Categories > Games > Kingdom Hearts > Rewriting Kingdom Hearts
Long ago, in the world of Radiant Garden, a group of magic users or "mages" formed the "Mage Guild". As the guild grew, it was subdivided into several factions with varying degrees of autonomy and authority. The highest-ranking faction was the "First" faction, whose members descended directly from the guild's founders. The leader of the First faction and the guild overall was the "Guildmaster".
The construction of "Kingdom Hearts", a magical black ark with purple and red accents, was an occasion which saw the factions work together. The purpose of the ark was to house the souls or "hearts" of the dead to preserve their knowledge and wisdom for the ages. However, only the hearts of the strong-willed could be preserved in the ark. A new faction called the "Kingdom" faction was also created to protect the ark and was given authority second only to the First faction. The symbol of the Kingdom faction was a crown, which was tattooed in black ink on the upper right arms of its members.
The "key" to Kingdom Hearts was a magical sword resembling a giant skeleton key. Called the "Keyblade", it was forged by a member of the Kingdom faction, and the exact method of its manufacture was kept secret even from the guildmaster. Nevertheless, others were inspired by the design of the Keyblade and began forging their own.
While these keyblades were formidable weapons per se, they lacked the ability to interact with Kingdom Hearts. Their creation also prompted the coining of the term "Prime Keyblade" to distinguish it from its progeny.
The first keyblade made in the image of the Prime Keyblade was the "Kingdom Key", which was identical to its progenitor save for some small details. It was forged by the same Kingdom faction member, just without the ability to interface with Kingdom Hearts. The symbol for the Kingdom faction also hung from a "keychain" on the bottom of the Kingdom Key's handguard.
The keyblade wielders eventually broke off from the guild entirely and formed their own group. Calling themselves "Keyblade Masters", they established a school called the "Academy of the Keyblade".
Xehanort is a Keyblade Master who secretly studies and practices the dark arts. He has an obsession with the ancient, pre-Mage Guild tales of the "Heartless", physical manifestations of darkness that reside in the realm thereof. Legend has it that the Heartless and their domain were sealed away by a powerful mage whose name was never revealed. The mage's heart is contained in Kingdom Hearts, but it is rumored that they are never consulted.
With few exceptions, only members of the First faction are allowed to consult the ark, but Xehanort, using his dark powers, creates a portal to infiltrate the temple where Kingdom Hearts is kept. Xehanort takes the Prime Keyblade out of its indentation in the ark. He then points it at the ark, and an iridescent beam of light shoots out of the tip. As the ark opens, light fills the room, and Xehanort is transported to a realm of infinite sea and sky.
Vague humanoid figures representing those in the ark surround him. Within each figure is their heart, denoted by a sphere of light, all identical except for one. The heart of this figure has a dark spot in it. Xehanort surmises that this is the one who sealed the Heartless away long ago.
Xehanort asks the figure about the dark spot. The figure reveals that they had to leave part of themselves behind in the Realm of Darkness in order to seal the Heartless away. As such, their heart is slowly being corrupted, and the darkness will eventually spread to the others. The only way to cleanse the corruption is to unseal the dark realm.
A special keyblade appears before the figure called Oblivion, the Keyblade of Darkness that coalesced into being after the Prime Keyblade was forged. Unlike the Prime Keyblade, Oblivion has the ability to unlock people's hearts. The figure implores Xehanort to use Oblivion to remove the darkness in their heart and therefore unleash the Heartless, saying that a corrupt Kingdom Hearts is far more dangerous. The figure also asks Xehanort to seal Kingdom Hearts and to destroy the Prime Keyblade.
Xehanort complies, taking Oblivion and piercing the figure's heart with it. Xehanort is then returned to where he was. After the darkness from the figure's heart escapes the ark, Xehanort locks Kingdom Hearts and uses Oblivion to destroy the Prime Keyblade. Mages enter the room just as Xehanort disappears via a dark portal. He is never seen again.
