Power
The definitive hum of the earth was once again growing in strength, to the point that every step Finn took sent a slight vibration through his feet. Whether this was due to the gifts he'd received he couldn't tell. In either case, the ascension within the mountain proved simplistic and void of any obstacles, to the point where the flame human found himself climbing up carved volcanic stairs. Said path gradually curved into a full-on spiral staircase, evidently built into an old lava tube by the looks of the walls. With each step up, Finn could sense a slight increase in energy permeating from the surroundings. Whatever awaited him at the end of his trek, it resided at the top of the staircase.
At last seeing an end to the dizzying path, the hero braced himself, now feeling the full aura of the power emanating from just ahead. The stairs gave way to a small arched entrance, through which he stepped without pause. The moment his ears passed into the new area, they were bombarded by sounds of the planet's life-force.
Rich, bubbling magma flowed across all surfaces, sparing only the occasional dagger of rock sprouting from beneath the molten delta. A mess of carved out holes, edges, and overflows dotted the chamber, congested by the presence of a low ceiling and very narrow passageways. The magma seemed to flow inwards, towards the deep center of the mountain, finally confirming Finn's location. He currently resided in an active volcano.
It took no effort to find the one foreign detail in the magma chamber: the final fire sage settled calmly atop a sprouting platform that split the molten rock into two flows. Although he faced Finn, his eyes were currently closed, likely meditating. Just glancing at the aged fire elemental proved that he was the source of energy the young man was feeling. Deciding not to waste any more time, the flame human briskly stepped over to the man, kneeling down to be at eye level with him. The sage seemed to share his sense of urgency, for he soon opened his fiery gaze to the hero, his expression indefinitely blank.
"So you have made it this far. Very well." Breaking his coordinated pose, the elder elemental stood on his feet, with Finn following after. The sage approached his acolyte candidate, hands held behind his back as his robe shifted side to side with each step. He moved to the young man's right side, eyes moving down to observe the six currently dimmed rings around his arm. He seemed to grunt to himself, taking a minute to fully circle Finn. Once back to a facing position, his expression seemed to finally have molded into a stern but collected stare, addressing the hero.
"I hope you're prepared for the final step. By the end of this trial, you'll either be dead, or at your most powerful." His statement had Finn clenching his fists, but no less inclined to nod adamantly.
"I'm ready, whatever it takes." The sage seemed content with that answer, bowing his head in return.
"Good. As the final proctor of your bid for completion, I, Adrian, Sage of Power, present you with the quaking force of the earth itself." He turned around, facing the draining magma flow as it continued to feed into a deeper section of the volcano.
"Up until now, you've valiantly stood in the face of fire's every pillar of authority and sanctity, as provided by us sages. However…" He spread his arms out, as if inspiring Finn to take in the sight before him with great gravity.
"It is the great mother itself, our breathing planet, which you now face." Adrian turned back to Finn, hands held behind him once more.
"Can you tame the might of the earth, Finn of Ooo? Can you make that power yours to command and guide it to either creation of destruction as you see fit?" He narrowed his eyes, briefly piercing the hero.
"Show me, show me now."
Without another word, Adrian held out his hand over the magma flow. Finn noticed a concentrated amount of flame energy within his palm, only to watch as the elder dropped in, allowing the shining mass to fall, whereupon contact with the magma, it was seamlessly absorbed, displaying pulsing veins of energy beneath the molten rock that spread out across all visible points of the earth's superheated blood. Not a moment later, Finn was nearly tripped by the violent lurching of the ground at his feet; though it was clear from the surroundings that entire volcano had shook.
The rumbling came once more, only this time lasting longer. Finn noticed the magma running faster now, as if rushing to coalesce and begin the mountain's next phase. Darting his eyes back to Adrian, Finn found the sage disappearing into a burst of embers, leaving the flame human alone again, accompanied only by the awakened structure he stood within. Readjusting his sights, he looked for the nearest source of relatively flat rock. A nearby stalagmite proved to be adequate, with Finn quickly running forward and delivering a swift kick to the near base of the formation, snapping off its decently tall upper portion.
None too soon had the flame human grabbed the makeshift board that the room from which he'd came spilled forth a mess of molten rock, likely having traveled up the normally vacant lava tube with great force. Acting fast, Finn ran for the accelerating magma in front of him, tossing the slab of rock ahead of him to land firmly upon its surface, whereupon it successfully remained buoyant on the immensely hot material. The rest of the chamber destabilized rapidly, collapsing and punching holes for more to enter. Growling, Finn saw his only way forward as following the flow deeper inside the volcano, hopefully to find an alternative path.
The guard at the west lookout yawned, his fingers clasping and unclasping his spear to avoid cramping up. Peering across the unchanging landscape, he nevertheless knew how important it was to keep watch, at least until his shift change arrived. Down below, within the walls of the small settlement, various fire troops scurried about, either to pass along information or simply trying to stay on their toes. At the town's center, the currently repurposed market, the commanding officers had set up their operations, watching for any sign of the Olympians' next attack as per the orders of General Tellus.
A lone private ran with a pant towards the makeshift meeting room, stopping only to salute to the pair of heavily-armed soldiers on either side of the door. They allowed him to pass, bursting through into the room itself. Inside, every officer immediately had eyes on him, including the man in charge of the whole platoon. The private saluted again.
"C-commander," he panted.
Weis nodded curtly, walking around the table with their war map to properly obtain his men's report.
