Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

Helios leaned back in his chair, his fingers momentarily pausing on the keyboard as the notification blinked across his screen. His backdoor program had successfully integrated into the castle's systems, granting him access to the labyrinthine network of surveillance and data storage. A triumphant smirk crossed his face as he tapped a few keys, opening the live feeds from the secret lab beneath the castle.

He had been busy for hours working on rewriting the Master Control Program in Space Paranoids. With nothing better to do this was something he could focus him time on as he waited for results. His aim was to replace the annoying MCP with something more balanced and functional—a program he had tentatively named Twilight Heart. While he could have elevated Tron, this version of the security program still hadn't learned nuances of human behavior and decision-making, making it unsuitable for what he needed.

Now, however, his attention was entirely on the castle's hidden lab. As the feed flickered to life, his smirk faded, replaced by a look of intrigue. The lab was bustling with activity, far more than he had anticipated.

The camera panned across rows of Emblem Heartless, their grotesque forms illuminated by the cold, sterile lighting of the lab. They ranged from the familiar Soldiers—small, swift creatures with jagged edges and chaotic movements—to new variants that caught his eye.

One type, the Air Soldier, was clearly designed for aerial combat. With their dark-skinned forms and aviator-like caps, complete with goggles and a propeller on top, they exuded an eerie combination of menace and whimsy. Their bat-like wings fluttered as they hovered above the ground, their movements sharp and efficient.

Another type, the Wyvern, stood out with its large, draconian frame. Its dark red skin and tattered wings gave it a haunting, skeletal appearance, as though it had been resurrected from some long-forgotten battlefield. The Heartless emblem emblazoned on its chest glowed faintly, a sinister reminder of its allegiance.

Then there were the Defenders—massive, knight-like creatures wielding imposing shields adorned with the snarling face of a monstrous dog. The shields themselves seemed alive, their glowing yellow eyes and snapping jaws making them as much a weapon as their owners. The Defenders loomed over the other Heartless, their bulk and power a clear warning to any who might oppose them.

Helios's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene. The Heartless were expected, given the apprentices' focus on the nature of darkness and the heart, but the sheer variety and sophistication of these new types suggested a deeper, more advanced understanding of their creation. Things certainly were moving faster than he thought.

Helios switched between camera feeds, trying to glean as much information as possible without drawing attention to himself. One screen showed a containment chamber, where a massive Wyvern was restrained by glowing barriers as several apprentices—Even, Dilan, and Aeleus—observed its behavior. The creature thrashed and roared, its wings battering against the invisible walls, but it remained trapped.

Another feed displayed a workstation where Ienzo, the youngest apprentice, was poring over charts and diagrams. The boy's sharp, analytical mind was evident in the precise movements of his pen as he annotated a series of calculations.

Then there was Xehanort.

Helios's eyes narrowed as the camera settled on the elder apprentice. Xehanort stood at the center of the lab, his golden eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and ambition as he oversaw the experiments.

"So," Helios murmured, leaning closer to the screen, "this is what you've been hiding."

What truly caught his attention, however, were the two Dusks slithering inside their own containment tube like pale shadows. Nobodies.

Unlike Heartless, which were born from the darkness in people's hearts, Nobodies were formed from what was left behind when someone with a strong will lost their heart to darkness. The presence of these Dusks signaled that the apprentices' research into Nobodies had progressed much faster than Helios had anticipated.

Their movements were fluid and alien, their long, sinuous forms gliding across the floor with an unsettling grace. Their silver skin shimmered under the fluorescent lights, their blank, zipper-like faces expressionless yet somehow menacing. The gamers who played did not know when these creatures were brought into existence but here he was witnessing their birth firsthand. That these apprentices had not only identified the phenomenon but managed to manifest and study it was interesting. Since nobodies no matter the rank could not appear in a world of light or darkness but rather an in-between world. Since that was the case Helios wondered how they managed to get a hold of one. Did something summon them here?

"This complicates things a little. I'll need to keep a constant eye on them if things are to go to plan," Helios muttered to himself, his fingers drumming against the desk. The apprentices weren't just experimenting—they were perfecting their craft. If they were already producing Nobodies, it meant their grasp of the heart and its mysteries was deepening at an exponential rate. Radiant Garden falling to darkness really any day now even tomorrow so he needed to watch.

His gaze returned to the Dusks. Their presence meant that the apprentices weren't just experimenting on the darkness in people's hearts—they were actively working to understand what came after, the void left behind. This suggested a dangerous level of insight, one that could tip the balance of power if left unchecked.

For a brief moment, Helios considered intervening however instead, he refocused on his own work. The Twilight Heart program he was coding in Space Paranoids would serve as another vital key tool in his arsenal, a digital intelligence capable of aiding him in his long-term goals. If he could perfect it, it might even surpass the MCP in functionality, becoming a reliable ally in navigating the increasingly complex world.

Still, the backdoor into the castle's systems was an invaluable asset. With it, he could monitor Xehanort's movements and anticipate his next steps, staying one step ahead while avoiding direct conflict.

Helios's fingers flew across the keyboard as he began fine-tuning the program. His mind was a whirlwind of calculations and strategies, balancing the immediate threat posed by the apprentices against his broader objectives.

A sudden movement on one of the camera feeds caught his attention. Xehanort had turned, his golden eyes locking onto the camera with an intensity that sent a chill down Helios's spine.

"Did he notice?" Helios whispered, his hand hovering over the keyboard.