The Mage Guild accuses the Keyblade Masters of conspiracy, and infighting begins among the latter. This is the catalyst that leads to the "Keyblade War", a war with a single battle that nearly tears Radiant Garden apart. The area where the war was fought will eventually become known as the "Keyblade Graveyard", as the keyblades of the fallen are left as a memorial.
The construction of "Kingdom Hearts", a magical black ark with purple and red accents, was an occasion which saw the factions work together. The purpose of the ark was to house the souls or "hearts" of the dead to preserve their knowledge and wisdom for the ages. However, only the hearts of the strong-willed could be preserved in the ark. A new faction called the "Kingdom" faction was also created to protect the ark and was given authority second only to the First faction. The symbol of the Kingdom faction was a crown, which was tattooed in black ink on the upper right arms of its members.
The "key" to Kingdom Hearts was a magical sword resembling a giant skeleton key. Called the "Keyblade", it was forged by a member of the Kingdom faction, and the exact method of its manufacture was kept secret even from the guildmaster. Nevertheless, others were inspired by the design of the Keyblade and began forging their own.
While these keyblades were formidable weapons per se, they lacked the ability to interact with Kingdom Hearts. Their creation also prompted the coining of the term "Prime Keyblade" to distinguish it from its progeny.
The first keyblade made in the image of the Prime Keyblade was the "Kingdom Key", which was identical to its progenitor save for some small details. It was forged by the same Kingdom faction member, just without the ability to interface with Kingdom Hearts. The symbol for the Kingdom faction also hung from a "keychain" on the bottom of the Kingdom Key's handguard.
The keyblade wielders eventually broke off from the guild entirely and formed their own group. Calling themselves "Keyblade Masters", they established a school called the "Academy of the Keyblade".
Xehanort is a Keyblade Master who secretly studies and practices the dark arts. He has an obsession with the ancient, pre-Mage Guild tales of the "Heartless", physical manifestations of darkness that reside in the realm thereof. Legend has it that the Heartless and their domain were sealed away by a powerful mage whose name was never revealed. The mage's heart is contained in Kingdom Hearts, but it is rumored that they are never consulted.
With few exceptions, only members of the First faction are allowed to consult the ark, but Xehanort, using his dark powers, creates a portal to infiltrate the temple where Kingdom Hearts is kept. Xehanort takes the Prime Keyblade out of its indentation in the ark. He then points it at the ark, and an iridescent beam of light shoots out of the tip. As the ark opens, light fills the room, and Xehanort is transported to a realm of infinite sea and sky.
Vague humanoid figures representing those in the ark surround him. Within each figure is their heart, denoted by a sphere of light, all identical except for one. The heart of this figure has a dark spot in it. Xehanort surmises that this is the one who sealed the Heartless away long ago.
Xehanort asks the figure about the dark spot. The figure reveals that they had to leave part of themselves behind in the Realm of Darkness in order to seal the Heartless away. As such, their heart is slowly being corrupted, and the darkness will eventually spread to the others. The only way to cleanse the corruption is to unseal the dark realm.
A special keyblade appears before the figure called Oblivion, the Keyblade of Darkness that coalesced into being after the Prime Keyblade was forged. Unlike the Prime Keyblade, Oblivion has the ability to unlock people's hearts. The figure implores Xehanort to use Oblivion to remove the darkness in their heart and therefore unleash the Heartless, saying that a corrupt Kingdom Hearts is far more dangerous. The figure also asks Xehanort to seal Kingdom Hearts and to destroy the Prime Keyblade.
Xehanort complies, taking Oblivion and piercing the figure's heart with it. Xehanort is then returned to where he was. After the darkness from the figure's heart escapes the ark, Xehanort locks Kingdom Hearts and uses Oblivion to destroy the Prime Keyblade. Mages enter the room just as Xehanort disappears via a dark portal. He is never seen again.
The Mage Guild accuses the Keyblade Masters of conspiracy, and infighting begins among the latter. This is the catalyst that leads to the "Keyblade War", a war with a single battle that nearly tears Radiant Garden apart. The area where the war was fought will eventually become known as the "Keyblade Graveyard", as the keyblades of the fallen are left as a memorial.
Sign up to rate and review this story