"What do you have for me, private?" The solider in question moved forward to the large map splayed across the room's central table, already marked with numerous troop movements, hypothesized positions, and manuvers to be used in a variety of situations. The private took a moment to study it, then finally reached forward and placed his finger on the geographical image near their location.
"The seismology team has reported a massive increase in activity from the volcano just outside town. They believe the cause was artificial." At this, Weis' eyes widened, contemplating the possibility that the Olympians were planning to swiftly bury their posting under layers of molten rock. At the same time, that didn't seem like a strategy they would employ. Up until now, the criminals had relied on overwhelming force and cunning, nothing as brute as detonating a mountain. The commander raised a hand to his chin, thinking hard.
"What are the chances of the eruption affecting this town?" The private frowned, seemingly trying to remember what was told to him.
"They say the interior is quite unstable, with a multitude of minor vents networking much of the mountain. If the eruption doesn't progress calmly, the entire eastern face could be blown off, leaving us in its path." Confirming his worry, Weis nodded to his subordinate. When he saw the man refusing to turn and leave, the commander placed his attention on him again.
"Was there something else?" The soldier nodded, albeit with somewhat uncertainty. Weis was about to question, only to have his man step aside and briefly rap on the door. After a moment, it was opened by another fire solider, who saluted as he took his place opposite the private. Once the two were in place, Weis looked between them, surprised yet again as he witnessed a little girl step into the room, each step displaying her nervousness. She looked around, scanning each man's face, before finally settling on the commander's and approaching him.
"We found her outside the gates. Said she was lost."
Offhandedly nodding to his subordinate, Weis knelt down to be at eye level with the young fire elemental that had just arrived, doing his best to soften his features and appear friendly. She seemed to consider him with hesitation, before at last stopping before the militant.
"What's your name, little one?" Weis asked with his kindest voice. The girl joined her hands together in front of her.
"Aleen," she replied softly. Deciding she wouldn't continue unless prompted, Weis went on.
"Where did you come from?"
"My town. I left with my friend and… daddy, but we got separated." Pursing his lips, the fire commander considered the girl's explanation, seeing it as plausible enough, with everything going on. He finally smiled, placing a hand gently on Aleen's shoulder.
"Well, you'll be safe here until we can find them. Is that ok?" The little one nodded slowly, though still appeared a bit distressed, which Weis was fully understanding of. He stood back up, looking to the two men that had brought her and the report.
"Take her to the medical area and make sure she stays safe." The pair saluted, motioning for Aleen to come along as they both quickly exited the room, shutting the door behind them. Once they were gone, Weis whistled out a breath of air.
"First the mountain might blow up, now a kid might be caught in the chaos. What a mess." One of the man's fellow officer's stepped forward.
"Should we report to her Majesty?" Weis glanced at the man, then over at the clock on the wall, finally nodding.
"Yeah, might as well." Making his way back around the table, the commander approached a stone shelf in the corner of the room, upon which sat a single lit candle. Standing before the gentle flame at its, peak, Weis began to concentrate.
Flame Princess awoke with a start, having heard the sharp clang of metal against one of the poles supporting her tent. Turning her head, she concluded it had come from the entrance to her temporary quarters, groaning as she gradually managed to sit up and rub her eyes. Once considering herself awake, she placed her attention on the tent flaps.
"Come in." Rather than fully entering, Cinnamon Bun's rounded head peeked in through the opening in the cloth, giving his king a somewhat concerned and urgent look.
"Phoebe, the western outpost wants to report in." Sighing, the fiery ruler conceded, nodding to her knight, who mimicked the action and disappeared back outside, leaving the young lady to get herself to her feet. She noticed the sliver locket dangling outside her attire, lifting a hand to feel its curved surface. Phoebe closed her eyes and brought the item to her pursed lips, holding her breath. After another moment, she let go, tucking the necklace into her collar and at last standing up.
Upon pushing aside the tent flats to the outside, FP was immediately met with various chatter and movement, with many lines of soldiers working around the clock to ensure there were no surprises. Almost every one stopped mid-stride to bow to their leader, who acknowledged them briefly before continuing. Walking past the fire giant, she caught sight of Bonnibel, who had erected a cloth roofing over her lab setup, creating somewhat of an enclosed space for her experiments. The pink woman was currently mixing various liquids in a test tube, the clinking of glass on glass just barely audible. Phoebe then watched her pour the resulting mixture into a petri dish, then observe the results under a microscope, a pen and paper actively in use by her free hand. Feeling somehow lifted by the efforts, FP gave the smallest of smiles, then pressed on for the command tent.
More men saluted and stood at attention as she approached the large structure, with one guard at the end quickly poking his head into the flaps to likely inform the occupants of her arrival. She caught one last sight of Cinnamon Bun scratching behind Jake 2's ear nearby before ducking inside, ready to face the officers. Aside from numerous analysists and senior officers, the tent held both General Tellus and Flint, who were already looking up at her when she emerged. The pair swiftly stepped over to her, with the general giving a short bow as Flint hugged his sister.
"Feeling better?" he asked with rough yet genuine concern. FP nodded, brushing past as she separated from her sibling to reach the candle housed in the center of the enclosure, right beside the map of the Fire Kingdom. Phoebe took the seat normally reserved for her brother, who stood to her left while Tellus took his place opposite the two. It took but a moment for the flame of the candle before their eyes to morph into the shape of a fire elemental's face. Weis saluted before beginning, addressing his highest leadership.
"Your majesty, I hope you are well." FP didn't smile, but nodded back to the man.
