Destiny's Marked: Chosen (Book 1)

The Sky: Falling

Aria blinked.

Silently, she summoned Heaven's Wing and stiffly pointed it at the door, I should be able to do it. Sora unlocked it around a year after he first summoned his keyblade. The blonde pictured a stream of light stretching from the end of her keyblade to the keyhole in front of her.

But nothing happened.

She placed her second hand on the handle of her keyblade, willing the stream of light to appear. The keyblade remained lifeless. She lowered her keyblade, staring down at it with furrowed brows, I've had this keyblade for nearly three years now... Why isn't it working?

"It's ok, lassie." Scrooge interrupted her troubled musings with a sad sigh. "It was worth a shot. Thanks anyways, dearie, I'll just figure something else out."

Aria didn't respond, just dismissed her keyblade after a moment. All she could do was step away slowly. An empty feeling settled in her stomach. I have been in this game for over 3 years... And I can't open a measly door? I didn't stand a chance against Vanitas either. What. Have. I. Been. Doing? Aria just couldn't stand there anymore. So she ran away.

~~~~

The skin where the drawn ribbon wound the keyblade on her right wrist was nearly numb from the constant tracing Aria did as she stared blankly at the inscribed word "Light". Her legs swung slowly back and forth from her position on a stack of boxes next to a stone arch that led into another part of the town.

"You seem upset, my dear."

Aria immediately pulled her arms closer to her as her head shot up in surprise, shoulders tensing.

Merlin, in his blue robed and long beard glory, stood across the way, leaning on his cane in front of his house.

Aria let out the breath she didn't know she was holding, giving him a polite smile, "Just a bit." She looked back at her forearms, "I've been in training for a while now, and I found out- ... I guess you could say I haven't progressed as fast as most."

Merlin raised a brow, "So you're giving up? Or did that ruffian from earlier spread the word about my book?"

"Oh," Aria shook her head, "No, I didn't come here for a book- just to get away to think for a second. And what do you mean by ruffian?" The blonde chuckled with a raised brow. Merlin marched over to her, waving his cane about erratically, "This tall, dark haired fellow rushed by, nearly running into me and then once hearing I had a book that would increase his strength, he demanded for me to give it to him. Threatened me with magic. Pah!" The old wizard smiled wickedly, "That boy's so-called magic couldn't change an apple into a flea!"

"I thought I recognized you." The female narrowed her gaze, "You're the wizard Merlin, aren't you?" Merlin straightened, pleased, "Why yes, my dear, I am the great wizard Merlin. I can only assume you are from another world, having never seen you here before and by your armor. Aria subconsciously glanced at the metal on her shoulder at his comment and nodded, jumping down to stand in front of him, "My name is Aria. I've read a few of your books my master had been able to get."

"Ah, you have, have you?" The old man's fury subsided as interest took over. He paused for a moment before nodding, "Your magical defense is rather refined; you must have read a few volumes of my 'Using Magic... Defensively' series."

"Volumes 2 and 5." Aria nodded, "Always bugged me that I didn't get to read all of them, but there's something to be said for learning by experience, right?"

An intelligent gleam shone in Merlin's eye, "Right you are, young lady, right you are..."

After a pause in the conversation, Aria decided to ask, "Speaking of books, you mentioned a specific book? That Ter- 'that ruffian' was trying to get?" Merlin's contemplative composure flipped to one of cheer, "Ah! It was a book given to me by a friend. It had been torn apart page by page at one point, unfortunately, so my friend had me fix it. I just finished it when that man came rushing past. It is a book that allows a person to become even stronger with half the time."