Beauty, Warmth, and Destruction
The torch-lit path eventually gave way to a pair of massive arched doors, inscribed with a canvas of flower vines that Finn couldn't name. Likely they were all of species native to the fiery lands above, and thus rare to outsiders. On either door was the figure of a fire elemental; a male on the right, a female on the left. Both stood looking at one another, each with a stance that could be described as quizzical. Their carefully carved expressions suggested they were both in deep thought about the other. At the same time, the slightest wisp of a smile graced both their faces.
Finn admired the mural for a moment longer, even taking a seat on the rocky ground to study the details further. He began debating on whether the two elementals were familiar with each other or not. The relationship was near impossible to distinguish without further illustration. The poses, looking closer, didn't seem to imply closeness or repulsion. To sum up his thoughts, the flame human decided it was an entirely subjective piece; to be interpreted however one sees fit. He smiled, then stood on his feet.
Upon stepping up to the doors, the hero placed his hands on the solid stone. Despite their size, the objects seemed to immediately give way to his push, swinging open without as much as a creak. Light from inside poured out, momentarily causing Finn's eyes to squint. Having adjusted, he proceeded forward, sliding through the opening, then carefully shutting the mural entrance behind him.
The room sprawled out before him reminded the young man of numerous pictures Jake had shown him on occasion, those of humanity's long-lost artistic achievements. More a hall than a chamber, Finn casually strolled past uneven walls left with no unused space, filled seamlessly with depictions of seemingly random events in a typical extent of time.
One carving showed a battle fought between two armies of swordsmen; so intricate, Finn could see the battle scars on each soldier's skin. Another was of a family sitting together for a morning meal. A simple stroll through a grassy field. Two women laughing at a man's silly performance. A child reading against a tree trunk. There was no correlation between any of it. None of the figures were the same person from different times, nothing showed any sign of a story.
Finn had neared the end of the hall, finally setting his eyes on the center of the walkway, where, upon a cloth, sipping tea on her knees, was one of the Sages of Fire. Quietly, so as to not disturb the woman, the flame human approached the cloth and sat himself in the same position, feeling the weight of his body upon his legs. The sage had her eyes closed for the entirety of Finn's appearance before her, periodically sipping from her cup. After several more helpings, one eye slowly popped open. She motioned her tea towards him, to which Finn quickly nodded.
The woman set her cup down, moving her aged hands over to the teapot beside her. With precise and delicate movements, she filled the empty cup that had been placed in front of Finn. He took hold of the drink, thanking his company, before taking a sip himself. Similar to the flowers on the door mural, he couldn't say what extract the drink was made from, but the taste clearly signified it was meant to relax the body.
The pair remained as they were for a while, with the sage making no move outside of what seemed to be meditation, as Finn took the opportunity to scan for any artworks he didn't catch earlier. His counterpart appeared to notice his eyes wandering all over the walls and ceiling, finally setting her tea down.
"Something catch your eye?" she asked softly.
Finn was somewhat startled to actually be spoken to by the woman, but gradually oriented himself and looked her in the eye.
"They're very impressive carvings. Did you make them?"
The sage chuckled, placing her hands in her lap.
"Indeed. Though it's interesting that you find them impressive."
Finn furrowed his brow, glancing at some of the nearest works.
"Why? I mean, they're huge, so detailed, and clearly took a lot of thought to make."
The woman nodded nonchalantly, looking at the carvings herself.
"True, true, and true. Although very few of my compatriots think much of them."
The flame human frowned.
"Well, not everyone appreciates art in the same way."
His phrase appeared to pique interest from the sage, who suddenly got to her feet, brushing off her robe.
"Come along," she urged with a carefree tone.
Finn did as asked, making his way to follow the woman further down the hall, nearly at its end. It was here that the hero saw empty wall, and also where his companion stopped, turning to look at him.
"I am Devalis, Sage of Beauty, and I ask of you but a single task."
She motioned to the blank rock walls.
"Add your own work to this mural."
The flame human blinked, glancing over to the stone then back at the sage.
"My trial is… a drawing?"
Devalis laughed with much amuse, holding a hand to her mouth.
"You aren't an adept artist, I assume?"
The hero shook his head.
"Na, that's always been my brother Jermaine's thing."
The sage beside him didn't seem too bothered by his hesitation, looking to the walls.
"These are not mere drawings. They are moments captured from time, as we the sages have seen them."
She looked back to Finn.
"I wish for you to add a piece of your own time to this expanse. It can be whatever you wish. Take as much as you need, I will bear no impatience to your design."
Without another word, Devalis strode off back to her floor cloth, keeling down to resume drinking her tea, pouring in a fresh cup. Finn sighed, feeling as if his test wasn't being taken very seriously. Then again, she wasn't the first sage who had a laid back personality. Deciding it was pointless to think on the matter any further, he instead focused his efforts on the blank wall in front of him.
His own creativity aside, Finn couldn't help but glimpse Devalis' works of art sprawled all over the hall. Even the edge of her carvings, where the piece faded off into unused space, was a seamless transition. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt adding his mediocre skill to such visuals. He stepped up to the rocky walls and ran his hand over some of the lines burned into them. Sure enough, Devalis had carved them all using a very concentrated blast of fire, similar to a blow torch.
Sidestepping to some of the blank canvas, Finn hesitantly brought up his hand near the wall, taking a deep breath. His entire arm tensed as he focused, trying to generate heat in his palm. It wasn't the first time he'd used this method of drawing, but unlike playing with Aleen, there was an astounding level of peer pressure due to the tea-sipping sage behind him. Finally sensing enough energy, Finn let loose his flames, which unfortunately came out too violently. A small poof of an explosion caused him to back away from the wall. Once the dust cleared, he found a moderately-sized impact scarring imprinted on the surface.
