It was dawn in Twilight Town and Ven and Axel were heading towards the Usual Spot, emerging from the tunnels near the marketplace in time to see Terra and Riku pass by ahead of them.

"Yo Riku! Superior! Hold up!" Axel called, he and Ven rushing to catch up to them.

"Morning Axel, Ven. Sorry we snuck out this morning. Terra and I went to go speak with Master Yen Sid about something." Riku greeted.

"What's with you sneaking out of the house every morning? What's going on?" Ven asked.

"Different things, Ven. Last night I wanted to ask the Master's advice about something and today Riku and I went to ask his advice about a different matter entirely. Don't worry it's nothing bad." Terra said as Riku nodded.

"Terra and I were actually discussing our next plan for helping Terra deal with his Darkness. We're heading to the old mansion right now to cross over into the World that Never Was. We're going to be taking our biggest step yet today." Riku said as Terra nodded but with apprehension clear in his expressions.

"Want to join us?" Terra asked but Ven seemed equally apprehensive about returning to the World that Never Was. Axel was too but he wasn't as obvious about it…at least not visibly.

"Think I'll pass. No offense, but I wouldn't go back there on a bet. I've had my fill of that place." Axel said as Terra gave a nod.

"Actually I'm glad you say that. I really would rather neither of you came. I don't want you two to…to see anything that might…" Terra stammered, finding it difficult to finish his sentence.

"We understand but you'll be fine. I have every bit of confidence that you'll come back alright." Ven said as Axel grinned and tapped the side of his forehead.

"Got it memorized?" he asked as Terra smiled appreciatively, some of his apprehension easing off.

"Thanks guys. It actually means more than you think to know you feel that way." Terra said as Riku put his hand on Terra's shoulder.

"Come on. The longer we drag this out, the harder it'll be." Riku said as he and Terra turned and silently started walking towards the hole in the wall leading to the mansion.

"What do you suppose is going to happen?" Ven asked worriedly.

"Dunno but I think he'll be alright." Axel replied.

"Do you think we made the right choice deciding to stay behind?" Ven asked.

"No but Terra wants it this way. I don't know him as well as you do but I know how to read a guy's emotions. Comes from faking emotions for so long. It wasn't fear on Terra's face, but shame." Axel said, confusing Ven.

"Shame? Shame of what?" Ven asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" a voice asked from behind them. They turned to see one person they didn't expect to see at all…

"Cloud? Cloud Strife? What are you doing here?" Ven asked as the blond spiky haired former SOLDIER turned delivery boy approaching from the train station, removing a pair of sunglasses.

"I have some letters for Terra from King Ansem the Wise of Radiant Garden. They're for Terra's eyes only." Cloud replied, holding up at least four sealed envelopes bound together in a stack with some taught twine.

"I'll hold onto them." Ven said but Cloud shook his head.

"Sorry. I can't. Orders are to leave them with Terra, Aqua, Sora, Yen Sid, or the King. Terra was very explicit about that fact." Cloud said as Axel furrowed his brow.

"Wait, Terra was explicit? You sure you're not confusing names here? Does that cute blond, which also is named Terra, in Radiant Garden have anything to do with it?" Axel asked but Cloud shook his head again.

"No, not Tina. Terra was in Radiant Garden yesterday and told me that he would be expecting one to four letters from King Ansem. I was to deliver them directly to Terra or, if he wasn't available, to Aqua, Sora, King Mickey, or Yen Sid for safekeeping. No one else was to get hold of them. This includes you two. Sorry." Cloud replied as Ven sighed.

"Alright. Well Sora, Aqua, and the King are away right now and you just missed Terra. He and Riku ran off to go do worlds knows what. Guess that means Master Yen Sid will be holding onto those letters." Ven said as Cloud nodded appreciatively.

"Thanks. I'll drop them off with him then. Be sure to tell Terra that Yen Sid has the letters." Cloud replied before turning and heading back towards the train station, putting his sunglasses back on.

"Wait hang on! What did you mean by, 'isn't it obvious?' What was obvious?" Ven asked as Cloud paused and glanced over his shoulder towards the two.

"His Darkness. Terra's ashamed of his Darkness." Cloud said as Axel arched a curious eyebrow.

"Care to tell us your reasoning?" Axel asked but Cloud simply kept walking, replying with his usual…

"Not interested."

The two watched him depart in silence for a moment before Ven glanced towards Axel.

