Gigantomachia - Part 1
Olympus, the Palace of the Gods
The air in the palace above the clouds was thick with tension. Armed gods moved purposefully, their expressions grim. Even the divine beasts, symbols of the gods, reflected the uneasy atmosphere.
Zeus’s eagle darted through the clouds, delivering messages, while Dionysus’s leopard prowled restlessly on the celestial floor. Attendants and lesser gods bustled about, their faces stiff, none daring to meet my gaze.
"Welcome, Lord Hades. Lord Zeus is inside..."
"Very well. Carry on."
Guided by an attendant, I entered the chamber where the gods discussed the impending war against the Gigantes. Among them were Poseidon and other sea deities, though many had yet to arrive.
“How fares the situation in the plains of Phlegra?” I asked.
“Zephyros, the god of the west wind, scouted earlier and reported that the Gigantes have begun to emerge.”
“So the element of surprise is lost.”
“Even so, there’s no reason we should lose in an open battle. We have the prophetic hero, nearly equal to the Twelve Olympians, and Nyx herself has agreed to aid us, thanks to you...”
“Where is Eros? And it seems Lord Poseidon hasn’t arrived yet,” someone remarked.
“Hercules, your presence alone is reassuring,” Hephaestus said.
“Thank you, Lord Hephaestus,” Hercules replied modestly.
“Heh, you are the key to the prophecy. No need to downplay it.”
While searching for my place, a warm aura approached me. It was Hestia, goddess of the hearth and one of my siblings who had fought alongside me in the Titanomachy.
She was armed, much like during our battles against the Titans. A soft radiance emanated from her, gently warming the space around her.
“Hestia.”
“Hades, it’s finally time to fight the Gigantes! But some familiar faces are absent...”
“Thanatos and Charon? It couldn’t be helped. Even a two-day pause in their duties could disrupt the balance.”
More accurately, it would destabilize the balance of the Underworld.
“Your armor and weapon... are those Hephaestus’s work?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes! Zeus ordered Hephaestus to prepare them in advance. It took months of hard work, apparently.”
Hestia unsheathed the sword at her waist briefly, then returned it with a smile. Poor Hephaestus—once again worked to the bone. With his near-infinite stamina, it was no surprise Zeus would exploit his abilities to the fullest.
The chatter was interrupted by a stir in one corner of Olympus. A strong divine energy signaled the arrival of Poseidon and the sea deities. It was time for the war council to begin.
Hestia and I turned to see Zeus, who was fiddling with a thunderbolt while conversing with Athena. Rising from his seat, Zeus’s voice rumbled through the chamber.
"With Poseidon’s arrival, let us discuss our plans to sweep the plains of Phlegra."
The meeting began, surprisingly collaborative for Olympus. Though Zeus’s authority loomed, he ceded the floor to Athena temporarily, engaging in conversation with the Moirai, the goddesses of fate. Likely, he was inquiring about the flow and outcome of the war.
The gathered gods included not just younger deities but also war-seasoned veterans. Athena and Ares, gods of war, were present, as was Hecate, whose wisdom spanned eons.
“Should we forgo deploying divine beasts, followers, or mortal heroes and rely solely on the gods?”
“I agree. Even the weakest Gigantes rival minor river gods.”
“No matter how strong mortal heroes have become, this battle is beyond their scope.”
“Still, issuing an oracle to warn mortals of the danger is advisable...”
“We must minimize collateral damage. The plains of Phlegra are too confined for our battle.”
“Hades, the Gigantes’ commanders you fought at Mount Etna—how powerful were they?” Poseidon asked.
“Not on par with us or Zeus, but comparable to the Twelve Olympians.”
“Hecate, can you contain their power within the plains?”
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“Completely sealing it off is impossible, but I’ll do my best.”
“With the help of other gods skilled in barriers and magic, it should be feasible...”
“If we start at dawn and aim to finish by nightfall?”
“Would that involve using the sun chariot to scorch the ground? The collateral damage to mortals...”
“With Nyx on our side, it might not be necessary...”
The discussion stretched on. Though the battle was set for the next day, the gods in attendance were tireless. After all, they were not mortals.
“If each high-ranking god handles a corresponding commander and lures them away to fight elsewhere, it could help manage the chaos,” Athena suggested.
“Well said,” Zeus remarked. “The Gigantes do have a leader, Eurymedon, correct?”
Memories of past encounters with the Gigantes resurfaced. Once, I had heard one of their commanders declare: "I am Agrios, under the command of King Eurymedon!"
Eurymedon likely rivaled us in strength—perhaps even Zeus. However, he wouldn’t be on par with Typhon, the most fearsome monster we had ever faced.
“I’ll take care of their so-called king myself,” Zeus declared. “It’s time he experienced the might of my thunderbolt.”
With that, the outline of the battle solidified. I confirmed with Zeus that Nyx had indeed reaffirmed her support before we left the Underworld.
Zeus stood, exuding an overwhelming surge of divine energy. His electrified blue eyes swept over the assembly.
“Tomorrow, we will annihilate everything in the plains of Phlegra!”
With his proclamation, a wave of immense divine power surged through Olympus.
The Next Day
Fully armed, the gods of Olympus descended upon the plains of Phlegra. Riding the clouds and carried by the wind, their faces were marked with resolve.
Whoooosh—
I glanced back and saw Lethe, her usual calm demeanor tinged with a strange chill. Persephone and Demeter followed close behind.
“Core, be careful. I didn’t want you to come...”
“I’ve told you, I can fight. You’re still like this, huh?” Persephone replied.
I turned back toward the front, where Zeus and the other leading gods had come to a halt.
Rumble...
The plains of Phlegra, "the Burning Fields," stretched before us. The landscape teemed with countless Gigantes, towering monsters birthed by Gaia. Each was a fearsome being, their presence suffusing the ground with ominous energy.
More continued to emerge from the earth, their numbers seemingly endless. Dozens of commanders stood among them, each rivaling the Twelve Olympians. One among them dwarfed the rest, easily ten times their size.
“Zeus! You’ve come at last. I am King Eurymedon!”
The moment I saw him, I knew. His overwhelming power far exceeded the other Gigantes. Even I, Lord of the Underworld, felt as though I might falter if I faced him on the surface.
Eurymedon was like a shadow of Typhon—still terrifying in his own right.
Zeus gripped his thunderbolt tightly, his lips curling into a taunting smile.
“So, you’re the king of these insects. I’m not particularly pleased to meet you.”
“What did you say?!”
“Oh, forgive me. Calling you a king was too generous. How about the leader of worms?”
“You dare?! At a moment when the fate of the world hangs in the balance, you offer no respect...”
“A mere appendage of Gaia has no right to converse with me!!!”
Flash—BOOM!
Zeus’s roar echoed, followed by the crack of his thunderbolt. Eurymedon, equally enraged, raised a massive oak club, shaped into a torch, and bellowed:
“Very well! If you wish to fall so quickly, I’ll grant your wish!”
With their declarations, the battle began.
“Crush those who dare call themselves gods, brothers!” Eurymedon commanded.
“They’re nothing compared to the Titans or Typhon! Wipe them out and let’s feast on Olympus tonight!” Zeus countered.
Crack! BOOM!
The two armies clashed, divine power illuminating the battlefield as Zeus’s thunderbolts rained down. Watching the chaos, I quietly donned the Helm of Darkness, the Kynee.
Today will be a long day.
The Gigantomachia had begun.