25 A Titan's Last Stand...

Hades POV

Before I participated in the battle, our army held a decisive advantage owing to the influence of the mighty deities Helios and Selene. They used the power of celestial bodies to their advantage, while the Hekatonkheires employed their immense strength to hurl mountains at the Titans' ranks. Thus, when I unveiled my complete power as The God Of The Dead, the Titans didn't even have a chance to resist.

With my bident in hand, I unleashed a deadly and powerful attack against the monsters, sending them back to Tartarus. Even the lesser Titans were no match for me as they scattered under the wrath of my weapon. The Titan generals were either captured by my brothers or engaged in battle with them, leaving no one in the Titan army who could challenge me.

As I made my way toward the entrance of Mount Othrys, I left a trail of golden ichor behind me, which had started to stain my black, molten armor. When I arrived at the pitch-black doors, I noticed that they were coated in a combination of power from Gaea and Kronos. This was most likely a gift for the Titans when they overthrew their father. Alternatively, it could mean that Gaea had finally joined forces with her sons.

My attempts at destroying the doors were unsuccessful as the blazing hellfire and sea of shadows I sent bounced back from the doors, ricocheting until they struck the Titan army from behind. Driving my bident through the crack of the doors and attempting to use my divine strength to force them open worked to some extent, but even with my shapeshifting abilities, I couldn't fit in the small gap that appeared.

Before I could make another attempt, a familiar voice boomed behind me, "Having some performance issues, brother," The cheeky smile that was alight on Zeus' strength to take all my will not to blast with the water of the river Acheron.

Responding with a voice dripping with sarcasm, "Why brother, I was only weakening the door so you could come over and gain the glory of blasting it open." Zeus' smile twitched before with a shrug. He called upon the power of his master bolt once more and, with a thrust, brought the power of Ouranos to bear on the door; however, just as before, the lightning bounced off the door, striking the Earth beneath Zeus' feet.

Zeus stared at his master bolt with a look of betrayal as the loud laughter of Poseidon and myself echoed across the battlefield. With a confident stride, Poseidon approached the door, his voice filled with pride as he spoke, "Move aside, brothers. With the power of my trident, I will shake the doors off their hinges."

Poseidon used the base of his trident to strike the door, hoping to use its earthshaking power to break it open. However, despite Gaea's decreasing power, Kronos's energy increased, so Poseidon's power backfired, sending him flying away from the door. The air was then filled with laughter as Poseidon got up, looking annoyed. Moss and cobblestones fell from his hair as he stood up.

"I've had enough of our failed attempts," I called over to my brothers. "Alone, Gaea and Kronos' power stops us. Only by combining our power can we destroy the door." No more needed to be said as Poseidon and I drove our symbols of power into the door, summoning the full power of our divinity. As we did, Zeus raised his hand to the sky, calling upon the might of Ouranos one last Time.

When we combined our power, shadows, sea, and lightning blasted the door off its hinges.

After removing the door, we were confronted with a stairway that led up to Othrys. However, our previously jolly mood was replaced with doubt and fear, causing the atmosphere to shift. We took a minute to regain our composure, but soon, our faces were filled with determination. With a few curt nods, we began our ascent up the stairs.

We could climb the mountain quickly due to our godly speed and great jumps, which would have been impossible if I were still mortal. As we reached the top, we faced the obsidian walls of the Titan stronghold. The walls were enormous and exuded an aura of death and malice.

Zeus, being his usual impulsive self, decided to make a grand entrance into the Titan throne room by summoning his master bolt and blasting open the doors. I recognized the familiar throne room from my previous visit as we stepped inside. However, we didn't have Time to admire the surroundings as our father sat on the highest throne, waiting for us.

Decked out in heavy gold armor that seemed to flow like ichor, Kronos presented a fearsome sight as he wielded his cursed scythe, which radiated death. Beside our father sat our mother, Rhea, who appeared to be on the verge of falling apart in grief. Tears streamed down her face, falling like raindrops onto the ground below.

As soon as Kronos noticed us, he stood up. Our mother couldn't hide her tears, while our father smiled sadly. "You have done well, my sons. You have ended a reign that lasted for thousands of years, using only your strength and intelligence. As a father, I couldn't be prouder. However, as a king, I couldn't be angrier." The smile of pride on our father's face made me think about how different things could have been if Ouranos had never revealed that prophecy.

He stretched out his palm and summoned a golden shield that matched his armor perfectly. His smile turned to sadness before returning, and he spoke with a voice filled with longing, "In another life, you would have been my honored sons, standing by my side as we ruled the cosmos together. However, as immortals, we must uphold the natural order, and as king, I have a great burden to bear. My greatest mistake will not be attempting to imprison you but accepting the throne that has forced me to face my sons."

Tears streamed down the Titan King's face while our mother, Rhea, sobbed uncontrollably. With a smile filled with pride and love, Kronos confidently declared, "All things must come to an end, even the reign of Time. As a father, I must ensure my sons are ready for future challenges. While cuddling may bring comfort, it won't prepare you for future conflicts. There are greater forces out there that will attempt to replace you, and though I won't be here to help you, I will make sure you are aware of the impending struggle. But for now, let my reign end in a blaze of glory as my sons carry the torch into a new age. And know this: I will not go quietly."

As he spoke, a golden aura exploded and filled the throne room. Our mother disappeared, and the full might of the Titan King was unleashed one last Time...