The Clash of Titans / The Phoenix Within
Chapter 4:The Empire wages the war in earnest and advances to Gaia's sanctuary, where the Kingdom is prepared for a desperate stand before their ancient guardian. There, squashing sideways the people who have surrendered and behind them taking turn for charging soldiers on horrible things impossible to name this first line is commanded by Alyssia, her gaze focused straight into a battlefield where warriors are fighting with unbeatable fierceness. A storm is gathering, and the ground beneath you shakes with each volley of conflict.Alyssia chops with accuracy, dismembering soldiers of the kingdom force as they attempt to stem her. She is just not that into it in her heart of hearts. Memories of Nyx dying flash through her, and Darian's warning about the Black God haunt her thoughts. Yet she remains loyal to the empire and moves forward.Darian, emerges out of the chaos, clawing his way back up to get close to Alyssia. He claws his way through the battlefield, avoiding arrows and crossing swords. But before he can even catch up to her, she tries and make a run for it. "Alyssia, stop!" he yells above the noise. You have no idea what you are doing! Hornet: "Gaia is not… a threat, she's keeping the world safe from something far more dangerous than even her.Unfortunately, the task consumed her and she would not listen. "Enough, Darian. I can't betray the empire." Ignoring the threat, she turns away from Darian to lead her forces further into the heart of defense for all that hitodi and surrounds.A tectonic shift triggers a giant quake the very moment they seem to be at their most triumphantJust as it appears however that fortune has tipped towards favouring one of these warring empires. Gaia awakens. The earth cracks, and rising through the dirt is a massive titan. Her stone body, massive and towering over the battlefield. The ground rumbles with every step — and soldiers on both sides pause in awe, fear.But Alyssia doesn't hesitate. She knows that this is why she was sent here—this is her purpose. She rushes to Gaia, her sword in a strong grip, and she is dead on. But Gaia is not a simple opponent to eliminate. Massive stone titan which pounds at the ground sending shockwaves through the battlefield, any who would dare draw near are crushed under her massive weight.With that, the fighting ensues all around them as Alyssia and Gaia face-off. The forces of the empire advance, but so too do those who would not see their homeland fall, inspired by Gaia stirring from her slumber. Alyssia runs towards the titan lost in battle with Gaia, and despite everything Darian cannot bring himself to attack her… for he knows that if she falls so too does hope.Alyssia lunges at Gaia, her blade sparking as it slams against the titan's stony flesh. Gaia Angered, her eyes light up with old power. Alyssia hits time and again, but the titan gives no ground. All of Alyssia's attacks merely chisel away at Gaia's massive form.A dance with death for the battle of Alyssia Vs Gaia. It is strength and efficiency but even one thoroughly trained to cope with such a situation as this finds herself pushed beyond those limits. The titan's power is great, and Alyssia can feel it in every blow from Gaia. With a sense of duty, pride and doubts leading her way she pushes through.When a final confrontation threatens war between the empire and kingdom, Alyssia is forced to choose. Unfurling Gaia's full-power, she soon wonders if the mission of her organization and even the Empire might be flawed—and that all this time, have they been fighting from inside?Chapter 5: The Phoenix WithinThe battlefield lay in chaos. What was previously a sacred forest maze protecting the sanctuary of Gaia lay in ruins – no original tree untouched, scorched earth mars all around. The empire's pitch-black masses had driven far into the kingdom of light, and in its very heart was Alyssia — staring at Gaia, stone titan. Heavy planet bashing sounded through till soon, and although odd pondering-jaws still chittered somewhat the mighty stone form groaned-disturbed turned cartoon-foot rumbles all but as-sure-as-gods-substratony feet sent quakes to follow theirinsteps so.Alyssia grew frightened as her head started to fill with more doubt and anger. They'd both been sent here to kill Nyx, the Shadow Phoenix — but they didn't know yet just what it was she had been dispatched from Black Quartz Empire to do. In storming Gaia, Kerry Anne Renold's mission alone stood unaccomplished fully accomplished... But she could not escape the memory of Nyx's death, or what it felt like to have strength flowing through her from plunging into water and consuming a phoenix. It bubbled up through her now, a wildfire in her veins begging for freedom.Gaia brought up her giant arm to smush Alyssia under the weight of stone and earth. The eyes of the Titan were alight with ageless knowledge, and they looked across at her not as any other warrior in the empire might have glanced past them but differently — for she was one who bore flame that came from Phoenix. The ancient beast growled, his voice like rolling thunder vibrating across the battlefield.'