Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

Helios stood at the entrance of the Cave of the Dead: Passage, his Keyblade in hand and his breathing labored. The air around him was oppressive, heavy with the curse of the Underworld that sapped his strength with every step. The corridor ahead was dimly lit by eerie, flickering torches that cast long shadows on the jagged walls. It was an unwelcoming path, crawling with Heartless that seemed to grow more aggressive the deeper he ventured.

He steeled himself. With no option to use a Corridor of Darkness to bypass the passage, Helios had no choice but to fight his way through. The curse gnawed at his vitality, but he pushed forward, relying on his arsenal of magic and reflexes to stay alive.

The first wave of Heartless emerged from the shadows: Shadows and Soldiers, their glowing yellow eyes piercing the darkness. Helios raised his Keyblade, channeling his remaining mana into a quick cast of Firaga, a massive fireball exploding into the cluster of enemies and scattering them. A few Soldiers darted forward, their clawed hands swiping at him.

With precise movements, Helios parried one of the attacks, his Keyblade flashing as it connected with the Heartless' claws. Using the momentum, he spun around and struck another Soldier, its form dissolving into black mist. But as more Heartless spawned, Helios realized this would be a grueling battle of attrition.

He spotted one of the white wisps floating nearby, remnants of mana within the Underworld. Striking it with his Keyblade released a small burst of magical energy, temporarily revitalizing him. Helios smirked grimly—if he was careful, he could use these wisps to sustain his mana pool and keep the Heartless at bay.

After what felt like an eternity of fighting, Helios reached the end of the Cave of the Dead: Passage. The entrance to the Underdrome loomed before him, its massive stone gates carved with ominous symbols. The air around it thrummed with dark energy, a palpable reminder of the arena's violent history.

Just as Helios caught his breath, a plume of black smoke erupted beside him. Hades appeared, his sharp grin as smug as ever.

"Kid!" Hades exclaimed, throwing his arms out wide. "About time you made it. What'd you do, take the scenic route? Sheesh!"

Helios wiped sweat from his brow, glaring at the god of the Underworld. "You couldn't have teleported me here and saved me the trouble?"

Hades burst into laughter, the flames on his head flaring briefly. "Oh, that's rich! Hey, remind me who came to me for a deal? Oh, right—that would be you! So why would I help you? You think I'm running a charity? Nah, kid, if you can't cut it down here, maybe it's time you packed it up and went back to the kiddie leagues."

Helios rolled his eyes, the sarcasm and theatrics grating on his nerves. "Fine. Let's just get this over with."

Hades snapped his fingers, summoning a clipboard out of thin air. "That's the spirit! Now, enough time-wasting. Let's get the Underdrome up and running, shall we?"

Helios stepped forward, his Keyblade appearing in his hand. He pointed it at the massive gates of the Underdrome, channeling his focus into the blade. A beam of black light shot out from its tip, striking the gates with a resonating force. The sound of unlocking mechanisms echoed through the Underworld, and the gates groaned as they began to open, revealing the dark expanse of the Underdrome within.

As the gates fully opened, a wave of dark energy radiated outward, pulsing through the Underworld. Hades threw his arms up in triumph, his flames flaring across his entire body in a blazing red inferno.

"Yes!" Hades yelled, his voice echoing with glee. "It's alive! It's back, baby!" He took a moment to compose himself, clearing his throat as the flames receded back to their usual blue. With a smooth grin, he added, "Nice work, kid. You're a real team player."

Helios dismissed his Keyblade, the weariness from the Underworld curse settling back over him. "The Underdrome's unlocked. Now keep your end of the bargain."

Hades smirked and snapped his fingers. A small, pure white heart surrounded by blue flames materialized, floating toward Helios. It hovered in front of him for a moment before gently settling into his hand. The heart pulsed faintly, its purity undiminished despite its time in the Underworld.

Helios stared at it for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he glanced at Hades. "Pleasure doing business with you."

He turned to leave, ready to escape the Underworld and deliver the news of the Underdrome to Sephiroth. But before he could take more than a few steps, Hades called out to him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, where do you think you're going, kid?" Hades asked, his voice laced with mock concern. "You just opened up my pride and joy, and you're already hitting the road? What gives?"

Helios glanced over his shoulder. "I need to let a friend know the Underdrome's open. He's been itching for a fight, and this is the perfect place for him."

Hades raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Oh, really? Well, that's interesting. I gotta say, I like a guy who knows how to keep the action going. Your friend had better be good, though—my crowd doesn't cheer for amateurs."

Helios smirked faintly. "You'll see. He's got what it takes to keep your 'crowd' entertained."

Hades chuckled, waving him off. "Fine, fine. Go do your thing, kid. But don't keep me waiting too long. The Underdrome's back, and I want this place hopping with action."

Helios nodded and stepped toward the shadows, his Keyblade reappearing in his hand. The dark corridor wouldn't work within the Underworld, but now that the Underdrome was open, he could at least find a path back to the surface. As he began his ascent, the faint pulse of the heart in his hand reminded him of the next steps he needed to take to secure their safety.

"Sephiroth better be able to handle the first tournament under the curse. He has to in order to make this worth it," he muttered under his breath, disappearing into the shadows.