Sorry, once again without a rec. Exams, ya know?

Now, after all this time, the war has begun.

Chapter XXXVII

The first wave that managed to get through the hail of arrows was assaulted by a round of fire from Monaxiá's machine gun. The bullets, far sturdier than any mortal equivalent, ripped through the hide of the monsters, easily reducing them to nothing more than dust.

The second wave met the same fate, but they had managed to cover some decent ground while using the first as cover. Monaxiá knew he would not be able to keep shooting past the third wave.

He was proven correct when he was partway through the next line. The monsters got too close for him to keep shooting comfortably, forcing him to switch out the gun for his signature weapons. But he was not done going for out of the box strategies yet.

He allowed Riptide to extend into a spear, the green metal reflecting the light almost as if it were under water. He waited for the first monster to come within range before stabbing forward, never moving from his spot.

Beside him, the rest of the two armies clashed, his own holding their ground as the opposing force tried their best to break the formation. The narrow pathway ensured that no more than twenty-five monsters were able to enter at once, which was a massive advantage in the gods' favour. He had retracted his spear back into its normal form before beginning to mow down the charging opposition, knowing that they still had a long way to go.

The enemy forces balked slightly at the sight. Some of them had seen him in action while in Alaska and enraged, but that display didn't even hold a candle to what he was currently doing. He made the battle look effortless, ducking and weaving in between the forces. He always focused on one monster at a time, but never allowed his surroundings to go unnoticed. On multiple occasions, he would head towards one monster before suddenly changing his path, cutting down another in its stead, catching the army off guard.

Monaxiá never went more than five feet in front of their lines. Most of his motion was side to side, trying to eliminate as many threats as he could. Ares was just as ferocious, although his tactics seemed to rely more upon hitting as many monsters as he could with each swing of his massive two-handed sword. Now that both Olympians were at full power, even the boost that Tartarus had given the monsters was of no consequence.

The demigods, on the other hand, were struggling a little. They had managed to not be pushed back but were unable to go through the forces as quickly as Monaxiá would have liked. The lines were locked in a stalemate, neither one able to take the other down.

As the two lines heaved back and forth, his own monsters charged forward. While Tartarus may have boosted his forces, Monaxiá's had trained under extremely strenuous conditions before they had been inducted. The gap was far smaller than it would have been, allowing them to push the enemy back along with the help of the demigods.

They kept going back and forth as the time passed, more and more golden dust accumulating on the battlefield. There were times when a scream pierced the air, one that Monaxiá knew didn't come from a monster.

Time was slowly passing when he saw a disturbance in the middle of the army. The enemy slowly parted, giving him a glimpse of what it was. His eyes narrowed beneath his helmet when he saw another drakon, even bigger than the one he'd faced in Canada.

The creature was a lumbering behemoth, almost a hundred feet in length. Monaxiá wouldn't even attempt to guess the weight, but he knew it must have been substantial given how the ground shook beneath its every step. The beast roared in challenge, its fiery eyes locking onto his armour-clad form.

He grinned underneath his hood. Time to show them exactly who they're messing with.

"Ares, secure the line. I'll be back in five minutes." The war god grunted, already focused on another batch of monsters. Monaxiá knew that if it were any other time, he would have contested the order, but in the middle of the battle, Ares was far more focused on how much death and destruction he could cause.

He charged forward, his swords flashing in the sunlight. The Volcanic Steel that formed Pyrkagiá – or as he liked to call it, Firestorm – looked like it had flames running across it under the harsh sunlight. He concentrated, causing actual flames the wreathe the sword, his body revelling in the heat. Water swirled around Anaklusmos, displaying his two contrasting halves, so different yet still intertwined within his being.

The drakon turned, ready to face its opponent, but he was far quicker. He slid under its guard before stabbing Firestorm upwards, catching it in a chink of its armour. The monster reared back, roaring in agony, but it didn't dissolve. It was far too strong to be taken down by one single attack, even if it was with a godly weapon.

