CHAPTER EIGHT

I woke up the next morning and practically sprang out of bed. I felt super excited for today. After all, Terra and Aqua were having their Mark of Mastery exams today. I'd only been with these people a few short days, but I felt as if we'd grown really close to one another.

As I opened my window and took in a deep breath, something repugnant filled my nose. My face wrinkled into disgust as I lifted my coat to my nose and sniffed it.

"Whew!" I cried and quickly lifted my face away from my coat. "I guess all that training has made my clothes a little smelly. I should probably find some new clothes to wear..."

A faint glimmer appeared in my peripheral view. I looked as a light peeked from the cracks of the chest, which was supposed to be empty. I approached it and opened it. The light had subsided, and laying in the chest was a stack of clothing. I raised my eyebrow and pulled the pile out and plopped it on my bed. I changed into the new outfit and stared at myself in the mirror.

"Well, this will take some time to get used to." I mumbled to myself. I wore a white halter tank top with a small scooped neck and gold ribbon straps that tied around my neck. Brown leather ties criss-crossed together all the way down the front. I wore a red and blue plaid shorts and shin-high black socks, white tennis shoes, a sheer, black, fingerless sleeve on my left hand that reached up to mid-forearm, and my brown cords wrapped firmly on my right. My light brown hair remained straight, and I maintained my waterfall braid. I ran my fingers along the light blue, black, and white pauldron resting on my left shoulder.

As I walked out of my room in my new outfit, I crashed into Ventus.

"Whoa! Sorry, Hallie." Ventus said. He paused a moment to study me. "You look different today."

"I guess since I might be here for a while, I should dress for the occasion. Also, it would be best to not smell like a dumpster in general." I said. "It's a big day today."

"Yeah! C'mon, let's go before they start without us!" Ventus grabbed my hand and yanked me down the hallways. "I even heard we'd be getting a special guest to come and watch!"

"Really? Who?"

"I don't know, but we might miss 'em if you don't hurry!"

"Okay, okay!" I laughed and picked up my feet so we ran side by side. We ran to the giant main room, and when I cast my eyes to the thrones at the opposite end, I gasped and froze in place. Ventus stopped and looked back at me.

"Is something wrong?" Ventus said.

"That man..." I whispered.

Seated on the left-hand throne, opposite of Master Eraqus, was an old man. He had a bald head and a silver goatee. He wore a white and black coat with red inner lining over a white shirt with two thin black belts, black pants, white gloves, and calf-high black boots. I couldn't see it from here, but I knew those irises of his were a sinister yellow.

Xehanort.

Ventus glanced over at Xehanort. "That's Master Xehanort. He and Master Eraqus are old-time friends. He must be the special guest!" Ventus examined my face. "Hallie?"

My face had been flushed of color and a cold sweat trickled down my spine. Ventus placed a hand on my shoulder, and he could feel how badly I trembled. I took a step back.

"Everything's okay, Hallie." Ventus said. "There's no reason to be afraid of Master Xehanort."

If only you knew. If only you knew the destruction that laid within his hands. If only you knew he was responsible for the possession of Terra, the banishment of Aqua, your damaged heart, Riku's conversion to the darkness, the creation of the Heartless and Organization XIII, and every other horrible detail that would yet to be unfolded from that mad mind of his.

"Look, they're gonna start!" Ventus said as Terra and Aqua approached the thrones. Ventus and I shuffled into the room and stood near the wall. Terra and Aqua stood before the thrones.

"Huh?" Ventus mumbled as he cast his eyes to the thrones. I followed his eyes to Master Xehanort, who stared at Ventus with a smirk. His yellow eyes shifted to me, and my stomach dropped. Did he recognize who I was? I swallowed hard as a wave of nausea washed over me, and I stepped behind Ventus. "You okay?"

"I-I'm sorry." I said. "I'm just... terrified of what's to come."

Ventus raised his eyebrow, but when Eraqus stood up and stepped forward, he and I both stood at attention. Eraqus looked between Aqua and Terra.

"Today you will be examined for the Mark of Mastery. Not one, but two of the Keyblade's chosen stand here as candidates, but this is neither a competition nor a battle for supremacy. Not a test of wills, but a test of heart. Both of you may prevail, or neither." Eraqus said. "But I'm sure our guest, Master Xehanort, did not travel all this way to see our youngest prospects in years fall short of the Mark. I recognize him, myself, and one more among us who have already completed the Mark and received the title of Keyblade Master."

