I am very sorry for there being so long a wait for the update, but I have been working strenuously on my own novel which I hope to publish. Only recently have I come to realise how much I missed writing this, so now I'll give you what you all deserve for your kind words and patience :)
alex – Sorry for making you wait when you said you couldn't :P
Daughter of Hera 2.0 – Glad you liked it, my most avid reader. I apologise to you most of all.
Aifos di Cambri – Don't worry about that. Spoilers!
Guest (1) – thank you
Guest (2) – Here's your update
JaubreyPitchPerfect018 – I'm glad
XxYesterdayTodayTomorrowxX – Thanks for giving me the motivation to get up off my arse and continue. You're an awesome writer.
Right okay, you know the drill. Now I've made you wait long enough. Here it is…
There was an eerie silence for a moment as each immortal drank in the weight of what they were seeing. Those who lay injured even forced themselves onto their elbows to look up and see with glazed eyes what was happening. Not one titan remained on Olympus. Every single one of them had been dropped over the side, all in one or in pieces. There were no more war cries or the clanging of sword and chains. There was just silence.
Perhaps there should have been cheering, or at the very least an exchange of elated looks as they acknowledged their victory. But no one was celebrating. In fact, there was not so much as a ghost of a smile on anyone's face. Not a sound came from any of them, however, they were all united in one similar thought.
That was too easy.
There was no way the titans had spent an aeon breaking out of Tartarus to be thwarted so quickly. No chance. The last Titanomachy had lasted ten years. They were now so vicious and hungry for revenge, they would have clawed their way back up Olympus by their own bloodied fingernails just for the possibility that they would reach the top and avenge their conquest. They would bellow and shriek and cry until the air was ripped right out of their lungs. But as the Olympians stood there in a river of both blood and ichor, all they could hear was the silence. They weren't climbing, or screaming, but they could all be certain that they weren't gone.
Zeus looked over his shoulder at Athena, who was breathing deeply from exhaustion and looking down the void along with the others. The gash on her cheek still leaked a little ichor. When she felt his eyes on her, she looked up at him. A look of worry and what he thought was despair came to greet him. At first he wondered if she was just overreacting to the battle, but then he realised something that made him want to sob in agony. His own stupidity had driven them to make a colossal error. They had thrown the most dangerous monsters in the history of creation down into the mortal realm.
They weren't going to come back up. He was sure that now they were going to wreak havoc on the Earth once more. Iron man had been created after their banishment to be the playthings of the Olympians. Should the titans get a hold of them, who knows what mutilations they would think up to play with their new toys before they broke.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind, he heard an ear-splitting roar from down below that shattered the tension in the air into tiny shards of devastation. His heart pounding and mind racing, he turned to the others.
"We must descend!" he ordered.
No one objected. Every chariot reared into life and careened over the edge of Olympus down to the mortal world below. Zeus led the way in his chariot of gold pulled by four white winged horses that whinnied in worry as claps of nervous thunder erupted from their master's hands. Passing through the cloud barrier, the sight of the mortal world stunned the King of the Gods to his core.
The heavily wooded land below was left in a derelict state. Entire pastures had been flattened into craters in the earth and fire littered the scattered branches. They counted several separate trenches dotted directly under the cusp of Olympus but something was missing; not one of them was occupied.
Poseidon dismounted his chariot and knelt down to drag his fingers over the trail left most likely by Oceanus' severed head. A few feet away one of the binding chains had been discarded. He looked warily over at Athena, who was breathing deeply in an effort to compose herself.
"Where would they have gone from here?" he asked her.
"The nearest pocket of civilisation is a few hundred kilometres from here." she told him solemnly. "But if they're heading to the mortals, they would know that we would follow. I'd have thought some might stay behind to make sure we stayed here as long as possible."
Poseidon stood up to walk to her, but the ground beneath his feet lurched. The surge swept under the feet of all the gods, who were immobilised for a moment in confusion. Another tremor shook the earth. Ares raised his spear and pointed it at the quaking forest floor.
"Ares, don't!" Athena yelled, but she was too late. Ares cast his mighty spear into the ground between his feet. Immediately the earth split in two around the invading point, sending it down to the depths of the Underworld. The crack widened and Ares plummeted, holding on the the skin of the world by his fingertips.
