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Blood of the Lightning
Chapter VII: Olympomachy

Chapter VII: Olympomachy

Crius emerged from the underworld through the cavern near the ancient town of Tenarus, carrying the twelve on his right hand. The weakened state of the gods allowed the other imprisoned titans – Hyperion, Iapetus, Coeus, and the instigator, Kronos – to break free from Tartarus. Helios rose in the sky, heralding the coming apocalypse. Typhon erupted from its imprisonment in Mount Etna, and monstrous creatures rampaged across Greece.

Witnessing the chaos they had unleashed, the twelve harbored conflicting emotions: fear, relief, and a growing sense of dread. They realized their actions had precipitated widespread devastation. Battling the gods would only worsen the destruction.

"Fear not, mortals!" boomed Iapetus, his voice carried on the howling wind. "We offer you the power of godhood. We journey to Thrace, where Gaia cultivates her own ambrosia, consumable by mortals. With this ambrosia, you will rule both land and sea!"

As they prepared to depart for Thrace, a colossal hydra emerged from the ocean. Its multiple heads ensnared Coeus and Kronos, while a powerful lightning bolt struck Iapetus. Crius, fortunately, managed to escape towards Thrace in a desperate attempt to outsmart the gods. Upon reaching Thrace, another giant, the Hecatoncheires, materialized, sent by Ares. The hundred-armed giant grappled with Crius, who, in a final act of defiance, hurled the twelve into Gaia's sanctuary, the same place where Zeus had hidden Syceus.

Thanks to Gaia's hospitality, the mortals landed safely in the sanctuary. Unwittingly, they had become the protectors of the children who carried the flames, saved by Prometheus.

Diumene wandered through the sanctuary, searching for the source of ambrosia. All he saw was a barren tree. "Is that the tree that produces the ambrosia?" he questioned.

A powerful, feminine voice resonated throughout the sanctuary. "No, the ambrosia does not come from that tree."

"Are you Gaia, the one speaking to us?" Wingo inquired, searching for her physical form.

"Yes, I am Gaia, the mother of all nature," Gaia's voice softened. "My physical form is no more. I have become one with the earth, much like how Tartarus embodies the underworld."

"Where is the ambrosia that mortals can consume?" Diumene pressed impatiently.

"There is only enough for the twelve of you," Gaia replied. "You will find it behind the giant fig tree, placed in a basket by the previous guardian of this sanctuary."

Following her instructions, they found a half-filled basket containing two pieces of ambrosia. Confusion clouded their minds. Were they being tricked by Gaia? Two pieces for twelve people seemed insufficient.

"Each of you must take a small bite only," Gaia explained. "Consuming the entire portion would have unforeseen consequences. Trust me."

"But hymns warn that only the worthy can consume the food of the gods," Aileyne cautioned, "and those deemed unworthy suffer a transformation – their blood turns to ichor."

"The ambrosia I offer," Gaia explained, her voice persuasive, "is for mortals who have faced and overcome past dangers, who have thrived despite hardship and finally grasped control of their own destinies. It is different from the gods' ambrosia because you have completed your struggles."

Wingo remained skeptical. "How is that any different?" he asked sternly.

"Because you have endured and emerged stronger," Gaia replied, maintaining her calm demeanor. "Please, take the ambrosia and assume your rightful place as the new rulers of Greece. The gods have defiled my lands with their arrogance. Witness their destruction!"

The scenery around them shifted. Gaia unveiled the devastation the gods had wrought upon her. The soil was stained with the blood of mortals spilled for their amusement. The once-pristine oceans were choked with wreckage and the remains of sailors. Forests smoldered, sacrificed to the insatiable demands for shrines, while villages lay in ruins, ravaged by creatures sent to punish those who dared to withhold worship. Gaia also revealed the gods' cruel treatment of mortal families, tearing women from their loved ones and leaving only despair in their wake.

Witnessing these atrocities, the twelve felt a renewed burning within them, even more potent than before. Memories of their own past sufferings resurfaced, fueling their resolve. Understanding dawned on them as they grasped Gaia's purpose. One by one, they each took a small piece of ambrosia and consumed it without hesitation. A surge of power emanated from them, resonating with the world itself. The flames within them burned brighter, and the winds obeyed their every command.

