(A/N: At this point, if you weren't expecting an epilogue, you clearly haven't been paying attention.)

(Ambiance Cue: Keyblade Graveyard Horizon – BBS or KH2 Remix)

In the Keyblade Graveyard, the Traveler walked towards the intersection in the center of the rows of keys, pausing long enough to look at two particular Keyblades nearby: Two-Pence and Abyssal Tide. Both weathered and rusting from at least a decade or more sitting in the wastelands of the Graveyard. The Traveler looked away and continued onward, carrying his Keyblade with him at his side. Ahead of him, he saw two figures approaching from the opposite direction. The three came to a stop facing each other.

"I have done as you requested, Master. I have made sure the Past is secured away, as per your instruction." The Traveler said, holding out the handle of his Keyblade towards the taller of the two figures. The taller one allowed a smile to curl onto his lips.

"Very good. And what of the future? Did you see what it held for us?" the taller figure asked with an old and gravely voice as he reached out a white gloved hand to take hold of the Keyblade.

"Unfortunately, the future remains hidden from us. But, then you knew it would be that way, Master Xehanort." The Traveler said as Master Xehanort smiled at his Keyblade, once again back in his possession.

"Why am I not surprised?" the shorter figure, Vanitas, scoffed, earning a glare from the Traveler.

"It was an attempt to see if we could elicit the future. To see if something would be different this time around. To know the outcome of all my years of planning. But it is of little consequence. It changes nothing. Our plans still move forward as before." Master Xehanort said, dismissing his Keyblade.

"And what of my test, Master? Did I pass?" the Traveler asked as Master Xehanort smiled darkly at him.

"You did, my faithful Apprentice. You have passed your Mark of Mastery Exam. To be able to go against four wielders of the Keyblade, especially ones as skilled as Millicent, Ory, and Eraqus, and to defeat two and hold your own against us, is proof enough that you are indeed worthy of the rank of Master. Congratulations, my friend." Master Xehanort said as the Traveler bowed to him.

"I am humbled and honored, Master." The Traveler said as Master Xehanort turned so he was able to look at both Vanitas and the Traveler.

"Their side of the board is now set. We shall now turn our attention to the next phase of the plan." Master Xehanort said as Vanitas looked towards him curiously, his expression hidden beneath his domed helmet.

"Does this mean we get to pay 'brother' a visit?" he asked.

"In due time, Vanitas." Master Xehanort said before turning towards the Traveler.

"I have heard through my friend, Eraqus, that my old Master has finished training another apprentice. Master Si'Lea. She is to be sent to the Forgotten Worlds to support Master Oswald there. You are to accompany her to those worlds." Master Xehanort said as the Traveler gave a nod.

"And my mission, Master?" the Traveler asked. Master Xehanort reached beneath his coat and produced a black book with a large letter X in white on the cover and a black latch keeping the two covers shut.

"You are to set our side of the board." He said as the Traveler took the book and tucked it under his arm.

"I am honored by this task, Master." The Traveler said. He then noticed a Corridor of Darkness opening nearby.

"To aid you in your mission, you will need someone at your side. An apprentice of your own. I believe you know them." Master Xehanort said as another, shorter, figure in a black coat emerged from the Corridor. The figure had heeled boots on and a slimmer build. The figure then bowed respectfully to them.

"I am here at your command, Master Xehanort." The figure said, speaking with the voice of a young woman. The Traveler and Vanitas both looked at her in surprise.

"That voice…oh nice job, Master." Vanitas said with a dark chuckle.

"How is this possible, Master? When last I saw her, she was adamant in her refusal. Especially after what I did to-…" The Traveler said but Master Xehanort looked at the figure.

"Her anger turned to grief which begat sadness. Time broke her spirit and Darkness filled the void. She is ready and willing to begin training under you. I believe she will prove most loyal and efficient." Master Xehanort said as the Traveler chuckled.

"So that's where she's been rotting for the past four years. Very well done, Master. We will leave at once." The Traveler said. Master Xehanort extended a hand to him.

"May your Heart be Your Guiding Key." Xehanort said as he and the Traveler shook hands.

"And you as well, Master Xehanort." The Traveler replied before turning and walking towards the smaller figure, walking past her. The smaller figure turned and started following him while Master Xehanort and Vanitas turned and walked off in an opposite direction. Unbeknownst to the four of them, their actions were being watched from afar, from the top of one of the rocky mesas overlooking the Keyblade Graveyard. Four hooded individuals in black coats watched from a distance.

"Remind me again why we have to do this?" the shortest of the four figures asked with the voice of a young boy.

"Because you agreed to help. You didn't have to, you know." Another of the hooded figures said with the voice of a girl.

"But the cost…it's quite a gamble." The third figure, the second tallest of the four, said. He spoke with the voice of a young man. The girl looked towards the tallest of them curiously.

"He's right. What we could end up losing…Are you sure it's worth it?" the girl asked as the tallest reached into its pocket and pulled out a small red ribbon. It looked at the ribbon for a moment before pocketing it and turning towards them.

