Chapter 21

That wasn't too pleasing. "What do you mean?"

In a flash, I was hurtling towards the planet. Pyrrhon bragged, "You'll splatter into a pancake! I blocked Palutena's power!"

I screamed, "MAYDAY! MAYDAY! I STILL NEVER LEARNED HOW TO READ! TELL PHOSPHORA I LOVE HER!"

I kept falling at a rate that startled even the Underworld and Aurum enemies, and just as the ground came into view, I dipped upward. Pyrrhon sputtered, "B-but how?! Pyrrhon is the ultimate! No one can overcome him!"

Lady Palutena mockingly examined her fingernails. "Do you remember what you told me last time? 'You don't have an associate's degree in telepathic interference'. Well guess what?! I have a bachelor's now!"

OOH! TAKE THAT BURN PYRRHON! Get it, because he's the sun god?

And I'm talking to myself . . .

I skyrocketed to Royanda, with Arlon hot on my heels. I hurried to the castle and caught the attention of the soldiers standing guard. "I have the news!" They opened the doors and we bustled in to find the king on his throne. I skidded to a halt. "It was Hades! All him! He framed Corandar! We got him to confess!"

Hades made a disgusted noise. "Really? Telling on me? Tattle-tale! Tattle-tale!"

The king stood. "Thank you. We will cease the fighting. Praise be to Palutena for resolving this!"

Arlon added, "And Mistress Viridi!"

The king raised an eyebrow. "Oh. Yes. She's with Palutena, correct?"

I confirmed, "Yeah! Now the Forces of Nature protect humanity too! It's a great change!"

Lady Viridi clapped her hands. "Oh awesome! I was able to break through Pyrrhon's block for a little bit! I heard Phosphora!"

I felt my eyes pop open. "What did she say?"

Lady Viridi repeated, "Help."

Lady Palutena extracted me from battle. I skipped over to Lady Viridi. "Any other news?"

Lady Viridi frowned. "Ugh . . . no. Sorry. But the connection is gaining strength. Now that the pathetic humans are all happy again, it's time to start hitting hard! Tomorrow you, Arlon, and Blade are going to go after the Aurum Generator. It'll take down the fleet."

I pumped my fist in the air. "Sounds good!"

Cragalanche heaved himself into the room. Lady Viridi lit up. "Oh great! Anything I need to know?" Cragalanche shook his head and plopped down on the floor.

Blade suggested, "Let's take our minds off all this conflict and play Idol Toss."

After a few hours, I collected Thanatos and Lady Viridi idols. "Ugh, I'm getting bored. Can we play something else?"

Arlon offered, "We can continue your darkness training. We can keep working with lanterns."

I spent the next four hours training, and at last I was able to put out a lantern. "I'm killin' it! What's the next move? Can I blackout the entire room yet?!"

"No. Next is a hearth."

Lady Palutena walked in. "Hey Pit. Can we talk? And no, you're not in trouble."

I followed her outside. She started, "I feel really badly about your decreased mood. Please, don't blame yourself for what happened at the Lightning Battle. It's not your fault."

My shoulders slumped. "I still feel guilty, and I might always, but I'm pushing aside those feelings for now. Phosphora needs me to be there for her."

Lady Palutena met my gaze. "If you're sure. But if they crop up, talk to me. Forcing them down is usually bad for your health."

I stared at the ground. "I suppose so."

The words bounced in my head until it was time to go after the Generator. Zrink blocked our path as fire wyrms threw themselves at us. Hades commented, "Look at the rag-tag misfit gang! It's so inspiring how after that giant blow to your ego, you're all going for the Generator. Old Pyrrhon here is trembling in his boots."

Pyrrhon snickered. "Pyrrhon's not afraid of anything! Pyrrhon Creed Number 471: Fear is an illusion!"

I wasn't too sure about that. "I'm pretty certain that emotions aren't illusions."

Keron coughed up lasers that I managed to avoid, while more and more splin kept trying to cut me up.

Arlon, Blade, and I kept fighting them until we arrived at the destination. Hades rubbed his hands together. "Dazzling light show in 3, 2, 1!" The entrance exploded and the metal exterior melted.

Blade complained, "Now what do we do?"

Lady Palutena assured, "Don't panic! I'll find another way in!" I floated above the building and flew into a vent.

I sneezed. "Yuck! It's dusty in here!"

Soon, Blade and Arlon were right behind me. Pyrrhon did a very odd dance. "Time for some fireworks!" The vents behind us were engulfed in flames.

I screamed, "It's getting hot in here!"

All three of us shot into a room. I laid down on the floor. "Oh thank Palutena! That was horrible!"

Blade kicked me. "Get up! We have a job to do!"

Can't a guy get a break around here?