Tartarus

(Poseidon POV)

We were on our way to Tartarus. I had created a boat made out of water to sail to the entrance of the Underworld Gaia told us about. Zeus and Hades had turned into animals and were flying there, while I was taking it slow. No need to rush like that. Although right now, Oceanus is looking for us and might find me, so there is that. 

I enjoy the ride and after a while, we arrive at the entrance. Hades is the one leading us as this appears to be his domain. He just doesn't know it yet. We make our way through the barren and desolate lands of the Underworld. I see souls flying around aimlessly and sometimes they disappear. The reason for this is that I have used the pool of inspiration to acquire everything about Oetsu Nimaiya, so I naturally see souls like this. 

Someone *cough* Hades *cough* will have to clean this place up in the future. I don't envy him for this work. I would also be a depressed man if I was Hades. You have to be stronger than Zeus if you want to enjoy yourself. The arrogance of Zeus is seemingly growing daily and I can see his ego taking physical form after winning the war. That won't be any of my problems thankfully. I'll dip into the Ocean and not go live on Olympus. 

In this universe, the God Sphere is where the gods reside and from where magic comes from. But why would I want to stay there when I have such a beautiful world and universe down here? There are certainly some very dark things happening, but those can be dealt with in time. I only need to create a separate dimension where I can place my home in the ocean. Then I could go there if I need some time for myself but still be a second away from Earth. Olympus will be a place for arrogant and useless gods in the future, not at all what I want. 

I only recently found out that we are considered 'New Gods' in this universe. We were created by something called the "Godwave" emanating from the Source that swept through the universe when the Old Gods died and the Fourth World was born. And right now, we are five billion years before modern times. Which gives me more than enough time to do anything I want, plan for upcoming events and have some children ... if I want.

.

We make our way through the Underworld with Hades' help and reach the entrance to Tartarus. It is so deep that it would take an anvil nine days to fall from the earth to Tartarus, according to the pool of inspiration I used to find out what to expect down there. I wasn't going to go there without knowing what I would have to face. This was the best course of action. I was very thankful to my Essence. 

Zeus and Hades looked at each other and then at me but I just shrugged and then jumped in. No need to think too much about this. I can control my body by controlling all of the liquid inside my body, blood or water or any other. So I am not afraid of dying. My durability is growing each day as well, so I am confident I would survive anyway. I speed up our travel and reach the bottom first. Zeus and Hades will follow shortly but I am not interested in spending days falling to the ground. 

Looking around, I see a dark, misty, and dismal place filled with monsters and creatures of evil or destructive nature. It would make for a good training ground for my kids in the future. But I would have to wait until I am strong enough to face Tartarus. From what I am gathering, he is a rather powerful Primordial and I am not yet powerful enough to face him. But that will surely be the case in the future. 

I am using my pools of inspiration to find ways how to defeat anyone who is powerful. I will not do what others want me and instead what I myself want. Zeus will probably be the first one who will be cross with me and then other more powerful entities. But the grind is what I am all about. 

.

After playing around with the monsters while waiting for Zeus and Hades, we could finally continue on our way. Hades no longer knew exactly where we were going and only had a general idea. I on the other hand knew where we had to go. Surprisingly both of them, I was better at this than they were. And the reason for that? 

The Life Force, I had been absorbing and building a connection to. 

It was not hard to say that the amount of vitality and pure energy the Life Force contained was unlike anything else in existence. I had a connection to all life and the more I was connecting to the Life Force, the more I absorbed and fueled my other powers with it, the closer that connection got. I wouldn't be surprised if I gained another divinity from this and very soon too. With this power, I am able to feel the location of living beings here. The monsters don't feel the same as these other rather strong presences I feel. So that's where we're going.

As we approach the location I feel the strong presences, we see a prison with the Hecantochires and the Cyclops inside. And next to the prison is one guard. Campe ...

As I do automatically, I use another pool of inspiration to get information on the monster and to find ways how to defeat her. Then I find out what she did in the original mythology. 

Campe served as a jailer or guard of the Hecatonchires, the hundred-handed giants and the Cyclops in Tartarus. These formidable beings were imprisoned by the Titans because of their immense power. When Zeus decided to free the Hecatonchires and Cyclops to aid in the Titanomachy, he had to defeat Campe.

She has a monstrous figure with a grotesque appearance. She has the body of a serpentine dragon with a woman's upper body and a scorpion tail. I can tell that her overall power is higher than what Hades and Zeus could overcome, but since it is the monster Zeus defeated in the Mythos, it was probably a stepping stone for him to grow more powerful. Too bad I am here right now and I want to fight something strong. 

...

And since I don't have anything strong, I'll have to make do with Campe. 

"I'll deal with Campe, you guys go ahead and free the Hecantochires and Cyclops.", I whisper to them. 

