Chapter 9: The First Battle

Prometheus returned to the grand halls of Olympus. When he was there, he could see that Hyperion held the scroll in his hand. Rather than saying whether they agreed with the terms or not, Hyperion lifted the scroll and put it into the great Flame.

The fire licked over the scroll and parchment, consuming the peace accord. From afar, Prometheus knew what it meant. When Hyperion removed the string to prevent it from being destroyed, Prometheus wondered why, but only for a moment.

“That flame will consume any and all that it touches, so to protect something, it needs to be removed before the fires can even so much as lick it. We have powers you new gods could never understand. We were here near the birth of the cosmos and knew Chaos. What can you hope to have against us?”

“If we do battle,” Prometheus said carefully, accepting the string. “We will win.”

“We will see,” Crius said, from behind his brother.

It was made clear very quickly to the newly christened Olympians that Cronos would not have peace. Thankfully, the love of brothers allowed Prometheus to return with the scroll’s string in hand.

Time passed after the falling out between Zeus’ gods and Cronos’ Titans. In the Valley of Thessaly, Menoetius, Atlas, Eurybia, Crius, and Theia stood as the delegation for Cronos.

From the caves of Mount Othrys, Zeus looked on. He clutched the lightning bolt in one hand and wore this divine golden fist with the other. Power crackled from the artifacts from the immensity that was Zeus.

Metis halted Zeus. She turned and shook her head at Poseidon and Hades as well.

“They mean to bring you out.”

“We will let them!” Zeus declared.

“The fuck they will,” Metis said back angrily. “If Cronos is not out there, none of you should be out there.”

“What? Why?” Poseidon asked quickly.

“Don’t you three idiots get it? One of you is to be the next King of Olympus! Not any of the other titan children. One of you! So, if you lower yourself to going out there, then you are seen as the equal to them. You three aren’t! For anything less than Cronos, it cannot be you who greets them.”

Hades, Zeus, and Poseidon blinked.

“Then who is going out to face them?” Zeus asked.

Metis motioned to Prometheus and Hera. “That should be more than enough for a show of force,” Metis said simply.

When the three went out onto the field, Prometheus and Hera accompanied Metis. Prometheus was strong enough to make Crius halt, and as Atlas’ brother, Metis hoped she could count on that familial bond to halt them. Hera had her bow strung and ready for battle. On her arm was the Aegis, the shield gifted to the sons of Cronos.

Metis met with the Titans on the field within the valley. “What brings you both here?”

“We are giving you one last chance to live under the reign of your rightful king, Cronos,” Menoetius declared.

Crius turned his head and glared at the younger Titan. “While the son of Iapetus might be a little quick and disrespectful, he speaks the truth. Greece can only flourish under one reign, Cronos. We have power and stability.”

“The gods only wish for freedom,” Metis said firmly, but with respect in every word.

“Metis... “ Crius said with understanding. Though he had empathy for the sons of Cronos, he had a real understanding of the world. “Freedom can only be given under the grace of our King.”

“Can you not hear yourself?” Hera almost cried out. “Cronos decides if we can ever walk the very earth gifted to us by Gaia? That’s insane.”

“Watch your mouth!” Menoetius shouted. “Cronos is our king, and your leader is a murderer!”

Eurybia restrained Menoetius. “Not now. If you continue to act this way, you will be returned to Olympus,” she whispered with authority.

“We will not give up our position,” Prometheus said with seriousness.

“You know you’ll die, right?” Crius pointed out.

Lighting crashed and the ground shook as darkness emanated from the Mountain of Othrys. The Titans stepped back from the power that would consume them all. For all of their own gifts, the five Titans were quickly realizing just how dangerous the opposition truly was.

Theia shook her head at Menoetius and Crius. Meanwhile, Eurybia and Atlas looked at the display, unafraid, but even they recognized the foolishness in engaging in battle.

Menoetius stepped forward. “Don’t do this, Brother,” Prometheus warned.

“Not when you’re so far from home,” Metis added. “Your forces will be down five powerful allies, and we will not be hindered for the trouble.”

Crius, Eurybia, and Theia, as the older Titans, understood, but it was Menoetius who was not listening. He turned towards Metis. Atlas stepped forward to restrain his angered brother. Theia turned too late. She only saw Menoetius charge forward.

“No!” Theia cried.

That did not stop Menoetius from striking at Hera. Metis jumped in the final moment, blocking the powerful block with her divine shield.

