The God of Olympus (23 page)

              The great flying chariot spent the next few hours flying south to the island of Cythera.  The island of Cythera was a relatively small Greek island many miles south of the Greek mainland (about 100 square miles).  It was said to be the island of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, although Aphrodite had long left that island.  Interestingly enough, it was here that Hercules was to prove his love for Meg.

             
Once the island came into view Hades instructed his horses to land. 

Once
Hades’ chariot had landed the sun was about to set.

             
The island itself was very rugged, mostly from the prevailing winds from the surrounding sea.  It was also very diverse.  Several bushes and trees were scattered throughout the landscape.  In addition, harsh rock cliffs and ravines also existed.

             
Hercules looked down at the island and then, in the distance, out over the sea, he saw a great storm.  It looked like a terrible thunderstorm, only it was shaped like a terrifying tornado, and swirled around with great intensity through the sky down to the water.

             
Hades parked his chariot far away from the storm, on a small mountain ridge near the sea.  Nearby were another chariot and several horses.  Next to the chariot were Herakles, Ares, and a few others who must have come to see what would occur. 

             
Hades then led Hercules, with Meg and Philoctetes held captive by Herakles and Ares, down towards the beach.  Hades stopped several hundred feet before the water’s edge and looked onward.

             
“There it is!” exclaimed Hades.  “The grand storm, the storm of a century!  Now go!  It will reach the shore very soon!”

             
Meg was bound, but was able to yell, “Hercules don’t!”

             
“Silence Meg!” yelled Hades.  “You are still mine!”

             
Hercules looked back at Meg and smiled.  “Meg, my love, may you forever be free!”  Then Hercules turned away from her and began walking towards the storm.

             
Hercules looked forward into the storm, and, with his lion skin over his shoulder and his sword in hand, walked forward towards the edge of the sea.  He noticed many different things seemed to have gathered in the storm—debris of all sorts—dust, water, wood, rocks, and even weapons such as swords and shields.

             
Once Hercules reached the shore the storm was within only a few feet of him, and it looked all the more threatened.  Booming, thunderous sounds echoed from it and terrible lightning shot down throughout it.  Hercules looked back one more time at Meg and Philoctetes and then turned around and moved forward and disappeared into storm.

Hades smiled
as he watched Hercules disappear into the storm and what ensued in the next few seconds was new to them all. They all heard the storm get even louder, as if either excited or angry someone had entered its domain.  After several rounds of a loud, thunderous noise, lightning shot out all around, almost hitting Hades, Meg, Philoctetes, and the rest of those outside the storm.

“What is happening?” asked
Herakles.

“I
t is the God storm!” said Hades.  “The storm will cease after it has taken the powers of a God!”  Hades was right.  After a few moments the storm suddenly seemed to miraculously dissipate before their eyes.  Once the storm had dissipated there was suddenly a great calmness.  They could see Hercules on the shore, but he looked very different.

             
He no longer stood upright, but stared down at the ground with his knees against the ground and his arms holding him upright.  It seemed like he was so weak he could barely hold himself up.  Hercules couldn’t believe what just happened.  He never would have imagined that the little God power he had within him previously could have made such a difference.

             
Hades wasted no time.  He rushed towards him, with a bright smile on his face.  “Hercules!  Great Hercules, how to do feel?”  Hercules was so exhausted that he couldn’t even speak.  “That good huh?  Well, perhaps you should lie down a bit!”  Suddenly Hades swung the top of his staff around so it hit Hercules’ face hard and propelled him onto his back against the ground.  Hercules screamed in pain as he ran his hands over his face to stop the bleeding.  He then found enough strength to wobble up to his feet.  Hades laughed.  “Yes, Hercules, you now are completely mortal…but just to make sure.”  Hades shot a blast a black magic at Hercules and flung him back several feet to the ground.  Meg and Philoctetes wanted to run out and help Hercules, but both Ares and Hephaestus held them back. 

