---Destiny Islands---

Soren stood on the beach and watched as the waves rolled in. The sun was setting and the portal of light behind him faded. "It seems Sora really has gone missing. The others aren't just going to let him fade to whatever fate he has gotten himself into. It also seems that everyone has gone back to their homes. Well it seems I've missed the party." As he turned to go he looked at the door. "Such trouble you've caused. I would lock you but cant have anyone else getting suspicious."

Summoning Spellbinder he took out the other keychains and looked over them and a memory rang out in his head. "These are some I copied from the originals, kupo! Don't forget to stop by Tranverse Town for a visit and power ups, lupo! Soren smiled and said quietly to himself, "Thanks Mog, but first I have some stops to make." Holding out his keyblade he shot out the beam of light that formed the corridor of light. "May my heart be my guiding key." He said as he entered the corridor.

---Castle that Never Was---
Sensing where he wanted to go the light opened up on the terrace of the Castle that never was. Soren looked up into the sky remembering the what had happened years ago. "So much has happened." Soren began to search the castle looking in all the empty rooms. Finally he came to the stairs. "Luxu didn't leave any trace here." Walking down and into the city he walked up to the sskyscraper and looking up he spoke, "I wonder what secrets you hold." Extending his keyblade then bringing it to his face he shouted "Aero!" He then began to rise into the air as his wind magic surrounded him. As he reached the top he floated over to the edge and dismissed his spell. Surveying his surroundings he sat on the edge and waited for his friend to arrive. As he did he left the memories of his past flow through him.

----Dark World----

There was a flash of light that tore through the darkness and slammed into the crust of the Dark Realm. A second smaller glimmer sliced through and embedded itself in the small crater formed by the impact.
Darkness swirled in quickly, sealing the breach between realms. As the smoke and dust faded into the darkness, all had settled.

In the crater lie a young man; he was battered and broken. His Light Armor was cracked and worn from battle after battle. There wasn't much left in the boy, but his will endured and held him there.

----Some Time Later-----

Kazen stirred slowly, opening his eyes to nothing but pain. He tasted that thick copper taste; and knew it was blood. He tried to rise, to sit up even but it was no use; he mustered his remaining strength and managed a half-assed Cure spell. He groaned as the white magic worked its way over his beaten body. In a few seconds he slowly stood up.
On shake legs he took in his surroundings; it wasn't good.
"Oh man..." He groaned as he found his keyblade; The Convergent Fate snapped in two, it was slowly fading into nothing. He felt a twinge of pain shoot through his chest, and a tear creep into his eye. That blade had been forged from his heart; and now it lay broken as his feet, just as he now lay broken. Lost within the Dark Realm.

"No..." He managed to say as he picked up the hilt of his blade and felt it strain against the darkness before it shattered and floated upwards out of his hands.
"I'm...lost..." He said as he fell to his knees and wept.
"Raslan...The King...everyone...I've let them down..." He screamed into the black.

He had been fighting a new foe; a Shattered Remnant; something that was dredged from the depths of the Keyblade war's carnage. He could remember hunting the Heartless down; it was rumored to be in Scaela Ad Caelum. So he had ended his long search there. He slew his enemy after a long battle, but at the cusp of victory; his true enemy had struck.
The man wore a Black cloak and had cut through everything in Kazen's arsenal like tissue paper. Nothing worked, and it was as if this foe knew his actions before he made them.
It wasn't until the man drew his blade; Kazen didn't even see the thing it was so fast. He had been drawn and quartered, the force of the blow had shot him straight through the veil between realms, and left him broken against a cliffside. There would be no more adventures for him, all was lost. Or so it seemed.

---World that Never Was---
Soren's eyes flew open as a memory came to him. How had he forgotten. His home world and the king as well. But he had remembered them in the other world. What had happened? Then he realized it and jumped from the skyscraper. He cast aero before hitting the ground and came to a halt. He couldn't spend anymore time near that damn building. Recalling the time he checked again and realized Kazen should have been here by now. Hmm where could his friend be. With that he opened another light corridor trying to will his heart to connect to his friend's.

