‘I’m still looking for the cashpoint!’ yelled a fourth.

Thanatos gazed happily across the throngs of bellicose Elementals. With them to keep the Gods out of his way, and the Chaos Stone now in his hand, nothing could stop him. He produced the elemental gem and held it aloft, allowing the rainbow beams to fill the dark air to a chorus of cheers.

‘Then let us ready ourselves for war!’ Thanatos cried. ‘It is time, my friends! Go now – and do not rest until VICTORY IS OURS!’

16. War

16. War

Zeus watched the sun set the dawn sky alight above the ancient rocks of Stonehenge. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he had no idea how the day would end. In fact, he had only felt like this once before – the last time he’d defeated Thanatos in battle. That time he’d been lucky. Would lightning strike twice?

He heard a disgruntled snort next to him.

‘Ready, Peg?’ he asked his immortal steed.

‘Always,’ sighed the winged horse. ‘But why, oh why, must all threats to the world demand such early starts? Would it kill anyone to battle to the death after lunch? It plays havoc with my skincare regime . . .’

Zeus turned to look at his beautiful daughters, ready in their battle attire. Athene stood proudly in her golden armour with her sword. Aphrodite was dressed in her leather breastplate with her crossbow at the ready. The rest of the family – Hephaestus, Hades, Ares, Dionysus, Hestia, Demeter, Poseidon, Artemis and Apollo – were fanned out behind them, flanked by the Zodiac Council. They were ready to face the enemy. He had put them all in so much peril. At moments like these, he wasn’t the all-powerful King of the Gods. He was just a father, worried about his family. And yet here they were once again, right by his side.

‘Where’s the wicked stepmother?’ said Aphrodite, looking around for Hera.

‘Gone on some secret mission,’ said Zeus. ‘Hopefully Mission: Long Walk Off Short Pier . . . Are you ready?’

‘Always,’ said Athene, in answer to an encouraging nod from her sister.

They all looked on as the ancient monument was lit up by the morning light. On another day, it would have been a joyful sight. Today, it filled Zeus with foreboding: would they end up at Thanatos’s mercy beneath those stones?

‘Sho,’ Ares declared, giving Aphrodite a flirty wink as he passed. ‘Everythingsh in plashe. We jusht need to create enough of a dishtractshion for the guysh to finish their mishon down in Tartarush.’

‘Roger that,’ said Zeus. ‘We’re all set. Now all we’re waiting for is—’

The ground beneath them started to shake with the rhythmic thumping of thousands of feet.

‘I think the waiting is over,’ said Athene, raising her sword and shield. ‘Everyone – battle stations!’

The Olympians and the Zodiac Councillors scuttled to their positions around the historic monument, as determined by Achilles.