Heroes/Helios

Lore
A few grimy boys were sitting on the porch of Burnout's shack, hiding their shoes from the rain.

"It's cold," one of them said. "Yeah, it's cold," the second said. "All right," whispered the third, shivering.

The group of ragamuffins sat there for another hour. Then, one by one, the children reluctantly went inside. Burnout's shack was their current home, and they didn't want to go back to it. The uncomfortable home could have been a real palace for street children, if not for Burnout himself — a vile and cruel tyrant, for whom the children worked like slaves.

Flocks of boys caught, tricked, or bought from slave traders, were begging on the streets of Strongford. They begged and begged for money from passers-by and gave Burnout everything they could get. The thieves got less out of this evil wineskin. Basically, beggars fell under the hot hand if they brought less than required in the evening. But Helios and Pax were in the direst situation. These poor fellows became whipping boys as soon as they came to the master: they begged badly and did not want to steal at all — they said that it was a dishonorable occupation. They tried to make money by juggling tricks, but all in vain.

Every time he got drunk, Burnout appeared in the beggars' room and severely punished the first teenagers he came across. After this, some of them agreed to engage in theft and along with their belongings moved to the thieves' room. The others, hiding their tears and rubbing their bruised places, climbed onto the sunbeds and waited for the dawn. On such nights, Helios could not close his eyes. Again and again, he turned over the white round stones in his hands that he loved to juggle in the street. They were his talisman, his only comfort, and outlet.

Another day on the street, begging. An unsuccessful escape of one of the street children. Punishment. Helios is awake again, shifting stones from hand to hand. One, two, three. The first stone, the second, the third...

Day again. Tasteless stew and a kick in the ass, in the cold of the streets. The passers-by this time served too few coins. Punishment. The first stone, the second, the third... A sleepless night. The first rays of the sun were coming in through the barred window. One stone, a second, a third, a fourth. Stop. What? Helios looked closer — there were indeed more stones. In the open palm of his hand lay a brightly glowing ball. "What a big solar sphere!" thought Helios. And from this thought, he suddenly felt so calm and good. He got up, dressed, and for the first time in a long time went out into the street with a light heart.

The solar sphere appeared and disappeared. The boy got used to it and was no longer surprised by its sudden visits. The shining ball shared Helios' interests — it jumped obediently and even with pleasure in his hands.

One night, Pax was gone. Helios shared a common misfortune with this small boy and now the drunken Burnout had simply swept him out of his way like unnecessary garbage. Everyone in the shelter realized that the trouble did not come alone. After losing in the tavern, this knacker was hungry for blood, he was beside himself. He walked toward the beggars' room, smashing furniture, dishes and wrecking children's lives on his way. This fanatic just went crazy!

Reacting quickly, Helios pushed the injured boys into the room and began barricading the door. Beds, chairs, brooms, everything went to work. But this was the end of the plan, and the doors trembled treacherously from the heavy blows of the killer. Helios clenched the hand that held the stones: one, two, three... The wounded teenagers begged for help, while the healthy ones stood rooted to the spot, not daring to move. Something had to be done. But what? The teenager clenched his fist even tighter and felt that there were not three stones in his hand, but four. At that moment, the doors shattered into pieces.

When Burnout burst into the children's room, he was met by unbearable sunlight, which fell from somewhere above in rays of pain. The villain waved his arms, trying to reach the children. He shouted, threatened... Until the glowing and flame-spewing spheres completely surrounded him, flooding him with a bright radiance. Burnout was finished.

Then the lights went out and the beggars, cured by the healing spheres, saw Helios standing with open hands, on one of which, like a small sun, a small yellow ball was gently swaying. Then it shrank and disappeared as if it had merged with the hand. The boy's eyes turned yellow at that moment, like the glow of the stars.

"You and I are one," Helios suddenly realized. "That's why you don't need the sphere to come to me again and again!" The warmth that spread through his body became a mute agreement.

Having comprehended and appreciated the new gift, Helios himself came to the Guardians and was immediately accepted into their ranks.

Гелиос