CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

A third seeker-titan proved to be a challenge for the demi-gods. The current favored son of Kronos, Assimilator could absorb not the powers or mystical abilities; but when he caught a victim including a god in his grip and held them long enough, they became a part of him. He literally grew enough for another torso with the arms and head of his victims sprouted and attacked as if they were him. The last titan that had such a power was known as the Hundred-Handed One, Hecatoncheires. He was an abomination as was Assimilator. Most abomination-titans were so hated by their brethren that they were hunted and killed. Kronos protected Assimilator and though struggled to control him, he felt that he was a great asset to keep around. When he faced Hephaestus, the fight was more violent than most. Hephaestus was a weapon smith of the gods of Olympus. He was no novice in battle. He knew how to fight foes of all sizes and breeds. In fact, he aided Apollo in binding his opponent while in battle with Assimilator. Apollo teleported away with his bound foe, not knowing that Assimilator was waiting for him to do so before he unleashed his true power. The seeker-titan feinted one way and when Hephaestus did not recognize the feint and moved to dodge, the seeker-titan retracted his movement and was able to catch Hephaestus in hand.

"Like leading a child to candy," Assimilator gloated.

"It's like taking candy from a baby, you idiot!" Hephaestus corrected as he struggled to escape. He could not teleport away, nor could he break free from the massive grip of the seeker-titan. Hephaestus felt the power of the titan begin to take him. His mind was expelled from his body and death fell upon him as the body was absorbed as part of Assimilator. The torso of Hephaestus sprouted as a secondary mass attached to the pelvis and legs of Assimilator. The eyes glowed a wicked-red as the mind of Assimilator controlled the former body of Hephaestus. Nike and Hermes suffered the same fate, not having Apollo there to aid them. Assimilator feared the sun god for some reason. His hunger was sated. The seeker-titan could only absorb so many before he had to rest. Assimilator and his new enhanced body of war teleported to the outskirts of the seed of life where Kronos and Insanium watched the battles from afar and studied their opponents.

"Master, Father, why do you watch from afar? Why do you not help us win the day quickly?" Assimilator asked. Insanium glared at the foolish abomination. His intelligence was hindered by his empowerment and mutations. Kronos also glared at his child.

"We study our enemies to find their weaknesses," Kronos replied with little patients.

"Your father and I are weeding out the weak children of our pack while studying the weaknesses of our enemies. You are among the strongest of your kin. Stay with us for now and rest. But keep your mouth shut!" Insanium spoke allowed with his otherworldly, guttural tone.

They watched as seeker-titans were subdued and bound, then teleported away to an unknown location. They watched the strong seeker-titans prevail against their foes and selected them to join them and watch as the gods tired. Death and Gladiguseus had joined them and tended to their wounds as they watched their brothers and sisters fall, one-by-one. The gods lost Bes, Hathor, Frigga, Heimdall, and Odur that day.

*****

Zeus and the remaining gods were badly injured. After their violent battles with the seeker-titans, they teleported to the godly realm of the Keeper of Secrets on Dark Athyx to check on his progress. The seeker-titans had all been ritualistically destroyed. The sight was vile as great lakes of blood formed in the godly realm of the Keeper of Secrets from all of the massive titan bodies he had slain. Zeus counted them.

"Kronos and three others are unaccounted for by my count." Zeus said to the others, breaking the silence.

"They are watching from a safe distance. We could attack them together and end it now." Odin offered an option.

"It's my fault that we lost some of our brothers and sisters! I say we attack now." Apollo barked.

"Viscus and Enamor could obliterate them without our aid," Armco spat blood as he spoke.

"No , we cannot. We are too high ranking and the laws of the relic will not permit us to attack other gods of less power. The seeker-titans we could end, but as for Kronos and the Forgotten One, we cannot." Enamor said regrettably.

"We outnumber the sons-a-bitches! Let's kill'em now." Bolnarg barked.

"Calm my brave friend. We should listen to the master tacticians first." The Justicar said playfully to the orc god of war. Bolnarg glared at the fellow god coldly.

"I say we chance it!" Zeus said looking to Apollo and understanding his pain.

"Even gods fall! It is best to fall with honor than cowardice." Odin added.

"Couldn't we at least wait until our wounds heal? We are not able to use avatars to battle for us. We are risking our own bodies." Loki complained.

Prometheus appeared and caught all off guard. Gods spun around to attack the intruder that they did not know.

"Wait!" Zeus shouted when he saw Prometheus. "He is one of us." Zeus eyed the titan incredulously.

"Greetings everyone. I hope that I am welcome in your very diverse pantheon." Prometheus said.

"Aren't you a titan?" Odin asked.

"Yes, I am. I aided Zeus long ago against Kronos only to be punished for creating man and giving them fire." Prometheus said with a hint of anger in his tone.

"You sound vengeful towards Zeus," Enamor noted.

"I am not vengeful. Perhaps a little angry that he would do such things to me for so long but we have made amends. He sent his son to free me, showing that he would risk the life of his own son for me. That is a sign that he regretted what he had done to me." Prometheus said honestly.

"What brings you here?" Apollo asked.

"I had a vision of madness that led me to Olympus where I saw its remnants and what it had become after being assimilated into the plane of madness. Even my mind could not grasp the madness of the design behind some of the terrain and creatures that dwell there. I sought to find Zeus and any from Olympus that might have survived." Prometheus claimed.

"How did you find the seed of life?" Aphrodite asked.

"That pulse we all still feel resonating. It is Oblivion's gate, the plane of Viscus. He forged his empowering plane from a relic he stole from Insanium, the Forgotten One. That is how you were all discovered. That is how I found you." Prometheus replied. The gods all eyed Viscus threateningly.

"Do not look at me like that. Do not judge me. I could snuff you all out." Viscus threatened.

"No, brother. You couldn't. They are lesser powers than you and I. You cannot directly harm any of them." Enamor reminded them all to provide some comfort.

"We can deal with the issue of Viscus' treachery after we destroy our common enemies." Odin offered, noting that Enamor was truly on their side and not with Viscus.

"Tell me, Prometheus, how did you locate this godly realm." Zeus demanded suddenly realizing there was a problem.

"I followed the seeker-titans , Kronos, and Insanium here. I thought you would have sensed their presence in your own godly realm." Prometheus said in confusion. The Keeper of Secrets had been distracted with his work of destroying the seeker-titans and hiding the unconscious Na-Dene.

"I did not even sense you until you were upon us," the Keeper of Secrets admitted.

"Why do you suppose that is?" Prometheus asked. Thunder clapped suddenly. Lighting began crackling all about the gods and the dead seeker-titans. Thor formed from the energy of the lighting anew.

"Born to defend the mortal world from evil," Odin recited as his son was rebirthed right before his very eyes.

"It is because they are here!" Thor said looking around the area and eyeing each god with his judgmental eyes that crackled with lightning.