"You're up early, Ahllixe." Xehanort said as he approached the young Nobody.
"Yeah... I couldn't sleep last night." Ahllixe said quietly, keeping her eyes to the ground.
"I understand what happened yesterday was hard for you. Vanitas will receive the proper discipline."
"It's... it's okay..." Ahllixe said. "Thank you... for warning me about him."
"Perhaps he just needs some time to sort out that jumbled mind of his. Let's begin today's lesson."
Ahllixe wished he would say the same thing to her. Her mind ached with the events of the previous day. She thought Vanitas was finally warming up to the idea of her, but she learned the hard way of how wrong she was. The hurt in her developing heart had grown worse. She wanted to be alone and cry the pain away. She remembered the advice Vanitas gave her before about her emotions: lock them away and they won't bother her. She tried her best to do that, but her emotions refuse to be kept back; in fact they seemed to burst out more violently if she tried.
As she thought more on it, her pain turned into anger.
Who cares about Vanitas? He's just a big jerk. I hope I never have to see his hidden face again. I hate him.
Xehanort summoned a corridor of darkness, and Ahllixe hurried inside. She walked out the other end and gasped at the sight she saw. A harsh wind whipped speckles of dirt into her face, and Ahllixe covered her eyes until it died down to a small breeze. Ahllixe walked towards the greatest feature in the land: hundreds upon thousands of strange weapons wedged into the ground. Ahllixe reached out and touched the handle of a rusting weapon, and she shuddered and pulled her hand back. All of them had a similar key-shaped structure.
"What is this place?" Ahllixe said.
"A historical landmark." Xehanort said, emerging from the corridor of darkness. He paused a moment to scan the lifeless Keyblades. "I have taught you many things, Ahllixe. You have blossomed wonderfully in that knowledge. Now, it is time for you to know about the ultimate truth..."
"Ultimate truth? And what would that be?"
Xehanort finally stopped his eyes on Ahllixe, and he smiled. "Kingdom Hearts."
At the mention of the name, a sharp pang shot through Ahllixe's head, and she winced and clutched the side of her head.
"Kingdom... Hearts..." Ahllixe said, pausing after each word as more pain hit her. "What is that?"
Seeing her reaction made Xehanort's smile widen. "The heart of all worlds. A great source of power and wisdom. The heart of anything and everything that has ever existed. Kingdom Hearts is the source of all light. Long ago, the worlds were comprised of one, showered underneath the eternal light of Kingdom Hearts. Peace reigned in the world under the loving light. However, no light can exist without its counterpart, and darkness was born in everyone's hearts. They craved the light so much that people began to fight over who could rightfully possess it. A catastrophic event took place: the Keyblade War."
"Kingdom Hearts..." Ahllixe said, slightly entranced.
"Yes, yes... Keep up with me, Ahllixe." Xehanort said. Ahllixe narrowed her eyes back on Xehanort.
"Sorry... So, the Keyblade War started because people wanted Kingdom Hearts?"
"Yes. Very good." Xehanort said. He gestured his hand to the graveyard of weapons. "These lifeless Keyblades are the result of the War. Keyblade-bearing warriors flocked here from each and every world to battle for the light within Kingdom Hearts. Countless of them gave up their lives, all in search of one ultimate key..."
"Ultimate key? So whoever wields that key possesses Kingdom Hearts? Does it belong to someone?"
"Many intriguing questions. I have come to believe that yes, the power Kingdom Hearts contains does belong to a single person."
"And... that person is...?"
Xehanort deliberately ignored the question. He lifted his hand, and a cluster of dark sparks ignited around his fingers. He closed his hand around the sparks, and a Keyblade appeared. Ahllixe gasped and took a half-step back.
"You can wield a Keyblade, too?" she said, eyeing the Keyblade with great intrigue.
"Indeed." Xehanort said. "The Keyblade: a mysterious, yet powerful weapon capable of unlocking any link, any door, any heart. Stronghearted people, whether powerful in the light or in the darkness, can qualify to wield a Keyblade."
"So... which one are you?" Ahllixe said, avoiding Xehanort's eyes.
"I am not one who turns my back on the darkness. After all, light begets darkness, and darkness is drawn to light. Darkness is not something to fear, but embrace. Those who master the darkness can conquer anything. An old friend of mine bathed himself in the light and shunned anything that he assumed had a morsel of darkness inside it. Such foolishness came at a terrible price. He failed to learn that darkness cannot be destroyed; it can only be channeled." Xehanort said. He looked at Ahllixe. "You're not afraid of the darkness, are you?"
Ahllixe snapped her head up and straightened her posture. "Of course not! The darkness is exciting! The Realm of Darkness my home; there's nowhere else I'd rather be."
Xehanort nodded. "I'm glad you think that, Ahllixe. My granddaughter was one to cling to the light. The innocence of a child's mind clouds their judgment, and they cannot comprehend things such as the darkness. But you, Ahllixe, are different than most children."
A small, hopeful smile spread across Ahllixe's lips. "You mean... different from Hallie, right? Because that's exactly what I am! I'm nothing like her at all!"
Xehanort smiled. "I'm starting to believe that..."
Xehanort turned away, and Ahllixe's smile faded. His tone didn't mean the same thing. Does he still see me as... No, I shouldn't doubt the Master; his wisdom is good.
"This place is... so interesting..." Ahllixe said, walking up to the field of rusted Keyblades. She turned around, her eyes shimmering with excitement. "Can I wield a Keyblade?"
Xehanort chuckled and summoned a corridor of darkness. "That will be for another lesson. You are not quite ready yet for the next step in your training."
"The next step?" Ahllixe said. "What's that?"
Xehanort only smiled and gestured to the corridor of darkness. Ahllixe pouted with an eye roll and walked into the corridor of darkness.