The Road to Dawn
By Ariana Aislinn
Chapter 21: The Four Worlds

I told you this chapter would be up quickly. Many thanks to Perhelediel for doing an emergency beta-read for me!

Standard disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and its characters are the property of Square-Enix and Disney, not me.

That evening, Kairi walked hesitantly downstairs to the entry hall. On one side of the hall, a previously shut set of double doors was now wide open, inviting her to enter the large room beyond. Kairi stuck her head tentatively in the door, looking around doubtfully. This room, apparently once a banquet hall, was just as dilapidated as the rest of the mansion, if not more so. The long dining table lay collapsed on the floor, and in the middle of the debris sat a fallen chandelier. Dust covered everything, and the sunset filtered in through window panes that were grimy with age.

Off in one corner sat two high-backed chairs with faded red velvet upholstery. A small, collapsible table had been set up between them, and DiZ sat in one chair, beckoning to Kairi. On the table sat two plates, each covered with a cloth, and two crystal glasses filled with ice water.

Kairi slid into the unoccupied chair, nodding nervously in greeting to DiZ. He smiled through his bandages. "Please, make yourself at home, Kairi. Thank you for joining me this evening.

Kairi eyed him curiously out of the corner of her eye, trying not to stare too much. Such a strange man…had he really once been this world's king? Why did he wear such a strange costume? And what was with the bandages…possibly to hide an old scar from the battles Roxas had told her of?

DiZ gestured to her plate, as he removed the cloth from his own. "Please, eat. I'm afraid it is humble fare, but it is good nonetheless."

Kairi uncovered her own dinner, sniffing at a bowl of soup in fine but chipped china. It smelled of beef and vegetables, and the bread appeared to be freshly baked. There was some sort of soft, spreadable cheese, as well as a small dish of fruit salad. Kairi closed her eyes briefly, resting her arms on the table, one hand over the other, and murmured a soft blessing to herself. She then opened her eyes and picked up her spoon, tasting the soup before her. She managed a smile at DiZ. "You're right, it's quite good."

DiZ seemed to relax marginally, though it was difficult to tell behind his red mask of bandages. He took a bite of his own dinner. "So, Kairi. Is your room to your liking? I know it isn't much, but I hope you'll be comfortable for the brief time you'll be here."

"It's fine," Kairi nodded. "Um…how long will I be here?"

DiZ shrugged. "I am not precisely sure." His voice was refined, each word carefully measured and spoken with perfect diction. "While you are here, there is much you must learn, and preparations must be made before you may continue on to your next destination. Even so, it should not be very long, because although there is much to do, time does grow short."

Kairi picked at her salad a little bit, resting her cheek on one fist with her elbow propped against the table. She was a bit too preoccupied to realize her manners were not the best. "You talk as if you know exactly what I should be doing and where I should be going, but I don't see just what I can do to help."

"Ah, but I must admit that even I do not know exactly what the future holds." DiZ quirked a smile behind the bandages. Around his mouth and eyes, the bandages gapped to show his deeply tanned skin. "I do know, however, of people who can help you, and you will likely want to meet these people soon. I also have knowledge that will help you develop your magic, as Axel would like you to do."

Kairi narrowed her eyes. "I'm not sure I want to do anything Axel wants."

DiZ sighed. "I understand your reservations, but in this case I believe Axel's request is wise. I ask you to consider studying with me. It is what you want, is it not? It would give you the power to help your friends and to complete your mission…and it is power that is rightfully yours, both because of your birthright and your status as a princess of heart."

"Oh. You know about that, huh?" DiZ nodded, and Kairi sighed. "By birthright…do you mean the Seekers? My Gran was talking about them. I guess I have some Seeker heritage."

DiZ nodded. "Indeed you do…more than you likely realize. You already have some powers, though you have not learned to use them to full effect. By chance you were born as a princess of heart, and you will have to discover on your own what that means for you, and what powers and responsibilities come with it. I cannot help you there. You are also a daughter of the Seeker line, however. In this, I may be able to pass on some knowledge to help you, as I am a Seeker myself."

Kairi's eyes widened, and her spoon halted on its way to her mouth. "You are?"

The man chuckled. "Yes, indeed. Traditionally, the ruler of Twilight Town is descended from the Seekers and carries many of their skills and secrets. Some have been lost, sadly, and many are of limited use to me in my current situation…but there is likely much I can teach you. For example…Roxas said you were able to obtain three Seeker books?"

Kairi nodded, recovering slightly from her surprise. "I found an old, hidden library in Castle Oblivion. I guess the books were written by Seekers."

