This is a sequel to Eclipse of the Heart.
It is a sequel.
SEQUEL.
Do not start here. Thank you!
We're back :)
Hi again! Thank you so much for returning to this world with me! I'll wait until the end of this chapter to say more~
For now… let's dive in.
A scattered dream that's like a far-off memory.
A far-off memory that's like a scattered dream.
I want to line the pieces up.
Yours.
And mine.
Chapter 1: Eve
Eve had been waiting a long time.
So long, in fact, that she was beginning to wonder if maybe Eraqus had forgotten about her.
The young woman frowned and brushed a strand of her shoulder length sandy-blonde hair away from her face, glancing impatiently around the castle's empty entryway. Should she go searching for him?
"He hasn't forgotten. He is hoping that you will leave."
Eve sighed, replying silently to the voice in her head, 'Yes, well, this is our last chance, so I'm not leaving.' She paused. '…I'm going to go find him.'
"Yes, I think that you should."
Eve started further into the castle, the heels of her brown sandals clicking in a sure and steady rhythm across the tiled floor, the hem of her soft teal waterfall skirt flowing out behind her. She peered into every room she came across, not entirely sure where she was going, but knowing that, sooner or later, she'd have to come across someone. Eraqus wasn't the only one who lived in this place, despite how abandoned it appeared today. True, the number of people who came to this world to train in the art of the Keyblade had dwindled significantly over the past few decades, but a few still remained.
It was beginning to feel like maybe they'd all switched to training in the art of hiding instead, though…
"Eraqus was always very good at hiding…"
'It is a bit annoying, under the circumstances.'
"It was rather endearing back then. …But yes, now, it is not quite the same…"
Eve slowed, her too-bright blue eyes closing as she took a moment to try and center herself, and to catch her breath. She swallowed her annoyance – she hadn't even been exerting herself; it was frustrating to feel so winded. She understood why Eraqus didn't want to see her, but… She opened her eyes, gazing sadly down the empty hallway. This was already hard enough. She had accepted it. Why couldn't he? He barely even knew her. They had only met a year ago. He shouldn't care. Not this much.
"Some scars… do not heal, I'm afraid. You are a reminder of his. He cannot help but care for you."
'I know. I understand. But… there is no other way. This is what we have to do. I want to do this. For everyone's sake. And I… I'm just not strong enough to keep fighting…'
"…The Audience Chamber is up ahead. Let's check there."
Eve nodded and started off again, heading for the large room at the end of the hall. Her steps quieted as she approached, and she found herself holding her breath as she very slowly peaked into the room. Her heart leapt in triumph, and perhaps slight nervousness. There, in one of the chairs at the far end of the room, sat the man she had traveled to this world to see. His head was in his hands, his shoulders hunched in a way that told Eve something quite heavy was weighing on his mind and heart. Eve tried not to feel too guilty about that, even though she was certain that heavy something had everything to do with her presence. But she needed to speak with him. It was now or never.
Taking a steadying breath, Eve straightened her spine and walked into the room, the click of her sandals alerting the man to her presence. He lifted his head, his grey eyes widening in momentary surprise before narrowing into a light glare. His long black hair was pulled into its usual ponytail, a few long strands brushing his right cheek as he sat up a little straighter.
He gripped the armrest of his chair. "Eve. You're still here…"
Eve did not reply until she was standing before him, a serious expression on her own face as she leveled her gaze with his. "Yes, Eraqus. I came a long way to speak with you this morning, and I am not leaving until I have said what I need to."
Eraqus grumbled something that Eve couldn't quite hear before standing, the hem of his white jacket rustling around his knees with the movement. "Apologies, but I am quite busy today." He started down the handful of steps that lead from his elevated sitting place down to the floor below, brushing past Eve without so much as another glance. "Perhaps we can reschedule."
Eve's glare deepened as she turned to watch him pass her. "No, Eraqus. This cannot wait. I need to know if you are going to assist us."
Eraqus continued to walk away. "Let's set a day for next month…"
"We cannot. The plan is moving forward tonight."
That made Eraqus stop dead in his tracks. He turned back toward Eve, a look of horror on his face. "…What?"
Eve straightened her spine a little more. "You heard me. Tonight. So I need your answer now."
Eraqus looked like he was witnessing a tragedy. His face was suddenly ashen, his grey eyes wide with a multitude of emotions. In the blink of an eye he closed the distance to Eve, taking her hands in his own. "You can't be serious…! Tell me you're only trying to force my hand, please!"
Eve's expression softened into a solemn stare. "I am serious. Tonight."
