Pure, Blissful Fury
PB let one last pearl of liquid fall from her dropper, splashing quietly into the fourth beaker on her stand. The initial reaction was nonexistent, but she was fully expecting that. Setting the tool aside, she examined each of her glass containers carefully, double-checking that they were correctly labeled. Sighing, amazed that she'd performed the process correctly despite the chaos, the candy woman delicately lifted the stand and brought it over to her other table, where she proceeded to set it into the incubator.
Once the mixtures were secure, Bonnie shut the containment device and sealed its environment. Lastly, she dabbled with the incubator's keypad, punching in various settings. With the final button hit, the machine hummed to life, its task begun, allowing Peebles to sigh and collapse back into her chair, staring at the final product sitting on her lab table. She remained there for several minutes, ignoring the clattering of fire solider armor all around her. The warm, but not burning, touch of a fiery hand brought her attention over her shoulder.
"Bonnibel, it's time to deploy," Phoebe stated flatly. PB turned in her chair to face the Fire Kingdom's monarch, nodding.
"Thank you. I'll just grab my equipment." Not even waiting for an acknowledgement, Bonnie stood up and stepped over to the other half of her lab module, taking hold of the pack placed underneath its table and strapping it to her back. It locked into place with her environmental suit, giving a matching readout on her wrist. Prepared, the candy lady turned back to her fellow ruler. She spoke delicately, unsure if even the humblest speech wouldn't trigger the raging influence plaguing them all.
"I… have one request, while I'm gone." She waited, relief flooding her mind as she watched Phoebe nod softly.
"What is it?" she asked with equal delicacy. Peebles admired her efforts to stay calm, motioning to the incubator on her desk.
"That device is processing samples for Finn's elemental conversion. In the event that the base is attacked while we're away, I'd be grateful if you'd protect it vigilantly." Bonnie had been nervously shuffling her hands as she spoke, noting that the mention of the flame human didn't cause even the slightest shift in Flame Princess's expression. Whether that was positive or not, she nodded.
"I will." Then she scoffed. "He doesn't even care, does he?"
PB hung her head, then shook it. Phoebe seemed to have thought as much, folding her arms as she gazed out over the base and its active soldiers. Everyone was in position by now; what fire soldiers remained in the base interior were those left to guard it in the absence of their bulk. Thankfully, more groups planned to join up closer to the north, giving General Tellus a sizable force to work with. He'd need all the help he could get.
"To be fair, we have bigger concerns at the moment," Bonnibel mused. Part of her said she shouldn't have said anything more on the matter. This was justified when FP glared at her.
"They'd have been a heck of a lot smaller if that idiot hadn't-!" She abruptly cut herself off, eyes growing wide before she shook her head and gripped her arm.
"I'm sorry."
PB gave a sad smile, showing there was no ill will. "It's no trouble. We're all going to be on edge until Ares is gone. Well, more so." She scolded herself for bringing up the Olympian, quickly thinking of a way to reroute the conversation. She began walking towards her appointed meeting point with the general, prompting Phoebe to follow beside her. The two rulers paced uninterrupted across the base.
"I'm actually quite surprised by how calm the general is. You'd think a man his age would have plenty to gripe about, no offense of course." Flame Princess actually smirked a bit as they walked.
"He's at that age where he's laid everything to rest. His wife passed away a few years back, he's grieved the men he lost over the years. Tellus knows the consequences of war and how it's waged. Rage is not in his mind, not anymore."
Phoebe's words scratched at something in PB's mind, thinking back to their meeting earlier.
"Hm, he kept his composure quite well in the face of Ares' aura. And Aleen…" She looked her counterpart in the eyes. "She's just a little girl. She's never had the desire to lash out with anger or frustration. She's only felt sadness and joy." Flame Princess furrowed her brow.
"What are you getting at?" Peebles folded her arms, an analytical look in her features.
"What if that's how Ares' influence works? It amplifies a person's anger and frustration, to the point that venting it is almost a necessity. But if the person has no significant anger in the first place, maybe they can stand it without harm." She thought back to the chaos of the Candy Kingdom. "Not everyone went berserk when Ares struck my kingdom. Some were terrified as people chased them with axes and the like."
Phoebe was listening intently now, feeling a sense of enlightenment from her companion's observation. This interest was increased when it seemed the candy lady had a further epiphany.
"If this theory has merit, then Finn has a chance, more than we thought. If he can let go of his anger and frustration, then Ares' aura won't strip him of his self-control." Although this realization was hopeful, FP didn't seem to process it quite the same as the pink-haired monarch.
