Aqua's Keyblade Rider was literally screaming as it flew towards the world barrier of a clouded and dark world, far from the other worlds out there. Sora was now unconscious over her shoulder in a fireman's lift as they continued flying.

"This is it, Ven. We're almost there." She said mentally as her Keyblade Rider soared through thick black clouds as lightning cracked and flashed all around them. Finally the clouds lifted slightly, revealing a small rocky landing area. She quickly touched down and dismissed her Keyblade Rider and armor. She carefully laid Sora down on the ground, putting a hand to his shoulder piece to dismiss his now multicolored armor. When the armor vanished she gasped in shock at what she saw. Sora was now a strange hybrid between himself and Ven's appearances. His hair was a mixture of brown and blond hairs in a wildly spiked arrangement. His clothes were even a mixed hybrid of Sora's and Ven's clothes.

"Sora…Ven…speak to me, come on!" Aqua pleaded as she tried to shake Sora/Ven awake but all she got was a tired groan. Aqua gritted her teeth and picked Sora/Ven up onto her shoulder before turning and carrying them down the faint outline of a road shrouded in a thick black fog. Finally the clouds parted and she stopped as she saw before her, the massive twisted and disoriented castle that was once her homeworld, the world once known as the Land of Departure but transformed into…

…Castle Oblivion.

"Almost there. Almost there." Aqua repeated as she continued carrying Sora/Ven closer to the front doors of the Castle. She paused and set down her Apprentice onto the ground for a moment before summoning her Keyblade and pointing it at the door to the Castle. Almost instantly a blue circle of light, several noticeable shades lighter than Sora's, started to form around the tip of the Keyblade. She didn't notice as Sora/Ven opened a pair of tired eyes just in time for a beam of light to shoot from the tip of Aqua's Keyblade and strike the large double doors, causing them to glow a bright white for a moment before slowly opening. Aqua then turned to see Sora/Ven standing on their own two feet.

"Sora-er-Ven! Are you alright?" Aqua asked as they remained silent. They looked at the castle and a faint glow appeared in Ven's heart.

"Home." Sora/Ven said as they stared walking towards and into the castle, Aqua following close behind. Once they were inside, the doors closed shut behind them.

"Chain of Memories…Unbroken?" Sora/Ven asked as they looked themselves over.

"Riku told me about what happened to you here Sora, and it shouldn't happen again. Namine was the reason your memories were tampered with but since she's not here, your memories will remain intact. Come on, we've got to get to the Thirteenth Floor and quickly." Aqua said as they walked towards and up the stairs, unaware of the dark figure that entered through the front doors not long afterwards.

…

It took a surprisingly short amount of time for the Master and Apprentice to reach the thirteenth floor, a fact which confused Sora/Ven.

"Rooms?" Sora/Ven asked, referring to the curious absence of all the rooms that he had to pass through on each floor.

"After you lost your Heart, Ven, I remembered something Master Eraqus told me after I became a master. He said he was the world's protector and should anything happen to him, that I would need to seal the World's Keyhole and recreate the world so only I knew the layout and structure. I did as he instructed and recreated our homeworld into this one. I created Castle Oblivion. It was intended to be a safe place to hide your body while your heart was lost and it would also cause any and all unwelcomed guests to become lost in oblivion, hence the name." Aqua explained as they continued walking. They finally reached the room where Namine was once held captive.

"Okay Sora-err-Ven. This is it." Aqua said as she stared at the closed door that led to the area where Sora fought Marluxia. She raised her Keyblade towards the door and once again, the circle of blue light followed by the matching beam shot from the tip of her Keyblade, striking the door, causing it to glow a bright white for a second before the frame around the door completely morphed and changed, from the usual design to largely resemble Ven's Keyblade, Wayward Wind, appearing as the posts on either side and on top of the frame.

"There it is. The Chamber of Waking." Aqua said as she turned to Sora/Ven whose heart was now glowing noticeably brighter than before.

"Inside we'll find your body asleep. I put a bit of magic on it to make sure that your body didn't age or die without your heart so you'll be as good as you were before you lost your heart." Aqua said as Sora/Ven smiled up at her. They were about to start walking towards the door when they suddenly felt a cold chill run down their spines and the sound of footsteps behind them. Aqua froze in horror at what it was.

