The Final Test V
(The Master of Masters is shown at his desk, looking over his book before turning his head to look at the camera.)
"Oh, you're back already? Can't blame you, I guess. There's still so much to cover and so little time."
(The Master then held up his bool.)
"This is what you're looking for, isn't it? The Book that tells the tale…of the Keyblade War. Well, pull up a chair and I'll tell ya."
(The Master opened his book to show a land littered with Keyblades under a giant Heart: Kingdom Hearts)
"Long, long ago, all the worlds were still one, in what can only be described as the Age of Fairy Tales, people believed that light was a gift from an unseen land by the name of Kingdom Hearts. But Kingdom Hearts was safeguarded by its counterpart, the χ-blade."
(A large and powerful looking weapon was shown embedded in a stone slab)
"Warriors vied for that precious light, thus beginning the 'Keyblade War'."
(Countless warriors, dressed in armor and holding Keyblades as they surrounded the X-blade and began fighting each other)
"The violent clash shattered the χ-blade into twenty pieces—seven of light and thirteen of darkness. And the only real Kingdom Hearts was swallowed by the darkness, never to surface again."
(As the warriors clashed their weapons, the X-blade suddenly shattered and just as the Master said, it shattered into seven glowing pieces representing light and the other thirteen pieces were pitch black, representing darkness)
"With the loss of Kingdom Hearts, the Light expired and Darkness prevailed."
(The Master closed his book)
"What's that? You were expecting a happy ending? Sorry, no happy endings here. It's not winning the war that mattered, it's about what happens after the war."
(A single child is shown)
"Light may expire but it can be reignited. Thanks to the children of all people."
(Many children are shown, glowing hearts appearing in their chests)
"The Light survived in the hearts of innocent children, allowing the world to be restored but not as it was before."
(A single world is shown before breaking apart into many smaller worlds)
"What was once a single world, filled with many smaller worlds, reaching as the eye can see was now there is an infinite expanse of worlds, all of them operating under their own rules. Some worlds are small,"
(A single world with only a small planet is shown)
"And other worlds are so large, they have not just one universe but possibly even countless universes, all bound together in a single system."
(Pair of worlds are shown, both of them having more than one universe, hosting parellel versions of the universe existing in the same physical space, but separated from each other by their vibrational resonances)
"The remnants of the battlefield on which the Keyblade War took place became the Keyblade Graveyard, a scarred wasteland filled with the Keyblades of fallen warriors."
(The Keyblade Graveyard is shown, along with the many Keyblades that were left behind in the wake of the war)
"The remaining Keyblade wielders resolved to protect the world from further destruction, becoming guardians of the world order."
(The Graveyard is then replaced by a grand looking city, with all its people holding their own Keyblades)
"And that, my friends, is the tale of the Keyblade War."
(The Master of Masters is shown to be in his private study again)
"Not the tale you were expecting huh? Well, truth be told, fairy tales tend to be a whole lot worse than they are presented. This is like the safe, kids version of that tale. Trust me, the real one would be too long and complicated to explain, especially since me time is almost up."
(The screen begins to darken)
"Oh, looks my time is up! See ya, next time!"
(The screen turns completely pitch black)
"The Keyblade is a wonderous gift, allowing you the ability to travel not just to other worlds but even to travel through time but it is also a sacrifice. Traveling to other worlds, protecting from the darkness and never expecting praise and gratitude from the people because they are not supposed to know we exist. You trained your entire childhood, probably grew up on stories of all the great Keyblade Wielders out there but when the day you became Master finally came, you found you weren't prepared at all. It's happened to the best of Wielders, Warriors and Heroes and you won't be the last." The Master's voice became solemn and serious now as he knelt down in front of Aqua. "The world's burdens are not yours to fix, nor are you expected to become a wise master to know how to fix everyone's problems. Let go of the guilt you feel for your mistakes, let go of the expectations you feel everyone has for you and let your heart become a guiding key."
Aqua looked up at the Master in surprise. "That saying again…"
"It's becoming popular, isn't it?" The Master asked, his care-free tone returning. "Well, if you feel you need a little help, I might be able to offer something that can help you through it."
"What do you mean?" Aqua asked.
