The nightmarish crimson of Hades' fmes exploded upward, a final attack shing out like a whip. Sephiroth and Helios were nearly at the gate when it struck. The r fire engulfed Sephiroth’s wing, its seari knog him off bance mid-flight.

  The world spun violently as Sephiroth lost trol, the fmes f his wing to fold. Helios, still clutched in his grip, yelled in panic. “Hold on!” he shouted, but the effort was useless.

  The two plummeted, crashing hard onto the jagged ground outside the gates of the Underworld. The impact jarred Helios’ entire body, the sharp pain radiating from his side firming at least one broken rib. Sephiroth rolled onto his knees, his wing charred and smoking, his expression dark and unreadable.

  Helios groaned, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Well… we made it out safely. Sort of.” He coughed, tasting blood in his mouth, but forced himself to grin through the pain. “So, Sephiroth, did you thhly enjoy the challenge?”

  Sephiroth shot him a cold gre, his silver hair disheveled and matted with blood. “I hate you,” he muttered ftly.

  Helios barked a weak ugh, only to clutch his side as sharp paihrough his chest. He coughed again, blood spttering onto the dusty ground. “Ow. Okay. Nhing. Pretty sure a rib is stabbing my lung. That’s just great. Hak…”

  Sephiroth rose to his feet slowly, wiping blood from the er of his mouth as his gaze sed their surroundings. The Underworld’s oppressive energy had faded, and though their injuries were severe, he could feel his strength beginning to return now that they were beyond the gates.

  Before either could take aep, the air grew unbearably hot.

  A thunderous roar erupted behind them as Hades materialized in a pilr of fme, his body abze with fury. His fiery hair burned a bright, searing red, and his expression twisted into pure rage.

  “You think you just leave my domain?!” Hades bellowed, his voice shaking the grouh them. “Do you have any idea who you’re messing with?!”

  He raised his hand, a massive ball of fire f in his palm. The heat radiating from it was suffog, even from a distance.

  “Yeah, we’re really not in the mood for this right now. you just let us go?” Helios muttered weakly, fumbling around in his pockets.

  “Enough! Now let’s see how strong you are when you don’t hide behind that curse.” Sephiroth anded, stepping forward with Masamune raised.

  But Helios was already ag. He pulled the golden mirror from his pocket, its surface gleaming brightly even in the dim light of the setting sun.

  “In the name of Zeus, King of Olympus, I call upon you!” Helios shouted, his voice eg through the air.

  Hades froze mid-motion, his fireball flickering uainly. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me—”

  Lightning split the sky, blindingly bright and deafeningly loud. The ground trembled as the crag bolts coalesced into a t figure. A golden glow illumihe area, revealing a massive, muscur man with long white hair and a flowing white beard. His pierg purple-blue eyes gleamed with a mixture of amusement and authority. A purple chiton draped over his left shoulder, fastened with a golden pin shaped like a thundercloud.

  Zeus had arrived.

  The god of thunder surveyed the se, his expression shifting from casual curiosity to amusement as his gaze nded on Hades. “Well, well, look who’s throwing a tantrum again. Isn’t this cozy?”

  Hades groaned, his fmes dimming slightly as he rolled his eyes. “Oh, great. Just what I needed. My brother swooping in to save the day.”

  Zeus crossed his arms, a smirk pying on his lips. “Oh, don’t be like that. Aren’t you happy to see me?”

  “Ecstatic,” Hades deadpanned, his fmes fring briefly before fizzling out. He gestured to Helios with exaggerated irritation. “What are you even doing here, Zeus? Let me guess—this kid ran g to you about me being unfair or something?”

  Zeus raised an eyebrow and g the mirror, which floated toward him, spinnily in mid-air. “Actually, he called me because, apparently, you’ve been breaking a few rules.” His tone was light, but there was a dangerous edge to it.

  Hades ched his teeth, his blue fmes simmering. “Rules? What rules? I haven’t broken any rules!”

