Chapter 12

End of the Beginning

The first thing Madoka was aware of was the sound, crackling thunder. The next was the sharp smell of ozone. Finally, when she dared to open her eyes, she gasped at where she was. She was lying on a cloudy platform hovering over some sort of gigantic hand!

She looked up, to see what the hand was connected to, and gasped even harder. Holding her was a gigantic old man, with a beard so long it was almost ankle length. He wore flowing robes and lightning crackled around him. His eyes glowed with power.

She looked around the area. She appeared to be inside the eye of some sort of massive storm. She couldn't see anything resembling ground or the sky, both obscured by the thick, swirling clouds. Lying next to her were her friends, all seemingly unconscious.

"Who… are you?" Madoka asked the radiant being.

"I am Ramuh, Esper of Storms and Knowledge." His voice was mixed with the sound of crackling lightning and booming thunder.

Madoka heard groaning nearby. She turned to see Sayaka and the others stirring.

"What's with all the racket, Madoka? I… Holy shit!" Sayaka looked up to see Ramuh and her eyes widened. She drew her cutlass.

"Peace, child. I mean you no harm."

"What are you?" Mami asked, awestruck.

"I suppose it isn't too much effort to answer again. I am Ramuh, Esper of Storms and Knowledge. Also known as the Archon of Storms, Lord of Levin, and the Fulgurian."

"Is it just me, or did that not explain anything?" Kyoko asked.

"I suppose your World has never heard of Espers before. We are great spirits. Ideas and concepts given Heart and body. We have taken many forms and names across many Worlds."

"Okay, but the more important question, is where are we?!" Sayaka said, looking around.

"You are in the Corridors of the Sky, also called the Lanes Between."

"Between what?"

"Between Worlds."

"We're out in space?!" Nagisa said. "That's amazing! Though how we are breathing is somewhat of a mystery..."

"I should say space in a manner of speaking."

"What manner?"

"A World can be many things. Some may encompass a city, a kingdom, a country, or even something as small as just a series of islands. Some may be massively large, a continent, a planet, a solar system, a galaxy, or even multiple galaxies. Some may call them universes or dimensions, but World is the most accurate term."

"You mean like we're in another dimension?" Madoka asked.

"Between dimensions, to be more accurate." Ramuh answered.

"So then, next question. What the hell has been happening these past few days?!" Kyoko demanded.

"The Heartless have invaded your World, as is their nature. At the same time, a Keyblade has chosen young Madoka as its wielder."

Madoka summoned Crystal Clarity to her hand. "I remember… You spoke to me a bit in a dream a few days ago."

"Indeed, a shame our conversation had to be cut short."

"So then, what exactly is going on?"

"This is a long story..."

Homura had to admit, as ugly as it was, the castle was useful. Currently, she reclined on her throne, flanked by two Clara dolls, while Xehanort stood before her.

"Who are you?" Homura asked. "Give me a reason why I should trust you."

Xehanort said nothing. Instead, he held out his hand. There was a crackle of electricty, a burst of light, and then he was holding a key shaped blade. It was similar in shape, but only in the loosest sense. Unlike Madoka's, this one looked to be made of some sort of black metal and vaguely reminded Homura of an axe. It had a strange blue-glowing eye on both the tip of the blade, and on the chain hanging from the end. At the base of the blade was an engraving of a goats head.

Homura's eyes widened as she leaned forwards. "Is that…?"

"A Keyblade. Yes. I too, bear this burden. And make no mistake, it is a burden." Xehanort snapped his fingers, and one of the bug heartless appeared before him.

Homura stood up, and aimed her bow at him. Her familiars grew tense as well. "You can control them?"

"To a degree, yes."

"And yet you let them hurt Madoka!"

"It's not a question of letting so much as ability. Were I able to, Madoka would have been safe and unmolested. The Heartless however, will seek out and corrupt Hearts, to create more of themselves, by instinct alone. Those with the proper knowledge and ability can control the Heartless, but I am not the only such one. There are others who are capable of this as well such as Maleficent, an evil fairy, who seeks power and conquest. These were her Heartless, they obeyed her commands to sow destruction and chaos. I, on the other hand, like to think of my self as a scientist. A student of the Heart. What I and my colleagues seek is knowledge and balance. It was such curiosities about the Heart that originally brought me to this World. Imagine it, the ability to separate one's Heart from the body, and yet remain connected all the same. Empowered even. It was fascinating to me! I had to know, though in my research into this World, I came across many things that troubled me.

