"What's going on here, folks!? Prometheus' body is covered in flames I've never seen before! I thought his firepower was gone from that last flurry of blows, but he just pulled something out of thin air!" Heimdall shouted. The blue flames emanating from Prometheus' body roared and stood on end. What was once billowing waves was now one single intense blaze. His chains glowed white-hot. Vlad could swear he saw them start melting.
Fotiá Psychís
The Flame that Burns the Soul
"Hopefully not another flash-in-the-pan," Vlad said, taking the Morningstar in both hands. Prometheus stared him down, rolling his arms to unfurl his chains. The moment they touched the ground, the stone floor melted, surrounding him with more molten rock. He swiped both arms up, sending the chains flying. Vlad parried both chains with a swipe to the right. Silver blades flew away from the attack and towards Prometheus. Just before they made contact, the blades bounced off and flew away.
"Vlad! I can't get near him!" Geirölul shouted. Prometheus weaved his chains around to strike again. Vlad parried them once more, but he heard Geirölul scream. "Damn it, it's too hot!"
"What!?" Vlad shouted.
"Those flames and chains are too hot to deal with!"
This was not in our plan! How is he generating so much heat? Now, he's hurting Geirölul indirectly!? Our plan is doomed if she takes too much damage. "Change of plans." Vlad swung the morningstar over his head. The weapon's sphere melted away and reformed into a small cloak and wrapped around Vlad's torso.
"What're you doing!?"
"He's too much right now for us. To win, I need you safe!" Prometheus whirled his chains overhead and brought them down. Vlad jumped and rolled into a sprint as the chains made contact with where he stood. The ground exploded into rubble and melted rock.
"I'm your Völund! That's part of the deal!"
"No, it's not! I'm not sacrificing you to defeat him! Otherwise, this is all pointless!" Vlad got on the other side of the damaged columns and ran to gain some distance.
"You're protecting her? This isn't you." The child's voice returned. "She's ready to die protecting Humanity, but you want to protect her? Don't patronize her."
"That's not the point! I can't defeat him without her!"
"It's not what you mean, though. Screw Humanity; nothing but a bunch of liars and opportunists. You'd let Humanity burn if it meant protecting her." Vlad ducked just in time for the chains to sail overhead, cutting through the columns. The heat exuded from them burned his skin; they did not even need to make contact to harm him.
Geirölul suffered through this three times. How could I-
"You're still doing that. Why care about her? How is she any different from the others who shone? From our family? Mahmed? Or even the guy trying to kill us?"
Of course, she's different!
"How!? She could be using us! She's no different from any of them! We're just another lamb brought to slaughter for her and her sister's vendetta!" Vlad's thoughts continued to wage war in his mind. He could not stop them. Why was this happening now? Too much had occurred in this short period, and his perspective on the world was being destroyed. The chains continued to carve through the columns and debris. It was all Vlad could do to duck, weave, jump, come to a halt, then run and hide.
"Geirölul, how deep are all the strands?" Vlad asked, his breathing heavy and skin turning red.
"They're deep enough that the melted rock isn't reaching them. Why?" Geirölul asked, confused.
"Keep them there for the time being. We need to outlast this. If we do, then they'll be our trump card."
"Well...he's screwed," Hephaestus said, watching the fight as he assembled a cylinder on his table.
"The Human?" Pandora asked, digging her hand into a bag of chips. "Can't say I'm surprised. Prometheus looks like something you'd see rise out of one of Helheim's volcanoes."
"Not the Human. Prometheus. That move he's usin' is near suicidal. It's used when a God needs to use their powers while worn out, and only as a last-ditch effort. It's called Fotiá Psychís, and it turns one's very soul into an energy source."
"Huh. Guess that means he's willing to do anything to win. Is he that scared of this guy?"
"Possibly." Hephaestus moved the cylinder to the right side of the table. He reached to the left, digging his hand into a small bucket to pull out a few small screws. He brought them up to his face, scanned them carefully, then put them down on the table. "But Prometheus never takes anythin' or anyone seriously; guy's got an ego bigger than Valhalla. When it gets bruised, that's when trouble starts. Guy's so insecure he can't stand it when someone futzes around with his way of how things should be."
Pandora stared up at the screen, her blue eyes breaking through her smooth black hair. "Why does he care that much about that? Seems like a waste of time."
"You're on point, but you're forgetting something. He's a Titan. Like the rest of us, he's long-lived and has seen his fair share of fights and death. Either ego or fear comes from that. He's too proud to admit he's scared shitless of his predicament. Not helped by his bad habit of picking fights with the worst people. But…he can back it up, more often than not."
