Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

Helios walked away from Skuld, the echoes of her earlier distress still lingering in his mind, and turned his attention to the computer. His fingers moved swiftly, navigating through the system to check on the current state of the castle. The feed revealed Braig, Dilan, and Aeleus at the castle gates, fighting valiantly to hold back the relentless tide of Heartless.

Their teamwork was a sight to behold. Dilan wielded his spear with precision, keeping the Heartless at a distance while Aeleus charged his massive ax, delivering devastating blows to thin the horde. Braig, with his arrowguns, expertly picked off any Heartless that managed to break through their frontline defense. Together, they formed an effective triad, holding the line against the encroaching shadows.

But the tide turned quickly as Air Soldiers and Wyverns descended from the skies, their aerial assaults forcing Braig to redirect his focus to defending himself. The Defenders joined the fray, launching massive fireballs that forced Dilan and Aeleus into a defensive retreat. Their coordinated efforts began to falter as Soldiers and Knights emerged from behind the Defenders, crashing into the gates and overwhelming their defenses.

Forced to retreat, the trio fled back toward the castle interior. The gates shuddered under the relentless assault, and Helios watched with a mix of detachment and curiosity.

The camera feed shifted, showing Maleficent's arrival. The Shadows and Neoshadows surged toward her, but before they could attack, the Defender Heartless turned against their lesser counterparts, blocking and pushing them back. A sly smile played on Maleficent's lips as she surveyed the chaos, her presence radiating command over the Emblem Heartless.

Kurai's voice slithered into Helios's mind, laced with satisfaction. "Looks like your deal with the evil fairy has borne fruit. She's practically reveling in her new army. What now?"

Helios leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady on the screen. "Now," he said, "I need to ensure the apprentices transition into Nobodies. It's the next step."

With that, Helios turned his attention to the floorboard he had pried open earlier, pulling out the hard drive he had hidden there. It contained vital data, including information on his modifications to Space Paranoids and his research into the apprentices' experiments. But now, he had a new goal: retrieving updated data on the apprentices' Nobody experiments.

"I'll need their new findings," he said to himself, a plan already forming in his mind. "And I should grab Cid's data while I'm at it. After that, Radiant Garden is meaningless to me."

Kurai chuckled. "A pragmatic decision. Efficient. I approve."

The voice faded as Helios moved with purpose, opening a dark corridor to Cid's workshop. Emerging into the familiar space, he quickly located the console housing the Gummi Ship program along with the design he created. Retrieving it, he smiled at the thought of using it to modify the Eclipse Drifter when he reclaimed it in the future.

As he prepared to leave, something caught his eye. Resting on the floor near one of Cid's workbenches were three translucent, blocky, crescent-shaped jewels. Helios crouched down, picking one up to examine it more closely. Its faint glow and crystalline structure were instantly recognizable.

"Lucid Shards," he murmured, his mind racing. The synthesis material from the game—so they existed here too.

Kurai's voice returned, tinged with amusement. "Ah, yes. Lucid Shards as they're named in your memories. You'll find they're quite useful like that dull boy playing hero. Why are you so surprised?"

Helios frowned, pocketing the shards. "They didn't drop in the Dark Realm. I assumed they were just a game mechanic, not something I needed to concern myself with here."

Kurai's laughter was dark and smooth. "Of course not. The Dark Realm doesn't condense dark energy the way the Realm of Light does. These shards are the result of the dark energy of the heartless you and that light girl destroyed crystallizing under the influence of light. Only in worlds where light thrives can they form."

Helios sighed, irritated at himself for overlooking the possibility. "So they're created when Heartless are destroyed in the light. And here I thought synthesis materials were a non-issue." He glanced at the shards again. "I'll need to find the Moogles now. If they're still alive."

"Ever resourceful," Kurai mused. "But you'd better hurry. This world is descending into darkness by your own hand. They may not be around much longer. If they are still alive then it must be due to sheer luck."

Helios clenched his fists, frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior. He hadn't considered the Moogles' potential usefulness, and now he could only hope they had survived the chaos. "Two. Two Moogles are all I need to get started," he muttered, more to himself than to Kurai.

He stood and opened another corridor, stepping through and reemerging in Moogle Central, a bustling hub Lea had once described as "a place to find stuff you never knew you needed." The lively market was now deserted, the once-vibrant stalls abandoned in the chaos. Shadows danced in the corners, but Helios moved swiftly and silently, his dark form cloaking him from detection.

His eyes scanned the area, searching for any sign of the small, furred traders. In the distance, he spotted a faint movement. A pair of Moogles were huddled behind an overturned stall, their pom-poms quivering as they whispered to each other. Relief flooded through Helios, but he knew better than to approach openly.

Carefully, he stepped closer, dropping his dark form as he did. "Hey," he called softly, keeping his tone gentle. The Moogles froze, their wide eyes locking onto him.

"You're not a monster, kupo," one of them said warily, clutching a tiny satchel. "What do you want?"

Helios crouched to their level, keeping his movements slow and deliberate. "I'm not here to hurt you," he assured them. "I need your help. And I can help you in return."

The Moogles exchanged a glance, their fear tempered by curiosity. "Help us how, kupo?" the other one asked.

Helios smiled faintly. "I can get you out of here. Somewhere safe. But I'll need your expertise."

The Moogles hesitated, but the sound of distant Heartless stirred their urgency. Finally, they nodded. "Alright, kupo. We'll help you."

Relief washed over Helios as he opened a corridor. "Come with me," he said. "I'll explain everything once we're safe." The Moogles followed, their trust tentative but growing. As they stepped through the corridor.