Chryses, also known as Krios, was originally one of the primordial gods of the celestial realms and the god of growth. He was a Titan, the child of both the Earth and Sky gods, and unlike his more power-hungry siblings, he preferred peace and distanced himself from the chaos of the battlefield. However, fate had a way of catching up with him, and despite his attempt to avoid the wars, he eventually fell victim to the turmoil surrounding the transfer of power.
Hermes recalled Chryses' tragic end. Originally, he was a god of life, overseeing not only life itself but also the harvest and weather. He had powerful dominion over the earth's vitality.
According to Hermes' understanding, Zeus wanted to eliminate Chryses and have Demeter absorb his power. By doing so, he could create a 'goddess of life' under his control, weakening Gaia's influence over the Earth while striking a blow to the Titans. It was a move with two purposes.
As Hermes flew through the clouds, wearing his winged sandals, he couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. Apollo had mentioned that Chryses had fallen in the Talos Mountains, which meant that his divine essence and powerful artifact, the Golden Staff, were likely hidden there. With these two powerful objects in hand, Hermes could easily secure a prominent position among the gods.
"But why did Apollo leave this gift for me instead of giving it to his own sister? Was it truly out of gratitude for my help?" Hermes wondered. He thought about Artemis, who, aside from her lunar powers, also ruled over forests and hunting. Her path was naturally aligned with the forces of nature, closely tied to the essence of life itself.
Upon landing near the Talos Mountains, Hermes couldn't shake the feeling that Apollo had not simply neglected to pass the gift to Artemis out of goodwill—rather, it seemed he had no choice. After all, Apollo had likely searched the area for Chryses' essence and found nothing.
Hermes understood why Apollo had looked at him with such a strange expression before his departure. It wasn't just the difficulty of the search; it was the overwhelming presence of death in this valley. Chryses, a god of life, had fallen here, but now the land was cloaked in death.
"Thank you, Fate's goddesses, and great Night's guide," Hermes muttered, holding up the black obsidian given to him by the death god, Thanatos. Originally meant to protect him from vengeful spirits, it was now essential to his survival as he ventured into this cursed valley.
With a chant, Hermes raised the obsidian, invoking its protective magic. A black aura spiraled out from the stone, forming a protective ring around him. The chill from the magic sharpened his focus, allowing him to remain undeterred by the suffocating death energy surrounding him.
"Strange... it feels like someone has triggered my divine power," Hermes thought, as a faint sense of recognition stirred within him.
As he ventured deeper into the valley, his efforts were interrupted by a familiar presence. Thanatos, the god of death, flew in from the Underworld. His wings beat as he approached the scene, having sensed the activation of divine power in the area.
"Ah, I see... someone familiar is here," Thanatos said as he landed, his dark eyes scanning the landscape. "Hermes, what brings you to this forsaken place?"
Hermes chuckled awkwardly. "You're right, Thanatos. I'm searching for the remnants of Chryses' divine essence. I was hoping you could assist me."
"Chryses?" Thanatos raised an eyebrow. "I thought that was Apollo's problem, not yours."
"Well, I've taken it upon myself," Hermes said with a grin. "But I need help. The remnants of Chryses' power are here somewhere, and I'd rather not waste time searching aimlessly."
"Ah, so that's what's going on. You're after the essence of the God of Growth," Thanatos mused, looking at Hermes with some interest. "You're asking me to use my abilities to sense it?"
Hermes nodded eagerly. "Exactly. If you help me, we can split whatever we find here. It seems like a fair deal."
Thanatos sighed, his cold gaze briefly flicking to the barren landscape around them. "Very well. Let's see what we can do."
Together, they began searching the valley. Thanatos' divine power and Hermes' cleverness worked in tandem as they sifted through the energy of death and life in the land, feeling for any trace of Chryses' essence. It wasn't long before the two gods discovered that this valley had indeed been a sacred site, once teeming with life and now corrupted by death.
"Here, this is where Chryses' power lies," Thanatos said, pointing to a darkened stone formation at the heart of the valley.
"Perfect," Hermes replied. "Now, let's see if we can extract it."
But as they drew closer to the stone, they felt an overwhelming surge of energy—one that neither god had expected. The ground trembled, and a dark figure emerged from the shadows. It was a guardian, a powerful spirit twisted by the imbalance of life and death in this place.
Hermes and Thanatos braced themselves for battle. "Looks like we're not alone," Hermes said, his voice filled with resolve.
"Indeed," Thanatos replied, raising his scythe. "But we have the upper hand. Let's take it down."
As they prepared to face this new threat, Hermes realized just how much was at stake—not just for him, but for the future of the gods and their domains.