“None taken. The level at which you’ve progressed today is impressive. I have to commend you for that, even though I’m not a fan of the demeaning way you’re addressing me. But that is irrelevant. If Chase thinks you can be of use to defeat your own people, then I’ll abide by his decision and gladly suffer your peculiar personality.”
Argos snorted. “I don’t need your congratulations, tin can. But your assistance in helping me train is . . . appreciated.”
Chase couldn’t help but smile inside. It must have been so difficult for someone as arrogant and proud as Argos to say such things. It would take some time getting used to the new Argos, but it felt good to see he had more emotions other than rage and hatred.
“Chase?” Argos asked. “If you could please come and trade a few blows with me, I’d appreciate it. I need a change of pace.”
“Coming,” said Chase.
A second later he had teleported inside the arena between Gaia and Argos.
“Thank you, Gaia, I’ll take it from here.”
“You’re welcome, Chase. I’ll recharge. I’m almost out of juice.”
When she left the arena and the doors sealed them both inside, Chase looked at his brother.
“Whenever you’re ready. But I must warn you, you’re not really ready for this. In time, perhaps, and I’m actually looking forward to having a sparring partner on the same level, but it might be best if I take it easy on you for the time being.”
“No fucking way!”
“Easy, Argos.”
“Look, I understand there’s a huge gap in power between us now. And it makes sense not to knock me out immediately, I realize that. But please, just this once, don’t hold back. I want to know what power I can achieve if I work hard enough.”
“Fair enough. Ready when you are.”
Argos brought all his energy to bear. His crimson aura tripled and lightning sizzled all around him. His eyes flashed red and his long gray hair, shining with red hues from his aura, floated atop his head. Chase could feel his brother’s internal power grow, much more than when he was fighting Gaia. No doubt he wanted to make an impression and Chase had to commend him for the effort.
Argos launched himself at Chase as fast as he could, and fast he was. A human would probably not be able to see him move. But to Chase that was still barely more than slow motion, and when Argos unleashed a powerful right jab at him, he was already gone. Argos was surprised to find nothing but air and no one in sight at the end of his fist.
When Argos turned around, Chase was already in midair, executing a flying kick that hit Argos square in the jaw and sent him flying into the arena’s shield. Argos struck the shields with his feet and launched himself back at Chase, feinted a kick, but almost immediately switched for a point-blank fireball to Chase’s torso. Chase let it explode without moving away or trying to dodge, but it didn’t seem to hurt him at all.
Argos flew upwards and unleashed a series of widely spread fireballs. Since Chase moved so fast, Argos spread them wider than he usually would.
What happened next, Argos simply couldn’t believe. Each and every one of the fireballs he had shot towards Chase was on its way back. Chase was teleporting in front of each and sending it back with a flick of his hand. Some he kicked back, and the last one, probably to show off, was returned to Argos by the flick of Chase’s middle finger.
Argos deflected most of his own fireballs, but the last one came at him so fast he only partially dodged it and was hit on the shoulder. Smoke rose from the impact. His flesh burned, with melted fabric from his dark clothes embedded in the wound. He felt pain throughout his body, but it was his pride that bore the most pain. Chase had become ten times the warrior Argos had ever been in such a short time. Why was that?
“You want to know why?” said Chase.
“What? Are you hearing my thoughts?”
“Kind of. Just like you seemed to read me very well during our previous encounters, I’m feeling your emotions right this moment. You’re kind of broadcasting them all over the place. I have to make a conscious effort to block them out. Though, right now, I’m interested in what you feel.”
“I see. Then why?”
“Simple. I’m not using hatred, revenge or spite as my fuel anymore. I use love. Love for this universe, for all life really. Sure, I’m still angry at times, and it can be a good thing if channeled properly, but it’s also a very slippery slope. I know. I’ve been there and almost killed you because of it.”
