The sun was setting on Destiny Islands. The diminishing light cast an orange color on its sandy shores, especially on the calm, shimmering water. On the beach itself, the sand shone like billions of tiny diamonds, the occasional hermit crab scuttling along the warm jewels. On these glorious sands stood a young man with startling white hair and dark skin. With piercing golden eyes, he stared off into the distant waves, as if he were looking for something. "This world…is just too small." He mused to himself, a disappointed edge in his voice. Whatever he may have been looking for…just wasn't there.
Decades later, on a cloudy, but calm night, that same young man stood on that exact shore of Destiny Islands, golden eyes staring off into endless water. Except time had took its toll, and the young man had turned into an elderly, decrepit creature deformed by the darkness he had embraced. Donned in a cloak as black as the ocean's void, he carried over his shoulder a young boy wrapped in a pure white blanket. The boy had spiky dirty blonde hair and pale skin; his brilliant blue eyes closed as if he was in a deep sleep. The old man, Xehanort, made his way to a miniature island just off the shore, connected by a bridge. There he placed the boy, Ventus, on one of the trees containing a Paopu Fruit. He looked up and saw one of the golden star-shaped fruit was just ripening. He couldn't help but smile to himself, remembering the childhood legend that if two people shared such a fruit together, their fates would be intertwined forever.
He never believed in such nonsense.
Xehanort looked at the rest of the island, frowning as he noted its appearance. It hadn't changed a bit since he left. Same sandy shores, same trees and lack of civilization. The people of Destiny Islands lived just a short boat trip away on a separate island. This island was for play, for children to go and explore. "There, you see? An empty world, like a prison. I imagine you'll be right at home." He told Ventus, though he was sure his ex-apprentice couldn't even hear him. Still, it was Xehanort's fault that the young man was in such a state. Only twelve years old and his life was nearly at an end. An eternal coma awaited him. One that he could not hope to recover from. He owed Ventus a last few peaceful hours, at the very least…
But Ventus couldn't see the same empty world Xehanort could. All the boy saw was darkness. A cold and empty void, not even the smallest glimmer of light anywhere. "Where am I…?" He thought to himself, as he found he couldn't speak or move, no matter how hard he tried. He felt like…he was falling? There was no wind, but he somehow felt it in his gut. There was an odd heavy feeling to his body, and a soreness he felt from his head down to his toes.
Suddenly, a bright, white light burst out in front of Ventus as he helplessly fell right towards it. He felt a sensation like landing into a pool of water but felt no wetness. He wished he could shield his eyes…it was just so bright. Yet try as he might, he wasn't able to even move his arms! Whatever force was guiding him still didn't allow him to move as he approached a blank white platform, with about a quarter of it missing. Ventus shifted until he was right-side-up and gently landed on his feet. Just where was he…? As if in response to his unasked question, a voice echoed in Ventus' head. "I'm a brand-new Heart." The voice sounded like a young boy, a child, but it was hard to tell for sure.
Now able to move, Ventus looked to find the source of the voice. He found no one, just the empty white platform in the middle of the endless void. Wait…he had been there before, during training with Master Xehanort. "But…" He muttered, having found his voice. "But this is…my heart…" Ventus wasn't very old or very experienced, but he had already learned about diving into one's own heart. "Why are you here?" He asked the voice, hoping it would answer again.
To Ventus' relief, the voice hadn't left him, and it piped up again. "The light brought me. I saw it shining in the distance…and followed it here."
Ventus continued to look around as the voice spoke, but still saw no source of it. He placed a hand on his left breast. "Yeah…that was my light." He stared at the large chunk missing from the platform. "But my heart is fractured." He noted, which explained why he felt so heavy and sore. "And now…the little I have left is slipping away." It was a disgusting, horrid feeling, a deep pit in his chest that he had never felt before!
There was a pause, and for a moment, Ventus was afraid the voice had left him. Thankfully, it again came back to him. "Then you should join your heart with mine." The voice said, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.
Did Ventus hear that right? Was such a thing even possible…? "What do you…" He trailed off as another light started to shine. This light came from the large chunk missing from the platform. The light intensified as the missing chunk started to get repaired. Before Ventus knew it, the platform was completely filled in like it should be. As soon as this happened, Ventus felt like a weight had been lifted from his body and the soreness simply vanished.
"Now our hearts have touched. Nothing else will slip away." The voice said, sounding content with its actions. "And one day…you'll be strong enough to win back the part that already did."
Ventus smiled upward, not really sure where else to look for the voice's source. "Right…Thank you." He whispered, sure that the voice could still hear him.
"It's time to wake up now. All we have to do is…" The voice said before trailing off.
"…Open the door." Ventus finished. He wasn't too sure what that even meant but…it just sounded right to him. As he said this, the blank white platform started to form a picture. Soon, Ventus was standing on a stain-glass platform depicting him and his Keyblade, with star-shaped decorations and the background of a familiar looking landscape. A moment later, Ventus' vision went black once more.
