Trickster Wukong

"And now it belongs to me." 

Illian grinned, holding Brontes' necklace in his weak hand, watching the flurry of complicated expressions flash on the Titan's face.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing? The chaos that necklace holds?" 

Brontes asked, seeming as though he was trying to keep his emotions under control.

"Yes, I do. After all, it speaks volumes that a great Titan such as yourself volunteered to act as its gatekeeper." 

Brontes' eyebrow twitched as Illian spoke.

"How do you know…"

"You aren't a prisoner here but your sole purpose is to guard this necklace. Or rather, what…who's inside." Illian looked down, staring at the storm.

He stared deeply as if he were looking past the heavy mist and crackling lightning. 

As if his eyes could see something hidden deep beneath it all.

-TAP TAP TAP

Walking backwards, Illian stood beside a pillar, dropping his staff as he extended his neck, grabbing something with his teeth.

"AGH, Lord Brontes, help me!" 

Grimnar yelped, his body coiled in a foetal position as Illian pulled him to his feet.

But Brontes didn't even spare him a glance, only keeping his eye on the necklace and ready to pounce any time he saw the chance.

-CLANK

Dropping the necklace, Illian raised his head, his staff pointed toward the necklace.

"Wait!" Brontes yelled, witnessing what Illian was about to do.

But it was too late.

"I'll see you soon!" Illian yelled just before…

-CLANG!!!

-SHATTER!!!

One of the many bars of the necklace shattered like glass as Ruyi struck it.

-WHOOSH 

At that moment, a heavy gust erupted as black smoke arising from the storm leaked out, blue lightning crackling and creeping out from within.

But surprisingly, Illian watched as his feet stretched in an almost cartoon-like manner, the necklace sucking him in.

'I see.' 

Illian thought, seeing his feet enter the necklace, the rest of his body slowly following.

He didn't feel any different, other than the feeling of a thousand hands grabbing onto his limbs.

And because Grimnar was beside the necklace, he watched in dismay as the side of his body stretched and was swallowed by the dark void.

"No, I don't want to die! Somebody save me!" Grimnar screamed, trying his best to crawl away.

"Are you crazy?!" Brontes yelled. 

He knew Illian was capable of destroying the necklace with his staff but could see the boy was satisfied with such a result.

"Maybe. And maybe it's a good thing. I'll need crazy to do what I plan to do next." 

Illian yelled, more and more of his body being sucked into the necklace.

No more words needed to be spoken as Brontes and Illian stared at each other. 

With both their expressions complete opposites from one another, Brontes' lips moved unknowingly before Illian completely disappeared into the storm.

"I was wrong…about you."

-THUAP

With that, a sound that resembled the last bit of water entering a drain echoed as Grimnar and Illian disappeared into the black smoke.

-CRACKLE

-SHATTER

-VUAM

Brontes raised his hand as a familiar pink ring shattered, three disks racing to the necklace in a triangular formation and containing the black smoke and lightning.

Though Brontes knew the containment wouldn't last for long, he stood frozen as he stared into the air.

"Warn Olympus. We must prepare for a war."

***

Illian flickered his eyes open; the first thing he noticed was the grunts and angered mumbling of a familiar voice.

"...dragging me into all this nonsense…kill him while he's asleep and take his head to Lord Brontes."

The small green man with tusks heaved as he tried his best to pick up Ruyi, failing each time as he soon started to rub his back like an old lady.

"What are you doing?" 

Grimnar yelped at the sudden voice entering his ears that wasn't his.

Dropping to the ground, he stared at the boy with Golden eyes and golden furred tail scratching his head as he sat up.

"You…this is all your fault!" 

Grimnar pointed as he yelled, veins bulging on his forehead.

Illian stared for a few seconds, his gaze soon turning dark as his tone lowered menacingly.

"Hey…pipe down before I bash your skull in." 