"Make no mistake Homura, the life of a key-bearer is a hard one. We are constantly hounded by the forces of darkness. True peace is impossible for us. But it is a life I chose. In my youth I was approached by a master of the art, and accepted his offer. He performed a ritual of inheritance, granting me the ability to wield a Keyblade, and then I was trained. I have made many mistakes in my long life, but I have never considered that to be one of them. However, others may be chosen without their knowledge or consent. Keyblades are in some ways, sentient, perhaps even sapient. They can manifest for a person on their own, binding them to a life of hardship and turmoil. A boy from my own homeworld was chosen in such a manner, and his life has been turned upside down, loosing friends, family, and even his very identity. I would not see young Madoka walk down a similar path."

"Why?" Homura asked. Her hand began to shake. The bow vanished. Everything he was saying filled her with dread. "What is Madoka to you?"

Xehanort looked outside towards the balcony. "If you would, please come with me, it's easier to show you."

Homura followed him, only to feel something grab her hand and try to pull her back. She turned, to see a frightened looking girl, with black hair in braids, and glasses over her violet eyes.

"A-are we sure we can trust him?" Akemi Homura asked, holding on to Homura's wrist. "This is all sounding too suspicious."

"Of course you'd say that, worthless coward." The was a sound of flapping wings, and a dusting of black feathers. The Devil descended from above. "You were not questioned, yet you speak out of turn."

"It's just that a creepy old man shows up claiming to know Madoka. This doesn't feel right."

"Did it not feel right to stop fair Madoka from contracting with the loathsome Incubator? Did it not feel right to free her from the wretched Goddess? Your worthlessness knows no bounds. Weak and craven. Pathetic. You have not the strength to do the deeds that need be done. Begone!"

"But-"

"Unless you have a better suggestion? Surely, the little failure of a girl has a plan that will allow us to find and rescue our dear Madoka. We're all ears!" The Devil taunted.

"I..." Akemi Homura looked down to the ground, her lip trembling.

"As was expected. Begone!" Akemi Homura was shoved away.

Homura turned forwards, following Xehanort as he stepped out to the balcony.

"Homura, how much do you know about other Worlds?"

"I have an alien locked up in my basement, as you saw earlier."

Xehanort gave an amused grin. "Not what I meant. When I say World, I mean more than that simple concept. A World could be as grand as a universe or as small as a forest, or anywhere in between."

Xehanort raised his keyblade towards the sky. A beam of light shot upwards into the clouds, and they parted, revealing a starry sky, even though it was only noon. Though shocked, what was more shocking was the realization that these stars were completely different from the normal ones.

"What is this?" Homura asked.

"Behold! The true sky which all Worlds share!" Xehanort gestured to the brilliant display. "Now, realize that each star you see is a World, and you can begin to understand the importance of Madoka."

"Understand what?"

"Once, each one of those stars, each one of those Worlds was part of a grand World, the First World. A World so massive that it defies comprehension, in an age long faded into myth. In the beginning, there was only darkness, an endless void of chaos and discord. Eventually, through it's utter randomness, it spawned light, in the form of Kingdom Hearts!"

"Kingdom Hearts? What is that?"

"People have Hearts, the core of their being. No two are truly alike. Worlds also have Hearts, embodying all aspects of it's nature. Kingdom Hearts is the heart of all Worlds and all people, the Heart of the universe itself, the source of ultimate knowledge and power."

"Imagine it. The Original World, a golden age of peace and prosperity, where people, blessed by the light of Kingdom Hearts achieved feats of science and magic that have never been replicated since. There was no hardship, no want, no grief or suffering. A paradise! Unfortunately, it was not to last. The true nature of mankind could not be denied and soon made itself apparent. The Keyblade War was inevitable..."

"T-the Keyblade War?" Homura asked. Unbidden, her thoughts drifted to the key Madoka wielded, making her anxious.