"No. I should be the one to fight the monster since I am the strongest.", Zeus says. 

"Sorry, to bust your bubble, but Poseidon is stronger than you are.", Hades says with his cool and apathetic voice. 

"Nonesense. I had decades of training and grew up in Crete under Metis' guidance. I am clearly the most skilled and powerful among all of our siblings.", Zeus argues. 

"How about instead of boasting, you show us what you can do and fight Campe?", I suggest.

"Yes, that would be for the best. Watch and learn, there is nothing more powerful than Zeus and I will be the one to defeat our father just like I defeat Campe.", Zeus says and slowly walks towards the monster. 

He moves towards the monster and then stands there with his hands on his hips and shouts in a loud and booming voice.

"CAMPE!! Come and face me!"

"Well, the element of surprise is clearly lost on him.", I say to Hades. We are still behind the rock formation, hiding from everyone. 

"Why did you let him go, if you know you are more powerful?", Hades asks me. 

"Zeus is arrogant. He will never listen to logic and common sense, because he just doesn't have that. In his 'me' centred world, he can't imagine anyone being better or stronger than him, so it was no use arguing. Let him break bones and then we'll see if we help him."

"You're weird."

"We all are. Or do you think staying inside the stomach of our father who swallowed us didn't leave any lasting damage?"

...

Campe turns around to face Zeus who is so much smaller than she is. Her face twists in a nasty and evil smirk. 

"You came, young god. Kronos told me you would arrive and that I would get rewarded if I killed you, or punished if I let you go.", her voice was like poison. 

"You will be the one who is killed today and not the other way around.", Zeus says and begins to power up. 

His divinity over storms and lightning starts to fuel him and he begins to be covered with powerful lightning. He is already quite powerful for such a young god, but not really anything if you compare it to the top dogs. He gets into a throwing position and then shoots the strongest lightning he is capable of right now, at Campe. 

*BOOOM*

The lighting hits Campe in the face and a cloud obstructs our vision. But I can feel that it did basically no damage to her. She is a dragon monster after all, so her defence is remarkably high. I feel her life and power roar in anger as the dust clears and her aura explodes out of her. 

*WOOOSHH*

"You dare?!! A vermin like you dares!!! I will crush you ant!", Campe screams and opens her mouth. 

A powerful beam of purple dragon fire erupts out of her mouth and shoots towards Zeus. But Zeus, while not as powerful as her, is still the god of lightning, so his reaction is fast enough, not to get hit by the stream of fire completely. 

*VRROOOOOM*

Zeus' left side is hit by her attack and he shoots back through the air, hitting a boulder behind us and getting knocked out. I assume he had help in the original Mythos with fighting Campe. But since both Hades and I only watched, he lost miserably. Too bad for him.

"My turn.", I say and walk forward. 

"Ah, another godling. How nice of you to come towards me. This makes it much easier.", Campe remarks. 

I don't say anything and just walk towards her. My lack of reaction seems to anger her and she once again opens her mouth revealing the purple flames ready to fire at me. This was what I was waiting for. I gather the water and spit in my mouth and use it for my attack. 

Campe fires a giant stream of purple fire at me and as it gets closer and closer I smile. This is the perfect moment to use my attack. 

I inhale and focus on my control over water and liquids. And then I open my mouth and from it, I spew out a high-pressure stream that is powerful enough to cut cleanly through the middle of the fire stream. 

'Water Severing Wave'

[Picture]

The hair-thin stream of water shoots through the middle of Campe's fire breath and doesn't stop. It continues until it reaches her mouth and cuts right through her mouth and brain, coming out on the other side ... killing her in one go. 

*Boom*

Campe's heavy body falls to the ground and shakes the ground around me. That was a good way to test my powers, even if it was over quickly. 

.

I then approach the cages of the Hecantochires and Cyclops. 

"Hello there. My name is Poseidon, and those back there are my brothers Hades and the unconscious one is Zeus. We are sons of Kronos. Gaia told us about you and said we should free you hoping that should we free you, you would make us weapons to fight in the war against Kronos and the Titans."

"You are Kronos' spawn?"

"How do we know you aren't going to use us and then throw us back here into Tartarus?"

"A good question. I have no interest in throwing you anywhere as long as you don't fight against me, you can do whatever you want. I'm just here to save you.", I tell them and shrug. 

"..."

"We agree, young god. But make sure to swear on the River Styx that you won't betray us.", one of the Hecantochires tells me. 

"I swear on the River Styx that if I find no reason to, I will not betray you all.", I say. 

*Lighting SFX*

After that, we finally left Tartarus again. I don't like it here, far too gloomy and hot. I need the blue sky and a cool breeze now that I know how good it feals to be in the ocean.