They smiled warmly and proceeded to introduce themselves to Erik.
"I am Phobos," the first one announced.
"I am Phobetor," another one declared
"I am Deimos," the last one stated clearly.
Erik nodded his head in acknowledgment, still not fully understanding what it was they wanted from him. Zues and his group of followers watched closely and attentively as everything unfolded before them.
As of this moment, their carefully laid plans were going smoothly without any complications. Just as Erik was about to ask them once more what they wanted, his vision suddenly shifted and changed.
He looked around in confusion, but his mind instantly remembered this place, and even his body involuntarily shivered in recognition.
It was the very same place that had trapped him and held him prisoner for thousands upon thousands of years. He gulped nervously. He didn't know how or why he had ended up back in this cursed place again.
Then suddenly and without warning, he heard desperate screams and frantic shouting in the distance. He ran quickly towards the direction of the sounds and saw fire being spewed everywhere, consuming everything in its path. When he finally arrived at the source, he froze completely at the horrific scene, he froze utterly at what his eyes beheld.
All of his beloved family members lay dead and lifeless on the ground before him. He looked up slowly at the perpetrator of this massacre. It was the same dragon that he had killed so long ago.
"I told you I'd get my revenge eventually," Balerian smirked wickedly, showing his razor-sharp fangs.
In that terrible moment, Erik felt overwhelming despair wash over him. He fell heavily to his knees, looking at all his dead family members scattered around him.
Crack
"BALERION!!!!!!" He roared out in pure rage as tears of blood flowed down his anguished face.
In the outside world, far from the illusion, the three gods worked their magic together and trapped Erik inside the powerful magic of illusions and nightmares.
But what they didn't know and couldn't have anticipated was that they themselves were already caught. Igneel suddenly appeared out of nowhere and punched them away forcefully, but their magical connection to Erik didn't break or weaken.
Igneel could only curse internally at the situation.
"What do you think you're doing to him?" He asked in a cold, threatening voice.
He didn't know exactly what was going on, but his father wasn't responding to anything. Erik's face seemed to hold and display the face of complete despair.
Everyone quickly gathered around, trying to understand the unfolding situation, but they quickly got to the gist of things and realized what was happening.
Zuez walked up confidently.
"Don't bother trying to save him, he is trapped securely and won't be able to get out. No one will be able to stop us now," he said with certainty.
Everyone immediately took out their weapons, ready and prepared for a confrontation. By now, all the people that couldn't fight or defend themselves were teleported to safety far away. The two opposing sides stared each other down intensely.
Igneel knew deep down that he was on the losing side of this battle. His opponents had 4 powerful rank ten warriors, them being Zues, Posiden, Hades and Hera.
While he only had one rank ten fighter on his side. King Triton didn't come to help because he didn't like the Greek gods and their ways, and that meant he only had Hephaestus to rely on, but he wasn't nearly enough to turn the tide.
Just as the group was about to clash violently, suddenly someone roared loudly.
"BALERION!!!!" Erik roared with terrifying intensity.
Everyone turned their attention to him as his bones began to crack audibly. His mana and killing intent were spiraling wildly out of control.
Moon was the very first to realize the dangerous situation they were all in.
"RUUUUUN," she roared desperately at everyone.
Olympus itself began to shake violently and tremble as Erik's once carefully contained power began to explode out chaotically in all directions.
"Shit," Igneel cursed loudly and commanded everyone urgently to retreat immediately.
Only the Greek gods didn't comprehend or understand the grave situation that they had put everyone into. As his group retreated quickly to safety, the Greek gods foolishly attempted to fight Erik directly.
But that was a very bad idea and a terrible mistake. Erik threw out a devastatingly powerful strike that sent Ares flying through the air and almost instantly killing him on impact. He landed hard against a large structure and fell down unmoving and silent.
No one knew for certain if he was still alive or had perished, but seeing Erik's obscured and overwhelming power on full display, they didn't take it lightly anymore and began to fight with everything they had.
"Shit, I shouldn't have listened to you in the first place," Poseidon shouted out in frustration and anger.
"Why am I even here? What possessed me to agree to this foolish endeavor?" Hades asked himself bitterly, questioning his decision to participate.
"I don't know why I even thought your stupid and reckless plan would actually work out in our favor," Hera growled fiercely while simultaneously dodging a devastating attack that came her way.
"Damnit, this bastard is so incredibly strong and powerful beyond what we anticipated," Zeus cursed under his breath.
It soon became a prolonged and exhausting battle of attrition as they continued to inflict more and more damage upon their opponent. But they soon began to realize that something was fundamentally wrong with their approach.
Whatever attack or strike they threw at Erik, no matter how powerful or deadly, it would always heal and regenerate completely before another attack could even land on him.
"His regeneration abilities are far too fast and efficient for us to overcome," Hades observed with growing concern.
They quickly regrouped together to reassess their dire situation.
"How the hell are we supposed to kill him if our attacks don't do anything meaningful or lasting?" Poseidon shouted in desperation and mounting panic.
Zeus gritted his teeth firmly, refusing to accept defeat and lose like this after coming so far. Then suddenly, he remembered something important and crucial.
He slowly turned his head and deliberately laid his eyes on a particular girl standing in the distance. It was Moon, one of Erik's beloved daughters.
"We'll grab one of his daughters and use her as leverage," he said coldly and without hesitation or remorse.
