Goodness, if it wasn't clear before I'm terrible at keeping track of time, me realizing just like a month ago its been two years since I updated was a wake up call.

But my writing drought has been broken, hurray! Not even gonna lie, this is mostly in part because of my good friend, user name on this site Barrel Maker, constantly encouraging me, letting me bounce ideas off him, editing my docs, and pitching in his own ideas to make this story the best it can be. He first reached out about the story two years ago ironically enough, and by now we've got thousands of messages back and forth about this current story and all potential future plot threads. I know you're reading this Barrel so once again thank you thank you thank youuuu! Your help with this series is literally immeasurable. I'll talk to you in like five seconds from now lmao.

Finally, thanks to everyone who followed and favorited the story, and those of you who checked up on me during my absence! It is all very much appreciated.

Chapter 4: Half-Silvered

I got a music in my ear

From long-long ago and far-far away

And I still hum its tune, but how could I ever

Believe every word it says to me?

– Squalloscope, Big Houses

Everything that occurred after the ceremony felt like a blurred dream. The countless congratulations, the hand shakes, the claps on the back—they only served to force me further into my state of dissociation. Everything about this felt wrong; I clearly hadn't experienced anything like this, and yet I must have. That hooded figure said the card was made from our memories, after all.

…Unless he was lying, which of course I shouldn't put past a mysterious stranger in the midst of the In Between.

"Charity!"

I startled at the swing of a hand in front of my vision, breaking my staring contest with the wall. Ava hung her head low, glancing over her shoulder at the crowd of people gathered nearby. "I told you she was acting weird."

"She's being smothered, give her a break." A figure in a leopard mask stepped forward to pull Ava aside. "Didn't you pass out as soon as Castitas put your mask on?"

"Oh—that's totally different!" Ava huffed but drew back, allowing a much more comforting presence to take her place. At the sight of Patientia, I couldn't help but be overcome by relief.

"Patientia!" I rushed forward and wrapped myself around her in a hug. Her arms flew about her to maintain her upright posture, causing the others to stifle their laughter behind closed fists. Balance regained, she returned the hug with an incredulous chuckle.

"Whoa—Charity, what's all this about?"

The name she addressed me by brought me back to reality. She may look just the same, but whatever was going on here, this wasn't the Patientia I knew.

"I just missed you I guess," I said as I withdrew, thankful for the mask that was now hiding my embarrassed flush.

"I just saw you this morning," Patientia laughed again, lifting her unicorn mask to reveal a face unmarred by future battles. Her skin was devoid of scars, and her eyes were both lively and lilac colored. They studied me carefully as she nudged my chin up, something in the act so reminiscent of how she overlooked me in my Station of Awakening, it warmed my heart. "You feeling okay? You're looking a little paler than usual."

Ava backpedaled into view, her hand covering her mouth to conceal her words despite the fact I could still hear her. "You see what I mean?"

"She's likely a bit overwhelmed by the responsibility placed on her shoulders, as we all were at first," a deep male voice emanated from behind a silvered bear mask.

"There has been a lot of pressure to bond as early as possible," a female voice chimed in, this one donning a snake mask. She was so soft spoken I had to strain to hear her over the crowd. "Training prevented that from occurring, but now? It would be extremely useful to get her penchant for healing passed onto another."

"Please, there's no need for that talk."

The other masked figures stiffened before lowering into a bow as Castitas approached, elegant and purposeful in her stride. Her tone was friendly, but there was a hidden edge behind her words as she continued, "Leave the girl be. These problems can be left aside for one night, can they not?"

Patientia's eyes narrowed just a touch as the other Masters spoke, something I wouldn't have noticed had I not been scrutinizing her face. But as Castitas interjected into the conversation, she smiled, the annoyance fading in favor of pride. "Castitas is right. Let's not overburden you with thoughts of the future. Not when tonight is for celebration!"

"Um, before that happens," I chimed in hesitantly, "Can I talk with you really quick? Like, alone?"

Patientia blinked but nodded her head, a bemused smile gracing her lips at my hesitance. "Of course."

I turned to look behind us as we left, noting the others seemed engaged in conversation and idle chats with one another. The only one that caught my gaze was Castitas, causing a shiver to run down my spine. I quickly returned my focus forward as we exited the cathedral, the cool night air a blissful relief.

I removed my mask with a huff, shaking my hair and gazing into its silvered surface. My reflection stared back, her blonde hair frazzled and green eyes confused.

"Charity?"

I tore my gaze away from the mask. As I opened my mouth to proclaim my identity, it slowly shut. How was I supposed to say this? That I'd somehow been sent back in time by a mysterious Castle and a hooded man that made a card out of my memories? That I wasn't actually her apprentice Charity, but a girl she wouldn't meet for god-knows how many centuries after she was stuck inside of a Keyblade?

Was any of this real anyways? Would my interactions have consequences for the future? Or was I simply meant to sit back and watch what would unfurl?

A warm hand on my shoulder jostled me from my rumination. Patientia's brows were still furrowed, but a soft smile lifted her lips. "Hey, don't clam up on me now. You're not too grown you can't even confide in your former Master, are you?"

"No, I...I guess I just don't feel much like myself right now." Not entirely a lie.

"Hmm…" Patientia sat back, turning her gaze to the overlook. The town stretched below us for miles around, people buzzing about it like small ants from this high up. "My first day as a Master was pretty strange too. You're given all this pomp and circumstance, then dumped into the world and told 'Alright, now be a shining beacon of hope for everyone and fight back the Darkness!'" She sat back on her haunches and gestured dramatically, eliciting a laugh from me. That description was still relevant, practically mirroring Sora and I's dive into the deep end.

Her smile turned earnest at my laugh. Draping herself over the stone railings, she continued, "What I'm trying to say is, I know it's a little bit overwhelming. The responsibility on our shoulders is a heavy thing to carry. And it's certainly not helped by the fact you haven't gotten a Tie yet. Best prepare yourself for the swarm that will come forth to test their merit now that you're a Master."

"Speaking of, where is Ira?" I questioned before I could stop myself. But then I paused, a hand raising to my mouth as if I were trying to trace the syllables I just spoke. Ira? I was trying to ask where her Heart Tie was, but the name forced its way into my head, my lips moving without my control.

Patientia didn't seem to notice my retroactive confusion at my own question. She simply sighed and gestured with her head to the town below. "He didn't want me to tell you—didn't want it to be a distraction from the celebration. But he wasn't able to convince Castitas to lend him an invitation. He should be waiting for us near Fountain Square."

I frowned at this new bit of information. "But—why?"

Charity would probably have known the answer to that. But if it was weird to Patientia, I didn't see a negative response on her face. Her mouth contorted as she chewed on her words. "To uphold the sanctity of the Sanctum, I suppose. But that doesn't sound quite right to me. They fight and die the same as us, after all. Why should they be barred from our Sanctum?"

"Because the Darkness in their hearts will be tempted at the sight of such purity."

Patientia and I both jumped at this intrusion. I turned my head over my shoulder to see Castitas drawing closer, her white robes glistening in the moonlight. She still donned her ram mask, keeping her features hidden in its shadow. "The Light of Kingdom Hearts shouldn't be glimpsed by the eyes of mortal men, wouldn't you agree?"