"Should we follow him?" Ven asked but Axel shook his head.

"Bad idea. I mean have you seen the sword that guy wields? It's no wonder Terra would rely on Cloud to make a delivery like that. Cloud's probably the most reliable delivery guy in the worlds. He'd sooner kill you than let you steal one of his deliveries. Besides, the Chocobo head ain't wrong about Terra." Axel said, turning to head towards the Usual Spot as Ven blinked.

"What makes you so sure?" Ven asked, turning towards Axel who stopped in the middle of the street.

"If you had allowed yourself to fall victim to Darkness and let it harm those you care about the most, you'd probably feel ashamed too once you came to your senses." Axel replied before continuing on, Ven pondering in the middle of the street for a moment before following after him.

…

Meanwhile Terra and Riku reached the grounds outside the old mansion, pausing outside the gates and looking up at the old building.

"Ever wondered who used to live here?" Riku asked as Terra nodded.

"Occasionally. I think Master Eraqus knew. I have a sense of…I guess, sadness, with this place." Terra replied.

"Some of the Master's emotions coming through?" Riku asked.

"Sometimes. I can't tell my feelings from his sometimes but the feelings I'm feeling now is definitely his." Terra said as he and Riku started towards the doors.

"You know, I lived here for almost a year while Sora's memories were being restored. I looked through the books in the library but they most of them were dusty old tomes in some kind of language that didn't make any sense." Riku said as Terra pondered.

"Hmm, sounds like Secret Script." Terra replied.

"Secret Script?" Riku asked.

"It's a form of enchantment that alters the reader's perception so that if the reader isn't meant to read the book, the letters magically rearrange themselves. Have you ever tried looking over Aqua's shoulder when she's reading from the Book of Eraqus?" Terra asked.

"No." Riku replied as they reached the doors, unlocking them with Riku's Keyblade.

"Well if you ever do, you'll likely only see Secret Script because you're not a Keyblade Master." Terra replied as they walked into the old mansion.

"Wait, Keyblade Master? You mean a Keyblade Master could've enchanted those books with Secret Script?" Riku asked as they headed for the library.

"Possibly. I mean it wasn't exclusive to the Keyblade wielders. Anyone with sufficient magic knowledge could do it." Terra said as they entered the library but found it completely normal, the hidden staircase leading to Ansem's secret lab had been hidden again. This wasn't unexpected as Riku walked over to one of the books on the book case, one marked with the letters D-I-Z in gold lettering on the spine, and pushed it into the wall. In a flash the floor disappeared, revealing the staircase.

"After you." Riku said as Terra headed down the stairs. As he watched him walk down the stairs, Riku quickly glanced over his shoulder. He had the sneaking suspicion that someone was following them but had no idea who or why. He didn't see anyone but that wasn't enough to convince him otherwise. He quietly followed Terra down the steps into the basement. The next several minutes were one long quiet blur as they made their way into the World that Never Was. The two made their way to the damaged Castle that Never Was, using the fallen Altar of Naught as a bridge to traverse the gap between the city and the castle.

"I presume you're prepared, Terra." Riku said as Terra took a deep breath, the two halfway across the bridge.

"As prepared as I can be." He replied softly.

"You're about to take the most difficult step in finally accepting your Darkness. The confrontation." Riku said as Terra glared straight ahead.

"I'm ready. It's time my Darkness learned who's in control of this body." Terra said as Riku smiled with determination.

"That's the spirit." Riku replied as they both looked ahead, gazing upon the damaged and incomplete Kingdom Hearts Xemnas and the rest of Organization XIII had spent creating as it hovered in the sky overhead. They soon both reached an open area where only a few short weeks ago they had their first encounter with the Keyblade Rebels. The craters and damage left from the fight could still be seen all around. They could also see a hole in the wall leading into Where Nothing Gathers, a hole Aqua made in frustration during the more recent Neo-Being Incident.

"Alright Terra…you know what to do." Riku said as Terra nodded and looked up at the moon overhead. His gaze was fixed upon it, not looking away even once. The only time it was out of his sight was for a split second when he would blink. Riku quietly stood nearby, watching. He still couldn't shake the feeling that they were being followed but now he was more sure of it. He quietly glanced over his shoulder but saw nothing out of the ordinary. He could see a couple of Shadow Heartless lurking near the edge of the city, staring up at them before disappearing.

