Fire's Shadow
Finn watched his weapon's point emerge through the figure's back, mouth agape and eyes frozen as wide as possible. Before he could even say a word, the figure burst apart, exploding into shreds of flame, which dissipated into gradually dimming embers. Finally, nothing was left at all, save for his cursed weapon hanging in midair, and an ashen stain on the rock. Once the lava vine retracted, Finn gripped the parasitic object.
"What have you done?! You just killed someone!"
Not surprisingly, it didn't offer any reply. Though that didn't stop a question from being asked.
"Can you really speak with that thing?"
Thinking he'd misheard, Finn's eyes snapped to attention just to the right of where his blade had struck. Leaning casually against a rocky wall, the same hooded figure watched the frantic hero, his eyes careful, yet peaceful as well. In no way could this have been Ares, which likely prevented Finn's lava vine from striking again. However, this left much to ponder.
"W-what? How are you…?"
As the flame human trailed off, his new companion smiled, somewhat amused by the young man's confusion. With relaxed motion, he proceeded to pull down his hood, finally revealing his face fully. Though he was no blood-lusting Olympian, his head was composed entirely of fire, just like Ares. Upon his features existed a pair of aged, fatherly eyes, a soft smile, and calm flickering flames that in no way embodied aggression. What stood out the most however, was the color of his flames. They were blue.
The man raised his hand slightly, motioning to a space a few feet away. As Finn watched, he fired a spark of fire from his palm, which danced over to the targeted area. Upon doing so, it suddenly exploded into a full-on cyclone of combustion. The flames quickly shifted from, eventually leaving behind a humanoid shell whose features gradually solidified. What stood before Finn was now an exact copy of the mysterious man, akin to a mirror's reflection. The replica was soon fizzled out, allowing its creator to continue.
"Flare clone. A very potent technique, but it can be a bit tricky to pull off."
Finally, the man approached Finn properly, holding out a glowing hand, which contained a similar blue hue to his fire.
"A pleasure to meet you. Aecus is the name."
Finn accepted the shake, still somewhat stunned by the man's abilities.
"Finn," he replied.
Aecus nodded to him.
"Hero of Ooo, no less."
The flame human blinked, shocked yet again.
"How would you even know that?"
The elemental before him simply chuckled.
"We are always watching, Finn. From the shadows of flame, we see all."
He pointed to Finn's face.
"And I don't recall ever seeing a fire elemental with bright, blue eyes."
Gasping, the hero instinctually held a hand close to his vision, wondering what had happened. As far as he'd understood, his irises only reverted during high emotional shifts. The memory of being stabbed flowed back to him, along with the potential damage to his body during the aftermath. He sighed, realizing a definite possibility. PB's transformation had likely started degrading upon his 'death'. Although revitalized now, the effects were now set as they were.
"Right," he finally replied.
The young man suddenly looked up.
"Sorry for earlier. I thought you were someone else."
Aecus just nodded, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm guessing not a friend?"
Finn's fist tightened, as did the lava vine around his arm.
"Not in the least."
During the momentary silence, he heard a quiet rumbling nearby, as if someone had kicked over a few rocks. Instinct kicking in once more, he darted his eyes in all directions, sword forming up in a flash. Soon enough, he noticed a wisp of blue flames peeking out over some nearby boulders. It took another moment, but he watched as it rose, revealing two, obsidian black eyes staring at him. Their expression held curiosity, wonder, and a tinge of fear.
As the eyes disappeared with a high-pitched gasp, Finn retracted his weapon, glancing over at Aecus.
"She's with me."
The man cupped a hand by his mouth.
"Aleen, come on out! He's friendly!"
The little head poked its way back out, blinking at the two of them. Slowly, an entire girl emerged from behind the rocks, cautiously making her way over to them. More specifically, stepping over to partially hide behind Aecus' cloak, still staring at Finn when he wasn't looking directly at her. The man patted her on the head gently.
"This is Aleen, she likes to come along with me for strolls. A bit shy, but she's very sweet."
Finn took a moment to really study the newcomer, who, naturally, buried her face into the cloak as he held his eyes to her. She possessed the rare, fully-humanoid form that fire elementals took, sporting a simple dark-red dress. The hero guessed her age to be around eight or so. Kneeling down, he attempted to introduce himself, putting on a small smile.
"Hello, my name's Finn."
Aleen poked her face out briefly, looking at him with those same, wondering eyes. Nervously, she held out her hand, as if prepared to pull it away at a moment's notice. Finn wisely chose to offer his left hand in reply, taking a light hold of the girl's little fingers and shaking.
"He…hello," she finally replied meekly.
