MOUNTAINS TO MOLEHILLS

Now, there is a reason I started the story from what seems to be the middle. Long after Tifon and the others had to cope with the brunt of their respective tragedies as young children. However, I assure you this is where the true story begins. Although not to say that there aren't some events in the past that are extremely vital to our heroes' growth, or rather more accurately fall. Therefore I'll try to quickly go over them all in the following chapters.

A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE "FALL FROM GRACE"

It wasn't uncommon at all for Tifon and Aurora to be seen together after the incident, on the contrary, it was actually unusual if they weren't. Aurora would often drag Tifon around the school, for no particular reason of course, but their main pastime was always walking to and back from school together. Though the conversations they'd have during were rarely of any special significance, this time seemed a bit different.

Aurora: "So, what, basically you can get hurt and age like everybody else right?

Tifon: "Right, yeah."

It wasn't uncommon at all for Aurora to engage in conversation first, although it had been some time now since they'd met, Tifon would rarely go out of his way to speak with her. This was pretty different from how he used to act though, there was a time when Tifon couldn't help but fill any long silence.

Aurora: "Alright… Wait then what even is your Boon? Just having color-dyed blood?"

Aurora giggled in a manner not uncommon to hear when mocking someone.

Tifon: "Hah, well actually, I'd like to urge you not to forget that I'm still immortal, that's my Boon." Tifon impressively added as if to refute Aurora's jeers without a doubt.

Aurora: "Wait a sec though, you just said that you get injured and age just like anybody else, right? Where's the immortality there?"

Tifon: "Right, but I don't die."

Aurora: "Oh, so like if I cut off your head you-"

Tifon: "Wouldn't d-" Tifon, interrupting immediately seized his chance to gloat, before suddenly realizing the gravity of his Boon all over again.

Aurora: "Wouldn't die, right? So, basically, you'd be conscious without a brain, and the ability to move, communicate or exist in any manner that matters-"

Tifon: "Gods, okay, ok I get it… You don't have to revive all my trauma all the time you know? What is this, the third time we've had this exact conversation?"

Aurora: "Haaahahaha yup! I'm just… Surprised you don't seem to care as much as you should…"

Aurora's remark seemed to leave a feeling in the air that Tifon had grown far more used to than he'd have liked to.

Pity.

(Her too now?) After an obvious mood change, Tifon continued almost with malice.

Tifon: "What could you even mean? How am I supposed to react to my life being crushed before me? I had so much potential and now… It's gone… Even more so that-" Tifon almost broke out into a rave about how he'd constantly get mocked by the rest of the kids before he suddenly got too embarrassed by it to even bring it up, even though Aurora, being in the same class, was completely aware of the bullying.

Aurora: "That's not what I meant, like, how don't you think about the future? I mean as old as you get you won't be able to die, and… well everyone you love will…"

Tifon: "What?" As if never having even given the matter thought out of its absurdity Tifon started: "my only living family's so old that they'd fall to old age way before I could, and besides, by the time I'm old I'm positive science will have an alternative for me other than living as a dusty old corpse."

Aurora: "Yea… I guess you're right," she said, surrendering her point after seeing how angry it made him to even just think about it.

Conversations about Tifon's tragic curse soon ceased between them and were quickly replaced by more childlike teasing and playing. Their time together seemed to define each of their childhoods, most of all Tifon's. As if she were a bright light in the sea of doubt that his life had become. She'd never pitied him afterward and, seemed to be the only one with which Tifon could have fun and forget all his troubles. However, the matter continued to rest at the back of both of their minds.

A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE "FALL FROM GRACE"

###: "Why did he have to come to just this school? Just this one of all others…?"

The question was asked, but there was no one around to answer it. It lingered in the air, and seemingly, the longer it did, the more pain it caused the person who asked it. Getting angrier the minute by his helplessness the child would weep. Stop, suddenly enraged, then calm down, ask himself the same question, and start weeping over it all again. There were none around to console him. His wrath had no outlet and no justification either, the boy knew deep down it wasn't Tifon's fault that he wasn't acknowledged but, the alternative was that it was his own. The alternative was that he was inadequate, that alternative… was too cruel for his heart to bear.

So he put the burden on Tifon's shoulders. He blamed him. He blamed him day and night. Whenever he had a moment alone, whenever he was scolded, whatever chance he got, he took it. And slowly, over time, he believed it too.

Eion soon wasn't so much of a helpless child as he once was. His Boon's power kept increasing. Sparks to flames. Burns to ashes. There was no visible limit in sight, and there had never been such a natural bearer of the Apollyon flame in their bloodline before.

THE EMAZONIAN LINEAGE

Said by many to be direct descendants of the God Apollo's more mortal branch of offspring, the Emazonians have long enjoyed great wealth and blessings from their progenitor, many even receiving Boons of favor as a show of Apollo's love but, however generous the God was in mortal luxuries, it was a rare occurrence for Him to give away Boons of Godly power, ranks X and above. Even in their lineage, it'd been recorded less than 5 times throughout its long history. This fact alone would have proved Eion's abilities and secured his adoration in his own family, if not for the fact that his family had almost no adoration, no love to give to him. The reason for this is quite grim, Eion's childhood was not an easy one, and his story is much more a tale of tragedy than most.

His Boon may have been just sparks as a child, but even a single spark is enough to start a great fire.

At age 4 Eion, crawling onto the window sill at night after a restless sleep, had caught a small cough. A few flames erupted from his spit, and after a while, they'd reached the curtains which were covering the window frame. Almost all were evacuated from the mansion before the flames raged at their peak. Aside from the young master, and his mother, who would almost never leave her boy's side at night. No fatal harm came to Eion, his Boon granted him immunity to fire and burns, and although the toxic gases in the smoke created from them did put the boy's life in great danger for a time, there was no permanent harm whatsoever. But his mother? No cause of death could be established later, for the raging flames had left no corpse to examine, it had left nothing but ash in its wake.

Master of the house, and father to Eion, was Lord Xuth Emazonian. After the incident he relieved most of his servantry from their care, leaving only a young chef and an elderly maid to tend to their new house, and the boy's comeuppance as well. Meanwhile, the Lord would tend to his work in the labs, possessing the Favor of both Hephaestus and Apollo, the Lord was both a philanthropist and an esteemed bioengineer. He stood at the forefront of technological advancement. But to most, it seemed as though Lord Xuth had little affection for his boy and was rather indifferent to him his whole life, but this was slightly untrue.

Lord Xuth despised his offspring.

He only feared to show it outwardly in wake of Apollo's following wrath, therefore he limited himself to cold relations, concealing his all-consuming wrath towards the child from others. However, he could not hide it from Eion forever. The lad eventually caught on, and this fact, without getting any explanation from his father, from whom he so desperately sought adoration, only caused the boy more grievance, enabling his wrath towards everything and everyone.

Yet at times he'd still remember that he had killed his own mother. He'd weep still more. He'd think deep down it was all his fault, then again he'd remember Tifon, and ever the more enraged at his weakness, give him the burden he could not bear instead.