This is dedicated to Jason Jones1 who got me to really think about continuing this story.

To be honest, I was searching for a way to have power without a big being helping, but I realized in KH it really is not possible. Everyone with any power was either born with it or had a great teacher... so I am going with a great teacher, and that is why he has Merlin teaching him.


It took Sage and Sora a few minutes of slaughtering Heartless to get to the First District. Once they did, he felt a strong magical signature towards the Third District. Turning to Aerith, he asked. "I felt this earlier, next door when we were watching over Sora. What is it?" He trusted her, she was a strong White mage and had helped him master a great many spells when it came to healing and whatnot.

His beloved friend nodded, smiling brightly. "You are not wrong, his name is Donald. He serves King Mickey, he radiates strong magic. He went off in the other direction while he ran to the First District. He is looking for Sora. I would head to that district, to find him."

Sora perked up, turning to Sage. "Who is King Mickey, you mentioned he was a Keyblade wielder too?"

Sage kneeled down, smiling at his adopted friend. "He is a powerful being, magical and graceful, I have never met him by my Father and Teacher, Merlin told me about him and this Donald. My father taught Donald as well, his last student before me actually. We can trust them if my father gave him a seal of approval. Let's go." Together they hurried toward the door that would allow entrance to the Third District. Sage turned and winked at Sora. "I unlocked it a while ago, and spelled it so Heartless cannot go through this door. The First District is perpetually safe, the only part I could manage. That kind of magic is intense. Anyway, let's go through." They walked through the door, only to see two beings flying off of a wall above them, smoke and screams about them. Throwing out his rapier, Sage called out. "Aero!" And a swirling mass of wind gathering around them, slowing their descent into a gentle swish.

"Thank you!" The dogish one said, strong and well muscled. He had a buckler in one hand, and a sense of duty about his aura.

The other one, a duck, was the source of immense magic. "Yeah, that would have hurt to fall like that! Wait, I recognize that magic, that sword was made by Master Merlin!"

Sage bowed. "I am Sage, son and student of Merlin."

They both gaped. "Son of Merlin!"

"Adopted, but still, he took me in after my world faded away. Now, enough of that, this is my newly adopted kid Sora. He is a Keyblade wielder." Sora beamed at him before turning to them.

"Uh, hi there!"

"You, you are the keyblade wielder?" Donald asked.

The Dogish one smiled. "Names Goofy, this is Donald and we were looking for you!"

"Awesome, now that we are together, we need to find my father, he wanted to teach Sora magic, I need to let him know I am going with you as well to protect Sora wherever possible. No child should be forced into... damn, I sense a surge of Heartless... ready yourselves!" They all turned as a group of heartless appeared, and they battled them as one. Sage threw out his hand. "Magnet!" And all at once, the heartless gathering in a swirling void of magic. Snapping his fingers, he commanded. "Fire!" And they burst into flames, dispersing them all into nothingness.

Sora turned to him, eyes wide. " Wow, you're strong!"

"Very, but I sense a much stronger one approaching, one not so easily killed. Ready yourselves!"

And, just like that, one giant set of disjointed floating armor fell from the sky. It was blue and had the heartless symbol on it's chest, anger and hate oozing off of it. It shook at them wildly before charging. Sage threw himself to the left, throwing out his rapier he shot five fireballs at it's left arm, cracking it and sending it flying to the side. He lunged at it, slicing and slashing at it wildly with his blade, jabbing at it until the thing vanished in a swirl of dark energy.

Turning, he saw the others barely handling the other hand, Donald getting thrown about, Goofy over-stretching his strikes, Sora the least experienced actually doing the best by making several solid hits. Sighing, he used a surge of wind to throw himself onto the head and kick it away. It smashed into the ground and he followed it, swinging his blade down. "THUNDERAGA!" He commanded and a surge of magic smashed into the head, ripping it apart and causing the entire creature to disperse into dark energy.

They all turned to him, eyes wide.

"You are very strong!" Donald said, jealousy in his eyes.

"I do try. I'll train you while we are on this trip, least I could do. For now, let us go back to the others than to my father."

"""

"That little squirt took down that Heartless! Who'd have thought it?"

"Such is the power of the Keyblade. The child's strength is not his own."

"Why don't we turn him into a Heartless? " The voice laughed. "That'll settle things quick enough."

"And the brat's friends are the king's lackeys. Swoggle me eyes, they're all bilge rats by the look of them."

"You're no prize yourself."

"Shut up!"

"Enough. The Keyblade has chosen him. Will it be he who conquers the darkness? Or will the darkness swallow him? Either way, he could be quite useful. The other one though, this Sage, he is remarkably powerful, trained by Leon and Merlin himself! He could be a devastating enemy, his magic is remarkable and he has yet to hit his full stride... no... we must watch, and ready ourselves for all there is to come."

"""

Leon smiled at them. "Make sure you're prepared for the journey ahead of you. We don't know how far the Heartless have spread. Sage has been here for years, he can lead you about to the various shops."

Aerith handed them a pouch. This is from all of us." It was a hundred Munny, which made Sage hug her hard. " Spend it as you see fit. Sage, make sure they spend it wisely."

Yuffie beamed. " Good luck!" She hugged Sage too. "You were a great student, so good at fighting acrobatically, like a real ninja. I am so proud of you! Do what you can and kick butt!"

"I hope you find your friends."

Leon nodded. "Look out for each other. Keep your spirits up." And with that, they hurried off, back into the town proper.

Donald said, turning to them. "The gummi ship is outside that gate." He pointed to the final gate, south in the First District.

Sora gaped. "The what?

Sage smiled. "It's a magical ship that uses Gummi pieces, it allows for travel in the Lane's between, the paths between each realm."

Donald nodded and put something in Sora's hand, a piece of weak magic. "Hold on. Sora, this is for you." The magic sank into Sora, and his aura shifted.

"Fire magic, very good Donald." Sage kneeled, realizing how much taller than Sora he was. "Here is my gift to you." he kissed Sora's forehead, and magic sank into his body. the boy shivered. "Cure, a healing spell, one you need to have to protect yourself and your comrades."

A tiny being, a cricket, popped off Goofy. " Names Jimminy Cricket, the King sent me as well! it's up to me to keep track of it all in my journal! If you need anything, I'll have it all recorded! Oh and hello, Sora, Sage, it is nice to meet you both."

"Same, now let's go to my father, then we can hoist anchor and all that." Sage said. "Follow me, he's in the second district, not far from here."


Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

This was a joy to write.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.