             
Hercules could not get back up to his feet this time.  He felt dizzy.  He looked down at his skin and felt it hurting terribly.  It felt like it had cracked and began bleeding all over.  This was most likely from the storm, although the large scar across his face was from Hades’ staff.  Hercules felt like he didn’t have enough strength to get up, let alone walk, for not only was his skin brittle and hurt, but his own physical strength seemed to have all but diminished.  But he managed to get himself up off the ground again.  He lifted his sword high towards the heavens and thought of Zeus and Hera.

             
“Thank you Meg, you were brilliant!” said Hades loudly, as he laughed.  Hades then suddenly sent a beam of magic at Meg, which released her from the chains binding her.  Herakles removed his hands from her and released her.  “Go my lovely!  A deal is a deal!  You are now free!”

             
“What are you talking about?” asked Hercules.

             
“You didn’t know?” asked Hades laughingly.  “Meg was on my side the whole time.  She promised me that she would go to the island just to discover your weakness so that she could tell me.  And of course, your weakness was the weakest of them all—love!”  Hercules at first did not want to believe Hades.

             
“Hades, you have               lied to me for too long!  I do not believe you.”

             
Hercules then looked up at Meg and saw that she did not rush to him and hug him as he lingered there in great pain.  She wanted to, but she was far too ashamed and her conscience to weak and vulnerable.  Instead of running to him, as she wanted to, she looked down towards the ground away from Hercules, her face veiled in shadow.

             
“Meg, do not tell me that it is true!” said Hercules.  “Do not tell me all the time you were merely the device of Hades!  It cannot be!”

             
Meg didn’t have the strength to respond.  She had to focus all her energy on holding back her tears.  Hercules then realized that Hades’ words, at least in this instance, were true.  Meg was merely a device to strip him of his God-power.

             
Hercules found that he suddenly felt inside of himself something that he had not felt before.  Instead of a bold, daring battleship he felt like the Titanic, a ship that he been hit in its weakest spot.  He suddenly felt more than just physically weak.  The pain Hercules felt in this moment was unlike any he had ever felt before. Not only was he without his Godlike powers, but he felt betrayal on every end.  Meg, his true love, had merely been a device of Hades to bring about his destruction.  His heart felt empty and horrible, as if perhaps he would never experience love again.  It was as if Meg had opened his heart so much by his love for her, it seemed as if she had entirely closed it.

             
A rush of anxiety overflowed him.  In this moment of heartbreak and turmoil Hercules let his sword fall to the ground.  The fallen sword was a symbol to all there that Hercules, the great and powerful, had fallen.

             
“Ha!” laughed Hades.  “Hercules the great is no more!  What is a hero without his special powers?  What is the hero without his will?”

             
Hades fired another blast of dark magic that sent him to the ground again.  Hercules tried to get up off the ground.  When Meg saw this she rushed towards Hercules to help pick him up from off the ground, but he pushed her away.  “No!” he mumbled.  Meg didn’t argue and moved away.

             
Then Hades lifted up his great staff and smiled.  “Oh, the great Hercules does try to rise!  Well you will rise no more now Hercules. Now you are completely mortal, but more suffering is to be experienced yet, son of Zeus and Hera!”  Hades then looked back at Herakles and Ares and said, “Come, chain him and place him into my chariot, where he will experience true mortality!”

             
After this Herakles and Ares, with Philoctetes still held in check by several of fallen heroes, grabbed ahold of Hercules and drug him off into the chariot.  Hercules was far too weak to resist.  Philoctetes and Meg looked on with sadness.

             
“Prepare for your journey to the underworld Hercules, for there you will experience more pain yet!”  laughed Hades as he stepped into the driver’s seat of his chariot.  Hades prepared to fly away back towards the underworld, in his chariot until Herakles spoke:

             
“But what of Meg and Philoctetes?”

