Chapter I

Imperial Presence

"Sora, wait up!." Kaira yelled as she ran after him. He turned and smiled, slowing down. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath, then finally made it to him. "Do you really have to leave already? I just started my training, and I wanted you to be here for some of it."

Sora blushed, "Sorry Kairi, but I have a mission. We have to find out what's been going on. Stars have been going out again, and that can't mean anything good." He slumped over and sighed, "This is what happened when Ansem was on the loose, and with all that's gone on lately, who's to say he isnt back?" Then he smiled, "I have to make sure that isn't true, and then find out what really is happening."

Kairi laughed softly "No more using this exuse after this, you hear me?"

Sora chucked as well, then hugged Kairi. "I'll be back soon." He then turned towards the gummi, where Donald and Goofy were waiting for him. When he reached them, he gave a tired smile. "Well, you guys ready to go save the world, again?"

"Let's get this over with." Donald sighed. "Daisy's gonna kill me when she figures out i left again."

"It'll be ok Donald, she knows that what your doin's important." Goofy replied. "Now let's get goin, I wanna know whats been going on."

Riku leaned against the walls of Yen Sid's tower, watching as Sora took off. He frowned, every time everyone finally got back together some new threat arose. He knew it was probably always going to be that way, but a month without a world ending crisis would be nice. It had only been three days since he and Sora had finished the Mark of Mastery exam.

As Riku thought to himself, Mickey walked out of the main doors, and began to head towards Riku. He lightly tapped him on the shoulder as he reached him. Riku looked down and smiled "Hey Mickey, what's up?"

"We need to head out, Master Yen Sid says we ought to start our search soon." Mickey said.

There it was again, Riku thought. Not three days and now he and Mickey were off to find the missing keyblade weilders; Ven, Aqua, and Terra. "Well, let's not waste time here then." He replied, standing up straight and walking towards their ship.

"Are we there yet Donald?" Sora asked whinily. They had been in the gummy ship for two days, and it was starting to get tiring. They were going somewhere further than they ever had before, and all the sitting was beginning to make Sora anxious.

"No!" Donald yelled. "How many times are you going to ask me?"

"Uh, hey there Donald." Goofy uttered. "What's that?" He pointed out of the cockpit and into space.

Sora and Donald both looked, and their jaws dropped simultaneously.

Maleficent stood in the command center of the Executor. Her arms raised and stretched out. She chanted words beneath her breath. On either side of her stood Vader and Sidious, watching as she broke every law of physics they knew of.

In front of the armada of ships a massive portal grew, it swirled with darkness. Vader and Sidious reached out with the Force to try and sense the darkness, but failed. Clearly this was not of the Force. Moments later Maleficent lowered her arms, and began to speak.

"Through this dark portal lies a whole galaxy, one that you would never have reached alone. And through this portal lies our victory over the light."

Sidious' sinister grin grew ever wider, while Vader was complacent. He knew not what lied beyond this, but he knew deep down that Maleficent was not to be trusted. Whether she would admit it or not, she had her own agenda.

Sora and Donald still gazed out of the cockpit, their jaws still ajar. In front of them they saw a massive portal of darkness, and out of it flew gigantic ships.

"I don't think this is what we came out here for, but it's our problem now." Sora said.

"What about the disappearing stars?" Donald asked.

"He right Donald, I have a bad feeling about this. We can't just leave and not figure put whats going on here." Goofy said. "And who knows, the stars going out could have been bringing us here to stop this."

"Oh brother... Fine, I'll get as close to them as I can." Donald sighed. He flew the gummi ship towards the massive ships, and towards trouble they would not have expected.