The air inside Merlin's cottage still held the scent of lilac tea and warm bread. Skuld and Aqua sat across from Helios at the round table near the window, half-finished cups in front of them. The air felt lighter than it had in days—though Aqua still kept her posture stiff, eyes always watching Helios from the corner.
Skuld, legs folded and tone casual, leaned forward and asked, "So? What happened after we got separated? We woke up in Olympus but never knew where you ended up."
Helios smiled mildly, swirling his tea. "A desert world. Agrabah. Sand, ruins, heat. Not much to write home about."
Aqua squinted. "That's it?"
Helios shrugged. "I did some sightseeing. You know, bonded with the local wildlife for a few days. Nothing too exciting." His voice was light, evasive. As always.
Skuld tilted her head. "You? Sightseeing?"
"Well," Helios added with a grin, "I figured it would be best to wait to see if there would be another outburst like that again. So while waiting I thought I might as well enjoy the view."
Aqua looked unconvinced but said nothing.
Helios then set his cup down and pivoted. "Anyway, what about Olympus? I trust you didn't let Sephiroth run you both into the ground? He must have been bored without us there."
Skuld brightened. "It was... a good training session. Hard, but good. Sephiroth trained us in close combat—said we both rely too much on magic or speed. He's not wrong."
Aqua nodded. "We stayed in the house that you apparently own there. Zack, Cloud… even Sephiroth helped more than I expected."
"I'm glad you're both okay," Helios said genuinely. "It seems we deserved a moment of peace and ended up getting one."
Skuld glanced at the window, noting the ever-present night sky. "I'm a bit exhausted from traveling all the way here. Let's call it a day and we'll pick up the rest tomorrow."
Helios pushed back from the table and stood. "Then I'll head out. I'm staying with my friends from last time. Got a few things to finish before tomorrow."
Skuld rose too. "You're coming back, right? Tomorrow? You're not just gonna up and leave are you?"
"Of course, I won't leave," Helios said with an easy smile. "I'll probably be here so early that I'll end up waking you both up."
Aqua didn't rise. She just watched him with that same quiet intensity. "You should be honest with her," she said.
Helios paused at the door, glancing back with that same maddening, unreadable smile. "I am. Like I said before I think it's about time you offer me some level of trust after all we've been through."
Then he stepped outside, the door shutting softly behind him.
Helios walked slowly across the frozen water surrounding the house toward the sealed door marked with the flame sigil. But this time, a figure was waiting for him by the door.
Merlin.
The old wizard stood beside the door, his long beard fluttering in the soft wind, his hands tucked behind his back.
"Planning to leave so quietly?" he asked without turning.
Helios slowed, surprised but not shocked. "Sir Merlin," he greeted politely. "Something you need?"
Merlin chuckled. "I need nothing from you, boy. But you on the other hand… you need to be honest with yourself and those two."
Helios raised a brow. "About?"
The wizard turned to face him now, those wise, twinkling eyes studying him deeply. "You never intended to stay until tomorrow. By the morrow, those two will find that you have left them behind. You said goodbye with your smile but left no truth in your words."
Helios's smile tightened. "I left no promises either."
"No," Merlin agreed. "But you left hope. Especially with that girl. Skuld. You've become quite good at lying without lies."
Helios exhaled through his nose. "If they knew what I was doing, where I'd been, they'd never let me go. So yes… I'll leave them behind. But I'll leave them a note. I need a favor from them. I don't plan to be away for too long but I have to leave soon, in case they choose to follow."
Merlin nodded. "You may find that binding all of us are threads tighter than you expect. Bonds have a way of bringing us together when we least expect it."
Helios turned to go, but Merlin laid a hand gently on his shoulder.
"At the rate you're going… with the dark path you walk… you will meet a terrible end."
Helios stilled under the touch, then nodded once. "Perhaps."
He stepped around the old man and opened the door. Behind him, Merlin began to walk slowly toward the house again, and with each step the ice beneath his feet melted into shimmering water, the entire lake surrounding the house defrosting as he passed.
Helios stopped halfway across the door's threshold and looked back. The light from the house windows reflected across the water, a warm, golden glow in the dark.
"…Still got a long way to go," Helios murmured to himself, eyes lingering on Merlin's silhouette. "It looks like I'm still not ready to beat you any time soon."
He turned and disappeared into the streets of Traverse Town. It was quiet this late if it could be called that in such a world of perpetual night. Lanterns flickered in the upper balconies. A few cats skittered through alleys. The ever-present hum of the clocktower echoed from the distance of the Second District.