop filling his head with nonsense, the master would never do anything to hurt us!" Velle snarled.

"Eraqus was frightened of you, Ventus, if you were to learn the truth and realize what you are… He never trusted you. Why else would he keep you within his sight at all times?" Suddenly a bolt of dark electricity shot out and zapped the ground between Ventus and Velle. She shot back and Ventus groaned as he pushed himself up.

"Yeah...he never let me see other worlds no matter how much I asked." He stood shakily to his feet, Velle was worried. Ventus sounded angrier than she'd ever heard him, there was a dangerous resolve in his tone.

"Ven-"

"GO!" Xehanort shouted as he used a dark Aeroga spell to knock Ventus into the portal. "You can ask the man yourself! Learn the truth and remember you have a greater purpose!" Velle watched in horror as Ventus and Mickey were swept into the Dark corridor.

"Ven! No!" Velle shouted, she tapped her armor and summoned her glider but suddenly she was knocked against the ground by a strong force. "Ack! She choked.

"Not so fast, Vellum. Now that I've sent Ventus on his way, we need to deal with you…" His tone became dangerous.

"Me!? We need to deal with you! You've become drunk with power! You were once our master!" Velle growled angrily.

"All to realize my great vision, now Vellum...you've been quite a slippery apprentice. Neither Vanitas nor Braig has been able to capture you for long...I wonder why that is…" Xehanort smirked, taking a few slow steps towards her. "Could it be that you're not who you say you are at all?"

"What are you babbling about?" Velle snapped, with every step Xehanort took forward she took two back. It wasn't lost on her that she didn't stand a chance against him, especially alone.

"How else would you have known the story of Kingdom Hearts thoroughly enough to know what the X-blade wrought?" Xehanort sneered.

"My father told me the stories!" Velle snapped, she summoned her keyblade just in case.

Xehanort started to chuckle, at first it was subdued but it grew loud and boisterous. "Your father? Now that's rich, Vellum, you know as well as I that you have no family."

Velle froze, "What are you talking about, of course I do."

"Do you? How about you tell me about your first day arriving in the Land of Departure?" Xehanort asked.

Velle tried to recall when she'd come to the castle, but it was blurry. She'd definitely been in the Land of Departure before Ventus but when did she get there? "I-I-can't remember…" Velle mumbled after a moment, holding her head. What was going on with her? She had chunks of memories missing from far before Xehanort had put his plans into motion. There was more going on than she could figure out.

"Truly, you have no inkling?" Xehanort asked, a bit surprised is it possible she wasn't who he thought she was. When Velle shook her head he decided to enlighten her, "You washed up from the ocean, my dear girl, alone and barely clinging to life. Memory completely wiped save for a name, Vellum, which is what you whispered to Eraqus and I when we found you." He paused, advancing further, Velle continued to back away, eyeing an escape between two large cliffs. "You have no family on record, no father, no mother, no grandmother...unlike the stories you've told." Xehanort summoned his keyblade No Name, the eye in the center seemed to move to stare at her. She swallowed looking into it's mesmerizing blue green eye that seemed to be watching her every move.

"So tell me...how do you know about the keyblade war!?" Xehanort demanded, he swung his keyblade down on Velle who immediately took off running towards her planned escape.

A bolt of dark electricity soared towards her and she jumped into the air using the gliding abilities she'd learned in never land. Velle soared away at a fast speed, she threw her keyblade into the air and shouted "Stop!" Velle looked over her shoulder to see that Xehanort had not followed her but suddenly she was grabbed out of the air by a pair of strong gloved arms.

"Vanitas!" Velle gasped as she came face to face with his mask. "I need your help!" She asked, desperately clinging to the boy she now remembered.

"Go! I'll distract him." Vanitas replied quickly, he started to sprint away but stopped when he heard Velle call his name.

"Vanitas wait!" He turned just in time to grab Velle as she jumped into his arms.

"Huh?" Vanitas stammered.

"I remember you," She whispered, pressing her forehead to his mask.

"For real?" Vanitas asked shocked, his hands on her waist. "Velle, I might not get another chance to say this...but...I lov-" Vanitas stopped mid sentence and turned his head to where Velle had come from. "No time, go now!" Vanitas demanded as he ran towards Xehanort. Velle gave him a fleeting glance before sprinting in the opposite direction. She summoned her keyblade armor and glider and soared into the Lanes Between.

