In a familiar setting, a muscular figure with white hair stood, staring at a man with a dark goatee and a cape seemingly made of darkness, the two seeming of similar age.
No words were exchanged as the two glared at each other, an almost mocking smile plastered on the white-haired man's face while the caped man contorted his face in loathe.
This continued until…
-WHOOSH
In the blink of an eye, blue figures surrounded Kronos from all directions as they each drew their respective weapon.
However…
-CRACK
In a similar fashion to how they appeared, Kronos appeared behind them all, between them and Hades as he raised his hand, flicking his middle finger.
That small gesture caused the air to crack and a heavy pressure to shoot toward the blue figures.
Like the wind they were conjured from, the figures were blown away and…
-WHOOSH
Not even a second passed before Kronos found himself in the middle of a torrent of arrows, Achilles under him and shooting his spear forward.
"This is tedious." Kronos muttered, and right after…
-ZMMM
-BANG!!!
Kronos buried his fist into Hades' gut, watching his son's feet leave the ground as his eyeballs threatened to pop out from his skull.
The punch was so powerful that the outline of Kronos' fist was visible on the back of Hades.
"KHRM…"
Hades vomited a mouthful of purple blood as his body coiled around the fist.
But fortunately, he was able to keep his composure as he waved his hand.
-ZIP
Hades' cape swallowed him as he disappeared. But that wasn't all.
The ground where Kronos stood glowed with a complicated pattern as Hades appeared a few feet away.
"Curse of binding, constrict!"
Hades spoke, watching purple chains sprout from the ground like plantlife, soon shooting toward Kronos and wrapping around each of his limbs like snakes.
Despite this, Kronos showed no reaction, unmoving as the last chain coiled around his neck.
"Hellfire, Incinerate!" Hades yelled, watching as the entire area where Kronos stood became engulfed in raging black flames.
Despite the hellfire enshrouding everything in sight, Hades didn't stop there as he waved his hands, his cape of darkness rising behind him and pointing at where Kronos stood.
-ZIP ZIP ZIP
In the next second, countless dark bullets shot at the hellfire, like a minigun. Without showing any signs of slowing, darkness rained down onto…
"Is that all?"
A shiver ran down Hades' spine as he abruptly stopped, snapping his head back.
But it was too late.
-BANGSH
Hades froze as his eyes widened, slowly looking down at the whole arm through his chest.
"W-When…"
"You didn't notice? My son, it seems you've lost your stuff in these times of peace." Kronos mocked, watching Hades drop to his knees.
Only when he said this did Hades notice something.
Looking up, he witnessed Kronos clinging to a pillar.
Then looking to the side, he noticed Kronos once again hiding in the shadows.
Looking around, Hades was able to notice dozens of Kronos' surrounding him.
"You had no chance. You were destined to die at my hands today."
-TAP TAP TAP
Kronos turned his head at the sudden footsteps that entered his ears, Hades doing the same as he breathed heavily.
However, the former raised an eyebrow as he witnessed a small man wearing a neat white three piece suit with vertical black stripes adorned onto it.
Most notably, he wore a fedora atop his head that matched his suit as it covered his face with him slightly looking down, hands in his pocket.
With his matching shoes that clicked on the obsidian ground, the figure halted in his steps.
"Have you finally come out of your hole?" Kronos mocked, seeing the green skinned figure with tusks raise his head, meeting his gaze.
But rather than replying, he turned his head, walking toward a specific direction.
"Yes, Kronos. I have…" The figure spoke, soon bending over as he grabbed a blue orb that lay on the ground.
"To kick your ass."
Grimnar turned, pointing at Kronos with a determined expression, his demeanour making him seem as though he was a completely different person than before.
'Is that my…'
Hades thought, seeing the suit.
To this Kronos' smile faltered until…
-WHOOSH
Kronos suddenly appeared before Grimnar in the blink of an eye, towering over the small man with the same smile on his face.
However, Grimnar didn't even flinch, glaring back.
"Ha…Hahahahaha! I can hear your heart about to explode. Your legs are shaking so hard I'm surprised you're even able to stand." Kronos laughed.
It was true.
Grimnar's heart was beating rapidly and his knees felt weak, threatening to buckle.
"Have you gone mad…"
"There are two types of people in this world."
Grimnar interrupted him, raising two fingers.
