.
.
.
—
"Say… Are these people even alive?"
"!!"
'Rhea's expression immediately twisted as she bit her lower lip in frustration. Her hands shaking as she hid them behind her back.'
'Silver paid extreme attention to her every movement, including even that of the Goddesses around him. He saw a lack of surprise in their expressions, he figured that'd be the case…'
'As though they aren't Gods associated with life and death, noticing the oddity within this world wouldn't be outside their abilities.'
'Rather, not noticing it would've been odd, humiliating even for people of character like them.'
'He wondered why they hadn't said anything, entertaining him in this illusion, and that was when the pieces aligned together. He only needed her reaction.'
'They were hiding something; these acts were only there to divert his attention from it.'
'He felt betrayed, but at the same time, understood that they must've had a reason for it, otherwise, Artemis wouldn't be upset, and Hestia wouldn't have spoken with him yesterday night.'
'He wondered why, despite her emotions, Artemis hadn't yet voiced her opinion. And he immediately thought of their discussion last night.'
'Whatever those two discussed was why she's been passive and suppressing her emotions. And even if he can't figure out what they talked about, he can at least find out what was happening.'
'So he could help in every way he could.'
"..."
"You aren't going to say anything?"
"I… Let's start from the beginning."
'Rhea closed her eyes, recalling memories she'd rather forget… But couldn't.'
'When she was done, her conflicted expression settled down, being replaced by a serious, pensive gaze:'
"You must remember what I told you before about Lord Epimetheus being tasked with enshrining the flame, right?"
"I do. Does it have anything to do with this situation?"
"Everything… It was merely the start of it all… You see, the Flame of Heaven kept monsters away, saved the country numerous times, and brought richness to the land… But it never adapted to the lower world."
"It was something not meant for this land." She said sincerely as she held her dress tightly
"..."
'Silver looked at Hestia…'
"The flame left Heaven, the perfect world, and fell into the imperfect lower world. It got stained until one day, it reached its limit." She said as she looked away
"Correct. Olympia was just the first to burn…"
"Over time, the uncared flame absorbed the impure emotions of those around it. And no matter how much love and care we poured into it… Or tried to seal it away, it only served to further down its corruption."
"We tried to keep it underground, to cleanse it and prevent its corruption, but it was futile. Eventually, the flame reached its limit… And it burst out uncontrollably. Becoming the very nightmare its power signifies."
"... Then… Three hundred years ago… It went berserk."
"! Three… Three hundred years ago?"
Then these people…
"The disaster happened on an ordinary day, at night. The Flame of Heaven burned away over fifty thousand Olympians..."
"!"
"The inferno took everything away, leaving behind less than two hundred of us, Soldiers and Priestesses, survivors that ran to the Great Temple without hesitation… We've been taking care of it ever since."
"We survived thanks to the Lord's blessings, stronger in us than anyone else… Otherwise, the fire would've consumed us as well."
"Wait… Then you mean…"
"... I've been alive for over three hundred years, yes."
"This is crazy… I apologize, that was insensitive of me."
"It's the natural reaction… It took a long time for us to accept it as well."
"But… How?... Why?"
"We did as Lord Prometheus instructed. The barrier, the illusion, and our actions are all parts of his Divine decree."
"What you saw yesterday were what we call 'Flammanoids'... They are the creatures who used to be Humans… The ones that got swallowed by the contaminated fire."
"The power of the Divine Flame, albeit uncontrollable for the most part now, still grants us with its grace if used sparingly. Immortality being one of its many aspects."
"What was once taboo became the norm, we did what we had to survive."
"... So those things… Flammanoids? What are they? Monsters? Living Dead? Are they conscious?"
"They aren't like the beings found in the great abyss. Nor are they living dead… If they're conscious or not… I pray to the Gods they aren't."
"They aren't!" Hestia replied in a hurry
"Thank you… It brings me… I… Give me a moment, I apologize." Rhea said as she turned around
/Sniff…/
"..."
I wonder… Did their God not tell them about this?
But there's something strange about all of this… Why are they calling Prometheus, a Lord?
