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Kingdom's End: Story of Adrian; Tainting of the Heart

(This narration shall be in first person. So don’t freak out.)

My world knew the existence of the Heartless. We had learned to protect ourselves, until the heartless found the heart within our world. They ruined my life, but now I am here among allies against the darkness that taints my heart. My name is Adrian and this is my story.



My world, Sky in the Stars, was one of the worlds first struck by the darkness. The heartless were very keen on attacking us.
The protectors of our world were powerless against the heartless. They were the first to lose their hearts. Then our parents went to fight, and eventually their efforts were futile.

I had stayed behind to protect the younger ones, since I was one of the oldest at sixteen years old. Another girl my age, Asta was with me. They were huddled behind me, Asta comforting the children as I watch out for Heartless.
I quickly glance outside. Darksides plagued our home, and the sky was dark and stormy. The battle was horrible. Shadows, Neo Shadows, and all different varieties of Heartless stormed through our friends and family, their hearts now lost to the darkness.
I turn back to the younger ones, oblivious to their loss. I notice Asta shaking and holding a little girl whispering to her comforting words. I could tell she was crying, so I place my hand on her and she turns to face me. I smile, “We will be alright,” I say reassuringly, turning to them all, “Just believe in your hearts and we will find each other.”
Their faces brighten, and Asta gives me a shaky smile. That does not last long. The ground begins to shake and darkness leaks into the room we are in. The children scream as they are engulfed by the darkness. I turn to Asta and she looks towards me with teary eyes. “Never let your light burn out,” she says sadly. She then smiles as the darkness takes her.
Darksides start to surround me, closing any escape routes. I look around and drop to my knees. The world shudders and everything dissolves into darkness.



I float in the darkness, no path to walk upon. I’ve lost everything, including myself. The darkness is trying to consume me, but Asta had lit an undying flame inside me making my heart purer than it was before. I sigh. For what else could I do inside darkness?
Time passes slowly, or at least I think it does. It feels like eternity, but I have not aged one bit. Was I to suffer like this forever? Why was I alive, if I have nothing to live for? Sadly, something in my heart told me to wait, to live. Who was I to not listen?



Suddenly, the darkness feels empty. It was a vast void, but I could feel the presence of the Heartless most of the time. Where were they?



I feel a shiver in the darkness. A bright light pierces through the darkness. I turn my head towards it, feeling the warmth from it. It gives me strength, as I reach towards it. Then, by some unknown force I’m pulled through into the light.



I’m blinded and I gasp fresh air. When my vision focuses, I am on a strange island with pale white sand. I laugh hysterically, feeling free from the darkness. But I feel uncomfortable in the light. Suddenly, I feel from within my heart,darkness that had taken refuge within it. It wants me to hurt, to kill, to destroy, but I ignore its desires. They would make me no better than the Heartless.
I look around and see white, ghostly, figures hovering everywhere. I see a gummi ship had landed nearby. I run towards it, eager to leave this mysterious island. I pass one of the ghostly figures, and I hear a raspy voice say, “Where am I, what has happened?” I stop and look at the figure. It disappears into the air. Confused I continue towards the the gummi ship.



A figure stands beside the ship inspecting it. I approach him and end up with a gun pointing at my head. “Who are you?” he asks me, never lowering the gun.

Trying to look at him from behind the gun I answer, “My name is Adrian, I come from the world, Sky in the Stars”

“Ain’t no place I’ve heard of,” the man says to me. He lowers the gun and I get a clear look at his face. He has spiky blond hair, wearing goggles as a headband. He looks kind of gruff. He reaches his hand out to me. “Name’s Cid, Member of the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee. I am also on business for the Knights of the Keyblade.”

“Knights of the Keyblade? What is that?” I ask.

Cid looks at me with disbelief. “Where have you been kid? The Knights are an organization created by Sora and his friend Riku,” He says knowingly.

I scratch my head, turning my head from him. “I have been stuck in the darkness for sometime, until I was recently released,” I tell him quietly.

Cid nods his head, “Oh, so you’re one of those. Ever since Sora’s run-in with That Xemnas guy, the darkness has been acting weird. It has been releasing people for years now, and all those who are released end up here.” He surveys the ghostly figures around us. “These are people who have long lost their way in the darkness.” he says sadly, “ But there are those like you, those who come out normal. You might have been in the darkness at the time of the battle of Sora and Xemnas”

“When was that,” I ask, torn between wanting to know, and to not know.

“Let me see,” Cid says, scratching his chin, “It was about ten years ago.”


Ten years? Was I in the darkness that long? This was too much to handle. One thing was certain though. My world was gone. Lost in the darkness.