Velle gasped to catch her breath, she felt like her world was caving in on her. What did Xehanort mean she didn't have a family!? She had questions of her own for their master but she needed to make sure Ventus was safe as well. She tightened her grip on her sea serpent glider and sped off towards the Land of Departure.

"Someone is going to tell me the truth today," She growled to herself, entering hyperdrive. Just as she reached the castle she watched as Terra went to hold Master Eraqus and he disappeared in a flash of light. "Master! Terra!" Velle gasped, she moved to land but froze when she saw Xehanort strolling over to Terra slowly. "No, I can't stay here...where's Ven?" Velle mumbled, she turned tail and left.

She soared through the Lanes between looking for a place to hide for a moment. Reaching into her pocket for her wayfinder, if she ever needed to find her way, it was now. Velle gasped when she felt nothing in her pocket, "It must have fallen out when Xehanort sent Ventus and Mickey away." Velle rushed back towards the Badlands at the speed of light, she couldn't lose her wayfinder it meant so much to her.

Ventus had just been thrown into a portal by Terra, he felt himself tumbling through the abyss unsure of where he was going. Finally he felt the warm sun and a cooling breeze on his face before his back met with soft sand. His legs tumbled over his head and he struggled to his feet.

"Wait, Terra!" Ventus shouted as he tried to reach the portal before it closed, but it was too late. He moved to tap his armor but an unamused voice came from behind him.

"Going somewhere?" Vanitas sneered.

Ventus looked up to see the masked boy standing above him, he narrowed his eyes at him. Surprisingly, Vanitas was the least of his worries, and he'd be damned if he fell for Xehanort's trick. "I'm through with you!" Ventus spat. He turned to walk away, it was better for him to create distance between them.

"Well, I'm just getting started with you," Vanitas smirked. "You're strong enough now to fulfill your purpose." Vanitas summoned his keyblade. He wanted to get it over with as soon as possible, he'd felt lost without Velle and he wanted nothing more than to be with her again. However, the only way that would happen is if they merged. "So what are you waiting for? Join with me right here and now. Become the X-blade."

Ventus balled his fists, without turning he shook his head. "No, I won't do it. He told me the only way the X-blade can be forged is if you and me fight...Well guess what? I'm not fighting. I've got more important things to take care of."

Vanitas chuckled, he remembered the day he was born. The muddled mess Ventus was, he couldn't even speak. "You used to be too broken to talk back."

Ventus whimpered and grabbed his head as he felt his memories become clearer. "Ah!" he winced.

When the blonde didn't move Vanitas snarled, "Fine. Then I'll give you a reason to fight."

"What?" Ventus snapped, he could barely concentrate with the pain in his head.

"Come and find us." Vanitas smirked.

"Us?"

"At the one and only place to spawn the X-blade, the Keyblade Graveyard. I'll be with your precious Vellum...and there you're gonna see me choke the life from Terra and Aqua and claim my prize. Then we'll see how long you play the pacifist."

"Wait! Stay away from Velle! Leave my friends alone!" Ventus shouted but it was too late. Vanitas disappeared through a dark corridor and Ventus was left alone on the sandy shores.

He froze, if he fought Vanitas then he'd bring on the end of the world. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wayfinder. However, he couldn't just stand there while Vanitas hurt his friends. Ventus gritted his teeth as realization set in, he knew Vanitas had a thing for Velle. He balled his fists up feeling anger and jealousy well inside him, but did Vanitas have feelings for Velle because of Ventus's own affection towards her? "Vellum...Terra...Aqua...I swear I'll put an end to this." He declared in a steady voice as he clutched his wayfinder. He summoned his keyblade and opened a portal to the Keyblade Graveyard in the Badlands. When he arrived he could see Terra and Aqua talking to each other through the dust, he strode over to them with purpose. They had a job they needed to do, they needed to rescue Velle.

Velle zipped with unbelievable speed into the Badlands, she looked desperately for the spot they'd been before. She dropped down, her violet hair rippled around her, landing softly on the ground. She looked around frantically, " Come on, where are you!?" Velle muttered. Just over to her right something glimmered in the light. "Ah-ha, there you are!" Velle beamed. She reached for the trinket and held it tightly to her chest.

"What cha got there?" A voice asked from behind her.

Velle jumped and turned around, the man in the eyepatch stood behind her with a smirk, Velle summoned her keyblade, "Braig! What do you want!?"

