Mira pointed her keyblade at the gate and closed her eyes. She wouldn't have to do this if she'd been wiser back then. Accidentally or not, she'd squandered the time she had to make a difference. Though, maybe everything would have fallen to darkness anyway. Flashes of that day invaded her mind; the day her world was turned upside down.

Mira awoke uneasily. Clammy sweat coated her back and her throat ached. She'd dreamed about the heart moon again; what did it mean-? Something thudded in the darkness. She sat up, clutching the covers to her chest, heart thumping against her ribs. Her eyes darted around wildly, unseeing. Two golden eyes regarded her coldly, like a merciless predator. Her breath hitched.

A low chuckle reached her ears and she shivered, staring wide-eyed and unblinking, unwilling to break contact with those eyes. "My-my," came a familiar voice. Vanitas. "Not so tough without your master now, are you?" The eyes drew closer. She hadn't seen him again since they were introduced a few months ago. What did he want? Adrenaline pumped through her veins. She was ready to scream or run or both.

"What'dyu want?" Her throat was dry and crackly, voice barely rising above a whisper. She inwardly cursed herself; she was only proving his point!

He loomed above her. "Nothing actually. I wanted to see why you weren't invited, but it all makes sense now. It's obvious you're not ready to leave the kiddy-table."

She bristled. "What're you talking about?"

"Oh?" He gasped. "You didn't know? So much for being his 'true apprentice.'"

She leapt from her bed, hands finding purchase in the material covering his chest, nails biting through. With any luck, she'd scratch him. "What're you talking about?! Tell me!"

Vanitas stumbled back, grunting in surprise. "Get off me – let go!"

"Not until you tell me what's going on!"

"Alright! alright!" he growled. "We're meeting at the Keyblade Graveyard – you know, where all the keyblades-"

"I know where it is," she snapped. "What are you doing there?"

His eyes narrowed. "Why don't you come and find out?" He shoved her away, sending her sprawling over the side of the bed, nearly to the floor. "You're pathetic," he scoffed. "No wonder he chose me over you." Turning his back on her, he summoned a dark portal, leaving her alone.

Slack-jawed, she stared at the space he'd occupied. Dare she disobey Master Xehanort? He had told her to be patient; but she hadn't seen him since then either... he wouldn't actually choose Vanitas over her, right? And why would they be going to the graveyard? It held so much history and tragedy. Her master had taken her there a few times before; she still remembered the first time she'd seen it...

Mira shivered and squinted as the wind whipped frigid air and dust around them.

The cottage had been emptier since Ventus left them; how was he doing? Were those two nosy apprentices being nice to him? When she asked about the boy, her master would merely grunt or tell her not to worry – that he was in capable hands. He said he'd take her to a place of 'historical significance.' When pressed for more information, he told her to wait and see – he wouldn't even tell her when they were leaving. Given that, she was unprepared when he woke her early one morning with instructions to prepare to leave.

Now there they were, shivering in the biting wind amidst a desolate landscape devoid of life. As luck would have it, their path lay in direct opposition to the gales; the force beat against her, chilling her further and obscuring her vision. Master Xehanort gave no indication of discomfort; he walked ahead, composed as ever. She squinted at him, willing him to notice her suffering. Or for a speck of dirt to get in his eye. Neither option occurred.

Mira glared at his back. She didn't need his help anyway. Her own father never paid her any mind after her mother died. She might as well have been dead too. Had he noticed her absence? It had been a few months since Master Xehanort took her in... She shook her head. He most likely hadn't – or worse: he didn't care. Not that it mattered; he'd never find her. Willing forth her keyblade, she whispered a quiet "reflect." Immediately, the wind ceased its attack of cold and filth. The reprieve was nice.

Xehanort glanced behind, an amused smirk tugging at his lips. "Ah, so you're finally tired of being covered in dirt, I see."

She crossed her arms and looked away, cheeks flaming. With him, everything was a teachable moment. What was the point of making her struggle needlessly? For once, it might've been nice for him to help her directly. And yet, despite that, she wanted to prove to him that she was capable. Worthy. It frustrated her as much as it inspired.

Xehanort came to a halt at the edge of a high cliff and beckoned her closer. "Look below, girl." Mira peered over the edge. Her vision swam, unable to focus on what lay below. Whatever it was, couldn't they have gotten closer? Why so high up? He placed a steady hand on her shoulder. "Take a deep breath. I won't allow you to fall."