"Look, you built yourself a home on that world because you wanted a place to rest after everything you've been through and you wanted a place that felt like home but when a visitor always builds himself a place to live, it always attracts attention. The best way to continue your journey is not to hide in plain sight, masquerading as a warrior who helps. Good cover but you went a bit far in making a temple like your old home. We can only move forward, little guardian and that's having to accept things can never be the same. It's a bitter pill to swallow but one we all have to eventually." The Master held up a hand. "But you are in a unique position to receive a rare gift."
"A gift?"
"A gift that only a handful of people have ever gained but you got a shot when you traveled back and forth between life and death. To reach into the borders of the Final World and then return to what you were before is a unique circumstance and it has helped you further than you know. It's what keeping from immediately fusing with the Lifestream." The Master stated. "You just need one last thing to decide if you really are able to handle this."
"What's that?"
"Reach into that power you call a Semblance and try connecting with everyone you have ever bonded with. Past, present…and future."
Aqua blinked. "Past, present and future?"
"Bingo." The Master nodded with a thumbs-up.
"But how can I call on connections from the future?" Aqua asked.
"Seriously?" The Master tilted his head slightly. "Have you learned nothing by now?"
"What?" Aqua blinked.
"Haven't you learned by now that the Heart measures time differently than everything else? Time has no meaning to the Heart." The Master stated in an obvious tone, holding up his hand to reveal…
"My Wayfinder!" Aqua gaped.
"Yep." The Master tossed the blue star charm back to its owner. "It's always been with you and that power of what you call a Semblance. Neat little trick, a personal power created by the soul combined with the Keyblade that is the manifestation of your heart. Combine them both and you get a slight edge and in your case, your Semblance comes from the connections you make with others, right?"
"Yeah…'
"Then there's your answer!" The Master exclaimed, making Aqua lean back. "You use your Semblance and Keyblade separately but combine them together and who knows what will happen?"
"How do you know for sure this will help me?" Aqua asked skeptically. "Even if I pass your test, I still have to find my way back to Remnant and fix the mess I made."
"Of course, you do. A Keyblade Master's work is never done. Find your way back, take down the Fairy King and from then on just watch." The Master instructed. "Doing some charity is good and all but you have to do it in a way people don't realize you've done anything and if people start connecting the dots, take off. Go see other worlds out there, see what lies beyond Remnant, the worlds you found in the darkness."
"Are you…instructing me like a Master?" Aqua questioned.
"A Master? No. Think of me more like an advisor and someone who wants you to be the best Master you can be." The Master's voice began to fade as him and the room Aqua was began to vanish. "You know what to do…May your Heart be your guiding key."
"W-wait!" Aqua stood up from the chair but it was too late.
The Master was gone along with his room, leaving Aqua floating what looked to be underwater but surrounding liquid was glowing green and blueish white, her form shinning as she sank, and she realized that it was becoming transparent.
She was being absorbed into this strange water!
Aqua instinctively tried to swim up to the surface but she continued to sink, making her panic. Then she remembered the Master's words to her.
"Use your Semblance and Keyblade separately but combine them together and who knows what will happen?"
Aqua curled up into a ball, holding her Wayfinder as it began to glow while a blue star glyph appeared underneath Aqua, signaling the activation of her Semblance. She didn't know for sure if this would work but she reached down into her heart with her Semblance, trying to feel the connections she had made with people she had bonded with.
Terra
Ven
Master Eraqus
Mickey
Master Yen Sid
Zack
Hercules
Cinderella
The Seven Dwarves
Philoctetes
Prince Philip
Peter Pan
The Lost Boys
Experiment 626
Neo
Oscar
Ozma
Diggs
Ambroise
Ansem
Ruby
Weiss
Blake
Yang
Jaune
Ozma
Artura
Sommnus
Aera
Amarilla
Poppy
Ava
These were the names she knew but it didn't stop there.
Many more glyphs were formed, shining bright while surrounding the glass mural that represented her heart, and she could hear voices.
"Mom!"
Aqua blinked in shock.
"Mom!"
"We're here, Mom!"
"Mother!"
"Aqua!"
"Let us help you!"
"Take our strength and make it yours!"
"Can you hear us?"
"Aqua!"
"Come on!"
"You got to wake up!"
"Don't stop!"
"It's not over!"
"Get up, Aqua!"
"If you can't stand, lean on us!"
"If you don't have a weapon, take ours!"
