Kingdom Hearts (series)/Timeline

• Kingdom Hearts (series)
• Trivia
• Timeline

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Games in Chronological Order

• Kingdom Hearts χ
  • Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover: Runs concurrently with Kingdom Hearts χ.
• Kingdom Hearts Union χ
• Dark Footsteps
• Heart & Key
• Kingdom Hearts Dark Road
• Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (excluding later portions of Blank Points)
• A Fragmentary Passage
• Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-: Takes place after Birth by Sleep and runs concurrently with Kingdom Hearts to the end.
• Kingdom Hearts (10 years after Birth by Sleep)
  • Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (Days 1-24): Runs concurrently with the finale of Kingdom Hearts, from Kairi's rescue to the end of the game.
• Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
  • Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (Days 25-49): Runs concurrently with Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories.
• Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (Days 50-358)
• Kingdom Hearts II
• Kingdom Hearts coded: Takes place between the finale of Kingdom Hearts II and its epilogue.
• Blank Points: Extends from the end of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep until some time after Signs of What's Next and Destiny.
• Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (more than 12 years after Birth by Sleep)
• Another Guardian of Light
• 2.9 - The First Volume
• Kingdom Hearts III
  • Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind: Takes place between the finale of Kingdom Hearts III and its ending.
• An Oath to Return

Timeline of Events

Age of Fairy Tales - The First Keyblade War
	The Master of Masters writes the Book of Prophecies and gifts it to five of six of his apprentices, the Foretellers.
	The Unions are created in Daybreak Town, each led by a Foreteller, with the aim to recruit Keyblade wielders and collect Lux to battle the Darkness.
	The Master tasks each of his Foretellers a crucial role they must carry out should he vanish, dim or fade. Luxu however is given a special task: To observe the events to come with the No Name and ensure the Book of Prophecies is written, pass it along to worthy apprentices down the generations, and safeguard a mysterious Black Box.
	The Master of Masters vanishes without a trace, leaving the Unions to carry on without him.
	Player is recruited into one of the Unions. Together with his/her chosen Union, and newfound friends Ephemer and Skuld, they experience many adventures in Daybreak Town and the Hologram Worlds created by the Book of Prophecies.
	The Foretellers discover a traitor in their midst with the appearance of a Nightmare Chirithy. Due to the loss of a security blanket in the Master's guidance, and their own ineptitude and incompetence in carrying out their roles, they begin to suspect one another of treason. The squabbling eventually turns into all-out battles among the Unions, all but ensuring the coming of the prophesied Keyblade War.
	Master Ava forms the Dandelions, an organization of gifted Keyblade wielders, meant to avoid the Keyblade War and work to rebuild the new world to come. Ephemer and Skuld join, however Player refuses.
	Strelitzia, Lauriam's sister, one of the chosen leaders of the Dandelions, secretly tries to recruit Player into their ranks. She is murdered before she has the chance to, and her Rulebook is stolen by her shadowy assassin.
	Ava defies her Master's orders by gifting the Book of Prophecies to Brain, one of the chosen leaders of the Dandelions, instead of his own personal pick.
	The First Keyblade War takes place in the badlands of the Keyblade Graveyard. Tens of thousands of Keyblade wielders lose their lives in the battle - Player however is rescued by Ephemer and Skuld and taken with them. The Foretellers disappear sometime before the War ends. Luxu watches from a distance with the No Name in hand as thousands of Hearts are engulfed into Kingdom Hearts.
	The five leaders of the Dandelions gather in the Keyblade Graveyard: Ephemer, Skuld, Lauriam, Brain and Ventus.
	Daybreak Town is rebuilt as a Hologram World to serve as the new home to the Dandelions. All of its residents have their memories of the Keyblade War erased, as if it never happened. Maleficent appears from the future following her demise in Hollow Bastion, showing up in one of the Hologram Worlds.
	The leaders of the Dandelions try to figure out their roles and how to rebuild their world. Brain voices his intent to be the "virus in the system", and change destiny from what is written in the Book. Meanwhile, Maleficent is approached by a shadowy entity known only as "Darkness", who promises to return her to her own time.
	Lauriam begins his investigation into his sister's murder, while Brain concocts his own plans to thwart the Master's vision of the future. "Darkness" informs Maleficent of a device known as The Ark, which can purportedly return her to her own time. Lauriam confronts her, but she defeats him and manages to escape in one of the pods.
File:The Odd Name Out 01 KHUX.png	Brain discovers that Ventus was never meant to be one of the Dandelion's leaders. Together with Ephemer, they confront him to try and ascertain who appointed him among their ranks.

Indeterminate Years
	Daybreak Town is eventually rebuilt into the picturesque city of Scala ad Caelum, the "city of Keyblade Wielders." The head Masters of the city are bequeathed the No Name, and continue to pass it down through the generations.
	On the Destiny Islands, a young Xehanort is approached by Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, one of his future selves, and recruited into the Real Organization XIII, destined to take part in the Second Keyblade War.
File:Best Of Friends 01 KHDR.png	Xehanort is returned to his proper place in time, with his memories of the future gone. He somehow finds his way to Scala ad Caelum, and together with his friends Eraqus, Hermod, Bragi, Urd and Vor begins his training under the watchful eye of Master Odin.
File:The Search 01 KHDR.png	Seven upperclassmen from Master Odin's class disappear while hunting for Heartless. Xehanort and his friends are tasked with finding their whereabouts.
File:Four Years Later 01 KHDR.png	Four years after the incident regarding the upperclassmen, Xehanort and Eraqus visit a cemetery in Scala ad Caelum. Xehanort places a flower on four gravestones, with a determination to see other worlds before undertaking the Mark of Mastery exam.
	During his travels, Xehanort encounters the Master of Masters and is gifted the Black Coat, which will shield him from darkness and allow him to see even more worlds.
	Xehanort returns from his travels, now jaded and cynical of what he has seen of the worlds and of human nature. He confides the results of his journey with the Master, and with a little bit of coaxing from him, is now determined to become the Dark Seeker, with the aim to save the worlds from a "false light" and return balance.
	Xehanort and Eraqus both pass their exams and earn the Mark of Mastery. Xehanort is bequeathed the No Name and begins his dark journey as a Seeker. Eraqus takes the role of a Guardian, and begins his dutiful watch over the Land of Departure.
	Many decades pass, with Xehanort and Eraqus both growing into old men. In the Land of Departure, Xehanort reveals his intentions to restart the Keyblade War and learn its many secrets. Eraqus, outraged by his recklessness, confronts him and in the ensuing clash Xehanort scars his old friend's face. The two part ways on bitter terms.
	Some years later, Xehanort discovers Ventus and trains him as his apprentice. Ventus fails to meet his expectations, and thus Xehanort extracts the darkness from his heart, creating the being Vanitas. This severely damages Ventus's heart, and leaves him in a comatose state.
	Still comatose, Xehanort decides to lay Ventus's body to rest on his homeworld of Destiny Islands. Ventus, however, manages to regain some of his sentience back, summoning his Keyblade. Xehanort, now seeing opportunity once again in the young Ventus, takes him to Eraqus where the boy can train with his old friend's apprentices, Terra and Aqua. Meanwhile, what is left of Ventus's heart forms a connection with another young heart - of a boy named Sora. With Sora's help, Ventus is slowly able to heal his own heart.

The Search for Master Xehanort
	Terra and Aqua prepare to take their Mark of Mastery exam. Eraqus, wanting to bury the hatchet with Xehanort, invites his friend to observe the exam. Xehanort accepts, but unknowingly to Eraqus, kickstarts his plans into motion.
	Aqua passes her exam, while Terra fails his. Seeing opportunity in his instability, Xehanort coaches the young man into channeling his darkness, not resisting it, as the surest way of obtaining more power.
