Primordial Rising
Poseidon leapt off the seismic hammer as the entire structure shivered from the earth below, the ground at its support bases cracking and immediately spilling forth fresh magma. The youngest Olympian brother landed roughly beside his siblings, who quickly helped him to his feet before the trio took a generous step back. The instrument to their machinations was now sinking into the earth, its parts warping and creaking under the heat of the planet's innards. Another roar bellowed from the growing pool of magma, coaxing the fire elementals to retreat further away.
Zeus and the others remained vigilant as the molten rock showed no signs of stopping, expanding to a size that could swallow the former fire palace. They were nearly out of solid rock to stand on, the surrounding networks of lava flows becoming noticeably rapid. In fact, the entire landscape seemed to be stuck in overdrive. Nearby volcanoes were seeping from their peaks, quakes fired through the crust every few seconds, pieces of hardened earth were ripped away to join the accelerating rivers of lava.
At last, the trio withdrew to a surviving island of footing, the last of their previous position sinking into the magma well. Just as they were beginning to question if the leak in the earth would expand indefinitely, a third roar, dwarfing its predecessors, burst from within, along with a geyser of magma, that forced the Olympians to shield their eyes as it rained down on them. As they lowered their arms, the three nearly gasped at what emerged next.
A deformed, liquefied arm, easily the width of a castle tower, slammed out onto the lava beyond the molten portal Poseidon had triggered, splashing the older deposits of earth's lifeblood onto further banks of rock. The Olympians held their ground, as a second arm erupted opposite the first. Once both titanic limbs were anchored to the ground, they began wrenching something that remained below the surface. The bubbling in the magma pit shifted to churning, violent and unstable.
Before the Olympian's very eyes, several small volcanoes rose from the well of earthen blood. Soon after, their source, the hunched back of some unbelievably massive being. The shoulders emerged, connecting to the twin arms still struggling to pull their owner out. And finally came the head, featureless as it shook itself free of the pool. Higher the creature rose into the air, far exceeding the kingdom's tallest structures. It began to pull itself forward, revealing the lower body and at its end a pair of hind legs that displaced enormous chunks of earth to climb to ground level.
The entity's entire body was coated in constantly refreshing waves of lava, save for a large hardened patch on its back where smoke and ash billowed from its cluster of mini volcanoes. Zeus and the others barely had time to take in its impressive form before its faceless head turned right to them. Two crimson slits opened in parallel, staring down the three Olympians as they were frozen to the spot. The eyes widened into ovals, not blinking once, as if waiting for the trio to make a move. None of them spoke for several moments, the Fire Kingdom still exploding around them.
"Aphrodite is gone and Hera is out of reach," Hades began, glancing over at his elder brother. "We only have one option left." Zeus clenched his fists tightly, teeth following suit.
"I know," he replied with a hard edge. The Olympian leader and Poseidon walked forward and formed up in front of Hades, who lowered himself into a meditative stance and closed his eyes. A complex circle of runes burst to life on the ground around him, glowing with sickening magic. The being before them widened its eyes to near circles, rearing back slightly.
"I won't be able to regenerate you in this state," Hades warned them, beginning his ritual. Plasma arcs ran down Zeus' forearms as he brought them up in a fighting stance, while Poseidon grabbed as much of the rushing lava as he could.
"Understood," his brothers spoke in unison. They charged at the awoken ancient.
Weis and Aecus trudged along the volcanic earth southbound, leading their collective company back to the FOB as fast as possible. Unfortunately, they didn't possess the revitalizing stamina Finn or the will-o-wisp leader possessed. Some insisted that Aecus carry on ahead of them to assist Finn and Phoebe, but he refused to leave his people, assuring them that the two would hold out. Although they'd accepted, begrudgingly, any sliver of content was lost as the landscape around them began to, for lack of a better word, panic.
Most of the the fire forces stiffened and huddled close, worried it may be some sort of trap by their enemy. Cinnamon Bun, one hand clutching at his side, where PB has implanted some fabricated biomass, turned to his former liege.