Finn quickly looked over at Devalis, expecting some form of ridicule. To his surprise, the sage either didn't notice or didn't mind his mistake. Letting out a breath, he looked back to the wall. Bringing up his flame-infused hand, he tried once more.
Minutes passed, and the flame human accomplished little more than a few curved lines and a messy circle. Even so, Devalis never gave him as much as a glance, seemingly lost in her own world of ponderings. Finn was nearly angered by how little attention his trial was receiving, but knew complaining to the elder would accomplish nothing. Sighing, he turned to the wall and placed both his hands upon it. With effort, he heated the surface of the rock to the point where the earthy mineral turned a dull shade of red. As he held the position, the hero watched the scarred and messy surface gradually melt away, leaving a clean sheet of rock in its place.
Finn took a step back, continuing to think. He hated to admit it, but this was taking too long. He knew nothing of how much damage Zeus and his cohorts were causing up above, nor could he guess the status of all the Fire Kingdom citizens. The idea that Flame Princess was facing overwhelming odds was slowly wearing down his patience, as he finally rested his thoughts of what he'd have to face beyond the fire elemental's retribution. Notable of these was Ares.
Fighting the efreet was an uncomfortable thought on its own. Not only was the being able to fight on par with Finn's hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship, but the potential of being infected with insatiable rage brought up the possibility of hurting anyone around him that wasn't an enemy.
Finn looked over his shoulder at Devalis, sipping her tea. The hall was peaceful, with the gentle hum of the earth all around and the warm architecture of the sage's carvings creating a very thought-provoking atmosphere. It made sense that she used such a room to create her art. Here, one could think clearly and take their time.
Forming his blade, the flame human carefully dug the point of the weapon into the soft rock wall. Within a few minutes, he managed to sketch a rough outline of Ares' form, claws and all. Choosing to stick with his cursed sword, Finn began circling out certain points to be warry of, as well as potential weak points surmised by his previous encounters with the Olympian. Angular descriptions began to take shape, as the hero's drawings took the form of an anatomical outline. Finn accounted for Ares' potential "shell", believing that its removal would warrant greater caution. He tried prioritizing the disabling of his arms, as the claws were easily the greatest initial danger.
The time flew by as he worked, at times melting the rock back to its smooth shape after recalling more information to tweak his strategy. He corrected himself as memories resurfaced, added more detail as more theories sprouted. The lava vine seemed to sense his desire to experiment with its various forms against the efreet, occasionally twitching around his arm.
After a few more diagrams, stances, approaches, and even retreat formations, Finn at last stepped back to admire his work, even managing to crack a smile at his academic preparations. He believed PB would've been proud seeing the carvings before him.
No sooner had the flame human read over the etchings did he suddenly hear a sip directly beside him. Startled, he shifted away from Devalis, who had suddenly appeared as if by magic. She said nothing of Finn's surprise, only studying the intricately laid out plan of attack he had inscribed onto her wall. Never ceasing her rhythmic drinking, the sage tilted her head this way and that, convincing Finn she was legitimately reading every single maneuver and angle he'd compiled.
At long last, the Sage of Beauty chuckled.
"Marvelous, simply marvelous!"
She turned to Finn, the brightest of grins on her aging face.
"I'm no genius when it comes to combat, but it's clear you are an artist in the field."
The flame human furrowed his brows, glancing at his work.
"I don't understand. It's just a diagram and stuff."
Devalis took another sip of tea.
"And you don't find it beautiful? You see the actions in your mind that you've carved upon the wall. Can you imagine using this information you've pieced together to overcome a great foe?"
Finn stared at his strategic etchings, ones that he'd run over in his mind numerous times.
"Yeah, I can."
He smiled faintly.
"Knowing I have a way to defeat an enemy, even if it's just theory, it always has a certain feeling to me. The way I have to move my body, the techniques necessary to avoid an attack and counter, it all has this flow that I've always had a love of."
The hero frowned again.
"But to you this is just scribbles of fighting, how could you see any kind of attraction to it?"
Devalis held out her hand to the expansive walls around them, covered in her carvings.
"These are not just random bits of life, they are each a moment in time captured by the hearts of us sages. Not just myself, but all my compatriots have contributed to this hall."
She pointed to the image of two women laughing while a man exhibited goofy behavior.
"I find that one just plain silly, but Lesser always said true laughter cleanses the heart better than anything else. He finds great beauty in it."
The woman motioned to the battle scene Finn had passed earlier.
"Syla could see the passion in those two armies. Though it was a grievous conflict, both sides fought for what they believed in with their very souls."
Devalis finally looked to her guest.
"I preside over the most subjective trait of fire, my young friend. Beauty is, after all, in the eye of the beholder. I may not see the grace and precision in what you've drawn, but I could tell from the way your arms moved, the way your eyes darted about while carving, that this is what you excel in."
Finally understanding, Finn nodded to the sage, thinking back to the entrance to the hall.
"You created that mural on the doors, didn't you?"
Devalis just displayed her elderly smile.
"Indeed. There is little I enjoy more than watching the world with an open mind. You learn so much about people you thought you had figured out."
She shifted her brows.
"Now then, it's about time you were on your way."
Before Finn could reply, he noticed the glow around his arm. Looking down, he found a fourth ring searing itself into his skin, below the one received from Lesser. As the golden glow faded, he looked back to Devalis, rubbing the back of his head.
"Well, it was better than being blown up, stabbed, and drowned."
