Fourteen years had passed since Riku and Kairi had welcomed their son into their world and given him Sora's name. Now, under the light of the sun and of Kingdom Hearts, Riku stood with the Kingdom Key at the ready in the forecourt in front of the Land of Departure's castle. While he certainly had gotten older, he was still quite a force to be reckoned with and had only continued to hone his skills and strength since he had been named a Keyblade Master. He could put up quite a fight against anyone except his current opponent.

Ventus hadn't physically changed a bit since he took ownership of the χ-Blade, and he currently wielded it in its sealed state. His long, short-sleeved white coat billowed slightly in the breeze passing through the mountains. He gave Riku a challenging grin and gestured for him to make a move. Riku's eyes narrowed and Ventus's smile became mischievous, and he sprung out of the way once Riku had struck for him. Riku frowned and summoned a circle of light and darkness around his body as he rushed toward his target, but Ventus cast a quick barrier that deflected his attack. He followed up with a spin that knocked Riku off balance, but he quickly recovered.

"Come on, Dad!" Sora called from his place sitting on the castle steps. He watched the spar with great interest, his bright blue eyes like his father's wide and curious. His red hair like his mother's rustled in the wind, and he shook his head quickly to get his bangs out of his face. "You can beat him!"

"You- Ergh- really think so?" Riku replied with a grunt and a smirk as he blocked Ventus's χ-Blade. "Because this guy's a beast!" He tried to counter his opponent, but Ventus rolled to the side and struck him in the back, knocking him off his feet. The blond young man grinned as he straightened up, and Riku huffed as he got back to his feet.

"Giving up already?" Ventus teased. "Come on, Riku. I thought you were stronger than that." Riku glared at him and gripped his Keyblade, causing light to shoot through it, and he held it aloft as he charged for Ventus again. Ventus ducked under as Riku slashed at him and countered, though it seemed he had misjudged the force behind his strike. The Kingdom Key flew from Riku's grip and landed near the top of the stairs with a clatter.

"Uh oh," Sora jumped to his feet and started quickly up the stairs. "Don't worry, Dad! I'll get it!" Riku blinked, forgetting about the quick shot of pain that had traveled up his good wrist, and looked up with wide eyes at his son.

"Sora, wait!" he called a bit too late. Sora picked up the Kingdom Key and hurried back down the stairs. He presented it to his father with a warm smile, and Ventus cleared his throat as he came to stand at Riku's side. Sora's smile faded as both masters stared at him.

"Did I… do something wrong?" he asked. Riku blinked and shook his head somewhat vigorously, then took the Keyblade from his son.

"No, not at all," he replied, still half lost in his thoughts. He glanced at Ventus with an almost helpless look on his face, and Ventus's eyes shone with some mix of understanding and sympathy.

"What's done is done," he said and gestured to the boy. Sora looked down and shuffled back a few steps.

"Sora, wait," Riku said, and his son looked back up at him hesitantly. The master took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't think you quite know what you just did." Sora shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I was just trying to help."

"You don't have to apologize," Riku told him. "Just…" He sighed. "I guess destiny has a funny way." He fell silent for a moment and knelt down, holding the Keyblade's handle toward Sora. "'In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, it's wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend. No ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love.'" He smiled, and Sora, with awe and wonder in his eyes, wrapped his fingers around the Kingdom Key's handle. "You'll now be a Keyblade wielder, Sora."

"A… Wait, what?" Sora's eyes widened. "I'm a Keyblade wielder?! Like you guys? Like Mom and Lea and Xion and-"

"That's right," Riku nodded as Sora released the Kingdom Key, and the master allowed it to vanish. "Though you'll have to go through a lot of training to learn how to properly wield it. These aren't just weapons, Sora."

"I know, I know," Sora smiled. "You've told me that a hundred times, Dad." Riku shook his head and gave his son an exasperated smile.

"I know that, but it just became a lot more real. I hope you've been paying attention to the stories we've told you."

"Of course!" Sora nodded. "And I want to be a great hero just like the guy you named me after." He grinned, giddy. "I'm gonna go tell Mom!" Before his father could stop him, he spun around and ran up the stairs and into the castle. Riku straightened up as he watched the boy go, rubbing the back of his head.

"Definitely takes after his mother," he muttered.

"And his father," Ventus pointed out. "Can't sit still, can't stay in one place, curious about everything, and a lot of energy to burn." He turned to Riku. "But anyway, are you okay?" Riku shrugged and crossed his arms.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I guess it was only a matter of time before he got a Keyblade, considering our history, not to mention that his mother is a Princess of Heart. But…" He shook his head. "Why did it have to be through the Kingdom Key?"

"You can't protect him forever," Ventus said gently and placed his hand on Riku's shoulder. "And I know you're scared something will happen to him. But he's a strong boy with a powerful heart and even more potential. You've already taught him so much about the worlds even though he hasn't seen them for himself. And…" He looked up at Kingdom Hearts. "Maybe the time has come to start teaching the next generation. And I can think of no one better than him to begin that. He's going to do great things." He smiled. "It's in his blood and his heart."

"Now, is that you being nice or do you actually see that?" Riku wondered, and Ventus chuckled.

"A little of both," he replied. "But seriously, Sora has a strong heart full of light. Yes, of course, there's darkness in there too, but that's natural. And with a father like you to guide him, he'll have no problem learning to control it."

"I hope so," Riku said. "And I'm really not all that worried about the darkness getting to him. I mean, yeah, we'll have to make sure he learns how to defend himself, but I don't doubt he can do that. I just…" He looked down. "Worry."

"I understand," Ventus nodded. "I really do, Riku. But put some faith in him."

"I know," Riku sighed. "I just don't know what I would do if something happened to him." He shut his eyes.

"Then we'll just have to make sure to prepare him for anything." Ventus patted Riku's back a bit and looked up at the castle. "Well, maybe you should go make sure he doesn't catch Kairi off guard too much. Maybe explain what happened?"

"Yeah…" Riku chuckled uneasily. "I don't think she'll be mad, per say, but I might get an earful about being more careful." He started up the stairs, leaving Ventus in the forecourt, and the χ-Blade's master took a deep, slow breath as he looked up again at Kingdom Hearts.