"Fat chance of that," she deadpanned. The two had reached their destination, Tellus and Flint visible nearby, giving last minute commands. "Things between us aren't settled, no way will he clear his head of it in the middle of fighting that monster." Peebles frowned, then looked over to the gathering of soldiers. She still had a few minutes. The woman set herself down on a piece of wall from the palace ruins, patting it to motion for her friend to join her. She did so with some reluctance.
"Finn will be willing to take any punishment, you know that." FP bit her lip as she stared at the ground, hands in her lap.
"I know, but that's not the point anymore. So what if I punish him? What does that mean for the future? Do I just banish him for life? What about Aleen? I can't have her kicked out too just because her guardian, or dad, or whatever can't be here."
Bonnibel smiled teasingly.
"She seems quite happy with you, mommy." Phoebe's head suddenly jerked to face the woman, stunned.
"Sh-she told you about that?" Her face was flushed, but Bonnie blinked in surprise rather than giggling.
"Wait, she already called you that? Haha! That is precious." Now she laughed, leaving her companion flustered as she looked away.
"Y-yes, she tried." The fire elemental began twiddling her thumbs. "She's sweet, really. I still don't get her flames, I'll ask Finn about it when he gets back, but there's something about her that draws me in. Maybe because we're alike." The raised eyebrow from Bonnie prompted her to elaborate. "She lost her mom, just like me, and… Finn, he did too. I never really had a dad, so I guess I'm like them in that regard too."
PB nodded sagely, still smiling at the thoughtful fire elemental.
"You're all the remnants of broken families, so you're coming together to form a new one." Phoebe looked at her, cheeks still red, but seeming to truly consider her words with care.
"I mean, I'm not sure how you and Finn would have a daughter any other way. Well, maybe with the way he is now, but I'd have to run some tests." Without even thinking about it, FP slugged her fellow princess in the arm, causing the woman to yelp and rub the spot. The fiery ruler's face was fully flushed, unable to hold a full glare amidst her embarrassment.
"What the heck did you go and say that for?!" Bonnibel chuckled nervously as she lowered her arm, seeing no damage to her suit.
"Sorry, sorry, couldn't help it." She then settled down, looking at her friend carefully. "You do want Finn to get over it, don't you?" Though she took a moment to think about it, Phoebe nodded. "Then have faith in him. You're only mad because you care, right?" Again, though reluctantly, the fire elemental nodded.
"He'll be back, you yourself think he will, when you said it just a minute ago." FP's face brightened, realizing she was right. "You two have a future, I'm sure of it. That is, if you want one?"
Flame Princess looked out over the horizon, the reddened mountains of the Fire Kingdom crowning the blur between ashen sky and blazing earth. She glanced over at her personal tent off in the distance, where Aleen had been left to ensure she wouldn't get lost. Then she examined the ruins of her home, whereupon dozens of military boots now trampled. There was a lot to rebuild, and not just physically. Surely, Finn would help her with all of it, no questions asked. That was just the kind of guy he was, no matter what species he became.
"I think I do."
Running across the scorched landscape had become mundane by this point. There were fewer spots of exposed lava in the southern region of the kingdom, leaving nothing but solid ground beneath Finn's feet. He'd managed to gleam the distance and landmarks of his journey back in the command tent, ensuring he wouldn't get lost. But that was all trivial. The only think running through his mind was what Flame Princess had said to him.
He could feel Ares' aura pressing further down on him as he ran, the influence becoming more potent the closer he got to the efreet. Even knowing that the phenomenon was spiking his more volatile emotions, it did little to help alleviate his at Phoebe. He had wanted to scream back at her, fully aware of how much a bad idea it would be. It had been a bad time to argue, out in public, with Aleen right there. He didn't want the poor girl exposed to their trifles.
His muscles twitched, wanting to act.
Finn was close now, the southern outpost just beyond the next ridge, evident by the swarms of violent emotion he could sense from the area. They were all agitated, even the ones below ground further away; the civilians were probably faring no better in their shelter. This had to end, fast, but the longer Finn felt the raging fire elementals, the more he failed to see how anyone wouldn't get caught up in his clash with Ares.
Speaking of the efreet, his emotional output was strange. Finn had never felt it before, and honestly didn't have a clue what the sinister Olympian could be feeling at any given moment. Not that he cared, not now. He just wanted the monster dead, so he could think straight, so the others could be safe. Regardless, the emptiness he felt from the being was perplexing. There was no anger, no hatred, not even happiness. The efreet was a blank slate.
With a final jump, Finn emerged at the summit of his final obstacle, taking a moment to stop and analyze the area. As Flint had said, the abandoned refinery housing much of the kingdom's civilians was tucked into the crook of a mountain not far from the outpost itself. The base was larger than the west, if only because it seemed to be composed of the dilapidated camp of miners that used to work the area. Expansive, relatively flat, and currently experiencing a multitude of flames, explosions, and yelling.
