Chapter 19: The Titan's Wrath

Chapter 19: The Titan's Wrath

With the Obsidian Key in his grasp, Damon returned to the chamber where Atlas awaited. The Titan stood at the centre, his massive form bound by four enormous, glowing shackles, one for each of his arms. His presence was imposing, and his eyes sparkled with anticipation upon seeing Damon approach.

"Son of Hades," Atlas rumbled, his voice echoing through the chamber. "You have returned." The Titan said.

Damon held up the Obsidian Key. "You sound like you didn't expect to see me again," Damon said with a smirk.

Atlas nodded, his expression one of grim determination. "No... Be warned, Damon. These chains are woven with the very essence of Tartarus. They will resist you with all their might." Atlas said, getting right to the point.

Damon approached the first shackle, feeling the oppressive energy radiating from it. Taking a deep breath, he inserted the key into the lock.

"Let's see what this thing can do," Damon said, wondering if he would need to fiddle with the lock like his days as a thief.

A surge of energy coursed through him, nearly overwhelming his senses. The shadows writhed and twisted as they tried to consume him. Damon focused, channelling his hellfire to push back against the force.

"Come on...!" Damon gritted his teeth, forcing the key to turn.

With a final, mighty effort, the lock clicked open. The first shackle fell away, dissolving into nothingness. Atlas let out a relieved sigh, flexing his newly freed arm.

"That was harder than I thought," Damon said as he wiped some sweat away from his forehead.

Before Damon could move to the next shackle, Atlas's demeanour suddenly changed. His eyes gleamed with a dangerous light as he reached out and grabbed Damon with his colossal hand.

"Atlas, what are you doing?!" Damon yelled, struggling in the Titan's grasp.

Atlas's face twisted into a cruel smile. "Foolish boy. Did you really think I sought freedom just to aid you? Even with one arm free, I have enough strength to crush you and work on freeing myself."

Damon felt the pressure increasing, his bones creaking under the immense force. Panic surged through him, but it quickly turned to anger. He focused his hellfire, channelling it all around his body. The blue flames flared to life, hotter and more intense than ever before.

"You won't get away with this!" Damon shouted, unleashing his hellfire against Atlas's hand.

The blue flames seared the Titan's flesh, causing him to roar in pain. Atlas's grip loosened slightly, giving Damon the chance he needed. He broke free with a final, desperate burst of hellfire, falling to the ground and rolling away.

Atlas clutched his burnt hand, his eyes filled with rage. "You will pay for that, mortal!"

Damon scrambled to his feet, his hellfire blazing around him while he used his shadow-healing ability to repair the damage. "You betrayed me, Atlas. And now you'll suffer the consequences!"

Atlas lunged at him, but Damon was ready. He dodged the massive foot step that was meant to crush him like a bug and retaliated with a concentrated blast of hellfire, aiming for the Titan's face. The flames struck true, blinding Atlas momentarily.

Damon knew he had to act fast. If he couldn't re-shackle Atlas, the Titan would eventually free himself completely. He sprinted towards the fallen shackle, dodging Atlas's wild swings while the Titan roared in anger, still not being able to see.

Reaching the shackle, Damon grabbed it and attempted to lift it. The weight was immense, far beyond his current strength. Damon channelled his hellfire into his muscles, pushing himself to the limit and pumping many souls into his strength-boosting ability thanks to his system.

"Come on... Budge damn it!" Damon yelled, feeling the chain start to move.

Atlas, finally recovering from the blindness spotted Damon. Seeing what he was up to. "You think you can restrain me again? I'll crush you first!"

The Titan charged, each step shaking the ground. Damon, straining under the weight of the shackle, knowing he couldn't move in time. In a desperate move, he created a wall of hellfire between himself and Atlas, buying precious seconds.

"That won't stop me!" Atlas roared, using his free hand to slam through the fire and into the ground where Damon had been standing.

The force of his attack caused the ground around his fist to shatter into rubble, surely having crushed the demi god with ease.

However, with a herculean effort, Damon lifted the shackle and lunged towards Atlas's free arm having baited the Titan into his trap. Atlas saw Damon's intention and tried to pull away, watching as the demi-god used all of his might.

Damon felt his muscles tearing, his bones on the verge of breaking. The effort was killing him, but he pushed on. With a final, agonizing lunge, he managed to clasp the shackle around Atlas's wrist.

The effect was immediate. Atlas roared in fury as his power was once again contained. The shackle glowed brightly, its magic reactivating and binding the Titan.

Damon collapsed to the ground, his body wracked with pain. Every breath was agony, and he could taste blood in his mouth. He had pushed himself far beyond his limits.

Atlas, now fully restrained again, glared at Damon with hatred. "You may have won this round, son of Hades, but you're barely alive. How do you expect to escape Tartarus in this state?"

Damon, unable to speak, could only glare back. He knew Atlas was right - he had expended nearly all his energy and life force in this battle. But he had survived, and that was what mattered.

With trembling hands, Damon activated his shadow healing ability. The shadows slowly began to knit his body back together, but he knew it would take time to fully recover.

"That is an impressive power..." Atlas said, watching as Damon healed from his wounds. As if the underworld itself refused to let him die.

As he lay there, healing and catching his breath, Damon reflected on the betrayal. He had been naïve to trust Atlas so easily. It was a harsh lesson, but one he wouldn't forget.

Finally able to stand, Damon looked at Atlas one last time. "Remember this, Titan. Your betrayal has only made me stronger. When I return, it won't be to free you - it will be to ensure you never escape the pits of hell again."

Atlas, surprisingly, let out a rumbling chuckle. "You have spirit, boy. More than I expected. Perhaps...perhaps there is more to you than I thought."

Damon paused, surprised by the shift in Atlas's tone. "What are you saying?"

Atlas sighed, the anger in his eyes dimming slightly. "You bested me, son of Hades. That is no small feat. I see now that you are determined to escape this place, and perhaps...you might succeed where others have failed."

Damon narrowed his eyes. "And why should I trust you now?"

Atlas shrugged as much as his shackles allowed. "Trust is earned, not given. But I have no desire to remain here any longer than necessary. I will guide you. After all, who knows these depths better than I?"

Damon considered the offer. He had no reason to trust Atlas, but the Titan's knowledge of Tartarus could be invaluable. He weighed his options, finally nodding.

"Alright, Atlas. Guide me. But know this - one wrong move, and you'll wish you had not."

Atlas smirked. "Understood, Son of Hades." With a sudden shift of his free hand, he revealed a hole in the ceiling, concealed until now by his immense form. "There, up above. Climb up my body and escape through that passage. It will lead you back to Hades." Atlas said.

Damon looked up, seeing the faint light filtering through the hole. He knew this was his chance. He approached Atlas, wary but determined. With the Titan's guidance, he began the arduous climb up the massive body, using the shackles and chains as footholds and rope, taking more time than he thought to climb the mountain of a Titan.

As he reached the top, Atlas's voice echoed up to him. "Remember, Damon. Your journey is far from over. But if you survive, perhaps we will meet again under different circumstances."

Damon paused, looking back down at the Titan. "If that day comes, Atlas, it will be on my terms."

With that, Damon pulled himself through the hole and into the passage beyond. The light grew brighter, guiding him upwards and out of the depths of Tartarus. Whatever challenges awaited him on his path back to Hades, he would face them feeling even stronger than before.