Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

Helios's days settled into a brutal routine that tested the limits of his endurance and resolve. Every morning, he woke before dawn, the chill of the early hours doing little to prepare him for what lay ahead. His sparring sessions with Sephiroth were grueling, each one a painful lesson in the art of the blade. Sephiroth never held back, his strikes precise and merciless. Helios would fight with every ounce of strength and skill he could muster, only to find himself repeatedly overwhelmed. Each session ended the same way: Helios sprawled on the ground, bruised, bloody, and barely conscious, as Sephiroth walked away with a dismissive remark about his inadequacy.

Helios would drag himself to his feet, cast healing magic to mend his broken body, and clean the bloodstains before summoning a dark corridor to return to Merlin's cottage. There, he would bathe, patch himself up further, and steel himself for the next part of his day: dark magic lessons with Maleficent.

Her lessons were no less demanding. She pushed him to master the subtleties of manipulation, illusion, and transformation. Every spell required precision and intent, and she demanded perfection. Helios had no choice but to rise to her expectations. Once those lessons ended, he would retreat to the cottage's library, poring over Merlin's tomes in an attempt to balance his dark magic with light magic. This, too, was a slow and frustrating process. The light resisted him, as though reluctant to yield to someone so steeped in darkness.

By the time night fell, Helios's body was weary, but his resolve was unshaken. Each night, he would summon a dark corridor and materialize in Skuld's room, determined to make good on his promise to her. This night was no different.

As the shadows of the dark corridor receded, Helios stepped into the stark white room. Skuld was awake, sitting on the edge of her bed, her eyes lighting up the moment she saw him.

"Helios!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly. "You came back!"

"You came back," she whispered, her eyes wide with a mixture of relief and excitement.

Helios nodded, offering her a reassuring smile. "I promised, didn't I?" He took a seat on the edge of the bed, keeping his voice low. "Now, I know you have questions, but I need you to trust me and be patient. Things here… are slightly complicated."

Skuld tilted her head, her expression softening. "I don't know why, but… I feel like I can trust you," she said quietly. "There's something familiar about you."

She wasted no time, pelting him with a barrage of questions. "Who am I? How do you know me? What's going to happen to me? Are we friends? Do you know Isa and Lea? Can you—"

Helios chuckled softly, raising a hand to calm her. "Hold on, hold on. One question at a time," he said. "I'll answer everything, but let's start with the most important one."

Skuld paused, her brow furrowing in thought before she asked, "Who am I?"

Helios nodded, pleased with her choice. "That's a long story," he said, stepping closer. He held out his hand, and with a flash of light, his Keyblade materialized, the polished weapon gleaming in the sterile room. "Do you know what this is?"

Skuld tilted her head, studying the blade curiously. "It's… a key?" she guessed.

Helios smiled, dematerializing the Keyblade with a flick of his wrist. "Close. It's called a Keyblade, and it's more than just a key. It's a weapon, forged from the heart, used to fight creatures called Heartless. It also holds the power to open anything. A long time ago, Skuld, you could wield one too."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "I could?"

He nodded. "Yes, but only if your heart calls it. It's a part of you, Skuld. If you can summon it, it means that while your head might have forgotten your heart still remembers who you are."

Eagerly, Skuld mimicked Helios's earlier motion, holding her hand out as though expecting the blade to appear. Nothing happened.

Helios walked to stand beside her. "You have to call it with your heart, not just your hand. Focus. Imagine the blade in your grip, the weight of it, the light it brings."

Skuld closed her eyes, her brow furrowing as she concentrated. A faint light flickered at her fingertips, growing stronger until, with a burst of energy, her Keyblade appeared in her hand.

The weapon was beautiful: the Starlight Keyblade, with its rectangular blue guard, black handle, and silver blade adorned with a golden star and an intricate design. Skuld's eyes widened in wonder as she looked at the weapon, then at Helios.

"I did it!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with joy.

Helios clapped softly, his smile genuine. "You did. That means your heart is untouched by darkness. Xehanort hasn't managed to reach you yet."

At the mention of Xehanort, Skuld's expression darkened. "The researcher helping me? What does he want? And what do mean by darkness?"

Helios sighed, sitting down beside her. "Yes, Xehanort is one of the researchers keeping you here. He's trying to figure out how hearts work, how to manipulate them. If he succeeds… well, let's just say it wouldn't end well for you."

Skuld looked down at her Keyblade, her grip tightening. "But… I can fight him, right? With this?"

Helios hesitated. "You can, but I'd suggest we avoid that. That's why I'm here—to help you." He gestured to the cell door. "Do you want to leave this place?"

Tears welled up in Skuld's eyes as she nodded fervently. "I want to see the outside! I want to play with Isa and Lea one day… outside."

Helios walked over to the door, watching Skuld as she marveled at her Keyblade. Its soft glow illuminated the sterile walls of the cell, casting faint reflections on her wide, curious eyes.

"So," Skuld said hesitantly, looking at the glowing weapon in her hand. "You said this can open anything, right?"

Helios nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "That's right. It's more than a weapon; it's a key that can unlock any door, any barrier. But," he added, tilting his head, "you need to believe in it. It's not just the blade—it's your heart doing the unlocking."

Skuld looked at the cell door, then back at Helios. "You mean… I can open this door?"

Helios stepped back slightly, gesturing toward the door with a wave of his hand. "Why don't you give it a try?"

She hesitated, her grip tightening on her Keyblade. "How do I…?"

"Just point your blade at the door," Helios instructed, his voice calm. "Focus on what you want. Imagine the lock opening, the way forward clearing."

Skuld nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She turned to face the door, her arms trembling slightly as she raised the Starlight Keyblade. Her brow furrowed in concentration, and she whispered softly, "Please… open."

A moment passed, and then a beam of light shot from the tip of the Keyblade, striking the lock on the cell door. The room filled with a faint chime as the light settled into the mechanism. With a click, the lock turned, and the door creaked open, swinging outward as though it had been waiting for her all along.

Skuld gasped, lowering her Keyblade as she stared at the now-open door. "I did it," she whispered, her voice filled with awe.

Helios genuinely smiled softly, "You did." He then summoned his own Keyblade. He pointed it at the door, a dark beam of energy shooting from its tip and locking the door with an audible click. Skuld blinked in confusion.

"Before you ask," Helios said, turning to her, "I locked the door to hide our tracks. If you want to leave, all you have to do is say so." He summoned a dark corridor beside them, the swirling shadows casting an eerie glow across the room. "If you're ready, come with me."

Skuld hesitated for only a moment before standing, her Keyblade still clutched tightly in her hand. She stepped toward the corridor, her heart pounding in her chest. Helios extended his hand toward her, and she took it, her trust in him absolute.

The two stepped through the swirling shadows together.