“Leave them here,” said Hades.  “Nobody can stop me now!”

“You cannot leave me on this island!” yelled Meg as she approached Hades’ chariot.  “You must take me back to my island!”  She said this of course because she thought that Pegasus was there and this would give her a chance to go and get help.

“You may no longer
be under my possession Meg, but I have no obligation to help you.  No, you may remain here on this wretched island and find your own way back to your island prison.”

Philoctetes and Meg watched as Hades’ and his chariots flew off into the distant, leaving them both alone on the island.  D
arkness quickly came upon both Meg and Philoctetes.

Chapter 13: Darkness, Chains, and Death

             
Darkness had completely descended over the land, marking three complete days and nights since Hercules was last in Hades’ underworld.  But this was where he was to find himself again.

             
Hercules felt like he had already died and was unconscious for most of the journey to the underworld.  He already had several cuts and bruises from the storm and from Hades’ staff.  He was lying down now staring up at the rock ceiling of Hades’ underworld, being carried on a black stretcher of sorts by four large, armored warriors.  In front of them was Hades, who strutted forward gallantly and victoriously in his dark robes.

             
“Hercules!” exclaimed Hades, after he noticed a painful noise come from behind him.  “Come and behold what I have prepared for you!”

             
“I am not dead?” asked Hercules.

             
“Not yet,” said Hades.

             
Hercules seemed to begin to remember everything that had happened up to this point.  Everything seemed to make sense.  What didn’t make sense was why Hades was keeping Hercules alive?  And why was he bringing him to his underworld?  Was he to place him in the underworld forever, or was he going to simply kill him here in front of his servants?  Hercules did not know, but thought about these things occupied his mind for the next several minutes.

             
Hercules noticed that as they journeyed down and onward, deeper and deeper into Hades’ underworld, more and more of Hades’ servants and creatures seemed to follow.  Of course, Hercules could hear Hades’ loud and victorious shouts: “Come, my laborers, my flyers, and my soldiers!  Come, for I have captured the great Hercules!”

             
More and more followed and began grabbing their own torch, while others helped them light theirs.

             
Still others did not follow Hades.  Hercules turned his head and could see the sad faces of all those workers who saw Hercules being drug into the darkness.  “Come!” exclaimed Hades again.  “Come and see Hercules’ demise and then war will come upon all of Greece!  If you all fight for me you will all be free!”  Of course, Hades said this because he knew if they did fight for him he would most likely be victorious and if he was victorious he would be crowned King, and if he was King of all of Greece he could enslave everyone by his own great power and authority as King.

             
However, this vain promise seemed to entice more and more people to join with the rather large group that was developing.  Shouts and snarls were beginning to abound and grow in volume the deeper Hercules was brought into Hades’ underworld.

             
Hades moved forward for several minutes until he arrived into a great domed room, like an underground coliseum with people seated everywhere in the room and with several hundred torches filling the room with firelight.  Down the stairs Hades went, followed by the stretcher carrying the weak Hercules.

             
Hercules tried not to look around, for the noise beginning to erupt in that large cave arena was nearly unbearable.  Some were high screeched.  Hercules figured this was from all the large bat-like creatures that were scattered throughout the top of the arena.  Then there were snorts, growls, and snarls, from all the many creatures that Hades’ had ensnared.  Then, finally, there were insidious cheers and chants, which came from all the wraiths, warriors, and other human servants that Hades had under his grasp.

             
Hercules suddenly felt himself being lifted up and tossed onto the hard ground, face first.  Hades whispered into Hercules’ ear: “Hercules.  It appears that you have an audience, an audience that is grand enough to witness your demise!”

S
uddenly chanting and the banging of drums beat hard and long in the deep cavern.

Then Hades addressed the crowds:

              “Here he is!  Here is the man you fear—the great Hercules!”