	Shortly after, Xehanort disappears while Yen Sid informs Eraqus of a new threat: The Unversed, monsters who feed on negative emotions and have been causing a ruckus on a number of worlds. Eraqus tasks Terra and Aqua to deal with the threat, presenting Terra with a second chance at proving himself. Secretly, however, he tasks Aqua to observe and keep an eye on him, and to immediately bring him back should he be seduced by the darkness. As Terra departs on his mission, Vanitas appears before Ventus and taunts him regarding Terra's wellbeing and future. Worried about his friend, Ventus rushes after him to Eraqus's shock. Eraqus tasks Aqua to immediately bring him back as she departs.
	Throughout a series of adventures on multiple worlds, Aqua and Ventus both try to catch up to Terra to no avail. Terra, however, has been in contact with Master Xehanort multiple times. Xehanort explains that Vanitas is the source of the Unversed and a monster of his own making, begging him to stop him at all costs. As Terra departs, Xehanort can only laugh at the young man's naivete as his plans grow closer to fruition.
	Ventus clashes with Vanitas for the first time in the Keyblade Graveyard, but loses the battle. Yen Sid's apprentice King Mickey comes to his rescue, and the two manage to fight him back. Slightly more satisfied with the second result, Vanitas places Ventus "on probation" and departs. The Star Shard Mickey used to reach Ventus begins to malfunction once again and throws him out into another world.
	All of the players gather in the city of light, Radiant Garden. Aqua encounters the young girl Kairi, a Princess of Heart and devoid of any darkness. In a fight against a pack of Unversed with Mickey, she unintentionally bequeaths Kairi a Keyblade. After Terra, Aqua and Ven fight together against a powerful Unversed, their friendship begins to crack as Terra's insecurity clashes with Aqua's apparent callousness. Terra continues his mission on his own while Ventus continues to chase after him, leaving Aqua to ponder just how much her own task has hurt them.
	Terra encounters the rough-and-tumble ruffian Braig, one of Radiant Garden's guards. The mystery man has apparently taken Master Xehanort hostage, hoping to wrest a Keyblade for himself either from Terra or Xehanort. In the ensuing battle, Terra gives into the darkness and horrifically injures Braig, forcing him to flee. Terra, horrified at what he has done, accepts that he can no longer return to his home as he is. Xehanort comforts him and accepts him as his own apprentice, naming him "Master Terra." After Terra departs, it is revealed that Xehanort and Braig were in cahoots the entire time.
	Aqua encounters Vanitas in Radiant Garden. Despite barely winning, the masked boy laughs in her face and confesses she is a "backup" in case Ventus turns out to be a failure, then disappears into a Dark Corridor.
	Ventus, depressed and despondent, encounters the exuberant Lea and his sarcastic best friend Isa. He is immediately challenged into a friendly fight with Lea and wins. His spirits lifted from the banter between the friendly Lea and Isa, Ventus returns to his own mission of finding Terra.
	Much to the annoyance and dismay of castle guards Dilan and Aeleus, Lea and Isa repeatedly infiltrate the castle dungeon where they meet and befriend a mysterious young girl, dubbed merely "Subject X." The two swear and oath to break her out one day.
	During his journey, Terra comes across two young boys on Destiny Islands - Sora and Riku. Sensing the earnestness and sense of justice in Riku's heart, Terra performs the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony, ensuring the child will one day wield a Keyblade of his own, and makes him promise to keep their meeting a secret. Shortly after, Aqua meets the two boys herself. Sensing that Terra has already passed a Keyblade to Riku, she makes the two boys promise to always look out for each other.
	Ventus learns of his origins from Vanitas, that he is one-half of Xehanort's plan to recreate the Keyblade War and forge the χ-Blade. Confused, he returns to the Land of Departure and confronts Master Eraqus, demanding to know the truth. Once again heartbroken over Xehanort's intentions, Eraqus steels himself to eliminate Ventus, seeing that as the only choice to stop his plans.
	Master Xehanort informs Terra of Eraqus's intention to kill Ventus. Rushing to his friend's aid, Terra engages in a fierce duel against his Master, fully giving into the power of darkness in the process. While he wins, it is Xehanort who appears and murders Eraqus, stabbing his friend in the back with his Keyblade. As his Master - and father - fades away in Terra's arms, Xehanort appears before Terra to gloat of his intentions. Summoning a large orb of darkness, he lays waste to the Land of Departure before vanishing. Meanwhile, Aqua learns of everything that has transpired from Yen Sid.
	The three friends meet at the Keyblade Graveyard, ready to confront Xehanort and their own demons. As Xehanort and Vanitas appear before them, a fierce battle ensues that shakes the very foundations of the land. In the distance, Mickey appears ready to lend a hand.
	Terra confronts Master Xehanort, enraged and ready to slay him. After they fight, Xehanort reveals that he planned on losing to begin with: With Terra succumbing to the darkness, his body has now become the perfect young vessel to host his Heart. With the power of the No Name, Xehanort extracts his own Heart and inserts it into Terra, his Keyblade Armor falling to the ground dismantled. Now Terra-Xehanort, the old Master begins to walk away to enact the next stage of his plan when he is suddenly engulfed in a cage made of pure energy - Terra's own armor has taken a life of its own. Now nothing more than a Lingering Will, full of hate and regret, it engages Xehanort and defeats him. As they are engulfed by a powerful light, the Will vows to set things right.
	Ventus engages in battle against Vanitas, however he is not able to defeat him. With the requirements to forge the legendary weapon now met, Vanitas merges with Ventus and creates the χ-Blade. However, in his own Station of Awakening, Ventus engages with Vanitas one more time. He defeats and destroys his darker half, but in the process, also damages the χ-Blade and his own heart.
	Aqua prepares to assist Terra in his fight against Xehanort, but ends up in a fight against Braig instead. Despite losing, the thug reveals that his only goal was to buy Xehanort enough time to possess Terra and promptly skedaddles. Aqua is suddenly attacked by Vanitas and knocked out. When she comes to, she discovers Ventus holding the χ-Blade, but her friend is not himself: He has been completely taken over by Vanitas. Mickey shows up and comes to her aid and the two battle and defeat Vanitas. With his defeat by Aqua's hand on the outside, and Ventus's hand from within, the χ-Blade shatters and blows them all away out into the Ocean between the worlds. Aqua however managed to hold onto Ventus, protected by their Armor.
	Now safe in the sanctuary of Yen Sid's Mysterious Tower, Aqua finds herself unable to wake Ventus. She resolves to return to the Land of Departure, the one place where she can keep him safe. Recalling a certain trick Master Eraqus has taught her, Aqua uses Eraqus's Keyblade and transforms the Land of Departure into Castle Oblivion, a labyrinthine world said to be impossible to navigate to anyone but her, content that Ventus will be safe within the Chamber of Waking.
File:Return my friend's heart 01 KHBBS.png	Sensing a strong darkness emanating from Radiant Garden, Aqua makes her way to it, discovering Terra in a complete daze, his hair now white. Despite repeated attempts to reach out to him, Xehanort once more takes over his body and engages Aqua in combat. She wins, however, and with a little bit of help from Terra, lands a definitive blow. However, Terra begins to sink into the darkness. Desperate to save her friend, Aqua sacrifices both her Armor and her Keyblade to spirit him away out of the darkness, condemning herself to the dark abyss instead.
	Terra's body is discovered by the leader of Radiant Garden, Ansem the Wise, but identifies himself as Xehanort. Devoid of all of his memories, the young man becomes an apprentice scientist of Ansem, growing close to Braig in the process - who himself is suspect of the amnesia. The Sage-King Ansem however looks upon this "friendship" with uneasy eyes. Unknown to everyone inside, deep within Terra's heart, the young man and Master Xehanort continue their "property dispute", debating over who will ultimately take control. Xehanort reveals that Terra is simply one of many seeds he has planted for his future plans, while Terra reveals that Eraqus's heart has taken refuge in Terra's.
