Dilan

Dilan was one of the six apprentices to Ansem the Wise, and the original persona of Xaldin. He appears in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
''One of the Royal Guard who keep Radiant Garden safe. His savage looks belie a silver tongue and natural talent for manipulating the hearts of others.''

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Dilan appears with Aeleus, both guarding Ansem's castle in Radiant Garden. Ventus first encounters them while he is looking for Mickey Mouse, but they refuse to let him in saying that castle is closed. Dilan suggest that Ven should go home before the monsters get him. Aeleus then spots an Unversed, and both guards are about to charge. Ventus chases it, despite the guards protests. Both were about to join Ven, but Even comes and openly wonders what will become of the castle if they leave. Aeleus and Even begin to argue, but Dilan reminds Aeleus that the castle comes first and both resume their watch. letting Ven take care of the Unversed.

Later, Braig brings Dilan and Ansem to an amnesic Terra, along with the Keyblade and armor of a Keyblade wielder. Terra can only remember his possessor's name: Xehanort. While Braig takes Xehanort to the castle, Dilan carries the armor and Keyblade for Braig.

At the end credits, Dilan is seen throwing Lea and Isa out of the castle.

Between Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
About a decade prior to Kingdom Hearts, Dilan was still one of six apprentices to the ruler and scientist of Radiant Garden, Ansem the Wise, alongside Braig, Even, Aeleus, Ienzo, and Xehanort. Worried the Darkness in people's hearts would eventually consume his world, Ansem began performing tests on Xehanort's heart. Eventually, he created a laboratory in his castle's basement for such experimentation, by the urging of Ienzo. However, Dilan and the other apprentices had their own intentions for the laboratory, and began conducting inhumane experiments on the human heart and the darkness within it. Such experimentation led to the creation of Heartless. Ansem quickly discovered their secret experiments, and immediately ordered them to stop. One day, after being advised to review their research data by King Mickey, Ansem found that the effects of their experiments had become irreversible. Eventually, Dilan and the other five apprentices dabbled too deep into darkness through their continued experiments. Dilan, along with the others, was consumed by the darkness, producing a Heartless. However, the apprentices all had strong wills, and so Dilan also became his Nobody, Xaldin. The six Nobodies formed Organization XIII, and banished Ansem the Wise to the Realm of Nothingness.

Appearance
Dilan has been seen wearing a grey guard uniform with white cuffs and a red heart on the chest, identical to the one Aeleus also wears. Unlike Even or Aeleus, Dilan looks fairly different from his Nobody. While he shares Xaldin's long, black dreads, Dilan ties almost all of them back in a low ponytail, save for a single one that dangles in front of the right side of his face. His sideburns are different from Xaldin's and do not hook over his cheeks. His eyes are violet. Dilan has also been shown holding a single lance, as opposed to the six lances his Nobody possesses.