In the real world, Xehanort was staring off towards the sea. Despite abandoning this world of his so long ago, he still felt nostalgia for where he was born and grew up. The sound of the waves gently shifting, the smell of the salt air…it really brought him back. He was about to make his exit when he heard the shuffling of fabric behind him. It couldn't be…could it? He turned to see Ventus' arm sticking straight up in the air. "Ah!" He gasped out loud, and with a flash of light, Ventus' Keyblade, what the boy had named Wayward Wind, appeared in his hand. "His Keyblade!" The old man looked on as a beam of light erupted from the blade, ending in a dazzling shower of sparkling light as it ascended. Xehanort smiled to himself. He could still make this work…
Four years later, Ventus awoke with a jolt. He sat up in bed, looking about his room. That dream he was having…All of it felt so familiar, but…trying to remember the details was like grabbing a handful of fog, and soon the entire dream faded from Ventus' memory. That always happened when he dreamt, and it always annoyed him! He glanced out the window, out to the world he currently lived in, The Land of Departure. It had been his home ever since…ever since…Ventus rubbed his head. Since…something had happened to him. He had a hard time remembering anything before he arrived there four years ago. Still, he considered this place home. He looked past the chained mountains, up to the stars above.
Master Eraqus had told Ventus that each star was really another, unique world in the vast Universe. The apprentice had wanted to visit a new world ever since he had learned such facts, but Master Eraqus had yet to let him go. Ventus had been tempted to sneak away using his Keyblade Glider, but he was never able to pluck up the courage to go through with it. He was about to turn away from the window and go back to sleep when something caught his attention. A streak of light that went across the sky. A meteor. A few seconds later, there was another one. And another. And another. The streaks kept coming one after the other with no signs of stopping. A large grin spread across Ventus' face and the dream was forgotten instantly. "A meteor shower!" He gasped to himself as he got his outdoor clothes on and ran outside of the castle.
Soon enough he was past the forecourt and in the mountains themselves. Ventus had always been pretty light on his feet. He may not have been the strongest like Terra, or the most versatile in magic like Aqua, but Ventus was the fastest person in the whole castle hands down. Soon, Ventus reached his planned destination, a bench by the cliffside that was the perfect spot to watch the meteors. He glanced up to make sure the shower was still going on, which it was. Before much longer, Ventus arrived at his destination and lied down on the grass, looking up at the sky. It was pretty rare for Ventus to actually see a meteor shower on such a clear night. This was probably only the third or fourth time he got the opportunity. As he gazed up at the streaking lights, he eventually got more and more tired as his body demanded rest. As the shower kept going, Ventus drifted off and was soon fast asleep…
Soon, Ventus opened his eyes back up. It couldn't have been more than an hour or two because the sky was still filled with stars, though the shower had stopped, and the sun had yet to peek up from the horizon. He sat up and gazed over at the castle, and for a moment marveled at it. The unusual way it was structured, especially with the golden chains attached to rings on the nearby mountains. He had been so perplexed when he first arrived at this world, and all this time later it was still odd to him.
Ventus wanted to get up and go back to his bed…but he was just so darn tired that he laid back down to get some more sleep. As his head hit the soft grass, a familiar, female face blocked his vision. He lurched back up with a startled yell and whipped around to see a laughing Aqua standing there. Ventus felt his heart hammering against his ribcage, as it usually did around Aqua, though this time it was purely out of being startled. "Give me a break, Aqua!" He lightly scolded. He couldn't get mad at her, not for real. Especially not over something so small. Aqua was a pretty young woman, eighteen years old, with brilliant blue hair and matching eyes. Despite their close age, and to his dismay, she was a bit taller than he was. Terra had told him guys were usually taller than girls, so what was the deal?! So unfair!
Despite the large castle present in The Land of Departure, only four people actually lived in it. Just Master Eraqus, Ventus, Aqua, and Terra. As such, Aqua and Terra were the only friends Ventus had. This of course meant he got very close to the two of them in the four years he had been in the world. Terra was practically an older brother to Ventus, and Aqua acted like a sister. "Ventus, you're completely hopeless!" Aqua teased. "You couldn't have at least brought a blanket?"
Ventus looked back up at the stars. "I didn't think I was gonna fall asleep! I just wanted to watch the shower is all." He turned back to Aqua. "And why exactly are you here?" He asked with faux accusation.
Aqua chuckled and ruffled Ventus' mess of points he called his hair. She ignored his light blush and sat on the cliff's edge. Aqua wasn't stupid. She knew about Ventus' crush on her, she at the very least knew he's had it for about a year by that point. She didn't have the heart to confront him about it. After all, it had yet to be a real problem, so she was hoping he'd get over it before it ever became one. Still, she loved Ventus like a little brother, and she couldn't see that changing at any point. "Well, if you must know, I was watching the meteor shower from my room. As it was ending I realized a certain knucklehead probably came by here to watch it, so I came to check. Lo and behold, I found you taking a nap on a cliffside."
Ventus let out a chuckle of his own and sat next to Aqua, his eyes fixated on the sky. "Well, I guess you made the right call then. You know me too well, huh?" The two then sat in silence for a bit, just staring up at the stars.
