𝐹𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓉𝒽
"A Dance of Opposites"

In a beautiful flower valley, two deities walked side by side, basking in each others' presence and exchanging their thoughts and musings.

The Ancients of Wind and Earth. Two beings with immense power enjoying a nice walk.

"Moving on," she rolled her eyes. "How was the fight with the lightning drake?"

He gave a small shrug. "It went fine."

She crossed her arms.

"Really? That's all?"

Percy gave a slow apologetic nod.

"Apologies. It took a while to track the drake. Once tracked, we gave it our all and managed to beat the monster."

She gave a smile. "See? Would it kill you to give less cold responses?"

"I'm trying."

"I know, I know," she patted him on the back, "and we appreciate it."

She walked forward extending her hand to him.

"Let's go back. I, frankly, am starving," she exclaimed. He gave a soft hum and enveloped her hand in between his golden ones.

The two walked hand in hand, walking back towards their encampment. The two shared their normal back-and-forth banter on the trip to their encampment. Their home.

As the two walked closer and closer to where their home was finally in view, they could see the faint outline of two people. A speck of blue and red.

Percy turned to Celeste as the two shared a look.

They walked closer and closer, hearing voices they recognized. And with tones that they were all too familiar with.

"I am SO sick of you!" They heard a voice that belonged to a very angry Neptis.

Ignis looked crestfallen. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to–"

"You know what? Fine! I've been putting up with your shit for as long as I can remember!" She shouted.

"You have been getting on my nerves since day one! I don't know what I did, or why I keep putting up with it, but I've had enough!" She growled out.

"I'm sorry, how can I make it up–"

"You can't!" She snapped.

"That pearl that you broke? That meant SO much to me. And you broke it, and for what? A stupid fucking prank?"

He looked at the ground in shame.

"I didn't mean to. It wasn't for a prank, I swear. I was meant to use it for–"

"I don't fucking care!" She shouted with vigor, tears freely streaming down her face...

"You broke it, that's that. There's NOTHING you can do to get my forgiveness."

"I'm sor–"

"Don't."

She wiped the tears from her eyes angrily. "I don't want to see you EVER again."

"Leave me the fuck alone."

A pang of hurt struck through the Ancient of Fire's heart.

"I..." His voice gave out.

"Okay. I understand." He hung his head low.

She turned her heel, her form turning into a silhouette of water and disappearing without a trace.

Percy and Celeste who were watching the argument unfold shared a look of concern.

The two deities carefully approached their friend, checking to see how he was.

The usually bright Ignis was crestfallen. You could no longer feel the energy that he once exerted so effortlessly. He looked lost. His face was pale, and his eyes showed anxiety and regret.

"Are you alright?" Percy asked, breaking the silence.

He shook his head. "I messed up. I messed up badly."

Celeste whistled. "I got to say Ignis. This time, you have wronged her on levels even I am surprised at."

"You knew how sentimental that pearl meant to her," Percy chided.

"What drunken stupor made you think breaking it was a good idea?" The overlord of the earth crossed his arms. The two looked at him in slight disappointment. Even though the two felt sorry for him, they still knew he overstepped his boundaries.

"I didn't mean to. It was an accident," he explained, "but I know that's not enough of a reason."

"She kept telling stories of the pearl. That it had an innate ability to manipulate water. So I borrowed it..." His voice trailed off as his head started to hang low.

"...without her permission."

The two deities shared a look as if to say their friend was stupid.

"What in the ever-loving hell made you think that was a good idea?" Celeste asked incredulously.

"It was supposed to be a surprise," he stated.

"With me being the fire Ancient, I naturally couldn't control water. So I had the idea to secretly borrow the pearl and make a beautiful pond. A special place for a special occasion."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "What occasion?'

He hung his head low again, speaking in a mumble. "Iwassupposedto..."

"Pardon?" The earth deity repeated.

"Confess to her..."

Celeste blinked.

