Later, Roger mounted Pegasus near the mountain cliff. The white-winged horse wore golden armor that covered his whole body except his wings.

Roger held up a golden sniper rifle called the Titan Killer. He suggested to Hephaestus that the gun should instantly kill a Giant from a long distance with one shot. The sniper rifle came to his mind, which doesn’t require close range. He drew the rifle on paper and described how it should work. When he watched Hephaestus craft the weapon inside his workshop, his progress amazed Roger.

The Titan Killer has one long barrel and a small telescope above the handle. Instead of bullets, the gun could fire a lightning beam that could pierce through any flesh. Hephaestus used Zeus's thunderbolt to craft the unlimited ammunition for the gun. Zeus didn't care since he had an extra pair to fight the Giants. Although Roger wasn’t going to kill Titans, the Titan Killer name still sounded awesome.

Of course, Pegasus wasn't the only one equipped with an armor suit. Roger wore a golden cuirass suit with a tunic, greaves, and sandals. His helmet has a faceplate and a yellow plume on top. Hephaestus said the armor should give Roger the same strength as Heracles. He could lift boulders and run faster than a horse. However, the armor can't prevent Roger’s possible death in combat. Still, he can't get too close to the Giants.

With him, Zeus and the gods watched the vast green ground, far below the mountain. The gray clouds blocked the entire blue sky, and bleak winds ran across Roger’s face. In this gritty weather, the dreaded feeling ran through Roger like the wind.

"Roger, are you okay?" Cilla asked behind him.

Roger glanced at her with a small grin.

The three-headed dog women wore a golden breastplate and leather pteruges around their waist. While equipped with golden greaves and sandals, they held a spear and a round shield. They wore helmets too, although nothing shielded their canine faces. But their gear should be enough to protect their flesh without slowing them down.

“I’m fine… Just a little nervous,” Roger whispered. “This is my first time in a major battle.”

Labda smiled back. “This isn’t our first, but we have never fought Giants before.”

“What about the Titan in San Francisco?”

“Giants are different. They are weaker than the Titans,” Katina explained.

“But don’t worry, sweetie. We can still do this,” Cilla whispered.

Roger nodded with determined eyes. He must fight for the sake of everyone’s future. If they survive, he will make love to his girlfriends again. Come hell or high water!

“Here they come!” Poseidon announced.

Far across the forest and the plains, a wall of fog rose toward the dark cloudy sky. Twelve massive tall shadows marched from the fog. They seemed to grow as they stomped over the ground. Each step quaked the ground and birds fled from the trees into the air.

“Stay put,” Zeus ordered. “When I give the word, we will fly down and attack. Be patient.”

Roger hoped the thunder god knew what he was doing. He could snipe the Giants down from the mountain, but the Gods wanted to fight. However, they never said when he could snipe their targets.

As the Giants marched closer, Roger could see they all had long hairs in different colors. The Giants almost looked human with scaly legs and talons below their muscled upper bodies. Their armor suits were leather, and they carried their own weapons that might have powers to fight the Gods.

Roger imagined those Giants could easily tremble one entire city into rubble. If they reach the top, they could flatten the entire palace on the mountain.

"Roger, you will fly with Hades," Zeus instructed. “He will engage Alcyoneus.”

"Which one?" Roger asked.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Zeus pointed his finger down toward the Giant with long red dreadlock hair, holding a black metal staff. "His weapon can vanquish Hades."

"Not if I can avoid it," said Hades.

“What about us?” Katina asked.

Zeus glanced at her. “You will fight Alcyoneus on the ground. Beware of his talons.”

The beast women nodded their heads.

The Giants stopped and glanced at the mountain. Alcyoneus stepped forward in front of his brothers and sister. "Gods of Mount Olympus! Your champion is no more! Surrender now and we will let you live beneath our mother’s feet!”

Zeus stood over the edge and glared down at the Giants. "We Gods do not surrender! Attack!"