"A distinct possibility. I have heard that long ago, Castle Oblivion may have been built by Seekers of Wisdom, though it has been hundreds of years since their kind occupied that stronghold."

"But…oh!" Kairi covered her mouth with her hand. "What happened to the books? I had them when we came through that vortex, but then…"

DiZ chuckled again. "Worry not. You dropped them when you emerged, but I have them right here." He reached within one of the heavy, leather pouches that hung from his robes and produced a volume. "The Four Worlds. I have the other two here, as well, although I would prefer not to open them where they might be damaged by a stray bit a soup." He carefully tucked the book away again.

"But…what are they?"

"Ah. I have not had a chance to look them over in great detail, but the three you brought me are entitled The Four Worlds, The Rise of Darkness, and Paosurala. Let us first consider The Four Worlds." DiZ paused to take a few bites of his fruit salad. "You know there are many worlds besides your own, and it is possible to travel between them if one has the right tools. The barriers were partially restored, but now they are being breached once more, as holes are forming and growing, spurred on by the spread of darkness. This spread cannot be stopped until the Door to Light is opened."

Kairi nodded. "Oh. So that's why not everyone returned to their home worlds, maybe…?"

"Forgive me, I do not know all the details, but yes. That would indeed make sense. People might become trapped on different worlds, and the barriers may protect the worlds from darkness for a time, but they are being worn away. As long as there is any darkness in your universe, this cannot be prevented. Which brings us to the idea of a universe - a collection of worlds that are all tied together in some way." He smiled. "Your universe is known by its inhabitants merely as "the world," or perhaps "the present world." We of other universes call it the 'World of Heroes.'"

"World of Heroes?"

"Yes, and you shall see why. There are three more worlds, however, and two you already know of - the World of Darkness, and the World of Light. Your friend Riku was trapped in the World of Darkness for a time."

Kairi felt a pit form in her stomach, and her heart seemed to drop into it. "Riku…in the World of Darkness?" she whispered. "When did this happen?"

"Right after you were separated from your friend Sora, if I understand the story right. You must forgive me, I was only able to gather bits and pieces in Castle Oblivion, as I watched Sora make his way through the stronghold, and during my brief conversations with Riku. You need not fear; he soon broke free of that world, though it was not easy for him."

Kairi wrapped her arms around herself, shuddering. "Good. I'm glad…but then…how is Riku? Is he still…" she swallowed… "is he still…well, Riku?"

DiZ smiled. "Perhaps not as you know him, but if you mean, was he consumed by the darkness…" DiZ shook his head. "Whatever depths he had sunk to, he has begun to climb out of them. However, it will be a long, slow, difficult journey. He has made great progress, and I believe the boy you knew as a child is still there, but it will take time for that boy to return. I must leave it there, however. Riku's tale, from this point on, is really not mine to tell, it is his."

Kairi nodded slowly. "I…guess I understand. Sort of. But…well, the important thing is that Riku's okay, right?"

DiZ did not answer, merely fixed her with a benign, noncommittal look.

Kairi sighed. "Okay, so…the World of Heroes, the World of Darkness…and the World of Light?"

DiZ nodded. "Just as the World of Darkness could not be reached without opening the Door to Darkness, the World of Light must be entered through the Door to Light. It has been prophesied that only the bearer of the Keyblade can open that door - specifically, the Keyblade from your world."

"My world?"

"Yes. Just as there are four worlds, there are four Keyblades, one for each."

Kairi frowned thoughtfully, munching on a piece of bread. "So…what's the fourth world, then?"

"Ahh." DiZ smiled. "You are here now! Twilight Town is the center and capital of the Twilight World, the world that is halfway between light and dark…the shadow world. It is not just another world, it is a separate universe from yours, and although it is not so difficult to enter as the Worlds of Light and Darkness, you can see why you are relatively safe here. It takes special powers to cross into this world, and unless one can use the power of twilight, those powers must be very strong. I was able to bring you here using my power, but Darkside and his minions will not be able to follow so easily."

"So that's why you thought this would be a safe place for me, right?" DiZ nodded, and Kairi toyed with her spoon thoughtfully. "In that case, what about the Keyblades?"

"Ah, yes. You already know that Sora carries the Keyblade of your world. There is another you may not have seen, as you were separated from Sora and his friends before it was revealed. When you were carried off to the Destiny Islands, Sora and Riku were left at the End of the World, facing each other from opposite sides of the open Door to Darkness. Within the Dark Realm, King Mickey had obtained the Keyblade of that world. Only with both Keyblades were they able to seal that door and prevent the rush of darkness from engulfing everything in your world. Riku and King Mickey were trapped on one side of the door, Sora on the other, but your universe was safe once more - at least, for a time."