Valhalla
(Centuries Ago)
Zeus stood in the center of a room filled with rubble, his oversized muscular frame colored purple and red from bruises and burns. The walls were littered with massive holes and scorch marks. At his feet lay an unconscious Titan, his body battered and broken. Zeus spat some blood to the side as he rolled his shoulders. "Warned you once before. If you're coming to fight me, better bring you're A-Game! Normally…" Zeus grabbed the Titan's right leg, lifting him off the ground. "…I'd have killed you. Troublemakers like you have this incessant need to cause problems." A foot sailed right into Zeus' face and fire ejected from the sole; Prometheus stirred awake and took the opportunity to kick him. He smiled at his attack.
"Got you!" The flames enveloped Zeus' head, but his grip did not weaken. It grew tighter instantly, crushing Prometheus' leg. The Titan howled in pain, and the flames stopped. He looked at Zeus; his face, covered in soot and ash, stared down at him in pure joy.
"That's why…." Zeus turned and threw him into a wall. He slammed into it back-first. Zeus appeared in front of him, snatching him by the neck mid-air. "…I would rather let you live, Prometheus. Valhalla's getting boring, and I need people like you to keep it interesting!" Zeus reared back and twisted his body to the right. He snapped forward, his fist flying at lightspeed. Prometheus could not see it coming. He saw the wind-up. He could even feel the twisting motion through contact with Zeus. However, he did not see it thrown. He did not see or hear it break through the sound barrier. Nothing after the start of the punch registered…until it struck him. The blow struck Prometheus in the chest. The sheer force and speed crushed his ribs into his lungs, but the worst part of it? The painful nostalgia such a move invoked. "The Fist that Surpassed Time!" Prometheus' body flailed out as the blow smashed him through the wall and the following twenty, each breaking apart barely a millisecond after the other. Zeus blitzed through the newly made hall to keep Prometheus in his sight, his feet barely touching the ground as he went.
He found him, sprawled out on the floor, unconscious. Blood flowed from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. The point of impact is now marked by an imprint of Zeus' fist. Prometheus' eyes rolled into the back of his head. Zeus sighed. "Enjoy that sensation once you wake, Prometheus. That blow only gets used on those I deem worthy. You took my mercy and Heracles' kindness for granted." He turned and started to walk away, rolling his shoulders. "Whoo yeah! That was good! Haven't felt bones break under my fists in eons! Got to give Hermes credit for this one." A burst of heat erupted behind him. Zeus stopped and slowly turned around. His eyes widened as the figure of Prometheus, engulfed in blue fire, stood before him. Zeus could see the seething rage mixed with minimal consciousness in his eyes. "So, you want this that badly!? You're a cut above the rest!" Zeus crouched down; his massive bulk ready to fire. Prometheus…did not register the hand clasping the back of his head. It was completely immune to the flames, and it shoved him down into the stone floor head-first. It picked him up again and slammed him again. Again…and again…and again. The blue flames went out, and an unconscious Prometheus was dropped to the ground. Zeus sighed and grumbled. "What the heck was that for?" Zeus asked the one behind the attack. Hephaestus, standing there with a slight look of irritation. He shook his left wrist a little.
"Do you know how much collateral damage you cause when you fight here in Valhalla? That, and who has to repair all of it?" Hephaestus asked. "If you knew this was goin' to happen, why bother doin' it here?" Zeus sighed again. His body deflated back down. He could not argue with Hephaestus' reasoning, but did not care enough to feel guilty about it.
"Prometheus had this a long time coming. I just needed enough evidence to prove it." Zeus smiled a toothless grin. "I just couldn't help myself when I finally had it."
"After that, Zeus had me lock him up in the Circles," Hephaestus added. "Guy preferred it initially to the Eagle, but soon bein' down there became its unique hell for him. Still too good for him."
Pandora looked over at her father, taking in the story. The one thing she focused on that Hephaestus hoped she would not was his involvement. How strong are you really, Dad? Fotiá Psychís didn't hurt you, and Grandpa didn't see you coming. What else are you hiding? Pandora thought.
"Never again…" Prometheus said. "Never… again…" He whipped the ground, tearing more of the arena floor up. Pieces of molten rock flew everywhere. "Never again will I be made a fool of by insignificant and inferior bugs like you!" Prometheus whipped his chains towards Vlad. Vlad sprinted away, keeping Prometheus in his peripheral vision. Prometheus waved his arms in a frenzy, causing hot metal and molten rock to fly everywhere. "Do you know what it's like watching!? Seeing the cosmos ran into the ground by Muscle-bound idiots like Kronos and his moronic progeny!? I could do a better job! ME! But every last one of you just ruins everything! Why don't you do what I tell you to do!? Why do you keep turning your backs on the words and advice of your intellectual betters!?"
Vlad could not see a pattern in the attacks. The pure madness of Prometheus' assault demanded his full attention. "Vlad! He's going nuts! We need to attack!" Geirölul said.
"We can't! Nothing we have can get near him! We have to wait!"