"Is that anyway to greet an old friend?" Braig snickered.

Velle felt her blood boiling, "For the last time!" She growled. "I don't know what you're talking about! And I'm not going anywhere with you! I know you're with Xehanort!"

Braig held his hands up in defense, "Relax will ya, I come in peace...this time."

"Why are you here at all?" Velle snapped.

"Heard your master kicked it, thought you might need a friend." Braig replied sarcastically.

Velle dismissed her keyblade and pinched the bridge of her nose. She felt her hands shaking, "Leave me alone."

She turned on her heel and started to walk away, Braig's eyes widened, "H-hey wait! I really am here for a reason!"

"I don't care," Velle hissed as she continued to walk.

"Don't you have questions?" Braig asked finally.

Velle stopped, "Questions about what?"

"Who you are," Braig replied.

Velle turned slowly, "And you'll tell me?"

He snorted, " Not exactly, but maybe I can answer some of your questions."

"Why would you help me?" She asked suspiciously.

Braig crossed his arms over his chest, "I might owe ya one…"

"Where is my family? I can't remember where I came from...all I remember is the Land of Departure." Velle mumbled.

He snorted, "Dead."

Her eyes widened, "What do you mean dead!?"

Braig rolled his eyes, "Listen kid, I'll tell you this much...your family died a long time ago...like a long-long-looong time ago…"

"Was it my fault? Is it because I wound up in the Land of Departure?" Velle whispered.

Braig shook his head, "Nah, there was nothing you could have done. It would have happened eventually."

Velle looked at Braig slowly, trying to recall the man in the eye patch, " But I don't remember you…"

"Even if you could, you wouldn't, this isn't the same body. We all wondered where you went Vellum." Braig stated.

"We?" She questioned.

Braig winced, "Might have said too much, well you better get on your way little lady."

"Huh?"

"Your friends are just up ahead in the Keyblade Graveyard, you might want to join them." he informed her.

"K-keyblade Graveyard?" she repeated, it sounded vaguely familiar.

"Yup, go on, they'll need your help." Velle looked down at the wayfinder in her hand and clutched it a little tighter. She took a few steps in the direction Braig pointed to, but she paused. "Oh, and one more thing!" Velle turned to look at Braig, "Don't tell anyone about our little side quest, I'll see ya on the battlefield, kid."

"Th-thanks...I think..." She stuttered before walking away.

"I still owe ya…" He mumbled under his breath as he watched her retreating form. "A little more thanks needs to be given for saving someone's life."

Velle trudged through the dusty landscape, it was hard to see anything in front of her but she kept going. If this road truly led to her friends then she would travel it blindly as far as it went. As she continued down the path she could see countless decimated keyblades lining her way. "Key...blade...grave...yard…" She mumbled to herself. Something about it gave her an eerie on edge feeling, all those who lost their light in the keyblade war were now just debris marring the land they battled on.

"This just looks...so…" She stopped as three figures in the distance came into view. Two taller, one shorter, "It's them!" Velle exclaimed. She broke into a run towards her friends.

The rushed footsteps grabbed the three keyblade wielder's attention and they turned to see as Velle sprinted towards them. "Velle!?" They all exclaimed. Ventus was just explaining to them what Vanitas had told him about taking Velle.

Velle ran up and threw her arms around Ventus, "Ven! You're okay!"

"Thanks to Terra," Ventus replied with a blush. Terra and Aqua were watching curiously at what seemed like an innocent display of affection. They knew that it was somewhat out of the norm for the two.

"Terra! I've missed you!" Velle ran up to Terra and gave him a hug as well. She stepped back and looked at her friend Aqua.

She seemed quiet, Velle knew the last time they'd spoken she didn't have any nice words for the blue haired Master. Now, however, she'd matured enough to see that all Aqua ever wanted was for her friends to be safe. "Aqua…"

"Velle, I'm sorry." Aqua said after a moment. "I treated you like a child and you're anything but-you two Ven. I'm sorry, and I'm sorry I followed you Terra...I just didn't want to lose you…"

"I'm sorry too," She felt tears prickle her eyes, she ran up to her friend and hugged her tightly. "You were only trying to protect us."

Aqua sighed, "But I failed and now...Master Eraqus is gone...and...and-" She choked up thinking of what Ventus was just telling them.

"Xehanort wants me and Vanitas to fight, Velle." Ventus explained suddenly, his voice was quiet.

