The sun broke lazily across Olympus, spilling gold light through the upper windows of the mansion. Helios had woken earlier than he wanted, staring at the ceiling. There was no pressing task—not until Maleficent's word reached him about the two worlds. That was the problem.
Helios disliked waiting. Idleness made space for thoughts that weren't useful and for things to go wrong.
He leaned back in his chair, legs stretched, eyes half-closed, the faint flicker of irritation threading under his calm mask. He knew Maleficent and her gaggle of villains—Ursula, Jafar, even Hades now—would be digging deep into the two worlds he'd described. They would probe, question, test. But Helios was confident. They could scour every inch of those places, and they still wouldn't find—or dare to touch—what mattered most to him.
That didn't mean he enjoyed sitting still while they did it.
The boredom cracked when Zack burst into the hall like he'd swallowed lightning.
"Morning, team!" Zack's grin was too wide for the early hour, and his hair stuck in a dozen directions from either training or sheer chaos. "Guess what? I signed us up for the Colosseum tournament!"
Helios lifted one brow slowly. Across the table, Skuld groaned audibly, dropping her head into her hands.
"You did what?" she muttered.
"The Colosseum tournament!" Zack repeated, undeterred, as though volume would smooth over common sense. "It's perfect. Glory, practice, bonding time—c'mon, it'll be great!"
Tempest folded her arms, glowering like thunder waiting for a cue. "You signed me up too?"
"Of course! You're staying with us to train Helga, so you're part of the family." Zack beamed at her, completely immune to the daggers in her eyes.
Kurai gave the faintest twitch of a smirk, Sephiroth didn't even look up from polishing his blade, and Helios exhaled softly through his nose—amused despite himself.
"What cups?" Helios asked at last.
"Beginner Cup," Zack said, counting on his fingers. "Helga, Thalen, Cloud, Tempest."
"And the Advanced?"
"That's us!" He pointed dramatically. "You, me, Seph, Kurai, and Skuld."
Skuld's glare could have melted ice. "You're unbelievable."
"Unbelievably fun," Zack countered, tossing her a wink.
Helios leaned back, eyes half-lidded, deciding. A tournament wasn't necessary, but… not unwelcome either. It beat staring at the walls waiting for Maleficent's raven to flutter down with cryptic answers. And seeing Thalen tested under pressure might reveal something useful.
"Fine," Helios said at last. "We'll play your game."
Zack pumped his fist in triumph. "Knew you'd come around!"
The group left the mansion at dawn, moving down through the forest where beasts stalked the shadows but kept their distance. Even predators learned quickly not to harass anyone connected to the blue-eyed youth who'd once burned a harpy to ash in three strokes.
The road bent toward Thebes, its stone streets already filling with the bustle of morning markets. Merchants hawked figs and olives, donkeys brayed, and the chatter of the crowd swirled around them. Above it all, perched like a crown of marble, rose the Colosseum. Its towering arches gleamed in the sun, banners fluttering in the breeze, promising spectacle.
The closer they came, the louder the roar of voices grew—spectators, gamblers, heroes in training. The great stone arena drew them in like a tide.
At the entrance, Phil scurried back and forth barking at would-be competitors. "You got heart, kid? You got guts? You got insurance? No? Too bad, you're signed anyway!"
Helios walked past him without comment, though Phil muttered about "another moody day for the kid" under his breath. Hercules gave them a polite nod as they passed, but he was quickly pulled away to sign autographs for a cluster of admirers.
Inside, the air changed. The Colosseum's interior thrummed with energy—dust, sweat, anticipation. The Beginner Cup competitors were led to one side, the Advanced challengers to another.
Helga was already cracking her knuckles. Tempest adjusted the strap on her gauntlet and checked her spear with barely contained annoyance. Skuld was muttering at Zack about how "this is ridiculous," but Zack was humming happily as if nothing could ruin his mood.
Helios caught sight of the tournament brackets.
First match: Thalen vs. Cloud.
His lips curved, just slightly.
The Beginner Cup began promptly, the crowd restless for blood—or at least spectacle. Trumpets blared, dust swirled, and the announcer's voice boomed across the arena.
"First up in the Beginner Cup! A test of skill, will, and guts! In this corner—the up-and-coming challenger, cloaked in mystery as a first-time newcomer: Thalen!"
A cheer went up. Thalen walked out slowly, his steps hesitant, cloak dragging slightly behind him. He looked pale, too pale, his hands flexing nervously around the sword hilt at his side. The faint shimmer of Nobody energy flickered around him like static.
"And in this corner—the mercenary, the man with the sword taller than your house—Cloud Strife!"
The crowd erupted. Cloud strode into the arena with the ease of someone used to eyes on him. His blade rested casually on his shoulder, his expression unreadable, all calm precision.
Helios leaned forward on the stone railing of the stands, elbows on his knees. His eyes narrowed.
'Victory belongs to Cloud,' he thought. 'But maybe the boy Thalen may yet surprise me.'
Beside him, Zack whistled low. "Oh, man. Bad luck for Thalen. But hey, if he can hang in there a minute, that's a win in my book."
Skuld gripped her seat, biting her lip, whispering encouragement under her breath as if Thalen could hear her.
Kurai's eyes were sharp, judging, already dissecting every angle. Sephiroth didn't move, but his gaze followed the two competitors with faint interest, like a hawk watching lesser predators.
The gates slammed shut behind them.
Dust hung in the air.
Thalen raised his sword with slightly trembling hands. Cloud lowered his massive blade into a ready stance, calm as ever.
The announcer lifted his hand. The crowd held its breath.
"Remember, boys. No killing, no items—ring-outs count; healers stand by behind the gates. Fighters ready? Begin!"
Helios's gaze never wavered. To him, this wasn't a simple spar. It was a test—a measurement of potential.
If Thalen breaks here, I'll know. If he holds, even for a little while, then maybe he might show me his powers as a Nobody. If he surprises me… then perhaps there's more to work with than I thought.
The dust swirled higher, the crowd roared louder, and the clash of steel rang out like thunder.
Helios leaned back, arms crossing, eyes glinting cold blue.
"Let's see what the boy can do."