Eraqus shook his head. "I don't understand. I thought we had more time!"
"We do not."
"Why?!"
"Eraqus." Eve locked eyes with the aging man, her voice lowering into just above a whisper. "They've found me."
Eraqus's eyes bulged even more, his breath catching in his throat. "…You're sure?"
"Yes. And you know what that means."
Eraqus bowed his head, his hands shaking as his fingers continued to cling to Eve's. He took a shuddering breath before lifting his head again, his expression desperate. "Then let us do my plan."
Eve frowned. "What plan? To run?"
"Yes!"
"They will still find me. There is nowhere to run to."
"Then let them come!" Eraqus bellowed, fire suddenly in his eyes. His grip tightened around Eve's hands to an uncomfortable degree. "Stay here, and I will protect you! I will enlist the other Masters' help – we will fight! This time… this time…!"
Eve did her best to ignore the discomfort in her fingers. "We will lose."
"You don't know that!"
"Eraqus…" Eve sighed. "Even if we were able to fight them off, more will come. Once they have a target, they will never stop. You know this. And I cannot imagine that everyone fighting alongside us would come out unscathed. I simply can't live with collateral damage on my behalf." She frowned, a great sympathy knitting her brow. "Even if mine is the only life they take, you know what kinds of scars they can leave behind."
Eraqus's grip loosened ever so slightly as his shoulders sagged. "…You are still so young."
"Older than many. Twenty-two is not so young."
"It is."
"Not for someone like me." Eve lifted her hands, which Eraqus still clung to, and placed her palms against the older man's cheeks. "This is the only way. Can't you see that? I do not want anyone else to have to suffer the way you have. The way so many before us have. This is my wish. Please help me fulfill it."
Eraqus leaned into one of her hands, his eyes closing as his face contorted in pain. "Lily, please…"
Eve quickly pulled her hands away from his face, her heart dropping. "I am not Lily, Eraqus. I will never be her."
Eraqus opened his eyes and blinked a few times, searching Eve's face like he was trying to see something, or someone, that wasn't there. His fingers finally released hers and his gaze fell to the floor, his expression darkening. "No. You are not." He turned away again, his shoulders tensing. "And what about you, Celina? Nothing to say?"
Eve allowed herself to mentally pull back, letting the Spirit in her heart take control. "Nothing that will do any good," Celina said through Eve. "Your mind is made up. As is Eve's."
Eraqus turned angrily. "Is it really?! Or are you forcing her into this?!"
Eve's expression remained calm under Celina's influence. Celina continued evenly, "This was her decision. Not mine."
"LIAR!" Eraqus shouted, his voice echoing around the expansive room. "You and those other Spirits, and that IDIOT of a scientist! Your influence has blinded her! Ansem is despicable to be willing to sacrifice so much, and for what?! For a battle you are destined to lose?! To go through with this…!" Eraqus's words died in his throat, as if he were incapable of continuing, his expression one of pure disgust.
"Eve's are not the eyes that have become blinded here."
Eraqus pulled back, looking offended. "Excuse me? You… you have the audacity to imply that I cannot see this whole situation clearly? Me?"
"Yes."
Anger flashed in Eraqus's eyes. "How dare you. Your heart may be hardened to this, but mine is not. You could never understand the pain I feel every day, the pain that drives me to walk the path that I know Lily wanted me to follow! To spread the Light to the worlds in her name! You should be doing the same! But I suppose she is merely one of thousands to you, is that right?! You can no longer feel the loss that I am burdened with, that you left me with! Some of us only have ONE life!"
Eve could feel a sting in Celina's heart at that, but Eve did not take control back just yet. Celina continued, quietly, "The pain is almost unbearable for you, even after all this time."
"Of course it is!"
"Agonizing. Unfathomable. Perhaps even… blinding."
Eraqus blinked, shocked, but then anger washed over him again, so intense that Eve could almost taste it in the air between them. Eraqus clenched his fists, his voice dangerously low. "Get off of my world. Now. You are no longer welcome here."
Eve finally took control again, a pit growing in her stomach. "Eraqus—!"
"LEAVE!" Eraqus bellowed, his grey eyes hard. His jaw clenched as he locked eyes with Eve. "If this is your choice, so be it. But I will not help you. That is my final answer. Your failure will only invite more Darkness into our worlds; Darkness that I will need to eradicate."
Eve took a step forward desperately. "Well then if you and the other Keybladers were to help us, perhaps we would succeed and—!"
