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I keep running as fast as I can, breathing irregularly without stopping even to take a break. And not because I don't want, I can't. Dammit. I dared too much and ended up drawing attention, and this would cost the outcome of the mission. Indeed that has already happened, and all I can do now is run away, hoping to leave behind my pursuers. Meanwhile, I can see the furious faces of a group of citizens who has reunite in order to capture me. But immediately I go back to concentrate on the way ahead of me. I don't know where I'm going. But one thing is sure. They fell for it like fools. In fact, my real person isn't running. Well, I'm hiding at the foot of a big building around there, wrapped in the dark shadows. In many, if not all situations, my illusionist skills are really useful, but like all useful spells there was a consequence: I almost had my energy drained. My lips curve into a sinister smile as I turn, walking into the darkness. Here comes the point where I stop hearing the sounds of their hasty steps mixed in their screams, but only my heels that begin to slow down. All I hear now is only my heavy breathing, and my lungs trying desperately to recover as much breath as possible. I'll have also cheated them, but it was tiring and I risked pretty much. I inhale before taking the fabric of my hood between my fingers and pull it backwards, letting it fall over my shoulders. In doing so I discover my face that meets the pitch darkness of that night that watches over that city which, despite the unreasonable time to stay awake, remains apparently active as in the day. Well, of course, in a small part. That is undoubtedly one of the darkest nights I have ever seen. This is my first thought when I see the black sky, followed by the presence of a few, small lights but that faces that darkness enough to illuminate the mainland decently. I glanced security looks in various directions, making sure no one had followed me. I sigh when I don't feel suspicious presences around. I'm safe, by a hair. Suddenly, a stabbing burst hits my arm. I jumped at the sudden feeling, instinctively bringing the other hand to tighten it. So I see a dyed red on black — the color of the cloak I'm wearing — that catches my attention, and I know it's bleeding. This feeling... I already felt it during my trainings. I have to hurry back. I only hope that the Master isn't mad at me because of my long permanence in the mission. I bite my lip, using those few energies I have left to generate a dark portal in front of me. The unpleasant feeling doesn't want to cease, but I make an effort to stay upright and stepped quickly into it, and that's what I do, once I had a last look at the city where I was sent to find some rather unusual information. (...) I walk for a little while yet in the corridor, which leads me to a totally different place. Now I find myself in an ample wasteland, where a variety of sand powders is transported here and there by the wind every day, from morning to evening. Usually nothing happens here, also because it's simply my training camp. Or to be more precise, ours. The corridor disappears behind me, and at the same time I fall on my knees, groaning. Of course it's an annoyance. And as if that wasn't enough, I see the blood that is spreading, also staining my glove. I bring a hand to my face to look more closely at the liquid red substance. I have to invent something, and quickly. I don't want to be found in this state by the Master, nor by him. Therefore, I spread my un-wounded arm and rested the other hand — the one not covered in blood — on my knee, keeping my gaze on the floor, dirty and full of debris. I clenched my teeth hard, trying to contain the burst in my arm, hurrying to use those few scraps of energy that remained in my body for what I'm planning to do. A black cloud covers the hand of the arm that I have stretched out, and as if by magic, a key appears in my fist, mainly of a orange color with some accent of white and even a little black. A Keyblade. I assume it's for what my Master chose me to become his apprentice, for what he had seen special in me. A Keyblade Wielder. He told me once that few lucky are chosen by this precious key, and that I absolutely must not waste my opportunity to use it and take advantage of its magic power. Well, I have no problems with it. 《Heal.》 I whisper trough my teeth, waving the key and lifting it to the sky, using a healing spell whose light covered my body, especially my wounded point. In this way I prevent a serious bleeding, even if the blood is still on my clothes. I leave a deep sigh. I finally feel better. Then slowly I drop the arm, and with that movement the Keyblade disappears. I keep breathing hard. Meanwhile, I begin to look around, dancing the eyes around the surrounding place. There is no living soul there, besides mine. I make an effort to get up, and fortunately I don't find too much difficulty. But I need a place to lie down, or at least sit down to give myself a few minutes of rest that I hadn't for a while. So I reach our usual place, still struggling, just enough time to take a big jump on one of the many "steep cliff" around, and take a seat on one of them. Precisely I'm refering to the highest, and certainly the best to watch the stars. I remember how we were busy at our first meeting to determine which cliff was best to watch them: it was not easy, especially when one didn't know if listen to the opinion of the other and vice versa, causing chaos between us and even almost coming to bicker like brats. At that thought, I feel my lips twirling into a smile. 《Who did this to you?》 and I also feel my healed arm dragged by a gentle grip. I can't help but frown when I feel the sudden contact, but the familiar voice that has just spoken to me can only make me feel better. I am getting ready to welcome him properly, when suddenly he turns towards me, enveloping me in a warm embrace. Maybe that's the first time I don't know how to react in front of such an act that no one has ever reserved to me. But I'm glad to see him again. 