"Better, at the very least. What can you tell us about your position?" Weis cleared his throat, appearing to briefly eye something out of the fire's range.
"I've been informed that the volcano just beyond our position has gone prematurely active. We're not sure what's causing it, but my teams are convinced it's unnatural." Phoebe, Flint, and Tellus exchanged glances.
"You believe it's the Olympians' doing?" the oldest of the three inquired. Weis hesitated but shook his head.
"Doubtful. It would certainly be possible for someone like Poseidon to trigger magma flows, but this is different. I don't think even he could command an entire network of volcanic vents at once. Regardless of the cause, the side facing our direction is severely unstable. If the eruption goes off, it could bury our outpost in minutes."
Shaken by the news, FP glanced at her brother, who seemed to be thinking hard about the correct response. In the meantime, Weis continued.
"We've also taken in a civilian, a little girl, who wandered into town. She's being watched over to ensure her protection." This was a bit more surprising, though FP seemed the most intrigued by it, as Flint and Tellus began conversing with the commander about possible actions to employ in the wake of an eruption. The entire area surrounding the western outpost had been evacuated, causing the ruler to wonder where the girl could've come from. Her thoughts were interrupted before she could dwell on it too far however, as Weis' face suddenly jerked to the right, apparently being addressed by someone.
"What?! How many?"
The trio watched on with intensity, knowing something was wrong. Weis soon turned back to them, suddenly seeming alert.
"We've got legionaries crawling out of the surrounding lava." Phoebe and her compatriots gasped, an attack having come from seemingly nowhere. Weis' image faltered, as if he were moving to run outside.
"I have to join the men in the defense." Before the connection could be cut, Flint slammed his hands on the table, his expression seething with urgency and anger.
"Commander, we need your eyes!" Surprised, but understanding, Weis saluted, closing his eyes. The three sitting in the command tent did the same, placing their open hands together in front of them. As had been done with Finn's reconnaissance weeks ago, the four fire elementals bridged a gap between themselves with arcane flames, gradually causing the flame depicting Weis' face to grow and thin until it resembled a mirror. It was here that the view now depicted what the commander saw, wasting no time in exiting the room he was currently in.
Shouts of urgency rang out all over as Weis ran for the nearest wall, quickly flame shifting up it to finally peer over the defensive structure around the town to glimpse their enemy. Sure enough, the undead lava beings that Zeus and his company had summoned were crawling up the exterior form the molten rock, brandishing a variety of weapons. Gritting his teeth, the man grabbed a nearby bow and pulled back, generating his own fire arrow in the notch. Flint's voice echoed in his ear.
"Remember, you have to aim for their matrix."
Nodding to no one in particular, Weis aimed well and let loose his projectile at the nearest enemy. Sure enough, the moment it pierced the legionnaire's core, the entire being burst apart, its pieces falling back into the lava below. He could swear he felt a chill run nearby, likely the soul escaping back to its dead world. The commander craned his neck to shout to his troops.
"Men, aim for the matrix or they'll just keep coming!" Many soldiers yelled a responsive "yes, sir!" but he paid more attention to the oncoming horde, creating another arrow to take out the next foe. He growled as he blasted apart several more, looking over at the rest of the wall. His forces seemed to be holding the enemy at the top of the wall, but the fact that they'd made it that far implied a less than favorable attrition. He didn't know how many legionaries would be summoned, as his platoon was barely sixty in strength. Based on the numbers his superior, Prince Flint, had encountered at the palace, he didn't see the battle going in their favor.
In the midst of eyeing the inner town for any solider not up on the wall, he swore he saw a flash of thin flame dart to several locations in quick succession, but decided to ignore it in favor of the three legionaries baring down on him. He produced a flame sword, bashing them back then taking the opportunity to impale their cores. Grabbing the bow again, he pressed on with his men.
Finn swerved to avoid a fused portion of the ceiling and floor, heaving the rushing magma slam into it just behind him. He wasn't sure just how far inside the mountain he was by now, though if his heat sensory was anything to go by, he was nearing the formation's primary magma chamber. Another portion of the tube ahead burst open, letting in a new surge of molten rock which Finn hastily avoided with another sharp curve. Even so, the sudden force nearly cost him his balance on the rocky slab. It made him consider just how much power a rushing wave of erupted lava could hold. Should the volcano unleash its fury, anything nearby would be consumed effortlessly.
That town, everyone in it, Aleen.
Tightening his fists, Finn held out his hand behind him and focused his flame powers, quickly generating a blast that propelled him forward at greater speed. The main rush of magma was being outrun, but new leaks still emerged at irregular intervals.
"Gotta contain this thing at all costs," the flame human said to himself. Up ahead, he could see an opening that led out of the tube he was traveling within, glad to finally see his progress. Bracing himself, Finn was thrown into midair, feeling the intense rush of the heated pocket of air that floated in the chamber. Down below, the volcano's massive deposit of magma bubbled and rose with each passing second. It didn't take long for him to strike the surface with a heavy thud, once more nearly losing his balance. Unfortunately, the rushing lava that gushed from his exit point was the final push, with the force of the splashing molten rock at last throwing him off, sinking his makeshift surfboard and sending him nearly neck deep into the magma pool.
Frustrated, Finn scanned the walls of the chamber, spotting a decently sloped ledge to which he held out his arm. The alloy-infused lava vine shot out from his limb, sailing across and impacting the wall with a solid hit. Successfully tethered, Finn then retracted, pulling himself out of the rising flow and setting his feet against the vertical rock face. From his position, he could see numerous magma falls continuing to fill the basin at the bottom of the chamber, which would inevitably blow once enough pressure had filled the core. The flame human could also feel the heavy gas compression building all around him, adding to the danger.