"It's not them." Riku commented to himself as he looked back towards Terra. Terra hadn't moved, his gaze unwavering. Riku could sense a growing turmoil in Terra's heart but he wasn't worried. As he sat watching, his Keyblade suddenly appeared in his hand. This meant only one thing…

"Heartless?" he asked as he examined his Keyblade. He then heard what sounded like a girl's scream behind him. (Battle Music Cue: Critical Drive – 358/2 Days Version) Riku quickly leapt to his feet and turned around towards the bridge. He looked and saw a cloaked figure fleeing up the bridge towards the castle, towards them, and it was being pursued by several Shadows and Neo-Shadows. Riku glanced towards Terra who remained in his trance-like state and grimaced.

"Terra, I'm not leaving but keep it together." Riku said as he turned and started running towards the figure, Keyblade in hand and armor summoned.

"Get down!" Riku yelled as the figure quickly ducked down, still running up the bridge, as Riku leapt into the air flying over the figure, his Keyblade suddenly bursting into black flames and bringing the blade smashing down against the ground behind the figure, creating a shockwave of Dark Fire magic that eliminated several of the Heartless before dispersing but there were still more coming.

"I am Riku, chosen wielder of the Keyblade! Apprentice of Master Sora the Keyblade's Chosen One! I fear no Darkness! I live it!" Riku yelled as the Heartless charged towards him. He hadn't noticed as the figure behind him slid to a halt during his taunt and turned to look towards him with a pair of wide blue eyes.

"Riku?" the figure asked softly. Riku was laying waste to the Heartless as they continued to run towards him, casting off lightning spells and making quick attacks in quick succession, taking out large groups of the Heartless until finally he started glowing with a white-purple aura, his Tier One Command Style: Road Walker. Suddenly he was moving twice as fast, slicing through groups of Heartless, successfully keeping them halted against him, or so he thought. He soon noticed the Heartless were beginning to crawl along the sides and underneath the bridge, traveling up towards the top.

"No you don't!" He yelled before leaping into the air, appearing and disappearing in a series of teleport blinks, flying past and attacking the heartless all around the bridge, casing magic spells occasionally before he suddenly started glowing with white energy, his Tier Two Command Style: Eternal Session. He suddenly started attacking the heartless, remaining airborne with glowing white wings made of energy with white sword blades instead of feathers. He quickly flew into the air and swung his Keyblade towards the bridge, sending a sudden barrage of white energy swords flying towards the Heartless, each blade finding its mark on a Heartless, regardless of if they were scurrying beneath the ground or not. The fury and power of his attack drove the Heartless back some distance but had expended his Command Style's energy.

"That should help!" he grunted as he landed near the top of the bridge, the cloaked girl standing nearby.

"They're still coming!" she exclaimed but Riku wasn't worried.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you. I always will. Count on it." Riku said before pausing. For some reason that phrase seemed eerily familiar to him but now wasn't the chance to think about it. He stepped forward, walking calmly towards the Heartless as black streams of energy rising from his back and shoulders, his armor vanishing into his shoulder guard.

"They say to fight fire with fire. Same can be said of Darkness." Riku said as a strange dark cloud started to form over his body, leaving his head untouched. As the cloud faded, it revealed him in his Dark Form. He quietly dropped into his fighting stance and stopped at the center of the bridge, the Heartless continuing to charge towards him. As they did however he noticed that they were starting to climb up onto and over each other to try and reach him, forming a single large moving pile of Heartless. They then started converging directly together, forming a single large snakelike chain of Heartless that rose sharply into the air before arcing around and heading straight for Riku.

"Well this is new and inconvenient." He mumbled with a narrow gaze before vanishing in a blurry haze. He suddenly reappeared with his Keyblade held straight forward, hovering in the air at an angle for a brief moment before launching forward, piercing the chain of Heartless as it plowed into the bridge, the Heartless simply flowing around the sides to the opposite side and reforming the chain on the other end while doing no damage to the bridge whatsoever. Riku continued attacking the chain of Heartless but they were undeterred by his Dark Aura Shot Lock and continued to coil around until they reached the top of the bridge and turned towards the girl who stood fearful of the incoming surge of Heartless and was helpless to do anything about it. Riku suddenly launched forward, disappearing in a haze and reappearing in front of her, turning with his arms stretched out to the sides in an attempt to block the attack.

