Insight
Crackle…
Crackle…
Snap…
The banging in his chest could only be a heartbeat, as thundering as it was. Finn saw only rubble no matter where he planted his eyes. In one direction, a building was toppling down onto another, engaging a domino effect down the street, demolishing everything in its path. In another, the ground was a plot of ashes, having been cleansed of all signs of life or civilization. In a third, he could see citizens coughing and crying at the misery spread all over the area.
But the crown of it all was the flames. Enormous walls of fire, surrounding the borders of Finn's field of vision, like gates to a prison, or cemetery. In a short while, he knew it would certainly be someone's grave.
A low but twisted chuckle broke through the vile hissing and raging of the crimson ribbons, drawing the hero's attention to behind him. Turning around, his eyes and heart both froze momentarily.
Zeus stood calmly a few feet away from him, grinning maliciously with his hands held behind his back. However, even more sinister, were the objects beside him. One was Cinnamon Bun's lance, deeply stuck into the ground. The metal surface was rifled with scorch marks and other signs of battle. Ringed on top of the weapon, hanging around the handle, was a crown. Flame Princess's crown.
Finn backed away, shock disabling his attempts to speak or fight. Zeus raised one hand and snapped his fingers, instantly engulfing the two items in flames. Gradually, the crown and lance began to melt from the extreme heat wrapping them, causing the metals to lose shape and color. Eventually, nothing but a black pile of slag remained.
The Olympian aimed an open hand at the flame human, smiling wide enough to show his teeth.
"Secrets can kill, HAHAHA!"
He fired a blast right at the defenseless Finn.
"AAAAHHH!"
Finn sprang up in a burst of adrenaline, his breathing erratic and his entire body at a heightened temperature. Shaking his head, he tried his best to calm down and see where he was. Of course, he hadn't left FP's room since falling asleep just inside it. Apparently, neither did she, since the ruler was standing a few feet away from him, looking quite frightened.
Recovering from his rude awakening, Finn got off the floor and approached her, concern and regret evident on his face.
"FP, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you…"
The fiery girl shook her head gently, shaking off her own startled expression.
"No, it's alright."
She stepped forward and placed a hand on her knight's shoulder.
"Another bad night?"
Finn grew a frown, then let his head drop.
"Yes."
At that moment, CB chose to peek into the room.
"You two alright?"
Flame Princess nodded for both of them, then gave an encouraging nudge to Finn, who made his way towards the door. Once they all exited, FP began leading the way down the corridor. Meanwhile, Finn noticed how bright it was outside.
"Oh no. How long did I oversleep?"
Cinnamon Bun gave an assuring grin.
"Relax, it was only an hour or so. You didn't miss anything that can't be explained."
The candy knight suddenly grew serious.
"But, it's quite the story."
By the time the trio arrived in the palace's main chamber, Finn had been given the rundown of the bizarre events surrounding their newest enemy. As Flame Princess took the throne, the flame human leaned against the wall behind him, pondering the situation. CB and FP watched him, waiting for input.
"Well, what do you make of it?" the candy knight asked.
Finn was quiet for a moment, going over the details in his mind. Eventually, he just sighed and shook his head.
"I don't even have a guess."
As the three were distracted by thoughts on the matter, a highly decorated officer suddenly entered the throne room, causing all the guards to straighten up and salute. The attention caught the eyes of the trio, watching as the man walked up to the throne and gave a bow to the king.
"Your highness."
FP nodded respectfully back.
"General. What do you need?"
The fiery militant took a breath, as if knowing his words would be controversial to his leader's ears.
"I looked over the reports on what our men found out there on the far reaches of the kingdom. This… black dome, if Zeus is responsible for it then no good could come of whatever its purpose is."
Flame Princess felt concerned by where he was going with the issue, but nodded nonetheless.
"Agreed. And I suppose you are here to make a request on behalf of this problem?"
The general gathered himself, then hardened his features and looked his king in the eye.
"Our soldiers have always been straight up fighters, none of the stealth that other kingdoms' forces command."
He fumbled with his hands.
"There is but one person I can think of who has the capacity for such tactics…"
Everyone was quiet, waiting for FP's reply. They knew what the general was getting at, he simply feared the response. The fiery girl looked over to CB, who gave her a blank look, not wanting to influence anything. She then turned to Finn, who seemed to be rather nervous. That was when she gasped, stood up from her throne, and scowled at her military's leader.
"You go beyond yourself, general! Fen is one of my protectors, one of only two elite guards who defend not just me but this land's leadership!"