"If you don't have any strength, we'll give you ours!"
"Take it!"
"Take it all!"
"We're here, Mom! We're all here!"
Aqua gasped as the glyphs all shined, releasing their own unique light on her and with it came a great feeling of strength that washed over her. All the despair, the uncertainty, all of it washed away and she felt…
Whole.
Revitalized.
She could feel these hearts reaching out and connecting to hers, supporting her, encouraging her, taking away the weight that she had forced on herself with the burden she had accepted. It was all washing away and with it she felt strong, like everyone she had ever known were standing with her right now.
Like how Terra and Ven stood with her.
Her eyes shot open, and she let out a scream that was muted by the waters, her eyes flashing with multiple colors as her form glowed brightly, even in the glowing liquid that submerged her. She shot up, actually rising upwards and blasted out of the water, crawling up onto dry land and left panting as she finally pulled herself out.
She did it.
Aqua was free of the water that threatened to assimilate her.
"Good girl." The Master of Masters whispered in a satisfied tone.
Aqua was panting, managing to turn over so she was lying on her back and staring up at the ceiling of the strange cave.
She sighed in relief before sitting up. 'I should feel tired but…'
She didn't.
If anything, she felt completely revitalized.
All her doubts, all her worries, they had all evaporated along with the remains of the strange water she had been covered in when she climbed out of the pool. She turned over and looked down at the water, seeing her reflection.
Her eyes…
She brought a hand close to her…
Perfectly normal eyes.
She remembered them taking a different form briefly and wondered if that had been just a temporary change or there was something else. Before she could even contemplate anything else, there was a flash of light behind her, making her jump to her feet. However, for some reason, she didn't believe it was another enemy.
It was her way out.
A literal Door of Light, waiting for her.
She stared at the Door, contemplating where it might take her for a moment before steeling herself and approached the door. She walked up to it, basking in the warmth of its light before letting out a sigh and entered the door, leaving the strange pool behind.
I couldn't hear anything that was being said.
I didn't know what was about to happen, what was about to unfold in front of us.
The intensity in the air was overwhelming. Images and sounds were burned in my brain. There was no time to stop and think why we were fighting, why our enemies were no longer monsters, but each other.
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
Our friends.
But no matter how hopeless the situation, people will cling to the last shred of hope, the last piece of their dream, until the very end.
Aqua stepped through the Door of Light and emerged onto a familiar looking cliff, rain falling and lightning flashing overhead. She knew this place, it might look different, but she would recognize this place in her sleep.
The Badlands.
Or as she had come to know it as the Keyblade Graveyard.
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
Eyes widening, Aqua walked over to the edge of the cliff and gasped at what she saw. Before her was a vast land like before but rather than being empty and desolate with nothing but craters, she saw whole armies of warriors, draped in armor and all of them wielding…
Keyblades!
Aqua gasped as she took a step back, realizing what might be happening but it was impossible.
Was this…
'The Keyblade War?!'
A movement came from behind and Aqua spun around, just managing to block a weapon that swung at her head.
CLANG!
A warrior, covered head to toe in armor grunted and pushed her back but Aqua retreated and spun out of the way, forcing the warrior to shove past her.
"Wait-STOP!" Aqua tried to get out before she had to defend herself again.
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
The warrior ignored her request and simply continued to attack her, forcing her to block or parry his Keyblade with her own. Finally having enough, Aqua caught the next attack, adjusting its angle so that the slash missed her and left the warrior wide open.
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
Aqua then let loose her own barrage of strikes, slashing at the warrior's armor and knocking him back.
"Thunder!" Aqua then fired a blast of lightning from the tip of her Keyblade, blasting the warrior back into a nearby rocky wall.
The warrior grunted and slid down onto the ground. With him down, Aqua turned to the battle and spied several more warriors appearing, all of them rushing at her and forcing her to run.
"Just in the world is going on here?!" She muttered to herself as she continued to run. "Is this really the Keyblade War?!"
Why of all places was she sent here?!
"You!"
Aqua stopped and gasped as her eyes beheld a familiar looking person. "Aced!"
Aced, the bear masked Foreteller who didn't look happy to see her as he pointed his Keyblade at her. "I deemed you unworthy. I knew you were dangerous the first day you appeared. Now I will stop you here and now!"
With that Aced charged straight at her.