Once the two separated and Finn stood back up, Aecus noticed a sway in the flame human's movements.
"Take it easy, Finn. You're still unsteady."
The young man placed a hand to his fused injury, feeling the fibers again. His lava vine tightened.
"Yeah. But I can't just stand around for long."
His expression turned to one of restlessness and fervor.
"I have to get back to the fire palace. There's no telling how much has happened since-"
Mid-stride to run off upstream, Finn felt Aceus' heavy hand fall on his shoulder.
"And what do you plan on doing in your current condition?"
Turning back, Finn was surprised to see such a stern expression on Aecus' face.
"I brought the Nightosphere to this kingdom, all because of my own ignorance. It's my responsibility to do everything I can to defend it, regardless of how bad a shape I'm in!"
Aecus shook his head, using his shouldered hand to have the flame human face him fully.
"Less than an hour ago, I dragged your semi-active body out of a river. If I hadn't been here to spot you-"
He glanced at the little girl beside him.
"Or rather, Aleen hadn't, you would've drifted all the way downstream. Do you know what lies there?"
Finn was silent.
"Cooling grounds for new earth. You're weakened form would be encased in rock. Tell me if your fancy vine can pull you out of that."
The hero couldn't speak. Aecus had a voice of strength, influence, and above all, wisdom. If anything, Finn had to guess he was a leader of sorts. Seeing as he was unable to reply, the fire elemental went on.
"That's how close you were to meeting a very horrifying end, Finn. If you really ended up this far due to ignorance, then you should well understand that facing the Olympians in your state would be suicide."
Finn gritted his teeth, wishing he could argue. Phoebe, Cinnamon Bun, all the citizens of the Fire Kingdom. He'd left them all behind just as he was bringing himself forward. Who knows what they were going through, if there was anyone left at all who could help? The thoughts alone drove him to nearly smacking away Aecus' hand and making a run for it. But he controlled himself, surrendering to reason. The hero hung his head.
"Fine."
Aecus nodded firmly.
"Good."
Letting out a breath, Finn finally settled down, looking his new companion in the eyes.
"You knew about me, in this form. How is it that you know so much?"
The blue-flamed man smiled, cocking his head to the side.
"Come with us. I'll explain everything."
As Aecus began walking towards a nearby path carved naturally among the rock walls, the flame human fell in behind to his left, eager to begin understanding just who these people were. Aleen stood on the opposite side, still hiding, yet sneaking peeks at him as they walked. Feeling it may be a bit awkward in such a situation, Finn chose to start his learning right then and there.
"Why do you have those blue flames?"
Aecus chuckled, as if he'd expected that to be the first question.
"It's how we live our lives out here; me, Aleen, and the others. There are those in the Fire Kingdom that wish to leave, for one reason or another, but due to our own compositions, it is nearly impossible to inhabit other parts of Ooo. We want a peaceful life, but nature won't allow coexistence easily. Those of us who shared this desire grouped together, out here in the unmapped wilderness of the kingdom, confining the majority of our flame powers deep within our bodies, never to be used for senseless violence."
Finn had spent enough time hearing from PB about chemistry to understand what Aecus was implying. The concentrated heat in their material forms caused their combustion to turn blue, differentiating them further from normal elementals.
"How many of you are there?" he asked.
Aecus answered immediately, not even having to think about it.
"A few hundred. Not much, in relation to the Fire Kingdom as a whole, but, our village is lively, and everyone knows each other."
Finn nodded, understanding.
"That's quite different from how fire elementals used to be."
Aecus hummed, apparently in agreement.
"Indeed. It's to the point where we don't even count ourselves as fire elementals."
The flame human raised an eyebrow.
"Then what do you call yourselves?"
The man glanced back at him.
"Will-o-wisps."
Finn flinched, quite surprised by his choice. Aecus noticed the reaction, smiling in amusement.
"We are, in essence, the ghosts of the Fire Kingdom, individuals who have disappeared at various points in time, presumed missing, dead, or what have you. We all left for different reasons, but we stand together as a community, always watching through the flames that crackle within the kingdom proper."
Finn was reminded of how fire elementals could use fire in the same way as PB's holographic video cubes, communicating directly to others across vast distances.
"Every torch that burns in cities, every attack made against a foe, it's all seen through our own flickering flames. We are never without knowledge of the outside world."
A realization dawned on Finn that very moment.
"So you've seen what the Olympians are doing."
Aecus nodded, though he noted the young man's tone of voice.
"Yes. I watched your trial, the attack, your 'death'."
Finn's eyes widened, moving to walk alongside the cloaked man.
