Kro contacts Taras right after Ransak fell,- "It's time, the two Olympians have also been at it for a while now with the male looking about as well as Ransak, I'll be taking my mount and heading over to deal with the eternal before she has a chance to recover, you need to send your creature to take out the Olympians as fast as possible before more arrive."
He did briefly wonder why Enigmo hasn't reported back in after his failure, but he had more important things to worry about.
Taras looking over a special techno chair with a pull-down helmet that Zakka was doing last-minute tweaks on, responded,- "Understood, Zakka and I have actually worked on a side project that will help me complete my mission easier, you can count on me, my lord."
As Kro was making his way down to his mount, he stopped by his office to see what happened.
Approaching the door, his mood soured catching a smoldering scent. Entering, his eyes drifted down identifying the ash remains of what could only be Sledge.
"General Kro, how nice of you to visit, care to explain why you sent me such a loud disgusting-looking thing."
"I can only apologize for his intrusion, I'll see it doesn't happen again, on another note, I actually came to report that we're beginning the last phase," Kro said glossy over the incident.
"Excellent, come nightfall everything will end, make sure you're ready."
"I will see to it personally," Kro said leaving.
Arriving at the cage, he peered in, happy to see his 15' tall, green-scaled, 4 legged, hoofed mount already saddled and ready to go. Its 3 round heads attached to long necks, each with its own set of antennas, turned to look at him expectedly as it unfurled its wings with each of its heads giving an excited roar.
"That's right Tricephalous, it's time," he said grinning as he opened the cage to mount him.
Putting on his dark pink helmet that fits perfectly around his sunglasses, he kicked Tricephalous into motion. Not forgetting to get Metabo, his secret weapon against the Eternals and Olympians, who he ordered to follow as he passed by its sealed enclosure.
Metabo is a 10' tall, hairless, grey-skinned, 4 armed Deviant with pointed ears and a series of rounded horns that made up the eyebrows and mohawk on top of his head, only wearing green speedo shorts for cover.
He was a volunteer who agreed to undergo Kro's experiment that would allow him to face off against the worst of their enemies and bring victories for their race. The only one in the screening process to have survived all the way to the end where they infused him with the specially acquired blood, increasing his overall strength many times over.
"Make sure you keep up, I'm going to need you when we get there," Kro called out behind him as Tricephalous exited the underground in an excited manner, roaring to the sky on its hind legs, letting everyone know he was here before taking off at a gallop.
"Not a problem," said Metabo who was running right next to them only for Tricephalous to feel like it was being challenged as it increased its speed several folds. When it still couldn't shake him, Tricephalous roared once more as it used its wings to take off making Kro chuckle.
"You know where to meet us, get there!" Kro yelled back as he flew on ahead, happy to see Metabo super jump his way over, not falling behind.
Not wishing to waste the opportunity, Kro let Tricephalous do some flybys on pocketed resistances, unleashing its fire breath, burning them alive, laughing at their miserable wails.
"Hahaha, this is what I live for, it's good to be alive, once more Tricephalous, over there," Kro said nudging him towards the top of the stairs, extinguishing the last of the resistance as his men below, still crawling over the death and destruction caused by Ransak and Thena, finally broke through heading straight for the temple.
Letting them go first to test things out, he did another sweep of the city making sure most of the humans were dead. Giving last-minute orders to Dragona and Toro who were cleaning up the last of their foes, still unaware of what happened to their compatriots, before he landed on the smoldering remains of his enemies at the top of the stairs where Metabo now waited.
"Are you ready?" Kro asked.
"By your command, my lord," saluted Metabo.
Hearing the crack of thunder as dark clouds and lightning rolled in, Kro gazed over towards the sea, hoping Taras's creature could hold out and do its part.
____________________________________________________
"Is it done yet? Come on, come on," said Taras hurry Zakka along.
"It's done, would of like to have done a few tests first though," Zakka said wiping the sweat off his brow as he finished up his work on the chair.
"Yes, yes, but will it work?" Asked Taras.
"Shouldn't be a problem, this helmet will connect you with the one we set up in the creature, but in the end, it's really up to you, there's only so much I can figure out about your power without having it myself," Zakka said backing off to allow him to try it out.