The flame human could see numerous groups or pairings of fire soldiers attacking one another, indiscriminate and without holding back. His eyes ignored them for now, choosing instead to find his target. The sole empty heart within the mass wasn't too difficult to spot, with Finn's eyes narrowing upon the unleashed Olympian standing on the opposite end of the camp, away from the chaos.
He was sitting cross-legged, apparently waiting for him, further evidenced as Ares' vicious smile widened, the being calmly getting to his feet and looking back at Finn with immense interest. The hero glared back, then finally flame shifted forward, getting to the edge of the camp. Ares simply jumped, his pointed legs driving into the volcanic earth beneath him. The two of them gradually entered the battleground, still ignoring the other fire elementals fighting.
Several soldiers noticed Ares in the midst of their attacks, making runs at the efreet as his eyes remained on Finn. They did little to stop him, his wicked claws slashing them without so much as a second glance. Finn watched the struck men dissipate into the wind, only building his rage. Further in, a number of soldiers tried taking swings at Finn as well. While not going for killing blows against them like Ares had done, the flame human showed no remorse in slugging them in the stomach or across the face, knocking them away. His blade formed automatically as a handful drew their swords, allowing Finn to parry and kick them to the ground. He didn't care anymore. These guys gave into the anger, he wasn't responsible for their actions.
Moments later, Finn and Ares' approach on one another moved into a sprint, both fiery beings brandishing their weapons of choice to attack, already scanning the opponent's body for a point to strike.
In an instant, Ares pounced, slashing to the side on Finn's open left. The flame human moved his alloy blade to block, catching the claws with a shower of sparks. The second claw came for his right, but was also halted, with Finn actually catching it in his palm, both his and Ares' fingers digging into the back of their hands. Naturally, Finn's began bleeding. He gave it little thought. Whatever amount of Ares' toxin entered him would be redundant by this point.
"Close this loop and be one, feel the entangled knots of each pulse!"
Finn just sent his knee into Ares chest, not caring what cryptic babbling the efreet had to say. The attack failed to separate them, and Ares responded quickly by placing more force into his arms. Seeing as their locked stance had their limbs crisscrossed, this placed tremendous strain on Finn's, the hero gritting his teeth. He narrowed his eyes further, then Ares' attention faltered as he noticed the seventh ring on Finn's arm glow to life. The efreet sensed the energy of the earth being pulled from the volcanic ground, seeping into his foe. As it did, he found his pressure on the young man being pushed back, his strength increasing as his skin grew brighter and his fiery golden hair growing longer.
"Just shut up and die," Finn seethed. In one move, he thrust himself forward, knocking Ares off balance before slashing up on the Olympian's chest. He seemed to grunt softly, but otherwise displayed no discomfort in the blow. As the two backed away, Finn watched the cut heal almost instantly, leaving behind not a scratch. Annoyed, he readied himself and pinpointed Ares' weak points, then burst forth with the shadowless thrust, his boosted power aiding in his speed. Upon him in a fraction of a second, Finn was stunned when Ares' claw came out of nowhere and caught his blade. The efreet glanced him in the eyes.
"Deeper. Immerse in the boiling stream of freedom!" He threw Finn back, still too stunned to right himself before his cheek dug into the ground. He sputtered, getting to his feet and growling as he turned to eye his enemy. Ares slowly walked towards him, claws scrapping against one another eagerly. His smile ticked Finn off, it always did, like nothing in the world could bother him so long as he could cause chaos. He just wanted to tear that face apart.
Yes, destroy the head, just like my strategy, the flame human thought.
While taking off from his crouch, Finn simultaneously generated a flame sword on his free hand, sending out a battle cry as he focused on Ares' floating head. The efreet's expression displayed approval, watching the flame human charge, swords crossed. With a fierce leap, Finn concentrated the energy provided by the seventh ring on his weapons, positive they could dice his foe without issue.
His opponent seemed eager to meet him head on. Ares' clawed hands reached up and grabbed the crossed energies surrounding Finn's blades, leaving the two in a deadlock once more. Finn glared, eyes twitching at the smiling efreet. His arms shook, channeling what they could into his force, but it was fruitless; Ares wasn't budging. The Olympian's eyes widened.
"More!"
And with that, he took one claw off the blades and unceremoniously sunk it into Finn's chest.