"What happened to Flame Princess after I went down? Cinnamon Bun and the others? What did Zeus do to them?"
Aecus held up a hand to call for silence, wordlessly asking Finn to calm down.
"They are alive, rest assured. The rest I can explain once we're with the others. Just beyond that pass."
He pointed to the aforementioned path, with Finn subconsciously picking up speed. Aecus nevertheless followed suite, knowing he couldn't stop the hero from worrying. Upon clearing the somewhat tight passageway, Finn was finally treated to his first view of his companions' home.
Settled into a neatly carved valley between two low-rise mountains, a bustling cluster of dozens of huts resided before the flame human. No building was beyond a single story, kept low to likely ensure against discovery. A single structure near the center was the largest of all, nearly twice the size of any other. Street organization was nonexistent, apparently in response to not wishing to disturb the land's natural shape. Regardless, activity seemed to flow unimpeded. Multitudes of villagers moved from place to place amongst the huts, smiling, laughing, caught up in deep conversation. Children ran all over, playing around and helping their parents with various activities.
Like Aecus and Aleen, their flames were a ghostly light blue. Now that Finn could witness them in mass, he could certainly see them mistaken for unearthly lights in the distance.
"Well, come along."
Aecus took the lead again, marking the short path down to the village edge. Aleen seemed to relax a bit, clinging less to her elder and not bothering to hide, though Finn still noticed her occasional stare. The trio eventually came upon the settlement's outmost buildings, whereupon every will-o-wisp in the area noticed them. Finn fully expected them to give him stares of uncertainty, being the only elemental there with orange flames. Right at first, there was definitely a surprise factor. However, this quickly melted away into smiles, with each villager offering the hero a wave as they passed by. He gave one back each time, while most of them also greeted Aecus by name.
"I get the feeling you're more than just another face everyone recognizes," the young man commented.
Aecus chuckled, greeting another passing villager.
"Though technically there's a respected circle of elders who attend to the village, most think of me and my close friend as the true leaders. We were the original founders."
Finn nodded, clarifying his earlier thought. In the meantime, the three elementals had managed to navigate towards the center of the village, where Finn now noticed the larger hut he'd spotted on approach. As they came close, Aecus ushered Aleen to head off to her friends. After one last glance at Finn, she dashed away, leaving the two older elementals to enter through the hut's carved out entrance.
Inside was a rather peaceful environment, with a circle of older will-o-wisps sat on the floor. In front of each one was a lit candle, its flame enlarged in an obvious state of acting as a portal. Though initially no one reacted to their presence, the largest of the group soon spotted them, instantly growing a huge grin and standing up.
"Aecus! You're back!"
Finn watched as the man eagerly made his way to the elemental who saved him, noticing how jolly and laidback his mannerisms were. After a few enthusiastic pats on the back, the larger man suddenly noticed the flame human, keeping his smile without wavering.
"Oh? Who's this now?" he asked with genuine curiosity.
Similar to Aecus, the will-o-wisp had a head composed entirely of fire, though his topmost flames were shorter. He stood nearly a foot taller than the cloaked man, a massive, rocky body composing his form. Finn noted numerous crater-like openings along irregular points across his arms, back, and torso. Lastly, a large amount of scarring could be found all over his body, immediately telling the hero that this one was a warrior of sorts. Aecus motioned to the man.
"Finn, this is Salvo, my oldest friend and likely the most approachable person in the village."
The hero blinked, believing that was saying quite a lot considering the man's stature. Aecus then motioned to him.
"Salvo, I think you know very well who this young man is."
Finn found himself shrink back as Salvo leaned down to get a better look at him. The man's massive coal eyes blinked several times, apparently trying to jog their owner's memory. It seemed to work, as the towering will-o-wisp grinned excitedly a moment later, standing back to full height.
"Finn, the hero of Ooo. I never should've doubted you survived, figuring your reputation and all."
The flame human smiled nervously, becoming overwhelmed by how much these strangers knew of his exploits. The rest of the will-o-wisps had gotten wind of their new arrival as well, in awe at the living, breathing flame human. Soon enough, Aecus invited him into the circle, as he and Salvo moved to join it themselves. The young man hesitated briefly, but eventually took a seat beside the one who'd saved him. The elders greeted him one by one, to which he politely replied. He then focused his attention on Aecus.
"Please, what happened to everyone back at the palace?"
Aecus nodded solemnly, remembering his promise.
"As I said, the king and her knight were not harmed. However…"
He gazed at the candle before him.
"Zeus seems to have accomplished his true goal with the young ruler."
Finn tensed up, worried of the following words.
