Metis sighed when she saw me and put down her spear. But Gyges was ready to launch his boulder.
"Wait!" I shouted. "These guys are on our side!" Everyone calmed down a bit and lowered their weapons. "Yeah, this is Prometheus and Themis. One of them is the titaness of justice and wants Cronus overthrown for his crimes." Themis bowed her head. "The other is Prometheus, and he cares only for the humans, which Cronus rejected. In exchange for information, we will help them help the mortals and overthrow Cronus."
Hera leaned on her xiphos. "What kind of information?"
Prometheus nodded. "The sorceress Hecate has a monster who can grant the power to kill immortals." Hera narrowed her eyes.
"So we have to steal it from them?"
"Yes."
"Good, we can use it to kill Cronus as soon as possible." Hestia offered.
I shook my head. "Gaea said we can't kill the titans. And incurring her wrath wouldn't be very smart in our position." Hestia rolled her eyes.
"I'll be the one to go and steal it," Hades said. "With my invisibility, I have the highest chance of going in and stealing the animal. What's it called?"
"Ophiotaurus," Themis answered.
"You're in no condition to go into a titan's home. You still need to rest." Hestia crossed her arms.
"Yes I know. I'll most likely go next week."
I nodded. I hoped Hades would be able to do the mission cleanly.
"Miss Demeter." Prometheus bowed to one knee. "I need your help. With Cronus no longer helping the humans, they would starve. I need your skills to help them."
Demeter looked at me and I gave her a thumbs up. I saw no problem with helping the mortals here and there. It may even reduce complications for when we take over the world.
"I'd love to help the humans." Demeter smiled.
"Good, we should leave quickly."
"Wait what? I thought we were going to wait a bit." Demeter shook her hands.
Prometheus stood back up and raised an eyebrow. "Why wait? The humans are weak creatures. And we have a lot of ground to cover. We must leave immediately."
"Okay, Okay! Let me get a few things prepared." Demeter rushed into her tent to get her things. Everyone went back to their business as Prometheus went to catch up with his uncles. Themis grabbed me and pulled me to the side.
"I assume you don't plan on fighting Cronus now but I can give you a bit of info and maybe training." I nodded. Of course his sister would know how he fought. "Cronus is not like Prometheus and Oceanus. Even though he likes to play with his prey, you guys have put him into a state we haven't seen since Hecate defeated him. He also likes to talk and get in your head. All you need to do is focus and his words won't affect you."
"Yeah, I already knew that." I don't see how he could disturb me but Hades and Poseidon would be a bit more susceptible. Especially Hades.
"Next thing you should be wary about are his powers over time. He can reverse wounds, bring back old ones, attack you in places you've been before, attack twice, see the future and much more."
This was going to be an annoying fight.
"Campe has told me of your various abilities as well. I need you to describe them for me."
I saw no harm and I listed them to her. "I can't show you now because I overexerted myself in the last fight, but my eyes give me 360 degree and enhanced vision, slower time perception, illusion immunity, a bit of vision control in others and a bit of self healing." Themis nodded for me to go on.
"Next is what I call Worthless. It allows me to cancel out the ability of someone weaker than me, and weaken it for someone stronger than me." Wait. That meant that Oceanus was actually weaker than me. Good to know I was improving in strength.
"Anything else?"
"Yes. I have my Absolute Attack/Evasion. Absolute Attack makes any one of my attacks undodgeable. Absolute Evasion makes me unable to be hit by anything for a short period of time. For a physical attack my body moves, and abilities phase through me. And finally, I have my lightning."
Themis accepted milk from Hera and looked at me with seriousness.
"Sadly the only useful abilities are your Absolute Evasion and Absolute Attack. They're vital in fact. You probably won't surpass Cronus and only weakening an ability with Worthless won't be enough. Your eyes won't be very useful either. His speed is unparalleled. This is why you need Absolute Attack and Absolute Evasion. They will allow you to hit him and your evasion to dodge any of his troublesome abilities. I can spar with you to see your base fighting right now if you wish."
I nodded and my spear flew to me. I could do that at least. My body was fine, but my abilities were still "recharging." I had to wait a bit before I could use them. Hades, Metis, Hera, and the Hundred Handed Ones followed us down the mountain.
I readied my spear and Themis had a scythe. I didn't know where she got it but her sword and scale was gone so I assumed they turned into that. "I'll try my best to imitate Cronus' fighting style. While I may be slower, this may give you a feel for what you're working with."
Themis dashed forward and pulled the scythe up in an arc, destroying the ground. I stepped back and while she was open, jabbed at her.
She spun her scythe and knocked up my spear before putting the blade behind my knees and pulled, throwing me on my back.
"Normally that would cut your legs off, but this was just a spar. I presume you're not used to fighting without your skills?" She reached her hand out to me.
I took it and blushed. "Yeah. Things were moving a little faster than I remembered. I suppose that sword wasn't for show?"
Themis made some distance and readied herself. "No, unlike my sisters, I trained for battle. Don't worry about it. But you shouldn't rely solely on your abilities. I've seen you fight, and you can fight a veteran in a fair fight. But not a titan."