Patientia dipped her head in a respectful bow. "Master, my apologies. I just wish Ira could have witnessed Charity's ceremony. He helped to train her almost as much as I did."

"If that is what you think. But I trained you, not Ira. Trust in me when I say your mastery of magic is unparalleled, and it shows in how you've morphed Charity's burgeoning talents as a caster into something truly impressive. It is not Ira that brought her this far." Castitas spoke as she strode forward to place a hand on Patientia's shoulder. I could see her jolt at the touch as if she were given a static shock, but her smile still turned more genuine at the gesture.

The ram mask then turned towards me, and I stiffened under the scrutiny. "Would you agree with my assessment of your Master, Charity?"

Just as before the ceremony, images rose to the front of my mind, recalled almost as if she were pulling them forth.

Patientia with Heartblade in hand; grand displays of magic that dwarfed even Aqua's mastery of the elements—truly an awe-inspiring sight.

But then another memory jostled into place, as if indignant it wasn't being recalled upon. A solemn-looking man, his blue hair tied back into a low ponytail, taking me through stances and flourishes step-by-step, offering warm praises as I practiced each move to perfection.

I shook the swimming sensation from my head, banishing the unfamiliar memories back to the depths of wherever they came from. As I answered, I once again felt as if I weren't the one talking, "Absolutely. But Patientia is right, Ira helped just as much as she did."

The tips of Castitas' mouth dipped, but she quickly regained control of her expression. "I see. Charity, would you mind reciting what our teachings tell of the true nature of the hearts of men?"

I froze, drawing a complete blank as I was put on the spot. Of course the intrusive memories wouldn't come when I wanted them to. My panicked gaze darted to Patientia, who immediately stepped forward in my lull.

"The second gift bestowed upon the World was a flawed creation, born of the shadows the purely-hearted cast. The hearts of men are touched by Darkness, and thus to Darkness they shall return."

Castitas turned her head towards Patientia, letting out a sigh. "Wonderful, but let Charity answer next time, Patientia. She's grown enough." As she returned her attention to me, I could only guess at the expression behind her mask. "It's important you always remember this. Just because we have blessed them with a sliver of Kingdom Hearts' power does not mean their temptation was burned away. Every heart touched by Darkness will always struggle with the inherent chaos raging inside them. It is up to us to maintain order in this realm. Depending too heavily on those tainted by such chaos will only result in disaster."

My mouth immediately opened to protest this, the insult this cast over all those I called friends was too much for me to stand by and take. But then I caught Patientia's gaze as she gave a subtle shake of her head, her eyes impressing upon me the importance of my next words. Despite myself, I backed down, lowering my head to cast my glare to the floor instead.

"It's good to question all information you receive, Charity. I applaud the curious spark you hold within you," Castitas said, her mask never once turning away from me. She clearly saw me swallowing my rebuttal. "Just make sure you keep in mind who or what is prodding you to go searching for answers. The Light has nothing to hide. Darkness, on the other hand, is cloaked in falsehoods."

With this, she headed back inside Sanctum. As soon as she disappeared from sight, I felt the atmosphere lighten, and a breath I didn't know I was holding exited harshly. Just being around her invoked such a similar sensation to how I felt in proximity to the Door it made my stomach churn—a trembling rush of emotions I didn't know how to handle.

A hand laid softly on my shoulder drew me from that disturbing realization. I turned to see Patientia looking at me, her brow furrowed. "Just breathe. Regulate your emotions, Charity. You're wearing your disdain on your face."

I relaxed the tension in my expression, doing as she suggested and taking a deep breath. The cold air rushed into my lungs, attempting to quench the burn of defiance.

"I don't understand," I eventually scoffed, "She talks like the Heart Ties are just tolerated. As if they aren't our partners in all this!"

Patientia frowned, her grip on me tightening. "Charity, I must ask you to regain your composure. I taught you better than this."

A flash of guilt hit me at those words as I realized how loud my last declaration must have been. Casting a glance towards the Sanctum, I didn't see Castitas, or any other Pure Hearts poking their heads out to see what the ruckus was about.

Still so strange a thing to say. Pure Hearts. Plural. More of me.

I choked out a semblance of a laugh and gripped my head that began to ache anew. All these rapid fire events made my mind feel it was being strangled. I needed to go somewhere quiet and digest.

"I think I need to go to bed," I croaked out.

Patientia's eyes immediately softened, though her concern remained. "I think that might be for the best. We can celebrate tomorrow, after you've gotten some rest." Her hand moved to my shoulder, guiding us forward. "At least let me walk you home."

I let her lead me as we cut through the courtyard to avoid the crowd inside and began the descent back into the town proper. My mind tried to run through a million things as we walked in silence, doing its best to sort out the mess I'd somehow found myself in.

What did that cloaked man say? You couldn't progress further in Castle Oblivion by just opening doors. You had to give something for it to take, only then would it show you the way forward. It didn't make the least bit of sense, but that wasn't the only thing that had me stumped. This was a memory—yet it clearly didn't belong to me. It had to have somehow come from Patientia, through some sort of convoluted Heart Tie connection I had to her through the Kingdom Key…and yet...

I cast an uncertain glance upwards, to the figure who still had an arm wrapped around me protectively. She had pulled her mask back into place, the unblinking golden eyes holding a determined gaze forward. If this was a memory originating from her, wouldn't I be seeing things from her perspective?

"Patientia?"

We both paused, our heads turning in unison to see someone jogging towards us. A flash of excited familiarity rose in me as he drew close enough for me to discern his features. Blue hair pulled back into a ponytail and eyes that were an intriguing shade of maroon, standing out against his pale skin.

Ira!

I blinked as my heart lurched, the foreign sense of friendship a strange thing to try and process. I didn't know this man—yet at the same time it felt like I'd spent my whole life training beside him.

Just like Terra, my mind chimed in unhelpfully.

I scowled at this intrusive thought, something Ira reacted to in the form of a quirked brow.

"I take it the ceremony went well?" he asked as he eyed my disheveled state and off-put expression. Although the question would imply irony, his tone was nothing but considerate.

"Oh the ceremony went fine. Especially considering the last one had Ava fainting halfway through," Patientia said with a small smile, reaching up to lay a hand on the top of my head. "This one made it through without incident."

"Then let me congratulate you, Foreteller Charity," Ira said, bowing with a hand across his chest, "you're truly deserving of the title."

My frown only deepened at his completely sincere bow.

Ira straightened and met eyes with Patientia, and I watched his head tilt ever so slightly to the right. Patientia mirrored the gesture, and Ira's eyes grew concerned as they flitted back towards me. The realization they were silently communicating finally pushed across the fact that this was Patientia's Heart Tie. For some reason it just didn't feel real until I witnessed proof of their connection.

Why had she never mentioned him before? Especially considering how she always seemed to place so much value on the bond formed from Serēbat Cordis.

"I'm going to take Charity back home, she needs some rest," Patientia eventually broke the silence, starting to guide me away. "Meet me in the Hollow."

Ira nodded, giving me a parting smile. "Rest well, Charity. I hope you're in better spirits tomorrow."

I gave a small nod and a wave in return, afraid if I opened my mouth now I wouldn't be able to stop the questions from pouring out.

