Prologue I - Chi

"Let's make a promise then," I smile, brushing his blond locks out of the way of his face. His smile was shaky, like him, who I could feel trembling in my hand.

I grasp his tighter, I wanted to show him I wouldn't let go.

"A promise? What kinda promise?" Ventus asks me, his dull blue eyes trained on our hands. He's still focused on his nightmare. I would be too; if I woke up screaming so badly like that.

I think for a moment before I have my answer, determined to quell the fears his nightmare gave him.

"Whenever you feel lost in the dark, I'll be the light to guide you home, okay? I promise I'll always be right here for you to come home to, I promise I'll fight the darkness away," I tell him honestly, the best and only thing I could promise him is that I'd never leave him.

He looks up at me, tears streaming down his face. Worry washes over mine as I take my free hand and wipe away his tears, bringing him into a hug after.

We break away after a moment. I think he's feeling better but notice he has something to say.

He takes in a breath before speaking, "Then I promise that one day, I'll become so strong I'll be able to protect both of us, that I'll fight the darkness away for both of us. I promise I'll become so strong you won't have to worry about protecting me, I promise to be so strong that neither of us will ever lose our way to the darkness," he smiles after he's done. Fully ready to honor his part of our promise.

I hold out my pinky finger, he does the same and we interlock our fingers. To make the promise official we pull our fingers down and up again.

"Feel better now?" I look into his eyes, happy to see the shine back in his eyes.

"Yeah," Ventus' voice holds its light and airy joy once again, "Thanks, (N/n), that really helped!" His voice picks up, his depressed mood having been completely swallowed by excitement.

"I'm glad," a giggle escapes my lips and the hand that I used to make our promise came to my lips. He gripped our other interlocked hands harder.

"Work hard, okay? But always remember I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere, so you don't have to rush." I ruffle his hair for no particular reason.

He laughs, pulling my hand away, "If you tried, I think I'd just die on the spot until you came back,"

"You can't just come back from the dead, Ven Ven," I point out and he pouts, pulling his hand away from mine.

"The power of love is so strong I'm not sure I can believe that statement," he retorts, crossing his arms. Our smiles are so wide I'm sure our faces are going to get stuck like this. I wouldn't mind.

"Ah yes, the truest power of love in one's heart can awaken the deepest light, how silly of me to forget," I deadpan and he nods, following along with the joke.

"Of course," he stares straight into my eyes again, "I love you," he says, seriously. I can feel the emotions in his heart, I hope he feels mine.

"I love you too, Ven." I get up off his bed. "Now get some sleep, you have quests in the morning and so do I," he nods and I turn to leave, hearing his blankets shift around.

His hand grasps mine faintly, I turn back to him who's already curled up in his blankets, "Just, please don't leave me, please," his voice breaks again, and I fear I've actually done nothing to help him.

My hand covers his, "I already told you, that's never going to happen. I love you, remember?"

"Yeah…" he lets go and closes his eyes, I kiss his forehead and exit through the door that connects our apartments, going to bed myself.

"Night night, Ven. I hope your dreams are filled with light from now on,"

꧁꧂❦꧁꧂

It's dizzying, coming out of the corridor of light. I don't know how long it's been since I left, but I know I need a break. I'm absolutely exhausted. When I step out of the corridor, into the Foretellers clock tower, I feel relieved.

The large room is as dark as always, despite the many tall, wide windows circling the room. The large table in the center seats two of my fellow wielders, now superiors, Skuld and Ephemer, my friends.

The white-haired boy waves to me, I smile, walking over. He gets out of his seat and hugs me, my face is pushed into his red scarf.

"Hey, Ephemer." I pat him on the back as he squeezes tighter. "I missed you," He says and I chuckle.

"I haven't been gone that long."

"Long enough," Skuld comments, getting up to hug me after Ephemer lets go. My smile quirks. "Actually, how long has it been?" I left for the game station not too long ago, well, within that word's time. But it had at least been three days.

"A week," Skuld replies and I sigh, that's twice as long as I thought. Six more days than I planned. I didn't even tell Ven I was leaving.

"Ah, don't worry (Y/n)! We told Ven where you were for you! He wasn't so happy, but I don't think you have anything to worry about!" Ephemer put his hands on his hips, smiling.

"Though, he's been worried all week. I told him to go home because he was looking a bit pale today.If you're going home, check up on him, please?" Skuld asks.

"That's a given," I tell her. She nods, "Alright."

"Oh! Speaking of going home, I start, "I'm gonna need to take a few days off… I'm exhausted." I exhale lightly, like a laugh.

The two look at each other for a moment, both their smiles got just a bit bigger, and maybe even fond? I'm not certain if I can place it.

"Finally," they breathe out. I lift my brow, "What?"

Skuld looks me in the eye, "I haven't seen you take a day off since I met you,"

"I've known you for a long time, (Y/n), you're always doing something, it's time to take a break," Ephemer chuckles.

I think back, in the beginning I had no friends, so there was no one to stop working for. Then when I did get friends, I was always fighting for them. So I guess I really never had taken a day off.