Poseidon pushed Athena aside as the split came towards them. Zeus pulled Artemis and Hephaestus away from it on the other side. When it stopped growing, green glowing steam issued up from it, accompanied by a cold laugh. Apollo and Dionysus rushed over to haul their brother clear.
"Gaia is stirring," Hera gasped, clutching the side of her chariot.
"Impossible!" Zeus bellowed. "She cannot be roused without sacrifice. Her earthly wardens left her service in the last war."
"How do you know?" asked Hera.
"She was fond of a particular clan of nymphs who tended her land on Earth, led by her favourite, Adamanthea." Zeus explained. "She and her many daughters raised me in my infancy. Each was sired by a seed of the earth rather than that of a man."
"How can you be sure this nymph did not remain loyal?" Artemis questioned. "I know how loyal they are. My followers would never leave my service."
"Because Adamanthea is dead." Zeus said gravely. "Murdered by one of her daughters. Her loyalty is not as her mother's was. She cared not for the care of the land of the Earth Mother, which was the duty their clan was charged with. Corrupting their purpose corrupted them, so she would not awaken her. It has to be something else."
Poseidon's brow wrinkled. "Which clan was this?"
"They were once the Gaianids, but now they go by another name." Zeus sighed heavily.
Before he could ask what it was, the earth rumbled and growled like something alive. Laughter echoed through the chasm again and out of it shot endless tentacles of leafy vines. One curled around his ankle with a vice grip and launched him up into the air. He heard Athena scream and a metallic whiz as she drew her sword in an effort to cut it.
While swinging in the air, he caught a glimpse of Apollo and Demeter who had also been entangled and were swinging precariously over the chasm at the vines' mercy. Bellowing out over the war cries, he called for his trident, which obediently sailed through the air from his chariot into his hand. The silver began to glow and he felt his palm grow warm.
Pointing the prongs at the coils around his ankle, a jet of bright green light shot from the end of his weapon, roasting the vine and forcing it to release its hold. Poseidon landed on his back on the lip of the open earth, crawling back a few feet before standing. Looking up he saw Artemis and Hestia had been swept up into the chaos above them. Hermes was flying around, swinging his caduceus and severing the bonds wherever he could while flying out of their reach. Zeus managed to mount his chariot and fly up into the air out of the entwining grasp of the vines. The clouds darkened above him, thunder rolling in from clear skies.
"Poseidon!" he roared over the buffeting winds that whipped up and the screams of the other gods. "Go and fight the titans. Take Athena, Ares, Hades and Hephaestus. Stop them and I will free the others. We will come and meet you when we can. Go!"
Poseidon didn't argue. Leaping into his chariot, his blue, white-tailed stallions reared and sailed up into the air. Pointing his trident at the ground, he sent jolts of energy to the feet of each of the gods he would take with him. They stopped fighting immediately, stunned, and looked up at him.
"Come with me!" he called out. "We are to take back the population in any way we can. Follow me!"
No one moved faster than Athena. She was in the air beside him within seconds. It almost hurt her to have to wait for the others. Her impatience only grew when screams of mankind reached her ears from the west. She looked over at Poseidon, who nodded at her as rain began to fell down on them. He was showing her he had faith, that he believed in what they could do. Hephaestus, Hades and Ares rose up soon after, and they followed the God of the Sea west towards civilisation.
It was a good thing they were travelling through the air. Below them the earth was at war with itself. Trees uprooted themselves and crushed boulders and hills. It seemed they were following the gods, racing them to mankind. Athena urged on her horses as fast as they could go.
Launching over the last hill together, the five Olympians were nearly knocked aside by a giant hand. Cronus, now the size of Olympus itself, was towering over the city overturning buildings and crushing hundreds under his feet.
"How in Hades is that possible?" Ares thundered, ignoring the look Hades himself shot him. He didn't like that saying; never had. But now was hardly the time to bring it up.
Athena looked down at her grandfather's feet, and noticed every time they touched the ground, vines and roots wrapped around them, tearing away when he raised them again. Not too far in the distance another chasm had been opened, and every titan was throwing fistfuls of mortals into it any chance they got.
"Look!" she pointed down. "I think Gaia is is giving him power. Keeping him strong so he can grow. And in turn they are sacrificing to her to try and awaken her."
Poseidon followed her outstretched arm and nodded. "I think you're right. We have to find a way to sever that link!"