Patientia guided me with a hand between my shoulders, eventually dropping it to drift ahead and lead the way. I stuck behind her, my gaze wandering to take in the town—or at least what details I could in the dead of night. Torchlight flickered to illuminate the cobblestone roadways and blue and white color schemed buildings. Empty stalls covered by colorful parasols dotted the streets, and lines of festive flags were strung overhead, giving the town an aura of celebration. I couldn't help but wonder if it was always decorated this way, or if this was for the mastering ceremony.

Patientia didn't stop at any of the houses or buildings along the road—she kept us on the pathway forward, traveling further until the cathedral faded into the fog of the night, and the stone buildings started to ease into a forest setting.

"I'm bringing you back to my house for the night. I hope you don't mind," Patientia spoke up as we approached stone palisades keeping the city separated from the forest proper. "I wouldn't feel quite right leaving you alone with your thoughts tonight."

My head tilted to take in the towering walls and the gate before us, and I shook it slowly. "No, that's…fine." Something in Patientia's tone seemed off—and I had a feeling her concerns weren't simply leaving me to a sleepless night.

Patientia raised her hand to people unseen. A moment passed, then a rumble shook the ground before the gate opened and allowed us passage onto a dirt road that stretched into the dark. It was only as we continued on past the lights of the city that I began to question why it was that Patientia's house was away from civilization.

Eventually we veered off even the dirt road, traveling along a natural path made by repeated crossings that dissuaded the grass from growing. Being so deep in the forest would have been unsettling, but the trilling of crickets and the soft lights of fireflies flitting between the trees soothed any worries I might have had about what lurked in the shadows.

Eventually we crested a hill, and I could finally see our destination. A quaint cottage sat in the midst of a clearing, a warm glow spilling from its windows and lighting upon wildflowers scattered across the field. The sight of it brought a foreign wave of nostalgia washing over my heart—not the first time something I'd never seen before had done that to me.

I could feel Patientia's eyes on me as we trekked down the hill and to the door, seemingly unlocked as she pushed it open and gestured for me to head in. The inside was just as homely as the outside, and the decor matched the quaint and tidy image of Patientia I had inside my head.

"I haven't moved anything," Patienita's voice echoed behind me as she closed the door. "Everything should be as you left it. Feel free to wash up, or just head straight to bed. I might recommend the latter."

I spared her a glance, noting the concern clear in her lilac eyes. My heart tightened at the sight, and I tried to offer up a reassuring smile. "Got it. See you in the morning?"

The smile didn't seem to do much to assuage her worry. I still stretched it further before I continued into the house, my feet carrying me on a predetermined path. Seems they knew where to go, as the room I practically fell into didn't much match Patientia's personality.

Plants sprouted from multiple corners of the room, crowding in the open space but clearly well loved. Several open books lay strewn across a small table, musings and doodles covering loose papers nearby. Clothes were folded and hung in seemingly random places, but the rest of the place was meticulously clean. I approached the mirror hanging over a dresser with a sense of foreboding, but it faded when I saw myself staring back.

I reached up to touch my face, then grabbed my right hand and squeezed, as if certain it would fade into nothing with further scrutiny. That didn't happen though, and I could feel the tension leaving my shoulders. The sight of myself in these foreign clothes was strange, but my gaze caught on the glimmer of the mask on my sash. I untied it to set it aside carefully, its surface cold despite the warmth in the air. Its golden eyes stared back at me impassively until I reached out to turn it around with a small shiver.

I discarded the ceremonial robes in favor of more comfortable sleeping attire before I practically collapsed into the bed, heaving out a massive sigh. I didn't know how long it had been since I slept in an actual bed instead of the ground, but I didn't realize just how much I missed it until this moment.

As my eyes fluttered shut, I couldn't help but drift into myself, seeking the presence of Sora. Still there—just worryingly distant. His card pictured Traverse Town, so was he there now? Was it empty now that the worlds have been restored?

And more importantly…why were we even in these places? I thought once more to the hooded figure's words, racking my brain to try and determine their meaning. Maybe this was a puzzle of some sort—like the world's most convoluted scavenger hunt.

I groaned, covering my face with one of the pillows. None of this made any sense, and thinking further on it was just hurting my head. If I wanted to solve the mystery and reunite with the boys, I had a feeling I would need to find out why I was even in this town to begin with. What did my memories have to do with Charity?

My ruminations eventually grew blurry and vague, and finally faded away completely as I fell asleep. However, the dreamscape that awaited me was not one I was expecting.

As soon as my eyes opened, I was assaulted by the blinding white of Castle Oblivion. Hissing, I shielded my face and stumbled to my feet, letting myself adjust slowly to the sudden change in scenery.

Wait…was I back already? Surely it couldn't have been that easy.

"Well, this is unexpected."

I stiffened and whirled, meeting the gaze of an unfamiliar boy. He peered at me quizzically with a single aqua-colored eye, the other hidden behind the steel-blue hair draped over his face. He couldn't have been too much older than me, but the black leather cloak he donned had me instantly on the defensive.

I summoned the Heartblade into my hand and immediately regretted the action. A bolt of pain raced up my arm, jolting my heart. I gasped and looked down in dismay at the sight of the broken blade that awaited me, grasped by a hand that was barely an outline.

I couldn't help the noise of despair that left my lips at the sight. Why? I thought this was fixed when I went through that door!

"Ah."

At the sound of understanding, I remembered I wasn't the only one in this room. Clutching my arm to my chest I backed up, my expression guarded as I kept my eyes glued onto the cloaked figure. "Just 'cause it looks this way doesn't mean I can't fight."

His head tilted, seeming to ignore my words entirely as he glanced about the room. He then pulled out a book strapped to his cloak to thumb through before jotting something down in its pages. "Intriguing. If you're here and looking like that, either something has gone very wrong topside, or Marluxia is keeping secrets." He paused. "I suppose both of those things being true isn't out of the question."

"Excuse me?"

The sound of scribbling stopped as he peered at me from over the brim of the book. "Do you know where you are at this exact moment?"

"Castle Oblivion?" I answered, the uptick at the end of my statement an unintentional show of my confusion.

"So you know its name. Good. However, that isn't entirely the case." He lowered his book, balancing it on a single hand to gesture to our surroundings. "Currently, I am sleeping, so I only have to assume you are as well. Lines are often blurred when one dreams, drastically so in this Castle. We're both not physically here—just two souls connecting briefly whilst passing through a labyrinth."

I groaned and grasped at my head, ruffling my hair in a show of frustration. "Why can't anyone around here speak clearly? I don't care about any of this dream stuff—Your friend sent me somewhere with some card he took from my memories, but they aren't even my memories! How do I wake up and get back to where I'm supposed to be?!"

His lips thinned at my outburst, but his brow ticked upwards at the mention of my memories. "That's impossible. You're in the deepest part of Castle Oblivion. Only something personal to you can cause such a thing to occur."

"But I've never even been to Daybreak Town!"

The words echoed in the vast hallway as I yelled them, causing both him and I to freeze. My hand flew to my mouth, startled at the name that just emerged. Nobody had told me the name of the town I was in.