"No!" Velle snapped, turning around. "You can't-"

"But the master said we can't let that happen and he tried to destroy me for it…he said we couldn't create the X-blade," Ventus continued.

Velle gasped, "What!?"

Aqua thought, "X-blade?"

"I still don't know exactly what it is." Ventus continued. "But...it scares me to death. Even just the thought of it…" His hand touched his heart, he knew that was the part of him that was in the most danger. He didn't want to leave his friends, he didn't want to leave Velle. It wasn't fair, he'd never asked for any of this.

Velle couldn't think of anything to say to make him feel better, nothing she hadn't said already. However, Terra took a few steps forward and placed a hand on the younger blonde's shoulder. "Relax, Ven. We're here and we're gonna take care of you."

Velle felt renewed tears well in her eyes, she'd missed her friends so much. They were each other's support system and Terra always knew the right thing to say. Ventus sighed, he didn't take much solace in Terra's promise. "I may have to fight Vanitas after all…"

"What!? You can't!" Velle exclaimed.

Ventus looked up and met her eyes, "He wants to take you Velle…"

"He said what?" She asked with a blush.

"He said in order to get me to fight you he's going to take you for his own." Ventus elaborated. She could see the hurt in his eyes and she took a step back.

"What? Why would he want Velle?" Aqua asked, confused.

"Because of the way Ven feels about her." Terra explained. Ventus didn't blush, he didn't flinch, he just held Velle's gaze. There was definitely hurt behind his eyes, she couldn't deny it.

"Huh?" Aqua asked, confused.

Ventus sighed, he took Velle's hands in his own. "Vanitas is me, so because I have feelings for Velle...he does too…and he's going to try to take her from us...again..."

Aqua froze, "Oh…"

Ventus shook his head, they were getting off track. "Listen, guys, this is important. If I do have to fight Vanitas...I want you to-"

"The four of us can never be torn apart, all right? I'll always find a way." Terra told him with a smile as he touched his shoulder. Aqua kneeled down and touched his face, trying to make him feel better. Velle stayed silent, she was worried about the next words that were going to come from Ventus's lips.

He removed their hands from him and looked up, "I'm asking you, as a friend, just...put an end to me."

Velle took another step back as the other two gasped, "No."

"Velle, it has to be done." Ventus reasoned, turning to face only her.

"No," she took another step back. "I won't let anyone do that."

"You don't have a choice," Ventus snapped, he didn't understand why she was making this harder than it needed to be.

"No, he wasn't supposed to do this. He promised!" Velle croaked.

Ventus looked at her stoically, "He lied, why are you surprised? It has to happen, Velle."

Velle shook her head, her tears falling over, "No…I don't want to lose you…"

Terra sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "We're not losing anyone, we just need to-" He froze and Aqua's head shot up to see Master Xehanort. Velle narrowed her eyes at the sinister old man. The dust blew past him ominously as he neared them. Her jaw almost dropped when she saw Vanitas step out beside him with his keyblade drawn. She couldn't see his face but she knew he was looking at her.

They stopped just in front of them and raised his arm, "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 smirked, "Of course some of you know more than you're letting on about the great Keyblade war...you will be mine...X-blade!" Xehanort pointed directly at Ventus.

The four keyblade wielders narrowed their eyes at Xehanort, a man they once trusted and revered. In unison they tapped their armor and summoned its powers. Ventus moved to charge at Xehanort and Vanitas but Terra pushed him back and sprinted ahead. Just as he reached them, Xehanort lifted his hand and summoned a wall of earth to knock Terra away. Terra flew back from the impact while Xehanort and Vanitas raised into the air . Velle and Ventus's former master waved his hand and suddenly the sky darkened.

"What the hell…" Velle mumbled under her breath, Ventus glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Just then thousands of keyblades raised to the sky and soared towards Aqua, Vanitas jumped onto the keyblades and directed them forward. Aqua jumped out of the way just in time but Vanitas circled back.

"Aqua!" they shouted as they ran to her. They knelt beside her, the impact had knocked her helmet off. She groaned and sat up, summoning her keyblade she threw her arm in the air.

"Terra!" She shouted as she cast a shield around him. Vanitas swung back around and charged at Ventus.