"Impossible," Eraqus spat. He turned away once again, his shoulders shaking with his barely contained rage. "Celina is a fool, and so are you. You're right – you could never be the woman I remember. She was nothing like you. I will keep her Light alive no matter what… even if you will not. Goodbye, Eve."
With that, he made his way out of the room, the rough click of his shoes on the tiles sounding very much to Eve like nails being hammered into a coffin. Whose coffin, she couldn't say. Her own? Or maybe it was his… She reached out a hand, considering calling out to him one last time, but instead just let her hand fall. Like Celina said, his mind was made up. There was nothing left to say.
Whispering caught her attention, and Eve cocked her head curiously toward another exit to her left, listening intently.
"Terra, careful, they'll notice you!"
"I think the Master left, I'm just trying to see…"
Eve backed up a few steps to more easily see into the hallway, her eyes locking with two sets of young teens'. She smirked. Ah, so here Aqua and Terra were.
Aqua, the young girl, immediately bowed, her light blue hair falling into her face. "We're so sorry, Miss Eve. We didn't mean to listen in…!"
Terra, the young brunette boy, rubbed his arm a bit sheepishly. "Y-yeah, uh, we were just looking for the Master and, um, well… we didn't think we should interrupt…"
Eve smiled. She was quite fond of these two, though they'd only met a handful of times. They were starting to look a bit less like children now, though only just barely. Terra was getting taller by the day, his features slowly defining into something more adult than he had been the first time they'd met. Aqua too, though she was a bit younger than the boy. Eve secretly hoped they'd stay children a bit longer – growing up came much too quickly, didn't it? Or had that only been Eve's own experience…? She clasped her hands behind her back, her expression very kind. "It's alright. How much did you hear?"
"Only the end," Aqua insisted, straightening up and looking very embarrassed. "From around when, um, the Master started yelling…"
Eve looked up at the ceiling, her smile falling immediately. "Ah."
"He… didn't mean it." Eve tore her gaze away from the ceiling to see that Terra had stepped forward a bit, his blue eyes earnest as he continued, "The stuff he said. He… he thinks very highly of you, Miss Eve."
Eve's expression softened, her lips tweaking up ever so slightly into a sad smile. "I think… he maybe only thinks so highly of me by accident…"
Aqua and Terra exchanged a confused look. "What's that mean?" Terra asked.
Eve shook her head. "Never mind. It's nothing. Too complicated to get into right now."
"He calls you Lily sometimes," Aqua said very softly, as if she were hesitant to even voice such an observation. "Is… is that what you mean? Do you… look like someone he cared about?"
Eve glanced away sadly. "…Our eyes are the same. It confuses him, sometimes."
"The Master is a good person," Terra said sincerely. "If you need his help, he'll help you. Eventually, I know he will."
Eve smiled, locking eyes with the young boy. "Yes, I hope so."
"Can we do anything?" Aqua asked.
Eve shook her head. "Just continue your training. Like you said, Master Eraqus is a good person. You two will be fine Masters one day, just like he is." Aqua and Terra beamed proudly. Eve paused for a moment before reconsidering her answer and approaching the young teens, kneeling down before them. "Actually, there may be one thing you can both do."
"Anything," Terra said immediately, his chest puffing out dutifully. Aqua nodded at his side.
Eve smiled, and then sighed. "...Don't let your Master go astray. I worry about him, sometimes… He means so well. And he is very wise, and kind. But sometimes we are so focused on one truth that we cannot see any other way to live. And that could be problematic, down the line… He is afraid of what he does not understand…"
Aqua and Terra looked very confused again. "You don't have to worry about him going astray, Miss Eve," Aqua said. "He would never allow any Darkness to touch him."
"I'm not talking about the kind of Darkness you're thinking of," Eve replied gently. At the kids' befuddled expressions, she continued. "You must understand that Darkness is half of everything. It may not be very pleasant, but completely turning away from half of everything can have its own pitfalls. And the harder you try to force it out, the harder it will work to break back in. The most damaging evils often dress like angels, not devils."
Aqua still looked confused, but Terra seemed to be following. "So, Darkness… isn't always bad, then?"
"Not always. And it will always be necessary. The trick is to recognize when Darkness is being used to manipulate and destroy, verses when it can be used to assist the good we all strive to maintain." Eve held out her hand, summoning a bit of white Light to her fingertips. "After all…" She smiled. "Light shines brightest in the dark, doesn't it? So in times of struggle, Darkness can help us all shine a little brighter. It's all about balance. Just… make sure your Master continues to shine. Make sure he doesn't burn."
