Confused by Storm

Chapter 7 - The Hunt

Kronos' hand remained firmly clamped down around the spear head in his thigh as the first timber wolf leapt from the shadows.

The Hunt's wolf snarled at them, keeping back within the treeline. Sparks of fire floated through the air around them and Kronos' jaw tightened as he felt several specks land on his neck, quickly lifting a hand to swat them away.

His brothers knew him so well that they didn't have to even look towards him, instead Hyperion raised a hand and the flames around them swallowed the large wolf.

It shrieked for several long seconds, before the sound cut off.

Kronos' nose flared. "They aren't far now," he muttered. "I can smell Zeus." That particular bastard of his had a very distinctive scent of ozone, eerily similar to the air after one of Ouranos' old thunderstorms. He made a split second decision one which he knew Hyperion and Iapetus would protest against. "Leave," he ordered, tone sharp.

Instantly, Iapetus' gaze snapped over to him. "No, that's a terrible idea."

His King's golden eyes flared. "Now," Kronos growled. "Split up."

"What - no, Kronos-" Iapetus starts angrily, only for Hyperion to swiftly interrupt.

"It's not a bad plan."

"It's a terrible plan," Iapetus snapped.

"Just trust me," Kronos pressed.

Hyperion nodded. "We split up because they're going to catch up to Kronos-"

"Which is why we don't!" Iapetus hissed back. "Who's going to protect him if we're not he-"

"I can protect myself," Kronos grumbled.

"Let me finish," Hyperion hissed as Iapetus shot Kronos an incredulous glare. "We come up their backside while they come up Kronos'."

Kronos was particularly unimpressed with his brother's phrasing. "Not exactly what I had in mind," he muttered. "But that is the general idea."

Iapetus ground his teeth together. "These sorts of plans never end well," he moaned. "Not when they involve using you as bait. Everyone hates you so much that they defy the norm in these circumstances."

"Then expect them to," Kronos said flatly, looking highly unamused to see them still standing there.

Hyperion knew what that look on his face meant, so be grabbed Iapetus before he could protest anymore and hauled him into the burning treeline, brushing easily through the flames.

A second wolf leapt from the path behind Kronos, snarling before it turned and ran.

Kronos exhaled, calming his racing heart as several other wolves emerged out onto the track, melting from the shadows. He stepped back, the spear in his thigh momentarily getting caught against his bone, causing him to grunt. He glared at the wolves, daring them to approach him. When one snarled at him, lurching forwards and snapping its teeth, Kronos growled back.

His back straightened sharply as Artemis slid out of the treeline, an arrow aimed unwaveringly between his eyes.

The goddess raised a perfect eyebrow at him as the other Olympians stepped forwards behind her. A twig snapped behind the Titan, hushed expletive instantly following.

Kronos was surrounded.

He grimaced, expectantly waiting for Zeus to speak first as he was bound to. "Surrender," Zeus boomed.

Artemis rolled her eyes, though the point of her arrow didn't stray. "He's not going to."

The Titan took the moment to throw up a barrier against Hyperion and Iapetus returning. "I guess you'll just have to kill me," Kronos mused.

"Easily done in your current state," Zeus swiftly retorted.

Kronos smirked. "Perhaps." He summoned his sword to his left hand, the black blade gleaming wickedly in the flames still around him. "Good luck with that."

The Titan would love to say that he put up a good fight.

The reality was far less heroic.

Only a few minutes later, Kronos' right leg crumpled beneath him and he landed heavily on his knee. A split second later, an arrow was quivering as it bit into his left arm. Lightning flashed, and the Titan was flung back. Kronos struggled to force his hands beneath him, though electricity coursed through his muscles. His limbs shuddered as he grunted.

Though he was far more concerned by the spear when it was thrust through his back. The force of the blow dropped him down further, very nearly prone against the ground as he screamed.

As he spluttered up ichor, still trying to get a foot beneath himself, the point emerged from his chest. Kronos grasped for the spearhead, trying to stop it from slipping further through him, but his hands couldn't find the strength required to hold the shaft in place. Whomever it was holding the spear thrust it down further, a sudden movement that caused the shaft to slip through Kronos' fingers like water.

Fingers that smelt suspiciously of ozone gripped Kronos' chin. "I hope you suffer in the Pit," Zeus whispered fervently. "That it takes you another several thousand years before you crawl out of Tartarus."

Vaguely, Kronos heard his heartbeat, a rapid rhythm that spilled his ichor from his body. A thin trickle dribbled from his mouth.

Zeus gestured for the spear to be released. Behind Kronos, Athena sighed before she let go.

None of the Olympians or Hunters said anything else, though Kronos grunted when a single Hunter with blue eyes shot an arrow that bit into his side.

"Thalia." Zeus frowned. "There's no need for that."

Thalia scowled at the downed Titan. "I know. But it made me feel better."

Over the next few minutes, Kronos was slowly left alone. He struggled to his feet, spear pointing the way forwards, only to topple over when he took a step. The last of Artemis' wolves to leave trotted over to him and licked his nose, causing his face to scrunch up as ichor was smeared across his cheek.

He felt the barrier collapse around him and almost instantly Hyperion appeared, looking utterly furious until he set his burning gaze on his brother. "Not again," he groaned.

Kronos' mouth opened, desperately trying to speak to his brother, but only ichor came from his mouth. Hyperion's expression tightened and he kneeled next to him, carefully lifting off Kronos' breastplate.

Iapetus, his silver hair wild, stumbled from Hyperion's shadow. He didn't seem surprised to see Kronos' state and merely sighed. "You're an idiot."

Kronos slowly opened the mind-link all Titans shared. "The spear," he thought urgently to Hyperion, causing his brother to jerk slightly. "Take it."

Hyperion's expression soured. "Idiot," he whispered fiercely, leaning down to press his forehead to Kronos' even as his fingers closed around the shaft that emerged from his chest. Hyperion grimaced as the movement caused his brother to scream.

Then Hyperion was holding Athena's spear in his hands, and realisation dawned in his eyes. He scanned the ground for Backbiter as he set the spear at his feet and snatched up the black blade. All it took was a single mighty swing, before the spear simply shattered. Somewhere, Kronos knew Athena would be crumpling in agony as she felt her divine weapon being destroyed. His lips twitched up slightly as his head dropped.

Backbiter's worn leather hilt was pressed into his hand by a worried Hyperion, and Iapetus closed his fingers around the hilt with a thin smile.

"I can't say I agree with this plan of yours," Iapetus murmured. "But I hope you find him down there."