HotXbun: This story comes from a suggestion from Truself and will focus on Master Eraqus.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. Square Enix and Disney do.

Chapter 8 The Wise Master

Master Eraqus' POV

When I was a teenager, I was picked by a Keyblade Master to be their apprentice.

I was trained alongside a boy my age named Xehanort. We became the best of friends.

Many times in our free time we would play chess and tell each other stories.

Xehanort's favourite one was that of the ancient Keyblade war.

He talked about it all the time. Even became a bit obsessed about it. I was concerned, but decided to just ignore it.

Thinking back now, I shouldn't have.

Eventually I passed my Mark of Mastery exam and with this I was put in charge of the Land of Departure.

Xehanort left to travel different worlds and I stayed in the Land of Departure.

Years passed and one day Xehanort came to visit me.

"So", I started. "Tell me my friend. What have you been up to for all these years?"

"I've been traveling to many different worlds", Xehanort revealed. "And there is one thing I have realised."

"And what is that", I asked.

"That there is far too much light in the universe", Xehanort replied. "There needs to be more darkness."

"I don't see it that way", I revealed. "I think that the balance between light and darkness is just right."

"That is where you are wrong my friend", Xehanort stated. "That is why something must be done."

"And what is that", I asked.

"I have a plan", Xehanort revealed. "I plan on...forging the X-Blade."

Upon hearing this...I looked at Xehanort in shock.

"What", I asked. "Are you out of your mind Xehanort?! Do you forget that the Keyblade War was over the X-Blade?! Don't you remember how many lives were lost?! How many of those the lives of children?!"

"Perhaps another war is what is needed", Xehanort stated. "Do you forget that Scala Ad Caelum is built over Daybreak Town? Open your eyes! Sometimes beautiful things come from pain and sorrow."

"That may be true", I stated. "But that doesn't mean that you should purposely start a war Xehanort! I will not let you go through with this!"

With that I summoned my Keyblade...and Xehanort summoned his.

The battle ended with me scarred...and a friendship broken.

After this I took in two apprentices. A girl named Aqua and a boy named Terra.

Both were very kind and had strong hearts. However, Terra had darkness in him. And this could be a problem if he did not learn how to control it.

Years passed and Xehanort returned to The Land of Departure, this time with a boy named Ventus. This boy had no memories of his past.

Xehanort apologised for what he had done and asked for forgiveness. I gave it to him, because I believed that he truly had changed.

How wrong I was.

Xehanort asked if I could train Ventus and I did.

Four years passed and it was time for Aqua and Terra to take their Mark of Mastery exam.

Aqua passed, but Terra failed. He had not been able to control the darkness within him, and would not be able to become a Keyblade Master until he did.

Afterwards Terra, Aqua and Ventus all left for their own reasons.

When Ventus returned, he demanded to know more about the X-Blade.

I realised that Xehanort had planned on using him to forge it. And if my moment of weakness...I tried to kill him.

Terra came and sent Ventus away.

I saw that he was using the darkness within him, and in another moment of weakness...tried to kill him as while.

This was a battle I lost.

For years my heart remained in Terra's, until the moment where Xehanort was finally defeated for good.

We made up and together...rose to Kingdom Hearts.

Now I could rest, knowing that my apprentices were going to be okay.

HotXbun: (tackles guy with onions) Your reign of ternary are over!

Guy with Onions: Not until this story is over it isn't (gets up and runs away).

HotXbun: Curse it! He got away!

Challenge: Tell me if I will ever catch the onion bandit.

My Answer: Who knows. He's a slippery one.