"Can you tell what's happening?" The candy princess, now under the protection of a flame shield provided by one of the will-o-wisps, had already started typing away at her suit's gauntlet, biting her lip in worry as her eyes blazed through lines of data.
"The kingdom is destabilizing, as if something was wretched loose that shouldn't have been. Volcanic activity is spiking throughout the underground. Atmosphere is heating up, increasing in carbon levels." She paused, hand hovering above the holographic buttons. "The epicenter is north, past the outpost we left behind." By now, Weis and Aecus had gathered close to listen to the report. The commander clenched his fist.
"What did those madmen do?" he growled, glaring spitefully towards the direction they'd come from. A shadow suddenly dropped amidst the group leaders, heads turning to see Marceline touch down from an aerial view.
"The whole place is erupting. I'm seeing a crazy amount of heat coming from where we just left." She narrowed her eyes. "And an occasional lightning bolt." This surprised everyone.
"Zeus is fighting? We don't have any men up there," Weis insisted.
"Brothers' quarrel?" CB suggested. The group pondered a bit more, Jake 2's nervous whimpering in the background. Aecus eventually shook his head, standing to full posture.
"We can't figure anything out from here. Finn and the others need us at the FOB." Heads nodded in agreement. The will-o-wisp, along with Weis, coaxed the men back in line, declaring they were resuming their movement, double time.
Despite the thundering blasts of the now berserk Fire Kingdom, Aleen remained sound asleep in Phoebe's lap, the fiery ruler gently petting the girl's head as she slept. Finn sat propped up beside them, using a few breathing exercises to help his emissary powers heal his body and replenish energy. The three had taken refuge on the far side of the camp relative to their battle with Aphrodite, where more defensive rubble was left scattered. The fire giant, as well as Bonnibel's intact lab setup, were within eyesight. Flame Princess briefly eyed the outside technology, remembering her promise to keep the area safe while her fellow monarch's tests ran their routines. She sighed in relief knowing that had been fulfilled.
She next looked over at Finn, the young man's head hung, eyes closed. He sucked air in through his nostrils, then smoothly released out of his mouth, his flames and skin dimming and brightening in tandem. She could see one of his rings ignited upon his arm, as well as sense much of the surrounding heat being drawn towards him. Her eyes stopped at his lips, never fully closing as he continued cycling breaths.
Delane's last act had mended her elemental matrix, stabilized her core. She had full control of herself for the first time; she even felt calmer. She wouldn't run the risk of burning out the earth from high levels of emotion, or perhaps suffering further damage from sudden outpourings of energy. She could live a normal life, for a royal, at least. These realizations all swirled in her mind as another part of it slipped into brief fantasy, her cheeks tinging red as her eyes struggled to move away from Finn's face.
I could…
FP shook her head, occupying her vision with the fire giant to her left. No further changes went on over the next fifteen or so minutes, until Phoebe noticed a towering figure in the distance. Her initial concern was quickly quashed when she realized only one person in all of Ooo was capable of projecting such an appearance. She smiled and reached a hand over to shake Finn as Jake's elongated steps brought him to the base in a few strides.
The flame human opened his eyes and glanced at his companion, who quickly motioned in front of them. Finn blinked, doing as ushered, then found his own smile, carefully moving to get to his feet, groaning ever so slightly from the residual aching. The sound finally seemed to stir Aleen, who let off a few adorable grumbles before her eyes flickered open. Upon seeing Finn standing up with a knowing grin, she squirmed about, prompting Phoebe to let her out of her hold and to her feet. The little will-o-wisp offered her own hands to help the monarch up, which she accepted warmly.
As all three stood together, Jake finally came within distinctive range, causing Finn and Phoebe to grimace at his massive pale eyes. Upon his head sat Mayel and Sibley, clearly directing him carefully along the volcanic landscape. The two will-o-wisps brightened upon seeing the trio at the base, waving as high as they could once Jake's first foot came in contact with the perimeter. Jake, clearly excited, rapidly began shrinking down as they two groups closed the distance. The magical dog's passengers hopped off as ground level approached, running beside their shapeshifting companion as he charged on all fours for his brother.