'Silver waited for her to recover and turn back, continuing her story:'
"What you see are their Souls, burning away to this day. Their flash may have burned to ashes, but the contaminated flame traps their Soul, preventing it from going to Heaven."
"Lord Prometheus says it's repeating the Cycle of Life and Death on its own, defying the natural order. At daytime, it turns the Flammoids back to what they used to be."
"But based on the Memories etched onto their Souls, they just end up repeating what they did every day, being reminded of the Inferno when night falls."
"What?... Burning away for hundreds of years… That's no different from being sent straight to Hell. How can this be possible?"
'Silver felt dread just imagining the kind of torture these people were going through. He wanted to look at the Gods beside him for confirmation, but couldn't.'
'Artemis held his hand, saying:'
"The flame isn't an Arcanum, but it's still extremely powerful… Defying the natural order… It isn't difficult for it."
"Take it as a Demi-Arcanum, able to manipulate the world around it through fire. It simulates reality without control… Which means it's easily influenceable."
"This very city is a reflection of that, the collective will of thousands of Souls begging the Gods for mercy… To turn back the world into what it was before."
'Artemis did not censor her words, speaking bluntly of the cruel reality before them.'
""...""
'Silver's eyes shook while Rhea turned away in pain, hiding her expression.'
"The flame complied, not out of mercy, not out of pity, nor to mock them… It just acted because it was compelled to."
"However, while it turned back the world into what it was before, in the end, the collective will of the Souls will bring back the disaster, repeating the cycle."
"This… Then doesn't that mean these people are alive? If the flame make the world like this? Then can't it be used to…"
"Stop it, Silver, that path will only lead you to even greater pain." Hestia added as she looked at the ground in shame
'Rhea nodded, explaining:'
"I can understand your thoughts. We also thought like that once… But the truth is oftentimes cruel."
"These people are long gone. The flame may reconstruct who they once were, but it's just a facade. This world is but a reflection of what it once was."
"The Flame is powerful, but it can't do what we want most… We… I tried to do it once. The most we can do now is follow Lord Prometheus' will and move on."
"... I understand. What now? Fight them until they're all gone? I noticed how it seemed that some people are missing."
Those missing are among the few who survived or fled. There used to be more, but even the flame took them... Or time."
"Their Souls aren't around anymore, but the flame repeats the day either way. It's a cruel reminder of those that already moved on..."
"Fighting them will change nothing either. As long as the flame remains, the Flammanoids will as well. Reviving from a collection of fire sparks."
'Silver turned to Hestia, asking:'
"... You said they aren't conscious, how come they can still move? Why attack us even?"
"They… are akin to puppets. Fire burns once it's lit until it extinguishes; that's the fate of all flames. There isn't a right or wrong to it… But the contaminated fire is using the Souls to expand, to spread itself everywhere. They're nothing to it but fuel."
"... Why would a divine fire need fuel? Even if they are fuel, how come they haven't been extinguished after hundreds of years burning away?"
"Because the flame prevents them from doing so… Because Children… Burn well." Artemis said in a deep tone as her eyes grew sharp
"..."
"That abomination drives the Flammanoids into acquiring more Souls to expand itself, growing bigger. This process prevents their Souls from reaching Heaven and entering the cycle of reincarnation… They're burning lamentations."
"... How come you all use the fire then? How come it doesn't burn you all?"
"... We were scared of that too."
"!"
"Any of us could be consumed at any moment, becoming one of those depressing Flammanoids just like our loved ones. We're all frightened, even to this day."
""...""
"But we knew that we had to fight fire with fire… Even so, we're reaching our limits. Day by day, our numbers dwindle. Each loss makes everyone else's work harder."
"We make do by using cleaner portions of the flame, but even those parts we so carefully protect get tainted as time passes by."
"However… That changed with your arrival."
"..."
I don't like where this is going.
"We, the Vesta's Priestesses, were taught the Holy Flame was our only hope to sanctify the contaminated fire. We've been waiting for this to come, waiting for your descent… Vesta's Flame is our only hope!"
"I see, that's why you came after us."
Vesta, so they're priestesses in Hestia's name… So she does have followers, huh? She doesn't look proud, though. It's unlike her.
