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Kingdom Hearts: Final Master, [CHOCK FULL OF SPOILERS!!!][PG-13][End of Part One]

Alright, alright! I've had enough of my friends telling me, "You should put your story on that forum site you like to get codes from!" So, here it is! I hope that it doesn't crash and burn like my Golden Sun RP on another site, (PM me if you like Golden Sun and want to learn more about my RP)...

Anyway, this is my version of the events that happened before and during the story of Sora and his friends. And for those of you who didn't notice, yes, Adrian is based on myself. I would like to warn you, though: Final Master is not for those of you who don't know the entire story of Kingdom Hearts! This story is chock full of spoilers and references to the three main games in the storyline, (KH1, KH2, and CoM). So, if you want to have the entire story ruined before you actually play the games, go right ahead and read on! If you have played the games and know the story, then I would think that you are safe! Oh, and by the way, if you know the story well enough to notice flaws in my story, then please let me know about them in a PM! But, in your PMs, please don't be rude and degrading to me or my work. I got enough of that on other sites. However, in my experience with KH-Vids, I have never, (and I mean never), been put down and/or insulted by any of the members. Props to those of you who actually have a sense of compassion! PROPS!!!! :yelling:

So, without any further ado...

Part One

Prologue: Twilight Town...​

Well, this is it. I have approximately two years to live, according to a good friend of mine. If I am to die after that time, however, I will not be forgotten. I will chronicle my tale here. It will be written in several parts, each consisting of different chapters. If you have the mind to read on, then do so. I am doing this for the sake of remembrance. So others won't make my same mistakes. And I will not leave my desk in my Twilight Town apartment until it is done. I will follow through this time. I will not fail, like I have on so many other things before...

My tale begins when I was five years old. Young, isn't it, to have a quest forced upon you? Well, I didn't have a choice. I was only five years old, and yet I was thrust into a war that would either make or break the worlds. I have seen both sides of the coin, so to speak. I have traveled from the universe in which the "bad guys" won to this one... The one where victory has yet to be decided.

I am called Adrian. And I am a Keyblade bearer.

Well, I was, that is. I am now known as a Final Master. (I have no clue where that name came from, trust me.) I was once a Keyblade Master, but was turned away by its power when I was deemed unfit to wield it.

Many believe the Keyblade to be a weapon of fate. Driven by destiny to the outcome that is inevitable, that was predetermined by some force that remains unknown to us. Others believe it to be a gift. Given to the one who can wield it and take the power for granted. Whether for good or evil, that is left up to the wielder. In fact, there are several prophesies regarding the Keyblade. One says that it will either bring order or chaos to the worlds. It will either bring a time of light, where little darkness permeates the veil that protects the worlds. Or, on the other hand, it will bring about the slow decay of all order, happiness, and light in all the worlds, where the smallest light is quickly snuffed out by the malicious darkness.

However, this is not the prophesy that will be the main focus of this tale. There is one prophesy that was made long after the discovery of the Keyblade, but it has been so long that many hold it to be an old wives' tale.

In this one, there are specifics. It says that an order will rise, taking up the responsibility of ruling the worlds. This order will work within two separate worlds, creating pathways that interconnect the worlds. On one of the few worlds that have not been connected by such pathways, there will be a magical event so dramatic, the heart of that world will explode in power. The Keyblade will chose the one who was born during that explosion of magical power. It will chose them and the prophesies will be shown for what they really are, whether they be true or false.

The "order" that rose, as you probably guessed is Disney Castle. King Mickey and Queen Minnie are the rulers there. They are who takes on the task of keeping peace between worlds. The two worlds are the Radiant Gardens, (later known as Hollow Bastion), and the Disney Castle world. The pathways are known as gummi routes, named for the type of ship that travels on them. The world that will explode, the child that will be born? Destiny Islands and...

Me.

I was the Keyblade's chosen one. I was the one who will either save or destroy the worlds. I made mistakes, and I opted out of making them again. There will still be problems, yes, I know. But I can live with the problems of my slowly degrading physical and mental state. I can live with no connection to any of my old friends, save one. I can live with that stuff. But making the same mistakes again, with no hope of changing the outcome... It's unbearable.

I think that I've said enough at this time. The following is a recount of the events of my life. I can clearly remember many things about my early childhood that other people are unable to recall, so this may take a little longer than a normal memoir, autobiography, or other type of life-story. Although, it is written in third-person, so I don't think that it can be called a “memoir” or “autobiography...” Anyway, I hope that you are very comfortable, because you are going to be here for a while!

Signing out from Twilight Town,

Adrian of Destiny Islands​

Chapter One: Destiny Islands...
Countdown to the Connecting of Worlds: 19 years​

“Congratulations, ma'am,” the doctor said over the wailing of the baby in his arms to the woman on the hospital bed, “It's a boy!”

The woman looked up as the doctor said this and a small tear came to her eye. Her long, shiny, brown hair was disheveled and her beautiful, green eyes were dulled with weariness, but she still had a joyous glow around her. Her face was now contorting with a mixture of weariness and pure, unmistakable ecstasy. She wiped her face on her hospital gown and held out her arms to her beautiful baby boy. The doctor gently placed the child in her arms and, suddenly, the baby stopped crying. The eyes that gazed back at her were green like his her's but the sparse hair on the top of his head was pure, jet black. The mother looked up at the doctor and cocked her head to one side.

“Why is his hair this color? My husband's hair is blond and mine is brown... Wait. Does it have something to do with, um, what's it called...”

“Recessive genes.” The doctor smiled. “That is what you mean, but I'm not sure that that's it...”

“What? What do you mean?”

“When he was born, I was sure that his hair was blond. Then, when he was being cleaned, it looked brown. Now, it is black! I'm not sure what that was about, but his eyes did the same thing. I looked into his eyes a while ago and they were blue. Now they are green... It's like his body can't make up it's mind on what color everything should be! It sure is a mystery...”

But the woman wasn't paying attention. She was lost in the eyes of her son. Her one and only child. In fact, she had been staring into his eyes since she had asked the last question.

Hmmmm, she said to herself, I feel like he knows exactly what I'm thinking, what I'm saying... There is an intelligence in his eyes that can only come with age and wisdom. What are you thinking, little one? I wish I could see into your head, my little Adrian...

“Ma'am?” The doctor tried to get into her field of vision, but she was completely oblivious to him and everything around her. He smiled and left the room, closing the door gently behind him.

Meanwhile, at Disney Castle...
​

King Mickey and Queen Minnie were getting ready to head down to the Audience Chamber and greet their escort to Hollow Bastion, which was a different world than their own. Oh, yes. There are other worlds out there... The trick to finding them is secret! What, you thought that I was going to tell you how? Well, that's too bad...

Anyway, the King and Queen, (dressed in their best traveling clothes), were about to go to meet the escort when the door to the Library burst open and who should come flying through it but Head Mage, Donald Duck. He looked even more flustered than usual, and had a triumphant gleam in his eyes.

“Your Majesty! I mean, Your Majesties!!!” Donald cried as he came blaring at them.

“Donald!” The Queen's Lady in Waiting, Daisy, stepped in front of him, in an effort to make him stop.

“Wak!” Donald tried to stop but ended up flat on his face in front of Daisy. He quickly recovered and dusted himself off. Queen Minnie giggled.

“Now, Donald! Calm down and tell me what's going on!” The King looked at Donald levelly.

Donald straightened and saluted, then started to talk. As the mage got further into his story, Minnie started to notice a distinct change in her King's facial expression. It went from indifferent to skeptical, and finally excited. He was obviously getting ready to cancel the trip to Hollow Bastion or have her go without him...

“Minnie!” He spun around and addressed his Queen. “I need you to go to Hollow Bastion and tell Ansem the Wise this: 'What we've been looking for has been found!' Can you do that for me?”

Minnie nodded solemnly.

“Thank you!” The King turned to Donald and started to go out. He stopped and turned as he reached the door. He looked at Minnie and said, “I'll catch up with you later. Don't worry about me.”

And he left.

Queen Minnie sighed, saying, “There he goes again...”

Daisy patted her Queen on the back and smiled. “But he always comes back. You can trust that.”