"No. It can't be!" She said as she spun around to see none other than Xehanort standing in the doorway leading from the floor below, his hands clasped behind his back as usual, and a dark smile across his face.

"At last, after years of searching. The Chamber of Waking, within my grasp finally at last." Xehanort said as Aqua summoned her Keyblade. Sora/Ven spun around with both Sora's Keyblade and Ven's Keyblade summoned in both hands though held like Roxas would wield them.

"You followed us!" Aqua exclaimed angrily as Xehanort grinned.

"Quite so, my dear Aqua. I was watching this world carefully, and when I finally saw you and Sora…or Ven, or whoever he is at the moment, head this way I knew the time had finally come. I must say, you hid the Chamber of Waking quite well. Xemnas was unable to find it during his time in leading Organization XIII, and nor could I…until now that is." Xehanort explained as Aqua gritted her teeth at the lord of darkness.

"Back off Xehanort! I will fight you to the death if I have to, but you will not touch Ven." Aqua warned as Xehanort chuckled maliciously.

"You cannot stop me. Not when I have some old friends of Sora's to entertain you both." Xehanort said as he raised his hands to his sides, causing his hands to glow with a black and grey aura and a pair of black and grey orbs appeared on either side of him. One had an image of a scythe within it and had pink flower petals floating around it while the other had an image of three kunai and bolts of electricity encircling it. In an instant the orbs burst open in pillars of darkness, fading out to reveal two hooded figures. One of them had the heeled boots of the female members. They pulled back their hoods to reveal themselves as Marluxia and Larxene. Aqua and Sora/Ven looked at each other and started backing away towards the door as the two Absent Silhouettes started approaching them, their weapons primed. Marluxia was staring down Sora/Ven, while Larxene stared down Aqua. Xehanort laughed sinisterly as he watched the two Keyblade wielders back away.

"You see? You cannot deal with both of them, AND me at the same time!" Xehanort laughed.

"THAT IS WHAT YOU THINK, XEHANORT!" a deep voice shouted from behind Xehanort, just as he was blasted with a powerful Thundaga blast and knocked to the floor. Aqua and Sora/Ven were stunned at the sight. Xehanort growled angrily and leapt up before turning to see the same blue bandaged man who had attacked him in Twilight Town.

"You again?" Xehanort growled.

"Leave this place! NOW!" the man roared angrily.

"And what are you going to do to stop me old man?" Xehanort shouted angrily as the man reached for the bandages on his face, ripping them free and revealing the familiar bearded face of none other than…

"Ansem the Wise!" Aqua exclaimed as Xehanort growled.

"You were supposed to be dead!" Xehanort yelled but Ansem quickly pulled a sword from its sheath and swung it at Xehanort who quickly blocked with his large and black thorned Keyblade.

"Fool! I was not killed when my device exploded! I was merely sent to the Realm of Darkness where I met Aqua! Then when Sora came along, the Door to the Light opened for the two of them, and I followed close behind! I retook the disguise of Darkness in Zero, because it was all that I remembered. Eventually my memories were restored and now, I know what must be done! I must destroy you like I should have, ten YEARS AGO!" Ansem yelled angrily as he and Xehanort began to duel with sword and Keyblade. Aqua suddenly felt something in her pocket start to shake violently. She reached inside and pulled out Terra's armor piece which was shaking and glowing with a red aura.

"Xe-ha-nort…XEHA-NORT…XEHANORT!" the sound of Terra's Lingering Sentiment's voice echoed as in a bright burst of swirling brown sand and red light, the Lingering Sentiment returned, Keyblade at the ready to do battle once again and with its "eyes" fixed on its rightful, albeit possessed, body. Xehanort spotted the Sentiment and his eyes widened and shock and fear.

"No-NO! Stay back!" Xehanort roared as he suddenly let free a powerful shockwave of dark magic, sending Ansem flying into the wall, dropping the sword to the ground with a clatter. The sentiment immediately charged at Xehanort who quickly leapt out of the way and started to summon a Corridor of Darkness around him.

"Curse you fools! You may have driven me away for now, but this! Isn't! Over!" Xehanort yelled at them as he disappeared in the Corridor of Darkness. The Sentiment attempted to catch him but failed as the Corridor disappeared along with Xehanort. Marluxia and Larxene however were still very much present. The Lingering Sentiment quickly slid in between Sora/Ven and Marluxia, Keyblade raised for combat.

