Helios took a moment to gather his thoughts, his gaze steady as he met Merlin's inquisitive eyes. He o get the old wizard on his side and that meant bending the truth slightly, "I don’t know how I got here. I e from a different pd it was called Nightfall. One day a man in a bck coat attacked the city and these bck monsters attacked us," he answered early.

  Merlin listened ily, his expression grave as Helios reted his tale. "Nightfall, you say? A pce I am unfamiliar with," he mused, his voice tinged with . "It seems you have faced great adversity, and the darkhat surrounds you bears wito that."

  Helios nodded solemnly, his eyes refleg the weight of his experiences. "Indeed, Sir," he replied, his voice tinged with anguish. "The enter with the man in the bck coat and the relentless onsught of darkness robbed me of my family and my world. They ed everything and when I awoke I found myself in a dark ruin-like pce filled with monsters. I hid and ran hiding from them until one day I was ered and fell into a dark portal and that was when I wound up here.

  Merlin studied Helios for a moment, his eyes filled with a mixture of empathy and wisdom. "It seems that life has dealt you a rather poor hand young man," he remarked, his voice soft yet firm. "But how did you e to knoy door? I doubt it’s a ce you found me one of the few men in this world who could help you."

  Helios took a moment to gather his thoughts, sidering how much truth and how much fabrication to include in his answer. He decided to mix the two, weaving a tale that tained elements of truth and fi. "Sir Merlin, in the dark ruin-like pce, I witnessed haunting visions, glimpses of a fotten past," he began, his voice tinged with a hint of mystery. "In those visions, I heard whispers of a powerful wizard named Merlin, a renowned figure who could harhe light to fight against the encroag darkness."

  Merlin's eyebrows arched in curiosity, his skepticism evident. "Visions, you say?" he questioned, his voice filled with caution. "Such tales are often ced with imagination and half-truths. Are you certain of what you saw?"

  Helios nodded early, a mix of truth and fi interwoven in his response. "I ot cim absolute certainty, Sir," he replied, his voice carrying a touch of siy. "But the visions were quite vivid. So when I arrived in this strange world I thought I should search for the wizard and maybe I might find a clue tain what I’ve lost. I was hopeful but I hought I would truly find you."

  Merlin studied Helios, his expression a mix of curiosity and doubt. After a moment of ption, he sighed and made a decision. "Very well, young one," he said, his voice tempered with caution. "I will choose to accept your story, although I remain wary of its authenticity. "

  Helios felt a wave of relief wash over him at Merlin’s words. He then bowed his head and asked, “ you please help me and teach me? I don’t know who that man or those creatures were and why they destroyed my home. Please I beg of you.”

  “If you seek my guidance, I shall offer it but do not take my trust franted.”, The old wizard led him through the cottage to a cozy bedroom. "Rest here for now," Merlin offered kindly. "We shall discuss this more iime."

  As Helios y on the bed, he suddenly heard Kurai's voice resonating in his mind, a telepathiion fed within the depths of his shadow. "Helios, be cautious of your words withitage," it warned. "There is a spell cast upon its interior, allowing that wizard to eavesdrop on versations. Choose your words wisely and be mindful of the information you share."

  Helios aowledged Kurai's warning, his mind alert for he khat withitage's walls, his words o be measured and strategic. Helios yawned as he gazed at the night sky through the window. Tomorrow would be the crucial moment when he would get the old wizard to agree to teach him magic.

  Helios rested on the bed, unaware of the secret room hidden within the walls of Merlin's cottage. Merlin, with a sense ency, approached a specific wall, his hand pressed against it. As his touch made tact, a hidden meism was triggered, causing the wall to slide open, revealing a hidden chamber bathed in soft light.

  Stepping into the secret room, Merlin raised his hands and began to t a intations. The air crackled with magic as the cauldron in the ter of the room came to life. The liquid inside began to swirl and ripple, f the image of a grey-bearded old man in a blue robe and a hat with stars—a sight familiar to both Merlin and Helios.

  Merlied the image with reverence. "Yen Sid," he addressed the figure, his voice filled with respect. "I have a visitor, a young man named Helios, who cims to have e from a world ed by darkness. He speaks of visions while trapped in the realm of darkness and seeks guidance."

  Yen Sid's gaze fell upon Merlin, his wise eyes filled with curiosity. "Tell me more, Merlin," he responded, his voice calm yet authoritative. "What is it that this young man seeks, and what does he hope to achieve?"

  Merlin proceeded to rey the information he had heard and gleamed from Helios—the destru of his world, the man in the bck coat, and the relentless darkhat pursued him. He spoke of Helios' desire tain what he had lost and his plea fuidance.

  Yen Sid listetentively, his expression grave as he absorbed the information. After a moment of ption, he spoke, his voice resonating with wisdom. "Merlin, you have done well in bringing this matter to my attention. This young man bearing the presence of darkness speaks to a troubling future. I would ask you to keep an eye on him for a while and see what information he has not revealed. We o know more about this boy and the man in the bck coat he spoke of."

  Merlin nodded, his trust in Yen Sid unwavering. "Uood, Yen Sid," he expressed sincerely. "I shall offer to teach this young man Helios temporarily and attempt to see what he is hiding."

  With their versation cluded, Yen Sid's image gradually dissipated from the cauldrourning it to its inal state. Merlin stepped out of the secret room, made his way back to the hall, took a seat, and started to read one of his many books. Ihe bedroom, Helios was still resting, unaware of the discussion that had taken pce.