Chapter 3: Chapter 3: The End Of An Untold Saga (3)
Chapter 3: The End Of An Untold Saga (3)
*BOOM!*
The floors shook beneath them as the alarm sounded. The lights across the room turned red.
*BOOOM!*
"Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" The voice of the security system warned.
*BOOOOOM!*
The colossal doors burst open with a deafening crash, slamming against the floor. Dust swirled slowly in the air, illuminated by the flickering red lights, revealing the silhouettes of three men standing in the entrance. "Took you long enough." Perseus boldly greeted them, the lights in the room going back to normal.
To the right stood the tallest of the three, clad in dreadful black armor and a helmet in the shape of a skull. He wielded two sleek black blades. His gaunt frame was draped in a flowing cape of wailing spirits. Through the eye holes of his helm, a pale face with dark eyes was faintly visible, framed by long, inky black hair that fell down to his shoulders. This was the eldest of the three brothers and Ruler of the Underworld, Hades.
On the left was the middle brother, a tanned man gripping a gleaming bronze trident. His dark, wavy hair, streaked with strands of gray, hung loosely around his face, giving him a weathered look. His blue and green aquatic armor shimmered with the hues of the ocean, reflecting light in vibrant waves. His right eye was covered up by a black eye patch, leaving him to see with his left, which was a sea green color. His one good eye was fixed on the seated demigod, staring at him with a look of sadness. This was Poseidon, the god of the seas and the father of Perseus Jackson.
And last but not least, standing in the middle was his most bitter and longtime nemesis, holding the detestable living bolt of lightning in his hand. Large and imposing, he was the bulkiest of the three. His piercing electric blue eyes crackled with the energy of a thunderstorm. His face was framed by storm-gray hair and a thick beard. Clad in bronze armor draped with a white cape, his massive, gorilla-like arms were left bare, showcasing his muscles. He would've been called handsome if not for the large gash mark across his face. This was Zeus, the King of Olympus and the very instigator of this whole mess.
Though the Big Three stood strong, they were, in fact, more than a bit tired from their recent battle with the Father of Monsters. Just as they had reconvened at Olympus to tend to their wounds, a surprise attack from the Titans forced them back into combat, not to mention having to deal with those endless silver warriors. Both their combined powers proved to be more than a challenge. With their strength diminished, the brothers resolved to apprehend Perseus, leaving the remaining gods to confront the Titans. The toll of the battles was evident, and each of them was physically exhausted, their blood visible on their armor.
Perseus glared at the three brothers, his silent anger palpable, his focus primarily being on Zeus. Just the sight of him made the veins in his eyes bulge with rage, and his weapon thrum, just dying to be run through the deity's chest.
The demigod was the first to break the silence. "Hello, Uncle. How's the face?" He taunted, his voice dripping with an arrogant, mocking tone intended to provoke the king of Olympus.
The thunder god gritted his teeth, his expression darkening as he pressed a hand to the side of his face. Sparks of electricity danced along his fingers matching the murderous look in his eyes. If looks could kill, Perseus would have died a hundred times over.
The knuckles on his free hand whitened as he tightened his grip on the Master Bolt, ready to blast his insufferable nephew to ashes.
'Hahaha, oh how I never get tired of seeing that face. Ahahaha!' Kronos threw his head back as he hollered in laughter at the mauled face of his youngest. 'Oh, this is going to be fun.' He thought joyfully.
From the busted doors of the throne room, Hades let out a heavy sigh at the bitter animosity of the two. 'It's like were not even here.' His gaze then shifted to Poseidon, who stood like a statue. His eye was locked onto his son with a look of anguish and regret. 'I knew it. He shouldn't have tagged along.'
Before Poseidon could summon the courage to speak to his son, their insufferable younger brother rudely interrupted.
"SILBAAAAAA!!!" Zeus bellowed, his voice tearing through the air like a furious thunderclap. "I've had enough! Enough of this war, enough of your tricks, your pitiful little ants, and especially YOU!" He pointed his finger at the demigod.
Electricity erupted around him in a violent storm, his eyes glowing with unrestrained fury as he was about to go into his divine form until he was suddenly stopped by Hades, who put his firm hand on his shoulder. "Hold your horses, everyone." He urged, his voice calm yet cutting, slicing through the chaos like a blade.