---The Dark Realm---

The corridor opened and to Soren's surprise he stepped out into the dark realm. "Why would he be here? Assuming it worked that is." He then took a look around and saw that Kazen was nowhere in sight. "I better her going and see if I might just be off course." Setting off at run he used aero and began to race right above the ground.

----Dark Realm----

Kazen stood up slowly as he sensed a light in the distance. He wiped his face and took a few steps forward; his Light Armor crumbling away around him as he went. He left pieces of himself in his wake as he went, he dragged himself step by step through the darkness.
"....Anybody....somebody..." He muttered out as he looked over his shoulder; his armor was flittering away into the darkness alomg with the remains of his Keyblade.
Or was it his? He was struggling to remember.
"No...there's no escape from this place..." a shadowy voice whispered across his weakened mind.
He shook off those thoughts and soldiered on. He didn't have much in his inventory; the impact had shattered his gummiphone and most of his gear. He had no armor, no weapon, and worst of all; no way out.

The shadows began to stir around him as he moved through the endless wasteland. As he ventured he would come across the shattered remains of some poor World. Nothing ever useful, a few sprigs of wood and a broken music box. Roofing tiles scattered everywhere, along with other random debris slowly sinking into the darkness.
"This place is...claustrophobic..." He sighed as he collapsed against a mangled light pole. There was what remained of a street corner, the pole he slumped against was curled and twisted from whatever force rendered it here. He looked up into the 'sky' and let out a long breath.
"There's a light somewhere down here...but it's small and so far away..." He said as he looked to his right; he could feel it there. A familiar light; he wondered if it was Soren. But those thoughts faded as he gazed into the distance.
"It's probably just this place trying to confuse me..." He said as he pulled himself to his feet and continued on towards the light.

"Whoever you are...hold on. I don't know if I can help, but if you're down here too...you shouldn't be alone." He stepped uneasily through the dark, holding his left arm at the elbow; it was broken and ached steadily now that he was moving again.
He felt a wet spot on his head, trickling down his neck. He 2asnt sweating.
"Damn..." He winced as he touched the wound and tore part of his sash from his belt and tied it around his forehead as a bandage.
"Come on...come on...give me an ether. I'd settle for a potion!" He cried out as he tripped over a treasure chest.

The box was small and terribly worn and bore the seal of Master Eraqus. It wasn't locked, much to his surprise. He lifted the lid and removed the item inside.

"A dark light, for those trying times...A gift, for those you've liberated. Your Derelict Testa shall be your retribution...go forth..." a voice whispered into his ear as a blinding light burst forth from the chest.
As quickly as the light erupted it was squelched out by the darkness.

"Remember; let your heart be your guiding Key
" the voice faded away with the light.

Kazen felt a surge through his heart and he dropped to his knees as the warmth spread down his right arm and into the palm of his hand.
His arm moved of its own will and seized the hilt of a keyblade the emerged from his chest.

"Aghh!" He cried out as his hand clenched the hilt tightly and ripped it free from his heart. As the haziness faded and his vision returned he stood wide eyed.
In his hand was a Keyblade; the hilt was bright red and the blade bore a slight resemblance to his original key; but with darker colors and a large Emblem Crown settled at the top of the blade.
The key felt heavy in his hand, but this moment was cut short as Heartless began to appear.
"H-here we go..." He said as he let his left arm hang limp, he shouldered the keyblade on his right arm and prepared himself for a fight.
"Come on...come on!" He growled into the shadows as he steadied his tired feet. He moved instinctively, allowing the keyblade to find its target. As he swung his new blade it cleaved the darkness in front of him and cut down wave after wave of the Heartless.
The shadows kept coming, and soon enough he was dealing with a Demon Tide.
The swarm of shadows arched up and slammed him into the ground. Kazen coughed a spray of blood and wrenched from the impact as the Darkness moved through his form, tearing at his core with every second as the wave passed through him.
He tightened his grip on his blade and raised it in defense.
"Hhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!" He cried out in fury as he struggled to withstand the torrential wave of heartless.
"You'll not snuff out my LIGHT!" He declared with rage as a large beam of light erupted from his blade and slaughtered the Demon Tide.

