Chapter One: One Day

"When the one who has been sealed away in secret returns into the realm of Weyward, war will begin, Weyward will cease to exist, and darkness will destroy all…"

"What?"

"Only the one with Sol can seal the darkness away once more…"

"Why are you telling me this? Who are you?"

Xavier looked at the figure in the darkness. The area around them was nothing but darkness. "Only the one…Sol…seal the darkness…"

The figure disappeared and Xavier was left in the darkness alone. He grew so cold, feeling very weak. He could feel himself falling through as the darkness engulfed him. He couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. Slowly they shut as he…

Xavier bolted upwards into a sitting position, sweating profusely inside his bed. What was that? Who was that? It…felt so real, he thought. He stood and approached the window.

He'll have to ask Ivan about that dream. As he figured, Vale was still asleep. It had been but a year before he and his mother moved from Lemuria. This hometown of his parents was new to him, and he will have to adapt. The sixteen year old teen still even wondered why his mother and her two friends looked not much older than he.

The sun wasn't up yet, but Xavier didn't want to be late. He pointed his finger to a lantern hanging from the ceiling and used his mixed adept abilities to light it. The fire danced around his crimson hair as he slipped on his dark blue and silver breast plate over his dark blue tunic.

He carefully slipped on his gauntlets over his hands. Xavier turned to where his sword, Gaia, rested. The sword was once his father's, whom was lost long ago. Xavier was also told by his mother that Isaac's ancestor wielded this blade, and his name was Xavier as well.

He ran his hand down the golden hilt of the blade, admiring the inscribed psynergy symbols around a golden jewel embedded in the center. He was told that only a very powerful adept could handle such a weapon, and that it was odd that he can use it now. Coming back to his senses, he snapped up his blue cloak, slipped into his boots over his black winter pants, and ran out the house and into the cold morning.

His icy blue eyes looked to the east, where the sun crept slowly over the eastern mountains as he dashed towards the forest. As he ran past a certain house a hand reached out and grabbed his cloak, causing Xavier to trip and fall flat on his back. He looked up and saw one familiar red eye stare him in the face.

The tips of the figure's spiky red hair were obvious in the sunlight. "Son of a-oh hello Garet!" Xavier quickly corrected, knowing Garet was probably not in a good mood. He never gets up this early.

"Well if it isn't Isaac's kid!" Garet said with a large grin on his face.

"I thought you were a robber or something. Lucky I saw your face, otherwise you'd have been ashes in the wind by now."

"Eh heh heh," Xavier choked out, a bead of sweat dropping down his face as he did so.

"Um…Garet?" he looked at Garet, then his hand. Garet quickly let go, embarrassed at the hassle. "Why are you up so early? Do you realize your door slamming woke me up?"

"Well I was going to train with Roxas and…" A large grin appeared on Garet's face.

Xavier raised a brow, then realized what he was thinking. Crap. "You're going too, aren't you?"

Garet smiled even bigger as he made sure his Fire Brand was still at his side. Xavier, while a bit afraid at the oncoming beating, nodded and together the young squire and the seasoned hero ran into the woods. As they came upon a clearing they saw a very dark violet color of hair, almost black, through the trees in a clearing.

As they neared they spotted a young man a couple of years older than Xavier in sync with the wind. His clothing was more decorated than Xavier's. His sleeveless tunic came down to his knees, draping over his black winter pants.

Unlike any other wind adept, his clothing was more of an emerald color. His tunic was meticulously embedded with golden runic symbols, almost as if to protect the wearer from certain damage. Garet often joked about him being very 'pretty' in his appearance.

His gloves looked also the same. The young man looked as if he wore no armor, but Xavier knew him better. He knew the young man wore a chain plate under all that clothing. Just as his clothing swayed with his body in the air, his hair did the same.

One lone braid extended down to his knees. Those violet orbs that were his eyes followed the blade he moved so elegantly. Xavier reached the clearing and approached his friend. "Hmph. You're late, Xavier."

"Sorry, Roxas. I, uh, ran into somebody on the way here."

Roxas stopped and turned to face Xavier with a look of astonishment on his face. "Who would be awake at this hour besides us?"

"Well, uh…"

Xavier looked to his left as Garet stepped out the trees. Roxas stared at Xavier with bewilderment. "Are you trying to kill us? We're here to train together, not to work this early!"

Garet laughed at the scene. "Don't worry. Work will never come today if you can beat me."

Both young warriors turned quickly to Garet, eager to know what the challenge is. "Hmm…ah I know! Flash!"

A small lizard-like being appeared in front of Garet. Xavier blinked several times, wondering if this was some sort of psynergy. "Yes Garet?" it said in a squeaky voice.

