The Earth Monarch

Chapter 17: War Plans

I sat in my honorary throne on Olympus, right between Zeus and Hera. The Olympians were trying to debate peacefully, but let's be honest, they were bickering, shouting over each other.

After a few more minutes of getting nowhere, despite the desperate attempts by Hestia, I grew impatient. I stood up, and apparently that alone shut everyone up. I didn't even flare my aura, or do anything special.

"Let's try this again, and let's speak like the civilized immortals we are, hmm?" I suggested, sitting down. "We are preparing for war, milord. We are merely getting into the right tone..." Ares tried. "Silence. You were just eating up the conflict. I have received troubling news with the Giants. They can only be slain by the cooperation of a Mortal and Immortal," I read from the golden parchment.

"We won't endanger the lives of mortals with a Divine War," Hermes said. "We must, if we are to defeat them. I am going to remain neutral for the first few waves of the battle. I have already intimidated their army, and they will know when I join. They will be wary with me teetering on the edge," I said.

"What of Gaea? There is warnings that she is tempting to awaken, and is possibly the leading commander in this coming war," Hades asked. I frowned. "I will speak with Gaea personally to keep her neutral, or at the very least, asleep in this war," I replied.

"We need mortal heroes. Any ideas on who is good enough to fight with us?" Zeus asked. "As much as I despise him, I suggest Heracles. His strength and battle prowess will be proven useful against these Giants. I also suggest Dionysus, for his magic with plants and vegetation. He can be a beneficiary for food supply, and entrapments," I suggested.

"Great, I must fight alongside 2 infidel demigods," Hera complained. "I suggest Orion. He is a skilled hunter, that said he received mechanical eyes from you, Hephaestus," Artemis said. The Smith merely nodded with a grunt of acknowledgment.

"What about the Amazon's? Or your Atlantean's, Uncle?" Apollo asked. "Poseidon will be fighting his bane, Polybotes. Given the requirements for his death, you will need to push towards the surface, where one of you can carry an archer in your chariot," I answered.

"What of the monster army? Any mortals on our side won't stand much chance against them," Athena asked. "How goes your Cyclops Army, Poseidon? Are they only trained in Forgery, or do they have Combative Expertise?" I asked.

"They only have experience in the Forge, Perseus. They're not warriors," he answered, ignoring the paranoid look Zeus was staring him with. "We'll need them on the battlefield anyways. Outfit them with armor made from Adamantine, and tell them to see the monsters simply as Metals on their anvil. Hephaestus, think you can get them some powerful hammers?" I asked.

He nodded, and already started sketching down some designs. "I could convince some of my allies to send in some reinforcements. Unfortunately, you may not know it," I said. "Why not?" Zeus asked, voice raised slightly. "Lady Chaos forbid it in Ancient Law. I agreed with her, sworn by Void name," I answered, glaring him down.

"Understood," Zeus said quietly. I got an alert in my head, and frowned slightly. "Continue this, I have places to be at the moment," I said, and sunk into the golden floor.

I reappeared in a seaside forest clearing, and didn't like the scene in front of me. Some hellhounds were tearing through tents, and fighting wolves. A mechanical eyed archer was tying up the Hunters on drying racks, molesting them as he went by.

They were barely wearing clothes, and had many cuts and bruises. "You must be Orion. Artemis never mentioned you to be a Son of Gaea, but I guess you were hiding your aura?" I asked, startling the archer.

He whipped around, and shot 2 arrows. They stuck me in the shoulders, and I just stared at him in amusement. "Cute," I taunted. I rolled my shoulders, and the broken arrows fell off, not piercing my skin.

"Who are you?" Orion questioned, knocking another arrow, this one tipped with Stygian Iron. "My name is Perseus. And I believe you've overstated your welcome with the Hunt, Orion," I growled. The sound alerted the attention of the hellhounds, who fled with first sight of me. Orion didn't see the obvious warning.

