Revealing Light
Phoebe and Cinnamon Bun weren't in the dungeon for long. A mere few hours later, the pair was being led back up the subterranean prison's stairs by brainwashed guards, closely watched by Hermes, who took up the rear. In the time they had been locked away, the knight and deposed king could hear thundering explosions from above, as if a demolition project had begun. The earth had rattled with each blast, puzzling CB as to what the Olympians may be instigating.
It couldn't have been further from the truth. As the defeated companions were marched forward, they emerged back to ground level, in shock upon seeing the results of Zeus' disregard for the Fire Kingdom's unique architecture. The palace was fully exposed to the environment, with few walls still standing, only their corridors outlined among the rubble. FP's home was nothing but a debris field, torn down of its royal stature. Where the throne room's perimeter remained, there now stood an object Phoebe and her protector recognized immediately.
The seismic hammer, fully completed and operational, was pounding into the ground, setting off shockwaves with each drop of its tremendous central piston. Poseidon was visible near the top of the machine, feeding thick streams of lava into a pair of hydraulic reactors on either side of the hammer, powering the device with the hot, pressurized air generated by his molten rock. Neither had a clue what purpose it served the Olympians to collapse the king's dwelling. With the kingdom already subjugated, any symbolism it entailed was pointless.
Before they could question it for too long, their escort stopped, then parted away to allow them forward. Facing in no particular direction, arms folded and likely waiting for the situation to develop, was Zeus. The Olympian leader took notice of the prisoners' arrival, turning to face them and putting on a vile smirk.
"Ah, so nice of you to join us again, Hera."
CB glared at the man, tightening his fists.
"That's not her name," he growled.
Zeus ignored the knight's protest, walking over to FP instead and patting her shoulder. The fallen monarch had an empty gaze in her eyes, along with a hollow expression, void of any anger or sense of resistance. She hadn't spoken a word while down in the dungeon, no matter what Cinnamon Bun said. The sliver chain from Finn's locket hung from between her fingers, the heart itself held tightly in her palm.
"Sorry about the palace; it's an unfortunate side-effect of the operation. I would've rather kept it intact to use myself."
Zeus began chuckling to himself, only for another quake to cause everyone present to nearly lose their footing. The Olympian sighed, then looked towards the seismic hammer.
"Poseidon! Take a break!"
The lava manipulator acknowledged, dropping what lava he had straight down. As the molten rock splattered all around the hammer, he took a knee, visibly panting from the effort of constantly operating the piston. Even though he was an Olympian, CB couldn't help but look on in pity.
"Some leader you are," the candy knight sneered.
Again, Zeus ignored him, moving his hand to Phoebe's back and ushering her forward to where he'd been standing. She gave no protest, practically a zombie.
"Now then, I think it's time you put in your worth towards our goal."
Cinnamon Bun was allowed to follow them as the vile fire elemental led his king closer towards the lava lake settled just behind what was left of the palace. He stopped them as he reached the edge, staring out over the bubbling substance with a confident smile.
"Hades, I need you here!" Zeus called.
After a short wait, the third of the trio appeared out of a flame dash, stoic and awaiting his leader's word.
"It's time," his superior announced.
Hades nodded, turning to face the lake. Taking in a deep breath, he held his hands out to the molten rock, noticeably resulting in increased bubbling beneath the surface. A moment later, chunks of volcanic earth emerged, swirling together in great masses that gradually coalesced into fully-formed humanoids. The lake itself was very shallow, only reaching the newly made army's knees. Hades looked to his comrade.
"They're ready," he confirmed.
Zeus nodded, turning to address the two observers.
"I suppose I should explain a bit better. Hades' ability doesn't simply animate, it physically bonds a fire spirit of the Dead World to a mass of compatible earth. Or, in the case of restoring our bodies, pieces of a spirit's soul to boost our own life-force. Sadly, he can't find fallen comrades and reanimate them, but then I suppose that's asking for too much."