"Protect the three of us from any harm. When the shield around them has taken ten hits notify the person and drop the shield, got it?"

The creature nodded and flung a red transparent sheet like surface over the three individually. Each surface glowed with Mars energy and disappeared with a poof. "Thanks Flash," Garet said.

He turned to stare at the faces of the two fighters. "Okay, this is how it goes. The three of us are now protected from harm…at least for ten hits."

"What happens after the tenth hit?" Roxas asked.

"Well the shield will drop, and you will lose the contest."

"Ah. Wait, what is the contest?"

"Eh? Oh yeah, the contest. It's really simple actually. All you have to do is lay ten hits on me."

"THAT"S simple?" Xavier asked in confusion, Roxas did his usual "hmph".

"There's also a catch. You also have to fight me one on one."

"WHAT?" both said in unison.

"But there is a catch for me as well. I can only take ten hits from you both together."

"So only one of us could only do ten hits and win for both Roxas and me?"

"Yep, so decide who's goin first."

Roxas stepped forward, eager to go. "Let the best go first." Xavier frowned at that comment.

He slowly drew his weapon his father bought for him, the Phaeton Blade. The sword glowed a light blue aura, giving the area itself a blue glow. Garet smirked at the cocky wind adept and unsheathed his Fire Brand. The broad sword was engulfed in a fiery red glow, almost as if it actually was on fire. "Ready, set, BEGIN!"

Roxas rushed forward towards Garet, launching a blue bolt towards him. Garet hopped to the left, dodging the bolt, and parried the Phaeton Blade to the right. Roxas feinted left, then reversed right and released a backslash.

Garet took the bait and was struck squarely in the back, stumbling forward. Roxas followed up and turned and struck Garet three times with blue bolt. This is simple. He's too slow. Roxas thought. He then quickly charged at Garet, sword raised high, defense open.

That was exactly what Garet was waiting on.

Garet rolled to his right, dodging the rushing Roxas who stumbled past. He quickly launched a fireball into Roxas, sending him sprawling into the air. There he released slash after slash, wearing Roxas's shield down until it finally broke.

He got in one more fireball, sending Roxas into a nearby tree. Roxas slowly sat up, surprised that that last fireball actually hurt. Not only that, Garet's speed and power seemed to increase tenfold. It was as if that was all planned out. "How?"

"Roxas, Roxas, Roxas. You shouldn't become so oblivious to what might happen and pay attention only to what you are about to do. You believed you had me didn't you?"

Roxas growled as he grabbed his left arm, noticing the burn mark and singed clothing there. "Why….did you….aaah….hit me after the shield fell?" Roxas spat out.

Garet laughed. "Funny how you can fight and not anticipate your opponent's next move." Garet hoisted his sword over his shoulder.

"Ivan would have forced himself back from that last blow, yet you barely moved."

Roxas glowered at him and looked away, drinking a vial as he did so.

He nodded to him. "You're a great fighter, in fact a sword genius. Yet what you have too much of is pride. Get rid of some of it, then will you truly be great."

Roxas spat on the ground in anger. How could I have been beaten by him? Hmm…let's see how Xavier does.

Xavier turned to Garet and drew his weapon. Garet nodded and took point. "Ready?" Garet said.

"Don't hold back!"

Garet smiled. He truly is Isaac's son, he thought.

"Alright, GO!"

Xavier tore forward in a straight path to Garet. Garet casted heat wave right in front of himself, stopping Xavier right before him. Down came the Fire Brand onto Xavier's Gaia Blade, Xavier parrying the attack and countering with a down thrust to the abdomen. Garet sidestepped left and casted liquefier under Xavier's feet, causing him to fly into the air.

Quickly coming to his senses, and noting the number of hits (1), he started to aim himself at Garet, who was a little disoriented from casting such a powerful spell, and dove fast. Mars energy swirled around his body as he neared his target. What's this?

Garet felt the wave and quickly turned upward towards the swirling form of Mars energy. What he saw surprised him. He saw not Xavier, but Jenna falling towards him. Aw crap, he thought. Xavier felt something compel him to say this. "Planet Diver!"

Garet was driven into the ground by the impact, and the cliff erupted below them. Xavier stepped softly by Garet, who actually seemed hurt. He was barely standing from the blow since he took it full force. "Huff good job Xavier. I didn't expect that attack from you. I still can't believe you boys are almost as strong as us!"

"Thanks Gar-"

Xavier's words were interrupted by a loud explosion from the village. "What the hell?" Garet huffed.

"Xavier, Garet LOOK!"

Both looked into the sky over the village.

Smoke.