"Those destined to hold power at the top and those destined to wither away under the power of the first type."
"You've finally accepted…"
"But there's a third type."
Kronos' smile disappeared for a second after being interrupted twice as the next words made his frown deepen.
Grimnar raised a third finger.
"Those who refuse their destiny and rise to oppose the first type."
"They fight for freedom. They fight for their rightful title at the top. And they fight to do whatever the hell they want."
Kronos paused, staring at Grimnar who hadn't averted his gaze even for a second.
"What a joke. Is that the philosophy that idiot went by? How did it work out for him?"
Though Kronos said this, surprisingly, Grimnar slightly grinned.
"Haven't you noticed yet?"
Kronos heard this, his eyes slowly widening as Grimnar continued.
"Everything that's happened. It all happened exactly as he planned."
-HUUUU
A bone chilling sensation ran through Kronos as he straightened his back, widened his eyes and darted his eyes to the side, where a pile of rubble lay.
At first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but as Kronos' eyes locked onto the pile and scanned over it, he noticed it.
Two bright golden pupils peering out from within the rubble.
'T-That's…impossible. I was sure he was dead…I couldn't even sense him.'
But more importantly, Kronos wondered what this feeling he was experiencing was.
The gold pupils appeared far greater than they were as they filled Kronos' line of sight, towering over him.
It was foreign to him, but it was as if he was faced with…a Natural Predator.
"Pay attention, Kronos…"
Grimnar spoke, bringing the blue orb before him.
"This is how an insignificant being will best you. Now!"
-SCREE
"KHRM!!!"
Kronos dropped to the ground as he clutched his chest, a barely conscious Hades watching from the back with wide eyes.
"W-What are you…" Kronos struggled to let out, looking up with his expression contorted with pain.
And to this, Grimnar looked down with cold eyes.
"You didn't think your souls magically returned, did you?"
That's what it was.
Hades was familiar with this sight. It was the same as when they first separated Kronos' souls.
The same thing was happening.
'But…how?'
And as Grimnar said this, he brought the orb before his face as Kronos looked up, staring at it as he witnessed something inside it.
"It'll be important to us. Believe it or not, its nothing more than a communication device Persephone uses to contact her mother."
Grimnar remembered these words Illian told him as he stared at the Wheat-Haired female on the other side of the orb.
Demeter, her face darkened, sat at a table in a dark room with a large sickle before her.
Pure light, dimly illuminating the room was being sucked into the sickle, coming from an unknown direction.
'She was watching everything…she knew the perfect time to feed me my souls and to retract them. They were just using me…and my sickle…'
Kronos thought, realising the sick joke Zeus was playing at entrapping his souls in his weapon.
However, Demeter, on the other side, paid little attention to his reaction as one could see her lips move within her darkened expression.
"Zeus…"
At first, Demeter had been stressed and anxious while performing her part of the plan.
Having to steal the sickle, who could blame her?
However, upon learning the truth Illian figured out, something inside her snapped.
"It was him…"
Meanwhile…
"Now, I'd rather not be in the middle of what's going to happen next." Grimnar commented, walking away.
It was like electricity ran through Kronos' body as for a second, he forgot all the pain he was experiencing, instead slowly looking sideways like a rusty robot, wide eyed as he witnessed a long black staff protrude from under the previous rubble.
And in the next second, it was as if these familiar words rang out in a hushed tone, as if they were whispered in his ear.
"Expand."
-BOOM!!!
-SMASH!!!
A colossal pillar shot out with a BANG, tearing through the obsidian ground, smashing into Kronos as the Titan's eyes rolled back into his skull, gold blood flooding from his lips.
-BANG!!!
The staff crashed into a nearby pillar, coming to a stop as the pillar crumbled.
"Shit, that was uncomfortable."
A boy with messy black hair, torn clothes that revealed his tone torso and bright Golden eyes emerged from the rubble, stretching his neck as he spoke.
"Now, Kronos…what was all that nonsense you were spouting?"
Illian grinned widely, his tail holding a makeshift bottle made from mostly dense black leaves, a bright blue liquid inside.
Bringing it to his lips, he drank it as he could see the small bruises and scratches leaving his body.
"Bastard…that's how you survived." Hades spat, seeing Illian leisurely drinking the water of the Styx.
"Well, this and the pretty sturdy chestplate I found in your living quarters."