             
Hercules tried to push himself up off the ground with his arms, and succeeded for a moment, until Hades hit him hard in the back with his staff.  Hercules screamed in pain and hit the ground again.  “Do not get up Hercules!” mocked Hades.  “Before you were a guest in my underworld palace, but now you are one of my servants!  Stay down until I tell you to rise!”

             
Hercules did not have the strength to speak or get up so he remained on the ground.  Then, in the darkness and amidst all of his pain, Hades’ servants Ares and Hephaestus lifted Hercules up off the ground and bound Hercules’ hands together behind his back with chains.  Then Hades approached Hercules, who could barely stand up straight, and, with his staff ripped the lion skin on Hercules’ back in two.  People and creatures all around him cheered.  Ares and Hephaestus held up the two pieces of Hercules’ lion skin.

             
Then Hades moved in front of Hercules and held up his hands to silence everyone there.  Hades then yelled loudly, so that it echoed throughout his entire underworld.

“This is the great Hercules,

The son of Zeus and Hera!

The man who slew a great lion with his bare hands,

The man who won the Olympic Games,

The man who sacrificed himself for a woman!

This is the great Hercules, who can no longer defy us!”

             
Hades hit Hercules hard in the chest with his staff and then in the face, causing the other side of his face to bleed.  Hercules, although in deep pain, did not speak but fell down to the ground.  Everyone around him cheered and chanted:

“Darkness, chains, and death!  Darkness, chains, and death!  Darkness, chains, and death!  Darkness, chains, and death!”

Hades could tell that Hercules was near death.  He looked around at the thousands that were cheering and chanting.  He then lifted up his arms to silence the crowds.  After the entire underworld was silence Hades leaned down in front of Hercules’ face and whispered, “Hercules, you should know that Meg never was the true bait.  You are the true bait, the weak, battered, and nearly dead figure of mourning that will ensnare even the greatest Gods!”

Hades then stood up to address his
audience. 

“For many decades we have been preparing!

Preparing for this g
reat war!

And the time has now come!

War shall come suddenly upon all of Greece!

And Greece shall fall and I, Hades, shall rule all!”

After Hades had said these words there was a great cheer throughout the underworld—so great a cheer that the entire underworld rumbled so much that it seemed as if the cave walls would cave in, causing all to die there that very moment.

Miraculously the walls did not collapse and what ensued for the next few moments seemed like chaos.  Hades’ flying servants flew all around that room for several moments and flew through Hades’ corridors towards the outside world.  The gate was open and hundreds of Hades’ flying servants all flew around in the sky, to instill great fear on the people of Greece before the rest of Hades’ army arrived.

After the flying servants flew away from the arena, Hades told Herakles to lead his
armies towards Athens, where the great battle would occur.  Herakles gleefully obeyed Hades and led Ares, Hephaestus, and the thousands upon thousands of Hades’ servants to war.  Everyone raised their weapons and moved out of the cave, leaving Hercules, Hades and a few of his servants alone in the cave.  Hercules was hunched over, facing the ground.  Hades again whispered to Hercules:  “You see what all of your righteousness has done Hercules…it has led you to complete misery. I bet you wish for me to kill you now, for me to take this staff and, with my dark magic, end your life forever. But I will not do this. I will not give you the pleasure. Instead I will let you watch your failure until it is complete, until all the people you needed to save have been destroyed.”

Then Hades
looked over at a few of his servants and said, “Come!  Pick him up and carry him out!”  They nodded and obeyed.

By the time Hades left his underworld Herakles had already gathered all of his men into the ships.
  All of the ships were massive, black ships that looked like they were rotting, but were somehow together.  Sharp spikes shot up from various points on his ship, until at the very top and front of the ship, was a massive sharp spike.

Herakles moved forward towards Hades and bowed.  “Hades, my Lord, all your warriors are in the boats and ready to sail towards Athens.”  Herakles looked surprised as he watched Hercules being picked up by four men and thrown into the back of Hades’ chariot.

“Where are you taking Hercules?” asked Herakles.

