Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

Sephiroth's expression remained eerily calm, almost amused, as he spoke, his voice low and cold. "You… you pulled me out, didn't you? Why would you disrupt something so… inevitable?"

Sephiroth's smirk was cold as he lunged forward, Masamune flashing in the morning light. Helios raised his Keyblade, barely managing to parry the blow. The force of the strike reverberated through his entire body, and he was pushed back, he struggled to maintain his stance. Sephiroth's gaze remained unflinching, his eyes sharp and predatory.

"Sephiroth, wait!" Helios called, his voice urgent. "This isn't necessary. I'm not your enemy—let's talk about this. Stand down!"

But Sephiroth's response was a mere narrowing of his eyes, and without a word, he vanished, only to reappear behind Helios in an instant. Helios spun around just in time to intercept another strike, the blade scraping dangerously close to his side. Sephiroth moved with inhuman speed, his form flickering like a shadow as he advanced, leaving Helios with barely any time to react.

Helios's heart pounded as he summoned dark lightning, channeling his energy into his Keyblade and slashing forward. The bolt crackled as it met Sephiroth, but the man merely tilted his head, unfazed, before raising a hand.

"Firaga Wall," he intoned, his voice low and almost serene.

Massive pillars of flame erupted around them, their heat intense enough that Helios had to shield his face with his arm. The flames sucked in the air around them, creating a swirling vortex that threatened to pull Helios toward the center. He fought against the pull, pushing back with a blast of Aero, using wind magic to resist the flames. But as he staggered back, Sephiroth was already upon him again, his blade descending in a deadly arc.

Helios managed to dodge, barely. The Masamune grazed his shoulder, and he hissed as he felt the sharp sting of pain and the warmth of blood seeping through his shirt. Gritting his teeth, he swung his Keyblade, casting Blizzaga in an attempt to freeze his foe, but Sephiroth sidestepped it effortlessly, leaving Helios's spell to crash into the ground, covering it in frost.

Sephiroth extended a hand, conjuring orbs of dark fire that hovered ominously around him. "Shadow Flares," he announced calmly, and the orbs launched toward Helios with deadly precision.

Helios leaped to the side, casting Protect to shield himself, but the Shadow Flares pierced through his defenses, each one striking him with the force of a small explosion. Pain seared through him as the dark flames licked at his skin, the shock of the impact leaving him momentarily stunned.

"Sephiroth… stop!" he tried again, his voice strained. "I don't want to fight you! I want to make a deal!"

But Sephiroth's expression remained unreadable, cold and detached. He lifted a hand to the sky, and with a flick of his wrist, he summoned meteors that revolved around him like a deadly halo. Helios's eyes widened as he realized what was coming.

"Meteor!" Sephiroth called, and the meteors shot toward Helios with blinding speed.

Helios threw up both hands, casting the new spell he had worked from reading Merlin's books Reflet with everything he had, forming a barrier around himself. The meteors collided with his shield, each explosion shaking the ground and sending tremors through his arms. The force was nearly overwhelming, and cracks began to form in his barrier. Just as the last meteor struck, his shield shattered, sending him flying back, tumbling across the ground until he managed to right himself.

Blood dripped from his lip, and his entire body ached. Every spell he tried, every ounce of strength he put into defending himself, seemed to be nothing more than a minor inconvenience to Sephiroth. Still, he forced himself to stand, gripping his Keyblade tightly.

Sephiroth tilted his head, as if studying him, then raised his hand again. This time, his entire form began to glow with a dark, ominous energy. Helios's heart skipped a beat, recognizing the telltale sign of a spell he'd only heard about—"Heartless Angel."

A dark halo formed above Sephiroth as he began to chant softly, his voice carrying a deadly finality. Helios knew what this meant; if Sephiroth completed the spell, he'd be completely drained of his strength, left helpless in the face of the legendary swordsman's next attack. Desperately, Helios summoned every ounce of speed he had, lunging forward, attempting to disrupt Sephiroth's concentration.

But as he drew close, Sephiroth's eyes snapped open, and in a flash, he vanished, reappearing behind Helios in a blur of motion. "Flash," he murmured, and before Helios could react, a rapid series of slashes cut into him, sixteen strikes delivered in the span of a heartbeat.

Helios felt each cut like a searing brand, and he staggered, barely able to keep himself standing as blood trickled down his arms and legs. His vision blurred, and his breaths came in shallow, ragged gasps.

"Enough… enough of this," he rasped, but Sephiroth merely raised his blade, his face devoid of mercy.

Helios summoned the last of his strength, dark flames gathering around his Keyblade as he cast Dark Firaga, hurling it toward Sephiroth. The flames exploded against the swordsman's form, but when the smoke cleared, Sephiroth remained unscathed, his smirk growing ever colder.

"Is that it? Is that all you have too show me?" he taunted, his voice calm as he launched into a deadly series of strikes, each one faster and more brutal than the last. Helios barely managed to block, his arms aching under the relentless barrage, but each block left him weaker, each dodge more desperate.

His body felt like it was on the verge of collapsing, and he knew he couldn't keep this up much longer. He'd exhausted nearly every spell he knew, every trick he'd learned, and yet Sephiroth remained untouchable, an unstoppable force of darkness and power.

"I… I didn't come here to die," Helios muttered to himself, forcing himself to stay upright, to keep his Keyblade raised even as his vision darkened.

But Sephiroth showed no mercy. With a powerful sweep, he knocked Helios's Keyblade from his hand, sending it clattering across the ground. Helios stumbled, his knees buckling as he fought to stay standing.

Sephiroth took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. Helios felt the weight of his stare, the cold, calculating intent that promised nothing but annihilation. With that, he raised the Masamune, the blade gleaming as he prepared to deliver the final blow.

But as the blade descended, Helios felt something within him stir—a flash of memory. His parents telling him to live. Within that, he found the strength to raise his arm yet again, summoned the keyblade back, and defended at the last second.

With a burst of energy, he raised his hand, channeling the light burning within him into a beam, and fired it at Sephiroth at point blank. The force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the valley, but the shield held, just barely.

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed as he regarded the shield with mild curiosity, his lips curling into a thin smile. "Interesting… you also possess the power of light within you, after all. A pity it is so weak. That weapon is also interesting."

Helios gritted his teeth, pushing himself back on his feet after the light explosion. "This is called a keyblade, Sephiroth. It is considered one of the mightiest weapons ever forged said to be able to shatter peace and bring great ruin."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, amused. "Really, then I'll be sure to use it very after I kill you."

Helios smiled as the conversation continued, "Sadly a keyblade chooses its wielder and even if you kill me I'm afraid you still won't be able to wield one. However, if you listen to my deal you may get a chance to become one of its wielders."

"You speak as though you have something to offer me, yet you stand on the edge of defeat, barely able to wield that 'mighty weapon' yourself," Sephiroth replied, his tone laced with disdain. "What makes you think you're in any position to bargain?"