Author's Note: Feel free to ridicule me about my sporadic uploading schedule. I've had the worst writer's block with this story lately, but I'm trying to push through so I can really dive into the meat of it. Because apparently fifteen chapters hasn't yet reached the "meat." Bear with an obnoxious wait and disappointing chapter for one more after this, then we should be good to go. And for those of you who still think this is a thing, thank you.
It wasn't long until Ventus and Aqua came across what remained of Radiant Garden, and it was evident that darkness was stirring within and around. They landed at the Rising Falls and dismissed their armor.
"Yeah, this is Radiant Garden," Aqua noted. "I recognize the architecture."
"Uh huh," Ven agreed. "Okay… so, we need to find the central chamber, past a chapel of some sort, and the Keyhole should be there, right?"
"I think so," Aqua agreed. "I hope the Heartless don't overtake it immediately…"
"We've given 'em a heck of a head start," Ven reminded her. "Let's get going." She nodded and followed him as they made their way up the rocks and to the castle itself. Once they reached it, however, the Heartless wasted no time showing up to attack.
"I just realized these are the first real enemies we've faced in years," Ven muttered.
"What, you think we'll be rusty? This is why we spar, isn't it?" Aqua pointed out. "Come on. We'll use these fools as a warm up." Sure enough, after a couple of strikes, both of the Keyblade Masters fell back in their combat grooves and dispatched the remaining Heartless with little trouble. They headed into the grand hall and up the stairs around the fountain. When they reached the lifts, they found another ambush of Heartless and felled them with little issue.
"Remind me," Ven began as they continued climbing through the castle. "The Keyblade is one of the strongest weapons a person can use against the Heartless, but it also acts as a beacon for them, doesn't it?"
"Something like that," Aqua confirmed. "From what Master Yen Sid told me once, they come after Keyblade wielders in an attempt to defeat them, therefore getting rid of one who can use the Keyblade itself. On top of that, Keyblade wielders usually have very strong hearts, and that's what the Heartless want most."
"That makes sense," Ven replied. "What's dead can't hurt you." The duo continued on through the castle, taking out any Heartless that decided to appear in their paths, until they reached a sealed room.
"Strange," Aqua remarked. Ven approached the door and placed his hand against it.
"It's sealed by light," he realized. "I guess so the Heartless can't gain access to it. But… how?"
"Let's find out," she said and summoned her Keyblade, then pointed it at the door and dispelled the barrier.
"I really hope we don't regret this," Ven mumbled uneasily, and he and Aqua entered the room to find a chapel. Several women were gathered there, and most were dressed in gowns save one younger girl and one wearing a blue top exposing her midsection and puffy pants of the same color. Alongside them, crouching near one with brown hair dressed in a golden ball gown, was a beast-like creature. This creature looked up and growled at the approaching Keyblade Masters.
"Who are you?" he demanded, and the other women turned to stare at both Ventus and Aqua.
"Wait…" Aqua blinked. "Cinderella? Snow White! Aurora!" Three princesses that she, Ventus, and Terra had all aided ten years previous. Cinderella stepped forward and smiled.
"Oh, I know you! You both… you helped me get to the ball before the darkness came… Thank you."
"It was nothing," Ven shrugged. "So… what are you all doing here?"
"The Heartless kidnapped us from our worlds and brought us here," a tanned woman with dark hair, one of the two not dressed in gowns, told them. "They wanted to use us to complete the Keyhole of this world."
"Wait, you're the Princesses of Heart?" Ventus realized. One by one, they nodded.
"There was a seventh," the girl, a blond-haired young lady, spoke up. "But she escaped."
"The rest of us gathered here in this chapel and sealed the room to keep the Heartless from coming," the one in the golden gown continued. "But how did you get in?"
"We're here to fight the Heartless," Aqua replied and summoned her Keyblade.
"Ah… you're both Keyblade wielders?" Aurora wondered. Ven summoned the Wayward Wind and nodded.
"Keyblade Masters, to be specific," he agreed. "That's how we got in."
"Then, you're here to seal the Keyhole!" Snow White smiled. "Go, please! Hurry! It's not much further."
"We will," Aqua nodded, and the Keyblade Masters followed her direction through another door.
"Think they'll be okay on their own?" Ven asked her.
"They will be if we hurry," she replied. "And besides, that Beast looked like he could be a terror in battle. I'm sure they'll be fine."
"Okay." Sure enough, a short time later, they came to a large chamber with a strange glow emitting from the side opposite the entrance. They approached it and found several Heartless swarming around it. They paid no attention to the newcomer Keyblade wielders, but continued trying to penetrate the Keyhole.
"It'd probably be easier to just seal it," Ven pointed out. "Then we can deal with them." Aqua nodded and they pointed their Keyblades at the Keyhole, and a light shot out from the tips. A moment later, the Keyhole sealed, and the Heartless stopped and turned toward them. Before they lunged, however, a voice stopped them.
"Halt!" Ventus glanced around, but found no source. "Disperse. These two are mine." To their surprise, the Heartless followed the order and disappeared, off to some unknown destination. Once they had departed, what appeared to be a Dark Corridor appeared and a boy emerged from it. Ven's mind flashed back to Destiny Islands, when he had given Sora the Keyblade, and he could barely believe what he was looking at now.
"Riku?" he said carefully. This Riku in front of him merely smiled darkly.
