Scala ad Caelum: Difference between revisions

'''Scala ad Caelum''' ({{LangLat|{{w|Jacob's Ladder|Stairway to Heaven}}}}) is a world that appears in ''[[Kingdom Hearts Union χ]]'', ''[[Kingdom Hearts III]]'' and ''[[Kingdom Hearts Dark Road]]''. For gameplay purposes, it is recognized as part of the [[Keyblade Graveyard]] in ''Kingdom Hearts III''; however, in ''[[Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind]]'', it is recognized as its own world.

Later in time, Xehanort is born in this town and given away to a cloaked person, who takes him to [[Destiny Islands]]. After growing up on Destiny Islands, Xehanort encounters his future heartless as a hooded figure, who sends him back to Scala Ad Caelum to train to become a Keyblade Master.

Xehanort meets and befriends Eraqus and the two become close, enjoying playing the chess-like game Alba & Ater. One day two years prior to Dark Road, while playing [[Alba & Ater]], Xehanort asks Eraqus about the ancient [[Keyblade War]], which Eraqus claims is their master's favorite story. However, when Xehanort mentions the "Lost Masters" who actually started the war, Eraqus feigns ignorance, and Xehanort remains unconvinced. Xehanort muses on how on the land where the Keyblade War was fought, darkness will prevail and light expire, looking up at [[No Name]], while Eraqus counters him by claiming that the light might surprise Xehanort and prevail, and Xehanort expresses interest in this possibility.

One week before Dark Roads, Eraqus meets Baldr outside, who expresses his concern over his sister's upcoming Mark of Mastery Exam. Baldr says Hoder made it sound like she would not return but Eraqus comforts him saying that the exam couldn't be that dangerous.

A young [[Xehanort]] finds his way back to Scala ad Caelum thanks to the actions of his own time-traveling Heartless and lands unconscious in that world. There he studies the Keyblade and its lore under [[Odin]], along with his classmates [[Eraqus]], [[Vor]], [[Bragi]], [[Urd]], [[Hermod]], and Baldr. As lower-classmen, they are aware that other worlds exist, but are forbidden from visiting them. When the upper-classmen disappear during their Mark of Mastery exam, Master Odin orders the remaining students to leave Scala ad Caelum and venture forth to other worlds in search of the missing students.

During their search they encounter the Upperclassman Vidar who tells them he has a mission to complete and asks them to join him, with only Vor agreeing. Upon returning to Scala Ad Caelum, the remaining classmates debate on what to do, with Eraqus and Bragi leaving to find Vor, and Xehanort, Urd and Hermod, continuing with the investigation. After learning of Vidar's attempt to summon Kingdom Hearts, the classmates all return to Scala Ad Caelum to inform Master Odin. Master Odin reveals the nature of Kingdom Hearts as a means to purge all worlds and that Vidar is attempting to summon it as a means to vanquish Darkness. In a flashback it is revealed Vidar returned to Scala Ad Caelum after the deaths of Heimdall, Helgi, Sigrun and Hoder to say goodbye to Master Odin, who revealed to Vidar the story of the Seven Lights and Thirteen Darknesses. Wondering what to do next, the classmates are met by Baldr who reveals that his secret mission was a cover up by Master Odin, and that he had actually witnessed his sister death and was recovering in the infirmary. He then proceeds to tell them of a way to speak to Hoder by reaching the Underworld and takes them there.  

After Master Odin rescues Xehanort and Eraqus from the Corridors of Darkness, they tell him about meeting Baldr, before Scala Ad Caelum is attacked by Heartless. Master Odin takes the No Name Keyblade saying he'll evacuate the remaining students and for the pair to stay in the classroom. However Xehanort reveals to Eraqus that Baldr is behind everything, having succumbed to Darkness because of the death of his sister, and the two leave to find him. Outside the pair encounter the remaining Upperclassmen, who've abandoned their attempt to summon Kingdom Hearts but Eraqus insists on fighting them before Xehanort puts a stop to it. Vidar reveals Vor has gone to find Master Odin before Baldr appears and sets Heartless on the students before going off to find Vor. The Upperclassmen race after Baldr with Xehanort and Eraqus in toe. Meanwhile Vor comes face to face with Baldr and is forced to fight him before being rescued by the Upperclassmen. However Baldr gets the upper hand and kills them all leaving only Xehanort and Eraqus left. Baldr tells the pair to meet on the roof of the tower, where he explains that he planned the deaths of all the students in order to sacrifice thirteen Lights to Darkness and summon Kingdom Hearts. He had planned to coax Vidar into summoning Kingdom Hearts but Vidar got cold feet and abandoned the attempt so he had to take matters into his own hands. When Eraqus asks why he was willing to summon Kingdom Hearts when the Darkness in him would be destroyed, he says that once the worlds are purged, everything will be reborn from Darkness.

Xehanort and Eraqus battle Baldr and as it reaches its climax, Baldr envelops himself and Xehanort in Darkness where he attempts to reason with Xehanort. However Hoder appears having asked Xehanort to conceal her dying heart in side his in order to try and reach her brother. Master Odin also appears and traps Baldr with the No Name Keyblade. Unfortunately Hoder's attempt fails and she fades away, leaving Xehanort to deal the finishing blow.  

One month after Dark Road, Xehanort and Eraqus meet in the graveyard to put flowers and everyone's graves. Eraqus mentions that they will be put though their Mark of Mastery Exam soon and that Master Odin is thinking of retiring. After the pair leave, a hooded figure appears, revealing themselves to be Bragi, who laments that he'll have to disappear for a while since everyone thinks he's dead.

Six years after Dark Road, Xehanort and Eraqus pass their Mark of Mastery Exam, with Eraqus receiving the Master's Defender Keyblade and Xehanort receiving the No Name Keyblade. However soon after the pair have a falling out and leave Scala Ad Caelum going their separate ways, not meeting again for nearly fifty years.