That's when you came to me and said,
"Wish I could prove I love you,
But does that mean I have to walk on water?"

Nova arrived at the Keyblade Graveyard with her head hung low. Returning to this place was the last thing she wanted to do, but she knew she had to find Terra. She arrived on a cliff overhead of the battle ground and spied Terra, Ventus, and Aqua gathering amidst the long forgotten keyblades. With grace, she leaped from the cliff and began the long trek to meet with her friends.

However, when she got closer she noticed they were no longer alone. Before she could even think, Terra had already rushed to attack Xehanort and Vanitas. Her heart sank in her chest when Terra was uprooted by the cliff Xehanort summoned and ran full sprint to save her friends and her love. When she got closer, Nova arrived in time to see Aqua fall after a brutal onslaught of keyblades attacking her but she was still able to shoot a shield to help save Terra.

As she watched him fall from the shield, Nova felt the air whoosh out of her lungs in a shaky breath. She knew what awaited him on top of that cliff and she lifted her hand in the air and summoned her keyblade.

Suddenly, Ventus appeared and attempted to finish Xehanort but was unsuccessful.

"VENTUS," Nova screamed, tears threatening to fall down her face. She didn't want to think about having to watch more friends perish at the hands of darkness.

As soon as Terra was attacked with keyblades, Xehanort used his dark powers to freeze Ventus and threw him from the cliff. Nova suddenly felt very lost and useless, being unable to stop the events from happening; history just seemed to be repeating itself.

Ventus fell from the cliff and Nova heard the rock breaking away every time his frozen body hit the mountain side. Luckily, Aqua was there to break his fall. Nova's relief was cut short, however, when she saw Xehanort summon Kingdom Hearts in the sky.

"No, this can't be happening," Nova released an anguished filled scream and only then did Aqua turn and notice she was there.

"Nova!"

She took off running in Aqua and Ventus's direction when she heard her name being called.

"Nova, can you help Ventus? I think he got hurt from the fall."

Nova kneeled beside Aqua and nodded, "Yes …I-I should be able to."

Placing her hand above his chest in the same manner she did with Terra all those years ago, she closed her eyes in concentration, focusing on willing her body to heal Ventus. After a few moments and shaky breaths, Nova opened her eyes to see it didn't work. Why didn't I heal him? Was it- Oh no….. It can't be…Terra!

"Nova? How come nothing happened?" Aqua asked; worry creasing her brow and snapping Nova out of her thoughts.

Nova glanced at Aqua and felt tears drip down her chin.

"I know why Terra struggles to control the darkness," she whispered.

Aqua's frown only deepened. "What do you mean?"

Nova stood to her full height; the wind lifted her brown hair around her shoulders and caused her pink sash to snap in the wind. She swallowed, feeling the necklace around her neck seem to tighten almost choking her. Picking up her keyblade, she raised it into the air and her hand lit up pale blue. In a quick light show, her keyblade transformed and took on a completely different look. What was once an ordinary keyblade with a blue handle and a blade attached transformed into the most beautiful keyblade Aqua had ever seen.

The handle was a beautiful blue with a purple gem in the center. On the base of the blade held a beautiful crystal surrounded with golden wings. The edge of the keyblade was a dark purple orb that was encircled by a beautifully gold encrusted sun and crescent moon. When the light diminished from transforming the keyblade, Nova's outfit changed as well.

Before, she wore her brown shorts jumper that she favored in this new life. Now, her clothes had been transformed into white battle armor that held the same purple gem from her keyblade in the center below her waist. The brown boots that covered most of her legs were replaced with battle boots of the same color as her body armor. She looked every bit the fierce keyblade warrior of legend that has lived hundreds, or thousands of years as the only survivor.

Centered upon her forehead was a small heart, displaying her fate as protector of Kingdom Hearts.

"ARRRHHHHHHHHHH!"

Nova and Aqua turned in the direction of the scream and saw Terra.

"No, Terra!"

It was too late. He already summoned his ship and was riding up the cliff's wall.

In you and I there's a new land
Angel's in flight
My sanctuary my sanctuary yeah

Nova stabbed her keyblade into the dirt in front of her and kneeled behind it. Whispering a quick chant, she was enveloped in a white light and disappeared, reappearing next to Terra on top of the cliff.

"Xehanort!"

"Terra!" Nova felt relief at seeing him still alive but it was short lived when she saw both Xehanort and Vanitas nearby.

"Nova, get out of here. It's too dangerous," Terra yelled, throwing his body in front of Nova's to protect her.

"Terra, listen to me. The only reason you can't control the darkness in your heart is because it… because it belongs to me." Nova whispered the last part, tears sliding down her cheeks.