The quiet moment was broken when a voice came out from behind the two. "I thought I'd find you two here." Ventus and Aqua turned to see Terra approaching them, a smile making its way across his face. At twenty years old, Terra was the tallest of the trio and built like an ox with a heavily muscular frame. When it came to pure physical strength he surpassed even Master Eraqus. He beamed at them with blue eyes that gazed out beneath his brown hair. "Let me guess, you two were watching the meteor shower too?" Terra asked as Ventus and Aqua stood up to join him. In a similar vein to Ventus, Terra viewed the younger boy like a brother, and had a deep respect for Aqua like she did him. He perhaps viewed her as a bit of a rival, a position she didn't seem to share.
"Guess it's pretty lucky that all of us managed to catch it, huh?" Ventus asked, beaming at his brother figure. "Aqua just came here a few minutes ago."
"Right before our Mark of Mastery exam, Terra." Aqua pointed out. "Maybe it's a sign of luck." She suddenly reached into her pockets. "Oh, that reminds me!" She pulled three stars made of stained glass with silver framing from her pockets. One blue, one green, and one orange. "I made us good luck charms! I even made one for you, Ven, just in case." She tossed the orange one to Terra, and the green one to Ventus, keeping the blue one for herself. "They're called Wayfinders."
"Oh, wow!" Ventus gushed, looking over his Wayfinder. "Thank you, Aqua, it looks amazing!" Granted, he had no idea what a Wayfinder actually was, but it was clear that Aqua had worked hard on it, and that was really all that mattered to him.
Terra looked over his as well, flashing Aqua a toothy smile. "You've been getting a lot better at your crafting, Aqua!" He praised, appreciating the way the starlight made his own Wayfinder shine. "I really appreciate it!"
Aqua felt herself blushing slightly at the praise. "Thanks, you two. Glad you like them!" She looked up towards the stars. "Master Eraqus told me there's a world out there with star-shaped fruit, which represent a connection that can never be broken. So as long as you have your Wayfinders, we'll always be connected."
Ventus and Terra looked at each other, with the latter breaking out into laughter. "Man, Aqua, you can be so cheesy sometimes!" He teased.
"Well, if that's what you think, you can just give my charm back!" Aqua retaliated jokingly. "Wouldn't want you to carry something so cheesy around!"
"Hey, I never said anything like that! No way am I giving this thing up!" Terra retaliated, trying not to break down laughing.
Ventus smiled to himself as he watched his two best friends play-fight with each other. After the two settled down, they made their way back to the castle to get some rest. As Ventus got back into bed, sighed and stared at the ceiling Tomorrow his only two friends would become Keyblade Masters…did that mean they'd be too busy to be with him anymore? Despite his worry, he was too tired to stay awake, and once more drifted off to sleep.
Elsewhere, in a far-off world, another Keyblade apprentice was undergoing his training. Mickey Mouse rode upon his makeshift raft, a large book in reality, against the violent waves. The water tossed the book he was riding upon every which way, only the ocean and stormy skies surrounding him.
Try as he might, he was quickly overpowered, and soon found himself in his Master's room once more with a startled cry. The familiar dusty tomes and ancient desk where his Master resided was the sign of his failure. Rubbing his head where he fell, he sheepishly approached Master Yen Sid to await his scolding. To his surprise, the elderly man was looking out the window. "Mickey…" He said, his deep voice etched with worry. "I cannot shake the feeling that something terrible is about to transpire…" Mickey could only cock his head in puzzlement as Yen Sid gazed off at the distant stars. Three of them in particular; one orange, one green, and one blue.
The next morning, the three apprentices woke up bright and early to attend the Mark of Mastery exam. Even though he wasn't ready to take the exam, Ventus had to show up to it. Even if he wasn't required to go, Ventus would have done so anyway. What kind of friend would he be if he didn't offer moral support? He felt a bit uneasy as he approached the throne room. Master Eraqus had told him, Terra, and Aqua, that Master Xehanort would also be overseeing the exam. Ventus didn't remember his life before coming to The Land of Departure, but Master Eraqus had told him that Xehanort used to be the Keyblade Master he trained under. That being said, Ventus didn't remember a thing about the elderly man, and he hadn't seen him since he was dropped off at the castle four years ago. Aqua and Terra didn't know much about Master Xehanort either, having only met him the day Ventus arrived. Master Eraqus was strangely avoidant in talking about his supposed old friend, and the apprentices learned quickly to stop asking...
Still, Ventus couldn't let nervousness keep him away. Soon he was in the throne room, standing off to the side and waiting for the exams to start. The throne room was a large, empty area with a huge stain-glassed window letting the morning light in. At the end of the room sat three thrones, though Ventus never saw anyone sit in them before. Soon, Aqua and Terra entered the room, Ventus giving the two a little wave as they walked by and stood before the thrones. Not a minute later, Master Eraqus and Master Xehanort entered as well. Master Xehanort took a seat on the left-most throne and gave Ventus a look that the young boy couldn't quite pinpoint, but it made him feel uneasy. Master Eraqus stood before Aqua and Terra, gazing at his two students as if sizing them up. Eraqus was a tall, well-built man with greying black hair with a mustache and goatee and a scar on his left cheek and over his right eye. Ventus tried asking him where the scar came from, but the withering glare he got in return assured that such a question would never be asked again.
