The room was quiet except for the faint creak of the chair by the desk. Skuld had been sitting there for the better part of an hour, rubbing her temples and trying to coax back some of the magic she had burned through in healing Helios. Even when she closed her eyes, she still saw the flicker of green light clashing against the black veins that had crawled through his body. Her chest tightened at the memory, at the thought of almost losing him again.
The door creaked open.
She looked up sharply, expecting maybe Aqua or Zack — but it was him.
Helios stepped inside, pale as bone, his jacket hanging loose over a body still clearly battered. His sharpness of movement, the way his eyes gleamed with their usual cold fire, clashed almost absurdly with the state he was in. He looked like someone who had walked away from death with a smile, and Skuld's heart dropped at the sight.
"Helios!" she snapped, standing so fast her chair scraped the floor. "What are you doing out of bed? You're supposed to be resting!" She was already moving, one hand glowing faintly with light, rushing to his side before he could protest. "You can barely stand, and you're walking around like nothing's wrong—are you insane?"
He chuckled, though the sound was thin, laced with pain. "Good morning to you too, Skuld. You always know how to make a man feel welcome."
She ignored his attempt at humor, pressing her glowing palm against his arm. The faint green of a Curaga flared, mending torn muscle and soothing strained tissue. His body flinched once, but he didn't resist. She worked quickly, jaw tight, muttering under her breath. "Idiot. You can't keep doing this to yourself. One of these days you'll push too far, and then no one will be able to drag you back."
He tilted his head, studying her with a faint smirk. "You sound like an old healer scolding a reckless boy."
"That's exactly what you are," she shot back. "A reckless boy in desperate need of scolding." Her voice cracked slightly at the end, though she masked it by focusing harder on the spell.
He let the silence stretch for a moment, letting her vent her concern. Then, as her light dimmed and the immediate ache in his body eased, he exhaled and straightened. "Thank you," he said quietly. For just a moment, there was sincerity there — no sharpness, no coyness. Then it was gone, replaced by the cool calculation she had come to know so well. "But that's not why I came."
Skuld froze, her hand still faintly glowing against his sleeve. "…Then why are you here?" she asked, though she already feared the answer.
Helios leaned against the wall, folding his arms as if to steady himself. His tone was calm, almost casual, but his eyes gave away the weight behind it. "I made the Moogles two promises. One — that I would gather more synthesis materials for them. Two — that I would search for any Moogles who might have escaped Radiant Garden." His gaze flicked toward the window, where dawn's light spilled across the floor. "Up till now, I've done neither. I intend to change that."
Skuld blinked. She hadn't expected this. "Synthesis… materials? From heartless?" She frowned, the healer in her instinctively balking. "You're in no condition to fight. And the last thing you need is to run around chasing down Moogles."
Helios smiled faintly. "Which is why I'm asking you."
Her brow furrowed. "…Me?"
"You," he confirmed smoothly. "The Underworld has more than enough Heartless to supply what we need. You can handle it. In fact, you're the only one who can." His tone sharpened with quiet logic. "You've been blessed by Hecate like Kurai and I were. The curse of the Underworld won't touch you. Aqua, however…" He let the thought trail, his smile darkening just enough to make her squirm. "…She'll feel it. Every hero does."
Skuld's lips parted, confusion flickering across her face. "Then why…? Why bring Aqua at all if it'll weaken her?"
"Because," Helios said, stepping closer and lowering his voice, "you and Aqua need to talk. Properly. And this will force the two of you to spend time together. You've been dancing around her since she arrived, haven't you? Guilt eats at you, Skuld. Trust me on that. I can see it in your eyes. So talk to her. Work it out. This is your chance."
Her chest tightened. He was right, of course — as he so often was. But that only made her bristle more. She turned away slightly, staring at her hands. "I don't… know what I'd even say."
Helios shrugged, his smirk returning. "Then figure it out on the way up the mountain. You're good with words when it matters. She sees you as a little sister. Use that."
Skuld pressed her lips together, torn between irritation and the faintest gratitude. "You make it sound so easy."
"It's not easy," he said softly. "But it's a necessary step forward."
For a moment, silence filled the room again. Skuld glanced at him, and in that instant, she wondered — was this guilt driving him? Or simply another manipulation, another way to push her where he wanted her to be? The line blurred so often with Helios that sometimes she couldn't tell. Yet despite herself, she still trusted him.
He reached out, resting his hand briefly on her shoulder. "Good luck," he murmured, a ghost of warmth in his tone.
Her breath caught. She hated how even that small gesture could steady her. Slowly, she nodded. "…Fine. I'll go. I'll ask Aqua."
Helios straightened, wincing faintly as he pushed off the wall. He masked it well, but she noticed. She always noticed. He gave her one last look — a half-smile, unreadable as ever — then turned and left the room.
Skuld watched him go, worry etched into every line of her face. She wanted to call after him, to tell him to stop pushing himself, to rest, to let someone else carry the burden for once. But the words stuck in her throat, as they always did. She sighed, turning back to her desk, already beginning to gather what she'd need for the journey.
For Helios. For Aqua. For herself.