The sage chuckled.
"My trial might not have been the most difficult, but I do hope you still gathered some experience from it. As well as this."
She reached out, poking the flame human in the center of his chest. Immediately, the young man felt a surge of energy similar to the other gifts he'd received, coursing throughout his veins as his heartbeat grew stronger. Then, all at once, the rush vanished, replaced with the deep, calming feeling of his flames circulating within him. He experimentally squeezed his hands shut, trying to get a feel for his new state. Devalis nodded towards the wall.
"Your flames lacked the control necessary to truly give form to your desires. I hope that with this strain of balanced energies your future endeavors will be met with greater success."
Finn raised his palm to the diagram before him, concentrating once more. The heat came readily, condensing just above his skin. With virtually no recoil, he let loose a steady and thin beam of fire, which cleanly burned one final detail into his strategy against Ares, depicting the killing blow he would ultimately deliver. Grinning at the newfound focus to his unnatural abilities, the flame human turned to Devalis and gave a bow.
"Thank you very much."
The sage merely brushed his off with a smile.
"Pay it no mind, our emissary must be well-equipped, after all."
As she finished her statement, Finn heard the distinct sound of rumbling rock. Spinning around, he found the previous dead-end of the hall was now crumbling away, revealing the way forward. Finn gave Devalis one last bid of gratitude, then took off towards the exit, hoping to up his pace and return to the surface. The Sage of Beauty simply watched him disappear down the tunnel beyond, sipping her tea.
Like the majority of transitional tunnels between trials, the one Finn trekked through to reach his fifth challenge was largely uneventful. The only significant detail was that he was slowly but surely beginning to near the surface, which gave at least somewhat of a comfort. Naturally, this also meant the heat was falling, only noticeable in such an environment due to the flame human's current form.
As he took a few more steps into the gentle darkness ahead, a slight rumble caught his ear. Spinning around in preparation for a trap, he was met only with a stalagmite piercing its way out of the floor and directly into the tunnel ceiling, shadowing the immediate area with dust. Shielding his mouth with his cloak, Finn backed way, worried of a cave in. Instead, a multitude of addition rock spikes burst forth, quickly concealing the path behind him with a solid layer of hardened earth.
The hero considered it odd. So far, nothing had directly obstructed his way back; not that he had any reason to even consider retreating. Such a sudden cut-off almost felt as if the cavern was sealing him off. With caution, Finn continued down the tunnel.
It was a short distance later that the next clue to the barrier kicked in. Temperatures were dropping alarmingly now, much too unnatural for a place such as the Fire Kingdom. Finn found himself holding his cloak tightly around his body, as even his flames were struggling to keep his internal heat steady. The glow his skin emitted faded gradually as he studied the rocky walls ahead, beginning to earn worry from the young man. He picked up his pace, hoping the increased movement would generate some spare energy.
The exit to the tunnel came suddenly, as did the stunning chill that followed. Finn scanned ahead at the darkened room, lit only by random bits of red fire that were already dying fast. Beyond that, the large cavern was a pitfall, save for a very narrow and zigzagging path that cut through to the unseen opposite side of the area. Finn wasted no time in advancing, worried his lowered heat would eventually make him dizzy enough to fall off the ledge. Forming his alloy sword as a precautionary measure, he made a hustled jog for the other end, stepping on as many of the bits of fire as he could along the way. Their energy did little as his body naturally absorbed them, but it was better to take any available resources.
Not a minute before he'd turned a few corners, that the flame human spotted an alarming sight ahead. Lying in a slump, clearly in a worse state of freezing than himself, was a female fire elemental, clearly struggling to even get to her feet, eyes shut tight from exertion. Instincts on the rise, the hero made haste to her location, swiping up more scraps of fire. As soon as he was upon her, Finn knelt down and helped the woman sit up. Immediately, he recognized her as one of the sages.
She was the youngest looking of the group, just old enough to pass off as an aged mother. She took a moment to open her eyes, slowly looking over to her savior. Even through her suffering, the sage managed to smile.
"Nice to see you've made it this far."
Finn set aside the remark and felt the woman's forehead. The difference in their temperature was staggering; the hero couldn't even guess how long she'd been in the cavern. Without hesitating, he pulled off his cloak and slung it over the sage's shoulders, motioning for her to grab the ends and pull tightly. She obliged and allowed Finn to help her stand. Placing an arm around her, the flame human began leading the both of them further along the path.
Just as he'd taken a few steps, a blast of cold air struck the two head on, nearby throwing Finn onto his back. The pain also paralyzed him in place. Realizing that the cloaked woman would only slow him down by his side, the flame human quickly ducked beneath her arm. With one swift maneuver, he had the sage on his back, causing momentary surprise from the fire elemental.
"Hold on tight," he warned.
The elder nodded, placing greater pressure around Finn's neck. The young man prepared himself for a sprint, though took the time to hold up his hand and generate an orb of flames within. The act itself caused significant fatigue all over his body. With what little physical strength he could give, the hero hurled the orb across the cavern, hoping to uncover the true span of the area. Unfortunately, the dimming glow of his shot eventually faded into darkness, causing him to curse under his breath.
Putting the despair out of mind, he took off. The sage upon him weighed little compared to numerous other items and individuals he'd transported throughout the years, likely due to her fiery composition. Even so, he exercised caution when turning a corner, as the elemental was light enough to be blow aside by another random gust and into the ominous chasm below.
Running certainly allowed Finn's body to put up a fight against the cold; at least in his legs. The feeling of his shins being stabbed by daggers was prevalent as he ran, as was the declining sense of touch from his face and chest. Behind him, he could feel the sage wrapping his cloak around herself even tighter.