After looking over his two students, Master Eraqus spoke up. "Today you will be examined for the Mark of Mastery. Before me stands not one, but two of the Keyblade's chosen who have been deemed worthy to take this test." He looked between the two students before him. "This is not a competition, and it is not a test of strength or magical expertise, but a test of the heart. Both of you may prevail, or neither." He glanced over at his fellow Master. "That being said, I am sure that Master Xehanort did not come all this way to see such promising students miss their mark." Eraqus then summoned his Keyblade, Master's Defender. "Now then, begin!"
Master Eraqus waved his Keyblade, and behind Terra and Aqua, a number of large orbs of light appeared. As Aqua and Terra summoned their Keyblades, Rainfell and Earthshaker respectively, Master Xehanort decided to spice things up a bit. While everyone had their eyes on the orbs of light, the elderly man imbued them with just a little bit of darkness. The energy swam in the orbs for a brief moment before vanishing, making sure they became a bit more dangerous…
Despite the initial shock to Aqua and Terra, the two Keyblade wielders charged at the orbs and started to fight them off. Terra used might swings to knock the orbs away, while Aqua was able to dodge the balls of light with ease, firing of fire spells to keep them at bay.
Things were going fine, despite Xehanort's interference, until one of the orbs made their way towards Ventus. "Ven, watch out!" Aqua yelled as Ventus summoned his Keyblade and batted the orb away.
"Don't worry about me, just focus on the exam!" Ventus urged. Terra and Aqua nodded in response and continued to fight, with Ventus joining in on the battle. Luckily, the orbs weren't intelligent, and all they could do was float towards the trio of Keyblade users. Terra used his immense strength to dispatch a number of orbs as they appeared, using only a single blow. Aqua used her magic to attack from afar, not utilizing thunder spells to attack multiple orbs at once. Ventus moved so fast that the slow-moving orbs didn't have a chance to even graze him as he sliced right through them. Master Eraqus watched on in worry, but let things unfold as he sat down in his seat, the throne to the far right. Master Xehanort watched intently, with a slight smile on his face. It wasn't long before all the orbs were destroyed, and the three apprentices returned to their original positions, now slightly out of breath as they put their Keyblades away.
"That was…unexpected." Master Eraqus said as he got up and stood in front of Aqua and Terra again. "Though the darkness was unforeseen…" He glanced over at Xehanort, whose expression was unreadable. "…I allowed things to unfold, and the two of you performed admirably. You did a fine job as well, Ventus." The teacher said, nodding slightly to the youngest pupil, who beamed with pride. "Now for the second and final part of the exam. The two of you must face each other in combat." The two Masters-in-training summoned their Keyblades and got into position to start their fight. "Remember, there are no winners, only truths, for when equal powers clash, their nature is revealed. Now…begin!"
Aqua and Terra sprang into action instantly, Terra quickly forcing Aqua back with his strength, with the young woman quick to retaliate. The young woman chose not to use spells, wanting to rely on her skills with the Keyblade alone for this part of the test. It seemed Terra had a similar idea, the oldest apprentice able to use magic despite him leaning towards physical blows instead.
The fight went on for several minutes, and it at first seemed the two were evenly matched. Frustration grew within Terra as he couldn't land a solid blow onto Aqua, not to seriously harm her of course, but to show Master Eraqus he had what it took to become a Master. The rage reached its peak when Aqua managed to get a light hit on Terra's cheek, drawing blood. Terra felt a familiar, sinister energy bubble up from within as a miasma of darkness coated his arm. This hadn't been the first time such feelings stirred within him, much to his shame. "No, not now…" He muttered as he willed the darkness to vanish. Only Master Eraqus and Xehanort noticed this development, with the former frowning in worry and the latter grinning in excitement.
"That is enough! The match is over!" Eraqus announced as he stood up. Immediately, Aqua and Terra put their Keyblades away and took their position in front of the throne. Wordlessly, Eraqus and Xehanort went off into the adjacent room to discuss their decision. While they were gone, the three apprentices didn't dare to move or talk, with all three of them feeling a heavy tension in the room. At the very least, Aqua gave Terra an apologetic look, not having drawn blood on purpose. Terra, however, kept his eyes dead ahead.
Before too long, the two Masters returned and stood in front of Aqua and Terra. "Master Xehanort and I have reached a decision. Terra, Aqua, you both performed commendably. However, only Aqua has shown the Mark of Mastery." All three apprentices gasped at this as Eraqus looked into Terra's eyes. "Terra, you failed to keep the darkness within you in check. That being said, you will always be allowed to try again in the future. That is all."
There was a mix of emotions going through the three…no, two apprentices and the new Master. Ventus wanted to go over and try to cheer Terra up, but he knew Master Eraqus would get mad and scold him for doing so. He felt happy for Aqua, yes, but he still couldn't help but worry for how Terra felt. Becoming a Master was a big deal to the oldest apprentice, something he had talked about ever since Ventus arrived at the castle.
