Helios stood near the center of the study where blue glyphs circled the floor, slowly rotating like the rings of some celestial map. Around him gathered Aqua, Skuld, Kurai, Thalen, Circe, Helga, and their two mentors—the Fairy Godmother and Merlin himself. The air was still, the kind of stillness that waited for orders.
"When did you put this in? Also, how do I make one for myself?" asked Helios as he marveled at the room.
Merlin stroked his beard as he eyed the glowing symbols. "A bit of theater never hurts," he said. "Though I do wonder if you intend to scare them or inspire them. As for making one, sadly your understanding of magic outside of attack variety is quite underdeveloped."
"That's a shame. I plan to do both, ideally," Helios murmured.
The glow intensified as he raised a hand. Threads of light branched outward from the glyphs, drawing the two orbs or magic. The two glowing spheres appeared in the air—pulsing faintly with distinct colors: one emerald and the other deep indigo. Helios, having seen Maleficent make this, attempted his own. It was a pretty simple spell, mixing a memory spell with a projection spell, and he managed to produce a crimson orb.
Helios began, voice measured. "Three worlds. Three objectives. And three paths we'll take at the same time."
He paced slowly as he spoke, the lights brushing over his jacket, turning his aqua blue hair a faintly lighter shade of blue. "We've dealt with the Heartless for a long time, but they're changing. Stronger. Smarter. In Spiritwoods, we saw them adapt mid-battle with the Tusker. In Atlantis, Rourke evolved, turning into a heartless without losing his heart. That doesn't happen naturally."
He paused, glancing at Aqua, then Skuld. "Something is driving these evolutions and changes. I intend to find out what."
Merlin's brows furrowed. "And to do that, you intend to divide your group? I fail to see what this has to do with that."
"Yes," Helios said, his tone absolute. "We'll cover three fronts. Each world carries something crucial to slowing the spread of darkness—if we can earn the trust of the people in these worlds."
He gestured to the first orb, the one glowing emerald green. The light rippled, revealing visions of a land drenched in rain and curved rivers. Stone cities shimmered with dragon motifs, and luminous canals wound through flooded valleys.
"The first world—Kingdom of Rain," Helios said. "Its people believe in dragon spirits—guardians of balance. Their power flows through an artifact called the Dragon Gem. It's not just a relic. I believe it might be the world's heart. When it falters, the rain stops, and the land begins to die. It seems the heartless are attacking, searching for it."
Skuld watched the image flicker—villages crumbling, clouds thinning into darkness. "That's horrible," she whispered.
"It is," Helios agreed. "But the Gem can't be stolen so easily. It answers only to those the world itself trusts. Its strength is unity." His eyes met hers for a moment. "Which is why you'll go there, Skuld—with Kurai."
Skuld blinked. "Me? With her?"
Kurai didn't react, only crossing her arms. Helios didn't flinch. "You've both worked together before. You balance each other well in how you fight when you're not arguing. You'll need that balance where you're going, trust me."
Skuld opened her mouth to protest, then sighed. "If you say so."
He moved on before she could argue further. The second orb shimmered to life, casting faint turquoise ripples across the room. Waves rolled over its surface, revealing islands bathed in moonlight, their sands glowing emerald beneath the stars.
"The second world," Helios said, "is called the Heart of the Ocean. A living sea ruled by an island goddess who embodies creation and renewal."
He let the vision play out—mountains rising from water, lush forests forming in her wake. "At the center of this world lies the Heart of Te Fiti. It's the goddess's own core—a gem of life itself. It governs fertility, creation, and harmony. When disturbed, the world fractures into storms, darkness, and decay."
Aqua studied the image, hands folded. "It's a living heart," she said quietly. "Like a miniature Kingdom Hearts."
"I guess it's similar," Helios admitted. "But while the Dragon Gem sustains balance, the Heart of Te Fiti restores what's lost. Together, they could help me come up with a way to battle the darkness—if they consent to lend their strength."
Circe whistled softly. "Borrowing the hearts of worlds… You don't aim low. Seems like I made the right choice in tagging along."
Helios smiled faintly. "A little ambition never hurt anyone."
Aqua tilted her head. "You said we must earn their cooperation, not claim it. How?"
Helios looked toward her with calm certainty. "By being yourselves. These worlds and the people who live in them judge by spirit and heart, not strength. If the heart senses kindness and purpose, it will open to you. If not…" His tone darkened. "It will reject you outright."
Kurai scoffed softly from her corner. "So. Diplomacy instead of domination. How dreadfully quaint."
"Sometimes hearts work more than weapons," Helios replied.
Aqua crossed her arms, thoughtful. "And the third?" she asked. "Where are you going?"
The final orb pulsed weakly—darker than the others, faintly violet at its edges. Within it, they saw a still horizon of dark water meeting a pale sky. Waves rose and fell in slow motion, glimmering with fragments of shattered worlds.
"Back to the Dark Meridian," Helios said quietly. "The shoreline in the Realm of Darkness, where the sea never sleeps and time almost stops. It's filled with echoes—lost places, broken memories. I need to see in there are any changes in the..."
"The heartless?" Aqua said immediately.
"Yes," he nodded. "They're behaving differently. They're adapting faster than anywhere else. Whatever's causing their change—whatever's rewriting their behavior—it starts there."
Skuld frowned, eyes softening slightly. "You're going there alone?"
He smiled gently. "Someone has to. If we're to understand what's happening, I need firsthand data. You've all got worlds that still operate without any time mishaps. The Dark Meridian barely does that."
She hesitated, her worry tangible. "I don't like it. You could be stuck there for years."
