Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

Lea and Isa exchanged uneasy glances, and for a moment, Helios wanted them to turn their backs on him right then and there. Lea's face softened, though, and he gave Helios a determined look.

"Hey, you think we're gonna just walk away after seeing something like that?" Lea said, his voice steady despite the tremor in his hands. "You saved us back there, and if these… dark things are after you, then all the more reason we stick together. We'll just have to get strong enough to fight them too, right, Isa?"

Isa frowned, his expression conflicted, but finally nodded. "We can't pretend we didn't see what we just saw. If those things are real, and they're drawn to you, then leaving you on your own isn't an option." He looked at Helios, his gaze sharp but honest. "Besides, if you're fighting them to protect us, we owe it to you to learn how to protect ourselves."

Helios felt an unexpected warmth at their words. He'd never expected such loyalty, especially after what they'd just witnessed. But Kurai's words echoed in his mind. For a moment, he wrestled with the urge to keep them close and save them from the path he knew he was destined to walk. However, ultimately he knew the best thing to do would be to push them away.

Helios looked into their eyes, their faces a mix of courage and fear, and clenched his fist as he forced out the words. "No," he said slowly, his voice sharp. "You two… you're too weak to try to protect me, let alone yourselves. That's why I can't stay with you."

Lea's face fell, and Isa's expression hardened, both of them taken aback by his words. But Helios continued, steeling himself against the look in their eyes.

"Listen," he went on, his tone merciless, "if you really want to be of any use to me, you'll need to become at least ten times stronger than you are now. Otherwise, all you'll do is slow me down."

Lea's jaw tightened, his expression a mixture of frustration and confusion. "What do you mean we'd slow you down? We can get stronger—just like you said!" His voice was laced with defiance, but there was a glint of desperation in his eyes that Helios wished he hadn't seen.

Isa's gaze, usually calm and steady, flickered with something sharper, more vulnerable. "After all that, you're just… leaving us behind?" he asked, his tone carefully controlled but hurt clearly visible.

Helios took a deep breath, his face hardening as he forced himself to deliver the blow that would sever their attachment. "Look, I'm dealing with things neither of you can understand. You're both weak, and tagging along with me is just going to get you hurt. I don't have time to babysit two liabilities." His words were sharp, deliberately cutting, and he watched as the light in Lea's eyes dimmed.

Lea opened his mouth to respond, but Helios turned his back on them before he could, forcing himself to walk away. "Go home," he called over his shoulder. "This is where we part ways."

With every step, Helios could feel their hurt like a tangible weight pressing on his back, but he forced himself to keep walking. It was the only way, he told himself. Attachments were dangerous, a weakness he couldn't afford.

As he walked away, Kurai's voice slithered into his mind, low and pleased. "Now that was an interesting performance. A bit dramatic for my tastes, but effective."

Helios's fists clenched at his sides, his heart pounding with a mixture of anger and regret. "I hope you enjoyed the show," he muttered, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

Kurai chuckled softly, the sound cold and indifferent. "Enjoyment isn't within my capacity," it replied, "but I do feel that this outcome is best. Attachments like those have no place in your world, Helios. Emotions are a dangerous indulgence."

Helios didn't respond. The words stung, but he knew, deep down, that Kurai was right. His parents' deaths were proof enough of the cost of attachment, and he couldn't afford to make the same mistake again. Lost in thought, he hardly noticed his surroundings until he accidentally walked into something—someone—solid.

The impact jolted him, and he stumbled back, nearly losing his balance. A firm grip on his arm stopped his fall, and he looked up to see a man towering over him. The stranger had long, brown hair and piercing blue eyes that held an intense, almost cold gaze. He wore a black leather jacket with baggy sleeves, red wings emblazoned on the back, and a silver pendant around his neck, shaped like a strange creature's face—a lion, perhaps.

Helios recognized him immediately. This was Leon, the stoic leader of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee in the future. He'd always admired Leon's strength, leadership, and most importantly his gunblade. Though now he could feel the weight of the man's gaze bearing down on him.

Leon's grip on Helios's arm was firm but impersonal, his expression unchanging as he released him. "Watch where you're going kid," Leon said, his tone cold, almost dismissive.

Helios quickly steadied himself, meeting Leon's gaze with a respectful nod. "I apologize," he replied, doing his best to keep his voice calm and neutral.

Leon studied him for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly before he released Helios's arm and turned to walk away without another word. Helios watched him go, feeling the encounter settle heavily on him. He had barely processed his interaction with Lea and Isa, and now he'd run into another key figure. He headed back to Merlin's cottage.

Meanwhile, deep within the castle, a lab was illuminated by the soft glow of machinery and the faint green light of a containment tube. Inside the tube, a Shadow Heartless floated, its eyes glowing ominously as it drifted within the containment field. The creature's inky black form seemed almost alive, pulsing faintly as it occasionally twitched or shifted.