"Ven! Velle shouted, mimicking Aqua and summoning a barrier shield around him just as Vanitas made impact. Vanitas looked up, her glare fixed him, she wasn't going to pull her punches. "Aeroga!" she bellowed, Vanitas flew back in a flurry of wind. When he caught his footing he soared back towards her.

Velle's eyes widened, she needed to regain some mp before she could attack him again. She turned on her heel and ran in the other direction. "Velle, I've got you!" Ventus called as he ran the opposite direction of her towards Vanitas. "Back off!" He snarled as he jumped up and slammed his keyblade into Vanitas's chest. "Stay away from her!" he growled through gritted teeth.

"You wish," Vanitas sneered before suddenly disappearing. Ventus looked around but couldn't see him anywhere, just then he saw Xehanort go after Terra at the top of the pillar.

"Hyah!" Ventus shouted as he swung his blade at his former master but he easily stepped out of the way. The blonde gasped when he felt someone clutch his head in place within human strength.

"Ven!" Terra exclaimed, jumping to his feet to help him but suddenly a sea of keyblade slammed down on him and Vanitas landed gracefully on his feet in front of them.

"Hn." Vanitas smirked.

Aqua and Velle looked up and gasped when they saw Ventus in Xehanort's grip. "Ven!" screamed. With speed she didn't know she had, she ran up the side of the rock pillar and jumped onto the platform. Without hesitation Velle swung her keyblade with a smirk. "Waterza." She commanded with a glare.

Vanitas's eyes widened as a tidal wave suddenly appeared behind Velle. She was beautiful and chaotic standing in front of the monstrous tsunami she summoned. Her hair blew in the wind and her eyes glared at them with such ferocity, but something was different. Velle's eyes weren't the normal green he'd fallen in love with. They glowed a bright blue that mirrored the wave behind her.

Xehanort gritted his teeth and raised his free hand to summon a shield. "Vanitas, disable her, I've had enough of her interference." Vanitas heard him say just as the wave crashed down on him. His legs tumbled over his head as the wave barreled over him with an incredible force.

"Let him go!" Velle growled.

"Be gone!" Xehanort sneered, he waved his hand and a sea of keyblades slammed into her side.

"Argh! Velle!" Ventus shouted, despite his own predicament he was worried about her.

Velle hit the ground with a grunt, her helmet smashing to pieces, she sat and shook the daze from her head. Suddenly she was pinned to the ground, her eyes met her own reflection in Vanitas's mask. "Stop, Velle. He'll kill you!"

Velle struggled against him, "You said you wouldn't do this! Get off me!"

Vanitas pulled her up, keeping a tight grip on her wrist. "Velle, I don't want to hurt you-"

"What makes you think you could?" Velle asked, her voice was low and dangerous. It almost didn't sound like herself, Vanitas turned to look at her just in time to see her keyblade swing into his chest.

"Ugh!" He grunted as he hit the cliff.

"Stay away from me from now on." Velle said over her shoulder as she started to advance towards Ventus and Xehanort.

"I knew you cared about him more than me," Vanitas spat as he struggled to his feet.

Velle froze, she turned around and fixed him with another glare. "I care about you the same, because you're the same person! You're the one who broke your promise to me so don't try to make me the bad guy."

"A promise you forced me to make! I told you I don't have a choice!" Vanitas seethed.

"We all have choices!" Velle retorted.

"I'm not like you or the others Velle. You don't know me!" Vanitas shouted.

"Yes I do!"

"Ahh!" Ventus's cry made her snap her head to him to see his entire body frozen.

"V-Ven!" Velle shrieked. Xehanort cast him over the side of the cliff like he was trash and Ventus tumbled to the earth. His head slammed against the wall and his helmet broke as he continued to descend. He landed on Aqua and she cradled the young man in her arms. Velle ran towards them but Vanitas grabbed her wrist. "I said let me go!" Velle screamed. Vanitas's eyes widened as a bright light exploded from Velle's body and knocked him back again. He weakly threw his keyblade up and mumbled something, his body was engulfed in green light and he stood.

"Do you hate me?" Vanitas mumbled at Velle's retreating form.

"No!" Velle shouted over her shoulder, but she didn't turn around. She slid onto her knees and stopped beside Aqua and Ventus. "Ven…" She touched his cheek. She could see his eyes moving, she could hear him struggling. The violet haired warrior felt tears well in her eyes, "Is he going to be o-"

"Why don't you leave the popsicle with me? So you can have your little fight with Terra?" A voice came from behind them. Braig smirked and looked up at the moon shining down directly onto the stone pillar. "You can't be too happy about him deep-sixin' your master."

