Prologue

Summary: Vanitas' and Ven's battle ends differently and Vanitas is exposed to the light. Now it is up to him to train the next generation of keyblade wielders, face his own inner darkness, and guard against the greatest evil the worlds have ever known.

A/N: As I was playing Birth By Sleep, the character that really caught my eye was the being of pure darkness, Vanitas. I wondered, what would be the result of Vanitas having an exposure to light and how would this affect the KH story? There will be BBS spoilers in this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Six pillars of crystal light had him completely immobilized. He could only watch in utter shock as his defeater prepared to deliver an almighty slash. Only one thing was running through his mind as he stared in disbelief at the figure about to annihilate him, "how, how, how". Then, with a cry of "Light!" the figure struck.

Vanitas seemed to fall forever until he landed hard on his back on the station. The incomplete X-Blade spun away from him as he flipped onto his hands and knees, an immense fear gripping him as he saw Ventus floating gracefully down to their station. He tried to call the X-Blade back to him but he was far too exhausted. Vanitas felt a jolt run through his body as he realized the portion of his heart that was battling Aqua in Ventus' body was beginning to weaken.

"Ventus, please, there's still time. Join with me now!" Vanitas looked pleadingly at his other half standing over him. Another jolt wracked Vanitas' body. "The X-Blade is about to be destroyed and if it goes, we both go with it!

"Ventus looked coldly upon the figure kneeling on the floor. "I don't care what happens to me, this ends now!" Ventus drew back his keyblade, preparing to destroy Vanitas once and for all.

"This isn't possible." Vanitas cried in disbelief. "I am pure darkness, the most powerful of all forces. How is it that you, a pathetic loser with no real strength of your own can triumph, alone, over complete darkness? " While he said this Vanitas glared at his light with all the anger he could muster as another tremor, much more intense than the previous two, ripped through him.

Something in Vanitas' accusatory words made Ventus pause his attack. He then answered firmly. "I'm never alone, my friends are with me whenever I need them and their light fuses with mine, giving me more strength then you could ever imagine because you've never experienced true friendship!" "Maybe that's your real problem." Ventus finished softly.

Ventus couldn't really say why he did what he did next. It was pure impulse, pure instinct, pure and unadulterated light. Instead of delivering his final attack, Ventus reached his hand out for Vanitas' chest. Vanitas tried to resist but was unable to as the constant jolts were clouding his mind and Ventus succeeded in pressing his palm against his other. He then felt for the light deep within his heart and allowed it to build and build until it started to flow out. A golden glow surrounded Ventus and he looked with satisfaction as it spread down his arm and into his dark.

"What are you doing to me?" Vanitas screamed.

"Showing you what real friendship is." His other half replied as he too began to feel the jolts. And then, the eyes of the being of endless darkness were opened, light flooded the gaps, and he saw and realized, for the first time, all that he had done and the suffering he has caused . It was at this moment that the plane in which light and dark had done battle was rent apart as the blade that held their hearts was destroyed.

His question had been answered, he now understands how, but another had entered his mind. "Why?" He looked with amazement and confusion at his light. "Why did you do this for me?"

"You'll have to carry on without me for now, my heart needs to rest. Do me a favor; take care of Terra and Aqua." Hearing his other speak these words, he desperately called

"Wait! You can't leave now. What am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to go?"

And as he felt his heart falling into slumber, light responded in a fading voice. "Follow your light; it has always worked for me. Goodbye for now, friend." And then the creature of pure darkness knew no more.

A/N: Like? Dislike? I promise the chapters will get longer.

Chronicler