Xehanort gestured with his Keyblade, and everything around them began to shimmer, as images appeared, imposing themselves over the castle. The knot in her stomach worsened as she saw a massive dry, dusty, wasteland, littered with dull, rusted, Keyblades. There had to be hundreds, no, thousands, maybe even more!

"The Keyblade Graveyard. These lifeless keys used to be full of power, united with the Hearts of their masters. In that age, people began to covet the light wanting it for themselves, and became jealous, fearful of what would happen should the light belong to another. They began to fight over it. And from that greed and selfishness, darkness returned to the World and with it, the Heartless came as countless warriors sought the χ-blade."

"Keyblade?"

"No, not like the keys that Madoka or I wield." Xehanort gestured and a hologram of the greek letter χ appeared over his palm. "Chi a most ancient letter. Some say 'Kye' but the meaning is the same. Death, a letter that spells endings. This χ-blade was the counterpart to Kingdom Hearts, it's protector. All other Keyblades were originally forged in imitation of this true blade, in order to attempt to claim Kingdom Hearts for themselves.

"On this barren soil, Keyblades of light and darkness were locked in combat as a great Keyblade War raged across the World. Countless Keyblade wielders gave up their lives all in pursuit of the ultimate key. Great and terrible weapons were unleashed and nightmarish magics rent the land asunder in a war so massive and awful that all the conflicts of today pale in comparison to that horror. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, no one prevailed. There were no victors in that war. The clash shattered the χ-blade into twenty shards, seven of light, and thirteen of darkness. The World was torn apart, as Kingdom Hearts itself was swallowed up by the darkness, never to be seen again. On that land, darkness prevailed, and the light expired.""

"Or so it had been written. In truth, small fragments of light survived in the hearts of children, and the World was preserved, though separate, apart, alone. And thus, are the Worlds we live in today."

That was a lot to take in. A golden age of fairy tales in a World of light. A war bringing darkness leading to the destruction of the old World and the creation of the current one.

"Jeez, this whole thing sound like the plot to some cheesy RPG." Kyoko said. She looked at her spear. "But, it makes as much sense as anything else that's been happening lately."

"So, I suppose, that leads into the next question. What is the Keyblade?" Mami asked.

Ramuh looked at Madoka.

"You told me that it was something like a blessing and a curse. You talked about… destiny?" She asked.

"A Keyblade is a wondrous device, shaped and empowered by it's wielders strong Heart. Among it's most simplest abilities, it can open or close any lock or seal, and it can act as a conduit for magic. However, each Keyblade is unique, just as each Heart is unique. As the wielder develops their own capabilities and forms connections with other Hearts, it's abilities may be improved."

"When you say Heart, it doesn't sound like you mean the blood-pumping organ." Madoka asked.

"Indeed. Many names for it exist. Core. Essence. Nature. Spirit. But Heart is the truest of all. The very center of being, from which spring emotions, willpower, connections and personality. This is also from where the Heartless are born. When a Heart becomes consumed by darkness, it is separated from the body, and transformed into a monster, a monster which exists only to sow discord and spread their darkness to others, a cruel creature entirely without empathy or reason, and thus are they called Heartless. These creatures of darkness who invade and consume entire Worlds.

"And then there is the Keyblade. The Heartless have a great and instinctive fear of this weapon, for it above all others is the most dangerous to them. A Heartless can be slain by conventional forms of attack, yes, but this destruction is not permanent. It will simply reform some time later, none the worse for wear. However, a Heartless slain by a Keyblade is utterly destroyed, it's captive Heart is set free and restored to its original state. And thus, the wielder can never know peace, for the Heartless will hunt them relentlessly and mercilessly, to end the threat they pose."

"Wait..." Madoka considered his words, and then gasped at the implications. She collapsed to her knees as Crystal Clarity dropped from her hands. If what Ramuh was saying was true then… "I can bring them back! Mama, Papa, and Tatsuya can come back!"

She felt her vision blur as her eyes began to water. They weren't gone forever. She could get her family back. She could get Hitomi and Kyosuke and Ms. Saotome back! She could get everybody on Earth back!

"Yes, that is true."

"Haha!" Madoka felt Sayaka glomp her, and they both fell over to the ground. She couldn't blame her. It was as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. They could get their families back!