"Sora! Ven! Go! Terra and I can handle these two!" Aqua ordered as Sora/Ven dismissed their Keyblades and ran through the open doors to the Chamber of Waking, leaving Aqua and Terra's Sentiment behind to deal with the Absent Silhouettes. The doors behind Sora/Ven slammed shut with a deafening thud causing Aqua to grin.

"He's in, now we just need to make sure things don't go interrupted for him." Aqua said as she turned to glance at the Lingering Sentiment who immediately leapt into battle with Marluxia. Aqua quickly summoned her armor and then charged into battle with Larxene.

…

Behind the doors, Sora/Ven was running down a long hallway. As they ran, it began getting harder and harder to run until finally they reached another pair of double doors at the end of the hall. They pushed the door open and revealed a large white circular room adorned with the symbol of the Mark of Mastery along the walls like the Nobody symbol was in the room where Aqua's armor and Keyblade had been stored in Radiant Garden. Near the opposite wall rested a large and majestic white throne and in it sat a slumbering yet very familiar face…Ventus.

Sora/Ven started approaching the slumbering boy, the strain on Sora's body becoming unbearable until finally they collapsed onto the ground in the dead center of the room. Sora/Ven pushed on the ground and managed to roll over onto their back just as everything went dark.

"Where…where am I?" A voice asked.

Ven opened his eyes. He was no longer on the throne, he was standing upon a stained glass pillar like in the Station of Awakening. The image on the ground was of him, laying asleep on the throne in Castle Oblivion. Floating in the air overhead and around the arena were large round stained glass columns on their sides, jutting out from the dark void around him. The images on the windows were of Sora, Roxas, and Xion, each asleep. He looked and saw his faithful Keyblade in his hand and his armor piece on his shoulder, but he didn't notice the swirling black spot appearing on the opposite side of the pillar.

"Well-well-well. Looks like the idiot manages to make it back after all." A voice sounding similar to Sora's except with a definite malicious tone said, from out of nowhere. Ven, recognizing the voice, quickly dropped into his battle stance. All of a sudden, from the black spot arose a figure clad in a form fitting black and red bodysuit which appeared quite similar to Riku's Dark Form. The figure had a face strikingly similar to Sora's but with black hair, pail skin, and distinct yellow eyes, coupled with a malicious grin on his face.

"Vanitas!" Ven exclaimed as the evil Sora doppelganger grinned.

"Thought you would be rid of me that easily Ven? You really are an idiot. Did you think that just defeating me and destroying the X-Blade would completely destroy me? The dark part of our heart remained within your body, dormant and waiting for you to return." Vanitas explained as Ven grit his teeth in anger.

"Get out of my heart!" Ven ordered but Vanitas let a maniacal laugh loose.

"Like you have a choice! As long as I'm here, your heart will forever remained fragmented." Vanitas chuckled sinisterly.

"You're wrong!" Ven replied, causing Vanitas to arch a curious eyebrow.

"Oh? And how am I wrong?" Vanitas sneered with his arms crossed.

"I was able to exist easily without you before Xehanort split my heart into two. For a long time after my heart was lost, I wondered how I could ever restore my heart to its original form. Then finally, Sora lost his heart to the Darkness, but got it back. In the process he created a Nobody, which without that Nobody, he would never be able to be a whole being again. When Roxas finally returned to Sora, it revealed to me what I…what we have to do. We have to become one again Vanitas…but this time, I'm going to be the one in charge." Ven said as Vanitas gave him an amused look before throwing back his head and laughing in absolute hysteria.

"You are AN IDIOT!" Vanitas cried in sheer amusement but Ven retained his serious expression.

"Do you really think that you'll be able to overpower me and retake your body?" Vanitas asked, still laughing. Suddenly there was the sound of cracking glass heard from the three circling stained glass windows and Vanitas instantly stopped laughing and started looking around. The windows of Sora, Roxas, and Xion were cracking.

"What is this?" Vanitas asked in confusion.