	Aqua wanders the barren Realm of Darkness aimlessly, with her hope of getting out fading with each day. Upon being confronted by numerous Darksides, Terra and Ventus's Keyblades suddenly appear to her rescue, renewing her sense of hope. After battling the vicious Dark Hide, she discovers to her horror that the Castle of Dreams has fallen to the darkness.
	Lea and Isa continue their infiltrations into the castle to rescue Subject X. However, one day, Braig appears before her and proceeds to take her away. The two become despondent to discover she is no longer there.
	Mickey appears before Ansem the Wise, warning him that his experiments are treading into dangerous territory. Ansem, now aware of the horrors he could have unleashed, orders Xehanort to immediately halt their experiments.
	Lea and Isa are finally welcomed into the castle as Ansem's apprentices.
	Xehanort defies Master Ansem, not only continuing their ghastly human experiments, but ultimately betraying him and even stealing his name. With the help of Braig, Even, Dilan, and Aeleus, the five of them banish Ansem to the Realm of Darkness. Shortly after, Xehanort turns his Keyblade on everyone else, transforming them and himself into Nobodies. Simultaneously, his Heartless - Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness - is born. Some time later, Lea and Isa too are turned into Nobodies.
	Radiant Garden, overrun with Heartless, is turned into nothing but a ruin, now known as Hollow Bastion. Leon, Yuffie, Cid and Aerith manage to escape and find sanctuary in Traverse Town, while Maleficent takes Hollow Bastion as her own.
	Xehanort's Heartless, Ansem, travels nearly 70 years back in time, to visit his younger self on Destiny Islands. Teaching him the method of time travel, both become members of the real Organization XIII.

The Dark Seeker Saga - Part 1
	Aqua continues her lonely trek throughout the Realm of Darkness. As time moves differently in this realm, ten whole years pass on the outside.
	"I've been having these weird thoughts lately... like, is any of this for real or not?" Sora finds himself at the mysterious Station of Awakening. He is assaulted by monsters - Heartless - and must choose a weapon to which to defend himself with; the Sword, Shield, or Staff. After battling a Darkside, he finds himself drowning in darkness...
	...Only to discover it was all a dream. Sora, Riku and Kairi plan to sail away from their small island and see what lies beyond. Together, they build a raft that will take them past their own shores.
	Riku, however, grows impatient. He opens the Door that protects the Heart of their world, and allows a swarm of Heartless to render it asunder. Riku vanishes into the Darkness while Kairi disappears without a trace. Sora once more fights against a Darkside with a new weapon in hand - the Keyblade, but is whisked away to a brand new world - Traverse Town.
	King Mickey has been investigating the disappearances of the stars - signs of worlds fading to the darkness one by one. He tasks Goofy, captain of his royal guard and Donald, his court magician, to head to Traverse Town and locate a man named Leon, who will lead them to the "key."
	Sora runs into Leon and Yuffie, while Donald and Goofy converse with Aerith on the state of the worlds. They learn that Sora is the bearer of the Keyblade and only he can fight the Heartless, while a man named Ansem may hold the truth to everything. Together, they set out to find King Mickey and Sora's friends.
	The three half-pints experience a wondrous adventure through many different worlds, meeting many different faces - some familiar, some not; from the wild Tarzan to the tortured soldier Cloud Strife. As they journey to seal the keyholes and prevent the Heartless from ruining the worlds, Maleficent gathers her own forces - the Villains - to plot her domination and get in Sora's way every once in a while. She manages to manipulate Riku into serving her, under the pretense of being able to save Kairi. As Sora continues his quest, he begins to have mysterious hallucations of Kairi.
	Sora and Riku reunite in Traverse Town. However, Riku has seemingly grown jealous that Sora simply "replaced" him and Kairi with new friends. With further goading from Maleficent, Riku abandons Sora altogether.
	Sora and the gang continue their quest, with Riku now treating them with outright hostility. Everything culminates in a fateful encounter aboard Captain Hook's ship in Neverland. Riku reveals that Kairi lost her heart and he has been safeguarding her lifeless body. Now possessing control over the Heartless and the darkness, Riku summons a shadowy copy of Sora to attack them while he returns to the ruins of Hollow Bastion with Kairi in tow.
	Sora confronts Riku in Hollow Bastion. Riku reveals that he was the original bearer of the Keyblade, with Sora as nothing more than a mere delivery boy. He takes his weapon, and along with it his companions, who are promised to whoever wields it. Beast, determined to rescue Belle from Maleficent, has arrived and joins forces with Sora to reclaim what they have lost.
	Goofy and Donald betray Riku, and along with the strength of his heart, Sora reclaims the Keyblade. They battle and Riku loses, but he manages to flee. They learn that Maleficent plans to use the Princesses of Heart to open the keyhole in Hollow Bastion, granting her greater control over the darkness. They manage to foil her, and she is destroyed - somehow traveling millenia back in time to Daybreak Town. Sora once again confronts Riku, discovering that his friend has not been himself for a very long time. Xehanort's Heartless, known as Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness, has taken Riku's body as his own, and from the power of the princesses, has forged his own Keyblade of heart. They battle, and Sora narrowly wins. He realizes that Kairi's heart has been inside him the entire time - and the reason why has been seeing visions of her. He uses the power of the Keyblade of heart to free hers, but in the process turns into a Heartless.
	In Twilight Town, Sora's Nobody is born in the process. Unable to remember - or feel - anything, he is approached by Xemnas, Xehanort's Nobody. He is given the name Roxas, and inducted into Organization XIII.
	Sora, as a Heartless, wanders around Hollow Bastion for a short while until he runs into Kairi, Donald and Goofy. Despite his nature, he refuses to attack them and Kairi quickly realizes what - or who - the Shadow really is. Protecting him from the rest of the Heartless with an embrace, Kairi restores Sora's human form and the four escape the castle back to Traverse Town.
	With Cid's help, the trio return to Hollow Bastion, as they must seal the keyhole and stop the outpouring of Heartless from it. They discover the Princesses have been freed, but alarmingly they sense a strange power other than darkness. Upon entering the Castle Chapel, Sora, Donald, Goofy and Beast are confronted by Xemnas, who tests Sora's strength before disappearing. The trio seal the keyhole while Leon and his friends return to Hollow Bastion, their old home. They learn that Ansem has fled to End of the World, and to truly stop the Heartless, they must travel there and put an end to him. Elsewhere at the End of Sea, Xemnas informs Roxas that he has been to see Sora.
	Roxas is formally introduced to as the thirteenth member of the Organization.
	Seven days later, Xion is also introduced to the Organization as their fourteenth member. Roxas begins undertaking his first missions under the tutelage of Axel and the group's many colorful characters. He learns that his usage of the Keyblade is vital, as he is the only one who can supply their Kingdom Hearts with fresh hearts, in the hope that it will make them whole one day.
	Sinking further into Darkness, Aqua is rescued by King Mickey, who has arrived there to find the Keyblade from the Realm of Darkness - the Kingdom Key D. He explains that they must close the door lest ruin will befall more worlds. The two fight against wave after wave of Heartless to protect Riku as races to the Door. They successfully protect him, but in the attack Aqua is once again stranded in the Realm of Darkness while her Keyblade, the Master's Defender, is left behind on Destiny Islands.