Aqua and Terra smiled back at her, Terra nodding vigorously as Aqua replied, "Okay, Miss Eve. We understand. We'll watch over the Master. We'll help him in any way we can."
Eve let her Light fade. "Thank you." She stood.
"Are you going?" Terra asked, the longest little spike of brown hair at the top of his head jostling as he posed the question.
Eve nodded, her expression suddenly rather sad. "I am."
"Will you be back soon?"
Eve hesitated. "No… No, I don't think I will be." She locked eyes with the two children once more, smiling warmly. "But even if it takes quite a while… if we should meet again someday, I would very much like it if we could fight side by side. When you're both Keyblade Masters. Would that be okay with you?"
Aqua beamed, and Terra pumped a fist, his answer bright and full of hope. "Yes! We will fight with you! Definitely!"
Eve nodded, smiling even more. "It's a promise, then. I'll look forward to it."
A bell rang in a tower, and both Aqua and Terra startled. "Ah!" Aqua gasped. "I'm sorry, Miss Eve, but we have to go!"
Eve held up her hands. "Please, don't let me keep you. Go – train hard."
"Yes, Miss Eve! Thank you!" Terra replied before dashing off down the hall.
Aqua made to follow him, but then paused to glance over her shoulder. "…Please don't stay away for too long, Miss Eve. The Master really does care about you. And… and I would be sad not to see you anymore."
Eve smiled, hoping her expression didn't appear as hollow as it felt. "I will try not to."
Aqua smiled back and then ran after Terra, disappearing around the corner and leaving Eve alone in the Audience Chamber.
Eve's smile fell, and she bowed her head. Despair threatened to overtake her, but only for a moment before she pulled herself together again.
"…There is still time to back out…"
"No," Eve replied aloud, her voice just above a whisper. "Everything is already in motion. Cyrus has begun the next phase. And like we told Eraqus, there's nowhere to run, and I…" She straightened her spine, ignoring the ache in her lungs. It had become so constant lately; no more good days, only bearable ones. "This is my wish. To help you save them. To give them the very best chance they can have. And… to save you, my closest friend." She placed her hand over her heart. "…Just promise me you will not abandon this plan, Celina, please. I don't want my life to have been for nothing. Help her. Whoever she becomes. Give her everything she needs for me. Together, you can win. I know it. I can't offer any physical help, but maybe, through you… Please give her all the strength I have left."
"I promise… Eve."
Eve nodded and held out a hand, a portal of white Light forming before her. She took one last look around at this room, allowing herself one more moment on this world. Someday, maybe her eyes would see this room again. She hoped that they would, and that the next time Eraqus saw those eyes, his own vision would be clearer. She knew how dangerous unfiltered Light could become, especially for damaged hearts, and he had thrown himself so deeply into it in his grief. Someday, she hoped his heart would finally find some reprieve from its scars.
Steeling herself, Eve walked into the portal, allowing the Light to engulf her, walking willingly toward the Darkness she knew she was destined to embrace and repeating her mantra in her mind over and over and over again:
'Light shines brightest in the dark.'
-Sixteen Years Later-
Master Yen Sid stood at the moon-shaped window in his study, gazing out into the stars beyond with a very troubled expression on his face. A star flickered in the distance, and his frown deepened.
"Master Yen Sid, I just… I'm sorry, but I wanna make sure we're being safe here."
Yen Sid turned, eying his former apprentice with critical understanding. "I know, my friend. But you cannot deny her the path she was chosen for. Nor any of them. It may well be dangerous, but we cannot reverse what has already been set in motion."
Mickey balled his fists, glaring at the ground. "They're just kids…"
"I know."
"They didn't ask for any of this."
"I know."
Mickey sighed, his expression smoothing into something more forlorn. "If I had realized back then, I would have tried to… well, gosh, I don't know. But it seems like there musta been something we coulda done."
Master Yen Sid took his seat at his desk, one hand trailing down his long beard as he thought. "I'm not sure that there ever was. The only thing to do is to make sure they succeed. And to do that, they need to be ready to fight back."
Mickey rubbed his eyes. He seemed tired. Yen Sid wondered briefly how much sleep his friend had been getting as of late.
At last Mickey looked up again, a new determination in his eyes, and Yen Sid knew the King was about to change the subject to something perhaps a bit more hopeful. "I think we're finally close to figuring out where Ven's heart is."
Yen Sid stroked his beard a few more times. "Is that so? Then that leaves only Terra."
Mickey nodded, gesturing with confidence. "Right! And we've gotta save all three of 'em!"
