Chapter 89
Thanks to the others who offered to stay behind and fight the monsters, the Guardians and the mages made it deeper into the Keyblade Graveyard. When they arrived in the main area, there were two crossroads, covered by many Keyblades in the area.
Everyone then stopped at the entrance to the center of the area in silence. Sora then noticed something from the distance and gave a serious look.
Thirteen figures were approaching them. It was the Real Organization XIII. All of the members were wearing their black coats, except for one, Master Xehanort. Once they were at the entrance to the center, all of them stopped, standing right in front of the Guardians.
Master Xehanort broke the silence and said, "Today, we join these other wielders and leave our mark on fate. I have waited patiently… But together, we shall unlock the Keyblade War's secrets." Master Xehanort then summoned his Keyblade and lifted it into the air. "Now we forge it. The ultimate key…" He held his Keyblade with both hands. "The X-blade!" He then slammed his Keyblade hard into the ground, causing a wave of darkness to spread from it.
There was a huge explosion surrounding them.
"What's happening?!", shouted Lucy.
The broken keyblades that were surrounding them started to fall from the sky. Just then, huge structure walls came up from the ground.
Everyone was cautious.
"Is he trying to trap us?", wondered Erza.
"Bastard!", shouted Natsu.
All of the Organization members were standing on a pillar wall that began to rise along with the other walls. Master Xehanort was on top of another pillar that began to rise higher than the walls.
The Guardians and the mages were looking around at the new layout.
"How do we get out?", asked Juvia.
Suddenly, two of the walls located at the corner of the area were lowered, revealing two pathways.
"Guess that answers that.", said Sherria.
Sora then faced everyone and said, "Here we go!"
Everyone nodded and they all ran towards the two pathways.
"I am so f #$ing ready!", Sora growled.
Once the Guardians and the mages have left, Xehanort looks down with a satisfying look.
I've waited so long for this moment, he thought. Who would have thought these chain of events would happen right before my exam. I would have never thought about this plan without him…
75 years ago…
Near the thirteen rock pillars at the Keyblade Graveyard, a man wearing a black coat was sitting on a large rock in an open area. He then noticed that someone was coming and looked up.
It was another figure in a black coat approaching the man.
When the figure got close, the man asked, "So?"
The figure responded by removing his hood, revealing to be a young Xehanort, except that his eyes were not yellow, they were silver.
"Yeah.", said Xehanort while examining his coat. "It wards off darkness. It's useful."
"Told ya! So, how'd it go? The tour."
Xehanort then sat down next to him on the rock and smiled. "I learned...the reason for my existence."
"Ohhh?", said the man excitedly and curiously. "Tell me more."
"All around the world, people live seemingly peaceful lives. They believe themselves to be moral and virtuous, but it's all an act. Darkness lurks in the pit of everyone's heart. Their light is a total farce."
"Sounds like your trip around the world opened your eyes, but you got a little bit more than you anticipated. Must've seen a lot of darkness."
Xehanort then looked up into the sky. "Those who are weak, and who desire greater power, simply strip the strong of their power, and convince themselves they've earned it. That's how people become tainted by darkness. They believe what they want to believe, using hollow reasons as justification. They repeat this cycle, and their darkness grows."
"So you're saying the weak feel the need to justify their actions to maintain a sense of self.", said the man. "Can't let that slide?"
Xehanort faced the man and said, "No, it's better they be ruled by darkness. People carry delusions of having power, but it's a lie. They are but sheep pretending to be wolves. Though I admit, I can understand why."
The man looked surprised. "Ohh, never heard that one before, a Keyblade wielder willing to side with the darkness? Why not just let them be until the darkness consumes them?"
Xehanort looked down. "Because left alone, the world would fall to chaos. There needs to be order."
The man slowly shook his head and stood up. He then said, "You sure about that? Why not just sit back and watch it play out?"
"Understanding hearts is difficult: more so the emotions within. I simply realize that it's easy to dismiss what you don't comprehend."
"All right, all right…", sighed the man. "The world needs you, I'll grant you that one."
"I don't know what I can do, but I will act. What comes next is too important."
"I suppose letting false light dictate the future might be a...pretty lousy move. So? You can make a change, you have that power. What do you want for the world?"
"Power, eh…? Who knows? My training's coming to an end, and the exam's not far off. Maybe I can gain some clarity then."
The man said with surprise, "You're letting the exam decide? Listen to me, the results don't matter. You believe the world needs you. Sounds like you already know where you're headed."
Xehanort sighed. "It's funny. Somehow, I can sense where I'm supposed to go, and what I'm supposed to do. Yes, even this coat, there's something familiar about it, as if I'm meant to wear this."
"Hmm…" Xehanort then looked at the man again. The man said, "No...you'll ditch it soon."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that one day you're going to outgrow it."
"How so?", asked Xehanort.
"If you truly possess great power, the darkness can't control you. You won't need a silly old coat to stay safe. In fact you'll be the one controlling the darkness instead." The man then laughed. "Me, on the other hand, I'm too much of a scaredy-cat to ever take mine off."
Xehanort looked at the man with suspicion and asked, "Who are you really? Some kind of fortune-teller?"