He dropped his blade and collapsed next to it.

Hearing the sounds of a battle raging in the distance Soren knew there was only one thing that caused a fight down here. There had to keep another keyblade wielder down here.

Suddenly Soren tripped and skidded into a rocky wall. Looking up he saw them. Earth cores. "Damnit I dont have time for this." Jumping up and at the heartless Soren struck then cast water. As the element spun around him and hit the heartless it splashed to the ground. With that he cast ice and it froze the water and whatever it touched. Lastly Soren cast fire threat times striking the three heartless. Each shattered and he continued on.

Looking up ahead Soren saw someone laying on the ground. A key he didnt recognize lay next to him. Soren not able to see the person clearly summoned his keyblade pointed it at the person. Soren pulled back his hood "Kazen? That you? Give me a sign if it's you." Keeping his keyblade pointed down at the body he waited but was ready for a fight.

Getting knocked to the ground again pissed Soren off and he heard Kazen's voice which meant Kazen was the one that had knocked him on his ass. "KAZEN! Snap out of it you ass! It's for real me!" Soren jumped up and out of the shadows. Spellbinder flared to life in his hand and cast ice at Karen's blade knocking it down. "Stop this and we can leave. I have a way!" Soren took up a guarding stance then watched Kazen. Something wasn't right maybe it was that new keyblade.

---The Dark Realm---

With what Kazen said he knew it was time to use one of the keychains. Taking out the keychain that had an hourglass on it he clipped it to his keyblade and unclipped the spellbinder placing it back into his pocket. The keyblade morphed in a flash of light to a keyblade of blue and grey. A faint ticking sound could be heard from it.

---Traverse Town---

He turned the keyblade with no name in his hand. Then walked over to his friend casting cura on him to stop the bleeding. Soren then took his friends keyblade and dispersed it. Then took his unbroken arm and put it over his shoulders helping him walk. "Come along my friend. It seems we are in need of a home for now. I know just the place." Holding his keyblade out and up he fired a beam and opened a corridor. Hobbling through both boys stepped out into Traverse town. After stepping through the keychain faded away and the spellbinder took back its place. Dispersing the keyblade he then helped his friend to the house that used to be an old man's and his wooden puppet. Though it seemed some additions had been made with the house. It was now two stories and upon entering there was a small kitchen and a bed on the first floor. Helping his friend to the bed and laying him down he then pulled up a chair to sit by him. " So Kazen it seems you got yourself in a bit of a scrape. What happened?" He snapped his fingers and a fire started in the fireplace warning the room slightly.

---Traverse Town---

Soren shook his head and took out a long pipe, stocked it, then cast a tiny fire spell. Dragging on the pipe he blew out puffs of smoke. "I dont know man. The Master of Masters is laying low. He disappeared. Unless Luxu was right and the box brought him out of hiding." He took another long drag. "Also no clue about your Keyblade. Looks nice though. Might even be your true one too. Mine still hasn't manifested. Using a training one kinda like the kingdom key. Except this one is called the starlight but I use the spellbinder keychain to master some base spells then I use another keychain to master its abilities. Even got one that has the sync-blade ability." Soren got up and poured them both some water and brought the glass over to Kazen. "So I've noticed the heartless. Seem to be non on the destiny islands and nothing I can find in the Castle inbetween, but they have showed their ugly faces at the mysterious tower. Which oh here.." Soren dug in his cloak pocket and passed a piece of paper to Kazen "...recieved that and thought it was from you. Soren meet my at the memory skyscraper. Need to discuss somethings. I'm guessing it wasnt you if you were tracking a heartless." He drank his water and then continued to smoke his pipe.