"Let us go, brothers and sisters!" Wingo declared, his voice echoing throughout Thrace. The clouds above all of Greece obeyed his command.

Aeolus descended from the heavens, transporting the twelve to the base of Mount Olympus. The monstrous Typhon, a creature rivaling Zeus himself, accompanied them. As they reached the mountain's foot, all creatures bowed in deference to their arrival. Even the famed winged horses awaited them. The Olympians, enraged by the situation, had scattered to defend their temples and the remaining mortals who still worshipped them.

"Brothers and sisters," Wingo addressed his companions, his voice filled with determination, "I declare you all worthy to vanquish these repulsive and cowardly gods above us. Let us not fail in our final mission – the end of these tyrannical gods!"

A chariot descended from the heavens, carrying Helios. He brought with him weaponry befitting the new gods who would overthrow the old - those who had treated mortals and creatures as mere pawns in their games. Wingo received a kopis empowered by lightning, along with the legendary spear he once wielded as Lugh: Gae Assail. Orio was gifted a bow that could fire arrows as potent as his own flames, and a sword capable of stealing the soul with a single slash. Nevadd received an invincible spear that could command the seas. Aileyne was bestowed with a sword that grew stronger against divine enemies, and breastplate impervious to any element. Yisun's fighting spirit manifested in blades fueled by his unwavering will. Diumene received a javelin that could match his enemy's speed, accompanied by sandals allowing him to surpass the wind itself. Huber was gifted a bow that fired arrows that mirrored the strength of his opponent. Azaire received a shield that could absorb attacks and retaliate with double the force. Xalus was presented with an axe-hammer that controlled the world's heat and could cleave mountains with ease. Nichs received a staff that radiated a powerful light capable of healing all of Greece from plague, while also harnessing the light as a weapon. Fris and Valeria, though not given weapons, received a laurel wreath that emitted a blinding light, stunning any god, monster, or mortal harboring malicious intent.

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"Aeolus," Wingo commanded, "guide them towards the Olympians on the winged horses!" He himself mounted Pegasus.

The eleven, following Wingo's orders, took to the winged horses and scattered. Nevadd sped towards Atlantis, the underwater domain of Poseidon. Orio soared towards the entrance of the underworld to confront Hades. Aileyne headed for Athens, the heart of Athena's domain. Yisun set course for Sparta, where Ares likely resided. Diumene targeted the merchant god Hermes' outpost on Mount Olympus. Xalus sought out Hephaestus on the island of Lemnos. Nichs made for Delphi, the most revered town and home to Apollo's temple. Huber steered his horse towards Ephesus, believed to be Artemis' current location. Valeria flew to Paphia, where Aphrodite might be in hiding. Azaire ventured into the desert, searching for the rumored temple of Hercules. Fris remained with Wingo, ready to face Hera on Mount Olympus.

Nevadd arrived first at Poseidon's oceanic home, Atlantis. The god himself emerged, flanked by the monstrous Scylla, once of the Strait of Messina, and a fearsome hydra.

"Cowardly Poseidon!" Nevadd boomed, his voice echoing across the vast ocean, striking fear into the hearts of all sea creatures. It resonated with the power of the ocean itself.

Nevadd hurled his spear towards Poseidon's palace. The Scylla attempted to intercept it with a tentacle, but the spear pierced through its defense and lodged itself in the palace wall, causing a significant breach.

Poseidon, forced out of hiding, spoke with a strained voice, attempting to mask his weakness. "Show yourself, mortal, and face me!"

Orio, meanwhile, reached the entrance of Hades' underworld domain. He descended upon Cerberus and the Keres guarding the gates.

"Why do you cower within your domain, king of the underworld?" Orio roared, his voice a torrent of fire that swept across the underworld.

He loosed an arrow from his bow, striking down Cerberus and the Keres. Hades emerged, cloaked in his helm of invisibility and wielding his soul-stealing blade.

"Your soul shall burn for eternity in the pits of Tartarus!" Hades bellowed, launching his blade at Orio.

Yisun arrived in Sparta only to witness Ares wreaking havoc upon his former home. The sight ignited a fiery rage within him, causing his blades to burn with renewed intensity, turning the Spartan sky into a canvas of burning clouds.

"Ares!" Yisun roared, his voice echoing with the fury of a thousand warriors, "How dare you destroy the very people who worshipped you!"

