Unleashed

Unleashed A GREEK MYTHOLOGY INSPIRED ADVENTURE M. M. GARGIULO Copyright Page Copyright © 2023 M.M. Gargiulo The rights of M.M. Gargiulo to be identified as the author of the work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright Act of America. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. For any inquiries or permissions, the publisher can be contacted at [email protected]. First published in the United States of America by: M.M. Gargiulo First Print: 2023 Formatted By: M.M. Gargiulo Edited By: Eleanor Ransburg Cover and Interior Design By: Etheric Tales ISBN: 979-8-9870487-5-7 Dedication This book is dedicated to the man who journeyed to the underworld to bring me back to life. Thank you, Zak. And to the nightmares that fuel my stories. Contents Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Acknowledgments About the Author Also by M. M. Gargiulo Prologue One hundred savage giants had sprung from the goddess Gaia’s womb with a thirst for blood. Centaurs, satyrs, humans, and even some gods fell in the chaos they unleashed. Zeus, the King of the Gods, was the first to leave the Gods’ home on Mount Olympus to meet the Giants head on. Lightning seemed to make a permanent home on the earth while the battle raged on. Rain plastered the god’s silvery white hair to his ethereally beautiful face. To anyone within view, he appeared as a statue come to life, with the air around him humming with power. The bodies of more than 60 giants decorated the ground around the god. Mountains had been torn down, canyons had been formed, and magma pulled from the depths. Ash mixed with the rain, making the air taste burnt. Zeus took a steadying breath before turning toward the sound of loud thuds behind him. He sighed and ran an unsteady hand through his flowing hair. Lightning crackled in his white eyes, no pupils to be seen. Porphyrion, the largest of the giants, lumbered toward him. The giant smelled like decaying meat, was massive and muscular with tiny eyes and pointed teeth. Zeus knew he was too spent to destroy Porphyrion. The god looked skyward, and a bone-crushing scream escaped his mouth. Thunder shook the very ground they stood on, and the god seemed to glow as he turned toward the giant. Zeus mustered what energy he had left, and the ground beneath Porphyrion moved like water and swallowed him whole. The sound of stone sliding in place was loud enough to deafen any humans in the vicinity. Zeus staggered and fell to his knees, the glow leaving his body. The mighty king took several steadying breaths before standing upright. One by one, the gods made their way back to their home in the sky. Many months went by before Zeus regained his strength from that battle. Time passed and the giants were all but forgotten, their story told at bedtime to children for entertainment. Zeus never forgot what had been left unfinished. Porphyrion lay for centuries untouched by time, encased in magic, and dreaming of the havoc he would create upon his escape … Chapter One Atticus had been in love since the second his hazel eyes landed on Daphne. She had straight, fiery red hair that was tied up in an elaborate way, eyes that were greener than the tree leaves, and pale skin decorated with freckles that grew more pronounced the longer she was in the sun. He was fourteen years old when he first spotted her, walking with her head down and hand firmly around her small sister’s wrist. Atticus had been wrestling with a friend in the square, their parents shopping nearby, when the sight of her caused his attention to wander, and he accidentally choked his friend a little too hard. Petre knocked his hand against Atticus in a desperate attempt to bring his attention back to the match at hand. “Oh, sorry, Petre,” Atticus said, loosening his grasp and dropping his friend to the ground. “Sweet Hades!” Petre exclaimed, coughing and rubbing his neck. “You almost sent me to dine with him for lunch.” “You’re exaggerating!” Atticus rolled his eyes, ran his hand through his blond hair, and laughed at Petre. “I am not!” Petre laughed too, shaking and still rubbing his neck. “I swear to Zeus, you get stronger every day.” Atticus shrugged, his attention back on the crowd, searching for the beautiful woman who had just walked by. She had vanished into the usual chaos of the square, swallowed by the clamor. “Hello?” Petre asked, standing up and dusting the dirt off his tunic. He grimaced at the dust lightly coating his dark brown skin. He picked up his pack and slung it back over his shoulder. “Is your mind on Mount Olympus?” “Yes,” Atticus said, focusing his attention back on Petre. “I thought I saw someone new. She caught my eye, that’s all.” “Atticus!” his father called. “Come on now, time to get to the temple.” His páppa’s rough hands grabbed at the young Atticus’ soft ones. “The wife of Hades is the focus for the morning,” his páppa, the older man named Eugene, said, pulling him away from Petre. Petre waved lazily, while his mamá started to scold him for messing up his tunic. “Persephone was trapped in the underworld by her husband, remember?” His páppa asked as he dragged him away. Atticus barely heard him.