The air was thick with tension as the warriors of the Powhatan tribe stood at the ready, watching the three strangers before them.
Pocahontas, standing beside her father, studied Helios, Aqua, and Skuld closely.
Their clothing was unlike anything she had ever seen.
Their presence was unlike any traveler she had ever met.
"Your clothes are so unique, I've never seen anything like them before." said Pocahontas
Chief Powhatan's deep, wise gaze flickered between them.
"You say you are here to learn about the land?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.
Aqua stepped forward slightly, bowing her head respectfully.
"Yes," she said. "We are travelers, drawn here to understand these lands."
Skuld nodded, her voice sincere. "The Spirit Woods are unlike anything we've ever seen."
The chief's expression did not change.
He studied them for a moment before shifting his attention to Helios.
"And you?"
Helios smiled—not too wide, not too eager. Just enough.
"Same as them," he said smoothly. "We come from far away. We've seen many places, but none quite like this."
He glanced at Pocahontas, eyes gleaming with intrigue.
"One day, I think you'll go on to see many strange places," he said. "And when you do, you'll meet people with clothing far stranger and different than ours. I'm sure it'll be a sight to marvel at."
Pocahontas blinked, thoughtful.
Chief Powhatan, however, was less entertained. "You speak as though you know the future. Why do you a stranger speak as if you know my daughter," he observed.
Helios chuckled. "No, just a good guesser. I had a friend with eyes similar to those of your daughter and if she's anything like my friend then she'll want to see it all. I meant no offense though."
Powhatan narrowed his eyes but said nothing further.
From the corner of his vision, Helios could see Kocoum watching him.
Eyes sharp.
Untrusting and ready to take action should the word be given.
He expected as much. They were a couple of strangers who showed up mysteriously and unannounced so some wariness was to be excepted.
Kocoum stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with the chief.
His presence was like a stone wall—unmoving, unshakable.
"You arrived here in a way no traveler should. Entering our territory without us noticing," Kocoum said, his voice cool but firm.
Helios met his gaze, still smiling. "I could say the same thing about how silently your warriors surrounded us," he replied smoothly. "Impressive, really."
Kocoum's expression did not change.
But his eyes narrowed slightly.
Helios could see it—the warrior's instincts, the way he was assessing him for danger. Seeing if he was a danger to the tribe and if he was how best to remove the danger.
And just as quickly, Helios assessed him back.
Strong. Disciplined. Sharp. But predictable.
Unlike Powhatan and Pocahontas, Kocoum wasn't interested in understanding them or the reasons.
He was looking for a reason to act.
Helios knew that game.
He had played it before.
And he would win.
For now, though, he let the moment pass.
They needed the tribe's trust.
So he simply laughed lightly, stepping back slightly in a gesture of ease. "I get it," he said. "If I were you all, I wouldn't trust us either."
His blunt honesty caught Pocahontas and even Powhatan off guard.
Kocoum also hesitated for a fraction of a second, but he did not reply.
Helios had made his point.
As the conversation continued, Aqua felt something.
It was faint—a whisper at the edge of her senses.
Like a drop of ink in clear water.
Her breath hitched.
Darkness. Heartless maybe?
She turned slightly toward Skuld, lowering her voice. "Did you feel that?"
Skuld frowned, closing her eyes briefly. Then she stiffened. "…Yeah."
Helios, having overheard, remained calm.
But inside, he was already calculating.
Something—or someone—was slowly spreading darkness around the Spirit Woods. Soon it would attract the heartless.
Since it wasn't him, Helios could easily guess the source, though.
Ratcliffe was the villain of the movie. So the darkness should be coming from him. Sadly Helios' knowledge of this world was borderline shallow. He wasn't sure what happened in the movie and since this world wasn't included in the game he knew next to nothing. That meant he would need to make his moves carefully, especially with Skuld and Aqua attached to his hip.
The disturbance was still small, distant.
But it was there. It was an unbloomed seed but one that would only grow soon enough.
Helios exhaled quietly, keeping his face relaxed.
Aqua and Skuld weren't as skilled at hiding their unease.
Pocahontas noticed immediately. "Is something wrong?" she asked.
Aqua hesitated but was able to calm herself a second later.
Skuld quickly shook her head. "No, nothing. Just… the air here feels different than other places we've been. It's nice and we're just trying to take it in."
Pocahontas nodded slowly.
She could tell there was more they weren't saying.
And she wasn't wrong.
But for now, the moment passed.
Chief Powhatan looked between them once more before turning to his people. "They shall return with us as guests. However we will watch them closely until they gain our trust," he said.
Then, to Pocahontas—
"Show them the land and teach them our history and stories. Let them understand what we fight to protect."
Pocahontas nodded. "Yes, father."
Helios, watching her carefully smiled. "We appericate your hospitality and please if you need anything from us do not hesitate to ask. As guests in this land, it's the least we could do."