The Queen smiled and looked up at Daisy.

“Thank you, Daisy. You always know exactly what to say at the right time.”

And with that, they made their way down to the Audience Chamber.

In the Audience Chamber...​

“Hey, Cloud,” a young, brown-haired man said to the mysterious-looking, spiky-haired, cloaked, young man kneeling beside the door, “What's your story? Why are you here?”

Cloud looked up at the other young man and frowned. “I don't know. What are you doing here?”

“Oh, Cloud!” A young, black clad woman with long, shiny, black hair shook her head, annoyed. “Why do you have to be so rude? All Squall was asking was why you are here! That doesn't have any malicious intent behind it at all!”

Cloud just shrugged. “It's not his business. That's all I'm going to say.”

“Thank you, Tifa. And, by the way, call me Leon. Please.” The brown-haired man muttered.

“Leon, huh?” A younger preteen girl with a giant throwing star swinging in her hand giggled. “Why? Your name is Squall! Why not – ”

“Yuffie!” Tifa snapped, “That's what he wants to be called, so that's what we're going to call him! 'Kay?”
“Fine, fine...”

“Just stop...” Cloud muttered.

“Cloud,” Tifa said, looking at Cloud, concerned, “You okay?”

“It's just a head-ache. I'll be – ”

Just then, the Audience Chamber door opened and Queen Minnie and Daisy came through. Cloud jumped up, making Leon smirk.

“Huh?” Yuffie cocked her head to one side and frowned when she saw that the ladies were the only two to enter. “What? No King?”

Tifa shot a look at Yuffie and shook her head. She turned back to the Queen and bowed. Everyone else followed suit.

The Queen blushed and shook her head, saying, “Please! Please! Stand up! I am your friend, not someone who needs to bowed to! If the King had told me that it would be you three, then I would have been dressed more casually... Now, down to business...”

“Wait!” Tifa said suddenly, “Where's Cid?”

“Cid?” Yuffie frowned and looked around. “I don't know! He was with us when we arrived...”

“Well, yeah,” Cloud said, his voice full of sarcasm, “He's kind of the one who flew the ship...”

“Cloud!” Tifa shot a look at him. Leon smirked again.

“Here I am!”

The engineer came bursting through the door to the Chamber, flight goggles and all, with a huge grin on his face.

“Why are you so happy?” Yuffie said, crossing her arms and frowning.

“Ya Majesty!” Cid addressed the Queen, ignoring Yuffie, “I must say tha' those two little guys ya got down in th' Gummi Hangah' are top notch! I wouldn' min' workin' with them two any time!”

“Why, thank you, Cid! Chip and Dale would be happy to hear it!” Minnie smiled and turned to the rest. “Now, I would like to let you know that the King will not be joining us today. He was abruptly distracted right before coming down to meet you. Apparently, an enormous energy force has been recorded on another world. He believes that this force is the “hero” that himself and Ansem the Wise have been looking for.”

“Wha'? Ya mean tha' lucky person who's gonna get 'chosen' by, um, tha', uh, whatchmacallit...” Cid scratched his temple.

“The Keyblade, Cid.” Leon said. Minnie nodded solemnly.

“Yes. The King believes that a person will be born in a blast of magic energy on a world that nobody has ever gone to. I think that that very thing may have happened...”

“Well,” Cloud said, “Are we to go to this world?”

“No. We are to go to Hollow Bastion, as planned. However, I will be meeting with Ansem the Wise in the King's stead.”

Tifa nodded.

“Then shall we get going?”

Minnie nodded at Tifa and answered, “Yes. We should leave now.”

Later, at Hollow Bastion...​

“Hm? What's that you say? King Mickey may have found the one who will become the Keyblade Master?” Ansem's eyebrows shot up at the news of King Mickey's discovery. His long, graying hair was very neat, along with the rest of his person. However, this was a contrast to his current setting. His office was a complete mess, what with papers scattered over the floor and chalk-boards with scribbles on them ripped off the wall. The Queen was beginning to feel the urge to just start tidying up, but she resisted it.

“Yes. He believes so.” The Queen said presently. She was sitting on one side of Ansem's desk, in a very beautifully carved armchair. Ansem sat opposite her in an old, torn-up office chair. She didn't understand how he could stay focused while sitting in something that looked that uncomfortable.

“I see... Xeanhort!” Ansem called to his head assistant.

The office's door opened after a moment and a young, silver-haired man with a handsome face peered in.

“Yes, Master Ansem?”

“Two things. One: ready my gummi ship for departure. Two: stop calling me 'Master Ansem!' Simply 'Ansem' will do...”

“Yes... Ansem.”

“There you go! Now, where were we? Ah, yes! I was about to tell you my findings on the Heart of Worlds and the D.T.D.”

“Um... Mr. Ansem...”

“Ah! That's right. You are not interested in that, are you? Hmmmmm... In that case, make yourself at home! I must meet up with the King on this 'new world...' Please! Don't be shy. My assistants would be happy to help you with anything! But now, I must go. Farewell!”

And with that, Ansem got up and left the office.

Hmmmmm... The Queen thought to herself, What is so important about this “Keyblade Master” that it needs to interfere with Mickey's duties as King? The worlds aren't even in danger! Why does Ansem seem to get so worked up about it when it is mentioned? What is this “Keyblade,” anyway?

Chapter Two: Yen Sid's Tower – Twilight Town...
Countdown to the Connecting of Worlds: 14 years​

Adrian was tired. It had been over three months since he had been taken by Yen Sid to “hone his magical skill.” What did that mean, anyway? Did it mean the weird stuff that he can do when he gets mad? Or is it something else? Well, either way, he was physically exhausted. Yen Sid, the greatest known wizard and the King's personal teacher, had been making him run up and down the Wayward Stair for over two hours! And it didn't help that he kept teleporting to each room and randomly throwing small objects at him as he ran! He kept saying, “Who's to say what you will be forced to go through in that big, dangerous world out there? This may seem harsh now, but imagine doing it with a big, scary monster behind you! Keep running! Dodge! Block this one! Run faster to get a ahead of this one! Blah, blah blah, blah blah, blah blah!” Was he trying to kill him? If he was to ever get out into that “big, dangerous world out there,” he would have to survive Yen Sid's training! No, this wasn't training! This was boot camp! Yen Sid sure talked sweet, but he was mean! If Adrian didn't do something right, he would be told to run laps up and down the Wayward Stair, while dodging and blocking the little spoons and cups that Yen Sid just happened to have stuffed in his pockets! Where did he get all that kitchenware, anyway?

Presently, Adrian opened the door to Yen Sid's study, drenched in sweat and dragging his feet. Yen Sid was sitting behind his desk with a stern look on his face. Adrian could barely see him through the thick fog that clouded his vision. He knew, though. His training for the day wasn't over by far! Why, it was only eleven in the morning! He still had the whole day ahead of him! He came and stood before Yen Sid's desk and waited for the sudden rush of energy and cool to wash over him... It never came. He blinked and shook his head. He tried to focus his eyes on his teacher, but ended up closing his eyes, instead. He felt a slap on his cheek that snapped him back to reality. His eyes focused and he saw Yen Sid clearly. He looked expectantly at Adrian. Adrian frowned with an effort.

“Wha' ya wan' me ta do?” Adrian slurred.

“Heal yourself.” Yen Sid said simply.

Adrian would have done a double take, but he could barely move. Heal... Himself? How? He'd never done a curative spell before! How would he do that?!

“Go on! I want to see you control the power within yourself.”

Adrian shook his head and instantly regretted it. His head spun and he began to wobble.

“Concentrate!”

Adrian heard this word attempt to pierce the mist over his mind. But it barely got through. He tried to focus his mind on feeling better... And passed out.

Yen Sid sighed as Adrian collapsed in a small heap on the ground. His body was taking quite a beating in this training, but it was entirely necessary. If he could just harness the magic power that lay, untapped, in his heart, he would become a very powerful mage and, in time, Keyblade Master, indeed... One worthy of the destiny that awaited his older self.

“Oh, my!” Flora, Fauna, and Meriweather, the three good fairies who helped Yen Sid with his work, had come into the room as Adrian collapsed.