"You want to know how I'm going to overpower you, well this is how!" Ven shouted before the windows shattered and from them fired large beams of powerful radiant light that converged in the center over the pillar that Ven and Vanitas were standing on, creating a single powerful orb of light that shone down upon the two of them, empowering Ven and weakening Vanitas.

"Sora has leant me the light he carries within his heart, and now, we are going to end this Vanitas, once and for all!" Ven said as he started walking towards Vanitas who dropped to one knee in agony from the light. Ven finally was standing before Vanitas who looked up at him with a look of anger and horror. A light then appeared around Ven as the pillar they were on started to shake. Vanitas then started to glow with the same light before he let out an agonized yell before the light enveloped them both.

Back outside the Chamber…

Aqua and Terra's Sentiment were still battling Larxene and Marluxia's Absent Silhouettes with unrelenting fervor. Just then the entire castle started shaking, causing the fights to stop immediately.

"Huh?" Aqua asked, confused. Suddenly brief yet blinding flashes of light started appearing in various places inside the castle, transforming the once pristine white walls into ruined walls, fixtures, or completely vanishing. Terra's Lingering Sentiment took the opportunity while Marluxia was preoccupied and quickly swung at the Graceful Assassin, knocking him across the room and into Larxene, carrying them both towards and into the wall. Aqua looked at the Sentiment curiously before its Keyblade suddenly morphed into the massive cannon of Terra's Shoot Lock, Ultima Cannon. Aqua quickly grabbed the unconscious Ansem the Wise and hurried towards the doors to the Chamber of Waking just as Terra's Sentiment fired the Ultima Cannon, releasing a blinding flash of light. When it faded, Aqua found herself holding Terra's armor piece in her hand as if by magic.

"Terra." She said softly before suddenly she saw a bolt of electricity streak through the room. Aqua dropped Ansem and raised her Keyblade just in time as Larxene, who had managed to escape the blast, flew in with a sadistic grin on her face and her kunai prepped. Aqua was about to attack the Savage Nymph when suddenly she heard…

"AQUA!"

Without warning, a blond haired blur flew past her and Larxene, though Larxene was knocked into the wall. Aqua watched as the Savage Nymph attempted to climb onto her feet but she soon saw herself start to turn transparent. She then started screaming in anger as she finally faded away, ending her sadistic tendencies forever. The castle then started shaking even more violently. Aqua quickly grabbed Ansem again, throwing him over her shoulder and turning towards the way they came. As she did though, she saw…

"Ven!" Aqua exclaimed in surprise.

"Aqua! RUN!" Ven replied as he ran past her and back into the chamber.

"But, Sora!" she shouted after him.

"I'll deal with him, just RUN!" Ven shouted back. Aqua didn't even argue as she ran for the exit, the castle going through some form of metamorphosis all around her. No sooner had she made it outside the castle, than she turned and looked up at Castle Oblivion and suddenly a bright flash of light engulfed the entire world. Aqua shielded herself from the bright light until suddenly things fell silent. The ground stopped moving and there was a gentle breeze passing by. She could even hear the faint chirping of crickets. She lowered her arm, and opened her eyes and was stunned at what she saw.

"What? How can this be?" she asked as she looked at what was once a majestic and grand castle, now lying ruined in the cool night air. It was Castle Oblivion no longer, instead it had returned to its original form as…

"The Land of Departure." Aqua said breathlessly as she took in the scene. It was no longer surrounded by a swirling darkness nor did it have a massive black orb of darkness overhead. Just the stars. It was still in ruins, but it was still there. She then felt someone tapping her on the shoulder.

"I don't think I'm completely helpless." Ansem said as Aqua quickly set him down.

"Sorry." Aqua said as Ansem dusted himself off with an understanding nod.

"It is alright…though weren't there two of you?" Ansem asked as Aqua's eyes widened and she turned towards the castle.

"Oh no…Sora! Ven!" She shouted as she started running towards the castle ruins but froze when she saw a figure appear in the main doorway.

"Who's there?" She asked as she summoned her Keyblade. No response.

"I said, who's there?" She called again but the figure remained silent. She dropped into her battle stance until the figure stepped into the light. Aqua's face turned to shock and then her eyes lit up with joy as she recognized who it was.

It was a fully restored Ven, carrying an unconscious Sora in his arms.

End Chapter 34.

Yes, Ven is back…and no, Sora is not dead.