The Flames of Hope Ch 29

Chapter 29~The Heart
The inside of Leiomenos heart reminded me of a large model of the solar system. Orbs of green flame seemed to circle around a small blue sphere in the middle of everything and it was the only thing that didn’t move, like the sun.

“There,” I pointed and Zeus followed my finger. We propelled ourselves forward and moved out of the way of the moving spheres. One passed only a few feet in front of us and we both saw the sleeping face of Athena.

“My daughter,” Zeus said as he extended a hand to her, but retracted it as the green flames burned his skin.

“Come on, we can save everyone if this works,” I told him and we continued on. We soon arrived at the center of the circling spheres, the one that didn’t move and emitted a small blue flame. We looked inside and saw a young man with black hair that reminded me of Zeus’.

“Pisteuo,” Zeus called.

“The first god Leiomenos captured was himself,” I said and I touched the blue flames. They didn’t burn or anything, but they filled me with a feeling that made me think I could do anything. “You turned on him and believed he would destroy you, so that is what he became.”

Zeus touched the sphere containing his first son, but it was a big mistake as Greek fire seemed to flood into the hollow heart. Zeus looked around in worry, but turned and began pounding on the sphere until it cracked just a bit. Pisteuo opened his eyes and looked around, eventually resting his eyes on his father.

“Father?” he said. “Is that really you?”

“Yes, it is,” Zeus said back. “What have I done to you? I did this to you.”

Pisteuo seemed to recall everything that happened and all the things he had done, and lowered his gaze. The blue prison seemed to heal as the cracks began to become smaller and smaller. Zeus however wasn’t about to give up and reached his arm inside.

“Grab my hand!” Zeus shouted. “Please, I’m trying to save you!”

“I’m not worth saving,” Pisteuo replied and curled up into a ball, as if trying to disappear completely. Suddenly, chains of Greek fire wrapped around Zeus and pulled him away. The wrapped him up and he fought back, punching and pulling at them even though they probably burned his skin. Eventually, layer after layer enveloped him and it became just another prison inside his heart. I heard laughter, possibly from the outside, but I tried to ignore it.

“Listen Pisteuo, I know you don’t know me or anything, but your father just gave up his own life to try and save you and you’re just sitting on the ground feeling sorry for yourself,” I shouted at him. “This is your heart, not Leiomenos! The reason it’s hollow is because you retreated into it. You are the god of belief, maybe it is about time you have some in yourself. You can sit here and wait for the end of the world or you can fight back and take your place with your family. I won't tell you what to do, but I’m giving you the choice.”

After that, the cracks completely healed up in the sphere and I pushed off. I looked around the mostly hollow area and saw a small sphere that looked like a road was twisting around trying to get free. I propelled myself toward it and took out my hammer. I smashed the sphere wide open and a road began to form and lead me toward the exit. On the outside, Leiomenos was gloating still, right up until a road came right out of his chest with me in tow. The road disappeared a second later, but I was laying flat on the ground trying to get to my feet.

“Well congratulations, you are the only one ever to escape my grasp,” Leiomenos said.

“Hopefully not the last,” I said back.

“Make jokes while you can because you won't live much longer,” he spat back as electricity began to circle around his hand as he aimed it at me. “I want to see how powerful a direct blast of lightning is on a weak mortal so hold still.”

I knew I didn’t have the strength to move now and if I was going to die, I was going to look him in the eyes when I did it. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of killing me while I tried running away, not that I could anyway.

“Any last words?” he asked as lightning from the sky struck his glove, adding to the already impressive amount of power circling it.

“I’m Nolan Swift, the fastest hero alive,” I said as I stood tall with my hammer I my hand.

“Soon, there will be no more heroes,” Leiomenos said back to me and fired his large blast of lightning. All I could do was watch it as it flew at me and I closed my eyes.

Darkcloud1111 ~Fastest Hero Alive