	The trio arrive at End of the World and confront Ansem in a series of epic battles. Ansem summons Kingdom Hearts, intent to take its darkness for himself. Sora, however, is certain that Kingdom Hearts is truly light. With the door open, the light engulfs and destroys Ansem, but they must close quickly it to begin restoration of the worlds destroyed. King Mickey and Riku arrive to help, but the only way to close it fully is from both sides, trapping the latter two in the Realm of Darkness. The door is successfully closed, and Destiny Islands begin to return - with Kairi already back on the beach. Sora, however, is on the other side and cannot reach her, only promising her that he will return one day. Finding themselves on an expansive plain, the three catch glimpse of Pluto with a letter in his mouth - bearing the Hidden Mickey symbol, and begin to chase after him.
	The Organization prepares to staff their newest headquarters, Castle Oblivion. Marluxia is made to be its lord, with Larxene, Vexen, Lexaeus and Zexion being sent as well. Saix orders Axel to Castle Oblivion as well, certain that some of the younger members plot to commit treason.
	In the middle of the grassy plains, Sora is confronted by a man in a Black Coat - Marluxia, and goaded into setting foot in Castle Oblivion, with the potential of maybe finding Riku or King Mickey inside. As the three journey up the castle and experience the memories of their past adventures, their memories are slowly being rewritten by the witch Namine, while a copy of Riku, the Riku Replica constantly confronts them. Marluxia, along with Larxene, plot to use Namine's power to turn Sora into their puppet in an attempt to initiate a coup within Organization XIII. Axel actively betrays and undermines their efforts however. It all culminates in a fierce battle against Marluxia at the top of the castle, and the powerful Nobody is destroyed. Namine, however, has completely disrupted Sora's memories and replaced Kairi with herself in his heart. They all agree to restore his original memories and forget everything that has transpired in the castle, but to do that he must sleep inside a pod for potentially a long amount of time. Meanwhile, Axel takes the Riku Replica with him to enact the next stage of his plan.
	As Sora ventures upwards in Castle Oblivion, Riku is spirited away to its basement levels by an unknown "voice." Three other members of the Organization, Zexion, Lexaeus, and Vexen are aware of Marluxia's treachery, and plot to turn Riku into their own puppet of darkness as a countermeasure, but they too are foiled at every step. One by one they fall, until Marluxia is finally defeated. Zexion confronts Riku in a final bid to turn him, but fails and is then executed by Riku Replica at Axel's behest. Riku defeats and destroys the Replica and proceeds onward, intent on not letting the darkness consume him. Finally reunited with King Mickey, the voice is eventually revealed to be a man named DiZ, who needs Riku to make a certain "choice." With Namine's help, Riku faces the darkness in his heart - Ansem - and triumphs. Choosing the "road to dawn", Riku and Mickey don the Organization's black coats and ready themselves to protect Sora as he sleeps to regain his memories.
	Roxas begins undertaking missions with Xion, and learns that she too is capable of wielding the Keyblade. The reclusive Xion begins to open up to Roxas, and the two begin to bond.
	Right after Sora is placed into his pod to regain his memories, Roxas falls into a coma for several weeks. After he finally wakes up, he learns that everyone who was dispatched to Castle Oblivion has been terminated. He continues to carry out missions with the help of Xigbar, whose dismissive and nonplussed attitude is of little comfort.
	It turns out not everyone at Castle Oblivion expired, as Axel returns from his mission. At Roxas's insistence, Axel, Roxas and Xion all begin to glow into close friends. Roxas, however, begins to experience Sora's memories, and grows increasingly suspicious of the Organization's motives and his role within the group.
	To stay one step ahead of the Organization, Sora is moved from Castle Oblivion to the mansion in Twilight Town. Xion confronts Riku, wearing the Organization's coat and a blindfold, who claims her identity and Keyblade to be a sham. He urges her to "merge" with her original self, and she becomes torn between this choice and of staying with Axel and Roxas.
	Xion discovers that she is an imperfect replica of Sora created by Xemnas and Vexen should Sora, who Xemnas intends to use as part of the Organization's plans, be of no use to them. Her physical appearance is the result of Sora's strong feelings towards Kairi. As Namine continues restoring Sora's memories, they begin to affect Xion by scrambling her own memories. Wanting to be her own person, Xion has a falling out with Roxas and Axel and leaves the Organization.
	Labeled as useless to the Organization, Xemnas orders Xion to be either captured or destroyed. When Axel and Xigbar confront her, she suddenly appears to Xigbar as Ventus, catching him off guard and quickly defeating him. Fed up with everything that has been happening, Roxas defects from the Organization.
	Xion is captured and reprogrammed by Xemnas. Having nowhere to go, Roxas returns to the only other place can call home: the Twilight Town clock tower. There, he encounters Xion. She reveals her face has become a reflection of Sora's, and in a series of battles attempts to absorb him. Following her defeat, she starts to crystallize and Roxas immediately begins to lose his memories of her. With her last words, she begs Roxas to stop Xemnas and his plans.
	Having inherited Xion's keyblade, Roxas begins to dual-wield a pair of his own: the Oathkeeper & Oblivion. He returns to The World That Never Was, intent on stopping Xemnas and claiming control over his life. He is confronted by Riku, who knows that without Roxas Sora will never regain his memories and wake up. The two engage in a fierce duel, with Roxas winning the first round. Upon removing his blindfold, Riku accepts the darkness in his Heart and transforms into a visage of Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness. With newfound strength, he easily overpowers Roxas and defeats him. DiZ appears, and takes the unconscious Roxas back to his lair in Twilight Town.
	DiZ digitizes Roxas into a simulated copy of Twilight Town, his memories and personality replaced with a new one to throw the Organization off his scent. As Roxas wakes up in his bedroom, he excitedly runs outside as summer vacation is coming to a close, wondering if he and his friends will finally visit the beach today.

The Dark Seeker Saga - Part 2
	Roxas, devoid of all memories of his past life, tries to enjoy the last week of his summer vacation in the Simulated Twilight Town. Shadowy forces are at work however: Axel, desperate to get his friend back. Diz, a man thirsting for revenge against Organization XIII. Day after day, they continue to upend his life until it culminates in his memories returning to him and a fateful encounter with Sora. Roxas has no choice but to become one with him again, if Sora is to ever regain his memories and awaken. Roxas's summer vacation has come to an end.
	Sora, Donald and Goofy wake from their slumber in Twilight Town, meeting some friendly faces with Hayner's gang, and some not so friendly ones in Seifer's crew. After getting their bearings from Master Yen Sid, and a little bit of help from King Mickey, the three set off on another adventure, determined to stop Organization XIII's machinations. Maleficent also revives back to her old self, having returned back to her natural timeline following her sojourn in Daybreak Town. Oh, and Pete is there too, Maleficent's latest flunky. While he does have control over the Heartless, he's just a few cans shy of a six-pack to be much of a threat.
	The pint-and-a-half trio reunite with Leon's gang in Hollow Bastion. They have been working hard to rebuild the world back to Radiant Garden, and have officially invited Sora and his companions to be the Restoration Committee honorary members. The celebration is short-lived however, as Xemnas and the rest of the survivors of the Organization confront the Keyblade bearer.
	The trio begin their latest quest to protect the worlds from the darkness. Throughout their journey, they encounter many new friends, villains, a few members of the Organization, and foil Pete's many pathetic schemes at every turn.
	Axel goes rogue and plots to turn Sora back into a Heartless, seeing this as the only way to reunite with his best friend Roxas. His latest scheme involves kidnapping Kairi, however she manages to get away from him and find herself in Hayner's hideout. The sanctuary is short-lived however, as Axel quickly finds her and takes her. His own victory too is short lived, as she is promptly taken away from him by Saix, the Organization's second-in-command. Sora returns to Twilight Town and learns of her appearance - and disappearance there. He confronts Saix, who reveals that Axel is no longer acting in the Organization's best interests and has become a threat to them both. Sora returns to his quest, determined to foil the Organization, find the King and Riku, and rescue Kairi.