However, unlike before Aqua was prepared.
(Kingdom Hearts II OST The 13th Struggle)
A red aura surrounded Aced as he slammed his Keyblade down onto the ground, causing spikes made of earth to shoot up in all directions. However, before they could even touch her, a red aura appeared around Aqua and her eyes flashed red and just like that, she vanished in a red blur, surprising Aced.
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
"Gah!" Aced grunted as a red blur shot around him, Aqua appearing a few feet away.
Aced swung his Keyblade up and the ground in front of him exploded, an invisible blast traveling along the ground straight at Aqua who jumped into her, her Aura and eyes glowing green briefly. The air around her shimmered and she swung her Keyblade, creating a powerful gust that collided with Aced's attack, seemingly cancelling it out. Aqua pointed at Aced and with a wordless command, a literal tornado appeared around him, surprising him before he swung his Keyblade and literally cut the tornado in two. A green blur shot him, forcing Aced to block and it was a good thing he did.
CLASH!
Aqua had been that green blur, her Aura flashing green before returning to normal. Aced shoved her back and launched a powerful slash with just one hand. Aqua used a Barrier to block but it easily broke despite the attack having virtually no magic in it. Aqua grunted as her Aura flashed purple just before Aced's Keyblade cut through her…
"Hm?" Aced raised an eyebrow under his mask.
Aqua's form dissipated, and she reappeared right above him, launching a spinning kick that forced him to stagger back. Aced growled, sounding like an actual bear as he tried attack again. Aqua closed her eyes as her Aura turned white and a white star glyph appeared underneath her. As Aced shot at her, the star glyph underneath began to spin, and she readied herself…before shooting at Aced like a speeding bullet.
The bear Foreteller was surprised but barely managed to block a strike before Aqua shot right past him. Growling again, Aced spun and struck Aqua several times, seemingly wounding her but noticed her Aura began to turn yellow…
And her eyes began to blaze red as blue flames began to blaze from her hair.
As Aced swung his Keyblade again, Aqua's met his and to his surprise, she had suddenly become strong enough to block him! Aqua was panting and seemingly aggressive as she pushed forward, actually forcing Aced to take a step back before shoving his Keyblade aside and performed a spinning slash. Aced managed to block but the strike had been so powerful that he was knocked back several feet.
'What is happening? Where is she getting all this power?!' Aced thought to himself in surprise and frustration.
Aqua's Aura then turned azure, blue, and ice began to form around her feet. She inhaled deeply…and then opened her eyes before a literal blizzard exploded from her. Ice formed along the ground and the temperature dropped drastically around Aced who quickly noticed his robes were turning to ice as well. He let out a battle cry as a red aura surrounded him, shattering the ice and watched as Aqua's form that had been turned nearly white continued her ice-themed attack. He slammed his Keyblade down into the ground again, sending earth spikes at Aqua who remained composed.
Just as they were mere inches from touching her, the spikes turned to ice and shattered easily. Aqua exhaled and the blizzard subsided, the ice and snow instantly melting. Aqua kept her glare on Aced who stared her down for a moment…
And then lowered his Keyblade.
"How unexpected! You've proven me wrong. You are indeed worthy!" Aced said surprisingly with his voice now humble before he became serious. "But that also means you are indeed a threat like I suspected. And that is why you must disappear!"
With that, Aced went on the attack, striking fast and hard at Aqua as she tried to defend herself. Her Aura shimmered, the power given to her by the many bonds she had allowing her to dodge and parry his attacks easily but with each slash, Aced became stronger. Aqua tried calling on any special power but a backhand from Aced left her disorientated and open as Aced swung his Keyblade again…
CLASH!
Only for it to meet someone else's Keyblade.
"Ira!" Aced gasped in surprise and outrage.
"This ends now." Ira said stoically, paying Aqua no attention as he and Aced clashed Keyblades, both of them dashing off into the battleground.
Aqua looked around, seeing nothing but battle around her, fellow Keyblade Wielders engaging each other in brutal competition that she did not want to be part of. "…I can't be here."
She turned to leave, only making it several feet before coming to a stop in front of someone else she knew. "…Invi."
The snake Foreteller Invi turned and faced her. "I am sorry for dragging you into this. I'll make this quick."
Grunting in frustration, Aqua could only prepare herself for another fight.