"A mere mortal like you can never defeat a god of war!" Ares declared with unwavering confidence.

He hurled his spear at Yisun, who caught it mid-air, ready to turn the weapon against the god. They clashed above Sparta, their blades meeting in a display of raw power that shook the very ground beneath them.

Aileyne arrived in Athens to find Athena awaiting her. The goddess stood tall, clad in her gleaming breastplate and brandishing her aegis and spear, the familiar symbols of her dominion.

"I've been expecting you, Aileyne," Athena declared confidently. "Without combat experience, victory will elude you."

"My life has seen its share of battles," Aileyne countered, her voice resonating throughout Athens. "Barbarians and Lycanthropes plagued my home in Lepreum, and I faced them head-on."

Their clash commenced, shaking the heavens and crumbling the earth beneath their feet as their weapons met in a display of raw power.

Xalus ventured deep into the fiery heart of the volcano, where Hephaestus toiled away at his forge. Unlike the others, Xalus harbored no animosity towards the god. He recognized Hephaestus as a dutiful deity, ostracized by the Olympians just as the mortals were.

He heard the rhythmic clanging of metal and spotted the god at work.

"Hephaestus, god of the forge," Xalus announced, dismounting his winged horse and approaching the deity.

Hephaestus offered a weary smile. "I have no desire to fight, child. Against you, I stand no chance. The Olympians deem me unworthy to participate in this final battle for the throne."

"Then let us forge a weapon instead," Xalus proposed with a confident glint in his eye. "Whoever crafts the superior blade first shall claim the other as their eternal servant."

Intrigued by the challenge, Hephaestus readily agreed. "Come then," he said, clearing his workspace. "I've prepared a forge in anticipation of your arrival, thanks to an oracle's prophecy."

As the remaining companions reached their designated battlegrounds, the sky rumbled with thunder, the ocean churned with the fury of Nevadd and Poseidon's duel, and volcanoes erupted in response to Hephaestus and Xalus' forging competition.

"The clash has begun," Fris declared, readying her horse for the ascent to Olympus.

"Zeus rages, but my fury burns brighter," Wingo growled, his voice laced with vengeance. "His reign ends today!"

Together, they soared upwards. Spotting Hera on a mountainside terrace, Fris peeled away. Wingo continued his climb, his mind consumed by the memory of Zeus' cruelty. He recalled the day the Olympian god invaded their domain, stealing Haidee, the woman he loved. He relived the horror of witnessing her brutalization and death at Zeus' hands. The memory stoked the flames of his rage, a rage that burned hotter than ever before. He remembered his life as Lugh, the Celtic god of war, a defender of men against the likes of Thor, the Norse god of thunder.

Typhon, protecting Wingo from Zeus' lightning bolts, soared alongside him. Wingo imbued his Pegasus with a portion of his flame, granting the creature heightened speed. A particularly powerful bolt struck Typhon, sending the monstrous creature plummeting from the sky. Unfazed, Wingo pierced through the nimbus clouds Zeus had conjured.

There, atop the mountain, stood the wicked god, a thunderbolt clutched in his hand. Zeus recognized the truth from the oracle's prophecy: a man named Wingo would dethrone him. And in the mortal riding the magnificent Pegasus, he recognized the essence of a god – the very god who had once served under him.

"Lugh of the Celts," Zeus boomed with a cruel laugh. "How amusing that one of my former servants dares challenge me! It seems your time amongst mortals did little to hone your skills as a 'Warrior God'."

"Silence your decrepit taunts, Zeus!" Wingo roared, his voice echoing across the mountaintop. "You have no right to dictate the fate of my home!"

Fury contorted Zeus's face as he channeled his power, charging his lightning bolt. With a thunderous crack, he hurled it at Wingo.

Anticipating the attack, Wingo drew his sword. In a flash of blinding steel, he met the lightning bolt head-on. The resulting explosion sent shockwaves rippling across the heavens, momentarily stunning both combatants.

Zeus, reeling from the unexpected parry, scrambled to unleash another attack. But Wingo, fueled by years of simmering hatred, pressed his advantage. With a battle cry that echoed through the clouds, he spurred Pegasus forward and charged at Zeus.

Spear in hand, Wingo launched himself at the Olympian king. The clash of god and former god marked the beginning of a battle that would decide the fate of Olympus.