This… All of this is wrong.
'Silver wanted to reach out and ask, but he was afraid of the answer. Ultimately, he pushed it aside, believing it wasn't the time.'
'In the end, it was just a lie to make himself feel better.'
… Something is odd. Why do they refer to Prometheus as if he's not here?
Prometheus has the power of divination. My grandparents told me of that… That very power caused him to steal the flame and throw it down, for it was written down that he feared what he saw in the future.
Could it be our arrival was predicted? Or rather… Hestia's descent?
Prometheus is a skittish God, hiding for most of his existence, so much so no one, not even Hestia, knows what he looks like aside from a few stories… Does this aspect reflect even here in the mortal plane?[1]
If they received notice of our arrival… This means… Prometheus is around us right now.
It's almost here, the picture I'm trying to draw… I must meet with him as soon as possible, and it shouldn't take long.
I still remember his description from my grandparents' time with him, but why did he change? Why did he leave Olympia? Why did he make a Familia?
Why did he return?
'Silver's thoughts ran around inside his head, but he sorted all of them as he asked a critical question:'
"Isn't the Holy Flame the very thing that's causing trouble? How is Hestia supposed to use a fire that no longer exists?"
'But before Rhea could reply, Hestia interjected:'
"... How about we check things out first? I want to know the extent of the damage before saying anything."
"Please, follow me."
"..."
Why… Just why isn't anyone answering me?...
'His emotions in disarray. Silver finally understood why he was feeling strange.'
'But at the same time, he found himself oddly at peace. Calm.'
'He focused on his goal, but it was still too soon to act.'
'He needed to learn more.'
…
'The climb to the summit of the mountain where the Great Temple stood was silent, with little conversation between them. The atmosphere was evidently tense, and Rhea knew it. She tried diverting their attention elsewhere, but Silver paid it no heed.'
'Acting like this was childish, but he couldn't focus today, no matter how hard he tried, it just came out to him as being fake, so he kept quiet for the most part.'
'Soon enough, they arrived at the temple. Its mighty entrance standing at over twenty meters in height, they entered the main hall where the Gods of Olympus and the Holy Fire were worshiped.'
'A grand white hall of white stone and tall columns supporting this massive structure. Statues of Gods and Spirits were spread out with ancient tablets telling even older stories.'
(Image)
'Silver was attracted to all of them, particularly to the ones that told tales of Gods he knew, particularly.'
"We've arrived. Give me a moment, and I'll call the Holy Chancellor. He is eagerly awaiting your arrival."
"It's quite empty here." Silver pointed out as he looked around
"He meant to say this place is beautiful!"
"It's okay, everyone's busy, that's all… Now, if you excuse me…"
'Rhea left through the maze of pillars, vanishing from sight soon after.'
"Silver! You've been unusually rude recently! Try to be a bit more considerate!"
"I have no excuse. But I have a responsibility to uncover and understand whatever situation we're thrown at. Asking questions, even if without consideration, is part of that. And so is bearing the dissatisfaction and anger, doing so beckons."
At the very least, I'm not putting anyone under hypnosis… It's insulting to how I usually act, but today, I'm not in the mood to entertain anyone's feelings.
"I feel like you just thought something very rude!"
"... You're awfully sharp at the worst times, huh…"
"Just try not to say it on their faces… They don't deserve it."
"..."
'Silver agreed, but did not voice it out. Instead, he moved to the side, looking at a statue representing a woman in a veil.'
'A beautiful woman with a seductive body bound by cloth, she held a chalice of fire and a basket full of food and other offerings. Albeit it was all made out of stone.'
"They got it wrong… Slightly…" Silver said out loud as his eyelids twitched
"Pfft!"
"A-Artemis! Why are you laughing?!"
"Because it looks 'just' like you…"
"Are you mocking me?!"
"Maybe… Just a little…"
"This statue looks quite old… How did they carve out your image? Is this what the Spirits told them you looked like?... Talk about boot liking…"
"#!! What did you say?!"
"Actually, I'm curious about it. Where are your Spirits? Speaking of that, I don't think I ever saw a God interact with their respective Spirits."