"Hmm," Yen Sid sighed. Mickey clearly seemed to think the task he was describing would be simple once they had all the pieces of the puzzle. But there was still one piece that the King had yet to take into account. "The question is," Yen Sid continued, knowing that the time had come to reveal that missing piece to his friend, "what does Xehanort intend to do next?"
"Xehanort?" Mickey asked, confusion knitting his brows together. "But his two halves are gone. There was Ansem, who commanded the Heartless, and Xemnas, who commanded the Nobodies. Didn't Sora defeat them both?"
"Correct. Those two met their end." Yen Sid stopped stroking his beard at last, a grave expression settling on his face. "However, therein lies exactly our problem. Their destruction now guarantees the original Xehanort's reconstruction."
Mickey wasn't following. "Huh?"
So Yen Sid continued, stroking his beard once again. "Xehanort's heart, once seized by his Heartless half, is now free. And his body, which had become his Nobody, has been vanquished. Both halves will now be returned to the whole. In short, this means Master Xehanort will return."
Mickey's eyes widened. "And you think… You think that maybe he's gonna try something?"
"A man like Xehanort will have left many roads open," Yen Sid replied.
Mickey thought for a second. "Well… It doesn't matter what he cooks up. Me and Sora, we'll be ready. And Riku, too!"
Ah yes, the boys. "Yes, they are indeed strong, but not true Keyblade Masters like you." Yen Sid's hand stilled on his beard a second time. "Tell me… Would a single one of you suffice if what you faced was not a single one of him…?"
Mickey's mouth fell open and he threw his hands down on the desk in shock as the implications of Yen Sid's question hit him full force. "What?! What do you mean?!"
Rather than provide an answer, Yen Sid placed both of his hands gently on the desk's surface as well. "Mickey. Please summon Sora hither. Riku as well."
Mickey pulled back and blinked. "Of course, but… why?"
A solemn expression settled on Yen Sid's face. "To show us the Mark of Mastery."
Mickey's eyes widened a fraction and he nodded in understanding. "Ah… I see. Well, they'll pass for sure!"
Yen Sid sat back in his chair. "Perhaps." He set his eyes seriously on his former apprentice. "Summon Aila, Donald, and Goofy as well. We will need to test the waters."
Mickey looked away, seeming unsure about that part. After a few moments of thought, he faced Yen Sid fully again. "And Danny and Alex…?"
"Not yet." Yen Sid did not elaborate, and knew that Mickey would not ask him to.
Mickey sighed. "Right. …You'll give her a choice though, won't you?"
Yen Sid nodded. "Of course. But you and I both know what that choice will be. Her heart will not allow her to do anything else, regardless of the dangers this path invites."
Mickey hesitated, but finally relented. "Yeah. Okay. I'll bring everyone here tomorrow."
Yen Sid dipped his chin. "Very well." He noted the deep furrow of his friend's brow. "Their hearts are strong. Have faith, Mickey. We cannot win without faith in our friends."
Mickey managed a faint smile. "You're right. They are strong. We'll finish this. Together."
KHKHKHKHKH
AHHH! WE HAVE BEGUN!
I cannot believe the day has finally come to begin this new story! I have so much planned! I'm slightly concerned about KH3 ruining some of my plans when it comes out in three months… BUT! I couldn't wait any longer to get started! Cross your fingers with me that everything I have is able to line up with the real story! We'll take this one chapter at a time! I had like no plan last time and that all worked out fine so I'm sure it'll all work out again XD It feels kind of weird to have a semi outline this time tbh, even without the game that will take up a majority of this story to guide me yet XD
I am going to try, for at least these first chapters, to stick to a TWO WEEK update schedule. I already have a few chapters ready to go, but don't want to post too fast because… I literally cannot continue writing past a certain point until I play KH3. Lol. So… yeah. Hopefully this will be okay for you all!
Please sign up for story alerts for this new story and leave a review to let me know your first impressions :) I am super excited to hear your thoughts! Love you all! Thank you so much for reading such a long saga, you're all amazing. Aila will be in the next chapter~
Also haha don't get used to such short (lol or regular length) chapters, this is basically a prologue so it's a bit shorter. Chapters will get long real quick. Sorry if you hate that, but at this point you should know better than to expect anything else from me XD
OH ALSO if any of you made FANART after the final chapter of the original story was posted and would like me to share it in one of these updates, can you please resend it to me so I remember who I haven't shared yet? Thank you~! Love you all!
Here's to a new adventure! Let's go!
~Fade
