Chapter 37: The power of Hellfire Vs Aztec Might!
The ancient stones of the labyrinth trembled, resonating with the raw power emanating from Damon and Atl as they faced off. The air crackled with tension, thick with the scent of ozone and the acrid tang of brimstone. Damon's hellfire-infused sword, a gift from his father Hades, pulsed with an eerie blue light as it clashed against Atl's crackling spear, each impact sending shockwaves through the maze's weathered corridors.
Atl's eyes blazed with the fury of a storm, flecks of lightning dancing in their depths. His chocolate-brown skin glistened with a sheen of water that seemed to cling to him, defying gravity. As he pressed his attack, his voice rang out, deep and resonant like distant thunder.
"You Greeks have no idea of the power that lies beyond your shores," he snarled, his spear becoming a blur of motion. The weapon hummed with energy, leaving trails of mist in its wake. "Our gods, our ways - they are older and stronger than you can imagine!"
Damon gritted his teeth, shadows swirling around him like living smoke as he parried and dodged. His pale skin stood in stark contrast to Atl's, marked with scars that told of battles fought and survived in the depths of Tartarus. His eyes, usually a warm blue, now glowed with an inner fire that matched his blade.
"I don't understand," he grunted between strikes, his voice tinged with genuine curiosity beneath the strain of combat. "Why this hatred? We're all demigods here!" He yelled, desperately trying to find common ground.
But Atl wasn't interested in explanations or unity. His face contorted with a mixture of pain and rage, memories of ancient conflicts and generational grudges fuelling his attacks. With a roar that echoed through the maze, he summoned a torrent of water that surged towards Damon. The liquid twisted and coiled like a living entity, pressurized to a degree that could shear flesh from bone.
Damon's eyes widened as he realized he couldn't dodge in time. The corridor was too narrow, and the water too fast. For a split second, panic flashed across his face - a reminder of the mortal boy beneath the demigod powers.
At the last possible moment, Damon called upon the shadows, an ability he had honed during his time in the underworld. He willed them to envelop him, feeling the cold embrace of darkness as it pulled him into its depths. The water crashed through where he had been standing, gouging chunks from the stone walls.
Atl spun around, his warrior instincts screaming a warning. But he was a fraction too slow. Damon reappeared behind him in a burst of darkness, his sword slashing downward in an arc of blue flame.
Barely blocking the strike with the shaft of his spear, Atl grunted with the effort. The two weapons locked together sparks flying as fire met water-infused metal. "Impressive," he grudgingly admitted, a flicker of respect crossing his features. "But it won't be enough. Your power is nothing compared to mine!"
As their battle raged on, the very fabric of the maze seemed to respond. The walls pulsed with an eerie light, ancient glyphs flickering to life and then fading again. The air grew thick with moisture and shadow, two primal forces colliding in a dance as old as time itself.
High above the maze, on the peak of Mount Olympus, the Greek gods gathered around seated on their thrones as they watched the labyrinth. The divine air crackled with tension as they watched the battles unfold, particularly the clash between Damon and Atl.
Zeus leaned forward on his golden throne, his electric blue eyes intense as he observed the fight. Static electricity sparked in his neatly trimmed beard as he stroked it thoughtfully. "Hades, your boy shows promise," he mused a hint of surprise in his voice.
Poseidon nodded, his sea-green eyes fixed on the swirling waters Atl commanded. The trident in his hand hummed softly, resonating with the aquatic powers on display. "As does the Aztec boy. Their power is... unexpected. Perhaps we've underestimated the other pantheons."
Ares grinned fiercely, the scars on his face twisting with his expression as he revelled in the violence. "Now this is entertainment! Look at them go! Almost makes me want to jump in there myself!"
Athena shot him a withering look. "This is more than mere entertainment, Ares. The outcome of this tournament could shift the balance of power between pantheons."
In the shadows at the edge of the gathering, Hades stood silently, his dark eyes never leaving the image of his son. His face remained impassive, but those who knew him well might have noticed the slight tightening of his jaw, and the almost imperceptible clenching of his fists. The Lord of the Underworld was not known for displays of emotion, but watching his son fight for his life stirred something within him.