The immersive darkness was inky, as if he were in a sea of noir, no solid atmosphere whatsoever. He should have felt wobbly, pushed around by some phantom current in the depths of night, but no, he was standing perfectly still, as if his legs were automatically locked to their positions. The only true sensation was the burning in his chest, yet he found no desire to groan or grip at the afflicted area. He just waited, waited for something to happen. A feeling. A sight. A sound.
"You puzzle me more with each new step."
Finn somehow spun around immediately, having thought he lacked control of his body. There before him stood a familiar face, though one he only became acquainted with recently. What was she of all people doing here? The flame human supposed he should ask, chancing that his mouth would allow him speech in line with his muscles.
"Syla…"
The Sage of Passion stood with the calm her fellow elders were accustomed to, gazing upon him through the darkness with a difficult expression in her eyes. The aging fire elemental approached, never changing her features.
"It's almost like you've regressed since stepping out of my chamber, emissary. What has caused this?" Finn blinked, confused at her words.
"What are you talking about? Where am I? Or, what happened to me?" His rapidly fired questions were met with the sage stopping in her tracks, a comfortable distance between them. She raised her arms and folded them, finally allowing her brow to furrow.
"Your psyche has dropped you here, drowning in the pool of your own mind as you struggle against Ares' influence. Even as we speak, he laughs at the growing rage infecting you." Finn frowned in return, raising a fist in defiance.
"That's bull! I can just cleanse myself like last time! Just like I did for Phoebe!" Syla seemed unfazed, though granted him a sigh.
"Your power alone cannot quell the magnitude of what Ares truly is. You cannot overcome an enemy you don't fully comprehend." The flame human was really losing his patience by now, trying his best to attribute it to the inciting force now literally digging into him.
"What's your point, damn it!?" Syla remained calm, casually turning herself at an angle to the young man.
"When you encountered the image of Ares in my trial, you mercilessly channeled your anger to strike him down. It was clean, efficient, without any bothersome complex thought. Yet now that you're faced with the true foe, you can only stumble in withering tantrums as he barely flinches at your attempts." The sage's eyes suddenly drilled into him. "Where has your passion gone? Where is that will to drive your emotions into the enemy as much as to those you love?"
Finn shook his head, his hands balled tightly into fists.
"No, I shouldn't have to rely on blind rage." Syla stamped her foot forward, flames jetting higher.
"And why not!?" she bellowed, clearly disappointed. Finn tried to answer, though stuttered enough at her outburst that the woman was able to continue before him. "There is nothing in this world that exists without a purpose. Good and evil exist to decide the future of the world, love and hatred exist to temper the hearts of living beings. Anger is not something to cast aside or hide in some corner of your mind. Anger exists in tangent with your kindness, your sadness, everything. It is your heart crying out for its full power. Yes, channeling it is difficult, but when used it will place you at your greatest extent."
Syla raised a hand and pointed sternly at the flame human.
"Your frustration, your guilt, your anger, show Ares how much of a mistake he's making by imbuing you, an emissary, and an individual with perspective beyond petty alignments, with the rage to destroy any threat to the earth."
With that, Syla vanished in a plume of flames, leaving behind the inky darkness once more. Finn left himself in momentary silence. Her words echoed on, almost physically drifting around the hero's form as he thought hard.
She's… she's right.
It's like tossing away fuel. I shouldn't cast aside or lay down my rage. I should burn it, burn it right into the enemy. I can do it, I can target it all at that vile efreet. I have the drive. I do!
As the revelation grew, the watery blackness faded away, giving way to sunset streams of violent orange and red. The landscape, or rather, mindscape, exerted far more heat, far more energy than what Finn thought possible. He took a deep breath, accepting the sensation still searing his chest.
I will annihilate him, all of them, for the peace that they have denied everyone!
Ares' smile twitched. In the blink of an eye, Finn's alloy blade swiped away from the efreet's claw, slashing down to cleave the being's outstretched arm off. He backed away, again showing no visible pain. He watched thoughtfully as what remained of his appendage stabbed through Finn's chest disintegrate into the wind. The hole healed itself moments later, lashed together by furious red flames. Finally, Finn looked straight into the Olympian's eyes, his own ocean blue swirling in a maelstrom of foreign orange. Ares' couldn't looked more pleased.
"Yes. Yes!" he cackled, as his missing arm regenerated, its new claws scraping against one another again. Finn bared his teeth, the fifth ring of warmth blazing to life on his arm. The flames at his back surged, the air behind him buckled, and in an instant, it was like he'd been shot out of a cannon, boosted by his shadowless thrust. Ares ran forward to meet him, claws at the ready. The two were within inches of each other, weapons drawn, when Finn's figure suddenly phased out of its current trajectory.
