Helios reached for the door handle, his senses sharp. The faint magical presence he had noticed wasn't just lingering energy—it was deliberate, controlled, as if someone had been waiting for him.
He pushed the door open.
Inside, the dimly lit room carried the faint scent of parchment and old wood. A single table stood in the center, and seated there, sipping calmly from a steaming cup of tea—
Was Merlin.
His sky-blue robes hung loose around his frame, his long white beard resting against his chest. His small, round spectacles reflected the glow of a nearby lantern.
Merlin's gaze lifted, twinkling with both amusement and sharp perception.
"It has been quite some time, Helios," he said smoothly, placing his cup down with a soft clink.
Helios froze in the doorway.
Not because he was afraid. Not because he was surprised Merlin was here. But because of what this meeting represented.
The first person to ever take him in.
The first person to ever teach him magic.
The first person he ever lied to.
Helios' eyes flickered to the side. On the bed, Aqua and Skuld were asleep. Their bodies were mended, but exhaustion kept them unconscious. Merlin must have been the one to heal them.
Merlin followed his gaze. "Do not worry. They are simply resting. A little magic sped up their recovery."
Helios clicked his tongue as he ruffled his hair and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. "…Didn't expect to run into you here, Sir."
Merlin chuckled. "Did you think I wouldn't notice when you stumbled into this world? You've made quite the mess in the time we've been apart."
Helios smiled, moving toward the table. "Yes, I suppose I have. Might I ask where have you been all this time? One day you just left, never came back to Radiant Garden."
Merlin sighed, taking another sip of his tea before responding. "There were things I needed to tend to. You, however, seemed to have managed just fine without me. Whether that's a good thing however remains to be said."
Helios pulled out a chair and sat, the faint warmth of fresh tea meeting his senses. Without hesitation, he grabbed the second cup and took a sip.
It was sweet. Subtle. Exactly how he liked it. "…You remembered."
Merlin smiled. "I never forget my students."
The room fell into a quiet stillness, the only sounds being the faint breathing of Aqua and Skuld.
Then—
Merlin's gaze darkened. "You have changed, boy."
Helios paused, then smirked. "Yeah? What gave it away?"
Merlin's voice was quiet, but edged with something firm. "Your aura of darkness."
Helios set his cup down. "That so?"
Merlin leaned forward, folding his hands together. "It has grown much stronger since we last met."
Helios leaned back in his chair, unbothered. "Not surprising. I just spent a while in the Realm of Darkness before ending up here."
Merlin's eyes narrowed slightly. "And yet, the darkness around you does not behave like a mere stain upon your heart. It is… something else."
Helios' smile never faded, but something in his eyes sharpened. "You're thinking too much into it."
Merlin hummed, watching him carefully. "I see."
He took another sip of tea, then—
"You've been spending time with a man with a dark heart and an evil fairy."
Helios froze mid-sip.
A second passed.
Then—he laughed.
A full, genuine chuckle as he set the cup down. "Oh, come on. You mean Sephiroth and Maleficent? That's hardly fair."
Merlin smirked. "Is it not?"
Helios shrugged. "Things just… sort of happened. I never planned to hang around them long-term."
Merlin tilted his head. "And yet, you did."
Helios sighed dramatically. "What can I say? They grew on me."
Merlin let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "It seems you have not lost your glib tongue."
Then—
The air shifted.
The humor faded from Merlin's expression.
"Enough of this, boy," the old wizard murmured, his voice suddenly carrying weight. "Are you finally ready to tell me the truth this time?"
Helios met his gaze.
The game was over.
Merlin knew.
Not everything, not the full extent of what Helios had kept from him in Radiant Garden. But enough to know that Helios was hiding something.
Helios exhaled, leaning his forearms against the table. He stared into his tea, swirling it slightly before answering. "…I can only tell you part of the truth."
Merlin's eyes glinted, as if he had expected that answer. "And if I am unsatisfied?"
Helios finally looked up. "Then I guess you'll have to decide whether it's enough after hearing it."
Merlin studied him.
Then—slowly—he smiled.
"Very well," the wizard said, leaning back in his chair. "Let's hear what you have to say."
Helios exhaled, closing his eyes briefly before speaking.
"…I really did lose my world."
Merlin's expression remained unreadable, listening intently.
"I don't know exactly what caused it. But I do know that darkness and the heartless swallowed everything."
Aqua shifted slightly in her sleep at those words, but did not wake. "I survived due to my parents sacrificing themselves for me. But when I woke up, I was alone in the Realm of Darkness."
Merlin's brows furrowed slightly, but he said nothing, allowing Helios to continue.
"I wandered. I fought. I adapted. I learned. And after a long time… I escaped."
Merlin tapped a finger against the table. "And you found your way to Radiant Garden."
Helios nodded. "That's right."
There was a long silence.
Merlin studied him, the flickering light casting shadows across his aged face.
"…A well-told story," Merlin finally murmured. "And yet, that explains nothing of how you managed to escape and what you planned to do. Tell me, how did Radiant Garden fall to darkness?"
Helios sighed, rubbing his temple. "Told you I could only say part of the truth but I can answer those questions."
Merlin gave him a knowing look. "So what happened?"
Helios smiled faintly. "As you've already guessed I can control darkness to a degree. As for the events of Radaint Garden that was due to the action of Ansem the Wise and his apprentices."
Merlin chuckled. "You are an enigma, Helios."
The wizard tapped the table twice, standing.