As Damon narrowly avoided another of Atl's devastating attacks, Aphrodite glanced at Hades, a knowing smile playing on her perfect lips. "Your boy's quite the fighter," she said, a hint of admiration in her voice. "Aren't you proud?"
Hades remained silent for a moment, then spoke in a low, controlled tone. "Pride has nothing to do with it. He fights for survival, as he always has." There was a depth of emotion in his words that surprised even himself.
Hermes, ever perceptive, caught the undertone in Hades' voice. His winged sandals fluttered nervously as he spoke. "But you're worried about him, aren't you, Uncle H? I mean, this isn't just any fight."
Hades shot Hermes a withering glare, but before he could respond, gasps erupted from the other gods. On the viewing pool, Damon had just unleashed a massive wave of hellfire, momentarily pushing Atl back. The blue flames licked at the edges of the pool, causing even the immortal gods to step back.
"Impressive," Hephaestus grunted, his gnarled hands twitching as if longing to shape such flames. "His hellfire is indeed strong, yet still raw. Unrefined. It has room for growth."
Hades allowed himself a small, grim smile. "He has yet to reach his full potential," he murmured, almost to himself. There was a mix of pride and concern in his tone, a father's complex emotions warring within him.
Zeus raised an eyebrow at his brother's comment, lightning flickering in his eyes. "And what potential might that be, Hades? Should we be... concerned?" The King of the Gods' voice held a warning.
Hades met Zeus's gaze unflinchingly, shadows deepening around him. "No more than we should be concerned about any of our children growing into their power, brother," he said pointedly, reminding Zeus of his own powerful offspring.
The tension between the two gods was palpable, centuries of mistrust and rivalry bubbling to the surface. It was broken by Hera's exasperated sigh, the Queen of the Gods rolling her eyes at the display of divine machismo.
"Enough posturing, both of you," Hera said, her voice sharp enough to cut through the tension. "The real question is, what will be the consequences of this battle? How will it affect the balance between pantheons?"
As the Greek gods debated, across the cosmic divide, the Aztec gods gathered in their own celestial realm of Omeyocan. The lush, vibrantly coloured dimension pulsed with primal energy as they too watched the fight between Damon and Atl. Their expressions were a mix of pride, concern, and barely concealed hostility towards their Greek counterparts.
Tláloc, the god of rain and earthly fertility, stood at the forefront. His blue skin shimmered like the surface of a storm-tossed lake, and his eyes flashed like lightning as he watched his son Atl battle. "See how our children stand against the Greek upstarts," he rumbled, his voice like distant thunder. "Atl carries the hopes of our people."
Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god, nodded sagely. His iridescent plumage rustled as he spoke, each word carrying the weight of ancient wisdom. "Atl fights with the fury of our people, true. But do not underestimate the son of Hades. I sense a great and terrible power in him, forged in suffering."
Huitzilopochtli, the Aztec god of war, sneered. His hummingbird helm caught the light as he turned, his muscular arms crossed over his chest. "The Greek gods have grown soft in their complacency. As have their children. They've forgotten the taste of true battle, of sacrifice."
"Let us not forget what happened during the great war," Tezcatlipoca, the god of night and sorcery, interjected. His obsidian mirror gleamed, reflecting scenes from a conflict long past. "This tournament is born from the ashes of that devastation. We must tread carefully."
Suddenly, the air shimmered and warped. The boundaries between divine realms thinned, revealing Mount Olympus beside their viewing pool. The Greek gods came into view, their golden auras clashing with the vibrant hues of Omeyocan. An uneasy silence fell over both groups, the current fight between their children bringing age-old tensions to the surface.
Zeus stepped forward, his expression carefully neutral though lightning danced in his eyes. "Greetings, lords of the Aztec pantheon. It seems our children have found themselves in quite the contest."
Tláloc's eyes flashed dangerously, storm clouds gathering around him. "Indeed, Sky Father. Your son of Hades fights well, I'll grant you that. But he will fall before the might of the Aztec bloodline. Our ways are older, our power more primal."