"And what will you do? A mortal man vs a respected hunter of Artemis. Who will she believe?" Orion sneered. I glared my aura a bit, and he gasped, struggling for breath. "I am Perseus, Adopted Son of Chronos and Ananke. I am an immortal slightly older than Erebus, Primordial of Darkness. I am the Teacher of the Primordial, Titans, and Olympians, and for your acts against the Hunt, you will suffer until you fade!" I growled.

The Giant stared at me in horror, pure fear etched in his eyes. I didn't feel the power of my mother, nor the presence of the Moirai, meaning he was free prey. "Tartarus, my friend. I'm sorry, but one of your son's is coming home for a visit," I mentally sent, before focusing back on the Giant.

"My...mother will...make you...pay!" Orion struggled out, straining to stand up. "She won't. Trust me," I returned, and began my onslaught. Faster than the eye could track, I appeared in front of Orion, swinging my leg for a kick.

It connected with his stomach, and he was sent flying through a tree, into another with a pained shout. He coughed a few droplets of Ichor, before I was there again. I stuck my hand out, and a giant hammer pieced itself in my grasp from the earth.

I swung it back, before bashing his side, sending if him careening into the distance. I could hear, and feel through my weapon, as his bones cracked on contact. "Heal the wounded, and set up high defenses. Summon Artemis for added protection," I ordered over my shoulder, before leaping to the direction Orion soared in.

I landed roughly, a small crater impact underneath me, as I marched out towards the groaning giant. "That..." he started, coughing up a lot of ichor. "...All you got?" I snarled, and reared back my gamer in an overhead slam.

The head rattled, before it started crumbling to pieces. In its place, was now a giant axe blade, gleaming in the light. I swung downwards, and besides the sound of flesh slicing and bones shattering, his sonic wail of pain was all anyone could hear for miles.

The axe rested impaled into the ground, through his stomach and pelvis, completely split in half. I walked over to his head, and squatted down. His face was covered in sweat, tears, and his Ichor, his once handsome face now unrecognizable.

I scoffed at his pathetic form, and reached out my index finger. I placed the tip in the middle of his forehead, right between the eyebrows, and pressed. He grunted, as my finger pushed into his skull.

After a few moments, I stopped when I felt his cerebral cortex. I channeled some of my power into my arm and hand, and a red, demonic mark carved into his forehead; a lemniscate.

"Let it be known. Orion, Son of Tartarus and Gaea, has been cursed by Perseus. His soul and spirit is mine to torture, and decimate. In the name of Samael, Tartarus, Hel, Osiris, and Void, Orion shall be eternally in torment until I see fit. I seal this Curse upon the name of Chaos," I announced, switching to the Language of the Primordial.

Orion clenched in pain, and he began to dissolve. Not into Gold Dust, signifying the return to Tartarus, nor White Dust, signifying the return to Void, but Black Dust, signifying the return to the deepest prisons of the Universe.

Once he was fully gone, and waved my hand at the axe, and it crumbled into the earth. I stood up, and looked to the sun. It was very dull, and dark, and was around Dusk, mid-afternoon.

I looked to the East, and leapt in that direction. The winds cleaned me of Orion's Ichor, as I soared back to the Hunt.

Meanwhile:

The Fates sat in their cave, each on a stool, staring into an open window of Perseus soaring through the air. Ananke and Chronos stood behind them, the latter trying to calm his shivering body. "He is indeed very powerful. We are lucky he respects us so much," Atropos said, swallowing her own fear.

"Indeed. Had he been any other way, I would fear the death and destruction of the Cosmos," Lachesis agreed. "Lord Void has taken a very high gamble, making him of Void Obsidian. Any thoughts, Master and Mistress?" Clotho asked, turning to the Primordial.

"Let him stay as he is. We cannot change him, nor our ways with him, less we turn him into something else. Keep an eye on the Hesperid he cares for. She must not die, if we can help it," Ananke answered.

"I pity the other Giants, for when Perseus enters the war," Chronos stated, many nods agreeing with him.