"If it isn't the lost Keyblade wielders," he chuckled, and his voice sounded strange. "Ventus, Aqua. I suppose I figured the Darkness had finished you off."
"Riku," Aqua prompted. "If you're in there…"
"Riku may as well be dead," he replied. "He is a fool, and such foolishness has cost him dearly. The one he once considered his best friend is gone, and the girl he cherished will follow soon after." He smirked. "But you two… you pose the most immediate threat. Follow me if you wish to face me." Before either of them could protest, he opened a Corridor once again and stepped back into it, but it remained open. Ventus exchanged a quick glance with Aqua.
"That had to be this 'Ansem,'" she realized. "I don't think we have much of a choice. If Xehanort really is involved in this, then we have to follow."
"And I refuse to believe Riku is beyond saving," Ven continued. "He fought back before. He's gotta be in there somewhere."
"Then let's go." They activated their armor and hurried into the Dark Corridor. "Nngh..." Several steps in, Aqua stumbled and fell to one knee, bowing her head forward. Ventus turned around, alarmed, and hurried back to her. He locked his arms around hers and pulled her back to her feet.
"What's wrong?" he demanded, and she looked up at him through her helmet's visor.
"D-Darkness..." she managed to say. "It's so strong. Ven, I don't..."
"Stop," he cut her off. "Come on. You'll feel better once we're out of here." But she hesitated still, and he frowned.
"I don't know... Maybe you'd be better off going on without me," she said quietly, and he felt his heart jump.
"Come on, Aqua!" he insisted. "You're stronger than that. I know you are. Don't you dare think for even a moment that you'll fall to Darkness."
"But, Ven..." He shook his head and, perhaps against his better judgment, pulled off his helmet to show her his warm smile.
"Don't you trust me?" he said softly. "I told you I'd be your Light. Just stay with me, and you'll be okay." She said nothing, but nodded and held his arm tightly as they made their way out of the corridor.
Ventus blinked in the bright sunlight they emerged into, taken aback by what he found. They both dismissed their armor and looked around the area, the pristine white sand of the beach and the trees growing opposite the water.
"Is this... Destiny Islands?" Aqua wondered as she pulled her arm away from his. "I know it was swallowed by Darkness, but... why are we here now?"
"This world has been connected," a voice replied, and they both whirled around to find Riku standing behind them, his back to them as he stood among the sudden cracks in the sand overlooking the darkness that replaced the sea. Both Masters took up defensive stances, but hesitated in summoning their Keyblades. "It has returned to the Darkness from whence it came. All hearts are born in darkness, and all so shall end. Even yours." He chuckled darkly and turned around to face them, and Riku's form was quickly overtaken by that of a tall, dark-skinned, amber-eyed man with long silver hair. He crossed his arms over his muscular chest that bore the symbol of the Heartless, and both Ventus and Aqua stared at him.
"T-Terra?!" Aqua finally blurted, bringing Ventus's confused thoughts to a conclusion. The man's mouth curled into a dark smile.
"No..." Ventus growled as his heart pounded in his chest. "You're not Terra. You're not Ansem." His hands clenched into tight fists. "You're Xehanort!" Ansem chuckled again and shook his head slowly.
"Is that what your heart tells you?" he inquired. "Is that what your weak Light senses? You were meant to fade away. Your Darkness is infinitely stronger than your Light, Ventus. I failed to understand why you survived."
"You're wrong," Aqua challenged. "Ven isn't weak! You're the one that lost your heart to Darkness, Xehanort!"
"I did not lose my heart. I merely returned it to where it belongs. You live in fear, and your fear makes you weak- just like your master." They both clenched their teeth as anger and grief boiled within them.
"That's it!" she yelled. "Where's Terra? What have you done with him?!" She raced forward with a battle cry and swung her Keyblade hard even as she summoned it, but Ansem disappeared before she could hit him.
"I know not of Terra's fate," he informed them, and Ventus spun around to find him levitating just above the ground. "He fell to Darkness, just as he was always destined to. He had no control of his Darkness, as you both know well." He paused and watched them darkly as Aqua came back to Ventus's side. "And now, the time has come for you two to join him. You've long outlived your usefulness, Ventus. And you, Aqua, you lack Light, don't you? You should have fallen to Darkness if Vanitas didn't outright kill you." He held his hand out toward them. "Now, fools, you will return to the place you belong. Your Keyblades will betray you and only lead you deeper into the Darkness, and I will gladly be your escort!" They glared at him for a moment.
"Xehanort," Ventus said in a low, solid voice. "You were the one that shattered my heart for your own selfish ambitions. Now, Vanitas is out there somewhere wreaking havoc well beyond your control, and I've trained to be able to fight him. He's even more of a threat than you are. I'm not going to fall at your hands: Not again!" His hand lashed out and summoned the Wayward Wind, bathing it in light and imbuing it with strength that lengthened the shaft and sharpened the teeth. "My name is Ventus, and I am the newest Keyblade Master charged with defending the world from the Darkness that would destroy it!" He readied this awakened Keyblade, the Stalwart Tempest, and rushed forward with Aqua at his side as the Guardian appeared behind Ansem and prepared to attack.
Author's Note: Stalwart Tempest, y'all. It's basically Ven's version of Stormfall or the Ends of the Earth. The "upgrade" of the original Keyblade, if you will.
Now, how the heck to I write the fight with the World of Chaos? Or is that a spoiler?