Looking further up the volcano's inner shaft, the hero began noticing a multitude of inactive tubes leading back out into the rest of the mountain, clearly new vectors for the magma to spread once eruption began. The sheer number worried Finn, as it was likely the structure would be heavily damaged by so many outlets. The conclusion finally came that the town outside was in greater peril than he'd first imagined, in threat of being completely buried by large masses of rock. He knew he had to contain the blast somehow, but he was but a single elemental.
Not getting too ahead of himself, Finn took a deep breath and closed his eyes, reaching out with his extrasensory provided by the sages. Before acting, he needed to know exactly where the settlement was, information that was lost during his disorienting journey through the volcano.
Penetrating the solid stone walls was an obstacle, but he took the time to feel his way forward, finally beginning to feel the presence of other lives beyond. To his surprise, there was a myriad of activity. Finn felt frustration, urgency, with the occasional wisp of anger or calmness. He furrowed his brow, confused. These felt like the signs of battle, but he sensed no large collection of malice that could've belonged to an enemy force. There was nothing. If fire elementals were fighting each other, at least one side would exert some form of callousness, but these were all souls with the intent to protect, acting in self-defense.
Reaching out further, Finn finally found an anomaly. A single source of fear, a small, but powerful one. His heartrate spiked briefly, recognizing the aura even at his distance. Whatever was happening down there, Aleen was stuck in the middle. The flame human was about to finally release his grasp on the outside, until yet another foreign presence slipped by. He couldn't identify who it may have been, but he was more concerned with its vastly differing vibe. This was a source of evil, an instinct to hunt and destroy.
Opening his eyes, Finn's mind switched back to the problem at hand, knowing he had to get out of there as soon as possible. Studying the vacant tunnels above, he came up with an idea. With the magma nearly up to his position, the hero kicked off from the wall, retracting his weapon and flame shifting higher up the shaft. Upon materializing, he sent out his vine again, pegging himself right next to one of the lava tubes soon to be filled. Raising up his hand and focusing, Finn fired out a barrage of fireballs at the roof of the tube. Though it took some effort, he finally succeeded in weakening the integrity, causing the rock to break away and fall. He continued the process until the tunnel was completely sealed, then wasted no time in flying to the next one.
After several more repetitions, Finn took a look back down, seeing the rise of magma accelerating, having already consumed the site of his first sealing. Cursing, he bounded up to the next, beginning to blast the tube's roofing. Even as he finally blocked off the exit, he could feel the magma just about to brush his foot. Jumping out of the way, Finn hopped up to a safe position and overlooked the shaft. As much as he hated to admit it, his work couldn't be completed fast enough. The rising molten rock would outpace him any minute.
"There's got to be a faster way, damn it!" In his frustration, Finn struck the wall he was hanging from hard with his fist. In response, he heard a small crack. Taking an interest, he looked to the spot he'd struck, observing that it was coated in a differing tint of volcanic material than the rest of the shaft. Doing his best to surmise, he decided that it was from an older eruption in the volcano's history. Taking his eyes away, the hero scanned the rest of the shaft, spotting more of the same aged coating.
Feeling hopeful, Finn aimed for a spot on the opposite wall, then pushed off, flame shifting as fast as he could. Upon rematerializing, he quickly morphed the alloy vine to cover his fist, sending it to strike the older deposit of hardened rock. With a veritably powerful punch, Finn slammed into his target, immediately getting results as the rock instantly developed a spider web of cracks and fissures along its surface. Soon after, the covering broke apart, raining shards into the climbing magma below. Overjoyed, Finn stared into the empty lava tube he'd landed in, feeling the gases from the shaft behind him blow furiously into the formerly unused passageway.
Turning around, Finn looked ahead for his next jump spot. As opposed to sealing existing tubes on the side facing towards the settlement outside, he'd now blast open the ancient ones on the opposite side, a process that could be performed with much greater speed than the former. Taking a glance at the magma, Finn jumped, grappling again to get a better vantage.
Phoebe narrowed her eyes as she kept her hold on the fiery portal settled between her and her two accomplices. Everyone else in the tent had been dismissed. They were intently watching Weis' point-of-view, but had taken a particular interest in the seemingly unimportant flame that was zipping around town.
"You all see that?" she asked her brother and general. Flint and Tellus both nodded, as suspicious as she was. The Fire Kingdom's ruler clenched her fists, worried for her soldiers.
"Commander, as dangerous as the legionaries are, watch your back. There may be another enemy on the inside."
Back at the outpost, Weiss groaned, slicing right through another foe but missing the vital spot on the reanimated elemental's body. Before the legionnaire could regenerate, he kicked the being's upper half back over the wall, then turned to engage another.
"Terrific," he growled, blocking an enemy's flame sword with his own. The invading legion was now engaging his men across the wall, though fortunately enough none had made it into the town proper. As he pushed back several more reanimations, a rumble echoed through the air and ground, giving Weis pause to glance at the volcano. Smoke had begun billowing from the mountain's top, as well as a few boulders tumbling down its side from the quake.
On the other end, FP bit her lip, worried about the decaying stability of the mountain. She was tempted to order a retreat, but was reminded by her brother at the importance of Weiss' position, convinced by the man to at least give him a chance to turn the situation around.
