Kane sat listening to the quiet conversations surrounding him. He heard his father, Crius, whisper to Zeus for the hundredth time about Uranus using some kind of magic to weaken their powers. The full-blooded gods or titans should have been able to escape these prisons without flexing a muscle. None of them could though, they all felt drained and weak. He listened to his sweet mate's conversation through their link. It is the one thing that either Uranus forgot about or is allowing them. Their ability to communicate through their mind links. His mate and her sister were discussing how best to be ready when Katia gave the sign.
He wondered how much these women had all planned behind the men's backs. Once the witches knew that the boy and Gammy were safe, they settled down and waited patiently. All the women did. Even Dalia, which Kane found odd. She was one of the only humans in the group but she seemed to be in the know. Kane watched as Nathan took notice of every move Katia made. He no longer glared when Lucifer pulled her into his embrace. Nathan accepted that the fallen angel was her protector right now and her only hope of holding it together. Selene was just as fragile and Lucifer was doing the same for her. He wondered when his two cousins had won the prince of darkness to their sides.
Nathan's eyes suddenly narrowed and Uranus appeared. He and Katia seemed to be having words with one another. She spun shooting him and Zeus a look of regret and clapping her hands declared, "Let the battle of the fittest begin!" As she noticed something off to the left she visibly relaxed and exhaled subtly. Nathan stared off in the direction she had seen something but he could see nothing but darkness. Uranus had decided to give in on their argument because he announced, "The opponents and the rest will be fed and allowed to use the restrooms. We will then commence with the first battle."
"Yes, grandfather, thank you. How long before you wish the battle to begin?" Katia asked meekly.
"One hour granddaughter, no less, no more." He insisted. Turning he walked down the small corridor to the cave entrance. Suddenly, they heard him bellow, "For the love of Gaia, it smells like a dead whale out here." They all burst out laughing and Cronos gave praise to the one deserving it, "Good girl Aza."
Aza walked out of the corner she was hiding in after she had snuck back in. She looked at all of them with a smirk on her wolf face and her eyes dancing. Katia knelt and hugged her whispering, "SBDs are the best." Selene patted the wolf's head and announced, "Alpha Nathan and Zeus, you need to get yourself ready. There is not much time. We will do our best to lend you both some of our strength but he is keeping us drained also."
Lucifer spoke quietly, "Do not try to attack him. He has armies, of angels and demons, all over the earth's realm awaiting his order to destroy it. I have instilled those I can trust to protect the realm but I do not know how long they would be able to hold his armies back without our help."
Katia asked, "Mark, Moon Touched are they ready?"
Mark nodded, "Yes, everything is in place and all that have arrived are ready."
Nathan stared in amazement at what he was hearing. It was Kelp that taught him though, "Nathan your mate is young in many ways and she has had a hell of a time dealing with everything. However, we have always guided our Alpha Luna to help her see the bigger picture while she dealt with triggers, more abuse, learning how to live somewhat normally, and trying to mature."
Mark picked up the teaching about their Alpha Luna, "She has a sharp mind although she is still a bit immature and her wolf is immensely immature." Aza snorted at that. Mark stated, "No disrespect Wolfie. Xey loves you and knows you are trying to." Turning back to Nathan, "Selene needed the same just at a different level. That is why she has been staying with us. We protect them but help them to learn and understand it is okay for them to be different from us and to function differently from us. That is what we do for all that show up at our gates and ask entrance to the Moon Touched pack. All of our members are special and have been broken."
It was Dalia's turn now, "Nathan you of all people should have realized that. Look how broken we were when Mama and Papa died. Look how broken you've been since finding out Zeus is your father and Katia left. Don't you see Katia wants a place where everyone is accepted and feels special?"
Nathan whispered, "I realize that now. A little too late I think and I make no excuse for what I did. My wolf, Kalen, warned me and I did not listen. I felt as a half-god I knew better than him." Kalen snorted inside his mind but remained quiet preparing for the fight to come.
Selene interrupted, "Hurry Nathan, eat and do what you have to do to be ready. We are almost out of time." Nathan looked at his mate and she said nothing. He knew she would not speak to him and was not upset by it. He could still feel her turmoil and fear. She was using everything she had to keep it hidden from Uranus. If he even sensed it he would know she was playing a game with him.
What sounded like thunder got them all moving. Cronos said it was his brother readying the area for the fights. "Knowing my father, he is putting a barrier around the area where the fights will take place. He will be able to control who enters and exits the area." Cronos educated them further, "He will allow no interference. Unfortunately, my father has gone mad with his hunger for complete control and power."
Zeus fumed, "He is doing something to keep us weak. It is working on me the same as the rest of you. How was he able to achieve all of this while locked away? Why is whatever he is doing not affecting him as well?"
Evelynn interjected, "Uranus is using a spell to drain us and transfer the energy to him. Keeping him at full power at all times and is weakened so we cannot defeat him." Evelynn paced around the small areas they had outside the living quarters that expanded into the mountainside. "Although, if we combined our powers, we may be strong enough to defeat him."
Zeus banged his fist on the bench where he sat, "The great powerful Zeus and I can do nothing to help either realm. Evelynn if that is the plan you all have come up with then we are lost. Uranus is mad but not stupid, he is not going to allow us to do anything that would harm him. He is keeping us weak enough that our combined powers would be a slap to him."
Evelynn smiled slyly, "Oh, that was just an idea to try in hopes we would not have to move forward with what we were planning. The outcome could still be devastating."
Suddenly, all of the prisoners found themselves sitting in chairs surrounding a ring. They were each chained to the chair they sat in by the ankles. The chains were made of ruthenium, a durable and hard metal that was made to withstand the strength of a god."
Zeus and his son, Nathan, were in the middle of the area where they were to fight. Uranus had put Katia on his right side and Selene on his left. Lucifer was in front of them with Aza lying next to him. Each of them was chained like the others. Aza's chain was looped around her neck like a choker. Uranus held the other end. He was taking no chances with any of them.
Standing Uranus held his hand in the air to quiet the other spectators. The captives stared confused by the appearance of the others. As they looked at the rest of the seats they saw angels, demons, cyclops, ghosts, chimera, gorgons, minotaurs, and other monsters. Uranus had decided to put on a show.
"Did he sell tickets for this?" Nathan muttered to Zeus.
"Knowing him, he probably did," Zeus confessed.
Uranus stood and cleared his throat, "Zeus, god of the gods, and Nathan, Alpha of the Snow Moon pack, are father and son. I have deemed they will fight to the death. The winner will then fight the next opponent, of my choosing, and so it will continue. When only one remains they will fight me to death. The winner rules all and may do as they please with the realms."
The spectators cheered at what Uranus had to say. Encouraged by the crowd's cheers, Uranus went on, "Alpha you will not be able to shift until I allow it." Turning his attention to Zeus he said, "Zeus you will not use Thunderbolt until I allow it." There was a gasp from the crowd at that. No one has ever seen Zeus without his thunderbolt, it was his go-to weapon.
"One more thing, if I detect an attempt on my life, Katia and Selene's life will be forfeit. I will kill them instantly," he vowed. He sat in the chair behind him and waved his hand toward the demon in the ring with Zeus and Nathan.
The demon stood in the middle of the two men and said in a deep garbled voice, "This will be a fight to death. There will be no breaks or rest. The fight goes on until only one is alive."
Backing out from between the two fighters, the demon spat one more word, "Fight."