Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

The cavern trembled under the Hydra's weight as its massive form slithered forward, dark purple scales gleaming with an ominous sheen. The orange glow of its eyes illuminated the darkness, and every guttural roar it unleashed sent a chilling vibration through the air.

Helios raised his Keyblade defensively, his sharp gaze fixed on the creature. "Whatever you do, Skuld, don't cut off its head."

Skuld dodged as the Hydra lunged toward her, its jagged teeth snapping shut mere inches from her shoulder. She turned to Helios, frustration evident in her voice. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

Helios stepped back, his mind racing. "We need to finish it in one go. Use your water spell to drench it—soak it completely. Trust me."

Skuld's confusion was obvious, but she didn't hesitate. Raising her newly transformed Keyblade, she began channeling her magic. "Water!"

A torrent of water burst forth from the tip of her weapon, crashing against the Hydra's scaled body. The creature roared in fury, whipping its long tail as it charged toward her.

The Hydra's movements were relentless, its claws gouging deep into the cavern floor as it lunged repeatedly at Skuld. She ducked and weaved, her agility keeping her just out of reach.

"Keep it up!" Helios called, watching intently as she continued to drench the beast.

The Hydra reared back, its serpentine neck coiling before it struck again. Skuld rolled to the side, her heart pounding. She countered with another Water, the spell cascading over the creature and soaking its tail and legs.

"This thing's fast for something so big!" Skuld yelled as the Hydra's jaws snapped dangerously close to her again.

"That's why you keep moving," Helios said, his tone calm but commanding. He was standing further back, observing the creature as it writhed under Skuld's constant assault. "You're doing fine. Just don't let it pin you down."

Skuld dodged another swipe, the claws slicing through the air where she had just stood. "Easy for you to say—you're not the one it's trying to eat!"

Helios grinned faintly but said nothing, his focus shifting to the spell he was preparing.

Helios extended his hand, his Keyblade glowing faintly as he began channeling his magic. He'd melded elements before, his Dark Firaga spell being a prime example of combining darkness with fire. But this? This was entirely new.

"I've never tried this before. Here's to hoping it works," Helios muttered to himself, concentrating.

He began with Blizzaga, the icy magic forming a swirling, concentrated sphere of frost in the air before him. The cold radiated outward, and the moisture Skuld had poured onto the Hydra began to react, small crystals of ice forming on its scales.

Next came Aerora. This spell wasn't one he had much experience with—most battles didn't allow for the luxury of experimentation. But now, with the Hydra focused on Skuld, he had the time he needed.

The wind began to stir around the sphere of ice, growing into a steady whirlwind. Helios gritted his teeth as he forced the two spells together, the cold merging with the air currents. The swirling vortex took on a bluish hue, crackling with shards of ice that formed and shattered within the winds.

"Freezing Gale," Helios murmured, naming the spell as it solidified. He raised his Keyblade, aiming at the Hydra.

"Skuld! Get clear!" he shouted.

Skuld dove to the side just as Helios unleashed the spell. The Freezing Gale surged forward, a whirling storm of freezing cold and jagged ice shards. The Hydra roared in fury as the icy winds enveloped it, the shards piercing its soaked body.

The creature thrashed wildly, its movements growing sluggish as frost began to creep along its scales. The water that had drenched its body now worked against it, freezing rapidly under the relentless assault.

Skuld watched in awe as the Hydra's movements slowed further. Its serpentine neck, once fluid and deadly, became stiff as ice crawled up its spine. Within moments, the creature was encased in a solid block of ice, its orange eyes dimming as the frost reached its core.

"Is it… dead?" Skuld asked, her voice cautious.

Helios lowered his Keyblade, his eyes narrowing. "I don't celebrate too early. Let's make sure."

Helios stepped forward, the air around him still cold from the aftermath of his spell. He raised his Keyblade again, this time channeling an entirely new form of magic.

Earth spells were rare, known only to a select few like Terra and Lexaeus. Helios had studied them briefly but had never attempted one as of yet especially one that he planned on creating himself. Now was as good a time as any.

"Earth Breaker," he said, focusing his energy. It was hard because without a master handing you the essence of a spell one had to feel the element and strain to control the new wild energy. It took a while but Helios managed to get a feel for the earth's essence on his own.

A massive, jagged spike of stone rose from the ground, hovering in midair as Helios encased it in an Aero spell. The spinning winds wrapped around the spike, keeping it aloft and rotating it rapidly like a drill.

Helios aimed the floating spike at the frozen Hydra. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it hurtling forward. The spinning spike struck the Hydra's icy body with devastating force, shattering the creature into countless shards.

The sound of cracking ice and breaking stone echoed through the cavern as the Hydra was reduced to nothing more than frozen debris.

Skuld approached cautiously, her Keyblade still drawn as she scanned the remains of the Hydra. "That was… incredible."

Helios allowed himself a small smile, wiping sweat from his brow. "Thanks. That was my first time trying those spells. Guess they worked but they're not battle ready so I'll have to work more on them."

Skuld turned to him, her eyes wide with curiosity. "What was that magic? The freezing storm and that… spinning spike?"

Helios twirled his Keyblade idly, his expression thoughtful. "The first one was a combination of Blizzaga and Aerora. I named it Freezing Gale. It's a mix of ice and wind—strong enough to freeze a target solid while keeping them trapped."

"And the second?" Skuld pressed.

"Earth Breaker," Helios said, his grin returning. "It's a basic earth spell combined with an Aero field. The wind helps control the spike, making it faster and more accurate."

Skuld's gaze lingered on him, admiration flickering in her expression. "You combined them like it was nothing. How did you even come up with that?"

Helios shrugged. "Magic is just another tool we use and it's very versatile. The important thing isn't memorizing my spells—it's understanding how elements interact. Figure out what works best for you, and you can create your own combinations. For you, how about trying it with something small like your light and fire spell since they're the ones you can use best."

Skuld nodded slowly, gripping her transformed Keyblade. "I'll keep that in mind."

The cavern fell silent, save for the faint sound of dripping water. Helios and Skuld stood amidst the frozen remains of the Hydra, their breathing steady but weary.

"That thing was a pain," Helios said, glancing around. "Let's hope there's no second round."

Skuld chuckled weakly. "Knowing our luck in this place, there probably is."