Monaxiá didn't waste time gawking. Instead, he grappled one of the scales on its legs before swinging himself up, holding onto another protruding scale. He managed to make his way up the beast before it realised what he had planned. By then, it was too late.

He positioned himself at the nape of its neck, one of its most vulnerable spots. Lifting both swords up in tandem, he swung them down in a ferocious arc, both blades biting deeply into flesh and digging into bone. The contrasting elements and metals infused with godly power made short work of whatever was left. The drakon reared back in agony once more, before suddenly slumping forward, its entire body limp. It was dead before it even hit the ground.

Monaxiá leapt off the rapidly dissolving carcass. He looked around him, noticing that for the first time, he had put some distance between himself and the rest of his forces. Ares was still ploughing through the opposition, while the demigods and his monsters were slowly but surely cutting down the lines before them.

Another quick grin flashed across his face. He looked around, noting just how much damage he could do as he made his way back to the forefront of their line. The monsters around him shrunk backwards, almost instinctively knowing that he was probably the most dangerous individual on the battlefield.

Let's dance, shall we? He thought, before leaping back into the fray.

Zeus stood at the helm of his section of the army, raining bolts of lightning onto the charging opposition. Beside him, his son Jason was doing the same, although his bolts were noticeably smaller. For all intents and purposes, however, they were just as deadly.

The ground was blackened due to the constant barrage of attacks, the golden dust of the felled monsters already scattered in the wind due to their onslaught. The demigods and Monaxiá's troops standing behind him looked on in awe, watching the spectacle that was Zeus' master bolt in action. He hadn't unleashed anything close to its full power until that moment, but it was more than enough firepower to handle their side.

A few monsters were able to slip through the virtual minefield, only to be cut down by the forces standing behind the King of the Gods. For some reason, it seemed far easier than it should have been.

Realization struck in an instant. They're simply trying to keep us occupied so that we don't assist the others! Damn, they're smarter than I gave them credit for. If there was one flaw that Zeus possessed other than his ego, it was a constant pattern of underestimating his opponents. His famous paranoia might keep him on the lookout for any threat to his rule, but he was never the best judge of how powerful it was.

Regardless, it was useless to ponder over the situation. He wouldn't be able to leave his squadron either. They had divided up the troops carefully, and any sudden imbalance could easily result in an opening for the monsters to sweep through their ranks.

He was forced to stand his ground, relentless in his barrage of lightning. Beside him, Jason was already beginning to tire out, but it was to be expected. God though he may be, he still didn't have the raw power of an Olympian on his side, and his domains weren't related either. Thunder was merely the result of lightning, which didn't give him as much control as he would have wished for. He hadn't been as proficient with it during his demigod days either. Thalia had been the one more attuned to summoning her own bolts of lightning, while Jason was more in tune the with the air currents themselves.

Zeus didn't flag in his constant rain of bolts. The monsters weren't going to receive a single respite while he was present. Even more of the opposition was reduced to charred spots on the ground, with the barest hint of dust. He could only hope that the other forces were holding up well enough.

Apollo stood atop a hill, watching the five separate battles in progress. He could see that none of their lines were giving any ground, with the monsters suffering heavy casualties. At every single point, he could see the gods in action, never letting up on their relentless assault.

Zeus' area was filled with a constant barrage of lightning bolts, as was to be expected of the Lord of the Sky. Even at such a distance, he could see the blackened floor, a result of such constant exposure to the intense heat. Almost no monsters were able to make it through, and those that did were instantly cut down.

Hermes was easily slipping through the ranks, his movements almost too fast for even his eyes, perfect as they were, to catch. The dashes he made across the field looked more like blurs, not giving the monsters even the slightest warning before they were skewered by his sword. Piper was standing next to the demigods and monsters, appearing to both attack the army and then turn around and say something to the battalion. Every time she did, they pushed back the forces with renewed vigour.