She gazed into the valley below. Strange objects protruding from the ground like a pin cushion came into focus. The ground was barren and dusty, so they probably weren't plants. And they were too neat, arranged in such a way that a clear path in the shape of a plus - or maybe an "x" was visible from their vantage point. Unfortunately, they were too far to see them clearly. Again, showing her up close would've been much easier. But she knew better than to say that; the last time she'd mouthed off, he ran her through so many combat drills she thought her muscles would disintegrate.

Instead, Mira asked, "What are those? What is this place?"

He clasped his hands behind his back. "This is a graveyard – a remnant from a time gone by, when keyblade warriors held a seat of power. What you see before you was once a battlefield on which these wielders waged a terrible war."

"Why were they fighting?"

He raised a brow. "You tell me; what breeds conflict?" Answering a question with a question again, typical Master Xehanort.

"Resources?"

He nodded. "What else?"

She frowned. "Um... greed?" He stared at her expectantly and she twitched. Was she expected to be an encyclopedia? "Envy? Insults? I dunno!"

"No need to shout." He scowled and she bowed her head. "But yes, those are all sources of conflict. In this case, everything you mentioned propelled the people of the past into war. The keyblade warriors of old coveted light above all else. They hoarded it for themselves, and in doing so, became consumed with darkness."

"...I see. Well, not really – how can you 'hoard light'? It's intangible..." she trailed off.

"Long ago, in the Age of Fairytales, when the worlds were one, people believed that light was a gift from Kingdom Hearts. You should've read something about that by now, yes?"

Mira nodded. "Yeah, but books are vague on what Kingdom Hearts actually is – I don't really understand it."

"Some speculate that it's an unseen land; others say it's the heart of all worlds – of everything. No one knows what's contained within it, but both sides agree that it's safeguarded by its counterpart, the X-blade. Think of Kingdom Hearts as a lock and the X-blade as the one true key for it. Without this weapon, you cannot access the heart of all worlds."

"But there's more than one keyblade – which one guards it? We both have one..." In a flight of fancy, she imagined that hers was the one destined to protect and open the elusive Kingdom Hearts. What a world that would be.

"Neither. You see, during the Keyblade War, the X-blade was shattered, and Kingdom Hearts was lost to darkness."

"Oh..." Well, there went that idea. "So, they fought over the light, and lost it all?" How stupid; there was plenty of light to go around - she paused. "But wait... If the heart of all worlds fell into darkness, how come there's light now?"

"Follow me."

They stepped through a dark portal, down to the valley below. It was that easy; no need to have been up there at all. The sight that greeted her stole the air from her lungs. Countless keyblades jutted from the ground, like tombstones. Graveyard indeed. Xehanort stood by her silently.

"Master, isn't it dangerous to leave all these keyblades here? What if someone came here and stole one for themselves?"

"Then they would have a brittle tool with which to bludgeon their enemies. I'm sure you've noticed these keys are empty, have you not?"

She crouched beside one nearby, resting her hand on the grip. It was empty. Cold. The packed dirt was uncomfortable against her knees, and she stood and brushed herself off. "I guess... They don't feel like mine. Or yours," she added. That wasn't saying much; in truth, his keyblade felt nothing like hers either. It sang an ancient song when she'd held it and the eye stared deeply within her. Or it seemed that way, at least. The keyblade in front of her, though, said nothing at all.

"Indeed. These keyblades belonged to the old warriors. But as their bodies and hearts perished, so too did these un-bequeathed keys."

"I didn't realize keyblades could die."

"They are a manifestation of the power of your heart. When you die, so does your keyblade, if it hasn't been passed to another." He cleared his throat. Perhaps the dry wind affected him more than he was letting on. Her lips quirked, though she smothered her schadenfreude. Better not to let him see it and punish her with more grueling training. "When these warriors fell, the light they had collected – as well as the light within them – returned to Kingdom Hearts."

"The same Kingdom Hearts that was lost to darkness? That doesn't answer how we're still here."

"Correct. It is said that when the worlds fell, the light inherent in the hearts of children broke through the darkness and made the worlds we see today."

"Then things aren't really fixed, are they?" Mira tapped her chin. "Even though the kids saved the future, the worlds are still broken... because they're separate, right?"

"You could say that."

They lived in broken, fragmented worlds... how fitting. The sins of the past cursed the future to live disjointed lives. Well... except those with the keyblade. Her heart overflowed with gratitude that she had hers. Without it, she'd have been trapped in ignorance, powerless to change her life. She glanced at him, eyes widening at his scrutiny. She gripped her keyblade harder, taking comfort in the calming thrum it sent through her.

