Summary
It all began long, long ago, in the age of fairy tales. The world was comprised of many small worlds, all connected, stretching as far as the eye can see. Protected by the light that is Kingdom Hearts, the worlds flourished and their people enjoyed peace and harmony. They believed Kingdom Hearts would watch over them and its light be everlasting, but should it disappear, all would be enveloped in darkness.
It was then that a group of Keyblade wielders took center stage: a wise and powerful master and his six apprentices, who sought to spread the teachings of light. The master, known henceforth as the Master of Masters, possessed incredible foresight thanks to the power of his all-seeing eye, which allowed him to gaze into the future and witness events despite not being physically present. Armed with the knowledge gained from this eye, he authored a tome called the Book of Prophecies.
The Book of Prophecies foretold of a devastating war in which Keyblade wielders from all corners of the world would gather to battle for the light within Kingdom Hearts. This fated clash would bring about the end of the world, as darkness prevails and the light expires. Understanding that the war would be impossible to prevent, the Master bestowed each of his apprentices with new names and special roles to prepare them for the events to come.
Ira would lead the other Foretellers and maintain the Master's teachings in the event of his absence.
Aced would support Ira as his second-in-command and ensure he stays on the right path. Should he deviate, Aced would take his place.
Invi would be the mediator, watching over the others with a fair eye.
Gula would be given a page that doesn't exist in other copies of the Book of Prophecies. This page outlines details of a traitor to the group - and Gula's duty would be to figure out who that individual is.
Ava would be find exceptional Keyblade wielders, regardless of their Union, and recruit them to a new organization. This group would escape from the impending darkness to a new world where they would keep the light alive. She would also receive a list of candidates to succeed the Foretellers as Union leaders, one of which would be given their own Book of Prophecies.
These five apprentices are given copies of the Book of Prophecies and told to establish separate Unions of Keyblade wielders so that they may maintain balance.
Luxu, the final apprentice, would receive the most important role of all. He'd be bequeathed the Master's very own Keyblade and instructed to pass it on through a line of successors. Embedded into the Keyblade is the Master's all-seeing eye, and it's through this process of succession that allows him to create the Book of Prophecies. Luxu is ordered to remain out of sight and merely watch everything that occurs. He is then given a mysterious black box with instructions not to open it under any circumstances and sent away, into the unknown.
Not long after that, the Master vanishes without a trace.
This is where your story begins.
You awaken as a new Keyblade wielder in Daybreak Town, the city of dawn. As a member of one of the five Unions, your job is to travel to other worlds and use the Keyblade to defeat dark beings known as the Heartless that threaten their existence. Doing so allows you to gather fragments of light known as Lux, which is used to drive back the darkness and maintain balance in the world.
Accompanying you is Chirithy, a Dream Eater created by the Master of Masters who is tasked with guiding you along your journey. Each Keyblade wielder is assigned their very own Chirithy with whom they share a close connection, so although you may not always understand his reasons, you know he only wants what's best for you. The trust you have in each other is unwavering.
Chirithy's sole purpose is to lead you towards the truth, but when he cannot show you the right path, he sends you messages through dreams. In one dream, you witness a meeting between the Foretellers and a mysterious figure in a Black Coat. Though you don't know the meaning of this dream, you are aware enough to realize that something greater is at play. The question is, where do you start looking? It's impossible for you to uncover the mystery on your own...
As if to answer your call for help, you meet and befriend a Player from a rival Union, Ephemera, who offers some unbelievable information for you.
The worlds you've been to and everyone you've met there are all fake; a simulation conjured up within a singular world for the sole purpose of collecting light without facing the difficulties of interstellar travel, and the powers you use to do so are summoned from elsewhere. And at the same time, you've never questioned anything that's happening around you, whether it be your goals, or the Foretellers you serve.
Ephemera has been trying to make some sense of the matter, but he hasn't been able to find any leads. Perhaps the dream you've witnessed may hold some answers? The first place to search would be the tower in the Foreteller's territory, in the room where your dream took place. You somehow manage to find a path to it after scouring the town, and the two of you make a promise to venture forward together. However, Ephemera decides to return to the waterways without you and ultimately encounters a figure in a Black Coat. He is never seen again.