"I won't make you do this. If you want to turn back, I won't hold it against any of you. In fact, I'm just grateful you've all come this far with me. But I'm going all the same." The tall figure said with a young man's voice. The two boys looked at each other but the girl stepped forward.

"I'm in. I want to end it too. After all he's done, after taking away what he did-…" the girl said, practically seething in her tone. The tall one put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"I know. I appreciate your loyalty to me. To us." He said, the girl putting a hand on his as she bowed her head.

"What of you two?" he said, looking at the other two.

"I dunno. What if we fail and all of this ends up being for naught? I am a risk taker, sure, but only when the odds give me some chance of winning." the taller boy said.

"Well you know what they say, the steeper the odds, the higher the payout if you win." Another voice said (Ambiance Cue: Case of Foretellers – Union-χ Back Cover). The four all spun towards the source to see a tall hooded figure in another black coat approach with his hands behind his back, and Chirithy toddling along beside him.

"Who are you?!" the girl asked, dropping into a fighting stance but the tall boy grabbed her wrist.

"Wait! He's got a Chirithy with him, so let's give him a chance to answer." He said as the Master of Masters stood before them.

"Thanks. Quite a graceful one you are. But you all have a right to be worried. The plan you four have hatched is indeed risky. Very risky. It will require you to take a dark road, and yes you may lose your hearts in the process. But here's where it pays to, occasionally, cheat. In this case, I peaked at the strategy guide. I know, old school am I right? Who buys those anymore?" the Master asked.

"What do you know of our plans? What do you know of us? What we're trying to achieve?" the tall boy asked. The Master simply held out his hand and conjured a small green and black letter X to his hand that spun above his palm.

"This is you guys, right? Or, well, what's left of you. You four decided to break the rules I set out for you, but then the rules already got broke by someone else first. Don't worry, I know all about what happened to you and that's why I'm here. To help." The Master said as Chirithy nodded reassuringly.

"Help? How?" the tall one asked as the Master put his hands behind his back.

"What if I told you that you four will never be able to achieve the objective you've set for yourselves? That if you try to take back what you've lost, you'll lose everything else in the process. But there is someone who can achieve your goal on your behalf and not even realize it. Get him on your side, and you'll succeed." The Master said as the four looked at each other.

"Who?" the tall one asked. The Master tossed something to the tall one, a small blue card with the top edge cut into the shape of a three-pointed crown. On the card was a symbol of a three-pointed crown in silver.

"You will know him by that symbol. He's the Key to unlocking your goals. Find him and get him on your side, and you win." The Master said as the tall one put a gloved hand to his unseen chin.

"It's…possible. But what's the catch?" The tall one asked. The Master turned away from them slightly.

"The catch, is that this is the only real chance you have of accomplishing your goal. Accomplishing it will come at a heavy price to the four of you. You will have to give up your powers, your hearts…even your names to accomplish this task. Some of these sacrifices will be temporary. Others, permanent. But in the end, it will bring you the peace-of-mind you're seeking." The Master explained as the four looked at each other.

"I'll take the risk. I won't ask any of you to do the same unless you want to." The tall one said. Without hesitation, the girl approached.

"I said I'm with you to the end, and so am I." she said. The boy then shrugged and stepped forward.

"We're so gonna die, but maybe it won't be so bad." The boy said. The fourth one sighed and stepped forward as well.

"What's one more roll of the dice then?" he asked as the tall one looked them over and gave a nod of appreciation.

"Thank you, all of you." He said before turning back to the Master.

"So do you have any advice as to where we should start?" The tall one asked.

"Separately. Two go in one direction to search for Nothing. The other two go in search of the place of first meetings. The place where you will meet the One who will help you." The Master said as the girl stepped up next to the tall one.

"Sounds like that's where you and I should start. But what is it? What are we looking for?" The girl asked as the Master turned away, starting to walk away.

"Oblivion." He replied as he and Chirithy walked away, disappearing into a sudden cloud of dust that blew past. The four looked at each other and nodded.

"So this is it then. We have our mission." The tall one said as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the ribbon again.

"Our mission to avenge those who have been taken from us." The girl said.

"Our mission to avenge those who have forgotten us." The taller boy said.

"Our mission to avenge those of us who have fallen." The smaller boy said as the four each held out a palm, a small green and black letter X appearing in their hands, spinning above their palms.

"Our mission to take revenge on he who has betrayed us." The tall one said.

"For that is our mission. The Mission of Union Cross." The four said in unison as the four X's merged together into one larger X in the center, spinning in front of them.

…

(Ambiance Cue: The Final World – Kingdom Hearts III unofficial soundtrack)

On the Destiny Islands, Sora sat in the twilight of his room, looking sadly out the window towards the moonlit sea. In his hand was a photograph of his four-year-old self and a girl four years older than himself, both grinning at the camera near a wooden raft. It was the last photograph of himself and his sister ever taken. He sighed at the ocean and set the photo down on his nightstand, climbing into bed. He looked at the window quietly remembering the last time he had seen his sister, the scene playing over in his mind.