Ares finally grunted as Finn's reappearing hand grabbed his face, his incomprehensibly fast flame shift placing him at the efreet's unguarded left side, allowing him to forcefully shove the being into a nearby stone wall, with shattered upon impact. Even before the smoke cleared, Finn thrust his alloy blade into the Olympian's pinned head, immediately channeling explosive power of the seventh ring through the metal. The blast further obscured the area, the flame human finally pulling back to a safe distance, watching the smoke and dust settle to reveal Ares' headless body.
He growled as his ears picked up the vicious cackle yet present in the dirty fog. Ares' intimidating form stepped out of the smokescreen, causing Finn's eyes to briefly widen in shock. The efreet's body stalked forward, his head slowly reforming from what appeared to be the surrounding air.
"Splendid! Simply splendid! You've at last transcended past that meekness inside!" Finn's facial expression briefly faltered, confusion settling in behind his rage. Did he just hear the efreet correctly? Ares seemed to notice this, his reconstructed dome tilting to the side thoughtfully. "Interesting, isn't it?" he practically mused.
This wasn't the thought in Finn's mind. No, if he could actually understand the Olympian's ravings now, then he could get decipherable answers.
"What are you, why do you attack everyone in sight? What in Glob's name gives you the idea that you can strut the land slashing people up!?" He resisted the urge to attack immediately. He wanted an answer; he'd be killing the vile efreet either way. The one in question's response was what seemed to be a shrug.
"Why does any sentient attack? Why cause harm? Simple. Those who attack wish to dominate. If you fight an invader, you decree that the lives of civilians are greater than theirs, if you wage a war, you state your opinion is superior to their own, and if you slaughter in cold blood, you show your reveling exceeds their freedom." A single claw raised up. "When there is but one, peace can exist. When the last voice of aggression lays bare across the earth, my purpose is complete."
The entire claw rose, beckoning Finn forward. "Now come, fight, kill, and rage!"
Finn needed no further prompting. The efreet's logic was sickening. He seemed too confident as well. Did he truly believe Finn couldn't defeat him, or was there something else the flame human didn't consider? It mattered little at the moment. He roared, rushing forward, fire and metal blazing in either hand. Ares bounded forward as well, claws at the ready.
The two met in a flurry of slashes, neither showing concern when a strike managed to break through. Cuts and gashes inflicted upon Ares disappeared within seconds, while Finn simply ignored the grazing slice of his foe's hands. Finn flame shifted frequently, attacking from all sides while Ares remained relatively grounded. Unfortunately, he didn't seem vulnerable to the same strategy as before. Each time the hero vanished, his opponent predicted his trajectory of attack upon reemerging, bashing his swords away and reaching to squeeze his neck.
One such counter was just barely avoided, Finn crying out as he gripped at his neckline. The cut healed quickly, aided by the pulsing force of the seventh ring, allowing Finn to concentrate on attacking again, roaring louder each time. He finally managed to find an opening, grabbing Ares by the arm and slamming him down with enough force to crack the brittle volcanic ground. He followed up by impaling his alloy vine into the being's chest, hoping to strike something vital.
Ares just laughed as he lay there, though he was quick to reach out and grab Finn by the shoulders, the flame human screaming in pain as he felt massive pressure on his bone sockets. Another flame shift to retreat and he stood shakily on his feet, wincing while his gifted power healed him as fast as it could. There wouldn't be enough force behind his sword strikes until his shoulders were at capacity. He'd have to improvise.
The alloy vine reformed as Ares jumped to his feet and ran at Finn. It extended into a staff, at which point Finn vaulted forward, spinning around to nail Ares in the chest with a kick. He dug twin trails into the rock as he slid back, but was at least knocked enough off balance for Finn to flip forward and slam the side of his floating head with one end of his weapon. As expected, it was nearly knocked off his nonexistent neck. Several follow-up swings kept it that way, almost like Finn was trying to break open a piñata. Somewhere in the midst of swinging, the hero charged fiery energy into one hand, invoking the fifth ring to raise its temperature to white-hot levels.
His eyes seeing a window, he jabbed forward, effortlessly piercing Ares' chest. His instincts prepared to utilize another of the rings, but suddenly, something stopped him. That hesitation was more than enough for Ares to knee him in the gut, followed closely by the efreet opening his jagged mouth and bellowing out a swath of flames that blew Finn far across the area. He eventually slammed into an abandoned cart, near the edge of the outpost their landmass supported. Several of the still fighting fire soldiers looked in his direction, wondering what had happened.
Finn shook his head, growling again as the ache in his skull refused to leave quickly. At least his shoulders were almost done. The hero looked to his unbound hand, still slightly scarred from reaching into his foe's chest cavity.
There was something in there, but not a matrix.
