From Titans

by Mary Ting

  “How are we going to stop them?” Colin narrowed his eyes. “We’re not…”

  “Giants or…” Sarah chimed in, unable to finish. Inhaling a deep breath, her shoulders dropped in defeat.

  Hermes appeared, sounding confident with his chin up, behind Zeus. “We can. We have the Cyclopes on our side. They want their revenge and have agreed to aid us if and when we’re ready for them.”

  “You’ve released the Cyclopes?” Zeus raised an eyebrow. “Are you mad, Hermes?”

  He didn’t get a chance to answer, Tara stepped in. “He’s not mad, Zeus. They haven’t been released to the human world, yet.” There was a hint of mischief in her tone. Her glistening eyes told me she was excited about the plan Hermes had mentioned.

  Hades crossed his arms and cleared his throat. “First things first, how did Eris shrink the Titans?”

  “I would like to know too.” Mason cocked a brow with disgust. “She did the same thing to me, many times. I was afraid I would become like a stretch man or something weird.”

  Zara placed an elbow on the arm of her marble throne and rested her head on her fist with a sigh. Strands of her neat, braided hair stuck out like long spider’s legs. Though she didn’t drop a bead of sweat, she looked drained.

  “I know how she did it,” Zara answered, locking her eyes on Athena. “It’s a long story, and there are many different versions, but I’m confident Athena will share her story.” Zara’s hard stare urged Athena to do so, as if to threaten her that Zara would tell it if Athena didn’t.

  Athena fidgeted with her hair tied into a ponytail and threw her hands up with a roll of her eyes. “A mortal named Arachne bragged how she weaved better than me. So I disguised myself as an old woman and warned her to plead for forgiveness for her sharp tongue and pray that Athena would spare her soul. I’m a goddess, so I couldn’t help myself. When Arachne challenged me to a weaving contest, I took off my disguise and accepted the contest.”

  Ares’s brows creased in confusion. “You can’t spare souls.”

  “She didn’t know that,” Athena spat. “Anyway, the mortal won the contest,” she mumbled so softly that it was difficult to hear. “My weaving portrayed battles in which the gods punished mortals for setting themselves as equals to the gods. Arachne’s weaving depicted ways that the gods had misled and abused mortals. So when her weaving insulted the gods, and I hate to admit it, it was better than mine, I did what any goddess would do. I ripped her work into shreds.”

  Our jaws dropped. Athena fought beside us. All along, I’d never guessed her to be such a…

  “Bitch.” Nick took the word out of my mouth, but it was hardly audible. In fact, I thought I was the only one who heard him.

  “That’s not all. Is it, Athena?” Tara tapped her fingers, urging Athena to move along. We didn’t have all day.

  Athena’s lips curled down. “I sprinkled her body with the juice of an herb called Monkshead, also known as Hecate’s Bane. I watched as Arachne transformed into a spider. Her head shrunk, her hair fell out, and her nimble fingers grew into long, thin legs.” Her eyes glistened with pure satisfaction.

  Mason glared at Athena, and his tone rose. “So, you turned her into a spider?”

  Athena shrugged and turned her face away, unable to meet Mason’s gaze. She didn’t answer at first. Gods were not only arrogant, but they would never admit they were wrong. “She deserved it. Just like Eris and the Titans will. I have some left.”

  “If we use this on the Titans, will it turn them into spiders?” I questioned.

  “No.” Athena shook her head. “Only the humans do. Those with a god’s blood just shrink.”

  Nick’s eyes grew in fury, but his tone was calm. “You had something that could have helped beat the Titans, and it didn’t occur to you to mention it?”

  Athena looked away, fidgeting with her ponytail. “I don’t need to answer to this little person. Besides, why didn’t the Oracles mention it?”

  Nick scoffed and inhaled a deep breath.

  Silence.

  Dead silence.

  A sigh.

  A cough.

  Zara clapped once.

  We jumped.

  “Well…” Zara snapped us out of whatever had rendered us speechless. “Either we stay here like corpses or we go save the world. Skylar, have either of your parents contacted you?”

  “No.”

  Zara’s lips twitched, her eyes focused. “Let’s hope they hurry. Do you know where they went?”