Taras clapped his hands together, rubbing them excitedly as he approached,- "As long as it connects I can work out the rest, stand back and watch me, this will be our Deviants first step into the world of Gods," he said not even bothering to count the other test subject who was given the same special blood, for this was his masterpiece, created by his own two hands after many years of hard work.
Sitting down, he activated the restraints to keep his body from moving independently while his mind was away as the helmet lowered. Giving a nod to Zakka who flipped a switch, the helmet activated, linking his mind with the creatures, through the helmet's connection with the surgically implanted devices inside the monster's head.
Walking over to the viewing area, Zakka looked down from above where they housed the beast, calling out,- "Well, Did it work? Are you in there?"
Gigantus giant fish eyes opened up, letting out a booming laugh,- "Hahaha, we've done it, I feel amazing, I feel Powerful! Open up the hatch, I'm ready," said Taras with the beast's mouth.
Swimming through the sea, he easily located the two, wasting no time as he went up right underneath, sending his giant right hand out to capture them.
Athena instantly let the spear go, flying back, dodging the hand as she lost sight of Ares who didn't have a chance with his recent backlash, and her spear still lodged in his guts.
Rising above the sea, Taras roared out threateningly before bringing his hand closer to view his caught prize. Narrowing his eyes, he squeezed the male war god who groaned painfully while mumbling,- "It seems I missed one," as he looked around for the female.
An azure aura erupted off to the side where he spotted her with her tomes resummoned.
"What manner of beast are you?" Asked Athena who was surprised momentarily by the unfamiliar sea giant.
"Nevermind, I can already ascertain that your likely a Deviants lab creation, they're foolish to think we won't make them suffer for daring to come out of their hole," said Athena dismissively.
Frowning at having his creation so easily overlooked, and the contempt towards his species, Taras lost it,- "Olympian Scum! Think you're so much better than everyone else just because of your evolutionary luck, well let me show you what a geneticist can do!"
Taras/Gigantus attacks with his left hand with an upswing, intuitively using a new power to control the water, sending a giant water blast at her.
After realizing what happened, Taras inwardly cursed the stupid fish for not using it earlier if he could, while wondering if it was because of the special blood that he gained such a gift. He mostly worked on improving his subject's genetics to be better than what they are, improving strength and capabilities, but he still hadn't cracked the gifted side of the formula yet. It was only ever a happy accident if any of them ever grew to have a special power.
Using her tomes, she used a wind slash, splitting the blast in half, letting it pass harmlessly by.
"Hey, how about you release me, and I'll help you kill her," Offered Ares who was still stuck in Taras's grasp.
"Ares! You bastard! Do you have no shame?" Athena reprimanded.
"Quiet!" Taras shouted, squeezing Ares who groaned painfully, more from the spear being moved in his guts than the pressure.
Swiping at Athena who casually dodged, he hit the water with his hand. Feeling it wrap around him, he drew on that feeling, absorbing himself in it as he lifted his hand back up with the water following, sticking to his hand like glue.
Noticing how closely it was observing the water manipulation as if practicing a new skill. Athena's tomes flipped pages to a spell that would protect her from such attacks, a bubble forming around her as she focused on recalling her blue orb from above.
She had to strike now before it learned how to utilize its new ability, wondering why Posideon hasn't shown up yet with his domain being encroached on.
Not losing sight of why he was here, Taras turned his thoughts back towards the fight as he swung his hand at her, sending three giant water slashes. Each of them hitting her bubble one right after another, evaporating against it.
"Give up sea beast, there's nothing you can do, go back from whence you came and you may yet survive," said Athena with a sneer.
"You think this is the end? I'm only getting started!" Shouted Taras as he got another idea.
Taking control of the poison within his fins, he pulled more water around his hand fusing them together, sending a poisonous purple water blast at her.
Athena who was in the midst of forming another magical circle behind her back with another series of orbs, missed the purplish color of this newest attack as it hit her bubble.
The water once again was evaporated leaving a poison cloud to continue on through.
Coughing uncontrollably, she cursed herself,- "Damn, I was careless."
Seeing the creature's control improve as a river now circled it, preparing for another grand attack. Athena accepted her loss, going through one of her blue orbs, avoiding the biggest water strike yet.
Appearing overhead, out of the big blue orb she called back, she looked down at the massive giant as she positioned her orb just above, dropping it right on top.
Ares spotting it first warned the creature not wishing to get caught in the blast,- "Watch out! Above you!"
