Children of Destiny

Hi guys! Looks like Pythor will finally get in the limelight! But that's not all! I'm gonna try to shed some light on his own thoughts, a deeper look on how heroes behave compared to how they're seen, and potential hints on how this story will end. I'm really thankful you readers are still putting up with me & I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 64: Confess or Starve

"NINJA-GO!"

Ten tornadoes spun around Pythor and not even his invisibility can save him from their wrath. Alex and Amy sensed the vibrations and air currents to find him and knocked him down but the purple snake was able to take them down with him by striking their legs with his long tail.

Liana entered her 'full potential mode' to freeze the Anacondrai but he managed to break free from his icy prison with a fraction of the power the Overlord bestowed him and the rest of the Serpentine leaders until their demise. This gave the ninjas a small clue of what they'll be pitted against in the all-too-near future. They weren't going to fool around with him

"Just because we have our full potential doesn't mean we can kill him so easily. Don't hold back until he's weak." Chris led his comrades.

The new generation used everything in their power to stop Pythor but this wasn't his first time fighting a bunch of young humans with elemental powers. He turned invisible again but the girl in purple used a tidal wave to find his silhouette within the torrent. Then the ninja in blue sent a bolt of lightning in his direction while he was still wet, making the thousand volts of electricity even more excruciating.

The ninjas can tell Pythor was holding himself back because he had the potential to mutate into a large grotesque being like the other Serpentine had done but he never did. This didn't exactly bode well for them but just because he wasn't using his full potential doesn't mean they won't. The humans used their full potential to give the Anacondrai a beat down he'll never forget.

Pythor suffered through furious infernos, howling snowstorms, raging earthquakes and a whole lot more than anyone can handle or even survive. He hated to admit it but it was too much for him to handle.

Pythor was finally subdued but he was too important to kill… for the moment…

The ninjas coldly stared down their enemy, figuring out what to do with him.

"Go on… finish me… This is what you want, is it not…?" Pythor sneered despite his injuries.

The ninja and kunoichi were tempted to get another face off their hit list but this could be what their enemies would want and no matter how much they wanted to get rid of him, they didn't want to give them that satisfaction. But that didn't mean they'll go easy on him.

"We're not on the same level as you." Akira said coldly.

"Kill me… I know you have it in you…" The purple snake continued to provoke the humans.

"Just because we have the potential doesn't mean we will."

With his severely weakened body, Pythor couldn't stay awake long enough to hear more of the ninjas' ramblings and before he knew it, his consciousness left him…

Pythor didn't know how long he was out but he eventually awoke to find himself in a tiny room.

The room was barren save for a small cot and there were no windows save for one small round windowpane at the door. The style of the small chamber was familiar to the Anacondrai. It was very similar to the structures in the first generation's ship when he briefly ventured in there to get the now-lost Fang Blades.

Pythor can already hear footsteps approaching his new prison and the door opened and just as he suspected, his captors were the young ninjas. How humiliating…

"Release me this instant!" Pythor howled, hating being a prisoner more than anything.

"Then tell us where your master's hiding!" Leon glowered at him.

'Just as I thought…' The humanoid creature expected some sort of ultimatum from the humans who just want to have everything for themselves.

The ninjas were aware of how deceitful he can be

"Tell us what the Overlord is up to!" Chris kicked the door to intimidate his captive.

"Why should I tell you?" The Serpentine asked defiantly, "Even if I do, you're just going to keep me locked away in here until the end of my days."

"We're keeping you here until you reveal what the Overlord is doing and after that, maybe we'll let you leave…" Kyle interrogated the Anacondrai.

"And then what? Try to kill me like your precious teacher had done?"

"We'll see…" Leon uttered darkly.

The receding echoes of human footsteps told Pythor that they were serious in keeping him here as long as he stays silent about his master.