“Oh, my, indeed!” Flora said, looking with concern at Adrian, “Are you trying to ruin his body?”

“No. I – ”

“Well, that's what you're doing!” Fauna went over to Adrian and lifted him up in her arms.

“You don't underst – ”

“Oh, yes! I understand perfectly!” Meriweather cried, “You think that you can beat the skill into his head! Well, we won't allow it! As of right now, we are going to train him!”

“Now, wait a moment – ”

“Oh?” Flora looked at Yen Sid inquiringly. “Are you going to actually train him? Train him instead of putting him through torture?”

Yen Sid sighed. He had given up.

“Alright! I give up. I should have asked you for your views on how to train him before I took it into my own hands. It's impossible to win an argument against you three, anyway...”

“Good,” Fauna said, “You've finally seen sense!”

“Now,” Yen Sid started, “What should I do with him today?”

Flora, Fauna, and Meriweather all looked at Yen Sid and frowned.

“Ah. Fine. I shall give him a day or two to rest. He has been very good about not complaining. He is a good boy. In fact, tomorrow, you two take him to the Struggle Battles in Twilight Town. He has already voiced an interest in meeting this Setzer. He's a little young for such violence, but I think that he can handle it.”

The three fairies looked overjoyed. They started to leave the room, but Yen Sid stopped them.

“Wait.” They turned. “If you can, try to get Adrian a photograph with Setzer. Even though he is only twelve years old, Setzer is strong beyond his years. Adrian might learn something from him.” Yen Sid smiled and laughed a little. “Maybe a little something about how to breathe when he runs... Adrian pants like a little puppy when he is doing those laps on the Stair...” The fairies all looked stern at Yen Sid. “But, those laps won't be happening again, of course!”

Meriweather smiled at Yen Sid and left the study with her two companions.

Hm... Yen Sid began to ponder the mystery that had been nagging at him lately when they had gone, I sense that this boy's future hangs on one crucial person... His recently born brother seems to be of some importance to whether Adrian will even become a Keyblade Master! What it all means is beyond my ability to see. But a new “player” in this game seems like it would be more of a hindrance than an asset. We shall see how it all plays out in the end... For now, I shall train his mind and body to obey him without outside assistance. That is all that I can do for him...
And with this mystery stored in the back of his mind, Yen Sid teleported to Disney Castle to update his close friend and student, King Mickey...

Meanwhile, in Hollow Bastion...​

“Are you sure?” Xeanhort muttered to his companion, one of the other assistants who worked with Ansem, “He is gone?” The other assistant nodded. “And the Queen? Where is she?”

“I escorted her to her lodging...” The other assistant looked troubled.

“What?” Xeanhort looked sideways at the younger man. “Are you having second thoughts?”

“Well,” the young man looked around and nodded mutely.

“Hm.” Xeanhort shook his head and stepped out into the light of the corridor. The other man followed suit. Xeanhort looked down the hallway, away from his colleague. “Just think of it this way: He would stop us from pursuing our dreams. You and the other 'assistants' all want to find this 'Kingdom Hearts,' right?”

The other man nodded and muttered, “But Ansem is nothing but nice to us... What we are planning is cruel and – ”

Xeanhort stopped him with a glare. “He would do something worse to us. Maybe not now. Maybe not in ten years. Maybe not ever, at this point! But, if we were the ones who kept a huge machine that can produce creatures of shadow in our castle, while also saying things like, 'It is dangerous to meddle in the affairs of people's hearts,' he would go and blow it up in our faces, too. Get that through that thick layer of loyalty and kindness and you'll do just fine...”

The other man nodded, looking more encouraged. Xeanhort turned and smiled evilly.

“Let's go.” And he took off running down the hall, the accomplice hot on his tail.

Chapter Three: The Lot – Twilight Town...
Countdown to the Connecting of Worlds: 14 years​

“Yeah! Go Setzer! Go!”

Adrian couldn't remember the last time he'd had this much fun. Had he ever had fun like this before? Well, as stated, he couldn't remember! He was amazed by Setzer, the star fighter in the Struggle Battles. He had come out of nowhere, defeating all who stood between him and his trophy. Not to mention the “bragging rights” that the announcer always referred to. In fact, against Yen Sid's orders, Flora, Fauna, and Meriweather, (all in less-than-convincing disguises to hide the fact that they were fairies), had let Adrian bet on Setzer's victory in the final match. Adrian was positive that someone was going to try and sabotage Setzer to make him lose, but he would still win, even with the handicap. To be more specific, someone was going to throw a Struggle Bat at Setzer's head, miss, and hit the back of his left ankle. However, according to Adrian, Setzer was going to rise above the pain and conquer his opponent in the final match.

To explain Adrian's bet, I would have to give a little background on the betting system of the Struggle Battles. First, a person who bets on anyone puts down an amount. That is how much that they are paying for the bet. Next, they put down a “win margin,” which is by how much the fighter that they are betting on is going to win by, (in points). Lastly, they put down any details that they want to, which would increase their winnings by a multiple of ten. That multiple would be decided by how unlikely a win would be if the situation described in the “details” section actually happened. Also, depending on the likelyhood of that person winning, the original amount would be multiplied by the chances that the person would lose.

To summarize Adrian's bet: He put down 1,000 munny, (the last of his going away present from his parents), a win margin of 37 points, (which would add 500 munny to whatever he put down added to any other multiples), two details – that Setzer would actually knock the other person out, (which would multiply his winnings by twenty), and that he would win despite an injury to his left ankle, (which would multiply his winnings by another forty), resulting in his original amount being multiplied by sixty – and a 4-to-1 win-lose ratio, (a four-times multiplier to the winnings), which added up to a total of 240,500 munny. Now that is a pretty penny!

As of the present point in time, that bet was looking a little wasted! Setzer was getting destroyed out there! But, Adrian was confident that he was going to get that munny. Suddenly, Setzer dodged a blow that would have meant the end of the match and landed the hardest blow yet – an incredible uppercut that had just the right amount of flair to it. He hit his opponent so hard, many people later said that they heard that poor kid's teeth smash into each other and crack! That blow happened to be the first, last, and only hit that Setzer had landed on that guy during the whole match. And he made it count!

Adrian smirked at another boy with black markings under his eyes who had been rooting for the other guy. The boy, (being older than Adrian by a long shot), looked ready to challenge Adrian to a impromptu battle in some secluded alleyway, far away from the crowds of the Struggle Battles... Adrian was about to take him up on his non-verbal challenge, but Fauna saw what was about to happen and held him in place. He looked up at Fauna, who shook her head and frowned. Adrian grimaced, but didn't say anything. He looked back to where the boy was and found that he was gone.

“You don't need that kind of nonsense now, Adrian,” Fauna said comfortingly, smiling at him, “He's just a poor sport.”

Adrian thought about that for a moment, found that he agreed with his guardian, and went back to staring at Setzer with wonder-filled eyes. At one point, Setzer made eye-contact with Adrian, who looked away and blushed. He heard Setzer laugh a little and say something about autographs. Adrian smiled to himself and kept the idea that he had come up with suddenly in the back of his head for later.

"Adrian? You okay?"

"Hm?" Adrian refused to take his eyes off Setzer.

"You look..." Fauna cocked her head to one side as she looked at the five-year-old. "Well, I just can't place how you look right now!"

Adrian smiled and returned her gaze. At that moment, Fauna realized that something was wrong. Horrifically wrong. Was this truly the same young boy who had just been blushing and giggling over Setzer? She saw in his eyes something that frightened her. Power. Raw, wild, untapped power. She suddenly gasped and held one hand to her head and the other to her heart. Adrian's eyes seemed to shimmer and glow with an evil light as Fauna looked into them, transfixed. Her body slowly began to shut down and her vision blurred, eventually fading altogether. The last thing that she remembered before all of her senses got snuffed out like a candle was a too-mature voice that seemed to come from the direction that Adrian was in.

"This world's time has come. And so has yours."

Meanwhile, in Hollow Bastion's Heartless Manufactory...​

"Master Ansem!"