"What do you think you are doing!?" Zeus snarled, his eyes blazing as he swiped Hades' hand off.
"As always, brother, you're so blind." He remarked, disappointed at his younger brother. "Even bats have better clarity than you." He sighed, earning a scathing glare from Zeus. "Don't the two of you find this odd? He hasn't attacked us first. That's not how he typically does things."
Before the king of the gods could retort, he said, "Don't you find this odd?" The two blinked in realization so Hades continued, "He hasn't attacked us first. That's not his style."
He was right. They knew from firsthand experience that the demigod always struck first when it came to combat and almost never waited unless it was to cast a devastating spell or to coordinate a plan, but there was no magic, divine or regular. He was alone, not counting the titan in his mind, and the security they trampled on their way here was barely a threat. It was too easy.
"That aside, don't you find it strange that this vessel appeared right above Olympus just as we were in the midst of defending it? I don't know about you two, but it seems to me like he wanted us here. Or am I mistaken, Nephew?" Hades inquired, a knowing smile through the inside of his Helm of Darkness.
The Titan of Time chuckled, teeth bare. 'You know, I always took the boy to be the smartest of the lot during the Titanomachy, and it seems my opinion still stands... but oh no.' He placed the back of his hand in a mock fainting pose. 'You figured it out too late.' His golden eyes glinted mischievously.
"..." The demigod didn't answer, but the small smile tugging across his face was all the confirmation the king of the Underworld needed.
Hades clutched his stomach, manic laughter bubbling up uncontrollably. Shadows danced wildly at his feet, swirling in chaotic patterns as his laughter grew louder. "Hehe... so it's just as I thought! HAHAHAHA! Oh, what fools we are!"
The two brothers stared at him in confusion in their minds, him laughing like this was never anything good.
"Hades, what are you saying?" Poseidon asked.
"It's right in front of our faces, numbnuts! This place isn't just another one of your son's bases of operation. It's a weapon—one he intends to fire, and on Olympus no less! But that's not all... it's also a trap. For us." He revealed, drawing gasps of shock from both Zeus and Poseidon.
"What?!" Zeus exclaimed in disbelief.
"Perseus… no." His father spoke with horror in his eye.
"That's right, Uncle." Perseus began, rising up from his throne, spinning his spear with grace as he stepped down. "The vessel itself isn't the weapon. Hidden within is what I call the Ultimate Weapon. What we're standing on is merely our cage."
Stopping where the steps began, he continued, "I was... granted permission by Gaea to use it, after some... convincing, hmm." He groaned slightly before continuing. "She was more than happy to let me use it. It collects the remnant powers of the divine scattered throughout the world for millions of years." He raised Deeny at them. "All that unchecked power, all of it—will shoot in a massive beam that will, without a doubt, kill you. Permanently."
"Last but not least, this place is also inscribed with more than a million magical and divine enchantments," Perseus continued, his voice cold and calculating. "So don't bother trying to escape to warn your brethren."
As if on cue, the walls, ceilings, and floors flickered to life. Mesmerizing enchantments began to glow, each one a different color—some glowing with the ancient light of Greek runes, others pulsing in the fluid script of Japanese, and others in the harsh angular symbols of Norse magic.
"Granted, because of your power, these seals can't hold you for more than a few days at most. But that's not what I need." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle before finishing with a chilling end.
"After all, this is supposed to be your grave." He finished.
That rightfully got an even worse reaction from them, even from Hades. It meant that, regardless of their comrades' victory, while they would be recuperating on Olympus, by their seats of power and he unleashes that thing, it's over. They will never come back from this.
"Blasphemous child! I should have killed you on that island!" Zeus thundered. Lightning crackled around his body, darkening the atmosphere. Electricity arced wildly, wreaking further havoc on the surroundings but it clearly didn't do much judging by the still fine-looking floor.
"You did." The silver-haired demigod said. "Percy Jackson died a crying child on that island, and now you're just another Greek tragedy."
"Son!" Poseidon shouted. "Percy, I'm begging you. This is madness!" His father pleaded, and for the first time his son looked back at his tear-stricken father. "We can talk this out. Stop the fighting. Find a peaceful resolution!"
