Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

Lea's eyes lit up with excitement, and he grinned from ear to ear. "A fire spell? Yes! Finally, something cool I can brag about!"

Isa's expression was more subdued, but Helios could see a glimmer of interest in his eyes. "Wind, huh?" he murmured, as if testing the idea out in his mind. "That could be useful. Thank you, Helios."

They found a quiet spot on the outskirts of the city, where they wouldn't draw too much attention. After passing channeling magic into the two allowing them to grasp the essence of the element. Helios then instructed them to stand a few paces apart, emphasizing the need for caution. "Alright, let's start simple," he began, turning to Lea first. "Fire spells are volatile, so you need control, and focus on the heat inside you. Imagine it as a spark that you're shaping into a flame."

Lea looked at Helios, clearly ready to try. "Alright, I've got this." He held out his hands, concentrating hard, though his expression quickly shifted from determination to mild frustration as nothing happened.

Isa raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you need more than just enthusiasm, Lea."

Lea shot him a playful glare. "I'm just warming up, okay?"

Helios chuckled, then demonstrated a basic Fire spell, conjuring a small, controlled flame in his hand. "Like this," he said, letting the flame flicker before extinguishing it. "Keep it small and steady to start. You'll work up to bigger ones later."

This was the first time he used a fire spell without relying on darkness but he found that he could easily do so by simply removing the darkness from his Dark Firaga.

Lea watched closely, his brow furrowed in concentration. This time, he seemed more centered, and after a moment, a tiny spark appeared at the tips of his fingers, flickering into a small flame. It wobbled uncertainly but held.

Lea's face broke into a grin as he looked at the small flame he'd conjured. "Hey! Look at that—I did it! Did see that Isa? Memorized my greatness."

Helios nodded approvingly. "Not bad for a first try. Seems you have an affinity for fire spells. Now keep practicing, and remember: don't let the flame get too big until you're ready. I'm serious I can't have you burning down anything."

Isa chuckled softly, a hint of pride in his expression. "Looks like there might be a fire caster in the making after all. Or maybe an arsonist. So rather than greatness it might be more infamy."

Lea's grin only grew wider as he extinguished the flame, looking at Isa with a teasing glint in his eye. "Haha real funny. Now let's see if you're as impressive with wind!"

Helios turned to Isa, demonstrating a basic Aero spell, a gentle but controlled gust swirling around his hand. "For wind, it's all about feeling the movement in the air around you. Imagine the wind wrapping around your fingers like threads and let it flow."

Isa closed his eyes, breathing in deeply, and Helios could see him focusing, as if he was feeling the air shift in response to his intent. After a moment, a light breeze stirred around Isa, gentle but distinct. He opened his eyes, the faintest hint of satisfaction on his face.

"Good," Helios said, impressed by Isa's composure and control. "That's the right way to start. Your affinity for wind is impressive, even I couldn't master it so quickly. With practice, you'll be able to shape it into a barrier or even a small vortex."

Isa nodded, his gaze thoughtful. "Thanks, Helios. I'll make good use of it."

The three of them spent the next hour practicing, laughter and banter filling the air as Lea experimented with his flame, nearly singeing his sleeve at one point, while Isa steadily strengthened his command over the wind. Watching them, Helios looked on with anticipation, he hated using these kids but like Kurai said he had something he wanted and he needed to focus.

Finally, as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a golden hue over the city, they decided to wrap up.

"That was amazing!" Lea exclaimed, practically bouncing on his feet. "Thanks, Helios. You'll be seeing more of these moves soon enough."

Helios smirked, feeling a sense of pride at their progress. "Just keep practicing, and don't push yourselves too hard. You don't want Merlin catching on that I'm sharing his lessons."

Isa nodded, giving him a genuine smile. "You've given us something valuable, Helios. Thank you."

They parted ways for the evening, each promising to practice and meet again soon. As Helios made his way back to Merlin's cottage, Kurai's voice echoed softly in his mind, observing with a tone that was half-amused, half-critical.

"You're playing with fire, Helios. Quite literally," it murmured. "So why did you teach them? Did you… remember that they may cost you dearly in the future. Attachment can weaken even the strongest hearts."

Helios's face hardened, though he kept his inner voice calm. "I haven't forgotten. But these skills—they serve a purpose, Kurai. Just like everything else."

Kurai's response was a dark, approving chuckle. "Sure as you say. Just don't forget I'm watching."

Afterward, Helios decided to head over to Cid's workshop. The sun was setting as he arrived, casting long shadows over the quiet streets. When he entered, he noticed immediately that Cid wasn't there—but his computer was still on, its screen displaying an intricate blueprint. Helios raised an eyebrow as he took a closer look, recognizing the Gummi Ship design on the screen. It was the Highwind, the ship that Sora would one day use, but as Helios examined the details, he noticed several components out of place. The ship, as it was, wouldn't handle well in open space, nor would it have the resilience it would need.

Sighing, Helios took a seat, his fingers moving over the keyboard as he adjusted the design. He sketched out structural improvements, modifying the ship's thrusters for better stability and adjusting the shield components to reinforce its durability. Piece by piece, the Highwind took on the appearance he remembered from his memories, the version that would withstand the trials of inter-world travel.

He became so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice the sound of footsteps behind him. Cid had returned and was standing quietly in the doorway, watching Helios work with a curious, appraising expression. When Helios finally leaned back and stretched, satisfied with his adjustments, he nearly jumped at the sound of Cid's voice.

"Well, kid, I gotta say," Cid drawled, walking into the room, "that's some mighty fine work. I like the design."

Helios tried to keep his surprise from showing, giving a casual shrug. "Oh, hey, Cid. Sorry, I didn't mean to mess with your plans. I just… noticed a few adjustments that might make the ship stronger and easier to handle."

Cid grinned, crossing his arms as he examined the blueprint more closely. "You call those a few adjustments? Kid, you just overhauled the entire design. And, I'll admit, it looks damn near perfect." He gave Helios a playful nudge. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you've done this kind of thing before."

Helios laughed it off, saying, "Beginner's luck, I guess." But he felt a sense of satisfaction as he watched Cid's approval.

"Well," Cid said, still grinning, "if this is what you do as a beginner, I can't wait to see what you come up with when you're a pro. Heck, you're practically a Gummi engineer already."

Helios chuckled, but deep down, he knew that his knowledge of this ship and the future it held had guided him.