"You WON'T HARM HER!" Riku yelled but his declaration came on the deaf ears of the Heartless who were headed straight forward towards them. (End Battle Music) The Heartless were feet away from them when…

"GUARD!"

Suddenly a wall of glowing blue rectangular tiles appeared between them and the Heartless, the Heartless crashing into the wall and being dispersed in all directions for a few seconds before the chain suddenly swerved away, coiling into the air and onto the bridge, headed for the city. Riku and the girl looked towards the bridge, watching the Heartless depart but were alarmed when they turned back and started heading towards them again. The Heartless weren't retreating but falling back for a second attack. Riku looked back to where Terra had been standing and saw instead that Terra had donned a black coat like the ones worn by Organization XIII. He knew it was Terra because he had Terra's Keyblade, Ends of the Earth, clutched in his hand.

"Terra? You good?" Riku asked, slightly uncertain of how Terra would respond.

"It seems as though I have brought this upon you, Riku." Terra replied but his voice was different, but it was a voice Riku recognized and it made him scowl slightly.

"It wasn't you and you know that." Riku said as Terra stepped forward towards the bridge.

"Perhaps…but these creatures are in our way. Allow me to deal with them." Terra replied as Riku silently nodded. (Battle Music Cue: Rage Awakened – KH2 Final Mix version) Terra approached the bridge, the Heartless coming back towards them but Terra didn't even break his stride as he raised his empty left hand towards the Heartless, the palm open.

"Be gone." He said calmly as the sky around him began to darken and thousands of small red bolts of energy began to appear in the sky overhead. He then gave a dismissive wave towards the heartless and the bolts suddenly started launching themselves towards the Heartless, each bolt striking and defeating exactly one heartless each, stopping the chain of heartless in midair for a moment before quickly smashing through their numbers all the way back towards the city, the bolts gradually moving so fast that they appeared as a single large stream of red energy that coiled around in pursuit of the heartless until the creatures had retreated back into the city. (End Battle Music) At this the energy bolts disappeared and the sky returned to normal. The girl watching in silent awe while Riku stared at Terra, not sure of what he would do next. Riku's Dark Form had worn off by now.

"Terra…are you…still you?" he asked as Terra dismissed his Keyblade and glanced over his shoulder at him.

"Are you both alright?" Terra asked.

"I am." Riku replied.

"Good. This was the part that I feared the most. And judging by your expression, I am glad that it was just you. I don't think I could bear to wonder what might've happened had Ven or Aqua seen this. I hope that they never see…" Terra said as he turned and reached for his hood, pulling it back to reveal a tanned complexion, a head of spiky white hair, but the eyes were still a sparkling blue. He now had the face, hair, and voice that made him resemble his former Heartless and Nobody: Ansem and Xemnas. He resembled Xemnas more however due to the coat.

"…I hope they never see…this." Terra said with a look of shame on his face.

"It had to be done, Terra. You've reached the final step. You've discovered your Dark Form. Now you need only to control it. To truly accept your Darkness, you will need to learn to control it but once it's yours, then you will have accepted it completely." Riku said as Terra/Xemnas smirked.

"But Riku…it already is my darkness." Terra said as Riku understood his meaning and nodded.

"Glad to hear it. Now, do you know how to shed that form?" Riku asked as Terra closed his eyes with a relaxing breath. Slowly his tanned complexion faded away and his hair returned to its usual brown. He then smiled towards Riku and nodded. Riku in turn smiled and extended his hand.

"It's nice to finally have a friend on the road…" Riku said as Terra took hold of his hand…

"…on the road to dawn." Terra finished before they heard a thud nearby. They both turned to see the girl from before passed out on the ground.

"Whoa is she alright?!" Terra asked.

"Not sure. I think she's been following us for some time!" Riku replied as Terra picked her up in his arms.

"We should get her to Axel's house, quick. It's the closest place for her to rest." Terra said as Riku nodded, the two turning and running down the bridge towards the city.

End Chapter 26

Who is this strange girl? How does she know Riku? Has Terra finally come to terms with his past and his darkness? Find out in the chapters to come…

If you've seen the KH3 trailer by now then the Heartless chain should sound familiar as Sora fights a whole chain of heartless in Twilight Town in the trailer.

Oh one more thing. In the previous RKH story, Dark Reflections, we saw Riku use his Dark Form but it was slightly different than normal. Instead of the Heartless emblem on his chest, it was a Mark of Mastery insignia. Just wanted to remind you and establish that fact before we go any further.