"Really?... I guess it can be a little rare… Many Spirits live in isolation far from civilization, where they can connect with nature. And those are the few that still remain in the lower world."
"You already know of this, but many Spirits did not live through the ancient times. They eventually returned to Heaven."
"Yes… Those that did not commit the ultimate sacrifice."
Or didn't die in the Dungeon.
'Silver turned to the side, looking at a tall obelisk full of ancient hieroglyphs.'
'He could barely read them, but they were similar enough to the Divine Characters, so he could read them, even if faintly.'
"Hestia, mother of fire, you who hold the eternal keys,
Of the Olympian gods and this earth's great halls,
The 12th Divine seat, who in her grace gave way to Dyonisus,
Welcome to your sacred hearth of our devotion, the land of hope
Where all can feel your warmth, and pray for your warm embrace..."
'Silver read the rest of the text while Artemis and Hestia listened on the side, with the latter smiling proudly.'
'When he finished the text, the love of all Olympians for her, he couldn't help but say:'
"... Poor things."
'She couldn't take it anymore.'
"What do you mean by that?!"
"They put all their love in a Goddess whose favorite activity is eating mango ice cream on the sofa…"
"And what's wrong with that?! Humph! If we weren't in this temple…"
"I apologize for the delay."
'They all stopped playing around, turning to the side where Rhea, together with a few other priestesses, escorted a man to the hall.'
'The man was taller than even Silver and muscular.'
'He had tanned skin and unusual light blue hair, darker at the tips. A rather rare combination.'
'He wore traditional, ancient clothes that revealed much of his chest, with ceremonial capes around his shoulders and waist.'
'Sharp eyes but a gentle and carefree appearance, he walked and moved like a warrior, something Silver noticed straight away.'
(Image)
"Let me introduce myself first. I'm Aethon, Holy Chancellor of the Order of Prometheus. Pardon me for my late arrival."
'He gently bowed before the Gods, but showed no similar formalities to Silver aside from a gentlemanly bow. And while that upset him a little, he understood that he was no one to him.'
'In fact, one may even say it's heresy to treat mortals the same way as one's Gods in the flesh.'
"No need for apologies, we've barely just arrived. That said, I suppose you're the most powerful here, Holy Chancellor? Are you, the King of this country, perhaps?"
'Hestia spoke in a clear but authoritative tone, not being too pushy but making her voice clear for all to hear.'
'Her serious side was a rare one to see, for all the emotions he felt recently, Silver felt it cute to see her like this. She would never act like this with her Familia, not in a thousand or even ten thousand years.'
"Not exactly. We're all commoners for as long as we worship the Flame of Heaven and Lord Prometheus. I'm only in charge of ensuring the city is safe as someone slightly closer to Lord Prometheus than everybody else."
"I'm also in charge of translating and accepting the oracles of his lordship, albeit that was long ago. Recently, Rhea has been in charge of most of it while I stay deep inside the Temple overlooking the corrupted fire."
"It's nothing much, but it's the only place where my abilities can be put to good use."
'His voice seemed a bit melancholic, and Silver noticed how the priestesses reacted to it as well.'
"Enough with the formalities. So this is the Great Temple I've heard so much about?"
"Yes, this is the home of the Order of Prometheus, and the Heart of Olympia."
"Built in ancient times, this is one of the oldest buildings in Olympia, often regarded as its origin."
"One of and not the oldest?"
'Aethon pondered for a moment before replying:'
"The precise time is convoluted, for a temple cannot come to be from nothing. Homes, quarries, roads, and other infrastructure had to be built first by our ancestors before it came to be. So if we were to see which is the oldest, it would have to be one of them."
'He looked towards the end of the hall, saying:'
"-A fire of miracle falls from heaven. Without burning a thing, it drives away the evil and brings life to what it touches. The great flame destroys demons. The ground shall be a large pot, and the god's mercy keep them there-"
"That's what was engraved in the deepest part of the temple. This was where our ancestors first worshiped the flame."
"... You said Oracles, as if some prophecy. How come Prometheus just doesn't tell you everything directly? In fact, where is he? Shouldn't he explain the situation to us in person?"