Cid seemed to notice my gloom mood and says, “Hey kid, you alri-. Damn!” Heartless appeared around us along with some white creatures. “Damn Heartless and Nobodies,” Cid growls pulling out his gun, “Never know when to quit. Hey, can you fight?”

I turn to him, about to shake my head, but I stop as a keyblade forms in my hand. It had a white hilt with a dark blade. Two chains protrude from the hilt and wrap around my arm. Each has an emblem, a mouse head and a heart.The Heartless and Nobodies back away from it. I raise it up and got ready to fight.

The Heartless and Nobodies leap towards us. I tear into them with my keyblade, as Cid takes out the stragglers with his gun. When we stopped, it was just the two of us. Cid smiles, “Never knew you were a Keyblade wielder.” He turns and heads to the ship. “You got fighting spirit in you kid. Come with me and I’ll take you to Radiant Garden, home of the Knights of the Keyblade.” He boards the ship.

I look at the keyblade within my hand. It shows power, yet there is a faint sense of darkness within it. It disappears, and I turn towards the ship. Was I capable of becoming a Knight? If I was, I know the first thing I’ll do is find Sora and Riku, and thank them for helping release me from the darkness. I’ll also find a way to restore my world and the people’s hearts within it. I owed Asta that much, giving me the light to never give up.

Lost within the Darkness

A man stares out to the incoming waves, his black cloak flowing in the small breeze. This was the Dark Mirage, where many lost in darkness come. "How long has it been? Since I left? My memories...they are fuzzy. Only one thing comes to me. A warm feeling. Love" Silver hair falls from inside his hood and exhausted eyes peer out. They had the lingering color of red in them, and next to him lays a blade. A keyblade. He remembers that it would give those who did not exist their true name. True Name. A flash of memories surge into him. Radient Garden comes into view and he looks at himself A past memory. No darkness clung to him. This was his body created from memories.
"Stephen!!!" He turns to see a young girl running towards him.
Tears fill into his eyes as she embraces her. "Katherine..." He holds her tightly in his arms never wanting to let go.
She looks up to him. "Why are you crying? Did something bad happen?" He shakes his head. She leans her head close to him. "Do you still love me? I mean they have been experimenting at the castle. Will you join them or stay with me?"
He shakes his head. "I must go, they need to help with their project." He smiles sadly. "I love you Katherine. I always will" He hugs her until she disappears and the image reappears.
Stephen was in the computer room at Radient Garden. He sees a man typing at the computer and he slams the door. The man turns. "Stephen?"
He smiles. "Even, you are planning something aren't you?"
Even shakes his head. "Nothing Stephen. Aeleus was supposed to keep you out." He looks around to see a body unconscious against the wall. "Stephen what did you do?"
Stephen smiles. "You were keeping secrets Even. Something's not right. Didn't Ansem tell you to work on the heartless? So why are you here at the computer?"
A small boy appears in the doorway his gaze cool. "That's none of your business Stephen. Even has orders from Xehanort" Even returns to the computer and Stephen grabs a lamp off the desk.
"What the hell is Xehanort doing? What does this have to do with anything?" Stephen launches himself at the computer till his is pulled back by a larger man.
Even looks up. "Dilan, take Stephen and Ienzo away. Braig will be here with Xehanort in a minute" Dilan nods and drags Stephen out. All he saw on the computer screen was a picture of Katherine as he left. The man in the cloak stayed, he was no longer part of these memories but some force allowed him to see. Even typed in some code and a hologram of Katherine appears. Even looks at it. "It's time"
A man steps out of the shadows. Xehanort. The man with the cloak swipes at the memory but his attempts were fruitless. "Good. This girl has potential. She is a host of light. Taking her away would devastate the boy" Xehanort walks to the computer and presses a button. "Stephen will fall, an his heart will be mine" The screen flashes and turns black. Data streams through the screen and Katherine appears in the program. "Little light, little darkness. Bring forth. The bearer of Hate" A column of darkness appears and whisks away.
The image fades and the man is left within a white room. He turns to see his original body, stuck in that white coccoon. Away from his grasp. He places a hand on it. "When the time comes, awaken Stephen" He chuckles sadly. "I need to keep my promise to the boy of light, to Adrian, to Katherine. I grant you my previous powers. Use them with care and use them for the light" He feels himself start to fade and he places a hand onto the cocoon. "Do me a favor, remember me. Hell...I am you. I am Texha, bearer of hatred. You are Stephen, my vessel of light" Texha fades into light particles leaving Stephen waiting for the time to be free again.