Living Fire
In the chamber at the end of the path, Kratos collected the essence of the Primordial Flame to aid them in their quest. It merged itself with the Sun Shield, strengthening its protective attributes. With the flame inside it, it was able to absorb enemy projectile attacks and return them in a blast of cleansing flame. After briefly demonstrating his mastery of the new technique by using it to obliterate a few attacking statues, the flame also unlocked the ability to fire a projectile of solar fire from the shield at will.
With the path once more cleared, they continued down the path through another door...which led back into the original large chamber from before. Pinkie's frustration at once more going in circles exploded as she demonstrated that - apparently - she had somehow absorbed the Primordial Flame's abilities as well, throwing fireballs at the monsters that arose until - from Kratos perspective - they were too scared to rise up again.
Heading back through the portal that brought them to the caves, they returned to the Temple of Helios and continued their explorations, seeking the remaining spirits of the Fire Steeds.
Once they returned to the outside of the Temple through a different exit, Kratos and Pinkie were assailed once again by that haunting melody. Pinkie noticed that Kratos seemed more effected by the melody than she was, to the point he was actually thrown off somewhat in combat. After a fast battle, she decided to ask about it. "Daddy, does something bother you about that melody?"
"It seems so...familiar," he admitted, shaking his head to clear it.
As he refocused on the events at hand, the melody faded. "It seems to be stronger when you think about it. It's probably something you remember that Morpheus is using against you."
Kratos nodded. "You're probably right." Turning, he focused on the light puzzle that would waken the second fire steed.
After awakening the second Fire Steed, the inside of the Temple was noticeably warmer than it had been. After a brief analysis, Pinkie became much less antagonistic regarding their seemingly endless circling through the temple. "After all," she pointed out, "the four steeds are the four winds. It makes sense they'd sleep at the four corners of the temple. There is a direct path from the central region of the temple to each steed's resting place, but it wouldn't make sense for there to be a path from one steed to the next." Having reached this acceptable conclusion, she was much calmer as she vivisected the next monster to cross her path.
Kratos was unsure which was more frightening; when Pinkie was battling enraged, when she was battling happily, or when she was absolutely calm like this. In all honestly, he preferred happy warrior Pinkie, though.
After waking the third fire steed, Kratos noticed that Pinkie was being thoughtful. "What's on your mind?" he asked.
She rubbed her chin. "Do these statues look anything like the Steeds that are sleeping in them?"
Kratos scratches his head, then nodded. "I suppose they'd have to. Why?"
"Well...it's just...he's kinda cute."
Kratos blinked. "Who?"
"Zephyros," Pinkie replied, blushing.
Kratos blinked for a time. "You...do realize he's made of living fire, right?"
"So he's a total hottie?" Pinkie countered with interest.
Kratos struggled to comprehend that. "He's also...a good deal older than you."
"Last I checked, they were ageless immortals, so it's not like that's an issue," she pointed out.
Kratos struggled to follow where her mind was going. "And...the Fire Steeds' real bodies are large enough to pull this entire Temple through the sky."
Pinkie blushed. "I...like em big?"
Kratos decided quite firmly that he was not going to pursue this line of discussion any further, and promptly headed out for where the reigns of the steeds led.
As they left the Temple, heading for the reigns of the Fire Steeds, the army of Morpheus once more began an assault. At the same time, the melody returned...but this time, Kratos recognized the song. "Calliope?" he gasped in wonder.
"Who?" Pinkie asked.
"My daughter," he managed to explain. "The one who...lost her life because of my ambitions...because of me."
Pinkie's eyes widened. "She's the one playing that song?" She gasped happily. "Then I have a sister to meet!" Reaching into her mane, Pinkie yanked out a pair of Persian swords she had picked up back in Attica and leaped into the fray, cutting her way through to the Fire Steeds.
Kratos, for his part, was no less eager than she to find out how Calliope could be in the world of the living again. Drawing his blades, he charged after her, the two of them carving their way through the army of Morpheus, letting none stop them. "Calliope! Where are you?" he called out as he charged.
Having carved their way through the army, there was still no sign of Calliope, much to Kratos and Pinkie's frustrations. However, at the end they reached the Fire Steeds, their spirits now infusing their bodies. As Kratos threw the levers to waken them completely, Pinkie hopped up near them. "You know, Daddy, they aren't nearly as big as you implied." She then lay in front of Zephyros as Kratos threw the last switch. "Hey Cutie," she breathed, giving her best bedroom eyes.(1)
The Steeds' eyes popped open wide, and with a loud, panicked whinny, they leaped into the air. As Kratos dug into the chariot with his blades and caught Pinkie as she flipped back through the air towards him, he wasn't entirely sure if the Steeds' charge here was more to get to their Master, or to get away from Pinkie.
As the steeds pulled Kratos and Pinkie through the fog of Morpheus, Kratos found himself reminiscing about Calliope...about the flute he had carved for her...about how happy she had always been to see him, and he her. Having seen how great a warrior Pinkie had become, another vision slipped its way in, of how Calliope would have done in warrior training, and an image of her and Pinkie charging into battle together. But those dreams were cut off as the fog forced him to recall the day that had broken his loyalty to Ares...the day he had been tricked into killing his wife and daughter...
As the steeds broke through the fog and into the Underworld, Kratos was snapped out of his reminiscing. Seeing the steeds fading, unable to maintain their magical energies in the Underworld, Kratos leapt from the chariot with Pinkie in his arms, catching hold of a cliff face as he prepared to find where in the Underwold Helios had been taken.