"... I'm afraid I can't ask for Lord Prometheus to be here. We have no idea where he is."
"That's odd, I thought you came to us because of a prophecy, how did you receive one if he isn't around to share it?"
"Lord Prometheus is an unseen God. No one knows his appearance; he has never shown himself to anyone. None of the Olympians knows if he is actually living in Olympia, and where he would be if he did."
"That's been true ever since his time in Heaven. The only one who ever truly saw him was Zeus. If anyone else saw him… They kept it quiet."
"I can barely recall seeing a hooded figure wandering the shrine in the distant past… But I can't say for certain if that was Prometheus or not."
"..."
'Silver frowned as he heard all of this. What were they talking about?'
"This is strange. I know it may sound strange, but I'm certain that Prometheus once went to Orario and formed a Familia there. After all, my grandparents were part of it."
""!!!""
'Everyone aside from Hestia went into shock. Even Artemis.'
'While she was aware of the issues in Orario, some details were always going to be buried and censored by the Guild.'
'The priestesses opened their eyes wide with Rhea while Aethon smiled faintly.'
"Is that so? That's great to hear. For a long time, I wondered if he was truly around, if we had been abandoned… If we were unworthy to see him."
""!!""
'The priestesses recoiled in anguish, trying to keep their composure.'
"... If it makes you feel any better, even back then, Prometheus was known as someone who never appeared, even to some members of its Familia."
His appearance wasn't unknown, for he appeared before some of its members to grant them his blessing, including my grandparents… Still, better not share that detail.
"That I do not doubt. Still, these news are quite surprising. To think that Lord Prometheus left Olympia… I can only think of one answer… He was trying to accomplish what we failed to do."
"What you failed to do?"
"Yes, you see. We haven't been waiting for the flame to go berserk. While we couldn't do much when the Gods weren't around, as soon as they descended, we knew it was time to act."
"We sent hundreds of voyages into the world in search of deities capable of purifying the fire. Especially one amidst the Olympians… However, we failed to do so."
"One century passed quickly, you can imagine how long it takes, given how large the world is. Sending even a single voyage into the shores takes weeks, not counting the time it takes to prepare it."
"To dive into the world takes months… And years may pass before we receive any answer. After all, we couldn't let others know of our situation."
"The barrier you saw… It wasn't always there. Lord Prometheus erected it not to prevent others from entering, but to limit the corrupted flame's ability to go out once it burst out from its cradle."
"If the world knew of the flame's existence and what it could do, together with the Olympian's weakness, a bloody war would ensue for its possession, potentially leading to its corruption earlier than expected."
"We had to move silently in a world so wide it would take years to move from one side to the other in a straight line… And we couldn't just visit one place once, for a God could descend at any moment."
"We sought any hint of their descent, investigated all Gods related to fire and the Holy flame, singling out those likely willing to assist us… In the end, we weren't fast enough."
""...""
"Ever since then, Lord Prometheus became unusually silent, giving us only some orders to help us move on and take care of the aftermath… Maybe it was then that he moved out, trying to seek out a solution where we couldn't."
"... Don't you think he abandoned you?"
"Silver!"
"... Maybe it would be best if he did."
"L-Lord Aethon…"
'One of the priestesses, a small girl with tanned skin just like him, held her dress in distress, sad beyond belief.'
"Pardon her rudeness, she's still in training. Even after so long, she's still unable to keep her composure. Honestly, I've already given up on her."
"Lord Aethon!"
"Haha!... Still… Lord Prometheus pitied Humanity to the very end, committing a taboo no other God dared to… I believe he deserves a rest for all the penance he already committed."
"..."
"However, listening to you and seeing how he went out of his way to break the very stigma he held for time immemorial tells me otherwise. Even if once, he sought an answer for himself."
"But… If you speak as in the past, I imagine he failed…"
'Silver thought about what to say before narrating the story:'
"... Once upon a time, he raised a mighty familia that stood at the top of Orario. One so powerful that had they not disbanded, they might've been able to stand with the likes of Zeus and Hera in their heyday."
At least, they had the potential to climb further than Freya currently stands.