Hades smiled.  “I have a
special use for him.  He will go to the Acropolis where from there he may watch the devastation of Greece.”

Herakles nodded.  “Very well.”

“Now go!” commanded Hades.  “Sail the seas and desolation to all of Greece!”

Herakles nodded and le
ft to direct the group of ships that moved north.  There he sounded a loud horn, which signaled to all the other ships that it was now time to leave Crete.  “Off to Athens where we will begin to conquer all of Greece!” yelled Herakles.

             
Hades looked out over all his warships and flying chariots and was well pleased.  He knew that thousands of soldiers were loaded up in those ships.  Desolation would come to Greece.  He raised his hands towards the heavens in joy.  Hades looked out over the ocean and then looked back to see the three Fates, who stood in front of the underworld gate.  “You must kill Hercules now!” exclaimed one of the Fates.  “If you do not kill him now he will be a grave threat to you and your new kingdom.”

             
Hades laughed as he looked over to his chariot.  “Ha!  Him!  He has no God powers left and thus is no threat to me, but there is still a great threat in the heavens.”  In saying this he was, of course, speaking of Zeus and Hera.  “He is still of use to me, for he is the bait I will use to gain the ultimate prize!  After all, no true parent will be able to bear to see their son like this!”

             
“Do not underestimate Hercules!” they all shouted.  “Or else it will be your doom!”

             
Hades of course, as they already secretly knew, would not listen to their counsel.  “Do not spoil my fun!” retorted Hades.

             
“Very well, but it will be your doom,” said one of the Fates.  Then they all walked back and disappeared into the darkness.

Hades smiled and turned to his dark Gods.  He then pointed to the three chariots parked near the gate.  “Gods!  You must go in the chariots!”  Ares was about to board his chariot
, but then Hades motioned for him to come to him.  “Ares!  I have an important duty for you, a duty I only trust to a great God!”  Hades turned and looked at the chariot that held Hercules.

“What is it?” asked Ares.

“Take Hercules to the Acropolis!  Chain him up there and keep a good watch on him!”

Ares nodded.  Hades then smiled and began walking back towards the underworld.

“But where are you going?” asked Ares.

Hades laughed.  “
To get
my
chariot!”

Ares didn’t know what Hades was talki
ng about, but agreed and led Hades’ chariot north towards Athens.

Hades moved back into the underworld
confidently towards the deepest and darkest place in his underworld.  Miles down into his dark underworld, far away from any of his servants, was his final room, the ultimate “dead end” to anything that had ever lived.

It was now, now that battle was soon to come upon all of Greece
, that Hades was to reveal one of his most feared servants—his great and terrible black dragon.  This creature he found hiding in the dark cave on Crete long ago, and for so long he had, secretly, kept it there.  When he found it it was but a baby, having been abandoned by his mother and father.  But now it was fully grown.

The dragon was nearly a hundred feet long now, from his head to the end of his tail, over fifty feet wide with his wings outstretched, and over thirty feet tall. 
The dragon was completely black, as black as night, and many said that he breathed out smoke from his nostrils without thinking.  His scales were as iron, and he was covered with many sharp spikes.  His face was long and wrinkled.  His eyes were a diabolical red.

When the dragon first saw Hades
, long ago, he thought that perhaps Hades was his rescuer because he treated him kindly and rubbed his head.  The dragon trusted Hades as Hades led him deeper and deeper into his underworld until he reached its further point.  Then Hades enslaved the creature with massive magical chains.  And it was there Hades kept the creature for many years, as his great prize.

For years the dragon could not see the light of day, and he could only fly a few hundred feet, as far as his chain extended.
  This made the dragon develop a deeper and darker hatred against humanity.  For so long the dragon was fed only by any servant of Hades too tired to live any longer.  That was how the great dragon was fed, for there were no doubt many sad souls who tired of serving Hades and wanted their bodies to crumble.