"Screw waiting! We can't survive in this! There's too much heat and debris to move safely, and the terrain is beyond destroyed!"
"Duck down, Vlad." The child's voice said. Vlad ducked down. One of the chains flew over his head. "Stay still." Vlad did not move. The chains hit the ground in front of and behind him.
What's going on? Vlad thought. You curse me, then help me?
"We need to run, but keep him in your sights. We'll talk later." Vlad did not argue. He started running again. The voice continued to give him directions. Each time, Vlad followed and dodged a dangerous blow, but the heat filling the environment began to grow worse and worse with each attack. Vlad was slowly being cooked alive by the ambient temperature. Geirölul was right; they were running out of time. He didn't know if he could outlast the heat and Prometheus, but it would not stop him from trying.
Why are you helping me now? Vlad asked the voice mentally as he continued to dodge.
"I have done nothing but help you. From the very start of our journey to even now. That has always been my priority. Since I can't stop you from protecting her, I shall do the same."
…I don't know what to say.
"Irrelevant. Keep your wits. We're not in good condition, and he's not done."
Prometheus yanked his right chain back. Rather than wrap it, he started scooping it into his hand mid-air. Soon, a large mound of searing metal was collected in hand. He reared back and stretched out his arm. "Dodge this!" Prometheus snapped forward, tossing the chain. It flew, soaring right for Vlad. He could see it coming. He could dodge it. He braced his left foot against the ground to jump.
It caved. Vlad's vision went blurry, and he became light-headed. "Oh no, heat exhaustion!" Geirölul shouted. Despite his best efforts, Vlad could not resist the increasing temperature. Heat exhaustion, born from the body's inability to regulate its internal temperature, has several noticeable symptoms including nausea, heat cramps, and what currently hindered Vlad, fatigue. He hoped to ignore it long enough, but the strain became too much. The flurry of blows spreading heat, combined with the constant effort exerted to avoid being maimed, built up too much for Vlad to manage. He could barely see the blow coming. He could not get out of the way. The chain grazed his right shoulder, caving in the metal. The heat from the chain caused the armor to melt where it made contact, and it seared Vlad's skin underneath. Were it not for the fatigue dropping him to the ground, the mass of chain would have struck him square in the chest, ending his life.
He collapsed to the ground. He could not move. Prometheus, without Vlad seeing him, had begun swinging his left chain behind him. The area began to cool again as Prometheus absorbed all the heat. "We did the best we could." The voice said. All other sounds vanished. "He played us. It was never the attacks he wanted to get us with. He wanted to wear us down…" Vlad looked up at the ceiling, barely making out the score.
Prometheus 75%
Vlad Dracul Tepes 25%
This is not the end. It can't be!
"It is. We failed again." The voice said. Vlad could tell the source now stood in front of him. "He tricked us, just like Father did."
Damn you boy, we didn't and he did not! Vlad, in his panic, looked up to face the source of the voice. He knew who it was, but he hoped it was not him. A young boy, barely twelve, stood in front of him. He wore a pristine, double-breasted dark blue coat and white pants tucked into black, knee-high boots. His messy brown hair framed his face as his lifeless eyes stared down at Vlad.
"How do you know? What do you know? Even at death's door, you refuse to accept reality. It was me! This whole time, I have been the one trying to save us! Most of all from you!" The boy screamed. "You refused to listen until it was convenient. You acted like you knew what you were doing, but you were making it all up on the fly to save yourself, just like Father. And because of that, we're dying…again…" Vlad could not say a word. His dry throat choked him. "Everyone lied, and everyone used us. Worse, we lied. We knew what was wrong, but we couldn't bear the idea of the truth." He did not know why, but despite his physical condition, the boy's image was clear to him. The sadness, rage, regret, and grief were all still there. All his time alive, all his time in Helheim and Tartarus. None of it washed away the truth he wanted to avoid.
Were we no better? Just another liar?
"We wanted a lie to be the truth. We wanted to believe Father did what he did to protect us."
We saw his light. What did it mean? What does that mean!? How could he shine so bright while doing something so vile!? Why can that Titan!?
"You know why, Vlad. We've always known. Geirölul figured it out, too. It's why you want to protect her. She showed us we were right all along. We just had to accept it. You had to accept it."
He spent too much time fighting the idea. The flawed, but kind visions of his father, mother, brothers, wife, and even his captors. They shone, but the truth could not be denied anymore. That light he coveted was a truth…their truth. "They believed in themselves so much they shined…regardless of what they were doing," Vlad said aloud.
"Just because someone's honest doesn't make them just. You and I both know tyrants who murdered with truth. We need to be better…"
"I need to be better…"
"Especially at figuring out which truths we must serve and protect."
"Like hers…"
"And not theirs…" The boy began to fade. "I'm done here. I said my piece, and I'm tired of running. Aren't you?" Vlad inhaled slowly. The air did not burn his lungs. It felt oddly soothing.
