Chapter 111-The Elemental Apocalypse, Part Two

"Team Noah, hmm…?" Helios smirks as the seven of us stop before him, "Here to try and stop our lord and father…Prometheus…"

"YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT WE ARE!" I shout, "Now…stand aside or we'll beat your ass!"

"I won't let you stop my lord and father…" Helios repeats, still smirking, as he puts his hands together. Flame-orange sparks begin to burst and swirl around his body.

My eyes widen. "It's…just like Prometheus!"

"Sun Charge-" Helios begins to say.

"EARTH CHARGE!"

"MAGNET CHARGE!"

With a battle cry, Gaia and Carbon resume their Charge Stances. But upon noticing one another, they angrily turn towards each other.

"I'M GONNA BE THE ONE TO FIGHT HELIOS!" The two men bark as they attempt to shove one another out of the way.

"Level One…" Helios continues, but before Helios can finish chanting his spell, the wind around us begins to kick up, forming a small tornado which sends the seven of us FLYING backwards.

"NON ABBIAMO TEMPO PER QUESTO, the Elemental Apocalypse is here!" Luciano barks as he pushes himself up, "Get it together, ragazzi!"

"-Divine Flame," Helios says as he thrusts both hands towards the group, firing off a white-hot beam of blazing light.

"E-Earth Charge-!" Gaia stammers as he aims his wand at Helios, but before he can even charge up a spell, a plasma beam FIRES over Gaia's shoulder, colliding with Helios' spell, and canceling it out.

Gaia turns around to Face Carbon, who's propped up on one knee.

"Please…allow me to face Helios…"

"Hell no!" Gaia spits, "This is a battle to save the world, we don't have time for your petty revenge-"

"IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT!" Carbon snaps, causing Gaia to recoil, "I…I…don't have a place in this world anymore. I FAILED at my only goal of defeating Prometheus. So…as much as I hate to admit it, it's up to you guys now, DAMMIT! Noah…will be the one to stop Prometheus for good, and it's up to us to set that up. So…at least allow me this: allow me to hold off Helios so you guys can get to the Tomb of the Last."

Gaia's eyes widen.

And then, without another word, Gaia signs then turns forwards.

"Come on guys," Gaia orders, "Let's go."

The rest of us nod, before following Gaia into Mt Fuji, at last.

"You've grown soft, Gaia," Ana teases as the six of us rush towards the entrance of Mt Fuji.

"Shut up…" Gaia sighs.

"So…you're fighting too, Luciano?" I ask, but the man doesn't answer. Instead, Luciano is intensely staring at Helios.

"Luciano?" I ask again, causing the man to flinch.

"Scusa," Luciano sighs as his eyes swiftly dart away from Helios, causing me to raise an eyebrow at him, as the six of us dash unto Mt Fuji, for good.

"I won't let you-" Helios begins to say as he fires off another beam of light, but a second plasma beam collides with Helios' spell, and cancels it out.

Helios scowls as he turns to face Carbon, who's standing up at last.

"I told ya'," Carbon smirks, "You're dealing with ME!"

"Father will have his way, traitor," Helios replies, "No matter what you do."

***

"So what are we here for today, my lord?" Tondra asks as the Children of Fire have been gathered around their usual meeting spot, with Prometheus at the center.

"Where's Sol?" Margarette asos.

"Finding a new friend for us," Prometheus answers, "Speaking of which, with Smokey dead and Carbon gone, our ranks have dwindled. And now, rather than building up our ranks, I have to replenish them."

Prometheus then claps his hands together.

"You may come in, now."

Upon the clap of his hands, the double doors leaving into the meeting room SWING open, and a man around five foot seven with hair that matches Prometheus' own enters the room with a small, faint smirk.

Everyone's eyes widened.

All except Raven's, who looks away sadly.

"My lord, this is-" Margarette begins to say, but Prometheus cuts her off.

"Yes," he smirks, "This…is my son. My BLOOD son. Helios."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Helios bows, before taking the seat where Smokey once sat.

But the second that Helios' rear touches the seat, Prometheus barks: "GET UP!"

Helios flinches, then jumps to his feet.

"Wh-what is it, father?" Helios stammers, tears welling up in the edges of his eyes.

Raven frowns.

"He sure is quick to cry," Sparky grumbles, causing Tondra to nod.

"THAT IS SMOKEY'S SEAT, NOT YOURS!" Prometheus roars, and a squealing Helios scrambles to the other side of the table, where Carbon once sat.

"How many TIMES do I have to tell you to call me "lord," not "father"?" Prometheus sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

"I-I'm sorry fath-I mean…MY LORD!" Helios tremble.

"Only Prometheus can get any resemblance of emotion out of him…" Sol whispers, "It's strange…"

"What is the meaning of this, my Lord?" Tondra asks, dumbfounded.

"Do you question my judgment, Third Sun?" Prometheus asks as he glares at Tondra with a horrifyingly innocent smile, causing the woman to grow pale.

"Err…no, my Lord," Todnra stammers, "I just…have a VERY hard time believing that your blood doesn't make for the strongest E-Charger we can muster."

"That's because…this child is flawed…" Prometheus sighs.

Raven frowns.

Helios looks away in shame.

Prometheus then peers up again, with a brighter expression.

"However, our new recruit…BOY, he sure is something!"

"Now…we have more pressing matters…" Prometheus sighs again, "Raven."

Raven nods, without saying a word. And then…an object begins rising out of the shadows behind Tondra, Sparky, Margarette, and Sol's empty seat. Upon noticing them, their eyes widen.

"M-my lord…?" Sparky stammers.

"This…may hurt a bit," Prometheus says, with that same, sweet smile.

***

Now, in present time again, Team Noah continues making their way through Mt Fuji, until one by one, Prometheus' sons of the Children of Fire appear, and attempt to thwart Team Noah's plans.

And so, Khione, Flint, Mary, and Ana find themselves facing their original opponents, while Gaia finds himself standing face to face with an unfamiliar member. A man wearing his cloak unzipped, so that he muscular chest is put on display, with a dark green buzz cut underneath an orange mohawk, matching right dark-green eye, and left eye with a black sclera, pastel yellow eye, and pearl blue pupil in the shape of a mysterious symbol.

As for Luciano…he finds himself standing face to face with a familiar, yet hidden face.

"Raven…" Luciano softly says, as he stares down at a woman with greasy black hair and bangs covering her eyes.

"Luciano…" she softly replies.

"It's been a while…my moglie."