Homura's mind reeled, so much to take in. Other universes, other Keyblades, Heartless, ancient myths. But one question still remained, so she centered herself on that.

"You still haven't explained why Madoka is so important to you."

"Ah yes. She is one of the keys necessary to obtain Kingdom Hearts. As I said, the χ-blade was split into twenty shards, seven of light and thirteen of darkness. Those fragments did not vanish. Instead, they have manifested themselves throughout the ages. The shards of light embody themselves in the Hearts of pure maidens. Throughout the ages, there have always been seven. Some give up the mantle after accomplishing a great deed, for others, it leaves upon their death, but there are always seven, known as Maidens of Light, or Princesses of Heart. For, while darkness may be the Hearts true essence, these women have Hearts of purest light, utterly devoid of any hint of the darkness that so taints the rest of the World, and thus are able to defy that natural law."

"Madoka..." Homura's eyes widened. She really was that important…

"Thus do I fear for the well-being of young Madoka. A Keyblade wielder is constantly hounded by the forces of darkness, but as a Princess of Heart, she is in even more danger. A pure Heart such as hers is awesomely powerful, and there are those that would stop at nothing to obtain them. Maleficent is one such villain. In the past she invaded other Worlds, and abducted the previous incarnations of the pure lights, stealing their Hearts to forge the way into Kingdom Hearts so as to gain immeasurable power. Due to my involvement, her schemes came to naught, and she appeared to have been struck down, though in truth she survived her apparent demise, and now pursues other wicked schemes."

"But you… also seek Kingdom Hearts, right?"

"Indeed. The unison of Light and Darkness will bring about Kingdom Hearts, but I have a method that will not place the Princesses at risk. No harm need befall them. Likewise with the shards of darkness. They too, survive throughout the ages, though they must be made to manifest, and in a different manner from the Princesses. Hence the creation of my Organization XIII. What I want with Madoka is to free her from the burden of the Keyblade, and return her safely to your World. What you have done is admirable, to protect young Madoka from the dangers of the World. I only ask that you continue what you have done. All Madoka needs to do is exist for things to work."

"But then, what will you do with Kingdom Hearts? What makes you different from this Maleficent?" Homura asked.

"I seek to restore Kingdom Hearts to it's rightful place in a balanced universe. Ever since it's departure, the universe has been in a slow decline, rotting and decaying. And so I ask your help, Homura. It is not an easy burden to bear, there is much that is wrong with the World, but someone has to step up, and prevent the weak from polluting the World with their endless darkness."

Homura paused, taking in all of his words. It… all made sense. Everything that she had experienced now made sense! It was as if a a piece had been added to a puzzle that she wasn't even aware was incomplete, and now she could see the whole picture! Madoka was one of the few islands of kindness in a vast ocean of wretchedness. And now she was thrown into that sea, completely at it's mercy. Homura had been right all along. She needed to be protected. The universe depended on it. She turned towards Xehanort. "Okay, I believe you."

Her celebration was short lived. There was a deafening crack of thunder. The area around them began to darken.

"What's going on?"

"Darkness is very strong in the Lanes Between. Travelers in these areas typically fly ships, or wear special suits to protect themselves from it. In the absence of those I've been shielding you, but I cannot do so forever. Both the summoning, and my own energies have limits."

"So what do we do?" Nagisa asked.

"There is so much more I wish to tell you, but our time is drawing short. I can take you to a nearby World. There, you should be able to board a train, which will ferry you to a wizard, known as Yen Sid."

"A wizard?" Mami asked.

"That sounds so cool!" Nagisa said.

"The wizard is himself a retired Keyblade Master who now dedicates his time to the study of the mystic arts. He will be able to explain to you what I could not. Will you seek him out?"

"Yes! I will." Madoka said.

"Then godspeed. We will meet again." Ramuh's hand began to close on them. There was a flash of light and then… the sound of bells?

A mostly exposition focused chapter, though I've striven to make it interesting to read and think about. Xehanort is surprisingly fun to write for. Although I still think the χ-blade looks fucking ridiculous.

Credit to Stewart92 for his awesome portrayal of the espers! His fic, A Skittering Heart, is what inspired me to start this one!

And thanks to The Name Of Love for beta-reading and idea sounding!