Skies and seas
The air was thick with tension as Zeus and Poseidon faced off amidst a storm that darkened the sky, thunder rolling like the footsteps of ancient titans. Lightning cracked across the heavens, illuminating their furious battle below.
Zeus's eyes gleamed with cruel amusement as he toyed with Poseidon, bolts of lightning darting through the air with deadly precision. Poseidon raised his trident, summoning towering waves that crashed against the god of thunder, yet the assault barely slowed Zeus's relentless advance.
Thal stood at a distance, fists clenched tight, watching the war of gods unfold. His heart hammered—not with fear, but with frustration and desperation. He wanted to step into the fray, to protect his father, but he knew his strength was not yet enough. He was still learning to control the vast power within.
"I'm not ready," he thought bitterly, eyes scanning the raging battle. Each thunderous strike from Zeus pushed Poseidon back further, bruising the sea god's flesh and spirit. Yet Poseidon refused to yield, throwing himself into the fight with all the fury of the ocean's depths.
Zeus laughed—a deep, mocking sound that echoed like a storm on a distant shore. "You fight well, brother of mine, but you are outmatched. Step aside, or be swept away by the tides of fate."
Poseidon's voice rumbled like crashing waves. "This ends now, Zeus. I fight for more than pride. I fight for family, for the legacy we must protect."
The combat intensified. Zeus unleashed a storm of lightning so fierce it rent the very fabric of the sky. Poseidon responded with a colossal tidal wave, a surge of power drawn from the deepest oceans. The two forces collided in a spectacular explosion, sending shockwaves rippling through the land.
Thal's breath caught. The magnitude of their powers left him awestruck and terrified. He wished he could help, do more than watch helplessly.
Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, a blur streaked across the sky—a flash of red and blue moving with impossible speed. Thal's heart leapt, but before he could turn, Zeus's thunderous roar filled the air. The god of thunder was far from done.
Poseidon faltered under a devastating bolt. His body slammed against a jagged rock, wind knocked from his lungs. The sea god fell to one knee, struggling to rise, battered but unbroken.
Thal's chest tightened. He stepped forward instinctively, but his legs faltered. "Not yet," he whispered to himself. "I'm not ready."
Zeus advanced, eyes blazing with the certainty of victory. But as he raised his hand for a final strike, a brilliant beam of rainbow light shot down from the sky—the Rainbow Bridge. The shimmering Bifröst materialized with a thunderous hum, and standing in its radiant glow was Odin, the Allfather himself.
"Enough," Odin's voice boomed, commanding and cold. "This feud ends now."
The gods ceased their assault, turning toward Odin, whose gaze locked onto Thal with chilling intensity. The Allfather's eyes gleamed with ancient fury and deadly resolve. For Odin, this boy was no mere child—he was a threat that must be eliminated.
The battle was far from over. The skies roared as Odin stepped forward, ready to strike, and Thal's heart pounded harder than ever. Though weaponless now, he stood tall—knowing this was only the beginning