Trial by Fire
Finn waited patiently as the circle of will-o-wisps before him silently gazed at the flame human in deep thought. The crackling of the center fire was all that filled the hut, its glow casting shivering shadows on the walls. Aleen was asleep, head resting against Finn's arm as he sat straight to ensure she wouldn't fall over. The hero had just finished retelling his encounter with Delane, the source of Aphrodite.
Needless to say, the adults surrounding him hadn't said much in response to the tale, but none had bothered to state skepticism either, so he was at least thankful for that. It was Aecus who spoke eventually, giving a deep sigh.
"To be honest, it explains all the materials she gathers during the rare occasions she visits the main village."
Finn tilted his head to the side, recalling what Aleen had told him earlier. Aecus continued without any response.
"Wire for bracing, some charcoal, a few crafting tools. It's exactly the type of necessities for creating these, mannequins, as you've called them."
The other elders seemed to nod in agreement. Aecus then spoke to Finn directly, looking him in the eye.
"We have no reason to not believe your words, Finn. You've shown all the noble traits we've known you for these past few days."
He smiled at the young will-o-wisp nestled against the young man's side. She had a subtle smile across her lips as she peacefully slumbered.
"And you've given Aleen a reason to smile. The whole village will thank you for that."
Finn moved his arm to hold the girl close, gazing down at her soft expression.
"I've lost four parents in the past, two of which I never even met. I don't know the same loneliness as her, but I know the feeling of losing family."
Aecus nodded, a content grin on his face.
"We're truly touched by your actions. Fair warning though, she's unlikely to ever leave your side now."
The elders chuckled amongst themselves, while Finn just continued smiling on his own accord. Soon however, his demeanor hardened, looking up from the young one and addressing the circle with all due seriousness.
"She'll have to."
Everyone in the room went silent.
"I'm grateful for the hospitality you've shown, but I've been here long enough."
He turned to Aecus.
"I'm recovered, I'm trained, and I have new allies. It's time to take the fight to the Olympians before they unleash their endgame."
The elders all glanced amongst themselves, a general sense of unease spreading about. Aecus himself kept his eyes on Finn, though appeared no less hesitant at the hero's statement. The flame human figured it was as good a time as any, carefully taking hold of Aleen and moving her over to a nearby pillow leaning against the wall of the hut. After making sure she was comfortable, the young man returned his attention to the older will-o-wisps. He chose his words with care.
"If I'm not being too imposing, especially after everything you've already done for me, I'd like to ask for your help."
The elders' expressions changed little, giving Finn the idea that they already had a suspicion of where he was going with the conversation. Aecus stood up, with the others wordlessly conferring to his reply. He too seemed to consider his words with subtlety.
"Finn, you swore to protect the Fire Kingdom, that was your decision and we find it admirable. As much as we care for our fellow fire elementals though, we cannot simply abandon our seclusion and take up arms."
The flame human pursed his lips, calmly formulating a response.
"But, you understand, don't you? Zeus' plans don't stop with the kingdom at its core. He'll burn down everything in his path, no matter the distance."
One of the elders nodded.
"And should he arrive here, we will defend our homes to the last breath."
Aecus stepped over and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder, an apologetic look in his eyes.
"But you yourself must understand, we have all left the monarchy's banner of our own accord and for very personal reasons. We cannot fight a battle on its behalf. As will-o-wisps, our existence is rooted to the community we have created here, together with friends as close as family. To leave it all behind and struggle on a foreign battlefield against such menacing enemies, can you really ask this of our people, Finn? Can you ask for more children to share Aleen's fate?"
Finn looked back at the sleeping girl, who had shifted slightly, now lying on her side. He knew this was the answer he'd be given, somehow. The flame human lowered his head.
"No. Of course not."
He took in a breath and looked at the circle.
"I understand."
The elders all nodded back, thankful for his reply. There was silence for another moment, until Finn turned around and headed for the exit, ducking to avoid hitting his head. It was the dead of night, but what few bonfires remained scattered around the village still provided the light necessary to navigate the field of huts. The flame human slowly made his way towards the direction of Mayel's home, tired, daunted, and more than a little worried.
"Finn."