Aqua's heart skipped a beat when Master Eraqus dubbed her a new Master, and a rush of excitement went through her body. That being said, her mood was dampened when Terra's failure was announced. She hadn't even noticed him using darkness in the fight, but who was she to question those with much more experience than her? If only they had both passed…
Terra felt shame and rage boiling in his veins. How could he be so stupid? How could he let darkness surface, even for a moment? He of course felt happy for Aqua and her accomplishment, but he just wished he could be by her side as a true Keyblade Master, and all that stopped him was a single moment of weakness. It was clear to him that he had quite a bit of training to do.
The three apprentices were snapped out of their thoughts when Master Eraqus spoke up once more. "Now, Aqua, as our newest Keyblade Master, you are entitled to certain knowledge." He did not react as Master Xehanort turned and made his way out of the room without a word or even a farewell gesture. "Please stay here for further instruction. Terra, Ventus, you are dismissed and must be out of this room by the time I return." With that, Master Eraqus followed behind Xehanort.
As soon as Master Eraqus left, Ventus ran over to Terra, while Aqua turned to her older friend. "Terra, what happened? Are you alright?" Ventus asked, frowning lightly and just wanting to help.
Terra didn't look at either of his friends, opting to look down at his feet as his hands clenched into fists with a frustrated sigh. "That darkness…where did it come from?" Neither Ventus nor Aqua had a response for that…
Master Xehanort, meanwhile, had said his quick goodbyes to Eraqus and was descending the steps towards the exit of the castle. Leaning on the wall at one of the landings was a young boy in a tinted helmet, with a bizarre, almost organic looking bodysuit. "So, what did you think of Ventus?" The old man asked as he approached his young companion.
The young boy shook his head and pushed off the wall. "He ain't gonna cut it. Somebody has to break that loser in." His voice was sinister and full of a bitter resentment. He couldn't quite comprehend why, but whenever he looked at, or even thought about that kid…he felt hatred boil in his gut.
The elderly man snarled at the masked boy. "Not here you won't. I have to keep up appearances." Xehanort couldn't let his plans come undone because that little abomination was antsy.
"I know that." The masked boy assured. Even he didn't want to see the old man get angry. The elderly coot seemed almost harmless, yet he was anything but. "He just needs a little incentive to leave home…" Xehanort mutely nodded, and the two made their way down the rest of the stairs together.
Meanwhile, Terra started to make his way to the castle entrance. "Sorry," he said to Aqua and Ventus as he left them behind, "but I need some time alone." He didn't even look back at them, feeling too ashamed of himself to do so.
Ventus was about to shout after his big brother figure, but Aqua placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head. "Terra said he wants to be alone, and we have to respect that. You can talk to him later, alright?"
The younger boy let out a sigh and nodded. After all, he knew that she was right. Generally, she and Terra were with whatever they told Ventus. "Alright…you know best." He gave her a small smile. "And…congratulations, Master Aqua." He lightly teased.
Aqua, caught off guard, let out a laugh. "Oh geez, don't call me that, please. It makes me feel, I don't know, old or something. But still, thank you." She gave Ventus a hair rustling. "Now, you should go off somewhere else, Master Eraqus will be back soon."
With a silent nod, Ventus left Aqua…Master Aqua, alone and went back to his room. He really wanted to go out and find Terra, but Aqua was right; if Terra wanted to be alone, Ventus needed to respect that. Still, he just felt useless doing nothing! With a heavy sigh, Ventus lied down on his bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking to himself. Now that Aqua was a Master…what did that mean for their friendship? Would she go somewhere else to train Keyblade apprentices of her own? In a moment of self-loathing, Ventus decided that maybe it didn't matter if she left or not. She didn't feel the same way about him that he felt towards her, and she never would. Why would she? He was just a stupid, scrawny little loser who-
Ventus' thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the castle bell. That signaled that everyone was to meet in the throne room. Just what was going on…? Didn't Master Eraqus have to talk to Aqua alone? As Ventus was about to exit his room, a voice called out from the doorway. "Better hurry, or you'll never see Terra again. And that Aqua girl will be out of your reach soon enough."
Ventus jumped out of the bed, seeing a boy in a helmet standing there in his doorway, casually leaning against the frame. How did he even get in there? "What? Who are you?!" He demanded, summoning his Keyblade, which got no reaction from the mysterious youth. "And what are you babbling about?! I can see Terra and Aqua whenever I want!" Ventus didn't know who this guy was, but he was honestly more unnerved by how the masked boy didn't seem at all scared to see a Keyblade.
"Like right now? Terra's leaving you behind. And by the time you catch up…he'll be a different person." The masked boy practically hissed, sounding quite confident in himself…
Terra, meanwhile, was sitting on the front steps of the castle, internally fuming at himself. How could he be so weak, to let darkness take a hold of him like that? What was he doing wrong? Master Eraqus had made it exceedingly clear over the years that using darkness would only lead to disaster. "No…" He muttered. "I am strong, I know I am. I should be strong enough to hold the darkness back…!"