"FINN!" He only needed his nose at this point, bee-lining for the hero and catching him in a tackle that the young man just barely withstood, laughing as he wrapped his arms around his brother.
"Good to see you too, bro." His cherished sibling finally backed away after a good few squeezes, his pale eyes causing Finn's grin to falter slightly. Sibley, before acknowledging their new company, reached into her pocket and pulled out the blindfold Jake had been using and offered it to him. He swatted empty air a few times before successfully receiving the item and tying it around his decommissioned orbs. Sibley then turned to the dog's brother with a stern expression, holding out her hand expectedly. The young man gave her a sheepish look, then reached out and dropped the bundle that was his cloak into her grasp. She huffed before sitting down on a nearby rock to finish what she started. Her mother, in the meantime, approached the three and knelt down, offering her maternal smile to Aleen.
"How have you been, Aleen? Have they kept you safe and happy?" The little girl smiled back and quickly nodded, bringing her hands up to her heart.
"Yes! They're the best!" Finn and Phoebe found themselves subtly blushing from the praise, looking away with secretly satisfied smiles. Mayel's sharp eyes noticed however, chuckling to herself in satisfaction.
"That's great news." She stood back up, now addressing the grownups. "So, how bad was it?" Finn sighed, as he and Phoebe exchanged glances.
"It was… difficult. Phoebe managed to knock out the soldiers Aphrodite was controlling. We checked on them after the fight. They seem fine but we have no idea when they'll wake up. But then we got pulled by her strings too. It would've been the end if not for Delane showing up." At mention of the reclusive elder, Mayel and Sibley's eyes widened, then immediately grew downcast as they realized the woman was nowhere to be found. Finn frowned and hung his head. "She saved us, gave us the power to beat that psycho, but she got wounded in the struggle."
A moment of silence followed, before Sibley gave a hopeful look. "Well, at least you two avenged her. She was one of us, even if she was a bit secluded." Finn and Phoebe each placed a hand on Aleen's shoulders, surprising the girl as she looked up at the two.
"Actually, Aleen did." The other will-o-wisps were stunned, before Sibley abruptly got up from her seat and was in the younger girl's face.
"WHAAA?! You took out an Olympian!?" The little one flinched, but nodded shyly. "How!?" Aleen's eyes shimmered with awe, recalling the sensation bestowed upon her earlier.
"Miss Delane gave me mommy and daddy's power." The two on either side of her jerked involuntarily, faces heating up. Luckily unnoticeable with their physiology. All eyes (face, in Jake's case) turned on the pair.
"Uh, long story," Finn settled on, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Longer than the one explaining 'mommy and daddy'?" Jake inquired slyly. Now their blushes became visible, getting a giggle out of everyone else. Finn then realized they'd never been properly introduced. He knelt down to their ward's level.
"Aleen, this is Jake. Remember me talking about him?" The will-o-wisp studied the magical dog for all but a second, before recognition dawned on her, flames flaring out.
"Oh! Uncle!" Jake seemed more than satisfied with that title, ginning ear to ear.
"Aw yeah! About time! After this we're going back to that one clothing shop to get my own Best Unkle shirt!" Another round of laughter ensued, as Finn gently squeezed Aleen's shoulder.
"So yeah. Jake, this is Aleen. She's from a little village where will-o-wisps, those blue fire elementals, live." The dog puffed out his chest and placed his hands on his hips.
"Nice to meet you, little lady. Once we're done with this fire fest, I'm giving you a hundred different piggyback rides." While Aleen was clearly entranced by such a claim, Finn raised an eyebrow.
"Do you even know how to do that?" His brother scratched at his head.