Leon ran full tilt up the stairs from the Heartless Manufactory to the computer room within Ansem's office at Hollow Bastion. What he had just seen couldn't have just happened! It was impossible! When he arrived at the top of the last stairwell, he burst through the door into the computer room, slamming and locking it behind himself. Ansem's head jerked up at the young man's sudden appearance into the room.

"Leon! What seems to be --"

"No time!" Leon yelled. He was already at the computer terminal jabbing at the keyboard. "You need to get out of here now! Evacuate the town and try to find shelter far away from here!"

"Leon!" Ansem got up and approached his friend. But, before he reached Leon, there was a deafening explosion and a flash of light, during which the entire windowed wall behind the terminal got sucked out into the Manufactory and disappeared. Leon quickly regained his feet before the dust had even begun to settle and helped Ansem up. He turned back to where the terminal used to be to find a horrifying sight.

"Oh, you're kidding me, right?"

Darkness. A vortex of darkness. A tempest made of darkness so pure, so tangible, that the longer that Leon gazed into it, the more he felt his entire soul being sucked into it. Awesome, but terrifying, as well!

The vortex was about three hundred yards wide on all sides, with a single line of what looked like black, undulating spider's thread that extended from the bottom into another, smaller vortex that had formed on the floor of the Manufactory. The smaller vortex seemed to be spawning many different kinds of shadow-like creatures. Some were small, and feral-looking, while others were quite large with an air of malicious intent around them.

"What have I done...?" Ansem whispered hoarsly as Leon dragged him out of the now wrecked computer room.

"Master Ansem! Ansem!" Leon was yelling as they ran. Ansem glanced over at him with saddened eyes. "I understand that you feel responsible for what is happening right now, but what you must understand is that your guilt will have to wait! Innocent lives are at stake now, and, regardless of your part in this, you need to step up and try to save as many people as you can!"

They had arrived at the Bailey, the area between the town and the castle. Leon stopped running and faced Ansem.

"Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie, and I will remain here and try to stop whatever is in there. You, Merlin, and the others try to get the townsfolk out of here as fast as you can. Try to keep them calm and go to the other side of the Wall. We will come to get you when it's safe again."

"What should I tell them?" Ansem asked as Leon started to head back to the castle.

Leon smirked without turning.

"You'll think of something!"

And with that, Leon ran as fast as he could back to the castle. On the way, he saw Cloud and Tifa up on one of the balconies getting ready to jump into the highest window on the castle, which led into the Great Hall. He was about to jump to the next highest level to meet up with them when he was hit in the chest by something that he couldn't see. He flew through the air and was about to smash into the wall behind him when he was roughly yanked by his arm to the side. He landed next to Yuffie on top of an archway that overlooked the Bailey.

"Fancy meeting you here, Yuffie."

"Well, Squ -- Sorry, Leon, I was on my way to find you when I heard that boom come from the computer room. But, by the time I got up there, you and -- "

"We'll talk later! We got company!"

And he was right! What looked like a squadron of fighter jets was zooming right at them from the hole that the vortex was eating in the side of the castle. However, they were not fighter jets! They were dragon-like creatures that were red in color and has an interesting insignia on the tops of their heads. It looked like a heart with a thorny vine running across it in the shape of an "x."

"What the heck are those?!" Yuffie cried. Leon ignored her and drew his gun-blade and leveled it at the on-coming dragons. He charged up a shot and was about to let it loose when he got nailed in the chest again by another invisible something. Yuffie had sensed it coming and jumped, but Leon was, once again, sent flying straight at the wall. This time, he caught himself on a wire and swung up and around onto another, higher archway. He looked around for the source of the blow, but couldn't see anything. He heard a scratch on one of the walls a few yards away and looked in that direction. He saw claw marks being scored into the wall by and invisible creature.

"Aw, great."

He took aim at the claw marks and let off a shot in that direction. Apparently, the creature hadn't been paying attention to Leon because the energy blast hit it dead on and knocked it off the wall. As it fell, it materialized.

"Ooh. Even better! A chameleon?!"

And it was a chameleon. Or, at least something that looked like one! It had to be at least twelve feet long and around five feet tall. It's tail was about as long as it's body and had a nasty spike on the end. Luckily for Leon, that spike had never connected with him! Also, it had the same, strange symbol on it's head...

"Bring it!" Leon yelled and launched himself at the incapacitated creature... Only to get bombarded by the dragons that he had suddenly remembered were still there.

Meanwhile, in Hollow Bastion's Great Hall...​

"Cloud! Left!"

Tifa dodged right as the gigantic, hulking shadow smashed some kind of appendage right down onto the spot that she had been standing not even a second before. Cloud spun left and swung his Buster-Sword at the closest leg-looking thing. He glanced up for a split-second at Tifa to check in on her.

"Up!" Cloud yelled at Tifa as the monster swung that same appendage up to swat her out of the air and Cloud jumped out of the way of another. Tifa landed side-ways on the wall across from Cloud and did a little hand-spring off of it, quickly spinning straight at the only weak-looking spot on her foe. She charged up a relatively weak spell and fired it off at the glinting little circle on the very top of the monster's "head." She wanted to keep it weaker to preserve her strength if it failed.

It didn't.

There was a sickening squishing sound as the spell hit and sunk into the monster's head. It went stiff for a moment, just long enough for Tifa to land on top of it and leap off onto a shattered pillar. And then it went nuts. It started to claw the top of it's head and wobbling around. This thing was huge, though, so the fact that it was wobbling in such an in-closed area made things get pretty interesting...

Cloud had been in the middle of charging a spell, himself, when Tifa's had caused the current response. He faltered when the beast had went stiff and he lost the spell. Bad news! Cloud was forced to jump, dodge, spin, and actually deflect blows from the flailing thing as he tried to get to safety.

"Tifa!" He screamed, trying to get to her, "What did you do?!"

"I just cast a Level One Fire spell on it, and it went nuts!" She screamed back as he landed by her on the pillar.

"Level One?! Then why -- "

"Dodge!"

The beast had seemingly regained control of itself and had heard them yelling. It was angry now. Irate, in fact! It was so aggravated, that it had suddenly realized that it could instantly cast Top Level magics! Now knowing this, it started casting spells like Top Level Flare, Top Level Haste, Top Level Dark... That kind of thing! And, obviously, it didn't know how it was doing it!

Tifa and Cloud, however, didn't care how it was doing this -- they were on the receiving end! They were too busy trying to dodge and block these spells that even they hadn't mastered! Both were constantly trying to pay attention to the other, while also evading the walls of Flare and Dark spells that were now coming almost non-stop! As you probably guessed, they quickly gave up on that!

Damn! Tifa thought to herself as she narrowly missed getting her head incinerated by yet another Top Level Flare spell, How the hell do we kill this thing?! Its only weakness is the top of it's head, but how do we even get in range and in sight of it, now?! Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. Reflect...

She started to make her way towards the never-ending sound of Cloud's sword ringing as it took multiple hits from the myriad of Top Level spells. He looked up and saw her make a hand motion as she flew by at top speed, followed by a stream of Flare spells. He understood.

They both launched into action right as there was a lull in the shadowy/fiery rain. Tifa went up and right; Cloud went up and left. Both were headed for the top of the room. The spells continued to come, but they were moving so fast that the Flare spells were snuffed out as they passed and the Dark spells got flung right back at the creature and in every direction. At the same time, both Cloud and Tifa made it to the top of the room and jumped up and out of the shattered glass roof. They went up and up... Then Tifa lifted her hand, which was a signal for Cloud to do the same. They began to fall back into the castle as the out-run spells flew up to meet them. Their hands began to glow blue... And they collided with the onslaught of magic! There was a deafening boom and all of the windows in the town of Hollow Bastion were suddenly in tiny pieces and flying out of their frames.

Leon and Yuffie were thrown high up into the air as this happened, while all of the strange dragons and lizards disappeared as if they were candle flames and a bunch of hands had pinched them out. They regained control and both landed on rooftops in the town. They shook themselves to snap out of the shock of the explosion and looked up to the source of the sound. The entire top half of the castle was gone!

"What the hell was that?!" Yuffie said hoarsely, her mouth and eyes wide open.