Hades emerged from the shadows, his dark eyes fixed on Tláloc. The temperature seemed to drop as he spoke. "Do not be so quick to judge, rain god. My son has survived trials that would break lesser beings. He carries the strength of the Underworld itself."
Tensions rose as the gods faced off, the age-old rivalries between pantheons bubbling to the surface. The very fabric of reality seemed to warp around them, responding to their divine emotions.
Athena, ever the voice of reason, stepped forward. Her grey eyes were sharp as she spoke, her words measured and calm. "Perhaps we should consider what this battle means for all of us. The world is changing. Old boundaries are blurring. We designed this tournament for a reason, remember? To find a way forward without resorting to open war."
Quetzalcoatl nodded slowly, his feathers rustling. "The goddess of wisdom speaks truth. Whether we like it or not, our fates are intertwined. The mortal world can no longer sustain open conflict between pantheons."
Huitzilopochtli scoffed, his hand tightening on his weapon. "Intertwined? We need no alliance with the Greeks. Our ways have endured for millennia!"
Ares grinned fiercely, battle-lust gleaming in his eyes. "Big words from a fallen pantheon. Don't you remember what happened last time we crossed blades? The rivers ran red with ichor!"
"That is quite enough, Ares," Zeus thundered, knowing that his son was looking for a fight. The air crackled with ozone as he spoke. "Fighting among ourselves is forbidden, for good reason. Or have you forgotten the devastation of the last divine war?"
Huitzilopochtli, his face a mask of barely contained rage, locked eyes with Zeus. "We will show you our might through our children, as are the rules," the powerful god said, each word dripping with centuries of resentment. "Let their combat serve as a proxy for our own unfinished business."
The tension was palpable, divine energies swirling and clashing. But before it could escalate further, a new voice cut through the divine posturing.
"Oh my, would you look at that?" The silky, mischievous tones of Loki, the Norse god of trickery, somehow managed to be heard across the cosmic divide. "It seems we're not the only ones enjoying the show."
Attention shifted, and suddenly the viewing pool expanded, revealing not just the Greek and Aztec gods, but the Norse pantheon watching from the golden halls of Asgard.
Odin, the All-Father, sat upon his throne, his single eye gleaming with ancient wisdom as he observed both the fight below and the divine drama unfolding. "Focus on the match," he rumbled, his voice carrying the weight of aeons, "instead of trying to start trouble that none here can afford."
Thor, the thunder god, laughed boisterously, raising a horn of mead. "Those old Aztecs still holding a grudge? That sounds about right! Nothing a good feast and a few barrels of mead can't solve, I say!"
"What of my boy, is he still thrashing those two Greek demigods?" Thor asked, being too busy drinking rather than watching the tournament.
"No, that fight ended in a draw," Heimdall said, watching everything that was happening with his all-seeing eyes.
"What! I missed it, that boy had better show me some better fights!" Thor yelled as he slammed his fist down on the armrest of his seat.
"Maybe pay attention instead of drinking next time," Heimdall said in disgust as Thor let out a mighty burp.
"How about shut up," Thor yelled as he slammed his horn onto the ground, breaking it as he signalled for another drink with a cheer.
As the gods bickered and postured, the battle between Damon and Atl reached a fever pitch. Atl, drawing deep on his heritage, summoned a bolt of lightning with one hand while using the other to whip up a vortex of water. The display of elemental mastery was breathtaking, a testament to the power of Aztec blood.
"Time to die, Greek!" Atl roared, his voice carrying the fury of a storm as he unleashed the bolt of lightning. The air itself seemed to split as the electrical charge raced towards Damon.
Damon, his eyes wide with shock at the display of power, threw up a wave of hellfire in a desperate attempt to block the lightning strike. The two forces met in a cataclysmic explosion of steam and sparks. For a moment, it seemed Damon's defence might hold.
But Atl wasn't finished. With a war cry that echoed through the maze, he let his water vortex loose. It crashed into Damon with the force of a tsunami, swallowing him up and tossing him about like a rag doll in its watery grip.
