Voidflame poured down on Hades, and he found himself sliding down Netherion's throat. He held Cerberus close, hugging the dog tightly as he braced for his end. His staff, swallowed with them, continued to provide a shield of darkness, protecting him from the voidflame. But he could see the fire eating away at the edges of the darkness, and he knew that once it was gone, so was he.
Or was it?
Instead of dying out, the darkness began to grow, consuming the voidflame from within. Hades's eyes widened at the revelation. He looked at his staff and saw golden runes flashing to life along its length. More voidflame rushed out of Netherion's belly, but the prominent runes flared, eating the fire and strengthening the darkness that protected him.
The darkness continued to grow, filling up Netherion's throat and extending into its belly. For the first time in his life, Hades felt a profound sense of belonging. The darkness was his domain. His power. His very divinity.
The voidflame, known to consume even gods, was now being devoured by his darkness. In the pitch-black void, Hades could see everything: the meat, the bones, and the walls of Netherion's body. Cerberus could see it all, too. The dog's low growl was no longer of fear but of hunger.
"Go ahead," Hades commanded, and Cerberus, now safe, leaped at Netherion's throat.
As he chewed, he grew bigger, eating faster and faster. Soon enough, the darkness consumed the last of the voidflame and began to consume Netherion's flesh, from the inside out.
In the banquet hall, Netherion was coiling around the runes, trying desperately to escape the invisible barrier. The Titans, confident in the barrier's strength, watched with ease. Suddenly, Netherion stopped, black smoke breathing out of its nose. It let out a weak, low screech as dark smoke escaped its mouth. Knowing something was terribly wrong, the dragon flapped its wings and shrieked loudly, a clear alarm to the Titans. It could feel its body burning from the inside as it wiggled in agony. The burning sensation worsened, and Netherion bit its own skin, dark smoke pouring from the open wounds.
This time, all the Titans in the hall knew something was wrong. Their mocking grins were replaced by serious expressions as they watched Netherion destroy itself.
In a loud POOF!, darkness exploded out of Netherion, blasting its body apart. Its body was now nothing but the scales that covered its skin; the rest had been consumed by Hades and Cerberus.
Darkness filled the circled runes, contained by the barrier. The invisible barrier now glowed with a frantic white light, struggling to contain the new power. A deafening whooshing sound filled the hall as all the darkness was sucked back into the staff at Hades's will.
Except for the twelve great Titans, every being in the room wore a look of utter terror, clinging to their masters' thrones. As the darkness was completely swallowed, Hades was revealed standing in the middle of the runes. He held his staff, which now looked like a long, dark scepter topped with a bird-shaped ornament.
Cerberus, once a small puppy, had grown into a beast of its own. The hound was now a massive, terrifying creature with three snarling heads, each bearing rows of razor-sharp fangs and glowing eyes. His muscular body was built for strength, and a serpent's tail coiled and hissed behind him.
Cronus's face was a mask of pure shock. He looked at Themis, the Titaness of prophecy, and he could see the fear in her eyes. Her prophecy was coming true.
Earlier, Cronus and Themis had prophesied that Cronus would be killed and overthrown by his children. He had decided to kill them off, starting with Hades, the weakest of his sons. But there Hades stood, a new being entirely. Fear filled the room, and everyone swore they could hear the growl of beasts and the screams of Titans that had been killed by Netherion.
Hades took a step forward, and with each stride, the golden runes beneath his feet turned black. When he reached the barrier, darkness enshrouded his palm, and he placed it on the shimmering wall.
The white light barrier gave a sizzling sound and shook violently before it shattered, and Hades walked past it. Weaker Titans and spirits screamed and rushed out of the hall, followed by some of the stronger ones.
"What kind of anomaly is this?" Iapetus questioned Cronus. "This wasn't part of the plan."
"You keep doing this, hoarding all power into your household," Crius said.
"Quiet!" Cronus silenced the great Titans, his voice a mix of anger, shock, and disbelief.
"I present to you, Hades the Conqueror," Themis proclaimed, her voice shaking. "Son of Cronus, first of all gods, god of the dead."
Hades might have awoken his power, but he didn't know about their plan—at least they all hoped that. Cerberus growled loudly as he sighted Korios among the crowd. Knowing what the dog wanted, Hades allowed him.
The hound shot at Korios at lightning speed. Korios trembled with fear and quickly turned himself into a rock, his most defensive state. Layers of defensive force covered the rock, but Hades pointed his staff at him, and dark flames shot at the forces, slicing through them like a knife through water.
Cerberus latched onto the rock and bit off its face. Its serpent tail latched onto the rock and tore it apart until it was nothing more than a pile of dust. The Titans drew away in fear. Cerberus wiggled his tail and returned to Hades.
Under the Titans' disbelieving gaze, Hades walked out of the hall. He went back to the cave he used to live in, shocked by the changes around him.
"What happened?" Hades mumbled.
Suddenly, words lined up in his sight:
[Abnormal Energy Detected]
[Conversion Authentication begins]
[Abnormal energy is weaker. Authentication passed.]
[Conversion Begins]
[Conversion Completed]
[Ding!]
[System Activated]
[Welcome to System: Dominate]
[You will be given missions with significant rewards.]
[Failing missions is punishable by death as the highest consequence.]
[Refusal to accept new missions for a long time is punishable by death.]
[You have received 10,000 soul shards as a welcome bonus. Enjoy!]