"Yeah right, that won't work anymore. If you wanted to kill me you'd have done it already." 

Grimnar rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

Seeing this, Illian's expression softened as he soon shrugged.

"That's unfortunate but you're smarter than I thought. You're good at being a weasel." Illian picked up Ruyi and rested it on his lap as he spoke.

"Enough games. Why did you bring me here and where is this place?" 

Hearing this, Illian looked around, staring at the heavy mist that surrounded them.

The mist grew darker the higher it went, soon turning pitch black with lightning crackling within it.

"I'll be honest, I'm not certain myself." 

Grimnar's eyebrow twitched.

"Lord Brontes was right, you are crazy. I mean, who in their right mind would pull a stunt like this?" 

"What are you talking about? Everything went according to my plan. If anything, I'm a genius." Illian smirked arrogantly as he puffed his chest out.

"Plan? Do you call that a plan? More like a suicide mission." Grimnar scoffed.

Though Illian wanted to retort, he couldn't help but pause for a second.

The more he thought about it, the more Grimnar's words seemed to have some truth to it.

Illian remembered how he used to plot his schemes. They were always intricate so that his backup plans had backup plans.

But lately, his plans seemed riskier and were either do or die, nothing in between.

'Maybe it's because I used to have nothing to rely on but my wit. It isn't the same anymore.'

He theorised, putting aside the thought as he rose to his feet.

"Let's get going." Illian dusted himself off as he spoke.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Grimnar hissed like a spoiled child.

"Fine, then stay." Illian shrugged, walking away while looking around.

However, in the next second, Grimnar's expression turned fragile as he looked around timidly.

"Maybe it's better if we stick together. That way we can help each other if something goes wrong." 

Grimnar dashed to where he last saw Illian walking, still looking around frantically.

-THUD

Grimnar dropped onto the ground as he bumped into Illian's back, rubbing his nose.

"You…"

Before he could lash out, he paused as he witnessed the boy frozen, staring at something.

"Come out!" Illian yelled, seemingly talking to nobody as Grimnar failed to locate anything.

-TAP TAP TAP

It wasn't until a silhouette emerged from the mist that Grimnar widened his eyes.

Out from the mist emerged a frail old man with a hunched back and nothing more than a ragged cloak on his back which covered his face.

With his feet bare, arms bony and body pale, he used a wooden stick to assist him as he walked.

"What havoc has been unleashed out there that Brontes allowed for someone to enter here." 

His voice was just as hoarse and weak as one would expect it to be.

"I wasn't expecting to find you so soon." Illian grinned and Grimnar turned to him.

As he did, the old man paused for a second. Illian couldn't see his face, but he could tell the figure was staring at him.

"And that havoc has a name. Illian H-..."

"Hale." 

Illian froze, his grin faltering as he stared at the old man.

"Yes, Illian Hale. That was the name. I've been expecting you for a long time." The old man revealed.

His tone seemed somewhat reserved to Illian, practically respectful compared to what he was expecting.

"That's impossible. You know nothing of what's happening outside this prison. And you…"

Illian looked the old man up and down to make sure he wasn't missing anything.

"You're just a tenth of what you once were. Your soul has been divided between the three big gods." 

The old man seemingly nodded while Grimnar darted his eyes between the two.

To him, it looked as though the two before him could see and understand something he wasn't privy to.

"That's right, but I am still a tenth. My power still lingers and it results in me having…visions. Prophecies." 

Illian narrowed his eyes. He wasn't expecting any of this.

"Because I am not what I once was, the visions are fragmented. Every one of them showed the same thing."

"A child who would break me free and go on to change the world."

In the next second, the smile returned to Illian's face as he tried to bring the conversation under control.

"So you know why I'm here?" He asked, to which the old man nodded.

"I'd ask you if you would like to join me, but it seems like you've got no choice, seeing as your alternative is eternal imprisonment."

To this, the old man simply shook his head.