"Yeah, I suppose so.." I trail off, "Then, I guess I'll go do that?" This felt weird, not having anything to do today or worry about for tomorrow. But it also felt so freeing, I kind of like this feeling.

"Bye!"

"Bye, (Y/n)."

"Bye you two, see ya in a couple days!" I wave to them and exit through the door.

I make my way out of the Clock tower at a nice pace, I don't feel like running anymore today. It's late by the time I reach my apartment. Opening the door I look around, it's dark, as it should be. Almost untouched, Ventus has definitely come in here.

But he's not here now. I should check up on him, Skuld asked me to, and I feel like cuddles and a movie anyway so I should probably find him.

I went to our 'secret' door, we had it installed a couple months after he moved into the apartment next to mine. It's always unlocked so we can come and go as we pleased.

"Ven?" I call out as I open the door, his apartment was dark too. Cold. He hadn't been here lately.

"Huh," I say aloud. Skuld did say he was sent home right? Why doesn't his apartment look like anyones been here all day?

I should go look for him. I close the door and walk out of my apartment complex. The plaza is filled with wielders, but not the one I'm looking for.

A flash of blond hair goes by, a familiar tone of blond, not the darker one I'm looking for but brighter.

"Elrena!" I call out to her. She turns her head and drops a book she's carrying as someone bumps into her. I rush over to her as the person helps pick up her book.

"Elrena, have you seen Ventus around here?" I ask her as she thanks the guy.

"Ah, no, I haven't, at least, not lately," she stammers, "but I would check the old warehouse, I saw him visiting there lately the last couple of days," she recalls.

I nod, "Thanks, Elrena!" I run off in that direction, right from where we are all the way towards the abandoned warehouse.

I was huffing by the time I got there, even if it wasn't that much of a jog I was still tired from earlier.

I push open the door, bad memories flooding my mind that I have to push down, "Ven?" I call, no answer. It's just as desolate as it's always been.

I sigh, guess he just wasn't here today, though I wonder why he'd be here any day.

I stop to think, where would Ven go? Who would know where Ven would go? Well, I would know where he'd go, but other than me and the foretellers, who thought he was at home, he didn't really interact with others. So who..?

Chirithy! Chirithy would know where Ven's Chirithy was who would know where Ven was!

"Chirithy!" As soon as I say it's name the plush cat with the pink cape and money purse comes proofing into my arms.

I smile at my oldest friend, "Hey Chirithy,"

"Hello, (Y/n), do you need something?" It asks, it states at me with blue eyes that look sewed in.

"Ah, yeah actually, sorry Chiri," Suddenly I feel awkward. It's not like I don't only call it when I need something, but that seemed to be the case these last few days…

"Is it about Ventus?" The dream eater asks. I nod, "Yeah, do you know where he might be?"

"Let me check," it poofs out of my arms before coming back, "They're not responding to me, but we last had a conversation by the lighthouse. He went to the beach because he missed you, had a nice conversation about how hopeless you two are," I chuckle.

"Okay, thanks Chirithy." It poofs away quickly and I make my way to the beach.

Weaving my way through town, walking though paths and up stairs, I get to the lighthouse pretty quickly, but by the time I do, the suns going down, and I still haven't found Ven despite looking all over town while I was walking here.

"Ven Ven?!" I shout, trying to see if he's around, even almost tipping over the edge of the fence as I attempt to check the beach.

Nothing.

I groan, I guess I should go home. Either he's already there and I wasted some time searching for him, or he'll come home soon enough.

Or, a voice in the back of my mind rings, you'll have to report he's gone missing, another friend dead. Maybe the darkness got him, maybe…

I block the thoughts out, no, no dandelion would ever do that to anyone. We're all friends here. No one remembers those awful events except me and the foretellers. And they know no one would do anything bad to anyone here, only I'm so messed up as to think that someone hurt him.

I make the long track back home, making sure to check around one last time.

By the time I get to my apartment complex, it's dark, and heartless are sure to appear soon. The more nocturnal wielders will be coming out soon, so I don't worry.

I'm still so tired, I just wanna lay down. My worry and excitement to see Ven seems to have finally worn out completely.

I walk up the multiple flights of stairs and get to my apartment, unlocking it. It's obviously darker, as there's no natural light pouring in.

But, something feels off… Dark and cold, unsettling. Somethings in here.

Is Ven having another spell? I don't remember checking his heart before leaving, did I wait too long to quell that nasty darkness he let in?

"Ven?" I call out hesitantly. Please just let this be nothing…

There's a noise behind the door, a shifting of clothes. Instinct takes over first, and I note that whatever is here there's only a thin piece of wood between us. But, also, It has to be Ventus, right? Who, what else would it be? Darkness doesn't wear clothes, well, they kinda do, but that's clearly the shifting noise of cloth and not the flowy dark substance that mimics cloth.

Is he trying to surprise me? No, I don't think that's the case, plus, if he was he would have revealed himself as soon as I opened the door.

"Ven?" I call out one last time, once again hesitant.