"Yes. I too, am done running…from that…blinding light…" Vlad grunted out. "I…see now…" He lifted himself off the ground, barely keeping himself standing. "Damn…I was foolish…" He snickered. "Just because you shine…doesn't make you right…or just…it just means you're being honest…maybe it's time I quit lying and do the same…"
"Vlad, stay down! You're going to fall again!" Geirölul said.
"It's okay…" Geirölul shuddered. She heard two voices coming from Vlad. "You don't need to worry now." He looked her briefly in the eyes. That was when she saw it, the small flash of light behind Vlad's eyes. The outline of a shape forming in his eyes. "I should have listened to you a long time ago, Geir. I'm sorry it took me a minute."
"Vlad…"
"Come on. Let's finish this." Vlad stared down at Prometheus. Prometheus locked eyes with him, but panic seeped in. A light shone in Vlad's eyes, forming a lily in each pupil.
"You can't be serious… now? You've reached enlightenment now of all times!?" Prometheus shouted. "Sad to say it doesn't matter! "Pagoméni Flóga and Fotiá Psychís combined technique!" The whirling chain turned shining bright white. Prometheus turned his left wrist ever so slightly to form a curve in the chain as it spun. Within the looping curve, a small ball of fire began to form and grow. It continued to grow until the chain vanished in the growing, blazing sphere. He needed the time he gained from wearing down Vlad, and at last, he could complete the technique. "THEOFAGIKÍ FLÓGA!" Prometheus threw the burning sphere at Vlad. I wanted to save this move for Zeus, but you went too far! Now suffer humiliation and be the first sacrifice for my new campaign! The attack flew towards Vlad, incinerating everything in its path. Prometheus watched and waited for Vlad to dodge so he could catch him. Nothing moved or changed as the attack made its way through the room. Everything burned or melted in its path. At the other end of the arena, it collided with the wall and exploded. The blast of air, heat, and flames lit up the room for a brief moment. Prometheus looked again but saw nothing. "Looks like I got you!" Prometheus laughed. "Finally! I won-" he coughed up blood. His body began to shiver, and his breathing shallowed. His blue flames extinguished immediately. Damn it. I did it again. Hypothermia's setting in. I need to reabsorb heat. "Heimdall!" Prometheus shouted. "Call the match! He's dead!"
"I…I…can't…" Heimdall whimpered through Gjallarhorn. His platform was now covered in a protective translucent sphere. "My monitor is showing he's still alive!"
"What!? That's not possible! I saw the attack hit his location! I didn't see him dodge it! How is he alive!?" Prometheus felt it. A new, harsh chill overwhelmed him. He could not fathom why. The attack incinerated everything in its path. The floor, the columns, the wall. Everything still glowed with heat. He knew the chill of Hypothermia, but this was not it. It permeated deep into his bones. Every fiber of his being began to cry in pure terror.
"Do you feel it now?" Vlad and Geirölul's voices whispered in tandem around him. He turned to find the source, swiping his right arm and chain as he turned. Nothing. Just the empty and decimated hall. "It's normal to feel it." They spoke again. "Fear is necessary. Animals need it to stay alive after all, and you…" Something wriggled on the floor beneath Prometheus. He moved his foot just in time for a long silver spike to rise out of the ground in front of him, its shaft extended a meter above him. "Are no different." Another spike jutted out of the ground behind him. It scraped against his heel and back as it rose. "How does it feel? Your body is currently processing everything around you at incredible speed, I imagine…must be nice to have such honed reaction speed. You must be used to the idea of something…or someone…trying to kill you…"
"Where are you!?" Prometheus grabbed hold of the spike in front of him to pull it out. As soon as his right hand made contact, it began to sting. He tried to pull his hand away, but something held it in place. He could feel them pulling into his skin. They were too small to see with the naked eye, but he could feel them: barbs. Hundreds of barbs lined the shaft of the spike. "Damn it, you sick bastard!" Prometheus pulled with all his might, his flesh tearing as he pulled. He finally freed his hand, looking at the torn and bloody mess his palm and fingers had become. I can't get touched by these! Where the hell are these things coming from!? Where is he talking from!?
"We're not sick. Rather, we're cured…thanks to you." Prometheus turned around again. Nothing around him. He heard the floor creak. He immediately jumped back as another spike shot out of the ground just where he stood. His breathing continued to grow labored, but he finally saw him. Vlad, enveloped in silver straps of metal, dangled upside down from the ceiling just above where he stood. "I now understand what I am and what I see." Vlad's voice spoke alone. "I am free of my ignorance, and I am grateful to you for freeing me from it." He slowly descended, turning right-side up on the way down. He landed softly on his feet, his relaxed posture and calm stare unnerved Prometheus as the lilies of the Pure Enlightenment Eighth Consciousness shone in both eyes. "Careful now. It's dangerous around here. You should probably…" Prometheus heard the sound below him and to his side. Three more spikes, one from the ground and two from the column, erupted towards him. Vlad jumped back once more; the bridge of his nose was clipped by one of the column's spikes. "Watch where you're going."