CB gasped, astonished to hear such a development.
"Impossible, not even the most skilled necromancers in Ooo can bind specific spirits," the knight argued.
Zeus chuckled.
"Your knowledge is greatly limited, bun," he replied.
The Olympian shifted his attention to FP.
"But as you've clearly seen," he began, motioning to the horde before them.
"They are mindless, imperfectly enslaved, not fit for the purposes we need."
His grin widened.
"That's where you come in, Hera."
Phoebe remained silent, though did stare out into the army of groaning minions.
"I'll be perfectly honest, my dear, I'm sure you'll appreciate that; women have always held all the power in our world, it is simply hidden beneath the hubris and fearful pride of men. They give birth to continue the longevity of their people, they nourish and provide comfort, and ultimately, are the source of all life as we know it."
He thoughtfully looked to the blackened skies.
"I'd never be standing here if it weren't for Athena's impeccable tactfulness."
The Olympian returned his focus to Flame Princess.
"The fact is, Hera, your flames, as destructive as they are, hold greater life essence than any other fire elemental alive. I'm sure you've noticed it before at some point."
For a split second, Phoebe recalled blasting several fire elementals years ago and turning them into flambits in her uncontrolled anger, multiplying them in the process.
"There is power in creation; these are the words of a mother. Your power alone grants life to dying flames, flickering cinders, and even glowing ashes."
Zeus gestured to the army.
"And with that fire, that life, Hades' minions can become true warriors, capable of coordination and computation."
At once understanding what Zeus intended, Cinnamon Bun lurched forward, only to be grabbed by both arms from the brainwashed flame guards.
"You're out of your mind if you think she'd agree to such an act!" he spat.
The Olympian leader smirked again, walking until he was shoulder-to-shoulder with Phoebe, only facing the opposite direction.
"Well, what do you say, Hera? Will you cooperate? Or perhaps…"
CB and Flame Princess suddenly felt the air around them rise to shocking temperatures, threatening to overwhelm even the candy person's flame shield.
"I could continue ripping away what remains in your heart," Zeus finished.
FP's eyes widened, her heart stopping momentarily. She stood frozen in place, as Zeus went on.
"That necklace?"
"The citizens of the kingdom?"
He glanced at Cinnamon Bun.
"Your last standing knight?"
Phoebe's whole body shook lightly, unable to comprehend Zeus' cruelty. Her eyes trembled as she gazed at the dozens of shambling minions standing in the lava, abominations forced to serve. Behind her, CB desperately hoped his friend would remain strong. Deep down however, he knew it was pointless. The trauma she'd been put through, orchestrated into an advantage for the Olympians, had broken her down. The little girl from the lantern was exposed, terrified of losing even one more precious thing.
Phoebe finally took a step forward, now at the furthest edge of the lava. As her crestfallen knight and Zeus watched, she raised a hand to the minions, suddenly expulsing a horrendous amount of flames, which she twisted and commanded expertly. The massive inferno quickly separated into a swarm of snake-like projectiles, homing in on each mindless construct. The humanoids seemed to grunt as the fires entered their bodies, initially overwhelmed by the energy pulsing through their volcanic husks. Soon enough, veins of lava could be seen forming along their arms and legs, along with a prominent glow in the chest cavity. After several minutes of twitching and groaning, each and every minion now stood tall, glowing orange eyes glancing in all directions, gathering bearings and seeming much more self-aware.
Zeus smiled with glee. Phoebe just stared hollowly again. Cinnamon Bun grinded his teeth, realizing just what the Olympian leader had forcibly created, disgusted beyond belief.
"Artificial fire elementals. How low are you willing to sink for your twisted ambition?"
Zeus finally acknowledged CB's criticism, facing the knight.
"Morals are the heaviest chains you can wear. If one wishes to change the world, casting them aside is the most efficient action."
He beamed at his newly formed army.