  “No,” I answered. “Mom was vague about her plans. She knows the urgency of our situation.”

  “But she doesn’t know how bad it is.”

  I wasn’t sure what caused me to get into a leadership role besides the fact my family was at the dead center of the battle, but without hesitation, I took charge. “Athena, bring the Monkshead and meet us there. Hermes, release the Cyclopes. For everyone else, what are we waiting for? Let’s go.”

  Chapter 25

  Skylar

  We arrived at Kelly’s diner through a portal. At first I wasn’t sure if we were at the right place when smoke filled the air, but then a warning bell rang in my head, reminding me the battle started here. It wasn’t just the smoke; the ground shook, and loud angry roars filled the air. Those sounds had to have come from the Titans. Chills danced along my spine.

  I coughed, and then everyone started to cough from the toxic smoke, except for the gods. The coughing continued as we covered our noses. Our steps were careful as we fanned our hands to clear away the smoke. Zara perked her lips. After a long inhale and exhale of her breath, guided by her magic, the smoke vanished. Silently thanking Zara we could breathe again, we paced forward, led by Ares in front. When Nick had called Kayla, she informed him they were fine, but asked for us to hurry, for the town was under siege.

  “Kayla,” Nick shouted. “Are you here?” Nick rushed through the damage to the kitchen. We followed. Only he knew where they were hiding.

  Nick swung the storage room door. Kayla, my aunt, Mona, and Jack sat to the back corner with knives in their trembling hands.

  Kayla beamed with recognition. “Nick.” She dropped the knife and embraced him and then me, followed by my aunt, Jack, and Mona.

  “Who are these people?” My auntie Kelly looked either impressed or was in shock to see the gods. Her eyes shifted from Zeus to Ares to Hades. She couldn’t stop staring at Hades.

  “Pleasure to meet you.” Zeus kissed my aunt’s knuckles.

  She blushed and then blushed even more after Hades did the same.

  “What’s going on? When? How?” I threw in questions.

  “We have no idea?” Mona threw up her hands. “I’m going to assume they appeared through a portal. Otherwise, I’m sure we would’ve heard and felt Cronus’s steps before he got here.”

  “You saw him?” Sarah cringed.

  Aaron’s eyes grew wider, and Colin held fast to his sword and shield.

  “He crushed half of this building with his stinking foot,” Jack spat, waving a spatula with his other hand and then slamming it on the counter as if he could crush Cronus with it. “We stayed behind to clear the fire. But they ripped through this town. They’re not far. I suggested we stay in the storage room, the only section that hadn’t been touched. Besides, we couldn’t escape. Our cars were crushed, too.”

  The pots and pans rattled, the ground trembled, and human screams filled the short peace we had.

  “Are your mom and dad okay?” Kelly asked, quivering. “Do you know where

  they are?” She leaned into me. “What’s going on? I don’t understand. Who is Cronus?”

  “My parents are safe,” I reassured her, but it was a lie as I dismissed her last

  question. I had no idea. Where did my parents go? I wished they would hurry. Receiving no return texts or calls from them had my stomach in knots.

  Mona picked up a broom and started sweeping. “Is this happening throughout the world? How did Cronus escape?”

 
Zara waved her hands in a circular motion, mumbling a few words. Everything around us, what was left, moved on its own back to its original position. Even the broken chairs, dishes, ceiling, cabinets, like when one rewinds a movie, everything was whole again.

  Aunt Kelly stumbled back, covering her mouth from screaming.

  Kayla dropped her jaw. “Shit. Mom doesn’t know who—”

  Before Kayla could finish, Zeus placed his hands on my aunt’s temples and sent a dosage of shock waves. When he left go, he let her fall into his arms.

  Zeus cradled her and placed her down in the storage room. “She’ll forget this and what we’ve discussed here. I don’t know when she’ll wake up, but someone should stay with her, preferably Kayla. Mona and Jack should stay behind to help Kayla, just in case.”

  Mona shrugged. “I was planning on it anyway. Sure, why not?”

  “Just because we have no powers…” Jack wiggled his fingers with his lips turned down. “We miss all the fun.” He dropped his shoulders with a sigh. “But I’ll do whatever you ask of me.”

  “Good.” Zeus cocked a brow, expecting nothing less.