"We won't survive, just so you know."
Allowing himself to furrow his brow and glance the woman out of the corner of his eye, Finn made another turn, now beginning to feel a sharp pain in his lungs. He'd have to keep his replies short.
"Why not?"
The sage closed her eyes.
"You don't have enough heat. I can feel it. Your body will crumble before you even see the exit to this cavern."
Not expecting such a grim premonition, the flame human chose to give a quick scoff and pressed on. Even so, he could feel her words drawing out reality with each step. His breathing was highly irregular, his eyesight turning hazy. Another step, and he tripped, shouting as his body hit the ground with the added weight of the sage. Contact with the floor stung due to its low temperature, along with draining his heat at an accelerated rate. The woman accompanying him slid off, kneeling down beside him and helping the hero sit up.
"As I said, it's no use."
The raspy nature of her voice indicated to Finn just how weak she'd become. No light came from the now maroon-skinned fire elemental. He himself was losing the last tinge of red in his pigment. All around him the cold bared down, assaulting even his head with painful migraines. His desperation was strong, but his frustration also began to peak.
"There's no reason to give up until you have nothing le-ft…!"
At his last word, Finn's lungs suddenly felt dried up. His breathing staggered to a wheeze momentarily, before he managed to calm himself. This quickly morphed to further anger.
"Dammit! I came too far, this isn't happening!"
The last few words rang with aggressive defiance. As the sage beside him watched, subtle veins of heat pulsed to life beneath his skin. He got to his feet, this time taking hold of the woman in his arms. His blue eyes stared hatefully at the path ahead, still blind to the other side.
"We're going," he seethed.
The sage gazed into his raging irises, seeing them lose their ocean hue for the briefest of moments. Finn dashed forward, his teeth bared as if ready to tear into an enemy. With his speed increasing, the freezing gusts assaulted him with great fury. The flame human ignored them, even as he felt split-second failures across his body.
"Stupid wind," he growled.
The woman in his arms held her gaze, showing no emotion as the hero made progress through the elemental deathtrap. Lashed again and again, he strode on, only getting angrier as the strength of the wind impeded his advance.
"I'm making it through this damn cave!"
A chill to his face was brushed aside by unknown heat.
"I'm getting past the rest of these trials!"
A stalled flare in his skin generated more heat.
"I'm done wasting my time with you people! I need to get up there and tear the Olympians to pieces…!"
The gift bestowed upon him by Syla shocked him out of his rant. Eyes wide, he took a moment to look down at the sage he was transporting. Her expression held its steady animosity, but he could sense the nature of the flames within. She was frightened.
Distracted, Finn failed to notice his heat was dissipating again. He groaned, slowing to a mere jog, before finally halting to his knees, doing his best to let the sage down gently. His hands his the ground, fingers digging into the rock as he felt the chill impale his body anew. The young man's companion remained silent at first, watching him pant with his eyes shut tightly.
"No," he nearly whispered from lack of oxygen.
"I won't use this as my strength, I won't be like him."
The sage tilted her head, though held fast to the cloak bestowed upon her.
"If your rage has the power to save lives, can you truly cast it aside?"
Finn opened his eyes, staring at the dark stone around his hands. He considered the woman's words, his mind drawn into memories long passed. He saw himself destroying everything, attacking his allies, friends, loved-ones. His anger was monstrous, he could recall the heightened temperature of his body at the time. He remembered all the times Flame Princess had lost her temper and her power reaching massive proportions as a result. Twice during this phenomenon, a kingdom's safety was threatened.
He had also experienced this.
It was here in his trail of memories that Finn arrived at his and Phoebe's first meeting. Her anger had almost burned his house down as well. However, it was the events directly afterward that caught his attention. As he, Jake, and FP stood at the edge of a forest, she spoke about how his affections caused her to burn brighter, as she even unconsciously generated a swirl of flames from his emotional words.
The flame human held up his head, then turned to his companion.
"Who are you?" he asked simply.
She didn't hesitate in her reply.
"I am Maney, Sage of Warmth."
Finn took a moment to stand up, though shivered greatly from the effort. He had to keep this short. Holding out a hand, he offered the sage a lift as well, which she accepted.
"Then you should know as well as I do, that anger isn't the only thing fire elementals can draw power from."
He scoffed at himself, shaking his head.
"Not that I was able to realize that soon enough."
He took a knee, motioning for Maney to get on his back once again. He was shaking furiously, and the sage herself had difficulty moving, but eventually the two managed to hold onto each other. Finn stood up with visible struggle, even starting to see bits of his skin break off into ash. He braced himself for a sprint, looking only at the path, though he still couldn't quite stabilize his breathing.
"I made… a promise to tell Phoebe my feelings. In… that way, I'll finally be… fully honest... with her, just like she… wanted."
Maney's eyes widened slightly, interested in his declaration. The flame human smiled, thinking of how much he'd love to have just one last embrace from the imposing yet endearing ruler of the Fire Kingdom. His body heat received a small boost from the thought. Though there was no elemental matrix deep within his body, there was no denying the fiery nature of a fire elemental still burned hot underneath the young man's flesh. One in the same, both gave fire elementals all the energy they'd need throughout life, enough to survive any obstacle.
With a resounding cry, Finn took off one last time, keeping a tight hold on Maney's legs as she clung to his neck. He grinned more and more as he went, feeling the rush of fond memories and those that were yet to come. He knew it was unlikely to be forgiven of all he'd done, but that didn't stop his mind from fantasizing. Upon Zeus' defeat and the end of the Olympians' reign, long after the recovery of the Fire Kingdom, he, Phoebe, and everyone he loved and cared for would gather at that same nightclub for an evening of dance and laughter. He'd sit at the piano, leading the couples on the dance floor while Phoebe sat upon the instrument with her legs crossed, swaying her head to the notes he played.