Athena tried to think, but Cronus' colossal head turned, and his burning gold eyes locked on her. She only just had enough time to move away as he raised a hand and swatted at her like a fly. His gaze didn't move from her, even as Ares rushed to her aid, flinging his spear and striking true, penetrating just above his elbow.
"No!" Athena ordered Ares. "Help the mortals!"
He didn't understand it, but he obeyed. Cronus didn't try and stop him as he flew around his arm to retrieve the spear. His gaze held steady on the wisdom goddess, who flew clear of yet another potential blow. She felt the wind from the motion buffet her chariot and stun her horses.
Making a hairpin swerve just as she was about to crash into a mountain side, she heard an almighty crunch as Cronus' fist collided with it. The air around her showered rocks of various sizes into her chariot. Below her she could see the others facing the titans amongst the screaming remnants of mankind.
Ares was enjoying the battle more than he should have been. He had fought in many wars, but the last great war, the Titanomachy, had happened before he was born. Now here we was able to have his turn. Hyperion had been advancing on him since he had touched the ground. He swung his chain around in circles menacingly, whipping out and striking Ares across the face.
Ares wasn't one to take being sucker-punched lightly. Roaring, he hurled his spear at the titan, piercing his chest. Hyperion groaned and gripped the spear firmly, tugging on it and releasing it with a squelch as ichor poured from his wound.
Drawing his double-edged blade, Ares ran towards him for hand-to-hand combat. Hyperion used the spear to parry the blow, but Ares' strength caused his arm to fly back, exposing his body. Abusing the moment of weakness, Ares raised his sword once more and thrust it seep into Hyperion's right eye. Hyperion shrieked in pain, dropping the spear and clutching his leaking socket, ichor pouring through his fingers. Ares kicked him down and plunged his blade into the other eye, showing no mercy.
Hyperion was left lying screaming on the ground, steam and hot ichor continuing to spill from his skull. Ares grinned at his unbearable agony; unable to just die. However, when he noticed the roots beginning to bind around the base of Hyperion's skull, his triumph faded from his face. Not knowing what else to do, and remembering Athena's observation that Gaia was keeping her children strong, Ares lifted Hyperion up, tearing him away from the healing power of his mother's roots. He wasn't a particularly heavy burden for Ares' strength but he couldn't go on fighting holding him above his head. Seeing the opening not far off, he threw with all his might, and Hyperion fell down through the rift.
No sooner had he disappeared from view, the earth shook violently, wavering Ares' balance. Seven roots shot up around him and made a grasp at his shins. He raised his sword to swing but before he could, he found himself whisked into the air. As he looked up, he saw his uncle's silver, aquamarine-encrusted chariot above him. His hand was over the edge clasping Ares' jerkin. Ares twisted against the grip.
"What are you doing? I was about destroy those botanical bastards!" he yelled.
"Don't be foolhardy, nephew." Poseidon called back. "You would have been pulled down into depths of the earth even the eldest gods have never seen. We must continue this battle as best we can on our chariots. Only by remaining in Zeus' domain can we have a chance at robbing Gaia's children of their advantage."
Passing Ares' chariot on a rock at the base of a mountain, Poseidon dropped him into the driver's seat. His dogs barked loudly at their master's return. Ares gripped his reigns and growled in anticipation.
"Where's Athena?" Poseidon asked. "I can't see her in the battle."
"Last I saw Cronus had a watchful eye on her. Wouldn't leave her alone. I tried to help, but she wouldn't let me." Ares explained. He then lashed his hounds and they rode up into the air. Poseidon's eyes darted around. The giant Cronus was on the opposite mountain range, waving his hands in front of him in manic rage. To his horror, Poseidon caught a glimpse of something significantly smaller than the titan whizzing around his arms in a effort to avoid them. Showers of crumbling rock came down on it with every pound Cronus gave to the mountain. Rearing his horses so they whinnied into the air, Poseidon launched himself up towards his father's face.
Athena was running out of steam. As one of the co-inventors of the chariot, she was one of Olympus' best drivers, but dodging and weaving out of the grip of an enraged titan was not a skill she had taken to practising. A fist pounded at the mountainside beneath her and the chariot bucked wildly. She couldn't recover in time and the next blow above her head proved consequential. A falling stone toppled her from her chariot, which drove away without her as she fell down on a ledge jutting out of the mountain. She screamed as Cronus' face leaned down over her, his grin murderous.