Looks like she's putting her charm speak to good use. It was obvious that the daughter of Aphrodite was pushing her talents to their absolute limits, but he would take as much as he could get. They needed luck on their side, and for once, Tyche seemed more than willing to oblige.

In the next chokepoint, Demeter was attacking with a ferocity he'd never seen before. The goddess was wielding her scythe with an expertise unheard of from her, cutting through the opposition like a farmer harvesting his field of wheat. He had a newfound respect for the goddess, seeing that she wasn't simply someone who kept talking about cereal. She could be extremely dangerous if she wanted to be.

Next to her, Frank had assumed the form of a massive dragon, occasionally rising into the sky only to dive bomb the invading army, blasting them with torrents of fire. His attacks were repeated and unstoppable, with his massive bulk being a large factor of his success. The demigods were doing just as well, the more powerful monsters being taken care of by the two deities.

Hephaestus' battalion had bathed the entire area before them in flames, courtesy of the god and his son, Leo. The two of them had caused a huge number of monsters to be caught in the inferno, dying a gruesome death. It was cruel, but necessary. They couldn't afford to have any inhibitions in war.

Athena's division was the most defensive amongst them all, even if it was still attacking. The wisdom goddess and her daughter held a rigid line, causing the monsters to run into the equivalent of a brick wall. They were basically fodder for their weapons, easily being cut down as they attempted to breach their defences.

However, it seemed like those four sections were facing a far smaller portion of the forces in comparison to what Monaxiá and Ares were up against. They were facing a literal sea of bodies, all of them hostile and none of them holding back.

It was probably the most frightening sight on the battlefield. Monaxiá wasn't even using any of his elemental powers, instead relying on his skill with a blade. Both he and the war god were effortlessly carving their way through the opposing monsters, making it look almost easy to those watching from afar. The ex-demigod didn't even make it look like he was fighting. It was more like he was performing a complex dance, weaving throughout the forces as he made his way back to his lines after felling a massive drakon single-handedly.

Apollo watched as even more monsters fell under his friend's twin blades. They were the only place where he was exerting any of his power, although it was most likely a subconscious decision. After all, the two weapons were each deeply tied to one of his two aspects, fire, and water. It took almost nothing out of him to keep the flow around them going in America, no matter how long it may be.

He could still see the massive numbers that were still to enter the battle. Some of them had attempted to flank them, just as they had predicted, but the forces they'd left in a crescent around the chokepoints were easily able to dispatch them.

He kept raining arrows on the approaching forces as he observed. He had a job to do, and he would be damned if he was unable to see it through. His corps of archers would ensure that there were fewer monsters for those on the ground to worry about. He loaded up another arrow almost instantly after shooting his previous one, aiming for the heart of the charging mass once more.

Artemis and her hunters skirted around the edges of the invaders, picking off any stragglers and ensuring that they were still heading towards the trap laid out for them. They had been fighting for nearly two hours, and she could see her hunters tiring already. They may be used to long runs, but what they were currently doing was far more strenuous.

They had begun their part of the war by acting as bait. The monster force had seen the few of them that had been left on display and sent a few scouts to investigate. Then, those very scouts had come across a slightly larger force, which had launched a sudden attack, cutting down most of their numbers before allowing a few to escape.

The plan worked perfectly, with the entire force shifting direction to take them down. Clearly, whoever led them was driven by their pride more than anything else. They could easily use that against them, causing the enemy to dance to their whims.

They had left enough tracks to lead the forces into the valley, knowing that the five battalions were ready and rearing to attack. After the first few had entered, she knew that it was only a matter of time before the entire army was forced to head in that direction.

Still, it was exhausting work to keep them moving in a particular direction. They had to keep it up for at least another half hour before they could be confident that the remaining monsters would be dead set on the path they had displayed. Anything less could still run the risk of the rest switching directions and deciding to skirt the entire area.