"I know," he said softly. "But I'll come back as soon as I can. You have my word."
Merlin cleared his throat, stepping forward with two ornate rings floating between his palms. "Then I suppose you'll all need these—communication charms that will key to each individual's heart. Touch them to your heart when you need to reach each other."
The Fairy Godmother waved her wand, ribbons of soft white light encircling each of them. "And protection spells," she said kindly. "They'll remind you that light answers even the darkest abyss."
Skuld accepted hers, still frowning. "So… the plan is to just find these artifacts and hope the people or thing holding it trusts us?"
"Not hope," Helios corrected. "Listen. Trust isn't easy to cultivate, but I know the two of you can reach others. I've seen you do it. Even the hearts of goddesses and dragons are the same as ours. They respond to honesty. Be true to yourselves, and they'll respond in kind."
Aqua gave a subtle nod. "And if they don't?"
Helios's smile thinned. "Then we'll find another way."
He looked to each of them in turn—Aqua, Skuld, Kurai, Thalen, Circe, Helga. The room's light reflected across their faces, each marked by its own brand of resolve.
"You'll each have to earn the people's trust," he said quietly. "Don't go there, look for treasure, just be yourselves. Skuld, Aqua… the worlds you're heading to are alive with so many hearts. And both of you have something that they understand better than anything else. Something I could never give them."
Skuld blinked. "What's that?"
"Hope," Helios said simply.
The Fairy Godmother clasped her hands together. "How beautifully put, dear."
Merlin nodded approvingly. "A fine speech, from someone who still owes me an explanation on how my house in Radiant Garden became a halfway house for dark beings."
"Later," Helios replied dryly.
Helios turned from the glowing spheres, their light still reflecting in his eyes. "Before we depart," he said, tone steady, "I need to prepare a few things. There are some calibrations and… arrangements to make."
Kurai's expression sharpened immediately. "You mean more secrets."
"Precautions," he corrected gently.
Without waiting for further questions, she snapped her fingers. Darkness coiled at her feet like smoke as she rushed to stand in front of Helios, forming the mouth of a corridor beneath them. "Then let's get this over with."
Helios smirked at Kurai as they fell through. The shadows swallowed them whole.
Merlin hummed disapprovingly and the Fairy Godmother only sighed softly, her kind eyes flickering with quiet worry.
They emerged in the familiar ruins of Radiant Garden—a place once filled with light, now half reclaimed by nature and the faint glow of heartless eyes.
Kurai folded her arms, gaze distant. "I still hate this place even after the improvement."
"I know," Helios said, stepping ahead to the broken courtyard that overlooked Ansem's research tower and castle. The wind moved through the empty halls like a whisper.
For a long moment, neither spoke. Then Kurai broke the silence.
"So. The Realm of Darkness," she said coldly. "Tell me—how long are you planning to keep pretending this isn't a suicide trip?"
Helios's eyes flickered faintly, but he didn't answer right away. He traced a finger over the railing, where a faded sigil of the old Radiant Garden crest was carved. "You've seen the Heartless," he said quietly. "They're evolving. The eye has something to do with it, and it's been interfering in all the world we go to. We can't ignore it. That's why I want to see if it's after me or you. So I proposed we split up and venture to different worlds."
"Spare me the justification," she snapped. "We both know what's really waiting there."
Her tone darkened. "Death by the Eye."
Helios turned toward her. The name lingered in the air like poison. The wind seemed to still.
"We saw it once," she continued, her voice low. "And we felt it again when it diverted that wormhole. You know what it means—it's seen us. It knows us. Not just our faces, not just our power. It knows our memories. Every secret, every fear, every thought."
Helios's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Kurai took a step closer, her presence sharp as a blade. "Even if we combined everything—your power, mine, Skuld's, Aqua's, the old man, the old lady, and those three useless brats—you, me, everyone—we'd still die. Instantly. So tell me, why in all the worlds would you walk into the Realm of Darkness knowing it's waiting for you?"
He finally looked at her. There was no arrogance in his gaze—only quiet, steady defiance. "Because maybe it doesn't want to hurt us yet."
Her eyes narrowed. "You're betting our lives and mission on a maybe?"
"I'm betting on a chance," he said softly. "If it wanted us dead, it had two perfect opportunities already. It didn't take them."
"That doesn't make it merciful," Kurai hissed. "That makes it curious. Curiosity fades."
He smiled faintly, the expression weary but sincere. "Then maybe I'll give it something worth watching."
She glared at him, but he could see it—the thin thread of fear behind her composure. He stepped closer until they stood almost face to face. "You're worried," he said quietly.
Her eyes went cold as ice. "Don't flatter yourself."
Helios's grin turned mischievous. "You are."
"I said don't…"
Before she could step back, he leaned in and kissed her—brief, deliberate, unexpected. Her eyes widened, completely thrown off guard. When he pulled away, her usual mask had cracked, leaving a flicker of stunned silence between them.
He smiled faintly. "A kiss for good luck. In case things don't work out for me."
Her voice dropped into a deadly whisper. "If you die, I'll kill you. Actually, if you come back, I'll still kill you for this."
"Fair trade," he said, turning toward the horizon where the broken tower stood silhouetted against the starless sky. "I'll make sure to run away."
The moment lingered—unspoken fear and reluctant trust held together by the thinnest thread of defiance.
Kurai finally exhaled, crossing her arms again. "You're still a fool."
"I know," Helios said, still facing the distance. "But someone has to be."
The wind shifted through the ruins. Somewhere far below, it hummed faintly.