Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

Helios turned to Maleficent, his curiosity piqued. "Do you have any idea what's going on inside that barricaded lab?"

Maleficent's sly smile widened. "Since I am in such a good mood," she said, her voice dripping with mock benevolence, "allow me to show you a spell that might satiate your curiosity."

She raised her staff, its green orb glowing ominously, and with a deliberate wave of her hand, an image began to form within its swirling depths. The image was blurry at first, swirling in indistinct patterns of light and shadow.

"This spell is called scrying," Maleficent explained, her tone almost instructional. "It serves two purposes. The first is to locate something or someone. The second is to reveal the image of any location the caster is familiar with. Both, of course, require a suitable medium. An object with a clear surface like a glass orb or water."

Helios watched intently as the image sharpened, his mind already analyzing the spell. When the picture finally became clear, his breath caught.

The view revealed Isa and Lea, unconscious and strapped into what appeared to be lifeboat-like machines. The apprentices worked feverishly around them, adjusting controls and preparing the devices. When the machines activated, the process was unlike anything Helios had seen before. There was no prolonged separation of heart and body—Isa and Lea simply vanished in an instant.

"That's new," Helios muttered.

Maleficent's smirk deepened but she said nothing, allowing him to focus on the scene. Even's triumphant laughter echoed through the orb as he declared, "We've done it! The process is perfected!"

Suddenly, a loud bang shook the barricaded doors in the lab. Braig's voice cut through the commotion. "That door's not going to hold! Let's get this over with already."

Xehanort stepped forward, his calm demeanor unwavering. "Braig, Dilan, and Aeleus—you're next."

The three stepped into the machines without hesitation. As the devices activated, their forms vanished, one by one, into the ether.

Even and Ienzo quickly followed. Xehanort, meanwhile, approached the console and typed some code, he then pulled out a strange gray orb from his coat. He placed it delicately inside one of the machines before strapping himself in. As the process began for Xehanort, the barricaded door burst open, and Heartless flooded the room.

Helios didn't wait to see what happened next. He immediately opened a dark corridor to the lab, stepping through just as Maleficent joined him, her presence trailing ominous green and black flames.

The lab was a scene of chaos. The machines were still humming with residual energy, the Heartless already tearing apart the equipment in their relentless assault. Helios rushed to the console, ignoring the chaos around him. His fingers flew over the keys as he tried to discern the last input commands.

The console displayed nothing useful—just a delayed startup command. There were no logs about the strange gray orb or its purpose. Helios sighed in frustration, muttering under his breath. Whatever Xehanort had done, it was beyond Helios's immediate comprehension.

"Well," Helios said, straightening, "it seems our deal is concluded."

Maleficent surveyed the destruction with a satisfied expression. "Quite," she said, her voice rich with amusement. "This castle shall serve me well." With that, she turned and walked away, her entourage of Emblem Heartless following closely.

As soon as she was gone, Helios turned back to the console, pulling out the hard drive he had brought with him. He quickly began copying all the data on the lifeboats, Nobodies, and Heartless. This was the first of the two objectives he needed to complete before leaving Radiant Garden.

With the data transfer complete, Helios spotted a nearby data disk, the label catching his eye. Grabbing it, he inserted it into the machine and entered the password: "Another." He then typed in six additional passwords—the original names of the six apprentices. The console beeped, and a section of the lab floor shifted, revealing a hidden passage beneath the Heartless Manufactory.

Helios descended the long, spiraling staircase cautiously, his Keyblade ready in case of unexpected surprises. The air grew colder the further he went, the faint hum of machinery echoing off the walls. At the bottom, he found himself in a long hall, its walls lined with electronically locked doors bound by chains.

At the end of the hall was a room unlike any other. It was sparse, almost ceremonial, with a single throne-like seat at its center. Helios's eyes were immediately drawn to the Keyblade and armor displayed reverently on a pedestal. He recognized them instantly—these belonged to Aqua. Here was his second objective.

Helios' hand hovered over the armor for a moment before he gently picked it up. The Keyblade, too, felt heavy in his grasp, its presence almost rejecting him.

Helios opened another dark corridor, stepping back into the lab above and carefully sealing the secret passage before he left. With his objectives completed, he activated the corridor again, returning to Merlin's cottage.

Back in his room, Helios placed Aqua's armor and Keyblade on the desk beside him. Sitting down, he connected the hard drive to his personal console and began combing through the data he had copied from the lab. There was a wealth of information—schematics, test logs, theories, and much more.

Kurai's voice broke the silence. "Satisfied now? Or do you still feel like you're missing something?"

Helios didn't look away from the screen. "Xehanort's too meticulous to leave everything behind. That gray orb—it's something important. Something I don't have context for yet."

Kurai chuckled, its tone teasing. "And yet you took your prize, didn't you? The armor and the Keyblade. Sentimental, are we?"

Helios shot a glare at the shadowy figure. "Sentiment has nothing to do with it. These will be useful later when I search for Aqua."

Kurai's laughter faded into a low hum, leaving Helios alone with his thoughts. Helios stepped out of his room, as he walked into the main living area of Merlin's cottage, he stopped short at an unexpected sight: Skuld, sitting nervously across from Sephiroth, carefully pouring tea into a delicate cup.

Sephiroth sat in his usual predatory grace, his piercing eyes fixed on Skuld as though dissecting her every move. The sight was oddly domestic, yet tinged with an unmistakable tension that made Helios's brow furrow.

"I didn't think tea parties were your thing," Helios remarked, his tone dry as he approached.

Skuld glanced up, relief flashing in her eyes at Helios's arrival. "He was just… sitting here when I came out," she explained, her voice a bit rushed. "I thought it'd be polite to offer him tea."

Sephiroth smirked faintly, lifting the teacup with an elegance that contrasted with his imposing presence. "Quite the hospitable gesture," he said, taking a slow sip. His gaze flickered to Helios, assessing him in silence.

Helios decided to skip the banter. "We're ready to leave," he announced, his tone brisk.

Skuld set the teapot down, a hint of confusion crossing her face. "What about that lady Maleficent?" she asked hesitantly.

"She's decided to stay," Helios replied. "She has the castle and her plans. She doesn't need us anymore, and we don't need her."

Skuld's eyes widened slightly. "Are you sure? She might—"

"She's staying," Helios interrupted, his voice firm. "And we're leaving. No more delays."

Sephiroth's smirk deepened, the faintest hint of amusement in his expression. "Leaving, are we?" he drawled. "And where, pray tell, are you planning to go?"

Helios met Sephiroth's gaze steadily, refusing to be intimidated. "Somewhere far from here. This world will soon fall to darkness, there is no reason to stay."