Welcome everyone! I hope you will enjoy Empty Waters. Currently, I only have a vague idea on where I want this to go. Since KH3 isn't going to come out for (at least) another year, it won't follow the canon story of KH3, but will hold some fan theories for the next installment. Currently in the timeline, it takes place after 0.2 and DDD. Basically, it's my take on what KH3 could be.

Well, I hope you enjoy it! Please read and review. Looking forward to hearing from you!

-Broken Hearts

...

Chapter One

"He has no control over the darkness in his heart. The Keyblade is not his to bear. He's an abomination beyond hope of salvation."

The words he had overheard ran through his mind as he fell, pieces of colored stained glass raining around him. His helmet once again covered his face, protecting him from the shards as they bounced off, and he watched the light above him vanish as the final speck of Ventus' light fled from his heart and he was, once again, left with only darkness; both in his heart, and all around him.

There's nothing you can do, now. a dark voice whispered in his mind. You have lost. You have no purpose now. You're worthless, beyond hope of salvation. Just like Xehanort said.

The voice was right; he had failed. There was nothing left now. No X-Blade, no Ventus, no Xehanort, nothing. Only darkness existed now.

Vanitas closed his golden eyes and pictures of the past few days played against his eyelids. The battles he fought, Xehanort giving him the last minute, cruel training, and the faces of the people he despised. All of them, every last person he had met or known. He hated them all. Words echoed through his ears, mixing together until they formed an incoherent mess that pierced his skull and made him long for the silence of death.

Vanitas close his eyes and accepted his fate, once again only one half of a whole.

"Ven!"

He slammed onto the hard ground and a sickening crack echoed around the void he landed in; and he moved no more.

XXX

How long had she been walking? It felt like forever. No, forever, didn't cover how long it seemed. She was so tired she could barely pick up her feet as she walked. The keyblade in her hand felt like it weighed one hundred pounds as she dragged it across the ground. Her vision blurred in front of her from the lack of rest and she licked her cracked, parched lips.

Terra… Ven… I'm trying to get to you, but I don't know how much longer I can go on.

She heard movement behind her and she froze as she gripped the keyblade tighter in her hands before she spun around and swung it upwards just as the black creature leapt for her, its yellow eyes blazing. The keyblade made contact and the creature burst into a cloud of shadow, but the amount of energy the single swing took from her forced her to her knees as she collapsed and the keyblade vanished from her hands.

She felt herself fall, but made no attempt to stop herself as her body slumped down onto the cold, hard ground below her. I can't do it anymore.

Her mind barely registered the footsteps behind her, but she couldn't bring herself to will the keyblade back to her. Instead, she laid still as she waited for her fate. Dark maroon colored boots entered her blurred vision and her mind screamed at her to get up and run, but her body refused to comply. Instead she allowed her eyes to close and the darkness around her dragged her down into nothingness.

XXX

He dropped her with a grunt and sat down against the cave wall to catch his breath as he shivered against the cold. He whispered, "Fire." A dark purple and black ball of fire sprung to life in his hand and, while it didn't give off much light, its warmth rushed over him as he held it close to his body.

When Vanitas had found Aqua wondering around the realm of darkness, he had been disgustingly gleeful and had prepared to attack her, his mouth nearly watering at the idea of battle and even perhaps, finally, spilling her blood. However, he had hesitated when he noticed how weak she was and how she barely lifted her feet. Disappointment consumed him and he ground his teeth together as he turned to leave.

He heard her gasp as she collapsed and he stopped and looked back to her and he watched her force herself to her feet and slowly continued to walk. He cursed himself quietly and, using the darkness to his advantage, he followed her. He wasn't sure how long he had stalked his prey, but when the black creature finally attacked her and she collapsed, he stepped out with Void Gear in hand.

He used his boot to flip her over onto her back and placed the keyblade at her throat before he slowly trailed it down her body, tilting his head to the side as he did.

"I could finally kill you," he said. "It would be so easy. A single flick of my wrist or a slash across your stomach, and it would all end. Your heart would be lost to the darkness forever."

Do it, Vanitas. the voice hissed in his mind. Finish her!

Vanitas raised Void Gear, ready to strike, but made no move to bring it down. With a sigh, he relaxed and lowered the keyblade as it vanished from his hand. He stooped down and grabbed Aqua by the face as he tilted her head and examined her.

He sneered. "What fun would it be to take your life when you're nothing more than a shell." He released her and grabbed her arms and swung her onto his back. With a grunt, he began to move. "Only reason I'm helping you, is so that when you're strong again, I can kill you. Don't think for one second that I give a rat's ass about you, loser."

Now, he stared at Aqua's body as she slowly breathed in and out. His stomach growled and he cursed softly. Even though time didn't exist in the realm of darkness, hunger and thirst did. He let the fire in his hand die out as he replaced it with his keyblade and he rushed out of the cave and into the darkness.

XXX

Aqua forced her eyes to peel back and winced at the pain the dull light gave. Light? She slowly forced herself to sit up and saw a fire beside her, black and purple flames danced around each other, along with a small pile of twigs, berries, and mushrooms and a camel skin flask which she assumed had water in it. Over the fire, cooking in a hollowed out stone pot, was a mint smelling tea that reminded her of the tea Master Eraqus made back in the Land of Departure.

