Time had passed since the Gods got their weapons.
After getting the weapons Damon had a great hunger for knowledge that he satisfied with Rhea who gladly accepted having talks with her eldest son about the world, how it was formed, information about each titan, about the primordials and various things, conversations that sometimes lasted hours since the two of them lost track of time because of how comfortable they were with each other.
It was a long, peaceful night. Two figures sat calmly around a small campfire, its flames gently fed by a third figure who listened in silence, while a fourth remained nearby, equally attentive to the conversation.
"From that darkness emerged Chaos," Rhea began, her voice steady as she looked at Damon. "The primordial goddess of the universe itself—the creator of almost everything we know."
Damon raised an eyebrow, clearly confused by part of that statement.
"Almost everything?" he asked, seeking clarification.
"Yes. For example, she created the universe and the first primordials. But the Earth as we know it was created by Gea, primordial goddess of the Earth and life, and my mother, your grandmother."
"Wow," Damon murmured softly. He hadn't expected to be so closely tied to such ancient beings. "Did Gea create everything alone?"
"Yes and no," Rhea replied. "She was aided by other primordials—many of whom were her children. Uranus, the sky. Ourea, the mountains. Pontus, the seas. Gea and Uranus had many children: the giants, the cyclopes, the hecatoncheires, and others. Most of them were imprisoned in Tartarus by Uranus for being monstrous.
Later, they became the parents of the Titans. Kronos betrayed Uranus, castrated him, and imprisoned him deep within Tartarus to seize the throne. Some say that from the blood Uranus shed, another child was born, but I cannot tell you if that is true. I have never seen them."
"What are the hecatoncheires?" Hestia asked curiously.
"Giants with fifty heads and one hundred arms," Rhea answered. "The stories say they were great warriors. That is one of the reasons they were imprisoned in Tartarus."
Damon listened with deep interest. Many ideas formed in his mind as he absorbed this new knowledge. He kept most of them to himself, but one question lingered, not doubt, but curiosity.
"Have you ever seen Chaos?" he asked.
"Yes," Rhea replied quietly. "But I could count the times on one hand. She emits an incredible aura of power, and she is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my life."
That question confused Rhea for a moment.
"Why do you ask?" she questioned, noticing Damon had been watching her closely.
He offered a small smile.
"Just curiosity. It would be incredible to meet her. She created everything with Gea and the others, yes, but without her, we wouldn't even be here."
"Well," Rhea said thoughtfully, "the times I saw her were during moments of great change—like when Kronos usurped the throne.
She reveals herself only when she chooses. Perhaps one day, you will meet her."
"I would like that," Damon said. "I have many questions."
"Well," Hera finally interjected, having listened quietly until now, "this is all fascinating. But weren't we supposed to be discussing the Titans?
We need to understand them if we are to defend ourselves or attack."
"Sorry. I let my curiosity take over."
Hera sighed as she watched Damon's behavior. She closed her eyes, shook her head, and smiled faintly.
"Your thirst for knowledge is only surpassed by your stupidity," she said, though there was evident amusement in her voice.
"If wanting to understand the world I live in makes me an idiot, then I am one."
Rhea and Hestia couldn't help but laugh softly at the interaction between the two siblings.
"Now, where was I?" Rhea said aloud, gently putting an end to their small argument. "Let's start with the names: Hyperion, Iapetus, Coeus, Crius, Oceanus… and Kronos."
She regained everyone's attention.
"Both Hyperion and Oceanus were imprisoned in Tartarus for a time. Their crime? Attempting to convince Kronos that devouring his children was not the solution to his fear."
At the word devouring, both Hera and Hestia stiffened slightly, memories of their early existence resurfacing. Damon remained silent, watching Rhea closely. He knew she wasn't finished.
"When they were imprisoned," Rhea continued, "the sea began to react violently to Kronos' presence. The ocean is not merely water—it represents all creatures of saltwater. Kronos, unnerved by the reaction, released Oceanus, though he claimed it was mercy. In truth, it was fear."
She paused briefly.
"Something similar happened with Hyperion."
Rhea's eyes lingered on Damon.
"If you win this war, remember this: both Oceanus and Hyperion tried to stop Kronos' madness. The sea and the sun themselves reacted against him. If they fight, it will be because they are forced. I do not believe they desire this war."
Damon nodded thoughtfully.
"I'll keep that in mind, Mother," he said quietly, his thoughts already racing. "If we win, convincing Poseidon and Hades not to punish Oceanus and Hyperion will be easy. The real problem is Zeus."
He looked up at Rhea.
"Zeus is too arrogant for his own good. Ever since receiving his weapon, his pride has grown even larger than his ego. He believes himself invincible because of that lightning."
His expression darkened slightly as he remembered Zeus' constant attempts to assert superiority.
Rhea sighed softly. She knew her youngest son's flaws well. It worried her deeply, but this was not the time to ignite conflict between brothers. They needed unity now more than ever.
Quickly, she resumed speaking, masking her concern before anyone could notice. No one seemed to realize except Damon. He understood her silence, and he would never force her to speak on something she wished to avoid.
"Then there are the Titanesses: Themis, Tethys, Phoebe, Mnemosyne, Theia… and myself," Rhea continued. "Tethys, as Oceanus' wife, was imprisoned alongside him. Theia, married to Hyperion, suffered the same fate. They were later released together."
She folded her hands calmly.
"Most of them have remained distant from this war. If you encounter them, do not attack first. They will not seek battle without reason. And do not mistake restraint for weakness—many of them are stronger than most Titans."
"If we win," Damon said as he began to rise to his feet, "I will do everything in my power to ensure that they—along with Oceanus and Hyperion do not suffer a cruel fate for actions and thoughts they never shared."
Rhea nodded, relieved. The thought of her sisters suffering because of her sons' decisions weighed heavily on her heart. She watched as Damon stood and stretched slightly.
"Well… that's enough information for today," he said lightly. "I need to understand more about the weapon I received from the Cyclopes—especially since even they don't know exactly what it is."
He drew the strange blade and lifted it before his eyes, studying its elegance in the firelight.
"Even its creators don't know what it is?" Rhea asked with genuine curiosity.
"They told me they simply forged a weapon that suited me," Damon replied. "They didn't expect… this."
He lowered the sword to his waist level so Rhea could observe it carefully.
"It is beautiful," Rhea admitted softly, her gaze lingering on the blade. "But I am sorry… I cannot help you train with it."
At her words, Damon stepped closer and knelt in front of her. She remained seated beside the fire. He gently cupped her cheeks in his hands, guiding her gaze upward before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.
"Don't worry," he said warmly. "Your presence alone is enough to keep me moving forward."
He brushed her cheeks with his thumbs, and Rhea instinctively leaned into his touch, closing her eyes with a faint smile.
"Besides," he added with a small grin, "improvising has always been my greatest weapon."
He stood once more, letting his hands fall away.
Rhea opened her eyes, noticing the sudden absence of warmth. A faint frown crossed her expression as she watched him retrieve his blade and say farewell to Hera and Hestia before walking away.
A little bit of history on the Greek Pantheon hahaha. In the next chapter, we will look at the other pantheons and Factions. Let me know your concerns..
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