Even stood before the tube, his expression a mixture of fascination and excitement. Xehanort stood beside him, watching with an intense, focused gaze as they observed the creature contained within. The Heartless, one of those drawn to Radiant Garden by Helios's presence, had managed to separate from the others, instinctively drawn toward the strong hearts within the castle itself. It had nearly overwhelmed the guards Dilan and Aeleus before Even and Xehanort had subdued and contained it.

As they watched the creature, the door to the lab opened, and Ansem the Wise entered, his gaze falling on the strange sight before him. Ansem wore a periwinkle lab coat, different from his apprentices' coats only in color, and a red coat draped across his shoulders like a cape. His long, slicked-back blond hair and short goatee gave him an air of authority, and his bright orange eyes, while usually warm, held a wary edge as he looked at the Shadow.

Ansem's voice was measured, calm but edged with concern as he addressed his apprentices. "What… is this creature?" he asked, approaching the containment tube with caution.

Xehanort glanced at him, his expression impassive. "We believe it to be a being composed purely of darkness," he replied. "Its form suggests an existence rooted in negative emotions and desire, a manifestation of the darkness that lurks within the hearts of all beings."

Ansem's brows knitted together as he studied the creature, his gaze sharpening. "Pure darkness… I've encountered concepts of similar creatures in ancient texts, but to see one… How did it come to Radiant Garden?"

Even adjusted his glasses, a glint of curiosity in his eyes. "We aren't certain, Master Ansem. However, its behavior suggests it's drawn to powerful hearts. Its reaction when it sensed us was immediate, almost instinctive."

Ansem crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful. "Interesting… though deeply troubling. A creature with the power to locate and seek out strong hearts could wreak untold havoc. It could manipulate or consume those it encounters."

Xehanort's eyes gleamed with a faint, almost unnoticeable hint of satisfaction. "Indeed, Master. This creature represents both a threat and an opportunity. By understanding it, we could learn to guard against such manifestations of darkness… or even harness its nature for the good of Radiant Garden."

Ansem's gaze turned sharply to Xehanort, his expression hardening. "Harness darkness? Xehanort, you know as well as I do that light and darkness are forces to be respected, not trifled with."

Xehanort bowed his head, his voice smooth and deferential. "Of course, Master. I merely meant that by understanding it, we may better protect ourselves."

Even nodded in agreement, his expression eager. "Think of what we could learn, Master Ansem. This Heartless, as Xehanort has suggested we call it, could hold the key to understanding the balance between light and darkness. It could even reveal how darkness spreads and corrupts."

Ansem's eyes narrowed. "The 'Heartless'? Why do you call it by such a name?"

Even responded, "Since this creature seeks out hearts we assume it needs it. So then we asked ourselves what type of being would require the heart of another. We came to the conclusion that this creature or Heartless has no heart so it seeks to take it from those who do."

Ansem's eyes narrowed, a hint of doubt flickering across his face. "The 'Heartless,' as you call it, represents a danger I am not willing to ignore. Its existence is proof that darkness is closer to us than we might believe." He turned to the two men, his tone firm. "I will allow you to study it, but I expect extreme caution. No experiments beyond observation. Am I clear?"

Xehanort and Even exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. "Understood, Master Ansem," Xehanort said, his voice respectful.

Ansem regarded the Heartless once more, a look of unease passing over him. "I will be monitoring your progress. Remember that we are guardians of Radiant Garden's peace, not tamperers with forces beyond our comprehension."

With that, he turned and exited the lab, leaving Xehanort and Even alone with the Heartless. As the door closed, Even leaned toward Xehanort, his expression eager and his voice low.

"Master Ansem's caution is understandable, but he fails to grasp the potential here," he said, his gaze shifting to the Heartless in the tube. "Think of what we could uncover if we could unlock the secrets of this creature's nature, its source of power."

Xehanort's eyes narrowed slightly, a calculating look in his gaze. "Indeed. But caution is required. We cannot afford to reveal our full intentions yet. Master Ansem would never understand the necessity of… deeper experimentation."

Even smirked, pushing his glasses up. "Indeed Master Ansem's fear of darkness blinds him. It is precisely because of that fear that we must proceed without his full knowledge. If we're to truly understand the potential of the heart, we can't afford to let fear dictate our actions."

Xehanort inclined his head, his expression unreadable. "We will proceed with the utmost care," he replied, a faint note of displeasure in his voice. "The heart is more complex than even Ansem realizes. It holds the keys to powers that could shape the future of all worlds."

They both turned their gaze back to the Heartless, its dark form pulsing faintly within the containment tube, as if sensing their attention. For a moment, a silence fell over the lab, the tension thick and heavy, punctuated only by the quiet hum of machinery.