Chapter Twenty One: Breathe

Focus on what he could do now. That had been the advice that helped ground Ventus during the past week. Fighting the heartless got him closer to the fort. Closer to answers. Even if those answers had started to sound more and more ominous. Even so, less heartless meant that people were safe. And Merlin's help in coordinating the protection of the Princesses of heart made things easier. So his second trip in the Gummi ship was less anxious than last time.

Still, not all of his concerns were gone. Once again he held his wayfinder in his hands, stars in the Gummi Ship's windows glittering on its surface. He still had those strange nightmares of seeing Aqua in darkness. Though he never really remembered any words. Still, he hadn't seen Vanitas since that first dream. And his sleep hadn't suffered too much either. Every time, a light came to him in the dark, helped guide him towards rest.

But still. That first nightmare still lingered in the back of his mind. Aqua lost in the dark, the weight of that dark world bearing on her. And Terra? He had barely a clue on him. He could only hope that whatever happened, Terra was still himself.

"We'll find them," Naminé's voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked towards her as she gazed at the wayfinder in his hands, "I know you've been through a lot just to try and see them again. And it must be difficult to leave when we're so close."

He gave a half smile at her words, "Not a whole lot I can really do. Just hope that our missions go well now."

"I know we can do it," Naminé said with a firm nod as she looked in his eyes, "We've already done so much to bring back Hollow Bastion with fighting the heartless. And we've managed to survive before. After our practice, we could stand a chance against her."

Ventus' smile became a bit more confident after the reminder, "It's been busy this last week, but It's amazing how far we've come." True, he wasn't quite at peak performance. But with the patrols against the heartless, he had gathered a few of his old tricks.

Yuffie chuckled from the pilot's seat, "Glad to see you two doing better. Looks like getting everything out really helped with that."

"Well, you've given us help too Yuffie," Naminé turned to her, "And not just standing with us after our story. piloting the ship, watching our backs in our fights, giving me tips with my training..."

Yuffie shrugged as Naminé listed off the ways she helped, "Well, the credit is nice and all. But really, talking about the past like that can get a little rough. I mean...we've all got our stories..."

Ventus tilted his head in curiosity, "What? Is something wrong?"

Because the tone of voice there definitely suggested that Yuffie had an unhappy story of her own.

"Wrong? Well…" Yuffie turned the seat to look at the two of them, a rare frown on her face as she crossed her arms. But the ship rocked, as the path from the lanes between ended, leaving them above the Dwarf Woodlands. "Ah! We're here!" Yuffie turned back to the controls, frantically ensuring the ship landed safely.

"Another time?" Ventus ventured as he made sure the seat belt was fastened.

"Yeah. I think I owe you that sometime. Now! I need to focus on not flying into trees!" The gummi ship swerved as she pulled away from the rapidly approaching forest.

Ventus looked out the window. The decade he had been gone had done little to change the world. The mountain stood as sturdy as ever. While the forests were still thick with vegetation. He began to think back on their instructions, "Merlin said the queen had the Mirror. But I don't think I ever met them."

"Maybe she's in that castle over there?" Naminé pointed to the edge of the forest, where a more imposing building of stone sat. Though Ventus wasn't sure how he had missed it the first time he visited.

"As good a place as any!" And with that, Yuffie flew the ship across the trees, coming to a stop at the cleared road to the castle.

As the ship came to a stop, the team began to run headlong across the path to the castle. For the moment, the only distraction was the field of flowers along the way. But as they approached, that foliage slowly vanished to a simple lawn. And by the time they actually saw the castle up close, the scenery around it was almost barren.

Much like the castle itself. Unlike Maleficent's fortress, there were no guards watching the gate. Not that there was much of a gate left, with the bottom of it torn to the ground. Roxas furrowed his brow as he summoned his keyblade, "Do you think we're too late?"

Yuffie crouched down to look at the gate, then shook her head, "No. This damage is too old. There's been some rust here where it was taken apart." She pointed to the reddish end of the decaying metal. "So Maleficent didn't do this recently."

"What about heartless?" Naminé asked as she looked into the courtyard. "Do you think they might still be here?"

The bucket by the well rattled as a soldier began to climb out the well. Only for a fireball from Ven's keyblade to send it tumbling back in. "Yeah. They're probably around. We should check the basement where it probably landed."

Running towards the one doorway in the castle walls leading down, Ventus, Naminé, and Yuffie made their way to the basement. Eyes open for any other hiding heartless in the depths of the castle. Banners and armor were scattered on the ground. Still no trace of anyone. Ventus shook his head at the destruction. Really. It was hard to get a bead on anything with all this black—

He came to a stop. Tensed as he saw it.

"Ventus?"

A black cloak. A bit further ahead! The Organization? Maleficent? Were they here?

"What is it?"

