The air around Helios seemed to shimmer as a small, golden mirror materialized out of thin air. Its surface gleamed with an almost otherworldly light, and its intricate frame was etched with a lightning bolt. Helios reached out and took it, feeling its cool, smooth surfa his hands.

  Zeus’s voied from above, eg in the ravine, anding and authoritative. “Take this mirror, mortal. It shall serve as your proof. Find one such soul whose essence does not belong to this world, and have them gaze into it. Bring it bae, and I shall grant you what you seek.”

  Helios looked up, his expression caught somewhere between irritation and resignation. "That’s it? Just find a random soul, fsh this thing at them, and deliver it back to you? No big deal, right?"

  Zeus’s presence began to fade, the booming voice reg with finality. “You dared to seek a boon from me, mortal. Do not test my patience further.”

  The lightning ceased, and the statue of Zeus returo its still, lifeless state, leaving Helios standing alo the base of the cliff with the golden mirror in hand. Helios stared at the golden mirror now resting in his hand, its surface gleaming faintly uhe scattered light breaking through the cliff's edge. He ran a hand through his hair, his expression a mixture of frustration and resignation.

  "Damn it," he muttered, the weight of his situation pressing down on him. "Why does everything have to turn into some damn epic quest? First, sneak into the Underworld ued—because that’s so easy. Then, find a soul from another world, vihem to look into this mirror without raising suspi, sneak back out, deliver this thing to Zeus, hope he actually upholds his end of the bargain, and then head baake a deal with Hades. And all this for o. God, it’s like the universe is mog me."

  He paced bad forth at the base of the Zeus statue, his frustration simmering just beh the surface. He khere was no use in pining—it wouldn’t ge the task ahead. Still, the sheer scope of the mission g him with every step feeling precarious.

  Helios stopped and stared up at the t statue of Zeus, his brow furrowing. "You really couldn’t make this easier, could you? A little leniency from the so-called King of the Gods? No? Of course not. Figures."

  The mirror pulsed lightly in his hand, its surface shimmering as though responding to his irritation. He sighed deeply, f himself to calm down. Losing his temper wouldn’t help him now.

  "Okay," he said aloud, his voice steadying as he shifted into a more analytical mi. "First step: sneaking into the Underworld. If I remember correctly, there’s aranear the base of the cliffs. That’s manageable. , find a soul from another world. How do I eveify one of those? Better yet… how do I get to them without jumping into the River Styx myself? Kurai do you have any ideas? Afterall, all of this is to get you a body."

  As he turhe mirror over in his hands, studying its intricate goldegs, Kurai’s voice slithered into his mind, calm and almost amused. "You’re overthinking it. Since remaining hidden is likely impossible, why not just make your presenown? In fact, you might want to aim for Hades’s attention."

  Helios frowned, his i piqued. "What are you getting at?"

  Kurai tinued smoothly, "Your memories mentiohe Underdrome—a gdiatorial arena in the Underworld that Zeus shut down long ago because of its senseless viole doesn’t reopen until much ter, when a certain hero unlocks it iure. But Hades? He’d love to see it active again. You have the power to open it. You could use that as leverage."

  Helios’s grip on the mirrhtened as he sidered the suggestion. "So, I offer to unlock the Underdrome in exge for the heart. That gives me a reason to approach Hades without ht sneaking around and risking immediate retaliation."

  "Exactly," Kurai firmed. "Not only would you gain Hades’s cooperation, but the Underdrome’s reactivation would give you a ce to draw out those otherworldly souls Zeus wants proof of. And if you’re smart about it, you could use Zeus to reseal the Underdrome once you’re done. Or better yet… you could strike another deal—gaining Hephaestus, the God of Fe. Show him Aqua’s armor and ask him to craft you a keybde armor of your own. That’s one of the reasons you took the armor correct? To get yourself one."

  Helios smirked, the pn starting to take shape in his mind. "A two-for-one deal, huh? Get Hades t out his heavy hitters in exge for the heart I want. Thehat as an opportunity to collect Zeus’s proof, and walk away with both the heart and something to better ensure my safety in future battles."

  He held the mirror up, watg the light dance across its surface. "It’s risky, but I like it. Now I just o figure out how to pitch this to Hades without getting myself killed."

  Kurai’s ughter echoed faintly in his mind. "Well, dear Helios, you’ve got a knack for spinning tales that move the hearts of vilins so it should be easy. I’m curious to see how you pull this off."

  Helios slipped the mirror carefully into his bag, his expression shifting from irritation to determination. "All right, Underworld, here I e. Let’s see if this deal-making game pys in my favor."

  Helios made his way down the rugged path that wound along the foot of Mount Olympus. The t peak loomed above him, its jagged cliffs cutting into the sky, while the air grew heavier with each step he took. The vibrant light of Olympus seemed to dim as he ventured further, giving way to a gloomier, foreboding atmosphere. He could feel the shift in energy—a faint hum of power that prickled at the edges of his senses.

  At st, he reached a narrow, hidden crevice at the base of the mountain. Its jagged opening seemed to exhale a faint, otherworldly chill, and wisps of shadowy mist curled outward like fingers being him ihis had to be it: the entrao the Underworld.

  Helios stood at the threshold, his eyes narrowing as he studied the darkened passage. The air here was colder, heavier, and carried a faiallig that reminded him of old blood. He gripped his Keybde tightly, its f weight grounding him as he steadied his breathing.

  "Well," he muttered under his breath, "n baow."

  As he stepped forward, the shadows seemed to thi around him, the daylight from Olympus fading quickly. The faint glow of his light magic illumihe path ahead, revealing uoeps that desded into darkness. Each step he took echoed ominously, as if the mountain itself were swallowing him whole.

  The oppressive air pressed against him, and the faint sounds of distant wails and whispers reached his ears. Helios could feel his strength wah every step. At the st step, he felt he barely had enough strength to take on a single Shadow.