"As powerful as we Olympians are, it would take several lifetimes to fully renew the planet at our pace. The sheer numbers created here will be the primary wave to begin our campaign."
CB narrowed his eyes.
"Renew?"
Zeus watched as Hades began creating more imperfect minions, only to have Flame Princess infuse them just as she had the others.
"Indeed. The earth is littered with filth, remnants of foolish civilizations that destroyed each other, leaving a devastated world in their wake. We as Olympians, upholding the mantles of deities who were said to have shaped the very land, will commence the complete cleansing of our planet, burning away all traces of the old, so that new life can be born into a beautiful, recreated landscape; the primordial earth, in all its glory."
Cinnamon Bun made sure his rant was done before replying.
"And that's were your rule will be, isn't it?" he asked almost sarcastically.
Zeus nodded, unimpeded by the candy person's attitude.
"Yes. We shall watch over the newly-formed, ensuring they do not grow into self-destructive animals, such as the humans."
He threw out his arms.
"And when the time comes that our matrices finally burn out, we will die peacefully, knowing it was us who bestowed order and tranquility."
He turned around, gazing firmly into CB's eyes.
"I don't care if you can't see it, but our goal will set the world right, at the fair price of whatever is left crawling across the toxified dirt."
The knight held his enemy's gaze for a second, looked past him towards the animated army, then back at Zeus.
"You say you'll have an army to lead, but those are sentient beings that you've created. They won't simply agree with your vision."
The Olympian leader seemed phased for a moment, only to then place his hands behind his back, a renewed smile growing upon his lips. All at once, the masses within the lake were still, standing at attention. As an eerie level of quiet sunk in, CB found himself baffled.
"W-what just…"
Zeus chuckled lightly, following it up by glancing past the bun. Noticing, he spun around, his heart skipping a beat.
The guards had parted again, allowing a single newcomer through to join the four gathered by the lava. Feminine, clad in a cloak and hood, and instantly familiar, the figure silently glided past the brainwashed men, subtly shifting her hips to the side with each step. Her smile sent a chill down CB's spine. Phoebe had by now also managed to turn for a look, in equal shock as to who it was. Both of them could move only their eyes as she made her way around Cinnamon Bun, stopping when she was beside Zeus, giving a small bow. She removed her hood, flipping her hair out of the way and sighing with relief.
"It's nice to be back into it," she finally said.
Both she and Zeus feigned interest when CB took a defiant step forward.
"No, this isn't right. I watched you turn to ashes!" he yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at the woman.
Phoebe's grip on the necklace tightened even further, her eyes trembling. In the meantime, Zeus and his ally laughed, enjoying their disbelief. Aphrodite then raised her hand high in the air. In response, all the soldiers behind her got down, kneeling in subservience. The Olympian formed a sly grin.
"Since they are artificial, their matrices are much easier to manage. With the flick of a wrist, I can send them on their way, regardless of what they believe."
CB ignored her explanation, furious by now.
"You're dead! Finn killed you! I saw it! After what Zeus just told us, there's no way Hades could be responsible. This is a trick!"
Aphrodite huffed, becoming annoyed.
"I have no reason to explain anything to you, Zeus was just being generous. That's his business."
Seeing that CB couldn't find the words to continue, Zeus took over, stepping towards his new army. Gazing across at all the subjugated servants available to him, the leader couldn't help but smile with glee.
"With this, the Phoenixian Legion, you will soon see the truth to our cause."
He turned back to his guests.
"Thanks for listening," the Olympian stated with theatrical sincerity.
The man motioned for the guards to remove them. Obediently, the hypnotized men gave CB and Phoebe a jab with their staffs, urging them to get moving. Seeing this, Hermes, who'd been hanging back with some other task, reentered, making sure neither tried anything. Poseidon began operating the seismic hammer as the two were led past the throne room perimeter, then back downstairs. What walls remained crumbled away from the endless impacts, leaving behind a true ruin.