Her hunters and a few of the campers had killed off nearly a hundred monsters in total, which truly wasn't much in face of just how massive the force truly was. She was willing to estimate that it had no fewer than five thousand monsters in it, far more than what she'd seen even in Tartarus' camp in Alaska. With the opposition being the Pit itself, though, it was highly possible that there were far more hiding elsewhere, but they couldn't think of that.

So far, she hadn't suffered any casualties, although that could easily change at any given moment. They had to be extremely careful with how they skirted the edges of the monster force, otherwise one of them could easily be swallowed up by the horde, never to be seen again.

She willed her bow into existence, quickly sniping off a few of the monsters that were veering off track. The deaths they had caused were serving their purpose well. The remaining forces were becoming even more infuriated at the callous treatment they were receiving and had focused all of their anger towards the place they were heading, unaware that they were walking into a death trap. Their anger didn't help them, either. All it did was make them sloppy, counteracting any added ferocity they may have gained.

She wiped a small amount of sweat off her brow, surprised that she had begun to perspire so early into the battle. She would usually be fine for another hour's worth of exertion, but it seemed that the battle was beginning to take its toll on her.

She paused for a second, watching her troops slowly divert a few more stragglers back into the main force or kill them off. She was filled with pride at the sight, but then her mind turned, unbidden, towards the conversation she had with Monaxiá the previous day.

She ignored the thought, deciding that it wasn't an optimal moment to reflect on it. She would have time during the respite between waves. After all, even Tartarus would have to take a little time in between each subsequent force he sent towards them, right?

Poseidon stood like an unmoving pillar, none of the monsters able to make him budge from his position. All that they received for their efforts were spears of water piercing them before they dropped dead on the floor. It had been almost four hours since the battle began, and he was still going strong.

The sea god knew that his approach wasn't nearly as flashy as his younger brother's, but it was more than enough to handle the forces coming his way. Not that there were many of them in the first place. It seemed like his son was correct in his assumption that the forces of Tartarus would attempt to crush them without any tricks and just use brute force now that Percy had gone and disrespected the primordial directly.

It didn't take long for him to see that there weren't many monsters left around his area. The other troops spread across the landscape had played their roles perfectly, dispatching everything that had come their way. Now they just had to wait for the next wave. They may be less in comparison to the numbers that were assaulting their five strike teams, but they were by no means insubstantial when it came to pure figures.

Poseidon hefted his trident, noticing that Hades had once again begun to summon another platoon of skeletal warriors with the assistance of Nico and Hazel. The three of then were working in tandem, bringing forth more and more of the undead troops to bolster their numbers.

He shot another blast of water towards an advancing monster, hoping that his reinforcements would arrive. They may not be on the back foot just yet, but no one would have problems if they had more troops on their side.

During another quick lull in the battle, he saw Artemis make her way towards them, looking slightly worse for wear. The contingent she had taken along with her was right behind, looking to have not lost a single member. That was an impressive feat, since even with the assistance of the gods, five demigods and four monsters had already been slain among their ranks.

He nodded in her direction, although his gesture had a little hint of ice behind it. The only reason he was so cordial was because they were in the middle of a war. He still hadn't forgiven her for what she'd put his son through, but he could see that she was trying to make up for it. Personally, he wasn't going to say anything until Percy decided something. If his son asked him to forgive her, he wouldn't hesitate to do so, but until then, he would remain a little frosty.

She noticed his expression but didn't say anything. She knew that the sea god was displeased with her conduct, but with the war still raging around them, it wasn't time to reopen those wounds. She instead focused on integrating her forces back into the main body, ready to resume her attack on the pit's army soon. Rest could come a little later. For now, they all had a goal to strive towards.

Another gruelling hour had passed. Their lines had been forced to switch positions, with those previously stationed at the back forced to come forward so that the exhausted individuals could take a well-deserved rest.

He could see the final line if the army in the distance, although it was still obscured by the dust hanging in the air. He could hear the coughs around him from some of the demigods as they struggled to breathe in the thick cloud. The continuous fighting had managed to tear away the grassy top of the land, allowing their feet to kick up the dirt and dust present beneath.

