Here we go.
In the four days since that 'night', the Heartless had not let up. Every single island around them had been blanketed in a sea of writing shadows, hungry yellow eyes peering down at them. Robin had taken to condensing his aura— Grima's aura— tightly around them to keep any of the creatures from daring to approach. Keeping them safe like this brought about its own problems, however.
While Grima himself had not made himself known since knocking her unconscious with his sheer presence, now that she had a reference Aqua could feel his trace in every arcane gesture Robin made. The cold, proud energy gathering around his arms as he prepared to clear a landing zone on new islands; the moment's composure he took to reinforce his aura. It made her sick.
As a being of Light, the two fold attack of Darkness brought about increasingly worsening ailments. Headaches, aches, hallucinations; Light filtered Cures from Robin— a newly acquired ability— helped keep the worst at bay, but only that. Her pace was severely hampered by the 'dark poisoning'.
"We can't keep doing this, Robin," she murmured, a wave of nausea hitting her as they approached the edge of another island. Seconds later, the dull roar of one of Robin's siege spells did much the same, a giant conflagration that mimicked a spurt of magma-turned-lava clearing a landing point.
"I know, Aqua. We're almost through, though. I can feel it."
A muted warmth wrapped around her waist. Aqua pressed against the source, though part of her mind recoiled at the action. Weightlessness took hold over her. Aqua shut her eyes. To keep them open would mean facing the endless abyss of floating islands— above them, below them, curling towards them and away from them. The absurdity of it all brought piercing pains to her mind, compounding with the taint of Grima. A moment later, gravity returned, consciousness leaving with it.
. . .
Aqua's eyes fluttered partially open, the ground little more than a blur of greens and browns. "You don't have to do this, Ven," she slurred. Each step through the grass of Land of Departure was half dragged, the boy who had come into her life supporting her as best he could. "I can— I can make it back to my room on my own."
"There's nothing wrong with some help, Aqua," Ven told her.
Aqua closed her eyes, a pain in her head demanding they be shut. "Look at you, growing up…"
. . .
A dull heat warmed her front. Strong arms supported her legs, and a slightly hunched back kept her from slipping off. She'd done it again. Far too excited in a new spell, she'd exhausted her mana and had passed out in the training fields. For not the first time, and certainly not the last, she was being carried back to the castle piggy back. "Thank you, Terra," she whispered.
"Just rest for now, Aqua."
"Okay…"
. . .
"...there was this one time that a festival was being thrown. We were lucky enough to have arrived a day ahead of schedule, which meant we were able to relax. Everybody really enjoyed it. Plus, the fireworks they had at the end of the final night were really amazing. I wish you could've seen it. Magic can replicate it a little, but the 'boom' isn't quite the same."
Aqua smiled tiredly, listening to Mickey regale her with tales of adventures and celebrations.
. . .
The dull roar of echoing sounds, footsteps and crumbling terrain from an endless beyond, roused her from her slumber. For several moments, Aqua simply lay there and breathed. Endless darkness above her. Endless darkness on the horizon. Here and there, ethereal purples and blues glowed in the distance.
They were back in the true Realm of Darkness.
Aqua rolled to the other side. Sitting there, calm and peaceful, in a meditative position that she had long since grown used to waking up to, was Robin.
No aura weighed down on her. A deep breath didn't feel hindered. No pain bounced around her head. Her emotions and sensations were as muted as ever, but for once, Aqua felt normal.
When dreams once again returned to her, rather than the tortuous nightmares of her failings that she could recall every night, she was blessed with fantastical manipulations of the elements. -za class spells were thrown around with the ease of a child's ball. Sparkles of glistening ice, magnificent flares of fire, flashes of lighting, huge explosions of water— each and every one flowed through the air, dancing for her amusement.
Every so often one of the elements would lurch at her command, clearing away islands of Heartless with the ease of a harvest under a farmer's scythe.
Through it all, hidden underneath her giddy peals of laughter, the deep, dulcet chuckles of Grima quietly echoed around her, urging her to bring forth more and more power and to evolve past the fourth tiers of grand magic and into the realm of unique, custom spells.
