A/N: I bet after this chapter you might have a better idea on who the ghostly figure is.

Please post a review after you've read this story. Thanks a lot to those who have reviewed already.

World of Awakening

What was it that eluded his memories and fled from his heart? The ghostly figure had followed the mouse and boy for hours and still came no closer to finding out then when he had started.

This is not your place, creature of darkness.

The ghostly figure heard a voice speak to him but could only understand one word – darkness. Was that what he had lost?

Be gone! This place shall not house creatures such as you.

The creature felt a strong force shove him into a light portal which had appeared behind him. On he went through a dazzling burst of light and then he was in another world.

Meanwhile...

Mickey and Riku walked down hundreds and hundreds of stairs, slowly feeling more and more tired.

"What's the point of this?" Riku asked Mickey.

"I don't know Riku but we might as well do this than anything else. Remember the voice said that by doing this we'll save Sora's life and maybe your's as well." Mickey took a glance at Riku and noticed that his eyes were glowing bright red.

"Oh no," said Mickey.

Riku pushed Mickey off the stairs and then jumped off after him. "This way is much faster foolish king," he said.

"Xehanort, what do you want with Riku?" Mickey asked.

"Why I don't want anything from the wretched boy."

"Well then let him go!"

" No, no I can't do that. I do suppose however that I should explain some things to you. Now if Yen Sid taught you as well as he should have then you will know that I have lead two lives. One as Ansem.."

"You will never be Ansem! You are nothing but a traitor!" said Mickey.

Xehanort continued as if Mickey had said nothing. "... and one as Xehanort, second in command of the last remaining chasers."

"Chasers? So you're the one who disappeared?" Mickey asked.

"Hmm, I see Yen Sid did teach you well. I am one of two men who were exiled!"

"Who was the other?"

"His name eludes me as do many other things which I am sure I once knew. However this body appears to be doing me good – I have already begun to remember my life before I became one of Ansems disciples."

Mickey was too curious to be angry at Xehanort even though they since they were still falling through nothingness decided to ask more questions. "What are chasers? What do they do?"

"We were once the cogs turning the wheels of the universe. Before the dark wielder came. Almost none of us were left alive after he attacked. For along time after our race struggled to survive. Even though we rebuilt our cities underground nothing could bring back the lives that were lost."

"I'm sorry for you," said Mickey.

"Yeah I had only just found out about my heritage when this happened."

"At least I have learnt that you were not always full of darkness."

"Yeah well anyway we found every bit of information that there was on keyblades. No matter how many keyblade wielders we found we did not meet the dark wielder again. One phrase kept showing up where ever we went."

"What was that?"

"It all began with... birth by sleep."

"What does that mean?"

"Well I spent many years searching for the answer to that and finally three kids of all people have shown me the answer."

"What is the answer?" Mickey was growing anxious. He was a seeker of knowledge and not knowing this particular bit of information about something he held so dear to his heart made him anxious to find the answer.

"The answer is here king. This is the place which keyblade wielders go to when to bond with their keyblades. This is where the dark wielder first bonded with his. Because of that bond only certain people can wield keyblades and after the bonding, only they are able to wield it until the day of their death."

"Well if that's true then how come Riku was able to wield Sora's keyblade? And Riku was also able to deliver Kairis keyblade?"

"I'm glad you asked. Riku can wield them because he is being of Twilight just like you. Beings of Twilight are the exception to the rule."

"Oh, I see." Mickeys lust for knowledge was wearing off and he started to think normally again. "Even though you seem like you're a good person now I must ask you to leave Riku's body."

"Foolish king. If only you knew. I was exiled from my planet because I was the only one who had not strayed from our original purpose, to destroy the dark wielder. I began to lose my memories and the very thought of losing the knowledge I had gained from my race terrified me. So much so that I immersed myself in darkness in order to keep those memories. He thought I was just a fast learner but he was wrong. Memories that slept deep within my heart were awakened as I heard of those same things. Slowly I became as wise as I had been but the darkness I had immersed myself in came back to haunt me. That is how I came to be the man you knew as Xehanort. Now that I have been almost completely restored I need to redeem myself and destroy this dark wielder."

"I understand and I'll do what I can for you," said Mickey. "But if you don't leave Rikus body then I will be forced to fight you."

"So fight me then because I will not leave this body until my task is done!"

Mickey pulled out his keyblade and leapt at Xehanort.