The commander in question fired another shot straight through a legionnaire, crumbling the foe on the spot. Just as he was about to turn to face a new wave, the fire elemental gasped in shock, his throat suddenly captured in a powerful grasp. Weiss gagged as his eyes darted to the source of the arm now holding him up in the air, his pupils shrinking upon sight of the new enemy.
His weren't he only ones. As Flint stood up and leaned forward on the table, a scowl set on his face, Tellus narrowed his eyes, though remained where he sat. Flame Princess felt herself stiffen, hands shaking slightly at a bad memory.
"Hermes."
The Olympian glared up at his victim, red eyes piercing right through the struggling Weis. The commander attempted to flame shift out of the hold, only to realize that the hand grasping his windpipe had a seal inscribed onto it, one he recognized as a spell that disrupted phasing of any kind; a valuable tool for the dangerous individual.
"Where is your guest?" Hermes spoke with venom. In between his predominant resistance, Weis glared back at the man with confusion.
"Wh-what are you… talking about?" The Olympian seemed dissatisfied with the answer, increasing his grip on the commander, causing him to let out a gargled scream. Hermes fiery aura flared up, clearly impatient.
"You're sheltering someone. Someone with a far different signature than you military dogs. Where are they?"
Phoebe and her counsel spared a moment to exchange glances, themselves unsure what the vile fire elemental could be referring to. The thought of the girl Weis' platoon had taken in flashed across FP's mind, but it made no sense to her. She and the others returned to peering into the portal, watching as Hermes swing his captive around and slammed him against the wall.
"I won't ask again." Weis pointlessly clawed at the Olympian's arm, still resisting as best he could.
"It's j-just me… and… my men, you scummm!" Apparently having grown tired of the man's uncooperative stand, Hermes raised his free hand, holding it open in apparent preparation to impale his victim through the chest.
"Commander!"
Both elementals turned their heads to look, seeing a group of soldiers charging forward through numerous legionaries, having noticed their leader's plight. Getting somewhat of a break, Weis found himself tossed to the side, over the wall and impacting rather painfully on the ground of the town square. Groaning, he scrambled to get back to his feet and place eyes back on the invading Olympian. Although he struggled at first, rubbing his sore neck, the commander managed to spot his men locking in battle with their enemy. Suffice to say, the fastest of the Olympians tore through them with little effort, incapacitating all but one, who he seemed to begin questioning the same as Weis. The leader briefly considered Hermes inquiries, coming to the same thought as Flame Princess had earlier. Were they after Aleen, and if so, why?
Regardless of the reasoning, Weiss found the strength to flame shift back up to the wall, eager to help his subordinates with the vastly more dangerous foe. Sadly, his advance was halted by more reanimated elementals, clashing blades with them.
Finn panted heavily as he punched through yet another sealed tunnel, turning on his shaky heel and bounding up the wall of the shaft to the next one. The gases building within the volcano were beginning to take their toll, depriving him of sufficient oxygen to keep flame shifting around. He began relying exclusively on his lava vine's grappling ability, at some points running along the vertical incline to reach his next target. The magma was closing fast, and the flame human could just see the jagged opening at the top of the structure.
His only solace lay in the smooth rumble of moving magma below him, indicating that large amounts of molten rock were successfully being diverted outwards to the barren western face of the volcano, relieving the pressure on the opposite side. He knew it was working, but also that he'd have to survive the final eruption up top. Spotting the first of the many jutting rocks ahead, Finn extended his blade and made a jump for it, just as the magma rushed up to his position.
Another rumble knocked Weis off balance, though luckily for him it did the same to his adversaries. Taking a glance at the volcano, he noticed bits of rock being thrown out of the mountain's peak. The lava was coming, but to his pleasant surprise, the side of the mountain appeared intact. Feeling the smallest of reprieves, the commander cut his way past his enemies, leaving them to crumble to ash in his wake. Hermes was just up ahead, effortlessly dispatching any who dared tried to strike him.
Letting out a roar of fury, Weis charged at the foe's backside with his flame sword drawn, aiming to cleave the Olympian's head. As much noise as there was around them however, Hermes noticed the commander's approach, suddenly turning around ready to face him. Just as the two were about to clash, an outright explosion in the far distance stopped both in their tracks, jerking their heads to the side and witnessing the volcano's full-blown eruption, shaking the land they stood upon.
As molten rock, shards of earth, and tons of gas were thrown into the atmosphere, Weis squinted his eyes, noticing an odd glow somewhere in the mess of it all. His hand automatically reaching for his binoculars, the man took a closer look, all while the three watching from his eyes leaned forward, just as curious as he was. Weis took a moment to find the anomaly through the pair of enhanced lenses, finally spotting it atop a flying boulder. Initially thinking he'd gone crazy, he blinked and looked again, seeing a dark red cloak flutter in the escaping gases of the eruption, as well as the gleam of reflected light off the figure's weapon.
"Dear Glob…" the man breathed, his hands frozen to their position holding his binoculars.
Beyond the shared link to Weis' eyes, everyone in the command tent stared in absolute disbelief at who they were seeing. The boulder the figure stood upon crashed into the cascading lava, but remained stable enough to ride down the side of the mountain as its contents sizzled across the earth. The closer he came in the town's direction, the more easily his features became distinguishable, from the bizarre metal wrapped partially around his arm, to his blonde fiery hair, to the utterly unique blue tint of his fierce eyes. Phoebe's hand subconsciously grabbed the locket around her neck, squeezing it the point of slightly warping the metal.