Prometheus' exhausted state primed his instincts into survival mode. His body, despite being nearly exhausted of all firepower, absorbed all the stimuli of the environment. He could hear the subtle movements in the walls, floors, and even the ceiling. He could not make out where; there were far too many to count. However, he needed time, and he needed to move. As long as he could keep moving, he would eventually build back up Fotiá Psychís. Vlad would not let him do so without a fight, and Prometheus knew that. "Come and catch me then." Vlad smiled and slouched to the left. He raised his left hand towards Prometheus, palm up. He twisted it and clenched it. Several spikes erupted from the ground below Prometheus. He jumped towards the nearest column, digging his fingers into the stone to hold himself. He began to climb up towards the ceiling, taking a glance at the score as he went.
Prometheus 42%
Vlad Dracul Tepes 58%
How did it change so quickly!? I had the clear advantage! Then he saw it; the score changed immediately and now read 41% to 59%. Why!? Why are you all so afraid of him!? He's nothing! He jumped from the column onto the wall behind it, burying his fingers in the rock.
"I sensed it just then," Vlad said as he waved his right hand out to the left. Prometheus jumped away from the wall as several more spikes erupted from where he was. "Your light shuddered. Did you figure out what the numbers mean at last?" Prometheus threw his left chain and wrapped it around the next column. It went taut, and he swung around it. Vlad continued to wave his hands, summoning more spikes from the surroundings.
"I already knew what the numbers meant!" Prometheus shouted as he soared. He swung his chains as fast as he could, looping them on columns or jutting rocks to stay airborne. Anytime he got near any solid surface, more barbed spikes erupted to skewer him. "I just refuse to accept such an absurd notion!"
"But it's true despite the absurdity! I mean, who could fathom a Titan being afraid of a human!?" Vlad said, laughing.
"Hilde…this is bad…" Göll said.
"I know!" Brünhilde said, sweating slightly. "But we need this! We need him to do this to win!"
"What'll we do if he wins!?" Göll said, panicking. "Do you see the crowd!?" Goll pointed down below them. Dozens of humans began running out of the bleachers. She could barely make out the panic and terror on their faces as they raced to the exits. They're running out of here like he's in the bleachers! If it gets any worse, they may stampede! Look at the score! It's still rising in Vlad's favor!"
"You're misunderstanding something, Göll. The crowd does not play as big of a role as you think."
"What're you talking about!?"
"The rules for Villains do not take into account just the audience. It accounts for everyone. Prometheus is starting to fear Vlad more and more. It has to be done this way, or else Prometheus may regain the advantage."
Brünhilde's tablet vibrated. She flinched, but managed to calm herself and pull it out of her pocket. A message sat in her inbox. She saw the sender and scowled.
What do you think of my recommendation? He's doing a good job out there.
Brünhilde typed a response quickly and sent it.
He's bat-shit insane! Why'd you say we should send him out!?
This was necessary for him, Bu-bu. He still hasn't grown out of puberty yet. This was a good chance to help him do that. It may prove useful in the future for all of us! :D
Brünhilde typed furiously, her fingers punching into the screen hard enough that they could crack it.
If he gets out of control, you'd better be ready to fix this! What's the point of a win if he goes on a rampage!? :(
Brünhilde waited for the response. What seemed like ages passed as her soles grew warm from slow-growing panic. She was trying to save Humanity, not give the Gods another reason to exterminate them! Why did she trust him? He never failed to bring out the best in people and come through when he was needed. It was just difficult to get him to do anything he did not want to do. The tablet vibrated and shone. The message finally came.
Have faith. He's more than a Human now. ;)
Brünhilde exhaled and stared up at the ceiling for a brief moment. Trying to make sense of the situation was not worth the headache.
I hope you're right, Buddha. He's finally reached enlightenment and is entering the realm of godhood. I just hope it doesn't turn him into a bigger monster.
Under a tree, far from the arena on a small floating island, sat a bizarre God surrounded by small mountains of sweets and snacks. He wore the mint-green part of his hair done up in a poofy ponytail, held in place by a crown-shaped hairband. The black part covering his temples was cut short in a fade. He wore rose-tinted, gold-framed rectangular glasses over his black eyes and tear-shaped earrings. On his forehead was a bindi, and he wore a navy tank top with an eyepatch-wearing rabbit design with the word "USACHAN" written right below it, along with blue sandals, white shorts, and a loose navy and white waistcloth. He held a tablet in his right hand as he reached for some popcorn with his left. He smiled as he saw the light in Vlad's eyes finally form on the screen, revealing massive canines on his lower jaw.