The hero stopped, spinning around to find Aecus standing not far from him. The will-o-wisp still had his careful expression from earlier, yet there was a sense of hope in his eyes that Finn noticed, keeping his attention. He allowed the man to continue without replying.
"I'm sorry. I hate leaving you with nothing."
The hero shook his head.
"No, it's fine, really. You need to look after your own people. It's not my place to pull the whole village into a war."
Aecus grunted in acknowledgment, although he didn't seem finished.
"But, there is something I can offer to give you a better chance."
Interested, Finn stepped closer.
"You've learned much from our training the past few days, but you're raw power is still negligible."
The will-o-wisp narrowed his eyes.
"You need your flames to be strong and focused."
Finn furrowed his brow, not sure what his friend was planning. Aecus turned and held out his hand, pointing towards a volcanic spire just outside the village perimeter, seemingly formed from an eroded formation long ago.
"Meet me by that rock tomorrow morning. Make sure to say goodbye to Mayel and Sibley."
The flame human could tell that Aecus was being cautious about his intentions, likely because he didn't want to involve the rest of the villagers in whatever he had in mind. Trusting the will-o-wisp's judgement, Finn nodded, thanking the man. Aecus nodded back, offered a sympathetic smile, then spun around to return to the main hut. Once he disappeared down the path, the hero believed it was finally time for bed. Turning in the direction of his temporary home, he began the walk to Mayel's, a great deal on his mind.
From behind a nearby hut, two obsidian eyes stared after him, shimmering in the firelight. They trembled, as if terrified. In a flash, Aleen's face vanished back behind the structure, the sound of rapid footsteps echoing in the distance.
Finn neatly placed his borrowed pillow back on the bed that had sustained him for the past few days, giving it a warm smile. Mayel's generosity was truly a wonderful trait, one he could never repay her for exhibiting. The flame human breathed in through his nose, letting it out his mouth a moment later. It was time to leave. As such, he briskly turned and walked out of the room, leaving it the same as when he'd first entered. He made his way down the small corridor, emerging at the front of the hut, where Mayel and Sibley were just walking out of the kitchen. The two had insisted he leave the dishes to them after breakfast and take the time to prepare.
Now the pair of will-o-wisps stood patiently beside the exit to the house, mother holding her hands in front of her, daughter clenching hers in fists at her side. Finn nodded to them both, reaching over and taking a dark red cloak from its hook on the wall. A gift from some of the villagers, a way to thank him for his efforts against those who would harm others. He thought it was a wonderful possession, having missed the tattered and scarred one he'd used for years before losing it in the Tournament of Vulcan. Mayel stepped forward first as he donned the cloak, placing her hands on his shoulders and giving him a maternal smile.
"Be safe, Finn. We'll be praying for your safety."
The hero smiled back, nodding. As the woman backed away, her younger counterpart came up next. Sibley stared at Finn for a few seconds, a mixture of fear and urgency on her face. She then reached out and grabbed his arm, holding it up with both hands, gripping the metallic coils wrapping it.
"Give it all you've got, ok?"
Finn could hear the worry in her voice, but he chose to smile at her, dropping his free hand on top of her head. Sibley blinked, but seemed to understand, allowing a grin to surface on her lips. She then threw herself into the young man, though quickly stepped back from the hug and stood beside her mother. The three exchanged one last expression of affirmation, before Finn turned to the side and stepped under the hut's entrance, emerging into the early morning glow.
From behind, Mayel and Sibley watched him leave, making his way towards the designated area Aecus pointed out yesterday.
Spotting the cloaked figure of his will-o-wisp friend wasn't hard. The man was patiently waiting against the aforementioned rock, remaining in complete silence. He easily heard Finn approaching, standing up straight and facing the flame human. Once the two met close up, they nodded to one another, before Aecus turned and placed his flat hand to the rock's black surface. Upon a surge of heat being injected into the material, Finn was amazed to see the bright orange outline of a passage imprinted.
Before long, the rock crumbled away, leaving behind a hollow entrance through which Aecus directed him to follow. Ever the enthusiast for a hidden location, Finn didn't hesitate to step inside behind his friend. They hadn't gone far before a sheer drop chasm graced their presence. Aecus immediately continued on, flame shifting down the hole and rematerializing about twenty feet down. Finn mimicked his actions, hitting the volcanic ground below and shaking off the feeling of being a pure flame. As Aecus set the pace, the pair resumed their trek through the mysterious passageway.