"But other than that, all I had to do was hide and wait, something I've gotten pretty good at while I've been here."
Illian shrugged mockingly, pointing at the now demolished chestplate behind him.
And Hades hated to admit it, but…
'It's true. Maybe it's because I was so focused on Kronos, but I only noticed him when Kronos turned to the rubble and I focused.'
However, though Illian arrogantly answered, in reality…
'That shit almost killed me.'
Illian inwardly thought.
The chestplate offered minor protection, crumbling like dry sand at Kronos' touch.
The only reason he was able to live was the water of the styx he made sure to always have on him and his superhuman durability and endurance after bathing in the river.
He had an idea before, but only now did he truly realise how exceptionally the river tempered his body, in terms of durability, compared to other factors like strength and speed.
Despite this, this was still the strength of a titan, not to mention the lightning he was hit with that would give Zeus a run for his money.
He experienced a torturous amount of pain, all throughout his body and especially his hands.
But he was able to survive through sheer will, and now…
"Grimnar." Illian spoke, the green suited man needing no more words as he nodded, the corner of his lip curling upwards as he witnessed Illian rise from the rubble.
Turning to the Orb, he recalled some words.
"But the main reason we have this orb is because of you."
Illian started, causing Grimnar to raise an eyebrow, his confusion further growing as Illian continued with a sudden change of topic.
"You see, Grimnar, there are three things one needs to become a Conqueror."
"One is Power. The second is Acknowledgment. The third is the Throne. And I need your help with the second."
Grimnar closed his eyes as he placed both hands over the orb.
'My ability is to create and control "Connections" between two parties. But this orb…I've never seen anything like it. It forces its own connections.'
'So with it, while guiding its strong connection it has, I might be able to repurpose it to my needs.'
With this…
~At the same time in the regular world~
-ZIP
"What is it?"
"I don't know, it suddenly just appeared."
"I've never seen anything like it."
In a small village, the villagers gathered in a grassy plains close to their abode.
They all stared at the sky, at something so grand that they had no doubt was currently visible to the whole world.
"Wait a minute, that kid, he's familiar…"
One of the villagers spoke, and as they did, two more siblings arrived, them too looking up.
But they had far different reactions.
"Wait a minute, it can't be…" Thaddeus stared in disbelief.
"No…" Vale held both hands over her mouth as she widened her eyes.
~Same time in the Underworld~
"That human…"
A large cyclops ground his teeth as he stared at the view that suddenly appeared from above.
A view that made his blood boil and eye redden.
"I will kill him." Brontes mumbled.
~Same time in Olympus~
Loud earthquake-like footsteps could be heard as a few figures stood outside a white building fit for a king, staring at the sky.
"He's here." Aphrodite grinned excitedly as Hera stood before her, ignoring her.
Almost on cue, she said, a large white haired figure walked out, his expression unfriendly as he stayed silent, he too looking up.
As he did, his frown deepened as he stared at the large holographic screen that suddenly appeared in the sky, presenting a boy with golden eyes standing over a downed Hades.
And in the next second, the boys started to talk.
~Throne Room~
'The first is Power.'
That was the first thing Illian needed to Conquer.
However, he wasn't a fool.
He knew he didn't have nearly enough power to conquer the Underworld in the conventional way.
But perhaps he didn't need to.
"Hades, ruler of the Underworld…" Illian started, staring down at Hades who lay on his knees, breathing heavily with a hole in his stomach.
With Grimnar pointing the Orb at him and the whole world watching Illian continued, his tail holding onto Ruyi.
'You see, I'm not a conqueror…'
"I will take your throne."
'I'm a Liar.'
-BANG!!!
-CRACK!!!
Illian's tail raised his staff, pulling back and swinging with all his strength as it cleanly cracked Hades on the side of the face.
'I don't have the power to conquer the Underworld, I just need everyone to think I do.'
And with this, they wouldn't know it for themselves, but deep down, the whole world would come to acknowledge him for besting the current ruler.
Acknowledge him for the strength he showed.
And acknowledge him…
'As the best!'
——————————————————————————————————————————
Just thought I'd post these three chaps I had ready in my files since I personally really enjoyed writing them.
I understand if people feel the same way, but since it wasn't gaining much traction, I lost interest in it I guess.
Its a shame since I put a lot of work into it.
If this changed though, I'll continue. Until then, enjoy these!