"Huh," Celeste managed to say, "weird. I could've sworn you said-"

"You heard correctly," interjected the earth primordial.

"You knew?!" She asked with wide eyes.

"He told me about it. He asked me how relationships work and how to confess one time. A weird question to ask, so I guessed he liked someone. Now here we are."

She crossed her arms. "Remind me again, who confessed to who?"

He looked away.

Celeste smiled smugly. She turned her head back to Ignis. "Back to the topic, you have a crush on her?!"

"I wanted to make the confession special. But I didn't expect to drop the pearl," Ignis sighed.

"Talking with her was so fun. I had a blast with her. I wasn't sure if the feeling was mutual. But I wanted to give it a shot. If it wasn't, then it was fine by me," he gave a small sigh, "guess I don't have a chance at all now, huh?"

"Hell, I have a negative chance. She hates my guts. That's underestimating it, she hates everything about me."

Celeste kneeled beside him. "Look, I can speak for her and say she doesn't hate you. She was angry. Sometimes, people say stuff they don't exactly mean when they're angry. You know Neptis, she can sometimes say the most hurtful things."

Percy nodded in agreement.

"Even though you screwed up big time, it doesn't mean she doesn't want to see you," she tried to comfort, "believe me, I know her."

"Thanks. But like... I've never seen her that angry," he admitted. 

"I've gotten on her nerves once or twice. But to get on her nerves that much. To break something so special that made her that angry. Something that made her shout..." His voice trailed off.

"...Something that made her cry."

He shook his head with regret. "I don't think I deserve her forgiveness."

Celeste and Percy shared a look.

"Why don't you let her sort her thoughts for a while," Celeste advised. "She'll come to her senses soon enough."

"Although her anger is justified. She doesn't value that pearl as much as she does your friendship."

He sighed. 

"In the moment, people can say things they don't mean," Percy started.

"We say things that we regret. Things that we can't take back."

"As much as you have made her angry, and believe me you did," he chided, "just give her some space. Once she's sorted out her feelings, then go apologize."

Celeste nodded in agreement. 

She clicked her tongue and patted Ignis' shoulder, "Hey, if it makes you feel any better, we'll try to talk to her and calm her down."

He gave her a thankful nod.

Percy turned to his crestfallen friend. "I'd suggest you go for a walk to clear your mind and rearrange your thoughts. Perhaps think of an apology too while you're at it."

His form disappeared in a burst of flames, leaving ashes in his wake.

Percy turned back to Celeste, his eyebrow raised.

"What makes you certain that Neptis still wants to see him?" Percy inquired, "Ignis is right. I've never seen her that mad."

"Oh her? She's kinda head over heels for that moron."

Percy blinked. 

"Pardon," Percy managed to say, "I thought I misheard and-"

"Nah. You heard it right."

"How are you so certain?"

"Take a guess lover-boy," she teased.

He gave a small sigh.

She smiled cheekily, giving him a small peck on the cheek.

"Anyways," she reached her hand out, motioning for Percy to grab it. He complied, his golden hand intertwining with hers. "We have a Sea Primordial to find."

"And I know just the place to find her," she said, whisking both of them away with a gust of wind.

The two primordials appeared with a soft breeze. Their forms disappearing and reappearing from one place to another.

The once serene flower valley was replaced with the sight of a small pond inside a clearing surrounded by foliage and trees.

"Are you certain this is the place?" He asked.

Celeste gave him a look, "Got any other ideas?"

"Fair."

Percy looked around, admiring the quiet and secluded area.

"How did you even think of this place?" Asked the earth deity.

Celeste shrugged.

"Neptis and I were talking. And she gave some mention of this place every once in a while. I figured this might be the place where she'd go-" she trailed off.

"Bingo," she pointed near the pond.

Neptis sat on a fallen log overlooking a pond, her posture slumped with her mood reflecting it. She sat in silence, staring at the pond under the shade of a tree. Her eyes showed turmoil, with a million thoughts racing through her head.