Trapped in the vortex, Damon felt panic setting in. He couldn't breathe, couldn't orient himself. The water pummelled him from all sides, threatening to crush him. "I can't breathe... I can't escape," he thought, his mind racing. "Is this how it ends?"
For a moment, Damon saw his life flash before his eyes. The pain and suffering in Tartarus, the loneliness of being Hades' son, the constant struggle for survival. But with those memories came a realization - he had survived all of that. He had clawed his way out of literal hell. He couldn't let it end here.
He had to do something... Anything...
"It's over, the Greek pup is finished," Tláloc said watching with a smirk as his son had Damon trapped in a vortex.
"It would appear so." Quetzalcoatl the feathered serpent said, watching the battle carefully.
"We Aztec gods train our children in our ways from the start. Unlike you Greeks who don't interfere with mortals and simply have children by mistake as you play around." Tláloc then said, looking over at Hades and the other Greek gods.
"Mistake... Perhaps. But, there is a reason we don't have anything to do with our mortal children." Zeus said, keeping a calm look on his face.
Poseidon also smiled as he crossed his arms over his chest, feeling a sudden shift in Damon from where he was sitting.
As if responding to Damon's desperation and his will to survive, a strange, computerized voice echoed in Damon's mind:
*Would you like to make an upgrade?*
A spectral screen materialized in his mind's eye, displaying an option:
*Upgrade Hellfire. Cost: 500 souls.*
Damon didn't hesitate. In that moment between life and death, he made his choice. *Yes.*
The screen faded, and Damon felt a surge of power unlike anything he had experienced before. It was as if the very essence of Tartarus itself was flowing through his veins. The hellfire within him grew, evolving, changing into something more primal and terrifying.
With a roar that shook the very foundations of the maze, Damon let loose his newfound power. Blue flames, darker and more intense than before, erupted from his body. They spread through the water vortex, not extinguished by the liquid but rather consuming it, turning it to steam in an instant.
Atl stumbled back, his eyes wide with disbelief as he watched his ultimate attack dissipate into nothing. "W-What is this power?" he gasped, feeling the heat of Damon's flames even from a distance.
Damon stood amidst the dissipating steam, his body dry and radiating an intense heat. Blue flames danced across his skin, and his eyes glowed with an inner fire that spoke of power beyond mortal comprehension. When he spoke, his voice carried an otherworldly echo.
"You wanted a fight," Damon said, taking a step forward. The stone beneath his feet cracked and smouldered. "Now you've got one."
In the divine realms, all the gods watched in stunned silence. The Greek gods looked to Hades, who stood with a mixture of pride and concern on his usually impassive face.
"We don't interfere with our children for a reason," Hades said softly, his words carrying to all present. "They either find the strength within themselves, or they fall. Damon has chosen to rise."
As Damon advanced on Atl, the air thick with the scent of brimstone and the crackle of mystical energy, it was clear that the battle - and perhaps the entire tournament had entered a new phase.
Atl, despite his shock, quickly regained his composure. He was a warrior, trained from birth in the ways of the Aztec gods. He wouldn't go down without a fight. "You think a little fire scares me, Greek?" he snarled, raising his spear. "I am the son of Tláloc! The storm itself bows to my will!"
With a cry, Atl summoned a whirlwind around himself, water and air intermingling in a protective cyclone. Lightning crackled within the vortex, turning it into a swirling maelstrom of elemental fury.
Damon paused, assessing the situation. His newfound power thrummed through him, begging to be unleashed. But with it came a clarity he hadn't experienced before. "This isn't just about power," he realized. "It's about control, about understanding."
Taking a deep breath, Damon focused on the hellfire within him. Instead of letting it rage unchecked, he guided it, shaped it with his will. The blue flames coalesced around his sword, turning the blade into a searing brand of otherworldly fire.
"You're right, Atl," Damon called out, his voice carrying over the howl of the whirlwind. "I don't fully understand the power of your gods, the depth of your heritage. But I'm beginning to understand my own."