Five minutes in, Finn decided it was time to finally ask what this was all about.
"Where does this lead?"
He and Aecus ducked under a few hanging stalactites.
"To a group of individuals that will benefit you to meet. Several of the elders have taken the journey to seek their wisdom and perspective. Though they hold a strict neutral alignment, they always appreciate fire elementals coming to learn."
The hero furrowed his brow.
"They sound a lot like the fire sages."
Aecus looked over his shoulder.
"So you've heard of them?"
Finn nodded, but seemed confused.
"Yeah, Flame Princess went to see them once while I was with her. But, I thought only members of the royal family could enter their sanctum."
Now it was the will-o-wisp's turn to be confused.
"Who told you this?"
The flame human rubbed the back of his neck.
"Her knight, Cinnamon Bun. I assume he learned it from her."
Aecus seemed to process this momentarily, before sighing, shaking his head, and turning back to the path ahead. Finn heard him mumble something about a 'selfish man' under his breath.
"I'll be sure to clear something up with the poor girl."
Though curious, Finn decided to let it slide and resumed following the man's lead. Eventually, the flame human could hear the humming of volcanic activity nearby, proceeded shortly by a soft glow in the area ahead. This was soon revealed in its entirety when the cavern opened up, giving the travelers a view of a calm and uninterrupted subterranean lava flow. Aecus stepped over to the edge of the stream and stomped hard on the rock. His flames quickly cut out a decently-sized platform, which Finn hopped onto at the will-o-wisp's urging.
Aecus explained how the lava originated from the same river that had brought Finn's body down, except that the underground structuring and tectonics caused it to move in the opposite direction. Their rate of speed increased substantially over time, gliding across the molten rock while scanning the path ahead. Visitors regularly blasted away any stalactites that may have been hanging overhead, reducing the risk of being bashed in the face. Finn couldn't tell how much time had passed, but eventually their movement began to slow, with Aecus even using his flames to decelerate.
Their slab came to a stop as it was directed to a small landing, with its two passengers hopping off before the rock began sinking into the lava. Another stroll past formations and veins of volcanic material finally brought them to a polished stone door. No markings were present, though Finn suspected otherwise. Sure enough, Aecus acted upon the barrier the same as he did with the hidden passageway, revealing various symbols as his heat pulsed into the rock. With a brief rumble, the door slid down into the floor, leaving behind darkness.
Aecus turned to his companion.
"The rest of the way you go alone."
Thinking for a moment, Finn nodded. Before facing the path however, the flame human looked up, attempting to gaze beyond the jagged ceiling of the cavern.
"The kingdom is right above us, isn't it?"
The will-o-wisp beside him nodded. Aecus noticed him hesitate for a mere second, then watched as Finn clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and proceeded inside the newly opened doorway. With his flames creating a natural light, he had no issues navigating. Once he'd passed well beyond the opening, the rock that had originally sealed it rose back from the earth, closing with an echoing crunch.
Aecus stared at the slab for a minute, eventually stepping over to the side of the path and taking a seat, knowing he'd have quite the wait ahead of him. As the gentle hum of the surroundings created a peaceful atmosphere, he thought to himself of meditating. This idea was interrupted by the ping of tumbling pebbles, sounds proportional to someone who wasn't being very careful. The will-o-wisp swung around to face the path he and Finn had come from.
"Who's there?"
Sign of civilization came quickly once Finn cleared the initial section of cave neighboring the doorway. A stairwell welcomed him to proceed even deeper into the earth, the hero staying vigilant for anything around the corner. Reaching the bottom, he noted the glossy mineral composing the new floor, feeling its smoothness with every step forward. The path expanded into a chamber, one ringed with holes all around its perimeter. Only now was Finn noticing how much the temperature had dropped, tempted to rub his arms to warm up.
Naturally, the steam that was suddenly expelled from each hole caused displeasure, as the flame human felt his artificially grafted heat being sapped away. At first he thought it was a trap, and that he'd been doomed to extinguish dozens of feet underground, but soon realized he was being left with enough energy to function normally. Attempts to fire even a spark proved futile. Accepting the confiscation, he pressed on into the next area.