Kairi hung her head. "So…that's what happened." She sighed. "Nothing ever seems easy for the three of us."

"Perhaps not, but there is no reason to lose all hope. As I said, Riku was able to break free of that world, and King Mickey soon followed him. Sora was returned to a random place within your universe and had the ill fortune to land on Crossroads, the world that is home to both the city of Gateway and to Castle Oblivion. It was there that I encountered him, and although we never spoke, I watched much of his journey through the castle."

"And…what happened to him there?" Kairi leaned forward, an intense look in her eyes. Without realizing it, she gripped her spoon tightly.

DiZ shook his head. "My knowledge of his journey does have gaps in it, and again, it is his story to tell, not mine."

"Roxas said he was a prisoner of the Organization. Sort of."

"In a sense. They tried to put him under their control, but ultimately they failed. He did not emerge unscathed, however. He required some help to escape from Castle Oblivion and continue on his journey."

"Did Roxas help him?"

DiZ quirked a smile. "No, the two Keyblade masters have never met."

Kairi blinked. "The…wait, what? Roxas is a Keyblade master, too? Then…does he have the Key of Twilight?"

DiZ rubbed his temples. "I can see I am getting ahead of myself. As much as you wish to discuss your friend Sora, there is only so much I can tell you. Please allow me to continue on."

Kairi settled back, relaxing muscles she hadn't realized were tensed, and forced herself to take a deep breath. "Go on."

"Thank you. Now, let me see…where was I?" DiZ frowned thoughtfully. "Ah yes, the Keyblades. After the Door to Darkness was sealed, two Keyblades and two Keyblade masters had made themselves known. Two more remain to be revealed - the Key of Light and the Key of Twilight. I do not know precisely who will hold them, but I have my suspicions."

"Who is it, then?"

He smiled enigmatically. "We shall simply have to see, won't we?"

Kairi glared at him.

"Relax, Kairi." DiZ laughed. "I hold back what I suspect for good reason. Now, there is much you must know of the nature of this world. The realms of Twilight are different from the others, and are also known as the Lands Between. We are the shadow world, a shadow or a reflection of much that occurs in your world. It is not so simple as that, but sometimes you will find that a resident of this world is a shadow of someone from your own."

Kairi's eyes widened. "A shadow…or a reflection? So that's why…Roxas must be Sora's shadow!"

"Ahh, you have very good insight, I can see. It is not so simple, however. It is my belief that Roxas is not simply Sora's shadow, but rather a shadow of two people, two young men bound by close ties of friendship. Roxas is the shadow of both Sora and Riku."

Kairi turned this idea over in her head for a moment, and after a while she had to agree that it made sense. Roxas was cheerful and friendly, like Sora, but he had an irreverent, sarcastic streak she had seen in some of his gestures and expressions that was much more like Riku. His appearance reminded her mostly of Sora, with those deep blue eyes and spiky hair, but the pale blond color seemed halfway between Sora's brown hair and Riku's silver locks, and his smile alternated between Sora's goofy confidence and Riku's sardonic cockiness. She didn't know him well enough yet to say more, but she could see why DiZ thought this must be the case. "So…" She frowned. "What does that mean, then?"

DiZ shrugged. "I don't yet know the answer to that, but it does explain why Roxas is able to wield a Keyblade. It only happened once, but he was able to call Sora's Keyblade to him while Sora was asleep, recovering from the effects of his journey through Castle Oblivion. Roxas quickly returned it to him, but he and I had a conversation that lasted well into the night about it. I think he was quite shaken."

"I would be, too. So…what does all this mean?"

"I don't yet know, but I think perhaps you will be able to help me find more pieces to the puzzle, Kairi."

Kairi sighed as she finished scraping up the last dregs of soup in her bowl with her spoon. "Okay…what about The Rise of Darkness, then?"

DiZ smiled, removing the book from its leather pouch. He flipped it open and carefully turned the pages until he came to the passage he was looking for, then began to read aloud in his smooth, measured voice.

"Many aeons ago, the four worlds were one, and the many smaller worlds within that universe were connected, so that one could easily travel between them. The light ruled then, and all worlds were blessed by its warmth. Eventually, however, a seed of darkness grew in people's hearts, and although there was plenty of light to go around, people began to worry that there might not be enough. They began to hoard the light, to fight over it. The first wars were fought, and darkness bloomed across the worlds. The light was chased out, obscured, hidden, damaged, and exiled. Darkness covered everything, and many people thought the light had been forever destroyed, but this was not the case. It still lived on in scattered, isolated pockets.