"The Age of Fairy Tales?" The boy's monotonous tone shifted as he stepped forward eagerly. "You have memories from a fable? I had thought that whole thing was a mere bedtime story. How is it you're reliving moments from millennia ago?"

My lips pressed together as I debated inwardly about how to progress with this. The cloaked figure from before seemed nothing but duplicit—but this one? I was having a hard time pinning down how I felt about him. Revealing more information than necessary to an enemy would be a mistake, but asking for help from a neutral party…

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. I don't know exactly how I wound up there. I was trying to pass through a door with…someone else. But I got dropped off in Daybreak Town instead—and they didn't follow."

There's that foreign name again, leaving the bitter taste of nostalgia on my tongue all the same.

The boy hummed, placing a gloved hand against his mouth in thought. "...Castle Oblivion may seem like a place of chaos, but in reality, it is rooted in laws and rules that must be followed. If you've truly been transported to Daybreak Town, that can only occur if the memory was already within your heart. Curious." He once again took to writing in his book. "Perhaps they were implanted there by someone? Or rather…something."

Uh-oh.

I shifted on my feet uneasily, not liking where that line of questioning was going. I had no idea what these cloaked figures knew about us, but I wasn't about to reveal more than I had to. "Makes more sense than them always being there."

He hummed in agreement, not seeming to pursue that line of questioning further. I relaxed—until he nodded towards the hand that I clutched close to my chest. "And that?"

Okay, time to put a squash on this attempt at information gathering. "None of your business," I sniffed. "It's unrelated to this."

He finally glanced back up at me over the rim of his book, brows raised at my quipped response. "Is that so?" He snapped the book closed and placed it back into the holder clipped onto his cloak. "It might have more to do with why you're down here than you think."

Before I had a chance to respond, the boy stiffened and looked up, as if listening for something in the distance. It was enough to startle me into looking behind me for an interloper, tightening my grip on the Heartblade.

"I have to go." Without so much of a goodbye, he turned and started to stride down the blinding corridor.

I blinked and spluttered, starting after him. "Wha—Hang on a second!"

He looked over his shoulder, his bemused expression halting me after only a few steps. "Look. Just remember: everything you're seeing is the Castle's doing. The land you're in is only a recreation of the story; the people in it are lies built to keep you complacent as you fade from existence. Keep that in mind and you should be fine. Forget, and you'll sink deeper than we can go."

"Seems easy enough, what's the trick?" I shouted after him.

His lip quirked in the ghost of an empty grin before he suddenly dissipated, as if his whole form was made of mist. I backed away from a few of the curling tendrils, cursing low under my breath. He did say we were merely dreaming, and I suppose that meant he just woke up. I'd never been on this side of it before. I wondered if this is how Kingdom Hearts felt when our conversations got interrupted.

KH

My nose twitched as my eyes opened a sliver, the unfamiliar surroundings giving me a start before yesterday's events came back to me all at once.

I relaxed back into the bed with a small sigh, letting my heart calm as I basked in the smells of breakfast filling the room.

Uuuurk…

My stomach protested loudly at my sitting still despite the tantalizing smells coaxing me into the kitchen. The clawing sensation of hunger just made it all the harder to remind myself none of this was real—apparently.

I sat up in bed, gazing around the room that was slowly being filled with morning sunlight. A patch of the bed was currently being warmed by the beams filtered through the window, and I wiggled my toes over, satisfied goosebumps rising at the difference in temperature.

Certainly felt real enough.

Reluctantly I got up from the bed, repetitions of it's just a recreation it's just a recreation on loop in my mind as I got ready for the day. I hesitated as I passed by the mirror, the reflection of the rabbit mask catching my eye just before I was about to leave the room.

Before I could change my mind, I grabbed it and tied it to my belt once more.

The cabin was even more homely in the daylight, details I missed in my initial sleepy pass through catching my eye as I wandered towards the kitchen. As I explored the living room more, I almost didn't recognize who was in the process of cooking, my eyes snapping back to do a double take.

Patientia's long silver hair was down, strands of it framing her face as her fingers danced idly in the air, using her fire magic to warm the pan on the stove top. The blue and white robes, which were the only thing I'd ever seen her wearing, were gone in favor of a more practical attire. She wore a fitted top reminiscent of the robe in its coloration and gold trim with the pants to match, as well as knee-high boots. A pauldron was strapped to her left shoulder with unicorn iconography etched into the metal.

She looked up as I approached, nodding in greeting. "Morning, Charity. You look well rested, how are you feeling?"

I took a seat at the table that was already set for two, returning the nod. "Better now. I haven't slept that well in a long time."

Patientia let out a small breath, but if it was in relief, her shoulders didn't show it. "I'm glad to hear it. You had me worried last night."

I let out a small laugh that sounded more nervous than I intended. "Oh, did I?"

Patientia pushed a steaming mug across the table towards me—the delicate floral scent identifying it as tea. "Yes, you did. I know nerves were likely a factor, but Ava was right. You were acting…strange."

I took a sip of the tea just as she said I was acting strange, preventing me from answering right away. I gave a pleased noise at the taste of ginger within before holding up a finger with another muffled laugh that was more from nerves than anything. With a hasty swallow, I scalded my tongue in the attempts to give a timely answer—likely only seeming weirder as I coughed out a repetition of, "Did I?"

Patientia hummed a flat note, spooning eggs onto a plate before sliding it towards me. She ignored my question in favor of asking her own, "Your tea okay?"

I nodded, drumming my fingers on the mug before reaching towards the plate, my stomach growling loudly in approval. "Yes, it's great, thank you. I just burned my tongue, it was a bit too hot."

"Really?" She paused, pulling the plate back out of reach, much to my dismay. "Usually you hate ginger tea."

Ah.

I paused, looking up at Patientia. Her expression was unreadable, but it was clear she was now scrutinizing my every move. She didn't just…set me up, did she?

"I've been thinking about it more, you know," Patientia began, and I felt my heart drop, "That moment in the Sanctuary. You've never spoken out of turn like that before. Especially not about Castitas."

I leaned back as Patientia stepped closer, her proximity no longer comforting. "I spoke about it more with Ira last night, and he said something so interesting. You want to hazard a guess as to what that might be?"

I shook my head, eyes wide. My mind was racing too much to even hope to think of a way to look less suspicious at this moment.

"You are never late to anything. Punctuality was one of your best characteristics as a student. Why, then, were you late to your own Mastering ceremony? You were so excited for it in the hours leading up to it. And then afterwards you looked like you saw a ghost, pale and practically tripping over yourself in your hurry to escape. You hardly said two words to anyone there, then this?" Patientia's voice hardened, as for a moment I actually felt a touch of fear as she towered over me. "You are not my apprentice."

My mouth went dry. It wasn't even a question—the accusation settled heavily in the air around us.

Patientia's hand twitched, and I very much recognized the motion of itching to summon a blade. "Whoa, wait!" I stood up and pushed away from the table, nearly sending the chair I was in clattering to the ground. "Just, wait, please. I can explain."

No I couldn't! I didn't have the faintest idea what was going on here!

Patientia just continued to stare at me with narrowed lilac eyes. I kept the barrier of my open palm between us, my heart racing in my chest. "Look, I'm...this is going to be really complicated, but I promise I haven't done anything. I am not your enemy."