Finn was again surprised, seeing a pair of guards stationed at the end of a small corridor he'd stumbled into. Engraving of ancient elementals peppered the walls, though he opted to pay more attention to the intimidating individuals ahead of him. One of the fire elementals raised a hand to stop him. As the young man remained still, the other guard revealed a rune on his hand, which seemed to temporarily envelope the chamber's visitor in a strange aura. Once finished, the guard pointed to Finn's alloy-bound arm.
He held it out to them, at which point the first guard placed his hand upon it. Unknown magic wrapped around the limb, as Finn noticed the metallic weapon briefly struggle, before relaxing, loosening around his appendage. He experimentally tried making it move, only to fail. Interestingly, it was as if his curse had been put to sleep. Finished with their precautions, the pair of guards stepped aside, beckoning for the flame human to proceed. He did so without delay.
A bit winded from his current metabolic state, Finn nevertheless managed to walk to the center of a massive dark chamber. He felt cool metal beneath his feet, amazed at how such a thing was possible in the given environment. Unsure of what to do next, he stopped, looking out into the dark. Behind him, the door back out had been closed, leaving him in apparent solitude.
Out of nowhere, a single candle ignited from one side of the chamber. By the time Finn managed to look over and study its appearance, more had emerged on either side of it. The ring of flickers grew until it ultimately surrounded the flame human. So mesmerizing were the lights that he failed to notice the seven humanoids calmly seated between each set of candles. To be fair, they were inflicted with the same debilitating state as he was and gave off very little illumination. Finn remained still when he finally identified them, keeping a passive stance.
Each sage studied his figure, neither judgmental nor dismissive. Silence remained intact for several minutes, with Finn unwilling to break it for fear of offending the oracles before him.
"We've been expecting you," the Sage of Power at last stated.
The flame human flinched.
"You know who I am?"
The sages' leader nodded.
"You carry the same essence as the echo brought before us by the princess of flames."
He leaned forward.
"Meaning you are the one responsible for Finn the Human's false demise."
Finn blinked.
"Faked? H-how would you-"
The Sage of Passion's muffled giggle caught his attention, turning to the smiling woman.
"We witness all that transpires above, hero. Your exposure, trial, and supposed death at the hands of Zeus."
She pointed a finger to the young man's face.
"That golden hair, those impossibly blue eyes. Your guise has been shattered, and we can observe your every move."
Seeing the logic behind it all, Finn simply nodded. Taking a deep breath, he faced the sages with confidence.
"I was told you could help me. To focus my powers and gain the strength to face the Olympians."
The Sage of Light tilted his head.
"And who by chance told you this?"
The flame human turned to his addresser.
"A man named Aecus."
All seven sages exchanged brief glances.
"I see," the leader replied. "His is a wise mind."
The Sage of Destruction rubbed his chin.
"And why, if I may ask, should we lend our aid? You, as a hero, stand by the side of good. Your opposition, a tyrant bent on setting the world ablaze, can only be described as evil. Your conflict goes above our notice. We seek only to observe and aide on impartial terms."
Finn stared back at the sage for a long time, feeling the weight of the others' gazes collect upon him. He wasn't prepared for this level of interrogation. However, it took a simple realization to see he already had a reply.
"Hero is a title given by others. People see me as some flawless crusader who never turns down a chance to help someone."
He clenched his fists.
"The truth isn't cut and dry. I was human. I had weakness, temptation. I betrayed Flame Princess and broke her heart, leading to the destruction of an entire kingdom in the process. Less than a year later, another civilization was burned to the ground because of my arrogance."
Finn looked the Sage of Destruction in the eyes.
"I'm not a flawless hero. I made dark decisions and I paid for them. I've seen how evil can turn to good and vice versa. You can call me what you like, but I'm no longer a pinnacle of pure heart."
Another round of silence filled the room, as the sages kept staring him down. At first Finn thought he'd spoken out of line, until he surprisingly found the Sage of Destruction crack a smile.
"Well said."
The others nodded in agreement, as Finn turned back to the group's leader.
"You have held our interest for a great deal of time, Finn, from the moment you showed your fire-cloaked face in the kingdom. You are neither human nor fire elemental, an enigma from two worlds, a melding of the two most destructive races the world has ever seen."
