Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

Helios and Skuld moved through the labyrinthine tunnels of the cavern, their progress marked by the fallen creatures they had defeated and the solved puzzles left in their wake. The air was heavy with magic, and the faint glow of crystals lit their path as they pressed forward.

Skuld was in her element, her new Keyblade, Ravenveil Whisper, glowing faintly in her hand. The weapon had become an extension of her being, and her combat abilities had flourished. Each battle honed her skills further, her attacks swift and precise, her movements graceful yet unpredictable.

Helios leaned against a jagged wall, watching as Skuld battled a towering cyclops. "She's learning faster than I expected. Just with that little hint I gave her before she's already doing this," he muttered to himself. Skuld's growth was undeniable. With every fight, she unlocked more of her potential.

Her Keyblade seemed to amplify her connection to wind magic, allowing her to coat her body and weapon in swirling currents of air. When she activated this ability, her speed increased dramatically, her movements creating after-images that confused and disoriented her enemies. It reminded Helios of the Command Styles he remembered from the Birth by Sleep game. Like Terra, Aqua, and Ventus, Skuld had somehow learned to infuse her body and weapon with enhanced power, making her an unstoppable force in battle. Even Helios hadn't figured this technique out yet here was Skuld instinctively doing it.

The cyclops roared, its single orange eye narrowing as it hurled a massive boulder at Skuld. She darted to the side, her body leaving behind a faint after-image made of wind. The boulder crashed harmlessly into the wall, sending shards of rock flying.

Skuld dashed forward, her movements almost too fast to follow. She swung her Keyblade in a wide arc, the wind surrounding her blade cutting deep into the cyclops' thick skin.

The creature bellowed in pain, raising its club and swinging it down with enough force to crack the ground. But Skuld wasn't there. Her after-image faded as the club struck, leaving the cyclops bewildered.

"Up here!" Skuld shouted from above, her voice carried by the wind.

She hurled her Keyblade in a spinning Strike Raid. The weapon spiraled through the air, slashing across the cyclops' massive shoulder before returning to her hand.

The cyclops snarled, grabbing another boulder and hurling it with all its might. The projectile sailed straight through Skuld's figure, only to dissipate into swirling currents of wind.

The real Skuld appeared behind the creature, catching her Keyblade mid-air. With a burst of speed, she launched herself at its back, bringing her blade down in a powerful strike. The cyclops let out a guttural cry, falling to its knees before collapsing.

Helios smirked as he watched her land gracefully. "Not bad," he called.

"Not bad?" Skuld echoed, tossing her hair over her shoulder with a playful grin. "That was perfect."

"Someone's getting cocky aren't they," said Helios turning back to focus on his task.

While Skuld handled the cyclops, Helios focused on the task at hand. He knelt near a vein of glowing ore embedded in the cavern wall, using his Keyblade to carefully chip away at it. Hephaestus had been clear—this Celestial Ore was essential for crafting their new armor. But it was heavily guarded by a monstrous, immortal cyclops that had been rising again and again no matter how many times they defeated it.

"Skuld, switch!" Helios shouted as the faint tremor of the creature's revival rippled through the air.

Skuld didn't hesitate. She sprinted toward Helios, her Keyblade already at the ready. "Got it! Gimme a second!"

The cyclops roared as it pulled itself back together, its body reforming from shards of molten stone and shadowy energy. Its eye burned brighter than before, and it pounded its chest as it prepared to charge.

Helios stood, brushing dust from his hands. "Alright make it quick," he said, stepping aside to let Skuld take the lead.

Skuld charged at the cyclops, her wind-enhanced movements allowing her to close the distance in the blink of an eye. She struck its legs with a rapid flurry of blows, using her after-images to confuse the creature as it swung wildly in an attempt to hit her.

Meanwhile, Helios knelt by the vein of ore once more, his Keyblade glowing as he carefully extracted the material. The Celestial Ore was dense and resistant, requiring precise strikes to break apart.

"Skuld, keep it distracted!" Helios called, his voice steady despite the pressure.

The cyclops let out another deafening roar, its massive club swinging in a deadly arc. Skuld dodged, her after-images flickering as she darted around its strikes.

"Watera!" she shouted, sending a jet of water crashing into the cyclops' face. The creature recoiled, its eye momentarily blinded.

"Nice shot," Helios muttered, breaking off another chunk of ore and tucking it away.

The cyclops roared again, this time pounding the ground with its fists. The cavern shook, and debris rained down from the ceiling. Helios cursed under his breath, shielding the ore vein with his body to keep it intact.

Helios stood, the bag now full of Celestial Ore. "Time to wrap this up," he said, summoning his Keyblade.

Skuld gave him a thumbs-up, leaping back to put distance between herself and the cyclops. "What's the plan?"

"Buy me some time," Helios replied, already channeling his magic.

Skuld nodded, raising her Keyblade. She unleashed another flurry of attacks, her wind-coated blade striking with lightning-fast precision. The cyclops swung at her, but she used her after-images to evade, each illusion dissipating into harmless wind currents.

Helios raised his hand, the air around him growing cold as he summoned his Freezing Gale spell. A vortex of icy wind and jagged shards formed above him, the chill spreading rapidly through the cavern.

"Skuld, move!" he shouted.

Skuld dashed out of range as Helios released the spell. The Freezing Gale engulfed the cyclops, the icy winds swirling around its massive form. Shards of ice struck its body, freezing it piece by piece. The water Skuld had drenched it with only hastened the process, the frost spreading along its limbs and locking it in place.

Within moments, the cyclops was completely encased in ice, its roars muffled and its movements stilled.

Helios wasn't done yet. He raised his Keyblade again, summoning a massive spike of stone with his Earth Breaker spell. The jagged spike hovered in midair, spinning rapidly as it was encased in a swirling Aero field.

"Let's see how long it takes you to come back from this," Helios muttered, aiming at the frozen cyclops.

With a flick of his wrist, he sent the Earth Breaker flying. The spinning spike struck the cyclops' frozen body, shattering it into countless shards of ice and stone. The sound of the impact echoed through the cavern, followed by a deafening silence.

Skuld approached cautiously, her Keyblade still at the ready. "Think it's gone for good this time?"

Helios lowered his weapon, a faint smile on his face. "Nope, but it doesn't matter time to leave. I'd rather not have to fight it again."

As the dust settled, Helios and Skuld stood amidst the debris, their breathing heavy but steady.

Skuld glanced at Helios, a grin spreading across her face. "That freezing storm of yours? Pretty impressive."

"Thanks," Helios said, brushing dirt from his coat. "But you did most of the work keeping it off me."

Skuld shrugged, twirling her Keyblade. "Guess we make a good team."

Helios smirked, adjusting the bag of ore slung over his shoulder. "Let's not get too comfortable. We've still got a forge to get to."