Deli Of Kingdom Hearts

The Mark of Mastery Exam

The next morning Ven and I ran as fast as we could to the main hall where Terra and Aqua's Mark of Mastery Exam was going to take place. We stood in a corner of the room next to each other, while Terra and Aqua stood in the middle of the room awaiting Master Eraqus's instructions. Master Eraqus was sitting on one of three chairs. The middle chair was unoccupied and in the other chair was a man I had never seen before. All I know is that his name is Master Xehanort. Master Xehanort appears as an old man, bald except for thin eyebrows and a curled, silver goatee. His ears are pointed and his eyes are yellow. He has broad, hunched shoulders and a crooked back. I know he's supposed to by a Keyblade Master, but something about him made me shiver. Like when I first met Terra, except it was darker.

Then Master Eraqus stood up from his chair and said, "Today you will be examined for the Mark of Mastery. Not one but two of the Keyblade's chosen stand here as candidates, but this is neither a competition nor a battle for supremacy, not a test of wills, but a test of heart. Both of you will prevail or neither. But I'm sure our guest, Master Xehanort, did not travel all this way to see our youngest prospects in years fall short of the Mark. I trust you are ready."

"Yes," said Aqua and Terra.

"Then let the examination begin," said Eraqus as he pulled out his keyblade.

Master Eraqus's keyblade was called Master Keeper, which is grey in coloration. It has the appearance of an old fashioned skeleton key, and the teeth are shaped like an "E". Its Keychain is the Mark of Mastery symbol. With it he summoned a bunch of balls of light, but something happened that made me shiver again. The balls of light were slightly covered in a dark shroud. I clenched my fists to my chest nervous of what might happen. As Aqua and Terra proceeded with the exam one of the balls came at us.

"Ven! Deli!" yelled Aqua and Terra.

Ven was faster than me and quickly pulled out his keyblade and struck down the ball.

"Don't worry about us," said Ven, "You two just focus on the Exam!"

"But Ven, you're in danger here," said Aqua, "Take Deli and go wait in your room!"

"No way we've been looking forward to this, seeing you two become Masters," said Ven, "We're not going to miss it now! Right Hao?"

"Uh, right," I said preparing for battle.

"They can take care of themselves," said Terra, "They've been training just as hard as us."

"Yeah!" said Ven.

"Stay sharp you two!" said Aqua.

"You ready Hao?" asked Ven.

"I...I don't know Ven," I said uncertain, "Maybe we should...."

"Don't worry Hao," said Ven, "I'll make sure you don't get hurt. Trust me."

I look at my keyblade, "Ok."

A couple of the balls came for us, Ven jumped ahead and attacked them. I held my Keyblade out in front of me, preparing to defend myself. Then a ball came charging for Ven, I quickly rushed behind him blocking the ball. I then slashed the ball with my keyblade, making it vanish.

"Thanks Hao," said Ven realizing what had happened.

I smiled then we heard a humming above us, it was another ball charging up for an attack. We looked at each other and nodded. Ven used his Aero to shoot me in the air as I struck it down from above.

When I landed Ven smiled, "That was awesome!"

I blushed covering my mouth with my hands, "You think so?"