Key of Unity

Chapter 3: Light's Return

The words hit her like a physical blow. "A decade?" she whispered. She had suspected, of course—the timeless nature of the Realm of Darkness had made it impossible to track the passing of days or years. But to have it confirmed... "Then Terra and Ven—"

"Ventus remains sleeping, his location unknown to us," Yen Sid stated solemnly. "As for Terra, his situation is... complicated."

Aqua straightened, pushing aside her fatigue. "Tell me everything."

For the next hour, Mickey and Yen Sid brought her up to speed on what she had missed during her imprisonment. The rise of Xehanort's Heartless and Nobody. The adventures of a boy named Sora, who now wielded a Keyblade. The growing threat of Organization XIII. With each revelation, the weight of lost time pressed more heavily upon Aqua's shoulders.

"So much has happened," she murmured when they finished. "And all this time, I've been trapped, unable to help."

"You survived the Realm of Darkness when no one else could have," Mickey said firmly. "That's no small feat, Aqua."

"And now we must use this unexpected turn of fortune wisely," Yen Sid added. "Your return shifts the balance in our favor, but you need time to recover your strength. The darkness has taken a toll on you—one that cannot be healed overnight."

"I don't have time to rest," Aqua protested. "I need to find Ven, to save Terra. And Andrew—he's still trapped because of me."

"And you will be of no use to any of them in your current state," Yen Sid countered sternly. "The darkness has corrupted your magic, weakened your heart's light. You require rest and purification."

Aqua wanted to argue further but couldn't deny the truth of his words. She could feel it herself—the lingering taint of darkness within her, the exhaustion that ran bone-deep, the way her connection to her own Keyblade felt altered, strained.

"What about Andrew?" she asked, returning to her most immediate concern. "He doesn't have the training to survive there long-term. He's resourceful and stubborn—impossibly stubborn—but the darkness nearly took me, and I was a Master."

Mickey stepped forward, determination lighting his eyes. "I'll look for him."

"Your Majesty—"

"I've been searching for a way into the Realm of Darkness anyway," Mickey continued. "To find you. Now I'll find him instead."

Hope flickered within Aqua. "You would do that?"

"Of course!" Mickey affirmed with characteristic optimism. "Any wielder who would sacrifice himself to save another deserves our help. Besides, from what you've told us, he sounds like someone we want on our side."

"He's... unusual," Aqua admitted, a small smile touching her lips despite her concern. "Completely untrained, yet he adapted to the Keyblade faster than anyone I've ever seen. And his heart..." She paused, remembering the pure light that had emanated from Andrew when he'd refused to let the darkness take her. "His heart is remarkably strong."

"All the more reason to find him quickly," Yen Sid noted. "Hearts that shine brightly draw the darkness most powerfully."

Fatigue suddenly washed over Aqua in an overwhelming wave. Her vision blurred momentarily, and she swayed in her seat.

"That's enough for now," Yen Sid declared, noting her condition. "You require rest, Master Aqua. We have prepared chambers here in the tower where you can recuperate safely."

"I can't just—" Aqua began to protest, but Mickey interrupted gently.

"You won't help anyone by pushing yourself to collapse," he said. "Trust me, Aqua. Rest now. Let your friends help you for once."