The apprentices scrambled to obey, their movements frantic but purposeful. Braig took his position with a smirk, his arrowguns bzing as he shot down wave after wave of Heartless. Din and Aeleus fought valiantly, their ons carving through the dark creatures with precision. But no matter how many they defeated, more emerged to take their pce.

  In the b, Xehanort and Ienzo worked quickly to secure their research. The experiments they had ducted—separatis and bodies—were too valuable to lose. Xehanort’s mind raced as he sidered his move. This attack wasn’t random; it was deliberate. Someone had orchestrated it, aeo find out who.

  Ba the cottage, Helios leaned ba his chair, his eyes fixed on the ss. Due to su attack, Xehanort had no other choice than to reactivate the cameras. The apprentices were fighting valiantly, but the cracks in their defenses were growing wider by the minute. Soon, Radiant Garden would fall, and the apprentices would be forced to use the device to flee. Everything was going acc to pn.

  Kurai’s voice echoed in his mind, dripping with dark amusement. “You’ve do, Helios. This entire world of so-called light will soon crumble uhe weight of such arrogance. But tell me, how does it feel? Watg people struggle and fall, knowing you lit the spark? Does it feel nice?”

  Helios’s lips curled into a faint smirk. "It feels necessary. This was always how it had to be."

  “Necessary,” Kurai mused, its toeasing. “Such a ve word for someone who’s bee so fortable with the darkness.”

  Helios ighe taunt, his focus remaining on the ss. He watched as Xehanort barked orders, as the Heartless tore through the city, as the apprentices scrambled to salvage what they could. This was the turning point—the moment when Radiant Garden would bee the Hollow Bastion he knew from the future.

  The door to Helios’s room swung open with a burst of green and bck fmes, revealing Malefit’s imposing figure. Her expression was stern, her eyes pierg as they locked onto him. “What have you done boy?” she demanded, her voice sharp and filled with authority.

  Helios, seated at his puter, barely flinched. He turned his head slightly tard her, his face calm and posed. “Your ambitions,” he said smoothly, “are currently being realized.”

  Malefit blinked in surprise, but the glimmer of satisfa quickly overtook her features. Her lips curled into a smile, and soon, a ugh bubbled up from her throat. It started softly but grew louder, reverberating through the room with wicked glee.

  Helios waited patiently, his expression unging as Malefit reveled in the news. When her ughter subsided, she fixed him with a calg look. “Tell me everything.”

  Helios leaned ba his chair, folding his hands in front of him. “The town has mostly fallen,” he expined. “The Heartless have overrureets, driving the residents into chaos. However,” he tinued, his tone measured, “the castle still holds strong. The apprentices are fortifying their position.”

  Malefit’s smile faltered, her eyes narrowing. “And why does this me?”

  Helios met her gaze evenly. “Because if you were to appear now and take trol of the Emblem Heartless, you could tip the scales. The castle would fall, and by the day’s end, Radiant Garden would be yours.”

  Malefit’s expression darkened as she stepped closer. “Do not presume to manipute me, boy.”

  Helios allowed himself a small, knowing smile. “I’m not maniputing you. I’m inf you. What you do with this information is entirely your choice. But if you want to achieve yoal quickly, the path forward is clear.”

  For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air. Then, with a flourish of green and bck fmes, Malefit vanished. Helios scoffed, his mind already rag ahead to the problem. Something didn’t feel right. He should che Skuld just to be safe

  Helios strode to Skuld’s room and pushed the door open, his heart sinking as he found it empty. His gaze swept over the ly made bed and the absence of any sign of her presence. “Damn it,” he muttered under his breath.

  She must have goo che Lea and Isa. That could only meahing—she was heading for Yuffie’s pce, deep in the heart of the besieged city. “Why today of all day does she decide to cause trouble.”

  Helios cursed again, his mind rag. He opened a dark corridor and stepped into the city. The air was thick with darkness, the streets filled with the sound of Heartless scuttling and g their way through the remnants of the town. He ched his fists, f himself to focus. Skuld would have to hold on while he hawo critical tasks.

  The first task was to ensure Cid, Yuffie, Leoh, and Tifa escaped safely. They were necessary for the timelio remain intact. If he could get them aboard the Highwind Gummi Ship, he could program it to head for Traverse Town.

  He made his way toward Cid’s workshop, his steps quick but cautious. He doubted the older man would still be there—it was likely he was already out iy, helping with the evacuation effort. Still, it was worth a try.

  The streets around the workshop were eerily quiet, the usual hum of life repced by an oppressive stillness. Helios entered cautiously, his eyes sing the room. As he expected, it was empty. He sighed, rubbing his temples. “Of course,” he muttered. “Nothing be simple. Why would it.”

  If Cid wasn’t here, then Yuffie, Leoh, and Tifa would probably be out in the chaos, doing what they could to save people. He couldn’t waste time trag each of them down. He would have to hahis differently.

  The sed task was equally urgent. He o send Kairi to the Destiny Isnds. If Radiant Garden fell and she remained here, the sequences could ripple far beyond his trol. Luckily for him, someone like Kairi who rincess of light was quite easy to find in a world teeming with darkness. Using his own light Helios sensed a rge amount hiding in a small house oskirts of town. Luckily the heartless hadn’t made it here yet.

  Going inside Helios saw the child hiding underh the table, as she hummed a soft tune. When she saw Helios, her face lit up with a bright smile. “Helios!”

  He offered her a faint smile. It seems her grandmother must have hidden her here to protect her. But then why leave her by herself? It was stra regardless now wasn’t the time to answer such a question. “Kairi,” he said gently, croug down to her level. “I need you to e with me. We’re going on a little trip. Yrandma asked me to take you to a special pce.”

  Her eyes sparkled with excitement, though she tilted her head curiously. “A trip? Where are we going?”

  “To a safe pce,” Helios said, his voice calm. “A beautiful pce called Destiny Isnds. You’ll love it there.”

  She nodded eagerly, trusting him pletely. Helios took her hand, summoning another dark corridor. As they stepped through, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for the little girl. This child had no idea of the chaos ing her home, nor the role she would py iure. All he could do was ensure she reached her destination safely.

  They emerged on a sandy beach, the waves ppily at the shore. The soft glow of the setting sun bathed the isnds in golden light, a stark trast to the darkness ing Radiant Garden. Helios k down, pg a hand on Kairi’s shoulder.

  “This is your new home,” he said softly. “You’ll be safe here.”

  Kairi nodded, her wide eyes taking in the beauty around her. Helios then pced a hand on her head and used his memory hex. Due to her nature as a princess, Kairi exuded much light so Helios o use quite a bit of power to bypass her natural defenses. Soon Kairi fell backward all her memories of Radiant Garden now sealed. Pig her up Helios pced her somewhere safe and saw that two boys were rowing to the isnd before using a corridor to return.