"This..." Zoe looked around with worry. "This was not here before. This is bad. This is very bad."
"What is this place?" Penny asked, looking around in shock.
"The mountain fortress of the Titans- Mt Othrys," Zoe answered. "In the first war, Olympus and Othrys were the two rival capitals of the world. Othrys was blasted to pieces and destroyed in the final battle."
"But... Then how is it here?"
Thalia frowned as she looked around. "... It moves in the same way Olympus moves. It always exists on the edge of civilization. But the fact it is here, on this mountain? That's really bad news."
"Why?" Penny gulped.
"Because this is Atlas's mountain," I told Penny. Speaking Atlas's name would make no difference now, as the man was already free. "It is where he held the sky."
We continued to walk... And then, we finally arrived at the summit.
Grey clouds swirled in a vortex, making a funnel cloud that almost touched the mountaintop... But didn't. Instead, they were resting on the shoulders of a twelve-year-old girl with auburn hair in a tattered silvery dress.
Artemis, her legs bound to rock with Celestial Bronze chains. Forced to hold the last remnant of Ouranos, to prevent the Sky and Earth from meeting once again.
"My Lady!" Zoe rushed forwards in a panic.
"Do not come!" Artemis bellowed. "It is a trap! You must leave, immediately!" Her voice was strained, and she was completely drenched in sweat from physical exertion. The weight of the sky was far too much for anyone to bare, let alone Artemis who didn't hold a domain of strength.
For perhaps the first time in her life, Zoe ignored Artemis and ran to her. She tried to break the chains, but they wouldn't budge.
Finally, a booming voice spoke, sounding amused, "Oh, what a touching reunion."
We turned.
Atlas stood there, and I could see the family resemblance to Zoe. His hair was black and slicked back, with grey eyes that were like stone. His skin was caramel, with an incredibly jacked up body to match his tall, imposing physique. He was dressed in a brown business suit, smirking smugly.
Alongside him was Luke Castellan, the scar on his face almost looking like it was writhing as he stared- his eyes on Thalia. Half a dozen dracaenae- reptilian humanoid monsters- carried the golden sarcophagus of Kronos. Annabeth stood by his side, chained and gagged, with Luke holding a sword at her throat.
I took a closer look at the sarcophagus, recognising some Egyptian Hieroglyphics on it... How interesting... Kronos was using Egyptian Magic in order to restore his body... Was this why the Egyptian Gods started acting up? Because of the sarcophagus Kronos was using?
... Was it, perhaps, the same sarcophagus that Set had tricked Osiris into laying in for the 'competition' and trapped him inside?
I could feel something within me reacting to the sarcophagus... The aura of death within my body was reacting to the sarcophagus, as if they were kin.
"The Sarcophagus of Osiris," I decided to intone solemnly... I was totally bluffing, time to see if it played off. "The Titan lord plays a dangerous game, using the property of the Egyptians."
The others looked to me, while Artemis tensed up, buckling slightly as she lost a bit of focus on holding the sky as she looked at me with her piercing silver eyes.
"You recognise it?" Atlas asked in amusement. "I don't particularly like those stuffy sand lovers, but they do have some useful toys... Such as the Sarcophagus of Osiris."
"What are you talking about?" Penny asked in confusion.
"I'll tell you later," I murmured to her. "You know, if we make it out of this."
Thalia's eyes focused on Luke, crackling with rage. "Luke... Let her go."
Luke gave a weak smile, looking pale... Likely because he knew that, should this negotiation fail, he was going to be Kronos's vessel. "That is the General's decision, Thalia. But it's good to see you again."
"Go fuck yourself," she spat at him.
Atlas roared with laughter. "So much for 'good friends,' eh? And you, Zoe..." His eyes softened just the smallest amount before they hardened again. "My little traitor. I will enjoy killing you."
"Do not respond!" Artemis groaned. "Do not challenge him!"
Zoe's eyes hardened. "Let my lady go."
