Back in the Keyblade Graveyard…
Xehanort—now a Keyblade Master and much, much older than before—had closed his eyes in thought. He smiled. The wind danced about him, just as it had that day long ago.
"What's so funny, old man? Mind sharing with us?"
The question came from Xigbar, who stood with Saïx beside him. Just like back in Sleeping Worlds, Saïx didn't move or say anything.
"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."
Xehanort's reminiscence earned a derisive snort of laughter from Xigbar. "We don't have time for bedtime stories. 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?"
At Xigbar's tirade, Master Xehanort turned his attention to Saïx, who then looked over at the thirteen stone columns that stood off in the distance. He teleported himself to the top of one, and Master Xehanort and Xigbar soon warped up after him to columns of their own. Saïx lifted a hand, then three of the other columns were filled by phantoms of other members of the real Organization XIII.
All this reminded Master Xehanort of something else. These pillars had been here even back then. All thirteen of them. Could I have known the significance of that number even back then?
"Marluxia and Larxene are both here in this time, attempting to locate the New Seven Hearts," said Master Xehanort. "Luxord is also somewhere about in this age. He is chasing rumors of a being who can exist without a heart. Backup, in case our current plans fall through. 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."
Images of all those mentioned except for Riku Replica appeared around Master Xehanort.
Xigbar looked them over, then turned to the phantoms on the stone columns again. "So the ones who turned human again are me and Saïx. The ones who are still Nobodies are Luxord, Demyx, Marluxia, and Larxene—that's six. The ones from the past that will be transferred into Replicas are Ansem, Xemnas, Riku Replica, and your younger self. Then we add you in, old man, and the total comes up to eleven. I think we're still missing two."
Once Xigbar had given a rundown of the state of Organization XIII, Master Xehanort took the reins. "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 was returned to me, while his is yet lost. I decided to fill this hollow vessel with my heart—indeed, the very same heart that previously resided in young Terra."
An image of Terra-Xehanort appeared in front of Xehanort.
"So that makes twelve. Then who do we get to replace the kid?" Xigbar wanted to know.
"The plan for the last vessel is to give it a heart that is connected to Sora's."
"Connected to Sora? Anyone in mind?"
Master Xehanort smirked viciously. "I may yet have a way to reconstruct him, even without Sora's body."
Xigbar couldn't help but smile, too. He knew exactly who the old man meant. "It sounds to me like you've got everything under control. Well, I'm off to do my part." He shrugged, then stepped through into the Corridors of Darkness.
Now alone with Saïx, Master Xehanort spoke softly to himself. "May your heart be your guiding key."
Riku still couldn't believe it was real. "Really? I'm a Keyblade Master?" he quietly asked, looking over to Sora.
Sora gave him an enthusiastic nod.
"Congratulations, Riku!" Mickey walked up to him and held out a hand.
"Thank you, Mickey." Riku knelt down and clasped hands with the king. "I owe it to my friends." He smiled, full of gratitude.
That was when Lea chimed in, "Ah, I'll catch up with ya in no time flat."
"What? You wanna be Keyblade Master?" Sora asked back in shock.
"Yeah. I mean, I came here to learn how to wield one." Lea stepped away from the wall, puffing out his chest with pride for some reason.
"YOU?!" Sora and Riku exclaimed in shock.
"Hey, thanks for the vote of confidence. You know, I was gonna come swooping in, Keyblade in hand! But I just couldn't get mine to materialize. Must be in the snap of the wrist or something." As Lea held out his hand in front of him, something flashed into it— "Oh." A Keyblade like fire itself.
"WHOA!"
Everyone in the room, aside from Yen Sid and Lea, shouted.
Yen Sid happily stroked his beard. "It seems we have an unexpected guardian of light on our side."
Mickey began counting on his fingers. "So there's me, Sora, Riku, and now Lea. That makes four. Which means we only need three more."
We know where Aqua and Ventus are, Yen Sid thought. However, if we cannot locate Terra in time, we may need backup. It is good that we have Lea.
Now that Riku was safe, Sora realized he had many questions from his time in the Sleeping Worlds. "So, let me get this straight. Xehanort's hijacking people's bodies? Xigbar said the real purpose of Organization XIII was to hook everyone up to Kingdom Hearts and turn all the members into Xehanort by implanting his heart into the 'empty husks'."
"Correct," Yen Sid responded.
"He was planning to turn you into one of the Xehanorts so he could control your body," said Riku with his arms folded.
Sora felt his heart skip a beat.
Yen Sid continued, "To do that, he was trying to cause your heart so much pain, it would return to the void."
Sora cocked his head. "The...void?"
Yen Sid reverently nodded. "The deepest, darkest abyss. And the realm of the Unversed."
Donald and Goofy shared a glance with Mickey. It had been a while since they heard the name 'Unversed'.
Sora had never heard it before, though. He looked over at Riku who shook his head. He apparently didn't know, either.
"What are Unversed?" Sora asked.
Yen Sid used his magic to summon an image of two creatures: one Shadow Heartless and one Flood Unversed. "As you know, the Heartless are the embodiment of the darkness in people's hearts. The Unversed, on the other hand, are fledgling emotions that feed on negativity."