"Zeus' favourite child..." he mused. "I never got to taste your father. The rock I was given in his stead was gamy. I imagine you will taste much sweeter."
Just as he was about to open his colossal jaws, a blinding green flash shot from above caused him to recoil, holding his hands to his face and letting out a scream that made the very air tremble. Athena was too tired to think. She could barely feel the strong, soft arms that closed around her, nor hear the whistle of the wind in her ears as she was lifted to safety in Poseidon's chariot.
Stowing her safely under the bench, he held the reigns of his blue stallions in his right hand, willing them to turn back towards the groaning titan. His left hand held his trident, which he aimed once again, firing two more shots at his father's face.
Cronus fell to his knees, crushing a hamlet of houses with his hands over his eyes. The fleeing men ran as fast as they could way from him. Once he had finished screaming, Poseidon heard him make an even more terrifying sound; he had started to laugh.
"My first born son," he guffawed as he rose again to face Poseidon's chariot. "You're here alone because you're sweet on the wisdom bitch. But you are not strong enough to defeat me alone."
He wasn't going to back down no matter what scolding words his father thought up to weaken him. As he raised his trident again, over Cronus' shoulder he spotted something that gave him hope beyond measure. A unified cry rang out from the east that made Cronus turn his monumental head. From the direction of Olympus what remained of the army of nymphs, satyrs, centaurs and demigods marched forward. They were lead by Zeus who hovered above them in his horse-driven chariot, that gleamed even as the rain hammered down from the heavens. He was flanked by the rest of the Olympian gods, all released from the vines and mounted proudly on their chariots. Thunder rumbled in the sky and Poseidon felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
"It looks like I won't have to," he smirked smugly as once again he raised his loyal weapon. Cronus didn't have time to turn back before a jet of green light flew at him, this time coupled with a fork of lightning that split the sky and struck him between the eyes. Poseidon steered his horses clear, reaching down to check Athena was alright.
The army charged, rushing down in their hordes towards the rest of the titans. The satyrs attempted to manipulate the rogue foliage as he centaurs cut down the trees and roots that were thrown into their path by lesser titans. Zeus called to Hades and the two of them rocketed towards their brother and father. Zeus gripped his master bolt, Hades his pitchfork. Together the three of them rained fire over their father's head.
Cronus roared in anger, curling over and crossing his arms over his head. Jets of green marred with flashes of lightning and shots of black mist. Below the cries of war got louder and louder. The titan king waved about blindly in the hopes of knocking one of his sons out of the air, but Hades was too cunning, Poseidon was the master of horses, and Zeus repelled every attack.
Ares could no longer stand being stuck in his chariot while he watched lesser forms feel the taste of combat he yearned for. A little way off he saw two centaurs and a knife-wielding nymph pinning down Crius, who was bleeding from several places. Not seeing the harm in swooping down just to finish him off, he flew lower and jumped down. Taking out his double blade again he slashed Crius from between his lags to his heart, leaving him almost in two pieces. The centaurs rushed off but the nymph stayed, leering at him lustfully even with her own blood strewn across her face.
To show off for her with the hopes of getting lucky, Ares carried the screaming and flailing Crius to the opening in the earth and cast him in after his brother. The dryad bit her lip and gave him her bedroom eyes. Ares swung an arm around her waist and heeled his dogs to get back in his chariot with her, but the earth shuddered violently under his feet.
It was like what had happened with Hyperion. The earth groaned and shook. Fighting seemed to cease for a moment. Even the three eldest gods took pause when they heard the rumbling. That same cold laughter erupted from the crack, followed by more billowing steam. Ares hopped into his chariot with the nymph and lashed the dogs into the air again before roots could pop up and make a swerve at him. He barely got the carriage off the ground and out of reach before six foot long tendrils shot out and attempted to pull him back down.
The fighting foliage got more vicious, striking down satyrs who tried to use their reed pipes to calm them. Dryads ran from the trees they would normally flock to. Shock waves pulsed through the soil from the pit to the feet of Cronus, who began to roar again. He swiped viciously and knocked all three of his sons in different directions, once again standing tall.
Poseidon careened out of control, his horses spooked and flying off against one another. As the carriage bumped a large rock and flipped, Athena slipped from under the bench and hurtled towards the earth. She let out a scream, too weak from her own battles to do much else. The sea god leapt back into life, whipping his horses her and forcing them to turn the chariot back around. He dived after his lover and managed to get under her so she landed safely next to him again. Cronus let out a war cry and the titans flocked to him, retreating from their fights.