Phoebe and Cinnamon Bun remained astonished the entire way down to the dungeon; for different reasons. Cinnamon Bun no longer trusted his own thoughts. Everything he attempted to piece together was wrong, every theory he created was false, every fact he knew was quickly disproven. It scared him the most that as his own faith in himself dwindled, there'd be less of his mindset to be there for Phoebe, who was still in a state of emptiness.
Flame Princess's greatest sorrow at that moment was thinking about Aphrodite. The woman didn't have a scratch on her, completely intact and breathing, not to mention using her manipulating powers to subdue an army of manifested fire elementals. In other words, all of Finn's efforts, the struggle against both her and the puppet Apollo, were for nothing, wasted energy.
Hermes and the accompanying guards eventually escorted them past where the pair had been held previously, though they didn't bother asking, knowing an answer was unlikely. A significantly longer journey accompanied the detour, following a spiraling staircase past any floor that CB even knew existed. Phoebe kept silent, but was well aware of where they were headed. The group stopped at the very foot of the stairs, eyes locked on a massive metal gate. Dozens of dents could be seen impacted into the doors, all from the inside, setting off Cinnamon Bun's nerves. Hermes had the guards open the entrance, at the ready for anything that may emerge uninvited.
The air that rushed out upon the gate's unlocking smeared itself onto CB and Flame Princess's faces, stale and, for lack of a better word, chilling. A hollow hum, caused by surrounding veins of lava, was all that came out of the chamber ahead of them, for not even a single source of light was visible, faint or otherwise. Hermes suddenly gave Cinnamon Bun a shove from behind, urging the two to step inside.
"We'll be back for you if Zeus needs it. In the meantime, try not to lose your mind."
With a smirk, the Olympian motioned for the guards to ready the gate for closure once again. With no other way to go, the king and her knight finally moved forward, immersing themselves in the unnatural darkness of the room. The brainwashed guards immediately began closing the doors as they entered, cutting down their light in a matter of moments. Soon, the heavy slam of the metal severed their link to the outside world, presenting them to the mercy of utter emptiness.
The pair simply stood there, Phoebe's faint light being the only means of self-awareness they had between them. CB thought back to Hermes words. He'd spoken in singulars, meaning he'd been referring only to Flame Princess. This made sense. The isolation of the chamber meant that no source of food for him was possible, unlike FP, whose fire elemental physiology would allow her to survive on the prominent heat energy radiating into the area. The Olympians expected him to perish here, likely serving to further demolish Phoebe's psyche.
He looked around, moving the mortality threat out of his mind for the time being. FP's light was weak enough to not reach any of the walls, wherever they may be, making it impossible to tell just how vast their new prison was.
"What is this place?" he asked.
To his surprise, his companion answered.
"The Crucible."
Cinnamon Bun turned to stare at her, caught off guard by her sudden speech. The expression on her dim, yet glowing face was still blank.
"Rulers before me used it to sentence those they deemed too guilty for a simple death. A circular chamber, sealed behind a gate of enchanted tungsten, with no source of light, food, or sound. Isolation at its most devastating exists in this chamber, and nothing else."
CB turned around, grasping the scope of his location with this newest knowledge. As he did, he finally noticed how soft and uneven the ground was. Before he could inquire, Phoebe continued.
"The prisoners suffered a slow, voided death, nourished by the omnipresent heat just enough to let them age until their matrices burned out, leaving them as a pile of ashes where they lay."
Her knight shuddered, realizing what he was stepping on. Wishing to place them away from the all-encompassing darkness, he grabbed her hand, leading in a single direction to eventually reach a wall. Upon success, CB had his friend sit down, taking his place beside her. The two took another length of time to settle, with Cinnamon Bun hoping Phoebe's returning speech was more than just a temporary break. Once what he believed an hour or so had passed, he turned to look at his dear companion.
"How is your strength coming along?"
FP had her knees pulled up to her chest, resting her chin on them. It took a fair amount of time for the girl to reply.