Aqua never felt more proud of herself.
When Aqua next awoke, it was once more to the dull roar of the echoes bouncing around the Dark Realm. The equivalent of wind blowing through a cave, after spending so long in that nexus of Darkness, simply having nothing around her felt surreal.
As usual, she had several minutes to herself before Robin left this meditative trance, time she spent marveling in the sheer fact of her existence. It was once they started moving again that they started talking about each other's lives. From Aqua, she began regalling her time training under Master Eraqus, stopping at Terra's arrival (and subsequent rivalry). For the longest time they never managed to get along; it was only when they had a particularly vicious, unsupervised spar that they started the process of becoming friends.
Robin, on the other hand, stated that he had trouble remembering his time before arriving in the realm of darkness. There was a group of people he travelled with, 'Shepherds', but no names came to mind. Designations were easy though. There was a prince and princess he became fast friends with. A steward slash butler that didn't trust him for the longest time. A brief moment of thought later, there was also a red knight and an archer that was the ruler of some foreign kingdom across the seas.
By the time day one hundred and twenty rolled around, Aqua was starting to talk about the arrival of Ventus, and Robin started to recall names. Chrom, Lissa, Frederick, Sully, Virion; all of them respective to the order he introduced the Shepherds leading into his arrival at the capital of Ylisse. There was also somebody named Lucina, though Robin swore she was both a young woman and a small child. When the man mentioned being her godfather and that he fought alongside her from time to time, they decided to stick to the idea of her being an adult, regardless of what Robin's scattered but slowly returning memories said.
Several days later, she stopped needing the Cure. The lethargy she was feeling had also miraculously disappeared, and though it was of some concern she felt needed more attention than a 'that's weird', the fact that they could finally move at a quicker pace was much more important. As a result, Robin was finally able to keep his aura extended continually, guaranteeing a level of safety. But with each waking period, the eyes staring at them, waiting for a misstep to happen, grew more and more. And if it wasn't a misstep, then it would be either one of the massive, humanoid shadows with the heart shaped cavities or a giant beast that broke through, eager for the tasty meal that was the Dark Vessel of Robin or the Light Delicacy that was Aqua.
His words, not hers.
Day one hundred and fifty since they first met. Though the crowd of watchers grew more and more, their observers were limited to whatever passed for terrain. Robin promised that they would get no closer, and at his behest, they began sparring against each other with low to mid tier spells. It was an enjoyable change of pace, and Aqua found herself thankful for the suggestion. She was once again able to lose herself in the sensation of magic flowing through her body for the sake of flowing through her body, rather than having to deal with the fears and worries of a Heartless acquiring a meal. It was also necessary training, for the both of them.
Robin was optimistic that one day they would get out of here, and when that happened he needed to be able to cast regular, common magic instead of the mass manipulation he was able to bring to bear thanks to being surrounded by darkness.
For Aqua, the daily casting pushed her well of mana to the point where she was able to cast -ga level spells without needing to chug an ether afterwards. The development did spark an interesting discussion, one that Aqua was scared to find the answer to. In this Realm of Darkness, where hunger didn't exist beyond a deep seated longing for 'something', what was causing her mana pool to grow? Was she like Robin on an exponentially smaller scale? Filtering out the toxic parts of their surroundings into something usable? Or would her growth result in a problem that would only manifest when they arrived on the other side? It was a quickly shelved topic, one that Aqua could tell Robin refused to stop thinking about.
Day two hundred. The two of them were able to cast their spells in different forms now. Some forms were difficult (especially when specific amounts of precision were involved), but having the variations meant they wouldn't have much problem should they come across element specific creatures; something they had yet to come across (again) but Aqua swore was a thing.
Robin also made a breakthrough in his memories. After the war with Plegia (a country of dark magic users) and Ylisse (a kingdom stated to have been blessed by the holy/light god), another war had broken out some years after. This one involved the kingdom of Valm, though it soon expanded by way of conquest to eventually encompass nearly the entire continent.