(1) In ancient Greece, both sexes became sexually active - with both sexes - at a much younger age than in modern times. It's why so many of those ancient cultures worshiped goddesses of fertility, since they could see no connection between sex and babies. Women just suddenly started having kids after a certain age.
As such, it's perfectly reasonable - if slightly disturbing - for a nine year old Pinkie to be trying to seduce Zephyros here.
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wow...that was creepy. I mean yeah it wouldn't be considered unusual back then but still. Great chapter
Hurray ancient history!
As I recall my in my own studies, the following statement is NOT entirely true.
At least as far as most of Greece was concerned. They DID know that sex caused babies. HOWEVER, given that the average life expectancy was DRASTICALLY lower back then, most girls started getting married/having kids so young because few were going to survive to adulthood. It was expected for women to marry as early as their early-teens, because it helped to ensure they would have enough time to have enough children. Birth control also DID exist back then. It was just very rarely used by single people and never really used by those who are married. You wanted as many children as possible, both as a source of labor and to help ensure the family line would continue. Remember this is a time when most people never saw 50, let alone 80+.
PS- You misspelled 'worship' in the quoted passage. I corrected it both here, and in my quote box. It only has one P.
I just laughed when she said she liked em big
Oh, that Pinkie
I thought of this several chapter ago (though I may have forgot to mention it), but I'm just waiting for Pinkie and Pegasus to get together... and make "Surprise". Seriously, Surprise is a white pegasus with a blonde mane and tail; sound familiar?
You know you forgot the human tag right?.......unless there are no humans
5652532
Human tag is not required for Crossovers unless characters are being humanized.
5652736 oh ok.........then perhaps you can let me know why the technological technicolor technomare has no character tags at all.?..........you don't have to answer if you don't want to.......I can go insane anyway.
5652806
It had character tags when I first submitted it. Weird,
5652837 I'm just letting you know.
Btw I know you must get this a lot but do you know when you will be updating whatever it takes I love you?....just curious
5652853
I don't really have a 'schedule' per say for writing. I write whenever I have time and inspiration, and for whatever I have inspiration to write.
5652886 kk Ill leave you to it then.
Zephyros probably just shat himself in fear right then
---
As the steeds broke through the fog and into the Underworld, Kratos was snapped out of his reminiscing. Seeing the steeds fading, unable to maintain their magical energies in the Underworld, Kratos leapt from the chariot with Pinkie in his arms, catching hold of a cliff face as he prepared to find where in the Underwold Helios had been taken.
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(1) In ancient Greece, both sexes became sexually active - with both sexes - at a much younger age than in modern times. It's why so many of those ancient cultures worshiped goddesses of fertility, since they could see no connection between sex and babies. Women just suddenly started having kids after a certain age.
As such, it's perfectly reasonable - if slightly disturbing - for a nine year old Pinkie to be trying to seduce Zephyros here.
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I first had sex with another girl when I was 9, she was 11... it was at Girl Scout Camp, it was nice.^_^
Well, she is a pony, but... DON'T THINK ABOUT IT!
HA! Seriously though, she's like what? 6 here? She should NOT be thinking these things at all till she is into her teens or 21 where her father is less likely to violently tear any suitors apart.
5818249
Actually, she's nine, and the footnote explains that.
Pinkie! NO! You are not meant to be thinking like that, your still from a kids show and I think the censors might have followed you through the timey-wimey-dimensional portal whatever.
Well either way, hilarious, and it isn't as cringe worthy as Twilight's ideas of getting herself a harem at the very least.
5818249 dude hed still tear them apart for sleeping with ger
5932605 if not WHILE they ware doing it.
5658664 I've never laughed so hard over one comment
Huh... interesting little history there...
hehehe.
Nice chapter!
Your explanation fails to explain why the steed was panicing when Pinkie tried to seduce him.
6897985
That's deliberately left unexplained until later.
6898002
I think this is one thing people should weaponize.
I would say this was disturbing but after watching God of War I - III cutscenes; I can call this par for the course. I actually like this Kratos better than canon Kratos.
As I've learned more about history, I've come to realize that our modern concept of what is or is not a child is both ludicrous and laughable. Not only that, it's fairly recent; historically that is.
The concept only started taking effect in the Victorian Era, which started around the time of the Industrial Revolution. Not only that, it was only in the first two decades of the 20th century that it really got stupid. Ancient cultures had no concept of the extended childhood; there were children, and then there were adults. Most of those started right at pubescence, and went from there. Even in the Christian culture, children past puberty were considered adults. Why that changed is too complex for this post, so I'll simplify it: religious stupidity got in the way of what was commonly accepted.
7627394
Not exactly... the big reason that "teenager" became a thing was related to labor laws. Several companies during the Industrial Revolution kept working their employees too hard, and child labor laws were one of the preventative measures enacted. Since peak physical strength and endurance generally are not reached by 13, the age of majority was pushed back several years.
Let's just agree it's all scary.
5920349
What story are you referencing?
8215876
That only made common belief official. Nor was it completely effective; many of the first labor laws passed by Congress were subsequently shot down by the Supreme Court for being unconstitutional. Much of that differs from state to state.
Don't believe me? In some states, a child is held to still be in the custody of his parents until age 20. think about it; the 26th Amendment set the voting age to 18, what's commonly accepted as adulthood. Yet most still consider 18 and 19-year-olds to be teenagers, and many consider teenagers to be just bigger children. Why? Because they're not 'old enough to drink'. Time was that they used to give children small ale- a weaker, watered down version of ale -to drink. And wine is traditionally served at bar mitzvahs.
I didn't say you were wrong; in fact, I agree with you. However, the attitude had been there years before any laws were made.