"Yes, you are indeed strong." A voice called out to Terra from behind. Terra quickly turned to see Master Xehanort descending the steps.
"Master Xehanort…" The would-be Master greeted, standing and giving a slight bow. Terra had only met Master Xehanort once, and never got much information out of him from Master Eraqus. But…if he held the title of Master, he must be someone wise and strong of heart. "I apologize you came all this way to see an apprentice struggle with darkness like that."
As Master Xehanort grew closer, he shook his head. "Nonsense, boy. Darkness is not something to be feared or repelled. It must be frustrating that Master Eraqus continuously refutes such power." He gave the young man an almost pitying look. "Why, you could train forever, and Master Eraqus would never see you as a Master, as someone equal to Aqua."
"But…I don't understand!" Terra replied, his brow furrowing at the old man's words. "What am I missing? What is it that I've failed to learn, Master Xehanort?" If anyone could steer Terra in the direction of becoming a Master, it was another Master; one that was unbiased to or against Terra.
As he reached Terra, Master Xehanort placed a hand on the apprentice's shoulder, who shivered at the sudden chill that pricked at his skin. This didn't seem to bother the man, however. "You're fine as you are, Terra. You see, Master Eraqus seeks to destroy darkness, which is impossible! Darkness can only be channeled, and if you do so, you will reach new heights and become a Master."
Without waiting for a response, Master Xehanort walked passed Terra, who bowed slightly at the retreating figure. "Thank you, Master." Terra didn't want to admit it but…something about Master Xehanort unnerved him. Could it be the darkness? Master Xehanort spoke of darkness as if he were very attuned to it, and if darkness were as evil as Master Eraqus had said, surely a Master would never be allowed to use it so much, right? Terra has had a lingering attribute of darkness in him since he was small, but as much as Master Eraqus tried to suppress it…the darkness had not once ever hurt Terra or made him hurt others. As Terra pondered this, the castle bell rang out. "What? Trouble?" Terra muttered as he quickly dashed back up the steps, missing Master Xehanort vanish in a portal of darkness.
Aqua, meanwhile, was with Master Eraqus, who was just telling her about her duties as Master. "…and insomuch as you are now Keyblade Master, you must always be conscious of-" Eraqus' speech was cut off by the castle's bell, which he knew meant either danger was approaching, or another Keyblade Master was trying to contact him. Eraqus turned around and saw the gem on the wall behind the three thrones was glowing. "Yen Sid…?" He muttered to himself as he went towards the gem, leaving a confused Aqua behind.
Just as Eraqus went to investigate the gem, Terra ran up beside Aqua. "What happened? Is there trouble?" Nothing seemed to be amiss that he could see, neither inside nor outside.
"I don't know, Master Eraqus went to go see that gem on the wall, since it started to glow." Aqua answered. She didn't know what was going on with her Master, who seemed to be whispering to the gem. As far as she, Terra, and Ventus knew, that gem was for decoration.
Back in Ventus' room, the youngest Keyblade apprentice was glaring daggers at the strange masked boy, who didn't seem intimidated in the slightest. Ventus knew he had to get to the throne room as quickly as possible, but he couldn't just leave this strange boy alone. He was some sort of intruder, and no way he wanted anything good! "Look, you don't know the first thing about Terra or Aqua! The three of us will always be a team!" Ventus didn't sound so sure, however. Now that Aqua was a Keyblade Master, would she stick around…or go somewhere else to each Keyblade users? "Are you just trying to pick a fight or something?!"
The masked boy let out an almost disgusted little scoff. "Oh, grow up." The boy pushed away from the wall and slowly walked across the room. Ventus watched him closely, Keyblade at the ready. As the boy moved, Ventus felt…an odd energy. It was if some force were radiating from the masked boy, and the Keyblade apprentice could almost hear a humming noise in the air. It…unnerved him and made him feel an odd mixture of sad and angry. "What could you possibly know, cooped up here in this tiny world. You'll know I'm telling the truth when you go out there and get some more experience." With that, a mass of darkness erupted from the floor. A portal! Ventus felt the humming grow louder as the masked boy stepped into the portal, where he and the bubble of darkness vanished from The Land of Departure, instantly cutting off the odd presence in the air…
Back in the throne room, Aqua and Terra watched as Master Eraqus talked with the glowing gem on the wall. Despite straining their ears, they couldn't hear much of what Master Eraqus was saying, and they heard no other voice in the room. "…Very well, I will send my pupils to investigate. Farewell." The two heard their teacher say. As he came back, they went from peering around the thrones to snapping at attention. "That was my good friend Yen Sid, using that gem as a communication device." Eraqus explained.
"Yen Sid? He used to be a Keyblade Master like you, right?" Aqua asked. She vaguely recalled Master Eraqus mentioning that name before…
Eraqus nodded. "That's right. Though he has retired from that position, he keeps a close eye on the tides of light and darkness." A look of worry was evident on Eraqus' scarred face. "He is very knowledgeable and wise, and so his words and warnings carry a great deal of weight for me. Especially now, as he has told me the Princesses of Heart are in danger."
