Authors Notes: Sup everyone me here with some more part 2 of the trilogy. And thus we continue the search for the map.
Chapter 10: Map Piece One: Welcome to the Fire Kingdom! Population: You, Me, Them, and King!
One must lose their sense of sight in order to truly see what is ahead. DubbleDuelSword...I think.
Our heros travel across the kingdom of flames heading towards the multi volcano castle.
"So what's the king like anyway?" Adam asked.
"Very, very, annoying." Seraphina retorted.
"Yeah, he kinda hates my guts."
"Why's that?"
"Well I think it's because I'm his daughters boyfriend, I'm the greatest hero of Ooo, and that I'm not in any way, shape, or form of royal blood."
"Hmm, I can work with this."
They soon approached the castle doors that were guarded ash-black fire guards.
"Halt!" The first flame guard shouted. "State your name and business!"
Seraphina had moved in-front of the group. "Do you guys even know who I am?" She politely asked.
"Aah, no. We're new here."
"Well then," Basilisx then presented himself to the two guards "I guess I should be the one to teach you what to do when an intruder breaks in." His hands then lit up with blue electricity as his face turned from calm to intensity. A second later the castle doors blew open leaving blue sparks among the edges of where the door once stood. "Sup fire gambits! Now, where the hell is your king?"
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?" The booming voice echoed on through the heros and into the outside of the flame castle.
"Adam says, the kings that way." Adam pointed straight ahead as began walking down the long path towards the throne.
"Someone sounds angry." Finn chimed making Seraphina giggle a little. "So how are we going to explain this to Flame King?"
"Relax guys, let me take care of this. I got a way with talking to royal types."
Finn leaned towards Basilisx feeling a little nervous. "Does he?" Basilisx simply shrugged his shoulders as he continued to walk towards the throne, Finn on the other hand didn't seem so great."
"Daughter, what is the meaning of this and- oh. I see you are still with that boy and who are these people?!"
"Dad will you just-" she was interrupted by Adam who raised his hand to stop her speaking as he walk towards the center of the room.
"Good marrow your highness, lovely weather is it not?" If there was ever a good time for a group face-palm now would be a great time. "Please excuse my brother's entrance he tends to get carried away from time to time. Ahem, my name is Adam, the mage, and this is my brother Ba-I mean Prince Basilisx and his girlfriend Princess Rosa."
"Wait a prince and a princess? Then why are you doing here and not in your kingdoms? Speak!"
"Yes well, as you may or may not know a recent genocide of royal has happened within these few months. During this time we have been in a different area, completely unaware of the situation. We would discover this when we found our mother dead... WHY DID SHE HAVE TO DIE!? I COULD HAVE SAVED HER! But my brother was like "We wouldn't have been able to do anything, if she was killed then we would have been killed."." He sounded like a dull grown man when he imitated his brother's voice which only made his brother sigh. "I COULD HAVE SAVED HER BUT NO, DEAD VAMPIRE MOTHER!" Adam fell to the floor and pretended to wail and added to this crying act by forcing himself to cry.
"WHAT!?" He shouted but soon hushed his voice to a whisper. "A massive killing of royalty but how can this be? Maybe what that hooded man said is true. But how can he have been able, let alone be capable, to do such an act?"
"Hey, Igneous," Benjamin stepped forward, with his hood covering his face, walking over Adam as he presented himself to the king. "what hooded person do you talk about?"
"YOU! YOU WERE THAT VERY SAME BEGGAR THAT CAME TO MY THRONE MONTHS AGO! GUARDS-"
"Relax hot-head" Benjamin removed his hood revealing his red hair and shaggy beard "it's only I."
"Benjamin..."
"Dad, you know him?"
"Yes, I do. Tell me Benjamin, why have you come back here after these many years?"
"It's too much of a long story to talk about. The important thing is, where's Firadagra?"
"Firadagra? It's been a while since I heard that name."
Finn leaned in close to Benjamin "Who's Firadagra?"
"He's an old fire wizard that helped create the fire kingdom. He's quite powerful and if anything he should know where the map piece is. So Igneous, you know where he is?"
"If anything he should be in the voltaic lands. At least that is where I last saw the old wizard."
"Well you kiddies, you heard the old elemental, off to the voltaic lands!"
"Are you not going with them?"
"Nah, they can manage on their own. Besides, I that we could over a little game of cards."
"And what game would this be?"
"Ace's Pace."
...
"Ah, so they're in the fire kingdom. This should be very well for me to eliminate them." A deep, evil voice said.
"Relax, currently you need to work on the tower. I'll just send the others to go after them."
"And why don't you go, that new sword of yours could easily do them in."
"It could but I'd rather not. Besides, along with giving me this sword he's requested something of me."
"And what would that be?"
"...Raise hell..."
...
Our heros entered the land known as the voltaic lands, an area covered in a sea of thick lava with that would render even the most massive fire golems immobile with the only land being tiny isles of volcanic geysers.
