A burst of light erupted from Helios’ body, the sharp radiance f Kurai to recoil. The shadow hissed, retreating just enough to avoid the worst of the light. Without hesitation, Helios summoned his Keybde, the ohereal glow filling the room as he leveled it at the being.

  Helios stood firm, his Keybde glowing faintly in the dim light of the room as he poi directly at Kurai. The creature’s shadowy form flickered, its eerie, glowing body flickered as it made a sound that could only be described as amusement. Kurai’s hands, semi-corporeal tendrils of darkness, retracted with a hiss.

  “You shouldn’t threaten me,” Helios said coldly, his voice steady but ced with steel. “Because if you do, I promise I’ll make yret it.”

  Kurai chuckled emotionlessly, the sound slithering through the air like a serpent. It moved closer, its shadowy form pressing against the tip of the Keybde until the glowing on was buried in its intangible chest. Its voice was smooth, taunting. “How, exactly, do you pn to do that?” it asked, tilting its head mogly. “I don’t feel regret, Helios. So tell me… how will you ‘make me’?”

  Helios clicked his teeth in frustration, his grip tightening on the Keybde for a moment before he desummo in a fsh of light. He turned away from Kurai, his to and final. “I’m going to bed. Don’t bother me.”

  Without waiting for a response, he moved toward the bed and y down, f his mind to ighe lingering tension in the room. Kurai remained silent for a moment, watg him with an unreadable expression before its form dissolved into a shadowy miasma. The tendrils of darkness slithered across the floor before surging toward Helios and merging into his body, retreating to the pce it usually hid within him.

  Helios exhaled slowly, his muscles still tense despite his words. He khat Kurai thrived on pushing his boundaries, testing his resolve. Tonight had been no different.

  Deep within the bowels of Radiant Garden, in the deissioned boratory of Ahe Wise, the air was thick with the hum of maery and the faint crackle of energy. At the ter of the b stood a rge experimentation tube, its drical gss glowing with an uling purple light. Ihe tube, a figure writhed in agony as their heart was slowly extracted by a series of meical arms and magical duits.

  Even and Xehanort observed the transformation with ical detat, their attention fixed on every detail of the process. The subjeside the tube—an orphan of Radiant Garde out a guttural scream as their form began to twist and ge. Their skin turned a dark gray, their body encased in a tight, dark purple bodysuit with jagged light purple sleeves. Their fingers extended into talons, their feet ed into spindly, two-toed monstrosities, and a pair of leather-like wings sprouted from their back, sharp and angur like spearheads. Their glowing yellow eyes and gaping, craggy maw pleted the horrific transformation into a Gargoyle Heartless.

  Braig leaned casually against the doorway, watg the se with a smirk. He let out a low whistle, his tone amused. “Bet that didn’t feel nice,” he remarked, crossing his arms as he stepped further into the room.

  Even g him briefly before returning his attention to the trols. “Braig,” he said, his voice sharp and analytical. “Did you locate the irregur responsible for the disturbances over the past few days?”

  Braig shrugged nontly, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Who, me? As if. Still on the hunt,” he said, his tone evasive. “Figured I’d stop by and che the fun you two are having in here first. Looks… messy.”

  Xehanort didn’t look up from his clipboard, his golden eyes sing the notes he’d been taking. “Then go,” he said curtly. “Find the interloper a back. Our work here requires focus.”

  Braig gave an exaggerated salute, his smirk never wavering. “Yes, sir,” he drawled, turning on his heel and striding out of the b.

  As Braig made his way through the dimly lit halls of the b, his thoughts drifted back to his enter with the shadowy figure he’d fought. Whoever it was had been skilled—dangerously so—and the appearance of a Keybde plicated matters. This wasn’t just some random nuisa something far more signifit. The shadowy figure khe names Luxu and Bragi s wondered what more the person knew. He o find and interrogate them before someone else found them.

  His musings were interrupted when two familiar figures appeared ahead of him: Din and Aeleus, both their standard guard uniforms. Their sharp eyes caught sight of him immediately, and they approached with purpose.

  “Braig,” Aeleus said, his deep voice steady. “Did you find the interloper?”

  Braig ughed, scratg the back of his head as if the question were absurd. “What, me? I just started looking,” he replied, his grin disarming. “You two haven’t had any luck either, huh?”

  Din frowned, his arms crossed over his chest. “No. Whoever it is, they’re good at avoidiion. But they’ve been leaving traces. Sooner or ter, we’ll catch them.”

  Braig gave a casual shrug, his smile never faltering. “Yeah, well, good luck with that. Whoever they are, they’re slippery.” He patted Aeleus on the shoulder as he passed by. “Don’t work too hard, boys. Wouldn’t want you pulling a muscle.”

  As he walked away, the smirk ’s face faded, repced by a more thoughtful expression. He knew he couldn’t keep the enter a secret forever, but for now, he needed more information—both about the shadowy figure and the Keybde they wielded. Until then, he’d py his cards close to his chest. His musing was interrupted as Ahe Wise approached, his expression tense, worry etched into the lines of his face.

  “Braig,” Ansem called, his tone sharp with .

  Braig raised an eyebrow, slipping into his usual casual demeanor. “Evening, your majesty. You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What’s eating at you?”

  Ansem hesitated for a moment before speaking, his voice strained. “Subject X… she’s missing. Her room is empty, and the security systems haven’t triggered any arms. I’ve been trying to find the other appreo determine if any of them released her without inf me.”