Her gaze hardened, as if to say a silent I'll be the judge of that. "You said you could explain, then do it."

I hesitated, once more unsure of what to say—or how much of it I should reveal. Eventually I decided on keeping the more shocking things, like the exact time frame I met her and her semi-death, to myself...for now.

"You're right, I'm…I'm not really Charity. She's still here, I think? But—I'm not from Daybreak Town. I'm not even from this time. I don't really know how I got here or what I'm supposed to be doing, b-but I've met you before. Well, you haven't met me yet. It's in the future. But I am a Pure Heart, and a Heartblade wielder, so that much is similar at least? And I know I might look like your apprentice, but I'm currently not, and I really need you to believe me because I could actually use your guidance so badly."

I winced as my spluttering drew to a close, my eyes squeezing shut and my breath held, bracing for the rejection or stab from a Heartblade that was no doubt to follow. What else could come from that mess of a confession? It sounded crazy even to me!

"...Okay."

I paused. My eyes shot open as I blinked up at Patientia. Surely I didn't hear that right. "Okay?"

"Okay," she simply repeated. As I just continued to stare at her dumbly, I watched as her lips rolled to contain something—a sigh, a frown, I couldn't be sure. "I admit, something's felt…off…ever since your ceremony yesterday. Your words are ringing true, despite how absurd they are. Everything is not quite right in Daybreak Town. And you seem to be at the center of it."

I frowned, the anxious squirming in my stomach no longer from fear of Patientia's reactions. For some reason, her words only made the unease deepen.

She suddenly gripped my shoulder, bringing my attention back to her sharpened gaze. "Speak of this to no one else. I fear they may think this is some plot from the Darkness, an infiltration in the ranks—and…perhaps it is." Her lilac eyes flitted across my face, as if searching for secrets to draw out. "...I will look into it. But for now, you must play your part as a Foreteller. Soothe the people's worries. We can't risk a panic—not now, of all times."

I swallowed nervously, but nodded. "I understand. But I'm worried somebody will be able to tell something is wrong with me anyways. I don't exactly remember what being a Foreteller means."

Her grip loosened, her gaze losing some of its intensity at my ready agreement. "That shouldn't be too much of a problem, you're still new in our ranks. We can blame some of it on the nerves of stepping up to your station. Now—you can still summon, I saw that for myself. Can you fight? Wield magic?"

My lips pursed, recalling the words of the hooded figure. As soon as we stepped into the Castle, we forgot every ability we've ever learned. Eventually I gave an uncertain shrug. "I…don't really know to be honest with you. I wasn't exactly a novice, but coming to this place might've made me one."

Patientia drew back with a contemplative hum. "Then I suppose it's time for a sparring match."

"Yeah, I—wait, a what?" I looked at her, eyes widening at the realization. A sparring match…with Patientia? She'd destroy me even if I remembered my skills!

It seems my panicked expression was amusing to her, as she finally allowed herself a wry grin at my expense. "Don't look so surprised. We used to spar all the time—how else would a Master train her apprentice? I need to see how much you remember so I can calculate exactly how much I need to worry right now." She then tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. "You said you…weren't Charity. Might I ask what your name is, then?"

I started up at her, taking a deep breath before answering. I couldn't explain why I felt like this moment was something I needed to prepare for. "Akira."

Something in Patientia's eyes lit up for the briefest of moments. Then she was back to her usual contemplative expression. "Hm. Akira…" Her lips pursed, like she was going to say more, but eventually she settled on a small murmur of, "What a pretty name."

I averted my gaze briefly with a mumbled thanks.

Patientia turned suddenly, breaking the moment as she nodded her head in a bid for me to follow. "Come. We'll spar in the training grounds, away from the house, if you wouldn't mind."

"Why do I get the feeling there's a story behind that?" I said with a quiet laugh, drawing an arched brow and a curious smile from Patientia.

"I suppose you just have good intuition."

Patientia led me from her cottage, turning away from the direction we'd followed the dirt road along in favor of heading further into the woods. I followed along behind, my fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on my leg.

Sparring was something I was more than familiar with. I'd spent my whole childhood fighting with wooden swords, and dedicated what felt like countless days in mock fights with the boys using the Heartblade. But sparring with Patientia somehow felt like some insurmountable task I was about to be forced to confront. She was a Foreteller, a Heartblade Master. She'd no doubt been using this weapon for longer than I'd been alive. What hope did I have matching up to that?

Eventually I was drawn from my anxious rumination by Patientia coming to a stop. I looked up to see the remains of an old mossy wall, most of its form lost to the time and wind, surrounding another clearing. This one was clearly well worn and often used if the patchiness of the grass and the flatness of earth were anything to go by.

I felt her eyes on me before she wordlessly resumed walking towards the middle of the field. I followed behind slowly, watching as she drew a line in the dirt with the toe of her boot. She then marched a measured ten paces to draw another, pointing me towards the first line. "Stand there."

I did as she said, planting my feet directly on the line, my heart pounding within my chest and my palms clammy. Patientia stood straight and raised her hand, a light gathering in her palm before the familiar sound of a Heartblade being summoned rang through the air like bells.

I couldn't help but stare at Patientia's Heartblade with wide eyes, mesmerized by its appearance. Its guard was reminiscent of a golden harp, joined at the base with an etching of a white unicorn. The blade jut from this like a horn, its teeth a ring of crystals circling the symbol of Kingdom Hearts at the blade's tip.

"It's beautiful," I murmured.

"Ixion?" Patientia lifted the blade with a small grin as electricity arced from the teeth. "Yes, I'm rather pleased with its appearance as well." She swiped the blade through the air, which hummed with a melodic sound from the motion, then took a readied pose with it held out from her side. "Now, summon."

I swallowed heavily, attempting to shake out my nerves as I coaxed the Heartblade into my open palm. Patientia using her blade's true name recalled the mystery of mine remaining silent back into question—but I didn't have long to ponder this. As soon as it materialized, Patientia was charging.

I wasn't ready for such an instant start to the spar, but I still swung with my best prediction of where Patientia would end up at the end of my arc. It seemed I might actually get a hit in—until Patientia pivoted on her heels at the last second. I had no time to correct as my momentum committed me to the swing, leaving myself open to attack.

With a burst of adrenaline fueling my movements I turned the slash into a pirouette, kicking away with a blast of aero sending me up and well out of range of any melee attack. So the limitations of Oblivion didn't reach me here—wherever here was. Recalling my magic was certainly not a struggle now. I could hear Patientia's hum of approval, but my pride quickly faded when I landed right into the pathway of a vivid burst of light magic.

Thinking this would pass over me harmlessly, I was taken aback when as the light washed over my skin, it left behind the distinct tingle of a developing burn. I winced and held my blade out before me defensively, watching Patientia, who likewise stood with Ixion at the ready.

"A decent start," she called out, "but unfortunately you'd be dead twice over if I were a real threat."

I huffed and shook myself out, ignoring the sunburn that felt like it was settling in to stay. "C'mon, again!"

Patentia smiled. "Very well. I struck first last match, so now you—"

I rushed forward before she finished speaking, hoping to take her off guard as she did me. Her smile remained as I watched her phase from existence—or at least that's what it looked like. She disappeared entirely, and my blade landed with a solid thump on the empty ground. I jumped back, keeping to the tips of my toes as I listened intently to my surroundings.