"However… Misfortune befell them. And the Familia was ambushed by a monster in the Dungeon, taking out most of them. Their captain, the one capable of saving them, wasn't around to do so."
"From there, I don't know much. My grandparents left the Familia long before to raise my father. I only know that their Captain led the Familia outside Orario, essentially outcasting themselves."
"When he returned, Prometheus wasn't with them anymore… Only a man driven insane by his inability to save others, willing to sacrifice everything to save a world that doesn't even know it's in danger."
'Silver did not continue, and Aethon did not press him for answers. Understanding that something bad likely happened.'
"I heard such stories many times before. The Dungeon is unpredictable and a danger no less than the corrupted flame. Alas, we can only tackle one at a time."
"Maybe it was fate, perhaps it was Lord Prometheus' insight that led to this encounter, but here you are with the hope we've been so eagerly waiting for. Can we truly say he failed if you ultimately reached us?"
""...""
"... We'll have to wait and see… For now, follow me. Let me show you how we speak with his Lordship, for I'm sure you're curious."
'Silver and the others followed Prometheus into a much deeper section of the Temple.'
'A hall very much like the one before, supported by massive pillars, a single obelisk stood at its center.'
'Sunlight peered through glass panels in the ceiling, illuminating a single pedestal where a glorious and immaculate sword remained.'
'In the obelisk, a large stone slab made out of a singular blackish stone had been installed, like a blackboard.'
'It was filled with glowing letters, divine hieroglyphs.'
(Image)
"This is the place. Can you see the stone monument over there? We refer to it as the god's monument."
"Lord Prometheus' messages will always appear there, albeit we don't know when or how."
'Rhea took a step forward, adding:'
"We act according to his messages. What is written on that monument is absolute, and we Olympians must obey."
"Hm… -The Goddess of Fire, Hestia, has arrived. Let her witness the Flame of Heaven and lead us to salvation-... Is that correct?" Silver asked out loud as he tried to read them
"That's correct, and quite impressive. Not many know how to read the divine language." Rhea praised with a faint nod
"I've been getting classes quite frequently… Besides, it's not written in a complicated way."
"Humph! As if there could be simplicity in Lord Prometheus' words!"
'Silver turned to the tanned priestess in training, frowning at her as he looked up and down at her.'
"... Aren't you over three hundred years old? I've seen children act more mature…"
"WHAT?!"
'The priestess' eyes opened wide as she stepped back in shock. Meanwhile, the others either sighed or chuckled, making her even more embarrassed.'
"Silver… You're acting immature yourself…"
"But I'm eighteen."
""...""
'Hestia frowned, rolled her eyes in thought, and eventually exhaled as she realized there was no way to retort.'
'Artemis seemed to want to tease him, but after thinking about it, she realized how he might tease her back, so she kept quiet.'
'The others, on the other hand, reacted in a mixture of emotions…'
"Aren't you the kid then?!" She retorted as she stomped her feet on the ground
"Depends on who you ask, I'm already a father."
""WHAT?!""
"S-Since when Silver?!"
"I-I-I would also like to… Wait…"
'Silver rolled his eyes as he looked at them, chuckling a little as he replied:'
"I'm just joking, I'm too young to have a child. Now, can we get back to the topic?"
'Aethon smiled, keeping his composure at all times, even as everyone laughed.'
'Honestly, that made him seem quite depressing...'
"There isn't much of a hurry, but I agree. As you can see, Lord Prometheus left behind a message regarding your arrival, likely noticing your meddling with the barrier."
"... You know of that?"
"While I cannot feel nor manipulate the barrier, connecting the dots is easy. Only a God with similar authority as the Lord could manipulate the barrier. And given how quickly you arrived, he likely noticed your arrival right on time."
'He turned to Hestia, adding: "... Please, sanctify the Flame of Heaven and save Olympia… Or should I say, the Lower World.".'
"..."
"Hestia?"
"Take me to where the contaminated flame resides."
'Aethon bowed, taking them deeper into the temple.'
/SHUAA!/
'As they approached, the air grew hotter and hotter, with even Silver being affected by it.'
'A strange emotion flared inside of him…Truly… This was Divinity, the power of nature and beyond. Something utterly… Unexplainable.'