He shook his head, frustrated more. There was no point attacking whatever was there. He'd just regenerate again. Finn figured, he'd have to destroy Ares completely all at once. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard fire elementals crying out in pain. Ares was evidentially stalking towards him again, thoughtlessly cutting down any soldiers than got in his way. Finn scrambled to his feet, alloy sword at his side, then made way towards the mess of fighting elementals. It was here, upon watching the ensuing chaos, that his gut told him something was wrong. Pausing, the flame human invoked the second ring, reaching out with his extrasensory to see what couldn't be seen.
He gasped, not quite sure what he was feeling. All around them, there was that aura Ares' presence sustained, but now, looking deeper into its mass, it was clear a detail was missing. Finn could sense the raging voices of thousands, no, millions upon millions of war cries and roars. Blades against blades, fists against skin, even cannon fire was laced into the fabric of the aura, all but a physical tapestry of conflict and anger. This was beyond a simple manifestation of Ares' influence; the mass that consumed the Fire Kingdom was a collective, ancient in origin. As Ares himself emerged from the fray, Finn pointed his blade tip at him, demanding one last answer.
"What is this?!"
The Olympian stopped approaching, seeming to contemplate the question, but Finn could tell he understood it; that wicked smile was no poker face. Ares raised his hands to the side, as if giving the world in presentation.
"Millennia of bloodshed, strife, and wrath, conceived the essence that now embraces you all. It is immortal, untouchable, yet will always cling tightly to the mortal realm." He looked directly into Finn's eyes. "And there I emerged, an extension of its will, contracted to walk the earth as an anchor to the world of flesh. Ares was an appropriate metaphor, but by now it is trivial."
The Olympian gazed back up to the heavens, where the storm of rage churned along.
"This is… the Infernal Miasma!"
Soldiers' boots stomped past numerous craters and blasted rocks, scorch marks aplenty as they passed through a narrow stretch of solid rock. Across the way, Commander Weis' troops could be seen, destined to meet with the main force just ahead. Tellus and Bonnibel moved at the head of the masses, the general properly suited up for battle as his companion continued tracking any seismic readings in the area. The incline was beginning to increase, as expected. Tellus had informed the princess that the northern outpost was an old fire temple built into the side of a cliff face. Cinnamon Bun had gone up ahead to scout as per the operation, him and JT nowhere in sight.
At last, the two groups merged at the next crossing, though the meeting was anything but gracious.
Weis' battalion appeared quite disgruntled, mumbling and fidgeting with their weapons as they stepped up to Tellus' own forces. The general's men simply glared where they stood, inciting some traded insults between the two groups. Their commanding officers ignored them for the moment, choosing to discuss their next movement while PB joined in. The commander shook his superior's hand.
"Good to see you, sir." Tellus nodded in reply.
"Likewise, commander, though it seems the state of your men is no less concerning than mine." Weis nodded dejectedly, glancing back at them all, bickering amongst themselves and the other soldiers.
"Indeed. That aura is a pain. I find it hard not to give the men a good smack upside the head, but the sane part of me knows it'll likely start a brawl." As Tellus hummed thoughtfully, Bonnie gave a half-hearted shrug.
"At least here we are further away from Ares' influence. Coordination won't be optimal, but I'm sure training your soldiers' anger on any Olympians will mitigate any unwanted problems." Weis and Tellus just frowned, seemingly indifferent to the suggestion. Regardless, the group leaders declared it was time to move on to the temple itself, ordering the troops to converge on the mountain climb that would bring them to the makeshift outpost. Hopefully, they'd get some answers on why they stopped reporting.
Seismic vibrations in the distance continued being shown on PB's scanner.
JT leapt from another rock spire and returned to the air, now having his airspace clear of hazards. Cinnamon Bun clung tightly to his canine steed, all while his eyes kept a sharp watch over the ground, both eager and dread at the thought of spotting any sign of movement. His hands shook as they gripped fire wolf fur, the effects of Ares present, regardless of its weak potency. Jake 2's feral instincts were obvious in his erratic and forceful maneuvers, occasionally grounding himself to hide amongst the mountain side in case of an ambush. CB hoped encounters with an enemy wouldn't result in complications to their partnership.
The two had passed over the northern outpost, seemingly abandoned, but with signs of recent battle, if the broken portions were anything to go by. JT had growled as they flew over, concerning CB that someone may yet be amongst the ruins. They planned to double back after checking the temple's rear side, to ensure no legionnaires, or worse, were waiting for someone to discover the vacant outpost.
Jake 2's ears shot up.
Cinnamon Bun's eyes furiously darted around, but the only thing he found was a bright orange streak headed right for them. Without so much as a command, the knight's companion jerked to the side, narrowly avoiding the projectile. As it passed by CB's face, he realized two things: it was a fire arrow, and it was about to explode.