"Cloud!" Leon yelled and jumped with incredible speed towards the castle. Yuffie followed, wondering what Leon had meant by yelling Cloud's name...

When they landed on the new top of the castle, Leon and Yuffie both froze, open-mouthed.

"Oh, no..." Yuffie whispered, speech-less.

There were Tifa and Cloud, lying far below, on the floor of what used to be the Library, surrounded by the wreckage and carnage that was now Hollow Bastion.

"NO!!!!" Leon yelled and launched himself off of the shattered outer wall of the castle. He was at Cloud's and Tifa's sides before Yuffie could blink. He put a finger to first Cloud's, then Tifa's pulses.

"No......." Leon stood and staggered back into what had once been a bookcase, now a large, shattered pile of firewood, and sat heavily on the ground at its base. His eyes flooded with tears.

They were dead.

Chapter Four: Yen Sid's Tower – Twilight Town...
Countdown to the Connecting of Worlds: 14 years​

Adrian sat up in bed so suddenly that his head spun and he almost threw up. What had just happened? Adrian looked around, closed his eyes, and slowly reached up to his head to steady the sudden, nagging urge to collapse back onto his bed. After the nausea had subsided, he took his hand away...

It was covered in blood.

He froze, but only for a moment. He jerked his head away from the horrific sight, then frantically began flapping his hand to clear the red liquid off of it. When he looked back to his hand, it was completely clean of anything. He looked around his room to find that the blood that should have splattered on the walls and other surfaces in his general vicinity was not even there. He sniffed his hand and did not smell blood on it, at all!

“What the heck was that about?”

He jumped off of his bed, completely convinced that what had just happened was just a lingering dream. However, when his feet hit the floor, he realized that he was suddenly too tall. He glanced down to his feet, which were very far away now, and saw that they were not bare, as they should have been. He was wearing black boots.

He stared at his now-distant, booted feet for a minute. Then he snapped out of his daze and looked into the mirror on the wall to his right. He was so shocked at who looked back at him that he jumped a little.

Black boots. Black, baggy pants. Black straps that criss-crossed over his torso, which was covered by a black, vest-shaped top. His hair was very spiky and suddenly bright blond. He turned a little to look at his back. For some reason, his back had strange, stiff strap-like sheathes all over it. To make this weird situation even harder to understand, as he looked at the sheathes, a glimmer began to form within them. He watched in wonder as a pair of gigantic blades suddenly materialized into the openings of the straps that served the purpose of holding these blades on his back.

He looked back up into the mirror and at his reflection's face.

He had transformed into the man from his dream who he had just seen die. He was now the young man who, in his dream, had been called “Cloud.”

He felt a sudden pain hit his mind with the force of a falling boulder. He fell to his knees and held his head in his hands as the pain intensified. He could barely hear a voice trying to break through the static that had sprung up in his head.

Fight it! The voice got stronger as Adrian concentrated on clarity. You can do it! You just have to think of what's around you... Something solid, that's always there...

The bracelet. The bracelet that his mother had given him before he left. It was always right there, right next to his bed, on his bed-side table. He tried to picture it in his mind as the noise and the pain began to fade. He could now see it clearly before him. A tarnished, silver band that reminded him of what and who he was here for. The power that he held within, and the mother he had left behind.

He came back to himself and looked around his rather small room. He glanced down to his feet to find them bare and as they should be. He looked into the mirror and saw himself, not Cloud. However, his eyes were now a bright bluish green. There was a strange glint in them.

“What's happening to me?” He wondered aloud. He was surprised to hear a voice reply...

You are channeling my personality and my power. I have died in a world that you may of heard of...

“Who are you? And why can't I hear you with my ears? It doesn't sound like your voice is... Audible...”

You catch on quickly! The voice laughed a little before continuing. I am... Well, used to be, anyway, a part of a small group of fighters who were hired by a man named Ansem the Wise and King Mickey to help protect the secrets of Kingdom Hearts. Ansem is a scientist who was studying the Heart of Worlds with some assistance from the King. However, something has gone terrifyingly wrong.

Adrian cut the voice off, “I don't care about any of that! I just want to know why your voice is suddenly sounding in my head!”

Hm. You're a little impatient, aren't you? Well, I'll keep it short, then. I, along with my friend, Tifa, have actually died as a result of our fight with a giant shadowy... Thing. I don't know what happened to Tifa's spirit, but it looks to me as if mine got sent to you.

“'Sent?' What the heck does that mean?!” Adrian stomped his foot on the floor.

I don't really know how I got here, myself! So, don't get mad at me over something that neither of us can control! The voice now sounded agitated.

“Hey! If you haven't already noticed, I happen to be five years old! What makes you think that I am strong enough to be able to take on the responsibilities of having the spirit of some warrior who I've never met in my head! I don't even know your name!”

My name? Wow... I thought that you were smarter than that! If you have already forgotten what I was just called in your dream, then the time we spend together as we try to figure out some way for me to revive my body and that of Tifa should be very fun... Too fun!

“Well, Cloud... That's your name, right?” Adrian smirked a little at the sarcasm in his own voice.

Ding! Get set for the smartest boy in the world! Good luck, contestants!

“I am getting tired of hearing you yap at me! Shut up!” Now, as is probably obvious, Adrian was fed up with Cloud's constant superior attitude. “If you aren't going to help me, then butt out! Okay?!”

No need to get mad! Let's get going to find my body!

Adrian sighed and began kneading the sides of his head with his fists. He had better just ignore the idiot who seemed to find it incredibly entertaining to annoy him. Was there any way that he could get rid of this “Cloud?”

Fat chance of that, kid!

“So you can hear my thoughts, too?” Adrian shook his head and sighed. “Fantastic.”

This is only temporary... That is, if you decide to help me find my body! If not, then... Well, you get it, right?

Adrian sat down, knowing that he was defeated.

“Fine. Let's go.”

Chapter Five: The “Secret Place” – Destiny Islands...
Countdown to the Connecting of Worlds: 7 years​

Haven't we been here before? Like, three years ago?

“If you were still able to read my thoughts...” Adrian smirked.

Shut up.

It had been seven years since that strange morning when Adrian had woken up to find Cloud in his head. And, over the course of those seven years, they had been unable to locate neither Cloud's nor Tifa's bodies. There was only one world left to search. The only problem was that that last world was cloaked in shadow and, therefore, was unreachable. They had temporarily given up on finding the bodies and had started to search for a way into that other world. During their long time together, Adrian had come up with a way for Cloud to “pay” for his help. He wanted Cloud to help him train his body and mind to use the magic he apparently could use. So, every once in while, Cloud would teach Adrian how to use one or two new spells. After seven years of this, Adrian had mastered the Top Level Curative spell, (also called, “Curaja”), and the Top Level Magnet spell, (also know as “Magnega”). He had also made much progress on many other spells, too.

Y'know what? I'm sick of having to go from world to world and not be able to at least speak to anyone! Can we at least talk to somebody here? Please?

Adrian stopped and grimaced.

What?

He thought back to why he had come here. Destiny Islands was his home. He was born here. He lived here for his first five years. He also hadn't been back here for seven and a half years. He wanted to see his house, his old friends, his hang-outs...

His mother and father.

He couldn't help it. A tear came to his eye. He was quick to wipe it away. Apparently, he wasn't quick enough to hide it from Cloud.

You have family here. You were born in this world. Right?

“Shut up, Cloud.”

No. You haven't been here since you went to Yen Sid, have you? You... Cloud stopped, awestruck. YOU! That whole time! The one the King was looking for! It was you!

“What are you talking about? What do you mean by that?”

You mean... You don't know?

Adrian kneaded his temples, something he had been doing almost nonstop for the last seven years.

“Do it look like I know?”

Oh. Good point. Well, this is what I know about your connection to the King. Before you were born, the King and a man named Ansem the Wise, two close friends and colleagues, had been looking out for a certain event that would take place in a world that nobody had ever gone to. That event was the birth of a person who would grow up to be a powerful magician, as well as a warrior. At the time of this person's birth, an enormous amount of energy would explode from the Heart of the world he was born in.