It felt a little strange keeping Pythor within their vicinity but the new generation remembered the tales Lloyd told them of how much his personality befitted his species. It would be too risky to let him off easy and he could hold vital information in finding a way to get rid of the Overlord for good. The thing is he was far from sincere or cooperative. It's been days since they captured Pythor but he still refused to give anything away, even if he was starving. The ninja and kunoichi would've let him die if it weren't for the information they'll need from him.

But every once in a while, the ninjas checked on Pythor to make sure he wasn't trying anything.

Today was Forrest's turn as he went down to the small chamber only to find it empty…

…Or so his prisoner wants him to believe…

"Don't even think about it!" The teal ninja barked, forcing the lanky Anacondrai to make himself visible again.

"I could be of help… only if you release me." Pythor tried persuading the human into unlocking the door between him and freedom.

"I'm not falling for that one." The tall ninja interrupted and threw a small piece of bread crust at him through the window before briskly walking away.

As part of the ninjas' interrogation, the humans fed their Serpentine prisoner barely enough of their leftovers to keep him alive, claiming they'll give him some real food only after he spills. He hated to admit it but the original ninjas seemed smart enough to teach their children what they learned through their experiences with him.

But another thing that astonished Pythor was that the Overlord could've sensed his failure yet didn't kill him off like the other Serpentine.

Perhaps he had something else planned outside his own knowledge…

'Seems like he truly earned his moniker as the true dark lord…' He thought darkly.

Even if he still lusted for vengeance, the cycle of revenge has become more than a little tiring. He still wanted Iris for his mate but knowing Lloyd, he'd have his head blown off again and that was something he wasn't too keen on reliving. The other Serpentine leaders have already paid the price for repeating their actions from their first lives and Pythor was starting to find it all so repetitive and even downright boring.

And is being stuck in the cycle of vengeance really worth it?

The Anacondrai was quickly exhausted no thanks to hunger and called it a night. He had some more time to think about it tomorrow…

The wielders of ice and fire spent their evening relaxing in each other's arms. Liana relished the sensation of being in the arms of someone she now knew she loved. Befitting his element, Akira had a warm aura that always brought comfort but that same warmth can become a maelstrom of burning fury if provoked. The kunoichi of ice always melted in his embrace but the warmth of their love only filled her with determination rather than weaken her like real ice.

But Liana's mind was bothered by her title as a kunoichi with her recent actions and it showed in her deep sighs.

"Liana? Is there something on your mind?" Akira noticed his lover's melancholy attitude.

"You wouldn't think I'm going crazy would you?" Liana answered with another question.

"I've seen plenty of crazier shit. Nothing you'll say could ever top those." Her hot-blooded lover reassured her.

"I don't want to sound like I'm taking the enemies' side but I feel like we're no better than the Overlord. We're basically keeping a living being hostage. It's not befitting for us as ninjas." She finally admitted.

For once, Akira didn't know what to say to alleviate Liana's concerns.

"I understand what you're getting at but… but we're not perfect heroes. No one is."

"I see…"

"I also thought that being a hero meant doing the right thing all the time but as we all know, it's not that simple. It's one of those things Sensei Lloyd often taught us back in the day."

"I remember… He didn't always look so happy whenever he spoke of the things he had done."

"Yeah. I was just thinking he was being a stick in the mud but now I understand why he always said that being a hero isn't as glorious as the stories we read want us to believe."

"But other than Pythor, do you think we're doing the right thing for our families as well?"

"Our parents can take care of themselves. My biggest concern is Pythor withholding important information that could give us a clue to what the Overlord has in store for us and our families. They're the ones he's after so the sooner we get him to talk, the better."

"I guess so…"

…

"Akira?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think will happen to us after this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure what I want to do outside of my life as a kunoichi. You're the only ones who never made fun of me for being different and I fear people will laugh at me again."

"There could be other people out there who at least won't mind your interests. You just have to dig a little deeper."

"But it's not just that. I still don't have a clear decision of what I want to do after this."

"How about the things you like? You could choose a career involving machines or animals if you like. I won't judge you for doing something you truly enjoy. If anything, I'll probably be the one having a harder time figuring out my future."

"But now that we're together, we could help each other find our life's calling…"

"You think so?"