He glanced up, noticing the few dark spots circling above them. Most mortals who had seen the dramatized versions of war would have assumed that they were vultures waiting for their long due feast, but he knew better. They were the forces of Tartarus, ones he would have to take care of quickly. They were too high up for Apollo's archers to hit, and even the god himself may have trouble doing so.

'Rayo, to me,' he called out mentally, already running towards a slightly elevated patch of land. His pegasus swooped down, allowing him to jump up and grab hold of the strap of armour running along his flank. He wasn't about the risk his friend's life in the battlefield. The only reason his monster forces weren't clad in armour was because they felt it would be cowardly to do so. How he wished he could sway their opinion, but all he could hope was that they were able to survive the battle or reform and escape the pit quick enough to be unaffected by the primordial.

'What do you need, boss?' Rayo asked in his head, rising to an acceptable height above the battlefield.

Monaxiá glanced up once more, seeing that the monsters he'd seen were mostly Stymphalian birds, with a slightly diminutive dragon present in their midst. He could tell that the drake was waiting for Frank to tire, since the changeling god was large enough to pose a serious threat to it. Of course, he wasn't going to give it the chance of surviving so long.

'Get me to those aerial troops. We need to make this quick,' he conveyed through their mental link, feeling his steed angle himself upward to reach their intended destination.

He put his swords away once more. They would only be necessary for the dragon, and that too only if his first plan didn't work. Instead, he summoned his guns, choosing the form of two powerful pistols. He needed something that was accurate and easy to manoeuvre if he were to take out the birds effectively.

Rayo climbed higher, allowing the battle to shrink below them into not much more than a few dots milling about the surface. His battalion glanced up anxiously but knew that he was most likely on his way to handle another threat. For now, Ares was enough to take care of their opposition.

Monaxiá began firing towards the feathered beasts, quickly dispatching a few of the pesky annoyances. He didn't waste time when the others began to fly towards him, screeching in fury. He simply opened fire upon the whole lot of them. Three managed to escape, while the rest were reduced to nothing more than feathers and golden dust.

He slowly adjusted his position atop Rayo's back, aiming at the first two. His shots were precisely on the target, causing them to instantly disintegrate.

He turned, looking for the last one. For a moment, he didn't see anything, before he heard a soft whistling above him, gradually increasing in volume.

He looked up, only to see the final bird speeding through the air, hell bent on taking him down if it was the last thing he did. The monster was barely ten feet away, five, two...

The second it reached him, he instantly shrunk his gun down into its bracelet form, instead summoning Riptide in the form of a dagger. The bird didn't even have enough time to look surprised before it skewered itself on the blade, instantly dissipating into golden dust.

His attention shifted towards the dragon, noticing how it was slowly circling him, staying far enough away for him to prefer waiting it out instead of charging forward. It's a smart one. I would have liked to give it an offer of joining my troops, but it's obvious that its allegiance is not towards Olympus.

He switched his pistol out for a shotgun, sending a short burst of godly energy into it to make the ammunition temporarily nigh-unlimited. He didn't want to run the risk of it stalling on him while he was in the middle of the attack.

'Rayo, get ready for it to charge,' he conveyed aiming the powerful weapon towards the cautious dragon.

'Got it, boss,' the pegasus replied, awaiting the signal from him to go flying forward.

They hung in the air for a moment, both sides simply watching each other, before the dragon lost whatever patience it had possessed. Frankly, Monaxiá was impressed. He had expected it to snap long ago, but it was more resilient than he had thought. But it was still as hot headed as the others he'd seen before, charging headfirst towards his location.

He didn't respond instantly. Both he and Rayo held their ground, neither of them feeling the slightest hint of trepidation. They simply hovered in place as the dragon came closer, allowing the beast to approach its own demise.

