The black corridor tore open with a ripple of energy, depositing Kurai, Skuld, and the broken body of Helios into the grand hall of the mansion. The lights were low, the room quiet save for the echo of their sudden arrival. For a breath, there was peace.
Then a flash of silver.
A blade hissed through the air—stopping at Kurai's neck.
She didn't flinch. Without sparing a glance, she lifted her arm and batted the weapon aside with the back of her hand, sending it spinning into a nearby column. Metal clanged and scraped stone, and a tall figure stepped into view.
Sephiroth's glare was ice.
"You're late. It looks like you managed to succedd at least," he said.
Kurai didn't bother responding. Her silver eyes were already on Skuld, who was struggling to keep Helios upright as he leaned heavily on her shoulder.
"Take him to his room," Kurai ordered. "Start healing him again. He's still very injuried."
Skuld hesitated only a moment, glancing between Kurai and Sephiroth. The tension was palpable. But with a sharp breath and a nod, she adjusted Helios' weight and helped him limp forward. His steps were uneven, every motion strained and slow. Blood still stained what was left of his clothes, his skin pale and marred with deep gashes and burns that magic had only partially closed.
They moved down the hall.
Inside the room, Zack shot up from the couch the moment the door opened. Thalen followed, his book falling from his lap. Cloud stood against the wall and immediately pushed off it, his brow furrowing at the sight.
"What the hell happened?" Zack asked, rushing over.
Helios managed a faint smile, voice a whisper. "Just tired… Might sleep for a week."
"Are you okay? You look like you're dying," Thalen muttered, stepping closer.
"I think I did die. Four times, actually," Helios rasped.
Skuld helped him to the bed and gently laid him down. He winced but didn't complain. His body, once strong and refined, now looked withered, patched with bruises, burns, and wounds still oozing. Every breath was shallow, his chest rising unevenly.
Skuld summoned her keyblade—Ravenveil Whisper—and immediately cast Curaga.
Zack saw that Skuld needed to focus, and they were in the way, so he led Cloud and Thalen out to sit in another room as they waited.
Green light enveloped Helios. His skin knit together, bruises fading, but only marginally. The worst injuries—deep gouges near his ribs, torn ligaments in his shoulder, the crushed remnants of bone in his arm—remained.
She cast again. And again.
Each time the light was slightly weaker, her breathing grew more ragged. Sweat formed at her brow, and her vision blurred from strain. After the sixth cast, the magic simply fizzled, her reserves dry.
"Damn it…" she whispered.
Helios turned his head, eyes just barely opening. Even that motion seemed to drain him.
"You've… got a lot of questions, huh?" he said, voice raw and hoarse.
Skuld looked at him, worry plain on her face, and nodded. "Yeah… I do. But not now." She forced a smile. "Rest. I'll heal you. You're not allowed to dodge my questions later. Especially the first one—who the heck is that white-haired girl?"
"I'm standing right here. You could have asked me? Not that I'd bother answering," came a cool voice from the doorway.
Skuld jumped, summoning her keyblade again as she almost took a defensive stance. Kurai leaned against the frame, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. She had entered without them noticing, quiet as falling ash.
"Sorry," Kurai said with mock politeness. "Didn't mean to interrupt the reunion. I also didn't mean to startle you."
"You—you snuck up on me!" Skuld stammered.
"I tend to do that."
She strode forward slowly. Her clothes still bore the small rips from her battle with Hades. Her eyes weren't tired—but they were heavy. Burdened by a weight she couldn't even understand.
"You made it. How do I look?" Helios said, forcing a grin.
Kurai stood over him and raised her hand, placing it gently on his forehead. Her palm was cold but oddly comforting. "Terrible."
"Are you going to live?" she asked.
Helios let out a weak chuckle. "That's the plan."
"Don't joke," she said flatly. "If you die, it means I failed."
His eyes softened. "Well, we can't have that… now can we?"
Kurai scoffed. "No. We can't."
She withdrew her hand and turned to leave. "Call me after you've slept and have awakened. There's a lot we still need to do."
Skuld looked from Kurai to Helios, then to the door. "She's not staying?"
"I don't stay where I'm not needed. Heal him," Kurai said, not looking back.
And with that, she stepped through a shadowed veil and was gone.
The room was silent for a while after that.
Helios closed his eyes again, exhaling slowly. "Don't worry, she's always like that."
Zack, who came back with a jug of water and a green liquid in a flask looked at Skuld. "Alright… let's get him some water, maybe a potion. Whatever we've got left."
Skuld wiped her face with the back of her hand and sat by the bed. "He'll be okay. You can leave those over there, I'll take care of him," she said aloud—partly to him, partly to herself.
As the door closed, Helios felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him like none he had felt before. Even the pain of his wounds was drowned out by the sleepiness that came. Before he could even realize, everything went black.