In that span of time, several people of the Shepherds (each of them unique and special enough to have deserved their own fables throughout history) married and bore children. These children were left behind in Ylisse, along with a handful of the Shepherds who were either expecting themselves or had grown tired of war, if not incapable of battle entirely.
For her part, Aqua began talking about her efforts in chasing after Terra (and later Ven). Robin took the idea of other worlds extremely well. According to him, on his world there was a way to access them via an island to the south of the Ylisse. He hadn't gone through the gate many times, but they were enough to have been enlightening experiences, even if he couldn't remember what he found on the other side.
When Aqua eventually began talking about Vanitas, Robin took an unnerving interest in Ven's dark half. He explained it as 'knowing your enemy', and despite her insistence that the malignant entity was dealt with, claimed that history could only be learned from. Somewhere down the road they might come across somebody or something with similar abilities. Having a baseline to work from would make their survival easier if necessary. If he noticed any similarities between himself and Vanitas, similarities that Aqua thought were grower smaller every day, he never mentioned them.
Day two twenty four. To supplement their practice against each other, Robin started pulling back his aura to allow Heartless to approach them. After a particularly nasty battle that involved liberal usage of their close range, shrapnel blast spell variant (magic spreading out in a wide but close range, like the tendrils of standard lightning magic) Aqua began lamenting the lack of a sword, forgetting to censor herself and accidentally referring to it as a keyblade. Robin admitted that he himself was trained in swordplay, but was far more comfortable using a bow and arrow. The combination of magic and archery didn't really make for the most versatile thing however, and so it was rare when he was able to break out the physical range.
Two days later, the two made simple swords made out of ice. Aqua was extremely out of touch with a blade, while Robin was disturbingly adept. As smoothly as he moved, she couldn't help but suspect that the man went hunting on his own when she fell asleep. If not that, then he had already been practicing swordplay in private. Part of her felt honored that the man was going to such lengths to ensure her safety. Another part (one that she felt slightly disgusted with) suggested that it was proof of something insidious.
/ - /
Day four hundred and twenty seven. Their weapons were no Keyblades (or in the case of Robin, a Levin Sword) but they brought a much needed source of pride to their battles. The carefully controlled elements that made up their blades (normally ice) offered a level of utility that their magic by itself simply couldn't, letting them conserve their mana for when they truly needed it. Along with that, as much as it pained her to admit it, Aqua brought much more to the table as a front liner than she did as a mage, regardless of her ability to now use focusless -za spells.
Robin proved himself to be a scary tactician, even if he only directed one other person. Aqua found herself implicitly trusting the man with her life, fearlessly stepping into any opening he created or found. Except for the occasional hoard that came across them, the mass elemental manipulation from their earlier days were nowhere to be found, a promise for the day they finally escaped to the Realm of Light. Despite the lowered firepower though, they came out of all their battles with nary a scrape, the HP orbs only serving to extend her waking periods rather than healing wounds.
On several occasions though, Aqua found herself being more aggressive and brutal than she normally was, but Robin, with his steady mind and voice of reason, was always there to pull her back. After a period of meditation, Aqua realized that the Realm of Darkness was starting to affect her yet again. The last time she needed even an Esuna from Robin to recover from his aura seemed like forever ago, and the realization worried her.
Day three hundred and forty-four. Robin was starting to mess with Darkness while she slept. Having spent so long in his presence, she'd become fine tuned to his magical energies and could feel the fluctuations of his spell casting even in her sleep. She was sure exactly what he was doing, but the fluctuations of his spellcasting were calming to her all the same. In equal parts she trusted that whatever it was it was for their survival, and ashamedly listened to the whispers in her mind that suggested he was finally showing his true colors.
Day four hundred fifty two. It was bound to happen at some point; that it happened so late after their first meeting was surprising. Aqua was feeling particularly happy that day (an emotion she was both elated to feel and worried as to where it had come from) and managed to fire out a sphere of Light meant to explode into shards on impact. She'd misjudged how much power she put into it though, and a significant portion of the blowback managed to hit Robin. The man didn't react much at first, but when the fighting ended he immediately asked her to keep watch while he meditated.