----Traverse Town-----
Small House;

Kazen stood up and removed his backpack. He pulled out a long black cloak and tugged it on. He zipped the long zipper and left the bottom half unzipped. He then kicked off his boots and tugged on a pair of black sneakers.
"Well, my armor and my old blade are gone. So I'm going to make a change." He said as he held his hand out and summoned his new blade.
He clenched his fist around the hilt and drew his hood, he then relaxed and dispersed the blade with a flash of red light and black lightning.
"It's called The Derelict Testa." He said to his friend.
"Things are different now...I've got to do some recon. There are questions that need answering." He said as he summoned a corridor of darkness and vanished throughout it into the blackness.

"I'll return soon, thank you...Soren. But there's something I need to look into. Before we can be our old selves again. Theres...someone I need to see." His words echoed as the corridor closed.[/color]

Soren watched as his friend walked out not even saying anything about the note. "Someone he has to see ehh? Well that's all on him. In the mean time I'll take care of a few other things." That he snuffed the pipe and took out another if the keychains. Attached to a blue cord was a dual disc. A device from a place known as The Grid. Attaching it to his keyblade it transformed into the keyblade it represented. Soren walked upstairs and to a terminal. "Time to go pay an old friend a visit." Firing a light beam at a mirror it bounced off and into a laser that fired up and shot through Soren and into the terminal. Soren was then downloaded into a digital world where he began to search for a program named Tron.

---The Grid---

Soren walked along and came to a station that had rip sticks. Picking one up he got a good run going then ripped it. The light cycle program activated and suddenly it formed around him taking off towards a tower in the distance.

Soren deactivated the light cycle and it formed back into the rip stick. It was strange that no one was around but Soren didnt need anyone but Tron, which was now worrying him. Walking into the tower Soren ascended to the top floor. Stepping out he walked into a white room with a lone figure.

Without turning he spoke "I had hoped to see you one more time my friend." Turning Soren saw Tron. "I'm the only program left thanks to a rogue program. Even I will run out of time but this world will keep going."

Soren took off his hood. "Hello Tron. You're the only program left huh? I'm guessing the rest were taken for info. I'm sorry you are alone here but maybe I can fix that. I've come to get access to a program hidden in Ansems data base." Tron nodded and went over to a panel opening a door. He nodded and offered Soren to go in. Inside was a computer and Soren got to work.

Soren opened three programs and read through them then he set two to download into the Grid. "Tron these two programs will run and I need you to keep them secure. One will offer a data version of Sora who can help. The other is a replica program that will create bodies that can be realized. Finally he brought up the third program. Data magic..." Soren looked at the computer screen and sighed pulling out a disc from behind his back then attached it to the section indicated. The program downloaded and Soren stood turned and hugged Tron before summoning his keyblade and aiming it at the screen. "Goodbye..." there was a flash light and Soren disappeared.

Another flash of light this time at the hangar area of the Disney Castle. The dual disc keyblade faded as well as the keychain back into the Spellbinder. "Another added to the pages. Seems Merlin was right. Just gotta keep putting myself back together." Opening a corridor with his keyblade he stepped through and into the Corner Stone of light's chamber. "Seems to be all in order here though still as unguarded as ever. The king and his trust. Nothing I can say much about but wish there was more I could do. Still not strong enough yet though." With that he opened another corridor and walked away letting it disappear.

----The Old Mansion-----

A figure stood in the window and watched as the cloaked man attempted his entry.
"Hahah. As if." He said with a chuckle as he flung the drapes closed. He himself was wearing a black coat. He took a seat at a computer terminal and began typing away. Behind him on a large pedestal sat a Black Box.
"Security's still tight as ever. As if anyone would be able to find me anyways. Nah, not me. I'm too good." He said as he typed away chuckling to himself.

Outside the mansion things began to change; the mansions windows and doors simmered as the man activated a program. The Mansion was now secured in a fashion unlike any seen since Castle Oblivion. Any who entered would be immediately expelled. Any who maintained entry or access to the premesis would be redirected to the entrance or sent venturing through random pointless rooms until they collapsed of exhaustion or were swept to the entrance.