The two would glance at each other at various points in the music, exchanging smiles. Once he finished, Jake would intervene and insist to take over, shooing the two off the instrument and to the floor, where he would now give them their own turn to dance. The crowd would gather round, cheering as he and the fiery girl would join hands and gracefully pace about the center of the room, never quite taking their eyes off one another. Finn would chuckle nervously as he occasionally tripped up, having lost all proficiency over the years. FP would just giggle and place her chin on his shoulder. And so it would go on, after all the pain, hate, and fighting, there would finally be a moment of happiness that everyone could bask in.
And he would make it reality, swearing it on his soul.
The end of the cavern came into view, visible as clear as day as Finn's skin burst with light, casting warmth aplenty. The freezing gusts battled all the way, but could never cause enough cooling to break the flame human's momentum. As he neared the defined exit, the sage upon his back, unbeknownst to him, smiled.
"I was right to place my faith in you, Finn of Ooo. There is much more to see of you, now that I can live to do so with my own eyes."
The hero gasped under his breath, looking over his shoulder at the woman.
"What? You… you put yourself in mortal danger, for a trial?"
Maney chuckled, closing her eyes.
"There is no distance too far for us seven who inherited the old world's flames. We will not hesitate to ensure the future upholds the mantle of elemental fire. You have embraced the warmth of others, Finn, rather than using the dormant extreme buried in your heart. Yet never forget, rage and love are both born from each other."
As her words echoed on, Finn spotted a ray of light from his arm. Glancing over to his opposite side, he found the fifth golden band burning its way into his skin. As its inscribing glow faded, the flame human suddenly felt some of his heat being siphoned away. Looking around, trying to find a source for the event, he found the load on his back begin to lighten. Gazing behind him, the hero just saw Maney's smiling face fade out of solid reality, before her embers vanished into the surroundings. The now vacant cloak fell across Finn's shoulders, who hung onto the garb as he finally crossed the exit to the cavern.
Clearing the area, he immediately slid to a halt and looked back, trying to see any trace left of the sage. Unfortunately, she disappeared with all the finesse of her compatriots. The tunnel Finn entered was immediately warmer than the bizarre cave behind him, even more so when the same stone stalagmites burst forth and sealed the hazardous room off for good. The heat in his environment stabilized, the flame human took a minute to fully energize himself. Upon doing so, he felt a miniscule strain of flames that where not his own. Though their function was unknown, it was evident Maney also left behind a gift for their future emissary, which Finn surmised he'd find the purpose for in time.
Satisfied with what he'd accomplished, the hero donned his cloak properly before making his way forward, surging with ambition for his next impending test.
Of all the intermission journeys Finn passed through his many trials, the most recent was by far the shortest. Having traveled past Maney's freezing cavern for no more than five minutes, he already came upon a new opening. As it stood, this was also the most eerie location he'd entered thus far.
Instantly obvious, this new chamber was constructed artificially, with walls of cobbled stone lining every inch, as well as the floor. The ceiling remained jagged and natural, though it displayed the same scars of battle present within the rest of the room. Dozens of piles of ashes were strewn throughout the area, some with accompanying weapons such as swords and maces. Scorch marks ran rampant across many surfaces, ranging from arcs, to straight lines, to large blotches. Many of the chamber's floor stones had been cracked, with a few craters here and there. A couple of arrows were plunged into the wall near Finn's head. The sheer barrenness of the room made it easy to spot a sole figure in its center, standing tall with a cloak, hands held behind their back.
Finn made his way over to the being, noting that, as per usual, the path behind him was automatically sealed. He chose to stop roughly ten feet away from his newest encounter, internally bracing himself for anything.
The man, as it turned out, was of course the sixth sage. Finn had noted immediately at their first meeting that he was the only one of the seven who had any form of scarring. Four large slashes could be made out upon his glowing skin; one just above his left eye, one down the middle of his forehead, another along his jawline, and the last across his left cheek. What little of his arms and torso Finn cold see were also heavily damaged. Cracks ran through several areas, some with missing portions of his rocky exterior. His right arm was bandaged around the elbow.
As Finn halted before him, the sage seemed to regard him momentarily. His expression was, for the most part, stern.
"Welcome to my arena, Finn of Ooo. I am Kalem, Sage of Destruction."
The flame human took a few seconds to note the battle-torn chamber again, then looked the man in the eyes.
"I'm guessing I have to fight you."
Kalem let out a sound akin to a chuckle, before pushing aside his cloak. Finn spotted the hilt of a sword just before the man took hold, pulling out a decently sized broadsword. Giving the weapon a spin, he was quick to plunge its tip into the ground, which somehow rocked the entire room. No sooner had the blade pierced its mark that a glowing red circle expanded from the point of impact. The light continued to expand until it encompassed both Finn and Kalem, suddenly halting.
Before Finn could question, he felt a burning sensation across his chest. Looking down, he saw bizarre runic lines crawling from all sides of his body. They quickly converged on his torso's center, directly above his heart. Kalem's body received the same treatment. Once the lines were close, they stopped, as a red ring encompassed the rest of the target. Having completed the seal, the sage pulled his sword from its resting place, holding it firmly by his side. The runic lines didn't disappear, seeming to pulse in tandem with Finn's heartbeat.
"No," the man finally said.
"You have to destroy me."
