The Journey of One

Chapter V

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Location: Agrabah

            A vast sea of swirling sands delimited me as I awoke.  The sky was dark blue with a gathering of stars here and there, and a crescent moon in the center of it all.  Clasping the scimitar in my hand, I shuffled to my feet and looked around.  To one side of the desert in the faraway distance was a walled city, and to the other end was an oddly subtle mound of sand that almost resembled a head.  I suspected that the others – the 'Heartless,' as the shadow had called them – were in the city, so I decided to head there.  I had to see them one last time because I had not erased all doubts about what was happening to me yet.  I needed to be sure that I truly wasn't like them and that I was 'unique.'  I felt that a part of me still wanted things to be as they were before all this happened, but there was a growing urge inside me to be different from the others.  It frightened me and as much as I tried to ignore it, the more it grew.

            I didn't realize that I had no idea what this place was called until a while later, so I decided to connect to this world's heart to find out.  It was strange that I hadn't remembered considering it was natural instinct to me for the first three worlds I was in.  I found that this world was called Agrabah.  Continuing to shift closer and closer to the city, I finally arrived at the gates.  A massive wooden door loomed in front of me, barred with steel emanating a sense of impenetrability.  But this was nothing to me; the city was one shift away.  I almost felt bad for using my abilities and as foolish as it may be to feel remorse for a wall; it felt strange when I passed through it.  Almost as if something inside me didn't want me to use my abilities – my abilities as a 'Heartless.'

            Just as I appeared inside, other Heartless crept out of the shadows in the city.  They all jumped, leaped, dashed from all corners of the town square, and in the middle of it all stood Sora, Donald and Goofy protecting a girl.  She had long, black hair held back with a headband that was centered with a crystal.  A light blue gown covered her entire body and brown, pointed sandals lay at her feet.  She seemed very frightened from the look on her face and while Sora and the others frantically tried to hold back the shadows, I began to wonder why this girl was so special. 

I heard steps from behind me and looked back to see a boy with a purple vest and white pants run toward me with his sword.  I bounced off one wall to the other to reach the top of the city walls in order to keep a safe distance from all the commotion, barely escaping the black-haired boy's blade.  Reluctantly using my senses again, I searched for more information about the two tan-skinned strangers.  Surely enough, my suspicions held truth; the girl was indeed a Princess of Heart and she was named Jasmine.  But from her heart, I could sense a strong bond between her and this boy that was helping Sora.  I could not understand what it was, but she was very connected to the boy named Aladdin.

            The battle between the four protectors and the Heartless continued, as I curiously watched from above.  It was an entirely new perspective of battle for me, as I had always been a part of it.  Nevertheless, the battle ended before long as the Heartless overpowered Sora's party and successfully took the Princess of Heart.  While the Keyblade Master, Mage and Knight crumbled to their knees up against a dead-ended alleyway, Aladdin struggled to his feet and continued to fight for Jasmine all the while shouting her name, as if it were an empowering chant.  His desperate attempts were futile however, as the shadows took her away and Aladdin was finally brought to his knees. 

As soon as the Heartless shifted away with her, the ones holding Sora's group at bay followed them away.  I could faintly sense their destination: that mysterious mound of sand I had seen in the desert.  I had every intention of following them, but something told me to head down to the now exhausted protectors.  I made my way down to them slowly, as not to startle them.  I stood in front of Sora, carefully edging my way forward to get a closer look at his weapon.  As I got closer to him, the Keyblade began to rob all my attention with a slight glow.  I reached out to grab hold of it slowly but Sora's hand clenched the Keyblade strongly, brought it up from the ground and stabbed it into my chest.

            Those feelings filled me up again: anxiety, fear, joy, sadness – all of it began to overflow and consume my whole existence.  Incomprehensible visions flashed through my mind, the city faded around me and the same blinding light followed.  The abrupt change from light to nothingness came as no surprise to me because I had thought that I would be brought back to that darkness yet again.  I knew that It would come no matter what so I decided not to walk forward.  Surely enough It appeared out the nothingness that was all around.

            "One…" It said, and then paused implying for me to say something.

            "Of all the things I do not understand yet, what bothers me is still who you are."

            "So you've begun to understand a few things, then…?"

            "I'm only beginning to grasp—" I realized It was changing the subject, "never mind that!  Who are you?"

            "There is no description that is valid.  Consider this: 'an existence that does not exist outside of this realm of nothingness because it is one with it.  But even here, it does not 'exist.'  Can you understand this?"

            I gave it some thought and replied, "If you do not exist, how is it that I am talking to you now?"

            "No description will ever be completely true.  Existence yet non-existence, being yet not being."

            "What shall I call you then?" I asked, trying to make things simpler.

            "Ah, what term can you give something that is not?  Is there such a term?"

            I stood silently, realizing that I would never get an answer.  "That girl, Jasmine… how is her heart so connected to that boy's?"

            "Emotions, One.  Her emotions toward Aladdin created an unbreakable bond between them.  The boy in turn also feels the same as she does, and thus was their bond made ever stronger.  This emotion is called 'love.'"

            "This 'love' can create bonds between two entities?"

            "The bond is only between their hearts, One.  You see, every existence has three parts to it: a mind, a heart and a body.  All existences have this, even you."

            "… How is it that you understand so much?" I asked.

            "Time reveals everything, even untold wisdom.  Now you must go again, One.  Remember what I've told you, One."

            And on to another world I went.  The light flashed once again and I was endlessly falling to another world.  I continued to ponder the shadow's words about existence.  I wondered if the Heartless were 'existences' too or if we really were that different.  But my adaptation started again and it stopped my trail of thought.  This time, my helmet became a turban and my pike became a scimitar.  My armor turned to cloth and my flippers became long boots.  I felt that strange urge undeniably growing inside me and the thoughts it brought were becoming stronger and stronger.  The part of me that wanted to be different, that wanted me to be unique, was beginning to take over me and I knew it wouldn't be long before it did.