A golden shimmer lingered in Orion's eyes as the teleportation light disappeared. He found himself standing before the entrance of a vast cave carved into the side of the massive mountain. Clouds circled the top of the mountain, piercing the sky like a divine spear. The air was crisp, scented with the fresh scent of pine and wildflowers. Ancient trees stretched into the sky, their thick branches tangled in vines, bringing forth glowing fruit. Lush greenery draped over cliffs, and waterfalls babbled down the mountainside, creating an ethereal chorus of rushing water.
"Is... is this it?" Orion asked, glancing over at Wukong.
Wukong grinned ear to ear, stretching his arms wide as if he were saying hello to an old friend. "This, my friend, is the greatest place in all the realms. My home—Flower Fruit Mountain."
The group began walking into the cave. Darkness enveloped them quickly as they walked deeper in, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the cracked stone walls. After five long minutes in near-pitch darkness, Wukong came to a halt.
With a snap of his fingers, a glowing orb of white light appeared above his palm, illuminating the entire tunnel. The walls were rough and marked with ancient claw marks and battle marks. In front of them, a massive wooden door, painted in regal reds and golds, sealed shut with two enormous silver handles shaped like dragons biting their tails.
Wukong seized the handles and pulled. A giant gust of wind burst outwards as the doors creaked open, revealing a hidden civilisation within.
Huts crafted from bamboo and stone spiralled up the inner mountain walls. Bridges of woven vine connected treetop homes to cliffside temples. Monkeys—though more humanoid in build—swung through the air with tails trailing behind them, shouting, bickering, selling goods, sparring, laughing. Some wore armour, others wore robes, and a few even ran bustling street food stalls. Children darted between legs with reckless glee, and the air was filled with a blend of incense, firecracker smoke, and sizzling fruit meats.
Wukong stepped forward, took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs
"GUESS WHO'S BACK!"
Every single monkey froze mid-motion.
Chaos erupted.
"WUKONG!!!" they shouted in unison as a wave of bodies launched into the sky.
Orion blinked. "Uh... what's going on?"
Heracles was prepared. He pulled his lion pelt over his head like a shield. "Brace yourself, kid."
Silver curled up into a ball and rolled behind a stone pillar. Susanoo instantly transformed into lightning and zipped out of the area.
"Oh shi-" Orion started, but before he could finish, Hundreds of monkeys slammed into him.
One Hour Later
The group sat on blue cushions lining a long mat on the floor of a ceremonial chamber. The room's walls were painted in red, blue, and silver, depicting old battles and monkey legends, though many areas were scarred by scratch marks, claw swipes, and even holes left by ancient skirmishes.
At the head of the mat, Wukong lounged atop a massive red pillow, sipping from a golden gourd with his legs crossed.
Orion sat stiffly, his hair dishevelled, and his clothes tugged in odd places.
He exhaled. "Does that happen every time you return?"
Wukong raised a brow. Before he could answer, Heracles did.
"Yes," he groaned. "Every. Single. Time."
"That's insane," Orion muttered. "I barely survived."
"At least you did," Wukong chuckled. "The last time I came home, a monkey suplexed me into a fruit stand."
"Tomorrow, we train," Wukong added casually, taking another sip.
Orion swallowed hard. If this was the welcome party, he dreaded what "training" looked like.
Suddenly, a voice called from the entrance.
"Wukong! Nezha's here to see you!"
A young woman poked her head through the doorway. She was stunning—long, raven-black hair tied into a loose braid, eyes like deep sapphires, skin smooth as porcelain, and a subtle golden glow around her fingertips. She wore a light purple robe with silver cloud embroidery that shimmered when she moved.
Orion stared. Wow.
Wukong grinned. "Send him in, Chun Hua."
"Nezha?" Orion asked.
Before Wukong could reply, a teenage boy strode into the room. His presence immediately changed the atmosphere—like a storm had entered the room in human form.
He wore red and gold battle armour adorned with fire motifs. His eyes glowed ember-red, and on his back was the infamous Red Armillary Sash—a flowing cloth of spiritual flame that pulsed with divine power. In his hand, he held a gleaming spear tipped with burning fire.
"Yo, boss!" Nezha called. "Been a while."
Wukong stood up, smiling widely. "Nezha, you little flame-brat! Come here!"
Orion blinked again. "Wait… that's the Nezha?"
The fiery warrior looked at Orion and smirked. "You must be the mortal everyone's talking about."
Orion's mouth opened to respond—but he wasn't quite sure what to say.