The trio left the Colosseum as the cheers of the crowd faded into the background. The sun was beginning to set over Thebes, casting long shadows across the streets. Zack, walking beside Skuld, couldn’t help but g her occasionally, a curious smile pying on his lips.

  “So,” Zack started, breaking the silence, “does this sort of thing happen to you often? Y’know, mysterious lights, random hearts flying around, and cryptic friends showing up out of nowhere?”

  Skuld fidgeted, unsure how to answer. Helios chuckled, steppiween them. “You’d be surprised,” he said, his tone light. “Stick with us long enough, and you might get used to it.”

  Zack raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “You say that like I’m already part of the team. Do you think I’ll join you?”

  Helios stopped walking and turo face him fully. “Who knows, Zack, but Cloud’s heart chose you for a reason. That kind of e isn’t something you just walk away from. Trust me on that.”

  Zack’s cheerful demeanor faltered for a moment, repced by a rare seriousness. “And what if I’m not ready for that kind of responsibility?” he asked.

  “That’s not really up to us,” Helios said simply. “All of us in the end are simply doing as our hearts please. As that man liked to say ‘May your heart be yuiding key.’”

  The weight of Helios’s words hung in the air, and Zaodded slowly, his smile returning, though this time tinged with ption. “Well, when you put it like that, I guess I’ll have to see where my heart takes me.”

  Skuld smiled at Zack’s respo couldn’t shake the unease lingering in her chest. She turo Helios. “What now? What do we do after we wake up Cloud? Do we leave?”

  Helios’s eyes flickered with a glint of calcution. “No, I’ve still got a few things to take care of here,” he said, his voice firm. “Besides this is a good opportunity for you to train. Zack here seems like a good sparring partner for you. For now, let’s hurry up and save Cloud.”

  As they walked toward the edge of the city, the mood shifted. The streets of Thebes were eerily quiet, the earlier hustle and bustle repced by an uneasy stillness. Helios’s sharp gaze darted around, his senses on high alert.

  “Something’s wrong,” he muttered. “Stay close.”

  The group pressed on, tension building with every step. Suddenly, a low growl echoed from the shadows, followed by the unmistakable yellow gleam of Heartless eyes. Dozens of Neoshadows slithered out from the alleys, their cwed hands scraping against the cobblestones.

  Zack drew his sword, his expression a mix of excitement and caution. “What are these things.”

  Skuld summoned her Keybde, determination lighting up her features. “Creatures of darkness.”

  Helios didn’t summon his on immediately. Instead, he observed the Heartless, his mind rag. “There’s nothihat would summon them here. They’re not behaving like ordinary Heartless,” he warned. “They’re hunting something—or someone. Is it Skuld and me? Or is it Zack?”

  “Zack,” Helios said sharply, his voice cutting through the tension, “have you done anything unusual retly? Anything that might have drawn attention?”

  “Unusual?” Zack asked, his sword at the ready. “Well, besides fighting in the Colosseum aing you two? Not really.”

  Skuld stepped forward, her Keybde glowing faintly as her grip tightened. “It could be the heart moving from me to Zack. When it happened, I felt my chest get warmer like there was a burning light there.”

  Helios’s expression darkened as realization dawned. “es breed light,” he muttered. “Your heart uned with both Cloud’s and Zack’s, strengthening all three hearts. That light must have called these guys from the Underworld.”

  Skuld tightened her grip on her Keybde. “What do we do?”

  Helios summoned his Keybde, the on gleaming as he stepped forward. “We fight. Once we deal with them, we should be safe. Stay sharp.”

  The Neoshadows luheir cws cutting through the air. Zack swung his sword with raw power, cutting through the first wave with ease. Skuld moved gracefully, her Keybde meeting the Heartless with precise strikes. Helios moved like a shadow, dispatg the creatures with efficy.

  After the battle, the group trudged back through the quiet streets of Thebes. The trio eventually arrived at the inhey were staying and climbed the stairs to their rented room.

  Helios opehe door to reveal Cloud’s still, atose form lying on the bed. The room was otherwise untouched, but the sight of the lifeless body made Zack visibly uneasy. He hesitated at the threshold, his usual cheerful demeanor repced with a rare moment of uainty.

  “Uh… so that’s him?” Zack asked, his voice quieter than usual. He g Helios and then back at Cloud, shifting awkwardly.

  Helios ighe question and instead stepped closer to Zack. With n, Helios grabbed Zack by the shoulder and pulled him closer to the bed. The sudden movement startled Zack, but before he could protest, a faint light began to emanate from his chest. The heart, now free from Zack, floated in midair for a moment, surrounded by a soft, glowing aura.

  “What the—?” Zack started, but the heart shot forward and merged seamlessly with Cloud’s body.

  A gasp escaped Cloud’s lips as his eyes snapped open. There was no immediate sign nition or awareness in them—his gaze was vat, almost lifeless—but he sat up slowly, his movements stiff and unnatural, like a puppet being guided by invisible strings.

  Skuld took a hesitant step forward. “Cloud?” she asked softly, her voice tinged with .

  “Don’t,” Helios said sharply, raising a hand to stop her. His to no room fument. “No questions. Let him adjust.”

  Skuld bit her lip but stepped back. Zack, still processing what had just happened, rubbed the back of his head and muttered, “Well, this is definitely not what I signed up for.”

  Helios turo Skuld and Zack, his expression calm but firm. “You two o go downstairs a enough food for four people. I’m sure we’re all hungry and Cloud’s going to .”