"So," said Finn "where exactly is this wizard guy?"
"Heck if I should know," Adam responded "heck if I should know."
"Hey guys" Seraphina shouted "you see that, that formation of rocks? I think there's a guy over there."
"Hey I think I see a guy too. Let's go check it out."
They continued to jump isle to isle until arriving at a circular rock platform. Around the circular piece of land were smaller pieces of land capable of hold a person or two.
"So where's this wizard guy anyway?" Adam asked.
"This wizard might be closer than you think. Hehehe." The voice sounded quite old yet average for an adult man much like a wise old man.
"Hey old man show yourself!"
"Look above, young spell-caster." The gang looked up seeing a man, clad in a red robe with black flames as well as the man having his hood on, descending down to ground and being encircled by the group. "Well now youngsters what brings you all out to this part of the kingdom of blaze?"
"Are you Firadagra?"
"Hmm," the old man removed his hood, revealing his red face as well as a five o' clock shadow of blue as well as the loosened strands of blue hair that dropped in front of his face, and examined the young princess making her feel quite uncomfortable "ah yes." The only thing that could really make this more uncomfortable is if he were to say that he was her father. "My, my, you have indeed grown since the last time I saw you. Last time I saw you but a little baby and now look at ya, grown into a beautiful young woman."
Seraphina couldn't help but blush, this guys known her ever since she was a baby. The old wizard walked over to Finn, having summoned a cane made of obsidian to aid in his walking, as he examined the young hero.
"And who might you be? I can tell that your species is quite rare as are you three." He said as he pointed his cane at Adam, Basilisx, and Rosa without taking his eyes off of Finn.
"Umm, that's because we're human."
"Human you say?! Then you, my bear-hat child, must be the Finn the human that Igneous as spoke of. Hmm, you do not seem like a "low-down womanizer prince" as Igneous as said. No, you seem like a nice, upstanding young man who knows how to treat a lady. I'd see why Seraphina would like you so much. But tell me something, do you have blonde hair and is that the Valor you carry on your back?"
"Yes."
"Then it is just as I have expected, you are Adan's son."
"You know my dad?!"
"Indeed I do, as well as your mother. But we can discuss that at a later day you've come in search for the pieces of the galactic map, have you not?"
"Yeah. How'd you know that?"
"Because, I sensed the compass' cosmic ascents I mean I did help him create the compass."
"So where's the map piece? The compass says it's here!"
"Yes, well I actually can't allow you to enter the area to the map."
"Why not?"
"Well, you see the guardian of the map has changed. In these recent months her powers have become weaker and now has become a raging beast. Not even my powers can stop it, I mean I'm only an old man."
"Don't sell yourself short gramps." Adam mumbled under his breath.
"Why don't you just let us get the map instead?"
"You are not ready for such a thing. Last time I entered the cavern I ran into the beast five times. At least I think that was her."
"What do you mean? We're more than ready to get that map!"
"Very well then" the wizard then took out a red orb from within his sleeves "if you can snatch this orb from me I will allow you to enter."
"Really? That'll be easy."
Finn attempted to grab the orb but was pushed back by a sudden wave of hot heat.
"What's a matter? I never said it would be easy."
...
Within the inner sanctum of the fire palace Igneous and Ben stared each other down as one tossed down a card and the other picked up on from the deck, eventually repeating the previous action. The game was Ace's Pace; the objective is to be the first to collect all five aces, a clover, spade, diamond, heart, and star.
"So Igneous," Ben threw down a ten clover with the picture of the king's late jester "you've sent guards, threats, and even yourself to try and break up Seraphina and Finn, yet it has all failed."
"I still do not see what she sees in that boy!" He then picked up the ten and threw down a five of diamonds with a picture of a baby flambo.
"Well perhaps it's in the eyes of the beholder, Igneous. You know these hallow-cards tell a lot about a person." He drew his card and played a two clover with the picture of the king's nephew, Torcho. "You know a fortune-teller thought me this game. She said that playing cards is much like life, it's unpredictable." The king then drew a card and tossed down a six of spades with a picture of Jake's face. "You can choose your own path for the way you play but you can't choose for another. Much like how you decided that your daughter should marry one of royal blood. But you can't, she must choose who she decides to love. Much like how you choose what card to play." He drew his card from the deck and played a seven of diamonds with a picture of a fire elemental playing a guitar. "We chose the way we play much like the way we live." The king then played a five of hearts with a picture of a fire golem. "You see the way we chose to live" Ben drew a card from the deck and automatically threw it down revealing a king of stars with a picture of Igneous himself "determines the outcome of the game." Benjamin revealed his hand showing all five aces in his hand.
"You cheated!"
"Ah, but I didn't. I actually had all five aces this entire time just look at the cards."
Igneous drew a card from the deck and was baffled seeing that it was completely blank. "What did you do to this card?"
