The morning after the vigil dawned quiet and gray, the sky casting a dull sheen across the devastated village. Smoke from the sacred fires drifted gently upward, blending into the clouds. The sounds of mourning had faded, replaced now by a heavy silence. Life had not returned to normal—only settled into a quieter kind of pain.
Helios stepped past the ashes of a once-standing hut, his hands in his pockets, face unreadable. He moved like someone with purpose, but without haste.
He didn't get far.
"Aren't you going to say something before disappearing again?" Aqua's voice came from behind, even but firm.
Helios paused, then turned halfway. "Didn't think anyone would notice."
"I did. So where are you off to this time?"
He offered a small, sideways smile. "I'm going to search for the Keyhole again."
Aqua's brow furrowed slightly. "Even though you didn't find it last time?"
"I don't think the heartless commander yesterday because we were close to beating it," Helios replied. "They left because something else is pulling at them. Something instinctual. The only thing in this world that powerful is the world's heart… and the Keyhole is its gate."
Aqua crossed her arms. "And you're going alone?"
Helios shrugged. "If you want to come, I won't stop you. But someone should stay behind. Inform Skuld. If the Heartless return, these people will need protection and she'll be the only one here."
There was a moment of hesitation. Then Aqua nodded. "Fine. I'll let her know."
As she turned to leave, Helios let out a quiet sigh. He hadn't meant to return to Grandmother Willow so soon—he'd hoped to investigate the possibility of Ratcliffe ordering the retreat instead—but Aqua's involvement shifted the plan.
"Guess there's merit in this," he muttered under his breath. "Maybe she'll ask Grandmother Willow something useful."
A short while later, Aqua returned, having spoken to Skuld. The two of them made their way through the woods, the weight of silence stretching between them. The wind was gentle, but it whispered through the trees like a warning.
They arrived near the glade where Grandmother Willow resided. But they weren't alone.
Pocahontas stood near the water's edge, bow resting lightly at her side, her long hair swaying in the breeze. She didn't turn to face them.
A low rumble passed through the roots. A rustling of ancient leaves, and a soft glow shimmered from the center of the massive tree.
Grandmother Willow stirred from her slumber, her face forming slowly in the bark. Her voice, older than the forest, hummed low.
"Pocahontas seek answers," the Grandmother Willow said softly. "But they will not come from me."
Helios stopped beside Aqua, tilting his head. "Then from who?"
Pocahontas turned, her eyes lingering first on Aqua… then on him. "From the bright heart… and the dark one."
Helios raised a brow, amused. "And what question are we answering?"
She hesitated. Then stepped forward, her tone no longer uncertain.
"That man John Smith told us… told me and my father, that the man named Ratcliffe is the one behind these monsters. That he summoned them and they gave him power. That he's the reason they came."
Helios said nothing already aware of this but keeping it under wraps.
Pocahontas continued, the words rising like the wind. "I want to know—should we strike him? End this now? Will that save my people?"
Aqua looked down for a moment, then met her gaze. "If he's the summoner… defeating him would stop more Heartless from being called to this world."
"But," Helios interjected, stepping forward, "it would also unbind the ones he's already called. They'll scatter, run wild—far harder to control or destroy."
Pocahontas' hands tightened around her bow. "Then what are we supposed to do?" Her voice cracked, heavy with frustration. "Let him keep sending monsters to kill my people? Wait for more to die?"
Helios' voice dropped low—measured, clear. "You don't wait. You act. But you act smart."
He turned slightly, eyes narrowing as he looked out across the trees.
"Let him gather the Heartless. Let him call them all to one place. Then strike. Destroy him and the monsters in one move. Swift. Precise. Final."
Aqua looked uncertain. "That's… risky. If we don't succeed, the damage could be catastrophic."
"But if we do," Helios countered, "it ends this entire invasion."
Pocahontas looked between them—one of light, one of shadow. Her heart was torn in two directions. One told her to trust the gentle truth, the other whispered a more ruthless path. But both offered her one thing she couldn't ignore: a choice.
She turned back to the willow tree.
"Then we'll need wisdom."
Grandmother Willow's elderly voice carried with clarity. "The river forks… and each path leads to loss. But only one may lead to where you belong."
Helios folded his arms. "We don't have time for riddles."
Grandmother Willow chuckled. "Then you are still unready to be guided."
Aqua stepped forward. "We want to protect this world's heart. If you know where the Keyhole is, please… show us."
The ancient tree fell silent for a moment. Then her leaves shifted, branches bending toward a rising ridge in the distance.
"The path lies there… where the sun meets the water. But be warned. To lock a door is not to stop what lurks behind it. Some evils knock louder after you've tried to keep them out."
Helios gave a half-smile. "Yeah, well… I'm used to loud company."
As they turned to leave, Pocahontas lingered by the water.
"I'll tell my father what we discussed," she said, looking at the horizon. "We'll prepare. Let Ratcliffe call them all."
Helios nodded once. "Good. Just make sure your warriors are ready."
Aqua placed a hand on Pocahontas' shoulder. "We'll stand with you when the time comes."
Pocahontas nodded but her eyes lingered not on Aqua… but on Helios. There was a question still in them, unspoken.
"Grandmother Willow once told me this but I didn't understand so now I think I was meant to say these words to you instead. Even the darkest stream," she said softly, "can reflect the stars. For there is always light in the deepest darkness."
Helios paused. He didn't answer. He simply walked away.