  The ground shook again. The pots and pans clanked together.

  “We better go,” Mason said, not sounding thrilled. He kissed my forehead.

  “Stay in the storage room.” Nick kissed Kayla and guided her gently back in.

  “Be careful,” Kayla murmured.

  “We’ll be back soon.” I caught Kayla’s eyes. “Stay here and don’t come out unless you have to.” It was the safest place for her. Right?

  “Wait,” Zara, Nick, and I said at the same time.

  The three of us exchanged glances, surprised we had said the same word.

  I spoke first. “Zara should portal them back home.”

  “I was going to say the same thing,” Nick seconded.

  “And so was I.” Zara opened her fist and lights glowed and swirled, dancing with the wind. Then they were gone, safely back to my aunt’s house.

  The town had been rebuilt with the help from the gods when Hephaestus and his monsters ripped through not too long before in search of me. People were suffering much worse. Sure, there were causalities before, but Cronus and Eris had begun attacking the humans, too.

  I had to cover my eyes and look the other way. Countless dead bodies dotted along the streets. Some had missing limbs and others had been decapitated. Blood painted the windows, doors, and sidewalks.

  The town was unrecognizable. Fire blazed and flames reached the sky. The building structures were smashed, the windows shattered, many of them beyond repair. Squashed cars blocked the road, along with broken trees and street signs. Even the homes I could see from the short distance had been damaged. A truly devastating sight. My heart sank, and the knot in my stomach tightened even more.

  “Cronus! Eris!” Zeus must have felt the same ache as me. Even though he didn’t care for the humans, the sight alone was cause for anger. He raised his hands and called upon the thunder. The already-ominous clouds darkened even more, twisting and turning. “This should let them know our location. Bring the fight here, where there has already been damage.”

  Zeus was right. Why cause destruction elsewhere? Boom! Boom! Boom! The ground pounded. Our balance got worse when the ground rattled faster, closer together. They were near.

  “Don’t let Eris take you.” I turned to Mason and kissed him.

  “You stay by my side,” he ordered with a kiss back. “We’re not losing this—”

  “Zeus!” Cronus’s voice thundered over us, covering Mason’s words.

  “Holy Cronus,” Sarah murmured with her head tilted back, gripping tighter to her shield.

  “He looks so normal, just big,” Colin commented with wide eyes.

  Aaron’s hands blazed with fire. He stood confident, but the expression on his face told me something else.

  I shivered and gulped down my fear. Eris sat on Cronus’s shoulder. Behind Cronus were his siblings and—No, it couldn’t be. She did. Giant humans were under her spell, lined in perfect formation, ready to attack.

  “Well, Father and Eris,” Zeus mocked. “You don’t look happy to see me. Surprised that we’re still alive?”

  “You!” Eris gritted through her teeth, jumped down, and stood in front of Cronus. “How is that possible?”

  “I have good news and bad news for you,” Zeus stated, not answering her question. “The bad news is that the Labyrinth of Crete is gone, burnt to the ground so you can never use it on anyone to play your stupid silly games.”

  Eris frowned.

  “The good news is…we’re here.”

  The cool breeze became colder and more vicious, tossing everything in its path. Though it seemed impossible, the day turned darker still. Water dripped on my face, slow at first, then gradually worse.

  “Mason?” My voice quivered, my throat parched, and my gut feeling told me to run.

  Mason felt it too. He squeezed my hand.

  “Surrender and your punishment will be the same,” Zara belted through the wind. “Or face death.”

  “Punishment?” Eris laughed like she’d heard a joke. “Don’t be ridiculous, Zara, you old fool. I may not have magic like yours, but I am the goddess of chaos, and chaos follows me wherever I go. So it’s my turn to spit out demands.” Her eyes darkened with a glower. “You surrender, or everything the poor little pathetic humans built will be destroyed. And the hundreds and hundreds of the giants I have behind me, I know you won’t hurt them. For they do not know what they are.” She sounded almost sympathetic.

  “We do not surrender to a lowly goddess who thinks she’s one of us.” Zeus pounded his staff on the ground, striking Eris. Her body went tumbling across space. I wished I could have done that, but it gave me great satisfaction to know she had been struck.