"Nothing. I told you that a fortune-teller thought me this game. She also gave me these cards before...her final play."
Igneous continued to draw cards from the deck, they were not blank but they were something that dumbfounded him. The first card he drew was an ace of hearts with a picture of his daughter, the second being an ace of diamonds with a picture of Finn with his former demon blooded blade sheathed to his side, and the third card was an ace of spades yet the picture showed a young half-breed fire elemental; with long hair of fire and a joyful smile not to mention the skin compared to one of a human.
"You no need to show me your hand, Igneous. They are all kings, are they not?"
"They are."
Benjamin gave him a warm smile as he drew three cards from the deck and placed them on the table they played. One being a picture of some random human of no one in particular, one being of a black wolf howling at the full moon behind it, and the last being a vampire. Each one being an ace.
"Like I've said before "these hallow-cards tell a lot about a person." I want to know more about you, Igneous."
...
"Hehehe. Try harder, peoples."
Finn ran at the red skinned wizard who leaped into the air and jumped off Finn's head making the boy fall over on the ground from the unexpected weight.
"Who want's to try next?"
"Man," Finn sat back up on his bottom "it's like he knows what we're going to do when we attack as a group and can just out-predict us."
"Mell hph yoph thingf I fmel?" Basilisx was face first into the sea of think lava thanks to one of his brother's "genius" plan, nice right?
"I got it." Adam threw himself up on his feet as he walked towards the old fire wizard. "I'll take you on myself."
"You really think that a fellow wizard like your self get this orb."
"Read my lips old man...I...AM...NOT...A...WIZARD!"
"Somphf one flew a fuss."
"If you are not a wizard then what are you?"
Adam leaped at the wizard, lighting his hands with blue fire, and unleashed a fury of punches at the elderly man. Uppercut, jab, side punch, double fist, each move became more aggressive making the wizard stay on the defensive. unaware of any trick Adam my have. Firadagra felt a hand on the orb but was unable to react for he tripped over something and was punched square in the face.
"I'm a mage. Not some old wizard."
Dirt and soot covered the man as he rolled back up to his feet. He wiped the soot from his face seeing two ghostly figures of Adam quickly slide back into him, with one carrying the orb now in the real Adam's possession.
"Ah I see what you did there, the old Ghost Clone spell. You truly are a powerful mag-guy. Tell me something, have you yet to awaken your Wizard Eye's?"
"If you're saying that my eyes are old then, no."
"Hmm, I see. Then allow me to help."
"What do you mean-" The orb began to blow brighter and brighter soon becoming an intense white light becoming ever so bright until bursting into an intense light nearly blinding everyone. "Yaaaaaaah!" The light faded revealing Adam screaming in agony with his hands covering his eyes, as blood seeped out through his fingers and down h the palms. "What the hell you do to me!?"
Finn, Seraphina, and Rosa rushed to his side to aid him, his own brother would as well but you know...stuck at the moment.
"I didn't realize that it would hurt that bad, please forgive me."
"Yeah I'll forgive you...right after I smash you face in!"
Adam moved his friends out-of-the-way and began throwing punches, kicks, blood, and magic wildly. His eyes ,bloody yet still intact, his black eyes became as white as the driven snow along with the pupal now becoming a hazy light-blue color, easily mistaken as white. "Where are you old man!? Face me so I can kill you!"
"Relax, there's no need for such violence."
"No need?" Rosa said. "You just blinded him!"
"Temporarily, my ninja child. I did not realize that the magic in his eyes were yet to be fully grown, hence the temporary blindness. But do not fear I have a solution to this." The wizard snapped his fingers making fiery bandage wraps appear on Adam to cover his eyes, they didn't burn. "I've placed some healing wraps on you to reduce the bleeding. Your eyes should be fully healed in a few hours." Firadagra turned his back to the heros and aimed his attention out towards the sea of lava. He closed his eyes and brought his hands together a second later and his hands blazed an intense blue fire along with his eyes opening now being a fiery purple. He shot his hands forward and slowly began to raise them as they trembled with great force. From the distance a massive black volcano began to rise up as lava flowed off it. Along with said volcano, a stretching stair-path to the volcano rose up bringing Basilisx along with it. The stair-path stretched up from the base of the land they were on to the top of the volcano. "Well there you go."
"Wait" Finn said "you want us to enter that volcano with our friend who is temporarily blind!?"
"It wasn't my idea to ask where the map piece was now was it?"
"I- uh..."
"Good luck to ya!"
"No wait-"
The wizard back-flipped off the land and into the lava and was instantly dissolved into it, leaving no trace.
"Great."
Well that's it for now my fine peoples. I was going to make this longer but I also need to work on a special for Interview Time! *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*As well as my crossovers, and yes that means the next Legend of Zelda and long-awaited Kingdom Hearts one... and Dimensional Crossings. So I'll see you fine peoples at some other time! Oh, and have a nice Thanksgiving!
L-ater