"With Phoebe broken down, both physically and mentally, he was able to extract the unique energy in her flames to animate an entire army."
He waved his hand above the candle flame, which grew until an image could be projected within. Finn laid eyes on the sight of Phoenixian Legionaries rising from the lava, charging at allied fire elementals, surrounding them in the leveled grounds of the palace. The sight horrified him, in particular when he saw FP and Cinnamon Bun among those trapped. Aecus noticed his anxiety, shifting the flame once more. It now depicted Flame Princess fleeing with her knight atop JT, all while Flint and his forces retreated.
"Flint and his men fell back to an underground location far from the Olympians' eyes. They'll be safe there for the time being."
Finn looked to the man.
"And the other two?"
Aecus shook his head.
"We don't know. They evidently left the Fire Kingdom. I can only assume their goal is to find help."
The flame human nodded, furrowing his brow.
"I bet I know who they went to."
He stood up, curling his fists.
"I have to do my part too. Every second I'm here is another that Zeus gains ground. I have to-"
His arm was grabbed lightly, halting his determined speech. He found Aecus frowning at him.
"Remember what I said, Finn. The trauma from your wound hasn't worn off yet."
The hero shook his head, placing a hand to his heart.
"I'm fine, ok?"
For the second time, Finn witnessed Aecus put on a stern expression. The young man had decided he didn't like it.
"I suppose even you didn't notice how uneven your pace was on the walk here. Every movement you've made has been sloppy, uncoordinated. Your body needs time to recover, no excuses. What use will you be to Phoebe if you're on the brink of collapse?"
Having hammered his point home, Aecus was satisfied when Finn finally relented, taking a second to think, then dropping back down to the ground, sighing. One of the elders piped up.
"He speaks wisely, Finn. You'll need all the strength at your disposal to fight the Olympians; especially the one who's taken a personal interest in you."
His attention caught, Finn's eyes darted to the man who had spoken.
"You don't mean… Ares?"
The elder nodded. Aecus took over.
"I'm sure by now you've realized he's no fire elemental. Not fully, anyway."
Finn nodded.
"Yeah."
The will-o-wisp beside him continued as his friend dwelled on past confrontations.
"Ares had been around longer than you think. Through the flames we've watched him, ever since he arrived at the kingdom."
Curious, the hero held his eyes firmly towards Aecus, who stared into the candle flame.
"That efreet has but one goal, Finn: to leave only a single being alive in this world. He doesn't care if it's himself or another, so long as they prove that they are strongest, and therefore deserve to stand at the world's peak."
Astonished, Finn nonetheless voiced his foremost question.
"Why? What's his motivation for something so horrible?"
Aecus closed his eyes.
"Ares firmly believes that peace can only be achieved when violence is no longer possible. To that end, he is convinced that only when the last lifeform standing walks the earth can the world truly experience tranquility."
The will-o-wisp pursed his lips.
"As paradoxical as it may be, he craves only endless conflict to arrive at his goal. He won't stop, no matter the cost, until everyone on earth is either dead or in battle."
He faced Finn.
"You've fought him before, you know what he's like. Twisted, undaunted, completely unreasonable. There is no other option for dealing with such a threat to our world, Finn. He must be destroyed."
It didn't require a lecture to convince the hero, who nodded all the same; at the least a bit more enlightened as to what he was facing. A light breeze suddenly made its way through the hut, causing each of the candle flames to briefly dance.
"It's getting late. We should take our leave," Salvo insisted.
Aecus nodded in agreement, leading the group to stand. The elders dismissed themselves first, leaving Finn flanked by his new acquaintances.
"We'll pick this up tomorrow, Finn. Get a good rest."
Salvo finished the statement with a pat on the back, which nearly knocked Finn over. He finally became aware of how weakened his body still was. As the towering man left the hut, Aecus motioned for the hero to follow him out as well. The pair emerged into the village, where activity was noticeably decreasing. Light was become scarce, the only indication these people had in regards to the blocked out sun.
"I know someone who'll give you a bed for the time being. She's been through a lot, but has a generous nature that everyone appreciates."
Finn nodded to the will-o-wisp's offer, thanking him. While the two made their way through the village, they failed to notice Aleen hiding behind the side of a nearby structure, eyes ever trained on the flame human.
There was nothing particular about the abode Aecus led his companion to, but the moment they stepped inside, Finn could practically feel the inviting atmosphere. He couldn't tell whether it was the décor, the soft lighting, or the woman who smiled upon noticing them enter. Tall and slender, she seemed weary just from a visual standpoint, but greeted the two men with genuine energy.
"Aecus! Nice to see you."
The male will-o-wisp tipped his head.