"Mm, I might need some brainstorming past the forties…" The flame human shook his head in amused exasperation. The whole group made small talk while waiting for the rest of their friends and allies to show up, with Sibley finally getting decent time to fix up his cloak. Mayel insisted on some of her own healing on Finn and Phoebe, while Jake played with Aleen, shifting into various playground equipment for her. The surrounding chaos was all but forgotten as the child's laughter rang out across the area.
They'd lost track of time when the first signs of activity poured over the horizon. Finn and the others gradually recognized the distant mob of figures, spirits rising further as their friends and allies began accelerating their pace to meet them. They shouted back and forth to one another, smiling and cheering at finally having everyone gathered together in one place.
Finn, Bonnie, and Marceline were the first to make contact, the flame human grabbing them both around the neck in a tight embrace. Despite both their protection from the heat, they felt the sting of the young man's flames; not that either cared, they were too busy returning the hug. Not far from them, Phoebe gave Cinnamon Bun a far gentler one, noticing his freshly patched wound. Aleen stuck by her side until Finn and the girls stepped over, along with Jake, overjoyed to finally be together. JT nearly tackled the flame human down to lick him, despite the wolf's weakened state.
Weis came next, giving his report and gratitude that his ruler was alive and well. FP had his men disperse to tend to the knocked out soldiers, an order Aecus relayed to his people as well. And with that, the two leaders were left face to face with one another, not saying a word into the several yards of distance between them.
The will-o-wisp didn't seem keen on letting this continue, for the man cracked a smile and opened his arms invitingly. Phoebe's eyes widened, then scrunched, her lips trembling as she looked ready to start bawling on the spot. Instead she rapidly moved forward, ensnaring her uncle around the waist as he gently wrapped his arms around her back. The two were both smiling as they held their eyes closed. Seeing their reunion a success, Aleen decided it was her turn to greet her former guardian, rushing over to embrace him as well. Aecus gave a hearty laugh, keeping one hand on Phoebe's shoulder as he scooped up the little one in his free arm. Finn and the others couldn't help but feel a unique warmth in their hearts at seeing the three together.
With introductions concluding and the bulk of the collective forces tending to the unconscious men, everyone of authority made their way near the sleeping fire giant, which dominated the only area of the base that wasn't further trashed from the earlier battle. Bonnibel excused herself to go check on things with her lab modules, leaving the rest to discuss their situation under the eyes of the massive idol.
"Although there's no direct evidence, I think we can safely assume this is the Olympians' doing." He glanced at the perimeter, watching the distant volcanoes continuing to leak heavily. The others nodded grimly. The kingdom had settled down from its initial outburst, but volcanic activity was still rampant. Before another could speak, they turned at the sound of huffing and boots hitting gravel. Bonnie came running into the makeshift circle of leaders, stopping with her hands on her knees, as she scanned the group for Finn. The hero was about to ask what was the matter, but she simply stood upright and gave him a firm nod.
"Come talk to me after this," she stated with the authority of a princess. He nodded, allowing Phoebe to move the conversation along.
"The most pressing concern here is what exactly Zeus and the others did to cause this calamity. We need to send a scout." At this point, Marcy flicked her hair to the side with a confident smirk.
"Already done. We sent Simon out to give a flyby. Bonnie, you still got an earpiece?" Though surprised at being called out, Bubblegum nodded and placed a hand to her ear.
"Ice King, you there?" Almost immediately, she cringed from the abnormally loud response she received without delay. "Watch the volume, you dingus! A what? …Excuse me?" As she listened, the others watched her face drop, a blank stare of dread creeping onto her features. "H-how big?" The group tensed. "I… understood. Please get out of there." A moment of silence was taken as Ice King relayed the last of his report. PB finally nodded out of habit and bit her lip. "Alright, we'll let you know. Thank you." She dropped her hand back to her side, then sent her steely eyes on her companions.
"A giant monster… made of lava." Most of the group gaped at that. "He said he could see a massive crater of magma nearby, and that the Olympians were fighting the creature." Many exchanged looks, trying to make sense of the news.