“I remember. Your hatred gave you unimaginable strength. I had never felt anything like it. But now you’re telling me it’s a bad thing. I find these signals confusing.”
“I did too for a time. You see, my rage triggered access to that power, but I was losing part of myself in the process. I was becoming a fighting machine. I can now access this power, and then some, just by willing it, except now it doesn’t fill my entire being with a negative flow of emotions. I no longer consume my soul by using my powers.”
Argos stayed silent.
“You should try it, Argos. Hatred will not make you stronger long term. It might drive you, and for a short time give you a power fix, but in the long run it will consume all that you are. I think you’re ready to understand that, and if you’re willing to change your nature, then I can train you to reverse the damage you’ve already done to your soul.”
“Why would you do that? You don’t owe me anything. I made your life a living hell and wished you dead many times. Sure, you need my help to save your son, but we both know you would have found another way if push came to shove.”
“Part of you wished me dead, but part of you—the part you may not be able to acknowledge just yet, buried deep inside your psyche—still recognizes me as your brother. And killing a member of your family is like killing a part of yourself. No matter how we justify it to ourselves, letting our ego whisper lies in our ears in self-deception, this fact doesn’t change.
“I’ve been there. At one point all I wanted was to rid the universe of the scourge that you were. But today I recognize that you’re not beyond redemption. You helped me come back to life, and I hope you’ll realize that it’s not too late to become a force for good in this world. I could use you on the battlefield by my side.”
The beginning of a tear formed at the corner of Argos’ eye, which he promptly swiped away. He was not comfortable with such displays of emotions.
“I think we’ve trained enough for one day,” said Chase. “You need to rest.”
“No.”
“Argos, you can barely stand anymore.”
Argos healed himself once more. He had very little energy left and Chase could feel it. Argos took a feeble defensive stance.
“I’m still standing, so give me all you’ve got.”
Before Argos could see him coming, Chase was upon him and unleashed a very controlled combo of punches at a speed defying imagination. It all happened in under a fraction of a second. Argos’ pain receptors lagged behind. Bones cracked inside his body, the pain like nothing he had experienced ever before. For the briefest instant, he thought he might actually die. But then he understood what Chase had done. He had made sure to wound him in a way that this fight would be over, so he’d rest as he had suggested.
“Told you. We fought enough for one day,” said Chase.
By miracle, Argos was still standing. He smiled faintly at Chase and then took a step back as more blood oozed out of his wounds from the previous attacks. He hadn’t seen a thing. He felt it after the fact. But Argos knew he never could have avoided any of it, not at his current power level. If Chase had wanted to demonstrate how far beyond he was power-wise, he had perfectly succeeded.
Argos smiled wryly and fell on his back like a wood plank. Before his head could hit the ground he felt a warm energy cradle his fall and delicately lower his body to the ground. Chase stood above him, a palm opened and aiming at his chest. A white fireball cracked to life. It was like a miniature star, so bright that it hurt Argos’
eyes to look at it. Chase shot the ball of energy through Argos’ chest and all the pain was gone while his wounds healed in a few seconds. An immense amount of energy returned into his being all at once.
“Rest now. We have a lot of work to do in the next few days. You and I have plunged this universe into chaos. We have to make things right again. But don’t worry, we’ll train more soon.”
Chase didn’t wait for an answer and teleported away. Argos looked at the ceiling of the training facility, a strange sensation of calm radiating inside him, while reflecting on all that had happened and all that was said today. For the first time in as long as he could remember, Argos allowed himself to cry.
Miseo’s face was distorted by the agonizing pain. His entire being was under pressure from his father’s attack. He couldn’t move and, little by little, he felt his life being siphoned away.
Arakan’s shadowy friend stood next to him, whispering in his ears.
“Goooood. He betrayed you. He deserves it. Now finish him off. You can always make another heir.”
Arakan felt confused. On the one hand, he wanted to stop hurting his son, and on the other he felt compelled to keep inflicting pain on him for his disobedience and utter failure at attacking planet Earth.
