AnnouI'll be busy for Valentine's Day tomorrow, so here is the chapter. See you all in two days.Helios stirred awake as a faint, familiar voice called to him from the ers of his mind.

  “Well, you’ve been out for a while,” Kurai’s voice drawled, his tone ced with mockery. “I figured you’d want to know what happened while you were drooling on the pillow.”

  Helios stretched, rubbing his temples as he sat up. “What now?”

  Kurai tinued, a smirk audible in his voice. “Your ‘friend’ Sephiroth had a little... chat with Hades st night. The god popped in, all fire and smoke, and made him an offer. Didn’t think it’d happen so soon, huh?”

  Helios raised an eyebrow. “Figured Hades would approae of us eventually, but I didn’t think he’d be so quick to crawl back.” He stretched his arms, his joints crag as he yawned.

  Kurai’s voice turned sly. “A, he didn’t bother waking you up to tell you. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Maybe your silver-haired buddy pns to stab you in the back. Wouldn’t be the first time someone’s betrayed you.”

  Helios waved off the suggestion, unbothered. “Oh, you mean like you? Whatever, Sephiroth do whatever he wants. I’ve already got the heart and the agreement for Hephaestus to craft my gear. Whether he stays here to eain Hades or decides to tag along, it doesn’t matter. He’s useful, sure, but my pn isn’t tied to him.”

  A faint chuckle echoed in his mind. “Cold, even for you. And here I thought you were bonding you even called him Seph st time.”

  Helios smirked as he stood, his eyes meeting Sephiroth’s. The swordsman was watg him, his expression unreadable, before he closed his eyes again, leaning against the wall. Helios shook his head and moved toward the door.

  Helios went over to the room, finding Skuld in the on room helping Cloud get dressed. Cloud’s gaze was still distant, his expression vat as she guided him with gentle movements.

  “M,” Helios greeted, his tone light.

  Skuld gnced up, her face brightening slightly before it turern. “You’re finally up. Took you long enough. Are you doing okay now?”

  Helios shrugged. “Yeah, some of us need our beauty sleep. Anyway, get ready. We’re heading out in an hour.”

  Skuld frowned. “What about Cloud? He ’t exactly e with us in this state.”

  Helios smirked. “Once he’s eaten, we’ll drop him off with Zack. He’s been doing a det job pying babysitter, hasn’t he?”

  Skuld sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Fine, but Zaeeds to take it easy with him. Last time, Cloud came back bruised and exhausted.”

  Helios chuckled, making his way to the bathing area. “You two sound like parents deg how to raise a kid.”

  “Shut up,” Skuld shot back, gring at him as he ughed softly and disappeared into the room.

  Helios stepped into the bathing room arieved a small vial from his bag—a sing solution he’d picked up from Merlin’s shack. He poured the tents into the water, the ented liquid bubbling faintly before releasing a soothing aroma.

  As he bathed, he cast a spell on his torn clothes, watg as the magic worked to mend the fabric, erasing the blood and scorch marks and stitg tears seamlessly. By the time he was done, his attire looked as good as new.

  Feeling refreshed, he rejoihe group in the on room, where Cloud sat quietly as Skuld fussed over him. Zack stood nearby, arms crossed as he listeo her instrus.

  “Take it easy with him,” Skuld said firmly. “No sparring until he’s stronger, and don’t push him too hard during training.”

  Zack grinned sheepishly. “Got it, got it. I’ll keep it simple—nothing but walks and maybe a few stretches.”

  Helios leaned against the doorway, a smirk pying on his lips. “Look at you two, co-parenting. Adorable.”

  Skuld gred at him. “Don’t you ever stop talking?”

  “Nope,” Helios replied, chug as he straightened. “Not when it es to making fun of those that I like. But it’s time to head out. Skuld, grab your things.”

  Skuld turo Cloud, her voice softening. “I’m going somewhere for a while, but I’ll be back soon, okay?”

  Cloud tilted his head slightly, his empty gaze settling on her. After a moment, he gave a slow nod.

  Helios grabbed the bundle taining Aqua’s Keybde armor, carefully ed in a b, and stepped outside the inn. The city streets were alive with the bustle of the m crowd, but Helios paid them no mind as he walked toward the outskirts. Skuld followed close behind, her expression curious.

  “Where exactly are we going?” she asked, gng at the bundle in his arms.

  Helios poioward the distant peak of Mount Olympus, its summit shrouded in clouds. “There.”

  Skuld frowned. “You realize how far that is, right? It’ll take hours—maybe even the day—to get there on foot.”

  Helios smirked, reag into his pocket to retrieve the golden medal Zeus had given him. “We’re not walking the whole way.”

  As they reached the edge of the city, Helios held up the medal and called out, his voice clear and fident. “Zeus, King of Olympus, God of the Heavens, I invoke your name!”

  The medal shattered in his hand, dissolving into golden sparks. A beam of light shot down from the heavens, and a golden cloud desded gracefully before them. The cloud shimmered with divine energy, glowing faintly as it hovered just above the ground.

  Skuld’s jaw dropped. “What... is that?”

  “Our ride,” Helios said, stepping onto the cloud and pg the bundle beside him. He offered her a hand, grinning. “ing?”

  Still stunned, Skuld hesitated before taking his hand and climbing onto the cloud. The moment she was seated, Helios snapped his fingers. “Go.”

  The cloud rose smoothly into the air, asding rapidly as the city fell away beh them. Skuld g to Helios’ arm, her wide eyes fixed on the view.

  “This is insane,” she muttered.

  Helios chuckled. “You’re wele. Now every day you get to ride a cloud.”

  As the cloud soared toward Mount Olympus, the air grew cooler, the world below shrinking into a patchwork of green and brown. Skuld g the peak ahead, her curiosity overriding her initial shock.

  “So... what’s at the top?” she asked.

  Helios’ expression turned serious, his gaze fixed on the clouds above. “Olyumpus, Realm of the Gods of this world. Specifically, we’ll be going to Hephaestus’ Fe. We’re going to have something built—something that will help the two of us find someone who could be sidered an ally.”

  Skuld studied him for a moment, her brow furrowing. “An ally? Who is that?”

  Helios nodded. “Don’t worry you’ll meet her soon. For now, let’s focus oing what we need from here without any trouble.”

  The two fell silent as the cloud tis ast, the golden light guiding them toward the realm of the gods.