Eyes wide, Finn didn't even fully comprehend what the man had said before he charged at him, the tip of his blade aimed directly at Finn's heart. On instinct, his alloy sword formed from his arm, with reflexes handling the rest. Sparks flew as the two weapons clashed, though the force applied by Kalem's rush was more than the flame human imagined. He skidded backwards, flipping back once or twice. No sooner had he landed that the sage was upon him again, this time from the side, sending a cleaving motion right at his vital point. This too was blocked, but again, Finn found himself airborne.
His shoulder scraped the floor as he tumbled, not given a chance to regain his footing. It shocked the hero that a fire elemental of Kalem's age could move with such power. The sage in question had already flame shifted right behind him, using a swift sweep kick to tumble him upside down. Once more, he went straight for the killing blow, halted only by Finn's blade. Taking advantage of the brief lock, the flame human shifted himself, appearing above Kalem's head.
He struck down, yet was shocked when the sage didn't even attempt to dodge him. Finn's alloy-infused lava vine tore into the elder's neckline, releasing bits of magma and causing him to grunt from the pain. Finn's successful strike was short-lived, as he suddenly felt a great surge of pain in his neck as well. Distracted, the young man missed the hilt of Kalem's weapon digging hard into his gut, knocking the wind out of him. Even with a perfectly set counter, the sage seemed to grunt from some unseen delay, though still had the time to send his broadsword stabbing towards Finn's heart. Panicking, Finn could only move his torso to the left, resulting in the sword slicing past his side. Stinging heavily, the wound forced him to retreat, using his feet to push off from Kalem's shoulder and flip away from the sage, landing shakily on his feet several yards away. Interestingly, Kalem held a hand to his side, his expression contorted with pain.
Confused regarding every detail of their engagement, Finn put up a defensive stance, even as his opponent prepared to charge him again.
"I don't get it, you're one of the Seven Sages! How can you let yourself be killed?"
Kalem, for once, showed restraint, holding his ground.
"Did you forget what Maney spoke, young hero? There is no limit to our conviction. We will lay down our lives to ensure the next generation inherits the aging flames."
He took one hand off his handle and placed a fist to his chest, right where his matrix rested.
"It is the duty of the Sage of Destruction to put forth their life to test the emissary that carries on our virtue of fire."
Finn gritted his teeth, astonished by such conviction.
"Then what's going on here? Why are we sharing each other's pain?"
Kalem actually smirked, breaking his offensive stance and lowering his sword.
"The desire to destroy one's obstacles dictates that you remove it entirely. Fire will engulf all that opposes it in one fell swoop, felling even the strongest of barricades. It doesn't waste time by burning only one feeble support at a time. Similarly, if an enemy is truly a jeopardy to your goals, you should not hesitate to immediately seek the killing blow, rather than waste time dragging it down to your level before striking."
Finn furrowed his brow, taking a step forward.
"That's garbage! Sometimes you need to weaken your foe's defenses to finally land the finish, that's basic knowledge!"
Kalem was silent for a moment, even closing his eyes. Finn held up his sword, anticipating another wild charge.
"I am not questioning your methods, hero, nor the philosophies of combat."
In an instant Kalem's fiery eyes burst open, staring daggers at his opponent.
"I am drilling into you how fire has, and always will, choose to take down any obstacle!"
The air behind the sage was engulfed in flames, as he propelled himself at the young man. Startled, Finn held up his sword just in time, holding his free palm to the end of the blade. The tip of Kalem's weapon impacted with enough force to tear through the rock at Finn's feet, sending the both of them reeling towards the other side of the room. The alloy would withstand the damage, as it was designed to do, but the sheer attrition was enough to make the hero's fingers bleed.
It wasn't long before he was thrown into the cobblestone wall, gasping from the pain to his back as shards of rock were blasted away from the crater formed. When the smoke finally cleared, Finn's eyes watched Kalem draw back his sword, readying impalement on the hero's heart.
At the last moment as the broadsword sailed towards his flesh, Finn managed to push himself off the ground with his legs, redirecting the attack to his abdomen. He'd been stabbed before, numerous times, but the pain never did get any less bearable. Fortunately for him, the blade missed any vital organs. Kalem groaned again, feeling the same damage to his body, but didn't refrain from keeping Finn pinned to the wall, drawing back a fist he'd taken off his hilt.
In response, Finn placed a tight hold around the sage's wrist, the elemental's knuckles inches from his heart. Kalem grinned.
His fist uncurled, placing the tips of his fingers directly on Finn's fiery skin. The young man's heartrate skyrocketed, as it became evident the elder was about to generate a flame sword straight through him. This time, it was the lava vine that reacted. The alloy-coated weapon expanded from Finn's free arm, jutting out dozens of thin, metallic spikes that impaled Kalem's body. The man cried out and jerked away, cancelling out his lethal maneuver. As it acted without thought, the vine didn't comprehend the situation, as Finn screamed and fell forward, clutching at his left side. The spikes didn't dig deep, but still left their mark upon both combatants.
As his sword retreated to its preferred form, Finn struggled to get to his feet, as did Kalem. The pair eyed each other, panting from across the way. Each held their weapon up in front of them. Under normal circumstances, a battle such as theirs would last a great deal longer, but as each felt the same damage from either attack, the duration of their clash couldn't hold out before eventual collapse. Both of them realized this, deciding there had to be but one last attempt.
The sage and flame human both spread their legs, placing both hands firmly on the hilt of their swords. Their mirrored stances left no room for imagination; it would be a straight shot to each other's vital point. The chamber was quiet, both swordsmen steadying their breathing. All at once, they kicked off the ground, brandishing their deadly blades for a skewering. The distance closed in a flash, neither one attempting any form of evasion.