"Darkness ruled the universe for a time, until the day came when a new generation rediscovered that precious commodity, hope. This generation produced many heroes, who sought out the surviving fragments of light and gathered them together. There was not much light, but it was enough to restore warmth again to the worlds. Those worlds were disconnected now, with impassable barriers between them. There were cracks in those barriers, but the light was able to cover them so that they became protective walls, keeping out the leftover darkness that might still one day return, if care were not taken to guard against it.

"This combination of light and dark produced another universe, the world of shadows, called the Twilight World. Little is known of it, but even less is known of the other two universes - the World of Light and the World of Darkness. Some say the true light, driven out in the Wars of Darkness, sleeps within the World of Light, and when hope was reborn and light was restored to the worlds, the darkness that was chased out formed the World of Darkness. No one really knows for certain if this is the truth, but it is said that these two worlds may be entered using special doors, which will only appear at certain times and under certain circumstances.

"That new generation, the one that restored hope and light to our world, is said to have produced the founding members of the Seekers of Wisdom. Our order owes its beginnings to these early saviors of our universe.

"This is only the prologue. It is a long book, filled with much about the origins of the Seekers and their early research into the nature of Light and Darkness, but perhaps that will give you an idea of its contents…Kairi? Kairi, what is the matter?"

Kairi was staring off into space. She shook her head, meeting DiZ's golden eyes. "Sorry. It's just that…I know this story! Not in those words, but my grandmother told it to me, long ago. It's…a memory that was buried very deeply. I'd completely forgotten it, until…well, it's a long story. I think it was Sora who helped me remember it."

DiZ smiled. "It is quite likely, since your grandmother was also of the Seeker line. It's very possible that she passed on some of those legends to you."

Kairi nodded. "She said…that the true light sleeps in darkness, but someday a door will open in that darkness, and the door will actually lead to the true light. She said I could use that light in times of trouble, if I believed in it. She said that even in the deepest darkness, my heart would hold onto that light."

"I think your grandmother was right…all the more so because you are a princess of heart. Light has a strong hold on your heart, stronger than in most other people. You have a hidden power to call that light, and to use it to defeat the darkness. This is what I told you of earlier, the power I cannot help you learn. I know you will discover it yourself someday soon, though."

"But…how can I do that?"

He gave her that enigmatic smile again. "I am not entirely sure, but I believe I can introduce you to someone who may be able to help you. It will not be long before the time for that meeting comes, so we must do as much as we can in the days ahead to help you learn Seeker magic."

"Seeker magic?" Kairi knew she was asking a great many questions, but she didn't care. Finally, she was starting to get some answers, even if she couldn't always understand their true meaning.

"The elemental magic you have begun to tap. The Seekers of Wisdom used elemental magic as the basis for their power, then used that magic as a tool to create a complex system of magical arts. That is what the third book is about…Paosurala. This is an ancient Seeker word that means 'star magic'."

"Star magic…is that another element?"

DiZ shook his head. "No, it is more a matter of how the Seekers used the elements. They discovered a special kind of magic using certain numbers. Star magic was the technique of creating powerful magic from the strategic use of the number five. The symbol for this was a five-pointed star, just as you saw on the cover of the book. The star has multiple meanings - the endless line that can be traced from any point, all the way around to the starting point again, represents fidelity and faithfulness. The Seekers wished to be faithful to their ideals, and to the people they protected with their magic. Each of the points represented a different ideal, as well, and each of these five ideals is, again, fivefold in nature."

Kairi watched with renewed interest as DiZ traced a star shape on the table with his gloved index finger. He touched the table again at each place where a point of the star would be. "This point," he said, "represents a strong, true perception of the world around us, free from falsehood and illusion. It is fivefold in that the ideal requires one to have true perception in all five senses. This next one represents the physical skill and dexterity needed to accomplish one's duty - represented by five fingers. The third represents dedication to five causes - the restoration and preservation of light, the value of friendship, the importance of keeping promises, the necessity of protecting what is important to us, and the blessing of redemption and forgiveness for those who have strayed. Fourth, each of us must draw our strength from five sources - ourselves, our families, our friends, our mentors, and those under our own protection. Finally -" he stabbed the fifth invisible point with his finger - "we must be dedicated to the five virtues of generosity, friendship, faithfulness, courtesy, and compassion, as the legendary knights and warriors of olden days were said to be." He smiled at Kairi, who was looking rather dazed. "I know it is a great deal of information, but I feel it helps us to understand what the Seekers were originally after. Much of their way has been lost, but in the beginning, they were devoted to restoring the light and to returning peace and harmony to the worlds."