"Finn," the fiery ruler breathed, her heart skipping a beat.
Even as Weis continued observing the rapidly approaching flame human, he felt a sudden burst of flame that nearly pushed him back. He ripped his gaze away from his view of the incoming hero to see what had happened. To his shock, Hermes had completely abandoned the fight, now rocketing at high speed on a course for Finn. Before getting a word out, Weis found himself locked in combat once again with more reanimations.
Finn narrowed his eyes, easily spotting the single fire elemental homing in on his position. This was the source of malice he'd felt earlier, and it was clear to him based on the being's speed just who it was. Holding his alloy vine at the ready, the flame human braced for the confrontation, just as Hermes came upon him, hand thrust forward and aimed at his heart. With a quick move of his blade, the Olympian's attack was halted, though the sadistic grin on the man's face remained. Pushing him back, Finn forced his foe to retreat to a rushing boulder not too far from his own. Hermes cackled away seconds later, as Finn just narrowed his eyes.
"I was so disappointed in not being the one to end it, but now it looks like Grod has blessed me with the opportunity!" He flame shifted again, with all the speed he was known for. Reappearing behind Finn, he made a move to decapitate the hero, a move that was quickly halted by Finn dematerializing himself, surprising the Olympian. When the young man solidified again, he swung his sword at his foe, who dodged without as much as a grunt.
"I see you've gotten a bit faster," Hermes taunted. In a flash, he was gone. Finn, remarkably calm, just closed his eyes. A few moments passed, before he suddenly twirled around and held up his hand, catching Hermes by the wrist, his fingers inches from Finn's neck. This time, the Olympian seemed shocked. The flame human gazed into his opponent's eyes, calm and collected.
"No, I just… woke up." Hermes' eyes widened further as a glow encapsulated Finn's arm, whereupon his seventh and final ring burned itself into his flesh. While Hermes didn't seem to understand what the phenomenon represented, he still felt genuine fear as his senses picked up on Finn's suddenly growing power. Swathes of heat energy were being pulled into the hero's body, his skin brightening and his hair lengthening slightly. Before the Olympian could think, he was slugged in the face by the flame human's free fist, sent flying into a rock formation sticking out above the tumbling lava flow.
The rock shattered and broke apart into the molten rock, seeming to take Hermes with it. After a moment of inactivity, Finn held up his hand, feeling the surge of energy circulating throughout his veins. From within his mind, the voice of Adrian suddenly rang out.
Go forth, Emissary, show the world what you have learned.
Clenching his hand into a fist, Finn nodded, acknowledging the sages before turning to look down the mountain towards the settlement. The Fire Kingdom's forces seemed to be holding their own against the legion, but they'd already suffered heavy casualties. Determined to join the fray, he made a move to jump forward to the next closest rock floating above the lava. This was interrupted by a shape springing from the molten rock and slamming into him.
"Raaagh!" Hermes cried, eyes brimming with fury. He and Finn flew across the air until impacting the untouched mountainside beyond the lava flow. After rolling across the earth for a moment, Finn managed to flip back onto his feet, on guard for his foe's next move. Surprisingly, the flame human staggered as a flare swept past him, delivering a sold hit in the process and pushing him back. Another came soon after, too fast for Finn to track. This process repeated several more times, with Hermes laugh soon emanating cross the area.
"Feeling awake now?" The Olympian's taunt was irritating at most, as Finn found himself reoriented and raising his blade to meet the fast-paced enemy. He couldn't hope to match Hermes' speed, and so adopted a different approach. Reaching out with his senses, Finn managed to find his foe's aura, which radiated pure mirth, as well as slight hatred. He could feel these emotions in the next series of attacks Hermes sent his way, grunting from the pain. Suddenly, he sensed killing intent.
Hermes gasped as his fire dagger was blocked by Finn's sword, saving his neck from being pierced.
"How?!" The Olympian's reply was a swift kick to the side, sending him into a nearby wall. He recovered fast, in time to dodge Finn's sword slash. He reappeared a fair distance away, cautiously observing the flame human he faced. The hero made no move to approach, waiting for him to attack again.
"Coward," Hermes spat. "Just going to wait for me to come at you? Never change, do you?" A bit confused by the fire elemental's words, Finn lowered his sword, but kept his eyes firmly on the enemy.
"What do you mean?" Hermes actually seemed amused by his reaction, giving the smallest of smirks. He took a step forward.
"I suppose I've done an amazing job of hiding it." He seemed to relax his stance, almost casually standing before his foe. "Since you're about to die, I'll have it be the last thing you hear. It'll be poetic even."
Still at a loss for the Olympian's words, Finn raised his sword again, keeping up his guard. Hermes wasn't fazed by the move, instead beginning to slowly step forward to the hero.
"I may have cast the past aside, but I still remember how you humiliated me in battle, with that unheard of technique of yours." The flame human furrowed his brow, trying to understand.
"It was that attack that inspired me to gain the speed necessary to outpace you." Finn's eyes widened a bit, his grip on the alloy vine tightening. Hermes seemed amused by his tension, grinning.
"The next time you tried it, all you accomplished was lightly nicking me." The Olympian tapped his shoulder. At last, he stopped, watching as Finn's expression turned to one of disbelief, nearly breaking his defensive composure.
"Calor."
Hermes smirk indicated he was satisfied with the reply, chuckling lightly. In response, Finn glared at him.
"That's ridiculous. You look nothing like him." The Olympian folded his arms, still holding the idea that he was in full control of the conversation.