"Come, we should return home."

Her heart warmed at the thought of the cottage. For all the intimidation from his gruff exterior and strict rules, he was more of a home than the man who'd once dared to call himself 'father'. Mira followed him through the portal.

"Master?" Darkness closed around them, though she was unafraid. "Will Kingdom Hearts ever return?" Quietly, she added, "I wish I could've seen it..."

He smirked. "Have patience, little star, and maybe someday you will."

When Mira opened her eyes again, sun streamed through her window and birds chirped outside. She must've fallen asleep... If not for the events of the previous night, it would have been an idyllic morning. She nearly rolled over to continue her oblivion, rather than face the day.

The day.

She threw off her covers, wide awake and frantic, her encounter with Vanitas rushing back to her. What should she do? Would Master Xehanort be angry if she went? It was possible Vanitas was trying to get her into trouble... Mira recalled his taunts; the memory boiling her blood. Her feet carried her around the room, pace increasing the more she agonized. She probably already missed whatever was supposed to happen at the graveyard. Her hip connected painfully with the corner of her desk, but she paid it no mind. Her stomach churned; what should she do?

She opened a lane; the portal beckoned. She closed it. This was idiotic. Vanitas had to be trying to get her into trouble – he was rotten. And the last thing she wanted was for him to win her master's regard. She should stay…

But then again... She reopened the portal. What would await her if she went? Maybe, by going and acting independently, rather than at her master's behest, she could prove to him that she was ready to support his plans – whatever they were. She wouldn't really be going against him; he was training her to be a seeker. Seekers seek – and think for themselves. He taught her to question everything, not accept it at face-value. Regardless of Vanitas's motivations, the fact remained that she wanted to know what her master was up to. What good was she if she didn't show him that she was ready to seek him out, rather than wait for answers like a child? He trained her better than that. Mira took a deep breath.

"May my heart be my guiding key."

Bang.

Pieces of the gate flew past her, scratching her exposed skin, stinging more than they injured. She dared not open her eyes.

No. She needed to witness the crime she was committing. Needed to see what she'd done.

Only fragments remained where the gate once proudly stood.

One down.

Countless more to go.

Anything Mira had imagined about what awaited her in the Keyblade Graveyard fell utterly short. She stared at the sky, paralyzed in disbelief, uncomprehending. The heart looming above the highest cliff, the same one from her dreams, froze the blood in her veins. The blue light, which, in any other situation might have been serene, haunted her. Was she asleep? Or was this a waking nightmare?

Each step was sluggish and heavy; blood rushed through her ears. The sounds of battle – of keyblades colliding – echoed in the distance. The cacophony rang louder the closer she got. What if Vanitas betrayed her master? Mira pushed aside her unease and ran toward the sound, only to freeze at the sight of Aqua lying unconscious, clad in her armor, half sprawled across the dirt some distance away. Mira sprinted to her friend's aid. What was she doing there? She might be dead...

As she drew closer, the source of the battle became clear. It was not her master, whom Vanitas fought... rather, it was Ven! The light of the moon reflected off his helmet. Nothing made sense – why were they both there? And where was Terra? He was never far from his friends... Had Vanitas orchestrated this whole thing? Why did he lure them to this awful place? And where was her Master?

"Ven!" she yelled, catching the blonde's attention. "I'll back you up!"

"What are you doing here-? Mira! Watch out!"

To her horror, Vanitas whipped his head toward her and summoned a horde of dead keyblades, riding upon them like a wave. "So you actually decided to show up!" The wave changed course, heading straight toward her and Aqua. "Big mistake!"

With shaky knees, she slid into her stance, clutching her keyblade aloft. The keys drew nearer. Breathe in. The wind from their acceleration stirred the dirt, creating a cloud of dust. She would not allow him to go unpunished. She stilled, body falling into a state of calm. They were almost upon her. If she failed, he may well kill her. Breathe out. "Reflega!" A blinding, bright shield encircled her, turning the brunt of Vanitas's attack upon himself. He flew back, landing far away with a satisfying crunch.

There was no time to savor the victory; Mira knelt next to Aqua and focused her energy into healing. The strength of reflecting all those keys took a toll, but she paid it no mind. Her hands shook. Ven skidded to a stop beside her.

"Mira, what are you doing here? How did you know where to find us?"

"Vanitas told me," she answered, unable to look away from her work. "He didn't say you guys would be here. I thought he was just taunting me at first, but..." She pounded her fists on the ground. "What is going on?!"

