The golden hues of the setting sun stretched across the sky as Helios and Skuld desded into the city of Thebes. The once-bustling streets had quieted with the approach of night, only a few merts pag away their stalls and some lingering citizens enjoying the cool evening air.

  Helios stretched his arms behind his head, exhaling as he goward the inhey were staying. “Well, looks like we made it back before dark,” he mused.

  Skuld, however, frowned as she noticed something off. The inn was quiet—too quiet.

  “No Cloud, no Zao Sephiroth,” she muttered, sing the area. “Where are they?”

  Helios barely seemed ed. “They’ll e back when it’s time to eat,” he said zily, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Cloud doesn’t have anywhere else to go, and Zack would never miss a meal.”

  Skuld shot him a sharp look. “We should check. What if something happened?”

  Helios sighed, clearly preferring to let the situation resolve itself. But Skuld’s gre had won out. “Fine, fine. Let’s go find them.”

  Following Skuld’s intuition, they left the city’s walls aured toward the open fields behind Thebes. The sound of rustling grass filled the quiet air as they walked, the sky now deepening into a rich purple as twilight took hold.

  Then, in the distahey saw them.

  Cloud and Zack y sprawled on the ground, their bodies bloodied, battered, and bruised, while Sephiroth stood over them, his long Masamune swleaming faintly in the dim light.

  Skuld gasped and broke into a sprint. “Cloud!”

  Helios remained calm but quied his pace slightly, summoning his Keybde with a casual flick of his wrist. He let out a zy yawn, lifting his on and casting Cura.

  A wave of green light washed over Cloud and Zack, their wounds closing as the spell took effect. Cloud stirred first, groaning as his eyelids fluttered open. Zack sat up with a grunt, rubbing his sore shoulders.

  “Ugh… man, that guy doesn’t hold back,” Zack muttered, flexing his arms.

  Meanwhile, Skuld was furious. She shot a gre toward Sephiroth and summoned her Keybde, Ravenveil Whisper, wind swirling around its hilt as she prepared to attack.

  “Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?!” she shouted at Sephiroth.

  Before she could charge, a cage of wind formed arourapping her in pce. She turned, eyes wide in shock, only to see Helios standing there with his arm raised, palm glowing faintly.

  “What are you doing?!” Skuld demanded, smming her Keybde against the swirling winds.

  Helios met her gaze zily. “Rex. They were just training.”

  Skuld’s gre didn’t fade. “Training?! They looked half-dead!”

  Zack groaned as he got to his feet, dusting himself off. “Yeah, well, that’s kind of the point. You don’t get stronger if you don’t push yourself.”

  Skuld looked between Zad Cloud, who was still rec on the ground. Slowly, she lowered her on. “You’re serious?”

  Zack grinned. “Yup.”

  The winds around Skuld dispersed as Helios released the spell, and she sighed iant acceptance.

  Helios leaned on his Keybde, shifting his attention to Sephiroth. “So how’d you mao vince him to train you two?”

  Zack ughed. “Oh, that’s easy—I promised to alk to him again in exge.”

  Helios chuckled, picturing it in his head—Zack stantly trailing behind Sephiroth, begging for training, asking again and again until Sephiroth finally agreed just to shut him up. He had no doubt the dark swordsman would have tempted to cut Zack dht then and there if not of their promise and his e to the boy.

  He turned his gaze toward Sephiroth, who remained silent, standing with his usual air of detached indifference.

  “Sounds like a fair trade,” Helios mused, smirking slightly.

  Sephiroth didn’t reaor did he firm or deny Zack’s cim. Instead, he simply tilted his head slightly, as if already growing tired of their presence.

  Helios let out another yawn and stretched. “Alright, we’re heading back. You guys ing?”

  He turned and started walking toward the city without waiting for a response.

  Skuld sighed ao Cloud’s side, gently grabbing his hand and helping him up. “e o’s go,” she said softly.

  Cloud, still weary, allowed himself to be led. His movements were stiff, but thanks to Cura, he could at least walk.

  Helios gnced back, expeg Zack to follow, but Sephiroth was still standing in the same spot. Then, in an instant, the silver-haired swordsman vanished into darkness.

  Zack, realizing he was now alone, blinked. “Hey, wait! Don’t just leave me out here!”

  He quickly broke into a jog, catg up with Helios and Skuld. “Geez, you guys were just gonna leave me, huh?”

  Helios smirked. “You were standing there like you had unfinished business. Thought maybe you wanted a rematch.”

  Zack ughed. “Not tonight. I need food first.”

  By the time they made it back to Thebes, the streets were empty, the city settling into the silence of night. Lanterns flickered along the roads, casting a warm golden glow on the cobblestohs.

  The inrance creaked as Helios pushed open the door, stepping inside.

  Zack sighed in relief. “Man, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m starving.”

  Skuld led Cloud to one of the chairs by the table and sat him down before taking a seat herself.

  Helios walked toward the back of the inn, stretg his arms once again. “You guys eat without me. I’m turning in for the night.”

  Zack gave him a fused look. “Huh? You’re ing?”

  Helios waved him off zily. “Not hungry.”

  He stepped into his shared room with Sephiroth and closed the door behind him, letting out a quiet sigh.

  The room was dimly lit by the faint glow of the moon outside the window. Helios tossed his jacket onto a chair and sat on the edge of the bed, resting his elbows on his knees.

  His thoughts drifted—not to Zack, Cloud, or even Sephiroth, but to what y ahead.

  The Realm of Darkness.

  It wouldn’t be long now before they made their dest. He had a few things to take care of so they would probably leave the day after tomorrow.

  He leaned back, staring at the ceiling, knowing that sleep would not e easily tonight.

  Zaced at Skuld, who was quietly watg Cloud as he ate. “So… is he always like that?” he asked, jerking his thumb toward the door Helios had disappeared behind.

  Skuld shrugged. “Pretty much. He keeps a lot to himself.”

  Zack grinned. “Mysterious, huh? I respect that.”

  Cloud remained quiet, staring at his pte but occasionally gng toward the closed door.