The other gods looked at each other with uncertain expressions, but eventually nodded in reluctant agreement. From all the information and intelligence they had gathered and obtained on him, they knew he cherishes his family above all else.
"You three distract him and keep him occupied while I'll be back shortly," Zeus said decisively and ran off with determined purpose towards Moon's location.
Hera, Hades and Poseidon began to stall for precious time, engaging Erik with everything they had. Hades couldn't help but sigh deeply to himself. He himself still didn't fully know or understand why he even came along and participated in the first place.
Poseidon quickly dodged and barely managed to avoid a deadly attack that would have struck him down. He then sent a powerful counterattack back in retaliation but grimaced painfully when the damage healed up instantly and completely before his eyes.
"Damnit, hurry up Zeus," he cursed impatiently, feeling the strain of the battle.
Just as he said this with frustration, Zeus finally returned to the battlefield. He signaled clearly as the three dream gods released their magical hold and influence on Erik.
The clarity and awareness in his eyes suddenly returned when he realized that the place and surroundings had changed dramatically. He looked around at all the destruction and devastation he had caused but then paused completely when he saw Zeus holding Moon tightly by the neck.
He was about to lose complete control again when Zeus suddenly spoke up with authority.
"Surrender yourself to us immediately, or she dies right here and now," he said coldly and without any trace of mercy.
Erik growled menacingly in response. All his children quickly arrived on the scene with weapons firmly in hand. But they couldn't do anything meaningful or effective since they were simply no match for the gods' power.
Zeus then smiled wickedly with satisfaction.
"I know you have the unique and remarkable ability to bring people back to life from death, but I have a special weapon in my possession that erases existence itself completely and permanently." He smirked with cruel confidence.
Erik grimaced in deep anger and frustration.
"How dare you do this to my family," he growled with barely controlled rage.
"Destroy your own core willingly, and I'll let all your children live and go free." He added with finality.
Erik gritted his teeth hard in anguish. His hands balled tightly into clenched fists. Zeus had gotten him trapped in an impossible situation. But he still complied without hesitation. He loved his children far too much to let them die.
Though he might die in this mortal form, he didn't care at all since this physical body was only an avatar and projection. His real and true body was safely located in the god realm.
He used his powerful magic and forcibly imploded his own core from within. Everyone watching froze in shock at how quick and immediate his response was.
"Hahaha, you truly are a complete fool to trust me." Zeus laughed mockingly and callously threw Moon carelessly to the side before walking slowly and deliberately towards Erik.
Erik was on his knees, weakened and vulnerable. Blood was pooling and flowing steadily from his lips. Zeus didn't care at all about his suffering and prepared to deliver the final strike. Igneel tried desperately to intervene and stop what was happening, but it was already too late to prevent it. Zeus struck swiftly and the deadly scythe cut straight and deep into his body.
All of them shook with overwhelming emotion as they sensed the life force from their beloved father leave and fade away.
"FATHER!!!!!" Moon cried out desperately in anguish and pain.
Erik looked at all his children with love, a peaceful smile still present on his face, then slowly and gently his eyes began to close for what seemed like the final time.
Tears fell down all their faces uncontrollably. The world itself then began to shake violently and tremble as reality itself began to crack and fracture.
Everyone tried desperately to understand what was going on when suddenly a huge pair of enormous eyes appeared in the sky above. Every creature that the eyes set its view upon shook in primal fear and terror.
The power that emanated from the pair of eyes was immense and overwhelming beyond measure. Then suddenly it began to shrink and condense until a body too appeared and manifested, and it became the normal size of a person. Its body was made of pure, radiant light.
It looked around carefully and stared at Erik's children for a while with recognition, then turned its attention to the Greek gods and spoke with authority.
"Do you truly think that would be enough to kill me permanently?" He asked with amusement.
That's right, this was none other than Erik himself in his true form. Understanding the full situation and implications, everyone froze in absolute terror.
Erik extended his hand outward and waved it lightly through the air. The four gods froze completely as they felt something terribly wrong—as if their very existence itself was at serious risk of being erased.
Then they began to turn to dust and disintegrate slowly. Their eyes widened in horror and disbelief as they looked down at their own bodies dissipating and fading away into nothingness.
I paused momentarily in my actions when I suddenly sensed the distinct feeling of someone watching me intently from somewhere nearby. I carefully turned my attention toward the source of this sensation and looked directly into the eyes of the mysterious person who had been observing me.
Our eyes met and locked together for a brief moment, and I noticed his eyes widened considerably in what appeared to be surprise or recognition as the mysterious connection between us broke and severed abruptly. Was that person Viggo?
A few months later, after everything had settled
Erik's POV
I smiled contentedly as I watched my children play happily and carefree. Everything now was finally in place exactly as it should be. All my ambitions and goals have been fulfilled completely. My family is happy and safe, and my long-sought peace has finally been achieved.
I had even revived Hades specifically for Diastasi since she said he would be useful and valuable. Of course he was the only one of the four gods I brought back from oblivion since I didn't particularly like the other ones or their behavior.
As I reminisced and reflected on everything that had happened, my wives walked up towards me together.
"Let's have more children and expand our family," they said in perfect unison with bright smiles.
I simply smiled warmly and nodded in complete agreement.
Note: thanks for staying for so long. I hope you have a good life.