Helios slowly made his way down the corridor, leaning gently on Skuld's steady support. Despite his forced bravado, each step still sent aches rippling through his bones. He kept his face composed, unwilling to show the true extent of his lingering discomfort.
Skuld guided him gently toward the mansion's kitchen, her eyes darting about curiously at the unfamiliar environment. The kitchen was spacious and elegantly simple, constructed from polished marble and stone, adorned with bronze utensils, ceramic dishes, and other implements reminiscent of Olympus. It was starkly different from anything Skuld had ever encountered before.
"Sit down," she instructed, pulling out a chair for Helios at the long, polished stone table.
He eased himself carefully onto the seat, wincing slightly but quickly masking it with a reassuring smile. "You know, Skuld, you really don't need to fuss so much."
She shot him a pointed look as she moved hesitantly toward the counters. "You nearly died, Helios. I'm allowed to fuss."
He chuckled softly, leaning back to watch her with mild amusement as she began examining the kitchen's tools and ingredients. Skuld paused, studying an array of unfamiliar spices, various colorful fruits, and peculiar cooking devices she had never seen before. Her face fell slightly, overwhelmed by the foreign culinary environment.
Realizing her limitations, she sighed softly, admitting defeat. Instead, she quickly gathered some simple items—a loaf of fresh bread, an assortment of fruits, and a jug of milk—placing them neatly on a platter.
"I'm sorry," she murmured apologetically, setting the modest meal in front of Helios. "This place is so different. I have no idea how to cook anything here, let alone what some of what these ingredients were.."
Helios smiled gently, reaching out and taking a piece of bread. "You don't have to apologize. This is perfect."
He took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. Truthfully, the meal wasn't particularly flavorful or appetizing—it was plain, simple, and somewhat bland—but the earnest effort she had put into preparing it made up for any lack of culinary delight. He quickly ate, feeling a gradual sense of relief as his strength slowly returned with each bite.
Once he'd finished, Skuld leaned forward, eyes filled with curiosity and concern. "Now, about all those questions—"
Helios chuckled softly. "Go ahead. Ask."
"Okay, first," Skuld began eagerly, her words tumbling out rapidly, "why did you leave Aqua and me so many times? One minute you were with us, and then suddenly you'd vanish. And who was that white-haired girl, Kurai? She seems dangerous, and yet somehow she helped save you. And what happened before you showed up here? How did you end up nearly dead? Did you fight someone? And—"
"Skuld!" Helios interrupted with gentle exasperation, holding up his hands defensively. "Slow down. Let me answer at least one of your questions before you spit out another two pages' worth."
Skuld blushed slightly, looking sheepish as she sat back. "Sorry. I just… I've been worried. I need answers."
Helios took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "First off, about leaving you and Aqua—each time I left, it wasn't because I wanted to abandon you. Sometimes, there were things only I could handle. Situations where staying put you both in danger. I left to protect you, not because I wanted to leave you behind."
Skuld considered this quietly, eyes thoughtful. "And… what about the dangerous white haired girl called Kurai?" she pressed gently.
"Kurai…" Helios hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "She's complicated. She's a keyblade wielder who can use darkness, a shadow with a heart. But she's not evil. At least, not how you might think. She's harsh, cold, ruthless, even, but there's more to her beneath the surface. We're bound together, connected by circumstances and choices made."
Skuld frowned slightly, processing this new information. "Do you trust her?"
Helios nodded slowly. "Completely. Not because she's harmless—far from it—but because I understand her. And in some strange way, she understands me better than anyone else does."
There was silence between them for a moment, the weight of his admission settling in the air. Skuld finally nodded, seemingly accepting this for the time being.
"Now, what happened before I ended up here nearly dead…" Helios continued carefully. "I fought Hades. He captured me, tortured me, and tried to break me. And honestly, he almost succeeded. If Kurai hadn't come for me, if you hadn't been there to heal me… well, I probably wouldn't be sitting here now."
Skuld's eyes widened in shock, the reality of his ordeal finally sinking in fully. "I'm sorry, Helios. I had no idea it was so bad."
Helios reached across the table, gently placing his hand on hers. "I survived because of you. That's all that matters now."
She smiled softly, squeezing his hand briefly. "And what happened to this place? What exactly is going on?"
Helios glanced around the elegant yet unfamiliar kitchen. "This is Olympus. Hades asked us to do a job for him, which we accepted. It's complicated to explain, but there's this other goddess Hecate who wants a coup in the underword. She asked us for our help, and if we refused, she'd kill us. We tried the best of both worlds, but Hades took it the wrong way, and before you know, I was caught."
Skuld nodded again, satisfied for the moment. But her eyes soon brightened with another question forming.
"And—" she began again, only to be cut off by Helios' amused laughter.
"One question at a time, Skuld," he teased gently. "I promise to answer every single one, but please, give me a moment to breathe."
She laughed softly, looking down in slight embarrassment. "Sorry. I'm just glad you're safe. I was really scared."
Helios squeezed her hand reassuringly again. "I know. And I'm grateful for everything you've done for me."
She smiled shyly, visibly relaxing for the first time since they had arrived. "You're welcome."