It took a Cura that did more harm than good before he finally admitted what happened.
Spending so much time down here, Robin's own essence had shifted. It was safe to say that he was officially more Dark than Light. It didn't help that the beautiful coat he also wore (lined with more enchantments than Aqua could dream about) was now aligned with Darkness and the other elements, leaving him especially vulnerable to Light.
When the man was finally able to breathe without feeling like something was crushing his lungs, Robin explained that his coat was currently based off the stories of Vanitas' Dark Suit. A protection against the Darkness, woven together with his own understanding of the Realm as well as several custom made Hexes (a specific type of spell from Robin's world). It explained the fluctuations in magical energy she'd been feeling over the past few weeks, and Aqua was relieved (and shamefully horrified) to know the reason.
Day five hundred seventy seven. Once again, Robin was starting to mess around with something when Aqua went to sleep. She asked him what he was doing, but he only raised a finger to his lips and said he'll tell her when it's ready.
Day six hundred and thirty three. Nearly every single major event in their lives had been shared, and the two had taken to sharing the little things about their lives. Robin with his various (mis)adventures with the members of the Shepherds, Aqua about the happy days with Terra, Ven, and Master Eraqus.
She wasn't sure how to feel about Robin anymore. Sometimes she felt as if so long as he was around, her own personal protector, staying in the Realm of Darkness wouldn't be so bad. Other times, all she could think about, nay, obsess, is getting back to the Realm of Light so that she can be there to wake Ven.
Day six eighty two. Something went wrong, somewhere. Heartless assaulted them for far longer than ever. They each burned through all of the supplies they had painstakingly gathered over the dozens of waking cycles, and even then they both laid on the ground exhausted. She wasn't too sure if Robin was actually exhausted or if he was just playing along, but she felt relieved that the essential god or avatar of Darkness could remember enough about being human to feign exhaustion.
"You know I can open Dark Corridors?" he breathed out. "I'm not sure where they lead, but I always open them with 'someplace safe, someplace with other humans, someplace with a bed'."
It took Aqua several moments to process what the white haired tactician said before she could respond. "In case you forgot, we're still dwellers of Light. If we go through those, our chances of making it out are slim."
"If I put my hood on, my coat protects me fully. It's a true Dark Suit replica now." Robin sat up, and she did the same, though a bit more sluggishly.
"Don't tell me that's why you've had me take point these past couple cycles. You're not still mad about that are you? That was forever ago!" The humor felt muted compared to her memories, but in this world of endless Darkness, it was a wonderful reprieve.
Robin laughed. "I'm a tactician, Aqua. My job is best done at the rear or the middle. Up front I can't get the whole picture. And no, I'm not mad about that Holy. Accidents happen. At least now we know to use potions to heal me rather than a Cure."
Aqua fell back down and curled up. These small banters were what helped her keep going, even if in the back of her mind a slowly quieting whisper urged her to keep her guard up. "I'm exhausted. Can you extend your Aura so I can nap?" The hairs on her neck raised as he did so. It's a strangely comforting feeling.
When she woke, only an open Dark Corridor greets her.
A figure that had to be Robin came back though the portal, hood pulled up. Aqua was ashamed to say that at first she thought it to be Xehanort, but when the layer of almost liquid Darkness covering the figure disappeared, the tension in her body melted away. "How did the experiment go?"
"A success and a failure. I can confirm that the Corridor goes somewhere, but it's not quite the place I was hoping for. There's people there, at least. And massive buildings made of metal and glass that might be as high as the Mila Tree's canopy." Robin gave her a conflicted look before sitting down in front of her. "I can craft a Dark Suit for you, Aqua. But to do that, I'll need to be," he frowned, "touching you. Nowhere inappropriate of course, it's just I'll need to attune it to your magical signature, and having skin to skin contact facilitates the process."
Aqua only needed a single breath before she gave her consent. The process took him long enough that she ended up falling asleep (something he said was perfectly acceptable) and when she woke, it was to the sensation of something cold and slimy (yet oh so comforting) covering her.