-----Memories Skyscraper----

A dark corridor opened and Kazen stepped through it. It was raining, and he was glad he'd worn his hood.
"You're here. I know you are." He called out to the empty city.
"Show yourself. I won't ask twice, you know what must be done, so let's end this." He said in a welcoming tone to the other that he had come to see.

As he waited at the skyscraper a Demon Tide conformed itself from the shadows and spiraled through the streets.
The swirling collective darkness rose up in a tower and lunged towards it's target.

"I won't have these illusions, I know it's you." He summoned his keyblade and swung it in a wide and powerful arc. He cleaved the tower in two and in a burst of light his enemy was slain.
"It seems like you need something." A voice called to him.
"You know what it is I need; you've held it for far too long. Chirithy; I need my Heart back." He called out.
"You've held me here too long. I've played out this game for you, I've lead the pawns to their places. I won't have any of this anymore if you don't concede to this. Haven't I made good on my promise to you? I've helped you the best I can. But you've gotta help me." Kazen said as he dispersed his Keyblade and held out his hands.
"You brought me back from the other side; The Final World. Thanks for that, but I came back incomplete!" He said angrily.

"If you failed to regain everything; that was your folly. Not mine. You played your part, but you've not given me what I want." The voice said.

"I can't find the box, I can't find Xigbar, Luxu whatever his name is. And no, I haven't found these 'Foretellers' you spoke about. From what I know; those guys are long gone."
"Then you have brought me nothing!" The voice said in return.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I've guided most of this for you! Don't even-"
"Silence." The voice said.
"Have your toy; if it aids your endeavors, so be it. If not; I'll have it back when they crush you." And with those last echoing words a flash appeared and a small glimmer floated down from above the Skyscraper.

"Finally..." Kazen leapt into the air and ran up the skyscraper to intercept the light. Once it reached him he felt it's contact and received a surge of energy.

---The Keyblade Graveyard---

The corridor opened onto an expanse of keyblades and dust. Towering rocks stood along the landscape and the wind blew lightly stirring dust devils up. Soren stepped out and shook his head in sadness as he recognized all the fallen. "All this over Lux. The Master has played us all with that stupid book. What is your end game...." Soren picked up a dead keyblade. "This will have to do." Soren cast out his hand and a circle of light appeared and he cast the keyblade into it. Once inside it hovered there. Below it runes and symbols etched into the ground "Heart of the past grant me your blade. Release your claim and link to me your power." A soft glow radiated upward and the keyblade faded into light flying into Soren's chest. "Thank you." He said as he bowed to an image of a girl that had to be no younger than Sora when he first started his journey. The circle and image faded away and the symbols disappeared. "Well that's three keychains down and the second key obtained to be tempered. Time to return to Merlin and the moogles." With that he opened another corridor and walked through to Camelot.

-------Memories Skyscraper-----

There was a surge of energy that coarsed through his body as he absorbed what he believed was a fragment of his heart.

"You're mine." A whisper came through the shadows.
"What...whats...happening...to me...?" Kazen asked as he felt time begin to slow around him. There was something odd, something familiar about this feeling.
"You thought I would give it back to you so easily? As if." The voice changed and called out into sarcastic laughter.
"Oh no, I've got plans for you, boy." Luxu laughed out as he stepped through a corridor of darkness and snapped his fingers.
"Be a good boy now, enjoy your nap. You'll be seeing plenty of old friends. And one guy that I just know you're gonna love." He said with a grin as he waved and laughed while walking through a corridor and vanishing.

"What are you ta-" Kazen stammered as he felt his feet finally touch the pavement. He felt sluggish, even his movement to summon his keyblade was dulled. There was a flash of red and a crackle of black lightning as the blade appeared in his hand.
"Come...back..." He called out weakly. He felt so tired. A glimmer of light appeared and formed into a Keyhole which his keyblade automatically unlocked. In a flash of light both he and the keyhole vanished.

