The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 211 Phoenix and Prometheus

The Caucasus Mountains are steep and rugged.

A secluded mountain peak.

Prometheus was firmly bound to a giant rock by solid chains imbued with divine power.

After a day of suffering at the hands of the giant eagle, he stared blankly at the twilight on the horizon, where the sun reflected a faint orange-red hue, much like a cluster of weakly burning flames.

As a member of the Titans, he never regretted his actions; fire was never the exclusive domain of the gods.

……

The Caucasus Mountains.

Not far from Prometheus, a figure appeared immediately after a flash of blue light.

After a brief adjustment period, Ino slowly looked around until he saw a figure tied to a boulder, at which point he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"You finally guessed the right place!"

Instead of the expected praise, he heard a mocking tone. Fide angrily pecked twice with his beak before disappearing from the spot.

Feeling the sensation from her index finger, Ino didn't mind. After adjusting her appearance slightly, she walked towards the boulder.

He felt a deep sense of admiration for Prometheus, the god who stole fire.

This admiration became even more pronounced after the flame of hope was given to them.

In fact, he did not intend to seek out Prometheus at first. After all, as an outsider, suddenly approaching a criminal Titan seemed to have ulterior motives.

This also contradicts the style of keeping a low profile and avoiding trouble.

But after reaching an agreement with Athena, he changed his mind. Since he could no longer keep a low profile, there were some things he could try.

At the same time.

On the boulder, Prometheus had already noticed the commotion beside him, but the long-standing torture had made him too lazy to pay attention.

I wanted to take a good look at the sunset before nightfall.

however.

A handful of warm orange flames suddenly rose up.

Within sight, Prometheus revealed a long-lost smile.

He couldn't even remember how long it had been since he last laughed, but vaguely, he remembered the last time was when humans passed on fire in the primitive era.

Looking at the familiar flames before him, he slowly spoke:

"Flame...is...hope!"

Perhaps because he hadn't spoken for so long, Prometheus's voice was like the sound of a dry date palm being rubbed together.

"Hope, and redemption!" Ino added slowly, holding up his wand.

"Redemption?" Prometheus shook his head slightly. "The punishment set by Zeus offers no redemption."

Looking at the wounded god of fire before him, even though he knew that Prometheus's chances of being redeemed in this story were slim, he still offered words of comfort:

Where there is hope, there is salvation! Perhaps not now, but it will come eventually.

"There is none in my flames!" Prometheus gazed at the small cluster of flames before him, then suddenly declared with unwavering resolve, "But there is salvation in your flames!"

"Though chained to this boulder, I am still a Titan! For the sake of this flame, if I can help you, I will."

"You've misunderstood!" Ino smiled slightly, then continued, "Well, I just wanted to discuss some issues related to fire."

"Once upon a time, in my hometown, there was a legend about fire..."

A dozen minutes later.

Ino told a story about the phoenix.

"A wondrous creature, but I've never heard of it, nor have I ever seen it." A hint of longing flickered in Prometheus's eyes, as if he could see a phoenix soaring freely through the flames.

"Although I've never seen them, I have a feeling that they must be the spirit passed down from the flames."

Upon hearing this, Ino couldn't help but nod and sighed softly, "Yes, that's how I understand it too. They are born from flames, inherit the spirit, and are immortal."

The brief conversation had already caused the last rays of sunset to disappear from the sky.

In the silent night sky, amidst the biting winds of the Caucasus Mountains, only a small cluster of orange flames stubbornly burned.

It seemed as if it was lamenting the disappearance of the sunset.

Prometheus suddenly stopped talking.

Seeing that the other party had stopped talking, Ino quietly stayed to the side.

To be honest, his purpose in coming here was simply to meet the fire-stealer who brought fire to humankind.

Since the other person is unwilling to speak anymore, let's light a fire. A small flame can completely replace a conversation.

Time passed by, second by second.

The orange flames floated in mid-air, burning quietly.

"My flames offer no redemption!"

Prometheus repeated it once again.

After a long while, the dry voice rang out again: "But in my flames there is hope, tenacity, courage, and resistance..."

The wind is very strong in the Caucasus Valley.

But no matter how fierce the hurricane, it could not extinguish the tiny flame floating in the air; it continued to burn steadfastly.

……

The Imitos Mountains.

The pre-dawn light illuminated the entire valley.

After washing up, Ino began her new day's work, picking and storing as many fresh flowers as possible before winter arrived.

An agreement is an agreement, and life is life.

Despite his promise to Athena, he still wanted to teach Helena how to make flower cakes before leaving.

For no other reason than to carry on that legacy.

Yesterday, in the Caucasus Mountains, he talked a lot with Prometheus.

Fire, as one of the most primal elements, is itself a form of inheritance.

Especially at the end, Prometheus lamented: the birth of the phoenix, ironically, limited the flame.

Similarly, following Prometheus's instructions, he used the most primitive method of drilling wood to ignite a handful of dry grass in the mountains.

A flame different from redemption.

Looking at the other flame, he suddenly had a realization and gradually understood Proseus's lament.

A flame is a flame; there's no need to limit its growth.

Moreover, he also thought of another kind of flame that grows in the magical world—Fiendfire.

Upon closer reflection, Fiend is perhaps more like the description of Prometheus, only with a slightly off attribute.

But Ino knew very well that he couldn't use the Fiery Blaze.

Therefore, it was impossible to demonstrate it to the other party; otherwise, I would have had to ask this true master of fire for guidance.

……

In the early morning light.

Ino wandered through the valley filled with blooming flowers, not intending to delve into the matter of the flames.

Just like Prometheus's last words before parting: I had no other thoughts than to steal the fire for mankind.

And it is precisely this unintentional heart that endows the flame with magical power.

Although he no longer thought about the flames, one thing made him hesitate: whether or not to gather a phoenix during the Quidditch World Cup.

Honestly, with Fide around, many things have become easier. Adding another phoenix might not be of much use, since all he needs is Phoenix Apparition.

On the contrary, a flame that can grow is more useful.

It's the beginning of the month! Xiao Di is begging for votes! Please vote! Please vote, everyone! Please cast your vote!

Today, Xiaodi shares the story of Prometheus.

The fate of Prometheus is a tragic and compelling story in ancient Greek mythology. Prometheus, a member of the Titans, dissatisfied with Zeus's oppression and exploitation of humanity, stole fire from the gods and taught it to humankind, enabling them to use fire for cooking, heating, and lighting, greatly improving their living conditions. However, this act angered Zeus, who decided to severely punish Prometheus.

Zeus first chained Prometheus to a cliff in the Caucasus Mountains, sending a giant eagle each day to devour his liver. However, because Prometheus was a god, his liver would regenerate every night, making this punishment an endless torment for him. He endured this suffering day after day, year after year, yet he never yielded.

(End of this chapter)