*This work contains spoilers for NieR*

This world was dying.

Anyone with eyes would probably be able to make that assumption. Salt and ash fell from the sky, blanketing everything in a fine layer of white. The surrounding metropolis was destroyed and abandoned, empty to any all forms of life. Along those blanched white streets walked shadowy figures, twisted representations of human souls, lost to the darkness and hunting down others with an unnatural violence. To most, this would be hell on earth.

To Xehanort, it was beautiful.

This world teetered on the edge. It would soon fall into darkness, and observing this crumbling land made a chill go down the Keyblade Master's spine. He came here often and simply watched as the people around him fell to the darkness. The dark creatures here were quite like the Heartless he had found in the dark expanse between worlds, but there was something strange about these beings, almost… manufactured.

He would explore the world in more depth if he could, but there was to big a risk. This world was dangerous even to a man such as him. Without his Keyblade Armor, he would no doubt have fallen to whatever corruption plagued this world. There was a type of evil hear that transcended light and darkness, and even a stubborn Seeker such as him knew to keep his nose out of it.

On that note, he should leave soon, before he draws any undue attention to himself. Xehanort slowly summoned his Keyblade and pointed it in front of him. With a pulse of magic, he opened a portal to the realm between worlds. Before he could take a step though, he felt something calling out to him. It wasn't a sound one could here with their ears, but their hearts.

'Help… Somebody… please help him…'

The voice spoke with an incredible warmth, sparking something even in his blackened soul. He looked out in the distance and saw those vicious shade's gathering in front of a smaller structure. Blocking the monsters entrance stood a figure wielding an iron pipe like a club. They were wearing heavy winter clothes that disguised their appearance, but they were clearly a child if height was anything to go from.

The child fought with a fury that showed little regard for their own safety. If things continued as they were, they would surely meet their end, but still they fought. Their strength of Heart must be incredible. And if they are protecting the source of the voice that spoke out to him, then…

Xehanort closed the portal and jumped towards the fight, a chuckle echoing from his armor. "I suppose even I can play the white knight, once in a blue moon."

"Stay back, you damn monsters!"

Nier swung the rusted pipe in his hands around, aiming at any shade that took a step close to him. Despite their murky appearance, these creatures were still as vulnerable as a normal human. A saving grace if he had to fight them alone. But somehow, they just kept coming, and strength in numbers was slowly beginning to take effect.

He wasn't sure what worried him more, that these mindless monsters were human, or that him and his sister almost joined them. They had been taken in with a bunch of other desperate and alone people by some shady organization and promised food and shelter for 'assisting' them in their work. He knew it was shady, but her sister needed medicine, so he was left with little choice.

Then they had handed out those damn books, and everyone who touched them turned into those damn monsters. He quickly got him and his sister the hell out of there, but now they had no food, shelter, and there were ghastly beings hunting them down for reasons beyond his understanding. He hadn't slept or eaten in days and knew that he had no choice against the small army apperating in front of him. But he couldn't just give up. If he did, then who would protect Yonah?

Nier swung again at a nearby shade, but the monster feinted backwards and grabbed his weapon mid-swing. It pulled back with an inhuman strength, and suddenly Nier found himself being tossed over the pack of shadows into the bleached-white streets. He landed violently on his back, losing his grip on the pipe, which rattled onto the concrete a fair distance from him.

"Damnit!" Nier cursed. As he attempted to pick himself up, one of the larger shades stomped its foot on his chest, forcing him back down with a wheeze. Most of the shades slowly circled around him, but a few lumbered towards the entrance of the abandoned store he had been guarding. Nier reached an arm out towards them, struggling futilely against the pressure keeping him trapped. "No… Stay away… From my sister!"

But the shades continued unaverred by his plea, his sickly sister likely unaware of her approaching fate. The large shade standing atop him raised its blade-like arm overhead, about to plunge it down on Nier.

'Please! Somebody, anybody, help us!'

As if to answer his call, a purple beam flew out from the heavens and the shade on top of him exploded, fading into nothingness. A moment later, dozens of over beams spiraled out from the same unknown source, slaying all the shadowy beings in mere moments.

The sound of clanking and heavy footsteps could be heard from behind Nier, and he quickly got up and turned to the source, ready to fight whatever new threat approached. But what he saw was completely unexpected.

A mysterious figure was walking toward him down the street. It was clad in bizarre silver armor, with golden highlights on its helmet and shoulders as if wearing a regal crown. The gauntlets were comically oversized, and the kneepads had an unknown cross design. But most mystifying about his surprise savior was the weapon in its right hand.