"I don't get it. They go through all this trouble to wake something up, just to attack it?" No one else could understand either. Marcy turned to her friend.
"Bonnie, where's Simon going?" PB gave her a smile of reassurance.
"He's headed back to the Ice Kingdom, said he needs to get ready for things to go south. Since he saw the thing in person, I imagine he has the best idea how dangerous it could be."
"No, he does not."
All heads swung around, some on guard, flames at the ready. While a few were left in confusion, others were in shock. Six small whirlwinds of fire had materialized not far from their position, gradually condensing until humanoids began to form within. Only when elderly features and aged cloaks became visible did the fire elementals among the gang, minus Finn and Aecus, suddenly bow in respect. Though confused, those who had no idea what was going on did the same. The two emissaries took a step forward, amazed to see them of all people.
"Adrian, what are you all doing here?" Finn asked, stunning those behind him with his casualness. The Sage of Power seemed unfazed by the tone, his expression, like the other five, displaying an urgency that dismissed any need of formality.
"This has become an issue well above the sanctity of a mere kingdom." At this, Phoebe, Weis, and Aecus grew concerned, the former two standing back up and moving to join the latter on either side.
"What do you mean?" FP inquired, stopping beside Finn.
"Zeus and his cohorts have awakened something they shouldn't have. Something that will give them the power to carry out their goals, even with just the three of them remaining," Lesser explained, his face clearly betraying his irritation to the Olympian's plot. Aecus chose the moment for elaboration.
"But what, exactly?" Adrian glanced at the flame human among them.
"Finn, you recall your conflict with Darren, who sought to demolish the Candy Kingdom?" Although surprised to be called out, the young man nodded, remembering the battle well. "He was not the only ancient slumbering beneath the surface. Not long after the formation of the land that would become the Fire Kingdom, the landscape's unnatural volcanic presence attracted the likes of another being of great elemental might. This entity tunneled a subterranean path to the planet's core thanks to its journey, which in turn became the land's lifeline to sustained flows of fresh magma."
Discreetly, Bonnie had begun taking notes.
"Once it arrived, the titan had become weary, choosing to fall into slumber within the land, warmed by the elemental magic that had begun to seep within. It was this unknown source of magmatic power that gave birth to the first fire elementals." Adrian looked everyone in the eye. "That is what Zeus has unleashed now, and the reason he gathered fire elementals with unique abilities that could allow him to rein in the ancient to his will." At this, Flame Princess considered her own unwilling part in the Olympian plan.
"But why involve me? I understand I have more power than the average elemental, but what made him seek me out?" Syla chose to take over, the Sage of Passion lifting a hand to point to the monarch, epitomizing her position.
"You are not just a fire elemental, Phoebe, you are the Fire Elemental, one of four reincarnating entities that keep the earth's arcane elements in balance." FP's breath hitched, nearly stumbling before Finn laid a gentle hand on her back. "That is why your flames hold the spark of life, which Zeus used to create his army, why he designated you as Hera, a goddess of birth. The Fire Elemental who stood at the emergence of our kind was believed to be the one who coaxed the ancient to its sleep, who led the path forward for people of fire. It was this misguided lore that convinced Zeus to target you, a trump card, should Aphrodite be unable to bend the titan to her will." With the history lesson nearing its end, Bonnie chose to interject.
"But Aphrodite is gone, and Phoebe is safely with us. How could the Olympians possibly hope to control the ancient now?" Triab folded his arms, in deep thought.
"They awoke it despite knowing these facts, meaning there remains a method, one they were likely not wishing to implement; a sacrificial play, perhaps." The daunting idea flood the minds of everyone, leading to an uncomfortable silence until Adrian took the helm once more.
"We refuse to interfere with matters of factions or natural disaster, but this has become a matter of global-level extinction we cannot ignore." He set his sights on the three strongest elementals before him. "Phoebe, Finn, Aecus, you and your allies are all that stands between Zeus and the despicable 'cleansing' of our world. We will assist in any way we can, but the battle at large falls on your shoulders."