Kronos snorted. 'Bullshit. Peace was never an option.' He inwardly thought as he surveyed this one-sided talk between father and son. It was definitely a lot chattier than him and his dad.
"Please, this is not what your mother would've wanted." He finished his last-ditch effort, and to his credit, Perseus actually took a moment to listen.
"She never wanted to die either, yet you still ate beside her murderer!" He coldly replied, and his words were like a knife gutting the sea god's heart. "I only have one parent, and you took her from me."
He then moved his weapon to the side. "13th chair. Orichalcum. Separate." He lifted his other hand.
An ethereal golden fire engulfed Deeney. It traveled across his shoulders and landing on his other palm. Gripping the flame, the fire elongated and a second spear appeared.
The second weapon featured a sleek and elegant design. A long, slender shaft with a dark finish, accented by golden spiral patterns. The spearhead was particularly striking, with a sharp, elongated blade that is also dark, edged with intricate golden designs. The base of the spearhead has ornate golden elements that resemble wings. At the opposite end of the shaft there is a smaller, similarly designed point, making the spear versatile and deadly at both ends.
"7th chair. Uru." He said as Deeney on his right hand was engulfed in a black and gray flame.
The main weapon transformed into a dark gray spear with an imposing and menacing appearance. Its shaft is a deep, almost charcoal gray, adorned with intricate, ancient designs that are etched into the metal. The spearhead was shaped like a dark star. This was a weapon of Uru, the metal of the Norse.
As a weapon reforged in the uncharted waters of Khaos and with Perseus's renowned silver water as its main body, it possessed unparalleled versatility and adaptability.
This is where its chaotic aspect came into play. This spear can seamlessly transform into different forms, each from the metals of various pantheons with their unique effects. Whether it needed the sharpness of Celestial Bronze, the durability of Imperial Gold, the soul draining power of Stygian Iron, or even metals from other pantheons, it was always ready to counter any threat.
This ability to shift between metals made it the perfect weapon for someone like Perseus—a survivor who thrived in the face of adversity.
"Nephew, what you possess is not to be trifled with." Hades cautioned, his voice low and steady as he raised his swords. "You cannot control such immense amounts of divine energy. No machine, no matter how advanced, can withstand that kind of power, not for long." As he spoke, he flared his own energy, shadows swirling around him like sentient mist, plunging the throne room into deeper darkness.
The only illumination came from Perseus himself and the crackling bolts of Zeus's lightning bolt and Poseidon's trident.
"Before the war, you've never once bothered with me, Uncle. That's why I will offer you a deal. I'll let you leave. Your wife and children, you can get to them on time and wait this out. Your kingdom and your seat of power is so far away from Olympus that my weapon won't reach you. You and Persephone can pick up the pieces after I'm done, and you will never hear from me again." He offered, and that actually got a look of surprise from the Rich One.
Zeus and Poseidon turned to their brother with contrasting expressions. They couldn't face this without Hades. If he left, their chances of dealing with Perseus would plummet. Zeus moved his fingers on his bolt, bracing himself to do something stupid, while Poseidon looked at Hades with a quiet acceptance, resigned to whatever choice he might make. After everything he had to put up with, he wouldn't blame his brother if he decided to leave them.
Hades paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. This was a very great deal for him. He was essentially saying that after he was done here, Hades could take over. The Ruler of the Underworld will get a promotion to Ruler of Olympus—whatever remains of it that is.
"Mm, it's certainly tempting, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline your more than generous offer." He replied, receiving an appreciative smile from Poseidon, thankful that his elder brother would stay with them in their time of need.
Zeus merely gave a silent nod, inwardly sighing in relief that he didn't need to use his power to strip Hades of his immortality.
"..." Perseus on the other hand looked at his uncle as if he were brain dead.
Hades merely chuckled at that. "If Demeter were to die, I would never hear the end of it from my wife. EVER." He stressed the word.
'Lovestruck fool.' Kronos scoffed, but deep down he could relate just the tiniest bit.
Sighing, Perseus closed his eyes in acceptance of his least hated uncle's choice. "Have it your way, Uncle. Don't blame me for what's about to happen next." His hair then grew longer as it started shimmering brightly. "I'm done talking. You will die here."