Percy and Celeste shared a look as if silently asking each other who would do the honors of approaching her.

Percy crossed his arms.

Celeste gave a silent groan. "Uh, fine."

"Hey Neptis," called out Celeste, earning the sea deity's attention.

She looked back, the two locking eyes for a moment. 

She turned back to the pond, not heeding the two much care.

"I heard you and Ignis got into a fight," Celeste started to say, sitting right beside her.

Celeste looked at her friend worriedly. "Want to talk about it?"

Neptis sighed, her eyes still locked to the beautiful pond. "I'd rather not."

Celeste gave a small sigh.

"You sure? Talking about it will make you feel better," she shifted in her seat, "wouldn't want you following in Midas' footsteps now, do we?"

Percy crossed his arms, "Resorting to slander now, are we?"

Neptis gave a soft, sad chuckle.

"I-" she seemed to start, "Well, Ignis and I fought."

"A bad one."

Celeste gave a knowing look, "yeah?"

"He broke the pearl. My favorite one."

"No-" she feigned shock, "that one?!

Neptis gave a nod.

"I-"

"I don't know what happened but I just... exploded I guess."

Celeste gave an affirming nod.

"It's okay. That pearl meant a lot to you. It's natural to suddenly lose control of your emotions."

Neptis shook her head dismissively. "Ignis also meant a lot to me."

"Celeste, I said some mean stuff. Horrible things," she seemed to say.

"Things that even I wouldn't accept if I was in Ignis' shoes."

She turned to Celeste, her eyes filled with regret. "Celeste, I think I ruined our friendship."

"He probably thinks I hate him now," she buried her face in her hands.

Celeste rubbed the back of her friend comfortingly.

"I'm sure he doesn't feel that way," she tried to comfort.

"No, you don't get it."

Neptis started, "Ignis is so jovial, so easy-going. And in that moment. I've never seen him look so... defeated. Like his normal fiery personality just got extinguished."

She groaned, "and I feel awful knowing I'm the one who caused it."

"Take it from me," Percy broke his silence.

"Knowing Ignis, he would never hate you. He values his friendship with you a lot. Some might say to the point of-" he saw the glare that Celeste gave him.

"I'm getting off-track. He can be mischievous at times, yes. But he respects you to the extent that he would better himself to appeal to you," he stated.

"He'd never hate you Neptis."

"Quite the opposite, actually," Percy whispered under his breath, making sure she wouldn't hear.

Celeste gave him another glare, trying her hardest to keep Neptis in the dark about Ignis' crush. 

Neptis gave a sad sigh, "you really think so?"

"I'm certain," replied the earth deity.

She gave a small nod, her mood lightening a bit.

"You need to approach him first though," Celeste managed to say.

"I usually would've said that he should apologize since he's the one in the wrong," Celeste said, pointing her finger, "but you did tell him to never talk to you ever again."

"I believe an 'I never want to see your face' was a sufficient enough warning," Percy added.

She groaned, burying her face in her hands again.

"I did say that, didn't I?" She groaned out in annoyance.

"Don't think about it too much," Percy comforted.

"I'm sure he'd be ecstatic just to find out you don't want to kill him on the spot.

She nodded, letting out a small sigh to try and boost her confidence.

"Alright," she huffed, "let's do this."

"We'll be right behind you," Celeste gave an affirming smile.

And in an instant, the trio disappeared from the pond and right back to their camp.

The three looked around, trying to clear their daze.

"Guys, guys!" Called out a panicked Levina.

"I found a note from Ignis," she said, her voice filled with panic and her face filled with worry.

Percy raised his brow, turning to see the note that Levina had in her hands.

All their faces dropped, reading the note.

---{+}---

In a nearby cliffside overlooking the ocean stood a valiant Ancient. His demeanor was serious, and his eyes were determined.

Ignis' fiery eyes stared at the opponent in front of him.

A small rumble echoed throughout the lands, causing the nearby birds to panic. Ignis stood steadfast, balling his hands in anticipation.