"The Earth Mother speaks to me, my brethren," he boomed. "We are to leave this place for now. We shall return once the Olympians prove more of a challenge. Leave these puny mortals to bury their dead. We return to our mountain fortress. To Mount Othrys!"
Before Zeus or the other Olympians could try and stop them, the jeering titans ran after their king as he leapt cities in a single bound towards their old home. The King of the Gods addressed his army from his golden chariot.
"All those who fought for us cannot stay here," he decreed. "You deserve all the healing we can give you. I ask my children, Apollo, Artemis, carry every nymph, satyr and centaur you can find to Olympus and heal them. Heroes, half-bloods, you will stay here and see to it those mortals who died here receive proper burials. Away!"
Poseidon followed his brother up towards Olympus, Athena panting next to him. Apollo and Artemis opened the backs of their chariots and allowed legions of creatures in, some limping and most bleeding. Athena's breaths got more ragged and he reached down to caress her face, wiping some of the ichor that had stained her olive skin from the cut on her cheek. Athena felt his warm touch for a moment, then allowed her eyes to close.
When her eyes fluttered open, they were greeted by familiar surroundings. Had she been less wise, she might have hoped she had dreamt the whole thing, and she would roll over and snuggle closer to Poseidon lying next to her. She knew better. She was looking up at the ceiling of Apollo's temple on Olympus, and the sounds of rushing and calls for help invaded her ears.
The bed she was lying on was separated from the neighbouring ones by canvas sheets erected on either side. The cut on her cheek had been healed, as had all her other bruises sustained from falling mountain debris. Wincing slightly, she sat up, seeing Poseidon leaning against one of the posts holding up the dividers, his head hung. Her voice made him look up. His aquamarine eyes swam with worry as he descended to her side.
"My darling..." he muttered, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. "How do you feel? Are you recovered?"
Athena sighed and shook her head. "You must think me so weak!"
"Why would I ever think that?"
"I lasted how long in that battle?" she snapped, angry with herself. "I am the best chariot rider on Olympus – though Ares would disagree – other than yourself, and I couldn't outmanoeuvre him. I am so embarrassed."
"No. Don't you dare be." Poseidon said sternly, taking her face in his hands and making her face him. "It took the three of us; Hades, Zeus and me to bring him down the last time. Even then it could have gone either way. You alone faced Cronus, and you kept him on his toes. Even Ares, I know, would be too afraid to even try such a thing."
"I was afraid." Athena said in a small voice. Poseidon closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers.
"And you did it anyway," he whispered, stoking her hair. "If that is not the mark of a true hero, I don't know what is."
He lightly pecked her lips once, but she pulled away. "Not here," she mumbled. "Someone will see."
She cast aside the blankets covering her and took his hand. Together they walked out of the temple and passed the rows of nymphs and centaurs waiting for medical attention. Athena pulled her lover into the trees where they wouldn't be seen and kissed him soundly, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You must think what I did was incredibly foolish, to take on Cronus alone and to refuse help when it presented itself." she muttered against his lips.
"I would call it bravery. Impulsive, yes, and rash maybe. But then I suppose sometimes the best decision is to do not what is wise, but what you feel is right, even if it's foolish." Poseidon smirked a little at her. She blushed slightly and leaned back so she could look into his eyes.
"Since when did you recite wisdom to me?" she asked.
"Since you abandoned it." he answered her cheekily. "I hardly think I was the 'wisest' decision you ever made."
Athena ran her hands up and down his neck and smiled. "Perhaps not, but it was the right one... if a little foolish."
She kissed him again, and he held her so close to him it felt to her like he was afraid she'd slip away from him if he let go. With the amount of warriors still to heal, they had plenty of time to wait before Zeus would call a war council. Everyone was to busy to think to look for them, and even if they did they would never think to look here. Athena began to unpin the clasps holding Poseidon's armour in place.
He pulled back and grinned. "Another foolish decision, my lady?"
"Be quiet and indulge me, before I change my mind." she grinned back and allowed him to unhook her breastplate. A sudden rustling in the trees made her hesitate for a moment, looking around.
"Did you hear something?" she inquired. Poseidon was too clouded with his lust for her to think of anything else, so he muttered that it was just the wind, and pushed them both down onto the soft ground.