"It is you who will die today!" Zeus growled as his eyes, now a pair of blueish-white lightning zapped wildly. His body glowed brightly. The same could be said about Hades and Poseidon. The time for talking was over, and shit was officially about to hit the fan as they entered into their divine forms. "I will put an end to you once and for all!"
"You didn't hear me on that island, but I made a promise to you which I intend to complete." White cracks appeared on the sides of his eyes as his they brightened to the extreme. "I will kill you!"
"You're the one who is going to die here, you BAAAAAAAAASTAAARRRD!" Zeus wasted no time going into his divine form transformation. Countless bolts of white lightning circled around his body like some sort of cheap light show.
If they were still on earth, the sky would have darkened, filling up for miles out with lightning storms and other sky-related weather disasters appearing just because he could.
Zeus's body glowed a shimmering dark gray. His skin was like a dark thundercloud. His muscles rippled out with incredible power. The lightning bolt in his hand behaved wildly, just aching to be used.
Poseidon did the same. His skin was a deep blue, and water enveloped him in a sphere spinning around him rapidly like a whirlpool. He raised his spear up, determined to stop his son from going through with this no matter how much it pained him to.
Hades, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen, as if he wasn't here from the beginning. But he was around. He just couldn't be seen, heard, or sensed in any way thanks to his Helm of Darkness, which allowed him to become invisible to anyone. Whether they were gods or monsters, no one could sense him, and that included when he went into his divine form too.
'Troublesome.' Perseus narrowed his eyes, scanning the throne room as best he could to sense his location, but to no avail.
To him, Hades was far more problematic than Zeus. While the Ruler of the Underworld wasn't as strong as when it came to harnessing the extreme element of electricity or as versatile as his father with his influence over both of their realms, his expertise focused primarily on being deadly.
The Big Three opted to not go into their giant sizes, as it was best to fight smaller rather than becoming easier targets for the enemy. It's how they defeated their father during the Titanomachy in the first place.
With their divine forms fully embraced, the Big Three wasted no time and rushed toward Perseus. They cornered him in less than the amount of time it would take a person to think. Zeus was first with his lightning-covered arm in a chopping motion aimed for the neck. Poseidon was second, taking to the front with his Trident at his child's abdomen, and the unseen Hades was right behind him, enveloped in darkness and shadows, ready to strike from behind.
'Too late.' Kronos smiled wickedly.
Their speed was formidable. However, that was not nearly enough to prevent him from transforming as well, because through this pantheon of uptight inbreds, his speed was number one.
To them, Perseus suddenly disappeared, and so did any sort of sound in the throne room as the atmosphere that was once raging with intensity suddenly silenced.
"Shit." Hades cursed.
"Where is he!?" Zeus shouted, scanning his surroundings, putting himself on guard and on high alert.
"He's right there!" Poseidon called out in front of them.
"Damn it! It's here!" Hades gripped his blades tightly as he and his brothers stared cautiously at the living devastation in front of them.
It was a living creature of Silver Metal—a unique ability of Perseus Jackson's power that set him apart from any other child of the sea dog. Standing over ten feet tall, its body shimmered with an ethereal glow like the purest ore. Jagged spikes jutted from its arms and legs, with claws sharper than any blade extended from its fingers. The arms were a different color, matching the black spears he had a moment ago.
Its form was sleek yet powerful, with the lean, defined musculature of a swimmer's build accentuated by its scales. Flowing, thorn-like protrusions spiraled over its body, enhancing its fierce nature.
From its head, multiple horns were present, extending upward. Its silver and gold eyes were blinding, radiating an intense ferocity that was directly locked onto the Big Three.
This was Silba, Perseus's divine transformation, the power that elevated him from the strongest demigod to a full-fledged deity.
The Olympians had given this transformation the moniker Silba after witnessing its raw destructive fury when the son of Poseidon unintentionally let it out at the young age of eight against the God of Wine, Dionysus. That day was a blood bath... for the party deity that is.
"Alright, I'm going to say it. We are FUCKED!!!" Hades spoke as he disappeared into the shadows.
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(Hope you all enjoyed this update. I'm quite proud of it myself. I know there might be some questions about how things got this way, and most of it is because Zeus is a petty little man-child. lol, but seriously, with work going on, I'm trying to use my time wisely to get as much writing done. So, wish me luck and get ready for a good fight for the next chapter.)