A massive sea serpent rose from the depths of the ocean, its body covered in turquoise scales and with red eyes that seemed to bore through his soul.

The two powerful beings eyed each other, not one seeming to make a move.

"I messed up big time," Ignis seemed to say, "and purging you would drop a certain pearl that I need."

Ignis readied himself and went into his battle stance.

A blazing pair of wings sprouted from his bow, emitting a blinding glow that even the serpent was surprised by. 

Ignis stretched out his hand as a blaze of fire sparked in his palms seemingly out of nowhere. The fire molded and shaped itself into a bow that seemed to blaze endlessly.

The Sea Serpent reeled back a bit in surprise, surprised at the sudden heat that emanated from him.

Ignis readied himself and flew straight up in the air like a jet, leaving a billowing pillar of smoke and flame in his wake.

The serpent reeled back in surprise, the sudden heat making it recoil in shock.

The serpent dove straight back down to the ocean depths, the heat from Ignis beginning to burn off its scales.

Ignis flew above the ocean surface, his eyes scanning the vicinity for the beast. 

He had to win. It was the only chance he had of getting a sea pearl similar to the one he broke.

He strained his eyes as he saw a small patch in the ocean darken.

He widened his eyes and flew out of the way, barely avoiding the Sea Serpent that came hurtling out of the water, jaws out and almost eating him whole.

He readjusted himself and readied his bow, sending a volley of flaming arrows towards the serpent.

The beast dodged and waved, avoiding each projectile masterfully.

He held out his hands and mustered his powers, and with a spark of fire, multiple 

He held out his hands and mustered a portion of his powers into a dozen blazing balls of flame. 

He sent the fireballs forward, each orb exploding into an inferno of fire and flame.

The serpent screeched in pain, its monstrous scales burning with a fire so hot that some of it melted.

Ignis flew straight up into the air and aimed his bow downwards, clutching his bowstring and pulling it with all his might.

Without having notched an arrow, a blazing figure of the projectile materialized into the bow as the light burned brighter and brighter.

The pure fire arrow burned more and more violently as he condensed more and more of his power into it.

And when he released the bowstring, a sonic boom resonated throughout the area causing all of the wildlife to scutter in panic. The arrow came down at frightening speeds, leaving a trail of pure fire, not even smoke in its wake.

From the distance, it looked like a pillar of fire rose from the ground.

The Serpent looked at the descending calamity, realizing there was no way it could dodge it.

So it opened its mouth.

And ate the arrow.

Ignis looked at the monster with wide eyes.

"What the fuck?!"

The Serpent's eyes turned blue with power. It opened its jaw, revealing a set of deadly sharp teeth. But that wasn't what scared Ignis. It was the fact that blue energy seemed to grow brighter and brighter inside its mouth.

From the mouth of the beast came a torrent of blue energy so powerful and so fast that Ignis didn't have much time to register what was happening.

He tried to dodge as much as his reaction time would allow him to. But the beam of energy managed to clip him on his left wing and a bit on his side.

He gasped in pain as he started falling into the ocean.

He tried to reignite his wings.

But he couldn't.

He gritted his teeth, willing his bow to disappear to try and fully focus on resummoning his wings, yet nothing seemed to work.

The Serpent coiled its body and sprung forward, opening its jaw and launching itself towards Ignis.

His eyes locked onto the monster, seeing his impending doom in the form of a set of dangerous teeth.

His heart dropped.

Without him noticing, a blur of blue appeared in the corner of his vision.

The Serpent was slashed across the face as Neptis wielded her claws with a look of fury. 

The whole of her left and right arms were draped with water, forming an armguard-like claw around her arms. Her signature weapon.

Neptis turned towards Ignis and caught him, launching the two out of the Serpents' grasp.

Ignis could only stare at her with wide eyes. He tried to say something, anything, but his voice failed him.

The two landed right back onto the cliffside where it all started.