Ven opened his mouth to answer, but another voice cut in, panting, "You seriously can't tell? You're a complete idiot." Ven and Mira whipped around, wide-eyed. Vanitas stalked towards them, covered in dirt, mask cracked.

"Don't talk to her like that!"

"Or what?" Vanitas sneered. He returned his attention to her. "Can't you see we're reviving the Keyblade War?"

Her brows scrunched together. "Sorry what? There's only four of us here... That's hardly a war! Did you hit your head on the way down?"

The rest of his mask melted away, revealing a pale face with dark, spikey hair and golden eyes. He crossed his arms testily. "Actually, with you here, there are now seven of us."

"Still doesn't count," she muttered. Seven of them including her. That meant Aqua, Ven, herself, Vanitas... Terra maybe? Her master? Who was the seventh individual? Her eyes darted around the clearing – there was no one else. Could Eraqus be somewhere nearby-?

An arm wrapped around her throat tightly, cutting off the air as Vanitas brandished his keyblade above her head. How had he gotten behind her so quickly? Molten hatred burned in his eyes; his mouth twisted into a snarl. Mira clawed at his arm. "You've done it, Ventus. Well, sort of. Now that my body is about to perish..." Her heart thudded against her ribs and her chest burned. "You and I will have to join together!"

"Vanitas! Let her go!" Ven cried. "Your fight is with me!"

"The X-blade will be forged, or I will kill her right here and now!" Darkness rolled off him in waves, surrounding Ventus, shooting forth at the boy and covering him in unversed.

"The unversed... come from you?!"

Dark spots danced over her vision; not even the light of Kingdom hearts registered anymore. At once, he threw her to the ground, leaving her choking and gasping on air.

Vanitas kneeled beside her, whispering, "You're lucky he wants you alive, or I'd have snapped your neck…" Her throat ached and tears burned at her eyes. He turned to Ven. "It happened when you and I were split into two... The negativity took shape as these monsters. They are what I feel – a horde of fledgling emotions under my control. I released them in all the worlds I could, hoping to lure you away from home and isolate you from your master. We needed to make you stronger... the Unversed were the perfect opponents. You never stood a chance against us, Ventus."

Everything clicked into place. Us. Aside from her friends, she'd only seen him around one other person... one person who wanted her alive. Vanitas stalked toward his counterpart, mouth stretching into a predatory grin. A light glowed bright between them, encompassing their forms. Gusts swirled, blowing dust everywhere. Mira's fingers scrabbled in the dirt for purchase. When she was a child, a powerful hurricane had torn through the Destiny Islands. Winds just like these blew roofs off houses and ripped limbs from trees. Several people died, including her mother. The gusts threw her back and she landed in a heap. An even brighter beam erupted into the sky, straight toward the moon. She shielded her eyes.

"Mira! Is that you?" a cheery voice called out to her. Cracking her eyes open, she was relieved to find the brightness gone. Mira craned her neck, eyes finding that mouse - Mickey - crouching beside Aqua. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice, and pulled herself up. Grey eyes slid where the two boys once stood; only Ventus remained. Could Vanitas have been vanquished by that light?

"Mira!" Aqua had come to. "How did you-?! Where's- Ven!" Aqua dashed to him, Mira and Mickey following close behind. "Thank goodness you're alright!"

Mickey gasped. Ventus held a strange weapon... His eyes flashed golden, and he grinned cruelly. As if in slow motion, he thrust the weapon toward Aqua's chest. Mira reached out, keyblade in hand, but it was Mickey who parried the blow. "That's not Ven!"

Darkness flowed from the doppelganger. "That's correct... I am not Ventus. His heart has become a part of mine now!"

"No!" Grief squeezed Mira's heart. Aqua gripped her hand tightly. She was shaking.

"This X-blade will open a door – one that leads to all worlds!" Her master had spoken reverently of the Keyblade War – this had Xehanort written all over it. But to what end? Mira cringed at the mention of other warriors flocking to the graveyard. What were they playing at? Did they hope to plunge the worlds back into darkness? There had to be a mistake! "And just like the legend says, the keyblade war will begin!"

"Shut up! I'm sick of your nonsense!" Aqua screeched. "Give Ven his heart back!" Vanitas slid into an offensive stance, and Aqua released her. "Mira! You need to leave!" A sense of deja-vu passed over her. Aqua dismissed her the last time they faced Vanitas too. "Mickey and I have this under control! You must get to safety!"