Until Finn narrowed his eyes.
The hero emitted an impressive aura of flames all over his body, extending it outwards until it encompassed and shrouded his whole body. Kalem was not deterred however, sensing the flame human's presence and believing he was merely trying to soften the blow. He thrust his broadsword towards Finn's heart, seeing a spike of flames from his opponent's aura do the same in an effort to reach a draw.
Kalem felt his sword dig in, easily spearing right through its target. Even with the successful strike however, he was more interested in the result of Finn's opposing move. The hero's fiery aura dissipated, leaving behind his stiff form. His sword, intent on piercing the sage's matrix, had completely missed his body entirely. The sage was stunned, unable to believe that their mutually reckless charge had resulted in a miss.
The answer came a second later.
Kalem let out an uneven whine, Finn's alloy blade jutting from his chest. The Finn he had impaled suddenly burst into hundreds of fiery wisps, leaving nothing but his empty broadsword hanging in front of him. Slowly, the elder craned his neck to look over his shoulder. The flame human stood confidently behind him, both hands thrust forward to have his cursed weapon finally home in on its true target. Kalem understood now; the miss was on purpose. Without the backlash of their shared pain, Finn was able to slip unimpeded underneath his opponent as a flame, leaving behind a flare clone in his place. Distracted, the sage had no chance to defend against an attack from behind.
"I may not fight like a fire," the young man began, clearly weary from the battle.
"But like it, I strike from all sides to overwhelm my foes."
The runic linings on both fighters disappeared, freeing them of their linked pain. As it did, Kalem smiled, showing off his teeth.
"Excellent."
Feeling the dead weight of the sage beginning to take hold, Finn retracted his sword, allowing it to wrap his arm once again. He caught Kalem in his arms as the man staggered, dropping his broadsword to the side with a heavy clang against the cobblestone. Seeing his chest, Finn was amazed to see his matrix was exposed, the flesh surrounding it having been carved away. The spherical object had an obvious slit from where Finn had stabbed it, which would soon result in its destruction.
The flame human gazed sadly at Kalem's withering face, seeing the light fade from the elemental's body. In reply, the elder merely placed a hand slowly on the hero's shoulder.
"Do not regret what you have done, Finn. You have helped me serve my purpose, as well as further your own."
He took a deep breath, likely his last.
"I can die in peace, knowing you comprehend the natural philosophy of fire's wrath."
He squeezed the flame human's shoulder with what little strength he had remaining.
"Go forth, and destroy the wretched ideal Zeus hopes to enforce."
Though still in shock at his actions, Finn managed to accept the sage's words, giving the man a firm nod. Seconds later, Kalem's matrix shattered into dying embers. The fire elemental gave one last smile before his body darkened to the shade of ashes, then finally disintegrated out of Finn's grasp. The hero remained on his knee, granting a moment of silence, even as he felt the light of the sixth band burn its mark into his arm.
Standing tall with renewed vigor, the young man reached over and retrieved Kalem's broadsword. With one swift motion, he impaled the weapon at the base of the sage's remains. Giving one last nod to the grave marker, he turned around, immediately dashing to the exit that revealed itself not moments ago.
Once again, Finn found himself ascending in the underground tunnel. Moreover, the path was curving prominently in a single direction, almost as if the hero was climbing a spiraling staircase. Light was soon visible in the distance, although he was startled to notice that it was different from the rest he'd encountered so far. This was natural light, from the outside.
Emerging, Finn stopped dead in his tracks, gazing at long last at the wide expanse of the Fire Kingdom for the first time in what seemed like days. He was unsure of the exact location he'd been brought to, but the palace was nowhere in sight, nor was the main settlement floating atop the lava-filled landscape. At most, he could just barely make out a town at the base of the mountain he was now climbing. Examining the area further, he found the next tunnel entrance, which seemed to lead him deeper inside the land formation.
Taking in a deep breath, Finn put aside all the thoughts that demanded he abandon the last trial and run off to join the battle. He took steps towards the cave entrance, only to stop when he suddenly felt an outside presence. Mercifully, it was one he recognized quite well.
"I knew you had the makings of a great emissary."
Confident and imposing as ever, Aecus stepped out from behind a nearby boulder, appearing quite cheerful. Finn couldn't help but feel the same. Though he did meet the sages along the way, it still felt as if he'd been isolated for some time. Seeing a friendly face was pleasant to say the least. At the same time, he was stricken by the man's words.
"Emissary? You knew they would have me go through these challenges?"
Aecus chuckled briefly, carefully sitting down on a rock.
"I had my suspicions. You are a complex person, Finn. It's no surprise they've been watching you."
The flame human narrowed his eyes, making his way to another boulder and sitting opposite the will-o-wisp.
"You're an emissary, aren't you?"
The fiery blue elemental's smile faltered, though he did seem somewhat surprised at the young man's intuition.
"Yes, I am."
He stared out over the expansive lava.
"Many years ago I journeyed to these caverns after fleeing the kingdom. I was doubting my purpose, my power, everything really. The sages offered me a chance to represent my people in their place; to become their emissary. I took the trials. I doubt they were the same as yours, but likely similar."
Finn recalled his last hurdle.
"Did you have to battle the Sage of Destruction?"
Aecus looked over to the hero, then nodded solemnly.
"It was the first time I'd been forced to take a life in such a manner. I accepted its value nonetheless."
The will-o-wisp gazed upon Finn's exposed arm.
"One left to overcome."
