Helios twirled his spear, Bríon na Lú, in slow, methodical motions. The weapon hummed with Light, pulsing faintly and leaving trails with each movement.
Two minutes.
That was all he had and it was quite damning.
No matter how many times he extended the fight, no matter how efficiently he used the spear's power—
At exactly two minutes, the Light within him would flicker, and the spear would revert to Equilibrium's normal form. Which could be quite disadvantageous in a life-or-death fight.
Helios exhaled sharply.
He already knew why.
His light wasn't strong enough. It was not because he lacked skill, but rather because he lacked something deeper.
Light wasn't like Darkness. Darkness could be grown through power, control, or sheer will. It could grow stronger in the absence of connections.
But Light?
Light only became stronger through connection. To grow, to evolve, to reach greater heights Light had to be shared. It required genuine bonds with others be they friends, family, or even lovers.
Helios tightened his grip on his spear.
That was the problem. The only people he had ever truly opened up to were his parents both of which were long gone. Even Kurai, his unwanted but ever-present companion, was more of a parasitic co-existence than an emotional connection.
Helios could get along with people. He could laugh, fight, and train with them, but he never let them in.
And he wasn't about to start now.
Skuld? Aqua? Merlin? No.
Not them.
Not the Moogles, either.
Soon, Leon and the others would arrive in Traverse Town, and he'd need to leave.
He wouldn't leave behind any ties that could connect back to him.
That was his way. In fact that was the only way he could go about things. The story had to be kept the same if he wished to use his knowledge effectively.
And it was also why he couldn't strengthen his Light.
Helios clicked his tongue, frustrated.
There had to be another way. Thinking about it Helios thought of the Princess of Hearts and his unique ability to absorb light from others. A smile grew across his face as he found the loophole he needed to not only grow stronger but also acquire the last ingredient he would need for Kurai's body he promised to create.
Across town, Aqua and Skuld stood in Merlin's training room, their weapons drawn.
The room glowed with flickering magical energy, runes carved into the walls enhancing the room's duribilty so as to not be destroyed again by their spellcasting.
Aqua raised Glacial Empress's Grace, drawing her bowstring back. A trio of arrows, each infused with a different element, hovered above her fingertips.
Skuld smirked, flipping her twin daggers in her grip.
"Alright, let's see if you can hit me."
Aqua fired.
The arrows shot forward in unpredictable arcs, twisting midair as they changed direction.
But before they could reach her—
Skuld vanished in a burst of wind.
She reappeared above Aqua, mid-flip, daggers aimed downward.
Aqua's eyes widened. It seemed Skuld anticipated the shots and wasn't just dodging but also counterattacking.
However Aqua had already anticipated this as she shifted instantly, firing an Ice Arrow at the ground. The moment it hit—
A frozen platform formed midair, and Aqua kicked off it, flipping away just as Skuld's blades carved through the space she had occupied.
They landed, facing each other.
Both smiled.
"You're getting better," Aqua admitted.
Skuld twirled her daggers. "Of course. I have to keep up with you. You've really improved since your battle with Helios. He doesn't talk a lot about himself but he's very good at teaching others."
Aqua felt a flicker of warmth as she smiled but it was cut short at the mention of Helios. He hated to admit it but both points of improvement she experienced with her Tidal Scepter and Glacial Empress's Grace came from the dark young man.
Skuld was beyond talented but she also stated that she always thought about what she learned from Helios and tried her best to think of what he would say to her as she tried new things.
However, this wasn't just training for her as the more time she spent with Aqua the more she was awakening something deep inside.
After they finished with their daily spar they headed downstairs to grab a meal when Helios pushed open the door to Merlin's house, stepping inside casually.
Aqua and Skuld looked up, still catching their breath from training. It would be hard to eat until their bodies fully calmed down.
Merlin, sitting by his dinner table, raised an eyebrow.
"Well, well, if it isn't our mysterious friend," Merlin mused. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Helios leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Skuld it's time for us to leave Traverse Town. Aqua you can stay or come with us if you want."
Aqua and Skuld exchanged glances.
Merlin took a sip of tea. "Oh? And where, pray tell, are you heading?"
Helios smirked. "I'm planning on looking for a Princess of Heart."
The room fell silent.
Merlin's expression darkened slightly. "And why, exactly, do you seek one of the Seven Pure Lights?"
Helios shrugged. "In the future, I met all seven. But only one was much younger than the rest. I was curious to see why that was."
He didn't say the next part out loud. 'That was Alice from Wonderland. But Kingdom Hearts 3 proved that the title of Princess of Heart could be transferred. So… who came before Alice? There was only one answer then it must be Pocahontas.'
Merlin's eyes narrowed. "And what, exactly, do you plan to do once you find this supposed Princess?"
Helios smiled faintly. "I just need to ensure that everything works out well enough. She's needed for the balance of the world."
Aqua didn't look convinced.
Skuld, however, nodded immediately. "If Helios says she's important, then she is," Skuld said confidently.
Aqua gave her a sideways glance. "You trust him that much?"
Skuld smiled. "I do."
Merlin tapped his fingers against the table. "This mission of yours is shrouded in vagueness I don't like it, but… very well I won't interfere much."
He stood up, brushing off his robes. "Your next journey will take you beyond Traverse Town. But be forewarned that forces beyond your understanding will be watching."
Helios grinned. "That's nothing new."
Aqua sighed. "This is reckless."
Helios shrugged. "Most good things are. So I assume you'll be tagging along."
Aqua rolled her eyes.
Merlin gestured toward the door.
"Then go," he said. "And may fate guide you to the truth."