The Second Big Bang

Chapter VIII

Thunder shook the ground, lightning the purest white flashing violently through the dark clouds. The wind roared furiously, bending the trees horizontal. A massive being stood in the entrance of a cave, silently watching the weather nervously.

He was cloaked in darkness and had white eyes like diamonds. Ashen legs like a drakön stuck out the bottom of the cloak, and a giant sword of Stygian Iron was held in a sheath at his side, his fingers wrapped around the hilt tightly.

"Calm yourself, brother. Mother still hides us from the gaze of Olympus, this storm is just nature passing overhead," another giant attempted to ease the cloaked giant, patting his back reassuringly. He had green dreadlocks with basilisks hanging from the strands. He wore a turquoise breastplate, and held a green trident in one hand, and a net in another.

"This storm is anything but. It doesn't hold the power of Olympus, but rather something stronger. I feel something watching us, too," the cloaked giant returned, his voice but a whisper, barely audible even with no wind.

The green giant shifted uncomfortably at that. "Perhaps it is just mother, keeping an eye on us?" The giant reassured, not sounding confident himself.

"Death..." the wind spoke, carrying the words out long, chilling the 2 giants. "That is not mother," the cloaked giant stated. With the grinding of metal, he pulled his black sword out of its sheath.

"Sound the alarm, Clytius. We may have some company coming our way," the green giant ordered, stepping into the weather. He immediately stumbled, the wind incredibly strong against his body, trying to push him around.

Rain battered against him like cannonballs, and the shaking ground caused him to keep moving less he fall over. He only took a few steps, before becoming blind from the storm, unable to see where he was going or where he had been.

A fog was billowing into the valley, hiding everything 5ft above the ground. The giant squinted against the wind, using his trident to pull himself through the wind and stay standing against the ground.

He grunted painfully as he felt multiple somethings attack his feet. They were only there for a second, biting or scratching his legs, before running off before he could kick them away. He tried to look for them, but the fog hid them perfectly.

He tried throwing his net out, but the moment it left his hand, the wind took it away, disappearing into the haze. The giant swore, unable to locate his weapon due to his senses being beaten around.

"Polybotes..." a voice said in his ear, and he swatted at the empty space. "Who's there?!" He bellowed, looking around wildly at the unknown. "My name is Perseus," the voice answered, more defined and not carried by the wind.

"Where are you?!" The giant roared, unable to locate his adversary. He couldn't even tell which was north. "Stand down," the voice commanded calmly. "Like Tartarus I will!" Polybotes retorted defiantly, swinging his trident.

He immediately lost his footing and fell onto his chest with a loud thud. Groaning, he looked up to find a mortal looking down at him. He wore simple hunting gear, yet held no weapons. He had black hair, fair skin, and held an indifferent expression. His eyes froze him in place.

They were completely white. No iris, no pupil, just pure white. They even seemed to glow with power, if only slightly. "Leave this war. I won't ask again," the mortal commanded.

Polybotes grimaced with anger. "You think I'm afraid of you?! I am Polybotes, Bane of Poseidon! Son of Tartarus and Gaea! I fear no mortal!" He announced triumphantly, crawling to his feet.

"I know who you are," he returned calmly, staring up tiredly at the giant. "Puny insect," the giant spat, readying to step down and squash the mortal. But, he couldn't move any further. His entire body was frozen in place, an invisible force paralyzing him still.