An edgy silence swept over the populous of the throne room, as all looked to the general, awaiting his take. The man clearly appeared torn, but was fighting for what he believed was right, keeping his resolve strong as he took one last deep breath and brought his eyes to the king's again.
"If you recall, your grace, several months ago you signed an agreement, stating that any member of the royal guard, regardless of rank or assignment, may be drafted into direct military duty in the event of a kingdom-wide crisis."
FP's heart skipped a beat.
"I'm no longer asking your permission, with all due respect. I'm stating a fact. Fenrir is the sole fire elemental with the speed and agility to scale the terrain and avoid possible confrontation with the enemy."
The man firmly faced the flame human.
"Fenrir, report to the post set up in the meeting hall. I will join you shortly to give your assignment."
Finn hesitated, glancing at both Flame Princess and Cinnamon Bun. The king was just staring at the ground in front of her. The candy knight stared back at him, a look of urgency upon his face, imploring silently for the young man to follow the command.
"That's an order," the general spoke with finality."
Deciding not to agitate the superior, Finn pulled together and gave a salute, then broke off and headed towards the nearest corridor entrance. The general gave his ruler one last look. She was quiet, not seemingly upset, but definitely shaken. As the fiery man made his way to follow Finn, CB took steps to join as well. Flame Princess was snapped out of her thoughts by the act.
"And where do you think you're going?" she demanded.
The knight turned back, a serious expression now on his face.
"If it's alright with you, I want a word with the general."
Curious, FP contemplated the request, before getting up from her throne with a sigh.
"Fine. There's nothing for us here anyway."
The two exited, leaving the chamber nearly empty.
As he sat in a chair watching the other militants chattering, Finn wondered what terrible powers the newest Olympians may have. He'd considered mind control as the prime culprit of the strange woman, but something about it felt different than the average magical manipulation. He was still no expert on fire elementals.
Keeping eyes on the doorway, he eventually saw the general walk in, only to be stopped by Cinnamon Bun rushing in behind him. Finn patiently waited as the two struck up a conversation, with CB taking the man aside for a more private discussion. Flame Princess was right behind them, but instead of adding to the conversation, she spotted Finn and made her way over to him.
The fiery lady sat down beside him, looking quite fed up with something. Finn frowned, leaning over to inquire.
"What's on your mind?" he asked gently.
FP just let out a long breath, shaking her head.
"Everything."
Finn tried to think of comforting words, but found none. He remained silent, simply keeping the king company until the general and CB walked over to them. The flame human stood at attention, awaiting his orders. The militant seemed to look him over, scanning for any hesitation or nerves.
"Fenrir, we're sending you out to the 'dark zone' described by our men. You are to recon and find out what Zeus's lackeys are up to. Understood?"
Finn saluted.
"Yes, sir."
The general held out his hand, which the hero shook.
"Good luck out there."
Flame Princess, instantly concerned about her guardian's assignment, nevertheless noticed something odd. As her military's leader was shaking Finn's hand, a small fiery wisp slithered from his to the knight's body, but seemingly fizzled out soon after. Once the two broke it off, the general dismissed himself, gesturing the newly recruited soldier towards a scout commander.
Flame Princess hadn't inquired further about the odd phenomenon between Finn and her trusted militant, not completely convinced it was even real, maybe just a trick of the light. She was currently following Cinnamon Bun down a hall she rarely even looked down, unsure of what the knight was planning. He'd only said it was a matter of security. Taking his word for it, she willingly entered as he opened a door leading inside a strange room.
CB closed the entrance quietly, as FP gazed curiously around the new surroundings. It was utterly empty, aside from herself, CB, and, astonishingly, the general himself, patiently waiting in the corner. He turned at the arrival of the two, bowing to his king and nodding to CB.
"Thank you for coming," Cinnamon Bun stated.
The fiery man just gave a light grunt.
"Yes, I do find it a bit… difficult, to go through with."
CB shook his head.
"This is necessary, for the kingdom."
The general crossed his arms, then shrugged.
"Very well."
By this point, FP was feeling a bit agitated. Her flames had grown noticeably, causing the others to back away a step as she turned to her knight, an accusatory expression across her face.
"Explain yourself," she demanded.
Cinnamon Bun held a hard look, calmly motioning to their companion.
"It would be easier to show you."
On cue, the general held out his hand, generating a rather thin wall of flame that formed itself into a circular shape. The man's eyes began to glow a bright orange, as did the combustion he'd just created. Flame Princess and Cinnamon Bun stepped up beside him, staring at the flames. It took another moment, but gradually, an image seemed to materialize within the center.