	A great darkness approaches Hollow Bastion. Facing an impending attack, the team returns to Leon's gang to help out. On the way, they are reunited with Cloud Strife, meet the perky Tifa, and at long last find King Mickey. Leon's group has discovered Ansem's computer, which they believe will give them some information on Organization XIII and Riku's whereabouts. Sora's careless handling of the computer however results in the three of them getting zapped into Space Paranoids, the world that happens to be the operating system that runs the entire castle. After a short adventure with Tron, the three find their way back to the real world.
	King Mickey drops a major bombshell on everyone: The man they had defeated at End of the World wasn't Ansem at all! He was in fact his apprentice, Xehanort, and had taken his master's name and work shortly after banishing him. Some time later, he turned himself and the rest of the apprentices into Nobodies and Heartless. The Nobody that was created in the process, Xemnas, is now the leader of Organization XIII.
	The encroaching darkness has finally arrived at Hollow Bastion. A wave of over a thousand Heartless appears and begins to attack. Everyone begins to work together to fight off the invasion. Sephiroth appears before Sora and begins to seek out Cloud, intent to settle the score.
File:Room of Sleep Aqua's Armor.png	While everyone is busy dealing with the invasion, Xemnas sneaks into the castle's computer room and accesses a hidden spiral staircase that leads to some sort of dungeon. At the end of the hall, he enters the Chamber of Repose, where Aqua's rusted armor has been laid to rest. He sits down on the large chair and is once more reunited with his "friend."
	As they run to where the Heartless are gathering, Sora and the gang are confronted once more by Demyx, the cowardly Organization member they had a brief encounter with in Olympus Coliseum. Sora's dismissive attitude, however, seems to trigger an emotional response from Demyx. The Melodious Nocturne snaps, and relentlessly attacks the "traitor." After a difficult fight, Demyx is defeated and begins to fade into the darkness, while Sora is left to wonder at what had just happened.
	The Battle of the 1000 Heartless begins, as Xemnas removes his hood at long last and reveals his face, gleefully overlooking the battle.
	After the long and arduous battle, the trio and King Mickey confront Xemnas. Xemnas knows nothing of Kairi's whereabouts, however he leaves behind a cryptic clue that Mickey may know something about Riku. Xemnas disappears into a Corridor while Mickey jumps in after him. Suddenly, Axel appears behind them, disappointed that Sora has so easily fell into the Organization's trap. He reveals that their true aim is to use Sora to destroy Heartless and set their Hearts free, thereby allowing Xemnas to create his own artificial Kingdom Hearts. With it, they will have the power to be whole at last. Axel however is forced to flee when Saix appears. Saix cruelly taunts Sora and attempts to goad him into destroying more Heartless, but help arrives from the most unlikely of places: Maleficent, seeing the Organization as a common enemy, comes to their aid and buys them time to escape! Shortly before leaving, Sora finds himself in the Realm of Darkness, with a hooded man gifting him with a white box. Inside the box, a photograph and a bar of sea-salt ice cream. The three depart to continue their quest.
	The trio continue ever onward in their journey, determined to rescue Kairi, Riku, Mickey and foil the Organization - despite the group raising the stakes more than ever. As they revisit the many friends have have made, they make some encounters with the Organization as well. In Beast's Castle, the group runs into the vicious Xaldin, who attempts to turn Beast into a Heartless and Nobody, but is defeated and destroyed. In Port Royal, the group also meets Luxord, the affable and gentlemanly gambler who has been conducting experiments on the Cursed Medallions.
	A return trip to Hollow Bastion, and to Space Paranoids, finally allows Leon's group to truly begin work on restoring Hollow Bastion to what it truly was - the city of light, Radiant Garden. Later, Sora encounters Sephiroth, who wishes to test the Keyblade bearer's mettle, curious if it will choose him as its new wielder. Despite the master swordsman's formidable skill, Sora ekes out a victory, but Sephiroth shrugs it off and claims only Cloud can defeat him and requests Sora bring him along. Once Cloud arrives, a fierce battle ensues. Tifa appears and tries to help, but the two fly off into the sky and continue their clash. Tifa departs, still determined to find Cloud.
	A strange portal opens in Disney Castle. Sora and the gang pass through it and find themselves in the middle of a dusty badland - the Keyblade Graveyard. There, they encounter the Lingering Will. The Will senses the power in Sora, but confuses him for Xehanort and attacks in a blind rage. Despite the nearly insurmountable odds of facing against the Will's strength, Sora manages to claim victory. The Will however claims it has nothing to give Sora but its sheer hatred for Xehanort, and returns to its rest.
	Something strange is afoot in Twilight Town - Chip and Dale's scanners are picking up two Twilight Towns! The trio returns to investigate and find that Mickey has located Ansem the Wise. He believes that he has infiltrated the Organization's world and plans to enact his revenge plot. The trio, Mickey, and Hayney's group locate the computer that DiZ used to create the Simulated Twilight Town where Roxas resided. Once they enter, they located the portal to the Organization's homeworld, The World That Never Was. On their way there, they are attacked by countless Nobodies but Axel appears to lend a hand. In an explosive attack, Axel eliminates all of the Nobodies but fatally injures himself in the process. As he fades away, he admits to Sora that he made him feel the same way Roxas did, and dies with content. The group passes through the gateway and arrive in the alley of a dark city, the Organization's homeworld at long last.
	The group makes their way through the Dark City when Sora is suddenly attacked by a young man in a Black Coat, and transports him to the Station of Awakening. Summoning two Keyblades in hand, a battle ensues with Sora narrowly scraping out a victory. Content with the result, the young man lowers his hood, revealing himself to be Roxas, and admits to Sora that "you make a good other." Sora returns to the Dark City, leaving Donald and Goofy confused as to what just happened.
File:The Freeshooter Xigbar 02 KHII.png	The group finally arrives at Xemnas's castle, and encounter one member of the Organization after another: Xigbar, who appears to know a lot more about Sora and the Keyblade than he lets on; Luxord, who seemed genuinely distraught at "Roxas" slaying him; and lastly, Saix, desperate for a Heart. All three are defeated and fade into the darkness. Along the way, Kairi escapes and finally wields a Keyblade of her own, Riku, armed with a Keyblade, reveals himself to Sora at long last - still wearing Ansem's face back from his battle with Roxas - and Mickey encounters DiZ, who removes his bandages to reveal he was Ansem the Wise all along. Realizing how much damage his quest for vengeance has hurt the people around him, Ansem departs with Mickey intent to stop Xemnas and atone for his actions. Meanwhile, Maleficent and Pete have also infiltrated the castle, intent to take it for themselves.
	After a battle of ideologies with Xemnas, Ansem sacrifices himself and destroys his Kingdom Hearts. The explosion manages to restore Riku to his true form, and the group pursues Xemnas to the top of the Castle. They defeat him, but Xemnas manages to absorb what is left of Kingdom Hearts for a last ditch effort to destroy Sora and his friends. After a difficult struggle, the group finally defeats Xemnas - seemingly for good.
	The group prepares to depart the Castle when Sora and Kairi are suddenly approached by Roxas and Namine. As their respective Nobodies, the two decide to finally return from whence they came and become one with them. Xemnas, however, is not done, and by summoning a massive Dragon-like machine, isolates Sora and Riku and confronts them in a series of battles. The two eventually win, though Riku sustains some injuries. The two are stranded in the Dark Margin and nearly resign to their fates until Riku chances upon a message-in-a-bottle Kairi had written earlier. This opens a door of pure light that allows the two to finally reunite with everyone in Destiny Islands.
	Following the explosion of his device, Ansem once again finds himself on the shores of the Dark Margin, the place where Xehanort had initially exiled him too. He encounters Aqua, and the two converse. He reveals to her that the worlds had nearly fallen to darkness multiple times, but each time a boy with a Keyblade in hand saved the day. Aqua wonders if this boy was either Terra or Ventus, but Ansem confirms it was neither of them - that it was instead a boy named Sora. Aqua recalls her encounter with Sora, and she smiles as tears of joy stream down her face, he sense of hope renewed at long last.