"There's just one last piece," Robin said from beside her, laying down so that their heads were next to each other. "I have to give you a hood or a mask, but putting it on can be a little suffocating. I wanted to wait for you to wake up before I did it, and also to ask what style you wanted."
Aqua sat up to inspect herself. The suit was fairly form fitting, with designs based around her wayfinder and the mark of mastery that was the primary adornment of her outfit dotting it. She could tell by the signature alone that its defensive level was akin to Robin's coat; it was also likely missing several things that couldn't be replicated without a few blood sacrifices but she was more than happy to go without those. "A helmet would be fine," she told him. "Do you think you could also make it a bit more 'armor' like instead of a jumpsuit though?"
"You'll probably end up taking another nap if you want me to change it."
Aqua was more than happy if it meant having something similar to her suit of armor again. This time she endeavored to stay awake to try and guide Robin as much as possible in creating her Dark suit.
Day six hundred and ninety four. Robin and Aqua were firmly used to their Dark Suits now and had been abusing her nature as a denizen of Light to attract Heartless en masse. While they were more than ready to go through the Corridor to wherever it is that Robin found, they couldn't be sure that consumables would be on the other side. It's taken them extended waking periods that consisted of almost nothing but fighting, but they finally had enough to fill their pockets with.
Day six hundred and ninety five. With nothing more than a gesture with his open hand, Robin opens a dark corridor. The two of them do nothing more than stare at it for several minutes, Robin still emitting his aura.
For the seventh time that waking period, Aqua asks if it was safe.
For the seventh time since her last slumber, Robin answers with an unhesitating yes.
"It's best if you go in first," he tells her.
Something catches in Aqua's throat. If there was ever a time to eliminate a guardian of the Light, keyblade or not, it would be at this moment. Shame and pride greet her in equal measure; one portion fully expecting to be betrayed, the other disgusted that suspicion for the man that's kept her safe for nearly two years still exists.
"Heartless are completely surrounding us. When we step through, my aura won't reach this place anymore. We already know that time doesn't work the way we're used to in here; if we're unlucky, they might come flooding through before I have a chance to close the entrance."
It made perfect sense. "Don't leave me waiting, okay? I don't know if I could handle being alone for too long." The joking smile is as true as it is forced.
"I'll be right behind you," he responds.
With one final breath, Aqua moved her left hand up her face, the magic woven into her left armguard recognizing the motion and weaving a helmet around her head, completing the near perfect replica of her old armor. The sensation of slimey coldness, comforting and disquieting, crawled over her body for a brief moment before settling into some sort of acceptance, Robin's tainted magic feeling almost alive.
The step through the corridor only takes a single pace, but leaves her all alone. Here, in this place that Robin had created, the Darkness seems to flow towards the other side, with small eddies spiraling towards her before getting swept up by the prominent flows.
Less than ten seconds pass before Robin's with her again. The flows of Darkness doesn't seem to hold his attention at all, barely worth even a single glance. The man only smiles at her before moving forward at a leisurely pace. "Ladies first," he says when they reach the other end, gesturing for her to step through with a flourish.
The other side is deafening. In the Realm of Darkness, not even the wind could be heard. It was their footsteps and breathing that accompanied them. The movements of heartless were nothing more than intruders on their lives.
But here? There are the footfalls of others. People rush past on bikes, skateboards, and shoes with wheels. There are voices not hers or Robin's. Sweet, wonderful, blessed voices that talk about things Aqua can't even hope to comprehend.
But most importantly, there is light. Buildings made of strange stones and dotted with clear windows are illuminated by the rays of a morning sun. People smile and laugh in it. Bask in it. Things that are undeniably cars, so unfamiliar yet undeniably recognizable, drive past.
The helmet disappeared from Aqua's face, retracting at her request. There is wind. There are tears.
Behind her, Robin's aura appears. Muted and held tight, but his all the same. The man rests a hand on her shoulder and kneels down beside her, a soft smile on his face. "Welcome back to the realm of Light, Aqua."