"I won't recover any more than I have. That's how the Crucible was designed."
Feeling like that should have been a given, CB internally scolded himself for not thinking of a better thing to say. Some more time passed, and he tried again.
"Why did you allow them to use you?"
He spoke as softly and withdrawn as he could, ensuring she wouldn't think he was judging her actions. Again, it took a minute for an answer to come back.
"I'm dethroned, relieved of my people, my soldiers, there is nothing more I can do than what they allow me to. At that moment, I could spare my peoples' lives."
CB understood her reasoning, but at the same time examined the effects of her breakdown. Under normal conditions, she would've looked Zeus in the eye and told him to shove it, knowing that the citizens of the Fire Kingdom would fight for their freedom the same as she would, that's just what kind of influences a kind and strong leader like her had imprinted upon them. Now however, she was desperate just to halt the loss happening all around her.
The candy knight sighed, rummaging through his mind for another topic to escape to. Though hesitant, he figured it would be worth it to try helping Phoebe past her pain.
"Can we talk about Finn?"
Flame Princess's eyes darted to her friend, astonished that he'd bring up the lost hero. Soon though, her gaze drifted back down to the floor.
"What about him?" she replied in a hushed tone.
Her knight momentarily debated with himself.
"There were many things different about him and normal fire elementals. Don't you think… it's possible…?"
He heard his companion grip the silver locket in her hand tightly, burying her face into her knees.
"He was impaled through the matrix, there's not a chance," she whispered strenuously.
The fiery ruler gazed back up into the utter blackness ahead, her dulled amber eyes studying it intently. She raised her hand, bringing Finn's locket into view and switching her sight to the trinket's intricate designs. Without warning, CB witnessed her stand up straight, drawing back her hand and baring her teeth to the dark.
"THERE'S NO CHANCE LEFT!" she screamed, hurling the necklace as far as she could.
Somewhere among the echoing cry, Finn's keepsake could be heard bouncing off a wall, though the ashen floors muffled its impact to the ground. Cinnamon Bun was to his feet in a flash, tightly holding onto Phoebe from behind, as she jerked and trembled from the sudden outburst. He waited, trying his best to calm her down as the fire elemental huffed in broken intervals. The deposed ruler soon found the sense to stop struggling with herself, placing a hand against one of the arms around her, wordlessly thanking her knight for being there for her.
As silence resumed its course, they briefly considered sitting back down to wait out the coming struggle. However, a faint jingle rang through the void, grabbing their attention. FP instantly recognized it as the sound made by Finn's silver chain. Someone had picked it up; someone who was imprisoned along with them. She and her friend paused, making sure they hadn't gone mad. More sound followed, taking the form of shuffling steps through the ash-riddled floor.
As the sound drew nearer, a second source of light emerged, weaker even than Phoebe's. A humanoid shape escaped the darkness, hunched-over, struggling to even move by what the two could see. A male fire elemental, aged well past functionality and brittle as a cindered tree trunk, hobbled his way to them, hands cradling Finn's locket as if it were the most delicate item he'd ever known. CB and Flame Princess felt no instinct to be cautious, more curious than anything.
"Th-there was still someone down here?" the king stuttered.
Finally making it within proximity to share their combined light, the old man held out his hands, which shook fervently, apparently struggling to even be used. His eyes, messy amber compared to Phoebe's usual clear and warm irises, contained the obvious signs of pain and suffering. Despite that, there was evidence of happiness contained somewhere within, which the king and her knight found amazing.
"Thank you," he finally spoke, a voice to match his appearance.
"I haven't smiled in so long."
FP looked down at the object she'd thrown in anguish a moment ago. It was open to the picture of herself and Finn, the couple happily smushing their faces together. Carefully, she took it back from the man, whose arms quickly dropped down out of relief. Phoebe stared at the picture, keeping in mind what the elderly prisoner had said to her. Seeing her happy had made him happy, happy to see two young people who really cared about one another, easily evident in the locket's contents. To her own surprise, the fiery girl found her heart grow warmer upon recalling that day once again, remembered giggling as Finn put on a funny face while bracing himself for the burn ointment being applied to his cheek.