Aqua narrowed her eyes at him, "Who are you?"

Braig snorted, "You act like you've 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?"

Ventus growled, his body starting to thaw, "Shut up!"

Braig threw his hands up, "Oh! So this kiddo thinks he's a full fledged keyblade wielder. He's got the angry look down…Doesn't that expression look familiar, little lady?" he turned to look at Velle.

"Go ahead if you want to waste your time. Keep trying to drive us apart with your mind games, it'll never work! Velle, take care of Ven. Terra will prove to you he's stronger!" She summoned her keyblade. Aqua charged toward the mysterious man in the eye patch.

"Ven," Velle whispered as she looked at him.

"Velle…" he struggled. "You have to run."

"I won't!" Velle snapped.

"Please, for me. I don't want you to get hurt." Ventus whispered.

"I can't leave you, I won't leave you." Velle whimpered, tears fell from her eyes and onto his frozen cheeks, thawing them a little more.

"Who's gonna come find me if we're all gone?" Ventus asked, his arm was just thawed enough to reach for her cheek. It was cold but she welcomed it all the same. "Please, Velle...you mean too much to me…"

"I-i-" Velle stuttered, he was right but she couldn't bring herself to leave them. Just then Braig ran past her muttering something about buying time.

"Come on, kid. We're out of here!" He grabbed her by the collar of her shirt.

"Hey! Let me go!" Velle screamed.

"No-can-do, you'll thank me later-" He grunted as he summoned a dark corridor and tossed her in.

"Velle!" Ventus shouted as the portal closed behind Braig.

"Ah!" Velle shouted as the darkness started to burn her.

"Ugh...fragile beings of light." Braig mumbled as he covered her with a black coat. "Hurry up and get to the other side." Velle didn't resist, she just ran alongside him when they exited the portal she summoned her keyblade and slammed it into his side. "Argh!" He grunted. "I'm doing you a favor!"

"What kind of favor is that!?" Velle spat as she swung her keyblade again, this time he dodged.

"The kind that will eventually save both you and your friend's lives. Now, quit hitting me with that thing!" Braig shouted as he dodged her again.

"What do you mean?" Velle asked slowly.

"You just have to trust me," Braig stated.

"And why would I do that?" Velle glared at him.

"I made a deal with Vanitas that I would take you away from the bad part of the fight." Braig explained.

"You what!?" Velle asked bewildered. "Take me back now!"

"I will in a few minutes, can't break my promise." Braig chuckled.

"Vanitas doesn't care about me, if he did he wouldn't do this." Velle seethed. Her fists were clenched at her side and she was glaring at the mysterious man in front of her.

"Psh, of course he does. He's going against the old man's orders." Braig informed her. "I've never heard that little creep ask for a favor before, especially something like protecting the enemy. He's lucky I'm such a caring person."

Velle was silent, did Vanitas really ask him to protect her? She felt numb and sore at the same time, it was an impossible feeling to comprehend. She was angry with both Ventus and Vanitas for fighting with each other yet at the same time she feared losing either. "Ugh!" She screamed as she threw her keyblade as hard as she could. It skidded to a halt just in front of Braig and he picked it up curiously.

"'Been a long time since I've seen one of these up close…" He muttered to himself as he examined her weapon. His eyes widened when Velle crumpled to the ground in tears. "Hey, hey, hey! No crying, that's not cool." he waved his hands in front of her not knowing how to make her stop.

"Please, take me back, I have to stop them. I'm begging you, please!" She beseeched. When Braig didn't summon a portal, Velle choked back a sob, "It's all over...this is it…" She whispered in defeat. There was nothing she could do to stop Vanitas and Ventus from destroying each other and bringing about the end of life as they knew it.

Braig sighed and pulled the violet haired girl to her feet, he dusted her shoulders off and placed her keyblade firmly back in her hand. "Come on, kid, it isn't like you to just give up. Chin up, shoulders back, you're better than this...besides times up, time to go."

"What?" Velle stuttered. "You'll take me back?"

"I was only supposed to keep you away from the fight until the conclusion. Do yourself a favor and tell them you got away. You don't want them to think that you're not one of the good guys, do ya?" Braig summoned a portal with one hand.

"I don't understand…" Velle muttered, looking back and forth between the portal and Braig.

