13 Years before the destruction of Destiny Islands - The Keyblade Graveyard/Destiny Islands

A young Keyblade Wielder finds himself surrounded by Neoshadows. His Master at the time, Xehanort, was trying to force him to tap into the darkness, but Ventus was not willing to do so. This eventually led to the Master extracting the darkness in his heart, creating Vanitas. However, doing so not only damaged the Keyblade Wielder's heart, but Vanitas' very presence weakened him and his Aura.

This led to the Master taking him to Destiny Islands, his old homeworld, with the intent that he might pass on peacefully there. But, fortunately for both of them, two newborn hearts - one heading to Destiny Islands in the first place, the other somehow detoured to there on its way to its homeworld - helped restore the damage to his heart and Aura respectively. This allowed Ven to resummon his Keyblade, causing Xehanort some surprise - but the Master now knew he was closer to creating the χblade.


3 Years Later - Various Worlds, including Land of Departure, Radiant Garden and The Keyblade Graveyard

Time passed, and Ventus was taken under the wing of Master Erauqs. He, along with fellow Keyblade Wielders Aqua and Terra formed bonds, before eventually the older duo took the Mark of Mastery Exam. There, not only did Aqua become the only one who passed the mark and became a Keyblade Master - due to Master Erauqs believing that Terra was tainted by the darkness - but a chain of events led to the three friends leaving their homeworld.

These events started to drive the trio apart, as Terra started to show further signs of being tainted by the Darkness, Ven refusing to return home, and Aqua trying to keep things stable, but failing to do so that well. This came to a head when the trio met together in the Radiant Garden, as after facing the Trinity Armour, secrets were revealed which further drove Terra apart, while Ventus continued to learn about Vanitas.

Eventually, things began to come to a final head as Terra faced Erauqs - only for the Master to be killed by Xehanort before ruining the Land of Departure. He then reveals how the fates of the trio of friends would be sealed at the Keyblade Graveyard, before heading off. However, while he waited for the trio to gather at the Graveyard, he chose to ruin a world which said trio never arrived at, yet was beginning to swarm with Unversed. He never realised that this one action would lead to a strange being washing up on Destiny Islands with no memory of his old homeworld... But in the end, it was part of a much greater plan already etched into his heart.

The Battle of the Keyblade Graveyard ended in tragedy, with the incomplete χblade destroyed by Ventus along with Vanitas, but at the cost of his heart, which returned to the one who first healed it for protection; Terra's body was possessed by Xehanort, yet his heart, empowered with the heart of his old Master, was indomitable to Xehanort, and his Keyblade Armor and Will creating a very special kind of Nobody before they even existed in the first place; and Aqua eventually sealing Terra-Xehanort's memories before plunging into the Realm of Darkness after an attempt to save him.

But, it has been foretold that these three will soon be saved...