The young man nodded, studying the six bands. In the midst of moving his hand across the scarring, he suddenly felt the presence of another, darting his eyes left and right. Aecus noticed his alertness, grinning. He looked over his shoulder, towards from where he had emerged.
"Come on out," he called gently.
To Finn's utter shock, the young little Aleen stepped out from behind the rocks, her shining eyes locked onto his. The hero was quick to get up and move to her, taking a knee and placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Aleen, what are you doing out here?!"
His tone was concerned more than upset, but the little girl still seemed wanting to cry, thinking he was mad at her. Luckily, Aecus was able to resolve the matter.
"She followed us out. I noticed her right after you entered the sages' tunnel."
Stunned at her ability to remain hidden, Finn felt the need to be impressed. In the end, he just gave the young one a smile, ruffling her wispy hair.
"That was pretty amazing of you to tail us, but this is a dangerous place, Aleen."
He looked over to the other will-o-wisp.
"Aecus, I can deal with the rest on my own. You should take her and get back to the village."
"No!"
Both he and the older man stared at Aleen, startled somewhat by her outburst. The girl's eyes trembled as they stared into Finn's, dreading the idea of leaving his side again.
"I can't take you with me, Aleen. There's a bunch of bad people I have to fight, and they might take you away if they see you with me."
The young will-o-wisp quickly took hold of one of the flame human's hands, holding it tightly.
"You can protect me! I know you can!"
Finn furrowed his brow, not finding any way to convince her. He'd hate to see the little one dragged off kicking and screaming, but this was a war now. He couldn't risk her getting hurt. The hero looked back over to the town at the foot of the mountain, running numerous thoughts in his mind. Focusing on the humbling settlement, he closed his eyes, allowing his inner flames to reach out and feel what emotions dwelled down below.
He could sense the alertness of soldiers, but not the stress of battle. This town was prepared to defend itself should anyone attempt an invasion, yet at present was as calm as could be. The citizens went about their daily business, aware that there was a threat, but trusting the men sworn to protect them.
Finn opened his eyes again, looking over to Aecus. The will-o-wisp's smile confirmed that he understood what the flame human had been doing, further solidifying that he too had undergone great trials. The hero finally looked back to Aleen, giving her his best comforting expression.
"If I promise to come back in a little while, will you stay over at that town and wait for me?"
Aleen gazed over at the area in question, seeming uncertain. She looked over to Aecus next, who gave her a confident nod. Finally, she returned her sights to Finn, nodding as well. Happy to have reached a decision, the flame human faced his older companion.
"Will it be ok? She'll be easily picked out from her appearance."
As if one step ahead of him, Aecus nodded to Aleen once more, who understood what he meant. The little girl seemed to tense up, holding up her fists and tightly shutting her eyes. Finn watched, amazed, as her fiery blue complexion brightened even further, nearly causing her form to disappear beneath the light. Moments later, the light was blown off in all directions, forcing the hero to shield his eyes with his arm. Once he was sure the flash had dissipated, he looked upon Aleen once more.
Although appearing a bit worn out, the young will-o-wisp now held the standard orange and red coloring of an average fire elemental. As she studied her own appearance, Finn looked to Aecus.
"It's really that easy?"
The older man shook his head, clarifying the phenomenon.
"Not quite. She'll gradually build up her body temperature over time, regaining her original exterior. Until you return though, her form should last."
Relieved, Finn smiled at the girl, who shyly managed to do so in return. Aecus stepped over to her and offered out a hand, which she grasped without hesitation.
"I'll make sure she gets there without any trouble, then head back. Good luck, Finn. And keep her safe."
The young man nodded adamantly, reiterating his promise. With that, both Aecus and Aleen made their way to the rough yet manageable path down the mountain, their destination set. Finn kept his eyes on the pair until they were out of sight, silently praying for their safe travels. With that settled, he turned to the entrance back into the mountain, a gut feeling that this last trial will be the most daunting.
Without another thought, he dashed onward into the tunnels.
Four months is definitely not what I'm wanting. This has got to get somewhere near a weekly or even bi-weekly update. We'll see I suppose. I'd hate to have the series finish before this story does. In any case, thanks for everyone's patience.
Also, I'm not sure why I never bothered to give out the next chapter's title at the end here, so we'll go ahead and start that up now.
gamelover41592: I'm glad I pulled off some decent events. Passion was probably the most difficult to write.
BlueNinja0324: Wow, I never even thought of that but yeah, that's definitely what I could imagine him looking like. Nice one.
TheMentalAdventurer: Hearing that is truly a boost to morale, I thank you!
Major144: And we'll just keep piling on the good stuff here. Appreciate the feedback as always.
The Book of Eli: Not to worry, only a few hours have passed during these events.
Fiery Crusader: It's always great to have a veteran such as yourself providing excellent feedback. I'm glad the structure of the trials didn't come across as repetitive. Thankfully, only a couple hours of time passes as these challenges run their course, so worry not for our heroes.
JoshuaTheTraveller: My solemn vow stands against all others, I will always stand my ground here until it's complete!
Upstart Psycho: Coming soon, just hang in there!
shadow-dog18: And I'm grateful to have another reader on board. I do hope to provide further enjoyment in this steadily growing story.
Neo Deadmau5: It sure is. And I'm pretty sure it'll be the final "growth" arc so from here on its action all around.
R-Doll: That was some grade-A reviewing and a truly insightful look into how readers see the chapter. I do worry after such praise however that this next set of trials didn't stack up as prominently, but I'll leave that to you all.
MUTO TOHO: Whoa, well that's definitely not happening here. Plus, way too dark. I know there's death in this, but certainly not child-related.
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!
next: Chapter 33: Power