The candy man had just enough time to reach back for his lance as the detonation triggered, his face being shielded as best as it could from the elemental shrapnel released. The force of the explosion was worse, violently shoving the two helpless companions down into the mountain. JT landed with a skid against the rocky surface, while CB's back struck a rock wall, his weapon clanging to the ground a few feet away.
Cinnamon Bun groaned and struggled to get to his feet, dizziness gripping his senses. Jake 2 was whimpering slightly, but the undertone of a ferocious growl was building in his muzzle, the fire wolf getting back on all fours and shaking away the embers from the blast. When CB finally managed to step over to his lance, he lugged the weapon in front of him, now feeling the stinging pain of the shrapnel on his vulnerable body.
"That one has good instincts, even with the debilitating atmosphere."
Cinnamon Bun froze. This was not a voice he recognized; feminine, steady, and too close for comfort. Judging from the information they'd received from Rattleballs though, he had a fair guess as to who it was, instantly on guard and shuffling closer to his fiery hound. Sure enough, as his eyesight steadied at last, the lone figure of a short-cloaked fire elemental appeared atop a lone rock spire, her stance firm and impressive considering the angle. In her hands was a blazing bow, already notched with another arrow.
Artemis narrowed her eyes at her two targets.
"But you've already been knocked off-balance. This is over."
As she raised her weapon and aimed the tip of her arrow, the fire archer released her projectile, which immediately split into two midflight.
Weis and Tellus ordered their men to spread out upon crossing the mouth of the temple entrance, quickly aiming to root out any chance of a surprise attack from the ominously silent outpost. From the outside, they'd be none the wiser what transpired, but one look within was enough to spike the bitterness each fire elemental there possessed.
Scorch marks were plastered over every inch of the rock interior, from the floor, to the walls, as well as the ceiling. Numerous discarded weapons lay beside heaps of ashes, volcanic rock, and even recently hardened lava. Weis confirmed telltale signs of casualties on both sides, at last concluding that the outpost had been overrun and obliterated by the Phoenixian Legion. Many of the men with Tellus were familiar with those station here, the soldiers cursing under their breath, or perhaps blasting off some fire in rage.
"We're too late," Weis admitted somberly, though his anger was reaching the breaking point as well. His brothers had fallen here, at the hands of fellow elementals bound to rock. As everyone else moved to secure the rest of the area, Bonnibel knelt down to study the various ashes scoured across the ground. Something was off about the patterning.
"These soldiers," she began, drawing the attention of Tellus and Weis, both of whom stepped over behind the candy ruler. "They died while rushing towards a single point."
The general and commander looked closer, eyes widening when they realized she was correct. A near circle of remains was etched into the rocky floor, conveying that the men who'd battled here all chose to attack a single target.
"These legionnaires, surely they weren't any stronger than those we've fought. Why commit so many to strike a certain one?" Weis pondered, shaking his head slowly. As he and PB silently contemplated, Tellus narrowed his eyes, which were trained on the miniscule, but present, scorch marks at the center of the ring of death.
"It wasn't a legionnaire…"
Weis and Bonnie had only a fraction of a second to wonder what the aged militant meant, before the ping of a fire shot rang through the empty chamber. A few soldiers spotted the spitfire sail overhead, only to gasp in horror as it struck a well-hidden rope tucked amongst the ruins. The material was burned through instantly, quickly followed by a rumbling. Everyone looked up, then immediately ducked for cover as a massive tied boulder swung down from above. However, it was quickly made clear personnel weren't the intended target.
The boulder smashed into a nearby totem, breaking the massive carving off its base and sending it barreling down on the ones beside it. The fire soldiers panicked as a chain reaction followed, rocking the temple as more and more debris obscured the area. In the midst of the chaos, several guttural screams sounded out. Weis bared his teeth as he spotted unfamiliar figures rush out of seemingly nowhere, charging the disorganized men.
"Ambush! Everyone, watch your six!"
No sooner had Weis bellowed the order amidst the booming demolition that both he and Tellus produced flame swords and converged on Bubblegum, shielding her from a pair of legionnaires that attempted to spear her. The two seasoned soldiers quickly followed engagement protocol and kicked the animated constructs back, then swiftly stabbed them through the chest. Their temporary matrices destroyed, the souls escaped containment, leaving the rocky bodies to crumble to the floor.
The three tightened formation, back to back as the fire soldiers began fighting back against the ambush. Their disadvantage was an upset, but their spirit and desire to avenge their fallen comrades was potent, enticed by Ares no less. But the men's leaders weren't looking for nearby legionnaires to destroy. Tellus' hunch had them scanning the ruins for a much greater threat.
