33 WATER
"Poseidon?!", Achelous blurted out, staring at the trident behind Athos, fear clearly visible behind his bifocal glasses.
Athos blasted forward, leaving a crater on the ground, using giant leaps to rapidly close distance. He felt unstoppable but he knew he was anything but. He was fighting against a God, however 'minor', as his father put it. It would not be easy, even with the blessing. If one removed all the fancy lighting and sound, all the blessing boiled down to was allowing him to wield a part of the power Poseidon's children would have.
He didn't want to use blessings but being bull-headed would get him drowned. It was a temporary one anyway, and wouldn't affect his quest for Godhood.
His feet landed in the river with a loud splash, glad that it was only a few inches deep, else he would never be able to reach the river god.
"Any struggle would be futile, demigod. Have you never fought a God before? Hmm, since you are still alive, I suppose not, but don't worry, you won't be for long.", Achelous sighed, and the water underneath Athos' feet formed chains binding his limbs, but with a slight tug, he easily burst out of them. His strength boost was truly incredible.
Finding the chains useless, Achelous shifted tactics, forming large spears using the pool's water. It took merely a fraction of a second for tens of spears to line the god's back.
"I have to stop you. I will not allow Herakles to win again!", Achelous yelled and launched two spears forward with incredible speed.
*BOOM*
Athos blocked one while the other one smashed into his Solar Plexus, but all he felt was a slight push. He would've been skewered if not for Perastos. He took a step back to regain his balance before grunting and shifting his half-mask to its blue form, foregoing the strength boost for endurance. His skin turned akin to steel and his resilience and healing factor multiplied.
*BOOM*
The spear slammed into his chest once again yet it barely made him budge. He was a wall made of diamond. No amount of force would push him back.
*BOOM*
He crossed his arms to protect his head and continued, the water failing to make Perastos wet in the slightest owing the blessing.
*BOOM*
Athos was now a stone's throw away from the God. Leviathan's axe blade glinted menacingly.
"You! Just DIE!", Achelous exploded and the rest twenty spears slightly spun before shooting towards him all at once.
Athos' eyes widened before hardening with resolve. He slammed Leviathan onto the ground, sinking the axe blade into the river bed, holding him in place. Perastos morphed from the suit to a full set of black knight armour that covered his body from head to toe. He wasn't taking any chances.
*BOOOM*
Athos held on for dear life while numerous spears slammed into him from all sides pushing him back a good few metres while Leviathan cut through the ground below. The attack kicked up a large cloud of mist which he used to his advantage. His armour shifted back into his suit and the blood-red Oni mask materialized around his face doubling his strength. He burst out of the mist unscathed swinging Leviathan at the god's neck. Achelous' eyes betrayed his disbelief as he tried to crane his neck backwards, but bovine bodies weren't built for that kind of movement.
"ARRGH! HERAKLES' SCUM!", the potamus roared as Leviathan sank into his shoulder, golden ichor bubbling out from the wound.
Athos used Leviathan to push himself higher and grab Achelous' left horn. His eyes gleamed with anticipation at finally getting the very object he needed to get closer to his goals, but just as he was about to pull down and break the horn off, his muscles stiffened and Perastos gave the mental equivalent of 'Danger! Get the fuck out of here!'
"ENOUGH!!!", Achelous bellowed and his glasses shattered, his previously mournful eyes glowing a deep blue. But this wasn't the blue of a calm sky on a sunny day. It was deep and dark, like the stormy sea, one that would break your ship and drown your crew rather than guide you to safety.
With another visceral roar of anger, the river exploded.
The current grabbed Athos like a fist and dragged him under, the water pressure angrily bearing down on him. The mindless attack Achelous had launched felt as though he was venting his anger at the world...at Herakles. He probably thought drowning Herakles' kin would act as payback, but unfortunately for him, Athos had got that covered.
A faint green hue covered his body and he stopped tumbling about, managing to halt his omnidirectional somersaulting. He opened his eyes finding himself in a world of blue and brown filled with numerous bubbles. He didn't understand how he was drowning in a river that was few inches deep, but this wasn't the time to worry about that. He needed to get to the surface and get the cornucopia before his blessing ran out. He hesitated for a second before taking in a deep breath and water rushed into his lungs.
Instead of feeling stabbing pain, he felt the cool sensation of water entering and leaving his lungs. He gave the underwater equivalent of a sigh, the blessing was working. He'd have died five times over if it weren't for the items he had on him. It was disheartening but truly highlighted how weak he was in this world of Gods and monsters.
He turned invisible and managed to swim to the surface, the blessing helping him ignore the wild underwater currents. He broke the surface, finding himself in the deep swimming pool that had random pockets of water smashing against each other. He got to his feet, fixing his messed-up tie. Sure, Perastos could do it on its own, but he felt cooler doing it on his own.
He looked behind him, at the river that now looked relatively normal, finding a pissed-off god sporting a livid face, glaring at the pool he had just climbed out off. Leviathan was still stuck in his side and ichor was continuing to flow but he didn't seem all that affected. He flexed his shoulder and Leviathan popped out, falling into the river. Water then snaked up his body, closing the wound and sealing it shut.
Athos frowned, remembering the legend of Ouranos. He was pinned to the earth to prevent him from escaping back to the sky. Perhaps he could use that as the river was Achelous' source of strength. If he couldn't get the cornucopia by force he had to resort to...other means.
***
If you'd like to support my work so that I can continue writing, just feel incredibly generous or want to read ahead, this is the place to go.
p atreon.com/Marine0IQ
Don't forget to remove the extra space!