Athena coughing from the poison, cursed him as the beast dived below, avoiding most of the explosion that went off just above the surface of the water. The brightest and most concentrated detonation yet as it expanded many times over, eating away a giant portion of the sea.
Taras had to struggle a bit, not to be swept away by the force, poking his head out a distance away to observe the aftermath. Feeling the struggle in his hand he reluctantly brought the male Olympian up to see what he had to say since he did help him out.
"What?" Taras asked.
Ares grinned,- "You see what she's capable of, let me help you, we can take her together, what do you have to lose?"
"You mean besides the possibility of you double-crossing and forcing me to fight two of you? Not much," Taras snorted.
Ignoring Ares, Taras rose back out of the water, glaring at the coughing female above.
He then looked back down to the male in his hand.
"Don't you dare!" Hollered Ares, sensing something amiss.
If Taras could smirk in this body he would as he brought his other hand over to finish him.
"Do you really think you can just kill me as you wish, that I'm some cannon fodder, I AM THE GOD OF WAR!" Exclaimed Ares as his fiery red aura burst out, forcing apart the gigantic hand, freeing himself.
Tearing out the spear and slashing the beast's hand in one quick movement making Taras recoil in pain, a wall of water erupting upwards to defend him just as Ares throws the spear.
The weapon passes through the water without issue as Ares backs off, concentrating on restoring his armor and weapons. Familiar flames appearing around him, reforming his gear.
Another water wall erupts behind him, and as he turns, another comes from the side and then the other. Finding himself surrounded, Ares flies up as a sword finishes forming in his right hand, but the top of each wall connects cutting him off.
With Ares distracting it, Athena took the time to set up some alarms before sitting cross-legged on a newly created magical platform with her tomes out around her in the sky above, trying to deal with the poison. It wasn't ordinary, to say the least, being able to affect a god was quite the feat. Interests peaked, she wondered just what on earth was this creature, with a few possibilities rattling around in her head some of which she couldn't believe.
"If you think I'm going to go down as easily as Athena, your sadly mistaken, after I'm done killing you, she'll be next!" Said Ares spinning around. A grin soon appearing on his face as his own words hit him. Defeating a beast that so easily harmed her would surely show them that he was superior.
A shadowing form could be seen in the water behind him, but as he turned to slash, cutting the water wall in half, briefly showing nothing there. This happened twice more before an irritated Ares began yelling again,- "Come out and fight coward! I've even kindly stayed here to see what you're made of, is this it?" He asks mockingly.
A voice echoes out in response,- "You have no idea what I'm capable of little Godling."
The water around Ares turned purple as it began amassing on top.
"You'll find it much harder to poison me," Ares smirked as his armor finished forming around him, fire burning out at the top of his head, completing the helmet.
Allowing himself to be drenched as the poisoned water rushed down, trying to drag him to the purple sea below as the poison spread.
Holding firm against the tide, he waited for an attack as he increased his sword size back to a great sword.
"Enough!" he shouted growing impatient as he swung up, slicing a path through the never-ending waterfall.
Taras watching from below, willed the sides to collapse in on him, he then willed the water around his colossal body to push upwards as he swam with all his might.
With the water coming in from everywhere, Ares turned his attention downwards, his blade charged and ready as his expected foe's rapidly approaching form began to show.
"Die!" Said Ares confidently swinging down, unleashing a crescent fire-blade that cut through the swelling water that rose ahead of the beast, sizzling as it went.
Taras did nothing to avoid it as he pushed the water further, using it to fight and slow the incoming blade as he charged headlong into it.
Having never got a real good look at the creature's entirety, Ares inadvertently underestimated its size and strength while vastly overestimating his own. His ego didn't let him see what he was truly up against, forgetting the fact he wasn't even as big as its finger. Realizing his folly too late as the fire-bladed energy cut through a very small portion of the gigantic body, he braced himself for impact.
Blowing right through the attack, ignoring the stinging sensation. Taras smashed straight through Ares with his body, who took the hit like a champ if nothing else.
Gritting his teeth, Ares tried to charge the blade again, trying to ignore the fact he was like dust on this monstrosities chest. He just had to recover a bit more, then he would be able to activate his world-ending abilities, thinking of the one he almost got off earlier in the day.
Suddenly his worldview changed as gravity took hold and they began plummeting back down.