  Zeus held up the mirror, its surface shimmering. “Let’s see, shall we?”

  The mirror’s surface rippled like water, revealing images of Vi, Barret, and the other warriors Hades had summoo the Underworld. Their fn clothing and ons stood out starkly against the backdrop of Olympus, undeniable proof of their otherworldly ins.

  Zeus’ jovial demeanor faded, repced by a stern, anding presence. “Hades, you’ve been making deals with mortals from other worlds and dragging their souls here. We both know that’s a big no-no.”

  Hades’ fmes fred in protest. “Oh, e on! It’s not like I dragged them here for no reason. They were desperate! I just… gave them a little help in exge for their souls. Standard underworld stuff!”

  “Oh and don’t fet,” Helios interjected, smirkie the blood dripping down his , “he also broke your seal on the Underdrome to restart the fights. You know, just for fun.”

  Hades spun toward Helios, his fmes erupting. “You broke that seal, remember our deal you iving little—”

  A loud cough from Zeus silenced him. The King of Olympus raised a hand, and the fireball f in Hades’ hand fizzled out instantly.

  “Hades,” Zeus said, his tone calm but ced with authority, “did you or did you not break the seal? And you mortal did you strike a deal with Hades?”

  Helios lied through his teeth, “No I didn’t.”

  Hades hesitated, his fmes dimming slightly. “Well… sort of. But he—”

  “Well? He what?” Zeus asked, his brow arched.

  “Yes, we made a deal!” Hades blurted. “The heart! He took a heart from me and in exge he released the Underdrome! So it’s all his idea!”

  Helios chuckled weakly, his voice dripping with monoce. “I don’t remember making such a deal. We didn’t shake hands, remember? So since we didn’t make the deal and I took the heart, all it was is a case of theft. So no to the deal, yes to the stealing. So I have nothing to do with the Underdrome.”

  Hades froze, his fiery eyes wide with disbelief. “You tricked me?”

  Zeus burst into ughter, the sound rolling like thunder. “Oh, this is priceless! Hades, outsmarted by a mortal? I’ll never let you live this down!”

  Hades’ fmes fred in frustration, but he said nothing, his fists ched tightly at his sides. Zeus, still chug, waved his hand, and the mirror floated back to Helios.

  “Well, I think that settles it,” Zeus said, his griurning. “Hades, you broke the rules. Again. So, here’s the deal: yoing to sting fn souls into Olympus, and yoing to leave these two alone. Got it?”

  Hades grumbled, his fmes flickering low. “Fine. Whatever. Happy now?”

  Zeus cpped him on the back, the gesture nearly toppling Hades. “Delighted! Ary to lighten up a bit, would you? It’s no wonder nobody likes visiting you down here.”

  Hades muttered something under his breath, his expression sullen as he disappeared in a puff of smoke. “Laugh it up, Zeus. This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”

  Zeus turo Helios and Sephiroth, his smile warm but his tone serious. “You two have caused quite a stir. I’ll admit, I’m impressed. Not many mortals survive Hades’ wrath, let alowit him.”

  Helios gave a weak grin, still clutg his side. “Yeah, well, I’ve got a knack for annoying people strohan me.”

  Zeus ughed heartily. “Clearly! Now then, you were proven right.” Zeus’ eyes twinkled mischievously. “So you wao use the Olympus Stone correct?”

  Despite his wounds and the pain in his chest Helios bowed. “Actually Lord Zeus I inally wahe stoo retrieve the heart of my acquaintance. However, since I have already dohat I no longer o go to the Underworld again besides I doubt Lord Hades would allow me to leave if I went again. So might I ask for something else?”

  Zeus ughed heartily remembering the look on Hades’ face. “Clearly he wouldn’t! So what do you want? If it’s within my power then you shall have it.”

  Helios smiled and lifted his head. “Then might I request that Lord Hephaestus make me two pieces of equipment?”