“Are you telling me – ”

Wait! Let me finish! Anyway, one day twelve and a half years ago, a huge energy source was suddenly recorded on a large machine in Disney Castle. That is where the King, himself, lives. That source was traced back to this world. The King was promptly alerted and he set off for here. Me and four others were going to take the King and Queen to Hollow Bastion, the first world we looked in for our bodies. Remember? Well, the King didn't go with us. He came straight here and waited for Ansem the Wise to arrive. The Queen told Ansem of this occurrence and he rushed off to meet the King. When Ansem arrived, the two of them set out to find the child who had been born here. When they found the parents, they requested that, in five years, they take the child to a safe place to train him to use his hidden power. The parents were reluctant to agree, claiming that their child couldn't be the one they were looking for, that there must be a mistake. The King was about to leave when Ansem stepped forward and said that he would prove it. The parents watched, skeptical, as Ansem gently poked the child in the temple and whispered something in his ear. The child's eyes began to glow and Ansem held up a small tissue in front of his face. The baby stared at it as his eyes slowly lost the glow to them. Ansem was confused as to why nothing had happened. Then, as he was about to lower the tissue, it burst into flames and disappeared into nothingness. The baby's parents jumped and stared at their son's eyes. They looked the same as they should have been, but slightly brighter. They agreed to let the King take their son after five years.

“Okay! I get it! Just stop referring to me like it's not me! Jeez...”

Sorry. But you do not understand the extent of what you were being trained for, do you?

“Huh? I thought that I was just trying to harness my magic, so that I can use it well... Am I wrong?”

Uh, huh. The reason for your training was to ready you for the task that you would need to undertake when the time came...

“And that task is...?”

You would be chosen by a special power to wield it and, to put it in an overused way, save the world. That power is known as the Keyblade.

Adrian shrugged, not impressed by this unconvincing story.

“Good story, but you're obviously lying. Do you even hear yourself? You sound like a complete moron! A 'Keyblade?' What the hell kinda name is that for a 'special power,' huh? It sounds ridiculous! I have so grown out of bedtime fairy-tales, Cloud!”

Suit yourself! You'll understand soon enough...

“Let's just go!”

And with that, Adrian walked out of the cave that he had appeared in when he came to this world.

Meanwhile, off the coast of Destiny Islands' smallest island...
​

“Hurry up, Sora!”

“I'm trying, Riku!”

Two boats were making their way across the water from the main island to the smallest one. On one of the boats, a seven year old boy with spiky, brown hair was rowing with all of his strength, while in the other one, another boy, who was eight years old and had silvery hair, was doing the same. They were racing toward the island.

A young girl was sitting on the docks, watching the boats as they drew near.

“And the winner is...!” She cried as the boats were about to hit the sand next to the docks, “RIKU!!!”

Riku jumped out of his boat and took a grand bow to the imaginary crowd around him. Sora tried to jump out, but was too tired to do so. He ended up doing a little hop and falling flat on his face in the sand. Riku and the girl laughed as Sora lifted his head up and grinned before planting his face back on the sand and fell asleep.

The girl giggled and rolled him over as she said, “Don't want him to choke on sand, now do we?”

“You're too nice to him, Kairi.” Riku said, smiling evilly, “Just kicking him to wake him up would have been funnier!”

“Riku!” She glared at him, not laughing.

About that time, Adrian came out of the cave and squinted in the sudden light. Riku and Kairi both froze as they noticed him standing there, about twenty yards away. As Adrian's eyes adjusted, he saw the two kids staring at him, terrified. He looked around to make sure that he had appeared on the right island. He had.

Uh, oh. We got company!

Shut up, Cloud! Adrian thought back, trying to figure out what to do.

Adrian smiled and didn't move closer, to avoid scaring them further.

“Hey!” He called, “Do you have any way of getting back to the big island?”

Riku snapped out of his shock and folded his arms over his chest, looking defiant.

“Who wants to know?”

Adrian laughed.

“I'm sorry. My name is Adrian. Nice to meet you. What are your names?”

“I'm Riku, she's Kairi, and...” He kicked the boy on the ground, making Kairi protest, “this little lump here is Sora.”

“Cool.” Adrian began to approach the three kids and did his best to quickly hide the sword on his back in his cloak. “How you guys doing?”

Sora opened his eyes and smiled sleepily.

“Cupcakes? I'd love some...” And he began to snore again.

Riku, Kairi and Adrian stared at Sora for a moment then busted up laughing. The sudden burst of laughter woke Sora up and made him jump to his feet.

“What's goin' on!” He looked at Kairi and then at Riku. Suddenly, he noticed Adrian. They both froze as they stared into each other's eyes. Adrian felt his heart wrench for absolutely no reason and he knew that Sora had felt the same thing happen to him. They looked away from each other, embarrassed.

Kairi and Riku stared at Sora, confused. Then Riku spoke.

“You know this guy, Sora?”

Sora looked troubled.

“Nah, don't think so!”

What the hell just happened, Adrian?

Cloud! Shut the hell up! I have no clue!

“Ummmm...” Adrian looked around, blushing. He looked at Riku and smiled again. “Can I borrow one of your guys' boats to get to the big island? I promise that I'll bring it right back!”

“Uhhhh...” Riku looked at Sora, then at Kairi before answering. “What can you give us to pay for it?”

Adrian frowned. What did he have? He suddenly thought of something.

“How 'bout this?”

He pulled out a ball of fused glass that he had made using magic. It was about three inches wide and had red, blue, green, and silver ribbon-like designs that were visible throughout the middle of it. The three kids were transfixed.

“Whoa!”

“That's awesome!”

“Now that's payment!”

Adrian handed the orb to Riku and said, “So is it a deal?”

Riku nodded and then started to run away with the orb, yelling, “Come and get it, Sora!” Sora quickly gave chase.

Adrian smiled and said a quick thank you to Kairi, who had remained standing there watching the two boys run around. She nodded and smiled back.

Adrian got into one of the boats and began to row toward the big island.

Earlier that same day, in Hollow Bastion...​

Leon was writing his memoirs. It seemed a little strange for him to do so, seeing as he had almost no good memories within the last few years, but he was doing it anyway. Ever since Cloud and Tifa had died, he had been isolated, disconnected. He could almost feel his heart descend into the abyss of darkness. He knew it. Sometime soon, he would slip and the darkness would consume him... It hadn't helped that the King, Yen Sid, and Ansem had been constantly asking him about some kid he'd never heard of before.

Apparently, about seven years ago, Yen Sid's student, who had been five years old then, had just disappeared one day. No note, no warning. He just was gone one morning. It was theorized that he had run away because of what had happened to Fauna, one of the good fairies who had been helping Yen Sid to train him. The three fairies had taken him to the Lot in Twilight Town one day to watch some tournament there. When it was Fauna's turn to watch him, things went wrong. The only thing that anyone knew was that the boy had suddenly appeared at the front door of the Tower in which they all lived. And Fauna had been nowhere to be seen. One of the other fairies, Flora, had found Fauna in a crumpled heap in a secluded alleyway in Twilight Town, around the time that the boy had shown up at the Tower. She took her back to Yen Sid, but he couldn't make her wake up. She had been in a coma ever since. The boy, who's name was Adrian, had had no idea as to why he had suddenly appeared at the Tower or as to what had happened to Fauna. He seemed genuinely upset and concerned for her, but somehow lacked any verbal expression of these feelings. Then... He disappeared. Yen Sid and the others hadn't left him, Yuffie, or Cid alone since then. He was about at the end of his patience. He knew that he would break if this continued.

Leon shook his head, crumpled the piece of paper in front of him, and threw it across the room into the trash can. He had to keep a level head. If he wanted to complete this thing, he would have to stay sane. He needed to let everyone know why he was doing the things that he would do when the darkness ended up taking his heart.

He wasn't sure as to what had been going on around Hollow Bastion within the last seven years, but he did know that the castle was already finished being rebuilt, that Ansem had destroyed his equipment, and that King Mickey had been running frantically from Disney Castle's world to Hollow Bastion and back non-stop for that whole time. He was looking for something that Ansem wouldn't tell anyone else about. The King and Ansem had been keeping to themselves for a long while now. What were they hiding?

Presently, Yuffie walked into the room and saw Leon crumpling yet another piece of paper up and throwing it across the room.