"You too, Mayel."
The woman then turned to fondly study Finn.
"And who is this? A new neighbor?"
The flame human waved, putting on his own smile.
"Hello, my name's Finn."
Immediately, Mayel's eyes widened, clasping her hands together.
"Oh my! The one and only, Finn the hero of Ooo?"
The young man nodded, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah, that's me."
Aecus placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Finn here is in need of a place to stay until he's back to strength. Would it be alright if you take him in?"
Mayel bowed her head, as if all too honored to meet his request.
"Of course, it would be my pleasure."
Finn thanked the woman for her kindness, right before an irritated voice rang out from the other room.
"Mom! I can't finish dinner on my own! When are you getting back in here?"
A second female will-o-wisp soon turned the corner from what Finn could only assume was the kitchen. He pegged her as being a few years younger than him, if the whining and tone of voice wasn't enough of a clue. Upon spotting Finn amongst the people in her house however, her expression shifted instantly from irritation to amazement.
"Oh my Glob! It's really you!"
She was in front of Finn in an instant, eyes wide and face mere inches from his. Backing away in response, Finn did his best to regain his lost balance, once again feeling his legs wobble slightly. Mayel motioned to the excited teenager, an amused grin on her face.
"Finn, this is my daughter, Sibley. She's a bit of a fan of yours."
Finn greeted the girl as best he could, all while she continued leaning far towards him.
"Mom, are you actually telling me that Aecus got Finn to stay here? With us?"
Mayel chuckled, rolling her eyes.
"You keep forgetting I'm always the one people go to for temporary housing. We are, after all, one of the few huts with an extra room."
Sibley waved her off.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. But now I get to spend a ton of time with him."
Finn suddenly felt Aecus lightly elbow him in the side, hearing the man laugh afterward.
"Don't get too excited, Sibley. He's taken."
Both the girl and Finn looked at him, blinking.
"Aw, he is?"
"I am?"
The look Aecus gave him immediately caused him to reconsider.
"Oh, uh, yeah, I am."
Sibley had quickly put on a pouty face, prompting her mother to place a hand around her shoulders.
"He's too old for you anyway, sweetheart."
The teenaged girl scoffed.
"Only by a few years. You and dad were way further apart when you started dating."
Mayel put on a smile, a sad one, from what Finn could tell.
"Maybe, but I'm still your mother."
Aecus coughed into his hand to gather attention, adjusting his cloak.
"Well, I'll just be going then. Finn, see you tomorrow. Get a good rest."
The flame human acknowledged, waving the man out along with the two ladies. Once he was out of sight, Mayel turned back to her guest.
"Dinner is just about ready. Would you care to join us?"
Although Sibley looked ecstatic about the idea, Finn chose to politely decline.
"No thank you. I still don't have full feeling in my stomach," he replied, patting his abdomen.
Mayel nodded, understanding.
"Then we'll be sure to wake you for breakfast."
She motioned down the small corridor of her home.
"Yours will be the last one on the right. Can I get you some blankets?"
Finn shook his head.
"It's fine. I'm used to just plopping down wherever."
The woman nodded again, wishing him a good sleep before turning to head back to the kitchen. Sibley offered a more extensive bid goodnight, then followed soon after. Finn made his way into the room offered to him, seeing it as nothing special, with barely a piece of furniture within, containing only a bed and side table. The arrangement was perfect to him, besides the fact of how grateful he was not to be snoozing outside on the rocky ground.
Asserting his statement earlier by simply falling onto his back, Finn stared up at the ceiling, taking an account of all that he'd been through in the past few hours. On the brink of death, he'd survived, found new companions, potentially even allies against the Olympians, and discovered that those he cared for were out of harm's way.
For the moment.
He furrowed his brow as his eyes grew heavy, signaling the inherent exhaustion that followed a stressful day. He wanted desperately to return to the scene, to retake what was rightfully FP's kingdom, her peoples' homes, and their very lives. It was his duty to protect them all, and he had failed. The lava vine tightened around his arm, as if resonating to the raw determination boiling in his heart.
I'll be back. I'll be stronger, I'll protect them, and I'll end this once and for all.
Ok, so still biting off a bit more than I can chew. But, good news. I'm getting out of one of my two jobs (the one I hate) so that gives me loads more time. Ok, maybe not loads, but significant. So yeah, be looking forward to that in a few weeks.
Also, for those who have seen the new episode, Bun Bun, isn't it just great? Finn and CB, on good, friendly terms; Finn and Phoebe, hanging out, truly forgiven; a feel-good episode for sure. There's so much opportunity opened up now for the future. Flinn Lives!