"Perhaps you'd like to take the sky from her then?" He suggested. "Oh, by all means, go right ahead." He began to walk towards Artemis.
"Do not offer Zoe!" Artemis barked. "I forbid you to do so!"
Zoe quickly backed off and rejoined us, looking reluctant to do so but not wanting to be in range of a sudden attack.
As Atlas boasted about how he was going to have every Olympian carry his burden, Annabeth kept trying to gesture with her eyes at Luke. Trying to tell us something... Her blonde hair was streaked with grey.
"From carrying the sky," Thalia murmured as she also noticed it. "It should have killed her."
"I don't get it," Penny frowned. "Why can't Artemis just let go?"
"Because she can't," I was the one who answered, not wanting to let Atlas monologue. "This is the place where Gaea and Ouranos first met. Where their children were born. Even though Ouranos has been scattered into nothingness and Gaea sleeps deep within the earth, their natural instincts as lovers draw them to one another. If the Sky was dropped, it would flatten this mountain and everything else within a hundred leagues. And there's even a chance that a new race of deities may be born from the union of sky and earth."
"Hoh? You know your stuff," Atlas smirked as he eyed up Thalia and Penny. "So, you two are the best heroes of the age? I'm not impressed."
"Fight us and let's see," Penny taunted him.
"Have you learned nothing?" Atlas rolled his eyes. "The ancient rules bind us all, child. They were implemented back in the time of Rome, when human civilization began to rise in power. It was in order to give you pitiful humans a 'fair chance' against us Gods... I can't attack you first, so I'll just have Luke do it instead."
"So, you're another coward then?"
Atlas's eyes flared, but he instead focused his eyes on Thalia. "And it looks like Luke was wrong about you."
"I wasn't," Luke insisted... It looked like he was struggling to speak, like it was painful just to talk. "Thalia, you can still join us. Call the Ophiotaurus, it will come to you!"
He waved his hand, and a pool of water appeared next to us. It was big enough for the Ophiotaurus to fit in.
I whispered in Penny's ear. "Don't think about it," I told her. "It chose you as its protector- if you think about it, it will come and bring Uta and Bianca with it. Think of anything else."
Penny paled and her eyes darted as she began to try and think of anything else except the Ophiotaurus.
"Thalia, call the Ophiotaurus," Luke begged her. "And you will be more powerful than the gods."
"I won't," Thalia's eyes narrowed... In her eyes Luke was a traitor to everything she believed. "Even though you were once dear to me Luke..." Her eyes softened. "I loved you," she told him. "But looking at what you've become..." She shook her head. "This isn't the way."
Luke looked as though he'd been physically stabbed, paling further. "Thalia... Please," he begged her. "If... If you don't... This is my last chance, I've let him down too much. If you don't then... Then he'll use the other method. Please, I beg of you."
"You mean using you like a puppet by taking over your body?" I asked casually.
Everyone's eyes turned to me, wide in shock. Even Atlas and Artemis were caught off guard.
Annabeth's eyes darted to Luke in horror at what I'd said, unable to believe it.
"How... How did you...?" Luke was stunned.
"Faith is a powerful source of divine power... No matter how many demigods you recruit, it wouldn't be enough to revive Kronos completely... That was why you wanted the Fleece. Not only would it speed up his healing, but it would also amplify the divine power he'd obtain from faith through its healing abilities, allowing him to revive faster... With that option taken away, it would take far too much time to build up enough 'faith' in order to return. After waiting for so many years, he's getting impatient... So, what's the next best choice? A vessel. He can battle and give orders and then grow his divine power with minimal effort. Until, finally, he tears his form to shreds and returns to his true divine form."
I smirked. "Did I get all that right?"
"How..." Luke stared in shock. "You... Who are you exactly? How do you know all this?"
I just chuckled. "Me? I'm just a nerd," I shrugged.
Did he know how much lore I read for the books, anime, and games I played?
Did he know how much theory crafting I'd done in the past?