"Here we are, this is the Maroon room. The Flame of Heaven is worshiped in this altar daily. As for the flame itself, it's located far deeper in the mountain at its own, dedicated altar."
'A circular room built around a large hole where purplish fire sprang from its depths, reaching out to the dome above them occasionally.'
"Is this the divine fire?... It's a bit different from the ones outside… What are those black things?"
'The fire seemed to burn with something else, tainting it. Like a chemical experiment gone wrong. Even he could tell something was wrong with it.'
"Hestia looked up and down and sighed with her usual troubled expression, saying:"
"Jeez… I can't believe Prometheus left me with such a mess like this."
"..."
'Artemis frowned as well.'
"... So how do you do this? Do you need anything?" Silver asked as he looked around
"... It isn't going to be easy, but I should be able to do it. You know what? This is my chance to show you I can actually do something and prove you wrong!"
"... I said many times before that you already do a lot. There's nothing from you to prove."
"Let me act cool for once! Smile for me! Give me some encouragement!"
'Silver smiled before exhaling, looking at the flames with a conflicted expression.'
"..."
'Artemis, on the other hand, put her hands behind her back, pensive...'
"I'm glad to see that you're confident, Goddess. The relationship between Gods and their Children is as unusual as I've heard."
"You're free to look around the country as we prepare everything. Lord Prometheus should send us a message when the time is right."
"Huh? What do you mean by that? Didn't you say before you don't know when he writes on that stone?"
"I did say that, but I never said he wasn't watching. I believe, deep down, that he'll respond quickly this time. I hope there isn't an issue with that."
"... Unfortunately, we do. You see, we must return to Orario soon. We were only passing by…"
"Now you're in a hurry, Silver? Weren't you planning on taking the whole month off? You can spare a few days, don't you?"
"I didn't say that, but when you have a God that writes one message every few years, I have to doubt a little, don't I?"
"It seems you have made a decision. In case you need me for anything, talk with Rhea, she'll handle everything in my stead."
"Where are you going? If I may be allowed to ask?"
"Down. I shall carve a path to the flame. I must end what my ancestors could not."
'With those words, Aethon walked past the Priestesses, vanishing within the many corridors leading to the circular hall with some of them in tow.'
'Only Rhea and the tanned priestess remained.'
"... I suppose some introductions are due." Rhea added as she looked at the priestess beside her
"This little one is Ilia. Say hi."
"Stop speaking like that! I'm not a child!"
"Greetings… Speaking of that, I haven't introduced myself either… My name is Mellios Silver, Captain of the Hestia Familia. You can call me Silver if you prefer, everyone does so as you must've heard by now."
"... Is it because of your eyes?"
"Yes. My family seems to enjoy naming themselves after strange stones…"
"I'm Hestia."
"And I'm Artemis~"
"It's an honor!" Illia said as she bowed deeply
"I already said enough to the formalities…"
"I deeply apologize!" She said as she bowed deeply again
"Sigh…"
"..."
This one seems rather complicated to deal with…
…
'After some light discussion, Silver and the others left the main hall, returning to the central hall where the divine sword and obelisk stood.'
'He looked up at the monument, asking:'
"You know, can you do something like this?"
"Like what?"
"Write down magical words on a piece of stone ten meters off the ground?"
"... Why?"
"It would be very convenient. You know, given we are far away from home and all."
"Erm…"
"I think that may be hard for her. This kind of thing seems exclusive to Prometheus. And it's not like we can go after him to ask him how he does it either."
"... I expected you to just look and figure it out. Being a God and all…"
"Silver… Some things are hard even for us to understand."
"Tell me the truth."
"Prometheus can only do it due to the Holy Flame; Gods can't use their abilities freely in the lower world, but as a deity of holy flame, he can manipulate it slightly to simulate some powers. There, happy?" She replied with a scoff and a shrug
"So that's a no?"
"YES!"
"Bummer… So what is this place exactly? Aside from a meeting room of sorts?"
"This isn't a meeting room! This is the sacred hill where the Great Heroes of Olympia prayed to Heaven! And that's the altar that stores the flame sword belonging to Epimetheus!"