Atlas, Theia, Eurybia, and Crius stared in shock as Menoetius’ fist bled, the golden red ichor shocking the onlookers. They did not see the strain and annoyance of Metis, only the pain and damage to Menoetius.

From there, the response was a foregone conclusion. Atlas lifted an enormous boulder and threw it in the direction of the Zeus’ forces. Prometheus jumped into action, struggling to catch the rock.

Eurybia started to summon winds and water. Light started to dance off the body of Theia. Crius tried summoning the power of the constellations.

Hera fired one of the arrows from the bow. The projectile flew, striking Crius in the chest.

Everyone turned to see the blow make the Titan fall back in pain. While he was alive, they were coming to realize that death could soon come for any of them.

Little did they know just how right they were.

The forces on Mount Othrys mustered as soon as Menoetius went for Hera. Theia threw beams of light at Hera. Eurybia hurled a cyclone of water at Prometheus.

The Titans did not expect the power that arrived. Light was battled by the power of darkness from Hades. He stood in front of Hera and Metis, a beacon of dark power.

Poseidon arrived on a wave, turning the blow back on Eurybia. She stared up in confusion when she was buffeted onto the ground. She looked from her opponent to her allies before looking back at Olympus.

For the first time, Eurybia began to doubt the orders from Cronos. However, when Poseidon charged her, she was too late to do anything. The trident drove into her chest. She screamed out in pain.

The distraction was enough for Hades. When Theia turned to see the dying lamentation of a Titaness, He threw his hooked chains at her. The hook stuck into her shoulders, gripping her by her very soul. Theia’s cry was the most piercing scream in existence.

Hades did not care. He pulled forward bringing Theia to her knees. He did not pause. He stabbed with his bident, piercing through her head.

Theia died instantly, passing only moments before Eurybia.

Crius screamed out, trying to charge forward, but Metis launched herself at him. The shield was more powerful than the strength that Crius, with his damaged hands, brought to bear.

Focused entirely on Hades’ back, Menoetius went to attack. But he did not see the response of the Lightning Prince. Zeus brought his fist down against the back of Menoetius’ head. Atlas stared enraged, but aware of just how outmatched he was.

Running back to Crius, Atlas grabbed the elder Titan, teleporting them both back to Olympus.

The younger gods cheered in their victory. They reveled in their might, celebrating their powerful win over the Titans.

Metis wanted to stop them, but she knew that the moment Menoetius had struck, that something had begun.

In the years that followed, people would not recall this battle, but this was when the First Titan War truly started.

What?!” Cronos exclaimed. Crius and Atlas were on their knees in the throne room. They were covered in the golden-red blood of their Titan allies.

“How could this happen?”

“Menoetius attacked first, but your sons retaliated, killing Theia and Eurybia before Zeus struck Menoetius down,” Crius answered. “They were just too powerful.”

Cronos stared out at the battlefield. Even from the heights of Olympus, he could see that their souls were no longer within their bodies.

He had to think quickly. Even before the other Titans, he slowed time around the others in his company. He thought of how this could go. He knew if he tried to directly use the death of those Titans to his advantage, he might lose his allies, but he knew he would not win the fights ahead without them. His sons were proving to be more formidable than even his father.

“The loss of our fallen Titans shows that these rebellious children will do anything to have power,” Cronos said carefully. He looked to Atlas and Crius. “You two who were so loyal ... I want you to rest and breathe, for you shall lead us in the battles ahead.”

The other Titans looked upon their leader. There was some worry and uncertainty. Hyperion and Coeus looked to their Titan King of a brother. They prayed to Chaos that he might see some sense.

“We will avenge our fallen brothers and sisters. The memories of Iapetus, Menoetius, Eurybia, and Theia will never leave any of us. They gave so much for our way of life that these traitors and murderers try to tear down. We will not allow my children to undo all we have built—all that you have built!”

The words stirred within the divine beings on Olympus. A single cheer broke through the silence, and before too long, all of the Titans joined, rallying behind their king.

Within the cave of Othrys, there was a raucous celebration. There was revelry and joy. Zeus picked up Metis, glad she was safe. His lips found hers.

Poseidon drank wine from a large container. Demeter and Hestia danced together. The feelings of happiness of their survival told them that they might be ready for the fights they had ahead. Victory can have a habit of clouding a mind.

Alone, on the top of the mountain, Hades tore off the top of his tunic. He grimaced in pain as the golden ichor started to leak out of the lining of his scars.

“Fucking! Chaos! Cronos! All of you!” Hades screamed. “You did this to me!”