With Aqua saved, she decides to go to Castle Oblivion to wake Ventus, with Sora and company in tow. Though Sora asks her if she could recover with Master Yen Sid instead, she is insistent, and uses the Master's Defender to transform the castle back into its former glory as the Land of Departure.
At the Land of Departure's throne room, Aqua runs towards Ven's comatose body. She tries to wake him up, but realizes that his heart has yet to return to his body. Just then, Vanitas appears, having realized that Castle Oblivion was merely a ruse to hide Ven. He decides to claim Ven's body for his own, but Aqua chooses to fight him on her own, deciding that since Sora had seen her as weak before, she wants to prove her strength.
After a brief duel, Aqua manages to hold her own, but Vanitas launches a dark fire spell at Ven. Aqua launches herself in its path and is knocked unconscious, and Vanitas prepares to stab her with his Void Gear Keyblade. At this, Sora attempts to intervene, but is launched into his Dive to the Heart. Ven's heart tells Sora that now it's his turn to go back. Though Sora claims that he hasn't found the power of waking, Ven reassures him that it was always with him from the start, causing Sora to use it to liberate Ven's heart. Back in reality, as Ven's heart returns to his body, he leaps out of the throne and charges at Vanitas, forcing him to flee. Finally, Sora and Ven meet, and Ven and Aqua reunite.
At the Mysterious Tower, seven Keyblade wielders- Sora, Riku, Kairi, Mickey, Ven, Aqua, and Lea- gather with Yen Sid. Reunions occur, with Aqua and Kairi reminiscing over their meeting at Radiant Garden and Lea being confused at how somehow, everyone knows everyone else and Ven's similarities to Roxas. Outside the tower, Aqua and Ven sit at the steps, catching up with the years and expressing hope over reuniting with Terra.
On Destiny Islands, Riku has a heart-to-heart with his replica. The replica explains that after his death at Castle Oblivion, his heart wandered the Realm of Darkness until he saw Riku in trouble, and claims that the reason why he's with Riku is because he still has unfinished business. Sora and Kairi, oblivious to Riku's conversation, finally share a paopu fruit together, and Kairi vows to protect Sora.
In Radiant Garden, Vexen plans to backstab the Organization under orders from one of Xehanort's chosen. He meets with Demyx, who was also "benched," and convinces him to join him because since they don't know each other and were both benched anyway, they're the perfect candidates. Relieved that he doesn't get to fight, Demyx goes to Ansem the Wise's study and brings forth a replica for Roxas to inhabit. He also brings along Ansem the Wise, who has an emotional reunion with Ienzo...