The soft patter of footsteps confirmed my suspicions. She hadn't actually disappeared, she was invisible. I could see the soft shimmer in the air now that I focused on her location. Deciding to follow her initiative of using light magic in lieu of potentially harmful elemental spells, I sent a barrage of pulse bombs in her direction.

However, before they had even gotten close enough to detonate, a volley of lightning struck each and every one, setting them off early. I stood flabbergasted before the rapid sound of footfalls snapped me back to reality. I jumped back just as a flash of light seared the ground I was standing on, bringing up the Heartblade to predict a block. The sharp clang of metal meeting metal rang through the forest, and I could hear Patientia's approval in the way she shouted, "Good!"

I tensed, readying to push away from our stalemate, but before I even had the chance I felt a cold wind billow outwards, freezing my feet to the ground. As I waved my arms to try and keep balance I felt the press of a blade against my chest as Patentia reappeared. "But not good enough."

I couldn't help but scowl as she stood down, tapping the tip of Ixion on the ground. The ice around my feet instantly shattered, sending me stumbling to the ground with a yelp. "You turned invisible! That's hardly fair!"

"You pinpointed my location regardless—it was your timing and strategy that granted you this loss." She shrugged, eyeing me with an expression I couldn't place as I clambered back to my feet. "Shall we go over your missteps?"

"I have a feeling you're going to tell me regardless," I mumbled.

"Your smaller size will leave you at a disadvantage in most melee confrontations," she held up a hand to stop my instant protests, "if you go straight for locking blades. You need to show more caution, more finesse. Stay back, observe, pinpoint patterns and weaknesses before charging in. You were appointed my apprentice for a reason—neither you nor I are meant to overcome challenges with brute strength. There's no shame in playing to your talents."

I pursed my lips, my ears burning in shame despite myself. "Brute strength brought down plenty of Heartless…"

Patientia tilted her head, eyes narrowing as she scrutinized me with a sudden realization. "Who was your teacher."

"Teacher?" I hesitated, the question taking me off guard. "I, ah…Myself?" She nodded at that, and perhaps I should have felt insulted at her ready acceptance of that idea. "Is it that obvious?"

"Yes," she answered instantly.

I visibly deflated, which finally seemed to bring forth some sympathy from Patientia. "Come now, Akira," she chided, placing a hand on my shoulder to make me straighten my back. "Your skills may not be refined, but I'm sure you did the absolute best you could given your circumstances. The fact you were able to keep pace with me for a brief moment without any formal training is impressive enough."

"I'm sure you let me," I huffed, digging into the ground with the tip of my Heartblade.

"Oh, is that what you think?" Patientia raised an eyebrow, pointedly not confronting the accusation. "Perhaps we should settle this then. One more match. I'm fond of the best two out of three, which means this spar would already be over, but I'll make an exception this once."

I looked up at her with a skeptical squint. "What makes you think I'll do any better the third time?"

"Well hopefully the concept of learning hasn't also been lost on you," Patientia's tone made it clear she was teasing, though her expression was devoid of any indications. "But if you need a reminder, typically when we make mistakes, we learn from them, and ultimately we improve."

I rolled my lips to stop the begrudging smile that wanted to come through, maintaining my insulted demeanor. "Okay, okay, I get it."

"Good. Then prepare yourself. We will start when I say."

I paced the length of the grassy clearing, settling on keeping the Heartblade lowered at my side, my other hand empty and held in front of me. Patientia watched my movements before changing her starting stance, Ixion held high and level with her head.

"Ready?" she called out.

I nodded, my mind already trying to predict what her opening move might be with a stance like that.

"Begin."

"Wind!" I brought my open hand down, a gust of aero blasting the ground directly in front of me. I might not be able to turn invisible, but blocking her line of sight with a cloud of dust ought to have the same effect for a bit.

It seems it does, as the spell no doubt meant for my head flew right past me as I ducked to the side. Knowing I had a precious few moments before Patientia blew this cloud away with an aeroga of her own, I closed my eyes to focus. Invisibility had to be a light spell, surely? I could still see the shimmer of Patientia's outline before, meaning all she was doing was bending the light around her. How hard could that be?

"Picture the light hitting your skin and simply bouncing off." Instructions echoed in my head with Patienita's voice—more passive recollection from Charity? "It's a modification of the shield spell; instead of preventing damage, it makes visible light reflect off of you, essentially shielding you from sight."

A subset of shielding magic? Luckily for me, that just so happened to be the first light magic spell I'd learned, and it's the easiest for me to recall.

As I whispered the command under my breath, a gust of wind nearly lifted me off my feet as it blew my cloud of cover away (and then some). I froze, holding my breath and waiting to see if it had worked and rendered me invisible to Patientia.

She paused, lowering Ixion slightly. And when she laughed, I knew the spell had succeeded.

"You always were an absurdly quick learner. Perhaps I'd think you were just playing a trick on me, but Charity's form would never be so unrefined." Her lilac eyes scanned the battlefield as she stepped carefully, inspecting every detail. I ignored her goading and tried to match her footing, stepping when she did to avoid any noise that would give away my position.

As I continued to prowl forward, Patientia changed tactics. I watched as she twirled Ixion, a small flurry of a snowstorm forming, then melting into the ground around her. At the top of the arc she drove the tip of the blade into the dampened ground, causing a wave of what was now mud to ripple out from around her feet. Tried as I might to avoid it, the mud still splattered against my legs as I jumped. She locked onto this instantly, grinning as she sprinted towards me.

I let out a harsh breath as I dropped my concentration, dodging out of the way of her incoming blow. As she twirled and put distance between us, I couldn't help but marvel at the graceful way she moved. She was like a dancer, staying to the tips of her toes as she moved with hardly a sound—sliding her feet rather than taking full steps and orienting herself so she always faced towards me. Those were the confident movements of a Master.

"Move your blade before your body—don't make yourself easier to hit." Patientia used Ixion to hit my blade up and back into a proper guard. "Keep them guessing which direction you're going to go."

I gave a terse nod, doing my best to listen to all of her instructions given in the course of these last few skirmishes. Keep my distance, observe to find patterns and weaknesses, predict your enemy's next course of action, keep on the move to make sure they're not confident of the same. But saying and doing are two entirely different things.

Every thrust earned me a nick on the arm, every slash a tap on my shoulder, or occasionally even a kick to my calf. Any time I backed up to disengage, Patientia would close in and put pressure on me, but when I tried to meet her and engage, I would be just as quickly fenced off.

Patientia was keeping me right where she wanted me. In an instant she stepped forward, both hands on the hilt of Ixion as she swung down in a strike I was forced to meet. I successfully blocked the hit, but before my racing mind landed on what the correct reverse to this lock would be, Patientia slid Ixion along my blade and used it as leverage to bash the bottom of the crossguard against my shoulder.

I hissed in pain as Patientia pulled back, that smile that was starting to become infuriating still pinned on her face. I was "dead" again, but I wasn't about to give up yet.

If Patentia was going to force an up close confrontation, I would have to create my own opening in her guard rather than wait and hope for one to appear. Though I wouldn't be able to do anything with Patientia's eyes tracking my every move, I think I finally had the solution to that problem.