“What the –” Yuffie did a double-take when she saw what Leon was doing.

“I'm writing my memoirs.” Leon said without looking up. “But not for anyone else to read or see. Just so I can remember what's important.” He wrote a sentence and then put down the pen he had been writing with.

“Wow.” Yuffie nodded, smiling a little. “I never thought that I'd see you show such passion, Leon.”

“Well, seeing two of your friends dead and knowing there's nothing you can do about it does that to people, Yuffie.” Leon did look up then. The pain that he felt was clearly etched on his face. “I don't... That shouldn't have happened. And I don't know who to blame for it, either!” He slammed his fist down on the desk that he'd been working at, making Yuffie jump a little. He then lowered his head solemnly. “I just don't know what to do anymore...”

Yuffie stayed put, not wanting to go near him for fear of upsetting him further. She just nodded.

“I know. It's hard to lose someone you love to the hands of unfortunate circumstances. But we can't do anything about that now. All we can do is live our lives to the fullest. The way Cloud and Tifa would if they were still here...”

“Part of me wants to blame those damn assistants.” Leon said, raising his head. Yuffie flinched when she saw the raw emotion in his eyes that he had held for the last seven years. She felt the anger and the sorrow pour out of him. He went on, ignoring her reaction. “I mean, where the hell were they when the castle got torn apart?!” He stood suddenly and the chair he had been sitting in went tumbling across the floor behind him. He grabbed the sides of the desk and bowed his head. “I give up. I can't take this anymore!!” He yelled this last part and stood up straight. He clenched his fists and put them to his temples. He looked up and yelled. Just an incoherent and anguished wail. He looked back at Yuffie and that's when she saw it. A blind rage. The kind of rage that she had only seen once before...

The rage of a shattered heart. Just like those creatures!

“LEON! NO!!!” Yuffie lunged at him and found herself suddenly crashing into the wall to his right. He had swatted her like a fly with his gun-blade, which he had drawn when she jumped. Her head spun and her vision blurred with tears.

“L-Leo... Le-Leon........”

“No time for your games, little girl.”

When he spoke, it was as if two voices spoke through him. One was his. The other belonged to...

“Xe... Han... Ort...?” Yuffie muttered as the world turned black.

Chapter Six: Just off the Main Road – Destiny Islands...
Countdown to the Connecting of Worlds: 7 years​

Adrian had thought a lot about what Cloud had explained back in the cave on the smallest island. What if he were to be chosen by the Keyblade? Would that make him a hero? He smiled inwardly, (not outwardly to avoid Cloud guessing about what he was thinking). Now that would give him a reason to try and learn magic! Well, he already was learning a little bit from Cloud, but what about when... No. If the Keyblade came to him? He thought a little bit about it, coming to the conclusion that he would react to it as it came along. Yeah. That was the best course of action for now.

He came up over the last, tree-covered hill before his old house. He smiled. Mom always did love that rocking chair. And that weathervane was still crooked -- Dad hadn't fixed it yet! Memories came flooding back as he looked at his old home. It was all the same from the outside. But what about the inside?

He was about to go down the hill and out of the trees when he saw her. His mother. She was carrying grocery bags and had her hair tied up in a bun. He dropped to the ground and stared at her through the underbrush. She got around to the corner of the house and stopped. She smiled and looked right at him. Could she see him? It seemed so, judging from the smile that was growing on her face. He didn't like that smile at all. It held no mirth, no joy.

Determination. That was all that he saw there.

She opened her mouth and spoke:

"Hm. Thought that you'd be showing up soon."

And, with that, she turned and went around the house.

Adrian stayed laying on the ground, frozen. What? Is she okay? What was that about?

I got a really bad feeling about this... Cloud directed at Adrian.

Well, we got no choice now. I gotta see if my parents are okay!

Alright... Cloud thought a sigh. Would be better if I were in my body, ready to fight with you...

Adrian smiled grimly and went down the hill.

Meanwhile, on the smallest island...​

"Sora! Riku! It's getting dark! We should go home!"

Sora and Riku came running from behind the foliage of the biggest tree on the island, out of their "Secret Spot." Kairi put her hands on her hips and frowned.

"What do you two do in there, anyway? Fight? 'Cause you can do that out here, too!"

"Can't tell." Riku said condescendingly, crossing his arms over his chest, "It's boy stuff."

"Hmph!" Kairi turned away and crossed her arms over her chest, as well.

"C'mon, Riku!" Sora said, looking skeptical, "Can't we tell her? This one time?"

"Hmmmmmm..." Riku turned to Sora and looked at him. "Y'know what? Sure. We'll tell her! But just this once!"

Kairi turned and grinned. Then, she looked expectantly at Riku. He leaned in close and whispered to her.

"We were investigating how that guy from earlier today got here. 'Cause he couldn't've come from the Big Island, right? So, we went in there, lookin' around..." He looked at Kairi sideways. "And we found a door..."

Kairi's eyes went wide.

"Like, a secret door?" Kairi whispered back.

"Uh, huh! But you gotta keep it secret, 'kay?" Kairi nodded as Riku stood up straight and motioned to Sora to get in the boats. Then, he stopped and smacked himself in the head.

"What is it, Riku?" Sora looked over at him from where he was crouched, untying his own boat.

"Oh, man..." Riku moaned. "I let that guy take my boat! And he hasn't come back!"

"Then take mine!" Sora and Kairi said simultaneously. They both looked at each other, then laughed. "You can ride in mine," said Kairi.

"Aw, no!" Riku laughed. "I will row in yours! Move over!"

And, amidst some confusion and a lot of laughs, the two boats with their three passengers made their way to the Big Island...

Back on the Big Island...​

Adrian approached the front of the house. He looked out toward the smaller islands. It was nearing sunset. He wondered if his parents had any other kids...

Adrian. Cloud mentally poked him. Focus on now. Let's see what's up. And be ready for whatever is in there...

That's a big help... But Adrian raised his fist to knock on the door without hesitation. And it opened. And it was his mother standing there, holding the door open. Without a word, she motioned for him to enter. He did, and instantly drew his sword, spinning around to swing it at his "mother." He felt his arm jerk with the impact of his sword on the red chakrams of the imposter. Sparks flew, lighting up the man's face. Adrian vaguely remembered those black markings from somewhere before... He jumped back and leveled his sword once more.

"A little feisty, no?" The man's cocky tone bore into Adrian's patience. "Why don't you put that away. I'm here to talk. Name's Axel." He tapped one finger to his temple as his weapons disappeared in a puff of flame. "Got it memorized?"

Adrian stayed tense and let his gaze follow the man around the room as he went to relax in the recliner that had once been his father's.

"You're parents..." The man looked sideways at Adrian as he spoke. "They aren't here. In fact..." He snapped his fingers as he stood and the house slowly shimmered into its true form. The windows were boarded up and the front door was replaced by a large, steel blockade-looking thing. The furniture was still there, but covered in sheets. Nothing was the same. Adrian's shock got the better of him. He lowered his weapon as Cloud screamed at him to stay alert. Adrian had put two and two together.

His parents were dead.

He fell to his knees and dropped his sword. No. His body screamed. His mind rent itself apart from the inside and the power that had lain dormant in his heart exploded outward. The sheets that covered the furniture burst into flames and the steel blockade on the front door started to melt as the temperature rose above three thousand degrees. The whole house blasted apart in a shower of wood and metal. The entirety of Destiny Islands saw the explosion and the neighboring houses bore the scorch marks until they, too, were destroyed. Cloud, the whole time that this was happening, could feel his grip on Adrian's soul slipping and cried out for him to control it. Slowly, but surely, Cloud began the tortuously slow descent into the Darkness. But Adrian didn't care. He had no reason to care. Not anymore.

Sora, Riku and Kairi heard the explosion as they tied up their boats to the docks on the biggest island. They turned to see what had happened and watched as the brilliance of the twilit sky was magnified by the flames that had engulfed a certain neighborhood in that direction...

"What the --" Riku stood watching as the flames died down a little bit. But the glow of the fire remained on the horizon. Sora, in a daze, stared at his hands, which had started to glow. Kairi stared at Sora, unable to see the glowing.