Buddha
(India)
"Those eyes of yours are looking pretty clear now. So you're finally growing out of puberty, Vlad. Now…show us what kind of adult you're meant to be with the Pure Enlightenment Eighth Consciousness."
Buddha knew what could happen, but was not sure Vlad was up to the task. Humans who reach enlightenment the way he did, through inner peace and revelation, had the chance to begin the path of godhood. Those like Vlad who were born that way had no true method to do so…until now. Vlad freed himself from the shackles he placed on his soul and worldview. An opponent who shined like his family was the perfect catalyst to help him discover the true identity of what he saw; honesty between a being's soul and their actions. Not good or evil, but just simple honesty. From the soft and warm glow of Geirölul's genuine compassion to the harsh, blinding light of Prometheus and his family's selfishness. All of it was now made clear. He knew now where his allegiances lay and what he must do. However, it was not just that. His ascension also caused physical changes. Vlad could feel how light his body was, the pain started to slightly subside, and his senses began to return to normal. He could even feel his body cooling almost supernaturally. Did he know it was because he found inner peace? No, but it did not matter. All that mattered was defeating his opponent. Vlad could see Prometheus flying in the pitch darkness. He stayed in his spot, flourishing his hands to where Prometheus was, or was going. Spikes erupted at every point, aiming to skewer or tear away at the Titan. He could not land; his instincts warned him it was a death sentence. He could only keep swinging and hope his continued activity would help him warm back up.
"Folks, this is crazy! Spikes keep popping up out of nowhere, trying to kill Prometheus! But he's swinging like a wild man in a perilous jungle! None of them are so much as scratching him!" Heimdall shouted.
Sweat continued to pour down Prometheus' brow, and his arms were getting sore. His swings were slowing down. Each time got near anything solid, spikes erupted out. How are there so many!? How is he controlling them!? He whipped his chains towards opposite ends of the arena. Both wrapped around two of the remaining columns, suspending Prometheus mid-air. He tried to relax his breathing and quickly process all that had happened up to that point. From the start of the match, to their attacks, to his techniques, to all of Vlad's thrown and discarded weapons. Shit. That's it, isn't it? That bastard's turned all his thrown and discarded weapons into these spikes! He…wanted me to bat them away or block them so they'd get embedded in the walls for this! He drooped his head. I set them all up for him. I…did this for him. He bared his teeth and roared. "DAMN YOU!" He would not allow such an act to go unchecked. Prometheus pulled his chains loose. As he fell, he threw his left chain towards Vlad and his right one up to the ceiling. His right chain stabbed right through, while his left sailed towards Vlad. For the first time in the entire match, Vlad could not only see the chain fly towards him, but also how it would unfurl and even the kinetic force travel along it. He saw the perfect moment and snatched it out of the air with his right hand. Prometheus smiled. Vlad knew he couldn't make the chain explode like before, but Prometheus had another plan. He clicked his wrist, and the chain looped around Vlad's arm and tightened. "You used me, now I use you!" Vlad could feel it; the heat leaving his body through the chain. He looked up at Prometheus and smiled.
He placed his left hand behind his back and pulled out another sword. Without looking away from his opponent, Vlad flicked his left index and middle finger. Several spikes erupted out of the ground in front of Vlad, impaling the chain. Vlad made a swift cut and severed his right arm from the elbow down. The chain remained stuck to the ground. Vlad flicked his fingers down.
Prometheus heard them above him. He looked up just in time to see the spikes shoot out towards him. He yanked his chain free and fell. Damn it! Those must've been from his attacks with the morningstar! This is getting ridiculous! He looked down at the ground, waiting for the spikes to come. He was only a meter away when they shot up towards him. With as much effort as he could muster, Prometheus pushed himself out of the way of the spikes. He timed it just right, parrying each with his right handcuff and leg shackles. His feet finally touched down, and he fired his other chain towards Vlad. Vlad touched his sword to his cape and seamlessly pulled it in front of him. It convex and transformed into a half-sphere right in front of Vlad. The chain struck the wall of the sphere, but did not move. Prometheus saw it; several pointed barbs along the sphere's surface caught the chain. The round barrier rolled to the right slightly and absorbed the spikes holding Prometheus' other chain. It began to float and spin; Vlad turned his sword into a long pole and a few of the silver threads into a spinning port it could slide into. They locked together and supported the barbed barrier. It continued to spin, and to Prometheus' horror, it began to flatten and stretch. It grew longer and thinner, until the barrier now formed a massive barbed drill encasing Vlad's left arm.
"Prometheus, thank you for taking the bait. You needed more heat quickly, but doing it on your own wasn't enough. I needed you…to be convinced that you had to take my heart away, or at least my arms." His eyes shone brighter as a manic grin grew across his face. "Geirölul, shall we!?" He yelled.