When it was finally close enough for them to see the victorious gleam in its eyes, Rayo instantly plummeted downward. Any other creature, other than maybe Pegasus himself, would have been caught in the jaws of the dragon before they could get far, but Monaxiá's companion was far more agile in the air than those beings. The dragon passed through nothing but empty air, its expression suddenly shifting to one of terror.

It looked down, only to see the firearm aimed towards its vulnerable underbelly. It didn't even have enough time to move before it felt its body be riddled with powerful shells, causing the light in its eyes to dim even as it let out one final shriek of pain, before slowly barrelling downwards. It had dissipated into dust before it even hit the ground.

Monaxiá allowed himself a quick grin under his mask, which he took off his head to wipe a little of the sweat that had accumulated beneath the metal. It wasn't even close to what it would have been if he were mortal, more of a fine sheen than him being bathed in it, but it was slightly annoying. It was one of the disadvantages of having to keep his face covered the entire time.

He quickly put it back on, surveying the state of the battle from his vantage point. From what he could see, their forces had been extremely destructive, seeing how there were barely a thousand monsters left on the opposing side. They could most likely wrap it up within the next thirty minutes, if it even took that long.

He was about to swoop back down and assist in the final clean up when he felt something suddenly spark from the end of the monster force. His mind instantly assumed that it was Tartarus, but the aura wasn't crushing enough to be considered as anything close to the primordial. However, it was certainly something they would have to worry about.

He finally landed, instructing Rayo to move away and keep his distance for the moment. Whoever was coming wasn't someone to be trifled with. His pegasus friend looked slightly put out, but complied with the order, sensing the urgency in Monaxiá's tone.

He rushed forward, slicing the monsters standing before him with ease. It didn't take long for him to find himself near the end of the line, where the aura was strongest. He had no doubt that the others felt it as well, but they were otherwise occupied.

He ignored whatever inhibitions he may have had, rushing forward to meet the threat head on. He cut down yet more of the opposition, finally seeing who he was up against.

He stopped in his tracks, his jaw almost dropping in shock at what he saw. Before him, in his almost blindingly bright armour, stood...

"Hyperion," he breathed, feeling the surprise and shock course through his veins.

The Titan of the East grinned in response, a malicious look that held no warmth at all. Despite just how hot it felt to stand in his vicinity, the expression was frigid, promising that he would make the God of Heroes suffer.

"Hello, Monaxiá," he said, the name rolling off his tongue in a taunting manner. "Long time no see. How have you been holding up?"

Monaxiá ignored the fake pleasantries "Impossible, I saw Tartarus himself absorb your essence. How are you still alive?"

The titan smiled. "Ah, that's the point. The lord of the pit absorbed my essence, and thus, he had the ability to bring me back. After all, he needed someone to lead the armies, and the giants were going to be ineffective now that the gods were next to the demigods. So, he turned to me, and I don't plan on disappointing him."

"Well, sucks for you, doesn't it? I'm going to take you down like the last time we fought." He may have sounded cocky while he spoke, but Monaxiá knew that it wasn't going to be easy like the past time. Back then, Hyperion had underestimated him, giving him enough time to catch the titan off guard before backing him into a corner where Grover and the rest of his people were ready to entrap him.

Now, there was no element of surprise. Hyperion would treat him as if he were just as strong as the Big Three, even though he wasn't at that level of power. The titan would prefer to overestimate him rather than underestimate and pay the price. And while his water powers had become far stronger than before, he knew Hyperion would be expecting it. Not to say, his fire powers wouldn't be as effective against the titan. Of course, it also meant Hyperion's light-based attacks would be less effective too, but he knew that the power gap between them was enough for his opponent to not be so worried about it.

In the end, he knew that it would come down to a battle of strength and skill. In strength, he was clearly outclassed. He may stand at an impressive 6'4", but Hyperion towered over him, easily passing eight feet. And unlike humans who were that tall, the titan had more than enough musculature on his frame. If they were forced into simply trading their heaviest blows, Hyperion would win, without question.

