My friend darkruler64 and I are currently working on the Kingdom Anime series together and he trusted me with both Birth by Anime and Chain of Animemories (which I have yet to begin work on). I hope you enjoy the story.

Once upon a time, there was a great and terrible war that raged throughout the universe. This war was called the Keyblade War. Warriors from all over the universe flocked to a barren and ragged battlefield for ages untold. Many died. It was a dark time unlike any other. However, one day the darkness faded into regal and beautiful light, giving birth to a golden age unlike any other. This, however, happened many many years ago, and was never thought to ever happen again... and so one chose to undertake a perilous and shady journey to bring about another Keyblade War. It is not known who the person is or from whence they came, but their dark deeds and dark mission were not to be forgotten...

A man in a heavy cloak came to a small island, holding a boy of 10 years old in his arms.

"I no longer have use for you, boy." he growled, laying him beneath a fruit tree. "All the same... waste away here." The boy's eyes were blank and half closed, as if her were in his own little world. As the man turned to leave, however, something nobody could see or hear had begun.

"Where am I... what's this feeling... wait... I hear you... who are you... can you... can you help me?"

The boy raised his hand high and summoned his Keyblade, much to the man's surprise. This could only mean he found the will to survive... but how?

"Someone has opened their heart to you... I can tell... but who could it be..." he pondered. "Nevertheless..." the man went one, taking the boy once again. "Perhaps you needn't fade..."

Ventus relaxed that night in his room, dressed in a light shirt and pants for bed. Tomorrow was the big day. Terra and Aqua were going to take the Mark of Master exam! It was what he had been looking forward to for as long as he could remember. Try as he might, he just couldn't sleep. Just then, he saw something else that caught his attention.

"A meteor shower!" he called excitedly. He had only read about them, never actually having seen one himself. As the tiny streaks of light shot through the sky, he shot to his window side, his face lit up like never before. It was so amazing! He just had to get a better look at it.

Ventus hurried down the path to the training grounds as fast as he could. He'd be able to get the best view from there. Making his way closer, he saw that both Terra and Aqua (both dressed in identical bed clothes as well) were already there, watching the show. He didn't say a word, only coming up between them.

"Have you ever seen anything like it?" Terra said in awe.

"No... never..." Ventus said, not blinking.

"It sure is amazing, huh?" Aqua added. It was innocent times like this that they cherished more than anything else. After the shower ended, the three decided to take some time to spar, laughing and joking with each other all the while as the tussled back and forth. Deep down, Ventus wished times like this could last forever. As he parried Terra, Aqua hurried for a shot at Ventus' back while he was turned. Terra, seeing his chance, shot for Aqua, only to trip and fall into his two friends, the three lying in a tangled heap on the ground laughing."I guess... I guess everything will change after tomorrow, huh?" Ventus said as the three got up and dusted themselves off. "Y'know... with you guys taking the exam and all...""Yeah, but..." Terra began, his voice trailing off. Truth be told, he and Aqua were thinking the same thing, and neither had anything prepared to say back to Ventus. Whether they passed or not, everything WAS going to change. Just then, Aqua remembered something."Hey you two, wait here!" she said as she hurried off, leaving the two boys as she raced off.

Terra and Ventus smiled and chatted cheerfully as they watched the shooting stars begin to shoot through the sky less frequently. What was taking Aqua? She was missing the shower.

"Hey there! Sorry I'm late!"

Terra and Aqua both turned to see Aqua hurrying up for them.

"Hey there!" "What took you?"

Aqua, huffing slightly, smiled as she came to her friends, holding three colorful, star-shaped charms.

"I made these for us. They're luck charms I made after a story." she said passing a green one to Ventus and a golden one to Terra, holding up a shiny blue one. "They say somewhere out there," Aqua began, turning to the night sky "there's an island with star-shaped fruit. Those who share the fruit are said to have an unbreakable connection." Smiling, Aqua turned back to her friends. "An unbreakable connection, just like us."

"You think these'll work like that?" Ventus said looking over his charm.

"Even if these little charms don't work," Terra taunted, Aqua sneering as he spoke "we're still best friends. We'll always stick together, right guys?"

"Yup! "You got it!"

The trio smiled and fastened their charms to their belts as they tread back up the slope for the temple. The Land of Departure was home to Eraqus, teacher of the three and a mighty and wise old Keyblade Master. It was the only life they had ever known, and so Terra and Aqua were worried as to what lied before them after today. Unknown to them, however, there was much more in their future than the Mark of Mastery examination. Their friendship was about to be put to the ultimate test.

Check out more Kingdom Anime on darkruler64's profile.