Destiny Islands
First Appearance: KINGDOM HEARTS (2002)
A serene slice of paradise, Destiny Islands rests on its own little corner of the cosmos. The waves lap back and forth on the islands' gleaming white sand, the clear blue water rests like precious sapphires, all dyed a blazing orange by the sun's descending glow. A young man, clad in black, stands just a ways from the water, and looks out at the horizon with unrelenting eyes.
"This world is just too small..."
The night's darkness blankets the islands, camouflaging the hunched cloaked figure. Under his arm lies a boy wrapped in a white blanket, eyes gazing blankly and knowing nothing, feeling nothing. The figure sets the boy gently down on a curved tree, with a look of pity in his eyes, as if he already knew the outcome.
The boy closes his eyes and fades away into the darkness of his own heart, falling down and touching ground where there shouldn't have been. A voice sounds off in the distance, beckoning him. It's a newly born heart that followed the light to the boy's incomplete heart. A decision quickly made, the newborn connects its heart with the boy's, engulfing the whole of the fragments with a brilliant light, making it whole.
In the outside world, the hunched figure spares a final glance at the sea, at the boy, and begins to walk away. Suddenly, the boy's hand lifts into the air, and grasps at the emptiness within his palm. A flash of light later and a Keyblade materializes into his hand, shooting a beam of light into the sky, signaling the start of a new life. It all began with birth by sleep.
Terra was guided to Destiny Islands by the alluring glow of a warm light. Once arrived, he discovered the star shaped fruit Aqua had first spoken of when she had given them the wayfinders. As he made his way towards the tree the fruit had fallen from, his conflicted thoughts sound aloud in his mind as he struggles to maintain his confidence. Before he was able to reach the tree, two boys ran past him in a race; the older one, Riku, radiated light so bright that drew Terra to believe it was he who brought him here.
Terra walks away, and the other boy, Sora, challenges Riku to another race, and dashes off towards his father, curiously gazing at Terra on his way. Riku however, realizes that Terra is not a resident of the islands and that he must've come from the outside world. He tells Terra that he yearns to reach other worlds in order to become stronger in order to protect everyone, just like the kid who left the islands long ago.
Feeling a connection with the child, Terra boldly initiated the Rite of Succession, holding out his Keyblade for Riku. If the weapon failed to leave Riku's hands, it would prove that he has sufficient strength, and Riku will receive the gift to wield, and may obtain a Keyblade of his own. With the rite successful and a promise made for Riku not to tell anyone of this secret, Terra leaves the children, having regained the confidence he lost.
Exhausted emotionally and physically, Aqua finds herself in Destiny Islands, praying for Terra, Ven and herself in light of the current situation. Her thoughts are interrupted by the shouts of Sora and Riku, back again on their play island in another race, of which Riku was the victor. Before Sora can challenge him to a rematch, Aqua makes her presence known, jumping down to meet the boys and surprising Sora with her impressive leap.
She laughs at their innocence, and takes the opportunity to observe them closer. It was like she was looking at Terra and Ven in their youth; Riku looks so sincere like Terra, and Sora who is the spitting image of Ven. She realizes that it's possible the two boys may be special enough to receive the Keyblade's power, but notices Riku had already gone under the rite, believing it to have been performed by Terra.
Refusing to let the two boys end up being forced to oppose one another like she and Terra, she decides not to perform the rite, and instead asks Sora to look after Riku should he become lost and go down the wrong path. Although it confused both children, Sora cautiously agreed, and the two friends bid Aqua farewell.
Ven was reluctantly cast off into a portal created by Terra in order to protect him from being attacked by Master Eraqus, leading to Destiny Islands. Even now, he could hardly believe it. The man who had been like a father to him and his fellow apprentices tried to hurt him because of the mysterious threat of the X-blade. Ven didn't understand it at all, but he couldn't bear to see his Master, and the man he loves like a brother fight one another because of him. It wasn't right, it wasn't fair.
Although determined to return to the Land of Departure and resolve the situation, Ven was intercepted by Vanitas, who appeared there, as if waiting for him. Ven stubbornly refused to listen to his words, but as he walked away, the memory he once lost rose back up the surface, with a blazing pain in his head. The memory of studying under Master Xehanort, of fighting dark creatures he knew he would not be able to defeat, of the fatal darkness extraction Xehanort performed on his heart that gave birth to Vanitas. It was too much to bear, and the flood of emotions and confusion was infuriating.
Now, he needed answers. He had no doubt that these answers would come if he followed Vanitas to the Keyblade Graveyard, where Master Xehanort was surely waiting.
It was a calm clear night, perfect for stargazing. Riku and Sora had spent a good amount of time staring up at the sky and decided to head home for the night. On their way, Riku discovered that Sora began crying for reasons unknown. He suggested to Sora that someone was calling out to him asking for help, and that he should open his heart and listen.
Deep within his heart, Sora encounters Ven's heart, having followed their connection back to his heart. Sora was the newborn heart Ven had encountered years ago, the same heart that helped Ven obtain another chance at life. This time, Sora allowed Ven to rest within his heart, until he would be able to return home.
With the sadness having dissipated, Sora smiles to Riku, happy that he was able to help someone, and the two of them spare one last gaze towards the sky, watching the stars twinkle unwaveringly.