"Oh uh, hello-" he coughed out, preventing him from spouting any quips.

"Jesus, you're hurt," Neptis said worriedly.

"Am I?" He asked looking at his side.

Blood seemed to leak out of his side where the torrent of energy hit him.

"Oh." 

"Tis' but a flesh wound."

"Stop with the jokes for a moment, please! You could've died!" Neptis begged, her voice breaking with emotion.

He could feel himself look away, remembering what she told him.

"I don't want to see you EVER again."

"That doesn't seem too bad now, does it," he seemed to say, his voice low.

She slapped him in the face, hard. 

"Ouch!" He screamed.

He turned to her, confused at her actions. She had just told him to never talk to her again. She wanted him out of her life. To say he was confused was an understatement. 

He opened his mouth to ask.

Till they locked eyes.

Tears. She had tears.

Tears were freely streaming down her cheeks from worry. The first time he saw her cry was when he broke her pearl. But that paled in comparison to the stream of tears that flowed down her cheeks.

"I-"

"I'm sorry," he mustered out.

She couldn't stand it anymore. Her emotions were imploding inside her. The worry and anxiety that coursed through her as she ran and ran, trying to find him. The regret that filled her, realizing the fact that Ignis might've died because of her. She felt like her heart was splitting in two when she read the note.

And the relief when she saw the pillar of fire in the air. The fact that she finally managed to find him.

Then the dread when she saw him falling out of the sky, his left-wing gone.

She couldn't take it anymore. Her heart exploded.

She surged forward and kissed him.

Ignis laid there, shocked and surprised. 

For once in his life, he had nothing to say. For the mischievous primordial was effectively silenced.

He blinked for a moment.

Then kissed her back.

It was as if the flaring pain in his side disappeared.

The pain that the two held, the hurt that they carried, all disappeared in one act. 

All their passion and all their emotions culminated into one explosion of an act. 

No words needed to be said.

For the kiss told more than what a thousand words could.

Neptis pulled away. Her lips were red, and her cheeks a bright pink. Her mind was going overdrive. 

Inverse to that was Ignis. His eyes looked glazed, and his mind was blank. Like she had just sucked the soul out of him.

As if their situations had reversed. If you were to judge who was the fire deity, and the water deity, you'd have mixed them up.

But they weren't in the clear just yet.

The Sea Serpent rose from the sea and reared its ugly head towards the two.

The beast opened its mouth, its jaws filling with a blue energy.

And with a sonic boom, a beam of blue light erupted from its jaws and surged forward to the two Ancients.

Boom

Dust and debris erupted from the area from the sheer force of the attack.

The grass and dirt around the area were scorched and flamed, charring the ground into a sickly black.

The serpent stared at the area which was covered in dust with satisfaction.

The look slowly soured when the dust cleared which revealed a barrier of golden light that encompassed the two, shielding them from the powerful attack.

The two Ancients shared a look of confusion at the barrier.

"I recognize that barrier," the two said in unison.

Percy slowly floated down from the sky, standing in front of his two friends in a protective stance.

"Right in the nick of time," Neptis sighed in relief.

Percy kneeled down beside Ignis, looking for any injuries. His eyes scanned his friend, seeing the major energy burns on his body.

He turned to Neptis. 

"Take him back to camp." 

His eyes seemed to lock onto the horrible wound on Ignis' side, "I have a score to settle with a certain monster."

She nodded, clutching Ignis' injured body and disappearing in a mist of water.

He turned towards the Ocean Serpent, his eyes held a stern anger that was unlike him. The Ancients had rarely seen him with emotion. Although he wasn't emotionless, he seldom showed it. And this time, he held a stern anger.

The Serpent's head stared at the new foe in eager anticipation, awaiting for what it thought was its next meal.

Multiple serpent-like heads made from water erupted from the ocean, mimicking that of the real head. A multiple-headed beast of the depths. A monster to be feared.

Percy's eyes glowed golden. 

"You'll never harm any of my family, ever again."

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