… Child of fire … You carry the ember of whom you failed to save. Why do you still fight us?"Alyssia bit her tongue in frustration as the words sank to the core of he soul; She had thought it was righteous to kill these legends, but everything she knew since that day Nyx died twisted her perspective. A surge of Nyx's energy burst from her veins, and that warning sounded in her mind. "Destroy me will only bring forth the darkness ".And yet even as the questions swirled, Alyssia had a duty to fulfill. The empire had made her, trained her for this single task—to murder Gaia and break the last guardian protecting all of them.Alyssia managed to tumble out of the way at the last possible second as Gaia's fist struck with a mountainous impact. Gaia struck the ground where she had stood, and all was shattered from their feet on through into the earth. There was fire coursing through her veins, dust in the air and for a second Alyssia could not see anything save the nutty brown which rage gave way to.Use it, the flame whispered.The dust settled, and Alyssia became to rise back up onto her feet again clutching her sword. What had been a common, chilling blade moments before now glowed with the heat of the Phoenix fire. Flames licked up her arms and sparkled in a corona of heat and light. Her mother's immortal essence seemed to be awakening completely within her, a power greater than anything she'd ever experienced before.Again, her mind flickered between vow and ability. Nyx's energy merged with hers and she became something beyond what the empire had ever made of a soldier. I had to keep pushing forward. For, Gaia must die as Nyx had died.Gaia was readying another lance, one that would surely bring about an indisputably devastating strike from the juggernaut of a woman and so Alyssia dove. She screamed, and threw her Phoenix-red hand at the Titan with a swiftness that was almost blinding. The pressure of it hit from her very center, propelling through with such drive she rocked forward until… Gaia's mighty arm swung but Alyssia jumped from the ground, flames erupting behind her as she flew towards his chest.The bloodstone sword ignited in a ball of flame as it struck the stone Gaia, piercing her impenetrable stony armor. The Titan boomed out a roar that shook the air as liquid cracks erupted from her wound and bled through her stone. Gaia reeled back, the dirt beneath her rattling from the chords of release she cried out in anguish but Alyssia did not relent.She drew strength from the Phoenix hanging on her foot and continued, slashing mercilessly. Greek equivalents to themThe stone walls of the titan that could never be breached were splintered by each strike until its once unassailable form was riven with fault lines. Flame swallowing Alyssia's blade, her cuts cauterizing and searing the ancient creature stone-skin.Lady Gaia, in all her glory fired back at this. The Titan's hand swung towards Alyssia, and just for a second it looked like she was going to be squished beneath that mighty fist. However the fire burning inside consumed her in an explosion as Alyssia broke free from that attack, radiating a fiery brilliance.'No…' The voice sounded half whispered by Gaia, it had tiny vibrations encased in regret equivalent to pain. You you not know… We are all that's left between them and us.The words went ignored, she just stared at the flame. She had come too far. The empire demanded victory. She demanded it.Alyssia's whole body exploded with power as she brought her sword down for a final desperate swing and jabbed it deeply into Gaia´s chest, everything that the Phoenix had been building let go in one devastating burst. Her own body went up in flames which turned Gaia to a river of molten fire. The Titan's body writhed, her stone flesh cracking and splitting as the fire raced over it.The entire world held its breath… for a moment.And then, with a thunderous crash — Gaia fell. Her massive form fell back and toppled to the ground, Quaking the Earth, as she brook into dusty rubble. The entire battlefield went silent as the where abouts of Titan remains scattered across land, such a huge being left to dust.Alyssia was standing in the ruins, fire sparking around her. Nyx's power now flowed even stronger through her veins but it gave her no pleasure. Gaia's last words felt like they had been cast in lead."You do not understand…"Waving away the dust from her gun, Alyssia examined another job well done. The kingdom's defenses had been swept aside, their defenders pushed back. The empire's soldiers, high on Gaia's death bolted after them -- victory in hand. But Alyssia found no victory; only the hollow sound of her own deeds.Darian staggered in shock to the edge of the battle, looking at Gaia on her side. He looked away and then back to Alyssia, his eyes at once full of honesty.She had killed Gaia. But in the process she had unleashed something terrible.The Abyss was coming.And it was her fault