I darted in to bait a hit, barely avoiding the counter as Patientia answered with a thrust. I skirted around, sure on the outside it looked like I was on the back-foot, but in reality I was dancing to exactly where I needed to be. When I felt my footing slide against the mud-slicked ground, I knew I was in position.

I took a breath and poised myself, looking Patientia square in the eyes. My next attack was dodged, the next one parried, but I kept my eyes forward and waited. I didn't have to wait long for what I was looking for—I narrowly avoided Ixion's tip whistling past my head, and for the split second Ixion was outstretched and not ready to guard Patientia's face, I acted.

"Aero!" I swung in an upwards arc, ensuring clumps of mud were thrown forward in the attack. Patientia leapt back and shielded herself, but not before a glob slapped across her eyes, blinding her. Taking my chance I jumped forward, blade raised high, but I stopped mid-swing as a layer of clear water enveloped her. Patientia's lilac eyes quickly reopened as the mud was washed away, looking at me through the thin layer of blue between us.

But I wasn't about to let her act just yet. I repositioned my blade and took aim. "Freeze!" The icy winds that poured forth met Patientia's barrier, freezing it around her and holding her in place. With a newfound confidence in my steps I moved in low and swung towards her side. But just as the blade was within inches of her body, I saw Patientia smile. Her eyes closed, and the ice around her explosively grew. The Heartblade glanced harmlessly off the hard surface, then stopped entirely as the protective layer fully encased the blade. What was once a thin cold shell had grown into a full blown glacier in the middle of the woods.

I grunted, bracing a foot against the surface to try and yank my Heartblade from the ice. I paused when I heard a hissing sound filling the air, quickly abandoning that pursuit to sidestep as a column of fire erupted and blew through the spot I just was. Patientia walked from the steam, a hand raised with a satisfied look on her face. I exhaled shakily, my heart still pounding despite Patentia signaling the end of our little spar.

"Much better," Patientia commented, "You turned your enemy's abilities against them. A smart approach." She turned to look at the Heartblade still sticking from the glacier and placed a hand against the ice, which steamed and melted away just enough for me to free it from its grip. "You may not have won the fight, but you did put me on the defensive. For someone who apparently had no formal training, I would consider that a victory in and of itself."

I puffed out a sigh, half in relief I'd done something right, half in disappointment. It would have been nice to land one real hit in—but like Patientia said, this was better than nothing. As I was about to express my thanks for the compliment, Patientia suddenly stiffened and looked to the side. Unsure of what she saw I followed her gaze, my face paling as my head turned.

I heard it before I saw it. A gentle, nearly silent clapping echoed from the edge of the woods. The blindingly white figure of Castitas was perched not too far from us, looking at us through the unblinking gaze of her mask. She sat on a portion of the old mossy wall that was stable enough to hold her weight, legs crossed and seemingly settled in comfortably. I didn't need to look at Patientia to know she had the same pressing questions as I did. Just how long had she been watching us?

What did she overhear?

When she knew she was spotted, she stood and walked towards us with a quiet elegance. Golden eyes turned from me to Patientia, a single word moving from her lips. "Bravo."

"Master," Patientia addressed, her head dipping in a small bow. "What brings you so far out?"

"I was told you'd guided Charity home shortly after the ceremony," Castitas answered. "I wanted to stop by and check up on her condition."

"Oh, I'm doing fine," I spoke up past an unexpected dryness in my throat, perhaps too quickly. "But it was nice of you to do that."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Castitas asked, concern showing in the corners of her mouth tightening. "I've seen you and your Master train before. Your form is off."

"Yes, we came here to get her warmed back up," Patientia answered in my stead. "It seems someone may have been slacking in their training for the past couple weeks." She shot me a playful side-eye, but I read the hidden warning in the glance. "The blame can't be placed entirely on her, though. I could hardly focus on my training in the weeks before my ceremony, so I let her slack."

"I remember," Castitas hummed. "Nevertheless, it is a good thing you are bringing her back to speed. It is her responsibility to maintain the standards expected of a master now." She turned her head towards me, and I tried my best not to tense too visibly. "On a relevant note, perhaps it would help to receive some counsel from her Master's Master. If you wouldn't mind?"

Patientia pursed her lips briefly. "Not at all. Charity?"

My eyes darted to Patientia, whose eyebrows scrunched together apologetically. It was clear there was little she could do to object without rousing suspicion. The best we could do now was go with the flow.

"O-Of course. That would be fine, Master Castitas," I said, wincing only slightly at the sound of a tremor in my voice.

Castitas didn't seem to react to my tone, wordlessly beginning to walk deeper into the woods. I trailed behind, casting one more glance at Patientia who returned a slow, but reassuring nod.

We walked along the forest pathway in complete silence—in fact, the whole forest seemed to be at a standstill as we passed through. The only things that broke the eerie quiet were the twigs occasionally snapping underfoot, and the rustle of Castitas's robe catching on the branches reaching from the shadows.

The weight of the silence was almost unbearable, and I knew that I would have to be the one to break it. The pressure on my shoulders was that of expectation—Castitas was waiting for me to speak, seemingly happy to bide her time until then.

I was trying desperately to think of a conversation starter, and one question in particular kept circling back around to me. Maybe it wasn't the safest one to ask—I needed to phrase it carefully to avoid raising suspicions, but curiosity was eating at me, and Charity was not answering the calls for answers.

"Master Castitas—"

"Just Castitas will do, Charity," she interrupted, not looking at me. "You're a Foreteller now—in privacy we can drop the formalities."

"Castitas," I repeated, the word without the title feeling strange in my mouth. "When you spoke at my ceremony, it was…hard to gauge your opinion on the topic. Now that it's just us, I was hoping we could maybe drop the formality when I ask you about it."

Castitas hummed curiously at my repetition of her phrasing, continuing her walk forward with her hands clasped behind her back. "And what topic would that be?"

"Heart Ties," I said simply, doing my best to gauge Castitas's reaction out of the corner of my eye. Either I wasn't perceptive enough, or she was excellent at keeping her true feelings under lock and key. I had a feeling it was the latter.

"I was wondering when you would come to me about this," Castitas said after a moment of silence.

I arched my brow, unable to hide my surprise. "You were? Why?"

"I admit, they were only rumors, of which I likely shouldn't place any stock," she inclined her face towards me, her pace slowing, "But I have heard you're more than a little adverse to the idea of bonding."

Was I? I did my best to hold a neutral expression.

"Well…I supposed I used to be." Not entirely a lie. "But now that I'm a Master, my opinions have started to change. I need to be an example for the people. And my talents as a healer need to be shared."

I parroted the words about my skills from the ceremony, hoping it all tracked. It seemed to, as Castitas nodded. "That's certainly what everyone says."

I tilted my head at her phrasing. "Do you…disagree?"

A low hum left her lips. "I don't disagree. I suppose I just don't fully approve of the methodology."

I frowned, not seeing the difference between those things.

"We discovered we could pass on our power, much like our Creator," Castitas turned her gaze upwards, slowly coming to a standstill, "And so we bestowed it onto humanity in efforts to fight back the Darkness. But I ask you, Charity, do you see a difference in our World since we have? Is Darkness eliminated, leaving us to live in peace?"