"LET'S GET HIM!" She roared. She appeared right behind him, her posture matching his as he crouched down, rearing his left arm back. The chains remained taut within the drill's barbs.
That bastard! He planned this, didn't he!? Prometheus thought.
The Circles
(Before Ragnarök)
Deep within the infamous prison of Helheim, at the bottom of the bleak pit known as the Circles, stood Set. In front of him was one of many metallic coffins of various sizes embedded in the stone walls; each one just small enough to be uncomfortable for its inhabitant, but a few dwarfed the masked God. "Can you all hear me?" Set asked.
"Of course we can. We're not deaf down here." One gruff male voice said from a coffin to Set's left.
"What do you want, Set?" Another, a female voice, asked to his right.
"I am here to offer an opportunity to you all if interested. The time has come; the Gods have officially voted 'unanimously' to exterminate Humankind. However, the Valkyries managed to sway the council into Ragnarök. 13 Fighters from each side fighting until either the Gods or the Humans have seven wins, and I lead the Gods for this occasion. I have no doubt Brünhilde plans to fill her Roster with some of their best. I have my plan for ours, but I like to stack the deck in my favor if possible." The coffins went silent. Set waited, eyeing each coffin closely for some kind of response.
"What makes you think any of us are interested?" A garbled, croaking voice asked.
"None of us is interested in performing for you." The female voice added.
"This is not a performance. It is a demonstration…" Set's aura flooded out from his body for a brief moment before dissipating "…of our might and skill. Humanity is a pale imitation of us. I designed Ragnarök as a way to push Humanity to the brink of despair just before we snuff them out."
"How unnecessarily petty of you." A familiar, deep, and smooth voice spoke from the coffin in front of Set. "What did Humanity ever do to you?" Set's pupils dilated at the question as memories flooded into his mind.
"More than they should have been allowed to get away with." His left eye twitched under the mask. The prisoners could feel murderous intent flowing out of Set and into the pit. "You are the Deviants. The most reviled criminals within Valhalla and Helheim. Surely you deserve your shot at this? I even convinced Yama and Zeus that, should any of you win, you're to be let free." The air grew silent, but heavy. The souls trapped within the walls felt life flow back into their very beings. "Am I to take that as a 'yes?'"
"I think you have a silent consensus. When will we be needed?"
"Two of you will be assigned a special mission. The rest will be substitutes for each of my chosen Fighters. You…" He leered at the one in front of him, catching the orange eyes staring back. "Will be the most likely to go, and I do hope you win…"
There's no way…no way he could have predicted I might lose! The chains remained taut. Prometheus continued to pull with all he had left. This can't be happening! I'm supposed to win! I'm supposed to beat Zeus! I'm supposed to lead Humanity and overthrow the Gods! I can't die here! Prometheus flexed his back. He began to pull Vlad towards him. I will not fall here! Everything was planned for this one moment! Yes, exactly! I planned for this! I just need to-.
The chains went slack, and the barbed drill began to spin. Both Vlad and Geirölul roared in synch with one another. "GHEARA CU CÂRLIG A DRAGONULUI!"
Prometheus' panic distracted him. Shit! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NOOOOOOOO! Vlad felt the pull earlier. Despite the score giving him the advantage, Prometheus' natural strength would still give him enough to hold out.
Good! Vlad thought. Resist my pull! I'll just let you pull me instead! Prometheus failed to take in the option that his efforts to survive this tug-of-war could work against him. Vlad quit pulling back and dashed towards him. Every meter Vlad dashed past, the chain slackened, and the drill gained momentum as it devoured more of the chains. Prometheus' back muscles tore as his arms went forward. He lost the struggle. The chains wrapped around each other as the drill devoured them. His arms were soon twisted into each other.
I just need to time it! I can do it! I just need to time it! Prometheus was ready. The drill was small enough that if he timed it, a simple jump to Vlad's left could save him. He might lose an arm, but the window created by the attack's blind spot would give him the chance to win. I can do it! I can win this! Prometheus locked eyes with Vlad's fully dilated pupils. In that brief moment, that single microsecond glimpse…Prometheus lost all hope. The lilies of Pure Enlightenment Eighth Consciousness shone in Vlad's eyes. In his fear, he forgot the one thing he needed to take into account. The one thing that could throw everything off. In that brief moment, the truth was finally laid bare. "Shit." He could not jump. He could not dodge. No counterattack came. Prometheus stood upright, unaware for a brief moment that Vlad capitalized on. He felt cold metal where his heart would have been. He looked down and saw nothing but the barbed drill. He forgot what Vlad could do with his powers under control. You bastard...you paralyzed me and threw off my perception of time... The drill already tore through his ensnared arms, turning them into chum. His chains were broken and strewn about. The left side of his chest was gone. The drill pierced through his heart, grinding through it, and tearing away everything around it. No bone, organ, or flesh remained. All his strength vanished; his body collapsed.
