With a confident stride, Maeron walked into the miasma-filled cave.
He barely got in but he could already feel his skin scratch due to the amount of negative energy surrounding him
'That energy seems to be the exact opposite of our divine energy, plus this one is overwhelming darker,' he thought seriously
While thinking all that he made his way forward, on his path he saw a great number of bones mainly from monsters but there were a few human bones in the lot
'How was he able to attract humans in here,' he thought as he saw those bones, does he have more influence than I thought
'If he can attract humans here and make them pass the barrier, to reach here I may be in more danger than I thought,' he thought arriving at what looked at the end of the road
He saw a blueish transparent wall blocking his path, he was able to make out that in front of him was an enormous opened space that was obviously man-made, other than that he couldn't see much due to all the dark purple miasma blocking his sight,
That wall was strong enough to block anything from getting in or out, much more powerful than the first barrier,
That idea was reinforced by the greater accumulation of human bones just in front of it
"It seems that you didn't get to eat much in the last few years of captivity, Typhon king of monsters," he said looking seriously at the screen of miasma in front of him attempting to look past it.
"Woosh," while he was doing it all that toxic substance divided creating a path that allowed him to see the monster inside that barrier
The appearance of that thing sent a shiver down his spine it was over two-hundred-meter-tall, with green skin partially covered with scale, he had multiple heads, no, it was only one head with blood-red eyes and teeth sharp enough to make the sharpest sword pale in comparison
Around what served him of neck like it some twisted necklace were heads.
Probably the heads of the ones he ate embedded in his flesh, with a pained expression immortalized for all to see.
And under his skin you could see something moving, after another good inspection Maeron realized what it was snakes, thousands and thousands of them were crawling inside him creating a disturbing scene
'I can understand why it is the king of monsters, facing it in person is another thing altogether,'
'Even you have to be crazy for keeping it alive was a mistake…' he thought in his mind before scolding himself
'Huh…Do I even have any qualification to judge when I'm myself playing with fire just by being here,'
"Welcome little god, welcome, it has been years since someone came here, are you one of Zeus' little lackeys," While he was busy observing the monster the bone-chilling voice of Typhoon resounded in his ears
"No, no I'm not, quite the contrary in fact,"
"Oh really," after saying it he took a big sniff before continuing
"You kinda smell like him,"
"Oh really, ok," he said
"Anyway, Typhoon king of monster, I am here to make you a proposition," Said Maeron with his usual bright smile
"Oh really, why don't you start by telling me who you are little god," he asked
"Oh sorry, My name is Maeron god of water and space," he said with a little bow
"More than in my opinion, but go ahead what is your 'proposition' I'm curious why a god came to me, come a little closer,"
"Ah, you see I am a little exhausted after fending off your minions so I think that I will stay here, just in case…"
"BANG" He had barely ended his sentence when an enormous snake big enough to swallow him whole without difficulty crashed into the barrier in front of him.
Maeron just looked at the snake in front of him without even flinching
"I understand that you must be starving and that I must appear like the most delicious meal for you after all the time you spend here but try to restrain yourself so that we can both have what we want,"
"humph, go ahead and talk," he said
"Zeus trapped you here using the power of the 'sword of Olympus' and the abilities of the best space users in Olympus at the time, I can free you,"
"And why would you do that little god," The monster asked
"Like I said before there is a few things I want from you,"
"And may that be?!" he continued
"Your ability to take the divinity of the gods you absorb," said Maeron looking at the monster without fear
Hearing him Typhoon looked at him in astonishment
"Hahaha, why would a god want that ability do you want to become a monster, because this is what will happen,"
"That is my problem," responded Maeron
"And what do I get from that?" Asked Typhoon,
"I can get you out of here,"
"I have my own plan to get out of here,"
"of course you, after all these years I bet you made some preparations for your great escape, unfortunately, they are doomed to fail!" Maeron said with a confident smile
"And what make you say that," asked Typhoon in a colder tone than before
"Very simple I can see that you have subtly corroded that barrier like you did with everything here, once it is weakened enough you will force your way out of here, with your abilities it is very feasible…"
"…unfortunately that barrier was finalized using the magnificent sword of Olympus, meaning that this barrier is somewhat connected to the sword held by Zeus himself,"
"After all those years you must have noticed that right, whenever you weaken that barrier enough in some way or another it will be restored,"
"Humph," after listening to Maeron's explanation Typhoon scoffed, before adding
"You are just confirming my suspicion,"
"I see, well that's not surprising let me tell you something that you don't know in the spirit of cooperation," he said while looking at his feet and the wall around him where a few snakes were crawling, Maeron could see that some of them had a little of Typhoon energy in them
"Once you leave this place, you will die, you are his trump card after all,"
"Trump card!?" asked Typhon in confusion finally hearing something that had attracted his attention
"explains yourself," he pressed
"I see that I have your full attention, yes, you are his trump card, against the only god that he is wary of, the one who has the power, the ability, the influence, and the resources to wage a war against him," explains Maeron, after a moment of silent he heard the murmur of the monster inside his cage
"Hadess!!" he said
"Bingo," he responded
"The moment you break away from that prison, which you can't do without him knowing, if you succeed you will be led directly to the underworld, and we both know how this will go with Hades, particularly in your actual state,"
"And why would he do something so… wait he is very capable of doing that, this is well planned," continued Typhoon
"Paranoia has always been a trait of the ones who inherit the title of god-king and Hades is the only Greek god able to threaten him… this is quite understandable in fact,"
"So are you ready to make a deal with me,"
"And what do you want, little god," he asked
"Not be called little god, for starter,"
"Tell me, what..do..you..want,"
"I want three things from you, first, I want your ability to absorb a god,"
Hearing that surprise the monster
"Are you trying to become a monster!?" he asked curiously
"That's my business, I want half of Tartarus, I know that can transfer the right to rule it to a successor if you desire,"
"Preposterous, I will not give you half of Tartarus," he answers with deep anger in his voice
"Why!? Do you prefer to leave it in the hands of the gods to use as a prison for the Titans and other monsters, when you just have to put one foot there you could take back control of it with all the war potential in it to use for your revenge, think about what's more advantageous,"
"And what is your last request?!"
"You vow not to target me after your release, in exchange I will feed you enough for you to regain some strength and I will find the best way to let you reach Tartarus, what do you think," He asked fixing the king of monsters in the eyes
"If, I agree to your offer how are you gonna accomplish any of what you just said," asked Typhoon
To answer him Maeron smiles as he walks forward and pushes his right arm effortlessly inside the barrier that Typhoon struggled against for thousands of years
"How!!" he asked
"I am without a doubt the best space user of the Olympus pantheon by far, so do you agree," he asked again
"Bang" In an instant the massive figure of Typhoon was in front of Maeron with his right arm at its mercy,
"I agree," Typhoon responded and from his scaly hand a snake of the size Maeron's hand appears
"This is going to hurt little god," he said before the snake bit his hand and at that instant, Maeron felt that lava was flowing inside him.