(Image)
'Silver approached the altar, his eyes flashing with curiosity/'
"So… That's it? An actual Divine Armament? One that was written down in legend thousands of years ago?"
'Even Silver found it hard to hide his excitement.'
/Smack!/
'Artemis smacked his waist, but he held it in.'
"Correct. The legends say that Epimetheus was a warrior and a priest. He was the chosen one, the first to be blessed with the fallen flame."
"With the Divine treasure, lord Epimetheus managed to wield the flame to drive away the chaos."
"Wield the flame? I thought this trait was inherent to Epimetheus' blessing, not his artifact."
"Both are true, but the artifact granted the Hero greater power over the fire, the kind a normal person with decades or even centuries of training could not achieve."
"The artifact granted him a level of authority great enough to move the flame itself around. And it was said the flame followed him whenever he went… Until the day it came for him to enshrine it forever."
"An artifact… You know, I did ask this before…"
"No!"
"You didn't let me finish. Again."
"Because you already know the answer. I'm not calling any Divine artifact from heaven!"
"Why not? Prometheus did it for her champion. Why can't I get a Divine item too?"
"I don't have anything useful! I already told you that!"
"Well… I could leave it around just like they did with the sword. Do you know how much confidence this would bring to everyone?"
"Very well… I'll summon an artifact… A very big cinder log right atop your head!"
'Silver smiled smugly.'
"... W-Why are you smiling at me like that?!"
"Heh, do you know who else has a…"
"Stop talking!!"
/Bonk!/
"Ouch!... Why did you, of all people, hit me?" Silver asked as he turned to look at Artemis
"Because… You're greedy. I thought you were happy with what I gave you already."
"..."
/Stare…/
'Illia looked at the love triangle between the two goddesses and Silver, and she couldn't help but blurt out:'
"Playboy."
"Sigh... What can I say? The Goddesses love me. Sometimes I try to deny it, but I know myself best."
""...""
"I was wrong. You're just a pervert."
"The kind all the girls end up falling for, yes." Silver said smugly as he shuffled his hair
"That's the worst kind then!"
"Heh… Anyhow. If the sword can control the flame, why not use it?"
"The Chancellor is the only one with the authority to wield it. Otherwise, it remains sealed."
"It's a Divine artifact, no? Can't you use it to sanctify the fire? Control the flame to burn off all impurities?"
"No way, that's not how it works! That isn't just any artifact, that's a weapon meant to punish the Gods! Holding it would only weaken me or worse!"
"Huh?... I didn't know that… Can I hold it?"
"No! What type of question is that?"
"You can't blame me for being curious. I'm standing before a Divine item after all… Besides, I'm technically qualified to wield it, right?"
"!"
"My grandparents were some of the strongest Children of Prometheus, carrying on his blessing until my mother was born, which was then passed down to me."
"Even if you say Hestia's blood courses through me, I lived most of my life with half of my blood, if not more, being related to him. And I'm pretty capable myself."
"I say, once this fire is sanctified, I would like to bring it on an adventure with me!"
"Absolute not!" Ilia exclaimed as her face grew red
"Why not? This is a weapon meant for a Hero to drive away darkness. This is pretty much what I do on a daily basis."
"Silver… You just want it to pose, don't you?" Artemis asked with a deep sigh as she face-palmed
"Not quite. Once the fire is completed, unless the sword goes away with it. What purpose would it have if not a reminder of the past?"
"This city is in shambles. It may be rude of me to say so, but these people won't need it anymore… But that's not the case to me."
"The Dungeon grows restless. A weapon like this could very well signify the difference between the repetition of history, or a new wound on that creature."
"Then I can pose with it too, doesn't it look cool?"
""...""
"Either way, is there anything else connected to the Hero? I'm curious about it all."
"I... Well… Follow me…"
'Illia led them outside the temple, going on a small tour around the town.'
'The sun slowly set as night arrived, and with it, the promised time...'
…
.
.
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Notes
[1] I made some changes regarding this. When I first wrote about Prometheus, Hestia knew how she looked like. I changed that.
Take it that she didn't know that and was surprised to know she was a girl.