	Jiminy Cricket discovers a strange message in his journal that he does not recall writing: "Their hurting will be mended when you return to end it." Mickey, Chip and Dale digitize the journal into data in an attempt to decipher the meaning of the message, while Donald and Goofy stick around to see what the fuss is about. The data ends up being corrupted by numerous bugs, so they summon a Data-Sora and try and fix it. Data-Sora relives many of Sora's own adventures from his first journey, though with some differences here and there: The bugs, along with attempts by Maleficent and Pete to to conquer the Datascape. Eventually, it is revealed that a data copy of Namine left that message behind. Sora's own Heart contains painful memories that do not belong to him. If he is to help the people to whom the memories belong, he must endure the hurt. As Data-Sora was capable of enduring it, Mickey departs knowing a difficult new journey lies ahead. Elsewhere, Maleficent confides in Pete that the Journal and the "Date Escape" is strikingly similar to the worlds created by the Book of Prophecies, and intends to take its powers for herself.
	Mickey returns to Yen Sid's tower to explain everything that had transpired. Upon learning that both Xehanort's Heartless and Xemnas have been felled, Yin Sid realizes that this has paved the way for the real Xehanort to revive - Master Xehanort. He orders Mickey to summon Sora and Riku at once, to begin their real training and earn the Mark of Mastery. Shortly after, the letter from Mickey makes its way to Sora, Riku and Kairi. Realizing that the stakes have never been higher, Sora resoundly answers the call, determined to save everyone hurt by Xehanort's machinations and put a stop to him.

Dark Seeker Saga Finale - The Second Keyblade War
	Sora and Riku are summoned to Yen Sid's tower, to begin their Mark of Mastery exam. Yen Sid explains Xehanort's history and the history of the Keyblade War to them, before sending them one year back back in time, just before they began their journey. They must journey to the Sleeping Worlds and unlock seven keyholes that will grant them the Power of waking, a power vital for the upcoming battle. Aboard their raft, they are attacked by a phantom of Ursula. They defeat her, but their raft is demolished and they sink into the sea while a Robed Figure looks on. Despite being unconscious and drowning, their Keyblades appear before them and open a pathway to the Sleeping Worlds. Their test begins.
	Their first stop is strangely familiar - Traverse Town. However, Sora and Riku have somehow been split apart. There, they meet Neku, Shiki, Joshua, Beat and Rhyme, who all appear to be taking part in some sort of "Reaper's Game." However, they are all confronted by a young man in a black coat who bears an uncanny resemblance to Master Xehanort from his youth. Joshua theorizes that Traverse Town has been split into two entirely separate dimensions, and the young-man is most likely to blame for it. After defeating the Dream Eater he summoned, they continue with their exam - still separated.
	As Sora and Riku continue on their individual journeys throughout the Sleeping Worlds, they are constantly hounded and tormented by the enigmatic young man. Not only that, but he always appears with a guest in tow - either Xemnas, or Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness. A curiosity, as both of them have been definitively vanquished in their past journeys.
	Meanwhile, Lea, Aeleus and Ienzo find themselves wide awake in Ansem's computer room at Radiant Garden. As both their Nobodies and Heartless have been slain, it precipitated their resurrections as humans - though Dilan and Even are reportedly still unstable and recovering from their ordeals. Lea and Ienzo quickly take notice that even though they recovered, Isa and Braig are nowhere to be found.
	During the exam, Maleficent and Pete hold Queen Minnie hostage in exchange for Jiminy's Journal, the source of the Datascape. Their plans are quickly foiled by Lea's timely arrival, as he rescues the Queen and forces Maleficent to retreat.
	Back at Yen Sid's tower, Lea agrees to undertake some sort of trial of his own. Yen Sid ponders just what Xehanort's true intentions are, though assured that Xehanort cannot interfere with the exam as he believes Sora and Riku never met him before the start of their journey. To his horror, however, he is reminded that they did indeed meet him: Xehanort's formless heart, in the Secret Place on the Destiny Islands. He quickly realizes that Xehanort has used this event as his anchorpoint to travel to the past, and has secretly been guiding their exam from the very beginning.
	Sora lands before Memory's Skyscraper in the Dark City, wondering why he has landed in The World That Never Was. He is then attacked and taunted by Xigbar, and then put to sleep by the mysterious young man. As Sora wakes up, he learns that the young man is in fact Master Xehanort himself, from a time before he became a Keyblade wielder. Xehanort's Heartless had travelled back in time and parted upon him the gift of time travel, and instructed him to gather his future selves for Master Xehanort's rebirth. Sora is once again placed into sleep, before finally awakening in the Dark City once more.
	As Sora makes his way throughout the Dark City, he is faced with memories and phantoms of people he has met before: Terra, Aqua, Roxas, Xion, Namine, and more. He attempts to chase after them, while Riku's voice in the distance begs him not to. Sora eventually comes face to face with Xigbar and Xemnas and discovers that they are all now vessels of Xehanort, carrying a small piece of his Heart within them. Despite the threats, Sora still aims to fight with his heart and with his friends as his power. Xigbar, rattled, runs away leaving Xemnas to deal with Sora. Despite defeating him, Sora collapses to the ground exhausted as darkness begins to enshroud him. Young Xehanort appears, taunting him that he has worn himself down to nothing. With his body and mind now completely vulnerable, Young Xehanort reveals that Sora has been their true objective the entire time, not Riku, as their intended new vessel for Xehanort's Heart. As Sora falls into sleep, his body is placed upon one of the chairs in Where Nothing Gathers, the meeting room of the Organization.
	Riku reaches the Castle That Never Was, and begins to scale its walls and pathways. Upon reaching the top, he discovers Sora asleep trapped in an orb of darkness, chasing after dreams that will only further drown him. Despite repeated attempts to reach him, Sora's dreams physically manifest as a Nightmare - the terrifying Anti Black Coat, and engages Riku in combat. Despite winning, Sora sinks into the darkness as Riku is confronted by Ansem. He reveals that while Sora has been experiencing the dreams of the Sleeping Worlds, Riku has been inside Sora's dreams the whole time, explaining their split. The Sleeping Worlds have designated Riku as Sora's Dream Eater, meant to shield him from the Nightmares - symbolized by the Spirit sigil on Riku's back. Riku eventually defeats Ansem.
	Riku and Mickey confront Young Xehanort in the heart of the castle, where he reveals that Xehanort's vessels are nearly gathered, with Master Xehanort himself and Sora the only ones not quite ready - the real Organization XIII. Riku attempts to rescue Sora, but is forced to fight against Young Xehanort, with his time manipulation powers in full display. Despite his victory, he and Mickey are quickly subdued by Ansem and Xemnas. Goofy and Donald come to their rescue, but they too fail. Master Xehanort is fully revived, and with the No Name in hand, prepares to claim Sora as his latest vessel. At the very last second, Lea swoops in and rescues Sora. To his shock, he discovers that Isa - or rather Saix - is also now one of Xehanort's vessels. With Master Xehanort missing his window of opportunity, the rest of the vessels all begin to fade as they are returned to their original timelines. Xehanort, however, is unconcerned and confident that everything will fall into place eventually.
	Everyone returns to Yen Sid's tower, but find that they are unable to wake Sora up. His heart has been almost completely taken by darkness, and he has fallen into a deep slumber. The only way to save him is for Riku to open a Portal and dive in. He does so, but is confronted by Ventus's Keyblade Armor - which has been completely enshrouded by darkness and corrupted by a Nightmare. Riku battles and defeats the Armored Ventus Nightmare, revealing that it has been attempting to protect Sora the entire time. With the Kingdom Key in hand, Riku opens a keyhole that transports him to the shores of the Islands. There, he must answer three questions posed by visions of Roxas, Ventus and Xion. Upon answering the questions, he is met by a vision of Ansem the Wise. The Sage-King reveals that as part of his atonement, he hid the results of his research inside Sora himself - while he was recovering his memories in the pod - and assures him that Sora is already awake; he need only leave and see for himself.