There would be no safety if they succeeded at this madness. Mira pulled her into a hug. "Save Ven."

"I will."

Kingdom Hearts glowed above them all, watching, like a spectator waiting to see who'd claim victory. If her master was nearby, that's where he'd be. No more patience... this time, she would demand answers!

Aided by adrenaline and gravity magic, Mira scaled the cliff swiftly, dodging falling chunks of rock and errant magic from the battle taking place above. When she reached the summit, she had only a split second to take in the scene. Her master knelt on the ground, leaning on his keyblade for support as Terra stood above him, loathing etched into his features.

"I trusted you... Master Eraqus trusted you! And you betrayed us!" Without thinking, Mira threw herself in front of Xehanort just as Terra swung his keyblade to finish him off.

"Terra - stop!" Mira blocked his swing, knees buckling under his raw unbridled strength, though not for long. He stumbled back, incredulity in his blue eyes.

"Mira?! Go back at once!" Xehanort bellowed. She ignored him.

"I should've known you were part of this..." Terra growled. "After all, you are his apprentice..."

"Terra - no! I didn't know-"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear your lies! Master Eraqus is dead because of him!" He pointed behind her.

Mira craned her neck slowly, lip trembling. "Master? Is... is that true?" she asked in a small voice.

"You don't have all the facts, Mira."

She whirled around, words spewing from her mouth before she could stop them, unmindful of the rawness in her throat. "And whose fault is that?! You forced my head into the sand – you kept me ignorant of your plans! Why?!" He said nothing. Fat tears rolled down her cheeks. "People are getting hurt and-!" Mira looked him over, noting his ragged breaths and pained grimace. Her voice died down to an agonized whisper, "You're hurt from this..."

"It's because he's evil, Mira. He's been overtaken by darkness," Terra interjected harshly. His features were livid. "Step aside, or I'll be forced to fight you too."

"No," she snarled, keyblade rematerializing, ready to defend.

"Don't be a fool, Mira! Do as I say and leave!"

"After all he's done, you'd still defend him?!"

She ground her teeth and gripped her keyblade. That was the thing – she didn't know what he'd done – he made sure of that. "You are not judge, jury, and executioner-" Painful coughs erupted from her throat, as the tender skin became increasingly raw. She gasped for breath. A gloved hand pulled her back, and healing magic soothed her hurts. Mira sniffled, blinking the tears away. "Master..."

"Shh. Be silent, Mira."

"Enough of this! I will avenge Master Eraqus!" Terra threw himself at them, keyblade poised to strike. Mira braced herself, gripping her master's coat. He was going to do this even though they'd trained together and been friends. If anyone was overtaken by the darkness, it was him. She glared defiantly.

And then he was thrown back. Mira blinked. "What-"

Xehanort shushed her. "We don't have much time – listen carefully. I will find you again and explain everything, do you understand?"

She shook her head. "No-"

"I know you're angry; I have kept much from you. But I need you to trust me."

"Why can't you be honest with me?" she rasped, biting her lip to hold in the tears. A few fell, hitting the dirt. "Don't you trust me?"

His eyes softened and he placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's not a question of my trust, little star. The truth, revealed prematurely, can be as devastating as a lie. Can you trust me, Mira, as you always have?"

What choice did she have? "I will," she whispered.

He nodded, satisfied. "This is for your own good."

"What do you-" Her stomach jumped into her throat. She was falling – no, he'd pushed her! Straight into a portal that was rapidly closing. "Master! Wait!" He held his ancient keyblade aloft, piercing his chest, and releasing his heart. "No!" She cried as the portal swallowed her up, leaving her enshrouded in darkness.

Mira returned to the Mysterious Tower, exhausted from her task. The return journey challenged even her abilities as one familiar with the Lanes. The destruction of the gates reduced the pathways to shadowy ruins. Where finding one's way used to be a simple task, the way forward became a twisting mass of forks in the roads and dead ends. Were the decimated lanes taking shape as the conflict in her heart? Or were they trying to punish her for what she did to them? Whatever the case, the road held more peril now than it did at the beginning of her journey. It would have been so easy to lose herself and never return...

"Well done... Master Mira."

Yen Sid's words were congratulatory, but his eyes told another story. The Mark of Mastery was meant to be a celebration; this was a dirge. What did it say about her, that her supposed mastery was derived from destruction? From furthering the isolation and brokenness of the worlds? She didn't deserve to reside in the realm of light. She didn't deserve to be a master.