"It's no use. As many as you have, this trap had terminated their ability to outmaneuver, and the aura surrounding them lowers their capacity to strategize."
Weis, Tellus, and PB all looked up towards a higher level of the temple, tensions rising fast as they at last spotted Athena standing atop a totem. The brilliant Olympian regarded the trio with caution, her careful eyes studying. General Tellus' face dropped to concern, far apart from Weis' rage and Bonnibel's nervousness.
"Niolie, why are you doing this?" he pleaded, lowering his sword slightly. The elevated Olympian snarled at the elder, her fiery hair whipping about violently.
"I am no one of that name! Shut your mouth, you old fool!"
Tellus flinched, but held firm a second later.
"Please, why would you kill your own people?" Again, Athena did little beyond scowl at the man, though eventually, she did dismount the totem, elegantly landing on the ground. Even here, it appeared she took great pleasure in looking down on the three.
"War is in my blood. I was born with a trait that allowed me to answer the call of my ancestry. And what did you think of it?" She swiped her hand to the side. "You said to put it towards peace. We are fire elementals! It is our nature to spread and sustain. My mind could've worked beside the military, conquering land after land, compiling endless resources and knowledge."
Athena pointed hatefully at the general.
"You had no right to call yourself my father, knowingly hampering my potential. Zeus, however, understood perfectly. His grand design is a dream come true for me. Cleansing, of the entire planet! Imagine the complex execution necessary for such a task. And he allowed me to plot out each step we took!"
Tellus shook his head, eyes filled with sorrow.
"You've become so lost. A genius mind, a wonderful young woman, reduced to crafting mass genocide." The old man almost looked vulnerable, and Weis and Bonnie couldn't think of a more out of character appearance for the elder. At last though, reality was restored, as the general puffed out his chest, raising his sword back to an offensive stance. "I can't allow you to do this…" His eyes lost their paternal twinkle. "…Athena."
The Olympian's own eyes narrowed, as she ignited her fists and waited. The sounds of fire soldiers and legionnaires battling in the background was deafening, but the collapsed rubble essentially isolated the four individuals staring each other down. Weis and Tellus shared a nod, then both glanced at their monarch companion. PB acknowledged their intent, confirming that she was with them. The woman clicked a few buttons on her enviro suit's wrist remote, maximizing her heat tolerance.
And with that, the three dashed for the stairs leading to their foe.
IT's good to be back, well, sort of. For those of you who read my profile and are wondering how I'm uploading this, I actually typed it up on my computer, placed it in my fanfiction flash drive (aka. THE VAULT), then went to the nearest public library to upload. SO yeah, that's how it'll be going for a while. Anyway, I hope I still have you guys onboard after, what is it, like 3 months now? I'll just cut the rambling. ENjoy, and I'll see you all soon, hopefully!
Gamelover41592: Heh, yep, the roller coaster's not done yet.
DistantPhoenix: I'm couldn't be happier that you've felt such a concoction of emotions from just this chapter alone. Let's me know I'm not getting any worse! Haha! But seriously, I appreciate the thoughtful, well, thoughts on these.
Upstart Psycho: Definitely aimed for a downfall here, not completely, but enough to show we aren't through yet. And, well, I think you're on to something...
Deku: LOL.
Bio Team2: Yikes, but you've admirably made it through the worst of it, for now.
The Book of Eli: It may take a bit, but the groundwork is coming along. It will be resolved in the end, I promise you that.
Fiery Crusader: I never fully agreed with the "cavern of trials" trope, so here we're having Finn continue to learn even after his ordeals. We still have a bunch of Olympians to plow through, so I'm hoping to really clinch this conflict by the end. Appreciate your deep feedback, as always, and I believe I owe you a review, per my own laziness.
Major144: In many ways, I did want readers to not like this. It's necessary to a certain degree for a story. It can't all be gallantly charging knights with the world at their side. Thanks so much for the honest input!
Neo Deadmau5: Oh yeah, the majority of my remaining drama material was dumped here.
shadow-dog18: It's been a long time coming, what like, almost 20 chapters of build-up for this fight?
R-Doll: Considering that complexity I appeared to put in, it's weird how fast I wrote it. Perhaps a burst of inspiration really can go that far. In any case, I'm glad I created a big yet realistic impact with that whole exchange.
MUTO TOHO: Ha, I can't even remember how I was originally going to have it. This story's plot has evolved so much since the first ten chapters. Crazy how things go that way, but I mean, it was even more dramatic for The Citadel of Truth.
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!
next: Chapter 37: Infernal