But a second after Naminé's question, he shook his head. No. He couldn't get distracted. Right now, finding the mirror was more important. Especially if the Organization was looking for it too. It wouldn't be that surprising. But for now, chasing after them wouldn't give them much in the way of clues. So he answered, "It's nothing. Let's keep looking for a way further down."

"Like this trap door?" They turned at Yuffie's confident voice, as she tapped a part of the floor with her foot. A noticeably wooden part of the floor

"Yes, I believe that would work." Naminé smiled as they opened the path down and continued exploring.

Erxart let out a breath as the keyblade wielders below went further down into the dungeons. Roxas barely stepped back from the balcony in time. But fortunately, the other guests in the castle didn't seem to care.

Not that Roxas seemed pleased as he crossed his arms. "Are you sure we can't go after them?"

Erxart shook his head, "Remember, Roxas. We are here to try and eliminate Maleficent. The artifact here gives us a chance to draw her out."

"Though we don't seem to be having any luck on that front." Axel spoke from the shadows as he walked towards the two of them, "We haven't even seen any heartless she's left behind."

"Or even that mirror you said she'd be looking for," Larxene muttered as she leaned on the stone hallways, "Are you even sure you remember it right?"

Erxart nodded firmly, "Positive. Round, large enough for a person, and the wall around it has the symbols representing certain constellations."

Axel shook his head, "Though that last bit doesn't help us if it was moved."

Roxas' brow furrowed, "There's barely any heartless here. You sure they didn't beat us to it?"

A small rumble echoed in the dungeon wall, and Axel perked up. "You hear that?" There was another rumble, louder now.

"That's...footsteps?" Roxas peered towards the path leading upwards, to where the sound was growing louder and louder. As well as something else. It was indistinct at first. But as the dark robed shape rounded the corner with glowing yellow eyes, it's cackling voice was clear. "A witch? Is that Maleficent?"

"No." Erxart answered immediately, "That's not her. I don't remember a lot from my past. But I do know we've met. From the darkness pouring off it, I'd say that's a heartless." They watched as it made its way to the trap door. And simply burst on through. But as it shifted through the passage, it became clear to the four that the heartless was carrying something.

A rather large, round something.

"The mirror!" Roxas pointed out as it vanished into the depths.

"And Maleficent's probably close behind!" Erxart shouted as he vaulted the balcony railing and leaped down below.

"Well we're eager, aren't we?" Larxene chuckled as she jumped beside him.

"I remember enough about Maleficent to know we've got a score to settle!" Erxart called out as he chased after the heartless into the depths of the castle."

"Looks like they've got things handled from here," Axel watched the two depart from the balcony and turned to Roxas, "So what's our—"

And then stopped, as he saw Roxas climbing up the railing, a steely look in his eyes, "We're taking care of the Heartless, and I'm getting some answers."

Axel blinked in bewilderment at the forceful statement, "Answers? What answers?"

"I want to know why Ventus has got my face," Roxas answered as he dropped below. Axel simply shrugged and followed after him.

Watching the figures in black pursue the massive heartless from the passageway, Maleficent chuckled, "Good things come to she who waits. And if the queen's heartless can handle my opposition for me, all the better."

Then she stopped, looking at the heartless soldier that stared at her with curiosity. Maleficent raised an eyebrow, "Looking for your friends?" With a gesture, she opened a dark portal,"Come here, shadow. For I shall have use of you yet some day." Eagerly, the creature leapt on through.

Flights upon flights of stairs that lead further down. Honestly, Ventus had to wonder how much trouble whoever made this castle had to go through for this. At the very least, the torches were still usable, with Yuffie carrying a re-lit one from the wall to light the path forward. And providing what meager heat was possible as the dungeon became colder and colder.

Naminé pulled her jacket closer to herself as she began to shiver, "Do you suppose we're getting any closer. This place is as cold as death…"

Ventus squinted his eyes as he looked ahead, trying to focus in the torchlit passage. But finally, there was a doorway. "I think we've got it!" He sprinted ahead at the sight, Naminé and Yuffie following after him.

"Please let there be something we can use to warm up!" Yuffie pleaded as they ran through the door and pulled it open. Though as they looked inside, they saw very little in the way of a fireplace. Only stacks upon stacks of books, besides flasks and vials of a dark palette of liquids. Cobwebs and dust were everywhere in the workshop, the only place relatively clean was the barred window that seemed to look out into a darker view of the countryside.

"Doesn't look like there's a fireplace." Naminé sighed as she walked inside the room. She looked over the bookshelves, "And I don't know about burning these books for warmth. There might be a clue in them."

"I'm not sure we've got a whole lot of time." Ventus shook his head as he looked over the various magical artifacts strewn about, "Maybe if we're lucky, the mirror might just be here.

There was a rumble, and Yuffie perked up, "Did you hear that?"