Monaxiá had to be careful how he did this. He had to rely on skill, and what worried him was that the titan's experience could negate his abilities slightly. All he could do was grit his teeth and hope that his talent with the blade was enough to overcome his opponent.

He summoned both swords, allowing both fire and water to swirl around their respective blades. He called the elements to him as well, surrounding him in a rotating wall of fire and water. It seemed impossible that the two could coexist, but he somehow managed to make it work.

Hyperion grinned sadistically. "Not bad, godling. Let's see how you hold up against me this time around," he said, charging forward.

Monaxiá pushed the fire to burn at even hotter temperatures, while willing the water to solidify. Yet, the titan ran through the barrier like it didn't even exist. He lifted his two handed sword high in the air, before bringing it down in a mighty swing, attempting to cleave him in two.

The blade passed a hairsbreadth away from his skin. He had managed to dodge at the last moment, but it had been far too close for his comfort. He realized just how much Hyperion had been playing with him when they'd met during the Battle of Manhattan. Underestimation was a dangerous error, and the titan seemed to have learned from his mistake.

Once again, Monaxiá was forced to dodge another blow, although this time it was slightly easier. He could guess where his opponent was about to attack based on his footwork and body position, which allowed him to move away before Hyperion finished his swing. Using the opening to its full advantage, he stepped within the titan's guard, stabbing through a chink in the armour.

Hyperion roared, turning to face him. Pyrkagiá was ripped out of his grasp, prompting him to instantly fall back, knowing that it would return soon, and he only had to wait it out.

Hyperion raised his sword once more, swinging it towards him. Monaxiá moved out the way, feeling like it had been slightly too easy before he noticed that Hyperion was instantly switching directions. This time he knew he couldn't dodge. He had been so caught up in losing his sword for a moment that he hadn't paid attention to his surroundings, and he was now paying the price. He couldn't take his true form to escape, because one, it would vaporize his allies, and two, the Titan's weapon could probably still hurt him in his true form.

In an act of desperation, he brought his arm up, taking the brunt of the blow on his reinforced vambrace. They were the only part of his armour that weighed almost as much as a mortal equivalent, due to just how thick and dense it had to be crafted to withstand the punishment he wanted it to. Yet, he could feel the power behind the blow easily reach his arm, causing him to wince under his mask as he felt the pain lace up his nerves.

He stumbled back, regretting that he didn't have a shield. It didn't matter now, anyways. He could feel that Pyrkagiá had returned. He summoned it in its original form, still feeling slightly numb in his left arm. He put the feeling aside and kept going. He would have to keep his attention away from it, or it would end up hindering him, though.

He leaped back into action, trying to keep to Hyperion's injured right side. He could see the golden ichor flow out of the wound he'd created, and he knew that if Hyperion didn't end their fight and get some medical attention quickly, he would most likely die and go back to Tartarus to reform.

He slipped past his opponent's guard once more with some deft footwork, slipping his blade between Hyperion's ribs. The titan coughed up some ichor, the pain evident in his expression before it was replaced by an all-consuming anger. Monaxiá backed away slightly, knowing that the expression on the titan's face meant that he was in some deep trouble.

With an ear-splitting roar, Hyperion charged, his sword coming down in a diagonal slash. Monaxiá barely moved out of the way, only to have to dodge another wild swing from the titan. It looked like Hyperion didn't want to return to his master empty-handed. Either he would meet Tartarus at the surface with the entire planet subjugated to his will, or he would appear in the depths of the pit bearing the news that Monaxiá was also trapped within his master's domain.

It took a few moments for Monaxiá to get with of Hyperion's strike zone. The moment he was, he didn't waste any more time before he sent an high-powered, incredibly concentrated blast of water towards Hyperion, directed straight from Riptide's tip. He heard the strained grunt as the Titan of light stumbled from the blast, his focus shaken due to the unexpected assault.