This time Riku was the one to ask. "So the Unversed are negative emotions?"
Yen Sid nodded. "Loneliness, sadness, hatred, fear—the heart cannot bear such a tremendous onslaught of negative emotion; it would sooner cease to exist. When this happens, it returns to the void. The void is the realm of nothingness. It swallows all, even sadness and pain. Despite their similarities, the void is not the realm of darkness. Nothingness is born from it."
"Nothingness..." Sora repeated.
Yen Sid looked back up at Sora and Riku. "If one's heart returns to the void, they will never awaken on their own. It will be as if they were never born at all. In actuality, the creatures could more accurately be called 'Unbirths'."
"So, Xehanort's putting a different heart inside of people." Sora shuddered at how close he came to losing his heart. He turned towards Lea. "Did you know what Xemnas was planning?"
"No... I never knew what the higher-ups were really after. I suspect the only members who really knew were Xemnas and Xigbar." Lea's mind was a bit distracted after hearing all this new information. He recalled Xemnas's speech when the heart-shaped moon first became visible in the sky.
"We will conquer hearts and make them our own. Hearts shall never again have power over us."
"We were always told that once Kingdom Hearts was completed, we would unite with it and gain hearts of our own," explained Lea. "But Xemnas's true goal all along was to turn us into his vessels."
Meanwhile, Yen Sid was reflecting on what he had previously told Mickey before the exam.
"Tell me...would a single one of you suffice if what you faced was not a single one of him?"
He was now proven right. "It is as I suspected. Thirteen darknesses. Thirteen Xehanorts. After you defeated his Heartless and Nobody, Master Xehanort was restored to his original self."
Mickey nodded resolutely. "He's creating a brand-new Organization XIII. And Sora was almost turned into the final member."
The gears in Sora's mind began turning. He turned his attention to Riku. "So, that grey-haired guy I kept seeing in the Sleeping Worlds. He was Xehanort from the most distant past?"
"Yeah," he responded. "I also saw Ansem—the fake one. He's also a member."
"I remember running into Xemnas in Pinocchio's world."
"Xigbar and Saïx were there in the organization's world, too," said Riku.
Lea looked down at the floor upon hearing that. Isa...
"There was also...me."
Everyone turned their attention to Riku after that declaration.
"WHAT!?" shouted Sora, Donald, and Goofy.
"Riku, what do you mean?" asked Mickey.
"I saw him inside of Monstro. A younger version of myself wearing a black coat."
Sora didn't know what to make of it. "Monstro? No way... So does that mean...?"
Mickey tried to come up with an explanation. "Xehanort can transcend space and time. The Organization's been using hearts. Ones Xehanort got to in the past and has influence over. So, that must've been you from when Ansem had control of your heart."
"...I'm sorry." Riku was staring at the floor.
"It's not your fault, Riku." Sora put a hand on his shoulder.
Yen Sid's tone now turned more urgent. "With the emergence of this new threat, we need seven lights to go into battle against his thirteen darknesses. We must locate Terra, Aqua, and Ventus as soon as possible."
Lea was startled to hear that, but didn't let it show. Ventus? Ventus is...one of the missing Keyblade wielders? They're trying to bring him back...?
Riku had some good news on that front. "Oh, yeah. When I dove inside your heart, Sora, I spoke to Ansem the Wise."
"Huh? Ansem the Wise was...in my heart?"
"Yeah. He said he wanted to atone for the past. So he digitized himself and his research and hid it inside of you. He said it was a clue to bringing back the people who've been lost."
Sora had no idea what that could mean, but Mickey had a sudden realization.
"DiZ told me...he hid something inside you during the year you were asleep. I asked him what, and all he would say was that he was 'clearing his conscience.'"
"Gosh, that's a lot like what happened inside the datascape. I met a data version of Naminé there and she said the same thing. That's why I sent you all that letter."
Inside the datascape, Naminé showed all the people who were hurting. And Mickey couldn't help but notice that Roxas—someone he hadn't met before—looked familiar.
"Yen Sid... I think we're finally close to figuring out where Ven's heart is."
"Is that so? Then that leaves only Terra."
"Right. And we've gotta save all three of 'em."
"Master Yen Sid, is it time we told Sora the truth?" Mickey asked.
"Hmm. I was hoping to wait until he gained the power he needed. But it seems we have no choice."
Sora raised an eyebrow at the king and the old wizard. "Huh? Told me what?"
"Sora, do you still have that photograph that Riku left for you as a clue?" Mickey asked.
"Huh? Uh, yeah, I think so?" He began fumbling through his pockets. Maybe he had a few too many pockets.
"I got it, Your Majesty." Goofy had actually been holding onto it and handed it to the King.
Mickey pointed at a blonde-haired boy standing in front of the old mansion with Hayner and friends. "Yup, I knew it! That's Ventus, all right!" He showed the picture to Yen Sid who also confirmed it with a nod.
Sora was completely taken aback.
Donald and Goofy took a closer look at the photo, squinted, then squawked in surprise.
