As Helios plummeted through the darkness, he reacted instinctively, summoning his dark shield to brace for impact. The shield, shimmering with a sinister glow, enveloped him just before he crashed into a floating piece of land. The force of the collision sent shockwaves across the fragile platform, but the shield absorbed most of the damage. Even so, Helios felt the tremors in his bones as he tumbled across the cracked surface, quickly rising to his feet as he steadied himself.
Around him, the keyblades that had fallen with him scattered in every direction, tumbling through the air like lost relics. Helios reached out, but before he could grasp one, a deafening crash shook the ground. The massive Dark Hide descended from above with a thunderous roar, its immense form sending gusts of wind that knocked the keyblades even farther away. The very land beneath Helios's feet cracked under the pressure of the Heartless's landing, threatening to break apart.
Helios steadied himself, his heart racing as he faced the towering creature. Dark Hide was larger than he remembered from his fragmented memories, its body an ominous mixture of dark purple and black, with jagged spikes protruding from its back and limbs. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto Helios, and in them, he saw an insatiable hunger for destruction.
Kurai was right, Helios thought as he glanced at the scattered keyblades. Nevertheless, getting to them won't matter if I don't survive this.
With a mighty roar, Dark Hide lunged at him, its massive claws leaving streaks of darkness in their wake. Helios quickly summoned his dark shield, blocking the initial onslaught. The impact rattled his bones, and he skidded backward, barely holding his ground. He needed to find an opening—a way to strike back before the platform crumbled beneath them.
The landmass groaned as Dark Hide attacked relentlessly, its claws tearing through the surface with every missed strike. Helios had no choice but to remain on the defensive, using his shield to deflect and counter with bursts of dark energy whenever an opportunity arose.
However, Dark Hide was relentless. As Helios dodged and countered, the beast's speed and strength became apparent. The floating landmass was cracking under the pressure of the battle, and it wouldn't hold much longer.
Helios gritted his teeth, summoning the darkness within himself. He knew that if this continued, the battle would drag him down into the abyss. He needed to end it swiftly. His focus narrowed as he gathered his strength, channeling the shadows around him. Dark form, much like the one Riku had mastered, coursed through him, enhancing his reflexes and agility.
The tide of battle shifted as Helios began to evade Dark Hide's attacks with greater precision. Every claw swipe missed by mere inches as Helios moved like a shadow, slipping through the chaos with fluidity and grace. His dark form granted him speed that outmatched Dark Hide's size, allowing him to weave through its attacks.
With each dodge, he left behind an afterimage, confusing the Heartless as it struck at empty space. Seizing the moment, Helios launched a barrage of Dark Firaga, dark flames erupting from his fingertips and slamming into Dark Hide's form. The beast recoiled, but only for a moment.
Then Dark Hide let out an enraged roar, summoning a storm of dark energy. It spun wildly, creating a vortex of shadows and flames that swirled around it like a whirlwind. Helios leaped into the air, flipping through the maelstrom of darkness, narrowly avoiding each fiery projectile that erupted from Dark Hide's wrath.
The fight escalated into a deadly dance, Helios and the Heartless locked in an intense battle of survival. The floating landmass continued to crumble beneath them, fissures snaking across its surface. Every second felt like an eternity as Helios dodged, countered, and struck back with his dark projectiles.
Dark Hide, however, was not finished. It began to summon afterimages of itself—phantom copies that darted around the battlefield, their presence adding chaos to the already dangerous fight. Helios's heart pounded in his chest as he maneuvered through the storm of illusions, using every ounce of his energy to avoid the onslaught.
I can't keep this up much longer, Helios thought, his body growing weary from the strain. His movements were slowing, his strikes becoming less precise. His stamina was running out, and the Heartless seemed to sense his exhaustion.
Dark Hide prepared for a final, devastating attack. Gathering all its dark energy, the beast reared back, its form crackling with violent power. Helios braced himself, knowing this was the moment that would decide the battle. He had to act, or he would be consumed by the darkness.
But just as Dark Hide unleashed its attack, something shifted in the air—a movement Helios barely caught in time.
"Dodge!" Kurai's voice echoed in his mind.
Helios barely managed to leap to the side as Dark Hide's attack obliterated the ground where he had stood. The force of the blast sent him sprawling, but before he could gather his bearings, he noticed something odd.
Kurai, who had been silent for most of the battle, was nowhere to be seen.
"Where... did you go?" Helios muttered between labored breaths, his mind racing as confusion set in. He needed Kurai's guidance now more than ever.
Dark Hide charged, the air crackling with a tempest of darkness as the afterimages lunged forward in unison. Helios held his breath, ready for the impact—when suddenly, a dark corridor materialized beside him, emanating a familiar energy.
Without hesitation, Helios dove into the corridor, the shadows swallowing him just as Dark Hide's claws raked across the spot where he'd stood shattering the landmass behind him. The Heartless screeched in frustration, its massive form flailing as Helios disappeared into the shadows. For a moment, the world spun, and when they emerged from the corridor, they stood on another floating platform, hidden from the Heartless's view.
Helios collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. His entire body ached, his muscles burning with fatigue. Kurai hovered beside him, its energy swirling with disinterest.
"Your stamina was failing, and you were moments from death," Kurai said, its voice void of emotion. "The creature's attack would have ended you. We are hidden from its senses now, but you must rest and recover. Another encounter like that could be fatal."
Helios nodded, still catching his breath. "Thanks," he managed between gasps. "But you've been… gone. I was beginning to wonder if you'd abandoned me."
Kurai tilted its head, seemingly unfazed by Helios's comment. "You're still of use to me. I don't abandon my investments." Its dark energy pulsed, briefly enveloping Helios, and infusing him with a stabilizing feeling. "Rest now. I have temporarily concealed us from its senses."
Helios gazed at the distant battlefield; the landmass where Dark Hide had once stood was now fractured and disintegrating. He watched as the massive Heartless leaped to another platform, prowling for him, its glowing red eyes scanning the darkness. The cracks in the ground spread like spiderwebs, and eventually, the entire landmass crumbled into the abyss below.
He sighed, still catching his breath. "What now?"
Kurai's dark form shimmered. "We wait for the next opportunity. The Keyblade you seek is still out there. You will recover, obtain your weapon, and then you will face the Heartless again."