Page 4 of Hades The Unseen One

“His name is God of the Cocytus,” she said before she turned away from me and walked towards the river.

She dipped her hand into the water, and the water followed her as she brought it up. The water swirled in the air before she shaped it into a large fish. It appeared to be riding the upward-flowing water.

The little girl’s aura changed again, and it was accompanied by a delighted giggle as she moved the fish around. I was glad she had a childhood and hoped it wouldn't be cut short by the upcoming war.

My childhood was spent in a void. All I could do was sleep, but as I grew older, I began to remain awake for longer spells. Perhaps the misery would never leave me. With a heavy heart, I stood up to watch the playful nymph continue to create various animal and plant shapes.

“Come, I will take you home,” I said, but the words were flat and emotionless.

“Oh,” she said in dismay as the water collapsed when she pulled her hands away. It didn't stop her from dancing past me and climbing onto my chariot.

Children were strange creatures. Crying one minute then laughing and playing the next.

“My name is Minthe,” she said.

I didn't recall asking her, but I remained quiet as I climbed onto the chariot beside her. She could barely see over the chariot. She didn't stop chattering until she indicated where her home was. Luckily for me, her destination wasn't far from the river.

Once we reached her enclosure, she thanked me. Then, she jumped off the chariot and vanished into the shadows of the woodland. As I continued my journey, the encounter made me realise how much was at stake for all beings. The gravity of the upcoming war weighed heavily on me, and we needed a strategic location to ensure fewer casualties.

Chapter 4

The Battle Begins

Cronus's fury could be heard for miles. The ground shook, and his rage vibrated through the air until it sounded like the rumbling thunder over our heads. The first giant boulder came flying through the air. While I was calculating where to strike it to break it up, Zeus jumped into the air and smashed it with his fist. Dust and broken rock fragments as Zeus landed back on the ground. The dull thud and sound of his metal armour along with him.

My eyes widened when I looked across the plains of Thessaly. Atlas and Iapetus led the hordes, but behind them were giant beasts. It hadn't been Cronus shaking the ground like I thought. It was the monstrous beasts.

“Themis advised me this would be a possibility. We stick to the strategic plan and keep our formation,” Zeus shouted before he roared an ugly battle cry.

Kratos, Nike, Bia and Zelus were backing us. Their father, Pallas, was the God of Warfare, yet he would meet his children on the battlefield. Had he taken the side of Styx and his children, it would have been more palatable. He was no better than Cronus.

We had our weapons and sped towards them, keeping our formation as planned until we drew closer and split up into teams. The clashing of shields, swords, axes and pounding of flesh upon flesh ensued. I aimed for the dragon-footed giant.

The beast was slow to move, and I worked on slicing through its thick skin. When I glanced up, it shot something out of its mouth. It darkened the skies, and as the substance began to fall on me, I raised my shield over my head. It made me cough, and I realised it was poisonous.

“Watch out for the venom,” I said as I held my breath. This was something I learned living inside Cronus. I didn't have to breathe.

Our speed was no match for them. They had brute strength but didn't have our speed or Zeus’s strategic planning behind them. We often swapped opponents to throw them off as we learned how and where they were likely to strike.

After hours of gruelling battle, we toppled one of their two gigantic allies, but it hadn't taken long for the beast to stand up again. The Titans blew a trumpet before they began to retreat. It wasn't the victory that we hoped for on our first day, but as I looked around at the destruction, I knew Mother Earth was scorched and scarred.

Little did I know this was the beginning of a decade-long clash.

???

By the fourth year of the war, I couldn't remember the optimism that moved me forward. I could see the strain on my siblings' faces and energy auras. Zeus was the only one who remained steadfast in the face of it all.

It didn't help that Hera had sought refuge with Oceanus and Tethys by retiring in their underground cave. She was a bundle of contradictions, swaying from revenge on Cronus to avoiding them entirely, but it was her choice.

Hestia proved fierce and would circle our opponents with rings of fire. My strength was battling in the dark, where I could easily manoeuvre myself through the shadows and attack my enemies. Poseidon could crack through the crust of the earth and launch his attack. Zeus could fight mid-air when he shifted into various animals. Demeter used trees and vegetation to attack and tangle her opponents, but her sword skills had improved immensely.

The incessant, violent battling fed the darkness within me. There would be days at a time when I wouldn't utter a word. If we were tiring, I could only hope the Titans were, too. Cronus had yet to meet with us face to face. He seemed to cower behind his brothers and allies.

The good news was that Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus had defected from the Titans and had come to fight with us. When he foretold that Zeus would triumph, it was the moral boost we all required.

There was much to rebuild in the aftermath, but the war seemed never-ending. In the meantime, Zeus talked about carving a base into a mountain similar to what the Titans had. His grandeur plans always astounded me, yet he always managed to keep his word.

???

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