"I've had a lot of time to reflect on my life while in this prison, it was all I could do."

"Because of this, I've come closer to enlightenment than I'd never be capable of elsewhere."

"Therefore, it is not I who needs you. So tell me, what are you planning to do and why do you need me?" The man replied, his demeanour never changing.

Neither did Illian's as he continued to smile.

But inwardly…

'Damnit, what's wrong with this guy? He's nothing like I was told. I can't tell if he's lying or not.'

"It's simple. I want to escape the Underworld." 

'W-What did he just say?' Grimnar thought, his jaw-dropping.

"I see." The old man muttered, soon raising a single finger.

"I'll accept contingent on if you agree to my next term." He continued, causing Illian to inwardly feel wary.

"I want you to retrieve the portion of my soul held by Hades." 

"Why, for revenge?" Illian scoffed.

"No. I only wish to right my wrongs once I leave. I can't do that the way I am. Besides, I need to defend myself from those who'll come after me."

Like Brontes and many others Illian knew nothing about.

'What?' 

The reason Illian was so flustered was because everything he'd expected was crumbling down.

His plan was perfect and it needed everything to be that way too.

'It doesn't seem like he's lying. If he isn't…'

Illian calmed himself. He didn't want to think of such a scenario.

Instead, he focused on what was going right.

'I knew it. Of course, he wants something.' 

Illian thought. And this was a good thing. It was something he could use.

It told him the old man needed him as much as Illian did him.

"Fine, but once I do, I need some sort of guarantee that Hades won't stop me from achieving my goal. I need you to distract him while I escape."

"As arrogant as I am, even I know I'm no match for him."

The old man peered.

"You want to use me as a shield?" He asked, to which Illian instantly shot back.

"It isn't any better than you asking me to antagonise Hades and have him after me for the rest of my life." 

Silence descended as no one said a word.

However, this didn't last long as a familiar voice interrupted.

"Wait a minute, I knew you were crazy but this is idiotic, even for you!" 

Grimnar yelled, interrupting the two.

"Making an enemy of Brontes is one thing, but opposing the entire Underworld and Hades is suicidal."

"Besides, what makes you think your odds will be any better with this old man?"

'Well, that's simple.'

Illian thought as he amusingly stared at the old man. 

The two had been speaking for some time, but from the beginning, the two never stopped glaring into each other's eyes.

Though the old man's face was darkened by his hood, Illian could see it.

"Because that old man is Hades' only weakness." Illian grinned.

The old man's eyes.

They were Golden.

'No wonder my eyes are considered bad luck. This bastard existed.'

"In doing this, you'll not only be putting yourself at risk but the whole world."

Illian recalled the words Demeter had told him.

"And you still choose to tell me?" 

Illian asked, to which she replied without flinching.

"Yes. Because I've lived in a world without my daughter…and it's meaningless." 

"But still, you'll need nothing short of a miracle for this to work."

'A figure feared by the whole world…under me.'

"Father of Zeus, Hades and Poseidon, to name a few. Former ruler of all…"

Grimnar slowly moved toward the old man as Illian spoke.

"God of Harvest, Kronos."

Illian stepped forward as he grinned widely.

"You still have yet to explain how you plan to escape this never-ending prison you've walked into."

The old man's head slowly moved upwards as his face revealed itself, the cold light of his golden eyes almost bouncing off Illian's as the two soon came face to face.

"No, not never-ending. This place is just really big. Like a universe or something."

Saying this, Kronos widened his eyes in realisation.

"A pocket dimension! As expected of the Child of Prophecy." 

'I don't know about that, but ever since my eyes evolved, I can see past all illusions and tricks. It was straightforward to me.'

"Either way, this place is child's play compared to what I've got. So, Kronos…"

Illian grinned as he stared at the figure before him.

"Do we have a deal?"

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Sorry for no upload yesterday so you get two chapters today!

Also, I'd appreciate the powerstones