PROLOGUE

STARTING IN DARKNESS

IT WAS AN IN-BETWEEN PLACE, NOT DARK, BUT NOT filled with light, either. Riku got up and quietly shook his head. Fog seemed to cover his mind.

“Where…am I…?”

He felt a faint light surrounding him. Or—it wasn’t quite light, but something more hazy. This was a strange place.

“Stay asleep.”

The low voice suddenly echoed over him.

Riku jumped to his feet. “Who’s there?!”

“You should remain asleep. Here in the place between light and darkness.”

“Between light and darkness…?” Riku repeated in a mumble, and then his eyes closed again.

He’d never heard of anything like this place. Light or darkness—that was what he knew. But neither?

“Wait—where’s the king?!” Riku shouted.

Since he closed the Door of Darkness with the king, he’d been wandering through this dim place. But together—he was sure they’d been together.

Then what…? Did I do something?

“The king is far away,” said the voice. “You should leave the fight against the darkness to him and sleep. Right now, the light of awakening will be too bright for you. It will only hurt you. Turn from the light and close your eyes.”

“You’re talking like I’m some kind of creature of the darkness.”

But it was true that he’d turned away from the light.

No—not from the light exactly. From Sora.

Because Sora shone too brightly…

And then, he became the hero of light, and I gave myself over to the darkness.

But I’m not just a creature of the dark.

“Do you want to know the truth?” the voice asked him.

Truth? …What could that even mean? Was there really any such thing as truth?

“Stay here, blanketed by the darkness, and sleep will protect you…forever.”

Riku stared out at the void and said nothing. That’s not my style…!

The moment he thought that, the air trembled, and the voice seemed to be laughing.

“So, you do want to know the truth. In that case…”

Out of the empty air, a single card fluttered to Riku’s feet.

“What’s this…?”

“It is a door to the truth. Take it, and your sleep will end as you take the first step toward the truth. But know this: The truth will bring you pain. Will you still go?”

Riku picked up the card, his mouth curving in a wry smile. “This seems like a boring place to take a nap, anyway.”

“There will be no return to the safety of sleep.”

“That’s fine with me.”

“…Well said, Riku,” the voice replied, sounding amused again. The world began to tilt and spin, and everything changed.