Terra turned to look at her, clearly confused by what she meant.

"What do you mean, the darkness is yours?"

Nova grabbed his hands and smiled.

"Remember when I healed you when you were young," Nova asked, rhetorically.

"I know you do, but do you remember exactly how it happened?"

Terra shook his head, unsure where she was going with this.

"Terra, when I healed you, the darkness that I had was transferred to you. You had both of our darkness in your heart this whole time. It was never about you being weak or anything like that. You are strong and it's my fault that you ever had to deal with this," Nova choked the last part, praying that he wouldn't hate her for the mistake she made ten years ago.

"I need to take it back," Nova said reluctantly, dropping her gaze to her feet.

Terra just stared at the woman, then realizing Xehanort and Vanitas were still nearby, he withdrew his hands from hers and turned back to the real threat, shielding her with his arm.

"Nova, I don't care if this darkness belongs to you or me. I will defeat both of them and keep you from being tainted with it again. The light in your heart is what kept me going all this time. I can't live without you, Nova."

Xehanort had been silent through the whole conversation, but began chuckling after Terra's comment.

"Yes, that was why it was so easy for you to make the journey over the unseen wall that divides darkness and light."

Nova felt her heart clench as she was once again reminded of her egregious error when Terra was young. She knew she would never forgive herself if she didn't save Terra and there was only one way to do it. She gazed up at him, tears flowing down her cheeks and she pulled his arm, turning him towards her and kissed him before he could recover from the shock. Terra's eyes flew open in surprise but, disregarding the severity of the situation, he couldn't help returning her passionate kiss.

Xehanort looked displeasingly towards the young couple and quietly gave Vanitas orders to dispose of Nova but before he could make a move, she brought her hand over Terra's heart and time seemed to stop. Darkness circled both Nova and Terra as she was slowly absorbing it back into her body. Screams of agony filled the air as both of them collapsed to their knees in pain. After what felt like an eternity, the darkness swirled around Nova and blasted Terra away from her.

"NOVA!" Terra screamed, scrambling to return to her.

Nova's eyes transitioned between red and black as she had finally taken all the darkness in Terra that she could and trapped it into her own body. Her holy armor of light faded away and her clothes reverted back to her brown jumper. Clutching her hand to her chest, she stared into Terra's eyes as he came running for her and whispered a final, "I love you" to him before she summoned her keyblade. Positioning the keyblade over her heart ready to plunge it through her chest, Terra screams for her to stop.

"Nova, please, stop! You don't have to do this." Terra noticed the fear in her eyes and slowly took a few tentative steps towards her, preparing to disarm her.

Nova smiled at Terra despite the grave situation.

"Terra, this was never your destiny. I was supposed to die in the war and this is the only way to correct that."

"Yes, you were supposed to die here all those years ago. You should thank me for giving you that star shard and bringing you into Terra's life," Xehanort laughed manically, watching his plans unfolding exactly the way he meant them to.

"Now, Vanitas!"

Vanitas disappeared from his spot near Xehanort and materialized behind Nova with his keyblade outstretched. In one swift motion, he sliced his blade through her back leaving a deep wound, causing her to fall face down into the dirt.

"NOOO!"

Terra ran to Nova and knelt down to pick her up.

"Terra… I-I'm sorry."

Terra shook his head, trying to shake away the hot tears filling his eyes, making Nova turn blurry. Anger like nothing Terra has ever felt before filled him. The tiny spec of darkness left in Terra's heart began to enlarge as his rage and hatred towards Xehanort and Vanitas increased with each heartbeat. Darkness once again fills his body and Xehanort smiles.

"You see, Terra. Nova was unable to take away all the darkness in your heart because if she did, you would end up just like Ventus did when I brought him to Eraqus. I guess she didn't have the heart to turn you into an empty shell."

"Nova, just hang on a little longer, please," Terra begged, ignoring Xehanort's comment while lowering his beloved softly to the ground.

Facing Xehanort and Vanitas, he summoned his keyblade to his hand and fell into his fighting stance. Xehanort smiled and turned to Vanitas.

"Go take what Ventus owes you. And take Aqua's life."

Terra gasped as Vanitas started to run off the cliff and began chasing him only to be stopped by Xehanort.

"You see how powerless you are to save them, including your precious Nova? Savor that rage and despair. Let it empower you!"

"You will pay, Xehanort!"

Terra let his anger rise and darkness began to encircle his body, fueling his desire to kill Xehanort.

"Yes, boy, that's it! More! Let your whole heart blacken with anger!"

With that, Terra became enraged and let darkness consume him before he plunged into battle with Xehanort.