"The Princesses of Heart?" Terra asked. "Who are they?" He glanced to Aqua to see if she had any idea, but she also seemed confused at the title.
"Ah yes, I suppose I haven't had much reason to tell you about them." Master Eraqus admitted. "The Princess of Heart are humans that possess hearts without the slightest hint of Darkness within them. There are always seven of them at any given time, with a new one being born when one…expires. If the forces of darkness got their hands on them, they would be able to do terrible things, understand?" Aqua and Terra nodded. "Good. Now, it is not just darkness that is after these pure hearts, but a new force that seems to feed on negative emotion. Yen Sid called these monsters 'Unversed' and has warned me about how dangerous they are."
Aqua was surprised at this. A new type of being has suddenly cropped up? "Master Eraqus, just where did these creatures come from?" This was the first time she had heard about something like this happening. Given how generally Master Eraqus spoke of these Unversed, it seemed to her this was a problem in more than one world!
"That, Yen Sid did not have an answer for." Master Eraqus explained. "He told me he tried to contact Master Xehanort whose…dabbling into the forces of darkness may have provided some answers. Alas, he could not be reached. That leaves you two. As Keyblade wielders, it is your duty to strike down any force that upsets the balance of light and darkness, and these Unversed are no exception. I need you to find the source of these creatures and put an end to it, and you must also find Master Xehanort. His sudden disappearance worries me…Of course, I will unlock The Lanes Between, as you will need to travel to nearby worlds to undergo investigation." With that, Master Eraqus summoned his Master's Defender, pointing it straight up into the air. The tip of the Keyblade glowed with a soft light for a few moments before stopping. Nothing around the three changed, but clearly Master Eraqus had done as he had said. "Do not forget, going into these passageways without your armor will end with you consumed by darkness."
"Master, what about Ven?" Terra couldn't help but ask. The oldest apprentice felt bad about leaving his best friend and behind like that. Ven had always wanted to see other worlds, ever since he arrived at The Land of Departure. It seemed the boy really had a desire to stretch his legs, which Terra understood. He himself had wanted to visit other worlds too and see what was out there.
"I'm afraid he will have to stay behind here." Master Eraqus replied, shaking his head. "This is much too dangerous for him. That being said, I would normally only send Aqua, as she has reached the rank of Master. But I see the potential within you Terra, so I am letting you go as a chance to prove me wrong with my decision to keep you an apprentice." Master Eraqus didn't want to keep Terra an apprentice, seeing the young man like an adopted son. Still, he had to be fair, and Terra's vulnerability to darkness could not be ignored.
Terra felt hope blooming within him, easily replacing the anger he had felt earlier. A second chance to prove his worth was just what Terra needed! "Thank you, Master." The young man said, giving Master Eraqus a bow before heading to the forecourt.
Aqua watched as Terra left, feeling happy for her friend that he would be getting another chance to prove himself. She too bowed to Master Eraqus. "I best be on my way as well."
She was about to turn to leave when Master Eraqus spoke up. "Not quite yet, Aqua. There is one more thing I need to tell you before you go. A favor would be more accurate." He seemed almost…nervous in continuing, but he kept going. "I told Terra this was a second chance, and that was no lie. But…I still worry for him. I need you to try and keep an eye on him. I fear his desire for strength may lead him down the road to darkness, and I'll need you to intervene if that happens and bring him back here. Of course, this favor is to be kept between us."
The blue-haired girl wasn't quite sure how to respond. Master Eraqus was practically asking her to spy on one of her best friends. That being said…she too worried about the darkness within Terra, and what his desire for strength might do to him. She wanted to say for sure he would resist the dark urges, but…who could say for sure? "I…I understand, Master. If need be, I will bring Terra back, but I have confidence that it won't come to that. He's not as weak as you think."
As Aqua and Eraqus were talking, Ventus ran through the throne room and towards the forecourt, going unnoticed by the two. He noted Aqua and Master Eraqus' location…but where was Terra? He had to warn all of them about the masked boy, and he needed to start with Terra, in case he was about to leave! Luckily, as Ventus went through the front gates, he saw Terra walking through the forecourt. "Terra!" He called, nearly tripping his own two feet as he reached his friend. "Terra, we need to talk!"
"Hey, easy Ven! Where's the fire?" The older boy asked in a bit of a joking tone. His smile vanished when he saw just how…disturbed Ven looked, like he had seen a ghost or something. "What's wrong, Ven? Are you okay? You don't look so good." Terra's tone became a lot more serious, his brow furrowing.
Ventus took a second to catch his breath, panting heavily and feeling like his lungs were on fire. "The masked boy! There was a weird masked boy in my room!"
"…What? What do you mean? There's no one in this castle but Master Eraqus, Aqua, and the two of us." Terra rustled Ven's hair. "Were you having a dream or something?" This wouldn't be the first time Ven overreacted to something, after all. Not once since Terra arrived at the castle was there any kind of intruder, after all!
"This is serious!" The younger boy yelled, roughly swatting Terra's hand away. "There was a strange boy in my room, and his presence felt…wrong." He couldn't find another word to describe that feeling the unusual youth gave off. "He said you, Aqua, and me will be separated forever! He said you'll change!"
