- Underworld -
Death and Chronos exchanged scythe swings as the growing tree roots lifted them into the air. The two jumped from root to root, neither being able to get a solid swing off due to the movement of the roots. Chronos took the opportunity and sent a wave of blue-fire snakes to slither across the roots. Death swiped the snakes away as he continued to look for an opening.
["Tell me, hunter, what happened while I was imprisoned?"] Chronos asked after deflecting a swing of Death's scythe.
Death didn't answer. His pursuit of Chronos was relentless. He threw his scythe to the side and blinked from root to root, reconjuring his scythe and negating Chronos's magic before quickly blinking away again.
["We don't have to be enemies!"] Chronos yelled. ["I think you've proven to me that this isn't worth-"] he was interrupted by Death knocking him back.
["Die,"] Death said.
["Why are you-"] Chronos couldn't finish his question.
Death's and Chronos' running battle along the roots was being observed by Thanatos. If he could have trusted Chronos to not take a swing at him during the fight he would have assisted, at least, that's what he told himself. Death's fervent pursuit of Chronos sent chills down his spine. He wasn't aware of any special relationship between Chronos and Death, so the current battle seemed more personal for Death than it should have been.
'What was that tone?' Thanatos's eyes tried keeping up with the two. 'That wasn't normal surprise. Death sounded like he hated Chronos more than even Zeus does.'
Death was above Chronos now. He swung his scythe around and used the momentum to turn himself into a spinning circle of black and silver. His attack left deep gashes down one of Chronos's legs. He also tore clean through the roots, causing the root to snap off and send the two back down to the ground. As the two fell, a rainstorm began to form.
["I COULD HELP YOU!"] Chronos shouted as he shot himself to another root with a blast of flame.
["As If I could trust you!"] Death shouted back as he blinked to a root.
["Trust?"] Chronos questioned. ["Why do you need to trust me for a hunt? Simply point me-"]
Death blinked over to Chronos's root and conjured his scythe. The two continued their battle atop the Underworld's growing forest. The rain grew heavier.
'Great,' Thanatos sarcastically thought.
Thanatos teleported so that he could maintain line-of-sight of the fighting. It was his job to confirm that Chronos was sticking to the mission. There were moments when he was sure that Chronos was going to stop fighting Death and leave but Death's continuous attacks seemed to be stopping that. He wasn't sure how to feel about the current situation. On the one hand, Chronos was keeping Death tied down, if not purposefully. While on the other, Death seemed overly determined to kill Chronos.
["I don't want to continue this fight!"] Chronos yelled as he knocked Death back.
Death continued his rush against Chronos. Chronos took every moment he had to try and convince Death.
["I will leave you and your allies alone!"]
Blasts of blue flame and the sound of metal scraping drowned out the noise of the heavy rain.
["I'll even help kill the gods on your list!"]
Streaks of black, blue, and silver seemed to entangle atop the overgrown tree roots.
["Let me help you hunt!"]
Death swung his scythe upwards, putting a large gash across the middle of Chronos's face. ["I DON'T HUNT ANYMORE!"]
For the first time in their battle, there was a lull. Chronos wiped the blood from his face while Death loosened and tightened his grip around his scythe. The two looked around at the Underworld. The tree roots were wrapped around every building, some of which were growing blood-red leaves. The faint sound of screams from impaled beings filled the air. Mini-waterfalls falling off the roots were forming everywhere.
["If you don't hunt,"] Chronos whipped the blood off of his hand, ["then why are you so determined to kill me?"]
Death's grip tightened around his scythe. ["Because you should be dead."]
["While I agree,"] Chronos sighed, ["I still have a family to punish. So if there's no convincing you..."]
An explosive orb flew towards Chronos. The orb touched his skin but before the explosion could go off it froze in place as if time had stopped. The rain around him had stopped as well.
Peter, Lao, and Dimitri were a fair distance away from Death and Chronos.
"Fuck!" Peter cursed. "Where's Poseidon?!"
(Earlier)
Peter was giving orders to the group, "We need to help with the snipers. The four of ya," he pointed to Sabu, Yvere, Elijah, and Heinrich, "track down the snipers. If they're too much to handle, back off and rejoin us."
"Will the three of you be enough?" Sabu asked.
"Death should be enough," Peter huffed. "We're only goin' to help speed the inevitable up so Death can help us deal with whatever else is comin'."
The moment Peter finished his sentence he felt the raindrops hit his skin. As if his mind was flooding with information, he figured out what was going on. First, the two snipers. Then, Chronos. Now, a rainstorm in a place that doesn't get rain.
"New plan," Peter said.
(Current time)
"It was worth a shot," Dimitri comforted Peter. "Would my magic even be useful against him?"
"No," Peter said. "The only way for basic magic to work on him is by surprise."
"HE'S THERE!" Lao shouted and pointed in Poseidon's direction.
"Him on the other hand," Peter readied an orb.
- Ash and Tonatiuh -
(Future)
Tonatiuh breathed heavily as burnt pieces of his mask fell to the ground. He stomped his foot and sent a wave of fire toward Ash. Ash walked through the fire, weaving and catching it as she did. The flames gathered around her right arm, creating a snaking chain of fire as they went. She pointed her arm at Tonatiuh and smiled.
"I call this one "Prominence's Salvation"."
The fire shot from her arm as if it was a cannon. Tonatiuh knocked the flames into the air.
"I was going to save this for that traitor!" Tonatiuh clapped his hands together. "Feel honored that you get to witness this!"
"Seen it before," Ash said under her breath.
The cracks of fire in Tonatiuh's arms spread all across his body. The orange glow was in stark contrast to the now blackening skin on his body. The ground beneath his feet smoked as his soles burnt the dirt. His hair went from the light smolder it had before, to a now growing flame.
"I'll give you one chance!" Tonatiuh shouted. "Get out of my way so that I can purge the traitor!"
"No," Ash stood firm.
"This form is highly resistant to fire if you couldn't already tell!" Tonatiuh took a step forward.
"Highly resistant doesn't mean immune," Ash laughed. "I look forward to teaching you the difference!"