	Riku wakes up to discover that everyone has been having a literal tea party without him. Despite the revelries, the results of the exam must be announced. Yen Sid names Riku a true Keyblade Master, but refuses to name Sora as such as his heart has succumbed to the darkness during the exam. Despite this, Sora is overjoyed for Riku and celebrates his ascension. To the surprise of everyone, Lea announces that he intends to catch up to Riku and become a Master one day, revealing that he had his own Keyblade the entire time, though he has yet to get a handle on summoning it. While everyone departs, Sora announces his return to the sleeping Traverse Town, wanting to get some more training before the final battle with Xehanort. Upon his return, he is greeted by all the Dream Eaters he has befriended during his journey.
	Riku returns to Yen Sid's tower, accompanied by a certain someone. As Yen Sid prepares the Seven Guardians of Light, he reveals that Kairi will be among them, and she is to begin her training as a Keyblade wielder at once.
	At the Keyblade Graveyard, Master Xehanort recalls his fateful encounter with the Master of Masters, wondering if he will ever discover the man's true identity one day. He is accompanied by Xigbar and Saix, as the three of them go over their current roster and weigh their options as to how to fill the ranks. Despite the failure of obtaining Sora, they reveal they still have two other potential vessels: the Riku Replica and Xion.
	Together with Kairi and Riku in Yen Sid's tower, Mickey begins to retell the tale of how he met Aqua during their first journey, and why it's imperative that she be rescued. As Kairi prepares to begin her Keyblade training with Lea, Riku and Mickey depart to the Realm of Darkness. Shortly after, Sora, Donald and Goofy arrive from their own training and prepare to take the next step. Yen Sid notes, however, that after being nearly taken over by Xehanort Sora has nearly lost all of his power and strength, and would be no match for the Organization as he is. He must get his strength back, and acquire the Power of Waking. His first step is to see an old friend and a great hero who was once in the same situation: Hercules.
	On the shores of the Dark Margin, Ansem the Wise and Aqua are confronted by Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness. Aqua attempts to fight him, but without a Keyblade she is easily dispatched, left to drown in the water as darkness overtakes her. The Seeker then proceeds to kidnap Ansem.
	The trio land in Olympus, but find themselves in the middle of a great cataclysm! Hades has summoned the four Titans and has began his siege on Thebes and has captured the seat of the Gods. Together with Hercules, they fight to oust the persistent Lord of the Dead once again. Meanwhile, Maleficent and Pete have begun their search for the Black Box, certain it contains a copy of the Book of Prophecies. As Sora continues his quest, Xigbar appears to taunt him, hinting that he may know of his ultimate fate.
	As Maleficent and Pete search for the Black Box, Xigbar observes them from the distance when he is approached by Luxord, newly resurrected and a member of the real Organization XIII. Luxord attempts to ask Xigbar why he has him looking for this same Black Box, but Xigbar brushes it off as just another random order from Xemnas. Luxord instantly catches him in the lie, as he had already approached Xemnas regarding the Box. He recounts to him the riddle of the black goat and the white goat, hinting that he may be aware of Xigbar's true identity and agenda, but shrugs it off as he departs. Xigbar is left to wonder just who Luxord truly is and what his agenda may be.
	Riku and Mickey have successfully entered the Realm of Darkness, but Aqua is nowhere in sight. Moreover, the Heartless there are several times more powerful than on the outside, and they are quickly overwhelmed. With their Keyblades broken, they are forced to retreat.
	After visiting Twilight Town once more, the trio departs on their true journey ahead, armed with new tools and garments. As they continue their adventures across many worlds, they run into more members of the real Organization XIII: Marluxia, Larxene, Young Xehanort, Vanitas and Dark Riku, who cause them no shortage of trouble. Riku and Mickey continue with their own journey to the Realm of Darkness, while in Radiant Garden, Ienzo begins his analysis of the data Ansem the Wise placed inside Sora, hopeful to find a way to resurrect Roxas. Lea and Kairi continue their training.
	During their journey in the Toy Box while dealing with Young Xehanort's machinations, Sora first learns of the popular action-RPG video game franchise Verum Rex. Rex the Dinosaur is convinced that Sora is an action figure of the game's main hero, Yozora. Sora, upon looking at the poster, remarks that he looks much more like Riku than himself.
	Two more members of the real Organization XIII are revealed: Vexen and Demyx, although for the time being they are "benched." As Xigbar continues to order them to search for the Black Box, in secrecy Saix, Vexen and Demyx plot to betray Master Xehanort.
	Sora opens a pathway that for some reason returns him to Destiny Islands, where he finds the Master's Defender on the beach. The Keyblade then opens a doorway for him into the Realm of Darkness. Back in the Dark World, Riku and Mickey continue battling powerful Heartless with their new Keyblades, but are quickly overwhelmed by Aqua herself - who has succumbed to the darkness and despair. Sora jumps to the rescue and manages to defeat her and restore her to normal, returning the Keyblade to her.
	Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness has taken Ansem the Wise to the the mansion in Twilight Town, planning to force the Sage-King to work for the Organization. Hayner's gang, with help from Vexen, are able to free Ansem from the Seeker's clutches and spirit him to safety. Vexen reveals that with some help from Demyx, he was able to smuggle empty Replica vessels to Ienzo for the purposes of resurrecting Roxas and Namine. The scientist expresses a desire to atone for everything that has transpired.
	Aqua takes Sora, Donald and Goofy to the gates of Castle Oblivion. With the power of the Master's Defender, she restores the Castle to its original form - the Land of Departure. Upon entering its halls, they locate Ventus - still asleep. Before they can recover him, they are attacked by Vanitas. Aqua challenges him to a one-on-one duel and wins, but the villain still nearly eliminates her. In an effort to save Aqua, Ventus's heart jumps from Sora's body back to his own, waking him up on the process. Vanitas retreats, and Aqua and Ven are reunited at long last.
	The Guardians are fully assembled in Yen Sid's tower. They take the night off to relax, collect their thoughts and prepare for the Second Keyblade War. Lea meets with Saix one more time atop the tower in Twilight Town, and eat sea-salt ice cream together.
	The Guardians arrive at the fated land, the Keyblade Graveyard, and are greeted by Master Xehanort himself. As they pass through the rocky crevice and out into the open battlefield, they are confronted by Dark Riku and Terra-Xehanort, the final member of the Organization. They are all quickly overwhelmed, and with the summoning of an unimaginably large wave of Heartless, the Guardians all fall one by one. Sora is the last one left, but he too is inevitably overpowered and dies as a result.
	Sora - now translucent - wakes up to find himself in the middle of an endless sea and sky. There he is greeted by the curious critter Chirithy. The quippy cat explains that they are in what's known as The Final World, the end of the road - an afterlife where only the attachments and regrets of those with strong hearts remain. Sora, however, should find himself lucky in that his actual body has also found its way there, making it possible for him to return - he must simply collect himself first, literally. As Sora restores his body back to normal little by little, he meets many of the stars that populate the realm, including those of Namine, who promises to lend Sora a hand once he returns, and a Nameless Star who reveals to Sora that she is waiting for someone dear to her: A man named Yozora. After he gets his old self back, Chirithy reveals to Sora that he has long acquired the Power of Waking: It is his strength to reach the Hearts of others.
