Two weeks passed in a blur for Helios, filled with rigorous training under Malefit’s stern tutege and long hours in Cid’s workshop. By night, he honed his dark magic, learning hexes, curses, and plex spells that Malefit seemed to pull from an endless arsenal of knowledge. During the day, he would slip away to Cid’s workshop, ostensibly to help with repairs and upgrades but mostly to work on his programming skills and explore the world of Gummi teology. Merlin’s prolonged absence surprised him; he hadn’t expected the wizard to be gohis long, aen wondered what could be keeping him away.

  The progress Helios made was both exhirating and daunting. He had fully mastered the hexes Malefit had taught him and moved on to slightly more advanced spells. His and of elemental magic was now solid, and he could now ihese spells with darkness, creating twisted, potent versions of familiar magic: dark blizzards that sapped warmth from the target like an iion, dark lightning that struck with a crag iy, and a dark aura that he could el into physical strikes. He’d even begun to work on drawing out the light within himself—a project that was slow and, frankly, unfortable, but necessary. He o be profit in both light and dark for the path that y ahead.

  One night, as he sat alone, practig a teique inspired by Riku’s method for creating a shadow Sora. Whilst trying he felt the unmistakable sensation of a deeper darkness within himself—a flicker of light bzed to like and began to resist his usual dark magic. It was faint, more of a whisper than a glow, but it was there. The progress was minor, but it fueled his determination.

  Other developments moved at a startling pace as well. Xehanort and Even had mao draw Braig, Din, Aeleus, and Ienzo into their Heartless experiments. Under Xehanort’s influehe group had rapidly accelerated their research, fog on finding a way to artificially create Heartless. Using the captured Shadow as a base, they had finally succeeded. Helios had watched through the hidden b’s monitors as the first Emblem Heartless emerged—a Soldier Heartless, dark armor with a vicious energy about it.

  The Soldier Heartless stood tall and imposing, its muscur form ed in a dark blue body suit embzoned with a golden, twisted heart emblem—the design Xehanort had crafted and vihe others to adopt as a means of categorizing their “creations.” The Soldier’s helmet and wrist guards gleamed with an eerie metallic shine, and though its appearance mimicked that of a noble knight, the creature’s movements were feral, almost bestial. Helios couldn’t help but feel a pang of satisfa; this was the beginning of a massive shift, ohat would ripple out and affeot just Radiant Garden, but tless worlds.

  Meanwhile, Cid had finished both the Highwind and the Gummi Ship that Helios had designed, which Helios had he Eclipse Drifter. True to his vision, the Eclipse Drifter was sleek and powerful, with a design that made it appear as though it could cut through the stars themselves. Cid had tried to h ships after himself, but Helios had mao dissuade him, arguing that the names reflected their individuality better. Cid, perhaps relutly, had agreed, and they had spent the st few days fiuning each ship’s flight systems. The pletion of the ships marked a signifit milestone, ohat made Helios feel as if everything were aligning, ready for the iable chaos that would soon befall Radiant Garden.

  One evening, as he stood oskirts of the town, watg the glow of the newly pleted Gummi Ships in the hangar, he felt Kurai’s preseir within him.

  “Impressive progress, wouldn’t you say?” Kurai’s voice echoed in his mind, sounding in a mahat could be misstrued as almost… proud. “Your prows. The Heartless multiply. Even the people around you have pyed their roles with remarkable precision.”

  Helios smirked, though he kept his gaze on the ships. “Indeed. Soon, everything will fall into pce. Xehanort and his apprentices are creating an army without realizing they’re setting the stage for the downfall of this world. And the ships… they’ll ehat wheime es, there’s a way out of this for the major pyer and myself.”

  Kurai’s voice softeo a dark whisper. “You’re prepared, then? The downfall of Radiant Garden will not be a gentle one. Hearts will break, alliances will shatter… and those who g to hope will suffer the most. Soon a symphony of despair will sound throughout this world.”

  Helios nodded, feeling the weight of Kurai’s words settle over him like a cloak. “Let this fall. I have no attats here.”

  Yet, in the back of his mind, he thought of Cid and the hours spent in the workshop, of Lea’s ear persistence, of Isa’s quiet looks of judgment. He pushed the thoughts aside, fog oask ahead.

  As he returo the cottage that night, he found Malefit sitting waiting for him, her eyes glinting in the dim light. “The time is nearly upon us,” she said, her voice smooth as silk. “As you st reported soon the Heartless will multiply. I still haven’t found a pce to stay yet but I’ve grown rather fond of that castle. Soon, the darkness will spread unchecked, and I think the castle would be a quaint pce to stay. Don’t you think so?”

  Helios met her gaze, his expression unyielding. “Yes, I do. Whey is overrun, no one will be there so if you want it then take it.”

  Malefit raised an eyebrow, a sly smile on her lips. “Always so unbothered and practical, aren’t you? Remember, young Helios, that when this world succumbs, my influence will stretch far and wide. You would be wise to have aligned yourself with me.”

  Helios smiled and took a seat across from her. “I will uphold our bargain. However, I have my goals, and you have yours. As long as our paths serve each other, then we’ll be allies.”

  Malefit’s gaze grew colder, sharper, but she offered no rebuke. Instead, she gestured to the cottage’s dimly lit interior. “tinue refining yic. There are spells yet to master, and if you are to be of aid to me, you will need every bit of power at your disposal.”

  Helios nodded, hiding his rese at her dession. She was his teacher, yes, but he would never bow to her or let her fet that he was not merely her apprentice, but an equal in ambition. His silence seemed to amuse her, and she rose from her seat, her eyes glinting with satisfa.

  “I shall expect greater results from you soon, Helios,” she said, her voice like a velvet bde. “Do not disappoint me.”

  With that, she turned a, vanishing into the shadows of the cottage. Helios remained seated, staring at the flickering dlelight. The room felt colder, Malefit’s presence lingering like a dark cloud. But he shook off the feeling, refog on the goal.

  Helios smirked, his eyes hard. “What a fool. Let her think what she wants. Kurai I need a favor.”

  Kurai materialized for the first time in a long time since leaving the dark realm. A miasma of dark energy with a humanoid shape with no definable features could be seen within the miasma. “What favor could you possibly need from me ‘friend’?”

  With a cold look, Helios turo Kurai. “I need you to hide inside her heart and slolify her darkness. She’s not as evil as she should be. While you’re doing that observe her every move.”

  AnnouSorry for the te update. Yesterday an elderly woman crashed her car into my workpd almost ran me over luckily I wasn't injured and everybody was okay including the driver. I'm doioday after the initial shock so I'll resume my writing. I hope you all stay safe.