"Look Sora, see that star out there? The bright one waaaaay off in the distance? One day, I'm going to visit that world." Misora's voice echoed in his mind.

"Can I come too?" Sora's younger self had asked, causing Misora to giggle.

"Of course, silly. But you have to promise me, if we ever become separated, you don't stop looking for me. Promise?" she asked.

"I promise." Sora whispered sadly before closing his eyes, drifting off to sleep. However he soon felt like there was someone else in the room with him and opened his eyes. When he did, he found himself standing within the Station of Awakening. The stained glass floor of the Station was green with the outline of an individual curled up, almost in the fetal position. Sora looked around confused, looking for what could've brought him there. He then saw something in front of him, a light coming from a small pink heart within a three-dimensional outline of a five-pointed star. Both were spinning slowly.

"Hello?" Sora asked, confused.

"Good day." The heart greeted with the voice of a young woman.

"Oh cool, you can talk!" he said excitedly. The heart gave a small laugh of amusement.

"You seem…familiar somehow. Do I know you?" she asked but Sora scratched his head.

"I don't know. I don't know if we've met before. So, why am I here?" Sora asked.

"I heard a voice calling out in the Darkness. Calling out a name. So I followed the voice here. Were you looking for me?" she asked.

"I don't think so. Are you lost?" Sora asked back.

"I am lost. But I am not alone. The person I am with has given into grief and sadness. They are surrounded by Darkness. But there is still an ember of Light within them, one I am trying to keep alight." The girl replied. Sora seemed saddened by this.

"Oh. Is there something I can do to help?" Sora asked.

"I don't know. But don't worry, something has happened to make those embers grow hotter. I don't know what it was. But it has kept them from succumbing completely to Darkness." The girl said as Sora smiled.

"Then don't give up hope. Maybe you can help this person out. Just keep the Light alive." Sora said as the girl laughed a little.

"You remind me of someone. Someone I knew long ago. They didn't even know I existed. I'd always kept my distance, even when it was too late. Maybe you're that someone." The girl said as Sora shrugged.

"Maybe. Do you have a name?" Sora asked.

"They took away my name. Everything about me." The girl replied, startling Sora.

"No way. They couldn't have taken away your Heart." He said.

"Only because it pines for another. I wandered, lost in time for so long, until I found the person I was looking for. A person like me. One who is lost. One who seeks what they believe is lost. One believed lost. Together, we hope to Find and be Found by the One who will Find us." The girl replied.

"Oh, so someone's coming for you?" Sora asked.

"I cannot be certain. But I believe someone is coming for the both of us." The girl replied as Sora smiled and nodded.

"Good. And maybe there's something I can do to help. Do you know the name of the person looking for you? If I see him, I can tell him that you're looking for him too." Sora said. The Girl remained silent for a moment before floating up towards his right ear, whispering the name to him. Sora smiled and nodded before looking at the Heart.

"Our secret." She said as Sora gave another nod.

"You bet. Oh, what about your friend? Do you know who's looking for them? Maybe I can tell their friend the same thing." Sora said.

"I know their name. The name of the person looking for my friend, is Sora." The girl replied causing Sora to blink in confusion.

"Huh? What do you mean?" he asked.

"That's the name of the person looking for my friend. They've been looking for each other for a long time." The girl replied. Sora cocked his head to one side.

"How do you know that's who's looking for them?" he asked curiously.

"Because they made a promise." The girl replied as Sora swallowed nervously.

"A promise?" he asked (Music Cue: Hikari – orchestral instrumental version – KH1 Remix).

"A promise to find each other, no matter the distance, if ever they became separated." The girl said as Sora's eyes widened and his heart began to race.

"Misora! Is the name of your friend Misora?!" Sora asked.

"Yes, that's her name. How did you-…" the girl said as Sora grinned excitedly.

"And she's looking for me?!" he asked. The girl let out a soft but surprised gasp but said nothing as a tear ran down Sora's cheek.

"If she's looking for me, that means that she's…" he said, smiling with pure joy. He then dried his eyes and grinned at the heart.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. Tell Misora that I'm coming for her, okay?" Sora said.

"I can't make any promises, but I will try." The girl replied as the floor beneath them started to glow. Sora looked down and saw the outline of the person on the glass filling in. A young girl with mildly spiked brown hair, a light green t-shirt, dark green shorts, and brown sandals, with a small charm bracelet on her right wrist, with a single charm dangling from it of the familiar three-pointed crown emblem Sora wore around his neck.

"I hope you find us soon, Sora." The girl said before her heart and star both vanished in a bright flash of light. Sora then sat up from his bed, back in his room, a determined smile on his face as he looked at the picture on his nightstand.

"Hang on, Misora. I won't stop looking for you."

To be continued…

…in Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts – Keys of Chaos.