Fighting against the wind force, Ares pushed himself up and ran upside-down along the body to the edge, escaping a watery disaster as the behemoth body slammed into the sea, creating a gargantuan splash that sent out a towering tsunami to every beachhead around.
Drowning the coastlines, and changing the topography.
Athena intervened to protect Athens, but let the rest suffer as her brother reluctantly flew over.
"Athena."
"Ares."
"We're both too weakened to fight that thing on our own," Ares unwilling said, waking up to the situation.
"So now reasoning prevails, don't tell me you actually wish to work together, has Olympus fallen?" Asked Athena amusedly.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, how about you just power me back up, and I'll take care of things in a flash, no one needs you," Ares scoffed.
Athena had a better idea as a blue orb came up behind Ares,- "Tell you what, you admit I'm better than you and I'll see what I can do."
"Athena!" Ares seethed, his aura fluctuating.
"No? Then take care of it yourself," she said, willing the blue orb to transport him to one she moved closer to the sea where Taras currently was.
"ATHENA! YOU BITCH! I'LL NEVER FORGET THIS!" Yelled Ares as a shadow fell over him.
Quickly turning he struck the incoming hand with his charged blade, detonating it on impact with just enough force to push the strike away as Taras grunted.
Ares then rushed past the arm, straight to the head where he punched it square in the face, causing its head to rock back from the blow. Going for the eye next, he stabbed down causing Taras to howl in pain, smacking the menace away.
Splashing down a few miles away with broken armor, Ares languidly floated back to the top spitting out a bit of ichor as his tongue investigated a few loose teeth.
Glancing back, he could see an angry one-eyed glare, and before he knew what was going on. He was swept up by the water as it dragged him all the way back to an incoming fist that sent him flying right back again.
This time it wasn't easy getting back up as he coughed up more ichor, wiping his mouth as he steadied himself above the water, trying to gain altitude so there wouldn't be a repeat. Not fast enough though as the water once again took hold.
Back in front of the creature, Ares stared into the healed eyes of Taras who used the water to lift him, using it to spread his arms and legs to better control him.
"I don't think you'll be so hard to poison now, self-proclaimed war god, hahaha," laughed Taras as he turned the water purple.
"We'll see about that," Ares snarled as he called upon everything he had left.
His fiery red aura breaking him free and burning away the poison as he shot up into the sky. Raising both hands over his head, he created one last sword as he activated a magical diagram around it, calling down his final strike.
"Think you can escape?" Said Taras as he willed a colossal water column towards him which collided with his summoned massive greatsword falling down.
Keeping the connection between the blades strong, Ares pointed the one in his hands down, infusing everything he had left through it, and into the massive greatsword. Pushing it straight through the water column as the liquid parted with ease, right down to the vulnerable giant below.
Spearing straight into its chest as it brought its hands up to catch the blade, preventing it from continuing.
Both of them roared as they fought against one another, Taras trying to prevent the blade from sinking any deeper and Ares trying to push it further in.
However, Ares's magical diagram was flickering as its power waned, it wasn't long before Taras with a bit of effort, threw the sword out, short-circuiting the magical diagram as it exploded, pushing a spent Ares back.
"Nice try little war god, I didn't expect that," said Taras as he looked down at his gaping wound that was in the process of healing.
__________________________________________
At Olympus, Poseidon barged in on Zeus who was still at the observing pool, enjoying the show.
Seeing his brother stiffened posture, he knew something was up as he cautiously approached.
"Brother, It's back," Poseidon said.
"I see that," said Zeus, allowing his brother to step around to look.
"You know what that is don't you?" Asked Poseidon.
"It can't be," denied Zeus.
"It's touching upon my domain, it can't be anything else, we have to stop it, now!" said an agitated Poseidon.
"How is this possible, I know we got them all," Zeus said rubbing his chin. He then recalled Athena saying something about an experiment.
"I don't know, but we both know that feeling, we know what it is, what are we waiting for?" Asked Poseidon.
"Athena said something interesting about it, and if you pay close attention, you can feel another," said Zeus with a frown.
"Another!?" Asked Poseidon with widened eyes as he concentrated, confirming his brother's claims.
"Then we must go kill it now while they are separated, we must free my domain so I can better help you take the other, we'll worry about how it's possible after," reasoned Poseidon.
"Agreed, best to move now before it gains any more control," Zeus said as his eyes sparkled with azure lightning.