What seemed to be the perspective of a person came through, one who was scaling a mountain, with occasional bursts of motion for when they dashed forward. The image shifted to the left and right, implying they were looking for the next jump. FP finally gasped, realizing what they were watching.
"This is… Fen."
She looked at her militant.
"So that wasn't a fluke. You did slip him something during that shake!"
Her tone was furious, but the general remained calm.
"Yes. Sir Cinnamon Bun suggested using it; a spell, similar to our ability to manifest in an inanimate flame, which allows us to see and hear what another elemental experiences."
Flame Princess briefly listened, hearing the cracks of breaking rock as Finn climbed. However, her anger remained, now throwing it at her protector.
"Why?" she practically growled.
"Why not explain it to him? It would've made this reconnaissance much more effective if he knew we could see it."
CB nodded.
"The recon was genuine, but, I convinced the general to make it an opportunity to dig deeper into who Fen is."
FP was baffled, shaking her head.
"What in Glob's name are you talking about?"
Cinnamon Bun placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I want to make sure you're safe."
The king was still confused for a good moment, trying to piece together what he meant. When she did, her reaction was evident by slapping CB's hand away and the sudden expulsion of her flames.
"Are you mad!?"
She got right in the knight's face.
"You think Fen, of all people, could be the killer? Where did the thought even come from!?"
CB narrowed his brows, holding up his composure.
"A hunch, based on what we know and what you've told me."
He gazed at the view of Finn's vision.
"His reserved nature, his clouded past, those dreams, they all point to the possibility."
Flame Princess's fire suddenly exploded upward, nearly blowing a hole in the ceiling. The other two were finally broken of their steadfast attitudes, startled. When the scorching ribbons finally died down, FP stood silent before them, a face of disbelief and aggravation evident. The room was quiet for a while longer, then she turned to the door.
The general stepped forward.
"Your highness, where are you…"
Flame Princess looked over her shoulder venomously.
"I want no part in this."
As she opened the door to leave, CB grew concerned as well.
"FP, without any…"
He was interrupted as well.
"I can handle myself for one afternoon."
Fire was literally being spat out with every word. The fiery girl slammed the door shut behind her, leaving the two to contemplate her reaction. After a minute of staring at the door, the general finally spoke.
"How close to your prediction was that?"
CB frowned, sadly turning to face the fiery vision again.
"Dead on."
The military man grunted in acknowledgement, joining the knight in viewing Finn's progress.
"Let's see who you are, Fenrir, when 'no one' is watching."
Finn had never lost the sense of being alone. Years of conditioning had seen to that. Upon scaling the mountain separating the scouted borders from the strange dome, he could've honestly said he enjoyed the quiet and feeling of no other intelligent life anywhere in the area. Although, he wasn't too sure that last part was true.
Clearing the final jagged rim of the cliff, he pulled himself over and quickly flame dashed into cover, just in case. Scanning the immediate area, he found no movement or source of light that would signify a fire elemental. Proceeding, he carefully made his way towards the other side of the range, taking each step with caution.
No difference could be felt for the longest time, until, as if he'd stepped over a trip-wire, an intense sensation of increased heat swept over the surroundings, forcing Finn to freeze in place and tense up. As the heat continued to build up, he realized it was barely tangible at all. For the most part, the main concentration of it was being soaked into his body, specifically his elemental matrix.
Moving a bit in an attempt to shake off the feeling, Finn found himself light-headed. In anticipation of an attack, he backed against the nearest boulder, covering his back. The world seemed to melt in his vision, giving the landscape a gelatinous appearance.
"Well, well, well. Look who we have here…"
Finn's adrenaline spiked as his lava vine sword practically formed on its own, readying a block or parry. The flame human slowly craned his neck in the direction of the strangely hypnotic voice, hoping to spot its owner before potentially having his neck slit. Upon sight of the being in question, his breathing nearly stopped flat.
As sure as the scout had described, an elegantly dressed fire elemental, similar in age and build to Flame Princess, was casually strolling towards him, a smile of unknown intent stretching across her face. Finn wasted no time in identifying her as Zeus' latest underling. Neither did his cursed weapon, which seemed desperate to land a preemptive strike upon the Olympian.
However, instead of lunging at the woman with the goal of neutralizing her, Finn's body refused to move any further. The closer his foe approached, the harder it was to even feel his limbs or sense his surroundings. All functions of his ears, eyes, and elemental sensory were centered upon the lady, who had by now reached a point where she stood directly in front of him, simply grinning with interest.