It appeared to be some manner of sword, but its spiked design and axe-style head made it look like a ceremonial weapon, or some form of oversized toy. Even so, something about it spoke to Nier, as if the unblinking eye's gaze at the end of the blade was staring right into his soul.

The three shades who had been approaching his sister all halted and turned around in what Nier could only guess was surprise. They quickly ran toward the outlandish knight, hoping to avenge their fallen comrades. The knight brought up its sword and lunged forward unfettered. With a single swing of their arm the blade cut through all three shades with unreal ease, spraying the monsters' blood across the bleached street. They then turned back to him, beginning their approach anew.

Nier fell to his knees in exhaustion. Whoever this newcomer was, Nier could only hope that they were a savior, and not another monster. The knight walked up to him and simply stood there, and he could feel the watchful eyes observing him underneath the helmet. Finally, a voice spoke out from beneath the helmet.

"Do you want more power?"

The voice was old and gravely, and Nier couldn't hide his surprise. Underneath this armor was an old man! But despite that, he was able to destroy a small army of shades with a flick of his wrist. He looked at the armored man with suspicion. "The last time I accepted help, I almost got turned into those things."

"This is different." The figure answered. "You have a strong heart. With the power of the Keyblade, you can gain the power over darkness and light itself. Now, do you want power?"

The old knight then changed his grip on the dark blade in his hand, presenting its handle to the kneeling boy. In a normal world, Nier would have turned away such an offer. But this wasn't a normal world, and this wasn't a normal offer. Despite the ludicrous claims being spoken in front of him, he somehow knew it was the truth.

"I don't want power, I need it!" Nier declared, hardening his heart, and gripping the magical weapons handle. "I don't care about light and darkness. If it protects Yonah, I'll do anything!"

A dark chuckle echoed from underneath the knight's helmet. "Your heart is certainly strong enough. Now in your hand, take this key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And then, you will have the power to save those that are precious to you, and to destroy those that dare threaten you."

The weapon disappeared in a dark flash, and Nier stumbled to get to his feet. He felt something growing in his chest, like a gate had been opened after years of being sealed shut. Out of the corner of his eye's, he spied a shade appear. It lumbered toward the two threateningly, and Nier's body moved on its own.

He ran straight at the shade and reached inward at the growing feeling in his heart. He threw his arms up, and with a flash of light appeared a weapon within them. He swung down at the shade, and his new weapon cut through it like butter, spraying its blood onto him.

As the shade evaporated, Nier looked down at his 'Keyblade'. It was pitch black, with blood-red highlights. The chain at the bottom of the handle had a familiar black book on it like a keychain. The edge was serrated like a saw and had an overly large tip, making the thing look like entirely unwieldable. But for Nier, it somehow fit perfectly in his hand. With this…

Dozens of shades began to appear around him, but where only fear would have once taken hold, Nier now felt confident. Rearing his Keyblade back, he ran towards them with a grin on his face, ready to cut them all down.

As the child cut down the corrupted souls around them with ease, Xehanort simple stood and watched, satisfied with his new apprentice's motivation.

Yonah continued to sit huddled behind the empty aisles of the convenience store, as she had for the past hour. She had heard his brother fighting of those scary monsters, but then the sounds of metal clashing had stopped. She was worried those… things had gotten him, but eventually the sounds of fighting had started up again, and she could have sworn that she heard laughing echoing in from outside.

She so desperately wanted to look outside, but Nier had been clear that she shouldn't move until he came back. She didn't want to worry her brother, so she simply waited and prayed. She prayed for her brother, prayed for help, prayed for some way that the two of them could just live!

There was the sound of footsteps approaching, and Yonah suddenly looked up. She wasn't sure if it was her brother or those monsters that approached, but it didn't matter. She barely had the strength to stand anymore, so whether it was hell or heaven that approached, all she could do was look it in the eyes.

She didn't have to wonder for long, as around the corner walked the familiar figure of her brother, in his winter clothes. However, he was covered in the blood of those monsters (at least, she hoped it wasn't his), and instead of the familiar pipe, he now had an almost otherworldly blade in his hand, equally stained in blood.

"Yonah, your still fine! Thank goodness…" Nier sighed, and the weapon in his hand disappeared in a flash of light.

Yonah looked at her brothers' hand in surprise. "What was that? What happened? I thought those things had got you…"

"I'm sorry for worrying you. Don't worry though, it won't happen again." Nier apologized. He reached down and picked her up, putting one of her arms around his shoulders. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"To where-?!" Yonah stopped as they walked out of the store. There stood a knight in shining armor, wielding a weapon just like his brother had, and beside him was a portal, sparking with unknown energy.

"To any world but this one." Nier said, as the two walked through it and into the unknown.