“Shut up!” said Arakan, looking away from his son, still trapped in the ray of red energy consuming him.
Miseo had to muster whatever energy he had left to speak. “Who . . . are you . . . talking to? Please . . . stop.”
The shadow caressed Arakan’s arm, as one would a pet.
“Good, good, you can’t let that brat make unsanctioned decisions that affect your entire race. He is weak, unworthy of bearing your name and one day sitting on your throne. He didn’t manage to kill Laiyos and he lied about Argos’ death as well. God knows what other nefarious plans he has in store for you.”
Arakan clenched his teeth with rage. “I said, SHUT UP!” His words echoed loudly around the large throne room.
He dropped the column of energy currently consuming Miseo alive and fired a giant energy attack towards the shadow. It passed through it and incinerated half of the throne room.
Miseo collapsed to the floor, gasping for air, a look of terror in his half-opened eyes.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you hearing voices?” said Miseo, heavily panting.
Arakan locked eyes with his son. “You’re lucky to still be alive, and you’re not in a position to question me.”
“I am, if you’re unfit to rule our people. Have you completely lost your mind?”
Arakan raised an open palm towards Miseo’s face.
“Who’s gonna rule when the time comes?” spat Miseo. “Go ahead, old fool, kill your own son in a fit of rage. Prove me right.”
Arakan’s teeth were grinding. Multiple veins on his face throbbed from the rage boiling inside him.
A black fireball with red lightning sparking all around it formed in his hand. Miseo kept looking at Arakan, defiant to the end. Just when Arakan was about to launch it towards Miseo, three small blue fireballs hit the black one, resulting in an explosion that engulfed the entire throne room.
When the dust settled, neither Miseo nor Arakan had suffered any damage, but Arakan’s attack had been neutralized.
“That’s enough!” said a cold female voice.
A tall, lean Fury warrior walked towards them. Long light-ash colored hair flowed from her neck and up in the air. Her deep shining blue eyes enhanced the coldness of her piercing looks and cold facial traits. Even the air seemed to drop ten degrees around her, her icy, cyan-colored aura probably the reason. Where she walked, small patches of ice formed on the floor.
“Granted, it’s rare lately, but in this instance Miseo is right. Have you lost your mind, Father?”
“Your brother needs to learn how to follow orders. Furies obey their leader or are punished. This has always been how we do things.”
“All the same, Miseo is still your son, as well as my brother. Whatever his mistakes, the punishment seems disproportionate. Have you stopped taking your treatment?”
“Oryn! You promised we wouldn’t talk about this to anyone.”
“And you promised you would take your treatment. If you’re afraid about your son knowing you’re losing your mind, I don’t think you need bother anymore. He’s fully aware of it now.”
Miseo healed his wounds as best he could with the little energy he had left and rose to his feet.
“What the hell are you talking about? Why was I not informed there’s something wrong with father’s health?”
Oryn’s gaze turned to Miseo. “You and I both know you’re too damn ambitious for your own good. If you had learned of this earlier, surely you would have demanded Arakan abdicate his throne so you could sit on it instead. But I have news for you, brother: you’re not ready. Not only is this day far in the future, but, should you try it, I’ll kill you myself.”
“In what universe do you believe you can defeat me in combat?”
Oryn laughed so hard it echoed throughout the throne room. “You’re funny, little brother. At least you make me laugh when you’re not being a complete ass. For years I let you win our sparring sessions, so your damn ego could live another day, hoping that one day you’d be half the man our father is so you may succeed him to the throne if you must. But perhaps I was mistaken in trying to spare your feelings. Maybe you do need to be ridiculed by your own sister. For your own good.”
Miseo’s anger brought him more energy than he thought he still had in him, and his crimson aura burned all around him, casting reddish light on what was left of the throne room.