And with that massive burden dropped on them, the gathered forces now had much to discuss.
Poseidon groaned as he attempted to pull himself out of the crater he'd left an impression in, his skin dimmer than usual and body shaking from exhaustion. Bits of his rock portions were blown off or cracked, the Olympian feeling he might crumble at any moment. A flash and shriek of thunder drew his attention to his left, his elder brother materializing to catch his breath. Zeus was panting heavily, legs wobbling dangerously as his remaining arm gathered stray ions to fire another blast of plasma at their prey. The other limb had been destroyed up to his elbow, an event that still had the leader cursing to himself for being reckless.
The two brothers stared up at the ancient as it pulled itself towards them, eyes now set in venomous slits that promised death once it got its hands on them. Zeus and Poseidon looked ready to collapse, gritting their teeth at they managed to step up once last time, hoping to gamble for the time they still needed. All this proved unnecessary as Hades suddenly walked between them, startling the two. Not only from his sudden presence, but from the demonic runes now etched all over his body. The middle brother held a resolute expression as he stared up at the magma ancient, who considered the newly arrived Olympian for only a moment before raising a colossal arm to crush the trio instantly.
"Throw me," Hades simply stated. Zeus and Poseidon exchanged looks, before the latter reached out to grasp nearby lava.
"Are you sure this will work?" the youngest asked, nervous about potentially terminating his own sibling. Hades nodded, shooting his younger brother a reassuring grin.
"The demon already has a grip on my soul, I'm sure it can't resist this one's." Not fully convinced, but respecting his sibling's determination, Poseidon grabbed Hades in his lava before flinging him towards the ancient like a catapult. The magmatic being was unprepared for this, its lumbering arm missing the swat at the airborne Olympian. Hades braced himself as he impacted its chest cavity, immediately becoming absorbed into its body. The creature paused its strike upon the remaining two, eyes widening back to near circles as it sensed something amiss.
Zeus and Poseidon watched the titan shift uncomfortably, before chains of runes began to spread from the spot where their brother had plunged. They coiled around the behemoth's body like rampant vines, binding onto every last limb. The beast's moan echoed throughout the sky, as its form finally began to fall forward. The two Olympians backed off with what little strength they had remaining, making sure they weren't crushed. At the last moment however, the ancient's gigantic arms caught itself, rumbling the earth below as its head hung freely, nearly touching the ground.
The two waited, barely breathing as they waited for another response. They didn't have to for long, as the titan's head suddenly raised to look upon them again. Both were taken aback by how empty and dark its eyes now were, as if not even looking directly at them, but past into some unknown void. Attention was drawn to the beast's hardened backside, upon which Zeus and Poseidon witnessed a buildup of rock breaking out on the otherwise featureless cluster of volcanoes.
An arm, followed by another, then the second, burst through the mound, clawing the rest of its form out until at last emerging on its feet, still covered in those sickening runes. Hades took a moment on his knee, before standing tall upon his capture's back, several chains of demonic fire connecting him to the colossal being. His eyes found his brothers down below, at which point he flashed them a victorious smile.
"The primordial is ours!"
Dang, not even two weeks since I last updated something, I am on fire! This turned out slightly longer than what I expected, so there's another small victory there. Still hard to believe we're near the end.
Gamelover41592: Sweet, nailed it!
Major144: I'm so happy this chapter in particular went well, thank you!
The Book of Eli: Of juice they are low on, for sure, but not KOed!
TheWeirdPotato: As usual, your enthusiasm is well received! Bur really, it's also a matter of available time and inspiration.
Jormungandr1994: Yes, it has. I'm hoping my newly-found rush of enthusiasm will last through these final seven chapters.
Vargouille: Oh wow, that's chilling! I approve!
Guest: By all means, I would really appreciate it. It was mostly a test to see if I could write the characters correctly, but I seem to have gotten positive results.
J the Abarekiller: I have no qualms with that.
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!
next: Chapter 44: Contract of Apocalypse