"What is it?" She shook Sora gently.

He slowly turned to her and said two simple words.

"It's him."

And then he took off toward the fire.

"Sora! No! Don't!" Riku tried to grab his arm, but Sora pushed him away with unnatural strength. Riku recovered and stared at Sora's back as he disappeared into the gathering night.

Sora ran and ran. He got to the source of the explosion and saw his old house in flames. And he felt him. He knew that he was inside.

His brother.

He gathered up all his courage and walked into the flames. He didn't feel a thing as the fire's tongues licked at him, hungry to consume him, body and soul. He made it through to the house, (or what was left of it). And there, kneeling with his fists clenched on his knees, was his brother. Sora did a double-take when he saw who it was.

"Adrian?!"

Adrian looked up to the voice that he remembered from earlier that day, on the small island.

"Hey... Sora..." He looked back down to his fists and unclenched them, painfully. They were scorched and burned from the magic that had come from them. He winced as he tried to conjure up some curative magic. His eyes went wide as he came up empty. He looked at Sora and smiled at him. A single tear fell from his eye and evaporated in the intense heat. Sora could see it now. He was going to kill himself!

"NO!!!" Sora yelled as he started to run at the young man he knew to be his brother. "DON'T!!!!!!!"

And then all was black for both of them.

Later that day, in Hollow Bastion...​

"Yuffie!" A voice was calling to her from far away. She couldn't tell who it was.

Yuffie could feel someone slapping her face. She tried to move, but she couldn't. She opened her eyes and winced at how bright it was. How long had she been out? What had happened? Then, suddenly she remembered.

"LEON!!!" She sat up and banged heads with whoever had been calling to her. She recovered a little and saw someone who she didn't think to see here.

"Aerith?!" Yuffie said and laughed.

Aerith laughed a little, too, and wiped a tear from her eye. But she was smiling. Then why was she crying?

"What's wrong?" Yuffie asked, pointing to her tears.

"You just hit me in the nose! That's what's wrong!" Aerith laughed as she wiped another tear away.

"Oh! Sorry!" They both laughed, happy to see each other again.

They were in Yuffie's room. It was just after nightfall and the whole castle was bustling, looking for Leon, most likely. Yuffie was laying on her bed and Aerith was sitting on the side.

When they were done greeting each other, Aerith asked Yuffie, "Do you have any idea what happened to Squall?"

Yuffie looked blankly at her for a moment then realized who she was talking about.

"Oh! You mean Leon!" She laughed.

"Oh, is that what he's calling himself now? Okay..." Aerith giggled.

"And, to answer you, I haven't got any clue as to why he flipped like that! He just got angry and attacked me! I was going to knock him down, yeah, but that was just plain mean!"

"What about this?" Aerith reached past Yuffie and grabbed a piece of paper that had a big ink stain on it. Yuffie frowned.

"Isn't that...?"

"Yeah. It's his suicide note, of sorts. He wrote in it that he would have to be 'controlled' soon, and that the 'darkness in his heart' would 'grow out of hand.'"

Yuffie snapped her fingers as she put together what that meant.

"What?" Aerith put the note down on the bed.

"That's what happened!" Yuffie looked Aerith in the eye and shook her head sadly. "He's a Heartless now!"

"A what?"

"You remember when Cloud and Tifa died, right? How they died?"

Aerith nodded.

"Well, Ansem had been working on this thing about the darkness in people's hearts, but -- and this is Leon's idea, not mine -- Ansem's assistants got fed up with it and overloaded the system that created the monsters that killed Cloud and Tifa -- the Heartless! That place behind Ansem's office? The part that they took apart a while ago? That was known as the Heartless Manufactory. Where the Heartless were made..."

"And this has to do with Leon going crazy, how?"

"The last thing that I remember him saying before I blacked out was something about him 'not having time for me...' But he said it in the head assistant's voice! Aerith, he was channeling Xehanort!"

"Ah! So, you think that Xehanort is a Hearless that took control of Squ -- I mean, Leon?"

"Yeah!"

"We should tell Ansem..."

At that moment, an alarm went off and they both jumped. One of the castle's guardsmen came in and said, "C'mon! Ansem wants to see you right away!"

Aerith and Yuffie looked at each other and nodded before getting up and leaving the room.

Soon after, in the World Monitoring Room...​

"What? Another one?" Cid cried.

"Yes, and in the same world, too..." Ansem looked gravely at the three remaining Ambassadors, (for that is what they were, Ambassadors to different worlds). "You will need to go to this world and find out what happened. You will take as many guardsmen with you as possible. And try to keep a low profile. This world is not connected to our system of worlds. Disney Castle and King Mickey have no jurisdiction there. Keep it fast, too. So far, only two or three people know about us. Let's keep it that way."

"So... Let me sum it up." Yuffie crossed her arms over her chest. "There was an energy explosion, what, twelve and half years ago, and now there's another one? And we are to go investigate the cause of this explosion."

"Yes," Ansem said, nodding at her, "Destiny Islands may well need to be connected after this..."

"Are you sure?" Aerith inquired, looking troubled. Yuffie and Cid looked confused, so she explained. "The worlds are all connected by a system of roads and paths that were devised by Ansem, the King, and other great minds from each of the many worlds. These paths are what make it possible to travel easily from world to world. However, on this journey, it will be harder to stay on course. There is no road connecting this 'new world' to the others. So, we will be 'flying blind,' so to speak."

"Well, not completely." Ansem stood up from the chair that he had been sitting at. The screen that he had been in front of was still on. It showed a small sphere on it, with charts and graphs lining the sides of the screen. This world seemed to made of mostly water and small islands. However...

"What's that white line?" Yuffie said, pointing at a single strand of white that trailed from off the screen into the biggest island on the little ball.

"Somebody... Is already there." Ansem said with a sigh. "And I think I know who."

"Leon?"

Ansem nodded.

"Well, then!" Cid ran a hand through his hair, looking determined. "Let's go an' fetch 'im home, eh?"

"Yeah," Yuffie and Aerith agreed.

And they set out that evening. However, they had no idea what awaited them at Destiny Islands. They wouldn't stand a chance against what was there, even if they had brought the entire Hollow Bastion Guard. They wouldn't have stood a chance even if Cloud and Tifa had been there. But one thing is for certain...

They never knew what hit them.

Intermission Number One...​

Six years has passed since the team from Hollow Bastion set out to investigate the explosion of magic power and the white trail in that "new world." They still hadn't returned. Ansem was in a state of suspended animation, deep within his castle. He had put himself there to hide any secrets that his mind and heart may hold. That was four years ago.

Dark, shadowy creatures of frightening strength had appeared once more, thought to be gone and destroyed by the people of Hollow Bastion. Now, there was an evil grip on many of the worlds. It seemed as if the great Keyblade would never reveal itself to the inhabitants of the worlds. All seemed lost...

Then, out of nowhere, a man going by the name of Xemnas began gathering people of strength and "training" them to join his army. There were eleven others like him. They were all part of an organization of powerful people known as Organization XIII. They were looking to recruit a thirteenth member, one who was "like them." Nobody thought to question what this meant. They didn't see past the idea of being rid of these infernal creatures, once and for all. And that would be their downfall.

The two young people who had been at the source of the explosion on Destiny Islands, (Adrian and Sora), had been captured and held against their will at the hands of the Organization. They were thereafter subjected to tests of strength against these "Heartless." At one point, Sora fell to the vicious claws of a Behemoth, losing his heart and becoming as one of the creatures. Adrian, in a sudden burst of magical emotion, revived him and destroyed the beast, in a single spell. The Organization members were impressed and decided that maybe, just maybe, this was the famed Keyblade bearer that they had been looking for. After three and a half months of questioning, torture, and isolation, they were put into suspended animation until such a time that they would be deemed useful.

Now, after six years, Adrian would get a rude awakening. An old friend would come to visit him, putting him through such shock that he would lose his own heart. He would also be given a chance to right what had been done to the worlds, and expose a hidden threat to them.

His time had come.

END OF PART ONE

Part Two to be posted below! :registro5B15D:
Bye for now! :action-smiley-030:​