Monaxiá charged forward once more, slipping into a baseball tackle before slashing upwards. For once, Hyperion's rage worked against him, allowing Monaxiá enough time to slip past his opponent's guard and slice his hamstrings right as he passed. He could have hit a more vulnerable spot, but even the most ruthless part of him balked at the notion. It was simply underhand and dirty, something he didn't want to be associated with unless the situation was truly desperate.

Hyperion was brought to his knees, but he wasn't done yet. Using the last burst of his strength, he managed to stand up, charging towards Monaxiá. The god had slipped on a slightly wetter patch of land, causing his rise to be delayed. He could only watch as the titan raised his sword in preparation to swing downwards.

He was just about to accept his mistake when a massive bolt of lightning raced through the air, slamming Hyperion in the chest. The titan was sent flying back, landing quite a few feet away in a charred heap.

Monaxiá glanced at Zeus, who gave him a curt nod before engaging his final few foes. Even the King of the Gods knew that they couldn't afford to lose one of their best fighters during the war.

Monaxiá quickly moved over to his downed opponent, before looking into the titan's burning gold eyes.

"Rot in Tartarus, you piece of shit," he whispered, before bringing both swords down together, decapitating his opponent.

He looked up, only to see the stragglers of the army being effortlessly wiped up by his own troops. He let out a quick sigh of relief at the victory, but his mind instantly came up with the next problem. This was only the first wave? Chaos almighty, we're going to be here far longer than we wanted to.

Tartarus banged his armrest in frustration, causing small quakes within his throne room. The throne itself developed a couple of cracks, although Brandon was wise enough to not mention it.

"Take him to the dungeons once he arrives. He deserves special treatment for the failure he just committed," the primordial growled, a sharp edge in his tone

"Now, as for our second plan. I hope you're ready for what it entails. I don't know how long you can hold your own against them. But it was almost laughable to suggest that you have any chance against Monaxiá. The only choice you have is to somehow bide your time."

The primordial rose from his throne, ignoring how shaky his disciple's body was. He shook his head, heading towards the hidden stairs down to the dungeons. He needed something to take the edge off his temper, and nothing was better than hearing the pained screams of other beings.

"Soon, Monaxiá. I will crush you like the ant you truly are," the primordial growled, slowly approaching the source of the sound.

Wrap! I know it's slightly shorter than the rest, but it felt like it was the best place to do so.

Please review!

Okay, time to answer a few questions. As I've said before, I'll be leaving a few queries out, since me saying absolutely anything on the topic, either confirmation or denial, will spoil it, so don't feel bad if I don't respond to you. Just know that you've stumbled onto an important plot point, (although, as I've said, you'll have to keep guessing how it'll tie in [sorry not sorry]).

To Thenoscoper465: Usually I would be too lazy to go searching for it, but I decided to do it for once.

"To the land beyond gods must the questers go

Led by the gods of sword and sun and goddess of bow

Wisdom's first son must be among those who seek

While Dove's true child helps to stave defeat.

From the other coast must two be sent

A child of madness and the leader of men

Along must go two silver clad hunters

One a child of speed and the other of thunder.

These nine must journey through forests and lakes

Before they reach the rumoured place

Hatred mustn't breed, for if it does then hell

Will be unleashed upon mortals and gods as well.

The only barrier against the end of every thing

Is the final stand of the true Demon King."

If you want to read it in its original setting, you can find it in Chapter 6 (7 if you include the prologue like ffn).

To IShipPertemisOnly: Can't answer the first three questions, sorry, but for the next two... I estimate around 12 more chapters and the next one is... right now (really should have used a PM here). Anyways, updates will happen on Friday anytime between 5:00 and 6:00 PM UTC/GMT. (Yeah, I know it changed. Guess now is a good time as any to update you lot). Of course, if you want instant updates and don't want to rely on ffn sending out an email, you could always join my discord (link in profile).

Well, that's it for now folks! See ya next week.