Up in the sky, way up in the stars, two powerful figures where viciously fighting to the death. One clad in golden light and one covered in darkness.
Ignoring the laws of physics they moved as if they weren't even in space. The battle ground they chose was up within the emptiness of space so that they wouldn't injure the world accidentally. After all there were precious faith producing factors there...
The shinning man was Apollo god of archery and the sun! He hold great authority over light, healing, and music.
Shinning like a sun himself, he rode a golden chariot pulled by fiery horses. Where ever the chariot went, flaming entrails would remain and where ever it traveled. It was even faster than the phoenixes and wasn't limited to a normal chariot's line of movement and paths. It would twist and turn like a unchained comet.
The man opposite of him remained a mystery. His entire body shrouded in a dark-matter that blended in with the black sky and stars. The mystery man seems to have authority over darkness and blocked many of Apollos attacks.
Apollo launched brilliant golden arrows that where multiple times stronger than the mortal man who was fighting the hydra and flew at speeds that outmatched even the phoenixes by far. Yet he could not defeat the mysterious man.
The man simply conjured some black matter and swallowed each and every single arrow that Apollo fired.
The man never went on the offensive and Apollo's attacks were getting nowhere. He would unleash millions of light rays that left no room to doge or launch a great concentrated arrow that holds the equivalent of a million of arrows fired. Alas, nothing worked!
Apollo launched his strongest move that would make even his father feel proud. His sister to be impressed and make his detested rival brother be weary of him. (some foreshadowing, be ready to learn more about this)
Just as Apollo nocked another arrow, the strange mist that the man fighting the hydra turned into, finally arrived at his presence. After unleashing his last ditch effort suicide attack, the mist traveled all the way to space and eventually tracked down Apollo to his exact location.
Apollo was so shocked he stopped his actions. His body was so bright no one would have been able to see the tears that rolled down his perfect face.
The mystery man took that as a signal to talk.
"Your apostles and champions have fallen. Your divine steed has died. Relinquish your world.", said the man in a plain tone.
His words stings Apollo. He couldn't bare to talk and silently mourned for his loved ones.
He would never see his cute little birdy or be allowed to spoil it like a child again. He won't be able to tease her as she goes through her rebirth or when she cries disgustingly.
His champion that he had blessed and nurtured has died. He would never hold him in his embrace or make love to him again. (Yup some Greek gods were gay) He couldn't even salvage his soul now that he cleared the conditions and turned into pure faith.
"A ultimate sacrifice? That is truly something to be proud of.", said the mystery man.
"Like you would ever know!!!", hissed Apollo. Despite the advantages of the sacrifice, he truly did loved his champion.
"Unlike you who had every thing form the beginning, beings like us must fight for it. Not all of us had a dig and strong daddy to protect us nor a big religious following.", said the man calmly.
"You!!!!", enraged Apollo was about to launch another attack, only for several lights to appear.
The lights where silver in color and they had the outline of several women.
They spoke in a formal tone,"Lord Apollo please appease your anger!"
"Huntresses!!! Did my sister send you?"
"Correct we tried to be of assistance, but we could only watch as your champion perished..."
Then they proceeded to return to their human forms and bow down.
"We implore that you retreat!!!", a collection of the huntresses voices sounded out. They lowered their heads down as sign of respect and pleading.
The mystery man simply looked on happily as Apollo had a twisted hesitant expression.
It seems that Apollo was still very unwilling, but then a portal that had a border that seems to be made out of a rainbow opened.
A female who donned on garments that where made of all of the colors of a LGBTQ flag appeared and she also said softly, "We have lost we must retreat."
She was Iris, the goddess of rainbows! She hold authority over rainbows and it is to said that the colorful bridges she conjures can act as a portal and pathway to travel to different dimensions and worlds.
Knowing how prideful the sun god can be, Iris also waved her hand and two rainbow bridges started to stream towards somewhere towards the world below them.
Soon walking on the bridges where two male figures with battered clothing and injuries. One had a dwarf like appearance and a hideous face. The other one wore a helmet with wings and shoes that resembled the one that Apollo's champion wore.
The dwarf was Hephaestus, god of smithing and fire! He huffed, "Listen to her, this world is finished."
The man with the helmet was Hermes, the god of thieves and messenger of the gods! He sighed, "We have managed this world too poorly, we missed some strong figures that were hiding too deeply! This world is first class factory, but we have others, we can simply take another one from the others." Spoken like a true god of thievery.
"Brothers...", what they said was reasonable, but he was a proud son of Olympus! One of the forerunners to take Zeus's throne! This blemish would take a toll on his path of his ultimate goal! He already owed a favor to the Triple Goddess Faction with the help of his twin sister. He was on good terms with his sister, but he truly detested one of the three leaders of the Triple Goddess Faction.
A genius tactician and as smart as an old owl, he felt like he was going to suffer from the hands of that witch. (Who could that be?)
Hephaestus said, "Look at the bigger picture, once you take the throne you can reclaim this world back anytime!"
The mystery man simply stayed silent as he waited for Apollo's allies to convinced him to retreat. Even with that provoking sentence, he wasn't worried.
Apollo grasped the mist that was once his champion and held it tenderly in his hands. He calmed down and recollected his thoughts. He focused on the mist and softly whispered, "I'll avenge you...."
With that, he focuses on the mist and he determinedly absorbed it. The previous strength he lost was gradually coming back and was growing even stronger than he even was. In this war he didn't lose totally with no merits. This signified just how important the mist is to him and the gods...
"Hermes call the retreat", said Apollo in a solemn tone and knew it was no time to continue this useless fight.
Hermes nodded his head and using his divine powers, his winged sandals and helmet wings flickered like a humming bird. In the next moment he disappeared as if he teleported, but he in fact flew in a divine speed that made him look like he did.
In a matter moments all of their allies were alerted and the many small skirmishes and large scale battles came to a stop and extinguished like little fires. Truly fitting for the herald of the gods.
Then as if he teleported once again, Hermes appeared back by the side of Hephaestus and the others.
Many of the powerful gods and figures rose to the skies like a flock of birds and took their places on their respective side behind their leaders. Reminiscent of the formation they took when Apollo and the mystery man first met, only that there was a significant lower amount of members.
Iris spread her hands and many rainbow bridges manifested and like entering hyperspace many of her allies zoomed off to some place once they stepped on the bridges.
"Back to Olympus!!", just as Apollo said this, he and his brothers were about to turn back they mystery man made his move.
A dark matter quickly blocked their path and surrounded the goddess Iris, seemingly hindering her powers. The rainbows dimmed in color and turned transparent.
Apollo showed signs of flaring up and his sun like glow started to get even brighter.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Calm down!", replied the mystery man with a smile.
"Before you go, where is the key?", showing a hint of hostility the man asked in a threatening voice.
Apollo about to blow his top, but his brother kept a calm mind and Hermes puts his hand on his shoulder.
"I'll fetch it...", he said to quickly tried to calm the situation down.
Using his powers he goes off to search for the key. The key was no ordinary house key but the things that lets one have complete control and total domination of the world. Apollo gave it in the protection of a native divine beast. He even strengthened it by several times by bestowing powerful abilities and blood line from the fearful monster, Medusa herself!
With such a mighty beast and poison that can petrify even the strongest gods, she was a relatively fierce guardian. As one of Apollos trusted allies Hermes knew where the key lies and zoomed off to retrieve it.
.....
The pitiful god who was dumb enough to look back was currently twitching and rubbing his eyes...but it had two head and 4 eyes, and only 2 paws! It was busily rubbing its many eyes with the limited paws it had, totally unaware of the war ending...