She closed the silver heart, then raised the chain over and around her neck, letting the trinket rest against her collar. Even Cinnamon Bun noticed the ever-so-subtle shift in her posture and facial features. He glanced at the old man, mentally thanking him.
"Who are you?" FP asked.
The elder moved towards the nearest wall, likely to rest, but tripped mid-step, only prevented from falling by CB's quick action. The knight helped him to the chamber's side, allowing him to carefully set himself down and let out a breath, obviously exhausted merely from the short walk to the cell's newest inhabitants. CB and Flame Princess knelt down before him, patiently waiting for him to recover.
"My name is Gravis, but it matters little," he finally replied, his hoarse voice practically measuring his lifespan.
While CB helped the elder lay his back against the wall, Phoebe frowned, clearly noting how long the Crucible served as his prison, based on his poor health.
"How did you come to be here?"
Gravis hummed roughly, nearly coming off as a grinding, as he thought back, his sad eyes trailing across the dimly lit ashes scattered around.
"I could say it was due to a mistake, or perhaps a misunderstanding."
Cinnamon Bun could tell from how slowly the man talked that his mind was quite degraded. Hermes' warning about madness flooded back to him. The candy knight placed a hand on the elder's shoulder.
"You don't have to go into it if it's too much to bear."
Gravis blinked slowly, though neither of his companions knew if he'd comprehended CB's words. He seemed to study FP for a minute, as if trying to identify her.
"Might you be… the Princess of Flames?" he inquired.
Phoebe nodded.
"Yes. Though, I am the ruling monarch now."
Gravis' eyes widened ever so slightly.
"Ah. It has been that long then."
He considered for a moment.
"But, why then, are you here?"
Phoebe pursed her lips, the girl's gaze falling to the floor.
"I was deposed, by a man known as Zeus."
Startlingly, the old man before her suddenly seemed struck by a jolt of life, his features shifting into fear and genuine astonishment.
"Z-Zeus, you said?"
FP nodded, though remained worried about the abrupt reaction.
"Yes, he and his followers are powerful fire elementals with unnatural abilities. They call themselves-"
"The Olympians…" Gravis finished for her, letting out a pained breath in the process.
Not expecting such an old man to know of their enemies, the two friends exchanged glances.
"You seem to have been down here for a while, how could you know of them? They've only recently begun expanding their activities, and numbers."
Cinnamon Bun's questioning earned a look of worry and confusion from Gravis, who furrowed his brow.
"Expanding their numbers?" he asked.
CB nodded.
"We don't know exactly how many, but it's close to a dozen by now. Each one named themselves after some deity or other."
The elder took some time to filter the knight's words through his mind, before finally turning his head to stare aimlessly into the ceiling, wherever it may be in the darkness. He closed his eyes soon after.
"I suppose there is one last act I can perform before my time ends."
Phoebe and CB listened carefully.
"I can pass on this tale."
Gravis opened his eyes, resuming his fixation on the dark.
"These, other Olympians you speak of, seem to have taken on these titles, but Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades are their actual names."
The pair gasped.
"You're serious?" Cinnamon Bun exclaimed.
Gravis nodded slightly.
"Indeed. They are brothers."
He paused.
"My sons."
Stunned, the king and knight could only listen on as their jaws dropped.
"My family carries a genetic defect that can badly warp an elemental matrix. I passed it on to them, and I was never prepared for the results."
He took in a rough breath before continuing.
"When Zeus was born and his matrix ignited, it nearly vaporized the medic holding him. His was five times hotter than any known fire elemental. Poseidon came next, with a matrix that burned at less than half-strength for a healthy newborn. His skin was dim, his life weak. The boy emerged quiet and calm, not even bothering to cry. Last was Hades. His was the most terrifying. The child's matrix was completely out when we received him, believed by the doctors to have died in the womb due to the warping of his flawed heart."
