Statues of the Fallen

Now gazing out over the water, the morning light just able to make its way through the blanket of clouds as the fog parted thanks to the increasing wind, revealing an active volcanic island that likely emerged not so long ago with nothing yet able to take root on the still smoking rock.

The rough seas made getting any closer dangerous as he dropped anchor offshore, choosing to fly over instead.

Sigyn marveled at the size of the volcano- "Wow that's an impressive volcano, what would happen if that erupted," she said watching smoke pour out.

Anna somberly answered- "That size, the smoke alone would cloud a good portion of the world not to mention the tsunami's and earthquakes it would likely cause, I can only imagine the devastation."

Theoric- "Alright, I think it's best if you guys stay here while I go and try and reason with Medusa to let us help her."

Anna was the first to express her discontent- "Absolutely not, this is my mission, my family's problem, I will see it through."

Io stood by her side- "If Anna is going, I'm going."

Sigyn jumped on board with the other two women- "Yeah, if they're going, I'm going."

Lydia not wishing to be left out reluctantly agreed with them even though she didn't wish to travel somewhere so hot.

Theoric- "This isn't a game, you're aware that a single glance into her eyes, and you'll be done for."

Io snapped back- "Same goes for you."

He disagreed- "I will be safe behind my barriers, so walking around blind for a time won't be a problem, but what will you guys do if things don't go smoothly?"

Anna argued- "You can provide your energy shields with the rest of us."

Theoric sighed- "Yes, but what happens when we all have to walk around blind and she attacks us? There's no telling what could happen in the Chaos that follows, remember just one glance and your dead, please think about this carefully." he said stressing the dangers.

Anna didn't budge- "I am going, even if I have to swim there." she resolutely said, leaving no more room for argument.

He momentarily thought about trapping her on the ship, but decided against it, knowing it would only lead to a rift in their relationship that couldn't easily be mended.

"Fine, but the rest of you will wait here, I don't need you all risking your lives for no reason."

Io and Sigyn grumbled but relented while Lydia was relieved after hearing about how deadly the enemy was. Her voice could be a dangerous weapon that could kill with one scream if she wished, but preventing your enemies from even being able to look at you without dying was on another level entirely.

Io knowing she would only be a burden in the end didn't fight him on the decision- "Please keep her safe." she said expressing her concerns.

Theoric frowned- "You don't have to tell me that," he said thinking she still didn't trust him, only for moments later to grin in understanding when she replied- "I know, but I still need to say it."

Lifting Anna, he took off towards the island landing at the lava dried rocky shore,- "Watch your feet here, and at the first sign of movement remember to close your eyes." he kindly reminded Anna after setting her down.

Anna rolled her eyes- "I know, just worry about yourself."

Theoric didn't mind the attitude and just shrugged it off already used to how she reacts to being told something she already knows, it was his mistake for saying something so obvious to her.

Anna then ushered him along as she took the lead- "Follow me and make sure you keep your eyes down to the ground to move, makes it easy to watch your feet, and keep from getting killed." she said slightly mocking him.

Theoric decided to praise her, not wishing to be confrontational in such a dangerous environment- "Good idea, but I think we should also hold hands." he said with a sly grin as he took her hand into his own.

Anna paused losing her earlier temperate as her face now sported a slight blush- "That's not necessary." She didn't often walk around holding somebody's hand, especially not a man's hand before, not to mention this was the man she loved. She couldn't help but soften to his touch as he took her hand into his own. The reaction however was not simply from holding hands as his touch invoked memories of recent bedroom activities.

Theoric's grin widened not missing any of this, but decided to play it cool- "Of course it's necessary, at a moment's notice I can shield and better protect you, now let's hurry along before the others get tired of waiting and decided to join us."

Anna gave a small nod in agreement as they continued heading to the center of the island in silence towards the volcano.

Coming to a flattened area they stopped almost bumping into randomly placed statues. As they risked looking up, their eyes sporadically darting around, unconsciously looking for any enemy in sight, still not use to the fact that it could kill them at a glance before their eyes settled upon the statues.

Anna took in a deep breath seeing just how many there were- "Well here we are, the statues of the fallen I believe is what you called them."

Theoric was also shocked by how many there were and the variety of them, even spotting a Cyclops towering above them frozen in action with a club still in hand as it held it high, ready to strike.- "A good name if I do say so myself."

Anna could only agree as she took the time to study a few more closely while doing her best to avoid stepping on the broken pieces of some of the shattered, realizing that they were in fact body parts no matter how you think about it.

Suddenly loose rocks started to tumble down, spooking the two as they got a bit of fright, tightly closing their eyes with Theoric immediately raising his shields over them as he tightly grasped her hand.

Moments later when everything settled Anna had a small giggle in an attempt to keep her fear at bay as she felt his concern through her palm- "Alright I think you can loosen your grip now." she said with a smile.

Theoric- "Right..." he said loosening up but still as tense as ever, he wasn't planning on becoming apart of Medusa's collection.

As they continued through the statue forest, he began to wonder why so many fools didn't heed the warning of these fallen and proceeded on only to be added to the collection. The irony of the thought was not lost on him as he passed through.

"Why have so many people and even a few creatures come here? Do they all want to kill her?" Theoric asked unhappily.

Anna- "I think some wish for glory, others wish to appeal to the gods, and the creatures of course either wish to recruit her or feed on her and try and gain her powers."

Theoric knew the answer but had to ask it anyway, still not believing how stupidly despicable people could be, hunting down creatures for no other reason than their difference or some sort of reward despite it having done nothing to them.

Some would say the creatures were no better, but Theoric thought different. They were likely driven by instinct and fear to better help protect themselves from their many enemies always hunting them. It was likely rare for a creature to get a moment's peace and highly unlikely to ever have a full life without conflict or even live a full life.

He believed all life deserved a fair chance to live and although he did believe in the natural law to a degree, he drew exceptions when it came to unique things going extinct.

It was a shame humans were so far removed from nature, with the ability to think comes the ability to make smart decisions, but humans almost never did this. They act like animals despite the ability to think, letting their endless greed guide their decisions regardless of the consequences. Some would argue that there were just a few bad eggs, but the problem is humans have a sheep mentality so even a few loud bad ones can easily take control, and the sheep follow, and it seems the bad ones are always the loudest.

Some creatures could also think but they were far outnumbered compared to humans so they weren't at a level yet that could be judged since they were on the receiving end and had to simply fight for survival.

Theoric hoped to one day create a safe haven for creatures of all kinds, a place they could live free from the greed and fear of others.

He would also do what the gods, kings, and leaders of the world refused to do, he would make the world a fair place to live in, at least as fair as it possibly could be. He knew there were still certain things that couldn't be changed and made better without going to an extreme that likely wouldn't make sense in the end, but he would do his best to see life becomes better for those he chooses to rule.

Those with intelligence would be allowed to make decisions and the opportunity to further progress, but they would be judged and punished for their abuse in whatever form it takes. Courts would be made to rule on those complicated in nature, while those beyond a reasonable doubt and enough evidence would be punished in the same manner as their victim, an eye for an eye as it were.

Theoric's mind ran wild with ideas as they walked, he knew none of his future plans would be easy, but luckily he lived in a magical world where things could happen in a snap.