Goofy scratched the side of his head. "Gawrsh King Mickey, you're right."
Goofy and Donald only met Ventus once. But the king had become good friends with him. It seemed everyone agreed on one thing, however. He was identical to Roxas.
Now Sora was really confused. "Wait, THAT'S Ventus? But, Your Majesty... that's Roxas. You know, my Nobody? How could he be Ventus?"
Lea was standing against the wall with his arms folded, listening very intently.
It was time for Yen Sid to finally tell Sora the story of Ventus. "About a decade ago, Xehanort tried to create the X-blade out of Ventus by sifting him in half—light and dark—and having the two sides clash. Following their first battle with Xehanort, Ventus's heart refused to awaken, and so Aqua found a safe location to conceal him. But when she set off in search of her other missing friend Terra, she never returned. I can only surmise that Ventus's heart never returned to him, either." He then looked directly at Sora. "It must have found its way inside of you."
"But then why does Rox—?" Sora stammered.
"It musta been in Hollow Bastion!" Goofy interrupted. "Remember how ya freed Kairi's heart from yours?"
Donald agreed. "You must have released Ventus's heart, too."
"Right," reasoned Mickey. "Your actions that day created a Heartless and a Nobody. Your heart stayed inside the Heartless, and you were able to change back. But Ventus's heart stayed inside your Nobody. That's the only explanation."
So that's it, Lea thought, glad to finally have an answer. That's how they could both exist at the same time.
Sora was stunned. But perhaps it wasn't that hard to accept.
In the dream world, Riku and Kairi changed into two people who called me 'Ven'. They must have been Terra and Aqua.
"So you've known about this before you had me take the exam? Why didn't you tell me!?"
"Donald and Goofy informed me how you released Kairi's heart from your own by turning the Keyblade on yourself," Yen Sid explained calmly. "We wanted you to gain the power you needed first, so you wouldn't do anything reckless."
Sora stared at the floor. "So, where is Ventus's heart now?"
"Ventus's heart is asleep inside of you once again," said Yen Sid.
"What am I supposed to do to help him, then!?"
"That is why we had you take the Mark of Mastery exam. It was so you could acquire the power to awaken him."
Sora's head drooped. "Oh..."
To gain the power to wake someone, you need to become a Keyblade Master. "Well, I gotta go," Lea suddenly interrupted. He was sulking earlier, but he seemed much more cheerful now. "If I'm gonna become a Keyblade master myself, I gotta start training with Merlin. Don't have time to waste here with you kids."
"Uh...oh. Okay. How about I see you off?"
Lea abruptly left, and Sora stepped outside with him.
Once they were gone, Yen Sid addressed the newest Keyblade master. "Riku, I have a request for you."
Riku bowed reverently. "Of course, sir."
"Geez. Lea sure left in a hurry." Sora was sitting on the stairs at the entrance of the Mysterious Tower. He was thinking of Roxas and Ventus.
"Tell me... Tell me why he picked you!"
Roxas... He seemed so angry.
In the dream world, I told him he was his own person. No wonder. He's not really me at all.
Suddenly, Young Xehanort's cryptic message made sense.
"Hypocrite. You are the one who has made your heart a prison..."
He was right. My heart is a prison.
Donald and Goofy came outside and sat down beside him.
"Cheer up, Sora."
"All this sulking just because he failed his exam..." Donald admonished.
"Hey! No need to rub it in!" Sora said, sounding genuinely agitated.
Riku and Mickey then walked out the door after a short time.
Mickey was waving. "See you soon, Riku."
Sora stood up. "Huh? Riku, you're leaving somewhere?"
"Don't worry," Riku assured. "I just have a quick errand to run for Master Yen Sid. I'm coming right back."
"Oh, okay." Sora was still feeling a little down, but knew just the thing to cheer himself up. "Well then, I guess I will, too."
"What? You're leaving, too?" Donald squawked.
"Do ya have to go?" Goofy asked him with worry.
"Well…I did doze off… I just have some stuff to take care of."
"Are you gonna be okay?" Donald was concerned, too.
"Yeah. I won't be long," Sora replied with a grin.
Riku and Mickey looked on from behind Donald and Goofy.
"Be careful," Mickey called.
"Very careful," Riku added.
"Right. See you soon." With that said, Sora held his Keyblade up to the sky.
A Sleeping Keyhole appeared in the air, and he vanished in a flash of light.
Sora had arrived in Traverse Town. "Good, I was hoping this world was still here." But he was all alone. Disappointed, Sora looked around. "But where are they?"
"Mrarf!" Sora turned around as a familiar cry reached his ears.
"There you are!"
Meow Wow was bounding toward him, overjoyed.
"Did you help Riku?"
"Mrarf."
"Yeah, he told me all about it." Sora patted the Dream Eater's head as it rubbed against him, then looked up at Komory Bat flying over, too. The Spirits had protected him and Riku. "Thanks! You're the best."
Sora's new adventure was about to begin.
Right about then, in Castle Oblivion's Chamber of Waking…
A lone boy sat fast asleep. A peaceful smile rose on his lips, as if he were seeing a pleasant dream.