Kairi was silent for a while, munching on the remains of her bread. Finally she polished off the slice and stared at her empty plate. "So…is star magic something you can teach me?"

DiZ shook his head. "No, it has been largely lost in time. I'm afraid that much of this book is damaged, and a great deal of what survives is written in an ancient language of the Seekers that I cannot make out. However, I suspect that such magic is still out there, and it will behoove you to know what it is when you see it, at the very least. You may wish to flip through these books on your own later, but I am not certain you will learn anything of use that I have not already explained. I believe it is far better if we use our time in practical lessons with your magic."

Kairi nodded. "Should we start tomorrow, then?"

"I believe so. I have an errand for Roxas to perform, which should take him most of a day or two. Depending on the news he brings me, we may have only a few days in which to work, so we should make the best use possible of our time. In fact…" He smiled. "It is still quite early. If you are not too tired, we could begin tonight…?"

Kairi straightened in sudden relief. "That's a great idea. I think if I do much more talking and thinking, my head is going to explode. I need to do something."

DiZ laughed. "Well then, there is plenty of room in here. Let's move away from the table…" They both stood and walked toward the center of the room. DiZ flicked his fingers, and a small, round ball of fire flew from his hand and circled the chandelier in the center of the broken table. Its candles came to life, illuminating the room, which had darkened as the sun's light faded. "Our first task is to determine your elemental affinity."

Kairi grinned. "Actually, I'm ahead of you there. Gran did that for me." She smiled wistfully, hoping her grandmother was well. "Let me think…well, we figured out that I have a tiny bit of ability with water, and I'm pretty good with reflection, but I think it's plants and healing that really seem to like me."

DiZ raised his eyebrows in surprise - an expression that was difficult to see behind the bandages, but Kairi could make out his eyes widening slightly. "Ahh! That certainly makes things easier. Well now, it is best to start with your strengths. We will need a focus for each ability we attempt to strengthen, but I think we can find plenty of appropriate subjects somewhere on the grounds. Let's start in here." He gestured across the room to a dim, grimy corner, then led the way over to it. At the back of a pile of debris stood a tall, rectangular object, covered with a sheet. He pulled the sheet away, brightening. "Ah, here we are! A good, tall mirror should be perfect for helping us to focus on reflection magic. Let us start there."

First DiZ demonstrated by firing simple spells at the mirror and showing Kairi how they bounced off. Strengthening the spells caused them to affect the mirror - fire spells melted shallow dents in the glass, for example. "To continue to shield the mirror, we must strengthen it with a reflect spell. A reflect spell can bounce back minor spells from most objects."

They continued to work on this, with DiZ showing Kairi how to sense the feel of the mirror and to draw on that feeling as she found the power within her. Combining the power with the sense of the mirror resulted in a simple reflection spell. She couldn't help but clap her hands with glee the first time she managed it successfully, but DiZ cautioned her to be patient. They practiced for several hours, simply creating and dismissing reflection spells, gradually increasing their strength as they went on. Finally DiZ called a halt to the lesson, pointing out that it was quite late, and that Kairi could hardly stand. She was surprised to realize he was right. With a polite good night and a heartfelt thank you for the evening's lesson, she left the dining hall and walked on up the front stairs to her bedroom, yawning heavily.

I wish I were back on Star Island, Kairi thought to herself. I miss Gran. But at least I'm doing something worthwhile here, and DiZ promised I'd be able to use what I'm learning to help everyone.

Kairi froze as she stood at the top of the stairs, her hand flying to her mouth as her eyes went wide. She'd completely forgotten how Axel found her two days ago. Just before he'd dragged her off into the portal, she'd encountered another member of the Organization…Luxord. What was it he'd said? That there were secrets awaiting them there…and that he'd "take good care of the islands" for her.

A sinking feeling grew in Kairi's stomach. The Organization was going to try to find answers on the Destiny Islands next…but what did that mean? She had a horrible feeling that her family and friends back home were in danger.

Turning on her heel, Kairi ran back down the stairs to tell DiZ of this new worry, cursing herself for not thinking of it before.

Yay for the DiZ exposition chapter! Hope it was able to hold your interest. I'm not sure when to expect the next chapter; it probably won't be quite so quick as this one was, but I'm already starting to write it. Gonna try to keep this momentum up over the long weekend!