"You ignorantly believe that speed was my power? That that's the extent of my ability?" He chuckled again.
"Not at all. My true secret lies in the ability to slowly accumulate then shed material from my body, becoming lighter the more I do." He motioned to his backside.
"Those extra arms you faced in the tournament was the result of years of mass building up on my flesh, which I then shaped to my needs. It was quite frustrating when you sliced them off." Hermes reached up to his face, running a finger across his cheek.
"As a side effect, sufficiently shed mass causes my appearance to revert accordingly." At this, Finn seemed to finally understand. He wasn't looking at the image of a seasoned and experienced champion of the Fire Kingdom.
"It makes you look younger," he breathed. Hermes nodded, then finally spread his arms out, as if inviting his enemy to come.
"So then, try it once more, Fenrir, see if that shadowless thrust can reach me in time." He cackled once more, quite pleased with himself.
Despite the revelation, Finn remained on guard. As incredible as it was to discover an Olympian was someone he'd already fought, this was an entirely different Calor. Gone was the brute force and straightforward method of attack the vile former champion was known for. Hermes would try to end it now with a single lightning fast strike. However, at the same time, Finn doubted the fire elemental knew exactly how much useful information he had given him.
Entering the proper stance, Finn began breathing low, taking hold of his blade with both hands. Hermes didn't react, true to his desire to outclass the shadowless thrust. This gave the hero enough time to not only prepare for the charge, but draw in more energy from the surroundings, particularly the nearby lava flow. He felt the power being shaped as he needed, coating his body. When he decided he was ready, his leg twitched, signaling to Hermes that it was coming.
With the gifts bestowed upon him, Finn's attack truly was faster than ever, racing towards his target and aiming for the Olympian's elemental matrix. Hermes just seemed to smile wider, with Finn grimacing slightly when the fire elemental's body already began dematerializing before he was even halfway to him. When all was said and done, Finn charged through open air, completely missing the Olympian, who reformed at nearly the speed of light, directly above the rushing Finn. Seeing an opening, he produced his short flame dagger, swinging it down to stab the back of the hero's neck and complete his revenge.
Upon coming inches from the flesh, Hermes weapon disintegrated, leaving his eyes and body wide open. Finn spun around and landed a punch to the Olympian's chest, causing him to heave as he was sent flying, tumbling across the ground moments later. Flame shifting back to his feet, Hermes' bared his teeth as he glared at Finn, who slowly made his way to him.
"No! What did you do?!" the young man's foe demanded, fists shaking in anger. Finn raised his sword in reply, while also fueling the immense aura engulfing his body. It was enough that Hermes could make out the heat distortion surrounding the flame human.
"Your weapon doesn't have the physical mass to break through this aura. No matter how much you try, you can't cut me." Flabbergasted, Hermes eyes trembled in their sockets, before he reeled back and screamed into the sky, his body glowing brightly as he did. While doing his best to shield his eyes, Finn managed to see pieces of volcanic matter falling off of the Olympian, while a persistent steam was emitted all over his form. Once the light died down, the hero readied himself again, gazing upon an even younger looking foe.
"If I can't slice your head off, then I'll punch you fast enough to shatter your bones!" With that declaration, Hermes charged again, flame shifting too fast for Finn to keep up with, clearly having accelerated again. He grunted as the fire elemental struck his ribcage, though retained no lasting damage thanks to his natural ruggedness and the aura still holding around him. Hermes tried again and again, striking different parts of his body in an attempt to find a weak point. In truth, Finn was starting to feel aching from the many impacts, but knew he could persevere past him.
Minutes in, Hermes retreated to a distant boulder, where Finn witnessed him shed off even more material, then resume the assault. His punches hit with nearly the force of a piston after that, but still the hero endured, trying his best to swing his sword and strike the Olympian by pure luck. This process repeated again and again, with Hermes finally appearing as little more than a teenager by the time Finn finally recoiled, feeling a crack in his shoulder. It hadn't been broken, but dislocated. Regardless, it was enough for him to take a knee, bringing up a hand to clutch his injury.
Hermes was overjoyed, sending out another cackle as he flame shifted one more time. His prey wounded, he went from a fist to extending his fingers, as the aura surrounding Finn had indeed weakened slightly. He could strike now, finally ending the fight. His glee multiplied by the second, rushing around to Finn's exposed back and zeroing in on his neckline.
"It's over, humaaaaan!"
In the blink of an eye, Finn's arm swung around and fired out a fist, slamming into the Olympian's abdomen. In the midst of his shock, Hermes coughed up blood. Rather than being sent brutally in the opposite direction, the fire elemental just froze, standing in his final stance of attack as Finn let his arm fall, cringing from having to use his dislocated limb. A gaping hole was in Hermes chest cavity, with the edges crumbling away by the second. The twisted elemental finally fell to his knees, eyes nearly bursting from their sockets as he stared up at Finn, the flame human getting shakily to his feet.
"Again. Why did you succeed again?!"
The hero gazed down on him, an almost pitying look in his shimmering blue eyes. The aura around him dissipated, leaving only his cloak to flap in the breeze.
"As fast and dangerous as you are, you're too predictable. Like an assassin, you target the most vital point to finish a foe off. That, combined with your need to get payback and see my head roll, means it was easy to take advantage of your emotions." With each passing word, Hermes' glare intensified, even as he couldn't move a muscle to argue.
"Now you're done. You shed off so much mass that your body couldn't even withstand a single punch."