The Sage of Power held out a hand in offering.
"We shall grant your request, in exchange for your commitment."
The young man furrowed his brow.
"Commitment to what?"
One by one, the sages stood, almost melodically, until each held firm posture, hands behind their backs.
"Our hands cannot reach beyond these caverns, as any interference could be seen as favoring one side. Here underground, individuals must seek us out to gain our wisdom. But long have we wished to find one who can relay our will to the outside."
The leader stepped off of his stone seat, now at the same level as Finn upon the metal floor.
"Though your alignment is clear, we oppose Zeus' idea of 'cleansing' the world."
The Sage of Cleansing visibly shuddered in disgust.
"Become our emissary, Finn of Ooo, and we will provide the knowledge necessary to keep our world in balance. Do you accept this condition?"
Finn had listened carefully to each word. He realized the worth of a commitment. However, now, in the current era of chaos and cruelty, there was no question of yes or no. Any chance to finally end it must be taken.
"I do."
All seven sages smiled, then their leader took a step back onto his platform.
"Wise choice," he declared.
As Finn watched, the numerous candles surrounding them doubled the flames at their tips, before the fire shot away, streaking across the room in a dazzling display, twisting, looping, and arcing all over. Eventually, the flames struck each sage's chest, instantly revitalizing them to full strength. In the midst of the fiery dance, Finn didn't see the last bolt of fire spear him in the chest, crying out as his flames were forcefully reignited. Falling to his hands and knees, he breathed deeply to overcome the sudden surge of energy.
While the young man was busy recovering, the Sage of Power raised his hand towards him, then swiped to the side. The metal vine on Finn's arm reacted immediately, briefly displaying the slumber seal placed upon it earlier, only to have it shatter. The flame human felt his weapon tighten once again, signaling that it was active. Shakily getting to his feet, the hero glanced at the seven sages, all fully flickering and bathing the room in a warm glow. Now that light was restored, Finn could make out another passageway ahead, to which the Sage of Power motioned.
"Enter, and be prepared. A single failure in that cavern will result in your dismissal."
With that, all seven elementals flame shifted and rushed into the open doorway, leaving Finn alone in the chamber. Not wishing to waste any time, he followed after them. Once past the entrance, the young man instantly noted how dark the path ahead was. Even his flames didn't reach far into the depths. Though initially confused as to what to do next, he suddenly noticed a new light spring forth to his side.
Hovering over his shoulder was a simple flame, a large white center with wisps of yellow whipping about at its top.
"Finn," a voice sounded from seemingly all directions.
Chancing it, he replied.
"Yes?"
As if on cue, the gentle flame hovered in front of him. Taking it as a prompt, he carefully placed his hand underneath, allowing it to levitate with his own support. To his astonishment, all light being produced by his own body was absorbed, fed into the flame, which grew in strength. This wasn't saying much, as it was weak to begin with. Now only able to see a few feet in front of him, Finn awaited further words.
"I am Triab, the Sage of Light. Show me that you value the sight fire grants you. Make your way to the end of this cave; I shall be waiting."
A bit apprehensive, but determined nonetheless, Finn nodded to wherever the sage might be, rushing forward at as fast a pace as he could set, focusing hard to avoid any obstacles hidden in the darkness. So began his first trial.
Wow, waiting for the season finale is almost as annoying as waiting for my updates, am I right? Well, progress is being made with the house remodeling, though even more changes in life are being piled on. Of course, you guys never have to worry. One way or another, you'll get the updates.
gamelover41592: That's a refreshing comment as well, thank you.
Kazini Looper: Haha, yeah, I am actually. But it's still a ways off from being written. Thanks for the kind words.
Neo Deadmua5: Because you guys deserve it.
TimeManipulator99: Well, I do love my epilogues.
Arbiter of Woe: Your words are appreciated. I'll keep feeding the chapters as best I can.
R-Doll: I had a lot of fun coming up with Aphrodite's true nature. Glad it stirred up some good response.
TheMentalAdventurer: I wouldn't say tension...
MUTO TOHO: Fair enough.
Ledgieon: Yeah, it could use a bit more drama at this point.
Escapism-my-refuge: It's coming up, and I'm gonna have a good time with it.
The Guyver: Nope.
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!