Ephemera's disappearance gives you another reason to uncover the truth behind what's going on. Perhaps out of the grief of losing your friend, you even experience dreams of him, motivating you to probe deeper into the truth. By investigating various rumors through the network of players, you learn that he met with the Foreteller of the Vulpes Union, Master Ava, just before he vanished. Ava had been gathering elite Keyblade wielders without any connection to the Unions for unknown reasons, making her a prime suspect.
You track down Ava and confront her, but rather than give you an answer, she raises her Keyblade at you in battle. Needless to say, you are easily overwhelmed and fall back. But in truth, Ava has no intention of fighting and merely wants to show you just why you should not allow your sadness and rage to get the better of you. Doing so proves that you are not yet ready to learn the truth. The reckless behavior you exhibited by demanding a confrontation with a vastly more powerful opponent led to a quick defeat, but next time, you may not even be so lucky.
That night, Ava pays you and Chirithy a visit. She reveals that Ephemera has been transported to another plane known as Unchained and is attempting to communicate with you through the dreams you've had recently. The connection you share draws you closer to Unchained, but whether or not you can or will proceed to it depends entirely on you.
Filled with a newfound determination, you push yourself to become stronger, building a stronger resistence to darkness and obtaining new abilities, but despite such a significant improvement, you still haven't progressed enough to reach Ephemera. As if sensing that you need help, he turns to Skuld, one of his former party members. By communicating with Skuld through dreams, Ephemera tells her that the world is going to end soon, and that she must find and accompany you on your journey before that event can come to pass.
By the time Skuld finally finds you, things have already taken a turn for the worst. The Foretellers, driven by tensions between each other and the traitor that lies among them, have moved their conflict out of the shadows and into broad daylight, turning the once-calm streets of Daybreak Town into a raging battlefield. With the Foretellers now fully distracted, the dark forces that have laid in wait can finally act unopposed, starting by corrupting as many players as possible with the power of darkness and transforming them into hideous Lux-obsessed monsters, eager to claim the light for themselves.
Despite how dire the situation has become, you and Skuld refuse to waver. You decide to return to the waterways where Ephemera was last seen. If you are able to succeed where he failed and infiltrate the Foreteller's room within the tower, you may be able to uncover the truth behind what's happened. But when you arrive at the Foreteller's room, nothing appears out of the ordinary; no suspicious items, no signs of conflict, nothing.
It doesn't make sense. Why were you lead towards this place if there was nothing here?
Before you can come to a conclusion, you receive a shocking interruption. You've been caught in the act by the Foreteller1, demanding to know why you're in this forbidden place. Skuld admits the three of you had come in search of Ephemera, and they inform you that he had infiltrated the tower just a few days prior. Ephemera was gathering Lux in direct opposition to their Union and only befriended you to gather intelligence. When he was discovered, the Foreteller had him disappear.
Refusing to accept the loss of your friend, you decide to face the Foreteller. Ephemera was a precious friend, and for him to be snatched away so suddenly wasn't fair. Even if the anger and sadness forge darkness within you, you can't dispel it. Even if you fight the Foreteller for revenge, it won't give you any sense of peace. It doesn't matter if you lose, because you'd be fighting for what you believe in, and that's exactly what Ephemera would do.
You put up a good fight but the Foreteller dispatches you easily. As they deal the finishing blow, the environment changes and you find yourself back in the waterways, as if you had never left. The Foreteller reveals themselves to be Master Ava, disguised through the powers of illusion. Ava confirms that the world would be coming to an end. To combat this, Ava has been gathering and testing Keyblade wielders, regardless of their Union, and forcing them to battle under the temptation of darkness.
Those who are able to resist can join an elite group known as the Dandelions and move on to the next world, allowing the legacy of Keyblade wielders to live on in the Realm of Light.
Those who remain in this world have no choice but to clash with each other in a Keyblade War, caused by the Keyblade wielders who had been swallowed by the darkness.
Ava realizes she must remain and face the end of the world with the other Foretellers and will not be able to guide the Dandelions in the next world, but Ephemera, who had learned of the approaching disaster, could do so in her stead. Ephemera hadn't disappeared; Ava had simply sent him ahead to wait for the Dandelions in a safe place.
Now, the choice is yours. Your encounter with the Foreteller illusion proved to Ava that you and Skuld are worthy of becoming Dandelions. If you accept, you could reunite with Ephemera right now. If you don't, you will have no choice but to fight in the Keyblade War. Skuld readily accepts, but you can't help but hesitate. Ephemera may be important to you, but so are the other Keyblade wielders, and you just don't know if you can give up one for the other so easily.