Did he know the amount of fanfictions I'd read, and the theories I'd crafted using bits and pieces of what I read in them following a logical progression line?
Get on my level, scrub.
"You..." Atlas stared at me. "Now... You could be useful..." He grinned. "What do you say, boy? Why not join us? Money, women, power, you could have anything you want."
"Can you get me Slifer the Sky Dragon?" I asked him.
Atlas's grin faded. "A... What?"
"Oof... Hard pass buddy," I smirked. "But I do have another offer for you, Atlas..."
I stepped forward.
"I challenge you to a duel."
The air atop the mountain grew still. Nobody so much as breathed in shock at my audacious declaration.
"You can't!" Thalia exclaimed. "He's a Titan! He's the general of their armies, you can't beat him alone!"
"Art thou insane!?" Zoe was shocked. "Dost thou wish for death so badly!? I thought thee different, stupid male!"
Atlas just stared at me, shock in his eyes... And then he threw his head back and laughed so hard that snow peeled off the side of the mountain, causing a small avalanche.
He slowly stopped laughing and grinned at me. "Name your terms."
"If I win, you go back under the sky," I told him. "You will take the burden from Artemis, and you will hold it again for at least another century."
"And should I win?" He asked.
"Then you will have me," I told him. "If you win, then I will follow and obey your orders without question for the rest of my life."
"You can't!" Penny's eyes widened in fear.
"Don't!" Thalia begged, trying to grab my arm but I shook her off.
Atlas grinned widely. "I agree to your terms, boy," he told me.
The others all gasped, Luke looked between us... Even as weak and pale as he looked, his eyes narrowed as he looked at me- he felt like something was off.
It was too late.
Atlas had already fallen into my trap.
I grinned and clapped my hands together.
"Fair Duel."
A wave of energy spread out as I clapped my hands together, enveloping the entire top of the mountain. The energy turned green, forming a sphere- a barrier- over the entire top of the mountain. The sky tinged green, as did our surroundings.
Everything stopped... The storm clouds stopped moving, the winds halted, it was as if the entire world had stopped with just the clap of my hands.
Everyone began to look around in confusion and shock.
"What is this...?" Atlas questioned.
I couldn't help it.
I threw my head back and began to laugh, causing everyone's eyes to fall on me.
"Hahaha!" I laughed happily. "I can't believe that actually worked! I was so ready for you to be too proud to accept, but I never thought you'd actually agree and make things easy for me!"
"Speak, what have you-!?" Atlas began to question before he held his head in pain as information filled it... He looked down at his arm... Where a Duel Disk now sat, a deck already fit snugly inside the slot. "... What?"
I just grinned widely as I pulled my own Duel Disk out of my bag, putting it on my arm as the Hard Light disk formed. I pulled out a deck and slid it into place, causing it to automatically shuffle.
"We're playing on my turf now, Atlas!" I laughed. "I hope you're ready! Because it's time to duel!"
"... What?"
***********
Fair Duel
Rank: SS
Type: Terrain Control, Time, Contract
A unique SS-Rank Skill, sharing many similarities with Achilles' Diatrekon Aster Lonkhe. By issuing a challenge for a one-on-one duel against the opponent, a Duel Zone can be created. No physical violence is permitted in this duel zone, and any restraints will be removed when the Duel Zone is created. A Duel will then be forced between the two. While in this Duel Zone, time is stopped in the outside world until the Duel's conclusion.
If one person lacks a Duel Disk and/or a Deck, a Duel Disk will be provided as well as a Deck based on the person's memories and abilities to create a Deck perfectly suited for them. All knowledge of the Duel Monsters game will be input into the mind if those who lack knowledge of the game, in the name of fairness. They will also immediately know every card in their deck and what they do.
If a wager was made on the outcome of the Duel, then both shall be bound by the terms of the wager. The loser's body will fulfil the terms of their wager, ignoring their free will. A wager cannot be broken, and those who lose shall follow the spirit of the wager rather than adhering strictly to its wording. This is to prevent loopholes from being exploited.