"You have friends in high places, it's not your time to understand. If I were you, I'd go now. You don't wanna miss any of the good stuff." Braig handed her the organization coat and a blindfold. "Just keep walking straight, you'll find the way." He pushed her through the portal and it closed. Velle was alone in darkness, she did as he said continued down the corridor until she felt cold air hit her face. Quickly she tore the coat and the blindfold off and looked around frantically. The battlefield was even more destroyed, keyblades everywhere, craters in the earth, and the sky as dark as night but it was day time.

Velle spotted Aqua hunched against a boulder, she ran to her side. "Aqua! What happened?"

"V-velle, you're okay! Ventus...Vanitas...they-" Aqua stuttered.

Just then footsteps approached them and Velle's head snapped up. Ventus walked up to them and glared at Aqua. ",What's wrong? Giving up already?" he sneered. Velle gasped, that wasn't Ventus, she could hear Vanitas's voice coming from his mouth. "Oh, Vellum...how nice of you to join us. Did you enjoy your little get away?"

Velle glared at the boy she loved and hated at the same time, "How could you!?"

Vanitas snorted, "Easy, I liked what I saw so I took it."

If it were possible, her eyes narrowed even more, "What did you take?"

"Why...you, of course." Vanitas replied as if it were obvious. "And my body, I took my body back from that Pathetic weakling."

"For the last time Ventus is not weak! And I'm not yours, I'm his!" Velle growled. She charged at him with her keyblade drawn. "And I'm bringing him back!" Velle shouted.

Vanitas blocked her shot with the monstrous X-blade, "Ventus is gone, Velle. And I don't want to hurt you." He hissed so low that Aqua couldn't hear. She'd just been looking back and forth between the two, trying desperately to understand what was going on.

"It's too late for that," Velle whispered, a single tear fell from her eye and trailed down her cheek. Vanitas's eyes widened, but before he could react a light exploded from Velle's chest knocking him back into the cliff and causing boulders to fall on top of him. She turned to Aqua and held her keyblade in the air "Heal!"

A green light enveloped Aqua and she felt her strength returning, but as that happened she saw the purple haired girl's knees buckle beneath her. "Velle!" She shouted and she ran to catch her. She heard rocks tumbling and she turned to see Vanitas climbing out of the rubble. "Don't worry Velle, I'll stop him." Aqua stood, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her wayfinder and closed her eyes tight. "Terra, Ven...lend me your strength...Velle needs us..." Suddenly her wayfinder lit up and she felt her keyblade become lighter. She looked at it to see it was also illuminated, she gasped.

Now was her chance, she ran to Vanitas and he glared at her. "You're just wasting your energy!"

Their keyblades clashed in a show of light and power, it sent a shock wave which seemed to snap Velle back to reality.

"Hn," Vanitas sneered, knowing he would easily win against Aqua. What he hadn't expected was Velle sprinting towards them at full speed, she jumped into the air and slammed her blade down against Vanitas's as well. They locked eyes for a moment and the two friends fought back against Vanitas with all their strength. Suddenly the X-blade cracked and so did Ventus's smirk. "Huh?" He gasped. This wasn't how it was supposed to end.

The X-blade hovered in the air and then blinded them with light, beams of light were shooting out like lasers. Ventus and Vanitas were right in the path of the light, Velle gasped as darkness seemed to peel from Ventus's body, leaving him in his armor and no longer in Vanitas's clothes.

"Ven!" She cried as the light of the X-blade seemed to keep her back from him. "Aqua, we have to get to him!"

Just then King Mickey came running up to them, "It's going all haywire!" he exclaimed.

"Mickey?" Velle asked, confused, the last time she'd seen him he was knocked unconscious.

"He came back to help us," Aqua said through gritted teeth while shielding her eyes from the light. The force grew stronger and stronger until they were each pushed back. Mickey cried out as his frail body was easily thrown out of the world. Velle watched in horror as Ventus's lifeless body was picked up by the gust of wind. Velle reached out for him but couldn't quite touch him. Suddenly she felt someone push her forward, it was Aqua, she grasped onto Ventus's hand and summoned their armor as they were literally thrown from the Badlands and into the Lanes Between. The three keyblade wielders floated lifelessly in the abyss, floating in nothingness towards the unknown. What was the outcome of the fight? Had they lost? Had they won? Or was the war just starting?