With that, Damon charged forward. As he neared Atl's cyclone, he swung his flaming sword in a wide arc. The hellfire leapt from the blade, not as a wild inferno, but as a controlled, searing wave. It collided with Atl's whirlwind, and for a moment, the two forces seemed evenly matched.
Then, slowly but surely, Damon's hellfire began to push through. It didn't extinguish the water or overpower the lightning. Instead, it seemed to consume them, absorbing their essence and growing stronger.
Atl's eyes widened in disbelief as he saw his defences crumbling. "Impossible," he gasped, redoubling his efforts to maintain the cyclone. "Our powers are sacred, passed down through generations!"
"And mine were forged in the depths of Tartarus," Damon replied, pressing his advantage. "Tempered by suffering and honed by survival."
As the two demigods clashed, their powers intermingling in a spectacular display, the watching gods fell into an awed silence.
In Omeyocan, Tláloc gripped his staff tightly, rain falling around him in response to his agitation. "This cannot be," he growled. "The power of the Aztec gods cannot be matched!"
Quetzalcoatl, however, watched the battle with growing interest. "Perhaps," he mused, "this is not about one pantheon overpowering another. Look closely, Tláloc. See how their powers interact, how they push each other to greater heights."
On Olympus, the Greek gods watched with a mixture of pride and concern. Zeus stroked his beard thoughtfully, lightning dancing between his fingers. "The boy shows promise," he admitted. "But such power... it could be dangerous."
Hades stepped forward, his dark eyes fixed on the image of his son. "All power is dangerous, brother," he said softly. "What matters is how it's wielded."
Damon's hellfire broke through Atl's magic, seeming to push back his storm powers altogether.
"No! I won't lose!" Atl roared, letting a bolt of lighting flow from the sky into his body as he hurled it at Damon, using all of his power.
"I've had enough of these lightning powers!" Damon shouted, his voice echoing through the maze. With a swift, precise movement, he swung his hellfire-infused sword, meeting the incoming lightning bolt head-on. The collision of powers created a blinding flash, forcing both combatants to shield their eyes.
As the light faded, they witnessed the aftermath of their clash. The deflected lightning had struck the maze wall, leaving a gaping hole. Chunks of stone, still crackling with residual energy, littered the ground. The air filled with the acrid scent of ozone and burning rock.
Atl stood frozen, his eyes wide with disbelief. The raw power Damon had displayed was beyond anything he had anticipated. "Impossible," he muttered, his confidence wavering for the first time. "How did you...?"
Damon didn't wait for him to finish. "Time to end this!" he roared, his body suddenly engulfed in blue flames. Using his hellfire as a propellant, Damon launched himself forward with incredible speed, leaving a trail of fire in his wake.
Atl, snapping out of his shock, reacted on instinct. He thrust his spear forward, channelling a desperate surge of lightning into the weapon. The air crackled as electricity danced along the spear's length, aimed directly at Damon's approaching form.
But Damon was ready. In a move that defied both gravity and expectation, he twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding the spear's electrified tip. His hand shot out, grasping the wooden shaft of Atl's weapon.
Time seemed to slow as their eyes met, mere inches apart. Atl saw determination blazing in Damon's gaze, while Damon recognized the first flickers of fear in Atl's.
With a fierce cry, Damon allowed his hellfire to flow through his arm and into the spear. The wood began to smoke and char under his grip. In one fluid motion, he snapped the weapon, separating the ornate tip from its shaft.
The broken pieces of the spear clattered to the ground, the sound echoing through the suddenly silent maze. Atl stumbled backwards, weaponless and vulnerable, while Damon stood tall, wreathed in the ethereal blue glow of his hellfire.
This moment marked a turning point in their battle, showcasing not just Damon's growing power, but also his tactical thinking and adaptability. The clash of Greek and Aztec powers had reached its climax, with the very fabric of the maze bearing witness to their epic confrontation.
"Now die!" Damon yelled out, swinging his sword down with all the power of the underworld, watching as the hellfire-infused blade sliced through Atl, head to toe, burning him to ashes that scattered into the wind and ending their battle once and for all.