"Kyllä. We're all connected through all our experiences and adventures and if any one of us is in need of help, we'll have each other's backs, right?"

"Yeah…"

Their lips met in a chaste yet loving kiss that brought comfort to one another.

The end was nigh but at least they had each other.

Several more days passed but Pythor still wouldn't talk even if it meant living off of nothing but a few bits of crappy leftovers. With what they know of the Anacondrai's history, the ninjas were surprised at how stubborn the lanky snake can get. They expected him to cave in within a few days but he still kept up his charade.

"If Pythor still doesn't want to reveal anything, we're gonna have to go to drastic measures…" Leon said darkly.

"And what exactly do you have in mind?" Forrest looked to the green ninja for answers.

"Simple. We're not gonna feed him anymore." The young hero answered like it was nothing.

"But what if he ends up starving to death? That might be what he wants." Melody objected.

"If he still says silent by then, we'll have to force it out of him?"

"You mean like…"

"Yup."

The ninjas were hesitant on taking such extreme measures but even heroes have to take drastic measures if the situation calls for it. They weren't exactly proud of what they were going to do yet they knew this may be for the greater good…

Things got more intense for Pythor since the ninjas almost stopped feeding him altogether. He only got a chance to eat leftovers every few days but he was used to not eating much after such a long time being sealed alone after his tribesmen turned on each other. But it was never really pleasant to feel so empty all the time.

Finally, the ninjas came after six days to bribe him again with promises of a meal.

"Are you gonna talk or what?" Chris glared at him.

"What do you know about Grandpa?" Leon asked, sounding more than a little desperate.

"Not even I know exactly why he wanted to join us but what I do know that it's because of him that the Overlord undid the infusion inflicted on my would-be queen."

"So he was the one who freed them…" Alex whispered to herself but Pythor heard her.

"Yes. It was him, no, that ultimatum you should be thanking for your so-called victory."

"And what of the Overlord?"

"All I will say is that his base makes this ship very… primitive…"

Looks like Misako's theory of the Overlord having advanced technology does have merit…

"What else do you know of his plans?" Forrest asked but Pythor was in no mood to reveal more than he already did.

"What more do you know? Tell us!" Leon demanded.

"I agree it's been a lovely chat but I would like to resume getting accustomed to a life in such a backwater facility."

"You've been here for days. Just give it up, Pythor." Akira said sternly.

But the Anacondrai was no longer cooperative. The snake curled up on his cot and blocked out whatever words or insults the more temperamental humans threw at him.

"Guys, it's no use. We should be lucky he said anything at all today." Melody shook her head at her comrades' impatience with their captive.

"But he's- " Kyle tried to speak up but was interrupted.

"He gave us some info on the Overlord's fortress and we'll try to work with that for now." Liana goaded the ninjas to take a more practical approach with what they've got.

The humans would've simply left the humanoid snake if not for their ultimatum.

"Don't think about going back on your promise. You said I can speak in exchange for some real food." Pythor snapped, growing desperate with hunger.

The ninjas were reluctant but they didn't want to stoop so low and relented by giving the lanky snake a sandwich he downed in seconds.

"This is your only chance," Amy said sternly, "We'll go back to barely keeping you alive until you reveal more and perhaps we can give you something more palatable."

After the ninjas finally left, the nagging feelings in the back of Pythor's mind resurfaced.

He had disobeyed his master yet the dark lord hadn't done anything to him and he and all of his surviving servants knew he doesn't take even the slightest hint of insubordination very well.

Something was up and it wasn't something even Pythor would want to know…

As an allusion to Pythor's fate in canon, he MIGHT not end up like the other Serpentine but I'd like to know what you think. I understand if you find this chapter lackluster but I've been busy with real life stuff & a V-Day oneshot. That & I HATE the newest season that I think should be renamed Wangst-bound (but DO NOT put spoilers in the review) so expect a vent coming soon. I honestly feel like I'm only here to complete this fic but your support keeps me going. As always, tell me what you think & please review.