After his family jumped off the cliff, Zeus tossed one lightning bolt into the clouds. The lightning spread across the dark sky and rained down bolts upon the Giants.

Each Giant roared as the bolts struck them. They still moved although Zeus's attacks shocked their bodies. After the Giants spread out, the Gods and Goddesses engaged them on the ground.

Poseidon approached the river and dipped his trident into the water. A stream blasted up and splashed into his opponent's face. The Giant with a green beard stepped back and blocked the water stream with his hand.

Athena approached the female Giant. She raised her spear and lightning struck the tip without zapping her.

While her spear sparkled, she threw it into the giant woman's left scaly leg and shocked her. The giant woman screamed and charged the Goddess.

Athena tossed her shield and struck the Giant's left eye. The giant woman cried as Athena raced toward the Giant's leg and pulled her spear out from the Giant's flesh.

Artemis leaped from tree to tree like a rabbit around her opponent. The Giant swung his ax and missed her. Indeed, her advantages were the trees.

Ares lifted a boulder and threw it straight into his opponent's face. The dark-skinned Giant fell backward, hitting the ground.

The other Giant stopped and gazed down. A whirlwind blew around his talons, building up dirt and grass. It rose into a twister and knocked the Giant down off his talons.

Hermes appeared next to him and laughed. He placed Hades’s helmet back on and vanished. Apparently, he was having a good time.

Watching the Greek Gods battle the monsters felt like watching a superhero movie to Roger. Their battles took his breath away.

Zeus turned toward him. "You and Hades better go down there. Alcyoneus is waiting."

Roger nodded and placed his helmet on. He strapped his rifle on his back.

Hades climbed into his black chariot. He shook the lead ropes that signaled his black horses to fly off.

Katina, Labda, and Cilla jumped down next. They slid down the stiff slope to slow down their fall. If they could land on their feet, they would make all the dogs in the world jealous.

Roger then padded Pegasus’s thick neck. The horse raised his wings and jumped off the stone ledge. He spread his wings open so the wind could catch him. Roger held onto the horse’s neck as Pegasus flew forward beneath the stormy sky.

Pegasus glided left to right, dodging the lightning bolts. If Zeus could see Roger and Hades flying toward the Giant, he should stop the thunderstorm. What if he struck Roger or Hades by accident?

Maybe Hades won’t die, but no human being could survive a fatal lightning strike. Flying beneath a storm felt like a minefield to Roger.

Alcyoneus marched into the open grass field from the forest. He was far from his other siblings. While the other Giants focus on the other Gods, Roger’s team can attack Alcyoneus on their own. Fighting at least one Giant was enough for Roger.

Hades’s chariot flew directly toward the Giant. Alcyoneus smiled and swung his staff. Hades ducked and thrust his bident into the Giant’s torso.

Alcyoneus groaned as he fell back, but he spread his feet to stabilize his balance. It seemed Hades’s weapon wasn’t strong enough to push the Giant down. If the Giants were immune to the Gods’ weapons, that would make sense why they needed a mortal to fight them.

While Hades flew around the Giant, the Cerberus women threw their spear into Alcyoneus’s right leg. They dropped their shield and leaped onto his other leg, biting his scales. Apparently they preferred to fight like monsters instead of intelligent warriors.

Alcyoneus hopped on one talon while he shook his other leg. The girls held on, biting and clawing the Giant like rabid dogs.

Since Hades and the women distracted the Giant, Roger realized he could take his shot immediately. He aimed his rifle as his right eye gazed through the scope.

When he pulled the trigger, the yellow beam pierced through Alcyoneus’s head like a laser blast. Alcyoneus crossed his eyes and collapsed to the ground without breathing.

Roger threw his fist into the air. “Yes!”

Inventing a powerful sniper to instantly kill a Giant was the best idea ever to win the battle.

Soon, Hades flew toward Roger and hovered next to him. The Underworld God smiled. “Well done, mortal. Now slay the other Giants with your magical projectile. This battle ends now.”

Roger nodded and flew away to the rest of the battle.