Gigantomachia – Aftermath
The day before the Olympian gods marched to the Phlegra Plain, they resolved to warn the mortal world. Thus, oracles were sent to every temple:
"Tomorrow, do not approach the vicinity of the Phlegra Plain.
Monstrous beings known as Gigantes roam there.
Being caught in the gods’ war will bring only death."
The sudden oracles caused widespread debate among mortals. Why had the gods, unusually, chosen to warn about the Phlegra Plain? And why did they explicitly call it a "war"?
Even Cadmus, the legendary founder of Thebes, barely managed to defeat a single Gigante. From another perspective, this implied:
To slay a Gigante was to prove oneself a great hero.
No, even joining an expedition to hunt these creatures was a golden opportunity to gain fame as a hero!
Messengers spread the news across Greece, even drawing figures claiming royal titles.
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With monsters scarce these days, countless heroes gathered near Thrace, seizing the opportunity to make their names known. Though those farthest away couldn’t make it, enough arrived to form an expeditionary force.
Near renowned cities like Athens and Thebes, monsters and villains had been eradicated. Heroes trained in the Underworld found little left to fight and wandered Greece searching for creatures to slay. This led many to the Phlegra Plain, rumored to swallow humans alive.
It was all a manifestation of the insatiable desire to achieve greatness and become legends.
Of course...
For the unfortunate Gigantes who managed to escape the battlefield, it was their misfortune to meet these crazed mortals.
Heroes, for all their boldness, were surprisingly rational. Having trained and fought stronger beings countless times, they understood the risks.
Thus, armed with their weapons, they quietly concealed themselves across the mountains. Then, as the oracles foretold, divine power beyond comprehension erupted across the plain.
BOOM! RUMBLE... WHOOSH!
The sky split apart, the earth trembled, and mountains flew through the air. Watching from a safe distance, they barely avoided being caught in the aftermath by sheer luck.
The heroes’ morale began to waver. Even with their strength, they couldn’t fathom what was happening on the Phlegra Plain. They wondered if it was better to leave—until a wounded Gigante appeared before them.
With a serpent’s lower half and a human’s upper half, the bloodied Gigante seemed to be fleeing from something. To the heroes, it looked like perfect prey.
The fleeing Gigante, desperate and wounded, encountered mortals who dared to block his path.
How dare these creations of the gods... Did they wish to die?
He uprooted a tree and swung it in fury, intent on crushing the insolent humans.
Yet not a single blow landed on them.
CRASH! WHOOSH! THUD.
The battle between the heroes and the Gigante dragged on. Even weakened and injured, the Gigante was a formidable opponent. From the heroes’ perspective, the fight was arduous. For the Gigante, however, it was humiliating.
The Gigante, riddled with arrows and spears, raged in his final moments before succumbing. Dying not at the hands of gods but mortals, he lamented his fate.
Though battered and exhausted, the heroes beamed with triumph, exhilarated by their victory over such a mighty creature.
As they divided the spoils, the heroes spotted another wounded Gigante.
By the time the heroes finished their hunt, three Gigantes lay slain at their feet.
Prayers offered with the slain Gigantes were of the highest quality, surpassing gold and jewels. Naturally, these reached the gods, including Hades.
From afar, Hades observed the heroes skinning and burning Gigantes as offerings. Even Zeus wore an odd expression, seemingly aware of their actions.
Hades felt conflicted. It was admirable that mortals had grown capable of self-defense. But if they grew arrogant, trampling on weaker humans...
Perhaps he should issue an oracle praising humility. He resolved to instruct the goddess of justice to monitor their actions.
Zeus muttered to himself, lost in thought.