----Realm of Sleep-----

Kazen drifted down through the layers of conciousness. Through the realm as he drifted further into the sleeping realm. He landed with a light thud against some boxes in a back alley of Traverse Town. The young man lay there in a slump. His clothes had changed; no longer did he wear the black coat. Instead he wore brown cargo pants over a pair of red flannel boots. He wore a black muscle shirt and a green jacket with cargo pockets. On one sleeve he bore a teal X. On the other a silver crown,. He had been taken, marked, and left amongst the sleeping worlds.

Soren walked through into Merlin's cottage. Archimedes hooted and shouted for Merlin. "Your apprentice is back you blabbering oaf!" With that he put his head into a wing and began to nap again. Merlin came out of the back room and glared. "Now see here you daft bird! Oh bother never mind. Ah Soren my boy! Brought the second key?" Soren stepped back and with drew the blank keyblade from his heart. "Ah yes quite right. The moogles and I will fill it with power. In the mean time I have your next three keychains." From his hat Merlin produced the sleeping lion, way to dawn, and the wheel of fate. Just as Soren took them a letter flew in the window. Merlin picked it up and gasped. "Oh my dear boy we have to empower this keyblade now!" He took the way to dawn keychain back and ran into the other room slamming the door.

Soren took the paper as it drifted to the floor. It was from Yen-Sid to Merlin. It explained that Yen-Sid had sent a moogle to retrieve Kazen but when he had caught up with him had to hide and watch as Kazen fell to sleep. The moogle had apparently barely escaped.

About an hour later Merling came back in with the way to dawn. "Here Soren take this and I'll open a gateway to the realm of sleep. I'll aim for traverse town but be prepared for anything." Merlin worked his magic and a blue sphere with points around appeared. Soren didnt need to be told and touched the sphere and dove into the realm of sleep.

Waking in a dark cavern Soren stood shaking lightly then popped and elixir. Traveling to the realm of sleep took alot out of a person. Looking around he realized he was in merlin's cave and hopped across the stones and too the door. Exiting and now seeing in the light he realized his clothes had changed. Emerald green cargo pants and black shoes with a black shirt. On his back was a dream eater symbol and across his front was a dragon in green with golden eyes. Soren shook his head and summoned his keyblades. He now had to fill both of them with power to get these blanks to reveal their true forms. Attaching the sleeping lion to the spellbinder he set out for the first district.

------Sleeping Realm------

-----Traverse Town; First District------

Kazen stood to his feet and brushed his clothes off. He shook his head to clear the haze and looked around.
"Where am I? What happened to my cloak?" He looked around for his belongings and found nothing. His backpack, his journal, his cloak. Everything was gone, having been replaced by his new attire. He sighed and pulled the hood of his jacket up, zipped the green military style coat and made his way quietly toward the square.
"Luxu...what have you done...?" He asked as he looked around traverse town.
"Traverse Town?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow.
It was then that he noticed his reflection in the shop window; his left eye was bright amber, and his hair had a Silver color creeping in at his temples.
"No!" He gasped as he stumbled backwards and then dashed into the accessory shop. He snatched a bandana off the shelf and tied it around his head; the silver was hidden for now.
"That'll be 250Munny, sir." The clerk said kindly.
Kazen handed him the coins from his wallet and left the shop.
"Fuck." He thought to himself.
"Well. Where to...?" He asked himself as he walked up the stairs and into The Second District.

"You carry more than you know, it wasn't just a fragment. It is a piece of what's left. The truth lies within the shadows." The voice said in his head as he stopped dead in his tracks.

"What...who? You...youre not...Chirithy..."
"No, I never was."
"Then who...?"
"Who I am is of no importance, you must master this nightmare, or perish within."
"A Nightmare?"
"Yes, these worlds are aching. Just as you yourself are aching, there is much to be done boy." The voice said.
"What must I do?"
"Fight."
As the voice echoed away a burst of energy came from above as Dream Eaters appeared all around him.
Kazen summoned his keyblade with a battery and charged into the fray. Black lightning and a red light trail followed him as he cut through the beasts. In no time The Second District was cleared.