That night I had a strange dream. The cyclops which transported me to Acropolis was there. He was drawing something on the ground.
My shadow approached him. That strange drawing was a message.
-Beware of the sun-Your old friend Darkness will help you-
I tried to ask him about the details, but my shadow gave no sound.
Suddenly the cyclops started to rotate and got smaller and smaller until I was alone.
I thought about his message. After all the encounters I was sure the sun meant Helios. Who else could me scheming all of this. He was right in my position I was no match for him.
But what was that darkness. Hmm it could mean many things.
I walked up and down thinking about it.
Suddenly my muscle memory activated and my left leg was hurting. It was the spot where Ceberus bite me.
Then I had a sudden brain storm. The underworld of course. I would be able to break my seal forcefully there. I was in such a hurry from Tartarus that I did not consider it.
The next morning I woke up refreshed, but my wounds did not heal properly.
I stumbled through the dense forest, my feet dragging behind me as I tried to push forward. My body was battered and bruised from the fight with the sorcerer, and every step felt like an insurmountable challenge.
But as I trudged on, the trees slowly began to thin out, revealing a stunning landscape that took my breath away. Rolling hills dotted with vibrant wildflowers stretched out before me, and in the distance, I could see the shimmering blue expanse of the sea.
I stopped for a moment to take it all in, feeling a sense of peace wash over me for the first time in what felt like ages. The sun was just beginning to set, casting the sky in shades of pink and orange that left me awestruck.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, savoring the sweet scent of blooming flowers and saltwater that filled the air. For a moment, I allowed myself to forget about the sorcerer, about my powers, about everything.
But my respite was short-lived, and soon enough, I was on the move again, my feet pounding against the earth as I made my way towards the horizon.
As I traveled, I passed through small villages and towns, their inhabitants eyeing me warily as I passed through. But despite their caution, I could sense a feeling of camaraderie among them, a sense that they were all in this together, fighting against the darkness that threatened to consume their land.
At one such village, I was able to procure a horse: I walked up to the horse, taking in its appearance with a critical eye. It was a sturdy beast, with a broad chest and powerful legs that looked like they could carry me for miles without tiring. Its coat was a rich, chestnut brown, gleaming in the sunlight as it stamped its hooves restlessly in the dirt.
I reached out a hand to stroke its mane, and the horse nuzzled me gently, as if sensing my approval. I knew that this was the right animal for me, a loyal and trustworthy companion for the journey ahead.
Without hesitation, I handed over the coins to the farmer and climbed atop the horse's back, feeling the warmth of its body beneath me. As we rode out of the village, I couldn't help but smile, feeling a sense of confidence and strength that I had not felt in a long time.
The wind rustled through my hair as my horse galloped forward, the scent of blooming flowers mixed with saltwater wafting through the air. As the sun began to set in the distance, the landscape was bathed in a warm golden light, bringing a sense of peace to my mind. But my thoughts were soon interrupted by memories of my past, of the war against the Titans and the shadow of my father's legacy that I had been living under.
However, I pushed those thoughts aside and focused on my current goal. Breaking my seal was the only thing that mattered now, no matter the cost. And if it meant journeying into the underworld, then so be it. I needed a power-up and fast, and that spear was my ticket to it.
As the hours passed, the landscape slowly began to shift. The wildflowers gave way to twisted, gnarled trees, their branches reaching towards the sky like skeletal fingers. The air grew colder, and a sense of foreboding settled over me like a heavy cloak.
But still, I rode on, my horse's hooves clattering against the rocky ground. I knew that the journey ahead would be treacherous, filled with dangers that I could not even begin to imagine. But I also knew that it was a journey that I had to make.
As the moon rose high in the sky, I came to a stop at the edge of a massive, yawning chasm. Far below, I could see the faint glimmer of flames, and the sound of screams echoed up towards me.
The entrance to the underworld was a massive, gaping chasm that seemed to stretch on for miles. The walls of the chasm were sheer and jagged, their surface rough and pitted as if they had been carved by some ancient, terrible force.
As I rode closer, I could feel the temperature dropping rapidly, the air growing thick and oppressive with the weight of the darkness that lay ahead.
The chasm was deep, so deep that I could barely make out the flickering orange glow that marked the underworld far below. The sound of screams echoed up towards me, carried on a cold, fetid wind that seemed to be blowing straight up from the depths.
At the edge of the chasm, a rickety bridge spanned the gap, made of rotting planks of wood that creaked and groaned beneath my horse's hooves. The bridge seemed to sway and shift beneath us, as if it were alive and eager to plunge us both into the abyss below.
But I pressed on, my grip tight on the reins as my horse's muscles rippled beneath me. With every step, we drew closer to the underworld, the scent of brimstone and decay growing stronger by the second.
At last, we made it to the other side, and I dismounted, my legs shaking with exhaustion and fear. The entrance to the underworld loomed before me, a yawning cavern that seemed to pulse with a sickly orange light.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead, and stepped forward into the darkness.
As I made my way down the treacherous path into the underworld, my mind raced with anticipation and dread. I had come too far to turn back now, but the unknown terrors that lay ahead filled me with a sense of unease.
After what felt like an eternity of descending into the abyss, I finally arrived at the gate of the underworld. The sight that greeted me was unlike anything I had ever seen before.
The gate was a massive structure made of obsidian, towering high above me like a monolith. It was covered in intricate carvings and runes, each one glowing with an eerie, otherworldly light. The air around the gate hummed with a strange energy, and I could feel a sense of foreboding settling over me like a thick fog.
As I approached the gate, I could see that it was guarded by two massive statues, each one carved in the likeness of a fearsome monster. One had the head of a lion and the body of a serpent, while the other had the head of a bull and the body of a man.
I approached cautiously, my heart pounding in my chest as the statues came to life, their eyes glowing red as they regarded me with a menacing stare. But as I stepped closer, they seemed to recognize something in me, and they stepped aside, allowing me to pass through the gates.
As I entered the underworld, a chill ran down my spine. The air was thick with a cold, damp mist, and the ground beneath my feet was slick with moisture. The landscape was a twisted, distorted version of the world above, with gnarled trees and twisted vines coiling around everything in sight.
But despite the oppressive atmosphere, I felt a sense of determination rising within me. I had come this far, and I would not be deterred now. With a deep breath, I set out into the unknown, my mind focused on the task at hand.