Terra knelt down slightly, so he and Ventis were at equal eye-level. The younger apprentice seemed pretty serious and upset…so Terra decided to take the matter more seriously. "Look, I don't know who that guy was, but he can't be good news. You don't have to worry about anything, though. Go back and tell Master Eraqus and Aqua what you told me, okay?"
"What? No! We'll go tell them together!" Ventus argued. What was Terra talking about? Why did he seem so calm? At first, he brushed off the masked boy's words, but…as they weighed on his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if the strange youth had some weird plan going on. After all, he boy had talked about Terra's departure and what the future held with such a casual confidence…
"I have to go, Ven. Master Eraqus has trusted Aqua and I with a mission, but you're going to have to stay here." Terra explained, feeling guilty as Ven's frantic expression turned into one of hurt.
"What…Do you mean? What mission, what's going on?" Ventus asked. He knew he was late for the bell but…just what did he miss? The fact that the masked boy was right about Terra's departure just got his emotions more riled up!
"There's trouble out there in the other worlds. These things called Unversed are out there causing trouble. They're these creatures that are made up of negative emotions." Terra responded, standing up straight. "Aqua and I have to go stop them, but you'll need to stay here and explain what happened to Master Eraqus, okay?" He noticed Aqua coming out of the castle gates as he spoke, and their gazes met for a brief moment. Without waiting for a response, Terra slammed his fist into his armor sleeve, activating his Keyblade Armor with a bright flash of light. Terra was now decked in a heavy, powerful suit of brown armor, complete with horns on the head and a cape billowing behind him. He summoned his Keyblade and threw it high in the air where it became his Keyblade Glider. Getting away from Ventus, for safety, he willed the Glider to fly towards him, where he jumped on and rocketed to the sky.
"Terra!" Ventus called, having been stunned by Terra's answer, his bluntness, and the flash of light. "Terra, come back!" He begged, but Terra didn't respond, if he could even hear the boy. A portal of light opened in the sky, with Terra flying right into it. "Terra…" Ventus muttered, feeling betrayal in his heart. Even after that warning, Terra just ignored him and left! How could he do that? Did he take anything Ventus had said seriously at all?!
"Ven…Are you okay?" Aqua asked, approaching the young boy and accidentally startling him as he turned around to see her there. "What were you two talking about?" She noted how upset Ventus looked and reached out to place a hand on his shoulder but, to her surprise, he jerked away from her.
"I'm not going to let Terra go! That masked boy was wrong! I'll prove it!" The young boy yelled, hitting his own armor sleeve. With a bright light, Ventus was wrapped within his Keyblade Armor as well. He had never tried this before, so he looked over himself in amazement as he flexed his armored hands. Surprisingly, the armor didn't feel heavy at all, as though it were normal clothing.
"Ventus, wait! Don't go!" Aqua scolded, grabbing onto the boy's armored arm. "You have to stay here with Master Eraqus!" She felt for Ven, she really did, but she knew Master Eraqus was right in choosing to have him stay behind. "It's dangerous out there!"
"I don't care!" Ventus retorted, getting out of Aqua's grip. "I'm not weak! I'm not useless! I'll prove it!" He was shaking slightly, emotion overflowing within him. No way was he going to let anything happen to their friendship! He'd prove that masked boy wrong!
Aqua paused, staring at the boy as his breathing got heavier and more anguished. "Ven…I don't think you're useless. None of us think that…" Had Ven really thought himself as weak and useless? And that everyone else thought so too?
Ventus was barely listening, summoning his Keyblade and backing away from Aqua. "I'll prove I'm not a loser! I'll grow stronger and I'll…I'll prove I'm good enough!" He blurted out. Without waiting for a reaction, Ventus mimicked Terra and summoned his Keyblade Glider. Before Aqua could stop him, he boarded it and followed Terra into the portal.
"Ventus, no!" Aqua heard from behind her. She turned to see Master Eraqus descending the steps towards the forecourt. "You have to go after him, Aqua! It's too dangerous for him! Bring him back here!" He ordered, eyes wide and filled with a deep worry.
Aqua nodded, tapping her own armor sleeve and summoning her own armor. "I'll make sure he's back unharmed, Master!" She vowed, wasting no time as she summoned her Keyblade Glider as well. Not wanting Ven to get too far ahead, she instantly flew up and entered the portal as well.
With a weary sigh, Master Eraqus watched as Aqua went through the portal, which closed behind her. He was left alone in the castle for the first time in decades. Even though it had only been a few seconds, it felt like a great deal of life had been sucked from the world around him. "Be safe, my children…" He whispered, a nasty feeling in his gut that the missions he gave out would prove far more dangerous than he anticipated...
A/N: As the summary says, this work will feature a lot less Disney characters and general media than in the main series. Classic characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Yen Sid will appear (among others) but all of the worlds will exclusively be non-Disney properties. Basically me wanting to take the crossover aspect of the series to a much higher level with different forms of media from entirely different companies and countries of origin.