Oryn shook her head. “On your best day you wouldn’t be able to take me on, but you think you can do that now? After being brought to within one inch of losing your life? I don’t know with what organ you do your thinking, brother, but you clearly aren’t ready to rule our people, let alone rule your own life.”
“You can’t talk to me like this! I’m the heir to the throne!”
“That’s because men are considered superior to women in Fury society, but we both know it shouldn’t be so. Your pride is blinding your judgment.”
“Then fight me, and see who is more deserving,” spat Miseo.
Oryn’s eyes flashed blue and her aura came to life all around her like a magnificent blue aurora borealis. It canceled out any warm hues Miseo’s now pathetic aura had been casting. The room temperature dropped dramatically and ice expanded all around her feet. A patch of ice traveled on the floor in Miseo’s direction. Before he could register what was happening, his feet and half of his ankles were trapped in ice.
“You’d die before this fight began, and if you’re gonna repay my saving your life by trying to defeat me in combat, you ungrateful failure, at least wait until you’re back to full power. I would take no pleasure in killing you like this.”
The ice kept traveling upward, trapping more of Miseo’s legs and soon approaching his genital area.
“Oryn,” said Arakan in a firm but now calm tone, “you made your point.”
“Have I, Father? You need to resume your treatment,” she said, pointing an accusing finger. “And you,” she said, turning towards Miseo, whose only feature not yet trapped in the icy prison was his face, “you think twice about making threats you’re clearly unable to carry out. You’re not a child anymore. You need to grow up and become the warrior we need you to be. Are we clear? Or should I let the ice be your prison for all eternity?”
Miseo’s aura had been extinguished. He could barely speak.
“Let me go.” His voice trembled.
“Did I make myself clear?” repeated Oryn, her tone as glacial as both her demeanor and display of power.
“Yes,” wheezed Miseo.
Oryn raised a closed fist in front of her face and then almost immediately opened it again in a swift motion. The ice prison engulfing Miseo exploded into a million small icicles that spun all around them until they were siphoned back into Oryn through
her eyes. They flashed blue once it was done.
Miseo dropped to his knees.
“Now get out of my sight,” she added.
Miseo complied. When he had left the room, Arakan sat on his throne.
“What were you thinking about, Father? You know it doesn’t take long for you to lose your mind when you go off your meds.”
“I don’t like how they make me feel. I feel powerless, infirm even, when I take them.”
“Would you prefer feeling dead? It’s a miracle you survived Zeus’ wrath. You should never have fought him alone. You’re only alive because Mother, rest her soul, gave her life to give you the means to stay alive, stay in power. She believed in you. Don’t tarnish her memory by acting even more like a child than Miseo does!”
These words hurt Arakan. Mostly because of the mention of his wife. But not for the reasons Oryn would think. Little did she know of what really happened to her mother. Arakan was being consumed by this lie he had fabricated for her. But too much time had passed now. He could never tell her the truth.
“Easy there, Oryn. You may be my daughter, but I’m still the supreme commander of our people.”
“Then act like it. I have news for you, Father. I’ve analyzed the information Timoros’ armor sent back to us via subspace before he died. That Laiyos character, he is no low-rank Fury. In fact, he may be one of the strongest Furies there is.”
“Nonsense! His father was a terrible warrior!”
“And yet his mother was an Olympian. A Fury-Olympian hybrid, the one thing that can yield a vastly superior warrior. And the same goes for Argos. Whether or not he can yield that power remains to be seen, but Laiyos is the real threat now. He alone could destroy us all.”
“Makes me sick, that one of us and one of them could have a child.”
“That didn’t stop you when you made Timoros. I feel a little sad for him. He never knew who his father was. But not all Olympian DNA is as pure and as powerful as that of a direct descendant of Zeus.”
“Don’t ever mention his name again! As for Timoros, he was nothing more than a lab experiment, and a failed one at that. I never considered him my son,” shouted Arakan.
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