"Well, I could lie and tell you that's what I am, when I'm actually a brilliant artist, or even a scholar." The man then lifted his arms up. "I could tell you that I dream of world peace, when I'm actually planning for its destruction." He then lowered his arms. "The truth is what you see with your eyes, not what you hear."
After a few seconds of silence, Xehanort smiled with curiosity and asked, "So, your name?"
The man looked stunned and said with annoyance, "What did I just-" He then stopped for a sec and sighed. "Never mind, I guess there's no harm. My name is-"
The man said his name, which surprised Xehanort, even making him more curious.
"I'm a Lost Master.", said the man.
"Lost...Master…", said Xehanort while trying to comprehend what the man said.
The man then started to walk away while Xehanort got up, still looking surprised.
"May your heart be your guiding key.", said the man.
75 years later, after Sora was rescued from the Organization-
Xehanort, now an old man, was standing in the same spot where he once talked to the hooded man, along with Xigbar and Saix.
He then chuckled.
"What's so funny, old man?", asked Xigbar. "Mind sharing with us?"
Xehanort looked serious and said, "I stand here today because of a fated encounter, very many years ago, when I was still a young lad. I never learned who he was, and perhaps I never will. But I see now the truth he spoke of."
Xigbar grunted with annoyance upon hearing that. "We don't have time for bedtime stories.", he said. "Without the kid, we're still down a thirteenth vessel, and as for the other twelve, only three of us are here right now. Are you absolutely sure the others made their way back to their respective times?"
Master Xehanort looked at Saix and nodded. Saix also responded with a nod. All three of them disappeared from that area and reappeared on top of the thirteen rock pillars nearby, with Master Xehanort standing on the highest one.
Once there, Saix swung his arm to his side and three figure holograms appeared on the other empty pillars. The holograms were Marluxia, Larxene, and Luxord.
"Marluxia and Larxene are both here in this time, attempting to locate the New Seven Hearts.", Saix explained. "Luxord is also somewhere about in this age, but after our last meeting, he went in search of something, per your order." Saix then faced Xigbar. "Isn't that so?"
"Oh, that, right…", Xigbar agreed. "Well, let's just say that what he's doing will benefit us in the long run, but it's really of no importance right this second. Go on."
"Playing your cards close as usual." Saix looked up at Master Xehanort, who nodded. "All right." He then waved his arm to his side again and more hologram figures appeared in front of Master Xehanort. The holograms were Ansem, Xemnas, Vanitas, and Young Xehanort.
"The hearts of Ansem, Xemnas, Vanitas, Riku Replica, and Young Xehanort returned to where they came from, and reassembled once more. Each of them is seeking a guardian of light."
Xigbar spoke. "So the ones who turned human, and then back again into Nobodies are me, you, Luxord, Marluxia, and Larxene-that's five. The ones from the past transferred into replicas are Ansem, Xemnas, Vanitas, Riku Replica, and the old man's younger self. Then we add the old man in, the total comes up to eleven. I think we're still missing two."
Xehanort smiled. "Now we must discuss why we have assembled here today. My incarnations from past times, vessels into which I transferred my heart, my essence, were destroyed. Thus, I was restored to what you see now. For one to completely disappear, their heart and body must be restored to their original form. That is one reason why I distributed my heart into several vessels. Ansem and Xemnas originated from Terra, or rather his young form-and it too was restored. However, my heart has returned to me, while his is yet lost. I decided to fill this hollow vessel with my heart-" Xehanort then lifted his hand up and a hologram of Terra-Xehanort appeared in front of them. "Indeed, the very same heart that previously resided within young Terra."
"So that makes twelve.", said Xigbar. "Then who do we get to replace the kid?"
Saix spoke. "Twenty replicas were created by Vexen. The first twelve were nothing more than puppets, barely human." Holograms of Vexen, Riku Replica, and a hooded figure appeared next to Saix. "The prototype model was the Riku Replica, and then No. i was made. That leaves us with six. Ansem, Xemnas, Vanitas, Riku Replica, and Young Xehanort's hearts-five vessels, one left. Vexen and Demyx are candidates, but backups at best. The plan for the last replica is to give it a heart that is connected to Sora's."
"Connected to Sora's?", questioned Xigbar. "Anyone in mind?"
"The second prototype that was created, No. i. Though erased from memory, it remained in Vexen's records. Its existence is greatly linked to Sora's memories, and thus should prove to be more than adequate for our needs."
"No. i… An imaginary number, how fitting."
"While Young Xehanort is occupied with transferring hearts, I must go fulfill my duty. I will go and retrieve Vexen."
"Reliable as always. It sounds to me like you've got everything dependably under control. Well, I'm off to do my part."
Xigbar then left through a dark corridor.
"The plan, as we agreed upon.", Saix said to Master Xehanort.
Saix then bowed before leaving through a dark corridor. All of the holograms disappeared once Saix had left, leaving Master Xehanort in the rocky area.
Master Xehanort looked up into the sky and said, "May your heart be your guiding key."
The present-
Things have definitely changed, Master Xehanort thought. Especially since we have the mages attending the battle. No matter, the X-blade will still be forged.