Pain.
Pain was all Helga Sinclair knew. It engulfed her in waves, unending and relentless, burning through her nerves like fire. Her body lay broken on the jagged stones below, her vision dimming, consciousness slipping further away with every agonizing heartbeat.
Yet, even as darkness claimed her, there was a flicker—a strange sensation of power that surged through her fingertips. A faint hum, growing louder, stronger. She felt the stone, the smooth pebble Helios had pressed into her palm before, begin to shatter. With a sharp snap, the magic within it exploded outward.
Helga's fading sight glimpsed the swirling blackness that opened beside her. Reality parted, giving way to a dark corridor that shimmered and trembled.
Helios stepped through first, his jacket billowing like shadows given life. Kurai emerged next, her presence icy and detached as always. Helios glanced downward, his eyes coldly assessing Helga's mangled form.
"She survived, just barely," Kurai noted, dispassionate.
Helios knelt, examining Helga carefully. "The time spell held better than I expected. Good. I still need her."
Kurai raised an eyebrow skeptically. "You set it quite precisely to activate. The spell activated the moment Rourke betrayed her."
Helios smirked. "You're a regular old Einstein today, aren't you?"
Kurai's gaze sharpened. "You knew the outcome and anticipated the force needed to trigger it. Impressive forethought, even for you."
Helios shrugged slightly. "Well, knowing the script does make things easier. Speaking of which, you should get going. Skuld will need your help securing Kida's crystallized tears. Without them, everything we've planned falls apart. Also, your praise needs a little work. That sounded more like an insult."
Kurai's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You never explained what we're doing with those tears."
Helios offered her an enigmatic smile. "A surprise, Kurai. Something special that only the Moogles can craft for us. Trust me—it'll be worth it."
"Your surprises tend to have unpleasant strings," Kurai muttered.
Helios laughed lightly, unbothered. "And yet, you're still here. Now go, we don't have all night."
Kurai hesitated only a moment longer before sighing quietly. She opened another dark corridor, casting a final unreadable glance at Helga's twisted form before stepping through. Silence returned as the corridor vanished behind her.
As soon as Kurai left, Helios knelt down again, the playful ease fading from his expression. His eyes grew colder, the air around him thickening with a palpable sense of menace. He raised one hand, conjuring a writhing ball of dark energy, infused with the sickly green hue of Maleficent's teachings.
"Hex of Suffering," Helios murmured softly, almost lovingly.
The dark spell seeped into Helga's body, slowing the bleeding and the breakdown of her form, yet exponentially magnifying her agony. Her eyes flew open, pupils dilated in raw torment, as she released an agonized scream that echoed through the canyon.
Helios leaned closer, his voice calm, almost gentle. "Hello, sleeping beauty. Feeling better? Still with us?"
Helga thrashed weakly, tears streaming down her dirtied face. "Wh-what... did you do?" she gasped, every syllable etched with pain.
"Oh, just a simple enchantment," Helios said smoothly. "Your body won't fail you just yet, but the pain, well… that's a side effect."
She writhed, clenching her jaw tightly, barely managing to hiss through her teeth, "Why?"
Helios' smile turned cold. "Because, Helga, I need something from you. And I find that people are more forthcoming when pain and death are their constant companion."
Helga coughed, tasting blood, agony surging anew. "What… could you possibly want now?"
"I want to offer you more than you could ever imagine. Information, cooperation, and maybe even a bit of power if you play your cards right," Helios answered lightly, watching her squirm beneath him. "You see, you've been a very, very bad girl. Working with Rourke, stealing the Heart of Atlantis. Tsk, tsk. That's quite the karmic debt that's landed you here in this spot."
Her eyes burned with defiance, even as her body shuddered. "I… never… agreed to die."
"Yet here we are," Helios whispered, eyes glittering darkly. "But what if death isn't the only card in you hand, Helga? What if, instead, you have a chance to live?"
Her body shuddered, her strength ebbing with each painful breath. Helios leaned in closer, his voice lowering to a sinister whisper. "I have an offer for you, dear Helga. Another deal—one that could spare you from eternal torment and perhaps even grant you vengeance."
"Rourke…" she spat bitterly, hatred fueling her brief clarity.
"Precisely," Helios said, his voice dripping honeyed venom. "Accept my deal, and your suffering can end. Refuse, and I promise the pain you're feeling now will seem merciful in comparison to what comes next."
Helga's vision blurred, darkness creeping back. Desperation clawed at her heart, blending dangerously with the hatred that seethed within her chest. Helios watched her closely, a smile playing at his lips, cruel and knowing.
"Choose carefully, Helga," he whispered sweetly. "Eternity is a long time to regret a decision."
Through bloodied lips and trembling breaths, Helga forced her answer, voice filled with raw determination and agony. "I…accept."
Helios' smile widened, triumphant. "Excellent choice, my dear. Rest now. When you awaken, you'll find the terms of our deal… most favorable."
Helios stood, satisfaction clear in his eyes as Helga sank back, finally losing consciousness, the pain receding into darkness.
Casting a Curaga spell on her, Helios whispered into the silence, his voice laden with quiet menace. "Welcome to your second chance, Helga. Don't disappoint me."