Gravis had a tear running down his cheek.
"My love wouldn't give up, on any of them, despite everyone around us insisting that their critical conditions would only lead to death. She looked to me for support, and I gave it to her. We took all three of them with us; their fate's clouded and uncertain. My wife insisted we save Hades, no matter the cost."
The old man struggled, knowing he had reached a difficult point.
"So determined was she that the brave woman led our journey to forbidden lands, knowing there had to be a way his heart would beat again. After much searching, a demon finally heard her desperate cries, offering to grant her request."
Horrified by what was coming, Phoebe and her companion tensed up.
"The price was a simple exchange: his life for hers. She didn't hesitate, even when I begged her to keep looking. I told her they needed their mother, but she only replied that first they needed their own lives. I watched her essence being removed from her body, taken by a vile being of twisted ambition. True to his word, as I lay on my knees, grieving for my lost love, the silent child in my arms began crying, his matrix finally ignited."
Gravis broke his gaze at the ceiling, setting his blurry eyes on his fellow prisoners.
"We saw potential in our sons; we knew there was a difference in them that could lead to greatness. That is why, why we gave them those names. The gods of old added so much to the world, and those possibilities were to be reflected in them."
He seemed ready to start bawling.
"Nothing was as it should be. The years passed and I learned of their bizarre abilities. Zeus' blistering heat would melt any metallic object nearby, without him even trying. Poseidon felt isolated by his lack of normal flame powers, practicing with the lava found near our home to try fitting in. His brothers were supportive, calling him unique and somewhat of an artist with molten rock. Hades paid the highest price of all however, as I'd feared. The demonic pact created by my wife forever tethered his soul to the Dead Worlds beyond mortal reach, inflicting him with nightmares day and night."
Gravis tightened his fists as much as his weak hands would allow.
"I relentlessly trained them to control their powers, sacrificing all of my time and energy to make sure they could lead the lives we had wanted them to. It paid off in the end. Zeus could now freely manipulate the energy he exerted, vastly enhancing his flame powers at will. Poseidon could shape an entire village with the malleable earth he controlled, awing those around him. And Hades, though forever left quieter, learned to becalm the spirits that haunted him, instead subjugating them to his command.
I was proud of them. They had reached far beyond what anyone else had expected, defying the odds of survival and shining among their own kind. For the first time, I felt that I had honored my wife's memory, giving them the chance to fulfill their dreams."
The old man hung his head.
"But this was short lived. As they grew, my sons bore witness to the brutality and nature of the Fire Kingdom majority. Sometime during their exploration, they ventured outside the borders of our land, where they discovered what had befallen the once lush and beautiful earth. Enraged by the 'poisoning' that their world had endured, as well as the sickening rule of the current Flame King, they chose their path. They had power, power greater than normal fire elementals, and concluded that it was their destiny to use it to end the 'ugliness' of the world once and for all.
Not long after they'd returning home, I caught them plotting out an overthrow of the kingdom, as a first step towards their goal. Too late to stop them at the current stage, I intervened as Zeus assaulted a large platoon of unaware soldiers with Poseidon and Hades close behind, determined to wither away Flame King's defenses and remove him from power. They were astonished when I protected the men, saving their lives but alerting them in the process.
My sons, the same ones I raised and aided in regaining the life they deserved, cursed viciously at me as they fled the oncoming legions, not yet strong enough to fight a fully alerted army. Desperately calling out to them did nothing; they believed their own father had abandoned them and scrutinized their ideals. The three of them destroyed everything in their path as a distraction. I was apprehended soon afterwards, brought before the Flame King."
Gravis cast his pained sight upon Phoebe.
"Your father held me responsible for the damages to the kingdom, sentencing me to life in the Crucible as punishment. I had assumed my sons would stay out of sight until they were strong enough to combat the military and anyone else who opposed them, and now, I can see I was right."