"Not a simple solider this time, how exciting."
Her disposition was somewhat sadistic as she briefly reached up and ran her finger along the contours of Finn's chin. Even the way her hands moved appeared distorted and bizarre to the flame human. Suddenly, the Olympian's attitude shifted abruptly, with Finn predicting she'd figured out who he was. Her brows furrowed, her smile sank to a thin expression of doubt, and the unseen anchor keeping the hero in stasis felt like it had grown even tighter.
"You. Zeus' little rival."
As quick as flash, her smile returned. She clapped her hands together.
"How wonderful."
Finn grunted in discomfort as he felt his elemental matrix burst with even more energy. This time, the strange sensation branched out through his entire body, as if the source of his power was growing roots to take over. The lady backed away a few steps, folding her arms as a newer sense of amusement graced her features.
"Why don't you go ahead and get down."
Jolts of nerve reactions hit Finn's legs, just before her found them numb and allowing him to fall to his knees. He kept eyes on the fire elemental before him, who seemed to be enjoying herself.
"Now let all that pent up aggression fade."
Finn's mind struggled like a caged animal as his back ceased its tension and he began falling forward. Luckily, his hands managed to instinctually catch him before face-planting the dirt. A laugh was let loose from the Olympian's mouth, as she casually circled her submissive prey.
"He spoke of your power, and yet, here you are, on your hands and knees, helpless to defend yourself."
The hero was frozen on the ground, staring at the dark red volcanic earth beneath him. Nothing he did promised any freedom to his muscles. He was a puppet by now, an internal network of strings controlling any movement. Strings generated by his own elemental matrix.
Just as he was about to internally scream of hopelessness, Finn's ears finally caught something aside from the Olympian's insults. A small, but metallic chime, originating from a chain of some sort, was nearby. The hero looked down towards his chest, surprised to see a silver heart dangling just above the ground. As it gently spun around in the volcanic drafts, Finn's mind received a spark of memory from the object.
The flame human ran multiple thoughts through his head, each one slowly countering and overwhelming those placed there by the despair of the situation. Every voice, image, or feeling of warmth he recalled shattered another bond keeping his limbs tied, gradually returning command to the young man's own will.
Upon noticing that Finn was actually getting to his feet, the Olympian was slapped out of her boasting, gazing in utter disbelief at the freed adversary.
"Th-that's impossible!"
Finn took hold of his pendant and tucked it back under his shirt, followed up by firmly grasping his sword and entering a combat stance. He took advantage of his foe's momentary shock, further intimidating her.
"I think I've figured it out."
He began slowly inching his way closer to the Olympian, who backed away in response.
"Normal fire elementals manipulate their own matrix, but you can manipulate others."
The hero's eyes narrowed.
"Am I right?"
The hostile elemental was briefly thrown into a state of further amazement. Then, to Finn's own surprise, her expression just as quickly converted into a sly grin. Her demeanor relaxed, returning to the original, confident approach she'd commanded earlier.
"Very good."
She sounded genuinely impressed. The woman then folded her arms, using one hand to tap her chin with a finger as she pondered Finn's uniqueness.
"I do wonder, how were you able to break free?"
The flame human himself had to think about it for a second, then worded his response carefully.
"Like you, I'm not an ordinary fire elemental. I have more than just a basic matrix; a part of me that grants strength through sheer will alone. My desire for redemption is stronger than your lust for power."
The Olympian's brows raised as her smile widened.
"Interesting."
She then gave a small, casual sigh, shrugging.
"Oh well. If I can't pull your strings, I suppose I'll use a puppet I already control."
With that, the fiery lady flame dashed backwards, heading towards the edge of the mountain in the direction of the black dome. Finn, although not expecting an Olympian to ever flee, gave immediate pursuit, following in the same fashion. The two trails of fire danced down the mountain, rapidly closing in on the mysterious structure.
As they reached its vicinity, the Olympian dropped her retreat, reforming and standing inches away from the dome's solid black surface. Finn instantly brought out his lava vine sword, charging straight at his enemy to stop any chance at a counter. She had no way to back away now, the opportunity was perfect.
Regardless, she just continued to smile, right up until she stepped backwards, phasing right through the dome.
Finn's momentum was too strong for him to stop, especially with the amount of surprise he'd just received. Bracing for impact with the wall of the dome, he prepared for a very blunt and aching injury. Instead, he fell effortlessly through, just as the woman had. The result had him falling to the ground, skidding a good few feet in the dirt, substituting the predicted impact with a significantly more painful one.