A feeling of homesickness washed over her, but she quickly pushed it to the side as she began to devour the food in front of her. There wasn't much, but it was enough to take the edge off of the ravenous hunger. Once the food was gone, she snatched up the camel skin and began to chug the water that was inside.

In the darkness of the cave, someone snorted. "You're going to make yourself sick if you keep chugging it like that."

Aqua immediately removed the flask from her lips and began to cough, water flying out of her mouth as she did. She moved quickly, forcing herself to stand and turn towards the voice as Master Keeper appeared in her hand.

Vanitas let out a dry chuckle as he sat perched on a ledge above her, half of his face and body covered in darkness. "I see you're feeling better."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Aqua spat out.

Vanitas blinked from behind his helmet and shook his head. "Is it really that hard for you to understand?" He placed a hand over his chest. "I am the pure essence of darkness." He motioned to the cave. "This is the realm of darkness. Put two together and you have your answer. It really couldn't get any similar as to why I'm here."

Aqua clenched her teeth and, with a single none-too-graceful movement, she shouted, "Fire!" and three fireballs shot from the keyblade and burned right towards Vanitas. He quickly leapt from his ledge and landed on the ground as Void Gear appeared in his hand and he charged her.

Aqua threw up her keyblade and Vanitas' landed heavily on hers, forcing her down to one knee as she tried to force him back.

Vanitas sneered. "Next to your obvious weakness from the lack of nourishment, your body has lost strength to the darkness of this place while I, a being of darkness, have grown stronger from it. So strong in fact, that I now have perfect control of everything you see and hear here. You are nothing compared to me in this realm. I could easily crush you." He pushed harder and Aqua gasped as her other knee collapsed and her grip faltered on the keyblade. It fell from her grasp and Vanitas lunged at her, pushing her to the ground with his keyblade against her throat. He let out a dark chuckle as he pressed the blade harder against her throat.

"Terra," Aqua gasped out. "Ven-."

"Your loser friends can't help you this time, Master Aqua," Vanitas said, spitting out her name sarcastically as if it was a bad taste in his mouth. "You're alone here. Alone with me. I could do anything I want to you; kill you, let you live, command the darkness to swallow you," he sneered under his mask. "Rape you. You're powerless against me. I am a god in this realm!"

Aqua struggled against him, her hands grasping his as she tried to peel them off Void Gear and her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. Vanitas pressed harder, a demonic grin on his face as he watched her struggle. Finally, he relented and he yanked his keyblade from her grasp as he stood over her. She instantly began to cough and gasp as air flooded her lungs and she curled into herself as she breathed heavily.

"Don't underestimate me, Aqua," Vanitas said. "You may have been stronger before, but here, this is my domain. This is where I thrive. If you think you stand a chance against me, you're fooling yourself. If I wanted you dead, you would be."

Aqua lifted her head and glared at him, her blue eyes blazing like blue fire. "You're a monster."

"A monster that spared your life twice now and gave you food and water," Vanitas said. "Items that, without me, you wouldn't have found. So I suggest you start showing me some respect."

Aqua shut her mouth and glared at him. Both keyblades vanished and Vanitas made his way over to the fire where he began to stir the tea that brewed in the pot. "Do you want some?"

Aqua slowly sat up, a look of confusion on her face at his sudden change. She blinked and nodded barely. He picked up a cup, made from the same stone as the pot, and scooped some tea into it before he held it out to her. She took it carefully and stared into its contents as Vanitas got himself some and stood. He moved past her and, cradling the tea close to his body, leapt back onto the ledge and into the darkness. She heard him sipping the tea softly and she slowly raised it to her lips to drink. The sweet, warm liquid spread throughout her body and she closed her eyes as she savored it.

"Here," Master Eraqus said as he held out a small cup to Aqua. She took it in her hands and went to take a sip, but stopped when Eraqus raised an eyebrow at her. "First, tell me what you smell."

Confused, Aqua smelt the contents of the cup and a small smile spread across her face. "Mint and lavender."

Eraqus nodded. "And?"

Aqua smelt it again. "Um, lemon?"

Eraqus nodded. "Yes, but you are only allowing yourself to smell what's on the surface. Like people, tea is made with many different elements. What you see, or in this case smell, on the surface isn't always the only thing that lingers there. Sometimes, you have to look deeply into a person to truly see their heart. Now, take a sip."

Aqua did and quickly removed the cup from her lips when the sweetness exploded in her mouth. "It's sweet! Not minty at all."

Eraqus smiled. "Indeed."

"How did you make this tea, Master? It tastes so different than how it smells."

Eraqus chuckled softly and sipped his own tea. "I'll tell you someday, when you fully understand this lesson and when you're ready. Until then, ponder on what I've told you and enjoy it. Think of home when you drink it. That way, your heart will always know the light."

Aqua stared down into her now empty cup, a feeling of loss in her chest. She felt a dark presence beside her and looked up to glare at Vanitas who stood watching the mouth of the cave. He said nothing as he took her cup from her and walked back to the fire, filling her cup with the tea that was left and handing it to her. He made his way back to the ledge, but before he could climb back onto it, Aqua broke the silence.

"Where did you learn to make that tea?" she asked.

Vanitas stopped and looked to her, his face, as always, covered by his mask. He turned away without answering and leapt back onto the ledge and into the shadows.

Aqua sighed and finished her second cup of tea before she laid down beside the fire. She watched the flames dance and she shivered slightly against the cold. She closed her eyes and, feeling Ventias' eyes on her, slowly fell into a restless sleep.