I clipped my own heel and stumbled at the question, feeling the weight of my potential answer pressing upon me. Unsure of what I should say, I ended up giving a small shake of my head. And unfortunately it wasn't even a lie; the Darkness was still a very real danger in the present time.

"I didn't think so," she said, her voice low. "And yet we continue to practice it. You haven't bonded yet, so you wouldn't know. What it feels like to have someone in your head, siphoning your powers and your Light, and for what? To prolong a war that seemingly has no end?" She shook her head fiercely. "No, there has to be a better way. I know there is."

"You make it seem like having a Heart Tie is such a terrible thing," I said with a hesitant laugh.

"I never felt such relief to have my mind to myself once more," she said, letting that statement be the answer to my unasked question.

A strange sense of foreboding washed over me at the tone of her voice—but I couldn't relate to Castitas' plight. Having such a deep connection with Sora was like a missing piece slotting into place. From the way she described the Tie with such animosity, it was hard to imagine a bond even being able to form between them. But then again, in an age where bonding was done out of necessity for more warriors, it was more so improbable than impossible.

"Maybe you just didn't find the right one," I voiced hesitantly, as if this woman needed my advice.

She barked out a harsh laugh at that—the first real show of emotion from her it almost startled me into jumping. "There is no right one. How can tainting our hearts with Darkness ever be called right? We are Pure Hearts, Akira. Our nature is Order, Light—how can Chaos ever help bring the Darkness to heel? How can we rid ourselves of this scourge when we actively encourage its existence?"

I froze at the sound of my real name coming from her, only for her to continue the rant as if she hadn't even said it. Her words blurred together into a slurry as my dumbfounded mind tried to process the fact she said my name. I hadn't slipped up at some point, had I? "W-What did you call me?"

Castitas paused, her mask slowly turning to look down at me. I watched her lips form the first syllable of my name before it shut firmly, pressing into a thin line as if she too was shocked by its utterance.

We simply stared at each other, anxiety once again rising to snap at my heart. It beat harshly within my chest, and as I wallowed in the feeling, I realized with a jolt why I felt so uneasy around her. This recognition stretched beyond my familiarity with the mask during Ansem's torture. I felt like I knew the woman under it, as if she was a danger I had once before experienced and now wanted to avoid. But that didn't make any sense—she hadn't even shown any outward signs of hostility.

Maybe this warning wasn't coming from me, like I'd thought, but from—

"Charity."

I startled, looking up at Castitas, who drew closer than I realized during my lapse in attention. My mouth went dry as the air around her prickled, like we were standing in the midst of a lightning storm.

"Come with me, I need to show you something."

I noted with a twinge of fear we were now far beyond the reach of civilization. But Castitas had already begun to trek into the surrounding woodlands, heading deep into the mountain range, forcing me to follow or remain lost.

I couldn't be sure how long we walked; it was impossible to track the position of the sun through the thickets and intertwining branches of this forest. The entire way was silent, broken only when I stumbled or stepped on twisting roots and fallen leaves.

Eventually, Castitas paused and drew back a branch, gesturing with her head for me to step beside her. I did so, looking past the thinning tree line and towards the valley down below.

A sharp inhale was all I could muster at the sight.

A deep crevasse ran between the mountain range, cutting the land in two. Even from this height, I couldn't see the bottom of it, just a never ending inky blackness. The strange blue tint to the stone that composed it instantly made me recall our fight with Ansem in the In Between—it looked exactly the same. The grass and trees surrounding the divide were withered and dead, and I shivered at the sound the wind made threading through the branches like the rattling of bones.

"Does this look like something that should remain in our World? Choking the life and Light from everything it touches?"

"Is that an entrance to the Realm of Darkness?" I asked with trepidation, ignoring her pointed question. I never would have thought the two Realms could be connected in such a physical way.

She let out a sigh, her fingers curling into a fist at the mention of Darkness. "That's where the demons have free access to our town. No matter how many times we close it, how many warriors we send in to clear it out, nothing comes of it. It always comes back, drawn towards the brethren it feels in this town, no doubt. We try to keep people from coming this way, I don't want a panic to spread. Hysteria from the masses will do nothing but cause more harm."

I swallowed heavily, feeling it hard to tear my gaze away from the blue glow. "Why are you showing me this then?"

"You're a Foreteller now. You need to fully understand the odds we're up against, just as all the Masters do," Castitas answered instantly. She then paused, the mask tilting as she inclined her head towards me. "And also...I felt as if...something might come from it. From bringing you here, showing you what Darkness looks like manifested in our lands."

"Like...what?"

"A new beginning."

We both fell silent as those words echoed through the deadened trees, causing a shiver to run down my spine. She'd said those same words at my ceremony.

"I've been praying to Kingdom Hearts, with no response to my questions for months on end. But your presence, this feeling...I think it's a sign." She extended a hand, gesturing to the mask loosely strapped to my belt, "May I?"

I handed it to her, careful not to brush against her fingers in the exchange.

She took it with a deep breath, tracing the small crescent moon on its forehead. "Kingdom Hearts truly favors you. I've sensed it, and this all but confirms my suspicions. Perhaps you really are a sign."

"A sign?" I repeated, the unease beginning to draw sweat to my brow.

"That we are meant to forge our own Destinies, away from that of our ancestors who decreed the only way to win the war is through tying ourselves down to the very thing we're fighting against." She turned an eager gaze onto me, her fingers gripping my mask with enough force to make her knuckles white. "You've given me much to think on. I appreciate the enlightening conversation, Charity. It is rare to find one with whom your mind melds so easily."

She handed the mask back to me before beginning the walk back to Daybreak Town without looking back to make sure I was following. I watched her go with a frown, feeling quite the opposite. This conversation felt like a colossal mistake.

I was always disappointed the Foreteller's Keyblades didn't have names, but I remember once seeing a post posing the idea their names were Final Fantasy summons and I loved that idea. So Ixion it is for Patientia's!

This chapter has been a long time coming and I apologize for that! I am rather happy with how it turned out - all of these characters are OCs of mine (well, barring the OG Foretellers of course, but they'll mainly be taking a backseat. Exception being Ava) so I'm nervous and excited all at once finally bringing them into the spotlight. Patientia had an important role to play in Two Hearts, but now she'll get some backstory and characterization to round her out. And I have been waiting sooooo long to introduce Castitas. She is very important, and I've grown to love her in all her unsettling ways.

Anyway, as always I hope you all enjoy! If you did, it would mean a whole bunch if you left a review telling me that! Until next time, and I promise it won't be another two years lol, I've already got the next chapter going!

Xxser3ndipityxX: It was a fun challenge thinking of how to represent them losing all their abilities! In game it's easy, Sora just can't dodge roll anymore. But what would that look like in real life? Highlighting their clumsiness and frustration with knowing they could do better turned out to be the answer.

We are most definitely going to get fun Anti-Form Sora in the Kingdom Hearts 2 story. I can't pass up all that delicious drama! Drive forms are going to be important for multiple reasons, some of which I'll actually get into further in this story!

As for the questions about what's happening with Akira, all will be answered in due time! Sorry it took so long to get back to you, but I hope you'll still enjoy it and our future interactions!