Groaning, but recovering quickly, Finn was on his feet in a flash, scanning his surroundings to understand what had transpired. What he saw astounded him.
Settled in a wide crevice, yet towering over its entirety, was a colossal construct that stood at least a hundred feet tall; the same height as the dome appeared to be from the outside.
The dome.
Finn could find no sign of the spherical object's ceiling in the sky. In fact, the heavens were completely normal. Turning around to find the wall he walked through, the hero found only the natural state of the valley he'd descended into earlier. It was as if the dome was never there. Facing the construct again, he weighed explanations in his mind.
"A bit disorienting, isn't it?"
Snapping back into a defensive position, Finn scanned the area in front of the unknown building. The Olympian he'd been chasing stood calmly, just beyond the ridge leading down the crevice and towards the construct's likely foundation. She had a smirk on her face, obviously enjoying Finn's confusion.
"Don't get too lost in the illusions. I assure you, the dome is still there."
Finn readied himself for a fight once again.
"What is that thing?" he demanded, eyes set on both the fire elemental and the construct behind her.
The woman gave a small chuckle.
"I could tell you, but then, I'm not entirely sure if we will be able to kill you before you escape this area."
Finn furrowed his brow.
"We?"
The lady's grin now showed her teeth. She raised a hand and snapped her fingers, letting a prolonged crack echo into the crevice at her back. Finn waited in anticipation, fearing that a charge at this moment would prove reckless. He soon received an answer.
A massive inferno appeared beside the Olympian, easily overshadowing her own glowing figure. However, it went beyond that, creating a beacon of light that was much brighter than any flames Finn had witnessed previously. Eventually, the column died down, gradually shrinking to a more accustomed size. It soon coalesced into a humanoid shape, but stopped its shrinking at an unusual moment.
When the flames subsided completely, Finn still had trouble seeing past the bright light its owner produced. Moreover, the fire elemental that now stood beside the Olympian was almost twice her size, a hulking powerhouse whose body was illuminated at varying points by a brilliant glow that wasn't entirely fire-based. His expression was dull and emotionless. In every which way, he seemed to be a mindless grunt.
The Olympian shot herself into the air, landing gently on one of the thug's broad shoulders, crossing her legs and gazing down at Finn. She smiled at his face, noticing the attempted hidden intimidation the hero was suffering.
"Quite the sight, isn't he?"
She patted the top of the large elemental's head.
"Zeus and the others are all too hardened on the inside to manipulate, but Apollo here was never one to protect his inner flame."
The woman laughed.
"And the poor lightning-head doesn't even know this destructive asset answers to me and not his 'benevolent' rule."
Finn took a step back. He'd taken down large opponents before, but this situation had special circumstances. He now faced two Olympians, one brains and one brawn. Compensating with different strategies would be near impossible, particularly with whatever bizarre power the newcomer possessed.
Holding his ground was unwise, but he wasn't in any position to retreat either.
So, an unannounced hiatus wasn't very respectful of me. I won't stretch this out, just expect more updates soon.
nrbuer: We;re both getting better as time goes on. That's the perk of having an interest that evolves indefinitely.
Luciana Light: It sure was.
FlyingSpaghetti: Sadly, there are many of those days.
Ventus Uzumaki: Yeah, forensics can be a great challenge.
Fundindar: Oh dang, I didn't even realize that. I think I meant Fen, but I guess interpretations can make it either one.
dfinkel70: Exactly. The show needs to realize people love that kind of character development. They leave us hanging too long.
CuteFoxSage-NightShadeOwl: There's the reaction I was hoping for.
Awolfx9: It's amazing how vivid the ancients made their myths and legends.
Posiden666: And thank you for your longstanding support.
TheMentalAdventurer: It's the latter. I've noticed others mentioning that part was confusing, which is an error on my part.
Mayojar77: Good thinking.
Fiery Crusader: That's a very interesting point, exploitable and plot advancement potential.
MUTO TOHO: That was my response to your review, not something you said. And I tend to pick covers based on symbolism. Plus, there's no way I can draw a fire elemental Finn.
Broken In7: I hope I gave you more pieces to work with.
Guest: Thanks so much!
Bio Team2: Hm, I'll go with 6.
Legionary Prime: I actually got the idea from someone else's old story.
TheFrozenSoldier: I do enjoy using that plot element.
Guest: I suppose that's one direction i could go. We'll see.
fanficreviewer69: It would be preferable to update more often. Things just don't go well for me though.
Reign of Judgment: Depends on which order is more fun to work with.
Guest: I'm definitely building up to that point.
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!