I gulped. Don't say it. Please don't say my name. It's a give-away deader than sticking a sign on my chest that says "Xehanort's Granddaughter".

"I trust you are ready." Eraqus said, and I sighed in relief. I'm off the hook... for now. Terra and Aqua responded simultaneously. Eraqus summoned his Keyblade, Master Defender, and its blade glowed momentarily. "Then let the examination begin."

Orbs of light appeared in the room, and Terra and Aqua summoned their Keyblades, Earthshaker and Rainfell. I glanced over at Xehanort and my eyes widened at the quick and subtle motion of his hand. The orbs of light were covered in darkness. Terra, Aqua, and Eraqus gasped while Xehanort smiled to himself. Regardless, Terra and Aqua attacked the orbs. A few orbs moved quickly towards me and Ventus.

"Watch out!" Terra cried.

Ventus and I summoned our Keyblades, Wayward Wind and Ultima Weapon. We swiped our Keyblades through the orbs and destroyed them.

"Don't worry about us! You two focus on the exam!" Ventus said.

"But you're in danger here!" Aqua protested as she and Terra stood back to back and surrounded by orbs. "Go wait in your rooms!"

"No way! I've been looking foward to this- seeing you two become Masters. I'm not gonna miss it now!"

"We can take care of ourselves!" I added.

"They're right." Terra lowered his voice to Aqua. "Ven's been training just as hard as us, and Hallie is already a Master. If anything happens, she can look after him."

Aqua grumbled to herself. "Fine. Stay sharp, guys."

I tightened my hold on my Keyblade and charged towards the orbs. I dealt a few quick moves and one orb vanished. As another orb came at me from behind, I backflipped and chucked my Keyblade at it, slicing clear through it. I summoned it back to my side and landed on the ground, striking my battle stance. A group of orbs zipped toward Ventus from four different directions.

"Ven!" I said, surprised at how I called the boy by his nickname for the first time. I ran over and we stood back to back. "Have you ever heard about gymnastics?"

"I guess." Ventus said. He glanced over his shoulder and flashed me a smile. "Ready when you are!"

As the four orbs came at us, I jumped into the air. Ventus reached up above his head and cupped his hands together to create a step. I pushed myself off his hands with my foot. As Ventus quickly jumped out of the way, I twirled in the air and showered that area with balls of Fire. The magic collided into the orbs and destroyed them. I spiraled to the ground, and Ventus reached out and caught me.

"Nice work." Ventus said.

"Thanks." I said, standing up straight. We returned to our spots along the wall as Terra and Aqua stood before Master Eraqus again.

"That was unexpected... but one must keep a still heart even in the most trying of circumstances. It was an excellent test, one that I chose to let unfold." Eraqus said. "Which brings us to your next trial."

Aqua and Terra stood at opposite ends of the room and approached each other with their Keyblades drawn.

"Now, Terra and Aqua, the two of you will face each other in combat." Eraqus said. The two struck their battle stances. "Remember, there are no winners- only truths, for when equal powers clash, their nature is revealed. Begin!"

Aqua and Terra charged towards each other and their Keyblades connected. Terra pushed Aqua back and swung multiple times, but Aqua countered as each swing caused her to take a step back. Terra swiped down hard, but Aqua backflipped away. Terra remained on his roll with strong, consecutive swipes, but Aqua dodged them. She swiped at him, and he jumped back. Taking this break in his attacks, Aqua lunged forward and swiped her Keyblade. It was like time slowed as I watched the Keyblade just barely miss Terra's face. Terra stumbled back and regathered himself. Aqua gripped her Keyblade and darted towards her friend. I watched as Terra scowled and extended his arm to the side. Darkness gathered around his hand, and I gasped quietly. Terra lifted his hand to his face in surprise and clenched his fist, dispelling the darkness. Aqua slammed her Keyblade down, but Terra blocked. As the two continued to battle, I glanced over at Xehanort, who watched Terra with a smile.


Once the battle was finished, Terra and Aqua stood once again before Master Eraqus. Xehanort stood at his side.

"We have deliberated and reached a decision." Eraqus said. "Terra, Aqua, you both performed commendably. However, only Aqua has shown the Mark of Mastery."

Aqua gasped quietly in surprise while a mask of shock fell over Terra.

"Terra, you failed to keep the darkness within you sufficiently in check." Eraqus continued. "But there is always next time. That is all. Aqua, as our newest Keyblade Master, you are entitled to certain knowledge. Please wait here for further instruction."

