Hades The Unseen One (Greek Myths #1)

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.

◆◆◆

It was in the eighth year when we sealed our first victory against the Titans and their hoard. The knowledge Prometheus had brought with him aided us. He knew the ins and outs of Mount Othrys, but it would be impossible to enter their base. Zeus had set up a grand fort on Mount Olympus. It rivalled the Titan’s Mount Othrys in size. We had not only succeeded in fending off their attack, but we chased them off using our stockpile of weapons. It was time for our major counterattack. Zeus assured us that he had a cunning plan laid out.

Only time will tell .