I nodded and readied my spear. This reminded me of my training with the captain of the Kouretes.
Themis charged again as her scythe shortened into a kama. Before she could get in close I held her at bay with my spear. She grabbed it and yanked it out of my hands before continuing her charge. I could call back my spear and being pulled off balance was not an ideal alternative. It usually led to death.
Themis arced the kama down to my shoulder. I caught her wrist and stepped inside her guard before elbowing her nose. I grabbed her around her wide hips and smashed her into the floor. My spear zipped to me and I stabbed at her chest.
Before my hit could land I felt her heel dig into my nether regions and I collapsed before clutching my baby maker. "Ugh, what the hell!"
Themis was now standing over me. She shrugged. "Cronus cares nothing for being respectful. You failed to guard your testicles so he would attack them. He did that to our father. You're no exception."
"Gods what the fuck." She didn't have to put so much power in it.
"We can continue another time." Themis' kama turned back into her sword and scale and she walked back up the mountain. The Hecatoncheires gave me a look of pity before climbing up behind the titaness.
Metis and Hera came over. While Hera looked concerned for me, Metis was laughing her way to heaven. "Ah that was priceless. I hope I can ask the Moirai for a special tapestry depicting that again."
"Please don't."
Hades walked over. "Well based on those two fights, Cronus wouldn't go for a quick kill. Makes sense really. But guard your stuff next time. That'd be a horrible way to die."
I nodded and struggled to my feet. "I've never fought against those weapons before. If he could also shorten it, I'd have to rely on my lightning."
Prometheus and Demeter climbed down the mountain and began to leave. Demeter and Prometheus each layered cloaks on themselves.
"Hey wait!" I called out. "I should probably go with you."
"No it's fine." Demeter said. "You still need to rest. Also Briareus told me what happened. Sorry." They quickly left the barrier and Demeter turned into a horse as Prometheus got on her back. They quickly ran away.
Well I needed to make sure the news couldn't spread to Poseidon. That'd be terrible. I trusted Demeter to defend herself. Hades sparred with her from time to time and her abilities really were something to behold.
"Hey Hades, what do you think of a bident?" I asked.
"The hell is a bident?" He raised his eyebrow.
"It's a two pronged spear. I get one, you get two, and Poseidon gets three. How 'bout it?"
"Nah, I'll stick to my swords. Your spears aren't good for close quarters. And you need sufficient training for that. I never really cared for the spear."
I shrugged. "Worth a shot." We all climbed up the mountain while Hades practiced his ability.
At the top, Briareus was telling the now awake Poseidon about my fight. Themis was smiling nearby.
"Yup and as he stood over her, ready to stab…"
"Yeah, what happened."
"She kicked him in the balls."
"It was a cheap and dirty move!" I said as I stomped over. Poseidon looked at me with a smile.
"BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Y-you! Aw man! If only I woke up an hour ago. I need a tapestry of that in the future."
I sighed. Everything was ruined. "So, how are you feeling now?"
"Meh. Just a little worn out. Amalthea said I should be fine by tomorrow. So what's all this about Demeter helping mortals?"
I sat down. "Yeah. She just left with Prometheus to share her agricultural skills with the humans. Probably send them to a bunch of river valleys and teach them how to farm manually. I don't completely trust Prometheus, but if he could enter the barrier, then he meant no harm."
"Hey where's Hades. I just had an idea and I need to go tell him."
"He's down the mountain practicing his new ability."
"He got a new one?"
"Yup. Can control metal." Poseidon crossed his arms and frowned.
"When the hell do I get my own cool power!"
I shrugged. "You just have to wait. It'll appear eventually."
"Hmph. So what's our plan now? Take out Atlas, Hecate?"
"For now, we just have to rest and train. Hades will be going to the underworld to steal something from Hecate. It's this animal that gives you the power to kill immortals." Metis said.
"Damn. When is he going?"
"Whenever he's ready." I said.
*********
A week later, Hades waits on top of Mount Olympus.
"I'm getting in the Underworld from here?" I asked. I'd expect to be a little lower at least. My brothers stood to the side while the girls waited back at the camp.
The titaness Themis nodded her head. "It goes up here so that it has a smaller chance of becoming unstable." She whispered something and a hole opened. It led down into darkness. "Good luck."
"Wait where are the stairs?" I didn't think it was wise to drop into the Underworld just like that.
"Don't worry about it. It won't do anything to you at all. Just make sure to not touch the rivers. They will, well it's just not healthy."
"Yup of course."
"Don't eat anything either. It will trap you down there."
"I'm not hungry. Zeus, Poseidon. You two better not do anything stupid while I'm gone."
Poseidon smiled and Zeus gave me a thumbs up. "Don't worry about us. Just stay safe. If you can't do it, then don't."
I didn't really trust Zeus alone with Poseidon. Both of them were battle maniacs that always wanted to train for the next fight. Since I no longer had anyone to pray to, I just took a deep breath and jumped into the Underworld.