  Then the battle began.

  Chapter 26

  Skylar

  Eris controlled the humans turned giants, who stomped and stormed through what was left of the town. There were so many of them. Not only did we have to worry about the Titans, but the human giants as well.

  We ran like mice away from the cats. And in some ways we were back in the Labyrinth as we climbed over crushed cars, jump over enormous potholes, and weaved around ruined structures while trying to bring the Titans down.

  “Don’t hurt the humans. They don’t know what they’re doing,” I hollered, releasing Mason’s hand. We were forced to separate when a beat-up car flew at us.

  I jumped, shaking off concrete debris, and searched for Mason. I didn’t have to look long because Mason was up, looking for me. Then a giant human foot landed between us.

  “We can’t lose Cronus,” Hades shouted as he sped by. “We need to get Poseidon first. That’s our first priority.

  “On my way.” Ares jumped over the broken cars to catch up to Cronus. Ares threw his shield and nicked Cronus’s leg, but Cronus never flinched.

  Mason and I ran, following Hades who was following Cronus. Everywhere the giants stepped was another home smashed. Hopefully the people were smart enough to have gotten out. I assumed so. The town seemed dead, except for us. And the screams and cries for help from the people had faded out.

  “Cronus, stop running and fight like a god!” Zeus growled. Lightning sizzled around his body and staff.

  Cronus halted. Mason and I dove away from the falling tree Cronus nudged with his feet.

  “You want your brother back, Zeus?” Cronus spread his lips wickedly. “The only way to save him is for me to eat you. And you know as well as I do, you’re not willing to make that sacrifice. You’re all selfish and unworthy of god powers. You’re no better than a cockroach.”

  Zeus’s eyes flashed like lightning. The lightning around him grew bigger and more intense. “You dare to compare me to a cockroach when—”

  An arm swung from our blind spot. We had no time to warn Zeus. Oceanus got shocked by Zeus when he grabbed him and fell to the ground, but just before, he threw Zeus like a tennis
ball to Cronus. Cronus held Zeus tightly, squeezing him. Cronus had taken Zeus’s staff with the other hand and swallowed it.

  “No!” Hades cried, blasting his fire as Aaron and I did the same on Cronus’s other foot. At the same time, Zara, Nick, and Mason did all they could, zapping the Titans with their powers.

  Cronus blew out the fire with one long exhale and kicked his feet to make it difficult to have anyone near him. He parted his lips to swallow Zeus and then stopped. A shiny circular portal opened from behind Cronus. When Cronus turned, Zeus was taken and a fist punched Cronus’s face. Cronus’s body twisted and fell to the ground. Cyclopes—not one or two, or three, but a dozen of them—had passed through the portal with Hermes and Tara.

  Thank God!

  “Well, it’s about time, Polyphemus,” Zeus said.

  “Zeus,” Polyphemus chuckled. The funny sound of his laughter stung my ears.

  “What are they doing here?” Eris appeared. Her victory smile faded, replaced by clenched teeth and rounded fists. “Polyphemus, do as I say or I’ll put you back in prison.” Her weakened tone did not carry her threat.

  Polyphemus snarled, his one eye blinked and glared.

  Eris stumbled and collided into a house when a Cyclops behind her flicked her. I had to laugh. This whole situation was no laughing matter, but it felt good for Eris to get what she deserved.

  “Hurry, sprinkle this on them.” Athena gave Tara and Hermes a small bag filled with Monkshead flowers. “Crush the flowers on their foreheads or as close to their noses as you can. It will go into their systems when they breathe.”

  Athena must have come at the same time. I hadn’t seen her before. After Tara handed Polyphemus some on his giant hand, he passed them out to the Cyclopes while the human giants attacked them. Hermes flapped his wings, flying close to the human giants and sprinkled the crushed Monkshead over their heads along with the Oracles’ help. While they were handling the human giants, the rest of us battled the Titans.

  “Hurry.” Zeus ran to Cronus. Cronus shook his head as if trying to come out of a daze. “We need to get Poseidon out before Cronus gets up.” Zeus stopped and kicked a piece of broken cement in anger when Cronus pushed himself halfway. “I need my staff.” He growled. “The staff is the only thing that can cut his stomach open.”