He bowed his head.
"I'm sorry, your majesty. My failure has led to your rule being unfairly taken from you, among other loses I'm sure."
FP placed a hand over Finn's locket, wordlessly acknowledging. However, the girl soon reached out and took hold of Gravis' own withering hand, holding it gently while giving the old man the softest expression she could muster in her current state.
"You were trying to be a good father; that's something I can appreciate no matter what, Gravis."
Seemingly overwhelmed by the royal's kindness, the elder simply began trembling, unable to express his gratitude for a good while.
"Thank you, your majesty. Truly, it means more than you could know."
He let out a series of coughs, worrying his two companions, who pushed him to relax.
"You've probably done more today that you have in a long time, Gravis. You need to rest," Cinnamon Bun urged.
Not in a position to argue, the old man succumbed to his weakness, feebly nodding, before allowing his head to fall to the side, gradually nodding off to sleep, his chest rising and falling unevenly with each soft breath. Phoebe and her knight watched over him until they were sure he was at peace, for the time being at least. They then took their spots nearby, setting their backs to the hard rock of the Crucible. Both thought about Gravis' story, a wealth of information and input, explaining so much that had been missing about the Olympians; or at least the main three.
"We need to get out of here soon," CB began.
"What we've learned here could be used to great effect in the right situation."
Flame Princess nodded, seemingly regaining portions of her spirit after hearing Gravis' tale. She felt her knight's hand on her shoulder.
"But for now, we have to rest. Your powers may be suppressed here, but your mind needs sleep to fully function."
Phoebe agreed with him, settling down to hopefully rest up for whatever plans they may concoct in the future. As the two sighed and let the day's events pass by, neither felt sure of anything tomorrow may hold. Now though, they had a flicker of hope to go on. They had been enlightened to their enemies' origins, rekindled a spark of determination, however small, and were still alive. Phoebe felt the weight of the silver heart on her collar as she dozed off. In her thoughts, she wondered if Finn was looking down on her from somewhere, smiling, overjoyed to see that she hadn't yet given up.
Wow, I feel like I really botched that last chapter. To tell the truth, I had planned to have a chapter in between where Finn was on the run from everyone until being captured, but, for whatever reason I can't recall, I cut the idea out. Man am I regretting it now. Feel pretty suckish about it. I guess it's just another lesson a writer has to encounter.
Conveniently enough, my profile pic pretty much illustrates what Zeus is aiming for. Considering that, I hope no one thinks it's what I want too, I just like the picture.
gamelover41592: You too!
Neo Deadmau5: Hopefully so.
sonicthehedgehog240: I was aiming for a climactic-styled chapter, so glad to see it worked.
Fiery Crusader: Oops, taking note of my lack of clear writing. Sorry about that.
TheMentalAdventurer: You always give awesome analytical thought, it's a joy to read about. Thanks for reviewing like a champ.
Awolfx9: Yep, I meant this to be a truly 'snatch hope away' chapter and I seem to have gotten the intended result.
Mr. Mookenstein: Shoot, I mean, I was going for that, but I guess I found the limit. Sorry for the crash and burn there.
MUTO TOHO: Definitely a dynamic character in Crona, one of the best I've ever seen.
Joker: Heh heh, puns.
Lionheart: Oh boy, I didn't mean to go THAT deeply into the mythology. Sorry for scrambling your thoughts.
The Guyver: FMA is definitely one of my favorites too, along with having my second favorite voice actor in anime.
Godzilla: Wow, that would get nuts.
ledgeion: You are giving some heavy support there, and I humbly thank you for the dedication.
SpiCdargon: No, no, you keep telling me when I bonk something up, it helps a lot.
Major144: So great to have you aboard. I've got two days off ahead of me so I should be able to get to you story.
Mayojar77: Adding more Greek would certainly be fun.
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!