《Where have you been?》 he asks, whispering in my ear with an unusually stuttering tone. Even this time I don't know how to reply, if not by wrapping my arms around his shoulders and return his gesture of affection. It must be said that I am not made for that. 《You know I was on a mission, stupid.》 I emphasise the last word to sound provocative, already imagining the childish reaction he would have and the thought continues to lighten me inside. And yet, it isn'tt what I expect. 《I need you.》 Saying that, he let me go, taking my hands gently moving them away from him. He smiles sweetly at me. His smile, beautiful as few, always knows how to fill the constant emptiness I have inside. 《For what?》 The boy doesn't answer, and continues to smile at me. I remain absorbed in those magnetic eyes, and vice versa, until something really bizarre happens. He's disappearing right under my nose. 《Huh? What's happening? V...》 before I could finish that name, his body materializes in different spheres of light that begin to be carried by the wind, which moved a few locks of my hair over one side of my face. He's gone... forever? I suddenly raise my head, gasping. The night around me is quiet, too much after what happened. I throw quick glances to left to right, hoping to spot him. Just since I came back, there's still nobody. Is this all a simple result of my imagination? 《...》 I hear footsteps from down. I lower my head to see who came, and when my eyes rest on that gloomy figure, I understand who is. How long is he there? I practically didn't notice his presence. I get up quickly, putting aside my thoughts and taking another leap to get down and land in front of him, he smile as usual. 《Ah, you're back, finally.》 I hold my head down in front of him, my Master, who is certainly anxious to get a report from my last mission. But things didn't go as they would have hoped, actually, we would have. Don't forget that hes' old, if I had tell him what happened, who says he would not have a heart attack? The idea isn't neither so bad. 《I have news that you will not like.》 His face seems to say that he already knows what I want to say, also because his eyes, caustic like ice, are directed at my wound. Normally I never return with those. He has no sign of expressiveness on his face, and this makes me suspicious. 《It doesn't matter now. I have a better announcement to give you.》 I raise my head, trying to work out those strange words. His smile increases at my attempts at understanding, and turns partially behind himself. I look over his shoulder, but there's nothing. 《...So?》 《Be patient.》 I can't do anything but do what this old man says. I keep staring at nothing but in that moment, I feel something that pushes me to want to know as soon as I can what he is referring to with that "better announcement to give you". Who knows what he invented this time. Unexpectedly, what I see doesn't correspond to any of my ideas. From the dense shadows of the darkness that covers that lan, the figure of a boy walks slowly toward us, emanating an icy and caustic wind to the spine at every step he take forward. There he is. It is him, in flesh and bone. He doesn't have his usual smile. All in all, it's nice to see that this time I'm not imagining it. I run tot him, leaving behind the Master watching us with his hands behind his back. 《Hey, V-》 《I'm not him.》 He state with an aggressive tone, with which he never had the courage to express himself to anyone. Such a behavior is not by him. I stop just in time after realizing that I have to stop running if I don't want to hit him, and at the same time, my vision of that figure changes radically. He's not who I think anymore. In fact, having introduced himself is actually a guy wearing a rather gloomy looking mask. I observe him for a few moments. I didn't expect to meet new people, especially here and now. But the thing that makes me curios is that in him I feel something of my friend that no one else has. 《I introduce you to my new student. From now he will take his place.》 I turn around for explanations, stopping to stare at the mysterious boy: 《What does that mean? Where is he?》 I highlight the last question. 《What did you do to him?》 His smile doesn't stop widening. 《It was too dangerous to keep him here with us, and too weak to bear the intensity of my training. Trust me, I did it for his own good. He's not ready to handle a Keyblade yet.》 《You didn't answer to any of my questions. First of all, where is he?》 I insist, clenching my fists and teeth. My attitude seems to bore him, but he doesn't apply any weight to the matter. It will be because he expected a similar reaction from me. 《He's in a safe place now, and will sleep for a long time.》 he says, turning to the opposite direction of mine and of the masked boy. 《Now, I suppose I'll have to go. Get acquainted, you two. And hurry up to get back, tomorrow is a new day and I expect you to be prepared.》 He say that generating a dark corridor, the same that I used to come back here, to leave us alone. I watch for a while the young boy, whose the facial expression was illegible because of his mask. Then I turn back to the old man, stretching my arms to the side whose hands are covered with darkness, causing the appearance of not one, but two Keyblades. 《I know you now, and I know you are hiding something. So tell me the truth!》 The elder looks pleased at the way I am starting to get mad, and despite this he ignores me, proceeding his way. I will not let he go away like this. Not until he'll tell me where he took him, and what he did to him while I was away. 《I've already told you. Obey, now, and don't make me repeat again.》 《Never!》 I yell, running towards him with my Keyblades with all intention of making him talk. A violent metallic sound echoes along the desert wasteland, causing the increase of more clouds of dust as normal.