I watched as Xehanort turned and walked out of the room. I scowled as he turned the corner.

"Hey..." Aqua said. She reached out to touch Terra, but her hand fell back to her side. Ventus ran to their side.

"Terra, I'm sorry." Ventus said.

Terra bowed his head and stared at the ground. "The darkness... Where did it come from?"

Ventus glanced around the room. "Hey, have you guys seen Hallie?"

The three of them looked around the room and shrugged.


I took slow, careful steps down the hallway, making sure Xehanort was within my sight at all times. As he walked down the staircase, I paused a moment until he was near the bottom before I scurried over quietly and descended down the stairs.

"What do you make of Ventus?" I heard Xehanort's scraggly voice when I reached the bottom of the staircase. I stopped and peeked my head around the corner. I gasped quietly and covered my mouth to avoid any more noises from blowing my cover.

"He ain't gonna cut it. Somebody's gotta break that loser in." A bitter and bone-chilling voice responded that sounded so much like the boy waiting for me twelve years into the future. I saw the black and red organic bodysuit that covered his body and the tinted helmet propped against his hip. He had the spiky hair, which was pitch black, yellow eyes instead of ocean blue, and he wore the face of the boy I loved. Looking at him made my heart twist with sadness and disgust. Vanitas: the embodiment of Ventus's darkness after it was forcefully stripped away by Xehanort. When Sora connected with Ventus's heart years ago, he also connected with Vanitas, and he inherited his looks, set in a more sinister tone. I hated him almost as much as I hated the old man standing next to him.

"Not here, you won't. I have to keep up appearances." Xehanort said.

"I know that." Vanitas stood up straight and slid his helmet on. "He just needs a little incentive to leave home."

Vanitas and Xehanort descended down the staircase side-by-side, and I clenched my fist as I watched them turn the corner and disappear. As much as I wanted to continue spying on them, I decided against it; my friends needed me now. I turned around and headed up the staircase. As I walked down the hallway, Terra passed by me.

"Hey, Terra..." I said, my voice trailing off at the distress on his face.

"Please, leave me be." he mumbled as he continued down the hallway. I sighed and walked down the hallway to Ventus's room.

"Come in." Ventus called after I knocked on the door. I opened it and saw him laying on his bed and waving a wooden replica of Terra's Keyblade. It even had his name engraved on the side. "Hey, Hallie."

"Terra's pretty bummed from not becoming a Master, huh?" I said.

Ventus nodded and glanced away. "Yeah... I feel bad for him."

I watched him swing the wooden Keyblade a few times. "Is that a gift from Terra?"

Ventus stopped and studied the Keyblade. "Yeah. It used to be his weapon when we trained together because he didn't want me to get hurt that badly." He stared at the present broodingly. "Why couldn't he become a Master? Why did that darkness have to appear?"

I looked down at the ground. "I don't know. Maybe he's not ready yet to receive that responsibility. Maybe he has some other things in store."

"Like what?" Ventus said. I shrugged and Ventus sighed.

The loud gong of the bell jolted alertness into us. Ventus jumped out of his bed and we made our way to the door.

"Better hurry, Ventus..." a voice said. I gulped as my nerves kicked up a notch. Ventus looked to me and saw the fear riding in my eyes. He tightened his grip on his wooden Keyblade and we turned around.

"Who are you?" Ventus said.

Vanitas leaned casually against a giant box cloaked with a big red blanket with green branches extending across it.

"...Or you'll never see Terra again." Vanitas said.

"What? Get real. I can see Terra anytime I want." Ventus hissed.

"Like right now? He's leaving you behind. And by the time you catch up, he'll be a different person." Vanitas turned his head towards us.

"Ventus, let's go." I said, tugging on his arm. My eyes never left the form of complete darkness standing before me.

"Look- whoever you are- you don't know the first thing about Terra." Ventus continued. He held out his wooden Keyblade and struck his battle stance, as if that could intimidate his living darkness. "Me and him will always be a team. You trying to pick a fight or what?"

Vanitas stood up and walked to the other side of the room. "Oh, grow up." he snarled. "Is that what you call friendship? You'll never know the truth unless you go out and look for it yourself. Come on, what could you possibly know when you're stuck here, looking at nothing but what's in your tiny world?"

"Don't listen to him, Ven." I said desperately. "He's trying to get you to leave. That's all a part of Xehanort's plan!"