Vlad pulled the drill out of Prometheus; the construct broke down back into near-liquid material and slithered back onto Vlad's back, forming the cape. He stared down at his opponent and his dying breaths.
"You were messing with my perception of time since before my last attack, weren't you?"
"Well done. Anytime you made eye contact with me, you were stuck. That's why you never caught me, unless I wanted you to."
"How? I could-"
"It doesn't matter anymore. I don't need you to be anything other than afraid of me to control you. And with that, time's up, I'm afraid."
"Well, congratulations are in order…with your victory, Humanity is one step closer to destruction." He said, his voice rasping. His breathing continued to grow shallow. "I hope you're happy."
Vlad leaned over Prometheus, his new eyes full of joy and energy. "I am ecstatic, thank you. I could not achieve anything without your help." Vlad answered.
"Monster...you still don't care at all, do you…" Cracks grew from Prometheus' destroyed side.
"I do…I just don't care for the world you tried to build." He looked down at his feet for a brief moment, then back to Prometheus, his gaze solemn. "Humanity does not need Saviors like you…or protectors like me. We are defects, hindering the potential of Humanity."
"Vlad…" Geirölul said softly. She looked at him from behind, letting her concern show.
"Everything is better when we are not around. I know this now… because like you, I'm not, and never was, needed. You failed to understand that, and that's why you lost."
"Not needed? You think the Gods will honor their word, should by some chance you win? He will not let Humanity live past Ragnarök…" Prometheus coughed.
"If we cannot win here, then even with your help, we are doomed. If I could beat you, nothing you could have done would have made a difference. We would have been destroyed, and you along with us. No…it's by killing you that Humanity gained a tighter grip on the chance for victory and survival. This…was the one time I could do something for them all before I, too, am done away with. Farewell...my fellow defect."
Prometheus began to glow green as his hateful gaze grew dim. His breathing continued to grow ragged as the cracks continued to spread across his limp body. He grunted, trying to lift his mutilated stump of a right arm before it dropped back down."…Spare me your sanctimony, you ungrateful monster…nothing you could ever do… would help Humanity…" Prometheus' body was shattered and scattered in the air. The room went dark again. Vlad stared at the destroyed throne, barely making it out in the dark as his eyes readjusted. He turned slowly around, turning his sight out towards the destroyed arena. Slowly and deliberately, Vlad walked over to the pyramid. It was in complete disarray and surrounded by debris. Still, it remained. He walked up it and gazed at the throne for a moment before sitting down on it, leaning back and exhaling. He rested his remaining arm on his left leg, tapping his fingers softly on his knee. Geirölul appeared next to him. She tore off a piece of her sleeve and tied it around Vlad's arm wound to keep it from bleeding. Both looked up at the ceiling, checking the numbers one last time.
Prometheus 0%
Vlad Dracul Tepes 100&
As he sat there, a smile began to grow at the corners of his mouth. His brow furled as his teeth began to show. He could feel the sensation growing in his stomach. He never felt it before, but the momentum of everything up to that point convinced him that he earned it. He let out a soft chuckle. He didn't know why, but looking back at the whole fight just seemed funny to him. He played it all back in his mind. It just got funnier the longer it went on. He continued laughing. It started to get louder and come from deeper in his gut. How long had it been since he felt such joy? He had something to enjoy, and he would relish it. His bellowing laughter filled the arena. Geirölul could not understand it, but did not care and joined in. Their triumphant laughter echoed through the destruction.
Outside the arena, the audience, both Gods and Human-alike, could not believe what had just unfolded. The man sitting on the throne, laughing at what he wrought, made the air throughout the Valhalla arena drop 20 degrees. Everyone dreaded the aftermath; what would unfold in the time ahead? Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon all stood up in silence and made their way out of Set's Box. Brünhilde and Göll shuddered at what they may have unleashed on the Heavens. "I promised I'd show you how I earned my name, and I keep my word!" Vlad laughed. The rest of the audience sat in silence. Instinctive fear crept back up their collective spines and infected their minds. Only one thought existed, uniting all for a single, brief moment.
A Titan has fallen, and a new terror has risen.
"L-Ladies and Gentlemen…after a… a harrowing battle of evil vs evil, the Winner has laid claim to the throne." All the energy in Heimdall's body seemed to vanish.
"The Winner of Storytelling: Villains and Round Six: Vlad Dracul Tepes…"
Vlad Dracul Tepes vs Prometheus
Victor: Vlad Dracul Tepes
Match Length: 22 Minutes 19 Seconds
Deciding Move: Gheara Cu Cârlig A Dragonului
Humans 3 – 3 Gods