Chapter ONE:
"You're not from around here, aren't you?" asked the small little boy to the strange man on the beach.
The stranger was a tall man wearing very unusual attire, with a large Key like sword in hand. He turned around to see the boy and smiled warmly.
"How can you be sure that I'm some stranger?" asked the man.
"I know almost everyone who lives in the islands. And I know I have never seen you before in my life." said the little boy.
"There is no fooling you." said the man.
The little boy walked up to him and stood a few feet apart. He looked at the man with awe and wonder.
"Are you him?" he asked.
"Excuse me?" asked the man.
"Are you the boy who left home?" asked the boy.
"I don't think so. You have me confused with someone else." said the man.
"Oh." replied the boy.
"What boy do you speak of?" asked the man.
"Long ago, there was this boy who left the islands. He left to become strong. I want to be like him. I want to be strong someday." said the boy.
"Why do you desire strength?" asked the man.
"So I can defend my mother…." the boy's voice seemed very sad. He stopped suddendly, as if he was going to say a secret.
"Your mother?" asked the man.
"My father…. He hits her when he comes home drunk." said the boy.
The man didn't say a word. He folded his arms and looked up to the sky, breathing in.
"I want to be strong to defend her. And not just my mother. The whole island! I want to be a hero someday! Someone who people can look up to!" declared the boy.
"But to do that, you must first learn about a lot of things." said the man.
"What things? I know I can be strang someday! I'll one day leave the islands, go to the outside worlds and become the hero I want to be… to save the ones I love." said the boy raising his voice.
The man smiled at the boy's determination. "Speak your name child." said the man.
"Riku."
"Well Riku. I am Terra. You see child, outside this world, is a much bigger one."
With that, Terra took a knee and urged Riku to come a little closer. Terra lifted the Keyblade slightly towards Riku by the handle and said a few words. Words that will forever shape the future of the worlds outside.
"In your hand, take this key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, it's wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me friend, no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."
From then on, Riku would grow up to become a powerful and wise Keyblade Master. However, his journey to becoming a master was a very strenuous one. He went through many trials, and countless battles against the darkness in his own heart. The story you are about to read is an account from one of his journeys. A journey taking place before the next Keyblade War…..
Riku packed his things in a small bag and quietly walked through the enchanted hallways of Master Yen Sid's Mysterious Tower. He walked slowly, but with a lot of thoughts in his mind. Not long ago, he was named Keyblade Master, for he passed the Mark of Mastery Exam. However, he didn't feel like a Master. Not really. He felt like a phony. He knew he didn't deserve that title. It should have been his friend, his brother in arms, Sora. He braved the darkness many times. It should be him. But why Riku? Why him, when he has sinned so many times. He joined forces with the darkness, and bowed before the evil Maleficent. He even allowed his heart to be a tool by the treacherous Ansem, a powerful and evil Heartless who took control of the worlds at one point in the past. What would that man, Terra, think of him now?
Sora was gone. He left to settle some things after the exam. Sora lost in the exam, but he was very proud of his friend. Sora hugged Riku tightly that day. It was a magnificent feeling. But Riku felt shame. He didn't deserve the title. It should have been Sora, not him.
"Riku!" called out a friend, running behind Riku with a pant. Riku turned around to see the recognizable round ears of King Mickey Mouse of Disney Castle. Yes. Seriously. The King. The king of all good things. The happy go lucky little king of a world where dreams supposably came true. Out of all of Riku's friend, Mickey was the most kind and the most understandable. He ran behind Riku, hoping to catch up to him.
"Where are you going? You still need to train under the Master." said Mickey.
"I"m sorry my friend, but I don't deserve to be here. Not after all my mistakes. I cannot accept this title. Not yet." said Riku.
"You were given the title for a reason Riku. Master Yen Sid saw how you braved the darkness to save Sora during the exam. We have so much to do! Our enemies are going to get a lot stronger and if we don't do something soon… we might as well be goners!" said Mickey.
"Mickey…. I need some time alone. I need to find myself out there. I can't accept this. I've made too many mistakes to count." said Riku.
Mickey held Riku's harm softly. "Everyone makes mistakes Riku. We all are human. Deep inside, we all do things we regret. When I was your age, I made a ton of mistakes. I almost flooded this tower with enchanted brooms. Goofy and Donald had to bail me out many times when I was dating Minnie. And let me tell you-"
"Mickey… with all due respect… your mistakes don't compare to mine. You are very innocent and kind. But you didn't see me when I joined Maleficent's forces. You didn't see how I tormented Sora when he journeyed the first time. Did Goofy and Donald ever tell you about the things I have done? They saw me." said Riku.
Mickey shook his head. "They have recounted to me their adventures, and they have mentioned you. But they also tell me how in the end, you saved Kairi from Ansem when he took control of your body. But you didn't let me finish. There was something terrible that I have done in the past, and it almost cost me the ability to control my Keyblade." said Mickey.
"What?" asked Riku.
Mickey recounted him his story and Riku folded his arms as he listened.
"H-How did you ever forgive yourself? How did you do it?" asked Riku.
"It wasn't easy. I never forgave myself for what I did. But if you want to know, I suggest you find him. Find the Keyblade Wielder from my story, and he will tell you the secret of how I did this." said Mickey.
"To learn to forgive myself? Unlikely." said Riku.
"You and I made mistakes that are similar in more ways than one. I strongly suggest you find the Keyblade Wielder. He lives in a world far from here. But you'll be able to reach him through this." Mickey pulled out something from his pocket and it was a Wayfinder.
"A Wayfinder!?" asked Riku.
"The Keyblade Wielder from my story and I made these to mark our new friendship. You will find him and he will tell you the secret to forgiveness and true strength." said Mickey.
Riku smiled. "Fine. I will go and I will learn! And when I do…. I'll decide what road I'll travel." said Riku.
"The road to dawn?" asked Mickey.
Riku nodded. "I'm still on this road. I'll walk it to the end and discover more about myself. Perhaps this was the journey I needed a long time ago."