	Sora begins to use the Power of Waking to resurrect all of his friends, one by one, whose Hearts are all held captive by a special Heartless called the Lich. As Sora continues to do so, Young Xehanort appears before him, amused at how recklessly Sora is using his newfound power and explains that it is a power used for traversing hearts to reach worlds, not for traversing worlds to reach hearts. As he leaves, he states that there's no hope for Sora - there is a high price to pay for his transgression over the laws of nature, and he has doomed himself to the debt.
	The Guardians are all revived, to a point in time from just before they are attacked by Dark Riku and Terra-Xehanort. The two appear before them once more, but this time the Guardians are aided by an unlikely ally - the Lingering Will, courtesy of Namine. As the swath of Heartless attack, Sora is aided by the countless Keyblades of wielders and Masters past, and with a brief vision of Ephemer, Sora is able to cut through the Wave with the power of the Union χ. Master Xehanort summons the Skein of Severance, signaling the beginning of the Second Keyblade War. As the Guardians make their way towards the gauntlet, Donald, Goofy and Master Yen Sid stay behind to keep the Heartless at bay.
	Sora helps Riku and Mickey defeat the Organization members. Dark Riku's heart is removed from his vessel by the Riku Replica to provide Naminé a body, and Xigbar seemingly falls to his death. Demyx arrives shortly afterwards to retrieve Dark Riku's body. Luxord hands Sora a wild card that could help turn the tables, Larxene admits that she only joined the Organization to tag along with someone, and Marluxia regains his memories of his old self.
	Sora assists Aqua and Ventus in fighting Terra-Xehanort and Vanitas. Upon Vanitas's defeat, Sora and Ventus implore Vanitas to join them as their brother, but Vanitas fades away, content on being their darkness and shadow. Terra-Xehanort nearly kills Ventus and Aqua, but the Dark Figure - revealed to be holding Terra's heart - saves them. With Sora's help, Terra regains control of his body.
	Sora, Kairi, and Lea fight Saïx and Xion. Saïx overpowers them and Xemnas attempts to have Xion kill Lea, but Sora intervenes, saying Xion's name and restoring her memories. Roxas returns in his own replica body and, with Sora, Kairi, Lea, and Xion's help, reclaims the Recusant's Sigil as a sign of their friendship. Xemnas kidnaps a weakened Kairi, and Saïx is defeated, making amends with Lea before fading away.
	Sora catches up with Riku and Mickey at the Tower of Endings, where Master Xehanort explains that with nine clashes completed, he only needs four more to forge the χ-blade. The Guardians defeat Ansem, Xemnas, and Young Xehanort, the latter proclaiming that Sora's time in the world is doomed. Master Xehanort slays Kairi to motivate Sora for the final clash, forging the χ-blade at last. However, the Guardians and their allies soon trap Xehanort in his own Portal and hold off Kingdom Hearts so that Sora, Donald, and Goofy can finish Xehanort off.
	Sora, Donald, and Goofy enter Xehanort's Portal and arrive in Scala ad Caelum. They are forced to fight off twelve replicas of the fallen Organization members before ultimately engaging in a final clash with Xehanort. As a last-ditch effort, Xehanort uses the χ-Blade to nearly kill Sora, but with Donald and Goofy's power, Sora manages to deliver the fatal blow. Battered and weakened, Xehanort confesses that everything he did was to remake the world into one without darkness. Sora tells him that a real leader knows that destiny cannot be controlled. As the rest of the Guardians arrive, Xehanort is confronted by the spirit of Eraqus, who convinces him it is checkmate. An initially reluctant Xehanort surrenders the χ-blade to Sora, congratulating him on his hard-fought victory. Eraqus apologizes for his behavior towards his students and departs with Xehanort into the afterlife.
	After sealing Kingdom Hearts, Sora decides to use the Power of Waking to save Kairi. Under Chirithy's guidance, he returns to the Second Keyblade War and relives the Guardians' battles with the Organization, tracing their hearts until he is forced to relive Kairi's destruction. He then goes to Scala ad Caelum to retrieve the fragments of Kairi's heart, but is confronted by Xehanort, who tells him that there are two more. As the Guardians fend off the Replica Xehanorts, Sora finds the final two fragments in Riku and Mickey before finally reviving Kairi. The Replica Xehanorts are forced to fight Sora and Kairi in a final battle, and are ultimately vanquished by the Guardians before Sora and Kairi return to the future.
	With Xehanort gone, the Guardians return home: Roxas, Lea, and Xion reunite in Twilight Town with Hayner, Pence, Olette, and a revived Isa; Terra, Ventus and Aqua pay their respects to Eraqus before Ventus reunites with his Chirithy, and Sora and Kairi assist Ansem the Wise in reviving Naminé. The Guardians and their allies gather in Destiny Islands, but as a consequence of abusing the Power of Waking, Sora fades away.
	Back in the Keyblade Graveyard, a still-alive Xigbar reclaims the No Name Keyblade with the Black Box beside him and summons four of the Foretellers: Masters Aced, Ira, Invi and Gula. Xigbar reveals himself to be the latest incarnation of the Master's sixth apprentice, Luxu. In order to realize the Master's prophecies, he manipulated Xehanort into orchestrating the Second Keyblade War, but that he also had another role. Aced demands to know what his true role was, while Xigbar muses by stating "I hope you like long stories." In the distance, Maleficent and Pete observe the reunion of the Lost Masters.
	Riku begins having a peculiar, recurring dream. In the city of Shibuya, he and Sora awaken separated and surrounded by modern buildings and skyscrapers. As Riku walks off to search for him, he feels the presence of Yozora watching him from atop a skyscraper. Some distance away, the Master of Masters appears overlooking the city, and with his hands compares the gleaming full moon to the light of Kingdom Hearts.
	Riku pays a visit to the Land of Departure, his promise to Terra fulfilled. Together, Terra, Aqua and Ventus don their Keyblade Armor and head off into the Realm of Darkness to search for Sora.
	One year has passed. Terra, Aqua and Ventus continue to search the Dark World. Donald, Goofy and the King are revisiting all of the worlds Sora has visited. Hayner's gang have been analyzing Roxas's and Xion's memories for clues, and Kairi has voluntarily placed her heart into a deep sleep, so that Ansem, Even and Ienzo may search her heart for Sora's whereabouts. Despite the best efforts of everyone, Sora is nowhere to be found. Riku visits Leon, Cid, Yuffie and Aerith at Radiant Garden to see if they had made any progress. It turns out that Cid has managed to recreate the data of the Real Organization XIII, but they're far too powerful to access. The only way to do so is to have a data copy of Sora engage them all in one-on-one combat. Upon completion, however, all they get is an inconclusive analysis and they're back to square one. The Fairy Godmother appears at Yen Sid and Merlin's request, who believe that Riku's dreams may hold the key. Riku recalls that he has been having that one particular recurring dream, and begins to recount it...
	Meanwhile, Sora finds himself in The Final World once more, now illuminated by a starry night sky. While glad that he is at least whole, he desperately calls out to see if anyone else is around. From the distance, a voice does indeed call out to him and Sora immediately begins to run towards the sound. Stepping out of the darkness is a young man Sora instantly recognizes: Yozora. Surprised that he is a real person after all, Sora enthusiastically introduces himself but Yozora is instantly suspicious of his identity. He questions why he is "using Sora's name", and summons his crossbow and sword. They are suddenly transported atop the 104 building in Shibuya, and Yozora explains that it was in this place where he endured some trials and was asked to "save Sora." Yozora attacks and the two begin their battle, and despite the young warrior's exceptional combat prowess and strange technology, Sora narrowly claims a victory. Yozora states contently that his power are not yet needed, and he fades away with a warm smile as Sora is taken back to The Final World. Yozora wakes up in the backseat of a car to the voice of his driver, and recalls the first words spoken by Sora. "I've been having these weird thoughts lately... like, is any of this for real or not?"