"Xehanort?" Ventus said, staring at me skeptically.

I gasped and my hands flew up to my mouth. Vanitas turned his head and his black helmet stared right at me. I could see my warped reflection in his blackened visor. My insides trembled with fear. Did I just give myself away? Would Vanitas go and tell Xehanort about me? Of course he would! How could I be so stupid?!

Vanitas chuckled and summoned a corridor of darkness. He disappeared inside, leaving Ventus and I standing in the doorway. Ventus sighed and stared at the ground.

"Ventus..." I said.

"I have to go find Terra!" Ventus said.

"Wait!" I cried as the blonde took off down the hallway.

I paused to look back into the room where Vanitas once stood. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not yet.

"Terra!" I cried as I ran down the hallway.


Passing by Aqua and Eraqus, I chased Ventus outside to the courtyard. His sprint ended clumsily as he stumbled in front of Terra. Terra turned around a looked down at his panting friend.

"I... I..." Ventus said. He looked up, and Terra rustled his hair.

"It's okay." Terra said. His blue eyes shifted to me. "Keep him safe."

I gulped and nodded. Terra turned around and walked a few paces away. He raised his hand, clenched it, and pounded it against the orb on his left shoulder. There was a flash of light and he donned his Keyblade Armor, which was the same suit his Lingering Will wore at the end of my first journey, minus the cape. Terra summoned Earthshaker and gripped it in both his hands. He paused for a moment before he pointed his Keyblade up in the air. A beam of light shot out from the tip and formed a warping portal in the sky.

"What... is that?" I gasped.

Terra tossed his Keyblade in the air. It glowed and his glider dove down. Terra jumped up and landed in his glider. He circled around me and Ventus and shot up into the air and into the portal.

"Aw..." Ventus whimpered and bowed his head.

"It's okay-" I turned to the blonde, but I cringed as light once again filled my vision. The light subsided, and Ventus donned his Keyblade armor, shaded in dull green, blue, gold, red, and black. "Ventus! What are you-?!"

Ventus summoned Wayward Wind and chucked it in the air. It transformed into his glider and flew down. He jumped in the air and landed on it.

"Wait, Ven!" Aqua cried as the bluenette ran beside me. Ventus circled around us and flew up into the portal Terra conjured up.

"No! He mustn't!" Eraqus cried. He turned to Aqua. "You have to bring him back!"

"Don't worry, Master." Aqua said. She ran a couple of paces forward and touched the orb on her arm. She donned her Keyblade armor, shaded in blue, white, black, and grey. She tossed Rainfell into the sky and her glider came down. She leaped onto it and took off into the sky.

"Terra! Aqua! Ventus!" I cried even though I knew my cries were pointless.

"Hallie." Eraqus said. "What I have told Aqua, I task you with as well. I told Terra his journey could be a second chance to show the Mark of Mastery. However, that flicker of darkness he displayed during the examination, I can sense it runs very deep. If he were to... If those powers were to prove too much for him to handle, I want you and Aqua to bring him back to me at once. It's for his own good. I could not bear to lose any of you to the darkness."

You don't even know the half of it... I paused. Did he include me as well? Has place been resided in his heart for me, too?

"I could never bear the thought of that happening." I whispered. Too bad I would.

"Hallie." Eraqus's voice grew more pleading. "You must watch over my apprentices. Please. Keep them safe."

I gulped and looked up at him. I nodded. "I will. I promise. I'll do whatever it takes."

"Because you have the Keyblade Armor, your Keyblade can also transform into a glider that can take you through the Lanes Between, like what you saw with Terra, Aqua, and Ventus."

I nodded and slowly stepped back.

"I won't let you down, Master." I said sincerely. "I'll save them. I'll save them all."

I turned around and drove my fist into the orb on my left shoulder. There was a flash of light and I donned my Keyblade armor, shaded with light blue, black, and white. I summoned Ultima Weapon and examined it carefully for a few moments before I grunted and threw it up into the air like how the other three did. There was a flash of light, and a glider flew down and stopped beside me, styled like a waveboard similar to Ventus's. The platform was a white heart with a pair of small, light blue, angelic wings stretching out the sides. Filligree in shades of light, dark, and pale blue were attached to the ends of the wings, and a gold crown rested at the top of the heart platform. I jumped on it and felt my feet click to the platform. I looked back at Eraqus, who nodded at me. I nodded back confidently and flew up into the sky through the warping portal.