Naminé put a hand to her sword as she looked around, "You think it's Heartless?" As there was another louder rumble with a footstep, she drew her weapon. Wheeling towards the hallway the sound echoed from.

Ventus got close to them and summoned his keyblade. "Looks like we'll need to fight our way out!" The rumbling became footsteps. And as the steps grew louder and louder, so did an echoing cackle. The darkness they came from seemed to hide what was coming in the hallway well. But it stopped as it stepped in the range of Yuffie's torch.

The hunched heartless hag glared at them, beady yellow eyes glaring from under it's cloak. A green gas seemed to leak through It's hooked nose. It moved past the door and shut it from behind. It rasped through a near toothless mouth and pointed one of it's bony hands at them. But as it shifted, it revealed what it held in its other arm.

"A mirror! That's got to be it!" Ventus shouted as the creature brought the artifact closer to its body.

"Then I guess we don't need to worry about the books!" Yuffie shouted as she gave her Fuuma Shuriken a toss, striking the heartless in the shoulder. It shrieked, and the gas flowing from its nose became much denser, filling the room.

Ventus did his best to hold his breath, but even as it trickled through his nose, he could feel the poison gas sting inside him. Naminé and Yuffie seemed to fare little better, trying desperately to cover their mouths. But glancing over at the barred window, he found a solution. He dashed over to the side of the room, aimed his keyblade just outside, and shouted "Aero!" He desperately tried to ignore the burn of the noxious fumes filling his lungs.

But it worked, as the wind outside began to pull the poison cloud out of the room. Lungs cleared, Naminé pulled out a set of her cards and sent a figment out against the witch. The creature flinched at the assault. Even more so once Ven had aimed his keyblade and shot a flame salvo to set the heartless' cloak alight.

It turned back and forth, trying desperately to keep the fire away from the mirror it clutched to. It shifted its grip on it from one hand to another. But as it was being hastily moved, Yuffie leaped forward, and kicked the bottom edge of the mirror, sending it flying from the witch's grasp.

Running towards the flying artifact, Ventus and Naminé held out their hands to catch it. Though they stumbled back as the mirror made impact, eventually the two of them steadied and stood their ground.

The heartless reached for the object it once held, while Ventus managed to smirk, "Oh, sorry? You want this? Come and get it ugly!"

The heartless' eyes widened, and it let out a deafening howl. At that moment, Ventus realized that might not have been a good thing to say.

Then it took out poison bombs from it's cloak and tossed them everywhere. Then he knew that was a bad thing to say.

Gingerly letting go of the mirror, Ventus and Naminé dodged in between the frantic volleys. With each step trying to get closer to where Yuffie was hacking away at the heartless. Yuffie rolled away as bombs fell to the creature's feet, surrounding the creature with a noxious gas.

Again, Ventus tried to use wind to clear the room. But even as his power rose to a fever pitch, it would go no further. He couldn't quite tap into the cyclone of power he once had. So for now, he held his breath as he got in close, letting a flurry of keyblade strikes rip against the creatures cloak. Naminé continued trying to bat the bombs away with her sword, whilst supporting Ventus with her figments. It made managing the poison a bit easier.

But bit by bit, the gas filled the room again. And that familiar burn in his lungs returned. It was a race against time. He tried again to summon the wind outside the window, but it just wasn't strong enough. "Ven!" Naminé coughed out as she looked at him. She held out a card for healing, and the pain became less severe. Gave him more of a chance to focus.

"We...need a way...get more air flowing!" Ventus managed to speak through the fumes. Naminé looked back to the sealed entrance, then grabbed one of her cards. In a flash, a figment charged forward and bashed a sizable hole in the wood. Once again he cast wind outside the window, and with more freely flowing air, finally the room cleared with the gust of wind.

With clean air in their lungs, everyone leapt onto the heartless witch as it began to thrash about.

Yuffie raking her shuriken across the creature, while Naminé set fire to it's cloak. Using the last of the energy he had from his fever pitch, he drove his keyblade into the heartless with a flash of light.

And with that flash, the creature flew back towards the mirror on the ground. With it's last ounce of strength, it reached for the artifact. Lifting itself up to gaze into it. But after it saw itself, it gave out a sigh, and finally evaporated. Leaving everyone to catch their breath in relief.

But the sound of the door creaking that relief was gone. And as they saw who stood in the doorway, they readied their weapons at the familiar sight of one of the Organization cloaks. The hooded man spoke, "You're certainly a skilled keyblade wielder. But you've still got a lot to learn."

At the voice, Ventus was stunned, his jaw hanging open before he asked, "Terra? Terra, is that you?"

The man lifted the hood, and sure enough there he was. Terra was looking back at him and Ventus couldn't believe it.

Nor could he believe what he said next.

"That's not my name."