"Sweetie, I need you to look away and keep your eyes closed okay," she said firmly, hoping that her daughter would understand the gravity of the situation and not wanting her to witness any more if possible.
...
It only took a moment before Cloelia gave a shaky nod and then closed her eyes. Seeing this Annabeth nodded to herself before returning her attention to the mortals that were just finished reloading but that didn't matter.
Pallas' biggest error had been using mortals and monsters to fight while the only one whose safety she was concerned about was divine like her. So with that her body flashed a brilliant gold as she suddenly stood, the mortal soldiers having just looked at her as they'd aimed unable to look away in time before she ascended.
Her body exploded with divine power as she watched the mortals and monsters alike spontaneously combust for looking at her, turning to ash and golden dust respectively as the glow died out after a few seconds to reveal her divine form. Standing at just over twenty feet tall, her hair billowed in golden waves as it reached her lower back while her eyes looked like glass marbles with a glowing, scarlet center.
Her armor had grown to fit and was now like her own symbol of power, showing wear and almost ancient blood stains over the scarlet decorations. Much like Artemis, instead of the ancient battle chitons and tunics she had a black body suite beneath her breastplate, platted skirt, bracers, and grieves. The breastplate itself was smaller, just reaching her lower ribs before ending to allow more range of motion at the cost of exposure to her belly.
Her dagger had grown in length as well, falling more into the short-sword category as a small mask with a skull motive formed around her mouth and cheeks while leaving the top exposed.
She simply oozed bloodlust and destruction as her eyes narrowed on the currently smaller titan before she glanced over the mortal still maintaining both barriers, noting that he'd also kept his eyes closed leaving him safe before her attention turned to Pallas. She could tell he'd been surprised by her show of strength, probably writing her off for being a mere minor goddess but she would make him regret that decision.
"I told you I'd make you pay," she growled out as she rushed forward, not wasting a moment for him to assume divine form either.
His eyes widened as he hastily brought up his sword to block her downward blow. His arms almost buckled under her strength as he grit his teeth but she pressed on. Making use of her shield she pulled her dagger back and switched to slamming her shield forward.
He grunted as he was pushed back but didn't have time to try for an attack as she slashed at his head. He pulled back just barely in time as the tip of the dagger sliced along his face from cheek to cheek, cutting into his nose as he gave a spluttered cry of pain.
Still, she capitalized on it as she spun with her slash, rearing her back leg up and giving a spinning back kick, nailing him in the gut and sending him careening into one of the abandoned thrones, crushing the already crumbling structure.
Annabeth tracked him as she ran at him, knowing she could let up for a moment or else he would jump to his divine form. He'd been arrogant thinking she was like the minor deities he'd seen before. He'd thought that just mortal back up had been enough and didn't do anything when he noticed her assuming her divine form. And now that decision would be his undoing.
As long as the situation remained like this she had the advantage. As long as things remained like this, she could win.
Arriving just as he got up she jumped before slamming her knee down on his gut making him spit up ichor even as she noticed him trying to swing his sword at her. She raised her shield in response but rather than wait for the impact she slammed the shield edge against the sword.
Buckling back against the surprising blow he couldn't adjust in time as she jabbed again, this time bashing the shield into his forearm and pinning it down as his side. With his weapon pinned she reared her right arm up with her dagger in a reverse grip before viciously bringing it down on his head.
She almost grinning thinking she'd gotten him but then watched in disbelief as he reacted, his hand lashing out and grabbing her dagger by the blade, stopping it just before it could pierce right through his eyes even as ichor splattered out.
Grunting in frustration she put more of her weight into it, slowly forcing his hand down as the dagger kept getting closer to his head. 'Just a little more,' she thought, hoping to finish him as quickly as possible so she could grab her daughter and go but the titan held off.
The fact that he was matching her in strength even while only in his godly form was telling of just how powerful he was but right now it would help him more than simply delaying her. Meeting his eyes she saw the slight panic in them as he realized the same thing she did, felt how he body pinned under her flexed and thrashed to push her dagger back or maybe throw her off but she wasn't budging.
"I will not be done in by the likes of you, bitch!" he bit out through grit teeth even as her dagger cut deeper into the flesh of his hand, inching closer by the second.
"Believe what you want," was her only reply as she leaned farther forward, seeing the tremble in his arm as the dagger lower until it was almost touching his cheek, the blade pulsing scarlet in anticipation of the impending kill.
However, it wasn't meant to be. Within an instance she detected a sudden arrival along with hostility from right behind her forcing her to stop her attack on Pallas as she rolled off him and raised her shield.
The collision was telling as she grunted but didn't give as she pushed back against whoever attacked her. Jumping back for some space before checking who'd attacker her, she was shocked to see none other than Phobos and Deimos, dressed in matching blood-red war regalia.
'But they aren't supposed to be here!' she thought, wondering why weren't the brothers still with the Olympian army unless … she couldn't recall actually seeing them during the attack. Which meant they had been hiding or intentionally not helping, waiting for the moment to betray while at the back of the Olympians. She grit her teeth in fury, scolding herself for not having noticed earlier and making sure to keep eyes on them.
Phobos was closer to her with his spear aimed at her while Deimos was closer to Cloelia, his sword drawn and held with his remaining hand. Gritting her teeth it didn't take her long to figure out what was happening. Honestly she wasn't surprised any more that those carrying Ares' linage would happily turn traitors for power or revenge.
"Deimos, Phobos," she growled as her own bloodlust rose along with her anger to the point her frame pulsed scarlet but she didn't move with Cloelia held at sword point.
She only got two smirks back from them while she noted out of the corner of her eye how Pallas was slowly standing up, his own frame pulsing gold. However she got even more worried as more flashes appeared around and other varying minor gods arrived, dressed for battle and she got the feeling not a single one of them was an ally.
Internally she cursed the likes of Zeus and the Olympian council for their arrogance and short sidedness, thinking so many minor gods would stay loyal when being treated as dirt at worst, second-class beings at best. She steeled herself as the tenth minor god arrived, most formed loose ranks behind Phobos and Pallas while looking at her wearily.
They all knew in her divine form she was powerful enough to face them if they remained in godly form only, her physical form and power towering over them at almost double the height for some. However, her attention was drawn away from them as Pallas grumbled before speaking up, "I'll admit, you almost had me there Chase. Although, I was not aware of impending aide myself," he said with a glance to Phobos.
"The mortal prayed to me the moment you were attacked. Lord Koios is also wondering where you were since he has met unexpected resistance at the other target," he replied even as his faded red eyes remained pinned to Annabeth. "But now when can handle the bitch and move on before you anger Lord Koios further with your unplanned delay," he added shooting a warning glance to the titan.
Pallas growled lowly at that before stepping forward. "Be that as it may you shall wait and do NOT interfere!"
Before Phobos or any others could offer any protest Pallas' frame exploded in a familiar flash of gold making several look away from the intensity of it.
===================
Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.
...
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