Titan King: Ascension of the Giant
Chapter 824 - 824: The Seed of a God

As the death-energy flowed into him, Orion felt no pain, no malice. But under its pressure, something deep within his chest was forced into the open: a dull, lifeless seed, pulsing faintly where the curse once bloomed.

It was a final, lingering gambit from the Flower Goddess.

Orion's blood ran cold. He clearly remembered using the Commander's gifted blade-flash to obliterate her divine will.

"Do not be alarmed. It is merely a remnant," Arthas said, his voice calm. "But though it is only a remnant, it was masterfully hidden. If not for my nature… for the sensitivity of the undead to all things vibrant with life, I would not have found it."

An undead being was a vessel of pure death-energy; the vibrant, unique life signature of this seed, however faint, could not escape his senses.

"I suspect even the Purification Tower could do nothing against this seed," Arthas continued. "Because there is no will attached to it. Not yet."

Orion didn't understand, his gaze fixed on his mentor, waiting for an explanation.

"Judging by the nature of this seed, and the fate of that lover of yours who conceived your child by transforming into a flower… I am certain it was no mere demigod you provoked," Arthas said, his tone growing grave. "You have made an enemy of a true god."

He let the weight of that sink in before continuing. "The seed is dormant now. But the moment you attempt your ascension to demigod, the moment your soul reaches out to grasp the rules of the cosmos, it will awaken. It will become a conduit, a beacon to draw down that goddess's divine power. You will face another invasion, a divine assault at your most vulnerable moment. Whether you would survive… I cannot say."

Arthas withdrew his hand, and the death-energy receded. The seed, like a patient parasite, dissolved back into Orion's body, becoming utterly undetectable once more.

Seeing the grim set of Orion's expression, Arthas offered a sliver of comfort. "Do not despair. For you, this is not necessarily a bad thing."

The ghost of a smile touched his lips. "The machinations of a god are not so easily erased. You used her, again and again. It is only natural she would play a wicked game of her own." Arthas was familiar with the curse; he had been the first one Orion had sought for a solution.

"But now you know she is there. You can prepare for her. You can set your own traps." Arthas's smile became a wry, knowing thing. "Just as you did before. Did you not steal a great deal of faith-energy from her to fuel your own ascension to Archlord?"

The meaning was clear. Orion's eyes lit with understanding.

"Brother, you mean to say…"

"You understand perfectly well," Arthas said, turning to continue his walk along the shore.

Orion pondered this new, perilous opportunity for a long moment before hurrying to catch up. "Brother, there is another matter. Leonidas mentioned a mission he wanted me for. Do you know of it?"

Arthas did not answer directly, his voice a dispassionate whisper on the wind.

"You will know when they are ready."

Titanion Realm, Stoneheart City.

A month had passed. The festive air from the coronation had not faded; instead, it had settled into the city's bones, transforming it into a place of bustling, ceaseless prosperity. A springtide of commerce and life showed no signs of ebbing.

Yet one young giant, walking against that vibrant current, was leaving the castle with a heavy heart.

"I'll be back next year to challenge you!" Kronos yelled, finally mustering his courage as he looked back at the two small figures standing at the castle gate. He fixed his gaze on his older sister, the one who could cast spells without a single word.

He made a solemn vow to himself: when he returned home, he would have his mother find him a mage. He too would learn magic. Only magic could defeat magic. As for Pallas… he was the younger brother. How could an older brother possibly lose to him?

With that thought fortifying his spirit, Kronos waved both hands high in the air in a final farewell. In the distance, his cousin, Prince Theodore, was waiting for him.

"Sister, why does brother have to leave?" Pallas asked, his voice small. "Isn't it nice here? You're here, and Mama is here, and our Aunts, and Daddy…"

He couldn't understand Kronos's departure. Just as Kronos had been sheltered from the world by his mother, Ava, in the human kingdom, Pallas had been sheltered by the love of his own family within the walls of Stoneheart.

"What does it matter to us if he leaves?" Elara said with a 嘻嘻. She glanced at Kronos's retreating figure, then took Pallas's small hand. "You'd better practice, Pallas. He's coming back to challenge you, you know. You don't want him to be the one giving you a thrashing next year."

She tugged him along. "Come on, let's go to the gardens. I know which of the magical fruits are ripe."

At the mention of fruit, Pallas's eyes lit up. If Elara said a fruit was delicious, it was always the most delicious thing in the world, the kind that could let you play for three days and three nights without sleep.

In the distance, Kronos, now holding Prince Theodore's hand, suddenly looked back, a strange feeling drawing his gaze. But the two small, beloved figures were already gone from the castle gate. He felt a pang of disappointment.

As he was about to turn away, his eyes were drawn upward, to the highest turret of the citadel.

A tall, majestic figure stood there, watching him. A pair of bright, scarlet eyes met his own.

An overwhelming urge to fall to his knees and prostrate himself washed over the young giant. At the same time, he felt a profound and inexplicable sense of familiarity, of closeness, emanating from that gaze.

Is that… Father? The thought arose in his mind, fierce and certain. In the month he had been here, he had never once met the king. He only knew what Elara and Pallas told him: that their father sat upon the great throne and rarely came out.

He came out, Kronos thought, his heart swelling. Did he come out to see me off? His only impression of his father was this: a mighty silhouette, scarlet eyes, and the whispers of everyone around him, speaking of a being of supreme power.

"Are you certain we should let him go?" Lilith materialized at Orion's side, linking her arm with his and resting her head against his shoulder. Their gazes were fixed on the small, departing figure of Kronos.

As Orion's queen, she held authority over the discipline of all his children. If she had decided to keep Kronos at the castle, no one, not even Orion, would have objected.

"You have already let him go, have you not?" Orion murmured, leaning down to kiss her forehead. His wife's wisdom, her grasp of the larger picture, and her firm, independent judgment in raising their children were things he cherished deeply.

"I thought it would be a cruel thing, to separate a child from his mother," Lilith said softly, basking in his affection. "And his heart is good. He has not been spoiled or taught malice. The faction behind him knows there are lines that must not be crossed."

Her voice was a low, contented purr. "I have made a decision. We will send a stipend of resources for him, every year. A prince of the Stoneheart Horde should not want for anything while living in a human kingdom. He will not be forced to beg others for the means to grow strong."

"Mm," Orion agreed, his voice a soft rumble of assent.