Hermes glanced down at his own figure, cracks reaching near to his collar as his abdomen continued to fall away. His clenched teeth had a muffled growl behind them, but he found no way to truly do anything more. He hated the idea of conceding to the flame human, the thought eating away at him. Even with all his actions, all the support of the Olympians, he'd lost once again.
"Only a weak warrior gains power by throwing himself away. It's the power you collect through hardship and those around you that makes one strong."
Hermes didn't bother arguing with his enemy, not that it would've mattered. However he still held on to his elemental bonds the best he could, determined to get the last word out. Looking Finn in the eyes, the fallen Olympian furrowed his brow.
"You think this is a victory to be proud of, scum?" Even in his state, he formed a smug grin. "A much as I don't care to admit it, I am the weakest of the Olympians." Finn's eyes narrowed, with Hermes seeming to be satisfied having an effect on him.
"That's right. I nearly killed you today; remember that feeling. I look forward to you joining me on the other side once Zeus or another of my comrades splatters you across the Fire Kingdom!" the fire elemental was evidently at peace with his final words, letting himself go. The Olympian's body rapidly fragmented and fell to the ground, whereupon the shards broke apart further into dust and ash. The last thing Hermes left in his wake was one last laugh, his form completely gone in the wind.
Weis slowly lowered his binoculars, mouth hanging open slightly while his staring eyes remained glued to the mountainside.
"Holy crap, he did it."
Having already driven back the legion a fair amount, the commander's men were surprised when the invading force suddenly stopped. As fast as they'd appeared, the reanimated force retreated, jumping back over the wall without so much as a parting shot. The soldiers, not willing to question the turn in events, cheered loudly, claiming victory. Several men ran up to Weis, prepared to give a report on the situation. However, the officer just continued looking in Finn's direction, seeing the battered and exhausted flame human jumping along beside the now slowed lava flow, nearing the town fast.
Eventually, he took one last leap at the base of the volcano, flame shifting to reach the settlement's defensive wall. Weis finally reacted, stepping aside upon noticing the hero's trajectory. As Finn rematerialized, he stuck out his leg to stick the landing upon the wall's top. Unfortunately, the result was less than graceful. Without the proper strength to follow through, Finn's landing contained little balance, sending him tumbling forward off the wall and landing with an unceremonious thud on the ground below. A few men cringed, even as their leader motioned to the poor hero.
"For Grob's sake, help him up!" The soldiers were quick to follow the order, shifting down to the groaning flame human and gathering him up on their shoulders. Weis ordered them get the hero to medical, while the rest were tasked with assessing damage and personnel. As his forces carried out their tasks, the commander ran a hand through his hair and let out a long breath, amazed by just how much had happened in a short time.
There was silence in the command tent, the only noise coming from the soft crackle of the portal flame between the room's occupants. Tellus, calmly continuing to watch Weis' vision, simply glanced to his superiors. Flint, for the most part, betrayed no emotion, his constant scowling making it difficult to read the man. The two of them made no move, up until they heard Flame Princess abruptly stand up, drawing attention to her.
"I'm going."
At this, Flint was quick to widen his eyes and get up as well.
"You can't be serious. We need you here!" FP turned to her sibling, surprising him with a stern glance.
"We need you here. You're the military mind, I'm little more than advising right now." Flint opened his mouth to argue, but his sister was already walking towards the exit to the tent.
"To him? Is that where you're going? Why? After all he's done we should just have Weis execute him on the spot!" FP stopped, not bothering to face him as she replied.
"This is war, and as you just saw, he's likely one of the greatest allies we can get. As much as he has hurt me personally, he's still Finn, the hero who defends those in need with his very life." She absentmindedly tightened her fists. "I'm not deciding on anything until I talk with him."
With that, she exited the tent, leaving a growling Flint behind to mull over his sibling's words.
Gradually shrinking the interval, now two months, but that's still not good enough. At least in the meantime we're finally getting another handful of episodes in the middle of this month. They seem just as interesting as the last batch, so good hopes here. I'll see you guys in the next update.
Fiery Crusader: That is quite the tale, my friend, and trust me when I say I know the feeling of being frustrated with CoD. I've made the mistake of getting the Veteran difficulty achievement more than once. In any case I'm glad I could deliver a burst of enthusiasm to your day/night and hope that this update offers the same. Thanks for your insight!
TheOneAndOnly1993: I say it too much I'm sure, an unfinished story is so heart-crushing to see. I refuse to bare the guilt of doing so myself. Thank you for sticking with me through it.
gamelover41592: Yeah, looking back the other two didn't have that much content, but then again I had to come up with seven of these things.
The Book of Eli: More you shall receive.
Skater1ooo: Haha, to be honest I let myself go way too much, stringing on for another several thousand swords before I realize how much I wrote. But I'm glad to know it isn't all filler to you guys. And of course, I appreciate your support in light of my spotty updating. As for a battle arc, well, you're not too far off...
Neo Deadmau5: Not sure if I made this last one seem hard by comparison, but at least there's also a fight in there to boot.
Major144: He sure has. And I think the events here were a great first step towards that goal.
DragonNinjaMan: Then I will be more than willing to provide with more!
MUTO TOHO: Of course, I get that.
Guest: It's still the same cursed sword with the tendency to act on its own, but as Finn accepted the curse way back when he got the grass sword its still under his control. Beyond extending a fair distance and twisting into different arrangements (like lacing itself together into a makeshift shield) it's bound by its own existence as nothing more than a vine. Hope that helped.
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!
next: Chapter 34: Knight and King